DVD Collectors Online

Star Trek: Insurrection, a review by DJ Doena

Star Trek: Insurrection



Patrick Stewart ... Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes ... Commander William T. Riker
Brent Spiner ... Lt. Commander Data
LeVar Burton ... Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn ... Lt. Cmdr. Worf
Gates McFadden ... Dr. Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis ... Commander Deanna Troi
F. Murray Abraham ... Ad'har Ru'afo
Donna Murphy ... Anij
Anthony Zerbe ... Vice-Adm. Dougherty
Gregg Henry ... Gallatin
Daniel Hugh Kelly ... Sojef
Michael Welch ... Artim

During a mission where Data isn't assigned of the Enterprise, he gets damaged and his systems fall back to basic functions. In doing so he discloses a secret Federation base. This base is an observation station to monitor a small group of people who live in a remote and wild part of the galaxy. To prevent Data's destruction the crew of the Enterprise tries to get Data under control again.

My opinion:
I actually like that movie. Spock always said that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. Kirk couldn't agree with that and neither can Picard. I like the question this movie asks. Admittedly the humor was sometimes ... umm, well ... (e.g. Data as lifeboat or the joystick) but other than that I liked it.
Only the ending could have been different but an ending where Rua'fo survives didn't make it through the test screenings.

(From Weekend Star Trek Marathon on February 10th, 2008)

When The Daltons Rode, a review by Rogmeister

When The Daltons Rode (1940)  81 minutes
Director: George Marshall
Cast: Randolph Scott, Kay Francis, Brian Donlevy, George Bancroft, Broderick Crawford, Andy Devine, Stuart Erwin

Plot: Lawyer Tod Jackson (Randolph Scott), childhood friend of the Dalton family, stops by upon his arrival in Kansas.  Before long, circumstances conspire to put the Daltons on the wrong side of the law with Jackson having to decide on who to help while falling for Bob Dalton's girl.

As with most earlier movie westerns dealing with real historical figures of the Old West, this is a highly fictionalized account of the Dalton family.  Still, director George Marshall (who had directed the comedy-western Destry Rides Again the year before) keeps things lively with some light comedic touches (mostly in the person of Andy Devine) and with some excellent stunt work including such stunts as gunmen jumping in unison onto the top of a moving train, jumping from a railroad car while on horseback and falling under a moving stagecoach, grabbing hold of the back end and hauling himself back onto the top of it.

Surprisingly, Randolph Scott is not the stalwart hero with a six-gun in this film...I'm not sure if he even touches a gun during the entire picture.  He plays a lawyer and tries to help the Daltons in his own way (much of it happening offscreen) while we get a lot of the film concentrating on the doings of the Daltons themselves.  As in real life, the movie ends with the entire Dalton gang meeting their end while trying to pull off a daring daytime bank robbery.  The movie is bookended with Scott talking with a rambling wagon repairman played by Edgar Buchanan.

The DVD has a fine black & white print but there are no extras.

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on September 20th, 2009)

Xena: Warrior Princess Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

21. The Greater Good
When Xena is left near death after being struck by a poisoned dart, Gabrielle is forced to impersonate the Warrior Princess to protect a group of villagers.

My Thoughts:
This is an excellent episode. We get a little sneak peek at Callisto who we meet in the next episode. We get lots of Gabrielle... and she looks great dressed as Xena! And lots of great action. I don't remember ever seeing this episode before. I think this is one I must have missed when originally watching the series. But I must say... it has become one of my favorite episodes!

My Rating:

22. Callisto
Xena is reminded of her past when a malicious female warrior, Callisto, whose family was killed by Xena's former army, exacts her revenge on the Warrior Princess by impersonating her while on bloody rampages.

My Thoughts:
This one we meet not only Callisto... but we also meet Joxer who is played by Ted Raimi. I enjoyed this one... not quite as much as the last one... but it was very good.

My Rating:

23. Death Mask
After being reunited with her estranged brother, Toris, Xena decides to join him in his plan to kill the raider who destroyed their village years before.

My Thoughts:
This is an ok episode... definitely not what I would call a favorite. I did like meeting Xena's brother in this episode... but for the most part I found it kinda slow.

My Rating:

24. Is There a Doctor in the House?
Caught in the middle of a war, Xena and Gabrielle aid the wounded inhabitants of a healing temple, then try to mediate talks between the warring

My Thoughts:
This season finale went from being slightly entertaining to good and entertaining once Gabrielle got hurt. At the beginning I found Xena's knowledge of modern medical techniques in an old setting a little too far fetched. I did however like how she seemed to accidentally find the way to save Gabrielle's life. But once they got past the knowing of the medical techniques the good story kicked in and I was able to enjoy the episode much more.

My Rating:



(From Xena: Warrior Princess Marathon on December 23rd, 2009)