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tdilly
 
 
 
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  • Review count
    31
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  • First review
    October 24, 2008
  • Last review
    July 25, 2009
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tdilly's Reviews
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King makes its way to DVD in this two-disc edition of the theatrical cut of the film thanks to New Line Cinema. Just as both of its two-disc predecessors, this initial release presents the movie along with a small amount of extras to tide fans over until the archives are opened for the Special Extended Edition, coming later in 2004. As usual, the picture and sound presentation is astounding, with a crisp 2.35:1 widescreen image (also available in a full-screen version) and both a Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround track and a 2.0 Surround Sound audio option ready to bowl you over with their layers of clarity -- for proof, skip right to Chapter 37 and the Battle of Pelennor Fields to really understand the time and effort that was put into this transfer. As far as extras go, this edition carries on the trend of including all of the two- to four-minute lordoftherings.net featurettes (five in total), along with other material that is mostly exclusive to this release. First off, there's "The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision" and "A Filmmaker's Journey: Making Return of the King" featurettes, both of which seem to include many of the same interview segments and stories as not only each other, but also as all of the releases leading up to this one. Needless to say, thanks to the cheesy voice-over work by the narrator and the overlapping content, these two seem disappointing, but end up in the same ballpark as the two-disc Two Towers' Starz/Encore specials or the WB making-of. Those who have purchased the National Geographic special on the third film will be equally saddened by its inclusion here, just one year after it was initially released to DVD in 2003. One place where this edition does stand out is in its inclusion of both original theatrical trailers and a whopping 13 TV spots! Exclusive to this disc is the brand new six-and-a-half-minute Lord of the Rings Trilogy super-trailer documenting the story in a recap fashion that is almost more exhausting than any of the actual films, though neat nonetheless. Also included is a trailer for Electronic Arts' The Lord of the Rings video games, including the latest one, The Battle for Middle Earth. It's strange that New Line didn't include a trailer for the Extended Edition, since such trailers were on both of the last two-disc releases (for their corresponding extended versions). In fact, that was reason enough to buy the initial disc for many fans, so this really was a misstep on New Line's part for not including it. Still, for the stellar presentation of the theatrical film alone, this release is worth it for those looking to own a piece of history -- others might want to bide their time until the mammoth set hits the shelves.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great end to a great trilogy
on July 25, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
I would say the first movie in the trilogy was actually the best, but this is close behind. The whole series was truly amazing to watch and it is what epics really should be. My only complaint is that Peter Jackson may be a little too infatuated with his own movies. This movie probably would have been a half hour shorter if they had taken out all of the slo-mo. This movie also had three or four endings and it seems to just keep going on. Overall, though, this is a great movie with great battle scenes and it's fun to watch.
What's great about it: Great action sequences
What's not so great: Ran a little longer than it needed to
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou comes to DVD with all the class that people have come to expect from all of Wes Anderson's Criterion releases. This time, the movie is being released strictly from the renowned company, with this single release and another two-disc special edition release that's ripe with exemplary supplemental material. Anderson's adventure comedy gets its second wind here on DVD and should now have room to flourish not under the critical microscope that plagued its theatrical release, but through a certain acceptance and understanding that comes from repeated viewings and, in this case, a healthy dose of extras that shine a new light on the gifted director's fourth feature. This disc presents the film with a gorgeous new high-definition transfer that, along with dual Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio mixes, gives life to the brilliant soundtrack and superb cinematography. The picture looks stunning, with brilliant colors and just the right amount of film grain in the image. Also included on the disc is a commentary from Anderson and co-writer Noah Baumbach. Recorded in a café, where they wrote most of the film, the track gives the viewer a look into the director's relationship with his new collaborator, who seems to respect film just as much as his new buddy, while also displaying a keen knowledge of the director's past works. The talk is a bit dry, though that should be expected. By the end of the track, the two hope that they didn't come off too pretentious, given the admission that they aren't prone to delve into this kind of critical self-analysis too often, which is a good thing since the track does tend to dip into heavy cinema talk from time to time. Other extras include a batch of ten deleted scenes (highlighted by a classic bit with a scorched Willem Dafoe), as well as the original theatrical trailer and a 15-minute "Starz on the Set" cable special.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Not As Good As Anderson's Earlier Films
on July 24, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
As Wes Anderson became more famous his budgets grew and movies became somewhat over-produced. Bottle Rocket and Rushmore were such great films because they were relatively simple and really dealt with the characters. The Problem with the Life Aquatic is that he tried to focus on all of the extra stuff and lost a little bit of the simplicity that made his earlier films so great. I was bored for most of this movie and I think it really only gets interesting in the last half hour or so. It's still a great film in many ways, but if you really want a great Wes Anderson movie go with one of his first three.
What's great about it: Acting, dialogue
What's not so great: Boring at times
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Greatest Spy Series Ever
on July 21, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
In most trilogies there seems to be one that just isn't as good as the others. This isn't true of the Bourne trilogy. The first of the trilogy was a great movie, but director Paul Greengrass takes the second movie in a different direction. The action sequences make you feel like you're in the middle of it. The movie is intense from beginning to end and never disappoints.
What's great about it: Acting, writing, directing, action
What's not so great: Nothing
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
One of the funniest sitcoms ever
on July 19, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
I agree with the other reviewer that the packaging for this set is pretty bad, but I don't think it deserved to get just one star. Putting the packaging aside this is one of the funniest shows ever on television and should stand on its own. The entire cast on this show and the brilliant writing for each of the characters made this truly great. After Phil Hartman dies the show wasn't nearly as good but the full ensemble was truly great. I would recommend this to anyone with a sense of humor.
What's great about it: Writing, acting
What's not so great: Packaging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Great Movie
on July 15, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
This is a great movie in just about every way. First of all, it's a beautiful movie to watch. The cinematography is great and the scenery is amazing. The film's score, by James Horner, works perfectly with the scenes to create different moods. The battle scenes are realistic (blood even splatters on the camera at one point), the love scenes are romantic, and there are a lot of light-hearted moments. Many epics suffer from being boring at times, but this is interesting throughout. My only complaint is that they changed the facts quite a bit, but if you don't know the history already it shouldn't bother you.
What's great about it: Acting, writing, cinematography, score
What's not so great: embellishments
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
SynopsisDarkness casts upon the land of Hyrule, where evil lurks around every corner. The peaceful borderlands are in danger and only the powers of one man/creature can defeat such gloom. Link, a young farm boy, is destined to save the kingdom from such tragedy. After being directed by the mayor to attend the Hyrule Summit, Link sets off for the Twilight Realm. Upon his arrival, he transforms into a wolf and is captured. With the magical help of Midna, a mysterious being, Link is set free and off to battle against foul creatures.Besides his trusty sword and shield, Link fights his opponents on horseback with a bow and arrow. Maze-like puzzles stand between Link and the peace of the land, so wits must be sharp to discover hidden weapons and items. As you ride into combat against challenging enemies, your bravery will be tested and a new legend will be born. Use the power and unique control of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller for precise aiming, special sword attacks, shield shoves and even fishing.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Best Zelda Game Yet
on July 4, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
I grew up playing Zelda and this is the best game yet. The graphics and playing this on the Wii make this a whole new playing experience. This is a must for anyone who loves Zelda.
What's great about it: Great Graphics, challenging and fun to play
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Take a behind-the-scenes look at one of America's most popular and enduring quiz shows in this release that offers Jeopardy! fans a revealing tour of Alex Trebek's television kingdom as well as footage from some of the most memorable episodes. In addition to the opportunity to have popular questions answered by Jeopardy! researchers, writers, producers, and the Clue Crew, this release also offers a look at such fan favorites as the Tournament of Champions episodes and the episode in which Ken Jennings' extended winning streak came to an end.
 
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
It's Jeopardy
on July 1, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
This was given to me for Christmas because I love watching the show. It's nice to see a little behind the scenes and see past contestants, but will really be of no interest to anyone who isn't a huge Jeopardy fan. I've watched Jeopardy almost every day for probably the last fifteen years and most of the features didn't really interest me. Only get this if you or someone you know is a die hard Jeopardy fan.
What's great about it: Behind the scenes look that you never see
What's not so great: You really only have to watch it once and you're done with it
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
One of the best from when REM was at their best
on June 30, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
This was back when REM was around their peak. While you have big hits like Orange Crush and Stand here, you also get some of their best songs, like You Are the Everything and World Leader Pretend that you never heard much of on the radio.
What's great about it: Lyrics, writing
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
A great album with catchy songs
on June 29, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
This was the first major release in the US by Travis and it is probably their best album. Most people only remember Why Does It Always Rain on Me?, but there are a lot of great songs on this album. I don't know if the albums are still like this, but when they were first released you could get up to two bonus songs. Some copies had one, some had both and some had neither, but I'm not sure if they still do this. If you're lucky enough to get both bonus songs you won't be disappointed. They're better than a couple of the regular tracks.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
This collection brings together every episode from all four seasons of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show starring David Cross and Bob Odenkirk.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
One of the Funniest Shows Ever
on June 23, 2009
Posted by: tdilly
from St. Louis, MO
Mr. Show is David Cross and Bob Odenkirk at their best. Mr. Show is a world where the totally idiotic becomes absolutely hilarious. After years of hearing my brother talk about how great Mr. Show was I finally saw it in reruns and fell in love with it. This dvd is perfect for Mr. Show lovers because it has everything. No need to buy separate seasons, it's all here. I've bought this for two of my friends as gifts.
What's great about it: Great writing great acting, nothing like it
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
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