DVD Collectors Online

To Kill a Mockingbird, a review by Rich

To Kill a Mockingbird



Robert Mulligan's classic adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, set in the racially charged atmosphere of Macon County, Alabama in the 1930s, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a poignant coming-of-age story. Winner of four Academy Awards including Best Screenplay (written by Horton Foote), and Best Actor (Gregory Peck), TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a timeless film packed with beautiful scenes and meaningful life lessons. The story is told from the vantage point of a young girl nicknamed Scout (Mary Badham) whose widowed white father Atticus Finch (Peck), an attorney, decides on principle to defend a black man (Brock Peters) charged with raping a poor white woman. But the bigoted townspeople would rather lynch the accused than try him, and they make life hellish for the lawyer, his daughter, and his son Jem (Philip Alford). While their father is in the throes of the trial, his bright, inquisitive children learn a hard and unforgettable lesson in justice, morality, and prejudice, part of which requires overcoming an unfounded fear of their mysterious neighbour Boo Radley (Robert Duvall).

Twee American classic, for the year it was produced it must have been controversial in some of its delicately handled content, albeit of course set in 30's Alabama.
The book I read back in school many years ago, and I think the adaptation keeps the original authors intent. The black and white production, novel film angles, sympathetic score and intelligent direction are plusses, the only real problem I had with the film was it's overly long length and at times 'finger on fast forward' desire to speed up the pace.
Peck does a credible job as Addicus, but the film is stolen by both children actors, especially the tomboy who played Scout, who narrates the film.
Worth a recommendation 




(From Riches Random Reviews on January 28th, 2009)

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, a review by Dragonfire

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

First he fought for the Crown, now he's fighting for the family jewels!  Mike Myers (Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery) returns as the world's grooviest superspy in this latest comedy-adventure!

Intent on world domination, diabolical genius Dr. Evil travels back to 1969 and steals Austin's "mojo".  Now Austin must return to the Swingin' Sixties, recover his mojo and stop his terminally square arch nemesis from liquidating the world.  Together with the fab CIA superchick Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham, Lost in Space, Bowfinger), Austin faces off against an army of outrageous villains including a heinous henchman of tremendous girth and Mini-Me, Dr. Evil's deranged 1/8 sized clone.

My Thoughts

I fully admit this movie is silly and a bit corny..but it is funny and entertaining.  The explanation for getting rid of Vanessa was really out there, but it somehow seemed to fit with the tone of the movie.  Dr. Evil is very funny to me and the addition of Mini-Me was interesting, especially how he interacted with Scott.  I didn't care for Fat Bastard though.  He was just gross.  The time travel wasn't even remotely believable, but it helped make the movie entertaining.  People who liked the first Austin Powers movie might also like this one.

 

(From My November Alphabet Marathon on November 3rd, 2008)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

The Nanny: Season One (1993/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia (Canada) Length: 515 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Spanish

---

Plot:
Fran Drescher, Charles Shaughnessy, Daniel Davis, Lauren Lane, Nicholle Tom, Benjamin Salisbury, Madeline Zima, and Renee Taylor star in this hilarious sitcom about the nanny with the face from Vogue and the voice from Queens. This DVD collection includes all 22 episodes from the first season of this hilarious show. Fran Drescher stars in her defining role as street-smart Fran Fine, a diva down-on-her-luck who finds herself hired for a job she never even applied for! Now, she's the nanny for a rich, sophisticated family in Manhattan, and when this blue-collar girl from the block moves in with the blue blood, widowed Broadway producer and his three children, comedy is red hot!


The Nanny
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Peter Marc Jacobson (Original Characters By), Fran Drescher (Original Characters By), Peter Marc Jacobson (Screenwriter), Robert Sternin (Screenwriter), Prudence Fraser (Screenwriter), Fran Drescher (Original Material By), Peter Marc Jacobson (Original Material By)
Director: Lee Shallat
Cast

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on June 13th, 2012)