DVD Collectors Online

The Host, a review by Tom

The Host (2006/South Korea) IMDb | Wikipedia Optimum Asia (United Kingdom) Director: Bong Joon-ho Writing: Bong Joon-ho (Screenwriter), Hah Joon-won (Screenwriter), Baek Chul-hyun (Screenwriter), Bong Joon-ho (Original Material By) Length: 120 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85 Audio: English: PCM 5.1, English: DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Korean: PCM 5.1, Korean: DTS-HD High Resolution 7.1, Korean: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish

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Stars:
Song Kang-ho as Park Kang-du
Byun Hee-bong as Park Heui-bong
Park Hae-il as Park Nam-il
Bae Doo-na as Park Nam-ju
Ko A-sung as Park Hyeon-seo

Plot:
On the banks of the Han River, a crowd gathers to watch an unidentified object hanging onto a bridge. In an instant, the object reveals itself as a terrifying creature, turning the riverbank into a gruesome sea of blood.

Amid the chaos, a little girl, Hyun-seo is snatched up by the creature right before her father, Gang-du's eyes. After receiving a mobile phone call from his daughter confirming that she has miraculously survived, the once-ordinary citizen Gang-du and his family decide to wage war against the creature, despite both the Korean authorities' and U.S. army's every efforts to stop them.

Directed by Bong Joon-Ho (Memories of Murder), The Host has broken box office records in its native South Korea. Combining stat of the art visual effects from the team behind Superman Returns, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Sin City with the dark and offbeat humour synonymous with Korean cinema, The Host is one of the most original monster movies to emerge for decades.

Awards:
Nominated:

Saturn (2006)		Best International Film
Saturn (2006)		Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Ko A-Sung)

Extras:

• Commentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Interviews
• Outtakes
• Production Notes
• Scene Access
• Storyboard Comparisons
• Trailers

I am not particularly a fan of monster movies but this one I did enjoy. And another film which stars Bae Doona. This time her character reminds me a lot of her character in "Linda Linda Linda".
This movie is a good mix between comedy, satire, drama and action. Even though the monster is obviously CGI it does not really detract from its appearance.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on January 4th, 2011)

Fire On The Amazon, a review by Rich

Fire On The Amazon



Deep in the hot and steamy Amazon jungle, activist Alyssa Rothman (SANDRA BULLOCK) helps a brash photojournalist (CRAIG SHEFFER) investigate the assassination of a famous enviromentalist, at the risk of their own lives.

Disappointing low budget film, this fails for me in so many areas I found myself willing it to end.
It is so badly dated, feels like an early 70's film, with probably the worst audio I've witnessed on a dvd. It seems this is just a straight copy from VHS with no improvements made, the picture was poor and the production/menus cheap and nasty.
As for the film, the message is contrived and politically blatant, with the execution amateurish and direction levels non-existent. It is hard to believe this is Sandra Bullock, as her acting is weak. At best you may describe this as a docu-drama, at worst a school media studies exercise.
The only upside would be if you wanted to see Sandra naked, but in truth you don't see much and it is fleetingly uninteresting.
A real stinker to avoid.
 

**Sandra Bullock mini-marathon


(From Riches Random Reviews on August 22nd, 2009)

"Stargate SG-1" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: A film crew has the assignment and the approval of the president to make a documentation about the SGC. This is for the case the Stargate program becomes public knowledge. No one in the SGC is overly enthusiastic about this idea.

My Opinion: This episode's only purpose seemed to be the introduction of the characters. Then they don't have to do this in the second part. Since it didn't happen much in it, let me make a statement regarding the second episode: At some point the journalist gets angry and shouts at the soldiers that he - as well as they - also serves the people. I don't know how you feel about this but I registered a remarkable drop in the quality of journalism over the last years/decade. Many reports are mere pimped Reuters reports and most newspapers are only dictated by cost effectiveness. There is very few investigative, but instead "embedded" journalism. This "to serve the people" is a noble claim but it's not a reality.
I can only speak for Germany, of course.

Synopsis: SG-13 is trapped and is rescued by several SG teams (SG-1 amongst them). During the fire fight Colonel O'Neill receives a frontal hit by a staff weapon. Other people get also wounded and killed.

My Opinion: I honestly don't remember what I thought when I watched this for the first time. When I watched it this time, I already knew that not Jack but Dr. Frasier had been killed. But I still waited for the moment this is revealed. It was a very emotional (and therefore good) episode. But it was a bit sad that Teryl Rothery didn't get more screen time, considering that this was her last episode.

Synopsis: When the NID and SG-1 blow a rouge NID operation they find a young woman. She is an engineered Human-Goa'uld-hybrid whose growth rate has been accelerated with the help of nanites. She has been created to access the knowledge of the Goa'uld, but one half of her isn't as innocuous as it seems.

My Opinion: This episode was written by Michael Shanks, directed by Amanda Tapping and Richard Dean Anderson was once again absent. I didn't care much for it.

Synopsis: Henry Hayes is the new president of the United States and Kinsey is his vice president. After being briefed on all Top Secret projects there is yet another briefing where he learns about the Stargate project. Kinsey tries to convince him to replace most of the SGC's staff.

My Opinion: The fourth clip show of the series and another episode where no member of SG-1 had a live appearance. But I like William Devane as president although he seemed to be a bit "simple" in the beginning. But, coming to think about the actual president Bush jr., ... Anyway, I liked the fact that Woolsey (Robert Picardo, The Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager) was uncongenial yet he has integrity.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on April 19th, 2008)