DVD Movie Review #22 Jack Frost 2

Hello I am back again with a review of one of the more fun films in my collection. Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman. I had found this with a 12 movie pack for $5 at Books a Million and it necessitated the purchase and viewing of the original. I really enjoyed the first as one of those hilariously bad movies.

It follows our Sheriff recovering from the trauma of the last killer snowman attack. He goes out on vacation with his family in order to get his mind back together. Unfortunately for him Jack has come back and decides to go on a major killing spree to get his revenge (not that he wasn't a killer anyway). Jack is back and he is ready for revenge.

This movie managed to do more with less and that is one of the major good points of the film. This film gives the viewers what they want which is cheesy acting and clever comedic quips as a psychotic killer snowman romps and plays in the blood and guts.

Well the bad is of course the lack of acting, production value, writing and just overall quality. Really and truly this is a bad movie and if are watching this for anything but a cheap laugh than you will not like this film.

In the end this is good old fashioned bad horror movie fun.

Rating:   7/10

This was purchased in a collection of 12 movies I am showing the DVD below.

Used:   $5.92 Ebay
(http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360629398393&item=360629398393)

New:   $6.02  Half.com
(http://product.half.ebay.com/Fright-Fest-DVD-2012-3-Disc-Set/117135042&cpid=5000007155932)

DVD Movie Review #21 Crucible of Terror

Hello, yet again I am here doing a review on a recently watched DVD. This one is called Crucible of Terror. Every year I work with my Gaming group to come up with the gamer awards. These are titles won as well as small inexpensive prizes that people can be proud of each year. In this I got two $1 DVDs. I like horror including bad horror.

This tale takes place in England where an artist develops a controversial piece. His son decided to take this item and sell it. The art dealer with pound signs in his eyes decides to go seek out the artist in his creepy little house in the countryside. They decide to make a fun time of it each taking their significant others along. Unfortunately things take a rather nasty turn as people start showing up dead.

The acting in this isn't too terrible with the eccentric artist easily coming off as a rather crazy dude. The rest of the cast is done well but nothing special. The story is well thought out with a rather interesting (though slightly stupid) twist at the end. It is something that can if you feel the need and have the energy you can really give this a go.

The bad side is that the story can be a tad boring having one of those 60/70s plots that tends to take near forever to work out and can drag terribly. The twist is a bit odd and though it is one you don't see coming you can defiantly have a hard time believing it. The music is also not exactly wonderful but as far as the period goes its not abysmal.

In the end this is one of many but for the price it isn't that bad.
Rating:  6/10

The version I have of this is a think case copy. The quality isn't that good but the price is pretty nice.

Used:     $3.74    Half.com
(http://product.half.ebay.com/Crucible-of-Terror-DVD-2005-Cinema-Deluxe-Series/48617714&cpid=1367323674)
New:     $1.00    Rightstuf.com
(http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/aNMOMXcAbqyxCdIC7q/browse/item/70320/4/0/0)

DVD Movie Review #20 Zombie Strippers

Back again for another fun time movie review. I went out to the Halloween sale at Movie Stop and came home with three movies. This was the one movie that stood out thanks to Robert Englund. I mean who could really turn down a movie like "zombie strippers"

This movie is in a world under the Bush's 4th term. If you are a republican you need not watch this film as it is pretty darn terrible and it tends to bash republican values throughout. In this world any form of nudity public or private has been banned and strip clubs are underground illegal places to make lots of quick dirty cash. At the same time as we appear to be at war with everyone we have developed a zombie virus to make up for the lack of people to send off into combat. Well these two worlds collide to make super zombie strippers.

I am not sure that I can say much about this film that I like. I can enjoy a good zombie movie and some of the over the top effects such as the stripper pole tornado do leave me chuckling. The music is ok and the makeup is pretty good. It also has Robert Englund and I kept saying this to keep my interest up.

The plot line if pretty much dumb and republican bashing mixed with very very bad recycled zombie movie plots. I am not a republican and even I felt this was in poor taste. The acting is pretty much god awful and I have to admit I really didn't know who I was rooting for and ended up cheering for the Mexican janitor the whole time. The effects though ok can kind of make you sick to your stomach and I've seen a few zombie movies. In reality I have to wonder in the end how films such as this get made.

Well if you like republican bashing, un-needed extra gore and bad acting you will love Zombie Strippers.

Rating: 3/10

I got the regular unrated special edition DVD of this and am glad for once that I didn't find this on Blu-ray.

Used:     $4.50    Ebay
(http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=281204864123&item=281204864123)
New:     $7.98     Half.com
(http://product.half.ebay.com/Zombie-Strippers-DVD-2008-Unrated-Special-Edition/70268746&cpid=1389392997)

DVD Movie Review #19 Monsters University

Yet again we fly into the breach with Monsters University. As Pixar for the most part has a lock on the best animated feature academy award I tend to always purchase them in anticipation for my favorite time of the year "oscar season". I also really enjoy Pixar's works and have yet to find a film by them that I did not like at least a little bit.

Here we are with the prequel to the film Monsters Inc. where we find our heroes Mike and Sulley going to school in order to learn to be professional scarers. They end up having to team up with a group of slightly incompetent heroes to try and win the title of scariest in the school where they learn the true meaning of friendship.

You know I actually find this as less original in story than Cars 2. I mean most people will go on about how Pixar has the best writing and the most original stories but this one is just one of those typical college underdog stories placed in a fairly original setting. In the end this is probably the weakest section of the film and will probably be the one that that could trip it up on the way to its probable academy award (like Cars 2 which did not even get nominated).

This film has a lot of good to say about it. The score is not 100% original but it is fun and entertaining. The Voice acting is of course very nice with high ranking talent like Billy Crystal at the helm. Where I did point out the originality of the writing it is still a plot line that is enjoyable to watch play out in the fairly original setting. The characters are very fun and the interaction is well established.

I really enjoyed this film. It was light and really enjoyable but lacks the depth that we find in other films such as Walle or Up or even Brave.

Rating: 7/10

I got the blue-ray dvd combo pack with the digital copy. I really enjoyed the Disney Movie Club price cut I got taking 60% off. Below though are the cheapest copies I could find.

Used:     $22.98   Alibris.com
(http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qsort=p&qisbn=0786936836233&siteID=XWtbxYmhL3E-AgzKeOOQAtPHYcX9SMS8nA&_ptid=XWtbxYmhL3E-AgzKeOOQAtPHYcX9SMS8nA&cm_mmc=affiliates-_-na-_-XWtbxYmhL3E-_-na)

New:     $26.96    Walmart.com
(http://www.walmart.com/index.gsp?affillinktype=2&dest=40&sourceid=19722312372574300654&veh=aff&wmlspartner=XWtbxYmhL3E)

DVD Movie Review #18 The Blue Umbrella

Hello again, this is my first DVD short review. I bought my copy of Monsters University as it will be winning the Academy award for best animated feature this year. Of course their shorts are nothing beyond spectacular in their own right and have won many different awards in their own right.

The Blue umbrella is an inspiring love tail about two umbrellas seeking to romance one another during a rain storm. There is a problem and there is a resolution I will not go into a lot of detail.

The animation is beautiful at first I thought I was staring at a live action scene. The rain is wonderful and this is one thing that will blow your mind away.

The biggest detractor in this is that the friendly traffic lights and signs are at best creepy and are a little hard to find friendly.

Rating:  8/10

I got this along with the monsters University Collectors Edition Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy pack.

Used:     $22.98   Alibris.com
(http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qsort=p&qisbn=0786936836233&siteID=XWtbxYmhL3E-AgzKeOOQAtPHYcX9SMS8nA&_ptid=XWtbxYmhL3E-AgzKeOOQAtPHYcX9SMS8nA&cm_mmc=affiliates-_-na-_-XWtbxYmhL3E-_-na)

New:     $26.96    Walmart.com
(http://www.walmart.com/index.gsp?affillinktype=2&dest=40&sourceid=19722312372574300654&veh=aff&wmlspartner=XWtbxYmhL3E)

DVD Movie Review #17 Weekend at Bernie's II

Well we are back again and yet again for a sequel of a movie that the original is not reviewed here. This film actually has a little more significance for me than the sequel to City Slickers. I actually watched Weekend at Bernie's II more often than I watched the original movie. This one has a sentimental value that made me happy to purchase it along with the original film.

Well we leave our heroes not long after the last movie and they rightfully get fired for dragging their boss's corpse around and of course blamed for their boss's illegal activities. Poor and feeling hopeless they find that ol' Bernie had some mob money lying around. Unfortunately for them the mob also wants their money and decided to hire a voodoo priestess and two incompetent foot-soldiers to get it.

Lets start with the negative points of the film. The acting is so-so at best with a kind of kooky story that produces small and predictable laughs that mostly slap stick and aimed at a simpler audience. The effects are actually not so bad for their time but not anything spectacular.

On that note I enjoyed the cute little animated short at the beginning that is very much the same as many comedies at that time. The laughs are not original but they are present leaving you with a fun easy to enjoy movie. The musical themes are appropriate for the subject matter and gives you that nice island vacation feel.

In the end I feel that this movie's good points outweigh the bad. I will be interested in hearing from anyone that did not have this one growing up as sentimental value can cloud the mind at times.

Rating:     7/10

The version I have is the stripped down DVD release of the film. I am hoping that you can get a better version than mine but my goal was just to obtain the film.

Used:     $7.10     Half.com
(http://product.half.ebay.com/Weekend-at-Bernies-II-DVD-2001/3365277&cpid=1072143393)

New:     $7.64     Ebay.com
(http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380767324795&item=380767324795)

DVD Movie Review #16 The Great Gatsby

We are back and this time with a 2013 movie believe it or not. The movie in question is the Great Gatsby. I remained mildly interested in this film when it was advertised but did not wish to spend any money in seeing it as I had heard bad things about the soundtrack. Well in a contest that Movie Stop (www.moviestop.com) I was able to guess the box office and won a free copy of the Blue-Ray DVD combo pack and even then it was some time before I actually got to see the movie.

This movie takes place following Tobey Maguire's character and his reported exploits with a rather eccentric wealthy mysterious friend played by Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie starts depicting the lavish lifestyle of DiCaprio's character and eventually changes to a sorrowful love story with Carey Mulligan. If you haven't read the book or seen the other version of this I will not ruin it for you.

Many people who talk to me about this compare it to the original how it centers totally on the love story angle and not as much on the characters involved yet many seem to think it superior. I have not seen the other movie nor have I read the book so I cannot compare. I will say that this movie is a flawed gem having some substantial issues yet very redeeming qualities.

Let's start with the negative which I will say mainly revolves around the Jay-Z soundtrack. I really don't know why anyone would think that R&B is the perfect fit for a 1920s party. Now when you think about who directed this piece it makes more sense with Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet being other entries into their filmography. This also plays into the cinematography and the confusing method that this film was executed in. During the first hour I would say that you will have a hard time nailing anything down. Really when the Jay-Z R&B tamps down and the music becomes a little more time appropriate the film also seems to settle down and become far more watchable.

Now as is also included in the director's filmography the visuals are ever impressive making this a blue-ray must. The Acting is very well portrayed with a great cast that makes you want to enjoy this film even more. After the initial confusion dies down and the story starts up you are pulled in and start to feel that the first hour was well worth what followed behind.

Even as a flaws piece this is worth a watch. I give this film a 7/10

My version of this is the blu-ray dvd combo pack pictured below. (Yay I got it free!)

Used:     $9.33     Half.com
(http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Great-Gatsby-Blu-ray-DVD-2013-2-Disc-Set-Includes-Digital-Copy-UltraViolet/168476276&cpid=5000056917273)

New:     $13.99    ebay.com
(http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=281205551003&item=281205551003)