『From the pollution of our nuclear waste came the killer we couldn't destroy. Our worst nightmares come to life with the terrifying, scaly monster - Slithis.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Big Disappointment) 『I'm a huge fan of the old classic halloween movies. When I saw Phantom of the Opera was available, I jumped at the chance to add it to my collection. I was very disappointed when I put it in the DVD player. The quality was terrible! It was very dark, almost impossible to pick out any figures and filled with flashing white spots. As if that wasn't enough, IT WAS A SILENT FILM! No where in the discription of the movie did it mention it was silent. A very big disappointment!!!』
(A refreshing and very entertaining take on the Phantom) 『What I liked best about this version, even since I was a kid, was how unique the story was. This one worked to make the Phantom considerably more sympathetic and tragic than any other version of the story I've seen. For starters, we get to know his character for the first half hour before he becomes disfigured. This version explores his obsession with Christine and what draws him to live the depths of the Opera House. I also enjoyed the new characters, including the performance of Nelson Eddy. The makeup was a bit toned down considering what the Lon Chaney film had done about two decades before this movie. Also the finale seemed a bit rushed considering the build-up, but these things I forgive. This one is definitely one to be remembered, and a must for any movie collection!』
(A 'must see' Film) 『From Australia, 300 years ago when I was a very young boy, I missed school for 3 weeks to see this film which was screening at the wonderful State Theatre in the City of Melbourne. Sneaking through the theatre's back door I spent my entire days imersing myself in the wonderful music and song by both Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy, and the fine acting of Claude Rains.There have been numerious versions of 'Phantom of the Opera' but this is the best by a long streak.The print is excellent, with no artifacts or 'cue marks'. Certainly not to be missed. Thomas Knight, Production Manager Wintergarden Community Film Services.(Aust)』
(Fantastic music and acting) 『A great technicolor masterpiece about the crazed monster of the opera. Claude Rains is terrific and the music is impressive. Well done film.』
(Phantom Remade) 『In this remake of the 1925 classic, Claude Rains portrays the masked Phantom with Susanna Foster as Christine and Edgar Barrier as Raoul.
This film is full of vivid color and marvelous opera sequences. This film focuses much more on the opera than the Phantom. The film's style precedes that of Lloyd Webber's musical.
This version takes considerable liberties with Leroux's original story. Some events are still intact, such as the chandelier crash scene and, of course, the unmasking. However, some scenes like the masked ball are not included at all. The Phantom's back story was also completely revised. With all these changes, fans that are looking for and updated, colorized version of the 1925 film may be disappointed. If they had made many more changes, I could hardly call this a Phantom of the Opera movie.
Overall, if you are looking for a different take on the Phantom story, you may like this version.』 『This 1943 version of the horror story is more Technicolor musical than scare piece. Claude Rains plays the unfortunate, masked anti-hero, but he doesn't get the room to showcase a promising and sympathetic performance. Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy, on the other hand, get plenty of screen time to warble. Well worth a visit just for the look of the film, which won an Oscar for cinematography.--Tom Keogh』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Wolfbane and silver) 『"Even a man who is pure in heart/And says his prayers by night/May become a wolf/When the wolfbane blooms/And the autumn moon is bright..."
Sure, Dracula gave a face and a mythology to the vampire in the 1800s, but the werewolf didn't get similar treatment for quite some time. It was only with "The Wolfman" that the werewolf got his due, creating the template for lycanthropes everywhere -- a haunting, atmospheric story about a mildly creepy man who (through no fault of his own) turns into an unholy mixture of man and beast.
Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr) returns to his ancestral Welsh home after many years away, to reconcile with his estranged dad who looks nothing like him (Claude Rains). He immediately starts acquainting himself with his old home, including being rather creepy towards a lovely woman named Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers), who is working at her dad's antique store. He even accompanies Gwen and her friend Jenny to a local gypsy camp to have their fortunes told.
But after having her fortune told, Jenny is horribly killed by a wolf; Larry beats it to death with his silver-topped cane, but not before being bitten. You can probably guess what happens next -- the wolf turns out to be the gypsy fortuneteller (Bela Lugosi), and Larry's bite mysteriously heals overnight. And after being warned by an aged gypsy woman (Maria Ouspenskaya) that he has now contracted the curse of the werewolf, Larry finds himself undergoing a terrible transformation at night... and killing.
It's a sign of how good "The Wolfman" is that its dated special effects (hello, lap dissolve!) and prosthetics don't hamper it as a story -- it's an intelligent, slowly-unfolding story about an ordinary man whose good deed backfires in a big way. It's also less "boo! Scary!" horror than psychological horror -- Larry is left wondering if the dead gypsy passed on his horrific curse, or if all the talk of werewolves has given him clinical lycanthropy. In other words -- is he cursed, or is he insane? Not a fun choice.
And George Waggner wraps the movie in suitable atmosphere -- lots of misty forests, quaint rural villages, shadowy chapels and the occasional outbursts of shrieking and offscreen violence. The beginning is a little awkward (enough canned father-son "reunion" conversations!) but kicks into gear when the characters go wandering off to see the gypsies -- and after that, it's a slow bloody build as all the scientifically impossible things come true, and Larry finds himself increasingly trapped.
And while some of the werewolf stuff (including the famous rhyme) was made up for the movie, it adds a note of mythological creepiness, as well as some lovely incantations ("The way you walked was thorny, through no fault of your own...").
And Lon Chaney Jr. did an excellent job bringing a sympathetic edge to the werewolf, turning convincingly from a jovial engineer/aristocrat to a man haunted by his horrific change. The one problem: he isn't very sympathetic at the beginning, since he basically stalks Gwen (looking in her window with a telescope?) and won't get lost when she tells him to. Ankers gives a good performance as a local love interest, and Ouspenskaya gives a spectacular performance as the old gypsy lady -- eerie, sympathetic to Larry's plight, and with a dry sense of humor.
Despite a slightly creepy lead character, "The Wolfman" is still an enduring classic -- it's no longer exactly scary, but it is deliciously spooky. Definitely a must-see.』
(THE WOLF..STILL THE BEST) 『I CANT EVEN DESCRIBE LON CHANEY! BRILLIANT,ALL CHARACTERS WERE GREAT!!!! THIS IS WHAT IS MISSING NOW A DAYS IN THE MOVIES,GOOD OLD FASHION PLOTS AND GREAT ACTION AND ACTORS,GET IT YOU WONT SURELY REGRET IT,THIS IS AN AMERICAN CLASSIC!! I USE TO WAIT UNTILL IT COMES ON,NOW I OWN IT AND IM GLAD!!!!』
(Tedious and clumsy) 『The Bottom Line:
One of those movies that's labelled a classic even though it's a dated and mediocre film, The Wolf Man feels long even while clocking in at a scant 70 minutes and largely consists of Lon Cheney running around in a ridiculous bear costume; I recognize how significant this movie was (our entire pop cultural idea of the werewolf was pretty much hammered out by this film and its sequels) but it pales in comparison to anything James Whale did in the same time period.
2/4』
(Lon Chaney at his best) 『One of my all time favorite horror movies. Lon Chaney at his best as Larry Talbott/Wolf Man. I was so glad to see that this great classic was on DVD that I purchased immediately, even though it's on VHS, since eventually there will be no more VCR's. Great old wonderful actors and actresses like Marie Ouspenskaya, Claude Rains as Lon Chaney's father. Too bad these wonderful actors are gone. I think Elena Verdugo is the only one left from this great movie. A must buy and see.』
(Even a man who is pure in heart) 『The Wolf Man is one hour and ten minutes long and was released on December 12, 1941. It stars Lon Chaney, Jr. as Larry Talbot/The Wolf Man; by the way he did not get top billing. This movie would be one of three monsters movie that were not based on any literary source. The other two are The Mummy and the Creature From the Black Lagoon. Also Larry Talbot becomes a reluctant monster as well. The Wolf Man probably gives us one of our famous movie quotes:
Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.
The plot of the movie is simple; Larry Talbot returns home to Talbot Castle after 18 years away. His older brother John had died in a hunting accident and he is next in line to run the family castle. At a gypsy camp with Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers) and Jenny (Fay Helm), they get their fortune told. Larry and Gwen duck away while Jenny is getting hers done first. Suddenly there hear Jenny scream and Larry rushes to save her. Larry confronts a wolf and kills him with his silver handle walking cane. In the midst of the battle the wolf bites him. Later he finds out that a werewolf has bitten him. Now Larry Talbot becomes a werewolf himself. Larry becomes insane thinking he is a killer. His father (played by Claude Rains) ties him to a chair one evening to prove that he is not a monster and that it is all in his head. Larry insists that his father take the walking cane with him. Gwen has gone look for Larry in the woods where the police are looking for a wolf. Sir John Talbot is in the same woods too. The werewolf shows up and attacks Gwen. Sir John comes to save Jenny. There he encounters the werewolf and the two of them fight it out. Sir John uses the silver handle walking cane to kill the werewolf. The werewolf transform back to Larry right before Sir John eyes. The fight scene at the end of this movie is great and we actually got to witness a killing scene unlike that in Dracula. Lon Chaney, Jr. would be the only actor to play the Wolf Man in any follow up sequels. This is a great movie to watch and the special effects are spectacular. I am giving this an AAAAA+++++. 』 『Even a man who is pure in heart, And says his prayers by night, May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms And the autumn moon is bright.
If you haven't heard this piece of horror-movie doggerel before, you'll never forget it after seeingThe Wolf Manfor two reasons: it's a spooky piece of rhyme and nearly everybody in the picture recites it at one time or another. Set in a fog-bound studio-built Wales,The Wolf Mantells the doom-laden tale of Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.), who returns to the estate of his wealthy father (Claude Rains). (Yes, Chaney's American, but the movie explains this, awkwardly.) Bitten by a werewolf, Talbot suffers the classic fate of the victims of lycanthropy: at the full moon, he turns into a werewolf, a transformation ingeniously devised by makeup maestro Jack Pierce. Pierce was the man who turned Boris Karloff into the Frankenstein monster, and his werewolf makeup became equally famous, with its canine snout and bushy hairdo--and, of course, seriously sharp dental work.The Wolf Manwas a smash hit, giving Universal Pictures a new monster for their already crowded stable, and Chaney found himself following in the footsteps (or paw prints) of his father, who had essayed a monster or two in the silent era. This is a classy horror outing, with strong atmosphere and a thoughtful script by Curt Siodmak--well, except for the stiff romantic bits between Chaney and Evelyn Ankers. It's also got Bela Lugosi (briefly) and Maria Ouspenskaya, the prunelike Russian actress who foretells doom like nobody's business.--Robert Horton』
price：$6.49
Warner Home Video
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Action Packed) 『this movie is awesome and action packed with awesome special effects. the matrix is an awesome series. this one is a must see』
(Poor sequel) 『The first matrix was brilliant. Like most sequels this one falls far short. There is no more storytelling; just a rehash and fight scenes. 』
(Plug in and Reload) 『A sequel was inevitable after the (partial) cliffhanger ending of the 1999 blockbuster "The Matrix".
The second-part in the the Wachowski brothers groundbreaking vision, "Reloaded" makes sure it has the signature fight-scenes from the first Matrix and then some.
The first part of the film starts out just a bit too fast, lacking a bit of info that could have come across more clearly. After a short amount of time it becomes apparent that many months have past since the first Matrix film, and Neo has fully developed into a savior figure for the 'resistance', the people of Zion.
As the story shifts to allow for the entrance of new characters to the story, a feeling of the magnitude of the entire human/machine battle comes to light. The people of Zion are just waiting out until their impending doom and all of their hopes lay squarely on the shoulders of Neo, the savior that they believe will end the war.
Therein lies the main strength of "Reloaded". The new characters to the story bring a certain human aspect, not as much present in the first installment. When the cool, stylized, slo-mo style is not present, there is a certain sense that these people are only human, preparing to fight a force far beyond them.
The film spends a large amount of time on the now apparent villain, the Morovingian. A french speaking computer-program who spends his time messing with people in his high-class restaurant with his rejected wife Persephone.
And there, lies the movies biggest problem. "Reloaded" is highly publicized as a two-part deal, to get the entire thing, the second part (or third, whatever you want to call it) "Revolutions" must be seen. Why is this a problem? Because the film itself is aware that no matter how many times the characters say "it ends tonight" the audience knows it isn't actually going to end until the next movie. There is a rather large lack of drama to the 'climax', mostly because of the focus on the Morovingian, and not on the machines. Now this would be fine if it weren't for the scripts unwavering insistence on pretending there's a climax when there doesn't need to be one.
Reloaded does regain it's bearings toward the end though, although somewhat depressing it ends with a key revelation to the story and ends with enough left open for the third-installment to be a must-see.
8/10 stars』
(Simplemente me gusta mucho The Matrix Reloaded) 『Estoy enteramente satisfecho con el DVD que compre. A la pelicula no le pongo ningun pero. Simplemente me gusta mucho The Matrix Reloaded.』
(STOP DROP AND RELOAD) 『Reloaded is the second film in the Matrix trilogy.Following the events of the first Matrix film,Reloaded brings back the original cast to continue their fight against the "system" known as the Matrix.With the machines digging ther way towards the last surviving human colony,it's up to Neo and his comrades to bring down the system before all is lost.Just as the original Matrix set the benchmark for visual effects,Reloaded sets it twice as high by using the latest CG tools to create some of the most mind-blowing and visually stunning fights and chase sequences ever seen,along with more of the same extraordinary character depth that these films are famous for.Though not as strong in storyline as it's predecessor,Reloaded provides a refreshing and intellectual movie experience and sets the stage for the war to end all wars.』 『Considering the lofty expectations that preceded it,The Matrix Reloadedtriumphs where most sequels fail. It would be impossible to match the fresh audacity that madeThe Matrixa global phenomenon in 1999, but in continuing the exploits of rebellious Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) as they struggle to save the human sanctuary of Zion from invading machines, the codirecting Wachowski brothers have their priorities well in order. They offer the obligatory bigger and better highlights (including the impressive "Burly Brawl" and freeway chase sequences) while remaining focused on cleverly plotting the middle of a brain-teasing trilogy that ends withThe Matrix Revolutions. The metaphysical underpinnings can be dismissed or scrutinized, and choosing the latter course (this is, after all, an epic about choice and free will) leads to astonishing repercussions that madeReloadedan explosive hit with criticsandhardcore fans alike. As the centerpiece of a multimedia franchise, this dynamic sequel ends with a cliffhanger that virtually guarantees a mind-blowing conclusion.--Jeff Shannon』 『In the second chapter of the Matrix trilogy Neo (Keanu Reeves) Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the revolt against the Machine Army. In their quest to save the human race from extinction they gain greater insight into the construct of The Matrix and Neo's pivotal role in the fate of mankind.Running Time: 138 min.System Requirements:Running Time 138 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating: R UPC: 085392864829』
price：$14.98
Universal Studios
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Seeing Is Believing in this Claude Rains' Debut!) 『The Universal Pictures horror film that put Universal Pictures back in black during the worse years of the Great Depression.
The comedy was fun without being slapstick silly (as in later sequels); the characters actors were great in conveying mood; and the megalomaniac vocal abilities of Claude Rains was fantastic. I picked up the Classic Monster Collection (1990) and it kept much of the original film's dusty, poppy stuff that you usually see in old Black&White films.
The DVD goes over the whole effects process of making a man invisible, expertly done by James Fulton.
James Whale, the man who directed Frankenstein and Dracula, took the H.G. Wells novel and its adaptation was near perfect, even approved by Wells himself.
The opening scene at the bar, the mad scientist who has achieved invisibility needs to find a place of quiet, working on an antidote. And as he works on it, he gets the idea that the chemicals have cleared his brain to where he can cause panic in the streets, kill a few people, great or small, cause a train wreck or so, and have the world grovel at his feet. Ya Ha Ha Ha Ha!! Oops!
As in Frankenstein, Whale has the worried fiance, the secluded mad scientist, the "other guy" who wants the fiance for himself and a desire to be famous.
After much police hyjinx, a bit of it slapstick and silly, the burning of a barn and a well-placed bullet puts an end to the mad scientist's invisibility and his formula.
John Carradine makes a brief appearance talking to police on a telephone. Henry Travers as the father of the fiance, who was later seen as Clarence the Angel in Its' a Wonderful Life. Gloria Stuart is the well-made-up fiance, Flora. Interestingly she gave up acting only to pick it up again in the 1980s. She was the old woman who was the last survivor in Cameron's Titanic.
So many facts and figures, great "making of" and a bit of a drawn-out commentary track by film historian Rudy Behlmer.
Great DVD, though I'm sure the newest Universal Legacy edition recently out is much better.』
(Invisible Man Classic Monsters Collection) 『The Invisible Man is an excellent movie with great speical effects. Do not buy The Classic Monsters Collection version rather spring an extra few bucks for The Universal Legacy Collection. Why? I just bought a big screen tv and this dvd looks horrible on it. Alot of crackles and lines going down the film. The Universal Legacy collection is cleaned up and has an extra 5 movies dealing with Invisible theme.
You get a neat little card in these Classic Monsters Collection card with these dvds as well, at least I did. Your have to go to a website and hold the card up and you may win some cool prizes. However, in very very tiny print at the very bottom of the card says the card expired almost ten years ago! I dont know why they still have them in there.』
(the invisible man) 『this was one of my favorite horror movies as a kid. it still holds up well. it is a great addition to any classic horror collection. the performance by Claude Rains is chilling and there is great humor in the movie. for its time, the special effects are amazing. nice quality on DVD too.』
(3 stars out of 4) 『The Bottom Line:
The best Universal horror picture, for my money, after Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man benefits from special effects whose seams still aren't showing, a wickedly sinister performance by Rains in the lead (even if we hardly ever see him) and an intelligence to the screenplay missing in many contemporary horror films; you'll probably like it even if this type of film usually isn't your cup of tea.』
(Being Invisible Has Driven Him Completely Mad!) 『This movie is a great way of having a monster good time. Claude Rains is spectacular in his first big movie role and it is his voice we hear most often. He doesn't appear until the end. Great clever special effects and one really good one of an invisible man sitting in a rocking chair, smoking a cigarette. James Whale is the great director and has done a good job with this one. Have fun!』 『Claude Rains practically owns his film debut inThe Invisible Man, despite the fact that his face (let alone his body) is seen only for seconds in the final moments. As the brilliant scientist who discovers the secret of invisibility, Rains steps into the film wrapped up like a mummy behind a layer of bandages and blanketed in heavy clothes. When he removes his garments, there's nothing underneath, a simple but effective bit of 1930s movie magic that, apart from a few glitches, works as well today as it did in 1933. LikeFrankenstein, another cautionary tale of science gone horribly wrong, the consequences of the doctor's experiments are dire: the chemicals drive him insane. Director James Whale infuses the film with plenty of humor, much of it arising from the quaint quirks of the local villagers, but it turns to black comedy as the doctor transforms from an impish prankster upsetting bicycles and taunting tavern patrons to a megalomaniac bent on world domination. It's slow going even at 71 minutes, but full of delightful touches and boasts a terrific performance by the all but unseen Rains, whose rich, cultured voice envelopes the picture in a kind of omnipresent fog. Vincent Price took up the role in the sequel,The Invisible Man Returns.--Sean Axmaker』 『Claude Rains delivers a remarkable performance in his screen debut as a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Covered by bandages and dark glasses, Rains arrives at a small English village and attempts to hide his amazing discover. But the same drug which rends him invisible slowly drives him to commit acts of unspeakable terror. Based on H.G. Well' classic novel and direct by the master of macabre James Whale, The Invisible Man no only fueled a host of sequels but features some special effects that are still imitated today.』
price：$16.00
Lions Gate
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Not as bad as everyone said) 『This is the first Saw movie that I purchased on Blu-ray and it was also the first Saw movie that I did not go to the theater to see first. After all the negative reviews I read from critics and fans alike, I was hesitant to purchase it. But I now have a Blu-ray player and I wanted to keep my Saw DVD collection up to date so I decided to shell out the extra bucks for the Blu-ray. Although it's not up-to-snuff with the previous films (especially 1 and 2), I don't think it is nearly as bad as everyone said. Maybe it wasn't worth the extra bucks for the Blu-ray but overall I found the film interesting, full of good Jigsaw traps, and I found it fun to watch. I heard the "Saw 6" is much better but I most likely won't see it until the Saw 6 Blu-ray comes out next year. Bottom line: maybe just purchase the regular DVD of "Saw 6".』
(The curse continues...) 『There is a curse throughout horror movie franchises (or franchises in general) condemning the fifth episode to mediocrity at best, or unfocused, mundane nonsense at worst. The fifth episodes of the following franchises: Friday the 13th pt. 5 (the "Jason imposter" episode), Halloween 5 (that corny man in black gimmick), Star Trek 5 (the lame Shatner directed ep), Leprechaun (okay, that series sucked to begin with), Hellraiser 5 (Craig Scheffer as a debauched cop, while Pinhead is over on the sideline), Return of the Living Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street... the list goes on and on.
Saw V is no exception to this rule. After a cool opening involving an fbi agent ingeniously beating a jigsaw trap, we get scene after scene of Scott Patterson walking around with an angry look on his face, Costas Mandalor in an exceptionally stoic offering as Jigsaw's apparent heir, flashbacks that make no sense (the chronology of the Jigsaw/ Hoffman link is especially convoluted), drab photography that lacks the flair of the Wan/ Bousman directed offerings, and an ending that is telegraphed from pretty much the opening scene.
Even the relevance of the "game" is not explained until Kevin Greutert's superb Saw VI. As it stands, the subplot comes completely out of left field. People looking for ingenious traps better stick to the other sequels as Saw V hasn't a single interesting gadget throughout its running time. And if you're a Saw fan the plot developments are not so germane that subsequent films would be confusing if you haven't seen this one.
Saw V is about the only entry in the franchise I don't like, and further proof that the number "5" should be omitted from the franchise index.』
(Emtombing the ones you Loathe.) 『The games have just begun - that was the credo that empowered the Jigsaw killer and it is also the truth that keeps onkeeping on. Even after what happened to Jigsaw during the last test he gave to a former employee (or partner, or whatever you want to call her), Jigsaw still has a voice and hands to do his dirty deeds. He also has a thing about police officers that has been explained to us in vivid detail, and we find out why this is - if we haven't already pieced that together. There is another game being played as well, one that talks about working together and one that the team of people placed inside this horror don't seem to get, and that is the lovely part about so many of these things. People are such bad listeners - just play the tape and take the game seriously, because this is their lives. The traps here are nasty little things, too, and they are loveingly deceptive because they al;low people to see what they should do but give them the freedom to choose. It is perhaps there, in that freedom of choice, that people mmake their worse mistakes. As Jigsaw would say, let the games begin.
I've taken to the movies well because I thought they were all done really well, overcoming things like budgetary confines by utilizing Tobin Bell and the saw puppet as things that make the flesh quiver. They also have traps that have duality stamped into their very being, and this duality allows the games to become things that seem to be one thing when they are, in fact, tests that measure other items. I always liked that, enjoying the fact that people are challenged to see the world in different ways, and that some people really do have the means to their liberation. And the ones that do not seem fair, almost unfairly doing things to people with no way out, we see exactly how that happens. And the answers to that are brutal, and unfair on so many levels. Combine with that the acting prowess of some of the individuals involved (I think it takes a lot to become a victim and sell it to an audience), the impact of lighting and music and tools like flashbacks, and the underlying terror that has to be there whenyou find yourself listening to a tape recorder or a doll that holds the keys to your survival and you have a game unlike anything I would ever want to play. and seeing the places where all of these games have taken place and the extent to which planning goes into everything and it is impressive. Even the first kill, one that happens because someone really doesn't listen, is good stuff. And i love it - i love it a lot.
If you watch Saw, watch them in order. They stack together well, and the plot that expands through-out the series is one to keep track of. Seeing how the helpers become involved, seeing the different type of handywork, and seeing why tests are given oftentime build over time. Even some of the people who fail are added into newer tests, so you count anything out. I personally like all of that, and i like how Jigsaw has some of the greatest lines in this new realm of horror movies. Even the 5th installment, which would normally be bad in any other series, is great here. I love them all.』
(I No Longer "Want To Play A Game") 『In 2004, the original "Saw" film breathed new life into the horror movie genre. Though enticing viewers with some of the most graphic horror scenes in cinematic history, the real "hook" of the film was its morality-play plotline. Using a tact rarely taken in the annals of horror movies, Saw actually created doubt in the viewers' minds as to whether the "victims" were exactly that. Though perverse, the demented Jigsaw killer was doling out justice in a seminal way that everyone can relate to (even if it horrifies their "good side").
With each subsequent film, however, that magic has been lost, little by little. While Saw II just fed off the hype of the original and didn't mess with the formula and Saw III was interesting for the "dying Jigsaw" plotline, the two most recent installments have failed to recapture that spark of the "original trilogy". Saw IV was just outright confusing, while this film suffers from two major maladies:
First, the departure from the tried-and-true formula of regular citizens being tested in their weakest area. Like I said, the strength of the first few Saw movies was the writers' abilities to make audiences think about the morality of what was reality transpiring. This film, however, doesn't really take that tact and instead just focuses on clearing up all the loose ends from the fourth release. Though perhaps a noble cause for hard-core Saw fans, this line of storytelling only served to irritate me, as Saw IV was where I saw the series begin going downhill and thus didn't want to go in that direction again.
The other notable departure is a moving away from the Jigsaw character. To me, Jigsaw is at the very heart of what the Saw franchise is all about, and the series really isn't active unless he is in it. The flashbacks in IV were interesting, but Jigsaw's presence in V just seemed to be an excuse to bring back Tobin Bell, not to advance the plot in any meaningful way.
Thus, I see the Saw franchise as being at a paradox right now. One direction would be to continue on with the "Jigsaw lineage" and further dilute the original material (the likely path in order to please the die-hard scrutinizers), while the other, more inventive approach would be to come up with something new. Perhaps someone subjecting one of these psychopaths to their own devices?! At any rate, Saw VI will likely be the measuring stone of the "Saw future" considering the failure of this installment.』 『How do you keep a horror franchise going when your villain has been unquestionably and irrevocably killed off? That's a conundrum any number of genre series have tackled--to varying degrees of success--and the problem facing the sadisticSawfilms in its latest entry,Saw V. The filmmakers' answer--faithful henchmen--is at first blush a savvy idea, as it allows the mayhem of original bad guy Jigsaw to continue unabated, despite the fact that he was dissected on a morgue slab in the previous film.Saw Vextends the premise by having disgraced detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor from the previous two films) don the pig mask to unleash horrific tortures on another group of seemingly unconnected strangers. Scott Patterson (Aliens in America) also returns as Hoffman's Javert, a dogged fellow agent who escapes death in the fourth film and an ugly fate in this entry to continue his pursuit. All the elements that have made the Saw series popular with horror fans--the elaborate killing machines, the trompe l'oeil plotting, and the sociopathic judgments handed down by Jigsaw--are intact inSaw V, which is a positive for its most faithful followers, but a negative for just about everyone else.Saw Vcovers no new ground, expands no part of the mythology of the series and seems perfectly content to present a lifeless retread ofSaw IIIandIV. It also suffers from the absence of Tobin Bell as Jigsaw, who despite his top billing, is glimpsed only in brief flashbacks. Bell, who could be unsettling even in the stillest moments, gave the series a gravity that kept its least plausible moments in check, and Mandylor, though game, simply cannot provide the same. What's left is dreary and relentlessly downbeat, and to make matters worse, ends on an open note that clearly indicates that a sixth film is in the works, no matter how obvious that the diabolical ingenuity of the originalSawhas been worn to the bone by its sequels. Only diehardSawfans need to sign up for this round of Jigsaw's games.-- Paul Gaita
BeyondSaw Von DVD
Saw 1-4 (Amazon.com Exclusive)on DVD
Saw Vthe Soundtrack
』 『Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 01/20/2009 Run time: 96 minutes Rating: Ur』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (a good read) 『I loved the first book. the secondone I read in a day. I could not put it down. Ash really suprised me』
(Remarkable.) 『I loved the action part!! Also, sometimes I wished Mary-Lynette could just embrace the fact that she loves Ash! I could fall in love with Ash myself! haha!』
(Night World - Book Two) 『Daughters of Darkness L.J. Smith 1996
I continue to be surprised by how overally well-written the "Night World" books are, collectively. For young people in particular, they are quality fiction.
Three young female vampires come to tiny Briar Creek, Oregon, to live with their also-vampire elderly aunt, but homicide is the word of the day, and curious neighbors Mark and Mary-Lynette quickly find themselves ensconced in the dangerous waters of the Night World -- and the even more unpredictable currents of love.
I didn't quite like "Daughters" as much as "Secret Vampire", the first book in the series. The tale had a bit less... urgency... than its predecessor, and while I did like the redemption of Ash, bad-boy blonde from the first novel, the character development was again a little underexplored. But the world-building is pleasant and well-done, without info-dumping on young readers with potentially short attention spans.
Again I can't help but wonder what a greater length could have done for the series -- "Daughters' "plot is a bit simplistic. The ending felt... unsatisfying.
But without doubt worth a read, as I will wager the entire series will be.
6.8/10』
(Vampires And Mystery? You'd Be Surprised) 『Mary-Lynnette's wants seem simple enough. She likes her quiet life, stargazes as a hobby, bases her life around becoming an astronomer, and hopes the three new girls moving in next door with the kindly, if eccentric, Mrs. Burdock will help to bring her shy brother, Mark, out of his shell.
Unfortunately, what she ends up with is a murder mystery, romance she doesn't want, and oh, yeah, those three new girls are vampires with a dangerous older brother coming to drag them back home.
There are a LOT of characters to focus on, as per usual with a murder mystery. We have Mary-Lynnette, Mark, the three sisters Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade, their brother Ash, and the local werewolf, Jeremy. And those aren't even the suspects. The endless supply of characters in such a short amount of pages is a little overwhelming, with so many aspects of so many characters not fully explored. But what really gets the reader, even the fans of over ten years, is the star-crossed attraction between Mary-Lynnette and Ash.
It's a bumpy road, to put it lightly. Mary-Lynnette is a simple, if nosy, human girl, while Ash is a dangerous, well-known vampire--and not well-known in the good sense, in Mary-Lynnette's book. Understandable; in Secret Vampire and Daughters of Darkness it's implied he's killed human girls and worse. There are very subtle hints at sexual abuse toward human females that younger readers may miss, but the words are enough to paint a picture that Ash is Very Bad.
Many fans complain at the ending, but it is the ending that keeps them so captivated with these two. Mary-Lynnette wants to finish high school. She can't see herself with Ash as he is now, knowing his past. Ash is sorry and wants to repent, by the end of the novel, but wanting isn't enough. Mary-Lynnette is dealing with a soulmate who is potentially mentally unstable, definitely cruel, and by all human means, a classified felon (if he could be traced, that is).
L.J. Smith did well in ending the story with no conclusion (which she has promised the fans would come at the end of the series for years; ten years later and still nothing). Ash needs room to grow in order to be someone Mary-Lynnette will not regret willingly falling in love with.
This is a good book, by no means the best, but excellent for the series. It was the second book I read (no, Secret Vampire was not the first) and ultimately the one that got me hooked.
Here's to hoping the Mary-Lynnette/Ash fans get closure in the near future. Publishers, don't keep faithful fans in suspense!』
(Disappointing to say the least) 『This book is probably, in my opinion, one of (if not THE) worst in the Night World Series. It is Ash's story this time, who's soulmate just happens to be a human. (which Ironically was shadowed upon in the first book, 'Secret Vampire'.) Ash's character was cool, charismatic....and totally wasted in this book. Mary Lynnette was too self riteous, too...I don't know. To me, she didn't come off as the strong female lead she was supposed to. Instead, I found myself annoyed at her several times throughout the book. She was presumptuous, she was always assuming things, and she was rather stereotypic if you ask me. I think someone like Maggy from 'Black Dawn', or even someone like Hanna or Gillian from 'Soulmate' and 'Dark Angel' would have been a better match for Ash, not this smart alec, holier than thou woman named Mary Lynnette.
The book itself was lacking as well. We pretty much learn nothing about the nightworld, it doesn't much progress the series except to mention a few characters that appear in future books. All in all, a disappointment. Ash's first appearance in 'Secret Vampire' stole the show, so when this book was released, I was ecstatic. 'Finally', I thought. 'Something that touches on Ash's past and personality. We will finally get to read his story.' Well, as it turned out, he was poorly underwritten. Or perhaps this particular book would have worked better if it had been a little later in the series, if Mary Lynnette wasn't so sharp tongued, if there weren't so many CHARACTERS to concentrate on. This wasn't so much Ash and M.L's story as it was all the sisters. Too many people to concentrate on. The three sisters should have been given their own book for character developement if that was the case. I would suggest this book only to those who wish to further their Night World series collection, or just their L.J Smith collection, in general. As for the enjoyment factor?
...Nadda.』 『Three sisters, teenage vampires, attempt to escape their world of darkness, blood, and violence in order to find new lives and loves among mortals in a small town.』
price：$14.60
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Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Watchers) 『I have recommended this book to all of my friends. He brings you on this journey, and you are or you feel that you are right along beside him! This is a must read especially if you love Dean Koontz, and if you love dogs!』
(Truly the best novel ive read yet!) 『I think this is Dean Koontz at his best. A truly remarkable tail and full of suspense! I had a hard time putting this book down. I highly recommend this book to people that aren't avid readers like myself but want a good book to keep occupied. Kudos to Dean Koontz!』
(One of Dean Koontz best book) 『Travis is a man who is weary of the sorrow life has given him. But a chance meeting with an amazing dog, one who was genetically altered to be intelligent and self aware, changes his life. Nora, a woman trained to be afraid of life from early childhood by a bitter aunt. Another chance meeting with Travis and 'Einstein' changes her life. But this miracle of modern science is bieng hunted. By the government who wants their experiment back, by a professional assassin who sees the dog as his ticket fo wealth, and by "The Outsider", another genetically manipulated creation, a thing of nightmares, one that is made to be terrifying and has slaughtering locked in it's genes.
Will Travis, Nora and Einstein survive? Who or what will find them?
Excellent read and listen.』
(An Interesting Read that Becomes Hokey) 『Reading Watchers was like riding a rocket into space. The initial excelleration and high speed toward the unknown must be such a rush, but once you are floating in an expanse of far-out existance, there is only disappointment. Maybe that is a bad analogy, but Watchers had taken me in for the first 300 pages. I kept thinking this was one of the better novels I read in a while. Einstein's character, however, becomes hokey and too caricatureishly unbelieveable toward the end. The villans are erased too abrubtly, and plot devices are predicatble and dead-ended (i.e. Stark, overdone foreshadowing with Vince). The novel is an interesting read that did keep me captivated, but something about the plot and its chracters just falls short and seems cheap at times. There is a nice homage to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but it does not seem to work here. Watchers has the potential for more depth but refuses to go there. After reading several of Koontz's novels, I am steering away to more in-depth, problematic examples of the genre.』
(Great Book) 『I loved this Book, I didn't want to put it down. I am a Dean Koontz fan and I enjoy all his books. I love how weird things happen to regular people and I love finding out how they get out of or fix the situation.』 『From a top secret government laboratory come two genetically altered life forms. One is a magnificent dog of astonishing intelligence. The other, a hybrid monster of a brutally violent nature. And both are on the loose...
Bestselling author Dean Koontz presents his most terrifying, dramatic and moving novel: The explosive story of a man and a woman, caught in a relentless storm of mankind’s darkest creation...
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Thistle Howl grows up (just a little bit).) 『Wow, I loved Mercer Mayer's Critter books when I was a kid! I never ever heard of Mayer's Critter's of the Night books though! I loved this one. Littlest Howl Family(Mayers version of the Addams Family)member, Thistle Howl is a little girl critter that is tired of being so small. When she wishes she could grow, her aunt, a wisened witch in the family, goes to great lengths to grant her niece's wish. Auntie Bell is hard of hearing though, and her attempts to replace Thistle's frown with a smile are hilarious! I shared this book with 16 preschoolers at a public library during storytime. What a fantastic read! Mayer's little critters are just like the little critters we all adore in our own families today. Thistle is no exception. Her craving to be big is a familiar theme that captures the attention of every child. The illustrations are even more fantastic and fill the story with color and amusing accents. Even without the incredible pictures, the story is a must have for every child that wishes he or she could be just a little bit bigger.』
(Purple Pickle Juice is howlin with fun) 『Hi my name is Charlee,I live in Newport MN, Cottage Grove MN, and Spooner WI. I'm ten I have a niece and nephew that sleep over alot and at bed time they sometimes have me read to them. When it comes to books Purple Pickle Juice by Mercer Mayer is the one. Its very funny. It has cute little spells like:"Hands above, feet below! Grow I say! Grow! Grow! Grow!"So if you like to laugh, visit Thistle Howell and her grand mother in Purple pickle Juice!』 『Each morning, Thistle Howl drinks a glass of purple pickle juice and chants:
"Hands above, feet below. Grow, I say. GROW! GROW! GROW!" Yet she doesn't
get any bigger. Then Auntie Bell offers a few incantations of her own--and
The scallop of large satisfactory ! northern countries and - [ of how much ] botan shrimp are ! tightly.
getting to know the technique of motorbike expensive sale -- Ta -- if -- -
>,Alan Blanchard,Judy Motulsky,J.C. Claire,Dennis Lee Falt,Mello Alexandria
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