Fun Games & Movies

Shrek "Forever After", successfully beat out Iron Man 2

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:40:00 +0000

After Forever Shrek movie finally appears on this 2010. And the surprise is a direct defeat Iron Man 2 movie in the top box movies Offices. It was remarkable. In this year, at least until today, the existing two animated films that have extraordinary income is How to Train Your Dragon and now Shrek "Forever After" (The Final Chapter). From the last information I received, to date the film Shrek "Forever After" has been earning approximately approximately $ 70,838,207. Yeah ... it was hard for the audience tastes in a guess. Though this movie Shrek and has produced four times the audience was not bored, is still enthusiastic about the film continued Shrek. Shrek Forever After Movie (Group) Poster Print - 22" X 34"Shrek movie "Forever After" tells of Shrek (Mike Myers) is bored with his life now. He wanted to be like before the Ogre of the dreaded Ogre. One day Shrek meets a witch named Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn). They both made an agreement. Shrek given a chance to experience life as before, into the dreaded ogre for a full day and Rumpelstiltskin also get a chance one day he wants. The agreement apparently even bring disaster to the lives of Shrek. His wife Fiona (Cameron Diaz) changed attitude became a different person, children no longer Shrek, his friends like Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is also like never knew him. Shrek felt sorry and tried to regain his wife and his children also his companions. Well, how is it going? curious? please go to your favorite movie theater. And if you want to immediately get this movie on DVD or Blu-ray, please you click here for DVD or here for Blu-ray to get the film.~Source, http://www.surfingbrowsing.com

Watch Shrek Forever After Trailer

Sex and the City 2 = The luxury lifestyle

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:15:00 +0000

When this second sequel to the film "Sex and the city" is being circulated in cinemas. Along with this, many women who are infatuated with the style of dressing the characters in the film. The film itself is slowly but surely began to climb the ladder box office worldwide. Incredible! what the hell is really interesting from this film? even though the movie was just telling about the problems of four friends who all middle-aged woman and infatuated with fashion. Just read the reviews of this movie, there's nothing really special other than just relying on the luxury lifestyle.

In this second sequel, Sex and the City 2talked about life romance between Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr.Big (Chris North) who has been running for two years. They now live together in a new apartment. But apparently living together makes Carrie knows Big properties are more like watching classic movies in black and white above the bed, preferring to order fast food to be brought to the apartment rather than go out to eat together is romantic, and love to sit on the couch chatting. Carrie suddenly feel homesick with her glamorous life first. On the other hand, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is experiencing a crisis in the care of two small children and often whining. Moreover, she also made dizzy by the comments of her friends about her nanny's sexy. Then there was the workaholic Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), who finally arrivedat the point of frustration where she decided to stop working. No lag, Samantha (Kim Catrall) who likes to young man. From one of her boyfriend that she was introduced by a conglomerate of origin Abu Dhabi hotel entrepreneur who ultimately provide jobs and facilities Samantha flew to Abu Dhabi with a first-class flights, is also allowed to stay at his hotel at once luxurious and very expensive. This may be perfect for Samantha invites three friends! Then began their adventure in Abu Dhabi.

Watch Sex and the City 2 Trailer

Brief reviews Wolfman (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:11:00 +0000

Wolfman (2010), a horror film that tells of a man who turned into a half human and half wolf at full moon. Despite the horror genre but this film is not too stressful, not too scary. plot mediocre, but the characters are acting pretty good probably because the cast are actors who have experience in acting like Anthony Hopkins, who served as John Talbot, father of Lawrence Talbot, Benicio del Toro, who acted as Lawrence Talbot and Hugo Weaving who plays as a police detective Aberline Francis, who did not know them?. The director tries to build suspense through the creation of Blackmoor rural atmosphere of a dull, dim but not too much help. In my opinion, was less exploited Wolfmanmovie story strength in every scene. For example in the chase scene between Gwen and werewolf, supposedly in the scene would be more interesting and exciting, if only director able to dramatize the scene. Or when the police and villagers who had been ready with their weapons, waiting for the arrival of the werewolf, I do not feel the tension in these scenes, casual. So this film is not really recommended, but if you just want to watch it as entertainment weekend, the film is quite entertaining.

The story begins when Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) received a letter from his brother's fiancee, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) who tells his brother that Ben had died of a wild animal bites. After receiving the news immediately rushed to the Lawrence home. Where his father lived. There Lawrence heard rumors stating that his brother's death was not caused by ordinary beast but effect a werewolf bites that have long haunted the village. Lawrence's home coming is intended to reveal his brother's death these cases turned out to be disastrous for him. At night he was bitten by a werewolf while he tried to help a child. Werewolf bites are almost fatal if he was not helped by a gipsy. Miraculously, without waiting for a long time, injuries suffered by Lawrence can be quickly cured. Lawrence News heal wounds that are considered not reasonable cause local curiosity and a detective from london. Victims continue to fall and Lawrence slowly realize that the werewolf is a person who formerly were the cause of her death. How the rest of the story? Lawrence can successfully reveal whether a case? Let's go see this movie. ~Surfing Browsing Team

Watch Wolfman 2010 Trailer

A Nightmare On Elm Street

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Nancy, Kris, Quentin, Jesse and Dean lived in Elm Road. At night they all had the same dream would be the same human figure, a man wearing a tattered red and green sweater, hiding his face broken and gardener's gloves with the fingers from the blade

One by one, they are terrorized by dreams, where the only way out is to wake up from their sleep. But when one of them died with the wicked, they realized what was happening in the dream actually happened, and the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. Friends who are still alive try to discover how they become part of a dark fairy tale, and to save themselves, they must eliminate the source of the nightmare that forever .... Freddy Krueger ~Source: 21Cineplex.com

Iron Man 2

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 09 May 2010 16:04:00 +0000

Actors: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

Directors: Jon Favreau

Writers: Justin Theroux (screenplay), Stan Lee (Marvel comic book)

Do you like superhero movies? currently being screened in cinemas, a film about the armored hero Iron Man part 2. In this film is told how the business Tony Stark maintain his armor requested by the state as it is considered to endanger public safety if the armor is in the hands of civilians like Tony. At this time also Iron Man faces a pretty tough enemy, a man named Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) is told to have a personal vendetta to the Stark family. He was hurt that the father of Antony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) aka Iron Man has made his father in prison. Then with the expertise and ingenuity in its possession that is not inferior to Tony, he makes tekhnology armored weapons are no less powerful as Iron Man. They were then fighting it out and with the help of his friend, Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes, who wore his armor, eventually they both can beat the enemy.

Iron Man 2 movie even better than the first one still leaves improprieties, how can it be? Rhodes can be directly used armor Tony property without having first learned while in the first film had the tony just have to laboriously learning to control the armor. Hmmm, this movie is good only for the spectacle of fun do not expect a slick interwoven story of the film.

Indeed, after all, as good as any film made if it is not desirable audience, the purpose of making this film is getting a big profit is not achieved so ... hahaha ... congratulations on the success of the movie Iron Man 2 sold well this year! yeah, good work guys!. -By. Djefi Febian, Fun Games | Movies

Ben 10 - The Complete Season 1 (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 03:35:00 +0000

Healthily into its third season, it's only now that BEN 10's freshman year is finally coming out in dvd in all its thirteen episode glory. Debuting in December 27, 2005 on the Cartoon Network, BEN 10 was an immediate hit with the fans as the show, boasting a very cool concept, proved to be fun and eminently watchable. Plus, that theme song rocks.

The premise: Ordinary 10 year old Ben Tennyson comes upon a mysterious alien artifact (resembling a wristwatch) which grants him temporary access to the forms of ten alien species, each of whom is inherently imbued with its own superhuman ability. In the constant company of his wise and benign grandfather Max (who hints of an enigmatic past, proving that being a "plumber" is more exciting than one would think) and his clever, sassy cousin Gwen (who he initially dislikes), Ben, early on, learns his lessons as he heroically attempts to abide by the famous Spidey quote: "With great power comes great responsibility." But his attempts to live up to that credo are at constant odds with his more carefree and mischievous pre-adolescent tendencies. Accordingly, he strives to use his new-found super powers to nab villains, all the while keeping at bay the maurauding alien, octopus-faced Vilgax, who will stop at nothing to own the Omnitrix. But, as civic minded as he has become, that doesn't mean that young Ben can't have any fun...

The hook, of course, is that this young, normal kid all of a sudden gains and gets to play with the powers of ten formidable alien beings. Part of the fun is in witnessing Ben discover all the diverse forms (some of which are strange and kinda gross, and one, Ghostfreak, even really unnerving) he comes to inhabit and his varying reactions to 'em.

Family MegaHits II Collection (4 Best-Seller Games)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 03:08:00 +0000

Product Description

Four Full Version Games In One Incredible Collection! Experience the excitement of this brand new, value-packed collection. From explosive graphics to thrilling gameplay, Family MegaHits II has it all. This phenomenal collection of best-selling games will keep your family entertained for hours You Don't Know Jack Television - JACK's back -- the irreverent quiz show that teases your brain while tickling your funny bone. Over 800 all-new questions spanning 50 years of boob tube trivia. Test your TV savvy alone or duke it out with friends. Side-splitting questions include DisorDat, Picture Questions and JACK Attack. Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit - Feel the thrill of real competition or the rush of a hot pursuit. Scorch the streets on either side of the law. Racing doesn't get any better than this! Hit the streets in the exotic Lamborghini Diable SV or other high performance super cars. Race against computer opponents, other players and the law. Test your skills in eight challenging real-world environments. Railroad Tycoon II (1999 PC Game of the Year) - All aboard the Railroad Railroad II express! Work your way up the ranks and see if you have what it takes to be the next railroad baron. Build a transcontinental railway through the U.S., Central Europe, and other exciting places. Two centuries of historically accurate engines, scenes, maps and more! Play against 31 computer opponents or over the Internet. Titanic Adventure Out of Time - Plunge into a race against time that will determine not only your own survival, but the destiny of nations. Match wits with over 25 interactive characters. Fully interactive 3-D environments and real0time movement. Relive the experiences through an historically accurate replica of the ship.

God of War III

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:38:00 +0000

God of War III is a single player action game, exclusive to the PlayStation 3, and the final installment of the God of War trilogy. Containing signature and addictive God of Wargameplay — a combination of over-the-top action combat, exploration and puzzle-solving — along with an engrossing mythologically inspired storyline and a selection of new weapons and a new weapons system, it is a fitting conclusion to the much praised God of War franchise.

Story and Gameplay

God of War IIIallows players on the PlayStation 3 to take on the climatic role of the ex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he treads through the intimidating heights of Mt. Olympus and the dark depths of Hades once more to seek revenge on those who have betrayed him. Armed with double-chained blades, as well a selection of new weapons, Kratos must take on mythology's darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest to destroy Olympus and the mighty Zeus himself.

Key Game Features

Only on the PS3 - The award-winning development team leverages the processing power and technology of PlayStation 3 system to make God of War III one of the most-graphically advanced next gen titles available, with even the dramatic cut screens running off the in-game engine.
Groundbreaking Depth of Scale - Kratos will explore areas up to 4 times larger than those found in God of War II, as well as carve through entire armies while navigating on the back of Titans - living, moving, breathing levels as tall as the Empire State Building.
Realism - Players will battle in detailed and unique 3D worlds lit by thousands of dynamic lights and textures with quadruple the resolution, which allows for realistic muscle striations, detailed facial expressions, and new heightened levels of brutality and gore.
Signature Gameplay - Brutal combat, intricate puzzles, exploration of awe-inspiring worlds, and a compelling and satisfying ending to Kratos’ epic story.
Sophisticated Storyline - The God of War IIIstoryline is the epic conclusion to the trilogy; the storyline will be told in a way that is true to traditionalist roots in Greek mythology, from moral consequences to brutal battles against the gods.
Ridable Creatures - Several of the menacing creatures of Greek mythology in God of War IIIcan now be manipulated against their will, as Kratos uses them to cross chasms, inflict blind rage against enemies, reveal puzzles and secrets, and as tools of complete annihilation.
New Weapons and Combat System- New deadly weapons such as the Cestus — powerful metal gauntlets with devastating strength — and other brutal instruments of war that will allow Kratos to learn ruthless new techniques such as grappling with enemies and launching explosive wall-to-ground attacks.
Lighting Technologies - The dynamic lighting solution employed in GOW IIIis only feasible through the computing power provided by the Cell SPUs. For example, using the High Dynamic Range Lighting (HDRL) technology, the camera – when using Krato’s sightline - will emulate the human retina, causing players to feel a sharp brightness when Kratos exits a dark area and enters a sunlit area, similar to how the human eye would need to adjust.

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 02:36:00 +0000

A first-person oriented hunting game with action integrated into the storyline and mission play, bundled with the Top Shot Wii peripheral, Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010Wii Bundle challenges players to hone their skills as hunters, trackers and outdoorsmen in a quest to join a the world's most exclusive hunting club. In order to do this players take on a series of hunting challenges and mini-games armed with their wits and a diverse weapons arsenal, that will pit them against both big and small game from around the globe.

Story
In Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010, players step into the camouflaged shoes of Jack Wilde. A young, confident and skilled hunter and outdoorsman, his potential has been recognized by the mysterious "Orion Order," an ultra-exclusive hunting club with international connections. Even though Jack is still green, the powers that be at Orion are willing to give him a shot at joining, but first he must prove himself worthy. Jack jumps at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His test is made up of a series of membership trials against big game and small, in various environments and conditions and utilizing a variety of weapons, skills and techniques.

Top Shot Wii Peripheral Included
Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010Wii Bundle brings even more fun to the hunt with its inclusion of the Top Shot Wii peripheral. Made out of rugged but light bright orange plastic, the Top Shot accessory will never be mistaken for a real gun away from the game. But combined with your Wii Remote/Nunchuck controller configuration it allows for easy, rapid-fire and realistic action. And with a sawed off design it can be fired either from the shoulder or extended out like a pistol.

Gameplay

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010is played from a first-person perspective featuring a combination of mission play and mini-games that make up the already mentioned hunting trials. Players are guided through structured mission play by their in-game sponsor who contacts them, points them in the right direction and offers tips and warnings in the field as the hunt makes its way across the globe. In each hunt players are graded on a variety of skills ranging from safe navigation across dangerous wilderness terrain, animal tracking, and their abilities at stalking from cover and making clean, efficient kills. Players track game and find their way around the environment using "Hunter's Sense," a type of bullet time in which evidence of animals, varied available cover options to shoot from, specific animal locations and their level of alertness can be seen in a temporarily, slowed down view with on-screen color-coated indicators revealing each.

More rapid player movement, including sprint functionality, is available in regular view. Once an animal is sighted in the players weapon scope varying possible point totals are visible on the animal according to where it might be hit with a projectile. These include strikes to the heart, spine, lung and head. During hunts players can quickly and easily change weapons at the push of a button as the trophy animal persuaded requires. In-game weapons range from a variety of rifles, pistols, bows and more which can be unlocked as the game progresses. The ability to correctly use all graded skills gains the player points and medals for each animal players are tasked to bag.

In addition to the mission play of big game membership trials, Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010also features arcade style, timed mini-game hunts. These are spread throughout the game and feature a mix of birds and small game. Success in these serves the dual purpose of providing the opportunity of challenging marksmanship practice, without penalization in the main campaign and the chance to build experience points in your overall progression.

Four-person Multiplayer Mini-games
In addition to the campaign mini-game action described above, Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010for Wii comes packed with 13 arcade style shooting galleries. Supporting 4–person multiplayer, they ensure that you will never have to hunt alone.

Key Game Features

Story Based Action and Adventure

Play as Jack Wilde, a young, but formidable hunter.
Gain membership in the world's most exclusive hunting club.
Story written by Brain Andrew Gomez - Clive Barker's Jericho CO-creator, director and writer.

Incredible Terrain Challenges

Climb sheer cliff faces.
Escape avalanches.
Cross raging streams.

Vitals Shooting Mechanic

Simulates controlled breathing.
Dial in your crosshairs.
Lock on for the perfect shot.

Comprehensive Reward System

Instantaneous feedback for your performance.
Use cover points to earn high scores.
Earn club points to unlock new areas.

Campaign Mini-games

Fast paced hunting action featuring waterfowl, upland birds, small game.
Builds experience and in-game rating without penalties for misses.

Multiplayer Support - Wii version contains 13 shooting gallery mini-games designed with 4-player multiplayer support.

Product Description

Use this All-In-One Game & Gun Combo to become the ultimate big-game hunter! Travel the globe across five continents as you hunt the world’s greatest trophy animals. Your hunting and survival skills will be put to the test as you face dangerous game, treacherous environments and more! The included firearm peripheral, the first officially approved by Nintendo, makes this the most realistic hunting game to date!

Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 02:15:00 +0000

Wii Fit attracted millions of new players to the world of video games. Now Wii Fit Plusoffers a range of new features and enhancements to help players reinvigorate their workouts, along with exercises and balance games designed to keep them fun. Players will find a new dimension to the Wii Fitexperience as they easily set their own customized workout routines, or choose 20-, 30- or 40-minute workouts based on how much time they have available.

Users will also be able to choose from specialized workout routines that focus on all-around individual personal fitness goals or certain target areas. And with the addition of activities like Skateboarding and Rhythm Kung Fu, players will be using the Wii Balance Board accessory in a variety of new and fun ways.

Gameplay

As with the original Wii Fit release, Wii Fit Plusis designed, as its name implies, to improve the user's fitness. The game contains a large number of activities that fall into a variety of categories, including: yoga, aerobics, strength training and balance games. With all but a few exceptions, which utilize variations on a standard Wii Remote configuration, all activities utilize the Wii Balance Board (included with this bundle), either alone or configured with either a Wii Remote alone or the Wii Remote and nunchuck. The Balance Board, like any other Wii controller acts as a motion/pressure sensing device wirelessly synched to your Wii and replicating your body's movements.

Each controller employed occupies one of the Wii's four wireless inputs, together mapping the reference points needed to recreate most full body motions on screen. Although this limits the majority of the activities to a single player orientation, various activities throughout the game support up to eight players in alternating play.

To use Wii Fit Plus players import their Miis from their Wii system, set up profiles, establish a current physical baseline, set fitness goals, and embark on a routine to reach them. Wii Fit Plus tracks your usage, weight and progress towards your goal over time, giving you a status report as you start each session. At any time players can choose whatever activity they want, whether exercise or balance game, and as they progress in these they will level up in each, gaining points, setting high scores and unlocking more activities.

Personalization Option Via 'The Locker Room'
The original Wii Fit was designed to have something for everyone. Now Wii Fit Plusraises the bar by providing users with personalization options that allow them to find/create a specific workout routine that is exactly right for them, their family and their lifestyle. One example of this is "The Locker Room." Easily accessible throughout the game, here players can choose from a number customizable options that allow them to maximize their time with Wii Fit Plus without having to navigate through the game menu while in the middle of a workout. In essence this allows players to become their own personal trainer. Customization options available within The Locker Room include: preprogrammed and timed Wii Fit Plus Routines; My Routine, where you choose your own set of activities, optimizing their length and area of the body to be focused on; and Favorites, a notation of activities you frequent, which provides fast access to exercises you enjoy doing the most.

Addition Yoga and Strength Exercises
Designed as an addition to the already substantial list of focused, physical exercises available in Wii Fit, Wii Fit Pluscontains six new and challenging strength and yoga activities. But continuing with the game's commitment to personalization, the key to these additions is not in their volume, but in how the player chooses to mix and match them. Do them in the order they are presented, or combine them in whatever order you want. The choice is yours. The player even has the ability to repeat the ones that he/she prefers, maximizing attention and effort where it is needed most. In addition, for those to whom time is a commodity, you can now omit unnecessary interludes between exercises, making for a continuous, timesaving routine.

A Wealth of New Balance Games
Regardless of the considerable fitness factor packed into Wii Fit Plus, the Nintendo brand is and will always be all about having fun. With that in mind Wii Fit Plusalso comes packed with 15 new, entertaining balance games suitable for every member of the family. Just a few of those that players can expect to see are: Juggling; Skateboarding; Snowball Fight; Obstacle Course, a log-leaping, cannonball-evading event reminiscent of what Nintendo icon Mario must go through; and Perfect 10, a balance game designed to promote a combination of physical and mental health. In this final example the player's Mii is situated between multiple color-coated balls, each showing specific numbers, with the goal to swing your hips, hula style, in different directions to tap out a total of ten as many times as possible before time runs out.

Key Game Features

The Wii Fit Plus Bundle includes the game software and the Wii Balance Board.
Users can input the amount of time they want to spend on their workouts or select an area for personal improvement, and Wii Fit Plus will suggest a number of diverse activities for them.
For the first time, users can mix and match which strength and yoga activities they prefer on a given day. The seamless exercise flows make it easier than ever for users to maintain their daily workout routines.
Users might be asked to run an obstacle course across a series of platforms, zoom across a beach on a Segway x2 Personal Transporter or flap their arms to help their hilarious chicken-suited characters aim for targets.
The range of games and customization options will make players want to play every day. They’ll be having so much fun that their workouts will seem to fly by in no time at all.
Players also can see estimates of calories burned and can even activate a feature that lets them weigh their dogs or cats.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 02:00:00 +0000

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment's 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. StarCraft IIwill once again center on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying favorite units from the original StarCraft, along with numerous upgraded and brand-new units and abilities that allow for fresh tactics and strategies. The game's new 3D-graphics engine maintains the speed and responsive control of its predecessor while rendering hundreds of units onscreen for massive battles. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty's solo campaign will continue the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War. The storyline chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players will be able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games will also be included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies. In addition, dozens of multiplayer maps will be available for competitive play through the new version of Battle.net, which is launching alongside StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. This new version of the service has been built from the ground up to offer an unparalleled online play experience, with new features such as voice communication, character profiles and achievements, stat-tracking, ladders and leagues, cloud file storage, and more.

Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:51:00 +0000

I purchased the two major timer event schedulable/programmable converter boxes available as of this date: the Zinwell and the DTVPal Plus (enhanced version of the DTVPal or TR-40 CRA). These are some of the major problems and advantages of each.

The biggest problem I have with the Zinwell is that the remote control is the flimsiest and cheapest control I have ever seen with any product. The down arrow button is already having problems responding to pressing after only a few days. It usually takes several years before buttons on a remote control begin to go bad, and I am concerned that this one will not even be working a year from now. The text labels on the buttons are rubbing off and becoming harder to read.

The biggest problem with the DTVPal Plus is the reception. The Plus is supposed to have enhanced reception over the prior models which were famous for bad reception, but in my area it gets a couple less UHF channels than the Zinwell and often has severe breakup on the ABC affiliate and two other channels (even with an amplified antenna). Perhaps this will be less of an issue if digital signals get boosted in February.

Both devices get the clock time automatically from the digital signal but both devices keep erratic time occasionally. After a few days, the Zinwell became stuck at 62 minutes behind the correct time and the DTVPal Plus became stuck at 53 minutes ahead. This problem has lessened as stations correct their time signals. If you are buying this to schedule timed events, this can be a problem. The Zinwell has no daylight savings on/off, while the DTVPal Plus does allow you to control daylight savings. The Zinwell has the advantage that you can manually set the time, while the DTVPal Plus does not allow you to. Even after manually setting the time in the Zinwell, I found it loses 1-2 minutes per week and also loses the clock time completely if power goes out even for a second (most devices will hold the time for 2-3 minutes in a power outage). I have mine on a UPS (backup battery) to keep it from losing time in a brief power outage. At least the Zinwell allows you to control the time.

As someone else has noted, the Zinwell has 8 timer events to 5 for the DTVPal Plus. The Zinwell lacks a recurring M-F weekday scheduling option. Both devices make you go through several menus to get to the timer scheduling. The DTVPal Plus has an awkward event scheduling process that takes you through two screens. The Zinwell has its own awkwardness-it makes you choose a channel from a list of station call letters rather than channel numbers! The Zinwell also requires confirmation at the end of the timer scheduling process, and defaults to Cancel making it easy to accidentally cancel your timer event, so watch out.

If you like on-screen program guides, the DTVPal Plus has a fuller one than the Zinwell, and you can even schedule timer events direct from the program guide with the DTVPal Plus. However, it takes awhile to download each time you turn on the converter box.

If you get a Zinwell, do not throw out the manual. Zinwell has unfortunately set a password on some of the channel functions, so you will need to look up the default password in the manual if you try to access these functions.

Do not expect much support. Both companies took several days to respond to an inquiry and gave canned answers that did not address my question. After supplying follow-up information, neither company got back to me. There are several other issues and quirks with both devices.

(--some updated notes 9/16/2009 after a few months of using--)

The Zinwell picture quality has been nice. In rare cases, I have had a small issue with the Zinwell audio and video getting slightly out of synch (as also reported by a couple of other reviewers)-but doesn't bother me and turning off and on puts them back in synch.

The biggest problem I have had with regular use of the Zinwell is that scheduled recurring events (weekly, etc.) get messed up periodically so I have to constantly monitor them. The Zinwell loses the channel on the recurring events and resets the channel to the highest station number. (This problem is not unique to me-I believe it is the most commonly reported major problem with this device.) About every 4-6 weeks it loses the recurring events completely and they need to be reentered. One-time events get messed up less often.

Using manual clock time (rather than automatic time from the TV signal), the Zinwell has changed the clock year on me a few times - even though it did not alter the clock time (hour/min)! This means that timer events did not activate, because the clock year had changed to 2044, 1989, or some other date. If the clock time also got messed up I would see that something was wrong by the incorrect time and realize that I should fix the date. But the clock time looked fine, leaving me unaware that the year had been messed up. (This has happened a few times, even though there was no loss of power and I did not go into the date/time settings. On manual time setting, there should never be any spontaneous year changes.) I now regularly monitor the date on the device. I was more excited about this box when first purchased, but the clock and timer bugs become apparent over time. I purchased mine in Oct 2008 and perhaps they have fixed some of the clock glitches in more recent releases. (But see Sept 10 2009 review by Maynard for another description of the same problem.)

The DTVPal Plus tends to run hot, so I have propped it up at an angle to give it some cooling space. I have had a disturbing problem a couple of times where the DTVPal Plus would not power on-had to unplug it from the power source and plug it back in again, and then it resumed working. Since they boosted the digital signals after the transition, the weaker reception has not been a problem and it now gets all the channels that my other converter boxes get. (However, I live in an urban area and have an amplified antenna, so the weaker reception may still be a problem for many people.)

The DTVPal Plus regularly loses timer events and is very unreliable. I have found two specific sequences of timer events that cause it to consistently drop events. The DTVPal Plus timer issues have been even more problematic than those with the Zinwell. I used several VCRs over two decades and never had a device malfunction on its timer events or spontaneously change the selected channel. Not sure why it is so difficult for these digital boxes.

Although the on-screen station program guide for the DTVPal Plus is robust, I have not found it very convenient. The normal program guide access turns off audio and video while you are browsing the guide, so you cannot hear or watch television as you peruse it. To view television as you browse the guide, you cannot use the Guide button on the remote but must use the directional buttons to access the guide-but the guide overlays much of the screen (semi-transparent).

The DTVPal Plus has one bright spot: it handles poor signal quality well. The two aspects of reception are signal strength and signal quality. While the DTVPal Plus does not pick up low strength well, it does handle poor signal quality very well. There are a couple of stations with poor quality (but adequate strength) that my Zenith and Zinwell cannot receive but that the DTVPal Plus picks up. In my experience, it also has less dropout from other things that reduce signal quality, such as splitting the antenna feed or electrical interference.

One other small plus I have found with the DTVPal Plus: it operates from my old universal remote (as a SAT box), which allows me to control all my devices-very, very handy. None of the other converter boxes that I have will work with this old universal remote, although I have heard that some of the newer universal remotes can control converter boxes. This somewhat makes up for the fact that the DTVPal Plus has no buttons on the box and can only be operated by remote control. (However, it may be too sensitive-it also turns on when I press the fast forward button on one brand of VCR remote!)

Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:07:00 +0000

The remote that everyone can use.

We know who you are. You have a half-dozen remotes on your coffee table. And you're the only one in the family who knows how to use them. You may even have a cheat sheet. We can help. With a remote that's designed for the whole family. So do away with all the hassles of multiple remotes. Get the one that gives you easy one-touch control for all your home entertainment. Harmony, from Logitech.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:56:00 +0000

Product Description

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

About the Author

Stephenie Meyer's life changed dramatically on June 2, 2003. The stay-at-home mother of three young sons woke-up from a dream featuring seemingly real characters that she could not get out of her head. "Though I had a million things to do (i.e. making breakfast for hungry children, dressing and changing the diapers of said children, finding the swimsuits that no one ever puts away in the right place), I stayed in bed, thinking about the dream. Unwillingly, I eventually got up and did the immediate necessities, and then put everything that I possibly could on the back burner and sat down at the computer to write--something I hadn't done in so long that I wondered why I was bothering." Meyer invented the plot during the day through swim lessons and potty training, then writing it out late at night when the house was quiet. Three months later she finished her first novel, Twilight. Twilight was one of 2005's most talked about novels and within weeks of its release the book debuted at #5 on The New York Times bestseller list.Among its many accolades, Twilight was named an "ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults," an Amazon.com "Best Book of the Decade&So Far", and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. The movie version of Twilight will be released by Summit Entertainment nationwide on November 21, 2008, starring Kristen Stewart ("Into The Wild") and Robert Pattinson ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"). The highly-anticipated sequel, New Moon, was released in September 2006 and spent 31 weeks at the #1 position on The New York Times bestseller list. Eclipse, the third book in Meyer's Twilight saga, was released on August 7, 2007 and sold 150,000 copies its first day on-sale. The book debuted at #1 bestseller lists across the country, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. The fourth and final book in the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn, was published on August 2, 2008, with a first printing of 3.2 million copies - the largest first printing in the publisher's history. Breaking Dawn sold 1.3 million copies its first day on-sale rocketing the title to #1 on bestseller lists nationwide. Meyer's highly-anticipated debut for novel adults, The Host, was released by Little, Brown and Company in May 2008 and debuted at #1 on The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. She lives in Arizona with her husband and sons.

The Blind Side (2009)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:48:00 +0000

The Blind Side takes the true story of a young man who went from abandonment to success as a pro-football player and treats it with respect. The movie doesn't oversell what is, on the face of it, already compelling. It's almost impossible to describe the plot without sounding painfully inspirational: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron, Be Kind Rewind), a hulking but gentle African-American teen in Tennessee, gets taken in by a well-to-do white family; the mother, Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock), pushes and mothers the boy, who eventually wins a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi. In the wrong hands, this could have been maudlin, manipulative, and condescending. To the credit of writer-director John Lee Hancock, adapting Michael Lewis's acclaimed book, the result is intelligent, genuine, and alternately funny and moving. Leigh Anne could easily have been grandstanding and virtuous, but Bullock doesn't shy away from her vain and domineering side. The football scenes will be gripping even to non-sports fans because they've been so successfully grounded in Michael's emotional life. The all-around solid cast includes country music star Tim McGraw, pint-sized Jae Head (Hancock), and Kathy Bates as the tutor who guided Michael's academic success. Don't be surprised if you can't keep yourself from watching all the real-life photos of Michael, Leigh Anne, and the rest of the family that are featured in the credits; by the end of the movie, you will care about them all. --Bret Fetzer

Polk Audio AM1805-A SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater (Black)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 18:23:00 +0000

It gives a good bang for the buck but there were a couple of issues that I had with it. Firstly, it is very easy to setup and install which is a plus. The wireless sub fits conveniently anywhere in a room and provides a nice bass. Where is the remote? Where are the directions? These things were not in the box. I am guessing the remote wasn't supposed to be there. It took me a few days to figure out that when you turn the tv off and on the sound bar will automatically sense input from the TV and then turn itself on without having to manually press the power button which is nice. But I would have liked to have read that in a manually and not figure it out for myself. Overall I love the simplicity that this system provides and combined with good performance I would recommend it to someone who doesn't want to hassle with a big surround system but wants something a little extra in the sound department.

StarCraft Battle Chest

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:42:00 +0000

The full versions of StarCraft and the acclaimed expansion pack Brood War, as well as complete strategy guides for each, make StarCraft: Battle Chest a treasure chest for real-time strategy fans.

Instead of two similarly powered enemies facing off, the three distinct races in StarCraft have unique capabilities and strategies. Everyone still competes in the RTS genre's typical race for resources, but that's the only shared trait. Terrans can move their bulky mechanized bases as necessary, while the reptilian Zerg grow their colonies and warriors from mutating larvae. Meanwhile, the noble Protoss warp in equipment from their home world using psionic powers.

Not only does game maker Blizzard juggle the races' playability and match it with superb art and sound effects, it also weaves together an engrossing three-act plot. Early on, as a Terran magistrate, you spend a breathtaking 30 minutes defending against a Zerg onslaught. As the story unfolds around you, you'll experience the Zerg's hive mentality and decipher the mysterious Protoss by the game's dramatic conclusion.

Missions vary in scope and are effectively framed with dialogue, chapter screens, and in-mission exposition. Multiplayer games are also very well represented by Blizzard's own free Battle.net service.

If you'd rather play over a local area network, StarCraft will generously "spawn" up to seven copies so your friends can join in.

In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, Brood War presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming humans, insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles. Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps.

Some missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have Valkyrie missile frigates as well as medics who automatically try to heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under)ground support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss reenter the fray with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon. Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from weak artificial intelligence in path finding.

Real-time strategy games don't get any more epic or any more satisfying. --Jack Gardiner

LittleBigPlanet

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:34:00 +0000

From all the reviews I've read before purchasing this game I was a little skeptical that it wouldn't be for me. I was wrong. Matter fact I purchased it for my 5 year old boy first, just to keep him away from some of my other games while I'm at work. And you know what? This game stays in the PS3 all day. Not only that, when I get home from work the first thing he wants to do is play Little BIG planet. Its fun for me and him. I was hoping for simplified controls like a Mario plat former with just a jump button. But he's figured out how to use the Dual Shock 3 just as good as me. With the main buttons, X to jump and R1 to grab things, it couldn't be any easier. He also knows how to change their clothes and apply stickers and so on. This game is simple, plain and easy. The only problem he may have is figuring out that the game has some physics involved. Running faster to get further jumps, holding the jump button longer, how to jump on springs like objects to get higher takes a little timing that I even have trouble with. This game has plenty of levels, I play maybe an hour a day since I bought it and still have not finished everything. You can also make your own levels, download levels that others have created online, and play with people online. This game has infinite replay if you get into the community. Also, If you want to teach a child how to be greedy with items than this game is for you. I forgot to say that this game is fun for me too. Glad purchased it and you'll be too. One if the few must own exclusives for the PS3, this is coming from a 360 lover.

Weeds: Season Five (2009)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:19:00 +0000

Showtime's series Weeds is one of the best shows on television. Each season is consistently strong- with engaging, inventive stories, complex charecters and wonderful dark comedy. Mary-Louise Parker is absolutely phenomenal as Nancy Botwin, one of the most complex and uncompromising charecters to ever appear on television. Parker is backed by an always reliable supporting cast who bring humor and heart to the at times, very dark proceedings. Weeds' Fifth Season is the slowest one but that does not mean it's bad. It is the most character driven season, we get to see the true colors of these charecters and what they really want, and at times, its not pretty. Nancy continues her downward spiral and drags her youngest son Shane down with her. Silas becomes the emotional center of this extremely dysfunctional family, and at 18 has become the real father figure. Andy strives to get out of Nancy's grasp and start his own life while Celia tries her hardest to be a different person and at times actually tries to BE Nancy. This season is all about coming to terms with the inevitable and face the consequences. There is plenty here to reward long time fans of the show and viewers interested in the psychological make-up of these crazy charecters.

The season finale promises to set up more of the themes established in this season. I cant wait to see what happens next. Weeds is still my personal favorite show on TV, layered, funny, deep and always surprising.

This Season Five DVD set includes the episodes:

- Wonderful, Wonderful

- Machetes Up Top

- Su-Su-Sucio

- Super Lucky Happy

- Van Nuys

- A Modest Proposal

- Where the Sidewalk Ends

- A Distinctive Horn

- Suck 'n' Spit

- Perro Insano

- Ducks and Tigers

- Glue

- All About My Mom

Mad Men: Season Three

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:11:00 +0000

For all the fans and true "Mad Men" addicts out there, Season 3 was much-anticipated. At the end of Season 2, we had reason to believe that Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the charismatic creative director of Sterling-Cooper, had come to his place of reckoning and was ready to turn a new leaf (sorry for all the cliches) in his marriage, if not his career. His gorgeous, emotionally stunted wife Betty (January Jones) just found out she was pregnant, and they apparently decide to mend their marriage and try to make a go of it. Presumably, women didn't have many choices back in the '60's. Also, Betty just might be that kind of woman - she needs a man to complete her.

But right from the beginning of Season 3, the viewer can see that not much has changed at all, and Don is off being the bad boy again. Betty seems in a world of her own with her pregnancy, and then her father's decline in health and the subsequent decisions that have to made give her all she can apparently cope with. I found myself growing angry at her numerous times because of her cold, unfeeling treatment of her adorable children. Even with all his immaturity, Don seems to be the far more caring parent, at least while face-to-face with his children. Sally Draper, their little girl, had some of the best acting of the season, and I think she will mature into a terrific actress.

So much happens on the career front, it would be a mistake to give it all away in a review. I heard complaints from various people that Season 3 was too slow -- but remember that this is a show about character development and nuance, above all. The last two episodes, about the Kennedy assassination and the Season finale, are as action-packed as any plot lover could want. They are magnificently written and acted, and left this viewer, at least, panting for Season 4. What more can a series offer?

The Blind Side

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

My wife and I just went to a double-feature. I picked AVATAR and she picked THE BLIND SIDE. Now, there couldn't be two movies on a different plateau than AVATAR and BLIND SIDE, but I'm so glad that she brought me to see this movie. AVATAR, I gave 4 stars, BLIND SIDE, 5 stars. BLIND SIDE, for what it was, was flawless.

With BLIND SIDE, the story tells itself, because it's the true story of 2009 Baltimore Ravens Right Tackle Michael Oher, or possibly Michael Williams, or maybe something else, and his improbable escape from oblivion with the love and care of a rich white family in Memphis, Tennessee. Michael Oher's greatness, first showed up in his size and athletic potential and then in his courage to forget and go forward. Michael Oher, a kid who struggled at basic study skills and education, but scored a 98% in protective instincts. A tribute to his lifestyle and his ability to survive, homeless, with two shirts, a pain on his face that couldn't be explained.

Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, and I haven't seen a whole lot of nominated movies this year, but if she isn't at least a runner up to the best actress of the year, I'll be stunned. This was Sandra Bullock's shining moment. She is strong and she is funny and she is exceedingly brilliant at hiding the tears she sheds throughout the movie as her personna won't allow her to be seen crying. No scene was more poigniant than the one where she makes a bedroom for Michael in her beautiful home with a chipperness that you would expect from a spunky Tennessee mother. Michael says, "I've never had one of these before." and she says, "What, a room?" "No, a bed." he says. She looks at him, stoned faced, gives a quick nod and exits the room, enters the bathroom, locks the door and although we don't see it, we know exactly what she's doing.

THE BLIND SIDE is a testimant to what life is all about. The Tuohy families link to Michael Oher may have been a rare occurence, and that's why there's a movie about it, but if we all looked out for each other a little more, despite color boundaries, despite class boundaries and just showed a little love and extended a helping hand when we could, the world would be a better place.

The Tuohy's didn't just extend a hand, they extended their hearts and lives.

The Ant Bully (Blu-ray)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:51:00 +0000

An all-star cast--including such A-list stars as Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, and Meryl Streep--lend their voices to The Ant Bully. Social misfit Lucas gets bullied by the bigger boys in his neighborhood, so he takes out his frustrations on the only things around smaller than him: An ant hill on his front lawn. After being flooded and stepped on, the ants fight back when ant wizard Zoc (Cage, National Treasure) develops a potion that shrinks Lucas down to bug-size. But Zoc's thirst for revenge gets foiled when the beatific ant queen (Streep, The Devil Wears Prada) decrees that Lucas must learn to live like an ant, and Zoc's girlfriend Hova (Roberts, Runaway Bride) takes up the task of teaching the unhappy boy how to value others over himself. The animation of The Ant Bully makes good use of scale as Lucas grapples with the gigantic world around him, but the writing is not so imaginative; the name actors are thrown away on bland characters and lackluster dialogue. The lessons Lucas learns are admirable (and amusingly Communist in flavor), but the way he learns them feels contrived and uncompelling. It's too bad, because there probably won't be many other movies featuring the combined talents of Meryl Streep and Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness). Also featuring Ricardo Montalban (Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan), Lily Tomlin (Nashville), and Paul Giamatti (Sideways) as a sleazy exterminator. --Bret Fetzer

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Two-Disc Special Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:08:00 +0000

New Moon, the second in Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster teen-fiction saga adapted for film, is stronger than its predecessor, Twilight. Director Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass), taking the helm from Catherine Hardwicke, brings a lighter, more assured touch to the sequel, which continues the star-crossed love story of mortal Bella (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson). Incidentally, Edward is absent for most of the film; after an accident on Bella's birthday reminds Edward that her life is always at risk when he's around, he chooses to abandon her, sending her into a deep depression. The only person who helps her heal her broken heart is her friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), a member of the Quileute tribe who, as he grows taller, beefier, and more aggressive (with less clothing), comes to realize he's not entirely human either. But even his love for Bella doesn't prevent her from throwing herself in the path of danger, because that's the only time she can see visions of Edward. One such fateful misunderstanding sends Edward into the coven of the Volturi (a sort of vampire Mafia, if you will), where the most dangerous vampires hold both Edward and Bella's fate in their cold, dark hands. Much of New Moon rests on the shoulders of Lautner, so scrawny in Twilight, who famously packed on the muscle to avoid getting recast.
He's very nearly successful in carrying the load, but the cheese-tastic beefcake scenes disservice him, and Jacob and Bella's complicated friendship stumbles on its way to any kind of love triangle. Some of that blame lies with Stewart, who understandably holds her emotions close to her chest but reveals much too little (c'mon, even an angsty girl has to be a little joyful in the arms of two different hunks). As is with the book, the film is just a bridge between sagas, so the plot drags and not a lot happens. Fortunately, while Twilight was trapped in its own self-consciousness, the wobbly-legged cast seems to have found stronger footing in New Moon; the jokes come faster, the writing (by Melissa Rosenberg, who also scribed Twilight) is a hair wittier. (Even Pattinson seems more comfortable in Edward's skin.) The Volturi, highlighted by Michael Sheen's Aro and Dakota Fanning's Jane, also make an all-too-brief impression, but at least there's more to look forward to when Eclipse, the third installment, is released. --Ellen A. Kim

Hamburger Hill (1987)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:04:00 +0000

Because it was released less than a year after Oliver Stone's Platoon and within months of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, this exceptionally well-made film about one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War was largely overshadowed and overlooked. It's a pity, because in some respects this is the best of the Vietnam films of the late 1980s, at least in terms of the everyday authenticity it depicts. Stripped clean of dramatically extraneous narrative, the movie opts instead for a straightforward approach to its day-by-day account of one of the war's costliest victories--a deadly siege on Hill 937 in the Ashau Valley, where soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division engaged the enemy over the course of eleven brutal assaults between May 10th and 20th, 1969. The film specifically follows the 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, a mixture of "new guys" and battle-weary "short-timers" who fought against terrifying odds and suffered a 70% casualty rate. From first scene to last, Hamburger Hill traces the rise and fall of their battle experience, from the horror of firefights to the camaraderie of men who've faced death and survived. Racial tensions flare and subside, trusts are established, and courage emerges from unexpected places.
Through it all, writer Jim Carabatsos and director John Irvin maintain a purity of focus that pays tribute to the soldier's life without promoting false patriotism or gung-ho theatrics. In addition, the film features a cast full of talented and well-known actors in the early stages of their careers, including Dylan McDermott (from the TV series "The Practice") and Don Cheadle, before gaining fame in Devil in a Blue Dress and Boogie Nights. --Jeff Shannon

Planet 51 (2009)

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:45:00 +0000

What if there are creatures living on other planets in other galaxies? And what if those creatures are a lot like us? When American astronaut Chuck Baker (Dwayne Johnson) lands on what's supposed to be barren, rocky planet devoid of life, he gets a big surprise. It seems that Planet 51 is home to little green people who are living in what's basically 1950s Americana--or should that be 1950s Alieana? Chuck bears a marked resemblance to Planet 51's science-fiction comic book and horror movie characters the "Humaniacs," and hysteria breaks out because the little green men think his appearance marks the beginning of an alien invasion. Lem (Justin Long) is a junior curator at the local planetarium and one of the only people on the planet who is awed, rather than frightened, by the concept of a larger universe. While his fellow citizens set out to capture the invading alien, Lem believes Chuck when he declares that his mission is peaceful, and Lem risks his own safety to help him return to his ship and his home planet. With a little help from Rover (an American robot probe that has been sending rock samples back to Earth while ignoring the planet's life forms), Lem's neighbor and secret crush Neera (Jessica Biel), his friend Skiff (Seann William Scott), and hippie protester Glar (Alan Marriott), Lem just might be able to save Chuck. The question is--what will the personal consequences be for Lem? The story is an amusing twist on America's long-standing fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and the film has plenty of comic moments, but it ultimately lacks suspense and fails to truly engage the viewer. The result is a film that provides some laughs but is ultimately not that entertaining. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Buy the movie by click the pre order button below