The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader Review

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(More customer reviews)Preparing for their summer, Lucy, Peter, Susan and Edmund suddenly find themselves summoned back to Narnia. A lot has changed since they were last there, centuries have passed, and many humans of Narnia no longer believe in Aslan, dwarves or talking animals. Among those who do, though, is Prince Caspian, future King of Narnia. Caspian's uncle is trying to kill him, and he needs the children's help. [Color, originally aired in 1989, with a running time of 1 hour.]
The second story picks up Lucy and Edmund visiting their cousin Eustace. When the three children are drawn into Narnia, they join an adult King Caspian on his quest to discover the fate of seven of his father's counselors who were banished under the regime of King Miraz. Adventure and lessons await the children and the crew of the Dawn Treader! [Color, originally aired in 1989, with a running time of 2 hours.]
These movies (actually three television episodes) appear to be based quite closely on C.S. Lewis's books of the same titles, though I must admit that I haven't read the books for a long time. Overall, I found the acting better in these movies, and the special effects much better. (Also, the character Reepicheep is played by Warwick Davis, the star of the movie Willow.)
Once again, I liked the lessons that these movies taught, and the Christian themes that run through it. My children enjoyed watching it (an important consideration), and we all liked discussing it. I think that this is a great family movie, one that I highly recommend to you!

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Prince Caspian calls Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan back to the magical land of Narnia in his most harrowing time of need.Led by Aslan, the children help young Caspian to defeat the corrupt King Miraz, and restore Narnia to its full glory.Years later, Lucy and Edmund are sent back to Narnia, along with their insufferable cousin Eustace, for yet another perilous journey.This time the children assist Caspian on a voyage to rescue six lords of Narnia banished under Miraz's reign.Along their journey the children battle dragons and sea serpents, and sail across a golden lake to reach the edge of the world.

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The Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair Review

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(More customer reviews)Years before Walden Media debuted their big-budget version of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe," the BBC created their own Narnia Chronicles. Despite some goofy prosthetics and a shoestring budget, this is easily the best of the three movies, with excellent acting, pacing, and even some decent special effects.
The story opens at a trendy school that Eustace Scrubb attends. But a garden shed doorway leads Eustace and his bullied schoolmate Jill to Aslan's country. But after Eustace is almost killed because of Jill, the god-lion Aslan gives girl an assignment and four signs to follow. King Caspian is now an old, dying man with no heir to follow him, because his son was lured away by a strange serpentine temptress long ago.
Jill and Eustace team up with a gloomy Marshwiggle, Puddleglum, who serves as their guide as they go to north Narnia. Along the way they must deal with carnivorous giants, enormous bridges and bad weather. But the enigmatic signs that Aslan gave Jill are hard to follow -- and they soon find that the missing Prince is ensnared in a web of madness and magic.
Don't expect this to be a mere copy of the past two movies -- the Pevensies are nowhere to be seen, and old faves like Caspian, Aslan and Trumpkin only have cameos. Sure, they ride owls and hang out with giants. But this is a grimmer, darker story, with a cataclysmic finale and a tight, sometimes harrowing storyline.
The past two Narnia movies suffered from hokey special effects and some spotty acting. "The Silver Chair" cleans all that up, trimming the special effects edges and focusing on the more majestic sets, costumes and scripting. And for the most part, it's quite a success. Even the flashbacks to the queen's death and Rilian's disappearance are heartrending and quietly effective.
There are a few flaws -- for a paradise, Aslan's country looks pretty scrubby and brown. And the final battle with the Emerald Witch is downright silly, with a giant snake puppet twisting around on the floor. But the special effects are infinitely improved in this one, ranging from convincing giants to some genuinely harrowing moments on a giant bridge.
Lewis had become a bit less hamhanded with the allegory and Christian symbolism by this time. Instead, he gives jabs at anything-goes attitudes and nihilism. Additionally, he creates one of the most intense and outstanding scenes of the entire Chronicles, with the Witch playing elaborate brain games with Rilian and the kids, slowly convincing them that all they know and believe is a lie -- including the sun and the world above ground.
Thwaites and Power both give excellent, understated performances as two kids who bicker constantly, but really care about each other, and Tom Baker (of "Dr Who" fame) is glorious as the perpetually pessimistic Marshwiggle. Barbara Kellerman, alas, is still hamming it up, with lots of over-the-top laughter, screeching, cooing and snarling.
Despite Kellerman and some primitive CGI, "The Silver Chair" is probably the best of the three BBC Narnia movies, with its darker storyline and excellent lead acting.

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Item Name: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair; Studio:Homevision

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Skins, Vol. 3 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent season, different from the previous 2, but pretty good. Great themes BUT do not get the BBC America because scenes are deleted and the music is completely different--you're better off watching it on youtube.

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Skins is back, and the critical darling now has a brand new cast! It’s another year at Roundview College and it brings with it a new class of drug-fuelled, party-seeking, sexually inquisitive teenagers. The new queen bee is the beautiful and mysterious Effy. The charming but volatile Cook and his best mate Freddie have fallen under her spell, leaving their friend JJ caught in the middle as they fight for her attention. Identical twins Katie and Emily aren’t as similar as they look – Katie wants to gain her individuality, and when Emily is abandoned by her, she finds a friend in the beautiful idealist Naomi. Kooky Pandora is the group’s sweetheart, she finds love with Thomas; but is their relationship over before it has begun?
DVD Features:BEHIND THE SCENESFeaturetteInterviews

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MI-5, Vol. 7 Review

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(More customer reviews)MI-5 (or Spooks, its original title) is a long running, award winning British spy series that has enjoyed continued success in Britain and abroad. In the US however, A&E, PBS and BBCA have tried broadcasting the series (seasons 1-4) to universally disappointing ratings. It is no wander though: in order to accommodate commercials, each original episode was mercilessly cut down by a quarter of its running time (from 59 min to 45 min !!!), making it virtually incomprehensible. Thankfully, we have DVD's and can enjoy the series as it was intended! ;o)
Another good news is that Season 7 is the best yet and can be easily followed even without the benefit of the prior six seasons. In episode one we are introduced to a new character, Lucas North, a senior case officer released in a Russian-British spy exchange after eight years in a Russian prison. His story arcs thru entire season 7, though most episodes are self enclosed and deal with subplots relevant to today's viewer. We have nuclear attacks, bank collapse, and the thread of internal espionage (after eight years in Russia, to whom is Lucas really loyal?).
In addition to excellent writing, the series offers inspired casting in lead, supporting and visiting star roles. Mathew Macfayden (Pride and Prejudice), Rupert Penry Jones (Persuasion), Gemma Jones (Bridget Jones Diary), Hugh Laurie (House), Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) are only a few examples. In season 7, the handsome Richard Armitage (Robin Hood, North and South) is Lucas North. It is this actor's charisma as well as the return to Russians as the true and tried "bad guys" that brings new interest to the series.
Interestingly, even though the release date in the US is still uncertain, the set has been available in Australia (Region 4) since April, and will be released in the UK (Region 2) in October. If you want instant gratification (don't we all?), all you need is a region free DVD player.
Enjoy!
BTW: MI-5 is the British Security Service, the equivalent of FBI in the US, I suppose.

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MI-5 Volume Seven stays true to form as the award-winning intelligence drama returns for more highly topical stories with new castmember Richard Armitage (Robin Hood, North and South)! The BAFTA- undercover operations and double-agents, this time with an added danger… a deepening schism with Russia raising new Cold War tensions. Newly free after eight years in a Russian prison, Lucas North (Richard Armitage) is welcomed back by MI-5 supremo and old friend Harry Pearce, who was instrumental in finally securing his release. Lucas is keen to get back to work straight away and, with Section D’s current priority operation having a strong Russian connection, he could well prove invaluable. But, after eight years with only a high ranking Russian spymaster for company, can Lucas’s loyalty really be taken for granted?

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Skins, Vol. 2 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well, you all know how things left off at the end of the last series. Tony got hit by a bus, Sid and Cassie met at a bench, Maxxie and Anwar made up and everyone had a nice little singing number (?!).
Now we pick up some months later with a whole series of interesting story lines! We follow Tony on his slow road to recovery (apparently getting slammed into by a bus is not something one gets over right away). We see him and Maxxie getting closer even as Sid and Michelle turn slowly away from Tony. We also get to see Maxxie pick up a stalker, which is all sorts of fun.
Moving on, we have a lovely love triangle developing between Sid, Michelle and Tony (who I've always thought really wanted to have a three-way relationship with Sid and Michelle), Jal and Chris start hooking up (I still think she could do better), Cassie disolves and becomes even more mad than before, and Anwar, well... Anwar starts thinking with the wrong part of his body and does wrong by Maxxie. Even Effie starts to get more attention, which makes sense given her expanded role in series three. All of this builds to an astonishing and rather tear-jerking climax that one doesn't soon forget.
As in the first series, the writting in the second is sharp and intelligent. The actors are all in top form, particularly Nicholas Hoult, who has a real challenge playing a damaged version of Tony (well, more damaged than usual). There's also some incredibly funny dialogue and some great scenes.
I really enjoyed one scene with Maxxie's father and the father of a bully/gay basher, talking with each other. These are men who look like your basic longshoremen, yet neither has a problem with Maxxie being gay. Heck, the father of the bully even says the boy has baked a "remorse cake" and offers Maxxie the cake which says, "Sory" on it. I just about fell out of my chair laughing at that scene, but in addition to comedy one must note the positive message it gives gay youth.
Really, I can't think of any real flaws the show has, aside from the fact that none of the cast save Effie will be returning for series three. I do rather hope there's a few more extras on these DVD's as opposed to those from series one, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Anyhow, if you liked series one, buy this! If you haven't seen series one, go buy that and THEN buy this! If you have seen series one, but didn't like it, then... er... why are you even looking at this page? ;) To the rest of you, enjoy!

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It's been six months since Tony's collision with a bus - remarkably, he isn't dead, but he sure isn't the same person. Sid can't get his head around the fact that his best mate is a shadow of the man he's always looked up to. And to top it off he finally got the girl, Cassie, only to have her whisked off to Scotland. Sod's law! Michelle is lost without Tony, too. Maxxie's got hell at home because his Dad doesn't want him to follow his dream of being a dancer. Even Anwar has changed since he bagged himself a secret girlfriend. Jal is throwing off the good girl image and letting her hair down. While party animal Chris is stepping out on his own. And while all around is falling apart, it's Effy who's taking control.
DVD Features:FeaturetteInterviews

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Torchwood: Children of Earth (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)For the first two series Torchwood was your standard solve the horrible situation of the week series but that all changed with series three. First and foremost, the bigggest difference is that there are only five episodes instead of the usual 12 but that is because all five episodes comprise one mini-series mega event where the BBC showed one episode each weeknight during a single week as opposed to one show a week. Those are the minor technical differences and here are the stylistic differences.
Previous incarnations of Torchwood were a mix of frivolity, political thriller, and science fiction while series three puts the political thriller aspect front and center with the jokes and scifi taking supporting roles. The tone is emotionally taut, psychologically upsetting, and decidedly dark--all perfect motifs for a show designed only for adults. If you are wanting a Dr. Who style trip into the imagination where you get a bit scared but return with a smile on your face this is not going to be to your liking at all because this time Torchwood takes us into a nightmare realm where many of the humans in charge seem more alien and threatening than the actual aliens, who are definitely scary themselves, and that insures you won't return from this journey with a smile unless you're a sadistic freak. Does the darkness overwhelm the show? Not at all! As I said the political thriller aspect is front and center and its pacing almost feels like this is Torchwood 24, especially seeing how each episode represents one day of time so that by the end of this series only five days have passed for the Torchwood crew.
Should you buy Torchwood series 3? Well if you are more of a fan of Dr. Who and only watch Torchwood because it is a Who spin-off I'd wait and watch it as it airs to make sure it isn't too realistic to be enjoyable for you. If you prefer Torchwood over Dr. Who then definitely put your order in as you're not likely to be disappointed with the direction RTD has taken the show this time. Personally, this has been the best science fiction on the small or large screen this year (I haven't seen Moon yet so that could change) and keep in mind I am a huge Trekkie and adored the new Star Trek movie! That's right, a die hard Trekkie said Torchwood series 3 was better than Star Trek the Reboot. Granted, Trek had better blockbuster visuals and space battles but Torchwood, by far, told the better story. I also think the acting was better in Torchwood than Trek although there isn't as big as a distance between the two as there was in plot quality.

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TORCHWOOD:SEASON 3 CHILDREN OF EARTH - DVD Movie

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Skins, Vol. 1 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been watching TV for as long as I can remember, and I've never seen a show quite like "Skins".
The program centers around a group of teenage friends living in England. They smoke, they drink, they do drugs, they party, they have sex. They do what teenagers around the world do (or more often, especially with the sex part, merely wish they were doing). Pretty standard fare for most teenage dramas, actually, except that since this is British TV, they don't censor everything; you actually get to see bits of the sex, hear lots of the swearing and see quite a bit of naked flesh.
Nothing like a bit of titilation.
But had the show been nothing but titilation, it wouldn't have kept my interest. From the very first episode, I found myself really drawn into the storylines, and coming to like most of the characters. I started to care about them and their lives.
Consider for example the character of Tony. He seems initially to be just a total wanker, but as the show goes you see that he actually has some layers to him, ones he doesn't know are there.
Or consider Anwar, a reasonably devout Muslim who finds himself torn between faith and friendship due to the fact that his best friend, Maxxie, is gay.
Or consider Cassie, an anorexic girl who is falling rapidly in love with Sid, who happens to be in love with Michelle, who happens to be Tony's girlfriend. Who Tony might be in love with the viewer is welcome to guess, though I'm inclined to suspect it's both Michelle and Sid...
Or consider Jal, the sweet young clarinet player. Or Chris, a wonderful young man with more teeth than brain cells. Or Michelle. Or Maxxie. Or Sid. Any of the characters, all the of characters, are fascinating.
The show isn't without its imperfections, of course. It's a bit exaggerated and unrealistic, but who cares? Most TV is. On the other hand, "Skins" is daring, entertaining, effed-up and wonderfully brilliant! What other show would've given such a "WTF?!" ending to the first series as this one did?
"Skins" isn't for everyone, but I loved it, and can't wait to own it on DVD!
*** UPDATE ***
So amazingly I got the DVDs today, the day before the street date. I won't tell if you won't tell. :) Because of this, I can answer all the questions we've been wondering. Well, most of them, anyhow. I don't know if the music was left intact from the broadcasts cause I never really paid attention.Anyhow, the DVDs are not the episodes as they were broadcast here in the USA. They are not censored for language or nudity, which is a plus for those of me who like to see these sorts of things as they were intended!
There is one thing that was completely cut out from the DVDs however. At the end of the last episode of series one, there was this very odd, very surreal moment where the cast, more or less in character, were singing Cat Stevens' song "Wild World". Due to copyright issues that entire scene is cut. You get the moments right before and right after, but the scene itself is gone. Happily that's what the YouTube is for and if you go there, you can see the last scene as it was meant to be.
Sadly there's no commentary on the DVDs, but you do get the video diaries and ancillary storylines the Brits got, so that's all good. Overall, a package well worth getting your hands on!

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Skins. A brand new British drama follows a group of raucous teenagers who get high, get drunk, get laid and get up for their A levels. They really grab life by the balls and give it a twirl. Tony (Nicholas Hoult, About a Boy) is the best looking boy in town. His sidekick Sid is less successful with the ladies, much less until bonkers anorexic case Cassie turns up. But Sid's in love with Michelle, the school fittie, who goes out with Tony, of course. Then there's sassy musician Jal, party animal Chris, Maxie and best mate Anwar, who manages to combine the pills, the thrills and the spills with his faith, well sort of.

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Shameless: The Complete First Season (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Brilliant, "comedy-drama". Because of the differences between British humor and American humor an American audiences will find more drama than comedy. Yes, we do "get" irony; however, it tends to make us smile rather than laugh out loud.
This series contains some of the best, most powerful scripts I've ever seen written for broadcast television. Yet, I expect this very R-rated series to be heavily criticized for coarse language, for themes of sex, scenes of drunkenness, and under-age smoking. Nevertheless, this series is one of the most family-positive series you'll ever see.
Imagine the picture perfect family, the very embodiment of "family values". Then one day somebody in the family snaps and is revealed to be involved in criminal activity, or infidelity, or substance abuse or darker more sinister assaults on the body and mind of other family members. In short, this imaginary picture-perfect family is dysfunctional.
Now, envision the opposite, a family with all the trappings of being dysfunctional. The father is unemployed and alcoholic, the children thieve, smoke and swear. One child has to keep his head shaved because he's so prone to nits, and there is no mother in the home because she's taken the family van and run away. Yet, this family is supportive, loving, caring and more honest than the Brady Bunch ever was.
There are no skeletons in the Gallagher family closet. They are very much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get group. Sometimes funny sometimes surreal and unlikely the goings on in this family are often moving and always entraining. While not promoting "family values" this is a very family positive series (but not for the whole family: R-rated I said). There is good reason why this show is called "Shameless".
One warning for American audiences. The story is set in Manchester, so that people in the story have strong northern accents. If your ear is unused to this or if your exposure to British accents ends at Hugh Grant... there are subtitles available on the DVD.
An excellent show, a sort of a fun-house mirror Waltons. Give it a chance

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Meet the Gallaghers. Mum went AWOL years ago, Dad stayed at home with the six children only to hit the bottle ... and sometimes the kids... Blisteringly funny, offbeat drama following the rollercoaster lives and loves of an anarchic family from Manchester. The real head of the family is big sister Fiona, who looks after Carl, Debbie and baby Liam. She is occasionally helped, more often hindered, by streetwise 'Lip' and the actively gay, but very private, Ian. Welcome to the hectic world of sexual adventures, triumphs, love, scams and a fair bit of crime on a rough Manchester housing estate, where wheel-less cars are the norm and the moving ones are stolen. DVD Features:Biographies:Meet the CastInterviews:An Interview with Creator Paul Abbott

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Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, it's a little premature to judge something that hasn't been released yet. And I'm sure I'll make a few additions to this review when the set is released. In the meantime, this review is meant to enlighten you about Series 5 of Doctor Who.
I'm sure I wasn't the only fan who was skeptical that this lanky upstart Matt "Who?" Smith (Ha! Did you see what I did there?) could replace the wonderful 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant. But we long-time fans have come to accept that the role of the Doctor is going to change every few years. And in the case of Matt Smith, the role couldn't be in better hands.
But Doctor Who doesn't just have a new face in front of the camera; Steven Moffat, writer of such modern-day DW classics like "Blink" and "The Girl in the Fireplace" took over the showrunner position from Russell T. Davies. And again, the show couldn't be in better hands. Moffat has been very vocal about his reimagining of the series as a sort of dark fairy tale. And this is evident right from the start, as the TARDIS crash-lands in the back year of 8 year old Amy Pond. The figurative monster under Amy's bed is actually a crack in her wall, one that will have cosmic consequences throughout the season.
New companion Karen Gillan (playing the adult version of Amy) brings a spunky kick to the new Doctor's adventures. Yet one can still see hints of that lost little girl from time to time. Gillan and Smith perfectly compliment each other, as both appear wise and experienced far beyond their years. She almost immediately endures herself to the Doctor (and the audience, hopefully) in the 2nd episode, "The Beast Below," by preventing the Doctor from making a terrible mistake.
The series touches on more familiar territory--the Daleks, the Weeping Angels, the mysterious River Song--yet stays firmly entrenched in the fantasy world Moffat has helped to create. As the bowtie-wearing Time Lord, Smith channels Doctors of the past from Patrick Troughton to David Tennant. He is, as Amy Pond notes in the first episode "a mad man with a blue box." And despite his seemingly unhinged nature, Smith gives the Doctor great dramatic weight when needed. . .whether it's righteous indignation at alien (or human) stupidity, or trying to protect his new companion from the inevitable fate that befalls all his fellow travelers.
Doctor Who carries on in fantastic style, and I for one hope that Smith and Gillan stay with their roles for years to come. I congratulate Steven Moffat and his team for honoring the legacy of Doctor Who, but making it all their own at the same time. Highly recommended.
UPDATE: As expected, the set doesn't disappoint. Doctor Who began filming in HD in 2009, and the Blu-ray format is perfect for capturing the gorgeous cinematography and excellent effects work. There are behind-the-scenes features for every episodes, some amusing outtakes, and a few commentary tracks. And this may be a minor point for many people, but the packaging is really impressive. The cover features a 3-D lenticular hologram, and there are 3 bonus art prints featuring the Doctor, TARDIS, and a Dalek. THIS is how you do t.v. on Blu-ray :-)

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Matt Smith and Karen Gillan star as the new Doctor and his companion in an all-new series of Doctor Who. After his explosive regeneration, the Eleventh Doctor awakes to discover his TARDIS is about to crash! After falling from the sky, he pulls himself out of the wreckage to come face-to-face with young Amy Pond.The Doctor promises to take Amy to the stars. But first they must divert an alien plot that could destroy the Earth. The Doctor makes good his promise, and Amy boards the regenerated TARDIS, ready to take to the stars on a series of wild adventures that will change her life. As always, wherever the Doctor goes, his oldest enemies, the Daleks, are never far behind.They are hatching a new master plan from the heart of war-torn London in the 1940s. But they are not the only strange creatures the Doctor and Amy must face--there are also alien vampires, humanoid reptiles, the Weeping Angels, and a silent menace that follows Amy and the Doctor around wherever they go.

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