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“Superman Returns” 2-Disc Special Edition Review

“Superman Returns” 2-Disc Special Edition Review

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One of the most anticipated movies of the year, Superman Returns has finally arrived on DVD. Receiving a mixed-to-positive response, Superman Returns has finally brought the classic hero back to the big screen in a very unexpected, way. While Superman flew on the big screen, can he fly on DVD? Short answer: Yes! Now, this movie was definitely not what I expected when I first viewed it during the Tuesday night sneak peek back in June 2006. I expected something to pay homage to the classic Richard Donner Superman films, but not be directly linked to them. I was initially skeptical of this venture, but was surprised at how well it paid off. What we get is Superman’s return to Earth after a lengthy absence, a story that can also easily reflect the long absence of the Man of Steel from the big screen. But now he’s back, and, clearly not everyone is happy about it. On-screen villains aside, many moviegoers were upset over how faithful Bryan Singer played to

“The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection” DVD Review

“The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection” DVD Review

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Fans that weren’t satisfied with the 2000 Superman: The Movie DVD release will no doubt be enthralled with this four-disc special edition. For the first time on DVD, the original 1978 film with remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 as well as the 2000 Expanded Edition are included on one set, along with two other discs full of special features. There’s no denying that Christopher Reeve’s may have been the pinnacle Superman/Clark Kent combo and he is certainly one of the most enjoyable aspects of the Reeve’s Superman anthology…but, the films really don’t hold up too well in other aspects. I’ve been harsh on the series before (notably III and IV only…but…c’mon, how lenient can you be on those?) but having watched the Donner Cut of Superman II recently and re-watching this first film…I have to say I found it all a lot more enjoyable. I won’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy Superman Returns more than the Donner films, but there is a certain magic that these old films still have.

“Supergirl” DVD Review

“Supergirl” DVD Review

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There are a handful of superhero movies I never want to watch again in my lifetime. The first on that list was Batman & Robin, which is a given. A year or so ago, The Punisher, Superman III and Superman IV joined the list. Now, in less than ten minutes into the film, Supergirl has joined the ranks of…rank. Some films I never went near simply from word of mouth. With the onslaught of Superman DVDs that came out this past year (and more recently, November 28th), it wasn’t hard to see that Supergirl would get another DVD release (although the 2-disc Anchor Bay release from 2000 appears to easily eclipse this DVD in terms of extra content), though I really wish it didn’t. The film starts out sensibly enough, but once Supergirl gets to Earth everything goes downhill. How she knows so much about Earth immediately (and yet later asks what a “train” is), that her cousin, Clark Kent is Superman on Earth, how to work a type writer

“Superman II: The Donner Cut” DVD Review

“Superman II: The Donner Cut” DVD Review

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One of the most anticipated Superman DVD releases ever is finally hitting DVD on November 28th and it’s not the fourteen disc set that has everyone talking (though that is a pretty awesome looking DVD set). No, it’s the Richard Donner cut of Superman II, which to sum up in a few words, is a much better film than the Richard Lester version that was released. For those that loved Lester’s work in Superman II, you may want to look away from this DVD –while I don’t think Lester is mentioned more than a few times by name, the crew that worked on Superman II after Donner was disbanded get frequent slamming by Donner and crew. Not so much in the documentary, but in the commentary…the commentary gets pretty bitter feeling after awhile. There is a fair share of new scenes and recut footage for this release, as to be expected, as well as some of Lester’s combined footage to make the film feel complete. The story in both versions

“Superman Returns” 2-Disc Special Edition Review

“Superman Returns” 2-Disc Special Edition Review

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Those who talked to me prior to the theatrical release of Superman Returns knew I was extremely excited for the film. The trailers, the suit, the actors…I was pumped for all of it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Reeve’s films (by “biggest” I mean “not at all”—more on this in my upcoming “Christopher Reeve’s Collection” review) and Singer’s apparent mirroring of the Donner films oddly didn’t have me worried. It was Singer, after all; I love (and own) his X-Men films and to me the man could do no wrong when it came to superheroes and it had to be better than the campy Reeve’s films. Those who talked to me after the theatrical release of Superman Returns were greatly confused by my new stance on the film. Upon exiting the theater after seeing Superman Returns, I was met with a range of emotions but they all boiled down to “well, that sucked.” Hype had once again killed any enjoyment I could have cultivated from the film; it

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” 2-Disc Special Edition Review

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” 2-Disc Special Edition Review

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When the first Pirates of the Caribbean film was released in theaters it was a quick success and one of the favorite summer films of 2003. The film appealed to those of all ages as it was simply a great and entertaining action film that hit on all the points that make a good film (director, writers, characters, actors and, of course, story) and it came as no surprise to me that the sequel, Dead Man’s Chest, opened to huge numbers. What did surprise me is just how much it made in theaters (I think that surprised just about everyone), but if there are plenty of fans like my sister who saw it six times within the first two weeks of its theatrical run, it’s no surprise who the film made so much. Whether you enjoyed the cliffhanging ending of Dead Man’s Chest or not, you cannot deny that it was one hell of an awesome ride along the way. Only the third installment will tell whether it was worth

“Six Feet Under: The Complete Series” DVD Box Set Review

“Six Feet Under: The Complete Series” DVD Box Set Review

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It’s hard to review something like Six Feet Under: The Complete Series (2001 – 2005). There’s a good chance that fans of the series already own all the season sets for Six Feet Under, and viewers who have never watched the show may bulk at buying a box collection of the entire series. True, some will see this as an excellent time to buy the series on DVD, others will pass it over. No matter whom the audience is, rest assured this is a grand collection to one of HBO’s best and (I believe) underrated series. Six Feet Under: The Complete Series (2001 – 2005) is currently on shelves, having been released on November 14th, 2006, in North America. The collection is also available to order online through many online venues. I’ll say a few brief comments about the show, easily one of HBO’s most underrated series ever. It was sadly pushed aside when the hype surrounding The Sopranos hit, making this series the proverbial “second child” on the network.

“Family Guy: Volume Four” DVD Review

“Family Guy: Volume Four” DVD Review

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The newest collection of Family Guy arrives in Family Guy: Volume Four. Collecting up episodes up to the end of the last season in a nice boxed set, this compilation easily holds some of the better episodes of the newest seasons. If you’re a fan of the series, then you’ll definitely want to pick up this release. If not, I’m not sure if picking up this set would really be worth it. Brought back from cancellation, Family Guy became a victim of its own popularity. While still popular, other shows have started getting their licks in, including The Simpsons and South Park, taking shots at what they find to be faults of the show. Fans of the show are undeterred, enjoying the irreverent and seemingly random styling to the show’s comedy. If anything, the creators behind the series have succeeded in making the show a house-hold name and able to withstand the hefty criticism thrown at it. This collection includes thirteen recent episodes spread over three discs. The first disc

“X-Men: The Last Stand” DVD Review

“X-Men: The Last Stand” DVD Review

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Diving many followers, much like Xavier and Magneto, X-Men: The Last Stand hit theatres hard in May 2006. Raking in over $230 million domestically, the movie was an unquestioned hit. While fans of the franchise may be divided over the decision to bring in Brett Ratner to take over for Bryan Singer in the final installment of the X-Men series, the movie still managed to be the biggest installment vof the franchise to date. Focusing more on action and wrapping up storylines, the movie turned out to be a fine addition to the series, though not the strongest. Minor spoilers from the film follow in this review. In X-Men: The Last Stand, a pharmaceutical “cure” for mutancy threatens to alter the course of history and the stability of the mutant community. For the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their superhuman abilities, though it isolates and alienates them, or give up their unique powers to fit in as “normal.” The opposing viewpoints of peaceful mutant leader Charles Xavier and

“Lost: The Complete Second Season” DVD Review

“Lost: The Complete Second Season” DVD Review

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Lost returns to DVD, bringing the second season of the acclaimed show to home video. Easily topping both the rental and sales charts its’ first week out of the gate, the DVDs have proven to be major winners for Buena Vista Home Entertainment. And why shouldn’t they be? Packed with over eight hours of extras, and the ability to watch the season at a comfortable pace, Lost: The Complete Second Season plays out much better on DVD than on network television. As the official synopsis goes, push the button and prepare to be blown away by the groundbreaking television event USA Today calls “TV’s best series.” The multiple Emmy® Award-winning drama reaches new heights in its spectacular second season as the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 discover they are not alone in their battle against “the Others,” and a contested decision to open the hatch reveals a new realm of mystery and intrigue. Prepare yourself for the DVD experience of Season Two, complete with over 8 hours of original bonus

V for Vendetta 2-Disc Movie Review

V for Vendetta 2-Disc Movie Review

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With V for Vendetta comes a film that carried the weight of the Wachowski Brothers first film since the Matrix Trilogy and another adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novels. Considering what many thought of the final two Matrix films and how much of a hit-or-miss track record Moore’s comics had in their film counterparts (I’d say the majority are all a complete “miss”, Constantine aside), V for Vendetta could’ve crashed and burned. However, by remaining true to its original graphic novel self and the Wachowski’s providing an excellent script, the film prevailed past the negativities both creators’ works have been hit with in the past. And while I’m sure Moore will still ignore the existence of the film, if Frank Miller can have such a turn around in Hollywood, maybe Moore will still see the positives some day. V for Vendetta follows the terrorist V (Hugo Weaving), on his crusade to bring down the tyrannical rule of a future England. Evey (Natalie Portman) meets up with V early on in