Troll 2 (The 20th Anniversary Nilbog Edition) (1990)

I've studied this film over the last couple of months and this is my analysis of Troll 2. I would like to begin my review by saying that watching this movie will be like taking a hot fork and shoving it in your eye socket for some people, whereas for others it will be the funniest F'n thing you've ever seen.

Before I get into the meat of the story or as I like to call it a double decker bologna sandwich...Troll 2 has nothing to do with trolls (just goblins), Troll 2 also has absolutely nothing to do with Troll 1. AHA but that's not all!!!! The guy who made the cover for Troll 2 didn't see Troll 1 or Troll 2!!!! The original cover of Troll 2 has a werewolf (Not in Troll 1 or Troll 2) chasing a little boy who doesn't even appear in either of the Troll movies! If that doesn't make you want to take your head and smash it against concrete, I don't know what does.

I will now begin with the double decker bologna sandwich part of my analysis. The film begins with Grandpa Seth talking to his grandson Joshua. Joshua is constipated throughout the film and grandpa is dead. You know the kind of dead where you say you will be gone forever and then you come back and then you say you will be gone forever and then you come back and then you give your 12 year old grandson a Molotov cocktail and then you say you will be gone forever and then you come back...that kind of dead. He tells that old story of how Peter Pan ran through the woods one day, ate green goup, and turned into a MLANT. The mother, played by Margo Prey (AKA greatest actress ever) assures Joshua that it was just a dream and goes onto explain that Grandpa's death was, "Very difficult for your father, for Holly, and for me his daughter." You may want to give that quote a second reading... The daughter is also brilliant in this picture. The chemistry between her and her boyfriend Elliott is sizzling!!! Ouch very hot! So sizzling that Elliott and his friends couldn't be more gay! Holly explains, "You take them to bed with you too (referring to Elliott's guy friends that are hanging out the window) and I don't believe in group sex". What??? Holly then explains that her parents don't like Elliott (that he is a good for nothing) and that they are going on vacation for a month. Ellliott then asks, "Is it true you're going on vacation tomorrow?" "Yes!" "I'll come with you?" "OK I'll tell my father that you're coming with us tomorrow" Believe me the movie keeps going...Joshua must do it he must do it! He must pee on everyone's food before they eat corn with green paste on it. Oh my god! Or how about "You're a genius big Sister!" Watch for the mother staring directly into the camera and yelling, "Oh dear god what can we do!" So they have this family exchange and they go to Nilbog and oh my god!

This movie is a pure masterpiece. It's so bad it's fantastic! I recommend everyone to give it one viewing just so you can say you've survived it's stupidity. Make sure you watch it with friends though...DO NOT watch this movie alone or you will try to figure it out. This movie cannot be understood! If you think this movie is good in the way that "Braveheart" or "Pulp Fiction" is good you should seriously get your head examined. I will leave you with this: Mother says "Elliott what are you doing here?" Daughter says "Elliott is part of the family now!" Mom puts her hand on Elliott's face, "Oh Elliott!"

Once in a great while, a movie comes along that defies description; a masterly-crafted piece of cinema that is so awe-inspiring that words such as "amazing" or "majestic" fail to do it justice. Troll 2 is one of these movies, and the effect it has had on my life is so profound that it is difficult to put into words. Without revealing too much of the movie, let me just state that Troll 2's plot was a stroke of genius, and offers something for every type of movie-goer. Horror fans will rejoice with delight when they first witness Nilbog's resident goblins, which are a tour de force of special effects coupled with extremely realistic-looking makeup and potato sacks. Drama enthusiasts will be riveted by the phenomenal performances of the various actors and actresses, all under the direction of the highly-underrated Drago Floyd. Comedy devotees looking for a dose of witty and sophisticated humor need look no further, as the hilarious antics of Elliot and his gang keep the laughs coming. On top of all this, the storyline and accompanying musical score will keep you on the edge of your seat. Will the unfortunate protagonists devour the toxic substances labeled by the Nilbog townsfolk as "food," or will Joshua and his family be forced to endure a bout of the dreaded "hunger pains?" Can an ear of corn possibly be used as a seductive tool? Is everyone in Nilbog actually a goblin in disguise, or are they just misguided souls held captive under the authoritarian dictatorship of Sheriff Gene Freak? Finally, what ghostly entity repeatedly buttons and unbuttons the father's shirt, and is this scene used to foreshadow the appearance of the deceased Grandpa Seth? Many more questions will arise during your first viewing of Troll 2, and you will probably have to watch it multiple times before the whole plot starts to fit together. Troll 2 contains a plethora of superb acting talent, suspenseful moments, and some truly original special effects, yet remains an undiscovered gem that will never receive the artistic and influential credit it deserves. The morphing scene alone, which involves one of Elliot's boys tranforming into a tree, is worthy of an Oscar. I am extremely happy to be a part of the whole "Troll 2 Experience," as it is now referred to, and can honestly say that this movie has changed my view of society, relationships, and life in general. Find this movie, whatever it takes, and prepare yourself for a life-altering experience.

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Since the 1950s the US government has covered up the truth about a little town called Nilbog. Gene Freak was a young up and coming scientist with a covert government operation that cross-breeds plans and humans to "further medical advances." Somehow Gene got involved in the occult and that is where the horror started. A superior race of burlap wearing goblins was created instead. For decades the Nilbog family exchange program brought families from the country to the quiet town of Nilbog for a little "relaxation." None of those families were heard from again. Many concluded that the peaceful existence of Nilbog enticed families to stay there, however a few thought it was actually much more depraved than that. There were always whispers that these families became food. Fast forward to 1990. Grandpa Seth, although dead, was one of those truth-seekers who wanted to expose Nilbog for what it is. His desire to get the truth about Nilbog, to the citizens of the world, was so strong that he was able to come back from the dead to warn his grandson, Joshua. Joshua learns the truth and must spread the word to save his family. When his family arrives at The Presents house(the family they exchanged with) there are delicious food items left out, but there is something very sinister about the food. It is green, which usually means it is quite healthy, but in this case if you eat it, you turn into a plant, and the goblins then eat you. Joshua's sister and mother(played by Sissy Spacek I think) don't believe Joshua's tales about the goblins or the food, so(after an apparition of Grandpa Seth giving advice and stopping time)Joshua does what so many of us have done at a family gathering: he urinates on the food. For this he is admonished by his dad(a strong performance by Craig T Nelson of "Coach" fame) who says, "You can't ... on hospitality. I won't allow it." Meanwhile, his sister's boyfriend and his very close friends are in town looking to score with some Nilbog hotties, are oblivious to what evil fate awaits them. Sheriff Gene Freak offers one of them a delicious green glass of milk and another is seduced by a corn on the cob wearing beauty.Unfortunately, like many visitors to Nilbog they "bite off more than they can chew." This movie is so shocking, so real and so courageous that it is a must see. The special-effects(especially the lightning) make "Jurassic Park" look like "Land of The Lost." The performances are delicious: Gene Freak and the Drugstore Owner were both nominated for Best Actor at the Academy awards. The preacher won best supporting actor in a movie about Goblins. Unfortunately, the US government does not want the truth about Sheriff Gene Freak, nor Nilbog, to be exposed. This is the reason it took me 8 phone calls to 8 different video stores to finally track this movie down. Has anyone else found it curious that these "actors" were never seen from again? Many think these were not actors at all, and this is just a documentary. I called amnesty international and they "claim" to know nothing about Nilbog, even when I informed them that it's Goblin speeled backwards. I think it is all one big cover-up. Please see this movie and learn the truth. Sheriff Gene Freak must be stopped at all costs.

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It's a rare miracle for this many talentless people to all come together and agree on what is indisputably the worst vision in Hollywood history. From the atrocious script to the awful acting to the random directorial close-ups, Troll 2 fails in every artistic manner possible. It is not just kinda bad, or bad in parts, or misunderstood; it is literally a 90 minute train wreck that only gets worse and worse as it goes along. Luckily, that is exactly what makes it a cult classic. Cram packed with memorably dreadful dialogue and laugh out loud characters, you can't help but enjoy yourself through the whole thing. Alone or especially with a group of friends, Troll 2 is a hold-your-sides, pee your pants, tears streaming down your face, relentless laugh riot that takes itself just seriously enough that you know it wasn't bad on purpose. I can honestly say, this is the best worst movie ever.

**ABOUT THE BLU RAY** It annoys me when people say, "If it's so bad why would you want to see it in 1080p?" Well, why Wouldn't you? Poor picture quality does not make a movie bad, it just makes it have poor picture quality. Fortunately for high def lovers like myself, the blu ray transfer is AWESOME!! Remarkably vivid and even gorgeous at times during nature scenes, this was an HD release that must have been taken at least somewhat seriously. Compared to the DVD, it blows it out of the water. Absolutely stunning.

As far as EXTRAS though, there aren't any. The only extra included is the Theatrical Trailer in HD, and it's hardly anything special. If you are interested in more info about the movie however, there is the great documentary Best Worst Movie coming out to DVD in November that focuses on Troll 2's cult following and interviews some of the cast.

Overall, I think Troll 2 is a rare gem that shouldn't be missed. Here's a brief summary:

Yes, it's really that bad but hilarious because of it

Perfect to watch in groups

No, you don't have to see Troll 1 first. They just used the Troll name to capitalize on the first film's minor success

Blu Ray transfer is excellent

Includes DVD copy of the film

The only extra is the theatrical trailer

For more info watch the documentary Best Worst Movie

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This is a stunningly brilliant cinematic wonder. Mankind has produced the Sistine Chapel, the Collected works of William Shakespeare, the IPod, and Troll 2. We've cloned, we've sent people to the moon, we've split the atom, and now we've achieved movie perfection. Einstein? Da Vinci? Fellini? Idiots! Morons, compared to the director of this masterpiece, this ultimate realization of humanity's potential. The discovery of fire? The invention of the wheel? Inconsequential, compared to this movie. An absolute marvel of a motion picture. Tremendous, stupendous, divine. It made me laugh, it made me cry. This is not just a film. It represents a collective apotheosis. It's a landmark; a milestone, a toehold on our heavenward climb. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

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A Haunted House (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2013)

I wasn't expecting too much from a movie like this one. You already have an idea of parodies being annoyingly stupid, but people still goes to the movie theater and they watch them, but "A Haunted House" it's actually funny. The movie follows the structure of the Paranormal Activity movies, but it's funny parody (the Wayans say it's not exactly a parody). You'll also see parodies of recent exorcism movies like The Last Exorcism or The Devil Inside. The only thing I didn't liked were the sexual jokes; I think they are okay, but not every five minutes, because it gets old really fast and even disgusting at times. I would recommend the movie to people who likes parodies like Scary Movie or Disaster Movie, and even Paranormal Activity fans. You will have a good time, but don't expect too much, just the necessary.

very funny film Marion Wayans plays Malcolm and Essence Atkins plays Kisha. When Malcolm and Kisha move into their dream house they soon discover that they.re not alone . because Kisha is possessed . Some of the jokes are crude . But if you like horror comedies like scary movie. you will love this film as well.

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This is a very funny African-American spoof of the found footage films. The humor borders on low brow for much of the film. Kisha (Essence Atkins) moves in with Malcolm (Marlon Wayans) and almost immediately claims the house is possessed as she finds her keys on the floor. Malcolm sets up cameras and uses techniques he learned from watching "Scooby-Doo."

If you have seen the Paranormal series, you can't help but laugh at this film which includes a gay psychic (Nick Swardson) who is more interested in Malcolm than the ghost; the camera installer (David Koechner) who also is part of "The Ghost guys"; a priest in training (Cedric the Entertainer) and a couple who want a "Mandingo Party."

The humor while crude, I enjoyed, as it wasn't simply crude for crude's sake.

Parental Guidance: F-bomb, N-word, comical sex, nudity.

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I really liked the movie its funny, the wayans brothers are to funny always loved them in movies and there tv show

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A Haunted House (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) is a funny and great movie to have. I can't stop laughing.

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Be Kind Rewind (2008)

VHS is pretty much dead now, but it has one characteristic that "Be Kind Rewind" revolves around: expose it to magnetism, and it dies.

So you can probably guess what happens in Michel Gondry's fourth movie, and his first foray into all-out comedy. It has some plot holes and a rather bizarre premise, but there's a warm, funny little heart buried in the kooky antics and wild remakes of every movie from "Ghostbusters" to "Lord of the Rings."

Be Kind Rewind is an ancient video store, and supposedly the birthplace of unknown jazz legend Fats Waller. It's also due to be razed for a new block of condos -so store owner Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) goes on a scouting trip for a week, leaving his conscientious clerk Mike (Mos Def) in charge.

Unfortunately local weirdo Jerry (Jack Black) tries to destroy a local power plant, because he believes it's controlling his brain. Instead he gets fried, and his body becomes a walking electromagnet -which they only discover after he's wandered through the store, erasing all the old tapes. Even worse, a regular customer (Mia Farrow) wants "Ghostbusters" by that evening.

So Mike and Jerry hurriedly shoot their OWN version of the movie, with the help of Alma (Melonie Diaz) and soon they find that their "Sweded" movies have a growing fanbase, and they are statewide celebrities. But the demolition deadline is approaching, and Hollywood lawyers are threatening them for copyright infringement -will the town's new devotion to these quirky "Sweding" moviemakers help them stay?

Michel Gondry's movies are always set in "real life," but with a few drops of the unreal -memory erasure, waking surrealist dreams, that kind of thing. And even though "Be Kind Rewind" is set in a grimy, shabby New Jersey town, it has the same delightfully unreal quality -it's a genial buddy comedy where literally anything can happen.

I'll admit, there are some moments that don't entirely work. Note the awkward "this town is a swamp" exchange, and we're expected to allow the plot holes to slide (where did the infringement lawyers go?). And that whole magnetized body fluids thing was just gross.

But despite its flaws, it's somehow a very lovable movie. It's crammed with physical and verbal comedy ("Iloveyou Iloveyou we'relovers kissme!"), ranging from amateur train hijacks to an inept break-in at a DVD rental store. And a merely entertaining movie becomes sidesplitting when our heroes start shooting a ghastly no-budget "Ghostbusters" with fishing rods, tinsel, and bags of goo. This is followed by "Robocop," "2001," "Rush Hour 2," "Driving Miss Daisy" and several others -all with no budget, borrowed costumes, cardboard sets, and a cast of rank amateurs.

Gondry is obviously having a roaring good time lampooning Hollywood blockbusters. But he also injects some deeper currents into what could have been a one-joke movie -there's a bittersweet subplot about the possibility of losing the store that has brought a community together. Yeah, it's supposed to tug at the heartstrings, but it really does work -particularly since the movie rental industry is going belly-up.

One particularly nice touch is that the movie ends -and is punctuated by -scenes of a very low-budget, old-looking biopic of Fats Waller. Initially it just seems like another conceit, but it turns out to be very important to the plot.

Black is a delight as the insane Jerry, brimming with manic energy -in one scene, he encases himself in aluminum foil. Mos Def's Mike is more pleasant and low-key as the responsible boy-next-door type, and Danny Glover is outstanding as the paternal, gravel-voiced Mr. Fletcher. Diaz is also quite solid as a vague love interest/codirector/costar; and keep an eye out for Sigourney Weaver in a small cameo.

Michel Gondry's fourth full-length film is a big-hearted, mildly bittersweet little comedy, with the slightly unreal quality you expect from his films. I want the Sweded "Be Kind Rewind!"

Here's what I knew when I sat down to watch BE KIND, REWIND. It features Jack Black (not usually known for his subtle work) and Mos Def, who has done some over-the-top but amusing work himself (HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE, 16 BLOCKS). I knew that these two were involved in accidentally erasing all the videos in a rundown old video rental place, and to undo the damage they had done, they set about refilming all the movies.

I expected a loud, slick parody with lots slapstick. What I saw was a film whose tone and pace shifted constantly. It was a surprising film in that it dares to confound expectations at all times. It had some truly funny moments, some quiet moments of surprising depth and some instances where the film almost ground to a halt.

I suppose that knowing it came from Michael Gondry (of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND and ADAPTATION) should have alerted me that nothing would be conventional about the film. I think I let the presence of Jack Black distract me.

I'm glad I saw the film, and I had a pleasant time doing so. But it's slack pacing and constantly shifting tone did lull me into a drowse from time to time. This film will not do well at the box office, but it's also the sort of film that will develop a small but fevered cult-lite following.

Mos Def works at the store named BE KIND REWIND, run by the kindly Danny Glover. The main thing this incredibly run down store in a run-down section of Passaic, NJ has going for it is the fact that this is the building in which Fats Waller was born many decades ago. Mos and his friend Jack Black have listened to stories about Waller for years, and so they feel a dedication to keeping the store going and they feel an obligation to the poor and downtrodden denizens of their neighborhood. (We simply have to accept that none of these folks is yet clamoring for a DVD player.) So when Jack Black (a conspiracy-theory nut who runs a really shabby mechanics shop and lives in a trailer) becomes magnetized (don't ask) and erases all the videos...it's panic time for these two. Glover is away for a few days, and has left Def in charge. So these two "brain trusts" come up with idea of recreating all the films, one at a time, in the hopes of not being caught for their irresponsibility.

They first take on GHOSTBUSTERS, and the clever manner in which they recreate scenes from this film on a literally zero budget (and take on many of the roles themselves) is pretty darn priceless. The biggest laughs of the movie, by far, come in these re-creations. Later they take on RUSH HOUR 2.

No one in the neighborhood is tricked by these films...but the two auteurs inadvertently create a demand for these 20 minute, no-budget renditions, and they start a little business recreating films on demand. They get several different movies in production at once, so we see DRIVING MISS DAISY, MEN IN BLACK and KING KONG (among others), all being recreated in a junkyard. The methods they come up with to re-create beloved scenes are inspired in their lunacy (and serve as excellent reminders about how so much of filmmaking is the right camera angle!).

The film also tries to become a somber meditation on this neighborhood, and the value of preserving it. The building is set for rehabilitation by the city, and Glover must grapple with his impending loss. The city officials aren't really painted as "bad guys"...and no one is really saying the city doesn't deserve a rehab. It's just more about the way that the old must give in to the new, and how sometimes the old wasn't all it was cracked up to be anyway.

There are more plot twists towards the end, and eventually the film, which is pretty lightweight, is weighed down by a sense of sadness. While I'm okay with sadness permeating a "comedy" (see DARJEELING LIMITED, for example)...the sadness in this case translate into a film that nearly grinds to a halt...everyone just moves slower and looks droopy.

The script is certainly part of the problem. Gondry was clearly shooting for whimsical...but the scenes of re-filming movies are too close to parody for the whimsy to really work. And the two leads are also a problem. Jack Black is trying to reign in his natural tendency to be antic, to ground himself more in reality...yet the script wants him to be a nut. Mos Def, who comes across as more naturalistic, has a mumbling or diction problem that makes him hard to understand at times, and makes him vaguely annoying. Glover is doing his "sad old man" bit again, and Mia Farrow shows up to do her "slightly wacky old lady" thing. Sigourney Weaver shows us to do a tiny cameo, and her star presence is completely wasted.

There are many things to admire and laugh at in BE KIND, REWIND. By the same token, there is much to fault. It's amazing how such a quiet movie could be so WILDLY uneven.

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This movie was funny & Heartwarming at the same time. Jack Black & Mos Deff Make a great team in this hilarious movie about a video store own trying to save his shop. i recomend this movie to everyone.

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This is just a fun movie to watch. Jack Black puts on another hilarious performance. Mos Def and Danny Glover are also great as are so many others in the cast.

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When Elroy Fletcher(Danny Glover), owner of Be Kind Rewind video rental store, goes out of town he leaves Mike (Mos Def) in charge with one rule: Keep Jerry (Jack Black) Out! But when Jerry becomes magnetized trying to sabotage the local electric plant he makes his way into the video store and erases all the video tapes in the store. Finding that none of the local video stores carry video tapes having switched to the more popular DVD, and with customers threatening to call Elroy, Mike and Jerry take matters into their own hands and start recording their own versions of popular movies. Claiming that the versions are imported versions of films from Sweden, their "Sweded" films become popular amongst the citizens of Passaic, New Jersey.

French director Michel Gondry is a very unique director, taking a look at his 2004 masterpiece Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and you can see that this isn't your average director. Having amassed a body of work that doesn't just stop at film (he played the drums on Kanye West's Diamonds From Sierra Leone) Michel Gondry has become something of an underground sensation. He created effects that would eventually be used in high profile films such as The Matrix, and was the first to use morphing technics in a video clip. Put him together with rap phenom, as well as Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor Mos Def and rock star/ comedian Jack Black and what do you get?...

A great and heartfelt movie that's a love letter to film, an ode to the classic DIY spirit, and a reminder of the importance of history and the ability to change it and make it our own. Written by Michel Gondry based on an idea he got from directing Dave Chappelle's Bloc Party, Be Kind Rewind is a movie that mixes heart with comedy in a fashion that never seems schmaltzy and is very original. And the atmosphere of the movie is infectious, as the duo begin inviting others to help in making the "Sweded" videos you feel drawn in as if you're part of the process. This movie has also sparked something of a revolution, look up Sweded on Youtube and you can find other people Sweded versions of movie and movie trailers.

With actors like Danny Glover and Jack Black you expect a mixture of good acting and well played out comedy in this movie, and in casting Mos Def and Jack Black the casting directors definitely made the right choice. Jack Black is of course Jack Black, which doesn't always work in every role he plays, but here he understates slightly, dialing down his tendencies to overact on occasion. Mos Def, as always, proves masterful playing the straight man to Jack Black's crazy, perfectly filling out the bromance. Of course, you can never count out Danny Glover who is the most tortured soul in the movie as a man set in his ways realizing that he has to change with the times if he wants to keep his business, and he greatly excels at making you feel and understand the emotions of the character.

If the movie fails in one thing, it's at the very beginning. The set up for the grand scheme of the plot is not very well thought out, and a little awkwardly executed. While on paper the idea of Jack Black's character becoming magnetized and demagnetizing every movie in a video store looks great on paper (and does make for a few hilariously great slapstick moments), the execution of him becoming magnetized is even a little too quirky for this quirky comedy and throws off the pacing for a few moments near the early parts of the movie. Gondry quickly gets back on track though, but at the same time the movie feels a little cramped with everything he's trying to throw at you. The movie is filled with a lot of great ideas, and at times it can feel a little cramped with everything that's been put in there.

All in all, I would highly recommend the movie, and this is definitely a movie that takes more than one viewing to fully appreciate it. At a time when everything being cranked out of Hollywood is either a remake, adaptation, or a sequel this ode to originality is definitely a breath of fresh air.

4/5

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Needless Collection 1

MADHOUSE the same studio that brought you anime gems like Death Note, Black Lagoon, Summer Wars, The girl who leapt through time, to name just a few, now brings You a sci-fi-action-moe-comedy worth your time. Based on Kami Imai's Manga, NEEDLESS is set in an apocalyptic future after World War Three. The war left a huge crater and 50 years later it's commonly known as "The Black Spot", as time passed people began to inhabit the wasteland but because of the contamination in the area some developed supernatural abilities and are now called "Needless".

Adam Blade is the main hero, a Needless with the ability of "Learning" his opponents attacks, his "look" could be described as a combination between Hellsing's Alucard and Devil May Cry's Dante, Blade is suppose to be a priest BUT he hates to listen to people's confessions and has an attraction to underage girls.

Needless is always breaking continuity, character development, fight scenes, product placement or fan service, in short it's a fast paced anime that once you get to the end credits you'll feel the curiosity to see what is going to happen in the next episode, if you like One Piece or Bleach, then you will enjoy this 24 episode anime that unlike One Piece and Bleach, NEEDLESS has a beginning and an ending.

CONS:

O.O?

PROS:

Opening theme.

Character design are from metro to moe.

sci-fi-action-moe-comedy.

All characters are likable.

Lots of fan service.

DISC.

Episode 6.

English and Japanese versions are topnotch.

Ending theme.

It's really hard to enjoy something not involving Moe, and I don't mind if Moe is in every anime now these days, but if it is used in the right way like here then let there be more action-moe-comedies in the future. Overall big thumbs-up to Sentai Films for high quality anime and I'm more than glad to hear the ADV films voice actors again, 5 out of 5.

Ok, I saw this anime before the English dub was realeased, so I'm not going to talk about that because it's horrible and the comedy holds no water with English voices. Anyway, the reason I love this anime so much is because it doesn't take itself seriously; hilarity follows. It's hard not to laugh when you're watching an intense fight scene and one of the characters throws out a move called "Little Boy."

As far as the animation goes it could be better but it could also be a lot worse, there are a lot of stills but not nearly as many as an anime like Inuyasha. One scene in particular really shows how much the animation shines where the animation completely shifts so everything is drawn "sketchy" (lots of lines? think of the opening cut scene to Super Street Fighter IV) and everything is really fluid with little to no stills at all. The animators decided to do this at seemingly random points throughout the episodes. I would also like to note that I really like the artwork. It's the happy medium between way too much detail (where characters look like they could be real people) and way too little detail (looks like an 8 year old did it).

Story wise it's a pretty run in the mill anime story with only a few plot twists. The story isn't really the main draw to this anime though, it's the comedy. The anime basically parodies any other action anime released. They succeed in doing this through stupid move names(stupid moves), and just a general lack of seriousness most of the time. The soundtrack is pretty good too, if you like Guilty Gear's music you will like the music here. As a matter of fact I'd go as far to say if you like Guilty Gear you'll like this anime.

Now...this anime isn't for everyone. If you're looking for a serious story with serious characters I'd stay far away from this. And if you have any problems with the main character being a *SPOILERS* borderline pedophile, *SPOILERS* I wouldn't watch this. There's also a lot of fanservice(panty shots, nearly naked ladies, anything short of actual nudity) which I don't think is really good or bad, that's more your call. I personally think some of the moments wouldn't be funny without it. But yeah, LOTS of fanservice here.

After watching the series once I fell in love with it. It's now one of my favorite anime series. So if you're still interested after reading this I'd highly recommend giving it a shot. I promise you won't be disappointed, as long as you don't watch the English dub...

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I was thrilled when I first saw this anime. It started off with a bang; it was funny, somewhat original, good fight scenes, and drew you in immediately. Then it stopped. I was really disappointed with this show It could have been so much better.

This anime series had an excellent formula: a post-apocalyptic "X-Men" with the edgy attitude of Gurren Lagann, pitting unlikely heroes against the usual evil syndicate, and plenty of goofy humor and fanservice. This series got off to an excellent start. They introduced the characters, began building the worldview, and surrounded it all by fun fight scenes and hilarious antics. Then they stopped. It was like one third of the way through, they fired the talented director and writing staff and replaced them with a bunch of C-list wannabes incapable or writing anything deeper than a Saturday morning cartoon. They tore out any and all sense or originality and depth and replaced it with the same tired old shonen anime tropes and stereotypes. Granted, with this type of anime I'm not expecting a level of depth on par with Berserk or Elfen Lied (and I wouldn't want it that way either). But considering the foul language, intense violence, and prevalent fanservice, you'd think that it was not made for 8-year olds; that they'd put a little more thought into it. Not only did they shut down the character development and plot, the fight scenes grew stale and boring as well. Why is it that all the heroes forget how to fight when confronted with a new enemy? Granted, constant one-up-man-ship is a staple of these shows, but its not even amusing here. At least shows like Dragon Ball, Bleach and Naruto keep it interesting.

We all know how these shows tend to use filler in order to separate story arcs, and allow time for plot development, but here it seemed like the fight scenes in the middle were filler. Seriously, you could probably skip episodes 9-20 and not miss anything. [Just know: "it's the sister. She's evil." Now you're caught up.] They missed excellent opportunities for plot and character development. Even the interactions amongst the characters got stale and boring. Many characters are supposed to have these old, deep relationships (Eve and Blade, Cruz and Aruka, Saten and the Professor) but they never really go into them. It's just presented to us as factual information.

In conclusion Needless began well, but stopped. They threw away any and all opportunities for emotive depth and character development, and stopped trying with the humor and fight scenes. Granted, there are some gems within here; and the parts they spent time on they did well. But those are as typically rare as diamond find. This is a renter. Find it on netflix.

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This split season collection "Collection 1" is OOP and I bought this used at a good price. Great action anime series!

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I love having complete collections not only does it save more space on your book case but it also has all the episodes that you can watch again and again. This anime had pretty artwork and i love the plot just wish they made more of this anime.

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Starter for 10

From a very young age, Brian Jackson has crammed his mind with facts and knowledge, and now he's off to university for more. But the most important lesson he has to learn is that knowledge and wisdom are not the same thing.

Brian quickly makes a strong impression in academia, especially when he gets onto the school team for University Challenge, the wildly popular quiz show he grew up watching with his father. But the rest of life isn't so easy: Brian falls head-over-heels for his beautiful but self-centered teammate Alice, who leads him on despite having no real interest in intimacy; his mother, now ten years widowed, has found a new lover; he just can't sort out his feelings for Rebecca, a student activist with more than a passing interest in him; his blue-collar mates from home are starting to regard him as a class traitor; and any time he tries to be clever or impulsive, it always goes awry.

James McAvoy, who has already won great critical acclaim for his skills in dramatic roles, shows that he is equally adept in comedy, giving Brian an aw-shucks charm that keeps him loveable despite his penchant for saying exactly the wrong thing. Among the rest of the cast, the two greatest standouts are Benedict Cumberbatch, who steals his every scene as the hilariously snobbish team captain, and the extraordinarily talented Rebecca Hall, who plays Rebecca with such spirit and beauty that you can't help rooting for Brian to come around and realize that she's the one for him. Veteran thespians Charles Dance and Lindsay Duncan have a brilliant cameo as Alice's parents, and Mark Gatiss makes a convicing Bamber Gascoigne (the long-time host of University Challenge, and a real-life icon of British TV).

The script is witty, and gives new twists to the traditional conventions of romantic comedy. The climax on the set of University Challenge, and an earlier scene involving a misguided reference to The Graduate, are particularly well done. I can't help feeling, though, that the movie missed a few good opportunities as well. I understand the need to streamline the story, but I can't help feeling that they streamlined too much: fun characters disappear not long after they're introduced, certain aspects of Brian's schoolyear are mentioned when they should have been shown, and so on.

All the same, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and highly recommend it for any fans of romantic comedy, British film, or movies with cool '80s soundtracks.

I found this movie quite charming -much to do with the fact that James McAvoy is the central figure in it...I truly think we'll find him in a lot of good films in the future, which is GREAT!-.

The movie's the story of a boy who struggles to find himself while growing up -falling in love and making mistakes on a university TV quiz show are trascendantal-

You can get easily related to it...even more if you have had interest in accumulating a lot of useless -yet fascinatingdata in your brain to feel more intellectual or to guarantee yourself a "special" place in this world. Simple,sweet, funny and as I said before...charming!

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This is a slight film, but one well worth seeing for the fine performance by James McAvoy. A plain-looking nerd who goes off to college seeking to distinguish himself both as academically knowledgeable and, at the same time, as a ladies' man, he must strike a chord in the hearts of thousands of first year undergrads just like him. What McAvoy has going for him especially is his ability to ooze charm from every pore without being in the slightest degree sickeningly sweet. It is his memorable performance which distinguishes an otherwise pretty formulaic college comedy of heartbreak and eventual triumph.

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James McAvoy has that affable quality which makes the viewer like him even when he is being a bit of a prat. That is true throughout this DVD. The storyline is a little "low key," as the adaptation of the book to the screen was not as effective as it could be, but the performances are strong, and the viewer will not feel "cheated" when he finishes watching the film.

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Those of you who read the book may be a bit disappointed by its screen adaptation, an all to common occurrence when a book becomes a film.

Placing that comment aside and reviewing this film without use of a pretense, Starter for 10 is a cute, all be it a bit campy, British comedy about the bumps and hiccups brought by coming of age, finding ones future, and facing ones past. James McAvoy does a brilliant job of making his character lovably awkward. The subtle comedy, satirical character types and romantic interfaces make this a must see for any University Challenge fan (or anyone looking for a good laugh).

1 star off only because the book was better.

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Practical Magic / The Witches of Eastwick (Double Feature) (2010)

I owned both movies on DVD. So the chance to upgrade in quality, plus cut down on shelf space was too good an opportunity to miss out on.

The Witches of Eastwick is an excellent film and looks better than the DVD version (not really difficult to be honest). Given that this, and PM are both based in small towns, with plenty of greenery and water around, Blu-Ray should, in theory, really bring out the colours. I can't really complain too much about Witches, given that the film was made in 1987. Having said that, the Warner releases (double features) of the first 4 Dirty Harry films look AMAZING, and these were made before Witches.

But i have a problem with Practical Magic. This film, if at all possible, looks WORSE on Blu-Ray than on regular DVD. What the hell have Warners done??!! At best, it's an exact copy over from DVD to HD. But it's evident that no cleaning up whatsoever was done.

In my opinion, if studios are going to release older titles on HD format, then they should at least have the courtesy to put the effort in. Blu-Ray discs are certainly not cheap. And whilst i'm delighted to have a better copy of Eastwick, being saddled with a poor copy of PM doesn't make me an entirely satisfied customer.

The 3 stars don't reflect the movies themselves, but if i could give individual stars for quality, it would be 3.5 for Eastwick and 0.5 for Magic.

Love Witches of Eastwick and have never seen Practical Magic but the quality of the transfer is crap. This is not Blu-Ray quality. It is barely a step above DVD quality and that is stretching it. Very disappointed. Have not decided if I will return it. At least it's presented in true widescreen. Be wary of buying a disc with two movies on it. They obviously have to sacrifice quality to fit two movies on one disc. This item was inexpensive but still not worth it.

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I LOVE practical magic but this blu ray transfer is crappy! It's also a little jumpy. Warner bros should try again but seperate them into 2 discs!

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I am a fan of sandra bullock movies and having another one on bluray it is great, clear picture quality and great sound i recomend this movie if you use to have it on dvd it is a great upgrade to have it on bluray.

Adding The Witches of Eastwick perfect combination of 2 classic movies one for Cher and the other for Sandra Bullock

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no sooner did i order this product that i received it in the post. Absolutely love the movie!! Meets my expectations

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