DVD Collectors Online

Angel on the Right, a review by Danae Cassandra

Angel on the Right  (Farishtay Kifty Rost)
Year of Release: 2002
Directed By: Djamshed Usmonov
Starring: Uktamoi Miyasarova, Maruf Pulodzoda, Kova Tilavpur, Malohat Maqsumova
Genre: Drama

Overview:
10 years after leaving Tajikistan, the Moscow-based gangster Hamro is tricked into returning to his home village, where he must confront old foes, debts, his tradition bound mother and a son that he didn't know he had. After seducing a beautiful nurse and finding legitimate work, Hamro has a chance to make good.

According to Islamic folk legend, an angel on a man's left shoulder records his bad deeds and the one on his right records the good, and these will be weighed on Judgment Day. Which angel will Hamro listen to?

My Thoughts:
This is an interesting character study of a pretty unlikable man. Hamro is a hard, unsympathetic man, but we do glimpse the economic reality that has made him that way. It's also a glimpse into the culture of a country that many people have never heard of. It's a grim, bleak little film - but there is a tiny ray of hope that Hamro may, someday, be a good man (by way of his relationship with the boy).

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5

(From March Around the World 2016 on April 7th, 2016)

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Blu-ray), a review by addicted2dvd

The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Unrated Version (2005/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Scott Derrickson Writing: Paul Harris Boardman (Writer), Scott Derrickson (Writer) Length: 122 min. Video: Widescreen 2.40:1 Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, French: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby TrueHD: 5.1, Thai: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Other

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Stars:
Laura Linney as Erin Bruner
Tom Wilkinson as Father Moore
Campbell Scott as Ethan Thomas
Jennifer Carpenter as Emily Rose
Colm Feore as Karl Gunderson

Plot:Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• BD-Live

Going into this one the only thing I remembered is that I enjoyed it the first time. It says this movie is based on true events. I would like to learn more about the actual events. this one stars Jennifer Carpenter who is the actress that plays Dexter's sister Debra on Dexter. I really liked her in this film and really liked her in Dexter. I really enjoyed the way this movie was done. I think it is a good mixture of horror and courtroom drama. It makes for an extra interesting story line. In my opinion... this movie is well worth checking out if you haven't already.



(From July Movie Marathon: Based on a True Story on July 25th, 2017)

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)