What's Happening: The Complete First Season (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)What's Happening!!(1976) is such an essential addition to the other classic 1970's sitcoms that have already been released on DVD. The show was created by Eric Monte, writer of shows such as All in the Family and co-creator/writer of Good Times. It also featured executive producer Bud Yorkin, already known for his work with Norman Lear on All in the Family and Sanford & Son. What's Happening!! ran for only three seasons (1976-1979) and had 65 episodes. The show was inspired by the 1975 film, Cooley High and centered around three high school friends: Raj (Ernest Thomas), Dwayne (Haywood Nelson), and Rerun (Fred Berry) (The nickname Rerun coming from his habit of having to repeat classes). The action usually bounces between Raj's house, where he lives with his mother and annoying little sister Dee, and the burger hang out that Shirley (Shirley Hemphill) runs. The show had plenty of hilarious moments and was very well written and watching Rerun dance is always a highlight! Collected on this awesome 3 DVD set is all 21 episodes of Season 1. The tri-fold case is one of the most colorful I've seen (inside and out). Each DVD has one of the main guys on the face. There isn't much in the way of extra features except for some trailers for similar releases and the much loved "play all episodes" feature! I'm not totally interested in extra features when it comes to sets like these because I feel it's special enough that these classic shows get the season set treatment they get! This set includes the following episodes:
Disc 1:
01. The runaway
02. The birthday present
03. When daddy comes marching home
04. My three tons
05. Saturday's hero
06. The burger queen
07. Speak for yourself, Dwayne
Disc 2:
08. Shirley's date
09. The sunday father
10. Christmas
11. The maid did it
12. The incomplete shakespeare
13. The hospital stay
14. The firing squad
Disc 3:
15. The boarder
16. Dwayne's dilemma
17. The tickets
18. What's wrong with Raj?
19. Nice guys finish last
20. From here to maternity
21. Puppy love
Trivia:
*Out of the three main guys, Haywood Nelson was the only one to be of actual high school age (16) in real life. Ernest Thomas and Fred Berry were 26 & 25 respectively!
*After What's Happening!! ended in 1979, the "reruns" on TV in the 80s became so popular that a spin-off with the main cast, What's Happening Now!! (1985) was created. The show lasted for 3 seasons and like the original, centered around Raj, Dwayne, Rerun, Shirley, & Dee, only now in their adult lives. Also of note is comedian Martin Lawrence got his start on this show as a character named Maurice.

Fred "Rerun" Berry (1951-2003)
Shirley Hemphill (1947-1999)
Mabel "Mama" King (1932-1999)

Also highly recommended:
All in the Family (Seasons 1 & 2, 3 coming soon!)
Sanford & Son (Seasons 1, 2, & 3, 4 coming soon!)
The Jeffersons (Seasons 1 & 2)
Good Times (Seasons 1 & 2)
Barney Miller (Season 1)

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WHAT'S HAPPENING:SEASON 1 - DVD Movie

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The Facts of Life - The Complete Third Season (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Facts of Life was the longest running sitcom with an all female cast and of the 1980's. As years goes by the series evolves and just keeps getting better. Season three is by far better than the previous two, with the girls at Eastland (only one more year to go -- then comes 2 years of Edna's Edibles and 3 years of Over Our Head's Era's) they tackle more serious issues as the years go by and as the girls get older. In this season premiere, Tootie feeling left out because she is the youngest and is tired of getting picked on by Blair, Jo, and Natalie turns to alcohol to prove that she is 'just as grown up' as the other girls. As old as this series is, many issues are still current today with teens, and college problems. The stories are very well laid out and realistic (other than season two where it was kind of cheesy in many spots).
This season marks one of the most memorable episode of the series with the infamous Paint Fight, which gets the girls into more trouble and put on probation until graduation.
Sony has included all full length 24 episodes of season three in this box set. The run time is 602 minutes, which means that The Facts of Life Goes To Paris 2 hr movie (ran as episode numbers 54, 55, 56 and 57 in the series) will not be included in this set, but may be included in the Season Four set.
Episodes are as followed
3028 Oct 81 Growing Pains
Tootie, tired of being treated like a little girl, turns to alcohol.
314 Nov 81 Fear Strikes Back
Natalie withdraws after being attacked while returning from a party.
3211 Nov 81 A Baby in the House
Blair's married friend brings her baby for a visit and then disappears.
3318 Nov 81 A Friend in Deed
Blair learns her mother has been hiding her breast cancer from the family.
3425 Nov 81 Front Page
Jo's hot news story has serious repercussions for her journalism teacher.
352 Dec 81 Give and Take
The girls help Mrs. Garrett when she suffers a financial crisis.
369 Dec 81 Sweet Sorrow
Jo begins to fall for her class-project husband as her boyfriend Eddie comes to visit.
3716 Dec 81 From Russia With Love
Natalie has romantic plans for the weekend when her adoring grandmother comes to visit.
38 23 Dec 81 Dear Me
Worried about camping with boys from Bates, Tootie invents an imaginary boyfriend.
39 30 Dec 81 Cousin Geri Returns
The girls question Geri's date when he asks her out again.
40 6 Jan 82 Legacy
Receiving a bequest from her grandfather, Blair learns a surprising secret about her family.
41 13 Jan 82 Green-Eyed Monster
Natalie becomes jealous when Tootie gets the lead in the school play.
42 20 Jan 82 The Americanization of Miko
A Japanese student's eagerness to learn American ways upsets her traditional father.
43 27 Jan 82 The Marriage Brokers
Blair is surprised by what she learns about Mrs. Garrett's new beau.
44 3 Feb 82 Starstruck
Tootie's friends are concerned about her obsession with singer Jermaine Jackson.
45 10 Feb 82 The Four Musketeers
Released from custody, the girls must decide whether to go on being roommates.
46 17 Feb 82 The Affair
Natalie has a painful confrontation with her father after seeing him with another woman.
47 24 Feb 82 Runaway
Tootie decides to go to New York unchaperoned and encounters teenage prostitution.
48 3 Mar 82 New York, New York
Vacation trips home seem to make Blair and Jo's feud worse.
49 17 Mar 82 Kids Can Be Cruel
Natalie's revenge on Blair hurts an innocent bystander.
50 24 Mar 82 Mind Your Own Business
Secrecy becomes all-consuming after Natalie learns that Blair peeked into her diary.
5131 Mar 82 The Academy
Blair's blind date for a military school dance is actually a delinquent.
52 14 Apr 82 Jo's Cousin
Jo's 14-year-old lovesick tomboy cousin back home needs her help.
53 5 May 82 Read No Evil
Jo takes up the battle when Mrs. Garrett and Natalie get nowhere on the issue of banned books.Remember to order the latest release to get more seasons/era's on dvd!!!!! A great sales for the 1st/2nd seasons made this season come out very early!!! A great Facts of Life site is at
www.televisionhits.com -- The Facts of Life Site

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School is back in session as Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) and the girls of Eastland return for the third season of The Facts of Life, one of the biggest TV hits of the '80s! Share the laughter with Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Tootie (Kim Fields), Natalie (Mindy Cohn), and Jo (Nancy McKeon) as they learn the important lessons that will shape their lives. Third season highlights include the girls' adventures in Manhattan, the cute boys of Bates Academy, the return of Cousin Geri, and even a special guest-star appearance by Jermaine Jackson.

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Metallica - Some Kind of Monster (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I went with four people to see this film. Two (myself included) were Metallica fans and the other two were not. The film opens like some sort of MTV expo piece with James Hetfield riding in his tricked out vintage roadster and Lars Ulrich laying on his couch with his Basquiat hanging on the wall. Not even five minutes go by and it shows the group, minus recently departed Jason Newsted, in therapy discussing their concern that they have about embarking on recording their first album in five years. Little did they know that it would take two years to make. What you get is a riveting, profound and at often times very funny documentary.
What I really applaud the band for is this: They bought the rights to the documentary so that they could have a say in the final cut. Instead of glossing over scenes that aired the dirty laundry of the band, which is what you would think they would do in a case like this, they let it all out.
And not in a counter-culture, rebellious, grandstanding kind of way either. It's sincere and thats what makes the film work.
James Hetfields door slamming, Lars' watery-eyed confrontations and Kirk unable to make declarative sentences does not put them in the best light, but it makes them real.
They confront their demons head-on with therapist Phil Towle and producer Bob Rock tow. Die hard fans might roll their eyes and laugh at prospect of the band in need of a shrink. Trust me, stick with it and don't let it scare you away from the theatre. Most of the time it is hilarious and at the bands expense. Lars Ulrichs father is a scream and when one of the toughest metal bands try to communicate with one another in their new found "therapy lingo" it comes across as comical and awkward as you might think. And yes, they talk about Cliff's death and the Napster ordeal as well. They also visit Jason Newsted and (bonus for fans) Dave Mustaine. My friend and I could pick out the Metallica fans from the documentary fans in the theatre when Dave popped up.
This movie is not solely for fans should not be missed no matter what your preference in music or your opinion of the band. Non-fans, as my other friends will attest, will enjoy this as well.
This year there has been great year for documentaries and this is one that should not be overlooked in the mix.

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Featuring the most successful heavy metal band of all time, METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER offers a revealing and exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the legendary band as they confront personal demons and their relationships with each other while recording their Grammy-winning album, St. Anger.

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The Facts of Life - The Complete First & Second Seasons (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Facts Of Life" was one of my favorite shows growing up because all of the characters were so likeable, and everyone could relate to them. There's rich and sometimes snobbish Blair (Lisa Whelchel) who had more blonde feathered hair than Big-bird. Jo (Nancy McKeon) joined the cast in the second season, and was a tough street-wise girl from NY that also had a very sensitive side. Then there's the funny girl-next-door Natalie (Mindy Cohn), didn't everyone know someone that looked just like Natalie? Tootie (Kim Fields) was the mouthy youngest cast member who always had a smart line (picture Dee from "What's Happening" but not at all mean-spirited). Rounding out the cast was Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) who was nursemaid, seamstress, cook, good friend, listener, and surrogate mother for these girls.
There are a total of 29 episodes from Season 1 and Season 2.
Here are all the episodes from Season 1 with descriptions and original air dates:
Rough Housing (First aired: 8/24/1979)
The series opens with a crossover from the Drummonds of Diff'rent Strokes visiting Eastland to see Mrs. Garrett (their ex-housekeeper). They arrive during the Harvest Queen competition. Blair thinks she's certain to win. So when Cindy considers running, Blair makes some hateful comments about Cindy's sexuality.
Like Mother, Like Daughter (First aired: 8/31/1979)
It's Parent's Night at Eastland and Blair's sophisticated mother arrives bringing with her, her flirtatious tendencies which prompt rumors when she becomes "friendly" with a married man. Blair is furious and decides she doesn't want to be like her rich and beautiful mother. It's Mrs. Garrett to the rescue to help smooth things over.
The Return of Mr. Garrett (First aired: 9/7/1979)
Mrs. Garrett is surprised by a visit from her ex-husband, who is interested in her again. However, his gambling ways rub off on the girls who begin playing the game that he taught them.
I.Q. (First aired: 9/14/1979)
Nosey Tootie accidentally comes across a paper which lists the I.Q. scores of each one of the girls. Of course, she repeats this confidential information back to the girls prompting a furor with Nancy and Sue Ann.
Overachieving (First aired: 3/12/1980)
Tootie's dad comes for a visit and doesn't like the activities that Tootie is up to. Believing Mrs. Garrett is a bad influence, Mr. Ramsey decides to have Tootie removed from Eastland.
Emily Dickinson (First aired: 3/14/1980).
Blair is so caught up with her latest boyfriend that she forgets to write a poem, so she copies one.
Dieting (First aired: 3/21/1980)
Blair and Sue Ann kid each other about their weight and Sue Ann takes Blair's comments a little too seriously, dieting, starving herself, and eventually getting sick.
The Facts of Love (First aired: 4/4/1980)
Mrs. Garrett begins teaching a sex-education class in stark-disagreement with prudish Mr. Bradley.
Flash Flood (First aired: 4/11/1980)
A flood hits Peekskill which prompts Blair and Tootie to race out to the stables to save their animals. Blair "falls in love" with Mr. Bradley when he comes to the girls' rescue.
Adoption (First aired: 4/25/1980)
Blair sticks here big nose in Natalie's affairs when she finds out that her schoolmate was adopted. Mrs. Garrett convinces Natalie that she's too young to be running after her birth mother because she is too young and not ready for it.
Running (First aired: 5/2/1980)
Mr. Bradley pits Sue Ann and Cindy against eachother so they can each compete to win a track competition. Both girls wind up hating eachother, and it's up to Mrs. Garrett (as usual) to fix things.
Molly's Holiday (First aired: 6/4/1980)
Molly is down in the dumps due to her parents' impending divorce.
Dope (First aired: 6/11/1980)
Blair befriends two girls who she introduces to Sue Ann. All seems to be fine until they learn that their friends are potheads. This episode was dropped from Nick at Nite/TV Land (during it's regular rotation) because of it's "risque" content and storyline.
Here are all the episodes from Season 2 with descriptions and original air dates:
The New Girl (1) (First aired: 11/19/1980)
The new year brings a new student, Jo, a tough girl who hot wires the school van and takes off to the Chug-a-Lug bar with Blair, Natalie and Tootie to meet older boys. However, one of the guys they meet happens to be an undercover officer that drags all the girls to jail when they act up (Tootie pours a pitcher of beer over his head!).
The New Girl (2) (First aired: 11/26/1980)
Mrs. Garrett bails the girls out of jail and announces that they all have been expelled from Eastland. However, they can stay if they move in with Mrs. Garrett and work in the cafeteria. This prompts the new premise with a scaled-down cast.
Double Standard (First aired: 12/10/1980)
Blair is sure that an old friend, Harrison Andrews is going to invite her to a cotillion. However, he invites Jo because Harrison is a sexist snob that thinks he can get lucky with Jo.
Who Am I? (First aired: 12/17/1980)
Tootie begins to think long and hard about her race and how she's being treated at Eastland, thanks to a new boy she meets.
Cousin Geri (First aired: 12/24/1980)
When Blair's cousin Geri (Geri Jewell) makes a big splash at Eastland. Mrs. Garret thinks that Blair is embarrassed of her handicapped cousin because she hides out in her room. But it's actually the green eye of jealousy that's bitten Blair.
Shoplifting (First aired: 12/31/1980)
It's Mrs. Garrett's birthday and the girls (except Blair) steal a blouse to give her.
Teenage Marriage (1) (First aired: 1/7/1981)
Jo's cute little boyfriend, Eddie, surprises her by making a sudden visit to Eastland, but she gets even more of a surprise when he proposes to her.
Teenage Marriage (2) (First aired: 1/14/1981)
Jo is unsure of whether or not to accept Eddie's proposal but finally decides to go ahead with the wedding. All the girls, including Mrs. Garrett help to convince Jo that she's making the wrong decision.
Gossip (First aired: 1/21/1981)
Tootie's big-ears get her in trouble again. She overseas some gossip and repeats it back to the girls inciting another catastrophe.
Breaking Point (First aired: 1/28/1981)
Blair is running for class president but things get out of hand when one of the candidates commits suicide. This is another episode that Nick at Nite/TV Land didn't like to air.
Sex Symbol (First aired: 2/4/1981)
Natalie hits it off with Neil. However, rumors fly that Natalie and Neil did more than just study. Natalie encourages the gossip because she doesn't want the girls to think she's inexperienced.
The Secret (First aired: 2/25/1981)
Shortly after winning an award, Jo learns that her incarcerated father, is getting paroled and that he would like to attend the awards ceremony.
Bought and Sold (First aired: 3/4/1981)
Blair is selling cosmetics for Countess Calvet's cosmetic company. The Countess (played by Zsa Zsa Gabor) makes a special visit to Eastland to give some tips to Blair and the other girls.
Pretty Babies (First aired: 3/11/1981)
A top fashion photographer is coming to Eastland to find the "Face of the 80's." Tootie is picked because this pig of a photographer gets off taking pictures of young girls all dressed up as women with makeup and appealing outfits. Mrs. Garrett is right when she calls this "one step above child pornography."
Free Spirit (First aired: 3/18/1981)
Mrs. Garrett's free-spirited son, Alex whisks by Eastland for a visit, with "tales" about how he rubs elbows with other musicians like Neil Diamond and Carly Simon.
Brian and Sylvia (First aired: 3/25/1981)
Tootie and Natalie visit Tootie's aunt and uncle (an interracial couple living in DC). However, they're unaware they showed up right in the middle of a fight.

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You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have THE FACTS OF LIFE... A spin-off of the tremendously popular Diff'rent Strokes, THE FACTS OF LIFE is the hilarious series that follows Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae) and her mission as housemother to instill values in the girls of Eastland School. The large first season cast included John Lawlor, Jenny O'Hara, Lisa Whelchel, Felice Schachter, Julie Piekarski, Kim Fields, Molly Ringwald, Julie Anne Haddock, and Mindy Cohn. By the second season, the show focused on Mrs. Garrett and just four Eastland girls - spoiled Blair, gossipy Tootie, wise-cracking Natalie, and rebellious Jo. Under Mrs. Garrett's guidance, these four go from wide-eyed school girls to mature young women...all while learning THE FACTS OF LIFE. Guest stars include the cast of Diff'rent Strokes, Helen Hunt and Richard Dean Anderson of TV's MacGyver. Includes all 29 laugh-packed episodes from Seasons One and Two.

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Kickin' It Old Skool (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I know alot of people didn't appreciate and like this movie. That's because you are not taking it with a grain of salt. Take it for what it is...a fabulous 80's movie that keeps you interested because of all the hidden funny references. The songs in this movie are all GREAT and bring you back to when you were in grammar/middle/high school. WHY they don't have a soundtrack is absurd. Would have saved me alot of time looking up all the songs. It won't win an academy award or any award for that matter, but it is entertaining and very funny. Just give it a chance and I bet you WILL laugh and enjoy it.
Bootytraps!!

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A young break dancer (Jamie Kennedy) hits his head during a talent show and slips into a coma for 20 years. Waking up in 2006, he looks to revive his break dancing career with the help of his girlfriend and his parents, while dealing with all of the changes the world has gone through over the past 20 years.

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Where the Wild Things Are and Other Maurice Sendak Stories (Scholastic Video Collection) Review

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(More customer reviews)Please disregard the negative review given by a previous owner here. This is a thoroughly-enjoyable DVD for children & adults alike. I've had no technical problems with the disc, and it is a wonderful musical/animation experience for young children.
Maurice Sendak certainly has a unique writing style, and while I've seen people criticize his work for showing a bratty side of children, I can't say I agree. I like the fact that Sendak shows the children in his stories as little people with ranging emotions, not as little puppy dogs waiting for a treat or a pat on the head. The characters in his stories show anger, brattiness, sadness, and disobedience as well as happiness and playfulness, like all real children do. It's a refreshing change from the rampant political-correctness that pervades society today.
On to the contents. The first chapter of the disc is, of course, " Where the Wild Things Are ", an all-time classic children's story, and the favorite of many children that grew up in the '60s, '70s, and '80s. I love Sendak's style of animation, which isn't full and overblown. Max is a tempermental little fellow that most children will be able to identify with. The Wild Things are both fascinating and repellant ( like many older relatives, which Sendak expounds further on in the extras feature ), and we all had a far-away place tucked into the back of our minds as children, where we could escape to when the parents came down on us. It's a wonderful tale, but the highlight is the muscial score & narration by Peter Schickele (who also is given the same duties for 'Night Kitchen'). The music sounds like it was made where the wild things are, and Schickele narrates with infectious enthusiasm, bringing life to the words, sounding as if he's telling his favorite story as well.
Chapter Two features 4 musical vignettes taken from the chidren's film 'Really Rosie'. The music was composed and performed by Carole King, and is fantasic. "Alligators All Around" is the best of the bunch, a joyous romp through the alphabet. 'Pierre', 'One Was Johnny', and 'Chicken Soup with Rice' are also fun little tunes the kiddies will enjoy.
The last chapter is 'In the Night Kitchen', an offbeat little story that strays from the norm. The tales centers around Mickey, who we eventually find out is responsible for delivering the milk which makes the morning cake.....it's a fun story, and you'll find your kids imitating the sounds of Mickey the Pilot's plane before you know it! Once again, Schickele brings a fitting score and enthusiastic narration.
If you have children, buy this disc. They'll love the animation, the music, and the wonderful narration. You won't be disappointed.

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**All stories written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak**WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (Music and narration by Peter Schickele): When Max is sent to bed without supper, he sails off to a world inhabited by weird creatures. He becomes the king of all wild things--until he misses his real home.THE NUTSHELL KIDS (From The Nutshell Library): These charming poems set to music sing and dance through the alphabet, good manners, numbers, and the months of the year. Stories include Alligators All Around, Pierre, One Was Johnny, and Chicken Soup With Rice.IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN (Narrated by Peter Schickele): Mickey is awakened by noises in the night. Who’s in the night kitchen making all the clatter?DVD Features: Getting to Know Maurice Sendak; Spanish version of Where The Wild Things Are; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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