Instead of releasing Van Morrison's Greatest Hits Vol. 243, pick some songs that have appeared on soundtracks, add live versions of big hits, a couple of pre-solo songs and a couple of classics that weren't hits and suddenly you have a package that can be marketed as "At The Movies" and put in stores just in time for the Oscars.

Nevertheless, just ignore the crassness of the marketing. This is, after all, another Van Morrison's Greatest Hits and, as such, is 19 slices of heaven. A legendary performer, we get several live takes of oldies that show they remain fresh. As does everything on the CD - some of which originally dates back 40 years. It is a tribute to his genius that these songs are as vital and relevant today.

The man, the myth, the mystic - Van Morrison. It's sad such wonderful music needs this kind of marketing gimmick but if it brings younger listeners not so familiar with Van to their iPods to try the music then it is worth it.

If you are in the market to own just one Van Morrison CD collection, Van Morrison "At The Movies", is the disc for you. This cd combines 19 tracks from all phases of his long distinguished career. The Irish soul man has never sounded better with remastered clarity, that makes this the choice over "Greatest Hits Vol-1 & Vol-2. This cd actually combines the best of those two collections and more. His classic gems from the "Them" days "Gloria", and "Baby Please Don't Go", are included here as well. His reworking of "Brown Eyed Girl", proves he has not lost anything from those vocal chords. His live take on "Caravan" from the "Last Waltz", is one of the finest live recordings ever. Lots of modern gems here as well, like 'Days Like This", "Real Real Gone", and the "Bright Side Of The Road". The real treat on this collection however, is the inclusion of his collaboration with Pink Floyds Roger Waters, on "Comfotably Numb", which was recorded live in Berlin in 1986 and features Rick Danko and Levon Helm. Some outstanding ballads are here as well like, "Someone Like You", "Have I Told You Lately", "Wonderful Remark", and "Hungry For Your Love". Considering the price and the fantastic content of this cd, I consider this cd essential to everyone who is both new to Van Morrison music and to well seasoned fans who would like to add a career retrospective not available until now. It doesn't get any better than this.

I'm a huge Van Morrison fan - I own everything he has ever released as well as just about every bootleg, too. With that said, when I first saw this release on the schedule I thought "Oh, I'll already own all of that stuff, so I can probably forgo buying it."

Well, I was wrong. Yes, most of the stuff on this has already been released, but if you are a Van completist, you'll need this CD. First of all, it has a couple of live versions you might not already own. But most importantly, there is a re-recorded version of "Brown Eyed Girl" that is essential. It is not better than the now 40-year-old original radio chestnut, but it is great to hear Van's mature voice on this awesome song.

And if you are a casual Van fan then this is as good a place to start as Van's Best of CD.

Van Morrison's songs have been the subject of numerous compilations, but this new set has to be given credit for its unique approach to selecting the songs. This nineteen-track set compiles songs that were featured in movies (although some are live versions that substitute for the studio tracks used in the film except in the case of "Comfortably Numb"). Mr. Morrison's music is perfectly suited for movies and directors have made liberal use of his music. All of his biggest hits like "Wild Night", "Brown Eyed Girl", "Moondance" (a previously unreleased live version) and "Gloria" are included. There are lesser-known gems as well including the brilliant "Real Real Gone" from Enlightenment, "Hungry For Your Love" from Wavelength and "Days Like These" from the album of the same name. Van Morrison At The Movies is a first rate collection of songs and for anyone looking for a varied introduction to his music, this is a great place to start.

This is a magnificent collection of songs either inspired by movies or actually in the movie. Van Morrision
is showcased at his best. The inclusion of both studiio and live versions makes this truly a must for any
Morrison fan. My only regret is the omission of the great song, Sitting On Top Of the World from the movie
Evelyn. They could have substituted at least one song for this one. This is one of if not the best songs Van
has recorded in years. Buy the CD just for the song. The rest of the CD is also very good.
You will not regret it. Overall, Van Morrison At the Movies: Soundtrack Hits is truly majestic
and belongs in your music library.