DVD Collectors Online

In the Good Old Summertime, a review by Tom

Title: In the Good Old Summertime
Year: 1949
Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Rating: NR
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Judy Garland
Van Johnson
S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall
Spring Byington
Clinton Sundberg

Plot:Awards:

Writers Guild of America Awards

1950

Nominated

Best Written American Musical

Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Ivan Tors

Extras:
Closed Captioned
Featurettes
Scene Access
Trailers
Vintage Traveltalks Shorts

A musical remake (though I am not sure if you can really call it a musical if all musical numbers have been worked into the story and are only songs performed by a character on-stage or sung to customers who have asked for it) of "The Shop Around the Corner" (which also was remade as "You've Got Mail").
I also enjoyed this version. The story is about the same as in "The Shop Around the Corner" with only minor changes. Judy Garland and Van Johnson are a good couple.
I just noticed that this is the only movie I have with Buster Keaton in it. He has a supporting role. As I understood it, he got this role because he was the only one they thought to be able to perform the comedy stunt believable were Mr. Oberkugen's violin gets broken.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on April 5th, 2010)

BMX Bandits, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: BMX Bandits
Year: 1983
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Rating: PG
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: N/A

Stars:
David Argue
John Ley
Nicole Kidman
Angelo D'Angelo
James Lugton
Bryan Marshall

Plot:
Two BMX expert bikers and a friend of theirs (Nicole Kidman) become entangled with a group of bank robbers after discovering a carton of walkie-talkies.

Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
When I found out my friend was sending me this movie in a box of DVDs I was pretty excited. Not only because it is an early role of Nicole Kidman of who I really enjoy. But also because when I was a teen I was big into riding my BMX bike all over town with my friends. Of course not to the extent of these kids.. but it still brought back some fond memories.

As soon as I pop it in the first thing I noticed is that the DVD itself is a bit lacking. No extras on the disc what so ever. When you pop in the disc you only have 2 options... Play Movie and Scene Selection. Then I started the movie... and the quality... while not terrible... I mean it is watchable... but it it did feel like I was watching a fairly old VHS copy of the movie. I imagine they just used an old VHS master to make this release.

The movie itself was entertaining... I enjoyed it. I found it to just be a fun movie. The kids were great on the bikes... makes me wonder how much was actually them riding. I be especially interested in how much of the actual bike riding Nicole Kidman actually did. Of course most the trick riding was shot from the back or close up shots of the bike itself.. so I imagine not so much of it was actually them.

I just wish this movie got a better DVD release then what it did.



(From What Movies I Been Watching on August 22nd, 2010)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: During the repair of a food replicator, Chief O'Brien accidentally activates a hidden device that was planted there during the construction of the station 18 years ago. This device injects a virus into each replicated food. After the incubation time people start to babble incoherently, then they get fever and die. Even worse: At some point the virus has mutated and has become airborne. Now the entire station is in danger.

My Opinion: It was an average episode, but we've seen Odo and Quark working together for the first time and that was fun.

Synopsis: The first visitor from the Gamma Quadrant comes through the wormhole but he is not on a diplomatic mission. He is the prey in a hunt and the hunters are closing in. But he is no criminal nor did he do anything wrong - not even by the standards of his home world. He was bred to be the prey. The longer he stays alive and eludes his captors the more honour he brings to himself and to the hunter that kills him at last.

My Opinion: Genetically implemented "To the death!" mentality will become a common theme in DS9 and I think the characters handled this situation very well. They've bend the Prime Directive ("no interference in the business of other cultures unless asked to") without breaking it. I don't think Picard could have handled it better.

Synopsis: When the Runabout-class shuttle Ganges returns from the Gamma Quadrant they bring someone with them: Vash. Vash is a archaeologist who is more in the game for the money than the science. A few years back she accepted an offer by the godlike being Q to show her all the interesting places in the universe. Now she's back and Q with her. And Q always equals trouble.

My Opinion: Unfortunately this was the only appearance of John de Lancie in his role as Q on DS9. Stories with Q have mostly been interesting and this was one of them, especially (again) to point out the differences between Picard and Sisko. I really liked it when Sisko punched Q square in the face and he wasn't expecting that.

Synopsis: Three men try to kidnap Jadzia Dax from the station and bring her to a court. Jadzia Dax is a Trill, a symbiotic joined species with a humanoid host and a slug-like symbiont. When the host dies the symbiont will be transplanted into a new one. The former being - and mentor of Cmdr. Sisko - Curzon Dax has died a few years ago but now Jadzia is charged for a murder where Curzon is the prime suspect. But can Jadzia Dax being held responsible for something Curzon Dax supposedly did?

My Opinion: I liked that episode. It reminded me of the TNG episode where it was discussed whether or not Data - as an artificial life-form - has the right to make his own decisions. They had some compelling arguments for both sides and since the minds of host and symbiont have been truly merged it isn't as easy as it would be with Stargate SG-1's Goa'uld/Tok'ra. I also find it fascinating what we will learn about Curzon throughout the show without ever meeting him (except for that short flashback in the pilot).

(From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon on September 20th, 2008)