When I was a kid, I grew up watching The Electric Company. The PBS program was really ahead of its time — a comedy/variety show that taught basic phonetic and grammar concepts using live-action sketches, cartoons, songs, and Spider-Man episodes. The numbers were really unique, and the show featured early-career celebs like Bill Cosby, Rita Moreno, and Morgan Freeman. Pretty cool for the late ‘70s.

So I was excited to see that The Electric Company was coming out on DVD. I immediately thought of my 8-year-old, who loved The Muppet Show’s format and antics. My wife, however, disagreed, thinking that the learn-to-read aspect would be too far below a second grader’s purview. That’s probably because my wife can’t remember watching the show when she was a kid.

Well, let me just say that since The Best of the Electric Company – Volume 2 entered my house, our daughter has not stopped singing the theme song or acting out random sketches. Score one for dad.

Even after all of these years, I was so glad to see that the skits and songs still captivate young minds in this day of “short-attention-span-itis.” I think the length of each number is perfect, just enough to entertain and have them asking for more.

This DVD set is great. It’s fun and educational, and while there are other shows on the air today that do the same thing, The Electric Company was the one that started it all. Of course kids today have no idea who any of the A-list ‘70s actors who frequently made guest appearances are, but for us parents, it’s a nice blast of nostalgia.

Special features:

• A "Remember The Electric Company" featurette
• New episode intros by cast members Judy Graubart, Luis Avalos, Skip Hinnant, Jim Boyd, and Hattie Winston
• Trivia in the form of pop-ups (like the show’s original title, The Reading Program)

I know my 6-month-old is way too young for The Electric Company now, but when the time comes, this will be the perfect program to introduce her to reading in a fun way. In the meantime, she’ll love watching her sister dance around the house to the music.

Grade A+

Season 2, Episode 2. Aired on 6/18/2007.

Part 1:

Previously: The last episode. And Ben had sex with his girlfriend, Brynn.

Credits. God only knows why Bill Paxton chooses to act well in some of his movies, but not others.

The episode opens with shots of the various “Home Plus Is Us” billboards that are strewn all around town, all of which have Bill’s smiling face plastered on them.

Sister Wife Central. Nicki is preparing two gifts at her kitchen table, which we later learn are for Barb and Bill to celebrate their anniversary with her. Elsewhere, Bill is talking on the phone with Lois, who wants to talk about Joey. She doesn’t want to be a part of the cover-up anymore and she wants to tell the truth. “Well, we’re all telling the essential truth,” Bill argues. Does he actually believe the bullshit he speaks?

Anyway, Bill asks what she’s doing at a laundromat and Lois tries to lie that she’s at the gas station, so Bill fills her in on the wonders of Caller ID. Lois looks at the back of the pay phone she’s on, in search of this so-called Caller ID. When she can’t find it, she just hangs up, scandalized by such a thought. Hee. They never let us in on why she’s at the laundromat or why she felt the need to lie about it.

Barb is dressed for her first day of class. Nicki walks in and happily tells Bill and Barb, “Good morning!” She has a plate full of some sort of baked good, which Bill and Barb just take, like it’s normal for her to randomly bake stuff (I don’t think that it is). Barb asks Nicki to cook tonight, since she has a class at 4:00, and instead of opening her damn mouth, Nicki just meekly asks, “Tonight?” and doesn’t protest. Everyone leaves for the day and she looks sad.

Ben is driving himself and Bill to work, while Bill preaches about work and how we finish the work the Lord did and blah blah blah. Ben is starting work at Home Plus and wants no special treatment. He then informs his father that he wants Brynn to meet the family. The whole family. He assures his father that she already knows about their situation. “She kind of figured it out.” Which is believable, given that she’s seen both Nicki and Margene pick him up from school.

Bill sees one of the new billboards and points it out to Ben excitedly. Only, someone has spray-painted “+ US” on it three times, so that it now reads: “Home Plus Is Us, + Us + Us + Us.” Bill understandably freaks and demands that Ben pull over, remembering to add “Check your blindspot!” Hee. Oh, the days of learning to drive.

Juniper Creek. Joey is walking home with some groceries when a Hummer comes rolling up, blaring “Tainted Love.” Alby steps out. Hah! I knew he was gay, and he’ll prove me right later in the episode. His thugs force Joey into the vehicle.

Home Plus. Don and Peg have seen the billboard and are obviously upset. They want it taken down immediately because it is clearly bad for business. Peg thinks Wendy did it and Bill seems ready to believe her.

Juniper Creek. Roman listens as Rhonda records “Oh, Happy Day” for her upcoming album. Wait a sec. Didn’t Roman ban music just one week ago? Maybe a couple weeks ago in show time? I guess music is allowed as long as it’s sung by sister wives? I … don’t know.

Alby and Joey interrupt and Roman has Joey call Bill so that he can listen in on the call and record the conversation. Bill tells Joey about Lois wanting to defect and that he needs to go talk to her, basically implicating all three of them in the poisoning. He even mentions all of the crimes he’s committed. Heh. Roman tells Joey that there will be a vote on a UEB matter tomorrow and that he is not to tell Bill. “After that, we’ll see. Everything’s going to work out just fine.” Joey looks like he’s going to throw up and leaves. Aw.

Alby is thrilled that they can now prosecute the lot of them, but Roman says that they will do no such thing, seeing as how Joey is now their pawn and that is much more important than Alby getting justice. Alby argues that they poisoned him and Roman says that he doesn’t care if “they hop up on the table and dance the tootsie-wootsie!” HAH! Roman should say “tootsie-wootsie” in every episode. He tells Alby to drop it and Alby looks like he’s only just now realizing that his father could not care less about him.

Sister Wife Central. Barb has called for Nicki, and in a nice touch, Nicki gets this smile on her face because she clearly thinks that Barb has remembered and has called to wish her a happy anniversary. Barb has actually called to inquire after some money that she gave Nicki to deposit, because her tuition check bounced. Nicki is the last person I would ever trust with my money. I’m just saying. Of course, Nicki did not deposit it so Barb asks if she could do that today then.

Barb: And I hope you’re still going to your Debtors Anonymous classes. (Oh, own!)

Nicki: I’m not saying we’re not happy to have you back, Barb, but I find that really offensive.

Nicki is so far up her own ass, she can’t see straight. I mean, she doesn’t have the money to deposit. She spent it. And she has the nerve to say Barb is offending her? Then she asks Margie for $60. I really don’t like Nicki. I just don’t like her and not in that I-love-to-hate-her way, either. I don’t find her enjoyable to watch.

Alby is at an actual police station, presenting all of his evidence. They are dubious, seeing as how his attackers took him to the hospital and they haven’t heard anything about the investigation from the JCPD. I’m curious about how Juniper Creek can have jurisdiction over a criminal case. I’m also curious as to why the state doesn’t just go in and arrest all of the polygamists. I’m going to have to do some research.

Throughout this whole thing, Alby keeps shiftily checking out the officers. At first, I thought he was eyeing their guns, but he is definitely checking out their asses in their tight pants. I wonder if this is why he couldn’t kill that gay prostitute last season like Roman wanted him to.

Sister Wife Central. Nicki needs another $40 from Margene, who just hands it over with a smile, like the good sister wife she is. As much as I dislike Nicki, I loooove Margene.
Wanda calls, begging Nicki to come help her and Joey. She says it’s dangerous there and that they need to get away but their car is broken. As she talks, we see Joey sitting on the couch, calmly drinking straight from a bottle. Oh, Joey. I find this whole situation terribly sad. Nicki tries to avoid actually going out there, but Wanda begs and cries until Nicki says that she’s on her way.

Margie wants to come and help and see Nicki’s home. Nicki relents and when Margie asks if Wanda really poisoned her brother and why she would do that, Nicki just says, “You met him.” Wait, they don’t know about the whole poisoning fiasco? Does Bill tell them nothing?

Nicki and Margie drive and eat Twizzlers. Nicki sighs dramatically and says, “Well, Happy Anniversary to me.” Margie looks very upset and apologizes.

Nicki: Oh, no. It’s too late. It’s ruined.

Shut up, Nicki. Margie defends Bill and Barb, but Nicki’s not having any of it. She tells Margie that she’ll never understand until she’s been “hurt like this.” Also, it is very pretty out in rural Utah. If these scenery shots are even really Utah.

Home Plus Warehouse. Brynn shows up to chat with Ben at work, which I think is kind of inappropriate, especially on his first day. She asks what’s so important and he looks like he’s going to pass out. He tells her that his family believes in the everlasting covenant of plural marriage. Brynn just stares blankly and says, “What?” He goes on to explain the family history of how Barb got sick and Nicki came to take care of her, and that the whole family really liked her. “You’re a polygamist?!” Brynn snaps. She is shocked, says it’s not normal over his protests, but then asks how many moms he has. Brynn looks prettier this season. Thinner in the face, maybe, and more make-up or something.

University of Utah. Barb sips coffee and is happy. I am happy for her. And … scene.

Don waits by the defaced billboard, which no one has come to fix yet. He asks the employees of a nearby restaurant if they saw anything, but they do not speak English.

Home Plus. Bill tells Peg to call Billy Owens, the guy in charge of the billboards. Peg flat out refuses and explains to him that they don’t want to draw attention to this problem by getting angry at Owens. They can’t take their business elsewhere, as he owns all the billboards in Utah. Bill doesn’t understand why she’s so upset, seeing as how it’s his name and his face up there. “Maybe that wasn’t the best idea,” Peg tells him.

Barb shows up and Peg leaves. Barb is just so excited and says today has been the best day of her life. “I signed a petition to ban animal testing just because I felt like it!” Aw, she's so cute. Bill seems genuinely happy for her.

Margie calls from around the corner of a gas station and tells Barb about Nicki’s anniversary. Barb curses, “Oh, jiminy crickets.” Hee. She tells Bill and he’s all, “Why didn’t you remind me?” Barb just looks at him and says, “Excuse me?”

Barb asks her to make dinner tonight and Margie says she will and she has to go. Nicki knows what she was doing and asks which one forgot first. Margie says they both forgot, smiling beautifully. Seriously, Ginnifer looks gorgeous in this episode.

Barb laments that she’s never forgotten an anniversary and she’ll make Nicki’s favorite foods for dinner. Bill doesn’t want her to miss her class, but she assures him that she’ll get dinner ready and then go to class.

She gets home with groceries and Sarah is in a mood, probably a mix of getting stuck babysitting the boys and her general anti-polygamy attitude of late. Heather surprises Barb and genuinely asks her how she’s doing, while Sarah berates her mother for putting her sister wives above herself. Barb argues that it’s her anniversary, too, and Heather is cool with it, like always. Sarah drags Heather out and calls Barb “sister wife.” Heather looks at Barb apologetically. I’m sorry, I know Sarah is going through stuff right now, but that rude behavior is just uncalled for.

Bill and Don have a pow-wow beneath the infamous billboard. Bill asks Don if he thinks his (Bill’s) face should be up there. Don says that it’s Bill’s store but that they’re vulnerable and there are limits to what they can do. Bill goes on to bitch about how he can’t tell Barb because she still fells so guilty and how he forgot Nicki’s anniversary and like, does he think Don doesn’t have problems? Does he think that this whole billboard fiasco isn’t affecting him or his life? He’s just so selfish.

Bill: My son saw the sign. (angry pause) This thing’s coming down now.

Part 2 is on its way!

Miss Cordy is a senior at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. She is seeking a double-major in Political Science and Advertising/Public Relations. She has written for her local newspaper, focusing on the world of entertainment — movies and television. Her favorite movies are the Lord of the Rings series and her favorite TV shows are Heroes, Lost, The Amazing Race and Dancing with the Stars.

I went to see A Mighty Heart today because I wanted to be convinced that Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl would work. It didn’t. Not for me.

If I could describe this movie as a food, it would be chop suey. It's a mixed-up mess of events. I could follow much of the police action because I’ve read the book, seen the many interviews, and watched a CNN special that traced all the known events and people behind Pearl’s kidnapping. The average person does not really care about the Muslims, the terrorists, and the city that filled most of the scenes. What they came to see – a personal drama about two extraordinary married journalists – is missing. This movie is not about love, or family. Sorry folks. It's about Angelina.

Director Michael Winterbottom makes Karachi, Pakistan the star of the film and forgets all about building up some emotion and good will for the couple the movie is supposed to be about. I would have completely reversed the order of the movie and made the end the beginning, and then continued from there. I was sorely disappointed that the wedding scene and the little bit of life in Paris was relegated to the very end of the film. This was a huge miscalculation on the director or the editor’s part.

Why? Because here would have been the place where something could have been inserted about Daniel Pearl, a man from a family with deep Israeli roots — scenes and sentiments that would make him a real person who once lived, loved, and later died a horrible death, publicly. It would have also brought Mariane to life. Here is a woman who has a deep-seated Buddhist faith and is from a multi-racial, multi-ethnic background.

Less city, more people. Most of the film’s action takes place in the house, and the city of Karachi. Mariane, in the film and in life, clung to her faith when the Muslims around her stopped for one of their five daily prayer times — she would go to her Buddhist altar and repeat her mantra. Through my boredom, I finally got a good sense of this movie. It was during one of the many moments when the cast was sitting around the table in the rented house. I realized suddenly that this is a movie about some well-meaning foreigners having Angelina over for dinner, night after night. She's the guest in this movie! She is never integrated — only a megawatt star with magic and Meryl Streep caliber could have convincingly cooked and served up the Cuban-style dishes.

The good news comes in the form of Angelina’s accent. It's good. And it helps, but the effect — I was left missing the real Mariane. I missed her Buddhism, and I missed her blackness. I think casting Jolie in this role was a big mistake. And the only thing that I can compare it to is Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (2006). If he had taken a role in his film, that would have been a mistake, too. One of the raves about that movie was the native cast. As for emotion here: it registers nada, zilch, zero, nothing that I could detect. It's style over substance as usual.

In the end there is no dessert with this dinner. Instead the audience is stuck with a predictable meltdown from Mariane when she learns of her husband's death.

That would be fine, but in this movie it is simply out of place. It doesn't fit with the cool documentary-drama style Winterbottom maintains throughout the film. While the directing of this movie would best be described as chop suey, there is a small fortune cookie with the meal. The fortune is good. It comes in the person of Irrfan Khan (The Namesake). He plays the Captain, the chief of Pakistan's counterterrorism unit. He steals the show. Overall, the cast in this movie holds its own. They do not upset the cart. My advice: wait for the DVD or read the book. My Grade: C-.

Rated: R for language
Genre: Drama
Run time 1:48 min
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Irrfan Khan
Based on the book A Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl

In a searing two-hour indictment of the American health care system, and, partly, the American way of life, Michael Moore presents us his latest documentary, Sicko, perhaps in the hope that it will make a difference. There is much in the film to give viewers sleepless nights, but it is more than a mere litany of grief and sickness. We are presented with alternative models of health care, and a hard push is made for universal health care in one form or another.

Michael Moore may be emerging as an accomplished auteur of personal documentary-style cinema with Sicko. His knack for turning the camera and the viewers into patient listeners and observers of reality imparts an anthropological flair to the film. All the same, this is not an anthropological documentary like one we might see on the Discovery Channel or National Geographic. Sicko blends personal histories with tragic moments, some dry humour with even a bit of farce and play-acting of solutions, such as the by-now infamous trip to Cuba, and the 'revelations' of universal health care in the Guantanamo Bay prison, and subsequent medical treatment of 9/11 rescue workers in Havana, Cuba.

The American health care system might be better than, say, that of Burundi, but, as Michael Moore shows, it has bartered social goals for capitalist objectives. This would ordinarily be a good thing, and indeed is what has given the free markets system its undeniable ability to deliver the most benefits from constrained resource sets, yet it may not be the only way to solve a constrained-resources problem like delivering limited health care resources to a seemingly unlimited consumer base. As the examples of Canada, Britain, France, and even Cuba illustrate, health care can be treated much like other social services such as policing, fire engines, and schools, and delivered through a collectivized cost process that commits to availability of these social services to every citizen, irrespective of economic or health status.

The film touches on numerous additional social issues, albeit tangentially, such as the debt crisis in American society, and demolishes numerous shibboleths about universal health care, such as the availability of medical services in countries that follow this model, like Canada. He demonstrates through real-world examples how the system could work, if social benefits were given more priority. Some of his examples will doubtless be dissected and critiqued, gaps in reportage scrutinized, and counter-examples provided by defenders of private-driven health care systems in neoliberal America. Yet it would be close to impossible to deny his basic thesis, namely that the system is broken, not just for the 50 million or so uninsured citizens, but even for the non-plutocratic rest of us, who are merely trying to get by, and paying up our insurance premiums, and hoping against hope that there would be no need to go up against the health-care system for anything more serious than a sniffle; although, as Michael Moore shows, even a simple yeast infection can be sufficient cause to deny benefits in the future.

Despite its length, Sicko does not go too deeply into many aspects, such as the actual role of Big Pharma in the health care crisis, focusing more on the big insurers and their adherence to profit principles, showing how this distorts priorities and the quality of delivered health care. There are a few overlong sections that could have been cut, such as an aging Old Labour warrior singing the praises of Clement Atlee's National Health Service, the British 'national religion'.

The Hillary Clinton-espoused universal health care exercise of the 1990s is also explored, and this might have been the film that handed her the Presidency, were it not for the none-too-unusual revelation that she accepted significant lobbying/campaign contributions from the very industry she set out to reform, becoming, in 2005-06, the second-highest health care funded politician in the United States,though not the only one. The industry-politics nexus is not limited to health care, or even to the United States, and is a natural outcome of a neoliberal system, yet it is somewhat disconcerting to see it in action, especially when it is our lives and health at stake rather than sausage and pork barrels.

Michael Moore's favorite whipping-boy, President George W Bush, is picked on a few times in this film, although more in the sense of highlighting relevant Bushisms and his role in passing the Medicare Act of 2003. Sicko segues onto themes raised in Moore's last film, Fahrenheit 9/11 by providing a kind of report card on the plight of 9/11 rescue workers and their illnesses, and in a moving scene, demonstrating the universality of tragedy through the honoring of American rescue workers by Cuban fire fighters.

The film provides a warning and perhaps an opportunity, yet it is hard to believe that it could overturn an entire health care system in the most prosperous country in the world. All the same, if it makes a difference in a few lives, it would have done more than most films.

With the lines between fiction and reality becoming increasingly blurred — what with the preponderance of “reality shows” and newspeak accounts of everything from the war in Iraq to Midwestern flash floods — it’s almost easy to accept the premise of a documentary about a burglar presented in real time. Street Thief (premiering tonight on A&E, 10PM EST) takes brief pains to bill itself as a “filmed record” rather than a documentary, chronicling the crimes of an actual burglar. But the intent remains the same.

Once we accept the premise that Kaspar Carr, perhaps Chicago’s greatest and most elusive burglar, is allowing a couple of documentary filmmakers to accompany and film him as he commits his audacious heists, Street Thief becomes a compelling, if disturbing work of cinema verite told with a noir slant. Whether we believe director Malik Bader’s claims that he’s intimately familiar with the tricks of the trade the film depicts is largely inconsequential. It unfolds in such a matter of fact way that we’re drawn into the world of Kaspar Carr and his meticulous planning of each job he does. He’s utterly amoral, viewing each hit with a businessman’s eye.

We watch, fascinated, as he details the planning that goes into each heist. It’s by no means glamorous work—he digs through dumpsters for receipts; taps phone lines; surveys his target for months; and generally takes whatever measures necessary in the planning stages before he goes through with the burglary. They’re not glamorous heists, either—usually mom and pop grocery counters, strip clubs, and even a Cinemark movieplex. Carr finds his mark anywhere he knows there will be a great deal of cash when he strikes.

Kasper Carr, as portrayed by director Bader, is as complex as any person we know in our everyday lives. When he’s working, he’s completely focused on the job at hand. But during his “off” hours, he’s just a regular guy. He is even seen barbequeing steaks for his documentarian followers, politely asking them if they’re hungry before he pulls through a fast food drive-thru.

Throughout, he exudes a public persona that offers no hints as to how he makes his living. Much like the starry-eyed filmmakers who fall deeper into his world, we find ourselves wanting to hang out with Kaspar Carr, while every fiber of our being tells us he represents all that we loathe.

Street Thief is a confounding film at best, and therein lays its power. How much of it is based on reality is debatable, which was Bader’s intent. When it opened to much acclaim at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006, reactions ranged from praise for its gritty realism, to outrage for its toying with the viewer. The fact that it can elicit that kind of reaction is in itself a testament to its power.

Ultimately, it makes us look at our voyeuristic fascination with the outlaw in a way that’s rarely explored in film. In so doing, it forces us to take a look at where we’re going as a society. That alone makes it worth a view.

Bringing very successful Broadway musicals to the big screen is notoriously difficult. It is often easy to lose the power and intimacy created on a stage when a story is magnified to fit the bigger than life proportions of a Hollywood film.

Director Bill Condon (Kinsey) also wrote the Dreamgirls screenplay (he won an Oscar back in 2004 for penning Chicago), which was based on the book by Tom Eyen. Dreamgirls, the thinly veiled story of Motown and its most successful girl group, The Supremes, was a smash hit when it debuted on Broadway in 1981. For twenty-five years some of Hollywood’s biggest players, including David Geffen, tried to get a film version made but weren’t able to see it through.

Bill Condon was an excellent choice to helm such a complex story. Dreamgirls is the story of three African-American girls from Detroit with dreams of being singing stars in the early to mid-sixties. As the film opens, the three girls, Deena (Beyoncé Knowles), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Effie (Jennifer Hudson), known as the Dreamettes, intend to win a talent show using a routine cooked up by Effie’s brother C.C. (Keith Robinson) in hopes of a big break. Unbeknownst to them, the show is rigged against them. After the show a Cadillac salesman named Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx) who yearns to be a music industry insider realizes that the Dreamettes would be a perfect backup group for R&B star James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy). Suddenly everyone’s dreams are falling into place.

Set throughout the turbulent sixties and early seventies, it quickly becomes clear that talent isn’t all it takes to become a star. Payola must be used to get the Dreamettes' records on the radio and most cruelly of all, Effie, the girl with the gigantic voice, is moved to back-up singer in favor of the visually stunning Deena.

The casting of Dreamgirls is simply superb. Beyoncé Knowles plays Deena with the burning ambition that Deena obviously has to succeed but she also gives her a sense of frustration that crackles below the surface through much of the film, blazing forth as she sings the song “Listen.” It is then that we are sure that she has found her own voice and the confidence to break away from Curtis Taylor Jr.

Jennifer Hudson simply became Effie. That’s saying a lot since Effie is the role that made the great Jennifer Holliday a star on Broadway. When I first went to see Dreamgirls in a movie theater I remember thinking, “Well, nobody can sing that part as good as Jennifer Holiday but maybe she wont be terrible.” Suffice to say, when Ms. Hudson sang “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going” the audience, myself included, was mesmerized. When the song was over, most of the audience applauded as if we were watching a live performance.

Eddie Murphy gives the finest performance of his career as James “Thunder” Early. Early represents countless black entertainers during the sixties who weren’t able to gain ‘superstar’ status because of the racial divides that existed in America at the time. He represents the musician who came before, making the success of artists like Otis Redding and James Brown possible.

Murphy gives Jimmy a real sense of vulnerability. We understand that he is not the confident man many think he is. He is indeed "fakin' his way to the top." Murphy’s performance was worthy of an Academy Award. Murphy sings and daces his way through the film but as time progresses, his body shows his slow disintegration as he loses his grip on everything he loves.

Watching Dreamgirls on DVD made me appreciate the film even more. While Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy received much acclaim for their performances, Beyoncé Knowles deserves kudos for her portrayal of Deena Jones. While Jennifer Hudson’s Effie chews up scenery with a fiery intensity in the forefront of much of the story, it is Knowles' character Deena who is pulling all the strings and doing whatever she has to do to make the Dreams as successful as possible.

Bill Condon successfully mixed numerous on-stage musical numbers with plenty of offstage material to set up the backstory. Condon makes you care what happens to each of the characters, even in those moments when you might not like them very much.

The DVD is a very clear widescreen transfer. Since Dreamgirls is a musical, it is essential that the sound be a crisp. The English audio is available in both 5.1 and 2.0. There is also a 5.1 mix in French, and English and Spanish subtitles.

The Dreamgirls (Two Disc Showstopper Edition) is bursting with extras and is a must-have for any fan of the film. The extras on disc one are all about the music from the movie. In addition to the promotional music video for the Beyoncé track "Listen" (a combination of a Beyoncé lip-sync and movie footage which I would call a trailer), there are 11 extended versions of performances from the movie and what is billed as an unreleased song by Jennifer Hudson. The unreleased track is "Effie, Sing My Song," and it's actually a short duet between Hudson and Keith Robinson when C.C. reunites with Effie and convinces her to record "One Night Only."

DVD 2 is all supplemental material chronicling the behind-the-scenes development of the Dreamgirls adaptation. Building the Dream is a full-length documentary (it runs nearly two hours). The story begins on Broadway, explaining the start of the stage version and moving into Bill Condon's involvement with the film right up to the premiere. Building the Dream also shows some of the cast auditions. Beyoncé performs "Dreamgirls" solo with piano accompaniment for her audition, Anika Noni Rose sings "Ain't No Party," also accompanied by piano.

Other features include “Dream Logic: Film Editing,” “Dressing the Dreams: Costume,” and “Center Stage: Theatrical Lighting.” All of these special features definitely provide something for everyone, and provide the viewer a backstage look at a special film.

Since I’ve watched Dreamgirls Two-Disc Showstopper Edition, I’ve been listening to The Supremes: The Ultimate Collection and wondering what Diana Ross thinks of the movie. What would Florence Ballard think? While these may be interesting thoughts to ponder, Dreamgirls stands as one of the finest movie musicals I’ve ever seen.

Taken from the front pages of the world's newspapers is the story of the kidnapping and beheading execution of Daniel Pearl, the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal. As seen through her own eyes, and as told in her memoir, A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl, this film recounts these events from the perspective of Mariane Pearl.

On January 23, 2002, the six months pregnant journalist Mariane Pearl's (Angelina Jolie) life changed forever. Her husband, journalist Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman) was researching a story on the shoe bomber Richard Reid when leads drew him to Karachi, Pakistan. Here a go-between had promised access to an elusive source, Kaleem Yusuf (Telal Saeed) to discuss his meeting with Sheikh Gilani (Ikram Bhatti). As Danny left for the meeting, he told Mariane he might be late for dinner. He never returned.

As the story unfolds, the desperate hunt for Danny starts without any information. The story moves at a quick pace, as investigators search for information from cell phone towers, ISPs, color copiers, and informants. Seasoned international journalists with formidable investigative skills are left clueless.

The Inter-Services Intelligence agency (I.S.I.) is fully briefed on Pakistan's proliferating terrorist cells while the byzantine bureaucracy swamps the city in their search. After five harrowing weeks and a media frenzy, they find the kidnappers. This is the meat of the movie as the cloak and dagger scenes examine the shocking world of politics, religion, and war. Finally, Mariane is given the devastating news that Danny has been brutally murdered.

I was leery of the casting of Angelina Jolie as Mariane, but I was wrong to doubt her. She is outstanding as well as dignified without diminishing the character of the Pearl family. The scene where she learns of Daniel's death is one of her best performances — she gives out a heart-wrenching cry that is unspeakably real. This film manages to respect its source material without losing its direction.

In the five years since Daniel Pearl's death, nearly 230 journalists have been killed in the line of duty.

Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Running time: 120 minutes
Release date: June 22, 2007
Genre: Drama, Adaptation and Biopic/Docudrama
Distributor: Paramount Vantage
MPAA Rating: R

Bad kung fu movies are a great way to mindlessly burn away an otherwise gloomy afternoon. Few cinematic experiences can deliver the same kind of unbridled mirth obtained from witnessing a poorly dubbed martial arts movie, especially if the film in question is stuffed like your mother's Thanksgiving turkey with horrible dialogue, ridiculous fights, and a whorehouse teeming with every venereal disease known to mankind. One of the easiest ways to acquire such a picture is to say your prayers every night and to sacrifice the remains of your childhood pets to the all-knowing, God-like, dog-shaped figurine in the sky. Or so I've been told, anyway.

I received the hopelessly obscure kung fu opus Ninja Death when I dropped several crisp American dollars for the Martial Arts 50 Movie Pack, a box set filled with some of the lamest and most hilariously awful kung fu flicks I've ever had the privilege of owning. It's a treasure trove for the bad cinema aficionado, a cheap cardboard container housing all sorts of questionable martial arts booty. You know you're just aching to purchase a copy for yourself, you impossibly randy bastard.

The story concerns itself with a guy named Tiger and his misadventures while managing a small Chinese brothel teeming with exotic female companions. Naturally, life is as dandy as store bought candy for our mildly ridiculous hero, that is, until a group of shady Japanese characters open a bordello on the other end of town. And when I say shady Japanese characters, I mean ninjas. Nimble ninjas, the kind that wear solid black outfits and wield extremely sharp swords. Needless to say, the competition is deadly serious about providing incredible customer satisfaction at cutthroat prices.

The ninjas, it would seem, are led by the mysterious Grand Master, a sinister fellow who is desperately searching for a man with a unique plum flower tattoo plastered prominently across his hairless chest. Tiger's mentor, a gentleman known only as "The Master," believes this new threat is linked to his pupil's storied past, prompting the old man to prepare his student for the battle to come. Once the obligatory training sequence is out of the way, Tiger and The Master are forced to contend with a number of bizarro enemies as their lives quickly spiral out of control. Can these two bumbling heroes stop the Grand Master from accomplishing his sadistic mission before the film ends abruptly?

Since the epic Ninja Death saga has been broken into an easily digestible three-course meal, I've decided to approach each segment as an individual film. I also recommend that you do the same, allowing at least a 24-hour gestation period in between chapters. Why, you ask, should you wait one full day to continue this awe-inspiring narrative? Because, dear readers, consuming this life-altering kung fu extravaganza in one sitting could cause serious damage to basic bodily functions, including loss of eyesight, permanent erectile dysfunction, and a particularly nasty case of pink eye. You've been warned.

With a name like Ninja Death, one should expect to find the following off-brand items peppered throughout the film: lots of ninjas and a considerable amount of death. Thankfully, the filmmakers — who have kindly removed their names from the opening credits — didn't skimp on the essentials, serving a generous portion of violent martial arts wizardry to those hungry for such fattening fare. The numerous fight sequences are suitably outlandish and appropriately cheesy, thanks in part to a cast of unbelievably kooky characters and their impressive arsenal of goofy ninja weaponry. The hulking brute in the devil mask is a personal favorite, a man designed specifically to appeal to the eight year-old boy lurking inside every moronic kung fu fan. It's okay — I'm there for you.

The most appealing aspect of this film, however, would be the English dub soundtrack. Midway through the picture, everyone develops a zany British accent, replacing the dodgy American-tinged voice work heard during the first action-packed thirty minutes. The transition is subtle, mind you, but you'll pick up on it sooner or later, I'm sure. The quality of the dub, of course, allows for a number of infinitely quotable moments, the kind of garbage you'll trade back and forth with your nifty MySpace pals for months to come. It's bad poetry in motion. Simply marvelous.

Ninja Death is the ultimate martial arts party movie, an off-beat kung fu adventure overflowing with gratuitous violence, pointless nudity, uncomfortable sex scenes, bawdy humor, and lots of spiffy expletives. If the sequels are as genuinely absorbing as the first entry, yours truly will be a very, very happy camper lost in a forest filled with enormous psychedelic mushrooms. As it stands, Ninja Death is reason enough to drop a small wad of sweaty cash for Mill Creek Entertainment's satisfying Martial Arts 50 Movie Pack. It's a bad kung fu fan's dream come true. With ninjas.

And death.

On Wednesday’s General Hospital:

Lucky tried to take back his accusations that Jake was kidnapped by some fault of Elizabeth’s but it was just too little too late as far as she was concerned. In a heart to heart with Emily Liz says she can’t hold Lucky together, it’s taking every ounce of energy she has to keep herself focused on Jake.

With all his doubts about Sam swirling in his head, Jason can’t help but wonder if she is the one who kidnapped his son. Not being able to do anything from his jail cell, he asks Spinelli to keep a close eye on her and report back anything unusual. Both men are concerned when Sam encourages Spinelli to not get involved in the search and when she receives a delivery of a blue infant sleeper.

The possible list of suspects include Sam, Amelia, and Jerry, but I’m not too sure it will be any of the above, and least not entirely one person. I also don’t think we’ll see a mob connection on this one, even though Jake’s paternity is the worst kept secret in town.

After a blowout with Amelia, Sam runs off to the Metro Court bar where she drowns her sorrows in alcohol. As usual, when drunk Sam has a way of saying way too much, and this time it was to Carly, nearly telling the other woman of Jason’s connection to Elizabeth before Amelia dragged her away.

Edward was thrilled that Tracy continued talking to her brother the ghost in front of Lainey, playing into his hand and prompting the psychiatrist to return with the men in white coats to drag her off to Shadybrook. How typically Quartermaine to institutionalize your daughter so you can grab shares of the company. Was it just me or did we get just the smallest glimpse that Monica can hear Alan too, as she stopped cold and glanced back at “the chair” after one of his remarks? It would be an unexpected twist for it to be Monica who rescues Tracy from her new padded cell.

Jax is up to something. Unexplained phone calls and visits from Alexis have Carly worried it has something to do with Jerry, but I’m fairly sure this is not the case as the show ended with Jax whisking Carly off to the plane asking him to trust her. Jax would not take Carly on a chase after his brother — but that doesn’t mean that he won’t be off after his sibling soon.

Warning! News and Spoilers Ahead!

We’re about three weeks away from the premiere of the Soapnet spinoff, Nightshift, and the cable channel has begun airing promos; check out one below:

If you’ve been paying close attention lately you’ve seen new sets (the new doctor’s lounge for one) and new characters (student nurses) for the show that will make its debut on July 12 at 10:00 pm.

Congratulations to Genie Francis and Rick Hearst for their Daytime Emmy wins!

Wife, mother, aspiring novelist, and music editor at BC Magazine, Connie Phillips spends most of her time in a fantasy land of her own creating. In reality, she writes about music, television, and the process of writing, when she’s not cheering on her kids at equestrian events. Contact: Phillips.connie@gmail.com

Ten years ago, the American Film Institute released their list of the 100 greatest American films. Now, a decade later they’ve slightly revised the list. The changes are not without merit. Along with additions, some films were bumped up a few notches, some dropped a few. Even the top ten underwent changes.

The reasons for adjusting the list are understandable. The past decade has seen changes in the technology behind movies and has resulted in some spectacular films. Additionally, the world has changed and so a film’s impact on today’s society has been altered. It was with these considerations in mind that AFI broke out their collective red pens and began slashing at the 100. Consider some of the additions.

Toy Story entered the canon at #99. It was included since it was the first computer-animated film. A brief discussion ensued about the heart of the story; while it was a great little movie, its merit here is purely technical. Also included because of groundbreaking filmmaking techniques was The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. It entered at number fifty. It was the only one of the trilogy to make it. These both illustrate very well, however, why a revision of the list was needed due to technical aspects of filmmaking.

Some other noteworthy additions: Spartacus and All the President's Men. The former is a sometimes brutal war movie about the price of freedom; the latter an expose of the Watergate conspiracy. These are interesting choices given the current political climate of the United States. There was also a movie called Nashville included. It involved country music but there's no apparent reason for it to be #60 of the top 100 films. Hicks aren’t that big of a constituency in this country, are they? Or was this just a joke?

A very worthy addition: Blade Runner. There is no science fiction movie that makes a person think more about the meaning of humanity than this movie. Another note here, Harrison Ford seems to be in many of these one hundred movies. Interesting.

The top ten were scrambled a little from ten years ago. They were as follows:

10. The Wizard of Oz (#6 last time)

9. The Graduate (#7 last time)

8. Schindler’s List (#9 last time)

7. Lawrence of Arabia (#5 last time)

6. Gone With the Wind (#4 last time)

5. Singin’ in the Rain (#10 last time)

4. Raging Bull (#24 last time)

3. Casablanca (#2 last time)

2. The Godfather (#3 last time)

1. Citizen Kane – still number one

The biggest change is Raging Bull’s rocket-like rise to the top five. It’s been said that Scorsese’s film are exposes of masculinity and that this is his masterpiece. Are men questioning themselves more this past decade?

It’s no surprise that Citizen Kane is still on top. Everyone unanimously agrees that it is the greatest of movies and it does have spectacular moments and is a tremendous work of art. (Personally, I’d vote for Monty Python and the Holy Grail as the greatest ever; it did not make the list at all and that is greatly offensive).

The presentation of the films was well done. Not a lot of blabbing, just a little bit of analysis and some commentary. The whole program moved briskly. Three hours were over before you knew it. Another ten years will see another edition of the list and it will be fascinating to see what changes are made by then.

You can see the whole list at AFI's website.

Now, go to your local movie rental store, check out pay-per-view, or load up your Netflix queue, and let’s watch some movies.