Hannibal: Season One

A Psychological Slow Burn: A Show That Stays Remarkably True To The Legacy Of Hannibal Lecter
I think it's fair to say that Hannibal Lecter became an American horror icon for most people with the Oscar winning film "The Silence of the Lambs." Personally, I discovered Lecter back in 1981 when author Thomas Harris introduced him in "Red Dragon." As a kid, I read this novel with a sick fascination and it was easily the scariest book I had read up until that point. Michael Mann adapted it into the film "Manhunter" in 1986 with character actor Brian Cox in the Lecter role, but it wasn't until 1991 and Anthony Hopkins that Lecter became incredibly popular. Hopkins revisited the role with another interpretation of "Red Dragon" and then "Hannibal," and has owned the role ever since. When I heard that NBC was helming a drama based on Lecter, I thought it was a disastrous idea! Network television is no such place for such evil! But I must say that the program has far exceeded my rather limited expectations. Created as a prequel to the events of "Red Dragon," the show has a...

Fascinating
Its hard not to compare this show to the Following with Kevin Bacon. On the surface, they're very similar. Tortured main character, gruesome murders, creepy psychopaths. Yet, they are, in essence, nothing alike. Bacon's character is a cliche. Will Graham, the protagonist in Hannibal, is so beautifully drawn, I can't take my eyes off him. He is a "special investigator" with the FBI. Those who work with him see him as fragile, so much so that they all seem to be holding their collective breath, waiting for him to shatter. The thing that makes him weak in their eyes is his stunning depth of empathy. This is how he solves crimes. Hannibal Lecter, a psychologist (and future notorious psychopath) who works with the FBI and Graham, has a different perspective. When Graham asks "how do you see me?", Lecter replies, you are "the mongoose I want under the house when the snakes slither by."

The production quality is high, the supporting cast is great. The show is smartly written.

I Savor This Show
Absolutely brilliantly done with a cast of characters whose acting talents are far superior to nearly every other on network television. You cannot surpass the level of depth of character development, the writing, where as they discuss real theories of psychology; build up, and character development between Will Graham and Dr. Lecter is unlike anything else on television and cannot be done with a movie.

Eventually we will view shows like this one not to be just a show, but rather a series of movies, each telling a story, where at one point a 2 hour movie will not be enough anymore to satisfy our palate for something as savory as this series.

This will become a classic.

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Beverly Hills Cop [HD]

an 80s classic that is a time capsule AND timeless
This is one of those simple movies that is so deceptively good, you don't realize how good it is. I have probably unintentionally seen this movie 30 times. Every single time it is on TV, I end up stopping whatever it is I was doing and end up watching it to the end, even though I know who the bad guys are and how it ends.

Murphy is Axel Foley, a Detroit police detective. His boss, Inspector Todd, is portrayed by real life Gilbert Hill, a semi-famous police detective in his own right. "Mad About You" creator and star Paul Riser has a small role as Foley's fellow detective. Todd is always threatening Foley with termination due to his costly methods of crime busting.

When his friend Mikey Tandino (James Russo) arrives from Beverly Hills to Detroit to visit with his childhood friend, Foley, Mikey gets murdered. Foley is hit on the head during the hit on his friend, but is otherwise unscathed.

Because of his relationship with Mikey, a guy with a lengthy record of minor...

Saturday night live on Rodeo Drive...
Although his present career may be waning Eddie Murphy will always be remembered for his role as Axel Foley, narcotics detective. Sadly it may also be due to films such as this that the paying public will never see him as a serious actor. Despite these negative aspects Murphys performance in this rip roaring satire on the Beverley Hills lifestyle never fails to raise a smirk and possibly a little envy. To remind those readers who may have forgotten the plot Murphy plays an out of state detective, Alex Foley, who travels to Los Angeles in his leave time, and against his superiors direct orders, to suss out the suspicious death of a close friend. Inevitably he meets up with his dead mates former associates and along the way uncovers a drug smuggling ring. Enough said.

Although Eddie is the star of the show and does a good turn he is unforgettably upstaged in two memorable scenes. The first is with "the banana man" at the hotel, Damon Wayans in a brief but comedic...

Murphy's Best Role - A Unique Fish-Out-Of-Water Comedy!,
Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is in Beverly Hills for a few days to investigate the murder of an old acquaintance. Axel assumes the suspect is a local tycoon, but no one seems to believe him - including the police force, being semi-run by Ronny Cox (in one of his rare good-guy roles).

Axel comes into trouble with the law his first day on the job after getting thrown through a glass window by some thugs. He is arrested, and when released finds himself hounded by a pair of inept police officers around the town for a few days. After outsmarting them (in one of cinema's most delightful moments - ever) Axel gets hooked up with an old friend and manages to roam the streets looking for clues - which, of course, he finds very easily.

Before this film Eddie Murphy had starred in one film that had launched his name into Hollywood: "48 HRS." But by all reasonable comparisons this is a much, much better film, and it's also much, much funnier, too. What's most...

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Friends: The Complete Seventh & Eighth Seasons

Love it
ery excited about this purhase. Products were shipped fast. Product had no scratches and played without skipping. Would reccommend to others.

Quite a buy
Great value that is not common in the market (at least around my area). The bundled deal came in original packaging, no damage and correct. Excellent deal for ten dollars a season on a wonderful series.

Great price
It's cheaper to buy this set than to buy seasons 7 and 8 individually! Product was shrink wrapped when it arrived and brand new! Works great and would definitely buy again.

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Suits - Pilot

Elevating The Formula With Smarts, Sophistication, And Uncommon Wit
The courtroom drama has become such a staple of American television, it is impossible to imagine a program with a completely unique approach to the legal genre. Yet, you always hope a show can tweak the formula and give you something you haven't seen a hundred times previously. While USA Network's "Suits" certainly isn't revolutionary television in its casework, it has brought something quite unexpected to the defense table. Spending more time in the boardroom than in the courthouse, this remarkably engaging show has brought a sense of smarts and sophistication to the proceedings--and trust me, I haven't used the word sophistication to describe a basic cable TV show in some time. A lot of elements work just fine here, but there are two specific things that elevate this show to the next level. First, the dialogue is snappy, genuinely funny and filled with clever wordplay. Second, the two leads (Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams) have uncommonly good timing in serving up that dialogue...

Suits is brilliantly entertaining
The script, acting, and quality are all flawless, as far as television goes. If you're looking to be highly entertained, then look no further. The subtle humor, creative plot, and enjoyable dialogue entices the viewer more with each passing moment.

If you're into legal shows that include all aspects of human nature, including compassion, then Suits is for you.

Hopefully this show continues to have the opportunity to thrive; it has definitely drawn me in and I won't miss a second of it.

An Intelligent, Sparkling New Television Series
SUITS is smart, sassy, clever, sophisticated, timely and immensely entertaining! The new series debuted with a full 60 minute story that establishes the characters very solidly, opens pathways for many story lines, and boasts an exceptional cast of fine actors. Here is hoping it makes it as an ongoing series, especially since it is not yet another crime drama! Not that Criminal Mains, The Mentalist, Without A Trace will lose their place among the best show on television, but with all the spinoffs on the crime shows, the available choices have been dwindling lately.

SUITS is a lawyer show. Set in New York (captured, by the way, in beautiful cinematic vistas) it focuses on a very successful law firm, managed by Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) who balances the talents of her two top lawyers, the smarmy Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) who is a control freak, and the very brilliant but egotistical Harvey Spector (Gabriel Macht). There is a particularly appealing and very bright...

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Braveheart [Blu-ray]

Braveheart - Mel Gibson's crowning achievement!
"Braveheart" is quite simply, one of the best and most successful movies ever created and a huge part of that success comes from the efforts extended by Mel Gibson, as he wore three different hats for this masterpiece, those being producer, director and star. The one oddity about this movie for me was that I pretty much wore out my VHS copy of it and had, a couple years ago, purchased the DVD but only just recently took the opportunity to watch it again and no matter how many times you watch this movie, it is still a stunning, compelling and extraordinarily intriguing film that draws you in to the life of William Wallace despite already knowing how it's going to end.

The one thing that drives this movie is the spirit that Mel Gibson puts into his character of William Wallace and it is of no surprise that "Braveheart" won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1995 and Best Director for Mel Gibson. The only true surprise was that he wasn't among the top...

There are a few I think who missed the point.
In order to maintain the appearence of objectivity, I was going to rate this movie 4 stars. But I just couldn't. It really deserves 5, and it's going to get every one of them. This movie features some of the most stunning cinematography I've ever seen (scenes of particular brilliance include the deer-hunting scene and the slo-mo shots right before Gibson's first rebellion), impeccable acting (I don't know why the British have been hiding their actors from the American film industry - every one of the British/Scottish actors in the film was amazing, and Patrick McGoohan (sp) gave an incredible performance as Longshanks, not to mention newcomer Sophie Marceau), a magical musical score, and on and on and on and on. Physical elements alone qualify this work for the title of Best Picture.

Yet, a number of people chastise Gibson and the movie for a number of reasons, primarily its departure from historical accuracy. I do believe these people have missed the point, for I do...

Blood, bravery & idealism in an epic fist punch to your gut.
On a whole number of levels, this movie shouldn't have worked for me. It takes considerable license with historical facts, not only in order to supplement details that are not part of William Wallace's legend but actually, wherever convenient. ("We stuck to history where we could but hyped it up where the legend let us," actor-director Mel Gibson admits on the DVD's commentary track.) It is graphically and unabashedly violent: from throat cuttings to battle scenes that have film blood literally splashing onto the camera, beheadings, a traitor's head smashed with a
wrecking ball, and fully 15 minutes of Wallace's "purification by pain," it shows some of the most brutal behavior conceivable. It also engages in some of the most blatant gay profiling in recent film history - not just in the drastic end administered on the lover of King Edward I. "Longshanks"'s son, but equally in the portrayal of both characters and their relationship as such. Last but not least, Mel Gibson...

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Like Crazy [HD]

BLU RAY UPDATE: 4 1/2 stars for an honest depiction of young romance
There have many films over the years about long distance romance including 2010's cute romantic comedy "Going the Distance." In that film it involves one person in New York and the other in L. A. The characters are put in circumstances that bring a chuckle or two. That way, the angst of the difficult romance is lessened. In this film whose title comes from a line "I love you `like crazy'" our lovers have more obstacles including distance. Jacob (Anton Yelchin) is a teaching assistant at a Los Angeles college where Anna (newcomer Felicity Jones) is a student from England. She has eyes for Jacob and leaves him a rather lengthy note on his car windshield. We only see glimpses of the note, but Jacob appreciates the effort and the humor of the contents. They go out and begin dating and eventually fall in love. During this section of the film we of course get to witness what I refer to as the "falling in love part". That is, running on the beach, eating ice cream, riding bumper...

Some of this movie just doesn't make sense...
Okay, let's start with Jacob's plywood chair company. Every time he started to draw a new plywood chair idea on a napkin, I had to laugh. Leave the plywood chairs to IKEA and other mass manufacturers.
I found some moments in this movie compelling, but for the most part it was agonizing to watch Anna and Jacob torture each other and their other partners with the ebb and flow of living together and living apart. Jennifer Lawrence does an admirable job portraying Jacob's other very admirable love interest. Felicity Jones' Anna seems to take the reins much of the time to keep whatever is left of their relationship from fading into the past. Anton Yelchin's Jacob is a limp, malleable character who goes with the flow probably more than he should.

SPOILER ALERT Ultimately the two have legal rights to live together in the US. When Anna receives the call from her parents' friend Harry (who has toiled for months to get approval for Anna to be able legally be in the US),...

Silence speaks volumes
I loved this movie! It is raw, emotional, and cuts to the very core of how distance and time affect a relationship. It is a movie directed by emotions and feelings, by silences and music rather than words. Watch it with an open mind and an open heart.

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The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Same content as the 2002 release -- and that's good!
Despite new packaging and a hokey new subtitle, this release of Disney's original three Winnie the Pooh featurettes is actually identical to the 2002 "25th Anniversary Edition" -- same video, same audio, same bonus features. And for once, that's good! That earlier DVD transfer was already digitally restored and had some good extras, including "A Day for Eeyore" and one of Disney's better making-of documentaries, but was pulled off the shelves early last year. Now, however, it's back, with the same vibrant colors, sharp focus and near-perfect 5.1 soundtrack.

In other words, this is Disney at its best. "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" is a charming, gentle, quality film that hasn't aged a bit and looks and sounds terrific. Unless you already own the "25th Anniversary Edition," this new release is a must.

Actually, there is one new bonus feature: an episode of the computer-animated Disney Channel series, "My Friends Tigger and Pooh." In case you haven't seen...

A Magical Movie
People have watched Winnie the Pooh on videos separately from 1966 to 1977, when they made the video we now call "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." In 1977, Disney brought the videos together to make a wonderful, heartwarming video.

The video contains 4 storybook classics. In "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree", Pooh eats so much honey at Rabbit's house and gets stuck in a hole.

In the Oscar award winning "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day", there is a big flood and Piglet must be saved.

In "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too", Tigger learns that even bouncing can be over done, and gets stuck in a tree.

In "Winnie the Pooh and the Day for Eeyore", Eeyore thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday, but Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Owl, and Christopher Robin throw him a party.

Even though these stories are all good, the best of the four is obviously the classic "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree". I think it is the best one...

WInnie the Pooh.......a family Treasure.....
This is one of the Disney's materpieces. I'm in my 20's and I grew up with Winnie the pooh not only with the movie but with the tv series and the Book. It is hard to imagine a more delightful DVD introduction to A. A. Milne's cherished Winnie the Pooh books than this 1977 short stories, which gathered the Disney studio's original trio of animated featurettes: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966): Pooh of course goes out looking for hunny and gets into some trouble, the Oscar-winning Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968): the hundred acre woods is flooded and piglet is in trouble, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Too (1974):this is one of my favorite of the short stories where you meet tigger and you hear him sing his memorable song. Pooh was a pet project of Walt Disney, whose children loved the books about the "willy nilly silly old bear" and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Faithful to the look and gentle spirit of the books, these mellow shorts do Milne...

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