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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
July 2007 DVD Selections
300
This visually engrossing movie tells the story of King Leonidas’ (Gerard Butler) 300 Spartan warriors in their war with the Persians at The Battle of Thermopylae, an incredible battle pitting a vastly outnumbered Spartan army against the Persians. Betrayal and courage are what kept these armies in play. This is a brutal and violent film with an array of bonus features that help give viewers a deeper understanding of the movie and the Spartans. Blood and violence fill the screen the entire run of the movie which mixes live action with CGI animation. This was a battle to the death, and the movie doesn’t leave any of the blood and gore out. Although it is filled with violence, it might inspire viewers to research this epic battle to learn more about the Spartans and their last stand.
Beauty and the Beast - Season 2
This popular TV series commanded a big audience as viewers looked in every week to see the relationship unfold between DA Catherine (Linda Hamilton) and beast-man recluse Vincent (Ron Perlman) who lives in the bowels of New York City. This fantasy-crime drama brought together these two worlds and two people who ended up with one of the biggest romance on television at the time. While Catherine’s job often puts her in danger, she has Vincent to look after her. He is her guardian, friend, and partner. But how can their love survive with their two different worlds? All 22 episodes of the season are included along with select episode introductions by the two stars.
Bewitched - Season 5
This is the final season in which Dick York played Darrin Stephens. He was replaced the following year with Dick Sergeant. This season saw young Tabitha cause havoc with her powers in her pre-school. She is growing up and giving her parents more than just the average concerns. After all, she is a witch. And in one episode she turns an ape into a man. Samantha loses her powers after the Witched Council orders her to break up with Darrin and she refuses. Soon Uncle Arthur and Serena also lose their power when they side with Sam. Being mortal isn’t exactly their cup of tea. Also returning are Sam’s parents Endora and Maurice. All 30 episodes from this season are included in this 4-disc set. One of the fun episodes involves Samantha returning to 1868 New Orleans. The time travel episodes were favorites among fans of the popular series.
Classic Musicals from The Dream Factory – Volume 2
Some of the best musicals of the golden age of musicals are included in this box set. Music, dancing, and entertaining stories combine to make this a wonderful addition to any DVD collection. Words and Music (the story of legendary composers Rogers and Hart), The Pirate, The Belle of New York, Royal Wedding, The Toast of New Orleans, and That Midnight Kiss are all great films filled with memorable songs. Another film included in this set is the spectacular film That’s Dancing!, which looks at the history of dance and the history of dance on the big screen. With appearances by Gene Kelly, Sammy Davis, Jr., Liza Minnelli, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Ray Bolger, this is an impressive collection of dance numbers from the archives of the Hollywood studios.
These films will have you longing for more. Even though we are in a high-tech age, these simple yet classic films are timeless. With legendary performances by Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Kathryn Grayson, Mario Lanza, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, and more, these movies have something that will appeal to everyone. Granted, they are not filled with special effects, but they do have the style and charm that have made them last for decades. The music is wonderful, and there are numerous special features like outtakes, “making of” features, and much more.
Musicals are making a comeback. Think of today’s musicals The Phantom of the Opera and Hairspray. In several decades they will most likely be included among classic musicals. The seven films in this set are indeed some of the classic musicals of the past.
The Doris Day - Rock Hudson Comedy Collection
The classic comedy Pillow Talk was the foundation on which all subsequent romantic comedies were based. Imagine two people with completely different personalities and patience sharing a party line. Well, today it is a stretch since there aren’t any party lines, but they did exist and Doris Day and Rock Hudson were classic in this delightful story of love, deceit, and delight. Lover Come Back is their second film. The duo play competing ad executives and again the plot includes duplicity on Rock’s part while all the while wooing Day. And Send Me No Flowers has Rock thinking he’s going to die and looking for a man to take his place after he’s gone. He doesn’t want to leave his wife alone.
All of these stories are pure gems. The pairing of Day and Hudson was sheer genius. They’ve stood the test of time and are among the very best in their genre of romantic comedies.
Driving Lessons
Harry Potter’s Rupert Grint stars in this tale of growing up. Grint plays Ben, a teenage boy who is living in a dysfunctional home. His father is a priest and his mother (Laura Linney) is a religious kook who lives for the church. She is an overprotective, overbearing mother who rules the roost and just happens to be having an affair even though it is a sin. When Ben fails his driving test and wants to take professional lessons, she insists she can teach him better than anyone. She also insists he get a summer job to help pay for their homeless boarder she took in.
Ben goes to work as an assistant to an eccentric older woman (Julie Walters) who was an actress but now lives a rather strange life. She takes Ben under her wing and they become best friends, to the consternation if his mother. During the summer Ben grows up in several ways and discovers more about life than he ever imagined he would.
The story is British and quite slow and a bit dry. This coming-of-age film is odd, to say the least, but it got rave reviews when it was in the theaters.
The special features include some outtakes, deleted scenes, and a “making of” featurette.
The Mormons
With the candidacy of Mitt Romney, the Mormon religion is front and center and many people are confused about the religion. This PBS American Experience details the history of the religion from its inception to today. From the founder, Joseph Smith, to Mitt Romney, this 4 hour show is the most in-depth and complete look at the LDS church. Once viewers see this, they will know almost everything there is to know about the church and what it is to be a Mormon.
When viewing this program, it is quite possible that people will not think highly of the religion. This is a straight-forward no-holes-barred detailed description of the faith and its history. It is a new religion, which causes many to question its true legitimacy however it is a fast growing religion nonetheless.
The Mormons is an interesting and educational program. Viewers will learn the history of the church and what Mormons think and believe. It’s a religion steeped in faith and a high authority that rules those in the LDS church with an iron fist.
Our Very Own
The town might be small, but five teens dream big. Jason Ritter, Hilarie Burton, Autumn Reeser, Beth Grant, Allison Janney, Keith Carradine and Cheryl Hines star in this tale of life in Shelbyville, Tennessee, the hometown of movie star Sondra Locke. When the five teens hear she might be coming back for the premier of her new movie, Any Which Way but Loose, they set out to devise a plan to meet her, hoping that they will become friends and she will take them out of their boring town, the place where, for fun, they ride in shopping carts and drive to Nashville to ride the elevators in a ritzy hotel. The teens enter the local talent show where they sing a song they wrote as a tribute to Ms. Locke, hoping she will be in the audience. Actually, their act is the highlight of the show. But they still have not yet met the elusive star. Even though some of the kids’ home lives are not ideal, this is a cute story, with plenty of laughs and a lot of fun. They are happy kids, but also bored. Is finding a way out of their small-town - the pencil capitol of the country - their salvation?
The Rookies - Season 1
This early 1970’s series brought together several young actors, several of whom went on to big careers. Kate Jackson, Michael Ontkean, Georg Stanford Brown and Sam Melville starred in this series about young police officers trying to make a difference. Willie Gillis (Ontkean), Terry Webster (Brown), and Mike Danko (Melville) are new, young, enthusiastic officers in the Southern California Police Department. Jackson plays Melville’s wife, a nurse at the local hospital. The series combines intense police cases with the camaraderie of the officers. This is among one of legendary producer Aaron Spelling’s hits of the 70s. Now fans of this series can view the entire first season in this box set.
Roving Mars
We’ve been to the moon. Our next step is Mars. This incredible film takes viewers on a wonderful world of discovery as it tracks the creation and journey of the two Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. With real images as well as computer generated graphics, this is an awe-inspiring story from start to finish. With two very special bonus features (Mars and Beyond and Mars: Past, Present & Future), viewers get an inside look at the world of space travel. Spirit and Opportunity surpassed all expectations and have shown us a world unlike any we’ve seen before. Mars has always been a source of stories and inspired our imaginations and the two rovers finally let us see with our own eyes what it is like on the red planet. Narrated by Paul Newman, this film will fire up your imagination and sense of discovery.
© 2007 Francine Brokaw
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