STAY ALIVE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

A GOOD QUALITY VERSION OF STAY ALIVE IS NOW AVAILABLE

HERE IS A GREAT HORROR MOVIE IF YOU LIKE VIDEO GAMES YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS MOVIE. IT STARS BROOKE FROM ONE TREE HILL OR HOW SHE LIKES TO BE CALLED SOPHIA BUSH AND ITS ABOUT KIDS WHO PLAY A VIDEO GAME WHO ALL START TO BE MURDERED AFTER THEY LOOSE IN THE GAME.

HERE IS THE SUMMARY OF STAY ALIVE FROM IMDB.

After the brutal death of a friend, a group of friends find themselves in possession of a video-game called "Stay Alive," a blood-curdling true story of a 17th century noblewoman known as the Blood Countess. After playing the game when they know they shouldn't, however, the friends realize that once they die in the game--they die for real. As their numbers begin dropping and as they begin dying in the ways they died in the game, the remaining friends realize they must defeat the Blood Countess or accept their fates. Written by Anonymous

HERE IS ANOTHER REVIEW OF THE MOVIE FROM DVDTALK.COM
The Product:
They have often been described as the future of entertainment, a way of having the interactive concept inherent to games mixed with the cinematic elements of film. Titles like Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Devil May Cry have all pushed the boundaries of strategy and scares, combining the best aspects of movies with the interesting aspects of first person participation. Indeed, modern gaming allows people to feel like they're part of the storyline, subjected to the same horrors happening onscreen. So it was no surprise when Hollywood came looking to adapt titles into full fledged motion picture presentations. With a built in audience and most of the filmic basics (plot, characters) taken care of, they seem like an easy entertainment well to draw from. Perhaps this is why 2006's Stay Alive is so slight. Without an established game to pull from, and a rather routine view of what makes something scary, we end up with the antithesis of the entire video game/film ideal � a movie that fails to live up to the expectations of either medium.

The Plot:
When best bud Loomis and a few of his friends die after playing an underground video game called Stay Alive, law intern Hutch is really rattled. Inseparable since a young age � and a tragic family accident � Hutch shared his love of gaming with his recently deceased pal. When the rest of his interpersonal entourage � caf� owners October and her brother Phineas, talented tech head Swink, Hutch's boss Miller and newcomer to the group, Abigail � want to play the supposedly fatalistic title, our hero is intrigued. He's curious to discover what Loomis was up to before his death. Unfortunately, after a night of shooting and strategy, another member of the clique winds up dead. Soon, it seems anyone who dies during the game ends up meeting a similar fate in real life. As his companions are killed off, one by one, Hutch tries to decipher the mystery of the game's origin, and the local legend surrounding its storyline. But more importantly, as a player of the seemingly haunted title, Hutch must do whatever he can to help everyone Stay Alive � even if that includes facing off against an ancient terror with blood on its mind.

The DVD:
While it is not the worst horror movie ever made, Stay Alive is surely one of the most derivative. Granted, it tries to use the jargon and insider slant to bring the underground ethos of gaming to the mainstream, yet it is really nothing more than a standard "fantasy becomes reality" fright flick. It offers nothing but the most transparent characterization, pedestrian plotting, and kills that occur in the shadows, or mainly offscreen. For fans of the genre, there have been better (Silent Hill) and worse (House of the Dead) game-inspired efforts, but Stay Alive wants to be the first that turns the mocked up console and fully rendered graphics into significant story points. The only problem is, the concept is as old as Atari. Back in 1983, Emilio Estevez fought off a series of Space-Invaders like entities in the "Bishop of Battle" sequence from the otherwise ordinary omnibus scary movie Nightmares. So porting us into the post-millennial, photo realistic era to manufacture macabre is like just teaching an old dog a new, not so novel trick. Yet even with all its new fangled bells and whistles, Stay Alive can't overcome its derivative elements to be anything other than dull.

Part of the problem here is, of course, the demographically designed cast. Since the average video game enthusiast is older than one might expect, director William Brent Bell has hired actors from that most substantively suspect group � the below thirty generic generation. This is not to say that the performances here are bad, they just suffer from a shallowness derived from their addled age bracket. No matter how hard he tries, Frankie Muniz (as uber dork Swink) can't be anything other than an arrested adolescent. Similarly, Goth Gal October (played by the interesting Sophia Bush) seems shipped in from an alternative rock video. Our main hero Hutch is ill-defined and bland, while his suddenly significant gal pal Abigail gets none of the necessary backstory we need to keep her from being a big fat red herring. With such a muddled motley crew, it is hard to get a handle on whom to root for. And since we know the narrative is going to reduce their number by one or two every few minutes, the need to connect is severely undermined. The result is a mechanical byproduct that can't deliver the requisite thrills or the genre chills. Instead, Stay Alive relies on its varying visuals (some good, most average) and the novelty of new technology to try and get by.

Sadly, it's a hard sell. The game at the center of the story borrows heavily from Fatal Frame, and if you're not familiar with the whole role playing, first person shooter, survival horror ideal, you may be less than intrigued by this aspect of the narrative. Also, Stay Alive seems to change strategies halfway through, arguing that players have to die in the game in order to be killed in real life, and then hedging on that prerequisite to push along the plot. Then there is the whole subplot involving James Haven. He is supposedly the inventor of the game, or merely beta-testing it (it is never made clear) and while Haven makes for a creepy character, the truth is he is similar to Abigail in his ability to steer us from the truth. We don't know why he's important to the story, just that he is, and as a result, we are left with several unanswered questions that never get resolved. Indeed, a good way to describe Stay Alive is as a movie that has far too many gaping plot and logic holes to hold our interest or get under our skin. Instead of being frightened, one is frazzled by all the confusing coincidences and lackadaisical logistics. Even with its goofy gamers insights, this is still a stagnant excuse for scares.

The Video:
Highly touted as the "Unrated Director's Cut" of the film, Stay Alive looks a little shoddy in this new revamped version. Video game scenes excised from the theatrical print because they weren't completely finished or lacked any narrative value are reinserted, and elements from the third act of the film (the budding romance between Hutch and Abigail) are taken in a decidedly different direction. Also included are more of Jimmi "Phineas" Simpson's annoying sexual slang, greater drug references, some bonus interaction between the gaming buddies, and an additional amount � be it ever so minimal � of nudity and gore. The result is the inclusion of 15 minutes of material, extending the film's running time from 85 to 100 minutes. Sadly, this makes the 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image look choppy and inconsistent. Obvious inserts do not match for clarity and color, while the underdone game effects look a little too homemade, even for a low budget Hollywood horror film. This is a clear case of trading content for technical polish.

The Audio:
Aside from the reverberating sound used as a thematic cue throughout the film, Stay Alive doesn't provide a very compelling Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound mix. When "inside" the game, we get a little of the claustrophobic atmosphere we expect from such scenarios, but in reality, the overall presentation is flat and fairly innocuous. Your subwoofer will get quite the workout every time the character's controls start vibrating, and there is a nice metallic quality to the frequently overdone "slicing knives" sound effect, but in general, this is not a reference quality aural experience.

The Extras:
The added features here, while interesting, offer nothing really important in the way of context or clarity. First up, director Bell and co-writer/producer Matthew Peterman deliver a self-effacing audio commentary that dishes the dirt while it simultaneously supports the duo's efforts. While they keep the backslapping down to a minimum, they really do believe this is an excellent combination of gaming and horror. They are very good about pointing out where the director's cut differs from the original release, and just can't get enough of Jimmi Simpson's curse-laden lunacy. Some of the casting anecdotes are entertaining, and the general discussion is eager and genial. Still, if you're looking for a cutting dissection of where this films succeeds, and fails, you won't find such sentiments here. As for the rest of the extras, there is a two minute highlight reel for the CGI and physical effects work, as well as a strange opening menu option where, in pure gaming style, you can pick a character, their clothing, and a weapon. After creating your 'player' you enter 'the game' to see the results. Usually, it's a film clip highlighting one of the narrative's deaths. If there is a 'winning' move, this critic didn't bother looking for it.

Final Thoughts:
Depending on your idea of a good time at the movies, Stay Alive will either be an awful outrage or a decent b-movie diversion. A few will dig its glimpses of Gothic horror, while others will feel a kinship with the kids at the center of the story. Still, to rank it anywhere above a Rent It would acknowledge entertainment aspects that are just not there. While never completely boring, this film is just not that compelling either. As a result, it really deserves a Skip It. You will not be missing anything if you avoid this crappy Commodore 64 experience, and if you just have to see every game-inspired title that comes into the market, you have been sufficiently warned. As the next generation of console creations pushes the boundaries of interactivity and invention, there may yet be a good combination of film and fear in the offing. But Stay Alive is definitely not it. Instead, it's a loose excuse to claim technology and terror in the same scenario. In the end, it gives both ideals a bad name.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE MOVIE STAY ALIVE.

PRE E3 WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2008 PREVIEW FROM IGN AND JEREMY DURHAM

Pre-E3 2007: SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 Hands-on

Slams, Jams, and Wam-Bams in high-def.

July 9, 2007 - We paid a visit to THQ's Southern California headquarters last week to see the E3 build of the company's star pinup, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008. Guiding us along was the newly promoted Creative Manager Bryan Williams and his boss, the Senior Creative Manager (and familiar face to the IGN faithful) Cory Ledesma.

"This year it's all about playing like your favorite superstar," commented Williams. "Fighting styles and character-specific moves are what we really want to stress and that's a big deal for us. We have new strategies that haven't been in the game before and cool match-specific advantages based on style."

Bryan isn't kidding. When we selected the freshly-announced ECW legend Sandman and put him up against the smirk master Randy Orton, we could see the advantages of being a "Hardcore" wrestler in an ECW Extreme Rules match. Sandman's proficiency with weapons helped us own Orton all over the squared circle, while putting chairs on our opponent's neck or pulling off conchairtos added a little extra oomph.

As wrestling fans might expect, the Extreme Rules match is a heck of a lot of fun. Before a bout, users can select which weapons they want to bring with them as part of their setup menu, but that doesn't mean that they'll just appear randomly. Now when you reach under the ring, you can choose one of your items from an analog-controlled wheel; there's no randomization anymore. Even better is that there are new weapons joining old favorites; namely barbed-wired boards and breakable guitars. Expect nine weapon types in all.

Another new touch this year is the ability to interact with fans on all four sides of the ring. But grabbing signs or taking weapons isn't all you can do with them; they can also grab and interact with championship belts or the superstars themselves -- they can even your wrestler on the back or hold an opponent for you so that you can get in a couple of cheap shots.

Perhaps the more important fix, though, is found with the gameplay itself. Yuke's has made a number of mechanical tweaks for fluid action. The ability to run, for example, has been moved off of the buttons completely and is now performed by holding a shoulder button in conjunction with the left analog stick. Exiting the ring and jumping over the apron have been moved to a single button push as well.

"We wanted first-time players to be able to do what they want without having to learn a number of complicated maneuvers," remarked Ledesma. "In the past, we had something like three different buttons you had to push to dive out of the ring on top of somebody; that's hard for beginners. Now, if you want to jump onto your opponent just hit 'Square'' (or X on 360) and you can."

After playing with the new controls ourselves we can attest that the single-button system keeps the matches fluid and fast-paced. It also helps that the new submission system is analog-based as well. How much pressure you apply and how quickly you pump your arms around someone's neck is now entirely up to you -- as is your defense to it, as escaping a grapple is handled with the analog sticks as well. All in all, it's definitely an improvement over last year's edition.

Other new additions worth mentioning include a revamped finishing system that a gives you the option of storing a finisher for use as a style-specific finisher later on. So if, for example, you have a stored finisher with a brawler, when you activate it you'll throw a number of irreversible strikes -- or if you mount a dude on the mat, you can use UFC-style ground and pound punches and head-butts. There are a bunch of style-specific moves like those mentioned above for other classes too. Showmen can steal an opponent's taunt at any time to increase his momentum, for instance, and is the only class that can perform turnbuckle taunts for himself. Technical guys can reverse any strong grapple as long as they haven't suffered from any limb-specific damage, while high flyers can use quick little evasive rolls to avoid bigger opponents. The whole system works pretty well and to help keep things even for everyone, THQ has even added the option of throwing strikes, even when you're the one caught in a grapple.

One of our favorite new improvements is the streamlining that's been done to the menus and match selections. Examples include a "Quick Play" option that will take you into a random match type with random wrestlers via the push of a button (similar to what's found in sports games), while the "Choose Manager" and "Choose Title Bout" option has been removed completely. But don't panic about those last two just yet -- the ability to have a manager escort you down the aisle (they come out with you during your entrances now, by the way) or defend a belt is still in there -- now they're just options to choose as part of the match selection process; the days of going into a separate menu for everything are long gone.

Of course, the expected visual enhancements have been made to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions to boot. Crowds look a lot better thanks to depth of field effects, new lighting effects, better 3D and redone faces. Entrances look great too, with a large helping of them having been redone with new mo-cap and other effects (Cena salutes as he comes down to the ring, Sandman bashes his head in with a beer as he moves through the crowd, etc), and hair looks much more realistic. Mo-cap touches the moves themselves too -- Undertaker has a new tombstone (finally), Orton has a redone RKO, and a number of general moves have benefited from the same treatment (scissor kicks, ref arguments, win poses, etc).

THQ has also confirmed that the last-gen versions of SmackDown will be pretty much identical to the PS3 and Xbox 360 version; but system-specific differences are a possibility according to the team (though not confirmed, they were dodgy on that one). At the very least, PS3 fans can rest easy as both the Xbox and PlayStation SKUs are being developed simultaneously -- unlike last year when the PS3 version was so severely behind eventually leading to its cancellation.

As for the rest of SmackDown, THQ isn't showing us yet. Most of the roster is still being shrouded in secret and the create modes are being held back for another day. We did learn that there will be a new interface in these modes, however, and there are some more announcements expected in the coming months (such as the completely new soundtrack),

How will it all turn out? The world is watching...

HERE IS A GOOD MOVIE GHOST RIDER NOW AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD

HERE IS A GOOD MOVIE GHOST RIDER NOW AVAILABLE ON HERE.

HERE IS A GOOD ACTION MOVIE THAT STARS NICHOLAS CAGE IT IS GHOST RIDER. HE PLAYS A STUNT MAN WHO SOLD HIS SOLE TO THE DEVIL AND NOW HE HAS TO WORK FOR THE DEVIL.

HERE IS IMDB'S SUMMARY OF GHOST RIDER.

When the motorcyclist Johnny Blaze finds that his father Barton Blaze has a terminal cancer, he accepts a pact with the Mephistopheles, giving his soul for the health of his beloved father. But the devil deceives him, and Barton dies in a motorcycle accident during an exhibition. Johnny leaves the carnival, his town, his friends and his girlfriend Roxanne. Years later Johnny Blaze becomes a famous motorcyclist, who risks his life in his shows, and he meets Roxanne again, now a TV reporter. However, Mephistopheles proposes Johnny to release his contract if he become the "Ghost Rider" and defeat his evil son Blackheart, who wants to possess one thousand evil souls and transform hell on earth. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephistopheles and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson, the love of his life. Years later, Johnny's path crosses again with Roxanne, now a reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny's soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery Ghost Rider, a supernatural agent of vengeance and justice. Mephistopheles charges Johnny with defeating the despicable Blackheart, Mephistopheles's nemesis and son, who plans to displace his father and create a new hell even more terrible than the old one. Written by Kenneth Chisholm

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 1 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 2 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 3 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 4 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 5 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 6 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 7 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 8 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 9 OF 10.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GHOST RIDER PART 10 OF 10.

LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS DIRECT DOWNLOAD NOW AVAILABLE

TWO TOWERS DIRECT DOWNLOAD NOW AVAILABLE

HERE ARE LINKS TO THE HUGE SEQUEL TO THE MOVIE THE LORD OF THE RINGS. IT WAS A BIG NOVEL THAT WAS MADE IN 2001 AND TURNED INTO A MOVIE.

HERE IS A SUMMARY ON THE MOVIE FROM IMDB.

The Fellowship with its quest to destroy the one ring has split. Boromir is now dead. Gandalf the Grey is now Gandalf the White, whilst Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn continue their journey joining up with the people of Rohan and King Theoden in their battle with Isengard. Pippin and Merry are missing after being captured by Uruk-hai, and Frodo and Sam continue their mission to Mount Doom, with their guide, the mysterious Gollum. The journey continues, as the the power of Saruman and Sauron increases. Written by simon_hrdng

Sauron's forces increase. His allies grow. The Ringwraiths return in an even more frightening form. Saruman's army of Uruk Hai is ready to launch an assault against Aragorn and the people of Rohan. Yet, the Fellowship is broken and Boromir is dead. For the little hope that is left, Frodo and Sam march on into Mordor, unprotected. A number of new allies join with Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin and Merry. And they must defend Rohan and attack Isengard. Yet, while all this is going on, Sauron's troops mass toward the City of Gondor, for the War of the Ring is about to begin. Written by Yuandi Li

The Fellowship has been broken. Boromir is dead, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee have gone to Mordor alone to destroy the One Ring, Merry and Pippin have been captured by the Uruk-hai, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli have made friends of the Rohan, a race of humans that are in the path of the upcoming war, led by its aging king, Théoden. The two towers between Mordor and Isengard, Barad-dúr and Orthanc, have united in their lust for destruction. The corrupt wizard Saruman, under the power of the Dark Lord Sauron, and his slimy assistant, Gríma Wormtongue, have created a grand Uruk-hai army bent on the destruction of Man and Middle-earth. The rebellion against Sauron is building up and will be led by Gandalf the White, who was thought to be dead after the Balrog captured him. One of the Ring's original bearers, the creature Gollum, has tracked Frodo and Sam down in search of his 'precious', but is captured by the Hobbits and used as a way to lead them to Mt. Doom. The War of the Ring has now begun... Written by Will

Frodo and Sam take Gollum prisoner and continue on to Mordor on the mission to destroy The One Ring. Whilst their former companions Strider, Legolas, Gimli, Merry and Pippin make new allies in the Ents, The Riders of Rohan and the Stewards of Gondor and launch an assault on Isengard. All the while a growing Shadow falls upon Middle-earth as the Dark Lord's Army marches on to Gondor. The War of the Ring has begun. Written by Paul Twomey {ptwomey@bne.catholic.edu.au}

After the fellowship has broken, Merry and Pippin, taken by orcs, make new allies in the Ents, while Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn make allies in the people of Rohan, and all of them must launch an assault on Isengard. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam force Gollum to guide them through Mordor, trusting him with their lives. Written by Suleiman the Great {singedelopera@aol.com}

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS 1 OF 6.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS 2 OF 6.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS 3 OF 6.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS 4 OF 6.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS 5 OF 6.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS 6 OF 6.

JUST IN STAR WARS EPISODE 1 THE PHANTOM MENACE DIRECT DOWNLOAD

YES THAT IS RIGHT THE FIRST EVER STAR WAR IS NOW AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON HERE.

HERE IS THE INFO ON THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 1 THE PHANTOM MENACE ITS FROM IMDB.

This First Episode follows the young years of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). The friendship of Obi-wan Kenobi, Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn are also central aspects. And the beginning of the rise to power of Senator Palpatine to Emperor. Written by Greg Hegstad {gh05072@kvalley.com}

Two Jedi knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with a Naboo outcast, named Jar-Jar Binks, must help Queen Padmé save her world from greedy trade executives, and along the way, they discover a young boy, named Anakin Skywalker, who has the potential to be a powerful Jedi himself. Written by Kenneth Chisholm

When the evil Trade Federation plots to take over the peaceful planet of Naboo, Jedi warrior Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi embark on an amazing adventure to save the planet. With them on their journey is the young queen Amidala, Gungan outcast JarJar Binks, and the powerful Captain Panaka, who will all travel to the faraway planets of Tatooine and Coruscant in a futile attempt to save their world from Darth Sidious, leader of the Trade Federation, and Darth Maul, the strongest Dark Lord of the Sith to ever wield a lightsaber. Written by Anchorhead {skywalker@n2space.com}

As imminent conflict brews between the powerful Trade Federation and the peaceful planet of Naboo, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi travel to Naboo to warn the Queen of the galactic fallout which is to follow. Eventually, Naboo is invaded forcing the Jedis to evacuate the planet with the Queen and her court. They travel to the desert planet of Tatooine where they meet a slave boy called Anakin Skywalker who is evidently one with the Force. They enlist his help in fighting the war, while the Jedis confront one of the Dark Jedis behind the invasion, Darth Maul, while his master Darth Sidious continues to lead the invasion as a "phantom" behind the scenes. Written by Matthew McQuillan {mjment@hotmail.com}

It is a distant galaxy eons before the gestation of the planet Earth. Advancements in technology and science have allowed the evolution of millions of worlds that are otherwise in many respects still primitive. These worlds are somewhat loosely allied into an intergalactic Republic, whose capital world is the planet Coruscant, a planetary city. Upholding order for the Republic are the Jedi, an order of warriors endowed with near-super power derived from self-generated fields of energy known collectively as The Force. Within the Republic, dissident worlds have banded into an alliance known as the Trade Federation, and the Trade Federation is locked in a dispute with the peaceful world of Naboo. Two Jedi knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and his youthful apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, have been sent to Naboo to help mediate an end to the dispute, but Nute Gunray, an alien viceroy, orders them to be killed, and the two Jedi discover upon their escape that the Trade Federation will launch an invasion of Naboo. With the help of a well-meaning but hopelessly subliterate alien native of Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan land on Naboo to rescue her ruler, Queen Amidala, a ruler whose rule is a mixture of monarchy and republican democracy. Escaping Naboo, they are attacked by a Federation base star and are forced to land on the distant planet Tatooine, where in seeking parts to complete their journey to Coruscant they encounter a young boy, Annikan Skywalker, a slave who possesses a gift for the savagely dangerous sport of podracing - a gift that Qui-Gon deduces is part of a genetic makeup perfect for the Jedi Order. Annikan eventually joins with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and in the process attracts the attention of one of Queen Amidala's handmaidens with a dramatic secret, and all reach Coruscant, but endless and pointless debate within the Republic's Senate leave them no choice but to strike out on their own to liberate Naboo, a task made all the more difficult because a traitor within Coruscant has at his command a dissident Jedi warrior who seeks the death of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Written by stp43

It is a distant galaxy eons before the creation of Earth. Societies have evolved among millions of worlds united in a Republic whose capital world is the supercity of Coruscant. Serving as the guardians of order from Coruscant are the Jedi, an order of warriors endowed with super power via self-generated energy fields known as The Force, whose weapons of choice are lightsabers. Within the Galactic Republic exists a collection of imperial-minded worlds united in the euphemistically named Trade Federation, which is engaged in a dispute with the peaceful world of Naboo. Two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and young apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, are sent by Coruscant to Naboo to mediate the Trade Federation's dispute, but when they arrive aboard a Trade Federation base star, they quickly find the trade dispute is merely cover for armed invasion of Naboo. Despite an attempt on their lives, Qui-Gon and Kenobi escape to Naboo, where with the help of a well-meaning but hopelessly inept alien native (one of several races existing on the multicultural planet) they find and rescue the planet's ruling elected Queen, Amidala, a ruler of a political system fusing monarchy with democratic republicanism. They run the Trade Federation's blockade but their starship is damaged and must land on the desert world of Tatooine, where in seeking out parts to repair their ship they encounter a young slave boy, Annikan Skywalker, whom Qui-Gon learns possesses the perfect metaphysical structure for becoming a Jedi. However, all are being pursued by an evil Jedi, Darth Maul, who serves a Jedi lord who seeks to overthrow the Jedi order, leading to a brief saber encounter between Qui-Gon and Darth Maul as the Queen's starship is repaired. Qui-Gon, Kenobi, Annikan, and Amidala (who becomes close to the boy despite the nearly fifteen year age difference between the two) escape and return to Coruscant, but mindless debate with the Republic's senate forces them to strike out on their own back to Naboo, to try and find allies who will help them liberate the planet - and defeat Darth Maul. Written by Michael Daly

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE.

E3 UPDATE PS3 PRICE CUT CONFIRMED AND BIGGER HARDDRIVE FROM PLAYSTATION.BLOG

As you may have seen tonight here, here and here, we’re kicking off this year’s E3 with some big news (and the show hasn’t even started yet).

In short, we’re introducing a new PS3 model with a 80GB hard drive which will include a free copy of MotorStorm, all for the retail price of $599. This 80GB package will be available starting in August, just a few short weeks from today. The larger hard drive will give players more of an opportunity to take advantage of all the downloadable games and trailers on the PLAYSTATION Network, including the content from our forthcoming download service which will include videos, movies and other entertainment content.

In addition, as some of you speculated last week, we confirmed today that we are lowering the price of our current 60GB PS3 by $100, to $499, effective immediately in North America. I know many of you were eager to hear this and we’re thrilled to share this with you now as we head into E3.

Lastly, to keep up with the latest news, you can view a live stream of the official E3 SCEA press conference this Wednesday, July 11th, starting around 11:30 a.m. pacific time. About a half hour before the conference (11 a.m.), click here and we’ll have a live conference feed available.

And if that isn’t enough for you, we’ll have tons of content hitting the PLAYSTATION Store this week, including the SCEA press conference and exclusive first and third party videos and trailers, only available through PLAYSTATION Network. These will be available shortly after the conclusion of the press conference. We want to make sure that you’re getting the info as soon as possible. Rest assured, there is much more to come this week, including the conclusion of our Inside the Developer Studio series, so stay tuned….

HERE IS A REAL TREAT PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2 DIRECT DOWNLOAD

I AM GOING TO BE POSTING PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2 AND FOR ALL YOU FANS OF THE PIRATE MOVIES I WILL POST BOTH 2 AND 3 MOVIES WITH DIRECT DOWNLOAD LATER WHEN IT COMES OUT.


HERE IS INFO ON THE 2 MOVIE FROM IMDB

Once again we're plunged into the world of sword fights and "savvy" pirates. Captain Jack Sparrow is reminded he owes a debt to Davy Jones, Who captains the flying Dutch man ,a ghostly ship, with a crew from hell. Facing the "locker" Jack must find the heart of Davy Jones but to save himself he must get the help of quick-witted Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan. If that's not complicated enough will and Elizabeth are sentenced to hang, unless will can get Lord Cutler Beckett Jack's compass, Will is forced to join another crazy adventure with Jack. Written by kate Archie

Captain Jack Sparrow's life is in debt to the legendary Davey Jones, Captain of the Flying Dutchmen who are supernatural warriors out for blood. Facing possible eternal damnation, Jack must save himself with help from Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, who must come to Jack's aid. Written by mystic80

Once again thrown into the world of the supernatural, Captain Jack Sparrow finds out that he owes a blood debt to the legendary Davey Jones, Captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman. With time running out, Jack must find a way out of his debt or else be doomed to eternal damnation and servitude in the afterlife. And as if this weren't enough, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann are arrested and sentenced to death unless Will can get Lord Beckett Jack's compass, who are forced to join Jack on yet another misadventure. Written by Kelli

Legend has it that a tortured soul called Davy Jones lives beneath the sea with a terrible sea beast at his command. Unfortunately for the notorious pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, this particular legend is very real. Years ago, Jack made a deal with Davy Jones, who is now expecting him to make good on his promise by handing himself over to Jones's servitude. But Jack will not give in without a fight, which is especially bad news for Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, who always seem to get caught up in Jack's mishaps. If Jack can't find a way to rid himself of Davy Jones once and for all, it may just spell the end for the three adventurers Written by Aaliyah Winchester

Picking up where the first movie left off, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan are to be married. However this is interrupted when both are arrested for aiding in the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow's escape. The new captain, Beckett, will lift all charges, if Will can hunt down Jack and bring him back to Beckett, along with his magic compass. However, Jack has other problems. Years ago, he made a deal with Davy Jones to raise the Black Pearl. Time is up. His part of the deal was to give Davy Jones his soul. Once Will finds Jack, unaware of the current situation, Jack coaxes Will into boarding Davy Jones's ship, the Flying Dutchman, and retrieve a mysterious key. This key opens the chest that contains Davy Jones's secret. With it, you can control Davy Jones and his fearsome beast, The Kraken. Once Will retrieves said key, Davy Jones is hot on his trail, now hunting down both Jack and Will. It is now, only a matter of time, before something happens. Hopefully the pirates can reach the chest and stop Davy Jones, before he reaches them and sends them all to a watery grave... Written by Undead Ozzy

As they are getting married, Swashbuckling former blacksmith Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan, daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann are both arrested by Lord Cutler Beckett and are sentenced to death. Beckett makes a deal with Will for his freedom, Beckett wants Will to find his old friend, pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and give him Jack's magic compass. Agreeing, Will tracks down Jack and finds him and his crew of The Black Pearl on a tribal island inhabited by cannibalistic tribal warriors. Jack makes a deal with Will and he will only give Will his compass, if Will agrees to help him find a key to a chest containing the heart of the octopus like Davy Jones, captain of The Flying Dutchman, so he may free his soul from eternal servitude. Pursued by Davy Jones and his crew of undead warriors and his creature that lives in the sea "The Kraken", Will and Elizabeth go in aid of Jack as they set out to get to the chest first before Davy Jones does, which could spell doom for Jack and his companions and Will must succeed in giving Lord Beckett, the compass, as Beckett plots to put a end to the pirates forever. Written by Daniel Williamson

Jack Sparrow endeavors to settle a blood debt to Davey Jones, the infamous captain of the ghostly ship, the Flying Dutchman. Faced with a potential afterlife of servitude and damnation, Jack also has the upcoming wedding of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann to consider ... Written by Anonymous

Just before their wedding, Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner are arrested by Lord Cutler Beckett for helping the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, but Cutler proposes a deal to Will: their freedom per Jack's compass. Meanwhile, Jack is afraid of the sea, because he owes his soul to the evil Davy Jones, the Captain of the Flying Dutchmen. When Will meets Jack, the pirate proposes to exchange his compass by a key owned by Davy Jones. Will goes to the Flying Dutchman without knowing how dangerous and diabolic Davy Jones and his crew are. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE SECOND FILM PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MAN'S CHEST PART 1 OF 4.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE SECOND FILM PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MAN'S CHEST PART 2 OF 4.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE SECOND FILM PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MAN'S CHEST PART 3 OF 4.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO THE SECOND FILM PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MAN'S CHEST PART 4 OF 4.

NEW MOVIE SPIDERMAN 3 DIRECT DOWNLOAD

THATS RIGHT IT SPIDERMAN 3 THIS SUMMERS HIT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO WATCH RIGHT HERE.

HERE IS INFO FROM IMDB ABOUT SPIDERMAN 3

Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero. Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself. Written by Dark-Spidey

Everything is lining up great for peter he has finally got the love of his life Mary Jane Watson to marry him. But one night when the strange meteor crash's it clangs on to peter bonding him with an alien symbiote suit. This changes peter once the symbiote is attached by to him he changes his life around.Once he finds out his uncle's real killer is still alive who's Flint Marko/sandman he seeks revenge as his ex best friend harry Osborn becomes the new goblin and peter deals with Eddie Brock. Once peter realizes that he is doing everything wrong he decides only one way you can make it right by getting rid of the alien symbiote suit by riping it off witch eventually leads to the birth of venom. peter now faces all the darkest demons as he also tries to win back Mary Jane Watson. Written by Anthony Nardelli

Having finally achieved balance between his regular life with Mary Jane and his superhero alter-ego, Peter Parker/Spider-Man thinks he finally has it made. But dark changes are on the horizon. His former friend Harry has become the New Goblin to hunt Peter down. The case regarding his Uncle Ben has been reopened and new evidence points to Flint Marko, who has recently become the Sandman, as the true killer. A possible new relationship with fellow student/model Gwen Stacy drives MJ to terrible jealousy. Eddie Brock, Peter's new rival at the Daily Bugle, is determined to make Spidey look like a bad guy. And worst yet, a mysterious alien substance attaches itself to Peter, enhancing his powers and changing his personality for the worst. With the mysterious new darkness corrupting him, Spider-Man will hunt down Sandman in revenge, settle his score with Harry, drive MJ away from him and unknowingly create his most deadly enemy yet: Venom. But perhaps the most desperate battle raging may be within Peter/Spider-Man himself. Written by Josh Goring

A strange black substance known as "Venom" which needs a host to survive lands on earth, inside a shooting star. After it consumes Spiderman, turning him in to Venom, makes him evil. He manages to break free, but Eddie Brock, his rival photographer, (who has lost everything thanks to Peter Parker and now is desperate to kill him) is Venom's next target. Eddie Brock/Venom, teams up with Sandman/Flint Marko, a fugitive, to kill Spiderman. Spiderman is in even more trouble. Harry Osborn turns into the New Green Goblin, desperate to destroy Spiderman. But all the while, he tries to propose to her. Will Spidey survive??? Written by Heerak Yang

Peter Parker is finally happy: he is doing well at the school, his girlfriend MJ Watson loves him and the whole city loves his crime-fighting alter-ego Spider-Man, finally bestowing upon him the praise he so rightly deserves. Apart from this, he has made some new foes and rivals . His former friend-turned-foe Harry Osborn has become the New Goblin and wants to avenge his father by killing Spider-Man. On one night, an alien symbiote from outer space crash lands in Peter's vicinity and attaches itself to his Spider suit, turning it black in colour and enhancing its powers. Flint Marko, a fugitive, is turned into The Sandman when he gets subjected to a molecular lab experiment. Incidentally, Marko is the person who is revealed to have killed Peter's uncle Ben and now Peter wants revenge. Peter's job as a freelance photographer with The Daily Bugle is taken by Eddie Brock. Peter also learns that apart from enhancing his powers the black symbiote has also brought out the dark side within him which causes him to ruthlessly manages to throw Eddie out of his job. When MJ breaks up with him, he starts dating his fellow student Gwen Stacy who was Edie's ex, to make them both jealous. Soon Peter must decide whether he should let his dark side to dominate his personality or not. Written by Soumitra

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO SPIDERMAN 3 PART 1 OF 2.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD TO SPIDERMAN 3 PART 2 OF 2.

SUPERMAN RETURNS DIRECT DOWNLOAD IN HERE

HERE IS A LINK TO THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD OF THE MOVIE SUPERMAN RETURNS

WHICH IS ABOUT SUPERMAN AND IS THE FIFTH MOVIE AND IF YOU GUYS LIKED THE OLD SUPERMAN THEN YOU SHOULD AT LEAST LIKE THIS MOVIE OR LOVE IT DEPENDS ON YOUR MINDSET. I WANTED TO PUT IT ON DIRECTLY BUT IT WOULD TAKE A DAY TO PUT ON A MOVIE THIS LONG SINCE I TRIED TO PUT ON TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE 2007 BUT IT JUST TOOK WAY TO LONG TO PUT IT ON BLOGGER.

CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD OF THE MOVIE SUPERMAN RETURNS.

FIRST CASUALTY IN THE WAR AGAINST PIRACY AS NEW ARRESTS ONE FROM YAHOO MOVIES

First Arrest Under NYC's New Piracy Law
Thursday July 5 3:25 PM ET

A moviegoer caught secretly recording the sci-fi blockbuster "Transformers" has been charged with unauthorized use of a video camera in a theater in the first arrest under a new New York City law that stiffened penalties for pirating films.

A criminal complaint accuses Kalidou Diallo of slipping a video recorder, video player and remote control into a sneak preview of the film at a Bronx theater Monday night.

"This is the first time someone has been arrested and charged with the new illegal camcording law," City Hall spokesman Jason Post said Thursday. In May, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation that upgraded film piracy from a violation with a $250 fine to a misdemeanor that carries up to six months in jail and penalties of up to $5,000.

The Motion Picture Association of America says more than 40 percent of bootlegged films are secretly videotaped in New York City theaters. The copies typically are sold for mass reproduction or posted on the Internet, sometimes just hours after the movie has opened.

Pirated movies cost major U.S. film studios more than $6 billion in 2005, according to the trade association. A study by the group showed that the New York movie industry loses an estimated $1.5 billion a year because of piracy, and the local economy suffers further with lost earnings, tax revenue and jobs.

Police arrested Diallo, 48, after an officer seated behind him in the theater saw him raise his right arm after the film began, court papers said. During a search shortly after the movie ended, police found a video recorder "strapped underneath his right arm via a body harness," and a video player and remote control in his jacket pockets, the papers added.

Diallo was released on Tuesday without bail and ordered to return to court on Sept. 20. No telephone number was listed for his Bronx address, and the name of his lawyer was not immediately available.

"Transformers" broke box-office records on its official opening day Tuesday, taking in $27.4 million to set a new high for Tuesday openings.

The movie based on the Hasbro toys that debuted in the 1980s chronicles a war between two factions of giant shape-shifting robots that bring their battle to Earth. The cast includes Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight, Josh Duhamel and John Turturro.

TRANSFORMERS DESTROYS THE BOX OFFICE THIS WEEKEND FROM YAHOO MOVIES

"Transformers," the big-budget movie about alien robots battling on Earth, raked in $67.6 million at box offices over the weekend to land at No. 1 and bring its seven-day total to a record $152.6 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

Computer-animated "Ratatouille," about a cuisine-loving rat who longs to be a chef in Paris, fell one notch from last week to come in No. 2 with $29 million, boosting its 10-day total to $109.1 million, and action adventure "Live Free or Die Hard," starring Bruce Willis, was No. 3 with $17.4 million.

"Transformers" is based on the 1980s toys that shift shape from cars and planes to become alien Autobots and Decepticons warring against each other here on Earth.

The toys have built a loyal fan base of mostly boys and young men, and they turned out in droves for the movie. But curiously, the film's co-producers at Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks said the second-biggest group of supporters was mothers, who recommended the movie almost unanimously.

"We knew we had hard-core fans who wanted to come, (but) literally every one of the (major audience) groups turned out," said Rob Moore, president of worldwide marketing and distribution at Paramount.

Moms, in particular, "see the movie and see the spirit with which it is done -- the fun of it," Moore added.

"Transformers" debuted in a limited number of theaters on Monday and began a widespread release on Tuesday in the United States and Canada ahead of the U.S. Independence Day Holiday.

TRANSFORMING THE CHARTS

Throughout the week, Paramount trumpeted the film's ability to topple records. The opening-day haul of $27.5 million was the highest Tuesday ever, and $29.1 million on Wednesday was the most cash for an Independence Day.

Paramount said the estimated $152.6 million marked a best for the initial seven days of release for any movie that was not a sequel. It beat 2002's original "Spider-Man," which scored an opening seven-day haul of more than $151 million.

"Ratatouille" also performed well over the holiday since last weekend's initial, three-day haul of $47 million fell short of some box office watchers' expectations

.

At $109 million, the movie is now about $8 million shy of where last summer's Disney-Pixar film, "Cars," was at the same point, and is quickly closing in on "Cars" pace, said Chuck Viane, who heads domestic distribution at the Disney studio.

Willis' explosion-filled "Live Free or Die Hard" boosted its 10-day total to $84.1 million for Twentieth Century Fox.

Besides "Transformers," the only other new movie to open wide this week was Warner Bros. comedy "License to Wed," starring Robin Williams. It proved to be a mild performer with $10.4 million in its first weekend to land at No. 4 on charts. It has taken in $17.8 million since its Tuesday debut.

Rounding out the top five was Universal Pictures' religious comedy "Evan Almighty" with $8.1 million for the weekend and an overall total of $78.1 million.

Michael Moore's documentary about U.S. health care, "Sicko," landed in the No. 9 slot this weekend with $3.6 million and now has a total of $11.5 million.

Paramount and DreamWorks are part of Viacom Inc., Disney-Pixar is a unit of The Walt Disney Co. and Twentieth Century Fox is part of News Corp.. Universal is part of General Electric Co.

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THE LAST SHOW OF THE DAY IS CALLED NIGHTS OF REAL RADIO AND THE HOST OF THE SHOW IS A GUY NAMED DANO AND HIS CO-HOSTS ARE LEA AND LUKE. THE SHOW IS FROM 7:00 P.M.-11:00 P.M.

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HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX MOVIE PREVIEW AND TRAILER

HERE IS THE PREMISE OF THE MOVIE

In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community has been denied the truth about the teenager's recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort. Fearing that Hogwarts' venerable Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort's return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students. But Professor Dolores Umbridge's Ministry-approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community, so at the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands. Meeting secretly with a small group of students who name themselves "Dumbledore's Army," Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead.

HERE IS A TRAILER FOR THE MOVIE

SEINFIELD SEASON 8 DVD REVIEW FROM DVD TALK

The movie

Seinfeld almost didn't have an eighth season, due to the departure of Larry David, who had been the co-creator and executive producer of Seinfeld as well as a major writer for the show. With such a major change, could Seinfeld continue on the shoulders of Jerry Seinfeld alone? The answer (fortunately for fans) turned out to be a resounding "yes!" Though Season 8 was actually intended to be the show's final season (hence the symbolism of the little checkered flag behind the Seinfeld logo), it worked so well that Seinfeld & co. would end up doing one more season to wrap it up.

With Jerry Seinfeld completely at the helm of Season 8, Seinfeld continues on strong. As I was watching this eighth season, I couldn't help but be impressed at how consistently funny this show is. The series has moved from strength to strength ever since the opening seasons, due to the combination of a stellar cast and outstanding comedy writing. There's a telling observation in the special features for Season 8 that speaks to the success of Seinfeld: Jerry Seinfeld deliberately chose a cast who were all better actors than he was; he was willing to take on the role of straight man whenever the scene demanded it; and he worked to give the funniest material to the character who could make it work the best... not reserving it for himself. Though Seinfeld has as its title just one name, it's really an ensemble effort, as the episodes in Season 8 continue to demonstrate.

Most of what's notable about Season 8 is that it's equally as good as the preceding seasons. The writing is just as laugh-out-loud funny, the situations are just as delightful in their combination of the ordinary and the absurd, and the actors are just as good in their sharp comedic timing. The main change that we see in Season 8 is the complete disappearance of the stand-up clips at the start of the episode; the stories have organically grown to demand every available moment of on-screen time. (Remember back in the early days when there'd be stand-up at the end of the episode as well?) Instead, we jump right into the lives of the characters, either in a stand-alone humorous segment or something that gets a story thread moving. The change feels just right: in the previous seasons, it was always the stories in the world of Seinfeld that were the funniest, not the comedy routines, good though they might be.

Since the quality of the writing has, if anything, gotten stronger in this season, the result is that more Seinfeld is also better Seinfeld. Season 8 continues the characteristic Seinfeld experience of watching an episode and saying "Oh! So that's the episode with... (fill in the blank)!" There's only one title for each episode, but perhaps more than any other season, each half-hour show is a package deal full of classic Seinfeld moments. Take "The Chicken Roaster," for example. Not only does it have the hilarious story thread of the title, but it's also the episode with Elaine's struggle to justify the expense-account purchase of a sable hat, and George's trick for getting a second date by leaving something behind at his date's apartment. ("Cos-tan-za.") "The Pothole" ostensibly focuses on George's lost keys, but it's also the one with Jerry's girlfriend using a toothbrush that had fallen into a toilet, and Elaine trying to get Chinese food delivered outside its delivery zone.

That's not to say that the episodes feel exactly the same as in previous seasons. There is, I think, an increased sense of playfulness, with the plots sometimes tinged with more absurdity than we saw in earlier seasons. It's totally consistent with the Seinfeld style, though, which is predicated on the absurdity of daily life to begin with.

One of the characteristics of the funniest episodes in Season 8 is a playful self-referential comedy. "The Bizarro Jerry" is probably one of the best all-time Seinfeld episodes, at least if you are a Seinfeld fan: it does a brilliant job of playing with the audience's own familiarity with Seinfeld's characters, premises, and jokes. Then there's "The Chicken Roaster," with the incursion of Kenny Rogers Roasters transforming Jerry into Kramer and Kramer into Jerry. Seinfeld also has a lot of fun playing with references to movies, and to the conventions of film and television in general, whether it's a wordless chase scene between Jerry and Newman that plays on the typical police-story pursuit, or "The English Patient," with its riff on the characters' reactions to the Oscar-winning film. The entire film industry gets skewered with the story thread about bootleg videos in "The Little Kicks."

The working lives of the characters continue to provide ample material for comedy: Elaine's work with the J. Peterman catalog gives her some of the funniest material she's had in the show (including the Urban Sombrero), while George's involvement with the Yankees as well as with the Susan Ross Foundation is a font of great material. In "The Foundation," who can forget George's tape-recorder-in-the-briefcase trick? (recording the famous "squink.") Then there are the just-plain-classic episodes. "The Yada Yada." ("You yada-yada'ed sex?!?") "The Muffin Tops" (and the corresponding muffin stumps).

Writing this review just makes me realize, once again, that it's basically impossible to describe what makes Seinfeld so funny. If you've seen the episodes, you'll be saying to yourself, "Oh, yeah! That one! Yeah, that one was hilarious!" but if you aren't a Seinfeld fan (poor deprived soul) then you'll probably be wondering "what is supposed to be so funny about that?" See, that's the brilliance of Seinfeld. Most comedy shows take premises that have obvious potential for humor, and run with them (whether successfully or not). Seinfeld takes "nothing," the minutia of daily life, and makes it funny.

All the episodes are the full-length network versions, not the trimmed syndicated versions. Yay.

The DVD

Season 8 is packaged as the other seasons, with the four DVDs in ultra-slim keepcases inside a slipcase, with an outer slipcase on top.

Video

The episodes look great, as they have for the past seasons. The image is clean, clear, and natural-looking, with lively colors and well-handled contrast. There's occasionally a touch of grain in the outdoor shots, but the other material looks consistently clean. It would be impossible to go back to watching miscellaneous episodes caught on TV, after seeing such a nice transfer available on DVD. The episodes appear in their original aspect ratio of 1.33:1.

Audio

The Dolby 2.0 audio sounds great: the actors' voices are always natural-sounding, with a nice clarity and distinctness to the track. That's particularly important in a show that relies a lot on verbal humor: even an almost-sotto-voce remark like Kramer's description of Elaine's dancing in "The Little Kicks" ("... you stink!...") is captured just right. The laugh tracks are handled well, and are appropriately balanced with the rest of the track. A dubbed French 2.0 track is included, as are English closed captions and subtitles in French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Extras

As usual, there's a generous serving of special features for Seinfeld fans.

Disc 1 starts with "Jerry Seinfeld: Submarine Captain," a 23-minute documentary featurette that takes a look at Jerry Seinfeld (the actor, not the character) and how he pulled the show together. It's an interesting piece that includes interview segments with the other cast members, writers, and other people involved with the show. We get 17 minutes of "Inside Looks" and two brief deleted scenes (about 2 minutes).

Disc 2 includes "The Del Boca Vista Express," a "Sein-imation" animation of a short Seinfeld stand-up routine, 18 minutes of "Inside Looks," and three deleted scenes (2 minutes).

Disc 3 has a "Sein-imation" of "Pinky Toe's Wild Ride," 15 minutes of "Inside Looks," and four deleted scenes (5 minutes)

Disc 4's main special feature is a 24-minute blooper reel, which goes to show how much effort is involved in keeping a straight face with the material; it also includes 26 minutes of "Inside Looks" and five deleted scenes (7 minutes)

All four discs have the option of "Notes about Nothing" (text pop-ups during the episode) for all the episodes. We also get commentaries for many of the episodes here:

Commentaries:

"The Bizarro Jerry": David Mandel (writer)

"The Little Kicks": Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Spike Feresten (writer)

"The Fatigues": Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin (writers)

"The Checks": Tom Gammell and Max Pross (writers and consulting producers)

"The Chicken Roaster" has two commentaries: one with Jeff Schaffer and Alec Berg (writers), and the other with Jerry Seinfeld and Andy Ackerman

"The Abstinence": Jerry Seinfeld, Andy Ackerman (producer) and Steve Koren (writer)

"The Comeback": Andy Robin and Gregg Kavet (writers)

"The Susie": David Mandel (writer)

"The Pothole": Jerry Seinfeld, Andy Ackerman (producer), and Dan O'Keefe (director and writer)

"The Nap": Andy Robin and Gregg Kavet (writers)

"The Yada Yada": Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Peter Mehlman (writer)

"The Muffin Tops": Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Spike Feresten (writer)

"The Summer of George": Alec Berg and Jeff Schaffer (writers)

Final thoughts

It's Seinfeld. It's my favorite comedy series of all time, and, I would argue, the best comedy series ever. What's not to like? Season 8 has a slightly more absurdist flavor than the earlier seasons, which to my mind is a natural progression of some of the funniest elements that have developed as the series grew. It's a season that's a real treat for fans, giving us a chance to really enjoy the humor of self-reference as well as the hilarious stories about the "nothing" of daily life. I can't think of any possible reason not to rate this season up there with the last few, and give it a resounding DVD Talk Collector's Series recommendation.

WWE THE BEST LADDER MATCHES DVD TALK REVIEW

Somewhere between my affinity for globetrotting documentaries, Martin Scorsese films and The Criterion Collection, I found a soft spot for professional wrestling. Don't ask me how this happened; it just did. Despite this declaration, I shower daily, all my teeth are accounted for, I have a college degree...and, most importantly, I have a wife with the same merits. I'm not alone, of course. The wrestling fans I know aren't slack-jawed yokels; they simply appreciate the spectacle and illusion that this genuine sport creates, in the same way movie lovers enjoy fast-paced fights and thrilling chase sequences. Long story short: we know this stuff is "fake", but we like it anyway.

Speaking of fast-paced fights and thrilling chase sequences, it's doubtful that you'll find a better example of these in wrestling than a ladder match. Typically, here's how it works: a desired object (such as a championship belt) is suspended high above the ring, only accessible by a ladder. The only way to win, of course, is by obtaining the object before your opponent does---and doing so requires much more physical risk than a traditional wrestling match. One slip could lead to a concussion, a broken bone or worse---but if there's one thing that any athlete should understand, it's that physical risk is always a reality.

Contrary to popular opinion, the ladder match was not created by the WWF in the early 1990s. It may have reached mainstream popularity through the promotion---evolving quite a bit in the process, of course---but the basic concept was dreamed up by an athlete and booker named Dan Kroffat in Canada's Stampede Wrestling, circa 1972. Though this type of match didn't exactly spread quickly, more ladder matches were held in various promotions throughout the years---and for history's sake, one such bout (from Smoky Mountain Wrestling, circa 1979) is included in The Ladder Match, WWE's three-disc "best of" compilation. For the most part, though, the ladder match's evolution during the last decade devours most of this collection's nine-hour running time. Even though a few key matches didn't make the cut, there's certainly enough memorable footage here to satisfy wrestling fans.

Of course, the presentation of these matches should be of interest to fans, and The Ladder Match does a passable job in most respects. As with all WWE DVD releases from the past several years, WWF's stylized logo from the "Attitude Era" has been blurred out completely (as a result of the World Wildlife Fund lawsuit), while all mentions of the company name by ringside commentators have been muted. This editing should be all-too-familiar to wrestling fans by now, so it's hardly a distraction anymore. The entrances to each match---including pyrotechnics, music, and a few recap montages---appear to be complete and intact across the board, which is certainly a nice touch. These matches also include new introductions by WWE personality Todd Grisham---and though a few of them are rather groan-inducing, Grisham is often paired with a participant from each one (including Edge, Ric Flair and Jeff Hardy).

Of course, a few nitpicks keep this collection from being perfect. The exclusion of the classic Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels ladder match---their first of two, from Wrestlemania X---is fairly surprising (NOTE: a few highlight clips are shown), though this particular match has already been included in Michael's From the Vault DVD. Other fan favorites (including a few RVD vs. Jeff Hardy bouts and a tag match from Judgment Day 2003) are also missing in action---and though it's almost foolish to expect everything of note, WWE has come frustratingly close. Perhaps a future installment of The Ladder Match may fill in the gaps, but it's still tough to be disappointed overall.

Here's the bottom line: from start to finish, these matches speak for themselves. There's roughly nine hours of terrific content here, including plenty of death-defying leaps and nail-biting finishes. From TV tapings to sold-out pay-per-views, the bulk of these bouts stole the show on their respective nights. We'll see a pair of early matches from WWF's more innocent years (including a classic between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, held a year before Wrestlemania X), the introduction of "Tables, Ladders and Chairs", a few notable "Money in the Bank" contests and much more. Though a few laughable storylines clog up otherwise flawless matches (including the eye-rolling "Custody Match" from Summerslam 2005), this is WWE's most consistently entertaining and accessible release thus far.

Complete Match Listing
(21 matches on 3 single-sided DVDs)

Disc One

Jake Roberts vs. Big Daddy Ritter [AKA Junkyard Dog] (Stampede Wrestling, 1979)
Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WWF House show, 7/92)
Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WWF Summerslam, 1995)
Triple H vs. The Rock (WWF Summerslam, 1998)
Edge & Christian vs. The New Brood (WWF No Mercy, 1999)
Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian (WWF Summerslam, 2000)
3 Count vs. Jung Dragons vs. Jamie Knoble & Evan Karagias (WCW Starrcade, 2000)
Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho (WWF Royal Rumble, 2001)

Disc Two:

Edge & Christian vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz (WWF Wrestlemania X-7, 2001)
Edge & Christian vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Jericho & Benoit (WWF Smackdown, 5/4/01)
Christian vs. Edge (WWF No Mercy, 2001)
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rob Van Dam (WWF Raw, 5/27/02)
Jeff Hardy vs. The Undertaker ( WWF Raw, 7/1/02)
Kane & Hurricane vs. RVD & Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudleys vs. Jericho & Christian (WWE Raw, 10/7/02)
Chris Jericho vs. Christian (WWE Unforgiven, 2004)

Disc Three

Benoit vs. Jericho vs. Edge vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian vs. Kane (WWE Wrestlemania 21, 2005)
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE Summerslam, 2005)
Edge vs. Matt Hardy (WWE Raw, 10/3/05)
Edge vs. Ric Flair (WWE Raw, 1/16/06)
John Cena vs. Edge (WWE Unforgiven, 2006)
Jeff Hardy vs. Johnny Nitro (WWE Raw, 11/20/06)
London & Kendrick vs. MNM vs. The Hardys vs. Regal & Taylor (WWE Armageddon, 2006)

Quality Control Department

Video & Audio Quality

Presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio, The Ladder Match is easily on par with the most recent crop of WWE DVD releases. Colors are generally bold and bright, though some of the older footage shows its age at times. Mild pixellation and artifacts can be seen during certain pyrotechnic sequences, but these are generally kept to a minimum. Overall, fans shouldn't find much to complain about.

Most of the audio has been presented in a fairly standard 2.0 Surround mix; likewise, it's about as good as the source material will allow. Sounds and play-by-play commentary come through loud and clear, though the older footage is obviously a bit flat in comparison. Not surprisingly, subtitles and Closed Caption support have not been included.

Menu Design, Presentation & Packaging Seen above, the animated menu designs are basic and easy to navigate. Each match has been presented with a new introduction (which can be bypassed), while no obvious layer changes were detected during playback. This three-disc release is housed in a foldout digipak case with an index booklet; a slipcover is not included, but you won't miss it.

Bonus Features No traditional extras have been included here (unless you count the new intros), but it's hard to complain with roughly nine hours of content to dig through. Still, a few optional audio commentaries would've been interesting, as well as a few of the missing matches mentioned above. A proper star rating has not been given for this department, but that certainly doesn't mean this collection isn't worth the price of admission.

Final Thoughts

Even at roughly nine hours in length, there's still never a dull moment during WWE's The Ladder Match collection. This entertaining, action-packed three-disc set gives wrestling fans plenty of bang for the buck---and even with a few surprising omissions, they've managed to cover the bases fairly well. Audio/video quality is easily on par with recent WWE releases, while the technical lack of bonus features is only due to the presentation format. With a relatively low retail price and sky-high replay value, it's no surprise that The Ladder Match is a must-have for wrestling fans...if they haven't bought it already, of course. Highly Recommended.