Author Topic: Tom's Random Reviews  (Read 858540 times)

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #375 on: June 14, 2009, 09:57:01 PM »


Title: Spin City: Season One
Year: 1996
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 537 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:


Plot:
Spin City is a smart, sophisticated ABC sitcom about the behind-the-scenes workings of City Hall in the biggest city in America. Workaholic Mike Flaherty (Michael J. Fox) is the Deputy Mayor of New York City, serving as Mayor Randall Winston's (Barry Bostwick, Rocky Horror Picture Show) key strategist and much-needed handler.

Mike runs the city with the help of his oddball staff: an anxious and insecure press secretary (Richard Kind, Mad About You); a sexist, boorish chief of staff (Alan Ruck, Ferris Bueller's Day Off); an impeccably groomed gay activist running minority affairs (Michael Boatman, Arliss); a sharp and efficient, man-crazy accountant (Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights); and an idealistic young speechwriter (Alexander Chaplin). Like Mike, they are all professionally capable but personally challenged.

Spin City was an immediate hit when it debuted in 1996. The series reunited Fox with Family Ties executive producer and creator Gary David Goldberg and proved that the magic of their creative partnership was enduring.

Extras:
Closed Captioned
Commentary
Featurettes
Trailers

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed watching this first season of Spin City. The actors were seemingly comfortable in their roles fast and developed great group dynamics.


#EpisodeRating
01Pilot
02The Great Pretender
03The Apartment
04Pride and Prejudice
05The Rivals
06A Star Is Born
07Grand Illusion
08The High and the Mighty
09Meet Tommy Dugan
10The Competition
11Dog Day Afternoon
12Criss Cross
13Bye Bye Love
14Starting Over
15Gabby's Song
16Kiss Me, Stupid
17An Affair To Remember
18Snowbound
19Striptease
20Deaf Becomes Her
21Hot In the City
22Bone Free
23The Mayor Who Came To Dinner
24Mayor Over Miami



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #376 on: June 16, 2009, 08:43:11 PM »


Title: Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
Year: 2009
Director: Doug Naylor
Rating: PG
Length: 69 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English


Plot:
Back to Earth takes place after `series ten’. Kochanski is dead and the crew are hurled through a portal and discover they are just characters from a TV series. Knowing they will die in the final episode the Dwarfers, in best Blade Runner traditions, decide to track down their creators to discover how long they have left to live. First the crew attempt to track down the actors who play them in the series and their metaphysical odyssey begins…

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Outtakes
Photo Gallery
Trailers

My Thoughts:
Great to see the guys again, but I must say I am rather disappointed with this special. Some fun ideas but nothing really original. The main plot device is essentially the same as "Delirious" with John Candy.
Also not really funny.

Rating:



Najemikon

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #377 on: June 16, 2009, 08:55:50 PM »
Definitely a case of playing it safe, but I enjoyed it. You can't really blame them because they have no real idea if the audience was still there after all this time.

But Delirious? Can't see it, for all the Bladerunner references! By the way, I do think the bit with the squid attacking the tank is one of the funniest damn things I have ever seen. :laugh:

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #378 on: June 18, 2009, 11:43:17 PM »


Title: Freedom Writers
Year: 2006
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Rating: 12
Length: 118 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish

Stars:
Hilary Swank
Patrick Dempsey
Scott Glenn
Imelda Staunton
April Lee Hernandez

Plot:
Two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank stars in this gripping story of inner-city kids raised on drive-by shootings and hard-core attitude - and the teacher who gives them the one thing they need most: a voice of their own. Dropped into the free-fire zone of a school torn by violence and racial tension, teacher Erin Gruwell battles an uncaring system in a fight to make the classroom matter in her students' lives. Now, telling their own stories, and hearing the stories of others, a group of supposedly "unteachable" teens will discover the power of tolerance, reclaim their shattered lives and change their world. With electrifying performances from its all-star cast, including Golden Globe Award winner Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) and recording star Mario, Freedom Writers is based on the acclaimed best-seller, The Freedom Writers Diary.

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Photo Gallery
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
An entertaining movie. Though wouldn't it have been for the fact that it is based on a true story, I would have said that it is full of clichés.
This is one of those "new teacher gets the 'baddest' class but proves that their pupil are nice people if given the chance" movies.
For me the Japanese TV series Gokusen perfected this theme, though that one is a comedy whereas this movie is a drama.

Rating:



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #379 on: June 21, 2009, 09:59:04 PM »


Title: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Season One: Volume Two
Year: 1984
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 688 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:


Plot:
The battle for power continues on the world of Eternia! Join He-Man and the Masters of the Universe® as they battle against Skeletor and his crew of detestable villains in the greatest adventures ever told!

These 32 episodes continue the saga of the most phenomenal stories ever created in animation! Relive the excitement as you enjoy the adventures of the universe's greatest warriors. The power has returned!

Extras:
2 Collectible Art Cards
DVD-ROM Content
Featurettes
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:
After having it already for a few years, I finally came around continuing with the next volume of the classic He-Man series. I still enjoy watching it. Even though the animation is very limited, I like how much they got out of reusing a lot of stock footage. Filmation series are known to be animated completely in the US without out-sourcing to Korea or such. And having almost 70 episodes per season, it is such a great task that they managed to produce such a continuesly fun series that way.
Also I never got tired of the He-Man theme music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1pmfrS3GeM

#EpisodeRating
34The Dragon's Gift
35The Sleepers Awaken
36The Search
37It's Not My Fault
38Valley of Power
39Trouble in Arcadia
40House of Shokoti (Part 1)
41House of Shokoti (Part 2)
42Double Edged Sword
43The Mystery of Man-E-Faces
44The Region of Ice
45Orko's Missing Magic
46Eternal Darkness
47Keeper of the Ancient Ruins
48Return of Evil
49Return of the Gryphon
50Temple of The Sun
51City Beneath the Sea
52Teela's Trial
53Dree Elle's Return
54Game Plan
55Eye of the Beholder
56Quest for the Sword
57Castle of Heroes
58The Once and Future Duke
59The Witch and the Warrior
60The Return of Granamyr
61Pawns of the Game Master
62Golden Disks of Knowledge
63The Huntsman
64The Remedy
65The Heart of a Giant



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #380 on: June 24, 2009, 11:25:16 PM »


Title: Captain America
Year: 1990
Director: Albert Pyun
Rating: PG
Length: 97 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Matt Salinger
Ronny Cox
Ned Beatty
Darren McGavin
Michael Nouri

Plot:


Extras:


My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this movie, even if it is bad. You can see, that the movie was supposed be more than it is. I think it mainly failed because of direction. A lot of the film has decent acting and decent direction. But then again comes a scene, where both acting and direction are horribly bad.
This was my first contact with the character "Captain America". I always thought it was a totally ridiculous character and could not understand why they are doing a new movie with him. But this movie hints that he could be an interesting character. I think the actor who played him did a good job.
Other actors who have small roles: Ned Beatty (Otis from Superman, Ed Connor from Roseanne) as a reporter and best bud of the president. Bill Mumy (Lennier from Babylon 5) as the young version of General Fleming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTWQcCqa6IQ

Rating:



Offline addicted2dvd

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #381 on: June 25, 2009, 02:06:51 AM »
I wish they would release that movie here! I would love to see it. I always liked the character of Captain America.
Pete

Offline Jimmy

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #382 on: June 25, 2009, 03:13:21 AM »
It will sure re-ordered it this autumn, since I'm a little bit short of money I can buy only what I really want this summer. Tom I suppose that no restoration works was done for this movie and it's only a VHS tranfert?

Pete, you can watch any dvd region on a computer with the good tools. Let me know the model number of your dvd reader I'm sure it's possible to make it zonefree (unless it's a Sony).

Rogmeister

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #383 on: June 25, 2009, 04:34:29 AM »
I saw this movie once...it was pretty bad.  I had bought it used on VHS and I used to have video parties with friends of mine.  They razzed me pretty good for making them watch it! 

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #384 on: June 25, 2009, 07:14:18 AM »
Yes, it is a bad VHS transfer.
Pete, I think this DVD is regionfree. I can check it this evening to be sure. 



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #385 on: June 25, 2009, 06:33:45 PM »
Pete, I think this DVD is regionfree. I can check it this evening to be sure. 
Yes, it is region-free.



Offline addicted2dvd

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #386 on: June 25, 2009, 06:41:25 PM »
Thanks Tom!  :thumbup:
Pete

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #387 on: June 25, 2009, 09:38:39 PM »


Title: The Hard Way
Year: 1991
Director: John Badham
Rating: FSK-16
Length: 106 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, German: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish

Stars:
Michael J. Fox
James Woods
Stephen Lang
Annabella Sciorra
John Capodice

Extras:
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:
I nice watch, but nothing really exciting. Michael J. Fox is fun to watch, but I think the movie could have been more.
For some reason I had remembered it being a Bruce Willis vehicle, so I was a little disappointed when pulling the DVD from the shelves. I think this movie could have really been interesting, if it starred Michael J. Fox with Bruce Willis' McClane type of character.

Rating:



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #388 on: June 27, 2009, 04:40:11 PM »


Title: Batman: Gotham Knight
Year: 2008
Director: Have I Got a Story For You, Shojiro Nishimi, Crossfire, Futoshi Higashide, Field Test, Hiroshi Morioka, In Darkness Dwells, Yasuhiro Aoki, Working Through Pain, Toshiyki Kubooka, Deadshot, Jong-Sik Nam
Rating: 15
Length: 76 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital Stereo, German: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English, German, Spanish

Stars:
Kevin Conroy
Jason Marsden
Scott Menville
George Newbern
Corey Padnos

Plot:
Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins), Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman's transition from novice crimefighter to The Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. From some of the world's most visionary animators comes a thrilling depiction of Batman as man, myth and legend.

Extras:
Commentary
Exclusive DC Comics Character Guide
Featurettes
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
I did not buy this release until now, because of what I have read about it, it didn't seem that I would enjoy it. But then I saw the trailer for it on the Wonder Woman Blu-ray I watched recently, and I thought it could be something I will enjoy. But sadly, it didn't quite work out this way. The animation quality varies, but all stories were rather boring. Batman done by anime directors may sound fitting, but I think they didn't quite catch the character. Though I never was a big fan of animated Batman.
This Blu-ray contains four episodes of the 90's Batman animation series. I will watch those next. The first one I already watched. The story there is similar to the one in the first segment of the main feature. Of what I have read so far, one of the others is about Freeze. Another about Batgirl, where Commissionar Gordon, her father, finds out about her nightly activities (I am curious about that episode).

Rating:



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #389 on: June 27, 2009, 06:46:06 PM »
Another about Batgirl, where Commissionar Gordon, her father, finds out about her nightly activities (I am curious about that episode).

I have watched it now. It is a great episode. Batgirl dies in the arms of Commissioner Gordon, during which he finds out, that she is Barbara. He blames Batman and goes after him. It seems he has known for awhile, that Batman is Bruce Wayne, and sends the complete police force after him. In the end,
(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: July 07, 2013, 12:10:47 AM by Tom »