DVD Collectors Online

L.A. Confidential, a review by Dragonfire

L.A. Confidential My Thoughts I wasn't interested in this one when I first saw previews for it.  I just didn't think I would like it.  Then I kept seeing the trailer and I started changing my mind and I eventually saw the movie..and I loved it. The plot is rather complicated, so people could get confused or lost if they don't pay attention.  Things do start off slower while characters are introduced and situations are set up.  Some of what is shown doesn't seem that important at first, but it all ends up being tied to what is going and adding to the set up of things.  I think there ends up being a decent amount of mystery and I didn't find the movie to be predictable at all.  I remember being really shocked by one thing that happens - though it does make sense for the story.  I did end up reading the book after I had seen the movie.  I think I'd seen it a few times by that point.  The book is even more complex than the movie with even more characters and events going on.  I think the movie is a really good adaptation since it focuses in on the most important elements of the story.  From what I remember, a lot more time is covered in the book. Even though there aren't any actual sex scenes in the movie, sex does have a big impact on the story.  Sid, the tabloid reporter, is always hoping to catch famous or sort of famous people in some sort of compromising sexual situation.  Sid even sets some of them up, promising one person that no one else will ever know..and then he plasters the pictures all over the cover of Hush-Hush, the tabloid magazine he writes for.  Lynn, the main female character, is a call girl who looks like Veronica Lake.  There are other call girls who look like other actresses, though they are mostly just talked about and only one of them is briefly seen.  Bud and Lynn have a relationship and it is very clear that it involves sex even though not much is shown.  There is a lot of violence in the movie, some of which is rather graphic and extreme.  There are shoot outs and fights with several people getting hurt or killed.  The violence didn't really bother me, though some people may feel differently.  The movie definitely deserves the R rating and it isn't one for children. Several of the characters are just in a few short scenes, but they still manage to be interesting.  This was the first movie I saw Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce in.  I really didn't like Pearce's character Ed at first.  Technically he is the good guy since he is out to end corruption, but his attitude at first makes him unlikeable.  I don't see Bud as really a bad character, though he isn't all good either.  Jack has gotten use to being a bit of a celebrity thanks to the exposure from working with a tv show and the busts that he sets up for Sid to take pictures of.  Jack is a bit corrupted, but no where near the level that some other cops are.  The cast is wonderful in their parts. I really like this movie and think it is has held up very well. At the time, I was ok with Titanic winning more Oscars, including best picture.  Now I'm thinking this one really should have won.  I posted a review on Epinions last night - my 1300th review there.  L.A. Confidential

(From L.A. Confidential on June 16th, 2010)

Billy Madison, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Billy Madison: Widescreen
Year: 1995
Director: Tamra Davis
Rating: PG-13
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.0, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Adam Sandler as Billy Madison
Darren McGavin as Brian Madison
Bridgette Wilson as Veronica
Bradley Whitford as Eric Gordon
Josh Mostel as Max Anderson

Plot:
He's the heir to the Madison Hotel millions but in order to win his father's respect, and his Fortune 500 company, grown-up, goof-off Billy must repeat all 12 grades of school - in just 24 weeks! Comedy Superstar Adam Sandler stars with beautiful Bridgette Wilson in this laugh-a-minute hit where the subject is always fun! Featuring songs by Electric Light Orchestra, The Jackson 5, The Cars, Culture Club, The Ramones and Styx.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Production Notes
Booklet

My Thoughts:
I must admit... I thought I remembered this one being better then what it actually is. This one really is no more then juvenile jokes and other ignorant  moments. I watched this one expecting at least a few laughs... but I didn't laugh at all through out this entire movie. Was there anything good about this movie... any type of saving grace? Well there is Bridgette Wilson who plays Veronica... if nothing else she was worth looking at!  I think what I need to do when it comes to Adam Sandler movies is stick to the newer ones... and forget he even made some of these older.... more slapstick and juvenile movies.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: Anything Goes on April 3rd, 2010)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title: Smallville: Season Seven
Year: 2007
Rating: NR
Length: 830 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 , Portuguese: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai

Stars:
Tom Welling
Kristin Kreuk
Michael Rosenbaum
Allison Mack
Julian Glover

Plot:
There are two CLARK KENTs. One is the young man whose life in a tiny Kansas town sets him on destiny's path. The other is a BIZARRO show shares Clark's DNA but not his values. Only one of them can survive.

SUPERMAN mythology grows deeper and more powerful in an event-packed season that includes the arrival of Clark's cousin KARA/SUPERGIRL. Keep a low profile and master your powers, Clark says. Kara has other ideas. Plus: LANA LANG might prefer Bizarro to the real deal. LOIS LANE makes a career leap. CHLOE SULLIVAN finds that balancing a meteor power with a personal life isn't easy. And LEX LUTHOR's power-lust has a new fixation - Kara. New characters and complications. New secrets and lore. New thrills and special effects. Power up to Season 7!

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Scene Access

Overall I quite enjoyed this season. I liked the introduction of Kara. I hope she will be back at some point. But although I enjoyed this season, the story plot holes are getting bigger and bigger.

I haven't read anything about this season before going into it. So after having Supergirl enter the scene and having Dean Cain guest star (playing again a CK), I was thinking, that it would be really nice to finally see Kal-El's mother Lara portrayed by Helen Slater. A few episodes later, there she was

Also finally we got to see Pete again. But sadly it was in a weak episode.


There was one instance , I think it was in the episode "Lara", where I was really annoyed by one line. There we had Lara pulling out a hidden dagger in their home on Krypton, with her saying, that Jor-El is opposed to weapons but has always a dagger at home to be able to protect his family (or something along the line). This obvious reference to the Americans' thinking of having guns at home with this justification for some reason really bothered me. This "right to bear arms" sentiment is something I really do not like.
I am glad to be living in a country, where it is not common, that private persons are owning guns. I do not have the feeling, that I could be threatened with a gun when walking the streets, even less at my own home.
When I hear that there are planning to remake "Death Note" in Hollywood, I always have to think of the ending of the first "Death Note" movie.
But enough of this small rant

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on October 23rd, 2008)