Product: JVC DR-MV80B

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There is no question that we are honestly seeing fewer and fewer DVD Recorders onm the market lately. Simply, because so much more from the market is gaining ground because of the Blu-Ray DVD disc players. While that might seem understandable, there are those who are also looking for a newer way to record their favorite shows. With the new changes that’ve affected the TV Signals from NTSC to ATSC, many consumers have had a harder time trying to upgrade to the newer signals. But that also has led consumers astray from finding the new leads into DVD recorders too. But it isn’t as difficult as it seems with more DVD / VCR recorders and players not having any tuners in them. In fact, they can work just as well, and this is one of them.

The JVC DR-MV80B is a tunerless DVD / VCR Recorder that just does the job well, and as good as you would’ve expected, compared to hooking up a VCR or DVD recorder with a tuner. The job does just as good of a job. All you have to do is set it up easily with traditional Audio / Video cables to the back of your recorder, and easily connect it to the back of your cable box or converter box, with a simple connection. Next, check and make sure that your TV has a input connection for video components. Switch to that after turning it on, and you can simply watch whatever you record on your TV with ease.

The setup also here is much more universal than other DVD recorders, as you can record and playback your DVD’s in +RW or -RW formats discs as well as the rarely recognized DVD-RAM discs. The JVC DRMV80B also does the job well at recording in both the widely used Video format, as well as the more advanced VR format or otherwise known as the RW Compatable format. The recorder does a great job at helping you edit out all those annoying commercials, and setup your favorite shows on DVD so you can have extra room to record more shows. It also does a good job at dubbing your shows from DVD to VCR cassette, and from VCR to DVD with ease. There is one big disadvantage though, the timer-link mode here where you can setup recording your favorite shows, is a lot more complicated than it was setup in the instruction book. Thankfully, it is much easier to use the regular timer recording option instead, which doesn’t complicate the owner.

All in all, despite one or two issues the JVC DR-MV80B isn’t as complicated to setup, and honestly works just as well as you would’ve expected with all the other recorders with the NTSC or ATSC tuners. It is a affordable recorder that does the work well, and is one of the easiest recorders to operate on the market. While DVD / VCR Recorders aren’t being recognized as much, they still are great to own, and JVC does the job well at making ones that are worth the money. I absolutely recommend this for anyone who wants a DVD Recorder that is advanced that also is easy to use.

Price: B+

Setup: B 1/2+

Convience: B

Overall: B 1/2+

My primary purpose for purchasing the DR-MV80B was to transfer older VHS recordings to DVD. I also plan to use the DVD recorder to save new satellite television broadcasts. Since I have satellite TV I don’t need a tuner, so this model is perfect for me. I did a lot of research on the various brands and models of VCR/DVD Recorder Combo Decks before choosing this one, including downloading operation manuals off the internet for each one. I chose the JVC DR-MV80B because it was by far the easiest to understand how to operate, and had all of the features I needed (and even a couple I don’t need). So far I’ve tested it quite a bit, and although I haven’t tried to make any VHS recordings yet (and am not likely to), the DVD recorder works very nicely. I have tried playing the recorded DVD’s on my computer and that works fine as well. In fact, I was a bit surprised at the video quality of the DVD recording considering the age of some of the video tapes I’ve been experimenting with (some were recorded over 15 years ago). The only real complaint that I have is that I have found times when the remote control’s EJECT button doesn’t seem to want to work – I get the ‘invalid function’ icon on the screen and have had to resort to using the front panel DVD Eject button. Also slightly annoying is that the DVD drive seems to be just a bit noisy when some commercial DVD disks are played.

I bought this from HSN a couple weeks after getting a 65 in Mitsubishi HDTV from them as well. I was thinking about getting a blu-ray player. When I saw this unit on air last weekend, I decided to try it. I really don’t want to replace my movies again. I’m still replacing the VHS ones with DVDs as I find them on sale. This upconverts the regular DVD very nicely. The other bonus was that I could record my personal VHS tapes on DVD. I have my wedding and family functions that I would hate to lose. Not only was this easy to do, the DVD came out better than the VHS version. Just make sure you finalize the disc so you can play it on any DVD player.

I personally don’t record anything from TV. But, there are several ways to set this up either with an HDMI cable, directly to your TV, thru a home theater system, or your cable/satellite box. It’s not point and click to set up. You have to manually set it up to work, but it will record. As another reviewer stated, this will not record protected material. It’s not the machine’s fault. It’s actually against the law to do so. Why would they allow you to record something for free when the production company wants to sell you their series on DVD?

For me, I got this to watch my current DVDs in the best high def format possible and transfer old VHS to DVD. So, this totally meets my expectations and then some. It does a fantastic job of upconverting DVDs and the VHS tapes look pretty good too. If you are looking for a great upconverting DVD player, that is a DVD-R, and has a VCR, too, this is the unit for you.

PS-I was able to use Sony DVD-R without any problems. This was not one of the recommended brands but [...].

Product: SUNPAK CF-7035 UV Ultra-Violet Filter 62mm

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This may not be the most expensive filter but it works ample on my digital camera. It is well worth the money and the rude cost will abet you to replace it when it does eventually net scratched.

Offers spacious protection for the main lens in your camera! The ticket is unbeatable (less than $10)! Also it protects against ultra violet interferences!

Albert C. Marth

Product: Kingston 4 GB SDHC Flash Memory Card SD4/4GBET [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

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The price of the SD4/4GB card jumps around a lot here. It is a great value at $22. Not so hot at $40. Wait a while and it may go down again. Note that only newer SD devices can use the 4GB SDHC cards. Older cameras, etc. can only use regular SD cards up to 2GB. If you’re not sure, check your owner’s manual or contact your manufacturer. Also, older SD card readers will not work with SDHC cards, but SDHC card readers are available for about $10 on amazon.com

I like our point and shoot camera to be low thought-low effort (big SD card, high capacity rechargeable battery, reliable point and shoot performance, etc.), and this 16 gig card coupled with our Canon SD770 has been a great combination. Almost 1000 pics on our vacation to Punta Cana, and the card wasn’t filled (I could do the math, but I don’t want to).

The card has been reliable, worked fine in a card reader, and I’d make the purchase again. I can’t believe this little card holds 1000’s of times more information than information storage from only a short time ago, and cost me ~$20. Amazing!

Product: Transcend 8 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS8GSDHC6

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Compare Prices on Transcend 8 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS8GSDHC6

I recently bought this 8GB SDHC card for my Canon SD1000 camera. The card works very well and I’ve had no problems with it so far. If you’re in the market for an affordable high quality SDHC card, this may be the one for you. Sorry, I kind of sounded like a used car salesman right there, didn’t I? I assure you that I don’t work for Transcend. But, here’s why I think this card is awesome:

Pros:

-Affordable!

-Large 8GB capacity

-Class 6 read/write speed (which is the fastest speed currently available)

-Lifetime warranty (at least that’s what the package says

-Transcend is a reputable company that’s been making memory products for a very long time. ( I swear to the tech Gods that I don’t work for them!)

Cons:

- I can’t think of any right now. The closest thing to a “Con” that I can think of is that if you buy this card now, it will probably become cheaper in a month or so No, make that 2 weeks.

IMPORTANT SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT SDHC MEMORY CARDS:

-SDHC cards are not compatible with most older SD cameras, SD devices, or SD card readers.

-SDHC cards are rated by speed using different “classes”. There are currently three data transfer speed classes available for SDHC cards. These classes are “class 2, class 4, and class 6″. For example, “Class 2″ would have the slowest read/write speed while “Class 6″ has the fastest read/write speed. So if you have a device in which speed may play a crucial role, make sure you buy a higher “class” SDHC card. Again, this SDHC card has the fastest read/write speed available right now. Class 6 has a minimum read/write speed of 6mb/sec… while Class 2 has minimum speed rating of 2mb/sec, and Class 4 is 4mb/sec. Starting to see the pattern?

SO WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “SD CARDS” AND “SDHC CARDS?

SDHC is basically an upgrade to the older SD cards. The reason they upgraded it was to achieve greater data transfer speeds AND capacity than previously possible with normal SD cards… and to do this, they had to redesign the card (which is why it’s not compatible with normal SD devices). This was necessary because digital cameras and digital video cameras these days have higher resolutions, which equate to larger file sizes and faster data transfer needs.

I hope I haven’t confused everybody by going into this much detail, but I can’t help being the nerd that I am. If you are confused, don’t hesitate to comment on this post and I will try my best to answer your questions. Also, any feedback is always welcome!

Conclusion: Buy the card if you have a new device that uses SDHC. It rocks! (This message has been approved by the “Duke of New Mexico”)

I recently purchased a Canon Powershot A720IS digital camera that is capable of recognizing and using up to 2 TERRABYTES of memory card (in the future) so I wanted to get the largest memory card I could install for now. I wanted to use the camera both on dry land and with an underwater housing for shooting stills and video on dive trips. Camera specs said an 8 GB SDHC card would record one hour of hi res video at 30 fps. Or nearly 2300 hi res stills at 8 megapixels.

A test of the Transcend 8GB SDHC card in the camera ended up shooting 70 minutes of full screen, 30fps digital video that could not be distinguished from my DV camcorder video quality. Playback from the memory card to the TV was so fast & efficient there was never a single “stutter” on the screen. The card speed is genuinely FAST as advertised. Low level formatting of the card allowed for very acceptable rapid-fire sequential still photo shooting speeds when light levels were bright enough that the flash was not needed/used. Something like 2 photos every 3 seconds. Files were flawless in display, both for stills and video.

This product was significantly lower in price than the Kingston 8GB SDHC card I originally bought with the camera. I’ve used both interchangeably and cannot see any different in the speed or capacity and quality of imagery is identical. For the money I’ll stick with Transcend and am looking forward to getting their 16GB card once the price drops substantially below the $100 mark. That would provide nearly 2 1/2 hours of video on my still camera or 4600 highest quality stills. I’m afraid my camcorder will be collecting dust much of the time. A big advantage to video on the card is there are NO MOVING PARTS, e.g. a mini DV tape cassette and camcorder or VCR playback unit needed to dump the video and stills to my Mac for editing and burning DVDs. I just stick the card in the MicroMate USB card reader, plug it in the computer and bingo, ready to sort thru and dump to the hard drive. Since the card is formatted by a Canon camera it automatically boots up the Canon Viewer software too. That should work the same for other brands of still cameras formatting this chip.

Product: Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 12 MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

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Let’s be honest – I bought this camera specifically for the waterproof/dustproof/crushproof/freezeproof features. I anticipated that image quality and ease of operation might be sacrificed – and this is exactly what Olympus delivered. Additional questionable bonus is the “tap” feature, which allows to activate some of the functions by tapping the camera from the sides. This is a nice concept, but would be much more useful if it was reconfigurable and allowed the user to assign which functions are activated by tapping. The most important (at least for me) feature of this camera is that it’s waterproof, and I can honestly admit that it works. I used this camera for a couple of hours while playing around in the swimming pool, and it worked beautifully. No leaks, no bubbles, and color correction for underwater photography is quite decent. The crushproof feature was also tested, since I dropped the camera couple of times, and it kept working. This camera is tough Unfortunately the image quality is far from perfect, in fact is merely average for a point-and-shooter.

The good:

- waterproof and crushproof (tested!)

- good color representation

- good automatic white balance (AWB)

- built-in panorama mode (only 3 frames)

The bad:

- images lack sharpness, appear very “soft”

- poor low light operation (focusing)

- occasional focusing issues (focuses in center even in “face detect” mode)

- some operation modes (”scenes”) are inconsistent, e.g. “portrait” mode switches focusing to “point” instead of “face detect”

- flash is too strong and there doesn’t seem to be a way to adjust it

- the image stabilization doesn’t seem to help – consider it non-existent

- heavy (but this is kind of expected)

- tap control not reconfigurable

The ugly:

- weird “ghosting” and flaring effects appearing in photos on some occasions when the flash was used (poor or no antireflective coatings on lenses)

- very poor sound quality in movies

Bottom line – if not for the “tough” part, this would have been a pretty average, all-around, point-and-shooter. If you need a true waterproof (not just “splash proof”) camera or something that you can carry in your pocket or a backpack in all weather conditions or any situation that could otherwise damage your camera – this is the one to get. If you don’t need the “tough” part – get another camera with better image quality.

One thing you’ll notice w/other reviews is the “Haven’t tried it in water yet, but I’ll let you know” line.

I was totally in love with the Olympus 8000. Compact, sleek looking and had a nice heft to it. The different features & menu were fun and easy to use. It was awesome! Then, my vacation (the main reason I bought it)snorkeling in Aruba. The first in-water try out, off of the resorts beach (not much to see), seemed to go well. Then next day, I was psyched to take it to a “premiere” snorkeling spot. Long story short, It just kind of didn’t work and upon further inspection I could see air bubbles coming from the lens. The incident most definitely “harshed on my mellow”. I wasn’t even angry, just kind of deflated.

So there you go. Water tested…and it took a giant dump.

Product: Canon 200DG Digital Camera Gadget Bag (Black)

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I was very implressed with this bag. First of all i have to tell you what i fit inside this bag

1. My DSLR camera with 18-70 lens,

2. My 35mm SLR body

3. A telephoto zoom lens 55-200

4. My Sony HC-42 camcorder.

5. All the manuals, filters, film rolls, a mini tripod and the cables for my DSLR and camcorder.

I still have enuf room in it left to fit another lens. It has ample side and top pocket space to fit your small stuffs. Sits comfortably on your sholder. Doesn’t require you to squat and place it on the ground to access the contents (like backpacks).

The only reason i gave it 4-stars is, it would have been perfect with a zippered top rather than vulcrows. Well worth the money.

After reading some reviews and comparing prices, I decided to get this bag. It is quite large and perhaps slightly larger than what i had imagined it to be from the pictures. It has a lot of space for a camera body and 4 other lenses (incl the longish canon 70-200mm f/4) with some room left for other accessories. The strap is padded for comfort in the area where it rests on the shoulder. It is generally well made and looks very good. Although the canon logo kind of makes it obvious what’s in the bag.

But after a weekend of day trips with this bag, I found that with all the stuff in the bag, it is quite heavy. I am leaning towards getting a backpack that may be more appropriate and convenient for walking/hiking comfort.

Download & Watch Fame at Amazon.com. Click Here Now to Download & Watch Fame Online Now!

This Alan Parker film came out in 1980, after the director had horrified everyone with visions of Turkish Prison in MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. But here we have a loving valentine to the kids of New York who dream of being performers at the high school for performing and visual arts. It’s a musical, but one where the songs and dancing come out of the kids naturally as they goof off or perform for themselves or each other. You get to see four years of high school, and about 8 kids who reach varying levels of realizations about how hard the world really is when you want to be famous.

Finally FAME gets the DVD treatment! A widescreen transfer, featurettes, and a wonderful video commentary that shows 4 of the leads TODAY talking about their 15 minutes of notoriety as a star of FAME. It’s a fun experience to see how they have aged, and what they remember of the filming. Alan Parker is the real star of the commentary though! He gets to talk over the entire movie, but thankfully he’s witty and informative. My favorite tidbit was the original name of FAME was HOT LUNCH! Okay… that would have been … disaster.

Best reason to own this? The music! You can watch the movie once, but I dare you to ever forget the title song “FAME”. My personal fave is “Out Here On My Own” for sentimental reasons. You’ll want to sign up for dance, voice, and acting lessons after this one.

See where all the hoopla started! Before the television shows, before the musical hit the stage … there was this gritty movie showing foul-mouthed kids trying to make it in The Big Apple. Or at least through high school!

Hello,

I have not had the opportunity to view the DVD version of Fame yet but I plan to order it, so someday soon! However, I thought it was worth my time to interject on a couple of the reviews that have been posted.

First: one lady commented that this movie was not suitable for her child because of the language and nudity, so it deserved 1 star. Please note that this movie was rated R in the theatre, and is listed as Rated R here on Amazon. How much clearer does one need to be. Rated R MEANS not suitable for children. Do not blame the movie for your poor judgement. Do not use this review in deciding to purchase the DVD.

Second: A gentleman commented that this movie did not contain all of the music from the original stage production. Well,unless I am mistaken, that would be because the movie came first. The musical expanded upon the movie, as did the television show. So please know this when using his review.

Just my two cents on the matter.

This Alan Parker film came out in 1980, after the director had horrified everyone with visions of Turkish Prison in MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. But here we have a loving valentine to the kids of New York who dream of being performers at the high school for performing and visual arts. It’s a musical, but one where the songs and dancing come out of the kids naturally as they goof off or perform for themselves or each other. You get to see four years of high school, and about 8 kids who reach varying levels of realizations about how hard the world really is when you want to be famous.

Finally FAME gets the DVD treatment! A widescreen transfer, featurettes, and a wonderful video commentary that shows 4 of the leads TODAY talking about their 15 minutes of notoriety as a star of FAME. It’s a fun experience to see how they have aged, and what they remember of the filming. Alan Parker is the real star of the commentary though! He gets to talk over the entire movie, but thankfully he’s witty and informative. My favorite tidbit was the original name of FAME was HOT LUNCH! Okay… that would have been … disaster.

Best reason to own this? The music! You can watch the movie once, but I dare you to ever forget the title song “FAME”. My personal fave is “Out Here On My Own” for sentimental reasons. You’ll want to sign up for dance, voice, and acting lessons after this one.

See where all the hoopla started! Before the television shows, before the musical hit the stage … there was this gritty movie showing foul-mouthed kids trying to make it in The Big Apple. Or at least through high school!

Download & Watch My Life in Ruins at Amazon.com. Click Here Now to Download & Watch My Life in Ruins Online Now!

I saw this movie a few weeks ago at the theater. I found it very entertaining and informative. It took me to places in Greece that I would love to visit. Nia is funny, sexy and believable. In the year 2000 I went on a tourist bus tour of Europe and this movie surely brought back many fond memories. Every bus tour includes many diverse characters, with a believable love story, this makes it very entertaining. I have recommended this movie to all my friends.They should own it.The filming is exquisite showing the sites of Greece like a travelogue.I left the theater feeling as I had been thoroughly entertained.

Why are there so many critics in this world? This is a sweet, fun movie that opened up a chance for many to see places in Greece that can not be filmed for commercial reasons. Kudos to Nia for gaining approval to film in such fantastic places as Delphi, Olympia and at the Acropolis. This is the perfect movie for a light, summer night or for when you just need a “pick me up.” See for yourself. Greece is a magical place and it was a delight to see it on the big screen. Nia is charming on and off screen and I think she is terrific. You go girl!

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was funny, entertaining, touching and the scenery was breath taking. Was it a great movie, no but it was a good movie that entertained. After all, isn’t that why we go to the movies? I recommend it without reservation

Download & Watch CROSSWORLDS at Amazon.com. Click Here Now to Download & Watch CROSSWORLDS Online Now!

Rutger Hauer has never been in a bad film as far as I know, at least not all bad. This is another good one. Here, he plays his usual character: tough, laconic, and always with one more surprise waiting.

It’s a “save the universe” adventure with a mystical/magical accent. There’s a baffled good guy – even his mother keeps him in the dark. There’s a mysterious babe who recruits him into he knows not what. There are bad guys who pop up in surprising places, and this movie’s places are more surprising than most. And there’s Rutger. His presence is pretty much a guarantee of quality entertainment.

This film shows good workmanship throughout, good effects without going to excess, and good choreography in the bloodless fights. If you’re looking for fine art or deep philosophy, you’re looking for something this film never meant to give. This is an action movie, that’s all. With Hauer, it’s a very good action movie. Enjoy it accordingly.

I have always been a fan of Rutger Hauer even though he has often wasted many opportunities by starring in films far beneath his abilities. Still, Hauer falls into that essential category of actors, along with the likes of Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman, James Garner, and several others, who consistently turn in excellent performances even in the worst of films. If you want to see Hauer hit a homerun in a role, check out his turn as a German police officer in the made for cable film “Fatherland.” The part where he tells his young son the story about the watchmaker is one of the most moving, mesmerizing scenes ever filmed. If you wish to see Hauer slumming his way through a movie, but still doing a great job, check out the nifty, straight to video science fiction actioner “Crossworlds.” I first saw this movie on HBO back in the late 1990s, and always liked it for some vague reason I could never put my finger on. When I had the opportunity to view it again recently after not seeing it for five years or so, I still found it immensely entertaining.

Josh Charles plays Joe Talbot, a down on his luck type of guy who never seems to get a break. He spends most of his time fretting about girls–not unusual for a guy in his early twenties–and dealing with his two raucous friends Steve and Stu (with Jack Black in the role of boisterous Steve). At a party thrown by mutual acquaintances, Talbot spots an intriguing blonde woman staring at him from across the room. She disappears soon after only to reappear later in Talbot’s room in time to warn him about some sort of calamity about to occur. It turns out this woman, Laura (Andrea Roth), is an agent for some extra-dimensional rebel group out to stop a very evil man from gaining possession of a powerful object. Predictably, Joe has this object, a crystal, on a necklace he wears everywhere he goes. Why? The gem was a gift from his father, an explorer and adventurer who died mysteriously during an excursion to an Albanian castle many years ago. Well, the same guy who wants the crystal from Joe also killed the young man’s father for the same reason. This man’s name is Ferris, who is some sort of powerful wizard with a smart mouth and a touchy ego, and he wants the crystal because it will allow him and his armies to conquer multiple worlds in different dimensions.

Joe Talbot ends up fleeing through various weird worlds with Laura when Ferris sends his henchman after the hapless duo. The two heroes meet up with A.T. (Rutger Hauer), a one-time associate of Ferris who ultimately rebelled against the idea of conquering other worlds and joined the resistance. The three set out on a mission to stop Ferris and save the world(s). Lots of slightly corny hijinks occur, like sudden shifts into other dimensions, Hauer hamming it up as a cynical master type trying to instruct the kiddies on how to wage intergalactic war (which apparently involves drinking lots of coffee and tapping the desert floor with a stick while chanting like an Indian), and the amiable insults issuing from the mouths of the characters. Ferris, his toady Rebo (!), Joe, Laura, and A.T. all yuck it up on a regular basis. Director Krishna Rao spices up his film with some explosions and lots of gunfire. A few special effects even pop up from time to time, the best one being a scene in which Talbot, Laura, and A.T. find themselves in an elevator that suddenly falls apart into a bottomless chasm. It’s all an illusion, of course, but listening to A.T. trying to convince Joe and Laura not to believe in it is amusing.

“Crossworlds” is definitely a low budget flick. Some of the special effects look slightly cheesy, the dialogue isn’t always top notch, and using a red lens to portray a desert as another dimension–with the never explained ability to make Charles’s character violently ill, no less–is unintentionally funny. But the performances, especially from Josh Charles and Rutger Hauer, are solid. Jack Black does his usual over the top shtick a few years before he made it big, making a small mark on the film even though he only appears for a few minutes. The script regrettably relegates Andrea Roth’s Laura character to the role of eye candy, requiring her to run around in a little skirt and essentially act as an intermediary between the verbal sparrings of Hauer and Charles. Sure, the movie tends to confuse the first time you watch it, but subsequent viewings will clear up things a little bit. Obviously, there are plot holes here, some the size of Montana, but who cares? “Crossworlds” still manages to entertain for ninety minutes, and that’s enough for me.

The DVD edition lacks any substantive extras outside of the obligatory trailer and a fullscreen or widescreen option. “Crossworlds” isn’t Rutger Hauer’s best film role, not by a long shot, but even when he sleepwalks through his role–and let’s be fair, he does sleepwalk here–he still runs rings around everyone else. I have seen numerous online critics viciously attack this movie as unwatchable low-grade schlock. Well, they are wrong. “Crossworlds” is definitely worth a rental and will probably surprise more often than it disappoints. Enjoy!

This is a film you can enjoy watching more than once…

There are visual twists to the story that are interesting and I found myself thinking about aspects of the film months after first viewing it…

Rutger Hauer does an excellent job, and the action just keeps rolling.

Download & Watch What Dreams May Come at Amazon.com. Click Here Now to Download & Watch What Dreams May Come Online Now!

There is such a profound sense of drama, magic and emotion behind the story in “What Dreams May Come,” a film based on the novel by Richard Matheson. There is a strong story with which anyone who loves someone else can identify, as well as an austentatious and elegant scope of visual and auditory imagery that jumps right for your eyes onscreen. Matheson’s visions of heaven and hell are magnificently realized here, as well as the love between two people that is unbreakable, even after death.

The movie begins with the chance meeting of two American tourists traveling in Switzerland. Soon after, Chris and Annie become inseperable, and after their wedding, they bear two children. Many years later, Ian and Marie are killed in a car collision, leaving their parents distraught yet overcoming. Another couple of years later, Chris dies in a car accident as well, on his way to celebrate the “Double D” anniversary of his wife’s emotional recovery from their childrens’ deaths. This begins his trip into heaven, which is rocky at first during his attempts to console his living wife, then graduating into his acceptance of his immortality and ascemding into heaven, which turns out to be the creation of his own thoughts and settings. When he realizes that he is not completely happy without Annie, he becomes depressed, so it is no surprise that when Annie commits suicide and is sent to hell, he readies himself to rescue his wife from her emotional confines that keep her in her prison of eternal darkness.

The story for this movie is very ambitious, as are the filmmakers who bring it to life. There is an abundance of vivid memories in the form of flashbacks, many of which are precisely used to move the plot along and keep the story moving. Instead of becoming bored with the ongoing story of Annie and Chris’s married and parental life, I found myself becoming more and more entranced as their lives unfolded, and say what you will, but the only way to tell a story like this is through flashbacks. If you were to take all of the memories and place them in order at the beginning of the movie, the audience would forget about the important moments that have an effects on the actions and events that take place in later instances of the film. Each one is a separate piece of the puzzle, and they all fit together quite well.

This film is one of those movies that showcases the possibilities for filmmaking in the future. Really, when you think about it, there is no way that the movie could have been made thirty years ago and still have the same impact as it does now. The settings and scenery play the most important role of the movie, for they provide the reason for the emotion and action that affects our characters. The beginning shots in Switzerland show us beautiful vistas of mountains and lakes, which will later become the inspiration for Chris’s heaven, as well as many of the paintings Annie creates. Their home bursts forth with color and brightness, proving that color plays a big role in the film. When everyone is alive, everything seems light and airy. After Chris’s death, all is dark, and the walls of the home seem dismal and gray. One scene in particular is a scene in which Chris watches his children being driven away in their van down a long line of lilac trees, a slight fog covering the scene. Their is that brilliance of color, yet the dark fog makes us uneasy, hence the accident that kills their children.

Heaven is elegantly portrayed in this film, and is done so with a new twist: that each person has their own private heaven created in the image of their own personal desires and thoughts. Chris’s heaven is based on the paintings of his wife, from the mountains of Switzerland to a small island in the middle of a mountain lake with an opulent, airy house. The filmmakers give each scene the precise look of a painting, even after the special effects fade, using vivid colors, lots of flowers and mountainous backdrops, to transport us into Chris’s new world. This is one of the most incredible film achievements ever, taking us to a special place that is warm, inviting, and personifies every thought we, as an audience, have ever had for beauty and vision.

Hell is given a truly horrifying and intense treatment, displaying visions of suffering as well as the personal and emotional pain of life that haunts us all. Somewhat like the way in which Heaven is created, Hell is seen as a persons’s “life gone wrong,” which allows for the creation of their pain-driven eternity. The gateway to hell is a stunning visual image, a vast, smoky graveyard of smoldering shipwrecks that creak and groan. There is also a dismal, endless sea of decrepit faces of hell’s inhabitants, that groan and scream at one another. The most striking of all the settings is the overturned cathedral, where Annie resides. The columns rise from the ceiling and go on forever into the darkness, which gives the whole place a sense of the neverending.

There is a unique chemistry between the two leads that carries on the film’s emotion and power. Robin Williams is charming, humorous and bold as Chris Nielsen, and through his acting and talent, he is able to make us believe in the love that Chris holds for Annie. Annabella Sciorra is moving as Annie, embodying all of the emotions and grief that set the stage for the second half of the story. When the two are together onscreen, they are happy and in love, and we buy it because they make it appear very authentic. Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays the angel that brings Chris to heaven, doing well in his performance of helping Chris through his struggle to realize his death. Max von Sydow, whose part is not as big as others he has had, is the tracker who takes them all to hell, and his words of wisdom keep the film’s informative angle moving.

“What Dreams May Come” will go down in history as one of the most innovative and spectacular films ever made, full of ambition and inspiration. In its story, we are taken on a journey of the human heart, as well as a striking vision of what may lie in store for everyone under God’s eye.

The acting in this film is wonderful. The story line was heart felt and thought provoking. Robin Williams is at his best. I have shared this movie with many of my friends. It brings about questions of faith but most of all it gives us hope about our live here on earth and after. No matter what your religion or whether you have a religion at all, it provides dreams.

I bought this DVD for my wife, as she loves romances whereas I normally love action and sci-fi. But I also think very highly of Robin Williams, having enjoyed his performances in GOOD MORNING VIETNAM and DEAD POETS SOCIETY(and I’m a closet MORK AND MINDY fan!), so I watched it with her, and I was surprised that I ended up enjoying this movie so much! The story tells of a man named Chris, played by the brilliant Robin Williams, who dies in a road accident and goes to Heaven, which is his own personal Heaven, in one of his wife’s unfinished paintings. His wife Annie(Annabella Sciorra), who has suffered the loss of their children with him in the past, is so devastated she kills herself and descends into Hell. Cuba Gooding Jnr plays a jovial Heaven ‘guide’, who shows Chris around and what he can create for himself, but this stiry proves that he loves Annie so much he would, quite literally, endure hell to be with her again. This movie had it all – spectacular visual effects depicting heaven and hell, brilliant performances all round(Robin Williams makes any movie he does worth watching, with the possible exception of that turkey called NINE MONTHS) and a story that will make you think about life in a different angle. The inverted cathedral images of Hell were an imaginative touch, along with the sea of faces and Max Von Sydow as a kind of dark man, or tracker, leading Williams into Hell. Watch this film with someone you love, and you’ll appreciate each other more! It’s unusual for me to rate a film of this type so high, but there you go. Don’t miss it.