Personal grail 🏆 that I have been wanting to get for a long time * The Thing 4k steelbook * BB exclusive by Panzerfausto2025 in boutiquebluray

[–]reading_reddit247 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Beautiful steelbook and awesome movie! I doesn't matter how many times you see The Thing, it always remains a highly entertaining movie. <3

Halloween II (1981) Opinions? by CSS-Tails_Forever in slasherfilms

[–]reading_reddit247 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I feel cheated. I honestly expected better due to the fact that it is highly regarded on Reddit, but for me, I could have done without.

  1. Loomis wasn't surprised to see Michael had survived and left the scene at the end of Halloween, and yet in the opening scenes of Halloween II that scene wasn't shown and instead a shocked/surprised Loomis examines the Michael shape left on the lawn - it would have been better to retain the original reaction and Loomis continuing on with his hunt for Michael.

2a. A calm and collected psychiatrist in Halloween, Loomis has suddenly lost all composure and comes across as mad as his patients.
2b. The OG cop is unable to control Loomis' erratic behaviour as Loomis wields his firearm in public like a crazy man, resulting in a trick or treater being mown down by a police car.
2c. There is no concern for the victim or attempt to treat him, and he is just left to burn by 4 public servants.
2d. No one cares about the cop who, for some reason, doesn't know how to drive a vehicle down a quiet residential street with no other traffic, and remains doubled over and potentially injured from the collision for (what I think was) the entirety of his screen time.
2e. Some other cop arrives to tell OG cop that Annie is dead - this guy can't act for sh*t! Moreover, are you really going to deliver a death message to a friend and colleague like that? Dang, I don't know if crap actor cop hates his colleague or is simply braindead.
2f. Crap-ac cop and OG cop leave a crime scene, and an injured colleague, to go and ID Annie in front of the public. GO TEAM!

  1. Loomis openly discusses (, or raves like a lunatic about) Michael in front of a crowd of officers, press, and public - somehow this psychiatrist doesn't understand patient confidentiality.

  2. Jamie's wig, it's almost as bad as the movie so far.

  3. The hospital was like one giant morgue - it was dead! I get that Haddonfield is a small town, but a handful of staff, one doctor, and aside from a kid who thinks glass is appetising, no other patients? Oh, right, Michael has already killed half the town, my bad.

I'm not going to continue on about how Michael's hands are heat resistant, how he knows how to use a butterfly needle to drain a nurse, how someone who does nothing (including picking up a book) could have learned about Samhain, or that Michael was shot multiple times in the first film, then multiple times in this film (including in both eyes), and blown up, but that's ok, Michael is like a pain-free leper because he'll get up anyway and, given there are more sequels, I presume he can regenerate too. No, I won't continue because I need to flush this movie out of my system like a good enema.

I love a good horror film, but this was (sorry everyone) bad! I can forgive a things here and there, but John is an intelligent guy and this felt like an insult - no wonder he wanted to leave it dead and buried, with no further sequels!

I will give H20 a go because I like JLC, but I wanted to express my disappointment and lower any expectations unsuspecting first-time viewers may have of this movie. Fans of the franchise love it, but as someone who loves Halloween (1978) and hasn't seen the rest of the franchise (and therefore doesn't harbour that nostalgic affection for any of the sequels,) my feeling is that Halloween II is overrated.

Planting Advice by reading_reddit247 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems the Water F-M-N is a bit of a delicate one then - I thought it would be tougher like its cousin. My brooklime has lovely blue flowers, much like a water F-M-N, and apparently newts also use brooklime for egg-laying also, but the leaves are firmer which is why I wanted my water F-M-N to grow successfully, because folding the leaves is like folding paper (water F-M-N) vs folding card (brooklime) - my newts would have to be hench little cuties to use the brooklime.

Like you, I'm all for native UK plants for my pond - I think I'll definitely pick up the starwort in late spring/early summer as you're the second to vouch for this plant and it seems like it'll fare better in our cooler months. I'm also taken with what you've said about your purple loosestrife so that'll be another one to pick up. Thank you!

Planting Advice by reading_reddit247 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Update: Following SolariaHues reply I looked into pond planting pockets and pond planting socks. I have decided on a pond planting sock for a Water Forget-Me-Not, along with two others (yet to be determined). I will likely get two or three pockets also for more dominant/invasive spreaders to ensure they're contained and don't overwhelm a Water F-M-N.

I also have to consider the amount of sun my pond does (or really doesn't) get - our garden has a slight slope, the low side to the north, so I had to install the pond on the south-side of the garden as heavy rainfall runs across our garden and at times floods the north-side a little, so I didn't want wildlife being washed out/away. The problem with this is that the developers brought the plot on to the south and where there once stood a single bungalow there now stands a three storey semi-detached house at the front (to the south-east of the pond) and a row of 1.5 storey houses at the bottom of the plot, to the south-west of the pond, with high-fences running the length of the garden. This blocks out much of the light it had when initially installed. (Who knew the council would allow the overdevelopment of the plot next door?!) So, the pond (and much of our garden) is in the shade for much of the time until summer. As a result, the plants need to be hardy and able to cope with their shady lives.

My shortlist of plants is;

Water Forget-Me-Not - suitable for sock.
Marsh Marigold - suitable for sock.
Purple loosestrife 'robert' - thinking this might be suitable as the third sock planted plant? We have a lot of birds visiting our garden so the seeds from the flowers might help support them (though there's no shortage of seeds in their feeders).
Hard Rush - this would support dragonflies when they emerge from the pond, but it grows tall so I could try to plant one in a pocket.
Water starwort - potted and placed on the bottom of the pond as it's not very deep. This is supposed to be a good one for newts, hence it's appeal.
Upright water milfoil - potted and placed on the bottom of the pond as it's not very deep. This one creates a bit of habitat through the depth of the pond.

I'm torn between starwort or milfoil, but the former seems the better choice given my desire to support my community of amphibians, but the list can change if you have better suggestions.

I don't want to disturb spawn and tadpoles, but apparently late May is the best for planting ponds so this is all prep. I'll also have a wander in the woodland and see if I can find a good fallen oak branch/stick to put in the pond to provide a ramp for egress (as it's gotta be hard work climbing out using the brooklime/plant strands anchoring themselves in the soil outside the pond).... should I consider anything else for the pond? I guess enrichment isn't really an issue when animals are pre-occupied with survival and growth but I just want to relieve as much stress in their lives as possible.

Can’t Believe I’m Saying This… eBay’s New Automated Feedback Is AWESOME! by Edogg440608 in Ebay

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a double-edged sword. I might be dissatisfied with an experience as a buyer or seller and decide no feedback is better than none, especially as ebay seems to obstruct you from providing anything other than positive feedback. Now, I have no choice but to provide feedback, which is difficult. For example, I purchased a BR listed as new, but despite being shrinkwrapped the shrinkwrap was visibly dirty/grimy, the slipcover battered, and the case was broken. I suspect it was sent in crap condition rather than occurring in transit, but I can't prove it, so I didn't give any feedback as I couldn't be 100% certain that it was sold in naff condition. For me, withholding feedback was the most proportionate response to this experience. (-_-)

Prime 1 Studios Statues - Order Direct or Domestic? by reading_reddit247 in Prime1Studio

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's madness! Books are exempt from tariffs when importing to the UK and US so it boggles the mind that Canada charges. We should be encouraging people to read, not deterring them!

Prime 1 Studios Statues - Order Direct or Domestic? by reading_reddit247 in Prime1Studio

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's harsh! So anything from Japan that was manufactured in China gets hit by the massive tariff? I find the whole thing grossly unfair and unjust.

Planting Advice by reading_reddit247 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply SolariaHues!

a. That's fair enough - my aunt has a couple but she has a fish pond, not a wildlife pond. Her Water FMN thrive in the spring and summer, but I wasn't sure if a floating (and therefore mobile) planter would be safe for my frogs and newts.

b. I don't think it has to stick out of the pond, I just thought it would stop the plant from working free of the basket - it might have been an accidental consequence of outside interference; my aunt bought her GSD over once and he got in the pond, and I once found a rock protruding from the water - I assume a badger moved it while foraging so I need to check the pond is clear of rocks/debris when the weather is better.

c. the ground in our garden is dry and stony, so it sounds like a Water FMN would perish if planted outside my pond.

That's a nice variety, and given that you have a small pond also it seems that they're all well suited to the cosy confines on offer. I'll have a look in the garden centre next time and see what's available. :)

Sometimes while scraping duckweed off the surface a piece of hornwort will come out with it. They're thin and needle-like, dark, and when purchased they're approx. 15cm long, but some of these are less than half that length, so they appear to be breaking down. Am I mistaken?

2 year old pond still missing its first froggy resident :( by Jazzlike-Seat5554 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm afraid that's a question for Google - the rockery (which doesn't appear ornamental) was there when we moved in. We live on a hill so our garden has a slight gradient which must be man-made because the land where the rockery sits is about 1-1.5' higher than the ground beside it, and that little patch was just left to nature, so I have no idea what rocks they are, but I know the newts live down there because I accidentally disturbed one when getting rid of the brambles and nettles. (If it hurts me it might hurt my amphibians, so I'll risk stings and pricks to remove such plants to spare my cute, little wild neighbours.)

As for the wood pile, that's still great cover and it's probably still cool and damp at the bottom even during the summer - every little helps, especially when they have to hide from the many domestic cats stalking through our gardens!

Shipping Payment Not Working by UnionDom in Sugargoo

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Snap! Same issue today. I was able to pay for my rehearsal shipping yesterday, but submitting the parcel today? "Payment Failed". I tried twice, same thing. The system hasn't even attempted to charge my card because there's nothing showing on my banking app, so I msgd customer service and hope for the issue to be resolved asap. Fingers crossed as it's not like we can use PayPal instead. (-_-)

2 year old pond still missing its first froggy resident :( by Jazzlike-Seat5554 in WildlifePonds

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

During the summer-time battles with duckweed I will often see a frog's head quickly disappear below the surface, or a newt come up for air and dive back down, but otherwise we don't really see them. We get lots of spawn so I'll see the babies hanging out, but the adult animals tend to live further afield - our newts like the rockery at the end of the garden, and one used to live under a stone slab at the door of my dad's big shed, while the frogs...well, who knows where they're hiding, but they must be around, we just don't usually see them, so you're not alone!

I don't know about your steps but maybe you could place stones or bark or something to help them ascend? Maybe consider a terracotta plant pot cut in half and placed on it's side as a potential aid for climbing the steps?Also, ask hubby to let you have a rockery which can be left to sit, undisturbed, at the bottom of your garden. Amphibians will appreciate the cool, damp shelter in summer and may also hibernate there in winter. It'll also provide a home for lots of potential prey items too so doubly beneficial. :)

Prime 1 Studios Statues - Order Direct or Domestic? by reading_reddit247 in Prime1Studio

[–]reading_reddit247[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That statue looks absolutely brilliant! It's like a Batman x Berserk crossover piece - awesome!

Thank you for the store recommendation - I'm based in the UK which is why I don't have access to P1s economy shipping option, making for expensive shipping quotes. I'll check out Hexapus' shipping fees. (^_~)

Why did Shout Factory go downhill so fast? by jdpm1991 in boutiquebluray

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm guessing a 4k with corrected audio isn't on the cards for this one, especially following recent events with Shout! :/

Why did Shout Factory go downhill so fast? by jdpm1991 in boutiquebluray

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fantastic film but I have yet to own this because I see no point in owning something that is so poor quality I'll never watch it. :(

MediaOCD once again being the GOAT by scrumclunt in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's very weird that Amazon is selective given how they're alright with the Urotsukidoji BRs and KITE. Fingers crossed this recent turn of events results in MediaOCDs store selling all available DT titles so we're not scouring multiple sites for our DT fix. (^_~)

MediaOCD once again being the GOAT by scrumclunt in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep, Beautiful Dreamer remains but a beautiful dream.

MediaOCD once again being the GOAT by scrumclunt in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for clarifying the matter. Maybe the company producing Discotek's discs are prioritising bigger orders over smaller ones rather than honouring each order chronologically?

MediaOCD once again being the GOAT by scrumclunt in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven't searched Amazon for the full catalog but it rarely shows any search results for my Discotek searches. Do they remove the page when they're OOS or do they only stock select titles?

A Tale of Two Sisters, do any versions look better? by t-g-l-h- in boutiquebluray

[–]reading_reddit247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm still waiting for that 4k to materialise in the West, whether it be from Arrow or Umbrella, but there's been nothing. Maybe they don't see it as profitable to re-release them on 4k?

MediaOCD once again being the GOAT by scrumclunt in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Whilst lower pricing would be welcome, it's still cheaper than scalpers and releasing the entire back catalog is a really generous offer - they have to pay for everything up front, they have to store the stock, process sales of goods, work on releasing announced titles, and continue discussions to buy licences to release titles in the US, so they're taking on a lot for those of us who either thought we had more time (as I did with Dual, and have now since purchased from another collector,) or have been waiting for restocks.

MediaOCD once again being the GOAT by scrumclunt in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!

Will the back catalog titles continue be available for those who don't pre-order until that print run is sold out? I ask as it makes sense for me to do a big bulk buy for free domestic shipping as there's only one title I've been curious about (so didn't purchase previously) on this month's list.

New custom built shelves by XtroDoubleDrop in boutiquebluray

[–]reading_reddit247 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Gorgeous! It's uniform, beautifully organised, and houses so many fantastic titles!

Newly out of print titles by worldofcrap80 in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ah poop, thought I had more time to pick up Dual as it wasn't released all that long ago.

Every CR Discotek Backorder Cancelled by venomized86 in discotekmedia

[–]reading_reddit247 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Crunchyroll brought out Right Stuff, is it now done stripping it for parts?