The Lilac Bus DVD

Advantages: Episode selection option
Disadvantages: none if your cild like Balamory

...is a good cook and Penny is a good organiser. Every episode of Balamory after the visit from a character to Miss Hoolie starts continues with a character singing a song called 'which coloured house am I going to'. The story continues from there with always another song of the character they go to see next so each episode always has three songs and normall a song at the end. The ones at the end tend to be childrens classics, like the hokey cokey. My son loves the songs, he has learnt most of them and is always singing them. This particular DVD contains 4 balamory episodes all featured around the character Eddie McCreddie and her bus. The good theing about this DVD is you can episode select and scence select, (my son likes skipping to the songs). The program is good for helping children learn colours. I would recommend this DVD and any... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Perfect performances, funny in the right places, genuinely heartfelt effort.
Disadvantages: Not for thos who prefer Eels the rock band

...down about as well as the Titanic. But to be honest, the more devoted Eels fans should not really be surprised like this - this band has always tried to do a show that would be stylistically different to whatever the current album is. So, there we have it - my first argument as to why this is worth your money. It's not simply a live rendition of existing tracks; all of them have been reworked into something new. This DVD combines live performances with clips of what goes on backstage. After two or three songs you are presented with backstage chats with each of the band, footage from the tour bus, and clips of Everett wandering around New York, giving us his thoughts on life. It's all very engaging too - Everett has a very dry wit, but still comes across as a very likeable man. The last backstage clip, where he is sat on the tour bus... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: evokes a forgotten era, a very human film, fantastic music
Disadvantages: wish you were on that tour bus, and experience the era of ROCK!!

...as 'Stillwater'. Yet, the story was not about idealisation, but as the cover urges "experience it. enjoy it. just don't fall for it". This film had everything, friendship, unrequited love, comedy, treachery and above all passion, not to mention music. For there are moments i'll never forget, such as the poignant and blackly humurous plane scene, William's wide eyes absorbing everything he sees and when they well with tears. Above all though, the bus scene, when Elton John's song "Tiny Dancer" is played re-exerting music and happiness into the dejected group, shines out. All this made possible by the 'humanely' believable characters like Russell Hammond, William, his overprotective mother, the band aids, and the elevated larger than life band aid, Penny Lane. This film is striking as it is born out of experience, thus has soul and strong... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful