Reviews by Friends of AnnaBanana

ChrisJarmick says "Best Movies Hitchcock, Peckinpah, Aldrich gems are highlights" about Classic Movies Best Movies TCM Vintage Movies Hitchcock, Westerns, Cult and Cummings

ChrisJarmick — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:39:08 GMT

Turner Classic Movies gives us 3 more Grace Kelly movies on Thursday November 12th. Then, on Friday the 13th the primetime focus is on Westerns with manly men going for the gold followed by a rare cult type movie that's probably worth checking out for baaad movie lovers. Saturday the 14th TCM gives us several movies starring 'Love that' Bob 'Dobie Gillis' Cummings.

On Thursday November 12 the spotlight is again on movies starring Grace Kelly,

We get three gems. First is the 1954 Hitchcock thriller that was originally in 3D starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings Dial M For Murder. It's a decent tale about a cheating husband who had a plan to frame his wife for murder. It's been re-made a couple of times and isn't considered Hitch's best but it's one you don't want to miss.

This is followed by one of the best Hitchcock movies ever made; 1954's Rear Window with James Stewart and Grace Kelly. I've told you to make sure and watch this several times in the past......

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Fardreamer says "Presto's Orville Redenbacher Popcorn maker is superb!" about Orville Reddenbacher Popcorn maker

Fardreamer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:40 GMT

To me, one of the nicest things about going to the movies is buying a bag of popcorn and adding some melted butter and a pinch or two of salt, then consuming it while watching the feature presentation and washing it down with a nice cup of Coca-Cola.

Of course. one can make popcorn at home, too. In microwave ovens, mostly, but some people still use either (a) Jiffy Pop stovetop popcorn (b) improvised poppers, or (c) popcorn makers of various makes and brands.

Until very late in 2007, if I wanted popcorn at home I'd usually get Orville Redenbacher's Microwave Popcorn. We had owned a very good popcorn maker in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but after it finally stopped working during my college years, we relied on the various microwave ovens and those convenient kernels-and-oil-in-a-bag packages to enjoy a salty snack while watching movies on first our videocassette recorder and later our DVD players.

Then the news that some types of microwave popcorn weren't exactly very safe to eat -...

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MRSverret says "Bendaroos are AWESOME!" about AllStar Products Bendaroos

MRSverret — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:23:40 GMT

My six year old son has taken after me with his love for arts and crafts. He loves drawing, coloring, sculpting, just creating things. Well about a week ago he picked out AllStar Products Bendaroos. We had been seeing the commercials on TV, so when he saw them on the shelf, he went for them.

For $15 the set we purchased came with 500 Bendaroos, 250 rainbow colors and 250 neon colors. The set also comes with a guide to make things. The Benadaroos are six inches long, which I think is the perfect length. I think if there were any longer they would be a little more difficult to work with. The Bendaroos are waxy strings. They are sort of like a thin flexible candle. They are recommended for children ages 3 and up.

With Bendaroos you can make just about anything. They flex really easily and retain the shape you put them in. The only problem I had with the Bendaroos not holding their shape is when you "draw" with them. When you make a 2-D picture instead of 3-D ,like a sculpture. But my solution...

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Fardreamer says "Detailing is so-so in this 1997 POTF Leia Organa action figure" about Hasbro Star Wars - The Power of the Force Princess Leia Organa (with Blaster Rifle and Long-Barreled Pistol)

Fardreamer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:22:29 GMT

If you had been able to travel back in time to when I was nine years old and told me that I'd be collecting action figures (boy-geared dolls, in other words) from my teens well into my adult years, you'd probably have gotten an incredulous reply along the lines of "You're kidding me, right?"

Back in the early 1970s, my favorite toys were cap guns, Mattel-made M-16s, armies of toy soldiers, and, above all else, toy planes and ships. I had some Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars as well, but because I was, even at that young age, into all things military, most of my toys were olive-drab in color and not very pacifist in theme.

So if you had told me that a movie set "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away" would capture my imagination at age 14 and transform me into a collector of little plastic dolls, I'd have thought you were mad as the Mad Hatter and sent you on your way.

Of course, when Star Wars became a huge hit and bona fide cultural Force, I was caught up (albeit after...

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OldHippie says "Don't Look For Anything Great Here" about Crackle

OldHippie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:36:38 GMT

Crackle is an on-line sight to watch free movies & old TV shows. Some of the movies are not even full length...just clips; such as Spider-Man - all 3 episodes. What's the use? They do have a few good movies in full length - very few.

Examples are:

Tommy
Taxi Driver
The Valachi Papers
The China Syndrome
Ghostbusters

Some of the old TV shows include:

Barney Miller
Bewitched
The Three Stooges
Charlie's Angles

If you have time to kill, you may or may not find something you like here. Personally, I didn't find much here worth my time.

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ChrisJarmick says "The NOT good, the bad and the ugly. Worst of the Worst movies." about Worst Movies Bad Films Part 15 of 16

ChrisJarmick — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:36:13 GMT

Worst Movies Part 15 is brought to you as a public service. Hopefully by avoiding these time wasting blights on the cinema landscape you'll watch much better movies, read or book or spend quality time with your wife and family talking, playing cards, going for a long walk or making something together.

I've even included a bonus awful movie to tell you about.

Here's some more movies to avoid:

Thirsty Dead (1974) Another Philipine made psuedo jungle horror film about a young bride who can be young forever if only she would let the seemingly young king teach her about drinking blood and sacrificing virgins kind of thing. Problem is, it's all very dull.

Theodore Rex 1995

Whoopi Goldberg whose made many lousy movies considers this among her worst (perhaps topped by The Telephone). She plays a futuristic cop named Katie Coltrane who is assigned a new partner, an eight foot tall, three ton no longer extinct Tyrannosaurus Rex, who's closer to Barney than Jurassic Park. Stupid concept,...

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this2shallpass19 says "Philosophy Ooey Gooey S'mores smells so good, I want to eat it!" about Philosophy Ooey Gooey S'mores Lip Shine

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:33:31 GMT

Philosophy Ooey Gooey S'mores Lip Shine is one of the products that came in my Philosophy Warm by the Fire gift set. Just like the other two products from the kit, this one smells good enough to eat! You can also buy this product individually, without the gift set.

To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for this product because I am fairly picky about lip products. To my surprise, Philosophy Ooey Gooey S'mores Lip Shine not only smells great, but feels really good on the lips too. It smells exactly like s'mores! It smells so good, I want to lick it off my lips. As good as it smells, it doesn't taste like anything though. It does feel kind of heavy on my lips, but it doesn't seem too sticky, which I like a lot.

Philosophy Ooey Gooey S'mores Lip Shine is a clear, sheer lip gloss with very high shine. The tube makes the lip gloss appear sparkly and shimmery, but I don't see that on my lips. What I love about this lip gloss is the fact that it lasts! For example,...

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darlyn63 says "I was surprised by Secret!" about Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant/Deodorant

darlyn63 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:41:23 GMT

I was surprised!

Normaly when I find a Antiperspirant/Deodorant I stay loyal, maybe because of the type I use. Which is a roll-on. I've tried other brands of solids, they just felt like a sticky, yucky, goey feeling under my arms. I did not have this feeling, very impressed like a "WOW FACTOR".

Most solid Antiperspirant/Deodorants I've tried it the past always seem to take a long time to dry. Had to wait before putting my shirt on. Pain in the butt when your in a hurry. I did not experience that with Secret Clinical, which was new to me. I was already starting to get sold on this product.

Secret Clinical Strength has a very nice light and fresh scent, not overpowering. I was totally surprised. Felt great going on, that feeling wasn't happening here, the yuckyness. Just smooth.

The person who would benefit most using Secret Clinical Strength advanced solid is anyone who experiences excessive underarm perspiration. The box says it has the benefits of perscription strength wetness protection....

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PattyTherre says "Works for plunging styles but the girls feel lonely so far apart" about Vassarette Real Sexy Satin Plunge Push-Up Bra

PattyTherre — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:36:44 GMT

Quick View: I am a bit of a bra snob. I expect my bras to fit well, have good support, give me a great looking silhouette and, most of all, be comfortable. I really am not brand loyal and will wear cheaper brands and well as pricey ones ifd they give me what I want. This bra was a "necessary purchase" in that I needed a plunge bra right away and had little time to choose. It is OK but not as flattering as I would like.

My Take on the Vassarette Real Sexy Satin Plunge Push-Up Bra

I must have at least 10 plunge bras but of course when I needed one, I couldn't find the right one. I was on my way to an event and put on my new designer cowl neck top and the cowl part plunged too far in the middle for me to wear a regular bra. I needed a deeply plunging one so I went into my big ole bin of bras and started searching. I gave up and went to KMart, rushed in, saw the Vassarette Women's Real Sexy Satin Plunge Push-Up Bra and picked my size in nude, and left all within a few minutes.

The bra is a...

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TunefulGal says "Grimy relatives? Fill their holiday stockings with LAVA!" about Lava Heavy Duty Hand Soap Bar 5.75 oz

TunefulGal — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:32:13 GMT

That great, gray, gritty bar. I saw my first Lava Soap in my little Swedish grandma's bathroom when I was about five. To wash with it was to experience the I-Mean-Business tingle of volcanic pumice. Why, there was even a volcano on the wrapper. Awesome!

Today, Heavy Duty Lava's been slicked up a bit colorwise. Moisturizers have been added to both the bar and Lava Liquid. But, just as it was a favorite with coal miners and oil-rig workers in the 1890s, Lava Soap remains the province of dirty people.

Dirty people like me, always grubbing around in the garden without gloves. People like my friend Tom, a former auto mechanic who now tinkers with race cars. Painters, craftspeople covered with glue, kids sliding into home base, printers forever picking up ink on their hands and arms -- you name dirty, and Lava spokesmen talk back. "Whatever You're Into, Lava Gets It Out."

The WD-40 Company, multiple generations removed from the original owners, intends to keep Lava Soap and...

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savvynlady says "A Great effective sleep aid." about Bath and Body Works Instant Aromatherapy Sound Sleep Roll On

savvynlady — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:04:54 GMT

From time to time, I am troubled by lack of sleep, but NO MORE. I have found something to take care of those times when I cannot fall asleep. While on Ebay looking for another item, I found the above item that I am reviewing about. One of the best kept little secrets is that for the most part, they work; not only in Sound Sleep, But Headache(which I'll review after this),Stress Relief, Optimism, among others. because I have problems with missing sleep, I decided to get the set promoting sound sleep. I ordered two of the Sound Sleep and Im going to tell you how it works. One night when I kept gettng interrupted by the phone, and it disturbed my sleep, fortunately, I was able to use the Sound Sleep on this occasion, and you know, in little time, I was gone to sleep. In my heart, I kind of wish Michael Jackson used this to help with his sleeplessness instead of all those drugs. I was so impressed with these, that I have two, and though I dont use it as much lately, it is there when I have...

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CyndiA says "French's spicy brown mustard - nice taste with a little kick. " about French's brown mustard

CyndiA — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:31:54 GMT

My son just discovered French's spicy brown mustard which made me laugh, since I've always had some on hand. I'll eat the regular hot dog mustard, but I like the little extra zip with the spicy brown. The kid didn't touch it, since it said "spicy." He's not big on hot foods.

I grilled brats, and we were out of yellow mustard. So, the kid decided to try French's spicy brown, and it was love at first bite.

Don't let the name fool you. French's spicy brown is just a nice balanced mustard with a bit of extra flavor but not enough to put anyone off. If it had much kick, the kid would not have eaten it and sure would not be using up all my French's spicy brown mustard now.

Looks like I can cut way back on plain yellow mustard and double up on French's spicy. My son likes it on burgers, sandwiches, and on fried Spam or Treet meat. It's his new favorite condiment.

If you've hesitated to try French's spicy brown due to the spicy name, give it a try. It really is not hot at all. It just packs a bit...

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Jo says "Burn calories while drinking Herbal Tea by Herbalife" about Herbalife Herbal Tea Concentrate Lemon 3.53 ounces

Jo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:21:17 GMT

As I mentioned in my review of the Herbalife Shake I have bought into a 12-week Herbalife weight loss program. Another product I bought is Herbal Concentrate Tea. We were told that for every 8-ounces we drink we burn 80 calories. We were also told not to drink it after 3:00p.m. unless we like being up all night.

Herbal Concentrate Tea has caffeine thus it gives me a boost. It is also used for weight management because it burns calories. However, any caffeine will burn calories and boost your metabolism so is there anything special about Herbal Concentrate Tea?

I really do like Herbalife's Tea. It comes in a powder. I bought the larger bottle coming in at 3.53 ounces for about $30.00. It also comes in a 1.8 ounce bottle.

Herbal Concentrate Tea comes in several flavors. I didn't have a choice and have lemon. It is really delicious tasting. In spite of it not being sweetened it tastes sweet. It does contain fructose powder which is a form of sugar but one that Herbalife doesn't consider...

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this2shallpass19 says "The Ortega Taco Kit is a fast, easy way to make crunchy tacos!" about Ortega Taco Kit

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:30:17 GMT

I usually cook everything from scratch when I make dinner, but I saw the Ortega Taco Kit at the commissary for under $2.00, so I had to take a chance and try something new. Since all I needed to buy was ground beef and taco toppings, I thought it would be worth buying even if it sucked.

The Ortega Taco Kit makes 12 tacos and includes the following:

Ortega taco seasoning packet
Packet of Ortega Taco Sauce
12 crunchy taco shells

I liked how easy this kit made it to prepare crunchy tacos. Simply brown ground beef with the taco seasoning packet and bake taco shells to get them crispy. Then top with your favorite taco ingredients. I added shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese.

I thought the ground beef tasted great. It was well seasoned and flavorful. The Ortega Taco Sauce was too mild for my liking. My husband and I like spicy food and this taco sauce didn't have enough flavor for us. The shells were good and we didn't think they needed to be baked to be good. We liked them...

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CyndiA says "Grill Floss - best barbecue grill cleaning tool I've ever owned." about Grillfloss - Barbecue Cleaning Tool, GFLXL, Stainless Steel

CyndiA — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:06:00 GMT

I looked at GrillFloss a long time before I bought one, and I was blown away by how well it worked. It's one of those products that I should have bought long ago. It makes cleaning a barbecue grill so much easier.

Grill Floss has a hook on the end. The hook can be flipped over for larger sized grates. I generally use the smaller end with charcoal grates, since I cook over charcoal most often. And, those grates tend to be the thinner wire types. But, Grill Floss works well on the larger gas grill grates too.

With the little hook design, this just slides right up and down the grate and into the corners and does a great job in getting the gunk off. It takes hardly any elbow grease at all especially if you use GrillFloss when the grates are still warm.

I was so impressed with Grill Floss that I added it at my Open Sky Yes You Can Grill barbecue store online. I just carry top picks for outdoor cooking, so this is definately a thumbs up and a grill cleaning tool I'd recommend to anyone who grills...

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CyndiA says "Acer Aspire netbook - great "on the go" computer in a mini size." about Acer Netbook Aspire One

CyndiA — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:54:45 GMT

One of my students showed up with an Acer Aspire, and I was amazed at how small the little netbook is compared to a full sized laptop computer. I'm not tall enough to actualy use a laptop on my lap, but the Acer looked like it might work. And, it did. The Acer Aspire fits right on my lap with room to move my elbows out and type. Yay!

Now, I have an Acer. It's red, but the red color is not fire engine. It's more a burnt red color. They have pink like in the photo as well as blue, black, and white.

Mine is the 10 inch, since they are phasing out the 9 inch. The only difference is screen size. You don't get a smaller netbook with a 9 inch. You just get a little more plastic around the edges.

The main difference with the netbooks is that they have less storage space, but I do an heavy duty computer work on my desktop computer. A netbook is not designed to hold big programs like PageMaker, but it does fine with MS Word and a few other smaller programs loaded on there. You do need a portable...

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savvynlady says "Love the place" about Overstock.com

savvynlady — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:20:26 GMT

I discovered Overstock a couple of years back when I was doing some comparison shopping on some books. If you want to get a book, more than likely, it is way cheaper there than at Amazon.com, which to me, is the biggie in low prices, but then again, if Amazon is the King, then Overstock has got to be the Queen!! because honey, she undercuts them with a no more than $2 shipping fee which for me is such a blessing. Mind you now, you may not get EVERY book you want, and you can also get electronics, clothes, bedding etc, but nine times out of ten, if it's popular, you can get it there for less. I also do some comparison shopping there and you can join their club for a fee but it runs like a frequent buyers club but don't quote me there. Easy, accessible, convenient and great for those doing their early Christmas shopping, this site is the place for all your needs. Check it out. www.overstock.com

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this2shallpass19 says "Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap is organic, but..." about Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:27:30 GMT

I normally buy baby bath products that have a nice scent because I like my son's hair to smell nice when he gets out of the bath, but my friend bought him Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap, so we needed to use it up.

I love that this product is made with all natural ingredients and organic, but since it is fragrance-free, it imparts no scent on my son's hair. Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap is supposed to be great for babies and adults with sensitive skin since it is fragrance-free and contains nothing but all natural oils, water, glycerin and vitamin E.

This soap is also a multi-purpose product. As with all Dr. Bronner's Liquid Soaps, you can clean the kitchen & bathroom with it, rinse fruits & veggies or use it for the body. I have this product in a Citrus scent and use it to clean my kitchen sink. Although this product is called Baby Mild Liquid Soap, nowhere on it does it say that it is tear-free. My son hasn't cried from using this, but it would be nice to know.

Ingredients...

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Bryan-Carey says "Don't Break the Ice: Simple, Quick Family Game" about Milton Bradley Don't Break the Ice Game

Bryan-Carey — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:55:14 GMT

Most every child likes to play games and many great memories are formed when families take time to play games with their children- even if the game is short and simple. One game that fits this definition is Don't Break the Ice, a simple, quick game from Milton Bradley.

Game Commentary:

Don't Break the Ice is a game consisting of multiple pieces that have to be assembled each time the game is played. There are a total of thirty- eight pieces: 32 small "cubes" of ice; one large cube that is equal in size to four of the smaller cubes; one red- colored person wearing skates; and two interlocking sides that form the base in which the pieces of ice are placed; and two mallets. The base has to be snapped together and the pieces of ice squeezed inside the base (while inverted) in order to prepare for play. The last step is to place the plastic skating figure on top of the large block, pressing the skater into place. Players than tap the blocks of ice, one at a time, while trying to avoid having...

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Fardreamer says "Leia and her Ewok rescuer round out the Princess Leia Collection" about Hasbro Star Wars - The Princess Leia Collection: Princess Leia and Wicket

Fardreamer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:41:33 GMT

One of the best things about George Lucas as the creator of "modern mythology" is that when he set out to create the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series, he astutely avoided the "damsel in distress" archetype prevalent in action and fantasy films of the 1970s and 1980s.

Clearly, in Star Wars, he did not dispense with female-characters-in-peril altogether; Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia Organa does get captured by Lord Darth Vader's forces twice in the Classic Trilogy, but Lucas wisely envisioned her as a strong character who often takes charge of the situation. (In a clever twist, it's Leia who has to "rescue" Han and Luke after they bungle the breakout from the first Death Star's detention block.)

And because Lucas intended the Star Wars saga to have universal appeal, it's not surprising that many of the movies' most ardent fans have always been girls and women.

When the Princess Leia and... sets were rolled out in 1997, Hasbro still used the Kenner label on its Star Wars collectibles because...

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