Tom's Random Reviews

[Tom]

Title: Spin City: Season One
Year: 1996
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 537 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:


Plot:
Spin City is a smart, sophisticated ABC sitcom about the behind-the-scenes workings of City Hall in the biggest city in America. Workaholic Mike Flaherty (Michael J. Fox) is the Deputy Mayor of New York City, serving as Mayor Randall Winston's (Barry Bostwick, Rocky Horror Picture Show) key strategist and much-needed handler.

Mike runs the city with the help of his oddball staff: an anxious and insecure press secretary (Richard Kind, Mad About You); a sexist, boorish chief of staff (Alan Ruck, Ferris Bueller's Day Off); an impeccably groomed gay activist running minority affairs (Michael Boatman, Arliss); a sharp and efficient, man-crazy accountant (Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights); and an idealistic young speechwriter (Alexander Chaplin). Like Mike, they are all professionally capable but personally challenged.

Spin City was an immediate hit when it debuted in 1996. The series reunited Fox with Family Ties executive producer and creator Gary David Goldberg and proved that the magic of their creative partnership was enduring.

Extras:
Closed Captioned
Commentary
Featurettes
Trailers

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed watching this first season of Spin City. The actors were seemingly comfortable in their roles fast and developed great group dynamics.

#	Episode	Rating
01	Pilot
02	The Great Pretender
03	The Apartment
04	Pride and Prejudice
05	The Rivals
06	A Star Is Born
07	Grand Illusion
08	The High and the Mighty
09	Meet Tommy Dugan
10	The Competition
11	Dog Day Afternoon
12	Criss Cross
13	Bye Bye Love
14	Starting Over
15	Gabby's Song
16	Kiss Me, Stupid
17	An Affair To Remember
18	Snowbound
19	Striptease
20	Deaf Becomes Her
21	Hot In the City
22	Bone Free
23	The Mayor Who Came To Dinner
24	Mayor Over Miami

[Tom]

Title: Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
Year: 2009
Director: Doug Naylor
Rating: PG
Length: 69 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English


Plot:
Back to Earth takes place after `series ten’. Kochanski is dead and the crew are hurled through a portal and discover they are just characters from a TV series. Knowing they will die in the final episode the Dwarfers, in best Blade Runner traditions, decide to track down their creators to discover how long they have left to live. First the crew attempt to track down the actors who play them in the series and their metaphysical odyssey begins…

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Outtakes
Photo Gallery
Trailers

My Thoughts:

Great to see the guys again, but I must say I am rather disappointed with this special. Some fun ideas but nothing really original. The main plot device is essentially the same as "Delirious" with John Candy.
Also not really funny.

Rating:

[Jon]

Definitely a case of playing it safe, but I enjoyed it. You can't really blame them because they have no real idea if the audience was still there after all this time.

But Delirious? Can't see it, for all the Bladerunner references! By the way, I do think the bit with the squid attacking the tank is one of the funniest damn things I have ever seen.

[Tom]

Title: Freedom Writers
Year: 2006
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Rating: 12
Length: 118 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish

Stars:
Hilary Swank
Patrick Dempsey
Scott Glenn
Imelda Staunton
April Lee Hernandez

Plot:
Two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank stars in this gripping story of inner-city kids raised on drive-by shootings and hard-core attitude - and the teacher who gives them the one thing they need most: a voice of their own. Dropped into the free-fire zone of a school torn by violence and racial tension, teacher Erin Gruwell battles an uncaring system in a fight to make the classroom matter in her students' lives. Now, telling their own stories, and hearing the stories of others, a group of supposedly "unteachable" teens will discover the power of tolerance, reclaim their shattered lives and change their world. With electrifying performances from its all-star cast, including Golden Globe Award winner Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) and recording star Mario, Freedom Writers is based on the acclaimed best-seller, The Freedom Writers Diary.

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Photo Gallery
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

An entertaining movie. Though wouldn't it have been for the fact that it is based on a true story, I would have said that it is full of clichés.
This is one of those "new teacher gets the 'baddest' class but proves that their pupil are nice people if given the chance" movies.
For me the Japanese TV series Gokusen perfected this theme, though that one is a comedy whereas this movie is a drama.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Season One: Volume Two
Year: 1984
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 688 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:


Plot:
The battle for power continues on the world of Eternia! Join He-Man and the Masters of the Universe® as they battle against Skeletor and his crew of detestable villains in the greatest adventures ever told!

These 32 episodes continue the saga of the most phenomenal stories ever created in animation! Relive the excitement as you enjoy the adventures of the universe's greatest warriors. The power has returned!

Extras:
2 Collectible Art Cards
DVD-ROM Content
Featurettes
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

After having it already for a few years, I finally came around continuing with the next volume of the classic He-Man series. I still enjoy watching it. Even though the animation is very limited, I like how much they got out of reusing a lot of stock footage. Filmation series are known to be animated completely in the US without out-sourcing to Korea or such. And having almost 70 episodes per season, it is such a great task that they managed to produce such a continuesly fun series that way.
Also I never got tired of the He-Man theme music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1pmfrS3GeM

#	Episode	Rating
34	The Dragon's Gift
35	The Sleepers Awaken
36	The Search
37	It's Not My Fault
38	Valley of Power
39	Trouble in Arcadia
40	House of Shokoti (Part 1)
41	House of Shokoti (Part 2)
42	Double Edged Sword
43	The Mystery of Man-E-Faces
44	The Region of Ice
45	Orko's Missing Magic
46	Eternal Darkness
47	Keeper of the Ancient Ruins
48	Return of Evil
49	Return of the Gryphon
50	Temple of The Sun
51	City Beneath the Sea
52	Teela's Trial
53	Dree Elle's Return
54	Game Plan
55	Eye of the Beholder
56	Quest for the Sword
57	Castle of Heroes
58	The Once and Future Duke
59	The Witch and the Warrior
60	The Return of Granamyr
61	Pawns of the Game Master
62	Golden Disks of Knowledge
63	The Huntsman
64	The Remedy
65	The Heart of a Giant

[Tom]

Title: Captain America
Year: 1990
Director: Albert Pyun
Rating: PG
Length: 97 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Matt Salinger
Ronny Cox
Ned Beatty
Darren McGavin
Michael Nouri

Plot:


Extras:

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this movie, even if it is bad. You can see, that the movie was supposed be more than it is. I think it mainly failed because of direction. A lot of the film has decent acting and decent direction. But then again comes a scene, where both acting and direction are horribly bad.
This was my first contact with the character "Captain America". I always thought it was a totally ridiculous character and could not understand why they are doing a new movie with him. But this movie hints that he could be an interesting character. I think the actor who played him did a good job.
Other actors who have small roles: Ned Beatty (Otis from Superman, Ed Connor from Roseanne) as a reporter and best bud of the president. Bill Mumy (Lennier from Babylon 5) as the young version of General Fleming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTWQcCqa6IQ

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

I wish they would release that movie here! I would love to see it. I always liked the character of Captain America.

[Jimmy]

It will sure re-ordered it this autumn, since I'm a little bit short of money I can buy only what I really want this summer. Tom I suppose that no restoration works was done for this movie and it's only a VHS tranfert?

Pete, you can watch any dvd region on a computer with the good tools. Let me know the model number of your dvd reader I'm sure it's possible to make it zonefree (unless it's a Sony).

[Rogmeister]

I saw this movie once...it was pretty bad.  I had bought it used on VHS and I used to have video parties with friends of mine.  They razzed me pretty good for making them watch it! 

[Tom]

Yes, it is a bad VHS transfer.
Pete, I think this DVD is regionfree. I can check it this evening to be sure. 

[Tom]

Pete, I think this DVD is regionfree. I can check it this evening to be sure. 

Yes, it is region-free.

[addicted2dvd]

Thanks Tom! 

[Tom]

Title: The Hard Way
Year: 1991
Director: John Badham
Rating: FSK-16
Length: 106 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, German: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish

Stars:
Michael J. Fox
James Woods
Stephen Lang
Annabella Sciorra
John Capodice

Extras:
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

I nice watch, but nothing really exciting. Michael J. Fox is fun to watch, but I think the movie could have been more.
For some reason I had remembered it being a Bruce Willis vehicle, so I was a little disappointed when pulling the DVD from the shelves. I think this movie could have really been interesting, if it starred Michael J. Fox with Bruce Willis' McClane type of character.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Batman: Gotham Knight
Year: 2008
Director: Have I Got a Story For You, Shojiro Nishimi, Crossfire, Futoshi Higashide, Field Test, Hiroshi Morioka, In Darkness Dwells, Yasuhiro Aoki, Working Through Pain, Toshiyki Kubooka, Deadshot, Jong-Sik Nam
Rating: 15
Length: 76 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital Stereo, German: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English, German, Spanish

Stars:
Kevin Conroy
Jason Marsden
Scott Menville
George Newbern
Corey Padnos

Plot:
Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins), Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman's transition from novice crimefighter to The Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. From some of the world's most visionary animators comes a thrilling depiction of Batman as man, myth and legend.

Extras:
Commentary
Exclusive DC Comics Character Guide
Featurettes
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

I did not buy this release until now, because of what I have read about it, it didn't seem that I would enjoy it. But then I saw the trailer for it on the Wonder Woman Blu-ray I watched recently, and I thought it could be something I will enjoy. But sadly, it didn't quite work out this way. The animation quality varies, but all stories were rather boring. Batman done by anime directors may sound fitting, but I think they didn't quite catch the character. Though I never was a big fan of animated Batman.
This Blu-ray contains four episodes of the 90's Batman animation series. I will watch those next. The first one I already watched. The story there is similar to the one in the first segment of the main feature. Of what I have read so far, one of the others is about Freeze. Another about Batgirl, where Commissionar Gordon, her father, finds out about her nightly activities (I am curious about that episode).

Rating:

[Tom]

Another about Batgirl, where Commissionar Gordon, her father, finds out about her nightly activities (I am curious about that episode).

I have watched it now. It is a great episode. Batgirl dies in the arms of Commissioner Gordon, during which he finds out, that she is Barbara. He blames Batman and goes after him. It seems he has known for awhile, that Batman is Bruce Wayne, and sends the complete police force after him. In the end, both Batman and Gordon are falling to death and it all turns out to be a nightmare by Barbara brought on by Scarecrow, as this is her biggest fear. She then decides to tell her father about Batgirl. It is alluded that he already knows and doesn't want her to actually tell him. I had the impression that this is because of conflict in interest (he is proud of her, but he mustn't officially know about this because she is a vigilante after all).