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Reviews Written By: A1C2P5HX5RLPAX

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	The Awakening: And Beyond The Bayou, Library Edition
	"Classic"	2008-12-12
The Awakening is a novella about a young married woman in New Orleans during the late 1800s who suddenly develops a taste for freedom - to make her own decisions and live with the consequences. An exciting concept only because of the setting. The storyline is really very mild for today's readers. The only thing that makes this underdeveloped novella worth reading today is knowing what era the author was from and the impact it made with her peers when this story was released. Were it published today it would quickly disappear into oblivion.
	Awakening
	"Classic"	2008-12-12
The Awakening is a novella about a young married woman in New Orleans during the late 1800s who suddenly develops a taste for freedom - to make her own decisions and live with the consequences. An exciting concept only because of the setting. The storyline is really very mild for today's readers. The only thing that makes this underdeveloped novella worth reading today is knowing what era the author was from and the impact it made with her peers when this story was released. Were it published today it would quickly disappear into oblivion.
	The Awakening
	"Classic"	2008-12-12
The Awakening is a novella about a young married woman in New Orleans during the late 1800s who suddenly develops a taste for freedom - to make her own decisions and live with the consequences. An exciting concept only because of the setting. The storyline is really very mild for today's readers. The only thing that makes this underdeveloped novella worth reading today is knowing what era the author was from and the impact it made with her peers when this story was released. Were it published today it would quickly disappear into oblivion.
	The Awakening
	"Classic"	2008-12-12
The Awakening is a novella about a young married woman in New Orleans during the late 1800s who suddenly develops a taste for freedom - to make her own decisions and live with the consequences. An exciting concept only because of the setting. The storyline is really very mild for today's readers. The only thing that makes this underdeveloped novella worth reading today is knowing what era the author was from and the impact it made with her peers when this story was released. Were it published today it would quickly disappear into oblivion.
	The Awakening
	"Classic"	2008-12-12
The Awakening is a novella about a young married woman in New Orleans during the late 1800s who suddenly develops a taste for freedom - to make her own decisions and live with the consequences. An exciting concept only because of the setting. The storyline is really very mild for today's readers. The only thing that makes this underdeveloped novella worth reading today is knowing what era the author was from and the impact it made with her peers when this story was released. Were it published today it would quickly disappear into oblivion.
	The Bell (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
	"Did Not Love"	2008-05-21
This story opens with Dora Greenfield, a creative spirit who has trapped herself in a marriage where the husband spends more time degrading her than nurturing her. She's ran away and shacked up with another free spirit but this doesn't last for long and she ends up following her husband Paul, an art historian, to a small community of God-fearing people who have set up a settlement out side a nunnery called Imber Abbey. This group is lead by Micheal Meade, a man with his own secrets and internal turmoil. Micheal owns the land outside the Abbey which the members affectionately call Imber Court. These two seem like the most unlikely duo to establish a relationship with one another but without knowing it they do. There are a host of other characters that affect their lives in both positive and negative ways. There's Noel the journalist, Toby the student, Nick the renegade, Catherine the future nun, Murphy the dog, and Gabriel... the bell. A reference to an old church bell buried in the sludge of the lake between the Abbey and the Court is made throughout the book giving it a position of an important character. Dora even suggests as much when the bell is finally unearthed. "She came near to the bell which seemed more and more like a living presence." There are a number of strong issues throughout the Bell but the most dominant is religion. This is followed by a healthy dose of homosexuality, marriage and adultery. Some sources site a strong theme of good and evil (probably associated with religious beliefs) but I think evil is really too harsh a term. There are no real evil people or situations in this story. It's about a group of people trying to make it through this life as best they know how while dealing with the foreseen, unforeseen and exaggerated bumps they encounter along the way. Murdoch does use her philosophical background to insert interesting questions along the way like: "Could one recognize refinements of good if one did not recognize refinements of evil?" Iris Murdoch's The Bell is her fourth of twenty-six published novels. It was released in 1958 but takes place in England in the late forties. This is my second Murdoch novel and I found it flows and is much more vivid in detail than her first book, Under the Net. While I felt this book was certainly better than my first taste of Murdoch, as a whole it bored the heck out of me. Seriously, after the first chapter until they brought up the bell I was bored silly. I realized that is quite a subjective statement but if I had not committed myself to reading all her books I probably would have stopped here. Language differences often slow story down: "After breakfast he repaired as usual to the estate office to cast an eye over the day's correspondence (page 88)." Or just unusual, "From within the dog's barking was redoubled (page 53)." And while cliche is perfectly understandable to most I think it's the easy way for someone who was considered such an established writer. Perhaps it is still too early in her works for me to recognize her greatness. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	We Are Marshall [Blu-ray]
	"beautiful, inspiring and incredibly sad"	2008-05-05
I highly recommend watching this beautiful, inspiring and incredibly sad film about a town in West Virginia that lost its college football team and most of the coaches in a horrific plane crash and how an outsider helped them rebuild and keep the spirits of the lost players alive. In 1970, after losing a game to an East Carolina University, the Thundering Herd boarded their chartered plane to head home. Assistant Coach Red Dawson gave up his seat so one of the team's recruiters could get home to see his granddaughter's recital. They were so close to home and I'm not really sure from watching the film why but the plane crash landed into an inferno a mile short of the runway. There were no survivors. Seventy-five people died. Many thought that was the end of the football program at Marshall University but a union of students and townspeople convinced President Dedmon he had to give it a go at building up a team that meant so much to this small town. His first job was to find a new coach but no one wanted to take on what was really a no-win situation. Then one day he receives a call from Jack Lengyel, a strange but honest coach from an obscure town who wanted to see what he could do to help the people of Huntington heal. With the help of surviving coach Red Dawson and the remaining senior players they set about building up a team from nothing. I would have liked to learned more about the past and replacement players. I felt the only real player we got to know was Nate Ruffin the Captain. But I understand there's only so much that can be committed to a 1 1/2 - 2 hour film. Regardless it is still highly charged with emotion and you are sure to be cheering from within: We are, Marshall! This film is about hope, grieving, rebuilding and the unity of a town brought together by the sport of football. Notable performances include Matthew Mcconaughey as Coach Jack Lengyel, Matthew Fox as Coach Red Dawson, David Strathairn as President Dedmon, Anthony Mackie as Nate Ruffin and Kate Mara as Annie Cantrell (who also affectionately narrates).
	Muriel's Wedding
	""If I had to do the same again, I would, my friend, Fernando""	2008-02-17
Muriel's Wedding takes place in the early nineties in Porpoise Spit, Australia and follows the antics of Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette, Sixth Sense) on her journey to wedded bliss. The hilarity all starts at a wedding where Muriel catches the bouquet and miffs one of the maids (and so-called friends). She then gets arrested at the wedding for wearing a dress she stole from the local boutique (a recurring theme for her). A major hurdle for Muriel is that she isn't popular; even her father is more popular than she is. Muriel insists on hanging out with a crowd of would-be-harlots who berate her constantly for never listening, not wearing the right clothes, being fat, listening to 70s music, and constantly embarrassing them. After being dumped by her friends, Muriel steals $12,000 from her father and shows up on the lavish trip they went on and pretends to be surprised to see them. The girls become even more volatile but in walks Rhonda Epinstalk (Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters), an old classmate, to save the day. They bond with their shared love of Abba then run off to Sydney, the "City of Brides", where they get jobs across the street from one another and share a flat. Muriel finally begins enjoying her life and after devising a way to get her dream wedding realizes there is more to life than getting married. This is a charming film about growing up, self-esteem, body-image, surviving in a dysfunctional family and learning to live on your own. In the end Muriel realizes she has an opportunity for change that has nothing to do with her appearance. The film is full of laughs but also great sadness (one of the characters develops cancer and another commits suicide). And of course there's catchy Abba music throughout (Mamma Mia, Fernando, Dancing Queen, Waterloo) to keep your toes tapping. I highly recommend seeing this film at least once but it is just as delicious the second and third time. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	Muriel's Wedding
	""If I had to do the same again, I would, my friend, Fernando""	2008-02-17
Muriel's Wedding takes place in the early nineties in Porpoise Spit, Australia and follows the antics of Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette, Sixth Sense) on her journey to wedded bliss. The hilarity all starts at a wedding where Muriel catches the bouquet and miffs one of the maids (and so-called friends). She then gets arrested at the wedding for wearing a dress she stole from the local boutique (a recurring theme for her). A major hurdle for Muriel is that she isn't popular; even her father is more popular than she is. Muriel insists on hanging out with a crowd of would-be-harlots who berate her constantly for never listening, not wearing the right clothes, being fat, listening to 70s music, and constantly embarrassing them. After being dumped by her friends, Muriel steals $12,000 from her father and shows up on the lavish trip they went on and pretends to be surprised to see them. The girls become even more volatile but in walks Rhonda Epinstalk (Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters), an old classmate, to save the day. They bond with their shared love of Abba then run off to Sydney, the "City of Brides", where they get jobs across the street from one another and share a flat. Muriel finally begins enjoying her life and after devising a way to get her dream wedding realizes there is more to life than getting married. This is a charming film about growing up, self-esteem, body-image, surviving in a dysfunctional family and learning to live on your own. In the end Muriel realizes she has an opportunity for change that has nothing to do with her appearance. The film is full of laughs but also great sadness (one of the characters develops cancer and another commits suicide). And of course there's catchy Abba music throughout (Mamma Mia, Fernando, Dancing Queen, Waterloo) to keep your toes tapping. I highly recommend seeing this film at least once but it is just as delicious the second and third time. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	The War Zone
	"A Family at War..."	2008-01-21
This is an incredibly moving film about a family of four (soon to be five) who moves to the country from London in hopes of having a better life. There's Tom, the younger teenage brother, played by Freddie Cunliffe who is depressed and angry that he was forced to leave his friends behind. Because of the extra time on his hands he's able to see things within his family he never noticed before. There's Jessie, played by Lara Belmont, who plays the eldest daughter. She's sad, withdrawn and sexually promiscuous with both men and women. She's very close with her baby brother, Tom, and at times you wonder if their relationship is inappropriate. Mum (Tilda Swinton), is having another baby, and hasn't been able to sleep. She's frustrated and wanting to go back to work. Dad (Ray Winstone), appears on the surface to be a loyal and loving husband and father. This is a devastating story about incest and how each member deals with it (but specifically Tom). Tom is the first to discover what is going on between his sister and father. I really didn't know for sure from the beginning but looking back all the signs were obvious. Tom confronts his sister who denies it at first. He blames her viciously at first taking out his anger on her instead of his father. They continue to keep it quiet but Tom begins to fear, once the baby Alice is born, that she'll be Dad's next victim. This film was well written, acted and filmed. While it is an emotional caustic topic it is something that shouldn't be hidden behind locked doors and I think well made films like this The War Zone encourage discussion. It is definitely worth watching. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	Stepmom
	""Mom, I'll hate her if you want me to.""	2007-12-28
Photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts) steps into the role of Stepmom when she moves in with her older boyfriend, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris). He has two children, a young boy named Ben (Liam Aiken) and a teenage girl named Anna (Jena Malone), with his ex-wife Jackie (Susan Surandon). Jackie does everything she can to undermine the kids relationship with Isabel short of coming out and telling them to hate her. But it is implied. When she finds out that her breast cancer has returned she's worried about the kind of mother she's leaving her kids with. It comes down to deciding if she's going to continue to sabotage Isabel or help her to be the best Stepmom she can be. Surandon is inspirational as the grief stricken mom trying to drink up every blessed moment she has left with her children while leaving them with fond memories of their mother. This film is a roller coaster of emotions: love, jealousy, hate, anger, regret, loss and so much more is portrayed within a few hours. This is one of my favorite dramatic comedy films starring two of my favorite female lead actresses. It makes me laugh and cry every time I see it. This film is so relevant to today's families showing that children and parents don't have to choose sides and that all members can have an enriched involvement if everyone chooses to give a little, accept one another's uniqueness and realize that life is a rocky road no matter who you love. If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend you do so and if it's been awhile then definitely revisit it.
	Stepmom
	""Mom, I'll hate her if you want me to.""	2007-12-28
Photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts) steps into the role of Stepmom when she moves in with her older boyfriend, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris). He has two children, a young boy named Ben (Liam Aiken) and a teenage girl named Anna (Jena Malone), with his ex-wife Jackie (Susan Surandon). Jackie does everything she can to undermine the kids relationship with Isabel short of coming out and telling them to hate her. But it is implied. When she finds out that her breast cancer has returned she's worried about the kind of mother she's leaving her kids with. It comes down to deciding if she's going to continue to sabotage Isabel or help her to be the best Stepmom she can be. Surandon is inspirational as the grief stricken mom trying to drink up every blessed moment she has left with her children while leaving them with fond memories of their mother. This film is a roller coaster of emotions: love, jealousy, hate, anger, regret, loss and so much more is portrayed within a few hours. This is one of my favorite dramatic comedy films starring two of my favorite female lead actresses. It makes me laugh and cry every time I see it. This film is so relevant to today's families showing that children and parents don't have to choose sides and that all members can have an enriched involvement if everyone chooses to give a little, accept one another's uniqueness and realize that life is a rocky road no matter who you love. If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend you do so and if it's been awhile then definitely revisit it.
	Angus
	"Hiding is Not an Option!"	2007-12-27
Angus Bethune (Charlie Talbert) is an overweight teenager with a crush on Melissa Lefevre (Ariana Richards), a pretty cheerleader at his school. Since he was in grade school he has been bullied by Rick Sandford (James Van Der Beek) the good looking kid that can do no wrong in the eyes of pretty much everyone. And if things couldn't be worse, Melissa is Rick's girlfriend. This inspirational movie with lots of great lines and lessons is narrated by Angus who we quickly follow from grade school to present day as he copes with his weight by being tuff instead of walked over by his peers. He breaks Rick's nose numerous times in an attempt to stand up for himself but Rick keeps getting prettier and Angus becomes more and more frustrated. I not supporting violence as a measure of handling our problems but Angus doesn't let his weight get in the way of the things he wants to do like play football and get into a specialized Science school. By the end of the film he resolves his violent tendencies as a way of coping with confrontation. Rick's current punishment involves getting Angus voted King of the Winter Ball in an attempt at embarrassing Angus. Angus knows this, but he also sees it as an opportunity to dance with Melissa who is of course the Queen. Now if only he could get a black tux that will fit him and learn to dance. The talented Kathy Bates has a small role as Meg Bethune, Angus's supportive and loving mother, who had her own kind of torments to live through as a child. Her greatest fear is that Angus will be as scarred as she feels. George C. Scott is his intelligent and wise Grandpa Ivan. He's "the big kid down the hall" getting married to a beautiful and much younger woman despite what everyone around him says about it. His motto? "Screw 'em!" Angus and his grandfather have a funny nattering relationship that is hilarious. Angus could come across as disrespectful of his grandfather but its part of their relationship and if you look deeper it's obvious they love one another. He receives lots of advice from his grandpa on girls and life although he doesn't necessarily take it immediately into account. When Angus is concerned about being normal he rallies with: I'm big, I'm normal. When Angus threatens to break more noses he counters with: You can't go around beating everyone up 'cause they don't like you. Use what you have in here (points to head). Even though this film is over ten years old its message is still relevant to plus size teenagers and adults today. Don't give up and don't hide away. There are a lot of embarrassing moments Angus has to live through and the viewer can't help but feel for him and maybe even relate. It's a fun film with a great message for living life and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It even has a lively soundtrack with artists such as Goo Goo Dolls and Green Day. I highly recommend seeing it at least once. Check your local video store or watch for it on your local specialty network. Hopefully someone will release this one in DVD soon. Reviewed by M.E. Wood.
	An American Werewolf in London
	"I Will Not Be Threatened by a Walking Meatloaf!"	2007-12-25
David Kessler and Jack Goodman are two Americans taking a break from school and family by taking a three month trek across the English countryside. Wet and hungry they venture into a small country village where they stop in at the Slaughtered Lamb hoping to eat and warm up. They come across some eccentric residents who are anything but warm and are encouraged to leave even though it's late and the full moon is out. Shortly after leaving they venture off the main road onto the moors where they are attacked by a creature of the night. David (played by David Naughton) is the only one who survives the attack but he's having horribly gory dreams and his mutilated dead friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) keeps coming to him, in various degrees of decay, and telling him he should kill himself before the next full moon. One of the ways David remains sane is hooking up with his nurse, Alex Price (Jenny Agutter / Logun's Run). An American Werewolf in London was written and directed by John Landis who also directed the movie Animal House and Michael Jackson's Thriller video. It was filmed entirely in Wales, London and Middlesex, England. This is one of the best horror movies of all time with incredibly detailed make-up effects by Rick Baker that still hold up for today's viewers. Baker set the standards for future monster movies. I love the music too. It's addictive. Probably because there are only three songs throughout: Bad Moon Rising (Creedance Clearwater Revival), Moondance (Van Morrison) and three renditions of Blue Moon (Sam Cooke, The Marcels and Bobby Vinton). This is one of my favorite all-time movies. There's comedy (a bit campy at times), there's blood and guts, there's wolf lore and there's a white guy running around in his birthday suit in the middle of the London. I've seen this film dozens of times and enjoy it every time. It's a must see film for horror buffs and werewolf fans. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	An American Werewolf in London
	"I Will Not Be Threatened by a Walking Meatloaf!"	2007-12-25
David Kessler and Jack Goodman are two Americans taking a break from school and family by taking a three month trek across the English countryside. Wet and hungry they venture into a small country village where they stop in at the Slaughtered Lamb hoping to eat and warm up. They come across some eccentric residents who are anything but warm and are encouraged to leave even though it's late and the full moon is out. Shortly after leaving they venture off the main road onto the moors where they are attacked by a creature of the night. David (played by David Naughton) is the only one who survives the attack but he's having horribly gory dreams and his mutilated dead friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) keeps coming to him, in various degrees of decay, and telling him he should kill himself before the next full moon. One of the ways David remains sane is hooking up with his nurse, Alex Price (Jenny Agutter / Logun's Run). An American Werewolf in London was written and directed by John Landis who also directed the movie Animal House and Michael Jackson's Thriller video. It was filmed entirely in Wales, London and Middlesex, England. This is one of the best horror movies of all time with incredibly detailed make-up effects by Rick Baker that still hold up for today's viewers. Baker set the standards for future monster movies. I love the music too. It's addictive. Probably because there are only three songs throughout: Bad Moon Rising (Creedance Clearwater Revival), Moondance (Van Morrison) and three renditions of Blue Moon (Sam Cooke, The Marcels and Bobby Vinton). This is one of my favorite all-time movies. There's comedy (a bit campy at times), there's blood and guts, there's wolf lore and there's a white guy running around in his birthday suit in the middle of the London. I've seen this film dozens of times and enjoy it every time. It's a must see film for horror buffs and werewolf fans. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	Vacancy [Blu-ray]
	"Good up Until the End"	2007-12-09
Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson portray a husband and wife torn apart by the death of their son. On their way home from her parent's anniversary party we witness the sarcasm and hate that has crept into their marriage. Off the beaten track their car deserts them and they end up taking refuge in a shady motel where they quickly learn that they are not the guests but the prey. This was a tension packed psychological thriller that kept us hopping, literally; from the verbal discourse in the car to the nightmare in the motel room. The unfortunate thing is the ending was a fizzle. After all that mayhem it just didn't satisfy.
	Heavy Metal 2000 (Superbit Collection)
	"Laughable but I didn't stop watching...."	2007-12-03
I didn't know there was such a thing as b-type cartoons but this one is definitely b-rated. If you know that going in, it's actually quite funny to see bad acting extended to cartoon characters. Lot's of blood and guts in minute sepia tone and of course a gratuitous boob shot (or two, or six) if you're into that. Basic story: man unearths something he shouldn't have, it transforms him into an evil psycho who wants to control the universe or at least kill everyone in it who isn't compliant. There's also the added perk of living forever. He attacks a friendly planet kidnapping a teacher whose only surviving relative is a warrior woman with attitude and determination of her own. A big mistake he regrets repeatedly until the end. What's good about it? The graphics are pretty good although the body movements are a bit stifled at times. I actually prefer the vibrancy of Titan A. E. If you're into metal music you'll enjoy the tracks too. I have never seen the first movie so I don't have it to compare it to. Now that I've watched this one right through I wouldn't waste my time watching it again.
	Heavy Metal 2000
	"Laughable but I didn't stop watching...."	2007-12-03
I didn't know there was such a thing as b-type cartoons but this one is definitely b-rated. If you know that going in, it's actually quite funny to see bad acting extended to cartoon characters. Lot's of blood and guts in minute sepia tone and of course a gratuitous boob shot (or two, or six) if you're into that. Basic story: man unearths something he shouldn't have, it transforms him into an evil psycho who wants to control the universe or at least kill everyone in it who isn't compliant. There's also the added perk of living forever. He attacks a friendly planet kidnapping a teacher whose only surviving relative is a warrior woman with attitude and determination of her own. A big mistake he regrets repeatedly until the end. What's good about it? The graphics are pretty good although the body movements are a bit stifled at times. I actually prefer the vibrancy of Titan A. E. If you're into metal music you'll enjoy the tracks too. I have never seen the first movie so I don't have it to compare it to. Now that I've watched this one right through I wouldn't waste my time watching it again.
	Heavy Metal 2000
	"Laughable but I didn't stop watching...."	2007-12-03
I didn't know there was such a thing as b-type cartoons but this one is definitely b-rated. If you know that going in, it's actually quite funny to see bad acting extended to cartoon characters. Lot's of blood and guts in minute sepia tone and of course a gratuitous boob shot (or two, or six) if you're into that. Basic story: man unearths something he shouldn't have, it transforms him into an evil psycho who wants to control the universe or at least kill everyone in it who isn't compliant. There's also the added perk of living forever. He attacks a friendly planet kidnapping a teacher whose only surviving relative is a warrior woman with attitude and determination of her own. A big mistake he regrets repeatedly until the end. What's good about it? The graphics are pretty good although the body movements are a bit stifled at times. I actually prefer the vibrancy of Titan A. E. If you're into metal music you'll enjoy the tracks too. I have never seen the first movie so I don't have it to compare it to. Now that I've watched this one right through I wouldn't waste my time watching it again.
	Heavy Metal 2000
	"Laughable but I didn't stop watching...."	2007-12-03
I didn't know there was such a thing as b-type cartoons but this one is definitely b-rated. If you know that going in, it's actually quite funny to see bad acting extended to cartoon characters. Lot's of blood and guts in minute sepia tone and of course a gratuitous boob shot (or two, or six) if you're into that. Basic story: man unearths something he shouldn't have, it transforms him into an evil psycho who wants to control the universe or at least kill everyone in it who isn't compliant. There's also the added perk of living forever. He attacks a friendly planet kidnapping a teacher whose only surviving relative is a warrior woman with attitude and determination of her own. A big mistake he regrets repeatedly until the end. What's good about it? The graphics are pretty good although the body movements are a bit stifled at times. I actually prefer the vibrancy of Titan A. E. If you're into metal music you'll enjoy the tracks too. I have never seen the first movie so I don't have it to compare it to. Now that I've watched this one right through I wouldn't waste my time watching it again.
	Amazon Women on the Moon
	"Too Little Too Late"	2007-12-03
This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I can appreciate satire and comedy skits but this collection of skits surrounding snippets of a campy space movie just doesn't work. Individually some of the skits are good or at least mildly amusing; like "Two IDs" starring Rosanna Arquette and Steve Guttenberg about a fact checking machine that does a history analysis of a man's dating history to let user's know if he's a good candidate. Or Ed Begley Jr. as the "Son of the Invisible Man" who doesn't realize he's not invisible and runs around naked. The best part of the movie was looking out for the familiar faces, some who were popular in the 80s and some who are more popular now. They include the likes of Arsenio Hall, Phil Hartman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter Horton, Griffon Dunne, Joe Pantoliano, Joey Travolta, Steve Allen, B.B. King, David Alan Grier, Kelly Preston, Marc McClure, Carrie Fisher and more. If you're into campy this is it.
	Amazon Women on the Moon - Collector's Edition
	"Too Little Too Late"	2007-12-03
This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I can appreciate satire and comedy skits but this collection of skits surrounding snippets of a campy space movie just doesn't work. Individually some of the skits are good or at least mildly amusing; like "Two IDs" starring Rosanna Arquette and Steve Guttenberg about a fact checking machine that does a history analysis of a man's dating history to let user's know if he's a good candidate. Or Ed Begley Jr. as the "Son of the Invisible Man" who doesn't realize he's not invisible and runs around naked. The best part of the movie was looking out for the familiar faces, some who were popular in the 80s and some who are more popular now. They include the likes of Arsenio Hall, Phil Hartman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter Horton, Griffon Dunne, Joe Pantoliano, Joey Travolta, Steve Allen, B.B. King, David Alan Grier, Kelly Preston, Marc McClure, Carrie Fisher and more. If you're into campy this is it.
	Roman Holiday
	"A Fun Holiday"	2007-12-01
A young princess named Ann has been a slave to duty all her life, to the point of utter unhappiness. All she longs to do is live a few moments without being poked, prodded, dressed or directed. One night while on tour in Rome she slinks away in the wee hours to have some fun as someone else. Audrey Hepburn is simply divine as the princess who is so tired she can't sleep and Gregory Peck is dashing as the young reporter who shows her a good time on the town. The film is black and white but it doesn't matter because Hepburn is so captivating you quickly forget. The princess now going by the name Anya wanders around Rome experiencing the people, culture and sites. She also chops off her hair, tries some ice-cream and gets involved in some roughhousing. Reporter, Joe Bradley encourages her to take some time for himself, all the time pretending he doesn't know who she really is; with the intention of getting a personal story for his employer. But of course he begins to regret his underhandedness. Roman Holiday doesn't have your typical boy meets girl (or vice versa) and lives happily ever after romantic ending, which I was expecting, but it is not disappointing. It was a good ride while it lasted and I recommend you take it for a spin. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	Roman Holiday (Special Collector's Edition)
	"A Fun Holiday"	2007-12-01
A young princess named Ann has been a slave to duty all her life, to the point of utter unhappiness. All she longs to do is live a few moments without being poked, prodded, dressed or directed. One night while on tour in Rome she slinks away in the wee hours to have some fun as someone else. Audrey Hepburn is simply divine as the princess who is so tired she can't sleep and Gregory Peck is dashing as the young reporter who shows her a good time on the town. The film is black and white but it doesn't matter because Hepburn is so captivating you quickly forget. The princess now going by the name Anya wanders around Rome experiencing the people, culture and sites. She also chops off her hair, tries some ice-cream and gets involved in some roughhousing. Reporter, Joe Bradley encourages her to take some time for herself, all the time pretending he doesn't know who she really is; with the intention of getting a personal story for his employer. But of course he begins to regret his underhandedness. Roman Holiday doesn't have your typical boy meets girl (or vice versa) and lives happily ever after romantic ending, which I was expecting, but it is not disappointing. It was a good ride while it lasted and I recommend you take it for a spin. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.
	K-PAX
	"Is He Or Isn't He... That is the question... Or is it?"	2007-11-29
We've seen this film a number of times and enjoy it every time. It is filled with humor, misery, suspense, intrigue, science and a little bit of philosophy. K-Pax tries to get the viewer to expand his/her knowledge of the world around him/her by presenting the story of a man who appears one day in an airport and claims to be a visiting alien, named Prot (Kevin Spacey), from another star system on a mission to collect data. People react intensely in favor or against him which both shocks and amuses him. He is immediately arrested and transferred to a mental institution where he meets Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges), a married man with three children who is more interested in helping his patients reach a breakthrough than raising his children. The more time Dr. Powell spends with Prot the more involved he becomes in trying to determine if he is an alien or a man suffering from split personalities. Dr. Powell makes it his mission to find out the truth no matter what the cost. Both men learn something from one another along the way. The viewer is left to make up their own mind to the truth. The end has many possibilities but no hard conclusions but this is ok. It really is. Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey are a good match but Spacey definitely steals the show. One of my favorite things about this film is the constant visual play with light (Prot supposedly traveled to our world via a ray of light); a constant reminder about Prot even when he's not in a scene. I highly recommend watching this PG-13 film.
	K-PAX
	"Is He Or Isn't He... That is the question... Or is it?"	2007-11-29
We've seen this film a number of times and enjoy it every time. It is filled with humor, misery, suspense, intrigue, science and a little bit of philosophy. K-Pax tries to get the viewer to expand his/her knowledge of the world around him/her by presenting the story of a man who appears one day in an airport and claims to be a visiting alien, named Prot (Kevin Spacey), from another star system on a mission to collect data. People react intensely in favor or against him which both shocks and amuses him. He is immediately arrested and transferred to a mental institution where he meets Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges), a married man with three children who is more interested in helping his patients reach a breakthrough than raising his children. The more time Dr. Powell spends with Prot the more involved he becomes in trying to determine if he is an alien or a man suffering from split personalities. Dr. Powell makes it his mission to find out the truth no matter what the cost. Both men learn something from one another along the way. The viewer is left to make up their own mind to the truth. The end has many possibilities but no hard conclusions but this is ok. It really is. Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey are a good match but Spacey definitely steals the show. One of my favorite things about this film is the constant visual play with light (Prot supposedly traveled to our world via a ray of light); a constant reminder about Prot even when he's not in a scene. I highly recommend watching this PG-13 film.
	K-PAX
	"Is He Or Isn't He... That is the question... Or is it?"	2007-11-29
We've seen this film a number of times and enjoy it every time. It is filled with humor, misery, suspense, intrigue, science and a little bit of philosophy. K-Pax tries to get the viewer to expand his/her knowledge of the world around him/her by presenting the story of a man who appears one day in an airport and claims to be a visiting alien, named Prot (Kevin Spacey), from another star system on a mission to collect data. People react intensely in favor or against him which both shocks and amuses him. He is immediately arrested and transferred to a mental institution where he meets Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges), a married man with three children who is more interested in helping his patients reach a breakthrough than raising his children. The more time Dr. Powell spends with Prot the more involved he becomes in trying to determine if he is an alien or a man suffering from split personalities. Dr. Powell makes it his mission to find out the truth no matter what the cost. Both men learn something from one another along the way. The viewer is left to make up their own mind to the truth. The end has many possibilities but no hard conclusions but this is ok. It really is. Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey are a good match but Spacey definitely steals the show. One of my favorite things about this film is the constant visual play with light (Prot supposedly traveled to our world via a ray of light); a constant reminder about Prot even when he's not in a scene. I highly recommend watching this PG-13 film.
	Men of Honor
	"Inspirational"	2007-11-26
Men of Honor is an inspirational film about never giving up no matter how hard the work or unlikely the odds. It is based on the true story of Carl Brashear, the first African American salvage diver for the U. S. Navy. Brashear is the son of a hardworking farmer who wants his son to be more than he ever was. He joins the Navy with his own dreams of moving up in rank but unfortunately he lives in a time when black men aren't even allowed to swim in the same waters on the same day. For most of the film De Niro plays his superior officer, Chief Sunday, and the one who's been ordered to break Brashear and send him home, on his feet or on a stretcher. De Niro is an awesome protagonist, as only he can be, to Gooding's warm heart and determined nature. The forward and backward motion created by leads Cuba Gooding and Robert De Niro keep the film moving and the tense in the expectation of the outcome. There are other notable appearances from actors such as Charlize Theron (Monster), Hal Holbrook (The Firm), Michael Rapaport (The War at Home), Powers Booth, David Keith (High Incident), David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer) and Carl Lumbly (Alias). It's a great film and I will definitely watch it again.
	Men of Honor
	"Inspirational"	2007-11-26
Men of Honor is an inspirational film about never giving up no matter how hard the work or unlikely the odds. It is based on the true story of Carl Brashear, the first African American salvage diver for the U. S. Navy. Brashear is the son of a hardworking farmer who wants his son to be more than he ever was. He joins the Navy with his own dreams of moving up in rank but unfortunately he lives in a time when black men aren't even allowed to swim in the same waters on the same day. For most of the film De Niro plays his superior officer, Chief Sunday, and the one who's been ordered to break Brashear and send him home, on his feet or on a stretcher. De Niro is an awesome protagonist, as only he can be, to Gooding's warm heart and determined nature. The forward and backward motion created by leads Cuba Gooding and Robert De Niro keep the film moving and the tense in the expectation of the outcome. There are other notable appearances from actors such as Charlize Theron (Monster), Hal Holbrook (The Firm), Michael Rapaport (The War at Home), Powers Booth, David Keith (High Incident), David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer) and Carl Lumbly (Alias). It's a great film and I will definitely watch it again.
	Men of Honor (Full-Screen Edition)
	"Inspirational"	2007-11-26
Men of Honor is an inspirational film about never giving up no matter how hard the work or unlikely the odds. It is based on the true story of Carl Brashear, the first African American salvage diver for the U. S. Navy. Brashear is the son of a hardworking farmer who wants his son to be more than he ever was. He joins the Navy with his own dreams of moving up in rank but unfortunately he lives in a time when black men aren't even allowed to swim in the same waters on the same day. For most of the film De Niro plays his superior officer, Chief Sunday, and the one who's been ordered to break Brashear and send him home, on his feet or on a stretcher. De Niro is an awesome protagonist, as only he can be, to Gooding's warm heart and determined nature. The forward and backward motion created by leads Cuba Gooding and Robert De Niro keep the film moving and the tense in the expectation of the outcome. There are other notable appearances from actors such as Charlize Theron (Monster), Hal Holbrook (The Firm), Michael Rapaport (The War at Home), Powers Booth, David Keith (High Incident), David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer) and Carl Lumbly (Alias). It's a great film and I will definitely watch it again.