Kyle XY: The Complete Second Season Review

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(More customer reviews)For those who so thoroughly enjoyed Season 1 of Kyle XY, Season 2 continues the story with some new twists and new characters, while wrapping up loose threads from Season 1. After the death of his mentor, Adam Baylin, Kyle returns to the Trager family, who keenly felt his absence.
Kyle continues to work on developing his abilities under the tutelage of Tom Foss (Nicholas Lea, Alex Krycek on "The X-Files"), while keeping his activities secret, which strains his relationship with his newly adopted family. He also pursues a relationship with Amanda, the neighbor girl he doted on in Season 1.
However, in Season 2, Kyle is no longer the only one of his kind. Shortly before a bomb takes out the laboratory where Kyle was created, a female like him emerges from her pod and runs wild in Seattle, until the company that created her reprograms her into Jessi, Kyle's friend/enemy. She is almost his complete opposite, unafraid to even kill.
The Trager family's lives remain interesting as well, as Steven is hired by the very company controlling Jessi, Lori and Declan's relationship is strained by Declan's keeping Kyle's secrets, Nicole provides therapy to Jessi, and Josh reaches the age of 16, and gets a girlfriend named Andy (yes, she's a girl!) who is suffering from a serious illness, which inspires Josh to do a lot of growing up in this season, while still maintaining his singular wit.
The longer season allows for more dramatic storytelling, leading up to a startling cliffhanger, which begins on TV in January. Interesting timing for the release, eh?
But for all that Kyle learns in this season, it seems clear that he has barely begun to scratch the surface, and may always be attempting to answer the tagline question: Who is Kyle XY?

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He is not alone. Prepare for twice the excitement with the mysterious arrival of Jessi XX in the captivating sci-fi drama's jaw-dropping Season 2.0. What is Jessi's connection to Kyle, and might she carry the answer to the ultimate question: Who is Kyle XY? Breakout star Matt Dallas reprises his role as Kyle, the phenomenal young man with an enigmatic past. Unlock coveted secrets from Season One and delve into a new level of thrills in Kyle XY: Season 2.0 -- Revelations. Experience 13 episodes on three discs, including a round-the-clock look at the worlds of Kyle and Jessi, and get an exclusive sneak peek into the show's future. It's a twisting, turning drama that will have you hooked from the very first episode!

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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (Widescreen Edition) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The impression that "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" gives is that it's a bubbly, bright, and--for all intents and purposes--meaningless sequel to the first film. To my relief, it follows the example set by its predecessor, a surprisingly levelheaded friendship story. Four years after discovering a magically fitting pair of jeans, best friends Tibby Tomko-Rollins (Amber Tamblyn), Carmen Lowell (America Ferrera), Lena Kaligaris (Alexis Bledel), and Bridget Vreeland (Blake Lively) have returned for a second chapter that remains on perfectly equal ground with the first, focusing on coming-of-age issues like maturity, self-discovery, family, and love. Unoriginal ideas? Maybe so, but that doesn't mean they're any less effective. If anything, they make the film's message that much clearer. It helps that many of the girls' problems are based in reality--high school issues, like being pretty and popular, are pushed aside in favor of adult issues, like pregnancy scares and family crises.
If there's anything we learned from the first film, it's that the magic of the titular jeans was symbolic; by in large, the girls worked through their own ups and downs on their own, with no miraculous intervention other than their friendship with one another. We learn pretty much the same thing in this film, which sees each character facing new, more mature challenges. Let's begin with Carmen, who doubles as the film's bookend narrator. She now attends Yale, working as a stagehand for the theatre department. Her mother (Rachel Ticotin) has since remarried and is now pregnant with her second child. When Carmen's hopes of spending the summer with her friends are dashed, she decides to join a Shakespearian theater company in Vermont with a prima donna named Julia (Rachel Nichols). Once there, a British actor named Ian (Tom Wisdom) coaxes Carmen into auditioning for "A Winter's Tale"; to her shock--and to Julia's horror--she's cast as Perdita. As rehearsals continue, she begins to fall in love with Ian.
Next, there's Bridget, who plays Soccer at Brown University. Lately, her interests have shifted to archeology. While on an expedition in Turkey, her instructor, Professor Nasrin Mehani (Shohreh Aghdashloo), opens her eyes to the fact that she's only running away from her past. Bridget, it seems, is still haunted by the suicide of her mother. And her relationship with her father (Ernie Lively) is worse than ever; before leaving for Turkey, she discovered a box full of letters her grandmother had written her, letters her father wanted to keep hidden. Returning to the United States, Bridget takes a bus to Alabama and finally meets her grandmother, Greta (Blythe Danner), an accommodating woman with a matter-of-fact outlook on everything, including her daughter's mental illness.
The next in line is Tibby, who continues to pursue her filmmaking dreams at NYU. Forced to stay in New York for the summer to rewrite her screenplay, she gets a job at a local video store. She's now dating Brian McBrian (Leonardo Nam), who was introduced in the first film as the "Dragon's Lair" champion. When their relationship is threatened (for reasons I won't reveal), Tibby begins to wonder if she was meant for happiness. She does put up a wall every time she gets close to someone, and that's because, deep down, she believes that those you love the most will eventually abandon you. Her attempts to get sympathy from Carmen are flatly rejected; she doesn't appreciate how uncommunicative Tibby has been all summer.
Finally, there's Lena, who attends an art college in Rhode Island on a scholarship. Heartbroken after breaking up with her Greek boyfriend, Kostos (Michael Rady), she reverts to her old timid ways. She then meets Leo (Jesse Williams), the male model hired to pose nude in her art classes. It isn't long before they fall in love, although we suspect it's for all the wrong reasons. All she really knows about Leo is that he's a nice guy, and he's incredibly handsome. But does she know what she wants out of life? Does she even know who she is? How can know she when she's torn between two men?
Naturally, the pants themselves have to play a part in this story, and indeed, they're continually FedEx-ed from friend to friend. The question is: Do any of them need the pants anymore? You'd think that, at this point, a pair of old jeans traveling the world would reveal itself as a big metaphor. They may realize that by the time the film ends. I'm not entirely sure, though.
Moments of this movie are perhaps a little too sentimental, and the general plot may be a little too formulaic. At times, the dialogue is a bit contrived. Consider this conversation: When Tibby says drearily, "I suck at relationships. I should have been a guy," Lena calmly responds, "A guy wouldn't care about sucking at relationships." Only best friends in a coming-of-age story could get away with lines like that. Then again, I never expected a reinvention of the wheel. Movies like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2"--and its predecessor--are aimed at a very specific audience, namely teenage girls; if they can get something out of it other than the sight of four young women looking pretty, if they can leave the theater understanding the more complex aspects of the story, then the filmmakers can include all the predictable dialogue they want. I think this movie will get the job done, not merely for teenage girls, but for anyone open to the idea.

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Join the four best friends as they finish their first year of college and dive into a summer of excitement. Bridget (Blake Lively) journeys to Turkey on an archeological dig. Carmen (America Ferrera) plunges into the hectic, creative world of summer theater in Vermont. Lena (Alexis Bledel) discovers new love and old heartbreak at the Rhode Island School of Design. And in the Big Apple, Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) takes a big step in her relationship with Brian. Romance, laughs, tears and that magical pair of jeans that keeps the girls together even when theyre far apart all here in a heart-lifting second film based on Ann Brashares bestsellers. Its a perfect fit.

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Uptown Girls (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)In terms of the basic plot "Uptown Girls" is totally predictable. Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy) is a spoiled little rich girl who needs to grow up when she is forced to go out and get a job for the first time in her life. Ray Schleine (Dakota Fanning) is an 8-year-old even littler little rich girl who is not only a hypochondriac and wise beyond her years but who needs to learn how to be a kid. Of course circumstances throw them together when Molly becomes Ray's nanny. There is the comic period of butting heads, the tentative beginnings of friendship, the point at which things blow up big time, and the heartfelt reconciliation. But one of the reasons that formula films like this continue to be made is because more often than not they work. The result is not a great film, but an enjoyable one where the best part of the film is the finale, where between them writers Julia Dahl, Mo Ogrodnik, Lisa Davidowitz and Allison Jacobs come up with a creative way of bringing together major plot elements.
The twist with Molly Gunn is that she is the daughter of a rock 'n' roll legend, guitarist Tommy Gunn. Her parents were killed in a plane crash when she was about Ray's age and she has been living off the residuals. In her apartment there is a shrine in which all of her father's guitars are displayed, including the one on which he wrote his biggest hit, "Molly Smiles," the song that Molly can no longer bear to here. Molly might be spoiled, but she has a kind heart and not a mean bone in her body. When her accountant steals all of her money and disappears she has her friends, Ingrid (Marley Shelton) and Huey (Donald Faison), who stay true and try to help her survive in the real world (I liked not having to do deal with her friends forgetting her now that she is broke). She also likes Neal Fox (Jesse Spencer), the young musician who plays at her birthday party. The only problem is that he is 274 days in his sobriety and wants to be celibate the first year. But he too is inspired by Molly to write a song that becomes a hit.
Ray's mother, Roma Schleine (Heather Locklear) runs a record label, which, of course, signs Neal. This also explains why Ray needs a Nanny and we already know why the kid's attitude has a long procession of nanny's coming and going. But beyond her immaculate room and her preoccupation with germs and disease, Ray has her own father issue: he suffered a stroke and is now a vegetable set up in the library of the apartment. She seldom talks about her dad and she never visits him. To Molly, this is just wrong, but she does not give the obvious speech. Ray is smart enough to know what she would say and Molly bides her time until the time comes to say the right thing. In the counter-part to that scene that comes shortly afterwards, Molly and Ray communicate a whole range of emotions without either one of them even saying a word. Films like this rarely let silence speak so well on the behalf of the characters.
Dakota Fanning was the best thing in "Taken," and after her solid performance in "I Am Sam" it is nice to see her do a more comedic role in this film. Count me in the growing list of those who think she could well be the Jodi Foster of her generation (to wit, she is better than Jodi Foster was at this age and you have the sense that she can make the transition from child star to adult star). Brittany Murphy, who was wasted in "Just Married" and was asked to do something decidedly different in "8 Mile," sinks her teeth into this role. She has the ditzy parts down pat, but it is the honest moments that she shares with both Ray and Roma that she achieves her best grace notes in the film. She should get a lot of opportunities to do more romantic comedies and as long as they have some basis in the real world and do not require her character to go over the top, she should thrive in such roles.
Again, I want to applaud the creativity shown at the end of the film. Coming up with a payoff at the end of a film like this is difficult, because you need something that brings the characters together in a happy ending. What I like about this ending is that it achieves this without the characters involved ever making physical contact, by involving at least a half-dozen key plot elements, and, most importantly, by having the song we have been waiting almost the entire movie to hear be as good as it was supposed to be. When you watch the film a second time pay attention to how the music is set up during the auction scene. There might not be enough new here to make this a great film, but director Boaz Yakin has made "Uptown Girls" a nicely crafted formula film that more than meets our expectations.

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Brittany Murphy (don't Say a Word) and Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam) shine brighter than all the lights of Manhattan in this delightful New York fairy tale. Co-starring Marley Shelton (Never Been Kissed), Donald Faison ("Scrubs") and Heather Locklear ("Spin City"), Uptown Girls will make you laugh, cry and laugh again!Molly (Murphy) is a partying rock 'n' roll princess whose money just ran out. Ray (Fanning) is a fussy nine-year-old girl whose last nanny just ran out. Only Ray's way-too-busy mom (Locklear) could think that hiring Molly would be the perfect setup for both girls. But as this unlikely pair faces everything from control issues (Ray's, of course) to temper tantrums (Molly's, of course), they discover that sometimes your best friend can come from the place you least expect!

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The Inkwell (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)How often dow we see movies about a teenage brother's coming of age that aren't violent or gang-related? Matty Rich(whatever he's doing now) did a superb job directing this film about an awkward teen vacationing with his parents in Martha's Vineyard visiting his well-to-do relatives.
He falls for the snot-nose Lauren who uses him to get back at her boyfriend who dropped her. Meanwhile he is also looking out for a married woman whose husband is cheating on her with other women.
It's a movie about growing up and what it means to be a person. Do all black movies have to be based on gang warfare and lewed sexual conduct?

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At Inkwell Beach, summer's never been so much fun! It's a time and a place where cool clothes, hot music, and good friends turn a dull family trip into the summetime vacation of a lifetime! Critics everywhere praised THE INKWELL -- the hot, big-screen comedy treat that delivers outrageous summertime fun and good time entertainment, all set to an irresistible soundtrack! Spend some time down at the shore with the funniest folks you're ever going to meet -- summer fun doesn't get any better than this!

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Where the Heart Is (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Based upon the book of the same name by Billie Letts, this film was a more than pleasant surprise. It is simply a compelling absorbing, and unusual film. Well directed by television veteran Matt Williams, the movie exudes a certain folksy charm that grabs the viewer from the get go and keeps that viewer enthralled until the final scene.
The film centers around Novalee Nation (Natalie Portman), a very pregnant seventeen year old, who, with her boyfriend, lowlife Willy Jack Pickens (Dylan Bruno), pulls up to a Walmart's in Oklahoma where he abandons her. So, with virtually no money, literally barefoot and pregnant, and nowhere to go, she sets up camp in Walmart by night and explores the town by day, making friends with a number of memorable characters.
She unexpectedly has her baby at Walmart's, making her into a minor local celebrity. While at the hospital convalescing, she meets a sassy, brassy nurse, Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd), who befriends her. She is showered with gifts and her mother, Mama Lil (Sally Field), a floozie who discovers her daughter's whereabouts courtesy of the media hoopla, pays her a visit. Having abandoned her once before, she is there long enough for Novalee to be abandoned, yet again.
Along comes Thelma 'Sister' Husband (Stockard Channing), an eccentric but kindhearted recovering alcoholic who scoops Novalee and her baby up and takes her to her home. This would be the beginning of a whole new life for Novalee, one that would be enriched by the people whom she meets and the experiences, both good and bad, to which she is subjected. It becomes the story of her personal and emotional odyssey, as well as the story and growth of those with whom she most closely interacts. It is a story about life, relationships, responsibilities, love, and the ties that bind.
It is also the story of Willy Jack Pickens and the direction his life takes subsequent to his abandonment of Novalee. After some bad breaks, he gets talent agent, Ruth Meyers (Joan Cusack), to sign him on in hope of furthering a musical career. Unlike Novalee, however, he does not take well to the vicissitudes of life and begins a free fall in a downward spiral. His waterloo culminates in a dramatic meeting with Novalee after many years, a meeting that sets her free from her past, free to love the one person who loves her for herself.
Natalie Portman delivers her best performance to date. In the role of Novalee, she mixes innocence with wonder at what the world has to offer her. She adds a certain sweetness, poignancy, and determination to the role that translates into a wonderful vulnerability laced with steel. It is this quality that gives Novalee the will to go on when the odds are so against her, and that is just what Natalie Portman conveys to the viewer.
Stockard Channing is great as the eccentric and kind Thelma 'Sister' Husband, a woman who never had children of her own but is truly a mother at heart. Nurturing her garden, as well as Novalee and her baby, flowers and plants are not the only things that thrive under her care. A veritable Mother Earth, she is the kind of person who brings out the best in others, and Novalee and her baby are no exception. Stockard Channing, a great, though underrated actress, brings this home to the viewer in spades.
Ashley Judd is terrific as the wide eyed, "looking for love in all the wrong places" Lexie. She comes across as sassy and brassy but is really only looking for someone to appreciate her for who she is and not for the sex she has to offer. Judd delivers the nuances that this role demands. James Frain is sensational as the shy, sensitive, and kind Forney Hull, the town librarian's brother who befriends Novalee. He plays the role with such vulnerability and imbues him with such goodness that the viewer cannot help but care deeply for him. It is also almost hard to believe that James Frain is British, as he has an American accent so down pat.
Dylan Bruno is perfect as Willie Jack Pickens, the country good old boy who ruins his own life and almost ruins Novalee's. Joan Cusack shows her deft comedic flair in the small, but memorable role of Ruth Meyers, and Sally Field leaves her mark in her cameo role as Novalee's mother. All in all, stellar performances are given by the entire cast. This is a well directed film that should not be missed.

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Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman shine in this offbeat, delicious slice of life about a down-on-her-luck Southern teen. After gaining 15 minutes of fame for giving birth to "The Wal-Mart Baby", Novalee Nation (Portman) begins to put her life together with the help of the kind, quirky strangers who become her surrogate family.It's an inspiring celebration of love, friendship and self-worth that delivers "quality, emotionally satisfying entertainment" (ReelViews).

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Degrassi High - The Complete Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)WGBH Boston really went out of there way to please fans of Degrassi High. The shows arrival on DVD has been very anticipated. Degrassi High is the television show that aired after Degrassi Junior High stopped airing back in the 80's. The show featured the same cast of characters from Degrassi Junior High and chronicled their high school years. The show aired for two seasons and the DVD release includes all 28 episodes of the show.
The first season starts with the kids entering high school and getting reacquainted. Always known for dealing with controversial topics, the season begins with a two part episode titled "A New Start." One of the twins is pregnant after a summer fling and they have to determine how to proceed. Spike is back and Degrassi and her daughter is in daycare. She is best friends with Liz and starts dating a new guy named Patrick. The gang of Joey, Wheels and Snake are as tight as ever and share their misadventures when it comes to girls, grades and most importantly cars, as cars bring newfound freedom. Some characters from Degrassi Junior High get a little more exposure at Degrassi High. The known bully Dwayne faces a health crisis he struggles to keep secret, worried that it might affect his image. Lucy is still a big flirt and she finds interest in film making. L.D. isn't featured as much in this series as she is faced with a health crisis that leaves her in the hospital for much of the series. Caitlin finds interest in various causes and dates a new guy at school named Claude for a short time. Michelle is still in her interracial relationship with B.L.T. but its her family situation and her school situation which puts her under a great strain. Keeping with the format of the show, all of the cast members have their time with various hard hitting storylines during the season.
It's a great series and you could really sit down and watch the entire series in a weekend. Teens today will find the show beneficial and fans of Degrassi The Next Generation may also enjoy the series which features several of the cast members of that show. A great bonus is that the DVD set includes the Degrassi movie "Schools Out." This has long been a favorite that fans have been waiting for on DVD.
This release completes the Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High collection on DVD. The four disc set includes twenty eight episodes of the series and the movie "Schools Out" is featured on the fourth disc. Bonus materials include pop quiz, Degrassi High wallpaper, printable materials and printable cast interviews.

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Degrassi High confronts it all—friendship, love, death, stress, pregnancy, rumors, rebellion, drinking and more—with all the same kids from the popular Junior High series.Sometimes moving, sometimes shocking, but always believable, Degrassi High is a classic for teens of all ages. Find your seat—school's open!Includes all 28 episodes of Degrassi High, plus the graduation special School's Out.

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Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (1991) Review

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(More customer reviews)Christina Applegate is surprisingly good in this cult classic playing Sue Ellen. After the babysitter dies from old age, she finds herself responsible for her four younger brothers and sisters for the entire summer. As much as she hates it, Sue Ellen has to get a job to support them all. When she applies for a receptionist job with a clothing manufacturer, her fabricated resume lands her a job with the chief executive. This is a lighthearted movie with many funny scenes.

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The day after Mom leaves for a summer vacation in Australia, the kid's strict babysitter drops dead. The kids decide not to tell Mom, so that they can party.Item Type: DVD MovieItem Rating: PG13Street Date: 08/30/05Wide Screen: noDirector Cut: noSpecial Edition: noLanguage: ENGLISHForeign Film: noSubtitles: noDubbed: noFull Frame: yesRe-Release: noPackaging: Sleeve

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