DVD Collectors Online

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse: Two-Disc Special Edition, a review by addicted2dvd

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse: Two-Disc Special Edition (2010/United States) Warner Home Video Length: 78 min. Rating: Rated PG-13 : Violence and Brief Sensuality Video: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1 Subtitles: English

---

Stars:
Andre Braugher as Darkseid
Kevin Conroy as Batman
Tim Daly as Superman
Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman
Summer Glau as Kara
Julianne Grossman as Big Barda

Plot:
A mysterious spaceship from Planet Krypton crashes on Earth with a beautiful girl inside, and everyone want to meet the new kid. Superman embraces the connection to his past, Batman suspects a traitor, Wonder Woman sense a kindred spirit, and Darkseid desires a champion. But this feisty teen has her own ideas, none of which include a secret identity, a cape or heroics. It will take a life or death battle with Darkseid to uncover her true purpose on Earth. A dynamic voice cast - Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Andre Braugher and Summer Glau - highlights this DC Universe Animated Original Movie introducing the world to Supergirl!

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• 2 Eps. of Superman: The Animated Series
• Green Arrow Short

This one I enjoyed very much. Probably the best animated Super Hero movie I watched in a while. It has a very good story that kept me glued to the set from beginning to the end. There is also enough action in it to satisfy anyone. I loved the way the animation was done... and in my opinion the voices were right on as well. If I have any complaint what so ever... it would be the fact that I prefer the version of Wonder Woman that can't fly! But after watching a few animated movies where she does fly now... I am even starting to get used to that. But I think my favorite thing about this movie is that you get to a certain spot in this movie and you figure it is all but over now... but guess again!... as you get several more action-packed minutes in a final unexpected fight. I may have to rank this one as one of my favorite animated super hero movies! Added to all this... this 2-disc special edition DVD has a very nice selection of extras... including a featurette on Kara/Supergirl that I am getting ready to watch next. This is definitely one I feel more then comfortable recommending.




(From What Movies I Been Watching on January 15th, 2012)

Boom , a review by James

Boom (1968/United Kingdom) Universal Studios, Hollywood Classics, Second Sight Films (United Kingdom) Director: Joseph Losey (1909) Writing: Tennessee Williams (1911) (From the Play by), Tennessee Williams (1911) (Screenplay by) Length: 108 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English

---

Stars:Plot:
The wealthy, self-absorbed eccentric Sissy Goforth has taken up residence on a secluded Mediterranean island where she dictates her memoirs, flies into rages and screams insults at her servants. Her health now failing, she drinks, takes pills and has a doctor give her injections to ease the pain. Into her reclusive life comes a stranger who manages to climb into her villa and survive a guard dog attack before introducing himself as a poet. Though attracted by the visitor she soon discovers he has a reputation for appearing when wealthy women are about to meet their demise and is known locally as the Angel of Death.

Extras:

• Scene Access

0 on the cellophane scale. 

(From The Viewage of James aka m.cellophane on April 3rd, 2011)

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: Summer break is nearly over and Buffy has returned from L.A.. But she seems to to have changed. She is closed up and snubs virtually everyone. And it gets worse: The Anointed One wants to get the Master back from the really dead. And for this he needs the people who were close to him when he died.

My Opinion: This behaviour will develop into a habit. Everytime Buffy goes through a shocking or traumatizing event she will try to shut everyone out and keep the world at bay. She will do it again at the beginning of the third season and during the sixth season. It may not be a good character trait but it's definitively a defining one for the character. Just as the one that she will do what's right when it matters.
The episode was also a portent for the season. When she claims that Angel has thought about fighting her and that he should try it. When Snyder states that he would love to expel her. When she was lured away from the library and that's the place she was needed most.
I think it was a good start of the season.

Synopsis: During her patrol in one of Sunnydale's graveyards she discovers that a grave is empty that shouldn't be empty. But it's not another Vampire who has risen. The body is simply gone. So it's either the work of flesh-eating demons or a group that wants to build an army of Zombies. But when Cordelia finds a lot of body parts in the dumpster they can safely dismiss both theories. But who needs only some parts from several young women?

My Opinion: I never liked these frankenstein-y stories, neither here nor in the fourth season. But once again I liked it that good and bad weren't clear cut, that our Dr. Frankenstein in the form of Chris didn't go as far as killing someone just to build a bride for his brother. But I haven't understood what the other guy was hoping for. Why was he helping in the first place and why would he have killed Cordelia? I simply couldn't see his motive to act the way he did.

Synopsis: Buffy and another "rebel" is ordered to organize and host the annual parent-teacher-night. And Buffy has to keep her mother far away from principle Snyder. And some special Vampire holiday is coming up. And the Vampire Spike has come to town to have some fun around here. And he will kill Buffy on Saint Whatshisname's day. Fortunately those two events don't fall on the same day...

My Opinion: ...Unfortunately Spike isn't the most patient guy. I loved it how he single-handedly decluttered all the Vampire rituals and my prejudice about them. James Marsters once stated that he played Spike "with a bit more soul than he was supposed to". I knew him from Smallville and he was one of the reasons to give Buffy a chance and I couldn't wait to finally see him here. He will develop into one of the most interesting characters on the show even though he just lost his first battle against the Slayer.
But they also made two statements about him that they will "correct" later: Giles states that he's barely two hundred. I would assume "barely 200" means something like 190 or 180. Later they will make him just 150 years old (born around 1850). Spike also says that Angel was "his Sire, his Yoda". But as it will turn out, Spike was sired by Drusilla who was sired by Angel. But maybe Spike meant it in some figurative way. After all, Angel is his Grand-Sire and Yoda was Luke's second Jedi teacher after Obi-Wan.

Synopsis: During a visit of the local museum one of the student tries to steal a mummy seal and accidentally breaks it. The young, female Inka mummy re-awakes, kills the student and disappears from the museum. Shortly after she takes the place of an exchange student (whom she also killed) and moves in with Buffy for the next two weeks. And naturally Xander falls for her the minute he sees her. But then there's a mysterious knife guy who seems to be connected to the mummy and the body count is increasing. The gang has to find out what's going on.

My Opinion: I have to say, I liked this episode. As most creatures do this young woman tried to ensure her own survival. But in the end she couldn't kill the person she fell in love with. I also liked the comparison between her and Buffy's fate: The be the Chosen One and not being able to have a say in it. And in opposition to Teacher's Pet Xander could be Xander without being influenced from the outside.
In this episode we've also seen Oz and Jonathan for the first time but I think one notices Jonathan only if one knows him already - ironically that is exactly what this character will be about.

(From "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Marathon on March 28th, 2009)