DVD Collectors Online

How to Train Your Dragon, a review by Silence_of_Lambs

Summary:
Long ago up North on the Island of Berk, the young Viking, Hiccup (voice: Jay Baruchel), wants to join his town's fight against the dragons that continually raid their town. However, his macho father and village leader, Stoik the Vast (voice: Gerard Butler), will not allow his small, clumsy, but inventive son to do so. Regardless, Hiccup ventures out into battle and downs a mysterious Night Fury dragon with his invention, but can't bring himself to kill it. Instead, Hiccup and the dragon, whom he dubs Toothless, begin a friendship that would open up both their worlds as the observant boy learns that his people have misjudged the species. But even as the two each take flight in their own way, they find that they must fight the destructive ignorance plaguing their world.

My Thoughts:
This movie came with a lot of praise in advance, so I was somewhat skeptic if it could keep up with my expectations.
To cut a long story short: It could do this easily.
I wish I was more eloquent to describe this little masterpiece of modern animation.
The story is kept simple, but every time you feel inclined to say it's predictable, it adds a little surprising turn. Not too much to distract from the mainplot, but always enough to keep your eyes glued to the screen.
BTW: "Glued to the screen", the programming is simply breathtaking, in the flying scenes enjoy the clouds, it's the first time they are not coming around as cotton candy in the sky. Even though the programmers did a great job this movie does not drown in beauty, it's always and only there to support the plot. Other than for example "Ratatouille" where after the umptienth headshaking even the dumbest should have understood that they are now able to trace hair.

The characters are simply gorgeous, you have to love them all.
The sound is ... let's say it this way: Great!

DreamWorks did it all correct again and once more set up a hallmark for other animated films to measure up against.
If you haven't done so already: Watch it, you will not regret it.


My rating: (out of possible 5)

(From Michael's random reviews on October 23rd, 2010)

Die Augen der Mumie Ma, a review by Danae Cassandra

Die Augen der Mumie Ma (The Eyes of the Mummy)
Year of Release: 1918
Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch
Starring: Emil Jannings, Pola Negri, Harry Liedtke
Genre: Horror Thriller, Melodrama

Overview:
Albert Wendland, a young painter studying in Egypt, overhears Prince Hohenfels' plans to visit the mysterious tomb of Queen Ma.  Albert is intrigued when he hears a local legend: anyone who enters the crypt meets with disaster.  Ignoring the warning, Wendland journeys to the forbidden burial chamber and finds not a mummy but a beautiful woman, Mara, who is held prisoner by the evil Radu.  Albert rescues Mara and takes her to his European home where they are soon married.  Provided with beautiful clothes, she becomes acquainted with the ways of polite society.  Meanwhile, Radu has sworn revenge upon Mara.  The tragic curse of the mummy hangs over her head!

The Eyes of the Mummy was produced by prolific German UFA studio and boasts a who's who of movie legends.  The film was directed by a young Ernst Lubitsch, who would gain worldwide acclaim for films such as The Love Parade and Heaven Can Wait.  Emil Jannings, star of such classics as The Last Laugh and The Blue Angel, stars as Radu.  Polish femme fatale Pola Negri stars as the doomed Mara.  Negri made many films in Germany with Lubitsch before immigrating to Hollywood where her love affairs garnered more attention than her acting.

My Thoughts
This wasn't really a horror movie, despite being listed as one and having Mummy in the title.  It's really a melodrama/thriller.  Looking at it from that perspective, it's not a bad movie.  Emil Jannings is suitably sinister and threatening. Pola Negri does a commendable job as Ma, the beautiful girl who lives in fear of him, and Harry Liedtke is at least believable as her devoted husband.  While not up to the quality of his later works, Lubitsch's direction here is beginning to show his talent.  

Yes, this is a silent film, and the viewer should expect it to be one.  The acting is over-the-top by modern standards, the makeup heavy, the plot extremely simple.  Take the film as what it is, consider the year it was made in, and it's not that bad a movie, though.  

My only complaint is with my DVD copy of the film.  I'm accustomed to poor video quality, so the fact that this isn't remastered in any way didn't really bother me - yes, there were scratches and dings in the video, but they didn't take away any enjoyment for me.  What was noticeable is that the music soundtrack wasn't synced properly, so that the music would change either just before or just after the scene did, instead of properly with the change of scene.  I'm sure this is because of the cheapness of the Alpha Video release I have.

Bechdel Test: Pass
(for silent films, I will count any interaction between two women that isn't obviously about a man - here between Ma and her tutor)

Overall: 2.5/5

(From Danae's 2013 Horror Marathon on October 9th, 2013)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Tom

2.16 The Duel (1996-06-02)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Seth Freeman (Writer)
Director: Gilbert Shilton
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Ramona Milano (Francesca Vecchio), Colm Feore (Carver), Lisa Houle (Madeline Carnes), Anthony Sherwood (Frank Greco), Dave Nichols (Van Slyke), Katayoun Amini (Angela Vecchio), Christina Rouner (Laurie Zaylor), Gary McMillan (Corey), Doug Lennox (Kelly), Catherine McNally (Parole Officer), Monique Kampherm (Shannon)

Although this movie has hardly any humor in it, I enjoyed it. And finally an appearance by Francesca again.

Rating:

(From "Due South" marathon on August 26th, 2009)