Advantages: health benefits & ability to still breastfeed @ 10 months
Disadvantages: a long drive & many disapprovals from healthcare professionals

...the procedure entailed and the risks (both very rare: heavy bleeding and possible sliver problems that would need an operation in years to come). After agreeing to go ahead and signing the appropriate consent forms they released his tongue-tie. We were given the option to stay in the room or not and we decided to stay in. He came off my breast and they swaddled him to keep his arms out of the way. Within seconds, the surgeon without using any anaesthetic snipped Benjamin's tongue with sterile scissors. We expected to hear him scream even though we knew it was quite painless but he just whimpered slightly and continued to be fascinated with the bright light! The surgeon took another look and decided to snip a tiny bit more. Within a few minutes Benjamin was handed back to me, a little whimpery, to continue his feed. As I was feeding him under... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: good if you like the gangster film genre
Disadvantages: somewhat of a weak plot

...Family - Ties of Blood (hereafter referred to as just Family) is a Hindi language (aka Bollywood) film which was released in January 2006 and stars Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Aryeman Ramsay with Bhoomika Chawla, Gulshan Grover, Raza Murad and Shernaz Patel in supporting roles. Family was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi (who also wrote the screenplay) and produced by Amitabh Bachchan and Keshu Ramsay (whose son happens to play one of the leads). The film is rated PG as it contains some scenes of violence and runs for 2½ hours. ++++++++ Viren Sahai (Bachchan) is a bit of a gangster, a don, one might say. He lives mostly in Bangkok whilst his wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandchild live in Bombay in India. The reason for them living apart is that Viren's wife hates the lifestyle he leads and what he has become. Shekhar... Read review

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Advantages: Touching story of death, grief, and found love
Disadvantages: None

...believes that he is the cause of the illnesses that surround the two women of the movie, this is a tough act for a young actor to pull off to accurately deliver a compassionate and accurate portrayal of a young boy rocked to his very core by guilt. Rails and Ties never made me cry, or got me even close; but it's still one of the more moving movies of the year and incredibly likely to become somewhat of a classic as the years roll on. The movie is in UK cinemas from the back end of June. Spencer Hawken 05/08... Read review

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Advantages: Stylish, sophisticated, witty
Disadvantages: It had to end!

...Since there are less than two weeks until I bid a temporary farewell to Ciao and head off to Andalucia for two weeks of backpacking, sherry and tapas, I thought I would inject some Iberian culture into today's reviews. And what better way than to review what is, in my opinion, the finest of Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's movies. The director is famous for his art-house black comedies and "Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down" (1990) is probably the darkest of all. Ricky (Antonio Banderas) is discharged from a psychiatric hospital where he has spent the last few years, following a traumatic adolescence during which he repeatedly absconded from a series of orphanages and reform homes. Desperate for a normal life he sets his sights on Marina, a porn actress with whom he had once had a one-night stand. Now acting in dreadful B-movies, Marina... Read review

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Advantages: great live album
Disadvantages: few songs arnt great

...The bouncing souls are a great punk band from new jersey America, they are and have been one of my favourite bands for quite a few year now and probably for a long time to come too. They were formed in 1987, and are well known in the punk scene for their light-hearted fast punk rock songs. This tie one on album was recorded live in 1998 however the quality is great and much better than the more recent live album which was actually recorded in 005. The first tracks off this album were recorded live at the Continental in New York City. The final 9th track of this album entitled “kid” was recorded in the studio and later released on their next studio album following its success on this live EP. Track listings: Say Anything Lamar Vannoy Kate is Great Chunksong East Coast! Fuck You Argyle Born to Lose Here We Go... Read review

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Advantages: BETTER THAN THE STAR WARS TRILOGY
Disadvantages: aparently a lot more behnd the scenes info available than on discs

...to save the day.Doc gets all messed up with some tarty love interest clara clayton (mary steenburgen) and is forced to stayin the old west. Finally Marty gets BACK TO THE FUTURE and the time machine is destroyed meaning marty will never see doc again, or will he? Viewed back to back, the BTTF trilogy is as enjoyable as oh lets say star wars (my opinion don't shoot me). Although only the first should really be viewed on it's own. The second film ranks just below godfather 2 and empire strikes back as the greatest sequel ever (its at least the most original sequel ever if that makes sense). The third chapter is a great movie, tying up the trilogy wonderfully, it's not my favourite of the bunch but is a fitting end to a great series. The DVD boxset doesn't disappoint either. Each film has it's own documentary looking back on the production... Read review

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Advantages: Pure cinematic entertainment
Disadvantages: Slightly strange audio commentaries

...For some reason, movies from the 80s always have fond memories for me, none more so than "Back to the Future" and it's two sequels. Released back in 1985, with the subsequent films coming in 89 and 90, "Back to the Future" follows the exploits of teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and his friend, mad scientist, Doc Emmet Brown (Christopher Lloyd) as they time travel in a suped up DeLorean. To mark the 20th birthday of it's original release, Universal Studios released all three films on DVD plus a set of new unseen features, in a very smart gatefold boxset under the banner of being a four disc ultimate collection. ►►► Synopses ► Back to the Future The year is 1985 and after a series of unlikely events, Marty McFly accidentaly transports himself back thirty years to 1955 in Doc Emmet Brown's plutonium... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: A hilarious and easy to watch set of films that are withstanding the passage of time well...
Disadvantages: Directors commentary only available for part one...

...The other week I was wondering around my local MVC store as you do when you’ve completed your entire Christmas buying spree and you’re looking for something for yourself! I was at the ‘something’s bound to inspire me soon’ stage when I spied, in a passing customers’ arms something that instantly grabbed my attention and made me instantly forget how tedious all shops can be in the run up to Christmas. I looked around me, now studying the shelves carefully until I spotted a display near the door… Back To The Future Box Sets. Ok not everyone’s idea of heaven but to own this trilogy has been on my wish list for years. “Aha” thinks little old me to myself, “the perfect gift for ME for Chrimbo”. I take my newly found goodies to the counter, part with GBP 27.99 and it’s MINE. For those of you who have never seen these films (IS... Read review

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Advantages: You can see the concert on DVD
Disadvantages: You get a lot of audience shots and documentary

...Paul McCartney’s ‘Back in the US’ concert tour of America in 2002 was captured on DVD. An icon of pop music, he changed countless lives and carved his name through whole cultures. Here he can be seen playing over thirty songs, live in front of huge audiences. Paul McCartney is a giant of musical creativity and a great singer and performer still rightly venerated by most of the world forty years after he first became famous. For those of us who were fortunate enough to have grown up in the 1960s there were other giants. John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, The Who, The Kinks, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin… the list goes on. What we didn’t know then is how spoilt we were. We thought that this standard of song writing and musical innovation was quite normal. Time has marched... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: a spellbinding read.
Disadvantages: your housework will never get done!

...I truly love to read but in the last few years I have had little time to do so. Having a little one definitely means reading time is shortened! Generally it takes me 3 or 4 months to read an average length novel. However the other day I started a book I just couldn’t put down. We had food delivered in so I didn’t have to cook, I spent less time on my computer and got my husband to do all the chores. I could not get my head out of this book! Which is all the stranger when you think that this book was not my usual read. I am a Sci-fi fantasy girl and this is neither of those. I got the book on recommendation from another Ciao member. I reckoned if a book had the power to make someone miss his stop on the train that it was well worth a read. I picked up my copy of “Back Roads” by Tawni O’Dell on Ebay. I paid £1.80 including... Read review

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