DVD Collectors Online

Transformers, a review by Dragonfire

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Transformers

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I decided to watch Transformers again recently.  The movie has plot issues, but it is fun and entertaining overall.  It works well as a mindless action movie.  The special effects are done well and the robots look cool, though I can't tell them all apart.  I do better with the Autobots since they have more colors.  The Decepticons all look the same to me in robot form.  In some of the action scenes, it is basically impossible to tell which robots are fighting.  I don't remember having that much trouble telling them apart in the animated series.  The characters are fine, though all of them could have been developed more.  Megan Fox is clearly here just as eye candy.

Despite the plot issues and my trouble telling which robot was which, I still enjoy this one as a mindless action movie.



I did get a review posted on Epinions after I originally saw the movie in the theater.

Transformers

(From Marie's Random Movie Viewing on August 3rd, 2011)

Stand by Me, a review by Antares

Stand by Me





Year: 1986
Film Studio: Columbia Pictures, Act III Communications
Genre: Drama, Adventure
Length: 89 Min.

Director
Rob Reiner (1947)

Writing
Stephen King (1947)...Novella "The Body"
Raynold Gideon...Screenplay
Bruce A. Evans (1946)...Screenplay

Producer
Bruce A. Evans (1946)
Raynold Gideon
Andrew Scheinman

Cinematographer
Thomas Del Ruth (1942)

Music
Jack Nitzsche (1937)...Composer

Stars
Wil Wheaton (1972) as Gordie Lachance
River Phoenix (1970) as Chris Chambers
Corey Feldman (1971) as Teddy Duchamp
Jerry O'Connell (1974) as Vern Tessio
Kiefer Sutherland (1966) as Ace Merrill
Casey Siemaszko (1961) as Billy Tessio
Gary Riley (1963) as Charlie Hogan
Bradley Gregg (1966) as Eyeball Chambers

ReviewStand by Me.

       Taken from a novel by Stephen King, Stand by MeRunning on Empty, My Own Private Idaho and Dogfight, yet would succumb to drug addiction and subsequent overdose and death.
 
       Stand by MeRatings Criterion4 Stars - Historically important film, considered a classic.

(From Stand by Me (1986) on March 2nd, 2010)

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: Buffy's 17th birthday is coming up and the gang has planned a surprise party. But Drusilla and Spike have also something planned: They want to reassemble the Judge, a demon who could bring forth Armageddon and destroy the Human race. And Angel and Buffy are getting closer and closer but the Gypsies who once cursed him will not allow that he is happy and they have an "agent" right in the gang's midst.

My Opinion: Maybe it's due to his frustration of sitting in a wheel chair, but reassembling the Judge contradicts Spike's statement in the season finale that he likes the world as it is ("Millions of 'Happy Meals' on legs."). But I liked this (and the following) episode very much and I really liked Vincent Schiavelli's appearance as Gypsy elder even though it was short. This episode also starts the tradition that Buffy's birthdays will always be terrible.

Synopsis: When Buffy and Angel have slept together, Angel experienced a "moment of true happiness" and subsequently lost his soul again because the curse was lifted. He's now Angelus again and teams up with Dru, Spike and the Judge. Buffy is crushed and has to deal with it, but she also has to stop the Judge of whom is said that he can't be destroyed by any weapon forged by men.

My Opinion: Angelus is back! I love David as Angelus. He's cruel, he's an asshole and he's still obsessed with Buffy. And he plays it very well. I'd say he plays the soulless Big Bad better than the tormented ensouled Vampire. I also love the idea to recruit the Big Bad from the good guys. It was also a great idea to kill a demon with some modern day weaponry instead of trying to slice and dice him with swords and the like. And I thought it was a great idea that Xander retained some of the memories from when he was a "real" soldier in Halloween.

Synopsis: When Cordy and Xander make out in Lover's Lane they are attacked by a Werewolf but they can escape. Since a Werewolf is a normal human being at day and only a Werewolf three nights a month there's only a short time for Buffy and other hunters to get him before he attacks more people and then goes dormant for a month. And Willow is frustrated that Oz won't make a move on her.

My Opinion: So, Oz is a Werewolf. Our trio seems to fancy more extravagant partners. I really like it how people - who are way different - are accepted by the gang as long as they don't do evil. This kind of acceptance and (later) alliance will help them to survive and defeat the true evil. The Werewolf costume didn't look really convincing but I assume it's hard to create a realistic one. It doesn't even always work when you use CGI. For example, Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was also not a convincing CGI-Werewolf. But I really liked the Werewolf-CGIs of Underworld.
The growling contest between Angelus and Oz was also great.

Synopsis: After their relationship has become public knowledge, Cordy dumps Xander Valentine's Day, even though she (secretly) still has feelings for him. Xander is crushed, laughed at and furious. After he's witnessed Amy using a spell on one of their teachers he blackmails her to cast a love spell on Cordelia for that she may feel as tormented as he does. But the spell seriously backfires.

My Opinion: This episode managed to keep the balance between comedy and drama. The scenes between Xander and (all) the girls were hilarious but Giles managed to point out the seriousness of that whole affair. This also starts the tradition that using magic for one's selfish purposes will ultimately backfire and that magic is always to be handled with care.

(From "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Marathon on April 25th, 2009)