Avatar the Last Airbender – Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3

Directed by Giancarlo Volpe         Average customer review:

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In this latest release of Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 3, Volume 3 the invasion is in full force and Aang, prepared to face his destiny, frantically searches for the Fire Lord but there are few unexpected twists for Aang and the gang that could ruin their master plan. Join Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph as they are forced to rely on old enemies for help.

 

At the beginning of Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3, things don’t go quite the way one would have hoped at the end of Vol. 2. Aang–the young avatar–and his companions Katara, Toph, and Sokka were part of a major assault on the tyrannical fire nation, and hopes of victory were high. In “The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse,” however, circumstances reverse the heroes’ fortunes, forcing Aang, his friends and the very youngest warriors to flee the battle. As they regroup at the Western Air Temple, mourning the expected imprisonment of the adults left behind, Aang comes face to face with an unexpected, would-be ally: Zuko, prince of the fire nation. Sokka and Katara refuse to accept Zuko’s guarantee that he is truly on their side (they’ve been through this before), but Toph and Aang are a little more receptive to the idea. Good thing. In “The Firebending Masters,” Aang accepts that Zuko could be the firebending mentor he needs to show him how to conquer the most elusive of the four elements. But it isn’t easy: Zuko loses his power and must retreat to a fire nation temple, where he can learn the origins of his native gift. The set of five stories on this disc concludes with the two-part “The Boiling Rock,” in which Sokka and Zuko infiltrate a fire nation maximum security prison in hopes of freeing Sokka’s father. Trying hard to stay clandestine, Zuko’s identity is revealed anyway, jeopardizing not only the mission but Zuko and Sokka’s very freedom. The excitement is endless in the long-running Avatar series, and developments (especially Zuko’s acceptance by Aang and the others) are as heartening as they are surprising. –Tom Keogh

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Avatar The Last Airbender – Book 3 Fire, Vol 2

Directed by Giancarlo Volpe         Average customer review:

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Legend has it that when the sun is in full eclipse the Fire Nation will be at their weakest and most vulnerable. In the second installment of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Book 3: Fire – Volume 2, Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph continue to prepare for the coming eclipse. Aang and Zuko learn about their shared past, Toph gets into trouble in a small Fire nation village, and Katara learns a Waterbending technique that she wishes she could “unlearn?” When the Day of Black Sun finally arrives, the long awaited invasion of the Fire Nation begins.

 

Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 3–Fire, Volume 2 finds the series closing in on a long-awaited day of reckoning with the fire nation. The five episodes on this disc continue those chapters on Volume 1in which Aang–the young avatar–and his companions Katara, Toph, and Sokka live undercover in the fire nation, awaiting the moment when an alliance of warriors from the air, water, and earth nations converge to overtake the conquering firebenders once and for all. On Volume 2, the path to the day of battle, in typical Avatar fashion, is full of misadventures and intrigue, but also sundry revelations that make the pending series climax that much more interesting. “The Avatar and the Firelord” is the backstory of how the fire nation leader came to be a brutal tyrant in the world. Turns out he was the best friend of none other than the previous avatar; the souring of their relationship led to the troubles young Aang is trying to resolve. (While Aang is finding all this out, the fire nation’s Prince Zuko discovers his ancestry is more complicated than he’d imagined, and that he has more of a role to play in ending the war waged by his people.) “The Runaway” is a comedy about mischievous Toph getting into trouble for using her earthbending powers to win bets and make a lot of money. “The Puppetmaster” is a scary story featuring a waterbending old woman who initially enchants Katara, but then later is revealed to be a vengeful monster with terrifying abilities to control people’s bodies. “Nightmares and Daydreams” concerns an anxious Aang unable to sleep and stop hallucinating prior to the coming battle, while part one of “The Day of Black Sun” sees the beginning of the allies’ invasion of the fire nation. Lots of surprises in this last episode, with a cliffhanger ending that makes the next volume of Avatar most desirable. –Tom Keogh

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Avatar The Last Airbender – Book 3 Vol 1

From Paramount Home Video / Nickelodeon Average customer review:

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Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph are going undercover to infiltrate the Fire Nation. Their goal is to get to the Palace where they hope to confront and defeat the evil and powerful Firelord. Along the way they learn that the people of the Fire Nation have the same needs and desires as everyone else in the world.

 

Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 3, Volume 1 is a slightly unusual suite of episodes in the Avatar canon, as the majority of programs are even more comical than usual. Not that the five shows included on this disc lack seriousness: the long-running series now finds young Aang (the once and future avatar destined to reunite the world’s four estranged nations) and his traveling companions behind enemy lines in the Fire Nation, disguised as colonists. In “Awakening,” Aang arises–with a surprising headful of dark hair–from several weeks of unconsciousness (due to the injuries he sustained during a battle for Ba Sing Se) aboard a captured Fire Nation warship. Though he finds old friends Sokka, Toph, and Katara nearby, all urging him not to take matters in his own hands, Aang ultimately feels compelled to go head-to-head with the Fire Lord before he is ready. The result forces Aang and the others to remain incognito, setting up subsequent episodes in which the heroes are forced to lay low and find something else to do with their time besides fight adversaries. In “The Headband,” Aang enrolls in a Fire Nation school, where his eyes are opened to such ordinary experiences as dealing with a campus bully and getting a hard time from strict teachers. In “The Painted Lady,” Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph visit an impoverished fishing village and have to repress their typical instinct to help lest they be recognized as outsiders. (An alternative is found.) “Sokka’s Master,” in some ways the most enjoyable episode here, finds Sokka feeling useless because he doesn’t possess powers similar to his mates. His solution: talk a master swordsman into taking him on as an apprentice. Finally, the most unexpected story in this collection is “The Beach,” in which Prince Zuko, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee–all of whom are back in the Fire Nation, too–take an awkward holiday but end up learning a lot about one another.

Meanwhile, Zuko–following his extended banishment from the Fire Nation–discovers that his father welcoming again, but only because his manipulative sister, Princess Azula, has falsely told everyone that Zuko killed Aang. Fearing that his father will disown him again, Zuko chooses not to tell the truth and works on having Aang quietly assassinated. Where Zuko had been more of a complete human being during his exile, he’s back to being a monster again, going so far as to keep his dutiful uncle, Iroh, in a dark, dank prison. –Tom Keogh

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Avatar The Last Airbender – The Complete Book 2 Collection

From Nickelodeon   Average customer review:

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Avatar: The Complete Book 2 DVD Collection includes 20 action packed episodes from Book 2: Earth, plus an exclusive never-before-seen bonus disc! This 5 disc set centers around Avatar Aang and his continious quest to master the four elements. Together with Katara, Sokka, Momo and Appa, he journeys across the Earth Kingdom in search of an Earthbending mentor while staying one step ahead of Prince Zuko and fighting off the treachorous, Princess Azula, of the Fire Nation, who will stop at nothing to defeat the Avatar!

 

Book 2: Earth, Vol. 1 Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 2 Earth, Volume 1 finds Aang, the Avatar and potential reconciler of a world divided into air, earth, water, and fire kingdoms, now a master Waterbender. That means he and companions Katara and Sokka can now leave the Northern Water Tribe and concentrate on mastering earth. New adventures and dangers await the heroic trio in the five episodes included on this DVD, which finds Aang experiencing nightmares about the power of the Avatar State. He also meets an earth kingdom general with plans for attacking the warrior tribes of the fire nation, gets trapped with possible love interest Katara in the Cave of Two Lovers, and gets pulled into a supernatural swamp by a tornado. As always, Avatar is above average as an engaging anime tale, with a wonderfully original storyline and striking artistry. –Tom Keogh

Book 2: Earth, Vol. 2 The five chapters in Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 2 Earth, Volume 2 continue the story of young avatar Aang’s adventures deep within the Earth Kingdom. As usual, each episode is a seamless blend of grave drama and comic relief, but the stakes seem higher than ever with the addition of a new member to Aang’s team. Joining Katara and Sokka is Toph, a blind but powerful earthbending girl trying to obscure her aristocratic origins by defeating large, scary men in the ring. Aang recognizes Toph from his vision of an earthbending teacher, whom he needs to help him master control over the earth element. Toph also adds a kind of sardonic, tart tone to Aang’s journey, ultimately leaving her world to join the series’ trio of young heroes. “The Blind Bandit” finds Aang, Katara, and Sokka working hard at convincing Toph to help their mission. “Zuko Alone” carries on the tale of the firebending prince who now travels alone and anonymously, but comes close to befriending a boy in an Earth Kingdom town. (The episode is full of interesting flashbacks from Zuko’s youth.) “The Chase” also concerns Zuko’s past, but is primarily about Aang, Katara, and Sokka adjusting to Toph’s somewhat self-centered presence on the team at the same time Princess Azula is relentlessly hunting them all down in a kind of speeding tank. “Bitter Work” finds Toph having difficulties training Aang, while “The Library” is an exotic episode about a professor who leads the crew to a library containing information useful against the Fire Nation. When they get there, they find the place guarded by the owl-like Wan Shi Tong, who begins sinking the library in defense against the perceived invaders. –Tom Keogh

Book 2: Earth, Vol. 3 Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 2 Earth, Volume 3 covers chapters 11 through 15 in the ongoing saga of Aang, the 12-year-old reincarnation of an avatar destined to reunite the warring nations of fire, earth, water, and air. Still traveling with his friends Katara, Sokka, and newcomer Toph, Aang gets into some of the strangest and most compelling situations yet seen on his journey to master control over all four elements. The first story, “The Desert,” finds Aang so upset over the abduction and criminal sale of his flying bison, Appa, that the powerful boy shows a streak of rage, demonstrating to himself that he could easily use his emerging skills to harm enemies if he wished. Still, Appa remains missing through this volume, leading the gang on a mission to survive a desert sojourn and survive during a perilous flight (with a young family in tow) over a pass through mountains and ocean in “The Serpent’s Pass.” They also get involved in a bizarre fight (in “The Drill”) against the Fire Nation army and its gigantic drill, which is aimed at the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, a city occupied by earth people. Once inside Ba Sing Se, however, things get really weird: smiling officials (in “City of Walls and Secrets”) outlaw any discussion of the war outside in order to keep the population placid and the economy rolling. Finally, “Tales of Ba Sing Se” is an original piece made up of individual vignettes focusing on each of the major characters. If there is anything surprising about Book 2 Earth, Volume 3, it’s the amount of romance (kissing, even!) in the air. These Avatar boys and girls are growing up. –Tom Keogh

Book 2: Earth, Vol. 4 The long journey of young Avatar Aang and his friends Katara, Sokka, and Toph continues in this dramatic installment in the Avatar the Last Airbender series. Picking up from Volume 3, the first chapter on this disc, “Appa’s Lost Days,” traces the hard times of Aang’s winged bison, Appa, after the latter is stolen in order to blackmail Aang into not going to the Earth King with information about a pending coup. The clever Aang manages to find Appa anyway and complete his crucial mission, though he learns, in “The Earth King,” that the sheltered monarch doesn’t buy the notion that his own counsel, the power-grasping Long Feng, could be behind such a conspiracy. Complicating matters is the arrival of Princess Azula to take control over forces loyal to Long Feng, while Zuko, the reformed Fire Nation prince now acting as a humble but happier servant to his wise, tea-drinking uncle, is powerless to stop her. (On the other hand, Zuko forms an unexpected bond with one of Aang’s allies.) Everything comes to a head in “The Crossroads of Destiny,” in which Aang, suddenly confused by the sage advice of a guru who tells him he must free himself of a crucial emotional attachment, joins the others in an uphill effort to stop Azula from overtaking the Earth King. As engaging and frequently funny as every other volume in the Avatar series, Volume Four is a great ride through a climactic time in the long-running story. –Tom Keogh

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Avatar The Last Airbender – The Complete Book 1 Collection

From Paramount   Average customer review:

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Now a master waterbender aang leaves the northern water tribe to continue his quest to master the next element earth. Along with katara & sokka they visit the new earth nation cities encounter a slew of different earth kingdom citizens & even reunite with a crazy old king! Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 02/05/2008

 

Book 1: Water, Vol. 1
Mysterious, visually beautiful at times, and surprisingly funny, Avatar: Book 1, Volume 1 is the exciting story of Aang, a 12-year-old reincarnation of the ancient Avatar, whose purpose (in an imagined world that seems both ancient and futuristic) is to restore peace and order between warring armies of the four elements: fire, earth, water, and air. At one time or another, over thousands of years, the Avatar has been embodied in masters of each of the elements. Aang (who is freed from a century-long sleep inside an iceberg) happens to be an “airbender,” capable of using air and wind as powerful forces for moving objects and defeating hostile armies of firebenders. The feature-length Avatar follows Aang and a couple of friends as he becomes reacquainted with the world he knew before his 100-year hibernation–a world now lost to history. The story also concerns internal dramas within the unforgiving world of firebenders, who are intent on destruction and conquest. This engaging story, very pleasant to look at in its rich tones of blue and orange, is for all ages. –Tom Keogh

Book 1: Water, Vol. 2
Avatar The Last Airbender, Book 1: Water, Volume 2 continues the adventurous if half-comic journey of 12-year-old Airbender Aang, reincarnation of an ancient avatar, and his friends Katara and Sokka as they seek a teacher to help Aang fulfill his peacemaking destiny in a war-torn world. The four episodes on this disc, a follow-up to the elegant, magical series introduction, find the trio wandering through sundry Earth Nation cities, where they encounter signs of troubles between the once-harmonious, elemental tribes representing fire, earth, air, and water. They also bump into trouble with the occasional evil kingdom, as in “The King of Omashu,” where Aang must go through various trials to save Katara and Sokka from a bizarre execution. (They’re encased in growing, crystal structures.) “Imprisoned” finds Katara inadvertently responsible for the arrest of an Earthbending boy who dares to use his powers while his people are under Firebender occupation. The ambitious, two-part “Winter Solstice” is the best production in this collection, a pairing of storylines involving the capture of a Firebender war criminal and the hopes of a frightened village that turns to Aang to defeat a monster from the spirit world. The action is still original and fun on this sequel–most of it continues to be based on exciting uses of the elements–and the lead trio’s characters (Aang the scamp, Katara the idealist, Sokka the skeptic) are still a pleasure to be with. —Tom Keogh

Book 1: Water, Vol. 3
The Avatar saga continues with four of the anime series’ strongest stories yet on Book 1: Water, Volume 3, mixing goofy comedy with mythic drama in the spirit of Avatar’s magical debut (Book 1 Water, Volume 1) and engaging follow-up (Book 1 Water, Volume 2). Volume 3 concerns the continuing (perilous) travels of Aang, the 12-year-old Airbender destined to heal the rift between the world’s air, water, fire, and earth peoples, and his friends Katara and Sokka. “The Waterbending Scroll” finds Katara so jealous over Aang’s quick mastery of complicated waterbending techniques that the trio ends up in trouble with a cluster of cutthroat pirates. “Jet” is an interesting story of an adolescent boy leading a Robin Hood-like rebellion against the firebending occupiers of his land. Charismatic and rakish, Jet makes Katara swoon and becomes a hero to Aang–until his true colors and agenda show up later. “The Great Divide” places Aang and company in the position of mediating a truce between refugees seeking assistance across a great canyon. Finally, “The Storm” is a superb piece which shows us, in parallel narratives, how Aang was fleeing his oppressed life as an avatar-in-training a century earlier when he became encased in ice, and how the driven, seemingly merciless Prince Zuko lost his own boyhood innocence before setting out to capture Aang. This excellent collection carries on the series’ imaginative, graceful animation, making Avatar a real pleasure to watch. —Tom Keogh

Book 1: Water, Vol. 4

Book 1: Water, Vol. 5
Chapters 17 through 20 of Avatar the Last Airbender: Book 1 Water, Vol. 5 find Aang, the 12-year-old Avatar destined to bring peace to the world by mastering the four elements, once again in direct collision with the forces of the Fire nation. In “The Northern Air Temple,” a sad Aang visits the ruins of a monastery well known to him in his past life. Aang is shocked to discover a tribe of faux Airbenders living there, presided over by an inventor with a dark and even treacherous secret. “The Waterbending Master” introduces Aang to a mentor he would just as soon avoid: an old Waterbender who can teach him to move, shape, and fight with liquid, prerequisites to Aang assuming his place as the world’s savior. Meanwhile, Aang’s traveling companion Katara is frustrated by that same master’s refusal to sharpen her own natural, Waterbending talent; until, that is, an unexpected link between them becomes clear. (Aang’s other friend, Sokka, stays busy–and crazy–chasing a princess who gives him mixed signals about her romantic interest.) “The Siege of the North, Parts 1 and 2” is yet another epic confrontation between Admiral Zhao’s Fire Navy fleet and the Aang gang. The twist this time is that Zhao attempts the murder of Prince Zuko, an action that cannot go without consequences. As usual, Avatar is visually exciting and highly original, an otherworldly yet fully accessible fantasy full of dreams and good humor. —Tom Keogh

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Iron Man (Ultimate Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray

From Paramount     Average customer review:

 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com 
Suit up for action with Robert Downey Jr. in the ultimate adventure movie you’ve been waiting for, Iron Man! When jet-setting genius-industrialist Tony Stark is captured in enemy territory, he builds a high-tech suit of armor to escape. Now, he’s on a mission to save the world as a hero who’s built, not born, to be unlike any other. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges, it’s a fantastic, high-flying journey that is “hugely entertaining” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal).

Amazon.com 
You know you’re going to get a different kind of superhero when you cast Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role. And Iron Man is different, in welcome ways. Cleverly updated from Marvel Comics’ longstanding series, Iron Man puts billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (that’s Downey) in the path of some Middle Eastern terrorists; in a brilliantly paced section, Stark invents an indestructible suit that allows him to escape. If the rest of the movie never quit hits that precise rhythm again, it nevertheless offers plenty of pleasure, as the renewed Stark swears off his past as a weapons manufacturer, develops his new Iron Man suit, and puzzles both his business partner (Jeff Bridges in great form) and executive assistant (Gwyneth Paltrow). Director Jon Favreau geeks out in fun ways with the hardware, but never lets it overpower the movie, and there’s always a goofy one-liner or a slapstick pratfall around to break the tension. As for Downey, he doesn’t get to jitterbug around too much in his improv way, but he brings enough of his unpredictable personality to keep the thing fresh. And listen up, hardcore Marvel mavens: even if you know the Stan Lee cameo is coming, you won’t be able to guess it until it’s on the screen. It all builds to a splendid final scene, with a concluding line delivery by Downey that just feels absolutely right. –Robert Horton   —get it now!–

Stills from Iron Man (Click for larger image)

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Ride the Unicycle – a Crash Course!

By Gregg Vivolo Average customer review:

This 80+ page booklet has a color cover and is printed in black & white. Like the first edition, it is written for children and adults alike. HOWEVER, It NOW includes over 40 photos to help you learn even quicker and easier, revised material from the first edition, and motivational quotes to help keep you in the “right frame of mind”. In addition, this booklet includes the following chapters to help you not only learn to ride quickly and easily but help you progress to the next level of riding:

Unicycle History, Should I Learn To Ride a Unicycle? What Is A Good Uni-Age?, Unicycle Safety, Unicycle Anatomy, Unicycle Styles, Unicycle Racing, Freestyle, Mountain Unicycling, Trials, Unicycle Touring, Street Unicycling, What Size Unicycle Is Right For Me?, Seat Adjustment, Walk Before You Ride, The Art of Falling, Additional Needs Before You Learn, Let’s Get Started!, Practice, Practice, Practice, Inch-Stones Before Milestones, “To Turn or Not To Turn”, The Pet Rock, Your New Best Friend, Lose The Curb, Fun Practice Exercises, Circles, Figure 8’s, Slalom, Curb It Or Wall It!, The Wall Method, Benefits of Unicycling, Unicycle Web Links, About The Author, Unicycling Support.

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Mongoose 20-Inch Squid Unicycle

From Mongoose   Average customer review:

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Mongoose 20 Inch Squid UnicycleShow off your skills with this Squid Unicycle! With its four arm tentacle frame and 36 spoke wheel, this unicycle is at the top of its game. It also features a 3-piece 155mm crank, a 3″ slick tire, along with a grab handle and bumper built into the saddle. –read more—

Superman Bust Bank

From Diamond   Average customer review:

Conveniently sized at 3x8x8 (LxWxH), you can display your favorite DC Heroes just about anywhere. Made from roto-cast plastic, the Superman bust bank will protect your loose change, and not get too heavy when you fill it up!

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SIC S.I.C classic 2008 Vol.9 Masked Kamen Rider V3

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