Over 1000... or is it?

I have DVDs. A lot of DVDs. I use DVD Profiler to help me keep track of them all, and it clocks it over 1000 DVDs on the list...

But, hang on. How should DVDs be counted? By disc? Unlikely, many movies have bonus discs, so that shouldn't count. By title? But how is it listed?

In particular, TV seasons. Andromeda came in five box sets per season, so is that one DVD? Five DVDs? Ten DVDs? (I think it was two DVDs per set.) What about Buffy or Angel, which is two box sets per season, and three discs per set? A lot of seasons come in one box set now, although some are half-season packs (hello BSG!). I have them as separate box sets, so should my count be lower?

On the other hand... think about box sets. I have many of them, for example the entire set of Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies, which is seven discs... and 14 movies. I could have otherwise gotten the 14 movies on separate DVDs, so should I count one set? Seven discs? 14 movies? Given this is just an example, should my count be higher?

And I've got multiple seasons of a TV show in one box set. And more than one copy of some movies (three listings for Serenity!). And so on, and so forth.

I have over 1000 DVDs... or do I? Or do I have many many more?

Another problem is how things are listed. Some are "The Complete ...", so trying to find it in my database can be tricky. What should "Penn and Teller: Bullshit" be listed under B or P?

Annoyingly, I load DVDs by entering the barcode (really need to get a barcode scanner), but not all codes are in the database, so there are many that are loaded under the title I enter. So there's no telling what would have loaded detail-wise if it was properly listed.

How many DVDs do you have? And do you manage them?

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Ass Kick

Who wants to be a superhero? Moreover, who wants to be a superhero in the real world? One man is willing to step up, and get his ass soundly kicked (although does get something akin to super powers because of it).

It's somewhat strange that this movie is called Kick Ass, 'cos the main plot doesn't involve him at all, and it's only by accident that he even gets involved in it. A mob boss does some bad things, and two people go after him, with Kick Ass getting caught up in it. And while watching it I did wonder if the story of the movie was really about Hit Girl and Big Daddy? Certainly the movie seemed rather uncertain about it as well, as they were the ones that really got any development worth talking about. And yet... we are lead to believe that Kick Ass is important, with him being the narrator and the movie named after him and all... [I have the comics to read some time. I gather that the movie was "based on" them, so will be seeing just how "interpreted" the comics are.]

Given all that, there aren't any big names worth talking about (at least, none that are big yet). Aside from Adam West... I mean Nicholas Cage. And yet... it's like they all put in their performances, yet didn't quite know what the movie was on about either. They run each scene, and yet don't develop their character or anything. (And, yes, I get that 'oh, it's an eleven year old girl, look what's been done to her'... meh. I've seen worse.)

Ultimately, it was... good. Not great. But good. Could have been better.

[END]

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Out Copping

Bruce Willis doesn't have a great track record when it comes to comedies. I am in the minority that liked Hudson Hawk, but even I'm not a fan of The Whole Nine Yards (haven't seen the sequel). This is a Bruce Willis comedy directed by Kevin Smith, with the added talent of Tracy Morgan...

Yeah... it bites. Let's not beat around the bush, this is simply a bad movie.

In this movie, two cops, trough an unlikely set of circumstances, become involved in a major drug trafficking ring and hilarity ensues. This isn't breakthrough in terms of plot, and there aren't any surprises here. The only thing that marginally saves it are the characters, with the unlikely pairing of Willis and Morgan being treated completely straight and so it works. The characters have moments of realness, in between the wacky hijinks.

But this movie isn't saved by the acting. Tracy Morgan isn't Paul Hodges as much as he's Tracy Morgan. I've seen 30 Rock, and this character isn't far removed from that one. As for Bruce Willis, I don't know what the hell he was doing in this movie. He clearly wasn't engaged on any level, and looked as bored as the audience was. (Okay, there were a few laughs, but mostly just 'yeah, I see that, that's slightly amusing that is, glad I saw that'...)

I paid money for this, so now I can judge it. And my judgment is: save your own money.

[END]

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DW 503: Victory of the Daleks

Wow, that's was a short episode!

That's was a great 32 minute episode. Yeah, it got more personal towards the end, with the humanity ending of the bomb (no clue how thinking "I'm a human" stopped a mechanical device from going off...). But, on the other hand, think how bad it would have been if there had been another ten minutes! What kind of completely extraneous pointless nothing padding would we have otherwise been subjected to!

Certainly the first part was quite good, with the Mad Doctor, then the twist of the Doctor's Testimony, then the Teletubbie Daleks... the M&M Daleks? The Rainbow Daleks? You just know fandom is going to come up with some stupid term for them, so get on board quickly! Some nice design features to them, but from the side they just look hunched. (And their operators might end up that way!) Good to redesign them, but they do look... bulkier... not sure about them. But of course they get away to live again another day...

So we are left with Churchill and the 'bot. I kept thinking of Ian McNeice as Geoffrey Hughes, thinking he was going to burst out with "The Junior Mister Popplewick isn't allow to expect anyone!" (Although on watching the confidential, I'm thinking that Jim Broadbent might be a better fit look-wise!) As for Bracewell, as I said above, I'm not sure how Dorabella will bring someone back from exploding, but Bill Paterson certainly got to milk a scene at the end, just as well he was slow on the uptake or they really may have been forced to end early!

Aside from the first bit (loved the framing of the Doctor in foreground as the Dalek sweeps past in the background), didn't really get a sense from Matt Smith that the Doctor was that afraid of the Daleks. Certainly happy to hold them off with a jammy dodger (good line), but got more of a sense that they were an obstacle than a threat. While I don't want photo images back, we could do more with the idea of the Doctor as an alien, Matt at the moment coming across more as weird than as the Doctor (again the drawn out ending doesn't do anyone any favours with trying to extend characterisation beyond its due).

Makes me wonder how much of Mark Gatiss' previous episodes were really RTD!


Next time: Continuity fest!

[END]

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I have Blu-Ray!

It was inevitable, sooner or later I would have to get a Blu-Ray movie of some kind. There was one I was planning to get as the first, but then I was in Whitcoulls, and it was there, and I brought it.

The annoying thing is that I can't watch it on my TV. Odd, you may think, but there is the obvious alternative. Both of my computers can play Blu-Ray, although I have no idea how well. Guess I'll find out. And given of my computers, my choices are my 15" laptop or my 21" widescreen monitor on my PC box... the pick is rather clear.

What I don't plan on doing is regetting my entire collection on Blu-Ray, that would take far too long, there's no guarantee the movies will be available on Blu-Ray... and, of course, it'll be hideously expensive. There are, however, some movies that I want to pick up in Blu-Ray because there are so many extra features. But must resist the urge to get too many.

Some of you may be asking at this point: what movie did I pick up? Of all the movies I could pick, I think you'll agree, I got a good one.

[END]

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Missy Saigon

At St James there is a wee musical you might have heard of, namely Miss Saigon. As you might guess from my posting about it: I went to it.

Let's be honest, cut to the chase, cite cliches, and admit this wasn't for me. The storyline just... didn't enthrall me. This was something I wouldn't naturally have gone to. I was invited along, and was willing to give it a go and see what it was like.

I like musicals (although more tend towards Lloyd Webber), but I also like being able to tell what's been sung. And also, feel free to have some actual dialogue moments, not everything needs to be sung. Not that it was at all all bad, it might be telling to say that my favourite character was the Engineer.

I did take more notice of the production side. Yes, the helicopter scene was well done, although I was more impressed with the moving scenery than the copter effect itself. The production was, overall, extremely slick, with all performers in fine form and the stage hands not showing up too much (not being as engaged I did spot the flitting forms). Certainly no trip ups of songs or anything that I noticed. Unfortunately I couldn't really see into the music pit, would have liked to see their professionalism in action.

I'm not going to offer a recommendation, as you might be able to tell that it wasn't really my cup of tea. I did pick up a brochure of upcoming events and there are some other things that do appeal to me. I see Jan Hellriegel is performing, yay! Die Fledermaus might tempt me more, musical-ly speaking. And yes, a touch of fondness for Julian Cleary. Waiting for Godot is just on the too expensive side.

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War on Scales 9

We entered the Happy Beggar to find a bar that consisted of... beggars and tea. Porridge was handed out while I was there, but I managed to flavour it into something more interesting. While the owner praised Pelor, I led a sermon on Melora, which proved more listenable.

While I was holding court, the monk and assassin went down to the kitchen and found a door leading to a cavern that might hold Morda. They headed down further, and fell down in a cave with some bats. The rest of us finally followed, but by the time I got there, the bats were dealt with. Well, except one which flew off. They followed, I wanted to rest (after falling down a cliff), but had to go help when I heard them fighting...

They found a shadow witch, some dark creepers and two shadow mastiffs. Lot of creatures, took a while to sort out who was doing what [long, long rounds]. Took a while, but we eventually got there. We then investigated a magic portal, which lead to a warehouse fill of illegal weapons. We turned those over to the guards. Seemed easier than setting up our own business.

However, that left another cavern with another portal. That definitely lead to somewhere in the Shadowfell. Somewhere, as it turned out, that some of us had seen before (in the crypt way back when). With military outpost and everything.

Huh. Get some rest then go investigate...

[END]

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