David Blair's DVD Talk DVD Reviews https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/list/DVD Video DVD Talk DVD Review RSS Feed en-us Red Dwarf Series 5 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/16533 Mon, 27 Jun 2005 02:21:41 UTC Highly Recommended

Series 5 is loaded with classic episodes, one of which (Back To Reality) is regarded by many to be the best of the show's entire run. One of the reasons Series 5 is so good is, like Series 3 and 4, comedy, rather than special effects, takes center stage. The entire cast does a bang up job as usual, adding some of their best performances to date. And Grant and Taylor obviously had a lot of fun writing these episodes because there wasn't a single episode where I didn't laugh out loud.

Here is a rundown of the episodes:

Holoship - Rimmer gets the opportunity to leave Red Dwarf and join a ship of super intelligent yet, arrogant holograms where meaningless sex is a daily requirement. This is a great episode with some hilarious one-liners. Chris Barrie at his best.

The Inquisitor - The crew has to justify their existence to a deran...Read the entire review

]]>
Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/14494 Wed, 16 Feb 2005 17:28:36 UTC Recommended

The Movie 

Ah the 80's; a magical period when wallets were big, hair was bigger, and Muppets were actually cool. A time when Cabbage Patch Kids were the hottest toy, 8-bit video game systems were all the rage, and little girls longed to own the entire cute and huggable Care Bare collection. Feeling nostalgic yet? If you are, then you probably remember a little cartoon character known as Rainbow Brite; the perky, confident, colorful little sprite who used the power of the rainbow to save the day from the gloomy evils threatening the happiness of Rainbow Land residents and mortals alike. Along with the help of her fuzzy sidekick, Twink, and her trusty (albeit cocky) steed, Starlite, she cast away the stresses of the world and stormed into our hearts. Well, at least the hearts of us young enough to watch her show.

Having been a faithful watcher of Rainbow Brite as a child,...Read the entire review

]]>
Barbie As The Princess and the Pauper DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/14441 Sat, 12 Feb 2005 09:49:49 UTC Recommended

The Movie

If you have a daughter under the age of 10, you've probably heard of the Barbie DVD series; a straight-to-video computer animated series featuring your favorite 50-year-old plastic, blonde bombshell. And if you're not familiar with the movies, you've probably seen the toys, because department store toy isles are constantly infested with the latest Barbie DVD merchandise. And if you've been hiding under a tarp for the past several years and haven't seen either, then you've probably still had to sit through countless moans and groans from your little one as to why you haven't bought them for her yet. Ah, the trials and tribulations of parenthood.

If you're like me, you probably scoffed at the DVD's upon first look, dismissing them as lame attempts to be the next Pixar studios franchise. After all the animation is almost archaic in appearance compared to the major...Read the entire review

]]>
Faster DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/14088 Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:31:33 UTC Highly Recommended

For most of us, driving 60 mph is just a common and forgettable freeway occurrence; our hand lazily holding the bottom of the steering wheel, our elbow jutting out the driver side window cutting into the wind, and our eyes robotically transfixed on the red and beige taillights slightly ahead. But for Grand Prix motorcycle racers, 60 mph becomes an entirely different animal. Because 60 mph is anything but mundane to a professional racer when their finely tuned race bike is leaned over 30 degrees with the edge of their race tires fighting for every bit of traction the laws of physics will allow. Their torsos hop off the seat and over to the side of the bike to change the center of gravity, while their knees softly scrape the asphalt, giving them key information as to just how close their bike is to the brink of crashing. On banked corners some racers nearly manage to get their elbows on the ground, cr...Read the entire review

]]>
To the Galaxy and Beyond DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/13346 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:21:28 UTC Recommended

The Movie

To follow the history of science fiction movies is really tofollow the evolution of the motion picture industry, becausewithout science fiction, modern day movies wouldn't be what theyare today.

Since the dawn of cinema entertainment, sci-fi has always beenthere hiding in the shadows, as well as billowing at theforefront, constantly influencing, guiding, and pushing theindustry to advance its methods and expand on the great art ofvisual storytelling. It's been there to entertain theories of thefuture, to send people cowering behind their hands, and serve asa warning beacon of an unwelcome future if precautions are nottaken. It has been used as a propaganda tool to enforce politicaland social views, and it can be looked back upon as a guide tounderstanding the past state of American interests and ideals.Sci-fi movies are as much a part of American history as...Read the entire review

]]>
Tour of Duty: First Season DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/12444 Mon, 27 Sep 2004 08:22:50 UTC Recommended

Movie:
During the Vietnam War, soldiers were required to serve 12-monthscombat patrol in the war-torn country. This one-year span wasknown as the tour of duty. Tour of Duty - The Complete FirstSeason originally aired from 1987 to 1988, and was the firstTV series about the Vietnam War. With a constantly changing castof rising, young actors, and episodes crammed with intense battlescenes, Tour of Duty quickly built a strong fan base andbecame a must-see show for many during the late 1980's.

Part of the show's popularity arose from the dramatic storiestold by the characters; stories which touched on politics, faith,teamwork, ethnicity, racism, and love for one another. Tourof Duty wanted to be more than a narrow-minded shoot 'em upaction series. It wanted to stir thoughts about the Vietnam War,as well as entertain. And it w...Read the entire review

]]>
Olympic Series Golden Moments 1920-2002 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/12103 Mon, 30 Aug 2004 16:22:44 UTC Recommended

The Movie

Today with so much attention focused on medal counts, bannedsubstances, and judging errors, it's easy to forget what theOlympics are really about. It's easy to dismiss the achievementsof our greatest athletes when controversies and scandals arisedaily. It's easy to let these amazing moments slip from of ourmemories; these magical moments which define not only the spiritof the Olympic games, but also the magnificent participants whodared to dream. The Olympic Series - Golden Moments 1920-2002is a window into the past reminding us of these moments, showingus that the Olympic Games are much more than a political stagefor our respective countries and world leaders. And it reiteratesthat when flags and national politics are erased it's reallyabout the athletes and their desire to be the best.

The Olympic Series - Golden Moments 1920-2002 is ath...Read the entire review

]]>
Black Hawk Down - Superbit Edition DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/11094 Fri, 11 Jun 2004 17:42:18 UTC Recommended

The Movie

In 1993 Somalia underwent a vicious civil war led by warlordMohamed Farrah Aidid. Aidid prevented food from getting to thepeople of Somalia resulting in the deaths of over 300,000innocent people. The United States, with the help of the UnitedNations, brought food into the country to help restore order.When order was restored the U.S. pulled out and Aidid beganslaughtering all U.N. and U.S. personnel still remaining as wellas stealing food meant for the starving Somalians. The situationbecame an epidemic and the U.S. decided Aidid and his advisorsneeded to be taken out.

Black Hawk Down is based on the true events of a U.S.led military mission that went horribly wrong, leaving 18soldiers dead and 84 wounded. It's a gritty war movie that doesnot have a feel-good ending, nor at any time does it lift yourspirits. It is raw, gruesome, and a fairly accura...Read the entire review

]]>
The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Widescreen Edition) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10767 Wed, 19 May 2004 02:16:09 UTC DVD Talk Collector Series

The Movie

When I sat down to write this review I found myself at a loss forwords. After all, how could I accurately describe the excitement,emotion, and enthrallment I experienced after having watched TheReturn of the King? The answer is; I couldn't. No matterwhat words I chose and no matter how I phrased them my experiencejust didn't come across the way I hoped. This movie is so epic,so amazing, and so near perfect, that you're better off skippingthis review in order to watch the darn thing yourself becausenothing I say will do it justice. But as this is a DVD review andyou seem to be reading it, I'll do my best.

The Return of the King is an absolute masterpiece ofmovie making history. It's no wonder it took the Academy Awardsby storm by pocketing all 11 awards for which it was nominated,including Best Director and Best Picture of the Year. There i...Read the entire review

]]>
Inside X - ESPN's X Games IX (with Bonus CD) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10617 Thu, 06 May 2004 10:05:15 UTC Rent It

The Movie

In 1999 the X Games were created to give some of the more extreme(albeit less mainstream) sporting events a venue to show offtheir stuff. And since we probably won't see Aggressive In-LineVert as an event at the Summer Olympics anytime soon, a venuesuch as this was sorely needed. So the X Games were born givingskateboarders and BMX riders a reason to rejoice worldwide.

Fast forward to 2003 and X Games IX proves to be just as wild andmemorable as ever with such milestones as the first-ever X Gamessurfing contest, Tony Hawk's legendary 900, and Travis Pastrana'smotocross 360.

If you happened to miss the X Games the first time through,ESPN's X Games IX is a good way to catch up on the highlights,although that's all you get; the highlights. While the action andathletes were exciting to watch, I felt robed of the in depthcoverage I was expecting. ESPN's ...Read the entire review

]]>
Red Dwarf: Series 4 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10213 Wed, 07 Apr 2004 19:12:45 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie

For reviews of Red Dwarf Series 1-3, click below.

Red Dwarf - Series 1Red Dwarf - Series 2Red Dwarf - Series 3


Series 4

"Smoke me a kipper, Skipper. I'll be back forbreakfast." - Ace Rimmer

Just when you thought things couldn't get any funnier then thefirst three seasons, along comes Series 4. Easily myfavorite Red Dwarf DVD to date, Series 4 has itall; well-written episodes, witty dialogue, a fantastic specialfeatures package, and enough laughs to make a Polymorph fall downin hysterics. If you haven't seen Series 4 yet, pull upa chair and stock up on snacks because this DVD will keep youbusy for hour...Read the entire review

]]>
Red Dwarf: Series 3 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/10049 Sat, 27 Mar 2004 08:03:37 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie

(Intro written on Jan. 2003)

For most people, it's very difficult to pick just one movie thatthey consider to be their favorite movie of all time. This is whymost just compile a list of their favorites, so as to avoidhaving to commit to just one title. I too fall into this categoryand cannot name just one movie I like best, so I've created atop-ten list of my favorite movies. I've then continued on tomake another list of ten, to round out a top-twenty list.However, when it comes to TV shows, this is not the case. Therehas always been just one show that infinitely stands out as myabsolute favorite TV show of all time. This show is the Britishsit-com Red Dwarf.

Red Dwarf is a show that almost never got made. Thescript had been proposed and rejected several times by the BBCnetwork. But eventually persistence and shear luck all...Read the entire review

]]>
Challenge of Master Killer/Invincible DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/9079 Wed, 14 Jan 2004 22:04:10 UTC Skip It

"I didn't know the bastard knew how to make himselfinvisible?"- Super Guy

The Movie

This DVD is a double feature disc offering two movies, Challengeof the Master Killer, and Invincible Super Guy.Both are Kung Fu action films made in the 70's and 80's. There'sa lot to say here, not much of it good, so let's dive in.

Challenge of the Master Killer
This has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen, and I'mnot talking the kind of "bad" that is funny. No, thisone is just plain horrible. The plot is so full of holes youcould use it as a cheese shredder. The direction is so off younever know who the main characters are. The fight scenes, for themost part, are too short and boring to be entertaining, and thelighting is so poor you can't see what's going on much of thetime anyway. (Which may not be a bad thing) This i...Read the entire review

]]>
Mischief Destroy DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8373 Thu, 20 Nov 2003 07:49:09 UTC Rent It


Disclaimer: This reviewer does NOTendorse in any way, shape, or form the illegal act of streetracing. All racing should be done on a legally designated closedcourse with appropriate supervision. Street racing endangers thelives of the innocent as well as the participants, which is whyit is, and should always remain illegal.

The Movie

The Playersrun is a cross-country rally/race from Los Angeles toMiami in the grand tradition of car races like the CannonballRun. However, in this race the goal isn't so much to win but tohave fun doing it. And it's clear throughout this hour-long moviethat our hosts found this rally to be both exhilarating anddangerously exciting.

Mischief Destroy is the third installment in the Mischiefseries and it picks up right where the last two left off, namely,with a lot of action. The ...Read the entire review

]]>
Redline - Illegal Street Racing DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/8370 Thu, 20 Nov 2003 02:13:46 UTC Skip It

Disclaimer: This reviewer does NOTendorse in any way, shape, or form the illegal act of streetracing. All racing should be performed on a legally designatedclosed course with appropriate supervision. Street racingendangers the lives of the innocent as well as the participants,which is why it is, and should always remain illegal.

The Movie

Redline is brought to us by the Executive Producer of TheFast and the Furious, but seems more like it came straightfrom MTV rather than a high-level movie producer. Redlineis touted to show us the "real" and "raw"street racing scene and indeed it does. But the disappointment isthat the real street racing scene isn't nearly as glamorous asHollywood would like us to believe. Sure, racers talk smack andrace for cash, but they rarely race for pink slips and the sidestreets are ne...Read the entire review

]]>
X2 - X-Men United (Widescreen Edition) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7447 Fri, 31 Oct 2003 02:19:37 UTC DVD Talk Collector Series

The Movie

Most studios are hopeful that their big budget blockbusterrelease will meet their lofty expectations. Nowadays this happensmore rarely than in the past. However, in the case of X2:X-Men United, it not only met the studios expectations bybringing in over $200 million at the box office, but it also farexceeded the expectations of moviegoers who surprisingly favoredthis movie over its highly anticipated direct competitor, TheMatrix Reloaded. Most moviegoers expected X2 to bedecent, but nothing exceptional. Happily most, like myself, werepleasantly surprised that X2 was far superior to itspredecessor.

It appears Director Bryan Singer must have done his homeworkbecause X2 improves upon X-Men in almost everyway. The plot is more complex yet has more structure, thecharacters are better written as they are more ...Read the entire review

]]>
Moby Presents: Alien Sex Party DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7559 Thu, 11 Sep 2003 04:21:37 UTC Recommended

The Movie

Only techno music superstar Moby could produce a porn comedy thatmakes you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, as opposed tohot and sticky on the outside. Even he himself calls AlienSex Party (formally titled Porn) the most wholesomeporno-comedy ever made, which is largely true because there isn'tone single sex scene in the entire film. That is unless you countthe five seconds of footage showing two kitty cats getting theirgroove on, a sex scene. Alien Sex Party is harmless,cute, and full of crazy characters. Think of it as Clerksin an adult video store, because that's exactly what this movieis. In fact, director Paul Yates goes out of his way to make surewe all know this movie is similar to Clerks by having afake cameo of Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, and a jaunt into theimmortal convenience store where Dante (Brian O'H...Read the entire review

]]>
Power Rangers Ninja Storm - Lightning Strikers DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7549 Wed, 10 Sep 2003 08:09:12 UTC Rent It

The Movie

This is the third installment of the Power Rangers NinjaStorm series. In my review of the second disc in the series,Looming Thunder, I mention that our two new ThunderRangers Blake and Hunter were pretty darn gullible. Well,apparently they didn't learn their lesson last time aroundbecause they're just as dumb as ever in Ninja Storm: LightningStrikers.

This disc picks up right where disc two dropped off. SenseiGuinea Pig is safe again at Ninja headquarters but Blake andHunter are nowhere to be found. We soon realize that the ThunderRangers have met up with Lothor's right hand man Choobo todiscuss a sudden change of heart. Apparently Choobo is fed upwith the constant name calling up in their evil ship, and hasdecided to switch sides. Far be it for our naïve bike riders toactually sense a scam. Instead, they wholeheartedly believe himand soon...Read the entire review

]]>
Power Rangers Ninja Storm - Looming Thunder DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7550 Wed, 10 Sep 2003 08:09:03 UTC Rent It

The Movie

This is the second installment in the Power Rangers NinjaStorm series. If you watched the first disc, PowerRangers Ninja Storm: Prelude to a Storm, then you prettymuch know what to except from this disc. However the rest of theseason has taken an unfortunate turn with the introduction of twonew rangers. Blake and Hunter are Thunder Rangers who apparentlysurvived Lothor's ruthless attack in the season opener. These newrangers are awesome motor cross riders and are extremely powerfulthey're in Ranger attire. Too powerful perhaps, because they makeour three heroes look like garden gnomes with swords when theaction heats up.

At first it appears that these two new mysterious rangers will becool additions to the series, but they're portrayed as suchmorons, that it makes it hard to take them seriously. Not tomention that the two actors that could...Read the entire review

]]>
Home Alone 4 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7528 Mon, 08 Sep 2003 06:22:47 UTC Skip It

The Movie

Sometimes a movie franchise needs to quite when it's behind. Thefirst Home Alone movie was brilliantly original andlaunched the short-lived mega-fame career of Macaulay Culkin. HomeAlong 2: Lost in New York was a commendable follow-up thatadded just as many laughs as the first. But when Home Alone 3debuted minus Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the bumbling burglarduo, and with a new child actor as its star, things wentdownhill. Now Home Alone 4: Taking Back The House triesto rekindle the loveable antics of Kevin McAllister and hishome-protecting booby traps. But the flame that once burnedbright in the first two movies is long gone, failing horribly tomake a resurrection here.

Kevin is back, but now his parents are separated and have beenfor eight months. Naturally Kevin wants his parents to get backtogether for Christmas, bu...Read the entire review

]]>
Mtv Cribs: Rock DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7522 Mon, 08 Sep 2003 02:17:34 UTC Rent It

The Movie

(Intro same as Cribs: Hip-Hop edition)

Ain't nothin' like seeing the bling bling of the rich and famous,baby. Today, successful music artists have more money than shouldbe legally allowed. Not that that's such a bad thing really, butit sure makes us po' middle class workers feel inadequate withour modest homes, dirty living rooms, and Honda Accords sittin'in the driveway. But it's the lavish lifestyles of the absurdlyrich that peaks our curiosity. It allows us the opportunity toask ourselves, what kind of place would I live in if I were richbeyond my wildest dreams? MTV Cribs answers this question fromthe music stars' point of view.

You just never know what you're going to see in a house featuredon MTV Cribs. You might see an exotic indoor pool withGreek statures surrounding the perimeter. You might see athree-story house with it's o...Read the entire review

]]>
MTV Cribs - Hip-Hop DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7508 Sun, 07 Sep 2003 18:17:29 UTC Recommended

"I must say that's straight playa." - Ice-T

The Movie

Ain't nothin' like seeing the bling bling of the rich and famous,baby. Today, successful music artists have more money than shouldbe legally allowed. Not that that's such a bad thing really, butit sure makes us po' middle class workers feel inadequate withour modest homes, dirty living rooms, and Honda Accords sittin'in the driveway. But it's the lavish lifestyles of the absurdlyrich that peaks our curiosity. It allows us the opportunity toask ourselves, what kind of place would I live in if I were richbeyond my wildest dreams? MTV Cribs answers thisquestion from the music stars' point of view.

You just never know what you're going to see in a house featuredon MTV Cribs. You might see an exotic indoor pool withGreek statures surrounding the perimeter. You might see athree-story hou...Read the entire review

]]>
Digital Video Essentials DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7502 Sun, 07 Sep 2003 03:58:55 UTC DVD Talk Collector Series

The DVD

In 1997 the DVD format was born and Video Essentials (VE)was the best option for people who wanted to calibrate theiraudio/video home theater systems without the help of expensivehome theater professionals. During those first few years, VideoEssentials sold over 300,000 copies and became an essentialtool for videophiles. (No pun intended)

But in 1999, a new calibration DVD came onto the scene, it wascalled Avia. Avia excelled in almost everywayto the then dated VE. Avia's menus were easierto navigate, it provided better hands on explanations, and itgave more accurate test patterns to calibrate advanced videosystems. So Avia dethroned VE as the"must-have" calibration disc for home theaterenthusiasts.

But a lot has changed since 1999. Digital video broadcasts arenow slowly b...Read the entire review

]]>
John Denver and the Muppets - Rocky Mountain Holiday DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7409 Sat, 30 Aug 2003 01:57:42 UTC Recommended

The Movie

Grab your tent and your fishing pole, because it's time to joinJohn Denver and the Muppets for a Rocky Mountain Holiday!This Emmy-nominated special is a non-stopsinging fest filled to the hilt with Denver's heart and love forthe great outdoors.

If you're a fan of Jim Henson and the Muppet Show, then you knowthat John Denver and the Muppets go together like stink on askunk. Some of the very best Muppet moments are when Denver ispresent, like his wonderfully fun appearance on the Muppet Showand his fantastic Christmas holiday special. Whenever youwhiteness Denver with the Muppets, you just know a fun time willbe had by all.

Like all Muppet specials, this one is riddled with comedy andsongs. However it's the songs that make a lasting impression asDenver's gentle spirited ballads keep coming one after the other.In fact, they so...Read the entire review

]]>
Hook (Superbit Collection) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7379 Tue, 26 Aug 2003 09:09:15 UTC Recommended

The Movie

In 1991, Steven Spielberg released his whimsical live actionsequel of the beloved story, Peter Pan. It was jammed packed withhigh-powered stars such as Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, JuliaRoberts, and Bob Hoskins. With a healthy budget, fancypromotional spots, a fantastic script, and a can't-miss cast, itseemed to be a surefire hit. But sadly, Hook failed tolive up to the hype in theaters.

Hook is a movie you either love or hate. It's a familyfantasy tale full of bright colors, crazy costumes, and evencrazier hairdos. It's a touch on the sappy side, pulling more atthe emotions than the average action-obsessed attention span. Inshort, it's a wonderful movie that a lot of people just plaindon't like.

Our story begins with Peter Pan - now named Peter Bannister(Robin Williams) - as a middle-aged, wealthy, cutthroatacquisitions officer w...Read the entire review

]]>
The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Widescreen Edition) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7319 Thu, 21 Aug 2003 16:25:19 UTC Highly Recommended

- "The battle for Helm's Deep is over, and the battlefor Middle-earth is about to begin"

The Movie

Peter Jackson is a genius. His Lord of the Ring moviesdon't just show you the classic tale of a humble hobbit and hisquest to destroy the ring to rule them all; they drench you intheir lush visuals and encompass you into the story as if youwere a participant, not an observer. His eye for each intricatedetail, and his passion and dedication of remaining true to theoriginal story is unbelievable. When TheReturn of the King is released later this year, I believe his trilogywill reign as the most grand and artistically expressive epic toever grace the silver screen.

After seeing The Fellowship of the Ring last year, I hada hard time believing the follow-up could possibly deliver thesame level of wonder and fantastic enchantment as t...Read the entire review

]]>
China Strike Force DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7235 Thu, 14 Aug 2003 18:45:48 UTC Rent It

The Movie

While watching China Strike Force, I totally felt like Iwas watching a Jackie Chan movie. Perhaps that's because StanleyTong, the man behind Rumble In The Bronx, and Supercop1 & 2, directed it. However, those three movies hadsomething very important going for them that this movie didn't -Jackie Chan.

China Strike Force starts out decently enough. Our twolead characters (at least I thought they were the leads) areShanghai cops in training. They start things off by kicking somemajor ass Kung-Fu style in a nicely choreographed fight scene.Then a bunch of needless talking by fighting movie alum, MarkDacascos and rap star turned actor, Coolio slows down the action.But it eventually picks back up again during a high-speed carchase scene that involves an older Lamborghini and an openwheeled Formula One-like racecar. This sce...Read the entire review

]]>
Special Forces DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7228 Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:12:24 UTC Skip It

The Movie

Sometimes bad acting and a hokey screenplay can be overlooked ifthe action or special effects is outstanding. It's too bad SpecialForces has none of these positives going for it.

The plot of Special Forces is fine enough: An Americanwoman journalist is caught photographing a genocide murder of aBosnian suburb. She's held for ransom in exchange for the releaseof 12 "wrongfully captured" bad guys. Our response?Send in the Special Forces. Only it's a darn good thing that thereal United States' Special Forces aren't as inefficient andsloppy as these guys, because if they were, no mission would be asuccess.

Special Forces doesn't know whether it wants to be acomedy, Van Damn-like fighting flick, or a military action movie.So instead, it throws everything into the pot, closes its eyes,crosses its fingers, and hopes for the best. ...Read the entire review

]]>
Will & Grace - Season One DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7230 Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:11:12 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie

When the legendary NBC sitcom director James Burrows (Taxi,Cheers) looks for a new hit show, he searches for two things; greatwriting, and memorable characters. So when the script for thepilot episode of Will & Grace found its way to hisdesk, it was love at first site. He read it, liked it, and therest is history.

Even though NBC wholeheartedly embraced this controversialproject, there was still some concern that the subject matterwould cause some alarm. After all, Ellen DeGeneres' sitcom Ellen,had just been cancelled because ratings had plummeted afterbecoming "too gay." So it was unclear if a happy homecould be found for a show that revolved around the relationshipof a beautiful straight woman, and an openly gay man. NBC wasbraced for disaster just in case the public wanted to storm thecastle. But an odd thing happened; nobody seemed...Read the entire review

]]>
Roughnecks - The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Zephyr Campaign DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7227 Wed, 13 Aug 2003 08:36:30 UTC Highly Recommended

The Movie

I first saw Roughnecks - Starship Troopers Chronicleswhen it aired on the Sci-Fi channel, and from day one I washooked. I was intrigued by the cutting edge computer generated3-D animation, but was most interested in the non-stop action aswell as the superb writing. The show was intense, witty, andnever failed to keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a pitythat there were only 40 episodes created. I would kill for themto make another 40 more.

Oddly enough, the idea for this animated series based on RobertA. Heinlein's book, "Starship Troopers" was beingkicked around long before the movie Starship Trooperscame out in theaters. At the time it was thought that aconventionally hand drawn cartoon would be the best way topresent the show, but as more research was done, it seemed like atedious and unproductive way to go. So the idea of using comp...Read the entire review

]]>
Stitch! The Movie DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7218 Tue, 12 Aug 2003 18:57:25 UTC Skip It

The Movie

The dreaded Disney sequel curse strikes again. If you're notfamiliar with this common phenomenon, it's the ongoing problemthat nearly every straight-to-video Disney sequel suffers from;namely, the movie stinks. And although Stitch! The Movietries to up the ante in the comedy department, it falls horriblyflat with its abysmal plot and stale dialogue.

Things get off to a bad start right from the promotional materialon the box. It says, "Stitch was experiment 626…meetthe other 625!" Sounds like the grounds for a good sequelright? Well it might have been if we actually got to meet theother 625. Instead, we're introduced to two other experiments, aslim electrical Pikachu like creature, and a painfully unfunnysandwich eating couch potato. Where are the rest of theexperiments? Well we see them, but only in un-hatched egg form.Yes it's lame, much like th...Read the entire review

]]>
Chlorine DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7073 Fri, 01 Aug 2003 23:27:14 UTC Highly Recommended

 

"They'll bury the pool, we'll dig it out. They fillit with water, we'll empty it. They bulldoze it, we'll rebuildit. We cannot be stopped…" - Dave Reul

The Movie

Maybe it's the honesty. Maybe it's the danger. Maybe it's thehumor. Or maybe it's because it's so damn entertaining. Whateverthe reason, Chlorine is one of the most interesting andenjoyable skateboarding videos I've ever seen. It gets right tothe nitty-gritty of this highly covert, and often perilous sportof backyard pool skating, and it pulls no punches in the process.

Chlorine stars (and is narrated by) the biggest names inunderground pool skating. Names such as Steve Alba, Steve Olson,Dave Hackett, Tony Alva, Lance Mountain, Dave Reul, and DarrelDelgado. For these men - many being the pioneers of the sport -riding a backyard pool is not just an extracur...Read the entire review

]]>
The One (Superbit Collection) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7071 Fri, 01 Aug 2003 17:35:51 UTC Skip It

The Movie

No one can dispute Jet Li's awesome fighting ability, despite thefact that he barely passes the height requirement to grace a seaton Space Mountain. He's quick, he's talented, and he's one of"the one's" (no pun intended) to watch in action moviesto come. But perhaps he should have thought twice before takingon this feature film.

The One is a sci-fi action movie that puts too muchstake in the special effects rather than the choreography of itsfight scenes. And unless the special effects are mind blowing,they won't keep this sinking ship from hitting rock bottom.Sadly, the effects aren't that good. In fact, they come offlooking cheesy and over-the-top ridiculous, completely pulling meout of the movie. Director James Wong would have been much betteroff had he stayed with conventional methods to show Li's awesomeabilities, rather than plop millions of d...Read the entire review

]]>
Northwest DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7064 Fri, 01 Aug 2003 00:36:17 UTC Rent It

The Movie

Northwest's creators, Coan Nichols and Rick Charnoskirepeatedly remind us that the northwest has some of the bestskate parks in the world, and after seeing them on this DVD, I'dhave to agree with them. And unlike their last gritty film Fruitof the Vine, Northwest attempts to concentrate more on themelancholy philosophy of skateboarding, rather than its richhistorical account.

Northwest is a very laid-back skate video. There's notmuch narration, there's not much energy, and there's not muchinformation to be learned. There are, however, lots of skatingaction in some of the best skate parks the great northwest has tooffer. We're taken to the legendary under bridge Burnside SkatePark in Portland, OR, the magnificent curvy setup on OrcasIsland, WA, the small quaint park in the podunk town of Donald,OR, a wicked out-of-the-way ...Read the entire review

]]>
John Carpenter's Vampires (Superbit Collection) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/7058 Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:52:03 UTC Recommended

The Movie

This is not your conventional vampire movie. And it becomesevident in the opening scene as James Woods and his"slayer" posse tear up an abandoned New Mexico shackthat's home to several unsuspecting vampires. Sure there's tonsof suspense, gore, decapitation, guns, stabbing, screaming, andbad dialogue, but it's presented in a Quentin Tarantino sort ofway. Director John Carpenter keeps the plot simple, and theaction drawn out, in this campy horror vampire free-for-all.

As vampire movies go, I did feel John Carpenter's Vampireswas a refreshing change from the usual dark and depressing bloodfests we tend to see nowadays. Woods played the part of the"master slayer" excellently with a tough, yet humorouscandor, and Daniel Baldwin does a fine job as well, despitegetting some lousy lines.

Explaining the plot takes little time. The original Grand Mast...Read the entire review

]]>