Sleepless in Seattle (Special Edition)
by Columbia/Tristar Studios
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (08 February, 2000)
list price: $14.95
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Editorial Review

The director and stars of 1998's You've Got Mail scored a breakthrough hit with this hugely popular romantic comedy from 1993, about a recently engaged woman (Meg Ryan) who hears the sad story of a grieving widower (Tom Hanks) on the radio and believes that they're destined to be together. She's single in New York, he lives in Seattle with a young son, but the cross-country attraction proves irresistible, and pretty soon Meg's on a westbound flight. What happens from there is ... well, you must have been living in a cave to have let this sweet-hearted comedy slip below your pop-cultural radar. There's little complexity or depth to writer-director Nora Ephron's cheesy tale of a romantic fait accompli, and more than a little contrivance to the subplots that threaten to keep Hanks and Ryan from actually meeting. But the purity of star chemistry here is hard to deny, and this may be the first film to indicate the more serious and sympathetic side of Hanks that is revealed in later roles. With its clever jokes about "chick movies" and repeated homage to the classic weeper An Affair to Remember, this may not be everybody's brand of amorous entertainment, but it's got an old-Hollywood charm that appeals to many a movie fan. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• Special Edition
• NTSC

Reviews (127)

A Classic
Sleepless In Seattle is movie that sticks with you. You could watch it over and over and over again and not get tired of it.

Set in Seattle, and unlike many think, a very romantic city, the story follows a widower named Sam(Hanks) and his son Jonah (Malinger), and a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, Annie(Ryan).

After Jonah calls a advice radio station about his widower father, Annie, on the other side of county in Baltimore becomes very interested in Sam. Through story, both Sam and Annie contemplate meeting after Annie sends a letter to them. In the end their meeting happens just like in the old movie Annie and Becky(O'Donnell) had watched over and over again.

Sleepless In Seattle is a classic and a great movie.

EXCELLENT!
An outstanding romantic comedy, Sleepless in Seattle, brings to the screen the love story between a recently widowed father of one from Seattle and a bride to be from New York, with all the ups and downs that that entails!
It is a film about human relations, hope and second chances, but most importantly about trust, love, and inner strength.
Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are exceptional to say the least!All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)! Very well written and very well presented, the movie is without a doubt guaranteed to provide more than just a few laughs, not to mention a few tears.The film is simple enough, but does a great job of describing people's every day lives and the problems they face.It just goes to show that simplicity is often far better than complexity, when trying to present issues of a human nature.
The setting, the plot, the dialogues and the music are all wonderful!
In short, Sleepless in Seattle is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection!

Great movie
As much as i hate to admit it, i love sleepless in seattle. This coming from a 16 year old sophomore in high school...I first watched this movie with my mom a long way back when it had just come out, and i enjoyed it more because my mom told me it was good rather than because i actually liked it. But as i got older, and watched it more, i found out that the movie is just brilliant. A GREAT story, and a wonderfully directed film by Nora Ephron. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are M-O-F-E (made for each other, watch the movie) in romantic comedies. Great movie. (oh, and the person who reviewed this before me, says that the 10th anniversary edition is missing the broom closet scene...i dont know if thats just their version, because i know that scene is in this DVD. And i double checked to make sure i had the 10th anniversary edition, and i do. Just pointing that out.) GREAT MOVIE, A CLASSIC...BUY IT ... Read more

Asin: B00003Q42R
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

Black & Decker VP750VersaPak 3.6-Volt PivotDriver Cordless Two-Position Screwdriver
by Black & Decker
Average Customer Review:
Tools & Hardware
list price: $39.99 -- our price: $29.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Black & Decker PivotDriver two-position screwdriver is great either in the workshop or to have around home for projects that require quite a bit of screwdriving. This tool is super easy to use and locks in two positions--in-line or pistol-grip--for installing cabinet hardware or tightening screws, say, under a counter or in any other hard-to-reach place where you'd bang your knuckles with an ordinary screwdriver. Toggling between forward and reverse is easy with the rocker switch, while the automatic spindle lock allows you to manually start screws or finish them without stripping or overtightening. The narrow nosepiece also gives you added reach when installing hardware in tight spots.

The PivotDriver runs off the VersaPak battery system, which is interchangeable with all Black & Decker VersaPak products. The battery is easy to remove--just press the button near the bottom of the screwdriver. The 1.2 amp, 3.6-volt battery produces enough torque and run time for any basic household project. --Dori Anvinson ... Read more

Features

• Two-year home use warranty
• Handle locks in two positions: inline grip and pistol grip
• Rocker switch with forward and reverse
• Automatic spindle lock for greater control when starting and finishing screws
• Interchangeable battery system, works with all VersaPak products

Reviews (21)

A LIFESAVER!
You'll find a million uses for this cordless screwdriver which will save you hours of frustration putting up miniblinds (which is what I bought it for!), assembling furniture or just making repairs. Its low price for the amount of use it will get just makes it all the more valuable. This is a must-have for every house, car and boat. Also makes a great gift! This little gadget saved my sanity when I moved into my new home and had tons of curtain rods and blinds to install, as well as assembling my waterbed. Highly recommend!

A skeptic no more
At first I was reluctant to purchase a cordless screwdriver; I already owned a perfectly fine cordless drill which had served admirably as a driver for many years.When I finally broke down and bought the Black & Decker PivotDriver (for reasons I cannot explain), I was quite pleasantly surprised by how beautifully it worked, and by how much better suited it was to driving screws than my drill ever was.It quickly became one of my favorite tools.

I am unlikely to ever again use my cordless drill as a driver, and here is why: First, the PivotDriver is much lighter and smaller, making it effortless to hold and maneuver.Second, its handle can be locked into two different positions, unlike most drills, which have a fixed pistol-grip configuration.It's great being able to switch between the two positions instantly, as one or the other is frequently more comfortable or offers greater maneuverability. Third, the spindle automatically locks when the button is released, turning it into a conventional screw driver.This is useful for really tough screws, or those that require a gentle touch.Finally, both forward and reverse are conveniently located on the "trigger", which makes a lot of sense for a screw driver (but not for a drill).

I am also impressed by the amount of torque delivered by this small device.It can handle some really difficult screws.I recently installed about a dozen metal braces in my house (part of seismic retrofitting), each one requiring between 8 and 20 screws in some rather hard and difficult-to-reach wood.The PivotDriver made it almost trivial.Go ahead, ask me if I'm a fan of cordless screw drivers.

The PivotDriver uses a "VersaPak" 3.6 Volt rechargeable battery; the driver comes with a charger and one such battery.The battery that is included is silver, but you should know that it also comes in a gold version.The gold batteries are *much* better than the silver ones; they hold a charge longer and pack a little extra punch.(Love that torque!)These batteries (both silver and gold) can also be used in numerous other cordless tools offered by both Black & Decker and Sears (aka Craftsman).They are very light-weight and easy to pop in and out.They take up to six hours to charge, however.

At the risk of sounding sexist, allow me to offer some advice to the ladies.If you're looking for a great practical gift for hubby, look no further.It's true; for some mysterious reason guys really do love cordless screw drivers, and this one is a beaut.To really impress him, after he's opened it and thanked you profusely, casually say "I almost got you the ______ version, but I thought you would appreciate having at least 25 foot-pounds of torque."He'll see you in a whole new light.(You can fill in the blankwith any other brand name.)

Few things these days seem to be truly well designed, durable, and inexpensive.This little gem is all three.Enjoy.

Great electric screwdriver
The key to buying Black and Decker products (including this product and the dustbuster), is to make sure that your product uses the versa packs batteries.Versa Pack batteries make it easy to replace the batteries when they die.

This is a great screwdriver and has versa pack.What more need I say? ... Read more

Asin: B0000302VI
Subjects:  1. Black & Decker    2. (Black and Decker)    3. Cordless Tools    4. (Volt)    5. (V)    6. In-Line Screwdrivers   

Dead Calm
by Warner Studios
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (08 February, 1999)
list price: $14.95
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Editorial Review

There are several occasions when this rousing Australian thriller from 1987 should have ended with a well-placed shot from a speargun or a stronger knot of rope, but you don't think about these nit-picky details when you're being scared out of your wits. In a role that catapulted her to international stardom, Nicole Kidman plays a young wife who's joined her husband (Sam Neill) on a yachting trip to recover from the tragic death of their son. Far out to sea, they encounter a sinking ship with one survivor (Billy Zane, ten years before Titanic), but inviting him aboard turns out to be a very bad mistake. While Neill attempts to salvage the sinking boat, Kidman is fighting for her life against the psychotic Zane--a villain so creepy that you eagerly look forward to his demise. By the time that moment arrives director Phillip Noyce has resorted to a typical slasher-movie climax (proving that no boat should be without a flare gun), but until then Dead Calm is a nail-biting thriller that's guaranteed to keep you in a state of nail-biting suspense. To accommodate the widescreen compositions on the open ocean, the DVD offers the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (36)

Scary Fun!
This is a movie I could watch again and again.Even though you know what's going to happen, just watching the three actors is reason enough to view it.For a movie that takes place in such a small area (ocean, ships) and has such a small cast it really holds your interest.

Poor beginning-Great Ending
The main flaw in this otherwise excellent thriller movie is the first15 minutes or so. The horrific traffic accident in which thesailing couple lose their only child adds nothing to the main line of themovie's tale. In my opinion this remains Nicole Kidman's best film ably abetted by Billy Zane (who was disappointingand hammy in Titanic) and Sam Neil . Some reviewers were disappointed with thegory end of Billy Zane's eerie derangedpsychopathic character, but in my opinion it was a touch of genius. Never mind that thiskind of ending is oftenused by horror or thriller movie script writers, the classic twist often puts in theunexpected final chill after the audience has relaxed for theexpected happy ending, which is in progress. The theme of a lone couple or small groupwho encounter danger of this frightening sort in a yacht or small craft somewhere in theocean has been used a few times , but this is no where betterhandled than in Dead Calm, which for me will remain a classic.

A noteworthy budget job.
This is an amazing and tense drama set at sea. The basic story line is of a stressed Dr (Neil) and his young wife (Kidman, in her first major movie role) taking a yacht trip to help recoup lost energies. They pick up a ship wreck victim (Zane) who is far from what he seems, and here is the premise for some tense and psychologically gripping cat and mouse games, largley between Kidman and Zane. It is an obvious, tried and tested format in many ways and follows a Hollywood trend of the 80's, for tense and psychologically testing, pursuit style, slightly paranoid films (the school of Fatal Attraction if you will). What slightly sets the film apart from the pack is the utter sense of diconnection and isolation, at Sea.
Kidman holds up well, she had only previously stretched her talents internationally, in the BBC drama about east asian drug trafficking in "Bankok Hilton". Neil is sedately strong and commanding as ever. Zane lets the film down slighty be being too much the obvious psychopath, he would have been well advised to study Glenn Close a little more carefully.
A worthy watch if only to see the dawning of Kidman's talent. ... Read more

Asin: 6305335788
Subjects:  1. Foreign Film - Spanish/Misc Sa   

Das Boot - The Director's Cut
by Columbia/Tristar Studios
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (01 January, 2000)
list price: $19.96
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Editorial Review

This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically re-released in 1997. Originally made as a six-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. The digital video disc offers either the German-language version with English subtitles, or the dubbed-into English version; the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack reproduces every chilling depth charge and metallic groan with nerve-racking clarity. Also included is a short feature on the movie's production, but the segment gives away a lot, so watch the movie first. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Special Edition
• NTSC

Reviews (248)

Excellent
If this isn't a great move, it is certainly the greatest submarine movie ever made. For three and a half hours (which goes by quickly), we get to feel the claustrophobia of being on a submarine in this hyper-realistic film that is extremely well made. You need to approach this very long film as if it was a huge novel. it may be long but there isn't a wasted minute. I enjoyed this very much.

The only submarine movie you need to see...

I'm sure you've read a ton of reviews about how great this movie is, so I won't bore you with another one.What I will say, in difference to what others have written, is that the English dubbing is fine.No dubbing is ever superior to the original dialogue, but they do a pretty good job here overall.Supposedly the original cast did their own voice work in English as well as German when making this film.(Don't know if that's true.As this was actually a German mini-series made for television.)Anyway, if you don't know sub titles, you can certainly enjoy this great epic of a motion picture with the English dubbing.After you finish it, and realize how amazing a film it is, you'll certainly come back and watch it again, and maybe then you'll see the original translation (Which differs greatly from the spoken one.) and enjoy the movie all over again.

One of the best movies ever about WWII.If you like this, be sure to check out Stalingrad.

A war movie with a different realism
Most war films are separated into 3 categories I find: aerial dogfights, ground combat or subs/battleships. Das Boot can be looked at as the quintessential submarine movie. Although at some places it can be long, as most director's cuts are, it's still filled with enough tension that can't be cut with just a simple knife.

One nice thing is that instead of following the typical Hollywood "view history from good guys" perspective, we're now looking at Germany. Hitler seems to love his U-boats, enough to send them to attack british naval ships. One such boat is the boat we'll be tracking for 3 1/2 hours. Added aboard is a newspaper correspondent who's not used to this kind of thing.

One thing that separates submarine films from combat films like Saving Private Ryan is this more focused look on suspense. Rather than dealing with gunfire, explosions and screaming, you have to be deadly quiet or else you'll be picked up and depth charged. So the most suspenseful moments in the film are the quiet moments, and in one part, we're focused on the depth meter of the sub underwater. At around 200 feet, the sub can't take the immense pressure of the water, so we're dreading that needle going any lower.

One thing that I found was that I started caring for the characters even when I didn't know their names, I only knew their faces. But standouts like the calm and collective captain, the chief who wants to get back home to his wife, and the lieutenant who's also a newspaper correspondent. The rest you don't really get too attached to.

The ending to me works but then kind of doesn't. It's supposed to be a "war is hell" ending but it seems to come out of left field a little. But, it is quite a good film even if it is 3 1/2 hours long(and don't even mention the 5 hour miniseries version, ugh). ... Read more

Asin: 0800132335
Subjects:  1. Foreign Film - German   

Mag Instrument S2D106 Silver Heavy-Duty 2 D-Cell Flashlight
by Mag Instrument
Average Customer Review:
Tools & Hardware
list price: $18.99 -- our price: $17.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Limited lifetime warranty
• High intensity adjustable light beam
• Sealed O-rings for water and shock resistance
• Precision-machined, high strength aluminum alloy case
• Spare lamp in the tail cap

Reviews (7)

Solid, reliable
This is the perfect size for around the house or in the car (we bought about 4 of them to keep them in both places).We use rechargeable batteries (2 - C size) and they work great.The light is just the right amount to see what you need to see without being a big bulky flashlight.Solid too - will lsat forever I think.

It is to be expected!
A typical example of a "good ole" American quality product! If you don't lose it I am sure your Grandchild will still be using it!

Really bad--everybody borrows and no one returns
I'm a boy scout leader.I own a few of these.The thing about these is that everyone likes them so much that they always want to use them.I end up passing mine out and ending up with one less.I must be their best customer.I always end up buying replacements. ... Read more

Asin: B00004SZ5V
Sales Rank: 2281
Subjects:  1. (Flash Lights)    2. Flashlights