DVD Releases January 27 2009

Fireproof
Directed by Alex Kendrick
Average customer review:

Lt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. Inside burning buildings, it's his natural instinct. In the cooling embers of his marriage, it's another story. After a decade of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that they are ready to move on without each other. Yet as they prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's dad asks his son to try an experiment: The Love Dare. While hoping The Love Dare has nothing to do with his parents' newfound faith, Caleb commits to the challenge. But can he attempt to love his wife while avoiding God's love for him? Will he be able to demonstrate love over and over again to a person that's no longer receptive to his love? Or is this just another marriage destined to go up in smoke?

Customer Reviews

Best movie, maybe ever
This movie can change you. How many movies can you say that about? If you are married, this is a must. The recommitment to God and my wife this movie brought about are amazing. I am hoping to send it to friends and relatives, if they have not bought it themselves.
This movie will make you laugh and cry. Truly amazing that this movie was not number one at the box office for weeks, but then again, in our culture I guess it is not that surprising.

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The Bourne Trilogy (The Bourne Identity | The Bourne Supremacy | The Bourne Ultimatum) [Blu-ray]
From Universal Studios
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The Bourne Identity
Freely adapted from Robert Ludlum's 1980 bestseller, The Bourne Identity starts fast and never slows down. The twisting plot revs up in Zurich, where amnesiac CIA assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), with no memory of his name, profession, or recent activities, recruits a penniless German traveler (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) to assist in solving the puzzle of his missing identity. While his CIA superior (Chris Cooper) dispatches assassins to kill Bourne and thus cover up his failed mission, Bourne exercises his lethal training to leave a trail of bodies from Switzerland to Paris. Director Doug Liman (Go) infuses Ludlum's intricate plotting with a maverick's eye for character detail, matching breathtaking action with the humorous, thrill-seeking chemistry of Damon and Potente. Previously made as a 1988 TV movie starring Richard Chamberlain, The Bourne Identity benefits from the sharp talent of rising stars, offering intelligent, crowd-pleasing excitement from start to finish. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

The most highly anticipated trilogy on Blu-ray of our time!
This is the best action trilogy our our time and I can't wait for it to be released. Of course I have all three on DVD already but I can just imagine how much better it will be on blu-ray. This the ultimate collection for Bourne fans and action movie goers alike! However, I hate the fact that this is the widescreen version. Personally, I'd wait for a full screen version to be released.

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Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Directed by Woody Allen
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Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Oscar nominee Penelope Cruz (Volver) and Golden Globe nominee Scarlett Johansson (The Nanny Diaries) light up the stunning city of Barcelona in this sexy romantic comedy. Vicky and Cristina are two young Americans spending a summer in Spain, who meet a charming Casanova and his beautiful but volatile ex-wife. When they all become romantically entangled, the smoldering sparks begin to fly in hilarious fashion. Critics rave, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is one of Woody Allen s finest films, with bravura performances from its incredible cast (Jeffrey Lyons, Reel Talk/NBC).

Customer Reviews

THIS BREEZY, BROODING OUTING TO CATALONIA..
What a staggering experience, this film. Like several of Woody's recent scripts it has its own ebb and flow, but his varied musings over the years come together into this sunny little tale that carries you naturally through a mishmash of quietly whimsical characters.

And some characters they are! Javier continues to astonish with his versatility. After the eerie gravitas of "No Country for Old Men", he is sensational here in his buffoonery as an uber-suave artist, just as devoted to an epicurean life as he is cynically convinced of its worthlessness, his deadpan yet extravagant screen presence making him a perfect foil for his perpetual Flirt mode. Johannson is what only she can be, bemused and befuddled, although expect some distance from her usual sultry exuberance as her coolness seems oddly stunted.

Rebecca Hall as Vicky, to me, seemed a bit grating in her attempt to fit the glove of a Woody Allen film too snugly, scattered speech patterns and all, but fortunately that seemed to go with the righteous ennui of her character. Penelope Cruz is fiery! I am sure her histrionics in the film will make critics buckle and heave, although I'd venture to suggest that shrieking tour-de-force parts are relatively easier to enact; embodying the ordinary on camera is what presents a challenge. But she is painfully convincing nonetheless.

It's the natural groove of these protagonists that makes the film what it is. If I were to nitpick, a couple of aesthetic choices puzzled me. For instance, an omnipresent voice-over starts off giving the impression of being glib and satirical, but quickly becomes run-on, and then abruptly disappears for almost the rest of the film. And then there's the overuse of certain musical motifs that gets a bit repetitive.

But the setting is gorgeous and makes up in spades. Spain gets its own visual paean, and what a lyric it is! No cultural stone is left unturned: photography, drawing, music, poetry, food, architecture, fashion. It's a fine ensemble.

While it's not your garden variety "Juno" brand of comedy, there is wit in the evocative undertones. The film oozes something visceral. A comedy for grown-ups perhaps. Whatever your views about menage-a-trois (or polyamory, or whatever they are calling it these days), the denouement is so natural and so untouched by pat pretenses that it is, well, sublime.

I was amazed at how this film came and went so effortlessly, and still managed to turn something in me upside down. If you have an evening to spare it should make for a fabulous time for the tasteful. Highly recommended.

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Faith-Based Three-Pack (Facing the Giants/ Fireproof / Flywheel) (Amazon.com Exclusive)
Directed by Alex Kendrick
Average customer review:

Flywheel is the first film from the creators of Facing the Giants and Fireproof. Used car salesman Jay Austin (writer/director Alex Kendrick) swindles his customers and teaches his assistant salesmen to do the same--but despite the profits, something gnaws at him. When he realizes that his own son doesn't respect him, Austin has a conversion and accepts God into his life. This would be the end of most spiritual stories, but Flywheel finds a warm comedy in the obstacles on the path of righteousness; Austin discovers that being right with God means grappling every day with what it means to be honest. Though the filmmaking is raw (the editing is often clumsy and the cinematography is flat), the story is well-paced, has a gently ironic sense of humor, and Kendrick's central performance is compelling. Kendrick is just as persuasive as a man struggling to emerge from a joyless life as he is when he's rediscovered his faith but finds it constantly tested. Though Flywheel is forthright about its Christian inspiration, the story is about actually living a moral life, not about abstract spiritual truths. The result is a movie that looks towards heaven, but has its feet on the earth. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
These are absolutely amazing movies. Our family of seven is enjoying "Flywheel" and "Facing the Giants" multiple times. My husband and I saw "Fireproof" in the theater and were deeply touched. We are SO grateful this church and community has had the conviction, courage, and inspiration to produce messages that are so timely for our world. A lot of lives will be touched through these films when viewers open their hearts to the truths presented. We're giving copies to friends and family.

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Cheers - The Final Season
From Paramount
Average customer review:

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #119 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 648 minutes

Customer Reviews

Cheers Final Season
Let me start with one small but touching piece of information that one of my sons passed along to me.

The picture of Geronimo that Sam adjusts at the very end of the final episode is a picture that was actually hanging in Nicholas Colosanto's (who played Coach) house. It was moved to the set as a reminder of and tribute to him and Sam's straightening it at the end is one final, touching reference to Coach and Colosanto himself.

As to the final season, my recollection is that it was a strong season despite the series' age -- far from the best season, but certainly worth the money for any fan of the show. The series finale is one of the better ones -- in my view, second among comedies only to Newhart's "bad dream" finale -- that rings true and is, mostly, funny and in the end just serious and touching enough to satisfy.

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Hulk Vs. (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Widescreen)
Directed by Frank Paur
Average customer review:

Marvel Animated Features premieres two all new action-packed films together on one release - Hulk vs. Wolverine and Hulk vs.Thor. Hulk vs Wolverine: Alberta, Canada. The Incredible Hulk has been tearing a line across the Canadian countryside, leaving a swath of destruction in his wake. He has to be stopped, and there's only one man up to the job. He's the best there is at what he does, but what he does isn't very nice. He's Wolverine, an elite agent of Canada's top secret Department H, and he's been put on Hulk's trail with a single objective: stop the green goliath...at all costs. Hulk and Wolverine are about to enter the fiercest battle of their lives. Hulk vs. Thor: Asgard, realm of the gods. For ages, Loki the trickster has sought a way to bring defeat to his accursed stepbrother, Thor. But for all the battles Thor has fought, in all the nine realms, only one creature has ever been able to match his strength - a mortal beast of Midgard known as The Incredible Hulk. Now, with Odin, the almighty king of the gods, deep in a regenerative sleep, and the forces protecting Asgard at their weakest, Loki is finally ready to spring his trap. In an epic battle that will pit gods against monsters, that will test a hero's limits more than ever before, only The Mighty Thor can hope to prevail

Customer Reviews

Hulk vs? More like Hulk WINS.
I was skeptical when I heard that Marvel was releasing another animated feature, but seeing as it involved the Hulk going up against two of my favorite Marvel characters, I gave it the benefit of the doubt.

And it didn't disappoint.

I just finished Hulk vs Wolverine this morning and can't express how much I enjoyed it. With an epic fight scene between Logan and Banner, followed up with a cameo appearance by Deadpool,what's not to like? I was hooked during the first few moments and couldn't look away for the next 27 minutes.

I'm currently in the process of watching Hulk vs Thor, ten minutes in to be precise. I'm a big fan of Thor and his legendary exploits, so I'm certain that I won't be let down.

I highly recommend this DVD for any Marvel fan looking for a fun viewing experience.

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Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection (Palm Springs Weekend / Parrish / Rome Adventure / Susan Slade)
Directed by Delmer Daves, Norman Taurog
Average customer review:

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #186 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Original recording remastered, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 4

Customer Reviews

Hold The Phone

I was so excited to hear that finally these are being release in a box set. I immediately clicked to order these. But wait, I always check other sites for additional information. To my disgust, I find that these are being released in the pan & scan versions? Tell, me it ain't so. Maybe they don't know. Amazon does not have an aspect ratio listed. These were all in Cinemascope,if I remember correctly. All I can do is wait until I get an answer before ordering.

Troy's Birthday is January 27.
How great that WB is releasing these movies on his birthday. They are 4 of his 5 best movies. It's been a long time coming. Good old fashioned romance, glamorous settings and luscious cinematography.

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The Invaders - The Second Season
From Paramount
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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #145 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 7
• Running time: 1336 minutes

Customer Reviews

Classic, Short-Lived Sci-Fi Show Finally Makes To DVD
The Invaders would definitely be at or near the top of the list of television shows that ended way before their time. That list has many science fiction series on it (the original Star Trek being one among many), but this series stands out because of its great production values (for the time), great performances, and the air of paranoia that shows like this must have to be believable.

Roy Thinnes played David Vincent, an otherwise ordinary fellow, an architect by profession, who happens to make the horrible discovery that we have been invaded by beings from another planet who have taken the appearance of being human, and whose intentions are to take over the planet. This sets in motion Vincent's initially lonely quest to root out and thwart the invaders' plans for world domination. In the second season, Vincent discovered that he was not alone, and that there was an underground network of human rebels that he joined in the fight against the aliens.

This was a wonderful show, and now it will be seen and loved by a much wider audience.

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Top 10 DVDs. Top 10 Box Office. The Best DVDs of 2008: TV

DVD releases UK

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DVD Releases January 20 2009

At the Coliseum
From Sony
Average customer review:

Four of the greatest voices in the world return in a beautiful performance in the breathtaking Roman Coliseum of Pula, Croatia. Additionally, catch Il Divo in conversation, discussing the rollercoaster ride of the past 5 years, their latest album The Promise, and the excitement of their upcoming world tour.
This DVD is NTSC Region 1 compatible.
Track List:
1. Amazing Grace (Live Video)
2. The Power Of Love (La Fuerza Mayor) (Live Video)
3. Hallelujah (Alelujah) (Live Video)
4. The Winner Takes It All (Va Todo Al Ganado) (Live Video)
5. Adagio (Live Video)
6. The Last Five Years
7. Touring
8. Recording 'The Promise'
9. The Songs
10. The Future For

Customer Reviews

The One and Only Swiss, Spanish, French, American Quartet
Let's say up front that I'm a fan of Il Divo and their harmonies. Magic happens when their voices blend. Their version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah is uniquely beautiful. Opera fans will especially enjoy the Adagio. The interviews with Urs, Seb, Carlos and David are also very interesting.
I should add that I viewed a PAL version of this DVD so hopefully the Region 1 version is the same except for the coding.
Wouldn't it be nice if those Region codes disappeared someday?

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Center Stage: Turn It Up
Directed by Steven Jacobson
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Return to the Center Stage phenomenon with new passions and partners in the amped-up, high-energy Center Stage: Turn It Up. All Kate Parker has ever wanted to do was perform with the American Ballet Academy. But when she doesn't get in, she learns that it takes more than just natural talent to succeed in the dance world. With a turn in a cutting-edge hip-hop club and the help of a handsome former hockey player-turned-dancer, she may yet manage to make her dreams come true. Peter Gallagher (TV's The O.C., Center Stage), Kenny Wormald (TV's Dancelife), Ethan Stiefel (Center Stage) and a cast of hot, up-and-coming stars rock to a new beat in this unmissable sensation!

Customer Reviews

Center Stage Turn It Up
I was a huge fan of Kenny's when I watched the TV show on MTV "Dancelife". He is an excellent dancer and when I saw him on TV in a movie I had to stop and see what it was about. When I realized it was a sequel to the movie "Center Stage" I was excited, but not hopeful for a good movie, because I had seen his talent and had loved the previous movie. However, I was completely surprised by the quality of the pot and the great choreography and the dancers. I loved this movie for the excellent dancing, not to mention the acting was better then that of the first movie. I felt that Tommy's character was intriguing and talented, also believable in his struggle. I also liked the idea of a ballerina without rich parents, Kate, is inspiring and although you want to slap her into giving more of herself to her dream, she is totally relatable. Everyone has had self doubt and in that you relate to Kate in her goals and dreams. This movie is worth a watch if you enjoy movies about dance, there are some great ballet scenes as well as excellent hip hop routines. I am going to buy this movie as soon as it is available. Two Thumbs Up.

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President Barack Obama: The Man and His Journey
Average customer review:

Share the incredible, inspirational story of President Barack Obama , the 44th President of the United States.  See how one man inspired us with the refrain Yes We Can! In this defining moment, America has proven once again that her story is constantly evolving towards greater freedom and justice for all. 

Free Digital Download of Exclusive Brian McKnight song.

Limited Edition Collectible Presidential Card- Holographic foil stamp, numbered and registered.

Customer Reviews

Give opinions about the ITEM please
Only two reviews so far on this item, and I note the second has nothing to do with the item itself but is rather someone's big chance to soapbox his negativity about our new President. Speaking as a consumer and someone interested in this item and perhaps buying it, can reviews please focus on the item itself and its quality/presentation, rather than personal opinions re. the subject? Thank you.

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Henry Poole Is Here [Blu-ray]
Directed by Mark Pellington
Average customer review:

Henry Poole Is Here is an odd if enjoyable dramedy about everyone's need for a miracle now and then--though one person's miracle can easily be another's nightmare. Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) is a misanthropic loner who attempts to buy a specific house at any price and is rebuffed. Instead, he buys another house in some need of repair but brushes off any discussion of improvement, mysteriously claiming he's not going to be living in it very long. Uncertain what that means, Henry's neighbors learn to give him some distance, until Esperanza (Adriana Barraza) decides she can see the face of Jesus Christ in a water stain on Henry's house. In short order, Esperanza has alerted her church and friends, and a disgruntled Henry's backyard is full of true believers. Directed by Mark Pellington (Arlington Road), Henry Poole Is Here occasionally finds itself awash in treacle and sincerity, especially where Henry's developing relationship with a single mom (Radha Mitchell) and her near-mute child are concerned. But the film never alienates viewers disinclined to believe in iconic apparitions, adding a neat twist toward the end that makes Henry's rage against Esperanza's faith work for and not against him. Making the whole enterprise worthwhile is Wilson's fine performance as a man who has given up on everything (for reasons that eventually become clear in the story) but, in fact, wants nothing more than to embrace life. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

QUIRKY GEM ABOUT BEING HERE NOW
I loved this little film. Not sure where it was headed as the story unfolded. Thought it was going to be a downer but as the story got tighter, the theme enlarged to something wondrously life-affirming.

I saw it on Blu-ray and loved the look of it -- the suburban locations and the way natural(?) light seems to bathe or reflect or shimmer in many of the scenes. Very metaphorical -- perhaps by intent. And the music choices -- lots of music -- are as precise and fitting as the cinematography.

Strange that this terrific film is so unadvertised. I don't remember ever seeing a trailer, a poster or a notice in the paper (assuming it was ever even shown in theaters).

This overlooked gem is about Hope, Healing, Love, Community, Letting Go of Fear and Living in the Moment. (Yes, these words deserve caps.)

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El Norte - Criterion Collection
Directed by Gregory Nava

Brother and sister Enrique and Rosa flee persecution at home in Guatemala and journey north, through Mexico and on to the United States, with the dream of starting a new life. It s a story that happens every day, but until Gregory Nava's groundbreaking El Norte (The North), the personal travails of immigrants crossing the border to America had never been shown in the movies with such urgent humanism. A work of social realism imbued with dreamlike imagery, El Norte is a lovingly rendered, heartbreaking story of hope and survival, which critic Roger Ebert called a Grapes of Wrath for our time.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Gregory Nava
New audio commentary featuring Nava
In the Service of the Shadows: The Making of El Norte: a new video program featuring interviews with Nava, producer and cowriter Anna Thomas, actors Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando, and set designer David Wasco
Wall of Silence, a new short documentary by Nava and Barbara Martinez Jitner, concerning the building of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border
The Journal of Diego Rodriguez Silva, the 1972 award-winning student film by Nava
Gallery of Chipas location-scouting photographs
Theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by novelist Héctor Tobar and Roger Ebert's 1983 review of the film

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1155 in DVD
• Brand: Image Entertainment
• Released on: 2009-01-20
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 140 minutes

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Save Me - Theatrical Cover
Directed by Robert Cary
Average customer review:

When Mark--a young gay man addicted to sex and drugs--hits bottom, his concerned brother checks him into a Christian retreat in the New Mexico desert. Run by a compassionate husband and wife team, Gayle and Ted have made it their life's mission to cure young men of their 'gay affliction' through spiritual guidance. At first, Mark resists, but soon takes the message to heart. As Mark's fellowship with his fellow Ex-Gays grow stronger, however, he finds himself powerfully drawn to Scott, another young man battling family demons of his own. As their friendship begins to develop into romance, Mark and Scott are forced to confront their true selves.

Featuring powerful performances and even-handed direction, this acclaimed drama is a subtly nuanced and deeply sympathetic look at both sides of one of the most polarizing debates in America: the conflict and possible reconciliation between homosexuality and Christianity.

Customer Reviews

First-rank story-telling, acting and directing
Easily one of the best gay-themed films of the last 5 years. The film does a remarkable job of telling the story of Christianity and homosexuality and the intricate, often destructive dance between the two, but does so with subtle and thoughtful care. Not a bad actor in the film, the film quality is exceptional, and the writing is both brilliant and well-interpreted. It has a clean, spare, lucid feel that helps it transcend the usual shouting and finger-pointing done around the topic of "ex-gays" and people that purport to help gays and lesbians become straight. This is worth seeing regardless of your belief or perspective on this topic.

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God on Trial
Directed by n/a
Average customer review:

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1891 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-20
• Rating: Unrated
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Customer Reviews

Questioning God
"God on Trial"

Questioning God

Amos Lassen

"God on Trial" is perhaps the most powerful film I have ever seen and I am still shaking as I write this review. One of the universal questions many of us have had is where was God during the Holocaust? That is usually followed by what kind of God could have allowed something like the Holocaust happen? The God that chose the Jews to be His people was now a God that many did not understand and this was the same God that led the children of Israel from slavery to freedom. Questions like these occur in every generation and most of us have no real answers. In this film, God is put on trial and it is all very convincing, emotional and powerful.
In the filthy barracks at Auschwitz, a group of Jews await their fate. They know that half of them will go to the gas chambers within a short period and most of them are paralyzed by fear, despair and hunger. Yet there is one angry inmate who rails against God and his anger provokes others to react and soon the men agree to put God on trial. They organize a tribunal of judges in the tradition of Judaism. As the drama progresses it confronts the major issue of human existence for most--the basis of faith and it does so in a carefully researched and articulate way. This question of faith is placed in a time and place that have become supreme examples of inhumanity. The barracks were oppressive and yet they are the perfect setting for the drama that tugs at our emotions and challenges our thinking.
I was not familiar with the actual event that this film is based upon but I am definitely going to find out more about it. When the imprisoned Jews decided to have a trial to decide if God was guilty for their living hell, tempers rise and reason takes a step aside but returns when the trial begins. The drama is totally convincing and is a powerful history lesson as the men begin to argue their cases for and against God. They use moments in Jewish history that are accurate and discuss Torah as they present their views. Many of the points they make are not only logical but perfect which shows how much deep thought and preparation went into this.
The cast is superior and includes some of the finest British actors today--Anthony Sher, Stellan Skarsgard, Stephen Dillane, Dominic Cooper, Rupert Graves and Jack Shepherd. However, I must single out Eddie Marsan who tells the heartbreaking story of his three sons being taken from him by Nazis and he was given the choice of saving only one of them. Anthony Sher as Akiba also gives an outstanding performance. He says nothing for the first hour of the film but what he says when he finally speaks is shocking and actually determines the outcome of God's trial. His speech is one I doubt I shall ever forget.
The emphasis of the film is on the arguments. It is almost impossible for a concentration camp inmate to affirm a belief in God yet many did--before, after and during the war. Many
explanations for God's actions are presented here and some have complained that the speeches are lofty and wordy. I firmly disagree. I found the arguments enlightening, interesting and thought-provoking.
The story is cleverly framed with a busload of tourists who go to Auschwitz and visit the actual place where the trial took place and the ending is an extremely moving scene. When we first see the men, they have already been divided into who will die that night and who will live another day. Suddenly a group of Poles arrives earlier than expected and when the two groups come together there is uneasiness among some of the men who feel that God has broken his covenant with the Jewish people.
Andy De Emmony has taken what could have been a maudlin subject and breathed life into it as he directed with style and grace.
The writer, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, wanted to write a drama about the Holocaust but was tired of the emotional films so he decided to write a debate drama. The question that he raises is "when did God turn against the Jews, or did he?" This is what the film concerns itself with during its entirety and if you think this may bore you for 90 minutes, think again. I sat on the edge of my chair, anticipating the next speech.
One critic called the film "12 Angry Men in Pajamas" and I thought he was being ludicrous but then I realized that he liked nothing about the film and probably thought that there never had really been a Holocaust. But then he surprised me by saying that this was an event not to be missed. From the moment the film opens we are wrenched back to the past. Interesting is the way the trial came about--the Polish rabbi, played by Stephen Dillane, states that there is an honorable Biblical tradition of theological disputation and from here the sides form. Both sides of the debate are presented with unexpected revelations. When the last speaker presents his case by giving an inventory of God's Biblical crimes (and I challenge you to find them and they are there), the verdict for God's guilt is handed down. Some of the prisoners said that man is not capable of seeing the entirety of the universe as God does and that it is not our place to question the ways of God. Others contended that God is fundamentally cruel but he has, on occasion, sided with the Jewish people. The Holocaust is evidence that God was no longer siding with the Jews while others felt that God was guilty of abandoning his people. A notable reference made by the French scientist in the group refers to the number of stars in the universe, each of which could have its own solar system. Do those in the barracks actually believe that with all that God has to do that he really pays attention to one tiny spot in space.
The role of free will is also debated. One says that if we know of right and wrong, how is it that we do not question God's role in the destruction of millions of people? If we believe to be holy is to emulate a God who annihilates us, who acts without justice, are we to understand that we are not responsible for choosing right instead of what we know to be wrong?
As the trial ensues we are constantly aware that any moment, the Nazi guards will come to take those that have been selected to die and this inevitability ends greatly to the drama Until the guards come there are various possible verdicts but in the end we are left with not only the questions we began with but several more.
Let me close by saying that I have found references to the trial in the literature of the Holocaust and although it cannot be proven that it ever happened the idea gives us a stunning, shattering and convincing film. Although the film is specifically about Jewish prisoners, it also has universal appeal in the fundamental questions of existence that everyone asks sometime in their life.
The paradox comes at the very end which is almost drama of the absurd--now that God has been found guilty, what have we to do? We must, of course, pray.

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Paranormal State: The Complete Season Two
Directed by George Plamadon
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Delve deep into the strange and the mysterious with Paranormal Research Society founder Ryan Buell and his intrepid team of investigators as they attempt to unravel inexplicable paranormal phenomena around the country. Among the weird events the supernatural sleuths examine are sixth-sense experiences, ghost sightings, demonic disturbances, and brushes with the darkest areas of the unknown.

Founded by Buell in 2001, the PRS works on cases across the country and is one of the most recognized groups of its kind in the nation. Season Two of this two-disc set from A&E includes a Pennsylvania couple bedeviled by paranormal activity in their home, an aggressive poltergeist in Maryland, and a ghostly hag nicknamed the "Lady Vampire" by the Texas family she torments.

PRS uses Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) recordings, video documentation, old-fashioned research and the help of renowned psychics, demonologists, psychologists and counselors to explore these bizarre cases in the hopes of helping frightened people who have nowhere else to turn. PARANORMAL STATE: THE COMPLETE SEASON TWO contains all 12 eerie episodes on 2 DVDs.

Bonus Features: Behind the Scenes; Up Close and Personal with the Members of PRS; Additional Footage

DISC ONE:
7/28/08 Family Ties (#21)
7/28/08 Good vs. Evil (#23)
8/4/08 Shadows and Smoke (#22)
8/4/08 Haunted Ranch (#25)
8/11/08 Hell s Gate (#27)
8/18/08 The Ladder (#26)

DISC TWO:
8/25/08 The Messenger (#28)
9/1/08 Hide and Seek (#30)
9/8/08 The Glove (#31)
9/15/08 The Fire (#32)
9/29/08 First Contact (#33)
10/7/08 I Am Six (#29) (1hr ep)
Bonus TBD

Customer Reviews

Paranormal State---Great Show!
I received Paranormal State Season 1 as a Christmas present and
when I started watching it, I couldn't stop!
If you are interested in the paranormal, this show is a must see!
I'm very impressed with PRS. I really appreciate the compassion and respect they have for the families. They help them understand what is happening.....and why. I pre-ordered Season 2 from Amazon,it arrived friday and I watched it over the weekend. The last episode, I AM SIX, TOTALLY FREAKED MY THE #@$@ OUT!!!
Also, I really hope Michelle Belanger will come back for a few more shows.
Great Program--Keep up the good work!

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DVD Releases January 20 2009

City of Ember

Directed by Gil Kenan
Average customer review:

ight bulbs speckle the sky instead of stars in City of Ember, a fantasy in which a secret city has been built to preserve mankind from worldwide disaster. But over time, the purpose of the city is lost--and the city gradually decays. As power failures threaten to bring on the collapse of everything, young messenger Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan, Atonement) discovers damaged instructions for leaving the city. Her friend, pipeworker Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway, Brothers of the Head), helps her find the hidden mechanisms that will let everyone escape...but the city's corrupt Mayor (Bill Murray) is more interested in personal gain and tries to stop Lina. City of Ember begins marvelously; the story unfolds smoothly, the production design is rich and engaging, the young leads are charming (Ronan is particularly good), and Murray is as superb as ever. Unfortunately, the movie starts to stumble; some plot turns are baffling (there seems to be some connective tissue left on the cutting room floor) and what should be an action climax flounders with subpar special effects. But even when the movie loses its sure-footedness, there are delightful moments and visual wonders. The strong supporting cast includes Tim Robbins, Mary Kay Place (Sweet Home Alabama), Mackenzie Crook (The Office), Toby Jones (Infamous), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies). --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Movie OK, book was better
I truly enjoyed the book, but the movie had some things to be desired. The characters were enjoyable, as was the set. There is one huge difference in the movie from the book and that is what ruins the movie. If you are interested in the difference, search for it online, I don't want to give you a spoiler. Even with the issue in the movie, I would love to see a sequel. It seems however that the movie was not as popular as it could have been to warrant a sequel. The book is worth the read and if you enjoy it, I suggest buying the movie.

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The Express
From Universal Studios
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Witness the inspirational true story of a real American hero. Rising from the humblest of beginnings, Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) overcame impossible odds to become the first African-American to win college football’s greatest honor – the Heisman Trophy. Starring Dennis Quaid as the hard-nosed coach that helped drive him to greatness, The Express is a powerful story of triumph on and off the field that will have you cheering again and again!

Customer Reviews

A must for sports fans that love movies
"The Express" is about the life of Ernie Davis, a highly talented football player who followed, literally, in the footsteps of Jim Brown. Ernie, like Jim Brown before him, was recruited to play football at Syracuse University.

This movie follows Earnie's life before, during, and after his time at Syracuse. It chronicles his successes and failures, his personal challenges, and shows how he met those challenges, including racial prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry.

Ernie Davis is played by Rob Brown, an actor recognized for his earlier work in the films "Finding Forrester" and "Coach Carter".

This film is clearly worth a 5-star rating for the sports enthusiast, but it tends to have less appeal for other viewers. The acting is solid, but not outstanding. The music is good, and the storyline is compelling.

My 14 year old football-playing son thinks this film is the greatest!

So, 4 solid stars for a good movie and story that deserves a place along side other memorable sports films such as Miracle (Widescreen Edition)Remember the Titans (Widescreen Edition)Hoosiers and Brian's Song.

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Max Payne
Directed by John Moore
Average customer review:

Max payne (wahlberg) is a maverick cop with little regard for rules and nothing left to lose. Hell-bent on revenge hes determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murder of his family but his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmarish journey where dark fantasy collides w/stark reality. Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 01/20/2009 Starring: Mark Wahlberg Chris Odonnell Run time: 100 minutes Rating: Pg13

Customer Reviews

Mindless waste
Max Payne is a pain to watch. Other reviewers have noted how shallow
and unimaginative the piece is. How much longer can intelligent viewers
be expected to accept nonstop shoot-fests with little dialog or story to
hold our attention?
Walhberg may have some talent, but he's not able to rescue this senseless
display of blasting and bashing others. My advice is don't bother.

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Repo! The Genetic Opera [Blu-ray]
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Average customer review:

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #100 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-20
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 98 minutes

Customer Reviews

If Paris Hilton is the only reason you're staying away...
Don't let Paris Hilton keep you away from this one... She's got pretty much a grand total of 5 minutes of screen time.. and for someone who hates her, she's found the perfect role.

Everyone should check this movie out, regardless of it being "your cup of tea". Out of the 10 people I've told to rent it, 9 have bought it, and the other wants to wait for a directors cut. FANTASTIC MOVIE.

Gotta say, I'm glad I have a Blu-ray player. The deleted scenes are totally worth it... BUT WE NEED A DIRECTORS CUT!!!

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Magnificent Obsession - Criterion Collection
Directed by Douglas Sirk
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Reckless playboy Bob Merrick (Rock Hudson, in his breakthrough role) crashes his speedboat, requiring emergency attention from the town s only resuscitator at the very moment that beloved local Dr. Phillips has a heart attack and dies waiting for the life-saving device. Thus begins one of Douglas Sirk's most flamboyant master classes in melodrama, a delirious Technicolor mix of the sudsy and the spiritual in which Bob and the doctor s widow, Helen (Jane Wyman), find themselves inextricably linked to one another amid a series of increasingly wild twists, turns, trials, and tribulations. For this release, Criterion also presents John M. Stahl's 1935 film version of the Lloyd C. Douglas novel, starring Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor.

SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
Audio commentary featuring film scholar Thomas Doherty
Magnificent Obsession (1935, 102 minutes): a new digital transfer of John M. Stahl s complete earlier version of the film
Douglas Sirk: From UFA to Hollywood (1991): a rare 80-minute documentary by German filmmaker Eckhart Schmidt in which Sirk reflects upon his career
Video interviews with filmmakers Allison Anders and Kathryn Bigelow, paying tribute to Sirk
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Geoffrey O Brien

Customer Reviews

WELL DONE CRITERION!
The Sirk movie is great. It was great 45 years ago when it was not something you HAD to admire. It was still great when I caught a 35 mm print five years ago. In the movie theaters it has always been shown in the Academy ratio, as shot. IMDB is a commercial organization and its 1,85 hysteria to accomodate the DVD releases is a disgrace.
THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION is well served by ROCK HUDSON who was not taken seriously because he was breathtakingly handsome. Look at JOHN WAYNE in the thirties, he was that handsome too but nobody held it against him. He was not taken seriously because his films were not prestigious.
Everybody was even better in ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS.
The JOHN STAHL version is great. Again the new canon: all melodramas ARE masterpieces, has done him no service. IRENE DUNNE is superb, as usual and ROBERT TAYLOR was a great actor. I mean it.
Could we have 1,33 editions of the movies from the fifties, at least.
All the movie buffs would be willing to pay extra money. I am deprived of the BOETTICHER and DAVES movies and couldn't face watching SUMMER PLACE, a great movie in that hideous 1,85 format. It lies with IMITATION OF LIFE and some others.
The author LLOYD C. DOUGLAS was a queer one, a Lutheran minister. He wrote only eleven novels. The last ones THE ROBE and THE BIG FISHERMAN are straight Christian novels, or Christian romances.
THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION is the first one (1922). For me, Douglas was rather some kind of spiritualist than a true orthodox, in spite of
the Christian themes or conversions. I strongly recommend to lovers of American literature GREEN LIGHT, WHITE BANNERS and DISPUTED PASSAGE, they will be rewarded by some bizarre but interesting thinking, not just some
queer praise of medical science. Like the movies, literature must not be
pure pleasure but has to reveal its significant treasures.

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The Powerpuff Girls: The Complete Series - 10th Anniversary Collection
Directed by Craig McCracken, Genndy Tartakovsky, John McIntyre, Lauren Faust, Randy Myers
Average customer review:

In the city of Townsville, the frustrated Professor Utonium is gathering all the ingredients to make a perfect little girl (sugar, spice, and everything nice). But when his lab assistant, a monkey named Jojo, causes the accidental addition of Chemical X to the mix, the Professor ends up with not one but 3 perfect, powerful little girls. It soon becomes obvious that Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are not normal girls, they have superpowers and have not yet learned to control. The girls are treated like outcasts because they have inadvertently wrecked Townsville in a superpowered game of tag. To win the hearts of the people of Townsville, the girls are tricked into making a deal with Jojo who plans to take over Townsville. As the girls foil this threat and defeat an army of superpowered monkeys, the Powerpuff Girls learn that with great power comes great responsibility. Set includes all 78 episodes plus the holiday special and fans' favorite extras on six discs, plus a custom panoramic poster designed by series creator Craig McCracken.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 1745 minutes

Customer Reviews

A Great Box Set With Few To No Problems
Oh wow I loved, loved, loved this show as a kid! And now every single episode is now in one pretty package!
I was ecstatic when I discovered they were releasing the complete series on DVD, And after I keep checking for a season 2 dvd and nothing came up, I feared that I would never see a powerpuff dvd again! Boy was I wrong!
The series set is a great thing for any powerpuff fan as it's loaded with extras Including: The Original short that started it all "The WhoopA** Girls" the 2 original pilots from the "What A Cartoon Show" "Meat Fuzzy Lumkins" & "Crime 101", A load of classic PPG promos, The christmas special "Twas The Fight Before Christmas", a great all new 30+ minute documentary featuring interviews with Craig, Voice Actors, and other people who worked on the show, a never before seen in the states episode "See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey", and the all new 10th Anniversary episode (Which was just aired this past monday in the states) "The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!"
And much more including commentaries from Mojo Jojo and The Mayor.
My only gripes with it are that the DVD's are double sided (Which is not that big a deal) "The Powerpuff Girls Movie" is not included in the set, and the menus on the DVD are kinda boring and theres a Cartoon Network bug on the menus (Which is also not that big a deal)

But beacuse my gripes are only small little things that don't really effect the DVD I will still give this otherwise fantastic set a 5 out of 5 as this is one of my faviorte shows of all time! "And So Once Again The Day Is Saved Thanks To The Powerpuff Girls!" THE END

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Igor
Directed by Tony Leondis
Average customer review:

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #160 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-20
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

Customer Reviews

not a bad horror spoof
This one I want to be great, was disappointed in that respect but overall, despite the bad lighting (in a CGI movie to boot) Igor is an original cartoon. Don't expect any textures or curves in this boxy, shiny and stylized account of an Igor who wants to be a scientist. The rabbit and brain sidekicks are the best part of the movie, the big Bride of Frankenstein showgirl I thought to be the drawback, and she was supposed to be the big joke.

Not the worst CGI I ever saw but with the material at hand the possiblities they blew are astounding.

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Spain... On The Road Again
Directed by Charles Pinsky
Average customer review:

Get ready for the road trip of a lifetime

From the seaside cliffs of Mallorca to the bustling tapas bars and majestic museums of Barcelona, this is the ultimate road trip across Spain. Academy Award®-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, celebrity chef Mario Batali, celebrated author Mark Bittman (How to Cook Everything), and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols embark on a ten-week tour of a country at the forefront of the culinary and cultural worlds. Each episode finds the four in a new locale, from learning how Cava is made in Catalunya to meeting the famed pigs of Salamanca, as they steadily reveal the undiscovered delights of a country brimming with gastronomic and aesthetic treasures.

DVD Features: Deleted Scenes; Filmmaker Audio Commentary; Behind the Scenes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #682 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-01-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 690 minutes

Customer Reviews

Mouth-Watering and Thoroughly Enjoyable Reality/Travelogue/Food Show.
I hate reality TV, travelogues put me to sleep, and I can only take cooking shows in small doses, but I love "Spain...on the Road Again". In this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a thirteen-part travelogue/food series that aired on PBS in fall of 2009. Chef and restaurateur Mario Batali, who lived in Spain for several years, provides the sparse narration for a food-oriented road trip through 10 regions of Spain in the company of four famous personalities. Batali is joined by friends Mark Bittman, the New York Times food writer, and Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress. The charming and beautifully-accented Spanish actress Claudia Bassols rounds out the quartet and acts as a translator when the Spanish of the American's isn't up to the task.

Batali has an overbearing personality, but the mixing and (not always) matching of these four people is interesting enough. Often Batali is paired with Paltrow and Bittman with Bassols, but they switch around. Every person is not there for every episode, as Gwyneth Paltrow goes off to be with her family in London or Bittman is off on a book tour. A lot of conversations of dubious significance take place in the Mercedes convertibles that they tool around in, but this gives the audience lots of opportunity to see the countryside. And we do see both rural and urban Spain, touching on every region except the southwestern part of the country. The intrepid travelers take us to where the food is grown, raised, or caught, as well as to the restaurants in which it is served.

We see a lot of the country by car. Though the hosts draw our attention to points of interest, and they get out of the cars and go in some museums, cathedrals, resorts, etc., these are more like teasers than tours of the sights. They offer a lot more detail about the food. We visit expensive trendy restaurants as well as more traditional establishments that look accessible to middle-class budgets. We watch specialty cheesemakers, pastry chefs, and country cooks do their thing. Our hosts make lobster stew with some fishermen on the beach of Menoa. The food really runs the gamut. And it literally made my mouth water every time. Spain offers perhaps the best Mediterranean cuisine at this time, and nothing could be a better advertisement for Spanish tourism.

That's what "Spain...on the Road Again" is. It's an ad for Spain. And apparently for Mercedes, given the number of times we see those cars. It couldn't be more effective or enjoyable. The odd combination of personalities, the lovely scenery, stunning architecture, and food, food, food. Great food, even for a semi-vegetarian like Paltrow. (Like me, she eats seafood but not other meat.) I'd hop on a plane to Spain right now if I could afford to. Some of the dishes could be made at home, some couldn't. Sometimes they are explained, but not in the case of restaurant food. If you've seen Mark Bittman's "The Best Recipes in the World" series, the format of the food segments is similar. It's just thoroughly enjoyable. This is an hour-long show, but I am always surprised that it ends so soon.

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The Notebook (Limited Edition Gift Set) [Blu-ray]
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Average customer review:

When you consider that old-fashioned tearjerkers are an endangered species in Hollywood, a movie like The Notebook can be embraced without apology. Yes, it's syrupy sweet and clogged with clichés, and one can only marvel at the irony of Nick Cassavetes directing a weeper that his late father John--whose own films were devoid of saccharine sentiment--would have sneered at. Still, this touchingly impassioned and great-looking adaptation of the popular Nicholas Sparks novel has much to recommend, including appealing young costars (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) and appealing old costars (James Garner and Gena Rowlands, the director's mother) playing the same loving couple in (respectively) early 1940s and present-day North Carolina. He was poor, she was rich, and you can guess the rest; decades later, he's unabashedly devoted, and she's drifting into the memory-loss of senile dementia. How their love endured is the story preserved in the titular notebook that he reads to her in their twilight years. The movie's open to ridicule, but as a delicate tearjerker it works just fine. Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember were also based on Sparks novels, suggesting a triple-feature that hopeless romantics will cherish. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker
Another story from the sap-filled pen of Nicholas Sparks ("Message in a Bottle," "A Walk to Remember") is given the familiar golden-hued treatment by the director Nick Cassavetes and the screenwriter Jeremy Leven. This love story, told through flashbacks to the nineteen-forties, concerns a woman (Gena Rowlands) who is suffering from Alzheimer's and the attempt by her old flame (James Garner) to rekindle a memory of their romantic past. Their younger selves are played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and their idealized love story is filled with clichés. Cassavetes unapologetically lifts romantic set pieces from earlier films like "On Golden Pond" and "East of Eden" in an attempt to rustle up some first-love tension, but the film is as bland and sentimental as a greeting card. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Movie, Beautiful Gift Set
I have owned this movie on DVD since it's original release and have watched it many times. It is based on my favorite book (of the same name) and is an excellent adaptation! When I first heard it was being released on Blu-Ray I was absolutely ecstatic! I was so excited to see all the beautiful scenery in hi-def and I was NOT disappointed! It was like watching it for the first time!

The gift set aspect of this makes it even more of a treasure! It comes in a box reminiscent if a cigar box. When opening it the first thing you see is the photo book. It is hard cover and spiral bound. It has pics from the movie, character descriptions and a breif retelling of the events in the movie. That is the first half of the book. The second half is blank pages for you to fill in with your own pictures and memories from your personal love story.

The Blu-Ray disc is on the last page of the book. I'm always worried about getting movies where the disc is in a special case because these alway break on me and then I have no way of replacing them so my discs always get scratched. But this seems very sturdy so I doubt I'll have any problems with it.

Behind the book is an envelope that contains the adhesive corners to attach your photos, two sheets of stickers and two beautiful (but very small) laminated bookmarks.

Behind the envelope you will find a set of 16 notecards and envelopes. These, too, are beautiful but all 16 cards are of the same design. I was hoping they would have diferent pictures on them and that they would be folded cards. They all have the same picture (featuring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gossling's back. The scene where they are in the row boat)and are more like postcards than notecards. This is my only complaint with the gift set. And as you can see by my rating, it is a VERY minor complaint.

I was able to get this at a local video store who must have accidentally put it out a day early. I am absolutely pleased with this purchase and would recomment it to anyone who loves love stories! Get it, you won't be disappointed!

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