5 comments about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

1. It is a Hallmark production and that makes the difference.
   Very good story - sticks with the real story line of the book.
   Would recommend for this time of year -- October - and Halloween.
   
   Thanks



2. This movie was very entertaining. The actors were all of good quality and followed the script well....We just thought it super...Dana Pearson



3. If there is one good thing about this made-for-TV "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (produced by Canadian company Muse Entertainment and presented by Hallmark Entertainment), it is Brent Carver and his authentic portrayal of Ichabod Crane. From the very first moment when he appears on the deserted hill standing still like a scarecrow, Brent Carver becomes Ichabod Crane, lanky schoolmaster who has just arrived in secluded Sleepy Hollow.
   
   This Muse/Hallmark version is more faithful to Washington Irving's original short story than Tim Burton's Gothic horror adaptation. Probably some viewers would welcome the film's faithfulness while others might complain for the same reason. Though the production designs are convincing and photography is decent, the flat storytelling about the fate of hapless Ichabod and his romance is rather dull, lacking mood and nuance. Scenes of Headless Horseman are acceptable, but not outstanding.
   
   After watching Johnny Depp's performance as Ichabod, you may find the snobbish character of Ichabod a little off-putting at first, but Carver's fine performance and his nice comic touch makes him very human just like the counterpart in Irving's original. I think Katrina Van Tassel by Rachelle Lefevre is just OK, but sadly Paul Lemelin, who plays Brom Bones, is awfully miscast. He just doesn't look like the character from Irving's book and his acting needs much improvement.
   
   You may show this TV version in class (no beheading is included), but students might find it boring. Not a totally bad adaptation, but still uninspired, except Carver's superb performance as Ichabod Crane.



4. Unfortunately, I was VERY disappointed with this movie. The movie was EXTREMELY boring and although the character of Ichabod Crane was more in keeping with Washington Irving's story, the movie as a whole lacked any real life (no pun intended). The Disney cartoon was far more entertaining and a lot scarier too. The characterization of Brom Van Brunt is totally innacurate as he is supposed to be a "roughian". The portrayal of this role turned him into an overall nice guy and the actor was too much of a pretty boy to portray Brom Bones anyway. Brom Bones was a lot more likeable than Ichabod in this movie.
   
   In terms of pace and suspense, this is at the opposite spectrum of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow. Although I think Tim Burton totally Burtonized Sleepy Hollow completely and went to the extreme, at least "Sleepy Hollow" kept the audience's attention. I agree that it had way too much gore and Burton also rewrote the entire mythology (Blasphemy). The soundtrack for this movie was absolutely AWFUL too. Danny Elfman's Sleepy Hollow score (I recommend it) was an absolute masterpiece compared to this. Also, in this movie the Headless Horseman shows up for all about 1 minute and does NOTHING except scare Ichabod as he tries to put a pumpkin where his head should be and then vanishes... YAAAAAAWN
   
   The historical accuracy of this movie was flawed too and unfortunately the writers felt the need to change the history of the Battle of White Plains (which they renamed also) and said that not only did the Colonials drive the British away, but the Headless Horseman helped them do it in exchange for a bag of gold coins. FYI: The Battle of White Plains was a DEFEAT, BUT because General Howe let Washington withdraw, they regrouped and shortly thereafter won their first decisive victory against the British that turned the course of the Revolutionary War.
   
   If you are looking for a movie of Sleepy Hollow that you can show at an elementary school to first or second graders and fill 90 minutes of time look no further. If you want to have an entertaining movie, that is historically accurate, is as spooky as the Legend of Sleepy Hollow should be, AND will keep your attention, THIS ISN'T IT. In fact there isn't one... YET
   
   I wish somebody would make a "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" movie that is in keeping with Washington Irving's vision, historically accurate, but still has an interesting plot, suspense, and has more of the Headless Horseman in it. Maybe I should write one myself. Hmmmmm...



5. I recently watched The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and give it a 5 star rating.
   
   I grew up just North of Tarrytown, NY where Sleepy Hollow is located. In the Fall The Hollow is often shrouded in fog in early mornings and early evenings. The area, which extends along the Hudson River, lends itself to imaginings of ghosts and goblins, which the early Dutch were very good at doing: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, as well as other stories put down in writing by Washington Irving.
   
   I grew up with these stories and look forward to hearing or seeing them again at this time of year. I have also passed the tradition along to my children.
   
   I think I have seen and heard just about every adaptation from Ed Begley's re-telling of the story on tape, reading it from an old printing of the story, and, of course, Disney's cartoon version.
   
   I think this adaptation is the best I have seen. It captures the mysterious and haunting feeling of the region in Fall, the looks, traditions, dress, and speech of the early Dutch settlers, and the story as it was told to Washington Irving.
   
   Tim Burton's movie Sleepy Hollow is a good film for what it is, but it is not an accurate re-telling of the classic.
   
   Sincerely,
   
   Maureen Kearney

5 comments about The Transformers - The Movie (20th Anniversary Special Edition).

1. I assume if you're looking at this product, it's because you saw it back in the day, or you saw the new live-action movie (2007) and are catching up on old stuff.
   
   So for what it is, which is an old cartoon, put into a fairly ambitious cartoon movie for its time, it's awesome. If you're hoping to find something on par with the live-action movie, you'll be disappointed.
   
   I grew up with Transformers and saw the movie originally in the theater. I loved it. Sometimes when you go back to things like this, they aren't as good as you remember - this isn't the case. Yes, the dialogue is a little cheesy at times; yes, the plot is a little thin; but the artwork is great, and it's freakin' Transformers for crying out loud, and the story concept is pretty grand in scale.
   
   I recommend it for true fans of Transformers old and new.



2. I gave this product as a Christmas present and got a fantastic response. I have watched it and it is great. The cartoon is a great review and just plain fun to watch before or after watching the new "Transformers" movie.
   DO ENJOY!!!!



3. I was a HUGE fan of the Transformers (G1) when I was a kid and I'm no less of a fan of the series (and the movie) now than when it was released into the theaters back in 1986. However, the movie ended up being a DRAMATIC departure from the more "kid-friendly" TV series, as was made painfully clear during the first 30 minutes of the film when several beloved Autobot characters die VIOLENT deaths at the hands of Megatron and the Decepticons, including, most sadly, Optimus Prime. The main plot of the movie revolves around the struggle between the Transformers and a giant planet-eating monster named Unicron, who initially forms a tentative alliance with a dying Megatron, later rebuilt by Unicron into Galvatron (essentially Megatron with a new body), in order to help him destroy the Autobot Matrix of Leadership from the Autobot's new leader, Ultra Magnus, one of many new characters introduced in this film. In a plot somewhat derivative of Star Wars, one of the main characters ends up unlocking the power of the Matrix and leading the Autobots to victory against Unicron and the Decepticons. Although there are a small number of cheesy scenes in the movie (i.e. the characters dancing with the Junkions), the movie, by far, was extraordinarily entertaining and the first 30 minutes were simply spellbinding to watch starting with Unicron mercilessly devouring an entire planet, the Decepticons launching an all-out assault on the Autobots' new base on Earth, and Optimus Prime and Megatron finally having THE ULTIMATE FIGHT TO THE DEATH that I had long been waiting to see. The action in the movie is complemented by the excellent guest voice talents of Robert Stack, Judd Nelson, Lionel Stander, LEONARD NIMOY, and Eric Idle, as well as the original voice talents of Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and Frank Welker (Megatron) from the series. I thought that the dialogue in the movie was also written extremely well with many memorable lines that are too numerous to mention here. The animation in the movie is also quite superb, particularly when contrasted with the animation in the TV series.
   
   The soundtrack for the movie is simply outstanding, particularly songs such as "The Touch" and "Dare", both performed by a little known rock artist named Stan Bush. The synthesizer-laden instrumental score was composed and performed by another little known rock artist named Vince DiCola, who also scored Rocky IV, and is perhaps one of the best instrumental scores for a movie that I've ever heard with the possible exception of John Williams' score for Star Wars. Although some of Vince DiCola's magnificent score is available on the movie soundtracks that have been released (check out the 2007 release for more of the score and an alternate version of the main Transformers theme), the availability of any full-length recordings of his score has been exclusively limited to people attending past Bot-Con conventions and even Mr. DiCola himself reports that he is unsure of any future releases of the score (although albums containing score demos and outtakes are available on his record studio website). Hopefully, a full recording of the soundtrack will be made available someday. I listen to the soundtrack quite frequently even nowadays and it is one of the few albums that never really get tired of listening to but, of course, I definitely wish that more of the score was available. A remix of "The Touch" by Stan Bush and a Transformers-inspired song called "Til All Are One" were recently included on Stan Bush's latest album (In This Life). Both of these songs are definitely worth downloading.
   
   There is not really too much about the movie that I didn't like other than the fact that it seemed like the directors killed off way too many Autobots (and not enough Decepticons), mostly classic first season characters (Ironhide, Ratchet, Brawn, Prowl, Wheeljack, Windcharger) and the movie was fairly limited in terms of the numbers of the characters, both Autobot and Decepticon, it showed considering the number of characters introduced throughout the series up to that point. Also, there were some continuity problems with the series although I don't really hold them against the movie. For instance, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership was never mentioned anytime during the series prior to the movie. Also, there was no explanation given for how the Decepticons ultimately conquered Cybertron, the existence of Cybertron's moons, and the creation of Autobot City. Optimus Prime's death was also really hard for me to deal with. How the writers thought that they could kill him off in the movie and NOT expect an angry backlash from ardent fans of the series is beyond me. It does help knowing (now anyway) that Optimus Prime DOES properly return towards the end of the 3rd season of the G1 series and is back in the truncated fourth season . However, when I was a kid, not knowing this, I remember being REALLY sad over his death and, in fact,I think that it was the only time I ever cried over a fictional character.
   
   Overall, I must say that Transformers The Movie is probably one of my all-time favorite movies, eclipsed perhaps only by the Star Wars movies and is one of the few movies that I've seen that I could easily watch several times without ever really getting tired of it. It is definitely recommended for anybody who enjoyed any of the Transformers series, particularly the G1 series that it is based on. Sci-fi and anime fans will almost certainly enjoy it as well.



4. My son and I watched this movie together for our weekly boys' night ritual and both of us enjoyed the non-stop action and mildly amusing humor sprinkled here and there. The dialogue isn't great and the animation is not very fetching in some scenes, but for the most part it kept our attention and fed my son's appetite for every thing 'Transformers'. The one troubling moment happens in the first 1/3 of the movie when one of the autobots delivers a shocking expletive. In the 20 years since this movie debuted animated shows like South Park have elevated the swear word to an art form, but I wasn't quite prepared for that particular word to appear in this 1980's cartoon movie. It is a bit awkward. At least if it had been a bad guy I could have turned into a moral lesson about making bad choices; instead I was left to hope the boy had completely missed that line. This isn't to say my son hasn't watched a movie here and there with questional language, but if he repeats the robot potty words in front of my wife I'm the one who is going to be in for it. Just a word of warning, this is a great little flick but there are a couple of lines of surprise verbage mixed in with all the violence and it may not be right for the youngest among us.



5. This is the title that was the trend setter above all else.Not perfect,but by no means lacking either,Hell!!!, it even had a curse word in it!The true standard bearer.A must for any and all fans!!!

5 comments about Children of Men (Widescreen Edition).

1. The story is great. The camera work is very original - you feel like everything thats happening to its characters is happening to you. There are no special effects which is rare nowadays. Real explosions, real gunfire and so on... Actors did a great job. Most importantly this movie was highly believeable. No nonsense that left me going "oh come on.. give me a break" (and I'm that kind of a guy). I really felt for the characters and got attached to them. The atmosphere alone was unbelieveable -- a cold, dark, dead near-future -- kind of like the game HL 2 when you first get off the train (if you've ever played it). This movie definitely leaves you with something to remember.



2. I liked the movie, but I don't understand why the director deviated so much from the plot-line and characters in the book. I read the book after seeing the movie and I was shocked at how different they were. I liked the story-line in the book a lot more than the movie - especially the ending.



3. Oddly, I must be one of the few folks to have seen "Children of Men" and did not form an opinion as to it being a rancid pile of rotting mule skin or the greatest movie since Silent Running. I found the basic premise to be fascinating: How would the world react twenty years into an epidemic of childlessness? Which some of the reviewers here seem to miss...this is not just how the world reacts to the onset of infertility, but almost two decades since the last baby was born. So many industries would fall into slow collapse; education, garments, much of the medical industry, etc...as the population ages past the point where new folks would replenish both consumer and professional.
   
   Clive Owen starts off the movie in a coffee shop as the world learns of the death of its youngest citizen. He walks into a city full of violent rebellion and to where Britain is the last nation that hasn't fallen into anarchy. The government has slipped into a fascist state in order to keep from being overrun by refugees, yet Owen's ex-wife (Julianne Moore, great in a brief role) kidnaps him to set a plot into motion. They have discovered the last pregnant woman on Earth, an African named Kee. They need to smuggle her out of England to a mysterious "Human Project" group.
   
   This is where the chaos really begins and the allegories become oppressive. Kee's baby has no discernable father (and a miracle birth is even joked about). The miracle baby has factions splitting off of factions before the little savior is even born. Oh yes, the African mother; how very Cradle of Civilization! Plus one reclusive ex-hippie idealist (Michael Caine, all crazy hair, John Lennon and homegrown weed) to emphasize just how badly the sixties failed when they were all so much better then than these fascists now.
   
   The heavy handedness of the message is carried by some incredible cinematography, like the near ten minute single-camera shot of Owen racing through the prison camp uprising while under fire. London in decay is depressingly gritty as is the Fugee concentration camp (with shades of Abu Gharib). The sense of dread curdles under each character (like Owen's visit to his brother, the art curator), yet the tiny light of hope of the new baby still stops a war in its tracks, however briefly.
   
   It is that final sense of redemption - the "maybe we might get our miserable species out of this mess anyway" message - that keeps the relentlessly bleak view of "Children of Men" from completely tanking. But it's the ham-fisted proletyzing that also stops it from arcing beyond its science-fiction art-house roots.



4. Alfonso Charón's "Children of Men" is an adaptation of the P.D. James dystopian novel about the breakdown of all social institutions when the human race ceases the ability to procreate and faces the likelihood of its own extinction.
   
   Chaos and civil war overtake the globe, and, in Great Britain, Orwellian fascism is the only order left as refugees are imprisoned in cages, the middle class disintegrates, terrorist acts (usually by the government) are a daily occurrence, and underground rebels fight on for revolution, trying to maintain some futile hope.
   
   While the film's events occur in 2027, 20 years in the future, the film becomes more of a comment on the Now with its pro-war stance by the government and "Homeland Security" to protect us all. But the film transcends politics to focus on its human level, specifically on the character of Theo Farin (played to existential perfection by Clive Owen) who fatefully goes through a rite-of-passage similar to Bogie in "Casablanca" - that of a man who had pulled himself away from involvement in a war-torn world finding himself now beginning to discover a newly-reborn idealism.
   
   Brilliantly, many references to key art works of the 20th Century fill the film. e.g., musical references from rock and classical works: The Beatles, Pink Floyd, iconic rock songs -- along with Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Penderecki and Gustav Mahler, whose first song in the "Kindertotenlieder" ("Songs for Dead Children") is quoted. Images are staged in the style of great paintings, and, most importantly, Picasso's "Guernica" becomes the major symbolic icon of the film, with the cinematography drained of bright colors to convey perfectly the film's atmosphere.
   
   But over all, Charón's directing is breathtaking, with his long Wellsian single-takes that truly nail the viewer directly into the world of the film. This is a masterpiece, and ultimately not one of bleakness but of hope, and one of the truly top intellectual and emotional experiences of 2006.



5. Okay, I am the first to admit that the only thing I know about cinematography and its art is what I happen to like. That being said, I have to say that I was very much impressed with the visual side of this film. To my taste, it was a little dark, which worked quite well with the dark story line. I don't think I understood why the camera was always working as it was, but it was neat. Frankly, the first thing that drew me to the movie was its premise, and I still happily say that is the finest thing about this film--in opposition to the concern of overpopulation the film discusses what it would be like if this threat was very much gone and the end of humanity was instead looming over our heads. Then a miracle of a pregnant girl comes about and the situation of the story is how can she be protected. The story is a little extreme, but then again I bet society would crumble. The problem is that it's also contrived, with too many plot devices for my taste. I happen to prefer a character-driven tale rather than this example of situation upon situation. Still, this is a surprising poignant little film that should be appreciated by the right audience.

5 comments about This Island Earth.

1. One of the best of the 50's. Introduction to the "Interociter" (sp?), Remote control, Space Flight, Flying Saucers, Aliens and of course, Dangerous Mutants. Part of the Atomic Craze in the 50's. I like 'em all so I may be biased. This is one you can watch over again. Right up there with Earth vs. The Flying Saucers and Forbidden Planet.



2. This Island Earth was an enjoyable and entertaining film. I thought this film's special effects were a bit short of the mark and now feel that the story is pretty superficial with little development. The plot catered only to classic sci-fi film taste. In short, it is my honest opinion that a far superior film could have been made for the budget and schedule (which was supposed to be something like 2-1/2 years).
   
   That said, This Island Earth was the first color sci-fi film I ever saw on the big screen at the LUXOR theater in the Bronx. You could feel the emotions of first time viewers emerging from the theater laughing and chattering about how great this movie was. My memory is that movie posters and lobby cards for This Island Earth looked colorful, exciting and promising of a good time.
   
   When I first watch this film I was not disappointed in the special effects, presentation on the big screen, or anything about it. It was a night to remember and helped make me an avid sci-fi film fan to this very day. I don't begrudge any reviewers their five star rating for this fun film.



3. OK, simply, like my title said, this movie ain't worth much at all by itself. Kidnapped scientists..."interocitors"...aliens with a definite receeding hairline problem who've spent too long under the sunlamp...and the...ah..."Doctor" from "Gilligan's Island." YAY! Almost "Plan 9 From Outer Space" in color, huh? Save your money: get that "MST3K - The Movie" instead, and I guarantee you'll enjoy yourself more.



4. Too bad they didnt elabrate upon this plot, some very good ideas that went real quick. Wish it was twice as long. Its worth a watch!



5. This Island Earth is one of the few movies that have stood the test of time. It is still as interesting today as it was when I first say it almost 50 years ago.

5 comments about I, Robot (Widescreen Edition).

1. Will Smith has a knack for finding great parts in some fun-to-watch science fiction movies like Independence Day and Men in Black. I, Robot was no different. Will was fun to watch and placed some weel-timed comedic irony, depth of character, and great athletic performance into his character. The special effects were especially well done, and the movie, in general, was a good modern application of Isaac Asimov's short stories of the same name.



2. Version: U.K / Region Free
   Version: U.S.A / Region A
   MPEG-4 AVC BD-50
   Running time: 1:54:44
   Movie size: 28,400,265,216 bytes
   Disc size: 41,222,521,067 bytes
   Average video bit rate: 25.24 Mbps
   DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 24-bit
   
   #Feature Audio Commentary
   #Legacy and Design Commentary
   #Music Score Commentary
   #Day Out of Days: Production Diaries (SD, 76 minutes)
   #CGI and Design (SD, 22 minutes)
   #Sentient Machines: Robotic Behavior (SD, 36 minutes)
   #The Filmmakers' Toolbox (SD, 9 minutes)
   #Enhanced and Deleted Scenes (SD, 7 minutes)
   
   Missing special features
   
   #30 minutes of featurettes called "Three Laws Safe"
   #Original featurette that appeared on the standard 2004 DVD
   #240 minutes of bonus material has been reduced to 150 minutes



3. Movies like this are made by their main star, who is this case is
   Will Smith whom I really enjoy.
   If Tom Cruise had starred here, this would have been a huge flop.
   If I am bored and just want something to entertain me I will watch this movie.



4. I'm not going to say anything about the movie except that it is a fun movie with a good story and my wife thought Will Smith was at his physical best in this movie. I will say that I bought this movie because I read several reviews on home-theater sites that rated this movie 98 out ot 100 for video quality, which is what I wanted in a Blu-Ray disc. "I, Robot" did not fail to live up to my expectations. This movie was visually stunning. Great audio too. The audio during action scenes was properly mixed, with good tight bass and crisp sound effects. If you want to watch a reference quality Blu-Ray movie, then buy this movie. You will not be disappointed.



5. He plays the only guy in the movie with any common sense, and is thus very unrealistic. Also, his urban black hip dude schtick grows very wearisome. The special effects are just ok. The plot involves some nonsense about robots taking over the world. It's only set 25 years in the future. A bit of a stretch if this is what the world is really coming to.

5 comments about Babylon 5 - The Complete Second Season.

1. This is a great series! It makes you think "what if". I bought the whole series and still take it out to watch every once in awhile. Too bad they ended it. I would like to see more. I hope they come out with a disc on Girabaldi.



2. Babylon 5 is magnificent. The series got off to a clunky start with Season 1, but toward the end of the first season things really began cooking with gas, and the quality of Season 2 is unfailingly superb. The special effects really improved since Season 1, but that's only an aesthetic consideration; Babylon 5 is much, much more than eye-candy. While the transition from Jeffrey Sinclair to John Sheridan as captain of the station was jarring in the first couple of episodes, things soon smoothed out, and I found every episode a fast-paced, story-driven delight to watch. I'd say it's well worth suffering through the cheesiest moments of Season 1 just for Season 2, and then there are three more seasons to go ... the notion of all those episodes to come makes me (who have just finished watching Season 2 for the first time) watery at the mouth. I've only encountered a very few television shows that are worth the time investment to watch through ... Bablyon 5 definitely ranks amongst them. Highly recommended.



3. Babylon 5 series is great/just get ready to get the whole series .It's just that good



4. When Babylon 5 was renewed for a second season, it was clear some changes were needed. There was a great deal of positive acclaim for the story arc, the CGI and many of the characters and actors, but there were concerns about the stoic, haunted nature of lead actor, Michael O'Hare, and about his character leaping in a fighter to investigate every crisis that came along, which strained credulity. According to J. Michael Straczynski, this coincided with him struggling about giving Sinclair a connection to the mysterious alien 'Shadows', who would play a big role in the upcoming season at the same time that the mystery about the Minbari, a dominant storyline in Season 1 which featured Sinclair in a big way, would be fading into the background. Apparently amicable discussions were undertaken and O'Hare, who had been missing his old theatre life back in New York, agreed to depart but return for further episodes down the road when his character was needed.
   
   Season 2 starts with the sudden reassignment of Commander Sinclair to the Minbari homeworld as ambassador. Captain John Sheridan is brought in to replace him, which proves controversial as the Minbari hold Sheridan in disfavour for his destruction of a Minbari warship during the war by 'cowardly' tactics (using nuclear mines and a fake distress call). At the same time the station is in something of a crisis: Earth Alliance President Luis Santiago is dead, security chief Garibaldi is in a coma having been gunned down whilst claiming someone wanted the President dead. Elsewhere, Narn Ambassador G'Kar is missing and Minbari Ambassador Delenn is in a cocoon of some kind. "Interesting place you have here," is Sheridan's assessment.
   
   Season 2 charts the descent of the Galaxy from the pre-existing status quo towards fire, darkness and war. An ancient, exceptionally powerful and apparently long-forgotten alien race has returned to prowl the fringes of known space for their own ends. The Centauri are offered a chance to reclaim their place as the most powerful race in the Galaxy. Earth is riven by political corruption. The Vorlons are showing signs of ending their long isolation. Every story element that was set up in Season 1 is now put to use in the second season, with impressive and logical plot and character developments following. If Season 1 was setting up the guns, Season 2 is about watching them fire.
   
   Compared to the variable first year, the second season is much better and more consistent. The arrival of Bruce Boxleitner as Captain Sheridan injects some much-needed life and energy into the command staff, and it's clear he has a much better rapport with most of the other actors. He also convinces much more as a military leader and tactician. JMS has a tendency to give him slightly cheesy speeches from time to time, but he mostly handles these well and does superbly with a dark, intense performance during In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum, a pivotal episode which spells out what the stakes are in the overall story arc.
   
   There are many other key episodes, but other stand-outs include And Now For a Word (an episode told in the style of a news documentary about the station and its crew, revealing new information about the B5 universe) and Confessions and Lamentations (probably the best non-arc episode the series ever did), but the powerhouse episodes of the season have to be The Coming of Shadows and its sequel, The Long, Twilight Struggle. In the former, which won the 1996 Hugo Award, the Centauri Emperor pays a state visit to Babylon 5. Certain Centauri factions aligned with Londo attempt to use his visit to further their own agenda whilst G'Kar plots an assassination. However, the Emperor falls ill and devastating consequences for the entire B5 universe follow. Half a season later, in The Long, Twlight Struggle, the fall-out from the former episode reaches its horribly inevitable conclusion, culminating in the most powerful use of CGI in the entire series (Londo's face reflected in the windows of a Centauri battlecruiser as he realises what his modest political ambitions have led to) and an absolutely barnstorming performance from Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar as his world comes crashing down around him. The rest of the season could have been an anticlimax, but the season finale (The Fall of Night) sees events get even worse and leaves things hanging for the third season.
   
   Season 2 of Babylon 5 (*****) takes the world and story painstakingly set up in the first year and really runs with it, backed by increasingly excellent performances from the central cast.



5. It was fun to escape into the future with an exciting series. You get caught up in the intrigue of inter-alien squabbles versus day to day reality. You wish we were as advanced in space travel as the story line progresses. Viewing Babylon5 with popcorn in one hand and soda in the other was a treat to repeat.

5 comments about Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III.

1. Excelente calidad de producto, muy buena presentación y es exactamente lo que yo estaba buscando... que esten en español e inglés me parece muy bueno...



2. The convenience of having the last two movies in one DVD is great, and that alone earns the three stars. As for the movies. . . . .
   Poltergeist II is a decent follow-up attempt, but let's face it--it's hard to beat the first and original Poltergeist. Kudos for Jillian Beck's truly spooky portrayal of the preacher, it makes the film actually scary, in what's an otherwise gross-out FX flick. Adding anything else will ruin the plot for those who've never seen the movie, so let's move on to Poltergeist III. DON'T bother. The only reason to see this movie is to see the original stars Zelda Rubinstein and Heather O'Rourke (in her last performance--she passed away before completion of the film, and that explains the crappy ending) try to salvage a pathetic franchise going down that tunnel "into the light." Amen--rest in peace Poltergeist Legacy, but this trio deserved a better send-off.



3. Very good story, it is sad that this little actress Heather died during one of these movies.



4. I hate it when movie companys decide to combine two movies of the same series into one DVD. Sure, your getting more for your buck but I consider it to be a cheap excuse to sell the movie (especially if the film wasn't popular at the box office) weather the fans asked for it or not.
   
   That happens to be the situation here with POLTERGEIST, which is basically part II and part III slapped into one disc. Now, I know the title of my review is all about the third sequel but I don't want people getting the wrong impression about my opinion. I love the second movie and I happen to think it's even better than the third film. Actually, I think all the POLTERGEIST movies are best from start to finish. The first being the best (not to mention one of my favorite Horror films of all time), the third being the last.
   
   With that being said, lets talk about the actual movie POLTERGEIST III now. A while ago, I decided to buy the entire POLTERGEIST series on VHS because they were so cheap on Amazon's Market place. The other day I watched the third movie to refresh my memory about the film. When I was younger, I thought the third movie was pretty creepy so I had high expectations for the film to hold some of that spooky "magic" from my childhood. What started out as a pretty good follow up to the second movie was quickly dashed with a terrible ending. When the movie was over, I couldn't help but feel dissapointed and a little bit mad. Like I said, the movie starts out great and then near the end, falls flat on it's face.
   
   Now, at the time I had no idea about the production or any of the "drama" that was happening behind the scenes of POLTERGEIST III. I heard when I was younger that the main actress (Heather O'Rourke) died at an early age after this film was made. Thinking nothing of it (at the time), I had no idea how much her death effected the over all production and direction of the film POLTERGEIST III. I did a little reading about the third sequel online and came into alot of information about the actual film and what happend in the last few weeks of production. As it turns out, Heather O'Rourke died before the actual film was finished. Nobody it seemed wanted to finish the movie (due to her sudden death) and from what I read online, the movie was going to be scrapped until the producers could remake the entire film. The movie company MGM basically told the film producers and directors to finish the movie, dispite the fact they had little to work with. Before Heather O'Rourke died, the movie already was finished (with a complete ending) but MGM didn't like the original ending and wanted them to change it. O'Rourke passed away and the producers/directors were left with a pretty much black & white choice to finish the movie or have someone else step in to do it. The end result is a quickly thrown together ending that not only feels "sudden" but cheats the viewers out of actually seeing Heather O'Rourke's face in the final scene. If you actually own this movie (considering the terrible reviews on Amazon and online, I couldn't see anybody wanting to own this movie), watch the last scene where the entire family walks out of the mirror. Carol Anne's face is buried in her Aunt's shoulder (hugging) and you never actually get to see O'Rourke's face.
   
   From what I read online, MGM decided on a quicker ending and used a "body double" for the role of Carol Anne at the end of the film. Coming into this information online helps explain why the second half of POLTERGEIST III is lame compared to the enjoyable start of the film. Online, I read how the original ending was ment to happen and I personally think it would have finished the film alot better than the actual end result. (If your curious as to how the original ending was ment to be, I suggest going to Yahoo and looking up the title POLTERGEIST III)
   
   Now that I have come across that information, it helps shed a different light on the third POLTERGEIST project and makes some of the bad parts (the chopped up ending, the wooden acting) a little more understandable.
   
   Now, we've talked an awful lot about the actual direction, production and situations behind the scenes of POLTERGEIST III. I think it's time we talk about the actual plot of the movie. From what I gather, POLTERGEIST III was ment to be the final movie of the series. It was also ment to include "THE FINAL CHAPTER" in the main title. Basically the movie is about how Carol Anne is sent to live with her Aunt because her family believes she was the main source for all the "evil" that followed them. Personally I think that was a cheap excuse for a sequel idea and the film makers should have come up with a better idea than that one! If anyone has ever seen the two movies before this one, they would know that Carol Anne's family would never do such a random and stupid thing! They loved her and after everything that has happend to them, I don't think they would want to part with Carol Anne. It doesn't make sense and it makes the over all film of POLTERGEIST III feel totally different from the first two movies.
   
   Anyways, Carol Anne lives with her Aunt and Uncle at very large apartment building in New York. Fastforward some pointless plot details (Carol Anne see's a Psychologist during the day and he doesn't believe a word about her being haunted in the past, blah, blah, blah!) and eventually the evil ghosts have found her in New York. The idea that Carol Anne must lead this "monster" Kain into the light (because she was the first born in the house that was built above the graves in the first movie) is a hold over plot from the second film. So now the entire apartment building is haunted by these ghosts and alot of creepy scenes are done with mirrors! When I was a young kid watching this movie (my opinions about plot weren't the focus of my attention) alot of the mirror scenes scared me to death! Of course these are all done with camera tricks but they're done with a brooding sense that something horrible is about to happen. Thus, the haunting of an entire apartment building! Looking back at the movie, the director doesn't explore that idea nearly enough. Most of the movie makes the viewer feel like the cast is limited, you hardly ever see anyone else in the apartment building besides the main cast and I can't help but think the "extras" were limited due to a small production fund. Lucky enough the main actors do a good job to keep you interested. They're far from bad actors.
   
   So the movie starts out with some good spooky scenes of mirrors and interesting special effects that seem like something out of a NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET movie. Carol Anne is eventually sucked into "the other side" and the rest of the film is about her Aunt and Uncle trying to find her using some random crest (or whatever) that Tangina gave them to help find Carol Anne. Oh', did I forget to mention that Tangina is in this movie too? Well, she might as we not be considering her role is next to nothing in this sequel. It's yet another luke warm reason to have a member from the original cast put into this messy third chapter. Tangina travels to Carol Anne after getting "visions" (this part is a little unclear not to mention stupid) that Kain has found her again. That part of the movie kinda' makes me mad because it seems so pointless and is yet another thing that makes POLTERGEIST III feel unlike the other two films. Why Tangina decides to travel alone (without Carol Anne's parents) is beyond me. Don't you think they would like to know Carol Anne is in trouble again? After all, they are her parents! I guess thats a plot detail the film makers decided wasn't important enough to flesh out for the fans of the other two films.
   
   So the rest of the movie is about the Aunt and Uncle running around this apartment building, trying to find Carol Anne. By this point in the film, most of the true "scares" are lost due to many of the reasons I listed above. There is an interesting part in a meat locker where the dead animals come to life and some pretty good special effects where Kain's head is chopped off and melts on the floor but thats about it. Everything else feels so rushed, so chopped up, that everything you just watched will be forgotten due to the terrible ending. What could have been a good sequel is bogged down by the tragic death of Heather O'Rourke, low budget (hopefully you don't expect to feel the same magic of the first movie or the wonderful special effects) and a terrible script forced into an ending rewrite.
   
   Normally I tell my readers (the Gore Hounds) to check out a movie if I think they will find some enjoyment in the gore. Sadly, POLTERGEIST III lacks any real good latex or bloody special effects. The movie starts out well enough with some good spooky scenes with mirrors and then is quickly ruined by the rushed ending. The only people who might find this movie enjoyable are fans of the first two and those who are curious as to what happens after the second film. On a personal note, I think it's terrible that Heather O'Rourke died at such a young age. She graced our world long enough to make three POLTERGEIST movies and dispite my negative feelings twords the third sequel, I think all three of them are needed for anyones Horror collection. For those of you who enjoy large Horror movie collections, I suggest buying this movie set because it comes with the classic POLTERGEIST 2 and the third sequel to boot. Learn and understand the situation behind the third movie before watching it and give it some credit for trying. By no means is POLTERGEIST III the worst movie I've ever seen. It's a film that was ruined by "too many fingers in the pot" if you ask me. If only MGM would have left in the original ending, the movie may have felt a little bit better as a whole. Instead we're left with a messy project called POLTERGEIST III and alot of questions in the end. Gore hounds, skip this one. Horror fans, add it to your ever growing collection and understand the film before you judge it harshly. I've said my two cents, R.I.P Heather.



5. Great nice to both moives togeter for the same price Poltergeist II/Poltergeist III ,is going to get you, so get you popcorn and drink and sit back beware you never know.................

No comments about Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2 Disc Special Edition).

5 comments about Evil Dead II (Special Edition).

1. For the past ten years I've been mighty frustrated. I'd buy an Evil Dead DVD, and 2 months later there was another, "better" version of it...mind you, a lot of them were transparent money grabs, but some were actually decent and had content I wanted. I'm tired of it, and have been for quite some time...so, I finally get a BluRay player and what a shock, "Evil Dead II" is available. Being that I'd sold off a great majority of my DVD collection to prepare for "the upgrade" I decided to pick this up because the price was right and...it's Evil Dead II...YOU HAVE TO OWN IT IN SOME FORM!
   
   Sure, it's the same old, recycled bonus content as the DVD releases pumped out for years, but it's all good stuff and I'm glad they didn't replace it. Sound and video are great, but didn't necessarily need the BluRay touch -- at points this looks about as good as it can on DVD. In short, this is a great addition to your collection if you don't already have it DVD (or "upgraded" like I did), but the THX-approved DVD version is probably just as good as this.
   
   I'd say grab this up if you're a first-time buyer or upgrading from laserdisc/VHS, but don't sweat it otherwise...I'm sure in a year there will be a mega-super-deluxe-Evil-Dead-IIray. Here's hoping THAT trend dies with this release, at least!



2. Stupid i fied retelling of a decent horror film ( THE EVIL DEAD)
   Why do film directors think that the addition of third grader slapstick humor will improve a film!
   Please Bruce Campbell, stay out of movies!



3. Is it a horror movie with some very, very funny elements? Or is it a comedy with some very, very scary elements? (I'd say it's the first one.) Either way, it is over-the-top gory and terrifying and hilarious and entertaining. I've seen it probably 20 times, and it still shocks and delights every time.



4. I have to say that Evil Dead 2 is a great movie in popculture history, like Star Wars or the Blues Brothers. It is a great dvd to have in any collection, and in this awsome dvd case you get so much for your money. Its not only the DVD but the Necronomicon. its pages have special incantations that can be translated. the book is covered in a prosthetic rubber so it has that halloween smell to it and if you press its one good eye it screams. this is a great buy



5. If you liked the first Evil Dead movie then this will be a nice refresher of some very similar scenarios. After seemingly escaping with his life intact, Ash is back in a cabin! I tell you that boy has no common sense but without his poor judgment who else would release demons back onto our domain? So back in the cabin - check, new girlfriend - check, recycled gift given ( necklace) to new girlfriend since the last one died - check, demon book in cabin - check, tape recorder with the words needed to release the evil - check...we are back in business! Ash gets back to doing what he knows best - unleashing havoc into the world of the living. One would think that he has joined some wicked book of the month club, where the books end up getting people killed as he's always finding them. Best part is that the action starts right of the bat, there is no sitting around waiting to be attacked and when few more people get stranded in the cabin the real fun begins.
   
   This movie was insane, I mean bug out crazy! All the things you think you'd do in your wildest dreams come to life - horror style. Not only is Ash running in circles from the menacing evil, but his own body turns on him and starts to betray him, leaning towards the dark side. Best part was the puppets again, there were some gooey gross faces from the demonic possession due to the transformation and sometimes I didn't know whether to laugh or just watch in disbelief.
   
   This movie felt very short in comparison but the ending was fantastic, it really sets you up for a grand finale that I can't wait to watch.
   
   - Kasia S.

5 comments about When Worlds Collide.

1. This is a great movie about the end of the world. No, not by global warming, but by a heavenly body colliding with Earth. A space arc is constructed, and everyone fights for a seat. The only negative, there does not seem to be any racial diversity on the all-white flight.



2. 
   This movie freaked me out when I was 5 (in mid 1970s). Now it is so kitsch I just can't stop laughing.
   
   As background scenarios, it uses oil-painted canvas; the rocket has propane gas lighters as fire engines. Acting lines are poor (except for: "You are scientific crackpots! Nothing will happen!"); plus, lip-locked kisses, and the absurd amount of cigarettes they smoke.
   
   Likewise, its sci-fi concepts are beyond illogical even for the genre criteria, such as flying a settler-rocket into a zooming Terran planet that crushes Earth, besides the life lottery in which the doctor's daughter and her boyfriend are absurdly left hors-concour. The overt references to the Bible are amusing, as well as the long show-off scene of a first-generation helicopter. More seriously, it must be noted the complete absence of African-Americans actors.
   
   "When Worlds Collide" kicked off the wave of sci-fi (and horror) movies expressing anxieties over a Nuclear Holocaust during the emerging Cold War: the approaching planet is red, red, red!... As interestingly, the movie also anticipates the white exodus from the city towards suburbia.
   
   All in all, an interesting movie, which I recommend for a hilarious time with some fun friends.



3. "When Worlds Collide" is one of my very favorite Sci-Fi movies. It is based on a book by the same name, co-written by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer (which is a great book with and enjoyable sequel, "After Worlds Collide"). The movie is appropriate for all but the youngest viewers and rates highly on my family's "Lazy Saturday" movie list. The plot is fast moving, the acting is good, and the "classic" special effects are enjoyable (matte-paintings :-)
   
   This is a bargain priced DVD for a fantastic movie! Highly recommended!



4. After DESTINATION MOON and just before WAR OF THE WORLDS, Pal's adaption of The Phillip Wylie/Edwin Balmer classic is, itself, a classic. Effects that were top of the line for the early 1950's but may seem abit lame to today's viewers. The grand daddy of all disaster movies, this is one film it would be interesting see it remade with CGI. Still an wonderfully entertaining film. Have to admit, except for John Hoyt as a ruthless cripped millionaire (his man servant is played by a guy whose name escapes me who ended up in either Petticoat Junction or Green Acres) and Barbara Rush I can't think of anything else I've seen the rest of the cast in.



5. I loved the book (and it's sequel, After Worlds Collide) when I was young. The movie is certainly not as good, but still a lot of fun. Its too bad they never made a movie of the sequel.