DVD Collectors Online

Surrogates, a review by Dragonfire

I decided to go see Surrogates earlier this week. 

The movie is based on a comic book series that I haven't read.  It is about people using robot replacements - surrogates - in their daily lives while the people stay at home.  People are more disconnected from each other, even from their spouses.  Crime rates have gone down so much that the is basically no crime anymore.  Then someone uses a weapon that not only disables two surrogates, but kills the people who were operating them.  The FBI investigates and eventually Agent Greer is doing things as himself instead of as his surrogate.

The plot for the movie is very interesting, though I don't think it was developed enough.  The fact that some people don't like surrogates and are against the use does come out, but it isn't explored enough to make that a strong aspect of the plot.  No moral questions are raised about using surrogates.  There really isn't an explanation for how everyone can afford one.  There is no mention of what using one for hours on end every day does to people's health.  It is pointed out that people are more detached because of living through the surrogates, but even that isn't fully explored.  I think the movie would have been stronger if those things had been dealt with.

There is some action and a bit of violence in the movie, but nothing extreme.  The special effects are fine, though nothing outstanding.  The surrogates look attractive, though there is something about them that is slightly unnatural looking.  It is sort of a ..plastic look to the skin and there is a detached look in the eyes.  Not many actual humans are shown.  Most of the surrogates just look like younger, more attractive versions of the people operating them, though some of them look completely different.  None of the characters are developed that well, so they are all rather flat.  There isn't anything impressive about the acting either.

The movie is interesting and entertaining for the most part, but it could have been a better movie if more attention had been given to the plot.

 

I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Surrogates

(From Surrogates on October 3rd, 2009)

Twister, a review by addicted2dvd

Twister (1996/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Warner Home Video (United States) Director: Jan de Bont Writing: Michael Crichton (Writer), Anne-Marie Martin (Writer) Length: 113 min. Video: Widescreen 2.40:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French

---

Stars:
Helen Hunt (1963) as Jo
Bill Paxton as Bill
Jami Gertz as Melissa
Cary Elwes as Jonas
Lois Smith as Aunt Meg

Plot:
The house rips apart piece by piece. A bellowing cow spins through the air. Tractors fall like rain. A 15,000-pound gasoline tanker becomes an airborne bomb. A mile-wide, 300 miles-per-hour force of total devastation is coming at you: Twister is hitting home. In this adventure swirling with cliffhanging excitement and awesome special effects, Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton play scientists pursuing the most destructive weatherfront to sweep through mid-America's tornado Alley in 50 years. By launching electronic sensors into the funnel, the storm chasers hope to obtain enough data to create an improved warning system. But to do so, they must intercept the twisters' deadly path. The chase is on!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes
• Music Videos

This is another movie I always enjoyed. Probably more then I should considering everything. I have seen it many times since it was released... but haven't watched it in several years now. And it is the first time seeing it on Blu-Ray. Sure this movie has plenty of unbelievable things in it. It is definitely far from perfect storytelling... but there is just something about this one that I like. You just have to turn your brain off going into it. I really enjoyed both Holly Hunter and Bill Paxton in this one. While I didn't care much for her character... I also enjoyed Jami Gertz in this one. I used to watch her back in the '80s on the sitcom Square Pegs.



(From Mini-Marathon: Elemental Disasters on August 23rd, 2017)

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

DS9 3.19 Through the Looking Glass
Writer: Ira Steven Behr (Writer), Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Writer)
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Cast

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on September 24th, 2009)