STAR WARS EPISODE 2 THE ATTACK OF THE CLONES NOW AVAILABLE

STAR WARS EPISODE 2 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 2 FROM IMDB

Ten years after the 'Phantom Menace' threatened the planet Naboo, Padmé Amidala is now a Senator representing her homeworld. A faction of political separatists, led by Count Dooku, attempts to assassinate her. There aren't enough Jedi to defend the Republic against the threat, so Chancellor Palpatine enlists the aid of Jango Fett, who promises that his army of clones will handle the situation. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi continues to train the young Jedi Anakin Skywalker, who fears that the Jedi code will forbid his growing romance with Amidala... Written by Brian Barjenbruch

Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker discover there is more than meets the eye behind an assassination attempt on Naboo Senator Padmé Amidala's life. Meanwhile, a Sith Lord orchestrates events between the forces of good and evil, all the while waiting to play the final move that will ensure him control of the galaxy. Written by Doug Funnie

Set 10 years after the events in "The Phantom Menace". After an assassination attempt on the life of Senator Padme Amidala, Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan learner Anakin Skywalker are sent to investigate. After tracking down the assassin, she is killed before any information can be driven out of her. The two Jedi are then sent on two different missions, Anakin is sent to Naboo with Padme and Obi-Wan is sent to the planet of Kamino where he will investigate the assassination attempts. Little does he know, he is investigating some of the biggest events of the Star Wars saga, as he finds out that there is a connection between the assassination attempts and a separatists movement led by a former Jedi against the Republic. The Galactic Republic finds itself at the brink of a civil war. Written by Chris Bierman

As now-Senator Padmé Amidala returns to Coruscant to vote on an important Senatorial matter, an assassination attempt on her life prompts the Jedi Council to send Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker to protect her and find out who the assassin is. As this is happening, a rogue Jedi named Count Dooku leads separatists on Geonosis to rebel against the Senate. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine moves for a vote for a Republic Army to protect the Republic, as there has not been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic. As Obi-Wan's investigations lead him to Kamino, he finds a massive clone army being produced, with a bounty hunter - the last of the Mandalorians - named Jango Fett as the master clone. As he chases the elusive bounty hunter, Jango (and his cloned son Boba) leads Obi Wan to Geonosis, where he meets Count Dooku and finds a startling revelation about the former Jedi. As Anakin is left behind to protect Padmé, his feelings for her grow into something more than friendship. From Naboo to Tatooine, it grows into love for her. But when a tragedy strikes Anakin's life, he begins slipping away from the Light Side of the Force, and perhaps from the Force itself. Written by Erik P

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 2 FROM DVDTALK

I should've known better than to underestimate "The Force". Considering the reaction to the last film and the fact that I was going to be attending a 9:30am screening on a Thursday morning, it couldn't be that crowded, could it? It could. As I rounded the corner towards the theater, I was confronted with what looked to be about 650 people already in line. As with "The Phantom Menace", I thought some were likely in line for other, later shows already. Nope. Luckily, I was able to get in line quickly and, while what seemed like half the crowd was at the concession stand (I'd imagine it's not terribly easy to finish a giant popcorn at 9:30am, but what do I know?), I grabbed an aisle seat. Within minutes, the 800-seat auditorium was full.

As for the film itself, "Attack of the Clones" certainly is a better film than "The Phantom Menace", but there's still a few areas where it falls slightly short of expectations. The film opens about ten years after the events of "The Phantom Menace". Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) has spent the last ten years under the watch of mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and has become impatient at the length of time it's taken to become a fully realized jedi.

Amidala (Natalie Portman), once a queen, now a senator, has arrived on Coruscant to place an important vote. Shortly after her ship lands, she barely escapes an assassination attempt. Assigned to protect her are Anakin and Obi-Wan. It's not long before they have to go into action, as both give chase to an unseen attacker in a spectacular scene that has both flying through the city.

While Obi-Wan's investigation takes him to a rain-drenched planet where an army of clones are being made, Amidala and Anakin find themselves falling for one another, even though their places in life would seem to make their love impossible. "Attack Of The Clones" starts off wonderfully; there are a couple of solid action sequences and even some nice moments where Obi-Wan plays sort of a detective and eventually runs into Jango Fett (Tenemura Morrison), father of Bobba Fett.

Then, the trouble begins. There is a stretch of romantic scenes between Anakin and Amidala that is easily the most dismal part of the movie. While the two seem comfortable with one another, both have a difficult time trying to deliver lines that seem lifted out of a supermarket romance novel - and do so in an ultra-serious monotone. With the sold-out audience of about 800 that I saw the film with, these scenes got the biggest laughs, especially a strange "Sound of Music" scene.

Still, that stretch is over soon enough and the excitement takes over again. The last quarter-or-so of the movie contains some of the most dazzling action scenes I've seen in ages - but I won't spoil them here. To put it simply, Yoda fights. Although some have seemed to dislike this sequence, I thought it was not only beautifully animated, but highly entertaining.

Lucas still gets mixed performances from his actors. To their credit, the dialogue isn't always wonderful, but they also must have difficulty essentially playing to nothing while effects and most of everything else around them is likely something to be added in later. The most improved over the last film is Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan; his performance is far more confident and enjoyable this time around. Natalie Portman, on the other hand, is somewhat better, but still not quite what I'd expect, given her prior efforts. As for Hayden Christensen, I didn't like him in "Life as a House" and I didn't really care for him here, either; his performance is uneven and his scenes of anger occasionally seemed bratty. Samuel L. Jackson has a bit more to do and really kicks ass in the final battle sequence, while Christopher Lee makes a fine villian as Count Dookoo.

Overall, "Star Wars: Episode II" is fine entertainment and a respectable entry into the "Star Wars" universe; had the middle been trimmed, I would have liked the film even better. Part of me would enjoy something along the lines of an "old school" film with less in the way of completely computer-generated places, but I suppose Lucas wants to put the technology to use.

It should also be noted that I viewed episode two in a theater that offered DLP (digital) projection of the movie, which was originally filmed on digital video instead of film. Afterwards, I peaked my head into one of the film-based screenings of the movie and was surprised at just how different the two presentations were. There was more depth to the image in the DLP presentation and more detail; the image also seemed brighter and more vivid. It's definitely the way to see this film - the only problem is finding one of these theaters, as there is only somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-25 showing it in digital instead of film.

The DVD release is another fine effort from Lucasfilm, but the small screen did seem to only highlight some of the film's (Christensen, who I really hope is not in the third film, although I'm sure he will be) lesser performances.


The DVD


VIDEO: "Star Wars: Episode II" is presented here in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. "Episode II" was filmed in high-def digital video by George Lucas, who is one of a small - but growing - legion of filmmakers who are using the format. In theaters, the film was either presented digitally in a fairly small group of theaters equipped with DLP projectors, on film prints or - most recently - blown up for IMAX film presentations. On the DVD edition, this transfer has been taken direct from the digital source, and not from film elements.

The presentation is not quite flawless, but it's still an awfully strong effort that looks truly stunning throughout much of the show. Sharpness and detail were magnificent throughout the entire film, save for a couple of dimly lit interiors that looked slightly murky. Detail and depth are also surprisingly good, considering the amount of scenes here that seem to be created entirely in the digital realm.

The usual flaws found on most DVDs (and found on the much-discussed transfer for "Star Wars: Episode I") are not in attendance here. Edge enhancement is not an issue, nor is pixelation. Given the direct-from-digital transfer, there are also no film-related flaws apparent, such as marks or scratches on the print used.

Colors were also reproduced beautifully, with rich tones that appeared beautifully saturated and crisply reproduced. Black level was solid, as well.


SOUND: "Star Wars: Episode II" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1-EX. Given the fact that director George Lucas often discusses the importance of sound in the experience of watching a film, audiences have expected - and recieved - thrilling soundtracks for the first two new "SW" films. Also, it helps that Lycas has recruited two of the world's best sound designers (Ben Burtt, Gary Rydstrom), one of the most highly regarded score mixers (Shawn Murphy) and a remaining sound crew whose credits are quite remarkable.

Although there are a few stretches of calm scattered throughout the film, several action sequences provide incredible surround use. Although the last 30-45 minutes provide a terrific assault, I especially liked the chase through the asteroid field, where the twang sound effects from the seismic charges travelled beautifully from front-to-back. There's not a whole lot of minor ambience here, but that's a rather minor complaint, given how terrific the rest of the film's soundtrack is.

Audio quality was terrific, too. Plenty of rich, deep bass was present, but these levels never became too overwhelming. John Williams' score is often mixed to both front and surround speakers, filling the room and sounding warm and crisp. Dialogue came through clearly, as well. "Episode II"'s audio is certainly up there with what I consider some of the finest audio experiences available.

EXTRAS:


Commentary: Once again this time around, we get a commentary from director George Lucas, exec producer Rick McCallum, sound designer Ben Burtt, animation supervisor Rob Coleman and effects artists Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow. All of these participants have been recorded separately, but their comments have been recorded together (very well) for this screen-specific track. As with the track recorded for "Episode I", the track is certainly very informative, but rather on the dry side. The track launches into many different topics, from more character-based discussions, story chat and casting to more technical topics, such as digital effects and sound. Everyone has a lot of information to provide, but I found Burtt's discussion of sound design particularly enjoyable (for another great discussion of sound design, listen to Randy Thom's commentary on the "Cast Away" DVD.)

From Puppets to Pixels: This is a 55-minute documentary that largely follows the crew of the film as they develop some of the digital characters (Yoda, etc.) and try and overcome some of the technical obstacles of the production. What this piece generally consists of is following the crew of the film into the back rooms of the production facilities as they view new footage on their computers or chat with one another on how to improve the look of the scene. While those interested in the digital effects and technical aspects of the production may really find this enjoyable, those who don't will likely be bored. It is a fine documentary for what it is, but it makes me long for the more beginning-to-end production documentary of "The Beginning", the famed documentary that was included with the "Episode I" DVD. That hour-long documentary still remains one of the most intimate and personal I've seen for a blockbuster, big-budget picture. As for "Puppets to Pixels", what viewers see early on is what they'll get for the remainder of nearly an hour, so those who are enjoying it should proceed - those who aren't should move on.

State of the Art: The Pre-Vis of "Episode II": While filmmakers before have simply drawn out storyboards to have an idea of their big-budget films before they proceed, new technology allows filmmakers to digitally create animated storyboards to give a clearer and more detailed idea of how a scene will go together. While this documentary focuses on a subject that I don't particularly feel positive about - this film's essentially building entire worlds from the ground up around actors who are simply standing in front of a blue screen and reacting to maybe some off-screen direction - it's well-edited and informative, going through many of the sequences and doing so in a way that mixes behind-the-scenes clips and interviews well. Watching the film again and this documentary makes me appreciate "Lord of the Ring"'s better mixture of real and effects.

Films Are Not Released: They Escape: This doc - buried within the "Dex's Kitchen" area for some reason - is a 25-minute look at the creation of the film's sound design. The main interview participant is sound designer Ben Burtt, although we also hear thoughts from Gary Rydstrom, George Lucas and others. The documentary focuses on two aspects of the sound: where the sound effects were recorded (it's always surprising where the sounds were taken from) and the amazing amount of layers that go into the sound design of any one particular sequence. We also sit in with the ADR (automated dialogue recording) sessions, the foley recording and other aspects of the sound production.

Effects Breakdown: This 3 1/2 minute ILM featurette provides a look at the before-and-after of many of the films effects sequences, showing rapid clips of each of the elements that went into the final scene.


R2-D2: Beneath The Dome: This jokey 6-minute featurette charts R2's rise to fame via the "Star Wars" pictures. Not much repeat-viewing value, but funny once through.

Web Documentaries: These featurettes, originally found on the internet, go though various aspects of the production: "Here We Go Again" (digital cinema); "Wedgie 'Em Out" (creating the Jedi starfighter); "We Didn't Go To The Desert To Get A Suntan" (shooting around the world); "Trying To Do My Thing" (Christensen's casting); "A Twinkle Beyond Pluto" (extras); "It's All Magic" (on-set visual effects); "Revvin' It To The Next Level" (sound effects); "A Jigsaw Puzzle" (building models); "Bucket Head" (Introducing the Fetts); "Good to Go" (Jedis in action); "P-19" (Portman's wardrobe); "Reel 6" (creating the action in the film's final sequences).

Featurettes: Mainly promotional looks, these three featurettes are really the weakest link in the second disc. They're titled "Love", "Story" and "Action" and provide a very general overview of what there is of all three in the final film.

Trailer: The film's full theatrical trailer.

Teaser Trailers: Three teaser trailers.

TV Spots: 12 TV spots.

Music Video: The "Across the Stars" music vid.

Gallery: The "Dex's Kitchen" area includes numerous production photos and a poster gallery.

Deleted Scenes: 24 minutes of deleted scenes are included and, as with the DVD of the prior "Star Wars" film, these are scenes that have been completed before they were made available here. These scenes include introductions and are mostly dialogue-driven pieces that were deleted from the final film because of pacing reasons. They're enjoyable to view here,although I really didn't see any that I felt would've worked in the final film.

Also: THX Optimizer a/v tests (disc 1) and some easter eggs.

DVD_ROM: Weblinks and additional promotional supplements.


Final Thoughts: I remain a little less pleased with some of the acting aspects of "Episode II" after watching it on the small screen, but I still find it to be a more enjoyable feature than the "Star Wars" film that came before it. "Episode II"'s DVD edition provides stellar audio/video quality and terrific supplements. A definite recommendation for fans.
HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 2.

STAR WARS EPISODE 1 PHANTOM MENACE NOW AVAILABLE

STAR WARS EPISODE 1 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 1 FROM IMDB

The evil Trade Federation, led by Nute Gunray (Carson) is planning to take over the peaceful world of Naboo. Jedi's Qui-Gon Jinn (Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) are sent to confront the leaders. But not everything goes to plan. The two Jedis escape, and along with their new Gungan friend, Jar Jar Binks (Best) head to Naboo to warn Queen Amidala (Portman), but droids have already started to capture Naboo and the Queen is not safe there. Eventually they land on Tatooine, where they become friends with a young boy known as Anakin Skywalker (Lloyd). Qui-Gon is curious about the boy, and sees a bright future for him. The group must now find a way of getting to Coruscant and to finally solve this trade dispute, but there is someone else hiding in the shadows. Are the sith really extinct? Is the Queen who she really says she is? and what's so special about this young boy? All these questions and more in the first chapter of the epic Star Wars saga. Written by simon

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

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 1 FROM DVDTALK

The Movie
There's no denying that Star Wars has had an influence on me. I was one of those young kids who did stop motion animation with my Star Wars Action Figures. My friends and I used to compete on how many times we had seen Star Wars. We waited every few years in long, long lines to see each new Star Wars Chapter as it opened.

But times have changed, I have changed, and so has Star Wars. The latest installment, Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace, is considered by many Star Wars fans to be the weakest Star Wars movie so far. I consider it to be a real disappointment. I walked out at the end of my first and only time seeing Phantom Menace in the theater with a feeling of discontent.

I've been told by many people that you HAVE to see Phantom Menace at least twice. But every time I hear people say this I'm reminded of the joke "Why do people see Star Wars Phantom Menace two times? To convince themselves that they enjoyed it the first time around."

So with the DVD, I sat down and gave Phantom Menace a second try, and attempted to put the way I felt about it the first time around aside. I tried so hard to re-connect with my enthusiasm for the Star Wars universe. At first I found that I was really enjoying the film and was blown away at how crystal clear the picture was and how phenomenal the sound was. But then there was Jar Jar. I tried real hard not to hate him, not to let my mind drift to 'The Phantom Edit' (a fan's version of the film which removes all scenes of Jar Jar) but I just couldn't. Jar Jar sticks out like a sore thumb as something that just doesn't fit the way I see Star Wars. My dislike for Jar Jar took a back seat to the Pod Racing scene, which seeing again, I just loved. Could it be.... would I like Phantom Menace the second time around? Was I the butt of my own joke? Unfortunately not. As the second act of the film comes to a close, the excitement drains out of me and I remember why I really didn't like it the first time around. The story degrades into a jumbled mess which Lucas claims makes sense when put in context of the entire series, but what I've always loved about the Star Wars films is their ability to exist by themselves as well as part of a series. Phantom Menace just isn't strong enough to stand on its own. When the closing credits started to roll I found myself humming the Star Wars theme - man, I love John Williams' score. Too bad it wasn't on a better film.

The Picture
With Star Wars Phantom Menace, THX has taken a much deeper involvement in the production of the DVD. Rather than certify the movie at the end of the production process they were there hand in hand with the production team from beginning to end, and it shows. Also it's important to note that Lucas decided to do the transfer for the Phantom Menace DVD from the film master over the pure digital print that was made for the small number of digital theaters which Star Wars Phantom Menace was shown in. This was a conscious choice and the result is the image is great, but not perfect.

For the majority of the film the image is crystal clear, without any defects, specs, scratches, or anything. You could easily say it was immaculate. But the scenes on Tatooine do have a grainy feel which comes from using this film master. To me it wasn't distracting or unlike other strong transfers I've seen. I point it out only because the rest of the film transfer is so good, so it stands out.

I would have liked to have seen them release the digital print as I never got an opportunity to experience Phantom Menace that way (Portland doesn't have an all digital theater yet), but knowing Lucasfilm I'm sure we'll see it some time in the future.

The Sound
This is as good as it gets. Phantom Menace features a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track which is so full and dynamic, it's going to make your head spin. The Pod Races are certainly demo quality as the soundtrack moves from almost a quiet hum to a roar and back again. The DVD also has a Dolby 2.0 and a Spanish 2.0 track on it which are of the same high caliber as the 5.1 track. Since the theater I saw Phantom Menace in wasn't the top of the line, state of the art theater, I found my home theater experience of Phantom Menace to be BETTER than the one I had in the theater. It both looked and sounded better.

The Special Features

Menu Design
You can't talk about the Star Wars Phantom Menace DVD and not talk about the Menu Design, which is easily the best design I've seen on a DVD. Each time you insert the Phantom Menace DVD into your player one of the three complete menu designs randomly comes up, each themed after the major planets of the film (Naboo, Tatooine and Coruscant). All three are stunning and extremely well produced and each has its own unique look and feel. Both the main DVD and the 2nd DVD have a number of fun 'time outs' (when the music and such cycles while you wait) including a fun one in Watto's shop. These add to the character of the disc and make the menus come alive. Lucas has made the menus of the Star Wars Phantom Menace just as much a part of the Star Wars experience as the movie, and you really feel like you're exploring the Star Wars Universe.

Easter Eggs Disc 1
I'll be honest, I didn't find all the Easter Eggs on the first disc, and that's probably a good thing. It's so fun to look for them, that having a review spoil it for you takes some of the fun out of it. I can tell you that above the THX Optimode logo on the Naboo Options screen there is an egg which takes you to the DVD credits and a hilarious blooper reel.

Commentary
Rather than providing separate commentary tracks for different aspects of the film, Phantom Menace has a 'best of' commentary track, where they've intercut commentary from George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires. One fantastic feature of the commentary tracks is that when someone speaks their name comes up on screen. With so many people talking it's a GREAT help trying to keep track. I was pretty disappointed that there wasn't a separate commentary track for George Lucas. He spoke a lot about theory and the big picture, and I would have liked to hear more off the cuff, blow by blow commentary with him, but overall the edited together commentary works and it provides some extensive information on how they made Phantom Menace, and will change the way you see what you see on the screen.

2nd DVD - Special Features
When talking about this DVD, Lucasfilm emphasized that they focused on quality of special features over quantity, and they delivered in spades. I'm hard pressed to think of a better companion DVD than the one that comes with Star Wars Phantom Menace. It is this second disc and the content on it which makes this a MUST OWN DVD.

Deleted Scenes and Deleted Scenes Documentary
Unlike most deleted scenes, the seven deleted scenes on the Star Wars Phantom Menace DVD were cut from the movie before they were ever fully produced (in a Q&A Lucas commented that things were cut in concept, it was the idea of something that had to be cut, things didn't get to be produced unless they were IN). Lucasfilm went back with the seven scenes and completely produced them. This is really well explained in the 'Deleted Scenes Documentary' which not only covers the production of the Deleted Scenes but also discusses why scenes are deleted from a film in the first place. It's a fascinating documentary which gives a great deal of context about the deleted scenes. Of the seven deleted scenes included on the DVD, my favorite are the two related to the Pod Race. Both the introduction to the Pod Race has been extended as well as the second lap. Elements of both these deleted sequences have been re-incorporated into the main feature as well as an 'Air Taxi' scene on Coruscant.

Episode 1 - The Beginning
Taken from over 600 hours of archival footage, this documentary provides a look into Lucas' creative process. It is the most compelling thing on the DVD, and it gave me a real understanding of what Lucas was trying to do with Phantom Menace and why he both succeeded and failed. In the documentary there's a scene with George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum and visual effects supervisor John Knoll. In less than five minutes of footage it becomes clear that Lucas isn't just making a movie, he's creating a new industry for Lucasfilm. As he looks over the budgets, it isn't just with an eye for the film, but with the vision of creating cutting edge effects and technology at a price which would be affordable to other film makers. An example of this is the choice to make Jar Jar an all digital character. Originally they designed a suit for Jar Jar 'actor' Ahmed Best to wear and were planning to just digitally replace his head, but after figuring out the costs they discovered going all digital was less expensive. The money spent on the actor's suit was seen as an investment in figuring this out rather than a waste of money.

Another poignant moment in the documentary is when Frank Oz, doing the puppetry for Yoda, sees some of the completed Jar Jar footage and says to Lucas, "You don't need me any more to do this, George", a bitter sweet ode to the transition to digital film making. A point made even more clear with a scene where Lucas digitally alters an actors performance by splitting him out of the scene, editing him and then putting him back in. Our jaws dropped at what is now commonplace technology for Lucas.

Multi-Angle Storyboard-to-Animatic-to-Film Segment
Like the Fight Club DVD, Phantom Menace has a section where you can see the film at various stages compared with the finished film. On one master screen you can see the storyboard, the animatic or test live action footage, and the final film all together. Using the angle button on your remote you can tab between the three and get a real sense of the progression of the film. It's amazing to think that major decisions on scenes were made on the animatics, which are often extremely rough representations of a scene. One of my favorite things about the Multi-Angle Storyboard-to-Animatic-to-Film segment is seeing stand-ins perform the submarine scene. It's a riot!

Promotional Materials
The Phantom Menace DVD contains the teaser, the trailer and seven TV spots called 'Totems', each which feature a theme of the movie. I hadn't seen the TV Spots (as I was told they were targeted to woman's programming) so it was interesting to see how they marketed the film (especially to women). There were a number of other commercials which were made but didn't make the DVD due to space. Even More Making-Of Features
If the hour-long 'Episode I - The Beginning isn't enough for you, the DVD also has five featurettes on storyline, design, costumes, visual effects and fight scenes AND 12 award winning web documentaries which chronicle the process of making Phantom Menace from the first day Lucas began to write the script through production. It's a dizzying amount of information, and incredible to think that there are at least 600 more hours of it in the archives!

Final Thoughts
After seeing Phantom Menace a second time, I still hold to my first impression of the movie, and that's not a real positive one. As a whole, the movie is less than the sum of its parts. Still dazzling are the Pod Races and the Duel, and the amazing picture and sound on the DVD, but Jar Jar and the mess of a third act make it hard to recommend the movie.

I wouldn't recommend you buy this DVD for the movie; instead, buy it because it's simply one of the best DVDs produced to date. Done at a level so far beyond most DVDs, it's worth picking it up just to experience what can be done on DVD. This is a reference quality DVD with some of the best picture and sound out there, and while I rarely rave about menu design, you've just got to see these menus!

The main reason I'm recommending you run out and buy this DVD is the 2nd disc. The 'Episode I - The Beginning' Documentary makes the disc worth the price of admission, and is a must-get for any Star Wars fan. The documentary is so amazingly produced, it's unlike any other making-of you'll see on DVD and hopefully will set the standard for DVDs to come. The delete scenes are spectacular and anything that extends and improves on the Pod Races gets a big thumbs up in my book.

Most importantly, Star Wars Phantom Menace is the DVD which all DVDs will be measured up to. It's the highest level of excellence on DVD - I just wish it were for a better movie.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE STAR WARS EPISODE 1.

HANNAH MONTANA/MILEY CYRUS MOVIE NOW AVAILABLE

HANNAH MONTANA MOVIE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE HANNAH MONTANA MOVIE FROM IMDB

As the movie starts, during the Walt Disney logo, we hear a peculiar-but wonderful-voice. This turns out to be Miley warming up, after a few backstage moments, a huge box comes down, out comes Miley (as Hannah) and she sings Rockstar. After that we go back in time a few weeks and see Miley during rehearsals. The movie focuses on backstage moments and rehearsals for the concert as well as the performances of her songs. Songs: MILEY AS HANNAH: Rock Star, Life's What You Make It, Just Like You, Nobody's Perfect, I Got Nerve, We Got the Party feat Jonas Brothers. JONAS BROTHERS INTERLUDE: When You Look Me In The Eyes and Year 3000 MILEY AS HERSELF: Start All Over, See You Again, Let's Dance, I Miss You, G.N.O. (Girl's Night Out) and The Best of Both Worlds.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE HANNAH MONTANA MOVIE FROM DVDTALK

While I'm way out of the target demographic for this 3D concert film, it's not difficult to appreciate the Miley Cyrus hurricane. "Best of Both Worlds" is an infectious, high-energy performance picture that overcomes its rather unsavory purpose by barreling forward with a nuclear bomb of tween enthusiasm and vivid displays of over-choreographed celebration.

Essentially slapped together to peel a few more bucks off exasperated parents who couldn't nab a ticket to Cyrus's sold-out U.S. tour, "Best of Both Worlds" doesn't let its coin-gobbling heart show. Instead, it's a rather sweet reminder of pre-teen hysteria, where 16,000 young girls have gathered to scream until their lungs bleed and bow at the feet of their queen: Ms. Miley. The young mogul takes this daunting entertainment challenge seriously, and her entourage has assembled a delightful night of song, dance, winking, and confetti guns.

I came to this concert picture understanding Cyrus's appeal, aware of her tunes, and unable to watch the Disney Channel "Hannah Montana" show for more than 30 seconds without inviting a throbbing headache. I was wary of this live movie, yet right off the bat "Best of Both Worlds" steamrolls over the viewer with its craving to jazz hands right into your heart. There's not a spontaneous moment in the entire film, but it still pleases, due in no small part to Cyrus's energetic stage prowling and the audience itself: a virtual sea of braces, glow sticks, and anxiety-attack smiles.

Surprisingly, "Best of Both Worlds" is something of a documentary, presenting the viewer with a behind-the-scenes look at the tour's creation, overseen by the Disney Channel version of Jim Malone: veteran choreographer Kenny Ortega. We also spy Cyrus in a relaxed state, learning rock star microphone stand moves and singing with dad Billy Ray. Perhaps it's an economical way to pad out the brief film (75 minutes), but it's amusing to watch the crew pull off snappy costume changes and assorted mayhem, along with humorous interviews conducted with energized concertgoers.

For 15 years-old, Miley Cyrus has a comfort onstage few adults share. She's a natural performer, not to mention a decent singer with ideal rusty pipes that are sure to grow interesting with age and more intricate songwriting. For now, she's a pop queen, and sprinting through the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus catalog of empowerment anthems and party ditties, she displays outstanding personality and traditional plastic performance sass. She's well-rehearsed, but Cyrus is game to give her fans the night of their young lives.

To help push some of these girls through puberty, Cyrus has brought along The Jonas Brothers: the Shaun Cassidys of the MySpace generation. The Jonas boys whip the audience into a disturbing frenzy, teaming up with Cyrus for a boisterous performance of the hit "We Got the Party" before taking on a solo number. They sound a little too flat for my ears, but perhaps that's missing the point of their appeal.

My only real complaint here would be that the 3D isn't pushed nearly as far as it should be. Director Bruce Hendricks doesn't like to play shots out, which is where 3D holds its power. Crowd shots are fun, but minimal, with Hendricks preferring to edit the film like any other concert video. It may be a forgettable pop culture bookmark, but "Best of Both Worlds" deserved a little more three-dimensional awe.

Watching the crowd inside the theater is almost nearly as fun as watching the movie. Even though Cyrus is being projected onto a screen, the young fans still respond passionately, resulting in spontaneous dancing and a sing-along at the screening I attended. It may last for only a fleeting moment, but it's hilarious to see a concert film engage the audience so successfully. This is no "U2 3D" (a thoughtful, thrilling 3D concert experience), yet "Best of Both Worlds" gets the job done in a bright, flashy manner that's more appealing than it seems, especially to those positioned outside Miley Cyrus's considerable reach.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE HANNAH MONTANA MOVIE.

SCREAM 3 NOW AVAILABLE

SCREAM 3 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE SCREAM 3 FROM IMDB

STAB 3: RETURN TO WOODSBORO is currently in production, and a killer is on the loose cutting corners cast wise. The murders draw a reporter, ex-cop, and young woman to the set of the movie inspired by their life. They soon find out that they are dealing with a trilogy, and in a trilogy...anything can happen. Written by mike

After the terrifying events that occurred around Windsor College, Sidney is now living alone in a secluded Northern California mountainside. Still haunted by her past, frightening images of her dead mother reappear time after time in her head as she tries to get on with her life. She now gives advice, under a fictional name for safety, to women in crisis via telephone. Soon enough though, her comfort turns to fear as she receives a threatening phone call from an anonymous source who informs her on the recent murders committed around the Hollywood set of "Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro, the third and final chapter to the 'Stab' series. Sidney decides to visit the set when she finds out that with every victim, the new killer leaves behind a different photo of Sidney's deceased mother, Maureen Prescott. Eventually the cast of "Stab 3" start dying one by one and more photos of Maureen appear. Mark Kincaid, an LAPD detective, is sent to investigate the strange murder and becomes friendly with Sidney. Meanwhile, Gale visits the set of "Stab 3," after she hears of the murders. Ironically, she meets up with Dewey, who is now working behind the film alongside his actress/girlfriend Jennifer. Gale, Dewey, and Sidney rejoin along with the actors and actresses of "Stab 3," who are all shaken up by the rest of the cast being killed off. As the secret to Sidney's past unfolds, the three discover that in the trilogy, anything can happen. Written by Kyle {Kyleshivers@aol.com}

After the murder of Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber); Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) is tangled, once again, into getting the scoop on a third killing spree. This spree revolves around the set of "Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro", and each cast member is getting killed off one by one in the same order they die in the script. With the help of her ex-boyfriend Dewey Riley (David Arquette), who has connections to the cast of Stab 3; Gale and Dewey set out to solve who's doing this and who's next. After each murder, the killer leaves a photograph of Maureen Prescott (Sidney's mother). Could this be clues to the killer's motive, or simply just bait to lure main-target Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) out of hiding? The only keys Dewey, Sidney and Gale have to surviving this third unpredictable killing-spree are: the clues the killer leaves behind, the Stab 3 script, and a video-tape left by old pal Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy). Written by Geeky Randy

Sidney is hibernating in the woods, her whereabouts unbeknownst to everyone but Dewey. After a number of murders that seem to be related to the Woodsboro case take place on the set of Stab 3, Sid comes to Hollywood to be terrorized, find out more about her mother's death, and put together the final pieces of the Scream mystery. Written by {jacquelyn@hfx.andara.com}

In the final installment to this trilogy, a murdering spree begins to happen again; this time targeted toward the orginal Woodsboro survivors and those associated with the movie-inside a-movie, Stab 3. Sydney must face the demons of her past to stop the killer(s). Written by reese7

While "Stab 3" is in production, somebody in a ghost mask starts to murder the new cast members. This lures Sidney out from hiding deep in the woods where she lives, and she comes to Hollywood to face the killer for the final act. Written by T-2

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE SCREAM 3 FROM DVDTALK

The Movie: Scream 3 is a fitting end to the Scream trilogy. It contains much of what made the first two films great, lots of frights, a few laughs, a good cast, a few great cameos and a self-awareness of both the horror genre and the first Scream film expressed this time in the filming of "Stab 3" throughout much of the first half of the movie. While those hoping for a movie which greatly outdoes the earlier Scream films might be somewhat disappointed by the film, fans of the Scream series will still greatly enjoy this film. Because each of the three movies focuses in large part on who the killer is and there are references to the earlier culprits in this film, one should definitely watch the films in order and not watch Scream 3 first. Those who have seen the first two films however, will enjoy the subtle references made throughout the film to earlier events, particularly those in the original film. Like the other two films before it, Scream 3 has an enjoyable cast, featuring returning cast members Courtney Cox Arquette, David Arquette, Neve Campbell and Jamie Kennedy and featuring new cast members Scott Foley, Lance Henriksen, Jenny McCarthy, Parker Posey, Emily Mortimor and Patrick Dempsey who does a surprisingly good job as a cop with more than a passing interest in the plight of Sydney Prescott, Neve Campbell's character as the people she knows and the people playing the people she knows find themselves in grave danger. Also extremely enjoyable in the film are the cameos of Carrie Fisher, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, and in a larger role, Patrick Warburton, ("Puddy" from Seinfeld) Warburton's use of the word "Aight" is a true high point in the film. The suspense of the film is quite good and the audience is continually left guessing who the murderer might be. The killing scenes are at times graphic but will often leave viewers on the edge of their seats. Wes Craven unquestionably proves his mettle as a master of horror and suspense and does a good job of crowning off the trilogy with a good film. While many other horror franchises, including Craven's Nightmare on Elm Street have gone on to boast a series of eight or more films, Craven deserves a great amount of credit for making the film into a trilogy and settling there. This film does have a number of parallels with "Wes Craven's New Nightmare," the first horror film in the genre to truly deconstruct the genre from within, but even for those who have seen "New Nightmare," Scream 3 is still a very enjoyable film. The Picture: Scream 3 is presented in Widescreen format. It is an anamorphic transfer, at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. While the colors and skin-tones are generally quite good throughout the film, there were a few instances in which there appeared to be some imperfections early on the film. These were relatively brief and only perceptible with regard to the face of characters somewhat in the background. All in all, however, the picture quality is quite good. The film may also be viewed in full-screen format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The Sound: The sound on this DVD is extremely enjoyable. From the haunting music playing during the menus to the sounds throughout, the sound of the DVD, presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital makes the film even more enjoyable. The dialogue is clear throughout the film, and a viewer will not have to constantly adjust the volume when action is taking place. The Extras: The bonus materials provided on this DVD are quite good and bode well for the Scream Box Set which is supposed to be released later this year. The DVD contains a feature-length commentary by Director Wes Craven, Producer Marianne Maddalena and Editor Patrick Lussier, as well as deleted scenes and an alternate ending, also with commentary. The DVD also offers outtakes, a short behind the scenes montage, the theatrical and international trailers, literally a dozen television ads, cast and crew bios, a trailer for the soundtrack, and a music video for Creed's "What If". The audio commentary on this film is extremely enjoyable. The commentary goes into great detail about the making of the movie, the rush to get the movie made and the great number of last minute additions and changes that take place, insight into Craven and Co.'s attempts to lead the audience to suspect different characters of being the murderer, all the unfortunate mistakes that made it into the film (quite humorously, they point out the day that they started shooting and how, in the middle of the film, Arquette and Cox Arquette are much more tan, having just arrived from their honeymoon in the Bahamas) the cameos, including one by Wes Craven as a tourist with a video camera just after two other notable studio tour guests, all the appearances of the film's actual crew in the film and all the many references to the original Scream and Scream 2. The commentary goes into detail about what the filmmakers wanted for certain scenes, what they tried but did not use and what was cut before the final product was released. Because there is some substantial discussion as to who the killer is, it is imperative that one not watch the commentary until after watching the movie, but it is thoroughly enjoyable and definitely worth listening to, particularly because it will clue the viewer in to Cravens manipulations and also the great detail employed. In a scene in which the original house from Scream is revisited, Craven does a great job pointing out all the items which refer to the deaths which took place in that house in the original. The commentary track is not to be missed. The alternate ending is not drastically different from the ending which was used (still the same killer, etc.). Watching it with commentary is fun, particularly because it allows the viewer to understand the differences and why the ending used in the film won out. Both the alternate ending and the deleted scenes definitely look unfinished, however and are somewhat rough and blurry. The deleted scenes- there are a few different takes of the film's introductory scene which are enjoyable but do not add too much to the viewing pleasure. There is an extended scene with the cast of Stab 3 in which the actor playing the black character in Stab 3 is horrified to find out that his character dies in the script and discusses the fact that "the black guy always dies." This is one of the few instances of an outright acknowledgement of a trend in the genre, other than Jamie Kennedy's character's posthumous speech on trilogies and how all the rules go out the window. The trailers and the television ads do get extremely repetitive, particularly around the sixth or seventh commercial, but their inclusion does demonstrate the commitment to give the viewer everything the studio could give them, something that must be appreciated. The outtakes are generally just the cast being silly or laughing while trying to deliver lines. It does give a sense of the fun the cast and crew had on the set. This is also extremely apparent in the behind the scenes montage, showing the filming of all three movies in a six minute montage set to a Nick Cage Song used in all three films. Finally, the Creed music video, featuring David Arquette and the killer, is largely forgettable unless one is a big Creed fan. The song is decent, but does at times sound like a ripoff of the sound of the Stone Temple Pilots. Final Thoughts: While not necessarily the best film out of the three, Scream 3 is a fun, suspenseful, satisfying horror film which showcases Wes Cravens great talents well and builds on its two predecessors nicely. It attempts to wrap up the series and provide a whole new round of frights and thrills and does largely succeed on all fronts. While anyone who has avoided Scream 1 and 2 will know to avoid this one as well, for fans of the series, this film is highly recommended.


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GET A CLUE NOW AVAILABLE

GET A CLUE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE GET A CLUE FROM IMDB

"Get a Clue" follows the exploits of a young girl, Lexy, who is a privileged twelve year old who has spent her entire life amongst the wealthy and elite of Manhattan. Clad in Prada, she prides herself on her ability to get the scoop and serve it up in her school's gossip column. When a photo she has taken of her teachers is published in the city's daily paper, things start getting weird. A teacher goes missing and she along with her working class family friend, Jack, set out to solve the mystery. What follows is an action-packed adventure laced with mystery and drama. Written by Dave Goldblum {dgweb@mac.com}

Get A Clue tells the story of a budding teen-aged gossip columnist working for her high-school newspaper. When a teacher disappears from campus, Lexy changes hats and becomes an investigative reporter. Teaming up with Jack (Bug Hall, "Adam Szalinski" in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves and "Buster Stupid" in The Stupids), a hard-nosed reporter from her paper, Lexy will work to sniff out the villain, uncover the mystery, and rescue her teacher. Written by LLROCKS

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE GET A CLUE FROM DVDTALK

The Movie: Done after "Parent Trap", but before "Freaky Friday" and her current blond twig state, "Get a Clue" stars Lindsay Lohan as Lexy Gold, an upper-class New Yorker who goes to the privileged Millington private school. She has an interest in journalism and remains a know-it-all about fashion, communicating via webcam with her friends about what they're going to wear that day. Early in the picture, Lexy gets a story about her teacher (Ian Gomez) published in the city's Daily Examiner. However, the next day the teacher's car is found floating in the East River and the teacher is nowhere to be found. The police question Lexy, but she doesn't have any idea what happened and wants to help find what happened to him. So, Lexy enlists the aid of Jennifer (Brenda Song), Gabe (Ali Mukaddam) and and Jack Downey (Bug Hall) in order to help track down her missing instructor. The main suspect is Miss Dawson (Amanda Plummer), who apparently had feelings for Mr. Walker (Gomez). Once the group actually sets out in Manhattan in order to try and crack the case, it's surprising that the movie doesn't pick up more than it does. The characters are largely one-dimensional, as Lexy and her friends mostly spout "hip" phrases and aren't very engaging. The screenplay doesn't provide much in the way of comedy, as the picture proceeds along fairly uneventfully. There's no real "twists" or surprises here, and the whole enterprise is directed with about as much energy and visual style as your average sitcom. The performances were average at best, especially Lohan, which is surprising after her excellent effort in "The Parent Trap". Song is really present to not do much more than talk about outfits, while adults Gomez and Plummer hardly get any screen time. Overall, this was a mediocre Disney Channel effort, and not something Lohan will likely want remembered. The DVD VIDEO: "Get a Clue" is presented in 1.33:1 full-frame by Disney, despite the fact that the alternate ending's presentation suggests that the movie was originally shot in approximately 1.78: widescreen. Picture quality was fine, with decent (although slightly inconsistent) sharpness and detail, as well as only a couple of traces of shimmer and pixelation. Colors were bright and vivid, but slightly smeary on a couple of occasions.

SOUND: "Get a Clue" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. The surrounds kick in slightly for some reinforcement of the music, but the sound design is otherwise pretty bare-bones, with dialogue remaining the focus. Audio quality was fine, with clear dialogue and crisp music. As one would expect, there's really nothing in the way of low bass.

EXTRAS: An alternate ending is included that runs over 20 minutes. The ending is pretty similar, but there's a different villian. Final Thoughts: An uninspired little detective caper, this might make for an okay rental for kids, but it's otherwise pretty uninvolving. The DVD edition provides satisfactory audio and video, along with a couple of supplements.
HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE GET A CLUE.

TENACIOUS D PICK OF DESTINY NOW AVAILABLE

TENACIOUS D PICK OF DESTINY NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE PICK OF DESTINY FROM IMDB

This is the story of a friendship that changes the course of rock history forever, of the fateful collision of minds between JB and KG that led to the creation of the precedent-shattering band Tenacious D, and of the two heroes' quest to find the fabled Guitar Pick Of Destiny... Written by Anonymous

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE PICK OF DESTINY FROM DVDTALK

Whether you've become familiar with "mock rock" outfit Tenacious D during their HBO series (airing sporadically from 1997-2000), their full-length debut album (2001) or the two-disc Complete Masterworks DVD (2003), they're certainly an easy act to remember. Comprised of actors / musicians Jack Black (High Fidelity, Mars Attacks!) and Kyle Gass (Jacob's Ladder, Elf), this two-man supergroup dubbed itself "The Greatest Band in the World" soon after its formation in the mid 1990s. Their goofy, lowbrow lyrics may trick casual fans into thinking "The D" is purely a joke act---and to be fair, nearly all of their material is completely tongue-in-cheek---but make no mistake about it, Black (AKA "JB" or "Jables") and Gass (AKA "KG" or "Rage Kage") are both talented musicians, songwriters and performers. Remember: great satire is only possible if you actually respect and understand the source material. Here's looking at you, Date Movie.

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006) brings the band's legacy to the big screen; luckily, it's everything you'd expect it to be: lowbrow, self-assured and full of catchy hooks. In no small part, it serves as a travelogue of The D's origin story and early adventures...with plenty of details embellished, of course. Our story begins as young JB (Troy Gentile, who also portrayed a young Black in Nacho Libre) grows increasingly frustrated with his Bible Belt parents and their anti-rock ways; seeking advice from Black Sabbath's Ronnie James Dio (below left), JB begins a journey to find his future partner-in-crime. Our heroes finally meet in Venice Beach and eventually begin their training while focusing their sights on The Pick of Destiny, an all-powerful guitar pick made of Satan's own tooth.

Tucked inside the film's free-wheeling, musically-charged exterior, however, is a fairly basic road trip story that sees our heroes looking to score rent money. They've got to rescue The Pick from the guarded interior of Sacramento's Rock & Roll Museum---but it's really not the pick itself that they're seeking, it's the success that will hopefully follow. Through hallucinations, a daring heist, a car chase, the Valley of the Shadow of Death and a "rock-off" with Beelzeboss himself, The D take their schtick one step farther with a bigger budget, a few recycled gags...and, of course, non-stock rocking. Part Bill & Ted, part Blues Brothers and part Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Pick of Destiny isn't entirely original but it is pretty darn entertaining. If you've heard their material, it shouldn't be a surprise.

Directed and co-written by Liam Lynch (Jesus Is Magic, TV's Sifl & Olly), The Pick of Destiny plays its tarot cards right during most of the 94-minute running time. The episodic pacing is fairly standard for a road movie, hitting plenty of right notes early and keeping the laughs coming throughout. Featuring appearances by famed rockers Ronnie James Dio, Meat Loaf and Dave Grohl as well as longtime D pals Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller and others, it should keep plenty of die-hard fans happy without (hopefully) scaring off too many outsiders. Though it didn't exactly set the box office on fire last November, The Pick of Destiny is a predicable yet satisfying comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Presented on DVD by New Line Home Entertainment (and as part of their Platinum Series line, no less), you'd never suspect The Pick of Destiny tanked by what we get here. Fans can look forward to an excellent technical presentation, while a host of entertaining extras provide plenty of support. All things considered, it's a well-rounded package that does the film plenty of face-melting justice. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Video & Audio Quality

Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for widescreen displays, The Pick of Destiny looks surprisingly good from start to finish. The film's warm color palette appears consistent and natural, black levels are solid and no major digital problems (edge enhancement and pixellation, for example) are on display. Long story short: comedies usually don't look this strong, so fans should be pleased with New Line's respectable efforts.

The audio is presented in robust Dolby 5.1 Surround EX and DTS-ES 6.1 mixes (as well as a more modest 2.0 track), all of which pass with flying colors. Obviously, such a musically-driven effort needs to have plenty of power behind it; luckily, all the channels are put to good use on many occasions. The film's non-stop dialogue is clean and clear throughout, while never fighting for attention during the frequent sonic assaults. Optional English and Spanish subtitles, as well as Closed Captioning support, are available during the main feature.

Menu Design, Presentation & Packaging Seen above, the animated menu designs are basic and easy to navigate. The 94-minute main feature has been divided into 14 chapters, while no obvious layer change was detected during playback. This one-disc release is housed in a standard black keepcase and includes a matching slipcover and promotional insert.

Bonus Features Though everything is squeezed onto one disc, there's plenty to dig through after the closing credits. Leading things off is a pair of Audio Commentaries; the first features stars Jack Black and Kyle Gass, while the second features director Liam Lynch. As expected, Black and Gass offer an entertaining and laid-back commentary, dishing out plenty of interesting tidbits and casual banter that D-sciples should appreciate. Lynch's track is a bit more low-key, but his frankness is appreciated; though this obviously isn't a technical tour-de-force, it doesn't overlap with the first track as much as you'd think. It's odd that all three participants weren't recorded together, but fans shouldn't mind the choice.

Tying in nicely is a Behind-the-Scenes Documentary (23:08, below left); it's a fairly standard featurette in most respects, touching on the film's pre-production, band history, cast, script and so on. The charisma of Black and Gass help to speed things along nicely, while comments from crew members and cast are also appreciated.

Also included is a collection of Deleted & Extended Scenes (16 clips with optional intro by director Liam Lynch, 30:09 total), including a longer version of the car chase, an alternate ending and a few minutes of outtakes. Everything here is worth checking out at least once, but it's easy to see why some of it didn't make the final cut.

Fans can also look forward to a small chunk of Studio Footage (21:34) featuring The D and composer John King goofing around in the studio...and occasionally laying down a few tracks, slowly but surely. Also here is a Music Video (2:25) for the title track, as well as a brief Featurette (4:44, above right) covering the music video's production; both are short and to the point, featuring additional comments by director Lynch and a few extras.

Closing things out is a handy Jump To A Song feature, allowing direct access to any of the film's 12 major music cues (including a "Play All" option), as well as the film's Theatrical Trailer (1:31) and Teaser Trailer (1:46). Also included is a handful of Sneak Peeks at current and upcoming New Line DVD releases, including Pan's Labyrinth.

All extras are presented in anamorphic widescreen and most include optional English subtitles. Since most major studios don't go the extra mile, it makes The Pick of Destiny seem that much more polished in comparison.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE PICK OF DESTINY.

THE BABYSITTERS NOW AVAILABLE

THE BABYSITTERS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE BABYSITTERS FROM IMDB

A teenager turns her babysitting service into a call-girl service for married guys after fooling around with one of her customers.

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THE LEGEND OF BLOODY MARY NOW AVAILABLE

THE LEGEND OF BLOODY MARY NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE LEGEND OF BLOODY MARY FROM IMDB

Ryan (PAUL PREISS) has been plagued with nightmares since the night his sister Amy (RACHEL TAYLOR)went missing 8 years earlier after playing the game "Bloody Mary." Amy had stumbled onto a website on the Internet (www.marked4mary.com) about a witch called Bloody Mary (CAITLAN WACHS) and a game to summon her evil spirit. Now a senior in college, Ryan is reaching a mental breaking point from the years of stress and guilt from his sisters disappearance. His girlfriend Rachel (IRINA COSTA) frustrated herself at Ryan's emotional distance and self pity, calls for help to a former professor of Ryan's, Father O'Neal (ROBERT J. LOCKE). Father O'Neal is both a priest and a archaeologist who decides to help Ryan end his tormenting grief by using his detective skills and wit to figure out what exactly happened to Ryan's sister, and uncover the truth to the Legend of Bloody Mary. Written by Anonymous

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE THE LEGEND OF BLOODY MARY.

HAROLD AND KUMAR 2 NOW AVAILABLE

HAROLD AND KUMAR 2 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE HAROLD AND KUMAR 2 FROM IMDB

Follows the cross-country adventures of the pot-smoking duo as they try to outrun authorities who suspect them of being terrorists when they try to sneak a bong on board their flight to Amsterdam.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE HAROLD AND KUMAR 2 FROM DVDTALK

Right from the start I'm stating that I detested this needless "Harold & Kumar" sequel. However, I'm well aware that it will absolutely delight the franchise's core group of fans, so please, for the love of all that's holy, do not step an inch further in this review if you cherished "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle."

Off on a special trip to Amsterdam to chase after a loved one, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) board a plane and settle in for the nice, long trip. Impatient, Kumar whips out his smokeless bong in the bathroom, which onboard security mistakes for a bomb and swiftly arrests the duo on severe terrorism charges. Sent to Guantanamo Bay by nightmarish government agent Ron Fox (Rob Corddry), the duo manage to escape quickly, only to find help in America scarce as they creep along the backwoods of the country getting into all sorts of scrapes and racially-charged situations.

I'd assumed I would never have to write this, but I miss the confident directorial touch of the guy who made "Dude, Where's My Car?" The reigns of "Guantanamo Bay" have been passed down to the writers of "White Castle," Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, and the transition is a sloppy one. I wasn't too enamored with "White Castle," but it had some faint charms and the good sense to quit while it was ahead. "Guantanamo Bay" is nonstop procession of grim material, hinged on the sweaty prayer that the target demo will be too high to notice they're being fed nearly the exact same jokes.

Remember how awesome it was to see Neil Patrick Harris as himself, only himself with raging substance abuse problems and a penchant for risky sex? How funny Kumar's anthropomorphic bag of weed love interest was? Well, they're back in "Guantanamo Bay," along with a horde of conventional pot jokes and shock value nonsense that's marinated in desperation. Hurwitz and Schlossberg don't actually have a story for their sequel, so they bury the material in disorganized ideas, one of the larger ones concerning some swipes at Bush's America and the overzealous, clueless means of patriotic defense after 9/11. Coming so soon after Jenna Jameson's left-hook "Zombie Strippers!," "Guantanamo Bay" is another silly comedy that attempts to sneak in big-boy political ideas about governmental corruption under the guise of oral sex jokes and Corddry's obnoxious performance, which is so frantic and unfunny, it's nearly mime-like in execution.

The other unfriendly angle of "Guantanamo Bay" is the picture's slathering of racial humor. I realize the jokes are meant to be harmless by their obvious pronunciation, but it doesn't take long for the bits to wear down the intended joviality of the film. The directors are looking to flabbergast with sight gags like Fox using grape soda to make an African-American suspect talk, or spilling a bag of pennies to make two Jewish characters sweat during an interrogation; it all comes off as childish, even for a juvenile film like this. I always thought the idea of a sequel was to try and top the original film, but "Guantanamo Bay" is even more careless than "White Castle."

The rest of the film is the stuff one would expect walking into a "Harold & Kumar" sequel: gratuitous nudity (the pair stumble upon a "bottomless" party), over-explained jokes, massive ADR sweetening of humor, Penn and Cho further developing their comedic infertility, and lots of tiresome gay panic situations. What's less expected is an extended riff with a makeup-enhanced George Bush lookalike; a gag that would've been better sold if the actor looked less like Freddy Kruger and more like the President. You can add it to the alarming pile of misfired satire left to rot in the sun by the filmmakers.

Of course, getting upset with "Guantanamo Bay" is fruitless, since most fans couldn't care less about actual scripted quality as long as Kumar passes gas at inopportune times, Harris downs a mouthful of mushrooms and rides a unicorn, and the occasional joint is worked over. If I laughed a handful of times during "White Castle," I found myself without a single solitary chuckle during this painfully slapdash and uninspired sequel.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE HAROLD AND KUMAR 2.

FREDDIE PRINCE JR SIGNS WITH WWE

FREDDIE PRINCE JR SIGNS A DEAL WITH WWE

HERE IS THE ARTICLE ON FREDDIE JOINING THE WWE AS A WRITER

Prinze, Jr. Joins WWE Creative Team
July 30, 2008

STAMFORD, Conn, July 30, 2008 – Freddie Prinze, Jr., a long-time fan of World Wrestling Entertainment®, joins WWE®’s creative team. Prinze, Jr. will now have a behind the scenes role contributing to WWE’s weekly television and pay-per-view programs.

“Freddie Prinze, Jr.’s passion, energy and creativity make him an excellent fit for WWE,” said Chairman Vince McMahon.

"Bringing on board an experienced Hollywood writer, actor and producer like Freddie Prinze, Jr. will only increase the level of entertainment to millions of viewers and passionate WWE fans every Monday on USA," said Chris McCumber, Executive Vice President Marketing Digital & Brand Strategy, USA Network.

WWE’s programming is seen weekly by nearly 15 million viewers in the United States alone, and in 130 countries around the world (Monday Night RAW®, ECW® and Friday Night SmackDown®)

X-FILES 2 I WANT TO BELIEVE IS NOW AVAILABLE

X-FILES 2 I WANT TO BELIEVE IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE X-FILES 2 FROM IMDB

When a group of women are abducted in the wintry hills of rural Virginia, the only clues to their disappearance are the grotesque human remains that begin to turn up in snow banks along the highway. With officials desperate for any lead, a disgraced priest's questionable visions send local police on a wild goose chase and straight to a bizarre secret medical experiment that may or may not be connected to the women's disappearance. Its a case right out of The X-Files. But the FBI closed down its investigations into the paranormal years ago. And the best team for the job is ex-agents Fox Mulder and Dr. Dana Scully, who have no desire to revisit their dark past. Still, the truth of these horrific crimes is out there somewhere...and it will take Mulder and Scully to find it!


HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE X-FILES 2 FROM DVDTALK

Hard to believe, but it's been a full decade since the last "X-Files" picture, "Fight the Future," hit the big screen to enthusiastic response, plunging the then-running television series even further into ferocious alien disturbances and its own vast sci-fi mythmaking quest. It's a different world for the "X-Files" brand these days, and "I Want to Believe" reflects the change of pop culture weather, turning inward to produce a spooky drama for the fans this time around, not multiplex mass acceptance.

When an F.B.I. agent goes missing after a violent attack, the bureau (including Amanda Peet and Xzibit) turns to Father Joseph Crissman (Billy Connolly), a convicted pedophile with psychic abilities who can sniff out the body parts left behind by the unknown assailant. Finding a dead end in the case, attention is focused on Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), the former "X-Files" believer turned recluse after being stripped of his credibility. Mulder is reluctant to assist in the investigation, and probes ex-partner Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) for advice. With the clock ticking, the duo is pulled into the case when a second person is abducted.

"Fight the Future" led off with a literal bang before assembling a tight, forceful tale of conspiracy theories, aliens, bees, and black oil, enthusiastically playing into established "X-Files" parameters while remaining a well-executed horror/action creation to please those new to the labyrinthine franchise. "I Want to Believe" isn't as generous this time around to the newbies, with series creator Chris Carter grabbing directorial control and crafting a feature that stands out from the congested summer blockbuster environment by remaining alarmingly unflappable and looking to provoke not with ghouls, but with studious questions pitting science vs. religion.

Now this is the part where readers will surely tense up and hold their breath hoping I won't spoil the movie. I wouldn't dare. However, I can write that "Believe" is a provocative picture that gives serious weight to critical medical and religious issues, using Scully's role as a skeptical medical expert at a professional turning point to broaden the feature's thematic search for faith and all its unbecoming perversions. It's not profound sermonizing, but it eats away at a majority of the running time, leaving Scully and Mulder gasping for belief as they try to hold steady to the controversial paths they're drawn to.

It's a captivating exploration for an "X-Files" film, but does it equate to a rollicking time at the movies? Not exactly.

Carter has made a commitment to a more cerebral adventure for his characters, fixating on the discomfort between Mulder and Scully as they assume their old responsibilities. This uneasiness extends to the screenplay, which is heavy with expositional speeches, rendering the film stiff and overindulged at certain points. Since the television series was killed in 2002, it's to be expected that the producers would find it difficult to recharge rusted geek zeal, trying to rekindle the poised passion between Mulder and Scully, but often leaving the film slavish to discussion, not action. Carter, who's never directed a feature film before, almost seems terrified to spin "Believe" into something befitting a traditional widescreen release, perhaps fearing any deviation from the rhythms of the T.V. show would quickly spiral out of his control.

The lack of deliberate thrills isn't a complaint, just an occasional mild annoyance, with "Believe" sticking with spooky happenings and faltered interpersonal communication. It's a mysterious film, building dread through brutal kidnapping, displays of Bryukhonenko-inspired horrors, and the Crissman character, who Carter employs as the critical figure of eerie face-value judgment. It takes nearly an hour for "Believe" to work up a sweat; the film favors the tempo of the series, not the bombast of the screen. Fans are sure to drink up every last frame. The less inclined might be checking their watches with increasing regularity.

While I wasn't electrified by "Believe," I was immensely satisfied with Carter's intent, and his appreciation for Duchovny and Anderson, who really shines as Scully is dragged through a vigorous questioning of self. "I Want to Believe" is not a feature that provides instant results; instead, even with a handful of faults, it gets under the skin, offering the faithful a rewarding odyssey with these unlikely knights of the unknown.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE X-FILES 2.

ANACONDAS 3 NOW AVAILABLE

ANACONDAS 3 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE ANACONDAS 3 FROM IMDB

A mercenary-for-hire accepts a mission from a billionaire to capture a dangerous snake that could possibly help cure a terminal illness.



HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE ANACONDAS 3.

DARK CITY NOW AVAILABLE

DARK CITY NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE DARK CITY FROM IMDB

John Murdoch awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he has lost his memory and is wanted for a series of brutal and bizarre murders. While trying to piece together his past, he stumbles upon a fiendish underworld controlled by a group of beings known as The Strangers who possess the ability to put people to sleep and alter the city and its inhabitants. Now Murdoch must find a way to stop them before they take control of his mind and destroy him. Written by Anonymous

John's life has become a nightmare. He is hunted by the police for a series of murders he knows nothing about, a woman who claims to be his wife is after him, and so is a mysterious "doctor". But his worst trouble is the strangers, a series of vastly powerful beings who seem to manipulate just about everything in the city, and want him because of the extraordinary powers he manifested. John decides to find out what is happening in his city; why is it always night? And why can nobody tell him a way to leave the city? Written by Chris Makrozahopoulos {makzax@hotmail.com}

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE DARK CITY PART 1 OF 5

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE DARK CITY PART 2 OF 5

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE DARK CITY PART 3 OF 5

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE DARK CITY PART 4 OF 5

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE DARK CITY PART 5 OF 5