DVD Review Thread

[Reply #40 on:]

"Law and Order: The First Year"

This six-disk set is now the crown jewel of my DVD collection.  Even though I would have been pleased with a mere compilation of the first season's episodes, the production crew went above and beyond the call of duty by adding flashy intros, animated menus, and special features (concentrated on the first disk) featuring a rare interview with series crator Dick Wolf.  My only concern is the re-titling of the setting establishments (think white letters on a black background with the "b'doonk b'doonk" noise).  I can distinctly remember the titling of the series pilot having an almost 'Wild West' look to it, whereas the DVD uses the current fonts.  I've had a good time showing these old episodes to my folks, who only came on board the L&O wagon during the reign of Cool Cast #2.  I give this set eight out of eight stars, and I recommend it to any fan of the series.

[Reply #41 on:]

i don't have it yet, but my second favorite DVD will be the Slipknot DVD that just came out. They stuck cameras on themselves and then recorded a couple of shows like that. I'm suprised thy even got footage, the way their live shows are.

[Reply #42 on:]

This week I'm gonna get Buffy S3.

[Reply #43 on:]

Of course, one can't forget to mention the futurama DVD's that will FINALLY be released soon in the US...

EDIT: b'doonk b'doonk?
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[}:)]   O-Þ 
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[Reply #44 on:]

Lawrence of Arabia, another David Lean Classic. Restored, reedited and remastered. 3hrs and 38 mins. Today's films are no match for this one.

[Reply #45 on:]

The Bourne Identity

Got this disk for my birthday.  Great Movie, and a good set of extra's.  Alternate ending (more of the same, slightly expanding on the love interest), behind the scenes, and some trailers (one for Hulk, and one for Johnny English).  The directors commentary I haven't seen yet, but judging by the commentary for "Go" by Doug Liman, it should be good.

[Reply #46 on:]

Blast!!
Must see that, I have a backlog of films I want to see stuck in my head.

PCC FRED!! Get in here and review Red Dwarf DVD's dagnammit!

Shawshank Redemption:
There's some good interviews, character biographies, the trailer and you can play all the subplots seperately. It's a double sided disc with widescreen on one side, normal on the other. Great to have on DVD.

Snatch:
Now this was a good DVD, only got a lend of it though.
2 discs packed full of digital goodness.
Commentary, behind the scenes, deleted scenes, interviews, filmographies, production notes and photos and a few hidden features which I wasn't arsed to find.

Can anyone tell me how to get the easter eggs on Episode 2 and LOTR: Fellowship discs?

[Reply #47 on:]

Ha! I contemplated creating a "DVD Feature Reviews" thread, but thought twice and searched for old threads. Lo and behold -- here it is. So, without further delay:

--BUMP--

I just got X-Men 1.5, and I am thoroughly impressed. Lots of specials that the first DVD lacked, in my opinion. Nice menus, too.  I didn't ever buy the first one; did it have director commentary, too?

One of my favorite DVDs is Zoolander; it's funny enough on its own, but the deleted stuff is great, and the transfer is really nice. Beautiful, bright colors. Both of the special editions for the Terminator movies are fantastic, as is the one for The Abyss. The Superbit version of Panic Room is gorgeous, and the sound is amazing.

[Reply #48 on:]

   

Originally posted by Kryten:
This week I'm gonna get Buffy S3.

I would get buffy dvds but each season comes in 2 parts, so its to much hassle.
amelie is even better on dvd than in the movies, im to lazy to watch special features but will get around to it.

[Reply #49 on:]

 

Originally posted by Impossible:
The Simpsons : Treehouse of Horror
I liked this DVD, as it had 3 of my favourite episodes (5, 6 & 7), plus #12, which I hadn't seen. There was only a featurette of Kang & Kodos with it, but I enjoyed the DVD   

I've got that DVD too, it's a cool comp. My fave is the one with 'Homer 3' in it. They're all awesome eps, I guess the newer one lacks a little, but it's still very good compared to other new Simpsons eps, and the opening rules 

[Reply #50 on:]

Fox just released the amazing and wonderful gangster flick Miller's Crossing. I could not recommend a movie more highly. Give it a rent!

[Reply #51 on:]

Has anyone here picked up any of the first seasons of the original Transformers TV show on DVD? It looks cool, and I want to get some of them along with Transformers: The Movie, but it's pretty expensive.

[Reply #52 on:]

I saw an original Batman TV series DVD with "Holy Special Edition Batman!!" on the top of it.

It's those little things that keep me going. 

[Reply #53 on:]

 

Originally posted by LAN.gnome:
Has anyone here picked up any of the first seasons of the original Transformers TV show on DVD? It looks cool, and I want to get some of them along with Transformers: The Movie, but it's pretty expensive.

I haven't got the TV series, but I have got TF : The Movie. It probably has my favourite soundtrack (that's just my taste). The original seasons were much better, IMHO - Optimus was a much better leader than Rodimus  .

[Reply #54 on:]

Yeah, you've gotta love Weird Al's "Dare to be Stupid." I like "You've Got the Touch" in an 80's nostalgia knind of way.

Any movie that has Leonard Nimoy, Orson Welles, Eric Idle, and Robert Stack all as voice talent is a hit in my book!

[Reply #55 on:]

Good lord, someone actually dug this thread up.  Good thing too, as I'd like to review my new "Family Guy" Volume One.

"Family Guy" Volume One DVD

This is a good DVD set featuring a great show.  As everyone probably knows this set features seasons one and two of "Family Guy", but it also contains several Fox promos for the show that feature, what appears to be, early, crude animation sequences not seen in any episodes (that I've seen anyway).  The set also contains a "Making of..." featurette that leaves a lot to be desired.  The FG DVD represents the first time I've ever seen an explicit content warning for the audio commentary, which is still quite hilarious and insightful.

Technically speaking the DVD is fairly unremarkable.  Each disk features an animated main menu featuring clips from the episodes on the disk, while the episode menus are fairly static.  The image quality itself is good, as is audio (there's a whole other dimension to television when you run it through a Bose WaveRadio).

Overall I'd give this set seven of eight stars.  I'm tempted to give it eight, but I know that's just because I miss "Family Guy" so much.

[Reply #56 on:]

Some Music DVD reviews:

U2 Elevation 2001: Live in Boston
This is a great concert from a great band, and any fan of a good show should get this dvd. The extras are numerous but not very interesting though, with crowd cam and directers cam only fun for a few minutes.
The sound quality is fantastic and if you play it loud enough you will swear you are at the show.
10/10

Jamiroquai: Live in Verona
I had high expectations for this DVD because I had heard so much about Jamiroquai in concert, but when I got it I was a bit disappointed. The concert is quite short, and the extras hardly make up for this.
Dispite all this is it is still a great show and a must have for all hard core Jamiroquai fans, but the lesser fan should take some time to think it over before buying it.
7/10

Bon Jovi - The Crush Tour: Live in Zurich
This concert is relatively good, and the show is quite long and contains all their hits from the bands extensive career. Sound quality is not as good as the U2 concert but still good enough.
The extras are a few film clips and interviews, which are quite good.
8/10

[Reply #57 on:]

     

Originally posted by VelourFog:
       

Originally posted by ~FazeShift~:
VF?         
Cos there's no special features?

the bold was added to help you understand:

people that think full screen movies are better than widescreen make me sad

Amen!

Fullscreen sucks.
Also, on my Big Lebowski DVD you can choose whether you want to see the film in 4:3 or 16:9...     

Black Hawk Down

Jerry Bruckheimer decided to do a good film for once and hired a good director (Ridley Scott). With some extensive support by US Army, Scott made a great film about the events in Somalia 1993 which claimed the lives of 18 US Soldiers and about 1000 Somalis.

The feature film is in 1:2.40 (now that can be considered to be Widescreen), it has three(!) commentary tracks, among them one with the director Ridley Scott, but also one with actual SF Operators which were involved in the real operation '93.

On the second Disk there are several  deleted/alternate scenes, featurettes about how the actors received some Military training, how the film was done, on-set photos and much more...

IMHO a great DVD of a great film...

[Reply #58 on:]

Has anyone watched LOTR: Fellowship with the commentaries on? I'm obviously talking about the Platinum Extended edition here. I've watched everything else on the DVDs, but I want to know which commentary track to invest three-and-one-half hours of my life in.

[Reply #59 on:]

South Park Season 2
 I picked up  this shiny new collection yesterday. I love south park (seconed only to futurama imo) but I was disapointed by the lack of commentary and unlike the first season you can't even send away for it because it doesn't exist. I would give it 7/10 but it would have gotton a 9 had there been more extras other than a music video and documentary.

[Reply #60 on:]

 

Originally posted by LAN.gnome:
I want to know which commentary track to invest three-and-one-half hours of my life in.

I'd say the actors one, it's the funniest. Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan are great. 

[Reply #61 on:]

Actors one indeed, the rest can get a little technical..

Most recently purchased:

O Brother where art thou...

The coen brothers couldn't make a bad movie if they tried. This is solid gold with some decent special features including the music vid for "man of constant sorrow".

Most valued in collection...

Evil Dead: Book of the Dead Edition

A good print of one of my favourite movies that comes in a gruesome latex necronomicon with the history of the movie in a booklet and all the prints from the actual book replicated in the eh... replica. Bruce Campbells documentary about fans is both terrifying and entertaining.

Battle Royale: Special Edition

Comes with extended scenes, a shiny box and a cell from a cinema print. The special features are fairly comprehensive with every bit of promotional footage included with documentaries and other titbits.

[Reply #62 on:]

I have recently also fallen in love with DVD's. I need more! I only have limited money though, but they are really cool. My girlfriend has 120+ movie dvd's, which is really awsome.

I'm a fan of music dvd's (see above for 3 reviews of some) so here it is, the review from the latest DVD to grace my DVD player.

Queen - Live at Wembley 1986
2 Disc Set
The concert itself is extremely good, with a great set list. The sound quality is excellent, however the video quality is not that great (being filmed 17 years ago explains that). The second disc has a number of extras like documentary types of things etc., nothing really special although they are not bad.
Overall a good DVD set, a must for all Queen fans and a must for all music DVD fans.
9/10

[Reply #63 on:]

Just bought the three Lecter movies in a box set.

Red Dragon 8 out of 10

Silence of the Lambs 10 out of 10

Hannibal 7 out of 10

Special Features are great on the two newer ones and decent on Silence.

[Reply #64 on:]

John Callahan's QUADS - The Best Of Series One
"When people laugh like hell then say, 'That's not funny.' you can be sure they're talking about John Callahan."
Quads is the John Callahan cartoon made as a joint project in both Canada and Australia. This set contains the 7 best episodes of the first season. The thing which makes this DVD stand out from others are however the extras.
 
Extras
Callahan; He Won't Get Far On Foot. (Documentary on creator, John Callahan)
How Much Is That Window In The Doggie? (1991 rare cartoon by John Callahan)
Interview with the Australian Director, Steve French)
Interview with John Callahan
I Think I Was An Alcoholic (1993 rare short film by John Callahan)
The Making of the Music (Documentary on the music in Quads)

The interviews are quite lengthy and informative. The episodes although there are only 7, are highly enjoyable to watch. The extras make this the best DVD set in my collection, even better than the Futurama ones. While the animation may not be up to Futurama standards, and the comedy is certainly more twisted, I view Quads up there with my favourite shows.

Overall I would give this set 10/10.

[Reply #65 on:]

I just bought the DVD to Alaxander Payne's Election, one of my favourite films of 1999.  At first, this disc seems like a case of "When Bad DVDs Happen To Good Movies": Only one entry in the special featurs section.  Doesn't even have a tailer.  But theat one special featurs is audio commentary from Payne and WOW!  Perhaps the best cmmentary I've ever heard, as he points out themes and visual motifs he tried to imbue in the film (to various degrees of success).  I got the disc at a Blockbuster in a "2 for $30" section (with South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, a truly pathetic disc for another great film from '99), and if you enjoy this film as much as I do, that's really the best way to pick up this disc (although you need not necessarily get South Park; I also saw in the same section Chinatown, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, From Hell {both the 2-disc and single disc version, be careful!}, Ginger Snaps and the 2-disc director's cut of Oliver Stone's Nixon).

Another dics I'd reccomed if you have $100 to spend is the Criterion Collection's 3-disc set for Terry Gilliam's Brazil.  Disc 1 contains the ultimate director's cut of the film, with commentary by Gilliam.  Disc 2 contaitns several special features inclusing a documentary on the battle over te film between Universal and Gilliam, synopsis outlining the film's changes through diffrent drafts of the screenplay, and a making-of documentary that shows an interesting special effects scene that was cut from the final film.  Dics 3 contains the studio's cut of the film (which originally aired as the movie's TV screening) with commentary by a Gilliam expert.  Excellent, thourough package.

EDIT: I just read my review over and realized how it sounded, so I'd like to add that no, I do not work for Blockbuster.  I just got a little carried away with the deal.

[Reply #66 on:]

SuperBump from the last page.

ALIAS Season 1 box set.
It came yesterday from America and it's absolutely brilliant. I'm only up to disc 2 of 6 so there's plenty more to watch. This series really impressed me (I never really got into 24) with it's plot turns and cliffhangers (plus, Jennifer Garner is much hotter than Keifer Sutherland). Luckily my region free player has NTSC mode so it doesn't judder along like an old tractor and it's got plenty of special features including audio commentary on each episode.
Score: A

[Reply #67 on:]

If this hasn't been mentioned already, then:

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring-Special Extended DVD Edition

All I can say is: damn.

and according to the Two Towers DVD, the special extended version (November) is gonna have 200 extra shots put back in...so we will finally see the scene where Faramir comes upon the boat carrying the dead Boromir....

[Reply #68 on:]

 

Originally posted by SlaytanicMaggot:
and according to the Two Towers DVD, the special extended version (November) is gonna have 200 extra shots put back in...so we will finally see the scene where Faramir comes upon the boat carrying the dead Boromir....

Faramir: *sniff, sniff* What smells like a jockstrap? ...OH GOD!

BNLbum Recommends:
Donnie Darko
If you haven't seen the film already, do it. A mere ten dollars at Best Buy, I purchased the DVD without having seen the movie (damn you Blockbuster) and havne't looked back. Extra features worth having: Deleted scenes offer further insight into the character's nuances and a bit of modification on the plot, The Philosophy of Time Travel is included (NOW it makes sense!), and the director commentary with Jake Gahallahawhatever includes the most hilarious impression of Christopher Walken ever. Also thorwn into the mix are hilarious promotional materials for the self-help company and a Mad World music video. What's not to love?

[Reply #69 on:]

KoRn - Deuce

This is basically all of KoRn's videos from the 90's, and a documentary called 'Who Then Now' as well. The menus are really artistic and creative, but also they're some of the worst designed menus in the history of DVD. It's set in a morgue, themed on the A.D.I.D.A.S video. But there's no text, just various items and tunnels and stuff you go through, but you have no idea where you're going.

Aside from that, the videos are quality, when you finally find them. There's 10 altogather, plus a remix vid of 'Make Me Bad' too. I love KoRn's videos, some of them are almost like mini movies. The sound and picture quality is all awesome, and the 'Who Then Now' documentary is really clool and interesting too. Also there's various other bits and pieces scattered round, and some short behind the scenes of some of their videos.

Not the greatest DVD, and some really hard to navigate menus. But the videos themselves are fantastic, and well worth the price on there own. If you're a fan, it's definately worth looking into 

[Reply #70 on:]

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life: Special Edition

Went to the store mexpecting to walk out with Billy Wilder's kiss Me, Stupid, but I saw this 2-disc set within my price range and immediatly changed my mind.  Monty Python's most obscene, vulgar, violent, smutty and uneven film comes to special edition DVD!  When it bombs, boy does it eve, but when it's good, it's Python's best.  Some very funny extras, similar in spirit to the ones included on last year's Holy Grail special edition.  Worth it for Python fans and fans of extreme comedy, all others beware: The film is not for children (it's barely for adolescents, for that matter).

Grade: B-

[Reply #71 on:]

Is there a commentary on that?

[Reply #72 on:]

Nevermind.

[Reply #73 on:]

Yeah.  The 2 Terrys provide a commentary track, and there's a "soundtrack for people who are lonley" which the DVD credits list as performed by Michael Palin and Friends.

[Reply #74 on:]

 

Originally posted by Otis P Jivefunk:
KoRn - Deuce

Do you have the "Live At Hammerstein" DVD?  I've been thinking about getting both for a while now.

[Reply #75 on:]

 

Originally posted by Melllvar:
 Do you have the "Live At Hammerstein" DVD?  I've been thinking about getting both for a while now.

Yeah, and a Family Values tour one as well, but I've only bought Deuce so far.

[Reply #76 on:]

Deuce looked good when it came out, but I got buyers remorse when I was going to get it.  The live one seems to a little short on tracks (compared to other longform music releases), and also a little pointless to put on two discs.

I saw it in the last HMV sale, and missed the opportunity to buy it.  Same with Deuce, and LP's "Frat Party At The Pancake Festival".

[Reply #77 on:]

*bump*

24 - Season 2:
Pretty fantastic. I love the show, and, while this season wasn't as good as the first, it's probably more rewatchable as there's more action. The picture quality just astoundingly great, and this has way more special features than the s1 DVD (that was just one alternate ending and a ten-second clip of Kiefer talking about s2). The out-takes and stuff are pretty cool, but the best bit is the episodes themselves, and I'm only one sixth of the way through. Yay!

[Reply #78 on:]

Doctor Who: The Ark in Space

This is one of the better episodes of the 4th Doctor's, especially considering that it's in his first season.  There's lots of extras on the disk, including the ability to switch from the original space fx, to all new cgi fx of the space station.  There's also commentary by Tom Baker(the Doctor), Elisabeth Sladen(Sarah Jane) and Philip Hinchcliffe(Producer).  This is something that I'm looking forward to watching some more over the weekend.

[Reply #79 on:]

I would just like to complain about Warner Brothers DVDs, not that there's anything wrong with the DVDs themselves. It's just that hey're all in those cheap unattractive cardboard cases! Does anybody know if they'll ever transfer to the good old plastic, shiny ones?