Review of The Fifth Element (1997)

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This is a really fun, fun movie. It's not the beat all of science fiction as it was hyped when it was released, but it certainly is a good combination high adventure, situation comedy, cyberpunk, and Bruce Willis gun fighting action. Doesn't make sense? Don't worry. I'll explain.

High adventure comes from the plot: save the earth from evil by finding some mystic items and a perfect human before the appointed zero hour. That much is obvious. Cyberpunk explains in a way the setting of the futuristic urban scenes, which are fantastically portrayed in this movie. All of the settings and technology were impressive as well as stylish. The special effects were well above average and in many scenes very impressive, but a situation comedy? You got it. I won't get into the details. I will say there are quite a few scenes that involve the kind of subplots you find in sitcoms. This is a good thing by the way. A lesser movie would mess this up. Director Luc Besson made all of these elements (no pun intended) fit seamlessly.

Acting is great. Despite popular opinion of models not being very good actors the models that acted in this film did a good job of being campy in an entertaining way without hamming it up. I can go on an on about each of the reas actors and how they succeeded in pulling off whatever character, but I will digress to two ends of the spectrum. Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod is priceless and worth the price of admission alone. One exception I would have to say is Tommy "Tiny" Lister as the President. Up until the final scenes his acting was pretty dry. I also have to criticize whoever decided to hype up the fact the movie has Luke Perry in it, who played Billy. Billy did nothing to carry the plot and only had a cameo role in the beginning. Ugh... Hollywood.

The movie can get too trendy. The music, though nice, didn't really fit the setting. The very last scene is totally lame and if you ask me unlikely (sorry Korby...). And there is a scene or two that was just trying too hard to be hip. I can forgive all that because the comedy, action and drama do fit in to what ends up being a mirthful romp in high flying action.

Sony dropped the ball on their first blu-ray release of The Fifth Element. The uncompressed PCM and Dolby 5.1 surround tracks blew you away, but the video quality was merely on par with regular DVD resolution. This time Sony listened to their fans and remastered the movie so that you get the full 1080p love you deserved the last time. Bought the first blu-ray? No problem. Sony seems to be offering an exchange program. Just contact Sony and they will set up a way you can pass your old blu-ray for the remastered one. Contact info is below:

Phone: (800) 860-2878

Email: consumer@sphecustomersupport.sony.com

One downside though: no extras. That's right. All the cool stuff in the ultimate edition is gone. Getting this DVD is just like getting the first one they released. You get only the movie and some trivia text. If I were you I would still wait until they make some kind of special edition in blu-ray so you get the higher resolution AND the goodies.

If you want to experience a varied range of pleasant emotions without taking any one of them too seriously then you're going to love The Fifth Element. If you want high definition and special features then you better wait. I am betting this is going to be the case with most (if not all) new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DVDs that first come out.

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"how can you tell the difference between the old and new packaging?" It's a good question because outside of a few minor visual clues there's nothing obvious that really separates the discs from one another, at least not until you know what to look for. First off the new disc has a TrueHD logo on the back, the original obviously didn't. The security tape across the top of the disc case reads "FIFTH ELEMENT, THE RMSTD BD" on the new version, the catalog number on the spine of the re-master is 21520, the originals catalog number was 15018 and lastly the bottom border (front cover) area that contains the "Experience High Definition" slogan is set against a silver/foil background on the re-master versus a flat gray border on the original.

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The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look no further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

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FIfth Element is a raucous sci-fi journey that plays like a 2 hour MTV music video. Strap yourself in, and enjoy the ride.

The plot...the personification of all that is EVIL in this world is on a crash course with earth. Corbin Dallas(Bruce Willis) is an unknowing hero sucked into the chaos that unravels in this non-stop action movie. He must unite the 4 elements(wind, earth, fire, water) with a mysterious 5th element before the EVIL destroys Earth.

Other than Bruce Willis' straight man role, virtually every other performance is WAY over the top. Opitimized by Chris Tucker in his debut role as a Futuristic Radio DJ of the #1 Galatic Show. And in this case, Over-the-Top is good. For it marries perfectly with Luc Besson's directorial style. You feel like Bruce Willis' character being swept into a whirl-wind world that is glitz, glam, grunge, techno to the MAX.

The most enjoyable parts of the movie are the Music Montages. There are several with which Luc Besson shows off his roots(directing music videos) in a brilliant array of MUSIC, ACTION and tremendously fast-paced cut scenes.

The DVD is absolutely stunning. If you are into featurettes, cast/director commentary, dvd-rom, and other ancillary items...this DVD is not going to please your palette. The 4 menu items are: Play Movie, Audio Set Up, Subtitles, Scene Selection. Basically the barebones of DVD features. But do NOT be turned of by this. Because if you are an audio/video-phile looking for the BEST image quality and the BEST sound quality...this dish will feed your hunger. This DVD is one of the first 5 SUPERBIT encoded DVD's ever. Basically, the information on your DVD is bits of digital information. Your DVD player will get information from the DVD in bits/sec. Now double the bits/sec of a standard DVD, and the result is crystal clear image quality(the best I've ever seen on ANY DVD), and ear shattering sound(once again, the best I've ever heard on ANY DVD). Star Wars, Episode I is close, but this is the king of the hill right now. I couldn't imagine a better movie to show off the Super Bit technology.

This DVD may lack the frills of a "Collector's Edition" DVD, but the great story, incredible directing, and superlative image and sound quality makes this DVD a must have. Especially if you have a 5.1 stereo and HD-TV that you want to show off. But do keep the Subwoofer down, you'll wake the ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.

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This is a review for the remastered Bly Ray disc.

The difference between the Superbits standard DVD and this new Blu Ray disc are obvious. They are extreme. If you love this quirky Science Fiction film and have a Blu Ray player and the right equipment, just buy it! Be sure to order the remastered version since they had some resolution problems with the first Bly Ray release. The Supebit version is very nice, but this new Blu Ray version is an absolute revelation!

It is SO sharp and the uncompressed sound is SO good, that it leaves the other version far behind. Every red hair on Milla is seen in extreme clarity. Her performance, as fine as it is, is actually enhanced in close up clarity. Chris Tucker just explodes on the screen in a performance which is part Prince and part I'm not sure just what. The colors are just great and again, the sound is beyond an improvement over both the Dolby Digital as well as the DTS mix on the older Superbit version.

If you love this quirky science fiction film, as I do (one of the very best Science Fiction films ever made), then you will LOVE this version. You'll never look at your television in quite the same way again. There isn't a single speck on the transfer. It is just a remarkable job. It is just as perfect as we're likely to get today. It looks and sounds far better than even in the theatre when I first saw it.

This should sell many of the new Sony 300 series machines. MANY! Just who, with the proper equipment wouldn't want to have THIS!? I also have a Toshiba HD-1 HD DVD player and as fine as it is, this new machine from Sony definitely has the edge. Everything seems to be moving in the direction of Blu Ray and I really don't care who ultimately wins the HD wars, so long as we get to watch dream stuff like this movie in our homes. Amazing beyond belief!

Review of Shrek - The Story So Far (Shrek 1 & 2 Full Screen / Shrek 3D

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Yes, what you've read is true -this collection offers only the FULL-FRAME versions of both films, no widescreen. The Spanish 5.1 audio for the original is now just in 2.0 stereo, and while the bonus disc is nice, you won't find any really well-developed features that last very long. If you want Shrek 3D (only 15 minutes), then buy it used with the original full-frame Shrek for a cheap price, since this is the ONLY way to get this short-film so far. The movies do deserve 5-stars, even in full-frame, but the lack of extras and no widescreen version of the the two feature films knock this pacaked down one star. If you just don't like widescreen -this is the ultimate package for you. Everyone else will need to buy them individualy to get want they want. Sorry, hardcore fan.

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If you like your dvd's in widescreen, don't buy this 4-dvd collection since "Shrek" and "Shrek 2" are only in full frame. If Dreamworks Home Entertainment wants our money, this should also be released in widescreen. The packaging is great and a wonderful addition to my dvd library but AGAIN the films are only in full frame (excluding the 15-min Shrek 3-D film). Dreamworks should know better.

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One of the reviewers comments that the Dreamworks website shows that the set is widescreen. I can't find that information on either dreamworks.com OR Shrek2.com

But if you check out

They seem to have the information correct and it looks like only the 3-D feature is in widescreen. THAT is going to stop me from buying this set.

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If i remember correctly, Katzenberg was quoted in an interview stating that Shrek was planned as 5 movies in total. 2 are available so far. 3 movies more to go. The last movie is supposed to deal with how Shrek came to live in the swamp (prequel story).

Anyways, instead of double-dipping, we just have to wait until all 5 movies are out in a super-duper collector's set. And this time, hopefully, Dreamworks will get it right and release separate WIDESCREEN and fullscreen versions.

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When Dreamworks released the first Shrek movie a few years ago, they bundled both the Full Screen and the Wide Screen versions in one single package. This time around I believe they have become a little greedy because the only widecreen version included is the short Shrek 3D film.

Very disappointing. A Deluxe box set should be... Deluxe !

Review of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Three-Disc Collector's

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Imagine finding a magical kingdom in another world... only to return over a thousand years later, and find it in ruins.

That's the whole idea of "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," a superb sequel to "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe." While it has a climax that goes on WAY too long, this movie shows us the darker side of C.S. Lewis' fantastical world -with a heavy dose of Shakespearean villains, political intrigue, and some spectacularly epic battles.

It's been 1,300 years in Narnia, and the human Telmarines have invaded and driven the native Narnians underground. Aslan hasn't been seen in centuries.

And when King Miraz's (Sergio Castellitto) wife gives birth to a baby boy, his nephew -the rightful heir -becomes an obstacle. Young Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) flees from his treacherous uncle, and is discovered by a band of Narnians. Along the way, he accidentally ends up summoning the ancient Kings and Queens of Narnia -also known as the Pevensie children, who were waiting at a train station when they were unexpectedly sucked trough a tunnel.

Though initially delighted to have returned to Narnia, the Pevensies are horrified when they find that their once-idyllic land has been nearly destroyed. Caspian has been organizing a ramshackle army of native Narnians, but Peter (William Moseley) finds that fighting an organized, armed force is very different from battling the White Witch. And after a disastrous attack, the Narnians are facing almost certain destruction -but Lucy (Georgie Henley) is convinced that Aslan can somehow save them, and restore the kingdom to Prince Caspian....

"Prince Caspian" is definitely a darker story than its predecessor -good guys die, coups fail, evil machinations succeed, the castles are grimy, some of the good guys turn bad for real, and a bleak, hopeless feeling suffuses much of the movie's second half. Even our heroes have to deal with their doubts and anger, especially since Aslan is conspicuously absent for 95% of the entire film.

And if the first film was a colorful fantasy adventure, then this one is a military story with all the necessary action trappings -spectacular aerial drops, castle-wide massacres, and a spectacular finale involving a massive pit, tree roots, a river, and catapults. But Adamson also packs in as much violence as a PG-rated movie can contain -while there's only a few drops of actual gore, there's plenty of beheadings, shootings and stabbings.

But Narnia itself has lost none of its charm, and Adamson lingers lovingly on the sunlit forests and quiet rivers for as long as he can. And though the story is grim, he sprinkles it with plenty of humor (the bound-and-gagged cat) and fairly snappy dialogue. One of the most spectacular scenes involves a very familiar character speaking from inside a sheet of shimmering ice, as Caspian is dragged into a necromancer's ritual. It's really rather creepy.

Problems with the movie? Well, the climactic battle drags on for a LONG time, and every time you think it'll end, it revs back up. And those masked soldiers are a wee bit too reminiscent of "300's" Persians.

The four Pevensie actors all do solid jobs, although William Moseley is the standout -Peter is struggling with doubt and a bit of alpha rivalry, especially since he's used to being Narnia's top dog. Barnes starts off a little stiffly -come on, where's the fear when you see your bed turned into a pincushion? -but soon grows into the difficult role of a Hamlet-like prince who is struggling to become both a Narnian friend and a Telmarine king.

But there's a pretty brilliant supporting cast as well: Castellitto is simply outstanding as the ruthless, icy-cold Miraz, as are Damián Alcázar and Pierfrancesco Favino as his scheming advisors. Warwick Davis does a low-key, malevolent turn as Nikabrik, while Peter Dinklage is the likably brusque, cynical Trumpkin. And Eddie Izzard is top-notch as the mousy swashbuckler Reepicheep -this could have a silly, comic-relief character, but he does end up being both adorable and formidable.

There are going to be two versions of the "Prince Caspian" release in either blu ray or regular versions. The more embellish DVD version basically has the film, plus an extra bonus disc with the stuff you'd expect in such a movie: bloopers, deleted scenes, and a series of featurettes about the making of the movie -previsualization, fight choreography, sets, special effects, and the guys who play the dwarves Trumpkin and Nikabrik. As for the third disk, it's going to be a downloadable digital version of the movie.

"Prince Caspian" drops the children's fantasy feeling, in favor of a darker, more militaristic story -especially with all that father-murder stuff. But despite its darker overtones, it never forgets the light side.

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"Prince Caspian," the second installment in the "Chronicles of Narnia" series, takes place one year AND 1,300 years after "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." The Kings and Queens of Narnia, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, have only been absent from their kingdom for one year in London time. However, when they are suddenly called back to the magical world, they discover that 1,300 years have passed since their reign. The Narnia they knew is now in ruins, and the throne rightfully belongs to the young Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes). Unfortunately, Caspian is on the run from his uncle Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), who is determined to kill his nephew, take the throne for himself, and secure a royal future for his newborn son. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy eventually join forces with Caspian and attempt to reclaim the throne and restore Narnia to what it once was.

I enjoyed this movie, but not nearly as much as the first film in the series. Part of the reason for that is because "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" has always been my favorite book in the C.S. Lewis series, so I knew "Prince Caspian" wouldn't measure up for me. However, I still think the film itself had some shortcomings. The filmmakers took more liberties with this film than with the last one. Certain things happen out of sequence, and other parts of the film were changed slightly just for the sake of changing them, which really bothers me. Also, the whole Susan/Caspian romance is NOT in the book, and it really pisses me off that Disney felt the need to throw some cheesy love story into the mix of things. (I also hated the sappy, crappy music that played at the end of the film. It was totally out of place. Yuck.)

Still, there are a lot of positive things about the movie as well. The battle scenes are fantastic and the special effects are outstanding. Barnes and Castellitto are the stars of this movie, and they deliver very strong performances. Eddie Izzard provided the voice for Reepicheep the mouse, which was a pleasant surprise. One of my favorite scenes in the film is the one where the White Witch returns for a few minutes, and Tilda Swinton appears in a brief cameo. Liam Neeson also returns to provide the voice of Aslan, but the lion is absent from most of the film, and I remember him being present in the book a bit more...why in the world would they cut Aslan's scenes from the film?! He's the best part of the whole story!

All things considered, "Prince Caspian" is a good movie, but it lacks some of the magic from the first "Narnia" film. Bummer.

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In the very slim chance that Disney reads these reviews, I'd like to pile on to other criticisms in the hope that the Dawn Treader doesn't make the same mistakes. As a huge C.S. Lewis and Narnia fan, I was so disappointed in Caspian. Same reasons as many other reviewers: too many unnecessary liberties taken; little dialogue, so very little way to connect with and enjoy the characters; too grim; etc. At the end of the movie, I felt like I didn't get to spend any time with the characters b/c most of the movie was some sort of battle.

Sure, there were a few good things. Reepicheep was great; so was the DLF. The scenery and landscapes were beautiful. Some of the battles (or parts of battles) were enjoyable and had a sense of honor and bravery. But that's about it. Caspian was okay, a little boring. The posturing between Peter and Caspian was silly, as was the flicker of romance between Caspian and Susan. Not enough of Aslan. Not enough of Lucy. No lessons. Nothing anywhere near the charm of Mr. Tumnus.

You know how at the end of some movies (good ones) you have that feeling like you want more of a good thing? You wish the movie would go on and on? (That's why I ripped through all the Narnia books in the first place.) Well, after watching Caspian, I had a feeling of wanting more of what I knew existed in the book but didn't come through in the movie...it was a yearning for what could have been instead of what was delivered. It was a huge disappointment and a real shame. And I truly hope the Dawn Treader can deliver what the first movie did, and what the books all do....a real connection to the characters and a reason to start thinking about what it means to believe in something and to stand up for your beliefs. I don't think that notion is incompatible with making a block-buster of a movie.

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Warning you up front there may be what people would consider a spoiler or two within this review.

After watching the original movie, "the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," I had high expectations for the movie. Especially after I read the book and saw how well they had adapted it into movie form. I even went out and bought the entire Narnian series so that I could read the story before hand and have an idea of the movie plot.

...

...

...

What happened? It was as though they took the characters and a few chunks of the story and slapped it together in hopes of making a decent movie. And let me tell you, they failed, quite miserably. The way that they changed important pieces of the plot frustrated me, while other story lines were nearly left out altogether (For instance, they only hint at the part of the book where Lucy sees Aslan and eventually follows him despite the others protest. Then one-by-one the others begin to see him. I have always thought that to be one of the more significant plots of Prince Caspian). And then, then they add senseless plots like when they decided to invade the castle. Though admittedly Peter did "need" that part of the movie to wake him up.

Which brings me to the other major part of the movie that just annoyed me to no end. They made Peter an absolute jerk. He and Caspian were never rivals, and Peter NEVER had any intent to take over/rule/or give orders to Caspian. He essentially saw Caspian as the leader because he would be once they won the battle. Oh, and don't get me started on that ridiculous "potential romance" thing they had between Susan and Caspian (how was that even remotely necessary?)

There were few redeeming qualities of this movie, but they still did exist. I did like the fact that when the witch was summoned (though this technically never happened)Edwin was the one to "destroy" her. It was a nice touch of irony. And then there was the rat and dwarf, who's names escaped me at the moment, which made the movie bearable to sit through. And, that's about it.

I might have enjoyed this movie had I not read the book in advance, but I'll never know. I guess if you haven't read the actual story then you could potentially think it once of the best movies of all time. But I definitely would not recommend this to someone who read and loved the book, it'll probably annoy you just as much as it annoyed me.

I'd also like to note something else I saw this movie twice. This was only because I was giving it the benefit of the doubt. I thought that perhaps going in a second time without those high expectations would make the movie more enjoyable. Sadly, it did not.

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There are so many departures from the story the book tells.. I won't even bother to list them.. I suppose there are some who might enjoy the movie but having read the book first I was thoroughly disappointed. The makers of this movie vainly attempt to spice up a great story with everything the story is not. They try to make a war movie out a book with only one battle scene.. they try to add a romantic twist to a story without any romance at all. As a Christian there are sweet elements of this classic story that are so muddled by all the additional fluff in the movie as to make it completely worthless. If you are interested in the movie because you loved the book, you are looking in the wrong place. You won't find much of anything resembling the book in this movie. I purchased this movie against the recommendations of reviewers like those found here.. Don't make the same mistake.. Pass on this one.

Reviews of American Warships (2011)

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3 1/2 stars for Asylum (or bad SyFy) Fans

1 1/2 stars: Everyone Else

I have to credit the cheapie studio The Asylum for creating an entirely new movie term (or at least beating it into mainstream consciousness). They have created the Mockbuster. Every year, the studio seems to look at the upcoming summer movie releases and then tries to replicate the larger studio offerings. The SyFy network will then broadcast these low budget endeavors on the same weekend that the original flicks hit the theater. It's actually pretty funny. However, last year, things struck a little too close as Asylum released "Battle of Los Angeles" as "Battle: Los Angeles" was in theaters and a confusion in the DVD market upset a number of consumers. Maybe that's why this year Asylum found itself in a legal battle with Universal Studios over this particular movie. As "Battleship" opens wide in movie houses, Asylum had readied "American Battleship" for the SyFy crowd on the same weekend. But with an impending lawsuit, the title has recently morphed into "American Warships" even as the movie remains a blatant copy of its more extravagant cousin.

I never expect much from an Asylum film, most are shot in a few days with a couple of nickels as the budget. But sometimes bad movie magic strikes. Some of the endeavors have been brilliantly bad (I mean that as a compliment) while others have just been bad bad. "American Warships" is actually a movie that benefits from lowered expectations because, by Asylum standards, it seems much more accomplished than some of their other offerings. Sure it's still silly, but it's a fun and entertaining silliness. The CGI effects are better than anticipated (once again, by Asylum standards, not feature film). But what takes this a step up from the ordinary are the committed performances. Note, I didn't say good--I said committed. It's so over-the-top delightful. For a bad movie to work, the actors have to convince you (often with limited resources and extreme line readings) that the fate of the world rests in their hands. I believed it here even when it was wooden and painfully overwrought.

Mario Van Peebles finds himself the captain of a battleship when a strange attack by alien forces seem to have crippled our ordinary defenses. As circumstances grow more dire, some hard decisions need to be made. As the attacks continue, the only option available may be a nuclear one. Of course, the implications of this aren't very pleasant but may be inevitable. Helping with these hard decisions, the cast also boasts an appearance by Carl Weathers as a General and Johanna Watts (surprisingly likable) as a lieutenant. Can the invasion be stopped? Will our heroic troops survive?

I truly struggle when reviewing bad movies. Why? Because for me, there is a difference between watching something for free and paying to own it on DVD. To be fair, many of these SyFy movies are rated by viewers that saw them on TV for free. I could watch nonsense non-stop at home on SyFy and be happy enough. Most of what I watch, however, I would not pay for or recommend to someone else for purchase. So my honest suggestion with "American Warships" is to catch it for free before deciding whether to invest. It's not something that I would choose to revisit anytime soon, but I've seen much worse from Asylum. And I had a fair share of laughs with this one. KGHarris, 5/12.

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Not all at similar to "Battleship" Hasbros Production. The Movie is less than B rated, the Ships looked phony or bad, the acting was really put on and terrible, The Navy Seals in this were not like the real Navy Seals, the "Martians" were like real bad puppets, the plot left a whole lot to be desired and not even 1/10th as cool as "Battleship". Yep I bought it even after reading some bad reviews and they were right on the money as far as the critical ones went. If you have seen both "American Warships" and "Battleship" then "Battleship" has to have been superior.

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Bought for husband and he really enjoyed watching it. If you like sci-fi like we do and like ships, you may like this movie

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This film is an Asylum mock-buster of the film "Battleship" and addresses some of the issues of that film, such as how does a Battleship welded to a pier suddenly has fuel and weapons? In this film the Enterprise (and task force) is up against an enemy with a cloaking device and the enemy has to become visible to fire its weapons. Where have we seen this before? We suspect the Chinese are involved. Now as any Trekkie knows the Romulans (not to be confused with Romney supporters) had such a device. Trekkies also know that the Romulans represented the Chinese. I love these movie tie-ins. Plus 1 star for a Star Trek tie-in.

What this film lacks, that "Battleship" possessed is a killer sound track, witty dialouge, and likeable characters. The USS Iowa is undergoing a world tour as a museum piece when the attacks occur. All solid state electronics are fried, so it is up to old technology and SEAL Team 6, who happens to be on board to save the planet. Mario Van Peebles is the captain of The Big Stick and has a love interest in Lt. Caroline Bradley (Johanna Watts) which is not fully developed. Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed) has a small role as General McKraken. David Polinsky starts out the film as a 4 star admiral and by the end of the film he is a three star admiral. Asylum normally confounds their naval ranking insignias. Not as good as "Battleship." The special CG effects are still Asylum grade, especially the fake looking fire on the deck of the ship.

No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. Kid safe. 4 stars on the Asylum scale.

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Love the battleships in modern drama, but they lose me when the 16-inch turrets swing around like bats in a World Series game!

Buy Bike-O-Vision Cycling DVD #4 California Coast

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Paradise.. I can excercise in my home on my own time see exotic foreign places and listen to really good music at the same time. Bike-o-vision has answered my prayersIts really reasonably priced and satisfies me physically and emotionally. A wonderful way to excercise-Thank you Bike-o-vision!

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The problem with this indoor cycling video is that every time a hill is approached there is a change in scenery (to birds, sealife, etc.). There are some long downhill jaunts, but whoever edited this video edited out all of the climbs. There is frequently a sense of a hill approaching ahead and the suddenly, you are at the top of the hill. I would recommend this video for simulated downhill skiing.

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Beautiful scenery and I get a great workout. I play my own tunes because the classical music is a bit slow and is not as motivating for me. There is no coaching but I am able to challenge myself so that is not an issue. I have Bike-O-Vision's Grand Canyon/Sedona AZ, Zion Nat Park/So Utah & California Coast which are all over 74 minutes. I am very happy with all the DVD's and would recommend them.

Honest reviews on Bike-O-Vision Cycling DVD #4 California Coast

What a great idea! The quality is excellent and it makes exercising so much more pleasant. Some may not like the music, but that's easy to turn down. I thought it was fine, but I kept it low anyway because I didn't want to be distracted from the scenery.

I was skeptical about how (or if) this was going to work, but thought I would give it a try anyway. Then when it started and I was going across the Golden Gate Bridge, which I enjoyed doing once a few years ago, I was so pleased. It was just as I had remembered it. The scenery was so interesting to me that I forgot that I was getting a great workout. I couldn't take my eyes of the road and surroundings.

I almost went over to open the window to let in some of that sea air, but stopped myself just in time. It's Winter and somewhere around the 30s here right now, so that wouldn't be a good idea. Next time I think I'll turn on the ceiling fans. :)

I had forgotten that this DVD included Big Sur, one of my most favorite places! I felt like I was there. Even though I'm exercising on my treadmill, not on my bike, this is just a great way to exercise. I kept wanting to stop off at that little restaurant where the gas costs 10 times more than anywhere else in the country but you have to stop there because there's no other place to buy gas, and later I wanted to just take off down that little side road where people stay in little cabins.

I can't wait until tomorrow when I get to visit the Wine Country of California. Then I'm off to Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. I had a wonderful vacation there and sure hope it includes some of the places I enjoyed.

I want ALL of these DVDs, but I'm going to enjoy the ones I have right now.

Am I pleased with my purchase? YES!!!

EDITED to say that I came back the next day to do this one again, on my treadmill. I bought half a dozen others, but I wanted more of Big Sur. As you can tell, I love it. Tomorrow I'm going to make myself do one of the others, even though I could happily do this one again. I rate it as a 10 out of 10.

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I love this DVD. The scenery is spectacular. All along the coast with the early morning mist rising to reveal the ocean. Or ride on the Golden Gate bridge. Any time you want to bicycle just put the tape in and go. The best way to stationary bicycle.

Buy Night at the Museum Collection (2010)

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I still gave it 5 stars. I wish you could do half stars. I would have docked it half a star for the fact that it's 2 full cases that come in a very nice cardboard box. EXCEPT, the cardboard box is not an open ended kind on the side so you can just slide the regular plastic cases out the side. Instead, check my photos. You will see you have to open the flaps from the top and pull the cases out. Which is sad because it's a nice box with pull tab that changes the characters in the windows. Instead the box is a pain to keep moving the cases in and out of. I got this box set for about the same cost as just the 2nd movie. And you get the Blu-Ray only version of the first film (I happen to already have the first film on DVD). And you get the 3 disc Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital Copy set of the 2nd movie!

And since it's just the 2 normal cases in a box. It's like buying both separately but cheaper in my case. It just would have been nice to see this nice cardboard box with an open side so I could keep it on the shelf and still get the movie cases in and out easy. Such a simple thing that would have made this box set top notch.

Read the reviews of the Blu-Ray versions below. The first film has some quality issues. But is still a huge step up from the DVD version. And the 2nd film has a good video transfer. Link was removed to the review, google for the blu-ray review. (not the movie review)

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Love Ben Stiller's movies. In Blu-ray they are even better. We laughed again even though we've seen NATM several times before

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This combination of movies is exactly what my kids wanted. They weren't sure which of the museum movies they caught a glimpse of so we got em both! The collection has both movies in Blu-ray and boy do they look great! Packaging is standard Blu-ray boxing, no special cases. Although with a movie about museum artifacts you'd think they could have come up with something. Either way my kids love the movies.

Honest reviews on Night at the Museum Collection (2010)

2 Ben Stiller movies for the price of one, how can you go wrong with that? I got it because it was a bargain and not something that I would normally get on blu-ray. I usually reserve my blu ray purchases for those have to have movies or for the big blockbusters with killer special effects.

That being said this series was a lot of fun to watch, that monkey always cracks me up. The picture and sound were fine on dvd and they're still fine on blu ray. I can't say that I can see a big difference. The box it comes in...not a fan of it and I basically just tossed it away.

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The first one was funny and so is the second. The characters that "come to life" are entertaining and the special effects are great. ALL in allthis is a double fun set for movie night.

Touch of Love 3D - THE SENSUAL ENJOYMENT(Blu-ray 3D & 2D Version) Reviews

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I originally bought this at Amazon last January as a gag gift for a friend. This item never shipped! Amazon said the item is not available and maybe never will be available. So I just forgot about it.

Then last week,(6-26) I got a notice it shipped. Ok so I received it and decided to view it as the time had passed for the gag gift..

First the quality of the actual blu ray 3d is excellent. For those of you thinking this is fancy pornography, it isn't.

The woman in this video is absolutely beautiful. The guy is, well a big guy not particularly fit and certainly not in the league of this lady.

Each of them took an equal amount of time with each other. She was first, and the first 15 minutes was doing everything except what the title infers. It really focused on technique and not entertainment. No moaning and groaning, no drums in the background. This was intended as instructive and it was.

Her turn on him was far quicker to the point.

This woman really should be in the movies as a legitimate actress. I recommend this blu ray to anyone looking for instructive sex information and NOT as pornography.

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Ok, yes i got a 3d set and wanted to see what 3D XXX looked like but didn't want a raunch-fest. What I got was the most R rated XXX there is yes, there was oral shown in 3d but it was clearly badl converted 3D and this is a waste of money even at 4 bucks it's a waste of space in your apt. If you have never had oral sex and want a starter course maybe other than that forget it.

Looper (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Reviews

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It is absolutely glorious when intelligent sci-fi not only re-emerges, but returns and flourishes with spectacular results. Tucked neatly into this technologically and sometimes extraterrestrial genre of film is time travel. While time travel films aren't always done right, when they are they make one hell of an impact; the "Back to the Future" films, the "Terminator" films, "Donnie Darko," "Time Bandits," "Twelve Monkeys," "Source Code," and the fantastic little Spanish film "Timecrimes" are just a few examples. Combine that potential with the impressive writer/director Rian Johnson and an incredible cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt and you have one of the most anticipated films of the year on your hands with "Looper."

In the year 2044, time travel has not yet been invented but 30 years from now it will have been. After being labeled as illegal, the ability to leap through time is only available on the black market. People who criminal organizations want to get rid of are sent back to 2044 where hired guns called "loopers" dispose of them. Loopers make very good money and Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is living the good life. When a looper's contract nears its expiration, the mob sends back their future self who they then get rid of and have the next 30 years to live their life. It's called "closing the loop." But when Joe's future self (Bruce Willis) is sent back, his life is turned upside down.

While you may not be able to totally buy that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a younger version of Bruce Willis based on looks alone (even with the use of prosthetics), Gordon-Levitt does deserve credit for developing the ability to act like Willis along with similar facial expressions, mannerisms, and body language. Bruce Willis' character is a really interesting piece of the puzzle. The older version of Joe is committing some of the most heinous crimes imaginable, but his reasoning for it is just. As you're shown his back story, you understand what he's going through and almost find yourself rooting for him. He's like a villain with heart.

Emily Blunt is really fantastic. This might be the most straightforward and emotional that she has ever been in any performance. The addition of her son Cid (Pierce Gagnon) may make or break the film for you as it goes down a path that may find you comparing it to other films. The Cid character is an intriguing one though as his emotions are out of control, but his intentions are good and he's fairly amusing more often than not. While Paul Dano doesn't get a whole lot of screen time, it's amazing that that underhanded smarminess he's often associated with is still able to shine through.

This is Rian Johnson's best work by a landslide and that's coming from someone who absolutely loves his first two films. While the concept is somewhat familiar, it's always going in places you don't expect them to go. Seth's (Paul Dano) side plot is around the time your jaw will hit the floor. The ending is really magnificent, as well. It feels tragic on one hand, but extremely fitting on the other. While the soundtrack seems to kind of pick and choose its moments to really stand out, there are a few instances where it's emotionally overwhelming. It will only get better in repeat viewings and listens.

"Looper" is an astounding piece of cinema no matter how you slice it. Featuring fantastic performances from the entire cast, absorbing cinematography, and one of the most unique concepts for a film in quite some time, "Looper" is one of the most creative, intelligent, and unpredictable films of the year.

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt and writer/director Rian Johnson proved to be the perfect pair with 2005's BRICK. They're back together again in LOOPER, the story of a hitman who kills people sent back in time from the future. Joe's got a good life: drugs, babes, money. Of course, this lifestyle comes with a catch: one day, the person you're supposed to kill turns out to be your future self. This means you get to live out your remaining years (roughly 30) doing whatever you so desire. Of course, in Joe's case, things don't go according to plan; his future self escapes, on a mission to prevent the death of his wife, and now both Joes find themselves being pursued by ruthless killers.

LOOPER is stunning. Visually, it's a treat; the effects are impressive, the cinematography astounding. The action is slick and the dialogue is quick and intelligent, just what we'd expect from a Rian Johnson script. Perhaps the biggest surprise here (well, for non-Johnson fans, at least) is the caliber of acting. The supporting cast is impressive: Emily Blunt, Noah Segan, Garrett Dillahunt, and child actor Pierce Gagnon all shine, while Jeff Daniels and Paul Dano are especially memorable. Bruce Willis brings gravitas to the role of future Joe; he doesn't say much, but as with his best performances, he's able to convey quite a lot with his piercing gaze. Older Joe is a complex character, and Willis is able to play his single-minded obsession to commit atrocious deeds for sympathetic reasons.

But this is Gordon-Levitt's film. Sure, he has prosthetics to make him resemble Willis; but more to the point, much as Josh Brolin did a la Tommy Lee Jones for MEN IN BLACK 3, Gordon-Levitt has studied Willis's mannerisms and voice, coming off as a truly convincing younger version of the actor. And yet, the role isn't mere imitation; Gordon-Levitt proves why he's considered one of the best rising actors out there right now, bringing a haunting sense of pathos (not to mention cojones) to his role. Thanks to his performance, and Rian Johnson's script, LOOPER comes off as one of the most unique, memorable science fiction/action films in years. It'll go down as a cult classic, and maybe one day, simply a classic example of the genre.

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This movie is surprising in a lot of ways, mostly because it turns into something that you don't expect at all. (The structure of it reminded me of Psycho in how it completely shifts gears mid-way through.) Try to go in knowing as little as possible. The story goes places that are disturbing, intriguing and emotional. The performances are all strong, (Jeff Daniels is great as a tired mobster) and there is some of the best directing of a child actor I've seen in recent memory. The film is quite violent, but it never feels exploitative. They pick their moments here, which makes the screen violence meaningful and at times, terrifying. Even if you start picking apart the time travel paradoxes, the movie stays true to its own logic. There is plenty of great craft and art here to appreciate, check it out!

Honest reviews on Looper (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

".. I saw a mom who would die for her son, a man who would kill for his wife, a boy, angry and alone, laid out in front of him the bad path. I saw it and the path was a circle, round and round..."

I wanted to see "Looper" (2012) written/directed by Rian Johnson as soon as I read the first reviews about it. It intrigued me for several reasons. The critics and viewers praised it. The first two Johnson's films were interesting and original and I wanted to see his new work. I am a fan of the time travel genre. Where else does the hero sit at a table in a roadside diner facing himself, either thirty years older, or thirty years younger depending on which side he is sitting? Or where else rather clichéd phrase "he was in a deadly conflict with himself" means just that? And more. What does a man feel at gun point, with himself holding the gun, either thirty years older, or thirty years younger?

Another reason for me was Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the main character Joe, the looper. He is a convincing versatile young actor, one of the most interesting of his generation. For Rian Johnson, Gordon-Levitt is kind of mascot. Johnson made all three movies with him, and Joseph was a leading man in two. An interesting feature of Gordon-Levitt's role (Joe "closes the loops of time" working as an assassin for the Mafia) is how he based Joe on young Bruce Willis. He plays young Willis' onscreen tough guy persona that we so get used to identify with and root for, and he does it very good. Bruce Willis also plays an important role of aged Joe. If you guessed that Willis would be saving the world that got into a serious trouble you may be right. This is what Willis does in the movie well: saves lost children, city, country, planet, and the universe. In "Looper" Willis plays retired hit man, whom his crime bosses sent with a bag on his head from the future, 2074 to the past 2044, to get rid of him with no trace. What happens to him when he arrives to the past, who meets him, how will he try to change the past to save the future it's all in the loop, tied by Rian Johnson.

By Johnson's words, despite the fact that "Looper" was a time travel film, he was more interested in creating the human characters, in choices they make in a situation that was caused by travel from future to past. This film is about making difficult choice, the possibility of one person to change the course of history, and how far he'd go for it. Dedicated to the paradox of time, "Looper" mixes futuristic science fiction and dark noir known for biting dialogue and off-screen sharp voice in Humphrey Bogart's movies style. Johnson adds the stories of love, not the least the love between a child and his mother. As befits a film about the possibility of time travel, the focus centers on whether it is possible, knowing exactly how the future will turn, to change something fundamentally important in the past, to correct it, and how this change will affect the lives of everyone involved. It would seem that nothing new, original and exciting can come out of the time travel genre after Terminator 1 and 2, 12 Monkeys, The Butterfly Effect, and their granddaddy, Le Jetee that started them all? But Johnson did it and even without a big budget, not trying to make a future in his film looking like a futuristic super modern giant metropolis. On the contrary, not so far removed future of 2044 looks more like the abandoned and gloomy suburbs of big city, shaken to its foundations by deep economic crisis, where the power is already in the hands of large criminal groups that control the time travel and use it to effectively get rid of the enemies sent from the future.

Using the elements of the time travel genre, Looper goes beyond the borders. It asked interesting questions, and gave different answers. Rian Johnson, writer/ director, does not mind to break the rules of genres in his films. His films are more of stylizations, pastiches of genres he likes and interested in. The elements of genres are the building blocks, the bricks for him which he makes his films from. No wonder, his first film was called "Brick" (2005).

To create a smart, interesting, original stylization, a game of mind is not an easy task, and Johnson has the gift for it. His first two films, "Brick" and "The Brothers Bloom", were both intelligent, curious, but, rather, cerebral variations of films and books that Johnson likes. "Looper", his third, is also clever and gripping but what makes it the best of three, it's got heart in the right place. "Looper" affected me on a deep emotional level. "Looper", in my opinion is one of the best independent American movies of 2012. Being an independent filmmaker, Johnson is able to assert his creative ideas, but without super-budget. But I am glad that "Looper" did not look flashy and glamorous. It is more than just an eye-candy. It has a plot, intrigue, and the loop that it will close in a truly original, searing manner. While closing this loop, the film will answer the most important question can you destroy the source of evil, which will bring tragedy and death to the future, if you look at it right now, this minute and "you see it. You see a mom who would die for her son, a man who would kill for his wife, a boy, angry & alone, laid out in front of him the bad path. You see it and the path is a circle, round and round..." Would you change it?

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Looper (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

Time travel is possible but it is illegal to do for fear of changing the time line and thus altering future events. In the future criminals have a difficult time killing their enemies as everybody is traceable and the disposal of bodies is impossible. The solution is to set up an organization in 2044 (the past) that you can send your victims back to and have them immediately terminated so they cannot change the future.....

This is a good storyline with a deep Sci-Fi thriller built into it. I won't ruin the story but just say that there are multiple twists and turns and the timeline implications will make your head spin. The plot and scenario of the story will make you think so hard about what is happening that you may want to back the DVD up a couple of times and review and understand the possibilities.

This is a deep movie and its imaginative script will keep you thinking of all the possible issues that the characters are facing. It is well directed and produced movie and its surprise ending will keep you thinking about the complications of what might happen.

My wife and I both like the movie and we rated it between a 4 and a 5 star film. I give it a 4 star rating and I hope you enjoy it.

Buy Open Season (2006)

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I recently jumped on board with the new tech and went 3D in the home with a brand new Samsung model. Currently have purchased almost every 3D Bluray available including some imported overseas from Amazon France and UK such as Alice In Wonderland and Bolt. So I have a lot to compare Open Season to in regard to the 3D aspect of the Bluray.

With great confidence I can say that Open Season is hands down at this time the best showcase of 3D Bluray. The transfer is just pristine and pops with color, sharpness and depth. The 3D does not come across as gimmicky but truly is done so well that you feel like you could reach out and grab the characters on screen. Sony should be comended for doing such a fantastic job with this transfer and this should be the standard bearer going forward when referencing 3D Bluray and what it brings to the table for future home entertainment.

This is a must buy for any 3D HDTV owner.

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My ratings are based mainly on the QUALITY OF THE 3D, not the video content.

There are about 60 out of screen effects that extend about 10% of the way, from the screen to the viewer and another 19 around 25%. At 55:40 minutes raindrops fall up to 50% and around 71:30 a flying stick of dynamite made a lot of my friends duck.

My last observation specific to this disk is hard to put into words but here goes; The 3D is done in such a way that it is hard to define "in the screen" and "out of the screen" effects. They usually flow between the two seamlessly making the surface of the screen (mentally) disappear. Ya know what I mean?

*** Funny with an enjoyable story line Excellent graphics add to the 3D ***

MY 3D RATING = EXCELLENT (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)

Note: As far as the percentages go, everyone's eyes are different. What I see at 25% you may see at 15% or 35%. To fully realize how far something is out of the screen for you, pause on an effect and direct a partner with an extended finger to the tip of what you are seeing. You may be surprised.

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Saw this movie a couple of years ago and thought it was okay....that hasn't changed. However, this is the best 3D blu ray I have seen so far (A Christmas Carol, Monster House, demo 3d disc by Disney). The images look great and its a good demo 3d. Also the previews for Smurf are excellent. In fact the previews look as if 3D blu ray may even get better with time. However, all of the 3D disc that I have seen don't seem to measure up to Directv 3D channel, not sure why, but TV looks better in 3D then these blu ray 3D's. This is well worth the buy to see what your 3d tv can do!

Update*Piranhas 3D took the lead for me, followed by Resident Evil:Afterlife 3D...if you can deal with all the naked people in Piranhas its a hoot!

Honest reviews on Open Season (2006)

"Open Season" is the coming-of-age story of a very unlikely friendship. Boog (Voice by Martin Lawrence), the Bear, has lived a very sheltered life in the garage of Beth, the game ranger who rescued him. Elliott (voice by Ashton Kutcher), the mule deer, has had a very bad day. He's just gotten expelled from his pack by the Alpha Buck, gotten hit by a truck, lost an antler and ended up strapped to the hood of an insane hunter's truck.

When Boog saves Elliott's life, Elliott comes to join him in his garage haven--and they end up on a night on the town that gets Boog sent to the wilderness earlier than his game-ranger Mom would have preferred--and sadly, at the beginning of "Open Season."

To stay safe, the two must band together--and along the way, they learn a lot about friendship and teamwork. This is a great lesson film for kids as well as having some wonderful moments for adults, too.

Plus, the making of videos are fascinating. Viewers have the chance to learn about how animation is drawn and how the directors help bring the voices to life.

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I will not provide a review of the movie as there are plenty of movie critics out there. I will however, concentrate on the in-home 3D aspect of this movie, and found this one of the best animated 3D movies currently out at the moment. Excellent depth perception, no ghosting of the images, and some good "out of the screen" scenes.

Reviews of Camp Blood (In 3D) (2008)

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For a movie with a budget this low, it was actually very impressive. It looked like a group of friends went camping for the weekend, got sauced, and came up with this idea for a movie. It was good in a really funny/retarded way. I think that I write stories that have a better storyline than this.

Now the acting, it wasn't that too bad, but it was bad. I did not know that the person who was the killer would end up being it, but I did know that the helper person had something to do with the killings, and I think that it had a twist-kind of-in the end.

If you like movies that are suppose to be scary, but are acutually funny as hell,and movies that look like they were made on a maximum $1,000 budget, check this movie out,, but if you like movies that actually look like they took more than a week to make, stay the hell away from this. In my view. I liked this movie, but I don't have the same opinion as a lot of people.

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i honestly can't remember the last time i laughed this hard at a movie.

people are looking way to far into this, but in reality, if you can't laugh at this you don't have a sense of humor. it is right up there with return of the living dead.

Best Deals for Camp Blood (In 3D) (2008)

Let's see a group of campers go to a place called 'Camp Blood', but they are warned not to go by a crazy old man on the side of the road. They end up facing a homicidal maniac who kills them with a machette. Do you think they might have lifted this from 'Friday the 13th'? Well there you go for a plot.

The blond birdwatcher who gets killed in the beginning is the hottest chick in the film, she's also the only one with a topless scene and she looks real good. The other girl that sparins her ankle is cute, but she keeps her clothes on, as does the overweight girl with the huge chest. Harris the guide is pretty butch, but she also keeps her clothes on. So if you're looking for T&A, it's over before the opening credits.

The acting isn't that bad. Except for the rich kid with the cell-phone. He's pretty hammy and lays on the schlock pretty thick.

Spoiler ahead be warned.....

This is pretty stupid because HArris is the first to die. She's hacked up and burned when the campers discover her in the morning. They are killed one by one until the overweight chick with the short haircut runs down the killer in a truck. It turned out to be Harris the guide. Yeah right, OK.

The end of ther flick has the survivor in an insane asylum and all her friends arrive as a doctor, cop, and a nurse. The last scene is the clown approaching with the machette.

This is a pretty stupid movie. Not much more can be said.

Honest reviews on Camp Blood (In 3D) (2008)

Wow! What can I say about this movie? I fell in love with it after just 1 viewing. I saw it in a video store shortly after The Blair Witch Project hit the theaters and rented it. It is independently-made so the camera work isn't spectacular, but the special effects make up for that! The characters and dialogue are believable, and the action is intense and scary. A must-see for all horror movie fans!! Needless to say, I own this and the sequel.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Camp Blood (In 3D) (2008)

I rarely have problems watching a shot on video production. I figure budding new filmmakers have to start somewhere in the quest for a Hollywood career. If that means picking up Mom and Dad's camcorder and shooting a film with your buddies, so be it. It's not like you can walk into a Tinseltown studio with a script tucked under your arm and get a job making a summer blockbuster by the end of the week. Making films is a lot like writing; it takes a great amount of time and effort to create something other people will want to experience. I have seen plenty of movies where the director had almost nothing to work with yet created a truly engaging picture. Look at David Cronenberg's "Shivers," for example. He had so little money that he couldn't film anywhere other than in an apartment building, yet the movie works nicely because the idea is original. Unfortunately, "Camp Blood" is an example of the other extreme, a prime example of sloppy filmmaking, bad acting, and a horrible and highly derivative script. "Camp Blood" looks bad, feels bad, and is bad. I find it incredible that you can rent this atrocity at the video store.

A group of young people (sigh) decides to camp out in the woods near an abandoned summer camp that the locals in the area have since rechristened Camp Blood. We know the place is dangerous because a couple looking for rare flora and fauna die horribly at the hands of killer clown (!) before the kiddies get there, and the locals tell our hapless heroes not to go there. Well, one local tells them, a guy dutifully fulfilling the cliché ridden Crazy Ralph role seen in the early "Friday the 13th" films. As the campers arrive on the scene-two guys and two girls-they meet up with their "guide," a tough looking chick with a sinister attitude who seems to know more about Camp Blood than she is willing to let on. The gang tramps out into the woods, sets up a few tents, and promptly falls prey to a guy shuffling around in the woods wearing a cheesy clown mask. Everyone expires except one of the girls, a portly young lady whose screams of terror must rank as the funniest expressions of terror ever recorded on celluloid...oops, I mean videotape. The "twist" ending is so incredibly thickheaded that I felt not only robbed of the few cents I spent renting this clunker, but actually considered shelling out a few more bucks to hire a private detective to track down everyone associated with the film so I could personally tell them what I thought about the movie.

I didn't bother watching "Camp Blood" in its 3-D format since I don't have the necessary eyewear. Doing so wouldn't have made much of a difference anyway. The movie reeks, period. Everything you could imagine going wrong with a movie happens here. The acting, for example, is downright awful. One of the guys on the trip is such a mouthy jerk that watching his performance is the equivalent of dragging daggers over a chalkboard. He's always yelling at the top of his lungs, swearing at somebody, or threatening to harm his friends. Never mind the fact that he's a skinny little runt who would drop like a stone at the first punch. The second place award in the "most irritating" category is the heroine of the film, a whiny gal who constantly berates her friends about the trip. She also takes center stage in the lamest scene in the film, the all-important chase at the end between her and the killer. I've seen people with walkers move faster than these two. And she wails away like a siren the whole time. Even worse, the actors reappear at the end playing entirely different roles without any explanation.

As for the special effects, cinematography, and pacing-forget about it. A bit of blood shows up from time to time, but not enough or done well enough to get fired up about. The cinematography, strictly home movie camcorder all the way, looks like a three year old planned it. The pacing slows down to a snail's pace within seconds of the opening credits. I think the movie only ended up running for roughly seventy plus minutes, but it felt like I could have read "War and Peace," "Moby Dick," and "The Count of Monte Christo" in the time it took to watch the picture. I have already said it, but it bears repeating-nothing about "Camp Blood" works. The only mystery in this movie has little to do with the killer's identity but everything to do with how I could sit still long enough to watch this car wreck from start to finish. I am not strongly urging you to avoid this film; I am ordering you not to watch it. Just keep moving right along when you see the case on the shelf at the video store.

The DVD contains a few extras, mostly trailers for a couple of other schlock shot on video films like "Hunting Season" and a zombie picture. I got the impression from the trailers that the same people behind "Camp Blood" had a lot to do with these two films. If so, I know I won't watch them anytime soon. Why? Life lasts only so long, and there are other things I could do with my time. Like cleaning my navel, organizing my sock drawer, and polishing the plastic tips on my shoelaces. I guess we should give it up for "Camp Blood" in the end, though. By making such an atrocious film, every other film now has a standard against which they can judge their own innate badness (or goodness). Give this one a wide, wide berth.

Discount A Late Quartet (2012)

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"A Late Quartet" (2012 release, 105 min.) brings the story of the (fictional) "Fugue String Quartet", portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman as Robert, Christopher Walken as Peter, Catherine Keener as Juliette (wife of Robert) and Marc Ivanir as Daniel. As the movie begins, we learn that Peter has the beginnings of Parkinson's disease and possibly the end of his musical career. Peter contemplates a replacement so as to assure the contunity of the quartet. Robert at that point voices his long-held frustration of "just" being second violinist and would like to share first chair with Daniel, much to Daniel's dismay. Robert and Juliette get into a huge argument about it and when he feels like she doesn't "have his back", Robert has a ill-fated affair with a younger woman. Juliette finds out and promply kicks him out of the house. Meanwhile Daniel fall for the charms of Alexandra (daughter of Robert and Juliette). At this point we are about half-way into the movie. Will Peter recover from his illness to bring one last live performance? Will Robert and Juliette reunite? Is Daniel's relationship with Alexandra doomed? Will the Fugue String Quartet survive? To tell you more would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: the acting performances are ACE throughout this movie, none more so than from Philip Seymore Hoffman as the wounded husband and frustrated musician, and in my book better than his much hyped performance in "The Master" earlier this year. But check out also Christopher Walken as he stares into his mortality, just superb. If you don't care much for classical music, save yourself the trouble as classical music is front and center throughout this movie (the CD soundtrack of this movie, bringing original music from Angelo Badalamenti, best known for his "Twin Peaks" work, and the other assorted classical music is superb too).

Bottom line, I enjoyed this movie both for the music and the acting performances, and hence "A Late Quartet" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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This movie my favorite film so far this year. The all star cast, including Christopher Walken and Catherine Keener, give a stunning performance. As a violinist, I can appreciate not only he the dramatic storyline but the struggles of the musicians as well. When a world famous quartet is about to lose one of their own, a lot of unspoken and painful feelings are brought to the front burner. There is competition and resentment and friendships that took twenty-five years to build are threatened. This is a film that will make you cry but there are also moments that will make you laugh. The music was as beautiful as the storyline and I enjoyed the classical pieces interwoven with the movie. This film is a must see for anyone who enjoys a good drama but especially for anyone who has even been involved with or loved music

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A surprisingly simple yet "complicated" movie that IMHO was one of 2012's best. The aging leader and cellist (played by Christopher Walken) of a classical "String Quartet" finds that he must retire due to the onset of Parkinson's Disease. What now? Well, the "second violinist" (for 25 years ...) played by Philip Seymour Hoffman takes the opportunity to suggest to the first violinist that he'd "kinda like to play first violin on occasion." The first violinist (played by Mark Ivanhir) a true virtuoso and perfectionist is aghast. The second violinist's wife (and viola player rounding out the Quartet) who's spent her entire adult life playing in this Quartet and, in fact, only met her husband through their playing in the Quartet together kinda agrees with the first violinist :-) ... What now? ;-) What a GREAT story about human / Community dynamics and Life ;-) ;-)

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The moments when and idea for a story, the intelligence of a script to tell it, the sensitivity of the director to make it work, and the cast of extraordinary actors to make it visual come all too infrequently these days in the films that cross our theater screens. A LATE QUARTET is such a complete success on so many levels that it should be considered a standard for filmmaking excellence. It is cerebral, yes, it is best appreciated by people who are involved in some way with classical music even if that be solely as an audience, but the dynamics of this little `community' of people drawn together by a lasting contract to rehearse and perform for the better part of their time and the effect of physical proximity and the risks of intellectual/artistic distances have rarely been so exquisitely painted.

The honored Fugue Quartet has been living and performing together for 25 years: first violin Daniel Lerner (Ukrainian American actor Mark Ivanir), second violin Robert Gelbart (Philip Seymour Hoffman), cellist Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken), and violist Juliette Gelbart (Catherine Keener) make such perfect music together that we would never guess their lives are askew. Peter is diagnosed as having Parkinson's Disease and understands that his performing days are now severely limited; the Gelbart's marriage is at risk because of the tatters of time and the dealing with daughter Alexandra (Imogen Poots) who reacts to her history of being an alone child by entering into a physical affair with obsessive Daniel and Robert's ill-advised one night stand with the young beautiful Pilar (Liraz Charhi); Robert's surfacing jealousy of wanting to be first violin: the struggle with whether the quartet should disband due to Peter's illness or continue with a new cellist. All of this complex interplay of human relationships is underlined by the quartet's rehearing of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14, opus 131 a long quartet of seven movements played without interval. It is a sensitively drawn allegory that takes us all the way to the end of the film.

In addition to the bravura acting of the four lead actors there are side stories that are enormously touching: the affair between Alexandra and Daniel, the conflict between Alexandra and her absentee mother (a brilliant scene), the schism between Robert and Juliette as the foundation of their marriage begins to crumble, and the extraordinarily sensitive moment when Peter longs for his deceased wife Miriam first while listening to a recording of Miriam singing Marietta's Lied from Korngold's opera `Die Tote Stadt' and then as the image of Miriam (Anne Sofie von Otter) is seen and heard in is mind.

Each of the actors in this masterfully crafted film is astonishingly fine. If there were an Oscar for Ensemble this would have won hands down, but the performances by Christopher Walken (the finest of his career) and Philip Seymour Hoffman are exemplary and the characters Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir and Imogen Poots create are utterly unforgettable. The highest recommendation for this work it is a film every sensitive person should see.

Grady Harp, March 13

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This is superb movie. You'll need some liking or even tolerance for heavy classical music in the form of a string quartet. The centerpiece is Beethoven's opus 131. The title of the movie, "Late Quartet" word plays on the music, a very late composition, and the characters of the fictional fugue quartet, in the twilight of its career. Walken's character, the cellist, starts out with a monologue about the quartet op. 131, one of the last things Beethoven ever wrote. It is a monster of a piece. In the world of quartets, all of which have 4 movements, this one has 7. I leave aside why 7 some mystical, or ancient number symbolism perhaps? The movements range from delight, youth, rage, pity, extreme tenderness, a dance, to a chilling look at mortality. One reviewer of quartet op 131 said it is like Dante's Divine Comedy; it has everything. A problem is that its markings demand must be played without interruption between movements, like life itself the quartet must be played without interruption. Walken's character notes that these markings make it impossible to play. As time goes on, with all the strenuous bowing and plucking, the instruments begin to get out of tune each with itself, then with each other. Life is much like this. The quartet is a metaphor for life itself, "Late Quartet" mirrors for us, through incredible music the stages of our own lives as they pass one to the other, bow strings fraying, out of tune episodes overlapping. The director maintains this wonderfully sensitive metaphor throughout the film.

The ensemble of actors is remarkable, as is that of the musicians playing the parts. I wonder if the ensemble can represent our own internal lives, set musically. Each of us has a highly fastidious, technically brilliant first violin inside us, as well as a second violin craving more spotlight, a patient, soulful supportive viola and a visionary cello at the core, who is losing grip on his/her art. Some will find this suggestion to be too much of a stretch for the film, but I strongly doubt the metaphor is missing from Beethoven's score. "Played without break", what an impossible direction, but life itself goes forward this way, with all our parts, our pasts, our joys, our sorrows, our aging grating at each other.

The performances of the actors are a delight, the music even more so.

If you wish a performance of the quartet, see the Cypress String quartet's 2012 offering.

"http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-The-Late-String-Quartets/product-reviews/B00793ILTI/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1"

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I cannot recommend this film and its music highly enough.

If you don't like classical, go for Justin Bieber and his baggy pants and be happy, you're missing something spectacular.

The Stewardesses 3D: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Review

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I thought that the 3-D worked quite well, given the limits of DVD. The disc provides three different versions of the film: color 3-D, black-and-white 3-D, and a really good color print in 2-D. There are also interviews with cast and crew members, and a nice documentary about 3-D that even provides a 3-D trailer preview of THE MAZE!

The film itself is a typical softcore flick from the late 1960s. Some of the actresses include Christina Hart (who is interviewed in the accompanying featurette), cult fave Monica Gayle, and Nancy "CINDY AND DONNA" Ison. THE STEWARDESSES was perhaps the first American film of its kind that played mainstream theaters. Because of that, I consider it to be the first film in the "porno chic" movement, although many film historians award that distinction to DEEP THROAT (1972).

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I had a girlfriend that booked movies in San Francisco, and I got to see this movie when it first came out. The 3D was amazing for 1969!! However, when I got the movie with the red and blue glasses one of the early scenes where legs go flying past your head was just not the same. The original movie used Polaroid glasses, like Disneylands Michael Jackson movie. So the 3D is just so so, and the plot is fair. Lots of female nudity, so not for the young ones.

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Back in the 80's a theatre in nyc had a 3d film festival that showed 3d movies from the 1950's to the 1960's. I was lucky enough to see The Stewardesses. What I remember most was that the audience was screaming with laughter at this movie. This movie is the perfect talk back to the screen movie. This is a cheesy soft porn skin flick in 3d, and I loved every minute. I just got the dvd yesterday and watched it again for the first time in years, and it has not changed a bit. I remember the scene the audience went wild over. It was right at the beginning when this girl and guy are making love in a motel room, and the girls feet and legs are going back and forth at the screen. Restoration is good. 3D is fair. It works well in somes parts, but not in others. Take this movie for exactly what it is, a look back at the very early stages of what would become the golden age of porn. This movie can be very sexy.

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I bought this because I saw the original MANY years ago. Nostalgia! Truly a "soft porn" movie. The trip was good but the 3D was weak. At the price thogh, I'd buy again.

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The Stewardesses 3-D(1969) is a sexy comedy/drama starring Christina Hart and directed by Alf Silliman Jr. It's packed with sexy women, nudity and 3-D effects. Then again, it has almost no plot or story. The budget for the film was $100,000 and it grossed more than $25 million at the box office. There are several alternate versions of the film. The film is a part of pop culture. It was spoofed on SCTV. The Stewardesses was one of the first movies filmed in Stereophonic 3-D. Many Hollywood 3-D movies were filmed in Anaglyph 3-D. This Shout Factory DVD does deliver in quality. The film claims that it was based on a novel, but that is not true! The film has many filler scenes. People play pool or have fun at a carnival. A stewardess gets high on LSD and tries to make love to a lamp! This film is for adults only. The Stewardesses 3-D is so bad, it's good.

Reviews of Shrek / Shrek 3D - Party in the Swamp (2001)

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First, there's the Shrek film, which is not only an Academy Award winning Animated film...It's one of the best Films I've ever seen. I HIGHLY recommend that you buy the ASIN=B00003CXXJ version of Shrek which is both Widescreen and Fullscreen DVD, with great extras. The Shrek in this DVD pack is just Full Screen, which is an insult to this amazing film.

Then, there's Shrek 3-D, which is a great "4-D" theme park attraction at Universal Studios. It looses some of it's funniness going from 4-D to 3-D...so see it at the theme park, in all it's glory. Here, it is only presented in Anaglyph (Latin for "annoying"). The 15 minute short is presented in 2 formats, 2-D (why?!?) and Anaglyph (Red/Cyan glasses). Very bad move not to have included a Field Sequential 3-D version, which is what all the 3-D film lovers were readying their wallets for. Anaglyph looks like bad 3-D on all TVs, while Field Sequential looks great, but only works some TVs. Including both would've sold very well.

Lastly...there's NO "Making Of Shrek 3-D" on the 3-D DVD...just 2 versions of a 15 minute short, and an interesting ad/trailer for Shrek 2.

Skip this 2 pack. Buy the Widescreen DVD of Shrek. And hope they re-release Shrek 3-D in Field Sequential 3-D, with a Making Of, as a single DVD, later.

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Shrek has grossed over 260 million in the theaters (as of Aug. 14, 2001). That's within .05% of the top grossing animation of all times, Toy Story (@ 262 million). Shrek is a great 3D movie. The 3D computer animation is second, only to Final Fantasy. The story is more involving than what I expected. The voices were well cast and performed. The whole film awsome. I'm sure you're aware of that or you wouldn't be reading this now. It has both adult (clean adult) and kids humor. The writers plagerized just about everyone and it was hilarious. Okay, now for the DVD. This DVD is created as 2 parts. One disc is aimed for the kids and the format is "full Screen" (pan & scan) and includes 17 DVD-ROM games. The other disc is geared more for adults and is letterbox formatted. Both discs have 3 minutes of extended ending that was never scene in the theatrical release. There's 'Making Of' and 'Behind The Scenes'. It encludes 11 hours of extras. There are also running commentaries. This DVD will actually allow you to replace a charector's voice with you own with "Sherk's Revoice Studio" effects. There are 15 minutes of newly animated footage specifically for the DVD interactive menues.. . . . . Shall I go on? . . . There is a sticker on EVERY box saying it's a winner. Each box has eligebility to win a prize, from a Kia car to X-Box game consoles to Baskin Robins Ice cream. So, we have a fantastic movie, the most massive extras features ever on a DVD, and free give-aways. And yould be nuts not to take advantage of this offer.

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If you're looking for something a little less wholesome then Disney, but still well within the limits of 'Family values', then may I recommend Shrek. I have not had this much fun watching a movie in a long time. A fantastically fractured fairy tale that prods fun at every childhood story character and plot line that ever existed. No one is left unscathed, including Disney. There are a few major shameless blasts made at the mouse house enterprise but when it's all over, it's mostly harmless. In fact, you may think it was done out of jealousy. Shrek is incredibly animated, with textures and motions that surpass the famed Toy Story series. Every year computer animation gets better and better and this movie uses it to the fullest extent. There is no better format for this movie either. The number and diversity of the characters is well played out and well displayed in computer generation. Standard animation would not have cut it in this movie. The story line is simple; a large imposing Ogre (voiced by Mike Myers in his perfected Scottish brogue) who only wants to be left alone in his swamp, is suddenly imposed upon by every fairy tale character as they are thrown out of the kingdom. They have nowhere else to go. Out of selfishness, Shrek goes to see Lord Farquaad and ends up striking a deal to rescue a princess in order to get his swamp back. Followed menacingly by a Donkey (Eddie Murphy, in his second and even funnier voiceover roll), Shrek ventures off to a dark Castle to rescue the Princess. Upon doing this, in a spectacular battle scene no less, the three head back to Farquaad. Along the way, Shrek finds more to the princess then he thought he ever would, strangely there is something of a soul mate in this beautiful fairy tale lady. Well played also by Cameron Diaz, she is not your typical royalty. She can very well take care of herself, fighting off bandits in Matrix style kung fu precision and keeping up with Shrek in a display of bodily functions. This all leads up to a nice morality play ending that doesn't push the issue and lends to nice surprise as well. All the actors do a splendid job of voicing their characters. Everyone is alive and flowing. Murphy is especially hilarious, topping his performance as the mini-dragon in Mulan, mainly because he doesn't seem to have to hold back as much. The movie is so well paced that there are no lags, it flows right to the end. Funny, satirical, playful and beautifully animated, this movie holds all the right cards for entertainment. Even if you haven't seen it, I would recommend buying it.

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My husband and I wanted to take our 2 year old son to his first movie, and this is the one we chose. We loved it and it kept his attention. We thought it was hilarious and we hope it's out on video by Christmas so we can buy it. Great story, great animation. The soundtrack is AWESOME! I've just ordered it. This movie is a MUST for this summer! I was very impressed.

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Sitting in the theater, I watched my 6 1/2 year old nephew eat up the bright colors and classic sight gags, while I watched my 25 year old fiancee almost spill his popcorn laughing at the exact same joke. What I really liked about this movies was that duality-that one set of lines can be almost making me wet my pants while the more innocent version is keeping the little guys and gals glued to the screen. I found it to be reminiscent of the first Toy Story and the underlying message is easy for kids of all shapes and sizes to understand without being so cookie cutter sweet and sappy. Score for the big green guy. I'd take him home.