DVD Collectors Online

Knight Rider Pilot Movie, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Knight Rider Pilot Movie
Year: 2008
Director: Steve Shill
Rating: NR
Length: 80 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Justin Bruening
Deanna Russo
Sydney Tamiia Poitier
Bruce Davison
David Hasselhoff
Greg Ellis

Plot:
When it's reclusive inventor is placed in imminent danger, K.I.T.T. revs into action to save him. But even though his super high-tech car is able to self-regenerate, deploy weapons, and change color and shape, it needs a reluctant ex-soldier named Mike Traceur to shift gears and help in the desperate mission.

Extras:
Scene Access


My Thoughts:
This pilot movie was included in the complete series set of the 2008 TV Series. OK... I know the popular view of this series is that it is no where near the series that the '80s version was. But you know... I have liked this one since the very first time I have seen it. Not only that... but the more I watch it (this is the 4th time I have seen the pilot movie now) the more I enjoy it! That is not to take anything away from the original version. It is awesome too. But I really enjoyed the upgraded features of K.I.T.T. and I liked the characters as well as the storyline. After watching this pilot movie today... I feel like I could watch the entire series again.

One thing that did bug me about this one though. In the pilot movie they never used the Turbo Boost. You would have thought that would have been a must for the fans of the original. I remember when this originally aired that because it wasn't in (or even mention in) this pilot movie that I was afraid they dropped that all together. But thankfully it was in the series. I was also surprised to see a Special Guest Star credit for David Hasselhoff early on in the credits since he was really only on for a cameo appearance. Really only the matter of 30 seconds to a minute. I also noticed that in this pilot movie they made it very clear that Sydney Tamiia Poitier's character, FBI Agent Carrie Rivai, is a lesbian... which if I am remembering correctly... is something they totally dropped from the actual series.



(From Sunday Mini-Marathon: TV Movies on July 11th, 2010)

Rambo: First Blood Part II, a review by Jon

Rambo: First Blood Part II
3 out of 5

This is a fairly decent sequel, though it does lose much of the power and point of the first. On one hand it's a thin excuse for Rambo to go a bit more killing machine than in the first part, but at the same time, the screenplay (co-written by action maestro James Cameron) does balance very well. The story needs a silly contrivance to get Rambo out of the prison term he's been serving, and Trautman is still talking bollocks, but the heart of the story (American POWs left behind in Vietnam) is a good progression of the first and another indictment of how the US handled their part of that war.

The action itself is fantastic, if dumb, iconic stuff. Rambo without a leash, happily killing faceless enemy soldiers, is great to watch and the cathartic last act (helicopters, and dealing with the suits!) is just a perfect ending.

According to the interview on the disc, Stallone seems to be trying to distance himself from both this and part 3, which is typical of him. He's got a point about the next one, but this is the best sort of sequel, especially for the time it was released.

(From Jon's Random Reviews on July 12th, 2009)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Beginning
Year: 2002
Director: Gary Hartle
Rating: NR
Length: 76 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Cam Clarke
Kathleen Barr
Lisa Ann Beley
Garry Chalk
Brian Dobson

Plot:
Years ago, two leaders battled for Eternia, a fatastical land where compassion struggles against greed. Where one became the good King Randor, the other grew into the monster Skeletor who plans to rise once again and take Eternia. To protect the kingdom, the mystical powers of Castle Greyskull chose a hero - Randor's lazy, impulsive teenaged son Adam. Although a little relucant to take on a new secret idenity, Adam may not mind the name He-man if it can help his father.


After watching the 80s motion picture, I wanted to rewatch a decent He-Man movie. These are the first three episodes of the series, which originally aired as one pilot movie.
This movie tells the origin story of He-Man, something we never got in the original Filmation series. It is a great introduction to all the characters. And you already see, that the makers know their stuff.
One thing is needing to get used to when you know the original series: Seems that gravity on Eternia is different, as everybody seems to be able to jump real high.

This lead to a fun video clip I found once, where they put He-Man footage to the Gummibears theme song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nR6GRrXuNc

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on June 11th, 2009)