I wish I could give it less stars

OK, everyone knows how harrowing this film is. It's in Black & whits, except for the schmaltzy over the top"if you haven't cried yet, this'll really get you" ending where loads of people file past the Schindler's grave, it's just too hollywood and overstated, I'd also like to dock it points for stopping Stanley Kubrick from making his film which was in pre production about the holocaust, apparently he pulled the plug when he heard that Spielberg was making SL - what a pity.
I'd like to mark it down for many many reasons, but I can't because it's brilliant.

Best season yet!

Season 4 of LOST was absolutely amazing. Even I, an avid and absolute LOST addict, will admit to Season 3 being slightly lacking. There was definitely an uncertainty towards the beginning of season 3 as to where and when the show was going to culminate. The producers, having decided on a six season format, finally ramped up the storytelling mid-season 3 and have rarely let slip on the quality of the writing and watchabilty of this awesome show. Season 3's cliffhanger was totally unexpected and despite the un-Godly wait, due to the writer's strike, season 4 picked up nicely where 3 left off and the pace was clearly quickened due to the shows final season being set. Answers being given out left, right and centre...albeit with more questions being raised along the way. The genius of this program lies within the writers ability to draw the viewer in to and leave us wondering what is going to happen next. Curiousity is surely their best tool, at least for the committed viewer. I understand why some viewers became impatient with the questions upon questions and gave up on LOST, however I stand by my feelings that LOST is one of, if not the most, intelligently written shows on tv to date. I look forward to seeing where season 5 brings us. Season 4 was quality from start to finish with episodes such as"The Constant","The Shape of Things To Come" and the multi-episode finale"There's No Place Like Home" being stand out episodes.
For new viewers, LOST needs to be watched from the beginning to truly see it's complexities, which shows just how cleverly it is written.
Patience is a virtue and I have faith that this show will live up to it's promise. With episodes filled with action, humour, heartache and a deep underlying mythology, as well as cliffhangers that leave me shouting at the tv for more. I have no doubt when all is said and done, this will be one of the defining tv shows of all time.
As 'Irina Derevko' said in another of JJ. Abrams tv series,"Truth takes time".
The only thing that saddens me is when will the UK be able to buy these LOST boxsets on blu-ray? The US has been able to buy previous seasons in Hi-Def and I am feeling left out especially after comments from America about how great the quality is. UK-ness, please offer us the same as our friends across the pond.
Lostaholic London Lad

300

This film is awesome and probably the best film of 2007 !
Buy it if you like fighting, war and good morals. This is a true story based on the battle at thermopylae where 300 spartan fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive persian army. The film is very graphic, loud and raw. Buy it and prepare for glory !

An Excellently Done Period Piece Is My One Weakness!

"Lark Rise to Candleford" is another exemplary production that follows the heels of"Cranford" in what seems to be an ongoing revival of period series adapted from the English classics. It is, in every bit of its moments, PURE and JOYFUL IMMERSION into a bygone era of rural England, set in the Victorian 1880s. Based on Flora Thompson's"Lark Rise to Candleford" Trilogy, which was published in the late 1930s and early 1940s, this (loose) film adaptation is at times funny, always perceptive, and ultimately bittersweet. Unfortunately, its obvious sins are sometimes being maudlin (and thus, contrived) and corny, too, which can really make viewers squirm uncomfortably in their seats. This is evident in some (not all) of its dramatic and"funny" sequences. Plus, it is mostly sunny golden at the hamlet of Lark Rise and its neighboring market town Candleford. This is not your rainy and damp England.

And yet, despite these drawbacks,"Lark R to C" is always redeemed by the highly likeable cast, strong performances by the same, a clever screenplay, and high-class meticulous attention to production details (the latter deserves more than honorable mention.) The story development also gets better with the passing of each episode. It brims with an earnest celebrative attitude towards rural life with songs and camaraderie, and there's no mistaking the love and care which the filmmakers have put into the production. It is perhaps this quality which makes the viewing so enjoyable (certainly more than enough to cover up its small sins.)

The eponymous rural hamlet of Lark Rise and its busier eight-mile neighbor town Candleford are where the events take place. The tales are a strung-up assortment of sorts concerning country family life and traditions, rural attitudes about education, romantic rivalries, unrequited love, domestic violence and jealousy, lost fathers, and some Dickensian topics such as the harshness of the workhouse and child abuse. Seemingly at the center of these all is Olivia Hallinan's Laura Timmins, a young woman who hails from Lark Rise and who has subsequently come to Candleford to be under the charge of her more urbane cousin Dorcas Lane. It is Laura Timmins' journal that unravels the episodes. We hear a more adult version of her narrate events in a firsthand account. As such, the focus of the stories does not chiefly concern Laura's coming-of-age and her temporary disdain for her humble origins, but also looks into the lives of the other characters as well; in particular, her cousin Dorcas Lane.

The effervescent Julia Sawalha, who has her own brand of sparkle, plays Dorcas Lane, the town postmistress who really has one weakness too many. In"Pride & Prejudice," Julia Sawalha plays Lydia Bennett, the sister who's prone to mischief; while in"Cranford," she's the long-suffering Jessie Brown. In"Lark R to C," she has both of these personalities in a well-balanced tow: forbearing and resigned to fate, but always with an infectious impishness lurking beneath. Notice the twinkle in her eyes, there's something impertinent about it that makes her portrayal very unique and a true enjoyment to watch. Her character, sarcastically referred to as"St. Dorcas" in one instance, is oftentimes the life of the town (she has around 60% of Dolly Levi in her.)

Julia Sawalha is flanked by a great supporting cast. Notable among them are Brendan Coyle (whom we love in"North and South") and Claudie Blakely as Mr. and Mrs. Timmins, Ben Miles and the beautiful Olivia Grant as Squire and Lady Midwinter, Karl Johnson and Linda Bassett as the Turrills, Dawn French as the tipsy Caroline Arless, Liz Smith as the cranky housekeeper Zillah, newcomer John Dagleish as the lovelorn Alfie, and newcomer heartthrob Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Phillip the assistant gamekeeper. And who could resist the sumptuous location and production design?! The BBC outdoes itself again! The (manmade) locale and costumes are perfect and impeccable when it should be; very conducive to giving flesh and personality to Flora Thompson's sunny country novels.

Some other minor complaints I have are:
1. The UK packaging. There are four discs in all, but divided into two overlapping stacks on each side of the inner case. Note the words"overlapping stacks." This not only increases the chance of the discs getting scratches, but also becomes an impractical nuisance when taking them out again by chronology. I hope the upcoming US edition addresses this problem, for the sake of collectors.
2. The Bonus Material, which only features"The Making of Lark Rise to Candleford." I wish they added a documentary about Flora Thompson and how she came to write these semi-autobiographical novels. It would also have been nice to add something about the workings of the postal service of olden days, the role of a Squire, the tradition of penny reading, or even provide the recipes for wine jelly and Banbury Cake. Yeah, yeah, I know I'm asking for too much. (^_^)

To cap the review, I will repeat my introductory statement."Lark R to C" is, in every bit of its moments, PURE and JOYFUL IMMERSION. People who delight in English country settings and tales from a slower era will no doubt rewatch this many times over. Perfect for chilling out on a lazy or rainy weekend afternoon with friends or loved ones. Also perfect for burning that midnight oil, just don't do it during weekdays. (-_^)

"Arse is not a civil word." ~ Caroline Arless (Dawn French)

"Love rarely crosses the great divide of social classes." ~ Dorcas Lane (Julia Sawalha)

"I'm sure you won't always want to be bogged down in a backwater place like Candleford." ~ Mr. Rushton, the postal inspector, to Laura.

*Ten episodes of anglophilic bliss, with English subtitles.

Beautiful film--right message?

This was a beautiful movie, and as a new father, it really pushed all of my buttons. Will Smith's characte, Chris Gardner, shows just how far a man can go to provide for his child. It made me realize how easy my life has been, and made me wonder if I could have responded to his circumstances as heroically as he did.

My only concern here is not with the film itself, but with the story itself. What was it that inspired the protagonist's efforts? Seeing a man with a Ferrari. Though we can understand his desperation to keep a roof over his son's head, why do we sympathize with his choice of careers? He longs for a flash car and mansion on the hill, and risks everything to achieve that, when it would have been much easier to get his university degree and become a math professor, accountant, or something else. Is becoming a rich stock broker really the American dream? Not for me.

Absolutely Beautiful and Moving

I bought this DVD and have watched it again and again and again. It is so heartfelt and so moving, so well acted, beautiful music, it is faultless. What I loved about this, was it gave a rare insight into life of different classes in Northern England in the 1800's, we are given a taste of the differences in manners and etiquette of Northerners and Southerners, and the snobbery that existed and to a degree still exists between people from the North and South of England. But for me it was how we are journeyed into the live's of the characters, who come from both the upper and working classes, seeing the very real struggles and working conditions of the working classes and what they endured. There is a beautiful and subtle development of love between the main characters, who are so contrasting in nature but are so well suited, the imagery set against an absolutely beautiful music score, means that North and South just does not leave an impression on the mind but on the very heart. Having watched many very good BBC adaptations, Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, Cranford, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Eyre, Emma etc etc etc. I put this at number one, it just leaves such a deep impression.

Whiskey! Hilarious and finally released!

Snuff box is the sit-com come sketch show from Matt Berry of Darkplace fame and Rich Fulcher of Mighty Boosh fame. It's totally insane off the wall ramblings of mad-men. Basically they work as hangmen who frequent a Gentlemens members club and this is interspersed with various sketches and songs all interspersed together in the end. If you love the Boosh or Drak place you should love this.

A petetion was started a few years ago to get this released and i guesss something has finally worked as now it has a release date.

hopefully this could lead to a second series but if not at least now people can get it in full instead of having to watch random clips on Youtube.

Season 6 part 1

Hi

Im from south africa and i am a huge soprano fan . When i bought the Season 6 series , I thought that iwas getting the last and final episodess , much to my dissapiontment i found that there was still another series coming out" part 2" . after purchasing the dvd set . It is however still an awesome collection to have and is still well worth the money i just feel that the box sets should stipulate that season 6 has part 1 and part 2 .

I am awaiting the release of part 2 and have already pre-ordered season 6 part 2 and am looking forward to it .

brilliant !

I watched all of seasons 2,3 and 4 when it was on TV but missed alot of season 1. im glad i decided to buy season 1, it filled in a lot of gaps as you can imagine! the only bad thing about the box set is that it is highly addictive and i watched all the episodes in a very short space of time. also, watch out for the need to talk about it afterwards!

Worth buying.

Bones is very different to other popular American shows like CSI, Lost and Dexter. Rather than being slick, shiny and plot obsessed it concentrates on character development and humour, a welcome change in my opinion.

For anyone wondering about whether to buy this DVD, you should. It is cheap, entertaining and funny. The female characters, such as Brennan, are complex and unusual rather than being shallow, blonde caricatures. Brennan is smart but awkward socially; a brilliant central character. Bones, the FBI agent, is also great. He is very funny and the relationship between them is a brilliant backbone to the show.

This is, however, not one of the best shows ever on T.V. It is well worth watching but by no means a masterpiece. Some of the supporting cast are irritating and the show lacks a mythology and story arc. Additionally, the emotions of the characters, and the relationships between them, are not left to develop through the story as much as they should be. Far too often the characters are forced to explain their, and others, motivations in slightly stilted, and often embarrassing, dialogue.

In spite of this, I would recommend this DVD whole-heartedly. I enjoyed it much more than I expected. Its characters, humour and charm more than make up for the occasional deficiency in the script.

The Shield begins to slip

I am a big fan of the Shield however in this season the main plot is the Strike Team are being reinvestigated over the death of the team mate"Terry" Vic murders in episode one of Season 1.
Quite frankly I thought that episode of the Shield was very unrealistic and have tried to forget about it so as this season is largely based on it, I didn't enjoy it as much as normal and the season also ends on what I also felt was a very unrealistic incident.

I think it's real shame the writers have gone over the top and as with such a great cast and show there was no need to do that.

I believe Season 6 is largely based on what happens in the final episode of season 5 so not sure if I'm going to continue.

Charming and insightful

This film is lovely to watch - the childhood scenes in Bangladesh particularly so. The film successfully makes you, as an audience, relate to Nazeen whilst also empathizing with the other characters in the film.
As with all films adaptations I wouldn't recommend watching this soon after reading the book - due to the nature of film they can't capture the depth of the novel. It is a bit of a slow burner so I wouldn't recommend this for action lovers. This is great for anyone wanting to see a beautiful and well executed piece of drama.

Powerful

A poweful telling of an important story. I understand from some of the other reviews that it is not completely factual, but I take it as a message rather than a factual account. Superb performances from all the cast and merits much more exposure and viewing than it has received. Reccomended viewing.

"...And If You Are Hearing Voices - Why Not Get Them to Sing A Long Too?"

Screened in 1994, this 6 part comedy/drama from BBC Scotland is fondly remembered by everyone who watched it - and the cause of much puzzlement as to WHY it was never repeated or released on video....? Some reckon the soundtrack was to blame, and perhaps, with so many classic Beatles and Stones tracks that was part of the problem - but finaly, almost 15 years after it was first shown,"Taking Over the Asylum" is available on dvd.

Ken Stott (Messiah, Rebus) is Eddie, a none to success double glazing salesman who lives for his stint as a DJ at a hospital radio station. When he is edged out for younger talent he is offered the chance to run the similar station at St Judes - a Mental Health Unit in Glasgow. Before long, Eddie's life is caught up with those of the patients and staff. He meets manic depressive Campbell (David Tennant - Casanova, Dr Who), schizophrenic electronics wizard and regular escapee Fergus, OCD sufferer Rosalie and self harming, fragile Francine.

As he learns the patients individual stories Eddie finds a whole new world he never new existed and, although his Lithuanian Grandmother, who lives with him, wants nothing more than him to settle down with"a nice girl", he finds himself drawn to damaged Francine.

The script and plots for this series are amazing. You will be laughing out loud and then screaming"no!" at the screen as hilarity turns to tragedy and back again. The cast bring to life the inmates and the schemes and dreams of manic Campbell begin to convince Eddie that a DJ-ing career cannot be far away......

Audio footage from writer Donna Franceschild, David Tennant and Katy Murphy (Francine) is available for 2 episodes and there is also a chance to see David's audition for the role of Campbell.

I cannot recommend this series too highly - I would award it 10 stars if I could. The realities of Mental Health provision are not glossed over and many points will leave the viewer wondering what more can be done for the most damaged members of society? I will finish this review with Campbell's constant battle cry from the wards of St Judes;-"We are Loonies - and we are PROUD!"

Consistantly entertaining

Hasn't lost any of the pace of the first series, and the character dynamics are great. Quality, glossy cheesiness, great to have on standby for when you've got a spare couple of hours and can't be bothered to watch a film. Fave characters are Abby the 'goth', and the newbie Agent McGee, who looks like a baby seal. It's also got some surprisingly funny bits (in a low-key way). And the special effects people have alot of fun this series with some serious gore.

Magical Bequiling Wonder

"Once, once
Knew how to talk to you
Once, once
But not anymore" Glen Hansard

The stars of this delightful film are 'Boy' and 'Girl'. 'Boy', Glen Hansard is a music maker who sings on the streets of Dublin at night for money and recognition. By day, Boy fixes vacuum cleaners in his dad's shop. 'Girl'is Margeta Irglova, a Czech pianist who cleans homes and sells flowers for a living, She, too, is songwriter but rarely has time. She has a small young girl and mother to care for. She has left her husband and is tyring to make a new life. Boy has lost the love of his life, she has moved to London. These two people find each other as lovers of music and start singing together. They form a friendship. They spend a great deal of time together and beside friendship they form a bittersweet love story. She entices him to leave his day job with dad and find the money to start a musical career. Their songs are about heartbreak. As AO Scott says,""Once" is far from a conventional love story. It is, instead, the story of a creative partnership that develops by chance and that involves a deeper, riskier bond than mere sex ever could." This is a film to see more than once. It is a lively story of making a demo tape. What, you say, is that all there is? Ahh, yes and more. We are left with a sad-happy feeling from this film. The songs make a marvelously delicious soundtrack and will resound in your memories.

"That's it, a bittersweet love story with ravishing Hansard music ("Falling Slowly" is a killer) and the ache of romance in its soul. Nothing about this mood piece should work -- the budget is shoestring and the actors are inexperienced. But Once brims with small pleasures that pay major dividends." Peter Travers

'Once' has an easy lovable charm that grows on us as we view this film.
Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-24-08

The Swell Season

Once

Still excellent

*season 2 spoiler*

I think this has been the best series so far! I was expecting the departure of Kate to be the beginning of the end, but instead it added more depth to the show. More of the characters back stories are skillfully revealed in this series, and the new character Ziva is definately as good as Kate. Plus Im glad they are still doing entertaining self-contained episodes, and there's thankfully no sign of them starting to take themselves too seriously. It was watching this season I realised just how addictive NCIS is. I can't wait for season 4. Yay for cheesy American TV!

a stinker.....

Thought I'd give this film a chance after seeing the entertaining strictly ballroom.
I sincerely regret that decision.
Oh dear, this supposedly classic love story in the hands of this director is laughably sentimental and trite, the acting and modern day characters resemble anything but reality. 20 minutes in and I developed the uncomfortable feeling that this film represented the last word in camp. Still I thought I'd give it a chance.
The real nail in the coffin for me however was the fact that this film features an extraordinarily irritating transvestite whose song and dance routine had me reaching for the eject button with superhuman strength.
Utter lack of taste is this directors crippling handicap.