Software Final Cut Express 4
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Rating: - Perfect for Advanced Users and Amateurs Alike
I've been on the Final Cut Express (FCE) bandwagon since the very first version, when I needed something bigger than iMovie to do an amateur movie. Well, now it's at version 4, and I've gone from Amateur to Advanced Semi-Pro, partially because of FCE.

The editing tools in this software are amazing. Not only do you get FCE for extremely powerful video editing, but it also includes LiveType for creating really great titles. Some people have complained that SoundTrack not being included in this version, but if you have a Mac that can run this, chances are you have the latest version of GarageBand, which in my opinion does the job in a much cleaner fashion.

There are a couple little nit-picky things that I dislike, such as the lack of project consolidation tools, but these are minor and really unnecessary if you're just looking for a relatively inexpensive video editor with more power than iMovie.

Recently, I've started to eye Final Cut Studio for it's larger feature set and motion graphics tools, but for now, FCE is my editing suite of choice.

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Rating: - AWESOME!!
What an incredible piece of software Final Cut Express is. I'd been using iMovie on some simple video projects, but FCE has allowed me take things to a completely new level. The program is very powerful and lets you do all kinds of interesting stuff. It's somewhat analogous to a Photoshop for video in that it allows you to blend together different video sources and perform all kinds of effects on each individual component.

The "key" functions where you shoot a subject against a blue or green backdrop and then extract the subject and insert it into other video/photo sources is particularly versatile.

The program is definitely more complicated than iMovie, but I've been able to become proficient at it by just trial and error and use of the .pdf manual that comes with the software.

Using FCE and Garageband, my iMac has become a sophisticated engine for making all kinds of multimedia projects. What you can do with some cheap software and a home computer is absolutely incredible compared to what was around when I was growing up. Really, these tools give you a lot of power, and your imagination is the only limit.

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Rating: - Movie Wow
I have this running on my MacMini. As long as the movies are short YouTube clips or home movies it handles it ok. But large chunks of video can drag the poor mini down. Im sure it will work just fine on my iMac when I get home to it. More than enough program for the novice movie maker.

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Rating: - Good for price
This program is a fantastic buy for Mac video editors who are unsatisfied with iMovie '08. It retains many key features of Final Cut Pro. There are a few exceptions, however. You can't batch capture footage with this program. Also, the buttons for Insert, Overwrite, and Replace are removed. These gripes shouldn't affect normal consumers , however. And at at more than $1,000 cheaper than Final Cut Studio, you can't go wrong. My two favorite features are the ability to capture AVCHD footage and the ability to import footage into iMovie '08, drag it into a rough movie, and import that movie into FCE for fine-tuning. It runs very well on an Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with 1 GB of RAM, just be warned that working with AVCHD footage requires a very strong computer.