DVDs
Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 12/31/2007 - 10:06pm.
 Stardust (Widescreen Edition)by rating:  list price: $29.99 USD Amazon price: $14.99 USDAmazon Review:Stardust settles over the viewer like a twinkly cloak. The film, which captures the magic and vision of author Neil Gaiman's fantasy graphic fable, is a transportive journey into a world of true enchantment, which fans of the Harry Potter books will enjoy as well as will adults looking for the perfect date movie. The tale is a not-so-simple love story and adventure, set in 19th century England--and an alternate universe of witches, spells and stars that turn human--and hold the key to eternal life. Young Tristan (played with wide-eyed vigor by Charlie Cox) vows to retrieve a fallen star for the most beautiful girl in the village, the shallow Victoria (Sienna Miller), and in his quest, finds his true love--in a true "meet-cute" moment (by Babylon-candle-speeding into the just-crashed human incarnation of the star, Claire Danes). Much of the film involves the duo's journey back home--though home for Tristan is his village, and home for the celestial Yvaine is, of course, in the heavens. There are villains, notably Michelle Pfeiffer as the vain witch who seeks the fountain of youth a fallen star can give, and the seven venal sons of the dying king of the mythical realm, backstabbing, grasping, and hilarious--even in death as a ghostly Greek chorus. While the sparks of love between Tristan and Yvaine are resonant and touching, Stardust truly succeeds as a brilliant fantasy yarn--and as a comedy with more than its share of belly laughs. Much of the humor belongs to Robert De Niro, who plays a notoriously wicked air pirate, who is secretly a bit light in his swashbucklers. Ricky Gervais has a small but memorable role essentially channeling his character from Extras, including his catchphrase, "Are you having a laugh?!" The special effects are all that any fan of Gaiman would wish for. Catch a bit of Stardust and you'll feel enchanted for a good long while. --A.T. Hurley
Lynn's Review: I didn't have a chance to see this in the theater, but knew I would want to own this because I love Neil Gaiman.
Boy, was I right.
This is one of the best films I've ever seen. We've owned it a week and I've already watched it twice.
A lovesick boy goes on a quest to fetch a fallen star and thus win a girl's heart. But he stumbles into a fairy kingdom, and the star turns out to be a beautiful girl. Add in three witches who want to eat the star's heart and seven brothers vying to become king and you've got a fairy tale that could have been written 300 years ago. It is magical, lyrical and beautiful.
Buy it. You won't regret it.
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Submitted by Josephine on Fri, 11/02/2007 - 5:53pm.
 Escape to Witch Mountain (Special Edition)by rating:  list price: $14.99 USD Amazon price: $14.99 Amazon Review:The effects are low-tech and no longer special, but Escape to Witch Mountain still has plenty of Disney live-action charm. It's rather quaint by later standards, coming just two years before Star Wars upped the ante on movie magic, but the story's got timeless appeal as a precursor to Harry Potter's more lavish brand of kid-wizardry. Here you've got Tony (Ike Eisenmann) and sister Tia (Kim Richards), orphans unaware of their mysterious past, who are taken in by a nefarious liar (Ray Milland) seeking to exploit their supernatural powers. Populated by '70s stalwarts like Donald Pleasance and Eddie Albert (the later playing the kids' grown-up accomplice, unwittingly rescuing them from Milland), this lightweight Disney fare is perfect for kids under 10, with such enticements as a clever cat mascot named Winky (because he winks a lot), Tony's magical harmonica... and a Winnebago that flies! With a sci-fi climax, this popular hocus-pocus spawned a 1978 sequel ( Return from Witch Mountain) that has proven similarly popular with kids. --Jeff ShannonJosephine's Review:The most cutest film that I have seen Walt Disney make. I adore it!--read more
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Submitted by Anhata on Thu, 10/11/2007 - 8:50pm.
 The Last Unicornby rating: list price: $19.98 USD Amazon price: $16.99 USDAmazon Review:A story line that truly deserves the A-list treatment, The Last Unicorn is memorable for its attempts to stay faithful to its origins, the Peter Beagle novel of the same name. The animation is vintage Rankin/Bass, and that's too bad; but there's an undeniable strength in this tale and telling. A unicorn (Mia Farrow)--she believes herself the last--searches for any others of her kind, while avoiding the malevolent Red Bull, the agent believed to have destroyed the rest of the herd. Along the way, she is mistaken, ignored, attacked, and obsessed about, finally finding help from a magician named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin) and a knight named Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges). A haunting film that pays homage to mythology and the people who love it. --Keith Simanton Anhata's Review:A classic book turned into a classic movie. I love the Rankin Bass animated movies, especially this one.--read more
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Submitted by Lynn on Thu, 07/05/2007 - 1:21pm.
 The Way Things Goby rating: list price: $19.95 USD Amazon price: $14.99 USDLynn's Review:I cannot believe I haven't added this to the reviews before now. This is one of our very favorite short films, and it becomes a favorite of everyone we've shown it to. --read more
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Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 05/14/2007 - 1:15pm.
 Nighty Nights (Nighty Night/Nighty Night 2)by list price: $14.98 USD Amazon price: $14.98 Amazon Review:Nighty Night Could it be magic? Call this reviewer gullible, but this unique little video (which clocks in at a more-than-adequate 20 minutes) not only put a toddler and cocker spaniel to sleep in the prescribed time, but it got an adult to nod off (way before big people's bedtime, too). Nighty Night offers up a combination of footage and music--without any narration--that culminates in the eponymous Nighty Night. The video comprises four distinctive little films that, upon initial viewing, seem a queer combination. But it works. The first is reminiscent of a family home video of a visit to the zoo or farm--there's lots of footage of animals (cute ones, of course). There's a slight shift in music and suddenly the animals begin to yawn and stretch. Pretty soon the viewers begin to emulate the onscreen action. Lilting music accompanies the screen's change into a starry sky. The stars slowly begin to fade until the sky is black and the music somber. Sure, it sounds odd, if simplistic, but it's pretty darn miraculous. The video's packaging boasts that it'll provide children with a soothing bedtime routine, and indeed, here's a rarity: some truth in advertising. (Ages 2 to 6) --N.F. Mendoza Nighty Night II
Much like children before bedtime, the animals in this wordless 16.5-minute video eat and play. To the upbeat musical score, ducklings splash, piglets nurse, and llamas and rabbits chow down on what must be assumed is dinner. Within five minutes the animals slow down: monkey mamas recline with their youngsters, kangaroos paw a fresh sleeping place in the dirt, and piglets yawn--all to the strains of recognizable classic melodies. By 10 minutes, these images of sleepy ferrets and ponies are intercut with views of the night sky. At the 14th minute, it's all sky, and at 16 minutes the music cuts out for the last 30 seconds of peaceful, silent sky. Although billed as a nighttime tape, it could perhaps be even more useful for lulling unwilling youngsters down for a nap--a less-guilt-inducing use for those preoccupied with what experts think about TV before bedtime. (Ages 2 to 6) --Kimberly Heinrichs
Lynn's Review:
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Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 05/14/2007 - 1:12pm.
 Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Talesby list price: $12.98 USD Amazon price: $12.98 USDAmazon Review:Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd's bestselling children's book headlines this winning 25-minute collection of sleepytime tales from HBO. Susan Sarandon narrates the simple story of a bunny readying for bed. Other top entertainers lend their voices to the tape: Tony Bennett sings the story of "Hit the Road to Dreamland"; Lauryn Hill brings rhythm to "Hush, Little Baby" (the best segment); Billy Crystal lends many voices to Mercer Mayer's "There's a Nightmare in My Closet"; and singers Natalie Cole, Aaron Neville, and Patti LeBelle sing other tales. A dandy video for the youngster, punctuated with "interviews" of real kids answering a host of bedtime questions. --Doug ThomasLynn's Review:
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Submitted by Lynn on Sun, 05/13/2007 - 8:39am.
 Spirited Awayby rating: list price: $29.99 USD Amazon price: $20.49 USDAmazon Review:The highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history (more than $234 million), Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away ( Sen To Chihiro Kamikakushi) is a dazzling film that reasserts the power of drawn animation to create fantasy worlds. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll's Alice, Chihiro (voice by Daveigh Chase--Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch) plunges into an alternate reality. On the way to their new home, the petulant adolescent and her parents find what they think is a deserted amusement park. Her parents stuff themselves until they turn into pigs, and Chihiro discovers they're trapped in a resort for traditional Japanese gods and spirits. An oddly familiar boy named Haku (Jason Marsden) instructs Chihiro to request a job from Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), the greedy witch who rules the spa. As she works, Chihiro's untapped qualities keep her from being corrupted by the greed that pervades Yubaba's mini-empire. In a series of fantastic adventures, she purges a river god suffering from human pollution, rescues the mysterious No-Face, and befriends Yubaba's kindly twin, Zeniba (Pleshette again). The resolve, bravery, and love Chihiro discovers within herself enable her to aid Haku and save her parents. The result is a moving and magical journey, told with consummate skill by one of the masters of contemporary animation. MPAA Rated: PG ("Some scary moments") --Charles SolomonLynn's Review:Almost heart-stopping in its beauty, "Spirited Away" is a film you can watch over and over. It's so intricately layered, so full of detail, and so full of heart that it never wears.
Chihiro is an average modern child. She's slightly spoiled, a little petulant, and sad/angry/frightened that she's having to move to a new town and leave her friends behind. Her impetuous father leads them by accident into the spirit world, where her parents' bad choices turn them into pigs and Chihiro into the servant of an evil witch who steals her name. Chihiro must find a way to regain her name, save her parents and return to the human world--all on her own. Is she strong enough and brave enough to do it?
Like all Miyazaki films featuring young heroines, Chihiro is a completely believable girl. The bad guys are never completely bad, and the good guys are never completely good. The world is a mysterious place to Miyazaki-san, and aren't we lucky to have him guide us through the spirit worlds!
Highly, highly recommended.
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Submitted by Lynn on Sat, 05/12/2007 - 2:39pm.
 Howl's Moving Castleby rating: list price: $29.99 USD Amazon price: $21.49 USDAmazon Review:Like a dream, Howl's Moving Castle carries audiences to vistas beyond their imaginations where they experience excitement, adventure, terror, humor, and romance. With domestic box office receipts of over $210 million, Howl passed Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke to become the #3 film in Japanese history, behind his Spirited Away and James Cameron's Titanic. Based on a juvenile novel by Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle marks the first time Miyazaki has adapted another writer's work since Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). Sophie, a 19-year-old girl who believes she is plain, has resigned herself to a drab life in her family's hat shop--until the Witch of the Waste transforms her into a 90-year-old woman. In her aged guise, Sophie searches for a way to break the Witch's spell and finds unexpected adventures. Like Chihiro, the heroine of Spirited Away, Sophie discovers her hidden potential in a magical environment--the castle of the title. Using CG, Miyazaki creates a ramshackle structure that looks like it might disintegrate at any moment. Sophie's honesty and determination win her some valuable new friends: Markl, Howl's young apprentice; a jaunty scarecrow; Calcifer, a temperamental fire demon; and Heen, a hilarious, wheezing dog. She wins the heart of the dashing, irresponsible wizard Howl, and brings an end an unnecessary and destructive war. The film overflows with eclipsing visuals that range from frightening aerial battles to serene landscapes, and few recent features--animated or live action--offer as much magic as Howl's Moving Castle. --Charles Solomon The Many Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki 
The works of Miyazaki | 
The Book | 
The Art of Howls' Moving Castle (book) | Stills from Howl's Moving Castle (click for larger image)
Lynn's Review:
Hayao Miyazaki seems to take as his theme over and over again the coming-of-age of young girls. More than most directors, he understands girls deeply.--read more
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Submitted by Lynn on Sat, 05/12/2007 - 2:28pm.
 My Neighbor Totoroby rating: list price: $29.99 USD Amazon price: $23.99 USDAmazon Review:Critically acclaimed as one of the most delightful and charming family films ever, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a stunning animated treat full of magical adventure from Hayao Miyazaki. Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight, they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro, who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters -- including a cat that doubles as a bus! -- and takes them on an incredible journey. Full of wonder and heart, this spectacular 2-disc set features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a magical experience for the whole family! © 1988 Nibariki • G Lynn's Review:This is my favorite movie of all time, bar none. It's very much a film that anyone, of any age, can love.--read more
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Submitted by Anhata on Thu, 02/15/2007 - 1:00am.
 Mystery Menby list price: $9.99 USD Amazon price: $9.99 USDAmazon Review:Ever wonder if there was a class system in the world of superheroes? After all the big names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, etc., who were the supporting players? The folks assigned to the less-than-stellar gigs of saving only a small part of the world? According to this intermittently successful send-up of comic book heroism, there are indeed masked heroes who struggle and toil for their moment in the super sun. Based on the Dark Horse comic book series, Mystery Men follows the travails of three B-list avengers--Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), the Shoveler (William H. Macy), and the Blue Raja (Hank Azaria)--as they fight to make themselves known to the citizens of Champion City, quite difficult to do when the flashy Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear, never better) takes all the cool gigs and has product endorsements up the ying-yang. According to them, it's all a matter of timing--never mind that Mr. Furious never rises above a snit, or that the Blue Raja wears green. Their big break comes when Captain Amazing is abducted by the evil Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush), and it's up to this motley crew to save Champion City. Blessed with a wondrously gifted comic cast and full of droll details, Mystery Men struggles in fits and spurts towards its climax. Transcendently witty in parts, it's also woefully sophomoric in others. Literally, this is the kind of movie in which someone gets off a brilliant line and then sits on a fork. Still, when this movie is rolling, it's gleefully on target, thanks primarily to the mordantly cocky Stiller and Janeane Garofalo as a latecomer to the superhero gang; her secret weapon is a bowling ball in which her dead father's head is encased. The comic chemistry between these two is fierce, and when you add the dryly funny Macy and the endearing Azaria (who finally gets a chance to let loose with his comic gifts), it's a hilarious joyride. Too bad that the gas tank is only half-full; this stunning cast deserves a first-rate vehicle. With Tom Waits as a weapons expert, Claire Forlani as the requisite babe, and Paul Reubens as the Spleen, the world's most flatulent superhero. --Mark Englehart
Anhata's Review:
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Submitted by Lynn on Fri, 09/29/2006 - 8:25am.
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Submitted by Anhata on Mon, 06/26/2006 - 1:55pm.
 Return to Meby list price: $14.98 USD Amazon price: $11.99 USD
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Submitted by Anhata on Fri, 12/30/2005 - 11:07pm.
 You've Got Mailby list price: $12.98 USD Amazon price: $7.99 USD
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Submitted by Anhata on Fri, 12/30/2005 - 11:02pm.
 The Cutting Edgeby list price: $14.94 USD Amazon price: $14.94
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Submitted by Anhata on Fri, 12/30/2005 - 11:00pm.
 When Harry Met Sally...by list price: $14.98 USD Amazon price: $11.99 USD
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Submitted by Anhata on Fri, 12/30/2005 - 10:56pm.
 While You Were Sleepingby list price: $9.99 USD Amazon price: $7.99 USD
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Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 12/26/2005 - 12:10pm.
 Super Size Meby list price: $14.94 USD Amazon price: $6.99 USD
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Submitted by Lynn on Wed, 12/21/2005 - 11:22am.
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Submitted by LeanneHock on Sat, 10/01/2005 - 6:09pm.
 Yourself! Fitnessby list price: $29.99 USD Amazon price: $34.99 USD
Our health articles should never substitute for seeing your medical practitioner.
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