DVD Collectors Online

Spider-Man 3, a review by Tom

Title: Spider-Man 3
Year: 2007
Director: Sam Raimi
Rating: 12
Length: 134 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.40
Audio: English: Dolby Digital TrueHD, English: PCM 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Czech: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1, Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1, Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Other, Polish, Romanian, Slovenian, Swedish, Turkish

Stars:
Tobey Maguire
Kirsten Dunst
James Franco
Thomas Haden Church
Topher Grace

Plot:
Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) has finally managed to strike a balance between his devotion to M.J. (Kirsten Dunst) and his duties as a superhero. But when his suit suddenly changes, turning jet-black and enhancing his powers, it also transforms Peter, bringing out a dark, vengeful side that he struggles to control. He must now battle his inner demons as two of the most-feared villains yet, Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and Venom (Topher Grace), gather unparalleled power and a thirst for revenge which threatens Peter and everyone he loves.

Extras:
Commentary
Featurettes
Music Videos
Outtakes
Photo Gallery
Scene Access

This movie had the potential to be so much more. Three villians which could probably carry a film each get reduced to some few minutes each. Also the sequences where Peter is possessed by the symbiont were ridiculous (going through the streets like an idiot, dancing like an idiot? Is this the aggressive Peter Parker?). This also parallels Superman 3, where Superman is affected by red kryptonite and has behaving unlike his usual self. And to think that there (one of the lesser Superman movies) it was even handled better than in such a critically highly praised franchise as the Spider-Man movies.
I also remember how the audience was laughing in the cinema where MJ breaks up with Peter, and Peter started crying. Of course this scene was not intended to be funny. And why do we have to have, just before the showdown, Spider-Man in front of a big American flag? Do the filmmakers still have no idea, that this may be received well to some of the American audiences, but outside of the USA it is just groan-worthy.

I hope the next Spider-Man movie is more balanced like the first two were.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on January 3rd, 2009)

Bedtime Stories, a review by addicted2dvd

Bedtime Stories
Funnyman Adam Sandler stars in Walt Disney Pictures' Bedtime Stories, the magical family comedy that's packed with adventure and lots of heart. When Skeeter Bronson (Sandler) babysits his sister's (Courteney Cox) children, his imagination runs wild as he dreams up elaborate bedtime stories - always casting himself as the hero. Entranced, the children add their own ideas to these once-upon-a-time tales of heroics and chivalry. Then...magic happens. These nighttime fantasies become Skeeter's daytime realities, leading him on a real-life adventure in search of his own happy ending. Filled with colorful characters, humor and whimsy, this heartwarming comedy will enchant your entire family again and again.

Stars:
Adam Sandler
Keri Russell
Guy Pierce
Courteney Cox

My Thoughts:
The first thing I did after I watched this movie was check the reviews here because I thought I remembered someone else reviewing this movie. And I was right. Both Rich and Marie reviewed this one. I found myself siding more with Marie personally. With all due respect to Rich... who I know disliked this movie quite a bit... I must say I disagree! I found this movie to be quite a bit of fun. It felt like a good fantasy fun for the entire family mixed with a bit of Romantic Comedy. That being said I wouldn't say this is a great movie as it is a bit silly at times. But it is definitely enjoyable.I was actually a bit surprised to see Courteney Cox in this one as I never heard anything of her in it before. Though she is only in the beginning and the end of the movie as she played the mother to the kids Adam Sandler was watching. On this one I plan on eventually adding to my collection. But not one I will rush to do so with as I am sure it will be a while before I am in the mood to watch it again.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: On-Demand on September 25th, 2009)

Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews, a review by Tom

TNG 1.01 Encounter at Farpoint
Writer: J. Michael Bingham (Screenwriter), John D. F. Black (Original Material By), J. Michael Bingham (Original Material By)
Director: Paul Lynch
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Geordi La Forge), Denise Crosby (Lt. Tasha Yar), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Doctor Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), John de Lancie (Q), Michael Bell (Zorn), DeForest Kelley (Admiral McCoy), Colm Meaney (Battle Bridge Conn), Cary-Hiroyuki (Mandarin Bailiff), Timothy Dang (Main Bridge Security), David Erskine (Bandi Shopkeeper), Evelyn Guerrero (Young Female Ensign), Chuck Hicks (Military Officer), Jimmy Ortega (Torres)

I decided to do a Q marathon next. The start makes the pilot episode of Star Trek TNG.
This episode introduces the crew, which in retrospect it fails at, as the characters are very different compared to later on in this series. Picard is a grumpy old man. Tasha Yar is portrayed as a very incompetent security chief. Worf is really stupid (he even almost destroyed the view screen, because he wanted to shoot something appearing on it ).

I find it strange that the crew obviously came together without knowing who else will be on that ship. Even the captain didn't know. Riker and Troi are surprised to meet each other again. Picard even asks Crusher to leave again after he finds out that she has now the position of the chief medical officer.

Q is ultimately what gives this episode somewhat of a rewatch value. Especially because his storyline will bookend this series in the final episode of TNG. What I have read, he only was integrated into the story, after the pilot had be padded when the studio asked to make a 90 minute pilot movie instead of the planned 45 minute pilot episode.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on October 5th, 2009)