Sunday, September 14, 2008

WANTED NOW AVAILABLE

WANTED NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE WANTED FROM IMDB

"Wanted" tells the tale of one apathetic nobody's transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. In 2008, we're introduced to a hero for a new generation: 25 year old employed slacker, WESLEY GIBSON. Wes is the most disaffected, cube-dwelling, clock-punching drone this planet has ever known. His boss chews him out hourly, his girlfriend ignores him routinely, and his life plods on in interminable boredom and routine. Everyone knows this disengaged slacker will amount to absolutely nothing, and so does he, until he meets the sexy, foxy woman named FOX, and then everything changes. Wes' estranged father is murdered, and the deadly Fox recruits him into The Fraternity, a secret society that trains him to avenge his father's death, by unlocking his dormant powers. And oh boy does he have powers, as she teaches Wes how to develop his lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, he discovers that The Fraternity lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: to carry out the death orders given by emotionless Fate itself. Wes, with his wickedly brilliant and sexy tutor, plus the paternal guidance of The Fraternity's enigmatic leader, SLOAN, young Wes grows to enjoy all the strength and success he ever wanted. But, slowly, he realizes there's more to his dangerous associates than meets the casual eye. And, as he wavers between new found heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one can ever teach him; that he alone controls his destiny. Written by Orange

A young man finds out his long lost father is an assassin. And when his father is murdered, the son is recruited into his father's old organization and trained by a man named Sloan to follow in his dad's footsteps.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE WANTED FROM DVDTALK

It's not the familiarity that ultimately undoes "Wanted," but its uncharacteristic reserve. A back-flipping action bonanza, "Wanted" is an adult cartoon, taking acts of death-defying stupidity to their most illogical extreme, and that's exactly where this outlandish visual buffet should stay.

Trapped in a dull life with a soul-crushing cubical job, a cheating girlfriend, and no money, Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is lost in his own life, unable to claw his way out from underneath his depression. Into his world comes Fox (Angelina Jolie), who takes Wesley to meet Sloan (Morgan Freeman), a secretive man who oversees The Fraternity: a collection of highly-trained, super-human assassins. After learning that his father's death has left him a spot on the team, Wesley reluctantly undergoes tests of strength and endurance, pushing himself to unleash his extraordinary gifts. Now fully settled into his new life as a hunter, Wesley learns some ugly truths about The Fraternity that force him to confront those he trusts most.

"Wanted" is one of those high-octane, fist-pumping, soda-hurling experiences that make summer multiplex entertainment so much fun. Director Timur Bekmambetov assaults the screen with bracing visuals, taking great stock in bullet-time theatrics and CG-enhancements to a point where "Wanted" feels just like an animated movie. It's not an especially intellectual motion picture, but more an optical flame-thrower for the first hour, with the director pulling out all the stops to announce "Wanted" as a film cocked and loaded with exclamation points pointed in all directions.

Betmambetov's previous films, the Russian fantasy two-pack "Night Watch" and "Day Watch," allowed the filmmaker to sharpen his visual effect skills, and all that exhaustive training comes out to play during "Wanted." The film is teeming with Betmambetov fingerprints, from a fixation on uneasy textures to the lawless action, playing acceptably into the director's field of vision. He's having ball with his English-language debut, falling in love with The Fraternity world: the textile factory/slaughterhouse base of operations, the health-replenishing wax baths the assassins take to cure wounds, and the sheer ballet of bloodshed as the warriors engage in hyper-warfare by "curving" bullets and nailing gravity-defying kill shots. It's a tapestry of absurdity, yet the director shapes it into a spellbinding sit for the first hour, gulping down the nonsense with a completely convincing photographic bravado.

Following Wesley as he grows from "Fight Club" mouse to "Matrix" lion is a far more enchanting arc than it has any right to be, if only because Betmambetov keeps the film's outlandishness out in front to stun the viewer, while the rest of the film breakdances like a madman to keep the pace at top speed. The filmmaker is dealing with ridiculously clichéd visual gimmicks, but there's a consistency to "Wanted," a veritable fantasy world created, that helps to swallow the malarkey that's routinely offered by the camera.

Would you believe The Fraternity actually receives their kill assignments from a mystical loom that foretells destinies? It's that level of reality that Betmambetov saves from complete laughter with his visual ferocity.

However, what goes up must come down. Once "Wanted" moves over to the second half, the picture strangely begins to buy into itself, turning an agreeably violent, heavily caloric distraction into a battle of fates as Wesley starts to take his role in The Fraternity very seriously. Once "Wanted" becomes a tale of revenge instead of discovery, the whole film deflates into over-plotted nonsense. The fun is scooped right out of this sucker, replaced with a punishing sense of obligation, where the filmmaker tries to overcome the movie's newfound solemnity with a late-inning presentation of excessive, nasty violence and multiple explosions.

Let's just say the climax of "Wanted" involves epic posturing of familial revenge, a deafening Busby Berkeley-style shoot-out, and an army of lethal rats, their bellies filled with peanut butter and explosives.

It's disappointing that "Wanted" abandons its sense of humor, but that doesn't completely rob the picture of some wildly infectious material. It doesn't maintain its pitch, but "Wanted" is still a rewarding rocket-powered ride of escapism, damn near-perfect lunacy at times.




HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE WANTED.

HOW TO BOOTLEG PS2 GAMES BY KEVIN ZALLA

HERE IS AN ARTICLE ON BOOTLEGGING PS2 GAMES

This article I am writing to you guys so that you can not have to waste a lot of money on a bad game and not have to wait a long time to rent the game. You need a few things before your ps2 will let you play the bootleg games. The first thing you need is a cover for your ps2 that is like the playstation 1 cover its called a flip top and you can find them all over the internet. I found one at http://www.baysoftgames.com/ps2flipcov.html
for $39.00 because you need the software that comes with it to play any of the games you make from the internet.

Once you have the flip top and follow the instructions to put it on the Playstation 2 you will then need the Swap Magic Disks which I believe come with the flip top cover. You need to put in the Swap Magic Disk into the Ps2 like you would a game and let it load up then it will take you to a screen that asks you to put in the disk you open the flip top and then put in any DVD+R that you want but you need to use a DVD+R since they are the only ones that work for games.

Now if you want to know how to download a Ps2 Game to your PC then keep on reading but if you already know how to download and where to get your games to download at then you can stop reading.

To download a Ps2 game on your pc you need some type of Usenet service I have Giganews which you can get for 24.99 a month and it is very fast at downloading. You also need to get a month subscription to newzbin which is at www.Newzbin.com its 4-6 dollars for 105 days. Next go to their consoles section and look for the Ps2 games by searching Ps2 and pick the game you want lets say you want Star Wars The Force which is new and just came out well comes out on Tuesday the 16th of this month but they have it already. So you click on the game and click download they save a file to your pc called a NZB file you use newsleecher which you can get for free at www.newsleecher.com and you download the nzb file of the game on there it usually takes me anywhere from 1 hour-1 and half hours for a 4.0 GB file which is what Ps2 games are. Once that is Downloaded unrar the game into a ISO file and then continue to the next step.

The next step is putting the ISO file onto a Blank DVD+R you need a dvd recorder which most PC's and Laptops have now days. You should put the blank DVD+R into your DVD recorder and then open a free trial version of TMPGENC which you can get at www.TMPGENC.com. Open up TMPGENC and click on Launch disk writing tool and click on write disk image which ISO files are and then click on the ISO you made from the game and click start. Once it is done putting it on the disk it will eject your disk once that happens it is done and you should be all set. Now you can put the disk into your Ps2 after you put in the Swap Magic disk of course. Once you put the game into the Ps2 click NTSC on the menu of Swap Magic. Now click X and your all set. Hope you enjoyed the article and hope it helps you save money.

FRIENDS SEASON 1 NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

Here is the summary for Friends Season 1 from imdb

When we start the show, Rachel Green comes in wearing a wedding dress after leaving her fiancée at the altar. Rachel worked at Central Perk for a while and finally gets a job at Bloomingdale's and later Ralph Lauren. She has a baby with Ross Geller and they decide to keep the baby. Ross Geller is a paleontologist, and has had three wives. His first wife, Carol, finds out she is a lesbian and is pregnant with his baby. His second wife, Emily, is crushed when he calls this new wife Rachel instead of Emily. His third wife, Rachel, happens when they get drunk and decide to get married. Ross's sister, and Rachel's best friend, Monica Geller-Bing is a chef, and finally marries Chandler Bing. Chandler Bing is Ross's best friend, and secretly dated his sister for about 6-7 months. Monica and Chandler want to have a baby after Rachel has hers, but they can't have any. They decide to adopt a baby. They are shocked to find out that the pregnant mother is having twins. Chandler's former roommate, Joey Tribbiani, is a not so bright, but sweet actor. We played on Days of Our Lives has Dr. Drake Ramoray. Monica's other former roommate, Phoebe Buffay, is a masseuse, and a singer. Her most famous song is "Smelly Cat." Phoebe at the end marries a guy named Mike Hannigan. Phoebe was also was a surrogate mother for her brother's triplets. Ross and Rachel find out that they love each other when Rachel is assigned to live in Paris for a job that pays a lot. Monica and Chandler decide to move to a suburban house to raise the babies. The show ends when Monica and Chandler are moving to their new house, Ross and Rachel are living together again,and Phoebe is married to Mike. Written by anandjones

Six young people, on their own and struggling to survive in the real world, find the companionship, comfort and support they get from each other to be the perfect antidote to the pressures of life. Written by Kevin Ackley {kackley1@aol.com}

Rachel Green, a former popular girl in high school living off of daddy's money, is independant now with a baby of her own that she had with Ross Gellar, a former flame that was temporarily rekindled after a drunken night which resulted in the baby. Ross is a paleontologist, he now lives in an apartment with Rachel, across the way from his sister, Monica Geller-Bing, a chef, and her new husband, Chandler Bing. Monica is a clean freak and very neurotic about it! and Chandler is laid back and uses humor as a defense mechanism. Across the hall from Monica and Chandler is Joey Tribiani, who now lives alone after Rachel moved out to move in with Ross because of the baby. Joey is a not-so-bright but sweet actor who recently made a big war movie and is on Days Of Our Lives. Another friend who we can't forget about is Pheobe Buffay, who is now engaged and soon to be married to Mike. She is a free spirited masseuse who sings crazy songs like "Smelly Cat". Their relationships with each other: -Rachel Green and Monica Gellar were best friends in high school, and after Rachel ran out on her wedding with Barry, she moved in with Monica, this was in the first season. -Monica Gellar and Ross Gellar are brother and sister. So Ross knew Rachel also from high school, when he had a crush on her. -Ross Gellar and Chandler Bing met in college and became best friends, Chandler met Rachel and Monica when Ross brought him home on Thanksgiving. Pheobe Buffay was Monica's old roomate before the show started and Joey Tribiani came into the picture when he moved in with Chandler, also before the show started. It's complicated, but one thing is for sure, they are all best "Friends." Written by Holly Murray {holly03berry@hotmail.com}

A Comedy Series based in Manhatten about 6 young friends, in the struggle to find success and happiness in life, but it is never that straight forward, is it? Rachel Green - A popular schoolgirl of the past, is now a spoiled brat living off her fathers finance. In an attempt to start a new life after running out on her wedding, she shares an apartment with an old best friend Monica Gellar, and eventually befriends the other 4 and Monica's older brother, Ross. Monica Gellar - A compulsive neat freak, who has trouble with her love life. Monica was teased when she was in high school for being overweight. However, now a head-chef at a top restaurant in Manhatten, she has lost all her excessive weight, and just wants to start a family with 'the right guy' to complete a happy life. Ross Gellar - Older Brother of Monica, he has always had strong love feelings for Rachel. A successful professor of science leads him to be often teased by the other 5 friends about his profession. Ross has experienced many misfortunes in life, including 3 divorces and bringing up a child with his lesbian ex-wife. Ross now is devoted to finding a girl to settle down with, without a divorce, and makes it his personal goal to share happiness with Rachel. Phoebe Buffay - Brought up as a fatherless child, Phoebe is a ditzy yet loveable hippy, who has become a personal masseuse. Despite liking her profession, her dream is to become a star in the music industry and bases her songs on her life experiences. The other 5 friends secretly believe that Phoebe will never make it, but still encourage her to write. Phoebe often performs at the 'Central Perk' coffee house, and strongly believes in herself. Chandler Bing - A financially secure data processor, who relies on humor as a defense mechanism. Despite being rich, the other 5 have no idea what his profession is, and Chandler is a wimpy, average looking cigarette addict, who has never had a serious relationship. Will he ever get it, and is she just round the corner from him? Joey Tribiani - Despite being close to all the friends, he is especially open with Chandler, who his also his roommate. Joey is a small time actor, who desperately wants fame and fortune, and Chandler has high hopes of Joey, so helps Joey with money for acting lessons and professional photographs. Despite being a relatively bad actor, Joey is an adorable, sensitive guy, who is very successful with women, but needs to become famous and rich to complete his successful life. A Side Splitting Series, with emotion and drama. Definite One To Watch! Written by Mekaeal Chaudary

Friends- The story of 6 very different people , growing up together in New York City. Rachel Green , a spoilt rich girl who relies on daddy's credit cards, finds her life suddenly changing , when she leaves her cheating fiancée Barry at the altar and finds comfort in her best friend from High School Monica. Rachel is a fun-loving , friend who's look on life changes through -out the show. Monica Gellar Bing, a very paranoid , neat and clean but yet funny and lovable person , who marries Chandler Bing . Monica is a chef , and the brother of Ross. At the end of the series Chandler and Monica , finally fulfill their dream by having two adopted children. Phoebe Buffay, the lovable , ditzy and adorable Phoebe , who finally finds love with her Mike Hannigan (who ends up her husband)Phoebe is a masseuse and aspiring musician. Joey Tribbani , the fun , women loving , adorable , kind and hilarious actor. Joey has a reputation of being a ladies man. Joey has finally found his break on Days of our lives, until he gets fired , Joey loves acting but doesn't have that much talent , but always believes in himself. Chandler Bing , the kind of one liners and technician , who no-one is ever to sure of what his job is , is the funny guy who brings comic relief to all situations. Unlucky in love until he marries the love of his love Monica. Ross Gellar, the poor guy who has been divorced 3 times , with two children with two very different women. He is a paleontologist , who is also unlucky in love , until he gets together with the love of his life Rachel. Everybody needs Friends! Written by haz-arm


Here is a review for Friends Season 1 from dvdtalk

Movie:
Finally, Friends, the hit comedy sitcom from NBC, arrives on DVD in Season sets, rather than more of the previously released "Best Of" collections. The show stars Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Matthew Perry (Chandler), Courtney Cox (Monica), Matt LeBlanc (Joey), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), and David Schwimmer (Ross). For those who have never seen the show, the series explores the intertwining friendships, relationships, and lives of the six main characters through a variety of situations and events.

The twenty-four episodes, six per disc, of Season One are: The Pilot, Sonogram at the End, The Thumb, George Stephanopoulos, East German Laundry Detergent, The Butt, The Blackout, Nan Dies Twice, Underdog Gets Away, The Monkey, Mrs. Bing, Dozen Lasangas, The Boobies, The Candy Hearts, The Stoned Guy, Two Parts, All the Poker, Monkey Gets Away, Evil Orthodontist, The Ick Factor, The Birth, and Rachel Finds Out. As a bonus, each episode includes previously unseen footage.

Though the series was just first starting out, Season One contains quite a few gems, like The Pilot, All the Poker, Candy Hearts, Blackout, Fake Monica, and Two Parts. Even early on, the chemistry between the six stars was remarkable, giving it a very natural feel, which only increased as the long-running series continued. Friends has always been one of the better written and funnier shows on TV and is well worth revisiting.

Picture:
Friends is presented in 1.33:1 full frame, as it was originally presented on TV. The episodes have few flaws, as well as some minimal edge enhancement and some slight pixelation. Colors are well saturated and are vibrant throughout, with no smearing.

Sound:
Friends has been newly remastered in Dolby Digital 5.0. Dialogue for all the episodes is crisp and clean with no distortion. Surrounds, though, are really only used for the laugh track and the music between scenes. Still, these sound much better than they do on TV. Optional subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish, as well as Closed Captions in English.

Extras:
Extras are available on Discs 1 and 4 of the collection.

The main feature on Disc 1 is the commentary from executive producers Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane for the Pilot episode. Each participant was recorded separately and then their comments were spliced together to form a track that provides a wealth of information regarding the development, casting, and filming of the show. This is, in terms of extras, easily the highlight of the collection, and I hope for more commentaries in future sets. Also on Disc 1 are cast & crew bios.

Moving to Disc 4, there are two main extras. First is Friends of Friends, a list of guest stars with brief clips from the episodes they appeared in. Next is A Peek at Central Perk, which is an interactive map of the set with facts about the props. A few of the props have the option of accessing either a clip or additional comments from the executive producers or the crew. Also available is a Trivia Quiz and a promo trailer for Season Two.

Summary:
At last and for a reasonable MSRP, you can now watch every episode, in order and uncut, from Season One. With an improved presentation over the original broadcast showings, fans should find the collection hard to pass up, though the extras are a bit lacking. Newcomers might want to try renting the already released "Best Of" collections to get a taste for the show. Highly Recommended.


Here are the episodes for season 1 of Friends.

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
Episode 20
Episode 21
Episode 22
Episode 23
Episode 24

FIREWALL NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Firewall from imdb

With his family held for ransom, the head security executive for a global bank is commanded to loot his own business for millions in order to ensure his wife and children's safety. He then faces the demanding task of thwarting the kidnapper's grand scheme, which makes him look guilty of embezzlement. Written by Anonymous

Jack Stanfield is a bank's security chief who has designed a computer system & firewall to protect his employer from fraud. One day, after being introduced to a man named Bill Cox who is interested in working with Jack on a security project, Jack finds himself ambushed and staring down a gun barrel. The man holding the gun is Cox. When Jack arrives home the motive for the meeting becomes clear: Cox & his gang of violent, psychopathic thieves want Jack to hack through his employer's computer security & transfer $100 million to Cox's bank accounts in the Caymans. Failure to comply means the murder of Jack's family. Stanfield realizes this will implicate him as an embezzler but he complies. However, even after Cox has the money, it becomes obvious that he had no intention of letting anyone live and kidnaps the family to kill them & hide their bodies, leaving one of his henchman to eliminate Jack. When Jack kills the thug who was supposed to kill him, the sociopathic Cox's plans are ruined. Jack must race against time to get his family back before Cox and his fellow thugs carry out their murderous plans. Written by Derek O'Cain

Jack Stanfield is an executive responsible for the security of the computer system of a small bank. He is very connected to his family, composed of the architect Beth, a teenager daughter and a young son. When the gang led by the criminal Bill Cox invades his house, they force Jack to transfer a hundred million dollars to a bank account in Cayman Islands as ransom for his family. When Bill does not release his family, Jack tries to save them by his own. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Here is a review for the movie Firewall from dvdtalk

What on earth has happened to actor Harrison Ford? He use to be the sure-fire go to guy for not only making tons of money but also actually making excellent films. With films like The Stars Wars Trilogy, The Indiana Jones Trilogy, and The Fugitive in his resume, it seemed to me, after viewing his latest film Firewall, that Ford doesn't want to make excellent films anymore. Instead, he would rather focus on starring in films whose plots we've seen countless times over before.

As for the actual film, Harrison Ford stars as Jack Stanfield, an online security chief for a mid-sized baking chain named Landrock Pacific Bank. One day, he is introduced to a new possible candidate in Bill Cox (Paul Bettany). We learn this turns out to be a setup. Cox and his men are holding Stanfield's wife (Virginia Madsen) and their two children hostage. In return, Cox demands that Stanfield hack into his bank's computers to transfer a fortune into Cox's offshore accounts.

Firewall, contains the type of basic plot that's nothing new. The plot has been updated with newer technology though, such as an iPod containing everything Stanfield needs to get into his bank. The first act of the film is the best part of the film as it focuses more on the expertise that Stanfield has instead of his kidnapped family at home. During this act, he uses mainframes, labtops, cell phones, fax machines, spycams and, naturally, his daughter's iPod to help prevent this transfer from occurring.

Despite Harrison Ford not acting at the level he has in the past, I still found myself enjoying his performance. I guess Hollywood must think Ford can't do high-octane thrill rides anymore because he's getting 'old'. Stanfield is cunning and never seems to lose his temper all while keeping that fierce look on his face despite knowing that his family is probably being tortured. Virginia Madsen, as his wife Beth, easily generates the necessary amount of fear and pain that a character in her type of role would need to generate. Unlike the typical character though, she is a very clever person, particularly seen in a few key moments where she figures out what to do. Last, but certainly not least, is Paul Bettany. Bettany, a British actor, is cool and sly, but in a cruel sort of way that makes you hate him. The problem I found with Bettany's character, one of the film's biggest problems in the second act, is that the audience can always figure out what is going to happen to him way before the event actually occurs, resulting in a series of predictable events.

Still, Firewall was a fun film in a certain manner. I found myself enjoying the portions toward the beginning where I was still figuring out all the characters. However, like I mentioned above, as soon as I realized that Bettany's character would be one that is very formulaic, I found myself wondering how the filmmakers didn't realize that one of their lead characters was so predictable. Add in the fact that the plot is nothing new, and you have a film that you see once and soon forget about afterwards.

Video

Presented in a 1080p, VC-1 Encoded, 2:40:1 Widescreen Aspect Ratio, Firewall, despite never looking overly amazing, still clearly looks like a high-definition film.

Comparing this to the recently released HD-DVD counterpart, the initial benefit that Firewall has on Blu-Ray is that WB released the film on a BD-25 disc versus a 15GB disc for the HD-DVD release. Now, one may immediately think that all this extra room would certainly boast a better picture than the HD-DVD counterpart right? Well, the answer is a yes and no. Yes, the film's print did look a bit cleaner, particularly in the ending rescue sequence, which boasted bright scenery and crystal clear imagery. However, no the film didn't seem like it really needed that extra room considered WB didn't really use much of it (especially in the feature area, but more on that later).

Still, Firewall doesn't really feature many areas that one would find fault in. As mentioned above, the film's print looks cleaner featuring an excellent use of colors including stark blacks and blues that catch our eyes. Now, one may find it annoying how these two colors are consistently as the constant exteriors in the film seem to always have rain (helping to assist these colors ability to shine). Detail is also nearly perfect here, despite all the darker sequences.

While this wasn't miles above the HD-DVD counterpart, I would consider this Blu-Ray release of Firewall just as good as the HD-DVD release. Another great job here Warner.

Audio

Equipped with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track, encoded at 640kbps, available in either English, French or Spanish, Firewall, similar to the video, is good, but nothing overly special.

The film's dialogue is fresh, clean and clear creating a overly heavy frontal mix that is balanced while in between the action scenes. A possible fault here is that during the dialogue sequences, it felt like nothing was coming out of my speakers except the dialogue. No background noise, no subtle effects, nothing at all creating a pretty lackluster experience. However, When the action does rev up, the film's overall dynamics, from subtle sound effects like footsteps heard running through a hall that sound quiet and scary, to the bigger explosions, really do deliver creating a wide mix, which is assisted by deep bass.

Yes, the audio for Firewall does deliver when called upon. The only unfortunate part is that the when it does deliver, the next immediate sequence is dull, flat and, well, uninspiring.

Special Features

A rather disappointing amount of features on this release especially considering that Warner had an extra 10GB of room to work with.

  • Firewall Decoded: A Conversation with Harrison Ford and Richard Loncraine: This 15 minute feature sees actors Harrison Ford and Richard Loncraine speaking about the film's design and production with so devotion and heart. I guess if you're being paid millions of dollars to act, you would be really passionate about your work to.
  • Firewall: Writing a Thriller: This 34 minute feature deals with the writing process of the film. Screenwriter Joe Forte speaks to us on what it was like to write a kidnapping type film in a post-9/11 world. While the feature was fun to watch, I don't imagine myself going to back to it anytime soon.
  • Trailer: Here we get the film's Theatrical Trailer.

Closing Thoughts

Firewall, as a film, is a mixed bag for me. I found the film fun and entertaining toward the beginning. However, the film's second act is really what kills it as it turns from a cunning thriller to a predictable mess. On a technical note, this Blu-Ray releases comes packed with great picture and good, but inconsistent audio. The ultra disappointment here is the real lack of any substantial features. I can only recommend the film for a rental for this reason.

Here is the direct download for the movie Firewall.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES SEASON 3 NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for season 3 of Desperate Housewives from imdb

The "normal" suburban life for a group of close-knit housewives takes a dark turn when one of their closest friends mysteriously commits suicide. Now while trying to deal with their own hectic problems and romantic lives, each year brings on a new mystery and more dark and twisted events to come. Life behind closed doors is about to be revealed as suburban life takes a funny and dark turn. Written by devil_730

In its first season, the show reveals the mystery of why Mary Alice took her own life and the quest by a mysterious "plumber" named Mike Delfino (James Denton) to find out the fate of his former lover, drug addict Dierdre. By the end of the season, the show resolves the mystery with the revelation that 15 years ago, when Mary Alice's name was Angela Forrest, she buys the heroin-addicted Dierdre's only son Dana, and then flees with her husband Todd (now Paul) to Fairview (the town Housewives is set in) to keep the child (now named Zach) from being taken away from them. When Dierdre finds them, Mary Alice refuses to give up the child. Upon being accused of being back on drugs, Dierdre hits Paul (Mary Alice's husband) and goes to get her son. Mary Alice, shocked, murders her, checks her arm for signs of drug use (she was not), and has her horrified husband dismember the body, put it in Zach's toy-chest, and bury it where the family is building a new pool in their backyard. All this happens while a 4-year-old Zach is watching them from the staircase. What Mary Alice does not count on is that one of her neighbors, Martha Huber, learns of Mary Alice's secret from her sister, Felicia, (with whom Mary Alice had worked before coming to Fairview). After learning the secret, Martha attempts to blackmail Mary Alice. Rather than face the blackmail, Mary Alice kills herself. Later, when Paul finds this out, he kills Martha after she tells him she does not have any regrets about her blackmailing and its result. Mike (Dierdre's former lover) learns of this information from Paul whom Mike leaves in the desert (rather than killing) after Mike realizes that Zach is his son. Written by kmastin

Here is a review for season 3 of Desperate Housewives from dvdtalk

The Third Season

Desperate Housewives is a popular comedy/drama about the seedy underbelly of American suburbia. The basic premise is that underneath the happy suburban facade is a web of deceit and secrets, as well as unbounded lust and passion. The show first aired in 2004 and was very successful. Since its initial debut, the series has only grown in the number of viewers and has quickly become one of the most popular shows on television. The attraction of Desperate Housewives comes in multiple flavors, from strong writing to topnotch performances to witty comedy to eye-rolling melodrama. Desperate Housewives has a little bit of everything. It is the kind of show that is easy to get hooked on. For more details about the series, refer to DVD Talk's reviews of season one and season two.

The third season of Desperate Housewives, like earlier seasons, is jam-packed with eye-rolling drama. The girls of Wisteria Lane get involved with mystery, deceit, sex, love affairs, love triangles, murder, engagements, marriages, plots, schemes, new business adventures, and more. It is a highly active season that never fails to keep your attention. Life for Susan, Lynette, Bree, Gabby, and Edie is never ordinary. Who knew life in the suburbs could be so much fun?

As previously mentioned, drama continues to be the buzz word for Desperate Housewives' third season. Each plotline, whether major or minor, ties into the big picture and brings oodles of soap opera quality drama. The developments are outlandish, ridiculous, and over-the-top. The good thing is how well the writing handles each overly melodramatic situation. These unbelievable stories are presented and intermixed in such a manner that they are really enjoyable. There is a great balance of suspense at each corner, as you never know exactly how one situation will pan out. It leaves you wanting more.

One of the bigger plotlines throughout the season is about Bree and her new husband. In the season premiere she is engaged to Orson Hodge (Kyle MacLachlan). He has a past that does not bode well for his character. His ex-wife disappeared and now assumed dead. He is the prime suspect in her disappearance. Since nobody was found, he was never formally charged. Regardless, there is still something fishy about this character and the people connected in his past. Bree does not see it, but her girlfriends (especially Susan) make an effort to find fault in Orson. As the season progresses, this storyline takes several twists with new (crazy) characters, illicit love affairs, a reunion between Bree and Andrew, and the unexpected.

Another important storyline deals with the Susan-Mike relationship. In the end of season two, Mike fell into a comatose state. He was the victim of a hit-and-run. Susan stood by his side and prayed for him to get better; despite knowing that the chances were slim to none. While in the hospital, she met another man, Ian Hainsworth (Dougray Scott). Ian's fiancee is also in coma. For years he has been lonely and reserved from the world. When he met Susan, his outlook on life changed. Slowly, Susan and Ian fell in love. The situation is complicated enough, as they both have significant others in comas. Still, they proceed with their relationship. The only problem is that Mike broke out of the coma and Susan faces a huge dilemma, Mike or Ian. Matters are further complicated by Mike having massive amnesia and dating Edie.

Edie continues to play a somewhat minor role (as compared to the other four leading females) in the show. She does not have any huge secrets or big developments. However, she does play a stronger role in this season (albeit her character continues to be the weakest as a pretty single-sided character.) Her studly teenage nephew comes into town and heats things up for the daughters of Wisteria Lane. She also dates Mike (more or less to piss off Susan -- surprise?) and she falls in love with Carlos. This latter plot development is sort of sweet, but also sad as Carlos does not reciprocate the feeling. He still loves Gabby. Edie does something devious to try to keep him and even more shocking when it does not work.

Gabby gets involved in a lot of different things. The first major development is her divorce with Carlos. The divorce is pretty messy and also one of the most fun parts of the season. Carlos and Gabby have good chemistry together, especially when their tempers reach a boiling point. They do some silly things to get underneath each other's skin. There is also the birth of her baby, which plays a very minor part in comparison to last season's drama. But it is one of those moments that will leave you thinking "holy crap!". Gabby also finds herself briefly reunited with John Rowland and being stalked/courted by Zach Young. Then there is a serious and unexpected relationship with Victor Lang (John Slattery). Victor is a mayoral candidate who wants Gabby as his bride. They have an interesting relationship.

Lynette's life is not without drama. She faces many hardships and challenges. In the first half of the season, Tom's love child Kayla is a major thorn in her side. Or rather, Kayla's mother Nora. Nora works hard to integrate herself into the Scavo family and it leaves Lynette feeling like her family is not her own. Later in the season, Lynette encourages Tom to follow his dream and find a job that makes him happy. That job turns out to be opening a pizzeria and it threatens the Scavo family financially. Their marriage is also threatened when Lynette engages in a friendly (sex-free) affair with the attractive manager/chef Rick.

Overall, Desperate Housewives' third season is another success. The show's strong qualities continue to rise to the surface with enticing storylines that are both dramatic and comical, characters who are likeable and despicable, and a general fun, yet dark tone. The third season is quality and much stronger than season two, albeit not as great as season one. Regardless, fans of the show will really have a lot of fun with this season. Newcomers should check out season one first.

Episode Guide

1. Listen to the Rain on the Roof: Mike is still in a coma after being run over by Orson--who proposes to Bree. Meanwhile, Susan, who has been lovingly caring for Mike, meets Ian (Dougray Scott), who has been lovingly caring for his comatose wife; the pregnant Xiao-Mei is very demanding of Gaby, who's divorcing Carlos; and Lynette tries to embrace stepmotherhood, but Nora (Kiersten Warren) isn't making it easy.
2. It Takes Two: Bree and Orson (Kyle MacLachlan) wed; Susan and Ian (Dougray Scott) go on a date; Edie has an unexpected visitor; and Xiao-Mei makes a delivery.
3. A Weekend in the Country: As Bree's honeymoon ends (with the reappearance of Andrew), Gaby encounters a new John Rowland (Jesse Metcalfe), and Susan and Ian (Dougray Scott) spend a weekend in the country. Meanwhile, Nora has something to tell Lynette about Tom.
4. Like It Was: Edie moves in on the suddenly sentient Mike while Ian (Dougray Scott) and Susan are off on a romantic getaway; and Lynette goes to bat for her son Parker, who's floundering in Little League. Meanwhile, Andrew Van De Kamp returns home with lurid stories of life on the street. Carlos returns home as well, not that Gaby is pleased to see him.
5. Nice She Ain't: Carlos and Gaby's divorce gets downright nasty, as does Susan's battle with Edie over Mike; Bree must deal with Danielle's affair with her history teacher (Anthony Azizi); and Lynette must deal with Tom's "dream."
6. Sweetheart, I Have to Confess: Carolyn Bigsby (Laurie Metcalf) confronts Bree with Orson's hidden past while Carolyn's husband, Harvey (Brian Kerwin), confides in Orson about his own; Susan professes her love for Ian while Nora professes her support for Tom; and Carlos and Gaby kiss and make up. Or do they?
7. Bang: A hostage crisis at a Fairview supermarket leads to tragedy.
8. Children and Art: Bree meets Orson's mother (Dixie Carter), although Orson doesn't like it. Meanwhile, Gaby decides to get back into modeling; Susan refuses to allow Julie to see Austin; and Lynette is suspicious of her new neighbor (Matt Roth).
9. Beautiful Girls: Lynette is growing more concerned about her mysterious new neighbor (Matt Roth); Susan and Ian take their relationship up a notch, but his butler (Ian Abercrombie) is not amused; Gaby trains young pageant hopefuls, but their mothers are not amused; and Orson's mother (Dixie Carter) has some things to say that are unsettling to Bree.
10. The Miracle Song: The residents of Wisteria Lane have a holiday block party; Gaby has a new love interest; and Susan's relationship with Ian kicks up a notch.
11. No Fits, No Fights, No Feuds: Gaby accuses Carlos of trying to sabotage her new relationship with Bill (Mark Deklin); Tom and Lynette try to make Kayla feel like she's part of the family; and Bree welcomes a surprise dinner guest.
12. Not While I'm Around: Gabrielle's secret admirer is revealed; Tom's pizzeria faces an uncertain future; and Wisteria Lane gets a new resident.

13. Come Play Wiz Me: Lynette and Tom face challenges as Pizzeria Scavo prepares for its grand opening, and Gaby can't avoid her not-so-secret admirer, Zach. Meanwhile, Alma (Valerie Mahaffey) reveals a devious plan.
14. I Remember That: Orson opens up to Bree about his past, while Mike begins to remember his; Lynette and Tom's business relationship takes a turn for the worse after Tom hires Austin to work at the pizzeria; and Zach takes notice--and umbrage--when one of his lawyers dates Gaby.
15. The Little Things You Do Together: Amid a medical emergency and marriage proposals, Pizzeria Scavo opens for business.
16. My Husband the Pig: Edie gets an unexpected visit from her 8-year-old son; Gaby meets a very rich guy (John Slattery), but they don't exactly hit it off; Danielle's unexpected pregnancy affects not only her and Austin but Julie as well; Mike and Ian face off; and Tom and Lynette celebrate (if that's the word for it) their ninth anniversary. Rex Van De Kamp (Steven Culp) is the narrator.
17. Dress Big: Susan discovers a secret about her future in-laws (Lynn Redgrave and Paxton Whitehead) while Mike regains more of his memories of Susan; the Scavos squabble over restaurant uniforms; and a lovelorn (if that's the word for it) Edie eyes Carlos while Gaby finally finds something to like about Victor Lang (John Slattery). She also meets Victor's ex-wife (Challen Cates).
18. Liaisons: Once again, Mike comes between Susan and Ian; the Gaby-Victor (John Slattery) sparring match goes into the next round; and Edie's budding relationship with Carlos hits a snag. Meanwhile, Lynette is at her wit's end at the restaurant, and the ailing Tom (who's driving Mrs. McCluskey crazy at home) won't let her hire a highly qualified chef (Jason Gedrick) because of his checkered past.
19. God, That's Good: Susan calls off her wedding and realizes she must choose between Ian and Mike; Gaby decides it's time to stand by her man; and a blackout shuts down the pizza ovens at Scavo's, giving Rick (Jason Gedrick) an opportunity to shine. It also thaws out freezers on Wisteria Lane and lands Mrs. McCluskey in hot water.
20. Gossip: Gaby, annoyed that Carlos is dating Edie, does something about it; Kayla tells Tom she saw Lynette flirting with Rick (Jason Gedrick); Wisteria Lane is full of gossip about the dead body found in Mrs. McCluskey's freezer; and Susan decides between Ian and Mike.
21. Into the Woods: Susan gets lost in the woods while looking for Mike; Gaby goes to jail; and Lynette realizes she loves another man.
22. What Would We Do Without You? : While Wisteria Lane is abuzz with Gaby's wedding plans, Susan pops the question to Mike. Meanwhile, Edie schemes to get Carlos to move in with her, and Lynette has a health scare.
23. Getting Married Today: Bree and Orson return to Wisteria Lane for Gaby and Victor's fairy-tale wedding, and a surprise wedding takes place at an unexpected location. Meanwhile, Lynette's estranged mother (Polly Bergen) shows up on her doorstep.

The DVD

Video:
The video in this release is given in anamorphic 1.78:1 ratio widescreen color format. The picture quality is quite good. It suffers from a slight grain, but detail remains to be sharp and clear. However, there are some occasional moments when the picture suffers compression artifacts. This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. Needless to say, the show should look good on bigger television sets.

Audio:
The audio in this release is given in English 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound. There is also a dubbed track in Spanish 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. Overall, the sound quality is very good, providing an audible and clean audio track. The majority of activity is in the forward channels, but there is decent use of the surround sound capability. Music and sound effects sound very rich and vibrant.

There are subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. There is also support for closed captioning.

Extras:

  • On Set With Eva(5:36): is a featurette with cast and crew providing feedback and thoughts about Eva Longoria. There are brief interview clips and behind the scenes footage. It stars Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Teri Hatcher, Nicollette Sheridan, Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Doug Savant, James Denton, Eva Longoria, and Marc Cherry.
  • Here Comes The Bride(7:40): stars Marc Cherry, Marcia Cross, Catherine Adair, Tom Walsh, Kyle Maclachlan, David Grossman, Eva Longoria, John Slattery, Teri Hatcher, James Denton, and Andrea Bowen. They discuss different aspects of the season three weddings (Bree, Gabby, Susan) from the dress to the setting to the plot to the characters.
  • Amas de Casa Desesperadas(6:19): is an interesting featurette that offers a comparison between Desperate Housewives and its Latino counterpart Amas de Casa Desesperadas. It begins with Marc Cherry saying that the studio approached him with an idea to port the show to a Latino venue under the name of Amas de Casa Desesperadas. The featurette proceeds to show comparisons between the two versions. Marc Cherry also provides commentary. It is pretty neat to see how similar the shows are, despite having different characters (and being in Spanish).
  • Desperate Moments(7:57): begins with a montage of clips from season three. Then various cast members offer insight to their favorite season three moments. Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, Nicollette Sheridan, Kyle Maclachlan, Teri Hatcher, Andrea Bowen, Felicity Huffman, Doug Savant, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, and James Denton.
  • Cherry Picked: Creator Mare Cherry's Favorite Scenes(7:52): is a similar featurette to "Desperate Moments", but with more detail. It features Marc Cherry, who provides detailed insight to his favorite season three moments.
  • Deleted Scenes(6:09): is a collection of deleted scenes. The scenes are entitled "We're Just Coma Buddies", "Ground Rules", "This Is My Job Now", "Two Forks In The Road", "Split Milk", "Behind The Curtain", "See You In The Morning", and "Edie's Priorities". The deleted scenes can be watched individually or in a sequence. There is also optional commentary with Marc Cherry.
  • Bloopers(2:33): is a really short bloopers reel. It is mostly the cast messing up their lines and laughing. It is not very funny.
  • Sneak Peaks: is a collection of trailers for Ratatouille, Wild Hogs, Grey's Anatomy: Third Season, Ugly Betty: Season One, Enchanted, Brothers and Sisters: The Complete First Season, Lost: The Complete Third Season, and Desperate Housewives: New Season Preview.

Final Thoughts:
The third season of Desperate Housewives is another fun and engaging collection of episodes. This season continues to have over-the-top drama with witty dialogue and comedy. It is a fun show that pulls you in with its eye-rolling drama. While watching it will not make your life complete, it will make it a little more exciting. Season three is one that should not be missed; there are plenty of secrets to yet be told in Wisteria Lane, from Orson's shady past to Susan's love triangle to Lynette's saucy affair. This season has a little bit for everyone.

Here are the Episodes for Season 3 of Desperate Housewives.

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
Episode 20
Episode 21
Episode 22
Episode 23

Saturday, September 13, 2008

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES SEASON 2 NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the Second season of Desperate Housewives from imdb

The "normal" suburban life for a group of close-knit housewives takes a dark turn when one of their closest friends mysteriously commits suicide. Now while trying to deal with their own hectic problems and romantic lives, each year brings on a new mystery and more dark and twisted events to come. Life behind closed doors is about to be revealed as suburban life takes a funny and dark turn. Written by devil_730

In its first season, the show reveals the mystery of why Mary Alice took her own life and the quest by a mysterious "plumber" named Mike Delfino (James Denton) to find out the fate of his former lover, drug addict Dierdre. By the end of the season, the show resolves the mystery with the revelation that 15 years ago, when Mary Alice's name was Angela Forrest, she buys the heroin-addicted Dierdre's only son Dana, and then flees with her husband Todd (now Paul) to Fairview (the town Housewives is set in) to keep the child (now named Zach) from being taken away from them. When Dierdre finds them, Mary Alice refuses to give up the child. Upon being accused of being back on drugs, Dierdre hits Paul (Mary Alice's husband) and goes to get her son. Mary Alice, shocked, murders her, checks her arm for signs of drug use (she was not), and has her horrified husband dismember the body, put it in Zach's toy-chest, and bury it where the family is building a new pool in their backyard. All this happens while a 4-year-old Zach is watching them from the staircase. What Mary Alice does not count on is that one of her neighbors, Martha Huber, learns of Mary Alice's secret from her sister, Felicia, (with whom Mary Alice had worked before coming to Fairview). After learning the secret, Martha attempts to blackmail Mary Alice. Rather than face the blackmail, Mary Alice kills herself. Later, when Paul finds this out, he kills Martha after she tells him she does not have any regrets about her blackmailing and its result. Mike (Dierdre's former lover) learns of this information from Paul whom Mike leaves in the desert (rather than killing) after Mike realizes that Zach is his son. Written by kmastin


Here is a review for the second season of Desperate Housewives from dvdtalk
The Show:

When Desperate Housewives began airing in 2004 it captivated audiences with its wit and charm. Marc Cherry's dark satire about life in suburbia hit the ball out of the park with its first season. The show went to the Emmy's with a decent round of nominations and anticipation grew for the second season which started on September 25, 2005. Those fans eagerly waiting the show's sophomore year were sadly met with disappointment; the pop found in the first season just wasn't there right at the start.

While the season got better around the half way point, the first part was kind of drab. It's very difficult to put a finger on what went wrong. The writing was still very good, the acting was as enjoyable as ever and the atmosphere still sizzled with a certain guilty pleasure-like sensation. Most all of the characters returned as well, except the ones that kicked the bucket of course. So what was it that made the second season less enjoyable? In my opinion it was simply a season without focus for the majority of its episodes.

In the first season there was a singular plot that was stretched over the course of the 23 episodes; the mysterious circumstances surrounding the suicide of Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong). It was a singular event that drew all of the main characters together for a common cause and really created a bond that translated well from screen to viewer. In the second season the plots that run through are exclusive to the characters they impact. Without a bridge to connect them the characters began to appear isolated in a manner unbefitting of what we came to expect. Because of that the sophomore season felt a tad disjointed.

If you watched the first season then you know how dramatically it ended. One of the characters had a gun pointed to their head, another died, a new neighbor moved onto Wisteria Lane, and someone was sent to jail for a long time. In the grand scheme of things you really don't get more dramatic than that, especially since everything was left as a cliff-hanger. The final episode left you on the edge of your seat and craving more. And that's exactly where things get started in the second season.

Almost immediately the dark and twisted nature of Desperate Housewives comes back into full swing. Mike Delfino (James Denton) has just returned from taking Paul Young (Mark Moses) out to the middle of nowhere to find Zach (Cody Kasch) and Susan (Teri Hatcher) in the precarious position the first season left them in. After the dust settles Susan discovers exactly what kind of relationship Mike and Zach have and that's something she can't live with. She eventually changes her tune, but that's only typical for her emotionally charged personality.

This season sees a lot of ups and downs for Susan and Mike. At one point they're discussing marriage and at another they want nothing to do with each other. I'm sad to say that whenever the two are together the drama is so forced and comical that there is very little chemistry. Susan's character becomes a gibbering goofball every time she is on screen. Sure it's cute and charming now and then, but when it is a constant part of her character she comes across looking like an emotional train wreck and entirely unstable.

With her husband Rex having just passed away it's only natural that Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross) would wait until it was acceptable to inform her friends of her new love interest. She goes through the motions of being a grieving widow and as time passes she begins to spend more time with George (the pharmacist responsible for poisoning Rex). His obsession with her only gets weirder and weirder as the season progresses, though eventually the both of them are brought in to be questioned about possibly poisoning Rex. Naturally Bree is mortified that the police would think she killed her husband, but then again she doesn't know how dark George's soul really is.

Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) has gone back to work and her husband Tom (Doug Savant) has made the sacrifice to stay home with their kids. To say that Lynette isn't exactly pleased with her new job would be an understatement. Her boss is a real beast about everything and the owner has the attention span of a poodle. But overall things go well for the couple until something from Tom's past comes up just a little beyond the halfway point of the season.

With Carlos Solis (Ricardo Chavira) in jail, Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) is trying desperately to get him out. Dealing with the aftermath of her infidelity and pregnancy she does whatever is necessary to get her man back. She begins to imagine life as a mother and realizes that there are more important things in life than chasing after 18 year old gardeners. Seeing their banter while Carlos is incarcerated was easily one of the biggest joys of this season.

Edie (Nicollette Sheridan) is just plain old Edie in this season. She goes out of her way to harass Susan and is still the voice of reason for Wisteria Lane. While the other ladies keep their thoughts to themselves she's the first to lay it all out in the open. I've always enjoyed that about her character though she seems much more confrontational this time around.

Alfre Woodard joins the cast this season and plays a mysterious woman with a secret she tries to hide from everyone. As Betty Applewhite she tries to fit into the neighborhood but winds up sticking out like a sore thumb. She keeps everyone at arms length and sadly that includes the audience. Woodard gives a good performance as Applewhite but the character's "secret" wasn't all that fascinating. She's definitely a good villain to add to this already busy show, but somehow I feel the character could have been better.

As these stories worked themselves out and the season got more into its run things became better all around. It was almost as if feedback about the show made a difference and at one point it was almost like someone hit a switch. The second year went from being mediocre or decent to nearly meeting all of the expectations I came into the season with. The lack of a big mystery to tie everything together still made the episodes here feel like they were lacking something, but overall I was pleased.

In the end the second season of Desperate Housewives just feels a little too surreal for its own good. The chemistry that the first season had was replaced by a sense that the writers lost their sense of direction. Thankfully that was remedied part way through, though it still leaves the season feeling a tad uneven compared to the first. If you enjoyed the original season you'll still have a good time with this one; just not as much. I was beginning to get worried as I made it to the third disc that the entire season was going to fizzle. Fortunately it didn't, but let's just hope that the writers learned from their mistakes and come back with an all around stronger third season.

The DVD:

Video:

Once again Desperate Housewives receives a fantastic looking 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Somehow the show doesn't look quite as good as it does during broadcast but that's the difference between HD and non-HD. Overall the image is very impressive with a vibrant color palette and clear picture quality. There were a few points where I noticed some grain in the video and a couple more where edge enhancement crept in. The image also remained moderately sharp from start to finish though there were a few scenes that seemed softer than others. At the end of the day Wisteria Lane is still nearly as beautiful as ever.

Audio:

Also back for Desperate Housewives in the presentation department is a slick 5.1 surround English track. Because the show is a dialogue based drama with little action the rear channels only kick in with ambient noise or music. Otherwise there is a good degree of directionality to the audio but certainly nothing that will rock your bass. Just like the first season of the show, the second comes to life with a soundtrack that adds to its surreal nature. Optional English subtitles are included on this release as well.

Extras:

The first season of Desperate Housewives was presented on DVD with great care. Supplemental material was packed onto each disc and consisted of documentaries, featurettes, and commentaries. Fans and newcomers alike were treated well with the material though if you had never seen the show before the arrangement of bonus features meant that you'd be hit with some major spoilers early on if you watched the extras on the first disc. Luckily the second season took the displaced content and packed it all onto the sixth disc in the set.

Compared to the first season, the second DVD release is rather on the light side. For starters there are some trailers for other DVDs, a commercial for the second season that summarized the entire first season into the span of a minute, and the Desperate Housewives video game. Marc Cherry sits down with his mom to discuss his childhood and the inspirations he found for the show. This was a cute little feature and gave a more personal look at the series than we usually see this day and age.

On the meatier side of things there is a look behind the scenes at the writing and directing process. The feature clocks in at over sixteen minutes and consists of a lot of fluff material but there is some decent information provided. Some commentary from the actors and parts of the crew also help to round out the feature. I got a kick out of "Desperate Role Models". In that extra different housewives from over the decades of television chime in on each of the ladies from the show and talk about what they think of the characters. There are a few good laughs but most of those are derived from the clips provided from the show.

Marc Cherry picks out a few of his favorite scenes from this season and gives commentary for them. Sadly this is the only commentary that you'll be getting this season unlike the previous one. Oh, and Marc, I agree, I loved the nun fight scene as well! A couple of unaired storylines appear on the sixth disc as well (one for Susan and one for Lynette) as well as eleven deleted scenes. "Fashion and Couture" is all about the fashion aspect of Desperate Housewives while "Juicy Bites" rounds things out with the actresses talking about their favorite naughty bits from the season.

Final Thoughts:

The isolated feel that came from each of the characters doing their own thing with no interaction just feel gave the season the feel that I was watching five different shows. I know that the first season did pretty much the same thing, but the balance between the main story and that was better. In the second season there really is no singular plot that brings every one together until a little past the mid way point. Therefore it starts out feeling a little awkward. Now, while I had my reservations at first, the second season did win me over by the end.

The DVD receives a fine presentation with video that isn't quite HD quality, but more than acceptable, and a surround mix that compliments the show. The extra features this time around were a little lighter than the first DVD release though there are still a few decent tidbits to take a look at. In the end I'm going to recommend the second season of Desperate Housewives, but not as highly as I did the first season.

Here are the direct downloads for Season 2 of Desperate Housewives

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
Episode 20
Episode 21
Episode 22
Episode 23
Episode 24

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES SEASON 1 NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the first season of Desperate Housewives from imdb

The "normal" suburban life for a group of close-knit housewives takes a dark turn when one of their closest friends mysteriously commits suicide. Now while trying to deal with their own hectic problems and romantic lives, each year brings on a new mystery and more dark and twisted events to come. Life behind closed doors is about to be revealed as suburban life takes a funny and dark turn. Written by devil_730

In its first season, the show reveals the mystery of why Mary Alice took her own life and the quest by a mysterious "plumber" named Mike Delfino (James Denton) to find out the fate of his former lover, drug addict Dierdre. By the end of the season, the show resolves the mystery with the revelation that 15 years ago, when Mary Alice's name was Angela Forrest, she buys the heroin-addicted Dierdre's only son Dana, and then flees with her husband Todd (now Paul) to Fairview (the town Housewives is set in) to keep the child (now named Zach) from being taken away from them. When Dierdre finds them, Mary Alice refuses to give up the child. Upon being accused of being back on drugs, Dierdre hits Paul (Mary Alice's husband) and goes to get her son. Mary Alice, shocked, murders her, checks her arm for signs of drug use (she was not), and has her horrified husband dismember the body, put it in Zach's toy-chest, and bury it where the family is building a new pool in their backyard. All this happens while a 4-year-old Zach is watching them from the staircase. What Mary Alice does not count on is that one of her neighbors, Martha Huber, learns of Mary Alice's secret from her sister, Felicia, (with whom Mary Alice had worked before coming to Fairview). After learning the secret, Martha attempts to blackmail Mary Alice. Rather than face the blackmail, Mary Alice kills herself. Later, when Paul finds this out, he kills Martha after she tells him she does not have any regrets about her blackmailing and its result. Mike (Dierdre's former lover) learns of this information from Paul whom Mike leaves in the desert (rather than killing) after Mike realizes that Zach is his son. Written by kmastin

Here is a review for season 1 of Desperate Housewives from dvdtalk

The Show:

In 2004 ABC reinvigorated itself with a couple of bombshell shows you may have heard of called Lost and Desperate Housewives. While the two are completely separate concepts, they both captivated America last season and have become a popular topic for discussion around the water cooler. Lost tells a story about a group of people that survive a plane crash on a remote island and Desperate Housewives takes a leering look at American suburbia.

To say that the show is unique is rather an understatement and it's really hard to peg what type of genre it is. It takes a little bit of a soap opera, mixes in concepts like Sex In The City and American Beauty plus blends in plenty of comedy and unpredictability. This melding of concepts crafts a vastly original show that tells the tale of scandal and intrigue while sugar coating it with an all American frosting.

It has gripped TV viewers so much so that the show itself and the term "desperate housewife" have been used commonly and across other forms of media. Everyone from Dr. Phil to Opera to even the NFL have spoofed it and I've even heard spots on local radio stations. Heck, the First Lady made a crack at the President how she was a desperate housewife. It has been a while since audiences were this captivated by a show and it makes you wonder what the keys are to it's success.

First of all Desperate Housewives is the epitome of guilty pleasure television. Everybody and their grandmother in the show has an affair or some dark deep secret they hide from their loved ones and friends. Each episode brings about new revelations about characters that you think you've been coming to know. It's shocking to see the lengths that some seemingly normal people will go to when faced with an abnormal situation. To put it simply; watching this show will make you feel dirty, but in a good way.

The second chemical that makes this magic potion work is some fantastic writing. Its easy to write off a mystery by simply not dropping many clues and leaving a lot of questions, the writers for Desperate Housewives know how to string you along in a big way. Nearly every episode ends on a cliff hanging note that will leave you dying to find out what happens next. It's almost like watching a train wreck and you simply can't avert your gaze. Thankfully the show doesn't take itself too seriously and that's probably what saves it the most.

The final piece of the puzzle that brings it all together here is definitely the acting. With names like Teri Hatcher, Nicollette Sheridan, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Steven Culp you can't go wrong. In fact the entire cast does such a marvelous job with the script that each character adds something to the show. Later on in the season Harriet Sansom Harris and Alfre Woodard even join the roster although we won't see much of Woodard until the upcoming season two. Overall this is one of the more charmingly acted shows I have watched in a long time and the characters will really stick with you.

The roster of characters relevant to the plot is pretty vast since the show bounces back and forth between different storylines. The bulk of Desperate Housewives centers on five leading ladies that find themselves trapped in the mundane life of the suburbs. Each of these characters has a lot of depth and are very easy to get to like, even if they do some pretty loathsome things at times.

Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) is a bitter divorcee who lives with her daughter Julie (Andrea Bowen) and illustrates children's books for a living. After a rough separation from her husband Karl a year ago she still hasn't put herself back on the market. That all changes when a stranger named Mike Deflino (Jamie Denton) moves into the neighborhood and pulls the tall, dark and handsome routine. As she competes with Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) for Mike's attention things start to heat up for her.

Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross) is basically Wisteria Lane's Martha Stewart and on the surface is perfect in every way. Her house is immaculately clean, her cooking is renowned and her prudish behavior is unrivaled. She is literally the very definition of a Stepford Wife but even as much of a neat freak as she is there is some dirty laundry in her closet. She finds herself in a failing marriage with her husband Rex (Steven Culp) and has earned the ire of their children Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) and Danielle (Joy Lauren).

The next wife on Santa's naughty list is Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria). Gabrielle is easily the most self centered and materialistic character I have ever seen on a TV show. She's a gorgeous ex-model who married a power hungry jackass named Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) because he buys her everything she wants. Unknown to Carlos though, all Gabrielle seems to want is their teenage gardener.

You know how you go out in public and sometimes you see a parent with more kids than they can handle that are completely out of control? That is pretty much the exact description of Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) and no matter where she goes she has her demon children in tow. She gave up her high powered career for the joys of parenthood and longs to be back in the boardroom. Lynette easily has the most aggressive personality of the group and always seems to open her mouth at times that she shouldn't. It's through Lynette and her kids that issues like schools pushing for children to be put on medication to calm them down are put on the table.

It's ironic that Edie Britt who is considered the town tricycle (yes, meaning everyone's had a ride) is the only character that wears her heart on her sleeve. She seems to be the only one throughout the entire season that doesn't have something to hide from others whether it be an opinion or action. Often times many of the other characters in the show can seem two-faced or have ulterior motives behind their actions. Edie says what's on her mind to whomever, whenever and doesn't seem to carry any secrets in this season.

Almost immediately the dark tone of the show is started in the very first episode with the suicide of Mary Alice Young. She was a big part of the group of friends on Wisteria Lane so her sudden death rocked the neighborhood and prompted many questions. As the girls dig deeper and try to understand why their friend did what she did, a mystery surfaces that only leads to more questions and violence when a strange letter is found.

Mary's suicide isn't the only odd thing going for this street and many more situations pop up that are nearly as gruesome as the truth behind her death. Over the course of the season you'll see parents going to any length (even breaking the law) to protect their children, several people cheating on each other and generous amounts of blackmail and extortion fly around. Another interesting thing about Desperate Housewives is that nearly every character seems to be expendable and a couple will even die through the course of the season.

Yes, behind the show's bright bubbly exterior there is a definite dark undertone that creeps below the surface. Thankfully it doesn't take itself too seriously and there are plenty of quirky moments to ease the tension. My only real complaints with the show is that with so many intersection plotlines and mysteries, several of them get pushed aside until its convenient for the story. With so many characters to look at they each get equal camera time but it also means that it takes longer to get to know them. This isn't a completely negative thing and it certainly gives Desperate Housewives a pacing of it's own but it certainly feels like some situations are dragged out longer than they need to be just to string you along.

The ending of season one ties up just about all of the loose ends that were left unkempt for much of the 23 episodes. There are still a few areas that were never fully explored but with season two around the corner maybe those will carry over. With the cliffhanger ending episode that holds the lives of two main characters in the balance it will be interesting to see how things play out in the second go around. As it stands the first season of Desperate Housewives is very entertaining and even though it may not be for everyone the show is definitely worth a look.

The DVD:


Video:

Desperate Housewives is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and it has received anamorphic widescreen treatment. The show looks absolutely fantastic on DVD and the image quality seems to be slightly better than it's broadcasting. The video remains sharp, clean and very vibrant throughout the season and even though there are a couple of occasional moments where some grain or minor edge enhancement is noticeable, the picture is flawless.

The surreal world of Wisteria Lane and Fairview comes to life in colorful fashion and eye popping clarity. The look of the show is one of the things that gives Desperate Housewives it's unique quality and everything has a bubbly artificial feel to it, almost like its too good to be true. The brightness of the show definitely offsets the dark situations the characters find themselves in and adds to a level of strangeness to it all.

The Audio:

Desperate Housewives gets some high quality English 5.1 Dolby Digital audio worked into the mix and it sounds wonderful. The channel balance is very engrossing and it takes great use with the rear channels for sound effects and background music. Most of the dialogue comes from the front channel but there is a decent use of directionality at play and at no time does the sound become muffled or distorted. The only thing I noticed was that at times it seemed the volume dipped lower in a couple of parts but I didn't find it to be that noticeable or frequent. There are subtitles but you should be aware that they are "captioned for the hearing impaired". They aren't too overbearing but you will have to watch stuff like [giggles] and [whispers].

The audio direction for the show is essentially like another character all in itself. Depending on the situation the music will be anything from low-key to bouncy to sinister sounding. There isn't a wide variety of music used in the show but it's used well enough to get the point across.

The Extras:

Over the course of the six discs included on the first season of Desperate Housewives there is quite a few special features that are definitely worth taking a look at. For the most part every disc offers a similar theme of special features like extended episodes and deleted scenes with optional audio commentary though there are some featurettes scattered throughout the season.

In all there are approximately seven extended episodes spread across these discs and they focus on the episodes that are on that disc. Each of these offers material from the cutting room floor that didn't make it due to time constraints. For the most part these are all character interactions and developmental bits that weren't essential to the whole story but do offer some insight into the characters. You could watch only the extended versions of the episodes but its not crucial to watch both.

A selection of deleted scenes is available on many of the discs as well and they vary in length and significance. Some of these are classic moments that should never have been cut but had to be for one reason or another. Scenes like Edie strutting her stuff in lingerie for Mr. Shaw are a prelude to the NFL fiasco that made headlines. Others like Gabrielle and her mother-in-law in Bree's kitchen are hilarious compared to the final cut of the scene. They aren't all that great but there are a few gems that are definitely worth a look and its unfortunate that they got cut from the show all together.

There is also a generous amount of commentary tracks that include either just creator Marc Cherry or director Larry Shaw and Marc. I personally preferred the ones with two commentators because there is at least some banter and double the insight into the production of the show. It's interesting to hear about how certain scenes were shot or why things were done a certain way. There are even more than a few jokes cracked if you enjoy your commentaries with a touch of humor.

The ladies of the show get together for a commentary for their favorite scenes of the season. Each of them picks two scenes and if you have the audio commentary on you'll hear them discuss what they liked about that particular moment in the show. It was nice to hear a different take on a part of the show from the actors point of view compared to the directors.

Desperate Housewives Around the World is a fun eight minute feature that talks about how the show has been received by the global audience. They talk about the different languages it has been translated into and the impact that it has had on television. Along the same vein is an amusing distraction that features a scene with Bree's dinner party but with everyone speaking a different language with each conversation. It's just a cute look at the popularity of the show.

Dressing Wisteria Lane is a twelve minute look at the design of Desperate Housewives. Everything from the neighborhood to the costumes is discussed here and there are some nice behind the scenes shots. The cast goes through the personalities of the characters and talk about what they think of them. There's some pretty funny stuff here and all of it comes from the ensemble of actors that are interviewed.

Oprah Winfrey makes a visit to Wisteria Lane in a cute little feature that introduces the characters and concept. Her and her husband move into the neighborhood and interact with the residents. Oprah wanders the street looking to borrow a cup of sugar and finds herself caught in the middle of some scenes that take place during the show. It's a neat promotional type featurette and has some personality.

Along with a twenty five minute behind the scenes featurette there is also a ten minute extra on the secrets of Wisteria Lane. These both provide some great behind the camera shots and some candid moments as well as an in depth look at the show. A cute five minute blooper reel also makes it onto this set and is pretty funny stuff.

There is also an interview featurette entitled A Stroll Down Wisteria Lane but for the love of God don't watch it until you have finished the series. This feature is a discussion about the final episode and completely unravels the mystery of the first season. Whoever the genius was that put it on the first disc definitely made a mistake.

Final Thoughts:

The DVD box set offers up a fantastic visual and audible presentation along with a plethora of extra features. It would have been more convenient if most of the features were packed onto one disc instead of a little here and there but it's not that bothersome to go back after you watch the season and check out the extra content. Again, just heed my advice though and do not watch the A Stroll Down Wisteria Lane on the first disc until you actually finish the season. If you do it will completely ruin just about every mystery and plot twist for you. Aside from that little quirk and the overlapping disc design of the case this set gets high marks.

I really enjoyed Desperate Housewives and can understand what all the fuss is about. The concept is hip and mysterious, the characters are devious yet loveable and overall the show has such an upbeat atmosphere that its hard not to like. There are a couple of flaws with the first season but mainly its petty complaints about stretched out plots and forgotten storylines. Overall this is first class television and this first season is remarkably entertaining. Very Highly Recommended

Here are the direct downloads for Season 1 of Desperate Housewives
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
Episode 20
Episode 21
Episode 22
Episode 23