Product: Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths Two-Disc Edition Movie Streaming

List Price: $24.98

Amazon Price: $16.49
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths Two-Disc Edition

In a parallel Earth ruled by the Crime Syndicate, the Justice League must fight their evil doppelgangers in a battle that would be dead even, except that their malicious counterparts are willing to do the one thing Batman and Superman never would: kill.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #724 in DVD
• Brand: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2010-02-23
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: AC-3, Animated, Dolby, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: French
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .30 pounds
• Running time: 75 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0883929094592
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Gardner Fox won’t be rolling over in his grave…
Parallel earths, an evil Justice League, and Batman being badasss… JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS gives the people what they want, and that this flick touts a PG-13 rating is yet one more treat. I’ve missed the Justice League since the series went off the air, and the solo adventures of Bats and Superman, Wonder Woman and GL are great, but I miss all the interaction.

The plot could’ve been convoluted, but the clear storytelling makes things easy to follow. It starts with a bare-nekkid Lex Luthor seeking help from the Justice League. Luthor claims to be from an alternate universe, one in which that version of the Justice League calls itself the “Crime Syndicate,” and not because someone was trying to be ironic. The Justice League agrees to cross over to put a stop to their crooked doppelgangers, even though everyone’s pretty suspicious, especially Superman (because it’s still friggin’ Luthor) and Batman, who decides to stay behind. I think I’ll stop right there with the plot breakdown, other than to mention that, as it falls out, the stakes are much, much higher than mere world domination. The main bad guy spits at world domination.

The pace really moves. The story’s good, and it’s big in scope. I’m a sucker for mirror universes. But the highlights are the action sequences, thanks to some sharp animation and a pretty good voice cast (although, I miss Kevin Conroy’s iconic timbre and I’m still not sure about Mark Harmon as Supes). There are several awesome battle royales, pitting the League against folks who can match and sometimes surpass them in power. Three pick of the pack moments for me: Aquaman actually not being a sissy; Wonder Woman demonstrating crunching warrior skills in her scuffle with Superwoman; and Batman’s extended contest of brawn and wits with Owlman. Owl Man, by the way, is about as dangerously unbalanced as they come and in him, Batman finally meets someone who not only can outfight him but is even more detached than he is. James Woods is superb as Owlman. I mentioned earlier that I love that the Dark Knight comes across as a bad mofo here, clearly the underdog in his tussle with Superwoman and then with Owlman, until he applies the underhanded technique of trickeration on them. And – maybe a SPOILER alert here for the rest of this sentence – for someone who doesn’t believe in killing, Batman sure has no qualms about offing off two of the more noticeable villains.

It’s fun, also, to see how familiar faces are presented in this alternate reality, and can you identify each side character? That’s not a Barsoomian; that’s an alternate J’onn J’onzz with four arms. On the other side of that coin, I like that they’ve put the “real” Martian Manhunter in his more updated, much cooler threads. But poor Harley Quin…

Other than the absence of Kevin Conroy and perhaps the presence of Mark Harmon, the only other beefs I have – and they’re very minor – concern Ultra Man speaking like a two-bit thug. I dunno, maybe I expected more gravitas coming from the most powerful despot on the planet. And I don’t know that the unlikely romance which surfaces halfway thru the film doesn’t feel like a filler.

Also on this DVD is the first in a series of animated shorts which will hopefully go on to feature the more obscure DC superheroes. DC SHOWCASE, in its debut, presents the Specter. This 12-minute-long short reeks of that film noir vibe, bolstered by a first person narrative and a funky 1970s-type opening score. Set in Los Angeles, police detective Jim Corrigan investigates the murder of a film producer. If you’re not familiar with the Specter and his gristly brand of justice, then you’re in for a treat and for a great reveal at the end. Even if you’re already down with the supernatural, pasty-skinned Spirit of Vengeance, this short is still very well done, with excellent near-anime and sometimes purposely scratchy visuals and outstanding voice work done by Gary Cole and Alyssa Milano, who plays a femme fatale role.

What I’ve got is the two disc set. Disc 1 has the feature film, the Specter short; an exclusive first look at the next direct-to-DVD film from DCAU, BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD, and previously released first looks at three other DC Universe Animated Original Movies: GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT; SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES, and WONDER WOMAN: THE AMAZON PRINCESS. There are also trailers for HALO LEGENDS and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE. Disc 2 has: “DCU: THE NEW WORLD” – a 26-minute-long segment in which several of DC’s creative forces discuss the evolution of the modern-age superhero and the relevance of a shared superhero universe, from when Superman first appeared with Batman & Robin on the same cover in 1940 to ALL-STAR COMICS #3 and the JSA’s debut, from CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS to IDENTITY CRISIS and onwards. Also here are two bonus episodes from the JUSTICE LEAGUE television series, the pivotal classic two-parter “A Better World,” a parallel Earth story in which Superman finally frags Luthor and what happens after that.

DC is Winning the Direct-to-Video War (v. Marvel)
Although both Warner/DC and Marvel/Lion’s Gate have had their missteps, DC is definitely winning the direct-to-video war in terms of quality. The feature here is full of beautifully orchestrated and designed fight scenes (even if perhaps at the sake of plot) reminiscent of the best moments of the Justice League series. The new character designs look great and classic, although some of the original voices are to be missed. WB is very smart to be staying very close to Bruce Timm’s established DC Animated Universe with their releases (”Gotham Knights” not withstanding). It automatically lends anything done in this style a deserved sense of pedigree.

For once, some of the “Added Value” material actually ADDS value.

Pros:
Great story/feature
Bonus “Spectre” short is nothing short of amazing and wonderfully original. (A+++++)
Four great episodes of the original Justice League. (Two 2-Parters.)
Pilot of live-action 70’s “Wonder Woman” has apparently been remastered for HD. Looks very nice.
Great A-List Voice talent.

Cons:
No Kevin Conroy, et al.
Encode/video quality of the Justice League episodes is sub-par and WORSE than standard definition DVD. (All black ink outlines are terribly blurred & jagged.)
Some added value already released on previous WB/DC animated releases.

The Strongest Movie yet
Having bought the other six movies and enjoyed them to varying degrees, this latest entry into DC’s Direct-to-DVD Library is the strongest entry so far. The plot is very strong, characterization spot-on, and the voice-work is close to perfect.

Now, I say close to perfect, because as you may be able to predict, Billy Baldwin is a weak Batman. His voice just sounds wrong coming out of the Dark Knight. Thankfully, Batman doesn’t talk much. And the characterization is so perfect. Superman is leader-ish. Wonder Woman has the right kind of spunk. Martian Manhunter is reserved. Flash is playful. And Hal Jordan just blends into the background. Just like in the comic books!

I’m just ribbing you GL fans.

Like all Crisis stories, this is a visual treat. I love spotting all the alternate versions of characters we know. Evil Elongated Man, Evil Vixen, Evil Black Canary, Evil Jimmy Olsen, and “Superwoman’s Three Made Men.” they make me smile. And the Crime Syndicate is a good set of villains. Owlman and Superwoman steal the show, but Ultraman has his moments. Johnny Quick, too. Power Ring, eh, not much. But, its a great plot, with great pacing for the action, and it’s funny! I love it.

I should mention that this is NOT an adaptation of Grant Morrison’s “JLA: Earth-2.” Other than a good Lex Luthor asking the JLA for help, and Owlman and Superwoman being an item, this DVD and that book are nothing alike. It’s apples and oranges. Maybe because it’s not an adaptation that this DVD is so strong. When you have to adapt from another medium, you have to sacrifice something along the way, to the detriment of the piece. Having this written specifically for a movie dodges the “Oh, you have to read the Graphic Novel,” excuse that some of the other DTVs suffered.

EXTRAS on this Bluray are pilots for the Linda Carder – Wonder Woman TV series, and the Aquaman TV pilot, that spun-off from Smallville, this is exclusive to the Bluray edition.

Four episodes of Justice League: A Better World, parts 1&2 (AKA the Justice Lords episodes). And Exclusive to the Bluray: Twilight, parts 1&2 (AKA, when Superman fights Brainiac and Darkseid).

What is the first in a series of animated shorts, DC Showcase Presents – The Spectre, a 10 minute cartoon. It’s good to see obscure characters given a spotlight. Nice and simple. Can’t complain.

A documentary, DCU: The New World. It looks at the creation of Identity Crisis going into Infinite Crisis. As a person who has read all of what they’re trying to describe, I found this Doc to be very “airy” – lots of big words, without actually telling me anything. Something about how 9/11 changed everything, BAM – Identity Crisis. Very disappointing. JL: The New Frontier still has the best extras.

And a First Look at DC’s next Animated Project – Batman: Under the Red Hood. Which, in my opinion, is looking great.

Plus “Looks” into GL: First Flight, Wonder Woman, and S/B: Public Enemies, pad-out the rest of the disk.

A really good feature. Some decent extras. The only thing I miss are the commentary tracks. I found the bluray for the same price as the 2-Disk Edition, so it was a no-brainer which to pick: I get the the Wonder Woman and Aquaman pilots, plus Twilight 1&2 in the bluray. Enjoy, and I’ll see you at Batman: Under the Read Hood.

Product: Stream This Island Earth Movie Online

List Price: $14.98

Amazon Price: $8.99
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on This Island Earth

Two nuclear fission experts are spirited away to the mysterious planet Exeter to aid in its defense.
Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: NR
Street Date: 08/22/06
Wide Screen: no
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: yes
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3245 in DVD
• Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
• Released on: 2006-08-22
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.20 pounds
• Running time: 87 minutes

A 50’s Magazine Cover Brought To Life!
THIS ISLAND EARTH is a 1950s science-fiction pulp magazine cover brought to life: clunky spacecraft, battling planets, evil aliens, and screaming heroines in distress. The special effects are 1955 state-of-the-art, and they still hold up very well today, for unlike ultra-realistic computer generated graphics they have a fantasy feel that is very, very entertaining–a sort of “Wizard of Oz goes sci-fi” look that is very appealing to the eye.

As already noted, the story concerns several of earth’s best minds who are kidnapped by aliens and ordered to create an endless source of energy for a dying planet. The script is laced with 1950s sexism–one line, for example, is “Don’t tell me that as woman you’re not curious?”–but this is actually less offensive than it is rather amusing, in keeping with the magazine cover sensibility that pervades the piece. The cast plays with great sincerity: Rex Reason is appropriately heroic, Faith Domergue screams the house down, and the aliens all have high foreheads–excepting, of course, that really evil looking one with claws for hands!

Some humorless-type science-fiction fans won’t enjoy it, and if you’re not the type to get a kick from period visuals you might want to give this one miss. But for pure 1950s matinee fun, you can’t do better than THIS ISLAND EARTH.

“Here’s something my wife could use in the house. An interociter incorporating an electron sorter.”
Here’s an interesting bit of trivia (okay, maybe not so much interesting, but worth noting, at least)…seems the film This Island Earth (1955) was one of the first major science fiction features filmed in Technicolor, a process that actually had been around, in various states, since the early twentieth century. Directed by Joseph M. Newman (The Gunfight at Dodge City, Tarzan, the Ape Man), the film stars Rex Reason (The Creature Walks Among Us), Faith Domergue (It Came from Beneath the Sea, Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet), and Jeff Morrow (Kronos, The Giant Claw). Also appearing is Lance Fuller (The She-Creature), Robert Nichols (Giant), and Russell Johnson (Attack of the Crab Monsters), probably best known as `The Professor’, from the mid 1960s series “Gilligan’s Island”.

As the film begins we meet a scientist named Dr. Cal Meacham (Reason), preparing to leave Washington D.C. after attending a conference on atomic energy. Anyway, Cal borrows a jet to fly home (must be nice), and upon arriving, his plane conks out due to some showboating (nice play, Shakespeare), but Cal is saved as a mysterious force takes control and lands the vehicle safely, much to the amazement of Cal and his dopey assistant named Joe (Nichols), who I think is supposed to provide a comedic element for the film, failing miserably I might add. But wait, there’s more…shortly after Cal’s return he receives a catalog featuring advanced electronic components related to assembling something called an `interocitor’, which turns out of be a fancy, schmancy triangular television with some pretty amazing and far out capabilities (actually, it looks a bit like the drive-thru order box at a fast food restaurant, but that’s neither here nor there). Once constructed, Cal receives a message from a melon headed, white haired nerdlinger type named Mr. Exeter (Morrow), who invites Cal to join a mysterious brain trust whose purpose appears to be development of new forms of atomic energy. His curiosity piqued, Cal hops a plane (one which he isn’t piloting, thankfully), and ends up in a remote location somewhere in Georgia where he hooks up with Exeter (apparently he’s dropped the `Mr’ routine), Dr. Ruth Adams (Domergue), another scientist named Steve Carlson (Johnson), among others…eventually Cal learns Exeter is not of this Earth (well duh) and his motives for assembling Team Brainiac not as altruistic as originally stated, which leads to Cal and Ruth trying to escape, only to get beamed aboard Exeter’s spacecraft (commence the probings), complete with swishy doors, and transported to Exeter’s home planet called Metaluna (once you reach Neptune, hang a right and go about three billion miles, look for the Stuckeys and you’re there). As far as what happens next you’ll just have to watch the film, but I will share this, there’s aliens, an honest to goodness flying saucer, ookie mutants with huge brains and oversized claws with a penchant for pinching, killer remote-controlled meteors, some dude named The Monitor (sound ominous, doesn’t it?), matte paintings of fantastic alien landscapes, and so on…

I really liked this film a lot…sure, the acting leaves something to be desired (Rex Reason probably could have been replaced with a tree and few would have noticed), but there appeared to be a real sense of ambition towards the presentation of the material. The main strength of this film is the special effects, which, in my opinion, come off pretty well. Certainly compared to today’s standards they’ll seem hokey, but I’m betting when the film was originally released audiences were amazed and I’ll doubt few left the theater feeling like they didn’t get their money’s worth. The bits I thought really odd were how some of these so called scientists, at least the ones who didn’t have their minds `toyed’ with, at the Georgia facility seemed so slow on the uptake with regards to figuring out their host was an alien (I would have thought the ginormous cranium a dead giveaway). And then once they did figure it out, no one seemed that surprised or shocked. Honestly, had it been me being abducted and taken a bazillion miles into outer space, ending up on some alien planet I would have been seriously freaking out, but neither Cal nor Ruth really seemed all that upset. Perhaps scientists are made of sturdier stuff than us non-brainy types, of which I consider myself one. As far as the characters there was some promising development early on, but it eventually faded as those introduced fell into homogenous roles (Reason the rugged, masculine hero type, Domergue the attractive screaming mimi in peril, etc.). Morrow’s character of Exeter did seem to have the most potential, in terms of his altering certain plans based on his developing an understanding of humans after spending time with them, but this sort of petered out a bit, taking a backseat to the visual aspects present in the film, which is a fairly common pitfall in the genre, especially in today’s films, in terms of flashy effects superseding the more substantial elements of the story. All in all you can certainly find plenty of fault with this feature, but I’d suggest viewing the film with a slightly less critical eye, as not to miss all the fun.

The picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), does look really good, despite areas that exhibit some minor signs of age (there weren’t any frames missing, but there was some specking here and there). As far as the Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio, I thought it came through very well and had no complaints. There’s not much in the way of extras except for an original theatrical trailer and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French. I was a little surprised at the lack of an audio commentary, especially since I’ve always considered this staple film in the classic science fiction genre, maybe not to the extent of those like The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), The Thing from Another World (1951), or Forbidden Planet (1956), but one still worthy of attention.

Cookieman108

Incidentally, This Island Earth was given the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment, as it was the flick featured when the show made the leap to the big screen back in 1996.

Not Ready for DVD
This is one of the most entertaining and colorful ’50s sci-fi movies. Therefore, I was disappointed that it wasn’t prepped for DVD. The disc has all the little light specks and squiggles that are on the VHS release. Worse, many scenes have a washed-out look not present on VHS.

Compare & Purchase Mackie HD1531 15-inch 3-Way High-Definition Powered Loudspeaker Wholesale

Don’t Pay List Price: $1,499.99

Click Here To See The Discount Price

Mackie HD1531 15-inch 3-Way High-Definition Powered Loudspeaker Description:

The HD1531 3-Way High-Definition Powered Loudspeaker delivers class-leading 1800W of peak system power via ultra-efficient Class-D Fast Recovery™ amplification. The precision crossover, phase and driver time alignment circuitry and revolutionary patented acoustic correction algorithms provide true high-definition sound. Custom transducers and tuning by EAW with pole-mountable, all-wood cabinet construction complete this ultra-compact, high-power PA solution.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17168 in Musical Instruments
• Color: Black
• Brand: Mackie
• Model: HD1531
• Released on: 2009-04-01
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 38.00″ h x 21.00″ w x 22.00″ l, 110.00 pounds

Features

• 1800w Peak System Power
• DSP Powered HD Sound
• Patented Acoustic Correction Algorithms
• 3-Band User EQ
• Pole Mountable

Reviews:

Greatest ACTIVE 3 way SPeaker
Very good
Very Loud
Clean sound
no need for a SUb
i would definately recommend this speaker for Mobile Dj’s Clubs bands etc

List Price: $909.00

Amazon Price: $429.00

Compare & Purchase 0.06 Ct. Round Brilliant Cut Diamond, 14Kt. White Gold. Diamond Solitaire Women’s Band at Amazon by clicking here!

• Amazon Sales Rank: #298167 in Jewelry
• Brand: Jewelry Days

Features

• A single, 0.06 Ct. round brilliant cut diamond is majestically bezel-set in the middle of the band.
• Small, continuous frills form into a diagonal line
• 14Kt. White Gold band
• Also available in 14Kt. Yellow Gold.

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Watch Jennifer’s Body + Digital Copy Blu-ray On iPad

Jennifer’s Body + Digital Copy Blu-ray Description:

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 12/29/2009 Run time: 102 minutes Rating: R

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6400 in DVD
• Brand: 20th Century
• Released on: 2009-12-29
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 102 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0024543631620
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly good
What was it about Jennifer’s Body that made it seem like it would be so worthless upon first glance? Was it due to the fact that it at its heart is a teen horror flick, or the fact that it was written by Diablo Cody, whose darling Juno I just didn’t care for (I know, I know, blasphemy). Regardless of the reason, upon viewing Jennifer’s Body, I can honestly say that it is a surprisingly good, funny, and even enjoyable flick that lampoons its high school setting as much as it celebrates it. Transformers beauty Megan Fox stars as the title character, who is the hottest girl in high school, and ends up falling prey to a devil-worshipping band (led by Adam Brody) who use her as a sacrifice. However, Jennifer ends up coming back to life as a demonic boy-devourer, and it’s soon up to her unlikely BFF Needy (Amanda Seyfried) to save the day, and put an end to Jennifer’s spree. While the film is a play on the sapphic relationships between teen females, there is enough hearty helpings of humor and gore for horror fans to eat up. Combine that with Diablo Cody’s Juno-esque dialogue and surprisingly good turns by Fox and Seyfried, and Jennifer’s Body ends up being surprisingly enjoyable. Give it a chance, you’ll be pleasently surprised.

Blu-ray: As an overall Blu-ray release, “Jennifer’s Body”, Fox, Seyfried and Diablo Cody fans will enjoy the special features!
In 2009, the dark comedy horror film “Jennifer’s Body” would mark the return of award winning writer Diablo Cody (”Juno”, “United States of Tara”) and would feature a collaboration with director Karyn Kusama (”Aeon Flux”, “Girlfight”), actresses Megan Fox (”Transformers” films, “Hope and Faith”) and Amanda Seyfried (”Mamma Mia!”, “Veronica Mars”, “Mean Girls”).

“Jennifer’s Body” which cost around $22 million to make, earned around $33 million worldwide and has received mix ratings from a variety of critics but earning praise from Roger Ebert and Peter Travers of “Rolling Stone Magazine”.

Now “Jennifer’s Body: Unrated” is released on Blu-ray with a special unrated version which includes both the original theatrical version of the film and also an unrated version. The Blu-ray release also includes a digital copy of the film.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Jennifer’s Body” is presented in 1080p High Definition (Widescreen 1:85:1) with AVC @ 26MBPS. Picture quality is pretty solid as you can see the detail in various surfaces around town. A lot of scenes featuring blood, dirt and grime on the characters which is quite detailed onscreen. There is a fine layer of grain, skin tones are natural and blacks are nice and deep.

The lossless audio is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Spanish, French and Portuguese in Dolby Digital 5.1. The audio is dialogue and music driven, so most of the audio is coming from the front and center channels. There are some scenes that utilize the surround channels, from the slight sounds of a police siren, crowd ambiance and some of the action sequences. Some of the bass you hear from the film comes from the music but for the most part, the film is front and center channel driven.

Subtitles are featured in English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Jennifer’s Body: Unrated” comes with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody (Theatrical Version) – An enjoyable commentary featuring director Kusama and writer Diablo Cody discussing the unique script and the structure of the film.
* Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama (Extended Version) – While watching the film, a red box will show up on the corner (indicating an extended scene) in which you can hear Karyn discussing the differences of the theatrical version from the extended version of the film and how the extended version of the film which is much more closer to the original script.
* Deleted Scenes – (13:55) Six Deleted scenes which include the following deleted scenes: Dead Boys, Jennifer Check Is Gross, Needy Confronts Jennifer, Who’s Cindy Crawford?, Needy Faces The Band, Ass, Gas or Grass…
* Gag Reel- (4:55) Bloopers from “Jennifer’s Body”.
* Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool – (13:59) The cast and crew (including writer Diablo Cody, directory Karyn Kusama and the producers) talk about the concept of the film and working with the main talent of the film. And filming of the pool scene and the visual effects and make up effects involved.
* Video Diaries – Video diaries from behind-the-scenes on the set of “Jennifer’s Body” featuring Megan Fox and Johnny Simmons (12:49), Amanda Seyfried (10:23), Diablo Cody (7:05) and Dan Dubiecki (3:02).
* Megan Fox Is HOT – (:53) A short special feature showcasing the sexy scenes of Megan Fox from the film.
* Megan Fox “Peer Pressure” PSA – (:37) A naughty public service announcement for “Peer Pressure” (ala promotion for “Jennifer’s Body”).
* Fox Movie Channel Presents `Life After Film School’ With Writer Diablo Cody – (26:26) An interesting episode of “Life After Film School” with the three film students interview writer Diablo Cody about the film, her career, working with director Karyn Kusama, Megan Fox and more. Definitely love listening to Diablo Cody discuss her perspective of life and writing.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I suppose that there are horror fans who felt cheated that “Jennifer’s Body” was less of a horror, teenage slasher film (despite it having horror elements) and was more of a film that was character driven and really focused on the relationships between Needy and Jennifer.

“Jennifer’s Body” is quite interesting because Diablo Cody is pretty good of writing films, her way, her style and it’s a carefree style of showing school popularity and the cruelness that happens amongst students. And what better way to take on the role of Jennifer than Megan Fox who has wanted to play this type of role.

But “Jennifer’s Body” for the most part is not a great film nor is it the worst film ever made. I suppose it all comes down to the viewer and what they were expecting. Looking for a slasher/gory type of film, well “Jennifer’s Body” has scenes that look quite disgusting but for the most part, it’s not a scary film. In a way, “Jennifer’s Body” plays more like a “Lost Boys” style of film with the music, dark groups of students in town where bad things happening. Also, the film manages to incorporate dark humor to the violence, teenage life and relationships.

But everything comes full circle at the end of the film and I really dig how “Jennifer’s Body” ends so rock n’ roll but with tragedy. A possible sequel in the future? Who knows.

Megan Fox did a fine job, this may not be the role that utilizes her in a non-sex kitten serious role but for Amanda Seyfried, she really shined in “Jennifer’s Body” portraying a variety of emotions from anger, fear, sadness, you name it. It was really good to see her play the character of Needy since her previous films tend to showcase her in a more ditsy type of role. So, it was good to see her utilized in the film emotionally in a variety of ways.

If you enjoyed the film “Jennifer’s Body: Unrated” comes with a good amount of special features and you get both the theatrical and extended versions of the film and a digital copy. But I really enjoyed how the Blu-ray release also gives us a much more in-depth glimpse of the writer Diablo Cody and her involvement in film. You don’t get to see her shown all that much, so it was really cool to see several features with her.

Personally, for “Jennifer’s Body: Unrated”, it all comes down to the viewer. If you are a guy who wants to see Megan Fox, you’ll dig the film. If you are a big Diablo Cody fan, you’ll dig this Blu-ray release. If you’re wanting to see the film for a scare, well… “Jennifer’s Body” is not exactly that scary. But if you are wanting a popcorn flick that has elements of your favorite teen film and horror elements, you may find the extended version included on this Blu-ray release of “Jennifer’s Body: Unrated” more to your liking.

Dark, sexy and twisted
It’s hard to explain what’s so great about “Jennifer’s Body” really, especially considering its total fail in the box office. Maybe we have to start with origins. For everyone who isn’t aware, the scriptwriter and producer of the movie is Diablo “Juno” Cody. For me that name was enough to give a totally different perspective to a movie I’d otherwise probably never even watch.

“Jennifer’s Body” is a dangerous mix of dark comedy, horror and smartass teeniness. Dangerous because it not only works well very rarely, but it’s also very hard for the audience to get the right mindset to appreciate it. And obviously the movie failed spectacularly in that last regard, but I honestly believe it wasn’t its fault. Because it’s DAMN good! Sure, it has its hick-ups, but “Jennifer’s Body” is smartly written (sometimes TOO smartly), it oozes sexual tension and has one of the best OSTs of the year. It doesn’t really try that hard to scare you, but that doesn’t stop the scary bits from working really well. And then there is the tampon line…

I don’t have any illusions that I’ll somehow turn the tide of hate around. I just wanted to put in my two cents.

Amazon.com

Stills from Jennifer’s Body (Click for larger image)

Watch Jennifer’s Body + Digital Copy Blu-ray On iPad

Compare & Purchase Jennifer’s Body + Digital Copy Blu-ray by clicking here!

Download Killing Me Softly Unrated Edition Free

Amazon.com
It’s easy to identify the biggest attraction of Killing Me Softly: two fetching actors (Heather Graham, Joseph Fiennes) and lots of nudity–especially in the unrated version. It’s harder to choose the bigger liability: the dialogue howlers (as Fiennes binds Graham in ropes, she says, “Sometimes I feel like I don’t know you”) or the incredibly obvious solution to the big mystery. The story is an unofficial update of Hitchcock’s Suspicion: a new wife wonders whether her unbelievably charismatic husband might be a murderer. The Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) turns out to be exactly the wrong director for this overheated slice of l’amour fou in London, but with the hopeless pairing of Graham and Fiennes as the passionate lovers, he didn’t have much of a chance. A nicely romantic Patrick Doyle score is the only reason not to hit the Mute button and enjoy the visuals. –Robert Horton

Killing Me Softly Unrated Edition Sale Here

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4990 in DVD
• Brand: GRAHAM,HEATHER
• Released on: 2003-03-25
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 100 minutes

Oh, brother.
Okay, I freely admit to being a heterosexual male who heard that this film (unrated) had a sexually willing Heather Graham in it, and that the story was passable (I hoped). Please, would somebody send me a hormone inhibitor, so that the next time I feel the need to gaze upon a gorgeous naked woman I will not be subjected to such predictable movie-fare with virtually zero chemistry between any of the actors. For what it’s worth, Heather Graham does look amazing! But all the sex scenes were passionless, staged eye-candy for suckers like me who ended up buying the movie. After watching this I sincerely wanted to watch “Boogie Nights” again to see Heather Graham both act and look incredibly sexy. Near the end of this movie, however, I was nearly laughing at how fake the snow looked. You could actually see where the snow-blowers were blasting the little flakes of “cotton balls?” from behind the trees. Some of the “snow” even got caught in the actors’ hair, making them look like they were being attacked by dust bunnies. It was ridiculous. So, why didn’t I give this 1 star? Well, some of the individual acting was okay. Just “okay.” And I appreciated the feeble attempt at a remake of the Hitchcock classic “Suspicion.” Other than that, this movie is thin, plastic, and cleverly targeted an obviously susceptible demographic: me. Do not watch this film.

A Softcore/Thriller – Killing Me Softly
Perhaps I got wrapped up in the sex scenes, it was easy to do but I thought this was a first rate well done soft porn movie, perhaps the best I’ve seen. Killing Me Softly opens a sensuous window into the highly erotic coupling and de-coupling (literally and metaphorically) of two most attractive individuals. Though this movie failed to capture the imagination of most movie reviewers, it did capture mine!

Though there are many actors in this movie, it is centered on and revolves around the trinity of Adam, Alice and Deborah (Adam’s sister). Alice is a normal girl with a live in boyfriend and a good eight to five job, that is until, on the way to work one morning, she runs into Adam.

Adam (Joseph Fiennes) and Alice (Heather Graham) meet at a crosswalk, while she’s waiting to cross the street to work. Their eyes lock, Adam smiles and Alice is smitten. Within two minutes, after a taxi ride to Adam’s home, with animalistic urgency, our lustful pair is energetically copulating on the living room floor. Is this a courtship made in heaven? I don’t think so. Alice didn’t even find out his name until the next day, when she went over to a book store across the street from where she works, where she had seen him in the previous day and found out he’s the subject of a book, a famous a famous mountain climber, Adam Tallis.

After a couple of penetrating sexual-therapy sessions and after dumping her dumpy live in boyfriend, Alice returns for another encore and meets Adam’s sister Deborah (Natascha McElhone), who looks suspiciously like a young Jane Seymour. After some pleasant enough girlie talk she sends Alice off the Adam’s real house. It seems Adam was using her flat while she was out of town.

Soon the newly free Alice moves in with Adam and their romance blossoms and they are in love but then she gets what appears to be a crank letter and that gets her thinking, what does she know about Adam and then there’s that padlocked closet in his bedroom.

After, Adam saves an overwhelmed and grateful Alice from a mugger, she agrees to get hitched but even after their marriage the letters keep coming and then she finds out that Adam’s girlfriend was killed in a climbing accident. All of a sudden Alice is in a panic trying to find out everything she can about the man she’s married to.

SUMMARY

One has to wonder whether this is a thriller with a wildly erotic undertone woven in or a pleasantly erotic film with a suspenseful base. I think of it as the latter. The film, at one hundred minutes, seems to move quite well with no flat spots and the actors appear to be well suited for their parts. Fiennes did an excellent job of portraying a serious, intense individual with a powerful personality. One could understand why the slightly naïve, sensitive character of Alice would gravitate to the overpowering personality of Adam. Graham and McElhone also nailed their respective parts of Alice and the sister Deborah.

I also thought the director did a good job although to hear a lot of the critics, you think he failed miserably, in fact of the critics of moviedom only about twenty percent gave this movie a favorable rating overall.

CONCLUSION

Sorry I’m going to respectfully agree to disagree with the critics and reviewers. There is just too much passionate lusty sex and too much nudity to not consider this film Softcore and in comparison to the many other Softcore movies I’ve seen, this should be up for a Softcore Academy Award.

If you’re wondering why you never saw this movie in the theater(I’m speaking to American readers), it’s because after showing in theaters in Europe and elsewhere it was released directly on DVD in the states.

Considering the Talent Involved, the Film is Disappointing
“Killing Me Softly” is not that Roberta Flack song Hugh Grant sang on stage in “About a Boy.” It is the film version of thriller of the same name written by Nicci French (a pen name of husband-wife team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French). But what is most attractive is not the origin of the film; it is the first English-speaking film by the critically acclaimed Chinese director Chen Kaige, known for his masterpieces like “Farewell My Concubine” and “Yellow Earth.” And this thriller set in modern London stars Heather Graham and Jeseph Fiennes (credits in that order), plus Natascha McElhone (”Ronin”) and special appearance of Ian Hart (the first “Harry Potter”) . So, you ask me, why should I give only two stars? Wait a minute, please, but I tell you the story first.

Heather Graham is Alice, an American, living in London for 18 months and working as a web site designer there. She has an English boyfriend (who watches football games on TV), but one morning on her way to office she meets Joseph Fiennes’s world-famous mountain climber Adam when Alice accidentally touches his hand, waiting for the signal on the street. She instantly falls in love with him madly; even in her office she cannot shake off his image; and finally she follows him, goes to his house, and just wants him. All these things happen in about 5 hours of a day.

And they get married. But soon Alice learns that she does not know anything about his past, not surprisingly. Then, anonymous letters warning her about him start to come. Then, Alice begins to suspect that Adam, behind his wild character, is trying to hide some horrible secret that might be connected with the terrible accident that happened on the mountain. Or is that really an accident?

OK. This is a thriller which uses a premise: “Can you trust your husband?” Yes, once Hitchcock did it (the title should remain unnamed, but you might remember that breathtaking car-running-by-the-cliff scene). For the reasons below, “Killing Me Softly” never achieves that height. The film is thrill-free, and is saddled with incredible plot and creaky dialogues. I don’t like to talk like this especially when I like Heather Graham very much, but before I write this review, I checked it on video, and sorry, but I cannot still change my mind. (I am a Japanese, and was lucky to see the film earlier than many people in the world as the film was theatrically released here in Feb. 2002, one year before American release). Yes, thrill is gone.

What happened? Joseph Fiennes does his best, so does Heather Graham, but there is no chemistry between them that might make us believe in their love-turns-fear relation. Furthermore, the director Chen Kaige is too intent on portraying the sex scenes of them, many of them describing … how do you say in English … a sort of kinky stuff. (So, if you really want to see my point, see the unrated version.) Besides, what can we audience do but giggle when we see usually great Fiennes holds a poor panting goldfish on his palm, to illustrate the lack of oxygen up among the high mountains? Or when Heather is mugged in the street of London, robbed of her bag, and Fiennes chases the robber desperately, hits the guys’s head against the telephone booth (breaking the glass), and beats the hapless criminal (but which?) to pulp? And see what they would do after that (I keep that part secret for you). In short, everything is too unbelievable, even by the standard of melodrama or potboiler.

There is, however, some good points about the film. The photography is very beautiful, capturing the lively feelings of the streets of London, and it is no so-called “postcard” beauty. British photographer Micheal Coulter is famous for his works like “Four Weddings and a Funeral” “Notting Hill,” and “Sense and Sensibility” and his London is strangely other-worldly feeling, I mean, totally different London. The film is always stylish, and the soundtrack is by Patrick Doyle even though his music (good itself) tends to hammer as if to instruct us what to feel.

It is cruel to say this, I know, but “Killing Me Softly” is, considering the talent involved, a great disappointment. The film may gain a cult status, and if you ask me whether I like it or not, I say I like it. But will I recommend this to my friends? No.

One last curious thing; one of the executive-producers is Ivan Reitman (”Evolution” “Twins” and others).

Download Killing Me Softly Unrated Edition Free

List Price: $532.00

Amazon Price: $266.00

Compare & Purchase AA 14″ Regular Hi Hat Cymbals Brilliant Finish at Amazon by clicking here!

Combines bright pedal ‘chick’ and crisp, full-bodied sticking with solid wash when open. AA cymbals combine musicality and energy for sounds that are bright, bold and explosive. Reinforced with the power and strength of multi-rolled, secret-process …

• Brand: Sabian

Customer Reviews:

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Download The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete Fifth Season for Xbox 360, wii, PSP, PS3, iPod, iPad, iPhone, and Blu Ray Free

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete Fifth Season Description:

This season, Will (Will Smith) finds himself in all sorts of hysterical predicaments. He manages to land a part in a daytime soap. He’s put into a trance by a stage hypnotist, who gets him to behave like a four-year-old and even takes a bullet for Carlton. But a life-changing event awaits Will when he meets Lisa (Nia Long). Before we know it, he’s in love, engaged and standing before the minister. Will they go through with the wedding? As for the others in the Banks household, Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) finds herself abandoning her private school education in exchange for public school. Hillary (Karyn Parsons) prepares to leave the nest. Vivian (Daphne Maxwell Reid) reminisces about Philip’s (James Avery) marriage proposal when they appeared on Soul Train 25 years earlier.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2598 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2010-05-11
• Rating: Unrated
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: French
• Number of discs: 3
• Dimensions: .55 pounds
• Running time: 650 minutes

Compare & Purchase The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete Fifth Season by clicking here!

Customer Reviews:

WOO HOO!!! IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE, IT’S FINALLY HERE!!!
I love all movies, television shows and videos Will Smith has ever been in! I’ve been very patient, now it is time to start bringing my collection of “Fresh Prince of Bellaire” to a close! If you like clean cut family fun and entertainment, with a life lesson or two, then this is the series you want to get! I recommend the entire collection 1-6. Will Smith is an awsome rapper/actor and I love his work! SO THANKS FOR SEASON FIVE AND COME ON SEASON SIX!!! I am a huge fan!

Someone pinch me!
I can’t even believe this day has come. I imagined that we would never see season five on DVD. Amazing! Fingers crossed that the sixth season is released soon too! =]

its about darn time!!
well i’m so happy and relieved that they are finally releasing season 5 since that long wait. A funny sitcom with good actor Will Smith. Can’t wait!!

Download The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete Fifth Season for Xbox 360, wii, PSP, PS3, iPod, iPad, iPhone, and Blu Ray Free

Compare & Purchase Hoosiers Blu-ray at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $24.99

Amazon Price: $9.99

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Hoosiers Blu-ray Description:

Nominated* for two Oscars(r) and hailed by Sports Illustrated and ESPN as one of the best sports movies of all time, this triumphant tale of a high school basketball team’s long-shot attempt to win the state championship is filled with edge-of-your-seat suspense and breathless excitement! Featuring “fast-break cinematography that catches the pace of the game.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1692 in DVD
• Brand: MGM
• Released on: 2007-03-13
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Spanish, French
• Subtitled in: Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 115 minutes

Customer Reviews:

Magical
From the opening scenes of this film–majestic shots of a car traveling the rural midwest on a crisp autumn morning–HOOSIERS serves notice to the viewer that he or she is in for a wonderful movie experience. Set in a tiny Indiana town half a century ago, HOOSIERS captures the look and feel of rural Americana, of a hardworking people with a single commonality: their love for basketball. The pure innocence of this film, innocence long lost over the subsequent decades, is magical.

Gene Hackman portrays Coach Norman Dale, an outsider who comes to basketball-crazy Hickory, Indiana, to coach the high school team. Haunted by mistakes made in his past, Dale is eager for the second chance he has been given. Immediately, his no-nonsense, stress-the-fundamentals coaching philosophy puts him at odds with the town, yet Dale refuses to compromise his principles. He survives–barely–a petition for his ouster, and the rest of the movie warmly portrays the town of Hickory and its high school basketball team coming together, a team that makes a magical run through the Indiana State Tournament.

Barbara Hershey as Myra Fleener, Hickory’s assistant principal, and Sheb Wooley as superintendent/principal Cletus–the man who hires Dale–are solid. Yet Dennis Hopper gives the best performance as Wilbur “Shooter” Flatch. Shooter, a former great player himself and father of one of the boys on Coach Dale’s team, is the town drunk; despite his alcoholism, his knowledge of the game is immense, and Dale enlists his aid. The reformation of this character–the feeling and depth that Hopper gives this role–is exceptional.

Director David Anspaugh gives us a sensational “feel good” movie, augmented by Jerry Goldsmith’s powerful musical score. HOOSIERS tells a beautiful story, so magical in its depiction you’ll be cheering from your chair. Highly recommended.

MUCH MORE THAN GREATEST SPORTS MOVIE OF ALL TIME!
It is purely coincidental that the backdrop for this movie happens to be high school basketball or sports of any kind: This is a genuinely great movie, leaving the audience feeling good about themselves and willing to search for a second chance at success in life, no matter how great the failure. A one-word description of the movie? REDEMPTION. This theme runs throughout, i.e., a second chance…for the town drunk, for the coach, for the wannabe assistant coach, for the old-maid school teacher, for the team, for Jimmy Chitwood, for the drunk’s son, for Strap, for the town, for the principal, for the players who quit, for the equipment manager, for the school bus…with the movie on video, you now have a second chance to watch and enjoy this great movie! It is worth the redemption price! If you already have seen it, after reading this review you may see it through a different perspective; if you have not seen it, I know you will thoroughly enjoy it, over and over again. Hoosiers is not just my favorite sports movie, it is my favorite movie of all time. The movie truly is about redemption, about people failing and being given a second chance. Some handle it better than others, but it cuts a true slice out of life in the 1950s and the 2000s! We should all get that kind of second chance! The best part is, we do. Those who succeeded in Hoosiers accepted their second chance and made something of it. I watch this movie any time that life hands me a setback or any time that I fail or fall. It is a better pick-me-up than any anti-depressant. So, wipe your slate clean and watch Hoosiers again for the first time!

A beautiful moment in time captured in a truly beautiful film
I was born in Gary, Indiana in 1953, the year before tiny Milan High captured the Indiana State High School Basketball Championship. As most boys who grew up in Indiana, this Cinderella tale was a familiar one to me — and the true story this film was based on.

Last year, in preparation of attending the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Indianapolis with my 11-year-old daughter, I purchased this Collector’s Edition DVD to share with her. Although today I live a world away in the heart of Silicon Valley, I will forever remember the part of my childhood that was Hoosier Hysteria.

Of what it was like to play in the annual state tourney, when every school, no matter how big or small, was thrown together into the same fire and born again every March whether their regular-season record was 25-0 or 0-25. Single elimination, do or die, winner take all.

The excitement and hype leading up to the opening games of the first-round Sectional … of the pride and joy that engulfed the entire communities of the 64 winners who advanced to the Regional … and then, for a god-like 16 teams, the Semistate … and ultimately, the originally named Final Four. I can’t begin to describe it for you, but this film comes close, really close.

My daughter has played basketball since she was in the third grade, and competes today on a traveling AAU team. She is 10 times the player I ever was at her age, but it is impossible for her to imagine a world without women professional athletes, cell phones or the Internet. And whenever I would tell her about what basketball was — and still is — like in Indiana, she would roll her eyes.

Fortunately, I had this film to show her. And a few months later, she experienced the real thing, making the pilgrimage with me down the two-lane backroad blacktops to Milan, where we met the caretaker of the 1954 Milan Museum, Roselyn McKittrick, and later that day, dined with Bobby Plump himself, known as Bobby Chitwood in the film.

I have a photograph of my daughter wearing a red Hickory High — the fictional school in the film representing Milan — jersey, holding the ball that Bobby arched high into the Butler Fieldhouse sky that fine and glorious day more than 50 years ago and into history.

This is a rare film in that it somehow captures that special time, that place, that joy. How and why does not matter, only that it does. The tears that falll whenever I watch it are proof enough of that.

This Collector’s Edition compliments the original release by including recent interviews with Bobby, the two writer-producers who (as did I) attended Indiana University in the early 1970s, some deleted scenes that shed new light on the storyline, even a glorious B&W archived copy of the 1954 state championship game in its entirety.

A beautiful moment in time captured in a truly beautiful film.

Or, as my daughter later remarked to me, “You know Dad, basketball really is different in Indiana.”

Amazon.com
One of the most rousingly enjoyable sports movies ever made, this small-town drama tells the story of the Hickory Huskers, an underdog basketball team from a tiny Indiana high school that makes it all the way to the state championship tournament. It’s a familiar story, but sensitive direction and a splendid screenplay helped make this one of the best films of 1986, highlighted by the superb performances of Gene Hackman as the Huskers’ coach, and Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper as the alcoholic father of one of the team’s key players. As the drama unfolds we come to realize that many of the characters (including Barbara Hershey as a schoolteacher with whom Hackman falls in love) are recovering from disappointing setbacks, and this depth of character is what makes the otherwise conventional basketball story so richly rewarding. Like Rocky, Rudy, and Breaking Away, this is a quintessentially American movie about beating the odds and rising above one’s own limitations. Just try to watch it without cheering! –Jeff Shannon

NCIS: A solid Season 1 for this well acted, entertaining, and fun show!
Television is an medium which cannibilizes its own successes, where one hit show inspires more variations on the same formula every pilot season. Those shows that invariably succeed do so because they take a formula and make it unique to their show. This is the case with NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It first appeared to be a combination of CSI and JAG, not shocking considering JAG producer Bellisario’s involvement as creator and executive producer and CSI’s overwhelming success. What it showed throughout its first season is that NCIS stands out in its own right through clever writing and great acting, making for solid, entertaining TV drawing a devoted fan base.

NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, responsible for crimes by and against members of the United States Navy and US Marine Corps. The team of NCIS agents introduced in Season 1 is led by former Marine Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), a tough no-nonsense leader and interrogator. The team also includes ex-homicide detective Special Agent Anthony DiNozzi (Michael Weatherly), former Secret Service Special Agent Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander), goth forensics expert Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), computer specialist and rookie Agent Tim McGee (Sean Murray),(McGee appears in a cameo role 6 episodes in and quickly becomes a reoccuring character. By season 2 he is a full timer) and quirky coroner Doctor Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum). Each actor does an exceptional job developing their character, especially Perrette who makes Abby one of the best and most intriguing characters on TV.

In Season 1, the team investigates a broad range of crimes from the apparent parachute death of a Marine, sniper attacks against a Marine recruiter, the disappearance of a service member, and the infiltration of a Navy base by a suspected terrorist. The twists and turns are frequent and the tension is kept high. The dialogue between the team members while on the case is especially fun, the writers really making an effort to hint at deeper personalities while keeping a balance between funny and dramatic. There are some minor stumbling blocks, occasional episodes that are less than perfect, but overall , Season 1 was a runaway hit. Expect NCIS to remain a top show for CBS for many more years.

The Season 1 box set contains 23 episodes, for a total running time of almost 17 hours. It begins with Yankee White, the first offical NCIS episode. It does not contain the 2-Part JAG episodes (the murder of LT Loren Singer) that introduced the NCIS team and concept. The set is in Dolby Stereo and 16×9 widescreen, and contains three featurettes: Creating Season 1, Building the Team, Defining the Look. The featurettes run about 20 minutes each, and have some great interviews with the cast and creater Bellisario. There is also an audio commentary by Bellisario for episode “Yankee White”. This box set is a must buy for NCIS or JAG fans and for fans of solid, entertaining television shows that don’t insult your intelligence. Order your box set today and start working the case!

A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO

Starts with a bang…and keeps going from there…
*SPOILER*
Killing a main character in the second season cliffhanger is a pretty shocking way to set up a third season. Ending with a bang, literally, NCIS returns with a excellent third season with the right combination of wit, drama, and cast. This is good television. And you dont let good television sit on the shelf too long, so hot on the heels of the release of the Second Season on DVD is the April release of the complete Season Three of NCIS.

NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, responsible for crimes by and against members of the United States Navy and US Marine Corps. The team of NCIS agents introduced in Season 1 is led by former Marine Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), a tough no-nonsense leader and interrogator. The team also includes ex-homicide detective Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), Mossad agent Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), goth forensics expert Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), computer specialist and rookie Agent Tim McGee (Sean Murray), and quirky coroner Doctor Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum). Season Three witnesses the aftermath of Kate Todd’s murder by Ari, the introduction of Mossad agent Ziva David, and increased screen time for McGee and Abby. Harmon again does a knockout job as the lead, with his best work coming in the season premiere, as he grieves over the loss of Kate. Micheal Weatherley and Sean Murray continue to develop their competitive older-younger brother relationship, Perrette lights up the screen as Abby, and David McCallum delivers a refined and dignified performance.

Season three began with the two part episode Kill Ari 1 and 2, which examined the aftermath of Kate’s death and the hunt for Ari. The introduction of Ziva and Director Jenny Shephard (Lauren Holly) seemed out of place and awkward considering the emotional tone, and it took five or six episodes for Ziva to be less of a cardboard character and more a part of the team. Her first really impressive episode came with Tony in the solid “Under Covers”. Some of the better episodes include “Probie”, when McGee shoots a man who turns out to be an undercover cop, “Mind Games”, where Gibbs goes head-to-head with a serial killer, “Bait” which showcases a great performance by Weatherley. The season-ending Hiatus Parts 1 and 2 are decent episodes up to the last five minutes, which are incredibly rushed in order to get to the cliffhanger of Gibbs quitting NCIS.

The Season Three DVD box set contains all 24 episodes in widescreen for a total running time of almost 17 hours. Because of its quick turn-around time on the release, the extras are not as good as Season One, with only a few commentaries and featurettes anticipated. That is the unfortunate trade-off, but given that we get another full season of NCIS on DVD so quickly, its not a bad deal. Fans of the show will quickly snap this up, for those who have never watched before, if you liked JAG, CSI, or Bones, you will like this show. NCIS Season Three demonstrates exactly why this show is such a big hit. The DVD is on shelves in April. Highly Recommended.

A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO

Excellent Second Season of NCIS hits stores on November 14th.
The sophomore season for most television dramas is usually the most difficult. One has to build on the success of the first season, identify and create the themes and story arcs for upcoming seasons, and retain the unique qualities that made the show successful in the first place. Led by executive producer Donald Bellisario, NCIS crafted a much stronger second season full of tension, drama, great mysteries, and a shocking conclusion. This is good television. And you dont let good television sit on the shelf too long, so hot on the heels of the release of the First Season on DVD is the November 14 release of the complete Season Two of NCIS.

NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, responsible for crimes by and against members of the United States Navy and US Marine Corps. The team of NCIS agents introduced in Season 1 is led by former Marine Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), a tough no-nonsense leader and interrogator. The team also includes ex-homicide detective Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), former Secret Service Special Agent Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander), goth forensics expert Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), computer specialist and rookie Agent Tim McGee (Sean Murray), and quirky coroner Doctor Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum). Season Two sees the actors further developing their characters, imbuing them with warmth and hinting at complex backstories sure to be explained in future episodes. Harmon does a knockout job as a lead, and Weatherley and Sean Murray create a competitive older-younger brother relationship that is just right. Perrette is a force of nature in every episode and lights up the screen as Abby. Sasha Alexander does well as Kate, but there is just something missing, which could explain why Season Two ended as it did.

In Season Two, the team investigates the usual range of kidnappings, murders, and discovered bodies. Cleverly learning from the strongest episodes in Season One, Season Two gets us more involved in the characters and the show by putting them in harm’s way, creating a lasting emotional buy-in. Tony goes undercover and goes missing in Chained, while Ducky is hunted by a killer in The Meat Puzzle, and Kate and Tony are stuck in a biohazard room after exposure to a bio agent in SWAK. Other standout episodes include An Eye for an Eye, Conspiracy Theory, and Lt. Jane Doe. The season ending episode Twilight sees the return of the Mossad-trained diabolical agent Ari, who held Ducky and Kate captive in Season One. The episode is a major changing point in the show, and sets up Season Three with a bang, figuratively. Though there are some clunker episodes like the video game spilling into real life episode Red Cell, even the bad episodes are worth watching because of the cast. Their relationship with one another is what drives the show.

The Season Two DVD box set contains all 23 episodes in widescreen for a total running time of almost 17 hours. Because of its quick turn-around time on the release, the extras are not as good as Season One, with only a few audio commentaries and a featurette. That is the unfortunate trade-off, but given that we get a full season of NCIS on DVD so quickly, its not a bad deal. Fans of the show will quickly snap this up, for those who have never watched before, if you liked JAG, CSI, or Bones, you will like this show. NCIS Season Two demonstrates exactly why this show is such a big hit. The DVD is on shelves on November 14th, one week after JAG Season Two releases. Preorder your copy today.

A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service – The Complete First Season Description:

Purchase NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service – The Complete First Season by clicking here!

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1206 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
• Released on: 2006-06-06
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 6
• Formats: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 6
• Dimensions: .75 pounds
• Running time: 1009 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0097360453645
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Download NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service – The Complete First Season for Xbox 360, wii, PSP, PS3, iPod, iPad, iPhone, and Blu Ray