Degrassi: The Next Generation - Season Three (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)The third season of the popular teen drama Degrassi The Next Generation is now available on DVD. The three disc box set features all twenty two episodes from the shows third season--including the two part episode "Accidents Will Happen." This episode did not air in the United States on The-N, the network which airs Degrassi The Next Generation.
Now that the shows fifth season episodes are airing, season three seems like it was a really long time ago. It was before the school shooting and Jimmy's paralysis, and light years before Jay & Silent Bob decided to pay a visit to Degrassi Community School.
At the beginning of season three Emma's mom was preparing to give birth to baby Jack. This new addition to the family and Emma's home life with Mr. Simpson now as her step-father sent Emma on a mission to find her birth father Shane. Emma finds her father and he isn't exactly in the greatest shape. Season three definitely started with a bang.
Whereas the new character Craig Manning was very integral to the season 2 storylines, Craig had to share the spotlight with several other characters who had major stories during the shows third season. Season three was the season in which Marco came out to his friends regarding his homosexuality. Of all of Marco's friends Spinner had the biggest problem with Marco's revelation but the two would overcome this obstacle.
Another important season three storyline would be the volatile relationship between Terri and Rick. Their story would end with violent consequences.
Interracial relationships are nothing new to Degrassi The Next Generation (Craig & Manny, Ashley and Jimmy), yet it appeared the show was about to embark on another interracial relationship between Emma and Chris. Well perhaps the writers decided to go in another direction because although it once seemed like Chris would be an important character on the show he soon faded into the background.
Probably the most talked about episode from season three is "Accidents Will Happen." This is the two part episode that didn't air in the states. The reason why? Most likely because this episode deals with that hot button topic of abortion. In this episode young Manny finds herself sick and throwing up quite often. What is initially thought to be a cold or virus turns out to be an unplanned pregnancy. Manny turns to Emma's mom Spike for guidance. Spike became pregnant at the age of 14 and soon after gave birth to Emma. Spike is a comforting ear for Manny. I don't want to spoil things too much for people who have never seen the episode but it's very well written. It's a well known fact that Emma (Manny's best friend) is strongly against abortion (remember she flipped when her mom considered having an abortion when she became pregnant with Jack before the wedding?) Craig wants to keep the baby, Manny initially isn't sure what she wants. It's a great episode and one of the best Degrassi The Next Generation episodes ever because watching the episode you will truly empathize with every characters point of view when it comes to this controversial topic. Outside of the unplanned pregnancy, there are some other important scenes in these episodes. We see Manny apologize to Ashley for being involved with Craig while they were dating. "Accidents Will Happen" part two also features the clip of Liberty dressed in leather trying to pick up Sean. The-N shows this clip quite often in promo's but fans of the show have been left wondering when this happened, mystery solved.
Overall, season 3 was a really great season. For the most part the adult storylines took a back seat to the kids this season but there were several on-going stories including Mr. Simpson's cancer and the ongoing love affair between Joey Jeremiah and Caitlin Ryan.
Funimation once again did a great job with the DVD box set. The box and inner casing design is similar to the previous season box set. As expected you can count on cool extras. Bonus features include:
Deleted Moments
-Karoke
-Episode Commentaries "Accidents Will Happen" & "Pride"
-Ultimate Season 3 Interactive Quiz
-CTV Degrassi Promo
-Degrassi Yearbook
-Character and Cast Bios
-Degrassi marathon feature on every disc

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The intensity of Degrassi the Next Generation amps up in in season three. And it's all here for you - UNCUT - in the Director's Cut Season Three Ultimate Box Set. Contains the epsisode that everyone has been waiting for "Accidents Will Happen." This set is packed with deleted scenes, bloopers, profiles, pus a personality test, photo album, karaoke and an original series promo. Package that with commentary and you have a set that no Degrassi fan should be without!

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Degrassi: The Next Generation - Season One (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Sadly, I must say that I'm probably considered an old guy to most of the reviewers of this "Degrassi: The Next Generation" boxed set. At twenty-eight years of age, I'm probably twice as old as most of these folks. But that doesn't matter because I really love this boxed set. I grew up watching the original Degrassi shows on PBS in Louisiana. Though the cast was roughly two years older than I was, I found myself relating to a lot of them. The new series allows me to catch up with some of my old favorites, as well as introduces me to a new crop of kids going through that great life-changing period we know as junior high and high school.
This new DVD set brings us the first season of the new series. Many of the kids are still pre-teens in this season. We are introduced to Emma, J.T., Toby, Manny, Ashley, Paige, etc. We're also introduced to some of their parents. One of the parents is very familiar to us old folks. Emma's mom is Ms. Nelson, or Spike, from the original show. She'll become quite close with Emma's media immersion teacher, Mr. Simpson. Once again, the old folks will probably, recognize Mr. Simpson as Snake from the old show. Another returning favorite is Joey Jeremiah. You'll remember him as the goofy kid that wore a fedorah. Many of the older castmembers show up for a class reunion at the end of episode two.
The new cast is fun to watch. It's funny how kids these days still deal with many of the same problems that other teenagers deal with. Everything from sex to drug abuse to first loves is dealt with. There are a few new trials and tribulations these days, however. One such temptation is internet romance, which gets Emma into a sticky situation. Another subject dealt with is Ashley having to come to terms with the fact that her father is gay. Though homosexuals have been around forever, I think that this is the first teen show that deals with this particular situation. Spinner is on behavior-controlling prescription drugs(ritelin, forgive the spelling). Jimmy uses those particular drugs to give him an "edge" at basketball. J.T. and Toby check out a little internet porn and, as usual, those blasted parents catch them. These are just a few of the "newer" problems that are addressed on the show.
Some of the problems that have hampered teens since the dawn of time are addressed as well. Toby crushes big-time over Emma, who is captivated by Sean. Sean, meanwhile, comes from a busted, alcoholic family. Paige manipulates her friends to get what she wants. Terry is overweight and thinks that no one will ever like her. Liberty fears failure in the classroom, etc., etc. What you get is a teenage soap-opera that deals with real issues.
Granted, some of the "problems" are hokey and 100% cheese, but this helps break the intensity of some of the dramatic moments. The acting isn't superb, but it wasn't with the original show, either. What you end up with is a program that teens and pre-teens can watch without feeling like they are being preached to or lectured. The characters are believable and they deal with their problems in the same way as any average kid would these days.
The DVD extras are fun. There is karaoke, where you get to sing the theme song. There's a casting call section where you get to see some of the youngsters try out for roles. A blooper reel is included, and some deleted scenes as well. One of the best deleted scenes for us oldsters is one which catches us up on a lot of the old characters from the original shows.
I recommend this boxed set to anyone who wants to relive the old days of their youth. More importantly, I recommend this set to teachers and parents who want to teach their kids without having to hammer a speech down their throats. Kids connect with the characters on this show, and that makes life a little bit easier to deal with once they realize that they aren't the "only one" who has to deal with any of their particular teenage problems.

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The Ultimate Box Set Has Arrived!Are you ready to experience Degrassi: The Next Generation like never before?Fans... hold on to your fedoras!Because the Next Generation of Degrassi has been born on DVD!This Degrassi: The Next Generation Ultimate Box Set includes: two DVDs that hold a whopping 450 minutes of episodic footage from the first season of the series, one bonus DVD boasting more than 100 extra features and exclusive Degrassi: TNG locker decor.It's a brave new world as the Next Generation of Degrassi confronts all new issues.But, this environment is much different than the one faced by generations before.It's filled with the Internet, body piercing, hip-hop and more opportunities for pitfalls than ever.Remember when meeting pen pals wasn't risky?These kids may be more media savvy than their parents, but they aren't necessarily more sophisticated.A whole new generation ventures through the trial and tribulations of adolescence, with a one-hour kick-off episode (featuring favorites from Degrassi's past) and a cliffhanger that you won't want to miss.Watch Emma and "next generation" classmates, Manny, Toby, J.T., Liberty, Sean , Ashley, Paige, Terri, Spinner and Jimmy as they encounterpressure, temptation and revel in the glory that comes with being young.Kick back and enjoy Degrassi: The Next Generation... The Ultimate Box Set.More than 100 Extra Features!Enjoy Degrassi: The Next Generation like never before with: 15 Director's Cut Episodes Degrassi Karaoke Degrassi Photo Album Character Descriptions Cast Biographies Deleted Scenes Oops and Bloopers Original Television Promos PLUS.... On the Casting Couch: Audition Tapes Unveiled AND... EXCLUSIVE Locker Décor!

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The English Patient (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)This rare and beautiful film, based on a book that is felt as much as read, transcends the medium to become art. Painted on a vast desert canvas with deep rich oils, its beauty is felt as much as seen. This film will find your heart and remain there forever. If love had a face, it would look like this.
Director Anthony Minghella's screenplay shifts the center of Michael Ondaatje's story slightly in order to capture on film the essence of his beautiful prose. Ondaatje's novel is one of poetic beauty, a potrait of a rose beneath the water's surface. The film brings that beautiful rose out of the water and into the sunlight. The book and the film are so deeply intertwined you can not watch this film without wanting to read the book, nor can you read the book without wanting to see the film. The story itself centers around three people either in love with, or haunted by ghosts they have loved and lost to war.
Juliette Binoche gives an Oscar winning performance as Hana, a kind nurse with a gentle spirit but a damaged heart. She latches onto the burned and charred body of a man known only as the English patient, and ends up caring for him in a shell ravaged Italian villa in Tuscany where she feeds him plums and reads to him. When a man named Caravaggio with scars of his own arrives, the mystery of who the English patient really is begins to unfold via flashbacks. In the present, Hana begins to let her heart heal when she falls in love with a Sikh who disarms bombs left by the Germans.
It is the memories of the English patient, however, which are at the heart of this film. Ralph Fiennes gives a subtle performance as the introspective Almasy, part of an international expedition mapping an unending desert with both the romance, and the danger of the sea. Kristin Scott Thomas is wonderful as Katherine Clifton, the stunningly beautiful and enigmatic wife of a fellow mapper. An instant but unspoken attraction between she and Almasy finally becomes too unbearable to ignore and the affair that holds the key to the mystery surrounding the English patient begins.
This is one of the most romantic films ever made and is filled with the joy and anguish of love and war. It shows that while war may create logistical lines that can not be crossed, the heart has no boundaries. Anyone who has ever experienced a love of such emotional intensity and physical longing that love and need became one will understand the love affair of Katherine and Almasy.
Cinematographer John Seale has given this film a grace and beauty seldom seen on film. A haunting score full of mystery and romance from Gabriel Yard accompany scenes never to be forgotten, and will not be described here in case you have not yet seen them. Director Anthony Minghella explores the mystery of the desert, and the heart, which according to the "The Histories" by Herodotus, a book the English patient clings to, is an organ of fire.
If there is but one ounce of romance in your soul, you will love "The English Patient." It is a well charted and romantic map of the human heart, as wide and treacherous as the unending desert. This will be one of your favorite films once you see it. I promise.

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Pump up the Volume (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)Long before "The people vs. Larry Flint" or Howard Stern's "Private Parts" addressed the problem of censorship imposed by the U.S. government on media personalities and products, there was "Pump Up The Volume." "Pump Up The Volume" varies from the Flint and Stern movies in that it is not glorifying a specific person (i.e. Flint and Stern, who just coincidently happen to gain publicity and movie proceeds).
The star of this fictional movie is Christian Slater, who plays the role of Mark, a painfully shy teenager. To release his anxieties, Mark goes on-air on a short-wave radio as Hard Harry, a perverted, obnoxious, but surprisingly philosophical radio personality. Mark's way to unwind ends up turning the town upside down, effecting both his peers and the administration at his high school.
This movie does not stop at the issue of censorship; it tackles three social issues in all, including the struggle of being a teenager submerged in American culture and how power can corrupt adults whose very job is to protect the young.
Although this movie is fictional, the superb acting of its young thespians make it seem more realistic than either Flint's or Stern's accounts. Indeed, Pump Up The Volume will not only entertain the viewer, but also leave the viewer thinking.

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A shy teen turns on the high school crowd when he broadcasts outrageous nightly monologues on a pirate radio station. Starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis.

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