5 comments about Wings of Desire (Special Edition).

1. Though some can argue about Paris, Texas or the likes of Faraway, So Close!, I believe this to be Wim Wenders' best film.
   
   It serves as not only a poem of romance, but as one for life and love of the city of Berlin. The plot follows a lonely angel who falls in love and wishes for life, even knowing all the hardships and heartbreaks that are included.
   
   Wenders paints a beautiful picture with the words and actions of the characters. A truly uplifting film.
   
   The DVD includes a Wenders commentary, deleted scenes with commentary, a documentary and trailers.
   
   One of the best movies of all time.
   
   Must See.



2. Like my title suggests, `Der Himmel uber Berlin' is a film of intensely angelic proportions; a film that is the visual equivalent of a thousand beautiful strokes of the pen. Watching `Der Himmel uber Berlin' is a treat for the eyes as well as the mind. It has been hailed as Wim Wenders finest film, and while I have not seen many of his other films I must say that this would be a hard film to top. If you are only aware of the Hollywood remake of this movie (i.e. `City of Angels') then you are in for an unexpected treat, for Wenders original is a far cry from the Cage/Ryan film. This is not to be seen as a knock of `City of Angels', which just so happens to be a personal favorite of mine, but it is meant to inform you that `Der Himmel uber Berlin' is a masterpiece whereas `City of Angels' is merely a great film.
   
   The film opens in beautiful sepia as angel Damiel watches over the city of Berlin. In fact the majority of this film is Damiel and fellow angel Cassiel walking about the city, listening to the thoughts of the men and women groping for meaning in their lives. One of the earliest sequences scales the apartments within one building, allowing us to hear what the angels hear, and it's this scene that really told me all I needed to know. This film is going to unlike anything I've ever seen before.
   
   `Der Himmel uber Berlin' tells the story of Damiel, an angel who longs to experience the pleasures of life in the flesh, as a human, tasting the sweet air and seeing the vibrant colors, feeling the soft breathe of another and tasting their skin. As he walks the city he contemplates all that he is missing and dreams of one day forsaking his eternal forever for a chance at mortal happiness. Then his eyes fall upon the beautiful Marion, a lonely trapeze artist who captures Damiel's heart instantly. Now his longing to be a part of her world is stronger than ever and as the film draws to a close he has to make the most important decision of his life.
   
   The idea of angels forsaking their heavenly home for the affections of women is not entirely new and or original; for if you remember, that did happen in the Bible, but what Wenders does with `Der Himmel uber Berlin' is make that action honorable, beautiful even. This film paints a vastly different picture than that of Biblical accounts. There is no adverse affects to the angels decision to leave his rightful home, just new experiences and a chance at love and `life'. What this film lacks in dramatic tension (`City of Angels' created its own) it makes up for in artistic beauty (something `City of Angels' didn't attempt to capture). `Der Himmel uber Berlin', as I mentioned, is intoxicating to watch. The sepia in which the majority of the film is shot (to capture the angels muted state) is rich and magnificent, even more so than the colors that flood Damiel's eyes upon becoming `human'. The words spoken (or should I say `thought') by the cast of characters are graceful and meaningful, words that stay with the viewer and incite him to contemplation.
   
   The acting is also beautiful orchestrated. Bruno Ganz is flawless as Damiel, capturing his loneliness, his longing and eventually his overwhelming joy. I have never been a fan of Cage and honestly feel that his one-note performances drag down the films he inhabits. The same can be said for `City of Angels' (which thrives on Meg Ryan's magnificent performance) but nothing of the sort can be said for Ganz who embodies Damiel with believable perfection. Solveig Dommartin is effortless as Marion, the epitome of searching, an individual longing to be found by something deserving of her affections. Otto Sander delivers superbly as Cassiel and Peter Falk (who plays himself in an interesting twist) gives a very honest and tender performance.
   
   In the end it is Wim Wenders whose star shines the brightest though. His direction is effortless and beautiful. He creates an intoxicating masterpiece that will be hard to top. `Der Himmel uber Berlin' is a strange and unique journey, but it is a journey well worth taking. Allow yourself to be carried away by its poetry; I promise you will be richly rewarded.



3. Wim Wenders' gentle poem on the seductive pleasures of life itself is a must for film lovers. Not only is the film's story beautifully constructed to reveal the curious transformation of an angel into a human, but it does so with visual authority. Bruno Ganz's face -- a kind of meat-pie everyman face -- was a perfect choice to convey the transformation. Watch this, and in its wake, life will take on a new sweetness -- not surgary, but poignant.



4. Not being a professional writer, I don't know if my review can give justice to a film like 'Wings of Desire'. The devoutly religious may find it strange that an angel would want to return to life on earth to experience the joys and sorrows of the human drama. But I see the angels as a device to profoundly expand our awareness of our common humanity with all other human beings, and our profound connection to history. A deeply poetic meditation on the human condition. I consider Wim Wenders film 'Wings of Desire' to be a modern masterpiece in the great tradition of European films.



5. I was under the impression that "Wings of Desire" was a unique love story and I guess it is. However that aspect of the film was almost a distraction compared to the real nature of the movie. For me, "Wings of Desire" is a brilliant cinematic concept of angels in the world around us. If that sounds overly religious or unappealling, hold on. The way director Wim Wenders brings his vision to life is the essential beauty of this movie. We almost get the impression that these angels punch in and punch out. They are sincere and they do what they can to help whenever they see the appropriate opportunity. However, they are angels; not God. We see efforts that succeed and efforts that fail and we realize that these angels can influence but not prevent. We see, through their eyes, the beautiful and the banal. Not all is good and not all is bad yet, when properly focussed, all is unique. The story follows one particular angel who falls in love and wants to experience mortality in order to experience romantic love. This is not Clarence (from "It's a Wonderful Life") but an angel who is tired of seeing and wants to actually experience. There is an interesting role played by Peter Falk that may be his best performance. In the end, of course, the angel gets his wish and his girl but I, frankly, thought that sequence was too overdone. I was still mesmerized by director Wim Wenders's concept of angels among us.

5 comments about Best Seller.

1. Mediocre in it's best moments. Cliche-criven. The, ahem, "plot," is trite, amatuerish, almost juvenile, although there'd probably been more naked females had it been truly juvenile. Perhaps I should say, "faux-profound."
   
   The two stars, Woods and Dennehy, are the ONLY thing decent about this film. Victoria Tennant is wasted (and almost abused) by this director. I wouldn't say avoid, but be prepared to be underwhelmed, based on the bulk of reviews here. You must be a fan of JW or BD, which I am.
   Rent, don't buy. After viewing, one finds oneself in a semi-comatose state, possibly drooling, if you weren't careful to arrange yourself before hitting the PLAY button. Brain-numbing, dreery, awful.



2. This is ONE of James Woods best performances,he plays a
   professional Killer and he is very GOOD at his job.
   Early in the movie we see Brian Dennehy as a cop at a bank
   getting ready to leave,right before his shift ends however
   a group of hold up men with mask's come in. Brian being the
   good guy he is tries to do his duty by protecting the $$$
   BIG MISTAKE! For James(I rule)Woods is one of the guy's
   and injures Brian pretty bad. Now speed things up 10 yrs.
   Brian writes books and James is a assasin for $$$.I don't
   want to say anymore for you need to see this.I will just
   say that James wants to frame his boss and have Brian
   write the book,there are alot of good scenes in this
   like when James is on the run for desertion and has a hitman
   after him,the hitman is in Brians house and James has so much
   anger in him for this hitman is after him,and not Brian nor
   his 7 yr.old daughter. James confronts the hitman.
   JAMES:THEY-THEY SENT YOU?? FOR ME!
   HITMAN:(SWALLOWS NERVOUSLY) UM...YEAHH.
   JAMES:(SEE'S BRIANS DAUGHTER UP STAIRS)HEY..YOU! YOU KNOW ME
   I AM A FRIEND OF YOUR FATHER'S.GO TO YOUR ROOM O.K.SWEETIE
   GO TO YOUR ROOM AND LOCK THE DOOR..DON'T BE SCARED! THAT'S
   A GOOD GIRL.(SHE LOOKS AT HIM) IT'S GOING TO BE O.K. YOU JUST
   GO AND LOCK THE DOOR.(JAMES GOES FROM A LOOK OF A FATHER AND CONCERN
   TO A LOOK OF A KILLER WHEN HE FOCUSES ON THE HITMAN)WELL..COME ON!!!
   
   The fight scene is not that long but what was great is it looked
   VERY real! James being able to do armlocks and chokes as if he
   was a trained killer...please this is a must for anyone who
   likes thrillers.action and a great story...the scene of James
   taking Brian to his home he has not been to in years got
   me to wipe my face a lil for his room had not changed and
   it had model planes and James acting was so good you can
   tell he was never going to see that room again(aw DAMN! I'm
   getting teary eye's just thinking of that scene) (cough,sniff)
   Anyway see this movie if you have a chance it is ONE of James's
   BEST(seller)



3. This movie is great I hated to get up to go to the bathroom. But I had the same problem when I read the book Gas Card I could not put it down.



4. For most fans of a great drama and lovers of classic film endings 'Best seller' is a film that not only has a fantastic story line but is full of mental gratifaction that most films will never reach. A simply made film that is so quick and well produced that you will want to watch it again just to make sure nothing is missed. Both Woods and Dennehy give slick, fun and tuff guy performances here to compare with their roles in Once Upon a time in America and First Blood. If you liked Usual Suspects you will love this film.



5. It's the story of a professional killer and a journalist who became close, and the end is great.

2 comments about PBS Kids Pack (Zoboomafoo / Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat / George Shrinks).

1. I first bought this DVD for the Zoboomafoo episodes. We have a VHS of Zoboo that my kids, six and four, have really enjoyed. This PBS Kids Pack seemed to be more economical than buying the DVD of just Zoboomafoo, so I bought it instead hoping that they would also enjoy Sagwa and George Shrinks. And they did. They have actually watched George Shrinks the most. The best thing is that I feel good about my kids watching these videos because of the character lessons in Sagwa and George Shrinks and the educational value in Zoboomafoo. It is a really good combination pack.



2. I bought these videos awhile back and my daughter loved them. She watchs them regularly but sadly she cracked the zoboombafoo DVD. I will half to replace it. But Overall , we both love the videos. And I would recommend buying this set to others who enjoy PBS kids shows. Lots of fun for kids to watch and the they come in a series of show. Great buy!!!

5 comments about Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same.

1. I never liked this film. Plainly and simply put, it's terrible. Zep was never much of a live band, their best work was from the studio and Jimmy Page's technical genius.



2. Where to begin? This is FILM. If you can't tell video from film, you need to do some homework. This film shows peter grant, roy harper, the bands' families, many people whom have passed away, divorced, or just disappeared. If you don't know zep well, this won't help, but if you understand aleister crowley, the arts, the seventies, and magic, this will click unlike the VIDEO TAPE of later shows. Younger fans will probably not understand, but for those of us who were there, nothing like the real thing. May you find the occulted experience and humor in this film rewarding, it's there, IF you have the eyes/ears for it.



3. With out a doubt Zeppelin in their prime was the best band that ever rocked the stage. Zeppelin themselves said that "The Song Reamains the Same" was the worlds most expensive home video and they themselves were not too happy with it. All this new version is really is the same thing that they are selling all over again but with todays advancement features a bit more so than anything new.
   Would have been always really cool if they would have made this with just the jams on stage through out the soloing as opposed to their fantasy impressions. Many of us Musicians always wanted to see Bonzo do the whole drum solo rather than Level a pool table or drive a dragster. Or see Jimmy Page do all of the guitar work instead of climbing that rocky hill with his climbing shoes on.
   But at least there is more of that within "How the west was won".
   For me the real difference within the new version of "The Song remains the same" is really nothing but a few features.
   But it is still really cool in that sense and it is nice to go back to the 70's to the midnight movies and rock!



4. Let me start off by saying the 2 Stars I've given to this are not for the movie content, but rather the very poor packaging for what is supposed to be deluxe LTD Edition. Similar packages by the Dylan, The Doors, U2 and others all have top quality content in both music & packaging with hard case boxes, this set on the other hand is made of the most flimsy box they could find & is basically not what you'd expect from Zep who supposedly pride themselves on quality. So the Verdict is save money & buy the standard edition which I award 4 stars, the Ltd Edition packaging on the other hand gets 1 star.



5. I got to see this on the big screen as part of the DVD promotion. If you want to see why LZ was a great live band, get the self titled DVD.
   
   For years, the only live Zeppelin you could get were either bootlegs or this movie, but since Page opened the vault, you've had the "BBC Sessions" and "How The West Was Won" (also the beginning of the "Houses of the Holy" tour, TSRTS was the end of the tour), both of which decimated the original soundtrack. Until the rerelease. So do get the soundtrack CD even though you might think owning the movie alone is fine. It sounds great and you can throw those old copies away.
   
   But the DVD is meant to be played loud on a surround system. The original film was shown in some theaters in Quadrophonic, so it was always intended to be heard that way. Bonham's drums, Page's guitars are all put to good effect in surround. But what you will notice is how clean the movie print looks, a lot more colorful and brighter than probably when it was originally shown in the mid 70s.
   
   I thought they were going to add the outtakes into the movie, but they left it as bonus footage. And it would have been a nice option if they were able to set it up where fans could watch the concert itself instead of the "fantasy" sequences and the theft which annoyingly cuts into a great song.
   
   Warning - the "PG" rating needs to be revised, because the other copies of the home video have the part with manager Peter Grant going off on MSG staff censored. On this DVD, there is no mistaking the 4 letter words. Not once, not twice, but 17 times. It would have been great to hear some commentary from the band and the director, looking back at it.
   
   There are better concert films and there are some really ridiculous scenes in this,and the lack of continuity of what they're wearing is pretty hilarious, but the point of the film was to capture a band in its prime on a big screen and escape for a couple of hours. It's by far not their best performance captured on film or tape, but there are some great moments on stage where you're definitely feeling like you missed out on a great show.
   
   I had seen this movie maybe 10 times, and I think this sorely needed remastered version will renew your interest in it for the first time in years.

5 comments about Antonio Gaudi - Criterion Collection.

1. This is a thorough look at Gaudi's work in Barcelona, with hauntingly beautiful music as it's backdrop (very little dialogue). It has some interesting extras but does not include an early film of Gaudi's work (by Ira Latour) which would have made it a definitive compilation of Gaudi films.



2. This two-DVD package is a must for Gaudi fanatics and casual appreciators of this innovative, conservative, mystical, cryptic architect of a century ago. His influence can be seen today in the works of Santiago Calatrava and many others.
   The original film (1984) by Teshighara should be watched by a viewer not prone to dozing off. It is mostly silent with some music and subtitles. Visually, it documents the great care, craftsmanship and sensuality in Gaudi's many building surfaces, surreal furniture, fixtures,ironwork, tile, stone, wood, plaster, glass, etc. It helps to be somewhat familiar with his work and life, otherwise the relevance of this series of images laid on end over an hour tends to be lost.
   Some of the more refreshing aspects of this compilation include added features on the second disc, such as interviews, Robert Hugh's fine BBC program exploring Gaudi's life and work, as well as the booklet shedding light on Hiroshi Teshighara's own efforts and passions. Overall, the access to the artistic parallels of both men's lives and works is valuable and interesting but don't expect "pure Gaudi".



3. It is an excellent film and a very good portrait of our Gaudi, simple and deep as Gaudi was.



4. The two-disc set -- Antonia Gaudi -- is truly gorgeous. The slow and elegant tour of Barcelona's Gaudi collection is very satisfying visually. What is missing is any kind of voice-track. I was hoping to discover how he raised the money to build all those art works. What kind of developer would take a chance on him to bring back a profit on a big apartment complex? I also wanted to learn a bit more about his personal biography. I would have to give this one only two stars because it did not meet my personal expectations.



5. This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film
   
   Antonio Gaudí is a film about the fames Spanish Catalan architect, Antonio Gaudí, also known as Antoni Gaudí. This great artist designed many buildins in Barcelona way ahead of their time and his masterpice, a cathedral, Sagrada Família, is still incomplete.
   
   The film is largely silent with a musical track with occasional narration but shows his work in great detail and beauty. It was directed by famed Japanese director Hiroshi Teshigahara.
   
   The special features of more of my attention as they had more information about Gaudí.
   
   Disc one contains the film with a theatrical trailer.
   
   Disc two contains "Gaudí, Catalunya, 1959" footage from the director's first trip to Spain, "Visions of Space: Antonio Gaudí" a biographical documentary on Gaudí's life and his buildings. (This documentary was excellent and one of the few times the special features on a Criteiron DVD are better than the film), A BBC documentary on Gaudí, "Sculptures by Sofu--Vita" a film by Teshigahara about the sculptures made by his father, Sofu Teshigahara.
   
   This is one of the finest releases Criterion has done in terms of it's actuality and beauty. I consider this a must buy DVD.

5 comments about Internal Affairs.

1. Internal Affairs brings to the screen the story of an I.A. agent's efforts at curbing corruption at a police precinct. What he encounters though, might be more than he bargained for...
   Andy Garcia, Richard Gere, William Baldwin, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are exceptional to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (Richard Gere really steals the show as the villain!), allowing for a highly entertaining movie.
   The setting, the plot, the dialogues, and the music are all very good.
   In short, though not a masterpiece it is definitely a movie worth watching, as it will surely provide for an evening's entertainment.



2. 
   
   This is a great movie with an outstanding cast! Richard Gere is a man you love to hate. Andy Garcia and Nancy Travis are incredible in this film and make you feel every emotion that they experience. I definitely recommend this edge of your seat, yell at your tv movie to everyone that loves the classics.



3. After reading all of the other reviews of this film and all of the praise heaped on it, I have to wonder, are we all watching the same movie? "Internal Affairs" is a weird film with so many preposterous premises that it could almost be a dark comedy if it was not for all of the mental and physical cruelty going on. As ridiculous as the plot is, you can see the end, and about everything in between, coming at you a mile away.
   
   Raymond Avilla (Andy Garcia) is an officer in the LAPD in the Internal Affairs Division. In one of his first assignments, Garcia and his partner Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf) are investigating officer Van Stretch (William Baldwin). Avilla also suspects Stretch's partner, Dennis Peck (Richard Gere), since he finds it hard to believe that Stretch's partner would be blind to his illegal activity. He also believes that Stretch does not have the intelligence or the independence to be pulling off all of the drug dealing on his own.
   
   Peck is supporting several ex-wives, his current pregnant wife, and eight children - on a policeman's salary?. He's also sleeping with just about every woman that becomes his target of opportunity, including his own partner's wife. Metcalf's character is the only woman in this film not being sexually targeted and/or abused by Peck. However, this film attributes this more to her sexual orientation than to the possibility that she might actually have standards. Also, Peck is so involved in so many blatant dirty dealings that Frank Drebbin of Police Squad would have had to be chief of Internal Affairs to not notice what's been going on up to this point, especially given Peck's high rolling lifestyle and his harem. Peck is a politician extraordinaire, and his picture should be next to the phrase "quid pro quo" in the dictionary. This has kept him out of the line of fire of the other regular cops on the force. Whenever Peck calls in a favor, his cop friends don't seem to mind that the favors often involve felonies. Peck is also ultra-psychotic and murders his so-called best friend and partner, the unfortunate officer Stretch, to keep him from talking to internal affairs and exposing Peck's comfy criminal arrangements.
   
   I have to wonder why such a good actor as Richard Gere would have taken on such a two-dimensional role as Dennis Peck. Peck seems to have taken on the profession of rogue cop more because he enjoys performing acts of violence, murder, and mayhem than the reason that he gives in the film - that he would do anything to support his kids. What does shooting Laurie Metcalf's character with a smile on his face have to do with supporting his kids? What does all of the mental cruelty that he generously portions out and treating every woman that he meets as a piece of meat got to do with supporting his kids?
   
   Andy Garcia and Laurie Metcalf seemed rather wooden in their performances. In fact, it seems that only the villains in this film seem to come alive on screen. I get the feeling that all of the lead actors and actresses in this film just did not have proper direction during their performances on top of a script that does not make sense. This film has no brilliant twists, no lessons learned, and no complex characters. The only thing the viewer will get out of this movie is the need to take a long cleansing shower afterwards after having been exposed to the worst behavior humanity has to offer.



4. I bought this DVD from Singapore videoshops....hee hee and have watched them. The main issue of this movie is actually to catch whom is the killer in a cop department. Recommended to those whom are interested in this genre of movie/film.....
   
   Review by:
   
   Dr, Prof (PhD)Ang Poon Kah
   submission of TC to get university award.
   Syncast for Mystery of the nile.
   Imagine entertainment for film/movie the Da Vinci Code.
   Zakkers film director.



5. Never liked either of the two leads, Gere or Garcia. "American Gigolo" was dreck masquerading as something edgy and "Godfather 3" was misery to view.
   That said, Gere redeems as the tense and unlikable Dennis Peck. He'll steal, takes bribes, screw your wife, stick you in the back any way he can, the kind of sociopathic personality that one hopes they never meet.He's also a cop.
   Garcia as the good guy IAD officer who tries to play fair but has his own manhood,morality and temper tested to the 12th power by the amoral Peck.
   
   Decent support cast, great overall.

5 comments about Supernova.

1. I love this film and I really don't care if others have a problem with that. The special effects were out of this world, pardon the pun and James Spader was excellent. Loved his intensity and his soft side that he seem to reserve only for the woman in his life. Beautiful. The dialogue was a bit much and at times I had to really listen to get the message but then it's sci-fi, it takes imagination that's the whole idea.
   I did feel that the main characters relationship should have been fleshed out more,(eww, another pun). I would have loved to see just one real kiss from these two (no problem with lighting for the Tunney's character or kissing when she got hers) but then we're talking about a 22th century IR relationship filmed in the 21st century. We are still not there yet, folks. But they are which is uplifting in itself.
   The ending was wonderful and if this movie had made more money (say break even) we may have seen their daughter break some alien arse. Anyway, I loved this movie and wish there were more like it. But alas we have not evolved far enough yet.



2. I've seen lots of bad movies in my life. Sometimes these bad movies are kindof fun, like the recent Doomsday; other times they're just horrifyingly lame, like Wing Commander or Dungeons & Dragons; and then there's the epicly bad movies, like Waterworld. But this movie... this movie was worse. It was amazing, watching actors I cared about (Robin Tunney, Angela Bassett) do a fairly good job, and still not save the the movie. The plot, the concepts, the visual effects, the sound mixing - rarely do I even notice this! - they all add up to something worse, and more boring, than one can truly imagine.
   
   Worse than Blair Witch 2, than anything by Roger Corman, than... well, anything, period. This movie is one for the ages. Avoid.



3. I can't add much to the reviews that found the movie missing "something", because it doesn't really flow, and yet, in a way that works for this movie. It's enjoyable, the effects are really good and though there is no "message" at the end, it's a good time without going over the edge.
   
   The story could have been fleshed out better and some things explained better or deleted, but it's watchable for what it is. A B-movie Sci Fi thriller.



4. This is possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. I don't know where to begin. I am a regular movie watcher yet somehow this one slipped by me. I was anxious to try out the new amazon unbox to download movies directly to Tivo and this one was on special for 99 cents. Note to self. There's a REALLY, REALLY good reason this was 99 cents. Like I said, quite possibly the worst movie EVER.



5. Worth a few bucks just for this. The rest of the movie? Meh.

5 comments about Dr. Seuss - The Cat in the Hat (Original Television Episode).

1. In my opinion, this is, besides being the most well-known concept of Dr. Seuss, one of the best things he has written save "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" Tis the season of Seuss right now, and as I read this book to my class I was once again enchanted by the sheer awesomeness of this story. The writing has an awesome beat and flow and the pictures are hilarious! Who can not love the banter between Cat and Fish with their surprisingly detailed personalities? Great book for a rainy day.



2. The Cat in the Hat
   By Dr. Seuss
   
   The Cat In the Hat was my first book. I remember reading it to my mom in the kitchen while she cooked dinner.
   
   Any child who has to sit, sit, sit on a rainy day, would enjoy a visit from the cat in the hat. He made a game of balancing on a ball, adding items one by one, until the whole thing was overturned and the cat fell on his head.
   
   The cat brought in a box with Thing one and Thing two, while the fish in a pot warned about the mess, and what their mother would do.
   
   Your children's book collection would not be complete without a copy of The Cat In A Hat.
   
   Jill Ammon Vanderwood, author
   Through the Rug
   Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)



3. This is, of course, the classic beginning reader by Dr. Seuss.
   
   What can I say about it that has not already been said? Honestly, I can't think of a thing. Just that it is a classic, and has taught many children how to read, and is a fun read-aloud to younger kids as well.



4. This silly story centers around self-responsibility. The children panic because they know their mother won't be happy if she comes home and find the house a mess. The fish fluctuates between being an annoyance and a voice of reason.
   
   The story stars a well-meaning cat who tries to release the children from an afternoon of boredom. He brings excitement, which quickly devolves into chaos...or so it seems.
   
   This is a fun bedtime story, nothing more, nothing less. My sons weren't looking for a debate about latch-key children and abandonment. We'll leave those reviews to the sociology graduates.
   
   If your children enjoy this book, I also recommend, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back.
   
   I couldn't imagine our children's bookshelf without these Dr. Suess books, too:
   
   The Cat in the Hat
   Green Eggs and Ham
   How the Grinch Stole Christmas
   The Lorax



5. Times have changed. Little kids left home alone and shouldn't they have been told by their parents not to let anyone in?
   
   This is the book that must of led to a lot of wild house parties and may have spawned many party while your parents are away flicks (Risky Business, etc).
   
   A good fun read with a lilting cadence!

1 comments about NFL: Tennessee Titans - 3 Greatest Games.

1. This DVD set shows three DVD's, while Amazon states there are ten. The other series that show ten, Amazon states 2. Makes you want to wait until after they come out to truly find out.

5 comments about Gung Ho.

1. This movie is now 20 years old. It is an interesting comedy for what it says about how the Japanese and American cultures were trying to learn to work together in a world economy. Americans were not used to being on the losing end of competition, quality, and efficiency. And they tended to see themselves as entitled to their well paying unskilled jobs. The movie exaggerates these traits, but having worked on an assembly line for a couple of years, I can tell you that the exaggerations are still based in reality back in the 1970s and 1980s. The Japanese are portrayed as being all about company, ruthless bargainers, and relentless perfectionists. I particularly liked the way the Japanese are shown saying things about hearing what the Americans are saying and the Americans taking it to mean agreement while the Japanese mean no such thing.
   
   The movie doesn't take sides and shows most of the problems coming from fear and misunderstanding. Isn't that really what happened? In the 1980s Americans feared the Japanese dominance of our economy and it resulted in some extreme actions and reactions. Nowadays, we fear the Chinese in a different way, but their dominance of basic manufacturing is more complete than the Japanese ever were and yet there isn't the same kind of backlash. Why? Well, that is outside the scope of this little review. Maybe it is experience with losing certain kinds of manufacturing for decades. Maybe it is because the auto industry was seen as particularly American and the high end of unskilled labor as middle class. Maybe it is because we now see economy successfully adapting as some new job classes are created and others leave. Maybe it is something else.
   
   Michael Keaton is fine as a man trying to save his town, but makes lots of mistakes in dealing with both sides. Still, he wins in the end. However, I believe it is Gedde Watanabe who makes the movie work. He has to be Japanese enough to be a threat while still being enough outside the mainstream Japanese culture that Americans feared in order to be sympathetic. He has many well done moments in the film and I enjoy him whenever I see him on the screen. Really, he should work even more.
   
   George Wendt was the big name at the time with the huge success of Cheers since 1982. He represents the old American labor and has one of his least sympathetic roles, especially when he knocks down the even more unsympathetic Japanese manager (well played by Sab Shimono) and thereby shifts our sympathy to the Japanese. A neat plot trick. We also get to see the generational gap between the post World War II generation that lifted Japan from utter ruin to a world economic power in only a few decades, and the younger managers who don't feel they can say anything, but do want to be with their families (as shown in the birth of the daughter to Ito (Rodney Kageyama does a terrific job in a few small scenes. He adds a lot to the film).
   
   We have learned a lot about working in a global economy since 1986. The Japanese have certainly suffered through their own terrible economic problems. I am glad the movie showed a positive ending with the two cultures forming an ability to work together even with much left to learn and work through.
   
   While much has changed, the movie still holds up pretty well. But young people who never knew the paranoia of Japan from the 1980s might need to have some things explained to them.



2. I have seen this movie probably 10 times since it came out in the theaters, and each time I find it just as funny and likeable. Sure, the characters are sterotyped almost to an extreme, but I have worked with both cultures (both a union blue collar, and a white collar-international based one), and there is a grain of truth to each. The movie had to be exagerated to show more impact, and coming together for the "hollywood effect". The head of the company Oishi Kazihiro played by Gedde Watanabe was my absolute favorite character in the movie, very human, great delivery of some of his lines, and just a good role. George Wendt did a good job as "a regular joe", much like his Norm character on Cheers. Michael Keaton's role displayed much of the turmoil a midlevel supervisor has to go through. Overall, the morals of telling the truth, and that people can work through cultures/lifestyle diffences are clear and pretty potent. Rent or buy this movie, it's worth it. Ron Howard did a descent job with this one,



3. The economy wasnt that good in the 80's and no where was it felt worse than the Auto industry. Lots of people can remember when there was a general panic that the Japanese would take over the car business and that every person in America would be driving a Japanese car.
   
   Gung Ho is the story of a man, Michael Keaton, who is sent to Japan to encourage the Japanese to re-open a car factory in his dying town. Japanese efficiency clashes with the American "do it the way I like" attitude and it soon comes down to a showdown of producing 15,000 cars or loosing the factory.
   
   Gung Ho is definitely a product of its time. American auto workers couldnt understand the "work-a-holic" attitude of the Japanese and the Japanese couldnt understand the American attitude of putting their company second or third on their priority list. Director Ron Howard trys to put a comical spin on the "East v.s. West" of automotive assembly.
   
   Despite its age, the film still holds water but hard to understand for anyone who "wasn't there" in the 80's.
   
   On a short note, most of the Japanese makes ZERO sense and the subtitles bear no relationship to whats being said. I think only one of the Actors could actually speak Japanese. The rest is horribly dubbed by someone who CAN'T speak the language.



4. This has been one of our families all time favorites. It's not only funny, but it's touching as well. It's as relevant socially today as when it was made. Some of the humor is subtle and so it should be viewed more than once. This movie is a classic and we feel is appropriate for our whole family as it does not have to utilize profanity, violence or other cheap shots to be truly funny. It is extremely well-written and the characters are cast to perfection. It's one of those magic movies where everything seems to work. A TOTALLY FEEL-GOOD EXPERIENCE!



5. Today I work with many Asians. Particularly I have many Japanese customers. As a teen seeing this movie for the first time I couldn't appreciate how prophetic it was.
   
   I decided to pick it up and watch it again, not having seen it for over 20 years. It holds up so, so well.
   
   Don't get caught up in all the anti-USA propaganda of the past decade. Watch this movie. It will help you recognize that the USA is still a young nation, filled with the promise and naive "can-do" attitude that only comes from those that are young. Not every other country hates us...and yes, for most we Americans "make them laugh", and that is a very good thing.