DVD Collectors Online

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a review by Jon

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3 out of 5



The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backward. From his birth in New Orleans in 1918, across the high seas, through the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and back home again - Benjamin's journey is as extraordinary yet as common as any man's life can be. Directed by David Fincher (Zodiac, Fight Club) and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett as the time-crossed soul mates Benjamin and Daisy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a time-traveler's epic adventure into the joys of life, the sadness of death and a love that endures beyond time.

David Fincher directing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? Forrest Gump with the visual punch of Fight Club? Sounds like a treat!

Unfortunately, not only is ButtonButtonForrest GumpZodiac in that respect for making the location part of the fabric of the story. And it is so much like Forrest Gump, the ultimate Marmite film, that maybe, if you like GumpForrest Gump will focus on the preachy aspect of the story, but at least Zemeckis and Hanks both brought considerable charm and a sense of identity. ButtonForrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonForrest GumpThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a load of old wank! Sorry, cheap shot. 

To be absolutely fair, at its best it is beautiful, honest and heartfelt, but lacks consistency and the arcs of some characters are just so lazy and frustrating. Maybe Fincher was onto something though so if he makes a Director's Cut that actually does "cut", it could be fantastic.



(From Jon's Random Reviews on June 24th, 2010)

Twilight, a review by goodguy

Twilight (2008) Written by: Melissa Rosenberg, based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson DVD: R1-US Summit (Mar 21, 2009) My rating:

Cover Blurb: Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) doesn't expect much when she moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, until she meets the mysterious and handsome Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) - a boy who's hiding a dark secret: he's a vampire. As their worlds and hearts collide, Edward must battle the bloodlust raging inside him as well as a coterie of undead that would make Bella their prey. Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling sensation by Stephenie Meyer, Twilight adds a dangerous twist to the classic story of star-crossed lovers.

Well, this movie probably doesn't need another review. I'm only putting it here to show that it gets a higher rating from me than the previous one. And I'm only half-joking, because as far as the purely subjective enjoyment of both movies goes, those ratings give a pretty accurate reflection. If you will never take me seriously again after that, so be it.

I haven't been subjected to all the obsessive craziness that apparently surrounds Meyer's books and the movie. Maybe if I had been, I would lash out against it too. But the only reason it popped on my radar were Hardwicke and Stewart.

Neither of them disappoints. They hit the right tone, especially in the early stages: the portrayal of Bella's relationship with her father, her introduction to the new school, her first encounters with Edward are all done pretty well. Stewart plays Bella with intelligence and wariness, even a little snarky, and although that should work against it, it also sells the more swoony moments.

I'm probably more forgiving than I should be and I can easily agree with a lot of the criticism against the movie, but the fact remains that I enjoyed it even on second viewing. The beautiful and lush photography helps, even if the camera gets more and more swirly towards the end. No cinematic masterpiece, but as far as escapist mainstream entertainment goes, this isn't so bad.


(From goodguy's Watch Log on December 1st, 2009)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
Clark Kent is one of the best reporters at the world-famous "Daily Planet" newspaper. But when the need arises he embraces his Kryptonian heritage and becomes the Man of Steel: Superman. And she is always at his side: Lois Lane, star reporter, working with the one man and falling in love with the other.

What happened before?
From the POV of the show, nothing has happened before. Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Lex all meet for the first time here. Superman appears for the first time here.

"Pilot"
Clark Kent has just come to Metropolis, but he doesn't get the job at the "Daily Planet" that he had hoped for. And Lois Lane is futily trying to get a one-on-one interview with the famous billionaire Lex Luthor. But Clark can be very convincing and when he gets the job he incidentally opens the door for Lois to get close to Lex.

My Opinion
While the effects may be outdated, the chemistry between Clark/Superman and Lois is still great. Both actors embodied their famous characters with a lot of charm and transported one of the oldest super heroes forward into the nineties. When it comes to Lois I am undecided whether I like Teri Hatcher or Erica Durance (Smallville) better but Dean Cain clearly wins over Smallville's Tom Welling. It's not Tom's fault actually because even after 8 years the writers are still make him angsty of everything. Dean's Clark is a self-assured man and I hope Tom's Clark will become one, too.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on September 25th, 2009)