DVD Collectors Online

Monsters University, a review by Danae Cassandra

Monsters University
Year of Release: 2013
Directed By: Dan Scanlon
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren
Genre: Comedy

Overview:My Thoughts:
This was an entertaining, enjoyable movie.  It's bright and colorful, with beautifully realized animation and a lot of really fun character designs.  There are a lot of funny moments, and a good heart, even if you know all the tropes from every movie about college you've ever seen.   Yet they still manage to do something original with the ending.  It has a couple of good messages as well, one about not judging people and the second that your dreams might not come true the way you envision them.  There is a minor continuity error with Monsters Inc., but nothing that removes any of the pleasure of watching this film.  It's a good time, and I could recommend it for anyone.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Monsters University on January 20th, 2014)

Pal Joey, a review by Antares

Pal Joey (1957) 55/100 - Everything that you could possibly hate in a portrayal by Frank Sinatra is in abundance in this quasi-musical. Sinatra is stuck in his Maggio character from his Oscar winning performance in From Here to Eternity, but whereas that performance was fitting to the screenplay, his turn as lounge lizard Joey Evans is one non-stop, grating bit of fantasy. Whenever I see Sinatra play one of these somewhat cocky, tough guys, I always think of those Hollywood parodies that Looney Tunes would do, caricaturing him as a stick thin weakling. Throughout this film, I was waiting for someone, even Rita Hayworth, to cold-cock him and make him fold like a cheap suit. The rest of the cast seem to be sleepwalking through their performances also, as Rita Hayworth looks old beyond her years at the time, and the ever somnabular Kim Novak looks like a deer in the head lights. The only redeeming part of this film is the soundtrack, which features a few of Sinatra's best songs, including The Lady is a Tramp. The rest is garbage.

What the color coding means...

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on October 12th, 2013)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Star Wars: Clone Wars: Volume One (2003/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia (Canada) Length: 69 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

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Plot:
The Saga continues with the Emmy-winning 'Star Wars: Clone Wars', available for the first time on DVD. This animated micro-series, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, captures George Lucas' vision in a dynamic animated style that is a visual delight for all ages. 'Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume One' reveals the epic adventures that bridge the story arc between 'Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones' and 'Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith'. Follow the valiant Jedi Knights and the brave soldiers of the Republic's clone army as they battle againts the droid forces of the Separatists, led by the evil Sith Lord, Count Dooku. Witness the battles that made galactic heroes out of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and along the way get a first look at the new menace from 'Episode III', General Grievous. This is a must-have for any 'Star Wars' DVD collection.




Star Wars: The Clone Wars
1.01 Chapter 1

This is the first Clone Wars TV series. Never saw the newer one. This series put me off completely from the modern Star Wars. There is only one true Star Wars, and that is the original trilogy.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on July 25th, 2012)