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Rise: Blood Hunter, a review by addicted2dvd

Rise: Blood Hunter: Unrated Undead (2007) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director: Sebastian Gutierrez Writing: Sebastian Gutierrez (Writer) Length: 122 min. Rating: Unrated Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1 Subtitles: English, Spanish

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Stars:
Robert Forster as Lloyd
Cameron Richardson as Collette
Lucy Liu as Sadie
Allan Rich as Harrison
Samantha Shelton as LA Weekly Editor
Kevin Wheatley as Ethan Mills

Plot:
Female reporter Sadie Blake (Lucy Liu) wakes up in a morgue to find herself a member of the undead, the victim of a brutal vampire ritual. Trying desperately to fight off her thirst, Sadie prowls the dark city streets, armed with a crossbow and hell-bent on slaying the twisted vampires that made her this way. With an all-star cast featuring Carla Gugino, Michael Chiklis and James D'Arcy, prepare for a bloody descent into a terrifying underworld.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Storyboard Comparisons
• Closed Captioned

This is one that was given to me a couple years ago, but just now got the chance to watch. Unfortunately, I wasn't very impressed. The movie just seemed weird and hard to follow. Maybe if they told a straight story instead of using flashbacks to jump all over the place I would have enjoyed it more. But it has a decent cast... the acting is fine... but I just couldn't keep up with the story. It is obviously one of those movies you have to give all your attention to... but for some reason I found myself drifting in and out of sleep for the most of the movie. I think I will have to give this one another chance one of these days just to see if I can follow it any better.




(From What Movies I Been Watching on March 25th, 2012)

Near Dark, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Near Dark
Year: 1987
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Rating: R
Length: 94 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: DTS 5.1, English: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Adrian Pasdar as Caleb
Jenny Wright as Mae
Lance Henriksen as Jesse
Bill Paxton as Severen
Jenette Goldstein as Diamondback

Plot:
In the dusty heart of the American southwest, innocent country boy Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar of MYSTERIOUS WAYS) is seduced by a beautiful girl (Jenny Wright) into joining a roving pack of vicious drifters led by the enigmatic Jesse (Lance Henriksen of THE TERMINATOR and ALIENS). But this is no ordinary band of outlaws; Caleb is now trapped in a nightmare of soulless evil that waits in the shadows, hellish mayhem that thrives on blood and absolute horror that begins NEAR DARK.

Bill Paxton (TWISTER) and Jenette Goldstein (ALIENS) co-star in this extraordinary shocker co-written and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (STRANGE DAYS) that Entertainment Weekly calls "ultrastylish, ultraviolent and altogether brilliant." This is more than simply the most ferociously original vampire movie of our generation; NEAR DARK is one of the best horror movies of all time.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
DVD-ROM Content
Closed Captioned
THX

My Thoughts:
I thought I would start this marathon with one of my favorite vampire movies. This is a movie that has seemed to fly in under the radar for most people. I discovered it while I was working as a manager of the local video store.... and everyone I ever suggested it to never even heard of it. But yet of the MANY people that took a chance on this movie because of my recommendation... I don't remember ever hearing bad feedback. As far as I remember everyone enjoyed it!

One of the things I like about this movie is that even though while watching it there is no doubt in your mind this is a vampire movie... they never once use the word vampire in the movie... and you never once see a set of fangs.  Another thing I like in this movie is the awesome bar fight scene. I have seen a few bar fight scenes in horror movies... and this is one of the best. Then you have the added bonus that one of the stars of this movie is Lance Henrikson.... a great genre actor.

Needless to say I was thrilled when I first heard this movie was coming out on DVD. I pre-ordered the title as soon as I was able to. And even better was the fact that the release is a 2-disc edition with a nice selection of extras. If you never seen this under-rated movie... I urge you to give it a chance... I really don't think you will be sorry.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: Vampires on February 5th, 2010)

NCIS Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

5. THE CURSE
When a Navy lieutenant's mummified remains are discovered almost ten years after he was reported missing along with one million dollars from his ship's safe, Gibbs and his team Investigate the death as well as the theft.

My Thoughts:
This was a really good episode. Leave it to Abby to bring up a curse of some sort over such a find. Once again... I have to say... I loved the way Gibbs bluffed his way through to get the confession they needed. Some of the things he comes up with is just too cool.

6. HIGH, SEAS
Two sailors from the same ship overdose on meth, despite their claims of never having touched the drugs.

My Thoughts:
Enjoyed the episode a lot... but is one of those ones that nothing really sticks out to be extraordinary.

7. SUB ROSA
Gibbs and Todd (Sasha Alexander) investigate the possibility of an impostor on board a nuclear submarine.

My Thoughts:
Another good episode. The body they found in this episode was less then appealing. This series does have a slight bit of a gore factor when it comes to the remains. I really liked how Gibbs took up for Kate when they were not going to let her on the sub... but was sure to do so without doing it in front of her.

8. MINIMUM SECURITY
A mysterious death leads Gibbs and the team into the heart of the terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

My Thoughts:
This episode is one that never really impressed me much. Nothing really bad about it... and really can't put my finger on what it was that bothered me... but definitely not one I look forward to watching during my marathons.

(From NCIS Marathon on November 29th, 2007)