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- Review count1091
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- First reviewApril 12, 2008
- Last reviewMay 22, 2008
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![Kickboxer [DVD] [1989]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/bd5edbf3-ed41-4a3a-b7e9-de1f92d99dfe.jpg)
When a Thai kickboxing champion paralyzes his American opponent, the fallen fighter's determined brother vows revenge in this classic martial arts opus starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Presented in 1.33:1 pan-and-scan and offering audio in closed-captioned English Dolby Digital Stereo with optional English subtitles, this release offers absolutely no extra features to speak of.
Posted by: kevman79
'Kickboxer' is an awful, awful film that almost isn't worth the filmstock it's printed on. Its only saving grace is the unbelievable physical performance of Jean Claude Van Damme during the final fight scene. Van Damme was really in his prime during this film and looked every bit of it. This dvd transfer is quite good, but it's full-screen only, a step back from the 1999 HBO anamorphic widescreen dvd release.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Karate Kid, Part III [WS/P&S] [DVD] [1989]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/0c2b3d3b-7083-43ef-b294-2508a3ba7f59.jpg)
The third entry into The Karate Kid series, The Karate Kid Part III finds Ralph Macchio once again defending his title against some suburban bad guys. Sporting a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer (with a full-frame version on side B), this transfer looks very crisp and clean. Colors are bright and clear with black levels very solid. Some edge enhancement exists in the picture, but overall the image is void of any dire imperfections. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French), and while nothing spectacular, it does do the job that's needed. All aspects of this track, including dialogue, effects, and music, are all well-mixed with no distortion or hiss present. Also included on this disc are English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese subtitles. Sadly, The Karate Kid Part III's only extra material comes in the form of filmographies on some of the cast, plus bonus trailers for The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II, Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles -- The Pluto Campaign, Godzilla 2000, and the Chris Farley comedy Beverly Hills Ninja. Conspicuously missing from the bonus material is a theatrical trailer for The Karate Kid Part III. Fans of this series may enjoy this transfer but will most likely be disappointed at the lack of substantial extra features.
Posted by: kevman79
This final film of the 'Karate Kid' trilogy was generally disliked by critics and audiences alike. I never quite understood why because it was actually my favorite film of the series. For all its shortcomings, I found the over-the-top performances made this film simply fun to watch. Thomas Ian Griffith was the true star of this movie and deserves a lot of credit for his performance in my opinion.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Karate Kid, Part II [WS/P&S] [DVD] [1986]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/837bc45a-777a-401f-b668-ba9a35dbde0a.jpg)
The Karate Kid Part II lacks any exciting bonus features, but it does offer a few supplements. A six-minute featurette contains basic information about the film from interviews with director John Avildsen, producer Jerry Weintraub, and Pat Morita. Created at the time of its original release, this feature comes in an unimpressive full-frame format. The other major section is a series of trailers for this film and a few other Columbia Tristar releases. The previews for The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid Part II come in poor, full-frame transfers with very limited sound. There are also selected filmographies for Ralph Macchio, Morita, and Avildsen. The 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer features impressive moments of shining colors and excellent clarity. Much of this transfer works nicely, but there are some moments where the contrast suffers and the picture becomes dark and grainy. This could stem from the age of the print, but it's still disappointing in the overall sense. Even given its uneven nature, this transfer still does a decent job in presenting the story. This disc also contains a 1.33:1 full-screen transfer for people more accustomed to television viewing. Bill Conti's rousing score and Peter Cetera's cheesy title track both spring nicely from the speakers on this well-done audio transfer. Although it is only a 2.0-channel Dolby Surround track, the force of the sound renders the limitations less important than usual. The dialogue is clear and understandable throughout the running time, and the sounds have a full texture with plenty of depth.
Posted by: kevman79
Although a box office success and praised by critics, I found 'The Karate Kid Part II' to be a lousy story that just dragged on too long, making it the worst film of the trilogy. The dvd widescreen transfer itself is quite good, but there is an almost complete absence of bonus features.
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Posted by: kevman79
Robin Williams is top-notch in this film about a boy who finds and innocently begins playing a magical game that ends up being quite dangerous. Pure fun for the whole family, 'Jumanji' has something everyone will enjoy with exceptional special effects to boot. The 2-disc dvd set features an anamorphic widescreen transfer and several bonus goodies as well."
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Jumanji [Special Edition] [DVD] [1995]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
Fans of Jumanji who own the original DVD release might want to sell off that old copy and look for the newer special edition. Once again, the picture is outstanding, maybe even reference quality. It is alive with color, while the dark scenes look perfectly natural, without any noticeable grain. The sound is problematic, as the dialogue is recorded lower than the music and sound effects. This means continuously raising and lowering the volume. For the most part, however, the extras make up for any inconsistencies. Though far from the best, they are plentiful. First up is an audio commentary track, not from the director or actors, but from the real "stars" of the film -- the visual effects crew. They create a track about the technical details while trying to keep it as uncomplicated as possible. In addition, there are three featurettes. The longest, a 20 minute "making of" documentary, has some interesting interviews, but little behind-the-scenes footage. The other two, one on the visual effects and the other on the production design, are shorter, but still appealing for those interested in an effects-laden picture such as this. A small storyboard section allows the viewer to look at drawn images of specific scenes while watching a smaller window with the final results. A brief photo gallery rounds out the main supplemental material. There are talent files and theatrical trailers for this film as well as for Madeline and Matilda. While certainly not the greatest special edition ever produced, this will no doubt please fans that enjoyed the film.
Posted by: kevman79
Robin Williams is top-notch in this film about a boy who finds and innocently begins playing a magical game that ends up being quite dangerous. Pure fun for the whole family, 'Jumanji' has something everyone will enjoy with exceptional special effects to boot. The dvd is a very good release featuring a digitally mastered anamorphic widescreen transfer and several bonus goodies as well.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Joe Versus the Volcano [DVD] [1990]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3116ab8b-bc89-41ef-a7aa-fe35a1a37bb1.jpg)
John Patrick Shanley's quirky comedy Joe Versus the Volcano comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Stereo, while French and Spanish soundtracks have also been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a trailer, a making-of featurette, and a music video. Warner Bros. has done a solid job with this film, which was the first to pair Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
Posted by: kevman79
A box office flop and garner of very little critical attention, 'Joe Versus the Volcano' is actually an excellent film that just never received the attention it so very much deserved, that is until this dvd release. A beautiful anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 transfer and excellent audio help those who missed it on the big screen get another chance to view it as it was intended to be seen. An obscure tale of honor and integrity, underscored by a sweet love story and awkward yet hilarious moments allow this film to role smoothly. Highly recommended.
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Franco Zeffirelli's television miniseries about the life of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer that preserves the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. Supplemental materials include a trailer, and additional information on how life was lived during Biblical times. This is a solid release from Artisan that should please genre enthusiasts as well as those with an interest in the subject matter.
Posted by: kevman79
As a person who has read the entire Bible a couple of times, I will go on record as saying 'Jesus of Nazareth' is by far the most precise depiction of Christ I have seen put on film, based on what is spoken of him in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Now, this is not to say that everything in the film is perfectly accurate, but it does a stellar job of giving us an outstanding depiction in the overall embodiment of Christ. I honestly feel that, much like the Bible, God had a hand in making sure that this film did justice to Himself and His Son. No other depiction of Christ on screen even comes close to the performance given by Robert Powell in this made for tv miniseries directed by Franco Zeffirelli. The dvd is quite good and features the complete miniseries as it originally aired on television back in 1977. My highest recommendation.
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![Groundhog Day [15th Anniversary Edition] [DVD] [1993]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/fb4193c7-3d23-4b7f-b5df-afac8001a808.jpg)
Posted by: kevman79
'Groundhog Day' is easily Bill Murray's best performance in my opinion, and it's a film that just about everyone should see and enjoy at least once. This release of the film contains a new high-def transfer and some other bonus features (of which I'm not personally a fan), but overall it isn't really worth buying if you already own the previous special edition dvd.
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![It's a Wonderful Life [Colorized/B&W] [2 Discs] [DVD] [1946]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8e1945b0-60ff-483c-99b8-785075f348ec.jpg)
Posted by: kevman79
I firmly believe that every person needs to see this film regardless of who they are. Easily one of the greatest films ever made, it clearly deserves the recognition it earned over the years. It is hard to believe that this film was deemed both a critical and box office disappointment when it was initially released.
There are several dvd versions that have been released over the years, my personal preference for picture quality is the 1998 Republic Pictures version, but any of the more recent versions are fine too, as they almost all contain the same bonus features as the original disc. Whatever you do, only watch the film in its original black & white, the colorized versions have been awful!
There are several dvd versions that have been released over the years, my personal preference for picture quality is the 1998 Republic Pictures version, but any of the more recent versions are fine too, as they almost all contain the same bonus features as the original disc. Whatever you do, only watch the film in its original black & white, the colorized versions have been awful!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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A wonderful animated fable for the whole family to enjoy, Director Brad Bird's The Iron Giant receives a belated but welcome special-edition release from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It may have been a long time coming, but this feature-packed disc undoubtedly deserves a place on the shelf of any fan. The feature is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, and it looks better than ever -- sporting a remarkably clean transfer with bold, vivid colors that seem to leap from the screen. English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio offers a clean mix of music and dialogue with the occasional, effective directional effect, with an alternate French Dolby Digital 5.1 also included. A commentary track with director Brad Bird, story-department heads Jeffrey Lynch and Steven Markowski, and head of animation Tony Fucile provides the filmmakers a chance to discuss their motivations with the film, and the track is alternately entertaining and informative. Journey further into the world of the Iron Giant with eight additional scenes, which even half-finished offer a tantalizing look at what the filmmakers could have accomplished given a little more time and a bigger budget. There's some truly inventive stuff here, and a dream sequence with the giant proves especially intriguing in its potential. It's too bad many of these scenes didn't make it into the film because as opposed to most deleted scenes, one really feels like these moments would have added great character depth while also entertaining the viewer. No less than 13 branching featurettes offer viewers the opportunity to interact with the feature by selecting a nuts and bolts icon that appears on the screen from time to time, and unpredictable storyboard-department animator Teddy Newton delves into the creative process in a pair of insightful featurettes. Fellow animators will no doubt relish the opportunity to take a peek at the actual animation process in additional featurettes, and viewers can join Vin Diesel behind the microphone as he and director Bird discuss the creative process. A trailer lovingly cut by director Bird himself gives greater emotional impact than the also included theatrical trailer, and DVD-ROM features will have viewers exploring and enjoying this wonderful release for many hours after they have taken in the main attraction.
Posted by: kevman79
This film is by far the best animated film I have ever seen. All I can say is buy it, watch it with your kids (or yourself for that matter if you don't have kids), and you'll thank me after. Beautiful animation, top-notch voice acting, and incredible direction make this film the superior piece it is. Like the 'Toy Story' films, 'The Iron Giant' is a perfect example of why animated films should be allowed to contend for the 'Best Picture Oscar', because I can guarantee you there was not a single film in 1999 that compared to the quality of this film in terms of story, effects, sound, and music. This film could have and should have been nominated for several oscars. A great dvd package is offered here for a film that is nothing short of spectacular, and the film deserves every bit of attention that has been given it on this disc.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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