DVD Collectors Online

Batman: Year One: Two-Disc Special Edition, a review by addicted2dvd

Batman: Year One: Two-Disc Special Edition (2011/United States) Warner Home Video Director: Sam Liu, Lauren Montgomery Writing: Tab Murphy (Writer) Length: 64 min. Rating: Rated PG-13 : Violence and Some Sexual Material Video: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Thai: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai

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Stars:
Bryan Cranston as Jim Gordon
Benjamin McKenzie as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Eliza Dushku as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Jon Polito as Commissioner Loeb
Alex Rocco as Falcone
Katee Sackhoff as Detective Essen

Plot:
When Gotham City is in desperate need of heroes, two men take a stand for justice... but on opposite sides. Bruce Wayne returns home after years abroad to become a crime fighter, just as honest cop Lt. James Gordon moves to Gotham and finds corruption at every level. When Bruce becomes the masked vigilante Batman, the city explodes as his new nemesis Catwoman, the mob and Gordon all close in! Don't miss this thrilling DC Universe Animated Original Movie based on the groundbreaking story by Frank Miller and featuring three-time Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Katee Sackhoff, Eliza Dushku and Alex Rocco in its stellar voice cast. Experience a bold and dynamic vision of the Dark Knight's first year in action and the start of his enduring friendship with Jim Gordon.

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• 2 Episodes of Batman: The Animated Series
• Catwoman Short

I enjoyed this one... though not as much as I did most of the other Batman animated films. I definitely liked it more then Batman: Gotham Knight. It is a pretty good retelling of the origin story. Though it has a feel and look to it that I am really not used to or know how to explain it. I was also scratching my head a bit because they made Commissioner Gordon's (or at the time of this story Lt. Gordon) wife's name Barbara. We all know that Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl... but she was always Commissioner Gordon's niece or daughter before. Then it was mentioned in the film that they were going to have a baby. So I thought OK this makes some sense now... they will have a girl and will name her after her mother. But nope... they have a boy. I was also a little put off by the voice for Bruce Wayne/Batman... but I got used to it after a little time. I did like Eliza Dushku for Catwoman though. Over-all I would say a good film... but definitely not great.



(From What Movies I Been Watching on January 6th, 2012)

Creature from the Black Lagoon, a review by RossRoy

Original Title: Creature from the Black Lagoon Year: 1954 Country: United States Director: Jack Arnold Rating: NR Length: 241 Min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, English: Dolby Digital Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: French, Spanish

What they say
Who knows what undiscovered life forms inhabit the bodies of water on our planet? When scientists exploring the Amazon River stumble on a "missing link" connecting humans an fish, they plan to capture it for later study. But the creature jhas plans of his own, inspired by the lead scientist's (Richard Carlson) beautiful fiancee, Kay (Julie Adams). This classic thriller is a genuine tribute to imaginative storytelling and an exceptional showcase for the legendary makeup artistry of Bud Westmore.

My Thoughts
Continuing on my journey through the classic monster movies. This time, is was Creature from the Black Lagoon. I enjoyed the film. I found it to have some nice underwater imagery. The gill man suit is well done. The story is kept interesting, with the discovery of a fossilized amphibian hand leading to the expedition to the black lagoon, but it's still a pretty standard monster story. It thrives on its imagery and atmosphere, though this movie is a lot less atmospheric than say Dracula or The Wolf Man. But they still manage to build some tension, especially during the underwater scenes.

I'll say this though. If you ever go through the classic monsters one after another, don't watch Creature from Black Lagoon right after The Wolf Man, Dracula or Frankenstein. On its own, it's a pretty good film, but when compared to the classic three, it pales in comparison and shows flaws you may not notice otherwise.



(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on October 17th, 2008)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

THE CLOSER - SEASON ONE - THE PILOT





From the truly awful depths of Roswell, the next pilot is the exact opposite and is totally sublime.
I am now officially in love with Kyra Sedgwick (I think she is Kevin Bacons wife?). What a great performance she gives, absolutely perfect for the role as the new unpopular deputy chief from the South, and in a braless vest 
Firstly the writing is really good, great flow, hidden depths, surprises and character depth. The support cast appears strong with great dynamics, JK Simmons as father figure is perfect, and the 'office politics' will be good to run alongside each investigation.
I never guessed the ending, did anyone else?
Great start and full of potential, this is at top of 'to view' pile now. I would liken it to a good mix of Prime Suspect and Law & Order


(From My PILOT Marathon on May 27th, 2008)