DVD Collectors Online

Fright Night (2011), a review by Dragonfire

I decided to go see the new Fright Night.  I tend to keep an open mind about remakes in general.  I do agree that there have been a lot of them in recent years, and many of them haven't been that good...but that doesn't mean that all remakes are automatically bad like a lot of people seem to think. 

I think I first found out about this one when I looked up David Tennant after getting hooked on Doctor Who and I saw he was in the movie.  That alone, even before I saw the first trailer, had me wanting to see the movie.  Once I did see a trailer, I thought it looked like it could be good, though I was really disappointed that Tennant is only just briefly seen in the trailer.  I decided to go Friday and I'm really glad I did.

The plot is basically the same as the original, though a few small things have been changed a bit. Those changes work really well.  The dynamic between Charlie and Ed is a little different, and things with the suspicions about Jerry come about a little differently.  Amy is hotter, and that is the change that seems the most out of place since Charlie is still basically a nerd.  They aren't that believable as a couple, though Amy is fine.  The truth about Jerry comes out sooner, but there is still some decent suspense in a few scenes.  The plot is kind of simple, but it works and the movie is really entertaining. 

This is an R rated vampire movie and while it is violent at times, it isn't overly gory.  This isn't a child friendly movie and it isn't one aimed at teeny boppers - thank goodness.  Jerry is a full on, proper, scary, intimidating vampire who hunts and relishes killing people.  He can be seductive and inviting at times, but there is still a hint of danger to him.  He doesn't mope around and whine about anything and he sure as hell doesn't sparkle in sunlight.  He is a more...traditional vampire I guess you could say.  Holy water, crosses, stakes, and sunlight will do him in.  He has to be invited into a house to enter.  In addition to the scarier moments, there is also a bit of humor here and there.  The humor works well without making things too cheesy or corny.  There is a good blend that makes the movie really entertaining. 

The movie is in 3D and I did end up seeing it in 3D.  I hadn't really planned on that or necessarily wanted to see it in 3D, but the theater here is pretty much only showing it in 3D.  Throughout most of the movie, the effect is subtle, just adding depth to scenes.  There are a few scenes though that use the 3D to full effect, producing awesome visuals.  When it is really used, the 3D is used really well, in a cool way.  It works well with what is happening in the movie too, and doesn't seem like something was added to the movie just so they could have something jump out at the audience.  It truly is good use of 3D and I'm so glad that I saw it in 3D.  This is the most impressed I've been with 3D in ....I honestly don't know how long.  Much of the movie does take place at night or in settings that aren't lit that well, so the glasses do make it a bit darker.  I was still able to tell what was going on, but some people may not like that.

Charlie starts off as more of a jerk, but he gets more likable.  Jerry is a wonderful vampire and a nice change after the vampires of Twilight.  My favorite character is Peter Vincent, played marvelously by David Tennant.  I don't want to say too much about the character.  He is ...well...in some ways, he is the same as he was in the original movie, and in other ways, he's very different.  I like how the character has been changed and updated, and think it works well for the movie.  After seeing the movie, I think it is good that he isn't seen more in the trailers because he was such a surprise when he turned up.  He's a wonderfully entertaining character and Tennant is awesome in the part.  He easily steals every scene he's in and I would have liked him to be in more of the movie.

Overall, Fright Night is a wonderful vampire movie and definitely worth seeing.  People shouldn't dismiss it just because it is a remake.  It truly is a good movie.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Fright Night (2011)

Ohhh..by the way Jon, since it is your fault that I got hooked on Doctor Who, it is also your fault that I saw this...because Doctor Who got me hooked on David Tennant.

(From Fright Night (2011) on August 21st, 2011)

The Proposal, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: The Proposal
Year: 2009
Director: Anne Fletcher
Rating: PG-13
Length: 108 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Sandra Bullock
Ryan Reynolds
Mary Steenburgen
Craig T. Nelson
Betty White
Denis O'Hare

Plot:
Sandra Bullock is at her funniest in the fresh, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy The Proposal. On the verge of being deported and losing the high-powered job she lives for, the controlling Margaret announces she's engaged to her unsuspecting, put-upon assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). After proposing a few demands of his own, the mismatched couple heads to Alaska where they have four short days to convince his quirky family and a very skeptical immigration agent that their charade is real. Featuring a star-studded supporting cast, including Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson and the delightfully inappropriate Betty White, this madcap comedy will have you saying "yes" to The Proposal again and again.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Bonus Trailers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
This is the second time I watched this movie since I bought it earlier this year. I enjoy this one very much. It helps that I am a fan of both Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. I think the funniest scene in the entire movie was the shower/running into each other naked scene. Basically the only scene I actually laughed at in the movie. But I do believe a romantic comedy isn't so much about actual laugh out loud moments. More about a lighthearted look at falling in love. Sure... the ending is predictable. But once again I believe that is to be expected with romantic comedies as they are not about the ending... going in we expect the ending... it is about the journey of how they get to that point. Over-all looking at this movie I just find a fun story. I enjoyed both Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in this one. Though I do think they wasted the talents of Betty White. They could have done a better job on her character. Though it was kinda funny seeing her dancing and chanting in the woods.



(From Monday Mini-Marathon: Happy Birthday Sandra Bullock on July 26th, 2010)

Smallville Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

19. Nemesis
Lex gets trapped in one of his labs by a distraught woman claiming he kidnapped her husband. She threatens to destroy the lab--with Lex still inside--unless he divulges her husband's whereabouts. When something unexpected causes a rescue attempt by Clark to fail, he becomes trapped as well. Now, the two men must overcome their hatred for each other if they want to make it out alive.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode... one I enjoyed... but also felt mostly like a filler episode to get further into the end of the season long arc... which is cool... I understand it has to be done.

20. Noir
Lana and Lionel have a secret meeting, after which Lana is shot. While Jimmy is observing photos of the encounter, he is knocked unconscious. While unconscious Jimmy dreams about what life in Smallville would have been like in the 1940s.

My Thoughts:
This episode is just plain fun... a good portion of it done in black and white to give that old 40's feel to it. Like the am I crazy? storyline... this one has been used by other shows also... one that comes to mind is Charmed.... in either season 6 or 7 I think. This episode made me realize... this is one type of movie I have yet to explore. Don't think I have watched much of any film Noir at this point... will have to see what I can do about that.

21. Prototype
Lex tries to turn a soldier that supposedly died in Afghanistan into a "super-soldier." A senator threatens to tell the world about Lex's labs, prompting Lex to send the "soldier" to kill the senator. Lois sees the attack and becomes the soldier's next victim.

My Thoughts:
Another good episode that was done mainly to get to the end of the season long arc. I think they went with the obvious when it came to Lois knowing the guy they used as the "super-soldier" from her younger days as an army brat... but it got the story along and was enjoyable.

22. Phantom
When Clark discovers Lionel threatened to kill him unless Lana married Lex, he goes after Lionel to silence him once and for all. Lana tells Lex she is leaving him, and Martian Manhunter makes a return appearance to help Clark stop Lex, who is trying to find the last wraith from the Phantom Zone in order to use its DNA to power him army of super soldiers.

My Thoughts:
As always... this season of Smallville goes out in a bang... putting several of the main cast members into series danger for a summer long cliffhanger. I really enjoyed it. I am so hoping my favorite character (Chloe) will be back next season. I have heard rumors that she will be back... but have not read any spoilers to be sure. Lana.... was never that much of a fan... so don't really matter much to me either way if she returns... and looking forward to the season premiere this Thursday night with the episode that is (not) surprisingly called Bizzaro!

The extras for Disc 6 is once again just a couple deleted scenes... this time for episodes "Nemesis" and "Phantom". And once again... nothing to crucial for the storylines... so I can see them being cut... but nice to have as an extra all the same.



(From Smallville Marathon on September 24th, 2007)