DVD Collectors Online

Predators, a review by Achim

Synopsis:My comments:
Predators was always a film I would see, but once Robert Rodriguez's name was attached to it it became a MUST-SEE. While it didn't quite live up to those expectations (which were huge ones, at that), I liked it.

So where does that film stand? It seems all they considered was the original Predator film, the story of which is actually mentioned. So is Predators to Predator what Aliens was to Alien? in short no. To me that would have meant the appearance of large amounts of predators (as hinted at by the trailer, actually), which does not happen. It is a lot closer to the original, with its jungle setting and trying to create suspense for the most part. While the one scene of the trailer was deliberately confusing and does obviously not appear, I think the rest of the trailer did a good job of setting up the film without giving away too much. I found myself repeatedly surprised by what happened (I am easily surprised like that, though ).

Adrien Brody seems as an odd casting choice in the role of the tough guy, but he grunts himself through creating enough believability. Danny Trejo does his thing. Laurence Fishburne seems to chew the scenery a bit (boy did he get fat; then again, well, so did I , guess it's an age thing). Topher Grace (he is playing the physician) surprised me in his role. The other cast members are much less known (one or two faces seemed familiar, but I didn't know anyone by name).

There is some gore here (quite some, actually), done by the excellent team of KNB. CGI seemed to be either be held at a minimum or was done exceptionally well.

There was no Alien reference placed i the film (at least I didn't see it), like it was at the end of Predator 2, only the music took a cue from Alien soundtracks two or three times, which felt extremely out of place to me. Luckilyu it was early on so it wouldn't distract from the action on screen too much.



(From Predators (2010) on July 10th, 2010)

Without a Paddle, a review by addicted2dvd

Without a Paddle: Full Screen Collection (2004/United States) Paramount Home Entertainment Director: Steven Brill Writing: Fred Wolf (Story By), Harris Goldberg (Story By), Tom Nursall (Story By), Jay Leggett (Screenwriter), Mitch Rouse (Screenwriter) Length: 99 min. Rating: Rated PG-13 : Drug Content, Sexual Material, Language, Crude Humor and Some Violence Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish

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Stars:
Matthew Price as Young Tom
Andrew Hampton as Young Jerry
Jarred Rumbold as Young Dan
Carl Snell as Young Billy
Anthony Starr as Billy Newwood
Dax Shepard as Tom Marshall

Plot:
Seth Green, Matthew Lillard and Dax Shepard star in this offbeat comedy as childhood friends whose lives have drifted apart but must reunite following the sudden death of a fourth friend.

The trio finds out that he was hot on the trail of the $200,000 that vanished with real-life airplane hijacker D.B. Cooper in 1971. After discovering a map left behind, they decide to follow its course to claim the loot. They soon run into a few things that their friend hadn't planned on, including backwoods pot farmers with itchy trigger fingers, beautiful tree-living hippies and a bear with maternal instincts that knows no bounds!

Also starring a hilarious Burt Reynolds, Without A Paddle proves that it's better to be down a river than up a creek.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Closed Captioned

I just finished this one... and I did enjoy it very much... but for some reason I was expecting more from it. I guess because I was told on more then one occasion how hilarious this movie is. It definitely has it's funny moments. But I guess my expectations were heightened a bit too much. No real complaints though. I enjoyed the storyline... and liked all the characters. The only thing I would change... I can change. And that is to upgrade to the widescreen edition.




(From What Movies I Been Watching on January 26th, 2012)

Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews, a review by Tom

VOY 7.19 Author, Author
Writer: Phyllis Strong (Screenwriter), Mike Sussman (Screenwriter), Brannon Braga (Original Material By)
Director: David Livingston
Cast: Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway), Robert Beltran (Chakotay), Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres), Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris), Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Tim Russ (Tuvok), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Garrett Wang (Harry Kim), Richard Herd (Admiral Paris), Barry Gordon (Broht), Joseph Campanella (Arbitrator), Lorinne Vozoff (Irene Hansen), Juan Garcia (John Torres), Robert Ito (John Kim), Irene Tsu (Mary Kim), Dwight Schultz (Barclay), Brock Burnett (Male N.D.), Jennifer Hammon (Female N.D.), Heather Young (Sickbay N.D.), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice (voice))

This episode starts out as pure fun, with a new holonovel the doctor has written about his life. He based the novel on Voyager and its crew, but very out-of-character of all involved (it could almost count as an Voyager mirror-universe episode. Tuvok even has a beard like the evil Spock ). Though I must say, that the portrayed Janeway is not too far from the truth in my opinion
Towards the end this episode becomes Voyager's "The Measure of a Man" episode (a TNG episode which is about Data's rights as a person). A trial begins, if the doctor has a right on his novel like a normal person. In the end it is decided, that the doctor has the rights as an artist, but they didn't want yet to decide on the fact if he should be considered a person in general. This is a question which is left unanswered in Voyager.

P/T moment:
One story-line in this episode is about the crew being able to have real-time communication with the Alpha Quadrant and thus their families for the first time.
B'Elanna and Tom are talking to her father, who wants to make amends.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on October 3rd, 2009)