FUN GAMES | MOVIES

Shrek "Forever After", successfully beat out Iron Man 2

2010-06-10T22:40:00.000+07:00

After Forever Shrek movie finally appears on this 2010. And the surprise is a direct defeat Iron Man 2 movie in the top box movies Offices. It was remarkable. In this year, at least until today, the existing two animated films that have extraordinary income is How to Train Your Dragon and now Shrek "Forever After" (The Final Chapter). From the last information I received, to date the film Shrek "Forever After" has been earning approximately approximately $ 70,838,207. Yeah ... it was hard for the audience tastes in a guess. Though this movie Shrek and has produced four times the audience was not bored, is still enthusiastic about the film continued Shrek.Shrek Forever After Movie (Group) Poster Print - 22" X 34"Shrek movie "Forever After" tells of Shrek (Mike Myers) is bored with his life now. He wanted to be like before the Ogre of the dreaded Ogre. One day Shrek meets a witch named Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn). They both made an agreement. Shrek given a chance to experience life as before, into the dreaded ogre for a full day and Rumpelstiltskin also get a chance one day he wants. The agreement apparently even bring disaster to the lives of Shrek. His wife Fiona (Cameron Diaz) changed attitude became a different person, children no longer Shrek, his friends like Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is also like never knew him. Shrek felt sorry and tried to regain his wife and his children also his companions.Well, how is it going? curious? please go to your favorite movie theater. And if you want to immediately get this movie on DVD or Blu-ray, please you click here for DVD or here for Blu-ray to get the film.~Source, http://www.surfingbrowsing.com

Watch Shrek Forever After Trailer

Sex and the City 2 = The luxury lifestyle

2010-06-10T22:15:00.001+07:00

When this second sequel to the film "Sex and the city" is being circulated in cinemas. Along with this, many women who are infatuated with the style of dressing the characters in the film. The film itself is slowly but surelybegan to climb the ladder box office worldwide. Incredible! what thehell is really interesting from this film? even though the movie wasjust telling about the problems of four friends who all middle-agedwoman and infatuated with fashion. Just read the reviews of this movie,there's nothing really special other than just relying on the luxury lifestyle.

In this second sequel, Sex and the City 2talked about life romance between Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) andMr.Big (Chris North) who has been running for two years. They now livetogether in a new apartment. But apparently living together makesCarrie knows Big properties are more like watching classic movies inblack and white above the bed, preferring to order fast food to bebrought to the apartment rather than go out to eat together isromantic, and love to sit on the couch chatting. Carrie suddenly feelhomesick with her glamorous life first. On the other hand, Charlotte(Kristin Davis) is experiencing a crisis in the care of two smallchildren and often whining. Moreover, she also made dizzy by thecomments of her friends about her nanny's sexy. Then there was theworkaholic Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), who finally arrivedat the point of frustration where she decided to stop working. No lag,Samantha (Kim Catrall) who likes to young man. From one of herboyfriend that she was introduced by a conglomerate of origin Abu Dhabihotel entrepreneur who ultimately provide jobs and facilities Samanthaflew to Abu Dhabi with a first-class flights, is also allowed to stayat his hotel at once luxurious and very expensive. This may be perfectfor Samantha invites three friends! Then began their adventure in AbuDhabi.

Watch Sex and the City 2 Trailer

Brief reviews Wolfman (2010)

2010-06-10T22:11:00.002+07:00

Wolfman (2010),a horror film that tells of a man who turned into a half human and halfwolf at full moon. Despite the horror genre but this film is not toostressful, not too scary. plot mediocre, but the characters are actingpretty good probably because the cast are actors who have experience inacting like Anthony Hopkins, who served as John Talbot, father ofLawrence Talbot, Benicio del Toro, who acted as Lawrence Talbot andHugo Weaving who plays as a police detective Aberline Francis, who didnot know them?. The director tries to build suspense through thecreation of Blackmoor rural atmosphere of a dull, dim but not too muchhelp. In my opinion, was less exploited Wolfmanmovie story strength in every scene. For example in the chase scenebetween Gwen and werewolf, supposedly in the scene would be moreinteresting and exciting, if only director able to dramatize the scene.Or when the police and villagers who had been ready with their weapons,waiting for the arrival of the werewolf, I do not feel the tension inthese scenes, casual. So this film is not really recommended, but ifyou just want to watch it as entertainment weekend, the film is quite entertaining.

The story beginswhen Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) received a letter from hisbrother's fiancee, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) who tells his brotherthat Ben had died of a wild animal bites. After receiving the newsimmediately rushed to the Lawrence home. Where his father lived. ThereLawrence heard rumors stating that his brother's death was not causedby ordinary beast but effect a werewolf bites that have long hauntedthe village. Lawrence's home coming is intended to reveal his brother'sdeath these cases turned out to be disastrous for him. At night he wasbitten by a werewolf while he tried to help a child. Werewolf bitesare almost fatal if he was not helped by a gipsy. Miraculously, withoutwaiting for a long time, injuries suffered by Lawrence can be quicklycured. Lawrence News heal wounds that are considered not reasonablecause local curiosity and a detective from london. Victims continue tofall and Lawrence slowly realize that the werewolf is a person whoformerly were the cause of her death. How the rest of the story?Lawrence can successfully reveal whether a case? Let's go see thismovie. ~Surfing Browsing Team

Watch Wolfman 2010 Trailer

A Nightmare On Elm Street

2010-05-15T02:57:00.002+07:00

Nancy, Kris, Quentin, Jesse and Dean lived in Elm Road. At night they all had the same dream would be the same human figure, a man wearing a tattered red and green sweater, hiding his face broken and gardener's gloves with the fingers from the blade

One by one, they are terrorized by dreams, where the only way out is to wake up from their sleep. But when one of them died with the wicked, they realized what was happening in the dream actually happened, and the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. Friends who are still alive try to discover how they become part of a dark fairy tale, and to save themselves, they must eliminate the source of the nightmare that forever .... Freddy Krueger ~Source: 21Cineplex.com

Iron Man 2

2010-05-09T23:04:00.001+07:00

Actors: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

Directors: Jon Favreau

Writers: Justin Theroux (screenplay), Stan Lee (Marvel comic book)

Do you like superhero movies? currently being screened in cinemas, a film about the armored hero Iron Man part 2. In this film is told how the business Tony Stark maintain his armor requested by the state as it is considered to endanger public safety if the armor is in the hands of civilians like Tony. At this time also Iron Man faces a pretty tough enemy, a man named Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) is told to have a personal vendetta to the Stark family. He was hurt that the father of Antony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) aka Iron Man has made his father in prison. Then with the expertise and ingenuity in its possession that is not inferior to Tony, he makes tekhnology armored weapons are no less powerful as Iron Man. They were then fighting it out and with the help of his friend, Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes, who wore his armor, eventually they both can beat the enemy.

Iron Man 2 movie even better than the first one still leaves improprieties, how can it be? Rhodes can be directly used armor Tony property without having first learned while in the first film had the tony just have to laboriously learning to control the armor. Hmmm, this movie is good only for the spectacle of fun do not expect a slick interwoven story of the film.

Indeed, after all, as good as any film made if it is not desirable audience, the purpose of making this film is getting a big profit is not achieved so ... hahaha ... congratulations on the success of the movie Iron Man 2 sold well this year! yeah, good work guys!. -By. Djefi Febian, Fun Games | Movies

Ben 10 - The Complete Season 1 (2005)

2010-04-11T10:35:00.000+07:00

Healthily into its third season, it's only now that BEN 10's freshmanyear is finally coming out in dvd in all its thirteen episode glory.Debuting in December 27, 2005 on the Cartoon Network, BEN 10 was animmediate hit with the fans as the show, boasting a very cool concept,proved to be fun and eminently watchable. Plus, that theme song rocks.

The premise: Ordinary 10 year old Ben Tennyson comes upon amysterious alien artifact (resembling a wristwatch) which grants himtemporary access to the forms of ten alien species, each of whom isinherently imbued with its own superhuman ability. In the constantcompany of his wise and benign grandfather Max (who hints of anenigmatic past, proving that being a "plumber" is more exciting thanone would think) and his clever, sassy cousin Gwen (who he initiallydislikes), Ben, early on, learns his lessons as he heroically attemptsto abide by the famous Spidey quote: "With great power comes greatresponsibility." But his attempts to live up to that credo are atconstant odds with his more carefree and mischievous pre-adolescenttendencies. Accordingly, he strives to use his new-found super powersto nab villains, all the while keeping at bay the maurauding alien,octopus-faced Vilgax, who will stop at nothing to own the Omnitrix.But, as civic minded as he has become, that doesn't mean that young Bencan't have any fun...

The hook, of course, is that this young, normal kid all of a suddengains and gets to play with the powers of ten formidable alien beings.Part of the fun is in witnessing Ben discover all the diverse forms(some of which are strange and kinda gross, and one, Ghostfreak, evenreally unnerving) he comes to inhabit and his varying reactions to 'em.

Family MegaHits II Collection (4 Best-Seller Games)

2010-04-11T10:08:00.000+07:00

Product Description

Four Full Version Games In One Incredible Collection! Experience theexcitement of this brand new, value-packed collection. From explosivegraphics to thrilling gameplay, Family MegaHits II has it all. Thisphenomenal collection of best-selling games will keep your familyentertained for hours You Don't Know Jack Television - JACK's back --the irreverent quiz show that teases your brain while tickling yourfunny bone. Over 800 all-new questions spanning 50 years of boob tubetrivia. Test your TV savvy alone or duke it out with friends.Side-splitting questions include DisorDat, Picture Questions and JACKAttack. Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit - Feel the thrill of realcompetition or the rush of a hot pursuit. Scorch the streets on eitherside of the law. Racing doesn't get any better than this! Hit thestreets in the exotic Lamborghini Diable SV or other high performancesuper cars. Race against computer opponents, other players and the law.Test your skills in eight challenging real-world environments. RailroadTycoon II (1999 PC Game of the Year) - All aboard the Railroad RailroadII express! Work your way up the ranks and see if you have what ittakes to be the next railroad baron. Build a transcontinental railwaythrough the U.S., Central Europe, and other exciting places. Twocenturies of historically accurate engines, scenes, maps and more! Playagainst 31 computer opponents or over the Internet. Titanic AdventureOut of Time - Plunge into a race against time that will determine notonly your own survival, but the destiny of nations. Match wits withover 25 interactive characters. Fully interactive 3-D environments andreal0time movement. Relive the experiences through an historicallyaccurate replica of the ship.

God of War III

2010-04-11T09:38:00.002+07:00

God of War III is a single player action game, exclusive to the PlayStation 3, and the final installment of the God of War trilogy. Containing signature and addictive God of Wargameplay — a combination of over-the-top action combat, exploration andpuzzle-solving — along with an engrossing mythologically inspiredstoryline and a selection of new weapons and a new weapons system, itis a fitting conclusion to the much praised God of War franchise.

Story and Gameplay

God of War IIIallows players on the PlayStation 3 to take on the climatic role of theex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he treads through the intimidatingheights of Mt. Olympus and the dark depths of Hades once more to seekrevenge on those who have betrayed him. Armed with double-chainedblades, as well a selection of new weapons, Kratos must take onmythology's darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzlesthroughout his merciless quest to destroy Olympus and the mighty Zeushimself.

Key Game Features

Only on the PS3 - The award-winning development teamleverages the processing power and technology of PlayStation 3 systemto make God of War III one of the most-graphically advancednext gen titles available, with even the dramatic cut screens runningoff the in-game engine.
Groundbreaking Depth of Scale - Kratos will explore areas up to 4 times larger than those found in God of War II,as well as carve through entire armies while navigating on the back ofTitans - living, moving, breathing levels as tall as the Empire StateBuilding.
Realism - Players will battle in detailedand unique 3D worlds lit by thousands of dynamic lights and textureswith quadruple the resolution, which allows for realistic musclestriations, detailed facial expressions, and new heightened levels ofbrutality and gore.
Signature Gameplay - Brutalcombat, intricate puzzles, exploration of awe-inspiring worlds, and acompelling and satisfying ending to Kratos’ epic story.
Sophisticated Storyline - The God of War IIIstoryline is the epic conclusion to the trilogy; the storyline will betold in a way that is true to traditionalist roots in Greek mythology,from moral consequences to brutal battles against the gods.
Ridable Creatures - Several of the menacing creatures of Greek mythology in God of War IIIcan now be manipulated against their will, as Kratos uses them to crosschasms, inflict blind rage against enemies, reveal puzzles and secrets,and as tools of complete annihilation.
New Weapons and Combat System- New deadly weapons such as the Cestus — powerful metal gauntlets withdevastating strength — and other brutal instruments of war that willallow Kratos to learn ruthless new techniques such as grappling withenemies and launching explosive wall-to-ground attacks.
Lighting Technologies - The dynamic lighting solution employed in GOW IIIis only feasible through the computing power provided by the Cell SPUs.For example, using the High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDRL) technology,the camera – when using Krato’s sightline - will emulate the humanretina, causing players to feel a sharp brightness when Kratos exits adark area and enters a sunlit area, similar to how the human eye wouldneed to adjust.

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010

2010-04-10T09:36:00.001+07:00

A first-person oriented hunting game with action integrated into thestoryline and mission play, bundled with the Top Shot Wii peripheral, Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010Wii Bundle challenges players to hone their skills as hunters, trackersand outdoorsmen in a quest to join a the world's most exclusive huntingclub. In order to do this players take on a series of huntingchallenges and mini-games armed with their wits and a diverse weaponsarsenal, that will pit them against both big and small game from aroundthe globe.

Story
In Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010,players step into the camouflaged shoes of Jack Wilde. A young,confident and skilled hunter and outdoorsman, his potential has beenrecognized by the mysterious "Orion Order," an ultra-exclusive huntingclub with international connections. Even though Jack is still green,the powers that be at Orion are willing to give him a shot at joining,but first he must prove himself worthy. Jack jumps at thisonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His test is made up of a series ofmembership trials against big game and small, in various environmentsand conditions and utilizing a variety of weapons, skills andtechniques.

Top Shot Wii Peripheral Included
Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010Wii Bundle brings even more fun to the hunt with its inclusion of theTop Shot Wii peripheral. Made out of rugged but light bright orangeplastic, the Top Shot accessory will never be mistaken for a real gunaway from the game. But combined with your Wii Remote/Nunchuckcontroller configuration it allows for easy, rapid-fire and realisticaction. And with a sawed off design it can be fired either from theshoulder or extended out like a pistol.

Gameplay

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010is played from a first-person perspective featuring a combination ofmission play and mini-games that make up the already mentioned huntingtrials. Players are guided through structured mission play by theirin-game sponsor who contacts them, points them in the right directionand offers tips and warnings in the field as the hunt makes its wayacross the globe. In each hunt players are graded on a variety ofskills ranging from safe navigation across dangerous wildernessterrain, animal tracking, and their abilities at stalking from coverand making clean, efficient kills. Players track game and find theirway around the environment using "Hunter's Sense," a type of bullettime in which evidence of animals, varied available cover options toshoot from, specific animal locations and their level of alertness canbe seen in a temporarily, slowed down view with on-screen color-coatedindicators revealing each.

More rapid player movement, including sprintfunctionality, is available in regular view. Once an animal is sightedin the players weapon scope varying possible point totals are visibleon the animal according to where it might be hit with a projectile.These include strikes to the heart, spine, lung and head. During huntsplayers can quickly and easily change weapons at the push of a buttonas the trophy animal persuaded requires. In-game weapons range from avariety of rifles, pistols, bows and more which can be unlocked as thegame progresses. The ability to correctly use all graded skills gainsthe player points and medals for each animal players are tasked to bag.

In addition to the mission play of big game membership trials, Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010also features arcade style, timed mini-game hunts. These are spreadthroughout the game and feature a mix of birds and small game. Successin these serves the dual purpose of providing the opportunity ofchallenging marksmanship practice, without penalization in the maincampaign and the chance to build experience points in your overallprogression.

Four-person Multiplayer Mini-games
In addition to the campaign mini-game action described above, Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010for Wii comes packed with 13 arcade style shooting galleries.Supporting 4–person multiplayer, they ensure that you will never haveto hunt alone.

Key Game Features

Story Based Action and Adventure

Play as Jack Wilde, a young, but formidable hunter.
Gain membership in the world's most exclusive hunting club.
Story written by Brain Andrew Gomez - Clive Barker's Jericho CO-creator, director and writer.

Incredible Terrain Challenges

Climb sheer cliff faces.
Escape avalanches.
Cross raging streams.

Vitals Shooting Mechanic

Simulates controlled breathing.
Dial in your crosshairs.
Lock on for the perfect shot.

Comprehensive Reward System

Instantaneous feedback for your performance.
Use cover points to earn high scores.
Earn club points to unlock new areas.

Campaign Mini-games

Fast paced hunting action featuring waterfowl, upland birds, small game.
Builds experience and in-game rating without penalties for misses.

Multiplayer Support - Wii version contains 13 shooting gallery mini-games designed with 4-player multiplayer support.

Product Description

Use this All-In-One Game & Gun Combo to become the ultimatebig-game hunter! Travel the globe across five continents as you huntthe world’s greatest trophy animals. Your hunting and survival skillswill be put to the test as you face dangerous game, treacherousenvironments and more! The included firearm peripheral, the firstofficially approved by Nintendo, makes this the most realistic huntinggame to date!

Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board

2010-04-10T09:15:00.001+07:00

Wii Fit attracted millions of new players to the world of video games. Now Wii Fit Plusoffers a range of new features and enhancements to help playersreinvigorate their workouts, along with exercises and balance gamesdesigned to keep them fun. Players will find a new dimension to the Wii Fitexperience as they easily set their own customized workout routines, orchoose 20-, 30- or 40-minute workouts based on how much time they haveavailable.

Users will also be able to choose from specialized workout routinesthat focus on all-around individual personal fitness goals or certaintarget areas. And with the addition of activities like Skateboardingand Rhythm Kung Fu, players will be using the Wii Balance Boardaccessory in a variety of new and fun ways.

Gameplay

As with the original Wii Fit release, Wii Fit Plusis designed, as its name implies, to improve the user's fitness. Thegame contains a large number of activities that fall into a variety ofcategories, including: yoga, aerobics, strength training and balancegames. With all but a few exceptions, which utilize variations on astandard Wii Remote configuration, all activities utilize the WiiBalance Board (included with this bundle), either alone or configuredwith either a Wii Remote alone or the Wii Remote and nunchuck. TheBalance Board, like any other Wii controller acts as a motion/pressuresensing device wirelessly synched to your Wii and replicating yourbody's movements.

Each controller employed occupies one of the Wii'sfour wireless inputs, together mapping the reference points needed torecreate most full body motions on screen. Although this limits themajority of the activities to a single player orientation, variousactivities throughout the game support up to eight players inalternating play.

To use Wii Fit Plus players importtheir Miis from their Wii system, set up profiles, establish a currentphysical baseline, set fitness goals, and embark on a routine to reachthem. Wii Fit Plus tracks your usage, weight and progresstowards your goal over time, giving you a status report as you starteach session. At any time players can choose whatever activity theywant, whether exercise or balance game, and as they progress in thesethey will level up in each, gaining points, setting high scores andunlocking more activities.

Personalization Option Via 'The Locker Room'
The original Wii Fit was designed to have something for everyone. Now Wii Fit Plusraises the bar by providing users with personalization options thatallow them to find/create a specific workout routine that is exactlyright for them, their family and their lifestyle. One example of thisis "The Locker Room." Easily accessible throughout the game, hereplayers can choose from a number customizable options that allow themto maximize their time with Wii Fit Plus without having tonavigate through the game menu while in the middle of a workout. Inessence this allows players to become their own personal trainer.Customization options available within The Locker Room include:preprogrammed and timed Wii Fit Plus Routines; My Routine,where you choose your own set of activities, optimizing their lengthand area of the body to be focused on; and Favorites, a notation ofactivities you frequent, which provides fast access to exercises youenjoy doing the most.

Addition Yoga and Strength Exercises
Designed as an addition to the already substantial list of focused, physical exercises available in Wii Fit, Wii Fit Pluscontains six new and challenging strength and yoga activities. Butcontinuing with the game's commitment to personalization, the key tothese additions is not in their volume, but in how the player choosesto mix and match them. Do them in the order they are presented, orcombine them in whatever order you want. The choice is yours. Theplayer even has the ability to repeat the ones that he/she prefers,maximizing attention and effort where it is needed most. In addition,for those to whom time is a commodity, you can now omit unnecessaryinterludes between exercises, making for a continuous, timesavingroutine.

A Wealth of New Balance Games
Regardless of the considerable fitness factor packed into Wii Fit Plus, the Nintendo brand is and will always be all about having fun. With that in mind Wii Fit Plusalso comes packed with 15 new, entertaining balance games suitable forevery member of the family. Just a few of those that players can expectto see are: Juggling; Skateboarding; Snowball Fight; Obstacle Course, alog-leaping, cannonball-evading event reminiscent of what Nintendo iconMario must go through; and Perfect 10, a balance game designed topromote a combination of physical and mental health. In this finalexample the player's Mii is situated between multiple color-coatedballs, each showing specific numbers, with the goal to swing your hips,hula style, in different directions to tap out a total of ten as manytimes as possible before time runs out.

Key Game Features

The Wii Fit Plus Bundle includes the game software and the Wii Balance Board.
Users can input the amount of time they want to spend on their workouts or select an area for personal improvement, and Wii Fit Plus will suggest a number of diverse activities for them.
Forthe first time, users can mix and match which strength and yogaactivities they prefer on a given day. The seamless exercise flows makeit easier than ever for users to maintain their daily workout routines.
Usersmight be asked to run an obstacle course across a series of platforms,zoom across a beach on a Segway x2 Personal Transporter or flap theirarms to help their hilarious chicken-suited characters aim for targets.
Therange of games and customization options will make players want to playevery day. They’ll be having so much fun that their workouts will seemto fly by in no time at all.
Players also can see estimates of calories burned and can even activate a feature that lets them weigh their dogs or cats.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition

2010-04-10T09:00:00.000+07:00

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment's 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. StarCraft IIwill once again center on the clash between the protoss, terrans, andzerg, with each side deploying favorite units from the original StarCraft,along with numerous upgraded and brand-new units and abilities thatallow for fresh tactics and strategies. The game's new 3D-graphicsengine maintains the speed and responsive control of its predecessorwhile rendering hundreds of units onscreen for massive battles. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty's solo campaign will continue the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War.The storyline chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leaderJim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Playerswill be able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission pathand selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playingstyle throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-modemini-games will also be included, with focused goals designed to easeplayers into the basics of multiplayer strategies. In addition, dozensof multiplayer maps will be available for competitive play through thenew version of Battle.net, which is launching alongside StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.This new version of the service has been built from the ground up tooffer an unparalleled online play experience, with new features such asvoice communication, character profiles and achievements,stat-tracking, ladders and leagues, cloud file storage, and more.

Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

2010-04-06T01:51:00.002+07:00

I purchased the two major timer event schedulable/programmableconverter boxes available as of this date: the Zinwell and the DTVPalPlus (enhanced version of the DTVPal or TR-40 CRA). These are some ofthe major problems and advantages of each.

The biggest problem I have with the Zinwell is that the remotecontrol is the flimsiest and cheapest control I have ever seen with anyproduct. The down arrow button is already having problems responding topressing after only a few days. It usually takes several years beforebuttons on a remote control begin to go bad, and I am concerned thatthis one will not even be working a year from now. The text labels onthe buttons are rubbing off and becoming harder to read.

The biggest problem with the DTVPal Plus is the reception. The Plusis supposed to have enhanced reception over the prior models which werefamous for bad reception, but in my area it gets a couple less UHFchannels than the Zinwell and often has severe breakup on the ABCaffiliate and two other channels (even with an amplified antenna).Perhaps this will be less of an issue if digital signals get boosted inFebruary.

Both devices get the clock time automatically from the digitalsignal but both devices keep erratic time occasionally. After a fewdays, the Zinwell became stuck at 62 minutes behind the correct timeand the DTVPal Plus became stuck at 53 minutes ahead. This problem haslessened as stations correct their time signals. If you are buying thisto schedule timed events, this can be a problem. The Zinwell has nodaylight savings on/off, while the DTVPal Plus does allow you tocontrol daylight savings. The Zinwell has the advantage that you canmanually set the time, while the DTVPal Plus does not allow you to.Even after manually setting the time in the Zinwell, I found it loses1-2 minutes per week and also loses the clock time completely if powergoes out even for a second (most devices will hold the time for 2-3minutes in a power outage). I have mine on a UPS (backup battery) tokeep it from losing time in a brief power outage. At least the Zinwellallows you to control the time.

As someone else has noted, the Zinwell has 8 timer events to 5 forthe DTVPal Plus. The Zinwell lacks a recurring M-F weekday schedulingoption. Both devices make you go through several menus to get to thetimer scheduling. The DTVPal Plus has an awkward event schedulingprocess that takes you through two screens. The Zinwell has its ownawkwardness-it makes you choose a channel from a list of station callletters rather than channel numbers! The Zinwell also requiresconfirmation at the end of the timer scheduling process, and defaultsto Cancel making it easy to accidentally cancel your timer event, sowatch out.

If you like on-screen program guides, the DTVPal Plus has a fullerone than the Zinwell, and you can even schedule timer events directfrom the program guide with the DTVPal Plus. However, it takes awhileto download each time you turn on the converter box.

If you get a Zinwell, do not throw out the manual. Zinwell hasunfortunately set a password on some of the channel functions, so youwill need to look up the default password in the manual if you try toaccess these functions.

Do not expect much support. Both companies took several days torespond to an inquiry and gave canned answers that did not address myquestion. After supplying follow-up information, neither company gotback to me. There are several other issues and quirks with bothdevices.

(--some updated notes 9/16/2009 after a few months of using--)

The Zinwell picture quality has been nice. In rare cases, I havehad a small issue with the Zinwell audio and video getting slightly outof synch (as also reported by a couple of other reviewers)-but doesn'tbother me and turning off and on puts them back in synch.

The biggest problem I have had with regular use of the Zinwell isthat scheduled recurring events (weekly, etc.) get messed upperiodically so I have to constantly monitor them. The Zinwell losesthe channel on the recurring events and resets the channel to thehighest station number. (This problem is not unique to me-I believe itis the most commonly reported major problem with this device.) Aboutevery 4-6 weeks it loses the recurring events completely and they needto be reentered. One-time events get messed up less often.

Using manual clock time (rather than automatic time from the TVsignal), the Zinwell has changed the clock year on me a few times -even though it did not alter the clock time (hour/min)! This means thattimer events did not activate, because the clock year had changed to2044, 1989, or some other date. If the clock time also got messed up Iwould see that something was wrong by the incorrect time and realizethat I should fix the date. But the clock time looked fine, leaving meunaware that the year had been messed up. (This has happened a fewtimes, even though there was no loss of power and I did not go into thedate/time settings. On manual time setting, there should never be anyspontaneous year changes.) I now regularly monitor the date on thedevice. I was more excited about this box when first purchased, but theclock and timer bugs become apparent over time. I purchased mine in Oct2008 and perhaps they have fixed some of the clock glitches in morerecent releases. (But see Sept 10 2009 review by Maynard for anotherdescription of the same problem.)

The DTVPal Plus tends to run hot, so I have propped it up at anangle to give it some cooling space. I have had a disturbing problem acouple of times where the DTVPal Plus would not power on-had to unplugit from the power source and plug it back in again, and then it resumedworking. Since they boosted the digital signals after the transition,the weaker reception has not been a problem and it now gets all thechannels that my other converter boxes get. (However, I live in anurban area and have an amplified antenna, so the weaker reception maystill be a problem for many people.)

The DTVPal Plus regularly loses timer events and is veryunreliable. I have found two specific sequences of timer events thatcause it to consistently drop events. The DTVPal Plus timer issues havebeen even more problematic than those with the Zinwell. I used severalVCRs over two decades and never had a device malfunction on its timerevents or spontaneously change the selected channel. Not sure why it isso difficult for these digital boxes.

Although the on-screen station program guide for the DTVPal Plus isrobust, I have not found it very convenient. The normal program guideaccess turns off audio and video while you are browsing the guide, soyou cannot hear or watch television as you peruse it. To viewtelevision as you browse the guide, you cannot use the Guide button onthe remote but must use the directional buttons to access the guide-butthe guide overlays much of the screen (semi-transparent).

The DTVPal Plus has one bright spot: it handles poor signal qualitywell. The two aspects of reception are signal strength and signalquality. While the DTVPal Plus does not pick up low strength well, itdoes handle poor signal quality very well. There are a couple ofstations with poor quality (but adequate strength) that my Zenith andZinwell cannot receive but that the DTVPal Plus picks up. In myexperience, it also has less dropout from other things that reducesignal quality, such as splitting the antenna feed or electricalinterference.

One other small plus I have found with the DTVPal Plus: it operatesfrom my old universal remote (as a SAT box), which allows me to controlall my devices-very, very handy. None of the other converter boxes thatI have will work with this old universal remote, although I have heardthat some of the newer universal remotes can control converter boxes.This somewhat makes up for the fact that the DTVPal Plus has no buttonson the box and can only be operated by remote control. (However, it maybe too sensitive-it also turns on when I press the fast forward buttonon one brand of VCR remote!)

Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote

2010-04-06T01:07:00.001+07:00

The remote that everyone can use.

We knowwho you are. You have a half-dozen remotes on your coffee table. Andyou're the only one in the family who knows how to use them. You mayeven have a cheat sheet. We can help. With a remote that's designed forthe whole family. So do away with all the hassles of multiple remotes.Get the one that gives you easy one-touch control for all your homeentertainment. Harmony, from Logitech.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

2010-04-06T00:56:00.000+07:00

Product Description

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story ofBree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darkerside of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistiblecombination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells thedevastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to closein on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to itsunforgettable conclusion.

About the Author

Stephenie Meyer's life changed dramatically on June 2, 2003. Thestay-at-home mother of three young sons woke-up from a dream featuringseemingly real characters that she could not get out of her head."Though I had a million things to do (i.e. making breakfast for hungrychildren, dressing and changing the diapers of said children, findingthe swimsuits that no one ever puts away in the right place), I stayedin bed, thinking about the dream. Unwillingly, I eventually got up anddid the immediate necessities, and then put everything that I possiblycould on the back burner and sat down at the computer towrite--something I hadn't done in so long that I wondered why I wasbothering." Meyer invented the plot during the day through swim lessonsand potty training, then writing it out late at night when the housewas quiet. Three months later she finished her first novel, Twilight.Twilight was one of 2005's most talked about novels and within weeks ofits release the book debuted at #5 on The New York Times bestsellerlist.Among its many accolades, Twilight was named an "ALA Top Ten Booksfor Young Adults," an Amazon.com "Best Book of the Decade&So Far",and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. The movie version ofTwilight will be released by Summit Entertainment nationwide onNovember 21, 2008, starring Kristen Stewart ("Into The Wild") andRobert Pattinson ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"). Thehighly-anticipated sequel, New Moon, was released in September 2006 andspent 31 weeks at the #1 position on The New York Times bestsellerlist. Eclipse, the third book in Meyer's Twilight saga, was released onAugust 7, 2007 and sold 150,000 copies its first day on-sale. The bookdebuted at #1 bestseller lists across the country, including USA Todayand The Wall Street Journal. The fourth and final book in the TwilightSaga, Breaking Dawn, was published on August 2, 2008, with a firstprinting of 3.2 million copies - the largest first printing in thepublisher's history. Breaking Dawn sold 1.3 million copies its firstday on-sale rocketing the title to #1 on bestseller lists nationwide.Meyer's highly-anticipated debut for novel adults, The Host, wasreleased by Little, Brown and Company in May 2008 and debuted at #1 onThe New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. StephenieMeyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in EnglishLiterature. She lives in Arizona with her husband and sons.

The Blind Side (2009)

2010-04-06T00:48:00.001+07:00

The Blind Side takes the true story of a young man who went fromabandonment to success as a pro-football player and treats it withrespect. The movie doesn't oversell what is, on the face of it, alreadycompelling. It's almost impossible to describe the plot withoutsounding painfully inspirational: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron, Be Kind Rewind),a hulking but gentle African-American teen in Tennessee, gets taken inby a well-to-do white family; the mother, Leigh Anne Touhy (SandraBullock), pushes and mothers the boy, who eventually wins a footballscholarship to the University of Mississippi. In the wrong hands, thiscould have been maudlin, manipulative, and condescending. To the creditof writer-director John Lee Hancock, adapting Michael Lewis's acclaimedbook, the result is intelligent, genuine, and alternately funny andmoving. Leigh Anne could easily have been grandstanding and virtuous,but Bullock doesn't shy away from her vain and domineering side. Thefootball scenes will be gripping even to non-sports fans becausethey've been so successfully grounded in Michael's emotional life. Theall-around solid cast includes country music star Tim McGraw,pint-sized Jae Head (Hancock), and Kathy Bates as the tutor whoguided Michael's academic success. Don't be surprised if you can't keepyourself from watching all the real-life photos of Michael, Leigh Anne,and the rest of the family that are featured in the credits; by the endof the movie, you will care about them all. --Bret Fetzer

Polk Audio AM1805-A SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater (Black)

2010-04-04T01:23:00.000+07:00

It gives a good bang for the buck but there were a couple of issuesthat I had with it. Firstly, it is very easy to setup and install whichis a plus. The wireless sub fits conveniently anywhere in a room andprovides a nice bass. Where is the remote? Where are the directions?These things were not in the box. I am guessing the remote wasn'tsupposed to be there. It took me a few days to figure out that when youturn the tv off and on the sound bar will automatically sense inputfrom the TV and then turn itself on without having to manually pressthe power button which is nice. But I would have liked to have readthat in a manually and not figure it out for myself. Overall I love thesimplicity that this system provides and combined with good performanceI would recommend it to someone who doesn't want to hassle with a bigsurround system but wants something a little extra in the sounddepartment.

StarCraft Battle Chest

2010-04-03T07:42:00.001+07:00

The full versions of StarCraft and the acclaimed expansion pack Brood War, as well as complete strategy guides for each, make StarCraft: Battle Chest a treasure chest for real-time strategy fans.

Instead of two similarly powered enemies facing off, the three distinct races in StarCraft have unique capabilities and strategies. Everyone still competes in the RTS genre's typical race for resources, but that's the only shared trait. Terrans can move their bulky mechanized bases as necessary, while the reptilian Zerg grow their colonies and warriors from mutating larvae. Meanwhile, the noble Protoss warp in equipment from their home world using psionic powers.

Not only does game maker Blizzard juggle the races' playability and match it with superb art and sound effects, it also weaves together an engrossing three-act plot. Early on, as a Terran magistrate, you spend a breathtaking 30 minutes defending against a Zerg onslaught. As the story unfolds around you, you'll experience the Zerg's hive mentality and decipher the mysterious Protoss by the game's dramatic conclusion.

Missions vary in scope and are effectively framed with dialogue, chapter screens, and in-mission exposition. Multiplayer games are also very well represented by Blizzard's own free Battle.net service.

If you'd rather play over a local area network, StarCraft will generously "spawn" up to seven copies so your friends can join in.

In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, Brood War presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming humans, insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles. Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps.

Some missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have Valkyrie missile frigates as well as medics who automatically try to heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under)ground support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss reenter the fray with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon. Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from weak artificial intelligence in path finding.

Real-time strategy games don't get any more epic or any more satisfying. --Jack Gardiner

LittleBigPlanet

2010-04-03T07:34:00.000+07:00

From all the reviews I've read before purchasing this game I was a little skeptical that it wouldn't be for me. I was wrong. Matter fact I purchased it for my 5 year old boy first, just to keep him away from some of my other games while I'm at work. And you know what? This game stays in the PS3 all day. Not only that, when I get home from work the first thing he wants to do is play Little BIG planet. Its fun for me and him. I was hoping for simplified controls like a Mario plat former with just a jump button. But he's figured out how to use the Dual Shock 3 just as good as me. With the main buttons, X to jump and R1 to grab things, it couldn't be any easier. He also knows how to change their clothes and apply stickers and so on. This game is simple, plain and easy. The only problem he may have is figuring out that the game has some physics involved. Running faster to get further jumps, holding the jump button longer, how to jump on springs like objects to get higher takes a little timing that I even have trouble with. This game has plenty of levels, I play maybe an hour a day since I bought it and still have not finished everything. You can also make your own levels, download levels that others have created online, and play with people online. This game has infinite replay if you get into the community. Also, If you want to teach a child how to be greedy with items than this game is for you. I forgot to say that this game is fun for me too. Glad purchased it and you'll be too. One if the few must own exclusives for the PS3, this is coming from a 360 lover.

Weeds: Season Five (2009)

2010-04-03T07:19:00.001+07:00

Showtime's series Weeds is one of the best shows on television. Each season is consistently strong- with engaging, inventive stories, complex charecters and wonderful dark comedy. Mary-Louise Parker is absolutely phenomenal as Nancy Botwin, one of the most complex and uncompromising charecters to ever appear on television. Parker is backed by an always reliable supporting cast who bring humor and heart to the at times, very dark proceedings. Weeds' Fifth Season is the slowest one but that does not mean it's bad. It is the most character driven season, we get to see the true colors of these charecters and what they really want, and at times, its not pretty. Nancy continues her downward spiral and drags her youngest son Shane down with her. Silas becomes the emotional center of this extremely dysfunctional family, and at 18 has become the real father figure. Andy strives to get out of Nancy's grasp and start his own life while Celia tries her hardest to be a different person and at times actually tries to BE Nancy. This season is all about coming to terms with the inevitable and face the consequences. There is plenty here to reward long time fans of the show and viewers interested in the psychological make-up of these crazy charecters.

The season finale promises to set up more of the themes established in this season. I cant wait to see what happens next. Weeds is still my personal favorite show on TV, layered, funny, deep and always surprising.

This Season Five DVD set includes the episodes:

- Wonderful, Wonderful

- Machetes Up Top

- Su-Su-Sucio

- Super Lucky Happy

- Van Nuys

- A Modest Proposal

- Where the Sidewalk Ends

- A Distinctive Horn

- Suck 'n' Spit

- Perro Insano

- Ducks and Tigers

- Glue

- All About My Mom

Mad Men: Season Three

2010-04-03T07:11:00.002+07:00

For all the fans and true "Mad Men" addicts out there, Season 3 was much-anticipated. At the end of Season 2, we had reason to believe that Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the charismatic creative director of Sterling-Cooper, had come to his place of reckoning and was ready to turn a new leaf (sorry for all the cliches) in his marriage, if not his career. His gorgeous, emotionally stunted wife Betty (January Jones) just found out she was pregnant, and they apparently decide to mend their marriage and try to make a go of it. Presumably, women didn't have many choices back in the '60's. Also, Betty just might be that kind of woman - she needs a man to complete her.

But right from the beginning of Season 3, the viewer can see that not much has changed at all, and Don is off being the bad boy again. Betty seems in a world of her own with her pregnancy, and then her father's decline in health and the subsequent decisions that have to made give her all she can apparently cope with. I found myself growing angry at her numerous times because of her cold, unfeeling treatment of her adorable children. Even with all his immaturity, Don seems to be the far more caring parent, at least while face-to-face with his children. Sally Draper, their little girl, had some of the best acting of the season, and I think she will mature into a terrific actress.

So much happens on the career front, it would be a mistake to give it all away in a review. I heard complaints from various people that Season 3 was too slow -- but remember that this is a show about character development and nuance, above all. The last two episodes, about the Kennedy assassination and the Season finale, are as action-packed as any plot lover could want. They are magnificently written and acted, and left this viewer, at least, panting for Season 4. What more can a series offer?

The Blind Side

2010-04-03T07:00:00.000+07:00

My wife and I just went to a double-feature. I picked AVATAR and she picked THE BLIND SIDE. Now, there couldn't be two movies on a different plateau than AVATAR and BLIND SIDE, but I'm so glad that she brought me to see this movie. AVATAR, I gave 4 stars, BLIND SIDE, 5 stars. BLIND SIDE, for what it was, was flawless.

With BLIND SIDE, the story tells itself, because it's the true story of 2009 Baltimore Ravens Right Tackle Michael Oher, or possibly Michael Williams, or maybe something else, and his improbable escape from oblivion with the love and care of a rich white family in Memphis, Tennessee. Michael Oher's greatness, first showed up in his size and athletic potential and then in his courage to forget and go forward. Michael Oher, a kid who struggled at basic study skills and education, but scored a 98% in protective instincts. A tribute to his lifestyle and his ability to survive, homeless, with two shirts, a pain on his face that couldn't be explained.

Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, and I haven't seen a whole lot of nominated movies this year, but if she isn't at least a runner up to the best actress of the year, I'll be stunned. This was Sandra Bullock's shining moment. She is strong and she is funny and she is exceedingly brilliant at hiding the tears she sheds throughout the movie as her personna won't allow her to be seen crying. No scene was more poigniant than the one where she makes a bedroom for Michael in her beautiful home with a chipperness that you would expect from a spunky Tennessee mother. Michael says, "I've never had one of these before." and she says, "What, a room?" "No, a bed." he says. She looks at him, stoned faced, gives a quick nod and exits the room, enters the bathroom, locks the door and although we don't see it, we know exactly what she's doing.

THE BLIND SIDE is a testimant to what life is all about. The Tuohy families link to Michael Oher may have been a rare occurence, and that's why there's a movie about it, but if we all looked out for each other a little more, despite color boundaries, despite class boundaries and just showed a little love and extended a helping hand when we could, the world would be a better place.

The Tuohy's didn't just extend a hand, they extended their hearts and lives.

The Ant Bully (Blu-ray)

2010-03-31T01:51:00.000+07:00

An all-star cast--including such A-list stars as Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, and Meryl Streep--lend their voices to The Ant Bully. Social misfit Lucas gets bullied by the bigger boys in his neighborhood, so he takes out his frustrations on the only things around smaller than him: An ant hill on his front lawn. After being flooded and stepped on, the ants fight back when ant wizard Zoc (Cage, National Treasure) develops a potion that shrinks Lucas down to bug-size. But Zoc's thirst for revenge gets foiled when the beatific ant queen (Streep, The Devil Wears Prada) decrees that Lucas must learn to live like an ant, and Zoc's girlfriend Hova (Roberts, Runaway Bride) takes up the task of teaching the unhappy boy how to value others over himself. The animation of The Ant Bully makes good use of scale as Lucas grapples with the gigantic world around him, but the writing is not so imaginative; the name actors are thrown away on bland characters and lackluster dialogue. The lessons Lucas learns are admirable (and amusingly Communist in flavor), but the way he learns them feels contrived and uncompelling. It's too bad, because there probably won't be many other movies featuring the combined talents of Meryl Streep and Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness). Also featuring Ricardo Montalban (Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan), Lily Tomlin (Nashville), and Paul Giamatti (Sideways) as a sleazy exterminator. --Bret Fetzer

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Two-Disc Special Edition)

2010-03-31T00:08:00.001+07:00

New Moon, the second in Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster teen-fiction saga adapted for film, is stronger than its predecessor, Twilight. Director Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass), taking the helm from Catherine Hardwicke, brings a lighter, more assured touch to the sequel, which continues the star-crossed love story of mortal Bella (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson). Incidentally, Edward is absent for most of the film; after an accident on Bella's birthday reminds Edward that her life is always at risk when he's around, he chooses to abandon her, sending her into a deep depression. The only person who helps her heal her broken heart is her friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), a member of the Quileute tribe who, as he grows taller, beefier, and more aggressive (with less clothing), comes to realize he's not entirely human either. But even his love for Bella doesn't prevent her from throwing herself in the path of danger, because that's the only time she can see visions of Edward. One such fateful misunderstanding sends Edward into the coven of the Volturi (a sort of vampire Mafia, if you will), where the most dangerous vampires hold both Edward and Bella's fate in their cold, dark hands. Much of New Moon rests on the shoulders of Lautner, so scrawny in Twilight, who famously packed on the muscle to avoid getting recast.
He's very nearly successful in carrying the load, but the cheese-tastic beefcake scenes disservice him, and Jacob and Bella's complicated friendship stumbles on its way to any kind of love triangle. Some of that blame lies with Stewart, who understandably holds her emotions close to her chest but reveals much too little (c'mon, even an angsty girl has to be a little joyful in the arms of two different hunks). As is with the book, the film is just a bridge between sagas, so the plot drags and not a lot happens. Fortunately, while Twilight was trapped in its own self-consciousness, the wobbly-legged cast seems to have found stronger footing in New Moon; the jokes come faster, the writing (by Melissa Rosenberg, who also scribed Twilight) is a hair wittier. (Even Pattinson seems more comfortable in Edward's skin.) The Volturi, highlighted by Michael Sheen's Aro and Dakota Fanning's Jane, also make an all-too-brief impression, but at least there's more to look forward to when Eclipse, the third installment, is released. --Ellen A. Kim

Hamburger Hill (1987)

2010-02-25T01:04:00.003+07:00

Because it was released less than a year after Oliver Stone's Platoon and within months of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, this exceptionally well-made film about one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War was largely overshadowed and overlooked. It's a pity, because in some respects this is the best of the Vietnam films of the late 1980s, at least in terms of the everyday authenticity it depicts. Stripped clean of dramatically extraneous narrative, the movie opts instead for a straightforward approach to its day-by-day account of one of the war's costliest victories--a deadly siege on Hill 937 in the Ashau Valley, where soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division engaged the enemy over the course of eleven brutal assaults between May 10th and 20th, 1969. The film specifically follows the 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, a mixture of "new guys" and battle-weary "short-timers" who fought against terrifying odds and suffered a 70% casualty rate. From first scene to last, Hamburger Hill traces the rise and fall of their battle experience, from the horror of firefights to the camaraderie of men who've faced death and survived. Racial tensions flare and subside, trusts are established, and courage emerges from unexpected places.
Through it all, writer Jim Carabatsos and director John Irvin maintain a purity of focus that pays tribute to the soldier's life without promoting false patriotism or gung-ho theatrics. In addition, the film features a cast full of talented and well-known actors in the early stages of their careers, including Dylan McDermott (from the TV series "The Practice") and Don Cheadle, before gaining fame in Devil in a Blue Dress and Boogie Nights. --Jeff Shannon

Planet 51 (2009)

2010-02-23T21:45:00.002+07:00

What if there are creatures living on other planets in other galaxies? And what if those creatures are a lot like us? When American astronaut Chuck Baker (Dwayne Johnson) lands on what's supposed to be barren, rocky planet devoid of life, he gets a big surprise. It seems that Planet 51 is home to little green people who are living in what's basically 1950s Americana--or should that be 1950s Alieana? Chuck bears a marked resemblance to Planet 51's science-fiction comic book and horror movie characters the "Humaniacs," and hysteria breaks out because the little green men think his appearance marks the beginning of an alien invasion. Lem (Justin Long) is a junior curator at the local planetarium and one of the only people on the planet who is awed, rather than frightened, by the concept of a larger universe. While his fellow citizens set out to capture the invading alien, Lem believes Chuck when he declares that his mission is peaceful, and Lem risks his own safety to help him return to his ship and his home planet. With a little help from Rover (an American robot probe that has been sending rock samples back to Earth while ignoring the planet's life forms), Lem's neighbor and secret crush Neera (Jessica Biel), his friend Skiff (Seann William Scott), and hippie protester Glar (Alan Marriott), Lem just might be able to save Chuck. The question is--what will the personal consequences be for Lem? The story is an amusing twist on America's long-standing fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and the film has plenty of comic moments, but it ultimately lacks suspense and fails to truly engage the viewer. The result is a film that provides some laughs but is ultimately not that entertaining. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

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Blood Creek (2009)

2010-02-23T00:06:00.001+07:00

After spending almost an hour at the video store wandering around and not finding anything to rent that looked interesting or that I hadn't already seen I stumbled upon this one. It sounded interesting so I figured I'd take a chance and rent it.

As I put the dvd into the player my expectations were very low and I half expected that I would end up stopping it halfway through and watch something on tv instead. However once the movie started I was immediately intrigued and drawn in. It was actually not half bad, it wouldn't win any Oscars but it was certainly better than a lot of movies I have gone to see in theaters over the years. The story was interesting and original, the acting wasn't too bad, it was well directed and edited with plenty of supernatural horror mixed with fast paced action sequences.

I think this is one of those movies that will appeal to certain people and appeal not at all to certain others. So I can't tell you that you will like this movie and I won't,
however if you are like me and you like a little supernatural horror mixed action sequences and zombies, then you might just enjoy this flick. I would recommend renting this movie before you buy, personally however if I had bought this movie without seeing it first I wouldn't have been regretted it. This is one I will add to my dvd collection now. By. N.Williams.

Zombie Strippers (2008)

2010-02-21T23:37:00.001+07:00

I suppose if you were really expecting something of great meaning with brilliant performances, brilliant script and cinematic genius, you'll be quite dissapointed. However, you just bought a ticket (or the DVD) for ZOMBIE STRIPPERS, come on! You know what you're getting into and moreover, you KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. You're going to get it.

The movie takes itself just serious enough not to gloss over what fans are expecting and to take the time to justify the crazy stuff that happens. JJ holds her own and really couldn't have been better cast, so there's no feeling that this is some vehicle for her to be in a 'legit' movie.

It's funny, deliberately offensive, sexy, crazy, gorey and all that. My wife saw it with me (who would normally NEVER be interested in either gore or the extensive nudity) and had a great time. By the way, the nudity is in the context of the strip club -- there really isn't any sex in this movie at all, except Zombies biting parts you'd rather they leave alone...By. C. Carriers "plumloopy", LA,CA,USA.

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Legion (2010) (Blu-ray)

2010-02-19T21:50:00.008+07:00

LEGION is visual effects supervisor Scott Stewart’s first foray into feature film directing and it’s not a pretty one. Based on his bumbling script, co-written by Peter Schink, this would-be supernatural thriller of an apocalyptic attack on humanity by God’s not-so-angelic host tries too hard to play B-movie material serious and goes straight to hell by the groan-inducing montage of sentimental soliloquy that weighs down the second act faster than a flying angel with spicy buffaloes for wings that’s strapped to a dump truck full of anvils. If you think that ludicrous analogy is bad, try watching the movie for a real head scratcher.

With the film’s few surprises already ruined by trailer footage and bits of gore and fighting action spread thin by forgettable characters, dialogue and visuals there is virtually nothing to recommend save what could be cinema’s first use of angel wings as a lethal bladed weapon. What could have been a creepy, big effects action variant of THE PROPHECY becomes an ill-conceived and rushed hack job that will leave viewers depressed, not for witnessing the near destruction of humanity but for the completely mishandled promise of seeing a handful of dysfunctional heroes mop the floor with a planet full of fallen angels now residing in the bodies of creepy kids, ice cream truck drivers and little old ladies with a taste for raw meat and foul language.

From the start, the plot is about as nonsensical as the Biblical flood. On the thin premise that God has suddenly grown tired of humanity and all its folly yet again – as if being an omniscient super being didn’t clue Him in to our nature the day Adam, or his intelligently designed protozoic progenitor was conceived of – He decides to send his angels down from heaven to possess the weak-willed and have them kill all of the strong-willed people.

This is only the backdrop however to the real story which is about how Archangel Michael (Paul Bellany), a general in God’s army, defects to join a small group of humans stranded in a remote desert diner in the American southwest. There, he comes to the defense of a woman and her unborn child who he claims will be humankind’s salvation so long as he lives. What we never learn is why this child is so important. Is it Christ making his return? Is it John Connor who is going to save us from Cyberdyne Systems and God’s wrath at the same time? Is it Pat Robertson’s illegitimate son? Maybe it’s little Damien Thorn who grows up to be misunderstood as a murderous Antichrist but is really just trying to save humanity from the angel-possessed people. I guess we’ll have to wait for the teen novelization to find out.

Not long after Michael’s arrival, humans possessed by angels begin to descend on the diner in an effort to kill the baby and those standing in their way. The possessed people seem rather unintelligent, and throw themselves against the well-armed defenders like zombies before trying other tactics during a siege that culminates in an assault by Michael’s feathered former friend, Archangel Gabriel (Kevin Durand).

Along the way we briefly get to know some of the stranded humans caught up in this fight as they share their hopes, fears and frustrations all neatly packaged and presented as if they had come straight from a script-writing seminar. The common theme in the canned character development is loss of faith and how Michael yet retains faith in humanity. There is definitely some potentially good dramatic material to work with here but it’s mishandled badly with too many obvious and poorly integrated attempts to build up the characters during dull, pace-killing stretches of conversation between action.

As previously mentioned, the best surprise sequences were already revealed in the trailers so anyone who saw them will probably feel let down that there’s really nothing else to see. Once we get towards the end and what is expectantly going to be a big showdown, the entire film seems to have the wind knocked out of it as it gasps and sputters to a boring, overly Terminator-esque ending that fails completely to live up to any promise of genuinely creepy or bizarre supernatural elements that existed earlier in the film.

With the thriller elements botched by the mid point and no real scares to be had, the film’s only bright spot in my mind is the squaring off between Michael and Gabriel. Here, two of Heaven’s top soldiers stare each other down for a fight to the finish. It features some interesting choreography involving Gabriel’s wings which act as razor-sharp blades and shielding against bullets. Yet beyond this, we’re treated with yet another excessively chopped up fight sequence that should please no one. It’s not outlandish enough to work as a fantasy fight between super-powered warriors and it’s too poorly edited together to work as a serious bout between highly skilled, former comrades.

This may seem like a dumb movie to complain about this but I really want to know what bunch of idiots in Hollywood is driving this ongoing trend towards rapid-paced fight editing. It doesn’t seem to matter what kind of action movie it is or how much or how little fighting there is but all we get anymore are crappy, split-second shots of blurry shaky-cam fluff that turns a fight sequence into an artless and incomprehensible mishmash of flailing arms, legs and whatever weapons are used. I’ve seen spontaneous temper tantrums from toddlers that are more coherent and engaging as action set pieces than tripe we’re served in this and many other recent films.

On top of bad fight work, at an earlier point Michael reveals to everyone that he probably could have single-handedly killed every angel-possessed person who got within 100 yards of the diner had he chosen to step outside sooner, even after clipping his wings. The lack of thought and thoroughness that went into the writing of this movie is astounding, especially in light of its serviceable production standards. (http://www.kungfucinema.com/review-legion-2010-12984)

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Wolfman (2010)

2010-02-17T23:20:00.002+07:00

Lawrence Talbot, a haunted nobleman, is lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother... and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate. Written by Anonymous (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780653/plotsummary)

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Daybreakers (blu-ray)

2010-02-16T23:27:00.007+07:00

While Daybreakers presents vampiric traits that distinguish its vampires from others in the many films that have ridden 2009's vampire movie wave, there is a lack of humor here that makes this film sour compared to sweeter ones like Cirque du Freak: A Vampire's Assistant. Maybe that's because the plot in this horror feature from Peter and Michael Spierig (Undead) is more akin to zombie films like 28 Days Later. The year is 2019, and nearly all humans are converted vampires searching in vain for blood during a blood shortage, as they drain remaining humans into extinction. Nightly, CNN airs segments about the Blood Crisis, while vampire citizens around the globe attack each other like cannibals. Humans are farmed like cattle while tied to blood-draining machinery in the top-secret pharmaceutical corporation run by evil CEO Charles Bromley (Sam Neill). Sound like a heavy-handed metaphor for our oil wars? Daybreakers can definitely be viewed in that light, as a story about greed and consumption. Stylistically, it looks like a cross between Alien and Batman, with its Giger-esque set design and blue-tinted hue to represent night fallen on society. The lead actors help to salvage this movie. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), chief hematologist at Bromley, straddles the vampire and human worlds, with the aid of humans Lionel "Elvis" Cormac (Willem Dafoe) and Lisa Barrett (Harriet Minto-Day), to search for a blood replacement to placate the starving masses. These three protagonists carry the film, though not well enough to call Daybreakers any sort of genre breakthrough. --Trinie Dalton

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The Spy Next Door (Two-disc Blueray/DVD Combo)

2010-02-14T02:54:00.002+07:00

Bob Ho, a Chinese spy working with the CIA to stop a man named Poldark. He's been posing as an importer and has been dating his neighbor, Gillian, a single mother with 3 children. When Bob captures Poldark, he retires from the spy game. He wants to make a commitment to Gillian but her children are not exactly warming up to him. When Gillian has to go out of town Bob offers to take care of the kids while she's away, which proves to be no easy task. At the same time, Poldark somehow escapes. It's apparent that some in the Agency helped him. At the same time Colton one of Bob's associates at the CIA asks him to look at something that Poldark had on him that appears to encrypted, hoping he can crack it.When the children break into his home to see what they can find out about him, they find the file and download it. And when they try to open it, Poldark tracks it down and sends his people to take care of Ho. Bob manages to deal with them and then takes the children and goes on the run. Written by rcs0411@yahoo.com

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Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (2009/ENG)

2010-02-14T01:38:00.003+07:00

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight is the final installment in the Tiberium Saga of the long-running real-time strategy (RTS) PC game franchise Command & Conquer. Centered around the infamous faction based struggle for, and simultaneous protection from the valuable, but dangerous energy source known as Tiberium, C&C 4 features classic RTS gameplay based in resource management, unit creation and battlefield strategy. Add to this new features including 5-on-5 online multiplayer support, a mix of new and classic units and exciting RPG lite gameplay elements, and you have a worthy final release in a series that over the years has epitomized the RTS genre.

Story
In the year 2062, humanity found itself on the brink of extinction. Tiberium, the mysterious, alien crystalline structure that infested Earth for decades and caused years of relentless conflict between the Global Defense Initiative and the Brotherhood of Nod, was close to rendering the planet uninhabitable. In the midst of this crisis, Kane, Nod's prophetic leader, emerged from seclusion to deliver GDI the message that he had developed a system that could control Tiberium and harness its power. But he could not build this "Tiberium Control Network" without GDI's cooperation. Thus, the two opposing factions—GDI and Nod—found themselves in a desperate and unlikely alliance to stop Tiberium from extinguishing mankind.

Now, after 15 years, the network is nearly complete. Tiberium is under strict control and the revitalized Earth is on the cusp of a new age of prosperity and progress. It is only now that the world's citizens begin to seriously ponder why Kane chose to help, and what he will want in return. Kane. GDI. Nod. Tiberium. How will it end? These questions and more lead to the dramatic final act of the 15-year Tiberium saga in Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight.

Gameplay
Command & Conquer is a real-time strategy gaming franchise, and Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight is no exception. Players assume color-coated versions of the GDI or Nod factions and uncover segments of the map, where they must manage Tiberium and other resources in their possession or that they they mine or commandeer in the field. Other factions occur in the game, but are not playable, and different single player campaigns are available to players depending on which of the two factions are chosen. The energy that Tiberium crystals possess is used in the manufacture and upgrading of mining and combat units, weapons and support infrastructure in preparation for impending conflicts with other players on the same map that are doing the same. Each faction has its own distinct unit types, both land and air based, which although unique, are overall more or less balanced against those of opposing faction. In addition, certain units can be captured on the battlefield and used to supplement your arsenal. The overarching task though is to combine the right number and type of units with the right battlefield strategy for the conflict and terrain at hand.

Historically, C&C matches have been won by completely eliminating all enemy units that stand against you. Although there is certainly plenty of this within Tiberian Twilight, the game also is different in that players need not eliminate all enemy units, instead capturing control nodes throughout the game and holding them for a minimum amount of time. Doing so leads to earning enough points to win the match. Tiberian Twilight also differs from earlier games in the series with the addition of certain RPG game elements. Players overall orientation within their chosen faction is class based, with units falling generally in offensive, defensive or support classes depending on your play style. These units can be upgraded with experience points, which are gained through success against enemy units, with more advanced enemy units earning the conquering player more points, and thus potential unit upgrade opportunity.

5-on-5 Online Multiplayer
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight allows PC gamers to team up and battle like never before. Join your fellow commanders online and tackle your opponents in the biggest C&C multiplayer to date, featuring 5 vs. 5 objective-based battles. Choose your favorite class and take online strategy action to the next level as you conquer objectives while pummeling your enemies. In addition, an all-new party system lets you move with your party of friends from one online battle to the next.

Key Game Features

The Epic Conclusion to the Tiberium Saga - Kane returns in the thrilling conclusion to one of gaming's longest running storylines, told through gritty live-action cinematics. Choose to take on the campaign solo or team up with a friend and play cooperatively.
Persistent Player Progression - The more enemy units you destroy, the more experience points you earn to progress your player profile. Level up to unlock new units, powers, and upgrades to make your army more powerful.
Always on the Move - For the first time ever in the C&C series, a massive, mobile, all-in-one base, The Crawler, lets you pack up and move your base with your army for a new layer of strategic depth. Build units as you move across the field, and deploy whenever and wherever you choose.
Choose Your Class - Choose from three unique classes from both GDI and Nod, each with its own specialized units and powers, for more strategic and combative options that match your play style of choice. Offensive, Defensive, or Support classes-which will you pick?
Online Multiplayer Support – Sign on for 5-on-5, online objective based battles which also features an all-new party system that lets you move with your party of friends from one online battle to the next.

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Halo 2

2010-02-14T01:16:00.002+07:00

The entertainment phenomenon that conquered the digital universe is once again out to save the planet as the award-winning, best-selling Halo 2 is coming to the Windows Vista platform. Optimized for the advanced gaming features in Windows Vista, Halo 2 promises to revolutionize the first-person shooter experience for Windows gamers, as it did for consoles. With its classic story, enhanced visual presentation, multiplayer excitement and all-new Map Editor, Halo 2 for Windows Vista offers more game customization and new content than ever before. Windows Vista gamers will be able to experience the epic story of Halo 2 as Master Chief delves further into the mystery of the Covenant in the aftermath of Halo’s destruction. What he discovers will soon threaten the fate not only of Earth, but of the Universe itself.
Features:

Epic Narrative: The saga continues with Halo 2, the international award-winning sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved. In this sequel, the battle comes to Earth, and Master Chief, a genetically enhanced super soldier, is the only thing standing between the relentless alien Covenant and the destruction of all humankind.
Exciting Single-Player Gameplay: Experience first hand the epic struggle between Master Chief and the Covenant armada. Brandish dual-wield weapons Covenant arms and pilot human and non-human vehicles and aircraft to battle intelligent AI alien enemies.
Unmatched Online Gaming: Halo 2 for Windows Vista will tap into the power of Live Anywhere, a service similar to Xbox Live, to deliver online matchmaking for PC gamers. The service will enable Windows Vista gamers all over the globe to connect via their PCs and play on an innovative and competitive online forum.
New Multiplayer Map Editor: The game will also feature the all-new new Map Editor, guaranteeing additional new, fan-generated content in the future. The Halo 2 community can now tap their endless creative potential to develop an unlimited number of user-created multiplayer levels.
Complete Community Freedom: Halo 2 for Windows Vista offers gamers the freedom to host their own dedicated servers for maximum multiplayer action.
Superior Presentation and Cinematic Excellence: Bring the vast, imaginative world of Halo 2 to life on the Windows Vista platform through higher-resolution textures and improved lighting effects. Experience the unmatched cinematic quality of Halo 2 through the power of Windows Vista.
Unprecedented Pedigree: The Halo franchise is one of the best selling and monumental entertainment experiences in history with more than 14.5 million units sold worldwide, more than 18 Game-of-the-Year awards, 750 million hours and 500 million matches logged over Xbox Live. Halo 2 was also one of the most successful entertainment launches of all time – including books, films, graphic novels, games and music. Halo 2 for Windows Vista brings this incredible experience to Windows Vista gamers everywhere.

Product Description

Item #: 44930G. Halo 2 is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved. In Halo 2, the saga continues as Master Chief - a genetically enhanced super-soldier - is the only thing standing between the relentless Covenant and the destruction of all humankind. Product Description
Microsoft Halo 2 - complete package
Category: Games
Subcategory: Games - action
License Type: Complete package
ESRB Rating: Mature (17+)
PEGI Rating: 16+ ( Finland 15+ )
USK Rating: Freigegeben ab 16 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG
License Qty: 1 user
License Pricing: Standard
Language(s): English
Localization: North America
Platform: Windows
Distribution Media: DVD-ROM
Package Type: Retail
Compatibility: PC
OS Required: Microsoft Windows Vista

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Ninja Assassin

2010-02-13T23:59:00.002+07:00

The entertaining, adrenaline-packed Ninja Assassin wastes no time cutting quite literally to the guts and gore of the mysterious world of ninja warriors--the blood flows as freely as champagne on New Year's Eve. Only 3-D might have made it even better. Taken from the streets as a child, the orphan Raizo (Korean pop artist Rain, in his first leading role) is molded into a deadly assassin through methods that might make even the strong of stomach wince. The story flows from present-day Berlin to Raizo's brutal training by the Ozunu, one of the mythical Nine Clans that perform political assassinations around the world. Refusal to follow an order by the clan leader forces Raizo into a life on the run. When Mika (Naomie Harris), a Europol researcher, gets too close to the truth, Raizo risks detection by his former clan-mates to protect her, and to exact his revenge. Fans of ninja films will rejoice in the classic story, while action aficionados will find plenty of heart-pounding thrills in every fight scene. Admittedly, the plot, especially Europol's interest in the mythical clans, exists merely to move the story from one fight scene to the next. But who cares when the action shots--especially the literal firefight at the end--are so exciting. --Jill Corddry

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Universal Soldier: Regeneration

2010-01-20T22:25:00.004+07:00

Universal Soldier: Regeneration is a rare sequel that far outstrips the original. A small terrorist group seizes the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, threatening to release a toxic cloud. A military squad is sent in--and decimated by a new and more lethal "UniSol" (played by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski). Desperate, the American military forces the decommissioned UniSol Luc Devereaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) to revert back to a killing machine--even though the consequences to his damaged psyche could be severe… and dangerous. But the standard plot isn't what makes Universal Soldier: Regeneration so much better than its predecessors (incidentally, you don't need to see the earlier films to enjoy this one). The movie looks better (thanks in large part to superb cinematography by Peter Hyams, who directed Van Damme in Timecop); the script is skillfully written, with well-drawn characters and dialogue that actually sounds like human beings speaking; and the fighting, rather than being absurdly spectacular, is gritty and brutal--director John Hyams (Peter's son) has made documentaries about mixed martial arts fighters and clearly understands that real combat isn't about backflips and whirling kicks but vicious hitting. Van Damme has always had an odd vulnerability; he's a soulful action hero, and this sense of inner sadness lends a strange gravity to the stakes. Dolph Lundgren, who also repeats his previous role as a malevolent UniSol, gives a brief but unnerving performance. Universal Soldier: Regeneration is a gripping action thriller that sneaks in moral ambiguity and stealthy questions about free will--all in all, an unexpected and welcome pleasure. --Bret Fetzer

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Smokin' Aces 2 : Assassins' Ball (2010)

2010-01-20T22:14:00.002+07:00

Lots of questions out there about the whole prequel/sequel argument and the inevitable comparisons between the two films, but in the end this is really about Carnahan having a fun time indulging the premise of his success by making another film (have to watch the supplements).

The story contains two characters from the first film, but there is no other other connection and each of them only have bit parts that provide a few laughs so watching the first film is not mandatory to get anything happening here. The FBI protects one of their own from a conglomerate of assassins, all of whom get their chance to display their special skills. Tom Berenger plays the FBI target, and he does play his age but I really only liked his last scene. Vinnie Jones gets some corny screen time, the Tremors are way over the top and the majority of their scenes were filmed like Natural Born Killers (fake backgrounds while driving). The film does get some stand-alone uniqueness with exploding clowns and a 50s retro FBI fashion look, but the cheese gets pretty heavy.

The BD clarity is excellent, so much so that when they tried any special effects they looked horrible, but both the interior and exterior shots without effects were pristine. The 5.1 DTS gets used extensively, reference the exploding clowns through the walls sequence. The makeup looked so thick on Berenger that you sometimes wished the BD wasn't so clear.
The supplements are thorough and include (some are hidef and some are not):

* Deleted scenes, 10:01 minutes. Glad most of them were deleted, this also includes the alternate ending - but I think most people will agree the ending included is much better (a revenge thing for how this whole movie was written).
* Gag reel, 6:32 minutes. Had a couple of funny moments, but they were mostly tedious (watching the FBI gal repeatedly cuss like a sailor was funny though).
* Behind Carnahan, 6:30 minutes. Covers everything about Smokin Aces I, and a little about why this came to be.
* Confessions of an Assassin, 25:59 minutes. The behind the scenes as told through the month of filming (in a day by day format). The two things I liked about this the most were the old guy Michael Parks who plays one of the Tremors and the foul mouthed producer Elliot. Both of those guys are hilarious, hard to tell with Parks but I think he was genuinely pissed off anytime a camera was rolling. Elliot slammed everything I hate about these kinds of documentaries so the self-loathing thing worked well.
* Weapons of SA II, 4:17 minutes. The main weapons guy reviews the variety of armaments in the film.
* Cue Clown, 2:57 minutes. Reviews how you make an exploding clown scene, gross.
* Bunker Mentality, 3:35 minutes. Reviews production design and construction for the best set in the film - nice room.
* pocketBlu. More iPhone/iPod stuff for portable fans.
* BD Live, nothing relative or new to this film online.
* Unrated version, 2 minutes longer. The majority of the added footage is in the beginning as they removed the sex scene from the rated cut - you get to see AK-47 Tremor do her very wild thing sans clothing, worth the watch.

Once you watch the supplements one should understand this was about having fun and putting some cheese on film. The critics who slam this film are all correct, but having no expectations helps. 2 for the film, 2 for the BD clarity and supplements. Enjoy. -By Steve Kuehl "SLV Video" (Ben Lomond,CA)

Australia (2008)

2010-01-17T19:28:00.002+07:00

Watching the early reels of Australia, there's certainly no doubt who's in charge: this could only be a film by Baz Luhrmann, that wacky purveyor of all things over-the-top. In this old-fashioned, 165-minute hymn to his native continent, Luhrmann travels back to the late 1930s/early '40s, for a scenario that would not have been out of place at MGM in that era. Straightlaced Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) journeys Down Under and is put under the protection of--crikey--a rugged cattle driver known only as the Drover (Hugh Jackman). When the two are forced to team up (along with a motley crew of misfits) to take a herd of cattle through the hostile landscape, their way is challenged by the dastardly plans of the local beef baron (Bryan Brown) and his elaborately evil lieutenant (David Wenham). At some point you realize that this film's main commodity is not cattle, but corn: Luhrmann piles on the melodrama and the old-school climaxes with his usual frantic glee. Employing "When You Wish Upon a Star" and the Japanese air force to make his case is not beyond Luhrmann, and he reaches big here. Those with a taste for un-ironic silliness might just go for this stuff, but even fans of the Baz will have their patience tested by the broad comedy and the absence of discernable chemistry between Kidman and Jackman. Australia does manage to skewer the culture's prejudices against the Aboriginal people, but in this context such a victory comes across as rather tinny. --Robert Horton

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2010-01-12T22:06:00.001+07:00

In 1891 London, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) race to prevent a human sacrifice ritual conducted by Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). Holmes and Watson stop the sacrifice just in time and neutralize Lord Blackwood while Holmes saves Watson from a glass shard Blackwood used to kill his enemies that he barely sees until the last second, after which the police, led by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), arrive and arrest him.

Blackwood's execution occurs three months later, during which Holmes has become bored without a new case. Watson prepares to leave 221B Baker Street to establish his own business, and he intends to marry Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly). Blackwood requests Holmes' presence on the day of his execution, and warns him that three more deaths will occur after his execution that will change the very nature of their world. Later, Blackwood is executed by hanging, declared dead by Watson himself.

Holmes is re-acquainted with Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams). She offers him a sum of money to pursue a case of a missing red-haired midget by the name of Reardon. Holmes disguises himself to find the identity of Adler's employer, but can only surmise him as a professor. Three days after Blackwood's execution, his tomb is found shattered, from the inside out, and an eyewitness reports seeing Blackwood walking away. Holmes, Watson, and Lestrade find Blackwood's coffin contains the body of the red-haired midget.
Holmes follows clues from a pocket watch on the body to the midget's home, where they discover several chemistry experiments. They narrowly avoid capture by three thugs that have arrived to destroy the evidence in the home. After an elaborate chase, Holmes and Watson are arrested for property damage after a steamship being built in a naval yard sinks in the river Thames. Watson is released on bail by Miss Morstan, while Holmes is taken to the Temple of the Four Orders, a freemasonry-like, occult-dabbling secret society. Their leaders reveal Blackwood was a former member, and plead for Holmes to help stop him. Holmes declines their generous offers of reward but continues to investigate. As Holmes and Watson investigate, the two senior members are killed through apparent magical means by Blackwood, and he assumes control of the order, desiring to use the Order's power to push for England to retake the United States after their civil war has weakened their defenses. Blackwood orders the Home Secretary, a member of the Order, to issue a warrant for Holmes' arrest.

Holmes and Watson follow clues to an industrial slaughterhouse, where they are taunted by Blackwood and forced to rescue Adler from a deathly conveyor belt trap. Watson chases after Blackwood but is caught by a tripwire, setting off an explosion; Watson is able to warn Holmes and Alder to safety but is badly injured himself in the explosion. Holmes learns he is wanted by the police and goes into hiding, and reflects on the clues he has collected. He comes to realize that Blackwood is attempting to cast a spell based on the sphinx, with the three murdered tied to three of the mythical creature's animal constituents: man, ox, and eagle. Holmes deduces the fourth, the lion, is symbolized by the English Parliament. Holmes allows Lestrade to capture and bring him to the Home Secretary. Overconfident, the Secretary reveals Blackwood's plan for wiping out all the Lords but save those loyal followers of his. Holmes escapes, diving into the river Thames, and is rescued by a waiting boat with Watson and Adler in it.

Regrouping with Watson and Adler, Holmes takes them to the sewers below Parliament where they find a machine devised by the midget that is operated by a remote trigger held by Blackwood that will release a cyanide derivative into the Parliament chambers. The three fight off Blackwood's men and dislodge the cyanide cylinders from the machine. Adler grabs the cylinders and races away, followed by Holmes; Blackwood becomes aware his machine has failed and shortly follows thereafter. The three arrive at the top of the Tower Bridge, still under construction. Blackwood knocks Adler to a lower platform, where she falls unconscious. Holmes tricks Blackwood into becoming entangled in the ropes and chains, and Blackwood is soon hanging precariously from these over the Thames while Holmes recounts that all of Blackwood's "mystical" acts (including faking his own death) were simply applications of science and trickery. Holmes intends for Blackwood to stand trial but, tangled in ropes, Blackwood falls and is hanged by the chains. Holmes helps Adler recover, though handcuffs her. She explains that the mysterious caped man in the carriage is Professor Moriarty. Adler warns Holmes that Moriarty "is just as brilliant as he is, and infinitely more devious". Holmes drops the key to the cuffs in Adler's shirt and leaves her, returning to Watson. The police arrive to report a dead officer found near Blackwood's device, and Holmes deduces that chasing Adler and fighting Blackwood was a diversion by Moriarty, who used the distraction to take a key component of Blackwood's remote control device from the machine. Holmes accepts the case. (http://en.wikipedia.org).

Mulan (Special Edition)

2009-12-28T00:17:00.004+07:00

First of all, kudos to Disney for *finally* including a MANDARIN LANGUAGE AUDIO TRACK (the original DVD had French and Spanish- no Chinese). It's about time!!!

Next: I have to emphatically disagree with reviewer Bill Mydo below. -You will excuse me if I spend some little time defending this film against his critique; Mulan happens to be my favorite Disney animated movie, second only perhaps to Beauty and the Beast. Perhaps my being Chinese-American may have something to do with it, as does the fact that I strongly identify with the character's self-doubts. Still, I am fairly particular as to what I consider "good art"; and it boggles and confounds me that anyone would fail to see the difference between this movie and, for example, Hunchback or Hercules.

Yes, Disney's Mulan is very much a western/ American movie, made for western and American- not Asian- audiences. No, they "didn't get it right"; or, not exactly. But I never expected them to, and I give them a good deal of credit for trying. They came quite a bit closer that I ever thought that they would. Nor do I find this movie overly feminist (no more than Snow White or Cinderella are "chauvinist"). Mulan may be a strong female character, but she is not Aladdin's Princess Jasmine. Mulan is not defined by rebellion, nor by what she rejects. Instead she upholds her sense of honor as she struggles to find out who she is and where she fits in. Moreover, in a genre known for its blatant ad nauseum boy-meets-girl love themes, I truly appreciated the downplayed understatedness of the "interest" between Mulan and Captain Shang.

As to the "commercial" aspect of the film; yes, it had its tie-ins and its merchandising. What Disney movie doesn't? But the real issue is the worth of the film itself, and on this I take exception to the review below. I believe there is more in it than Mr. Mydo gives credit for.

The film does have its awkward moments. The scene with the match-maker and Mulan's first entrance into the army camp are both extremely painful to watch- I do not enjoy watching anyone be utterly humiliated- not even a cartoon character (and I do not believe that someone as bright as Mulan would fumble so badly over simply coming up with a new name). I also find it somewhat irksome that one minor character, Mushu the dragon, continually steals attention away from the movie's proper focus. And there are a number of jokes and visual gags that closely border on PG. I found this in somewhat poor taste in a kid's movie.

But these faults are counterbalanced, and more than compensated for, by the scenes that really work. The opening "brush painting" of the Great Wall; Mulan's song (Reflections) and the ensuing scene of loving encouragement from her father; the scene where she decides to leave home; her heart-to-heart talk with Mushu at the abandoned camp in the mountains; the Imperial Palace where she is honored by the Emperor before all China... the sheer artistry of these scenes is breathtaking.

Assassin’s Creed II

2009-12-21T23:26:00.001+07:00

The world of the assassin is one cloaked in shadow and steeped indanger. Ensnared in a web of revenge and conspiracy, the assassinembraces power at its most elemental, acting as the dividing linebetween life and death. As an assassin confronted by perilous newchallenges and difficult choices, what path will you choose?

Get ready to plunge into the lush anddeadly world of the Italian Renaissance, an era of arts, riches andmurderous conspiracy. Assassin's Creed II introduces you to Ezio, a newassassin carrying on the deadly lineage of his forebears. Confront anepic tale of power and corruption as you hone your assassin's art,wielding weapons and instruments designed by the legendary Leonardo daVinci himself in this gripping and deadly sequel.

Key Game Features:

Explore the deadly, shadowed world of the assassin with new assassin Ezio
Roam freely through the lush and dangerous world of Renaissance-era Italy
Do whatever it takes to complete your missions in the game's all-new open world and mission structure
Thrive in an environment rich with power, revenge and conspiracy
Practice your assassin's art with all-new weapons and instruments created by Leonardo da Vinci

Avatar

2009-12-21T22:05:00.000+07:00

After coming off of a month of Modern Warfare 2 and Dragon age, I decided, against my better judgement, to give Avatar a try. Gamers know the quality of most movie based games, but I played this one because Im really looking foward to James Camerons return to cinema with the movie Avatar. This game has been pretty hyped as a revolution in movie based games, and while it isnt exactly that, it was far better than I expected. First, the good:

-It plays and controls fairly well
-The graphics are outstanding. Its obvious that the main character is actually Pandora itself.
-Its of a pretty decent length
-lots of weapons and armor
-The AMP suit is pretty cool

-A branching story give you an excuse to play through twice
-The 'pandora-pedia' is awesome if you have an interest in the background of Avatar
-If your a fan of Mass effect, you'll find a familiar voice.
The bad:
-It can get a bit repetitive
-everybody knows: guns and mechs vs. spears and bows= guns and mechs win pretty much everytime
-Its supposed to be a prequel, but I get the feeling that its pretty much the same story as the movie is going to be
-the buggy has some major control issues compared to the rest of the vehicles
- the pc version comes with some pretty nasty drm. I didnt realize that until after I bought it. GET THE CONSOLE VERSION.
-multiplayer isnt dragging anyone away from Modern Warfare.

I usually avoid reviewing movie games, but I did because I like the fact that it seems Ubisoft actually cared about what they were making, rather that just throw something together and call it a game. Its not a fantastic, jaw dropping game by any means, and theres a lot better this holiday season. For a movie game, its really good. Its most certainly worth a rental and possibly a buy if your really looking foward to the movie.

Note: I didnt get the chance to play it that way, but its my understanding that the 3d tech this game can do makes it look even better.-By Allen Woods "albereth" (Manteca, CA USA)

Surrogates (2009)

2009-12-21T00:02:00.001+07:00

The essential premise behind SURROGATES is interesting, although perhaps not entirely original. It is the not-too-distant future, but 98% of the human population is living through a surrogate. These robots do everything for you, AS you. You can sit in the safety of your chair at home, getting fat and wearing pajamas all day, while your avatar, with a face (even gender) that you've chosen stands in for you. You see and feel and hear everything...but there's no danger to you if you want to try something crazy. You'll always look attractive and young.

Thus, in surrogates, no one is quite what they seem. The 2% of people who refuse to join the "fun" live in ramshackle, electronics-free zones scattered around the country. They live lives that resemble nothing more than hippie colonies...the fact that they not only rejected living through surrogates but apparently ALL forms of technology is never really explained.

They are led by "The Prophet" (original name!) who assures them the day of reckoning is coming. And indeed, when a new weapon arrives on the scene...the new world order appears to be threatened. This weapon allows its wielder to not only kill surrogates, but to also kill the human who is operating it.

There are many intriguing ideas and concepts (and questions) that this alternate world brings to mind...but SURROGATES is in the end more of a detective movie than a sci-fi movie. And not a detective movie in BLADE RUNNER tradition (where the detective and his work is a way of delving ever deeper into what it means to live in this alternate society), but more in the I, ROBOT tradition of Will Smith kicking butt and taking names. But with a lower budget.

SURROGATES has little in the way of truly new ideas, and apart from some randomly scattered amusing moments, doesn't milk much entertainment value from the pure idea of all of us sitting around, getting fat, lazy (and probably smelly) while our surrogates run around looking younger, fitter, sexier and smarter than we do...interacting with other surrogates who look hot but are in reality a stand-in for others who are fat, lazy and smelly.

To go along with lazy ideas are some lazy performances. Rhada Mitchell plays one of the cops investigating this new weaponry, and it's as if she's taken the robot idea a bit too far...she fails to muster up any emotion, and thus, even though she is a "co-star," she is utterly forgettable. James Cromwell (as the inventor of surrogates) and Ving Rhames (as The Prophet) phone in their performances, giving us absolutely nothing we've not seen before in previous films. Rosamund Pike has a small role as the wife of the lead investigator on the case, and she DOES at least show some sparks of emotion and generates a little empathy.

Thus, SURROGATES is at best a 2.5 star movie. The effects are minimal, but generally convincing. Action sequences (stage by Jonathan Mostow of TERMINATOR 3) are workmanlike but not actually bad. Script is uninspired and the acting is uninteresting.

BUT WAIT. I forgot to mention that the film stars Bruce Willis. He is the master of elevating the quality of the film around him. He can turn a very good film into a classic (DIE HARD, SIXTH SENSE) and he can turn a mediocre film into something at least enjoyable for its running time (16 BLOCKS, HOSTAGE). And this is the service he performs for SURROGATES. While he's not exactly a GREAT actor in the way we think of folks like Daniel Day Lewis or Robert DeNiro...he is a nearly perfect EVERYMAN. No one does world-weary better. In fact, world-weariness is what Willis always starts with, and then he just adds the right amount of smart-ass to the mix. John McClane in DIE HARD...lots of smart-ass. His character in TWELVE MONKEYS...only a tiny, tiny drop. Yet he always knows exactly how much to add. (Sometime his best efforts can only elevate a 1 star film to 2 stars...see STRIKING DISTANCE...or don't! Also, this is a skill he's hones over time...some of his earlier work like MORTAL THOUGHTS or THE JACKAL pretty much just stinks.)

Willis is amusing in SURROGATES when he is seen as his surrogate. Youngish, with a full head of very funny hair. When the "real" Willis emerges, he's the Bruce we know. Shaved head, scars and that patented world-weariness. He also gets to show his other skill...the art of really looking like he's getting hurt, yet making us believe he can get up and keep fighting. Again, John McClane is the archetype...but Willis still owns that trait. Frankly, he's just a good guy to watch on film. We like him...easily. He's not the brightest tool in the shed sometimes, but he has good instincts, a quick wit and is usually a good person just trying to make the best of bad situations.

SURROGATES' script has saddled him with a sadness due to a son who has died years before...but Willis still makes his scenes with his wife (whom he so eagerly wants to wean off her surrogate so they can REALLY be together) touching.

Thus, thanks to Willis, the film is a solid 3.5 stars. But for the overall lack of originality, I'll be treating that like 3.49 stars and rounding down to 3.-By RMurray847 "afilmcritic.com" (Albuquerque, NM United States)

Inglourious Basterds (3 Disc Collector's Edition - Blu-ray)

2009-12-20T23:40:00.001+07:00

One of the great pleasures of Quentin Tarantino movies is thewonderfully inventive casting that he employs. In PULP FICTION, herevived the career of John Travolta, made Samuel Jackson a star, pushedBruce Willis into another echelon and even helped get Ving Rhames offto a good start. In JACKIE BROWN, he burnished Pam Grier & RobertForster's careers. In KILL BILL, he reinvented Uma Thurman andreinvigorated David Carradine. Even in DEATH PROOF, he introduced theworld to the amazing stuntwoman Zoe Bell and gave Kurt Russell the kindof part he's missed out on for too long.

And now, wonderfully, in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, he's introduced theAmerican viewer to some stellar European actors, namely Melanie Laurentand particularly Christoph Waltz, now an easy favorite for a BestSupporting Actor Oscar.

Tarantino also frequently tries the patience of his viewers withhis rococo dialogue and insistence on constantly reminding us thatwe're watching a movie. In PULP FICTION, all his "habits" were freshand new to most viewers (because, really, how many of us had seenRESERVOIR DOGS before we saw FICTION?), but over time, we learned thatTarantino was often just a little too pleased with his ownscreenwriting and often too pleased with his own directing. In acompletely off-the-wall piece like the priceless KILL BILL films,everything worked to form a crazy-quilt whole. In INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS,he's too clever for his own good at times.

BASTERDS tells the completely untrue story of how World War IImight have ended had a group of bloodthirsty, highly trained AmericanJews been allowed to infiltrate Nazi occupied France with no missionother than to take Nazi scalps. Oh, and how that mission needed tocollide with one fateful night when all the top leadership of Germanyattended the gala opening of a new propaganda film held at a movietheatre owned by a beautiful French girl who was actually a Jew who hadescaped a massacre that had taken her entire family and now she's benton revenge at any cost. And of how her goal coincides with that of anundercover British agent who just happens to be a German film scholarand a German double agent who happens to be a movie star.

I know that sounds a little confusing. To Tarantino's credit, theplot as laid out in this 150 minute film is actually easy to follow. Infact, he's put everything into easy-to-digest chapters. It does ask usto believe that every important member of the German government &military would all assemble in a fairly public place at one time...butif you can get past that hurdle, there is much vicarious pleasure to behad in watching WWII reinvented by Tarantino.

By far, the best part of the film is Chapter 1. It features Waltzas SS officer Col. Hans Landa in what is easily the most chillingportrayal of a Nazi since Ralph Fiennes donned the uniform inSCHINDLER'S LIST. Fiennes role (and that entire brilliant movie) werefor altogether different purposes. Landa comes off more like a NaziHannibal Lecter (without the strange dining preferences)...he's a bitof a lone wolf in his own party. He's feared by all, because he has awonderful BS detector that helps him root out deception at every turn.In the opening scene, which plays out like a delicate one-act play,Landa comes to a humble French farmhouse and speaks with the owner. Weknow the owner is hiding Jews beneath his floorboard, and we're prettysure Landa knows it too. Just how he gets that information, through oneof the most tense interrogation scenes you'll ever see, is a joy tobehold. You literally find yourself not breathing. I leaned forward inmy seat. And yet there is never a raised voice, nor a threateninggesture. The screws are applied through intensity of manner. Waltzinstantly makes his character a classic. Tarantino the writer hascrafted brilliant dialogue, and Tarantino the director films it allwith rare taste and simplicity, and Waltz knocks it out of the park.

The rest of the film is more uneven. While Brad Pitt is a goofydelight as Aldo Raine, leader of the Basterds...it's a performance thatis more campy than believable. His Basterds, including folks likedirector Eli Roth and B.J. Novak from TV's "The Office" are fairlyinterchangeable. And strangely, we look forward to them conducting KILLBILL PT. ONE type mayhem, yet they actually use relatively littlescreentime showing them in action. There is one short, effective sceneof their own brand of interrogation...but mostly we have to take theword of other characters (like Hitler himself) that these guys arewreaking havoc on the Nazis.

And during one jarring moment, we are introduced to one of thebasterds with a blast of `70s era Blaxploitation music and a `70s eratitle card. Why? Yes, it was funny...but it took everyone totally outof the spell the movie was weaving. Just as having Michael Myers, inthick but unconvincing makeup, play a British officer hatching a schemeto blow up a movie theater, was very distracting. Myers accent isimpeccable, and he plays the part straight...but he's stillunmistakably Myers and many audience members snickered when theyrecognized him. Very distracting.

It's as though Tarantino doesn't quite believe that he can make astraightforward film and have it be riveting. Too bad...because when hegets out of his own way (as he mostly does in the climactic sequencesof the film), INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is a cinematic treat. The gorgeoussettings and lovely costumes even gave Tarantino a chance to show offand have it fit the tone of the film...but he still insists on goingoff the rails. "Hey, this is a Tarantino movie!" he seems to want toshout at us. And this causes him to get in the way of the stunningMelanie Laurant, who plays the vengeful theater owner. I've never seenher before, and she is an entrancing presence, whether in casual slacksor a gorgeous formal red dress. She dominates the final portions of thefilm.

I had a great time at this film, and I recommend it fairly highly.But with 10 minutes less of the sometimes too clever dialogue and 5minutes less of Tarantino's showboating, and we might have had a trueclassic of suspense. See it, though, because the two performances Imentioned are worth the price of admission...heck, the opening scene isworth it.

Avatar [Two- Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo]

2009-12-20T22:00:00.001+07:00

Truly mindbending, Avatar is everything you expect it to be from visual standpoint, Cameron has created a brand new world here for sci-fi fans, and it feels right that he is back home in the sci-fi universe after the runaway success of Titanic. I was lucky enough to see this film at an advanced screening and all in attendance walked away in awe of what we had witnessed visually, even if the story is lacking as a whole. Said story is set in the year 2154 and involves a mission by U. S. Armed Forces to an earth-sized moon in orbit around a massive star. This new world, Pandora, is a rich source of a mineral Earth desperately needs. Pandora is a planetary forest inhabited by the peacful and graceful Na'vi, a blue-skinned, golden-eyed race of giants, each about 12 feet tall. We nevertheless send in the military to attack and conquer, though they are not a threat to us. There is clearly a military allegory about the nature of war mongering and the "noble savages" who often end up standing in the way of the conquering superpower. Luckily Cameron controls his narrative from falling into the muck before it becomes an offensive stereotype by imbuing the story with heartfelt,if ocasionally stiff characterization. the hero, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a paraplegic, recruited because he's a genetic match for a dead identical twin, who an expensive avatar was orignally created for.

On Pandora, Jake is a good soldier and then goes native after his life is saved by the brave Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) who if she keeps this great acting up, (voice acting in this case) especially after Star Trek, may find herself with rockstar status in the scifi universe. Sigourney Weaver has a great turn in this film as well and turns in a strong performance. It is wonderful to see her back in a James Cameron film. Michelle Rodriguez also makes a good turn in what could have been a throw away role. Visually he has unveiled the next generation of 3-D in "Avatar and wow does it leave you in awe! The interiors and rain forests in this film are like nothing you have ever seen and even the Na'vi are rendered so beautifully you can almost use the word sexy, both in their stop motion movements and the CGI. The creatures in this film are also a sight to behold, from the beauty of graceful, flying dragons which contains one of the films best scenes as Jakes tries to ride one of these beasts, to creatures that look like a mix between dandelion seeds and a jelly fish, and even the rendering of clouds, there is beauty in every frame. The entire range of his talent is on display here. Even more wonderfully he does so by never going so far as to create what some might call the "4th wall", or 4D animation. There is no need. He has left that territory for other directors. This is a world that lives and breathes in a way that is truly remarkable. Me thinks that if Stanley Kubrick's characters in "2001" had travelled even further they may have found a race just like this. Trippy and glorious, Avatar delivers Sci Fi like we have rarely seen it, making it a Merry holiday for Sci-fi fans Everywhere. This one will be off the wall in IMAX-- Get those tickets if you can, you will not be dissapointed that you did, trust me! By JR (East Harlem)

Cast & CreditsJake Sully Sam Worthington

Neytiri Zoe Saldana

Grace Sigourney Weaver

Col. Miles Quaritch Stephen Lang

Trudy Chacon Michelle Rodriguez

Parker Selfridge Giovanni Ribisi

Norm Spellman Joel David Moore

Moat CCH Pounder

Eytukan Wes Studi

Tsu'tey Laz Alonso

Dr. Max Patel Dileep Rao

Corporal Lyle Wainfleet Matt Gerald

Avatar (Blu-ray)

2009-12-20T21:48:00.001+07:00

After 12 years of thinking about it (and waiting for movie technology to catch up with his visions), James Cameron followed up his unsinkable Titanic with Avatar, a sci-fi epic meant to trump all previous sci-fi epics. Set in the future on a distant planet, Avatar spins a simple little parable about greedy colonizers (that would be mankind) messing up the lush tribal world of Pandora. A paraplegic Marine named Jake (Sam Worthington) acts through a 9-foot-tall avatar that allows him to roam the planet and pass as one of the Na'vi, the blue-skinned, large-eyed native people who would very much like to live their peaceful lives without the interference of the visitors. Although he's supposed to be gathering intel for the badass general (Stephen Lang) who'd like to lay waste to the planet and its inhabitants, Jake naturally begins to take a liking to the Na'vi, especially the feisty Neytiri (Zoë Saldana, whose entire performance, recorded by Cameron's complicated motion-capture system, exists as a digitally rendered Na'vi). The movie uses state-of-the-art 3D technology to plunge the viewer deep into Cameron's crazy toy box of planetary ecosystems and high-tech machinery. Maybe it's the fact that Cameron seems torn between his two loves--awesome destructive gizmos and flower-power message mongering--that makes Avatar's pursuit of its point ultimately uncertain. That, and the fact that Cameron's dialogue continues to clunk badly. If you're won over by the movie's trippy new world, the characters will be forgivable as broad, useful archetypes rather than standard-issue stereotypes, and you might be able to overlook the unsurprising central plot. (The overextended "take that, Michael Bay" final battle sequences could tax even Cameron enthusiasts, however.) It doesn't measure up to the hype (what could?) yet Avatar frequently hits a giddy delirium all its own. The film itself is our Pandora, a sensation-saturated universe only the movies could create. --Robert Horton

The Bourne Trilogy (The Bourne Identity | The Bourne Supremacy | The Bourne Ultimatum) [Blu-ray]

2009-12-19T18:43:00.001+07:00

The Bourne Identity
Freely adapted from Robert Ludlum's 1980 bestseller, The Bourne Identity starts fast and never slows down. The twisting plot revs up in Zurich, where amnesiac CIA assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), with no memory of his name, profession, or recent activities, recruits a penniless German traveler (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) to assist in solving the puzzle of his missing identity. While his CIA superior (Chris Cooper) dispatches assassins to kill Bourne and thus cover up his failed mission, Bourne exercises his lethal training to leave a trail of bodies from Switzerland to Paris. Director Doug Liman (Go) infuses Ludlum's intricate plotting with a maverick's eye for character detail, matching breathtaking action with the humorous, thrill-seeking chemistry of Damon and Potente. Previously made as a 1988 TV movie starring Richard Chamberlain, The Bourne Identity benefits from the sharp talent of rising stars, offering intelligent, crowd-pleasing excitement from start to finish. --Jeff Shannon

The Bourne Supremacy
Good enough to suggest long-term franchise potential, The Bourne Supremacy is a thriller fans will appreciate for its well-crafted suspense, and for its triumph of competence over logic (or lack thereof). Picking up where The Bourne Identity left off, the action begins when CIA assassin and partial amnesiac Jason Bourne (a role reprised with efficient intensity by Matt Damon) is framed for a murder in Berlin, setting off a chain reaction of pursuits involving CIA handlers (led by Joan Allen and the duplicitous Brian Cox, with Julia Stiles returning from the previous film) and a shadowy Russian oil magnate. The fast-paced action hurtles from India to Berlin, Moscow, and Italy, and as he did with the critically acclaimed Bloody Sunday, director Paul Greengrass puts you right in the thick of it with split-second editing (too much of it, actually) and a knack for well-sustained tension. It doesn't all make sense, and bears little resemblance to Robert Ludlum's novel, but with Damon proving to be an appealingly unconventional action hero, there's plenty to look forward to. --Jeff Shannon

The Bourne Ultimatum
The often breathtaking, final installment in the Bourne trilogy finds the titular assassin with no memory closing in on his past, finally answering his own questions about his real identity and how he came to be a seemingly unstoppable killing machine. Matt Damon returns for another intensely physical performance as Jason Bourne, the rogue operative at war with the CIA, which made him who and what he is and managed to kill his girlfriend in the series' second film, The Bourne Supremacy. Now looking for payback, Bourne goes in search for the renegade chief of CIA operations in Europe and North Africa, partnering for a time with a mysterious woman from his past (Julia Stiles) and constantly--constantly--on the run from assassins, intelligence foot soldiers, and cops. Directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93) with the director’s thrilling, trademark textures and shaky, documentary style, The Bourne Ultimatum is largely a succession of action scenes that reveal a lot about the story’s characters while they’re under duress. Joan Allen, Albert Finney, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, and Paddy Considine comprise the film’s terrific supporting cast, and the well-traveled movie leads viewers through Turin, Madrid, Tangiers, Paris, London, and New York. Overall, this is a satisfying conclusion to Bourne’s exciting and protracted mystery. --Tom Keogh

Family Guy Presents: Something Something Something Dark Side (2009)

2009-12-19T18:29:00.000+07:00

I am a huge SW fan, it is perhaps one of the first movies I can recall from my childhood and although I've watched FG for a long, I think Seth could've done a better job in formatting the characters. It's not that I hate the ones that are chosen but there couldn've been a better choice for a couple, besides that I enjoyed Blue Harvest and I'll probably enjoy this. One thing that is kinda getting old is when people come on and write negative views on the show itself or a bad opinion just because they don't like it, if you don't like it, quite wasting your time talking about something that you can't change and change the channel, nobody is forcing you to watch it. If you think you can do better than get up and start your own cartoon. Obviously this show relates to people that enjoy not only the show but the movie that inspired this special homage. It's even more pathetic when people write a review on something they haven't even seen and if even if they did, they'd still think it wasn't that good because they already have the mindset that it's not as good as another cartoon that others say it's a rip off from which is total bs, grow up already and keep your negative opinions to yourself.

I just hope one day that people will stop judging things and enjoy things that can actually put a smile on lots of faces. Besides I don't think it's as bad as those like to make it if the man Lucas himself approves of it. It's alot better than the majority of what is on there on MTV, VH1, E, Bravo, ect. Playing all that crappy reality stuff that only morons watch.-By Congestedthoughts

Troy - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray] (2004)

2009-12-16T00:27:00.000+07:00

As a teacher of Classical Greek and Roman Mythology I was looking forward to "Troy." In the past I have put together a unit on the Trojan War that included not only Homer's epic poem the "Iliad," but also the plays of Euripides and Aeschylus and other ancient works on the stories of these characters. In other words I am familiar with this story to the extent that when Briseis showed up wearing a garment with long sleeves I was upset that we did not get to see the lovely arms that were part of her usual epithet. So, suffice it to say, that when characters who survived the Trojan War started dying in this film, I was not exactly happy. Consequently, the truth is that the less you know about the Trojan War of classical mythology, the more you will enjoy Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy."

I have no problem with the idea that Homer and the other ancients have to be adapted in making a modern motion picture about the Trojan War. The decision to eliminate the gods is appropriate, getting away from the idea that this was a ten year war makes sense, and if the alliance of the Greeks is now political rather than as part of an oath sworn by the princes who were suitors for Helen's hand, I consider that to be legitimate. I do not understand why Iphigenia, Cassandra, and Hecuba are all eliminated but there are not fatal omissions. But when you start rewriting who gets killed that is going a bit too far, especially when one premature death starts a chain effect that means Athens will never develop the jury system, which means we probably lose out on it too. David Benioff's screenplay was "inspired" by Homer's "Iliad," which at least is an honest way to characterize what he did in this script, but I still do not have to like it or endorse it.

The big selling point for this film was not Homer but rather Brad Pitt as Achilles. Stories abound about how Pitt worked six months to get in shape for this film, gave up smoking, and ended up hurting his Achilles tendon in one of those profound ironies that indicates that maybe the gods were not pleased with what was happening in this film. Pitt certainly looks good, not just in terms of taking several opportunities to display the line of his nude body, but in how he carries himself as Achilles. The whole idea is that this guy is the greatest warrior on the face of the planet and Pitt exudes that with the way he strides across the sands of Troy. Even more impressive is the choreography for the fights, because Pitt's movements are so smooth and powerful, especially compared with that of Eric Bana's Hector, that you do not doubt that this guy is in a league by himself as a warrior. I also like the way he uses the distinctive form of his shield when fighting. They thought this part out quite a bit.

The fight choreography was worked out by Simon Crane, the film's stunt coordinator and second unit director, who describes Achilles as fighting with a boxing style but with the velocity of a speed skater and the agility of a panther. They also come up with a nice touch in that Achilles looks slightly to the side at his opponent until he is ready to come in for the kill. The best fight sequences of "Troy" are when Achilles is fighting. The giant battle sequences of computerized soldiers are not as impressive, mainly because the camera is always in motion and the cutting is so fast that we are left with an impression of the battle rather than always being able to tell what is going on (which has become my constant complaint with most movies with large battle sequences).

Bana does a good job of capturing Hector's nobility without turning him into a marble statue, while Peter O'Toole fills the role of Priam naturally. On the Trojan side the problematic character is Paris (Orlando Bloom), again because of the writing more than the performance. Priam has negotiated peace between Troy and the Sparta of King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), but that is destroyed when Paris persuades Helen (Diane Kruger) to run away with him. Both Hector and Priam know that Paris is wrong and their reasons for supporting him and thereby dooming Troy ring hollow (the less than stellar "Helen of Troy" television miniseries did a nice job of providing a solid motivation for the Trojans to protect Helen).

It you want to draw a clear distinction between Homer's story of Achilles and that of Benioff it is that the former is about the rage of Achilles (see the first line of the "Iliad") and the latter adds an equally strong love element. The one character whose role is most inflated in this version is that of Briseis (Rose Byrne), the Trojan slave girl who comes between Achilles and Agamemnon (Brian Cox), the king of kings for the Greeks. This change becomes the reasoning behind how the film rewrites the end game of the Trojan War, although I still do not understand why some of the key characters get to live happily ever after. But since Pitt's performance dominates the film and he is clearly the horse that director Wolfgang Petersen is riding to make the whole thing work, it makes sense that he has to be around until the very end.

The good news is that when I teach mythology after this DVD comes out my students will probably enjoy attacking Benioff's changes in the original stories of Greek mythology in their papers. I think this will definitely help them understand why the writings of Homer and the other ancients are considered classics. By Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) [Blu-ray] (1986)

2009-12-15T23:53:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

I first saw "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in 1991, and I've LOVED it ever since. I was so thrilled to see that Paramount was giving this classic film an upgraded DVD Special Edition. Upon seeing it however, I must say that I'm pretty disappointed. The extras, although enjoyable, are sorely lacking what they could and SHOULD be. Most of the film's major stars (and sometimes even minor ones like Kristy Swanson and Richard Edson) provide some updated interviews that are fun to watch. But, the bonus material and interviews featuring Mia Sara are all from 1986! She obviously CAN'T be that busy these days, so doesn't it make sense that an updated interview with her could have been included?

Also, the shooting script for this movie contains MANY deleted scenes and dialogue, some of which were a GREAT read and are bound to have been filmed. Ferris going through the house looking for money in some STRANGE places (all while the Pink Floyd tune "Money" was playing), as well as Cameron's dad seeing his 1961 Ferarri being driven through Chicago's streets by the two parking garage employees would have been GREAT to see. However, the ONLY deleted scene we get here is a behind-the-scenes version of the waiter at Chez Qui telling the trio that the food they were eating was pancreas (which of course was referred to later by Ferris in the taxi). No true special edition DVD should be without a deleted scenes section. VERY disappointing.

Next, this edition (like the original) does NOT include a theatrical trailer. It's rare for even a bare bones DVD not to include at least one trailer, but nearly UNHEARD of for a special edition! It's bound to still exist, and I can't beleive that it's THAT hard to find that they could not have dug it up for this "special" edition.

Finally, the original DVD, while lacking a trailer, DID include a GREAT feature-length commentary track by writer/director John Hughes. However, that commentary track is NOT included here! That was either a severe oversight or a downright mean move by Paramount. How hard would it have been to reproduce it here? In effect, its omission forces anyone who bought the original DVD and wants to upgrade to the special edition to keep the original instead of selling or trading it, all because they want to retain the commentary. Paramount should have at least made it possible that owning this new DVD would provide the most complete "Ferris" experience presently possible by itself, but without the original's commentary it doesn't.

In summary, if you bought the original DVD, then I advise you to keep it and just rent this new version to give the special features a look. Save the rest of what you would otherwise spend on this to put towards something more worthwhile. If you have NOT bought the original DVD however, then this would be a worthwhile purchase to own the extras that were not present on the original. But, do rent the original to give a listen to that AWESOME commentary track by John Hughes. By BRADLEY R HUTSON "hutsman" (Sesser, IL United States)

EA Sports Active

2009-12-13T23:27:00.000+07:00

Initial Impression
Wii Active is AWESOME! AWESOME!! I was holding out big hopes for this game because while I love wii fit, golds gym coach and my fitness coach, this game offers full use of the wii motion controls and balance board for feedback. If you do not have the balance board, the game is just as useful.The balance board makes some exercises more "total body" and intense but the game was designed to be used without it. This game is honestly what I thought I was getting when I bought the wii fit! This game is more of a gym style workout consisting of strength exercises with resistance, cardio, and sports drills. There is no yoga in this game nor is there any abdominal work (which I find kind of strange because they were pretty thorough with everything else).

Intensity/Sports Drills
I just finished my second full 40 minute workout and it was great! I feel like I just came back from the gym. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed the sports drills.I dont enjoy the tennis or baseball on wii sports. But the sports drills on Active are really intense, you actually have to jump to do volleyball serves and the motions are exactly as they are when you play the game.

Sports included are Baseball (pitching and batting and catching), volleyball (serving, bumping and setting), Basketball (so far I've just seen shooting and passing), Skating (with leg lifts), Tennis (serving, fore-shots, volleying,backshots). Basketball shooting involves twisting to grab a ball and then making a jump shot. It really gives a virtual reality feel to sports exercises. During kickboxing you are able to use the balance board to kick the heavy bag and do knee ups which really got my heart rate up. During running exercises, you are placed on a track and the game has you alternate between running, walking, knee ups, and kick ups. I really felt as though I had a coach with me. I used to work out with a personal trainer and this really had the same feel.

Balance Board Use
You ARE able to use the balance board with this game. For the sports drills it made me (uncoordinated as I am) less accurate but it did incorporate more total body usage. For instance, in baseball when you catch you do a side lunge before you reach up or out to catch the ball. There is an option to use the balance board with all the sports drills. I havent seen any resistance exercises that used the balance board though.

High Intensity Exercises
There are some hi-intensity or slightly more advanced strength exercises included such as jumping lunges, jumping squats, squat and hold, side to side jumps, bicep curl with shoulder press, bicep curl with kickback, lateral raise with row, etc.

Setup
After setting up the resistance band and leg strap (easy, took 2 minutes tops) I had to set up a profile. There was great variety on how personalized you can make your avatar look with very cool outfits to choose from. It doesnt let you really change the height of your avatar or age (in appearance) so when I set up avatars for my kids, they looked like adults. You set your goals such as how many calories you want to burn over a period of x number of days, how many workouts you want to complete per week or month, and how many hours you want to workout per week or month. I was surprised it didnt include weight loss goals but then I guess it would have to assume you have the balance board and it tries to stay away from that.

30 Day Challenge
I chose the 30 day challenge simply because it seemed like the quickest way to get started. The range of activities was really astounding and I enjoyed the entire workout. It was great to have the game give feedback on form. Before you do every exercise the first time, it automatically shows you a video on proper form. While I was familiar with most of the exercises, the videos are useful because it shows you how to hold the remote for each exercise. You can skip them if you really want. After you watch them the first time, you don't have to see it again. The exercises included cardio, sports drills, resistance upper and lower exercises and track. Even if you choose the 30 day challenge, you can still just select individual workouts as well, but I found the challenge to be a great motivator because it will take me through all of the exercises...not just my favorites.

Pre-Set/Customized Programs
You can also choose from more than 50 pre-set programs such as 30 minute lower body, 20 minute sports drills, 40 minute whole body, 60 minute upper body hard or easy, 40 minute cardio only, athletic exercises, 30 minute low-impact, 50 minute hi-impact and many others. Literally, I don't see potential for getting bored with your exercise routine anytime soon with this game. You can also create your own program by just picking the exercises you like. You can customize it further in that you can choose the duration and intensity for each individual exercise, and intensity and length of total time that you would like to work out for. It sounds like a lot of choices, but it was very simple and I created a very kid-friendly program in about 4 minutes.

Multi-Player Mode
The multi-player mode works really well also. It is best to have the additional player accessory kit but I found that most of the sport drills and upper body strength exercises only require that the second player have a remote and nunchuk anyway so even without it, my kids and husband are able to work out with me. My husband said he would work out with me with the Active because it looks like a real workout (He thought my wii fit and my fitness coach were cute). He was especially impressed with the sports drills.

Bad Knees/Problem areas
The great thing about it is that if you have a weak area or injury, such as bad knees, you are able to see all the exercises you will do in either 30-day challenge mode or pre-set mode and if you can't do those exercises, you can simply uncheck them. I have bad knees and so I uncheck some of the jumping exercises. It would have been nice if you could set that up in your profile and it simply took those exercises out of your program but being able to select or deselect them day-by-day is probably more flexible.

Age-Appropriate
For those of you who wonder if small children would like it, my kids (age 3 and 5) were able to do the sports drills with me like tennis and baseball very easily (they don't fare so well with the wii sports version). Since the game is not trying to simulate actual playing, all they had to do was swing the remotes at the right time. They didnt have to worry too much about moving to be in the right place.

Final Anaylsis
I honestly am in Love with this product! Of course I could make suggestions for improvements, (everything can be improved on), but I really think they did an superb job with this. This is what I thought the wii fit game was going to be from the beginning! Since this game focuses more on a gym-style workout, combining it with the balance, core and strength exercises from wii fit and the yoga and variety from my fitness coach really enables me to get a full and varied workout.
However, if you don't own the other games, honestly I would recommend getting this one. It just gives me a more realistic workout feel.

Tips
1. the resistance band that comes with the game is either light or medium. For those of you who would like to increase this, just purchase stronger resistance bands and use those instead. This really increased the intensity of my workout.
2. Make sure you insert the nunchuck in the holder face down toward the floor or else your mii positioning will be backwards (ie your mii will be squatting down when you are standing upright)
3. It takes some getting used to positioning the remote and nuncheck in the right way for each exercise so that it can properly evaluate your movements....watching the videos, even if you know how to maintain proper form in the gym, is recommended. Dont get frustrated, the game has been pretty accurate as far as I have seen, you just have to make sure you hold the remotes as they tell you to.
4. Those of you who would like to work out with weights or cords versus bands can incorporate that for certain exercises on your own (the game doesnt say anything about this...this is just what I noticed while working out). Things like shoulder presses, bicep curls and squats with ankle weights would work fine with this game.

Dexter: The Complete Third Season

2009-12-10T23:05:00.000+07:00

Showtime's breakout hit series Dexter, about a lovable psychopath, a serial killer who targets only the scummiest of the scum, hits its stride in season 3. Dexter Morgan, played with nuance and glee by the outstanding Michael C. Hall, begins the season somewhat chastened by the events of the previous season--where whiffs of his secret life became known to others and he was nearly found out. "I need to find out what it's like just to be normal. If that's something that's even possible for me," he muses, as he tries to settle in to domestic life with girlfriend Rita (the baby-voiced Julie Benz) and her kids.

Yet Dexter is soon back to his compulsion for seeking out criminals who've somehow escaped traditional justice. Hall, one of TV's most talented actors, manages to make Dexter's off-kilter moral compass totally believable, if not quite sympathetic. The rest of the cast is stellar, including Dex's sister, Debra, played by Jennifer Carpenter as the seemingly more combustible Morgan--a hot-tempered Miami detective in the same division where Dexter toils in the background as a blood-spatter specialist. Deb wears her heart on her sleeve, as a cop and a sister, and her deep love for her brother is a key part of what makes Dexter so human. (And Carpenter's chemistry with Hall is amped by the fact that in real life, the actors are married.)

Season 3's breakout guest star is the amazing Jimmy Smits, who plays District Attorney Miguel Prado, a polished pillar of the community, an ambitious politician--and a guy with a secret every bit as dark as Dexter's. As Miguel and Dexter peel away each other's unsavory layers, Dexter tries to tamp down Miguel's blistering desire for revenge, and Miguel begins leading a double life--one that could threaten Dexter's life and family as much as the growing list of bad guys in Miguel's crosshairs. The other main star of Dexter is the city of Miami, its teeming beauty and corruption celebrated in equal measure, and its blistering sun shot without tempering. The city is so integral, visually and viscerally, that it's impossible to think of Dexter being shot anywhere else. The set's best extras--engaging interviews with cast members Hall, Benz, Carpenter, Lauren Vélez (Lt. Maria Laguerta) and David Zayas (Det. Angel Batista)--must be watched on a computer, for reasons that are unclear. Still, the interviews are must-sees for all Dexter fans. It's a killer season. --A.T. Hurley

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

2009-12-10T22:55:00.000+07:00

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a sports party game that takes players on the Wii platform to Vancouver, Canada, host city of the official 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This gaming experience invites players of all ages and skill sets to face-off in intense winter competitions in lifelike Olympic venues where they can choose from a legendary cast of playable characters, including new faces to the series like Donkey Kong, Metal Sonic, Bowser Jr., and Silver. The game features intuitive controls, multiplayer modes and Wii Balance Board functionality allowing for a more interactive and realistic gaming experience.

GameplayLike the previous game in the series which centered around the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games features player chosen characters entered into event from and inspired by the upcoming 2009 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. The game features a variety of play modes, both single player and multiplayer (coop and competitive). Within these players can choose to enter individual events or compete for all the events in the Olympiad. In addition to actual Olympic events players can also participate in winter-themed mini-games sprinkled throughout the game. Due to the overwhelming number of snow and ice sports making up the events of the Winter Olympics, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games makes extensive use of the Wii Balance Board, although it is not mandatory for play.

Plenty of Events
Prepare to compete in the Olympic Winter Games with your friends and family like you never thought possible. The action in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is made up of a combination of actual Olympic sports and special Dream Events, which are winter-oriented activities all about fun and that are specific to this particular game. Just a few of the actual Olympic events that players can look forward to trying their hand at include: alpine skiing, ice hockey, speed skating, bobsled, figure skating (singles) and snowboard halfpipe. Dream events include, but are not limited to: dream ski cross, dream snowball fight and dream alpine skiing.

Your Favorite Mario and Sonic Characters
Play as your favorite characters from the world of Mario and Sonic. All the characters featured in the earlier game, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, are available as playable characters, including Luigi, Tails, Yoshi, Knuckles, Princess Peach, Amy Rose, Bowser, Daisy and many more. Each character comes with his/her own unique movements and stats, making them better suited to certain events and less so to others. In addition to the characters noted above players can look forward to seeing a few new faces, like Donkey Kong, Metal Sonic, Bowser Jr. and Silver.

In-Game Customization
In addition to the wide variety of playable characters available in game, built-in WiiConnect24 functionality allows players to import their favorite Miis into the game as playable characters. Monies earned for success in-game can be used to customize either game provided characters, or a player's Mii. This is done through the variety of in-game shops available to players. These include: a Boutique for customizing clothing and gear; the Sports Shop where players and buy the gear necessary for events themselves; a Music Shop for fun Mario and Sonic tunes, and more.

Key Game Features
A Multitude of Events - Prepare to compete in the Olympic Games with your friends and family. Compete in real Olympic events along with over-the-top Dream Events offer surprising objects and new character-specific moves.
A Wealth of Character Choices - Choose from a large assortment of characters from the Mario and Sonic game universes.
Intuitive Balance Board Controls - Players are challenged to perform a variety of movements using intuitive controls on the Wii Remote/Nunchuk and Wii Balance Board as they simulate real-life movements, and skate, ski and snowboard their way to glory.
Single and Multiplayer Options - Get your game on in single, multiplayer and co-op modes that offer fun for players of all ages.
Play the Way You Want - Compete in single events in the individual mode and team mode, or challenge your friends to an entire Olympic competition.
Festival Mode - A new Festival Mode allows players to experience the full campaign (single and multiplayer). This includes new boss competitions against unique Mario and Sonic characters.
Mii Support - Import your favorite Mii's into the game to serve as event competitors.
Customization Options - Shopping options throughout the game's Olympic village provide opportunity to buy both the gear and upgrades needed for competitions and to customize the gear that you already have.

Product Description
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will take players to Vancouver, Canada, host city of the official 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This gaming experience invites players of all ages and skill sets to face-off in some of the most intense winter competitions. Tailored to the specific system controls, Nintendo DS and Wii gamers will enjoy completely unique experiences thanks to each platform having its own specific gameplay features and modes. Players of all skill levels will enjoy the intuitive controls of both the Wii and Nintendo DS systems, in both single and multiplayer gaming modes. The Wii game will offer an even richer multiplayer experience offering co-op and competitive gameplay where the Nintendo DS brings an intense competitive element using the Nintendo DS wireless capabilities. Additionally, one of the new features to be found in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is the inclusion of the Wii Balance Board™ which can be used in some events featured in the Wii version, allowing for a more interactive and realistic gaming experience.

John Adams (HBO Miniseries) (2008)

2009-12-10T22:38:00.001+07:00

Based on David McCullough's bestselling biography, the HBO miniseries John Adams is the furthest thing from a starry-eyed look at America's founding fathers and the brutal path to independence. Adams (Paul Giamatti), second president of the United States, is portrayed as a skilled orator and principled attorney whose preference for justice over anti-English passions earns enemies. But he also gains the esteem of the first national government of the United States, i.e., the Continental Congress, which seeks non-firebrands capable of making a reasoned if powerful case for America's break from England's monarchy. The first thing one notices about John Adams' dramatizations of congress' proceedings, and the fervent pro-independence violence in the streets of Boston and elsewhere, is that America's roots don't look pretty or idealized here. Some horrendous things happen in the name of protest, driving Adams to push the cause of independence in a legitimate effort to get on with a revolutionary war under the command of George Washington. But the process isn't easy: not every one of the 13 colonies-turned-states is ready to incur the wrath of England, and behind-the-scenes negotiations prove as much a part of 18th century congressional sessions as they do today.

Besides this peek into a less-romanticized version of the past, John Adams is also a story of the man himself. Adams' frustration at being forgotten or overlooked at critical junctures of America's early development--sent abroad for years instead of helping to draft the U.S. constitution--is detailed. So is his dismay that the truth of what actually transpired leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence has been slowly forgotten and replaced by a rosier myth. But above all, John Adams is the story of two key ties: Adams' 54-year marriage to Abigail Adams (Laura Linney), every bit her husband's intellectual equal and anchor, and his difficult, almost symbiotic relationship with Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane) over decades. Giamatti, of course, has to carry much of the drama, and if he doesn't always seem quite believable in the series' first half, he becomes increasingly excellent at the point where an aging Adams becomes bitter over his place in history. Linney is marvelous, as is Dillane, Sarah Polley as daughter Nabby, Danny Huston as cousin Samuel Adams, and above all Tom Wilkinson as a complex but indispensable Ben Franklin. --Tom Keogh

Madden NFL 10

2009-12-09T23:21:00.001+07:00

Madden NFL 10 epitomizes what fun looks like on the Wii, delivering the most social and dynamic experience from the franchise to date. This year, Madden NFL 10 arrives on the Wii with breathtaking visuals that will captivate both seasoned veterans and new comers to the franchise. Completely redesigned and built from the ground up, Madden NFL 10 introduces a unique art style that will define the look of sports games on the Wii.

In addition, players will enjoy realism like they have never seen before on the Wii platform with all-new player models that embody characteristics of your favorite athletes, new larger-than-life stadiums showcase details found at each of the 32 NFL fields and 4-player multiplayer support.

Intuitive Fun Controls

The control scheme of Madden NFL 10 for Wii is designed with the casual player in mind. Just point and go with the Wii remote, and you'll be throwing game-winning touchdown passes and grinding out yardage on the ground, or if on defense covering your men downfield and blitzing past the line of scrimmage.

Skill Level Play Calling
No matter what level of experience players have with the Madden franchise and/or football in general, Madden NFL 10 for Wii makes calling the right play at the right time easy with three play call settings: All Play, Intermediate and Advanced. Within these options players have further flexibility with even more play calling options including: the "Ask Madden" help option, a play types overview and an list of reusable plays recently ran.

Call Your Shots
Last year's favorite Madden NFL feature is now on defense. With offensive players in motion do you feel the need to switch gears and go for the blitz or drop a player or two back to add coverage in the secondary on the fly? No problem, simply select players and drag them to the spot on the field that you want them positioned. Just remember that your opponent is watching your moves as well, and in local play can see your on-screen pointer, meaning that he/she may counter your changes if you make your move too quickly.

Huddle Up Co-op Mode & the Road to the Super Bowl
In the Huddle Up co-op mode, a less experienced player has an opportunity to impact individual plays in a big way. Help your teammate by using the pointer to throw an extra block or trip up a receiver. And in the Road to the Super Bowl, play with your friends as a team as you throw you join forces on the field to attain pro football's ultimate title. Players can jump in and out throughout the season as you work together to become the national champs.

Spotlight Moments
What's a Wii game without a mini-game or two? With that in mind Madden NFL 10 features Spotlight Moments, play-specific mini-games that occur a few times during a game. Often occurring at crucial points, for example as a receiver and defender jostle for position in the endzone, Spotlight Moments are built around zoomed in camera angles and allow players to experience the heightened drama of game-changing plays as action slows down and the outcome of a play and perhaps even the game falls to players' skills at button mashing with the Wii remote.

Madden Showdown
Madden Showdown is a 1-4 player tournament. Enjoy classic 11-on-11 football or experience the thrill of playing 5-on-5 in this quick, customizable competition, as you and your friends go head-to-head in an effort to become the next Showdown Champion. There are three major feature components to Madden Showdown:
Game Changers - The rules of NFL football have remained largely the same for many years with little to no deviation. Game Changers allows you to change all of that with a click of the Wiimote. Users can mix and match between eight different options, each placing a unique spin on the game.
Prediction System - Winning on the field isn't everything. The prediction system gives you a chance to predict the outcome of three different categories per game. To top it off, you have the option to risk your points in order to get ahead. If you win, it will positively affect your ranking in the tournament. If you lose, your poor decision-making could cost you the lead or dig you into a deeper hole.
Spotlight Moments - Experience the drama of game-changing plays with Spotlight Moments. During critical situations, cameras move in tight and gameplay slows down to allow you to influence the biggest plays of the game. During these moments, micro-games are created that allow players of all skill levels to experience and influence the game's most crucial moments.
All-New Genre-Defining Visual Style - Completely redesigned, Madden NFL 10 brings striking visuals to the Wii with all-new player models, larger-than-life stadiums, new animations and a stylized broadcast presentation.

Product Description
Madden NFL 10 epitomizes what fun looks like on the Wii, delivering the most social and dynamic experience from the franchise to date. Completely redesigned and built from the ground up, Madden NFL 10 introduces a unique art style that will redefine the look of sports games on the Wii. All-new player models embody characteristics of your favorite athletes, plus new larger-than-life stadiums showcase the unique details found at each of the 32 NFL stadiums. Madden NFL 10 is the perfect game to play with friends and family, whether you’re starting a cooperative season with the all-new Road To The Super Bowl, or crowning a "King of the Coach" in the brand new Madden Showdown party mode! Whether playing alone or with a living room full of friends, Madden NFL 10 is what fun looks like on the Wii!

Arrested Development - The Complete Series (Seasons 1, 2, 3) (2003)

2009-12-09T23:10:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

Season One: Winner of the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy its first year out, Arrested Development is the kind of sitcom that gives you hope for television. A mockumentary-style exploration of the beleaguered Bluth family, it's one of those idiosyncratic shows that doesn't rely on a laugh track or a studio audience; it's shot more like a TV drama, albeit with an omniscient narrator (executive producer Ron Howard) overseeing the proceedings. Holding the Bluths together just barely is son Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), the only normal guy in a family that's chock full of nuts. Hardworking and sensible, Michael's certain he's going to be given control of his family's Enron-style corporation upon the retirement of his father (Jeffrey Tambor). The fact that he's passed over instead for his mother (Jessica Walter) is only a blip when compared to his father's immediate arrest for dubious accounting practices, and the resulting freeze on the family's previously limitless wealth.

Bereft of money, and even less family love, the Bluths have to band together in their moment of need--not easy when everyone's looking out for number 1. In addition to his scabrous parents, Michael has to contend with his lothario older brother (Will Arnett), his basically useless younger brother (Tony Hale), his greedy twin sister (Portia DeRossi), and her sexually ambiguous husband (David Cross). Michael's only comrade in sanity is his son George Michael (Michael Cera), but then again, the teenage boy harbors a secret crush on his cousin (Alia Shawkat). A peerless ensemble led by the brilliant Bateman (who ever knew he could be this good?), all the actors are pitch-perfect in their roles, delivering the dryly funny, sometimes absurdist dialogue with the speed and flair of classic farce. The unusual tone of Arrested Development takes a bit of getting used to--it's far different from anything you'll see on TV, even HBO--but once you buy in to the Bluths' innumerable dysfunctions, you'll be laughing your head off for hours.--Mark Englehart

Season Two: The axe of cancellation dangled perilously over Arrested Development during its second season, but the award-winning comedy fought against fate to deliver a hilarious if scattershot 18 episodes (reduced from the original show order of 22), and stayed alive for the beginning of a third season. Most likely, the creators and actors knew the clock was ticking down, so they didn't hesitate to throw their all into these manic, hilarious episodes, which have only the thinnest of plot arcs but an electrifying energy that makes them hard to resist. Some of the story antics were more of the same: good son Michael (Jason Bateman) tries to keep his company afloat, but is often foiled by older brother Gob (Will Arnett); the precarious marriage of Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) and Tobias (David Cross) undergoes a trial separation; and young George-Michael (Michael Cera) fights his attraction to his cousin Maeby (Alia Shawkat). Other show developments, though, were new and stunningly, uproariously bizarre: Buster (Tony Hale) joins the army, but later finds his hand bitten off by a seal (yes, a real seal), and Oscar (Jeffrey Tambor), the hippie brother of jailed George Sr. (also Tambor), rekindles an affair with sister-in-law Lucille (Jessica Walter), which may have resulted in Buster's conception years ago.

Jokes flew fast and furious, as did guest stars--Ben Stiller, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Christine Taylor, Thomas Jane, Ed Begley Jr., Ione Skye, and Zach Braff among them--making it hard to keep straight who was doing what and why. No matter, as each of the episodes was in and of itself was a perfect gem of comedy, strung together by sharp writing and fantastic performances. In addition to the regular cast, both Liza Minnelli, reprising her role as "Lucille Two," and Martin Short, as an, um, eccentric family friend, deserve special mention, with the episode both appeared in, "Ready, Aim, Marry Me," a frenetic exercise in slapstick farce. Typical examples of the show's offbeat humor were found in "Afternoon Delight," in which various members of the Bluth family discover the true meaning of the '70s ballad, "Meet the Veals," wherein the Bluths encounter the conservative parents of George Michael's girlfriend, and "Motherboy XXX," surrounding an unsettling mother-son traditional dance. The entire cast cohered perfectly through this season, and their give and take provided a perfect balance among the actors, all of whom were even better than the previous year. However, it's Bateman who should be singled out as the show's anchor, mixing dry sarcasm with impeccable comic timing. Despite plummeting ratings, Arrested Development didn't just keep its head above water, it swam with grace and hilarity. --Mark Englehart

Season Three: Arrested Development--one of the greatest comedies in the history of television--went out in a blaze of glory. The truncated final season packed more biting humor per minute than ever before. In only 13 episodes, dozens of intertwining storylines spun in all directions: In addition to the overarching story about the fractious infighting of the Bluth family and the family's housing development company being investigated for treason in Iraq (a plot arc that comes to a dazzlingly surreal conclusion), the put-upon "good son" Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman, Teen Wolf Too) pursues romance with a lovely British woman (Charlize Theron, Monster) who turns out to be woefully inappropriate; swaggering magician Gob (Will Arnett, Monster-In-Law) flees from his newly-discovered teenage son while still pandering for the affection of his self-absorbed father (Jeffrey Tambor, The Larry Sanders Show); flighty Lindsay (Portia de Rossi, Ally McBeal) and her sexually blurry husband Tobias (David Cross, Mr. Show) both get the hots for the family's new lawyer, Bob Loblaw (Scott Baio, Charles in Charge); and much, much more. It's difficult to describe what makes Arrested Development so brilliant. The ensemble is uniformly superb (Jessica Walter, as the family's boozing, scheming matriarch, is particularly devastating this season) and the surprising guest stars (including Andy Richter, James Lipton, Justine Bateman, and many others) are perfectly cast; the characters' abominable behavior defies conventional television notions of "likability", yet they only grow more endearing the more you watch; the humor embraces wild slapstick and sharp satire, often within a single scene; and the nimble documentary style allows for sly glancing references to jokes and scenes from long-past episodes, rewarding devoted fans. But the key is that, no matter how screwball Arrested Development becomes, the show offers a rich, textured, and wonderfully coherent world in which these characters feel genuine, a world completely unlike the flat, plastic simulacrum offered by the average sitcom. Arrested Development was true to itself to the end. Its followers will cherish it forever. --Bret Fetzer

A Perfect Getaway (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-12-08T01:09:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

"I'm just difficult to kill, I guess..." - as soon as one of the main characters of A Perfect Getaway utters these words, you KNOW someone will try to prove him wrong. And they DO (try ;o) ). The story seems simple at first: a couple is honeymooning in Hawaii, while news spreads thru the Islands of a brutal murder of another newlywed couple. The suspected murderers, a man and a woman, are still at large and likely still in Hawaii. As our city-dwellers hike thru the Park, alone and out of their element, can they trust the strangers with whom they inevitably cross paths? (OF COURSE, NOT!) And that's when an interesting twist takes this story from predictable to... well... no spoilers here! ;o)

I did not have high hopes for this flick...I went to see it mainly because I have a secret crush on Milla Jovovich (if I were a lesbian, Milla and Mariska Hargitay from Law and Order would be my dream dates ;-P...). Was the film perfect? No. Nonetheless, to my utmost surprise, I enjoyed this thriller far more then I did many supposed "blockbusters" this year. It had some laughs, but was also quite unnerving, tense, and creepy with a light sprinkling of gore: everything a good thriller should have on offer. There were signs from the audience that I was not alone in my enjoyment. However, the film did develop its creep factor slowly as the initial 45 minutes were devoted mainly to character development. The story needed time before it graduated from "fluff" to "nail biter". It worked for me. In the end, I felt the super plot twist more then made up for the wait!

Two names are worth mentioning (in addition to Jovovich): it was the first time I saw Steve Zahn competently playing a complex "grown up" character, a role totally different from the usual "doofus" types he seems to favour. Also, Timothy Olyphant surprised me with his performance. His acting skills often leave a lot to desire. Not here. He was PERFECT as the perennially confident and "difficult to kill" owner of a metal plate in his head...

PS: David Twohy, writer/director, also directed Pitch Black. Watch the chase scene at the end of A Perfect Getaway. It is identical in style to one of the chase scenes in Pitch Black. -By Shopper (USA)

Michael Jackson: This Is It (2009)

2009-12-08T00:51:00.000+07:00

It's hard not to watch This Is It without feeling a mixture of sorrow and elation. When he passed away in the summer of 2009, Michael Jackson was in the midst of rehearsals for his final tour, an ambitious 50-date engagement. In editing 120 hours of rehearsal footage together, Jackson producer Kenny Ortega proves that it would've been an event for the ages. Michael performs material that spans his career, from a Motown medley to multi-platinum hits from Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. Though he hadn't toured in 10 years, it becomes instantly apparent, despite rumors to the contrary, that Jackson was still in full possession of that unmistakable voice--high-pitched whoops and all--and that he still had the gravity-defying moves of a man half his age. Jackson and Ortega also collaborated on some real showstoppers, such as a graveyard-set "Thriller"; an imposing "They Don't Care About Us," in which several dancers appear to morph into thousands; and a film noir sequence in which the singer slides in and out of Gilda and other black-and-white classics, singing "Smooth Criminal" all the while. Not everything works, like the Jackson 5 numbers, in which he flubs a few lyrics, claiming that his earpiece isn't working properly, but as he readily acknowledges, "That's what rehearsal is for." It's a tragedy that he didn't get the chance to share this dazzling show with the world, but Ortega allows fans to feel as if it actually happened--at least onscreen. -By Kathleen C. Fennessy

Scruff: A Christmas Tale (2005)

2009-12-08T00:46:00.001+07:00

Product Description

You won't believe the trouble that this cute little dog gets into! Meet Scruff, a puppy with endless curiosity and energy to spare. It's Christmas Eve and Scruff has some tasty treats that he won't share, but after meeting the ghosts from Christmas past, present and future, he learns the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of friends and sharing.

Disney Sing It: Pop Hits

2009-12-08T00:25:00.003+07:00

Get ready to rock out to songs by an array of favorite Disney stars. In Disney Sing It: Pop Hits, you can sing along with pop stars like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and more, performing favorite tunes with your own signature flair. Take your turn in the spotlight and see if you have the talent to aspire to pop stardom with this karaoke-style video game that provides musical fun for up to eight players.

Synopsis
Disney Sing It: Pop Hits makes it easy to perform solo-style or competitively or cooperatively with a group. Show off your pop stylings on 30 songs and music videos from artists like Jesse McCartney, Coldplay and Taylor Swift. Improve your singing with tips from Sonny with a Chance star Tiffany Thornton in Sing It Pro mode. And record your performances with Sing It Encore so you can play them back and assess your own star potential.

Key Game Features:
Sing along with 30 songs and music videos from artists like the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Cobie Caillat, Hannah Montana, Demi Lovato and Jesse McCartney (microphone required, not included)
Perform solo-style, share the spotlight with friends and family in Duet mode or compete head-to-head in multiplayer mode
Learn proper breathing and pitch techniques, as well as how to riff and harmonize, from Disney Channel TV star Tiffany Thornton in Sing It Pro mode
Record your performances with Sing It Encore for playback later
Customize wallpapers with unlockable themes and pins
For 1 to 8 players

Product Description
Disney Sing It: Pop Hits, the third game in the video-based karaoke video game franchise from Disney Interactive Studios, will feature songs and music videos from Radio Disney favorites such as Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Hannah Montana. Fans can also sing to chart-topping tunes from Colbie Caillat, Coldplay and One Republic. Players can sing solo, duet or compete head-to-head with friends and family in multi-player mode.

Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story

2009-12-08T00:14:00.000+07:00

A single player action RPG (Role-playing Game), Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story takes players on the DS literally into the belly of the beast - that beast being Bowser. Set within an off-the-wall storyline that turns the world of Nintendo on its ear and featuring the ability to toggle between playing as the team of Mario and Luigi, and playing as Bowser himself, this third installment of the Mario & Luigi franchise is not to be missed.

Story
The story of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is an atypical one in the world of Mario and Luigi in that the two plumbers team up with Bowser for the good of the Mushroom Kingdom, even if Bowser is totally unaware of it. As the game opens the Mushroom Kingdom is seen to have been struck by a sort of infection known as "The Blorbs," and exposure to it has caused out of control physical ballooning of the Toads. A council of the who's who in the Kingdom, including Mario and Peach, is assembled to try and figure out what to do about it, when right on queue, in barges Bowser, intent on dragging away Peach. He is stopped and shown the door by Mario, but later is tricked by the villain Fawful to eat a "Lucky Mushroom." Brainwashed by this, he returns to the council where the mushroom causes all the council to shrink to a tiny size and Bowser to literally inhale them. Fawful and his henchmen then set about taking over all of the Mushroom Kingdom, even the parts that Bowser has staked a claim to. Nobody, except maybe Mario, takes what is Bowser's, so there is going to be trouble. Although now very small, Mario realizes a few things. Peach, as usual, has gone missing, Bowser and he are on the same side in this fight and that Bowser will need help. How will Mario save the day this time? That's up to you.

Gameplay
A single player action RPG, action in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is split between the player-controlled team of Mario and Luigi, trapped in Bowser's stomach, and Bowser himself. These play out as two separate paths of action, constantly overlapping, which players can toggle between and engage in. As they do so players see that Bowser's actions on the outside affect the conditions for Mario and Luigi in his stomach, and the actions of the plumbers can add or subtract from Bowser's abilities. Examples of this are the good and bad things that Bowser swallows that the Bros. must deal with, and conversely the toll an illness the Bros. can affect has on Bowser's physical abilities. Players can see this link for themselves when at times during the game Mario and Luigi are shown on the lower DS screen, while simultaneously Bowser moves in in-game real-time on the top screen. Again, these two paths lead to the same place, the defeat of Fawful. The challenges that players face in doing this is the basis for the RPG gameplay, with players gaining experience points in the challenges that they face, which can be used to level up character-specific fighting and other abilities and even buy in-game gear. Additional gameplay includes puzzle-solving, searching for hidden items, mini-games and more, engaged in as the team of Mario and Luigi, and Bowser on his own.

Key Game Features
Two Separate Storylines - One features Bowser and his efforts to stop an arch-villain from taking over his castle. Meanwhile, inside Bowser, the microbe-sized Mario and Luigi must muscle their way through challenges and keep their nerve if they want to find a way out. They take action to control Bowser from the inside – but without his knowledge.
Switch Between Storylines at Will - What happens inside Bowser affects what he’s doing on the outside. Sometimes Mario and Luigi must solve puzzles and challenges behind the scenes to help Bowser overcome various obstacles and advance the plot.
DS/DSi Integrated Gameplay - In some battles, Bowser grows so large that players must turn their Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi system sideways, blow into the microphone or tap on the touch screen with the stylus to keep up with the action.
Distinctive Nintendo Humor - The game features the same hilarious dialogue that has been the hallmark of the Mario & Luigi series.
RPG Gameplay - A players work their way through challenges they can level characters up with experience points.

Product Description
Mario & Luigi Bowsers Story DS

Scribblenauts

2009-12-07T23:45:00.000+07:00

Scribblenauts is a unique single player side-scrolling action game for the Nintendo DS that challenges players to solve spatially oriented puzzles like no game before it. In it players use an in-game notepad/keyboard, as well as the touch screen and stylus of the Nintendo DS, to conjure up solutions to the obstacles placed in the path of the game's hero. Solutions are manifested in the form of literally thousands of items--many very unexpected--that are called up and take on a life of their own, resulting in puzzle-solving that is limited only by the player's imagination.

Gameplay

Based around 2D side-scrolling action and word play, the premise of Scribblenauts is simple; quite literally, anything you write, you can use and reuse in the game. Players use the DS' touch-screen and the in-game notepad/keyboard to help their character, Maxwell, as he moves throughout 220 increasingly difficult levels on his never-ending quest for the star-like "Starites." But it is not as easy as reaching up and plucking a Starite. Attaining them requires Maxwell to solve spatially oriented puzzles. To do this players describe objects via the notepad/keyboard, which in turn appear on the game screen and facilitate the starite making its way to Maxwell. There are literally thousands of items in the game, both utilitarian like ladders, ropes, cars and buses, to the outlandish items, such as invisibility cloaks, pirates and black holes. There are time limits on levels, as well as a limitation to the number of items that can be used per level. But regardless of these restrictions, the game is all about experimentation, imagination and endless replay value as players open their minds to the nearly limitless possibilities that are sure to make Scribblenauts unlike any side-scrolling platformer they have ever played.

Key Features
Create Your Own Interactive Experience - Objects you write down in the game are only limited by your imagination.
Everyone Can Play - Scribblenauts features all-ages pick-up-and-play fun for everyone.
Touch-screen Controls - Easy to pick up and play on Nintendo DS. If you can tap, you can play.
Unlimited Replay Value - Use less objects to increase your score, or experiment with different objects for endless replay value. Write anything; solve everything.
Playground Mode - Play the entire game in a sandbox style right on the title screen.
Create and Share - Share levels you create with the level editor via your Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection.
Innovative New Title from Leading Developer - 5th Cell, the creator of the Drawn to Life franchise and Lock's Quest, has experience creating high-quality, innovative DS games.

Product Description
Scribblenauts is a completely original gameplay experience that anyone can play, offering fun for all ages with two styles of gameplay and more than 200 levels. In Scribblenauts, players use the Nintendo DS touch-screen to help their character Maxwell acquire the Starite in each level by solving a series of puzzles armed with their stylus, notepad and imagination. Players jot down the word for any object that comes to mind in order to reach the goal. Every object behaves as it would in the real world, and players can combine countless objects to create completely new scenarios. Every level has more than one written object to use as a solution, opening up the game to endless replay. In Scribblenauts, players advance through ten worlds, each with eleven puzzle and eleven action levels for a total of 220 challenges to complete. Each level has a “par” for the number of objects suggested to finish the level. Beating a level with under par, earns “Ollars”, the in-game currency, which players can use to purchase new levels and music.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

2009-12-07T23:29:00.000+07:00

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is an action/adventure game for the Nintendo DS and DSi that sets Link, the iconic hero of the Legend of Zelda series, on a daring new adventure. The game provides players with a new story, more puzzles, a new mode of transportation--by train--and a new companion in combat, the Phantom. Together these offer up new possibilities for problem-solving, adventure and fun to both longtime and new fans of the franchise alike.

Propulsion and Problem-solving
One of the most prominent features of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is the ability to travel by rail throughout the game. When Link conducts the train, players enjoy a satisfying combination of action and real-time puzzle solving as they determine which track to take and how to best manipulate their speed. When on the train, Link must plot the best route to the end of the line around ever-moving obstacles. While en route, Link might need to fire an onboard cannon at enemies who attack the train or sound the whistle to scare animals off the tracks.

The Phantom

In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Link has a valuable new companion in combat and puzzle-solving, the Phantom. A faceless knight in a hulking suit of armor with immunities to dangerous elements like fire and magma, the Phantom responds to Link's directional commands. Players can simply tap the Phantom with their stylus to take command of him, then draw a line on the touch screen to direct him where to go. He will engage enemies automatically when he comes within range of them. The stout Phantom can also be used as a platform to carry Link above and over dangers, or even run interference to block Link from harm or help finish off an enemy.

New In-game Items
Spirit Tracks also introduces a variety of new items and weapons to The Legend of Zelda franchise. One of the most notable is the Whirlwind, which Link uses to move items and overturn enemies. Players activate this by blowing into the microphone of the Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi system. Other new items include a whip, useful both in combat and in platforming, as well as his train's cannon, which can shoot bombs into the distance.

Map Functionality
As with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, in Spirit Tracks players can look forward to helpful interactive map functionality. The game map appears on the system's top screen, as opposed to the action on the bottom, and players can draw notes on the in-game maps using the stylus on the touch screen. This allows players to quickly mark spots in the game world of note for later exploration, or to note them as already explored.

Product Description
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is an action/adventure game for the Nintendo DS and DSi that sets Link, the iconic hero of the Legend of Zelda series, on a daring new adventure. The game provides players with a new story, more puzzles, a new mode of transportation--by train--and a new companion in combat, the Phantom. Together these offer up new possibilities for problem solving, adventure and fun to both longtime and new fans of the franchise alike.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Its A Very Sunny Christmas (2009)

2009-12-06T18:02:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

If I were to only rate the quality of the movie itself, I'd give it five stars, no question. The Sunny cast really brought their A-game for this one and crafted a tight plot with some of the darkest gags I've seen in a while. Set against the usually merry Christmas backdrop, the black humor shined even brighter.

However, the pricing for this DVD is a little steep for what you get, which isn't much. There's the 43 minute movie, which is really just two episodes strung together. And there are 3 extras, all of which are funny, none of which are very long.

I absolutely will make this DVD part of my yearly holiday tradition, but I do wish I could have done so at a slightly cheaper price.

Bottom line: If you're a Sunny fan, buy it. If you're on the fence, rent it first. If you see it on sale, don't hesitate.-By onipar "-oni" (E. Stroudsburg, PA United States).

Band of Brothers (2001)

2009-12-06T17:51:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

Band of Brothers is an awe inspiring and visually stunning tribute, not only to Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, but to the "Greatest Generation." But for their sacrifices, would we share the freedoms we so cherish and covet to our vests today! Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg deserve all of the awards and accolades they received for bringing this epic to HBO and now this incredible DVD box set!

Part 1 - Currahee - Currahee is a wonderful beginning to this unprecedented HBO miniseries. Outside of the movie "Saving Private Ryan" there has never before been such a realistic series such as this one. Currahee poignantly highlights the training that was necessary for the newly designed Airborne Infantry. While some may think that Captain Sobel was a complete idiot, in all truth, his combat skills were obviously lacking however, as a trainer, he put Easy Company in a very good position as a well trained unit.

Part 2 - Day of Days - D-Day has arrived and Easy Company makes the jump that they've been preparing two years for. As history unfolds, the German flak has caused nearly every plane to miss their designated drop zone. 1LT Winters finds he's in Normandy, lost his weapon and his company. He finally arrives at the assembly area and is given the mission to take out a German artillery position. Day of Days is an excellent episode that doesn't miss out on 1LT Winters depth of emotions as he loses his first soldier in combat.

Part 3 - Carentan - Easy Company is ordered in to take the French village of Carentan. While encountering only minor resistance, they take light casualties. After successfully taking the town, they're ordered to move on to the next objective. En route, they encounter the German force sent to retake Carentan. They stalemate for the evening, expecting to forge a full assault in the morning. The Germans have other plans though and counter attack in the morning with a combined force of mechanized infantry and armor. Fortunately for Easy Company, they are finally rescued by the 2nd Armored Division. Shortly after this action they are lucky enough to get some R&R back in England. The show ends with orders back to the front and a very poignant final scene to yet another wonderful episode.

Part 4 - Replacements - Replacements jumps forward to September and Easy Company is on R&R in England. They're called into Operation Market Garden. Easy Company is given the mission to take Eindhoven, Holland. They were told they would be running into light resistance. Operation Market Garden turns into a huge failure and the Allied Forces are turned back with heavy casualties. Sgt "Bull" Randleman is quite unfortunate enough to get stuck behind enemy lines. "Replacements" is another excellent episode.

Part 5 - Crossroads - Crossroads is one of the best shows of the whole miniseries. Captain Winters, due to the costs of war, garners advancement from Easy Company Commander to Battalion Executive Officer. The episode is shown, through the eyes of Captain Winters as he is preparing a report on the actions of October 5th when he led his company in the attack of a German SS position. The more telling part is later in the episode when he gets an R&R in Paris and the horrors of war catch up to him.

Part 6 - Bastogne - To quote Captain Winters, "we're paratroopers; we're supposed to be surrounded." Bastogne tells the tale, from Easy Companies point of view, about the 101st Airborne Infantry being surrounded by German forces and holding the line during the Battle of the Bulge. This is also the combat action where the Commanding General of the 101st Airborne replied to the German Commanders request for their surrender, "nuts."

Part 7 - The Breaking Point - January 1945 and Easy Company is on the verge of attacking the Germans in Foy, Belgium. Due to heavy resistance, Easy Company endures nearly a month of being barraged by German artillery on the front line. This episode is very telling as far as the how demoralizing the artillery can be.

Part 8 - The Last Patrol - Easy Company is on the front line in the Alsacian town of Haguenau. They now have the sense that the war is coming to a close, as they are just across the river from Germany. The brigade commander orders a patrol across the border to secure German prisoners. This episode again brings to the forefront the emotions of the soldiers as they again are counted on to accomplish their mission!

Part 9 - Why We Fight - This episode is clearly the most poignant of the series as Easy Company finds and liberates a concentration camp. Although there had been rumors of these concentration camps, no once could truly comprehend what they were about until they were faced with them! This episode alone should've garnered several awards.

Part 10 - Points - Easy Company takes Eagles Nest, Hitler's mountaintop fortress. The company settles in as an occupation force, yet expecting to be redeployed to the Japanese warfront. A very emotional what happened to several of the units members after the war. Overall, this episode is a fantastic conclusion to the "Band of Brother."

Disk Seven

We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company - An outstanding documentary containing interviews with surviving members of Easy Company! Once you've seen all of the episodes, this documentary introduces you to the real members of Easy Company.

Ron Livingston's Video Diaries - This is an exceptional set of clips filmed by Ron Livingston, who played Lieutenant Nixon, covering the "actor boot camp" run by Captain Dale Dye, USMC Retired.

HBO's The Making of Band of Brothers' - This is another excellent "Making of" clip by HBO, covering the creation of this spectacular miniseries! {ssintrepid}. -By K. Wyatt "ssintrepid" (St. Louis, MO United States).

The Tudors: The Complete Third Season

2009-12-06T17:44:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

I thoroughly enjoyed Season Three of "The Tudors." In my opinion, Jonathan Rhys Meyers gives his best performances ever as King Henry VIII. (Warning: the next few paragraphs contain details that some people may consider spoilerish, but seeing as how this is a retelling of British history, I'm sure most people know what's going to happen this season.)

At the start of Season Three, Henry is married to Jane Seymour, a gentle woman who thrills her husband by giving him a son. Unfortunately, Jane's reign as Queen of England is short-lived, and Henry soon finds himself mourning the only one of his wives thus far who he has truly loved (or at least been able to appreciate at the very end). The impertinent Thomas Cromwell then convinces Henry that a new marriage to Anne of Cleaves would benefit the country. Henry reluctantly goes through with the marriage, but never consummates the union because, according to him, his new bride "looks like a horse." It doesn't take long for Henry to tire of this marriage as well, and he passes the time in the company of the ditzy young Katherine Howard.

As all these romantic entanglements are taking place, England is threatened by rebels, Princess Mary becomes even more disenchanted with her unfortunate circumstances at court, and Thomas Cromwell becomes less and less popular, as members of the court desperately try to find a way to bring him down.

Overall, this was a fast-paced and entertaining season. I still miss the Anne Boleyn years, but "The Tudors" has managed to stay fresh and engaging. I don't see how this show can go on for more than another season, unless it continues after Henry's death, which would be a very interesting twist. Let's hope Showtime decides to go that route, because "The Tudors" could continue to reign for a very long time. -By Melissa Niksic (Chicago, IL United States).

Rome: The Complete Series

2009-12-06T17:37:00.000+07:00

To paraphrase the United States recording industry mega hit, Superlatives are not enough.

Roman history, while always fascinating, has always seemed cool and static in North America. HBO, in "Rome", has breathed life into well documented time period. Those who not historically minded, will merely see this as a very well produced HBO drama. Being hstorically minded, I am thrilled that this period of history can see life.

In two seasons, viewers across North America thrilled to the power struggles within the Roman senate played out in venues from Gaul to Rome. Caesar and his men, in battle and out, realized that the power of plebian popularity. The death of Pompeys' wife, Julia, leads to a struggle for wifery, and eventually his death. The power play between Mark Anthony, Casesar, Vorenus, Pompey, Cato, and Brutus is fascinating. Social standing is valued, to the extent of sacrificing personal happiness. Integrity is merely the price of success. Ambition is the currency of Senate success.

The episodes included in the set are:

Stolen Eagle
How Titus Pullo brought down the republic
An Owl in A Thornbush
The Ram Has Touched the Wall
Egeria
Pharsalus
Utica Triumph
The Spoils
Kallends of February
Passover
Son of Hades
These Being the Words
Tortoise and the Hare
Heroes
Phillipi
Death Mask
Necessary Fiction
No God Can Stop A Hungry Man
About Your Father

Dramatically speaking, this is a stellar production with outstanding performances. In reading about Rome, I was fascinated that full size sets were constructed for the series accurate to the period. Full scale models of actual artifacts were used in the production, and that is ambitious. I can imagine that once season 2 was finished, a museum is now well stocked, and even a Roman style theme park is now fully functional.

The bonus features just add more integrity to the series that was overdue, and will be missed.

I cannot say enough about this series. It is unfortunate that more episodes were not produced, but I can imagine that the production cost was prohibitive. Perhaps a Medici period drama might be next...

Tim Lasiuta

Hail Caesar

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

2009-12-04T23:49:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

I've been highly anticipating the release of this game since the first picture came out after TGS a few years ago and I'm speechless, this is the best 3rd party Wii game I have ever played and I doubt I will ever play one better. Vanillaware has created the most beautiful 2D game that I have ever seen, Muramasa is one of those rare gems that only happens once. Everything is hand-drawn, playing this is like playing art. We all know this game looks amazing, so I will focus more on the gameplay with this review.

This is a game for anyone really, the hardcore action fans will enjoy themselves and casual gamers will be able to finish it without too much struggle. Muramasa is a straight ahead 2D sidescroller, you run through the map and take out the enemies as you encounter them. There are secret items to collect and NPCs to speak with. You can initially start with 2 game modes, Muso (normal) and Shura (hard). In Muso mode you can level up and obliterate most enemies without trouble, Shura is more action oriented and it's MUCH harder...but way more fun if you ask me. You can switch between game modes on the fly too, nice. You can select 1 of 2 characters, Kisuke and Momohime. Both play exactly the same but the story and bosses that you encounter are entirely different. You have to equip 3 swords at a time and eventually you can forge your own blades. After you defeat each boss in each character's story you have the ability to forge more blades. In total there are 108, for your first play through you will not be able to forge all of them. After completing the main story with each character, both characters can use all blades, you can then backtrack and finish bonus dungeons to achieve a 100% game. Based on the blades that you equip you will have a different ending, 3 endings for each character. You also have the ability to cook items to restore health and add bonuses to your stats, it's actually really fun! The voice acting is the original Japanese, some may not like this but I prefer it this way. The music is excellent as well. I think that English voices would have ruined the beauty of this game, that's just my opinion. If you are at all familiar with Japanese lore then you will LOVE this game, if not you'll probably enjoy it just as much. Both characters have a great story, deep and philosophical. I couldn't be happier with this game, I knew it was going to be great but I'm truly amazed. 20+ hours for a complete playthrough, I've already started over again too. If you own a Wii, do yourself a favor and buy this if you haven't already. -By Benjamin J. Gillespie "Benjammin" (Higganum, CT).

G-Force (Single Disc Widescreen) (2009)

2009-12-04T23:03:00.003+07:00

Customer Review,

G-Force just might be the best Jerry Bruckheimer action film in many a moon. The film is exuberant, and its premise--don't think big for an animated caper film, think small--brilliantly upends the more-bigger-faster trope of American action films… with cute, little, furry guinea pigs.

Bruckheimer, the action genius behind the likes of the Pirates of the Caribbean, Con Air, The Rock, Armageddon, and many more, here teams with visual effects maestro Hoyt Yeatman, who writes and directs. The combo is potent, and the fact that they streamed their blow-'em-up vision through a film about tiny rodents saving the world makes the whole confection a hilarious family-friendly experience as well as a satisfying action adventure. The premise isn't earth-shattering: oddball, unexpected heroes are called on to save the day (Men in Black, Underdog, etc.). But the lowly guinea pig has been long overdue to get its moment in the spotlight. And now the free world knows whom it can really trust. The film mixes the animated heroes with real-life actors, including the sardonic British character actor Bill Nighy, who plays an evil mogul out to take over and/or destroy the world. The U.S. government, it turns out, has been nurturing a special squad for occasions just such as this. It's just that it's been nurturing them in small pens with wood shavings on the floor and running wheels for exercise. Will Arnett, deadpan and spot-on, plays the human agent who has the unenviable task of wrangling the guinea pig G-Force, and is a deft foil for the bad guys as well as for the mini-heroes.

But the true powerhouse acting belongs to those giving voices to the guinea pig agents, including Sam Rockwell, Penélope Cruz, Steve Buscemi, and, as the voice of a domesticated layabout, Jon Favreau. The film's standout, though, is Tracy Morgan, whose Agent Blaster is bellicose, fearless, and as full of malapropisms as Morgan's character on 30 Rock. (In fact, the viewer keeps half-expecting Blaster to turn to Cruz's female agent, Juarez, and yell "Liz Lemon!") G-Force is full of belly laughs for kids, as well as their action-film-fan parents. --A.T. Hurley

District 9 [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-12-04T00:28:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

A provocative science fiction drama, District 9 boasts an original story that gets a little lost in blow-'em-up mayhem. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, District 9 begins as a mock documentary about the imminent eviction of extraterrestrials from a pathetic shantytown (called District 9). The creatures, it turns out, have been on Earth for years, having arrived sickly and starving. Initially received by humans with compassion and care, the aliens are now mired in blighted conditions typical of long-term refugee camps unwanted by a hostile, host society. With the creatures' care contracted out to a for-profit corporation, the shantytown has become a violent slum. The aliens sift through massive piles of junk while their minders secretly research weapons technology that arrived on the visitors' spacecraft.

Against this backdrop is a more personal story about a bureaucrat named Wikus (Sharlto Copley) who is accidentally exposed to a DNA-altering substance. As he begins metamorphosing into one of the creatures, Wikus goes on the run from scientists who want to harvest his evolving, new parts and aliens who see him as a threat. When he pairs up with an extraterrestrial secretly planning an escape from Earth, however, what should be a fascinating relationship story becomes a series of firefights and explosions. Nuance is lost to numbing violence, and the more interesting potential of the film is obscured. Yet, for a while District 9 is a powerful movie with a unique tale to tell. Seamless special effects alone are worth seeing: the (often brutal) exchanges between alien and human are breathtaking. -By Tom Keogh.

Inglourious Basterds (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-12-04T00:14:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

One of the great pleasures of Quentin Tarantino movies is the wonderfully inventive casting that he employs. In PULP FICTION, he revived the career of John Travolta, made Samuel Jackson a star, pushed Bruce Willis into another echelon and even helped get Ving Rhames off to a good start. In JACKIE BROWN, he burnished Pam Grier & Robert Forster's careers. In KILL BILL, he reinvented Uma Thurman and reinvigorated David Carradine. Even in DEATH PROOF, he introduced the world to the amazing stuntwoman Zoe Bell and gave Kurt Russell the kind of part he's missed out on for too long.

And now, wonderfully, in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, he's introduced the American viewer to some stellar European actors, namely Melanie Laurent and particularly Christoph Waltz, now an easy favorite for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Tarantino also frequently tries the patience of his viewers with his rococo dialogue and insistence on constantly reminding us that we're watching a movie. In PULP FICTION, all his "habits" were fresh and new to most viewers (because, really, how many of us had seen RESERVOIR DOGS before we saw FICTION?), but over time, we learned that Tarantino was often just a little too pleased with his own screenwriting and often too pleased with his own directing. In a completely off-the-wall piece like the priceless KILL BILL films, everything worked to form a crazy-quilt whole. In INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, he's too clever for his own good at times.

BASTERDS tells the completely untrue story of how World War II might have ended had a group of bloodthirsty, highly trained American Jews been allowed to infiltrate Nazi occupied France with no mission other than to take Nazi scalps. Oh, and how that mission needed to collide with one fateful night when all the top leadership of Germany attended the gala opening of a new propaganda film held at a movie theatre owned by a beautiful French girl who was actually a Jew who had escaped a massacre that had taken her entire family and now she's bent on revenge at any cost. And of how her goal coincides with that of an undercover British agent who just happens to be a German film scholar and a German double agent who happens to be a movie star.

I know that sounds a little confusing. To Tarantino's credit, the plot as laid out in this 150 minute film is actually easy to follow. In fact, he's put everything into easy-to-digest chapters. It does ask us to believe that every important member of the German government & military would all assemble in a fairly public place at one time...but if you can get past that hurdle, there is much vicarious pleasure to be had in watching WWII reinvented by Tarantino.

By far, the best part of the film is Chapter 1. It features Waltz as SS officer Col. Hans Landa in what is easily the most chilling portrayal of a Nazi since Ralph Fiennes donned the uniform in SCHINDLER'S LIST. Fiennes role (and that entire brilliant movie) were for altogether different purposes. Landa comes off more like a Nazi Hannibal Lecter (without the strange dining preferences)...he's a bit of a lone wolf in his own party. He's feared by all, because he has a wonderful BS detector that helps him root out deception at every turn. In the opening scene, which plays out like a delicate one-act play, Landa comes to a humble French farmhouse and speaks with the owner. We know the owner is hiding Jews beneath his floorboard, and we're pretty sure Landa knows it too. Just how he gets that information, through one of the most tense interrogation scenes you'll ever see, is a joy to behold. You literally find yourself not breathing. I leaned forward in my seat. And yet there is never a raised voice, nor a threatening gesture. The screws are applied through intensity of manner. Waltz instantly makes his character a classic. Tarantino the writer has crafted brilliant dialogue, and Tarantino the director films it all with rare taste and simplicity, and Waltz knocks it out of the park.

The rest of the film is more uneven. While Brad Pitt is a goofy delight as Aldo Raine, leader of the Basterds...it's a performance that is more campy than believable. His Basterds, including folks like director Eli Roth and B.J. Novak from TV's "The Office" are fairly interchangeable. And strangely, we look forward to them conducting KILL BILL PT. ONE type mayhem, yet they actually use relatively little screentime showing them in action. There is one short, effective scene of their own brand of interrogation...but mostly we have to take the word of other characters (like Hitler himself) that these guys are wreaking havoc on the Nazis.

And during one jarring moment, we are introduced to one of the basterds with a blast of `70s era Blaxploitation music and a `70s era title card. Why? Yes, it was funny...but it took everyone totally out of the spell the movie was weaving. Just as having Michael Myers, in thick but unconvincing makeup, play a British officer hatching a scheme to blow up a movie theater, was very distracting. Myers accent is impeccable, and he plays the part straight...but he's still unmistakably Myers and many audience members snickered when they recognized him. Very distracting.

It's as though Tarantino doesn't quite believe that he can make a straightforward film and have it be riveting. Too bad...because when he gets out of his own way (as he mostly does in the climactic sequences of the film), INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is a cinematic treat. The gorgeous settings and lovely costumes even gave Tarantino a chance to show off and have it fit the tone of the film...but he still insists on going off the rails. "Hey, this is a Tarantino movie!" he seems to want to shout at us. And this causes him to get in the way of the stunning Melanie Laurant, who plays the vengeful theater owner. I've never seen her before, and she is an entrancing presence, whether in casual slacks or a gorgeous formal red dress. She dominates the final portions of the film.

I had a great time at this film, and I recommend it fairly highly. But with 10 minutes less of the sometimes too clever dialogue and 5 minutes less of Tarantino's showboating, and we might have had a true classic of suspense. See it, though, because the two performances I mentioned are worth the price of admission...heck, the opening scene is worth it.-By RMurray847 "afilmcritic.com" (Albuquerque, NM United States).

2012 [Blu-ray]

2009-12-03T23:59:00.001+07:00

Customer Review, when the world ends, it's the politicians and bureaucrats that we're gonna save, and the writers and the artists and the spiritual leaders are left behind to deal with the apocalypse. That was the most depressing element of the movie. What will the world look like if we only save the "important people" in Washington? Heaven help us. Seriously. If the future world is to be populated with the slimy-dog politicians and their ilk, I think I'll take my chances with eternal life, thank you very much.

Sitting in the darkened theater watching 2012, I was reminded of "The Bunker" at White Sulphur Springs (in West Virginia). Construction on the 110,000-square-foot bunker was started under Eisenhower's watch, when we were worried that the USSR might blow us up into lots of radioactive pieces. Turns out, our beloved elected officials were prepared to push The Red Button that'd end the world as we know it, and then turn-tail and run into their bunker, slam the blast-proof door behind them and emerge 90 days later when the danger had passed. And the most amazing part: The Bunker is outfitted with gee-whiz features that'd lead the unsuspecting public to believe the lawmakers were still comfortably ensconced in Washington, DC. In other words, The Bunker was *designed* to perpetrate a fraud on the American people.

Watching "2012" I thought about The Bunker and realized, this movie is probably right. If and when the world ends, it'll be the politically important that are given seats on the lifeboats. And it's probably right that if there is a cataclysmic event, the Powers That Be will not tell the unwashed masses what's going on, lest they try and steal one of those seats on the lifeboat.

That's just depressing on so many levels.

But I digress.

This movie is definitely impressive on the big screen, and the soundtrack has plenty of bass (which I like). But the script and the writing was a little sappy for my tastes. And as to believability - well - this movie fell short on that score, too. I don't want to spoil the plot, but NO ONE can drive a limousine *that* well. On the plus side, the graphics are truly amazing and scarier than anything I've ever seen before. I had to turn away from the screen to avoid some of the scary-as-hell images. It's a pretty intense flick, and it does a good job of drawing you in.

A nice side effect: After watching this movie, I'm a lot less worried about getting those pesky credit cards paid off. Does make you think a little more about enjoying every day, and appreciating the simple beauty in our world.

In conclusion, it's an interesting flick with awe-inspiring graphics, and it'll hold your attention - if you can suspend disbelief for a couple hours.-By Rosemary Thornton (Norfolk, VA).

Day Break (2005)

2009-12-03T23:39:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

An amazing film. it gives the feel of a documentary in the beginning, sucking you into the reality and showing a different justice system -- one that emphasizes religion and the right of the family of the victim to decides the fate of the murderer, deciding whether the murderer will be executed or serve a long sentence -- the length of the sentence is decided by law. In an early scene, the protagonist and another inmate come to their execution. The victim's family of the protagonist is not there so the decision of his execution is put off for 40 days. The family's presence is mandatory. The other inmate begs the victim's family for forgiveness. The muslim priest lectures them on the importance of forgiveness even as he outlines their right to decide on the execution. Will the family decide to execute? If they do, the man will be hanged but one family member must pull the trolley out from under the man to hang him. You feel that this is a system that does not put the state above the feelings of the person/family. Yet can an average person follow through on killing a killer? In an amazing piece of acting, the father faces his son's killer set on vengeance, but then must face killing the killer. You feel that father's grief, anger and morality. Killing, even killing a killer, is a moral decision. The movie follows the other man in limbo when his victim's family doesn't show. We witness the relationship between the inmates, his despair and his reflections on his life and his relationship with his parents and pregnant wife while he waits. We don't see the actual murder, which is a fault as it is too easy to sympathize with the murderer. I don't know if the movie reflects the reality of the prison system there but if so it is much more humane than here int he U.S. as the prisoners bond in a community trying to give hope to each other. The guards treat them as human although they do what they have to to quell problems, using solitary confinement as punishment. You feel some of these men are salvageable and that this is a system that gives them a chance to join society while giving the victim's family justice. A very good movie. The acting is very good. Framing as a documentary and sliding into a film is a very good move, allowing the filmmakers to ask questions about justice while exploring one man's mind. A+. -By M. LaFreniere.

Dark Fall: The Journal

2009-12-03T23:25:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

For gamers who love pure first person adventure, _Dark Fall_ dishes up some of the best that the genre has to offer. With a spooky atmosphere, engaging story, absorbing puzzles and great sound and graphics, _Dark Fall_ will probably keep you playing far into the night -- but you might not want to be alone.

Your brother, an architect, is designing a resort and club to take the place of an old hotel and train station. In an opening movie, you receive a phone message asking you to come to the site as strange things are happening. When you arrive, your brother has disappeared and the place is deserted. You soon find out that the old Dowerton Inn has a history of disappearances. As you explore the hotel and station you uncover the frightening story behind these happenings. Soon enough it becomes apparent that it's up to you to put a stop to whatever it is that's going on.

Originally published by an independent designer, _Dark Fall_ is a treat to play. The graphics are wonderful and detailed. The sound is mainly f/x replete with spooky voices just beyond intelligible, giving you the sense that, though you are alone, you may find otherwise at any minute. The interface is very simple and easy to use, allowing you to get caught up in the story. I found the pace of this game ideal. Although there are numerous locations to explore, you never get the sense that you are wandering around looking at things to no apparent purpose; there is always some information to be collected or a puzzle to solve.

There is a nice variety to the puzzles: some inventory, some mechanical, some sound and a lot of putting information from difference locations together to come up with solutions. The inventory is minimal, which I appreciated; I'm a bit tired of games where you collect forty-eleven different pieces of inventory, many of which you use only once. Most of _Dark Fall's_ inventory has multiple uses. Once you have all the pieces you need, the puzzles are relatively simple and straight forward. There is no need for a walkthrough or strategy guide. If you get stuck, the game includes a built-in hint feature that is nicely presented as part of the plot.

There were a few places where you got close-up views of things for no apparent reason and a few things you could interact with that were merely entertaining, rather than adding to the story or helping you solve any puzzle, but these did not detract from the overall experience. There are no timed puzzles, no mazes and you can't die, although you can be quite frightened at times.

_Dark Fall_ reminded me quite a bit of AMBER, but I found it better thought-out and more engaging. It's also somewhat longer; I took about twenty hours to finish it. I'm looking forward to the sequel. -By wysewomon "wysewomon" (Paonia, CO United States).

Mass Effect 2

2009-12-02T23:57:00.000+07:00

Mass Effect 2 is the sequel to BioWare's hit space-based role-playing game (RPG), Mass Effect. A single player adventure, Mass Effect 2 allows players to continue the adventures of the fully customizable series hero Commander Shepard, as you take on a whole new adventure and a new cast of supporting characters. Additional new features include the ability to import game save files from the original Mass Effect game to continue the adventure in an unbroken fashion, a new damage system, a new more flexible dialogue game mechanic and more.

Story

Two years after Commander Shepard repelled invading Reapers bent on the destruction of organic life, a mysterious new enemy has emerged. On the fringes of known space, something is silently abducting entire human colonies. Now Shepard must work with Cerberus, a ruthless organization devoted to human survival at any cost, to stop the most terrifying threat mankind has ever faced. To even attempt this perilous mission, Shepard must assemble the galaxy’s most elite team and command the most powerful ship ever built. Even then, they say it would be suicide. Commander Shepard intends to prove them wrong.

Gameplay
An space-based action RPG like its predecessor, gameplay in Mass Effect 2 revolves around the player's particular version of Commander Shepard and continuing development of this character as the game proceeds. As the game opens a variety of character classes are made available to the player, with talents, both exclusive and general, associated with each. With experience these talents are leveled up, resulting in the unlocking of related abilities and/or entirely new talents. The player has the ability to customize their Commander Shepard in a number of ways including physical appearance, gender, and certain aspects of their personal history, with the rub being that these choices can influence things like available missions, dialogue choices with non-player characters (NPCs), and character background.

Accompanying this main character are a number of preset supporting characters that the player can direct and develop relationships with, which again, will alter the outcome of the story. All the characters from the original game make an appearance in Mass Effect 2, but the immediate characters surrounding Commander Shepard are new. Additional new features that players can expect to experience include new alien races, a more realistic damage system, a new heavy weapons system allowing for maximum damage, a regenerative health system, a dramatic increase in the number of character animations available to Shepard, and updates to the dialogue mechanic used when conversing with NPCs.

Integration with the Original Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2 allows players of the original Mass Effect game to import save games to continue the story of their own Commander Shepard. In doing this, the decisions that were made in the first game will affect the events of the second game. In addition, characters from the first game will return as long as they were not killed off by the player in the first game. On the other hand, new players coming to the series for the first time in Mass Effect 2 will start a brand-new character, discover the events of the previous games a they progress and embark on a thrilling stand-alone adventure that does not require the previous game for play.

Key Features
Futuristic Weapons - Choose from 19 different weapons, including devastating heavy weapons that can end a battle in seconds.
Elite Specialists - Recruit up to a dozen of the galaxy's most dangerous operatives to help you in your mission. Train and equip your team to survive insurmountable odds.
Explore the Galaxy - Scan planets to uncover unique secret missions in the Mass Effect universe.
Integration with Original Mass Effect - Players of the first Mass Effect can import save games to continue the story of their own Commander Shepard. New players will find a thrilling stand-alone adventure awaits them, a polished and action packed journey that surpasses the first game in nearly every possible way.
Intense Third-Person Combat - Increased intensity with precision shooter controls to let you control the action and overcome insurmountable odds.
New Damage System - New location based damage system allows for targeting of key weak points, blasting off limbs, igniting enemies, or cripple and disable enemy troops.
Character Customization - Choose a player class, customize your appearance, and tailor your own abilities and strengths. As you progress, so do Shepard’s abilities.
Improved Dialogue Mechanic - Improved NPC conversation system where Commander Shepard can take matters into your own hands – interrupting or using force to get the answer required.

Product Description
The second chapter in the Mass Effect trilogy takes you to the darkest reaches of space, where you must uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of humans across many worlds. Prepare yourself for a suicide mission to save mankind. Travel the galaxy to assemble a team of soldiers and combat specialists, and launch an all-out assault on the heart of enemy territory.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

2009-12-02T23:50:00.000+07:00

Continue the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races will clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types will do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival.

Featuring a single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II presents a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in a sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard offers online play through Battle.net with several enhancements and features to make StarCraft II even better.

Features:
Single-player campaign or multiplayer available
Full map-making and scripting tools give players freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience.

The Lost Crown: A Ghosthunting Adventure

2009-12-02T23:45:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

= PREFACE =

If you have played DarkFall I: The Journal, or DarkFall II: Lights out, then you don't need to read this review, you have probably bought the game immediately anyway. Yes, the entire game is one mans' job, Jonathan Boakes', and its not just acceptable; it is magnificent!

= SCENARIO =

You are Nigel Danvers and you find yourself limited to an interesting treasure hunt session in a somewhat isolated town called Saxton. Very soon some weird things will begin to happen. Will you survive these horrible events? Will you find your way in hunting down the hidden treasure? You are abount to find out SOON!

= GRAPHICS =

This time it is a 3rd person view, better in my opinion. It is almost full screen, with some space down for inventory (i 'd like titles in inventory items) , and some space up for the "Control Panel" Icon (The author *could* put there some option to quick save/load/quit) The graphics are mostly gray/screen, something that enhances the games mystery
theme, with a few nice drawn color additions. The ghost drawing an animation is very good, PLUS, almost all screens include some very very nice animation. Especially nice is the movement with the night vision of a camera on. Thumbs up and the best animation I 've seen!

P.S. You will be looking for some items in the forest at some point of the game, do not assume that all these items are colored.

= SOUND =

Being a professional musicologist, I have to judge that section stricly, and sound in this game is really good. Mysterious, ghastly and evil sound effects and music will compose a great atmosphere. However I (almost) missed what it hit me in The Journal and Lights Out: The sound isn't actually a part of the game action, it is there for a nice background - you can get the same pleasure by turning the sound off, something that would ruin the Darkfall's atmosphere.
Voices are good and clear.

= CONTROL =

No keyboard. Yes, I don't like that. Everything is mouse-driven, and, although you have a map, you can' move with the map, you have to walk to the locations manually. Also, it is not clear the fact that you don't have entire access to the town at certain points of the game (for example, in night 1, you can't go to a specific location but you don't get a warning message).
Subtitles are provided :)
Go top left and you have a menu which opens Save/Load etc. Only 8 saves ! :(

= ATMOSPHERE =

When a game is a masterpiece, reviewers are cruel. The game's atmosphere is very very good, but I still think that DarkFall I and II (and Darkness Within) is better in that section. There is nothing wrong with Lost Crown, but .... how should I tell? DFs were more evil, more frightening, whereas Lost Crown is more like a mystery than a horror game. This is not bad at all; but when you have played the DFs, you are somewhat expecting to be terrified even more!
It seems that Nigel finds the entire adventure more exciting than frightening... Well perhaps I will change my mind after I replay it a few times, but If I knew that the place I wondered around was haunted and there were evil ghosts everywhere kidnapping cats, I 'd get my a$$ outta there ASAP, not stay and even sleep in it!

= PLOT and RIDDLES =

This is the area in which the battle between this game and DarkFall I and II ends. DFs were very good, but relatively short. This game has a big plot scene (and I MEAN big) and lots of (inventory based, with one or two exceptions) puzzles. Also, because the game limits your access, you don't have to consider wandering around the entire town if you are stuck, so this effectively reduces your frustration. There are no tough puzzles, just a common sense of logic. Yes, this is my small complain, DFs were a lot tougher to finish - but also a lot quicker to finish.

= Vote For =

* Big plot
* Animation in almost all screens
* Great graphics and sounds
* Will run even in lower-end PCs
* No bugs/crashes (Well, don't try to use the walkie talkie at the night after you have used it previously in the day, or suddently the sun will appear again !)
* Subtitles allowed

= Vote Against =

* Not scary. No match for DarkFall I, II, Darkness within, Shadow of the comet etc... Perhaps not being scary is an advantage, but I miss it nevertheless.
* Only 8 saves (No comments...)
* No method to bypass the text - very annoying when you make the mistake of asking something that you have already asked. This thing would prevent me to play the game again.
* I don't like the way that Nigel reacts to horror events; For example, I wouldn't be that 'cool' to simulate a call to the spirit as he is in first night; It seems to me that he was already aware to what would happen.
* No keyboard; yes I don't like the mouse. Especially when you have to click some times to save your game. At least, double click works :)

= OVERALL =

A piece of excellence. Get it, its really worth your $. It is a masterpiece, perhaps lacking the actual horror element, but a very fine job nevertheless.

==== [SPOILER] ====

I didn't like the ending. I don't know why, but I never like the endings in most games. Can't anyone ever create a magnificent ending like that in Monkey Island 2 or Laura Bow 1 ? -By Michail Chourdakis (Greece).

The Ruins (Unrated Edition) (2008)

2009-12-02T23:33:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

This rather bleak film is actually well acted, but not well paced and has an ending that is fairly predictable based upon how the story boxes itself in early.

The story is about two couples who get caught up into checking out some ancient Mayan ruins meet up with some weeds that have incredible abilities. We get enough background on the characters to care about them and it helps that they are all rather appealing even if somewhat flawed. They are refreshing nice young adults who are not the stereotypes we've been seeing in horror films lately. Their interactions with each other are very believable.

They discover an old temple/pyramid and hike into up and into it to discover that the locals will not let them leave it for fear of spreading what lurks in the ruins. This is a clever low-budget way of keeping the action in one or two locations (on top of the ruins and in the ruins), however, it also greatly limits the direction the story can go in and, thus, makes it predictable. There is a generous amount of old fashioned horror bloodshed and very brief nudity that is not gratuitous in any way (for a change). The violence is of the strong R variety and definitely not for the faint of heart. The effects are minimal, but good as is the make up which is quite graphic.

This movie is certainly not all it could have been and borrows heavily from better films like The Descent, The Day of the Triffids, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but it is very nicely acted by young people we do care about and there is enough in the tissue paper thin plot to keep us interested for it's brief 90 minutes. There is adequate suspense, but it is often ruined, pun intended, by the director's focus on the grisly stuff rather than leaving a bit more to our imagination.

I had some fun with this film, my nearly sixteen year old son less so, but it isn't as bad as some think, but it certainly isn't as good as others think as well. It is simply an okay film and with some of its jarring images, it isn't easily forgotten. -By Steven Hedge "Movie Fan" (Somewhere "East of Eden").

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition) (2008)

2009-12-02T22:50:00.005+07:00

There is a reason why the original DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951) is a classic and the remake (2008) is not. The FX of 1951 were minimal, but the emphasis on plot, acting, allegory, and scripting combined (as they so rarely do) to produce a film that is watchable even after many viewings. Where Keanu Reeves sleepwalks through his role as Klaatu, Michael Rennie invests his with a riveting performance as a pseudo-human who slowly and naturally learns what it means to be human. Hugh Marlowe in the original is totally believable as the weasly love interest for Patricia Neal. Marlowe's sliminess paired off well with Rennie's saintliness. In the remake, there is no one, except perhaps in a collective sense, who can distract the audience long enough to see Reeves as anything more than a mobile pained automaton who is only slightly more interesting than Gort.

Rennie causes the earth to stand still in a manner that emhasizes his godlike powers. His assumed name of Carpenter further allies himself as one who must suffer, die, and be reborn himself so as to save humanity from itself. Reeves arrives on earth determined to exterminate human life as a prerequisite for maintaining it in its supposed pristine state. His argument that John Cleese artfully exposes that Klaatu's own race avoided self-immolation only after arriving at a precipitous tipping point is exposed as a sophomoric inability to connect one moral thread of one race to a similar thread of another.

In the original, director Robert Wise uses deliberately blurred camera angles to present Rennie as one whose true nature can be only slowly revealed. Recall Rennie's introduction when he arrives at the boarding house to seek a room. Compare that masterly hiding of face and form with Scott Derrickson's inability or unwillingness to show Reeves' face as no more than a perpetual scowl. Kathy Bates as the Secretary of State manages to invest her role with the film's only note of authenticity as she correctly notes the inevitable results that occur when a technologically advanced culture collides with a significantly less advanced one.

Unless the audience manages to care about the lead (it does with Rennie but not with Reeves), then the director has no place to go but with FX. And for the umpteenth time, the revised version of TDTESS proves that the lack of acting and scripting cannot elevate a film to the point that FX can salvage. -By Martin Asiner "Adjunct College Instructor" (Jersey City, NJ).

Lost: The Complete Fifth Season (2009)

2009-12-02T22:31:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

It's the beginning of the end for "Lost" -- only one more season to go, and plenty of strange destined events yet to be explained.

And "Lost: The Complete Fifth Season" may be the best season of the show yet, with some unexpected glimpses back into the Island's history, mysterious people, and more explorations of the mysterious Jacob. It feels like the entire season is packed with strange twists and unexpected turns, complete with a trip back in time that illuminates everything that has come before it.

Jack joins forces with his former enemy Ben, trying to bring the Oceanic Six back together and get them back to the Island. But Charles Widmore has been sending assassins to kill Hurley and Sayid, and someone is sniffing around Kate's relationship to Aaron. Their only hope of getting back to the Island is to follow the instructions of Eloise Hawking, a woman who has intricate knowledge of time and space -- and the Island.

Meanwhile, the Island is randomly leaping through time, flinging Sawyer, Juliet, Daniel, Charlotte and all the others from one time period to another. And when the Oceanic Six (minus a few) arrive on the Island again, they find that it is now 1977 -- Sawyer, Juliet and their friends have all been living there for the past three years, as part of the Dharma Initiative. Sun and Ben end up in the hands of the remaining Others -- along with a supposedly dead man now returned to life.

But as the fateful Incident approaches, Jack and Co. end up having their plans unravel around them, and a bunch of gun-toting Dharma people out for their blood. With the help of Daniel Faraday and his mysterious journal, the splintered little group sets out to somehow reset everything that has happened on the Island -- even as Ben and the Others approach an ancient monument, where the Island's fate will be changed forever.

There's a sense of melancholy in the fifth season of "Lost." Okay, it's never been a cheerful show, but it's clear that many of the plot threads are being wound together, and the characters that are killed have wrenchingly tragic send-offs. What's more, this short season reveals a whole lot more about the Island than we ever knew before -- the stone foot, the Incident, Eloise Hawking's knowledge about time, and the Island's mysterious ruler Jacob.

And it's packed solid with plot, full of twists, gory action, flashbacks, flashforwards, and a sense of supernatural suspense. The first half of the season is all about the Six slowly being drawn back to the Island (almost against their will, really) while the second is about the disasters that ensue because of their presence, and the fight against the inevitability of time. It's just a big thick rope of plot twists that tightens itself as it approaches the explosive finale.

Fortunately this season is also graced with exceptionally good dialogue, and some funny moments often supplied by the ever-lovable Hurley (example: writing down the "Empire Strikes Back" script from memory). And it evolves into straight-out science fiction after sort of flirting with it for the past few seasons.

Matthew Fox does a pretty good job as the increasingly irrational, obsessed Jack, but he's overshadowed by Josh Holloway. Holloway is pretty darn brilliant as the new alpha male in the jungle who suddenly has his peaceful domain disrupted. Michael Emerson is also excellent as the vaguely creepy Ben, whose frustrations and anger start boiling over as he tries to somehow fix whatever has gone wrong, only to make a terrible mistake.

Actually, most of the cast does an excellent job: Naveen Andrews, Elizabeth Mitchell (especially in the finale), the dry-witted Ken Leung, Jeremy Davies, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, and the ever-awesome Jorge Garcia. There are also some other incredible actors who become pretty prominent here, including François Chau, Zuleikha Robinson, the ageless Nestor Carbonell, and the mysterious Fionnula Flanagan.

And Mark Pellegrino is introduced as the mysterious Jacob, whose identity, nature and goals are all murky. You're left wondering who this guy is, and if we'll see him again.

"Lost: The Complete Fifth Season" is a tightly-written, intensely-plotted stream of bittersweet sci-fi, and it leaves you hungry for whatever is next. Only one more season yet to go.

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA).

Let The Right One In (2008)

2009-12-01T23:32:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,
Let The Right One In This new release has all the whistles and bells you could want. Swedish and English languages, but more importantly, four sets of subtitles to choose from. Not having seen it in theaters in 2008, I relied on what those who did told me about the release from Magnet (Magnolia Home Entertainment.) I was afraid that I'd get the version that the fans hated, but I got The Right One. I invited a couple of those "theatrical version fans" over to watch and they loved it. I just wish that the deleted scenes hadn't been deleted from the movie. The scene where Oskar takes his frustration out on Eli is heart-breaking and should have been left in. But someone needs to tell that girl to wipe her mouth after eating. That kiss was messy.
DH

BTW, in the last scene we'd all like to think that Eli taps, "I Love You" and Oskar taps, "Love You Back" but I'll bet that those who know Swedish and Morse Code will probably know that Eli taps, "ARE WE THERE YET" and Oskar taps, "Be Quiet And Go Back To Sleep." -By Dandy (Bountiful, Utah).

Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy

2009-12-01T23:22:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

After being sorely disappointed by the previous installment in HER's usually fun Nancy Drew series, I admit I was a bit apprehensive about this one. Happily, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this solid game.

Set at a girls' boarding school, Warnings at Waverly Academy offers a well-thought out plot centered around a mysterious series of threatening notes. As the story develops, it weaves both the fictitious history of the school as well as the real history of an American literary figure into a much more complex storyline than you might expect from the initial premise. There's a particularly clever twist that comes just when you think you've got it all figured out, and while you've probably pegged the bad guy--or girl, since Ned's the only male voice in this one--by the end, it's not a "well, duh," kind of solution.

Practically all of Nancy's tasks are seamlessly integrated into the storyline, making even the usually somewhat tedious chores such as cooking feel important to the advancement of the game. I found the game immensely less difficult than some other recent ones--I'm looking at you, Ransom of the Seven Ships--and although some of the puzzles were head-scratchers, none were so baffling to drive me to online hints. There's also a nice diversity of tasks: some visual, some logical, some skill-based.

The archetypal characters at the school are distinctive and interesting, with what come across as actual personalities and motivations--which is good, because there are quite a few of them, another welcome change from the last game. The addition of texting made the story feel very contemporary and real. Although the setting was fairly limited with little exploration available, the graphics were nicely rendered and the music quite pleasant.

So what are the downsides? The world of the game isn't as deep as it could have been, with few locale additions as the story progresses; equally, the game isn't perhaps as long as some others, although it's certainly not the shortest, either. Suspense or even a sense of foreboding is distinctly lacking. Nancy's perils involve demerits rather than actual danger most of the time. And the nature of the storyline seems to dictate the audience for this game to a degree: girls and young women will probably appreciate the characters and school life aspects much more than would some older players. For some, too, the puzzles are probably too easy. Those caveats aside, I recommend this games wholeheartedly for the ND player more interested in plot than in puzzles and in secrets than in secret passages. -By Cat (Dayton, OH).

World of Warcraft

2009-12-01T23:15:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

I bought this for my son, since I had only bought him WoW without the expansion.
With the assumption that you've decided you want to play WoW, all the way through to lvl 70, this is the pack for you. You get WoW and expansion, which would cost 50 bucks if bought separately. You also get two strategy guides, but the strategy guide for the expansion (see my review for it here World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Official Strategy Guide (World of Warcraft)) is terribly lacking, so we're really looking at one valuable guide, one crappy guide. What you also get, and not even the box mentions this, is the game on DVD! Oh, how many times I've installed and reinstalled the original WoW on multiple computers at home and at my friends place, swapping disks. Well, no more! Unless you were lucky and bought the original Collector's edition World of Warcraft Collector's Edition and World Of Warcraft Burning Crusade Collector's Edition, you're stuck with 4 CDs each instead of 1 DVD.
Overall, I would buy (in fact, I did).-By Mitchell M. Tse "mitchelltse" (Antioch, CA United States).

Julie & Julia (2009)

2009-12-01T22:58:00.000+07:00

I went to see the movie, Julie and Julia solely on the idea that any project Meryl Streep is involved in would automatically be good. I couldn't imagine before going to see it how they would possibly work the storyline because it was based on two memoirs, one each by the two women involved. Meryl Streep played Julia Child and Amy Adams played Julie Powell. Because of her immense respect for Julia Child and her love of cooking Julie Powell decided to set aside 365 days to cook for her husband and herself and as it turned out several other people 524 of Julia Child's recipes. It started out as a way of breaking the boredom of her day job, an escape from having to live in such a tiny apartment, and a means of teaching her self-discipline by sticking to a planned regimen on a day to day basis. The result, however, turned out to be much more than that.

Julia Child had and Julie Powell has a very important knowledge about what makes good food great. Great food is like great sex; both of them have to be more than just "ok" to bring a smile to your face that lasts for days every time you think about it. And both women shared in common the idea that delicious French food should be available to the average American family even if you don't have servants that cook for you or an income that allows you to eat out at a fabulous French restaurant any time you like. Both of them had wonderful husbands who supported and encouraged their dreams of rising above the drab existence of living vicariously on the accomplishments of their men. The film captures beautifully the difficulty of that task for both Julie and Julia. Both of them had forces fighting against their achieving their goals, but the love that was evident in each of their marriages overcame every one of them.

One of the posters for the film is a one-sided poster with a black background, two eggs (one brown and one white), and the question posed, "Passion. Ambition. Butter. Do you have what it takes?" When the movie is over, that question's answer is for both women a resounding "Yes, but as is always the case, neither of them did it alone". The fact that they didn't do it alone though takes nothing away from the uniqueness of their accomplishments.-By Elton T. Elliott.

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force Collector's Edition Bundle

2009-11-30T23:29:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

(parent & child co-review): I bought this for my 3rd grade son who has been doing Club Penguin on line for a year. He loves Club Penguin and also loves his Nintendo DS (indispensable for us parents on long trips). It was a no brainer for the Thanksgiving long plane trip. The game has the exact visual appearance and game play style of Club Penguin's spy missions. My son basically disappeared for hours with this (for better or for worse). He played for a 3 hour stretch on the plane coming home. That's direct evidence that this game has some serious game play value.

Ben's review:
"I think the game is very fun. When you get used to it, playing is more fun than you'd expect stepping down from the PC to a DS game. It is fun in lots of different ways 1) because you get to solve missions you don't see on the regular on line game. 2) You get to earn badges, get to wear stuff that helps you on your way. 3) You can help people for prizes. The code that comes with the DS game gets you 1500 coins and a spy phone for the on-line world."

For those who have never heard of Club Penguin - it's Disney's virtual on-line community for kids where Penguin shaped avatars throw snowballs, make friends, play games (such as unloading fish from trucks - I kid you not), and hang out. There are also longer structured adventures such as spy missions with more involved puzzles and detective work. Lately there's a whole hierarchical game of becoming a Ninja with card based combat (but that's on-line, not in the DS game). The DS game has spy missions that include destroying robots, train special spy puffles (the puff ball pets of the Club Penguin world), and rescue other penguins in need (and harvest the prizes the grateful saved penguins give you). There's a wireless head to head mode, but we haven't tried that yet. All in all - a real winner. -By Joshua G. Feldman "Technophile" (New York).

Public Enemies [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-11-30T23:19:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

Since crime auteur Michael Mann, like his protagonists, plays by his own rules, Public Enemies eschews back story and motivation for a closely-observed, action-packed examination of men at work. FBI supremo J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) kick-starts a nationwide manhunt when he proclaims John Dillinger (Johnny Depp, in top form) Public Enemy #1. Hoover taps Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) to bring the Tommy Gun-toting bank robber in by any means necessary (the agency also targets Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson). If Dillinger had split the scene then and there, he might have enjoyed a happier fate, but he falls for beautiful coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard, whose open-hearted performance makes her the most sympathetic character in the film). In the end, though, Dillinger is the captain of his own destiny: his loyalty to his girl and his gang overpowers his desire to live free. Though the director also set his first film, Thief, and third series, Crime Story, in his native Chicago, Public Enemies plays more like Heat in Depression-era garb. In that L.A. policier, Al Pacino's cop develops a grudging respect for Robert De Niro's criminal, but letting a lawbreaker go free isn't an option. In this case, however, the tight-lipped Purvis never develops the same sort of esteem for Dillinger--or Hoover--making him the more tragic figure. If Public Enemies is less overtly commercial than The Untouchables or Bugsy, it's still the best mainstream gangster epic in ages and ranks among Mann's finest works. --By Kathleen C. Fennessy.

True Blood: The Complete First Season (HBO Series) [Blu-ray]

2009-11-29T23:41:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

Alan Ball’s True Blood series works well for television, as it has enough sensationalism to tantalize and enough story girth to make the viewer care about the characters. That one can finally invest emotion into monsters, including an undead Civil War victim, a transformer who can shapeshift into various animals, and a female mind reader, speaks volumes about America’s willingness to accept fantasy. Of course, television has always produced good fantasy shows (I Dream of Genie), but True Blood’s Southern Goth brand of fun horror is more macabre and more perverse, not to mention gorier, than most shows of its kind to date. Adapted from Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels, True Blood thrills because of its equal blend in each episode of erotica, humor, tragedy, mystery, and fantasy.

Set in a rural, swampy Louisiana parrish, the show centers around Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her clan, sweet grandmother Adele (Lois Smith) and air-headed brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten). Illicit love is spawned early on, when Sookie saves vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) from having his blood stolen in the parking lot of Merlotte’s diner, owned by Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) who completes what will form a complex love triangle. As tensions between Sookie’s suitors loosen or tighten, many side plots, such as her African American best friend Tara’s (Rutina Wesley) struggle with an alcoholic, Bible-thumping mother and her brother’s dangerous crush on drug addicted hippie, Amy Burley (Lizzy Caplan), keep one wondering who will succeed in this podunk place. The main tension throughout, however, is a race war waged between vampires and humans. As murders of “fang bangers” occur (human girls who let vampires bite them) and dumb policeman Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) fails to find clues, one sees the metaphorical implications of vampirism and feels deeper resonance with what can be a downright trashy show. Gossip galore, especially about what kinds of babies interbreeding will produce, is rampant. One of the funniest characters is Tara’s flamboyant cousin, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), who deals drugs, works as a fry cook, and services the local white politicians, while making sure he’s always up in everyone’s business.

What makes True Blood smarter than pure soap opera is the parallels it draws between its monster mash and actual, familiar societal problems. Sookie and her friends watch the news, where Evangelicals bash vampires and prohibit mixed marriage, and everyone is addicted to V, a.k.a vampire blood, that effects like psychedelic heroin. Even its gore reflects a mix of serious and silly, as vampires explode into red, sticky goop. Though it may not be attempting to qualify for the best vampire footage ever shot, True Blood is as addictive as that substance the town’s youth obsesses over, which is a metaphor in itself. -By Trinie Dalton.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

2009-11-29T23:31:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

I promise to make this 100% Spoiler free, but I must say that after experiencing that which is Uncharted 2, this game is pretty solid indeed. If you enjoyed the first Uncharted then this one will be an extremely enjoyable experience. This game lasts more than 2-4 hours longer than the previous one, tops the cake for having some of the best cinematics, graphics, and sound experience offered on the PS3.

One of the features that I was a bit weary about was the multiplayer because I do not really consider myself a multiplayer fan,however, I must say that that which is in Uncharted 2 is enough to last those who just like multiplayer games a long time. There doesnt seem to be anyway to do offline multiplayer however, for an experience online (with up to 3 player co-op), and about 10 people in the deathmatch modes, there is little to crave. It seems that they developed an amazing Single player experience and added a great multiplayer experience.

Ultimately, with a heartpounding action packed story, a landmark presentation value, and exciting multiplayer and single player modes, I can not really find anything to criticize the game for. (well perhaps the most criticism would be the amount of logo's on the back of the boxart, or even the at times difficulty of AI).

One more thing, the game has trophy support, headset support, (upcoming twitter support), a multiplayer shop system (to buy skins, and boosts), future DLC, and unlockables.

Please add this game to your PS3 library. By Tristan A. Hayes (Richmond, VA USA).

Star Wars the Clone Wars: Republic Heroes

2009-11-29T23:26:00.000+07:00

Customer Review,

When I read the first review here I decided not to purchase the game even though my son (13 years old) had downloaded the demo and loved it. However, I did decide to rent it and my son loves it. When I asked him what he likes his reply was "everything." When pressed to give specific examples he replied that he likes that you can play as so many different characters, and that missions take place between Season 1 and 2 of the show so things are new. I know he likes the fact that in the game he can use his points to purchase "hats and masks" and change his character's look. This can get quite humorous when the original slender bodies are topped by some outrageous looking hats, helmets and masks. It does make it easy to spot your character though!

He's been playing this for the last three days so I know he likes it. How does this game compare to other Star War games he has played? He played "The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels" for about 20 minutes before he announced to me that I could return it to the rental store. Thank goodness I didn't buy that. He really likes the "Lego Star Wars" games and he played them a lot when we first bought them a couple years ago--but at 13 he has kinda outgrown those versions and finds "Clone Wars: Republic Heroes" better. This game is more advanced that Lego Star Wars.

I also read a review that was criticial of the small size of the characters, but for us this hasn't been an issue. He's been playing this on a 40-inch LCD screen, so perhaps at half the size this could become an issue.

Bottom line: This is a fun game with an interesting story line and good graphics. - By V. Hutson (Duluth, MN).