DVD Collectors Online

The Forbidden Kingdom, a review by RossRoy

WHAT THEY SAY

Individually, they've starred in the most adrenaline-pumping martial-arts adventures ever. Together for the first time, JET LI and JACKIE CHAN join forces to create the greatest epic of them all - 'The Forbidden Kingdom'. As ancient Chinese warriors, they must train and mentor a 21st century kung-fu fanatic who's been summoned to fight a centuries-old battle and free the imprisoned Monkey King. If you're a fighting fan, the wait is over. The team is ready. The Kingdom has arrived.

MY THOUGHTS

Great movie! The fights are well choreographed, the story is interesting, the women are beautiful and the music sounds good! But I must say, the imagery is the star. Some of the shots are just breathtaking. And you get to see Jackie Chan vs Jet Li! What more could you ask for?

RATING

(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on November 14th, 2009)

The Last American Hero , a review by samuelrichardscott

The Last American Hero (1973) - R2 UK DVD

Shortened Review:
Films that are loosely based on the true stories of people from underpriviliged backgrounds or of people being general underdogs going on to become successful sporting heroes are two a penny. Usually these films have some relation to Disney and include Coach Carter (Samuel L. Jackson), Glory Road (Josh Lucas), Remember the Titans (Denzel Washington) and Invincible (Mark Wahlberg). Usually these films relate to sports like basketball, american football, football and ice hockey but very rarely do we get a similar film related to motorsport racing. In fact, whilst the more imaginitive racing/car related films have a history of popularity, from The Cannonball Run to Death Race 2000 to The Fast and the Furious, the racing films that strive for seriousness are few. 1966's Grand Prix was one such film I enjoyed focusing on the lives of formula one drivers though this isn't based on a true story. I entered The Last American Hero knowing that I enjoy this particular genre and looked forward to watching it.

The Last American Hero is loosely based on a series of Esquire articles written by Tom Wolfe, telling the true story of Junior Johnson, a moonshine smuggler who became one of NASCAR's first champions and an American sporting hero. After Junior crashes into a police blockade whilst delivering his father's moonshine, the police arrest Junior's dad and he gets a one year prison sentence. To raise some cash to help his family, Junior enters a demolition derby, and then a stock car race. Realising he has a natural talent, he progresses on the stock car circuit until he meets a promoter (played by Ned Beatty) who gives him his break on the NASCAR circuit.

When I first hit play, the first scene put me off slightly. I felt like I had just put on a random episode of The Dukes of Hazzard, except this time Bo and Luke were driving a black car instead of The General Lee. Whilst I enjoy The Dukes of Hazzard TV show, I was looking forward to something different with this film. Thankfully, after the opening scene, I got what I was looking for. Jeff Bridges is excellent as the overly cocky racer who knows he has talent, forcing himself on to the stock car circuit as an independent driver by winning local and regional races. Ned Beatty is great in his role as the promoter and Gary Busey suits his as Junior's brother (even if his screen time is rather limited). Yes the story is sometimes contrived and yes, it is obvious what is going to happen, but this is an enjoyable racing film with spirit and determination with good performances all round and some fun and well shot racing scenes.

Full Review:
http://www.dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=2501

Released 12th September 2011.

(From Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews) on August 18th, 2011)

"Stargate SG-1" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: SG-1 takes part in the ceremony where the last Ba'al clone gets his symbiont removed. The last of the System Lords is defeated. But something is happening. First Vala disappears, then Teal'c and then more and more people. Cameron, Sam and Daniel manage to get through the Stargate home but when they arrive on Earth everything has changed. The gate is somewhere in the arctic and Earth's history of the last 60 years seems to have changed. Another Ba'al clone has changed the past to win in the future.

My Opinion: The elements of this story aren't new, not even to Stargate SG-1. A time travel after which the Stargate program doesn't exist also happened in Moebius. And the way the "ripple effect" changed the future didn't make much sense either. But I still liked this movie, it was nice to see them all again (Don S. Davis in his last appearance) and I liked how Daniel tried to speak to Daniel and how they once again joined forces with the First Prime Teal'c. Also this movie didn't have any lengths, it felt like a slightly longer regular episode even though it was twice as long.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on April 25th, 2009)