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Mad Men

starring: Candice Cunningham, Emelle, Kiernan Shipka, January Jones
directed by: Alan Taylor

June 30, 2008
What a stunning series! The ad men of Madison Avenue portrayed here are not people one would expect to like, given their flaws and cruelties, but this is subtle television, which draws you in and makes you want to know more about them and even sympathise with their secrets and lies.

They lead lives of wantonness and drunken chauvinism which hurts all around them. It hurts to watch the submissiveness of most of the women in the series, but change is always in the air - JFK's election year haunts much of this first series - and it's that sense of impending change that makes one want, need even, to keep watching.

Mad Men is a fascinating, thoughtful and taut portrayal of how attitudes and perceptions changed in the 1960s. ... Read More:

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The Sopranos: HBO Season 6 (Part 2 - The Final Episodes) [2007]

starring: Tony Sirico, Steven R. Schirripa, Aida Turturro, Michael Imperioli, James Gandolfini
directed by: Steve Buscemi, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, Alan Taylor, Steve Shill

November 19, 2007
This is the seventh box set taking the excellent 'Sopranos' to it's inconclusive conclusion. The final nine episodes included here are of the same high standard as those before it and continues the build up of tension started in Season six part 1. Anybody who has watched the show and has got to this late stage in the saga will not be needing a review to decide on a purchase, you're going to buy it anyway!!. To those people it is an excellent buy. i'm just a little disappointed that the cost has remained substantially higher than all the series before it. You've got to buy it to complete the set and they know that! For this point alone i've reduced the score to four stars.

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The Sopranos: HBO Season 6 (Part 1)

starring: James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese
directed by: Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Alan Taylor, Tim Van Patten, Danny Leiner

November 27, 2006
seem to have a different opinion from so many other viewers, since I really enjoyed the first half of season six. Seeing Tony get shot, not by season one's physically and mentally vigorous Uncle Junior, as I had kept anticipating that season, but by the toothless demented Uncle Junior, believing he was shooting someone else entirely was priceless irony. I loved the part with Tony in the coma in our world, while -wherever he was - he was exactly what he had always dreaded being - a nobody. Worse, he's a traveling salesman who is "trapped" and unable to get home. When Tony comes out of his coma, he vows to change and take every day as a gift, but later he is gradually pulled back into his old ways, since his position as boss really gives him no alternative. ... Read More:

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The Sopranos - Complete HBO Series - Deluxe Edition [1999]

starring: Tony Sirico, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Steven Van Zandt, Elizabeth Bracco, Lorraine Bracco
directed by: Steve Buscemi, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, Alan Taylor, Steve Shill

November 17, 2008
Despite being a fan of mob movies, I never managed to catch The Sopranos when it was broadcast on TV (I'm always too busy to properly follow a TV station's schedule). Nonetheless, I heard it was a good show, so I took the plunge and purchased the complete box set.

Boy, am I glad I did!

The Sopranos is compulsive viewing. I managed to watch all six seasons over the course of one month, because when one episode finishes, you're simply dying to watch the next! Each episode is crammed with interesting characters, cutting dialogue and first-rate acting. And although classified as a TV drama, there is a lot of humour injected into each episode, so its not all downbeat and grim - you'll be laughing during scenes as well!

For fans ... Read More:

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Six Feet Under: Complete HBO Season 2

starring: Peter Krause, Frances Conroy, Michael C. Hall, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor
directed by: Rodrigo Garcia, Miguel Arteta, Alan Ball, Kathy Bates, Rose Troche

June 21, 2004
The second series of six feet under continues the story of the fisher funeral home with it being at the core of the lives that live there and visit there,all roads lead to there basically,this series drops some of the surreal scenes that we all loved in season one and stays within the mindset of a reality that is dark,bleak and somewhat tortured.
Six feet under does not have any real twists or edge of the seat tactic,although this season ends with a cliffhanger,this series is slow,and deliberately so,patience is required as the lives of those involved is scraped to the bone,we learn alot more about the key characters here and then some.
The dark humour exists still but is less evident than on the first series for certain,this is a show that demands respect ... Read More:

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Hazell - The Complete First Series [1978]

starring: Barbara Young, James Faulkner, Roddy McMillan, Desmond McNamara, Maggie Riley
directed by: Mike Vardy, Baz Taylor, Peter Duguid, Brian Farnham, Alastair Reid

April 29, 2004
This is one of my fondest memories from my childhood!
Been able to stay up late on a Monday night. Just two things; first no series 2, & I can't get the theme on CD!

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Sam - Series 1 - Part 1 [1973]

starring: Kevin Moreton (II), Mark McManus, Alethea Charlton, Peter Brown (VIII), Stephanie Turner
directed by: Baz Taylor, Alan Grint, Stephen Butcher, Les Chatfield, Richard Doubleday

July 12, 2004
What a pleasure to view this again after so many years and not be dissapointed.
A piece of timless drama covering episodes of northern miners' family life not overly romanticised. Portrayed by realistic down to earth acting.
I am amazed this hasn't had a re-run on mainsteam T.V
Plenty of good accurate details in scenery aswell "Champion"

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Sam - Series 1 - Part 3 [1973]

starring: Kevin Moreton (II), Mark McManus, Alethea Charlton, Peter Brown (VIII), Stephanie Turner
directed by: Baz Taylor, Alan Grint, Stephen Butcher, Les Chatfield, Richard Doubleday

July 12, 2004
What a pleasure to view this again after so many years and not be dissapointed.
A piece of timless drama covering episodes of northern miners' family life not overly romanticised. Portrayed by realistic down to earth acting.
I am amazed this hasn't had a re-run on mainsteam T.V
Plenty of good accurate details in scenery aswell "Champion"

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Spider-Man The New Animated Series: High-Voltage Villains (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Edward Asner
directed by: Brandon Vietti, Audu Paden, Sean Frewer, Vincent Edwards (III), Ezekiel Norton

June 01, 2004
What a pleasure to view this again after so many years and not be dissapointed.
A piece of timless drama covering episodes of northern miners' family life not overly romanticised. Portrayed by realistic down to earth acting.
I am amazed this hasn't had a re-run on mainsteam T.V
Plenty of good accurate details in scenery aswell "Champion"

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Palookaville [1997]

starring: William Forsythe, Vincent Gallo, Adam Trese, Gareth Williams, Lisa Gay Hamilton
directed by: Alan Taylor

September 25, 2000
i liked this film. It is a low budget film, not deliberatley playing for laughs, but will still hit the low-fi funny bone at times.

The characters are well developed by the actors and you develop a empathy for all. The film shows 3 unemploed guy in small town america plotting schemes to get rich quick. They desperately want a way out - and you find your self routing for them even though you suspect that things ain't gonna go smoothly.

It ain't laugh out loud, but that ain't the point of the fim. There is a good story line, the characters are believable and well devleoped and the acting is very good.

It warms the cockles of your heart.