Archive for December, 2009

Lust, Caution Movie Streaming

Thursday, December 17th, 2009
Lust, Caution Movie Streaming. Lust, Caution Movie Streaming.

Movie Title: Lust, Caution
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Lust, Caution is available for streaming or downloading.

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Ang Lee breaks through again with a masterful adaptation of Eileen Chang’s short sage, Lust/Caution (like what he did with Annie Prolux’s similarly brief anecdote, Brokeback Mountain) . While the hype seems to be mostly misplaced on the controversial acrobatics displayed by Tony Leung and Tang Wei in bed, Lee’s storytelling leaves one breathless.

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The admire narrative unfolds against the backdrop of 1930’s Japanese-invaded Shanghai where tyranny and suffering were synonymous. Nubile Wang Jia Zhi played by Tang Wei joins the resistance movement and gets herself drawn into the role of a inspect to crumble the traitor, Mr Yee. In between the espionage and wild climatic trysts, both of them unknowingly embroil themselves in esteem and deceit, powerful deeper than they would have liked themselves to.

Tang Wei, as a newcomer to cinema, is impeccable. Her evolution from a wide-eyed country girl to a seductive temptress is enough to gain the hardest of most men, in this case, the distrusting Mr. Yee tumble for her. Wei acts comely noteworthy on instincts and her body language does wonders at seducing the somewhat vulnerable Mr. Yee played by multiple-award winner Tony Leung. Wei breaks down in the memorable scene where she’s talking to the resistance leader on her unyieldingly sacrificial role that is both a torment and insidious attack to her emotions.

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As usual, Tony has the penchant for playing murky brooding men and in this instance, an infamous Chinese traitor. He does not act. His presence already commands attention as the cynical no-nonsense minister. The pivotal sex scenes, split into three parts, are not impartial there for visual enhancement. They actually screech the shift in roles between the two throughout their complex relationship. The raw emotions displayed on their faces were enough to convince anyone hard-hearted to consider twice about the essence of like. I must say these are some of the best bed scenes you’ll ever gaze on film.

Of course, the supporting cast of Joan Chen as Mrs Yee and Wong Lee-Hom as Tang Wei’s resistance compatriot, Kuang Yu Min, is every bit fair as spectacular. In the waste, the myth about care for is bittersweet. You’ll also sight how involved the resistance movement, which puts the enemy above self and others, was through Wang Jia Zhi’s eyes. Lust Caution is 157 minutes’ of rewarding see that will linger on in your minds well after the credits roll. (A+)

I saw this movie twice in the theater - very modern for someone as considerable of movies as I am. The first time I went by myself, and the second time I took my husband, who was not initially involved in the tale line (espionage and all) . He also liked it a lot (though he did not have as great of a personal connection as I did with the film) . I was like in a zone for a few days after I saw the movie. It really shook me to the core in a sense. A very remarkable movie in and of itself, it moves me particularly because I am orinigally from China and Eileen Chang was one of my faovrite writers when I was a teenager book worm. Having grown up surrounded by the communisit propaganda, I found it refreshing to see a movie so artfully done to do a theme about admire, sexuality and loyalty. It shows how innocent and ignorant the young revolutionaries could be (something that was obviously omitted from our history lessons) . This is a movie about much human emotions, like all the other movies directed by Ang Lee. I’m also overjoyed to spy Ang Lee sticking to making movies based on agreeable, solid stories, instead of falling into the ‘glitz overriding story’ trap like so many other talented Chinese directors, Zhang Yimou and Cheng Kaige specifically.

Ang Lee said that he made this film for the Chinese audience, but I also read that he was disappointed by the fact that the Chinese media focused predominantly on the raw, sex scenes. I can understand his frustration. I wonder really how the mainland Chinese will embrace such a epic. Eileen Chang was never a Communist writer. In the book and the movie, the revolutionaries were referred to as ‘the people from Chongqing.’ As the Nationalist Party was based in Chongqing at the time (and the Communists in Yan’an), the revoluntionaries in the book were not Communinist members but Nationalists. That sort of contradicts everything we have learned in history lessons about the Communisit being the main heroes fighting against the Japanese and the Nationalists (the Kuomingtang) being wimpy traitors. Because of these reasons, I doubt mainland China will allow the movie to be shown in public.

But it doesn’t mean the Chinese will be denied access to this handsome film, thanks to the illegal DVD pirating industry. My sister-in-law in China has already bought the film (for a dollar) and watched it. Droll thing is she had very similar reaction to it as I did. My brother said she wouldn’t talk to him for a few hours.

I disagree with some critics who called Ang Lee ‘indecisive’ in directing the movie. I assume everything was very deliberately done and Ang Lee was very positive on what he planned to do with the legend. He said that it was one of his approved stories written by Eileen Chang. I teach if you don’t like the yarn (such as some other reviewers), you wouldn’t like the movie. But to me, the record can be interpreted in many ways, and Ang Lee has done a quick-witted job conveying what Eileen Chang wanted her yarn to whisper. The sex scenes (not in the book) are integral to the narrative, as Eileen Chang wrote, “If the path to a man’s heart is through his stomache, then the path to a woman’s heart is through her v….” The movie is certainly not for the faint of heart.

By the map, the soundtrack is radiant. I downloaded it from iTunes. Before I receive the DVD in the mail, the soundtrack will do. (But I wouldn’t want a Chinese film that’s dubbed in English. That’s a crime. I’m buying it from somewhere else.)

Stream Meerkat Manor, Season 3 Movie Online

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Stream Meerkat Manor, Season 3 Movie Online. Stream Meerkat Manor, Season 3 Movie Online.

Movie Title: Meerkat Manor, Season 3
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Meerkat Manor, Season 3 is available for streaming or downloading.

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“Meerkat Manor” is a long running documentary series that takes plot in the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Although commonly incorrect as rodents, meerkats are actually members of the Carnivora order, and specifically, they are a species of mongoose, Suricata suricatta. They live in social groups headed by a dominant female.

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The long timespan of the series, the cessation up, intimate camera work, the naming of each individual (not impartial with a first name, but also a last name, which, as far as I know, is the first time that that has ever been done in an animal documentary), the fact that they stand on their hind legs, and the narrator’s anthromorphization of the meerkats, lets us accumulate to know these animals in a method that no other animal documentary ever has.

The camera work, film editing, and musical scoring all suggest that the people who made this series have a strong admire of classic movies. The series is memoir in scope, with many of the episodes having cliffhanger endings. This reveal is about life, death, sex, loyalty, romantic betrayal, jealousy, struggles for power, bravery, heroism, wars, battles, fights over territory, and sibling rivalry, all of which are piece of human society. These things beget “Meerkat Manor” the epitome of animal documentaries. Although a few modern series have attempted to copy this series’ format, all of those copycats have failed to meet this series’ high standards of excellence.

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As the warning at the beginning of every episode states, this indicate is about the proper life and death events of the members of the “Whiskers” meerkat family and other meerkat families. Season 3 contained the precise life deaths of a number of very famous characters in this series. Since this is not a fictional point to, these deaths impacted many viewers far more than they were accustomed to being affected by the deaths of fictional character on “regular” TV series, and several newspapers had articles about this.

Some parents of young children even stopped letting their children stare the display. While it’s not my dwelling to deliver parents how to raise their children, and I admit that I don’t even have any children of my occupy, I did have pets when I was a child. And from my hold personal experiences, watching the proper life deaths of my occupy pets, while dismal, helped to beget me a more sensitive and thoughtful person. So I contemplate parents might be making a mistake when they discontinuance letting their children stare this explain. I assume children could reach out as better people for having seen season 3 in its entirely.

I should point out that meerkats cannot and should not be kept as pets. Although watching this present might tempt some parents to try to fetch meerkats for their children (the up conclude camera work makes them sight spacious, but the truth is that adult meerkats actually only weigh about a pound and a half) you should never, ever preserve one as a pet. As a child, I had green anoles, gerbils, guppies, and box turtles as pets, and I heartily and enthusiastically recommend those as pets. Do not collect your child a meerkat, no matter how remarkable he or she might beg!

Here are the 13 episodes from season 3, without any major spoiler information. The episode titles here are those for the spot 1 (U.S. and Canada) DVD release of the present. Other countries may spend different episode titles, a different narrator, and different names for some of the meerkats, in some of the episodes. The narrator here for the U.S. version is Sean Astin. Actually, when the demonstrate aired in Canada, the narrator was Bill Nighy, so Canadians who retract this DVD site may kill up surprised that it has a different narrator than they are accustomed to. Here are the episodes:

On Uncertain Ground - The Whiskers meet their unusual neighbors and enemies, the Zappa. The Zappa’s dominant male is named Frank. Frank Zappa. Heh heh. (For younger viewers who might now know, Frank Zappa was a celebrated music singer.)

The Mission - Mitch tries to reunite the Whiskers family, after several members had become separated and lost from the main group. There’s a much scene transition at the raze of this episode, which is a amazing example of why I bear the people who made this series have a appreciate of classic movies. First, they reveal the Whiskers family, who have fair been victorious in their battle against the Zappas. The Whiskers are all overjoyed and obliging, the music is joyous, and the sky is brightly lit. Things are going very well, and everyone is optimistic about the future. Then it transitions to the Zappa family, who have fair lost that same battle. The sky is sunless. The music is scandalous and ominous. The Zappa are very upset. They want revenge. This scene transition is as estimable as those of any fictional drama that I have ever seen. The makers of the explain didn’t have to do this, because all the essential true information had already been presented in earlier scenes. These two extra scenes, and the transition between them, is one of those extra touches that makes this note so ample. Instead of doing the bare minimum that was principal, the makers of the explain went well above and beyond the call of duty, in order to effect excellence.

Sister Act - Share of me wants to disfavor Kinkajou for what she does in this episode. But another fragment of me knows that, as unfavorable as it may seem, it is a normal fraction of meerkat behavior.

The Death Of Romance - It seems that the most noteworthy events in these episodes tend to happen at the ruin of the episode. This one is tragic. The title of the episode elegant considerable gives away the “what.” I won’t spoil it for you by giving away the “who.”

Tale of Len and Squiggy - This episode is about Flowers’ two fresh pups.

Sibling Rivalry - This is the first time that any meerkat in the process of stealing the region of dominance has ever been filmed. Actually, there are two different such overthrows within this episode.

Heavy the Crown - We learn why Flower is the proper leader of the Whiskers. She is the only one superb of keeping the gang (groups of meerkats really are called gangs) together.

Journey’s Destroy - This is the pivotal episode of the series. Nothing will ever be the same after this episode. Grown men have been known to yell after watching this one. Sean Astin’s eulogy is as entertaining as any that I have heard heard.

A Original Day - No matter how putrid the events in your life are, you level-headed have to wake up the next day and face the world. This is the beginning of a whole novel blueprint of life for the Whiskers.

Farewell My Resplendent - Zaphod rules! This is one of the most fun episodes of the series. There’s a extraordinary camera shot of Zaphod standing on his hind legs, with the camera rotating around him, and the narrator says (these are not necessarily his loyal words, as my memory is not perfect) “Although it should be very rough for Zaphod, he’s having the time of his life.” There’s more to that scene and narration, but that’s enough to let you know the scene that I am talking about. The camera work and narration in this scene are absolutely gleaming. Then at the extinguish of the episode, after Zaphod had experienced some major disappointments, the camera shows Zaphod standing up on a hill, overlooking the gigantic expanse of the Kalahari, and the narrator says (again, these are not necessarily his valid words) “But Zaphod is made of stronger stuff than those who have arrive before him.” Again, there’s more to that scene and narration, but that’s enough to let you know the scene that I am talking about. They didn’t have to do either of these scenes. But they did. These are more examples of those extra touches that create this series so spirited to discover. Both of these complete scenes, and their complete narrations (which have far more words than what I have quoted here) are examples of why I absolutely savor this reveal so mighty.

Three Degrees of Separation - No matter how considerable I might disfavor what Kinkajou did earlier in this season, I can’t relieve but feel very murky for her in this episode. Some of the camera shots of her demonstrate what legal suffering really is. This is quite a tragic episode. Some people have criticized the present for including these scenes, but I judge these scenes, so up halt and personal, are exactly what manufacture this series so colossal.

The Graduate - There’s really no letting up on how tough life in the Kalahari is. This episode is another very dusky one, and as usual, the saddest fraction happens at the destroy of the episode.

A Family at War - Toward the extinguish up this episode, the narrator says (and this time my memory is 100% upright) “Maybe it’s Maybelline.” That’s a reference to an advertising slogan for a leading cosmetics company. No, it’s not a paid placement - the writers did it to search for if anyone was paying attention, not for financial reward. It’s fair a really laughable and clever pop culture reference, and I contemplate it’s shiny.

SO IT’S NOT ENOUGH that we lost Flower and Mozart in season three, the show’s producer, Carolyn Hawkins had to buy Sean Astin from us, too. Fans had every reason to query Astin to return to portray future seasons - and specials such as “The Narrative Begins.” He led us through Flower’s life as a leader of her tribe. Why shouldn’t we inquire of him to whine us about her pup-hood?

Apparently, we are sinister. A letter from Animal Planet advises that human meerkat management decided it was time for women to retract over narration duties. Management - I read that “marketing” - wanted a lighter tone: “With … Flower’s passing the show’s producer wanted to signal a change for the Whiskers clan and felt the best map to do that was with a unique narrator. When Meerkat Manor premieres … Emmy-award winning Stockard Channing will lend a headstrong shriek to the Manor.”

Nice call on the “lighter tone” for women, folks. Thanks bunches.

Here’s the gripe. Why tamper with perfection? “Meerkat Manor” has become an Animal Planet icon. Ratings are heads and tails better than gallop offs such as “Orangutan Island” and the, frankly, offensive “Lemur Kingdom” that cites its critters with stereotypical hip hop characteristics. Not a demonstrate I’d want children to gape.

I like Whoopi Goldberg, who narrates “The Fable Begins,” the tale of young Flower. I also relish and respect Stockard Channing, but neither have Astin’s resonance. Couple Goldberg’s whisper with the saccharine sweet obtain that accompanies “Record” and you’ve got a nauseating 75 minutes to secure through.

Meerkat fans should be clear to occupy up season three with its astounding moral life fable and compassionate narrator, who leads us through the triumphs and tragedies of the Kalahari. Don’t insult the slouch with the original marketing. Do yourself a favor, too, and avoid “The Anecdote Begins.” Here, the memoir ends.

- Kay Reynolds, The Virginian-Pilot

Watch Black Lagoon, Vol. 1 Online

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Watch Black Lagoon, Vol. 1 Online. Watch Black Lagoon, Vol. 1 Online.

Movie Title: Black Lagoon, Vol. 1
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Black Lagoon, Vol. 1 is available for streaming or downloading.

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At the onset, although minute has been revealed about the characters, this promises to be an attractive series. The gunplay is quite impressive as is the animation and the pulsing soundtrack’s style is novel in anime. The fable revolves around four mercenary sea pirates, one of whom, Rock, was recently recruited after he was kidnapped from Japan, where he was working a white-collar job. It’s humorous to eye Rock trying to adjust to his unusual, criminal lifestyle while he is surrounded by already hardened, brutal cohorts…but it’s Revy that steals the note. Her savagely casual plot of slaughtering her enemies is quite chilling to search for, yet she retains a human quality that seems to near out when she deals with Rock. Despite her shockingly nihilistic violence, Revy level-headed emerges as one of anime’s sexiest “heroines”. (wait, is she a heroine? ) Fans of Cowboy Bebop-style action and drama will devour this. Recommended!

TOKYO, Japan: Meet Rokuro Okajima, a young Japanese businessman…in a town bulky of young Japanese businessmen. He’s objective another working stiff who’s trying to claw his device up the corporate ladder–until it’s kicked out from under him.

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ROANAPUR, Thailand: Rokuro is kidnapped by the “Shaded Lagoon” company, who are after the distinguished CD-ROM he’s carrying. Now dubbed “Rock” by his captors, he is dragged into a world of mercenaries, mobsters and corporate malfesance. If he’s going to survive, “Rock” will have to learn how to play by their rules.

BLACK LAGOON CO.: Led by the corpulent Dutch, supported by trigger-happy Revy and expert computer-hacker Benny, the Shaded Lagoon Co. will engage on any job–for mark. And God succor you if you don’t pay up!

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DVD notes: The theme song is actually sung in English, but heavily accented and badly slurred in places. Special Features include English & Japanese dialogue, English subtitles, preview trailers & DVD credits.

Stream Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Movie Online

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Stream Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Movie Online. Stream Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Movie Online.

Movie Title: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is available for streaming or downloading.

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Our family is on a retro bound, having bought this movie, as well as The Sound of Music, My Comely Lady, Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The King and I, Willy Wonka, and Pete’s Dragon.

One of the reasons is that we want our 2 year customary to experience the movies we grew up with, and the other is nostalgia.

Before watching this movie again recently, I could only remember that there was a flying car, a nice title song, and something about children being kidnapped. Watching it again for the first time, I discovered that I had forgotten most of the movie.

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Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke) is an inventor scheme ahead of his time, whose inventions don’t always work the plot they are intended. If you contemplate his name is outlandish, the female lead is Truly Luscious (Sally Ann Howes), the daughter of a rich sweet manufacturer. This unlikely pair, along with his two kids and the unbelievable car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, are the star players in a yarn which starts out being about pirates, and ends up as a rescue mission. With amusing aid from Caractacus’ father, and a toy maker (Benny Hill, in an uncharacteristic G rated performance), they defeat the schemes of spies (kind of like Laurel and Hardy combined with Boris and Natasha), an unfavorable Baron and Baroness,and a ghastly childcatcher, to bring the record within a fable to a predictable but intelligent raze.

The scenery is breathtaking, especially the Vulgarian castle and surroundings, and since this is a 1968 movie, we can forgive the lack of finesse in the special effects, where the characters stick out like sore thumbs from the backgrounds, and wires can be seen attached to Professor Potts during a dance sequence.

It’s a shrimp harder to swallow the plan of Truly Savory running around on the beach dressed in tons of white cloth and coming up spotless, and her song about needing a stunning man is method too over the top and considerable too long. I will admit to skipping over that one.

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The bellow along feature is a nice touch, and catchy songs (other than the theme song) include “Me Aged Bamboo”, “Toot Sweet”, my personal accepted “P O S H (Posh) “, and the nearly too sugary “Truly Palatable”.

Overall, this DVD is a refreshing family movie that you will inspect over and over again.

This is one of the last tremendous budget fantasy musicals before these films became fair too expensive to fabricate. But Dick Van Dyke was at his zenith here and Sally Ann Howes was qualified as well. Tag that Ian Fleming wrote the novel account and as a tribute there were two Bond actors in the cast. Gert Frobe as the King and Desmond Llewyn as Mr. Coggin. But I was very dissappointed to peek this DVD released in the Pan and Scan format. I really don’t understand why MGM/UA remastered the film in the THX process and passe a trim dazzling video transfer and doesn’t note the film in its recent widescreen format. At one-third of the film is missing and its really difficult to recognize this now considering I had owned the widescreen laserdisc of this film.

Watch Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen Movie Online

Monday, December 14th, 2009
Watch Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen Movie Online. Watch Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen Movie Online.

Movie Title: Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen
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I rented this a couple of nights ago. One of the interviewees in the bio comments that he heard an Arlen medley one night and was amazed that he recognized song after song … did this guy write all that??? Well, Harold Arlen did and this DVD features some incredible performances by legends like Streisand, Sinatra, and Garland. There are nice gloomy and white interviews with Mr. Arlen himself, lots of kinescopes of Arlen on piano playing and singing his songs. There is a intriguing share of how “Over The Rainbow” came to be written (lyricist E.Y. Harburg is very eloquent in his explanation) . There’s even a very frigid piece of Arlen and Tony Bennett in the recording studio. I can’t remember the name of the song, but it swings, oh it swings! Of course, Streisand explodes on the shroud as she whips through an amazing version of “Any Plot I Hang My Hat Is Home”. And there’s a rare kinescope of Sinatra singing “One For My Baby” which has to be the most extraordinary song written because it is an actor’s monologue with music. Sinatra does such a noble job! I found the whole bio to be engrossing. Arlen is one of America’s treasures and has given us so many jewels for our songbook. Seeing the man slack the music was very fascinating.

Like a lot of people, I had heard the name of Harold Arlen, but didn’t fully realize how many colossal songs he had written. There must be maybe 30 songs we all know and care for, with some of the most celebrated being STORMY WEATHER, OVER THE RAINBOW, Approach RAIN OR Reach SHINE and BLUES IN THE NIGHT.

And, of course, it was very keen and fun to learn more about THE WIZARD OF OZ. Arlen mild the mammoth songs with Yip Harburg, and they almost threw out OVER THE RAINBOW before they released the film.

It was right treat to look a lot of different song writers in the program speaking about Arlen’s work, and the roster of vast singers like Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland and Mel Tormé doing mostly defintive versions of his songs, was a actual plus.

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But probably the most memorable aspect of the documentary is the very lively memoir about his life, which was both charmed and cursed at the same time.

That’s what makes this stand out from the usual biographies you gape. There is a true feeling for his music, and a dramatic impact to his life yarn.

Watch The Lost and Found Family Movie Online

Sunday, December 13th, 2009
Watch The Lost and Found Family Movie Online. Watch The Lost and Found Family Movie Online.

Movie Title: The Lost and Found Family
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The Lost and Found Family is available for streaming or downloading.

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This is a astronomical movie from several perspectives. For the Christian faith, it is a stunning example of the role of possessions in our lives. It illustrates that Biblical essential that when we lose everything that our culture values, we can net everything that God values and gives loyal meaning and purpose to our lives. We are reminded of the power of one person to develop a disagreement in the lives of many and that salvaging abused children can lead to their salvation.

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The movie is a must look for those working with foster children. It honors the valid and sacrifical work they to do and the need of our society to care and wait on our abused children for our sake and theirs.

The movie is a stout reminder for us to stare beyond ourselves to the needs of others. And in choosing to relieve others, our acquire lives can become fulfilled and complete.

Streaming Genius of Lady Day Online

Friday, December 11th, 2009
Streaming Genius of Lady Day Online. Streaming Genius of Lady Day Online.

Movie Title: Genius of Lady Day
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Genius of Lady Day is available for streaming or downloading.

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This DVD is strictly for Billie Holiday fans. The audio quality for most of the tracks is blooming, but the video quality ranges from marginally acceptable to very, very abominable. For these reasons, it is unlikely that the disc will be appreciated by anyone other than moral fans of Billie Holiday.

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However, it does offer several video performances not available elsewhere. When I first spotted this in the store, and the packaging promised a short feature of Billie with Count Basie, I simply couldn’t possess it. But I took it home and, definite enough, there it was. Many of the other video clips are also unavailable elsewhere. Many of the film clips are complete, and others unbiased offer a few precious bars.

There is a short clip of Billie singing impartial a single verse of “My Man”. She sings the phrase, “He isn’t right, he beats me too” and the camera pans to the audience, revealing the laughing face of Louis McKay, the user / loser who was the last of several abusive men in her life. The appearance of Mr. McKay is startling to say the least; as any honest fan of Billie Holiday knows, he was hardly a knight in intelligent armor, and that fact that the camera catches him smiling as she sings the words, “He beats me too” literally sent chills down my spine. It’s honest one of many surprises that this disc has to offer.

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Among the other intriguing clips is one of Billie singing “Travelin’ Light” with Mal Waldron. She is in awful assert, but looks absolutely shapely, and, like several of the other clips, the song is presented complete.

But the highlight of the video for me was the two songs with Count Basie, God Bless the Child and Now Baby or Never. Especially in the latter number, Now baby or Never. Even though the video quality is deplorable, we salvage a apt sense of the apt genius of Lady Day (hence, this video is aptly named) . During that clip, the long shots are so fuzzy that you can hardly produce out Billie as she swings her contrivance through the number, but, the clip also contains several fabulous if brief close-ups, and we net a watch of the facial expressions and expert styling that was Lady Day at her finest. Like the notorious clip of her singing Sparkling and Mellow from the Sound of Jazz special, it manages to boom a runt portion of what a live performance of Lady day must have been like. One can only imagine, of course, how powerful more effective she was in her prime, as there is no surviving video narrate of her prior to 1950 (except the 1935 short with Duke Ellington, which is included here, and the 1947 feature film, Unique Orleans, and neither of those were filmed before a live audience in a club or theatre) . The result is that this video really does live up to its name, if one can unprejudiced manage to salvage past the extremely terrible video quality of the film clips. This is not a DVD for those whose appreciation of this titanic artist is either marginal or casual. But if you are a factual lover of Billie Holiday’s craft, you will rep that it’s certainly a righteous and at times spicy addition to your library.

This collection seems to have become available via several different international labels recently. At first search for, the selling point for GENIUS is a documentary about Lady Day’s life. Clocking in at approx. 30 minutes, you’re obviously getting the bare-bones version of a complex individual’s life, skimming over her life fable with some of the better-known facts about her upbringing and career, and with an emphasis on photos and film clips of the singer rather than interviews. A competent overview, but I’ve seen better video bios elsewhere.

For Holiday fans the main course of this DVD lies in the bonus features. Some of the menus aren’t too enlightening (e.g., the discography, bibliography, lyrics to “Odd Fruit,” and a list of the tunes she wrote or co-wrote) . Yet the DVD is largely redeemed by a collection of rare Lady Day footage, mostly from the two-year period prior to her death in 1959. While Billie is not in top manufacture either vocally or in her physical appearance — some clips note her off better than others — she remains arresting to the point where you don’t want to prefer your eyes off her for a second. Some of the video is fair rough in quality, though (so buyer beware), and many of the clips are roughly edited together.

I’ve always been a spacious fan of her final, early-1959 appearance. Though only months away from her death, she looks quite well and sounds as superb as she got this slack in her career. Lastly is the complete 17-minute 1950 Count Basie short feature (in watchable yet only fine quality), with Billie looking and sounding in comely create on two numbers. Child piano prodigy “Sugar Chile” Robinson practically steals the exhibit with some enthralling boogie-woogie and banter with Basie, who closes the demonstrate with one big-band number. If nothing else, this DVD gets some rare clips in circulation. Fans and collectors should buy scrutinize, while others should be aware that there are many better examples of Billie’s singing in print, particularly reissued on CDs.

Watch A Concert for George Movie Online

Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Watch A Concert for George Movie Online. Watch A Concert for George Movie Online.

Movie Title: A Concert for George
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A Concert for George is available for streaming or downloading.

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The concert event had the chance to be sappy and short-tempered. Thank God, it isn’t. Instead, it’s a lot of George’s friends covering his songs, having fun doing it, and otherwise doing what they’ve always been doing.

Summary: Gargantuan guests, kindly musicianship. Retract This DVD. Now.

The indicate opens with a few words from Clapton, who introduces Ravi Shankar and his daughter. They play a pleasing amount of Indian music. It’s beautiful apt, I have to admit, though not my cup of tea. One word - Ravi Shankar’s daughter is quite the sitar player… She plays a fragment and violates at least 2 rules of physics. Astounding.

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Then the Western band forms up. They play a number of songs, with luminaries being introduces and added to the band over the course of the evening.

Highlights, in no particular order:

1) Ringo :-) During “Honey Don’t” Study for Albert Lee. His solo is blistering though short.

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2a) Clapton on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

2b) Clapton having the class to not play all the solos thereby making it the “Eric Clapton Reveal.” Instead most of the proper guitar work is being done by someone I don’t know. I believe it’s Clapton’s long-time guitarist. My son and I call him “THE Guy”.

2c) Clapton in general

3) Peep Tom Petty’s guitar player fetch OWNED by George on “Taxman”. Tom does this song kinda queer, it’s probably the weakest track.

Buy,Download, Or Stream A Concert for George! Click Here

Buy,Download, Or Stream A Concert for George! Click Here

4) Sam Brown. What a whine!
5) Waa Waa. Unbelievable.
6) Something by Paul, via uke.
7) Ravi’s daughter and her sitar. Your eyebrows will cruise up!
8) Dhani has George’s spooky eyebrow thing going on.
9) Jeff Lynne is there, and takes an active section doing what he does best. Bob Dylan is notably absent.

Every track is worthwhile and many are favorable. And while a lot of similar productions are muddy and hideous, this isn’t. Eric is running the demonstrate, and keeps it inspiring and shipshape.

The only dings I give this production are
1) The “unhurried the scenes” footage is too sparse. I know there had to me more…
2) The band isn’t introduced well enough. I expected a discontinuance up of every performer, with a hello, and a name. Peek 2b) above.

I am an avid Beatles fan and I was objective blown away by the concert.

A. The Performances

Great musicians and friends/collaborators of George: Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, etc. do an outstanding job and everyone of them keep their heart and soul into the songs of George Harrison and gain them near alive. It is eerie, but when you listen to Clapton singing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” Paul McCartney singing “All Things Must Pass,” or Billy Preston singing “My Sweet Lord,” you could sense the presence of George as they’re singing! Their renditions of Harrison’s songs were objective as masterful as George singing them. Those 3 songs stood out to me.

Some other musical highlights:

1) Ringo Starr’s touching rendition of “Photograph” (the words catch on a completely current meaning in this tribute) and “Honey Don’t.”

2) Anoushka Shankar’s glorious sitar playing accompanying Jeff Lynne’s rendition of “The Inner Light.”

3) Joe Brown’s tender covers of “Here Comes the Sun” and “I’ll View You in My Dreams.”

4) Dhani Harrison’s acknowledgement and thanks to all the musicians playing.

5) Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr playing together for the 1st time live in over 40 years!!! And they seem to be having a capable time!

6) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and their gripping performance of “Taxman” and spot-on re-endition of “I Need You.”

7) Billy Preston’s alive to singing of “My Sweet Lord”

8) The laughable song “Lumberjack” by Monty Python which really lightened up the crowd and the occasion.

B. The Editing

I also liked how the DVD focussed its shots mostly on the musicians performing the songs, rather than panning to the audience and then assist to the musicians. (This serve and forth between the musicians and then the audience is a very annoying feature which plagues the Paul McCartney “live” DVDs) .

C. The Current Layout of the Discs

This movie is organized in an entertaining fashion:

Disc 1 features the whole complete concert ( 2 hr 26 min) — you cannot do any chapter or song selections.

Disc 2 is the theatrical version (2 hr 20 min) — these are songs from the concert rearranged in order and backstage/ rehearsal scenes/ interviews of the musicians are interspersed within the songs. You can do scene / chapter selection for Disc 2.

D. Some Reservations

Even though the “Lumberjack” song was very laughable and lightened up the occasion, I didn’t care for the song “Sit on My Face” or the mooning of the audience when the Python members bared their rear-ends to the audience. I felt this dampened the whole respectability and dignity of the whole concert.

Summary:

That aside, I highly recommend this DVD. The performances are outstanding; the record and sound quality are first-rate.

If you’re a Beatles fan and a fan of George, you’ll esteem this DVD! A must-have! One of the best concert DVDs you can acquire!

Streaming New York Online

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
Streaming New York Online. Streaming New York Online.

Movie Title: New York
Average customer review:

New York is available for streaming or downloading.

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If you are keen in a thorough but lively history of Recent York City this is as respectable as it gets. Ric Burns provides plenty of details but doesn’t forget that allotment of the reason viewers are watching is to have some fun too. Eight DVDS may seem like too mighty but with a city like Fresh York it is surprising how speedy the exhibit passes by, this collection is ample enough to give you a serious history of the topic without getting too complicated. If you are looking for a fade guide to NYC this isn’t for you, if you are a sports fan observe elsewhere, don’t interrogate a guide to theatre or restaurants either. This DVD spot is meant as a visual history course of America’s, if not the world’s, most inviting city.

This is the definitive gift for anyone who loves Novel York City. The series is presented in easily digestible pieces and all the episodes device you into a period in NYC’s history and give you a proper view of what makes the City so current. The final episode, about the building and the destruction of the World Trade Center, will touch your heart as well as your mind.

Stream Control Movie Online

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
Stream Control Movie Online. Stream Control Movie Online.

Movie Title: Control
Average customer review:

Control is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Control

A lot of vast films came out last year, 2007–No Country for Ragged Men, There Will Be Blood, The Lives of Others, and so on–but I honestly can’t assume of a better one than this: “Control.”

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This is a glowing and skillfully done film–all awash in silvery starkness, in colorful dismal and white–and all feeling so sterling and so far from anything untrue or phony. I am not the suicidal singer of a Fresh Wave band, I am not in appreciate with a French journalist, and I do not mediate I married too early, but watching this, the movie really save me inside the man’s skin.

“Control” tells the anecdote of Ian Curtis, Joy Division’s ill-fated lead singer–as well as his sorrowful wife, his band, his manager, his imprint, and his lover–and it does so without resorting to making it a slick biopic or a phony depiction of celebrity. It is one of the realest feeling films I have ever seen, and yet it doesn’t sacrifice anything compelling or filmic to be so. The epic plows ahead with fantastic music and a formidable drive, with scenes that are artfully shot and aesthetic to recognize.

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The film’s final scenes are indelible, crop forever into my mind, and the feeling the film invokes is much. I have never felt more genuinely punk than after seeing this–leaving the theater, I wanted to rip benches out of the ground and attack speeding cars head-on. More than that, I wanted to travel wait on into the theater, secure another tag, and spy it again. (I’m not really that into Joy Division either–at least I wasn’t before seeing this.)

“Control”: Best Movie of 2007. And Best Music Movie in Decades. So well-made and flawlessly executed that it couldn’t ultimately depress me–it could only excite me. It’s wonderful.

Based on Deborah Curtis’s book, Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division, Anton Corbijn’s bright and informative black-and-white film, Control (2007), chronicles the short, gloomy life of Ian Curtis (1956-1980), from his pursuit of art and literature at age 17 (while obsessed with David Bowie), to attending a Sex Pistols’ indicate in 1976 (where he met Joy Division bandmates, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Terry Mason), to his contributions as lead singer and lyricist for that smart post-punk band (which he joined the same year), to his May 18, 1980 suicide at age 23. Corbijn, who is perhaps best known for directing videos of Depeche Mode, U2, and The Killers, cast an unknown actor, Sam Riley, to play Curtis, and Samantha Morton to play the fragment of of his wife, Deborah Curtis. Curtis married Deborah in 1975, while they were unbiased teenagers. They soon had a daughter, Natalie, in 1979, while Curtis was also working as a civil servant at a Job Centre in in Manchester and performing with the Joy Division at night. In his spot-on portrayal of Curtis, Riley not only resembles Curtis in his appearance, but in his portrayal of Curtis’s still, awkward demeanor. For the role, Riley masters Curtis’s current dancing style while performing (reminiscent of the epileptic seizures Curtis was known to experience, sometimes even while on stage) . Magnificent Alexandra Maria Lara plays Curtis’s extramarital lover, Belgian journalist Annik Honoré, the possible inspiration for the Joy Division hit single, “Adore Will Scramble Us Apart.” Corbijn’s film conveys all the existential angst, emotional isolation, alienation, and urban degeneration of his subject’s short life. The film’s dim, final scenes depicting Curtis drinking (on the eve of his first U.S. tour), while watching Werner Herzog’s 1977 film, Stroszek, and listening to Iggy Pop’s The Idiot, all the while contemplating hanging himself are profoundly haunting. Although this film will appeal to anyone with an interest in Joy Division, it deserves a great wider audience for its mesmerizing character notice of a fearful young post-punk artist.

G. Merritt