$ National Treasure 2 Book of Secrets Blu ray

This movie was lots of fun although it requires a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief. The story line generally flows well although there are a few sections here and there where one is left to wonder about some loose ends, but these are nothing major, just the usual fare for these kinds of movies. Nicholas Cage is one of my favorite actors and he is up to the task as the self-effacing, slightly socially awkward, brainy hero Ben Gates who does the right thing. His love object Diane Kruger (Abigail Chase)is an excellent partner to Gates. Jon Voight (Gate's father) and Justin Bartha (as Reily Poole, Gates' partner in treasurer hunting) is also very good, particularly as the "chopped liver" character who gets the short end of the stick throughout. The entire process of finding and deciphering clues is very entertaining and convincing and the action scenes (chases, escapes) are good, although somewhat stereotypical.



One part that bothers me about these types of movies: the chase scene in London where the chaser and chasee wreck havoc throughout, totalling other vehicles, throwing drivers out of their cars to commandeer them, destroying property left and right, and not a peep from the London police. I have come to accept these as necessary aspects to keep the action moving. What I had a major problem with however, was in the interpersonal area, and I will attempt to describe this without spoiling the plot. Certain changes of personality and reconciliation of relationships were just not believable. In movies like these, I can much easier believe that the characters can be in Washington, DC one day, in London the next, and in New Hampshire on the third, than I can believe some of the changes of attitude that the directors have asked us to accept. I think personalities are less malleable, paradoxically, than physical realities but the viewer is asked to go out on a limb, all for the sake of the cliche "all's well that ends well ending". That's too bad. I think the American public can take a little more of reality and deal with unhappy endings than given credit for.
(329 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

More Detail For National Treasure 2 Book of Secrets Blu ray

• ISBN13: 0786936763416
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

$ Deep Impact Blu ray

Deep impact was one of the greatest disaster movies of the 90's. This 50GB AVC Mpeg 4 codec produces a crystal clear and vivid detailed version of this movie. From the trails of the blown up asteroid in the sky to the buildings collapsing, this is the blu-ray to own. Good job to Paramount for cleaning up this movie and for a great HD version as it was intended to be seen.
(390 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=3.5 / 5.0

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#*# Best of Travel Australia New Zealand Blu ray

Photography was poor, brightly overdone. Scenic nature is nice, typical of remote lands. Rudy's previous releases such as France, Italy and London are much better made.


(2 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

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#$ La Traviata Blu ray

An opera friend calls this sort of production "Eurotrash". It certainly was a detraction and did not make any sense to me. Nevertheless, the singing is so good and Netrebko so "hot", its worth owning.
(31 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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++ RocknRolla Blu ray

This is not a Guy R. film...its complete crap. If you saw Snatch or LSATSB - then you'll be happy to remain a true fan. If you see RR, you'll lose all respect. I left the theater after 1 1/2hr - and nobody had even die by then? WTF?
(99 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

More Detail For RocknRolla Blu ray

• ISBN13: 0883929037193
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

@# The Aviator Blu ray

The Aviator, 2005 film



The film begins with a young boy being washed by a young woman. "You are not safe." Mr. Hughes is producing a film, they have some problems. He hires Noah Dietrich to run Hughes Tool Co, a cash cow because of its oil drilling machines. "Hell's Angels" is a silent film in 1927. [The CGI effects are obvious.] Hughes can't borrow cameras from the competition. He has plans for a faster airplane and cumulus clouds. Money flows like water from a broken pipe. Then it is refilmed for sound. It's the most expensive film of its day. [Was it a great success?] Did the noise from open cockpits cause deafness in time? Hughes plans for airplanes that fly above the turbulence, and buys TWA. [The film begins to drag here, scenes of a Hollywood night club and a night flight.]



Hughes builds an airplane for speed, and test flies it for a new record of 352 MPH. Hughes wonders if he can be losing him mind. Hughes flies a Lockheed [Hudson?] two-engine monoplane around the world in four days for a new record. [Actual newsreels are used.] The Hepburn family is shown at dinner. [Are they mocked?] "A high-strung chap?" Can a big flying boat be used for transport to avoid submarines? [Yes, but not the "Spruce Goose".] Can calipers be used to measure photographs of an actress? The new Lockheed Constellation can fly cross-country non-stop. Hughes orders eighteen for TWA. Why does he burn those clothes? Mental deterioration? "Zippers or buttons?" Coal tar soap again? They show the manipulations used by big corporations to keep monopolies through Congressional committees.



Will Senator Brewster of Maine become the chairman of a committee? [This is how its done.] Can a scandal be concocted for adverse publicity? "Show me all the blueprints." In July 1946 the XF-11 test flight takes off. [Two contra-rotating propellers to neutralize torque.] The something goes terribly wrong! But Hughes survives the crash. More bad news follows. How many bugs in the house? The FBI invades his house looking for evidence. Can America afford a monopoly airline? Hughes meets Brewster to talk over business. "Who the hell are you?" Does the stress affect his mind? Or some physical complaint? Do stock prices reflect true value?



In August 1947 Hughes went before the Senate Committee. He spoke out against Senator Brewster. Hughes explains how business works. Hughes questions Senator Brewster about his actions. Hughes explains how millions were spent for airplanes that never were delivered. {Experimental development.] Brewster's bill will be defeated, there will be no monopoly for Pan Am. The `Hercules' takes off from Los Angeles harbor. Hughes will develop jet airplanes next. Does repeating a phrase over and over have a medical diagnosis? The scenes in the last hour provide redeeming social values to this film, although some of the scenes run on too long. There is a background to these events but it can't be shown in this overlong movie. That is why a book is better than a Hollywood biography. The movie does present a feeling for events of long ago. It tells how Congressmen act for special interests, one side or the other.




(377 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

More Detail For The Aviator Blu ray

• ISBN13: 0085391186281
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

!$ Shoot Em Up Blu ray

Of course this movie was over the top, but the action and humor were great. It's nice to see the bad guys get blown away, and if this happens every two or three seconds, so much the better. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and would watch it again.
(231 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=3.5 / 5.0

More Detail For Shoot Em Up Blu ray

• A gritty, fast-paced action thriller, Shoot Em Up kicks into high gear with a memorable opening scene and never relents. Clive Owen stars as Mr. Smith, a mysterious loner who teams up with an unlikely ally (Monica Belluci) to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal (Paul Giamatti) who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city.Running Time: 4669 min. Format: BLU-RAY DISC Genre:&nb

#*# Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Two Disc Special Edition Blu ray

I had to return this item since I didn't realize it was blu-ray. But I have

seen this movie before on regular dvd. I enjoyed it,my kids enjoy it. The reason I had purchased this one is because our original was stolen from our vehicle
(513 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=3.5 / 5.0

More Detail For Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Two Disc Special Edition Blu ray

• ISBN13: 0097360724141
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

#*# UFC The Best of 2008 Blu ray

this is a very good blue ray disc, great fights, amazing image quality and sound, the blood...is like be there!!! if you are a ufc fan, this dvd is for you.
(7 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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#*# 3 Mo Divas Blu ray

Excellent music and fun to watch these versitile ladies perform with style, diginity and poise
(7 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=5.0 / 5.0

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#*# Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone Ultimate Edition Blu ray

These box sets are extremely nice; at almost 7-3/4 inches (194mm) tall, 5-3/4 inches (145mm) deep and just over 2 inches (52mm) wide, make sure you have enough room on your shelf to display these (remember, there's going to be eight of these sets). The box itself has to be the best design of a blu-ray package I have seen yet, it is constructed of very heavy laminated cardstock with a magnetic catch to hold it shut and has a thin cardstock sleeve to protect it. The two blu-rays and one dvd are stored in a folding plastic and cardstock case that is kept inside the box.



The film itself is beautifully remastered so the stunning scenery and somewhat impressive special effects truly come to life. If you are a true Harry Potter fan, then this Ultimate Edition is a must own especially on blu-ray.



The contents include:

A blu-ray disc with the theatrical version and the extended version with 7 deleted scenes of over 6 and a half minutes worth of film and the "In-movie experience" (picture in picture commentary with behind the scenes footage for the theatrical version only).

Languages: Spoken - English and Spanish; Subtitled - English (for the hearing impaired) and Spanish.



A second blu-ray disc with special features such as:

Behind the Story -

-Introduction with Daniel Radcliffe (2 minutes)

-Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 1: The Magic Begins - a behind the scenes documentary about the endeavor of casting and creating the world for filming. (1 hour, 2 minutes)

-A Glimpse into the World of Harry potter - an international TV Special from 2001



Additional Footage -

-Deleted scenes that are included in the extended version: Dudley's new School Uniform, Petunia Cracks Eggs with Letters Inside, Tube Ride, Kids Leave Girls Bathroom, Harry sits by Fire in Great Hall, Harry Finds Nicolas Flamel Card, Snape Classroom (extended)



Trailers and TV Spots -

-3 Theatrical Trailers

-15 TV Spots



A dvd disc of various special features from the first special edition release on dvd (I think, since I never owned this dvd):

-A guided tour of Hogwarts in 3D (like internet home tours with narration)

-An interactive scavenger like setup for exploring the world of Harry Potter

-Interviews with the Producers, Director, Screenwriter, Production Designer about cast, scenery, screenplay and special effects of the first film. (16 minutes)

-Dvd-rom features, packed full of cool stuff



An envelope with two collectible cards of a series (Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall)

A disc for the digital copy

And a photo book of stills and concept art from the entire storyline focusing on locations and sets.
(28 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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@# Tamerlano Blu ray

This is another opera where viewing the extra feature discussion with the conductor Paul McCreesh is very helpful preparation to better appreciate this very long opera so should be viewed first. He explains some fundamental differences between Baroque Opera and the later genre and this makes appreciation of this Handel work so much better.



Tamerlano is spread over 2 BD discs but is like Rameau's Zoroastre in that it is a work I'm attracted to come back to again and again. As with most Baroque operas it is a very long winded story caused basically by lengthy recitatives and arias with considerable repetition in its 3+ hours. But the Handel's music and its singing is so good in this production one can just relax and wallow in the emotion it generates so its length becomes an asset rather than a liability.



The voices of the female singers are not powerful but have a lovely timbre and are backed up by Placido Domingo who has never tackled baroque opera before but does so here brilliantly. The final duel with Monica Bacelli and Sara Mingardo is beautifully done and very touching. Their voices blend superbly and the recording generally is very well balanced..



And one should not ignore the musical contribution from the Orchestra of the Teatro Real (Madrid Symphony Orchestra) so ably and intelligently conducted by Paul McCreesh. Somehow he has managed to extract a very appropriate Baroque sound from these players using standard instruments.



The staging is relatively stark but very effective with the artists in appropriate costumes highlighted by clever lighting and stage effects.



But I'll level the same criticism at this presentation as I did with Zorostrate. It is not acceptable to omit a written synopsis of the plot and replace it with a few minutes of display among the extras. These plots are rather involved, not so much as to be incomprehensible, but complex enough to need written description, particularly for anyone like myself coming to this for the first time. So I hunted up a description on the net but that should not really be necessary.



Anyone who loves opera should be able to enjoy Baroque operas such as this, but it does help to understand that it is the recitative that guides the story rather than the aria as in Verdi etc works. Yes it does seem to carry on and on in some of these recitatives and arias but this is forgivable when the singing and the music is as good as it is here. It is a sound idea to follow Paul McCreech's suggestion of seeing an Act at a time and must admit I would find it difficult to appreciate it as much if I had to sit through the complete opera in the one session. But that is the beauty of being able to view it in the home at leisure.



This production is a gem and deserves to be on the shelf of all opera lovers. Unreservedly recommended.
(4 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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$*$ National Geographic Sea Monsters A Prehistoric Adventure In 3 D Blu ray

when i got this dvd i knew it had to be good. national geographic usually do not fail me. the documentary tells the story of a female dolphin like prehistoric creature whose fossils were found 80 million years later. watching this in 3-d with the glasses is dreamlike and incredible. an added treat is the other sea creatures and great story and narration. discovery channel has always done good documentaries on dinosaurs now national geographic gets equal billing.
(15 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

More Detail For National Geographic Sea Monsters A Prehistoric Adventure In 3 D Blu ray

• Fun for the whole family now brought to life through captivating 3-D!Journey 80 million years back in time to an age when mighty dinosaurs dominated the land and an equally astonishing assortment of ferocious creatures swam, hunted, and fought for survival beneath the vast, mysterious prehistoric seas. Stunning, photo-realistic imagery re-creates the perilous underwater realm of two young, dolphin

++ Jewels Blu ray

It's a joyous occasion anytime you can see a few hours of Balanchine's work. Jewels is no exception. Beautifully filmed, with strict control of the camera well tended. There is nothing more infuriating than a busy camera filming a ballet. Ballet is theater, not film. The camera work here was well done, with a few minor exceptions when I felt it should have pulled back. Still, you will enjoy this beautiful production, costumes and scenery, elegantly minimal, as Ballanchine was wont to do in his plot-less ballets. These dancers, from the Paris Opera, are so phenomenal and ethereal in their jumping, skipping, and leaping - yes, they do all of that, and, in Rubies, even some humorous quirky steps I've never seen before. A shot of the audience applauding at the end of Rubies clearly shows their enjoyment and that they got the Balanchine jokes. This DVD by far, has the largest and best collection of dancers I've seen...and how beautiful this Paris Opera Ballet house is! Highly recommended.
(2 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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@# 100 Feet Blu ray

I paid $1.22 for this flick and I still feel like I got ripped off. It is one of the slowest horror films I've ever seen...a real yawner and a totally unbelievable plot...just pure hokey pokey stuff. It's a great film to have on for background noise while you're cleaning the house or cooking your dinner...not a film to sit down and watch. Horrible acting and a silly script...especially when the Father comes to the house to collect a bagful of money, but won't bless (exorcise) the house. It gets one star because I had no other choice. 100 Feet is exactly where this film belongs...100 feet underground!
(11 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=2.5 / 5.0

More Detail For 100 Feet Blu ray

• ISBN13: 0686340231658
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.