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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, a review by Tom

Title: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Year: 2003
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Rating: FSK-16
Length: 105 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: DTS 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Commentary, English, German, Turkish

Stars:
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Nick Stahl
Claire Danes
Kristanna Loken
David Andrews

Extras:
Booklet
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Interactive Game
Outtakes
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Storyboard Comparisons
Trailers

I will probably be only one of few people, who did like the third installment of the Terminator franchise the best of the three. I saw it in the cinema, and more than five times since then on DVD.
The plot is similar to T2 (Arnie comes back to protect John from an advanced Terminator), but has much more action. In a matter of fact, this movie is non-stop action with hardly anything else. And in this case, it is good. Nothing else have I expected from another Terminator movie.
We do not have to suffer a teenage John Connor. Instead we got Nick Stahl as an adult John, which he did a great job with. Also we have a no-nonsense Schwarzenegger Terminator back without him having to learn human emotions. And we got a hot female Terminator as an advisary. What else do you want?
I think the special effects are great in this movie. Beginning with the crane chase in the beginning, the effects with T-X (especially her fights with Arnie) and the great special effects with Arnie's face half gone at the end.
And I loved the ending. Just the right way to finish this trilogy.
Until recently I have thought it an error to continue this franchise from here with other movies, but Sarah Connor Chronicles has shown, that it can work without having Arnold Schwarzenegger a big role in it. I am hoping, that the new movies will integrate the stuff, we have learned in the first three movies. Like Kyle Reese getting the picture of Sarah Connor and being sent back in time by John. Or having John killed by an T-800 (rumors have it, that there will have permission to use Arnold's face to superimpose on a double and that Arnold probably has voice recorded. I hope that is true.) and have that Terminator sent back in time by Kate.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on January 17th, 2009)

The Three Musketeers (2011), a review by Dragonfire

Three Musketeers (2011)


I wasn't really wanting to see the new Three Musketeers, but the trailer looked interesting enough that I went to see the movie when I had the chance. 

I've never read the book, but I have seen a few other movie versions.  This version, while having some things in common with the other versions, is still very different from them in some ways.  Things start off a little differently, showing Athos, Porthos, and Aramis working with Milady on a mission in Venice.  The way she betrays them is shown and then the movie jumps forward a year to when they are no longer Musketeers and D'artangan is heading to Paris to become a Musketeer.  After that, from what I remember, the plot is sort of like the other versions, with Richelieu plotting to cause trouble between France and England and the Musketeers getting involved to stop it.

The movie is entertaining, though it could have been better.  D'Artangan is very cocky and arrogant and harder to like.  The others are ok, though nothing that stands out.  Milady is very devious, and perhaps a bit more sexual..though it has been a long time since I saw the older movies.  At one point, she's wearing next to nothing and doing acrobatics to steal something.  The cast is all right, though nothing special.

There are flying airships in the movie, that while kind of cool looking, are very out of place.  A security system is shown that seems to be a primitive version of the laser sensors.  Those things are a bit odd and could turn some viewers off.  The sword fights look fine and add a bit of action.  The movie is in 3D in some theaters and I ended up seeing the 3D because of the timing of the shows.  The 3D really didn't add a thing.

Overall, the movie is entertaining, but it is a little weird.  This one isn't going to appeal to some people.



I did post a review at Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

The Three Musketeers (2011)

(From Three Musketeers (2011) on November 13th, 2011)

The Hunger: The Complete First Season, a review by addicted2dvd

The Hunger: The Complete First Season (1997/Canada) Terence Stamp hosts the first season of this spine-tingling horror anthology series from Executive Producers Tony and Ridley Scott, which features a phenomenal cast of familiar faces as you've never seen them before. Inspired by leading genre writers, each episode will draw you into a mesmerizing world of terrifying characters and erotic encounters, where demons feed on the weaknesses of men and temptation consumes reason. Episodes: 1. The Swords 2. Menage a Trois 3. Necros 4. The Secret Shih-Tan 5. Bridal Suite 6. Room 17 7. Anais 8. No Radio 9. But at My Back I Always Hear 10. Red Light 11. I'm Dangerous Tonight 12. The Sloan Men 13. A Matter of Style 14. Hidebound 15. Fly-By-Night 16. The River of Night's Dreaming 17. The Lighthouse 18. The Face of Helen Bournouw 19. Plain Brown Envelope 20. The Other Woman 21. Clarimonde 22. Footsteps

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Stars:
Terence Stamp as Host

Extras:

• Featurettes

I just finished the first season of this Anthology series that originally ran on Showtime in the mid '90s. It is a bit tough to review this set. I mean I enjoyed it quite a bit... but there is a lot of weird episodes in the set as well. I classify this as a horror anthology as it deals with vampires, ghosts and other supernatural beings. But then there is episodes that deals with normal murders and such as well. Since this series originally ran on Showtime each episode also has a bit of sex/nudity. Though nothing overly adult oriented. Each episode runs about 26min. Unfortunately I didn't care much for Terrance Stamp as the host. I even found myself fast forwarding through his little introductions to the episodes towards the end of the set. But over-all I would say it is worth checking out.






(From Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched on May 5th, 2012)