MOVIE REVIEWS

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

In the latest installment of the Twilight Saga, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Edward and Jacob — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

I know what you're thinking. Ugh, here we go again. Another installment to the tweeners of the world and their saga to have more romantically charged, mindless entertainment fodder to rot their brain with over the summer months. Right? Well, I have to tell you, there are a number of positive moments in this film. If ever there was a role created specifically for one actor, it was Edward for Robert Pattinson. He clearly shines in the role. Lautner does the same. Personally I continue to question the decision to cast Kristen Stewart in this role. Stewart lacks the depth and determination the role requires. Oh, and lest I forget the decision by the powers that be to remove the mystical Rachelle LeFevre and replace her with Bryce Dallas Howard. What the heck? Count me as one of the handful of folks that believe that was a bad decision. What next? Replace Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort? Geez. The direction of the film is succinct and, unlike in the second installment, the pacing has good momentum. Bottom line is there are more vampires, more wolves, Victoria is still out to get Bella and, lest I forget, something big between Edward and Bella. Awards fodder? No way. But it is the perfect flick to buy a bucket of popcorn, sit down with your significant other and watch the film unfold. Enjoy!

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart & Taylor Lautner
Director: David Slade
Company:
Summit Entertainment
Now Showing: in Local Theaters today
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Grade: B

DVD Reviews

FREE DVD GIVEAWAY

We are doing a Free DVD Giveaway! If you are interested in a chance at winning a free copy of The Real McCoys: Season Four, Rem Kolhaas: A Kind of Architect, Bass Ackwards, or Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles, it is really easy! All you have to do is send me an email at Filmlords@gmail.com. The subject line of the email should read DVD GIVEAWAY. In the body of the email, be sure to put your name, full mailing address and which DVD or Blu-ray you would like. Winners will be selected by random drawing. Best of luck!

THE GAME: Season Three - Paramount

Being the wife or girlfriend of a pro-football player might sound like a glamorous and stress-free existence, but Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) is about to discover the truth. Melanie’s boyfriend, Derwin, is the new third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers. While Derwin worries about the plays on the field, Melanie learns about the power plays that NFL wives use to get their men the best agents, managers, endorsements, merchandising deals and even the “in” charity. As she deals with egos, groupies and image consultants, Melanie is finding out how “the game” is played among the women behind the athletes.

HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL: Season 4, Volume 2 - Paramount

Have Gun Will Travel, perhaps a bit before it's time, was a groundbreaking show that appealed to those of all ages. The show followed the adventures of Paladin (Richard Boone), a gentleman/gunfighter, who preferred to settle problems without violence, yet, when forced to fight, excelled. Paladin lived in the Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, where he dressed in formal attire, ate gourmet food, and attended the opera. In fact, many who met him initially mistook him for a dandy from the East. When working, he dressed in black, used calling cards, wore a holster that carried characteristic chess knight emblems, and carried a derringer under his belt.

THE WHITE RIBBON: Blu-ray - Sony

The White Ribbon represents everything movies try desperately to achieve, yet so often fail at so miserably. Michael Haneke's film is set just before World War I in a village in northern Germany, where a series of strange occurrences take place over several months. These occurrences are sinister and cruel and often involve the children of the village--not merely as victims but also as perpetrators. At least that's the way it appears. Nothing is completely spelled out in Haneke's scheme, which hints and insinuates and thoroughly gets under the viewer's skin over the course of 144 edgy minutes. We might notice the children are of an age that will make them mature participants in the horror of Germany in the 1930s and '40s, but even this is left as an unemphasized point. The film will keep you on the edge of your seat from the opening moments through the final act as Haneke weaves his web of failed conclusions like a game of who done it. Clearly one of the best films of the year, make sure to get your copy today.

SMITHSONIAN: White House Revealed - Infinity

Narrated by the enigmatic Martin Sheen, White House Revealed takes a close look inside the world's most powerful residence. Inside the walls of the home of America, the President of the United States not only makes decisions that affect the entire country but also is the place of refuge where he and his family recharge themselves each and every day. With the staff at hand, the maids, assistants, ushers, valets, butlers, chefs, engineers and custodial staff all work tirelessly to ensure the needs of the First Family are met every minute of every day. This title will be released on July 20.

THE AGATHA CHRISTIE HOUR: Set One - Acorn

A quintet of short stories by the unparalleled mistress of crime fiction are turned into one-hour mysteries in The Agatha Christie Hour, Set 1. What's most interesting about these episodes is that none of them are murders; instead, they range from intriguing character portraits to whimsical comedy in a P. G. Wodehouse vein. Two feature one of Christie's lesser-known recurring characters, Parker Pyne, a retired statistician who's turned his gift for finding patterns in data to solving the problem of unhappiness. Both cases involve folk whose lives have gone flat--one, a middle-aged wife who fears her husband has eyes for his young secretary, the other a retired military officer who finds civilian life bland and tedious. With the aid of his secretary Miss Lemon and the author Ariadne Oliver, both of whom went on to appear in some Hercule Poirot tales, Pyne orchestrates adventures for his clients.

BROOKLYN'S FINEST - Anchor Bay

Brooklyn's Finest follows three NYPD cops who come from very different places as their lives, and the compromises they have made daily to coexist with the mean streets of Brooklyn, dovetail to a climax that will have viewers on the edge of their seats. Fuqua has assembled a stellar cast here, including Richard Gere, a veteran cop just a week from retirement; the always amazing Don Cheadle, an undercover officer whose loyalties to the force may be compromised by his growing loyalties to the groups he's infiltrating; and the film's true revelation, Ethan Hawke, a young corrupt cop whose morals make the stomach turn, though Hawke's performance is nuanced and riveting. Supporting cast members include Wesley Snipes as a badass gangster whom even the police have second thoughts about messing with.

THE ECLIPSE - Magnolia

Woodworking instructor Michael Farr (Ciarán Hinds), who lost his wife two years before, volunteers as a chauffeur for Cobh Cove's annual literary festival. As the event begins, he sees the ghost of his father-in-law, Malachy (Jim Norton), who isn't dead, wandering through the townhouse he shares with his two children. Michael seeks advice from Lena Morelle (Iben Hjejle), who is the British author of The Eclipse, a book about ghosts. She suspects Malachy might be close to death. Married American novelist Nicholas Holden (Aidan Quinn), who had a fling with Lena the previous year, has also arrived in the Cork hamlet, hoping to rekindle the flame, except the divorced Lena finds herself drawn to the soft-spoken widower. If Michael shares her interest, he isn't quite ready to move on, though the combination of a persistent ghost and a desperate novelist pushes him in unexpected directions.

EYEBORGS: Blu-ray - Image

In the near future as fear of terrorism escalates, privacy is a luxury of the past. Now, in people's homes, on the streets, in the workplace, everyone is constantly being watched by mobile robotic cameras known as Eyeborgs. But are the cameras just watching...or are they up to something else? As an increasing number of people die in bizarre ways, federal agent Gunner Reynolds (Adrian Paul) is determined to find out after he realizes that a camera has recorded an event much differently than he recalls. Clearly a futuristic thriller, Eyeborgs is definitely interesting from beginning to end and is a sure to enjoy for the family.

THE WARLORDS - Magnet

The setting for Warlords is China in the 1860s, when a seemingly endless war for control of the country rages on between the Imperial Ching Army and the Taiping rebels. As the action begins, Pang Qingyun (Jet Li), a Ching general, and his men have been abandoned by a fellow general, resulting in a terrible slaughter at the hands of the rebels--in fact, only Pang survives. But he soon joins forces with Zhao Er-Hu (Andy Lau) and Zhang Wen-Xiang (Takeshi Kaneshiro), forming a "brotherhood" that all three swear will bind them together forever, come what may. Pang, whose battle tactics are dangerous but also bold and innovative, assumes the leadership role, but as the three leaders and their ragtag soldiers overcome enormous odds and take the key rebel-held cities of Suzhou and then Nanking, he becomes increasingly megalomaniacal and ruthless, severely testing the bonds of the brotherhood and alienating the more merciful Er-Hu in particular.

JUST ADD SPICE - PBS

What an interesting program! Everyone knows that parenting isn't easy. In our world today, many recognize that parents are often more interested in being their child's friend as opposed to their parent. This program focuses on parents with kids that range in age from three to six and provides reinforcing parenting skills that help kids learn good habits. These positive habits range from eating healthy to behaving appropriately in a multitude of situations. Utilizing the major components of the SPICE method (Structure, Praise, Inspire, Consistency, Enjoy) will provide parents and kids alike with reachable goals necessary towards achieving the bottom line - a healthy body and home.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN: Season Ten - PBS

Join Christopher Kimball and the cast of America s Test Kitchen, the most-watched cooking show on public television, to learn the basics of great home cooking. From Rustic Dinner Rolls and Tandoori Chicken to Tiple Chocolate Mousse Cake and Best Blueberry Muffins, these recipes will work the first time you try them, thanks to the dozens of test cooks who develop, refine, and test recipes again and again until they arrive at the very best versions. In addition, this collection includes honest tastings of supermarket ingredients, detailed ratings of indispensable kitchen equipment and tools, and helpful kitchen science tips so that you can make informed choices when shopping. Simply put, learning to become a better cook has never been this foolproof or fun!

U2 LET THEM BE: The Second Chapter - Chrome Dreams

One of the biggest and most flamboyant bands in history, U2 is still going strong after 30 years on the scene. Remember the bands that hit the scene in the 1980's and faded away just as quickly? U2 wouldn't allow themselves to meet that same fate. This double DVD set provides you, the fan, with the complete and extraordinary story that represents their plan of rebirth. Also included are interviews, rare and unseen footage, as well as analysis from those closest to the group. Archival material abounds in this brilliantly created DVD program that is simply a must own for any fan of the group.

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - Nickelodeon

Kids love school! With School right around the corner again, keep kids active and involved with this brilliant DVD from Nickelodeon! This year, celebrate school with Dora, Diego, Blue’s Clues, the Wonder Pets, and Kai-lan all together on one DVD! Perfect for kids of all ages, this DVD hits the stores on July 13.

PREDATOR: Blu-ray - Fox

Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of U.S. Army commandos to a remote region of South American jungle, where they've been assigned to search for South American officials who've been kidnapped by terrorists. Instead they find a bunch of skinned corpses hanging from the trees and realize that they're now facing a mysterious and much deadlier threat. As the squad is picked off one by one, Arnold finds himself pitted against a hideous alien creature that's heavily armed and wearing a spacesuit enabling the creature to render itself invisible. The title says it all in describing the relentless, escalating action that follows, maintained by McTiernan with an abundance of visual flair. The film's special effects are still impressive, and stunning locations in the Mexican jungles create a combined atmosphere of verdant beauty and imminent danger.

BARNEY: On the Go Pack - HIT Entertainment

Who doesn't just love Barney? That's right, Barney rocks and with this set, he rocks times three! This incredible set includes three full length Barney DVD's along with a portable carrying case that holds up to twelve of your DVDs. This set includes Red Yellow Blue, Barney's Colorful World, and Happy Mad Silly Sad. Watch Barney and his pals live life to the fullest. Enjoyable for kids of all ages.

THOMAS & FRIENDS: On the Go Pack - HIT Entertainment

Perfect for children no matter the age, Thomas and his buddies help teach life's lessons by example and reinforcement. This Thomas & Friends set contains three full length DVDs inside a perfect carrying case that will hold up twelve different DVDs. This set includes Trust Thomas, Hooray for Thomas and Thomas, Percy & the Dragon. Help keep your kids active in learning over the summer and grab your copy today!

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