Magic Mike

  Magic Mike

By Claudette Adler

Format:Blu-ray

I first saw this movie trailer when I saw Haywire. I did not really know who Channing Tatum was(dumb me), let alone he was in Haywire. I thought a male stripper movie. I have seen my share of male strippers and if it was going to be like watching the Chippendales, I thought how boring. Well it came out and it was going strong at the theater in July so what the hell, I went and saw it. All I can say is WOW it was raining men and and hot bods and man candy. Definitely not boring. Channing Tatum can definitely move and the dance in the red thong is Oh My God. We women finally get something decent to look at, after all the years of enduring movies where chicks get naked and the guys are drooling. So the guys get to suck it up. Seeing Channing Tatum's naked rear-end and just about everything else, makes your mouth drop open. He is drop dead gorgeous and sexy as hell and the rest are not bad on the eyes either. Joe Mangianello from True Blood is holy crap hot too. It was a pretty decent story too, not just stripping. I love the strip to KISS's Dr. Love. That was a topper for me. I highly recommend this movie to every red-blooded female out there. When Channing Tatum goes dressed as a cop to strip for the college girls it makes you want to do bad things to get arrested by him. I don't know why anybody should be surprised that this movie has done well, any woman with working eyes has seen it and probably more than once. It is still in the theaters around my home town as this is written. If it was just a dumb stripper movie, in my opinion, it would have been gone by July 1st, not spend 3 months in the theater. I can hardly wait for the sequel.

Magic Mike

By G. Elsasser

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I received my DVD version of "Magic Mike" today from Amazon.com. It does not contain the additional footage (dance sequences by Joe Manganiello and Matt Bomer.) I was told today by someone that only the Blue Ray combo pac version has this. THIS IS NOT CLEAR IN ANY OF THE PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS PUT OUT BY AMAZON.COM. Shame on you Amazon, for deliberately misleading the public. Since I saw the film, I would not have purchased this DVD, but wanted to see the dance footage that Soderberg did not include in the film. I don't own a BLU RAY DVD player, by the way and can't afford one. I'm certainly disappointed that the Distribution Company distributed this product in this way.

Magic Mike

By Terry Richard TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Blu-ray

Mark October 23rd on your calendars as that is the day "Magic Mike" (the box office sensation during the summer of 2012) comes to DVD and Blu Ray.

"Magic Mike" stars hunky Channing Tatum (in probably his best role to date) as a male stripper who decides after years of stripping for women as a sideline job that he has had enough.

When Mike (Tatum) befriends a young 19 year old named Adam at the beginning of the film Mike gets Adam into the stripping business only to discover that Adam gets involved with drugs which leads to many problems for the two. Mike then decides he wants to lead a "normal" life, have a relationship with a woman and settle down.

The movie is loosely based on Channing's own real-life as a 19 year old stripper in Florida.

Gay men and females will LOVE the film as not only does it show off Channing's back side (and I am not talking about his back), but the dance numbers, music and story are very strong and believable.

Other studs in the movie include Matt Bomer from television's "White Collar", Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Joe Manganiello and Matthew McConaughey.

The movie was an enormous box office hit becoming the runaway hit at theatres during the summer of 2012 making over $155,000,000 at the U.S. box office alone on a $7,000,000 budget!!!

The special bonus features will include extended dance sequences, a featurette that contains Channing Tatum being interviewed on what it was like to get his fellow actors into the mold as male strippers and much more!

In July, 2012 Channing announced that the studio and he (as one of the producers) are indeed working on a sequel as the film was an enormous successs.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Watch free trailer  Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

By JMM VINE™ VOICE

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

PLEASE NOTE: This product review is for the 3D Blu-Ray... Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy)

This is the way "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" was meant to be seen: in 3D! I saw this movie in 3D at the theater and I can tell you it was a great experience. The movie itself has some flaws, but the stereo image was simply amazing... say what you want about director Michael Bay, the man knows how to shoot action sequences! This is one of the most entertaining 3D movies to date, and is a no-brainer for anyone with a 3D TV.

Not only is the picture quality top-notch, but the sound is great too. I recently watched an interview with sound mixer Greg P. Russell, and he said that the TF3 blu-ray sound mix was specifically tailored for home video release. Anyone who owns the previous blu-ray release would agree that the sound mix is incredible. This blu-ray will make a great demo when you show off your home theater system!

Here is a detailed description of what is in this set:

Disc 1: Feature Film -- Blu-Ray 3D

Disc 2: Feature Film -- Blu-Ray

Disc 3: Special Features -- Blu-Ray

Above and Beyond: Exploring Dark of the Moon
- Rising from the Fallen: Development and Design
- Ready for Prime Time: Filming Across America
- Battle in the Heartland: Shooting in Chicago
- Attack of the Birdmen: Aerial Stunts
- Shadow of the Sentinel: Post-Production and Release
- Uncharted Territory: NASA's Future Then and Now

Deconstructing Chicago: Multi-Angle Sequences
- Previsualizations with optional commentary by director Michael Bay and previsualization supervisor Steve Yamamoto
- Previsualizations/Final Shot Comparison with optional commentary by director Michael Bay and previsualization supervisor Steve Yamamoto
- Visual Effects with optional commentary by visual effects supervisors Scott Farrar and Matthew Butler
- Visual Effects/Final Shot Comparison with optional commentary by visual effects supervisors Scott Farrar and Matthew Butler

The Art of Cybertron
- Autobots
- Decepticons
- Environments
- Weapons and Gear
- Ships

The Dark of the Moon Archive
- 3D: A Transforming Visual Art
- Moscow World Premiere
- Birdmen Featurette
- Cody's iPad
- The Sound of Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The Matrix of Marketing
- Trailers
- Marketing Gallery

Disc 4: Feature Film -- DVD

**There is also a digital copy included - both a standard digital copy for iTunes, and you can also stream the movie through UltraViolet.

Additional Info:
The blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD sound.
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portugese

In summary, the difference between this set and the previous release, Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy), is the addition of the 3D blu-ray and a bonus blu-ray with 4 hours of new special features.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

By Jean-rené Leroux

Format:DVD

Sorry with my english for i am from Montréal.

I still do not want to give up on Michael Bay. When i see him in interviews, underneath his condescending tone and his obvious self-love, i see an educated and intelligent man. I still have hope that he will mature eventually and direct a genuine great film. But right now, he is a teenager. Remember the speech about how Superman views society in "Kill Bill Vol 2"? If he disguises himself as Clark Kent, it is so that he won't be recognize and he will simply pass off as a "normal" human being. And when you look at the characteristics of Clark Kent, well it just goes to show what Superman thinks of a "normal" human being. I think the same of Michael Bay and how he views the movie goers out there, especially teenagers. He obviously thinks that most of us are dumb, sexually depraved and uneducated. The way he films women, the way he portrays the adults, the things he makes them say and do, the "comedy" that he puts in there and that he thinks will make us laugh, all of this makes me think that Michael Bay simply sees his fans as cavemen. And by reading some of the comments here, well my God, he's about right!

It is not a question of putting your brain to neutral in order to enjoy a good old "pop corn" movie. Not all "pop corn" movies are good. "Transformers 3" is a bad movie. Just like the second one. Probably even more. The characters are stupid. The dialog is corny. The intentions are childish. And we just don't care about anything. And why, oh why, do incredible and sexy women fall so much in love with Sam? It is so obvious that Bay was a shy and rejected teenager and that he couldn't get... well, nevermind. I don't know how Michael Bay and his team can watch a movie like that at a premiere knowing that other people will witness such a disgraceful work of art. How can they be proud of that?

God knows i enjoy all sort of films. Pop corn movies and art films. I loved the first "Transformers". But it is clear to me now that Steven Spielberg had more of a word to say in the first one.

And when i hear people calling this third film "Excellent" or "Perfect"... it's beyond me.

The first part of the film, the prologue that is, when it deals with the missions on the Moon, well that part is truly fun. Those small parts are the ones that make me think that Bay will, one day, make a great "Pop Corn" movie. But the more i see him going and the more i hear him talk, i'm starting to think that he won't be able to do it on his own, that he'll need someone else to help him along the way, like Spielberg in the first "Transformers".

Again, i'm all for "Pop Corn" movies. I enjoy them. But the directors must respect the viewer's intelligence. Michael Bay does not. He is clearly saying that you are dumb. And some of you are worshiping him.

Well you get the movies you diserve.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

By TrueNerd

Format:Blu-ray

A lot had been said by Michael Bay before this movie came out that he recognized the multitudes of problems with Transformers 2 and they were all going to be fixed for Transformers 3.

He lied. The only problem Michael Bay saw with Transformers 2 was that Transformers 2, at two and a half hours long, wasn't long enough.

Before I begin totally railing against this abomination, I'll say some nice things. Transformers 2 had no overarching story. This one kind of does, in that stuff that happens at the beginning factors into stuff that occasionally happens for the rest of the movie. Also, you can kind of make out what's going on in these action scenes, for perhaps the first time in this series. I dunno if that's due to Bay shooting for 3D or what, but you can actually see these action scenes.

Unfortunately, none of that matters. While we finally may be able to tell WHAT is going on on screen, there's still no way to decipher WHY any of it is going on on screen. Characters remain the bane of Bay's career, in that none of them are interesting in any way and none of them have arcs. What the hell have Tyrese or Josh Duhamel done in ANY of these movies? John Turturro? Shia's Parents? Half of the transformers whose names I can't remember because there's nothing memorable about them? I could go on. There are so many characters that serve no purpose and are only in there because Michael Bay thinks they're amusing. They're not amusing and the movie would be much better off without the lot of them. I must also pause and make special mention of Ken Jeong in this movie. His character and performance are surreal. I dunno if Bay let him run wild with the role or directed him that way, but he is the worst thing about this whole movie.

And then there's Shia. Maybe he kind of has an arc in this movie. He occasionally whines about growing up and being a man, but that's all he does. There's no resolution or moment of growth, he just talks about it every now and again. And Shia's acting is downright grating. He seemingly alternates between extreme emotions at random. Remember when Spielberg thought this guy was a big deal? Those times have passed. Even worse is Shia's new girlfriend. If you can find me a more bland leading woman in a film, I'd be shocked. I was no fan of Megan Fox, but she is leagues better than Rosie Big Lips. At least she had a personality.

It'd all be fine if the action was cool, but it's not. Everyone raves about the hour long action scene in Chicago. It's a terrible hour that never ends. There are action scenes that work within this scene (most notably the building falling set piece) but the rest take place for no reason. There's no objective for most of the action scenes and therefore nothing is ever accomplished. The wing suit scene? What the hell did those jerks do once they landed? Nothing! They land and are never heard from again. These action scenes carry all the weight of a screensaver.

I also must bring something else up. In said long action scene in Chicago, there is a good seventeen minutes of screen time where Optimus Prime is caught in wires. Optimus Prime, in case you don't know, is a giant robot who can fly and has a giant gun and carries a sword. And he's caught in wires. For seventeen minutes. Other Transformers even try to come and help him, and he's still caught IN F#@$ING WIRES for seventeen minutes. This is some of the laziest writing I've ever seen. It's also a very good indication that a) Optimus Prime is a terrible character and b) that action scene goes on for far too long.

I don't know why I watched either Transformers sequel. Morbid curiosity, I suppose. I just don't understand why this franchise makes a billion dollars every time out when we have plenty of blockbusters that bring the spectacle without forgoing basic filmmaking/storytelling competency. This summer alone we got Harry Potter, Captain America, X-Men First Class, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. All of those movies are wildly better than this trash heap. Hell, even Fast Five puts this movie to shame.

To put it shortly, the Transformers trilogy is the worst trilogy ever made

Downton Abbey Seasons 1 & 2 Limited Edition Set - Original UK Version

Watch free trailler  Downton Abbey Seasons 1 & 2 Limited Edition Set - Original UK Version

By Harold Wolf TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

This series is undoubtedly going to be as long-lived a hit as Upstairs, Downstairs. It ranks in the British perfection class with Foyle's War. It's a Period Costume Drama series with plenty of mega-stars. The magnificent performance of Maggie Smith in a less-than leading role shines through every time she's on the screen (very often), even when she has no lines. Her facial delivery is comic. A paragraph could be written for almost every cast member, each seem to feed off the other in making this a remarkable period drama that takes the viewer back to the era, like it is real.

Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) is the man behind the estate, but it is Mr. Carson (Jim Carter), the butler, who keeps the house and social lives moving. There are 12 cast members that have a role in EVERY episode. Many more who miss just one or two. You fall in love with each in their own way, each a vital role in the make-up of this large family and servants. Not an issues is untouched, since every episode blends threads of intrigue, love, and history.

The home, the countryside scenes, even WWI segments, the costumes, the sets, the music, the props, the...well, it's easier to say there is nothing about this series my wife and I have been even remotely disappointed with. If you don't own the original released DVDs this is a must buy. And with the rest of the world, you will then be awaiting season three, knowing it will be SIX-star worthy as well. Created and written by Julian Fellowes who last acted in Monarch of the Glen (another keeper). He and his daughter combined in a book, also a must own for Downton Abbey fans.

I give this UK DVD series a 6-star super recommendation.

Downton Abbey Seasons 1 & 2 Limited Edition Set - Original UK Version

By James in Springfield, OR

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you like Downton Abbey, and you don't already have the first release seasons 1 & 2 DVD sets of the series, then you should have this. I waited for this set instead of getting the first releases, but really it's more of a repackaging of the original release with the Christmas episode here as well. So buy this if you love Downton and don't already own it...and hurry because the 3rd season comes out in January!

Downton Abbey Seasons 1 & 2 Limited Edition Set - Original UK Version

By Brett H TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Blu-ray

Downton Abbey is already close to an institution as the most popular costume drama for about 30 years coming out of the UK which makes something of a speciality of this sort of thing. So far we have two series, with a third promised which will take us up to the 1920s with doubtless more to come. This DVD set covers the first two series, with 16 episodes, 7 from the first series and 8 from the second and the Christmas special.

The first series covered the period from 1912, just after the sinking of the Titanic, up to the start of the first world war in 1914 and much of the story line is about the matchmaking within the Crawley family where financial and social influences have a major bearing. Of course the interaction between the family and those who serve them `below stairs' is a continual contributor to the excellent story lines. The second series picks up two years on from the first series in 1916, in the middle of World War 1. Downton Abbey has been converted into a convalescent home for injured servicemen and the action covers the period from the Battle of the Somme up to the end of the war. The Christmas Special is post the first world war and includes a dramatic trial. In both series topical events of the period, political, economic and military are covered.

There are many superb individual performances but mention must be made of Maggie Smith. What a stroke of genius to cast her as Violet. She dominates every scene she appears in and often has some very funny lines.

This box set will appeal to viewers who may have missed out first time round and also to the many who enjoyed this superb production and will want to revisit it. Roll on Series 3!

Savages

Wacth free trailler Savages

By Judicious

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoyed all 132 minutes of this film, although I was reluctant to rent it at first based on some of the negative reviews here. It was one of the better films I've seen in a while. Without getting into the plot (do we really need long, amateur interpretations of the plot?), it was also better than what I expected after viewing the trailer. If you're considering renting it don't hesitate. I'm not recommending purchasing it since it's not the type of movie someone would watch more than once. The entire cast did a superb job of making this movie highly entertaining. The supporting roles played by Travolta, Hayek, and Del Toro were superbly done in my opinion. Most of the negative reviews seem to be from people having higher expectations from Oliver Stone, but I was simply looking for something worth seeing. Thank you for taking the time to read my review.

Savages

By M. Oleson

Format:Blu-ray

Oliver Stone returns to his most violent movie since "Natural Born Killer," this time focusing on a couple marijuana entrepreneurs and their shared girlfriend. Chon (Taylor Kitsch in his best movie role yet) is a former Navy SEAL who manages to bring back potent marijuana seeds from his tour in Afghanistan. His lifelong friend Ben (Aaron Johnson) is hooked on Buddhism and doing charitable work in Africa. His college degree is in business and botany. How perfect. Together they amicably share a love interest in Ophelia (another surprising performance from Blake Lively), who is known as "O."

As the story centerpiece "O" is the glue that holds things together. She's also the chief weed sampler. The story suggests that this relationship may be a bit more than two boys liking a girl but that question is never quite answered. Hmm. All is well until they get an "invitation" to join a powerful Mexican cartel headed by Elena (Salma Hayek). Saying no is not a good idea, as the guys are exposed to the grisly beheadings of cartel foes. Elena and her California chieftain (an iniquitous Benicio Del Toro) need the secret to the THC-rich strain of pot so they kidnap poor "O" on the eve of trio's departure to a secret location in Indonesia.

Here is Elena's deal. She gets 30% of the revenue, $13 million up front and they keep "O" under wraps for 1 year. After that, the business venture ends. Naturally Ben and Chon don't like the arrangement. Especially Chon who realizes, the ruse will never end. Added to the fun is John Travolta who plays a senior DEA agent. He is on the take from Ben and Chon and may be playing all sides. Stone gets strong performances from his cast in this savage thriller. I can't help but wonder however why Stone decided to go with two endings. The first one was fine.

Savages

By wexgate

Format:Blu-ray

I was very excited when I saw that Savages was being made into a movie. The book is so dark funny and exciting all at the same time. I could think of no one better to direct than Oliver Stone. He has the perfect sensibilities for such material.
I left the theater wanting to ask for my money back. It was very clear that Stone phoned this one in. The majority of the dark humor, that was so prevalent in the book, has been erased from the movie. A perfect example of this is the exclusion of O's mother from the movie. That character is wonderfully amusing and gave great insight into the character of O. The one exception to this is John Travolta as Ben and Chan's FBI contact. He turns in a wonderfully wacky and entertaining performance that I feel is on par with his Pulp Fiction turn. Travolta seems to be the only one who looked at the source material.
I also have to address the ending. There has never been a more blatant example of a studio forcing a director to change an ending. It is weird awkward and just plain embarrassing. What happened to the Oliver Stone who directed Natural Born Killers? This material was in desperate need of that edge and humor. Does Stone not have final cut approval? I certainly hope he did not have it on this piece of junk. Read the book and don't waste your time on the movie.

Middle Men

Wacth free trailler Middle Men

By Chris Pandolfi

Format:DVD

A section in the end credits for "Middle Men" asserts that, although it was inspired by a true story, the film is, in fact, a work of fiction. I've tended to find this annoying, especially in relation to horror movies. In the case of "Middle Men," however, the assertion fascinates me, for Christopher Mallick, the film's producer, has claimed that much of what we see - 80%, apparently - is based on his own experiences. A former chief executive of Paycom, the Texas-born entrepreneur was a key player in bringing the adult entertainment industry to the internet, pioneering the technology that makes online purchases, especially monthly memberships to porn sites, easy and secure. In essence, he was a middle man. His efforts have paid off; according to a set of statistics published by Jerry Ropelato in 2006, the annual revenue of internet porn was nearly $3 billion in the United States alone. I have no doubt that the rate has increased since then.

As to how much of this film is true, as to what facts have been embellished or altered or altogether made up, I obviously have no way of knowing. That, of course, only makes it that much more irresistible. In the film, Mallick is reinterpreted as Jack Harris (Luke Wilson), who begins as a respectable and competent businessman, having a knack for talking and negotiating with people of every flavor, including mobsters that enjoy busting people's kneecaps with baseball bats. Sometime between the mid to late 1990s, he becomes involved with Wayne Beering (Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck Dolby (Gabriel Macht), two Los Angeles cokeheads who realized they could build an empire by scanning dirty pictures onto their computer, posting them on the internet, and selling them for $9.99. They have absolutely no business sense and are basically idiots, and never mind that Dolby was formerly a rocket scientist and has an IQ of 183.

What begins as a straight-and-narrow handling of affairs quickly escalates into something grander, Harris, Beering, and Dobly becoming wealthy entrepreneurs over the space of five years. It also becomes far more dangerous, Beering and Dolby having gotten involved with a Russian mobster (Rade Šerbedzija); he owns a strip club, you see, and they generate new content for their site by posting videos and photos of his girls. You know how it is with mobsters. They want their cut of the profits pronto. But you also know how it is with guys like Beering and Dolby. They blow off all their money on drugs. They don't know any better, not even when their faces are smashed in or their heads are shoved into toilets.

Harris, meanwhile, will have to use his business smarts to contend with a shady Las Vegas lawyer (James Caan), a spiteful young adult actress he has fallen in love with (Laura Ramsey), and a team of federal agents, led by Kevin Pollack, who want to use the adult actress as a weapon against international terrorism (and of all the movies I've ever seen, this is definitely a new one for me). He must also come to terms with the fact that he still has a family back home in Texas, and that, despite his wealth affording them the good life, he hasn't been there for him. Matters are complicated even further when Beering and Dolby, never able to think before they act, learn that they have unknowingly been exploiting underage models.

I grant you that this is a lot to take in. The director and co-writer George Gallo is reported to have written an expletive followed by the words, "keep up," on the front page of the screenplay as a reminder that, should the audience leave the theater for even a minute, they will miss something important. I don't particularly agree with the first part of his mantra (which I can't repeat), but the second part is spot on. You have to keep up. The thing is, that shouldn't be a problem; this movie is so well structured, so finely acted, and so cleverly written that you're libel to get hooked within the first ten minutes. It plays like a cross between "Boogie Nights" and a Guy Ritchie film, seamlessly interweaving comedy, crime, and mystery into a character-driven plot, the Harris character serving not only as the film's narrator and main player, but also as the emotional center.

Indeed, there is something oddly compelling about Jack Harris, the way an all-around respectable guy can allow himself to be so corrupted by the pursuit of the American Dream. His continuous narration is filled with regret, but there's also a certain dry, sardonic twist to his words, as if to suggest that the whole thing is utterly ridiculous. Well, it IS utterly ridiculous. And yet, a lot of it is true - if you're willing to take Christopher Mallick's word for it, that is. That blurring of fact and fiction, that inability to distinguish reality from fantasy, is part of why "Middle Men" was so enjoyable for me. That, and the fact that it's simply a fine movie. I liked the humor. I liked the intrigue. I liked the performances. And I really liked the screenplay; not only is it founded on an engaging premise, it's also refreshingly honest about what the internet really is for.

Middle Men

By Danny Raustadt

Format:DVD

I understand this movie didn't play in many theaters, but I enjoyed the humor about a subject very few people talk about.

I thought it was well written and directed.

You can't guess what's going to happen next!

Middle Men

By Tony Heck

Format:DVD

A true story about the men who came up with the idea to sell adult entertainment off the internet. After two slackers (Ribisi & Gabriel Macht) make over a million dollars in two months by coming up with a program to make money off of internet porn the russian mob wants thier cut. They become partners with Jack Harris (Wilson) who takes thier business in to a legit area and makes them more money then they dreamed of. This movie really surprised me in the fact that I was expecting a straight comedy. While this movie had its really funny moments its also dramatic throughout. An amazing cast helps tell the story of someone other then Mark Zuckerberg getting rich off the internet. The events that happen in the movie made me wonder why I've never heard of this guy before. Overall this was a very enjoyable movie and I highly recommend it. I give it a B+.

Thor

Thor

By Kolwynia

Format:DVD

Thor is Marvel's best superhero movie yet. It is even better than the first Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk films. It is also the most visually stunning of any Marvel film, with gorgeous fantasy settings, great costumes, and spectacular special effects.

In the same way as Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight worked just as well as a crime drama as a superhero movie, Thor works just as well as a standalone fantasy film. Even if I had not known that I was watching a comic book movie, I would have been just as happy with the story. In fact, I would say that you don't actually need to be familiar with the characters or the comic mythology to enjoy the film.

The story is set half in Asgard, the realm of the gods, and half in our world, Earth. Thor, the son of the king of Asgard, the wise Odin, is a proud and arrogant king-in-waiting. He makes a foolish mistake that brings his world to the brink of war and his father exiles him to our world as punishment, and maybe to teach him how to be a better man. On Earth, Thor makes some new friends and even begins to fall in love with a pretty scientist. Meanwhile, in Asgard, his brother Loki begins to put into motion a plot that may threaten Thor's home.

Two things about the film really stood out to me. The first is the absolutely beautiful settings and solid world-building in the movie. Asgard looks amazing, with settings such as the Rainbow Bridge, a crystal structure with colored lights running through it, spanning a sea that flows into a massive waterfall, cascading down into the open cosmos. Also, great costuming really makes the gods stand out, and adds to the film's epic feel. The second thing was the character of Loki, the film's antagonist. Watching the trailers, I expected a greasy, honorless villain (someone like Wormtongue from the Lord of the Rings). Instead I got the story of a hero, told in reverse. Loki's story mirrors his brother Thor's, but where Thor starts out as an arrogant royal brat and through his time on Earth comes to realize what it means to be a hero, Loki begins the story as a mischievous but honorable man, and over the course of the film turns into a really bad guy. As Thor rises, he falls. And when his final plan is revealed at the end of the film, it totally fits his personality and everything you know about him. In other superhero films, we're used to seeing the bad guy go on some kind of mindless rampage at the end of the film. We saw it in The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the Spider Man movies, the Fantastic Four...but not here. Loki acts like a man with a purpose. Actually he has two purposes, both very personal to him. One is to do commit a terrible act of destruction, partly out of self-loathing and partly out of a twisted sense of honor toward his father. And the other is simply to beat his brother, proving himself Thor's equal. He is easily the deepest villain of any of the Marvel films so far.

The film is directed by Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart!), who handles the epic material perfectly. More than any Marvel film so far, this one focuses on the hero's journey. Even more than a comic book movie, this is a fantasy film about a hero. Expect father-son drama, palace intrigue in the realm of the gods, and an epic confrontation between two brothers who have been become very different people over the course of the story. There is also plenty of humor, with a few real laugh-out-loud moments. And there is a very sweet, almost cute romance woven into the story. It carries an innocent, young-love kind of feeling. It also takes the two characters, one a god more concerned with war and glory, the other a scientist more concerned with solving the mysteries of the universe, and brings them down to earth in their budding love for one another.

I would recommend Thor to any lover of fantasy films, as well as any fans of comic book movies such as Marvel's Avengers lineup. It is solid fantasy fun with a strong sense of the epic and the heroic. And when you see Thor finally wield his hammer and summon the lightning, you'll want to stand up and cheer.

Thor

By Al Allison

Format:Amazon Instant Video

I went to see this with our 9 year old son, honestly not expecting very much. While I have enjoyed Portman and Hopkins in a number of roles, I felt this would be just another comic book hero movie with a bad script, extremely predictable character development, and unoriginal attempts at humor.
I was wrong...
Not only did I AND our 9 year old boy enjoy THOR, our 13 year old daughter, 15 year old goddaughter, and two more of our daughter's friends enjoyed it...ALL 3 TIMES WE SAW IT!!!
That's right...I saw THOR with our kids 3 times. Granted, this is a bit over-killed, but we thoroughly enjoyed the movie every time and plan to purchase it on opening DVD release day. Here's why:
1. I felt it was age appropriate.
2. Was it violent, sure...was it gory, no.
3. It had clear lines of good and bad, treated well with a myriad of complexities that led people to their struggles...so it felt honest.
4. I thought it was a GREAT play into the Avengers movie that is on the way.
5. I felt Branagh did a wonderful job directing...they should consider allowing him to direct the Avengers.
Rent this one...buy it...whatever works for you. It's good entertainment with plenty of action, quick wit, and a sweet redemption in the end. No Oscars here, but a good film nonetheless...thumbs up!

Thor

By Jason C. Wilkerson

Format:Blu-ray

Comic book fans get a lot of flak for being nerds, dweebs and geeks; or at least they used to. Now comics are en vogue as millions of people attend geekfests like Comic Con; although whether that's to see the movie and television stars in attendance remains to be seen. Comic book characters are our mythology, they rival the super powered beings and gods of ancient Greek, Mesopotamian, and Viking mythology. We as humans have always felt this need to look up to higher powers to sort out our lives, believing that the fate of our race is better left in the hands of someone capable of bending the rules of physics. It's only natural then that eventually the worlds of comics and ancient mythology would collide as it does in the new Marvel movie Thor.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the arrogant first born son of King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) of Asgard, and the rightful heir to the throne. When Thor commits an act that could lead to war between Asgard and the Frostgiants, with whom they have a very shaky truce, Odin strips Thor of his powers and banishes him to Earth until he learns humility. On Earth Thor is found by astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her team (Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings) as they study atmospheric disturbances in New Mexico.

Thor is one of Marvel's lesser known properties, despite having been created by Stan Lee back in 1962. An integral character in Marvel's super powered team The Avengers, the movie version of the comic book was announced not long after the success of Iron Man as part of Marvel Studios attempt to bring The Avengers to the big screen. While Marvel has had great success with the first Iron Man movie and to a lesser extent Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk (which is the closest Marvel Studios has come to failure so far), Thor was a risky proposition with the greatest potential for failure. How does one meld the worlds of the mythical Asgard and Earth seamlessly into a movie that is part of a bigger picture with characters that are based solely in our realm?

Enter Kenneth Branagh. The success of Thor can largely be pinned on having a filmmaker with appropriate gravitas to ground the film. Branagh is a star of stage as well as film (for those of you unfamiliar with the name he played Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). The presence of Branagh alone was somewhat curious considering he's known more for directing acclaimed works like Hamlet (1996) and Henry V (1989) and even as an Irishman the English consider him one of the leaders in Shakespearean theater. It's that knowledge of film and theater that really guides Thor as he borrows as much from Shakespeare's Henry V as he does from modern action films.

Also adding to the weight of Kenneth Branagh's credentials are a list of acclaimed and award winning actors and actresses such as Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, Rene Russo, and Idris Elba. Not only do they have the opportunity to ground the movie, but they also look like they're having fun. Part of why we enjoy this movie is because we can see that they enjoy the movie. No one ever really feels like they're hamming it up or sleepwalking through their scenes, you get the sense that aside from the emotions they convey for their characters concerning their predicaments they all want to be on this set and that feeling is infectious. Also Tom Hiddleston's Loki is a revelation at a time when I have to admit that Marvel Studio's previous villains have been lacking a certain je ne sais que. Hiddleston plays the character with a secret, and a glimmer behind the eyes that slowly unravels like a ripe onion throughout the film holding on to his deceit with the hope of another day. He's more complex than the previous villains that have come out of Marvel Studios, and I'm looking forward to his return in The Avengers.

The real linchpin for why this all works though is Chris Hemsworth. While having been around here and there in blink and you'll miss it parts, Hemsworth got his first big break in JJ Abrams Star Trek reboot in the pivotal role of George Kirk, father of James T. Kirk. While his place in geekdom had been set in a small yet important role, the question of whether he could pull off the Norse god turned Marvel superhero. In a lot of actor's hands this would have been a one note character bereft of emotion and humor. Hemsworth is a magnetic leading man, though, exuding charisma and confidence. His poise commands respect, and he effortlessly flows from emotion to emotion, arrogance to humility, with a comedic timing that leaves the audience in stitches but still doesn't undermine his character.

As with most, if not all comic book movies, this movie tries hard to give you a lot of plot in a short two hour span (I say short because it leaves you wanting more, the way a good action movie should). Naturally, some things are a little undercooked but don't ruin the movie. In the end, as much as I fell in love with Natalie Portman's character (as I do with almost any character she plays) the romantic connection between Thor and Foster didn't ring true because for most of the film he seemed somewhat disinterested only to find his infatuation with her later in the movie. Thor's progression from arrogant strongman to humble hero also seems to be slightly haphazard as it really feels as though it could have used more time to flesh out. Hemsworth does an admirable job making the audience feel each twist and turn of the character, but each twist and turn feels a little too abrupt to be genuine.

All in all though, this was an excellent film: a piece of escapist entertainment that embraces Shakespeare as much as it embraces modern blockbuster pop-art. On the scales of Marvel I'd rate this just slightly under Iron Man and far above Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk. The fact that they were able to get Thor right gives me hope for The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers. If you're a fan of comic book movies, Iron Man, or Marvel I highly recommend that you give this film a try. Not to mention, this is quite possibly the best use of 3D I recall since Avatar. Check it out!

Origins of Monstrosity

Origins of Monstrosity

By NateyG

Amazon Verified Purchase

I was so disappointed to learn that season 2 would not be continuing the Harmon family saga. As such, I came into this episode looking to find fault because surely you can't top what season 1 brought can you?

The fact is that this first episode has curbed some of my reservations, perhaps by bringing back a handful of the beloved first season cast, or maybe because it was a really well written and intriguing story in its own right.

The highlight for me this episode was most certainly Jessica Lange's performance. She seemed to help bridge the gap from old to new by providing a familiar air and a concrete performance, just as worthy of the praise which she received for last season's work.

Origins of Monstrosity

By Ann Mccarthy

Amazon Verified Purchase

I had not expected Sister Jude to become a sympathetic character, but it is happening. Much richer character arcs than I was expecting.

Origins of Monstrosity

By HITLR WAS FRAMED

*SPOILER FREE REVIEW*

I loved the first season a lot, every episode was on my must-watch list (the atmosphere it created, the pacing, the details, the way it weaved this intricate web of characters), it was honestly one of the most innovative and original shows on television.

So I went into this episode with reservations, worried that the creative spark and magic that the first season had was just a fluke...

But oh my god. It was amazing. They introduced a new cast of characters, and an extremely chilling new location, and I seriously thought this was just as good as the season 1 premiere. It was horrifying, titillating, mesmerizing, suprisingly sexy, and such an engrossing story.

If you're liked the first season, you'll love this. And if you haven't watched the first season of American Horror Story, go watch it, you won't regret it!

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

By john thomas

Format:VHS Tape

With apologies to Jimmy Stewart and Ralphie Parker, this is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. If you are reading this because you have never seen "Christmas Vacation", stop right now and go to the video store and rent it. Then come back here and order your own copy because you'll want to watch it over and over again each holiday season.The undisputed gem of the National Lampoon 'Vacation' series, the plot can be summed up very simply: idealistic family man Clark Griswold wants to host the perfect old-fashioned fun family Christmas. As all of us idealistic family men have discovered, there is no such thing as a perfect holiday, and that just about sums it up. The appeal of this film is that we can all relate to the disasters that holidays can become, regardless of how well-meaning we are and how hard we work to achieve them.
The cast is terrific. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen) are back as the Griswolds, with Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki assuming the roles of Audrey and Rusty. John Randolph and Diane Ladd are Clark's parents, while E.G. Marshall and the ultimate mother-in-law, Doris Roberts are Ellen's parents. Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss are Todd and Margo, the yuppie neighbors. William Hickey and Mae Questel (the voice of Betty Boop and Olive Oyl) nearly steal the show as Uncle Lewis and senile Aunt Bethany. Randy Quaid does steal the show - his "cousin-in-law" Eddie is one of the all-time great characters in recent comedy history.
The self-inflicted situations that befall Clark in his holiday quest are peppered with memorable dialogue and slapstick, yet believable enough to bring flickers of recognition to most viewers. Witness his mishaps on the roof putting up the lights; getting trapped in the attic; spending his Christmas bonus before he gets it; dealing with his snooty neighbors; and getting hilariously tongue-tied at the lingerie counter and being remarkably eloquent when he gets his "bonus". Admit it. We've all been there.
A holiday movie should be one that holds up to repeated viewings, and this one does. Besides the excellent cast and the familiar situations, there is a great score by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks), the animated opening credits sequence, and some fine tunes such as "Hey Santa Claus" by the Moonglows! There are numerous little touches that you might not catch the first several times - check out the shape of the packages in Mr. Shirley's office when Clark gives him his gift, and see what happens to the light bulbs Clark puts in the cart at the Wal-Mart.
I suspect, like in our home, "Christmas Vacation" has become a sort of institution in many homes each holiday season. We like to get together with friends to watch it, with everyone dressing as a character from the movie. We eat green jello with "cat food" in it, stand and join in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner, recite the lines along with the characters, and give thanks that our holidays are at least a little better than the Griswolds'.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

By Andy Radke

Format:DVD

Finally, after all this time, Warner Brothers have come to their senses. On October 7th, we will be treated to a heftly helping of one of the greatest Christmas films to ever grace the silver screen............in WIDESCREEN.I was extremely disappointed with the previous DVD release of this film which contained a pan & scan presentation and nothing more than a theatrical trailer in the extras department.
What we have here is a special edition of this great movie, which will contain audio commentary from both Beverly D'Angelo and Chevy Chase, a "making of" featurette, as well as other stocking stuffers which have yet to be disclosed at this present time.
Being a huge fan of this movie, I honestly can't wait for this release. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" has become a holiday tradition in my home, and to be able to see it the way it was intended to be seen is truly a treat for me.
Aside from the features of the disk, the film itself is the true gift. One of the funniest movies today which still withstands the test of time even 15 years later. The premise is simple. Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) is hell bent on having an old-fashioned family Christmas in his home, relatives and all. Of course, the hilarity kicks in when things start to go awry. There are so many hilarious scenes in this movie, it would be difficult to list them all. You have everything from an electrocuted cat, to a house with the brightest Christmas light display known to man. Let's not forget the dried up turkey, the saucer sled and the dog/squirrel chase! There's so much more I could say to praise this movie, but if you haven't already seen it, [I won't say more]

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

By "halo1000"

Format:DVD

With the Christmas season approaching, I thought I'd give my review of Christmas Vacation. While some people are watching It's a Wonderful Life, I'm watching the hilarious antics of Clark W. Griswold.If you've seen the other Vacation movies, you know that poor old Clark W. Griswold brings disaster with him wherever he goes. Although, with this go-round, he stays home this time, trying to throw a "Good-old-fashioned-family Christmas". But, of course, there's disaster at every corner. Clark staples himself to a storm gutter putting up Christmas lights, which cause brownouts. A squirrel lives in his Christmas tree. His cousin's doberman brings down the house. Literally. His snooty neighbors won't cut him any slack. He puts an experimental kitchen lubricant on his pan sled. And, on top of that, his hilariously goofy cousin (Randy Quaid) shows up without warning.
The cast is great. Chevy Chase is, as always, histerical, as is Beverly D'Angelo as his smart-aleck wife. Julia-Louis Dreyfus is great as one of Clark's stuck-up neighbors, but the funniest role has to be Randy Quaid as Clark's redneck cousin, Eddie. Quaid was perfect for that role, as well as the rest of Clark's and Ellen's families. I also like the animated Santa intro to the movie, where Santa visits the Griswold residence. If you think you're having a bad holiday, one viewing of this film will quickly change your mind. If you don't laugh at this movie, I will come over to your house and force you to watch this movie several times over. You have to see Christmas Vacation at least once. How could you not laugh at Clark's antics?

Footloose (2011)

Footloose (2011)

By E. M. Bristol VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

From Tom Cruise getting down in his tighty whiteys in "Risky Business" to Jennifer Grey having the time of her life in "Dirty Dancing", eighties movies were filled with great moments involving dancing. They were one of a kind, and can't be recreated with the same impact. If you asked me before I saw the reviews, I would have said that the cinematic world did not need a remake of "Footloose." Mainly, because I can't think of a remake of an eighties' film that bettered the original. In this case, I've only seen bits of the original, so I thought this was pretty good.

The plot is the same as the `84 version. When a group of teens are killed in a drunk driving accident, the minister (Dennis Quaid) whose son has also died, and the town officials ban virtually everything teens do for recreation, including dancing. (Drag racing busses aflame, does get a pass.) Three years later, Bobby's younger sister, Ariel, played by Julianne Hough, is busy doing everything that's been banned and not caring if she's caught. She also has the requisite bad boy older boyfriend, who doesn't respect her. Naturally, she's a perfect match for new kid in town Ren (Kenny Wormald reprising the Kevin Bacon role), who's moved in with his uncle's family, following the death of his mom from cancer. Ren is a good kid, but after a series of run-ins with the local authorities, he decides to cut loose, kick off his Sunday shoes and with his new friends, get the ban on dancing revoked.

The lead does a good job, but if you ask me, Miles Teller, playing Ren's pal who must overcome his fears of being a "dancing dork" stole the show. Also excellent is Andie McDowell, in the role of the preacher's wife, who has stood by her man for too long and is about to tell him some uncomfortable truths. Oh yes, and the dancing is totally awesome.

Footloose (2011)

By Avisso

Format:Blu-ray

They remade Footloose? I groaned when I even thought about how bad this was going to be. I liked the original, and didn't even consider seeing this when it came out at the theatre. Flash forward to a cold and rainy night, and my teenage kids decide to rent this on pay per view. I groan again, thinking how awful this is going to be. I couldn't even watch it, so I puttered around the house doing everything else but sit there and watch a somewhat iconic movie be destroyed. Two hours later, and my kids could not stop talking about it. They loved it. Curious, I plopped down and watched it. They wanted to see it again. I was shocked. The first thing that grabs your attention is how my kids kept thinking the clothes and hair were cool. I told them that in the ancient 80's, we used to flip our collars up, have our pants cinched at the ankles, and wear our hair short on the sides and long on top. I also told them we used to dance. It was a blast from the past, but a bridge to the present. The story seemed fresh to the teenagers, and was even fresh to me. The dancing is great. The acting is decent, and this movie is fun. There are a few scenes that are not appropriate for younger kids (a girl having sex for the first time, drug references, underage drinking, a girl getting slapped by her boyfriend, some swearing), but very tame stuff when compared to the groundbreaking stuff John Hughes did in the 80's. It was a way to connect with the kids. The movie is certainly way better than expected. Way better than the garbage some remakes are. Well done. Well done indeed.

Footloose (2011)

By My Blue Heaven

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

It wasn't too bad a remake. I really liked some of the new actors and still preferred some of the old ones like Bacon. I liked that they didn't add too many new dance styles with people just constantly break dancing all over like most new dance movies these days. I do wish they would have kept it back in that time era though, i find it hard to believe a town would pass a no dance law in 2011. However, all in all it was a pretty decent remake.

No Strings Attached

No Strings Attached

By JoshuaRM

Format:Blu-ray

All the ingredients for a fine contemporary comedy are here, including a pertinent theme (the difficulty of finding love amid career obligations and easy sex) and an assortment of courageous young actors (Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Greta Gerwig, Olivia Thirlby). Unfortunately the director is Ivan Reitman, who's never made a more emotionally complex film than Meatballs (1979). Telling the story of a med student (Portman) and an aspiring TV writer (Kutcher) who try to navigate a "sex friendship" without falling in love, Reitman settles for easy laughs, and his off-color jokes about menstruation and drug use feel like greeting-card gags. The charismatic leads keep this watchable, but it's a waste of their talents.

No Strings Attached

By Loo

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

It is really sad when you get your expectations up with a new Ivan Reitman comedy only to be bitterly dissapointed by it. There is a hardly any chemistry between the two protaganists (Portman and Kutcher). All we get is a bawdy comedy with a slow moving story. Kevin Kline is simply wasted. Just oh dear, yawn.

No Strings Attached

By Erin K. Dowd

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

I consider myself to be a solid judge of a movie based on the previews, and this movie's previews definitely piqued my interest. As a single woman, begrudgingly falling into the stereotype, I'm always seeking a good love story that I can relate to. Unfortunately, I felt that this one fell flat. A decent overall movie to watch on a rainy day, but a uninspiring storyline.

The Campaign

The Campaign

By Michael Ledo TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is a congressman who runs unopposed. After he leaves a graphic obscene phone call at a wrong number, he becomes vulnerable. The rich Motch brothers (Koch brothers) decide they can buy this election and own a congressman in the effeminate Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis). The story centers around their over the top, no holds bar campaign against each other.

The film news extras include mostly the MSNBC crowd. The humor is crude and sexual such as when Marty's wife (Sarah Baker) admits "I touch myself to Drew Carey on "The Price is Right." Okay so who doesn't.

It is a satire of the American electorate who relish slogans and sound bites over substance. It makes a statement on how our nation can be bought, but not as good as Steven Colbert. At times the film becomes too over the top and loses sight of the satire.

Parental Guide: F-bombs, sex, brief nudity (Amelia Jackson-Gray)

The Campaign

By DL

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

There were a few funny parts but overall this movie was not very good. I think it would have made a great SNL skit but not as a whole movie.

The Campaign

By Jorge

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

Not the best movie, but it does have some LOL moments! The problem is that it gets boring at times.