Wild Hogs (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

A coming-of-age story starring a bunch of fiftysomething stars rather than teenage actors, Wild Hogs is a well-intentioned comedy starring John Travolta (Woody), Tim Allen (Doug), Martin Lawrence (Bobby), and William H. Macy (Dudley) as a group of Midwesterners facing their own versions of mid-life crises. They decide to escape their frazzled personal lives and rejuvenate themselves by taking a road trip on their slick hogs. But their journey is less Easy Rider than it is Three Amigos (plus one). As individual actors, each lead is a formidable star. But throw them all together into one crammed screenplay full of scatological humor and uncomfortable homosexual gags and it doesn't quite work. The actors spend so much time trying to outdo each other on screen that they aren't believable as friends, much less comrades. Walt Becker (National Lampoon's Van Wilder) offers minimal direction on a film that could've used some reining in, especially during scenes between Macy and Marisa Tomei (as a diner owner who inexplicably falls for him). There are promises of some interesting vignettes when Ray Liotta shows up as Jack, the leader of a real motorcycle gang. When Jack threatens to break Dudley's legs, Dudley counters, "I'm a computer programmer! I don't need my legs." Without missing a beat, Jack says, "Fine, we'll break his hands." It's not that the lines are so funny, but they way Liotta delivers them that adds some life to this flailing comedy. Unfortunately, his scenes with the rest of the cast are all too few. --Jae-Ha Kim

Stills from Wild Hogs (click for larger image)

Description

Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy star in Wild Hogs, the hysterically funny comedy about four weekend-warrior friends who decide to rev up their ho-hum suburban lives with a cross-country motorcycle adventure. They don their leathers, fire up their hogs and throw caution and their cell phones to the wind as they hit the open highway. A lot can happen on the road to nowhere, including a run-in with the bad-to-the-bone Del Fuegos, a real biker gang who don't take kindly to the wannabes. Filled with hilarious misadventures, screwball situations and madcap mayhem, this laugh-out-loud comedy is a movie your whole family will go hog wild over.

Customer Reviews:

A must see for bikers.......2007-09-17

Wild Hogs is a hilarious look at midlife crisis in a group of 4 friends. A must see for bikers. I laughed throughout the whole movie !!

Funny.......2007-09-17

Wiliam Macy certainly made this movie. without him it would have been a complete dud. All in all, I would recommend watching this movie

Funny!.......2007-09-17

Very funny movie - great actors, cute story, nice ending. Hits pretty close to home for those of us of "that age"...

FUNNY!.......2007-09-17

I laughed so hard during this movie. The movie was just down right funny. Great for the whole family to watch. This is one movie I will watch over and over again!

Great Movie.......2007-09-17

Saw this movie in the theater - when it became available to purchase, it was a must have for my limited collection.

Average customer rating:

Not What I Expected!
300
Very Good Product
This is Sparta!
Real Spartans Don't Eat Quiche - THEY DINE IN HELL!!!!

300 [Blu-ray]
Starring: Gerard Butler , and Lena Headey
Director: Zack Snyder
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000Q6GX5Y
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Product Description

Warner Brothers 300 (Blu-ray)
The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller ("Sin City") assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual stylefaithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.

Customer Reviews:

Not What I Expected!.......2007-09-17

All the reviews of 300 have elaborated on its extensive CGI, and I'm someone that thinks computers are used way too much in movies already. But this one is different. Rather than using CGI to make things hyper-real, the approach here was to achieve an artistic vision. The "look" of the film is difficult to describe, and previous attempts to do so fail to explain how it perfectly suits the historical setting. Unlike many recent films, the CGI in 300 doesn't give the impression that it was used as an "easy way out". Far from it, the fabulous environment couldn't have been done any other way. A beautifully crafted film that looks great on Blu-Ray!

300.......2007-09-15

One of the best movies of the year, both graphics and over-the-top acting. You gotta give Snyder and the whole crew credit for the effort put into this. Plus the transfer onto Blu-ray is amazing.

Very Good Product.......2007-09-14

Very good quality Blue-Ray, the spirit of the movie is the same as in the cinema version, beautiful images. Great movie!

This is Sparta!.......2007-09-09

If this movie doesn't get you in the mood to strap on armor and pickup a sword and shield then you have something wrong with you! This adaptation of Frank Miller's depiction of the Battle of Thermopalye is guaranteed to get your heart pumping with its stirring battle scenes and talk of "Freedom". For you historians, some winking and nodding must be done to Miller's version, but it is still a a lot of fun. Enjoy it for what it is, a loose adaptation of a classic story. Contrary to what the queen says, you will enjoy this!

Real Spartans Don't Eat Quiche - THEY DINE IN HELL!!!!.......2007-09-08

300--director Zack Snyder's faithful, if controversial, adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel--is a visually striking, though loosely interpreted, telling of the now-immortal Battle of Thermopylae.

Over a three-day period in 480 BC, King Leonidas and his three hundred Spartan bodyguards--with the assistance of about seven hundred Thespians and few thousand volunteers from other Greek city-states--fought the massive armies (estimated in most ancient accounts to have exceeded one million) of Persian Emperor Xerxes I at the Pass of Thermopylae on the Gulf of Malis. Through martial skill, fearlessness, and sheer audacity, Leonidas and his warriors held off the Persians long enough for the Athenians to prepare their navy to defeat the Persians at the Battle of Salamis, and thus save Greece.

The Battle of Thermopylae is a timeless tale of valor and honor. It takes its place in history with other legendary military standoffs--such as the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where a few hundred Texans held off the Mexican army for thirteen days, and the 1939 "Winter War," the World War II battle in which Finnish forces repelled over one million Russian invaders. Why, then, would a cinematic retelling of this remarkable event of so long ago prompt argument and debate today?

Historical film epics are rarely contentious enterprises nowadays, precisely because they portray events long since past. The ones that do spark heated debate tend to have religious themes, such as The Passion of the Christ and The DaVinci Code. If there's any blasphemy to be found in 300, it's against oracles and deities long since relegated to the dustbin of piety. Certainly there was little controversy in 1962 when Miller's original inspiration, director Rudolph Maté's The 300 Spartans, was released. So what's happened in the forty-five intervening years to make Snyder's remake-of-sorts so controversial?

In a word: multiculturalism.

Just as in the days of the ancient Greeks, the theme of saving the civilized West from barbaric Asiatic hordes is made quite explicit in 300, and given voice by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler): "A new age has begun, an age of freedom. And all will know that three hundred Spartans gave their last breath to defend it . . .The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many."

But unlike the days of the ancient Greeks, it's now verboten to suggest the superiority, let alone the preferability, of Western culture to any other--including, presumably, Persian culture. And therein lies the controversy over this film. As "civilized people," we're not supposed to like war, much less relish military victory or the enemy's demise. Hell, we can't even use the word "enemy" anymore to describe the enemy. These days, when Hollywood goes to war, our fighting men are represented--at best--by that ubiquitous fixture of modern cinema, the "reluctant warrior."

In contrast, Leonidas's Spartans are hardly reluctant: Born and bred since childhood to fight for their military city-state, they're professional soldiers who revel in the sting of battle. Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) sends an officer to present an ultimatum to his vastly outnumbered foe: "Spartans, lay down your weapons!" Rather than accommodating the Persians (as, say, the British Navy did circa 2007 AD), Leonidas roars back: "Persians, come and get them!"

In all of battle lore, Thermopylae stands as the ultimate "David versus Goliath" confrontation of civilizations. To most people familiar with Italian Renaissance art, this legend conjures in their minds the great statues by Donatello and Michelangelo. Both are nude figures of the young Hebrew warrior. Donatello's David is but a boy. Without a care in the world, he leans on his sword with one hand, his other hand resting effeminately against his hip. Think of the eternally boyish Leonardo DiCaprio or Elijah Wood. More famous is Michelangelo's manlier David. He's muscular and stands erect, gazing off in serene contemplation. But, while Michelangelo captures David's physical beauty and agility, his is a static, motionless fighter; the sculpture merely hints at the decisive moment ahead. Think Brad Pitt in Troy.

Any David who would have a chance of felling the monstrous Philistine had better be credible--one tough s.o.b. Baroque-era sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini depicts just that kind of David--not naked, but clothed in soldier's tunic, coiled back to fling the rock at Goliath. Bernini freezes his hero in motion: Taut, fierce, and grimacing, Bernini's magnificent figure conveys both the intent and the execution of his bold, violent act.

The genius of 300 lies in Snyder's and cinematographer Larry Fong's ability to dramatize that same highly stylized sense of kinetic energy and unfreeze it. In particular, as Leonidas, the burly, bearded Scottish actor Gerard Butler is Bernini's David brought to life.

Many reviewers have touted 300's "comic book" visual sensibility. To me, it doesn't look like a comic book at all, but rather like an oil painting set in motion. In fact, anyone familiar with Frank Miller's striking illustrations will note the same qualities in those works. Using a color scheme of burnished tones, 300 manifests a sophisticated visual unity that owes much more to Jacques-Louis David's painting The Oath of the Horatii (1785) and Akira Kurosawa's film Ran (1985) than it does to Spider-Man or The Fantastic Four. The rich, gorgeous Technicolor prints further intensify the viewing experience.

This visual stylization is one reason why 300 seems more real than the more historically accurate The 300 Spartans--even though the original was shot on location in Greece, while Snyder filmed his entirely on soundstages in Quebec. For example, the new, stylized Spartan is divested of his breastplate in favor of a uniform that makes him look like a cross between Kirk Douglas in his Spartacus get-up and wrestler Hulk Hogan in leather briefs. But the 1962 movie was filmed mostly from a distance, and the actors' stiff performances were even more distant. The battle scenes looked like re-enactments; you could tell those Spartans were just a bunch of extras holding spears and shields.

Not so with this crew: While the scenery in 300 may have been rendered by CGI artists, the six-pack abs and bulging biceps on these Spartans are real, the product of a grueling five-month-long exercise regimen in which the actors also got Marine Corps "Oorah!" attitude training. And instead of remote, set-piece battle scenes, Snyder gives us relentless, in-your-face combat--beautifully choreographed bloodletting. He conveys with blinding clarity how the Spartans could pull off such a sustained, concerted defense against a numerically superior force. When they go into their phalanx battle formation, you immediately realize why individual soldiers became such a deadly weapon when they fought in unison, something the 1962 film barely depicted.

I could tell 300 was going to be a smash hit when the intelligentsia descended upon this movie, unleashing all the sneering invective their vocabularies could muster--from "militaristic" and "fascistic" to "testosterone-laden" and "jingoistic." Typical was Andrew Sarris, reigning "dean" of American film critics, writing in the New York Observer:

"300 was as pathetically puerile as I had expected. Yet I can't say that it wasn't at least minimally entertaining. Indeed, there was a subtextual strangeness about the spectacle that would have made the ghost of Leni Riefenstahl nod in recognition."

Fortunately, the attempt to cut this superb picture down to size is more of an uphill battle than the one that Leonidas and his men fought. What repelled so many of our literati is also the source of its unexpected devotion among mainstream movie fans, (to the tune of $421 million in gross receipts, as of this writing): Miller and Snyder invest 300 with the stuff of mythical legend.

Butler's Leonidas is a defiant figure with a bit of Phaeton and Sisyphus in him. He ignores the counsel of the Oracle (Kelly Craig), who orders him not to confront the Persians. "Trust the gods, Leonidas," the governing council cautions him. Leonidas counters, "I would prefer you trust your reason." Well aware that the very future of reason and democracy lies with his Spartans, the ascetic Leonidas faces down the decadent god-king Xerxes, proclaiming, "We wrest the world from your mysticism and tyranny!"

The epic tone of the story is further realized through the narration of Dilios (David Wenham), the one-eyed warrior who returns to Sparta to relate Leonidas's story of courage and bravado to his own soldiers, firing them up to do battle again with the invading Persians. Mere days after his death, Leonidas is already elevated to the status of Epic Hero.

As Leonidas's wife, Queen Gorgo, Lena Headey gives a stirring performance. When the movie opens, a Persian messenger (Peter Mensah) rebukes Leonidas: "Why does this woman think she can speak amongst men?" The queen fires back, "Because only Spartan women give birth to real men!" In a quiet scene before Leonidas heads off to war, she bolsters her king's confidence: "Spartan: Come back with your shield--or on it." It's a lesson in honoring the spirit of a fallen loved one that's completely lost on the Cindy Sheehans of our age.

History buffs and armchair philosophers have come out of the woodwork to chide viewers for buying into the movie's inaccuracies. Just as common are complaints that the Greeks had slavery, that Sparta practiced infanticide, that the Spartan army was filled with conscripts, and that they--by gladly laying down their lives in a suicide mission--were hardly rational exemplars of individualism.

With all due respect to the Borg, however, resistance to 300 is futile. Its grand sweep and awesome storytelling had me cheering Leonidas's fearless warriors. What can't be denied is the movie's premise that the seeds of individualism (which is a later, Enlightenment notion, anyhow) were planted in the Greek soil they so gallantly defended.

And, to anyone laboring under the misconception that soldiers are the opposite of individualists, I beg to differ. Over my years of military service, I've come to know many Airborne Rangers, Special Forces Green Berets, infantry grunts, Marines, and psychological operations specialists. To a man, these hardcore warriors personify the qualities of character exemplified by Leonidas and his hoplites: heads held high, rigorous discipline, physical prowess, intransigent certainty, moral courage, the ability to face reality at its most grim--and the willingness to think. When it comes to individualism, these guys walk the walk; everything else is just talk.

Through its images of crushing brutality, 300 reminds us that the bounties of civilization that we take for granted are a gift passed down through time from men like Leonidas. Or, in words famously (though perhaps mistakenly) attributed to George Orwell: "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."

With 300, Frank Miller and Zack Snyder have concocted an antidote to the steady diet of cynicism and derisive irony that Hollywood has been feeding our youth for decades. If you thirst for a tale that extols honor and reveres gallantry, in which the good guys are great and the bad guys are evil, then look no further than this stupendous cinematic achievement.

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

HD Eye Candy
Planet Earth
Amazing in 1080p
Great!
Absolute must see series

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]
Starring: David Attenborough
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000MRAAJM
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming--a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.

That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting), and each episode ends with 10-minute "Planet Earth Diaries" (exclusive to this DVD set) that cover a specific aspect of production, like "Diving with Pirahnas" or "Into the Abyss" (the latter showing the rigors of filming the planet's most spectacular caves, including the last filming ever officially permitted in the "Chandelier Ballroom," a crystal-encrusted cavern found over a mile deep in New Mexico's treacherous Lechuguilla, the deepest cave in the continental United States.)

With so many of Earth's natural wonders on display, it's only fitting that the final DVD in this five-disc set is devoted to Planet Earth: The Future, a separate three-part series in which a global array of experts is assembled to discuss issues of conservation, protection of delicate ecosystems, and the socio-economic benefits of understanding nature as a commodity that returns trillions of dollars in value at no cost to Earth's human population. At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish--the choice is ours." --Jeff Shannon

More Planet Earth

Planet Earth on HD DVD
Planet Earth on DVD
More BBC DVDs

Stills from Planet Earth (click for larger image)

Description

With an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

Customer Reviews:

HD Eye Candy.......2007-09-16

Yup, worth every buck I spent on this documentary. Besides the awesome visuals and sights you get to enjoy, its pretty great to show to friend too. Slip it into your player and watch their eyes pop out... finally you are able to justify shelling out more than $3000 on your HD set up!

Planet Earth.......2007-09-15

This is by far the best planet earth mini series i have ever seen. Great shows and stunning camera footage.

Amazing in 1080p.......2007-09-15

Got a new hdtv and a blu-ray (or hd dvd) player? Then this MUST be your first purchase. Just bought a Sony Bravia KDL-40W3000 40" 1080p LCD HDTV
from Amazon and I love it. You really get what you pay for. I found myself trying hard to concentrate on the commentator but I was so amazed by the picture.... Stop reading reviews and buy the thing already.

Great!.......2007-09-14

I have purchased this DVD and its great!
Very nice picture.
Unfortunatly I don't have a HD TV.
The sound, commentary is a little bit poor.

Absolute must see series.......2007-09-13

Everyone should see this series. Planet earth is absolutely outstanding. There are places on this earth that you never thought existed and this series takes you to all of them. The blu-ray picture quality is beyond compare and every scene is as if you are seeing it with your own eyes.

Everybody Loves Raymond - The Complete Ninth Season

Average customer rating:

Nice final season...
The 9th - and FUNNIEST - season!
The Exciting Conclusion Of The Sitcom of our Times
More is Less
The momentum and humor of Raymond's final round slows down for no one in a terrific 9th season!

Everybody Loves Raymond - The Complete Ninth Season
Starring: Ray Romano
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000T22PVG
Release Date: 2007-09-18

Amazon.com

Everybody Loves Raymond's Emmy-winning final season makes it official: Debra Barone (Patricia Heaton) is hot! The scenes in which she scandalizes a PTA meeting in a "trampy" outfit ("P.T.& A") and attempts a lingerie-clad seduction of Raymond (Ray Romano) in "The Power of No" are the reason YouTube was invented. This season begins on a giddy, albeit bittersweet note as Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts, honored with another Emmy) announce that they are moving to a New Jersey retirement home 85 minutes away. The surreptitious kitchen celebration between Raymond and Debra and put-upon Robert (Brad Garrett, also an Emmy-winner) and Amy (Monica Horan) is a play-it-again classic. Their joy is inevitably short-lived when Frank and Marie manage to offend and alienate all the other residents and are kicked out. This season produced a mere 16 episodes, but the majority of them are gems, including "Ally's F," in which a failing math grade leads to a tentative mother-daughter connection ("Are all boys stupid?" a lovelorn Ally asks her mother. "Yes," she assures her).

In the best Raymond episodes, you laugh until it hurts (in "Sister-in-Law," Raymond, ever the "selfish ass," resists extroverted Amy's attempts to get to know him better) and it hurts until you laugh (in "Boys' Therapy," Raymond, Robert and Frank, unwittingly make personal breakthroughs when they ditch group-therapy sessions for the track). At the heart of the final season is Marie's definition of family: "We stick together, we support each other." In the pitch-perfect finale (watched by a reported 32 million people), all resentments and bickering are forgotten when Raymond, undergoing minor surgery for adenoids, momentarily does not awaken following the operation. This set contains "The Last Laugh," an emotional series retrospective built around the filming of the finale (which had to be delayed when Heaton developed laryngitis), amusing deleted scenes, and rollicking, spontaneous commentaries on eight episodes. The brief blooper reel is hardly worth the trouble, but we do get to see Romano break up Boyle with a Young Frankenstein reference. --Donald Liebenson

Description

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
TV Special

Customer Reviews:

Nice final season..........2007-09-09

Sixteen episodes is more like two-thirds the normal season, not half. Anyway, with 2 mil per episode, Ray didn't loose out and besides, Peter Boyle was in poor health, and true to his craft, the show went on. And aren't we all delighted with this nice final season. I do agree this shortened season should be offered at a lower cost; but Amazon is selling the new release under 30 bucks, so why complain?

The 9th - and FUNNIEST - season!.......2007-08-23

The ELR cast, most-definately, succeeded at making the 9th - and final - their funniest! Every episode had its "rewind and watch that again" moments. Maybe its because the shortened 16-episode season left little room for a sitcom's typical "boring/filler" episode, but I don't care! I could rewatch this season over and over again.

For a set of writers who wanted to end the show after season 8 because they were "running out of ideas", they did a fantastic job creatively in year 9! And they surely shined by making the series finale just another "typical" episode, while making it very obvious that they never forgot why the show was titled what it was!

The Exciting Conclusion Of The Sitcom of our Times.......2007-08-08

I can't wait for this dvd.
However EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND THE COMPLETE SERIES IS
AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 30!!!

More is Less.......2007-07-29

The one thing that really annoys me about TV series on DVD, is the practice of spreading fewer episodes across multiple discs in order to raise the list price and "fool" consumers into thinking they are getting more for their dollar. Here's yet another example of a season series that could have easily been fit onto 3 discs instead of 4, and with a bit of creative planning could've even been squeezed onto 2 without comprising content or quality.

As more and more consumers collect their favorite television shows on disc, shelf space becomes an ever growing concern. This same issue is shared with retailers as well. Producing lavish sets that took up entire row of shelf space may have been impressive 3 or 4 years ago, but today is just doesn't make sense.

And now, as studios try and push the Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats as the new and exciting media that provides 5 times the capacity as that of DVD; I say, "who cares"? We rarely use DVD to its fullest extent today.

That being said, I love this show, and look forward to its final release on DVD. I just wish the manufacturer would have presented it on a few less discs and saved us all one or two inches in our ever-growing collections. A reduced price for fewer episodes would have been a bonus as well. But then again, the video distributors have learned to count on consumer ignorance to boost their profit margins.

The momentum and humor of Raymond's final round slows down for no one in a terrific 9th season!.......2007-07-16

Just as it was difficult for fans to believe when "Everybody Loves Raymond" concluded its unforgettable run in 2005, it is also hard to believe that with this upcoming boxed set, all nine seasons will be available on DVD. For those who have loyally purchased these DVD's will be pleased to know that they can officially top off their collections in September 2007--a great way to begin the new school year, for sure!

Although the cast and crew of "Raymond" could not cement down a full-season deal for this 9th year, they compromised with a satisfying helping of 16 episodes that were spread out from September to May. Oh, if only "Gilmore Girls" had made a similar deal after its 7th season--but for the sake of those who don't know or care about that show, I will stay on topic.

What continually amazes me about this series is that despite being on the air for nearly a decade, the fact that it never lost its momentum really places it in the minority. Sure, most people would agree that the episodes from the middle seasons--such as 4, 5, and 6--were probably the very best, but that's common for almost every television series out there. This 9th season is so special, though, because it launched the year with an out-of-left-field episode that was shocking and hilarious, and it managed to bow out in the finale with plot material that mixed the trademark humor with some well-deserved poignancy. I am so impressed at how they kept the ball rolling with some fresh and genuinely funny episodes that kept fans laughing all the way through. (And think about it--how many shows that last almost ten years get to say that?)

Once again, this DVD set will only contain about half the number of episodes that we enjoyed in the first 8 seasons. Still, it will certainly feel like the same old classic "Raymond" as soon as you start watching the series opener, "The Home," where Frank and Marie render their family speechless by selling their home to Robert and Amy, packing their bags, and moving several miles away to their own little fairytale retirement home. Leaving their loved ones proves to be difficult, but it's pretty tough to pass up a place that has heated toilet seats, a 24-hour dining hall, and a group of women who immediately select Marie for the title role in their upcoming production of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (a very apt casting choice, to say the least). But if you've ever heard the saying "If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is," stay tuned for a hysterical twist of events just one episode later. From that point on, after the shock wears off, the show returns on track to provide the usual laughter and family friction that we all know and love. The latest snit between Debra and Marie causes Ray to manipulate the situation when he realizes how his wife's anger spices up their bedroom routine, but later on, he decides to show Debra just how lousy it feels to be "turned down" (which works like a charm until she uncovers the scam). 13-year-old Ally--who is not such a little girl anymore--shocks her parents when her F in math is accompanied by a very snotty attitude. 9-year-olds Michael and Geoffrey find a new friend in the son of a custodian, but of COURSE, their crazy dad can't seem to prevent himself from making a buffoon of himself in front of the child and his father. Marie considers turning in her apron when Frank adds some "artificial flavoring" to his meal for the first time, and Robert continues to struggle in earning the respect of Amy's family, which is not the easiest of tasks when--after catching one of his in-laws in a scandalous act--he is essentially left holding the bag. Through it all, everything culminates in a highly anticipated series finale, where Ray's trip to the hospital for some minor surgery flares into a nightmare when everyone is forced to consider what might happen if they lost their beloved Raymond.

All in all, this is a considerably funny and enjoyable season for any die-hard fan of the series, and it is definitely something you'll want to pick up when it arrives in September. All of the special features haven't really been finalized yet, but it's been reported that there will definitely be the same bloopers, as well as commentary tracks for at least half of the episodes (hopefully, everyone will come in to participate for the finale episode). Some behind-the-scenes featurettes and a tribute to the late Peter Boyle are among the most requested bonuses for this last set, but we will see what they come up with. Either way, there are few people who can deny the show's knack for writing pitch-perfect scripts and bringing together a cast that delivers nearly flawlessly every single time. Though it is sad to see it go, "the sitcom of our times" will always be around in DVD's--and if you're looking for high-quality and consistent comedy, you can't find anything much better than this!

William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Greatest Movie of the Greatest Play Ever Written
Best version of Hamlet
Methinks Kenneth doth overact too much
So much praise...
Lavish Production

William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Richard Attenborough , David Blair , Brian Blessed , Kenneth Branagh , and Richard Briers
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JLCI
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Amazon.com

It's the greatest work of literature, but nobody had ever filmed Hamlet uncut--until Kenneth Branagh went about the task for his lavish 1996 production. The result is a sumptuous, star-studded version that scores a palpable hit on its avowed goal: to make the text as clear and urgent as possible. Branagh himself plays the melancholy son of the Danish court, caught in a famous muddle about whether to seek revenge against his royal father's presumed slayer… the man who now sits on the throne and shares the bed of Hamlet's mother. (Or, as the song "That's Entertainment" summarizes the plot: "A ghost and a prince meet / And everyone winds up mincemeat.") As a director, Branagh (who shot the movie in 70 mm.) uses the vast, cold interiors of a vaguely 19th-century manor to gorgeous effect; the story might scurry down this hallway, into that back chamber, or sprawl out into the enormous main room. With its endless collection of mirrors, the place is as big and empty as Citizen Kane's Xanadu.

That all works; what doesn't work is Branagh's tendency to over-direct the big dramatic moments. He indulges in quick cutting and flashbacks as though to fend off the audience's objections to the four-hour running time, and the style sometimes looks like wasted energy. The experienced Shakespearians in the cast come off nicely; Derek Jacobi's Claudius, Richard Briers' Polonius, and Michael Maloney's Laertes are just terrific. Julie Christie is a suitably attractive Gertrude, and Kate Winslet makes the most of Ophelia's mad scenes. Branagh's habit of folding in unexpected American performers is on the mark, too: Billy Crystal is surprisingly good as the Gravedigger, Robin Williams predictably camps up Osric, and Charlton Heston is an inspired choice as the grandiloquent Player King. The biggest irony here is that Branagh himself is not quite spot-on as Hamlet. Of course he speaks the lines beautifully, but Branagh's screen personality radiates certainty and clarity of vision; there's little of the doubt that might make him Hamlet-esque. Still, tremendous credit for fending off slings and arrows to get the movie made. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Greatest Movie of the Greatest Play Ever Written.......2007-09-15

I have taught Hamlet in an inner city high school at least 15-20 times. This film does for Shakespeare what no other film has ever done: it deeply engages your emotions. You care about Hamlet. For all his faults, the kids ended up loving him and missing him when it was over. That is the only way to get people to engage intellectually with the play. The play and film, when studied together, are the equivalent of the Krell Brain-Booster if you know Forbidden Planet. I've seen all the other available Hamlet films from Olivier to Burton to Gibson to Kline to Jacoby. With the exception of Jacoby, whose interpretation is at least interesting, don't bother with the others. Is Branaugh's Hamlet perfect? No, but that is like asking Creation to be perfect. Imperfection is, paradoxically, what makes the play so great. One 's view of it changes every time it is read or viewed in this film. One can never pluck out the heart of its mystery. If there is only one Shakespeare film you ever watch, make it this one.

Best version of Hamlet.......2007-09-15

Firstly thanks to Warner Home video for finally getting this onto DVD, only took 10 years.
Ken Branagh has outdone himself in this production. Simply an Excellent adaption of Hamlet. Probably THE BEST EVER. Superb cast, Great sets and the musical score just puts in all together.
If you liked Branagh's Henry V or Othello You have to see this

Methinks Kenneth doth overact too much.......2007-09-12

Im a huge fan of KB. He made shakespeare real, brought meaning to the dialog in a way that no other actor has or perhaps will. Henry V is the finest on screen portrayal of a any shakespearean play. I adored Hamlet, but I felt it was slightly OTT, vaudevillian and camp. However, I hate to be critical of a piece that reaches for perfection. Mel Gibson's Hamlet was in my opinion much better in terms of the complete piece (although KB's own portrayal is on a different level) and more compelling a movie.

So much praise..........2007-09-10

The juxtaposition of the late 19th century settings and Shakespearian English creates an air of a Broadway musical. For the first 15 minutes it seemed the actors would burst into some uncontrollable dancing and singing of silly verses. Hamlet's gesticulation, facial expression and manners (throwing his mother-queen in her bedroom like a ball) are more suitable for a hotdog vendor than a prince. Plenty of innovation such as a politically-correct multi-racial court and army. Aside from the aforementioned 19th century set, Ophelia's flashback of sex with Hamlet, nearly Siberian-deep snow (was it cheaper to rent the facilities in the winter?), pursuing the ghost across a battlefield, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern riding a locomotive - those are real gems. Lots of group fencing (some other Olympic sport or a football game would be very refreshing too). Ophelia in a straightjacket leaves no room for doubt - yes, she's insane. But the best one is the entire Norwegian army discretely approaching the palace and storming it while the unaware royals and unsuspecting courtiers enjoy a brawl complete with falls off a balcony and swinging chandeliers. And of course, Branagh lying in state is a great sight.

He must be given credit for his strict adherence to the original text though.

Lavish Production.......2007-09-10

I have seen Olivier's and Gibson's renditions of Hamlet and each has much to recommend it, but this is my absolute favorite. I purchased the VHS as a used copy from the video store and carefully preserved it as I anxiously awaited the DVD release. The dvd tranfer looks great. I have a 36" Sony TV, but no high definition. The music is beautiful and suited to each act, the sets spectacular, and the main characters are excellent in their portrayals. I love the intense passion Branagh gives to his Hamlet, the period setting he uses, the fact that the entire play is included and his attention to detail. The only weakness for me is in the performance of a couple of the secondary characters.

Average customer rating:

This isn't my idea of Bond
Great
Bond on bluray!
Blu-ray is the way to watch this great film!
Great Movie

Casino Royale [Blu-ray]
Starring: Daniel Craig , Jesper Christensen , Isaach de Bankolé , Judi Dench , and Jeffrey Wright
Director: Martin Campbell
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000MRA5NS
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

The most successful invigoration of a cinematic franchise since Batman Begins, Casino Royale offers a new Bond identity. Based on the Ian Fleming novel that introduced Agent 007 into a Cold War world, Casino Royale is the most brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film since Sean Connery left Her Majesty's Secret Service. Meet the new Bond; not the same as the old Bond. Daniel Craig gives a galvanizing performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, yes, but also a "blunt instrument," reckless, and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his first mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. In classic Bond film tradition, his global itinerary takes him to far-flung locales, including Uganda, Madagascar, the Bahamas (that's more like it), and Montenegro, where he is pitted against his nemesis in a poker game, with hundreds of millions in the pot. The stakes get even higher when Bond lets down his "armor" and falls in love with Vesper (Eva Green), the ravishing banker's representative fronting him the money.

For longtime fans of the franchise, Casino Royale offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Astin-Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?" There's no Moneypenny or "Q," but Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M, who one senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, who weeps blood, is a sinister dandy. From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, Casino Royale is a Bond film that, in the words of one character, makes you feel it, particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy." But with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next one when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last line ever in any Bond film. To quote Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin, now I know what I've been faking all these years. --Donald Liebenson

Stills from Casino Royale (click for larger image)

Beyond Casino Royale on Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
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Why We Love Daniel Craig

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Bond on Set: Filming Casino Royale Book

Product Description

Casino Royale introduces James BOond before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to "00" status. "M" (Judi Dench), head of the British Secret Service, sends the newly-promoted 007 on his first mission that takes him to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually leads him to Montenegro to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier under threat from his terrorist clientele, who is attempting to restore his funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. "M" places Bond under the watchful eye of the Treasury official Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond's interest in her deepens as they brave danger together. Le Chiffre's cunning and cruelty come to bear on them both in a way Bond could never imagine, and he learns his most important lesson: Trust no one.

Customer Reviews:

This isn't my idea of Bond.......2007-09-12

When I got this blu-ray disk I had very high expectations. It delivered when it comes to special effects and the outstanding clarity that blu-ray delivers.

However, I was sorely disappointed by the new "Bond". Instead of the incredible charm displayed by previous Bond characters, this guy seems to be more of a cold-hearted killer. I found it hard to care much about what came of him. In my opinion, this is the worst Bond movie I have ever seen.

Perhaps I would have liked it better if the movie had been titled something like "Agent X" since that way I wouldn't have been trying to imagine this guy as being in the same role as the classics starring Sean Connery or Roger Moore.

In a nutshell, I found this to be heartless and generally lacking in class.

Great.......2007-09-10

Great picture quality, and a good movie to boot. The movie has a bit of a dark cast, so still not the optimal test disc for a new system, but still quite good. People say "wow" when they see it.

Bond on bluray!.......2007-09-07

Casino Royale is definitely one of the better Bond films. Part of the wow affect comes from it's awesome bluray video quality. A solid choice for all you Bond fans out there.

Blu-ray is the way to watch this great film!.......2007-08-12

I first watched the 2006 release Casino Royale in the theater. I was very impressed. The movie was unlike any Bond film I had seen before. In fact, the movie is gritty in a way that resembles the very well made Bourne movies. I recently watched the movie again, and found that it was even more enjoyable the second time around. The changes, in my opinion are for the better. I was a fan of Pierce Brosnan in the role of James Bond. I thought that he had been the best Bond since Sean Connery. I thought Roger Moore was okay, while timothy Dalton did nothing for me. Craig made for a very compelling and very human Bond.

The visuals in this film are stunning. The usual opening scenes are - true to form - pretty spectacular. Bond shows little mercy when it comes to resorting to violence. He also gets hurt and bleeds on numerous occasions. He seems ill at ease in a tuxedo, but seems to adapt to the role. The primary setting for the movie is an incredibly picturesque Venice. The film features really stunning scenes with some excellent stunt work. The Blu-ray version is without a dount the version to watch. Clocking in at 144 minutes, the movie seems to fly by with its fast paced story. The only downside to the film is that the villain came across as pretty tame for the most part. There probably could have been a bit more done to make him really evil and dislikable.

Overall this is a strong 4 star movie that is well-worth the price of the movie.

Great Movie.......2007-08-07

This is how you keep a movie franchise going. Great story, great acting and a fast paced movie that almost never slows down(except when James is with the ladies!!)

I have watched it several times now and the more I watch the more I like.

Average customer rating:

Good message of the story, dark, and manipulative directing of the movie.
kept my interest
Happiness Surely Is In The Journey!
Peaceful Warrior is awesome
TIME WELL SPENT

Peaceful Warrior (Widescreen)
Starring: Scott Mechlowicz , Amy Smart , Nick Nolte , Ray Wise , and Karen Landry
Director: Victor Salva
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QEIOSU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Customer Reviews:

Good message of the story, dark, and manipulative directing of the movie........2007-09-10

The message I got from the movie is that no one is greater or any less than anyone else. The message, about the equality, is exactly the way God views people. God does not favor one over the other.

There were many other things that were said in the movie that were Biblical. For example, letting go of sins, pleasures of this world, as well as the most important, a lying spirit (in the movie portrayed as evil self)...

I liked the title and bought the DVD, but I had to be patient. And so will yo. The movie is a bit slow in the beginning and kind of creepy. I expected it to be more beautiful, more colorful, peaceful may be?... But it wasn't, at least not until curtain climaxes. I'd say it's pretty dark for the most part and pretty uplifting in other.

Also, the message although good, is mixed with tons of Biblical teachings as I've said before, but Buddah is mentioned rather in a respective way in the movie and Jesus is mentioned in a form of guys cursing at each other, like "well, Jesus man, blah, blah...". I donno about the book, but it was clear to me that the directors of it tried to give a new age impression of the movie to the viewer. Which they failed, because the message taken from the book pierced through and spoke to a heart that hears. Even the writer of the book admitted that the producers tried to do their own thing with the movie, which resulted with having lots of flaws, but he says that the main message cut through the flaws and will only motivate the viewer to actually buy the book after watching the movie because they'll want to learn more. So I recommend to watch it, but read the book regardless! Hope that was helpful.

All the best,

God bless,

Nick

kept my interest.......2007-09-06

This movie had a powerful message--still something was missing and I cannot put my finger on it!
A good story for anyone confused about their place in life.
Maybe the book is better.

Happiness Surely Is In The Journey!.......2007-09-04

The inspirational unfolding of a young man, who at such a young college age, realizes there's more to life than beer, fun, sex and girls. How refreshing to sit back and watch this movie!

Anyone with an ounce of purpose or passion can relate to this fabulous story. Who doesn't have a dream?

I was given this DVD by a friend of mine. It sat on the bookshelf for about a month until just last night when I was bored and decided to watch a movie. So, I popped 'Peaceful Warrior' into the DVD player. Not knowing what to expect (I had never heard of Dan Millman), I must say I was intriqued from the beginning. I was also elated to read that it was inspired by true events. I watched it a second time within 24 hours.

Yes, one must empty the trash they've accumulated over the years from parents, education, and society. Discovering who we really are and what we can accomplish comes from separating ourselves from the collected garbage into a KNOWING.

Dan had a fascination for mystique when Socrates was introduced in the movie. The mind is inquisitive about things it doesn't understand. Thankfully, in his case, as in the lives of many others, the drawing unto us what we need, when we need it, does not go unfulfilled - even in the midst of the seeming ignorance surrounding us. The time has come when more and more people are realizing their higher capacity of intelligence, wisdom, and purpose.

As a child, I was in an auto accident. Like Dan, I had crushed bones. And, like Dan, I recovered miraculously to perfection in a short time despite warnings and dire predictions from the medical profession. Nothing is impossible (to God). My experience was over 50 years ago, and just last year my old school principle (now in his eighty's) told me he never forgot it. Like Dan's classmates, my friends also wanted to know about the 'magic'. But like Dan said, "It ISN'T magic". (And, as we all know, magic is an illusion, anyway!)

What time is it, Dan? It's NOW (as he realized). That's the only time we have. Use it to perfection.

If this movie does nothing more than make someone THINK about endless possibilities, it has done its good. If it makes someone ACT to achieve those endless possibilities, it has done even more good. Kudos!

Gail Gupton, author.
The 31-Day Diet of Spiritual Enlightenment and Seekers of Truth

Peaceful Warrior is awesome.......2007-09-01

I have read the two books in this series an I think this movie did a pretty good job of putting the core messages from the book accross. Although it didn't follow the book's details or the fact that Socrates exit wasn't near the same, it was still a good movie with a great set of learning tools for life. if you have seen the movie and not read the book I would recommend reading the book. I definitely recommend the movie too.

TIME WELL SPENT.......2007-08-23

This movie is magical - inspired by a book that reflected the spirit of the 70s: the search for meaning. Although the message of Peaceful Warrior is the movie's strong point, it is matched by the superb acting, direction, and cinematography. This is the kind of movie that, depending on your personal evolution, may have a profound impact on how you approach the rest of your life.

The Fifth Element (Remastered) [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Great Movie, Great Quality
Excelente!!!
Total let-down
Splendid film, highly recommend
WOW

The Fifth Element (Remastered) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Bruce Willis , Gary Oldman , Ian Holm , Milla Jovovich , and Chris Tucker
Director: Luc Besson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000QTD368
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Product Description

New York cab driver Korben Dallas didn't mean to be a hero, but he just picked up the kind of fare that only comes along every five thousand years: A perfect beauty, a perfect being, a perfect weapon. Now, together, they must save the world. Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman star in acclaimed director Luc Besson's outrageous sci-fi adventure, an extravagantly styled tale of good against evil set in an unbelievable twenty-third century world.

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie, Great Quality.......2007-09-14

Having been a huge fan of this movie since I first saw it on DVD I was delighted to get a chance to see it in HiDef Blu-ray. I had read an earlier release of The Fifth Element on Blu-ray was lackluster at best, not having seen it myself I can't personally comment. However, this Remastered release on Blu-ray is incredible. The action is certainly not missing in this Bruce Willis flick, but just as much there's the comedy. Chris Tucker plays his character (Ruby Rhod) spot-on. Luc Besson does a phenomenal job putting so many "elements" together in this movie. This movie is not one-dimensional like most Action or Comedy movies. Well worth the time and money.

Excelente!!!.......2007-09-13

Qualidade de imagem e áudio espetaculares! Realmente um Blu-ray autêntico e remasterizado, conduzindo à melhor alta definição disponível no mercado. Parabéns à Sony pela correção do re-lançamento desta versão!

Total let-down.......2007-09-10

The video quality is horrible. The Super Bit release on standard DVD was superior. Sad, as it is one of my favorite movies for picture quality and testing out a new system.

Splendid film, highly recommend.......2007-09-10

Uncompressed audio track is clear, dynamic and and natural. Picture is not the best I've seen in Blu-ray but good nonetheless. The movie is of course one of the best scifi movies ever made. Humor is cracking, main characters deep and the traditional story of all triumphant love is well put out.

WOW.......2007-08-23

They really did work on it! All i can say is AMAZING!!! Love the movie!

Spider-Man - The High Definition Trilogy (Spider-Man / Spider-Man 2 / Spider-Man 2.1 / Spider-Man 3) [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Batman, Aquaman, and Superman review Spidey3
A very poor follow up to the excellent Spider-Man 2
Great film, but.....
I became a chain smoker after this "MOVIE"
The sad facts

Spider-Man - The High Definition Trilogy (Spider-Man / Spider-Man 2 / Spider-Man 2.1 / Spider-Man 3) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Tobey Maguire
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000UR9T82
Release Date: 2007-10-30

Amazon.com

How does Spider-Man 3 follow on the heels of its predecessor, which was widely considered the best superhero movie ever? For starters, you pick up the loose threads from that movie, then add some key elements of the Spidey comic-book mythos (including fan-favorite villain Venom), the black costume, and the characters of Gwen Stacy and her police-captain father. In the beginning, things have never looked better for Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire): He's doing well in school; his alter ego, Spider-Man, is loved and respected around New York City. And his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), has just taken a starring role in a Broadway musical. But nothing good can last for Spidey. Mary Jane's career quickly goes downhill; she's bothered by Peter's attractive new classmate, Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard); and the new Daily Bugle photographer, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), is trying to steal his thunder. Enter a new villain, the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), who can transform his body into various forms and shapes of sand and who may be connected to Peter's past in an unexpected way. There's also the son of an old villain, Harry Osborne (James Franco), who unmasked Spidey in the previous movie and still has revenge on his mind. And a new black costume seems to boost Spidey's powers, but transforms mild-mannered Peter into a mean and obnoxious boor (Maguire has some fun here).

If that sounds like a lot to pack into one 140-minute movie, it is. While director Sam Raimi keeps things flowing, assisted on the screenplay by his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent, there's a little too much going on, and it's inevitable that one of the villains (there are three or four, depending on how you count) gets significantly short-changed. Still, the cast is excellent, the effects are fantastic, and the action is fast and furious. Even if Spider-Man 3 isn't the match of Spider-Man 2, it's a worthy addition to the megamillion-dollar franchise. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Batman, Aquaman, and Superman review Spidey3.......2007-09-17

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R112H4CU4FASW5 This is a SKETCH COMEDY MOVIE REVIEW. I improv comedy while giving an honest review of the film. Also, this is a review of the film NOT the DVD (so I don't cover the extras and so forth). Please enjoy!
Please check my other reviews!

A very poor follow up to the excellent Spider-Man 2.......2007-09-15

After the superb movie that was Spider-Man 2, I had high expectations for it's successor. I knew it had big shoes to fill, and I wondered how Sam Raimi would top Spider-Man 2.

Unfortunately, he didn't. He didn't even come close. Spider-Man 3 is without a doubt the worst of the three Spider-Man movies. It lost the heart and soul of it's predecessors. It's a horrible mix of rushed plot lines, under developed characters, and over the top stupid cheesiness [the dance sequences, those horrible reporters, and so much more].

Tobey Maguire does his best with a horrible script. But, his ludicrous dancing, ridiculous bad boy emo look, and constant crying, really water down his performance.
Kirsten Dunst delivers her worst performance yet. Her MJ is not at all endearing in any way. She pouts, whines, and complains thru the entire movie. Why does Peter love this girl?
James Franco fares much better, delivering a great performance as the tortured and vengeful Harry Osborn. He is the undisputed star of this movie.
Thomas Haden Church is wasted. The actor himself doesn't even appear on screen most of the time, as his character is usually a large CGI sand cloud or a giant sand monster. The character has virtually no personality, and because of that I failed to feel any kind of connection to the character. The Sandman connection to Uncle Ben was ridiculously contrived and utterly pointless.
Topher Grace is another wasted actor. Eddie Brock is reduced to a few brief appearances at random spots throughout the movie. There is no exploration of the character. No substance given to him. No development. His turn into a villain at the movie's climax is rushed, and brief. Venom is the most forgettable villain of the movie's villain trio, and of the whole Spider-Man movie trilogy.

It's not all entirely bad, though. J.K. Simmons delivers another great turn as Jonah Jameson. Bryce Dallas Howard is utterly sweet and charming as the kind Gwen Stacy, Peter's college friend. Lets hope she becomes the new love interest in future sequals.

Great film, but............2007-09-13

Spider-Man 3 was a great comic book film no matter what you think. Spider-Man 2 is still the reigning king of comic book to film adaptations but you've gotta give cred to Raimi and crew for this third installment. The introduction of Venom was long awaited but one of the flaws with this movie was the fact that Sandman really didn't fit into the movie. Sandman, in my opinion, was there for the sympathetic factor and just to add another villain because Venom didn't come around until the end of the movie(total drag!). Venom should've been around a lot longer in the film. The emotion and human-touch was there but a few scenes were alittle questionable, such as the Peter Parker jazz dance among other things. The action was top notch and the effects were as great as ever. Danny Elfman's score, or I think Chris Young did this film, was also a great listen.Overall, It was satisfying. I'm a huge Spider-Man fan and the movies do more than justify the comics, they honor them. It's great to see great comic book heroes made into movies and you've gotta thank Spidey

I became a chain smoker after this "MOVIE".......2007-09-09

ok so get this ,first off ima comic book fan so heading to the theatre i already have high hopes but low expectations 15 minutes into this atrocity i was pissed and as the movie progressed i slowly but surely found myself becoming more and more angry, i know people liked this one but try as i might i just dont get why, it was horribly put together too much singing too much dancing too much crying (wow this has quickly become a rant) every time i run into someone who says they liked it i cant get my brain to accept that i honestly think their messin w/ me and i follow them pointing out why i hated that tripe shortly after i have to have a smoke

The sad facts.......2007-09-07

The sad facts: 1 too many villains, 2 Tobey Maguire's dark side was comical, 4 what happened to the magic from the second film? 5 The ending sucked so hard the devil wept, 6 came real close to Batman 4, the bad out way the good.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

No HD DVD version
Disney delivers magic on Blu-ray
Solid movie with brilliant picture and crisp sound make this a must-buy for Blu-Ray owners!
Wow, amazing picture!!
Great Quality

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [Blu-ray]
Starring: Christopher Adamson , Lee Arenberg , Josie Dapar , Johnny Depp , and Spider Madison
Director: Gore Verbinski
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Comedy | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000N6UERU
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Product description

Charming rogue pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is back to wreak hilarious havoc on the high seas on Blu-ray Disc®! Also starring Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly, this swashbuckling joyride will amaze you as never before in this spectacular, "see-worthy" format! Jack's got a blood debt to pay: he owes his soul to Davy Jones, ghostly Ruler of the Deep. Get caught up in the whirlpool of Jack's misadventures as he schemes to avoid eternal damnation by seizing the fabled Dead Man's Chest. Thrill to the nonstop action, devilish humor, monstrous sea creatures and breathtaking black magic presented in astonishing 1080p and thunderous 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. Experience oceans of fun with Blu-ray™ High Definition.

Customer Reviews:

No HD DVD version.......2007-08-23

If I were the same as all the Blu-Ray fanboys, I'd rate this movie 1 star and complain that it's not on HD DVD and say how Sony has Disney in their pocket etc and swear I'll never buy any version of this movie until it comes out on HD DVD and secretly go buy the standard def version and have it packaged in discreet brown packaging.

That being said, Dead Man's Chest was not as good as the Curse of the Black Pearl, and only slightly better than the 3rd movie.

Disney delivers magic on Blu-ray.......2007-08-06

This movie was simply amazing in picture quality and sound. I had already owned Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest on standard DVD. When I compared the standard DVD with the Blu-ray version the Blu-ray outperforms on all levels. The scenes in the movie where you see the islands and ships sailing the ocean were very beautiful. Dead Man's Chest on Blu-ray delivers such sharp crisp picture quality. The people, plants, grass, and trees looked so real it was like you could reach out and touch them. Simply put everything looks life like in this Blu-ray movie. Also when watching Blu-ray scenes Davy Jones and his crew look very real. Unlike the standard version DVD you can actually tell Davy Jones crew have facial features. The sound quality of this Blu-ray movie was also very great as well. For all you Blu-ray naysayers when I compared watching the standard DVD versus Blu-ray the standard dvd looked like a bootleg movie. Yeah I couldn't believe myself but there it was. I could not believe how much I was missing out from the Blu-ray movie. Oh did I mention that I received an amazing Blu-ray experience with a outdated setup. I used my 1080i HDTV ,component cables, and Playstaion 3. Imagine how much better this Dead Man's Chest Blu-ray movie would look on a 1080p hdmi setup with surround sound! Overall this Dead Man's Chest Blu-ray was amazing and is the best Blu-ray movie out right now. I finally want to say that Disney you truly delivered a magical masterpiece on Blu-ray. Great job Disney keep delivering the Blu-ray magic : ) :) :)

Solid movie with brilliant picture and crisp sound make this a must-buy for Blu-Ray owners!.......2007-08-04

If you own a Blu-Ray player, this is a must-buy movie! If you're just a fan of great movies overall, this is a must-buy movie! Johnny Depp delivers in this non-stop action/adventure film, with loads of laughs as well. You all should know what this flick is about, so I will not go into details on that. If you are thinking of getting this movie on Blu-Ray but you already own it on SD-DVD, then that choice is up to you. The picture is pristine on BD-DVD, and the audio quality is very clean and crisp.

I own a very cheap HDTV and sound system that I purchaed for my 15-month tour here in Iraq and am blown away by the quality and differance compared to the standard-def version of this movie. Simply put, if you own this movie already, it is entirely up to you if you wish to purchase and view it in high-def. But for those of you who do not own any version of this flick then the decision should be a no-brainer-buy this now!

Disney did a flawless job with this one, loaded with extras and bonus material galore. I'm not really big on the extras and junk, but all Blu-Ray releases should be as jam packed as this one. Way to go Disney and I look forward to future releases from you guys in the future!

Wow, amazing picture!!.......2007-08-04

I did a comparison with my 720p HDTV with this in my PS3 and my original DVD in my DVD player, and the picture quality is amazing in this Blu-Ray release. I would find a screen with a lot of detail and pause it and flip back and forth, and I can see details on Blu-Ray of things that I just couldn't make out on the DVD release. Add that to the fact that the Pirates series is, to date, one of the biggest and best trilogies since 2000, makes this Blu-Ray release a must have for any owner of a Blu-Ray player. I am really glad that I repurchased this in HD format. Thanks for picking my format side Disney!

Great Quality.......2007-07-25

Much in the same way movies like Top Gun were "show off" movies for the DVD format this movie really shows the quality in Blu-Ray.

The difference is very apparant in darker scenes where on a DVD the picture might not show everything as well as it does on the BD.

Plus the extra disc includes very interesting stuff. The little thing that shows Captain Jack and explains every detail that went into making the costume really shows off what some of the people in the credits go through to make Jack look the way he does. And shows how much of a primadonna Johnny Depp is!

DVD:

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