DVD Collectors Online

The Long Riders, a review by Rogmeister

The Long Riders (1980)  99m
Director: Walter Hill
Music: Ry Cooder
Cast: David Carradine, Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine, James Keach, Stacy Keach, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Christopher Guest, Nicholas Guest, Harry Carey Jr., Pamela Reed

This was another western about the James-Younger gang but it was done with a bit of a twist.  Each set of brothers was played by a set of actual brothers...so you had the Carradines playing the Younger brothers, James and Stacy Keach playing Jesse and Frank James, Dennis and Randy Quaid playaing the Millers and Christopher and Nicholas Guest playing the Fords.  Pamela Reed also shows up as Belle Starr (no, she didn't look that good in real life).  It's an interesting idea (all those real brothers playing historical brothers) and it results in a fine western, definitely one of the better westerns of the 1980's.  Since this is Jesse James (and company) we're talking about, there is definitely some actual events here though they still make the outlaws perhaps a bit more likeable than they actually were in real life but I still enjoy this film and have no qualms about recommending it.  I've had this DVD awhile and there are unfortunately no real extras...just the trailer.  I would definitely vote for this getting a special edition but this is all we have for now, I think.  A first-rate western.   

(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 25th, 2009)

National Treasure, a review by James

Title: National Treasure
Year: 2004
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Rating: PG
Length: 131 Min.
Media Type: DVD
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:

Stars:
Nicolas Cage
Diane Kruger
Justin Bartha
Sean Bean
Jon Voight

Plot:
From Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of Pirates Of The Caribbean, comes the definitive National Treasure. Get closer to the edge of your seat with the 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD of this thrilling adventure starring Academy Award Winner Nicolas Cage (Best Actor, Leaving Las Vegas, 1995) as Benjamin Franklin Gates. With heart-pounding chases and close calls, this high-stakes crime caper is the most exciting treasure hunt you've ever experienced - now with a treasure trove of new special features.

Extras:
Scene Access
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Interactive Games
Closed Captioned


I was never too interested in seeing this. My father-in-law brought it to my attention recently and so I checked it out. This is what I would call an old-fashioned Saturday afternoon movie. Not a great film, but it's good entertainment. Great to eat popcorn to. It's noticeably PG rated too. No swearing that I can recall. That sort of felt unusual. I enjoyed the Philadelphia locales. I was recently in Philadelphia for the first time and there were a few places in the film that I actually recognized. One of my favorite places I've ever been was the Reading Terminal Market. There was a chase scene through the market in the film, so I was quite excited by that. Fans of Dexter will see Sgt. Doakes and Paul Bennett in tiny roles as FBI Agents. Completely formulaic, but good fun.

6 on the cellophane scale.



(From The Viewage of James aka m.cellophane on January 4th, 2008)

Angel Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

21. Benediction
Original Air Date: 5/13/2002
Holtz returns from the Quor-toth dimension and sets into motion the final part of his revenge against Angel.

Guest Stars:
Vincent Kartheiser
Laurel Holloman
Mark Lutz
Stephanie Romanov
Keith Szarabajka

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this one. It was fun to watch Angel and Connor fighting side by side. And how they fight so similar even though he grew up apart from Angel. Though I do think the whole Cordelia's new power saving the day in a previous episode... and her new power "curing" Connor in this episode is a little much. Seems like they are using it as a serve all purpose type thing at this point.

My Rating:

(From Angel Marathon on March 15th, 2010)