DVD Collectors Online

Tropic Thunder, a review by Dragonfire

Go deeper into Tropic Thunder with this extended version of the hit film, packed with more action, more comedy, and more madness than ever before.

When three of Hollywood's biggest stars head into the jungles of Vietnam to shoot a war movie, they have no idea how real things can get. Starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder is the most unexpected and controversial movie of the year.

My Thoughts

First of all, I will say this is not a movie for everyone and some things will upset a lot of people.  I thought it was very funny, but it was a twisted sort of humor that some people just don't like.  That being said, I loved it.  But I do tend to like movies that are a bit twisted at times.  Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and especially Robert Downey Jr. were great in their parts.  Downey Jr. somehow managed to make his character work instead of just being a giant mess.  He was playing this sort of pretentious Australian actor who had won a bunch of Oscars who would always go to great lengths to get into his character.  Since there was a movie being made within the movie, the main cast, especially Stiller and Downey Jr. were really playing two different characters and they all managed to make that work and seem believable.  There were some good action scenes throughout the movie, including several impressive explosions.  The violence did get a bit graphic at times, but it was done in such an over the top fake way that was it wasn't really gross and was more funny.  Of course that might just be because I'm twisted..    There were a few other minor characters that were really funny too.

I did listen to one of the commentaries on the DVD and it was really entertaining.  I listened to the one with Black, Stiller, and Downey Jr. and it was very funny at times.  I think it is well worth listening to for anyone who liked the movie.  At one point in the movie, Downey Jr.'s character Kirk was staying in character even though things were going straight to hell.  Kirk then said that he didn't break character until he did the DVD commentary.  On the Commentary, Downey Jr. was talking like that character from the movie for almost the entire time.  Very late in the movie when Kirk finally started to act like himself, then Downey Jr. talked like Kirk - with the Australian accent - for a while before finally using his own voice at the very end.  It was so funny and tied into that joke in the movie perfectly.  Downey Jr. was amazing in the part - or parts I guess you could say - and this did help to show just how talented he is. 

The other extras on the DVD were really good too.  I have the 2 disc Director's Cut version that did add a few extra minutes here and there throughout the movie.  There were a few deleted or extended scenes.  The best extra was probably the one that was meant to be a making of documentary on the movie within the movie.  It was so funny and showed how the director  Damien - played by Steve Coogan - was loosing control over the movie and really started to flip out.  It also showed more of the extremes Kirk was going to to play his character. 

 





(From My November Alphabet Marathon on November 23rd, 2008)

All the President's Men, a review by Danae Cassandra

All the President's Men
Year of Release: 1976
Directed By: Alan J. Pakula
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, Hal Holbrook
Genre: Drama

Overview:
In the Watergate Building, lights go on and five burglars are caught in the act. The night triggered revelations that drove a U.S. President from office. Washington reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) grabbed the story and stayed with it through doubts, denials and discouragement. All the President's MenMy Thoughts:
Knowing the history here doesn't diminish the power of this film. Though we know the outcome, it doesn't make the film less tense, or make us less worried for the two reporters investigating. Perhaps that speaks of the great screenplay, excellent acting and direction that make this one of the greatest American films. Perhaps it speaks of modern experience of government secrets and conspiracies since Watergate; of watching this film in a post-Manning, post-Snowden, post-black ops & Guantanemo world. Perhaps it's both.

A toast to the tenacity and courage of Woodward and Bernstein, and a highly recommended film.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4.5/5

(From Within My (Mom's) Lifetime Marathon on December 9th, 2015)

[Rerun Marathon] Spaced, a review by Tom

9/10

Brian's mother thinking he is a lawyer was fun. Also the messenger friend standing in the middle of the street because of the traffic light for the blind

(From [Rerun Marathon] Spaced on December 25th, 2007)