DVD Collectors Online

Just wondering if anyone else catched Channel Zero on SyFi channel .. seems that it could work into a pretty good short (6 eps) series.

Caught the first episode of True Detective and found it very good.  Both Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey are great together.  And I like the concept where each season (season 1 will have 8 eps) deals with different storyline and characters (stars).  This will keep the show from becoming like ... well ... Bones .

Its flavor reminds me of several UK shows (names of which I can't remember right now) and i love its grittiness.  If you get a chance to watch it AND you like 'crime drama' with really damaged characters .. do.

There is a new series on fox called Almost Human and comes to us from Bad Robot Productions which is a very good thing.

The first episode was pretty good.  The use of CGI was more for the cityscapes and some action shots but the script and performances were very good.  The Second episode was also good but it was the ending which really got me.  It dealt with putting and android down and gave me a feeling similar to Tears in the Rain.  Not exactly the same and really .. compared to possibly Rutger Hauer's finest performance this was lacking ... but on its own it was pretty powerful.  Those of use who love SciFi, especially speculative SciFi, recognize the dilemma faced.  Very good episode

I just started watching War of the Worlds which I hadn't seen for a very very long time.  I had had much of it on VHS but again don't remember even watching it.  I had gotten the dvds a couple of years ago when the second season came out but ..

So I poked Disc 1 in the drive and settled down for a great watch and oh my ... was it really this bad when it was first shown in '88?  Not only is the acting bad .. the dialog is very funny .. which I don't think they were going for.  There is even a scene in the first ep where it is an outdoor scene, night, outside of a house.  There are a couple of fires going.  As the actors walk by in front of the fire their shadows cast against the fire    Now I am not saying it is impossible ... "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio ... " but really.

I might not get through may eps of this series.  Just put a sticky on it of which eps I watched so i know better next time <G>.

So what shows have you watched that you have been disappointed in?

I recently got a '4 fil favorites' of Steve McQueen to fill in a couple of films that I didn't have.  It contains The Hunter, Papillion, Bullitt and Nevada Smith.

In watching these and going back to some of the other ones I have I did start to notice that many of his films are really poor production quality .. almost a 'tv show' quality about them.  This including everything from supporting actors, sets, filming to direction and editing.

Don't get me wrong ... I really enjoy most all of Steve McQueen's work.  With favorites including Bullitt, The Cincinnati Kid, Nevada Smith and of course his character/roll in The Great Escape and The Sand Pebbles.  Of course there are others but these are more my picks of better overall fims.

But if you look at The Thomas Crown Affair and look at the production quality  or even The Hunter you will see what I am talking about.

So my question is ... what are your thoughts on Steve McQueen.  His performances, films and their qualities.

I just got the chance to see Lincoln and wanted to read what others had thought about this film (i will review it more when the dvd comes out).  I looked in this part of the forum and couldn't find it.  Thinking I just missed it (i still think i missed it) I Searched the site and I can't find it anywhere.  Is this possible?  Is it really true that this film about one of the truly great and defining characters in US history had not been reviewed .. or even brought up.  <sigh>

So here is a simple 20 second review ... Wow, all facets of this film hit the mark for me.  From the sad/melancholy that he is reported to have suffered from to the 'bat shit crazy' wife he loved, to the brutality of the Civil War ... this film showed up well.  Bravo to Steven Spielberg for not going over the top which he is more likely to do.

But a special bravo goes to Daniel Day-Lewis who brought to life this giant of a character with simplicity.  The entire cast was brilliant but Daniel Day-Lewis's performance brings back thoughts of his performance in In the Name of the Father.

Again ... a simple ... Wow

I just got out of the theater, watching Warm Bodies,  , and saw several good previews.  The best of them was for the film The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones.  It is from the series The Mortal Instruments written by Cassandra Clare.

First the book series.   I found this series a very good read.  Although there are currently 5 books in the series, i have only read the first 3 (my daughter read the other 2 and also like them) and found them inventive.   Although noted as a 'juvenile' series I don't really see it that way.  I don't really have plans to read the other books as for me it was well done after the original trilogy.

Now the movie.  Although I have only seen the Trailer, everything about it appears to be the way I read the book.  This could be a very good film.   Not teen heartthrob like "Twilight" and with more edge than "Hunger Games".

Scheduled release Aug 23, 2013.