Dead Poets Society

"And what will your verse be in the poem of life?"
"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." (Henry David Thoreau, "Walden.")

Hands up folks, how many of us discovered Thoreau after having watched this movie? *Really* discovered I mean, regardless whether you had known he'd existed before. How many believe they know what Thoreau was talking about in that passage about "sucking the marrow out of life" cited in the movie, even if you didn't spend the next 2+ years of your life living in a self-constructed cabin on a pond in the woods? How many bought a copy of Whitman's poems ... whatever collection? (And maybe even read more than "Oh Captain! My Captain!"?) How many went on to read Emerson? Frost? Or John Keats, on whose personality Robin Williams's John Keating is probably losely based? Judging by the vast majority of the reviews on this site...

Be careful if you want the Director's cut
Be careful about the label 'Special Edition' if you are still waiting, like me, for the fabulous Director's cut that was released on laser disk but not on DVD. It contains essential extra footage added by Peter Weir that fleshes out the motivations behind many of the characters and answers some questions that the theatrical cut raises. The Director's cut is 142 minutes so this DVD is just a re-release of the original theatrical version.

"Special Edition" is Less Special Than it Could Be
I just received the "Special Edition" and was disappointed. The reviewer who advised caution was correct-this is just the same version with a few "bonus" features. The "Deleted Scenes" or "Raw" footage contains only the couple of minutes of Keating meeting the boys at the cave after Neil's performance. The version shown on USA (I haven't seen the Laser Disk Director's Cut) containing the extra footage of Knox's dinner at Danbury's and meeting Ginny Danbury, the scene rehearsing near the lake, the boys being assigned their extracurricular activities are all missing. The original script called for Knox and Chris to kiss near the frozen waterfall after the Keating-led meeting. That's not here, either. Too bad - those scenes really tie up the story much better.

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Eight Below (Full Screen Edition)

A great movie -- and here's why I think so......
Inspired by the Japanese movie (released in the United States as ANTARTICA), which was based upon the true story of a 1958 Japanese expedition, the real antecedent of this movie is Egerton R. Young's marvelous memoir of his dogsled team, first published in 1902. This was the first book to detail the different personalities among dogs and the first to describe their work ethic and sense of responsibility.

Jack London acknowledged his debt to Egerton Young's memoirs (among other sources) which he took to craft the dogsled team in THE CALL OF THE WILD, something missing in the various incarnations of the novel on film. EIGHT BELOW captures the real intelligence of siberian huskies (well, two of them are malamutes) better than any movie I've ever seen. Sure, this is just a movie and tricks were used to make it appear that these dogs do what they seem to do. But huskies do smile, laugh, worry, think, and bond--and if you don't agree, then you just don't know them...

Great Family Adventure Movie! More like 4 1/2 stars
This is an excellent family movie about an Antartica adventure. Although Jason Biggs of American Pie is in it, this time he's the usual goofball but without any stupid humor and not one bad word anywhere in the film. It's safe family entertainment. The story is about a scientific post in Antartica that uses eight Huskies to get around with selds in the snow-barren wilderness of the South Pole. Trouble starts for the dogs when Winter arrives early and the dogs have to survive by themselves which is documented in the film as is also the human aspect of leaving the dogs behind to fight for themselves. The scenery and photography is breathtaking and it is a well-made Disney movie. It is based on a true story and that makes it even more interesting. Don't compare this film to Snow Dogs as this film is not a comedy and the location, storyline and premise are completely different. Aside from the dogs as heros, Paul Walker plays the human hero and he plays the role of an expedition guide very...

Credit Where Credit is Due: The Real Stars of a Fine Movie
EIGHT BELOW is a satisfying film on every level: the story is excellent (based on fact), the script is good, the direction by Frank Marshall is tight and fast paced for a two hour film, the scenery is spectacular and the cast is committed and well chosen. But the real stars of this film are the eight wondrous dogs who for much of the film carry the entire story of being on their own in the Antarctica winter for five plus months - and for the most part surviving through bonding and obvious devotion to each other. They are splendid - beautiful to watch in action and touching to observe in their interaction. But the dogs alone could not have made this happen without the other true stars of the picture - the dog trainers. They deserve mention, so here they are: Michael Alexander and Sally Jo Sousa are the main trainers and are well supported by Tammy Blackburn, Tracy Gardhouse, Thomas L. Gunderson, Rowan Harland, Trish Judd, Dea Valentin Kristensen, Grace McLeod, Scott Rowe, Andrew...

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The Last Song

A great family movie
The Last Song is a great movie. It is a coming of age movie but not just a chick flick. All family members will enjoy this movie. Miley Cyrus plays a somewhat troubled teen and blames her troubles on her parents divorce. Her attitude quickly takes a turn when she falls in love and even more of a turn when she finds out that her father is dying with lung cancer. Take a box of tissues to the theatre. Miley plays this dramatic role very well.

In this movie you will be introduced to turtle eggs and you will see them crawl back to the ocean when they hatch. I think this is interesting for children of all ages to watch.

Go watch this movie and go as a family. We don't get many of these type movies so make it a family day and go. You won't be sorry.

Although some young children are upset that the series Hannah Montana has ended, I have to say I am glad. Miley Cyrus has so much more to offer to the entertainment business than her role as Hannah...

The good, the bad, the honest truth...
In watching `The Last Song' over the weekend (to be honest, I actually wanted to do this), I decided that it was probably best to present this review in three sections; the pros, the cons and my verdict.

It just makes more sense this way.

THE PROS:

The beachfront setting of the film, not unlike a previous Sparks film adaptation `Nights in Rodanthe', is stunning and certainly creates a mood, the same mood that follows a lot of Sparks' stories. You can feel the love in the air from the moment the sandy shores are revealed. The acting here is also quite decent, with the exception of Kelly Preston who is just really bad at whatever it is she is trying to do. Greg Kinnear is always a welcome presence, and he layers the stereotypical `dad' role with enough personality to make him endearing. Liam Hemsworth is like a talented Paul Walker (they look very similar) and that is becoming. I see a career in front of him that may (and I'm not really joking here)...

Build a bridge and get over it
Not only was the novel amazing, the movie was too. Every one who judges the movie simply becuase of Miley's past career are wrongly doing so. Try the movie out and you won't be dissapointed. Obviously not everything is for everyone, but for all those looking to enjoy a sappy love movie, this is for you! It's great for the family and a very down to earth drama. Get over her Hannah alter-ego and move on as she is trying to.

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Home Improvement: The Complete First Season

Does Everybody Know What Time It Is?
I've only recently started to watch Home Improvement in syndication for the first time, and as soon as I got into it it has become one of my favourite sitcoms. The humoar is very original and the concept was very bright and fresh when it came along on ABC in 1991.

It wasn't just that that made it one of the most popular shows of the 90's, it was also the strengh of the characters. Tim Allen's portrayel of accident proned chauvanistic tool man Tim Taylor helps make the show along with his sidekick Al, wife Jill and three kids Brad, Randy and Mark.

This show also provided more realism than a lot of other shows of its kind, for example the relationship between the boys and their regular fighting seems a lot more true to life than other shows that often represent people as constantly loving and everything always patched up by the end of the show. Home Improvement still has many tender moments that are always well acted.

As well as the 24 episodes on this...

The Beginning
I liked this show, but the family values issues did get on my nerves a lot, and how Jill (the wife) would always jump down Tim's back about the littlest things - it seemed.

The neighbor, Wilson, was pretty cool, always with some wise information for Tim and the others. And this first season, possibly the next one too, had Pamela Anderson in it as the Tool Time girl. Here's a description of the episodes on this set:

"Pilot" - Tim wrecks the dishwasher, while trying to give it more power; Jill gets a job interview

"Mow Better Blues" - Mark breaks a tool of Tim's, which Jill was told to stay away from

"Off Sides" - Tim hires a magician as a babysitter

"Satellite on a Hot Tim's Roof" - Tim installs a satellite dish; one of Jill's teachers visits

"Wild Kingdom" - Tim hears some weird noises in the basement

"Adventures in Fine Dining" - Tim bets Jill that he can teach their kids some table manners...

Klaus, some music please
Home Improvement was on the air at a time when sitcoms were a good source of bread and butter for network television. During its prime, Home Improvement made its share of money for ABC, as the show appealed to a broad audience, from kids to adults.

The complete first season of Home Improvement takes us back to the very beginning of the show. We meet Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, the host of a local cable home improvement show, his wife Jill and their three kids. While much of the show dealt with the television show, the prime focus was on the family aspect of Tim's life and how it affected his work and vice versa.

Stand-up comedian Tim Allen brought the character of Tim Taylor to life. His observations about everyday life, along with his penchant for getting himself into fine messes, usually involving "more power," made for some interesting situations. While Tim is by no means a stupid guy, he quite often misinterprets advice given to him by his neighbor Wilson, or...

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Home Improvement: The Complete Second Season

An excellent representation of an excellent show
I have loved "Home Improvement" ever since I was seven years old,and I think that everyone was excited to see the first four seasons of HI being released on DVD. Truth be told,while shows like "Home Improvement" really do not get made that much anymore,HI is a good reminder of what good television was about back in the early 90's (which was when this show aired)--and this DVD set is surely to bring back good memories,laughter,and entertainment for all fans of "Home Improvement" who purchased this set.

What you have right here is the second season for "Home Improvement"--every second of every episode from the second season of HI,on a three disc set. And while the first season of "Home Improvement" may be the ultimate season of the show,the season of the show that is displayed here is both funny and strong in several ways. This DVD set shows all of the challenges that Tim Taylor (Tim Allen)and his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson)faced as parents,with their oldest children Brad...

A funny, yet formulaic sitcom...
Nominated for 9 Golden Globes and 34 Emmys, including 2 for Outstanding Comedy Series, Home Improvement was the number one family-friendly comedy for most of the 1990's decade. Created by three writers who worked on wide range of sitcoms, such as The Cosby Show (1984) and Roseanne (1988), Home Improvement is one of a number of 1990's smash hit sitcoms built around a lead character who stars as a stand-up comic in real life. Some of the other series include Seinfeld (1990), The Drew Carey Show (1995), Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), and King Of Queens (1998) among others. One of the trailblazers in this area, Home Improvement ranked in the Top 10 among Nielsen-rated shows for seven of its eight seasons (it ranked #11 in Season 7). One notable tidbit of trivia is that Sears was approached to sponsor the show which would've put Craftsman tools in the hands of Tim "The Toolman" Taylor (as opposed to the fictional "Binford" brand), but Sears rejected the offer because they feared Tim...

More Power ! More Fun ! More Entertainment ! RRRRRRR !
As a huge fan of the program since it began in 1991, this is the ultimate in entertainment and fun. Without going into detail about each episode as others have done so well, it's the "how to and how not to" of lessons in being a family, as so many episodes mimic real life family situations. From the wisdom and counsel of Wilson Wilson Jr. given Tim from across the fence, to the everyday problems encountered by most families and couples in a relationship, to Tim's inclination, with all good intentions, to royally mess things up, to Tim and Al hijinks, to the often hilarious outtakes at the end of each show, this a fun way to spend time in front of the tube. My hope is all eight seasons will be available soon, as I plan to spend a part of my retirement with these most enjoyable offerings. Here's hoping those of you who buy these enjoy them as much as I do. Oh, do I ever tire of watching these over and over? I don't think so Tim. MORE POWER !!!

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