Seinfeld (DVD) Review

The preeminent show of the 1990's decade, Seinfeld grew from an idea of "a show about nothing" into a sacred pop culture icon - not that there's anything wrong with that... The show follows the life of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the exploits of his “short, quirky, bald guy” best friend, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Jerry’s neurotic neighbor Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Jerry’s ex-girlfriend Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Through the years, they’re joined by a loveable cast of characters that includes Newman, Uncle Leo, the Soup Nazi, Frank and Estelle Costanza, the Bubble Boy, and countless others…
The Seinfeld DVD (Seasons 1 & 2) offers the very first glimpse into the world Jerry, beginning with The Pilot (episode 1) which was originally titled The Seinfeld Chronicles. The first scene involves Jerry commenting to George about a button on his shirt (the same conversation later takes place in the last scene of the series finale). These opening episodes provide insight into the development of the show’s four primary characters with conversations that range from George’s initial admission that he’d like to be an architect (episode 2) to Kramer’s propensity for get rich quick schemes like a make-your-own-pizza pizzeria (episode 4). From day one, Seinfeld established itself as “must see TV,” creating such memorable episodes as “The Stock Tip,” “The Pony Remark,” “The Deal,” and “The Chinese Restaurant”.
Interestingly, in the pilot episode of Seinfeld, Elaine’s character does not yet exist, and Kramer’s character (not yet named Kramer, but Feldman) is more of an unemployed, pathetic, shut-in neighbor than the usual quirky and energetic Cosmo. Playing the role of the female in George and Jerry’s life is a wisecracking waitress named Claire (Lee Garlington) who never appears in later episodes.
Nevertheless, this initial episode exhibits the flashes of brilliance that made Seinfeld a cultural phenomenon. The show is essentially about nothing. George and Jerry do some laundry… Jerry and his neighbor watch some TV… George and Jerry have some coffee… During that time, the dominant topic of conversation is a girl that Jerry met while taking his comedy act on the road. She’s coming to stay at his place, but he doesn’t know whether he should pull out a mattress for her or not. Feldman (Kramer), George, and Jerry debate the topic endlessly until the woman arrives and Jerry learns that it’s all irrelevant because she’s engaged…
Below is a list of episodes included on the Seinfeld (Seasons 1 & 2) DVD:
Episode 1 (Pilot: Good News, Bad News) Air Date: 07-05-1989Episode 2 (The Stakeout) Air Date: 05-31-1990Episode 3 (The Robbery) Air Date: 06-07-1990Episode 4 (Male Unbonding) Air Date: 06-14-1990Episode 5 (The Stock Tip) Air Date: 06-21-1990Episode 6 (The Ex-Girlfriend) Air Date: 01-23-1991Episode 7 (The Pony Remark) Air Date: 01-30-1991Episode 8 (The Jacket) Air Date: 02-06-1991Episode 9 (The Phone Message) Air Date: 02-13-1991Episode 10 (The Apartment) Air Date: 04-04-1991Episode 11 (The Statue) Air Date: 04-11-1991Episode 12 (The Revenge) Air Date: 04-18-1991Episode 13 (The Heart Attack) Air Date: 04-25-1991Episode 14 (The Deal) Air Date: 05-02-1991Episode 15 (The Baby Shower) Air Date: 05-16-1991Episode 16 (The Chinese Restaurant) Air Date: 05-23-1991Episode 17 (The Busboy) Air Date: 06-26-1991
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Britt Gillette

Friends (DVD) Review

Along with Seinfeld and Frasier, Friends dominated the must-see TV of the 1990's. Winner of innumerable television awards, the show features the lives of six friends in their late-twenties/early-thirties living in New York City - Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). The six friends spend the majority of their time in a coffee house named "Central Perk" or in either Monica's apartment or Joey and Chandler's apartment.
The Friends DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including season premiere in which Rachel leaves her fianc?e Barry at the altar and moves in with Monica. Without her daddy's credit cards to live off of, Rachel is forced to get a job at the Central Perk coffee house. As the season progresses, we learn that Ross has harbored a life-long crush on Rachel, but he is continually unable to tell her because of a number of obstacles that get in his way. Season 1 also features the antics of Ross's pet monkey Marcel who would later be fazed out of the show because of the strain an animal placed on the show's production schedule…
Below is a list of episodes included on the Friends (Season 1) DVD:
Episode 1 (The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate) Air Date: 09-22-1994Episode 2 (The One with the Sonogram at the End) Air Date: 09-29-1994Episode 3 (The One with the Thumb) Air Date: 10-06-1994Episode 4 (The One with George Stephanopoulos) Air Date: 10-13-1994Episode 5 (The One with the East German Laundry Detergent) Air Date: 10-20-1994Episode 6 (The One with the Butt) Air Date: 10-27-1994Episode 7 (The One with the Blackout) Air Date: 11-03-1994Episode 8 (The One Where Nana Dies Twice) Air Date: 11-10-1994Episode 9 (The One Where Underdog Gets Away) Air Date: 11-17-1994Episode 10 (The One with the Monkey) Air Date: 12-15-1994Episode 11 (The One with Mrs. Bing) Air Date: 01-05-1995Episode 12 (The One with the Dozen Lasagnas) Air Date: 01-12-1995Episode 13 (The One with the Boobies) Air Date: 01-19-1995Episode 14 (The One with the Candy Hearts) Air Date: 02-09-1995Episode 15 (The One with the Stoned Guy) Air Date: 02-16-1995Episode 16 (The One with Two Parts: Part 1) Air Date: 02-23-1995Episode 17 (The One with Two Parts: Part 2) Air Date: 02-23-1995Episode 18 (The One with all the Poker) Air Date: 03-02-1995Episode 19 (The One Where the Monkey Gets Away) Air Date: 03-09-1995Episode 20 (The One with the Evil Orthodontist) Air Date: 04-06-1995Episode 21 (The One with the Fake Monica) Air Date: 04-27-1995Episode 22 (The One with the Ick Factor) Air Date: 05-04-1995Episode 23 (The One with the Birth) Air Date: 05-11-1995Episode 24 (The One Where Rachel Finds Out) Air Date: 05-18-1995
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Britt Gillette

The West Wing (DVD) Review

Premiering in September 1999, the original NBC series The West Wing built an instant cult following with its seemingly realistic weekly excursions into the inner sanctums of the White House. The series became such a hit that some pollsters claimed that certain people actually believed Jed Bartlet was the real president (although, if true, this is more of a negative reflection on the intelligence of the electorate, and not necessarily an indication of West Wing's realism). But regardless, the truth of the matter is that West Wing definitely strikes a chord with certain audiences, providing entertaining brew of action, suspense, and drama on a weekly basis…

Seasoned Hollywood actor Martin Sheen plays the lead role of President Jed Bartlet. The day-to-day affairs of Bartlet's administration are run by a number of individuals who surround him, among them are: Claudia "C.J." Cregg (Allison Janney), Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Leo McGarry (John Spencer), and Charlie Young (Dule Hill). The West Wing follows these dedicated staffers as they work extended hours behind-the-scenes to help keep the White House running smoothly. Along the way, the stress of the job and the characters' personal lives make for an interesting glimpse into what many believe is an accurate portrayal of a real-life White House administration…

The West Wing DVD offers a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere in which we meet each of the recurring characters for the first time. The White House has their daily routine interrupted when President Bartlet falls off his bike, and Sam realizes the girl he picked in a bar the previous evening was a high-priced prostitute. Meanwhile, several members of the administration become embroiled in an ongoing feud with the "religious right," prompting President Bartlet to personally condemn a group of fundamentalists known as "The Lambs of God"… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "The Crackpots and These Women" in which administration staffers spend their day listening to a number of crackpot, single-issue groups lobbying for federal favors, and "Take This Sabbath Day" in which President Bartlet grapples with the decision to commute the death sentence of a convicted killer following a Supreme Court ruling upholding his sentence…

Below is a list of episodes included on The West Wing (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 09-22-1999
Episode 2 (Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc) Air Date: 09-29-1999
Episode 3 (A Proportional Response) Air Date: 10-06-1999
Episode 4 (Five Votes Down) Air Date: 10-13-1999
Episode 5 (The Crackpots and These Women) Air Date: 10-20-1999
Episode 6 (Mr. Willis of Ohio) Air Date: 11-03-1999
Episode 7 (The State Dinner) Air Date: 11-10-1999
Episode 8 (Enemies) Air Date: 11-17-1999
Episode 9 (The Short List) Air Date: 11-24-1999
Episode 10 (In Excelsis Deo) Air Date: 12-15-1999
Episode 11 (Lord John Marbury) Air Date: 01-05-2000
Episode 12 (He Shall, from Time to Time) Air Date: 01-12-2000
Episode 13 (Take Out the Trash Day) Air Date: 01-26-2000
Episode 14 (Take This Sabbath Day) Air Date: 02-09-2000
Episode 15 (Celestial Navigation) Air Date: 02-16-2000
Episode 16 (20 Hours in L.A.) Air Date: 02-23-2000
Episode 17 (The White House Pro-Am) Air Date: 03-22-2000
Episode 18 (Six Meetings Before Lunch) Air Date: 04-05-2000
Episode 19 (Let Bartlet Be Bartlet) Air Date: 04-26-2000
Episode 20 (Mandatory Minimums) Air Date: 05-03-2000
Episode 21 (Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics) Air Date: 05-10-2000
Episode 22 (What Kind of Day Has It Been?) Air Date: 05-17-2000

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Britt Gillette

Another bullet in the cake?

Another bullet in the cake? No, this time I eat the cake.
I finally saw "Hate Rock" the long awaited - actually 23 hours download - documentary about us. The presentation of the documentary seems much harder than what the video says in reality. Before watching this video I asked for impressions to people who saw it on the cable in the US and all their comments have been very negative. I was caught days ago while answering to some questions on the phone. I classified this documentary as antifascist propaganda, because this is what it seems reading the introduction on the websites (SMG productions and Discovery Times) and this is how people described the show to me. I have to say instead, after watching the work, that it is a "documentary" and not the ultimate show about the "absolute evil".
If I ever missed anything or did not understand anything or if you just want to post a comment (including the expected "go to hell"), you can send a message to my forum (you don't need to register) or to my email address: viking@ashtree.org

Contents
Length limitation (about 1 hour) and lack of time make also the best of the videos a marginal work. You must have asked yourselves: what to include and what to exclude? How to delineate the whole documentary? So, this is the section in which I will list (I will exceed!) your "made 30s, why not 31?", all good advices for someone who'll try to write a book - maybe - about hate rock in future, and I guess many of the things I will write down here were maybe consciously excluded, not just forgotten.

I have seen you pointed your attention to our more or less extreme faces, the "interface", so how music is spread, how concerts are organized, what different images we use, the persecution we get and so on...it's a very good video, but I think sometimes it is too "aesthetic", it often proposes some songs with "impact" lyrics but does not get into their deep meaning, imaging people outside already know about our beliefs (only in Detroit instead you captured a good deal of explanations about some aspects of white power music or when you talked about the 14 words) and sometimes it escapes too much towards descriptions of political organizations forgetting it is a documentary about music and it confines the "white power" movement into the racist thing too much.
Question number one: what is a racist? And on a higher level: what is a nationalist?
It would have been interesting to know how a song is born, in what situation. From the documentary we seem to want ethnic cleaning mostly or only and above all... and you sent my song "Don't go round with the Jews", for instance (I'll take myself as example, because I know myself), which is not a song about that topic, but about the problem of social integration. You chose from my interview my declaration "I say I'm not a nazi, I'm a fascist, I must defend my italian history"... I must comment, with or without that sentence my position doesn't change: I'm a so-called "white power" songwriter anyway, so the statement - extracted from a long discussion - is redundant in this context.

You talked a lot about persecution against our music, absolutely daily life. I think you fully described what happens to our bands and organizers.
Shawn made very clear arguments about it and Erich of Resistance added that music sales help the activities, but what's missing between these parts? It's quite clear that people like the Big Jews or the Communists persecute us (Death to ZOG! People shouted.), but no one clearly expressed some opinions about the reasons. Hegemony for example? What does it mean? What could the interests be? (I'm aware it's impossible to talk largely about it in such a video without falling out of the circle of the topic, but maybe a little idea could be given)
I think the most important reason is implicit, but at the same time fragmented, in your documentary: this kind of music is engine for activities!
Really there are harder crimes than "loving your own folk" in this world, but they are not persecuted. Is recruitment a possible reason for this persecution? You talked a lot about it, but you did not say it is - surely it is - a reason why we are persecuted, or better, there are opposite forces pulling people from other sides into their own gardens.
Very good...In total simplicity you expressed so well the moment "before the concert" in Verona (also in Britain showing true rehearsal). It's direct, it's clear... I'll write more about it later in the editing section. Another good note about the concert in Germany (it was like you were there ready to be arrested together with the skins!).

I saw you noticed how internet increased the sales and the spreading of our music... this is real. Anyway, you didn't investigate about how our music is technically and artistically produced. (You must have seen that artistic production is almost completely missing in this scene!) You showed a recording studio... but what about other solutions, live recordings and...distance recordings? You also talked too little about executive production: if you look carefully you'll find deep gaps among labels! You touched the MTV topic, but which are the requisites for being on MTV? And do we want to be there or are we avoiding? (I personally was on the charts for most downloaded songs on mtv.it...eheh! I'm terrible!)
Or did you ask yourself: in terms of numbers does the white power movement produce and prefer more musically skilled bands or lyrically oriented bands? Which is the balance among these two aspects? (Erich just mentioned something about it) Is there any kind of attempt/effort for an industrial product? Prussian Blue have an organization behind, they "aggressed" the media, they have a tv crew supporting them, a network of advancers...you talked about them, but did not notice this! And how would a music industry based on political groups make difference from current mainstream industries if it takes off? What consequences does it take?
You talked about bands, some in political groups, others external, but which are the differences between a band in politics and a band which is not? Is music more transversal when outside the party?
What about the "fans"? How much do they spend? How do top seller products change according to age, country, income...of buyers?
What about peer-to-peer and how does it damage our scene? How do fans interact and cultivate their interest (forums, mp3-video-photo uploads, blogs and original websites...)?
The Turner Diaries: cutting that part there was place for all these aspects or for another band... I would have chosen Kolovrat or some other band from Eastern Europe.

I appreciated the fact - and now I'll be killed for this - that you didn't mention Ian Stuart so much, but your analysis of "hate rock" has been contemporary.
I liked a lot the line you followed, visiting the concerts and their backstages as self-talking environments.

What's really missing? I'm not the only one who states this: I think you didn't focus at all on the metal scene, such as Burzum (whose cds are sold at your local Virgin Megastore!), or neofolk (I'm considered neofolk, but I'm not one of the exemplary artists who play this genre). You didn't talk about the pagan and christian subcurrents and their struggles (oh, so wrong to have religion and politics together... but this happens!).
And what else... you didn't see there are some professionists who make this music and who are trying their way outside the movement. (I won't nominate, because I'm not sure I am allowed)
I'm sorry to say this final thing, because your work really deserves many honours, but this documentary is still a "flouring" of white power music. I'm very critic about this, yes, like a spinster teacher, because the attempt was really promising and mature this time!
So, sincere congratulations!

My experience on the set and the comments of the old aunts...
I have to award the professionality of those who worked on this documentary, obviously in particular those 3 nice guys I mentioned on "Gloucester Road" (I don't know the others...).
It was not my first time on tv and on press in general. Apart from right-wing press stuff, my relationship with the out-of-the-ghetto press has always been quite stormy...
do you remember, folks, for example, my pics with the bottle or when (on Italian satellite tv) a prestigious reporter aggressed me and cut my hair?
I have to say this time I was treated like a princess. I spoke, answered to questions, I was not aggressed, never interrupted and I have eaten and drunk.
I was shown on the screen like a normal girl with a guitar during a possible ordinary moment of my life - ok, Magnus and Katana are still laughing on the floor saying I walk like a duck. Also all the other people in the video are "men and women".
I received some complaints via email about what I didn't say in the video...
you have to know, sometimes I speak too much and I had promised my close mates of Ashtree things about defence topics and scientific reseach and paganism, because these are important themes in our struggle here at Ashtree Records.
You didn't choose anything of this and ok, it's your choice.
To those who say I'm shown for a too short time on this documentary I reply:
I have always tried to fill my music with hidden messages and now I appear on this video as a subliminal message, so I don't see the problem!

Audience
Some people said your documentary is too British. Well, in my opinion since you are British and the documentary was first produced for Five and then distributed overseas, I think you might have some British audience.
I would like to write down some personal observations and I would like to propose some new hint for reflection and curiosity.
Before investing money on any television production, you must have an idea about the audience to which your product is addressed. It's hard - believe - it's hard to find a man who's got no interest or simply never heard of "hate rock", who sits down in front of the tv and watches a show like this. It's not ignorance... it's a situation like going back home, tired from work and just relax with something pleasant which depends on tastes. You know, television is still not "programmed" by audience (even digital terrestrial, which is sold like "power in the hands of the spectators!") anyway the man, who's God with the Remote Control, could choose a documentary about lions rather than sieg heil sieg heil...
You talked about "arising hate rock". Do you think hate rock is arising alone or is it accompanied by the number of people who are interested in watching your documentary on tv? (Remember, we sell cds because there are fond listeners)
I'll try to be clearer. I have the curiosity to know, whether you considered to produce this video because there are a lot of people who would like to know more about the topic.
Somebody shouted "another jewish thing!"... no, I think, instead, as Orwell's Big Brother teaches, the unwanted truth is hidden! You DO show hate rock, so I see no jewish conspiracy.

MacIntyre
Donal, what kind of name is that? Anyway, I thought MacIntyre was much worst, according to what my nice cooperator from our Press Room Neil Rush said: "George Clooney on holiday". Oh, God, I thought, What is it?
I'm watching from far away Italy. The times I was in Britain I never had the opportunity to see this man in action on tv, so this is my first time. I read his name and I searched on internet. His photos on his website don't make good impression of him as professional figure... I'm not becoming a bigot...
I would like to focus again on the introduction written for this documentary. As I said above it seems a factious introduction, referring to words like "disturbing rise of the racist and anti-semitic music industry". It's true, I should not connect the man with the words reported above, but - this is an advice - pay attention, Mac, because you may fall into the well known tv trap of "kindness", a disease attacking media... nobody's safe!
The history of times has taught: good-looking = kind.
Anyway, Mac, I know you too little to go on discussing this.
I found the location where you spoke adeguate. It was very "hip hop" style and in a certain way "opposed" to white power and since you are an external viewer (I'm not saying you're hip hop or black) the thing unconsciously matched somehow.
I'm sure, I bet 50 pounds, you didn't think about this, but the location was chosen because it was more "streetlife" and more "bad macintyre".

Video & Sound Editing
I cannot say much about filming, because I haven't got the requisites to talk about it, but I can say something about the editing, since it is a bit my cup of tea.
There's not much to say in reality. It's a professional work and done by masters.
I'm a little (some one would rather say "short") beginner - even though somebody has the courage to pay me for editing stuff - but I think I should examine.

I already talked about it, but I should add in this section that the times used to describe the different moments of the Verona event are as precise as a clock.
Sometimes too much "tourism" (indispensable, I don't deny!) cutting time for significative information. A "tourism" like the one in Detroit with explanations of places and local fauna is the good solution.

Sometimes maybe too long zoom in, zoom out on still images and...I don't remember,
I maybe took note about some too slow transition... but those are choices and strategic "fill holes" and pauses, change of rhythm...
The "futuristic" images + music leading to title "Hate Rock" after the introductive speech are like putting Madonna's "American Life" as soundtrack for a documentary about nuns. I don't know if this intro is stylistically in common with other documentaries from your series, but really here it is a punch in an eye.
I think the introductive speech was enough, since it was a sort of well done summary, it could lead to title "Hate Rock" perfectly.

The last 20 minutes of the show are much slower than the first part. Is it my impression?
Too long uncut videos, less movement... in my opinion, after about 40 minutes play, such a video should get a faster rhythm because it's like the audience - I don't want to say it falls asleep - is eating 300g of pasta and after all this food you may get enough of it.

Sometimes different speeches of a same person taken in different places, with too different noise backgrounds, are attached like a continuous speech but the contrast is too evident.
You should have overlapped or attached more carefully or tried to show the video (even half a second, don't need much) from which the environmental noise is taken.
You may wonder "You, right you are telling me this...have you ever seen your own stuff?"
Yes, I have and I don't want to remember.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Francesca Ortolani

Angel (DVD) Review

Nominated for 25 Saturn Awards and one Emmy for Outstanding Makeup for a Series, Angel has established a strong cult following during its five-year run on the WB network. A spin-off of the enormously popular series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel has followed in the footsteps of its predecessor and boasts many of the same heroes and villains. Created by Joss Whedon, the show is one of a number of successful original series aired by WB including Buffy, Smallville, Dawson's Creek, and Gilmore Girls among others…

Angel revolves around the life of Angel (David Boreanaz), a vampire turned do-gooder following a long career of killing the innocent. After spending three years in the small California town of Sunnydale with his girlfriend Buffy, Angel moves to Los Angeles where he sets up Angel Investigations to help those people most in need of protection from the dark forces that lurk within the city. Aided by old friends and new, Angel seeks to redeem his soul while cleansing the streets of Los Angeles of demons, warlocks, and evil lawyers… Angel's supernatural fighting team includes Buffy crossover character Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), now an aspiring actress; erudite Englishman Wesley Wyndam-Price (Alexis Denisof), and street fighter Charles Gunn (J. August Richards). Together, they join forces in a series known for its well-written and suspense riddled plots…

The Angel DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere "City Of" in which Angel moves to L.A. unaware of his life purpose, at least until he meets up with his half-demon spiritual advisor Alan Doyle (Glenn Quinn) who reveals a more positive direction for Angel. When powerful vampire lawyer Russell Winters sets his sights on Cordelia, it's up to Angel to save her from his evil clutches… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Sense & Sensitivity" in which an evil sensitivity training instructor casts his spell over an entire police department including Angel himself, and "The Ring" in which Angel stumbles into a secret underground demon fight club…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Angel (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (City Of) Air Date: 10-05-1999
Episode 2 (Lonely Hearts) Air Date: 10-12-1999
Episode 3 (In the Dark) Air Date: 10-19-1999
Episode 4 (I Fall to Pieces) Air Date: 10-26-1999
Episode 5 (Rm w/a Vu) Air Date: 11-02-1999
Episode 6 (Sense & Sensitivity) Air Date: 11-09-1999
Episode 7 (Bachelor Party) Air Date: 11-16-1999
Episode 8 (I Will Remember You) Air Date: 11-23-1999
Episode 9 (Hero) Air Date: 11-30-1999
Episode 10 (Parting Gifts) Air Date: 12-14-1999
Episode 11 (Somnambulist) Air Date: 01-18-2000
Episode 12 (Expecting) Air Date: 01-25-2000
Episode 13 (She) Air Date: 02-08-2000
Episode 14 (I've Got You Under My Skin) Air Date: 02-15-2000
Episode 15 (The Prodigal) Air Date: 02-22-2000
Episode 16 (The Ring) Air Date: 02-29-2000
Episode 17 (Eternity) Air Date: 04-04-2000
Episode 18 (Five by Five) Air Date: 04-25-2000
Episode 19 (Sanctuary) Air Date: 05-02-2000
Episode 20 (War Zone) Air Date: 05-09-2000
Episode 21 (Blind Date) Air Date: 05-16-2000
Episode 22 (To Shanshu in L.A.) Air Date: 05-23-2000

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Britt Gillette

The King Of Queens (DVD) Review

A spin-off of the popular TV series Everybody Loves Raymond, King of Queens first hit the airwaves in the Fall of 1998. The show follows the life of Doug Heffernan (played by comedian Kevin James), a package delivery man for IPS (far different from UPS for you litigious-minded readers out there), and the show utilizes much of the same marital and relationship humor found in Ray Romano's blockbuster sitcom. With seven successful seasons under its belt, and even more yet to come, King of Queens is a hilarious comedy series well worth one's time and attention…

King of Queens revolves around the life of Doug Heffernan, a hard-working, sports-loving parcel delivery man living in Queens, New York. In his thirties, and married to a lovely woman named Carrie (Leah Remini - who played Carla's daughter on the hit show Cheers), Doug spends most of his non-working hours basking in the glow of his state-of-the-art 70-inch TV with two buddies who share his fanatical love of sports, Spence (Patton Oswalt) and Deacon (Victor Williams). But Doug's personal paradise suffers a devastating blow when Carrie's widowed father Arthur (Jerry Stiller of Seinfeld fame) moves in with the couple. Doug's TV fantasy room is converted into an in-law suite, and after several failed relocation attempts, the TV is pushed into the garage… Now Doug and Carrie must learn to share their palace with an eccentric, and oftentimes annoying, father/father-in-law with a penchant for messing up the couple's well-grounded routine…

The King of Queens DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere in which the audience learns the background of Doug Heffernan and his family. Doug's long rein as the most envied man in his social circle is brought to an end when his father-in-law moves in and takes the TV room for his bedroom. Meanwhile, Carrie's sister, in the midst of her own personal crisis, takes over Doug's bathroom… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Paternal Affairs" in which Arthur, much to the chagrin of his son-in-law, sets out to "woo" Doug's Aunt Shelia, and "Crappy Birthday" in which Carrie, apprehensive about her age as she turns thirty, asks Doug to ignore her birthday…

Below is a list of episodes included on the King of Queens (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 09-21-1998
Episode 2 (Fat City) Air Date: 09-28-1998
Episode 3 (Cello, Goodbye) Air Date: 10-05-1998
Episode 4 (Richie's Song) Air Date: 10-12-1998
Episode 5 (Paternal Affairs) Air Date: 10-19-1998
Episode 6 (Head First) Air Date: 10-26-1998
Episode 7 (The Rock) Air Date: 11-02-1998
Episode 8 (Educating Doug) Air Date: 11-09-1998
Episode 9 (Road Rayge) Air Date: 11-16-1998
Episode 10 (Supermarket Story) Air Date: 11-23-1998
Episode 11 (Noel Cowards) Air Date: 12-14-1998
Episode 12 (Fixer Upper) Air Date: 12-21-1998
Episode 13 (Best Man) Air Date: 01-11-1999
Episode 14 (Dog Days) Air Date: 01-18-1999
Episode 15 (Crappy Birthday) Air Date: 02-01-1999
Episode 16 (S'Ain't Valentine's) Air Date: 02-08-1999
Episode 17 (Court Date) Air Date: 02-15-1999
Episode 18 (White Collar) Air Date: 02-22-1999
Episode 19 (Rayny Day) Air Date: 03-01-1999
Episode 20 (Train Wreck) Air Date: 03-15-1999
Episode 21 (Hungry Man) Air Date: 04-05-1999
Episode 22 (Time Share) Air Date: 04-26-1999
Episode 23 (Where's Poppa?) Air Date: 05-03-1999
Episode 24 (Art House) Air Date: 05-10-1999
Episode 25 (Maybe Baby) Air Date: 05-17-1999

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Britt Gillette

The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Review

One of the great children's classics by C.S. Lewis, is brought to the screen in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Set in wartime England, its plot has the four Pevensie children sent out of London for their safety. They end up in the country house of the eccentric Prof. Digory Kirke, and like all children removed from their usual source of fun and amusement, they're bored, bored, bored.

Then one day, Lucy begins poking into things, and one of them is the very odd wardrobe of the professor's. What she sees inside, is not the professor's clothes, but a world encased in snow. The others of course, don't believe her, since they haven't found anything half so interesting. But eventually they give in to their own curiosity, and all enter the wardrobe to find themselves transported to the world of Narnia, where an evil White Witch has created an eternal winter, that will never see a Christmas.

Meeting up with the kind and caring lion Aslan who rules the strange land, the children begin their trek towards defeating the witch. But along the way, one will fall behind and join the very forces of evil they are trying to defeat. Amongst the mysteries of talking animals, mythical creatures and magic spells, the children must free Narnia from the perilous cold, and one of their own, from dangers that could destroy them.

This movie was extremely engaging from beginning to end, even at a long 2 hour and 20 minute running time. Perhaps, it's because it was one of my favorite novels growing up, but the young actors were quite engaging and Tilda Swinton was superb as the White Witch.

Just one note of caution to parents: The movie was rated “Parental Guidance Suggested” and parents should be aware. The movie definitely has numerous violent scenes and it’s certainly not for little ones.

Director: Andrew Adamson
Producers: Perry Moore, Philip Steuer, Andrew Adamson
Starring: Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, James Cosmo, Jim Broadbent, Elizabeth Hawthorne

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Alice Flegel

What I Learned From the Movie - March of the Penguins

I would like to recommend a movie I saw recently called, March of the Penguins, produced by Warner Independent Pictures and National Geographic Feature Films.

This movie was a surprise to me, not at all what I was expecting. I was hoping it would be more like Polar Express and I would leave the theatre feeling uplifted and that feeling would stay with me for days. This was a different kind of film. It was beautiful and stunning and I was deeply touched but I couldn’t help but feel the anguish and pain that these grace filled beings suffer every year when they endure the 70 mile - 20 day march to their breeding grounds and the experiences that follow, to give life to the enchanting baby penguins. There were scenes in this film that are burned in my memory forever.

I saw this movie with a friend who was feeling a little down and thinking his life was difficult. After watching this documentary, both of our lives seemed like a piece of cake. I highly recommend this movie. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. I have been haunted by it ever since. This amazing story has caused me to think deeply about so many things. It has uncovered places deep inside me that cry out for healing and it has reminded me of what is really important in life.

The story, beautifully narrated by Morgan Freeman, opens with the words...“In the harshest place on earth, LOVE finds a way. This is the incredible true story of a family’s journey to bring life into the world.”

And incredible is an understatement. As I watched these tuxedo clad beings leap out of their ocean home to begin their journey, walking upright in single file, I understood the power of clear focus, keeping your mind on the goal and moving forward with fierce determination in a way I had not comprehended it before. I understood too about never giving up. And as they progressed along their perilous journey in the dark and cold and the scenery changed from previous years, and they needed to find their way, I knew the importance of following my own instincts and connecting to my own inner guidance. I appreciated how important it is sometimes to just keep going, even if it means you may have to crawl on your belly for awhile.

After the long, cold and arduous trek to their mating ground, I sat raptured as each penguin attempted to choose a partner, someone especially for them, from a sea of what only appeared to be identical partners, wondering just how and why they made their choice. And then I witnessed what had to be the most tender, delicate, intricate, courtship dance on the planet, intimate, affectionate and stunningly beautiful. Totally enthralled with this ritual, there were moments here where I didn’t know where these beautiful beings ended and I began.

Each female, lucky enough to have found a mate, laid a single egg and that egg was very carefully transferred to her male partner, to guard and hatch, while the now very weak female begins her journey back the same 70 miles to obtain nourishment again on the ocean floor.

As I later viewed the fathers gently hovering over their new born offspring, the baby chick cradled on top of their feet, I felt their deep love and parental bonding and I experienced the sacredness and importance of sustaining life at all costs. And as I witnessed thousands of penguins huddled together braced against the elements, I realized the importance of sticking together for a common goal and the comfort that a sense of community can bring. Each one took turns on the outside and inside of the circle in order to share the warmer and cooler spots and I saw first hand what integrity and a sense of fair play can mean to the interconnectedness of all living things.

Now desperately needing nourishment of their own, and elated at the safe return of the females, I witnessed each father, with great sadness, getting ready to leave his baby chick and listening for the chick’s song, so that he would recognize him or her, upon his return and I remembered that we are all born with our own unique song in our heart and when we sing that song with love, our true nature is instantly recognizable and our extraordinary life purpose fulfilled.

And later when I listened to one mother penguin cry out in pain over the loss of her chick to the bitter cold, I ached too for my own lost family and understood her grief. As the weather warmed and I saw another mother push her little one out to mix and mingle with the other young penguins, I was transported back to my first day at school when my own mother did the exact same thing to me.

Near the end of the movie I watched in shock as the parents finally walked away and left their young ones behind. In that moment, I felt a strong sense of betrayal, abandonment and fear as my own need to cling to things long after they are over surfaced once again. I was reminded of the importance of letting go and moving on, taking that next step or leap of faith into a brave new world, as these little ones eventually did with their first courageous leap into the sea, their new home for the next four years, until they too would make this remarkable journey.

Until this film, I was not aware of what is involved in the life of a Emperor Penguin as I am unaware of so many other amazing things that happen on our planet. What if, in the media, instead of focusing on the comings and goings of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities, we strive to learn more about the nature of the universe and the wonders of our planet instead. How our lives would be so changed for the better I suspect, if we each did that. I applaud everyone who was involved in bringing this beautiful story to life and I thank you for a job well done.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Veronica Hay

It Takes an Iron Resolve to Make an Independent Film Production Happen

Commitment is an independent filmmaker’s most valuable resource. Without a lot of money to grease the wheels of production, a low budget film producer must rely on creativity and determination to get their films made. If a person wants to get their film made badly enough, there is not much in this world that can stop it from happening.

Making a film on your own with your own money is a very daunting task. It can also be very rewarding. When you decide to take on the awesome responsibility of writing, directing, and producing your own independent film, you better know what you are getting into beforehand. Once you set the ball in motion, there is no going back. You either succeed and your film makes to the film festival circuit (which is a major accomplishment in and of itself), or you crash and burn halfway through the film production process and your film vision never sees the light of day.

The next time you watch a movie I suggest that you pay particular attention to the credits at the end of the film. Take a look at how many names scroll across the screen and this will give you an idea of how much work goes into the making of a motion picture. Then take away all of the names on the screen and picture your name in front of every credit for every job and this will give you an idea of how much work YOU will have to do to make your own movie.

When I first graduated from film school I hit the ground running. I landed a decent job as the Director and Animator on an independent film that had Pat Boone’s name attached to it. I was hired to film clay animation stories about The Bible. I worked on that job for about four months and was paid fairly well for my efforts. I decided that the best thing I could do with the money I saved was to make another film. I would take the knowledge and money I gained and use it for my own benefit. I decided to make my own movie with the idea in mind that I would enter it in on the film festival circuit and hopefully win some awards. If that happened it would almost certainly be a boost for my fledgling film career.

I wrote a script for a short film that involved a combination of clay animation and live action, and I was ready to make a film. My plan was to use all of my knowledge and talent and do almost all the work. For the parts that I could not do myself I would hire friends and business associates at a substantially discounted rate. These people agreed to work for cheap in return for a little creative control, a credit for their demo reel, and possibly exposure if the film does well at any major film festivals. I only had to hire them for the filming of the live action scenes and for some of the post production work (like sound design, mixing, foley sound effects, etc…). The animation I would do entirely on my own.

I contacted a couple of friends of mine that managed camera and sound equipment rental houses. They set me up with a 16mm camera package and a DAT (digital audio tape) package to rent at discounted prices. I rented these packages on a weekend (to get the extra 2 days for free) and I started filming the live action part of my film right away.

I worked extremely hard that first weekend. I basically filmed most of the time with only about two to three hours of sleep each day. When I was not filming/acting/directing, I was setting up lights, moving furniture, making meals for everyone, setting up props, distributing and apply makeup, rehearsing with actors, fixing costumes, and performing script rewrites on the set, to name only a few things. By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was mentally and physically exhausted, but I still had to bring back the camera and sound equipment packages by 10:00 am or I would be charged for another day of rental. You do not have that luxury to just sleep in and not worry about it when you are making an independent film on a shoestring budget. There is no rest for the weary when you are making your own movie. Time is money, and you do not have a lot of either one of these resources.

I returned the camera and sound equipment packages just in time on Monday morning. Then I went straight to the film lab and dropped off my film. I then made an appointment for the following week (the soonest date I could get) to see my dailies (developed film), and counted the days until the day of my appointment arrived.

I arrived at the film lab a half hour early for my appointment to see my dailies. As I sat in the lobby waiting for my big moment, I began to get very nervous. Unnerving thoughts began to fill my head. What if one of the rolls of film somehow got damaged in the lab? Maybe the machine that develops the film broke when my film was running through it and all of my film rolls are scratched? What if the cameraman I hired was not as good as his demo reel implied and all my rolls are under or over exposed? What if the guy who took my film at the front desk of the film lab is a disgruntled filmmaker who only took that job so he can ruin other people’s film when they hand it over to him? What if there was a mishap in the film vault involving fire sprinklers and all my rolls of film got ruined? Of course, all of these are irrational thoughts, but nonetheless they are the kind of thoughts that go through the mind of an independent filmmaker as they are quietly waiting in the lobby of a film lab facility prior to their appointment to see the fruits of their efforts.

As it turned out, everything was fine. My dailies looked great and that only inspired me to keep the ball rolling with my film project. I put every ounce of effort that my body and soul possessed into that project, and it paid off. That film (Mike And The Magic Lamp) won several awards at several film contests that year (1998) including a Silver Award at the Houston Worldfest in the same category that had seen past winners with such names as Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, and Quentin Tarantino. It was a perfect springboard for my film career. I have made several films since then and all of them have led to bigger and better projects. My latest film is a ninety minute science fiction love story. I already have a couple of distribution offers for this film, and I have yet to enter it in a single film festival. I should be able to make a very decent profit if it does well on the film festival circuit, and I owe it all to my iron resolve to make my film career dream a reality. Where my budget was lacking, my determination picked up the slack.

Copyright 2006. Michael P. Connelly

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Michael Connelly

Hostel Movie Review

Two American backpackers in Amsterdam, Josh (Derek Richardson) and Paxton (Jay Hernandez), along with their Icelandic friend, Oli are lured into a hostel Slovakia where they are told the woman are eagar to pleasure American men. They're travelling Europe for a last trip before they graduate from college, so there are no holds barred when it comes to sex, drugs and anything else that comes their way. Once they reach Slovaki, Josh and "Pax" hook up with 2 very accommodating and very beautiful women, Natalya and Svetlana, and things go a bit weird.

This was definitely a whirlwind 1 hour and 35 minutes. Any longer and things may have gone very, very wrong and very, very long. I went to see this movie with my friend, who was completely grossed out and freaked out...just as the hype said she should be. I'm not sure if I was expecting more or have just seen one too many horror films because I thought it was kind of tame.

Jay Hernandez was great as Paxton, as far as performances go...but my goodness, this guy made some pretty stupid decisions. I won't go into them here because you'll kill me for spoiling the movie. The movie was rather predictable, but in an enjoyable way, if you know what I mean. You knew what was coming up and it's kind of what you wanted to happen. Many people got their just desserts and that's all I'll say!

Final comment: If these guys had put Canadian flag patches on their backpacks, they may not have run into so many problems. It seems that Americans are very valuable in this grotesque game.

Director: Eli Roth
Producers: Boaz Yakin, Scott Spiegel, Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Jan Vlas?k, Barbara Nedelj?kov?, Eythor Gudjonsson

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Alice Flegel

How To Enjoy The Movies Without Wasting Your Time Or Money

It's hard to keep up with the onslaught of movie releases these days. It seems that the movie studios practically conspire to drown us in a tidal wave of big-screen entertainment.

But, fear not. In this article, I'm going to give you three valuable resources that you can use to start saving your time and money while still enjoying the best movies that the studios have to offer.

If you're ready, let's get started...

1. http://www.rogerebert.com

You've likely heard of Roger Ebert. He is one of the most popular and influential movie critics alive. A movie can flourish or fail at the box office based solely upon what Ebert says about the movie. His ability to dissect a movie, analyze it and offer a fair review has led many savvy moviegoers to consult this site prior to choosing a movie to watch.

2. http://www.rottentomatoes.com

Relying upon the verdict of merely one critic may seem foolhardy to you. If that's the case, you'll enjoy this site. It gathers the reviews of dozens of movie critics (some are well-known, high-profile critics) and issues a "Tomatometer" rating based upon the consensus. Use this site as a barometer of how a movie is generally received by movie critics.

3. http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies.html

James Berardinelli started his movie review career from humble beginnings, but quickly earned the respect of other critics like Roger Ebert. Today, Berardinelli is considered one of the most credible movie reviewers online. One of the benefits of reading Berardinelli's reviews is that he often disagrees with Ebert. Rather than having to choose sides, you'll likely find both critics offer great arguments and reading their reviews offers different perspectives on the same movie.

One last tip to make your moviegoing experiences as good as it can be...

If you find that a new movie has not been reviewed by Roger Ebert or James Berardinelli, avoid seeing that movie. These two critics are extremely dedicated to their work. If they have not reviewed a movie at the time of its release, it is likely that the studio responsible for the movie did not offer pre-screenings for movie critics. That is usually a sign that the studio lacks confidence in the movie and wants to make as much money as possible on the movie's release weekend before the movie dies.

I've given you three online resources that you can use (starting this weekend) to save your time and money by avoiding bad films. While Ebert and Berardinelli offer critical reviews that dig deep into a movie in order to analyze it, RottenTomatoes.com offers a general barometer so you can get a feeling of the general consensus of movie critics about a movie.

Each of the three resources mentioned in this article offer comprehensive archives. Use these archives to test whether you agree with Ebert, Berardinelli and RottenTomatoes on past films. If you find you DO agree, you can feel comfortable placing your trust in these resources for future movie picks.

Hopefully, you can use the resources above to make the most of your next moviegoing experience.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Michael Lewis

How To Identify and Find The Best Movies

4 Factors to Keep in Mind When Searching for a Flick

In the 21st century, many people still very much enjoy spending an evening out at local movie theater. However, with the costs associated with a typical ticket to a motion picture show, a person needs to take care to make certain that the picture selected is well worth the money being spent. There are some steps you can take in regard how do you identify and find the best movies.

1. When it comes to identifying and finding the best movies, the first step that you should consider taking is reading reviews in newspapers and magazines and watching reviews on television. Of course, many people are quick to pan reviews. These people make a number of assumptions about reviews and reviewers and oftentimes conclude that a review simply is not going to be helpful when it comes considering movies. Naturally, whether a person enjoys and appreciates a certain types of movies is a matter of personal taste in many instances. With that said, if you take the time to read and watch a number of reviews by different reviewers, you will find that there are reviewers that share your tastes and likes when it comes to films and motion pictures. In other words, you will find a reviewer (or more than one reviewer) who tends to like the movies that also enjoy. In time, you will find a reviewer (or reviewer) that you can rely on when it comes to newly released motion pictures.

2. In your efforts to find the best movies that you will enjoy, the Internet has become a valuable resource. One of the tools that you will want to consider taking advantage of when it comes to finding movies that you will appreciate and enjoy, are video clips that are now to be found on the World Wide Web. By previewing these video clips of soon to be released of just released motion pictures, you will be able to get at least a taste of what a particular film is all about. Of course, in releasing these clips over the Net, movie producers take care to make certain that the clips feature well done sections of the film. In other words, the clips that are placed on the Net are the best of the best when it comes to a given motion picture in most instances.

3. In working on identifying movies that you will enjoy and appreciate, keep in mind the value of word of mouth. In life, it is natural that you have similar tastes to your friends. Therefore, talk to those friends whose opinions that you value and see what they have to say about a given motion picture. If you have friends in which you share interests and tastes, you very well may enjoy the same types of motion pictures that appeal to your friends. (On the other hand, we all have at least some people in our lives that are polar opposites. Therefore, if you have such a person in your life, if they like a motion picture it may be one you hate and vice versa.)

4. Finally, as you go about the process of finding the best movies, you naturally pay attention to actors in different films. Most people tend to have favorites and tend to gravitate towards films that feature beloved actors. However, do not stop at paying attention only to the actors that are playing in a particular motion picture. Look at who is directing and who is producing. In Hollywood, indeed throughout the motion picture industry, there are directors and producers that truly are hot properties at any given point in time. By paying attention to who is directing and who is directing a given film, you will be able to have better luck landing on motion pictures that you will enjoy.

When considering ways to find the best possible movies, by following these tips outlined in this article, you will end up being satisfied with the amount of money that you spend on tickets to movies. You will fin that your money is better spent by following these pointers when it comes to selecting a motion picture.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Roy Barker

High Definition DVDs The Future Of Movies

Its said that HD radio has become a hot ticket item in the technology field but there is something coming soon that should take things up up a notch “ HD DVDS “ yes you will seeon be able to watch high definition movies on dvd from the comfort of your home.
So what are High Definition DVDs? well there two HD dvd formats that are being worked on as we speak one is called HD DVD and the other is called Blu-ray both of them support High defination films.
Something that is really incredible about these dvds is that the HD DVD will be a single layer capacity disk that will allow up to 15GB and then their will be a dual layer one that is 30GB. You might think that is pretty impressive but that isn't anything. Toshiba is in the process of developing a triple layer disk that will allow 45GB of data and then their will be a 100GB one that is four layer.. very impressive.
Basically high definition movies require more space and thats why companies are developing these high capacity disks to allow this to be possible.
What are the benefits of this?
Well this means DVD movies will have even more on them such as Directors comments, interactive features, out-takes and even a 2nd version of the dvd which will be in High Definition, I believe to fully benefit from this you would need a good tv and dvd player.
November 2004 was the start of talks saying that HD DVD would take over from regular dvds. Mind you blu-ray movies will require a Blu-ray player You should see both the HD DVD and Blu-Ray provide plent of space for high-definition movies this coming year.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Tamara Williams