Movie Title: Element: Tai Chi for Beginners
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just received the DVD and i am watching it- i like the instructors serene non hurried yet comprehensive and informative manner and his enthusiasm for the exercises he teaches both physical and spiritual- this is how i got curved on yoga years ago= and i can notice why his studio has been a success. i needed a beginners because i know NOTHING aboubt Tai chi or Qi Gong and have heard marvelous things so i conception i’d try this DVD to include it into my workout schedule. i fill watching this DVD it is the program i am looking for. its got Qi Gong to prepare yourself then breakdown of Tai Chi moves- then he teaches you how to do the wander so it has monotonous steps for people like myself to gain my practice without being overwhelmed. the first time i tried it with a VHS years ago i dont even remember who it was by- was certainly not like this Element DVD! they simply threw too powerful at me all at once. the background is graceful notion of the ocean which i also treasure. Highly recommend! adding to my review March 11 2009- i’ve been using this DVD for the past week Three days i injured myself after i first received this DVD and my plans to exhaust it had to be set on maintain. After being upset that i couldnt do my yoga i discovered i CAN do this so far its helped heal me by getting me entertaining but not aggravating the healing muscles from my injury. i throughly relish it and watch forward to the time i plot aside to do this- The qi gong fraction is 18 minutes if i can stand injured for 18 minutes and do this i recommended it to my friends and family as well. i guess i’m not as visual as the other reviewer as i fair now figured out that mirror image scrape they had it really hasnt mattered to me and i wouldnt give a crude rating to something when its your personal preference. i have no spot following along with the pleasurable and detailed verbal instructions and mimicing the instructor and have spent many delicious sessions doing this practice and would recommend it it to anybody to include in thier workout. i feel calmer yet energized after it. detached highly recommend

I practice TaeKwon Do and I got this DVD as a kind of complement to the courses I acquire, lustrous that Tai Chi is mighty lower impact and meditative, yet it mild has elements of balance and energy that might hopefully benefit me improve in my practice. It’s a lot like what I expected, very wearisome and careful movements that lumber in time with your breathing, and I deem it’s very aloof and yet quiet decent consume.
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I found this DVD to be an absolute wealth of information. The instructor definite manages to talk about absolutely everything, so you have no problems view where your feet are supposed to be, or where your weight is, or what each posture is supposed to be representing. It was really quite useful, and while he covers a lot of material very speedily, even in the introductory portion while we’re learning the postures, I managed to remember a lot of it, and it did seem natural after only a few practice sessions.

My problems with this DVD are minimal. First, I would like him to go a microscopic slower in the Qi Gong part. While I know that everyone is different and will travel at their contain breeze, he says to time your movements to the inhale and exhale of your breath, and to exhaust your fleshy lung capacity with each movement, and yet, I was halfway through one inhale/exhale combination when he was done with his second, so I was kind of left unhurried at a few points. Maybe I unbiased have exceptional lung capacity, but as an ex-smoker, I kind of doubt this.
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Another quandary that I found was that I don’t assume that the traipse gives equal attention to both factual and left legs, as I found my factual side to be harder worked than the left. A reverse trek might also have been agreeable, but perhaps there is a obedient reason this is not included. According to instruction, each direction of movement is supposed to have specific metaphysical benefits.

Movie Title: Sexy Japanese Oil Wrestling: Hello Cutie Edition
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If you like oiled up asian women, then this is the DVD for you.

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Albeit very slow paced, it’s just really eye candy anyway.
I MIGHT buy others in the series but I’ll wait until I finished digesting this one first.

Movie Title: Silverado
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Silverado meant the expected return of the Western genre after a brief nap of a decade.

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After the disappearance of the ” Duke” and the great Giant directors Howard Hawks, John Ford, the Western stood aloof from the big screen. The Vietnam and Watergate affairs literally redefined the development of other genres. While Bronson (Death wish) and Eatswood (Magnum Force) cleaned up the streets, the American Cinema experienced an inward gaze. Films like Deer Hunter, Kramer vs Kramer, Julia or People captured the vital attention of critics and audience, a new generation of directors assumed the role of bringing back the Cinema of its lost brightness Spielberg and Lucas were the new kids in the town and the entertainment industry shone again (Jaws and Stars wars), Ridley Scott (Alien), Coppola (Godfather) and Scorsesse began the nostalgic journey to the far twenty and thirties, the Western was literally struggled by commercial reasons.

Since the times of “The Wild bunch” (1969) and “Bite the bullet” (1972) we had not seen a memorable and wonderful Western like this one. The Western as well as the thriller experienced a smart transformation, which was the inclusion of small vignettes plenty of humor in order to keep the narrative interest for these new generations.

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The quartet formed by Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Danny Glover and Kevin Costner will have to clean up Silverado. An amusing film that despite the lack of epic visions a la Sam Peckinpah, John Ford or Howard Hawks, got the miracle that eventually paved the way for major films like “The unforgiven”, ” Dance with wolves” and “Tombstone” during the Nineties decade.

A funny and excitement movie, plenty of action all the way through.

Silverado came out back in the 1980s when I was in high school. I saw it then, and enjoyed it. I recently purchased the DVD, watched it again, and still enjoy it. Silverado contains a lot of classic Western elements – cowboys, gunfights, bad guys, saloon scenes, etc. But, it is a little different than many of the classic John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Clint Eastwood Westerns. The characters are diverse and quirky, and the dialogue is rather clever.

The cast is well chosen, and the plot is easy to follow, which leads to plenty of action scenes. My kids especially liked the character Jake (Kevin Costner) who acts kind of like a grown up kid. Kevin Kline’s character is a somewhat off-key hero, but does the right thing in the end.

If you enjoy classic Westerns, you will most likely enjoy Silverado as well. It may not be as intense as others, but it will keep you entertained. In fact, it is one of the more underated modern Westerns, and worth watching.

Movie Title: The Creeps
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Ok, Full Moon films are either hit or miss, so I’ll skip any type of review and get right to the important stuff — THE CONTENTS. This is a double sided DVD. On side one you get the feature film and a 15 minute feature called VideoZone. Almost all Full Moon dvds come with VideoZone installments. For the novices out there, the VideoZone is Charles Band’s video magazine with news and previews of upcoming features and of course the mandatory making of the film section. Pretty neat stuff with tons of cast interviews and a chance to see Phil Fondacaro guzzling Budweiser (priceless!) Side Two has over 40 trailers from the Full Moon vaults and it’s great to see current superstars Helen Hunt, Demi Moore, etc showing up as supporting players in many of Full Moon’s classic series like Trancers, etc. The quality of the movie transfer is excellent. All of the graphics and colors are intact. Some of the trailers are not up to par, but they probably are the best available. Charles Band knows that these DVDs tend to be purchased, not rented, and he has taken the extra care to provide a little extra bang for your buck. Sit back, pop open your favorite beverage and enjoy this wacky stuff.

this is one of the worst movies i have ever seen! it very much reminds me of something you would see on the family channel. i bought this movie thinking it might be worth a cheap laugh, but by the middle of this, i just found myself embarassed to be watching it. i didnt even bother watching the ending.

Movie Title: Old Gringo
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This movie was a surprise to me and a pleasant one and I would actually rate it four and a half stars. While I have never read the book on which it is based, I found it a haunting and memorable work of art in itself. The figure of Ambrose Bierce, as played by Gregory Peck, is quite fascinating but unless you are familiar with the writer (and even if you are)you may find the characterization rather hard to comprehend. However, Peck’s performance is strong enough to carry you along despite this and his interaction with the other two characters–the frustrated spinster, played beautifully by Fonda, and the volatile and sexy rebel general played equally well by Smits–is totally engrossing. The love triangle, which seemed more of a father-daughter-lover relationship, could have been fleshed out more but was still pretty riveting. However, the real pull of the film is the beauty of the cinematography in battle scenes, love scenes and interiors, equally; the passion and brutality of the revolutionaries and at the same time their humanity, and the connection between the rather wildly different three central characters based on that humanity and despite the brutality, all during an epic era in the history of Mexico. I have watched this film several times now and each time I find new reasons to admire it, not the least of which is that it is just a wonderful story about characters who are electric, vibrant and mesmerizing in their search for meaning in their lives. It is fast becoming one of my all-time favorites.

Because the events of the film occur during the revolution in Mexico, one might be tempted to think of Old Gringo as an action oriented war film. Not so. It is a visual and emotional feast, a slice-of-life film that truly makes you feel what it must have been like for an American woman in a foreign country. The trio of actors, Jimmy Smits, Jane Fonda and Gregory Peck, are outstanding. Be prepared to think and feel. This is a rich feast indeed.

Movie Title: Tai Pan
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Tai-Pan DVD

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Tai-Pan is based on James Clavell’s novel. It is a saga of 19th century Hong Kong and a noble hero (Bryan Brown), a dastardly villain (John Stanton) and a woman, of course

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Recommended for James Cavell’s fans (but the book TaiPan is better IMHO) and fans of early Hong Kong.

Gunner February, 2008

This film is a greatly condensed telling of Clavell’s novel Tai Pan. As such, it necessarily leaves out a great deal of the detail and many of the sub-plots contained in the excellent novel. This was unavoidable because the novel is intricate and complex. I am not sure that even a mini-series would have successfully encompassed the scope of the novel.

With that caveat, I enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would. The acting is generally quite good, and the story, while truncated, is coherent and interesting. This is the story of the birth of Hong Kong as an improbable British colony and outpost on Chinese soil. It is further the story of the rivalry between two great British trading houses: Noble House, and Brock & Sons. The latter conflict, which is more or less a bitter clan feud between two Scottish families, is well-told and interesting, and not too far off-track from the story told in the novel.

Within its necessary limitations, I thought that this was a pretty good film, well worth watching.

Movie Title: Stuff Happens with Bill Nye
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STUFF HAPPENS is a television series about the environment, set in the context of our everyday world, which was first shown on the Green Channel. I’d thought I was well informed about environmental issues, but I was completely boggled by the important information this DVD series presents concerning “stuff” we are doing to our planet and its ecosystems–stuff about which I didn’t have a clue. Yikes!

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This show could be disheartening and depressing, but, believe it or not, it is actually the opposite; it is uplifting and entertaining. This is because it is the brainchild of Bill Nye, the Science Guy, who presents the segments. He has a wonderfully friendly, nerdy, enthusiastic, completely likable style of delivery that makes one believe maybe we CAN do something to reverse the massive harm we are doing to ourselves and our fellow life forms.

I intend to purchase a copy to donate to my local library. Please re-read the title. Every sentient human being above the age of eleven should have the opportunity of watching this DVD!

Movie Title: Men in Black
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I eye many people have beat me to reviewing the movie, so I’ll review the DVD(s) . First of all, if you haven’t played the DVDs, you don’t know what you’re missing! Compare the greatest DVD you’ve seen before with either of these two and you’ll behold honest how many features we have here! The Collectors’ Series has features like the two theatrical trailers for MIB, visual (or audio) commentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a behind-the-scenes gawk at the metamorphosis of MIB, the deconstruction of the tunnel scene, and studies of the 3 main CGI creatures: the Jeebs head transformation, the worm guys (carrying the cigarettes), the opening scene revelation of Mikey, extended and alternate scenes, a mess of storyboards, storyboard-to-film comparisons, behind-the-scenes photos, and conceptual art, and the music video. As you can stare, this is one CRAMMED single-layer disc. But only retract the so-called “Diminutive Edition” if you’re a DVD fan that will go to ends of the earth to rep a ridiculous amount of features (some of which you won’t even want) on a DVD (or two) for it. Also, only fetch it if you’re a reluctant DVD owner and you abhor having to peek movies in anything but fullscreen. Because all the Exiguous Edition has more is the fullscreen presentation, the Edgar Bug Fight scene deconstruction, a few extra conceptual art and the so-called “scene-editing workshop”. If you’re willing to pay so distinguished extra for only those features, feel free, but you can fetch 3/4 of the features of the Minute Edition on the Collectors’ Series and place a lot of money.

Wow! This exiguous edition isn’t minute in features. Disc one has the wide and fleshy cloak versions, visual commentry with Barry Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones and a technical audio commentry with Sonnenfeld, Rick Baker & the ILM team; this feature is odd to the exiguous edition version. Throw in the standards like the sound setups: English 5.1, english 2-channel (Dolby Surround) and french (Dolby Surround) and subtitles that include english, french, spanish, cantonese and mandarin, and that wraps up disc one! Disc Two is loaded! I can’t list them all or I will utilize up all my area, so I will list the major ones. There is a 3 scene editing workshop which allows you to become the filmmaker, so to voice. You regain to edit 3 chosen scenes that were filmed in a lot of different angles and then leer the final nick. Sonnenfeld will also descibe his beget editing process. Next, there is a Edgar bug fight scene deconstruction using different angles. Then you have “view to creation” creatures feature and art and production photo gallery. There are extended & deleted scenes, storyboard comparisons, a documentary, a music video, DVD & web links, trailers, talent files and more! Whew! I said there was a lot, and as you can gaze, I wasn’t exaggerating. Throw in a booklet and letter from Sonnenfeld and itsy-bitsy poster which may be signed by the artists and you have a DVD with enough features to hold you entertained and busy. Snappy, the transfer was stunning and, of course, the movie is broad. This movie was one of my well-liked Will Smith roles. Aside from the comedy woven into the script, the special effects were astronomical! This is a must have for any fan of the movie or silly book! Savor!

Movie Title: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Mystery of the Easter Chipmunk
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The Easter cartoon is not a very good example of the chipmunk cartoon as a whole. I thought it was a little over the top what Alvin did in the cartoon. It did end with a moral lesson though. The episode is more of an Alvin scheme than an Easter story. If you are wanting a stictly Easter story this one’s not for you, but if you’re a fan of the chipmunks it’s a good one for you. You also get some other episodes from the series on here that are fun to watch.

Nostalgic confrontation is a double-edged sword. While I never considered the Alvin and the Chipmunks as one of the top cartoons of my childhood it certainly ranked as one of the more memorable. Or so I’d thought. Oddly enough, I now know how little of the actual cartoon I remembered. The five classic episodes found on Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Mystery of the Easter Chipmunk each returned instantly to memory once they first few scenes played. But what I didn’t expect was how radically different the characters and moral lessons of the show came through.

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My god, Alvin’s a bastard. That chipmunk has some serious ego problems. I present to you the following 5 exhibits as proof.

“The Easter Chipmunk”

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Upon learning that his grandfather could have been the inspiration for the Easter Bunny, Alvin sets out to debunk the Easter Bunny’s fame and bring a class action law suit against him. Yeah, the episode turns into a court drama at some point just so Alvin can possibly inherit the family business and fame from the senile grandfather.

“Snow Wrong”

The Chipmunks and the Chipettes join the production of Snow White only to have the Director’s bratty daughter replace the Alvin’s Chipette interest as the lead. Now you can imagine what that would inspire the 6 rodents to do. Granted the girl’s a brat but the revenge is just a few stops short of “Carrie”.

“Special Kind of Champion”

Perhaps the most straightforward and morally-centered episode of the entire series, Alvin agrees to coach an athlete to make up for his near failing grades in gym class. Little does Alvin know the athlete he’s now mentoring isn’t the “Olympic hopeful” he thought he was getting – but a “Special Olympics” athlete whose attitude is just what Alvin needs to repair his own bruised ego.

“Thinking Cap Trap”

When Simon grows frustrated with the incompetence of Theodore, Alvin and even human caretaker Dave he decides to create a hat that will give them intelligence equal to his own for an extended peiod of time. Seeing such great results, he applies for his family to appear as contestants on an IQ-based television game show. In the end we all learn something about what it means to be intelligent.

“Luck O’ the Chipmunks”

Just wow. There’s a painful bit of Irish stereotyping going on here but what the hell right? Why not? When the new Irish student befriends Theodore, he feels the need to convince the chipmunks that he has a Leprechaun that appears and grants wishes for him. Learning of this well of possible fortune, Alvin sets up a business. The catch: there’s no Leprechaun, it’s just the Irish boy running himself ragged to please everyone.

Each episode has a definite lesson it sets out to teach, but the ultimate question you have to ask has little to do with moral behavior but rather behavior at a basic level. Alvin acts like such a demonic little monster that you have to wonder why Dave doesn’t keep him chained up in the basement. We all despised the Jason Lee remake that came out a year ago – but I have to say that in retrospect maybe we were wrong to go after the adaptation with such a bloodlust.

Granted Alvin learns a lesson with each episode, the other two get theirs on occasion as well, making the cartoon an interesting fare to consider against today’s current deluge of Japanese-derived content that really comes with no message besides “crazy fighting monsters are wicked awesome cool!” It’s a mixed bag but well worth the nostalgic journey.

The DVD offers little in the way of Extra Features besides an additional trailer here or there.

Moral ambiguity plus classic cartoon animation makes Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Mystery of the Easter Chipmunk an interesting choice for your average parent. What do you value in a cartoon? Moral lessons? Entertainment? Behavioral role models?

Think of it this way – this is what my generation watched growing up. We’re not too messed up. Heck, we’re downright above average! The animation is just as you remember it and the voices are as ear-piercingly present as ever. Fun fact did you know that Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, and Futurama’s Tress MacNeille do some of the voices for the cartoon? That’s just awesome.

Movie Title: I Fidanzati – Criterion Collection
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I had never even heard of Olmi before getting this film, which is odd since I’ve been exposed to many other italian postwar directors. Therefore, I FIDANZATI (The Fiances, or The Engaged) came as a complete surprise to me. The storyline, sometimes slow and wonderfully hypnotic in places, centers around the life of a construction worker who takes a job in Sicily and moves away from his fiance in northern Italy. It’s the classic romantic “abscence makes the heart grow fonder” storyline that is usually trite and banal. But somehow, amazingly, Olmi manages to pull it off, mainly through the great performances of the two leads and the brilliant editing towards the film’s conclusion, where they read letters and thoughts to one another in a way that distorts past, present, and future. Highly recommended, as is Criterion’s new editon of Olmi’s IL POSTO.

Criterion provide an 18 minute interview with Olmi, recorded in 2002, and the articulate and charming director provides insight into the genesis of his film – the industrialisation and economic boom in Italy in the 60’s saw an upheaval in traditional customs and family life, especially in the poor agricultural areas, such as much of Sicily (where part of the film is set); in the story this backdrop is counterpoised against the personal changes wrought upon a couple, separated by these circumstances. They begin in stubborn silence and end in a heart-warming blossoming of articulate expression of their emotions and aspirations – the change sweeping through the nation has had its effect upon them.

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*
Olmi speaks of his interest in presenting time in a novel way; he hopes to dissolve the distinctions between past, present and future, and segue from one to the next seamlessly, expecting the audience to intelligently follow his cues, and in so doing suggest the internal flow of time for his protagonist. I think he succeeds, and the film becomes, if anything, more realistic through this fluid depiction of time.
*
The cinematography is wonderful, whether in its intimacy, or in its handling of spectacular views of industrial plants. So too the pacing of scenes, the opening in particular being a joy of accumulated surprises, the tension building until the viewer is as eager for the musicians to play as the would-be dancers upon the screen.

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*

Again in the interview, his collaborator speaks of Olmi’s technical mastery of all aspects of film-making, his complete and utter disregard of commercial success, and his adherence to a policy of being honest with himself. He made documentaries of the working people, and early on committed himself to the production of quality informative material for television, even when the latter meant interfering with, the more lucrative, ventures into feature film.

*

So here is a work of art from a master film-maker – utterly engaging and formally accomplished, with insight into the social situation of his country at the time, told through the guise of a satisfying traditional love story. Criterion provide their customary perfect transfer and the mentioned bonus material. Every bit as good as, and very much a companion piece to Il Posto, I Fidanzati is something of a neglected masterpiece.