The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)There is certain shows developed in Japan that sort of slip under the radar and upon discovering it, you kind of wonder why you didn't hear of it in the first place (Fate/Stay Night, while admittedly a show with a distinct formula and some character moments cut from the story, instantly became a favorite). Then we have something like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, a 14 episode show that quickly became a hit and could be accurately be described as a sensation. But all that hype and praise brings with it the inevitable "overrated" remarks and people not seeing the brilliance against other projects. Can Haruhi Suzumiya become a victim of its hype or is it a brilliant show regardless? I say brilliant.
In high school, it's hard to develop an identity and stand out without being an outsider but for Haruhi Suzumiya, she enjoys her offbeat sensibilities. Declaring in school that she's not interested in anyone unless they're time travellers, aliens or espers (psychics in other words), Haruhi soon is introduced to Kyon, a sardonic high school student who enjoys just not doing anything. But their world gets changed when in comes Itzuki, Yuki and Mikuru, an esper, alien and time traveller, respectively. Turns out Haruhi is seen as a sort of god-like figure who can bend the universe and possibly even destroy it and start over lest she get bored. Luckily Haruhi is quite...eccentric.
One of the more well-known factors consider the show was that the show's episodes were not presented in chronological order. While this worked in some cases such as episode 6 having all the makings of a "finale" and episode 11 which consists of Kyon narrating over a supremely amateurish movie Haruhi made makes for a unique and also bizarre premiere but then on the other hand, a 2 parter on an island vista is separated by a different episode so the cliffhanger isn't resolved until the following episode. My suggestion is to just watch the chronological order but exchange episode 14 (Kyon's trip for a heater) and 6's place and all will be well.
As for the episodes themselves, they're frequently hilarious from dialogue to Kyon's narration or Yuki's quiet badassness/bookish tendencies and just scenes played straight for comedy or using the moe conventions of nurse/maid/catgirl outfits for humor. But the main plot is also interesting and while Yuki's explanation of Haruhi's existence from her perceptive is Evangelion-level confusing complete with screen-filling text, it's quite intriguing and the idea that the world can literally revolve around you makes for good storytelling. Some episodes are generally good with at least one cool scene while others such as an arts festival, a computer battle or the hilarious baseball episode are definate highlights.
Will everyone like it? Maybe. Some people prefer the romance hilarity found in Love Hina while others are into more lighthearted affairs like Fruits Basket but I loved the show and can't wait for an inevitable second season and I heartily recommend you try the show out.

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I thought that when I entered high school, my days of believing in aliens, time travelers and ESPers were going to be over. That is until she introduced herself. Claiming to be interested in only aliens, time travelers, and ESPers, Haruhi Suzumiya was the strangest girl I ve met in a long time. Before I knew what s going on, I ve been dragged into her weird club, and it looks like I m not the only one who has been drafted into this SOS Brigade of hers, because there are three other students who don t seem to be so ordinary themselves. Either way we ve all found ourselves caught up in Haruhi s quest to search for all things extraordinary. And what s this I hear about us making a movie?

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Lost Tapes (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the vein of Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch and (to an extent) Cloverfield, the Lost Tapes is another attempt to present "staged handfilmed" footage as if it were real. I first heard of this show from my mother who told me that it was based on true frightening accounts and included real video footage of legendary creatures. Unfortunately, I believe that much of the acclaim this series has found is because a majority of its fans believe that the video footage is either real or a recreation based on real events. Let me tell you that neither is true. How do I know? Because I wrote directly to Animal Planet.
According to Animal Planet, these episodes are based on the "possibility that these creatures exist." For example, there is a legend of Sasquatch roaming around parts of the US. Animal Planet's writers think of a way that "somebody" might come into contact with the creature if it existed. Then the writers determine what would be a feasible way that the animal would be captured on film if it "did" come into contact with somebody. The combination of this setting and a reason for it being filmed generates the 15 minute episode. The fact that the entire event is fictitious is not the real problem. The problem is that the level of acting varies from good to mediocre without ever being great. Most episodes are quite cheesy. Some of them never even show the creature in question. The camera becomes shaky, the actor drops the camera, and then you see them being dragged out of the view of the camera. If this were a student film, I'd say it was a very clever concept for a low budget venture into filmmaking. After spending $20, however, I'm not impressed enough by these works of fiction to say that I felt my money was well spent.
At regular interludes throughout the fictional short the episode presents a few 30-60 second pieces of myth or speculation which are much more interesting than the core movie. Some of them are actually worthy of being in a documentary, such as Native American pictures of Thunderbirds, or pictures of Giant Snakes in different parts of the world. However, some of them are also simply useless. The Oklahoma Octopus is one such example. The basis of the episode is that many people drown each year in Oklahoma Lake. That's it. Absolutely no reason why they made an episode about an octopus. In fact, I think it's rediculous to simply assume that an "octopus" is responsible, rather than make an episode about the location and what possible dangers it "could" be.
This series lies in stark contrast to Animal Planet's rival show "River Monsters." Every single episode from River Monsters is completely enthralling, entirely based around fact, and actually SHOWS the animal responsible for attacks. Please read my review on that series if you really want to know why I feel it is better.
Overall, if you have seen this show and like it because you enjoy the fictional encounters with fictional creatures...then please go ahead and purchase the series. If, on the other hand, you have not yet seen this series then please be wary. It is very low budget, and nowhere on par with other shows on Animal Planet. I gave it 2 stars only because it has a little bit of where the legend began (about 2-3 minutes total) and has so many episodes. I'll be giving this to mother and prepare myself for the next season of River Monsters.

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Even in the modern age reports of human encounters with mysterious and often dangerous beasts continue to surface. Lost Tapes is a first person, immersive experience of encounters with bizarre animals that science is reluctant to recognize - in our waters, in our woods, and in our skies - they live among us - you will believe.

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Red Vs Blue - Season One - The Blood Gulch Chronicles Review

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(More customer reviews)IMPORTANT: I don't know why the sellers think the kind of prices I'm currently seeing for this are reasonable, but as of the time I'm writing this review the cheapest price here is roughly DOUBLE what you would pay at the official Rooster Teeth website for the same DVD. (Rooster Teeth is what they call the group that makes this series.)
The Red vs Blue series is a great deal of fun to watch. Characters constantly throw around funny lines and find their way into absurd-but-amusing situations.
The series is an example of machinima, which refers to playing out a story by using the graphics engine of a video game. In this case they used the popular shooter game Halo. They basically use one character as the camera operator, and have him watch the other characters act out whatever needs to be done. The video is directed to a computer, and they later add recorded voices and edit it all together into coherent scenes.
These DVDs haven't been rated, so I'll try to give you a basic sense of what to expect. Since they use Halo to produce all of the images, you won't see anything worse in terms of violence or gore than you would in a game of Halo (which is rated as appropriate for teenagers by the ESRB). Generally, in fact, you'll see quite a bit less violence since Halo is a game about combat, where the violence is constant, and the characters in Red vs Blue spend most of their time talking to each other. HOWEVER there is a substantial amount of profanity. As they got to later episodes and realized that their fan base was turning out to include people somewhat younger than originally expected they cut back on that somewhat, but it still continues to appear. Also, the characters spend a large part of their time insulting each other in one way or another, if that kind of thing happens to bother you.
If you go to the official Rooster Teeth website, they allow you to download the current season's episodes (as well as some older episodes) in a low resolution format, playable in either Quicktime or Windows Media Player. That will give you plenty of opportunity to watch a few minutes and get a sense of whether you'll enjoy an entire DVD's worth.
Note, however, that there'll actually be a small amount of content from the episodes on the website that's cut when it's all edited together to make a DVD. That's because at the end of each episode it fades to black, and in many the character's keep talking for several more seconds. Each episode is only a few minutes long, and so when they're edited into a movie for the DVD they have to cut the sections where the screen is black in order to avoid disrupting the flow. In some cases they specially made an additional few seconds of "footage" to slip in so that they wouldn't have to cut any jokes, but in other cases they simply cut the last several seconds off of a scene. They never remove anything important this way, but if you're deciding between subscribing on the website to get the high resolution versions as downloads, or waiting to buy the seasonal DVDs, you may very well care about those small snippets that are being lost.
Each DVD also includes a commentary vocal track, a few outtakes, some mock-PSAs (Public Service Announcements), and some small jokes that appear if you click the right series of buttons on your DVD controls.

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Comedy "A gruff sargent. An unlucky ghost.A psychotic mercenary. A sarcastic slacker. Two morons. A tank... War is hell. In the distant future, ten soldiers battle for control of the least desirable piece of real estate in the known universe - a box canyon in the middle of nowhere."

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Kyle XY - The Complete First Season - Declassified (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)(Updated: May 22, 2007)
This is probarly ABC Family's best show yet, I do know for a fact that "Kyle XY" was a big hit for the channel, since I watched & followed it since it appeared on T.V. last summer. "Kyle XY" is about a mysterious guy that questions everything around him, as if he was a animal or a new born child. Even though he's very new to the world, he's already a adult, he also haves great gifts like jumping off tall buildings without getting hurt, playing Basketball better than a professional player does and swimming like dolphins. Kyle can also hear through walls & read people's lips from far away. That's just the beginning of the story, even though these things are impressive to the people around him including his adoptive family, nobody knows about his past, not even Kyle knows. After clues such as familiar people & symbols start popping up, his memory starts coming back. I'm not going to give to much away because I don't want to ruin it for people who haven't seen the show. I will say that "Kyle XY" answers questions while making more of them for the audience watching at home. It's a very interesting show, that grabs you in and doesn't let you go for a second and just when you think you know who Kyle is, a twist comes in and changes your mind.Disc 1:
1. Pilot.
2. Sleepless In Seattle.
3. The Lies That Bind.
4. Diving In.
Disc 2:
5. This Is Not A Test.
6. Blame It On The Rain.
7. Kyle Got Game.
8. Memoery Serves.
Disc 3:
9. Overheard.
10. Endgame.& (Special features)
1. Alternate "Pilot" episode.
2. Extended Season Finale.
3. Kyle XY Declassified - "Kyle XY" secrets are revealed in a immersive feature
that's also features exclusive scenes & interviews from season 2 of "Kyle XY".
4. Audio Commentaries - with Matt Dallas & writer Julie Plec on the "Pilot" & "Dive In" episode, April Matson on "Dive In" episode and some more people from behind the scenes on the "Pilot" episode.(Specifications for all three disc)
1. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.
2. Widescreen (1.78:1) - Enhanced for 16x9 televisions.
3. Spanish language track and subtitles.

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When a boy emerges from the forest with no recollection of who he is, a kind social worker takes him into her family and everyone wants to know: who is Kyle XY? As the Trager family works to help Kyle discover his world, they must also address the truths in their own lives as they struggle to adjust to the newest member of their family. "XY marks the hot spot" as TV's most compelling new family drama comes to DVD on KYLE XY: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON – DECLASSIFIED. This 3-disc set features each thrilling Season One episode as well as bonus features that reveal more than ever about the remarkable boy named Kyle. Only on DVD can you get declassified show secrets and an exclusive alternate season finale.

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Samurai Jack - The Premiere Movie (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)This dvd isn't so bad; but it's just the first 3 episodes of Season 1. The 'never seen before episode' is the 11th episode (the one with the Scottsman on the bridge), which is also on the Season 1 dvd. It's disappointing that they don't tell you that on the description anywhere, so for any of you who planned on getting both this and the Season 1 set - just get the Season 1 set by itself.
Otherwise, this is a fine intro to Samurai Jack and is worth watching. I would rate the disc 4.5 out of 5 on its own.

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In ancient Japan, a samurai warrior embarks on a mission to defeat the evil wizard Aku. Before completing his task, he is jetisoned thousands of years into the future. Suddenly, he discovers he is in a world where Aku now enjoys complete power over every living thing. Taking on the name Jack, he sets out on a quest to free the future from Aku's grasp and to find a way back to his own time so he can destroy the evil for good.

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The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 10 (Godzilla vs. Megalon / Swamp Diamonds / Teen-Age Strangler / The Giant Spider Invasion) (1988) Review

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(More customer reviews)The latest MST3K 4-disc set contains a good variety of episodes from seasons 2, 5 and 8. Two episodes feature Joel Hodgson as host and two have Mike Nelson as host. Three episodes are from the Comedy Central years while one is from the first season on the Sci-Fi Channel. Here is a synopsis of each episode:
212- GODZILLA VS. MEGALON
This extremely silly Toho picture from 1973 is a blast whether you love or loathe Godzilla movies. Its original Japanese title is Gojira tai Megaro. It is simply goofy beyond belief! The people of Seatopia, who live under the ocean, decide that it's time they controlled the surface world as well, launching an all out assault on surface dwelling humans. Their main instrument of destruction is Megalon, a large monster with big spike-like arms and a star-shaped projection on his head. Godzilla comes to the rescue, assisted by a man-made robot named Jet Jaguar that can change its size to become gigantic. Together, Godzilla and Jet Jaguar teach Megalon and the Seatopians a lesson they'll not soon forget.
This is a GREAT episode and includes some of the BEST host segments ever, including the "Rex Dart, Eskimo Spy" sketch, the `Bots get new arms sketch, the `Bots argue over whose monster is the "coolest" sketch, and the HILARIOUS translation of the Jet Jaguar fight song during the final host segment. The scene of Godzilla dropkicking as if flying through the air during the opening titles in later seasons of the show comes from this episode. This is a must-see episode!
503- SWAMP DIAMONDS (plus short: WHAT TO DO ON A DATE)
This is a 1955 Roger Corman "classic" starring Beverly Garland and Mike "Touch" Connors before his fame with Mannix. Beverly Garland leads a gang of escaped female convicts to a cache of diamonds and they kidnap the innocent Mr. Connors and his girlfriend along the way. A policewoman goes undercover inside the gang hoping to recover the stolen diamonds. Beverly Garland turns in the usual good performance and looks great doing it in spite of the mediocre film quality.
Host segments in this episode focus on the dating short as Servo tries to get up the nerve to ask Gypsy for a date. There's also a hilarious bit based on the "This Side of Paradise" episode of the original Star Trek series.
514- TEEN-AGE STRANGLER (plus short: IS THIS LOVE?)
This is the second episode of MST3K to be hosted by Mike Nelson after the departure of show creator Joel Hodgson. The main feature is a small independent film made in 1968 West Virginia about a serial killer in a small town and it looks every bit the amateur film. Highlights in this episode include Mike Nelson transforming into Mikey from the movie and the hilarious "The Janitor Song." The short is also a winner with some of the oldest looking "young people" you're likely to see on film; this is really funny stuff!
810- THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION
This movie is a 1975 monster flick from Bill Rebane, the same man who brought you Monster A-Go Go! This film is ever so slightly more competently made than Monster A-Go Go and actually features a couple of well-known actors: Barbara Hale of Perry Mason fame and Alan Hale, Jr. who was The Skipper on Gilligan's Island and also the sheriff in the film The Crawling Hand which was featured in MST3K episode # 106. The movie is really goofy fun, with large spiders everywhere, sleazy and gross yokel-type characters less appealing than the spiders, and a small car dressed up as the biggest and cheesiest looking spider of them all. The scene where Barbara Hale's character does an odd tumble down a hill is worth seeing all by itself and there's plenty of other good material here as well for the MST3K writers. This is certainly one of the more fun episodes done after the show moved to the Sci-Fi Channel. The amusing host segments are based loosely on the classic SF film Invasion of the Body Snatchers rather than on the film featured in the episode.
This DVD set also contains the following extra features:
-MST3K Video Jukebox with 15 songs from the series
-Photo Gallery
-Outtakes consisting of about 15 minutes of the best moments from "Poopie 2"
This is a great set any MST3K fan, film buff or comedy aficionado would enjoy, with a wide variety of film genres and seasons of the show represented here. Join Us! Movie Sign!

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Four never-before-released episodes of the incomparably funny TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Episodes include: Godzilla vs. Megalon, Swamp Diamonds, Teen-Age Strangler, and The Giant Spider Invasion.

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Cowboy Bebop - The Perfect Sessions (Limited Edition Complete Series Boxed Set) Review

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(More customer reviews)I really don't like anime. It's true. Growing up in the '80s and seeing the reruns of '70s imports (like Speed Racer), not to mention the whole Pokémon thing that hit while I was in high school, I know some people out there like those things but I find them repulsive and annoying. Silly caricatures with gigantic eyes and frame rates of about 2 per minute, almost like watching a slide show with really bad narration.
Then a friend pressured me to watch Cowboy Bebop on Cartoon Network. He knew my reservations about Japanese cartoons, but pushed me into it anyway (it was a Saturday night, I wasn't doing anything anyway...) and I haven't stopped thanking him.
This series is good. Not good, great. This is the program that anyone who says "cartoons are for kids" should watch. The first thing that I noticed was that the episodes were each standalone. Most of the popular animations of today are very series-oriented, if you miss one the next one probably won't make sense, and the whole thing feels soap-opera-ish. But not Bebop. Oh, it's true that there's an ongoing storyline, but you don't have to be familiar with it to enjoy any given episode. In fact, it might be good to watch them out of sequence once and then in order, you'll get everything on two different levels.
Then there's the music. It is easily the best music in a cartoon, possibly the best in a television series. Just like I don't like anime, I don't like jazz. Or so I thought, but many thanks to Yoko Kanno for proving me wrong on that count. It's original, it's catchy, and even though I didn't much care for a lot of it initially, it now has so much emotion attached to it that I have added it to my regular listening. I definitely can't say that about any other television series ever.
Oh, the characters. Where can I even begin? They have complexity and depth, worthy of some of the best movies to ever come out of Hollywood. They each have their own backgrounds, their own motives, they have personality. After twenty-six episodes, it's hard not to develop an attachment to at least one of them. You don't have to take my word on this; I've seen many others who agree with me on this. Besides, you could watch it and decide for yourself.
As far as I'm concerned, this is essential viewing. Not everyone might agree with me, but I have a feeling that there are many out there who would absolutely love this show if they saw just one episode. It turned me on to anime, and I'm pretty hard to sway in opinion. If you're into anime, this is a must. If you can bring yourself to realize cartoons as something other than Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, this is probably for you, too. It's for adults of all ages, and appeals for so many reasons.
By the way, the dubbed version may be better. Nothing against the original cast, and it's not a personal aversion to subtitles (I usually prefer subbed to dubbed), but the English cast are incredible. I've never seen that kind of attention or acting in translation. And, because of the nature of the show, I think it just feels better.
A message from the converted.

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Meet Spike and Jet, a drifter and a retired cyborg cop.They've formed a partnership in a bounty hunting enterprise that specializes in adventure and cash.Using an old converted fishing ship called the Bebop, with the help of the intelligent data dog, Ein, the mysterious and vexing femme fatale, Faye Valentine, and Ed, the genius hacker -- Spike and Jet scour the galaxy to clean up space, one bounty at a time.* Considered one of the best anime of all time in both Japan AND the United States. * Cowboy Bebop is now available as a special DVD collection box set that contains all six DVD's from Cowboy Bebop packaged with the Cowboy Bebop Original Soundtrack CD in a collectors box.

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Babylon 5 - The Complete Television Series (5-Pack) (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a lover of sci-fi series, it's great to see such a saga sold as a set. The reality for the B5 connoisseur is that this isn't the Full Monty. You should also purchase "Babylon 5 - The Movie Collection" and the B5 spin-offs "Crusade - The Complete Series" and "The Legend of the Rangers". The reasons are indicated below in my recommended viewing order.
1. Watch the B5 movie "The Gathering"
The Babylon 5 pilot movie The Gathering was originally broadcast in 1993 a full year ahead of the regular show.
2. Season 1
3. Season 2
4. Season 3
5. Watch Season 4 up to episode "The illusion of truth"
6. Watch the B5 movie "Thirdspace"
7. Season 4: continue with episodes 9-22
8. Watch Season 5 up to episode "Objects at Rest"
9. Watch the B5 movie "River of Souls"
10. Watch the B5 movie "In the Beginning"
This is a prelude set 10 years before Babylon 5. Against the logic of the title, I would strongly recommend seeing it at this stage. Should one see it before Season 1, much of the suspense in the main series would be ruined.
11. Watch the B5 movie "A Call to Arms"
This movie lays the groundwork for the spin-off TV series "Crusade".
12. The Lost Tales - Thanks to Eric Pregosin for his comments to build on the original list
13. Season 5: watch final episode "Sleeping in light"
14. Watch Crusade Series
The question which is debated in several other reviews is: Despite the release dates of the material produced, in what order should it be seen? In particular, if the viewer is a total new comer to the series. The above is an attempt to give some structure to great content so it is more enjoyable as a complete work.
PS - It is astounding that the Warner marketing dept. gives no official recommendation on how these products should be best enjoyed.
PS 2 Update - As "The Legend of the Rangers" was released long after I finished watching Babylon 5, I'm not sure where to place this. Any comments would be appreciated.

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Own all five seasons of the award-winning series about the space station that's the tumultuous center of the 23rd century's bid for peace among humans and aliens.

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Beastmaster: Complete Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)This review is for "Beastmaster: Complete Collection" 18 Disc DVD Set
September 29, 2008: "ADV Replies To Inquiry About The Scarcity Of 'Beastmaster: Complete Collection'."
I received an email from ADV concerning the scarcity of this DVD set, which I have placed, along with my email to them, in the comments [9/30/08--I have also copied a notice posted on tvshowsondvd.com concerning the cancellation of this set]. I was deeply saddened to read that the available copies are essentially "mistakes;" and those of us that have them are more than a little lucky. I can only iterate what the customer service rep states: "Hopefully ADV will be able to release this in the future." For all of you who have not been able to find it, I suggest writing to ADV encouraging them to release the set--squeaky wheals usually get greased!
Andre Norton's (noms de plume for author Alice Mary Norton) "Beast Master," first published in 1959, established themes that were common to many of her books: 1) the plot takes place in the open countryside, with only short episodes in a city environment. Protagonists usually move about singly or in small groups, and in conflict situations they are more often scouts, spies or guerillas rather than regular soldiers in large military formations; 2) locations are usually earth like places, where humans can live without special protection, and have extensive flora and fauna which are described in considerable detail and often have substantial bearing on the plot; 3) the presence of sympathetically presented feudal and tribal cultures (particularly Navajo culture); and, 4) the important role of animals--both ordinary ones, such as cats, and exotic fictional ones, like unicorns, whose characteristics are meticulously worked out. The animals are often highly intelligent without being anthropomorphic, acting as virtually full partners to the human protagonists and frequently they form telepathic links with each other. AND THESE THEMES ARE THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF "BEASTMASTER" POSSIBLE.
While the character in the book, Hosteen Storm, travels between planets within the context of these themes, the story line establishes the basis for the first movie, "Beastmaster" (1982). In the movie, the main character, Dar, plays out the themes within the context of a fantasy story set in an imaginary world of sorcery and magic: Dar, with the help of a "companions" Seth and Kiri, seeks "vengeance" against warlord/sorcerer Maax. "Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time" (1991) renews the interplanetary nature of the book as Dar travels to earth, and its inherent "evil," technology, and lack "earthliness." Then in "Beastmaster: The Eye of Braxus" (1996) Dar, while wandering with his animal companions, chances to meet and "rescue" a family who seek the help of King Tal, Dar's brother and "King," against Lord Agon, a sorcerer who has conquered their land.
"Beastmaster: Complete Collection" (1999-2002), then, with some minor changes, picks up the story of Dar after the lands have been ransacked and Dar's family and tribe have been essentially wiped out. Employing Andre Norton's four basic themes, the television series' arcs parallel the plots of the three movies (which may be why both the second movie and the second season are often seen as the weakest by some). The arc of the first season tells the story of Dar (played by Daniel Goddard): (1) Dar finding out about who he is and what his hopes and dreams are; (2) Dar forming his "new family"--Ru, a tiger friend; Koto and Poto, two expelled ferret friends; Sharak, who was once a man (played by Daniel Fitzgerald), but was turned into an eagle because of his deep love for the Sorceress (played by Monika Schnarre); Curupira (played by Emilie de Ravin), a demon who is the guardian of all the animals and has granted Dar his ability to speak with the animals; and Tao (i.e., Seth), played by Jackson Raine, who is sort of trickster character with knowledge of plants and "Science;" (3) Dar's search for his soul mate, Kyra (i.e., Kiri), played by Natalie Jackson Mendoza--who is first captured by King Zad, played by Steven Grives, and then hidden by The Ancient One, played by Grahame Bond; and (4) Dar recognizing and attempting to understand the idea (also the over riding series arc) that the world is changing, civilization is advancing, technology is gaining ground slowly, the old orders of magic and sorcery are fading, and the world is threatened by the supernatural being Balcifer, the Dark One, played by Jeremy Callaghan.
The arc of the second season, as with the second movie, finds Dar and his companions coming dangerously close to loosing to the spread of "civilizations" or material culture, the damage of technologically "advanced" tribes, and the losses of Kyra (killed in the last episode of season one), Curupira, and the Sorceress--although he gains a new friend in a former enemy, Arina, played by Marjean Holden. Tao's ways of logic and science increasingly challenge and intercede into Dar's world; indeed, Xinca (visually looking like an Inca city) becomes the focus of many of the episodes, rather than the "outdoors/forests." "Tribal" customs are caving in face of rampant "civilized" materialism and greed. Dar's ability to be the Beastmaster is constantly challenged and eroded by events and actions precipitated by others.
The third season arc, like the third movie, brings the story full circle, as Dar finds out from Dartanus (played by Marc Singer, who "poetically" played Dar in the three movies), a Spirit Warrior, who informs Dar that he is really the son of King Eldar, who was killed by Balcifer the last time he attempted to take over the world (the first "Beastmaster" movie?). As such, Dar is the only person who can stop Balcifer, the Dark One, from taking over the world by "rescuing" his family, who were turned into animals by his father to protect them from Balcifer's previous attempt to take over the world. Again, this all occurs within the context of Andre Norton's four themes.
"Beastmaster: Complete Collection" is fantasy cinema at its best. The stories are often fantastical, humorous, educational, and entertaining--like any great "tribal" or "trickster" story. Episodes frequently include stock footage of various wildlife that adds to the vastness of the story. Season 2 and 3 have some interesting question and answer bonus features with Danial Goddard. The only real blemish is with the DVD editing, as the breaks for commercials are frequently poorly done. If you are looking for good, fun, entertainment, "Beastmaster: Complete Collection" is top notch. I have contacted ADV Films to inquire as to why this set is out of print already, as it just came out on August 5, 2008! So, hopefully, I can update this with their "justification" for not making this set more available.
If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks.

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A Dog's Breakfast (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)You will be giggling through this whole movie.
David Hewlett has managed to create a film that evokes all the fun about the "old-fashioned" dark comedy. Think "Arsenic and Old Lace" or "A Fish Called Wanda" with a little Peter Sellers and some Fawlty Towers thrown in.
It's a wonderful, family-friendly film about a rather dysfunctional guy who can't even manage to do murder correctly. (The "violence" is all implied, in case you're squeamish like I am.) It not only features a great performance from David himself, but you also throw in his real-life sister Kate Hewlett and his friend Paul McGillion and you get a whole lot of fun. (Look for David's dog Mars to steal several scenes while in the foreground and background.)
You might recognize all of these actors (and much of the listed crew) from the TV shows Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1. If you're a fan of these shows, you'll really enjoy seeing everyone in a very different role. If you're not a Stargate fan or even a sci-fi geek, no worries. This won't really take you there, except for poking a little fun at their other jobs.
"A Dog's Breakfast" is well worth watching as David Hewlett is sure to be a name to watch in the future.

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Two convicts in an Alaskan prison escape their inhumane jailers, trek across the icy Northeast wilderness, and board a speeding freight train. Unfortunately, the train's conductor dies suddenly of a heart attack, and the convicts face certain death unless they can find some way to stop it. Based on a screenplay by none other than Akira Kurosawa. Three Academy Award Nominations, including Best Actor: Jon Voight.

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Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)While various MST3K episodes have circulated over the internet and from companies like Rhino, the MST3K movie has long since disappeared from DVD shelves. Now, rather than rent a copy from Netflix and then "lose" it so you can keep one (or pay extravagant prices on Ebay), Universal has rereleased this great film to the delight of fans everywhere.
So what makes this different from any normal episode? Well, first of all it's set between the sixth and seventh seasons (right after the departure of TV's Frank and before Pearl joins as a regular), so Doctor F has the bad guy side all to himself. Fortunately, Trace is more than capable of making his every moment on screen a blast (there's even a funny "mini-origin" monologue that starts the film off to catch everyone up to speed). The set is finally expanded here and we get to see more of the ship finally. But, strangely enough, this is actually SHORTER than any of the episodes you see on television. This was done because the studio was afraid people who weren't familiar with the show would get bored in the theater--but of course, why would they go see it if they weren't familiar with the show in the first place?
The movie they choose to riff is "This Island Earth", which I always thought wasn't such a bad film anyway. However, Mike and the Bots do manage to squeeze in some great lines throughout. Definitely worth the time!
One small warning: they do use a few more colorful words here than they did on television. Not often by any means, but they sneak a couple in here and there.
I'm so glad we're finally seeing this gem return to DVD! Don't know what brought it on, but thank you!

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Have you ever seen a movie so bad that you had to shout back at the screen? So have the ingenious creators of "Mystery Science Theater 3000." The award-winning series is now a major motion picture, complete with all the hip wisecracks and explosively funny barbs that fans have come to expect. Your movie today: 1955's "This Island Earth."

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The Greatest American Hero - Season One (1981) Review

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(More customer reviews)Although it's now fashionable to watch a superhero struggle with his or her abilities in movies and TV, it wasn't always the case. William Katt played Ralph Hinkley an ordinary guy who is left a gift from aliens from outer space-a suit that gives its wearer the ability to fly, super strength, invisibility and much more. Suddenly, he had all these super powers but lost the owner's manual to tell him how to use it correctly. Ralph ends up flying into walls and generally having as many mishaps as a superhero could possibly have. Befriended by FBI agent Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp) Hinkley partners with him and decides to fight for good. These first eight episodes (including the two hour pilot ) made up the first season of the series. The two hour pilot soars with nice comedic touches by Katt, Connie Selleca and the perfect straight man in Culp. In fact, Culp plays it so seriously that it comes off almost as a parody of a government agent.
With an exceptionally good transfer, "The Greatest American Hero" looks almost as if it was invulnerable to the ravages of time. The transfers look very nice with solid blacks and color reproduction. Considering the show is twenty five years old, there are few of the flaws that one might expect. The image is occasionally soft but and has some minor analog imperfections (such as dust, dirt particularly during the effects shots) on the whole, Anchor Bay has done a meticulous job in transferring this series to DVD. The sound while limited by the technology of the time (it was broadcast in mono) has good presence with the dialogue very clear. Some minor background hiss crops up from time to time. Although the box says this is in stereo it sounds like mono to me.
We get a pilot for a spin off entitled "The Greatest American Heroine". While only one episode was shot, what we have is quite good and promising. Sadly, no network picked up the spin-off so, until recently, it has sat on the shelf. In the spin off Hinkley hands off the suit to a young woman and she takes up where he left off. We also get interviews with stars William Katt, Robert Culp, Connie Selleca and writer/producer/creator Stephen J. Cannell. Culp provides some interesting tidbits in his interview. For example, the reason Bill Maxwell comes across so intense and humorless is because Culp decided to play the role that way. He figured that there with others playing for laughs, presenting his character as serious would provide an anchor to reality and prevent the show from becoming too tongue-in-cheek. With over an hour of interviews, this portion of the set is extremely generous. No commentary tracks from anyone but, really, the interviews do make up for that. Hopefully in future sets we can have commentary tracks on key episodes by the actors and Cannell.

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Believe it or not, he’s walking on air! William Katt is back as reluctant flying crime fighter Ralph Hinkley, who would know exactly how to use the red superpower suit given to him by aliens if he hadn’t lost its instruction manual. In this season, Ralph pitches in the World Series, prevents World War III, suffers amnesia, joins the circus, battles bad bikers, voodoo vengeance, a fast-food mascot and much more, all with the help of his attorney girlfriend Pam Davidson (Connie Selleca) and FBI agent Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp). Who could it be? Believe it or not, he’s THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO!This collection features all 22 Second Season episodes with such guest stars as Markie Post, Joe Mantegna, Barbara Hale, Keenan Wynn, Dixie Carter, Don Drysdale and more, plus all-new Extras that include revealing and fun career-retrospective interviews with creator Stephen J. Cannell and music composer Mike Post.

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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie / Turbo - A Power Rangers Movie (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)Wow! The Power Rangers on DVD! Never before have the Power Rangers looked so good! I don't even know where to begin, but here goes! First, the contents of this dvd. Both Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie and Turbo A Power Rangers Movie are here. This disc is a dual-layer disc, with one movie per side. Each movie is in widescreen format (YEAH!), and each movie is accompanied by the theatrical trailer and featurette. It's not loaded with extras, but since you're getting two awesome movies on one disc for a fair price, it's hard to complain. As for the films, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie is the first theatrical production of the Power Rangers series. The Rangers in this movie are Tommy, Kimberly, Adam, Billy, Aisha and Rocky. MMPR The Movie is good fun, with cool action sequences and neat costumes. The only draw back to this film is that it strays from its Sentai roots by giving the Rangers vinyl outfits and replacing their Mega Zord with a poorly designed computer graphic one. Besides those minor discrepancies though, this movie is great for Power Rangers fans. Next, Turbo Power Rangers, is my personal favorite of the two. The Rangers in this film are Tommy, Kat, Adam, Tanya, and Justin (who replaces Rocky). However, the highlight of this movie is the return of the ORIGINAL POWER RANGERS, Jason and Kimberly, although they don't suit up as Rangers. Thankfully, this movie does not stray far from its Sentai roots, as the Rangers faithfully maintain the costumes and Zords of their Japanese counter-parts, and all other elements you've come to expect from a Power Rangers spectacle are there. All in all, this dvd is great bang for your buck and awesome entertainment for those who enjoy light-fare, Sentai, sci-fi action. I highly recommend it for the kid in the family or the kid in you. It'll surely put a smile on your face : )

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Maid-Droid (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Once upon a time...
People believed in magic to explain the things they could not understand, and magic offered the possibilities to change or control our lives . In fairy tales, protagonists undergo certain trials or tests to be found worthy of some wish, and a magical spell is spoken to make the wish come true.
Today...
Technology is our magic, and passwords are our magic spells. But people still must prove themselves worthy of the things we most wish for: love, good sex, companionship, and happiness.
A man, now old, has had a robot maid since he was a young man, and she has served him selflessly. Unfortunately, she is an early model; later models have sexual upgrade kits that allow their owners to act out their fantasies and have sex with their droids. The early model maid wishes she could be more like a real woman so she could please her young owner sexually. But he does not care if she can't, he loves her. Years later, she is an outdated model; replacement parts are difficult to find and her batteries no longer recharge. The man has kept her anyway, because of his love for her. She sits in a corner, lifeless, yet he is content to carry on conversations with her.
This movie is a clever updating of the Pinocchio fairy tale, replacing magic with technology; and if you look closely, all the plot elements are there:
In the original story, being a human boy was the wish and honesty the test. In Maid-Droid, true love is the wish and knowing the difference between sex and love is the test.
In the original Pinocchio, there was a dark side to being a human boy and he was in danger of being swallowed up by it. Likewise, in Maid-Droid there is a dark side to love and sex: when sex is mistaken for, or replaces, love. The police are looking for a droid that is seemingly preying on women. The built-in faithfulness of droids has been warped into unwanted sexual attacks by a chimerical droid assembly.
If that weren't enough to draw the parallels, one character has had his personality transferred to a mechanical puppet after his death, so that mentally he may continue to live.
Along the way there are some very good science fiction elements (including Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics in full frontal display) and some very witty and convincing observations on male and female relationships and sexuality.
Essentially, this is a Japanese Pink Film-style version of the Spielberg/Kubrick film AI, which was itself a version of Pinocchio. Some viewers will find that moments of (too) precious tenderness are offset, jarringly, with scenes of crass (and pretty funny) soft-core sex. But you'll see this helps to drive the point home that good sex is love's reward. Not the other way round.
I give this movie 4 stars because someone needs to make this movie again with more polished production values and more sophisticated screenwriting; and when they do it will be a great film. Others might give it 3.
I recommend this movie, its fun, titillating, sexy, sincere, and clever, even with its flaws.

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In 20XX, Maria, a robot, came to Ueno's house while he was still a child. Programmed to take care of him, Maria was given to him by his parents. After his parents pass away, Ueno experiments with Maria by attempting to program her for sexual functions. Years pass and Ueno falls in love with Maria but she eventually runs out of power, leaving their love unconsummated.

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Land of the Giants - The Full Series (The Giant Collection) (1968) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm reading the reviews about people complaining about the price and I won't dissagree that it is too high. However the package is stamped as a limited edition which means that the series might be re-issued in individual packages like the other Irwin Allen shows after a while, but who knows. My guess is that a good part of the price is simply the packaging. The extra's are not a big deal, but this is the stuff you get with limited editions, so if you think it's to high you may want to wait it out and one of two things can happen. Either they re-issue it later at a lower price or not at all. It's anyone's guess.
I've checked some of the discs and I own the original Columbia House DVD's as well, and these look better than what Columbia released. The picture quality is excellent! That said there is a problem that another reviewer mentioned, and that is the first 3 episodes of the second season have the wrong theme music on them. 'The Mechanical Man' 'Six Hours to Live' and 'The Inside Rail' all have 2nd season intro's with the 1st season music. These episodes are available on the Columbia House versions and the intro's on those discs are correct.
Except for that, I've found that these discs play well and look good, but I've still to see the entire run. Except for the price, this is not a bad set and if you can get it cheap I recommend it.
Note: Land of the Giants is best enjoyed in production order rather than broadcast order. These discs as well as others always list the shows in broadcast order and often the network that originally aired the show (abc) screwed up the order terribly. I'm a long time Irwin Allen fan and I know he is not the best at character development or continuity, but what little there is is lost when the episodes are run out of order.
Try this: The first 5 episodes should run like this - 'The Crash' 'The Weird-World' 'The Trip' 'The Bounty Hunter' and 'The Golden Cage.' The character of Mark especially changes gradually and you see them slowly adapting to there new surroundings. Because the series was originally aired out of order the second episode 'Ghost Town' is way out of place. It is actually the 14th episode!
If you are a die hard fan this doesn't matter, but if you only marginally like the show try watching it in production order. It will make a difference!

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After their sub-orbital space craft is drawn into a space warp, the passengers and crew of the Spindrift, crash into a planet where everything is 12 times its normal size!

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Split Second (1992) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have a weakness for Rutger Hauer movies that needs to be satiated every few months if I am to function. I cannot specify one specific trait about this actor that I find so satisfying. Is it his acting skills, which are substantial even though he often appears in low budget junk? Or is it his presence, a physically imposing stature that makes him a natural to play cops or bad guys equally well? I guess both of these traits play a part. Hauer is a phenomenal entertainer, always turning in a great performance even if the movie is mediocre. Check out the scene in the made for cable television film "Fatherland" where Hauer tells his son a story about an old watchmaker. It's a mesmerizing piece of acting that is deeply moving. Most of this actor's films don't have as good a script as that movie does, but even still Hauer manages to stand head and shoulders above his co-stars. One of my latest fixes for this actor's work found me digging up a copy of "Split Second," an apocalyptic sort of tale from the early '90s that I have had a fondness for since I saw it ten years ago.
In the near future-London of 2008, to be exact-the world has undergone serious weather disturbances. Global warming melted a significant portion of the earth's icecaps, resulting in serious flooding in port cities around the world. London itself is often under several feet of water, requiring residents to wear waterproof clothing and footwear anytime they go outside. Hauer plays a cop named Harley Stone, a throwback to the old days of police work when a guy pounded a beat and employed tried and true techniques to solve crimes. Stone lives like a slob, constantly eating chocolate truffles, drinking, and generally taking poor care of himself. But he's a good cop, one of the best, and anytime a murder occurs he's not far from the scene. Stone's methods rile the rank and file, especially his boss Paulsen (Pete Postalthwaite). This cop continually hassles Stone about his rogue way of bringing in the bad guys, but can't bring himself to retire his star detective. And now he needs Harley Stone more than ever as a vicious murderer rampages across London. This criminal seems to worship the occult and mutilates the victims in the most heinous of ways.
In order to keep an eye on the department renegade, Paulsen assigns an egghead named Dick Durbin (Neil Duncan) to act as Stone's new partner. Durbin's one of these guys with way too much schooling; he's got a ton of degrees, including a doctorate from Oxford, and a tendency to harp on Harley about eating right and exercising. As the two detectives investigate the latest round of zodiac style killings, dropping wisecracks along the way, a former squeeze of Harley's named Michelle (Kim Cattrall) enters the picture. Meanwhile, the gruesome crimes continue, with the criminal specifically targeting Stone in order to mock his adversary. As if by magic, the killer manages to leave a grotesque surprise in a box at the cop shop, addressed to Harley Stone and wrapped with a lot of love. The cops know they have to do something soon before even more citizens fall victim to this nefarious evildoer. Moreover, alarming evidence increasingly points to supernatural origin for the killer. When Durbin and Stone finally confront this creature face to face, all of Durbin's educated veneer collapses like a wet bag. He goes along with Stone completely now, muttering the same line repeatedly until it turns into a mantra: "We need guns. Big guns." The inevitable showdown in the sewers of London is more fun than it should be from a movie of this caliber.
"Split Second" was a better film the first time than the second time around. The first viewing came at a time when I could care less about such fundamental cinematic concepts as structured plot, a good script, and believable characters. While the characters in this movie are largely believable and interesting, the script and the plot leave a lot to be desired. The dialogue is the same sort of stuff we hear in every action film made since the 1960s. Durbin and Stone are your typical old cop/young cop team, with all the attendant baggage that cliché implies. Stone at first despises his new protégé but soon learns to grudgingly admire the guy. Durbin initially scoffs at Harley's bad behavior and unorthodox police skills, but soon falls in line when he learns the older detective was right all along. Moreover, the plot is the typical B budget potboiler with more holes than a pound of Swiss cheese. How, for instance, did a demonic beast manage to leave a box in the middle of a heavily guarded police station without anyone seeing him? In broad daylight? C'mon! Suspension of disbelief is a prerequisite for watching these types of films, but "Split Second" pushes the envelope beyond the tearing point. Another point against the film is Kim Cattrall, who doesn't have much to do except act the part of the imperiled female. Too, her hair makes her look like Moe Howard on a bad day.
Yet, despite these immense and inestimable flaws, "Split Second" is highly entertaining. The idea has heart even if it rips off "Aliens" and every other scary sci-fi flick known to man. Durbin and Stone are fun to watch as they savagely riff off one another. It's too bad the DVD presents few extras and only a full screen picture transfer. Rutger Hauer fans will want to add this one to their collections soon, but unfortunately it looks like it is out of print. Try and find a copy somewhere, though, because it is ultimately an entertaining piece of fluff good for passing a few hours.

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Against All Odds (1984) Review

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(More customer reviews)Director Taylor Hackford doesn't make a lot of mistakes. But he points out one in the deleted scenes area of this disc. When I saw it back in 1984, I didn't understand what the heck Jeff Bridges was doing flying around Mexico to throw James Woods off the train while Rachel Ward went to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza (an awesome spot I visited back in 1995, by the way). The deleted scene helps make this clear and really enhanced my enjoyment of the film.
Whether you like the movie or not, the chance to see the seaside ruins of Tulum and the astronomical temple of Chichen Itza is worth it. No one apparently had been allowed to film there before. And Jane Greer is great as the quietly wicked mother of Ms. Ward.

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