The Avengers - The Complete Emma Peel Megaset (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews) The immensely popular ABC series called "The Avengers" has long since achieved legendary status since it appeared back in January 1961. Since then there have been 161 episodes, which break into four major sections. We have the early episodes (1-26) with Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Ian Hendry as Dr. Keel. Then the "Cathy Gail" series (27-78) with Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale, the man-tossing, leather-covered intellectual who broke new ground for female characters on television. Even more popular was the black and white series (79-104) with Diana Rigg and Emma Peel (read "M[en] appeal "), which led not unexpectedly to the color series with Rigg (105-129). Then the final section with Linda Thorson as Tara King (129-- in which she co-starred with Rigg-161).
As of this writing, the early episodes in the Gale series and all of the King series are not yet available. However, A&E has just released all of the Rigg entries, both the black and whites and the color, in a wonderful boxed set called "The Avengers: the Complete Emma Peel Mega-Set." And Mega, I suppose, is as good as any adjective to describe the enjoyment value of the contents therein. We have here all the Rigg episodes, including the transition entry in which Tara takes over for Emma, on 16 DVDs, each holding 3 episodes with an occasional 4th as a "bonus."
Those who have never seen them before will want, of course, to watch them in order. Others will want to jump to their favorite episodes, which is pretty easy on DVD. You will notice that the black and whites were less studio-bound and the sets in general more realistic. With the first color episode, the series took a strong science fiction bent; and the sets, as the producers admitted, were more a view of England as the Americans would like to think it is.
You will also have a lot of fun spotting stars-to-be. There is Donald Sutherland, Brian Blessed and Charlotte Rampling in "The Superlative Seven," Peter Bowles in "Dial a Deadly Number" and "Escape in Time," Geoffrey Palmer in "A Surfeit of H2O," and Christopher Lee in "Never, Never Say Die." It was a policy that no actor could appear more than once a season, so Bowles and Lee, for example, would have to wait for the King series to play other characters. In fact, the only characters as such to reappear in the color Rigg series from the black and whites is the bumbling Brodny (Warren Mitchell) who can be found in "Two's a Crowd" and "The See-Through Man" and the evil assistant (Frederick Jaeger) to the Cybernaut-master.
And for more fun, see how many actors from "Are You Being Served?" you can spot? There are three in all.
The most frequent repeat actor seems to be comedian Roy Kinnear, who also has the honor of being in the very last King episode in the role of Bagpipes Happychap. And then we have rotund Patrick Newell who was murdered in the very first Rigg entry, drugged in a color one, and wound up as Mother in the King series.
But all in all, it is the interplay between Macnee and Rigg that really made this program work. Unlike Cathy Gale, who seemed actively to dislike Steed when she was not merely tolerating him, Mrs. Peel had a genuine fondness for him and was not averse to stirring his tea (anticlockwise, as he preferred it). And as for the question of Peel and Steed being lovers, recall that they are fictional characters and have no life off the screen.
The dialogue was light hearted, and you seldom if ever saw blood after a mere trickle in their third episode. You also never saw a policeman, an element that for some reason the producers thought would be a jarring note. (You figure out why; I cannot.)
The best episodes? There is no question that "The House That Jack Built" leads the pack. This is the one in which Emma finds herself in a house designed to drive her mad and Steed appears only at the start and end. The worst? Possibly "Silent Dust." The silliest? That has to be "Epic." The most serious? "Murdersville." So what if the package costs a small fortune? You could purchase them separately, of course; but think of what you would be missing.

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Alex Rider - Operation Stormbreaker (Widescreen Edition) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a fan of the Alex Rider novels, so I approached the DVD with some trepidation. I love the books. Can't wait for the next one. But the movie release never even came close to my city, which is the capital of the state. That concerned me.
Alex Rider is a 14-year-old spy that was trained by his Uncle Ian to be strong and independent. Perhaps not a spy. We never know for sure. But through the six books that have been published so far, we've gotten to know Alex quite well. He's not your average kid, but neither is he happy-go-lucky about being a spy. The movie depicts him, more or less, as that, though, and that's one of the parts where book fans will object.
What you see on the screen is very much a more light-hearted version of Alex Rider, bordering on slapstick comedy at times. Think of the original book series by author/creator Anthony Horowitz as Sean Connery's James Bond as opposed to Roger Moore's take on that character. Book Alex is more subdued, more desperate, and less sure of himself. But the curiosity and determination is the same.
Overall, the movie is an enjoyable experience. The action scenes are well choreographed (I loved the opening escape by Ian Rider and the later junkyard fight with the rope by Alex) and play big. Adrenaline and rock music kick in and propel the viewer through the film.
Mickey Rouke played the villain, and his portrayal was a little over the top and annoying at times. The makeup was way too heavy as well, even by kid standards. The Alan Blunt character was too thin as well. Blunt comes off much better in the novels.
OPERATION: STORMBREAKER will hopefully be the first of the Alex Rider franchise, though. The DVD is a great rental for family night or as an addition to the family library for action flicks suitable for the younger audience that will also hold the attention of adults.
But do try to read one of the books or put one in the hands of your 10-14 year-olds. They'll be glad you did, and they're on Accelerated Reader lists everywhere.

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Studio: Genius Products IncRelease Date: 05/22/2007Run time: 93 minutesRating: Pg

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Mission: Impossible - The Complete First TV Season (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)When Mission: Impossible, the movie came out, I was expecting a big studio update of the classic TV show. What I got was yet another Tom Cruise star vehicle where he preens and postures and seizes the spotlight at the expense of everyone else in the film. To say I was disappointed is an understatment -- I was incensed! The IMF team killed off? Jim Phelps a bad guy? You've got to be kidding me! The TV series' concept of an elite covert operations team working together to save the United States from enemies, both foreign and domestic, was bastardized so Tom Cruise could flash his 1000 watt smile and save the day all by himself. I was so angry, I vowed to never see the film again or any possible sequels. It's a vow I've kept to this day and will continue to keep.
I'm sure that Mr. Cruise and his represtatives had something to do with the delay in releasing the original series on DVD. Thankfully, now that Paramount has shown old Tom the door, we can now see the series that started it all. Peter Graves' Jim Phelps is missing from the first season (Steven Hill of Law and Order plays Dan Riggs, the leader of the IMF during the first season). But Martin Landau as Rollin Hand, Barbara Bain as Cinnamon Carter, Greg Morris as Barney Collier and Peter Lupus as Willy Armitage are all present. Unlike most of the spy stories from the 1960's (and unlike the Tom Cruise film series), Mission:Impossible, the TV series, took a more cerebral approach to its stories. There's no James Bond in these stories -- just a team of agents who covertly depose all types of dictators, terrorists and traitors without leaving any evidence of their involvement. Just as Columbo turned the TV detective genre on its ear so did Mission:Impossible turn the spy genre on its ear.
Here's hoping that those who only know Mission:Impossible from the films have a look for themselves. I daresay they'll realize that the TV series is vastly superior to the film series and that the complete absence of Tom Cruise is a very, very good thing.

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The head of the "Impossible Missions Force", a top-secret government group of operatives, starts a tape recorder and finds out about his latest assignment. Throughout most of the series, they would have to stop some petty dictator or powerful bad guy from whatever evil plot they had against the U.S. or Democracy in general. The elaborate use of electronic gadgetry, masters of disguise and detailed plans that require split-second timing made this tv show an "on the edge of your seater"!

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Spy Kids (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I initially saw the previews for this movie, the only word that came to mind was 'yikes.' But after the film garnered good reviews, I opted to see it, and am extremely glad I did. The film is chock full of good special effects, imaginative sets and vibrant colors, not to mention well-developed characters and witty dialogue. The story opens with a bedtime story of two opposing spies who fall in love, and then marry and settle down to raise a family. The two spies, of course, are the two parents of the young protagonists in the story, Carmen and Juni. After their parents are kidnapped, the kids are forced to save their parents, and consequently the world from the evil Floop. Instead of making the parents dumb pawns in the plot, they are smart and can actually think for themselves. The kids are also independent and face their fears head on, making them perfect role models. Rarely, a movie like this comes along and is entertaining to the parents as well as the kids (The abysmal See Spot Run, for example is entertaining for no one). The film has action, a plausible plot and a ton of heart. This is a great family film.

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Bursting with an awesome array of ultracool, high-tech gadgetry, SPY KIDS delivers enough thrilling entertainment to satisfy the entire family! Nine years ago, top international spies Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) traded the excitement of espionage for the adventure of parenthood! But when they're called out on a secret mission, the Cortezes are separated from their family and kidnapped by the evil Fegan Floop. Fortunately, there are two people who possess the skills and know-how to reunite the family: Carmen and Juni Cortez, their kids! Your family will love every fun-filled second as Carmen and Juni bravely crisscross the globe in a thrilling quest to save their parents. All the while, they discover that keeping the family together is the most important mission in the world for kids and parents alike!

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Burn Notice - Season One Review

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(More customer reviews)Michael Westen: "Most people would be thrilled to be dumped in Miami. Sadly, I am not most people...I've never found a good way to hide a gun in a bathing suit."
When you're a spy, getting a burn notice means that you've been officially deemed unreliable by your covert brethren, and that you're no longer wanted in the cloak-and-dagger community. Always good at rubbing people the wrong way, international spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan, TOUCHING EVIL) is in Nigeria brokering a deal with a terrorist when he learns of his burn notice over a cell phone. Barely skedaddling out of Nigeria with his life, Michael somehow finds himself stranded in his hometown of Miami, with his finances frozen, his options about nil, and former friends and colleagues keeping far, far away.
Michael decides to lay low for a while and, because a man has just got to make a living somehow, becomes a makeshift private investigator and troubleshooter. But, even as he takes on the criminal elements in Miami, his overriding objective remains finding out why he was blacklisted. But it's hard going as, mysteriously, no one will tell him anything. Meanwhile, various spooks are monitoring his every move. So, something's going on...
Yup, I dig this show. The USA Network's BURN NOTICE proved to be one of the more pleasant surprises of 2007. Not having seen a lot of Jeffrey Donovan's work, I'm still quickly becoming a fan. He brings a wry, deadpan charm to the show, and he looks like there's stuff just churning underneath his character's self-contained exterior. And it's exactly because of this distant persona that I appreciate Michael Westen providing a very quotable, "been there, done that" voice-over narration. This device not only engages us further but also makes us privy to Westen's cynical inner musings, as well as giving us frequently amusing first hand advice on various stuff. No, it's not exactly life lessons that he's imparting. Rather, it's more of a tutorial on espionage and breaking heads. Y'know, the cool stuff. For example, Westen, on fighting: "You don't want to break the little bones in your hands, so you look for a bathroom, which has plenty of hard edges and surfaces." On guns: "Guns make you stupid. Better to fight your wars with duct tape. Duck tape makes you smart." Or on setting traps: "A good trap doesn't scare people, it makes them curious." And, so on and et cetera. Dude's often wry observations make my day. Someone should put together a quotation book, because I'd shell out.
Chemistry rears its beautiful head. Donovan's supporting cast is very good, and two of them are very engaging. Westen's tiny circle of trust consists of three folks. There's his sexy and fiery Irish ex-girlfriend Fiona (gorgeous Brit, Gabrielle Anwar). Fi is an ex-IRA agent and into mayhem and violence, and, of her, Westen unequivocably states, "I am NOT hooking up with her. I need her for tactical support." (sure, sure). Slovenly Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell, who's casually let himself go) is Westen's long-time buddy and a semi-retired spy. Now Sam helps Westen out on cases, and vice versa. And then there's Westen's irritating dragon of a mother, Madeline (Sharon Gless, CAGNEY & LACEY), who is a champion emotional blackmailer. Gless is effective at channeling Doris Roberts from EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND. So if you're hating on Gless's character, then she's just being brilliant.
BURN NOTICE, with its first season's 12 episodes, brings it with suspense and some action, and with humor and a rocky romance, even if I could do without the fractured family stuff. It's a well-done lighthearted spy & crime drama, with an element of the sting, and it left me craving for more episodes. Jeffrey Donovan might just have found his breakout role in the glib and uber capable but emotionally detached Michael Westen. Certainly, he makes for a compelling character. I enjoy how he uses his Special Ops training to satisfyingly one-up Miami's teeming lowlifes. And, all along, there's slow progress being made on the whole burn notice arc. The writing is smart, the production values are terrific. And it doesn't hurt that BURN NOTICE is filmed in sun-drenched, visually arresting Miami, so give the show some style points. I definitely don't have anything against babes and bikinis and margaritas and martinis.
Michael Westen, who dislikes his hometown, might beg to differ, but, hey, bienvenido a Miami. And bring on Season 2.

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Michael Westen is a trained spy who receives a "burn notice" for an unstated reason & effectively is fired. Penniless, he returns to his hometown in Miami and freelances while trying to find who burned him.
Audio: English & Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Surround
Language: Dubbed: English / Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 1.78:1
Disc 1: 170 Minutes
Breaking and Entering
Turn and Burn
Trust Me
Comrades
Special Features TBD
Disc 2: 170 Minutes
Scatter Point
Bad Blood
Rough Seas
Double Booked
Bad Blood - Audio commentary with Bronwyn Hughes, Ben Watkins, Rashad Raisani, Matt Nix and Rob Benedek
Double Booked - Audio commentary with Tim Matheson, Jason Tracey, Craig O'Neill and Matt Nix
Other features TBD
Disc 3: 174 Minutes
Good Soldier
Do No Harm
Hot Spot
Seek and Destroy
Behind the scenes look at the making of episode 210 - Do No Harm
Disc 4: 176 Minutes
Bad Breaks
Truth and Reconciliaton
Sins of Omission
Lesser Evil
Audio Commentary with Matt Nix, Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless
Deleted Scenes TBD
Gag Reel
Boom Notice Easter Egg

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The Bourne Identity (Widescreen Extended Edition) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)First, I rate the MOVIE Bourne Identity and the older Collector's Edition DVD both as 5-star. I expected the Extended Edition DVD to include all in the older Collector's Edition DVD AND MORE. What you get with the Extended Edition DVD is a FREE TICKET (EXPIRES AUGUST 8th) to MOVIE Bourne Supremacy and a weaker DVD release that is largely a promotion for the new movie.

What you LOSE (Extended Edition DVD versus Collector's Edition DVD):
an extended farmhouse scene; DTS sound; Doug Liman's informative Director's Commentary track.

What you DO NOT GAIN (Extended Edition DVD versus Collector's Edition DVD):
the SAME alternate ending IN ROUGH, GRAINY QUALITY as in the deleted scenes of the Collector's Edition; the SAME deleted/extended scenes (except for the ADDED alternate beginning noted below and the OMITTED farmhouse scene noted above); the SAME Extreme Ways music video by Moby and the SAME DVD-ROM access to web site; no featurette whatsoever providing director Doug Liman's comments. (Did Liman tick off producer Frank Marshall or did he want to distance himself from this so-called upgrade by Universal?).

What you DO GAIN (Extended Edition DVD versus Collector's Edition DVD):
a FREE TICKET (EXPIRES AUGUST 8th) to Bourne Supremacy movie; pain-in-the-arse indirect PLAY THE MOVIE via a Play SUB-menu to select theatrical vs extended version that STILL forces you to use MANUALLY your DVD player's ANGLE button WHEN THE ALTERNATE ANGLE ICONS APPEAR ON YOUR SCREEN to access the bookended alternate beginning/ending version (both footages in UNFINISHED QUALITY that somewhat compromise the vendetta premise of the Bourne Supremacy); Special Features includes these SAME UNFINISHED alternate beginning and ending in isolation with producer Frank Marshall's mea-culpa that this less-than-explosive footage was a post-production C-Y-A due to 9/11 that test audiences ultimately bounced anyway; some worthwhile featurettes regarding Robert Ludlum, CIA practices from retired CIA operative/film consultant Chase Brandon, and a real psychologist's profile of Jason Bourne; a worthless transition promotion fluff to the Bourne Supremacy movie.

VERDICT: If DTS sound or Director Commentary tracks matter to you, DO NOT UPGRADE (yeah, right, upgrade); stick with or buy the older Collector's Edition DVD. If you don't already own the Collector's Edition or these factors don't matter and you intend to use the free Bourne Supremacy movie ticket BEFORE AUGUST 8TH, go with the Extended Edition DVD But shame on you, Universal for your promotional UPGRADE hogwash!!!

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BOURNE IDENTITY EXPLOSIVE EXTENDED - DVD Movie

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Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)There's much more to this movie than might be seen by your average reviewer. Yes, it repeats itself. Yes, it uses obvious gags. But, such is the spirit and style of the Austin Powers series. Myers may reuse jokes, or use obvious gags.... but the point here is that he does them WELL. He isn't repeating material from the first two movies because he's lazy. Anyone who knows him will tell you very quickly that he'd never let that happen... he is doing is because its funny. The opening is an obvious preparation for such total absurdity (and even a mockery of its own popularity) and all references to earlier movies are done with such self-consciousness that he obviously wants us to think about the previous films. He isn't trying to make it seem new.
Its barely a shallow movie, either. If anyone knows the background to the Austin Powers series, you've probably heard about Mike's amazing devotion to his father, Eric. (note the name of the production company.... Eric's Boy) And, what subject perpetuates Goldmember, in jest or in somber truth? Family and fatherhood. No, this isn't Shakespeare, but he is contemplating an issue in a special way that only a comedian can do. It is as if he is laughing at the Mike Myers that made the first two films. On that level of self-realization, the film is hardly shallow. If comedies aren't your bag, or you have to cry all the way through something for it to say anything to you personally, that's fine, but lets remember that this is a comedy, folks. Laugh a little. It won't hurt. I promise.
With that, I tip my hat to Austin, Dr. Evil, Fat, and Goldmember. Mike is one of the most talented comedians of our era, and I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

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AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER - DVD Movie

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The Saint (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)Just the other night I caught "The Saint" on television, and I was rapt. Aside from the movies ride through Russia, and the ingenious escape methods of Val Kilmer's character, Simon Templar, a theif with interesting disguises and gadgets, it is the love story that has taken me. Elisabeth Shue's character makes your heart ache: someone so beautiful to be so alone and in search for the magic of love. The chemistry between Kilmer and Shue is absolutely overwhelming, and it makes me wonder why I have read so many critic reviews on this movie that have shot it to the dirt? Why listen to critics anyway? What exactly do they expect? This is a movie where you have to see the beauty and the fun that it displays, and understand the purity and magnificence of true, spirited love. Critics can dog this movie all they want, where it's action may not excite the "Armageddon" fans, and it's suspense may not grip the "Scream" fans, the excellence of this movie is left for those who can relate to it. In this world that lacks magic, is filled with disappointments, and sad, repeititive activities, this movie is the spice that anyone's life can use. Yes, critics, shake your heads in disgust, just know that The Saint's love story alone by far trascends the over-rated greatness of "Titanic" and other such movies that everyone went mad over. Judge a movie by what it gives to you, not by what you expect of it. "The Saint" is definitly 1 of very few movies that will soon be entering my movie collection.

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Bourne Ultimatum (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Review

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(More customer reviews)My PS3 works fine. This "flip disc" contains the DVD on one side and Blu-ray on the other. This Blu-ray WILL NOT PLAY IN MY PS3.
Unfortunately I've already purchased the whole individual collection and now must return it to Amazon.

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Highly trained assassin Jason Bourne is on the hunt for the agents who stole his memory and true identity. With a new generation of skilled CIA operatives tracking his every move, Bourne is in a non-stop race around the globe as he finally learns the truth behind his mysterious past. Loaded with incredible fight and chase sequences, it’s the exhilarating movie with “mind-blowing action" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) that you can’t afford to miss!

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The Recruit (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Al Pacino may not be the most versatile actor in the world, but he is a good actor; and, he proves it in this movie.
Al plays a 'scout' for the CIA looking for a few good spies. He finds bartender and computer hacker extraordinaire (how's THAT for a double career) played by Colin Farrell. The first spy talent seems to be keeping your 5 o'clock shadow exactly the same throughout the entire movie. :)
Colin and several other spy wannabes are chosen and sent to a training camp called 'The Farm' where Colin meets a delicious recruit played by Bridget Moynahan (NOTE: calling them by their character names just slows me down). Bridget quickly learns the spy trait at crying at the drop of a hat.
Without blabbing off too much more of the storyline, Al gives Colin an assignment that prepares him quite well for the life of a CIA agent.
There are several plot twists in this movie but not so many that it gives you a migraine. About the only thing that does is the constant verbal reminder in the film that "nothing is as it seems".
Overall, great acting all around and very good action scenes. The PG-13 rating is well deserved since it isn't overly bloody or violent.. i.e. it isn't going to put an idea into your teenager to go out and do something stupid.
Movie warnings: almost but not quite nudity (backless Bridget in a shower scene), sex with WAY too many covers, and profanity (mostly by the audience complaining about the covers).
Is it worth seeing? For matinee prices, definitely. For evening prices, yes, if you're into thriller movies.
And, just like in the movie, "PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES." :)

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Academy Award(R)-Winner Al Pacino (Best Actor, SCENT OF A WOMAN, 1991) and Colin Farrell (MINORITY REPORT) take you deeper into the CIA than you've ever been before in this action-packed psychological thriller. James Clayton (Farrell), one of the smartest graduates in the country, is just the person Walter Burke (Pacino) wants in the Agency. James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla (Bridget Moynahan, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS), one of his fellow recruits. But just when James starts to question his role and his cat-and-mouse relationship with his mentor, Burke taps him to root out a mole. As the suspense builds in a maze of gripping twists and turns, there are only two things James can count on -- he can't trust anyone and nothing is as it seems. It's the ultimate CIA thriller with so many surprise plot twists, you'll want to watch it again and again.

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Scarecrow and Mrs. King: The Complete Second Season (1984) Review

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(More customer reviews)PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE release this and seasons 3 & 4!!! I adore this tv show and would love to add the rest to my collection!! I know for a fact that there are tons of other people who want to buy this as well, so you should hurry up and release it!!!!!!!!

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