UltimateDisney.com/DVDizzy.com Reviews: Discussion Thread

[Escapay]

Excellent review of Dr. Zhivago, Luke.



I'm a little annoyed that the isolated score is gone, and even more annoyed that the new documentary isn't on the second disc (there's enough room for it). I'm guessing they simply wanted to re-use the existing Disc 2 files for authoring without having to add the documentary, and since they were removing the iso score and using a new-ish transfer for the first disc, figured they could put it there.

Can't wait to pick it up on Tuesday, it'll be the fourth Lean film in my collection (the other three being Brief Encounter, Lawrence of Arabia, and my favorite, Ryan's Daughter).

albert

[Luke]

Thanks! It's the third Lean film in my collection (besides the two Best Picture winners). I've still got to see some more of his films, two being ones you mentioned and another being <i>A Passage to India</i> (which I'm really interested to see how/if he changed his styles for his final film, made so much later than the rest). Actually, after those three, I'll have seen almost his entire resume, which is slimmer than I realized. I've yet to see a David Lean movie I haven't enjoyed.

[Escapay]

Thanks! It's the third Lean film in my collection (besides the two Best Picture winners). I've still got to see some more of his films, two being ones you mentioned and another being <i>A Passage to India</i> (which I'm really interested to see how/if he changed his styles for his final film, made so much later than the rest). Actually, after those three, I'll have seen almost his entire resume, which is slimmer than I realized. I've yet to see a David Lean movie I haven't enjoyed.

Awesome. I still have yet to see A Passage to India, along with several of his earlier films. I wasn't that keen on The Bridge on the River Kwai when I first saw it, so I'll probably have to give it a re-viewing one of these days.

albert

[Luke]

I think <i>Bridge</i> might actually be my favorite. I'm looking forward to revisiting it for my Oscar Project - it's been too long since I last saw it. Speaking of Best Pictures, seeing <i>The Best Years of Our Lives</i> again completely changed my opinion of that film (for the better). I recommend you check out Lean's two Dickens films from the '40s if you haven't seen them.

[Disney Duster]

Great job reviewing Avatar, Kelvin!

I thought it was very acute talking about the different criticisms and goings on about Avatar, relating the hype, behind the scenes, and common views into how the film itself is (even though other reviews also sometimes do this to a degree, here I found it especially relevant) I think your own say on how the film really is sounded very fair and accurate.

Hopefully people (and especially James Cameron himself) recognize that Titanic is a much better film and the true "king of the world". Unless James loved this one much more in his own heart, but hopefully he realizes how he feels about it is by far not how everyone feels.

[blackcauldron85]

I finally got around to reading Kelvin's Avatar review. I'm waiting to buy it until it's cheaper (and I would like the 2-hour documentary). I think you definitely accurately portrayed the hype vs. quality of the film really well...if that makes sense. Good job! Is the last picture really of Jake & Neytiri, though? Granted, I haven't seen the film since I saw it months back, but I don't recall the sides of Jake's head not having hair...?

[Escapay]

I know this isn't Review-Feedback related, but since Duster said that he thinks people should recognize that Titanic is better than Avatar, it got me thinking of how I'd rank the James Cameron films I've seen (based on favorite, not based on best)...

1. Aliens (1986)
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
3. Avatar (2009)
4. Titanic (1997)
5. The Terminator (1984)
6. True Lies (1994)
7. The Abyss (1989)

Haven't seen:
Xenogenesis (1978 )
Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)
Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)
Aliens of the Deep (2005)

albert

[David S.]

Luke,

I enjoyed reading your review of Peanuts 1970's Collection, Vol 2 - great job! I am looking forward to adding this to my collection, and finally having the long-awaited "What A Nightmare, Charlie Brown" on DVD! I'm also glad to hear that some of the episodes got a better looking transfer than they had on their original Warner debuts as bonus episodes.

Thanks for your continuing coverage of the Peanuts specials on DVD!

David

[Luke]

Thanks for the encouraging feedback, David!

[David S.]

No problem! I also forgot to mention I've been really enjoying the new "Best Picture Oscars Project" as well.

Your review of Rebecca was very timely for me because I just saw it two weeks ago for the first time in my life as part of the ongoing "Classic Movie Series" at the beloved Prytania Theatre in Uptown New Orleans - the last single-screen neighborhood theatre left in the state. So the movie was really fresh in my mind while reading the review.

I really enjoyed this movie (more in fact than some of the more high-profile Hitchcocks) even though it's in a genre I don't watch much.
(Animation, fantasy, musicals, animals, and "family" films are my main genres).

But it was really well-done and kept me guessing as to how the whole thing would be resolved and I, too was glad to see the main protagonists come out okay in the end with nothing tragic or sinister happening to them. (well, other than losing their house, but at least they didn't die or anything) ). I also agree that the one major plot point changed from the novel made it much easier to emphathize with Maxim deWinter.

I've by now seen most of the most well-known Hitchcock films and think all of the ones I've seen are very well made. I really enjoyed many (North By Northwest, To Catch A Thief, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Rear Window), while others were too grisly and creepy for my taste (Psycho and perhaps even moreso, the morbid Rope). I'm glad to say Rebecca makes my list of favorite Hitchcock films.

Next week I'll be seeing another classic Hitchcock film I've never seen before at the same venue - Dial M For Murder.

Looking forward to your upcoming review of Casablanca, which I saw for the first time last summer as part of that same classic film series and really enjoyed. I'm also looking forward to the eventual reviews of Around the World In 80 Days, My Fair Lady, The Sound Of Music, and Oliver!, all of which I've been a longtime fan of.

David

PS. One of the things I've always enjoyed about The Moon Spinners was the Hitchcockian suspense vibe, which made it somewhat unique among the Disney live-action films of that era. The windmill sequence comes to mind as one example.

PPS. Despite my thumbs up for Rebecca, my vote for Best Picture of 1940 would have been Walt Disney's Pinocchio

[Luke]

That's very cool that you got to see <i>Rebecca</i> on the big screen. After my most recent viewing, I do agree that it's better than some of Hitchcock's most-celebrated stuff. <i>Dial M for Murder</i> is one of the very few well-known Hitchcocks I still have yet to see.

I agree that <i>Pinocchio</i> is a superior film to <i>Rebecca</i>, but with the latter being one of my two favorites so far viewed for this project, I'm less apt to be bothered by it than I would be. There are enough winners that don't do much for me (<i>Emile Zola</i>, <i>How Green Was My Valley</i>) released in years with since-recognized classics that make me want to do some fist-shaking.

[blackcauldron85]

The Starstruck review was fun to read, even though I liked the movie (not the best DCOM, but I really enjoyed it, even though the music wasn't too good for the most part). Especially if there's only $3 between the DVD and DVD + CD combo, I'll get the combo- I do like at least a couple of the songs.

[Luke]

Thanks! Glad you thought so.

[blackcauldron85]

Nice She's Out of My League review, Luke! I didn't know that the DVD was coming out Tuesday, though- I don't know when the date was released, but the last I checked it didn't have a date...I wouldn't have gone clothes shopping this week had I known- I've been looking forward to rewatching this one. I thought it was funnier than you did, but your review was pretty spot-on, anyway, except when it came to the funny parts.

[PeterPanfan]

I just skimmed the new reviews, but read the <i>When in Rome</i> one since Kristen Bell was starring, and I love her. I didn't expect it to be a masterpiece or anything near one, but I was hoping it would still be enjoyable. Hmmm.

[Lazario]

Alright, I'm GONNA SAY IT...

http://www.dvdizzy.com/starkravingblack.html

"Biting, left-leaning, and profane, buyers should beware of the concert's content but should also know that its divisive and sometimes offensive content is outweighed by abundant entertainment."

I knew, I just knew that Aaron was going to slip in something like that. That is wholly condescending (he might as well say, "it's wrong but, oh well, it's entertaining!") to intelligent people (he doesn't even have the decency to add "right-leaning" before sayinig "buyers," he just speaks for everyone) and pandering to a certain part of the population - and suggesting they are superior to others. Also again (Golden Girls review; "surprise, Dorothy is a Democrat") suggesting anything Left is inherently bad or dangerous. I knew I would find him doing something like that. And worst of all- I am livid that that actually bothers me or how it in a way, follows the ALMOST putting-personal-feelings-aside tone to all the paragraphs above.

It is a serious conflict of interests to have a man like that writing for and partly running a Disney entertainment site. I've thought it all this time and now I'm saying it. Now that I think it's gone too far. To make the least of it, it's mixing something for children with political and religious agendas when the two should never go together (none of the 3 should ever go together, in fact, but at least I believe in letting individual families decide for themselves when their children should be fed opinions of one side or the other- instead of doing what Aaron did and just assume they share my view anyway). Or else it does what it's always done- teach children to adopt the beliefs of a part of the population who want to control our freedom rights and make decisions for us that directly affect our personal bodies and lives negatively, even though they are our rights and freedoms and not anyone's to give.

I still don't sense that there is someone willing to be as outspoken to the contrary of what Aaron believes writing for DVDizzy. And that probably bothers me even more than anything else. The reason I felt this whole thing had to be commented on at some point.


Anyway, I had to get that off my chest. Take it however you want or disregard it altogether. I'm more outraged than anything, and contrary to the more extreme claims, I don't actually think Aaron should be changed or removed or anything like that (before you laugh... I'm well aware that this would never happen and yeah, his credit 'round here is always in better standing than mine, but I'm speaking from the real in me to make it as clear as I can; absurd though it may be it still clarifies my thinking). At the very least, someone who remembers all too well the treatment Americans received under Bush & Company (we'll piss all over you and you'd better like it while mainstream conservative political "analysts" spin our arrogance and contempt for you to make it seem like we're really doing all this for your benefit- not our wallets), had to say it's a shame there is no voice for people like us to at least disagree with the kind of attitude it takes to write something like (the above) without being clear that some part of him regards us as sheep. (C'mon; he couldn't have thought no one would notice- to me, it's as plainly put as an "Amen!" in church)

[AwallaceUNC]

Anyway, I had to get that off my chest.

I'm glad you finally got the chance to tell UD what you really think of me!

[Lazario]

I know- long overdue, right?

[David S.]

Aaron,

I really enjoyed BOTH of your reviews of the new Disney Parks boxed set! Great job!

I am glad to see that none of the BD bonus features were excluded from the 6-disc DVD set. (This is how you can tell it's not a WDSHE release )

I do feel bad for the BD fans who only get 3 of the 6 episodes on their preferred format.

I was thinking of waiting awhile to get this due to the rumors of a deluxe, park-exclusive set with more bonus features. However, I just got back from WDW and they didn't even have the regular versions, much less anything deluxe.

If nothing is announced soon, I'll just go ahead and pick up the 6-disc set, and as a park DVD collector, am looking forward to adding this to my collection!

Thanks again for the thorough breakdown of these sets, and keep up the great work on these reviews! As a big Disney Parks fan, it's great to see more coverage of the genre on UD!

PS. While at WDW this year, I did pick up the relatively new 2-disc "Magic Kingdom: Imagineering the Magic" DVD, which is an official "Disney Theme Park Merchandise" release and the second of this series (DL was the first). For those who don't have this, I find it to be a nice companion to the main Magic Kingdom souvenir DVD referenced in your review (which I also really enjoy and is thankfully still available as well).

While the original Disney Theme Park Merchandise souvenir DVDs for the 4 WDW parks generally last 30 minutes and present a fun (if short) travelogue summary of most of the attractions available in each park, the main, 64 minute feature on the "Imagineering the Magic" DVD reminded me more of what a Platinum Edition "Making Of" would be like if they did one on the parks. Lots of background on the history and development of the MK, and lots of Imagineers talking about why certain design choices were made and why some attractions were altered or replaced. There are some pretty cool bonus features as well, such the original Walt and Roy Disney Press Conference announcing the "Florida Project", Roy O. Disney's Magic Kingdom dedication speech, and a nice gallery of Imagineering concept art from the Magic Kingdom.

[Lazario]

Gee... is it me or was the Family Guy review a little too... how shall I put this... moral? (You know... just a little)

Kelvin's smart though- he seems to understand that the key to condemning something is not to make it seem attractive with a bunch of synonyms for "evil." His "oh, it's too" this "when it should be more" that is exactly the thing you write or say to make people go like this:



Rather than this:



Or this:



Surely, I can't be the only person in this community who's in-touch with their dark side... (Enough to understand the appeal of a show "hell-bent on being crass propaganda," though I agree it's a cruddy show usually and personally feel it's the palest rip-off of The Simpsons there ever was and/or will-be)

Oh and, South Park is juvenile, crass, outright stupid, sometimes downright vile (therefore- worthy of the hate it gets from some)... But it is most certainly not "devoid of cleverness." And that's not an opinion- it's a fact.