DVD Collectors Online

Prep & Landing / Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, a review by Danae Cassandra

Prep & Landing / Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
Year of Release: 2009 / 2011
Directed By: Stevie Wermers-Skelton, Kevin Deters
Starring: Dave Foley, Derek Richardson, Sarah Chalke, Rob Riggle
Genre: Comedy, Animation, Television

Overview:
PREP & LANDING
On Christmas Eve, a high-tech team of elves from an elite unit known as 'Prep & Landing' ensures homes around the world are prepared for Santa's visit. But when two hilarious little elves face unexpected challenges and are pushed to their limits, it'll take a great big effort to save the season. Enjoy a heartwarming holiday classic sure to make everyone's Christmas list!

PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE
The outrageous yuletide adventures of Christmas elves Lanny and Wayne continue in this totally tinsel adventure that reminds us there's room for everyone on the 'nice' list. Santa's stealthiest little elves must race to recover classified North Pole technology, which has fallen into the hands of a computer-hacking naughty kid, in order to stop Christmas from descending into chaos. Bring the family together for a comical adventure that puts the Ho, Ho, Ho in your holidays!

My Thoughts:
PREP & LANDING
This is a modern Christmas classic for us. I love this little special, from stressed-out McGee, to hyper excited Lanny, to cynical Wayne discovering the joy of Christmas again, to Tiny, who manages to have a character despite only seeing the top of the hat. Perfect watch every year for the season.
PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE
Much as I love the first Prep and Landing, I think I actually like this one a little more. I really like the story of Wayne and his brother, and the coal elves are such fun characters (especially Carol). Like the original, this is another modern Christmas classic for us, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
PREP & LANDING: OPERATION SECRET SANTA
Cute, short cartoon of Wayne & Lanny helping out Mrs. Claus. It's a neat little mission snapshot, and you can watch it in the special features of the blu-ray if you're a fan.
PREP & LANDING: TINY'S BIG ADVENTURE
Cute, short cartoon in the Prep and Landing universe featuring the struggles of the shortest elf in her quest to make coffee for McGee. Watch this in the blu-ray special features if you're a fan.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Christmas 2016 on December 16th, 2016)

Black Sunday, a review by Jimmy

Title: Black Sunday (1960)

Genre: Horror
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h27
Video: Widescreen
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Barbara Steele
John Richardson
Andrea Checchi
Ivo Garrani
Arturo Dominici

Plot:First thing that I must say is that I ain't the biggest fan of the British horror movies and this film feels a lot like one. But contrary to most of the British horror movies made during this period something happen on the screen, we aren't forced to watch endless dialogue scenes. I can't say that this is the most original movie ever made, but the movie is enjoyable and doesn't feel long. Evidently it's hard to comment on the acting since the movie is dub (not greatly, but I've heard much worst), but one thing I can say is that Barbara Steele has a great screen presence (the camera love her) and this isn't a surprise if this movie had made her a star. The set designing is really well done and the black and white cinematography is astonishing (not a surprise since Mario Bava had started his career as a cinematographer. Some of the shots are really beautifull, one exemple is the short slow sequence when the carriage come to pick the Dr. Kruvajan at the inn (by the way it looks like the most boring place on earth with this trumpet music). The special effects are particullary good for a 40 years old movie.

Rating :

(From Mario Bava marathon on June 16th, 2009)

Pete's Pilots, a review by addicted2dvd

Dracula: The Series


Children of the Night
When Eileen Townsend gets transferred to Europe, she takes her sons (teen-age Chris and 10-year-old Max) to stay with her uncle, Gustav Helsing - descendant of the famous vampire hunter

My Thoughts:
This is a Saturday morning series geared towards kids that originally aired in (I believe) 1990 for just the one season. I never seen this show when it originally aired. But when I saw the DVDs for sale cheap I thought it would be a good show Britt and I could watch together. And Britt does enjoy this one. Though she does say it has one of the most annoying opening themes ever!  It is a cute show... I am glad I added it to my collection. One of the characters in this series is played by a very young Mia Kirshner.

My Rating:

(From Pete's Pilots on December 29th, 2009)