Advantages: Nice Italian design, crumb tray, good value
Disadvantages: Metal casing gets a little hot while toasting

...Introduction I bought this toaster from the electricals and appliances superstore up the road from me after I moved about a year ago. If you are looking for something to go with, say, a stainless steel kettle, and are as much a bargain-hunter as style-conscious, then you might want to opt for this - an absolute bargain at £19.99. Look & Feel This Bellini toaster stuck out from the rest on the shelf because of its nice brushed steel finish and nicely-rounded design. It is a standard 2-slice toaster size, with slots both big enough to accomodate a longer-than-average white bread, and wide enough to take unusually-shaped bread. Setting the timer is just a case of twisting a dial until you get the number for your desired toast shade displayed on top. You can go from 1 through to 6, with 2-4 certainly sufficient for what most... Read review

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Advantages: Hillarious
Disadvantages: May split your sides

...What can I say, you will look at the trailer for this film and think, oh yes another set of funny clips from an average film (like all of us who saw the trailer for Johnny English and were daft enough to watch the film!). In fact some may think it looks poorly made, the picture and colour quality looks low grade, but thats the idea. Imagine living in the back end of nowhere, how dull and dreary might every-day life seem? There you are. This is not a film for sci-fi, high tech special effects and big explosion addicts, this is one for the purists. The film begins with 'lifer' Cosimo played by Luis Guzman (Carlitos Way, Punch Drunk Love, Boogie Nights) confessing to his long term lady Rosalind, Patricia Clarkson (The Green Mile, The Pledge), of his 'bellini', the dinner ticket, the last big job, and asking her to find him... Read review

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Advantages: George Clooney Cameo
Disadvantages: Dying of LAUGHTER

...What's It About? When petty thief Cosimo (Luis Guzman) is given the plan for the perfect heist from a lifer in the penn - He's given a Bellini, the kind of job all criminals dream about, so he must get out of prison asap. Cosimo needs a `Mullinski,' (someone to take the wrap), and he is willing to pay 15 large ($15000) to someone to do 1-3 years in the joint for him. Cosimo is stuck inside so it's up to his girlfriend Rosalind (Patricia Clarkson) to track down a mullinski for him. No one wants to do the time for Cosimo's crime, but everybody knows someone who will - and for a share of the Bellini, they're willing to find him. Rosalind soon has five guys on her trail, looking to get their bungling hands on a piece of the action and make a quick buck along the way. Its definately a film you have to see, it could be described... Read review

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Advantages: Bellini's music. Gruberova, Kasarova, Bernardini
Disadvantages: Morosow

...Among the Bellini operas, Beatrice di Tenda may not be as compelling musically as Norma or La Sonnambula, but it contains some of bel canto's most beautiful tunes and one of the most beautiful trio ever written. THE STORY: Filippo, the Duke of Milan, is married to Beatrice, but covets her lady in waiting Agnese. He plots to get his wife out of the way by accusing her of having an affair with Orombello (whom Agnese loves, but who is in love with Beatrice). Agnese backs the false charge, thinking that if she can't have Orombello then she doesn't want Beatrice to have him either. A few changes of heart follow in the course of the opera, but Beatrice is the constant good gal who gains a moral victory at the price of her own head. This is a live CD recording from a performance in Vienna in 1992 conducted by Pinchas Steinberg... Read review

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Advantages: about equal!
Disadvantages: high price of the Sutherland set

...Keen opera fans may sometimes be puzzled by the choice available on the shelves of the larger record shops, especially when trying to compare two stellar casts. Bellini's last (and arguably greatest) opera, I Puritani, is a case in point, with recordings by Callas and Sutherland heading the list. Personally I bought both, to avoid having to choose, but each has it's merits. Callas, as always, brings greater warmth and fire to the usually pallid role of Elvira, but Sutherland's effortless roulades and trills are a joy to hear, and a young Pavarotti has a flawless technique in the infamous tenor role which defeated Caruso, complete with a hair-raising top F in his final aria. The Sutherland set also avoids the cuts made in the earlier recording, but is handicapped by Decca's greedy pricing - still at full-price after 30 years? Come on... Read review

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Advantages: Fine performances all round, especially Ludwig and Corelli
Disadvantages: Callas not in best voice

...This is often considered one of the finest recordings of Bellini's opera "Norma". That opera is one of the best 'bel canto' operas of the nineteenth century. Norma, the soprano title character, has a secret relationship with the tenor Pollione, a Roman and thus an enemy to her people. She loves Pollione but he loves another priestess, the mezzo Adalgisa. Eventually it transpires that Norma has the power to decide the fate of Pollione and Adalgisa. Pollione is sentenced to death for being found on sacred ground (hoping to elope with/abduct Adalgisa). But rather than point the finger at Adalgisa for breaking her vows Norma admits to breaking her own vows with Pollione. Pollione, seeing Norma's nobility - she had felt pity for Adalgisa having intended to reveal the young priestess' betrayal - realises how much he loved her. They both mount... Read review

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Advantages: Hilarious movie
Disadvantages: Can't think of any

...A guy’s got a life sentence in jail and he knows about a very big job, worth 300 grand (it was big at the time). So what does he do with this knowledge? He passes it on to a cell mate, but this cell mate is too greedy to wait until he gets out, so he needs a Mullinski. Mullinski – To take the fall for a con, after being paid a certain amount of money. Word gets out that this guys needs a Mullinski, and two seconds later word gets out as to why he needs a Mullinski. Why? I hear you asking, because this guy’s got a Bellini. Bellini – A big score, worth a major amount of money. Confused yet?...No? Give me a few minutes. So a bunch of street criminals get word about this and all want in, but neither of them want to go to jail, they just want in on the job, so one of them cleverly gets this guy to talk, now all they have to do... Read review

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Advantages: V.Funny all the way through
Disadvantages: None as far as I can see

...... Read review

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