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Stream Indiana Jones - The Adventure Collection Online. Movie Title: Indiana Jones - The Adventure Collection Average customer review: Indiana Jones - The Adventure Collection is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Indiana Jones - The Adventure Collection

I am giving this ***** because the DVD set itself is very good, it is loaded with bonus material. And it should be rated for what it is, ignoring any previous DVD releases.

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That said, I would not suggest spending more money to get this set. The bonus material could bore you. I prefer interviews & documentaries produced at the time the films were made. The labeling on the box is designed to deceive by stating “Includes All 3 Films, First Time Available - Special Editions”. Like there was no special edition before.

Oh, the slim cases are nice, but I like the original brown box more.

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I will group the “12 All-New, Must-See Special Features” (their wording, not mine)by catagory.

1) New Introductions to the films by Steven Speilberg & George Lucas.

STORYBOARDS, unless something differs greatly from the film, I have trouble sitting through these:

2) Snakes Alive! The Well Of Souls. - From Lost Ark

3) Hold On To Your Hat! The Coal Mine Chase. - From Temple of Doom.

4) The Birth Of the Action Hero! The Last Crusade Opening Scene.

MEMORIES, modern interviews with those who worked on the films back then. These are always a little jaded for me.

5) The Indy Trilogy, A Crystal Clear Appreciation. - The cast & crew of the new movie talk about how well they like the original three.

6) Indy’s Women Reminisce. - a reunion of Indy’s main women.

7) Indy’s Friends & Enemies. - Steve, George, & the writers discuss character creation, including a look at the new movie.

Creepy Crawlies. - Steve George & Frank Marshall remenisce about snakes, bugs & rats.

BEHIND THE SCENES, new documentaries about the making of the originals:

9) The Mystery Of The Melting Face. - a re-creation of the original special effect in “Ark”.

10) Discover Adventure On Location with Indy. - A slightly misleading title as this is also a modern day travel around the world, showing where the films were originally shot.

11) Photo Galleries from each film.

And then there is:

12) LEGO Indiana Jones.- promotional demo games.

Again, this makes a very good DVD release, but nothing worth replacing your older set for. I prefer the original box set extras, especially the bonus 4th disc some stores sold that contained an original 1980’s documentary about the films!

Being a big fan of the Indiana Jones films I find myself conflicted about this new box set. While it’s no surprise that the studio decided to re-release the films to coincide with the release of the new Indy film, they have royally screwed over fans by including a new collection of extras thereby forcing them to buy the films over again if they want them. So, is it worth it? Short answer: no. Nothing is going to beat The Adventures of Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark/ Temple of Doom/ Last Crusade) - Widescreen Edition’s two-hour making of documentary and many of these new extras are nothing more than left over bits from it.

On the Raiders of the Lost Ark disc there is an “Introduction” that features Lucas and Spielberg talking about the genesis of the film. Spielberg wanted to do a globe-trotting James Bond-type story and Lucas introduced the idea of an archaeologist. They both agreed that they wanted to pay homage to the old 1930s cliffhanger sequels.

“Indiana Jones: An Appreciation” was done on the set of the new Indy film as Lucas, Spielberg, Harrison Ford, and Karen Allen reflect on the character and the trilogy - its impact on them and popular culture. Cast and crew from the new film also give their impressions and everyone recounts their favourite scene from the trilogy.

“The Melting Face” takes a look at how they pulled off the climactic scene when the Ark is opened and Toht’s face melts. The effects artists who did it take us through the process and there is vintage footage of it being done.

“Storyboard: The Well of the Souls” shows illustrations from this sequence with footage from the film to show how close the two match.

There are “Galleries” that feature character sketches, props, behind-the-scenes photographs taken on the set, effects shots, like Matte paintings, and models used, various designs for the film’s logo, and finally, posters from all over the world.

The Temple of Doom disc features an “Introduction” by Lucas and Spielberg. The director says that he had always wanted to make a trilogy of films and Lucas wanted this one to be darker and edgier, like The Empire Strikes Back (1980). They admit that Temple of Doom got terrible reviews but at least Spielberg met his wife on that one - Kate Capshaw.

“The Creepy Crawlies” examines how each film has some creepy element to it: Raiders with snakes, Temple of Doom with bugs, and the Last Crusade with rats. There are segments from each film are shown with a trivia track option.

“Travel with Indy: Locations” examines the various exotic locales seen throughout the films. We see how Hawaii doubled for South America and so on. This featurette can also be viewed with an optional trivia track. Associate producer Robert Watts takes us through key locations while dishing production anecdotes.

“Storyboards: The Mine Car Chase” allows you to view the illustrations for this sequence along with the actual scene from the film.

The “Galleries” section is identical to the one on the Raiders disc only pertaining to Temple of Doom.

The Last Crusade disc starts off with yet another “Introduction” where Spielberg admits that he wasn’t crazy about the idea of the Holy Grail and suggested using it as a metaphor for the father-son relationship between Indy and his father. Lucas and Spielberg talk about the casting of Sean Connery and what he brought to the role.

Easily the most entertaining and engaging extra of the entire set is “Indy’s Women: The American Film Institute Tribute” reunites the leading ladies from each film: Karen Allen, Kate Capshaw and Alison Doody. They talk about their characters and working with Spielberg. They all look great and speak candidly about their experiences. In particular, Capshaw and Doody talk about the reaction to their characters.

“Indy’s Friends and Enemies” takes a look at the sidekicks, love interests, and villains in the trilogy. Spielberg speaks admiringly of the leading ladies and the strengths of each character. This featurette also explores the role sidekicks and villains play in the film with plenty of clips.

“Storyboards: The Opening Sequence” shows the sketches for the film’s exciting opening action sequence with a young Indy (Phoenix) alongside the actual scene in the film.

Finally, the “Galleries” features a nice collection of snapshots from various aspects of the film like the galleries on the other discs.

The extras on these discs are well done and interesting to watch but do not warrant you double-dipping unless you are a hardcore fan that MUST have everything. If this is the first time buying the Indy films and you don’t know which set to get, purchase the first one because each film does not share disc space with extras and for the two-hour making of documentary which is superior to all of the extras on this new set combined.

Watch The Town That Was Online. Movie Title: The Town That Was Average customer review: The Town That Was is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download The Town That Was

First the “pros” of this DVD … excellent footage is included of the town (or lack thereof), the re-routed PA Route 61, the damage the fire continues to do, and the scenery around the area. Watching the elderly mayor of Centralia and one of the last remaining residents gives a good feel for how attached some people were to the town and why they still will not leave. The home movies from the 1960’s that are briefly shown on the DVD add character and a real personality to the town that has a way of getting lost when you just read about the history of the town.

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Now the “cons” of this DVD … I have two complaints. First, the video is very shaky for extended periods of time. For a professionally recorded and edited DVD, the camera operator(s) really should have used a tripod! I found myself looking away from the screen a few times because of the shaky camerawork. The second complaint is that the story of Centralia is told through the eyes of one of the very few remaining residents. Nothing against him, mind you. He did a good job of explaining his family roots and what makes him stay on in a town that no longer has any ownership of property. However, to be honest about it — I wanted to see more of a visual history of the town and the mine fire. The producer(s)/writer(s) spent too much camera time on one person. While his story is interesting and I am not knocking him, I would have enjoyed seeing a lot more fully-factual information in it.

Lastly, having read the book “The Day the Earth Caved In” as well as currently reading “Unseen Danger”, the DVD missed a lot of key parts of the story: how did the fire truly begin? Who is Todd Domboski? (he is shown in the DVD without an explanation of who he is and how he directly relates to the panic of 1981) Also … who supported the town being kept intact? Who was firebombed for supporting the town being relocated? How did the residents end up fighting with each other over staying in the town or leaving? What did the majority of the residents decide was best for the town? What public officials were involved in the total bungling of the fire suppression projects? Did the state and federal governments have an alternate motive for vacating the residents of the town?

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All and all, the production of this DVD is not bad, but I would have liked to have seen a lot more history of the town and the fire, as well as more interviews with past and present residents. The remaining resident they interviewed should have been a chapter on the DVD but not the main focus. For $20.00+, I think the DVD should be marketed with a better description of what the disc actually has on it. It is honestly mostly about one remaining resident, as well as the elderly mayor and two former residents.

If you’re looking for a full “history” of the town and the mine fire, this DVD is NOT the place to start your quest for knowledge. If you’re familiar with the story already (as I was), then this DVD is worthy viewing. $20.00+ for it is a bit pricey. The DVD fails as a good history of the town and mine fire, but it does succeed in bringing people into the story of Centralia. It helps you understand better that people made up Centralia, not just buildings and historic information. I don’t mean to knock or degrade this DVD, but 70 minutes of a small number of people and not a lot of history make $20.00 seem kind of steep for the DVD.

Thank you for reading this.

I have actually taken a trip up to Centralia a few months ago, to see basically a massive meadow with smoldering hillsides. Once you see this video, you get to see what WAS there, and how that strange place was once a massive and thriving town. It is truly amazing.

Watch The Second Chance Movie Online. Movie Title: The Second Chance Average customer review: The Second Chance is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download The Second Chance

I watched this film with pretty low initial expectations… hoping that this so-calleld “Christian” movie would finally break the “Christian movie” stereotype I had come to… well… loathe and expect. With Steve Taylor at the helm… I thought, “Maybe. Just maybe…”

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Truthfully — it exceeded all my expectations. Smartly written, smartly directed, and even well-acted… for the most part.

(I shouldn’t even label it as a good “Christian” movie. It’s just a good movie. Period. I think a lot of people will enjoy this film.)

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Michale W. Smith does a pretty good job playing the talented music minister, Ethan Jenkins — the son and successor-to-be of the successful Pastor Jeremiah Jenkins, senior pastor of The Rock (Mega)Church and founding pastor of the inner city church, The Second Chance.

Smith plays an interesting character. While his own road to success may have been paved by that of his father, he wants to do the right thing and has a good heart. A bit naive, perhaps, in his view of life and ministry, he is greatly affected by what he sees and experiences at The Second Chance Church when he is sent there by a miffed church board as “punishment” for being a little to loose with the church’s live television broadcasts.

Jeff Carr is very charming and convincing as the passionate - “in your face” - and somewhat jaded-by-reality Pastor Jake Sanders. He believes strongly in the ministry of the Second Chance Church in his community — but he’s allowed his anger and his temper to cloud some of his decisions and judgment. (Sanders’ tongue is actually what gets Ethan Jenkins in trouble when Jenkins gives him some air-time on the The Rock’s live televised program — “Well, then… you can just keep your damn money!”)

Jenkins and Sanders are then forced to work together. Sanders’ inner-city method of “ministry” is sometimes more than wide-eyed, open-mouthed Jenkins can swallow… (When Sander slams a drug-pushing gang-member up against the fence and threatens to break his arm if the gangster doesn’t let his little brother “out” of the family business… well, Jenkins hardly knows what to do with himself.)

Both Jenkins and Sanders go through some pretty significant yet believable changes as they learn from each other — perhaps Jenkins moreso from Sanders. And even Ethan’s father, Pastor Jeremiah Jenkins, has to face the reality that even though his ministry at The Rock has gone global, he has forgotten where it all started… leading the movie’s climax to a heartfelt and satisfying “conclusion.”

Pick it up. It’s a good flick.

When youre a Christian boy, whos outlook is a little skewed friends can be pretty hard to come by. In those moments of loneliness, when the television cant fill your time. You sometimes turn to the voices that make so much sense. For me it was Michael W. Smith and Steve Taylor. Smith I discovered when I was 10. His album Go West Young Man wore out my cassette player. I knew every word and sang every song, Id even put on silly little concerts in my room. The simple lyrics touched me, encouraged me, and I also found that at Bible camp if you can learn all those Michael W. Smith songs the girls will pay attention to you. My early teens were shaped by these lyrics and forever changed my world view.

But alas we grow up, my Christian tapes were thrown into a drawer and Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana became the music I rocked out too. I really started doubting if any of this religion stuff was worth a hill of beans and then Christmas 1994 came and I opened a brightly colored package that had an unusual video in it. It was Steve Taylors concept video called “NOW THE TRUTH CAN BE TOLD” it introduced me to a man who was one part Lenny Bruce, One part the Clash, and three parts John the Baptist. Steve Taylor was the one man I wanted to be like, the one man whose music answered questions and convicted me. I tell you I never would have survived my teenage years without him and weve never even met.

Then I grew up I got into Christian Radio and I have had an opportunity to meet many of the stars in the genre. Ive eaten lunch with Greg Long, had Bart Millard sign a banana I sold on Ebay, and Im on hugging terms with Steven Curtis Chapman. But when I got to meet Michael W. Smith at Radio City Music Hall, all I could say over and over again was it was an honor to meet you as my knees shook. I had become a thirteen year boy again. Dont ask me about what happened when I sat five feet away from Steve Taylor at a lunch sponsored by the film Im about to review. I was stuck in some pointless icebreaker exercise and I thought it would be rude to jump up and cause a scene, also I was shaking so much I dont know what I would have said if I met him anyway. So alas I havent gotten to talk to him yet. But one day I may be able too and that would be awesome.

All this to say I have been eagerly awaiting THE SECOND CHANCE. A film that was written and directed by Taylor and starring Smith. Imagine my two childhood heroes making a film together. It was too much for me to bear. Unfortunately my job pulled me away from the New Jersey premiere so I borrowed the DVD screener from work and watched it with my wife as the New York Metropolitan area got hit with 2 feet of snow.

THE SECOND CHANCE follows Ethan Jenkins (Michael W. Smith) a suburban pastor whose life is just getting comfortable. He had a successful recording career that ended in rehab, and has since taken the associate pastor gig at The Rock, his fathers mega-church deep in the heart of suburbia. When Ethans methods get in the way of the church boards plans he is sent to The Second Chance Community Church. Its a small inner city church Ethans father started when Ethan was a child and hes there to learn and observe. Second Chance is in the middle of the inner city and is presided over by Pastor Jake (Jeff Carr), a former pro basketball player who is trying to save his community from the plight of gangs and drugs. Its an uphill battle and he sees Ethan as just another suburban do-gooder that will leave when the going gets tough. Can these men work together? Will Ethan stick with Pastor Jake? Or will other insidious plans cause a rift in the hood?

THE SECOND CHANCE is a film with very lofty goals. Its a film that reveals one of the biggest problems that is plaguing the Christian Church in America: racial and class seperation. There is a problem with terms like “Black Church” and “White Church.” and “Rich Church” and “Poor Church.” Theyre false. There is only one church and we all should be invited. Ethan and Jake are two souls caught in the middle. Ethan is out of his comfort zone at Second Chance and Jake is tired of the Suburban church throwing money at his neighborhood problems and not helping out. Does the Second Chance film succeed in opening our eyes to the problems in our own backyard? It does.

Director Taylor fills his film with rich colorful characters. But at times his actors cant get into them. For instance I particularly loved the sassy women playing the choir leader. She has such a small role and yet she fills it with color and realism. Other performers just arent as skilled and the dialogues they have sound like dialogue and not real life conversations.

As for the two leads, Smith and Carr give competent performances. Both are first time film actors and against the odds grow into their characters. There are a few moments early on that felt a little wooden but as the film progresses I bought their relationship, and them as the characters.

The major flaw with the film is the long winded first act. The script dumps a lot of plot conflict on the story and the long walk around the hood confused me a little. But then there is this scene with Smith, a small child, and a paper plate. WOW! Taylor and Smith nail it. This was a small moment in a lot of disjointed clutter that was perfect. I hoped for more honest moments like that and they definitely came. If you are a Christian and are not moved by the foot washing scene that comes later in the film Id doubt your faith (oh Im just kidding).

I also liked that the film had a good natured sense of humor. There were moments when I saw Taylors wit and good natured ribbing poking out. Trust me you wont look at prayer and a lottery ticket the same way again.

But how will this admittedly “Christian Film” play to the unchurched masses? I dont really know. It feels more like an exhortation to the Christian Community and I wonder how someone on the outside would be able to follow it. That is not a negative. If this film gets the Christian community to enter into a discussion about how to fix a great divide between the rich and poor, between the Black Church and the White Church, then I applaud it. But it is also a good look into what goes on inside the Christian community and may cause those who dont quite understand to ask questions and there is nothing wrong with dialogue.

THE SECOND CHANCE is not a perfect film, but it tries and it has guts. Moreover its watchable and more importantly honest. I liked it an applaud all involved. Now everyone go to Amazon.com and clean them out of Chagall Guevara CDs, this was Taylors early 90’s rock band. Trust me its the greatest album ever

3 Ninjas Movie Streaming. Movie Title: 3 Ninjas Average customer review: 3 Ninjas is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download 3 Ninjas

I can’t get enough of 3 NINJAS!! Well, actually, I only really loved the first two 3 NINJAS films [3 NINJAS and 3 NINJAS KICK BACK]. The rest of them aren’t as good. I haven’t seen either film in quite a while, but I’m waiting for the day when I can go out and buy them so I can watch them all the time! 3 NINJAS is basically about three brothers who are learning Martial Arts from their grandfather, who is a Martial Arts expert. Their father is an FBI agent, and then their father gets into some sort of trouble with some bad guys and the three brothers end up helping the father by using their Martial Arts skills to fight the bad guys and get them caught by their father! Hilarious movie with some great Martial Arts moves and wonderfully acted by the entire cast. My favorite character in both movies is Max Elliot Slade — I think he’s soooo cute! Everyone should see this movie…it’s one of the best. And 3 NINJAS KICK BACK is ever better.

Its a good movie that kids and adults can enjoy. The movie is about three brothers, ( Samuel aka rocky. Jeffery aka colt and Michael aka tum tum) whose grandfather is teaching them martial arts during the summer when they go to stay with him. when they come back home for school they get into trouble when a criminal master mind their cop father is after decides to come after the boys.

Watch Doctor Who - The Invasion of Time Movie Online. Movie Title: Doctor Who - The Invasion of Time Average customer review: Doctor Who - The Invasion of Time is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Doctor Who - The Invasion of Time

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The premise of “THE INVASION OF TIME” is simple, but genius: WHAT IF… the Doctor became EVIL? “Invasion” is a sequel of sorts to the Doctor’s last visit to his homeworld of Gallifrey in “Deadly Assassin” in which the Doctor saves the Timelords from the Master and in doing so becomes the sole surviving candidate in an election to determine the Timelord Presidency. The story opens with the Doctor apparently selling out his people to anonymous alien invaders. The Doctor berates and expels his companion, Leela and betrays his old Timelord mentor Borusa and before long succeeds in arranging the conquest of the planet. Once revealed, the invaders turn out to be B list, working for the Sontarans (as seen in this season’s DW series 4, the “Sontaran Stratagem”). The Sontaran want control over time itself, via the relics of the President’s office and the help of the Lord President of the Timelords a.k.a The Doctor…Once the Doctor’s plan is revealed things really get complicated…a rebellion against the traitorous Doctor is underway, ultimately leading up to a battle for Gallifrey, even including a “unforgettable” chase through the deep recesses of the Doctor’s TARDIS.

Some of the best moments of the story include conversations between the overbearing Lord Doctor and Borusa, his teacher’s current & most memorable incarnation played by John Arnatt. Tom Baker is in top form when he in his over-the-top megalomaniacal glory for the first half of the story. The climatic TARDIS chase is memorable, not for the execution, which isn’t so good, but the sense of the transdimensional nature of the Doctor’s craft. The scenes in the TARDIS really convey the limitlessness and spark the imagination for the possibilities in store for the new series, hopefully. K9 mark I. and Leela say their farewells, but what’s not so memorable, the unbelievable romance between the warrior woman Leela and the sheltered Captain of the Guard, Andred. Equally forgettable are some effects on the second string invaders, the Vardans, worse than their horrible shroud images is their actual physical form in some sort of cross between a WWII paratrooper and a TV news cameraman. One major flaw of the finale of the 6 part story is having the Doctor solve the conflict with a gadget, especially when that gadget is for all intents and purposes a big gun! Even fans new to the series, know “the Doctor just `ain’t down with `dat!”

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For all of it’s script troubles, plot and FX flaws, Invasion is a must own for any Doctor Who fan, for it’s many Timelord and Tardis milestones and because the Sontarans have just been revamped. Besides, this is history.

“Invasion” Drinking Game

Drink….

…everytime Gallifrey is saved from “the invaders.”

…when Leela kills ( or throttles ) someone.

…everytime RASSILON is mentioned (the Presidential induction provides loads of these.)

…when you see the same BBC car-park stairwell in the TARDIS.

…when a Sontaran trips on patio furniture.

Time was one luxury that those involved in the making of “The Invasion of Time” had none of. After receiving an utterly unworkable script soon before things were supposed to get started, the producer and script editor had to team up and dash this one off at the last minute, making sure to incorporate only pre-existing sets and costumes since barely any leeway existed for crafting new ones. As if that weren’t enough, filming had to be hurriedly scheduled so as to avoid inevitable strikes at the BBC looming on the horizon. Everything seems to have been working against them, in short, and yet somehow they pulled off one of the more unusually intriguing and unique Doctor Who stories of the 1970’s.

How? Partly by making a virtue of necessity. The story returns us once again to the Doctor’s home world of Gallifrey (for which sets and costumes still remained from Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin (Episode 88)), a rather tedious and drearily bureaucratic place enlivened only by petty political maneuvering and backstabbing, a society resting on its laurels after having achieved all it could ever achieve ages beforehand. Into this bland uneventfulness come the Doctor and his knife-wielding companion Leela, throwing everyone for a loop–including the viewer, as the Doctor begins to act more and more erratically, more and more like the very type of power-mad dictator he usually fights against. Tom Baker pulls this off with superb finesse, giggling (for instance) with wickedly barking mad glee as he supposedly introduces his fellow Time Lords to their conquerors, his apparent accomplices the Vardans. The writers keep us going for quite a while, too, finally revealing only rather late into the story that this is all but a risky yet clever stratagem on the Doctor’s part to hoodwink the Vardans and save the day, expertly timing this revelation just exactly before the moment our confusion would’ve shifted into active dislike for our erstwhile hero.

Still, for all that, the strain shows. The concept behind the Vardans’ threatening power–the ability to travel instantly along any wavelength, including that of thought–is as highly original as it is indeed formidable, but the less than special effect used to depict them (rattling tin foil superimposed onto the screen) is so dismal as to be distracting even to longtime fans tolerant of the show’s chronic shortcomings in this area. Their humanoid form is not much more impressive, and then in an uncomfortable moment of anticlimax intended apparently to keep the story going for another two episodes at all costs, the Sontarans replace the Vardans with little real rhyme or reason. Don’t get me wrong, the Sontarans are great, but this isn’t their gig (shouldn’t they be busy with the Rutans?), and limited physical beings with conventional space weaponry that they are, they seem much less a threat to the Time Lords than the prior Vardans. Second of all and in a similar vein, the frankly ingenious idea of having a chase through endless labyrinths within the Doctor’s dimensionally transcendental vehicle the Tardis is sadly let down by actuality, it being painfully obvious that these are just old musty hallways in some building in England (a defunct mental hospital, as it turns out). Finally, Leela is swiftly and abruptly written out at the conclusion in an implausibly ridiculous manner glaringly inconsistent with her character–a particularly deplorable lapse for me, Leela being one of my favorite companions.

Given the circumstances, though, these problems are less surprising than the fact that it all ultimately beats the odds and holds together pretty dang well as an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable Doctor Who adventure. Some very memorable supporting characters contribute a lot to this success, including the Doctor’s old mentor Borusa, venerable and yet foxily savvy, and the obsequiously scheming Castellan. On a larger scale, there is just something dreadfully compelling about the idea of an advanced society presuming itself invulnerable and so being taken off guard, and the unseemly politics of occupation are portrayed as convincingly as possible given the show’s format. Finally, some of the off-the-wall oddball humor considered so typical of the Fourth Doctor really comes to the fore here, including a daring though momentary aside to the audience. Probably no other show could get away with this and still count as good solid serious science fiction, and on that strength alone “The Invasion of Time” manages as a fine example of classic Doctor Who, not to mention grace under pressure.

Stream Apollo 13 Online. Movie Title: Apollo 13 Average customer review: Apollo 13 is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Apollo 13

Others have remarked well enough on the virtues of _Apollo 13_ as a film. What makes the Special Edition DVD worth its purchase price, however, are the tons of extras that you get. The story of the making of _Apollo 13_ is at least as interesting, if nowhere near as harrowing, as the actual moonshot itself, and this DVD gives you hours of material to walk you through that process.

Anyone who’s interested in filmmaking will be riveted by both the Ron Howard running film commentary and the hour-long “Making of” documentary. Perhaps even more intriguing is the Marilyn and Jim Lovell audio track, in which you get to hear how Lovell feels about Howard and Hanks made his movie. This is made all the more interesting and informative for the filmmaking student in that _Apollo 13_ wasn’t just the retelling of Lovell’s real-life experience, it’s also the film version of his book. Getting his perspective both as narrative object and storyteller is fascinating, as are Marilyn’s observations on Kathleen Quinlan’s Academy-nominated performance.

Combine all this with the superb technical brilliance of the encoding here, and you’ve got a DVD that’s entirely worth the surprisingly modest price.

“Failure is not an option!”. So says mission-control director Gene Kranz, played by Ed Harris, as mission control devises a way to get the astronauts safely home. Although initially viewed as a disaster (explosion in spacecraft which forces cancellation the the moon-landing mission), in reality it is a story of success due to resourcefulness. The astronauts must return to earth and splash down safely with only enough electrical power to run a coffee pot.

Probably the best of director Ron Howard’s movies, it is well acted by stars Tom Hanks (as Jim Lovell), Kevin Bacon (Jack Swigert), and Bill Paxton (Fred Haise) as the three space-bound astronauts, Gary Sinise (mission-bumped astronaut Ken Mattingly), Ed Harris (mission control Gene Kranz), and Kathleen Quinlan (Marilyn Lovell). The movie was nominated for 9 Oscars including best picture, writing, supporting actor (Harris), supporting actress (Quinlan), music, and visual effects, and won for editing and for sound.

There are a lot of special effects thoughout the movie, including the entirely-recreated lift-off sequence from a bird’s-eye viewpoint. The weightlessness scenes were achieved by filming in a KC-135 airplane that did a series of parabolic climbs and dives, allowing about 25 seconds of filming at a time.

An exciting 220 minute movie about one of the most-watched successful rescues in history, the DVD contains a good “making of” documentary, a commentary by director Ron Howard, and another by Jim and Marilyn Lovell. “Bill Paxton’s home movies” were never located, and the “comparison with NASA footage” and the “extensive exploration of special effects” were brief parts of the “making of”, not separate items. Text-based production notes and cast/crew blurbs, and a trailer. Undocumented feature is the isolated score which plays in its entirety at the main menu (can skip forward, but not backward, however). The 2.35:1 wide-screen movie has 56 (!) chapters. Highly recommend for fans of any of the actors listed above, the space program, or adventures in general.

“With all due respect, sir, I believe this will be our finest hour” - Gene Kranz

Watch Gunga Din Online. Movie Title: Gunga Din Average customer review: Gunga Din is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Gunga Din

Possibly the best pure action film ever made and certainly the inspiration for many that have followed. Inspired by, rather than based on, a poem by Rudyard Kipling (who briefly appears as a character in the uncut version of the film in the guise of a journalist traveling with the British army) this tale of adventure, comedy, and action in 19th-century India under the British Raj has it all. Superb b&w cinematography (nominated for an Academy Award in Hollywood’s greatest year). Perfect casting, with Cary “Archie” Grant as the cockney Sgt. Cutter, Victor McLaghlen as gruff Master Sgt. MacChesney, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as the dashing Sgt. Ballantine, Sam Jaffee (in full body makeup) as the humble water carrier Gunga Din, and the scene-stealing Eduardo Cianelli as a ferociously intelligent villain who is far more frightening than any ’30’s movie monster.

The setting, outside the small town of Lone Pine, in California’s eastern Sierras, beautifully mirrors that of northwestern India. Filmed in 100 degree heat, the picture’s sets and backgrounds have a look of sere authenticity rarely achieved by location filming in the ’30’s. The superb score borders on the operatic, with leitmotifs for characters as well as scenes.

I vividly remember thinking as a child, when I first saw a grainy print on our b&w tv, that this was the first time I had seen a non-white person in a film who was obviously smarter than the Caucasian heroes. Yes, Cianelli’s guru is a fanatic at the head of a cult of ritual murderers, but his discourse on what makes a good officer (”Great generals, gentlemen, are not made of jeweled swords and mustache wax. They are made of what is here [touches hand to head] and here [touches hand to heart]!”) has stayed with me ever since. Not to mention, before throwing himself into the cobra pit so that his soldiers will move against the British, that “India is my country, and I can die for my country as well as you for yours”.

Of course, there is also his rousing speech in the temple to his devotees to “Kill for the love of Kali, kill as you yourselves would be killed, kill for the love of killing…kill, kill, kill!” that carries rather chilling relevance to all too many fanatical groups today (though not worshippers of poor slandered Kali, whose temple in Kolkata I have visited). And it’s the bravery of a mistreated Hindu, Gunga Din, who saves the day, and British behinds.

This is a film that functions on many levels and inspired far more than the forgettable remake (SOLDIERS THREE). Its lack of availability on DVD in a fully restored version, together with the accompanying George Stevens, Jr. documentary footage on its making (including color film shot on the location), makes it the number one omission in the current DVD catalog.

This 1939 adventure classic rivals the Swiss Army knife for sheer utility: under director George Stevens’ sure hand, “Gunga Din” spins a heady mix of adventure, comedy, and (dare I say) drama from the few strands of a Kipling poem, and establishes a hugely influential model in the process. It’s a movie that rewards both the serious cineaste and the Saturday matinee escapist, a prototype for the Lucas and Spielberg adventure epics of the ’70s, and an enduring model for the classic buddy picture. Why, then, does it remain in home video exile?

Having grown up watching this on New York’s “Million Dollar Movie,” then airing on an RKO-owned TV station and thus dominated by the erstwhile studio’s earlier hits, I was oblivious to the abrupt edits and grainy image quality already creeping into the televised prints. It was enough to savor Cary Grant’s loopy, comic performance (as Archibald Cutter, arguably the closest he ever got onscreen to his true working class identity as Archie Leach), Doug Fairbanks, Jr.’s virtuous elegance, Victor McLaglen’s signature bluster, and Sam Jaffe’s soulful valor. By the time the veddy British colonel (Montagu Love) recited Kipling’s title poem as an elegy for a fallen hero, you couldn’t be sure if the print really had gotten that murky, or if your vision was blurred by the tears unleashed by the shameless (and highly effective) sentiment of the scene.

Flash forward to the ’70s and Los Angeles, when the feisty Z Channel, a cable upstart actually programmed by movie buffs, wanted to air the movie. They approached the director’s son, George Stevens, Jr., about finding a better print, perhaps one closer to the original release. Stevens the younger reportedly gave them more than they could have dreamed for–access to the director’s own print, which included footage never theatrically exhibited. Turns out that Stevens had shot footage that violated a curious proviso, imposed by the Kipling estate, that no attempt be made to dramatically portray the writer himself.

What to do, then, with the several key shots, during the exposition and again during that final, tear-jerking scene, with the mustachioed, bespectacled ‘journalist’ who, while unnamed, was clearly intended to be ol’ Rudyard himself? Sadly, the only practical solution was the cutting room floor or, in the case of that final shot, which showed the Kipling figure shoulder to shoulder with the surviving principals, to blow up the negative and crop the offending character from the frame.

With the loan of the director’s print, however, the Z Channel and its subscribers got to see a version of “Gunga Din” that solved the narrative hiccups that had plagued the movie for 30 years. Stevens’ beautifully-shot, sun-drenched images of his reimagined sub-continent were immaculate, convincingly conjuring its desolate beauty in Southern Californian locations (largely in the Simi Valley, if memory serves). The fluid editing, terrific stuntwork, and, of course, rapid-fire wisecracks of Grant, Fairbanks, and McLaglen underline an early fight sequence (an ambush by Thugs while the soldiers are searching a seemingly abandoned village) as THE blueprint for Indiana Jones, Butch and Sundance, and the “Lethal Weapon” pictures. (As for racial stereotypes, script writers Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur weren’t reactionaries; their fanatical assasins, based on historical fact, seem less far-fetched in the context of recent fundamentalist radicalism than they may have 20 years ago, while the title character, as portrayed by Jaffe, anchors his comic naivete with the gravity of his devotion and glimmers of fatalism.)

I managed to tape an airing on my Beta machine, and subsequent viewings made clear to this older, presumably more film-savvy buff what had been intuitive to the wide-eyed eight-year-old. This was, and is, a wonderful movie. In a year famously regarded as the high water mark for Hollywood’s “golden age” of studio-produced magic, “Gunga Din” still stands as a worthy peer to the year’s better-served, more easily obtained classics. Whatever legal hurdles presently block its release, “Din” almost certainly survives in a superb print.

Now, who’s going to have the taste, not to mention commercial wisdom (and it would be that) to bring this back to life on DVD? You might even tempt no less a light than Spielberg to ‘fess up and salute the source, much as Lucas did for the Criterion edition of Kurosawa’s ‘The Seventh Samurai.’ Come to think of it, perhaps Criterion would be the logical candidate to restore a ’30s adventure masterpiece to vivid glory.

Stream The New World Movie Online. Movie Title: The New World Average customer review: The New World is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download The New World

I figure if one is reading this they already know the film and are questioning whether to buy this upgraded version or not - I would have to say a resounding yes.

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Knowing how he filmed this and with what equipment I had very high expectations on clarity. I tested this thoroughly by pause checking over 50 different scenes and light levels (dark, dim, bright, motion, fine detail, etc.) and I could not find fault in anything; The running water scenes, moving pans through trees - all of it. The colors, contrasts and light level all came across beautifully. The smaller LCD panels looked wonderful, but I even scrutinized on the larger Plasmas and it still looked awesome. The sound has the TrueHD and English 5.1, and the mix maintains being able to crank up the volume above normal listening levels as to immerse in the sounds/music but still hear the dialogue adequately.

This is the 172 minute version with the 10 part documentary series from the other releases included. I am very happy with this preservation so I hope that those who enjoy his work will appreciate this package.

MOVIE: Terrence Malick is not a mainstream director, his films while few in number, are incredibly rich with detail and visual language. Only a very few people can appreciate one of his films, mostly because they tend to run longer than mainstream movies and they don’t follow the traditional formula. If you’ve seen The Thin Red Line then you know what a Terrence Malick film is. The Thin Red Line is in my opinion one of the finest cinematic accomplishmensts in the war genre. The New World is basically Malick’s counterpart to The Thin Red Line. While The Thin Red Line was a look into the dark nature of mankind and how we destroy ourselves, The New World is the opposite of that. This film is about the celebration of the human spirit and the wonder of life. It is a truly poetic film that uses the story of John Smith and Pocahontas to express this commentary. The New World focuses on the clash of differences between two civilizations and how in the mess of differences two people are able to connect and see the beauty of each other. The movie moves slow though, and there are some parts where I found the editing to be a little confusing. Otherwise, I think the film is an incredible emotional journey filled with poetry and brilliant cinematic images. This film and The Thin Red Line are very similar in style. Malick even uses the same motif with birds as he does in The Thin Red Line. You also have the poetic narration of the main characters, and the narration itself can stand alone as poetry, it is truly remarkable. Beautiful landcapes captured brilliantly with the camera, long tracking shots, and many wide shots enhance the surrounding for the audience. He also uses his “sun through the trees” shot multiple times, which I personally loved in The Thin Red Line and even used it a couple times in my projects. All the shots are accompanied by James Horner’s acceptable yet somewhat flawed score. In my opinion I thought the score sounded exactly like his work on The Perfect Storm. I was devestated when Hans Zimmer was detached from the project due to scheduling problems, because it was with The Thin Red Line that Zimmer composed his masterpiece. Horner does a good job in my opinion, but at times I felt like it was all too similar and sometimes lacking. The characters are all wonderfully expressed as well, and the change that Pocahontas goes through basically defines the film’s central theme of change in surrounding while still retaining your individual personality. This film celebrates humanity and is his counterpart to The Thin Red Line, which basically shows the flaws of humanity. See both film if you have not already, and if you are new to Terrence Malick please have an open mind. This man is a wonderful filmmaker, I wish he wasn’t so elusive and would actually do interviews as well do maybe more than 1 movie every decade. Then again, the fact that he has only directed 5 movies in his career since 1969 maybe is his greatest strength, and puts him on the list of top directors in the industry.

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ACTING: The film is almost absent of any structural dialogue. Dialogue between characters is rare and brief yet oh so meaningful, and then there is the poetic narration. The actors do a fine job with facial expressions and evoking the right emotions. Colin Farrell is great and plays a character who is in love with Pocahontas and embraces her world. Christian Bale does a fantastic job as the man who falls in love with Pocahontas yet tries to make part of English society. Then we have newcomer Q’Orianka Kilcher who plays Pocahontas, and does an amazing job with the role. The acting is all emotion and hardly any dialogue.

BOTTOM LINE: I talked to my parents after I saw the film, they said that people walked out of the movie at the showing they saw, which didn’t suprise me at all. I was happy that no one walked out of the showing I went to. The Thin Red Line got the same response by movie goers that this one is getting. They walk in expecting an intense action drama and end up at a poetry reading, but you can blame decieving marketing for that. Like I said, Terrence Malick isn’t for everyone, but if you see it with an open mind you will experience a truly amazing and meaningful film.

Stream Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Movie Online. Movie Title: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Average customer review: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

For 2 years in a row Sony once again puts that stupid Destiny’s Child crap on this Dvd. Why does Sony keep ruining Christmas classics like this and now Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town with a stupid Mariah Carey video. When is this dumb so-called trend going to stop. Leave the Christmas classics(Rudolf,Frosty,Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town)as is.Please, NO MORE EXTRA SONGS & VIDEOS…these are not good extras they are just pure crap!!!

The DVD transfer is pretty good but the scene with Yukon discovering peppermint has been cut.

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It seems pretty odd to sell a DVD as a restored classic only to leave out the main thing that was to be restored!

Gangland: The Complete Season Two Movie Streaming. Movie Title: Gangland: The Complete Season Two Average customer review: Gangland: The Complete Season Two is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Gangland: The Complete Season Two

It’s been over 10 years since I’ve witnessed firsthand the destruction that gangs have on the fragile thread that ties American society together. In reality, I’ve had friends who were gang members and this was a time where I learned about being careful about the friends I choose and watching my back for potential enemies.

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Gangland is a series that not only revives those memories of my past vividly, but also informs everyone that the gang problem in the United States is a bigger problem than anyone could have imagined.

This a 3 disc set that includes information that is broad in its spectrum, covering history and current events of all various types of gangs from the bloods and crips of Los Angeles, Biker gangs such as the Mongol Nation, and even asian gangs such as the Chinese Triad in San Francisco.

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What I found interesting about all the episodes in season 2, and the entire series in general, is that this program does an excellent job of denoting each gang’s history, their rise to fame, the key players of each gang, how each gang finances their activities, and accounts from either current or former gang members. For example, this documentary did a great job in describing who Tookie Williams and Raymond Washington were and their significance in how the Crips came to power in South Central Los Angeles. In addition, the Bloods, who are outnumbered by 2-1, came to existence to protect other gangs who were not enticed to join True Blue. Chicago’s history was well covered with the Vice Lords and especially the Gangster Disciples AKA GD6 who continue to terrorize the midwest. After watching this season, I kinda felt that this season should have actually been season 1 since the Bloods and Crips are known to anyone.

Although the episodes are very informative, I did find some information that was left out. For example, although information was discussed about how the word Crip came about, the narrator did not mention that CRIP actually stood for Community Revolution In Progress. Also, as someone who grew up in San Francisco, the coverage of the Asian Triad was nice, but neither this season 2 nor any season in Gangland provide history about other gangs in San Francisco, namely the turf war that continues to exist in the Hunter’s Point/Bay View area, which included members of the infamous RBL Posse rap group (Mistah C, Big Cee).

Despite these minor setbacks, this is an excellent series for anyone interested in not only the history of gangs, but how the gang problem is something all of us should be aware of.

We have used some of these DVDs for training, and the evaluations have been very good. In addition, these DVDs will be placed in our media library for our entire staff to check out and view.