Jaydens Blog

A New Journey: Live at Slane Castle Streaming. Movie Title: A New Journey: Live at Slane Castle Average customer review: A New Journey: Live at Slane Castle is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download A New Journey: Live at Slane Castle

What a project. If you look back in the 90s, you will see the music industry trying to catch on to as many trends and styles as possible.

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There was Ska, there was Swing, there was Latin Pop and other World Music. And due to several factors (Enya’s popularity, Clannad’s TV clip causing a riot of people to find that song from the VW commerical, the Titanic’s soundtrack which featured Irish Music, and of course Riverdance) Celtic Music became the next trend.

But when the new century came, the industry had moved on. Pity.

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Until now that is……… David Downes should be congratulated for bringing about this event. He has done it, again! Also kudos go the angels who performed on this disc: Lisa, Meav, Orla, Chloe, and Mairead.

Honestly, this CD had to grow on me, as I didn’t get to see the special on TV. Eventually I began to really enjoy this disc. Standout tracks for me:

“Last Rose of Summer/Walking in the Air” sounds like an angel lost in a cathedral. Just gorgeous! Lilting and atmospheric. A new Charlotte Church is found!

“May it Be” is sung slightly different from Enya. Where Enya sings with high airy delicateness. This is sung with strength tempered with softness. Very beautiful.

“Siuil a Run (Walk My Love)” is an old song. It is sung from the point of view of a woman whose love has gone to war. Her voice is sad and beautiful at the same time. Some of the men from the Irish Brigade had gone to fight in France, around the 17th century. They were known as the Wild Geese, and sadly, they never came home. The only other version of this song that measures up is by Clannad, on their album DULAMAN.

“Orinoco Flow” is of course another Enya song. A march of music set to words about wind currents and exotic places. I laughed at this version on CELTIC WOMAN… at first. Only because the choir of voices singing the chorus surpirsed me. This has grown on me, and I love it now.

“Harry’s Game” is a Clannad track. A gaelic proverb dedicated to the strife of mankind, and the conflict of Northern Ireland. This version is sung without harmonies and the single voice is plaintive and poetic. A wonderful cover.

“Nella Fantasia”, “Danny Boy” and “Ave Maria” all sound beautiful in this Irish setting of voices.

In conclusion, CELTIC WOMAN explores the mysterious quality that is found in the lost legends of the emerald isle and the atmospheric voices of the Wild Irish Goddesses. Enjoy!

I recently discovered Celtic Woman courtesy of my local PBS station that aired their performance that is already out on dvd. I just fell in love the mix of classical and celtic music. What really struck me was the clarity of the women’s vocals were. Lisa, Chloe, Meav, and Orla sang with great restraint and did not go down the Celine Dion route and oversing each high note known to mankind. While I do think that Lisa and Meav has the strongest set of pipes, it does not mean that I think Chloe and Orla has thin, weak vocals. I just thought Lisa and Meav’s vocals really stood out for me.

My most personal favorite song on the album is the gorgeous ballad “Someday” from Disney’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame”. I was truly moved by Chloe’s performance when I saw her sing it on the PBS special. That song along is why I bought this cd. It is a beautiful song that sends chills down my spine every time I listen to it. Chloe also does a stunning job on “Walking in the Air”. It is quite a contrast from the heavy metal version by Nightwish. Another favorite song is “Harry’s Game” sung by Orla. Her vocals on this song also gives me the chills. I am so glad that “Si Do Mhaimeo i (The Wealthy Widow)” was included on the cd. It is one of my favorite songs from the PBS special. A very playful song. I wish I knew what the english translation were. Another favorite highlight for me on this album is their version of “You Raise Me Up”. That really made the hair on my arms stand up tall. It really moved me emotionally, more so than Josh Groban’s version. What I found rather interesting about the recorded version and the live version on the PBS special is that the recorded version sounded like it was sung strictly by Meav while the credits listed Meav, Lisa, Chloe and Orla. If you listened to this cd as much as I have (which is a few times a day), you can easily recognize Meav’s delicate soprano vocals.

I wish that the cd also included Enya’s “Marble Halls” and Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. They were simply breathtaking. Other than that, I loved this entire cd. There was not a single song that I didn’t like or felt should have been left out. I look forward to hearing more music from the women of Celtic Woman.

Stream Death Note Vol. 7 with Limited Edition Mello Figurine Online. Movie Title: Death Note Vol. 7 with Limited Edition Mello Figurine Average customer review: Death Note Vol. 7 with Limited Edition Mello Figurine is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Death Note Vol. 7 with Limited Edition Mello Figurine

Death Note is truly a well written and mind thinking anime for people of many ages. Just when one may think you know where the story maybe going there is a twist in the story line. I would also highly suggest the Death Note books.

There is thus far nothing wrong in my world regarding Death Note, including the more recent attempts at beating a dead horse with a stick with the live-action “L-change the WorLd” and the BB murders novel. The only disappointing thing for me was the decision to not include L’s successors in the live-action Death Note movies (though there is a vague nod to Near at the end of “L-change the WorLd”). Considering that the original manga is really an extremely convoluted mind-game of chess, where there are more thought bubbles than speech bubbles, it’s amazing that they were able to pull off fantastically the first two live action movies albeit in a truncated form.

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More amazing is that the anime version manages to keep the manga’s mind games nearly whole. Unlike most people, I find the characters of L’s successors, Mello, and especially Near, not to mention the background of all three young men being orphans raised in a home full of brilliant children for the express purpose of picking certain of them for duties such as L, aka the Whammy House, to be much more interesting. Particularly in the fact of their different approaches from L, their similarities and drive to beat each other to avenging L and to end the reign of Kira - all while Mello does so with a dark, passionate drive and seeming hatred of Near and his passive, painstaking method. In a way seeing how Mello and Near interact gives you more of a perspective of L’s background than watching L himself for a majority of the series.

Basically, if you’ve made it this far through my review I’m surprised you haven’t already hit the ‘One-Click’ buy button. This is the point of the anime where you go from the long, steady, plodding pace of Death Note to the beginning of the brawling, psychotic stampede to the end of the series.

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

Sam Peckinpah’s ‘The Wild Bunch’ is a masterpiece western. Not the best ever made, but close. So don’t think I don’t like this movie because I love it. However, since Mexicans are its villains, perhaps you’d be interested to read an opinion from this side of the border.

The Mexico of ‘The Wild Bunch’ looks more like a metaphor than a real place. It is both Heaven and Hell; the theatre where the bunch will find Death but also Redemption. Accordingly, every Mexican depicted in the picture is either a saint or a monster (no middle ground here, except for the Mexican member of the Bunch, who is aptly named “Angel”, although a fallen one). This serves the story splendidly, for it’s meant to be an epic ballad and not a travelogue, but it does jolt the Mexican viewer because the “good Mexico” is portrayed so idyllic it’s unreal, while the “bad Mexico” is very, very accurate; in fact, no American movie has captured the look, sound, feel, texture and carnage of the Mexican Revolution as this one has (even if the grandiose final scene, where the Bunch kills hundreds of heavily armed soldiers all by themselves and none of the four falls down even when riddled by bullets, defies all logic!). Perhaps that’s why it was banned in Mexico back when it was released in 1969.

Funny, for it was filmed in Mexico as well. The Texas bordertown you see at the begining of the story is actually Parras, Coahuila, and many of its citizens acted as extras in the movie: white ones as “Texans”, brown ones as -what else?- Mexicans! Don Raúl Madero, brother of Francisco I. Madero, the man who started the Mexican Revolution, appears …as a Texan! Even the two German officers are Mexican! So, as you can see, we Mexicans come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and hardly fit these two tiresome “noble peasant”-”greaser bandito” stereotypes American movies seem so comfortable with! I hope some day Hollywood realizes this and “walk the extra mile” to portray us for what we are: a very complex and diverse society. Neither saints, nor monsters, and certainly not mere bowling pins!

P.S.: Many great Mexican directors, all personal friends of Peckinpah, appear in the film. Emilio “Indio” Fernández (Mapache) and Chano Urueta (Angel’s grandfather) were the best of our cinema’s Golden Age. Fernando Wagner (German officer) was also a competent theatre director, and Alfonso Arau (Herrera) is best known for his international hit ‘Like Water for Chocolate’. Jorge Russek (Zamorra) was an outstanding photographer for National Geographic, and Sonia Amelio (Teresa) is a world-aclaimmed dancer (she was even awarded with an “Order of Lenin” back in the Soviet Union). And just for the record, the word “Mapache” (”racoon”) stands for “coward thief”. No Mexican general, no matter how corrupt, would use, I believe, such a nickname! And since Mapache is “a killer working for Huerta”, the action takes place in 1913, not 1916 (Huerta was ousted in early 1914).

There’s not much that can be noted about Sam Peckinpah’s brilliant 1969 western epic “The Wild Bunch” that has not already been written. It was an unanticipated, influential work where all things came together, but for a moment, the end product a huge, sweeping canvas of intimacy between comrades, violence between combatants, desperate anger amidst changing times. Part Kurosawa, part Siegel, part Fuller, part Ford, Peckinpah combined his inspirations with a healthy dose of 1960s rebellion producing the ultimate work of his generation, and one of the greatest westerns in history. It was Peckinpah’s great fortune that the right actors were available for this film - William Holden and Robert Ryan in the twilight of their memorable careers, Ernest Borgnine with just enough youth to be a perfect and loyal presence, Edmond O’Brien chewing up the scenery with tobacco-stained teeth, and of course Peckinpah friends Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones and Warren Oates in salty supporting roles. It was also his great fortune cinematographer Lucien Ballard and composer Jerry Fielding were also on hand to participate in his steadfast vision.

Peckinpah also had something to prove at this point in his career, when he was still a hungry director with a vision, before alcoholism, disillusionment and celebrity status took hold. He hid nothing from viewers, and his contradictory heart was laid bare in “The Wild Bunch.” The direction and editing during the violent moments of this film - the opening bank robbery and the concluding battle with the Mexican army - are some of the most unforgettable scenes ever put on film. But ironically, and this was usually the case in most Peckinpah films, it is the quiet moments one remembers. Pike (Holden) and Dutch’s (Borgnine) melancholy conversation next to a campfire; The Bunch riding out of Angel’s village as if in a funeral procession; Deke (Ryan) taking Pike’s pistol from it’s holster, gently holding it in his hand; and of course Pike standing in the doorway and mouthing two simple words, “Let’s go.”

And of course you have The Walk, in which Holden, Borgnine, Oates and Ben Johnson quietly begin loading their guns, cocking them, arming themselves, smiling at one another, standing shoulder to shoulder. There’s not much left for these forgotten outlaws who have lived past their time. Just a code of honor, just their self respect. And so they Walk into the heart of the Mexican army to retrieve their comrade Angel, a prisoner and personal enemy of General Mapache. These surviving members of The Wild Bunch are free to go, but Angel, youthful, love-struck, rebellious, was one of them. They are not going to leave their comrade.

After viewing the extraordinary documentary “The Wild Bunch: An Album In Montage” and seeing the rare footage of Peckinpah literally improvising The Walk, walking alongside Holden, Borgnine, Oates and Johnson, inventing by instinct, one realizes how fiercely creative this man was as a director. This film was his moment in time, his vision, his idea, Peckinpah’s nightmarish and amazing dream.

Peckinpah never really made a film quite like “The Wild Bunch” again. Of course, no director ever really has before or since. His uneven career of 14 films, some good, some not, has been celebrated and honored. Peckinpah the man, adorned in faded jeans and bandanna, certainly perpetuated his myth-like status. But in the end, you will always have “The Wild Bunch,” an unforgettable film, raw, gritty, whiskey-soaked, sublime. I cry whenever I watch this film. I cry in awe. All things came together for Peckinpah on “The Wild Bunch,” and the moment is everlasting.

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

I thought Rome Season 1 was excellent. Season 2 I didn’t think was as enthralling, but when you come from ‘excellent’, the next place down is ‘very, very good’ and that’s what this is.

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Others have expounded on inaccuracies as to the history. As a student of history myself, I can understand the frustration. However, these things do not bother me generally as I watch series like these to escape. All I generally ask is that I be entertained. (NOTE: I admit that my ‘laidbackness’ did not extend to the massacred ‘Troy’ which was so very inaccurate in so many particulars and not even that entertaining).

So that entire paragraph above was meant to convey the following: Put aside your history books, forget the ‘true’ story and allow yourself to be immersed in the grandeur and sumptiousness that is this BBC/HBO production.

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I believe that you will love many of the characters (notably Atia) - and love to hate others (notably Atia). You will be sad and happy and yes - horrified at times, but you will not say that you were not invested in some measure. Note that even those not as enamoured of the series as I, watched every episode AND took the time out to write reviews. That must tell you something. Rome is something to witness and talk about, whatever your view.

WARNING: If the DVD is the first time you are watching this, clear hours of your day. You will be captivated in one way or another and that smell wafting through your living room will be the forgotten pot on your stove.

I highly recommend this series and enthusiastically give it 5 stars (wish there were 6).

Rome. Once the center of power for most of Europe, the coast of North Africa and portions of the Middle East for several centuries until its collapse in 476 C.E., continues to leave its mark on the modern world; but what of the people that lived there when Rome ceased being a Republic beginning in 48 B.C.E. to become, instead, the empire that ruled for over 5 centuries? Yes, we have studied their surviving writings, their surviving buildings & infrastructure, as well as their impact upon societies; but as individuals who lived their lives there from day to day, few have grasped what their lives may have been like. Yes, there have been various films, such as “Spartacus” (1960) and various films that focused more on Christian themes within the Roman Empire; but these films typically portray Romans negatively rather than focusing on the Romans themselves and their lives in the capital.

In 2005, a new television series aired on HBO with the simple name “Rome”. It’s second season continued in 2007. Unlike past negative portrayals of ancient Rome, this fictional series (based on factual events) focuses on the lives of various individuals, including Julius Caesar’s former mistress Servilia (Lindsay Duncan); the power-hungry Atia (Polly Walker), who was related to Caesar; Atia’s son Gaius Octavian (Max Pirkis as a teenager, Simon Woods as a young man); Octavian’s friend & general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (Allen Leech), who falls in love with Octavian’s sister Octavia (Kerry Condon); Mark Antony (James Purefoy), who is forced to marry Octavia to keep peace with Octavian; Servilia’s son Marcus Junius Brutus (Tobias Menzies); Cleopatra (Lyndsey Marshal); Senator Marcus Tullius Cicero (David Bamber); and two Roman soldiers: Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson). Lucius Veronus, still the tragic character wanted only to provide for his wife Niobe (Indira Varma), who died in the first season, and their children, who were enslaved. Having served in the military under Mark Antony and briefly as a senator, he is given control over Rome’s commercial district, but eventually rejoins the army after being rejected by his children (after rescuing them from slavery) and follows Mark Antony to Egypt. Lucius Veronus often helps his less educated friend Titus Pullo, who has a huge temper and often uses physical aggression as a means to solve disputes. Servilia, after being spurned by Julius Caesar in the first season and encouraged her son Brutus to murder him, must instead mourn Brutus’ eventual death. For, it was after Caesar’s death, that Octavian is declared his son and heir, which he takes rather seriously to the chagrin of Mark Antony and Atia, his lover. Atia (highly fictionalized in the series), still the egocentric and wanton manipulator, becomes very attached to Mark Antony; but that relationship is not to last, which may fulfill a curse from her bitter enemy Servilia.

With frequent sexual intrigue and nudity, “Rome” is a series that will never be seen on network television; but it did find a very good home on HBO. With its very interesting portrayal of life in ancient Rome from many perspectives, wonderful dialog, brilliant acting, beautiful cinematography and engaging characters, I rate “Rome-The Complete Second Season” with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.

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

Words cannot express how much I love this movie, but I will try my best. “Pulp Fiction” is one of my favorites. Quentin Tarantino is a very gifted director/writer. Although I love his directing, I must say it is his writing that really impresses me. But I will get to that later on in this review.

I think it’s safe to say that the first time this movie was released on DVD, it was a little more than disappointing. There were no special features, sound and picture was so-so; I mean, my laserdisk at least had three different trailers of the movie. So, of course, I was very excited to learn that this movie was being re-released in a fully loaded special edition. Re-buying the movie was well worth it, for this edition of the movie is far superior than the other one.

The movie really consists of three different stories; not in any order. Any one of the stories could be their own little movies. The players are two hitmen, a boxer, the big boss, the big boss’ wife, a crazy gun store owner, a gimp, a cop named, Zed, a man who makes problems go away, and a little suitcase with “666″ for the combination. You add all this together and you get one hell of a movie.

The acting is more than superb; including one terrific cast with some heavy hitters (Travolta, Jackson, Thurman, Willis, etc.). Tarantino is a master when it comes to writing and directing. Especially when it comes to writing. I have never heard such clever and brutally honest dialogue in any other movie. I have said it before, and I will say it again; Tarantino reminds me of Raymond Carver, except with more humor.

Now, on to the special edition of this DVD. Is it better than the previous version? YES! Tons of special features, and not to forget the fact that the movie has been restored in high definition. Picture looks very clear. And the sound is also a lot better. You can watch the movie in DTS, which is always a good thing.

Special features…..where do I begin? There’s a ton of them! It’s not even funny how much stuff is loaded on this bad boy. And every one of them is great. Features include a documentary, an interview with Tarantino on “The Charlie Rose Show,” trailers, filmographies, and many more. If you love special features, then you will not be disappointed.

“Pulp Fiction” is a great movie, and the new DVD edition is outstanding in every way. If you still have the older DVD of this movie, get this one now! If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out when you can! Of course, with any other movie, there is a chance you may not like this movie. That’s fine, nothing wrong with that. Don’t let hype ruin your preception of the movie, just watch it as if it were any other movie. You like it, great; if not, well, at least you gave it a shot. Filled with sharp humor, great characters, outstanding dialogue, and some of the craziest surprises and twists, “Pulp Fiction” is a wonderful film, and will continue to be one of my favorites.

“Pulp Fiction” is like a novel with five chapters that was ripped apart and put back together with the chapters all mixed up in random order — where does it start and where does it end? That said, it’s a hilarious crazy-quilt of a movie, superbly directed by Quentin Tarantino. And yes, there is a straight story line throughout… chronologically, the actual story begins with Samuel Jackson and John Travolta on their way to a hit ordered by their boss Ving Rhames, and ends with Bruce Willis and his pregnant girlfriend zooming out of town on a homicidal maniac’s stolen motorcycle. Each short story in the movie is complete in itself, and yet each makes up part of the whole. The actors are terrific. Jackson and Travolta are great as the two hitmen Jules and Vince; Uma Thurman is just right as the boss’s wife; Bruce Willis is funny and yet moving as the boxer who saves the boss’s life after the boss ordered a hit on him, and Harvey Keitel steals the whole movie with his performance as the almost inhumanly efficient Wolf. Even Tarantino himself can’t resist joining the fun and plays the role of Jules’s sometime partner Jimmie, very annoyed at being roused out of bed at the crack of dawn to help dispose of a semi-headless corpse. There are so many priceless scenes in this film that it’s hard to pick a favorite. It’s a wild, crazy, mind-boggling movie that gets better and better each time you watch it.

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

Bob Hope’s 1948 film “The Paleface,” was the highest-grossing movie America’s most-beloved comedian of the era ever made. Pairing Hope with Jane Russell in a run-of-the-mill Paramount comedy was box office magic that still works today. Here Bob Hope’s timing is perfect, and he’s totally mastered the character we associate with him, that cowardly braggart, who thinks of himself as a real Casanova. The film still holds up well, and I’ve found myself laughing out loud at many of the scenes. The DVD has an unbelievably good transfer that gives you a picture that’s so crisp, it feels like you have a camera in your hands. Special features are nice, including the original theatrical trailer. There’s also a clip of an Armed Forces Command Performance, and some footage of Bob Hope performing for the troops. With DVD-ROM, you can also compare the script to the scene as it plays out. In all, an enjoyable way to spend an evening with one of the great comedians of the mid-20th century.

This is one of the best Bob Hope movies, and his comedy timing here is excellent. He plays Painless Potter, a cowardly dentist, and the problems he encounters provides Hope ample opportunity to improvise sight gags and many other memorable jokes. Pay close attention when Bob attempts to extract a tooth… it’s a classic scene! Hope is curiously underrated as a comic, but he was an absolute master at this genre, playing to perfection a sort of bumbling wannabe womanizing coward. Pay particular attention to his timing, which was absolutely unmatched in Hollywood.

The only drawback is Jane Russell, who was only in movies due to her cleavage. Her acting talent is minimal, but the brilliant Hope more than makes up for it. You will find yourself laughing out loud continuously throughout this movie. The color tones are bright, crisp and make it seem like you’re sitting in the movie theatre in 1948. A classic comedy film.

Assassination of a High School President Movie Streaming. Movie Title: Assassination of a High School President Average customer review: Assassination of a High School President is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Assassination of a High School President

It was a unique experience watching this film unfold, and before I gave it a second viewing with the commentary (in which they stated numerous times how they wanted this film to be like no other high school film prior) I was already feeling like I had just watched a very different kind of teen film. But really good.

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The theme was best described on the cover art with “Rushmore meets Usual Suspects”. The story follows these twenty-somethings playing teens as they traverse their existence at a private high school. Bruce Willis plays excellently his over-the-top self as the militaristic principal. Mischa Barton fills the role as the hot girl on campus, but she did much better overall in Closing the Ring than here. Regardless of the props and older looking feel, this actually takes place in present day, but kudos to the crew in making a teen film exist without modern appliances (cells, new computers, etc.). Some outstanding supporting performances from Michael Rapaport and Josh Pais compliment some solid writing and storytelling. But mostly, this will help bring Reece Thompson’s name to the spotlight as he gave a very believable performance carrying the central character (nerd turns popular turns scapegoat turns becoming a man).

The supplements are somewhat thorough and center on scenes, but no documentaries. Includes:

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* 5:40 minutes of alternate opening scenes. For what the end result was, I am glad they cut these as they both revealed too much information about what would become the plot twists later.

* 20:35 minutes of extended and alternate scenes. The story lines they removed actually make it a better film with more interesting twists, but it was still nice to see what they had filmed originally.

* 6:45 minutes of deleted scenes, decent but forgettable.

* Commentary by the writers and director (some of the previous features listed have an optional commentary also). They had a great time making the commentary, and since there is no making-of it was the only way to hear how everything came to be. I had to wait 23 minutes into it to hear why the film looks like it could take place in the 80s but wasn’t. All of the anecdotes and humor behind the scenes make the listen worthwhile - it definitely had customers paying attention to what was playing with some of their rogue dialogue.

Four stars for the film, one for the supplements. Not a mainstream high school film by any means, just a solid independent attempt at creating a surreal world of this private high school.

Although a critical smash at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, this film did not enjoy a conventional theatrical release due the its distributor, The Yari Film Group, filing for bankruptcy. Given all the CGI as a replacement for a decent screenplay garbage that Hollywood does manage to shove into theaters, one almost feels the pang of some cosmic injustice on behalf of film’s creative team and performers. Fortunately, Assassination of a High School President has garnered enough of a following to prevent it from slipping through the cracks.

What impressed me most was the screenplay! And what impressed me most about the screenplay were the character arcs of the leading actor and actress, Reece Daniel Thompson and Mischa Barton. The former writes for the school newspaper, doesn’t fit into any of the many social cliques surrounding him, and whose greatest strength, an unyeilding sense of ambition, becomes his greatest weakness. In addition to her beauty, the latter is also brilliant, poised, and precise. She knows well the stature she holds and what that stature can avail her, but she doesn’t seem all that interested in exploiting it.

In order to distinguish himself from the other members of the school paper Bobby Funke must become more than a run of the mill reporter, he must become an investigative journalist. At first, just to distinguish himself for a shot at a summer journalism scholarship, but, later, to clear the name of someone he has personally indicted with his writing. While the late John Hughes made youth-focused films that connected with a young audience in very specific ways, this film is a satire in every moment of its existence. The principal in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was plucky to the point of unwarranted silliness, but here Bruce Willis portrays a potent and powerful principal of this private Catholic school. One would probably laugh AT the former, but we laugh with the latter and do so just a little bit nervously. While Bruce Willis was the catalyst to get me to look at this film in the first place, his role is strictly supportive. It is a testament to his skills as an actor to maximize all the little opportunities for both spoken and physical comedy that present themselves without upstaging the storyline or the cast he is supporting.

If I have one complaint, it would be that there wasn’t a single black and white scene in the film. Everytime Funke holds his stick of chewing gum like Sam Spade would hold a cigarette before taking a puff the film just screams noir. The timelessness of the set-dressing and wardrobe are all there, but I just wish there could have been one black and white scene somewhere as an homage to traditional film noir.

Of the bonus features, the most noteworthy would be the running commentary. I normally have mixed feelings about most deleted scenes, but here there are a couple of scenes that were a real sacrifice to have to leave on the cutting room floor (this is especially true for anyone familiar with even a rudimentary amount of Spanish). A making of featurette would have been nice, but, given all the financial challenges this project eventually met with, I’m just glad it has managed to see the light of day.

I don’t normally write reviews of movies since there are plenty who already do so and do so well, but Assassination of a High School President has encountered more than it’s fair share obstacles and setbacks. If you’re looking for a stark departure from the cookie-cutter formula of most high school films, then this is the ticket.

Baby Genius Animal Adventures DVD w/Bonus Music CD Streaming. Movie Title: Baby Genius Animal Adventures DVD w/Bonus Music CD Average customer review: Baby Genius Animal Adventures DVD w/Bonus Music CD is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Baby Genius Animal Adventures DVD w/Bonus Music CD

This is an awesome DVD for kids of all ages (and I mean adults too!) it is a wonderful way of appreciating animals and classical music together. There are no spoken words, only classical music and beautiful images and clips of animals and children interacting. My kids love it. I also got it as a birthday gift for a friend, and they are thrilled with it too. I know I will be sharing it with many as a gift. It is well edited and very attractive. The bonus music CD is a great addtion. We often listen to it and talk about the animals in the DVD.

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I totally recommend it! we will be adding more to our collection. This is a great healthy, safe and fun way to entertain your children .. my 3 year old, 1 year old and 8 year old love it!

I am pretty disappointed with this DVD. I thought my daughter would enjoy watching it because she loves animals. I think that there was not a lot of consideration in picking the music that went with the different animal groups. The frames/views change very quickly throughout the whole video. Also, there was no reason to add in the baby genius cartoon characters into the animal scenes - it adds nothing to the viewing experience, is distracting, and feels like blatant marketing. Particularily, when the animal viewing is over, a “music video” with the baby genius characters plays which does not fit at all with the rest of the video and gives the very clear impression of brainwashing and product placement. No thank you baby genius. I’d rather have bought a national geographic film.

New York Doll Movie Streaming. Movie Title: New York Doll Average customer review: New York Doll is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download New York Doll

The New Yorks Dolls are one of the most influentual bands in the history of modern music. They gave birth to the Glam and Punk movements of the 1970’s and were the primary fashion influence of the hair bands of the 1980’s. Most of my own favorite bands probably would have never existed if the Dolls had not existed first. And honestly, I don’t think they ever wrote a bad song.

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Anyway, as someone who was born Mormon, but grew up “punk” and now exists somewhere between the two this movie spoke to me on more levels than one. I was afraid it might seem like Mormon propaganda (it does not) or might make fun of Mormonism (it also does not.) It is very honest and I was moved to tears several times.

The extra features on the DVD are must sees and hearing David Johansen sing one of my all-time favorite hymns (Come, Come Ye Saints) was just amazing. Arthur Kane has joined his friends and bandmates beyond the veil but the legacy his band left (and his more quiet works in the service of the church) live on to inspire us.

Glam,punk rockers The New York Dolls became more popular and influential after their two studio albums and break-up in 1975–then when they were in their prime.

They inspired a varied group of musicians — some of whom (Chrissy Hynde, Iggy Pop, Morrissey, Bob Geldorf appear on camera here).

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The most famous band member is musician/actor David Johansen who became better known as Buster Poindexter for many years.

This documentary is about another original member, Charles ‘Killer’ Kane- the base player who faded into neary poverty, drug and alcohol addiction and obscurity shortly after the band broke up.

Greg Whiteley, a devout Mormon and aspiring film-maker began making “New York Doll” a couple of years after he met one of his Mormon brothers, Arthur Kane who quickly explained he was once known as `Killer’ Kane the bassist for the legendary punk rock band, New York Dolls. In a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction development, Kane got wind of a rumor that what he had prayed for nearly 30 years to happen—-The New York Dolls were going to re-unite.

Wait a minute ‘Killer Kane’ wound up an LDS member? Yep.

When several of Kane’s congregational members raised $300 dollars and gave it to him to get his old bass guitars out of hock at the pawn-shop, Greg Whiteley decided to grab a camera and start filming what was going on. At the very least Arthur Kane was a unique interesting individual that would make a good subject for a documentary even if the re-union of the Dolls did not happen.

Whitely was absolutely right, his documentary New York Doll, an intimate portrait of Arthur Kane and a brief history of the New York Dolls, does indeed make a fascinating, surprisingly touching and moving documentary.

“Killer’ Kane, the statuesque tall bassist for the outrageous New York Dolls a quiet, humble born-again religious librarian?

It’s hard to believe that the soft spoken, white shirt and tie wearing, Arthur Kane who we meet riding a series of busses to get to work was once a punk glam boy. It’s hard to believe that Morrissey invited the Dolls to re-unite for his 2004 Meltdown Festival in London. We learn that Morrissey was an avid fan and almost an all out groupie of the New York Dolls when he was 13 years old.

It’s also hard to believe that the three surviving members of the Dolls mostly in their early 50s would get back together again and be able to create music truly worth listening to without completely embarrassing themselves.

We get a concise history of the Dolls and learn about their influence from Chrissie Hynde, Bob Geldoff, Mick Jones (of the Clash) and Morrissey. The Dolls (and Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust band) broke through the formulaic heavy metal (with their ten minute drum solos) and dull progressive rock bands (with their ten minute synthesizer solos). They created some excellent songs (sounding like something Green Day would release today) while wearing platform heels, tight leather pants, huge hair, mascara, lipstick and swatches of material that transformed them into disheveled transvestite hookers.

So did Arthur Kane’s dream of a reuniting with David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain actually happen? Was it a huge success, a pleasant bit of nostalgia or an utter embarrassment? Did Arthur say prayers before going on stage? Did he patch up the feud and bitter feelings he had about David?

This is the bitter-sweet story about what happened. Since it is about one of the most outrageous punk rock bands from the 70s, trying to explain this is a `bittersweet’ story is an ironic challenge.

This is not a VH1 Behind the Music kind of profile. It is much more than that. It is a tender but honest portrait of an extremely fragile human being–Arthur Kane. Sure I wish we would have heard and seen a bit more music than we do in the movie, but you can buy the albums for that.

The film will touch you. The story is sad, but strangely uplifting.

The film is very short (only 78 minutes) and the DVD has a few extras–like an 8 minute interview with the producer/director and a long interview (part of which is used in the film) with Morrisey. Unfortunately we don’t get to see any full length performances of the Dolls–but don’t let that stop you for a moment from watching this stranger than fiction documentary.

It is rated PG-13 because of some strong language.

Slayers TRY - Season Three Set Streaming. Movie Title: Slayers TRY - Season Three Set Average customer review: Slayers TRY - Season Three Set is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Slayers TRY - Season Three Set

Well, I reviewed seasons 1 & 2 so here goes. “Slayers Try” is typically viewed as the weakest of the three seasons. This is almost certainly suitable, but it’s smooth Slayers, which is to say it’s awesome. If you’re a grand Lina Inverse fan then assume this yet another must-buy. If you’re not; well, this season won’t change your mind. The yarn is one that spans the entire season rather than being broken up into smaller arcs as previous seasons were and many supporting characters are left in the dust as our well-known heroes disappear to parts unknown for this adventure, but the goofy character-driven humor and sage world-in-the-balance confrontations that are the series’ calling card are here with bells on. It’s slightly flawed, but it’s collected a must in my book.

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The storyline this time out begins with the usual fateful meetings of our four heroes; Lina, Amelia, Gourry, and Zelgadis. They are snappy swept up in battle as a dragon attacks the city and wind up stranded at sea. The dragon in expect turns out to be the newest member of team Inverse: the dragon priestess Filia, sent to pick up Lina for a task of grave importance. This storyline, while occasionally poorly paced, turns out to be quite deep as Lina and company become pawns in a massive, multi-faction feud that spans dimensions and seems to have no proper or noxious side. The significant villain is a demon dragon named Gaav who turns out to be quite the tragic figure out to avenge the genocide of his people. This is some resplendent deep fare for an anime that prides itself on characters who behave like savages around food and like to blow stuff up. Xellos makes his return with aplomb, but this time he’s no friend to Lina’s cause. His location as a demon puts him in grunt conflict with Filia as dragons and monsters are natural enemies. The explain uses this arrangement amusingly to instigate a potential romance (methinks the lady doth divulge too grand) between the two mutual antagonists.

“Slayers Try” suffers from a definitive lack of the adorable Sylphiel, but Filia really filled the gap for me. Her prim and good ways effect for comedy gold as she hasn’t quite mastered her human effect and often sprouts a tail when surprised, thus lifting up her robe and well…you collect the characterize. This awkwardness is milked for further amusement by giving Lina’s newest team member an oversized mace and an equally oversized temper with which to expend it. Plus, she can turn into a dragon (the bow on her tail is adorable) ; impartial not when anyone’s looking because, naturally, she loses her clothes in the process and she’s a very frightened girl.

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As I stated before, there are some pacing problems as will happen with series that don’t divide the larger stories into smaller ones. This season is broken up only by a flurry of episodes where the team is fragmented and each have a series of moronic standalone adventures. There is some titanic stuff there, but the one-offs were spread out more evenly and didn’t interfere with the larger plots in past seasons while these impartial don’t fit. Even Lina -always the self-referencing type- at one point observes that maybe it’s time to stay with the amusing stuff and gather down to business. The climax impresses, but is again broken up with some inappropriately-timed and redundant humor which causes Filia this time to admonish the writers..err characters to cessation screwing around. This self-aware humor helps do for me what brought “Slayers Try” down a notch for some.

All-in-all, chalk this one up as another winner. This unique situation, like the others, is priced accurate and is remastered for your viewing pleasure. That doesn’t mean you should double-dip because, personally, I wish they’d unbiased save out a higher quality product to initiate with and terminate torturing we diehard fans with this re-release nonsense. But this review is for the current Slayers fan and if you don’t have this series yet, now is the time. This is among my common involving comedy series of all time and I can’t recommend all three seasons enough to fantasy anime fans.

4 1/2 stars rounded up to elope the wrath of the ample Lina Inverse!

Yup, they’re wait on — hot-tempered sorceress Lina, sword-swinging dunce Gourry, stone-skinned chimera Zelgadis, and justice-obsessed princess Amelia.

And while it’s not quite the luminous traipse that the previous seasons were, the third season “Slayers Try” is quiet a solid section of work, filled with old feuds, otherworldly weapons, revenge, a tea-drinking dragon, and a devastating threat from another universe.

With the Monster race’s barrier removed from the places we know, the gang reunites at a harbor where a coalition of kings — led by Prince Phil — are sending off an expedition into the Outer World. Lina and Gourry are there to meet Filia, a unique young woman who claims to have a mission for them. Then a Golden Dragon attacks, and Lina inadvertantly devastates the rapid and the harbor with her Dragonslave.

Set adrift on an abandoned ship, Lina and her pals slay up floating to the Outer World, where they encounter Filia (who is the Golden Dragon) once again. Eventually Filia reveals why she has done all this — a prophecy foretelling a unpleasant difficulty that may kill the world, which only Lina’s sister (or, if she’s not available, Lina) can finish. Unfortunately the gang also have a original enemy — the vengeance-maddened Monster Valgaav, and a mysterious dusky creature who wants Gourry’s Sword of Light.

But after some injurious obstacles, Lina discovers the good intent of Valgaav’s fresh master — to waste the Sunless Lord Darkstar (yeah, funny name), using five weapons including the Sword of Light. When a clash with Valgaav goes horribly sinful, Lina and her friends ruin up scattered across the continent, with only a short time to finish the insane Murky Lord from invading their world. And finding the last of the weapons to destroy Darkstar will choose them deep into the bloody past of the Golden Dragons…

“Slayers Try” doesn’t quite gain the spectacular heights of the previous two seasons, unbiased because the Expansive Poor Threat To The Universe is a bit cheesier. But otherwise it’s a solid adventure for Lina and her dinky gang, with two overarcing storylines — the first half is all about finding out Valgaav’s dwelling and the reason his master wants the Sword of Light, while the second is about dealing with the fright that is trying to approach into the Linaverse.

In the meantime, it has a complex and twisting storyline, corpulent of outlandish quests for incandescent weapons and some Romeo-and-Juliet sidetrips. But this season also has a heavy dose of tragedy, mostly centering on the bloody genocide of the aged Extinct Dragons, and the panic Filia feels when she finds out what happened. Their gallop takes them through sun-baked villages, magic libraries, used snow-covered citadels, a mountain that looks like a pile of something disagreeable, a pair of eternally warring cities, and a series of islands with very odd inhabitants.

And of course, there’s humor. Lots of it. Aside from Xellos and Filia bickering like pros (”Ohhhh, I meant DRAGON, not person”), it has the usual bizarre scenarios and hilarious dialogue (”BIRD! ROAST CHICKEN!” a starving Lina shrieks as she tries to pluck a seagull) . And in the middle of the season, we win a string of episodes that are pure hilarity — afraid jars, a forbidden romance between a man and a fish, and Amelia and Gourry temporary becoming “Warriors of Justice” alongside some decayed traditional heroes in comic costumes.

The absolute highlight? A surreal Lewis-Carroll-style episode in which a befuddled Lina stumbles through a exclusive world of fiestas, hostile penguins (”Don’t interrupt our funeral!”), marionettes and a smarmy talking pig.

The “Slayers” characters feel like a foursome of conventional, comfortable shoes — Lina is sullen and inclined to Dragonslave whenever possible, but turns out to be deadly timid of her sister (to the point of constructing a pyramid to mask inside) . Gourry is a lovable clunkhead, but Amelia and Zelgaids have both loosened up a microscopic — he’s mellowed and more obedient, and while Amelia detached poses and talks about Justice, she’s also willing to whisk a itsy-bitsy fun at it (the whole “warriors of Justice” episode) .

And Xellos provides plenty of fun when he’s bickering with Filia, even as he reminds us that he’s an amoral Monster who wouldn’t have a qualm about betraying Lina and Co. Filia herself is a likable character — an anxiety-ridden priestess with a fancy of tea parties and antique jars, and a deep hatred of Monsters. But her character becomes great deeper when she discovers the awful past actions of the Golden Dragons.

“Slayers Try” is a solid third season for the Slayers gang, with a slam-bang Threat To The Universe and plenty of despicable laughable relief. Not quite the brilliance of seasons past, but smooth estimable.
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