DVD Collectors Online

Son of Rambow, a review by DJ Doena

Bill Milner   ...    Will Proudfoot
Will Poulter   ...    Lee Carter
Jessica Hynes   ...    Mary Proudfoot
Neil Dudgeon    ...    Joshua
Jules Sitruk   ...    Didier Revol

Synopsis: Will Proudfoot is growing up in a very strict christian society. He isn't even allowed to watch documentaries in school. Lee Carter is the troublemaker of the school who makes pirate copies of theatre movies. When their paths cross nothing will be the same. Together they make their own movie where Will is the son of Rambow and Lee plays Colonel Trautman. But their secret comes out and suddenly everybody wants to have a role in it.

My Opinion: It's a funny film with funny being not in the "hilarious funny" category but more in the category of "decent humour without forgetting that it wants to tell a story". Even though the actors were children (who did a great job) I had the feeling this movie carried a sentimental tune similar to the one in Be Kind Rewind. I also liked it that the movie had no problem with switching to a more serious tone after the accident when you don't know what has happened to Lee.



PS: Thanks to Tom for the recommendation.

(From DJ Doena's movie watchings 2009 on May 22nd, 2009)

Cowboys & Aliens, a review by Dragonfire

I went to see Cowboys & Aliens on Friday. I've been interested in seeing the movie for a while.

Time is taken to set things up, though the plot really isn't as strong as it could have been and there isn't much character development.  I like the idea of aliens turning up in the old west.  There is more attention given to the action scenes.  Those are done well, and some of them are pretty cool.  The CGI is done well.  I thought the aliens looked creepy.  A few things shown are a bit gross. 

The characters are likable enough overall and somewhat interesting.  They just could have been a bit more developed.  Harrison Ford's character isn't exactly a bad guy, but he isn't that nice either.  He will use extreme measures to get his way and he throws his weight around the small local town.  Ford is great in the part, though it is a little weird to see him in a part like that.  Daniel Craig does really well with the part of Jake, the guy who ends up in the middle of the mess without knowing who he is. 

The movie is just fun and entertaining overall even though the plot could be stronger. 

I would have rated the movie 3.5 if I had the option at Epinions.  I rounded up to 4 since I didn't have that option.

I did get a review - without spoilers - posted at Epinions.

Cowboys & Aliens

(From Cowboys & Aliens on August 1st, 2011)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
Sydney Bristow is a double agent. She works for supposedly covert branch of the CIA called SD-6 and for the real CIA. SD-6 is part of a larger group called The Alliance but only the high-level leaders know that SD-6 is not CIA. Field agents like Sydney are not supposed to know. Thus Sydney goes on whatever mission SD-6 sends her and the CIA gives her a counter mission to sabotage SD-6 without them knowing.

"Truth Be Told"
Sydney Bristow is a grad student who works part time at a bank. But the bank job is only a cover. She's an agent in a covert branch of the CIA and she hasn't told anyone about this. But when her boyfriend proposes to her she makes that fatal mistake. After she's come back from her next mission she finds him dead. SD-6 has killed him because he became a security risk. And when she doesn't come back to SD-6, they try to kill her, too. But luckily for her she has a father who also works for SD-6 and who saves her. After she's re-established her credibility with SD-6 she goes to the CIA and offers to work as a double agent.

My Opinion
I've only seen one season so far, but really liked it. There is a mystery element on the show in the form of artefacts the Italian inventor Rambaldi has built - in the 15th century (it's a J.J. Abrams show after all). Rambaldi has also made a prophecy and it is not clear yet whether it refers to Sydney Bristow or not (I assume that it will become clear in later seasons). Just like with Chuck I like it how they try to keep their public and their secret life apart and how it becomes more and more difficult to do that. But Sydney has also a cool number of disguises.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on September 4th, 2009)