HTF EARLY REVIEW: "Driven" - The next demo disc! (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Colin,
Thank You for your comments.
To begin with, I don't have the time
to sit and review more than 1 or 2 DVD
titles per week. For that reason, I select
titles that I know are going to be of interest
to everyone.
I am not afraid to trash a studio or its
product on this forum. If you have been here
long enough, you would certainly remember that
I have personally spoken up against Warner
Brothers, Disney and MGM on separate occasions.
If the studios are doing something wrong, you
can bet that I am one of the first to lead the
rebellion parade.
In fact, MGM is so pissed off at me these days
that they cut off my screener product. Why?
Because they claim I don't review their films.
I suspect the REAL reason is because I have
spoken up against the release of ITS A MAD
MAD MAD MAD WORLD.
So....if you screw with a studio you could
have your screener product privilidges revoked.

This isn't a review site, and Ron isn't a "professional" reviewer

Well, you are PARTLY wrong there.
This is NOW a review site. I AM the official
reviewer for this site. Although HTF may not be
considered a dedicated review site, the studios
are VERY happy that by me reviewing product in
the forum, they (the studios) can see immediate
feedback from the consumer.
And what do you perceive a "professional"
reviewer is when you have every website in town
writing their own reviews?
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Ronald Epstein (pronounced like the English "Ronald Epstein")
Circa 2000
Home Theater Forum Administrator
All forum questions & to get on our private forum mailing list (new members)... Email: [email protected]
Problems with the webpage or site? Contact WEBMASTER
Email Packy [email protected]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

This is NOW a review site. I AM the official
reviewer for this site. Although HTF may not be
considered a dedicated review site, the studios
are VERY happy that by me reviewing product in
the forum, they (the studios) can see immediate
feedback from the consumer.
And what do you perceive a "professional"
reviewer is when you have every website in town
writing their own reviews?

Well, you need your special magic DVD reviewer decoder ring, of course!
Sorry if my comments about "professional reviewers" came across poorly. The reason I put "professional" in quotes is because very few - if any - of us do this for any real gain. Most of us are fanboys with some experience, which actually makes us better than the paid professionals from most places because we're more knowledgeable and passionate about the subject; I'd listen to someone from a DVD review site before I'd pay attention to somebody in some general entertainment magazine.
What I meant was that you're not someone who's been doing this on a day-to-day basis. Normally the reviews I've seen posted that are affliated with the site have been from Obi; I guess I saw him as the site's "official" reviewer. I won't argue semantics, but your output is infrequent enough that I didn't see you in that capacity.
Anyway, I stand corrected on this issue. I'm surprised to hear that MGM DID cut you off, though, since I'd really believed no one from a studio would be that stupid. As I said earlier, if I knew that a studio did something like that because I wrote something negative, that'd be it for them. We try to cover all of the big titles, but I'd have to ignore everything they do, and I'd also make sure readers knew WHY they wouldn't find anything from that studio on the site. It's a short-sighted move that can only backfire...
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Colin Jacobson
DVD Movie Guide
www.dvdmg.com

 

[Michael St. Clair]

A 'professional' reviewer is one whose profession is reviewing! Anyone not deriving meaningful income from their reviews is not a professional.
None of which is bad to me! In fact, I trust amateur reviewers more than professional reviewers in many cases! To me, 'Digitally Obsessed' is hands-down the best DVD review site on the net. It is especially valuable because they do negative reviews (instead of omitting titles they feel are seriously lacking in merit)!
I don't consider HTF a 'review site', but I do consider it one of the most important Home Theater resources on the internet, something that is far more important than being a 'review site', IMO!
Long live the HTF! I'll be getting my PayPal together soon!

 

[Mohamad]

Not only cant I wait to purchase "Driven", Im also looking forward to buying "Pearl Harbour". YES, thats right, I loved both films, and evey time I have mentioned this, you get a hundred posts on how bad these films are and why bother. I guess people cant read! Yes they have to say that the film is crap, and you cant help but take it personally some times.
I have just read this entire thread and there is many instances of people saying no insult was intended. When someone is buying a dvd for demo purposes and it is then written what a waste of money that is, or I have enough demo movies, or theres more to movies than picture and sound, I'm sorry but thats insults. People who enjoy films and are excited about there dvd release, shouldnt have to put up with that crap every time they post. And I mean everytime!
On another forum I posted a topic "Which version of Pearl Harbour will you buy? The first 20 replies were neither, this film was crap. Guess what, I didnt ask for your reviews. Like I said no one can read.
So I visit this forum to get away from that crap and the same thing is happening over here.
Well enough of that, it just sometimes gets too much and threads like this one causes debate. In the end I realize we are all different and tastes vary.
Ron I will pump up my home cinema to "Driven" and love every second of it.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

Luckily, Ron's still receiving all those free pork products... so expect good reviews of his next batch of bacon! I GAVE IT TWO THUMBS UP!

 

[CaptDS9E]

I just watched Driven and it truely is a new demo disc to show friends, and to watch over again. The race scenes are awesome even if a few things are over the top. Heck its a stallone film I also enjoyed the movie itself. I love when people say movies dont have a story, and then I watch it and the story is so simple its not even funny. Everyone these days thinks every good movie needs to win awards. Ron your review was right on
capt

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I think the biggest problem with Ron's reviews is that he always fails to mention whether the movie contains any good pork scenes. I mean, yeah yeah the sound is reference and blah blah blah... but do any of the actors enjoy some bacon during the movie? Sure, the video's excellent and there are no artifacts, but how clearly does the video display porkchops and pork loins? Is the video clear enough so that you can discern which pork products are being enjoyed by the cast? And if there is the presence of pork in the movie, do they make any mention of "the other white meat" in the supplemental material? THESE are the things we really want to know about the movie... not whether it was GOOD or not.
I mean... c'mon Ron... show me the pork, baby! SHOW ME THE PORK!
(BTW: I'm free for that moderator job any time you're ready...

)

 

[SteveMc]

I haven't seen the movie yet, as i did not expect to be worth the change I find on the floor of my car. But Ron's comments has at least inspired me to rent it. I used to enjoy NASCAR a bit, but found a more exciting hobby...spinning pennies.
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Crash
"I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack."
Help us get the Friday the 13th films-UNCUT. Click Here or here

 

[JasonKrol]

wow...
ok, ok...ill rent it.
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- Jason
My DVD Collection | My Home Theater
"what ya got here is two people dragging a third..."

 

[Tom J. Davis]

You just never know what will stir up a bunch of shit on the forum.
I ordered this a few days ago, I'll let everyone know my opinion in a few days....

 

[Frank_S]

I watched this movie last night and agree with Ron's post at the start of this thread. I also agree with many who say the movie is awful. Bad acting,editing,use of soundtrack, what else?, but for some reason I still kept watching it.
I've removed a few discs from my player because of their inability to capture my attention but Driven was'nt one of them. I believe I truly am someone who appreciates mindless action flicks, even though mindless may be stretching it.

 

[Ted Lee]

this is still going on???

good grief...

1. ron made a statement
2. either you agree or disagree
3. if you'd like, state your opinion (try not to attack anyone)
4. move on...[/list=a]
   key point? number 4. just move on...
   
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   You step in the stream,
   But the water has moved on.
   This page is not here.

 

[Ted Lee]

this is still going on???

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You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.

 

[Frank_S]

Ted, ignore this thread if it bothers you so much.

 

[Tom Boucher]

Well I ordered it based on the recommendation, I hope to watch it when I return home. I'll let you know what I think when I see it.
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My DVD Collection

 

[Jeremy Hegna]

I bought "Driven" yesterday without seeing any of this thread or checking it out in the theater.
My wife and I enjoyed it soooo much, I couldn't wait to read other's thoughts on this flick. Hmmmmm....now that I've made my way through this thread, I'll just keep it short.
I Loved this flick...and now that I'm approaching 200 DVDs in my collection it's easily in the top 5 of my favorites.
Jeremy

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I bought this... and not a single pork product! I felt so ROBBED!
But the sound was great... and the video quality is outstanding. Stallone's screenplay... well... ugh. This movie really could have used more bacon or pork loin.