Amazon.com

Even the simplest move we make requires a host of complex interactions between our muscles, bones, and brain. DK's Eyewitness: Human Machine lays it all out in a way kids and adults will both love. Their distinctive visual style, using modern special effects, always provokes a "Wow!" from the audience. Examining athletes in slow-motion, microphotography of our tiniest parts, and state-of-the-art imaging techniques for peeking inside the brain, DK shows us what is known and piques our curiosity to learn more. It's rare for a family education video to actually educate the whole family--Eyewitness: Human Machine works and should be a part of any lifetime of learning. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful
My 5 year old daughter was a little taken back by the robot/human actor, but grew to love him. She has watched this video over and over again within days. She learned so much and so did mom and dad. We are homeschoolers and this is a wonderful way to learn about the human body. Little bits of facts; not over-loading the children. Great learning tool.

not for 2 year olds
This video has a lot of narratives and it is kinda slow. It counldn't hold the attention of my near-two-year old. She also found the 'robot' in the video a little scary. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Comedian Leslie Nielsen says that his garden is a "realm of stalkers, serial killers, and aerial combat" just as a bat swoops in and beheads a praying mantis. Is this a video for budding naturalists or for horror flick fanatics? It's unclear. While the cinematography may be noteworthy, the results are altogether too fantastic. Special effects create speed-eating fire ants devouring a dragonfly and a wildly dancing vine. The shrew in Nielsen's garden might as well be the pesky gofer in Caddyshack. The project has potential as a comedy but is not a good example of National Geographic's educational standards. Though Nielsen concludes that a garden is a place to pay attention and not wage war against animals you don't understand, the whole premise is that everyone's backyard is a war zone: gardeners are portrayed as the good guys and creatures are depicted as the enemies. Hey, here's a novel concept: if you want to introduce garden creatures to your children, turn off the television and take them outside instead. --Cristina Del Sesto ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A pre-finale look back at the seven years of ST:TNG
Journey's End is a retrospective look back at the seven eventful seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and a preview of the two-hour series finale, and it originally aired immediately ahead of the finale All Good Things. You get a little summation of each character as he/she has evolved over the years, with a lot of emphasis on the first season, and the leading actors all have a moment to comment on their experiences over the years. The character of Dr. Pulaski, who replaced Beverly Crusher as ship's medical officer for at least one season, is completely ignored, which sort of rubs me the wrong way (not that I actually liked her character, but she deserved at least a mention) - especially since I had to look at several old clips featuring Wesley Crusher (thankfully, though, there was no interview with Will Wheaton).

The special was hosted by Jonathon Frakes, and he takes you through a little mini-tour of some of the sets, answers a few questions people have often asked about the ship, and shows you how a few different special effects are brought to life. The real stars of the special are the crucial men and women behind the cameras, as they get their moment in the sun to show and tell you a little bit about their jobs. You also get a look at one of the largest Star Trek conventions of 1994 when Jonathon Frakes makes a surprise appearance among the throng of ardent Trekkies.

There are a lot of references to and previews of the final episode, which in itself brings everything around full circle with its revisit of the events from the premiere episode of the series. Frakes also talks about the movie then in production which incorporated Captain Kirk, Scotty, and Chekhov into the world of ST:TNG, the series Deep Space Nine, and the upcoming Voyager series.

It's basically an informal tribute to the success of ST:TNG, and it was probably meant as a comfort of sorts to the legions of fans having to cope with the end of a beloved show. If so, it performed both jobs quite well indeed.

Journey's End - A fitting tribute!
After watching all seven seasons on DVD I felt it only appropriate to pull this one out of the VHS cabinet and watch it again. Of course, since picking up a DVD player in late 98, the VHS cabinet took some getting into due to rust and cobwebs, but obviously the mission was successful.

I haven't watched this since I purchased it right when it came out at the end of the show. At that time, this was all some great and fresh video about The Next Generation's cast and crew. After watching all of the Special Features areas of all seven seasons, one quickly realizes that a majority of what is seen here was put on the boxed DVD sets. That is perfectly fine though considering that are some things on here that weren't added to those sets.

Star Trek in so many ways represents what is good about humanity and its future that it is almost compelling to watch and Star Trek The Next Generation not only picked that up but took it "where no other series had gone before." In "Journey's End" you will find it to be a short but fitting tribute to the great many things that took place on and off screen during the seven year run of this outstanding series. You will also see a little bit about Deep Space Nine which was finishing its second year when this tribute was made. Host Jonathan Frakes does an outstanding job as well!

I would highly recommend this VHS, if you can find it! {ssintrepid}

Journeys Never End
If you are a moderate to hardcore TNG fan, I think you'd really like to have this video as part of your collection. A video like this is particularly good to have for future years, so you can take a quick journey back into the show. The video isn't very long, but it does offer a wide range of video clips and cast interviews. This tape was made prior to the final episode of the series, so they do focus a fair amount of time to discussing "All Good Things..." (series finale). My only complaint is that there isn't much emotion involved in the tie up. This type of video could have come at the conclusion of any season. I was hoping for a little more depth in the cast interviews, but it's still an enjoyable piece of nostalgia.

Interesting and nostalgic, I liked it.
It gives us a peek forward and a look back at favorite characters, and of course Q is in typical "wild ride" form. I hated that it was the last one made, (because the series ended), but it was a good storyline and good Trek.

POO-POO
my ten year old daughter could act bette ... Read more

Amazon.com

Monty Python's first feature is essentially a reworking of their best skits from the first two seasons of their cult TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus, shot on film outside the usual studio sets (Nudge Nudge, for example, is set in a tavern filled with passersby). As the TV series was as yet unseen in the U.S. at the time of this feature, And Now for Something Completely Different became for many Americans their first taste of the Pythons' brand of surreal, silly humor and remains a fond favorite. The writing and performances are fine and the film is packed with some of their best bits: How to Avoid Being Seen, Hell's Grannies, Blackmail, The Lumberjack Song, and The Upper Class Twit of the Year, among others. Many of the sketches have been shortened, however, and the loss of the overbright video sheen (the film has a muddy, dull look to it) and the invigorating presence of a live audience leaves the film sluggish at times. They're still feeling out the possibilities of the feature-length, which they finally conquer with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, still their finest hour and a half. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Clean, Clear, and Funny
This movie introduces no new material to Monty Python's body of work. It selects several key routines from the first two series of Monty Python's Flying Circus and reshoots them. So why bother?

Because this is easier to watch.

This film was shot as part of an abortive attempt to introduce Monty Python to an American audience (which wouldn't actually be accopmlished for another three years). Where the original series suffered from a low budget and spotty production values, this film has high-end production quality, including clean sound, a single variable-angle 35mm camera, and the exclusion of the laugh track that muddied the sound on the TV series. There was obviously money for retakes, allowing the boys to edit out minor line muffs and giving them permission to experiment with their character delivery.

The picture is clear and organic. The sound is clean and audible. The characters are fun and believable. Just what we've always loved about Monty Python, isn't it?

But be warned, except for one or two linking jokes, this is material that you've already seen. Don't expect anything that will take your beloved boys in new directions, and don't think you'll get anything new. Just sit back, hear the jokes you've never heard clearly before, and laugh out loud. That's what they wanted, isn't it?

Funniest comedy ever- beside Holy Grail
This is simply the outright funniest sketch comedy to be had on DVD, or anywhere else. Every skit is as funny or better than the last, and that's saying something for Monty Python to top itself. The Holy Grail (by the Python also) is only better due to the solid story for a complete movie. Some of the humor on Something Completely Different is a bit abstract, such as the "How's the wife?" man in the bar. The dead parrot, the lumberjack song, and the marraige counselor are only the jems in this collage of the obscure; every skit here is a winner. One of the best parts of the 'movie' is how each skit is strung together, usually with the troupe's cheap old animation that makes everyone laugh just as hard as they did at the skits.

And Now for Something Completely Similar to the TV Show
And now for something completely different...if you've never seen the first two seasons of the series.

"And Now..." was put together with the specific purpose of "breaking" Python in the States and never meant for British audiences already familiar with the group. In one of the great ironies of showbiz history, it was a flop Stateside but a hit in England!

The film collects skits from the first two seasons and redoes them with a series of linking devices like the Colonel and Gilliam's animation to form a cohesive form. On some levels, it feels a bit stale compared to the original. While the Pythons have complained about the harsh TV lighting and studio audience, the film with the same skits seems lifeless at times. But the humor still comes through, and I can't knock this film as it was my own intro to the more surreal side of the group.

There's some great familiars such as "Dirty Fork", "Dead Parrot", "The Two Kilimanjaros", "Hell's Grannies" and so on. This film works best for those unaware of Python, but the diehard fan will find this enjoyable as well (though, again, it suffers in comparison to the actual TV series). Share it with your friends and neighbors, force it on them. They'll either laugh or wonder what the f#$k is the big deal.

ABSOLUTELY WRETCHED
Hello. My name is Johan Gambolputty de von Ausfernschplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-wemache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm. I would like to take this time to apologize to my pet penguin Terry-even though it wasn't technically penetration, I still feel bad about it. (He's allergic to television sets). I also wish to revoke my rating of this DVD - I give it 5 stars (it was delightful).
Thank you,
Johan Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm.

And this is just one of the many virtues of not being seen.
This will always be my favorite movie. Monty Python's unique brand of humon really is at it's peak here (i feel it bottomed out with the not-so-funny "the meaning of life"), and it provides the silly realease one needs after a long day. as an added bonus: turn on the movie to any point, even if you havn't seen it, and watch for five minutes for a guarenteed laugh. ... Read more

Description

With more than 3,000 years of history, Jerusalem is mentioned an astonishing 800 times in the Bible, and prophesied to play a key role in world destiny.Many of these prophecies have already come to pass, with some yet to be fulfilled.This video shows how the current peace process is fraught with peril, why it is impossible for Jerusalem to know true peace in our age, how the Antichrist will lead the world's armies to destroy Israel, the truth about the Vatican's intentions, and the Palestinian myth.It powerfully corrects much of "the misinformation and propaganda" aggressively advanced by the world media and others. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

ISRAEL, ISLAM, AND ARMAGAGEDDON
I am saddened after watching this video knowing that a man has to slander a religion in order to promote his own religion at the same time. It is a shame that people will watch this video and come across the verses of the Koran he mentioned and actually confirm it as truth, and then label Islam and Muslims as potential terrorists.

Hunt says that Muslims pray to Allah, the hater of Jews and the moon god. His tone is lowered when he says it because he knows it's not true. The name Allah means The God, and before Islam, the Pagans worshipped 365 gods, and labeled Allah as one of them. As for the Jews, Allah does not hate them, but hates one that abuses and kills his Prophets. Historically, the Jews have fit that description. The Koran is just a warning to the Jews of today.The Prophet himself customarily responded to the calls of the Jews and visited their sick. He visited a Jew who was on his deathbed and even stood in respect for a dead Jew being carried through the town.

He says that the prophet Muhammad saw made a peace teaty with the Meccans and then 2 years later came to Mecca and slaughtered the men. The holy Prophet and his followers suffered all kinds of injuries and persecution at Mecca for thirteen long years. The Meccans having failed in their plot to kill the Prophet, pursued the Muslims to eliminate them. God then permitted the believers to fight the aggressors in order to end persecution and to defend their rights. The Muslims made a treaty with the Meccans for 10 years, but the Meccans broke it, which led to the Muslims taking over Mecca, without 1 person being killed.

He mentions a few verses from the Koran, one of them says that Muslims are not to take Christians or Jews as friends. The word friends should be translated as protectors and it is only during a time of war. Christians are known in Islam as the people of the book and are said to be the closest to Muslims. It is also lawful for a Muslim man to marry a Jew or a Christian and for a Muslim woman to do the same thing in some Muslim countries like Tunisia.

As for the verses that say to kill non-believers wherever you find them, a war is not to be fought with kid gloves. What I mean is that during a war, and just wars have to be fought, you must fight the enemy with every strategy. Just ask the United States army how much a person should be prepared. The Koran is giving military directions when it says to chop the finger tips of the idolaters who were carrying swords. Would anyone be upset if American soldiers chopped off the finger tips of the Nazis?

As I have said, a just war must be fought, but it must not include the killing of innocents as the Koran says [17:33] "nor take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for a just cause." It is a pity that Palestinians are being killed under false justifications and when they fight back, they are branded as terrorists. Yes, they have used suicide bombing, but would they do so if they had their own sovereignty?

(...)

Extremely disturbing yet truthful.
This video is very accurate in the prejudice attitude of the world against israel, and the world is blatantly pro arab as this video proves. This video proves everything I have been observing: muslims killing non-religious muslims, and pretty much anyone else who isn't strongly for the koran.Reports on television of fathers murdering their daughters for dating non muslims, etc. This movie shows the reasons why all this happens.

There is nothing in the muslim religion that is just, !!and I have spoken to many arabs living in jewish areas that converted as they understood what their religion really stood for!!. And they have told me many stories about how the religion is basically a rip off of jewdaism but with cruel, twisted insights. Example: Halal meat is when you kill an animal, by hitting it on the neck with a dull knife three times and lifting it up into the air as it dies and saying this animal's suffering is for you allah. Compared to jewish Kosher meat where the animal is killed in a specific way so it doesn't suffer.

I invite you to visit http://ipnews.planetgac.com/

I'm sorry to say this, but after seeing this, all my opinions were confirmed, and I will never trust, hire, work with another muslim ever again as it is his DUTY to murder me as a muslim, and if he doesn't, then he is not being faithful to his religion.

I also want to point you to the fact that the muslim that reviewed this video a 1 star, conveniently left out the part of his duty as a muslim to murder all else.

UPDATE:
I have downloaded the Quran and started reading it, and yes, I confirm all the quotes from this video to be true, Jerusalem is not mentioned in the quran once, and out of just over 4000 lines of text which is the entire koran, over 180 lines have one of the following words: kill/murder/destroy/slay.

I would also like to say, this video is biased, but biased for a good reason, and although there are some views on the video that I do not agree on, they are still nothing but views and the video tries to stick to the facts.

THE TRUE WORD OF GOD read the bible and see yourself
THIS VIDEOS CONTAINS ACCURATE PORTRAYALS AND IS A MUST SEE FOR ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN. IT IS THE WORD OF GOD TOLD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING UP UNTIL NOW. AFTER YOU REVIEW THIS VIDEO YOU WILL NOT BE DECEIVED BY AGGRESSIVE WORLD MEDIA. OBJECTIVE, UNBIASED, AND IMPARTIAL...ANYONE AND I DO MEAN ANYONE WITH A RATIONAL THINKING PATTERN WILL BE ABLE TO DISCERN THE TRUTH FOR THEMSELVES! DO NOT BE FOOLED! DAVE HUNT EXPLAINS THE TRUTH BEHIND THE REAL INTENTION OF ISLAM, THE ROLE OF ANTI-SEMITISM, AND THE DEEDS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST COMPLETE VIDEO EVER MADE ABOUT RELIGION IN GENERAL. THE TIME IS COMING AND LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD!

A must see
This video is a MUST SEE! Dave Hunt does a great job on this one. SOOOOOO much information...you'll have to see it over and over!~excellent

Consistent with the facts
I have been given a lot of one-sided information about the conflict between Israel and Arab, and the Catholic Church. This video helped me a lot to see the fact from another side. With my own research on the matter, I find more consistency in this video with the facts than in different opinions. ... Read more

Amazon.com

We can turn the Colorado River off, if we want to. That sobering thought is the heart of An American Nile, an exploration of the dam-building frenzy that possessed the Bureau of Reclamation in the middle part of the 20th century and nearly led to damming the Grand Canyon. Through stock footage, modern shots of the river and its surrounding country, and interviews with the builders and their environmentalist foes, we can see the struggle between two noble desires: to make the desert livable and to preserve the wilderness. Stirring and triumphant as the great dams are, they unquestionably started a chain reaction of environmental consequences unforeseen by their designers. Watching the Cadillac Desert series reminds us that we have great power, and we must use it wisely if we want the desert to continue bearing fruit. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must for people in the West
I have seen this video 3 or 4 times during and since college and it amazes me every time I veiw it. Man's arrogance towards nature is very saddening. This is a very good example from both sides of the board on water conservation. It shows what there views were then and what they are now are and how they have changed. I would reccomend this to anyone especailly those who think that water/power is a never ending resource, and those who take conservation lightly. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

NOT BAD
I have been doing yoga since the seventies. I have tried to get my ranching husband, with off and on back problems, into it for 20 years now. I got this tape from the library and he is into it now. I will buy thistape because it is a great tape for beginners that don't want to go to aclass.

The best Yoga Video for beginners
Lilias makes Yoga easy to learn. I have followed this video for the last 3 months. I feel better, have more energy, For the first time I have even quit smoking without any problems. Great stress reliever!

I love this video
I love this video. Since I got it, I've been doing the routines daily and feel wonderful! I've had other tapes before and found them boring. Sure they may have pretty scenery or some born-beautiful model but give meLilias any day. She gives detailed instructions to help you learn thecorrect position, movement, frame of mind, breathing, everything! I likeher style of teaching and I find nothing wrong with the quality of thistape.I watched the first routine every day for about two weeks. Becausethere is so much information given, it took that long for me to feelcompletely familiar with the instructions and learn the routine by heart.After another week or two of doing it without the tape, I started learningthe second routine on the tape.I'm now learning that, and still doing thefirst routine. I can't wait to progress to the intermediate level but amthoroughly enjoying this tape for now. I feel changes in my body I canhardly describe. Besides being more limber I feel it is helping my internalorgans and endocrine system. I just feel more healthy and alive andpeaceful, more in touch with myself and also less stressed out. Also, itcould be my imagination but I think my skin has improved and become lessdry.If you want a no-nonsense, informative yoga instruction tape at thebeginner level, I recommend Lilias Folan! I'm now hooked on yoga.

Video quality is so poor--sound is uneven and distracting
Before I purchased this video I read the customer comments. One of the remarks was how inferior the quality of the video was. I should have listened. What a waste of my money. As much as I have enjoyed Lilias overthe years, the quality needs to improve before I would purchase anothervideo.

Lilias is a yoga legend
I have been watching Lilias on TV since the early seventies. Her peacefull, relaxing, and educational videos help me throughout my busy, stressful day. ... Read more

Reviews (146)

The feel-good movie of the year for women.
The "Mona Lisa Smile", directed by Mike Newell, is a story about women in society during the 1950s, when they were expected to become educated and then get married and become a mother.

PLOT SUMMARY: Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) portrays a single woman in the 1950s who, freshly graduated from graduate school, gets a job working as an Art History professor at the exclusive Wellesley College for women in Massachusetts. Katherine is shocked when she learns her students have already fulfilled the requirements in their syllabuses by the very first class, and decides to stray against the rules by showing the girls modern art and teaching them that they have a choice in life besides becoming a housewife and mother. Katherine shares a special bond with her students, though a few students really stand out. Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst) is a "proper young lady" who quickly gets married because her family wants her to and soon learns about marriage the hard way--she becomes rebellious towards Katherine's teachings in the meantime; Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles) is a bright and intelligent girl who gets into Yale Law School but must make a choice when she falls in love with a man; and then there's Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is kind of like Katherine herself, except Giselle is a "player" and likes to fool around with guys...especially men who are a lot older than her. Through these students, Katherine learns about herself and life as she goes against school board rules.

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS: The film was a bit feminist in my opinion, but since I'm a bit of a feminist myself, this only made me enjoy the "Mona Lisa Smile" even more. The acting, of course, was spectacular. I was quite surprised by the acting of the younger cast, though I always knew how talented these young women were and expected nothing less from them. Julia Roberts is as good as ever...she never fails to impress me. The storyline was wonderful and so was the dialogue and overall message of the story. The directing, costumes, settings, etc. were all brilliant. If you are a feminist and like feel-good movies, then you will certainly enjoy the "Mona Lisa Smile".

I highly recommend the "Mona Lisa Smile".

100/100
A+

Empowering
This was an empowering film to me. I loved how Julia Roberts' character, Katherine Watson, challenged these women into different ways of thinking. She helped them all to see what potential they have and that they didn't have to fit a binary of a woman in the 50s. Watson challenged every idea that these women were brought up with: the ideas that a woman's role was to serve her husband and keep house and home. Watson was a teacher ahead of her time and the fact that Julia Roberts played her character allowed Watson to come alive for me. This film was excellent and very well done.

Entertaining but Cliched Plot
I love Julia Roberts' glowing smile and infectious laugh, but this movie is just another cliché of the inspirational teacher. This time, it's not inner-city gang members, but privileged college girls at Wellesley who are motivated by a special teacher. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending, in which Julia Roberts' character admits that marrying and raising a family might not be evil incarnate after all.

a masterpiece...
I was very pleased with how this movie turned out (except the whole Bill situation could have been taken out. it didn't really match her ideals really..). When I saw previews for it, I knew at once I wanted to see it but was afraid Hollywood would ruin it. On the contrary, I was very moved.

I was really impressed how they addressed what is expected from all women, but also how all women are DIFFERENT. On one hand, there is Katherine Watson who believes women should not simply get married and have children, that there is "more to life" than motherhood. On the other hand, there is the university and most of its faculty and students who believe the opposite. And then there are the very few (or maybe one) in between who believe in possibilities... Though the character Katherine Watson has a noble agenda to change the rigid motherly ideals of the school, she has simply fled to the opposite extreme with rigid academic ideals.

Though this movie takes place in the 1950's, these themes are NOT irrelevent. Take it from a college girl herself (and many of my friends) - many of these expectations and pressures still exist in different forms. Replace Katherine with your high school, your peers, and your parents, and replace the Wellesley of the 1950s with your grandmothers, your aunts, your friends and you have MY life with a seemingly opposite but very similar struggle.

Therefore, I give this movie 5 stars. It realistically depicts the struggle that can still be seen in many women's lives today, but does not provide a cop-out answer for the masses. Like the analogy in the film of the paint-by-number sets, women are not cookie cutter shapes!

All the actresses in this movie did a wonderful job. Julia Stiles, Julia Roberts, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and more.. I was easily able to relate to these characters, and their development is exceptionally interesting. This film holds much significance to those of us women who have lived it out in one way or another.

another teacher-as-messiah film
**1/2 In the wheezingly old-fashioned "Mona Lisa Smile," Julia Roberts joins the ranks of Robert Donat, Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, Sandy Dennis, Robin Williams, Edward James Olmos, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, all of whom have played inexperienced teachers who manage to win over and inspire their initially recalcitrant students. It matters not whether these pupils are hardened inner city gang types or snooty prep school geniuses, the arc of the story is always the same. The teacher, armed with a sense of optimism and a zeal to "make a difference" in the students' lives, arrives at the institution nervous and unsure of whether she is really up to the challenge (or "he" in the case of many of these films). After a predictably disastrous start, in which the students belittle her idealism and efforts and attempt to take advantage of her inexperience, the teacher invariably throws out the standard, stuffy, boring curriculum and finds a way to make learning relevant, fun and engaging. This, of course, makes her the most popular teacher at the school, but also a threat to the ossified educational establishment, which throws up endless roadblocks in an effort to keep this know-it-all upstart from upsetting the applecart. Undeterred, the teacher manages to get down to the students' level, rapping with them as if she were one of their own, helping to solve their problems and inspiring them to take their rightful place in society as freethinking, morally upstanding individuals. Then comes the inevitable moment when the teacher must decide, midway through the term, whether or not she will be returning for the next semester, with the student who gave the teacher the most trouble at the start pleading with her to stay on and work her magic for generations of students to come. All of this invariably culminates in a tear-soaked finale wherein all the students gather in worshipful adoration of this almost godlike embodiment of Learning. A number of the movies that have utilized this storyline have been quite good, actually, but "Mona Lisa Smile" is not one of them. By bringing nothing particularly new to the formula, the film can't help feeling derivative and clichéd. Where is Miss Jean Brodie when we really need her?

"Mona Lisa Smile" begins in 1953 with Katherine Anne Watson's arrival as an art history instructor at Wellesley College. The school, as it turns out, is a haven for elite snobs - and its educational philosophy of rote, tradition-bound learning shows that the school is more concerned with turning the girls into dutiful, supportive wives and mothers than freethinking career women (the only classes we ever see the girls attending are art history, Italian, table setting and synchronized swimming, not exactly a rigorous course of study for a bunch of young ladies we are led to believe graduate with some pretty impressive degrees). Enter Katherine Anne, fresh from a state school in "liberal" California, who clearly does not buy into the false value system she finds here. After some initial resistance on the part of the girls and the powers-that-be at the institution, Katherine begins, slowly but surely, to win people over to her modernistic, iconoclastic way of thinking.

As a social document, "Mona Lisa Smile" is yet another film dedicated to exposing the "Stepford Wife" mentality of the conformist 1950's. The problem is that "Far From Heaven" did a much better job of that two years ago. In that film, the main character experienced a gradual awakening as to both her value as an individual and the societal prison in which she lived. During the course of the film, we grew along with her. Katherine, on the other hand, feels like a 21st Century woman transported magically to the 1950's. Not that there weren't such forward-looking women at the time, of course, but it's not very illuminating watching a person, spouting ideas no one in the audience could possibly disagree with, bringing knowledge and enlightenment to the ignorant masses. The acting is good but the characters are all either shallow stereotypes or straw men designed for Katherine to knock down easily. Ironically, the film is every bit as conventional as the conformity it's railing against.

Now that Ms. Roberts has gotten the Messianic Teacher Syndrome out of her system, perhaps she can move on to bigger and better things. This particular hole in her resume has at last been filled. ... Read more

Description

Available previously as a 5-part VHS set, New York now boasts two all-new episodes.The series offers fourteen spectacular hours of programming that chronicle the history of New York - from its beginning in 1609 as a Dutch trading post, through the turbulent years of change in the decades following World War II, to its present day status as one of the most important and influential cities in the world.

SYNOPSES
Episode 1: The Country and the City(1609 - 1825) chronicles the arrival of the Dutch, the impact of the English, the horrors of colonial slavery and New York's critical role in the American Revolution.
Episode 2: Order and Disorder(1825 - 1865) looks at New York's rise as a burgeoning cultural center and multi-ethnic port, concluding with the Civil War Riots - America's bloodiest civil disturbance. Episode 3: Sunshine and Shadow(1865 - 1898) turns the spotlight on a period of greed and wealth that fueled the expanding metropolis - even as politics and poverty defined it.
Episode 4: The Power and the People(1898 - 1918) follows New York into a new century, examining the interplay of capitalism, democracy and transformation in the wake of an extraordinary wave of immigration and the birth of the skyscraper.
Episode 5: Cosmopolis(1919 - 1931) details the African-American experience, the birth of new media industries and the incredible array of human and cultural energies that converged, ending with the construction of the world's tallest building.
Episode 6: City of Tomorrow(1929 - 1941) traces the spectacular but often troubling changes that overtook New York due to the crash of 1929 and the beginning of World War II.
Episode 7: The City and the World(1945 - Present) chronicles the history of New York from the end of World War II through today, exploring the complexities of the post-modern city and the turbulent years of physical, social and cultural change in the decades following the war. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Extraordinary and compelling documentary!
I have just finished viewing the 6th Disc of the incredible journey of the greatest city in the world, and just had to share my excitement and disbelief at what I have been watching. Ric Burns does an extraordinary job of showing the history of New York from it's discovery by Henry Hudson to modern times. Each episode is addictive and compelling. Once the use of film and motion picture is employed in this collection at the turn of the 20th Century, each episode becomes even more amazing. I was amazed at the footage of the Empire State Building and the Chrylser Building as they were being built. The pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge being built were astounding. The time of La Guardia and seeing him in action, while Robert Moses built bridges and highways all around the city and beyond to Long Island was stunning. The history of Central Park, the Erie Canal, the plan for the streets of the city, the building of the subways and tunnels, the railroads, the coming of the immigrants, and many more were incredible to see. Being a native New Yorker born in the early 70's, I was exhilarated, but saddened at the same time while watching this, that I was not around to experience the great growth of the city. This film does justice though, as it brought me deep inside the history, and allowed me to see so vividly how New York came to be what it is today. I highly recommend all to view this, for not only is it a history of New York, but a history of why American is what it is today. It all started in New York City.

More justice. Better as the DVD version
The Burns family has come up with some fine work, from Baseball, to the Civil War; and now the latest, New York. A fine successor.
Ric Burns explores the early history of New York, starting with the God-created attributes of the region and one of the world's finest natural seaports. But the treasure is found in what man has added to the Apple, starting with the Erie Canal, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Subway system. The Bridge's history has itself been the subject of much scholarship, and Burns does it well also. The creation of the skyline, including the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building are some of the series best moments, filled with some of the fascinating type of information that fans of Burns' documentaries have come to expect and enjoy.

The history of New York is the history of immigrants, and the interaction of Irish, Italians, Africans and other groups is splendidly examined. The politics of the City, such as the rise and demise of Al Smith and Jimmy Walker are well explored also.

My few complaints are minor, and don't detract from the work. F. Scott Fitzgerald seems to have become a demi-god to Burns, and after awhile, I found the continued references to him and his
work tiring. More than a few minutes on the early history of Harlem would have been a welcome replacement.

I purchased the DVD version, although I had the videocassettes. Am I glad I did! It has two additional discs, which try to bring the series up to date. Fiorello LaGuardia and Robert Moses, the two most pivotal figures in the history of the City, are splendidly explored. More examination of the development and contribution of Harlem (which I lamented in the review of the VHS version) is also welcomed. New York's post W.W. II predominance as the true center of the Earth is made plain. As the series progresses, we see the value of the City (any city), the destruction of the great and old in the name of urban renewal, and the slow cancer of suburban sprawl.

Even those not from New York will find it to be a rich, interesting history, worth of the length of time one must devote to its viewing. The rest of the world will understand some of why New Yorkers love their home as they do. Those expatriate New Yorkers will be tugged to head back home. All in all, brilliant, brilliant work.

AMAZING!
If you are from New York this DVD set is a must have. Absolutley riviting and informative.The old film footage and other epherma that was collected for this compilation is remarkable. I literally sat through all 7 DVDs in one sitting without a moment of boredom. If you love history this will be a valued addition to any collection, even if you are not from NY.

Learn history painlessly
I have told several friends that they need to watch this wonderful series. Almost everyone seems to think that history is boring. It isn't - you just had boring history teachers in high school, that taught history in a boring manner. If history was taught as the clash of great personalities and the range of choices they had, and it was explained why the person choose the path they did based on the limited resources they had to divide between all their goals and aspirations - people would recognize that alot of history is facinating. As you learn the history of the city of New York you will also learn a great deal about American history - because they are so intertwined.

A Great Series for a Great City
Though there are many older cities than New York, in the (relatively) short time of its existence, no city has captured the imagination, desire, love, and even hatred, that New York City has. Ric Burns has captured all of these emotions and more in this, one of the finest documentaries ever put on film.

The series traces the history of NYC from its earliest days as a Dutch trading post through 2000 (an additional volume was produced after the September 11th terrorist attack). Using interviews, stories, & archival material (prints, paintings, photographs, and old silent films), Burns pulls the viewer in to the life of all types of New Yorkers through the last 300+ years. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This documentary hosted by James Burke is a fascinating examination of the concept of how we see things, specifically how images that appear to our eyes to be three-dimensional are rendered convincingly on flat surfaces. Starting out in a movie studio special effects lab, Burke explains how visual illusions practiced today actually began during the Renaissance, when painters first mastered the skills of incorporating the idea of depth into paintings. The principle of "linear perspective," in which parallel lines all diverge to a common vanishing point, sounds complicated, but the examples shown in this documentary make the idea perfectly clear to the layperson. By way of contrast, paintings completed before the Renaissance are shown, and it's immediately clear to the viewer that artists who hadn't mastered perspective drew scenes that appear flat on the canvas. But when artists such as Brunelleschi and Michelangelo practiced using perspective, art suddenly jumped forward. Quotes from Leonardo da Vinci's writings, in which he talked about perspective and the effects of light, are offered along with examples of his paintings that illustrate beautifully how a master used a scientific principle to create great art. This is an unusual documentary that makes fascinating a subject that most people have never considered, though it relates to things we see everyday. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One of the best - we need this on DVD!
This exploration of visual illusions, explained by James Burke in the context of its discovery by the Renaissance masters, and now used by Hollywood special effects wizards is certainly of the most valuable and entertaining educational videos ever produced. If you teach art or film, or if you are a student of any age, your education is incomplete unless you have seen this film.

Works of Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Botticelli, Rapheal and others are used to illustrate the technical and artistic achievements of the Renaissance, but within a very contemporary context of how we see the world in reality or artificial illusion. This is about the discovery of how to make a two dimensional image appear in three dimensions through an understanding of light, shadow, color, and vanishing point perspective.

Seeing this film on low resolution VHS does not do justice to the quality of these master works. This film is a prime candidate for release on DVD. So, when will the world be able to learn from this extraordinary work in the detail and resolution only DVD can achieve?

Good High School Video
This is an excellent video for high school; it's a little sophisticated for 7th & 8th grades, but not entirely out of their reach. The tie-in to films is a little misleading for the kids, but the video makes up for this by covering a broad range in perceptual concepts and by keeping things moving for younger viewers. Well worth the time & money for teachers. Can be used for both studio and academic classes.

This video is short and sweet and creates a hunger for more
James Burke has poignantly caught the excitement of Renaissance painters discovering perspective, and he explains visual principles, while nicely presenting the changes that occurred in art. I really enjoyed his commentary how different artists Durer, Da Vinci, and Michaelangelo, Raphael et al thought, spoke, and played with image and illusion, as well as light and color. Quite informative for learning art, but also useful for teaching perception and thinking. This video was a delightful trip back in time and makes one more sensitive to the power of representation that guide perception and experience. I will never look at the painting "The School of Athens" again in the same way.
This video is short and sweet and creates a hunger for more.

In Praise of "Masters of Illusion"
As a professor of Art Appreciation in Dallas, I have found this video to be a wonderful asset to my course. The narration and images serve to explain the invention and the subsequent history and adaptations of perspective in a very entertaining and colorful way. My students therefore are able to retain the knowledge much more easily.

educational, informative, entertaining
I used this video in my World History clases to teach Renaisssance art. The students enjoyed it. Good pace, not too detailed, yet loaded with information. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Biology Teacher's Dream
I use this in my applied biological science classes and have found that high schoolers are amazingly quiet while it is on! The footage is so fascinating and the video accurately explains the life cyle of the hive and its queen, the mating process, the duties within the hive, survival against predators, and social aspects of the hive. I am an insect fan and I LOVE this video. Even my three year old likes the video. She may not understand it but seems to like watching it. I would recommend this for 6th grade and up as part of a science course.....If you are just a BEE - FAN - then this is the video you MUST have!

Unbelievable Photography - You Are THERE In The Hive!
This video features some of the most incredible close-up photography ever shot. FLY on the back of a bee as it harvests nectar and pollen... CRAWL through the hive as the queen lays thousands of eggs each day... You'll be treated to watching bees measure, using their bodies, for new hive construction, and seeing them as they swarm to look for a new home. See how they interact with their human keepers, and how they protect their home from marauding neighbors. You will never look at bees again the same way after watching this video - it is stunning, informative, entertaining AND educational. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

DVD issue quickly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic portret of JAZZ GENIUS, Mr. C.B.
It`s time for DVD, issue !!!!!!!!!!!
VHS, is long ago, behind us.

Chet Baker: Let's Get lost
I first saw this film at a small arts theater in Newburyport, Ma. in 1988. I was so taken by it that I returned the next three evenings to watch it again and again; it is that good. As soon as the film was released on VHS I purchased it, and it remains one of the treasures in my musical film library. Please, oh please, someone get this film transferred to DVD!

NEED DVD VERSION!!![...]
Let's Get Lost is one of the most haunting, visually evocative films ever made. It transcends genres. It is simply criminal that there is not a crystal clear, remastered dolby 5.1 surround version of this remarkable film on DVD! I would buy it for myself and send it as a gift to all my jazz and/or photographer friends!

Let's Get Lost on DVD....please!
A year after Chet Baker's tragic death, I remember watching, spellbound, Let's Get Lost, a video format documentary of Chet's life from a handsome, care-free young man in California playing lyrically on his horn to a gaunt-faced middle-aged man obviously ravaged by drugs but still performing with extra-ordianry brilliance only a few months away from his death. One of the most touching moments in the that documentary was a scene where his mother, wife and three kids gather in front of a record player listening to his recording of Blame It On My Youth. I am waiting for the release of a DVD format of this documentary which, sadly, is hard to find even in video format.

lets get lost with chet baker
I saw Let get lost back in 1988 in denver at the ogden theater there was only two of us in the theater what a perfect setting for a perfect movie , well not just a movie a veiw into the world of a very lost soul i was captivated and am still to this very day .chet baker is a wonderkin a natural mistake a musical genius what has jazz become without him ? a wasteland of generic artificial elevator music how sad it is to hear people say they love jazz and when i ask them who their favorites are they tell me "kenny g" and noname non descript people i care not to remember what i'm trying to say is what happened ?where did we go wrong ? Chet the jazz world of today has forsaken you and the rest of us who really know what jazz was and is , raw ,absolute and our best freind , and demon .
please release lets get lost so the masses can sink their teeth into something juicy and way too rich ! ... Read more

Description

ACADEMY AWARD, BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT For a few weeks each year, in the depths of winter, senior students at the National Ballet School of Canada are treated to a style of dance that is unlike any other - flamenco. Susana - dancer, teacher and choreographer- comes from Spain with her husband, Antonio Robledo, to introduce the students to the rhythms of another culture; the secrets of an ancient art that speaks of the passion of itinerant gypsies, the songs of Spanish Jews, the ways of the Moors. Beautifully illuminated, with a dynamic visual style that emulates the staccato rhythms of the dance, FLAMENCO AT 5:15 is a thrilling introduction to the most visceral art form. It is a wonderful opportunity for dancers and non-dancers alike to learn what is at the heart of the passionate discipline that is, in Susana's words, "earth and sky and always the contradiction." ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Fascinating!
A few days ago I heard in a radio show how they believe that this movie captured the Internet era. As a recent "Failed Startup Graduate", I was very curious to see whether that is true. After viewing it, I must say - VERY VERY true!!!

This movie is not a work of fiction, it is a documetary - everything is actual footage which was taken in more than a year. It tells the story of the founding of GovWorks.com, a startup company which connected its site users with government operations ("Made the government more efficient", as the founders say). The makers of the film followed the two founders, Tom and Kaleil from day one. The movie starts when Kaleil leaves his old job and becomes CEO of GovWorks.com, and ends more than a year after that. As you probably know, this has been a very ..interesting year, so to speak for the High Tech industry. But the movie isn't just about the company, it also tells the highs and lows that Kaleil and Tom had to go through during these tough and exciting times. I think this is a fascinating movie which really makes the viewer feel as if he is a part of the story, especially since Kaleil and Tom have been so generous in sharing what they've gone through with the viewers.

Great Documentary
This documentary rocks. Great for budding entrepreneurs, and entertaining for just about anybody.

HILARIOUS!!! Why is this not a comedy?
I can't say enough about this DVD. It's what happens when an egotistical moron and his subserviant pushover "friend" from high school start a company based on something they know nothing about. As you watch the movie, it becomes clear that neither of them know anything about computers, programming, or the necessity of a functional product. Just look at when they're in a meeting and Kaleil is confused by "things flying across the monitor." I'd bet money it's a screensaver. Just look at how they cut out the solution to the problem there. What could this huge number of employees POSSIBLY be doing? A simple database program like this could be made by less than 10 people in a week!! The most hilarious part in my opinion is that Tom winds up going back to work with Kaleil after it's all over. How can't he see that he's been used? A better question is how do the editors of the documentary buy into Kaleil's rhetoric? When they're doing their commentary in the extras, they don't seem to notice the humor of the situation at all. I think Dora said it best: they're a bunch of little kids all dressed up playing grownup. I'd point out other stuff, but there just isn't enough space to glorify every moment. Beware if you're looking for a serious dramatic work, but if you're looking for an evening of laughs and self esteem improvement, you've got it!

HANDS DOWN THE BEST
I don't think its possible for me to put into words how much I loved this documentary (Not ficitonal movie). I don't know why this is not REQUIRED viewing at any and every self respecting business school in the world, let alone the U.S. I have never seen anything which portrays the trials and tribulations of attempting to startup a multi-million dollar company and from such a personal perspective. These guys were shooting for the stars, not trying to open up a juice bar on the corner. It shows all the hurdles they face, all the necessary steps, UNBELIEVABLE!! I would give this film a thousand stars if possible. If you are memorized by the internet boom/bust like me, you must, I REPEAT MUST see this film. Watch it and you'll know what I mean. Unbelievable!!!!!

Dot Gone
Startup.com has to be the worst documentary that I have ever watched. I thought that the DVD might be interesting to a web geek who enjoys documentaries, like myself. The documentary is poorly shot and poorly edited. I wanted the documentary to be over much sooner than later. Whoever funded the duplication and distribution of this DVD was probably one of the venture capitalists who funded any stupid idea in the dot com bubble. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Crocodile Hunter is the Best!
This is a GREAT video. It is a shame that Africa's Deadliest Snakes/Spitting Cobras of the World/Crocodiles of the Revolution are not all on 1 DVD like Steve's Story/Most Dangerous Adventures/Greatest Croc Captures. In this video he goes around talking about snakes like the Gaboon Viper, the Death Adder, Egyptain Cobra, and catches a Black Mamba in someone's house. Buy the Video!!

Very Exciting!
In this video Steve Irwin (of Crikey! fame)travels to Africa and hunts down poisonous snakes. Watching him get so close to snakes that could easily kill him keeps you on the edge of your seat. He gives lots of fascinating facts about the snakes he encounters. He tells about his special task of traveling to African villages which are being overrun by too many poisonous snakes. His job is to find and remove the snakes and to my surprise he relocated the snakes to an uninhabited area instead of killing them. He really loves snakes! He also handles some scorpions. This is a fun and exciting video.

A real delight!!!
I dont' know if I can begin to match the awe- inspiring eloquence of the previous reviewer, but I'll try. By the way, if all "snake movies" seem the same to you, why bother to watch any more, let alone comment on them?Anyway, having been born in Africa, and being familiar to some degree with snakes, Steve Irwin takes my breath away. He is courageous, knowledgeable, funny and definitely passionate about what he does. I could watch him for hours. Apart from being incredibly entertaining, the man is wise, and he loves and respects all living things.In his hands, literally speaking, any species of snake, whether one likes them or not, become fascinating. The risks he takes in handling dangerous serpents leave me awestruck. I love what this man does. Long may he entertain and educate us. I, for one, take great delight in watching everything he does. He is NEVER boring!!!Watch him and see...

Snakes, why must it be about snakes?
YOU SEEN ONE FILM ABOUT SNAKES, YOU SEEN THEM ALL. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Be afraid: insects outnumber humans 200 million to one. Or just be fascinated. Likely you'll be more of the latter after seeing this playful, zippy tour through the microworld of Class Insecta. Another installment in the award-winning Eyewitness series, Eyewitness: Insect uses DK's trademark MTV-speed editing, high-quality computer animation, stunning photography, and playful reenactments to effortlessly hold the attention of kid and adult alike. And, as they say, if you're not careful you just might learn something.

Celebrity narrator Martin Sheen explains why bugs don't grow big, how crickets hear with their knees, and why the termite queen doesn't wander far from her 5 million subjects and her eight-foot-high skyscraper palace. (As it turns out, she's busy laying 30,000 eggs a day!) From slo-mo fly swats to time-lapse locust swarms, this action-packed half-hour will have you reaching for the remote to pause and rewind, as Sheen surveys everything from insect morphology to insect mythology. You may want something a little more heavy-duty if you're prepping for the Insect GRE, but Eyewitness: Insect is certainly enough to spark interest in--and inspire further study of--our six-legged friends. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pleased Biology Teacher
This is an excellent way to introduce the Class Insecta to-"I hate science!"-students. It grabs their attention and at the same time provides them with correct and useful information on creepy crawlers. Hint: Eyewitness has videos on many other animal classes:retiles-fish-birds-etc. I have never been disappointed with the reactions of my students towards these wonderful videos. ... Read more