Dawson's Creek - The Complete First Season
Average Customer Review:
DVD (01 April, 2003)
list price: $39.95 -- our price: $29.96
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Editorial Review

Even viewers who consider themselves beyond their teen-angst years might find Dawson's Creek compelling watching.For years Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) have watched movies and slept in the same bed, but they find that as they enter high school their relationship will inevitably change.That becomes especially clear when Dawson is immediately attracted to Capeside, Massachusetts's sexy new arrival, Jen (Michelle Williams). Meanwhile, their friend Pacey (Joshua Jackson) pursues an unachievable love object.

Creator Kevin Williamson based Dawson's Creek on his own youth, and sure, the characters may not really look or sound 15, but the Dawson-Joey-Jen interplay--especially embodied by the sad-eyed and cynical (but still adorable) Joey and the smart but emotionally inept Dawson--gives the show its heart.And just like Williamson's fresh take on the teen-horror genre, Scream, Dawson's Creek has a winking self-awareness, for example when Dawson says they're having a "90210 moment" or explains that they use big words because they watch too many movies. Highlights of the first season include Dawson's discovery that his perfect home life may not be so perfect, an unwelcome reminder of Jen's past, the Breakfast Club takeoff "Detention," the Scream takeoff "The Scare," a beauty contest in which two unlikely competitors square off, and the heart-rending finale.

On the DVDs, Williamson and producer Paul Stubin have a commentary track for both the pilot episode and the last episode, in which they offer parallels between the two "bookends," notes on the locations, vast praise for their cast and affection for the show, and a few spoilers regarding subsequent seasons.Williamson and Stubin also do all the talking in an 8-minute featurette "From Day One," while Van Der Beek, Holmes, Jackson, and (briefly) Williams discuss their characters in the 7-minute "Season One Time Capsule," recorded back when the series premiered.On the downside, picture quality is sometimes quite grainy, perhaps because all 13 episodes plus bonuses are squeezed onto three discs.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Box set

Reviews (187)

How did they make it past the first season?
This is one of the worst teen-dramas ever created.Painful, every single minute.It's so awful it's funny.

loooooooove it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what can i say it dawsons creek i feel in love with it when i was in high school my senior year was the same as on the show so i just had to have it i can wait till season 5&6 come out

From the beginning...
I just began watching my dvd set, and yeah I'm not done with it yet, but I can remember this season so clearly just from rewatching the first episode.

I related a lot to this show, it came on just in time, right as I became a sophomore in highschool - just like the characters on the show.

It is amazingly entertaining to witness the beginnings of such a landmark series. This show set the standards for all teen dramas to come. If you look at other teen dramas that are out now, you'll see the little things like mixing humor with drama, have a fully entertwined cast of talented actors, relatable issues, focusing on the little things that a teenager can make into such a big thing (ex: first kiss, flirting, crushes, etc).

I am so happy to be able to re-watch this amazing show. This is something the fans definitely should enjoy, and the series only gets better from here! ... Read more

Asin: B00008AOX3
Subjects:  1. Television   

Sex and the City - The Complete First Season
Director: Martha Coolidge, Allen Coulter, John David Coles, Darren Star, Michael Spiller, Matthew Harrison, Dennis Erdman, Michael Fields, Timothy Van Patten, Wendey Stanzler
Average Customer Review:
DVD (23 May, 2000)
list price: $39.98 -- our price: $23.99
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Editorial Review

Now you can achieve multiple viewings of the best Sex on TV.Winner of Golden Globes for Best TV Series and Best Actress, Sex and the City is based on Candace Bushnell's provocative bestselling book. Sarah JessicaParker stars as Carrie Bradshaw, a self-described "sexual anthropologist," who writes "Sex and the City," a newspaper column that chronicles the state of sexual affairs of Manhattanites in this "age of un-innocence." Her "posse," including nice girl Charlotte (Kristin Davis), hard-edged Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and party girlSamantha (Kim Cattrall)--not to mention her own tumultuous love life--gives Carrie plenty of column fodder. Over the course of the first season's 12 episodes, the most prominent dramatic arc concerns Carrie, who goes from turning the tables on "toxic bachelors" by having "sex like a man" to wanting to join the ranks of "the monogamists" with the elusive Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Meanwhile, Miranda, Cynthia, and Samantha have their own dating woes, few of which can be described on a family Web site. Seinfeld has nothing on Sex and the City when it comes to shallow, self-absorbed characters or coining catch phrases. Episode 2, for example, introduces the term "modelizer": a guy who is obsessed with and will only date models. Some may accuse this series of male bashing. But women, after years of enduring shows with "men behaving badly," will relish the equal time. Some may blanch at the ladies' graphic language and ribald humor, or dismiss some of the situations as unrealistic (Carrie doesn't bat an eye when she discovers that an artist friend surreptitiously videotapes his sexual conquests). Still others will view Sex and the City as documentary. Regardless of your view, this groundbreaking series will have you longing for more. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Box set

Reviews (259)

AWESOME SHOW!!
Okay, so I am a little behind. Since I don't have HBO I had to wait for it to come out on DVD (didn't want to watch it chopped up on TBS either). I just finished season 1. Now, I understand all the hype about it. This show is addicting. These girls are fabulous. It is so much fun watching them go through the many ups and downs of singledom (no pun intended ;)).

One of the best original cable programs ever...
Based on the bestselling novel by Candace Bushnell, the HBO original series Sex And The City took the television world by storm following its release in the summer of 1998. Following the exploits of four young and educated female friends living and working in New York City, the show revolves around the various relationships and life problems experienced by each member of the group. Sporting an experienced and talented cast, the show has developed a strong, borderline fanatic following...

Sarah Jessica Parker (the de facto lead character of the show) stars as Carrie Bradshaw, a popular sex columnist for a local newspaper who travels in numerous Manhattan social circles. Carrie is engaged in a tempestuous on-again, off-again relationship with a mystery man always referred to as "Mr. Big". The young urban professional shares her life with three best friends who have similarly interesting jobs - Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon), a lawyer tired of being single given the societal ramifications; Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), a promiscuous publicist who enjoys non-exclusive relationships; and Charlotte McDougal (Kristin Davis), an art museum curator who is relatively less open about her sexuality... Together, the women seek each other's advice on the ever-present and varying predicaments in which they find their romantic relationships...

The Sex And The City (Season 1) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere in which the four stars make a pact at Miranda's birthday party that they will start having sex like men (i.e. without feeling or attachment). Charlotte is skeptical of the idea, but Carrie takes to the idea immediately by sleeping with her ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Miranda goes out with Carrie's friend Skipper while Samantha and Carrie develop new relationships of their own... Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Bay of Married Pigs" in which Carrie is set up by her married friends with a man intent on getting married himself (meanwhile, all four women feel the societal pressures to get married), and "The Monogamists" in which each of the four women deals with personal issues involving exclusive/non-exclusive relationships of varying degrees...

Below is a list of episodes included on the Sex And The City (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Sex and the City)
Episode 2 (Models and Mortals)
Episode 3 (Bay of Married Pigs)
Episode 4 (Valley of the Twenty-Something Guys)
Episode 5 (The Power of Female Sex)
Episode 6 (Secret Sex)
Episode 7 (The Monogamists)
Episode 8 (Three's a Crowd)
Episode 9 (The Turtle and The Hare)
Episode 10 (The Baby Shower)
Episode 11 (The Drought)
Episode 12 (Oh Come, All Ye Faithful)

The DVD Report

4 Virgins in the City
Oh baby, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship...

Watching these first episodes with our favorite four girls is like the beginning of a new relationship, when you are dating and finding out about new people and what they like.

It is a great warm-up for hot activities between the sheets using the methods of the NEW SEX NOW dvd or for more advanced experiences ala GODDESS WORSHIP. ... Read more

Asin: B00004RFCM
Subjects:  1. Television   

Bucket Boss Brand 01056 Bucket Boss 56 Organizer
Average Customer Review:
Tools & Hardware
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $15.99
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Editorial Review

Constructed of durable, rip-proof fabric, the new 56-pocket organizer from Bucket Boss improves on what was already a great idea. Unlike the toolboxes of old, the Bucket Boss organizer stores tools where they're visible and easy to access. And, with 38 exterior pockets and 18 more on the inside, the Bucket Boss really does have a place for just about everything. We've loaded ours down with wrenches, handsaws, screwdrivers, hammers, pry bars, pencils, utility knives, pliers, and drill bit sets. There's even a padded pocket for your cordless drill. We quickly discovered, however, that depending on how you load it, the Bucket Boss can get a little top-heavy. After ours tipped over in the back of our truck, we reloaded it with our hammerheads down, and it hasn't tipped since. We recommend the Bucket Boss 56 for remodelers, carpenters, electricians, repair people, or any other professional who brings a lot of hand tools to the job; it also makes the perfect tool kit for do-it-yourselfers moving through the house from room to room and project to project. --Jon Groebner ... Read more

Features

• Bucket not included
• 38 outside pockets and 18 inside pockets; constructed of BossTex ripstop fabric
• Fully padded cordless drill holster
• Security pocket with flapped closure
• Elastic strap for long-handled tools

Reviews (48)

Cheap and handy until you truck it around
and it dumps your kit all over the truck bed. The Bucket Boss is a handy organizer for householders and weekenders, but a stout metal toolbox (e.g: Kennedy) or canvas bag (e.g: Gatemouth) or instrument case (e.g: Platt) will be more useful for most everyday workmen.

Get a handle...it holds a lot
Great layout, plenty of pockets for everything you need for the do it yourselfer or tradesmen. I have probably 50lbs of tools in the bucket and still have room for more. One suggestion is a handle for the bucket. Take some foam (like the stuff in bicycle pads) and cut it to length then zip tie both ends and cover with duct tape. I would give it 5 stars if it had a second tape ring and a second hammer loop and a cover.

Holds Everything I Need
No, the bucket is not included, but I had a stack of them to get rid of anyway.This thing holds just about anything I can think of, to the point that I can hardly carry it.The only suggestion I have is that some of the outside pockets could be deeper, but for under $20, what do you want?It's made of tough material as well and I expect it will last a very long time. ... Read more

Asin: B000022439
Subjects:  1. Tool Storage    2. Tool Bags    3. (Toolbags)   

The Abyss (Double Digipack)
Director: James Cameron
Average Customer Review:
DVD (14 October, 2003)
list price: $26.98 -- our price: $24.28
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Editorial Review

Meticulously crafted but also ponderous and predictable, James Cameron's 1989 deep-sea close-encounter epic reaffirms one of the oldest first principles of cinema: everything moves a lot more slowly underwater. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some "issues" to work out, are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL (Michael Biehn) with atop-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on earth, and the petro-techies have the only submersible craft capable of diving down that far. Every image and every performance is painstakingly sharp and detailed (and the computerized water creatures are lovely) but the movie's lumbering pace is ultimately lethal. It's the audience that ends up feeling waterlogged. For a guy who likes guns as much as Cameron (his next film after all, was the body-count masterpiece Terminator 2: Judgment Day), it's interestingthat the moral balance here is weighted heavily in favor of the can-do engineers; the military types are end-justifies-the-means amoralists, just like the weasely government bureaucrats in Aliens. --David Chute ... Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned

Reviews (296)

Exploring two unexplored worlds...sea and space!
James Cameron takes us on a journey through 2 worlds that have still many unsolved mysteries...the dark, bottom depths of the ocean, and the vast universes in outer space.Read review below for more details..but listen..if you have not seen this, I suggest you do, it's one of the most underrated Sci-Fi films of our time!

The crew of an experimental, high-tech submersible is called into action to investigate a mysterious nuclear submarine crash. A series of strange encounters leads the crew to suspect the accident was caused by an extraterrestrial craft, and that they may be participating in an encounter with an alien species.

However, in order to make contact, they must not only brave the abyss, an exceedingly deep underwater canyon, but also deal with the violent actions of one of their own crew members, an increasingly paranoid Navy SEAL officer. Approved by director James Cameron, The Abyss: Special Edition is an extended director's cut of the 1989 underwater science fiction epic, reinstating nearly a half hour of footage removed from the original release under studio pressure. Much of the restored footage places the film's events in a grander political context, as the crew's mission becomes a factor in the dangerous escalation of nuclear tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

The largest change involves the film's ending, which provides further information on the aliens' mission on Earth, bringing the film to closer to Cameron's intention: a modern remake of Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Very good, very solid movie
I really enjoyed this movie, as Im not big on sci-fi. The movie for the first 2 hours is good, but the last 45 minutes is intense and emotional and just very good, and I truly enjoyed it. Someone stated over dramatic, but its not, its a true interpetation of life and the way people are. This movie was not boring , it was interesting and not once did I doubt this flick. Its a solid movie everything blends well together. This isnt a horror type science fiction but more of a drama-action type. If you like dramas,actions and sci-fi, check this flick out and for only $10 in your local video store or here on amazon its well worth the $$$$ and a movie i will without a doubt watch from time to time. If you dont want to buy it rent it its worth a viewing. As I said im not big on sci-fi but do beleive inother life somewhere in the galaxy be it space, or even water. We cant go down 25,000 feet so you never know what is down there it gets you thinking whcih is very cool. You have to have an open mind when viewing this.

MAKES YOU FEEL UNDER THE WATER
"The Abyss" may not be as popular as "Aliens", "Terminator" 1 & 2 or "Titanic", but it's one of the best films made by James Cameron. The movie is a sci-fi story with groundbreaking special effects, but Cameron carefully constructed characters with a wide range of emotions, and that's the biggest reason why this movie is effective: we care about the characters, even the smallest role in "The Abyss" is another solid piece in the cast.

Granted, the pace can be slow in some scenes, but eventually the reward is big when the puzzle is solved, because the movie makes you feel inside this particular submarine world. The design of the creatures is very attractive, they really look like creatures built with living water, and this movie dates back from 1989, when the special effects weren't as sophisticated as they are today, so "The Abyss" is a groundbreaking movie in many technical aspects.

The performances are very solid, of course, the standout is Ed Harris a very underrated actor, but he is always reliable, no matter what role he is playing. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also gives a nice performance in "The Abyss", at the beginning of the movie she appears to be just an angry woman, but eventually the viewer discovers her multiple sides and emotions. Michael Biehn is solid as the paranoid Navy SEAL Officer, and every member of the cast fits nicely in their roles.

"The Abyss" is not as frantic as "Terminator 2" or "Aliens", but every person that embraces the directing style of Cameron should feel pleased with this movie. A very solid movie with great technical accomplishments and with an interesting plot. ... Read more

Asin: B00009V7OL
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure   

South Park - The Complete First Season
Average Customer Review:
DVD (12 November, 2002)
list price: $39.98
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Editorial Review

South Park exploded on the pop culture landscape like a dirtybomb in 1997, and the 13 episodes that comprise the groundbreaking first seasonhave lost none of their subversive impact. If Seinfeld was a show aboutnothing, then South Park is a show about everything, from important morallessons in compassion and tolerance to good old-fashioned animated characterassassination (Kathie Lee Gifford in "Weight Gain 4000" and Barbra Streisand in"Mecha-Streisand"). Like an After School Special gone quite mad,profanity-spewing third-graders Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and the ill-fated Kenny navigatechildhood in their mountain town. Nothing in South Park is sacred, andeach episode has something to offend, from "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride"(featuring George Clooney as the voice of Sparky, the homosexual dog), to theHalloween episode "Pink Eye," in which Cartman dresses up as Adolph Hitler. Bestnot to even get started on Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Pooh, or the season finalecliffhanger, "Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut."

Each episode is preceded by a faux introduction by creators Trey Parker and MattStone, who proclaim every episode to be their favorite. Their incarnations asRootin'-Tootin' Trey Parker and Pistol-Slingin' Matt Stone indicate that afterSouth Park runs its course, they'd be great hosts of their own children'sshow, which--and this cannot be stressed strongly enough--South Park isnot. Other extras include the South Park boys' appearance on theCableAce awards and "A South Park Thanksgiving," featuring Jay Leno, which airedexclusively on The Tonight Show. A minor annoyance is the slapdashpackaging that mislabels the episodes ("Damien," for example, is on disc 3, not2 as indicated). --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Features

• Animated
• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Box set

Reviews (130)

My favorite season
The first season so far out of the first 9 seasons now is my favorite.Some of the best episodes are the pilot Cartman Gets an Anal Probe, Volcano, An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig,Starvin' Marvin, Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, Mecha-Streisand, Cartman's Mom is a Dirty Slut (1).

BAR-BOORA ! BAR-BOORA !
This season has some of the most hilarious episodes of South park ever! They include "Big gay Al's big Gay Boat Ride", where Trey Parker and Matt Stone cast George Clooney as the voice of Sparky, Stan's homosexual dog, "Pinkeye" ,where Pink Eye ruins South Park's Halloween (and the first in a line of amazing South Park Halloween episodes), and "Starvin marvin" where the boys adopt an African child. However, the best episode has got to be "Mecha-Streisand" where the boys must stop Barbara Streisand and her evil plot to take over the world.

An almost perfect box set.
I remember watching South Park when it first aired back in 1997. I had never laughed so hard watching a show before, animated or real. And most of the time, I didn't know why I was laughing. Seeing Cartman get an anal probe...I didn't know what an anal probe was until they showed it emerge from him. Granted, I was entering 7th grade back then, but I kept on watching the show, and it kept on being funny. South Park has managed to do one thing that many other animated shows don't- it stayed fresh and original. Where shows like The Simpsons have stopped being funny after a couple of years (it tried way too hard to be like Family Guy once that aired), South Park never really got boring. Sure, there was the Pip episode that we all hate, but that's a different story. But the show had to start somewhere, and with this first season, it's quite a way to start off a series. There are only two problems that keep it from getting 5 stars.

If you don't know what South Park's about, you're behind the times even worse than I am. It follows the lives of Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny in their insane town of South Park, a made up town in Colorado. What doesn't happen in this place? In the first episode, Cartman gets taken away by aliens in the night, and gets an anal probe. At the same time, Kyle's little brother Ike is kidnapped as well, and the cows find out that they are respected by aliens. In this first episode alone, we're treated to more cussing than imaginable (for tv shows at that time) and an absurd amount of violence. Kyle plays "kick the baby" with his little brother. If you can't find that funny, then the show isn't for you. But about the cussing, these early episodes used it much better than they do now. Back here, some of the things that are beeped out don't even make sense. Later in the first episode, Kyle cusses the hell out of the aliens when they don't return Ike. He goes, "YOU LIKE TO *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* AND *beep* *beep* *beep*!!". Even in my own mind, I have no idea what it is he could've said there. How do you continue a series after smoething like this? By planning the assassination of Kathy Lee Gifford, going hunting for animals by screaming "BY GOD IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US" and shooting them regardless of what they're doing, having a boxing match between Jesus and Satan, having the kids try to be lesbians to get their substitute teacher to like them, and much more. Yeah, going into 7th grade that fall, I had a much different sense of humor than before. All thanks to South Park. And for that, I'm grateful.

Out of all the episodes here, my favorites have to be Cartman Gets An Anal Probe, Volcano, Pinkeye, Damien, Tom's Rhinoplasty, and Mecha-Streisand. In Volcano, the boys go hunting with Stan's uncle Jimbo and his friend Ned, both 'Nam vets. The boys all get to use huge automatic weapons, and Cartman has flashbacks of 'Nam somehow. Because they're not allowed to shoot an animal unless it's posing a threat to them, Jimbo teaches the kids to scream "IT'S COMIN' RIGHT FOR US", and THEN shoot. But, a volcano suddenly goes off, and they have to escape. Pinkeye is the crazy Halloween episode where the undead run around, but everyone seems to think it's just pinkeye. Watching Chef dance around ala Michael Jackson in Thriller is priceless, and Kenny's death here is exceedingly graphic. Damien...I've never liked that name. It always sounded evil. Well, it sure as heck is here. A new kid named Damien (duh huh) comes to school, and starts using his evil powers to mess with everyone. Eventually, this leads to a boxing match between Satan and Jesus...where everyone bets on Satan (who is god damn huge), but backs up Jesus. The ending here is classic. Tom's Rhinoplasty is hilarious. I just watched it for the first time since it aired, and now that I understand everything, this one is one of my favorites. Ms. Ellen, a substitute for Mr. Garrison gets hit on by all the boys, and Wendy (Stan's girlfriend) gets jealous. But, she's a lesbian, and all the boys try to be lesbians too so she likes them. Good job there Chef. What's funny is in the beginning of the episode, Mr. Garrison tells Tom, his doctor, that he didn't want anyone to know he's getting a nose job, so he told everyone at school that he has herpes. I spit out my drink here. And wait until you see his nosejob. Mecha-Streisand needs no summary aside from it's Barbara Streisand vs Robert Smith in Godzilla fashion. Yes, this season had many great moments.

Sadly, one reason this only gets 4 stars is because the visual quality is poor. Very poor. As in, "it looks better on tv" poor. There's tons of muddy visuals and some lines on characters (mouths, double chins, etc.) are pixelated, which is sort of annoying. As for the audio, it's a lot better. This isn't exactly DTS or Dolby 5.1 material, but all the voices are clear, and the music is actually louder than it seemed on tv.

Here's the other problem- in the special features category. At the last minute, the commentary tracks by Matt and Trey were removed. The only way you can get them now is if you luck out here in the Used & New section, or if Comedy Central's site still offers them. The latter option isn't looking good right now, as I just checked, and couldn't find any mention of them. Why take out the commentary tracks and put them on cds? Even the Best Of discs that came out a few years ago had commentary tracks (and better visual quality might I add)...but they're nowhere to be found on this complete set. Sad. I've heard a few of the tracks myself though, and they're pretty good. Luckily though, we get intros from Matt and Trey before each episode. All of these are funny in their own right, and a running gag is that they always say "this is our favorite episode". I won't ruin any of the other jokes they mention, but trust me, they're good. There's also the Thanksgiving skit with Jay Leno, which is pretty funny. "What are you kids thankful for?" *all kids in class raise their hands* "...Aside from being thankful for not having a chin like mine" *all hands go down*. Plus, there are two Christmas music videos for Cartman's "Oh Holy Night" and Ned's "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem". Finally, is a CableAce award presentation by the boys. These bits are all pretty short, and leave much more to be desired. But then again, this is the first season, so I wasn't expecting too much. It'd have been nice if the very first episode (The Spirit of Christmas) were on here though.

All in all, the episodes are great, and if you have any sense of humor at all, you'd do good in picking this box set up. It's almost impossible to get this much humor out of the first year of any animated series, and follow it up with equally great episodes for years to come. And the price is right too. ... Read more

Asin: B00006FDCR
Subjects:  1. Television   

The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America
by Bill Bryson
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (12 September, 1990)
list price: $14.00 -- our price: $11.20
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Editorial Review

A travelogue by Bill Bryson is as close to a sure thing as funny books get. The Lost Continent is no exception. Following an urge to rediscover his youth (he should know better), the author leaves his native Des Moines, Iowa, in a journey that takes him across 38 states. Lucky for us, he brought a notebook.

With a razor wit and a kind heart, Bryson serves up a colorful tale of boredom, kitsch, and beauty when you least expect it. Gentler elements aside, The Lost Continent is an amusing book. Here's Bryson on the women of his native state: "I will say this, however--and it's a strange, strange thing--the teenaged daughters of these fat women are always utterly delectable ... I don't know what it is that happens to them, but it must be awful to marry one of those nubile cuties knowing that there is a time bomb ticking away in her that will at some unknown date make her bloat out into something huge and grotesque, presumably all of a sudden and without much notice, like a self-inflating raft from which the pin has been yanked."

Yes, Bill, but be honest: what do you really think? ... Read more

Reviews (222)

Small Town America Like No Other...

It was the coffee stain that first caught my attention. I was walking out of the bookstore and there sat a book with a coffee ring on it. I paused and smiled. The book looked like it came from my desk, coffee stain and all. I smiled at the yellow roadside sign with the red arrow. I had observed many of these as I crisscrossed the United States over the last several years. With all these associations, how could I not pause and begin reading?

A few minutes later I walked out of the bookstore with a smile and the book under my arm. Here was a kindred spirit, a sojourner lost in his own country, navigating his way through all that was familiar and strange.

Mr. Bryson encircles the United States in a large figure eight with Des Moines, Iowa in the center, as it should be. He covers every region of the nation, aghast and agape at what he sees. He describes it in dry prose punctuated by laugh-out-loud comments. Mr. Bryson is pithy and riotously funny.

If you are not planning on traversing the byways of the U.S. soon, by all means read this book now. If you have a trip planned, hold off reading this. Have your own experience, then pick up this book and see how many times your paths crossed. You'll laugh out loud too.

almost good
i think it important to remember that bryson was younger when he wrote this book. parts of it contain his very genuine love of people and places. parts of it, particularly his out-right hatred of the south, are mean spirited, but bryson grows out of this. just read "i'm a stranger here myself" to see this.
not my favorite bryson book, but i read it and i laughed.

love Bill Bryson-- hate this book
Usually, Bryson is down right-laugh out loud funny... This book was a whiney travelogue of uninteresting places.

There are many lovely, interesting small towns throughout the US, Bryson didn't find one of them. And similarly, there are numerous unique characters in the country and Bryson didn't meet any of them.Just traveling around small towns, expecting some sort of revelation about yourself and life growing up in the middle of nowhere... could happen, but didn't.

Not a bright spot among these leaves!
... Read more

Isbn: 0060920084
Subjects:  1. 1971-    2. Cities and towns    3. Description and travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Form - Essays    6. General    7. Humor    8. Social life and customs    9. Travel - United States    10. United States    11. United States - General    12. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

A Walk in the Woods
by BILL BRYSON
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 May, 1998)
list price: $29.95 -- our price: $20.37
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Bill Bryson has made a living out of traveling and then writing about it. In The Lost Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this American transplant to Britain decided to return home, he made a farewell walking tour of the British countryside and produced Notes from a Small Island. Once back on American soil and safely settled in New Hampshire, Bryson once again hears the siren call of the open road--only this time it's a trail. The Appalachian Trail, to be exact. In A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson tackles what is, for him, an entirely new subject: the American wilderness. Accompanied only by his old college buddy Stephen Katz, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, intending to walk the entire 2,100 miles to trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin.

If nothing else, A Walk in the Woods is proof positive that the journey is the destination. As Bryson and Katz haul their out-of-shape, middle-aged butts over hill and dale, the reader is treated to both a very funny personal memoir and a delightful chronicle of the trail, the people who created it, and the places it passes through. Whether you plan to make a trip like this one yourself one day or only care to read about it, A Walk in the Woods is a great way to spend an afternoon. --Alix Wilber ... Read more

Reviews (809)

Very uneven and sometimes preachy
This not a bad book. Sections of it are quite enjoyable, in fact, but an uneven writing style and lapses into preachiness (even when appropriate) keep it from being a better book. I don't mind some commentary about the absurdity of things, but it comes a bit too often in a book supposedly about walking the Appalachian Trail.

There is some profanity, more annoying due to its sudden use after some time without it than the fact that it's there at all. It's almost like Bryson thought, "Hey, I haven't been crude in a few pages so let me throw in a couple of pertinent words."

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this as a book to purchase - check your local library for a copy.

Funny and enlightening
My Dad handed me this little book, grinned and said, "Read this." The grin told me that there was no way to refuse his order. I'm an outdoors guy all the way but I've seen a fair share of passing winters and have collected a bunch of pounds that I would love to "walk off along the trail" like Mr. Katz. I also know that it isn't as easy as it sounds. I laughed to the point of tears when Katz explained that nearly the entire contents of his backback had been "flung" during the first day of strenuous hiking. Endeavors that may have once been a light hearted flight of fancy can be pretty rough after 20 or so years of TV and microwave popcorn. I suppose that's when I saw the wonderful introspection of Bryson's writing start to creep in. He doesn't just start pounding you in the head with sweeping pronouncements about what is wrong with things. No, this brilliant fellow makes you laugh your head off at personal ego and withering human fraility and THEN he starts making you think about the bigger picture. By the time these guys were slogging through the Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine, I wanted to leap off the couch with mosquito netting and huge cans of OFF! to help them. I loved the humor Bryson puffed out of this book and I also got caught up in the future and the bizzare bureacratic politics of maintaining the AT for those who wish to experience it. I hope it manages to survive intact until I can drag my grinning father out to witness at least a portion of it for a little "Walk in the Woods". Thanks Dad, this book meant a lot to me.

Intelligent & Funny
I love Bryson's wry self-depricating humor, his perspecacious wit, and amazing ability to bring me into his experience. This is a great summer read. ... Read more

Isbn: 0553455923
Subjects:  1. Appalachian Trail    2. Audio - Travel    3. Audio Adult: Other    4. Audiobooks    5. Description and travel    6. Essays & Travelogues    7. Natural history    8. United States - Northeast - General    9. United States - South - East South Central (General)    10. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (Ultimate Gift Boxed Set)
Average Customer Review:
DVD (22 October, 2002)
list price: $69.98
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Editorial Review

Steven Spielberg's 1982 hit about a stranded alien and his loving relationship with a fatherless boy (Henry Thomas) struck a chord with audiences everywhere, and it furthered Spielberg's reputation as a director of equally strong commercial sensibilities and classical leanings. Henry Thomas gives a strong, emotional performance as E.T.'s young friend, Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore make a solid impression as his siblings, and Dee Wallace is lively as the kids' mother. The special effects almost look a bit quaint now with all the computer advancements that have occurred since, but they also have more heart behind them than a lot of what we see today. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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Reviews (324)

E.T. PHONE HOME!
E.T. is a classic that should be seen by every child from the 80's until forever!!!It's one of the best films ever made and this 80's film is one of the most popular movies ever!I have been watching E.T. since the 80's when it was released on VHS and never get bored of it.It's hilarious when E.T. is stuck at home and then when Elliott gets home, he's wearing a dress!That part cracks me up every time!

I have just bought this 2 DVD widescreen edition at the mall which is the ONLY place I could find it and have just watched the 2002 remake and I did notice the differences but to be honest, the differences don't make the movie unbearable like all these reviews are saying.I can understand about the guns but if you get this 2 DVD set, you'll have both versions that you can watch whenever you want.You could watch them back to back even.I couldn't believe it when I read someone's review saying that they actually left the theatre in 2002 when this movie was in theatres.Come on people, this is really not a remake because a remake would have a totally different cast, but this just has some minor adjustments.Even though I love the original the most, I still like this 2002 version because there is this funny bathroom scene between Elliott and E.T. that I actually liked.

I really don't understand why people can't like both versions.Yes of course the original will always be the best and the 2002 version is almost as good, especially with that added scene.There are tons and tons of extras on this DVD set including interviews with the cast back from 2002 about the film too.

Even today, at 26 years old, that ending scene (even though it's from the 2002 version nonetheless) still gets to me, it brings a tear to my eye.That ending scene hasn't changed emotionally so it still affected me.Now you know you've found a masterpiece of a movie when that happens!

Llamando a casa
20 años. ¿Es posible que hayan pasado sólo 20 años desde que estrenaron E.T.? El recuerdo de haberla visto por primera vez en el cine está tan vivo como si hubiera sucedido ayer. Y sin embargo, el tiempo ha pasado, las cosas han cambiado, pero lo que sigue intacta es mi opinión sobre E.T.

Y simplemente opino que es una película maravillosa.

Dos décadas después de su debut, el clásico infantil del director Steven Spielberg regresa a las pantallas con una historia que nos envuelve en un mundo donde la amistad, el cariño, la amabilidad y el amor lo conquistan todo.

Para quien no recuerde o no conozca la trama, E.T. cuenta las aventuras de una criatura de otro planeta que por equivocación es dejada en la Tierra, y hace amistad con un niño solitario de 10 años llamado Elliot (Henry Thomas). Desde la primera vez que E.T. y Elliot se conocen, la cinta crea perfectamente la ilusión de que este ser no sólo es perceptivo, sino también inteligente y sensible.

La cinta narra las experiencias de E.T. descubriendo el mundo de los humanos y su estilo de vida, mientras unos misteriosos hombres están tras su pista y la criatura trata de establecer contacto con su nave, para que lo lleven de regreso a casa.

Quienes ya la vieron y los que la descubrirán por primera vez, no van a encontrar solamente una encantadora película infantil, sino una obra cuyo impacto no ha disminuido con el paso de los años. Narrada desde la perspectiva de un niño, nos percatamos como todos los adultos del film, con excepción de la mamá de Elliot, son personajes en el mejor estilo de una caricatura de Charlie Brown, sin rostros, y aparecen únicamente como una sombra amenazadora en el inocente mundo infantil. Así, instintivamente, nos identificamos con E.T. y Elliot, y percibimos a los adultos como "los malos de la película".

Llena de inocencia, humor y esperanza, E.T. es un film de esos que nos hace sentir bien. Es original y creativo, es nostálgico y evocador. Está lleno de momentos inolvidables. La dirección es impecable, la música es realmente conmovedora. Y a pesar de tener el look de una película vieja, no por ello deja de ser menos encantadora. Hace 20 años, me impactó cuando era una niña, la adoré profundamente y ahora, siendo un adulto, todavía la sigo adorando.

Apenas tenía 9 años la primera vez que la ví. Pensé que esta vez no lloraría, que solo se trataba de ver una bonita película de niños y recordarme del momento cuando las bicicletas vuelan o cuando E.T. cura a Elliot con su dedo iluminado. Nunca creí que lloraría de nuevo si volvía a ver E.T. Y me equivoqué. (2002)

One of Spielberg's greatest triumphs...
Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, E.T. won four Oscars and took the nation by storm upon its release in 1982. A box office sensation, E.T. formed long, around-the-corner lines of fans waiting to get into theaters and propelled child star Drew Barrymore to superstar status. One of director Steven Spielberg's greatest triumphs, E.T. supposedly symbolizes and illustrates feelings of loneliness from the Hollywood icon's youth which resulted from his parents' divorce. A touching story about spirits from differing worlds, E.T. is fun for the entire family. With an original soundtrack (composed by John Williams and winner of an Academy Award), E.T. is a film that thrills its viewers by every means at its disposal...

While visiting Earth late one evening, a spacecraft carrying a group of alien botanist researchers is startled by the approach an elite government task force. Disappearing in a flash, one of the aliens is left behind. As the task force searches the forest for signs of the creature, he appears inside a young boy's tool shed in search of food (such as Reese's Pieces - a product spot way ahead of its time). Discovered by ten-year-old Elliot (Henry Thomas), the extra-terrestrial is nicknamed E.T. and befriends Elliot, his older brother Michael, and his younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) - all of whom are suffering as a result of their parents' impending divorce...

Hiding E.T. in his room, Elliot successfully manages to hide the secret from his mother, while E.T. slowly learns the customs and ways of the earthling. Building a communication device that will allow him to "phone home" for help, E.T. begins to run short on time when he catches a deadly disease and his hiding place is discovered by the government task force, which cares only about its ability to study him and not about his life. With Elliot's health now intimately connected to E.T., he begins to suffer as well. Can Elliot and his friends come to E.T.'s aid? Will E.T. escape the clutches of his government captors and return home a healthy, smiling alien? The journey to find out is simply magical...

A true blockbuster and a pop culture phenomenon in its time, E.T. continues to bring joy and inspiration to each new generation of children who see it. Like Spielberg's film The Goonies and the contemporary Harry Potter films, E.T. creates movie magic by unleashing a world of endless imagination where children are the true heroes. In doing so, it unlocks a whole new world of fantasy for the children who watch it...

Easily one of the best 100 films of all time, E.T. is a cinematic masterpiece by any standard of measurement. Spielberg deserves all the praise and accolades he received both then and now. With its widespread, universal appeal and ingenious combination of cinematography and Williams' inspired musical score, E.T. is a definite must-see film... Don't overlook it!

The DVD Report ... Read more

Asin: B000069AT7
Subjects:  1. Feature Film Family   

The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window)
by Lemony Snicket Brett Helquist
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (02 October, 2001)
list price: $35.99 -- our price: $23.75
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Editorial Review

Fans of Lemony Snicket and newcomers to his gleefully ghastly Series ofUnfortunate Events will be elated to discover this boxed gift set of the firstthree books in hardcover: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, andThe Wide Window. While it's true that the events that unfold in Snicket'snovels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful,funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl, CharlesDickens, and Edward Gorey. After they get their paws on this boxed set, there isno question that young readers will want to read the continuing unluckyadventures of the three Baudelaire orphans. (Ages 9 and older) --KarinSnelson ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (125)

Depressing Series Lacks Magic
If you crave some good postmodernism in children's arts and lit, watch the Simpsons.

If you want to avoid some truly useless postmodernism for tots, don't waste your time on these books.

Actually, many parents keep their youngest ones away from the Simpsons, and for good reason.That brilliant cartoon series is loaded with adult humor.But many of those same cautious parents would read to their kids this series of creepy books.Just because some crafty marketing person at Harper compared them to Harry Potter.

Note: I wouldn't mind knowing what J K Rowlings thinks of Lemony Snicket's work.

People who want their kids to hear tales of adventure and of triumph over adversity, can go to any number of classic children's books.What sets apart diverse classics such as A Wrinkle in Time and Rapunzel, from the likes of A Series of Unfortunate Events, is the uplifting magic of wrongs truly righted, and of puzzles terminatedly solved.

The series in review simply offer no hope at all to the reader.At every bend in the road, Snicket (I'd hide behind a pseudonym, too, if I were the creator of these books) invokes woe and hopelessness.It can drive you batty, all the too-bad-we-weren't-there-to-warn-them's.It's just a downer, all the way, as unrelentingly awful as the Chuckie series of horror movies. (Child's Play, I believe, is the series... and let us not forget what part that evil-can't-be-overcome movie played in the horrific murder enacted by two young boys in the UK last decade).

I can see that there are a few kids who liked the books and have reported as much at this site.But I would imagine they are of a certain age (not sure which age, exactly) and certain fortitude.That doesn't mean these books are appropriate for most kids.Why take the chance of depressing your kids, when there's so much great adventure to be enjoyed in other books?

I still have the books lying around... think I'll move 'em over towards the fireplace.

Great.I mean horrible.
Don't believe a thing Lemony Snicket says - the only way these books of woe will have you crying is if you laugh really, really hard.

Lemony Snicket has a fresh, unique, and hilarious writing style. He speaks very plainly, explaining things along the way with his signature phrase, "a word which here means". Always he reminds his readers that they do not have to read these awful books that will only bring nights of wailing and weeping, although he has sworn to record them. Sometimes Snicket is deliciously non-sequitur - "...you would run much slower if you were dragging something behind you, like a knapsack or a sheriff". And each book is morbidly dedicated to a so far unknown woman named Beatrice. "Beatrice - Darling, dearest, dead."

Although the books are sold as children's books (or perhaps because of it), I would recommend these books to adults who are secure enough in their maturity to read them. Some of the humor might actually be hard for young children to understand unless they are great cynics already.

The basic plot of the story is this: three siblings - Violet, Claus, and Sunny Baudelaire - lose their parents in a fire. They are sent off to live with their "uncle", Count Olaf. Olaf is a horrible, detestable man who will do anything, however evil and dishonorable, to get his hands on the fortune that the Baudelaires will inherit as soon as Violet is of age. The Baudelaires find themselves in frustratingly hopeless and distressing situations, mostly because of the (oh, so aggravating!) thickheadedness of the adults around them. So using their special skills, Violet, Claus, and Sunny try and find solutions themselves - by inventing, researching, and biting things, respectively. They wriggle out of immediate danger, but there is never exactly a happy ending - instead, one that is relieved but forebodes more calamity.

The plot seems very repetitive through the fourth book - the Baudelaires live with various guardians and end up in equally desperate situations with Olaf on their tail. But don't be discouraged! By the fifth book, a larger picture begins to show. A whole mystery opens up - the VFD. What caused the fire which in which the Baudelaires' parents perished? Why are do all their guardians have so much in common? I won't give anything away, but the mystery builds through the rest of the books. The reader picks up little clues and tries to piece things together. The final two books have not been written yet, so don't expect a complete answer soon.

There are eleven books, but they are relatively small and quick reads. When you get through them, read The Unauthorized Autobiography. Snicket himself is an obscure sort of character in his books - he hasn't participated in any action yet, but it seems that he may have to soon. The Authobiography gives loads of tantalizing information (or just more questions) about the VFD.

In summary, The Series of Unfortunate Events is a hilarious, well-written action-and-mystery story, and just as suitable for brave adults as for children.

Fun easy read
His books are just great. German being my second language I even benefit from his fun word definitions! His ideas are colorful and exciting, his writing flows and keeps you wanting more. The main characters are courageous and loving, except for Count Olaf of course, who embodies the kind of folk that's just out for your money. Timeless stories for all generations! ... Read more

Isbn: 006029809X
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Brothers and sisters    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Family - Orphans & Foster Homes    6. Fiction    7. Humorous Stories    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Orphans   

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary
by Simon Winchester
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (August, 1999)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $11.16
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

When the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary put out a call during the late 19th century pleading for "men of letters" to provide help with their mammoth undertaking, hundreds of responses came forth. Some helpers, like Dr. W.C. Minor, provided literally thousands of entries to the editors. But Minor, an American expatriate in England and a Civil War veteran, was actually a certified lunatic who turned in his dictionary entries from the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. Simon Winchester has produced a mesmerizing coda to the deeply troubled Minor's life, a life that in one sense began with the senseless murder of an innocent British brewery worker that the deluded Minor believed was an assassin sent by one of his numerous "enemies."

Winchester also paints a rich portrait of the OED's leading light, Professor James Murray, who spent more than 40 years of his life on a project he would not see completed in his lifetime. Winchester traces the origins of the drive to create a "Big Dictionary" down through Murray and far back into the past; the result is a fascinating compact history of the English language (albeit admittedly more interesting to linguistics enthusiasts than historians or true crime buffs). That Murray and Minor, whose lives took such wildly disparate turns yet were united in their fierce love of language, were able to view one another as peers and foster a warm friendship is just one of the delicately turned subplots of this compelling book. --Tjames Madison ... Read more

Reviews (366)

Great story
This was a fascinating story. An American doctor, his mind lost, possibly from horrors he saw during service in the Civil War, moves to London to escape his demons. Since the demons are all in his mind, they remain with him and one morning it comes to a head when he shoots a man he believes was in his room. The man was merely walking to work at the wrong place and wrong time. Dcotor W.C. Minor is found to be insane and sent to Broadmoor Asylum for Criminal Lunatics. The only thing that keeps the brilliant doctor going is his books which he continues to collect. Through chance he finds a flyer in one of the books asking for volunteers to help compile the first Oxford English Dictionary, an undertaking that will span 70 years. Over the next 20 years Minor is instrumental in helping to edit one of the greatest undertakings in English literature. Because his correspondence was done through the mail, it's 8 years before the main editor, James Murray, finds out his most impressive helper is working from an asylum. After meeting him, they strike up a friendship.

This books flows beautifully through this story, giving you background on James Murray and Dr. Minor. You come to see Murray for the kind of person he is, who sees Minor as more than a man who has lost his mind. With Dr. Minor you realize how fragile the human psyche is. Over 100 years later, we can now treat illnesses like his, but still don't know what causes them. He spent 38 years suffering the worst paranoid delusions, but was also a major figure in a great literary achievement. I for one am glad someone brought this story to light.

peaks early
This book is well written and pulls the reader in. Unfortunatley after about the first few pages of the story, it begins to spiral inward explaining nuances of the story that are no longer that interesting (and are already clearly understandable in the larger summary). I recommend reading the first few chapters and then quitting.

Intriguing Read!
I read this book for one of my classes in grad school.It is an amazing book.It was difficult for me to get through the areas of discussing the OED, but overall a great book.

The author takes you into the life of Dr. Minor who is a genius, but is also clinically insane.It appears he had some sort of paranoid schizophrenia although I do not believe they ever come out and say exactly what it was he had (as they just declared everyone insane at that time).Dr. Minor was a great contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, but had many inner demons he fought for the majority of his life.

You learn a little about the inner workings of the mental hospitals at the time as well.I encourage those of you who are into history as well as mystery to read this book.A good read also for those who are interested or are currently in school for psychology. ... Read more

Isbn: 006099486X
Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. General    3. Historical - British    4. Historical - U.S.    5. History    6. History: World    7. Specific Groups - Special Needs    8. Reading Group Guide   

In one of the best episodes, Bender is given a "feelings" chip in order to empathize with Leela after he flushes Nibbler down the toilet. Elsewhere, Fry falls in love with a mermaid when the team discover the lost city of Atlanta, Fry and Bender end up going to war after they join the army to get a discount on gum, and John Goodman guest stars as Santa Claus, an eight-foot gun-toting robot. Brimful with blink-and-you'll-miss-them hip jokes (such as the sign for the Taco Bellevue hospital) and political and pop satire, Futurama isn't a stern warning of things to come but rather, as the makers put it, "a brilliant, hilarious reflection of our own materially (ridiculously) overdeveloped but morally underdeveloped society." --David Stubbs ... Read more

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Asin: B00008YGRS
Subjects:  1. Television   

Imagine a Dickens story with a Venetian setting, and you'll have a goodsense of Cornelia Funke's prizewinning novel The Thief Lord, firstpublished in Germany in 2000. This suspenseful tale begins in a detective'soffice in Venice, as the entirely unpleasant Hartliebs request Victor Getz'sservices to search for two boys, Prosper and Bo, the sons of Esther Hartlieb'srecently deceased sister. Twelve-year-old Prosper and 5-year-old Bo ran awaywhen their aunt decided she wanted to adopt Bo, but not his brother. Refusing tosplit up, they escaped to Venice, a city their mother had always describedreverently, in great detail. Right away they hook up with a long-haired runawaynamed Hornet and various other ruffians who hole up in an abandoned movietheater and worship the elusive Thief Lord, a young boy named Scipio who stealsjewels from fancy Venetian homes so his new friends can get the warm clothesthey need. Of course, the plot thickens when the owner of the pawn shop asks ifthe Thief Lord will carry out a special mission for a wealthy client: to steal abroken wooden wing that is the key to completing an age-old, magicalmerry-go-round. This winning cast of characters--especially the softhearteddetective with his two pet turtles--will win the hearts of readers young andold, and the adventures are as labyrinthine and magical as the streets of Veniceitself. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Isbn: 0439404371
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Brothers    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Detectives    6. Family - Siblings    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Robbers and outlaws    10. Runaways    11. Social Situations - Runaways    12. Juvenile Fiction / General   

And just when CSI starts to seem a little too pat, just when the trail of clues seems a little too neat, the show always seems able to throw a surprise or two at us: perhaps there has been no crime after all; perhaps the evidence concerns a completely different crime altogether; or perhaps, as in one brave episode concerning brothers implicated in multiple murders, the evidence simply isn't good enough to convict the right man, even when Grissom knows which one really is guilty. As a result, every episode is simply compulsive viewing. --Mark Walker ... Read more

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Asin: B0000A2ZNL
Subjects:  1. Television   

Matrix writer-directors Larry and Andy Wachowski commissioned sevenartists from Japan, America and Korea to make nine short films set in theworld of their feature trilogy. Some of the top anime directors contributedto this anthology, including Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll), KojiMorimoto (Robot Carnival), andShinchiro Watanabe (CowboyBebop). Some of the films tie directly into the narrative of the live-action movies. Drawn in a style reminiscent of Jean "Moebius" Giraud, MahiroMaeda's The Second Renaissance (Part I & Part II) depicts thehuman-machine wars that caused the enslavement of humanity and the creationof the Matrix. The duel between two flamboyantly costumed Kabuki warriors inKawajiri's Program is an expanded version of the cybernetic trainingNeo (Keanu Reeves) undergoes in the first Matrix film. Watanabe evokesthe look of old newspaper photographs in A Detective Story, whichfalls outside the storyline of the features. Fast-paced, violent and grim,The Animatrix is an uneven but intriguing compilation that representsa new level in the ongoing cross-pollination between Japanese animation andAmerican live action. (Not rated, suitable for ages 16 and older: considerableviolence, violence against women, grotesque imagery, brief nudity, alcoholuse) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

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Asin: B00008LDPU

This HBO series initially aspired to fits of Twin Peaks-like whimsy, with each episode starting with a death more outlandish than the previous, but soon settled into a comfortable groove that harkened back to the most familiar of TV family dramas (in fact, it's almost a mirror image of '70s drama Family, down to the three sibling archetypes). Of course, its HBO roots allowed it ample leeway with sex, drug usage, profanity, and violence. While the writing strove to be a little too clever, the overall look and tone of the show remained solid and sometimes profound (sometimes absurd too, but usually with good reason). Krause and Hall, as initially warring brothers who come to a wary understanding, are solid anchors, but it's the women in the cast who do the most phenomenal work. Conroy infuses her almost stereotypical mom with an obstinate but ultimately accepting heart, and Ambrose's Claire is by far the show's most appealing character. And stealing scenes left and right is Rachel Griffith's Brenda, a mystery woman with an outlandish backstory who meets Nate on a plane, has sex with him at the airport, and infiltrates his life. Like Brenda herself, Six Feet Under is fascinating--and highly addictive. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

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Asin: B00006NT1S
Subjects:  1. Television   

The three-hour, Christmas-themed Holidays on Ice is the gem of the collection. It has his greatest hit, "SantaLand Diaries," a chronicle of his stint as an elf at Macy's, covering everything from the preliminary group lectures ("You are not a dancer. If you were a real dancer you wouldn't be here. You're an elf and you're going to wear panties like an elf.") to the perils of inter-elf flirtation. Other hits feature the crazed newsletter "Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!" and the prostitute coworker his sister brought home one Yuletide, giving "the phrase 'ho, ho, ho' whole different meaning." Barrel Fever contains the fulminatingly funny "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 2" and "Parade," discussing the narrator's perhaps not fully plausible gay relationships with Bruce Springsteen, Mike Tyson, and Peter Jennings. Naked describes his adventures in a nudist colony, but his family tales are, as ever, nonpareil. ... Read more

Isbn: 1586214349
Subjects:  1. Audio - Humor    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. Fiction    5. Form - Essays    6. Short Stories (single author)    7. Fiction / Short Stories (single author)