Airplane (DVD) Review

Winner of an astounding, yet not unprecedented zero Academy Awards, Airplane is arguably one of the funniest movies ever made. Long before The Naked Gun, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker teamed up to write this outrageous comedy hit which spoofs the airline disaster movies prevalent throughout the 1970’s. Starring a diverse cast with a wide range of experience from Hollywood, Broadway, and the NBA, Airplane follows the exploits of a number of characters such as Ted Striker (Robert Hays), Roger Murdock (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and Otto The Inflatable Pilot (as himself), all of whom will keep you laughing in the aisles for one hour plus.

When ex-fighter pilot Ted Striker is released from the hospital following the mental strain of his war experience, he decides to seek out and reconnect with the love of his life, Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty), a woman who broke off their relationship due to Striker’s various problems (among which is a “drinking problem,” that is, Striker’s inability to pour liquid into his mouth!) Now an airline stewardess, Elaine is emphatic in her assertion that she will never get back together with Ted. Unwilling to take no for an answer, and certain he can prove he’s overcome the problems of his past, Ted follows Elaine on her flight.

All goes well until several passengers get sick. Victims of spoiled food, almost everyone on the plane stands on the brink of death as the pilots themselves pass out. One of the few who is not ill, Ted is called upon to land the plane in their absence. But his haunting war memories and fear of flying foreshadow a great disaster. With the help of Elaine, Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen), and Otto The Inflatable Pilot, Ted faces his fears and attempts to bring the plane in for a safe landing. Helping him from the ground are Steven McCrosky (Lloyd Bridges) and Capt. Rex Kramer (Robert Stack), a military man intimately familiar with the abilities of Ted Striker.

Interspersed throughout Airplane are an endless number of one-liners, oddities, wordplay dialogue, and crazy antics. This is one movie you might have to watch several times before you catch every great line, because the humor saturates every scene. You won’t find a single dull moment in Airplane. In fact, you might even learn a few disco moves from Ted and Elaine, not to mention Capt. Oveur and his co-pilot Roger!

With a truly impressive cast for a spoof, cult comedy classic (Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, and Leslie Nielsen among others), Airplane will forever remain among the hallowed elite of the best comedy films ever produced. Unlike most modern-era comedies, which tend to reflect many of the trends and fads of the day, Airplane seems to gain new altitude with each generation to which it’s introduced. Like Johnny Carson, its wit and humor transcends every level of American life, making for an enjoyable and laughable movie watching experience. As a result, Airplane is a no-brainer in the category of must-see films. If you haven’t seen it (hard to believe), then I highly recommend renting it immediately.

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more movie reviews like this one.

Related Information of Interest:

Using Filters In Photography
Photographic filter is an attachment that will allow certain kinds of light to be able to pass through, and able to reduce or block out other unwanted light sources.In short, the term filter really means anything that modifies the incoming light in some way and includes: polarizing screens, multi-image prisms,close-up attachments, soft focus filters, neutral density (ND) filters, graduated ND filters, and color filters for black and white photography. Filters come in two main shapes: round and square.

Filters add color and a certain touch to a photo that complements the individuals style of photo taking. When you are using a black and white film with filters, you can darken or lighten the tone of the subjects color. The color filters that are used can darken the tone of an opposite color and brighten the tone of the color filter that is being used. For an example, a red filter will make the red leafs on an autumn tree look very rich and bright, while on the other hand the sky behind it that was blue, is now almost black.

Neutral density filters reduce the light entering your camera so that a slower shutter speed,or a larger aperture can be used. Graduated ND filters are used to balance out bright skies against darker foreground scenes.

A neat filter is called the star filter. This type of filter in photography is placed on the cameras lenses to create a star look effect form any source of light. This is very popular with television game shows and used for portraits to provide a soft overall diffusion. A split field lenses is really a full lenses but only half of it is close-up, it is great for taking a picture of something close-up at the bottom like a small flower or bug in focus. The top of the lenses is just blank or empty and the camera uses its lenses to background in focus, say the mountain in the distance.

Albreht Moy has many photographs for sale at his website.

Making Your Own Bird Feeder
There is estimated to be over 100 billion individual wild birds on earth, and each one needs to eat certain amounts of food on a daily basis in order to survive. That’s where we come in! Birdfeeders are fun to make and are essential in order for birds to live. Bird houses can be made out of practically anything and are usually hung in different locations around your yard for birds to enjoy. Purchasing a bird feeder is another option, however this can be expensive and both methods serve practically the same purpose.

The following is a fun and easy way for children (or adults) to make a bird feeder:

What You Will Need:

•An empty milk or juice carton (any size will do)
•String (must be strong)
•Scissors
•Stapler
•Hole punch
•2 small sticks or wooden rods
•Bird seed
•Markers, paint or anything which can be used to decorate the carton. Ensure the paint is water based not to hurt your feathered friends and try not to use anything that can be potentially dangerous to swallow.

Directions:

1.Wash and dry the carton thoroughly.

2.Decorate your carton however you would like.

3.Using your scissors cut a square in each side of the carton (a square big enough to fit at least the head of a bird).

4.Using your hole punch (or your scissors) make a small hole below each square.

5.Push your sticks or rods through the holes from one side of the carton to the other (the sticks will form a “t”).

6.Fill the bottom of your carton with bird seed.

7.Punch a hole (or two if you like) in the top of your carton.

8.Hang your finished feeder to a tree branch with string.

Although these bird feeders will not last forever (or even close), they are a fun, inexpensive way for children to learn about birds and the importance of caring for our wildlife.

About the Author

Greg Pilson is an avid bird watcher who also dabbles in freelance photography of his favorite subjects. When he’s not working full time in the engineering industry, he writes as a freelance writer for www.birdfeedersdirect.com – a site that offers information about bird houses and more.

A Funny True Life Dog Story
This is the story of my dog called Shandy. He was my favourite pet and he was very lively, lots of fun and very obedient. His main passion in life was to be taken for a long walk, culminating with a big run out in his favourite park.

I would try to take him on this walk everyday, weather permitting. The park itself was about three miles away from our house. To reach the park we had to cross a number of busy roads, however he would never pull or misbehave. He knew where we were heading and seemingly did not want to rock the boat and risk been taken home before he reached his dream destination.

At the park itself I would throw a ball and he would chase it and fetch it back to me.

At this stage I was living at home with my parents, however aged twenty two, I decided to rent my own bungalow near the coast in Devon. This was nearly two hundred miles away from my parents in home in Birmingham. This obviously meant I was no longer in the position to take Shandy on his walk.

I spoke to my parent, who reassured me that they would continue to take him on the walks.

Two weeks after I had left, I had a phone call from my mother. She was panicking, stating that Shandy had managed to escape from the back garden and that she could not find him. She insisted that she had been looking for hours but that there had been no sign of him.

I was quite worried and thought about where he may have gone to. "Have you been taking him on his walks to the park everyday?" I asked. She replied: "Most days" I asked her to try at the park, telling her that he loves that park etc. "He would not be there, its miles away." She said. I again asked her to try there. Luckily he was there quite happily sniffing around, unaware of the panic he had caused.

About the Author

Stephen Hill has a couple of websites at www.lasik-laser-surgery.co.uk and at www.stutter-stuttering.com.

Want to Stop Panic Attack Symptoms?
Have you ever suffered from a panic attack? A panic attack occurs when feelings of intense anxiety and fear overwhelm you and manifest themselves in a variety of symptoms, including a pounding heart, shaking, dizziness, nausea, sweating, chills, shortness of breath, or others. The attack can last for a very short period or for hours. Sometimes, you may be able to see an obvious trigger for a panic attack, such as a busy workplace or a loved one that is ill. Other times, you may not see any reason for why you are experiencing a panic attack. Sometimes, just the thought of having a panic attack can trigger one.

What is most important is to realize what your body is doing, and to try and pinpoint what is causing you to feel anxious and fearful. If you are unable to figure out why you are suffering from panic attacks, it is best to see a doctor. Don’t be worried that your doctor will think you are weird – many people suffer from panic attacks, and often the cure you need can be very straightforward, such as a small change in your routines or lifestyle. It is good to speak with someone else to get their opinion on what you are experiencing, and a doctor or psychologist is an excellent person to speak with because they have the knowledge that can help you overcome these symptoms.

If your symptoms are severe, and you are unable to stop them on your own, there are medications which your doctor can prescribe to help you combat the panic attacks. The body is a complicated system that works in all different ways, so what some people might find helpful may not work for other people. Don’t give up if you still experience panic attack symptoms; you may help in confronting different factors in your life that cause anxiety, or you many need to try a different medication or treatment.

Often, even if you are unable to figure out what is causing your symptoms at that moment, you can take action to stop them. Get away from people, or have a friend be with you. Sit or lie down. Focus on breathing deeply and thinking positive, calming thoughts. Even if you feel like you are not in control, make every effort to stop the symptoms. Know that you are not alone in this: your friends, and especially your doctor, can help you overcome panic attack symptoms.

Find information about panic attack symptoms at anxietyattack.factsandnews.com/