Friday, April 23, 2010

-- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Blu ray



This has to be one of my favorite films. It starts with the siege of Vienna by the Turks, where a play is interrupted by Baron Munchausen. He says the Turkish sultan is angry with him. This anger is the cause of the war, and he's going to set things right. The recollection of the Baron's run-in with the Sultan is a delicious exercise in absurdity which introduces his lost servants: Berthold, the fastest man alive; Adolphus, who has amazing vision and is a crack shot; Albrecht, who has enormous strength; and Gustavus, who has powerful lungs.



From there, the story takes flight (literally) to the moon and back, to the depths of Mt. Vesuvius, to the belly of a collosal fish, and back to Vienna.



Along the way, we meet an incredibly talented cast of actors portraying wild characters. Two stand out: Robin Williams in an uncredited performance as the mad king of the Moon, and Oliver Reed chewing the scenery as the grumpy god, Vulcan. Uma Thurman is, of course, breathtakingly beautiful.



The most charming thing for me was that the Baron seems to shape reality with his stories. You'll quickly see that actors playing the gods, goddesses and servants you meet later in the story have duel roles; they're also playing "actors" in a play performed in besieged Vienna -- a play about Baron Munchausen. So this story has layers and layers of story and fantasy wrapped around each other.



One word of caution: If you are a parent of young children, and don't want to have to explain what the words "orgasms" and "whore" mean, then think twice about sharing it with your kids. I wasn't expecting that language. My 11-year old asked about the language, my 7-year-old was too enthralled by the story to care. But I found this movie a delight all around. I think you will, too.
(131 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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  • ISBN13: 0043396162198
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

@# Snatch Blu ray



Guy Richie does it again. Brad Pitt is great in this one. I highly recommend this movie.
(375 customers reviews)
Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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    #*# Rossini La Cenerentola Blu ray



    Viedo excellent but audio reminds of early cold digital sound. I'm use to lp sound and my other blu ray operas are more than satisfactory.
    (10 customers reviews)
    Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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      #*# A Scanner Darkly Blu ray



      It's only got Dolby Digital sound, but that's not a major issue. This disc is great all round. The picture looks fantastic, dreamy and very colourful. And of course, I love the film.
      (162 customers reviews)
      Customers Rating=3.5 / 5.0

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      • ISBN13: 0012569829664
      • Condition: NEW
      • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

      !$ Street Kings Digital Copy Blu ray



      I rented this movie after deciding that it might not be the worst thing I have ever seen. After watching it I had to buy the Blu-ray!!! It is a GREAT movie with a lot of action and gunplay and many great actors (Forest Whitaker is especially great in this one) I'm not the biggest Keanu Reeves fan but he is actually quite good in this one too. It really keeps you on the edge of your seat and ranks right up there with Training Day. If you enjoyed the good cop/bad cop characters in Training day the BUY THIS MOVIE!!!!!!
      (88 customers reviews)
      Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

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        $*$ The Sleeping Beauty Blu ray



        Tchaikovsky is one of the few composers who has ballets, operas, symphonies, concertos for piano and violin in the repertoire of major theaters in the world. His specialty is the melody, a descendant of the Russian tradition folk vein makes it special to Western ears.



        Stand out in his work the 6 symphonies that reach their peak on Friday, known as the Pathetique, the operas Eugene Onegin and Queen of Spades staged today in the great houses of the lyrical world and a unique musical beauty. The delicacy of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra and the 3 ballets, The Nutcracker Christmas ballet tradition, the Swan Lake with its catchy tune and Sleeping Beauty.



        Ballet immediate success showed the supremacy of Tsarist Russia in the dance. Just so that they mimicked the French culture, to speak French was fashionable in the Russian nobility of the nineteenth century, the cultural imitators surpassed the masters. But enough talk and let the video in question.



        Covent Garden presents us with a new production of this ballet, dated 2006. Luxury and refinement are essential in this work, let us not forget that the story takes place in court where nobles parade with all the pomp and circumstance. The London stage follows this rule, the fancy costumes and the scenery is perceptible in every detail, but without exaggeration, it is easy to create excesses that tend to geekiness. Soft pastels give charm and show the good taste of the producers. The choreography follows the Petipa produced by the small changes that give more impetus to work.



        The music of the ballet is simple, sweet, sometimes naive, that does not mean easy to be touched. The orchestra of Covent Garden makes the score look easy such is the dexterity with which they implement the work. The conductor Valery Ovsyanikov captures the essence of the melody of Tchaikovsky, right time and in tune with the dance.



        Alina Cojocaru lends ingenuity and beauty Princess Aurora, her dancing is safe, strong and delicate at the same time. Sutil in the first act, virtuous in the third, performs the difficult variations with good control. But lack the thrill of the great dancers (remember many actors of the network world) you can compare your views with Margot Fonteyn in 1955. Frederico Bonelli is a noble prince in the prime of youth, just right. The Lilac Fairy of Marianela Nuñez has technique, grace and sweetness that excited about their pirouettes.



        The main focus is for the Evil Fairy, Carabosse. In other versions a dancer interprets it, but who takes that role is our friend Genesia Rosato. It makes a villain the height of the Fairy of Evil, also overcomes this with their dark expressions, his stride and his cynical smile. A villain to fall in love.



        DVDs of the Opus Arte label are exquisite quality, image and sound quality, easy to use menu with a choice of scenes. Booklet in English, French and German (not in Portuguese). Who likes ballet and wants to have a modern version of the work I recommend the DVD. Who cares more about the dance and give up sound quality and visual recommend the version with the Kirov Irina Kolpakova, Sergei Berezhnoi. This complete and very well choreographed and danced with all the weight of the tradition of Russian ballet. Too bad for modern technology of today is a little vencida.Mas this is a topic for another DVD.









        PRIMEIRO BALÉ DE TCHAIKOVSKY DE SUCESSO.



        Tchaikovsky é um dos poucos compositores que tem balés, óperas, sinfonias, concertos para piano e para violino no repertório dos grandes teatros do mundo. Sua especialidade é a melodia, descendente da tradição russa sua veia folclórica faz dela especial aos ouvidos ocidentais.



        Destacam-se na sua obra as 6 sinfonias que atingem o auge na sexta, conhecida como Patética, as óperas Eugene Onegin e a Dama de Espadas encenadas até hoje nas grandes casas líricas do mundo e de uma beleza musical ímpar. A delicadeza do Concerto para Violino e Orquestra e os 3 balés, Quebra Nozes balé de tradição natalina, o Lago dos Cisnes com sua música envolvente e a Bela Adormecida.



        Balé de sucesso imediato mostrou a supremacia da Rússia Czarista na dança. Justamente eles que tanto imitavam a cultura francesa, falar francês era elegante na nobreza russa do século XIX , os imitadores culturais superaram os mestres. Mas chega de conversa e vamos ao vídeo em questão.



        O Covent Garden nos apresenta uma nova produção desse balé, datada de 2006. Luxo e requinte são imprescindíveis nessa obra, não nos esqueçamos que a história se passa na corte onde desfilam nobres com toda a pompa e circunstância. O teatro londrino segue essa regra, o capricho no cenário e figurinos é perceptível em cada detalhe, mas sem exagero, é fácil criar excessos que tendem para a cafonice. Tons pastéis leves dão charme e demonstram o bom gosto dos produtores. A coreografia segue a elaborada por Petipa com pequenas modificações que dão melhor dinâmica a obra.



        A música do balé é simples, adocicada ,as vezes ingênua, o que não quer dizer fácil de ser tocada. A orquestra do Covent Garden faz a partitura parecer fácil tamanha é a destreza com que executam a obra. O regente Valeriy Ovsyanikov capta a essência da melodia de Tchaikovsky ,tempos corretos e em sintonia com a dança.



        Alina Cojocaru empresta ingenuidade e beleza a Princesa Aurora, sua dança é segura, firme e ao mesmo tempo delicada. Sutil no primeiro ato, virtuosa no terceiro, executa as difíceis variações com bom controle. Mas falta a emoção das grandes bailarinas (lembra muitos atores da rede globo) basta compararmos sua exibição com a de Margot Fonteyn em 1955. Frederico Bonelli faz um príncipe nobre no auge da juventude, correto apenas. A Fada Lilás de Marianela Nuñez tem técnica segura, graça e doçura que empolga com suas piruetas.



        O principal destaque fica para a Fada do Mal, Carabosse. Em outras versões um bailarino a interpreta, mas nessa quem assume o papel é nossa amiga Genesia Rosato. Faz uma vilã a altura da Fada do Mal, aliás supera isso com suas expressões tenebrosas, seus passos largos e seu sorriso cínico. Uma vilã para se apaixonar.



        Os DVDs do selo Opus Arte são de qualidade primorosa, imagem e som excelentes, menu da fácil manuseio com a escolha de cenas. Encarte em inglês, francês e alemão (nunca em português) . Quem gosta de balé e quer ter uma versão moderna da obra recomendo o DVD. Quem se importa mais com a dança e abre mão da qualidade sonora e visual recomendo a versão do Kirov com Irina Kolpakova, Sergei Berezhnoi. Essa completa , muito bem dançada e coreografada e com todo o peso da tradição do balé russo. Pena que para as modernidades tecnológicas de hoje fica um pouco vencida.Mas isso é assunto para outro DVD.

        Ali Hassan Ayache
        (1 customers reviews)
        Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

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          !$ He s Just Not That Into You Blu ray



          Fun movie to just enjoy over and over again without having to THINK alot. Sometimes you just need a fun movie on those rainy days/nights or just when you need a break. Great casting and fun storyline.
          (9 customers reviews)
          Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0

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          • ISBN13: 0794043123306
          • Condition: NEW
          • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

          #*# Frost Nixon Blu ray



          I watched this movie because I've always been interested in Richard Nixon and all of his contradictions. This movie is pretty forgettable. The actual interviews between Frost and Nixon are far more interesting. There are certain elements that you'll always see in a film by Ron Howard: (1) miraculously his no-talent brother Clint always gets a part (2) One of the characters will have an incredibly bad costume or make-up job. In this case, the guy playing Swifty Lazar looked more like a martian than a human being. (3) Most of the acting will be lame. (4) The viewer will be treated to several studied close-ups of the protagonists to reveal unnaturally profound insights that they're having (5) You always realize that you're just watching a movie, far removed from the way that people behave in the real world....
          (93 customers reviews)
          Customers Rating=4.0 / 5.0

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            #*# Ultimate Force Blu ray



            This is great for Filipovic fans, if you don't like him you will probably NOT like this movie. However if you like him you will Love it. Overall the acting is not that bad, but not great. However I really like the action, that is what this movie is and was supposed to be about, it is not some soft love story, Sorry!
            (7 customers reviews)
            Customers Rating=2.5 / 5.0

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              $*$ Halloween II Unrated Director s Cut Blu ray



              Malcolm McDowell stars in Rob Zombie's 2009 horror sequel.

              Killer, Michael Myers searches for his sister, Laurie Strode.

              This sequel is pretty good, but the first one's better. This

              dvd not only has nice picture and sound, but it's unrated

              with cool extras. I recommend this.
              (191 customers reviews)
              Customers Rating=2.5 / 5.0

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