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Superman II, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Superman II
Year: 1980
Director: Richard Lester
Rating: PG
Length: 127 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Stars:
Gene Hackman
Christopher Reeve
Ned Beatty
Jackie Cooper
Sarah Douglas
Margot Kidder

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Production Notes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
Another one I really enjoyed. Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder do a good job reprising their roles. I also liked the 3 Kryptonian criminals. I thought it was a great idea to make Superman face someone (or a small group as it is) as strong as he is. Even though I understand why they had to do it for the storyline... I never cared much for when Superman gave up his powers to be with Lois. The movie was almost boring in those scenes. But of course it really picked up afterward... and I really enjoyed the fight between Superman and the Kryptonian criminals. Though I do have mixed feelings on some of the new superpowers seen only in this movie... like Superman throwing the huge S logo... the white beams from their fingers... and the disappearing and reappearing in multiple places type things. Part of me thought it was pretty cool that they decided to do more... but another part of me felt it seemed a bit lame. Over-all it is a great movie that I enjoyed watching again.



(From The Movies From Within My Lifetime on March 29th, 2011)

The Wrestler, a review by Tom

Title: The Wrestler
Year: 2008
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Rating: 15
Length: 109 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: PCM Stereo, English: DTS HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Mickey Rourke
Marisa Tomei
Evan Rachel Wood
Mark Margolis
Todd Barry

Plot:
Back in the late '80s, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centres around New Jersey.
Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life, trying to reconnect with his daughter, and strikes up a blossoming romance with an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei). Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy "The Ram" back into his world of wrestling and he puts everything on the line for one last fight.

Awards:

Academy Award	2008	Nominated	Best Actor	Mickey Rourke
Academy Award	2008	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress	Marisa Tomei
American Film Institute Awards	2008	Won	Movies of the Year
Art Directors Guild Production Design Awards	2009	Nominated	Contemporary Films
BAFTA	2008	Won	Best Leading Actor	Mickey Rourke
BAFTA	2008	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress	Marisa Tomei
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards	2009	Nominated	Best Actor	Mickey Rourke
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards	2009	Nominated	Best Picture
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards	2009	Won	Best Song	"The Wrestler": Bruce Springsteen
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards	2009	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress	Marisa Tomei
Costume Designers Guild Awards	2009	Nominated		Amy Westcott
Golden Globe	2008	Won	Actor in a Leading Role - Drama	Mickey Rourke
Golden Globe	2008	Nominated	Actress in a Supporting Role	Marisa Tomei
Golden Globe	2008	Won	Original Song	"The Wrestler":
MTV Movie Awards	2009	Nominated	Best Song From A Movie	"The Wrestler": Bruce Springsteen
Satellite Awards	2008	Nominated		Mickey Rourke
Satellite Awards	2008	Nominated	Best Original Song	"The Wrestler": Bruce Springsteen
Screen Actors Guild Award	2008	Nominated	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role	Mickey Rourke
World Soundtrack Awards	2009	Nominated	Best Original Song Written Directly for Film	"The Wrestler": Bruce Springsteen (music/lyrics/performer)
Writers Guild of America Awards	2009	Nominated	Best Original Screenplay	Robert D. Siegel

Extras:
Featurettes
Interviews
Scene Access
Trailers

When I first heard about this movie I didn't seem like something I would be interested in. But because I am a fan of Marisa Tomei and the film got such raving reviews, I have bought the Blu-ray after the price has dropped.
I did enjoy this movie. Both the leads were really great, especially Mickey Rourke, who I only knew from "Angel Heart" before. Hard to believe that it is the same guy. He really must have pushed himself hard to prepare for this role. Marisa Tomei is still damn hot. I would have liked it if Evan Rachel Wood's role would have been bigger.
What I didn't really like was the cinematography. I know it was supposed to be this way to give you a feeling to be right with the actors. But this documentary style (a la "The Office", Christopher Guest movies) has now been done to death. And here it really bothered me, because there is no documentary crew supposed to be present. The main actors are okay here, but some of the supporting cast really behaves like they are aware of the camera. I have read after the fact, that some scenes were shot in real environments with improvisations by the actors (locker room, super market). That explains it.
But even though this bothered me, I was enjoying the movie. It never once got boring. Although I can't believe that the wrestlers would go to such lengths just for the performance.

Rating:

(From December Marathons - DISCUSSION AND REVIEW THREAD on December 10th, 2009)

"Big Bang Theory" Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

9. The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization
Leonard and Sheldon go from physics to fisticutts when tempers flare at the symposium.

My Thoughts:
Another really funny episode... had to love the little so called fight between Leonard and Sheldon. But also... had to love the remote controllable cars all chasing Penny.

10. The Loobenfeld Decay
Sheldon cannot tell a lie. He has to tell at least seven. And they are all "un-unravelable!"

My Thoughts:
This one is another fun one. Both Brittany and I were laughing out loud during the whole episode. The extent Sheldon goes to for a lie is unbelievable.

11. The Pancake Batter Anomaly
Everyone knows to head to the hills when Sheldon gets sick. Everyone except Penny, that is.

My Thoughts:
OMG... talk about becoming a baby when you get sick. This is one more thing that Sheldon takes to an extreme. Definitely a good episode... had many laughs while watching it.

(From "Big Bang Theory" Marathon on September 30th, 2008)