Watch Bullitt Movie Online

March 10th, 2010 by eve4505751
Watch Bullitt Movie Online. Watch Bullitt Movie Online.

Movie Title: Bullitt
Average customer review:

Bullitt is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Bullitt

Arguably the best crime film of 1968, and certainly one of the most influential films of the genre….”Bullitt” established new directions in the mood and style of crime thrillers, and firmly established McQueen as one of the key anti-hero stars of the 60’s. Based on the gritty novel “Mute Witness” by Robert L. Pike, this was the first, and only, time McQueen portrayed a police officer (albeit a maverick one) in his movie career. In 1968 Steve was then riding high on the success of his previous heist film, “The Thomas Crown Affair”, and “Bullitt” just propelled his star even higher into the cinematic heavens !

Buy,Download, Or Stream Bullitt! Click Here

The plot is tight, economical and well crafted….taciturn, moody Detective Frank Bullitt (McQueen) is charged with the protection of a key witness vital to an upcoming trial involving Mafia connections. Whilst hidden away in a supposed secure location, the witness and his police guard are brutally gunned down by unknown assailants. The heat is turned up on Bullitt by his tough Captain (Simon Oakland) and the manipulative, opportunistic politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) to come up with the right answers fast ! Between the draining investigation, Bullitt struggles to maintain his relationship with his cultured, sensitive girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset)

Primarily coming from a TV series background, Englishman Peter Yates (directing his fourth movie) did a commendable job as director on “Bullitt”…producing a complex, intense crime thriller with a unique style that would ultimately influence many other films. Yates would later to go onto direct tough guy Robert Mitchum in the excellent 1973 “sleeper” crime film “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” !

Buy,Download, Or Stream Bullitt! Click Here

And of course “Bullitt” is reknowned for it’s now legendary car chase between Frank Bullitt’s 390 GT Mustang and the two hitmen in their black, Dodge Charger 440 Magnum barrelling through the city streets and highways of San Francisco….just don’t pay too much attention to how many times they pass that slow-moving, green VW Beetle !!

The DVD transfer is excellent in both sound and picture quality, and the Limited Edition Collectors Set with the additional goodies (Single sheet poster, shooting draft, lobby cards etc.) is a real bonus for keen film fans !!

One of my favourite cop thrillers….McQueen sizzles on screen !!

I have read GQ and other men’s fashion magazines for the last 20 years. No single person is mentioned as a men’s style icon more often than Steve McQueen, and this movie defines his style most clearly. What I think that is not often understood, is why his style is so beloved. It is minimalist, yes, but also, this is someone not playing the middle class America game.

1) He lives in a small apartment. The furniture is ordinary, with a few hip 60’s touches. (Watch for the picture over his bed, his paisley bathrobe, the cool paper hanging lampshade, and a couple of hippie style items on the walls). You get the impression he owns about six pairs of clothes at most. He eats cheap frozen dinners (except for the occasional date at the cool San Fran Restaurant). He is not wasting this time and life keeping up with the Jones’s.

2.) He is not climbing the career ladder. On this case, he doesn’t give a thought to politics. He is not chasing the American ideal of success.

3.) Look closely and you will see his car, the most famous in any movie ever, is a olive drab color. Not candy apple bright red. It is a Mustang, a symbol of blue collar America. It is dusty, and he parks it in the street, not a garage. He does not inspect it for door dings every time he goes out to it. It has dents in it. You get the impression he doesn’t spend his free time polishing and waxing it.

4.) He doesn’t spend his time chasing money. He spends it on his job, trying to do what he thinks is right, not what is good for office politics and promotion.

5.) His clothes are 60’s pre-hippie fashion perfection (look for the extremely tapered legs, the suede loafers, and of course the famous tweed blazer and blue turtleneck).

In summary, I think it is funny that people idolize McQueen’s personal style in this movie and yet they don’t realize why. It is not just the stoicism, or minimalism. It is the old fashion American values (think Old West). Just something to think about as you watch one of my favorite movies of all time.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Bullitt | No Comments »

Monty Python: The Other British Invasion Streaming

March 9th, 2010 by eve4505751
Monty Python: The Other British Invasion Streaming. Monty Python: The Other British Invasion Streaming.

Movie Title: Monty Python: The Other British Invasion
Average customer review:

Monty Python: The Other British Invasion is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Monty Python: The Other British Invasion

A&E has seen fit to finally release the only true “bonus” material from the last iteration of the “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” Megaset in a stand-alone version. This allows those of us who already own one of the previous Megasets to pick up this material without a somewhat expensive double-dip.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Monty Python: The Other British Invasion! Click Here

This release contains two documentaries:

“Before the Flying Circus”: Rare vintage footage and interviews trace the pre-Monty Python influences that honed the wit of the future Pythons and shaped their destinies as the world’s most innovative comedy partnership.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Monty Python: The Other British Invasion! Click Here

“Monty Python Conquers America”: The story of the OTHER British invasion – the funny one. Monty Python’s astonishing American success was due as much to the passion of well-placed fans as it was to a string of absurdly lucky breaks. Being really, REALLY funny helped some, too. Featuring interviews with the Pythons, Hank Azaria, Jimmy Fallon, David Hyde Pierce, and others.

These were previously available only as part of the “Collector’s Edition Megaset” which included the somewhat redundant “The Personal Best of Monty Python’s Flying Circus”.

A&E *finally* does something right for the fans!

4 stars *only* because it’s documentary material and not sketches.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Monty Python: The Other British Invasion | No Comments »

The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2 Movie Streaming

March 8th, 2010 by eve4505751
The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2 Movie Streaming. The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2 Movie Streaming.

Movie Title: The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2
Average customer review:

The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2 is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2

While Tarzan was a moneymaker at MGM, with the outset of WWII, the studio felt Johnny Weissmuller was getting too old, Maureen O’Sullivan wanted out of the series, and the overseas market was lost, so the series was dropped…but RKO would prove the Ape Man had a LOT of life left in him!

Buy,Download, Or Stream The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2! Click Here

Producer Sol Lesser loved the character, and snapped up the rights, wisely keeping Weissmuller, 39, and ‘Boy’ Johnny Sheffield, at nearly 12, in their signature roles. ‘Jane’ was written out of the first two features (first caring for her mother, then serving in the war), and the best-loved elements (superhuman heroics, comedy from chimp co-star, Cheetah, wild animal footage) were ‘beefed up’, dropping the romance, the atmospheric black ‘extras’, that provided authenticity (but were expensive for a smaller studio to maintain), and the MGM ‘glossiness’. Even the Tarzan ‘yell’ had to be replaced (as the manufactured howl, part Weismuller, part studio magic), was the property of the studio; Weismuller created a ‘new’ one, that would become so popular that it would be kept, long after he finally retired from the role.

The first RKO entry was perhaps the best of the series; TARZAN TRIUMPHS brought the Nazis into the jungle to tap the resources of a ‘lost’ city, kidnapping Boy, and leading the previously isolationist Ape Man to utter the famous tag line, “Now Tarzan make war!” With lovely Frances Gifford as a native princess, and Sig Ruman, moving from Marx Brothers’ foil to one of Hollywood’s busiest ‘Nazis’, as one of the villains, the film is very entertaining (if extremely violent…Tarzan encourages the locals to grab a gun and kill, Boy shoots one Nazi soldier with a pistol, and even CHEETA machine guns one!).

Buy,Download, Or Stream The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2! Click Here

TARZAN’S DESERT MYSTERY again offered Nazis (Otto Kruger, who’d played a similar role in Hitchcock’s SABOTEUR, a year earlier, and veteran screen baddie Joe Sawyer), an American girl magician (vivacious Nancy Kelly), and a chance to combine Nazi duplicity with an ‘Arabian’-themed adventure (which was a popular genre during the war years). Even a fantasy element was tossed in, as giant lizards and a mechanical spider ‘passing’ as ‘prehistoric’ appear in a ‘lost jungle’ climax.

TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS is closest in ’style’ to the earlier MGM ‘Tarzan’ films (offering a crocodile fight, a ‘classic’ safari with many more black extras than in any other RKO ‘Tarzan’ feature of the era, excellent production values), and is most famous for introducing American Brenda Joyce, 33, as the new ‘Jane’, back from the war. Blond and beautiful, she lacked O’Sullivan’s intellectual ’spin’ to the role, but worked well with the 41-year-old Weissmuller, while providing a mother figure for ‘Boy’ that the ‘kid’ audience could relate to. With a cast of terrific character actors (including Henry Stephenson, Maria Ouspenskaya, and Barton MacLane), and a plot involving a ‘lost’ city of women, the film is one of the best-remembered RKO entries, and great fun!

TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN marked the beginning of the decline of the RKO series; a routine, even silly tale of a cult (dressed in cheesy leopard skins) and it’s high priestess (buxom Acquanetta) terrorizing the local population, and capturing Tarzan and his family. Memorable only for Cheeta saving Tarzan, yet again, and seeing ‘Boy’ Johnny Sheffield in the midst of puberty…

TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS suffers from a low budget and a ho-hum plot; entrepreneur Patricia Morison’s greedy crew kill a ‘lost city’ king to exceed their animal ‘quota’ for zoos, bringing out an aging Tarzan and startlingly adult-looking Boy; this would mark Sheffield’s last appearance in the role.

TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS, Weissmuller’s final Tarzan appearance, is a truly surreal entry; filmed in Mexico, with musical interludes, the plot features an Aztec temple complete with a ‘god’, and cliff-diving (in AFRICA???), and is best remembered for lovely Linda Christian (Tyrone Power’s future bride), as a runaway native girl, and a musical score by legendary Dimitri Tiomkin. Weissmuller looks middle-aged and heavy, and would be replaced, in the next film, by young Lex Barker.

A mixed bag, to be sure, but great fun, at it’s best, and certainly worth owning!

As Sean Connery is the definitive James Bond so goes for Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. Now were at RKO Studios and Maureen O’Sullivan has left but Johnny Sheffield stayed on as ‘Boy’.

TARZAN TRIUMPHS 1943 Stars our princess Francis Gifford, known by all as JUNGLE GIRL in the Republic serial (1941-see my review). Cheetah has a great bit at the end. This is probably the best of the RKO series. Tarzan v.s. NAZIS part one.

TARZAN’S DESERT MYSTERY 1943 Stars Nancy Kelly and Otto Kruger. It’s Tarzan v.s. NAZIS part two.

TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS 1945 Introduces Brenda Joyce as ‘Jane’ and includes Maria Ouspenskaya (WOLFMAN) as the Amazon Queen. No more Nazis here.

TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN 1946 OK escapism but you can tell all involved are getting weary.

TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS 1947 Probably the weakest entry but….

TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS 1948 The last of the Weissmuller Tarzans. The stand out here is Linda Christian, ZOWIE !!!!

As a footnote the next was TARZAN’S MAGIC FOUNTAIN with Lex Barker in 1949 with Brenda Joyce and Evelyn Ankers (WOLFMAN) and a pretty good Tarzan movie–maybe it will kick off the next collection (post Weissmuller Tarzan ???).

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in The Tarzan Collection Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Vol. 2 | No Comments »

Stream Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection Movie Online

March 7th, 2010 by eve4505751
Stream Banner of the Stars II - Complete Collection Movie Online. Stream Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection Movie Online.

Movie Title: Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection
Average customer review:

Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection

I remember way back when watching Crest of the Stars for the first time, feeling somewhat bored as the lengthy narration and, explanations of technology, and setup of the complex politics took place whilst the main characters were introduced and then slowly developed. Of course Crest of the Stars is an amazing piece of work once you get into it, and only gets better with each viewing. What once seemed to be boring now is thought-provoking, and characters reveal more depth to me the more I try to understand them. The second series, Banner of the Stars, was an almost entirely different animal. Instead of the slow pacing of the original, it had loads of great dialog among key players, and so many battles that I felt completely exhausted by the end. This series is the last of the trilogy, and I was starting to wonder how the series was going to end by the time I finally got around to watching it. I needn’t have worried.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection! Click Here

Now that we have come to understand Abh thinking, Abh politics, and Abh life, you could say that the story is really kicking into high gear as far as the two lead characters are concerned. While in the first series Lafiel and Jinto were teenagers who thought more like kids, and in the second they were more like teenagers trying to act like adults, they are now at the point where they are, and act like, adults. Jinto is no longer uncomfortable when people refer to him as count Hyde, and Lafiel is no longer so self-conscious and over-doing it in her efforts to live up to her family’s name. Now count Hyde is becoming something of a skilled diplomat, and Lafiel has gained the confidence she needs to become an excellent captain. They aren’t kids helping each other out of dangerous situations or teens learning to trust each other. Now they are old friends who know each other quite well…and maybe more.

For this series, it seems like an extra coat of polish was applied to everything. The new remixed themes of some of the scores are simply magnificent, the visuals take a significant jump forward in quality over the second series (and everything is in widescreen to boot), and the dialog, camera angles, and overall feel of the show is much tighter this time around. We don’t need any lengthy explanations of Abh technology anymore, and as a result we are free to learn more about the Abh code of honor and ethics, and how sometimes that code requires making incredible sacrifices.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Banner of the Stars II – Complete Collection! Click Here

The overall story revolves around how Lafiel and Jinto find themselves negotiating with the government of a recently conquered territory, only to find out that it is a prison planet on the brink of civil war. As the enemy approaches, Jinto and Lafiel both have to take a stand for what they believe to be right and for me the best character defining moments of the trilogy are all in this series.

While there are fewer episodes in this series than in the previous two (which may contribute to the tight feeling and lack of filler episodes), but this is made up for by the bonus episode “Birth”, which deals with Lafiel’s parents, and how she was born. The end of Banner of the Stars II is highly satisfying, as things truly have come full circle for the two lead characters, a chapter of their life is ending, and another is beginning. For fans of the previous two Stars series, this is required viewing.

I have seen many shows in the past but about this one, I have to admit that it is truly an amazing show. I will avoid writing down all the names and terms that occur during the shows so that to avoid causing any “headaches” to the reader.

The story basically evolves through a galactic war among an elf-look-alike nation, called the Abhs, and humanity. Thing is that the first ones are human beings as well; they just altered their DNA and became something like a supreme human race. Moreover, they are conquering the galaxy and as it becomes obvious let us say, the “primitive” kind of humanity resists.

Apart from it, the amazing thing is that the story evolves around Lafiel and Jinto, the first is the daughter of an aristocrat and a princess at the same time, of the Abhs, and the second one is a human and a noble man among the ranks of the Abhs. May sound confusing, but in the series it will become apparent that some human nations have also formed alliances with the Abhs and fight side by side with them.

Having watched the complete shows, meaning all the episodes from “Crest of the Stars” up to “Banner of the Starts II”, the viewer will definitely get hooked up with the show. As the episodes go on, the more attached he or she will become with the main protagonists, especially with the relationship between Lafiel and Jinto, that starts as a strong friendship and evolves to a… . Furthermore, the protagonists are caught up in the mists of war and have to do anything possible not just to stay alive but also to protect each other… As for the ending, it surely answers all the questions that me be in the viewers mind and has a satisfying ending.

All this been said, I will definitely suggest the show. But if you truly want to watch the show, than you must see it from the beginning, meaning to the “Crest of the Stars”, then “Banner of the Starts I” and lastly, “Banner of the Starts II”. The only sad thing is that in the end you will want more of these shows but I do not know if there will be anything new “out there”.

The only thing left to say is: Enjoy them…

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Banner of the Stars II - Complete Collection | No Comments »

Watch The World of Baby Animals Movie Online

March 6th, 2010 by eve4505751
Watch The World of Baby Animals Movie Online. Watch The World of Baby Animals Movie Online.

Movie Title: The World of Baby Animals
Average customer review:

The World of Baby Animals is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download The World of Baby Animals

I love watching shows about animals on Animal planet, Discovery and national Geographic, but it can be heartwrenching to see the animals get stalked and killed (even though this is the way nature intended!).

Buy,Download, Or Stream The World of Baby Animals! Click Here

This DVD is very uplifting to watch, no killing, only happy baby animals with their mothers.

Not sure how they got all the scenes, but it is very enjoyable. The polar bear cubs are exquisite!

Definitely worth the money- for kids or adults.

MY kids LOVE this show. It’s over 3 and a half hours- even I found myself fascinated with this show- it’s worth it’s money. It is a documentary form, but it switches animals fast enough to keep my kids watching. It’s so educational I decided to make it a part of their preschool class (I teach them). My kids are more mellow, and they just love animals- I’d recommend it to anyone! If your kids for some reason get bored with the documentary voice, maybe you can turn down the volume and play some nice music. This video is certainly worth the effort!!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in The World of Baby Animals | No Comments »

Stream The Venture Bros. – Season Two Movie Online

March 6th, 2010 by eve4505751
Stream The Venture Bros. - Season Two Movie Online. Stream The Venture Bros. – Season Two Movie Online.

Movie Title: The Venture Bros. – Season Two
Average customer review:

The Venture Bros. – Season Two is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download The Venture Bros. – Season Two

The second season of Adult Swim’s The Venture Bros. surpasses its first in nearly every way. The first season introduced us to the Venture universe, which is occupied by hilarious characters who never cease to reach new levels of incompetance. Many of the episodes were laugh-out-loud hilarious that remained so throughout the entire half hour. So if season 1 was taht good, yet this year is so much better, that really says something to the quality of season 2.

Buy,Download, Or Stream The Venture Bros. – Season Two! Click Here

The precredits sequence of the season premiere, “Powerless in the Face of Death”, is amazing to watch, though some of its power may be lost on DVD. There was a 2-year gap between seasons 1 and 2, and season 1 ended with the deaths of Hank and Dean Venture, the title characters. In the hiatus period, there was a lot of speculation of how the show would go on (Dr. Thaddeus Venture and his brother Jonas Venture, Jr. would be the new Venture Bros., Dr. Orpheus would ressurect them, Dr. Venture would clone them, Dr. Venture would use the Grover Cleveland time machine to save them), and it would be an understatement to say that fans were eagerly awaiting to see what happened next. Set to the tune of the song Everybody’s Free, the opening sequence is a montage of the various major characters, reminding us where they were left and how they are dealing with their various situations. Dr. Orpheus is still upset about the boys’ deaths, for which he blames himself, the Monarch is still in prison while Dr. Girlfriend appears happy, if somewhat bored, living with Phantom Limb, and the Mondarch’s henchmen have nowhere else to go after blowing up the Coccoon lair. Pete White and Master Billy Quizboy have fitted Jonas with a robotic hand replacing his deformed chicken-wing-like appendage. Meanwhile, it appears that Dr. Venture hasn’t been coping well with his sons deaths. He steals the X-1 jet, forcing his bodyguard Brock Samson to go on a global hunt for the good doc.

By the end of the first episode, we find out the creepy truth about the Venture Bros, which was heavily hinted at in the first season. From there the 13 episodes of the season, with possibly one exception, are superb. One thing I liked this year was that there was a little more of an overarching story to the season. The first year had episodes that were pretty much all stand-alone stories, which work with a show like the Venture Bros., but I’m a huge fan of serialized story-telling, and when I started to see developing stories at the end of season 1, I was really excited. The season’s arc actually has to do with the villains, though. It is about the Monarch’s quest to get Dr. Girlfriend back from Phantom Limb. The first two episodes of the season show how he escapes from prison and begins to rebuild his influence. Throughout the season, episodes like “Victor. Echo. November.” and “I Know Why The Caged Bird Kills” show the hilarious journey that the Monarch takes to win back his love from a vastly superior villain.

Still, there are plenty of stand-alone episodes. In my opinion, no other Venture episode embodies that idea so well than “Escape From the House of Mummies, Part II”. The episode satirizes multi-episode stories, as there is no Part I, but it also pulls a huge trick by switching around the A and B stories. While the story of Hank, Dean, and Brock’s journey through a cursed temple accompanied by various historical figures would normally be the focus of the episode, it is merely the backup story that supplements the story of a silly bet between Dr. Orpheus and Dr. Venture over whether magic or science is superior. “Twenty Years to Midnight” is a great example of parody of adventure tales, with the Venture family trying to track down various pieces of a machine built by Hank and Dean’s grandfather. The Impossible family, a wonderfully twisted parody of the Fantastic Four, show up to make things more difficult for the Ventures, and a cameo by Johnny Quest (the main influence of the show) make for an amazing episode. Nearly every episode was phenominal (with the exception of “Guess Who’s Coming to State Dinner?”, which even the creators kind of agree with), from “Fallen Arches”, which introduces Dr. Orpheus’ old team to “Hate Floats”, which features a team-up of Phantom Limb and Brock.

The season ends with the 2-part extravaganza “Showdown at Cremation Creek”, which completely changes the status quo for the next season. There is a wedding, a huge battle led by Brock and soldiered by the Monarch’s henchmen, a bizarre fantasy sequence involving Dean filling in the role of the lead in The Neverending Story, and David Bowie! It ends with a great cliffhanger, though after having the title characters die, it would be hard to match the season 1 cliffhanger.

Buy,Download, Or Stream The Venture Bros. – Season Two! Click Here

While there are plenty of crazy situations, the show wouldn’t be half of what it is without the amazing characters. With few exceptions, everyone in the Venture universe is somehow a failure. Dr. Venture is utterly incompetant as a “super-scientist” despite what he believes, his sons are oblivious to nearly everything in life (Dean and Hank think that an erection is caused by evil spirits), and Brock, though a great bodyguard, has no self-control. The Monarch and his henchmen can barely do their “jobs”; the Monarch is jealous, weak, and unable to understand why people can’t get anything done, while his henchmen are out of shape nerds who quiver at the words “Brock Samson”. Though Dr. Orpheus is a competant necromancer, he is a know-it-all workaholic who drives away the people he cares about.

Most guest stars from season 1 returned, including the Pirate Captain, the Impossibles, Peter White and Billy Quizboy, Baron Underbheit, and the Impossibles. All of these characters were loved by fans, and were effectively used this year as well. But there were plenty of new characters this year that quickly became fan favorites as welll. Personally, I really want to see more of Jefferson Twighlight and The Alchemist, the two other members of Dr. Orpheus’ group the Order of the Triad. Twilight is a parody of Blade and the Alchemist is a gay monk who can’t really decided what to do with his life (voiced by Dana Snyder of Aqua Teen Hunger Force). Dr. Henry Killinger is a hilarious “consultant” whose true purpose is better left to be found out while watching. Finally, there was the strange Observor from “Twenty Years to Midnight”, whose catchphrase “IGNORE ME!” was incredibly funny every time it was spoken.

Despite one misstep, this is a great season of animated television. Many shows on Adult Swim’s lineup (that were created for AS) look awful; the animation and/or plot appear to be worth almost nothing, but the Venture Bros. is at the other end of the spectrum. Despite being underrated, it is one of the funniest cartoons I’ve ever seen, ranking up there with South Park and The Simpsons.

First of all, let me correct Fernando Gonzales by saying that this show IS still hand-drawn … only the coloring and inking are digitally done. That’s one of the reasons it’s a favorite of mine, really.

Now, on to the review. It’s not that I didn’t think Jackson and Doc would be able to top Season One. It’s that I knew they could … and they STILL blew me away. If you’ve seen Season One of The Venture Brothers, you -need- to see this one. It’s got everything the first had, and more … the character development, in particular, is absolutely stupendous. The boys at Astrobase Go really know their characters, and they’ve started to show us just how much.

If you like your cartoons smart, funny, strange, and full of more clever pop culture references than you can shake a shrink ray at, check this one out. I did, at the urging of a friend, while the first season was still out, and I was hardly disappointed. VB is one of the few shows on television I actually care about missing, these days. I’m looking forward to seeing what the special features and commentary have in store, too – the ones on The Venture Bros. – Season One were phenomenal.

So, in the words of Dr. Byron Orpheus… “Yes! GO, Team Venture!”

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in The Venture Bros. - Season Two | No Comments »

Streaming Witch Hunter Robin – Determination Online

March 5th, 2010 by eve4505751
Streaming Witch Hunter Robin - Determination Online. Streaming Witch Hunter Robin – Determination Online.

Movie Title: Witch Hunter Robin – Determination
Average customer review:

Witch Hunter Robin – Determination is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Witch Hunter Robin – Determination

With the talisman in her hands, Robin’s powers have begun to unfold at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, the explosion of her abilities has convinced Solomon that she has changed from a hunter into a witch, and a deadly one at that. Soon a series of hunters begin to arrive in an effort to destroy Robin, but she is not all that easy to undo. Indeed, the repeated threats have convinced her to dig deeper into the mystery. With the aid of Michael Lee, and Nagira, who has become a not-quite-trusted ally, Robin begins to turn tables on the STNJ, Solomon, and the Factory.

A complicated political conflict is brewing in among the witch-hunters. Administrator Zaizen has been avoiding the STNJ team, focusing instead on some special developments in Orbo research. This has caused a falling out with Solomon headquarters, and the Japanese STNJ is trying to find a balance between all the factors. None of this makes things any easier for Robin, who finds herself the object of everyone’s attention. The only light in the murk is some surfacing clues to Robin’s origin.

A climax is building. Perhaps the one hinted at by the references to the Coven. Robin’s time seems evenly divided between searching for clues and spectacular psychic battles with an array of very strange hunters. Administrator Zaizen seems to have a plan that smacks of genetic purification. And the STNJ team seems to have lost its spirit, other than Michael, who is providing more information to Robin than he is to the rest of the team.

On a different note, this is the first set of episodes where I noticed a lot of reliance on computer-generated textures. Watch during the opening scenes in Robin’s hideaway. I have mixed feelings about this.. The detailing adds depth, but heightens the unreality of the rest of the animation. Since the latter is beautifully done, not just the character animation, but the scene setting that manages to combine gothic and modern architecture to great effect.

I haven’t mentioned yet that several of the DVD’s in the series – this is one of them, have interviews with the Japanese voice actors as extras. Often these shed light on the action of the episodes, beyond the illumination of the characters – in this case Dojima and Sakaki – and are worth listening to. One gets the sense that the entire effort behind Witch Hunter Robin is extremely professional and uncompromising. Certainly worth viewing.

I really enjoy this series. The first few dvd’s were just hunting witches but now Robin is the one that has become the hunted. The hunters that come after Robin have carisma. I enjoy the battle senes between Robin and the hunters. I am very happy with the direction the seris has taken. At first I thought that it was going to become repeditve with hunt this witch over and over. That did not happen they shifted the plot and made you keep wondering.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Witch Hunter Robin - Determination | No Comments »

Stream C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Movie Online

March 4th, 2010 by eve4505751
Stream C.S. Lewis': The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Movie Online. Stream C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Movie Online.

Movie Title: C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Average customer review:

C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

FYI: there are two versions of this animated treatment of the beloved C.S. Lewis classic, and since they’re pretty cheaply priced, I’d advise any true fan to purchase both.

Buy,Download, Or Stream C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe! Click Here

The reason for this, is that the newer, Special Edition version, has been trimmed on the top and bottom of the frame, to make it widescreen (even though Amazon has it erroneously labelled as, Full Screen, it’s widescreen).

Full screen is the way that this animated special was produced and shown, back in 1979, as it was made for TV, and was never intended to be shown in a theatre.

Buy,Download, Or Stream C.S. Lewis’: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe! Click Here

But why not just pick up the original, Non-special Edition version (as it is the full screen version) and not bother with this version; well, there are some very good reasons to get this version as well as the original, and that is because the, Special Edition version has some very nice extras, including an audio commentary with the director and producers, a deleted scene, as well as a nice little bit of character design sheets (including an early designs of the, White Witch) and drawings.

Also, the picture has been remastered to some extent, making the colours more vibrant and less washed out, then the previous edition.

But where the, Special Edition loses points, is it’s unnecessary cropping of the top and bottom of the image, to make it widescreen.

It’s actually kind of hard to watch in this widescreen version, as legs and the tops of heads are constantly being cut off to accommodate the widescreen format, which makes little sense, as the average person doesn’t own a widescreen TV anyway, and even if they did, an animorphic transfer would have been more then adequate for widescreen TV viewing.

Widescreening of movies is done, in theory, to see more picture on the TV screen, and not to end up losing it, which is the problem in this case.

So, die hard fans should definitely get both versions, but for the average viewer, I’d opt for the regular edition over this one.

At long last I found this! This is the award winning version from childhood that I remember so fondly. The book and this film hold so many dear memories to me, it’s definitely a trip down nostalgia lane. I love the graphics and general direction of this movie. My nieces absolutely fell in love with it upon first viewing, and I found myself equally engaged again and feeling like a kid discovering something very magical for the very first time. I love it!!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in C.S. Lewis': The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe | No Comments »

Streaming Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 Online

March 3rd, 2010 by eve4505751
Streaming Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 Online. Streaming Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 Online.

Movie Title: Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9
Average customer review:

Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9

For those who have been dying to own a video-recording of Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall, the wait – and all this torture and frustration we had in the past – is finally over…

Buy,Download, Or Stream Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9! Click Here

For the first time on DVD, we can watch this legendary and moving concert at our own homes. We no longer have the excuse of not being able to relive this event because of limited production of video tapes and worse yet, LASER DISCS. We may have seen snippets of it in documentaries and such, but say goodbye to that too!

For those who don’t know, this is a DVD worth watching. It’s a piece of history in itself. The performance was held on Christmas Day, 1989, about a month and a half after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Celebrating the reunion of Germany and the rest of the world, Leonard Bernstein, a prolific American conductor and composer (including the musical “West Side Story”) led a combined force of musicians from East and West Germany, as the United States, Britain, France, and Russia. Even a youth chorus was also invited to add more diversity. In the final movement of the symphony, he changes the word “freude” (joy) to “freiheit” (freedom), perhaps to give more emphasis that people are free from Communism, not to mention a possible fact that Schiller initially titled his poem “Ode to Freedom”. Whatever the changes made, indeed “all men become brothers” in the concert… for the moment at least…

Buy,Download, Or Stream Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9! Click Here

Bernstein, having less than a year to live, conducted the internationally combined orchestra rather slowly, much slower than what he did in his two previous recordings – not exactly preferable to my taste; I’m most used to the relatively fast-paced recordings of Herbert von Karajan, Eugene Ormandy, and Claudio Abbado just to name a few. It’s generally even slower than the one done by Karl Bohm. Nevertheless, Lenny, the four soloists from respective countries, the choruses, and the orchestra sang from their innermost heart and soul. Some of the parts were done much better than what other conductors have done. For instance, the jubilant coda in the last movement in particular is performed with top-notch speed and almost inexplainable ecstacy, as if Lenny was storing his passion and power for that defining moment. The ovation itself was a moving moment; it seem to never stop as the audience showed their gratitude and appreciation to the performers.

For those who do know this, never hesitate to buy if, even if you own the audio-only version. Time to use both your eyes and ears to witness this historic and moving occasion.

(Just to let you know, the performance – excluding the “breaks” between movements and the applause – lasted more than 80 minutes. In the CD recording it lasted roughly 78 minutes. That is because it omitted the repeat in the “A” section of the second movement, to avoid using two disks, as each CD fits 80 minutes worth of music… although newer CDs are able to fit a little more than 80 minutes…)

The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989. On Christmas Day 1989, only six weeks later, due to the organizational skills of Leonard Bernstein (and others) an historic concert of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was given in the Schauspielhaus in the former East Berlin with instrumentalists and singers from a number of different countries. These included orchestra members from the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Orchestra of the Kirov Theater of Leningrad, the London Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and the Orchestre de Paris. The choruses were those of Bavarian and Berlin Radio as well as, unusually, the Children’s Choir of the Philharmonie Dresden. Soloists were June Anderson (soprano, American), Sarah Walker (mezzo, British), Klaus König (tenor, German) and Jan-Hendrik Rootering (bass, Dutch). The concert was broadcast all over the world and the crowd in the plaza outside the Schauspielhaus could be also seen watching the event on television. I remember seeing the event but strangely remember it as having been an outdoors concert; obviously, I was mostly remembering that joyous crowd of Berliners outside the hall. One could see them and the audience inside the hall hugging in celebration of the event and of the new-found ability of citizens of the two Germanys to mix with each other again.

The thing that most people remember about this performance is that Bernstein had asked the choruses and soloists to substitute the word ‘Freiheit’ (’Freedom’) for Schiller’s word ‘Freude’ (’Joy’) so that the fourth movement of the symphony became an ‘Ode to Freedom.’ (There is a comment in the DVD booklet suggesting that ‘Freiheit’ was what Schiller had wanted to use but hadn’t because of political trends of the time. As I understand it, there is fairly flimsy evidence for that notion.)

As a performance it is typical late Bernstein. The camera focuses on him quite a lot — and he already looks tired and sick, but joyful, too, and indeed he died only ten months later. But there is no flagging in his conducting. Like many of his later performances, this one is slower than earlier performances. The third movement particularly is exceedingly slow, but it is also exceedingly beautifully played and is quite moving. Of note is that the combined orchestras’ principal winds (and, I believe, brass) exchanged places between the second and third movements. One saw them trading chairs and shaking hands as they did so. Stanley Drucker, the NYPO’s principal clarinet, played like an angel in the third movement.

This performance had been released on VHS in 1991 but this is its first appearance on DVD. Video and sound are of their period and quite acceptable, as is the overall performance musically. I suspect most people who buy this DVD will do so because of its historical value.

Scott Morrison

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 | No Comments »

Stream South Park – The Complete Fourth Season Movie Online

March 2nd, 2010 by eve4505751
Stream South Park - The Complete Fourth Season Movie Online. Stream South Park – The Complete Fourth Season Movie Online.

Movie Title: South Park – The Complete Fourth Season
Average customer review:

South Park – The Complete Fourth Season is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download South Park – The Complete Fourth Season

For some of you that may not know, the fourth season of South Park was and always will be the best season ever. Here’s the episodes and a description about them.

1. Cartman’s Silly Hate Crime: Cartman throws a rock at Token and goes to Juvie. There he meets a kid who always wanted to go to Disney World.

2. Tooth Fairy Tats 2000: The boys need quick cash and steal teeth to get money from the “Tooth Fairy”.

3. Quintuplets 2000: The boys adopt quintuplets.

4. Timmy 2000: Timmy comes into the boys’ class and joins a rock band with Stan’s sister’s ex-boyfriend.

5. Pip: Pip goes back to England and remenisces about old times he had there.

6. Cartman Joins NAMBLA: Cartman is too “mature” for the other kids and joins an organization with child molestors. There is a real NAMBLA, called “National Accosiation of Marlon Brando Look Alikes”.

7. Cherokee Hair Tampons: Kyle becomes sick and needs a new kidney, and Cartman is his last hope. (a.k.a. The Cheech and Chong episode).

8. Chef Goes Nanners: (Never saw this episode, heard is good).

9. Something You Can Do With Your Finger: The boys start a boy band called “Fingerbang”.

10. Do The Handicapped Go To Hell? (Part 1): The boys learn about confession and Saddam Hussein comes back into Satan’s love life.

11. Probably (Part 2): Cartman teaches kids the joys of Christianity and Satan does it with Saddam…again!

12. Fourth Grade: The boys go to 4th grade and they hate their new teacher, Ms. Choksondik, while she goes on a quest to find the missing Mr. Garrison.

13. Trapper Keeper: Cartman gets a Dawson’s Creek Trapper Keeper that holds a secret to destruction.

14. Helen Keller- The Musical: The kids make a play on Helen Keller, starring Timmy, for Thanksgiving. (Gobbles!!!)

15. Fat Camp: Cartman goes to fat camp while Kenny is famous for doing crazy things.

16. The Wacky Molestation: The kids get back at their parents for teaching them what molesting was.

17. A Very “Crappy” Christmas: Mr. Hankey teaches his family about how poop helps everyone.

There you have it, all 17 legendary episodes of the greatest season of South Park.

Viva La Risistance!

This is porblably one of the best seasons of South Park. Below is a list of all the episodes and when they aired in the fourth season.

5-Apr-00 The Tooth Fairy’s TATS 2000
12-Apr-00 Cartman’s Silly Hate Crime 2000
19-Apr-00 Timmy! 2000
26-Apr-00 Quintuplets 2000
21-Jun-00 Cartman Joins NAMBLA
28-Jun-00 Cherokee Hair Tampons
5-Jul-00 Chef Goes Nanners
12-Jul-00 Something You Can Do With Your Finger (a.k.a. Fingerbang)
19-Jul-00 Do the Handicapped Go to Hell? (1)

26-Ju-00 Probably (2)
8-Nov-00 4th Grade
15-Nov-00 Trapper Keeper
22-Nov-00 Helen Keller! The Musical
29-Nov-00 Great Expectations
6-Dec-00 Fat Camp
13-Dec-00 The Wacky Molestation Adventure
20-Dec-00 A Very Crappy Christmas

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in South Park - The Complete Fourth Season | No Comments »

« Older Entries