DVD Collectors Online

Black Hawk Down, a review by Silence_of_Lambs

Summary:
123 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Mogadishu (Somalia) to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.

My Thoughts:
One of the very few films with Jerry Bruckheimer involved that actually need some brains, possibly that happened because Ridley Scott was involved too.
I watch this film frequently about once a year, simply because I really like it.
Put the Hollywood-bullshit about bravery aside and you get a quite realistic movie on how a military operation can go horribly wrong.
Ridley Scott did it almost all correct again. The characters are well introduced and have a sufficiently lighted background. The photography puts you in the middle of the scenery and more than once you get the feeling that you're actually participating and not just observing. The actors are all giving their very best to give life to the characters. The sound is simply amazing.
In this movie you can see what happens if stupidity rules because of hierarchy. It's not the obvious kind of stupidity, but the one that results from underestimating the enemy's capabilities, overestimating the own capabilities and the pressure to succeed.
Great script, great directing, great acting, great post-production = great movie!
A gripping movie that will keep your mind working for hours.

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

(From Michael's random reviews on November 21st, 2010)

Perfect Stranger, a review by Hal

Title: Perfect Stranger
Year: 2007
Director: James Foley
Rating: R
Length: 109 Min.
Video: Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: PCM: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai

Stars:
Halle Berry
Bruce Willis
Giovanni Ribisi
Richard Portnow
Gary Dourdan

Plot:
When her friend's affair with married ad exec Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis) ends in the woman's murder, investigative reporter Rowena Price (Halle Berry) vows to bring the killer to justice. Suspecting Hill of the crime, she goes undercover by posing as two highly alluring women: Katherine, a sexy temp who works within his agency, and Veronica, a seductive temptress he chats up online.

Engaging in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, both Rowena and Hill begin to realize things may not be what they seem. For some people will go to great lengths to protect their secrets, even if it means risking everything.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes




(From Perfect Stranger on July 25th, 2010)

Smallville Marathon #2, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: A FotW who should be in Belle Reve reappears in Smallville and claims to be healed. Unfortunately she can't remember anything since the time she became infected. Chloe doesn't see that as a story but as a means to "cure" her, too. But the doctor isn't who he appears to be.

My Opinion: Great appearance of Dean Cain who was Clark Kent/Superman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, a show that I also watched until it was cancelled.
What I didn't like was the fact that the Martian Manhunter has become Clark's "waste disposal". The writers have found an easy way out of any kind of plot without needing to think about it.

Synopsis: The "Warrior Angel" movie is being made in Smallville. But someone seems to have a grudge against the lead actress and tries to kill her. Why? Because "if you're destined to save the world, you're destined to be alone". But when Clark saves her (again) he's being watched and now Lana becomes the target for that very reason.

My Opinion: I really liked the talk about the world of Hollywood and the world of comics and how they differ regarding happy ends. But Smallville and other shows like Buffy have shown that happy ends are no automatism anymore. And sometimes I wished for more happy ends again.

Synopsis: Kara is looking for the crystal that was in her spaceship and she nearly crashes with a plane over Washington. But she gets caught by a government agent who knows her weakness because he analyzed the ship prior to its self-destruction. Now she's forced to relive some forgotten memories about her father and her aunt Lara - Kal-El's biological mother.

My Opinion: Now it gets soap-y. Zor-El (Kal-El's uncle and father of Kara) loves Lara and makes his daughter forget about it... And how fast she's learned to break into high security government computers. Impressive. Not.

Synopsis: A "lightning accident" gives Lana Clark's powers without taking his. Now she can experience what he is able to do. And she uses it to "procure" incriminating evidence against Lex and she brings it directly to the "Daily Planet". When they deny to print the story, she tries to finish Lex off once and for all but - surprise! - is stopped by Clark.

My Opinion: Lana is slipping over to the dark side of the force. But I really don't think that Clark is the one to blame. Sure, he lied to her over a long time, but he never betrayed her and he never did anything to hurt her (although sometimes he managed to do it anyway). These dark traits have either been there forever or she has picked them up during her time with Lex. But I liked to see that Chloe is watching out for him and that she gave Lana an upfront warning about it.

(From Smallville Marathon #2 on June 22nd, 2008)