Share doc8998's profile
doc8998
doc8998's stats
- Review count34
- Helpfulness votes48
- First reviewAugust 21, 2015
- Last reviewAugust 3, 2018
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count2
- Helpfulness votes0
- First answerAugust 21, 2015
- Last answerOctober 28, 2015
- Featured answers0
- Best answers0
![Minions [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2 Discs] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/7877/7877227_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
3
Not a complete letdown, but...
on January 4, 2016
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
Since the original Despicable Me, the scene stealers, the characters that have shined- and in many ways, been the bridge that made a children's movie enjoyable for both kids and adults, have been the gibberish-speaking, silly, 3 Stooges' schtick Minions with all their tomfoolery.
And while one has to question the Minions' self-awareness (or sense of self-preservation) with their antics, the bigger question might be how the creators lost sight of what made Despicable Me & DM2 so special.
That special quality- a movie made for kids, with universal slap-stick comedy with subtle hints at comedy for adults- cleverly hidden and left imperceptible to kids- is fairly lost here in what should be an amazing movie with the pill shaped mascots taking front & center.
Part of this is their own fault in making Gru (by all indications & hints) approximately 60 years old... With the Minions movie as a vehicle to the Minions meeting a young Gru, the setting takes place in 1960s England.
As a 44 year old (with a 2 year old) even I had a hard time being able to identify with the time period... It just wasn't personal enough. As I watched more obvious jokes come via the form of lava lamps, bell bottoms, the Monkees' theme song, and the famous Beatles' Abbey Road album cover, it felt like this was less a movie for today's children and more for producers, directors, etc inner children.
That's not to say children won't have any fun whatsoever, but what was a golden-yellow opportunity for the Minions to shine seems to have been lost in using this movie with the intention of appeasing too many adults; which is a shame, because, in my case, watching these movies with my son (who can watch Despicable Me 1 & 2 over & over, not so with Minions, where he surrenders before reaching the credits) is 3/4 of my enjoyment. Seeing him laugh and get into the movie is enjoyment enough... The previous movies sprinkled just enough in for me that they were favorites in the family genre. Minions seems to reverse that formula, expecting my son to be satisfied by seeing me enjoy humor he just won't get- it doesn't quite work that way.
It's hard to call Minions a full failure, as it does have scenes where it's more true to its roots, and keeps us all laughing. The problem is, they don't last nearly as long as the previous entries in the series.
With Despicable Me 3 on the way next year (and the end of Steve Carell's starring role as Gru) one can hope they recapture the magic, as well as hope that Gru isn't the crutch that's needed to continue the series. The world needs more Minions, but after the end of Carell's run, I hope the Minions movie isn't what is in store for any future iterations.
And while one has to question the Minions' self-awareness (or sense of self-preservation) with their antics, the bigger question might be how the creators lost sight of what made Despicable Me & DM2 so special.
That special quality- a movie made for kids, with universal slap-stick comedy with subtle hints at comedy for adults- cleverly hidden and left imperceptible to kids- is fairly lost here in what should be an amazing movie with the pill shaped mascots taking front & center.
Part of this is their own fault in making Gru (by all indications & hints) approximately 60 years old... With the Minions movie as a vehicle to the Minions meeting a young Gru, the setting takes place in 1960s England.
As a 44 year old (with a 2 year old) even I had a hard time being able to identify with the time period... It just wasn't personal enough. As I watched more obvious jokes come via the form of lava lamps, bell bottoms, the Monkees' theme song, and the famous Beatles' Abbey Road album cover, it felt like this was less a movie for today's children and more for producers, directors, etc inner children.
That's not to say children won't have any fun whatsoever, but what was a golden-yellow opportunity for the Minions to shine seems to have been lost in using this movie with the intention of appeasing too many adults; which is a shame, because, in my case, watching these movies with my son (who can watch Despicable Me 1 & 2 over & over, not so with Minions, where he surrenders before reaching the credits) is 3/4 of my enjoyment. Seeing him laugh and get into the movie is enjoyment enough... The previous movies sprinkled just enough in for me that they were favorites in the family genre. Minions seems to reverse that formula, expecting my son to be satisfied by seeing me enjoy humor he just won't get- it doesn't quite work that way.
It's hard to call Minions a full failure, as it does have scenes where it's more true to its roots, and keeps us all laughing. The problem is, they don't last nearly as long as the previous entries in the series.
With Despicable Me 3 on the way next year (and the end of Steve Carell's starring role as Gru) one can hope they recapture the magic, as well as hope that Gru isn't the crutch that's needed to continue the series. The world needs more Minions, but after the end of Carell's run, I hope the Minions movie isn't what is in store for any future iterations.
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
The ominous thud of an AT-AT stomping down. Rebel forces firing blasters. Imperial speeder bikes zipping by. Intense dogfights between squadrons of X-wings and TIE fighters filling the skies. Immerse yourself in the epic Star Wars battles you've always dreamed of and create new heroic moments of your own in Star Wars Battlefront
Customer Rating
5
Multiplayer Star Wars Goodness!
on January 2, 2016
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
I'm not a huge multiplayer gamer. I often buy multiplayer games, mostly for campaign and solo play, but as an older gamer who has watched the "genesis" of multiplayer "evolve" from a day where people once ended matches with "good game all" to the current state where anonymity behind a monitor lends itself to tantrums, curses, and blatant accusations; I've all but given up on playing with strangers.
In fact, when Battlefront was first promoted heavily over the summer, I turned to my wife and said "there's one game you don't have to worry about me wanting". (I have a video game addiction lol).
As it turned out, while I recover from surgery, my sister sent me a game I already had, so we took it back to Best Buy to exchange. In the meantime, reviews of SWB had come in and had given me enough curiosity that I figured the exchange, even if I disliked SWB, would be worth a chance.
I'm here to tell you that SWB is EXCELLENT. My disdain for the online "experts" barking orders or issuing insults was allayed by SWB simply not having any sort of in-game communications- no voice, no text.
My other fear- as a PC Gamer, as well, is the First person shooting aspect. While playing FPS against AI is never an issue, I've always been of the mind that a mouse is better than a game pad. SWB offers a not heavily advertised 3rd person view; switching to this not only offered me a more familiar control scheme on console, but also offers a better view of the battlefield.
The game offers a ton of game modes, in both the single player (or co-op with a friend) and multiplayer sides of the game. It is important to note there is no campaign to play, if that's a selling point to you.
Between troop fighting, aerial combat, and even controlling one of six heroes (3 each side- Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, or Princess Leia) there's lots of fun ways to enjoy the huge battles on familiar planets like Hoth, Endor, or Tatooine.
It's also important to note that with Star Wars at fever pitch with the new movie, EA has opted to not include anything from Force Awakens, and has stated they will not in any future DLC. The closest you'll get is a battle that takes place between Return of the Jedi & Force Awakens. (This DLC "Battle of Jakku" is free to all owners of SWB- future DLC will require purchase).
All sound effects, music, and visuals are direct from the movies- and all are PERFECT.
As someone who normally loathes multiplayer-centric games, SWB has ended my sabbatical. Can be played when you have 20minutes to kill or want to fill an afternoon. There's lots of nuance and patience that needs to be learned before you'll see your name at the top of the leaderboards, but when that begins to happen, it will bring a smile to your face. In fact, SWB has hit the nail on the head so perfectly, I found myself doing something else I normally don't do... Buying the season pass (also available at Best Buy!) so my game will continue on into 2017.
In fact, when Battlefront was first promoted heavily over the summer, I turned to my wife and said "there's one game you don't have to worry about me wanting". (I have a video game addiction lol).
As it turned out, while I recover from surgery, my sister sent me a game I already had, so we took it back to Best Buy to exchange. In the meantime, reviews of SWB had come in and had given me enough curiosity that I figured the exchange, even if I disliked SWB, would be worth a chance.
I'm here to tell you that SWB is EXCELLENT. My disdain for the online "experts" barking orders or issuing insults was allayed by SWB simply not having any sort of in-game communications- no voice, no text.
My other fear- as a PC Gamer, as well, is the First person shooting aspect. While playing FPS against AI is never an issue, I've always been of the mind that a mouse is better than a game pad. SWB offers a not heavily advertised 3rd person view; switching to this not only offered me a more familiar control scheme on console, but also offers a better view of the battlefield.
The game offers a ton of game modes, in both the single player (or co-op with a friend) and multiplayer sides of the game. It is important to note there is no campaign to play, if that's a selling point to you.
Between troop fighting, aerial combat, and even controlling one of six heroes (3 each side- Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, or Princess Leia) there's lots of fun ways to enjoy the huge battles on familiar planets like Hoth, Endor, or Tatooine.
It's also important to note that with Star Wars at fever pitch with the new movie, EA has opted to not include anything from Force Awakens, and has stated they will not in any future DLC. The closest you'll get is a battle that takes place between Return of the Jedi & Force Awakens. (This DLC "Battle of Jakku" is free to all owners of SWB- future DLC will require purchase).
All sound effects, music, and visuals are direct from the movies- and all are PERFECT.
As someone who normally loathes multiplayer-centric games, SWB has ended my sabbatical. Can be played when you have 20minutes to kill or want to fill an afternoon. There's lots of nuance and patience that needs to be learned before you'll see your name at the top of the leaderboards, but when that begins to happen, it will bring a smile to your face. In fact, SWB has hit the nail on the head so perfectly, I found myself doing something else I normally don't do... Buying the season pass (also available at Best Buy!) so my game will continue on into 2017.
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
![It Follows [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8110/8110184_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Refreshing movie in the horror genre
on January 2, 2016
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
It Follows is one of the better horror movies over the past decade. While the more recent horror films have subscribed to the theory that "excess is best," It Follows allows us viewers to delve into our own imaginations, where the blanks it fills in can be more terrifying than anything put up on the big screen.
That's not to say that It Follows is an Ad Libs movie, where it all relies on the dark recesses of your mind and forgoes any crunches, splats, and adult situations so ingrained into the genre, but it certainly strays from the more popular Eli Roth/ Rob Zombie/ Saw school of horror, where each following movie feels the need to attempt just one more bucket of the red, sticky stuff.
(I enjoy a splatter movie as much as the next horror buff, but it seems as if any new idea attempted on the big screen falls into splatter/ hauntings/ or found footage nowadays).
To describe It Follows is a bit difficult due to word combinations Best Buy doesn't allow in its reviews, but I'll give it another attempt.
The movie centers around a young lady who has apparently "contracted a creature" after a one night stand. "It" is passed along through intimate partners- much like a chain letter. If you've "contracted" it, you may never get rid of it- your only option is to try to "pass it along" and hope, like some horrific pyramid scheme, It continues to get passed along. Because, if you don't, It will not stop hunting you until it kills you. If it kills those "further down the chain," you're back in-line to be hunted.
Making things worse is the fact that, to you, it can look like anyone. To anyone not cursed by it, it's simply invisible (but still dangerous).
It Follows also seems to take place in an alternate reality- one in which e-readers exist in the same universe that 50s style cars and typewriters are still everyday tools- this reality is subdued, never forced, and is only one of many Easter eggs the film throws into its universe.
It Follows is such a unique vision, one that relies so heavily on letting the scares come naturally rather than forcefully, that it deserves to be in your collection. This type of filmmaking needs to be rewarded with viewings, praise, and yes... Purchases; in the hopes that, in a currently predictable genre, producers will begin offering horror fans some new variety- and in the case of It Follows, perhaps a new franchise.
That's not to say that It Follows is an Ad Libs movie, where it all relies on the dark recesses of your mind and forgoes any crunches, splats, and adult situations so ingrained into the genre, but it certainly strays from the more popular Eli Roth/ Rob Zombie/ Saw school of horror, where each following movie feels the need to attempt just one more bucket of the red, sticky stuff.
(I enjoy a splatter movie as much as the next horror buff, but it seems as if any new idea attempted on the big screen falls into splatter/ hauntings/ or found footage nowadays).
To describe It Follows is a bit difficult due to word combinations Best Buy doesn't allow in its reviews, but I'll give it another attempt.
The movie centers around a young lady who has apparently "contracted a creature" after a one night stand. "It" is passed along through intimate partners- much like a chain letter. If you've "contracted" it, you may never get rid of it- your only option is to try to "pass it along" and hope, like some horrific pyramid scheme, It continues to get passed along. Because, if you don't, It will not stop hunting you until it kills you. If it kills those "further down the chain," you're back in-line to be hunted.
Making things worse is the fact that, to you, it can look like anyone. To anyone not cursed by it, it's simply invisible (but still dangerous).
It Follows also seems to take place in an alternate reality- one in which e-readers exist in the same universe that 50s style cars and typewriters are still everyday tools- this reality is subdued, never forced, and is only one of many Easter eggs the film throws into its universe.
It Follows is such a unique vision, one that relies so heavily on letting the scares come naturally rather than forcefully, that it deserves to be in your collection. This type of filmmaking needs to be rewarded with viewings, praise, and yes... Purchases; in the hopes that, in a currently predictable genre, producers will begin offering horror fans some new variety- and in the case of It Follows, perhaps a new franchise.
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Eight friends trapped together on a remote mountain retreat, and they aren't alone. Gripped by dread, with tensions running high, they must fight through their fear if they all hope to make through the night in one piece.Play as each of the eight characters, and experience fear like you never have before. Every decision you make in your terrifying search for answers could mean the difference between life and death, but for whom? Your actions alone will decide who survives Until Dawn.
Customer Rating
5
AMAZING!
on December 29, 2015
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
Until Dawn received some high praise upon release- but, it still seems criminally out of people's game libraries. I'm hoping to rectify that by giving it the highest praise I can give.
Quite simply, (even in a year with COD, MGS5, etc on the books) it's my personal game of the year.
With added horsepower of PS4, upgraded graphics and bigger lands to explore are to be expected.
Until Dawn proves that all that extra under the PS4s hood can be used for better storytelling, and, by proxy, better (and more) consequences to your decisions.
UD's biggest selling points are in two areas- realistic rendering of actual actors (on par with Quantic Dream, who most recently is responsible for the great Beyond Two Souls) and reactions to choices made hours earlier.
A group of young friends gather at an old skiing lodge on the anniversary of their friends' (2 sisters) deaths. Things quickly unravel as the group is picked off one by one... Or attempted to be slain- all based on your decisions... In a "Saw" like fashion. With a murderer on the loose, they may not see the real terror on the mountaintops.
UD doesn't offer the action of a COD or freedom to roam like GTA- it has a story to tell, but within that story there are thousands of choices & repercussions to make and to face. Very few story-driven games make you realize that whatever may happen to you, it's due to the decisions you made along the way.
This is the area where games have room to innovate- adding more enemies on a screen or more square footage to a land is simply a given by-product- and the makers of UD came out swinging.
And while it's like playing a great horror movie, it must be remembered that it IS horror- blood will be spilled, with much more realism. Not a game for the youngsters!
Quite simply, (even in a year with COD, MGS5, etc on the books) it's my personal game of the year.
With added horsepower of PS4, upgraded graphics and bigger lands to explore are to be expected.
Until Dawn proves that all that extra under the PS4s hood can be used for better storytelling, and, by proxy, better (and more) consequences to your decisions.
UD's biggest selling points are in two areas- realistic rendering of actual actors (on par with Quantic Dream, who most recently is responsible for the great Beyond Two Souls) and reactions to choices made hours earlier.
A group of young friends gather at an old skiing lodge on the anniversary of their friends' (2 sisters) deaths. Things quickly unravel as the group is picked off one by one... Or attempted to be slain- all based on your decisions... In a "Saw" like fashion. With a murderer on the loose, they may not see the real terror on the mountaintops.
UD doesn't offer the action of a COD or freedom to roam like GTA- it has a story to tell, but within that story there are thousands of choices & repercussions to make and to face. Very few story-driven games make you realize that whatever may happen to you, it's due to the decisions you made along the way.
This is the area where games have room to innovate- adding more enemies on a screen or more square footage to a land is simply a given by-product- and the makers of UD came out swinging.
And while it's like playing a great horror movie, it must be remembered that it IS horror- blood will be spilled, with much more realism. Not a game for the youngsters!
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Store your important data on this Toshiba internal laptop hard drive that features a 1TB capacity for ample space. Data transfer rates up to 3 Gbps and a 12 ms average seek time provide fast, reliable performance.
Customer Rating
5
Perfect for PS4 upgrade!
on December 29, 2015
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
Bought and installed this into my PS4 to upgrade the storage space for my expanding library of games.
It was an amazingly quick installation, and as long as you follow one of the many different directions available online, there should be no issue in transferring your game & save data. (Was able to transfer my copy of the now impossible to download "P.T." Over easily).
After installing, it's given me the extra space I needed (although I wish I had sprung for the 2 GB now lol) and worked flawlessly after installing the PS4 OS.
Couldn't recommend any more than this!
It was an amazingly quick installation, and as long as you follow one of the many different directions available online, there should be no issue in transferring your game & save data. (Was able to transfer my copy of the now impossible to download "P.T." Over easily).
After installing, it's given me the extra space I needed (although I wish I had sprung for the 2 GB now lol) and worked flawlessly after installing the PS4 OS.
Couldn't recommend any more than this!
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Store and manage your digital life locally with this Seagate Backup Plus Slim STDR1000100 hard drive, which lets you back up content from select social networks or media stored on select mobile devices. The slim design facilitates portability.
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
It came as a shock- (okay, less a shock than "I was woefully unprepared") when my backup drive began the "clicking of death" destroying both backup and raw data.
After many choice words and several attempts at deep breaths, I realized that much of what was on that drive hadn't been accessed in forever (speaking to its overall importance) and the biggest thing I needed back- my music- was able to be reversed from my old iPod back to the PC itself, I decided to pick up another external- primarily for upcoming projects I have that will be using 2 different computers.
It had been 15 years since I purchased my original external, so I was shocked that the same amount of storage was now compressed (physically) to maybe 1/5 of the size. I expected some space saving, but this was soooo small, I actually had to ask the associate if he was sure this was actually a hard drive.
It does everything it's supposed to, all while being not much bigger than a wallet. Highly recommend!
After many choice words and several attempts at deep breaths, I realized that much of what was on that drive hadn't been accessed in forever (speaking to its overall importance) and the biggest thing I needed back- my music- was able to be reversed from my old iPod back to the PC itself, I decided to pick up another external- primarily for upcoming projects I have that will be using 2 different computers.
It had been 15 years since I purchased my original external, so I was shocked that the same amount of storage was now compressed (physically) to maybe 1/5 of the size. I expected some space saving, but this was soooo small, I actually had to ask the associate if he was sure this was actually a hard drive.
It does everything it's supposed to, all while being not much bigger than a wallet. Highly recommend!
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
![The Walking Dead: Season 5 [5 Discs] [With Digital Copy] [UltraViolet] [Blu-ray]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5c320af6-12b5-4efc-bdc2-bd09f3389641.jpg)
This set contains every episode from season five of The Walking Dead, the long-running AMC series starring Andrew Lincoln as Rick, a small-town Georgia cop who helps lead a band of survivors on a seemingly never-ending trek in search of a safe haven after a zombie epidemic has swept across the country.
Customer Rating
4
Continuing one of the best shows on TV.
on December 29, 2015
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
I'm an unabashed lover of zombies in movies & TV. Until Walking Dead, most relied solely on the violence & horror in 2 hour bursts.
WD however, while giving us the horror of the monsters in question, shows the humanity lost and struggles of civilization lost, by the survivors.
While questions remained after show runner Frank Darabount "left" the series, those questions are answered continuosly ever since: WD lost a great one in Frank, but those left in charge can still offer compelling storylines with only a slight loss of voice.
WD S5 isn't the best of the seasons, but still delivers solid fun, scares, and drama with no signs the series is "dying". A worthy addition to the franchise and your collection.
It is, however, the first in the previous 3 sets that I didn't feel the special edition "collector statue/ disc case" was warranted.
WD however, while giving us the horror of the monsters in question, shows the humanity lost and struggles of civilization lost, by the survivors.
While questions remained after show runner Frank Darabount "left" the series, those questions are answered continuosly ever since: WD lost a great one in Frank, but those left in charge can still offer compelling storylines with only a slight loss of voice.
WD S5 isn't the best of the seasons, but still delivers solid fun, scares, and drama with no signs the series is "dying". A worthy addition to the franchise and your collection.
It is, however, the first in the previous 3 sets that I didn't feel the special edition "collector statue/ disc case" was warranted.
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
![Silent Night, Deadly Night [30th Anniversary] [Blu-ray] [1984]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8434/8434325_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
The movie that caused an uproar returns unrated.
on November 8, 2015
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
Little known fact about Silent Night, Deadly Night: It was released the same weekend as the original Nightmare on Elm Street, and actually outgrossed it in its first week at the theaters.
By the second week, its ticket revenue was nearly non-existent, and by the third week, it was out of theaters altogether.
SNDN caused a huge uproar upon its release, the combination of another slasher flick paired with the slasher in question being dressed as Santa Claus grating on parents' sensibilities so harshly that protests were held outside theaters that showed it.
Mickey Rooney blasted the filmmakers, Siskel and Ebert refused to review it, instead using the time it would have been reviewed to read off, name by name, the cast & crew followed by a "shame, shame, shame" as they ended each person they called out.
In the end, all the outrage led to a huge uptick in SNDN's interest when it hit the home video market, where it was released as an unrated version, (similar to the then nefarious Faces of Death,) boasting how it had been banned in several countries, and it was far too powerful for the theaters. People who had been harassed by protestors when they attempted to see it in the theater (yes, many people were asked to sign petitions as they tried to enter the cinema) could now watch it at home comfortably. People who had seen it were now intrigued to see what was new to this unrated version- the promise of more gore- compared to the R rated version they had braved angry parents and concerned citizens in order to see it at the theater.
And then, there was those of us, the teens, who were horror fans through and through, but were too young to see it by renting it ourselves, but had parents who would allow us to get our horror on by renting it for us.
SNDN gathered a cult following for some time after hitting home video, and even garnered a couple sequels- all direct to VHS after the hubbub around the first one. (Much to my surprise, they even added a sequel titled simple "Silent Night" in 2012, starring Malcolm McDowell.) Eventually, the movie would disappear, as its notoriety would wear off and the movie was seen for what it was. A fairly typical slasher movie with even less than the typical bad acting within that genre. Fans intrigued by its "too gory" hype would discover that, in all actuality, it isn't that gory- and by today's terms, it's almost comical to think it was promoted as such.
That said, there's much to still enjoy about SNDN. For horror buffs, it's a piece of horror history. For those interested in how different the times were, it's worth a watch to see how such a movie could have caused such a firestorm.
Beyond that however, upon careful consideration, it's actually a pretty good movie that had some interesting ideas. In a time when Leatherface, Jason, Michael, and the newly introduced Freddy were busy filling us full of fear of "larger than life" villains that were often supernaturally strong and driven, SNDN does no such thing.
Billy, the evil Santa in SNDN, is very, very human. Sure, he's strong (as his physique is shown a couple times, to kind of prove the point before he hides beneath the red Santa suit) but he's a damaged kid who's finally sent over the brink after seeing his parents murdered by a thief who had dressed as Santa on Christmas Eve. After him and his brother are left at an orphanage run by an abusive nun, can anyone truly blame him for his PTSD? After becoming a teen, still under the care of the orphanage, Billy goes to work at a toy shop, where all seems well, initially.
But once Christmas comes around, Billy begins withdrawing (and again, who can blame him?) from his co-workers/ friends. The unthinkable happens when he's forced to wear a Santa suit for the kids visiting the toy store, and at the after-hours Christmas party, Billy's psyche finally snaps.
And that's what makes this movie so much better than the sum of its parts. The acting is wooden through most of it (that's being generous) and there's errors to be found by the discerning eye, but the idea itself... That this killer was made by a trauma no child should have seen, an abusive authority figure, and a trigger event was well ahead of the curve among the masses of... well, mass murderers on film at the time. No feats of incredible strength, no surviving a hail of bullets, and no chance at resurrecting for the sequel. (The sequel would feature Billy's brother, who, while too young to recall the events of the Christmas Eve that took his parents away, would bear witness to his brother being killed).
SNDN is truly worth a viewing, especially if you can find it in yourself to watch it for the story it's conveying rather than the voices that's telling the story. It's by no means great, but it is a neat piece of horror history to show off to your fellow horror friends.
And the best part is that, while SNDN found new life on VHS unrated, it would eventually be replaced by its R-Rated theatrical version over the years before it disappeared entirely. Now on blu ray, they've restored it back to the unrated version. (admittedly, the restored scenes are very noticeable while watching, often rather grainy).
By the second week, its ticket revenue was nearly non-existent, and by the third week, it was out of theaters altogether.
SNDN caused a huge uproar upon its release, the combination of another slasher flick paired with the slasher in question being dressed as Santa Claus grating on parents' sensibilities so harshly that protests were held outside theaters that showed it.
Mickey Rooney blasted the filmmakers, Siskel and Ebert refused to review it, instead using the time it would have been reviewed to read off, name by name, the cast & crew followed by a "shame, shame, shame" as they ended each person they called out.
In the end, all the outrage led to a huge uptick in SNDN's interest when it hit the home video market, where it was released as an unrated version, (similar to the then nefarious Faces of Death,) boasting how it had been banned in several countries, and it was far too powerful for the theaters. People who had been harassed by protestors when they attempted to see it in the theater (yes, many people were asked to sign petitions as they tried to enter the cinema) could now watch it at home comfortably. People who had seen it were now intrigued to see what was new to this unrated version- the promise of more gore- compared to the R rated version they had braved angry parents and concerned citizens in order to see it at the theater.
And then, there was those of us, the teens, who were horror fans through and through, but were too young to see it by renting it ourselves, but had parents who would allow us to get our horror on by renting it for us.
SNDN gathered a cult following for some time after hitting home video, and even garnered a couple sequels- all direct to VHS after the hubbub around the first one. (Much to my surprise, they even added a sequel titled simple "Silent Night" in 2012, starring Malcolm McDowell.) Eventually, the movie would disappear, as its notoriety would wear off and the movie was seen for what it was. A fairly typical slasher movie with even less than the typical bad acting within that genre. Fans intrigued by its "too gory" hype would discover that, in all actuality, it isn't that gory- and by today's terms, it's almost comical to think it was promoted as such.
That said, there's much to still enjoy about SNDN. For horror buffs, it's a piece of horror history. For those interested in how different the times were, it's worth a watch to see how such a movie could have caused such a firestorm.
Beyond that however, upon careful consideration, it's actually a pretty good movie that had some interesting ideas. In a time when Leatherface, Jason, Michael, and the newly introduced Freddy were busy filling us full of fear of "larger than life" villains that were often supernaturally strong and driven, SNDN does no such thing.
Billy, the evil Santa in SNDN, is very, very human. Sure, he's strong (as his physique is shown a couple times, to kind of prove the point before he hides beneath the red Santa suit) but he's a damaged kid who's finally sent over the brink after seeing his parents murdered by a thief who had dressed as Santa on Christmas Eve. After him and his brother are left at an orphanage run by an abusive nun, can anyone truly blame him for his PTSD? After becoming a teen, still under the care of the orphanage, Billy goes to work at a toy shop, where all seems well, initially.
But once Christmas comes around, Billy begins withdrawing (and again, who can blame him?) from his co-workers/ friends. The unthinkable happens when he's forced to wear a Santa suit for the kids visiting the toy store, and at the after-hours Christmas party, Billy's psyche finally snaps.
And that's what makes this movie so much better than the sum of its parts. The acting is wooden through most of it (that's being generous) and there's errors to be found by the discerning eye, but the idea itself... That this killer was made by a trauma no child should have seen, an abusive authority figure, and a trigger event was well ahead of the curve among the masses of... well, mass murderers on film at the time. No feats of incredible strength, no surviving a hail of bullets, and no chance at resurrecting for the sequel. (The sequel would feature Billy's brother, who, while too young to recall the events of the Christmas Eve that took his parents away, would bear witness to his brother being killed).
SNDN is truly worth a viewing, especially if you can find it in yourself to watch it for the story it's conveying rather than the voices that's telling the story. It's by no means great, but it is a neat piece of horror history to show off to your fellow horror friends.
And the best part is that, while SNDN found new life on VHS unrated, it would eventually be replaced by its R-Rated theatrical version over the years before it disappeared entirely. Now on blu ray, they've restored it back to the unrated version. (admittedly, the restored scenes are very noticeable while watching, often rather grainy).
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
![Despicable Me 2 [2 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2013]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9600/9600139_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Solid follow-up to the original.
on November 8, 2015
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
The minions are favorites around here. My son hasn't quite gotten hooked on them yet, but when they pop on the TV, he loves to watch their antics. The adults- my wife and I- also find the movies funny and enjoyable. If you enjoyed the original movie, you're almost certain to enjoy the follow-up film! Here's hoping their Minions Movie continues with the shenanigans by the banana-loving little pill-shaped creatures!
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Customer Rating
5
Great Trick or Treat bag!
on November 8, 2015
Posted by: doc8998
Verified Purchase:Yes
My son is not a huge Minions fan as of yet, but he's enjoyed the movies (at 2 years old, his biggest love is really about cars, trucks, and trains). But this bag certainly made him happy. Glow in the dark, minion jibberish talk, was a big hit, and a pretty good size. Considering Best Buy had this as a free gift when purchasing Despicable Me 2, I can't find a thing to complain about. Great price, happy child, and a quality made item.
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
My Best Buy number: 2511552368
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
doc8998's Review Comments
doc8998 has not submitted comments on any reviews.
doc8998's Questions
doc8998 has not submitted any questions.
doc8998's Answers
Your skills. Immortalized.The gaming experience is all about sharing. Record and stream your Xbox or PlayStation gameplay and share your journey with friends, fans and generations to come.Be next-gen. NEWYou constantly push the limits, and so should the gaming gear that powers you. With superior H.264 hardware encoding, Elgato Game Capture HD60 raises the bar to a whole new level. Easily capture stunning 1080p with 60 fps, and enjoy incredibly smooth footage in easily manageable files. The next generation of gameplay sharing has finally arrived, and it's the perfect match for your Xbox One or PlayStation 4.Be prepared.When you're in the zone, you shouldn't have to worry about your capture. With Flashback Recording, Elgato Game Capture HD60 has your back - simply slide back in time on your PC or Mac and hit the record button retroactively. The lag-free passthrough to your TV will let you focus on your game, until you're ready to marvel at your feats. Re-living greatness has never been this easy.Be live. NEWNothing beats sharing your journey right when it happens. The built-in Live Streaming feature gets you up and running on Twitch, YouTube or Ustream in a snap, but it doesn't stop there. Now, Stream Command puts you in charge: easily add your webcam and overlays, and change your stream layout on-the-fly with scenes. Add your voice with the built-in Live Commentary feature, and you're all set for the big show.Be in control. NEWYou've achieved epicness, and with Elgato Game Capture HD60, there is no limit to what you'll be able to do next. Seamlessly capture hours of your best moments in unmatched quality and access them directly right where you need them - you'll be instantly ready to create history.You don't even have to choose between live streaming and high quality capture. No matter what resolution you stream, you can simultaneously capture full resolution 1080p, with separate tracks of all of your stream elements. Now, your stream archive is only the beginning.Be you.Elgato Game Capture HD60 was created with the next generation of gaming in mind. Designed to give you full control without getting in your way, so you can shape its legacy. Now more than ever, the gaming experience is all about sharing. Come be a part of it.
is this only for games
I saw multi so i wondered if i can use it for more than games
While I would certainly go through their website for 100% accuracy, I'm going to do my best to respond here from memory when I looked into this.
With ElGato's software, you can livestream directly more than just games, if you're using a camera in conjunction with it: ie: say hosting a small live show with you and your friends to one of the streaming services they support (twitch is for sure).
Now, if you're asking if it can be used to record movies, the answer is less definite- If you're using a PS4, you must turn off a copy-protection service in the PS4's settings in order for it to record. When this copy-protection is turned off, according to ElGato "Some media may not work" (I'm reading this to mean movies).
And, while the ElGato does a fairly great job at compression, if you're looking to record movies, my guess is, even IF it worked, the file size would be far more monstrous than you'd care to have without further compressing it with an editing program- the included one might do the job, but THINK you'd be better off using something like Sony.
Hopefully, someone with more experience with it can be more helpful, as I just recently purchased it and have only begun playing with it- I'm trying to work off memory here when I was reading things on their site. The "multi" you see attached to it, is, I believe referencing the fact that it works on multiple systems: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and believe Wii and even PS2.
With ElGato's software, you can livestream directly more than just games, if you're using a camera in conjunction with it: ie: say hosting a small live show with you and your friends to one of the streaming services they support (twitch is for sure).
Now, if you're asking if it can be used to record movies, the answer is less definite- If you're using a PS4, you must turn off a copy-protection service in the PS4's settings in order for it to record. When this copy-protection is turned off, according to ElGato "Some media may not work" (I'm reading this to mean movies).
And, while the ElGato does a fairly great job at compression, if you're looking to record movies, my guess is, even IF it worked, the file size would be far more monstrous than you'd care to have without further compressing it with an editing program- the included one might do the job, but THINK you'd be better off using something like Sony.
Hopefully, someone with more experience with it can be more helpful, as I just recently purchased it and have only begun playing with it- I'm trying to work off memory here when I was reading things on their site. The "multi" you see attached to it, is, I believe referencing the fact that it works on multiple systems: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and believe Wii and even PS2.
8 years, 6 months ago
by
doc8998
Your skills. Immortalized.The gaming experience is all about sharing. Record and stream your Xbox or PlayStation gameplay and share your journey with friends, fans and generations to come.Be next-gen. NEWYou constantly push the limits, and so should the gaming gear that powers you. With superior H.264 hardware encoding, Elgato Game Capture HD60 raises the bar to a whole new level. Easily capture stunning 1080p with 60 fps, and enjoy incredibly smooth footage in easily manageable files. The next generation of gameplay sharing has finally arrived, and it's the perfect match for your Xbox One or PlayStation 4.Be prepared.When you're in the zone, you shouldn't have to worry about your capture. With Flashback Recording, Elgato Game Capture HD60 has your back - simply slide back in time on your PC or Mac and hit the record button retroactively. The lag-free passthrough to your TV will let you focus on your game, until you're ready to marvel at your feats. Re-living greatness has never been this easy.Be live. NEWNothing beats sharing your journey right when it happens. The built-in Live Streaming feature gets you up and running on Twitch, YouTube or Ustream in a snap, but it doesn't stop there. Now, Stream Command puts you in charge: easily add your webcam and overlays, and change your stream layout on-the-fly with scenes. Add your voice with the built-in Live Commentary feature, and you're all set for the big show.Be in control. NEWYou've achieved epicness, and with Elgato Game Capture HD60, there is no limit to what you'll be able to do next. Seamlessly capture hours of your best moments in unmatched quality and access them directly right where you need them - you'll be instantly ready to create history.You don't even have to choose between live streaming and high quality capture. No matter what resolution you stream, you can simultaneously capture full resolution 1080p, with separate tracks of all of your stream elements. Now, your stream archive is only the beginning.Be you.Elgato Game Capture HD60 was created with the next generation of gaming in mind. Designed to give you full control without getting in your way, so you can shape its legacy. Now more than ever, the gaming experience is all about sharing. Come be a part of it.
Will this work with HDMI camera?
Has anyone tried plugging an HDMI camera to this to record a live camera feed? This looks like what I would need to capture the signal from my HDMI camera to USB 2.0 on my Macbook.
on elgato's website, they have a more in-depth FAQ about streaming via camera, but it would appear by this statement (under a section entitled "Streaming video from cameras"): that theanswer is yes: "Any video that legato game capture HD60 can accept, can also be streamed. If you hook up your camera to EGCHD60, then you can stream live or recorded video to services like Twitch, YouTube or Ustream. You can slo connect to a RTMP sever of your choosing."
Important to note that while most cameras are not HDCP, if yours happens to be, it will NOT work.
Important to note that while most cameras are not HDCP, if yours happens to be, it will NOT work.
8 years, 8 months ago
by
doc8998