It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 3 Review

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(More customer reviews)I would fall into the group of folks who began watching "Sunny" with the inception of the Dumpster Baby episode and, in turn, quickly got himself caught up with the first two seasons on DVD. Aside from the heaps of praise that "Sunny" has gotten since it first appeared, it's inclusion on the FX Network made it especially intriguing as (in my opinion) they house the best original television on basic cable today.
While the first 2 seasons are picture perfect in their own right, Season 3 delivers the funniest moments to date of this already amazing show. Anyone who is a fan already knows which moments these are (ie; Day Man). My personal favorite is the season finale, specifically the Mac vs. Dennis dance off, which is quite possibly the funniest moment in TV history.
Season 3 also includes the gang trying out for the Eagles, the death in Dennis and Dee's immediate family, battling a local Korean restaurant, Mac joining the mafia and a few drop-ins from the McPoyle family. What makes these scenarios so unique is that they are relatively serious at a glance but are filtered through some of most ridiculous and hilarious circumstances that even the largest hot button issue becomes comedy gold, leaving no one and nothing spared.
With one week until Season 4 begins anew, the public at large has the opportunity to get all caught up or give themselves a refresher of hilarity. I'll be enjoying multiple viewings.

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Audio: English: Dolby Surround
Language: Dubbed: English / Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Full Screen: 1.33:1
Disk 1:
The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby
The Gang Gets Invincible
Dennis and Dee’s Mom is Dead
The Gang Gets Held Hostage
The Aluminum Monster vs. Fatty McGoo
The Gang Solves the North Korea Situation
Disk 2:
The Gang Sells Out
Frank Sets Sweet Dee On Fire
Sweet Dee’s Dating a Retarded Person
Mac is a Serial Killer
Dennis Looks Like a Registered Sex Offender
Commentary with
The Gang Gets Whacked part 1
Disk 3:
The Gang Gets Whacked part 2
Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City
The Gang Dances Their Asses Off

Sunny Side UP Volume 2
Meet The McPoyles Featurette
Dancing Man Featurette
Gag Reel
Sunny FX Promo Spots

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Dare (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Not since Threesome (1994), which born-again Stephen Baldwin has since disowned, has there been such a daring coupling of two men and one woman on screen. The tagline of that earlier film, "One girl. Two guys. Three possibilities," might have been adopted for Dare as well. The elephant in the room is the excellent Dare (2005) short included on the Blu-ray disc. While the swimming pool "dare" scene that is most of the short also appears in the new film, it has been truncated for no obvious reason, and it is not one of the deleted scenes. The new film also suffers by comparison because the chemistry between Johnny and Ben seems stronger in the short.
The new film is really not a gay film anymore. Alexa, who is peripheral to the short, drives the new film from the opening frames. Johnny's backstory of a distant father and a youthful stepmother certainly explains his vulnerability, but his friends are not privy to the same personal details the audience sees, and that sets up the somewhat unsatisfactory, though perhaps realistic, ending. Threesome, based on the college experiences of the director, was shot with an alternative ending that appeared on the 2001 release (unlike some male-male scenes that were cut and never seen) which also had problems. How do you resolve any threesome satisfactorily? We never learn how Johnny vanquished his personal demons except to see the sign on the door he enters in the last frames.
Threesome has about the same rating as this film overall, but has more five-star votes than otherwise. I would recommend Threesome over Dare, but the Dare short is a keeper and film comes very close as well.

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Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera), Zach Gilford (TV's Friday Night Lights) and Ashley Springer (Teeth) head up a stellar cast including Ana Gasteyer (Mean Girls), Rooney Mara (A Nightmare on Elm Street), comedienne Sandra Bernhard (TV's Roseanne) and Alan Cumming (X2: X-Men United) in this captivating story of high school seniors at the crossroads of their adult lives. When a pompous actor tells good girl Alexa (Rossum) that she hasn't lived, she embarks on a bold journey that takes her to mysterious bad boy Johnny (Gilford). Envious, her shy best friend Ben (Springer) also dares to pursue Johnny, complicating Alexa's romance and pushing the boundaries among the three friends.Stills from Dare

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American Dreams - Season One (Extended Music Edition) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)"American Dreams" is a show that could have been on the air during the very timeframe in which it was set. In it's entirely too short three season run, it was a standout, simply because it was well written, wonderfully acted, and just plain entertaining - something to which the millions of reality shows and "Law and Order" clones cluttering the airwaves couldn't begin to compare. "American Dreams" captured both the lingering innocence and the burgeoning counter culture of the 60's. Kids spent their time listening to records and watching "American Bandstand", but surreptitiously attended war protests on college campuses. Dads earned a living and handed down advice and discipline while moms cooked balanced meals, but after the children were in bed, they discussed such taboo subjects as women's rights, race relations, and birth control. All of these subjects were addressed intelligently and realistically, but the writers never failed to add humor to the scripts as well.
Much of the show was from the viewpoint of Meg Pryor (played by the wonderful Brittany Snow). We first meet Meg as a sweet 15 year old who realizes her lifelong dream of becoming a dancer on "American Bandstand". The two hour pilot episode finds Meg and her wild child best friend Roxanne scheming to be pulled from the daily lineup of hopeful dancers outside the Philadelphia television studio where "Bandstand" is filmed, for a guest appearance on the show. It takes some conniving on the part of the always hilariously outrageous Roxanne, but one day the impossible happens, and both girls make it onto the show. Meg doesn't believe it could possibly get any better - until she catches the eye of one of the show's producers, who offers her a regular spot. Her ecstasy is short lived when she finds out that not only was Roxanne was not asked to be a regular, but her father will not allow her to be on the show. Meg's determination finally wins her father's permission, but her guilt over Roxanne leads to her decision to quit. A resolution is reached when the producer is impressed by Meg's loyalty and invites Roxanne to be a regular as well, but the pilot ends on a somber note with the assassination of President Kennedy.
This episode is characteristic of the rest of the season (and Seasons 2 and 3 as well). "American Bandstand" features prominently in the series as we follow Meg and Roxanne's daily adventures as dancers and minor celebrities. One of the highlights of the series was the outstanding performances of many 21st century bands playing 60's acts such as Jay and The Americans and The Kinks. However, it also tackles heavier issues, such as the Vietnam War (a major focus of Season 2, which follows the active duty of Meg's brother J.J.) and racism. Many storylines feature Henry, a black employee of Meg's father's appliance store, and his son Sam, with whom Meg forms a close friendship despite disapproval from both families and society in general. Over the course of the three seasons, Meg develops from a starry eyed "good girl" to an intelligent, socially conscious young woman, who challenges the gender roles set for her and always follows the path that she knows is right. But the show never forgot how to have fun as well.
"American Dreams" was one of the finest television shows ever produced. Thumbs down to NBC for not recognizing what they had. If only they'd given it a fighting chance (putting it in a decent time slot and allowing the episodes to be re-run in the off season), it would have been remembered as a legend years from now!

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AMERICAN DREAMS:SEASON 1 EXTENDED MUS - DVD Movie

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Rocky Balboa (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you liked the original "Rocky", you will really like this movie, as it is more about the character Rocky, his feelings, his life, and his future. Rocky 3, 4, and 5 are missing the vital heart and soul we loved in Rocky 1 and 2 so much - we fell in love with the Rocky character, his humanness, his gentleness (despite his hulking size and profession), his love of Adrian, Mick, and Paulie. In "Rocky Balboa", Sylvester Stallone has captured the essence of Rocky once again. The film will move you as it did me. I laughed out loud, I was inspired, I cheered, and I cried.
Rocky V was supposed to the last Rocky film, but the film was disappointing in that it had no real conclusion of the character of Rocky. Stallone was disappointed with it, and for years pestered the studios to allow him one more installment. With "Rocky Balboa, Stallone once again causes us to fall in love with Rocky, and he ends the film with a just and satisfying conclusion. I guarantee you will like this film if you liked the original "Rocky."
This final installment of the Rocky series, "Rocky Balboa", has much of the flavor of the original Rocky (1976) release. The emphasis is not on the fight, rather, it is on the character of Rocky, and how he is struggling to maintain himself after the unexpected and premature death of his beloved Adrian. Adrian has died and Rocky's life stopped when she died. He is stuck in the past, with no clear vision of his future without her at his side. Each morning, Rocky begins his day by sitting beside Adrian's grave in a wooden chair he stores in the crook of a nearby tree. He brings her fresh flowers and contemplates their past love together. He has a restaurant, called "Adrian's", where Rocky entertains his guests with stories of his past boxing glories. It so happens it is the 5-year anniversary of Adrian's death, and Rocky, as he has done each of the previous 5 years, goes back to the old neighborhood to relive his fond loving memories of Adrian, like the pet store, the skating rink, their apartment, and Mick's boxing gym. Rocky misses Adrian so much he cannot get over her. She is like a ghost who dominates his every waking moment.
Like the original "Rocky", this film devotes enjoyable time in developing the character of Rocky and his interactions with old and new characters. Th "old" characters are Paulie (Adrian's brother), Rocky's son (now a fledgling businessman, struggling to carve out a life outside his famous father's shadow), Spider Rico (a former opponent, and now Rocky's friend and confidant), and "Little Marie", (now a grown woman who works at the neighborhood bar) who Rocky walked home from a street corner in the original film (Marie was perhaps 12 years old then - she is pushing 40 years old in this film).
The new characters are Step, Marie's son, whom Rocky befriends like a father figure, and Mason "The Line" Dixon, the current heavyweight champion, who is stuck in his own life rut. Like art imitating real life, the heavyweight division is in the dumps with no real contenders for Dixon to fight. Dixon is booed by fans despite him easily winning his matches against all the pretender "contenders". The fans are in a state of unrest, because there is no boxer on the scene with the credentials to give Mason Dixon a real fight. And so, Dixon has doubts about himself. Is he really a champion when he has no viable competition? Does he have a fighter's heart? Can he go the distance with a real challenger? Can he get up and fight if he gets knocked down? It appears that Dixon will never find the answers to his questions until a computer fight with Rocky Balboa is generated. Much like the real-life computer fight between Rocky Marchiano and Muhummad Ali, the Dixon-Balboa fight ends with Rocky KO'ing the current champion. Dixon's manger and handlers use the computer fight to generate interest in a real fight with Rocky Balboa. Dixon needs the positive publicity the fight will bring him, and he needs to settle the issue of how he would do against a real champion like Balboa. At first, Dixon is incredulous that someone as old as Rocky could even step in the ring with him, as Rocky is in has mid to late fifties. The match is set as an exhibition, and Dixon tells Rocky he will carry him and not embarass him. Little does Dixon know, Rocky still feels he has something to prove, and he takes the fight seriously, giving Dixon the war he needs to prove his mettle.
Rocky accepts the challenge to fight despite the disapproval of his son and Paulie. They fear for the very life of Rocky. But Rocky eventually convinces them that he has to fight because he cannot go into eternity with a whisper. The Rock believes a man is always a man, and has the soul of a fighting man even when he ages. The fight for Rocky is a metaphor for the value of one's life at any age, and is also his personal battle to move forward in his own life. He was knocked down when Adrian died, and now this fight shows that he can pick himself off the mat and move forward once again.
The fight itself is anti-climactic to the character development of Rocky and where he goes after the fight. Thus, the fight with Mason Dixon has less drama than the previous Rocky opponents (such as Appolo, Drago, Clubber Lang, etc). Rocky always fought villianous characters in the previous films, but not in this one. (In fact, Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago from Rocky 3 and 4 were more comic book characters than real people). In "Rocky Balboa", Mason Dixon is not a villan. He is a real human being with human issues of his own to settle. Without revealing the ending, suffice to say that both fighters give it their all in the ring, and both achieve what they set out to do.
It is noteworthy to mention that Rocky does not even wait in the ring for the final decision, for he has exorcised his personal issues and settled them. In the final scene of the movie, Rocky revists Adrian's grave. The perceptive movie watcher will note that the chair is gone from the crook of the tree, indicating that Rocky has moved on with his life. Adrian will still be his beloved, but he can move on and not be stuck in the past. The Little Marie character, now a grown woman with a nearly grown son, helps Rocky realize he has more to live for than past memories. Their budding relationship gives the viewer assurance that new love can again blossom for Rocky, and fill the void he felt for Adrian.
For me "Rocky Balboa" is a very pleasing and satsifying, and I give it 4 of 5 stars. I dock it a star because I think it could have been a bit longer. The film only runs 1 hour and 42 minutes, relatively short by today's film standards. I would like to see further development of Rocky's trainer and their relationship, (the younger viewers will not know who the trainer is, or where he comes from. He is Apollo Creed's former trainer, and the man who helped Rocky train for Ivan Drago). I fondly recall Rocky and Mick's relationship in the first three Rocky movies, and I wish there was more dialogue between these two men to reveal their feelings for each other. Afterall, would a trainer seriously accept the task of preparing a 50-something old Rocky to fight the heavyweight champion? This premise could have been developed more. I also would have liked to see more development on Rocky's training. The training period is too brief in this film, and was always an emotional inspiration in previous films. It is hard to imagine a man in his fifties stepping into the ring with the champ. Rocky is incredibly ripped in his musculature, but I would have liked to see the same sequence that was done in the first film, showing how out of shape Rocky was, and what he had to go through to get into shape. This in my estimation is the most serious flaw in the film.
If you can accept the preposition of a man in his mid to late 50's fighting the current heavyweight boxing champion (a la George Foreman winning the title at age 45 and fighting until he was nearly fifty years old), then you will love this film. This to me is the only stumbling block in the film. If one can accept the age issue, and finds it credible that Rocky can really put up a fight, then the film works. If you can't accept that preposition, the film can still be enjoyed for the development of the Rocky character, and the hope he has in his future with his son, and Marie as a potential future love interest.
"Rocky Balboa" provides a fitting ending to the Rocky saga. It is a must-see for all the Rocky fans who have lived the saga for the past 30 years. Personally, and perhaps like many others, I have been deeply affected by Rocky in my life, as I can empathize with his struggles in life, and his struggle to make his life count for something - not content to be "just another bum from the neighborhood". "Rocky Balboa" shows with grace and dignity that all of us have these same issues, and the movie fittingly ends with Rocky's issues satisfactorily resolved. It was a great ride. Thank you Sylvester Stallone for revealing to us the person of Rocky. I like the guy, in fact I love him. My life is richer for it.
Jim "Konedog" Koenig.

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When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) retaliates by challenging the Italian Stallion to a nationally televised, 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son (Milo Ventimiglia, TV's Heroes) and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who's faster, stronger and thirty years his junior. With the odds stacked firmly against him, Rocky takes on Dixon in what will become the greatest fight in boxing history, a hard-hitting, action-packed battle of the ages!

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Invincible (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Vince Popale is an out-of-work substitute teacher, and part-time bartender who arrives home to find his wife has left him taking everything. The only thing left behind is a note reminding him that he is a failure, a man who will never amount to anything.
The Philadelphia Eagles are as successful as this 30 year old, Italian-American from South Philadelphia whose sports career is nothing more than "tough touch" football with the boys in a vacant lot, and season tickets to watch the hometown team get their feathers plucked Sunday after Sunday. But his luck is about to change. The new head coach calls for try-outs for any fan that wants to make the team. Only one of the hundreds is selected. That one is Vince Popale.
His next challenge is overcoming the physical and verbal abuse of teammates who see him only as a publicity stunt. His support are a few friends, a father, and new girlfriend (who is a NY Giant fan). He has nothing but his heart, and an all-out desire to make the team.
As a die-hard Giant fan, I found it hard not to cheer for the Eagles in this movie, because it wasn't about them. It was about a man's personal triumph, and his desire to overcome everything that so many said he could never accomplish. This is the kind of story anyone would love.
Mark Wahlenberg turns in a fine performance of Popale. The cast is excellent. The story is uncomplicated, and it resembles the tale of Rocky Balboa, which was released as Popale's real-life star was on the rise. It shows how a team that resented him deeply came to admire and respect their special teams captain.
In addition to a special feature of making the movie with the real deal (VP), the viewer can see the movie in three versions with narrations in two of them.
Don't miss. This is a super bowl of football movies.

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INVINCIBLE is the inspiring true story of Vince Papale, an ordinary guy who, against extraordinary odds, gets a one-in-a-gazillion shot at living every sports fan’s wildest fantasy. Like the city he lives in and his beloved hometown NFL team, the down-an-out Vince (Mark Wahlberg, THE ITALIAN JOB) has seen better days. But then the Philadelphia Eagles’ new coach Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) calls an unprecedented open tryout, and the 30-year-old bartender who never played college ball makes the cut. Now Vince needs every bit of his gritty, never-say-die attitude and enormous heart to survive in the high-stakes world of professional football. Heartfelt and triumphant, and filled with body-slamming NFL football action, INVINCIBLE will have you on your feet cheering for the scrappy underdog who helped his team rediscover its winning spirits, and in the process rallied a city when it needed it most.

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Music From the Inside Out Review

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(More customer reviews)I watched this incredible dvd several times in recent months, including one of the
extras, which is a great radio interview of the filmmaker and the principal first and
second violinists of the Philadelphia Orchestra. 5 stars isn't a high enough rating - this
is more than a must see for (classical) music lovers.
In my experience this is a totally unique production. Interesting, entertaining, intimate,
thought-provoking interviews of professional orchestral musicians are the main focus,
interweaved with many scenes of the musicians in live performances, in rehearsals as an orchestra
or in smaller groups, as well as in other venues, playing chamber music and also non-classical
music - I'll pass on the bluegrass, but the scene with the trombonist playing Latin music was
great! These fine musicians discuss their craft and music itself from many points of view. The
interviews are done sometimes with only one musician, other times in groups. And of course
either in the background, or in the foreground, we are always hearing great classical music.
I felt like on some level I was really getting to know some of the musicians, through the
magic of music, and because of the depth, directness, and honesty of their comments. There
are so many inspiring, insightful comments, so much music packed in to this 90-minute
production, along with interesting travel footage of the orchestra in Europe and Asia.
A few of the comments/scenes I noted:
a) "You can't define great musicianship, but you know when you hear it."
b) We might think that musicians are competitive (and they are sometimes!), and yet on
the dvd we hear otherwise. One violinist comments on how blown away he was when he heard
Sarah Chang play a Paganini concerto when she was nine. He and another musician express not
envy but are rather deeply inspired by her phenomenal talent.
c) The amazing story of the concertmaster, David Kim, who didn't quite make it as a
soloist, but still feels he has fulfilled the expectations of his deceased Mother. The music for
this entire scene is Schubert's Cello Quintet, which Kim calls "pure ecstasy," and we feel
the same feeling in our own way, through the beauty of the music and the playing (he with
other members of the orchestra).
d) One of the percussionists makes a statement near the end of the dvd that music
expreses something Divine.
e) Another musician, who is also an artist, comments about the timelessness of
the music, that playing (and listening) is like time-traveling, and she feels like she
knows the composers in some way.
Words can't really convey the depth of the experience of watching this dvd, but I
don't think a person can appreciate it unless they like classical music. One other excellent
production feature is the very visually-appealing, spatial arrangements of the musicians
during rehearsals, so much more interesting than the normal look of an orchestra on stage.
This is better than a 5-star production, but I would have appreciated it if the
title of the pieces were displayed so I would know exactly what I was hearing (though
some of the pieces are recognizable). The names of the pieces are listed at the end
of the main feature, but I think they omitted several, like the Debussey piece that
was so well presented, along with an insightful explanation about connecting sounds and
impressions.
As mentioned at the beginning of the review, one of the extras, the radio interview of
the filmmaker with 2 of the principals, gives more insight and enjoyment into the music,
the music process, and other things you will see for yourself when you watch it.

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Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, MUSIC FROM THE INSIDE OUT is a cinematic exploration of the magic and mystery of music through the stories, passion, and artistry of the 105 musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra. This groundbreaking film, directed by Oscar-nominee Daniel Anker, is a feast of sound--with jazz, bluegrass, salsa, classical and world music interwoven with the musicians’ personal stories, each of which has at its core the universal struggle for self-expression.

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