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	When Will There Be Good News: A Novel
	" "A Coincidence Is Just An Explanation Waiting To Happen." "	2008-11-09
Coincidence as defined by Webster "the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection." Kate Atkinson is a perfectionist when it comes to coincidence. Her mystery thrillers are made of such. Into each one she weaves a story that grabs us and soon we are ensconced in the telling of the tale. How to describe the beginning? A full cut madness that results in a family torn apart, one little girl, Joanna survives. She becomes a physician, a caring person with a husband and a baby son. Her Nanny is a young girl named Reggie. Reggie without family except for an outlaw brother, and the family she wants is with Joanna. Jackson Brodie, a private investigator embarking on a train trip to London, after traveling to Edinburgh to ascertain if he has a son. The train runs off its track and after almost bleeding to death he is saved by Reggie. The investigating office is Louise, an old friend to Brody. Louise has also brought news to Joanna. Coincidence? You decide. One of the most interesting aspects of reading a Kate Atkinson novel is her mission to bring us the reason for living. How and why do we go on after trauma and grief. What do we do when we find the person we are married to may be the wrong one. When our loved ones die how do we go on? How do we know we have found what we need in life? This is the third novel with Louise and Jackson Brodie as main characters. We know do we not that they are meant for each other? But Kate Atkinson seems to knock off the men in these women's lives. Why is that? Will Jackson Brodie and Louise find true happiness? I think not and that is not just a coincidence! Highly Recommended. prisrob 11-08-08 One Good Turn: A Novel Behind the Scenes at the Museum: A Novel
	Cool Hand Luke [Blu-ray]
	"The Spirit of the Anti-Hero"	2008-09-28
Paul Newman died yesterday, and I watched 'Cool Hand Luke' in his memory. Paul liked to think he was an ordinary guy. He played ordinary guys in his films, and he hung around ordinary people. The difference is that Paul Newman knew his own mind and no one could push him. That is the kind of character that Paul Newman best portrayed. Luke Jackson was a war hero, who may have suffered from PTSD. Certainly Luke did not want to face his demons, he did not like people, he did not want to be anyone's hero; he wanted to go his own way. Damn those people anyway. Luke was caught drunk removing the top of parking meters and sentenced to two years in a southern chain gang. Sounds like Hell and it was. Day after day with sweaty back breaking work. Up at dawn and back at night. He fit in with the other guys, he was silent but was not afraid to speak up. He spoke back to the boss and went his own way. Luke was beaten to a pulp by the leader of the group, Dragline, played by George Kennedy and from then on they had an easy truce. He ate 50 eggs in a contest to ease the boredom, and he became someone the other guys looked up to. He spent a couple of nights in the "box' when his mom died so he would not be tempted to escape. However, escape he did three times. And, each time he was brought back and mercilessly beaten by the guards. His escape was all of their escapes, and the fellas cheered and reveled in his freedom, but the last time he was brought back and broken down piece by piece until he was only a mirror of himself. He became the yes man to everyone and did what he was told. And, then the last escape, and he knew this was it, he did not have the strength or the will to continue. He left smiling as he always did. He was tired of playing a hero and he had become a discouraged man who would no longer pay the price. 'Cold Hand Luke' was made in 1967- the end of the era of heroes. Luke was one of the first anti-heroes. He did not care what people thought of him. He was a good guy who became a bad guy because he didn't like us or them. And, we believed him. Paul Newman was our hero whether he wanted to be one or not. He was the good guy. Highly Recommended. prisrob 09-27-08 The Films of Paul Newman (The Verdict/The Hustler/Butch Cassidy) The Long, Hot Summer
	The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set) (Hardcover)
	"A Masterpiece Of Comic Brillance"	2008-07-22
"Every one of these cartoons is just something that drifted into my head when I was alone with my thoughts. And, for better or worse, I `jotted them down. It was only later, when perhaps I received an angry letter from someone, that it struck me: Hey! Some one's been reading my diary!" Gary Larson, from the preface to The Complete Far Side How do you explain 'Far Side'? A brilliant comedic view of the absurd and unusual? An inspiring cartoon that entertains and inspires? My family loves cards and for each birthday we all receive more than a few cards, and most of them are from 'Far Side'. We look forward to those cards. At Christmas there are calendars and mugs. We are a family of Far Side. But it took my best friend to give me the gift of Far Side that is impressive. When the first Far Side appeared millions of us could not get enough. The cartoons debuted in January 1980 and we have bought more than 40 million Far Side books and more than 60 million calendars. The demand for The Far Side has been insatiable. I received the hefty, deluxe, two-volume slip cased set as a gift. The slipcase is gorgeous with a lovely ribbon surrounding it. The volumes are printed in full color, milled paper, The Complete Far Side is a superb gift that takes its place alongside collector's-edition art books. "A masterpiece of comic brilliance, The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated -- over 4,000 if you must know -- presented in (more or less) chronological order by year of publication, with more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book." publisher. There are more Far Side cartoons in these volumes that Larson created after his retirement: 13 of them appeared in the last Far Side book, Last Chapter and Worse, and six cartoons that ran as a special feature in The New York Times' Science Times section as The Far Side of Science. Gary Larson offers a glimpse into the mind of The Far Side in quirky and introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from readers appear. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his thoughts in a foreword, and Gary Larson's former editor describes what it was like to be "the guy who could explain every Far Side cartoon." During its 14-year run, The Far Side was syndicated to over 1,900 daily newspapers. It has been translated into a total of 17 different languages. For his work with The Far Side, Gary Larson received the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year from the National Cartoonists Society in both 1991 and 1994. The National Cartoonists Society also named The Far Side Best Syndicated Panel in 1985 and 1987. In 1993 The Far Side was awarded the Max & Moritz Prize for Best International Comic Strip/Panel by the International Comics Salon. In 1995, Larson's animated film Gary Larson's Tales From The Far Side won the Grand Prix at the Annecy International Animation Festival in Annecy, France. His second animated film, Gary Larson's Tales From The Far Side II, premiered in 1997 in the United States at the Telluride Film Festival and in Europe at the Venice International Film Festival. Gary Larson has always made use of biology and science. It seems he likes to put animals in human situations, like the praying mantis woman accusing another of having an affair with her mate and being told "Surely you know that I would only eat my own husband", or the cow with a bib and knife and fork sitting behind a big pile of steaks proclaiming to the herd that they tasted a bit like chicken. Surreal, crazy talk, if you like it you'll love it. Some people never understand the humour. It can vary from simple & obvious, to oblique and obscure. However, most of my family and friends understand the humor all too well:-) It has taken me awhile to read every page of these two volumes. A laugh out loud and/or guffaw, but always, always a smile on my face when I was faced with the humor. Some are so obscure that I am still wondering what they really were all about. but I enjoyed them all the same. This is a gift of a lifetime. My family when visiting all seem to veer toward the two volumes in their slipcase perched so invitingly on my coffee table. One of us will start reading out loud, and soon we will all be engulfed in laughter. Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 07-22-08 Last Chapter and Worse Unnatural Selections
	The Complete Far Side Leather - Bound Edition
	"A Masterpiece Of Comic Brillance"	2008-07-22
"Every one of these cartoons is just something that drifted into my head when I was alone with my thoughts. And, for better or worse, I `jotted them down. It was only later, when perhaps I received an angry letter from someone, that it struck me: Hey! Some one's been reading my diary!" Gary Larson, from the preface to The Complete Far Side How do you explain 'Far Side'? A brilliant comedic view of the absurd and unusual? An inspiring cartoon that entertains and inspires? My family loves cards and for each birthday we all receive more than a few cards, and most of them are from 'Far Side'. We look forward to those cards. At Christmas there are calendars and mugs. We are a family of Far Side. But it took my best friend to give me the gift of Far Side that is impressive. When the first Far Side appeared millions of us could not get enough. The cartoons debuted in January 1980 and we have bought more than 40 million Far Side books and more than 60 million calendars. The demand for The Far Side has been insatiable. I received the hefty, deluxe, two-volume slip cased set as a gift. The slipcase is gorgeous with a lovely ribbon surrounding it. The volumes are printed in full color, milled paper, The Complete Far Side is a superb gift that takes its place alongside collector's-edition art books. "A masterpiece of comic brilliance, The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated -- over 4,000 if you must know -- presented in (more or less) chronological order by year of publication, with more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book." publisher. There are more Far Side cartoons in these volumes that Larson created after his retirement: 13 of them appeared in the last Far Side book, Last Chapter and Worse, and six cartoons that ran as a special feature in The New York Times' Science Times section as The Far Side of Science. Gary Larson offers a glimpse into the mind of The Far Side in quirky and introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from readers appear. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his thoughts in a foreword, and Gary Larson's former editor describes what it was like to be "the guy who could explain every Far Side cartoon." During its 14-year run, The Far Side was syndicated to over 1,900 daily newspapers. It has been translated into a total of 17 different languages. For his work with The Far Side, Gary Larson received the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year from the National Cartoonists Society in both 1991 and 1994. The National Cartoonists Society also named The Far Side Best Syndicated Panel in 1985 and 1987. In 1993 The Far Side was awarded the Max & Moritz Prize for Best International Comic Strip/Panel by the International Comics Salon. In 1995, Larson's animated film Gary Larson's Tales From The Far Side won the Grand Prix at the Annecy International Animation Festival in Annecy, France. His second animated film, Gary Larson's Tales From The Far Side II, premiered in 1997 in the United States at the Telluride Film Festival and in Europe at the Venice International Film Festival. Gary Larson has always made use of biology and science. It seems he likes to put animals in human situations, like the praying mantis woman accusing another of having an affair with her mate and being told "Surely you know that I would only eat my own husband", or the cow with a bib and knife and fork sitting behind a big pile of steaks proclaiming to the herd that they tasted a bit like chicken. Surreal, crazy talk, if you like it you'll love it. Some people never understand the humour. It can vary from simple & obvious, to oblique and obscure. However, most of my family and friends understand the humor all too well:-) It has taken me awhile to read every page of these two volumes. A laugh out loud and/or guffaw, but always, always a smile on my face when I was faced with the humor. Some are so obscure that I am still wondering what they really were all about. but I enjoyed them all the same. This is a gift of a lifetime. My family when visiting all seem to veer toward the two volumes in their slipcase perched so invitingly on my coffee table. One of us will start reading out loud, and soon we will all be engulfed in laughter. Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 07-22-08 Last Chapter and Worse Unnatural Selections
	Nespresso C100T Essenza Single-Serve Automatic Espresso Machine, Titan Grey
	"Rich, Smooth, No-mess Espresso,"	2008-07-14
I love coffee. I appreciate a smooth, rich cup of coffee and especially love espresso. The Nespresso C100 has satisfied my coffee thirst and espresso habit. This was a gift, so it is particularly meaningful to me. The Nespresso C100 came beautifully wrapped in green with a silver ribbon. It was a medium sized box, and as soon as I had unwrapped it and read the directions briefly, it found its way to my kitchen counter and I had my first cup of extremely lush espresso. The old saying that 'great things come in small packages' is so true. It is small and compact and has a beautiful triangular shape. The titanium grey looks expensive and sleek. Operating the Nespresso is relatively simple. There is a water reservoir that hold 4 1/2 cups that fits onto the back of the machine. You then turn on the machine, a small sliding on/off switch near the left side of the machine to heat the water. You choose your choice of coffee, which comes in capsules made by Nespresso. You have a choice of twelve differing flavors, all marked clearly in a small case. Lifting the chrome lever, you drop in a capsule, and press down the lever. There are two blinking lights on the front of the machine that blink until the water is hot. 187 degrees hot the directions tell us. You have a choice of a small cup or a large cup, and push the button. The machine stops automatically at a pre-set level. There is no cup warmer, so make sure you run hot water in and out of the cup to give you the best flavor. This was easy, and quick. It takes but a few minutes to brew the most rich, smooth espresso. When you lift the lever to brew shot two, the old capsule is dropped into the waste bin, which seems to hold about 10-12 capsules. To make lattes while using the Nespresso C100, I used a heat and froth type device that I have. Very easy and and delicious. When I wanted a milk drink I tended to use a Manual Milk Frother to do it. Not perfect, but an easy way to make a latte with this. The Nespresso C100 come with 12 samples of coffee. I went through a few varieties of capsules. The Nespresso system works on these capsules. You can select from many varieties. Once you have registered your Nespresso, you are a member of the Nespresso family and may order the capsules whenever you want. They are priced at $0.52 a piece. I prefer the Ristretto. It has a chocolate flavor. It's a well-balanced sharp flavor but not overly acidic. Other flavors are Roma, a Southern Italian Espresso, rich and strong. Livanto, has a caramel and nutty aroma. Arpaggio is dark roasted and pungent. The Nespresso C-100 is easy to clean and easy to use. It has a great taste and the variety of capsules is extraordinary. There is a large water storage container and it is professional and quick brewing. I look forward to my espresso in the morning, a great way to start the day. My Nespresso came with an attractive three ring binder filled with colorful directions and instructions on how to order the capsules. Nespresso is a class act. I love this machine and highly, highly recommend it. prisrob 07-14-08
	Knocked Up (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]
	"Mismatched Love Story"	2008-06-22
"If you want to hate on Judd Apatow's Knocked Up -- and the anti-crowd-pleaser contingent will surely ding it -- then get ready to be drowned out by the sound of laughter from the rest of us. I'll admit there's something sitcom-trite about the setup. Idiot-boy Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) knocks up gorgeous Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) on a drunken first date and forges a truce with his lifelong enemy: maturity." Peter Travers I was so prepared to hate this film. The antithesis of the romantic comedy, what do you call this type of film, anyway? My best friend recommended the film, and dang if he wasn't right. I grew to really care about the characters. Seth Rogen, the bumbling, inept, immature guy who meets and beds the beautiful Katherine Heigl. How does this occur? A drunken night out, the sudden boy meets girl. And the resulting pregnancy. These two characters are human and convey their emotions so well that the obscenity laden mouth of Rogen converts to a caring, soft spoken man who worries about the mom to be. Leslie Mann plays Heigl's sister and accomplishes the impossible- a shrew of a woman, married to Paul Rudd, and we wonder why are these people together. After viewing this marriage, we wonder, 'is this all there is'? The hi-jinks and low jinks played by Rogen's three roommates soften the harshness of married life and true yucks are forthcoming. The pregnancy proceeds, the father-to-be offers marriage mother-to-be says no and what is next? The ambiguity of the ending is what we come to expect. The in-between scenes are fresh and humorous and slightly endearing. "Finally, Knocked Up may be the sharpest, most up-to-date commentary on current pop culture not involving Jon Stewart or Comedy Central. The riffs tumble free and loose (''Matthew Fox -- you know what's interesting about him? Absolutely nothing!''), and the references are elegantly tossed off, even in the presence of a gynecologist pointing out fetal features on a sonogram. (Says a queasy Ben, ''I'm breathing like James Gandolfini here!'') I'm breathing hard, too, because this comedy is such a blast of fresh air." Lisa Schwarzbaum A film that has it all, the truth in advertising about pregnancy testing, body image, and the whole Mars-versus-Venus thing. Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-22-08 Love Comes Softly The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
	The Long Good Friday
	"Who Lit The Fuse That Tore Harold's World Apart?"	2008-06-21
"What I'm looking for is someone who can contribute to what England has given to the world: culture, sophistication, genius. A little bit more than an 'ot dog, know what I mean?" Harold Harold played by Bob Hoskins starts his Good Friday anticipating the day ahead of him. His plans include a large party on his yacht for a group of monied business men and a couple of men from New York. His plan is to tie up a massive real estate deal. The 1988 Olympics are coming to town and he plans to convert all the old docks into land for the Olympics. Then the entire scheme comes apart when the 'bombings' start. First his chauffeur is bombed in his car, next his casino is blown apart and then one of his best men is killed at a gym. Harold has no enemies that he knows of. The London world of crime has been quiet for a couple of years. Who is his enemy? Bob Hoskins keeps this film alive with his performance. Instead of retribution, Harold spends this day wondering and looking for clues. His men are spectacular. An interesting point is that real criminals worked on this set. Who knew that criminals would make good actors:-)? Helen Mirren as Harold's class act wife is low key but she has an important role. Sexy and intelligent, she is the hostess with the mostest and charms those around her. She and Harold share a true love and they depend upon each other. I am viewing all of Helen Mirren's films and this is the start of her career as a leading lady. When the adversaries become clear, the film shows a let-down. A true to form revenge mission is planned and the ending is not that surprising. All in all this is a film about character and Bob Hoskins is the kind of boss one would want in the underworld. "As long as it keeps up the mystery, the film sustains interest. This is due in no little part to Hoskins, just entering his film career after a decade of TV work but already in possession of an authoritative presence that was impossible to ignore." Chris Barsanti A day and a night in the life of London underworld. A shrewd, intelligent film with some memorable performance by Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren. Recommended. prisrob 06-21-08 Helen Mirren at the BBC World War II - When Lions Roared
	The Long Good Friday - Criterion Collection
	"Who Lit The Fuse That Tore Harold's World Apart?"	2008-06-21
"What I'm looking for is someone who can contribute to what England has given to the world: culture, sophistication, genius. A little bit more than an 'ot dog, know what I mean?" Harold Harold played by Bob Hoskins starts his Good Friday anticipating the day ahead of him. His plans include a large party on his yacht for a group of monied business men and a couple of men from New York. His plan is to tie up a massive real estate deal. The 1988 Olympics are coming to town and he plans to convert all the old docks into land for the Olympics. Then the entire scheme comes apart when the 'bombings' start. First his chauffeur is bombed in his car, next his casino is blown apart and then one of his best men is killed at a gym. Harold has no enemies that he knows of. The London world of crime has been quiet for a couple of years. Who is his enemy? Bob Hoskins keeps this film alive with his performance. Instead of retribution, Harold spends this day wondering and looking for clues. His men are spectacular. An interesting point is that real criminals worked on this set. Who knew that criminals would make good actors:-)? Helen Mirren as Harold's class act wife is low key but she has an important role. Sexy and intelligent, she is the hostess with the mostest and charms those around her. She and Harold share a true love and they depend upon each other. I am viewing all of Helen Mirren's films and this is the start of her career as a leading lady. When the adversaries become clear, the film shows a let-down. A true to form revenge mission is planned and the ending is not that surprising. All in all this is a film about character and Bob Hoskins is the kind of boss one would want in the underworld. "As long as it keeps up the mystery, the film sustains interest. This is due in no little part to Hoskins, just entering his film career after a decade of TV work but already in possession of an authoritative presence that was impossible to ignore." Chris Barsanti A day and a night in the life of London underworld. A shrewd, intelligent film with some memorable performance by Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren. Recommended. prisrob 06-21-08 Helen Mirren at the BBC World War II - When Lions Roared
	Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
	"Disinformation Means Misleading Information--Misplaced, Irrelevant, Fragmented or Superficial"	2008-06-14
"In watching American television, one is reminded of George Bernard Shaw's remark on his first seeing the glittering neon signs of Broadway and 42nd Street at night. It must be beautiful, he said, if you cannot read." John Ackermann Neil Postman in his book,'Amusing Ourselves To Death', looks at the impact of television culture on the way we live our lives, understand our present and future and how we gather our information. We need to understand the effects of living in a television society. As he says "We are in danger of creating a trivial culture that will spawn a race of people who adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think." Once we are a television society, we have lost control. We can attempt to control television's influence when we understand the dangers. Neil Postman suggests that Americans ask 'what we are laughing about and why we have stopped thinking.' We have all heard the phrase, The Dumbing of America. Roger Waters, of 'Pink Floyd' read Postman's book, and he was so taken with the message that one of the best CD's of this era was written. The song 'Amused To Death" tells us the story. The little ones sit by their TV screens No thoughts to think No tears to cry All sucked dry Down to the very last breath Bartender what is wrong with me Why I am so out of breath The captain said excuse me ma'am This species has amused itself to death Amused itself to death Amused itself to death" Ackerman tells us that "Television has altered the meaning of "being informed' by giving us disinformation. Disinformation means misleading information;misplaced, irrelevant, fragmented or superficial information. Information that creates the illusion of knowing something but which in fact leads us away from knowing. The television industry did not deliberately set out to misinform us, but when news is packaged as entertainment, that is the result." Over the past fifty years since the advent of television, we have allowed conversation and communication to become trivial, and to lead into entertainment. TV is a medium of entertainment. TV is a series of programmed images and pictures. Unlike a book we do not have to concentrate to obtain the meaning of a picture. This is the mechanism by which TV can make any subject meaningless and trivial. It is possible to "amuse one's self to death", considering that the first thing to go will be our vision of reality and to comment intelligently. And this is why Roger Waters CD "Amused to Death" had the power to unleash our subconscious. We are living the album. We are all slowly amusing ourselves to death. We are entertaining ourselves into a stupor. The best things on television is junk, and no one is threatened by it. We do not measure a culture by its output of junk, but by what we claim as significant. I would think that several minutes of murder and violence would be enough for many sleepless nights. We watch the news because we know that the 'news' is not to be taken seriously, that it is all in fun, so to speak. Everything about a news show tells us this; the good looking newscasters, their pleasant banter, the music that opens and closes the show, the film footage, the humorous commercials. These suggest that what we have just seen is no cause for crying. A news show, is a format for entertainment, not for education or reflection. No one goes to a movie to find out about government policy or the latest scientific advances. No one buys a record to find out the baseball scores or the weather or the latest murder. But everyone goes to television for all these things, which is why television plays so powerfully throughout our land. Television is our culture's principal mode of knowing about itself. Neil Postman says, "For the message of television as metaphor is not only that all the world is a stage, but that the stage is located in Las Vegas, Nevada." We know that no matter how grave news may appear, we soon shall see commercials that will devalue the importance of the news. This is a key element of news and that allows us to believe that television news is not designed as a serious form of public communication. Our teenagers in particular are taught to believe that television is entertainment, so that the nightly newscast should not be taken as a serious responsibility. This past political season is a prime example of the myriad of issues that have not been examined, but the entertainment value of the candidates has been examined ad nauseam. One reason why the political contest starts as soon as the President is sworn into office. What have we become, why are we laughing, the Dumbing of America is here. Thank you friend for the gift of this book, and the gift of riveting conversation. Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-14-08
	Once
	"Magical Beguiling Wonder"	2008-05-25
"Once, once Knew how to talk to you Once, once But not anymore" Glen Hansard The stars of this delightful film are 'Boy' and 'Girl'. 'Boy', Glen Hansard is a music maker who sings on the streets of Dublin at night for money and recognition. By day, Boy fixes vacuum cleaners in his dad's shop. 'Girl'is Margeta Irglova, a Czech pianist who cleans homes and sells flowers for a living, She, too, is songwriter but rarely has time. She has a small young girl and mother to care for. She has left her husband and is tyring to make a new life. Boy has lost the love of his life, she has moved to London. These two people find each other as lovers of music and start singing together. They form a friendship. They spend a great deal of time together and beside friendship they form a bittersweet love story. She entices him to leave his day job with dad and find the money to start a musical career. Their songs are about heartbreak. As AO Scott says," "Once" is far from a conventional love story. It is, instead, the story of a creative partnership that develops by chance and that involves a deeper, riskier bond than mere sex ever could." This is a film to see more than once. It is a lively story of making a demo tape. What, you say, is that all there is? Ahh, yes and more. We are left with a sad-happy feeling from this film. The songs make a marvelously delicious soundtrack and will resound in your memories. "That's it, a bittersweet love story with ravishing Hansard music ("Falling Slowly" is a killer) and the ache of romance in its soul. Nothing about this mood piece should work -- the budget is shoestring and the actors are inexperienced. But Once brims with small pleasures that pay major dividends." Peter Travers 'Once' has an easy lovable charm that grows on us as we view this film. Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-24-08 The Swell Season Once
	The Madness of King George
	"Majesty All Powerful and All Knowing. But He Wasn't Quite All There."	2008-05-04
"Playwright Alan Bennett, who adapted his own stage work, takes as his inspiration a time when George III -- the George who lost the North American colonies -- appears to have also lost his mind. What happens, Bennett asks, when a man can no longer project the power required of a ruler? And in its absence, what fills the psychological space where power used to reside." Lisa Schwarzbaum Nigel Hawthorne spares no facial grimace nor utterance as he portrays King George III who loses his mind but finally finds his grieving heart. A must see performance and one that had me cheering him on. Helen Mirren as the Queen or better known as Mrs King to her George III, plays an amazing Queen. Mother of 15 children, though we only meet five or six of them, is finely clad and dressed. Amanda Donohue plays her staid lady in waiting. And Rupert Everett as the elder son George, an arrogant and immature man with a wig that portrays his ridiculousness quite keenly. The entire cast is well done. Peter Travers tells us that "Experts say the king suffered from porphyria, a metabolic imbalance whose symptoms resemble madness'. When the traditional medical care does not work, the Queen and her lady bring in a non-traditional physician, played by Ian Holm who produces a repetitive act of "tying the kangaroo down" so to speak and the King recovers. It is during a reading of King Lear that King George seems to put the pieces back together and he once again comes to his senses. Off to save the day. The entire family returns to court and all dressed in blue and red, the family walks up the stairs, Queen Charlotte says: "Come on, smile and wave. That's what you get paid for. Smile and wave." A wonderful, parody. "Meanwhile, the arrestingly stylized imagery of the original Madness has not been lost, particularly when the royal family freezes into elaborate tableaux of hollow noblesse oblige. Any resemblance to Windsors, Kennedys, or any other royal personnel currently living is strictly not coincidental." Lisa Obliermann This film bogged down in the first half but came to life and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Hail To The King! Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-04-08 Hunchback (1982) Elizabeth I
	The Madness of King George
	"Majesty All Powerful and All Knowing. But He Wasn't Quite All There."	2008-05-04
"Playwright Alan Bennett, who adapted his own stage work, takes as his inspiration a time when George III -- the George who lost the North American colonies -- appears to have also lost his mind. What happens, Bennett asks, when a man can no longer project the power required of a ruler? And in its absence, what fills the psychological space where power used to reside." Lisa Schwarzbaum Nigel Hawthorne spares no facial grimace nor utterance as he portrays King George III who loses his mind but finally finds his grieving heart. A must see performance and one that had me cheering him on. Helen Mirren as the Queen or better known as Mrs King to her George III, plays an amazing Queen. Mother of 15 children, though we only meet five or six of them, is finely clad and dressed. Amanda Donohue plays her staid lady in waiting. And Rupert Everett as the elder son George, an arrogant and immature man with a wig that portrays his ridiculousness quite keenly. The entire cast is well done. Peter Travers tells us that "Experts say the king suffered from porphyria, a metabolic imbalance whose symptoms resemble madness'. When the traditional medical care does not work, the Queen and her lady bring in a non-traditional physician, played by Ian Holm who produces a repetitive act of "tying the kangaroo down" so to speak and the King recovers. It is during a reading of King Lear that King George seems to put the pieces back together and he once again comes to his senses. Off to save the day. The entire family returns to court and all dressed in blue and red, the family walks up the stairs, Queen Charlotte says: "Come on, smile and wave. That's what you get paid for. Smile and wave." A wonderful, parody. "Meanwhile, the arrestingly stylized imagery of the original Madness has not been lost, particularly when the royal family freezes into elaborate tableaux of hollow noblesse oblige. Any resemblance to Windsors, Kennedys, or any other royal personnel currently living is strictly not coincidental." Lisa Obliermann This film bogged down in the first half but came to life and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Hail To The King! Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-04-08 Hunchback (1982) Elizabeth I
	The Madness of King George
	"Majesty All Powerful and All Knowing. But He Wasn't Quite All There."	2008-05-04
"Playwright Alan Bennett, who adapted his own stage work, takes as his inspiration a time when George III -- the George who lost the North American colonies -- appears to have also lost his mind. What happens, Bennett asks, when a man can no longer project the power required of a ruler? And in its absence, what fills the psychological space where power used to reside." Lisa Schwarzbaum Nigel Hawthorne spares no facial grimace nor utterance as he portrays King George III who loses his mind but finally finds his grieving heart. A must see performance and one that had me cheering him on. Helen Mirren as the Queen or better known as Mrs King to her George III, plays an amazing Queen. Mother of 15 children, though we only meet five or six of them, is finely clad and dressed. Amanda Donohue plays her staid lady in waiting. And Rupert Everett as the elder son George, an arrogant and immature man with a wig that portrays his ridiculousness quite keenly. The entire cast is well done. Peter Travers tells us that "Experts say the king suffered from porphyria, a metabolic imbalance whose symptoms resemble madness'. When the traditional medical care does not work, the Queen and her lady bring in a non-traditional physician, played by Ian Holm who produces a repetitive act of "tying the kangaroo down" so to speak and the King recovers. It is during a reading of King Lear that King George seems to put the pieces back together and he once again comes to his senses. Off to save the day. The entire family returns to court and all dressed in blue and red, the family walks up the stairs, Queen Charlotte says: "Come on, smile and wave. That's what you get paid for. Smile and wave." A wonderful, parody. "Meanwhile, the arrestingly stylized imagery of the original Madness has not been lost, particularly when the royal family freezes into elaborate tableaux of hollow noblesse oblige. Any resemblance to Windsors, Kennedys, or any other royal personnel currently living is strictly not coincidental." Lisa Obliermann This film bogged down in the first half but came to life and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Hail To The King! Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-04-08 Hunchback (1982) Elizabeth I
	The Madness of King George
	"Majesty All Powerful and All Knowing. But He Wasn't Quite All There."	2008-05-04
"Playwright Alan Bennett, who adapted his own stage work, takes as his inspiration a time when George III -- the George who lost the North American colonies -- appears to have also lost his mind. What happens, Bennett asks, when a man can no longer project the power required of a ruler? And in its absence, what fills the psychological space where power used to reside." Lisa Schwarzbaum Nigel Hawthorne spares no facial grimace nor utterance as he portrays King George III who loses his mind but finally finds his grieving heart. A must see performance and one that had me cheering him on. Helen Mirren as the Queen or better known as Mrs King to her George III, plays an amazing Queen. Mother of 15 children, though we only meet five or six of them, is finely clad and dressed. Amanda Donohue plays her staid lady in waiting. And Rupert Everett as the elder son George, an arrogant and immature man with a wig that portrays his ridiculousness quite keenly. The entire cast is well done. Peter Travers tells us that "Experts say the king suffered from porphyria, a metabolic imbalance whose symptoms resemble madness'. When the traditional medical care does not work, the Queen and her lady bring in a non-traditional physician, played by Ian Holm who produces a repetitive act of "tying the kangaroo down" so to speak and the King recovers. It is during a reading of King Lear that King George seems to put the pieces back together and he once again comes to his senses. Off to save the day. The entire family returns to court and all dressed in blue and red, the family walks up the stairs, Queen Charlotte says: "Come on, smile and wave. That's what you get paid for. Smile and wave." A wonderful, parody. "Meanwhile, the arrestingly stylized imagery of the original Madness has not been lost, particularly when the royal family freezes into elaborate tableaux of hollow noblesse oblige. Any resemblance to Windsors, Kennedys, or any other royal personnel currently living is strictly not coincidental." Lisa Obliermann This film bogged down in the first half but came to life and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Hail To The King! Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-04-08 Hunchback (1982) Elizabeth I
	Painted Lady
	"Evoking Quirky Brilliance"	2008-04-19
"Evoking the sexiness of the sixties, the fickleness of fame, and the exhilaration of an urgent, new mission in life, Emmy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren creates an unforgettable new character in Painted Lady." Buzzflash Helen Mirren as we know is a brilliant actress. This is not a great film nor is it one of her best parts, but this film is magnificent in its entirety. 204 minutes of a mystery filled with fear, music, class, beauty, and sex. Ms Mirren plays a down and out famous blues singer with no job and a past better left unsaid. A history of drugs and alcohol she was rescued by a family friend, sent to rehab and then brought to Ireland to live in a small house on her friend's estate. Once again, what you believe and what you see is not always what you get. While staying with Sir Charles Stafford (Ian Cuthbertson) her benefactor and his son Sebastian, (Iain Glen)a robbery occurs at the estate. Sir Charles is brutally murdered, and a sixteenth century painting is stolen; Maggie, Helen Mirren, finds herself involved in the case to assist Sebastian in paying off a drug debt. Along the way she also involves her sister, Lesley Manville, who plays an art historian and her husband, Michael Maloney who sells art. She becomes vested in the black market art world where paintings that are real or not are stolen and sold. The art world brings her from Ireland to London to New York where she meets a wealthy art dealer , Franco Nero. Instant attraction and a relationship is born. The art world is exciting and malevolent and brings Maggie to the brink of danger again and again. With the assistance of detectives from all three countries, Maggie becomes the prime player. This film keeps you off balance and off kilter and when you least expect it, a new surprise. "Those enamored of the gritty realism captured in "Prime Suspect" may feel let down by Mirren's rather fantastical adventures here (her liaison with a moody jazz musician seems inserted merely to remind us of her cool past), but Mirren is a compelling presence in practically any vehicle, and she is eminently watchable even in this odd role." David Mermelstein I loved this film, the mystery is fascinating and one that cannot be solved without the assistance of a fabulous cast. The photography, music and script lead to one of another positive experience with our Helen Mirren. highly Recommended. prisrob 04-19-08 Elizabeth I
	Masterpiece Theatre - Painted Lady (1997)
	"Evoking Quirky Brilliance"	2008-04-19
"Evoking the sexiness of the sixties, the fickleness of fame, and the exhilaration of an urgent, new mission in life, Emmy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren creates an unforgettable new character in Painted Lady." Buzzflash Helen Mirren as we know is a brilliant actress. This is not a great film nor is it one of her best parts, but this film is magnificent in its entirety. 204 minutes of a mystery filled with fear, music, class, beauty, and sex. Ms Mirren plays a down and out famous blues singer with no job and a past better left unsaid. A history of drugs and alcohol she was rescued by a family friend, sent to rehab and then brought to Ireland to live in a small house on her friend's estate. Once again, what you believe and what you see is not always what you get. While staying with Sir Charles Stafford (Ian Cuthbertson) her benefactor and his son Sebastian, (Iain Glen)a robbery occurs at the estate. Sir Charles is brutally murdered, and a sixteenth century painting is stolen; Maggie, Helen Mirren, finds herself involved in the case to assist Sebastian in paying off a drug debt. Along the way she also involves her sister, Lesley Manville, who plays an art historian and her husband, Michael Maloney who sells art. She becomes vested in the black market art world where paintings that are real or not are stolen and sold. The art world brings her from Ireland to London to New York where she meets a wealthy art dealer , Franco Nero. Instant attraction and a relationship is born. The art world is exciting and malevolent and brings Maggie to the brink of danger again and again. With the assistance of detectives from all three countries, Maggie becomes the prime player. This film keeps you off balance and off kilter and when you least expect it, a new surprise. "Those enamored of the gritty realism captured in "Prime Suspect" may feel let down by Mirren's rather fantastical adventures here (her liaison with a moody jazz musician seems inserted merely to remind us of her cool past), but Mirren is a compelling presence in practically any vehicle, and she is eminently watchable even in this odd role." David Mermelstein I loved this film, the mystery is fascinating and one that cannot be solved without the assistance of a fabulous cast. The photography, music and script lead to one of another positive experience with our Helen Mirren. highly Recommended. prisrob 04-19-08 Elizabeth I
	Magnolia (New Line Platinum Series)
	"A Game Of Psychological Pick-Up Sticks"	2008-04-17
"Magnolia" is the kind of film I instinctively respond to. Leave logic at the door. Do not expect subdued taste and restraint, but instead a kind of operatic ecstasy. At three hours it is even operatic in length, as its themes unfold, its characters strive against the dying of the light, and the great wheel of chance rolls on toward them." Roger Ebert Eleven people caught in LA who's lives intertwine during the film. A film of such magnitude that I had to stop and try to put pieces together. I have seen this film three times and each time am struck by the brilliance of director, Paul Anderson. How did he keep all of these characters in place and put together? One life runs into another and another. Great performances all. Need, love, humanness, forgiveness, anger, hate, joy, are all brought to the fore within these characters. Tom Cruise in one of his best performances as the crude Frank- 'The Cock Has It'. Jason Robards as the drying man so loved and hated. Julianne Moore as his young wife, hooked on drugs and trying to find her place in life. Philip Seymour has the nurse who loves his patient and tries to do all he can to fulfill their last wishes. John C Riley, as the cop trying to find love and truth . William Macy as the child prodigy quiz kid who never grows up. Phillip Baker Hall as the TV quiz master who has cheated and lied and wants forgiveness as he is dying. Their are other connections, the young quiz kid who wants his father to be nicer to him. The father who wants his kid to bring him fame and fortune. The young woman hooked on cocaine trying to forget her life. All of these lives come together and in the final minutes of the film the skies open up and all have their lives in front of them. "Magnolia"makes it three-for-three for writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson, 29, who follows Hard Eight and Boogie Nights with his most ardent and ambitious movie yet. Anderson keeps a tight lid on his work so that audiences can approach his character-based dramas with a sense of discovery. Fair enough. Magnolia is one of the best movies of the year - startling, innovative, hugely funny and powerfully, courageously moving." Peter Travers Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 04-16-08 Collateral (Two-Disc Special Edition) The Savages Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten (Broadway Theatre Archive) Far from Heaven
	Magnolia
	"A Game Of Psychological Pick-Up Sticks"	2008-04-17
"Magnolia" is the kind of film I instinctively respond to. Leave logic at the door. Do not expect subdued taste and restraint, but instead a kind of operatic ecstasy. At three hours it is even operatic in length, as its themes unfold, its characters strive against the dying of the light, and the great wheel of chance rolls on toward them." Roger Ebert Eleven people caught in LA who's lives intertwine during the film. A film of such magnitude that I had to stop and try to put pieces together. I have seen this film three times and each time am struck by the brilliance of director, Paul Anderson. How did he keep all of these characters in place and put together? One life runs into another and another. Great performances all. Need, love, humanness, forgiveness, anger, hate, joy, are all brought to the fore within these characters. Tom Cruise in one of his best performances as the crude Frank- 'The Cock Has It'. Jason Robards as the drying man so loved and hated. Julianne Moore as his young wife, hooked on drugs and trying to find her place in life. Philip Seymour has the nurse who loves his patient and tries to do all he can to fulfill their last wishes. John C Riley, as the cop trying to find love and truth . William Macy as the child prodigy quiz kid who never grows up. Phillip Baker Hall as the TV quiz master who has cheated and lied and wants forgiveness as he is dying. Their are other connections, the young quiz kid who wants his father to be nicer to him. The father who wants his kid to bring him fame and fortune. The young woman hooked on cocaine trying to forget her life. All of these lives come together and in the final minutes of the film the skies open up and all have their lives in front of them. "Magnolia"makes it three-for-three for writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson, 29, who follows Hard Eight and Boogie Nights with his most ardent and ambitious movie yet. Anderson keeps a tight lid on his work so that audiences can approach his character-based dramas with a sense of discovery. Fair enough. Magnolia is one of the best movies of the year - startling, innovative, hugely funny and powerfully, courageously moving." Peter Travers Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 04-16-08 Collateral (Two-Disc Special Edition) The Savages Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten (Broadway Theatre Archive) Far from Heaven
	Magnolia
	"A Game Of Psychological Pick-Up Sticks"	2008-04-17
"Magnolia" is the kind of film I instinctively respond to. Leave logic at the door. Do not expect subdued taste and restraint, but instead a kind of operatic ecstasy. At three hours it is even operatic in length, as its themes unfold, its characters strive against the dying of the light, and the great wheel of chance rolls on toward them." Roger Ebert Eleven people caught in LA who's lives intertwine during the film. A film of such magnitude that I had to stop and try to put pieces together. I have seen this film three times and each time am struck by the brilliance of director, Paul Anderson. How did he keep all of these characters in place and put together? One life runs into another and another. Great performances all. Need, love, humanness, forgiveness, anger, hate, joy, are all brought to the fore within these characters. Tom Cruise in one of his best performances as the crude Frank- 'The Cock Has It'. Jason Robards as the drying man so loved and hated. Julianne Moore as his young wife, hooked on drugs and trying to find her place in life. Philip Seymour has the nurse who loves his patient and tries to do all he can to fulfill their last wishes. John C Riley, as the cop trying to find love and truth . William Macy as the child prodigy quiz kid who never grows up. Phillip Baker Hall as the TV quiz master who has cheated and lied and wants forgiveness as he is dying. Their are other connections, the young quiz kid who wants his father to be nicer to him. The father who wants his kid to bring him fame and fortune. The young woman hooked on cocaine trying to forget her life. All of these lives come together and in the final minutes of the film the skies open up and all have their lives in front of them. "Magnolia"makes it three-for-three for writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson, 29, who follows Hard Eight and Boogie Nights with his most ardent and ambitious movie yet. Anderson keeps a tight lid on his work so that audiences can approach his character-based dramas with a sense of discovery. Fair enough. Magnolia is one of the best movies of the year - startling, innovative, hugely funny and powerfully, courageously moving." Peter Travers Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 04-16-08 Collateral (Two-Disc Special Edition) The Savages Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten (Broadway Theatre Archive) Far from Heaven
	Sommersby
	"Is You Is Or Is You Not My Baby?"	2008-03-23
"Sommersby" is both about the cyclical nature of the universe, where matter can be neither created nor destroyed, only changed in state, and a demonstration of that law." Vincent Canby I loved this film, hated the ending. A southern man comes home from the Civil War and re-enters his life as Jack Sommersby. His wife, thinking he was indeed dead after 6 six years has promised herself to another. Nothing is as it was, and it never will be again. The old Southern plantation has been looted, and there is not much left but the body and souls who inhabit the place. It appears that Jack Sommersby was not the kind of man one really liked unless you were into brutality, drunkenness and slavery. But this new Jack Sommersby is a changed man, "Got hit in my head" he says. The neighbors and the man who was to marry his wife think something is not quite right here. But Jack Sommersby offers his family and his neighbors something they have not seen nor heard in a long time, hope. Hope of making a living and living off the land. Jack Sommersby has wormed his way into their hearts, and they love them. He has also offered his black slaves their own land, and this does not go over well with some. Visions of the KKK. But this new Jack Sommersby is not what he seems, and a trial and the courtroom soon reveal what has been and what is to come. Jodie Foster, as Laurel Sommersby, is forever more my idol-you know that with a smile or the flick of her eyes what emotion she is feeling. She is the epitome of a southern lady waiting to be undone. After two Academy Awards this may be one of her best performances. However, it is Richard Gere who steals the scenes in my opinion. This is, indeed his best performance, and he is believable as a man who wants to be someone he can be proud of. Bill Pullman who plays the man who wants Laurel's heart is a duplicitous man who will do or say anything to win Laurel back. And what about the dog, Jethro? Peter Travers has the best lines in his critique of the film, "Of special pertinence right now is the new light the film sheds on marriage and the doubts it engenders. Who hasn't asked, What happened to the person I married?" Highly recommended. prisrob 03-23-08 The Brave One (Wide screen Edition) An Officer and a Gentleman (Special Collector's Edition)
	Payday
	"Second Rate Country Singer-First Rate Heel"	2008-02-14
"Maury Dann, the second-rate country singer and first-rate heel played by Rip Torn." Ken Tucker Payday is a film that left me feeling forlorn, a feeling of emptiness and what's next. Rip Torn played his character, Maury Dann, true to form. A country singer on his way down from never near the top. He cheats, wheedles, lies and moves on so easily without remorse, using whomever he needs to, I wonder what is the purpose of his life. It seems he has little regard for those who travel with him or might love him. His purpose is to make money to pay for the booze, women and song that make up his life. The surrounding players had little or no effect on me, but, of course, they made the film a whole. I can see in my mind's eye that this course of life goes on daily with hundreds of people moving through the country or rock scene. How sad a life, how very very sad. "As a portrait of the music industry of that era -- Maury bribes DJs to play records and makes sure to get paid in cash after yowling tunes in tattered roadhouses -- the low-budget Payday is far superior to Robert Altman's overrated, condescending 1975 drama Nashville. Payday both loves its subject and never lets its antihero off the hook." Ken Tucker Recommended. Best advice, view this film on a bright sunny day. prisrob 02-14-08 Where the Rivers Flow North Heartland
	Sordid Lives
	"King Of the Hill In Hyperdrive"	2008-02-12
"Watching writer and director Del Shores's Bible Belt parody, Sordid Lives, is like driving through the boondocks, finding only honky tonk radio and listening to one of those raunchy tunes; it's weird, it's funny and you find yourself humming along." Scott Holleran We know we can't choose our relatives and aren't we glad someone else has this group? White Trailer Trash may not be apropos for this collection of oddities because these people are so damn funny. Don't think their intention is to be funny, but they are all just a little bit left of center. They are living their lifestyles or not, but they are doing this in their own way. The beginning of the movie starts at a slow pace but soon builds to a crescendo that will have you laughing til your sides hurt. Sissy Hickey is on the phone discussing the demise of her sister. A rather unfortunate incident of tripping over the wooden legs of her married lover in a third rate motel. Now, the two daughters, Latrelle played by Bonnie Bedelia, and Noletta played by Delta Burke, are arguing over whether mom should be buried in her fur wrap in the middle of summer. This done over a table full of southern fried food sent in by neighbors. The talk turns to Noletta's husband, the lover with the wooden legs, mom's son-in-law. And then turns to Boy Brother, their younger bro, who dresses in women's clothing and has spent the past 20 years in the insane asylum. Latrelle's son is in Hollywood and acting in gay plays. The curious incident of the wooden legs has made the family a laughing stock and how to deal with this? In the meantime Boy Brother and his psychiatrist, Dr Eve Bolinger, are undergoing his therapy. Dr Bolinger is going to cure Boy Brother of his homosexuality and make her so famous she will appear on Oprah. However Boy Brother is not cooperating, He does not want to change. So, there appears to be a stand-off. The problems of each family member and the collective are enough to make a grown man cry. However, in this case, we may be down on our knees gasping from our laughter. How this family comes together is a mystery and the country western singer, played by Olivia Newton John , sings the family back home. Not a laugh a minute but funny enough to keep us all off-base. "Like a live-action version of "King of the Hill" in hyperdrive, features some ornery down-homers who remain convinced of their common sense even when every move puts them in deeper doo-doo. The doo-doo that they do so well is adultery, with the latest round of musical beds in the tale's unnamed small town having resulted in the death of old Peggy, who tripped over the misplaced wooden legs of her married lover, G.W. (Beau Bridges)." Ken Eisner Highly Entertaining and will become a cult classic. prisrob 02-11-08 Judicial Consent
	Sordid Lives
	"King Of the Hill In Hyperdrive"	2008-02-12
"Watching writer and director Del Shores's Bible Belt parody, Sordid Lives, is like driving through the boondocks, finding only honky tonk radio and listening to one of those raunchy tunes; it's weird, it's funny and you find yourself humming along." Scott Holleran We know we can't choose our relatives and aren't we glad someone else has this group? White Trailer Trash may not be apropos for this collection of oddities because these people are so damn funny. Don't think their intention is to be funny, but they are all just a little bit left of center. They are living their lifestyles or not, but they are doing this in their own way. The beginning of the movie starts at a slow pace but soon builds to a crescendo that will have you laughing til your sides hurt. Sissy Hickey is on the phone discussing the demise of her sister. A rather unfortunate incident of tripping over the wooden legs of her married lover in a third rate motel. Now, the two daughters, Latrelle played by Bonnie Bedelia, and Noletta played by Delta Burke, are arguing over whether mom should be buried in her fur wrap in the middle of summer. This done over a table full of southern fried food sent in by neighbors. The talk turns to Noletta's husband, the lover with the wooden legs, mom's son-in-law. And then turns to Boy Brother, their younger bro, who dresses in women's clothing and has spent the past 20 years in the insane asylum. Latrelle's son is in Hollywood and acting in gay plays. The curious incident of the wooden legs has made the family a laughing stock and how to deal with this? In the meantime Boy Brother and his psychiatrist, Dr Eve Bolinger, are undergoing his therapy. Dr Bolinger is going to cure Boy Brother of his homosexuality and make her so famous she will appear on Oprah. However Boy Brother is not cooperating, He does not want to change. So, there appears to be a stand-off. The problems of each family member and the collective are enough to make a grown man cry. However, in this case, we may be down on our knees gasping from our laughter. How this family comes together is a mystery and the country western singer, played by Olivia Newton John , sings the family back home. Not a laugh a minute but funny enough to keep us all off-base. "Like a live-action version of "King of the Hill" in hyperdrive, features some ornery down-homers who remain convinced of their common sense even when every move puts them in deeper doo-doo. The doo-doo that they do so well is adultery, with the latest round of musical beds in the tale's unnamed small town having resulted in the death of old Peggy, who tripped over the misplaced wooden legs of her married lover, G.W. (Beau Bridges)." Ken Eisner Highly Entertaining and will become a cult classic. prisrob 02-11-08 Judicial Consent
	Sordid Lives
	"King Of the Hill In Hyperdrive"	2008-02-12
"Watching writer and director Del Shores's Bible Belt parody, Sordid Lives, is like driving through the boondocks, finding only honky tonk radio and listening to one of those raunchy tunes; it's weird, it's funny and you find yourself humming along." Scott Holleran We know we can't choose our relatives and aren't we glad someone else has this group? White Trailer Trash may not be apropos for this collection of oddities because these people are so damn funny. Don't think their intention is to be funny, but they are all just a little bit left of center. They are living their lifestyles or not, but they are doing this in their own way. The beginning of the movie starts at a slow pace but soon builds to a crescendo that will have you laughing til your sides hurt. Sissy Hickey is on the phone discussing the demise of her sister. A rather unfortunate incident of tripping over the wooden legs of her married lover in a third rate motel. Now, the two daughters, Latrelle played by Bonnie Bedelia, and Noletta played by Delta Burke, are arguing over whether mom should be buried in her fur wrap in the middle of summer. This done over a table full of southern fried food sent in by neighbors. The talk turns to Noletta's husband, the lover with the wooden legs, mom's son-in-law. And then turns to Boy Brother, their younger bro, who dresses in women's clothing and has spent the past 20 years in the insane asylum. Latrelle's son is in Hollywood and acting in gay plays. The curious incident of the wooden legs has made the family a laughing stock and how to deal with this? In the meantime Boy Brother and his psychiatrist, Dr Eve Bolinger, are undergoing his therapy. Dr Bolinger is going to cure Boy Brother of his homosexuality and make her so famous she will appear on Oprah. However Boy Brother is not cooperating, He does not want to change. So, there appears to be a stand-off. The problems of each family member and the collective are enough to make a grown man cry. However, in this case, we may be down on our knees gasping from our laughter. How this family comes together is a mystery and the country western singer, played by Olivia Newton John , sings the family back home. Not a laugh a minute but funny enough to keep us all off-base. "Like a live-action version of "King of the Hill" in hyperdrive, features some ornery down-homers who remain convinced of their common sense even when every move puts them in deeper doo-doo. The doo-doo that they do so well is adultery, with the latest round of musical beds in the tale's unnamed small town having resulted in the death of old Peggy, who tripped over the misplaced wooden legs of her married lover, G.W. (Beau Bridges)." Ken Eisner Highly Entertaining and will become a cult classic. prisrob 02-11-08 Judicial Consent
	Divorce His, Divorce Hers
	"Sado-Masochism In Spades"	2008-01-20
Divorce His, Divorce Hers was a made for TV movie for Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Why, Money I would assume. The plot is the twenty married years of Martin and Jane Reynolds that is coming undone. BTW, Elizabeth Taylor with the name, Jane, didn't suit me as even reasonable. The story of these years are told from both perspectives. His- a sado-masochistic union that he was tired of and Hers- the dearth of attention and family life. Martin was buried in his work half way around the globe leaving the rest of his life to be dealt with by his not so long suffering wife. The story never fully reveals the reasons for the death of the marriage, but we surmise that Martin needed to be independent and aloof and Jane needed someone to prop her up all the time. Richard Burton walked through his role, but he looked mighty fine. Slim and handsome and alcohol had not caught up with him yet. Elizabeth Taylor with as lovely a face as I remember but age has started to creep up on her. Elizabeth could never really act IMO, but she made a good try. Rome is the city that is the attraction here. The old haunts and the Rome of our first trips that we remember from yore. Magnificent scenery. The old large apartments where the wealthy collide. Edith Head dressed Elizabeth and most of her outfits were lovely if a little absurd. Elizabeth Taylor is shown with her large diamond and the beautiful pearl necklace. Certainly not something that Jane Reynolds would have owned but then this movie is really about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Carrie Nye is a nice addition as the alcoholic floozy ex-lover of Martin and good friend of Jane. I forgot how very thin she was. Not a memorable film, nor memorable acting. A nice look at the couple that mesmerized the world for a few years. The year after this film would find the Taylor-Burton's divorced. Was this film a forecast of their future? Not recommended for the acting or the plot. Not much really to recommend. prisrob 01-20-08 20th Century Fox Presents Elizabeth Taylor in Joseph L. Mankiewicz' CLEOPATRA Starring Richard Burton & Rex Harrison
	Divorce His Divorce Hers
	"Sado-Masochism In Spades"	2008-01-20
Divorce His, Divorce Hers was a made for TV movie for Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Why, Money I would assume. The plot is the twenty married years of Martin and Jane Reynolds that is coming undone. BTW, Elizabeth Taylor with the name, Jane, didn't suit me as even reasonable. The story of these years are told from both perspectives. His- a sado-masochistic union that he was tired of and Hers- the dearth of attention and family life. Martin was buried in his work half way around the globe leaving the rest of his life to be dealt with by his not so long suffering wife. The story never fully reveals the reasons for the death of the marriage, but we surmise that Martin needed to be independent and aloof and Jane needed someone to prop her up all the time. Richard Burton walked through his role, but he looked mighty fine. Slim and handsome and alcohol had not caught up with him yet. Elizabeth Taylor with as lovely a face as I remember but age has started to creep up on her. Elizabeth could never really act IMO, but she made a good try. Rome is the city that is the attraction here. The old haunts and the Rome of our first trips that we remember from yore. Magnificent scenery. The old large apartments where the wealthy collide. Edith Head dressed Elizabeth and most of her outfits were lovely if a little absurd. Elizabeth Taylor is shown with her large diamond and the beautiful pearl necklace. Certainly not something that Jane Reynolds would have owned but then this movie is really about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Carrie Nye is a nice addition as the alcoholic floozy ex-lover of Martin and good friend of Jane. I forgot how very thin she was. Not a memorable film, nor memorable acting. A nice look at the couple that mesmerized the world for a few years. The year after this film would find the Taylor-Burton's divorced. Was this film a forecast of their future? Not recommended for the acting or the plot. Not much really to recommend. prisrob 01-20-08 20th Century Fox Presents Elizabeth Taylor in Joseph L. Mankiewicz' CLEOPATRA Starring Richard Burton & Rex Harrison
	Divorce His Divorce Hers
	"Sado-Masochism In Spades"	2008-01-20
Divorce His, Divorce Hers was a made for TV movie for Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Why, Money I would assume. The plot is the twenty married years of Martin and Jane Reynolds that is coming undone. BTW, Elizabeth Taylor with the name, Jane, didn't suit me as even reasonable. The story of these years are told from both perspectives. His- a sado-masochistic union that he was tired of and Hers- the dearth of attention and family life. Martin was buried in his work half way around the globe leaving the rest of his life to be dealt with by his not so long suffering wife. The story never fully reveals the reasons for the death of the marriage, but we surmise that Martin needed to be independent and aloof and Jane needed someone to prop her up all the time. Richard Burton walked through his role, but he looked mighty fine. Slim and handsome and alcohol had not caught up with him yet. Elizabeth Taylor with as lovely a face as I remember but age has started to creep up on her. Elizabeth could never really act IMO, but she made a good try. Rome is the city that is the attraction here. The old haunts and the Rome of our first trips that we remember from yore. Magnificent scenery. The old large apartments where the wealthy collide. Edith Head dressed Elizabeth and most of her outfits were lovely if a little absurd. Elizabeth Taylor is shown with her large diamond and the beautiful pearl necklace. Certainly not something that Jane Reynolds would have owned but then this movie is really about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Carrie Nye is a nice addition as the alcoholic floozy ex-lover of Martin and good friend of Jane. I forgot how very thin she was. Not a memorable film, nor memorable acting. A nice look at the couple that mesmerized the world for a few years. The year after this film would find the Taylor-Burton's divorced. Was this film a forecast of their future? Not recommended for the acting or the plot. Not much really to recommend. prisrob 01-20-08 20th Century Fox Presents Elizabeth Taylor in Joseph L. Mankiewicz' CLEOPATRA Starring Richard Burton & Rex Harrison
	Paul Mccartney - Mccartney
	"Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way I Really Need You"	2008-01-06
"Baby Im amazed at the way you love me all the time Maybe Im afraid of the way I love you Baby Im amazed at the the way you pulled me out of time Hung me on a line Maybe Im amazed at the way I really need you." Paul McCartney "The Beatles influence on rock music and popular culture was--and remains--immense. Their commercial success started an almost immediate wave of changes--including a shift from U.S. global dominance of rock and roll to UK acts, from soloists to groups, from professional songwriters to self-penned songs, and to changes in fashion" Wiki Remember when we first met the Beatles? They were ours, those boys with the mop-top haircuts who sang those songs for us, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". Move on to 1970 and Paul McCartney is sitting and writing in a cottage on the Scottish Coast. He and Lennon are on the outs, and the Beatles as they were, are no more. Paul has lovely Linda and his writing is prolific. A decision is made to record these songs and these times. Thirteen songs that started the debut of Paul McCartney's single career. 38 years ago, a new era, is when we first heard 'Baby I'M Amazed', a song that defined the new McCartney. 'Every Night'-"Every night I just wanna go out, get out of my head Every day I dont want to get up, get out of my bed"- a man twixt and between, finding his way. 'Junk'- "Candlesticks, Building Bricks- Some Old and New Memories for You and Me", the lyrics to a life of building memories. 'Man We Was Lonely'-"Man we was lonely, Yes we was lonely, And we was hard pressed to find a smile, Man we was lonely, Yes we was lonely, But now were fine all the while." It is OK to be alone and lonely- lovely tune. 'Teddy boy'-"Mommy's gonna see you through" And he said: "Mommy, don't worry, your Teddy boy's here Taking good care of you Mommy don't worry, Teddy boy's here Teddy's gonna see you through". The lyrics say it all. 'Singalong Junk'- the most beautiful instrumental- "Baby Im a man and maybe Im a lonely man Whos in the middle of something That he dosent really understand Babe Im a man and maybe youre the only woman Who could ever help me Baby wont you help me understand" Paul McCartney One of the most beautiful CD's of our era. Songs that were written unaware that Paul McCartney was traveling down another new road. Highly Recommended. prisrob 01-05-08 The McCartney Years Ram.
	Taxi Driver (Collector's Edition)
	"Are You Talkin' To Me?"	2007-12-07
"How long have I been sleeping How long have I been drifting alone through the night How long have I been dreaming I could make it right If I closed my eyes and tried with all my might To be the one you need." Jackson Browne, 'Late for the Sky' The above song signifies the feeling Travis Bickle brings to this movie. This Jackson Brown song is played on American Bandstand as Travis Bickle sits watching. An emotionless face as he sits and contemplates his life. "How long have I been drifting alone through the night" New York City known as the city of the anonymous and the souls that want and need to hide. NYC is a simile for the lost souls who inhabit, Robert DeNiro, Travis Bickle's world. He is a former Marine in Vietnam, he cannot sleep at night, so he starts working as a taxi driver from 6pm to 6am. This keeps him busy, but sleep still eludes him. His world is invaded by the likes of the denizens of 42nd street. This was in the 1970's, 42nd street has changed a bit. The hookers, the weirdos, the druggies are all part of the life that fascinates and disgusts him. He is drawn in the psychosis that invades their world and now his. Into this world of Travis Bickle, comes Betsy, played by Cybil Shepard, a lovely blonde who works for a politician, she thinks Travis is strange and their short relationship serves as another rejection in a long line for Travis. And, then, he changes his focus to Iris, the young hooker, played by Jodie Foster. He wants to change her world and send her home to her folks. And, in this doing, Travis comes unraveled and the piper is paid. "That Scorsese thinks Travis Bickle's rejection more painful than the murders is fascinating, because it helps to explain Travis Bickle, and perhaps it goes some way toward explaining one kind of urban violence. Travis has been shut out so systematically, so often, from a piece of the action that eventually he has to hit back somehow." Roger Ebert Fascinating film that has so many fantastic performances. This film will be one for the ages. "Are You Talking To Me?" Highly Recommended. prisrob 12-07-07 The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
	Taxi Driver
	"Are You Talkin' To Me?"	2007-12-07
"How long have I been sleeping How long have I been drifting alone through the night How long have I been dreaming I could make it right If I closed my eyes and tried with all my might To be the one you need." Jackson Browne, 'Late for the Sky' The above song signifies the feeling Travis Bickle brings to this movie. This Jackson Brown song is played on American Bandstand as Travis Bickle sits watching. An emotionless face as he sits and contemplates his life. "How long have I been drifting alone through the night" New York City known as the city of the anonymous and the souls that want and need to hide. NYC is a simile for the lost souls who inhabit, Robert DeNiro, Travis Bickle's world. He is a former Marine in Vietnam, he cannot sleep at night, so he starts working as a taxi driver from 6pm to 6am. This keeps him busy, but sleep still eludes him. His world is invaded by the likes of the denizens of 42nd street. This was in the 1970's, 42nd street has changed a bit. The hookers, the weirdos, the druggies are all part of the life that fascinates and disgusts him. He is drawn in the psychosis that invades their world and now his. Into this world of Travis Bickle, comes Betsy, played by Cybil Shepard, a lovely blonde who works for a politician, she thinks Travis is strange and their short relationship serves as another rejection in a long line for Travis. And, then, he changes his focus to Iris, the young hooker, played by Jodie Foster. He wants to change her world and send her home to her folks. And, in this doing, Travis comes unraveled and the piper is paid. "That Scorsese thinks Travis Bickle's rejection more painful than the murders is fascinating, because it helps to explain Travis Bickle, and perhaps it goes some way toward explaining one kind of urban violence. Travis has been shut out so systematically, so often, from a piece of the action that eventually he has to hit back somehow." Roger Ebert Fascinating film that has so many fantastic performances. This film will be one for the ages. "Are You Talking To Me?" Highly Recommended. prisrob 12-07-07 The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]