DVD Collectors Online

Rocky V, a review by Tom

Title: Rocky V
Year: 1990
Director: John G. Avildsen
Rating: PG
Length: 100 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English, Hindi

Stars:
Sylvester Stallone
Talia Shire
Burt Young
Sage Stallone
Burgess Meredith

Plot:
The "Italian Stallion" rediscovers his roots in this exciting, thrill-packed drama that reunites Sylvester Stallone with the Oscar®-winning director of the original Rocky.

Upon returning home from his latest triumph, Rocky (Stallone) learns that all of his money has been lose by an unscrupulous financial advisor. To make matters worse, his fight-related injuries force his retirement from the ring. So Rocky, his wife Adrian (Talia Shire) and his son Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone) move to their old low-rent neighborhood in South Philadelphia. There, the fighter must resolve the deep-rooted resentment held by his son, a bitterness that grows when Rocky trains Tommy Gunn, a young boxer who soon rises to national prominence. When Tommy turns against his mentor and publicly taunts him, Rocky knows he must fight once more.

Extras:
Scene Access

I was going into it expecting a disappointing movie, but it really surprised me. I really liked it! I think it's the perfect conclusion to the Rocky series. Now I tread "Rocky Balboa", which Sylvester Stallone felt he had to make to make good on a proper ending. In my opinion, Rocky V had a very fitting ending.
Probably the reason that Rocky V is not well-liked is, that Rocky has not a single fight in the ring in this one.
But I liked how the story came full circle. Rocky now back from where he started in Rocky I. Except now he has a loving family. It never felt real to me, that Rocky was living this huge life-style in Rocky 3+4.

For me the fourth installment was the odd-one out. It just didn't fit with the rest of this series.
What I liked about these five movies is, that I felt they were telling one story. Like these were always planned as five movies instead of one.

Just looked at IMDb: A rating of 4.3? I really cannot believe it. Did I watch another movie than the rest of the world?

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on March 9th, 2009)

Unstoppable, a review by Dragonfire

Unstoppable

I went to go see Unstoppable a few weeks ago.  The story is inspired by real events.  I read about the real events after seeing the movie, and some things have been changed for the movie.  The setting is changed from Ohio to Pennsylvania, and it seems like things have been exaggerated to add tension and drama to what is going on.  Most of the movie is focused on the attempts to deal with the runaway train. 

Things get off to a slightly slower start as the characters are introduced and the situation with the train is set up.  It is just a fluke that allows the train to leave the rail yard.  It does take them a while to figure out that the train has picked up speed instead of just coasting.  Another train, with Will and Frank on board, barely misses a collision with the runaway train.  After other attempts to stop the train fail, Will and Frank put their own plan into dealing with it in motion.

Most of the movie has a fairly fast pace as things tied to the runaway train are dealt with.  There is a little action in a few scenes that is done well.  Jerky camera work does turn up in a few scenes,  usually when some kind of action is happening.  I find that really annoying since it makes it harder for me to be able to tell what is going on. 

The characters are interesting, though they aren't that developed.  Denzil Washington and Chris Pine do really well with their parts.

Overall I really enjoyed Unstoppable and think it is worth checking out.

I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.

Unstoppable 

(From Unstoppable on December 3rd, 2010)

Doctor Who Marathon, a review by Tom

Doctor Who
Series 1.10 The Doctor Dances
Writer: Steven Moffat (Writer)
Director: James Hawes
Cast: Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Albert Valentine (The Child), Florence Hoath (Nancy), John Barrowman (Jack), Luke Perry (Timothy Lloyd), Damian Samuels (Mr Lloyd), Cheryl Fergison (Mrs Lloyd), Joseph Tremain (Jim), Jordan Murphy (Ernie), Robert Hands (Algy), Martin Hodgson (Jenkins), Richard Wilson (Dr Constantine), Vilma Hollingbery (Mrs Harcourt), Noah Johnson (Voice of The Empty Child), Dian Perry (Computer Voice)

The continuiation of the previous episode. Even though I didn't like the main storyline in the previous episode, I enjoyed its conclusion.




(From Doctor Who Marathon on February 8th, 2014)