rigoberto6576207

Archive for February, 2010

Stream Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration Online.

Movie Title: Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration
Average customer review:

Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration

Just as the box (and the song) says, this is truly a night of a thousand stars. The video contains… Whistle Down The Wind ~ Tina Arena; Joseph Fanfare ~ the Orchestra; Any Dream Will Do & Close Every Door ~ Donny Osmond; Variations On A Theme By Paganini ~ Julian Lloyd Webber; Requiem For Evita ~ National Youth Choir; Oh What A Circus & High Flying Adored ~ Antonio Banderas; Don’t Cry For Me Argentina ~ Elaine Paige; Light At The End Of The Tunnel ~ Ray Shell; Hosana (from Jesus Christ Superstar) ~ National Youth Choir; Hosana (from Requiem) ~ Dennis O’Neill; Pie Jesu ~ Sarah Brightman & Ben De’Ath; Jesus Christ Superstar ~ Marcus Lovett; Gethsemane ~ Michael Ball; Phantom Overture ~ the Orchestra; Phantom Of The Opera ~ Sarah Brightman & Antonio Banderas; All I Ask Of You ~ Sarah Brightman & Michael Ball; Music Of The Night ~ Sarah Brightman; Tire Tracks And Broken Hearts ~ Bonnie Tyler; No Matter What ~ Boyzone; Vaults Of Heaven ~ Michael Ball; Car Chase On Sunset Boulevard ~ the Orchestra; Once Upon A Time ~ Glenn Close & Marcus Lovett; With One Look & As If We Never Said Goodbye ~ Glenn Close; Love Changes Everything ~ Michael Ball & the Cast; Memory ~ Elaine Paige; The Heart Is Slow To Learn ~ Kiri Te Kanawa; Happy Birthday ~ the Cast; Whistle Down The Wind ~ Lottie Mayor & Andrew Lloyd Webber, and The Jellicle Ball ~ the Orchestra. You absolutely can’t go wrong with this video. There is something for everyone, and you’ll find yourself watching it repeatedly. The performances by Antonio Banderas, Sarah Brightman, Michael Ball, Glenn Close, Boyzone & Bonnie Tyler are all definitely highlights, but there isn’t a disappointing performance in the entire 2 hour+ show.

When in March 1998 Andrew Lloyd Webber turned 50, a full two-hour celebration gala concert was given in his honour at London’s Royal Albert Hall. He certainly deserved it, since by that time he was rightly thought of as the most successful musical composer of all times. As it is wide known, he wrote numerous hit shows, including the two longest running musicals in the history of the West End and Broadway, i.e. “Cats” and “The Phantom of the Opera”. So the numerous artists who performed his shows and singles were called together and they delivered this stunning concert accompanied by a wonderful symphonic orchestra. Every show up to that date, except “By Jeeves”, “The Beautiful Game” and his latest, “The woman in white”, was covered, the former from 2000 and the latter premiered in September 2004. I’ll give you my brief impressions of the songs performed here.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration! Click Here

1. “Whistle down the wind” performed by Tina Arena: This is the single version released before the show was put to stage. It’s a beautiful pop song with the nice guitar and drums use. Tina has the right voice, but her stage presence here is too aggressive.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration! Click Here

2. “Any dream will do” and “Close every door” from “The Joseph and his amazing Technicolor dreamcoat” performed by Donny Osmond: These two songs from Webber’s first musical Osmond sings with a group of young kids as the backs vocals that blends perfectly with his strong voice.

3. “Variations” is the piece for the cello and the orchestra that Webber based on the work of the Italian violin virtuoso Paganini and wrote for his cellist brother Julian Lloyd Webber, who plays the cello here. He gives a spotless rendition of the two numbers, with professional dancers dancing in front of him.

4. “Evita” follows. The choir of youngsters appropriately dressed performs “The requiem for Evita”. Then comes Antonio Banderas dressed as Che and sings his two numbers: “Oh, what a circus” and “High flying, adored” very well, as he did in the movie. “Don’t cry for me Argentina”, one of the best songs Webber has ever written, is nicely sung here by Elaine Paige, who had the honour to be the first who in 1978 brought Evita to life in the West End. She wears a beautiful white gown and the fitting jewellery, similar to the one she had on stage when she was in the show.

5. “Starlight Express”, the Webber’s show about trains, is represented here by one ensemble song called “Light at the end of the tunnel”. It is performed by one of the Original Cast members from 1984, Ray Shell, who is, with the rest of the singers here, on roller-skates, as the actors in the show are. It’s a flashy piece, better to watch than to listen.

6. “Jesus Christ Superstar”, Webber’s first big success, is next. We have a short reference to the number “Hosanna” and the two solos. Michael Ball, the star of “Les Mis” and Webber’s “Aspects of love”, sings “Gethsemane” in the right tone and with the needed passion; a touch of sadness is present here. Marcus Lovett, who starred in “Whistle down the wind” that year, with the help of the soul girls, gives a rocky rendition of “Superstar”; very neat. Some will probably enjoy his costume: a tight jeans and shirtless T-shirt, showing his muscles.

7. “Requiem”, for which Webber won a special award, comes next in line. He wrote it in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. The opera singer Dennis O’Neill sings “Hosanna” with his perfect tenor. Then, for the first time that evening, appears Sarah Brightman, who was Webber’s second wife. She looks beautiful and reminds me here of a porcelain doll. She sings the most famous song from “Requiem”, called “Pie Jesu”, together with Ben De’atah, a small choir boy. It is the most solemn rendition of the evening.

8. “The Phantom of the Opera”, the most produced of all Webber’s shows, starts next, with a strong Overture. Sarah Brightman comes out, with a beautiful smile on her face. She sings in all of the three numbers here, “The Phantom of the Opera” being the first. My main complaint here is that Antonio Banderas joins her as the Phantom, which is very inappropriate. He is good as Che in “Evita”, but the Phantom needs a totally different voice. Where was Michael Crawford that evening? Antonio’s voice is trembling in this number and you can tell he’s really struggling. Michael Ball joins Sarah in a beautiful rendition of the love ballad “All I ask of you” and they share a nice kiss in the end, just like in the show. Sarah wraps up the Phantom part with “The music of the night”, originally sung by the Phantom, but here, they rightly didn’t want to risk it with Banderas.

9. Two pop singles from “Whistle down the wind” come after that. Bonnie Tyler sings a stunning big number, “Tyre tracks and broken hearts”, together with the very well choreographed dancers and the black girls as the back vocals. This whole number looks and sounds great. “No matter what” was an instant hit and is given here by Boyzone, then still existing as a boy band. Very well sung. But they saved the best for last of this part: Michael Ball comes out then and gives an amazing rendition of “The vaults of heaven”, backed by the soul choir. This remains one of my favourites here; the sound of this is beyond description, as the applause proves it.

10. “Sunset Boulevard” part is next. “Sunset” remains for me one of Webber’s best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you’ve ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you’ll know what I am talking about. Yes, her stage presence is strong, as the applause of the audience shows, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. I can only imagine how it would sound if Patti LuPone was there, or anybody else who sang it properly, like Betty Buckley or Petula Clark. This is one of the main reasons I’m giving this concert 4 stars. In this way, the three songs here, “Once upon a time”, “With one look” and “As if we never said goodbye” only give a hint of what they may look like with the right singer. The funny thing is; this was the first time I heard these songs, and thought Glenn Close is OK, until I heard Patti LuPone. So do yourself a favour and get the London cast recording of “Sunset Blvd” to hear it how it should sound.

11. “Aspect of love” is represented by its hit song, “Love changes everything”, Michael Ball’s number one hit and standard. All the artists come out to the stage and join him in this song; very lovely.

12. Elaine Paige then makes her second appearance to sing “Memory”, probably the most famous song of Webber, dressed in a nice feline gown. Her voice is lovely and gentle, though not as strong as on “Cats” DVD, from which it was put to her latest two-disc compilation, “Centre stage: The very best of Elaine Paige”, issued in May 2004.

The master himself, Andrew Lloyd Webber, comes to the stage after that, to give a brief thanking speech. He also introduces the next artist, dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

13. Dame Kiri performs a song called “A heart is slow to learn”, which belongs among the finest Lloyd Webber’s ballads. It was initially intended to use it in a sequel of The Phantom of the opera”, but in the year 2000, Webber used this melody with the changed lyrics for his musical “The beautiful game”. Dame Kiri’s soprano fits the melody perfectly.

14. Another rendition of “Whistle down the wind” follows, this time Webber is playing the piano and the young Lottie Mayor, who played the lead in the show that year, is singing. Her rendition is very opposite to Tina Arena’s from the beginning: I like the touch of gentleness that Lottie brings to this song.

15. During the end credits, the orchestra plays “The jellicle ball” from “Cats”.

I hope I gave you an interesting description of the whole show. Anyone who, like me, loves Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music and musicals is in for a sheer delight. My only regret is that Michael Crawford and good singer for Sunset Blvd part weren’t there. Other than that, this concert is a must have for all the Webber fans and those who enjoy quality musical theatre.
Avex DVD To AVI, MPEG2, 3g, mp4, PSP, Ipod Converter Software…Hurry!
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday | Amazon .com books
low cost dental health plan | Affordable dental plans | dental health plans | dental insurance plans
Earn Extra Cash from Home | Multiple Income Streams | Multiple Streams of Income | Money From Home | Make Money on the Internet
Residual Income Opportunity Online | Extra Income

Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special Streaming.

Movie Title: Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special
Average customer review:

Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special

This best thing about this Christmas DVD is that it makes me feel happy and like a kid again. How can you not enjoy seeing Little Richard continually falling while trying to ice skate? Annete Funicello with green teeth? Whoopie Goldberg begging for work? Dinah Shore giddily singing without realizing she is annoying everyone? Pee-Wee and a group of Marines in a dance number? The answer is you can’t help but enjoy every minute of it. This special just oozes fun and camp. But the real incredible thing is that it’s all about something positive – selfnessness. And this moral is never beaten over your head or made overly sappy. It’s simply part of the whole.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special! Click Here

Pop this DVD in and kids as well as adults will eventually stop what they are doing to watch the amazing antics. Afterwards everyone will be full of Christmas cheer be it December or the middle of July. This is truly a SPECIAL Christmas Special.

From 1988 and broadcast just once, comes this gem from the mind of Paul Reubens. Released in 2004 along with the rest of the “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” output, this stand alone special has been a yearly tradition in our household. Now we can retire our videotape for the DVD format.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special! Click Here

The special features are limited, only two, and they are both commentaries. The first one features Paul Reubens, co-writer John Paragon (who also plays Jambi) and Lynne Marie Stewart who plays Miss Yvonne, the most beautiful lady in all of Playland. The second commentary features four of the puppeteers who certainly had a lot to do in the special. The insights and tidbits on both of these commentaries are a great bonus.

The show itself is fast paced and gives you a chance to visit with some old friends. Pee Wee’s humor may not be for all, but if you enjoyed the series, you will certainly enjoy this special where holiday traditions are examined and lessons of the spirit of giving are learned.

The supporting cast includes members who have gone on to bigger things including Laurence Fishburne as Cowboy Curtis and S. Epatha Merkerson as Reba The Mail Lady (who is now a regular on NBC’s “Law and Order” minus the dreadlocks). The guests include Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, Charo, The Del Rubio Triplets, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Whoopi Goldberg, Magic Johnson, Grace Jones, k.d. lang, Little Richard, Joan Rivers, Dinah Shore and Oprah Winfrey. Stars, music, fun, a great package.

The transfer is fresh from the masters with Dolby Digital sound and is close-captioned. Highly recommended if you want to catch the Christmas spirit.

Watch Seinfeld – The Complete Series Movie Online.

Movie Title: Seinfeld – The Complete Series
Average customer review:

Seinfeld – The Complete Series is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Seinfeld – The Complete Series

To me, Seinfeld can basically be broken into three parts – seasons one and two where the series is just finding itself, seasons three through seven in which absolutely everything clicks due to the cast’s great on-screen rapport and the genius of Larry David, and the last two seasons after Larry David’s departure in which the focus shifted somewhat from a satirical look at the uglier side of human nature to zany comedy. Usually every episode was a stand-alone. In fact, some of the early episodes are so stand-alone as to have the audience wonder what happened. In season two’s “The Deal”, Elaine and Jerry decide to try combining their current friendship (”this”) with their past by sleeping together (”that”). As George portends though, it is pretty much impossible to mix “this and that” without eventually losing both. The end of the episode shows Jerry and Elaine pretty much settling into “this that and the other” – a romantic relationship – and then the series just drops the subject like the whole episode never happened.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Seinfeld – The Complete Series! Click Here

Occasionally Seinfeld would have a story arc of sorts. For example, in season four the show poked fun at network television executives and their decision-making process when George and Jerry wind up pitching the idea for “a TV show about nothing” to NBC. The two offer up what is essentially the script of the widely acclaimed Seinfeld episode “The Chinese Restaurant”. The network suits are unimpressed. As an alternative George and Jerry present a ridiculous plot in which a judge sentences someone who has hit Jerry’s car to be his butler. This time the suits are bowled over. Seinfeld also truly had a gift for entertaining while pushing the audience to the brink of offense. “The Bubble Boy” presents the audience with a rude and obnoxious individual as the victim of an immune deficiency disease versus the patient angels that usually play this role. “The Outing” introduced the phrase “not that there’s anything wrong with that” into American pop culture and also smartly satirized political correctness. “The Junior Mint” shows George in familiar form when he pleads with Jerry not to intervene to save an artist’s life because it would devalue the artist’s paintings he has purchased in anticipation of that same artist’s death.

The show is often absurd, and though it seems impossible that such a group of self-absorbed people could carry on even the pretense of a multi-year friendship, something about it is oddly familiar to most of us. That is at least partly because of the great interaction between the main characters in which they have both comic and straight-man duties depending on the situation, making their relationships seem real although exaggerated.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Seinfeld – The Complete Series! Click Here

As far as the details on the set, it is a 32-disc, two-volume set offering all 180 episodes of the show along with “The Official Coffee Table Book,” a 226-page, bound anthology filled with photos, quotes, trivia from every episode, and personal reflections from Jerry. The collectible book also includes a bonus disc featuring “The Roundtable,” an hour-long round table discussion among the four cast and creator Larry David reminiscing about the award-winning show’s run on air.

This box set (and by the way the TV show behind it) deserves every star it can possibly get. Offering us the long view on “Seinfeld,” from day one to day last, it allows us to see the scope of this greatest of all television shows, transmogrifying itself from Jerry-In-Red-Sweatpants at the beginning to Jerry-In-Lear-Jet at the end, like the old drawing of Darwin’s “ape-caveman-upright man” progression.

And we see that the ape era wasn’t so bad, after all; in fact, looked at as part of the show’s evolution, the first two seasons, while the writers and actors were finding their voices, were the truest period of all for the show. Scrambling (sometimes raging) to find something, ANYthing to make a show about, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld plumbed the best of their depths, offering a crash course in late-20th century survival of the un-fittest. Even at its 4th-season artistic zenith, the show would never be this real.

With the whole thing here in one place, we can even see that there are periods to this show as with any longterm work. The first period (Seasons 1-2) is the most grounded in reality; the second period (Seasons 3-5) is the most artistically rich, where the show has truly found its niche and explores it like a kid in a Toys R Us with an unlimited charge account; the third period (Seasons 6-7) is the wheels-are-off-the-wagon period, where anything goes as long as it’s funny, no idea is too insane; the fourth and final period (Seasons 8-9) is just as anything-goes but it gets just a bit too manic at times, and you occasionally lose the suspension of disbelief you need to enjoy any work of fiction. Still, there is no “bad” season of this show, and no single episode is completely devoid of that brilliant “Seinfeld” wit that made this one of the most popular television shows of all time.

But scope is not all this set offers. It offers, simply, EVERYTHING. Confident that you have every episode at your fingertips, you can flip through the set for a show like you’d flip through the Bible for a quote (that’s not going too far, is it?). Pick “The Red Dot,” then pick “The Limo,” then pick “The Puffy Shirt,” then pick “The Finale.” On and on it goes, until you’ve seen so many you forget which ones you’ve seen and you start again. It’s all there. And all the extras from all the box sets, from the feature-length documentary on the creation of the show to the great “Inside Looks” and the (frankly kind of useless) commentaries.

New for this box set is a Seinfeld Coffee Table Book, which is kind of the trivia-rich “Notes About Nothing” segments rolled into a single volume. Also included is an hour-long special recorded in 2007 featuring the original four cast members and Larry David watching and commenting on various clips from the show’s nine-year run. It’s fun and interesting, but it probably won’t be watched more than once or twice. The “Inside Looks” are better for tidbits and insight into the show’s workings. Finally, the packaging simply couldn’t be better: tight, durable, compact. As always, they’ve cared enough to think of everything.

I love this show, I can watch it again and again, and it bugs me every time I hear people (even Seinfeld and co. themselves) talking about the characters as unredeemable or even vaguely sociopathic. The characters in “Seinfeld” are not anything like that. I think this misinterpretation, which is widespread even among the show’s fans, is the fault of the actors and producers themselves, who have famously said that “Seinfeld” is a “no-learning, no-hugging” show. They themselves sold the characters as unredeemable; but the fact is that the 4-way friendship portrayed in this show is the strongest friendship ever portrayed on television. To me, that’s what makes “Seinfeld” so great. What that show is REALLY about is people living in a massive, overwhelming urban environment (which, in our society of computers and malls and digital cable is everyone, even those living in small towns) who create and maintain a small outpost of human closeness, of love, in the face of that industrial anonymity we all feel closing in every day. That’s certainly why I react to it, and why I’ve watched it so often. Not just the dialogue and the unorthodox structure of the show, which is brilliant, and not just the dead-on satire of modern American culture, but the relationships. “Seinfeld” is deeper than it ever sold itself.

All in all the complete box set is everything you could ask for, assuming you already like “Seinfeld.” If you don’t, come on, you’re not plunking down two hundred bucks for this thing anyway.
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday | Amazon .com books
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
DVD to converter | DVD to mpg
Eliminate Credit Card Debts | Get Rid of Credit Card Debt Now | Credit Card Debt Consolidation

Stream Flushed Away Online.

Movie Title: Flushed Away
Average customer review:

Flushed Away is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Flushed Away

Perhaps that’s because it’s from Aardman Studios, famous for “Wallace And Gromit” and “Chicken Run.” Aardman is also well known for their claymation style of animation, which is lovingly preserved, albeit through the use of CGI in “Flushed Away.”

Buy,Download, Or Stream Flushed Away! Click Here

The story revolves around Roddy (Hugh Jackman), a family pet who gets flushed into the sewers of London by an unwelcome guest named Sid (Shane Richie). Sid takes over the world “up there” while Roddy is left to fight for his life in the seedy underbelly of London’s sewers. In all actuality, though, life in the sewers isn’t too terribly bad. When Roddy arrives there, he finds a near replica of London full of busy streets and shops. He decides that he must get home, and seeks out the aid of Rita (Kate Winslet), a female rat who’s known for shady dealings. On her tail (pun intended) are the goons of The Toad (Sir Ian McKellan), who says that a ruby he owned which fell from the crown of either Prince Charles or the Queen (I don’t remember which) was stolen by her and he wants it back. Of course Roddy thinks that by assisting him in finding the ruby, he’ll get help in return to get back home. What he gets instead is more trouble when Rita steals something else from The Toad.

From there, the story becomes a pretty decent action/comic yarn where The Toad’s cousin, Le Frog (Jean Reno) and his henchmen try to retrieve the item that Rita has stolen. It’s an integral part of a master plan for revenge by The Toad on all of rodent-kind. Along the way, Roddy and Rita become close friends and Roddy decides that he has to help Rita and her family. It’s all tied nicely together in the end and is definitely fun to watch.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Flushed Away! Click Here

The voice talents are wonderful. Jackman, Winslet, McKellan and Reno all do wonderful jobs. Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in “Lord of the Rings” and did a lot of the physical movements of Kong in Peter Jackson’s “King Kong,” plays one of The Toad’s henchmen along with Bill Nighy, recent of the latest “Pirate’s of the Caribbean” flick.

The humor is, as expected, well grounded in British comedy and uses slapstick at will to enduce laughter from children. There are plenty of crotch injuries, one fart joke, and a few pokes at stereotypical Americans and the French. It’s all done with good intentions and there’s nothing really offensive here.

It will hold the attention of both young and old, but children will probably enjoy it more than adults. I enjoyed it but I have a tendency to enjoy silly children’s flicks like this. I’m also a fan of Aardman’s other work, so perhaps I’m a little biased. Rest assured that whenever it leaves the theaters and eventually hits the DVD rack, I’ll be one of the first to buy it for myself and my family.

The first two reviews pretty well summed up this great movie! Funny, fast paced and lots of in jokes, past film references, sight gags from other Aardman films, a good story and was well executed!

I highly recommend this movie if you love “Chicken Run”, and “Wallace & Gromit”. If you have not seen any of Aardmans other shows/movies you will miss a few sight gags, but that is certionly no reason not to see this! So in the end; This movie is a must see and definitely fun for the whole family.

Verdi: Rigoletto Streaming.

Movie Title: Verdi: Rigoletto
Average customer review:

Verdi: Rigoletto is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Verdi: Rigoletto

For many opera fans the favourite Rigoletto on dvd remains the 1983 film version starring the young Pavarotti as the dashing Duke, his irrepressible singing and high spirits contrasting sharply with the gut wrenching wretchedness of the jester played by Wixell almost to perfection,and of course the inimitable Gruberova as Gilda the jester’s daughter.(For me this together with the Domingo/Migenes ‘Carmen’, and the Domingo/Stratas ‘La Traviata’ represents the best of opera films). Now comes the 2006 production of Rigoletto, staged by the Zurich Opera House with Chorus and Orchestra wonderfully conducted by Santi, recorded in High-Definition and transfered to an Arthaus Blu Ray disc of breathtaking quality. I’m not exaggerating. Even by today’s Hi-Def standards, the picture quality here is simply stunning: inky blackness, realistic night time scenes accurately rendered with proper light and shadow effects, atmospheric blue lighting, and the sets and costumes show up in vivid pop-up colours with razor sharp contrasts. The audio is no less exemplary, with the DTS HD MA 7.1 presenting a wide and believable soundstage within which the singers’ voices are clearly ‘imaged’. No balance problems here. In fact, this disc is technically a near reference recording which will warm the hearts of audiopliles and videophiles everywhere. But what about the performance itself? Well, here Leo Nucci steals the show, his rich and dark-toned voice and excellent vocal characterisation both satisfy and convince. In Act 1, he is the cynical court jester and is nasty cockiness personified. Come Act 2, his is the voice of the enraged father hell bent on vengeance against his Duke and in the final Act we hear the sobs of a broken man cradling his dying daughter Gilda. The downward metamorphosis is heartbreaking and the human degradation devastating. Elena Musoc whilst not in the same league as Gruberova in coloratura, sings beautifully and in many ways fills the role of the tragic daughter better. Of course the cherry in the pie of the film version is Pavarotti’s high octane rendition of “La donna e mobile”, whereas here the Duke(Piotr Beczala) is much less flamboyant and tosses off the famous aria in an almost casual style without much of the spotlight, which suits me fine, but most fans would find Pavarotti’s approach irresistible. Overall the film version gives an impression of more dynamism and visual excitement, in part due to the relative freedom of film-making versus the physical confines of the traditional stage, but this by no means suggest that the Zurich version is somehow static or staid. Far from it. This version scores in its intimate telling of a harrowing tragedy and the depths of human suffering, is as well acted and sung as the other without the superstar names, and in the video and audio department is streets ahead of the older film. This superiority greatly enhances the viewing pleasure. Even if you have the film version, I would still highly recommend this Zurich production to you. Truly this is a 5 star disc. Enjoy!!

This is a fine recording of this opera. The Blu-ray allows near theater levels of lighting — night appears like night. The video direction was solid — the camera movements and cuts did not detract from the flow of the opera. I do not know music well enough to comment on the technical quality of the singing — but all of the performances were satisfying. The conductor, Nello Santi, conducted from memory The sound was great — good dynamic and frequency range. I saw this DVD on a 53 inch sony sxrd rear projection television in subdued light. It was an excellent experience.
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
Avex DVD To AVI, MPEG2, 3g, mp4, PSP, Ipod Converter Software…Hurry!
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
DVD to converter | DVD to mpg
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books

Watch Happy-Go-Lucky Movie Online.

Movie Title: Happy-Go-Lucky
Average customer review:

Happy-Go-Lucky is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Happy-Go-Lucky

“Given the choice of Hollywood or poking steel pins in my eyes, I’d prefer steel pins.”–Mike Leigh.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Happy-Go-Lucky! Click Here

Many of the best films of 2008 were dark and melancholic (Revolutionary Road; The Reader; The Wrestler), with one rare exception: Happy-Go-Lucky. Writer/director Mike Leigh’s (Secrets and Lies; Topsy-Turvy; Vera Drake) charming new comedy stars Sally Hawkins as Poppy, a thirty-year-old, free-spirited, North London schoolteacher with an infectious love for life. Over the course of the two-hour film, Poppy’s genuine, happy-go-lucky nature is put to the test by a series of misadventures. After her bicycle is stolen, she decides to take weekly driving lessons. Her creepy, verbally-abusive instructor, Scott (Eddie Marsan), proves to be Poppy’s complete opposite. He is the morose, self-loathing embodiment of road rage, who could benefit from anger-management classes. Poppy’s happiness is also put to the test by her flamenco dance teacher, her sisters, a homeless head-case, a school bully, and by her chiropractor. She takes life in stride with convincing equanimity. It would not require a stretch of the imagination to think of Poppy as a happy bodhisattva. Already a master of her own happiness, she sets out to use her Poppy-qualities to liberate other characters from their own unhappiness, and to bring a smile to the world. She succeeds.

Sally Hawkins is reason enough to experience this film, a film which will undoubtedly launch her career to new heights. Just as Audrey Tautou is synonymous with Amelie, Hawkins will become synonymous with Happy-Go-Lucky. Her performance is brilliant. She brings emotional depth and intelligence to Poppy, a performance which resulted in an award for Best Actress at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Happy-Go-Lucky! Click Here

There are many things to love about Leigh’s film–a film that lives up to its title. Happy-Go-Lucky is a film that would have never been by the Hollywood studios that consider male-driven movies by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin; Knocked Up) and Adam Sandler to be good comedy models. In 2008, both Sally Hawkins and Anna Faris (The House Bunny) transcended that Hollywood formula with their fresh comic performances. It is no surprise that reviewers including Roger Ebert, New York Times critics Manohla Dargis, Stephen Holden, and A.O. Scott, New York Magazine critic David Edelstein, and Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan are now including Happy-Go-Lucky among their Top Ten Films of 2008. The film recently received a Golden Globe nod for Best Motion Picture-Comedy. Happily recommended as one of the best films of 2008.

G. Merritt

This is all about Poppy, played by Sally Hawkins. Single in London. Positive, cheerful, and generally embodies the title of the movie. Every situation is to be faced with good spirit, a light attitude, and cheer.

At the beginning it seems that she will overrun a challenge like a tank running over a building in a WW II flick. Smiles. Banter. Humor. Irrepressible. Even when alone.

The challenges grow. A problem student. A vagrant in a deserted part of town. A doctor visit. A dance instructor with issues.

And then the new champion for Driving Instructor From Satan, played by Eddie Marsan. These scenes are classics. As in many movies confrontation is important to good comedy or drama. The theater I saw this in was laughing its collective heads off. The driving lessons make me smile even as I type this.

How Poppy reacts to each challenge – and how others react to Poppy – is the core of this movie. The plot is mostly a string of episodes. Mike Leigh does an outstanding job directing, finding a second level to each situation. Funny and happy. But also thoughtful and a little gritty.

Stream GTO Box Set Vol. 1 Online.

Movie Title: GTO Box Set Vol. 1
Average customer review:

GTO Box Set Vol. 1 is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download GTO Box Set Vol. 1

I only started watching GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) about a month ago, and now I’m hooked. You see the problem with GTO is that it’s too addicting. I’ve already watched volumes 1-3, skipped 4 and then bought and watched 5-7; yep, only 4 volumes left to go. I’m like an anime zombitaku (that’s zombie and otaku jumbled together; yeah I know waaay too much free time); “must . . . watch . . . G . . . T . . . O . . .”

Buy,Download, Or Stream GTO Box Set Vol. 1! Click Here

Anyways, GTO is an excellent anime series with something to offer anyone who is willing to watch. And trust me you’re gonna need plenty of time to watch, because once you do you won’t be able to stop. It’s like a drug-induced joy ride complete with karate-do, bikes, cars, races, girls in uniforms, comedy, plot and a whole lotta teacher-haters.

Okay, about that plot. Onizuka (the Great Teacher guy) was once a biker gang big shot. Now he’s on a mission to become the best teacher in all of Japan. But there’s one thing stopping him; the students in his middle school class. Throughout the series Onizuka teaches and learns from his students. Helping the kids to work out their problems. Each one bringing him one step closer to his goal.

Buy,Download, Or Stream GTO Box Set Vol. 1! Click Here

Released by TOKYOPOP this is definitely a must-own series for any anime fan. Trust me you’re gonna end up needing another pleasure inducing volume of GTO after the end of every DVD. So be prepared to spend, spend and spend some more. Be ready to join the GTO-junkie movement, heh, heh, heh . . . must . . . watch . . . G . . . T . . . O . . .

I can say without a doubt that GTO is my favorite anime of all time. It tells the story of Eikichi Onizuka, an ex-biker and virgin, and his quest to become the greatest teacher alive. But to reach his goal he’ll have to get by his proclaimed adversary the vice-principal, bullies, classroom terrorists, and the mob. All while trying to instill life lessons upon his students and find himself a girlfriend.

To me GTO has it all: a great story, excellent character development, life applicable lessons, and enough laughs to having you rolling on the floor. If you haven’t picked this up you’re doing yourself a great injustice.*HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday | Amazon .com books
Residual Income Opportunity Online | Extra Income
Earn Extra Cash from Home | Multiple Income Streams | Multiple Streams of Income | Money From Home | Make Money on the Internet
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday | Amazon .com books

Stream Hard Times Movie Online.

Movie Title: Hard Times
Average customer review:

Hard Times is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Hard Times

Charles Bronson stars in this depression-era movie about a man who is forced to take up bare-knuckled fighting to earn enough money to survive. Bronson arrives in New Orleans with a few coins in his pocket and no prospects. Fortunately for him (and unfortunately for his opponents) he comes across a betting fighting match hosted by two local sharpies. Bronson studies the situation with cold calculating eyes and realizes that he could earn some much needed food money with a few bouts of his own. Introducing himself to one of the local sharpies, (James Colburn, who is superb in his role of a quick talking con-man in constant trouble with the local mob), Bronson and Colburn set out to win a small fortune on the match-making skills of Colburn and the hard punishing fists of Bronson.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Hard Times! Click Here

Although clearly aging, Bronson is a natural and beleiveable fighter, with a lean muscular body certainly capable of knocking out his opponents. With initial success, Bronson is matched with increasingly tougher opponents, culminating in two “championship” bouts that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Intertwined between the bouts is Bronson and his co-star Jill Ireland (his real-life wife), and their effort to establish a relationship.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Hard Times! Click Here

I won’t spoil the ending for you by revealing the ending, but I will say that if you missed this movie when it was first screened in the mid-1970’s, you don’t want to miss it again! Although it does not belong on your “classic” shelf, “Hard Times” is one of Charles Bronson’s best movies and it will be a treat to view on a Saturday night.

Jim Konedog Koenig

Hard Times (known as ‘The Streetfighter’ here in Australia) is Bronson’s best movie alongside Death Wish. The film is set in the 1930’s during the depression, and its recreation of this period is outstanding. This is not a movie for hard-core action/fighting fans. Like ‘The Karate Kid’ and ‘Rocky’, Hard Times has a real story and interesting characters. Bronson’s character, Chaney, is humble, quiet, a bit of a loner – this contrasts nicely with James Coburn’s portrayal of Speed, a compulsive gambler who sets up fights for Bronson. Strother Martin and Jill Ireland (Bronson’s real-life wife until her death some years ago) are also great in their supporting roles. Nice to see an old forgotten classic like Hard Times released on DVD.
DVD to converter | DVD to mpg
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday | Amazon .com books
Eliminate Credit Card Debts | Get Rid of Credit Card Debt Now | Credit Card Debt Consolidation
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books

Stream 3000 Miles to Graceland Online.

Movie Title: 3000 Miles to Graceland
Average customer review:

3000 Miles to Graceland is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download 3000 Miles to Graceland

I’ve read reviews whining because some people thought this movie was about Elvis. I guess I just don’t see criticizing a movie because of an erroneous assumption, when the movie is GOOD. I mean, damn good. Kurt Russell, in not his first stint as Elvis (or in this case, an impersonator for the sake of a robbery) is wonderfully understated and kind of the calm during the storm in this movie. The storm? That would be Kevin Costner, who plays the baddest bad man of his career, I dare say. With all of the romantic hero roles he’s played, this role goes a long way in showing the many talents of this actor. How he could be so bad and yet, likeable, is amazing to me. Courtney Cox has the trashy-sex-kitten-with-a-good-heart thing going on, and her son is too wise for his years in a realistic, yet sad, way. Yes, this movie has some violence. Is it more violent than other movies? Well, yeah, if you’re talking about Bounce, it does. The point is, this movie is immensely entertaining, and never boring. And that’s what movies are all about, yes?

I know that some people will say that this is a rip off of Ocean’s Eleven, or Reservoir Dogs, or whatever pseudoflick they’ve watched lately, and there are some things alike, but this movie IS certainly cool entertainment at its best. Costner plays a psycho (who says he is Elvis’s love son), and Russell a misfit, in the wrong place at the wrong time, who try to pull a heist, but it goes awry. People have said that it is too violent, that the shootings look made up, but, hey, that’s the point: it looks crazy because it is supposed to be crazy; Courtney Cox leaves her child with Kurt because she was nuts, they fall in love because this IS a movie, it isn’t supposed to be a real life story. Of course, everybody is entitled to have an opinion, but before you express yours: WATCH this film. Even if I’m not the biggest Kevin Costner fan, I mus admit that he is the best part and the best actor here. This movie IS the coolest new release
Earn Extra Cash from Home | Multiple Income Streams | Multiple Streams of Income | Money From Home | Make Money on the Internet
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday | Amazon .com books
Residual Income Opportunity Online | Extra Income
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books
Amazon Coupon Code | Amazon.com black friday coupons | Amazon .com books

Streaming Sherlock Holmes (1922) Online.

Movie Title: Sherlock Holmes (1922)
Average customer review:

Sherlock Holmes (1922) is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Sherlock Holmes (1922)

I have looked forward to having John Barrymore’s SHERLOCK HOLMES on DVD for quite some time. I had seen the movie before but only in a wretched public domain VHS which was so dark that most of the film was hard to make out. It’s also hard to follow because it’s based on the William Gillette play which takes several liberties with Conan Doyle’s original source material. Like the play, the film is problematic in many ways. Though atmospherically lit, the camerawork is rather static and the direction is often ponderous. To be fair, this restoration by the George Eastman House is 24 minutes shorter than the original and this could be a case of where the missing footage makes it seem longer. There are obvious gaps and the film just doesn’t flow right.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Sherlock Holmes (1922)! Click Here

The biggest problem with this release as far as I’m concerned is the use of Ben Model’s virtual organ score. Model is a fine musician who has enhanced many a silent film but this is a movie that badly needs an orchestral score to cover its deficiencies. This score, while well played and well recorded, failed to keep my interest. Still the movie is definitely worth having for the performances alone. In addition to Barrymore you get to see early turns by William Powell (his first), Roland Young (as Dr. Watson), Carole Dempster (away from D.W. Griffith), Hedda Hopper before she became a columnist, and Gustav von Seyffertitz as the ideal Moriarty. SHERLOCK HOLMES is part of Kino’s new 4 DVD JOHN BARRYMORE COLLECTION but it can be purchased separately.

This is one of several early, silent film versions of the ever-popular detective, and one that lives up to the original and traditional trademarks and characteristics of Sherlock Holmes. In just under 90 minutes, this fast-moving drama takes us from the beginning of Sherlock’s career as a freelance sleuth helping out Scotland Yard, meeting his arch enemy, Professor Moriarty, and finishing with the capture of the infamous evildoer after forty crime cases Holmes had worked on over the years. But rather than the typical murders and crimes we are used to today, the story of this 1922 version revolves only around one particular case of a theft and consequent set-up of a European Prince, as well as letters to his betrothed which are later the object of a blackmail attempt. Even so, Holmes puts into action his famous (and often humorous) astute observations and deductive reasoning with his loyal companion, Doctor Watson, and even disguises himself as Moriarty in order to trap the villain once and for all.

What might seem like a somewhat dull and plodding story to modern audiences is given extra appeal and zest by some of the stars, in particular of course, its famous star, John Barrymore. Although this role as Sherlock Holmes doesn’t present many opportunities for Barrymore to shine and show off his usual charisma and talents, he does step into the part of Holmes quite well, even if it takes a little getting used to at first. A good villain is also important in stories like this one, and the sinister Moriarty is perfectly portrayed by the brilliant character actor, Gustav von Seyffertitz, who played an impressive array of varied characters, good and evil, throughout the silent era. Also thrown into the mix to attract a wider audience is Carol Dempster, famous for being D.W. Griffith’s leading lady in a number of 1920s films, who plays a small but significant role as Sherlock’s love interest, adding a twist not expected in the standard Sherlock Holmes mystery. Other viewers might find it of interest to see William Powell, perhaps best remembered for the Thin Man series of movies in the 1930s and 1940s, in his screen debut in “Sherlock Holmes” as Forman Wells, also playing a small yet important role in assisting Holmes.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Sherlock Holmes (1922)! Click Here

The picture quality is overall quite good, though perhaps not as outstanding as many other silent films from the early 1920s issued on Kino, and the music is a very good organ score composed and played by Ben Model, who has performed many fine organ accompaniments to silent films. There are no bonus or special features on this DVD, and it is part of a four-DVD set by Kino of John Barrymore silent films, and as part of such a collection “Sherlock Holmes” is an important addition to highlight Barrymore’s earlier and unusual roles. On its own, it would be of special interest for Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts in particular, and some knowledge of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would no doubt help in appreciating this particular silent version.

Just another Bloggingforex home of the Forex Blogs weblog

Archive for February, 2010

Stream Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Royal Albert Hall Celebration Online

Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special Streaming

Watch Seinfeld – The Complete Series Movie Online

Stream Flushed Away Online

Verdi: Rigoletto Streaming

Watch Happy-Go-Lucky Movie Online

Stream GTO Box Set Vol. 1 Online

Stream Hard Times Movie Online

Stream 3000 Miles to Graceland Online

Streaming Sherlock Holmes (1922) Online

Archives

Tags

Pages