DVD Collectors Online

Gamera vs. Viras, a review by Danae Cassandra

Year of Release: 1968
Starring: Noriaki Yuasa
Directed By: Kojiro Hongo, Michiko Yaegaki, Mari Atsumi, Junko Yashiro
Genre: Science-Fiction, Disaster, Tokusatsu, Kaiju

Overview:
The reign of terror continues when aliens take two boy scouts hostage to blackmail Gamera into aiding their invasion of Earth. When that plan fails the giant alien leader Viras battles the flying turtle in a duel to the death.

My Thoughts:
Space Monster Viras makes their appearance! They have come to conquer Earth and destroy humanity! Only our great protector Gamera stands against them! They have found out Gamera's love for children though, and will use it against him!

While the bee design spaceships are neat, and there are some good ideas here, they're not followed through with. Too much footage from the previous Gamera films and the absurd squid-style design of Viras cause the film to be rather flat. The kids can get annoying, but they're far from the worst in these films.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 2.5/5

(From Gamera! on February 27th, 2016)

Father Goose, a review by Danae Cassandra

Father Goose
Year of Release:  1964
Directed By:  Ralph Nelson
Starring: Cary Grant, Leslie Caron, Trevor Howard, Jack Good
Genre: Comedy, Romance, War

Overview:
Cary Grant stars in one of his funniest roles as a boozy beachcomber sitting out WWII in peace – until the Allies recruit him to be a lookout on the South Pacific Isle.  During an enemy attack, he answers a distress call and discovers a beautiful French schoolmarm (Leslie Caron) and her 7 girl students.

And so begins a hilarious battle of the sexes between a messy American, a prim Mademoiselle and 7 mischievous little girls.  Who will win is anybody's guess, but you can be sure that Father Goose delivers plenty of romantic fun and adventure along the way.

My Thoughts:
This has been a personal favorite since I first saw it on TV in 1987. This is a charming, funny film with an eminently quotable script. It's a great blend of romance, comedy with a dash of wartime action thrown in. I love Cary Grant, and his performance makes this film. His timing is impeccable and his performance, in a character distinctly different from his usual fare, is superb. Leslie Caron does a good job too, but I always find her character to be insufferable in the beginning. Still, this is a movie that I've seen numerous times and never gets old and still remains funny, even when you know the jokes. Is there higher praise for a comedy than that?

Bechdel Test:  Pass

Overall: 4/5

(From Father Goose on January 2nd, 2014)

"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)