Einsturzende Neubauten - Live At Rockpalast

Outstanding show on DVD and CD
This is an excellent concert from Neubauten in their prime, with Chung and Einheit still in the band, recorded after Hause der Luege and before Tabula Rasa. It's not clear from the product description, but the second disc is a CD of the performance. The CD alone would make this a major EN release; having the high-quality video is fantastic. The video is a bit soft, being from an old TV show, but it's still fine; I can't speak to the sound on the DVD as I haven't a sound system on my DVD player. The CD sound is not stellar but is not bad--fine for a decades-old TV performance. Many of the pieces come off far better than their studio versions. (Feurio comes to mind--I always found it boring on CD but it is extremely and wonderfully noisy here.) Since EN's shows were somewhat free-form, it's a treat to hear it all. Hellishly noisy, which of course I mean in a good way. Anyone with the slightest appreciation of EN should order this today. If you have doubts, see the video of Yu Gung here:...

Strange and interesting... for fans. NOT a good introduction to the band.
If you've never heard this band before, do not start here. Buy "Haus der Luege" instead first. "Ende Neu", "Tabula Rasa" and "Silence is sexy" may also be good beginnings.

This is a live concert in the "Haus der Luege" era, which is my favorite Neubauten album.
It's wonderful to see how they play their "instruments" live. Their performance is superb!

However, they sound much "noisier" than in studio versions. "Feurio!" was originally their most accessible song and here it actually sounds unbearable. Had they simply removed that guitar, it would actually be very nice, but it just didn't fit. It may well have been intentional, but, to my taste, at least, it didn't work at all.

The other tracks are quite all right. They sounded much better in studio and the CD is not something I'll play often at all. But the DVD is quite worth it, since their performance is visually powerful.

Albeit beautiful, the cardboard case in which it comes is not...



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Celts: Rich Traditions & Ancient Myths

A good overview of Celtic History
I have watched this 3 video set more than once and always find something new. The host is excellent. I would wish that there was more emphasis placed on ancient Celts and their religion, and legends than on modern day ones and their problems of keeping an ethnic heritage alive, yet it is good see that they are meeting with some success in this area. The movie also focuses on all Celtic cultures, rather than the stereotypical focus of Irish and Scots as being all there is. Enya provided the musical background and of course her music along is evocative both of past and modern Celtic culture. On the whole, enjoyable and informative.

"The Celts" is the most informative video on Celt. Civ. ever
Delany's "The Celts" gives an in depth view on Celtic civilization from past to present. It shows culture, history, music and language and the struggles of the Celtic people to find their identity. It covers all genres of the culture and is beautifully written. This collection contains a wealth of information and is probably one of the best sources of information on the Celts ever. The music and scenery alone are worth the purchase!

The best documentary on the Celts!!
I have watched this set MANY, MANY times since I got it 2 years ago. I never get tired of it. I turn it on whenever I'm bored with TV. It has given me insight into some of the things I've read about the Celts, historically and fictionally. Enya's music is wonderful, as always. This is a must have for any Celt or ancient British Isles enthusiast!

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As Goes Janesville

Great inside look into politics
Helped explain a lot of things. Exceptionally well done documentary. Well edited also. Worth watching if you are interested in politics or sociology.

Absolutely Interesting! Must See.
As goes Janesville is an exceptionally good film. The film makers paint a portrait of the painful predicament facing about 90% of America today: is the American Dream gone? Is it deferred? The film hints at some of the root causes but doesn't hit you over the head. The working class women at the center of the story are incredible humans, as so many women trying to make ends meet are. I highly recommend this film.

OK
It was a documentary of the war in Wisconsin. I was very much part of this war and found it OK from a different view point.

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Billy Connolly's Route 66 [Blu-ray]

A Great celebration of Americana
Billy Connolly has such obvious affection for U.S. culture that this documentary couldn't fail to be a treat to watch. Starting his journey in Chicago, he takes a leisurely trip through the States on his way toward California, always making time to highlight the many charms of Route 66: not just the obvious landmarks, but plenty of fascinating places that lie just off the beaten track. He really does justice to the wide open spaces, the cultural riches and the engineering marvels of the American past and present. Connolly's enthusiasm is such that if you've never travelled Route 66, this series will make you want to seek out each and every sight for yourself. Not to be missed.

Love Seeing America through an English Man's Eyes
My husband and I really enjoyed watching Billy Connolly's journey across America on Route 66. It is refreshing to see America from the prospective of a non-american's point of view. We got excited and wanted to take our own trip across America on the "Mother Road" after watching Billy's adventures! Thanks Billy, for reviving our interest in touring America !

Wrong Format
I made the mistake of not reading the fine print. It looks as though this disc is from the U.K. and so the format is not compatible with a lot of players in North America. It does not work in my PS3 nor in my friend`s BluRay player. The main menu will come up, but you can not get the movie to play, nor can you play the episodes separately. I recommend making sure you have a player that will play all regions for Blu Rays if you order.

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Monster Truck Adventures: Straight to the Finish

Fast shipping!
Awesome service every thing was straight to the point and received shipment very fast and prompt. My kid loves the DVD and I love it also because it is Christian based unlike 99% of cartoons these days. Probably will buy another one soon.

My 3 year old son gives this an A+
I bought this movie for my son because of his love of monster trucks. He asks to watch this movie everyday! It was a major hit with him! : )



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Farewell, My Queen

The Moral Disintegration of the Palace of Versailles at the Moment of Revolution
We have all wanted, at some point in our lives, to be a fly on the wall at a moment of historical significance. The fly - this time - is a servant to Queen Marie Antoinette played magically by Lea Seydoux. The entire film revolves around "her" point of view.

Sidonie Laborde reads books to the Queen and is summoned at all hours of night and day to respond to Marie Antoinette's whims. It is apparent that Sidonie, a naive girl, has a schoolgirl crush on the Queen but is emotionally hurt by the fact that her majesty is in thrall to another beautiful woman, la Duchess de Polignac. There is a telling scene where Sidonie opens the chamber of la Duchesse when the other is fast asleep and nude, and she examines the woman from almost a clinical perspective - trying to understand where is the charm? But the love triangle takes second place to the reality of the urgent news that the Bastille Prison has just been stormed by the people of Paris and its jailer mutilated by the mob...

A View From The Outside: A Fascinating Peek Into The Last Days Of Marie Antoinette's Court
There was a subtle power to "Farewell, My Queen" that completely snuck up on me. I lead with this statement because I'm not often surprised by movies. As I was enjoying Benoit Jacquot's portrait of the last days of Marie Antoinette's court, I was admiring the staging, the performances, and the lush settings. Jacquot places everything through the eyes of one of Antoinette's ladies-in-waiting. As she catches glimpses of the court in turmoil and the escalating political tensions, so do the viewers. As it is constructed, I felt like a voyeur to the unfolding drama--a partner, of sorts, to the lead character. As such, "Farewell, My Queen" is less of a historical recounting of the events in question as it is a peek behind the curtain. This approach lends an unpredictability to a somewhat familiar subject. Even though I have seen dozens of dramatizations of Antoinette, this one seemed remarkably fresh as it was only peripherally about the central subject. It does, at times, seem...

Beautifully shot - but emotionally distant - recreation of French palace life on the eve of revolution
Farewell My Queen (Les adieux à la reine), directed by Beno

Merlin: The Complete Fourth Season [Blu-ray]

"He is Your Destiny, and he is Your Doom..."
This is going to a rather odd review considering that season four of "Merlin" has the very best and worst that the show has to offer. On the one hand, it has some of the most sophisticated storylines, the highest production values and the strongest performances from its young cast that have thus far featured on the show. There is also far less filler (a great improvement on the last season, which seemed to be composed almost entirely of padding) and greater care taken with continuity and overarching plot-threads. On the other hand, it still suffers from the usual problems: a lack of meaningful character development, the irritating marginalization of its two female characters, and its stubborn refusal to let Merlin finally reveal his magical abilities to Arthur.

To recap this review in a nutshell: the first half of this season is the best that "Merlin" has ever been - but the second half falls apart, leading to an entirely lackluster finale. If you're not in the mood to read...

Merlin, Arthur & the Sword in the Stone


TYSM BBC!
Attention U.S. television producers; The BBC proves once again that Yes, it is possible to make a show that doesn't include tons of sex innuendo, bleeped or un-bleeped profanity, graphic, criminal violence, degrading and obnoxious humor and yet remain utterly appealing to adults. What Merlin does have is heroes and villains, magic and monsters, epic battles, exciting adventures... in other words just a great fantasy show set in an Arthurian milieu (kinda like Harry Potter meets Excalibur).

Currently in its fourth season, this series isn't losing an ounce of momentum, on the contrary it has even greater potential for future seasons, particularly when you realize that the setting thus far has been limited to a relatively small geographical sphere. Not to mention that these characters have the potential to become more interesting as they continue to age which is the exact opposite of most series that attempt to keep their main stars perpetually young. Oh and ya, this show...

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