DVD Collectors Online

L.A. Confidential, a review by Dragonfire

L.A. Confidential My Thoughts I wasn't interested in this one when I first saw previews for it.  I just didn't think I would like it.  Then I kept seeing the trailer and I started changing my mind and I eventually saw the movie..and I loved it. The plot is rather complicated, so people could get confused or lost if they don't pay attention.  Things do start off slower while characters are introduced and situations are set up.  Some of what is shown doesn't seem that important at first, but it all ends up being tied to what is going and adding to the set up of things.  I think there ends up being a decent amount of mystery and I didn't find the movie to be predictable at all.  I remember being really shocked by one thing that happens - though it does make sense for the story.  I did end up reading the book after I had seen the movie.  I think I'd seen it a few times by that point.  The book is even more complex than the movie with even more characters and events going on.  I think the movie is a really good adaptation since it focuses in on the most important elements of the story.  From what I remember, a lot more time is covered in the book. Even though there aren't any actual sex scenes in the movie, sex does have a big impact on the story.  Sid, the tabloid reporter, is always hoping to catch famous or sort of famous people in some sort of compromising sexual situation.  Sid even sets some of them up, promising one person that no one else will ever know..and then he plasters the pictures all over the cover of Hush-Hush, the tabloid magazine he writes for.  Lynn, the main female character, is a call girl who looks like Veronica Lake.  There are other call girls who look like other actresses, though they are mostly just talked about and only one of them is briefly seen.  Bud and Lynn have a relationship and it is very clear that it involves sex even though not much is shown.  There is a lot of violence in the movie, some of which is rather graphic and extreme.  There are shoot outs and fights with several people getting hurt or killed.  The violence didn't really bother me, though some people may feel differently.  The movie definitely deserves the R rating and it isn't one for children. Several of the characters are just in a few short scenes, but they still manage to be interesting.  This was the first movie I saw Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce in.  I really didn't like Pearce's character Ed at first.  Technically he is the good guy since he is out to end corruption, but his attitude at first makes him unlikeable.  I don't see Bud as really a bad character, though he isn't all good either.  Jack has gotten use to being a bit of a celebrity thanks to the exposure from working with a tv show and the busts that he sets up for Sid to take pictures of.  Jack is a bit corrupted, but no where near the level that some other cops are.  The cast is wonderful in their parts. I really like this movie and think it is has held up very well. At the time, I was ok with Titanic winning more Oscars, including best picture.  Now I'm thinking this one really should have won.  I posted a review on Epinions last night - my 1300th review there.  L.A. Confidential

(From L.A. Confidential on June 16th, 2010)

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, a review by dfmorgan

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Year: 2006
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Cast: Riisa Naka, Takuya Ishida, Mitsutaka Itakura
Overview: What would you do if you could "leap" backward through time? When tomboyish 17 year old Makoto Konno gains this ability after an accident in her high school chemistry lab, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. Before long, however, she realizes that even innocuous changes can have terrible consequences. Changing the past is not as simple as it seems, and eventually Makoto will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future for herself and her friends.

Featuring brilliant character design by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and stunning visuals by long time Studio Ghibli Art Director, Nizo Yamamoto, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a feast for the eyes as well as the heart.

Watched: 27th Feb 2010
My Thoughts: A wonderful film, one that I will have to watch again soon as I am sure that I missed some details due to my watching it late evening. I initially wondered what was going on as one logo after another came up at the start, in fact I think there were 10 logos including 3 for different parts of Kadokawa, but then the film began and that was it. It took a little time to get going just to set characters and scenes for future events and developments but this was necessary. The animation was bright and colourful with attention to detail where required. The voice acting matching, in general, the charaters as represented on-screen although the maniacal laughter and crying did grate a bit but not enough to upset the viewing.
I don't think I've said this before but foreign language films I will always try to watch in their original language with English subtitles and this was no different. I may update this review after I view the film again as I don't intend to leave it too long before doing so.

My Rating: Wonderful film so 5

Dave

(From Dave's DVD/Blu-ray Reviews on February 28th, 2010)

"Big Bang Theory" Marathon, a review by Tom

11. The Pancake Batter Anomaly (2008-03-31)
Writer: Bill Prady, Stephen Engel, Chuck Lorre, Lee Aronsohn
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Cast: Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter), Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz), Kunal Nayyar (Rajesh Koothrappali), Carol Ann Susi (Mrs. Wolowitz), Erin Allin O'Reilly (Cheryl)

Sheldon is sick and is being a pain in the ass. A good episode (though not as good as other Sheldon-centered episodes so far).
And Sheldon got Penny to rub his chest. Lucky guy!



12. The Jersualem Duality (2008-04-14)
Writer: Dave Goetsch, Steven Molaro, Jennifer Glickman, Stephen Engel
Director: Mark Cendrowski
Cast: Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter), Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz), Kunal Nayyar (Rajesh Koothrappali), Mark Harelik (Dr. Gablehauser), Austin Lee (Dennis), Emma Degerstedt (Emma)

Nice idea for an episode, but the execution could have been better. Nothing really funny about this episode.

(From "Big Bang Theory" Marathon on October 1st, 2008)