DVD Collectors Online

Avatar, a review by Antares

Avatar (2009) 2/5 - In my youth, my favorite band was Yes. Not only did I love their music, but I was completely enthralled with their album covers, which were created by graphic artist Roger Dean. I used to think that it would be so great to have a film based on his atmospheric and fantasy landscapes. Well, 35 years later, James Cameron did it. If I were to rate this film on the technological achievements alone, I would probably rate it 4/5. While it is amazingly beautiful, at times I also found it a bit too much. Kind of like turning a kid loose in a candy store, and eating himself sick. I think that if Cameron could have, for once, set his enormous ego aside, and let someone who knows how to write a good screenplay, take over that part of the film, then this could have been a masterpiece. I can't tell you how many times I cringed listening to the cliched dialog in this worn out story. I can understand the hype, but when all is said and done, it's all just eye candy, that in about another five years, will be forgettable when the next level of graphic CGI emerges. That's the double edge of the special effects sword...eventually, it will look as antiquated as King Kong does today.

(From Antares' Short Summations on November 14th, 2011)

The Hunger Games, a review by addicted2dvd

The Hunger Games (2012/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Lionsgate Director: Gary Ross Writing: Matthew Chapman (Screenwriter), Suzanne Collins (Screenwriter), Billy Ray (Screenwriter), Suzanne Collins (Original Material By) Length: 143 min. Rating: Rated PG-13 : Intense Violent Thematic Material and Disturbing Images - All Involving Teens Video: Widescreen 2.40:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 7.1, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1 Subtitles: English, Spanish

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Stars:
Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman
Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen
Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen
Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne
Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket

Plot:
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her younger sister's place and must rely upon her sharp instincts when she's pitted against highly trained Tributes who have prepared their entire lives. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Interviews
• BD-Live
• Digital Copy

For the next film I let my daughter pick the movie to watch... and this is the one she wanted to see. I found this to be a very good film. It easily kept my attention from beginning to the end. And I was pleasantly surprised to see an appearance by Donald Sutherland as President Snow. I always liked him. I would have liked to seen more hunting scenes... I kinda went into this one expecting to see more. I also found that while this is a rather long movie... it didn't feel like it while watching it. I would say this one is definitely worth checking out.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: The Blu-ray Experience on July 5th, 2013)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Rick

An Eye for An Eye


The Man Who Knew Too Little


Hey - look at that. A lyonsden5 1st. I actually finished watching before the due date 
[keeps DVD loaded and secretly watches the next few episodes to stay ahead of schedule ]

(From "Due South" marathon on July 16th, 2009)