Rabbit Fever

At last, a movie about us rabbit people!
Recently I finally got the opportunity to watch the movie Rabbit Fever. And you know what? I'm glad I did.

Created by Amy Do, Rabbit Fever is a full-length documentary about the rabbit showing hobby. It focuses on the ARBA Youth Royalty contest, following five young rabbit breeders in their quests to become the ARBA King or Queen. We've been hearing about the production of this movie for years, and now it's finally available via DVD and streaming at RabbitFever.com. Amy gave about ten years and most of the resources she had - including funds she had intended to put toward a house - to producing this film, and I'm glad to be able to thank her for that effort.

Like the "stars" in the movie, competing in ARBA Royalty Contests was the focus of my teenage years. In fact, the kids featured in the movie were my role models. They were in the age group just above me, and so were the very people that I held in high respect.

So for a long time I didn't want to...

This was very entertaining
I'm a big fan of documentaries. Particularly ones that are both interesting and entertaining. And "Rabbit Fever" was up there with the best of them. It takes us into a world most of us never knew existed, and it introduces us to people who we might consider to be fanatics under any other circumstance. I'd rate this film right up there with "Word Wars" and "Dumbstruck". If you liked those films, you'll probably like "Rabbit Fever".

Finally a documentary about showing rabbits!
I waited and waited to be able to see this documentary, for about 1 1/2 years actually! It was about time someone created a documentary about showing rabbits. It was informative and showed the rabbit showing from all different perspectives (ie: youth, adults, professionals, as well as the newbies). I would recommend this to anyone wanting to get into showing their rabbits because it is not as easy as it looks and this documentary shows how much work is involved in doing so! A++++

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Sterile Cuckoo

A bittersweet beauty
This lovely, heartwrenching film is the sort of story that just doesn't get told today -- perhaps the innocence & honesty required just isn't there any longer. More's the pity, because this is a beautifully tender story of first love & its inevitable ending, which deserves to be seen. Liza Minnelli is unafraid to play the eccentric, lonely Pookie as needy & infuriating when required. Yet we never lose our sympathy for her, especially as we realize that Wendell Burton's shy, introverted Jerry is gradually outgrowing her. She's exactly what he needed to break out of his shell, and he clearly understands this ... but he sees that they're destined to go different ways before she does (or before she'll admit it to herself). Minnelli & Burton are superb together, utterly convincing in their wistful, somewhat lost, always searching way. And Tim McIntire's supporting performance as Jerry's boastful roommate, who surprises us with a heartfelt confession on a night drive home, is a small gem in...

Marvellous Minnelli Classic, crying out for DVD Transfer
In my review of 'Cabaret', I rather rashly claimed that Liza's turn as self-destructive Ingenue Sally Bowles was her 'once-in-a-lifetime' performance. That, however, was before I caught this 1969 Gem, 'The Sterile Cuckoo', on Sky Classics.

Beautifully-directed by Alan Pakula in that strange, isolated, stereotypical 1960's-flick style, 'The Sterile Cuckoo' tells the bittersweet, emotionally macabre tale of anally-retentive college freshman Jerry Payne (Wendell Burton), and his intense relationship with the scatterbrained, maniacal Pookie Adams (Liza Minnelli), an enigmatic and energetic girl with a sad past.

Liza's first Oscar nomination was very thoroughly deserved. Even as late as 1969 the Oscars were not yet the meaningless PR-Fest that we now know them to be, and it's nominations for odd, thought-provoking performances like Minnelli's, here, that restores our faith in that system. She's absorbing and heart-wrenching, infuriating and devastating, all at the same time. Her...

Odd Little Film
The first time I saw this movie it bothered me. Watching the love story develop between Pookie and Roger was like watching a horror movie, I kept wanting to yell at the guy for getting into a relationship with this obviously unstable, needy, life-sucking parasite of a human being. But the film haunted me (maybe because I couldn't get "Come Saturday Morning" out of my mind), so much so I bought the video. It's really a different film that couldn't be made today. The pace is different, the plot depends on the characters, Liza Minelli's performance breaks your heart. I suggest this film to anyone who doesn't like the typical romance film of the "Pretty Woman" persuasion. Watch it after you've broken up with somebody if you want a good cry.

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Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension [HD]

Great for adults and teens, may be a little scary for younger kids
"Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension" is a Disney "movie", starring Phineas and Ferb from Disney HD's animated cartoon series of the same name. The story ... Phineas, Ferb, Perry and Dr Doofenshmirtz get transported into a parallel dimension where a more evil/competent Dr Doofenshmirtz has enslaved (say it with me) "the entire Tri-State Area" and the boys must try and set things right ... is typical Phineas and Ferb (P&F) - smart, funny, and written on a level that entertains both adults and kids. The music is also typically outstanding.

The package I bought contains two DVDs with the movie, eight deleted scenes (probably cut for time constraints), a bonus episode from the show, a digital copy of the movie, 8 music tracks from the movie, and best of all, a "Platypult"! :-)

One mild word of warning if you have little ones (say 6 and younger) that like P&F; this episode is a little darker than what you see on typical episodes on TV. Two of my kids...

"...FERBULOUS!" - The Danville Tri-Stater
"...FERBULOUS!" - The Danville Tri-Stater

The above critical rave is fictional, but don't you just love the way some reviews make the huzzahs really big and the sources small? ("*****A TRIUMPH!" - The Margate Pennysaver).

In the case of Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension, its acclaim was well-earned and the ratings were high. The series is one of the best series on television today, including live action and prime time. And if you follow the series, you can spot references between episodes and learn its "language," so to speak. And it's very easy to do that because Disney Channel and Disney X-D runs the already large library of episodes quite a lot.

This helps in appreciating the first TV Phineas and Ferb movie, Across the 2nd Dimension, especially the spectacular climactic scene that parades elements from numerous episodes within minutes. However, it's not necessary to be a Phineasoid to enjoy the film.

Like the series, it's chock...

Great film for kids and adults alike!
In a world where entertainment is riddled with violence, inappropriate images and language, Phineas and Ferb is a breath of fresh air. This is a cartoon that parents can feel good about their kids watching. It is always upbeat and positive and encourages creativity in young people. Granted there are certainly better ways to encourage creativity then watching tv, but this show is something special the entire family can sit down, watch together and enjoy. It has a great sense of humor, an interesting plot line and catchy songs you will find yourself humming long after the show is done. That being said, if you are watching the movie having never seen a Phineas and Ferb show in your life you are going to be a bit confused. There's a lot of in-jokes and characterizations that only the veterans will get, but still the movie is a very enjoyable experience. It has just the right mix of action, comedy, music, a touch of romance, and a secret agent Platypus. I don't know of any other movie...

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The Day After Tomorrow

Awesome Spec for Day After Tomorrow Blu-ray
The entertaining film features spectacular special effects. It delivers what it promises: an all-out, wild disaster flick.

Utilizing blu-ray interactive capabilities, this blu-ray edition introduces exclusive BD-J bonus features. In the BD-J "Global Warming Trivia Track" game, users can prevent Earth's temperatures from rising to worldwide destruction level by correctly answering questions about global warming.

Here are other specific bonus features and spec details (from Hollywood in Hi-Def):

* "The Day After Tomorrow"
+ Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Features:
-- Search Content
-- Personal Scene Selections
-- Global Warming Interactive (Java Game)
-- D-Box
+ Additional Bonus Features: (standard def)
-- Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Roland Emmerich and Producer Mark Gordon
-- Commentary by Co-Writer Jeffrey Nachmanoff, Ueli Steiger, Editor David Brenner and Production Designer Barry Chusid
-- Ten (10) Deleted...

Beware the Superstorm
I have to say that this film really reminded me of Armageddon. Not in story or plot, but in the way that the movie can be so enjoyable and make little sense when it comes to science and common sense. The movie is loosely based on the book THE COMING OF THE GLOBAL SUPERSTORM and concerns massive climate changes and how they affect life as we know it.

The movie begins on an ice shelf where a climatologist is taking core samples. These samples combined with events on the shelf drive the scientist (Quaid) to hypothesize that a new ice age is in the near future unless we change our ways now. To keep things movie, Quad is wrong on the time frame and things begin happening very quickly and drastically. Like ID4, we follow a number of groups as they are affected by the events, especially Quaid and his almost estranged family.

Typical of this type of film, politics and politicians are painted as bad guys although some do come to their senses. The action never lets...

The Day After Tomorrow.......
Let me begin this review by saying one thing, The Day After Tomorrow is an excellent movie. I loved it. The special effects were outstanding. It's good fun for a date movie.

But,....trying to take this movie seriously is actually hard. The story revolving around global warming and the world being hit hard within a week is a bit too hard to swallow. Too, there's just some things in the movie that I just don't see happening quite the same way if they were to happen in real life. I'm not saying that we shouldn't take the threat of global warming seriously but the way it is presented in this movie is ridiculous. If the writer of the film took more time to research the material on global warming, I think he(and Roland Emmerich) could have made an even better film. As much as I love disaster flicks(having collected the majority of them that has come out in recent memory), I really don't know if I could recommend this one for people to buy.

However, if you're hankering...

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Mao's Last Dancer

By Turns...Suspenseful! Harrowing! Beautiful!
This review is for in theaters version only, not the DVD.

This inspiring film is based on the autobiography of Li Cunxin, principal ballet dancer who defected to the United States in 1981. It includes the suspenseful account of a 21-hour international incident when Li was held hostage in Houston's Chinese consulate.

The film begins with his childhood in Maoist China. The first portion of the movie was actually filmed there. Li was taken from his family to train at the Beijing Dance Academy while he was still a young child. After harsh, rigorous training, he was chosen for a dance scholarship with the Houston Ballet Company in a cultural exchange program.

There are comical moments as Li adjusts to the soaring skyline of Houston's modern buildings, ATM's that dole out cash, and misconceptions about english words. Actor, Bruce Greenwood, does a great job portraying the artistic director of the Houston Ballet, Ben Stevenson, who takes the young dancer...

ballet magic
Mao's Last Dancer (2009) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] This is a wonderful movie for anyone who loves ballet and a good story. Li Cunxin, a Chinese dancer, defected to the USA when he was a young dancer. This is a story of heartbreak, amazing tenacity and the eventual success of this very brave man. I have been fortunate to meet him and he is truly inspirational. It's a great feel-good film that you can watch many times without tiring, plus the dancing is sublime.

Breaking Political Barriers for Art
MAO'S LAST DANCER is a gem of a film that proves that true stories of the travails of artists who must have freedom to express make excellent stories. And in this case the story is true. Adapted from the autobiography by the same name by Li Cunxin and adapted for the screen by Jan Sardi and directed by Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy, Bride of the Wind, Breaker Morant, Double Jeopardy, etc), this story gradually unfolds in both China and America and is in both Chinese and English.

In the author's own words, 'In a small, desperately poor village in northeast China, a peasant boy sits at his rickety old school desk, interested more in the birds outside than in Chairman Mao's Red Book and the grand words it contains. But that day, some strangers come to his school - Madame Mao's cultural delegates. They are looking for young peasants to mold into faithful guards of Chairman Mao's great vision for China." "The boy watches as one of his classmates is chosen and led away. His...

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Dark Night of the Pumpkinman 2

Solid Horror-Thriller Movie
Solid horror-thriller of a movie. Didn't know it was going to be that interesting judging it was going to be the typical low-budget horror feature. The movie takes some nice twists and turns, while keeping the audience on its toes of where the ride will take us next. Interpreting the title, I didn't know what to expect. This was either going to be a hit or miss for me. It turned out to be a mystery-suspense-thriller, than an actual blood n' guts B-movie horror flick. There are a lot of good looking women, and "The Pumpkinman" has an original edge that worked (I didn't think it would). The movie at times looks like a 70's/80's classic horror flick...which I love. I grew up on movies like that, and they don't make 'em like they use to. Now-a-days everything has a 3 second tension span, with quick, frantic, maniacal scares. The psychology is different these days as more is more. Everything is overdone; more blood, more scares, and bigger boobs. This movie doesn't take the typical...





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Dreamworks Spooky Stories [HD]

Great Halloween Pack/Blu Ray
Just received the DreamWorks Spooky Stories Blu-ray and I have to say, it's great. There are five features with both the characters from Shrek and Monsters vs. Aliens having some Halloween fun. In the same vein as other holiday specials like "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and "Garfield's Halloween Adventure", both my children and I enjoyed watching it together and so will you.

JoshuaC's Reviwe of Dreamwork's halloween dvd
This set has both of the Halloween shows that DW made for tv, but in addishion it has several new catoons never seen on tv or theaters; and the Shrek 3D movie from the Universal Studios attraction. The "Play All" feature weaves the old with the new, it starts w/a new one "Thriller"; where they mirrors the MJ mv. Then it leads into "Scared Shrekless" the tv special, followed by the short "The Pig Who Cryed Werewolf"; this starts as a "Rear Window" like story. One of the 3 pigs thinks there new neighbor (The Big Bad Wolf)is up to some thing, and it smells delicious. It ends like the Abbott and Costello movie "Hold That Ghost," with the heroes running off into the horizon; w/one the saying "I told u so!" This leads into the the "Monsters vs Aliens; Attack of the Mutant Pumpkins" another tv special. This is fellowed by the new cartoon "Monsters vs Aliens; Night of the Living Carrots"; this is a continuation of "Attack of the Mutant Pumpkins." It starts w/BoB in froint of a curtain, (like...

great halloween stories
We really like these 4 stories of Shrek and all the character in 4 different "scary" stories. Great for Halloween, but my 2 yr. old watches this movie at least once a day all year.

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