Tenchi Muyo - OVA DVD Boxed Set Review

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(More customer reviews)It is impossible to put fully into words what Pioneer has done with this unbelievable (and totally complete) box set. Basically, they have taken an all-time favorite anime .. given it a digital remastering, along with Dolby 5.1 Japanese tracks (subtitled wonderfully I might add), along with a great job on the English dubbing, all 13 OVA Episodes, an interactive encyclopedia for Tenchi Fanatics and an unbeatable price. The animation is beautiful in the DVD format and extremely clear, which brings vibrant new life into this anime classic. Pretty much I would recommend this to any anime fan who hasn't seen the series yet (you really have no idea what you're missing out on!) or any Tenchi fan who would like to see this series in its ideal format. If you are new to the anime DVD scene like I am, make sure you put this set on your list of "to buy" collections ^_^ You won't be disapointed!

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The classic Tenchi Muyo OVA series collected in a two disc, bilingual, THX approvedBox Set!The re-mastered film transfers and re-mixed 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround sound for the Japanese tracks are included with the original 2.0 Dolby Digital tracks for Japanese and English languages.This box set contains a bonus third disc - the new, improved, Tenchi Muyo Encyclopedia (Ver.3.0) that contains detailed information about every Tenchi incarnation: The OVA series, the movies, Tenchi Universe, and Tenchi in Tokyo.Also included in the encyclopedia are production materials from various Tenchi Muyo projects- even materials from the third Tenchi Muyo feature film that will be released in Japan in the Spring of 1999!All packaged in a premium three disc DVD case with a printed, plastic slip case! • Remastered film transfer to D-1 • 3 Dolby Digital Soundtracks! • 5.1 Re-mixed Japanese • 2.0 Original Japanese • 2.0 English Language • Contains the Tenchi Muyo Encyclopedia Ver. 3.0 • First 3,000 boxes contain a 24ct. Gold Foil printed plastic collector's card! • 420 minutes of Tenchi Muyo! (OVA Vol. 1-13, plus specials)

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Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 4 (Girl in Gold Boots / Hamlet / Overdrawn at the Memory Bank / Space Mutiny) (1988) Review

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(More customer reviews)This fourth collection of episodes from the classic TV comedy show, "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (which, if you don't already know, is the program where a silhouette of a man and his two robots sitting in theater seat provide running comedic commentary to rotten movies), contains four episodes from the later seasons that appeared on the Sci-Fi Channel. That means Mike Nelson is the host, Billy Corbett is doing Crow's voice instead of Trace Beaulieu, and Pearl Forrester is now the evil scientist holding the crew of the Satellite of Love hostage.
The early DVD collections were all focused on the Comedy Central years of MST3K, so this is a nice shift in Rhino's marketing. Some fans aren't fond of the host segments in these later years, but there are some occasional funny ones. The riffing, however, is as good as ever, and has changed to an angry, sarcastic style different than the Joel and early Mike years. I love both styles, but some fans prefer one or the other. Just be aware that in this package you're getting a full-assault of the later, Sci-Fi Channel episodes. (Rhino is about release another package of Sci-Fi Channel episodes, after which I hope they'll return to some of the early seasons to maintain balance.)
Of the four episodes on this collection, two are superb, while the others are entertaining but more average. Here's what you'll find:
GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS: A really sleazy `go-go' film from the late 60s with some disturbing similarities to "Showgirls" (except it's better). Sleazy `elf boy' picks up a girl in a greasy spoon restaurant with the promise of making her a dancer in Los Angeles at the club where his drug-addled sister works. Unfortunately, Elf Boy is a bit psychotic, the boss at the club is oily and sleazy, and a poetic spouting dude named Critter (or "Yak Boy") tries to lure our girl from her plunge into a life of...(gasp!)...SIN! Oh, and there's lots of cameras leering at girls in skimpy go-go outfits dancing to lousy music. The film is similar to early MST3K episodes like "Hellcats" and "Wild Rebels" in its greasy ugliness, but the film is mostly slow and boring. Mike and the `Bots do a decent job with it, but this is only an average episode. There is a funny host segment where Mike sings a syrupy guitar ballad while the ship burns.
HAMLET. A 60s German TV production of the play, horribly dubbed into English, and starring Maximilian Schell. It's bleak, drab, slow, and shot entirely on a single very uninteresting set of black curtains and granite furniture. The amusement of this episode is watching Mike and the `Bots take on a classic of literature, and riff off of famous lines, some of which is hysterical. But the production is so ponderous and slow that you'll be screaming along with the hosts for Hamlet to just shut up and die at the end ("Is there a word in English language he hasn't said?" one of them asks). There's a funny host segment called "Alas Poor Who?" set up as gameshow, where contestants must identify celebrities based on pieces of their bones. An intriguing, if not fantastic, episode.
SPACE MUTINY. Ah, here's the gravy! An awful South African-produced sci-fi stinker that rips off the plot of "Battlestar Galactica" - as well as all of its effects footage! (I'm not sure this was legally done.) The inhabitants of the giant space cruiser `The Southern Sun' - which is mostly a large basement and boiler room - face a mutiny by guys in marching band outfits. A chunky loser and his love interest (old enough to be his mother) must save the ship. There are loads of people flipping over railings as they get shot (railing kill!), mutineers who can't aim worthy a damn, a chase on vehicles that go slower than golf carts, and a hero who screeches like a woman at odd moments. Mike and the `Bots really let this film have it, and the result is one of the funniest episodes of the Sci-Fi Channel years.
OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK. Just as great an episode as "Space Mutiny" is this horrendous Public Television-produced film. Acutally, it isn't a film: it was shot on VIDEO! Cheap and flat looking, and filled with cheesy video toaster effects, the film blows any chance of succeeding it might have had. And it had potential. It has a real star, Raul Julia, and an early cyberpunk and proto-`Matrix' idea of a man whose mind is lost inside a giant corporate computer in a dystopian future. But none of it makes the least bit of sense, and it reaches hysterical levels of incomprehensibility by the end. Mike and the `Bots are in top form, and there's plenty to laugh at here. The end sequence, where they call the tech-support line for the movie to complain, is a classic!
In addition to the films, Mike Nelson makes brief introductions to each episode, describing a bit of the behind-the-scenes torture the writers went going through. It's a nice feature, and I hope Rhino continues it.
Unlike some earlier Rhino discs, there are no "un-cut, un-MST3K" versions of the films available. Frankly, I never watched the un-cut films on the discs where is WAS available, and I don't think anyone would want to watch any of these film without Mike and the `Bots. They change awful entertainment into great entertainment - and that's a magic feat all on it's own, and why "Mystery Science Theater 3000" will live forever as one of comedy greats.
Come on, JUST PUSH THE BUTTON, FRANK, and buy this collection!

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Item Name: Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 4 (Girl in Gold Boots / Hamlet [1961] / Overdrawn at the Memory Bank / Space Mutiny); Studio:Rhino Theatrical

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Kung Fu Hustle (Widescreen Edition) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Kung Fu Hustle is among my favorite films, not because I am a die-hard fan of Stephen Chow, but because I really liked the wild mix of comedy, adventure, crime caper and martial arts action. Most notably the excellent fight choreography by legendary Yuen Woo-Ping(who is also responsible for the fight scenes of Kill Bill vol. 1, Fearless, The Matrix, Hero). As I said, I love KUNG FU HUSTLE and am very much looking forward for its sequel in 2008, so forgive me if I am a bit biased. (I will try my best not to lose my objectivity)
The New "AXE KICKING EDITION" soon to be released by Sony is actually the REGION-3 Hong Kong release which I have. (I am certain)The Hong Kong release is still the one to go for if you have a multi-region dvd player. Since I almost know for certain that only fans of the film will be interested in this new edition, I will skip the plot summary. ( for those of you who haven't seen it, you may look up my review under the original U.S. DVD.)
I will go straight to the differences between the previous dvd release and this new "Axe-kicking edition"(original Hong Kong release):
Mild spoilers ahead---
Scene 1; The landlady throws her husband out of a window and drops a flower pot that ended up on the back of his head. The original cut showed a small pool of blood coming from his face, but the U.S. version digitally omitted it. The blood now appears as part of the film.
Scene 2; Sing heckles/insults the residents of Pig Sty Alley and gets hit in the tummy by a woman. The original cut showed Sing spitting up blood which landed on the woman's face, but the earlier U.S. version digitally removed the blood (though some still appeared around Sing's mouth). The blood now appears in this release.
Scene 3; This may be more offensive to others; it takes place on the eve of the big attack on Pig Sty Alley. The Hong Kong cut showed a man taking a d--p onto a piece of paper as the camera panned by, but the American version digitally removed the offensive feces. Now the paper is no longer blank. "Mr. Poo" makes an appearance!
Scene 4; Sing confronts "The Beast" in the casino, he gets hit hard on the chest twice. After the 2nd hit, blood sprays on The Beast's face and Sing is shown reeling backwards from the force of the punch with blood spurting from his mouth. The U.S. version PREVIOUSLY removed both of these sequential shots.
Scene 5; Also in the casino, Sing's head is hit on his face, hammered into the ground by The Beast. After the first hit, The Beast's bloody fist is shown emerging from the floor in slow motion...but the U.S. version removed this shot entirely.
Now for the DVD Picture and Sound quality--
2.35 Anamorphic Widescreen. The Picture is extremely sharp with solid Black levels. Colors are natural and enhancements are not noticeable. CGI effects suffer a bit of softness. But the transfer is clean and nice. It is the Hong Kong transfer from what I can tell.
Sound is in 5.1 Dolby/2.0 surround in English, French & Cantonese. I am a bit disappointed why Sony still didn't include the Cantonese 5.1 DTS track as in the original Hong Kong release. Why?!
EXTRAS: Stephen Chow interview--Bloopers/outtakes--Featurettes: w/ Yuen Woo-Ping, Oliver Wong(Production designer), Shirley Wong(Costumes)
Storyboard comparison--trailers--audio commentary
CLOSING: Kung Fu Hustle is one of the more entertaining (if not the most fun in 2004) imports. It mixes pop culture blends, over-the-top comedy, hard-hitting action while maintaining a profound respect for the spirit of Kung Fu. This new region 1 release is a bit confusing, while it contains the original cut of the film, it misses the original special features and the powerful DTS Cantonese Language track. I wouldn't advise a "double dip" for fans who own the first REGION 1 dvd, but for fans who doesn't own the movie, pick this new version up. However, the lack of DTS sound is a huge minus for this version. I STILL prefer the ORIGINAL Hong Kong region-3 release!
RECOMMENDED!! (Timidly)


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Stephen Chow (director and star of Shaolin Soccer) is at it again with his newest action-packed and comedic martial-arts adventure, KUNG FU HUSTLE. From wildly imaginative kung fu showdowns to dance sequences featuring tuxedoed mobsters, you've never seen action this outrageous and characters this zany! With jaw-dropping fight sequences by Yuen Wo Ping (famed action choreographer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix), KUNG FU HUSTLE will blow you away! In a town ruled by the Axe Gang, Sing (Stephen Chow) desperately wants to become a member. He stumbles into a slum ruled by eccentric landlords who turnout to be kung fu masters in disguise. Sing's actions eventually cause the Axe Gang and the slumlords to engage in an explosive kung fu battle. Only one side will win and only one hero will emerge as the greatest kung fu master of all.

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M*A*S*H - Season One (Collector's Edition) (1972) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm not going to go into too many details about the series. If you're reading this, you probably already know who the characters are, what the show is about, etc.
The first season (24 episodes) is packaged on three DVDs with eight episodes per disc. The episodes are presented in airdate order. The video quality is quite good for film material from the 70s -- far better than the All in the Family DVDs. The audio is good as well.
As others have pointed out, this DVD set comes with no extras. The only modification that I make when watching this series is to turn off the laugh track. M*A*S*H was such a thought-provoking series that sometimes the canned laughter was a distraction; yet funny enough that I didn't need to be told when to laugh.
For the material itself, I give it five stars (I'd even go higher). For the audio/video quality, four stars and for the lack of extras only one star. Overall, four stars. For this price, the lack of extras is acceptable.

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Korea, 1950. They were a MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) unit stationed three miles from the front. Incoming helicopters full of wounded brought the horrors of war to them daily and sometimes bullets flew right outside the operating room door. Occasional hilarity and constant hijinks were all that kept them sane.Loosely based on real-life MASH unit 8055, life at the 4077 revolved around the day-to-day routines of Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce, Captain "Trapper" McIntyre, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, Major Margaret Houlihan, Major Franklin Burns and Corporal "Radar" O’Reilly. Through these characters, viewers traveled beyond the long hours and the horrors of the operating room to a place where friendships were forged, laughter was found and drinks were served.

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Top Secret (1984) Review

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(More customer reviews)Top Secret! - the Jim Abrahams/Zucker Bros.' follow-up to Airplane! - does for (or is that *to*) Elvis movies and WWII espionage films what the earlier feature did for/to the airborne disaster genre. The gags are slightly more immature (not necessarily a bad thing, but in some cases may have been better had they been allowed to age a little before being put into production), but some, like the forced-perspective oversize phone or saying farewell to the Scarecrow, rival anything the ZAZ team has ever done.
The music is a mixed bag. "Skeet Surfing" and the Macy's jingle are great. "Tutti-Fruitti" and "Straighten the Rug" are less so (not that every song in an Elvis movie was worthy of screen time, either). Kudos to Val Kilmer, though; even when he's camping it up, the musical numbers remain watch- and listenable.
The only thing I don't care for on the disc is the audio commentary. The production team really rips the movie apart as if they had tried to make a "serious" film that fell apart. In that case, learning why/how it failed would be interesting and instructive. To shred a spoof film, especially a sophomore and sophomoric effort like Top Secret!, is entirely unwarranted. Sure there are plot holes. Sure it makes no sense that submarine would crash into a prison dungeon. Sure some things are only mildly amusing. Drawing undue attention to them is doubly pointless. Sheesh! If you're a big fan, skip the commentary.
I really enjoyed this movie and really (mostly) enjoyed its presentation on the DVD. There aren't a lot of extras, but be sure to hunt for the Easter Egg - it's definitely worth finding.

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An American rock star teams up with a scientist's daughter to rescue her father before the enemy can force him to make a devasting weapon.Genre: Feature Film-ComedyRating: PGRelease Date: 1-MAR-2004Media Type: DVD

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King of Hearts (1967) Review

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(More customer reviews)A fairy tale set in a French town caught between the opposing armies of the First World War, "King of Hearts" has lost none of its beguiling charm in the 35 years since its original release, nor has its message grown stale. Alan Bates shines as Charles Plumpick, a simple private in a Scottish regiment and perhaps the only sane man in the abandoned town. But is his world of war and brutality really any saner than the make-believe world conjured up by the escaped inmates of the town lunatic asylum, the only residents Private Plumpick encounters during his reconaissance? It is a point of view that depends entirely on one's perspective. This whimsical, gentle tale challenges the watcher to reexamine what constitutes true madness, just as the asylum characters force Pvt. Plumpick, having been to his initial discomfort acclaimed as the King of Hearts, to choose which role he prefers: king of the fools or fool for King George V? Broca directs his own screenplay with a deft touch and using a stellar cast of mostly French actors. A very young Genevieve Bujold makes one of her earliest appearances in a major picture. The English subtitles aren't the best I've seen (and unlike the VHS version, are distractingly present even during English dialogue), but far better than the awful English-dubbed version of "King of Hearts" that is sometimes broadcast or sold. (The best subtitles I have ever seen were on a print that circulated around theatres during the 1970s and 1980s, but I've never seen this version used for home video.) The score by Georges Delerue is one of his best.
Quelle Surprise! This DVD version has, without fanfare, at least two entirely new scenes in the film that I have never seen before (and I first saw this in 1977). The first is a lengthier "homily" by Monseigneur Marguerite (aka Bishop Daisy) in the church before Charles' coronation. But the real grabber is an added scene at the very end of the movie that offers a parting glance at the primary players and a final bittersweet twist. Where on earth did this footage come from, and why has it been missing from this film for so long? Does this DVD version offer a "better" ending than the familiar one? It's debateable. But it's certainly intriguing.

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One of the most popular foreign films of all time, playing continuously in some theatres for over five years, King of Hearts is a "bright, lilting, whimsical, lyrical" (Cue) comedy thatcleverly satirizes the absurdity of war with a "message [that is] meaningful and entertaining" (Boxoffice). Bumbling Scottish Private Plumpick (Alan Bates) is sent to a village in the beautiful French countryside during World War I on a suicide mission to detonate explosives set bythe retreating German army. The village, soon to be blown sky-high, has been abandoned by its inhabitantsand replaced with escapees from the local insane asylum. Now, with the mentally challenged running the town, Plumpick is crowned King! But his new title brings him his first horrible decision: to carry out his deadly mission or join the ranks of the blissfully ignorant who know nothing about war. King of Hearts is subtle, visually striking and, in short, the "ultimate display of madness" (Life)!

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Weird Al Yankovic - The Ultimate Video Collection (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD represents everything the format can offer in a music video. It has all of Al's videos, with stereo surround and 5.1 tracks, plus some extra clips from Al's Saturday morning cartoon show and his 1981 TV debut on Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show. The videos are presented in random order; you can really see that Al's 80's videos hold up quite well in comparison to his 90's videos. Here's the track listing:
1. Fat
2. Amish Paradise
3. It's All About the Pentiums
4. Smells Like Nirvana
5. You Don't Love Me Anymore
6. Bedrock Anthem
7. Gump
8. Jurassic Park
9. Headline News
10. Dare to Be Stupid *my favorite*
11. Eat It
12. Like a Surgeon
13. UHF
14. Money For Nothing / Beverly Hillbillies
15. One More Minute
16. I Lost On Jeopardy
17. This Is the Life
18. Living With a Hernia
19. Spy Hard
20. Ricky
21. Christmas at Ground Zero
22. I Love Rocky Road
23. Bob
24. The Saga Begins
As you can see, no Weird Al fan should be without this DVD. I'd rate it 6 stars if I could.

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WEIRD AL YANKOVIC-ULTIMATE COLLECTION - DVD Movie

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Stripes (1981) Review

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(More customer reviews)Nope! It's NOT just the same movie - simply put:
You haven't actually seen Bill Murray's 'STRIPES' until you obtain this 2005 re-release DVD!
The bonus scenes featured DOES INDEED answer various inquiries we once had re this comedy:
e.g. - why are those 2 guys ALONE sitting against the EM-50 in Italy before they take it for a spin?....and when in Germany Russell flat-out refuses to rescue the captured troops with the other three in the EM-50, what made him change his mind? - (to mention a few)..
Another one of the deleted scenes is the (talked-about) 7-minute "South America" segment
where we DO see another side of Harold Ramis - while Murray is truly hilarious!
A BETTER print with superior STEREO 5.1 dolby sound now vs the previous mono DVD, including a great feature in two parts -"Stars & Stripes" - that will leave you dazzled in understanding this entire film: how it was made, rare image stills, and how the actors (a good number of them)
felt in doing the film along with Murray himself, being interviewed from of all places - TOKYO!
This new DVD gives you 2 movie options:
1.) the EXTENDED version featuring the deleted scenes-
(with added option of audio commentary from the director and head writer)
2.) the ORIGINAL theatrical version-
*BOTH WS*
There's also the option of seeing all SIX bonus scenes - one after the other -
The EXTENDED version does a fine editing job inserting the deleted scenes at the right places,
- even indicating (via small permanent text) where these bonus scenes START and END -
-an extremely smooth flow minus any pauses or audio dropouts...
However on this strange ORIGINAL version, there ARE crude pauses/slight audio drops only at the marks where the deleted scenes were MEANT to be placed (or were previously removed),
it's as if they didn't (wouldn't or couldn't) simply EMPLOY the main original print for this DVD -
-unsmooth/choppy at these marks, esp when the guys drive to Germany and meet the girls -
e.g. - Murray hugs P.J. Soles with the line: "I Brought The Magic Suitcase"..
- That very scene literally disappears - thus disappoints on this ORG version -
One Major Blunder:
A bonus scene w/P.J. Soles (there's MORE of her) & Murray in a hotel bedroom from Germany
is in fact the EXACT same bedroom set in a PREVIOUS short scene where she pulls Bill out of the trunk at General Barnacy's house; When you compare the two you'll believe they intended this to be START of the 'Barnacy Bedroom' segment..
But overall (the pauses & blunder notwithstanding), they did a great job
in christening this DVD as: "The ULTIMATE Stripes"
- definately worth forking over (at best) a Hamilton and an Abe for...


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Item Name: Stripes; Studio:Sony Pictures

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Catch-22 (1970) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally ...... one of those DVD re-releases I've been practically holding my breath for, and was not disappointed. This criminally overlooked gem was trashed by critics upon its release in 1970, and never enjoyed a video transfer worthy of the filmmaker's effort, not even on laserdisc! And as you can see from the varying reviews, the controversy rages on. Which just proves how alive and well and timely a film Catch-22 truly is.
Mike Nichols captures the essence of Joseph Heller's defining anti-war classic quite admirably, with a faithful adaptation by Buck Henry (who can be seen along with a veritable Who's Who period ensemble cast), with an eye as removed and objective as Kubrick, yet at times very visually subjective ..... an approach used to great advantage in his previous hit film The Graduate. All the verbal and ethical contradictions of the book bring its dark humor to demented life, through a kaleidoscopic cavalcade of archtypical characters who make up the living nightmare of one Captain Yossarian, who has decided he can no longer bear to fly the combat missions his superiors have made it impossible to get out of. To get out of flying, he has to be officially diagnosed as "crazy", and must request to be grounded ..... but if he requests to be grounded, then he's not really crazy, and is therefore eligible to keep flying missions. That's some catch, that Catch-22.
This film, like the book on which it's based, is not so much an indictment of the insanity of war as it is a look at how the corporate mentality can find its way into the noblest of causes, and how beurocratic manipulations devaluate basic human principles, which take a back seat to merely "looking good". A timeless theme indeed. This skewed logic is cheerfully accepted by all the story's characters ..... until our Yossarian's eyes are opened to the product of that logic literally disemboweled at his fingertips (yes, that scene was put back in!), and suddenly he is the outsider whose prime mission is to avoid any more missions. Which is not an easy thing to do when Brass keeps adding more after you've completed your tour of duty.
As far as the transfer itself: It has probably never looked better since the original theatrical release over 30 years ago, especially being the first widescreen release of this title, which is the only way to experience it as intended. The transfer team did the best they could with the mono soundtrack, I'm sure, which does get compressed and distorted at times, something we enthusiasts of early films live with.
Mike Nichols' Catch-22 may only enjoy cult status, but it is DVD releases like this (and that other oddball, star-studded 60's curiosity Candy) that make one truly appreciate what is being done with this revolutionary medium. Hey, not all movies can be for everybody. Long live the Anti-Blockbusters!

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The cinematic adaptation of Joseph Heller's scathing black comedy about a small group of flyers in the Mediterranean in 1944.Genre: Feature Film-DramaRating: RRelease Date: 13-AUG-2002Media Type: DVD

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Gunga Din (1939) Review

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(More customer reviews)Possibly the best pure action film ever made and certainly the inspiration for many that have followed. Inspired by, rather than based on, a poem by Rudyard Kipling (who briefly appears as a character in the uncut version of the film in the guise of a journalist traveling with the British army) this tale of adventure, comedy, and action in 19th-century India under the British Raj has it all. Superb b&w cinematography (nominated for an Academy Award in Hollywood's greatest year). Perfect casting, with Cary "Archie" Grant as the cockney Sgt. Cutter, Victor McLaghlen as gruff Master Sgt. MacChesney, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as the dashing Sgt. Ballantine, Sam Jaffee (in full body makeup) as the humble water carrier Gunga Din, and the scene-stealing Eduardo Cianelli as a ferociously intelligent villain who is far more frightening than any '30's movie monster.
The setting, outside the small town of Lone Pine, in California's eastern Sierras, beautifully mirrors that of northwestern India. Filmed in 100 degree heat, the picture's sets and backgrounds have a look of sere authenticity rarely achieved by location filming in the '30's. The superb score borders on the operatic, with leitmotifs for characters as well as scenes.
I vividly remember thinking as a child, when I first saw a grainy print on our b&w tv, that this was the first time I had seen a non-white person in a film who was obviously smarter than the Caucasian heroes. Yes, Cianelli's guru is a fanatic at the head of a cult of ritual murderers, but his discourse on what makes a good officer ("Great generals, gentlemen, are not made of jeweled swords and mustache wax. They are made of what is here [touches hand to head] and here [touches hand to heart]!") has stayed with me ever since. Not to mention, before throwing himself into the cobra pit so that his soldiers will move against the British, that "India is my country, and I can die for my country as well as you for yours".
Of course, there is also his rousing speech in the temple to his devotees to "Kill for the love of Kali, kill as you yourselves would be killed, kill for the love of killing...kill, kill, kill!" that carries rather chilling relevance to all too many fanatical groups today (though not worshippers of poor slandered Kali, whose temple in Kolkata I have visited). And it's the bravery of a mistreated Hindu, Gunga Din, who saves the day, and British behinds.
This is a film that functions on many levels and inspired far more than the forgettable remake (SOLDIERS THREE). Its lack of availability on DVD in a fully restored version, together with the accompanying George Stevens, Jr. documentary footage on its making (including color film shot on the location), makes it the number one omission in the current DVD catalog.

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Two and a Half Men: The Complete First Season (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)For once, Australia actually has something first. We have this first season on DVD and I love it. It is such a funny funny show and I was so surprised that Charlie Sheen is as funny in this as he is. Charlie's brother Alan comes to stay with him (and brings along his son) when he gets a divorce.
You all know how funny this is and you don't need another reminder, so I'll just give you the run down of what's on these four discs.
1. PILOT - Deal Him In. Charlie's poker night with the boys includes a genuine boy - 10 year old Jake.
2. BIG FLAPPY BASTARDS. Talk about gull-ible. Seagulls invade the house when Jake won't stop feeding the feathered freeloaders.
3. GO EAST ON SUNSET UNTIL YOU REACH THE GATES OF HELL. Tequila shots and a philosophical cabbie lead Charlie and Alan to a confrontation with their mother.
4. IF I CAN'T WRITE MY CHOCOLATE SONG I'M GOING TO TAKE A NAP. The most important woman in Charlie's life - his cleaning lady - walks out.
5. LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO WIND UP WITH A HUMP. Charlie and Alan discover a great place to score: Jake's soccer games, home of single soccer moms.
6. DID YOU CHECK WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE FLYING MONKEYS? A new dad for Charlie and Alan? Evelyn flips for a beau ... until he drops her like a bag of cement.
7. IF THEY DO GO EITHER WAY, THEY'RE USUALLY FAKE. Jake spies a tattoo on a pretty girl's half-bare bottom, then draws the naked truth for a school assignment.
8. TWENTY-FIVE LITTLE PRE-PUDERS WITHOUT A SNOOT-FUL. Fourth grade - the musical. Charlie 'volunteers' to writea salute to the Industrial Revolution for Jake's class.
9. PHASE ONE, COMPLETE. What's wrong with Miss Right? Everyone thinks Charlie's girlfriend is The One - everyone except Charlie.
10. MERRY THANKSGIVING. Charlie tries to showcase his domestic talents when he hosts a lavish Thanksgiving dinner.
11. ALAN HARPER. FRONTIER CHIROPRACTOR. Makeover magic. Charlie's the man with the plan when Alan decides to jump-start his life with a new look.
12. CAMEL FILTERS + PHEROMONES. A minor problem. Berta's Lolita-like teenage granddaughter creates chaos in the Harper household.
13. SARA LIKE PUNY ALAN. On their last double date, Charlie got the incredible cheerleader and Alan got the incredible Hulk. Does Alan dare try again?
14. I CAN'T AFFORD HYENAS. When Charlie hits a financial pothole, he has to (gasp! shudder!) cut back on expenses.
15. ROUND ONE TO THE HOT CRAZY CHICK. Batter up! The guys bring home Frankie, a gorgeous woman with a baseball bat ... and anger insues.
16. THAT WAS SALIVA, ALAN. Two and a half men - plus one and a half women. Frankie brings her eight-year-old daughter to stay.
17. ATE THE HAMBURGES, WEARING THE HATS. In his will, Alan names a guardian for Jake ... and it isn't Charlie.
18. AN OLD FLAME WITH A NEW WICK. (My personal favourite) My, how you've changed. Charlie's old girlfriend wants to be friends. And now she's a he.
19. I REMEMBER THE COATROOM, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER YOU. Twisted sister. Judith's seductive sister once had a fling with Charlie but now she's cuddling up to Alan.
20. HEY, I CAN PEE OUTSIDE IN THE DARK. Jake gets a guitar and an attitude. He just can't seem to lose the blues.
21. NO SNIFFING, NO WOWING. Alan's divorce attorney is a major hottie but Charlie discovers she's too hot to handle.
22. MY DOCTOR HAS A COW PUPPET. Well at least it's exercise. Alan resumes his childhood sleepwalking habit.
23. JUST LIKE BUFFALO. Shhhhhhhhhhhh! Jake repeats Charlie's sexist comment in front of Judith's man-averse support group.
24. CAN YOU FEEL MY FINGER? After a girlfriend has a pregnancy scare, Charlie decides a little snip-snip will prevent any future worries.
This is such a funny show and I know you're gonna love it. I highly recommend this one.

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Charlie Harper is a bachelor in paradise, complete with Malibu beach house, overpaid job and a very active dating life. Then his uptight brother Alan, in the throes of a divorce, moves in - and brings his 10-year-old son Jake with him. Sorry, Charlie. It looks like paradise lost. This 4-disc set includes all 24 Season-One Episodes of the breezy comedy - the People's Choice Award winner as Favorite New Series - starring Charlie Sheen as Charlie and Jon Cryer as Alan. As the brothers reestablish a sense of family, Charlie also bonds with Jake (Angus T. Jones). Holland Taylor is the guys' domineering mother, Marin Hinkle is Alan's icy ex and Melanie Lynskey is Rose, who thinks one date with Charlie means life-long commitment. Meet the Harper men - two adults, one kid and no grown-ups.DVD Features:FeaturetteGag Reel

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Best in Show (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Christopher Guest's "Best in Show" is a wildly hilarious satire that pokes fun at people who are overly obsessed with their pets. So obsessed that they would take their pets and put them in a type of "beauty pageant" in order to get awards and recognition. It's funny and unrelenting because you see it as an everyday occurrence in society. People like this really do exist, and that is why it's so humorous. The characters are all out of their minds and are a joy to watch in this very entertaining and unpredictable film.
I had no idea what I was going to experience when I popped this into the DVD player. At first, it didn't seem like anything that would interest me. However, almost every single person I know had seen it and encouraged me to watch it. I'm glad I did give it a chance, because I ended up really liking it. The satire is outrageous and subtle at the same time (something that's VERY difficult to accomplish unless the project is in the right hands). The actors are hilarious and very animated, but at the same time you know that these types of people really do exist! Eugene Levy was my favorite person in the film. He's so subtle and clever when it comes to humor. Overall, everybody was fantastic in their roles.
The DVD has some really cool extras. It has very good picture and sound quality. Extras included are deleted scenes, feature length audio commentary by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, theatrical trailer and more. The deleted scenes are pretty interesting to watch. Tons of special features for those who love the extra "bells and whistles."
"Best in Show" is great satirical comedy in top form. Not a wasted second is present in the movie. If you're looking for something a little less ordinary, this may be the choice for you. Christopher Guest has done an excellent job of orchestrating this very entertaining and clever film that gives us 90 minutes of fun and laughs.

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BEST IN SHOW - DVD Movie

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Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends - The Complete First Season (1959) Review

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(More customer reviews)I won't speak for the content, if you like Moose & Squirrel, you'll want this set. But you (and the makers) should know the Pros and Cons of the set, to whit:
PROS:
* Remastered sound and video - there are still imperfections in the video, but the color is more vivid than I've seen on TV broadcasts
* Two complete stories: Rocket Fuel Formula and Box Top Conspiracy
* Play All - Watch all episodes on each of the four discs in succession
* Entire episodes shown - including all periphral cartoons (Dudley Do-Right, Peabody, Aesop & Son, and Fractured Fairy Tales) as well as commercial lead-ins
* Nice packaging - when the first thing you see on opening a DVD set is a moose saying, "Hello Low IQers!", you know the makers respect the Jay Ward tradition!
CONS:
* Altered Title - The title sequence is altered in the middle to change it from the original to "Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends", with an obvious switch in voice and animation quality. The alteration is cheap and unnecessary
* Season Two Intro - The documentation says that the intro to each episode was the one used in the second season, which was Jay Ward's favorite. If this were a collection, that would be a good decision, but as a "season one", it should have the season one intro. This makes me think there may not be a season two set in which to display Ward's favorite intro, which would be sad indeed. All I know is I sure would have preferred to see Season One EXACTLY as it was originally presented.
* Dubious accuracy - All the tampering (season 2 intro) has achieved is to ensure that the Rocky And Bullwinle show will never be accurately reproduced.
BOTTOM LINE:
* The only way to enjoy watching Rocky Bullwinkle is to see the episodes in proper sequence
* This DVD set provides the first two stories in their entirety that comprised the first season
* Each of the four discs provides almost 3 hours of uninterrupted Jay Ward & Friends brand hilarity, what more could you want? After all, you searched for "bullwinkle", didn't you?
* You read this far? Buy it already!

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Hot Shots (1991) Review

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(More customer reviews)This kooky movie mainly parodies Tom Cruise's Top Gun, but pokes fun at Dances With Wolves, and many others. This is the story of Lt. Topper Harley (played by Charlie Sheen), who is trying to overcome the ghosts that haunt his life. But, the U.S Government needs Topper to fly in a secret mission to destroy a nuclear plant in Iraq. But, between evil capitalists, an insane admiral (Lloyd Bridges), and a band of strange and incompetent pilots, this is bound to be a far from normal mission! [Color, released in 1991, with a running time of 1:24.]
This is an extremely funny, extremely offbeat movie from that king of funny, offbeat movies - Jim Abrahams. If you are familiar with Mr. Abrahams' other movies, Airplane and The Naked Gun, then you know just what kind of zaniness he is capable of. Well, this movie lives up to the standards set by those other Abrahams hits.
The story is quite funny, with lots of slapstick, sight gags, and all around silliness. My daughter bought this movie with her own money, and enjoyed it immensely. In fact, the whole family did. We highly enjoyed this movie, and highly recommend it!


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Recruited to join a top-secret mission for the Air Force, a renegade pilot (Sheen) finds himself coping with an incompetent admiral (Bridges) and a carefully-selected squadron of flyers who are either inept or half-blind.He also winds up in competition with the corps' model of military perfection (Elwes) for the heart of the base's sultry psychiatrist (Golino)

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Penn & Teller Bullsh*t: Complete Sixth Season Review

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(More customer reviews)Entertaining as always: a mixed season, with some hits and some misfires.
First, forgo new agers for a while. They are absurd to the point of being impaired. Season six seems fatigued: sensitivity, dolphins and the like echo earlier episodes. Balance becomes an issue for this season, with acrimony working into some material--the Being Green episode was off kilter and strident.
It would be good to see more shows about things we accept as mainstream but do in fact have faulty joints. Stranger Danger made a bold point that child protection has become Manichean. The series really hits target with episodes like these.
The writers might consider lightening up on ideology and focusing on deconstructing things commonly accepted, such as the prison system, litigation culture (the root of political correctness), dumbed down reality TV and the like.
Certainly there are enough contradictions out there to re-energize the series.


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Item Name: Penn & Teller Bullsh*t: Complete Sixth Season; Studio:Showtime Ent.

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What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie was made in the 1960's, and I remembered seeing it then, and thought it was one of the funniest movies ever. I had always wanted to see it again, so I was elated to be able to get the video. When I watched it again it was as funny, if not more so then I remembered. Harry Morgan, is hysterical, and Dick Shawn and James Coburn are great. It is really, as they say, a laugh riot. It is well worth watching, and I reccomend it highly.

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Set against the backdrop of WW 2, a by-the-book Captain is ordered to capture a strategic village in Italy and finds the soldiers are willing to surrender if the can have their annual wine festival first. But he must make it look like a real fight for the aerial viewers and the practice makes for loads of fun!

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VeggieTales - Duke and the Great Pie War Review

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(More customer reviews)For the latest episode in the Veggie series, we get a lesson on loving your family. They take two Biblical stories and use them to show the importance of taking care of your family over your own interests.
First up is "Baby Sitter in DeNile." Laura Carrot gets to play Miriam, who is upset at the attention her parents are playing to little brother Moses. And she really doesn't want to have to watch him. Will she change her mind? While I found the beginning of the segment a little confusing, I enjoyed this different take on the beginning of Moses' life.
The main feature is "Duke and the Great Pie War," a loose retelling of the story of Ruth set in a fairy tale kingdom. Can knight in training Duke Duke win the joust and the heart of Sweet Petunia? And will the fact that she's a Rubarbarian hurt his standing in his kingdom? This segment was hysterical with such puns are serf music and the names of the knights. And be sure to catch the question posed by the Abbott of Costello.
Sandwiched between these segments is "The Blues with Larry," the part of the show where Larry comes out and tries to sing the blues. Even help from special guest Blind Lemon Lincoln can't seem to get Larry sad enough to actually sing the blues.
Of course, if you're familiar with VeggieTales, you know what to expect on this DVD. Bonus features include the normal behind the scenes, audio commentary, family activities, games, karaoke, and more.
While the first segment was a little sub par, the rest of the DVD made up for it. This is yet another solid 45 minutes of family entertainment.

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Studio: Genius Products IncRelease Date: 10/28/2008

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