Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)
by Ewan McGregor Natalie Portman
Director: George Lucas
Average Customer Review:
DVD (22 March, 2005)
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Editorial Review

If The Phantom Menace was the setup, then Attack of the Clones is the plot-progressing payoff, and devoted Star Wars fans are sure to be enthralled. Ten years after Episode I, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a senator, resists the creation of a Republic Army to combat an evil separatist movement. The brooding Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is resentful of his stern Jedi mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), tormented by personal loss, and showing his emerging "dark side" while protecting his new love, Amidala, from would-be assassins. Youthful romance and solemn portent foreshadow the events of the original Star Wars as Count Dooku (a.k.a. Darth Tyranus, played by Christopher Lee) forges an alliance with the Dark Lord of the Sith, while lavish set pieces showcase George Lucas's supreme command of all-digital filmmaking. All of this makes Episode II a technological milestone, savaged by some critics as a bloated, storyless spectacle, but still qualifying as a fan-approved precursor to the pivotal events of Episode III. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (2076)

How do I put this?
This was the second in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. While far better than Episode I, (anything is) it still had some issues.Haydeb Christensen did the worst acting ever in this movie.He looked very immature and sounded completely wooden. Natalie Portmanreally didn't do too great a job here either.This might be because they has the WORST dialogue ever to work with.I know they were supposed ot fall in love, but couldn't they make it sound believeable?The person who saved this movie from complete destruction was Ewan McGregor.He was excellent as Obi-Wan, and of course Yoda in the battle- no one expected that!We all started laughing in the theater when we saw him confront Dooku.I mean, he's two feet tall and walks with a cane; who knew he could move like that?The battle scene was very exciting, especially the lightsaber fight, but nowhere near the caliber of the Episode I fight, or even of the original trilogy fight, but good all the same.The scene with Anakin and the Sand People - ok yeah it was for a wimpy, but understandable reason, but even so we could all see him become Darth Vader for a few minutes. It was awesome!!Still,, Dooku was a stupid name.Who came up with that? Better than Episode I, nowhere near Episode III, or the original trilogy.

Better than Episode One
This film is rather tedious andquite uninteresting. The cinematography gives the film a busy look lending to its mediocrity.The actors look tired and board as is the script. Go back to Episode One and savor the moment.

Send in theClones
Just a few quick questions:

1) Yeah, I know this is about the advent of the vicious, legendary 'Clone Wars'. Well, at least it's sort of about the Clone Wars, since everything pretty much happens offscreen or is told to us after the fact.

But with that in mind, whose bright idea was it to clone a vicious, relatively stupid bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison, doing what he has to do) as the prototype for the new super-secret clone army of the Republic?

2)Back in the Day, when Lucas had a 200 dollar budget for costumes, the stormtroopers had heft. They had presence. They had bulk. Remember the first big shootout on Princess Leia's doomed blockade runner that set up the first Star Wars? Remember the tension crawling over the strained faces of the Rebel fleet troopers?

Alright: the catering budget alone for "Attack"'s digital programmers probably dwarfs the entire special effects budget for the original Star Wars. And the digital fantasyscapes Lucas spins out for us are spectacular, in a slavishly technical way.

But is there one single scene in "Attack" that even approximates the tension in that first hallway shootout a billion years ago in a galaxy far, far away?

Anyway, no question about it that "Attack" is a better movie than "Phantom Menace", but that's about like saying Ted Bundy was a better guy than Jeffrey Dahmer.

The dull Trade Federation war is gone, replaced by a dull hunt for a mysterious offshoring project. The dull Jake Lloyd is replaced by the dull Hayden Christensen as a pouty youngish Darth-in-training, who is equally leaden and---worse---has to carry off a cringeworthy scene in which he bumbles about on a large porcine aardvark. Darth, on his honeymoon, on a space-aardvark: who'da thunk it?

I keep hearing apologists defend "Attack" on the lustrous, visual feast Lucas has presented. And it's true: there are some astounding set pieces here.

But the digital desert of the unreal and the blue-screen canyons against which the flesh-and-blood must contend takes its toll; these staggering, ccomputer-generated vistas feed off the hapless humans like a vampire grabbing chow after a 200-year nap. The result: the leaden, listless acting, where actors sound like they're reading lines off a cue-card.

With that in mind, if you're depressed---and better still, considerably tipsy---I highly recommend "Attack of the Clones", just for the laugh relief alone. And mind you, this isn't the forced, aggressively brain-damaged humor of Phantom Menace, but instead laugh-out-loud, snort milk through your nose stupidity. C-3PO losing his head and having it swapped out with that of a battle droid, say, or the Dooku-Yoda duel, in which everybody's fave Little Green Buddy literally bounces off the walls like like a hopped-up avenging Angel of ophidian death.

Lucas, it seems, works best when he's just Cloning around.

JSG ... Read more

Asin: B00006HBUJ
Subjects:  1. Science Fiction   

My Father The Hero
by Gérard Depardieu Katherine Heigl
Director: Steve Miner
Average Customer Review:
DVD (08 April, 2003)
list price: $9.99 -- our price: $9.99
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Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen

Reviews (37)

CaMRae
This is a great movie and one of my favorites. However, when I watched the dvd version of it I could have sworn that one of the scenes was cut out. The part where Nikki tells Ben her real age, am I right>?

Fave Movie
I, like a few other reviewers, LOVE this movie! I also saw it when I was pretty young, and fell in love with it. I also bought the DVD since my tape was getting too used. This movie makes me feel good, and happy. Sure, the storyline isn`t all that "deep", but that`s fine. Gérard Dépardieu is fantastic, and Dalton James is so handsome! Plus, the scenery is breathtaking.

Warm Fluff I've been watching since I was 5
I don't think I'll ever ever ever
get sick of this movie!Sure, it's not
deep, and 14 year-old Katherine Heigl
isn't much of an actress(although she's gorgeous like hell).But Gerard Depardieu works
!The slapstick,sweet and silly but totally irresistable story (adolescent girl is on vacation with her father, and all is well until a slight misunderstanding gets the whole island to believe that Gerard Depardieu is Heigl's lover), works!
All the supporting roles and sidekicks work!
The humor is there, and it gets me laughing
everytime!Not a single moment drags, and I can't think of a better fluffy, feel-good, weekend flick! ... Read more

Asin: B00008978R
Sales Rank: 6163
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

Hilary Duff - All-Access Pass
by Hilary Duff
Average Customer Review:
DVD (04 November, 2003)
list price: $9.98
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Features

• Color

Reviews (31)

HILARY ROCKS!!!!!!!
This DVD is great I completely loved it, Hilary should make more DVD's like this!!!!! Please buy it it's worth your 15 bucks.

This dvd was great but......
This dvd was great but it should be longer and i loved how they put pic of her when she was little.

All Access Pass
It is sooooooooo cool. I could watch it a million times and not get bored. The So Yesterday video is really cool and I love the behind the scenes. If you are a Hilary fan, it's a must!
... Read more

Asin: B0000DG076
Sales Rank: 14985
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

Sweet Kisses
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 November, 1999)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Reviews (415)

Impressive debut
Jessica Simpson became the third in a long line of teen pop princesses in 1999.Upon the outrageously huge success Britney Spears brought to the teen market (a la 1998's "...Baby One More Time"), record labels instantly snatched up any bubbly, beautiful and semi-talented teenage girls to promote as their version of "the next Britney."RCA's Christina Aguilera, having shared nearly the same musical pedigree as Spears, hit the charts almost 9 months after the ubiquitous "...Baby" single first thundered across airways, and though showcasing her impressive vocal abilities, Aguilera tended to follow the trend of oversinging once so prominently heard on the pop charts (Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion).Jessica Simpson's debut Sweet Kisses had its share of filler, as did so many records at that time, but its singles brought a fresh, more wholesome side of teen pop to the table."I Wanna Love You Forever" echoed across Top 40 radio and soon became a No. 1 hit, sizzling at its peak for 6 weeks."I Think I'm In Love With You," an upbeat tune samplying Mellencamp's "Jack & Diane," soon followed, entering the Top 10.Third single "Where You Are" featured then-boyfriend-now-husband Nick Lachey and a tender, heartfelt ballad about wanting to be wherever the one you love is.Though none of the aforementioned hits were played or praised as much as Britney's infamous first single, Jessica Simpson remained a kind of kindred spirit among listeners who wanted music that was meant to be listenable.Overall and impressive debut, but if you could purchase tracks 1, 2, 3, 10 and 11, this would be a much better piece of fluff.

Sweet Kisses
I remember this album when I was 12 going on 13. This album made me fall in love with it instantly. The songs have meaning and depth. Jessica Simpson was 19 when she recorded this album. Her debut album is an appealing and satisfying blend of pop,R&B, and gospel-infused music that heralds the emergence of a bright new star. Jessica Simpson has a good voice and similar to Celine Dion. Her debut album is as good as any pop album. This album has been certified 2x Platinum. Remember,this was 1999-2000.

A CD with one of the best romantic songs I've ever heard!!!
I remember when I first heard "I Wanna Love You Forever" on the radio, it is one of the best love songs I've ever heard and totally loved the way Jessica sang!!I bought the single and eventually the Sweet Kisses CD and this CD is amazing!!!My favorite song obviously is I Wanna Love You Forever but other favorites are I Think I'm In Love With You which samples John Cougar Mellencamp's Jack and Diane, Your Faith In Me, Where You Are (an awesome ballad with Nick Lachey), Final Heartbreak, and Heart Of Innocence but I love the whole CD!!!She has an amazing voice, not as good as Mariah Carey but still she definitely CAN SING!!!I would love to also slow dance to I Wanna Love You Forever on my wedding day/night at the reception with my husband, it's such a beautiful, wonderful, romantic ballad!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00002MZ46
Sales Rank: 4646
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Dance-Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Teen Pop   

Mandy Moore - The Real Story
by Mandy Moore
Director: Jim Gable
Average Customer Review:
DVD (29 October, 2002)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $13.48
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Features

• Color

Reviews (12)

what a gal!
I'm sure most people will agree with me, Mandy Moore isn't your typical pop star. First of all, she's too articulate, preternaturally articulate, in fact. Second, she seems grounded, unaffected by all the hullabaloo surrounding most celebrities. Most celebs invite attention to themselves and then later complain of lack of privacy. Mandy just moves around like she's just happy being where she is. And that shows in this video. If I had a daughter, I'd encourage her to make Mandy a role model.

WOW!A Definate For Everyone!
Okay, so do you wanna know Mandy Moore?Well, this is the DVD.It shows the very down-to-earth Mandy when she was very young, to 2000.It is great.It features:

"Candy" video
"Walk Me Home" video
"I Wanna Be With You" video
"So Real" video
Mandy Clips when she was a younger child & performing, TRL, Hot
Zone, End Of Summer 2000 Countdown, House Of Blues, & more
Mandy interviews about her first 2 albums
A Trivia Game (If you win, you get to see a "Candy" tour
rehearsel performance)-Very fun game!
10 Photos
A small biography
& much more!!

This came out before her huge multi-platinum "Mandy Moore" & is basically all about her up until about January/February 2001.It is a great DVD for all, and its the T.R.U.T.H.!!!!!!!!!!

Love ya!

A Positive Performer
Mandy Moore is a performer who makes people happy and feel better about themselves.This DVD reveals why.Without question she is bursting with musical, singing and acting talent.But underpinning these qualities is a rare human condition-a positive outlook.Mandy likes herself, her work, her future, her family, her co-workers, her friends, her audiences, and life in general.I doubt she speaks badly of anyone or anything.You can see this attitude in her live performances, interactions with co-workers and audiences, and music videos.They are uplifting.There is a long documentary, narrated by Mandy, that shows how she got into show business and how she made her music videos.Its fun to see such wisdom, focus, and spirit in a young person.I especially enjoy the section of the DVD where her first four music videos are shown in sequence so that you can see how she progressed from gyrating young teen to suave mid-teen crooner of love songs.These videos are very well made and clearly a cut above most.They are fantacy skits that make good combined use of her singing and acting talents.I like the fact that they never employ the common crutches of anger, ugly faces, profanity, nudity, or overt sexual innuendo.Mandy is a performer that kids to oldsters can enjoy.And all this before she even began to star in films. ... Read more

Asin: B0000558N7
Sales Rank: 30250
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

Christina Aguilera - Genie Gets Her Wish
by Christina Aguilera
Average Customer Review:
DVD (08 February, 2000)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $13.48
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Editorial Review

This video souvenir saluting teeny pop princess and Grammy winner (asBest New Artist) Christina Aguilera is a textbook example of the hybrid documentary format that's proving de rigeur for recording artists courting the burgeoning teen and pre-teen audience.Shot on videotape and mixing backstage atmosphere, between-shows conversations, interview clips, and fan testimonials with music videos, Genie Gets Her Wish offers the same sort of cheerfully uncritical portrait accorded Aguilera's peers including the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, and Britney Spears in their own video valentines.

Like Spears (who's conspicuously invoked as both friend and former New Mouseketeer colleague), Aguilera combines a curiously old-fashionedshow-biz work ethic with a contemporary persona that intoxicates young teen boys, inspires young girls, and likely triggers mild anxiety attacks for some parents. No father can watch this profile's footage of prepubescent girls wiggling along to the singer's signature hit, "Genie in a Bottle," with its sly entendres ("You've got to rub me the right way...") and not ponder the meaning of innocence in the 21st century.Moms likewise may want to find a hotline to help counsel their daughters on the dangers of blue eyeliner abuse and excessive blow-drying.

However, even jaded boomers and Gen-X ironists may have a hard time ignoring Aguilera's outsized vocal gifts. While it's sobering to hear her cite such "old-timers" as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey as influences, it's beguiling when the 18-year-old gamine, accompanied by her RCA Records executive angel, Ron Fair, leaps into an impromptu performance of the Etta James classic "At Last."If the lyric seems precocious coming from Aguilera's bee-stung lips, that voice warrants the choice, offering a tantalizing glimpse of what could happen if she successfully navigates beyond the frothier waters of teen pop to more mature music. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Features

• Color

Reviews (42)

CHRISTINA THIS AIN'T ENOUGH, RELEASE ALL OF EM!
I REALLY, REALLY, REEEEEAAAAAALLLLLLY WISH CHRISTINA AGUILERA WOULD RELEASE A VIDEO COLLECTION WITH ALL OF HER VIDEOS, BRITNEY HAS DONE THAT, WHY HAVEN'T YOU, CHRISTINA?! I REALLY WANT YOUR VIDEOS ON DVD!!! THESE TWO ARE CUTE BUT LEAVE ME WANTING A LOT MORE! OKAY, WELL, THE VIDEOS FROM 'STRIPPED' ARE TRASHY AND AT TIMES JUST PLAIN SCARY BUT I REALLY WANT THE VIDEOS FROM HER DEBUT AND HER SIDE PROJECTS LADY MARMALADE, NOBODY WANTS TO BE LONELY, THE CHRISTMAS SONG AND CAR WASH.....CHRISTINA, I BEG YOU!!!! RELEASE A VIDEO COLLECTION, YOU KNOW THE FANS ALL WANT IT!!!

Young Christina
This is a great DVD for someone that wants to learn about this young artist and how she got started in this part of her career excerpts from this occur in her"My Reflection"Christmas Special" and Tape.I think this is a Great To Have for anyone that wants everything Christina Aguilera.

Below Average
"My Reflections" dvd is much better as it is a concert. This dvd is a bunch of videos and interviews. Not a keeper. Rent in first. ... Read more

Asin: 6305747105
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

National Lampoon's Vacation (20th Anniversary Special Edition)
by Chevy Chase Beverly D'Angelo
Director: Harold Ramis
Average Customer Review:
DVD (03 February, 2004)
list price: $19.97 -- our price: $15.98
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Editorial Review

Vacation paved the way for the John Hughes movie dynasty of the 1980s.Written by Hughes (who would go on to write, direct, and/or produce The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Uncle Buck, Home Alone, and so on) and directed by Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Stuart Saves His Family), the first Vacation movie introduces us to the all-American Griswold family: father Clark (Chevy Chase), mother Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), son Rusty (future Hughes staple Anthony Michael Hall), and daughter Audrey (Dana Barron).They all pile into the car for a cross-country road trip to Walley World, stopping along the way to view the world's biggest ball of twine. John Candy, Imogene Coca, and Randy Quaid (as yokel Cousin Eddie) pop up along the way.The movie was a big hit, and was followed by several sequels--National Lampoon's European Vacation, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation--but this one is still probably the freshest and funniest of the bunch.--Jim Emerson ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen

Reviews (119)

Classic
VACATION focusses on a family road trip holiday to a fun park, and all the mishaps that occur along the way.At times, we can all relate to some of the things that occur.What is so magic about VACATION is the excellent characters (Rusty, Clark, Aunt Edna) and the places they visit.It is a classic for all the right reasons ie. there are many rewatch factor scenes, and one-liners.
DVD SUMMARY - Originally released as a pan/scan DVD in Region 1 (USA), but now saved by a widescreen Special DVD Edition (even with its minimal extras) in that region. Fortunately I bought the original Australian DVD release which had it in widescreen, so I will just hang on to that copy.AS reviewers have stated, the new Special Edition isn't full of extras.

Take a ride in the Griswold family truckster!
One of the funniest movies of all time, National Lampoon's Vacation tells the story of a bungling middle-class man's quest to provide his family with the ultimate family vacation. Complete with a series of laughable diversions along the way, and great casting that provides for a number of hilarious supporting characters, Vacation is a cult comedy classic. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo form the perfect married couple comedy duo with a banter that is simply magical, and the comic screenplay is well-written with sequence of never-ending laughter...

When Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) decides to take his Chicago family on a trip to Wally World, his wife Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), along with kids Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) and Audrey (Dana Barron), try to convince him they should fly. But Clark is intent on taking the new "family truckster" (a brand new lemon he recently purchased) on a cross country drive so as to "see America" along the way. Clark wins the argument, and the family sets off on a nefarious and unforgettable excursion across the Fruited Plain. With a non-stop series of disasters - beginning in the driveway - the Griswold family struggles to deal with hubcap thieves, their Cousin Eddie, vibrating hotel beds, a dead aunt, a tortured dog, and Clark's insistence on viewing the world's largest pile of dirt.

When the Griswolds finally reach the end destination of Wally World, Clark and Rusty race to the entrance against the background music for "Chariots of Fire". But to Clark's dismay, Wally World's notable moose character informs them that Wally World is closed for repairs. Flying off the handle, and intent on giving his family the best vacation ever, Clark takes his family on the ride of their lives...

Sporting hilarious supporting appearances by Randy Quaid, John Candy, and supermodel Christie Brinkley (a Ferrari-driving blonde whose infatuation with Clark threatens to breakup the Griswold marriage), National Lampoon's Vacation is the quintessential comedy classic. If you're one of the few people on earth who has managed to miss this one, then I definitely recommend going out and renting it right now. Rated R (by 1983 standards; minus some brief nudity, it would rate as PG today), Vacation is a film you can feel comfortable watching with your children. After all, I saw it when I was five, and I turned out all right! Because of its status as a cult comedy classic, as well as its never-ending laughs, National Lampoon's Vacation is a definite must-see film. Don't miss it...

The DVD Report

One of the Best Comedy Movies of All Time!
It is by far the best in the "National Lampoon's" series as well. Chevy Chase turns in one of his best performances, how can someone not love this movie? ... Read more

Asin: B00009NHC9
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

Stage Ghost
Director: Stephen Furst
Average Customer Review:
DVD (30 April, 2002)
list price: $24.99 -- our price: $22.49
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Features

• Color

Reviews (3)

A majorly weird experience!
Yowza! It's been, what, 20 years since Dana Barron played the very first Audrey in the original National Lampoon's Vacation flick? I can't believe she still looks sooooooo hot! And I normally DO NOT go for women who are older than me. Sadly, the gorgeous, and apparently unaging Dana is nearly the only thing this movie has going for it. Well, it's really not all THAT terrible. Actually, it's kinda fun to watch, but part of the fun comes from seeing all the things wrong with this film.
The first shock you'll get from watching Stage Ghost, is realizing it has nothing to do with the video box. Stage Ghost really has nothing at all to do with the gruesome skeleton creature on the cover, and I'm not sure I recall any real ghosts in the film at all. The basic story goes like this: In the old west, a marshal enters an eating establishment in the middle of nowhere, dragging a handcuffed prisoner along with him. Within the restaurant they meet various travelers, including a pretty, young teacher (Dana Barron), who takes a fancy to the young man in handcuffs. Not long after, a mysterious stagecoach arrives outside with absolutely no one on it, not even a driver. The coach is stained with blood, and attacks on the customers and proprietors of the little restaurant quickly follow. The survivors of these attacks begin to form a close bond as they try to figure out what to do. Their attackers come in the form of Indians firing arrows, AND men in green-glowing costumes firing bullets. The only clue the victims have to what might be going on is the recurring message they find on notes tied to arrows, reading, "Give it back!" As their numbers begin to dwindle, they decide it's time to make a run for it, and they all load up on the stagecoach that first kicked off the grim situation. The problem with their plan is that their mysterious attackers are following them all the way.
As a previous reviewer mentioned, Stage Ghost does have the fun feeling of watching one of those old-time Saturday Matinees. But it's got a lot of the same problems too. The film suffers from a VERY low budget, flimsy script, bad editing, and bad acting. Luckily, there's some really good acting too, and this is part of what saves the film from being horrible, and allows it to just be a fun, LOW budget flick. Sure, horses disappear and reappear from the stagecoach team, the music is entirely laughable, and the characters are western cutouts, just like the story, but it's all good fun if you have nothing better to watch on a Saturday night. And hey, you could also just watch it to take in the beauty of Dana Barron. It's as good a reason as any.

not bad
I saw this picture in DVD and I enjoyed it. It harkened back to the Saturday Matinee days. It was an interesting plot and I thought the acting was pretty good, especieally Christopher Atkins and Dana Barron. Edward Albert was good as the square jawed Sheriff. It is an old fashioned western, the kind they don't make anymore, a bit slow but well worth the effort.

GOD AWFUL!
and this was made in 2002?arn't movies suppose to get better as time goes on?ya i know the skeleton on the cover of the box looks cool but there's no killer skeletons in the movie or anything like that.just all around terrible acting and a really bad story line make this a terrible movie.even to rent.you've been warned!stayyyy awayyyy, far away ... Read more

Asin: B0000639HF
Sales Rank: 31230
Subjects:  1. Horror   

What a Girl Wants (Widescreen Edition)
by Amanda Bynes Colin Firth Kelly Preston
Director: Dennie Gordon
Average Customer Review:
DVD (07 June, 2005)
list price: $12.97 -- our price: $9.08
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Editorial Review

Fresh-faced Nickelodeon starlet Amanda Bynes stars in What a Girl Wants as Daphne, a 17-year-old girl in New York City who's spent her life pining for her absent father, a British lord named Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth) whom her mother (Kelly Preston) met during wilder days in Morocco. Tired of waiting for him to come to her, she decides to head to London where Dashwood is launching his political career--which could be derailed by her fun-loving, free-spirited attitude. Will her father choose the daughter he's never known or a position in Parliament? The plot of What a Girl Wants is ridiculously contrived, but the movie rides on the chemistry between Bynes and Firth. When, under Daphne's influence, Dashwood tries to break out of his stuffy shell and rediscover his inner rebel, the movie really starts to have fun. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (165)

Classic acting by Colin gives the film class
Well alright, as long as Colin Firth is in it, actually watched this teenage, modern fairy tale flick, and was surprisingly entertained and enjoyed it too bits...Colin Firth can carry any role with dignity and this is proof of it. V.G. shots of Colin Firth makes this film a must-have.

Colin Firth--Need I say more?
This is one of my faviorte movies. Amanda Bynes is one of the few teenage type actress that I respect and she is sooo funny in this movie, and the best part is Colin Firth need I say more?

Great movie and DVD, Beware of error in Amazon listing
Among the current crop of female child actresses already or about to turn into hot properties for their impressive talent and major sex symbols for their knock-out looks is Amanda Bynes.Its an impressive class that includes the names Keira Knightley, Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff and Kristen Bell. But Bynes is one actress who has already reached television stardom through her shows "The Amanda Show" and "What I Like About You" and at the age of 16 she traveled to Europe to appear in a movie appropriately titled "American Girl."
Before it was released (in early 2003) its title had been changed to "What a Girl Wants" and I sat there in a movie theater knowing little about it. I knew it had been filmed in my home country and starred Colin Firth who had been so good in "Bridget Jones' Diary," I came away impressed by the comic timing and the looks of an actress that would obviously in years-to-come set movie screens on fire.
"What a Girl Wants" is at its heart a story about a girl searching to find herself. Bynes plays Daphne Reynolds and her mother Libby is played by Mrs. John Travolta (Kelly Preston). The two live in New York City and Daphne spends her time helping out at weddings where her mother is a singer and longing to know a father she has never met. It is observing the father-daughter dance at one of these weddings (where the filmakers used real fathers and daughters) that our hearts go out to Daphne and she determines a drastic plan of action - traveling to London and confronting her absent father.
The movie has it all - heart, laughter, suspense, romance. Its culture clash theme has been done before and better (Crocodile Dundee for example) but we have so much emotion invested in Daphne's plight that we cannot help but become engrossed in this movie.
Jonathon Pryce proves that his villainous turn in "Tomorrow Never Dies" was no fluke by pulling out a great performance here as the political advisor of Daphne's father (Firth). Thing is, Firth's character -Henry - is running for political office and Pryce sees Daphne as a liability to his boss' career and her presence an obstacle to his becoming father-in-law to the wealthy and politically powerful Henry.
This DVD has an impressive number of special features, the crown jewels of which are the two scene specific audio commentaries, one by Bynes and the second by the director and two writers.
I Liked how the subtitles automatically come up when commentaries are playing. If you have only seen it once it helps keep track of where you are in movie.
Light, fluffy, exuberant Amanda Bynes chats about working with the other actors, and how intimidated she was by some of the people she worked with. In her commentary she mentions how the weather was when a scene was shot - it was hot, hunid, raining etc
Obviously Bynes has a great deal of respect for Firth and Preston andalmost inevitably Bynes spends a lot of time talking about clothes - big boots when hopping over the wall, commenting on how ugly the dress to a ball is etc. Bynes literally coos over emotional moments.
Hers is a fun commentary, but there are some gaps. I liked the recounting of anecdotal moments such as her account of being mobbed by fans on bridge that crew could not get permission to close for shooting.
On the second commentary director Dennie Gordon joined by the two writers Jenny Bicks and Elizabeth Chandler (the Amazon listing is incorrect in identifying them as actors). As one might expect this is more technical in details and as such serves as a nice contrast to Bynes solo track. The writers discuss such matters as how long they worked on it, the original inspiration and discuss different titles (the original title "American Girl" is mentioned on both tracks). The director talks about how wonderful the actors are and seems particularly pleased with Bynes performance.
Overall this is a very enjoyable family film and a great DVD package. ... Read more

Asin: B00009XITP
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

The Eighteenth Angel
Director: William Bindley
Average Customer Review:
DVD (18 March, 2003)
list price: $24.95 -- our price: $22.46
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Editorial Review

"Satan will no longer be beast... but beauty!" That declaration comesearly in The Eighteenth Angel, signaling the kind of horror movie we'rein for: thick and cheesy. When that line (and others like it) is uttered by madmonk Maximilian Schell, it's even creamier. Schell is ushering in the return ofthe Antichrist by genetically engineering Satan's minions, but he needs thetransplanted faces of beautiful humans to complete the task. Enter Rachael LeighCook (pre-She's All That), who travels with dad Christopher McDonald toItaly, perilously close to Schell's monastery-laboratory. The movie has lots ofOmen- style devilry, and it's somehow reassuring to see Omenscreenwriter David Seltzer still flogging the old 666 gimmick. The genre has itskicks, but the execution here is pretty clumsy, and Cook is a clueless heroine.For pure camp value, however, Maximilian Schell approachesRod-Steiger-Amityville-Horror status. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen

Reviews (19)

So bad it's good
Alas, modern filmmakers can produce something that looks pretty good, even when the movie is God-awful.Otherwise, the Eighteenth Angel would be another "plan 9," full of camp, awful acting, and a plot so dumb that it almost defies description.

Watching Maximillian Schell pretending to be a deranged Italian Abbott, and trying to fake English with an Italian accent, despite being German--well, that's worth the price of the disk.My wife and I have been immitating him for years, explaining every bizzare occurence with his meorable line:"its-a the-a-marriage of-a science and-a Satan."

You'll blow milk bubbles out your nose at the storyline where Max foolishly concludes that some demented midieval glockenspiel maker has determined the hour of Satan's return.Max has won over all the moronic monks of his abbey and they are now busily preparing the way, apparently having scraped up a few hundred million dollars from the collection plate to fund a mad genetic scientist.An assenine American father and his dumb daughter make an insane decision to go to Italy and live by the abbey and are so crazy that the witless teenager lets herself get sucked into the plot as a potential pretty face for the devil.Did I mention that everyone appears stupid and nuts?

It's a hoot!

Wortha Watch, but not up to par
Not up to par in what this film COULDbe.
Maximillian Schell totally makes this film.It's his malevolent presence that adds the tinge that takes this from a belowaverage scare, to a nice supernaturalpiece.
There are parts where the scare could be beefed up, but it feels like the studio who made this piece may have either intervened, or someone toned down what could have been a seriouslyexcellentscare.

BEDEVILED
In watching this okay thriller, I found myself wondering just how many different ways Satan is planning to come back to earth.This new one about the eighteen angels is one of the wackiest so far, coming supposedly from the Etruscan Book of the Dead.First of all, they get eighteen angels, but only need one?And then when 17 of them are burned to a crisp, what did the purpose serve?
Writer David Seltzer must still harbor Satanic feelings, as he is the one who created Damien Thorpe in "The Omen."While that seventies film provided lots of chills and great actors, "Angel" gives us an undebatedly beautiul Rachael Lynn Cooke, a sturdy father in Christopher McDonald and an overacting Maximilian Schell, but it's all been done so much in the past, there's little suspense or thrills involved.Only Wendy Crewson's spiraling fall is disturbing and upsetting.
David, if you're going to write more Satanic resurrections, try some more imagination, and maybe let the good guys win every once in a while. ... Read more

Asin: B00000F35Z
Subjects:  1. Horror   

Fright Night
by Chris Sarandon William Ragsdale
Director: Tom Holland
Average Customer Review:
DVD (07 August, 2001)
list price: $14.94 -- our price: $13.45
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• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• Widescreen

Reviews (123)

Fright Night(1985)
Director:Tom Holland
Cast:William Ragsdale, Chris Sarandon, Roddy McDowall, Amanda Bearse, Stephen Geoffreys.
Running Time:105 minutes.
Rated R for vampire violence, gore, nudity, and some language.

Rivals "The Howling" as the quintessential vampire film of the past quarter-decade, "Fright Night" excels even more in the humor department.William Ragsdale plays Charley Brewster (perhaps the best, cheesy high-schooler name ever), a regular teenager who finds himself emotionally distraught and disturbed in adolescence, but for much different reasons than any of his classmates.Charley is convinced that his new neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is a blood-sucking, bat-winged vampire and he will stop at nothing to get his friends and family to believe him.

As Charley and his girlfriend (played by Amanda Bearse) realize that his initial perceived nightmare is true, they enlist the help of former television vampire hunter has-been Peter Vincent (in a wonderfully funny performance from the great Roddy McDowall) to bring the vampire-next-door to light.Director Tom Holland uses a great, clever script to near perfection, mixing the elements of terror and tongue-in-cheek humor to the fullest, making "Fright Night" one of the most enjoyable and entertaining horror films of the middle decade.Ragsdale is innocently exceptional with his performance and Sarandon is perfect as the seducing, scheming vamp.Very good special effects and some great one-liners.Can be enjoyed to all movie-goers, not just buffs of the horror genre.A true campy, cult landmark.

Great Vampire Flick
Its one of the best Vampire movies ever made Great cast The Plot is about a teenager named Charley Brewster "William Ragsdale" who accidently Discovers a Vampire Living Next Door the vampire Jerry Dandridge Who is Responsible For The Recent Killings in town,Plans to Kill the Boy to keep his secret so for protection he turns to former Horror-Show host Peter Vincent "Roddy Mcdowall who used to be "The Great Vampire Killer" of the Movies they team up to destroy Jerry
Great movie Get this And The Sequel "Fright Night Part 2"

This Is A Good Reason To Watch Out For Your New Neighbours!!
In this movie we see Charlie, a High School student played by William Ragsdale. Charlie's main ambition in life is to get his girlfriend to "go all the way" which doesn't happen. Poor guy. Sadly I can relate to his predicament back in my lost days of my youth. Anyway Charlie becomes very suspicious of his new neighbours and discovers that one of them is a Vampire!!!This movie is a Drive In "Must See" and is enhanced by the presence of the late Roddy Mc Dowell who gives a knockout performance as Peter Vincent "Fearless Vampire Killer". One thing about this movie which I really liked is it's claustrophic atmosphere as Charlie lives very close to his new neigbours and Mortal Danger is never too far away!!!! ... Read more

Asin: 0767817664
Sales Rank: 13893
Subjects:  1. Horror   

Britney Spears - Time Out With Britney Spears
Average Customer Review:
DVD (21 December, 1999)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $13.48
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Features

• Color

Reviews (61)

Bodacious Britney
Britney Spears is the biggest female superstar in the world right now, and this DVD shows exactly why.First debuting onto the charts in 1998 with her No.1, Grammy-nominated single "...Baby One More Time," Miss Spears has since ruled the roost of teen music, whether or not she was actually performing.This shows the innocent beauty of this teen pop sensation, from her sweet Louisianan accent to her sweet smile.Britney Spears, whether you like her or not, is one of the most substantial singers of the modern era.Her voice was actually pretty tight when she first hit the charts but since, her techno-oriented beats of her latest CDs make her voice not that great.Overall, Britney Spears rocks!

Amazing!
An amazing video to watch of Miss Spears!

2 Versions of "Sometimes" bonus!
...To see the different version of "Sometimes", go to the [Videos] section.It has a different scene near the beginning with more from the group dancing on the pier.If you want to see the version that we are all familiar with, go to the [Making The Videos] section, and enter the time value T: /4/ 29:14 on your remote, and it will take you straight to the as-aired version.You will notice that the picture is not as sharp, but it's the difference between DVD, and the LaserDisc or SuperVHS that was sent to the TV networks originally.It's not that big a difference, but you do notice it.... ... Read more

Asin: B00002ZMNO
Sales Rank: 23087
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

Peter Pan (Special Edition)
by Bobby Driscoll Kathryn Beaumont Hans Conried
Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Average Customer Review:
DVD (12 February, 2002)
list price: $29.99
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Editorial Review

Peter Pan has a special place in the realm of classic animatedDisney films: it instills an element of childlike wonder. The 1953 version of James M. Barrie's story is colorfully told and keeps on the straight and narrow of the book. Barrie's wondrous focus on child's play is the key to its longevity: kids who don't grow up, shadows that run away from their owners, pirates, a fairy, and the magic ability to fly. In short, you can't help wishing the adventure would happen to you. Fueled by a few memorable songs (the stunner being "You Can Fly") and the strong impression of the pixie fairy Tinkerbell and the goofy Captain Hook, Disney's version of this story neither supplants nor lessens the Broadway version with Mary Martin that was produced for television the same decade. Unlike some classics, Peter Pan never ages along the way. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Animated
• Closed-captioned

Reviews (108)

Rare Videos' Good Service
Purchased this thru Rare Videos in FlA. via Amazon. It was as advertised, English, Widescreen Version, excellent sound & NEW. I would recommend Rare Videos for other DVD's which are unavailable for purchase in retail or discount stores. Am thrilled to be sending to my grandson for his birthday. Forgot what a delightful movie this was until I reviewed it before sending it on to him (5 yrs. old).

Best Disney Movie EVER!!!
Okay, so I'm a fifteen-year-old boy. This movie has always been my favorite of all the Disney movies. I would (and still do) watch it over and over when I was little, and it is keeps getting better and better. Disney had better get this one back on the shelves soon, because I missed it the last time it came out! When this movie comes out again (which I feel sure should happen in at least 10 years) you can bet I will be one of the first people in line! I don't care if I'm in college, I'll still get it. Maybe even watch it in my dorm with the door open! I don't care if people see me, Peter Pan is one of Disney's classics. Almost everyone loves the classics, instead of the crap they put out now. This is one movie that you must have, whether you want to have a Disney collection, or because you like the classics. Like I said, this is one of Disney's best and I won't miss out on the chance of getting it when it comes out. And you shouldn't either!!

Just a lil' bit of Pixie Dust......
I am so in love with this movie, as are my kids-I watched Pan as a kid myself and to this day never got bored watching it again and again. Along with the classic Disney Princess movies-Pan is one of Disney's greatest. Even the sequel "Return to Neverland" is close in comparison. It makes every boy want to be Pan and every little girl want to be Tink!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005RDSM
Subjects:  1. Classics (Silents/Avant Garde)   

Let Go
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 June, 2002)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Self-professed skate punk Avril Lavigne sings that she'd "rather be anything but ordinary" on her debut. While the fact that she had a record deal by the age of 16 separates her from the pack, too often Let Go's lyrical shortcomings drag the teenager's musically impressive recording entrée into the realm of the typical. The catchy choruses of Go are substantial, though, thanks to Lavigne's riff-driven melodies and powerful vocals, which at times adopt the unorthodox intonation quirks of fellow Canadian Alanis Morrissette. The nuanced, dynamic "Losing Grip," "My World" (which perfectly captures the ennui of suburbia), and the buoyant power-pop blast "Sk8er Boi" are the collection's highlights. But Lavigne's honest yet awkward words weigh down the likes of "Mobile," "I'm with You," and "Naked." "Nobody's Fool," which displays her Pink-like take-me-as-I-am credo, hints that someday Lavigne's lyrics will match the strength of her music. --Annie Zaleski ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (1890)

avril should learn something from kurt cobain ..
she should kill herself, or get her boyfriend/girlfriend to kill her. she sucks at acting like she's making music. just a canadian ashlee simpson with a guitar and trying to be punk.
oh wait, kurt cobain made good music.....avril didnt/doesnt.

seriously though, i'd be happy if she died (and i know i'm not alone on that).

Wow.
Either Avril writes the worst lyrics ever or she should fire the person that writes them for her."I like you the way you are when we're driving in your car." ?!?!?!?!? Please.

april lavigne is da best
i herd sk8r boi on teh radio one time and thought is was good for snappin my fingers and i could relate cuz i met a lame sk8r boi and said cya l8r bot and now i listen to this every day especialy sk8r boi it my favorite i snap my fingers and say lol. if u dont like this you must be aiolkold (...) ... Read more

Asin: B000066NW0
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Post-Grunge    4. Rock    5. Teen Pop   

Tuck Everlasting
by Alexis Bledel William Hurt Sissy Spacek Jonathan Jackson
Director: Jay Russell
Average Customer Review:
DVD (25 January, 2005)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $13.49
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Editorial Review

With the makings of a classic, Disney's Tuck Everlasting compares favorably with such family favorites as The Secret Garden and Fairy Tale: A True Story. Loosely but respectfully adapted from Natalie Babbitt's beloved children's book, this appealing fable focuses on the timeless Tuck family, blessed--and cursed--with immortality after drinking from a magical spring. Hiding their secret over passing decades, they are discovered in 1914 by Winnie (Alexis Bledel)--the only daughter of stern, upper-crust socialites--who encounters the life-affirming Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson) and grows enchanted with his family (Sissy Spacek, William Hurt, Scott Bairstow) while her parents fear she's been kidnapped. The film's teenage romance is invented (Winnie is younger in Babbitt's book), but it's charmingly appropriate, and Ben Kingsley is perfect as a menacing man of mystery. Scoring a solid follow-up to his equally enjoyable My Dog Skip, director Jay Russell turns Tuck Everlasting into a magical plea for living life to its fullest. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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• Color
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Reviews (96)

THIS MOVIE IS FANTASTIC!!! EXCELLENT!!
HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE TUCK EVERLASTING? WE READ THE BOOK IN MY CLASS AND THEN WE SAW THE MOVIE WHEN IT WAS IN THEATERS! I CRY EVERY TIME I SEE IT!!! IT IS SUCH A ROMANTIC AND FUN STORY!! THE CRITICS WHO RATED SHOULD DEFINATELY FIND ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE BEING A CRITIC IS NOT THEIR CHOSEN CAREER! GO SEE THIS MOVIE!! BUY IT BECAUSE YOU WILL WANT TO SEE IT OVER AND OVER!!!
AND JONATHAN JACKSON IS EXTREMELY CUTE!!

Great!
This is a very cute movie. It was touching, but it kind of seems like Winnie's a little bit too young for her (boy)friend.
Other than that, great movie!

Blends everything you hope the world can be into a film
TUCK EVERLASTING is simply a 'feel good' movie. Old fashioned in the best sense of the term, life-affirming, sentimental, finding the borders of credibility and celebrating them, and directed and acted with the sense of commitment that Jay Russell and his fine cast provided - put all of that together and it is close to impossible not to love this little movie.

Natalie Babbitt's 1981 novel may have been meant for the young readers, but in the translation to the screen this story appeals to the young at heart: chronological age is not applicable.The Tuck family happened upon a spring in a woods in the past, drank from the spring and voila! - the fountain of Ponce de Leon's obsession has been discovered.This dear family (mother Sissy Spacek, father William Hurt, and sons Jesse (Jonathan Jackson) and Miles (Scott Bairstow) settles into the fortunes and inevitable sadnesses that accompany becoming immortal:life's ebb and flow and the cycle of birth to death eludes them.Man's quest for eternal youth has its sad aspects.

Into the Tuck family secret woods happens Winnie (Alexis Bleidel), daughter of a wealthly family (mother Amy Irving and father Victor Garber), and encounters Jesse, slowly falls in love and learns the Tuck secret.Meanwhile an evil yellow-coated man (Ben Kingsley) finds the fount of his own obsession, informs Winnie's family that she has been kidnapped by the Tuck family, and the only way to regain Winnie is to sell their woods (and of course its invaluable spring) to him.How this all plays out - the inevitable capture of the Tucks and the way they resolve their immortal inaccessibility with Jesse's and Winnie's new found need for each other - serves as the ending and it is resolved well.

The settings and acting and physical beauty of this film are matched by the understated but important moments of philosophy about what is the meaning of the cycle of life as we know it rather than as we think we would reshape it.Some may label this film as corny or 'Hallmarky' and that is sad:there is plenty of room in the celluloid world for fragments of sincere tenderness such as this.Grady Harp, February 2005 ... Read more

Asin: B00005JLOT
Subjects:  1. Feature Film Family   

Dominique Moceanu : An American Champion : An Autobiography
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1999)
list price: $12.40
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Editorial Review

Every once in a while, a truly charismatic gymnast comes along, likeOlga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton -- and Dominique Moceanu.This 70-pound acrobatic marvel became the youngest U.S. national gymnastics champion ever at the age of 13, and is poised to take the entire gymnastics world by storm with new moves of amazing difficulty.She's also a crowd-pleasing performer who likes to have a good time while she competes.Young gymnasts will enjoy this book about her life, training and love of gymnastics. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Written by a 13 year-old? Amazing!
This book is an autobiography that Dominique Moceanu wrote before heading to Atlanta in the 1996 Olympics.

Dominique Moceanu was perhaps America's favorite gymnast at the time, and she was so famous that she wrote her autobiography before going to the Olympics, instead of after. I would have preferred it after, because I would love to hear about her experience in Atlanta.

The book is very well written and had many good photos and it gave me an informative look into the life of Dominique.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Too short - better for younger readers
I would recommend this book for younger readers. It doesn't give a whole lot of detail about events in her life and, being a huge gymnastics fan, it is not one of the best gymnastics books I've read.

Nice!
I have never cared much for Dominique Moceanu, (and I still don't), but I must say that this book was a very interesting look at her pre-Olympic escapades.It is very detailed, and slightly shocking at the same time.Dominique just sets herself up for stalkers and other obsessive weirdos...

Anyway, the thing I like most about this is that she has written this herself, and that the book gives the reader an idea of just what the life of an elite gymnast is really like.A good read, and a must for Dominique fans. ... Read more

Isbn: 0613076354
Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 3-4   

Agent Cody Banks 2 - Destination London
by Frankie Muniz Anthony Anderson Hannah Spearritt
Director: Kevin Allen
Average Customer Review:
DVD (October, 2004)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $13.46
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Editorial Review

The dark, bushy eyebrows of Frankie Muniz star in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London, ably supported by the natty facial hair of Anthony Anderson (Kangaroo Jack) and the freckled chipmunk cheeks of British pop starlet Hannah Spearritt. Teenage secret agent Cody Banks (Muniz, Malcolm in the Middle) must track down a former instructor who's gone rogue with a mind-control microchip. Banks masquerades as a musical prodigy to get close to a snobby, egocentric scientist in London who's the only person who can make the microchip work. Along the way Banks hooks up with a demoted agent (Anderson) and a cute-as-a-bug Scotland Yard operative (Spearritt). Flimsy, disposable, but only occasionally insulting, Cody Banks 2 will most likely entertain fans of the first movie. Also featuring supporting stalwarts Cynthia Stevenson (The Player, Happiness), Anna Chancellor (Four Weddings and a Funeral), and Keith David (There's Something About Mary). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen

Reviews (24)

Destination ... nowhere!
I will admit, I was a fan of the first film.While I didn't think it was one of the greatest films created, I did think that it had quite a bit of potential coupled with ample originality.It was fun, exciting, and it seemed like everyone involved seemed to be enjoying themselves.I only with that I could say the same for the sequel, Agent Cody Banks: Destination London.From the opening sequence of this film you could sense an aura of dislike, repetitiveness, and simple futility.Nobody, not even Frankie Muniz himself, seemed like they were bringing the same level of excitement to this project.Also, the level of originality was completely below par for this sequel.If you, like myself, brought any excitement from the first film to this one, it will be completely destroyed.Nothing worked in this movie, from the jokes, to the "spy" story, it just seemed flat and disrespectful.

My first issue is with the cast.If this was a true sequel, I think the producers could have budgeted a bit more to see about getting the original characters back.I understand that perhaps Hillary Duff's paycheck had risen since the original film, but she did bring something (as embarrassing as it is to say) to Agent Cody Banks that kept the spark alive.As did everyone else involved, sadly, Anthony Anderson (one of the most overused comic actors of this decade) brought nothing to the table.His jokes seemed generic and, honestly, repetitive.He had no character, all I could witness was Anthony Anderson being Anthony Anderson.They attempted to bring sympathy to his character by giving him this sub-story about being the "black" sheep of the CIA, but in my eyes it just wasn't enough.Anderson was just trying to showcase his "talent" so that he can continue to live the lifestyle that he has built.It was sad, and really hurt this film.Second, was Muniz himself.The bond between him and Hannah Spearritt was poor.I am not sure who the casting agent was on this project, but there was no chemistry between these two actors.They continued to prove that by reading your lines and walking the steps, you could inherit a $5 million dollar paycheck.Nobody cared, nobody stopped, they just continued to make this cheapened sequel.

Next issue, where was the story?The first film carried with it some decent events that built a strong story which ultimately lead to a better than average film, but it seemed like in this sequel they aimed towards children and empty minds.In most film sequels, they use a similar plot structure to give the audience a sensation of relaxation, while simultaneously building different elements to keep our attention.Well, none of that was used in this film.Instead, we find ourselves with a cheapened story that results in dogs playing piano and a very unspooky villain.In fact, I couldn't even tell you who the true bad guy was of this film, and that is a perfect sign that your film is struggling.This story just felt as if it was unfinished, as if the original screenplay was not dumbened down for children, but instead built another strong adventure, but the studio wanted to capture the child audience, so the butchered the product, leaving frayed edges and unfinished segments, so that they could make room for Anthony Anderson's cheap laughs.Yet again, proving the pathetic nature of the film.I went into this story expecting to be completely surprised, yet somehow walked away without any recollection of what I just experienced.It was the perfect example of a how a sequel should not be structured or released.

Finally, I would like to say that if you have a film that seems to do somewhat well at the box office, there should be no need to rush right into a sequel, especially if you see a growing decrease in the excitement behind Malcolm in the Middle.Frankie Muniz is a decent actor, but when handed poor material, he will not fray from making it exceptionally poor.He is one of those actors that brings good things to great material, but will falter if handed unseasonable stuff.I do not see a bright future for Muniz due to his ability to stray from decency.This could have been a powerful sequel, but instead Hollywood yet again strayed towards the side of childish behavior instead of truthful storytelling.

Overall, this film lacked the fun of the first film.With unfamiliar characters, comedy that seemed forced and incoherent instead of funny, and a story that had that cheapened Velcro feel to it, Agent Cody Banks 2 proved that jumping to quickly into a sequel will place a black cloud on your entire series.While once I had considered this to be an interesting and highly original concept, I now have second thoughts.I am not sure that Muniz was prepared for such a cheap sequel, and therefore he signed too quickly.I do not recommend this film to anyone that enjoyed the first film, or at least was under the impression that the first film was decent.This was a horrible sequel that should have never seen the light of day.YUK!

Grade: * out of *****

Why Widescreen?
This movie is a good movie. I rated it 4 stars though because it's Widescreen. I don't know why they made it that way. I always like Full Screen. I don't mind if Widescreen comes out on DVD but I don't like it on VHS. I bet when they showed this movie at the movies, it was full screen. That's what I like better. I don't know why they made it that way. The first movie is full screen but now as for the second one they made it Widescreen. But if you keep on watching the movie, you'll forget about the way you see it. This movie is great though and it takes place in London, England and it's about this guy Diaz (Keith Allen) who is like a dentist but he has this micro-chip and he puts people to sleep with this spray and then he puts his micro-chip into people's teeth and Diaz controls the people by the control from the micro-chip. Meanwhile the original Agent Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) has to put a stop to this and he has two new partners, Derek (Anthony Anderson), and Emily (Hannah Spearritt) and although this movie says it has gadgets, it really doesn't. They just show one gadget and that's it. But this is a pretty good movie and it's almost better than the first.

Call Frankie's Agent!

"Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London" is the sequel to a film that I confess I've never actually seen.Based on what I HAVE seen here, I'm not sure I missed all that much the first time around.

For those unfamiliar with the premise, Banks is an under-aged spy who works for the CIA, sort of a teenaged James Bond for the Doogie Howser set. In this installment in the series, the organization sends Banks on an undercover mission to England to seek out and destroy a mind control machine that one of its rogue agents (who's feeling unappreciated and slighted by the agency) is now helping to develop and finance for his own nefarious purposes.

This is harmless enough wish-fulfillment fantasy for youngsters, I suppose, but adults forced to sit through it with them will quickly find themselves irritated and bored by all the lowbrow shenanigans.There's a very funny scene up front in which we see how the kids' spy training facility is converted into an innocuous summer camp to fool the parents on visiting day, but, I'm afraid, this cleverness soon gives way to an inordinately silly plot and a succession of tired chase sequences.Although the gadgets are cool, there aren't enough of them to distract us from the appalling overacting on the part of virtually the entire cast, including Frankie Muniz who, though a likable young performer on "Malcolm in the Middle," is here forced to wear a single expression of pained disbelief throughout.As an actor of undeniable talent and charm, hopefully he'll get the opportunity to tackle more varied and mature roles in the near future and won`t go the way of so many other juvenile performers - that of being stuck in roles for which he is too old and thus failing to make that successful leap from child star to adult actor. ... Read more

Asin: B00022FWTA
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure   

10 Things I Hate About You
by Heath Ledger Julia Stiles
Director: Gil Junger
Average Customer Review:
DVD (07 September, 2004)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $11.99
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Editorial Review

It's, like, Shakespeare, man! This good-natured and likeable update of The Taming of the Shrew takes the basics of Shakespeare's farce about a surly wench and the man who tries to win her and transfers it to modern-day Padua High School. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is a sullen, forbidding riot grrrl who has a blistering word for everyone; her sunny younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is poised for high school stardom. The problem: overprotective and paranoid Papa Stratford (a dryly funny Larry Miller) won't let Bianca date until boy-hating Kat does, which is to say never. When Bianca's pining suitor Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets wind of this, he hires the mysterious, brooding Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to loosen Kat up. Of course, what starts out as a paying gig turns to true love as Patrick discovers that underneath her brittle exterior, Kat is a regular babe. The script, by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, is sitcom-funny with peppy one-liners and lots of smart teenspeak; however, its cleverness and imagination doesn't really extend beyond its characters' Renaissance names and occasional snippets of real Shakespearean dialogue. What makes the movie energetic and winning is the formula that helped make She's All That such a big hit: two high-wattage stars who look great and can really act. Ledger is a hunk of promise with a quick grin and charming Aussie accent, and Stiles mines Kat's bitterness and anger to depths usually unknown in teen films; her recitation of her English class sonnet (from which the film takes its title) is funny, heartbreaking, and hopelessly romantic. The imperious Allison Janney (Primary Colors) nearly steals the film as a no-nonsense guidance counselor secretly writing a trashy romance novel. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Widescreen
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby

Reviews (386)

Shakespeare it is not, but it was good
I had never heard of this film. I saw it and read some of the reviews and saw that it was supposed to be a takeoff of my favorite play of all time, TAMING OF THE SHREW, by William Shakespeare. That was enough for me to buy it.

It must be admitted that the movie is very loosely based on TAMING OF THE SHREW but the operative words are VERY LOOSELY. Some of the names are right and the rough outline of the idea are there as is the shrewish nature of the elder daghter. After that, the divergance goes pretty wide. That didn't stop it from being a good show.

The premise of the story is that there are two daughters with a controlling father. Everyone wants to date the youngest daughter but there is a catch. The younger cannot date until the elder does. Since the eldest is so hard to get along with, Pop thinks that the girls will be safe well into their 40's. That doesn't stop the scheming. A boy is paid to get the elder to go out with him, opening the way for the younger. No one couted on them falling for each other.

Some of the elements of Shakespeare's play are not present. This is almost mandatory since the original is anything but politically correct. Kate, the eldest, is played as a shrew but she never becomes tamed. Her famous speech from act 5, or an analog, is not present. Neither are the identities of Bianca's suitors switched to fool the dad. As I said, it was loosely based.

I never heard of either of the girls playing the leads but they do a good job. The father seemed familiar, though I don't know his name, and did a great job in his role racking up the laughs. Other minor parts also added magnificently to the whole.

This is a great movie and lots of fun. Sit back and enjoy it. Aftwwards, check out Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's TAMING OF THE SHREW. Once you get used to the language, it too is a fun movie.

Great movie!
I have yet to buy this DVD, but this movie is wonderful! I have yet to buy this DVD, or to find it somewhere, but it truly is a inspiring movie! Me and my mom just love Julie now! I really gained respect for her, this movie is incredible! Me and my mother love laughing out loud by it, I'd truly like to see it again. Please, buy this DVD, it needs sudden support. K? Thanks.

HEATH, HEATH, HEATH!!!!
i love this film, its one of my alltime faves, only partly because it introduced me to the scrumptious heath ledger (he plays patrick in this film). i first saw it at school a year or so ago, because it's like the only decent video they own which girls and boys can enjoy, and i haven't been complaining the other five hundred or so times they've shown it to us since then!I love everything about this film, heath, the music, heath, the plot, heath, the shakespeare references, heath, the humour, and did i forget to mention, heath!even if patrick was played by someone else i would still like it, i just think it has a great atmosphere and is a really fun film to watch with your friends. ... Read more

Asin: B00000K31Q
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

3 of Hearts
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 July, 2001)
list price: $16.98
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Reviews (15)

When will the next one be out?
4 words, I LOVE THIS CD! The upbeat songs are fun and great to sing along, and the slower songs are not boring but soothing and still got a good beat. I never use my skip button when I'm listening to this album!

Lovely voices, great harmonies, songs could be better
I can't give these teenagers five stars, despite their undeniable talent, because some of the songs really aren't good enough. I don't suppose they had much choice in what songs they recorded, but they did the best they could with what they were given. In the opening track, they sing about loving you when you're old and gray (they are only teenagers - why were they asked to sing this?), and in the fifth song they sing 'Your love is sugar and daisies' - is this really so?

So, the lyrics are not always top quality, but I still enjoy listening to them because they have such lovely voices and harmonise brilliantly. If you play this as background music, you will be able to enjoy their music without listening too closely to the words.

I hope they get to record a second album, with better songs which show just how talented they really are. If they do, I'll buy it - but not before I read the reviews.

*~ I hope to be hearing more of 3 of Hearts soon*~
When I first heard of 3 of Hearts single Love is Enough, I wasn't really in to country much but I decided to give it a try anyways. I loved that song so when their cd came out I bought it without a second thought~!

This a great debut cd from 3 talented girls. They have such sweet voices and I like the songs. Some of the best songs are Love is Enough, It Happened to Me, 6,8,12 (excellent by the way), Over the Edge, Sugar and Daisies, Arizona Rain, and Wash Away This Kiss. I might as well have listed the whole cd :-)

They have a uniqueness to their style of music and I hope to hear more from them soon. Another plus to this CD is the background music. Its beautiful! There were a few songs I wasnt as crazy about as the ones I they're still good songs and it's still a great cd!

This a great CD and I hope they have a new cd soon! I would defineitley buy it! ... Read more

Asin: B00005B3LF
Sales Rank: 70631
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country-Pop    4. Pop   

30-Minute Meals
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (25 September, 1999)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (50)

best solution
Rachel's meals are quick and loaded with flavor, the perfect solution to what's for dinner on a shortened schedule

Rachel's 30 Minute Meals
Just thought we would share our experience with Rachel Ray's first book, 30 Minute Meals.Organization is key! You must prepare the ingredients ahead of time before you begin cooking to really make the 30 minute recipes in 30 minutes - but the recipes are fantastic and by no means, bland.We've only had the book a few weeks, and I can tell you that my 11 year old son was very enthusiastic about planning and making the menu suggestions from the book.So far we've made over 5 of them and all have been great. The book is wonderful for new cooks - young and old alike.

Rachel Ray makes cooking look easy and her enthusiasm encourages you to want to try to cook a meal in 30 minutes instead of running out for fast food - and these recipes are much better tasting!

There are better books to be had
This book was ok, but it seemed a little cheaply made. There are no pictures of anything. I am a beginner with the art of cooking and this book did very little to help me out. ... Read more

Isbn: 1891105035
Sales Rank: 479
Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. General    4. Methods - Quick & Easy    5. Quick and easy cookery    6. Quick and easy cooking    7. Cooking / General    8. Cooking, Wine & Spirits