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Britt Gillette's Articles in Arts

  • National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (DVD) Review
    Hands down, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is the best Christmas-themed comedy ever filmed. Personally, I make it habit to watch this movie about ten million times between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Even after seeing the film so many times that I can recite it word-for-word, Christmas Vacation remains as hilarious and entertaining as the previous holiday season. More than just a seasonal film, it’s one of those rare comedies that it near perfect from beginning to ...
  • How The Grinch Stole Christmas (DVD) Review
    One of a handful of essential, "must-see" animated Christmas classics, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is a Dr. Seuss holiday masterpiece. Created in 1966 on the heels of the phenomenal success surrounding such TV specials as A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), the Grinch has morphed into a sacred annual Christmas rite perfect for any child from one to ninety-two. The narration and singing voice of Boris Karloff breathes life into the 19...
  • I Claudius (DVD) Review
    Think history is boring? Think again! I Claudius is proof that an educational film can also be one of the most popular and entertaining series ever produced. A 1976 mini-series, starring many of the best known theatrical performers of its day, I Claudius is one of, if not the, greatest productions chronicling the history of the Roman Empire. Covering the period from the later years of Augustus's rule as the first emperor of Rome to the death of Emperor Claudius, I Claudius ta...
  • Finding Nemo (DVD) Review
    Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Finding Nemo continues the Disney tradition of producing high-quality, blockbuster films that entertain audiences of all ages. Featuring the wonders of the Pixar animation technology, the film is a breathtaking window into the future of animated pictures, with borderline 3-D visual effects and the introduction of original animated film techniques certain to influence future masterpieces. Boasting a slew of talented voiceo...
  • Frosty The Snowman (DVD) Review
    A gold member of the Christmas classic elite, Frosty The Snowman has entertained several generations of children and adults with its charming holiday magic. Jimmy Durante narrates this 1969 animated creation that features the birth of Frosty, a happy upbeat snowman brought to life by a magical hat. The story is based on the popular Christmas song of the same name, and Durante’s narration and singing brings the animation itself to life. One of the best holiday cartoon specials...
  • Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (DVD) Review
    One of a plethora of animated Christmas classics created in the 1960's - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) come to mind - this rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is unique in that it uses stop-motion animation instead of cartoons to tell its story. Voiced by Burl Ives, Sam the Snowman brilliantly narrates the tale of an awkward reindeer and his firsthand struggle with discrimination. Along the way, Ives sings a number of holid...
  • I Love Lucy (Season 2) DVD Review
    Widely regarded as one of the best, if not the greatest, sitcom in TV history, I Love Lucy marked the beginning of the television era. Created by husband and wife team Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the series completely changed its industry with its use of a live audience and the deployment of more than one camera angle. The product of true comic genius, I Love Lucy's ability to entertain audiences of every age remains as relevant today as it was upon its first inception…

    T...
  • I Love Lucy (Season 3) DVD Review
    Critically acclaimed as one of the best, if not greatest, television comedy series ever created, I Love Lucy struck an even bigger chord with audience. Beloved by members of every age group of Americans over the past five decades, the show is the product of talented husband and wife duo Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The show literally revolutionized the TV landscape, deploying techniques that are, in many cases, still used today. Brilliantly written and making full use of the ...
  • I Love Lucy (Season 5) DVD Review
    Recipient of widespread critical and audience acclaim, I Love Lucy is by far one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comedy series in television history. It literally revolutionized the TV landscape forever with its creative thinking, live studio audience, experimental camera angles, and top-notch writing. Created by the talented husband and wife team of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, I Love Lucy became the most celebrated show of its time and helped usher in a whole new era ...
  • Magnum PI (Season 2) DVD Review
    One of the top-tier action series of the 1980s, Magnum, PI built a loyal cult following with its exotic setting and action-packed plotlines. Recipient of multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Awards, the series spent its long multi-season run as a regular in the Nielsen Top 20. Centered around a former Vietnam veteran and his close friends, the show broke new ground by being one of the first TV series to touch on the subject of traumatized Vietnam veterans and what they went through...
  • Sanford And Son (Season 6) DVD Review
    One of numerous comedies created in the 1970s by the talented Norman Lear (other hits such as All In The Family, Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons come to mind), Sanford And Son received 7 Emmy nominations and 6 Golden Globe nominations for its widely acclaimed humor. Based on the life of Los Angeles junkyard owner Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) and that of his son Lamont (Demond Wilson), the series was one of the first with an entirely African-American cast. Through every epis...
  • Sanford And Son (Season 5) DVD Review
    Winner of widespread critical and audience acclaim, Sanford And Son remained a mainstay of the Nielsen Top Ten from its inception into its final season on the air. Centered around the life of Fred Sanford, a sixty-year-old junkyard owner who lives with his son Lamont, Sanford And Son brought Redd Foxx from the dark backrooms of comedy halls to the forefront of American pop culture, making certain his talent didn't go unnoticed. With numerous brilliant jabs, sarcastic comments...
  • Sanford And Son (Season 2) DVD Review
    Recipient of 7 Emmy and 6 Golden Globes nominations, including a Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, Sanford And Son is one of the first television shows in history to focus almost entirely on the lives of African-American characters. With a script adapted from the British TV series Steptoe & Son, Sanford And Son highlighted the underrated talent of popular stand-up comedian Redd Foxx (prevented by segregation from becoming a superstar decades earlier). Created by Norman Lear...
  • The A-Team (Season 2) DVD Review
    One of a plethora of blockbuster regular series inextricably linked to the 1980s decade, The A-Team is an action series with an unending number of bombs, bazookas, and machine guns, where inexplicably no one ever dies! Code for "Alpha Team," The A-Team is a Vietnam War-era special ops commando unit wrongfully accused of robbing a bank in Hanoi. The four man team of Hannibal, "Face", B.A., and Murdock, escape from a maximum security prison and survive underground by doing good...
  • The Andy Griffith Show (Season 6) DVD Review
    One of the funniest sitcoms in television history, The Andy Griffith Show chronicles the happenings of the small town of Mayberry and its easy-going Sheriff Andy Griffith. Andy is joined by his young son Opie, his deputy Barney Fife, his Aunt Bee, and a plethora of oddball, eccentric, and sometimes wacky characters. The small town American charm of this series harkens to a simpler era in American life that often makes people nostalgic for the "good ole days"...

    The Andy Gr...
  • The Andy Griffith Show (Season 5) DVD Review
    One of the most beloved and most popular comedy series in history is The Andy Griffith Show, known for its small town American values and celebration of neighborly love. The series follows the life and times of Mayberry Sheriff Andy Griffith and his young son Opie. The two are joined by the hilarious and bungling Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife and a host of other oddball characters and friendly neighbors.

    The Andy Griffith Show (Season 5) DVD features a number of hilarious epi...
  • The Andy Griffith Show (Season 3) DVD Review
    One of the most celebrated series in TV history, The Andy Griffith Show harkens to a simpler time in America's history, a time dominated by sandlot baseball, Sunday church, and apple pie. It's against this backdrop that The Andy Griffith Show is set in the small Carolina town of Mayberry. The main character is Sheriff Andy Griffith who lives his Aunt Bee and young son Opie. Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife adds great comic relief, while numerous others throughout the town, from sto...
  • The Andy Griffith Show (Season 2) DVD Review
    One of the most popular TV shows in history, The Andy Griffith Show transports viewers back in time to a simpler era dominated by small town things such as apple pie, family, neighbors, and black and white television… The memorable theme song whistle is widely regarded as one of the more recognizable ever produced, and the long-standing syndication of the show's reruns is unprecedented. The Andy Griffith Show centers around the small town of Mayberry and its easy-going sherif...
  • Wedding Crashers (DVD) Review
    One of the funniest and most outrageous comedies of 2005, Wedding Crashers will have you falling out of your chair with laughter. Directed by the underrated David Dobkin, the film features now veteran Hollywood funny men Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in their first film together as the central headliners. TV writers Steve Faber and Bob Fisher author the screenplay, a breakout hit for both, that has to be considered one of the best written comedies of the year. Of course, it he...
  • Braveheart (DVD) Review
    Long before The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson directed another cinematic masterpiece, Braveheart. Filmed against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rolling meadows, it tells the historically-based (yet not entirely accurate) story of William Wallace, a common man’s warrior who led the Scottish people in rebellion against King Edward I, also known as “Longshanks”. Written by Randall Wallace, an American tourist fascinated with a Scottish statue of his namesake, the scr...
  • Must Love Dogs (DVD) Review
    One of the least appreciated films of 2005 is Must Love Dogs, an upbeat romantic comedy about two recent divorcees. Directed and adapted to screen by Gary David Goldberg, veteran TV writer for such shows as MASH and Family Ties, the film offers a number of laughs and very little in the way of strained or forced moments. As usual, John Cusack’s character appears on the big screen as an amicable and enigmatic personality. Cusack and Diane Lane make for a good onscreen pairing, ...
  • Frasier (Season 2) DVD Review
    Much like the shows Seinfeld and Friends, Frasier, the Kelsey Grammer Cheers spin-off, dominated the NBC prime time TV lineup throughout the 1990s. Grammer stars in the title role of Dr. Frasier Crane who, recently divorced, moves back to his home city of Seattle, Washington. Landing a gig as a radio psychiatrist, Frasier reluctantly agrees to let his father Marty (John Mahoney), a Seattle cop recently shot in an attempted robbery, move into his new bachelor pad. Both Frasier...
  • Frasier (Season 3) DVD Review
    One of the most celebrated TV series of its time, Frasier follows the life of the popular Cheers character, Dr. Frasier Crane. The entire course of the show usually takes place in three settings: Frasier’s radio studio where he works alongside producer Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), Frasier’s high-rise apartment, and Café Nervosa, a favorite java hangout for Niles and Frasier. A witty and clever examination of America’s clash of cultures (also exemplified by Frasier’s recurrent int...
  • Frasier (Season 5) DVD Review
    One of the top-rated sitcoms of the 1990s decade, Frasier follows the life and times of radio psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane. Recently divorced, Frasier moves back to his hometown of Seattle where he attempts to rekindle relationships with both his father and brother. Frasier’s father, Martin Crane (John Mahoney) was recently shot in the line of duty and forced into retirement when the wound left him with a limp. Frasier and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) agree to have...
  • Frasier (Season 4) DVD Review
    One of the funniest and most beloved comedies of its era, the Cheers spin-off Frasier remained a lynchpin in the NBC lineup for much of the 1990s. Following the life of eminent psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the aftermath of his divorce from Lilith, Frasier takes place in Seattle, Washington where the title character lives with his handicapped father Martin, a retired police officer wounded in the line of duty. The two are joined by Daphne Moon, a live-in housekeeper and p...
  • Star Trek (Season 2) DVD Review
    Recipient of four Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Dramatic Series on two occasions in its short three-year run, Star Trek is a science-fiction legend among television viewers. The creation of former Los Angeles police officer Gene Roddenberry, the series first aired in Fall 1966 but was cancelled because of low ratings. It might have been NBC executives who were really responsible for the low ratings seeing as how they placed the show in a horrible time slot. Neverthe...
  • Star Trek (Season 3) DVD Review
    Winner of countless awards and unsurpassed audience devotion, the original Star Trek TV series follows the adventures of the crew aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise as they “boldly go where no man has gone before…” Led by Captain Kirk (William Shatner), an astronaut who displays the character traits necessary for the Earth mission’s survival, the Enterprise crew includes Lt. Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), a retired commander and Vulcan theoretical scientist; chief medical officer...
  • Family Guy (Season 3) DVD Review
    Having first aired after the 1999 Super Bowl, Family Guy really hit its stride via cable re-runs and DVD sales (prompting Fox to announce the launch of Season 4 in May 2005, following the show's original cancellation following Season 3). An animated series building a similar cult following to The Simpsons and Futurama, Family Guy employs its own unique brand of humor distinct to its other animated peers…

    Family Guy follows the life and exploits of Peter Griffin, an idiotic...
  • North And South (DVD) Review
    Based on the best-selling novels by John Jakes, North And South premiered as a highly celebrated and critically acclaimed television series in 1985. In the spirit of Gone With The Wind, the novels cover 19th Century America before, during, and after the Civil War. As with the Margaret Mitchell classic, Jakes creates a larger-than-life cast of characters to tell his story of struggle between a Union of States divided on the issues of human bondage and state’s rights, loyalty t...
  • Just Like Heaven (DVD) Review
    One of the hidden gems of 2005, Just Like Heaven was overshadowed by the usual commercial blockbusters and Academy Award nominees. But this cute little film is the very embodiment of the movie going experience. Fitting easily into the “chick flick” genre, Just Like Heaven isn’t a sappy, drawn-out love story filled with clichés and over-the-top dialogue. It’s actually funny and likeable enough to appeal to males as well as females. Mark Waters, director of such films as Mean G...
  • Alias (Season 3) DVD Review
    One of the highest rated shows of its era, Alias maintains a loyal cult following swept away by its intriguing suspense and action-packed drama. Jennifer Garner stars in the lead role of Sydney Anne Bristow, a beautiful and cerebral recruit tasked to work for a secret government entity, the SD-6 agency. But problems confront her when she eventually realizes that SD-6 is not the government agency she thinks. Reunited with her estranged father Jack (Victor Garber), she blossoms...
  • Alias (Season 2) DVD Review
    Making its debut in September 2001, Alias immediately struck a chord among interested television viewers. The series combines the conspiracy and intrigue of The X-Files with the action and adventure of a Hollywood blockbuster. It also helps that the central character of the show is a mysterious and beautiful woman played by Jennifer Garner. But it's the unique plots and creative dialogue of writers which makes Alias one of the highest rated shows of its era...

    The Alias (S...
  • ER (Season 3) DVD Review
    The recipient of 25 Golden Globe and 110 Emmy nominations, including seven for Outstanding Drama Series, ER is considered one of the best "reality" dramas in television history. First airing in September 1994, the hour-long NBC trauma ward series vividly depicts the intense stress typical of a hospital emergency room. Created by Michael Crichton, the author of such bestselling books as Jurassic Park and Timeline, ER fulfills Crichton's vision of an up-close and personal glimp...
  • ER (Season 2) DVD Review
    One of the more popular "reality" dramas on prime time TV, ER follows the lives of several of emergency room doctors and staff personal working a bustling Chicago ER. The makes a concerted effort to reveal the true details of the inner-workings of an emergency room. From the high point of saving lives to the boring minutae of paperwork, the highs and lows of hospital ER work are examined. The initial years see several characters appearing regularly. Among them are doctors Mar...
  • Sex And The City (Season 6) DVD Review
    Loosely based on the bestseller by Candace Bushnell, Sex And The City is an original HBO drama series centered around the lives of four New York City-based females: Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), and Charlotte McDougal (Kristin Davis). Educated and career-driven, the young women turn to each other for advice and discussion concerning their love and sex lives, relationships, and career goals.

    The Sex And...
  • Sex And The City (Season 5) DVD Review
    Initially airing in the summer of 1998, HBO's original series Sex And The City, based on the bestselling book of the same name by Candace Bushnell, collected a large and loyal following. Based on the exploits of four young, career-driven woman and their varying relationships with men, the show displays a rare charisma and originally often missing from such shows.

    Sarah Jessica Parker plays the role of Carrie Bradshaw, a popular relationship columnist and social butterfly. ...
  • Sex And The City (Season 4) DVD Review
    Adapted from Candace Bushnells best-seller of the same name, Sex And The City is an original HBO series that chronicles the lives of four friends: Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte McDougal (Kristin Davis). Living and working in New York City, the women regularly meet with each other to openly discuss their sex lives, their careers, and other life situations…

    The Sex And The City (Season 4) D...
  • Sex And The City (Season 2) DVD Review
    Based on Candace Bushnell's best-selling book, Sex And The City became one of the most successful and widely lauded original HBO series ever. Premiering in the summer of 1998, it follows the lives of female friends in their late-20s/early-30s who live and work in New York City. With a clever wit, the show's plot focuses on the varying love relationships and lifestyle problems encountered by each woman in the clique. With an talented and beautiful cast, the show developed an a...
  • Sex And The City (Season 3) DVD Review
    One of the most successful original cables series of the 1990s, Sex And The City chronicles the lives of four female friends who live in New York City. Sarah Jessica Parker stars as Carrie Bradshaw, a widely-read sex columnist for a local paper. She's joined by her three closet friends Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), and Charlotte McDougal (Kristin Davis). Together, they form a devoted clique of woman reliant upon each other for advice on romance...
  • South Park (Season 4) DVD Review
    Launching its premiere broadcast in late summer 1997, South Park instantly ascended to the status of pop culture icon with its rapier-like wit and unique brand of sarcasm. Following the exploits of four elementary school kids - Kyle, Cartman, Stan, and Kenny - the series utilizes amateurish drawing skills, but grade-A humor. The creation of two friends, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, South Park remains one of Comedy Central's most popular cable programs to this day...

    The Sou...
  • South Park (Season 5) DVD Review
    Politically incorrect in almost every way, South Park is a crudely drawn cartoon with an almost limitless number of hilarious and sarcastic moments. Stellar, sometimes off-the-wall writing makes up for poor animation in this series which follows the lives of four third-graders at South Park Elementary School: Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny. With an enormous supporting cast of eccentric characters, South Park rivals The Simpsons in its ability to create strange, yet believable...
  • South Park (Season 3) DVD Review
    South Park, an original comedy series by cable channel Comedy Central, mostly chronicles the lives of four elementary school kids - Cartman (an overweight and sarcastic only child), Kyle (who daydreams of killing off his baby brother Ike), Stan (who vomits when seeing a girl he likes), and Kenny (who somehow dies in each episode). All four attend South Park Elementary School under the direction of third grade teacher Mr. Garrison who educates them via use of "Mr. Hat," a hand...
  • South Park (Season 2) DVD Review
    First airing in late summer 1997, South Park became an American pop culture phenomenon with its raw and politically-incorrect examination of social issues, and of course, a bit of lewd yet cartoon humor. The brainchild of friends Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park became the centerpiece of cable channel Comedy Central's original prime time schedule. Chronicling the lives of fourth graders in the Colorado township of South Park (a place famous for its oddball happenings), ...
  • The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 4) DVD Review
    For much of the early 1980s, the CBS prime time line-up was dominated by two shows: Dallas and The Dukes Of Hazzard. Following the adventures of the fictional Duke family of Hazzard County, Georgia, the series chronicled their endless struggles with local law enforcement officer Rosco P. Coltrane and his domineering supervisor, J.D. "Boss" Hogg. Cousins Bo, Luke, and Daisy lived on the family farm with their Uncle Jesse, and friendly mechanic "Cooter" often aided them in foil...
  • CSI (Season 4) DVD Review
    Ripped from the imagination of writer Anthony Zuiker, CSI follows the life of Gil Grissom (William Petersen), a quirky and oftentimes obsessive workaholic who heads up the nightshift unit of the Las Vegas Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigation department. Nominated for 6 Golden Globes and 20 Emmys, the series has been either #1 or the #2 Nielsen rated show since the start of its second season in Fall of 2001. With an unorthodox approach the TV police drama (emphasis is...
  • CSI (Season 3) DVD Review
    CSI follows the lives of several employees working the nightshift of the Las Vegas Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigation unit led by the quirky and methodic Gil Grissom (William Petersen), a dedicated workaholic. The crime lab team is composed of numerous technicians from different backgrounds – single mother Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) specializes in blood analysis, while the highly ambitious Nick Stokes (George Eads) tackles fiber and hair analysis. Warric...
  • Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 3) DVD Review
    Initially broadcast in the Fall of 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond became an instant ratings boon its parent network, remaining a constant in the Nielsen Top 15 for its nine season run. Following the life of sportswriter Ray Barone (Ray Romano), audiences watch in hilarity as Ray and his wife attempt to deal with each other as well as Ray's neurotic and dysfunctional family which includes Ray's brother and his parents who live across the street...

    The Everybody Loves Raymond...
  • Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 2) DVD Review
    Premiering in Fall 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond struck an instant chord with TV audiences, becoming a beloved fan favorite that would last for nine successful seasons. Modeled after other successful TV series that cast stand-up comics in starring roles - Seinfeld, The Drew Carey Show, and Home Improvement - all come to mind, Everybody Loves Raymond relied on the talents of comic Ray Romano, but also drew upon a vast well of hilarity present in his fellow cast members…

    The...
  • Smallville (Season 4) DVD Review
    A superb cast and original writing make Smallville one of today's more popular television shows (especially in international marketplace, where Smallville is enormous). Tom Welling plays the role of Clark Kent, a teenage refugee from the dead planet of Krypton. When his crashed spacecraft wrecks in the backyard of rural farming town Smallville, the young boy is taken in by locals Martha (Annette O'Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider) who raise him as their own son. Addit...
  • Smallville (Season 3) DVD Review
    Premiering in Fall 2001, Smallville centers around the life of a young Clark Kent in the years that lead up to his transformation into the Metropolis savior and hero Superman. After a number of TV versions of the superman's life since the comic book character first appeared, Smallville manages to set itself apart from the rest of the field by focusing on the earliest year's of Clark Kent's life. With a rock solid cast and stellar writing, the series is one of the more popular...
  • Smallville (Season 2) DVD Review
    One of the WB network's most successful series so far, Smallville centers around the life of a high school-age Clark Kent in the years before he becomes Superman. Tom Welling is cast in the starring role of the teenage Clark Kent, who fled from the destroyed planet of Krypton. Having landed along with his ship in the farming town of Smallville, Clark is raised as a natural son by two locals Martha (Annette O'Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider). Quite unlike most Superma...
  • The Simpsons (Season 6) DVD Review
    One of the best television shows of its era, or any era, The Simpsons redefined the genre of prime time animation. The blockbuster series filled with eccentric personalities from the town Springfield helped propel the rising FOX network from second-tier to the elite status enjoyed by CBS, NBC, and ABC. Its success opened the door for numerous animated series that followed a similar path, including The Family Guy (1999) and King Of The Hill (1997). With some of the best writer...
  • The Simpsons (Season 5) DVD Review
    If you’ve never been to Springfield, then you haven’t experienced one of the most entertaining and witty shows in television history. The Simpsons is unrivaled in its satirical quality and is quite possibly one of the funniest shows in television history. It’s already the longest-running prime time series. Long before Seinfeld redefined the traditional sitcom, The Simpsons transformed the animated genre into a ratings boon once again. Its success opened the door for a number ...
  • The Simpsons (Season 4) DVD Review
    Fun for both adults and children, The Simpsons is one of those rare shows that smashed the conventional wisdom of its time and redefined its genre. By creating a truly adult cartoon, and not one watered-down for a younger audience, The Simpsons kept its finger of the pulse of American TV viewers, providing an unmatched wit with its biting satire. It’s a combination that opened the door for later prime time animated series such as Futurama, King Of The Hill, and The Family Guy...
  • The Simpsons (Season 3) DVD Review
    In the late-1980s, a one-minute segment on The Tracy Ullman Show (since long forgotten, except in trivia questions) morphed into its own series. That series was The Simpsons, and it became an anchor for the then-burgeoning FOX network. With a wildly original cast of oddball characters, The Simpsons instantly struck a chord with audiences, becoming the longest running prime time show among all genres, not just the animation genre. Loved by audiences from age 2 to 102, the show...
  • The Simpsons (Season 2) DVD Review
    Before Seinfeld redefined the sitcom, The Simpsons came along and redefined prime time animation. Straying from the usual formula of innocence concocted by The Flintstones and The Jetsons, The Simpsons left no area of society untouched by its raw politically-incorrect satire. With an almost endless array of unforgettable characters, a trip to Springfield is a breath of fresh air, and hilarious as a television comedy can be…

    The Simpsons (Season 2) DVD offers a number of hi...
  • Friends (Season 9) DVD Review
    Alongside Frasier and Seinfeld, Friends spent much of the 90s decade at the top of the ratings. Recipient of numerous awards, the series followed the lives of six friends living in New York City – Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), and Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc). The friends spend their spare moments in the coffee house "Central Perk" or in either Joey Ch...
  • Friends (Season 10) DVD Review
    One of the best comedy series of the 1990s, Friends helped redefine "must-see" with its fellow Thursday night program Seinfeld. Following the lives of six friend living in New York City, the show was part comedy show, part soap opera, as fans focused on the relationships between the characters as well as their witty one-liners…

    The Friends (Season 10) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss" in which Joe...
  • Macgyver (Season 2) DVD Review
    Far different from the usual television action series, MacGyver premiered in Fall of 1985 to widespread audience acclaim. Fans fell in loves with an action hero who used his brain instead of his brawn to get himself out of jams, and the interesting and elaborate methods deployed by the title character made for interesting water cooler talk. These unorthodox escape plans were very similar to The A-Team, another popular 80s action series. Overall, the first several seasons of M...
  • Macgyver (Season 3) DVD Review
    One of the best shows of the 1980s, MacGyver has a dedicated fan base even to this day. Richard Dean Anderson plays the role of MacGyver, a cerebral and charismatic agent of the Phoenix Foundation for Research. A different hero even by the standards of today’s TV series, MacGyver had an exaggerated fear of heights. He was also a pacifist who never relied on weapons, but instead on the ability to deploy his brain and think his way out of dangerous situations. MacGyver’s boss a...
  • Friends (Season 8) DVD Review
    One of the top television comedy series of its time, Friends follows the lives of six friends in their mid-twenties - Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). The six friends often spend their days in the "Central Perk" coffee house or an apartment rented by one of them. Together, they form a dynamic comic team that will keep you ...
  • Friends (Season 7) DVD Review
    Friends spent most of the 1990s and early 2000s as one of the top rated comedy series on television. Set in New York City, and revolving around the lives of six friends - Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) - the show built a loyal and dedicated following. Spending most of their time in a coffee house named "Central Perk" or ...
  • Friends (Season 6) DVD Review
    Friends is a hilarious show that follows the lives of six friends: Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). Together, they form a memorable clique certain to entertain with their never ending antics and interesting relationships.

    The Friends (Season 6) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in ...
  • Friends (Season 5) DVD Review
    Along with Seinfeld and Frasier, Friends is undoubtedly the most watched and followed sitcom on the 1990s. Set in New York City, the series follows the exploits of six twenty-something (and later, thirty-something) friends who often hang out in a local coffee shop and each others' apartments. Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), and Ross Geller (David Schwimme...
  • Friends (Season 4) DVD Review
    Winner of numerous critical awards and a perrenial fan favorite, Friends dominated the era of "must-see-TV" on NBC. Following the lives of six New York City friends in their late-twenties - Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) - the show rarely left the setting of the local coffee shop or one of the friends' apartments. Nevert...
  • Friends (Season 3) DVD Review
    One of the most popular shows of the 1990s, Friends made the traditional sitcom king of the ratings once again. Of course, Frasier and Seinfeld did their part. Recipient of numerous awards during its long tenure in the Thursday night NBC timeslot, Friends followed the lives of six title characters - Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matth...
  • Friends (Season 2) DVD Review
    One of the most successful television series of its time, Friends won numerous awards as a perennial favorite of fans and critics alike. Set in New York City, the show features the lives of six twenty-something friends who share apartments with each other, Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). The six spend the majority of the...
  • The Sopranos (Season 2) DVD Review
    In the late 1990’s a new HBO original series took America by storm. The Sopranos redefined the cable drama series genre with its unique look into the family life of a New Jersey mafia kingpin. Recipient of numerous Emmy nominations in the years since, The Sopranos has built a loyal following among television viewers and critics alike.

    The Sopranos focuses on the life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a middle-aged father of two and the successful head of an organized cri...
  • The Sopranos (Season 3) DVD Review
    In the late 90’s, The Sopranos, along with HBO’s other original series with Sex And The City, took the entertainment world by storm with its dry wit and flavorful brand of drama. A hybrid of The Godfather and a normal, run-of-the-mill sitcom family, The Sopranos created a new experience for its audience and quickly developed a legion of loyal dedicated fans. Winner of numerous Emmys, the show follows the lives of the Soprano family headed by Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a...
  • The Sopranos (Season 4) DVD Review
    Recipient of numerous awards and critical acclaim, The Sopranos has solidified itself as one of the best shows of the past decade. A sitcom family version of The Godfather, although not to be confused with family-friendly programming, the show provides a fresh glimpse of the vast underworld of organized crime. Putting a middle-class family twist on the mafia lifestyle, it creates a seduction world that it is simultaneously easier to relate to for most viewers. James Gandolfin...
  • The Sopranos (Season 5) DVD Review
    The Sopranos centers around the life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a middle-aged father of two, husband, and successful businessman. But unlike most sitcom families, Tony is constantly irritated by his children, Meadow and Anthony (Jamie Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler). Furthermore, he regularly cheats on his wife Carmela (Edie Falco), and to top it off, he’s the head of a mafia crime organization. The constant confusion and stress in Tony’s life pushes him to seek out a t...
  • Northern Exposure (Season 3) DVD Review
    Nominated for a numerous of Emmys and other critical awards, Northern Exposure is part-drama, part-comedy, a show successfully built on the tried and true premise of a "fish out of water". During its short five-season run, the show's rapier like wit and originality earned it a place among some of the best television shows of its era…

    Northern Exposure follows the life of recent medical school graduate Joel Fleishman (Rob Morrow) who is informed that he must work in a small...
  • Northern Exposure (Season 2) DVD Review
    The recipient of 39 Emmy nominations, including four for Outstanding Drama Series in just a short six season stint, Northern Exposure is one of the more interesting television shows of its decade. The offspring of St. Elsewhere creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey, Northern Exposure originally aired in July of 1990, but only lasted five years because critics loved the show more than audiences...

    Northern Exposure centers around the life of a recent medical school graduate...
  • Seinfeld (Season 6) DVD Review
    The #1 television show for most of the mid-1990s decade, Seinfeld is a brilliantly conceived idea for a comedy series which redefinied the TV sitcom as we know it. Almost every series since has borrowed bits and pieces of its "nothing theme" in order to entertain rather than attempt to teach at the same time. Centered around the world of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, the show follows the exploits of Jerry and his various friends, who include such notable personalities as George Co...
  • Seinfeld (Season 4) DVD Review
    One of the best sitcoms not just of its time, but of all time, Seinfeld redefined the sitcom genre. No longer was it necessary to have contrived plot, a lesson to be learned, or some other ridiculous cookie-cutter approach. With Seinfeld, an episode could be about nothing and everything all at the same time. The show follows the lives of four friends living in New York City, stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld, his childhood friend George Costanza (Jason Alexander), his eccentri...
  • Seinfeld (Season 3) DVD Review
    The most popular television series of its decade, Seinfeld transformed from "a show about nothing" to a bona fide pop culture smash. Of couse, not that there's anything wrong with that... Seinfeld centers around the world of stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the many adventures of his best friends, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Over the years, the three knit-picky and often neurotic characters jo...
  • 24 (Season 2) DVD Review
    Premiering in November 2001, 24 set the television landscape on fire as one of the best new series and cemented its position as a pop culture phenomenon. Making use of an extremely original plot device, each season follows the exploits of a single day in life of hero Jack Bauer, each of the season’s 24 episodes chronicling an hour-long action segment from the day. Kiefer Sutherland plays the part of Jack Bauer, a daring government agent with awesome responsibilities. Each yea...
  • 24 (Season 3) DVD Review
    Originally aired in late Fall of 2001, 24 immediately built a cult following of dedicated fans and critics, establishing itself as one of the best new television series of the decade. Founding on the interesting premise that each episode should account for one hour in a day, the show follows the exploits of a James Bond-like government agent named Jack Bauer. Kiefer Sutherland stars in the role of Bauer who often grapples with personal problems as well as world-altering crise...
  • Gilmore Girls (Season 2) DVD Review
    Recipient of a single nomination for an Emmy and a Golden Globe in its initial five seasons, Gilmore Girls is much more successful among members of the television viewing public than among critics. The result of a joint partnership between The WB Network and television industry executives, Gilmore Girls – the first script from the Family Friendly Forum to become a regular series – showcases a mother-daughter relationship and the chronicles the personal world in which they liv...
  • Gilmore Girls (Season 3) DVD Review
    Nominated for scant major television awards in its first few seasons, Gilmore Girls is nevertheless a major among TV viewers. Setting the critics aside, fans of the show have Gilmore Girls one of the top original series in WB network history. Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, the show follows the lives of former-teenage mother Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her now teenage daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel). Friends as well as immediate relatives, the tw...
  • Gilmore Girls (Season 4) DVD Review
    The first script from the Family Friendly Forum’s script development fund to finally make it to the small screen, Gilmore Girls has paid off enormously for its creators. The result of the unified efforts of that organization and the WB Network, the show has followed on the heels of other successful WB programs such as Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, and Smallville. Dismissed by critics initially, the show has rocketed up the Neilsen ratings nonetheless. Set in the small idyllic tow...
  • Jesus Of Nazareth (DVD) Review
    Since Thomas Edison's invention of the modern cinema, countless filmmakers have endeavored to produce a moving picture that accurately chronicles the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. Aside from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, which chronicled only a part of the life and crucifixion of Jesus, Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth is the greatest of all. Originally aired as a television mini-series (it's over six hours in length), the film closely adheres to the wor...
  • Gladiator (DVD) Review
    Winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture, and nominated for an additional seven, Gladiator is one of the best produced and directed films of its time. Reminiscent of Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, it creates a world so seemingly realistic, you find yourself drawn backward in time to the glory days of Rome. The musical score, colorful costumes, and intricate sets combine to create the illusion that one is actually witnessing the trials and travails of human existence in ...
  • The Phantom Of The Opera (DVD) Review
    Nominated for 3 Academy Awards and 3 Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, The Phantom Of The Opera is one of the most talked about movies of 2004. Taking the smash commercial success of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage production to the big screen is no easy task, but long-time Hollywood director Joel Schumacher is more than able to get the job done. He takes an otherwise poorly written screenplay (minus the awe of a live performance no less) and manag...
  • Christmas With The Kranks (DVD) Review
    Based on the best-selling John Grisham novel titled Skipping Christmas, Christmas With The Kranks resembles the book in almost every facet save for the title. Starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, Christmas With The Kranks is an instant Christmas holiday classic. Although not in the same league of Yule tide comedy gems Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story, this film ranks high on my list of holiday laughers. The supporting cast (led by perpetual funnyman Dan Aykroyd) t...
  • Napoleon Dynamite (DVD) Review
    One of the more absurd movies of the decade, Napoleon Dynamite nonetheless manages to be a hilarious comedy in its own right. Featuring a unique brand of alienated-teenage humor, the film relies more on its well-timed pauses and character body language than on zinging one-liners. If you enjoy its subtle humor, then Napoleon Dynamite is a film you'll find utterly hilarious. Otherwise, it might cause boredom or outright confusion. The film has a near non-existent storyline, but...
  • Beauty And The Beast (DVD) Review
    Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Beauty And The Beast is one of Disney's greatest animated achievements. Its massive success reinvigorated the Disney animation juggernaut which had been dormant for decades, launching the release of smashing blockbusters such as Aladdin, The Lion King, and Finding Nemo. Taking home two Oscars for Best Music (Original Score and Original Song), the film launched a trend in Disney animation by blending musical numbers (wit...
  • Bambi (DVD) Review
    Nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Music - Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, Bambi is a true animated classic of the silver screen. Long before the public's introduction to Aladdin, The Lion King, or Finding Nemo, Walt Disney single-handedly conjured the full-length animated feature film out of nothing and into an enduring, well-respected genre - creating one family classic after another, starting with Snow White (1937) then Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (...
  • Aladdin (DVD) Review
    Anxious to follow up on the massive commercial and critical success of Beauty And The Beast, Disney created another animated masterpiece with Aladdin. Although not nearly as successful in terms of critical acclaim as the aforementioned film, or later Disney creations such as The Lion King and Finding Nemo, Aladdin is nevertheless just as entertaining and probably the funniest of all the animated Disney features. With the voice of Robin Williams leading the way, the film is a ...
  • The Princess Bride (DVD) Review
    Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, The Princess Bride should've been awarded the designation of best comedy of the year. Having built a large cult following since its 1987 release, The Princess Bride continues to entertain whole new generations of fans. Its enduring tale and timeless humor are certain to cement its place among the hallowed halls of the movie classic elites. The Princess Bride is one of the few movies that every person absolutely should see - if yo...
  • The Godfather (DVD) Review
    Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Picture, The Godfather was nominated for an additional eight Oscars. The brainchild of celebrated author Mario Puzo, the film is considered the crowning achievement of Francis Ford Coppola’s directing career. With intriguing depth, it provides audiences with a glimpse into the notorious underworld of warring New York crime families. As a result, The Godfather transformed a number of relatively unknown actors into Hollywood legends...
  • Meet The Fockers (DVD) Review
    Arguably the best comedy of 2004, Meet The Fockers is a hilarious, humor-filled marathon. Screenwriters Greg Glienna and Mary Ruth Clarke (who should have received Oscars for their flawless penmanship of Meet The Parents) turn in another blockbuster manuscript. But, as with its predecessor, Meet The Fockers wouldn't be the comedy masterpiece it is without the onscreen chemistry of Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Stiller, son of comedian Jerry Stiller (Seinfeld & King Of Queen...
  • Mean Girls (DVD) Review
    One of the funniest films of 2004, Mean Girls ranks among some of the best high school comedies of all time. Right up there with Clueless, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, and American Pie, Mean Girls has some of the most hilarious comic scenes of the decade. Written by Saturday Night Live mainstay Tina Fey (who also stars as a teacher in the film), Mean Girls is supposed to chronicle some of the author's personal experiences in the social world of academics. Irrespective of its...
  • Goodfellas (DVD) Review
    Joe Pesci won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his part in GoodFellas, a film nominated for six Academy Awards overall including Best Picture. And every accolade attributed to this film is well deserved. With an all-star cast of performers, GoodFellas is one of director Martin Scorsese's greatest productions. Based on the true story of former mobster Henry Hill, GoodFellas begins with his famous quote, "As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a...
  • Dawson's Creek (Season 6) DVD Review
    Recipient of widespread critical acclaim and winner of 12 Teen Choice Awards during its five-year run, Dawson's Creek was one of the most widely followed dramas among American teens. An unprecedented smash hit for the burgeoning WB network, the show highlighted an amazing portfolio of original hit series created by the network including Buffy spin-off Angel (1999), Gilmore Girls (2000), and Smallville (2001).

    Dawson's Creek follows the life of title character Dawson Leery ...
  • Dawson's Creek (Season 5) DVD Review
    During its six-year run, Dawson's Creek was nominated for 12 Teen Choice Awards, making it one of the most successful original programs in WB network history. Taking place in the fictional location of Capeside, Massachusetts, the series was actually filmed in the real-life township of Wilmington, North Carolina (however the show's theme song was written and performed by Paula Cole, who calls Massachusetts home). Creator Kevin Williamson is said to have modeled the characters ...
  • The Aviator (DVD) Review
    Nominated for 6 Golden Globes and 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Aviator wows audiences with its breadth of scenery and vivid realism. Director Martin Scorsese, known for a host of excellent films such as Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and Gangs Of New York (2002) - not to mention the highly controversial The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988) - by no doubt turns out his best work since Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) sought to become a made man....
  • Sideways (DVD) Review
    Nominated for five Academy Awards, and winner of Best Screenplay adapted from an outside source, Sideways turned out to be one of the surprise blockbusters of 2004. Based on the Rex Pickett novel of the same name, Sideways is a clever comedy about wine, life, and a group of friends - each in search of his unique identity. Unlike the plot-driven movies that traditionally dominate Hollywood, Sideways is one of those rare pictures which actually "reads" like a novel. The film re...
  • The Notebook (DVD) Review
    Adapted to screen from the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, The Notebook is one of the best romantic dramas to hit the big screen in decades. Garnering high marks from a wide-range of critics, The Notebook is a funny and emotional film which deals with love, relationships, and the risks people take. James Garner turns in a notable performance as the elder man, Duke, who reads the pages of his notebook to dying nursing home resident Allie (Gena Rowlands). Overall, this ...
  • National Treasure (DVD) Review
    One of the surprise blockbusters of 2004, National Treasure evokes images of the Indiana Jones trilogy with its adventurous search for a mysterious hidden treasure. But more than likely, the film is the result of the massive commercial success of a "quest for the holy grail" novel entitled The Da Vinci Code. Since its release, Dan Brown's book has sold over twenty million copies, and its plot of a historian turned treasure hunter who uncovers ancient clues put in place by the...

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