Shine A Light
Featuring The Rolling Stones
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 29, 2009

Masterfully captured by Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, Shine A Light sheds some light on the worldwide musical phenomenon that is The Rolling Stones.

In the initial planning for the film, one gets the sense of watching two very similar superegos — Scorsese and Stones frontman Mick Jagger, squabble over camera techniques and lighting arrangements which very much put a damper on the opening performances. Jagger seemed to be breathless and a bit robotic, if not downright bored, through the first set. Fortunately, he seemed eventually to get used to the melting hot movie lights and learned to avoid lingering in one place for more than a few seconds for fear of serious burns; he also must have adjusted to the video cams on the mini cranes which he felt would block the views of the audience members nearest to the stage and gave in to his sheer talent, which resulted in an unforgettable concert after a seemingly shaky start.

The Doors
Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Oliver Stone
Starring Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, Kevin Dillon, Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Madsen, Billy Idol, Kathleen Quinlan
Lions Gate Home Video
Release date: August 12, 2008

The Doors cuts a jagged swath through the life of singer Jim Morrison, one of the most charismatic and exciting figures in rock history. The film begins with Morrison’s arrival in California and explores his assimilation into the Venice Beach culture, his relationships with girlfriend Pamela Courson (Meg Ryan) and future bandmate Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan), and the origin of The Doors. As fame takes its toll, Morrison spirals downward into an inferno of drugs, alcohol, public obscenity, arrests, and depression. As director Oliver Stone puts it, during his insightful audio commentary, “Morrison was the poster child for a nation on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”

The History Channel presents their upcoming special, Lost Book of Nostradamus tonight at 9:00pm ET/PT. The series focuses on the mysterious book of cryptic prophecies that was discovered at the National Library in Rome, which evidence suggests, is the final work of Nostradamus.

Lost Book of Nostradamus also explores some of the predictions that have given Nostradamus such extraordinary influence today, all the while unveiling the cryptic and frightening drawings in the lost book that take the program to a spectacular and frightening conclusion with critical information for today’s generation.

Check out The History Channel’s Lost Book of Nostradamus minisite.

Ever since I bought a new 50-inch plasma TV, I’ve been looking for interesting nature programs to watch in high definition. I felt like I hit the jackpot when I began watching the Discovery Channel miniseries Planet Earth.

I’ve recorded every episode of the 11-part miniseries since it began airing on consecutive Sundays on March 25 and tonight I’m looking forward to the final two installments, Forests and Caves (8pm and 9pm ET/PT, respectively).

Actress/conservationist Sigourney Weaver narrates each hour-long episode of Planet Earth, which was put together by the makers of the nature history series Blue Earth.

I’ve never been so captivated by a program before. I can’t believe the filmmakers were able to capture such animal behaviors like the elusive snow leopard in the highest peaks of the Himalayas and the elephants on a months-long trek through the desert in search of water. The scenarios presented truly conveyed the emotions of the animals that humans aren’t often privy to.