DVD Collectors Online

Relative Strangers , a review by samuelrichardscott

Relative Strangers (2006) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:My Thoughts:
Written and directed by Greg Glianna who created the "Meet the Parents" series of films, "Relative Strangers" is pretty much more of the same focusing on an initial meeting of family members. Whilst "Meet the Parents" was about meeting the in-laws, "Relative Strangers" stars Neve Campbell and Ron Livingston as Livingston meets his biological parents (Kathy Bates and Danny DeVito) for the first time. His real parents are poor white trash whilst the family that brought him up are rich and upper-class. Obviously, the comedy comes from the actions of Bates and DeVito as they meet their upper-class son for the first time. Everything about the film is average, from the cast to the story. If you enjoyed "Meet the Parents" you'll likely get a kick out of this. 3/5

(From Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews) on August 29th, 2011)

Monsters, Inc., a review by Dragonfire

Monsters, Inc.



Experience the film that captured the hearts of critics and fans around the world in a breathtaking new way. Monsters, Inc. is "visually dazzling, action-packed and hilarious," raves the Boston Herald. And now, with eye-popping, crystal-clear visuals and theater-quality sound, it's even better on Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def!

Lovable Sulley (John Goodman) and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it's the monsters who are scared silly, and it's up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.

Open the door to a fantastic world of fun and imagination that will have you screaming for more. Featuring never-before-seen bonus features, including Roz's 100-Door Challenge Game, the original DVD and a DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie, Monsters, Inc. is a sensational new experience on Disney Blu-ray.

My Thoughts

I loved this movie when I first saw it in the theater when it originally came out and I still love it now.

Like I mentioned in another thread here, I decided to get the Blu-ray version even though I have the DVD.  I decided to watch the movie again on Blu-ray.  Holy crap is it amazing on Blu-ray.  The colors are so bright and vibrant that the characters really pop.  I was amazed by Sully's hair the first time I saw the movie.  I still sometimes compare newer computer animated movies to this.  The magnificence of his hair has been my high standard for years.  It looks even better on Blu-ray, something I wasn't sure was possible.  It is freaking awesome how good this movie looks.  I noticed all sorts of details, like the grain in the wood on doors and furniture, the little blood vessels in Mike's eye, the skin tones of the various monsters with all the subtle colors and shadows, that I never noticed before. 

I think the whole idea of a monster world is cool and appealing, especially to children.  In their childhood, everyone probably thought at least once that there was a monster under the bed or in the closet.  I love the idea that monsters are terrified of children and use screams for their power.  That works as an interesting story even without everything with Boo and Sully.  That part does add the heart to the story though and it would have been a weaker movie without out.

Several of the extras on the Blu-ray are the same ones that were on the DVD.  One thing that really stood out to me watching them this time is the importance Pete Doctor - the director - and the others at Pixar put on story.  I am almost positive that they said something like that on the extras for Up as well.  Someone, I think Pete Doctor, even said in one of the that it doesn't matter how amazing they make the movies look if the story doesn't work.  It is too bad that more directors don't feel that way.

+ a few  for how freaking awesome everything in the movie looks on Blu-ray.

I did post a review on Epinions back after I first saw the movie in theaters.  I did update it once to add DVD information and I've added links to other Pixar movie reviews.  Now I may work on an update for the Blu-ray version. Anyway, here's the link.

Monsters, Inc.




(From Monsters, Inc. on May 23rd, 2010)

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

Synopsis: A Tok'ra base has been overrun by Anubis's troops and a group of SG teams helps to evacuate. They bring the Tok'ra to the Alpha Site, a planet unknown to the Goa'uld. The Jaffa rebels also live there since they've been betrayed by Imhotep. But both groups don't get along very well and it escalates when a Jaffa and a Tok'ra is killed under dubious circumstances.

My Opinion: In my opinion they portrayed the conflict well, because the basic statement is correct: While both are fighting for the same cause, they have been enemies for ages and that isn't solved over night. The "crisis management" of Jack, Bra'tac and Jacob/Selmak was also believable.

Synopsis: SG-1 comes to a planet that technologically isn't as far developed as Earth but they can offer something else: Tretonin. A medicine than can cure all kinds of illnesses and prevents from getting ill. The catch is that it suspends the natural immune system, that it has to be taken regularily and how it is produced.

My Opinion: What I liked here was the moral conflict. Nobody except SG-1 seems to have any problem with using a Goa'uld queen as long as it was just any queen. When it turns out to be Egeria, the mother of all Tok'ra, it becomes reprehensible. I liked it.

Synopsis: A reporter has learned of a secret project, code name "Prometheus". But it isn't what she'd thought it was, but the X-303, the first human-built mothership with hyperlight drive. But then Colonol Simmons and Adrian Conrad hijack it and only Sam and Jonas are on board to stop them.

My Opinion: I liked the cock-and-bull story Sam told the reporter of how they gained access to the alien technology and her intentional avoiding of the word "Roswell". While I liked the episode, the threat to blow up the ship and Nevada had a flaw: The Goa'uld's instinct of self preservation is extremely high and I would rule Simmons out as a martyr. I would have called the bluff.

Synopsis: SG-1 is asked by Thor to fly with the X-303 (Jack wasn't allowed to name her "Enterprise") to the home galaxy of the Asgards and fight the Replicators once again. The Asgard had an ingenious plan but it failed miserably. Now SG-1 has to face a completely new generation of Replicators.

My Opinion: When I wrote the above summary a moment ago, I actually wrote "new generation of Cylons" - and truth be told, that wasn't that far a mental leap. The new Replicators look like humans but they aren't. One of the five Replicators is played by Tahmoh Penikett (Karl "Helo" Agathon in Battlestar Galactica) who has a child with a Cylon in BSG.
There are other similarities as well. While the first four are normal Replicators, Fifth (Patrick Currie) has become much more human, an attribute he shares with certain Cylon models.
I liked this episode, too.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on April 12th, 2008)