DVD Collectors Online

The Butterfly Effect, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: The Butterfly Effect: Infinifilm
Year: 2004
Director: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber
Rating: R
Length: 120 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: DTS ES: 6.1 (Discrete), English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Ashton Kutcher
Melora Walters
Amy Smart
Elden Henson
William Lee Scott
John Patrick Amedori

Plot:
A young man struggling to get over disturbing memories from his childhood discovers that he is able to travel back in time and alter events in his past. However, every change he makes transforms his life and that of those around him, often to unexpected and disastrous consequences.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Interactive Games
DVD-ROM Content
Closed Captioned
Theatrical & Director's Cut, Fact Track

My Thoughts:
I have never been much of an Ashton Kutcher fan. He is usually pretty hit and miss for me... usually more misses then hits. But I thought the plot of this movie sounded interesting... so was looking forward to giving this one a try. When I saw that the DVD had both the Theatrical Cut as well as the Director's Cut... I decided to go for the director's cut. If someone out there that seen both versions... please let me know if the Theatrical cut is any better and I will watch it the next time. But over all I am glad I watched this one today. I found the movie to be worth watching.... but not what I would call outstanding. I liked the basic storyline... and I like how it ended. I even enjoyed Ashton Kutcher in this one. Well about as much as I could... I wouldn't say he was great in the role... but definitely better then some of the stuff I have seen him in. I really liked how they handled the time travel in this one. It wasn't hard to understand at all... possibly even a little too simplified. This movie is definitely worth checking out. And I am even looking forward to checking out part 2. Who knows I may even enjoy it more without Ashton Kutcher in it this time.



TV Series Cast:

Actor:	Series:	Role:
Ashton Kutcher	That '70s Show	Michael Kelso
Callum Keith Rennie	Battlestar Galactica	Leoben Conoy
Lorena Gail	Battlestar Galactica	Elosha
Nathaniel DeVeaux	Painkiller Jane	Joe Waterman
Kevin Durand	Dark Angel	Joshua

(From Weekend Movie Marathon: TV Stars in Movies on February 25th, 2011)

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, a review by Dragonfire

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance


I decided to see this movie while it was still in the theater here.  I tend to like movies based on comic book characters, sometimes even ones that other people don't like, including Ghost Rider.  I could tell by the trailers that this one was going to be different, but I didn't realize how different. 

I ended up seeing this in 3D because of the start times.  The non 3D was only playing once a day, at about 10:00 pm, and that just wasn't possible when I was working.  The 3D is completely pointless and it is a waste of time to watch that version.  There are no shots that take advantage of the 3D.

Johnny Blaze is hiding out in Eastern Europe, trying to avoid people and turning into the Rider.  A monk who like to drink, Moreau, finds Johnny and talks him into trying to help protect a young boy named Danny by offering to get rid of the Rider.  Johnny and Moreau then head off to protect Danny from the people after him who just happen to work for the Devil.

The plot, such as it is, is a big stinking mess.  I wasn't expecting a lot from the movie, but it was still disappointing.  The movie really doesn't build on anything from the first movie, and is barely connected to it.  By the end of the first movie, Johnny knew that the Rider was the Devil's bounty hunter and he had figured out how to control him.  Johnny decided to keep the Rider and fight evil.  In this movie, all that is out the window.  Johnny seems to have no control where the Rider is concerned.  He asks what the Rider is, and gets a different explanation.  He also wants the Rider gone.  Some semblance of continuity with the first movie would have been nice, but there is none.  The plot isn't that interesting and everything tied to Danny just doesn't work that well for me. 

The effects are a mess.  Ghost Rider is a flaming skeleton and his motorcycle is covered in flames as well.  There are very few flames in the movie.  Instead, the Rider is mostly spewing black smoke, sometimes so much, that it blocks other things.  That looks horrible.  The Rider doesn't use his chain that much.  He moves so fast at times, it is almost like he can teleport.  During one scene, when the Rider is there to confront the bad guys, he just stands there, sort of swaying and it looks absolutely ridiculous.  I just realized that it looks like how some of the characters in World of Warcraft or Diablo III sort of sway when standing.  The action scenes don't work that well.  The camera work is very jerky and shaky, which is highly annoying.  Some of the scenes look like they are playing too fast and others use the stupid slow motion. 

The characters are a mess.  Johnny really doesn't seem to be the same character from the first movie and Nicolas Cage reaches new levels of haminess that I didn't think were humanly possible.  His hair was weird too, which was distracting.  There is no explanation for how Moreau knew anything about the Rider, including Johnny being the Rider..or being possessed by him..whatever.  Roarke is the devil, and he is supposed to be the one that Johnny sold his soul to originally.   Anthony Head is in the movie very briefly.

I think there was potential for a somewhat decent movie, but this one isn't that great, though I have seen worse movies.  This movie is a giant mess and really not worth seeing...unless you are like me and feel compelled to see all the movies based on comic books you come across.  I just can't help myself, but there is no way I'm buying this one.  I do draw the line somewhere.



I did post a longer review on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance



(From Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance on June 11th, 2012)

Charmed Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

21. Kill Billie: Vol. 2
In order to defeat Billie and Christy, The Charmed Ones conjure The Hollow, the most powerful force known to man, which leads to a devastating battle.

My Thoughts:
This is the first half of the big battle.... a battle that goes terribly wrong. This was done very well... was a great episode.

22. Forever Charmed
Piper enlists Coop's help to travel back in time and change the events that lead to the deaths of Phoebe and Paige.

My Thoughts:
What can I say other then this is an awesome ending to an awesome series. This episode is full of emotion from the beginning to the end. I loved everything about how this series ended... how it ended for the sisters... and how it ended for Billie. If there was one thing I had to complain about it would have to be the fact that they couldn't bring Prue back... not even use a picture of her. But unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. And I do understand that they just weren't able to do it.

I feel that the series ended on a high note... I really enjoyed the season from beginning to end. The new cast fit in well. All the stories were enjoyable. And I loved every second of revisiting it. The DVD release is great for this season too. For the first time in the entire series we finally got some extras! Although there is a downside to this set. And that is with the opening theme. For some reason they decided to replace the opening theme to some generic music. Now this is no big deal to me personally because I am not a music fan... and I do chapter skip past the opening anyway... but I do know this is a big deal for a lot of people... so felt the need to mention it here.

I really had a great time with this marathon... and almost feel like starting all over again with season 1! But I won't do that... it is time to focus on another show. So look for my next marathon on the TV Series Birds of Prey real soon!

(From Charmed Marathon on July 16th, 2008)