The Sum of All Fears [Blu-ray]

It's a *movie* folks...
I've read Clancy (but not this one) and I've seen all the "Clancy" movies many times. My wife drives me nuts by saying, "that wouldn't happen..." so I understand all you who try to analyze the plot for theoretical accuracy. But.... this is a work of entertainment based on fictional accounts of political conflict. Did it entertain? Absolutely. Did Affleck portray Jack Ryan the way Clancy wrote him? Of course. Are the plot points of the movie plausible? Well, maybe, but - that's the point of Clancy. In case you didn't notice, Tom Clancy was executive producer of this film so he certainly had considerable input. Yeah, they changed the chronology of Jack Ryan. Whooppee! That makes Debt of Honor and Executive Orders completely future potential for Ben Affleck as Ryan considering they can now do Cardinal of the Kremlin which they couldn't have done with Harrison Ford. Hmmmm, do we want to see more Clancy movies? Yes!

Fun and suspenseful
I'm a hard-core Tom Clancy fan and was surprised to see how much this latest film adaptation wandered from the book, but it was still very entertaining. The latest incarnation of Jack Ryan is very young and inexperienced. The film seems to pretend the other Jack Ryan adventures haven't happened. Jack is new with the CIA and doesn't know the ropes the way he does in the book. He isn't even married yet. Morgan Freeman is wonderful as his boss (no surprise there) and the relationship between them is the best part of the film.

I'm no expert, but there seemed to be some technical flaws which required that the viewer suspend their skepticism. (Would cell phones continue to work when your local area has been hit by a nuke?) Still a worthy addition to the series. Clancy's readers will have to be especially open-minded though.

A great boxed set for great movies.
Movies-
The Hunt for Red October- A brand new hi-Tec Russian sub under the command of Captain Marko Ramius, at the height of the cold war is found to be heading towards the U.S Coast. The Russian and American government believes he is going to attack, only C.I.A analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) believes the truth: he is going to defect... I believe that this is the best and most well made of the four Jack Ryan films. Baldwin far surpasses Ford as Jack Ryan, who in the words of a wise friend is typecast waaaay too much. A must see along with the three other movies. -5 out of 5 stars
-Patriot Games- Jack Ryan and his family are just beginning their vacation in London, when a group of terrorists cease a member of the Royal family, almost kill him in cold blood, but Jack is able to same the Lord, and even takes out one of the terrorists. For his courageous act the kill terrorist?s brother will stop at nothing to kill him and his family.
Patriot Games is not the...

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Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel

Frothy ninja tale
The vast majority of movies adapted from TV anime -- especially for anime that are still running -- are basically like long episodes of the TV series.

That pretty much sums up the second "Naruto" movie, straightforwardly called "Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel." It's a puff pastry of a movie, but it has pretty much everything you'd expect of a Naruto story -- lots of slam-bang fight scenes, a big dramatic threat and a megamalomaniac villain. But it also feels like the writers and designers were making a cultural potlock for maximum effect.

As the story opens, the Sand Ninja -- including Gaara and Kankuro -- are battling a band of strange armored foreigners, who also have a very impressive warship.

Elsewhere, Naruto, Sakura and Shikamaru are handling their easiest assignment -- returning a ferret to its owner. But a clash with an armored warrior named Temujin brings Naruto into contact first with a caravan of wanderers, and then with...

Good Naruto movie
When I watched this movie a year or so ago I thought it was a pretty decent addition to the Naruto movies. Now, its finally available in America to buy. Its great that still keep the original Japanese audio for fans (like me) who prefer to listen to it in its intended language. The only thing that bothers me (which I'm sure hasn't been fixed for this release) is when you play the English subtitles for the Japanese audio. the names are still written "Naruto Uzumaki" or "Sasuke Uchiha" yet your ears just cleary heard "Uzumaki Naruto" and "Uchiha Sasuke". It gets extremely confusing, and I wish the subs had the names written in there original format.

one of the best naruto movie
The fights are really cool and if you are a fans of naruto its something that you need to have in your collection.

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Hip Hop Handbook Vol. 1: Breakdance For Beginners

Breakin' Good
This DVD is a great way to learn some moves and start breakin'. Got it for my 11 year old nephew for Christmas - he needed a good influence, his parents dance like old folks at a wedding.
He's loving it, getting pretty good already.
The warm up is good and it's explained well. Make sure there's no pains or sprains.
The moves are broken down really clearly, so you can see what to do, start slow and build it up. Stumbling through the moves at first is proper funny, but you can see yourself getting better soon enough. The whole thing is fun and seeing what you can move on to is a great incentive.
All he needs now is a Kangol cap and a roll of lino.

Excellent content, poor teaching
I got this dvd just to learn some casual dance moves. There is no question that Jeromeskee can move, but the instructional aspect of the video is minimal. By the time the narrator has verbally explained what to do and you begin to do it, Jeromeskee has already gone onto the next step. I'm no pro dancer, but I'm also not uncoordinated either and it was frustrating to not be able to keep up at all. I'm going to break the rewind button on my dvd player pretty soon. More time could have been spent explaining in detail where to place your weight, when to shift feet, etc. rather than just showing it and not giving enough time to figure it out before already moving to the next step. Slow down! I purchased this "beginner" video thinking I would get detailed instruction, but it was moreso just a voice-over and some guy that can move way faster than I can.



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Maluala

Great African Diaspora DVD-Cuban
I love this movie. It is on the same level as Quilombo in showing the resistance and self sufficiency of Africans who were forcibly brought to the Western Hemisphere by slave traders. It is refreshing to see the Afro-Cubans history highlighted from a historical viewpoint that shows how they fought to maintain their own freedom.





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Thomas & Friends: Henry and the Elephant

Featuring six fun-filled stories about Thomas the tank engine and his friends
Featuring George Carlin as narrator, Thomas & Friends: Henry and the Elephant is a childrens' DVD featuring six fun-filled stories about Thomas the tank engine and his friends on the Island of Sodor. From Bulstrode the Barge, who learns to be useful to others despite his bad temper, to the mischievous Stuart who plays a trick on Duke, to the gigantic gray elephant that throws Henry for a loop, Thomas' friends are sure to entertain and delight young people with their lively adventures. The episodes are "Henry and the Elephant", "You Can't Win", "Special" Attraction", "Passengers and Polish", "Gallant Old Engine", and "Fish"; DVD bonus features include a sing-along song, an activity sheet, and a character gallery. A wonderfully entertaining program. 35 minutes, color.

DVD Release of VHS with Different Title
The video is fine, but this is a DVD release of a VHS titled "Gallant Old Engine". If you already have the VHS tape, save your money.

Not as pictured
The product image pictured is not what you will receive, no train included this is the special edition and only has some push buttons on the front of the DVD that make some sounds.

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Two Fat Ladies

Wonderful Show!
What a wonderful release -- I received an advance copy, and can report that this DVD set is a real treat!

Here's a disc-by-disc breakdown (all episodes are about 29 minutes long):

Disc 1 (173 min.): Fish & Shellfish, Meat, Fruits & Vegetables, Cakes, Game, Food in the Wild

Disc 2 (202 min.): Lunch, Cocktail Party, Afternoon Tea, Picnic, Breakfast, Dinner, Christmas Dinner

Disc 3 (202 min.): Benedictine Nuns, The Pony Club, The Cambridge Eight, Barristers, The Air Race, Lock Keepers, A Caribbean Christmas

Disc 4 (154 min.): Potatoes Galore, On Safari, Timber!, A Day at the Races + the Bonus Program "A Tribute to Jennnifer Paterson"

This set includes all 24 full-length episodes of Two Fat Ladies (didn't Food Network cut out several minutes to fit this show into a 30-minute slot?) plus a wonderful 38-minute special about the life of Jennifer Paterson and an 8-page booklet with eight recipes featured in the series. Five...

Full-throttle DVD Release Ahead, Ladies!!
It's time to "bubble and squeak" with joy!

In the history of cooking shows, this one remains a true Iconic TV Classic. It is utterly unique and richly deserves this complete DVD series release - just as richly as the flavors that run through the dishes featured!

Part cooking show, part comedy, part travelogue, part buddy-show but ALL entertainment, fun and very, very British, Two Fat Ladies featured Clarissa Dickson-Wright and the late Jennifer Paterson, both middle-aged and overweight.

It originally ran for three seasons, from 1996 to 1998 on BBC Two. Repeats of the show also appeared on the Food Network in the US, and on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Australia. In total, only 16 episodes were produced, but it was more than enough to propel the women into unlikely, beloved, worldwide celebrities.

The show featured the pair traveling throughout the United Kingdom on Paterson's signature Triumph Thunderbird. Wright rode in the...

better than the series
The videos include edited-out sections in which the ladies visit various local food purveyors. These bits are charming and informative, and for me they greatly improved the series. From the television I assumed the ladies were just dilitantes, hardly in the same leagues as Julia or perhaps Jacques. But these restored sections show them to be quite serious and knowledgeable about sourcing produce, fish and local delicacies.

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Shine a Light

Smashing!!!!!!! Scorcese & Stones: A Perfect Match
Set List:

1) Jumpin' Jack Flash
2) Shattered
3) She Was Hot
4) All Down the Line
5) Loving Cup (w/ Jack White)
6) As Tears Go By
7) Some Girls
8) Just My Imagination
9) Faraway Eyes
10) Champagne and Reefer (w/ Buddy Guy)
11) Tumbling Dice
12) You Got the Silver
13) Connection
14) Sympathy for the Devil
15) Live With Me (w/ Christina Aguilera)
16) Start Me Up
17) Brown Sugar
18) Satisfaction

Though the actual track 'Shine a Light' from Exile on Main Street is not played during the (film version of this) set, it is an excellent title for this rock documentary as Martin Scorcese is shining a light so to speak on the Stones themselves, and this light shines mighty bright and mighty close. But Scorcese is not as invasive as you might expect. And this documentary/concert film does not feel like an expose as much as a celebration of a band that still has some kick left in it...

Nothing wrong with nostalgia
If you are a Stones fan, then just buy it and enjoy; the negative reviewers miss the point. Towards the end of a long and fantastic career it's all about the band having fun; for the viewer its all about watching them experience that joy. And if you feel the need to quibble about the price or production values, then you shouldn't be buying such a DVD in the first place. The BluRay looks wonderful and the concert is nice and 'up close'. One of the most interesting aspects is watching how MJ tries to control the band with a raised eyebrow or nod here and there, or moving to gently push KR back to center when he goes 'off the plot'. It beats me why anyone would quibble on little details that aren't relevant to the central theme - its a celebration of one of the world's true entertainment super-groups. Relax.

Mick and Martin
Going to see a concert nowadays takes all one's resources. Ticket prices often go up to three digits, and most likely the best view is watching the band perform on a video screen. Sometimes people (myself included) are willing to travel long distances to see one's favorite acts perform onstage. Getting to see the biggest bands, like Paul McCartney, U2, and The Dave Matthews Band is difficult at best. Ironically, the cost of a ticket to see The Rolling Stones play in Martin Scorsese's documentary/concert film 'Shine a Light' is about the same as it would cost to see a live concert when many of their featured songs were popular. It ain't like it used to be.

However, the sheer power and able musicianship haven't gone stale nor retro, so the film is a real treat for those of us who have all but given up on seeing them in person.

It is a testament to Scorsese's directing abilities that the prologue, the intermittent vintage vignettes, and the conclusion are...

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