DVD Collectors Online

Zoolander, a review by snowcat

Review

Funny man Ben Stiller stars as Derrick Zoolander, dim-witted male model who has been brainwashed, The film is based on a series of skits originally created for the VH1 Fashion Award.


(From Emmas Alphabet Marathon Reviews on July 1st, 2010)

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, a review by Dragonfire

I went to see Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian today.  This is definitely a family friendly movie, though I think adults can enjoy it as well if they are in the mood for a light hearted, somewhat silly movie.  The movie can stand alone fairly well, but some things will make more sense if the movies are watched in order.

Larry has moved on from working as a night guard at the Museum of Natural History and now owns his own company.  He is becoming more focused on his work, though it does seem like his relationship with his son Nick is still strong.  Larry is surprised when he goes to visit the museum for the first time in several months and he finds out that most of the exhibits are being replaced new, high tech holographic type displays.  The original exhibits are going to be stored in the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian.  Larry finds out that things are not going well once the exhibits get there and he heads to the new museum.  He has to deal with Kah Mun Rah, an Egyptian plotting to rule the entire world. 

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this movie overall, though it is a bit silly and won't appeal to many people.  The movie has a fun adventure and a decent amount of humor that makes for a fun, entertaining movie overall.  The movie isn't as funny as the trailers made it seem, but it is still funny.  Several things made me laugh.  There are new characters thanks to new exhibits at the Smithsonian coming to life.  The plot isn't that different from the first movie, but there are a few new twists because of the new setting.  The movie is predictable, which may turn off some viewers.  There are lots of special effects, but they don't overtake everything. 

There are several new characters in this one thanks to the new setting and only a few of the previous characters return and have much to do.  Several of them are just shown in a few scenes, which is disappointing in some cases.  I really liked Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt in the first movie, and in this movie, Teddy only turns up in a few scenes.  Some of the new characters are interesting and I did enjoy seeing Oscar the Grouch turn up briefly. 

Overall, this is a fun, entertaining family friendly adventure movie.  I really enjoyed it, though I know it won't appeal to many.  People that liked the first movie may also like this one.  People that didn't like the first one should probably stay away from this one.

 

I did get a longer review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

(From Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian on May 23rd, 2009)

Pete's Pilots, a review by addicted2dvd

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
Follow the clues to mystery, adventure and thrills as Season One of The Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries comes to DVD for the first time ever! Teen sensations Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson and Pamela Sue Martin star as brave super-sleuths in 14 spooky episodes loaded with spellbinding action and smash-hit pop songs, including Shaun Cassidy's #1hit "Da Doo Ron Ron." Inspired by the hugely popular books and with an amazing lineup of guest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis, Mark Harmon, Bob Crane, Rick Nelson and more, it's no surprise that The Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries is an open-and-shut case for fun!

The Mystery of the Haunted House
Joe and Frank Hardy follow their father on a "fishing trip" and end up helping him solve the case of a former soldier who is being chased by killers.

My Thoughts:
This is a series that I grew up watching back in the late '70s. A series I have always had fond memories of... and I was thrilled when it was announced they would be coming on DVD. In this series they would take turns... one week having a Hardy Boys mystery... and the next having a Nancy Drew mystery. Even though I was more partial to Nancy Drew (damn she was cute!)... I enjoyed The Hardy Boys as well. I believe it was in season 2 that they had a few episodes where they had both The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew in the same episode... usually a 2 part episode that started on The Hardy Boys one week and ended on Nancy Drew the following. Those were always fun episodes.

In this pilot episode, they just jump right into the mystery. No real introduction to the characters... just them getting involved in the mystery right away. I am sure they figured everyone would know the characters from the many books that came before the series. I must say... while a club is not my idea of a fun place to go... the one in this episode looked to be fun... having it set up like a haunted house and the employees dressed as monsters and such. The mystery itself is fairly predictable... but you must remember this show is geared towards the kids/teens more then the adults.

My Rating:

(From Pete's Pilots on January 28th, 2010)