5 comments about Blue Water Odyssey.

1. Having met the Driscoll family, in the Hawkesbury River just north of Sydney, during their circumnavigation, this film held considerable personal nostalgia for me. I remember them as a charming, good-looking bunch and this film confirms that memory. It is a modest production, a bit of a home movie in fact, but that unassuming quality is charming in itself. The film shows some of the pleasures of a trade-wind voyage, provides glimpses of beautiful, simple places far off the beaten track and of the people who live there, and, above all, creates an intimate portrait of a happy family life. Seeing the kids grow up through the five years it took to complete this circumnavigation is cute. It fact, that's how I'd describe this film - cute, unpretentious and a pleasant 90 minutes entertainment.



2. I found this dvd very interesting and well filmed. It takes one on a voyage around the world and seemed to bring the essence of such an undertaking to life. The sailing shots were well done and the places visited quite interesting. It really leaves a person wanting to cast off and sail in their wake.



3. I would rather be able to give this two and a half stars for production quality and four stars for content.
   
   This is really a set of home movies from the early eighties. It's about a family that meandered around the world over the course of five years.
   
   I got this at the same time as "Being Out There". They are very different films. English is a second language for my wife, and she really enjoyed this movie while the other one put her to sleep. "Blue Water Odyssey" explains by showing you, rather than having talking heads. There is less emphasis on socializing with other cruisers, more emphasis on trying to experience the cultures of the countries visited, and you don't see them motoring. There is good sailing footage, but it is mostly of a gale, and there is very little of the relatively gentle winds that the family apparently experienced for the majority of their time on the water.
   
   Just a note: as far as I can tell, as I mentioned above, this was shot in the early eighties (going by clothing fashions and the cars in the background). The actual boat appears to be the original "Sea Witch"-- the first built to this design, which was published in the old "The Rudder" in 1945-- so the boat was over 35 years old when they made the trip!
   
   (Please note: this DVD does not have closed captions or subtitles.)



4. This video begins by briefly opening a scrapbook where the family is introduced and then fades into the movie about their five year circumnavigation under sail. The movie commences in Hawaii and continues through the South Pacific Ocean islands, Australia, Indonesia, Indian Ocean, South Africa, South Atlantic, Carribbean, Panama Canal, and back to San Diego, CA. where the voyage had began.
   I found the sailing scenes were well done and the interesting exposure of the family to the diverse cultures they visited extremely well done.
   I have attended several presentations of voyages given in person by the people who did them but I have never enjoyed any of them as much as I enjoyed this one.
   My husband and I saw this dvd with several friends and we all enjoyed it. The unaminous conclusion was that this was the best of this type of presentation that we had seen.
   I highly recommend Blue Water Odyssey.



5. I actually liked it but I can see how other, maybe younger people would not. It is basically a home video of thier trip. It was low budget and a bit grainy, filmed on 8 mm I think. It is very interesting and a bit of a time travel back to the 60's. It's not for eveyone, but it was worth the but for me.

No comments about China: A Musical Journey.

2 comments about John Ratzenberger's Made in America (4 Disc Set).

1. Bought it for myself, but my kids, who are ages 8, 5, and 2, are also mesmerized by these videos. John Ratzenberger (who played the character Norm from "Cheers"), keeps it entertaining. Just waiting for the next series to come out now.



2. Having seen this show many times. I can tell the DVD is going to be great.
   
   But I have to make a correction on the other guys review. John did NOT play Norm on Cheers, he was Cliff the mailman. And was brilliant in that role.
   
   I am truly glad that we have people like him who go all around America and like he says "finding it's soul everywhere"

3 comments about The Last Temptation in Thailand.

1. I ordered this product before December 1st actually it was shipped on Dec. 1st and I have no gotten it yet and I did not get a tracking code and I have no way of letting them know I have not gtten it and Im an Amazon Prime custumer



2. I couldn't believe that a video could capture the action me and my friends have been enjoying in Thailand for years, but the "Last Temptation in Thailand" was just like being there! The guy travels all over Thailand in a kind of sex odyssey and then ties it altogether with a Sex in the City kind of narrative. If you can't go to Thailand or are thinking about going, get this tape and see what you're missing! Absolutely the best show on Thailand I've ever seen!



3. Very entertaining video. The author obviously had a great time in Thailand. It is nice to see how he juxtaposes the Thailand experience with Buddhism. I know very little about Buddhism, so that part was very interesting to me.

1 comments about The Ultimate DVD of New Zealand.

1. This DVD is very aptly named and I for one would highly recommend it... "The Ultimate DVD of New Zealand" is as it says...3 wonderful videos of New Zealand on 1 DVD...very good value for a start!! The first video is entitled "Naturally Its New Zealand"...this is a documentary that takes you through the country as a typical tour may be...I found the narration informative and the video footage excellent. The second video on the DVD is all about the Native Maori people on this country. This is presented by a well spoken historian and covers the history of these people. The third video is a superb example of New Zealand's great outdoor. "Great Walks of New Zealand - The Able Tasman National Park" follows a typical 5 day guide tour through this wonderful coastal track. I've walked this South Island track and can truly say that is it is a wonderful part of New Zealand. This DVD shows many aspects of New Zealand that I've found help aid my love for this country...Highly Recommended Viewing!!!

5 comments about Memory.

1. "Memory" starts off by providing the correct pronunciation of the word and what appeared to be the complete dictionary definition of the term. For some reason this made me think of "Memento," which was a mistake because this horror thriller is nothing like that ambitious film. Billy Zane stars as Dr. Taylor Briggs, who was exposed to some strange stuff in Brazil that is causing him to have flashbacks. What is odd is that these appear to be somebody else's flashbacks, and to make things even more interesting the memories seem to be those of a serial killer who targets young women. Given how old the memories appear to be the only cast member running around who would seem to fit the bill is Max Lichtenstein, who is played by Dennis Hopper, which moves the serial killer possibility into the realm of the so patently obvious that you have to discount it (the music cues only reinforce such suspicions since the movie is trying so hard to nudge us in his direction). But Briggs has family issues, so we pay attention because such exposition is also the key to unraveling the mystery, such as it is.
   
   Beyond the "who" the more interesting question is the "how," because picking up on somebody else's memories is not something that happens every day. The need to solve such mysteries never really gets beyond the "because they are there" stage, and for my money "Memory" is harmed by attempting to explain the science behind what is happening. When somebody such as myself, who never even got as far as taking high biology, rolls their eyes and laughs out loud at the idea that memories can be contained in DNA, then it must really be bad. It occurs to me that this sort of scientific mumbo-jumbo could have worked decades ago on something like "The Twilight Zone," but then Rod Serling, Richard Matheson, and the rest of the "Zone" writers were all about the payoff, and that is where "Memory" suddenly looks like somebody slipped in the last real from another horror film. I swear, if you fell asleep for five minutes and woke up during the final scenes you would think that you had slept through the end of one movie and were watching the conclusion of the second on a Billy Zane-double feature. I would accuse this film of engaging in bait and switch except there is no reason to assume those responsible for this film were thinking that far ahead.
   
   "Memory" is directed by Bennett Davlin, who co-wrote the script along with Anthony Badalucco and Russ Turley, which might explain why the ending seems so unlike the rest of the movie. The other major characters in the story are Tricia Helfer of "Battlestar Galactica" fame as Stephanie Jacobs, an artist who becomes Briggs' romantic interest in the film (yes, she does a nude scene, but, no, there is nothing to see, so do not rent "Memory" in that hope) and Ann-Margaret as Carol Hargrave, the owner of a Gallery who sets up the introduction of the scientist and the artist. I was wondering why Ann-Margaret bothered to make this movie, because in 2006 she was having something of a mini-comback what with making "The Break-Up" and "The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause." Therefore it would hardly seem necessary for her to make a movie like this one unless she gets to do something a bit different, which she does, so that may have been part of the rationale. But then I discovered this film was really made in 2005 and sat on the shelf for a while, which strikes me as bizaare given all the crap that goes direct to video. This film might fail more than it succeeds, but it does feature a pretty good cast for this type of movie.



2. When I started watching this movie it didn't look too good--all the previews were grade B trash and that's exactly what I was anticipating during the opening credits. It's surprisingly good, although I'm still not sure I understand the plot in it's entirety.
   
   For instance: why would exposure to some guy's shamanic memory serum all the sudden turn Billy Zane on a specifically personal quest to find out who his real father was? Does the memory serum itself have some kind of good willed soul that steers him in this direction? Why wouldn't it just make him nuts with all sorts of memories at once until it got out of his system?
   
   I really wished Dennis Hopper had turned out to be the maniac; after all, he seems like one anyway, even as the benevolent scientist "would be" father of Zane's character. The hallucinations in this film range from hokey to very, very effective; Ann Margret gives a chillingly effective performance as the torchbearer of a very perverse evil. At times this reminded me of Hitchcock's "Spellbound" and at other times like the crazier parts of "Rambo 3": it's almost as though Roger Corman and Luis Bunuel decided to take the reigns together in an unlikely collaboration.
   Nonetheless, the plot keeps you guessing and the ending is actually pretty shocking.



3. Now here is an awesome original gem of a movie. Very well thought out and written, good acting and directing, suspenseful, atmospheric, and a surprise twist at the end that you do not see coming. Five stars!



4. Dr. Taylor Briggs (Dead Calm's Billy Zane) is in Brazil for a conference on Alzheimer's disease. He is called upon to consult on an unusual case involving a man covered in a strange orange powder. Briggs is accidentally contaminated by this substance (which he later finds out is only used in ancient tribal rituals). This results in what appear to be blackouts and hallucinations. As the days pass, Briggs realizes that these experiences are actually 30 year old memories from someone else's life! Not just any memories, but those of a serial killer! Briggs becomes obsessed w/ finding out the truth behind these visions. MEMORY is a fast-moving tale of mystery and suspense w/ mystical overtones. Zane is believable as Briggs, and Dennis Hopper, Ann-Margret (Magic, Tommy), and Tricia Helfer do admirable jobs, especially Ann-Margret, who adds a nice jolt to this thriller! And yes, she's still beautiful! Remember to add this one to your collection...



5. First of all I want to thank Amazon for this review
   process, and the people who give them. I selected this
   movie based on description and reviews. We have a good
   story, great acting, a plot that will have you guessing
   until the end. Good filmaking without spending a huge
   sum of money, just old fashioned talent.

5 comments about Kim Possible - A Sitch in Time.

1. Okey so not gowing to talk alot about this''Movie'' all Iam gowing to say is that the bad guys steal this one.All of them Drakken,Shego,Killagin and Monkey Fist are the REAL stars of this''Movie'' but don't take my word for it they RULE anyway this movie is't ALL THAT like So The Drama[note:I have not seen it yet]but it's still fun to wach but I loved the last part when they are in Shgotin a time ruled by The Suprem One{Shego}a time where green is the new black and well it's not preety but the sad fact is at the end Kim and Shego do not fight but still A Sitch In Time is one of the beast TV movies ever so go buy it if you are a fan of Kim Possible or if you are looking for a good movie for you and you're famliy to see go buy it.IT ROCKS AND THE BAD GUYS RULE



2. This movie wasn't all that Bad it Explained how kim and Ron came to be what they are today. If you are a Kim Possible Fan this movie should help you understaned the series more. So Fi you ae A kim fan this ones for you.



3. This is a fun full length movie that has Kim and Ron battling their arch enemies across the "time stream". Well scripted and fun for all ages. Easy to watch over and over without getting old.



4. it stunk i can smell it from here worst show freakin ever. here is rating it should be -50. and that fat guy i got a ryhm make fun of my hair i can get a hat but you broke and your fat there's no hat for that.freakin a will never watch it again worst show . disney should put boy meets world back on because kim possible sucks it should be called kim stunkible. it is a -100 thats the truth never by it. It is not even worth a cent. sucked ass



5. This movie was actually really enjoyable. Featuring several of my favourite villians teaming up to destroy the Kim/Ron team, the premise of the move was intriguing and the story line was well done. I liked the future vision and the dialogue was snappy and funny. This is well worth a watch if you enjoy Kim Possible.

3 comments about Andre Rieu - Romantic Moments.

1. Fanbloodytastic -- just sensational , the blokes an absolute genius.
   
   Just fantastic entertainment.



2. This is a compilation of probably the earliest film clips made by the Rieu and Strauss orchestra, so it shows their young faces. the more recent DVD's are much more polished affairs. it's good to see how performers improve over time, still worth the purchase but for the reason of showing the changes as time goes by



3. Andre Rieu is one of the finest entertainers in the world. I have all of his released DVDs and many of his CDs. The CD "Romantic Moments" is my very favorite. Unfortunately, the DVD "Romantic Moments" leaves out many of the songs on the CD. Spharenkland (Music of the Spheres) my absolute favorite of all the songs Rieu has done, is minimally played in the background at the beginning. It is a quite long tune but it is played only 52 seconds as background music at the beginning of the DVD. Andre talks a lot in this one, but not in the informative way he does in "Dreaming". Still, it is a quite worth while DVD and I would recommend it to anyone. Naturally, one must love beautiful music of the Strauss era to enjoy this recording.

5 comments about Globe Trekker: Argentina.

1. This DVD is dated as a 2004 release and maybe the DVD was released then but the video was defintely filmed at least five years earlier.
   
   The video is not very helpful and full of false information about the country, particularly the cost of traveling. Justine Shapiro states that it is VERY VERY EXPENSIVE to travel in Argenitna. It was back then when the video was made, mostly in 1997, but now after the devaluation in 2001 Argentina is considered one of the most inexpensive travel destination in the world.
   
   It was shot in 2004 and contains the latest information for tourists, such as the CURRENT price of hotels, food, etc.
   
   If you are interested in visiting Argentina and really want to know how it is NOW I recommend you consider the "Best of Buenos Aires" video on Amazon.



2. Justine Shapiro is really charming and made me laugh in several instances. This video is superbly shot, and even myself, as a local argentine, found it entertaining and informative.
   
   The reviewer before me was too harsh to give it a single star. Just discard any references you hear on the video about prices (for that, look around in travel web sites, and ANYTHING taped will get outdated over time).
   
   Yes, this video was shot back in ~2000 when the country's currency, the peso, was artificially pegged to the US dollar, and neocons were running the country, overvaluating our currency (which as you might imagine caused the exports of anything almost impossible, as everything was cheaper imported rather than locally produced).
   
   After the sad events of late 2001 and early 2002, the local currency was devaluated and that artificial economic policy of "1 peso to 1 dollar" was abandoned. After a brieg period of chaos, the country started recovering and now (2005/2006) exports are booming, job creation is on the rise, tourism is booming, and exports (both agriculture and industrial) are at an all time high. Plenty of factories have re-opened its doors and in some sectors of the economy employers are having a hard time finding people for the positions.
   
   (...) the peso is now at around $3 pesos per US dollar. (...)
   
   (...)
   Hope this helps.



3. Seeing this Globtrekker travelogue again on TV reminded me of how well it portrays the beauty and immense scale of this amazing country. It also superbly communicates the warmth and generosity of its people. Disregard another reviewer's grousings about the economic inaccuracies (yeah, so what?--it's actually much cheaper now to visit Argentina), and just sit back and enjoy sweeping views of Iguasu Falls, the Argentine cordillera, windswept Patagonia, and the Perito Moreno glacier. Justine Shapiro has just the right balance of wonder and wimsy to pull off this travelogue. I especially like her good-humored response to a pass made at her in Buenos Aires, and her imitation of a penguin walk on the beach in Patagonia. This is a real fun video and will make you want to visit this great country.



4. This video was made before 2001 and the economic crash, so they keep talking about how expensive it all is. Not up to date at all. They need to make a new one. However, they do highlight great things to do.



5. I bought this DVD as a gift for my parents, hoping to entice them to visit my us after we move to Argentina this summer. I was surprised when they told me that the show had completely turned their stomachs with vivid portrayals of killing and gutting a cow, ripping off it's hide and opening the stomach to show what's inside. The host also brands a cow, and you hear it moaning as you watch her, in shock, asking herself WHY she had ever agreed to do such a thing. I think this would be a fine video to watch for "documentary" entertainment, but if you are trying to convince the average 70 year old traveler (or anyone who is not gung-ho on livestock) to go to Argentina for a holiday, this is NOT the DVD to choose! We're going to look for another, more "travel-friendly" program to show to the rest of the family instead.

5 comments about Alaska: Spirit of the Wild.

1. This is wonderful for the family. Super shots of scenery and animals (the latter with good humor as well). Charleton Heston's narration is apt and not overdone (though the volume is a bit low as compared with the otherwise excellent music soundtrack that is Aaron Copeland-esque). A very nice intro to the glories of Alaska, it even includes a bit of history on the Gold Rush.



2. This fine IMAX production really captures the spirit of the Alaska region, though focusing upon the animals and geological features, not the people. Not that people are not interesting (I would not mind seeing a documentary on innupiat), but it is not every day I see a polar bear for instance, so give me a break.
   
   I have seen dumb IMAX movies before. This is not one of those duds. This is the best IMAX production I have ever seen bar none. There was one other IMAX movie about Alaskan explorers, or mountain climbers, something along those lines. It stunk. I don't even remember the title. I had paid the price of two tickets to see it. That was the last IMAX movie I ever paid to watch in the cinema.
   
   The problem with cinema is they want to charge $5, $10, then hit you hard for snacks and drinks of lousy quality. Fine. Then the movie better be awesome. Yet ninety-five percent of movies stink. So I never go to the cinema, and hardly anyone I know ever goes to the cinema. If you are a cinema owner, this is why you are looking at bankruptcy down the road.
   
   In a sea of dumb documentaries, this shines like a lighthouse, showing the way for all those wannabe producers struggling to navigate through the waters of film-making. Very hard-to-get footage. I am not sure how the camera crew got so near to wild predators like wolves and bears. You tell me.



3. If you want to fill your kids with with misinformation about Alaska, this is the movie for you. The scriptwriter apparently flew by the seat of his pants, making stuff up as he went along.
   
   The script says that the famous Iditarod dogsled race originated to commemorate the Gold Rush. Wrong. The Iditarod commemorates a desperate dogsled race against time to transport smallpox vaccine from Anchorage to Nome, where children where dying of the disease.
   
   In another error-filled scene, the script refers to the fiercesome black bear. Clips are shown of wolves, foxes and even elk cowering and running for cover because of a black bear. They were probably running from the camera crew. Wikipedia describes black bears as omnivores whose diet relies most heavily on grasses, herbs, fruits, and mast. They also feed on carrion and insects such as carpenter ants, yellow jackets, bees, and termites, and raid bees nests for honey. They sometimes kill and eat small rodents. They seldom attack other animals unless cornered, threatened, or wounded.
   
   People believe the stuff in these documentaries, especially children. Parents, beware of scriptwriters such as the one who wrote the narration for this film. He was intoxicated with his purple prose and made up his own drama when the real facts weren't conveniently at hand. This guy should be writing soaps, not nature documentaries.
   
   A pox on this movie. Smallpox, if you like.



4. I thought this one was great. Disregard what old "Barbra" said. She cites Wikipedia as her official source for information. I won't even go there. She is obviously confused and probably in her senior years. This is a great fact filled documentary and I highly recommend it.



5. If you have never seen Alaska, see this DVD - We had the opportunity to visit Alaska last year and this is what it is really like!