MIAMI VICE: Seasons Three &
Four - UniversalDetective James
“Sonny” Crockett and detective Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs, of the
Miami-Dade police department’s organized crime bureau vice
unit, work deep undercover as seedy criminals to infiltrate
and bring down the various criminal enterprises of southern
Florida. This time you get two seasons released together for
double the action and adventure. Don Johnson and Philip
Michael Thomas heat up the screen as detectives Crockett and
Tubbs going from one intense situation to another leaving
you at the edge of your seat. This show was one of the most
successful series’ of its time and still has “staying power”
with all of us that grew up loving it. The recent film only
helped the show regain its popularity with the younger
generations. How many of you still have your white “Don
Johnson” coat in the closet? You know who you are! All of
the episodes from these seasons are classics combining
intense action, suspense and thrills with comedy and great
on-screen drama that only Johnson and Thomas could pull off.
Season
three contains 24 episodes on five discs
and season four containing 22 episodes on five discs. All
the episodes are digitally restored with premium picture and
sound. The packaging is attractive with lots of stills from
the show and a detailed episode synopsis on the insert.
Miami Vice fans will love reliving older memories of the
show and younger generations will discover new ones. This is
a set worth owning for your classic TV collection.
ROCKY BALBOA - Sony
Rocky is struggling to come to terms with
his life after he retires. Adrian’s passing has left Rocky
(Sylvester Stallone) a widower who lives more in the past
than the now which strains the few relationships that he has
namely his son Robert, Jr. (now played by ‘Heroes’ Milo
Ventimiglia and his nutty brother-in-law Paulie (Burt
Young). But when a computer simulation pits a in-his-prime
Rocky vs. the current undefeated champion Mason Dixon (boxer
Antonio Tarver) Rocky becomes focused on a return to the
ring to let loose the ‘beast’ one final time. Stallone
really puts his heart into this sequel to give full closure
to the Rocky story. The fact that Stallone can look that
good at his age and convince us that he still “has it” is
nothing more that a miracle. The final fight was such a
pleasant surprise and sent the message to the audience that
you can’t let age and time inhibit your ability to lose
faith or heart. Live each day to its fullest and let the
past go. The DVD presents the film in Widescreen format with
5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Extras include Deleted Scenes and
an Alternate Ending, Bloopers, “Making of “ feature, Audio
commentary with Stallone, “Filming Rocky’s Final Fight”
feature and “Virtual Champion: Creating the computer fight”
featurette. This is a great final chapter to the Rocky story
that everyone should own.
ERAGON - Fox
In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy
happens upon a dragon’s egg -- a discovery that leads him on
a predestined journey where he realized he’s the one person
who can defend his home against an evil king. Finally, a
story about dragons that is worth seeing!! I thought when
the “Dragonheart” films came out that they would be similar
to this film. I was sorely disappointed with them in hopes
that they could have been darker in nature. Disney’s
“Dragonslayer” was quite entertaining but tended to lack in
key areas including the characters themselves. We won’t even
talk about “Reign of Fire”!! Eragon is based on a series of
books that the younger generation can’t get enough of. The
cast is a mixture of unknown faces including Edward Speleers
and Chris Egan combined with familiar actors like Jeremy
Irons and John Malkovich. This mix helps the pace of the
film and provides substance in the overall tone of the
picture. Having the voice of Rachel Weisz for the dragon
brought this CGI character to
life helping the overall character
development between Eragon and Saphira. The overall effects
are stunning and the musical score provided by Patrick Doyle
puts this film over the top. The DVD presents the film in
Widescreen format with Dolby 5.1 DTS surround. Extras
include audio commentary with Director Stefen Fangmeier,
Extended and Deleted Scenes, “Magic of Eragon” documentary,
featurettes on Alagaesia characters and visual effects.
There are also unused storyboards, “Saphira’s Animation”
feature with commentary and a teaser trailer. This is a
great buy with loads of great extras to boot. I eagerly
await the sequel!
THE STORY OF 1 - PBS
How old is One? A precise answer is
impossible, but a nothed Ishango bone found in the Congo
proves that it’s been around for at least 20,000 years.
One’s modern identity began about 6,000 years ago, when the
Sumerians turned it into a cone-shaped token and then into
the first ever numeric character. The numeral traveled
throughout Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, influencing
science, mathmatics, astronomy and even tax collecting.
Terry Jones goes on a humor filled journey to recount the
amazing tale behind the world’s simplest number. The Story
of 1 reveals how civilizations used One to develop their
culture; wher our modern numbers came from; and how the
invention of zero changed the world forever. This particular
program is priceless, especially for people interested in
mathematics. Not your ordinary mockumentary, this one will
actually capture your attention and you might just learn
something in the process!
CHILDREN OF MEN - Universal
Children of Men is not a popcorn movie.
With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the
future, Alfonso CuarÛn’s film doesn’t make for pleasant
viewing. But it’s an exhilarating experience because the
picture is an amazing dystopian drama that lacks all the
typical trappings of the genre. Set uncomfortably close to
the present, it paints a frighteningly realistic picture of
the future. In 2027, every woman on earth is infertile. With
the loss of the ability to have children, the world has also
lost hope. Clive Owen plays Theo, an Englishman attempting
to make a life in a hellish world. His estranged wife
(Julianne Moore) convinces him to help transport a young
woman to safety. When Theo learns that the woman is
pregnant, their journey takes on a significance--and a
danger--he never imagined.
THE MARIO BAVA COLLECTION: Vol. One - Anchor Bay
This collection presents five giallo
classics from legendary Italian horror director Mario Bava:
Black Sunday (1960), Black Sabbath (1963), The Girl Who Knew
Too Much (1963), Knives of the Avenger (1965), and Kill Baby
Kill (1966). More than a quarter of a century after his
death, director Mario bava remains one of international
cinema’s most controversial icons. Today his influence can
still be seen in the works of modern day directors. This
collection brings together five landmark movies from the
first half of Bava’s career. This set is simply not to be
missed!
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM - Fox
Ben Stiller plays Larry Daley, a
down-on-his-luck divorced father in this family-friendly
tale directed by Shawn Levy. Larry has lots of ideas and
dreams, but none of them come to fruition. In an attempt to
prove his stability to his ex-wife (Kim Raver) and his son,
Nicky (Jake Cherry), Larry accepts a job as a night guard at
the Museum of Natural History. But the elderly night guards
who hire him, played by entertainment legends Mickey Rooney,
Dick Van Dyke, and Bill Cobbs, fail to mention one crucial
detail: when the museum is closed, everything inside comes
to life. From Attila the Hun to miniature Roman soldiers,
African mammals to Neanderthal men, and Egyptian mummies to
dinosaur skeletons, the museum teems with lively activity.
Now it’s Larry’s job to control the mayhem and show his son
that he is, indeed, a great man after all.