Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
Directed by Peter Avanzino
Average customer review:
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #41 in DVD
- Released on: 2009-02-24
- Rating: NR (Not Rated)
- Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
- Formats: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
- Original language: English
- Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
- Number of discs: 1
- Running time: 89 minutes
Customer Reviews
An epic adventure that feels uncomfortably imbalanced and tense at times; blame the feature-length formatw
Into The Wild Green Yonder is the fourth and final installment in the series of direct-to-video Futurama movies, all of which are scheduled to be cut up into quarters and be broadcast as a "fifth season" on TV. While it's a decent enough episode in its own right and provides an poignant conclusion to the series, it demonstrates most clearly that Futurama's balance between witty satire, sci-fi action and character development is best served in 22-minute installments instead of in a feature film.
The first quarter of the movie shows our heroes enjoying a vacation in the New Mars Vegas, recently developed by Amy Wong's wealthy parents. The whole chapter is lighthearted, enjoyable and plants two seeds of the main plot -- Fry gets injured in an accident and gains telepathic powers, while Leela becomes upset at the extent to which the construction is destroying the environment. From here, the main story arcs develop: Leela joins an eco-feminist collective devoted to saving a violet dwarf star and planet and becomes a fugitive; Fry joins a secret society and learns that that the violet dwarf system is a key element in a cosmic struggle for the fate of all biological life in the universe; Bender teams up with Zapp Brannigan and initiates a crucial plot twist. The final scenes tie up a long-running thread in the Futurama saga and provide a satisfactory conclusion to the Futurama series while leaving open the possibility of future adventures.
The massive, epic nature of the plot (a consequence of the feature-length format) is responsible both for the major successes and the major failures of the episode. On the one hand, the characterization throughout the movie is very strong. Placed in stressful, completely unfamiliar circumstances, our heroes act in ways that are true to themselves for the most part without being overly predictable or coming off as caricatures of themselves. On the other hand, the sci-fi content of the movie is sloppy and heavy-handed, with little of the nuance and subtlety of Futurama's previous ecologically-minded episodes. Even worse, the satirical wit and goofiness that is the hallmark of the Futurama franchise nearly disappears about halfway through the movie -- the jokes don't disappear as such, but most of them are exhausted running jibes, while the genuinely clever lines and gags are unable to lighten the mood of the episode, making large portions of the film feel tense and grim. It's clear that Futurama becomes imbalanced when forced to adapt to the more massive, slower-developing story arcs of a feature-length film.
Devoted Futurama fans will likely appreciate the positive elements of this movie and be willing to leave the rest behind, but novices are advised to start with the original series before delving into the movies. As for the future of Futurama, the writers still seem to be capable of producing fresh ideas, and the events of Into The Wild Green Yonder leave several issues open as fodder for a possible sixth season. Despite the unevenness of the movies, there's plenty of reason for optimism.
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The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
From Sony Pictures
Average customer review:
The third installment in the Librarian franchise more than keeps up with the (Indiana) Joneses. It's unpretentious, good-natured, family-friendly fun without any Crystal Skull-esque letdown. And it's got vampires! Not soulful, swooning high-school vampires, either, but the Big Kahuna of bloodsuckers--Dracula! Noah Wyle returns as Flynn Carsen, the globe-trotting librarian who battles supernatural forces while securing the world's mythical artifacts for the mammoth (and secret) Metropolitan Library. But a disillusioned Flynn needs a vacation after the demands of his job cost him yet another relationship with a woman who cannot deal with "the wild and unpredictable lifestyle of dating a librarian." No sooner does he arrive in New Orleans then he becomes embroiled in a former KGB agent's outrageous plot to restore Russia's former glory by using the eponymous relic to revive Dracula to lead an army of "unkillable soldiers." Throw in a beautiful French chanteuse (Stana Katic) with a secret (suffice to say that when she sings about how she wishes she could feel the sun again, she's not kidding) and a disabled professor and vampire expert (Bruce Davison) and the stage is set for good old fashioned B movie (okay, B+) pleasures, including corny jokes and special effects that work hard for the money. The appealing Wyle, as one character observes of Flynn, "is very convincing as a hapless loser," and he gets invaluable comic support from Jane Curtin, as cost-scrutinizinglibrary administrator Charlene, and Bob Newhart as Flynn's mentor, Judson, who encourages the reluctant hero to "embrace his destiny." Hopefully, that means another Librarian adventure. If not, Judas Chalice brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. --Donald Liebenson
Customer Reviews
Surprising depth
I've enjoyed all three installments of this series, the "Curse of the Judas Chalice" may well be the best of the three.
The Librarian series is Indiana Jones Lite, and that's just fine. There is plenty of humor and other elements to interest adults, and action and 'cool factor' for kids to enjoy ... or vice versa. LOL
The one thing the Librarian might want to work on, though, is hiding his trail. Where ever he's heading, the bad guys always show up just behind him, and occasionally even beat him there!
These movies are worthwhile if, for no other reason, to see what may turn out to be some of Bob Newhart's final roles.
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NFL Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers Champions DVD
From Warner Home Video
Average customer review:
On February 1, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first franchise in NFL history to win their sixth Super Bowl. The title was the Steelers second in four seasons. It was the first under second-year head coach Mike Tomlin. Led by a defense that ranked first in yards allowed per game (237.2), passing yards allowed per game (156.9), points allowed per game (13.9) and second in rushing yards allowed per game (80.3), the Steelers finished the regular season 12-4 to win the AFC North Division title. After defeating San Diego and Baltimore in the AFC playoffs, Pittsburgh culminated its championship run with a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Relive all the thrilling moments of the 2008 Steelers, from Opening Day right through Super Bowl XLIII. NFL Films tells their story with action highlights and exclusive sideline and locker room sound from Pittsburgh’s record-setting season.
Customer Reviews
Know what you're buying!
I've seen several of these from NFL Films, and they're always wonderfully done. This is basically a yearbook of the Steelers' 2008 season -- a "Season Review" which contains highlights of all the Steelers' games, including the Super Bowl. It also contains various extras. It definitely does not include the complete Super Bowl. If you're looking for a review of the season, this is your purchase. If you're looking for Super Bowl XLII on DVD/BluRay, I'm pretty certain they'll be releasing that before too long as well. Just want to make sure no one is disappointed!
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![Akira [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51wEy1E3%2BgL._SL210_.jpg "Akira [Blu-ray]")
Akira [Blu-ray]
Directed by Katsuhiro Ôtomo
Average customer review:
Artist-writer Katsuhiro Ôtomo began telling the story of Akira as a comic book series in 1982 but took a break from 1986 to 1988 to write, direct, supervise, and design this animated film version. Set in 2019, the film richly imagines the new metropolis of Neo-Tokyo, which is designed from huge buildings down to the smallest details of passing vehicles or police uniforms. Two disaffected orphan teenagers--slight, resentful Tetsuo and confident, breezy Kaneda--run with a biker gang, but trouble grows when Tetsuo start to resent the way Kaneda always has to rescue him. Meanwhile, a group of scientists, military men, and politicians wonder what to do with a collection of withered children who possess enormous psychic powers, especially the mysterious, rarely seen Akira, whose awakening might well have caused the end of the old world. Tetsuo is visited by the children, who trigger the growth of psychic and physical powers that might make him a superman or a supermonster. As befits a distillation of 1,318 pages of the story so far, Akira is overstuffed with character, incident, and detail. However, it piles up astonishing set pieces: the chases and shootouts (amazingly kinetic, amazingly bloody) benefit from minute cartoon detail that extends to the surprised or shocked faces of the tiniest extra; the Tetsuo monster alternately looks like a billion-gallon scrotal sac or a Tex Avery mutation of the monster from The Quatermass Experiment; and the finale--which combines flashbacks to more innocent days with a destruction of Neo City and the creation of a new universe--is one of the most mind-bending in all sci-fi cinema. --Kim Newman
Customer Reviews
Great!!!Having read the complete manga by Katsuhiro Otomo gives you a jump start on the film itself. The film keeps up to it, even though it crops the latter half of the manga... They would have had to do almost six hours of footage.
Nonetheless, Akira is one of the greatest animated feature films of all times. Not quite a fan of american dub in general, but the original japanese version leaves a masterful testimony, that the film is painstakingly meticulous and detailed; that you could swear that the words are really coming out of the characters' mouth.
Having seen four versions of the film (Mexican Spanish, Castilian Spanish, English and Japanese), I'd have to say that this version is all worth it, even when spanish speakers like myself are used to the Mexican dub. Akira is worth all the way, in all the languages.
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Summer Heights High
From HBO
Average customer review:
Australian writer/performer Chris Lilley specializes in the comedy of narcissism. All three of his characters in the mockumentary series Summer Heights High are blindly, maddeningly self-absorbed: Mr. G, a drama teacher who writes and directs his own musicals; Ja'mie, a preening 16-year-old from a wealthy private school who views her year at public school as purgatory; and Jonah, a Tongan juvenile delinquent who's been previously expelled from two other schools. The series' 8 episodes follow these three as they seek to find some form of fame and adulation.Mr. G struggles to create a musical about a student who recently died of a drug overdose... only it becomes increasingly about a heroic drama teacher whose dog dies in an accident; Ja'mie desperately wants to stage a formal dance and will lie, bribe, and manipulate to do it; and Jonah wants to do breakdancing with his posse, but he's simply incapable of keeping himself from insulting his teachers and getting into fights with other students. While Mr. G and Ja'mie are blinkered monsters, Jonah verges on tragic, as he stumbles towards increasing self-destruction. The thoroughness of Lilley's creations is impressive, as the comedian loses himself fully in these characters. Still, some viewers may find them more aggravating than funny; just a hint of self-awareness might have made them a little easier to spend time with. But for anyone who connects with Lilley's humor, Summer Heights High will be a feast of juicy, unfiltered, rampaging egomania. --Bret Fetzer
Customer Reviews
Awesome show!
I'm not Australian and have never been there. I stumbled upon this show by accident and watched all 8 episodes in two days. It's really hilarious and I love how in Australia touchy subjects and foul language aren't censored! It makes things much more real and true to life. I wish there were more episodes but it's more fitting for it to end the way it did. My favorite was Jonah Takalua and his friends, but Mr. G and Ja'mie were hilarious too! I didn't realize Ofa was a girl until episode 3!
This show makes me want to search for more Aussie shows and to visit Australia for vacation. I've heard HBO has picked this up, I'd recommend everyone give it a try. if you guys liked Ali G & Borat you will surely love this!
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Breaking Bad - The Complete First Season
From Sony Pictures
Average customer review:
Popular water-cooler drama about an unremarkable and uncharismatic chemistry teacher, Walter, who discovers new passion in his life after he learns he has terminal cancer. Once a successful chemist, Walter now teaches apathetic high school students and works part-time at a car wash to help support his family - wife Skyler, who earns a modest income buying and selling items on eBay, and son Walter, Jr., a strong-willed 17-year-old suffering from cerebral palsy. Realizing he has nothing but his family left to live for, Walter's new sense of purpose reinvigorates him into a man of action as he turns to an exciting life of crime to provide for the ones he loves.
Customer Reviews
By Far one of the Greatest Shows, already a Classic
Hi all, I'll try and be brief with my review of this show, here goes (and no worries, NO SPOILERS!) Breaking Bad is an Intense drama with some comedic moments to relax the gritty plot. Bryan Cranston plays a high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with inoperable cancer, but because he has nothing to leave his pregnant wife and handicapped son, he decides to begin cooking crystal meth. This leads to all sorts of mind-blowing events that definitely cross the lines of morality in hopes of an ultimately greater good. I can't really say much more without giving certain details about the show away. But trust me when I say WATCH THIS SHOW!! It is an incredible new series that justifies the not so innocent actions of our hero "Walter White" who is ultimately trying to make use of his expiring heart of gold to help his family by taking actions no one would even imagine.
Season 2 premieres March 8th on AMC. In recent years many shows with great potential have come and gone quickly without lasting full seasons. It would be a tragedy to lose this show, above any other.
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Girlfriends: The Sixth Season
From Paramount
Average customer review:
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #937 in DVD
- Released on: 2009-02-24
- Rating: NR (Not Rated)
- Formats: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
- Original language: English
- Number of discs: 3
- Running time: 450 minutes
Customer Reviews
I LOVE GIRLFRIENDS
I love girlfriends and i have pre-ordered this as well. I wish they would just come out with rest of the seasons and stop taking their time. I hope girlfriends get picked up by another station because its great and I love them .I would watch it all day everyday cause they are sooooo real!!!!!!!!
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On the Other Hand, Death: A Donald Strachey Mystery
Directed by Ron Oliver
Average customer review:
The newest suspenseful installment of gay private investigator Donald Strachey, based on the long-running series of mystery books by Richard Stevenson. When the residents of a neighborhood are offered huge sums of money to sell their homes to a developer, the only ones to refuse are an elderly lesbian couple, featuring an inspired performance by Margot Kidder (Superman, The L Word). Soon after, the couple s home is besieged by anti-gay vandalism, but Strachey (Chad Allen) suspects that the attack is motivated by big-business rather than homophobia.
... for a marvelous supporting character..., I give you Margot Kidder as the crusty lesbian guidance counselor in "On the Other Hand, Death," - Los Angeles Times
...a thought provoking mystery. Yahoo! Movies
Customer Reviews
On the other hand, Chad Allen's back!
I was so pleased to hear that Chad Allen is returning as gay detective Donald Strachey in a third film. I've seen both "Third Man Out" & "Shock to the System" and was knocked out by Allen's terrific performances. As Strachey, he's torn down stereotypes of the limp-wristed homosexual, proving you can be gay, proud & tough at the same time.
Even more pleasing is his monogamous devotion to his partner, Tim Callahan, shattering the other myth that gay men don't know how to commit.
Kudos to Here! TV for bringing this fine series to the public. I've heard from another reviewer that two more films are being planned. Keep 'em coming!
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