DVD Collectors Online

The Parent Trap, a review by Dragonfire

What makes this Special Edition of 'The Parent Trap' so cool isn't just that you get to enjoy Lindsay Lohan's amazing theatrical debut, but that it's filled with bonus material you've never seen before. Hallie Parker,a hip Californian, and Annie James, a proper London miss (both played by Lohan), are identical twins who don't even know each other exists - until they accidentally meet at summer camp. Now they're up to their freckles in schemes and dreams to switch places, get their parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson) back together and have the family they've always wished for!

My Thoughts

I first saw this one years ago.  I have only seen a little bit of the original, but I do like this version.  Lindsay Lohan showed a lot of potential in the parts of Hallie and Annie - obviously this was made years before she spiraled out of control.  This is a fun, cute family friendly movie that I do still enjoying watching.  Meredith worked wonderfully as the villain and I liked how the girls nicknamed her Cruella Da Vil.  The movie was funny, though some of the humor was a bit silly, but it never veered into gross humor.  Overall, I think this is a good family, friendly movie.

 

I did post a review on Epinions if anyone would like to take a look.

The Parent Trap

(From Dragonfire: What I've Been Watching on February 23rd, 2009)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a review by Jon

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
4 out of 5

Robert Downey Jr. is Harry, a petty thief who winds up in L.A. as an accidental actor with a chance of a detective role. He teams up with Val Kilmer, a P.I. called "Gay" Perry, for experience, but ends up in a very real murder case involving his childhood sweetheart (a gorgeous Michelle Monaghan) and the hard-boiled pulp novels she used to love. The story is narrated by Harry, which is great fun as he forgets things and has to rewind, or berates the audience for missing the key plot points.

Written by Shane Black, this has much of the throwaway Jazz cool style of the Lethal Weapon films, if a little exagerrated. The plot works pretty well as pulp noir, but can take some keeping up with (definitely the point!). It is never less than thoroughly entertaining. Downey is just about the coolest actor around, while Kilmer is brilliant as Perry. The fact he is gay is frequently played for laughs, but never cheaply or at his expense; more the opposite as he is always the intelligent confident half always clearing up after Harry's mess.

What with actors playing against type as characters who just seem to keep wandering into accidents (except Perry), silly narration, childish flippant twists (missing finger; tit grabbing; Russian roulette going very wrong), you might get the wrong idea. This really is a very cool film with a couple of serious moments and great stunts to keep it the right side of a thriller, just like Black's Lethal Weapons. It's also set at Christmas and has a jazzy soundtrack.

Well recommended. 



Now, can anyone tell me why the bloody hell this great film seems to be pretty unheard of? Everyone who sees it loves it, but must keep it as some great secret; Downey has long been seen as one of the best actors of his generation; and Kilmer should have blown away any and all of his critics with his confident, well judged performance. There should have been a sequel by now! Look, when Iron Man came out, it should have been getting a mention as a past hit. But nothing. It came, it conquered, it went. No-one ever talks about it... 

(From Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on July 29th, 2008)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

19. New Moon Rising (2000-05-02)
Writer: Marti Noxon (Writer)
Director: James A. Contner
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Seth Green (Oz), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Marc Blucas (Riley Finn), James Marsters (Spike), Amber Benson (Tara), Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates), Bailey Chase (Graham Miller), Robert Patrick Benedict (Jape), Conor O'Farrell (Colonel McNamara), George Hertzberg (Adam), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Seth Green (Oz), James Michael Conner (Scientist #1), Mark Daneri (Scientist #2), Doron Keenan (Commando #2)

Nice to see Oz again. And I am glad that we got the chance to see Willow choosing between Oz and Tara. Though I am glad about the choice that she made, it also means that it was the last time that we got to see Oz (okay Seth Green probably wouldn't have come back often anyway, as he is a very busy man).

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on September 12th, 2009)