Around the World in 80 DVD's

[Rich]

Bonjour Belgium and Waterloo...



Title: Waterloo

Runtime:128
Certificate:U
Year:1970
Genres:Action, Adventure, War

Plot:Napoleon's abduction and his exile to Elba: his dramatic escape, his reunion with his devoted troops and their generals. His last, desperate bid for ultimate power and glory, so narrowly defeated in the fields of Waterloo.
'Waterloo' is a film on an epic scale with a cast to match. Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer, Orson Welles and Jack Hawkins all contribute fine portraits of great men against a magnificent backdrop of battle and bloodshed.
My Review:
Classic Epic war film, Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer are excellent in the lead roles, the movie has lost nothing since I viewed it last on a vhs. Action filled history

My Rating
 

[Rich]

Vive La France...



Title: Amelie

Runtime:117
Certificate:15
Year:2001
Genres:Comedy, Romance

Plot:Amelie Poulain has led a sheltered life - educated at home by over-protective parents, she retreats into a fantasy world of her own. When she finally leaves home and finds work as a waitress in a Parisian café, life is pretty uneventful until a chain of extraordinary events leads her to the discovery of a tin box containing a schoolboy's long forgotten mementos. It is then that Amelie discovers her true vocation in life - helping others to find love and happiness - which she sets about in her own unique and magical way. When Amelie falls in love herself, she realizes that making neat solutions is not always as easy as it seems...
My Review:
On first viewing I could not understand the multi awards that followed this film, but admit it is a wonderful screenplay, shot superbly, crisp acting and typically sardonically French in style, leaving a goofy grin after watching it. For me not a masterpiece, but I can understand people falling in love with the feel good undercurrent of the story.  Interestingly the original role of Amélie was written for Emily Watson

My Rating
 

[Rich]

a quick yodel in switzerland...



Dr. David Linderby and his wife Anansa are carrying out an inoculation program in a small African village when Anansa disappears. The police can do nothing to find her and David has almost given up hope when he hears a rumor that Anansa has been kidnapped by a slave trader called Sulelman, to be sold to an Arab prince

How can a director go from Soylent Green to this?    Dire script, poor acting, laughable accent by the normally reliable Ustinov as the Arab slaver, and Caine looking totally uninterested. Only overshadowed by the worst acting ever seen by model Beverly Johnson as the kidnapped wife, and the cheesy cameos by end of career actors Sharif and Harrison. Avoid this unless on pain of death - 2/10

[Rich]

ski across austria...



A film crew travels to the Austrian Alps near the (former) Yugoslav border to film three extreme sports enthusiasts being chased down by an avalanche for a commercial. What they don't know, however, is that they're filming near the secret hideout of Slobodan Pavle, a Serbian war criminal. Accidentally catching him on film, they become locked in a life-or-death chase through the mountains that includes skiing, snowboarding, sky diving, white water rafting, helicopters, motorcycles, and base jumping

Should be called Extreme Oops, a poor man's Cliffhanger, a bargain basement buy that I wish I had walked straight past. With a plot so childish and the characters so obnoxious it is impossible to give a s$@* what will happen next. It is lucky to get a 1/10, and that's just for the blonde chick in the jacuzzi 

[Jon]

a quick yodel in switzerland...



Dr. David Linderby and his wife Anansa are carrying out an inoculation program in a small African village when Anansa disappears. The police can do nothing to find her and David has almost given up hope when he hears a rumor that Anansa has been kidnapped by a slave trader called Sulelman, to be sold to an Arab prince

How can a director go from Soylent Green to this?    Dire script, poor acting, laughable accent by the normally reliable Ustinov as the Arab slaver, and Caine looking totally uninterested. Only overshadowed by the worst acting ever seen by model Beverly Johnson as the kidnapped wife, and the cheesy cameos by end of career actors Sharif and Harrison. Avoid this unless on pain of death - 2/10

Oooh, harsh! "Saucer of milk for table two..."  C'mon, it's harmless fun! Everyone was slumming it and it's not a bad result...

[Rich]

through largely unknown Croatia...



Title: No Man's Land

Runtime:98
Certificate:R
Year:2001
Genres:Comedy, Drama, War

Plot:Between war and peace, humor and hate, capture and surrender, life and death...lies No Man's Land. Set in the unforgiving trenches of the Bosnian-Serb conflict, this "astonishing" (Chicago Tribune) film follows the story of three soldiers caught between two fighting lines. Hailed as "one of the best films of 2001," No Man's Land is a "powerful, harrowing, shockingly entertaining" (Movieline) exploration of the absurdity of war.
Fleeing enemy fire, an injured Bosnian soldier named Ciki retreats to a trench, where he finds himself trapped with a wounded comrade and worse… a Serbian! With no way to escape and with his fellow soldier lying on a spring-loaded bomb set to explode if he moves, Ciki realizes he must do the unthinkable - trust his enemy - if he wants to survive.
My Review:
An unremarkable anti-war film IMO, with the message hit home with a sledgehammer

My Rating
 

[Rich]

our fathers in the Vatican...



Title: Stigmata

Runtime:99
Certificate:18
Year:1999
Genres:Drama, Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Plot:A lost soul has received the wounds of Christ...and a shocking message that will alter history. Stunning performances from Patricia Arquette (True Romance), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects) and Jonathan Pryce (Ronin) and a cutting edge score by Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins and Elia Cmiral make Stigmata a visual and visceral feast.
Frankie Paige (Arquette) has absolutely no faith in God. All of that suddenly changes when she suddenly begins to suffer the Stigmata - the living wounds of the crucified Christ. Frankie's miraculous bleeding comes to the attention of the Vatican's top investigator, Father Kiernan (Byrne). But when Cardinal Houseman (Pryce) discovers that Frankie is actually channelling an extraordinary and provocative message that could destroy the Church, he's convinced that she - and the force possessing her - must be forever silenced. Determined to stop this deadly conspiracy, Kiernan risks his faith - and his life - to save her and the message that will change the destiny of mankind forever.
My Review:
Slated by critics en masse, I must admit this film which I'd seen before is like a guilty pleasure, and enjoyed watching this production again. It's a perfect ensemble of actors and storyline that will satisfy those in the mood to think while they watch. Not great, not scary, not overly challenging - but ok.

My Rating
 

[Rich]

flit through beautiful italy



Title: Rome, Open City

Runtime:103
Certificate:12
Year:1945
Genres:War, Drama

Plot:One of the greatest foreign language films ever made, Roberto Rossellini's 'Rome, Open City' was filmed in the direct aftermath of World War II on the war-ravaged streets of Italy. Shunning Hollywood gloss and glamour, this frank tale is set against the backdrop of extreme conditions, and characterises neorealism's principal traits - natural lighting, handheld camerawork and a cast composed largely of non-actors.
Due to the scarcities of war, scraps of film acquired from photographers had to be used, giving the film a uniquely gritty style. Now digitally restored, Rossellini's masterpiece appears as never before.
Based on real events that took place in Nazi-occupied Italy in 1944, it examines the choices that people are forced to make in wartime. Centring on the Resistance and its members, this is a tragic and emotional exploration of human spirit and the effects of war.
My Review:
Cinematic history, slightly depressing content but with an underlying hopeful message. Probably to scholarly for my own tastes

My Rating
 

[Jon]

I see that 3:10 to Yuma is in your banner; have you seen the original? Just wondered what you thought of the update (that I haven't seen yet myself)?

[Rich]

I see that 3:10 to Yuma is in your banner; have you seen the original? Just wondered what you thought of the update (that I haven't seen yet myself)?

No I never saw the original Jon, so nothing to compare it with. For me 3:10 to Yuma is just a tired old format wheeled out again with the latest 'hot' Hollywood names, and wholly unremarkable.
Average would be my summation.

[Jon]

I heard some things about the new one that lead me to believe it's been jazzed up too much. The original story was very basic and that was the whole point.  It is an old format (though not so old back then!), but a strong story, and the two leads are just marvellous. I highly recommend it.

[Rich]

viva l'espana



Title: Pan's Labyrinth

Runtime:115
Certificate:15
Year:2006
Genres:Fantasy, Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Plot:Visionary director Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Blade II, The Devil's Backbone) creates a unique, richly imagined epic with PAN'S LABYRINTH, a gothic fairy tale set against the postwar era of Franco's Spain.

PAN'S LABYRINTH unfolds through the eyes of Ofelia, a young girl uprooted to a remote military outpost commanded by her new stepfather. Powerless and lonely in a place of great danger, Ofelia lives out her own dark fable as she confronts monsters both otherworldly and human after she discovers a neglected labyrinth behind the family home. There she meets Pan, a fantastical creature who challenges her with three tasks which he claims will reveal her true identity.
My Review:
Definately not a kids film!!, I'd heard good things about this film and was not disappointed. Dark story with stunning and brutal graphic effects, this is an adult fantasy fairy tale every bit as scary as they were meant to be. Recommended

My Rating
 

[Rich]

Sunny Portugal



Title: Cockleshell Heroes

Runtime:94
Certificate:U
Year:1954
Genres:War, Action, Drama

Plot:In World War II, Royal Marine Major Stringer (JOSÉ FERRER) and Captain Thompson (TREVOR HOWARD) chose volunteers for an unknown job. They trained the volunteers intensively in top secrecy for more than a year and then embarked with them on the most dangerous mission of the war - the canoe invasion of an enemy-held French port for the purpose of blowing up giant battleships.
The ten "canoe commandoes" were carried to their jump-off point by submarine, despite a depth-charge attack. Facing fantastic hazards, they paddled 70 miles through enemy waters to complete their mission. But only two survivors would return!
My Review:
Although dated and with possibly some of the worst special effects on film, the true storyline kept the movie going to produce an interesting and entertaining feature.

My Rating
 

[Rich]

Jump continents to Morocco 



Title: Casablanca

Runtime:98
Certificate:U
Year:1942
Genres:Classic, Drama, Romance

Plot:Casablanca: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if your name is on the Nazis' most-wanted list.  Atop that list is Czech Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one...especially Victor's wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart.  So when Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo's safe transport out of the country, the bitter Rick must decide what's more important - his own happiness or the countless lives that hang in the balance.
My Review:
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, I walked in to his 
Great film, seen it several times before, no need to expand on it's many merits, if you haven't seen it grab yourself some old movie magic and give it a spin

My Rating
 

[Jon]

Glad to hear you enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth. Next time you feel like a bit of Spanish, I can recommend another Del Toro film called The Devil's Backbone. Great ghost story with the civil war as a backdrop again. And like Pan's it is set around children, but it is not a children's film.