DVD Collectors Online

Murder by Numbers, a review by addicted2dvd

Murder by Numbers
"Sandra Bullock has never been more original or affecting" (Michael Sragow, 'Baltimore Sun') as Cassie Mayweather, a homicide detective confronting personal demons while following her instincts about real killers in a Jane Doe murder case. The clues point one way - but the chain of evidence is too perfect.

Police procedure melds with escalating tension in this suspense thriller directed by Barbet Schroeder ('Single White Female'), Ryan Gosling ('The Believer') and Michael Pitt ('Finding Forrester') chillingly play bored rich kids who plan and execute a perfect murder, then watch the police fall for every clue. They figure they've gotten away with it. What they don't figure right is Cassie Mayweather.

My Thoughts:
This was an excellent movie!...One of the best suspense thrillers I have seen in a long time. Sandra Bullock did a wonderful job as a detective being haunted by her past while working a murder investigation.... actually as did all the actors in this movie. I do wish there was some more extras on this release... but all and all a great DVD. I highly recommend this one!



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: Sandra Bullock on August 23rd, 2008)

Inception, a review by Silence_of_Lambs

Summary:
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

My Thoughts:
What a hype, what a nothing of a movie.
This could have been really great, people maneuvering through the subconsciousness and there encountering the strangest dangers ever.
Instead Nolan directed a "Mission: Impossible in Dreamland" with a complete lack of "Dreamland". Instead of using fantasy supported by CGI he completely reduced to CGI. The whole concept for this film screams: "Place your ideas here!", possibly someone even did this, but obviously Nolan forgot to use those.
Sad, after the Batman movies I expected much more.
Even the main cast is remaining totally flat, DiCaprio is playing the same role as in "Blood Diamond" even though he has proven in "The Departed" and "Shutter Island" that he's absolutely capable of presenting us the haunted, hunted and lost individual. Maybe he should stick with Scott and Scorsese, because they obviously get the best from him. Nolan didn't, maybe because he didn't demand it. Strange how the director that made Heath Ledger immortal can be satisfied with the extremely average performance of DiCaprio in this movie.

Movies trying to capture the realms of fantasy should be left to Tarsem Singh or Gilliam, hell, even Burton would have made a better movie out of this concept. Nolan obviously was overstrained here.

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

(From Michael's random reviews on December 8th, 2010)

"Stargate SG-1" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis:My Opinion: A very good pilot which takes upon the events of the movie and continues to tell the story. It simply ignores the contradictions to the movie instead of giving some cheesy excuses. Only Teal'c's switching of sides was a bit too fast, he doesn't know Jack at all. But I can't come up with a better plot on how to manage this.

Synopsis: Kawalsky has more and longer headaches and phases of black outs after which he can't remember anything. Back on Chulak he was taken over by a Goa'uld larva and now they fight for the mastery of the body. Meanwhile Teal'c is being interrogated by a men from Langley who wants to learn more about the Goa'uld.

My Opinion: I liked the fact that they didn't accept Teal'c blindly in their team, even though Jack thought that he deserved it. It still went fast in the end but at least they mentioned their doubts and pointed out the problems. Now SG-1 is complete: Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Sam(antha) Carter & Teal'c.

Synopsis: SG-1 arrives on a planet where the population leads a life like in the times of Genghis Khan. It is forbidden for women to appear unconcealed in public, neither is it allowed for them to speak unless spoken to. Carter soon collides with these laws.

My Opinion: "SG-1 arrives on a planet" - I wonder how often I will write this sentence in this marathon. I didn't like this episode much, mainly because they tried to communicate the morale with the grace of a sledgehammer. I nonetheless like the fact that they at least argued about the fact whether it is right to interfere with local customs and affairs.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on February 29th, 2008)