UltimateDisney.com/DVDizzy.com Reviews: Discussion Thread

[Pluto Region1]

Oh well, it's been nearly 5½ years of running this site - about 2½ of which have found this a review-driven site - and it's mostly been a lot of fun. I'll continue to hang on and try to keep things going, but feeling personally and financially burnt out, I honestly don't know how much of a future there is to the site in its current form. All of this is really my long-winded way of saying thank you for the feedback. The comments from the few in this thread (you, MadonnasManOne, Pasta67, Loomis, Escapay, CJ, Aaron, Robin Hood, PR Fan, and others) who illustrate that they have read the reviews are largely the only thanks received for what is an enormous amount of work. I appreciate the remarks and would like to thank you all for making it easier to continue doing what may or may not be worth it.

The incredible care and detail in the reviews is what got me interested in this website and why I started collecting the tins and other DVDs (I read them, I buy!) I try to use the codes when ordering as much as possible.

The website is an invaluable resource. But it has got to be a huge job to run such a comprehensive website as this one, with a huge forum to boot, and get those reviews out. My hats off to you, for I have no idea how you manage it. If you've been doing this at this pace for 5+ years it is really a tremendous accomplishment, and a surprise you haven't already collapsed from exhaustion. You need to take care of your health first and foremost.

[Loomis]

I never saw this!
Well, I definetely ditto what Pasta had to say. Luke, is there any way I can contact you personally? I need to ask you a few questions...

Yep, the e-mail link below each of my posts works well.

Just to follow up on what has been said, I know all too well the pain of writing and writing without credit. Any fans of DVDBits - I'm sure there are at least two - will have noticed the quantity dropping off lately. It is just hard to get motivated to do something that might be a labour of love, but is often more 'labour' (that's 'labor' for my American friends) than joy.

In the years I've been coming here, I've seen the site flourish from a bog-standard bulletin board to THE most comprehensive site available on Disney. I've contributed a tiny bit over the years, but largely thanks to the hard work and patience of Luke and Aaron, this site and board remain a special place for a number of reasons.

Now, words are ultimately meaningless unless I back them up with something. I try and order through your Amazon links when I can, BUT if you ever need any more reviews or articles or any other site help, just holler. I'm all too happy to add a THIRD website to my CV (the forthcoming HKDL Source is going knock everyone's socks off, believe me).

Anyways, this is MY longwinded way of saying 'thank you' back. It is always nice to receive feedback, especially the good kind. It is fewer and far between with Bits these days, but I'm not sure what I'd do without UD. Perhaps have more free time on my hands...

Ok, enough of this kinder, gentler Loomis. Where's the next religious-based fight?

[Luke]

Thanks a lot, you two, for the warm feedback. It's really very much appreciated.

Though my latest dry spell has now surpassed a week, Aaron has happily kept UD going with some new reviews.

Here, if you missed it, is <b>Cars</b>:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/cars-screening.html

and here, a forum-exclusive link for a little bit longer, a review 234 days in the making, <b>Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows</b>:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/bionicle3.html

[PR Fan]

Nice Review on Bionicle 3 so that means The SPD Volume 2: Stakeout will pass it or has lol. As To Cars that was a good review but on the other hand Time Magazine gave it a GREAT Review so i'm mixed until i see it.

[Disney-Fan]

Excellent Cars review. Though it has lowered my expectations for the movie(maybe it's for the best?), it's written well and gets the point across! Well done Aaron!

[JEANYLASER]

i love the muppets dinosaurs and i will buy the dvd in disneyworld.

[CJ]

Good Job on the Growing Up with Winnie the Pooh: It's Playtime with Pooh DVD Review, Luke. I wish they would release season sets instead of these.

Good Job on the Cars: Screening Review, Aaron. I'm not a fan of NASCAR, so I have been keeping my expectations lower for this one. I'll probably go see it anyways to give it a chance to change them.

Good Job on the Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows DVD Review, Aaron.

Good Job on the Back on the Big Screen: Dumbo's Opening Night at El Capitan Theatre report, Pluto Region1.

Keep up the good work reviewers. I am looking forward to reading more great reviews from all of you.

[James]

Great reviews guys. Loved High School Musical and Cars, Aaron. Also congrats to PlutoRegion1 on the great red carpet stuff he's done. Really good pictures and captions guys.
-James

[Luke]

Also congrats to PlutoRegion1 on the great red carpet stuff he's done.

It's a she. But I'm sure she and Aaron appreciate the kind words. Thanks for the feedback!

[DaveWadding]

Since it's Dumbo, I feel that it's only appropriate...



Great job Aaron and Luke! *grumble* Thanks for making me spend $20 more this week *grumble* *grumble*

[James]

It's a she. But I'm sure she and Aaron appreciate the kind words. Thanks for the feedback!

Jesus Christ! Sorry Pluto! I just assumed for some reason that it was a he. Sorry again! No offence intended. Thanks for the heads up Luke!
Looking forward to the Dumbo review, and more info on the October release of The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition.
-James

[Wonderlicious]

Although I haven't been posting any "great review" posts recently, I'd like to say thank you to all involved for the excellent recent reviews, particularly the reviews for Dumbo, Cars, The Complete Goofy, Dinosaurs: Season 1 and 2 and the It's a Small World DVDs. I know that they're a labour of love, and this really shows as they were very good.

I also liked PlutoRegion1's Dumbo premiere report.

[MadonnasManOne]

Thanks for the great review of Dumbo, Aaron!

I really don't believe I'll upgrade from the 60th Anniversary edition, but, it's nice to read your thoughts on the new edition.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Great job Aaron and Luke! *grumble* Thanks for making me spend $20 more this week *grumble* *grumble*

Dumbo is only $16.99 + tax at Target! That's where I'm going tomorrow. Oh I can't wait!!!!! This will be my first DVD copy of Dumbo, and I'm actually really looking forward to Canemaker's commentary. I normally don't listen to commentaries, but I've listened to a few here and there. Oh yeah, great review Aaron! Now I can have matching cards that match with my Alice in Wonderland matching cards! Yippe for me! Thanks again Aaron! Only 1 more day! I'm so excited! Hey, it's my 600th post. Yippe for me! See y'all later!

[dvdjunkie]

Just like to interject a thought here about Aaron's review of "Cars". I don't think he saw the same movie I saw in our Advance Screening a few weeks ago. I was totally mezmerized by Pixar's quality animation and story-telling. I think that this film is going to knock the socks off "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo" and will be one of the top three top-grossing films of the summer of 2006.

I am not a big fan of this computer animation, and Pixar has slowly won me over. It took several watchings of "Toy Story" for me to really enjoy the film for what it was saying. I found "Nemo" just as difficult to get into, and was totally blown away by "The Incredibles".

When I read about "Cars" when it was in its infancy, I thought, no way is this going to be more than a seven-or-eight minute short. Now it is here and we have the longest (116 minutes) running animated film from the Disney studios, and it plays like a regular 65 or 70 minute feature film. The story never drags, and the characters are just totally engrossing, and the dialogue never goes over anyone's head. The voice cast is perfect, and I for one think that Aaron's review was a little unfair.

Just my two-cents worth.

[Disney-Fan]

Terrific work on the Dumbo review, Aaron. It must be difficult to make the review fresh and interesting when there's already a review of a similar copy available. Great read, thank you! I'll be picking this up, hopefully over the course of this month.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Great reivew Aaron. It's nice to know the transfer is new and significally better.

Even though I like trailers, I'll have no regrets missing out on the 60th Anniversary edition.

[PR Fan]

Good Review Aaron, i'll defentially get Dumbo but PRMF Volume 1: Broken Spell is defeniately my first choice for Tommorrow. Sorry what can i say, I truly am a Power Ranger Fan.

[Pluto Region1]

Just like to interject a thought here about Aaron's review of "Cars". I don't think he saw the same movie I saw in our Advance Screening a few weeks ago.... and I for one think that Aaron's review was a little unfair.

Well, I read Aaron's review and you may not agree with him on the merits of the film, but he's entitled to his opinion.

It's a darned good review and he's spent a lot of time analyzing the film's structure, characters, etc. His job is to give his honest opinion, not to be a cheerleader for Pixar/Disney. I thought he was being fair in the review. He doesn't appear to be out to get Pixar.

That said, with so much $ invested in its success, Disney can't afford a flop, so I sure hope that the public agrees with you (dvdjunkie) and likes the movie.

[Pluto Region1]

I just read your Dumbo Review Aaron. Good review, very comprehensive. I appreciate the thoroughness you and Luke do in these reviews. It is interesting to see the differences between the bonus features on the original 60th and the new Big Top Edition. I will likely pick up the Big Top Edition. I don't know though, about the darker transfer being an improvement. Based on those screen captures, it seems like the darker transfer makes the colors of the animals seem entirely different. Who is to know now what the original colors were meant to be - was the 60th Anniv. edition the original colors or is the Big Top edition the original colors? I gather there has been no real info on what type of restoration was done for Big Top.... I really like the historical overview you gave for the film and I never realized that Dumbo doesn't talk in the film at all. If you think about it, that is a pretty big accomplishment on Disney's part to have the main character in the film never speak a word but for the audience to never even notice that.