Parental Guidance

Old Age versus New Age Parenting
Being an avid fan of Billy Crystal, I eagerly awaited his return to the silver screen. I was not disappointed. Coupled with another veteran actress in Bette Midler (his doting wife), they made we 'older' parents appear archaic with their 'tough love' approach - (didn't all Baby Boomers experience this as children?). The story goes on to explain how they are 'the only' set of grandparents available, to care for their 3 grandchildren, 12, 8 and 5, much to their daughter's reluctance. Their daughter (played by Marissa Tomei) is all about 'new age' parenting and frowns heavily upon any strayings from her teachings. Therefore laying down her set of rules and opening the door to laughter.

Naturally, things are going to go wrong, as Billy and Bette strive to keep the peace and understand their charges. As not only do the 'Oldies' react to each situation in an uninitiated new age-old age way causing havoc, but are also victims to a completely automated house which initially sees...

funniest movie I've seen in a long time
I saw it the other day, and it was so funny, I laughed so much. It really hit home, about being grand parents. I just loved it.

Crystal and Midler Get on their Schtick and Liven Up This Formulaic Family Comedy
***This review may contain spoilers***

The trailers advertising "Parental Guidance" (hereafter PG) were not only unpromising, but borderline appalling. It emphasized the tired, painful slapstick and saccharine sentiment of so many other formulaic family comedies, that I was determined to avoid it. But, visiting my mother and deciding to take in a movie before lunch at Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, we decided upon PG because it was the only movie that had subject matter my Mom (not particularly keen on hobbits, 40-somethings, or even Lincoln) was interested in. After seeing it, we were pleasantly (if surprisingly) entertained, despite the dilapidated old "Clash of the Generations" plot. Our amusement was largely due to those reliably schticky comedy workhorses Billy Crystal and Bette Midler.

Crystal and Midler play fairly (but not completely) old-fashioned Artie and Diane Decker, parents to Type-A, harried upper-class daughter Alice Decker Simmons (Marisa...

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The X-Files: The Complete Series + Movies

Not perfect but there's still no Blu-Ray.
You can get series reviews everywhere. I write this to clarify what exactly this set consists of; I purchased the day of the Gold Box deal. I previously owned only three of the 'original' editions because they were SO honking expensive. The special features, on those sets, are to me not worth the extra hundred dollars, and I have not noticed any quality difference as far as this set's mastering/picture. I'm pretty sure it's the same data, just crammed into a smaller box and missing the 'bonus' disc.

This particular set did not come in a display box, as the official 'complete' release did. This is just a copy of each season and each movie packing-taped together and shrink-wrapped after the fact (each set within is still individually factory shrink-wrapped).
Don't flip out when you see seasons 1-4 are labeled fullscreen and 5-9 widescreen. They didn't gyp you; that's how they were aired and if fullscreen REALLY bugs you, wait for the rumored Blu-Ray release, because they...

A good deal with reservations.
I have all of these discs which I have purchased over the years. If you are a fan or are a little young to have seen the X Files when it was broadcast and do not have access to streaming you will want to purchase this set. However be advised that the picture quality leaves a lot to be desired. Some episodes have a lot of digital artifacts that I do not believe is intentional. The series is dark but I do not think it was intended to be as dark as these discs sometimes are. But Amazon selling these DVDs at a cut rate may indicate that the long rumored blu ray release is coming. So that is good news.

Glad to see all the features were included!
I was a little worried that this would only be the straight-up dvds, with no extra features, given that it was a megaset at this low price, but I was THRILLED to find it was all the seasons with their own bonus features, plus the movies and THEIR bonus features. Incredible deal for a great set...delivered quickly, packaged perfectly.

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How I Met Your Mother: Season One

They Killed it with the Music
I am a huge fan of this show. I think it's extremely well written and I love all of the actors. These DVDs really do not do the program justice. They contain almost none of the original music from the aired episodes. It is all replaced with crappy filler that sounds like something you'd hear in an elevator. CBS only played for 2 real songs because they were necessary to the story. The music that they used to replace the original sounds like tracks that would come with iMovie because they are free to license. The lack of music makes some scenes just plain awkward at times. It seriously hurts the moments. The episodes completely lack the same emotional punches as the ones that aired. For example in "The Slutty Pumpkin" the perfectly placed Nada Surf song "Inside of Love" is gone and the episode's ending feels abrupt. In the episode "Okay Awesome" most of it takes place in a dance club. The cheap music that is now used feels completely out of place. The original episode...

A love story in reverse
How I Met Your Mother is a Friends-like comedy about five twentysomethings (Lily, Marshall, Ted, Robin, and Barney) in New York. Lily, a kindergarten teacher, and Marshall, an aspiring attorney, have been together for the last nine years and in the first episode they become engaged. Ted, an architect and Marshall's roommate and best friend, has been looking at their perfect relationship for the last nine years and decides that it's time for him to find his own someone special. Barney, who wears suits just about everywhere, is Ted's other best friend and the most hilarious character on the show. And finally Robin, a tv news reporter, just joins the group when Ted decides that she might be the one.

The story is told from Ted's point of view and the show is basically a love story in reverse. In the year 2030, Ted is telling two teenagers the story of how he met their mother beginning with the escapades he and his friends had in the year 2005. The five of them hang out at...

Great sitcom that deserves DVD release
This is a great TV show currently out right now. The show is about a middle-aged man, Ted Mosby, who tells the story to his teenage children of how he met their mother. This is easily one of the best shows of the decade. The humor and sexual innuendo are outrageously funny. The narration of the story to his children shows a sentimental spark. It is definitely a great DVD set for those who enjoy modern 21st century humor or have a special place in the heart for a special someone.

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The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season

Finally....The Good Stuff!!!
If you're a true Simpsons fan, I think you'll agree with me in saying that this was one of the Finest seasons in the show's ongoing history. And Hey, its only taken 4 years for it to grace the DVD format...about time! But enough procrastinating, here are the goods, 22 episodes in all with a truckload of extras (like all Simpsons Boxsets) So here are the episodes and what happens in them if you need a little reminder. Enjoy!

Kamp Krusty - After making a deal with Homer to get good grades in school, Bart and Lisa go away to Kamp Krusty, "The Krustiest Place on Earth!" While they're initially excited about their summer, they soon learn that Kamp Krusty is a run-down prison run by the tyrannical Mr. Black and his C.I.T. henchmen, Dolph, Kearney and Jimbo Jones.

A Streetcar Named Marge - Marge is cast in the role of Blanche DuBois in Oh! Streetcar, the musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire directed by the flamboyant Llewellyn Sinclair at the Springfield Community Center.

Homer...

c'mon
How worthless is a long review, listing all the episodes in the season, information available elsewhere, from someone writing before the package has been released. Thanks Darth, very helpful.

But he's right that this is a great season and worth the bucks.

All time favorite, and will remain so
this is the best Tv show i've ever seen, always puts me in a good mood everytime i see it, i've seen about all of the episodes released thats how much i love it. if you happen to be one of the few who havent seen this yet i ORDER you to check it out! 5/5

10/10, perfect in my opinion! Way to Go Matt Groening /applaud

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