DVD Collectors Online

Garden State, a review by Tom

Title: Garden State
Year: 2004
Director: Zach Braff
Rating: 14A
Length: 102 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Zach Braff
Natalie Portman
Ian Holm
Peter Sarsgaard
Jim Parsons

Plot:
Twentysomthing, emotionally detatched Andrew Largeman (Braff) returns home to New Jersy after nine long years. Now, as he tries to re-connect with his past, a series of chance encounters with Sam, (Natalie Portman) – a free-spirited girl who's everything he isn't – sets the stage for a fateful, mind blowing take on what his future might hold. Co-Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm, and Method Man, GARDEN STATE is “hilarious” (ROLLING STONE).

Awards:

Empire Magazine Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Newcomer	Zach Braff
Grammy Awards	2005	Won	Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media	Zach Braff (compilation producer)
Independent Spirit Awards	2005	Won	Best First Feature	Zach Braff; Pamela Abdy; Gary Gilbert; Dan Halsted; Richard Klubeck
Independent Spirit Awards	2005	Nominated	Best First Screenplay	Zach Braff
MTV Movie Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Female Performance	Natalie Portman
MTV Movie Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Kiss	Natalie Portman, Zach Braff
MTV Movie Awards	2005	Nominated	Breakthrough Male Performance	Zach Braff
Online Film Critics Society Awards	2005	Won	Best Breakthrough Filmmaker	Zach Braff
Online Film Critics Society Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Picture
Satellite Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Comedy or Musical	Peter Sarsgaard
Satellite Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Actress – Comedy or Musical	Natalie Portman
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Actor: Drama	Zach Braff
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Actress: Drama	Natalie Portman
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Blush Scene	Zach Braff
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Breakout Performance - Male	Zach Braff
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Liar	Natalie Portman
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Liplock	Natalie Portman, Zach Braff
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie Love Scene	Zach Braff, Natalie Portman
Teen Choice Awards	2005	Nominated	Choice Movie: Drama
Writers Guild of America Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Original Screenplay	Zach Braff
Young Artist Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Family Feature Film – Drama

Extras:
Closed Captioned
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Outtakes
Scene Access
Trailers

This movie is written, directed and stars Zach Braff, the guy from Scrubs. I never followed Scrubs, so I mainly know him from this movie. He did a good job here as a first-time director. I bought this movie because of Natalie Portman. She did a great job here.
I didn't know him the last time I watched this movie, but "Sheldon" is a small part in it

Rating:

(From December Marathons - DISCUSSION AND REVIEW THREAD on December 23rd, 2009)

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, a review by Tom

Title: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Year: 1998
Director: Karan Johar
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 177 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Shahrukh Khan
Kajol
Rani Mukherji
Farida Jalal
Reema

Plot:
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something is Happening) is a story of 2 best friends at college. Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) and tomboy Anjali (Kajol).

Unknown to Rahul, Anjali has fallen in love with him - When Rahul confesses that he is in love with Tina (Rani Mukherji), Anjali is heartbroken and decides to leave the college so that Rahul and Tina can get together.

Now, nine years have passed and Rahul is a single parent after Tina's demise.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a story of best friends.... Now they are falling in love.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Actor Award	Shahrukh Khan
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Actress Award	Kajol
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Art Direction Award	Sharmishta Roy
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Director Award	Karan Johar
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	1999	Nominated	Best Music Director Award	Jatin Lalit
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Screenplay Award	Karan Johar
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Supporting Actor Award	Salman Khan
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Supporting Actress Award	Rani Mukerji

Extras:
Scene Access

An OK film, but so far the weakest Shahrukh Khan movie that I have watched. I liked the second half better than the first half. I didn't like Shahrukh Khan's character in the flashback in the first half of the movie, which plays in the college years of the main characters. I think it is not really obvious why both women fell for him. In the present time, he plays his usual likable guy persona as I know him from the other movies. Kajol did a good portraying both the tomboyish Anjali and later on the more feminine Anjali.
This movie is from the same director as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and the three main stars of this movie all appeared in that one also.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on July 14th, 2009)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title: To Heart: Complete Collection
Year: 2008
Rating: NR
Length: 325 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo , Japanese: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English

Plot:
For as long as Akari can remember, she and Hiroyuki have always been friends. But with time, everything changes, and her feelings have turned into something more. As a new semester of high school begins, will the two childhood friends come closer together or drift further apart? Join Hiroyuki, Akari and all their friends - the bubbly Shiho, the quiet Serika, the lovely Kotone, and more - in this heartwarming tale of love, relationships and friendship!

Extras:
Featurettes
Photo Gallery
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailers

This is a nice slow-paced high school slice of live anime series about a girl and a boy who have known each other since kindergarten and are now entering high school together. Maybe a little too nice in terms of character interaction. Almost no conflict there.
But it provides some fun guest character appearances. For example the girl who talks to low that almost nobody understands her. Or the girl who can the tragic future events of people close to her. And of course the human-like robot maid, who is enrolled as a regular student as a test by her creators

Rating:


And now short reviews about the last two episodes of the series. Both are set during christmas time and thus qualify for the christmas marathon

12. The Season of Emotions (1999-06-17)
Writer: AQUAPLUS (Original Material By), Shinzo Hujita (Screenwriter)
Director: Naohito Takahashi
Cast: Ayako Kawasumi (Akari Kamigishi (voice)), Kazuya Ichijo (Hiroyuki Fujita (voice)), Chieko Higuchi (Shiho Nagaoka (voice)), Souichiro Hoshi (Masashi Sato (voice)), Rumi Kasahara (Lemmy Miyauchi (voice)), Eriko Fujimaki (Sayuri (voice)), Takayuki Arai (Imai (voice)), Masaya Takatsuka (Clerk (voice)), Akiko Kimura (Student (voice)), Yui Horie (Student (voice)), Mie Sonozaki (Student (voice)), Harunori Miyata (Student (voice))

This episode is on the same level as the rest of this series. Here the main characters start to organize a christmas party.
This episode takes focus on Shiho's interest in Hiroyuki. Probably to build up to a love triangle to resolve for the next episode which is the series finale. But I have the feeling, that not much will get resolved, as it would not match the slow pace of the rest of the series. Also there already exists a follow-up series, which probably needs the same starting ground. But I will see soon, if that is the case.


13. On a Day of Snow (1999-06-24)
Writer: AQUAPLUS (Original Material By), Hiroshi Yamaguchi (Screenwriter)
Director: Naohito Takahashi
Cast: Ayako Kawasumi (Akari Kamigishi (voice)), Kazuya Ichijo (Hiroyuki Fujita (voice)), Chieko Higuchi (Shiho Nagaoka (voice)), Souichiro Hoshi (Masashi Sato (voice)), Aya Hisakawa (Tomoko Hoshina (voice)), Mayumi Iizuka (Aoi Matsubara (voice)), Rumi Kasahara (Lemmy Miyauchi (voice)), Kyoko Hikami (Kotone Himekawa (voice)), Ikue Oya (Rio Hinayama (voice)), Yui Horie (Multi (voice)), Hironori Miyata (Principal (voice)), Chizuko Hoshino (Akari's Mom (voice)), Masaya Takatsuka (Clerk (voice)), Eriko Fujimaki (PE Teacher (voice)), Mie Sonozaki (Announcer (voice)), Harunori Miyata (Student (voice)), Takayuki Arai (Student (voice))

Nothing really gets resolved. Shiho takes a step back to let Akari have a go at Hiroyuki. Akari even gave Hiro a scarf which is almost bold in this series
But beside enjoying a snow fall together at the end of the series, it is not really clear if they end up together or not. But I expected this outcome already.

(From Tom's Random Reviews on December 2nd, 2008)