DVD Collectors Online

2LDK, a review by Jimmy

Title : 2LDK (2002)

Overview
A twisted, skillfully paced black comedy, '2LDK' (2-Bedroom, Living Room, Dining Room & Kitchen) packs a startling amount of inventiveness, razor-sharp wit and filmmaking fervor to tell the story of two roommates at odds with the world and each other. Two struggling actresses share a Tokyo apartment. As they compete for the same film role and the same boyfriend, their petty squabbles soon turn into all-out war and when they break out the power tools and electrocution devices, you know these two ladies have forfeited more than their security deposit. Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi, one of the most promising young filmmakers in Japan, pushes his film's premise to the extreme, making for an unforgettable, non-stop barrage of laughs, fights and ultra-violence.

My Impression
I've got this one as a part of a 3 movies boxset and it was unknown to me the first time I've watched it (not this time). I really like this one, I'm familiar with the apartment sharing life with all the good and bad sides. Many little things usually get on our nerves and sometimes we want to react like the girls in this film 

This is a 2 actresses show and they are quite good and attractive. The director make a good use of the short running time (1h10) and the movie didn't have any dead time. If you think that the Japanese cinema is just about the boring grey little girl ghost try this one, you'll pass a very good time in front of your tv or computer.
 
Rating :

(From My Alphabet Marathon Review on November 2nd, 2008)

The Bridge Of San Luis Rey, a review by KinkyCyborg

The Bridge Of San Luis Rey



Title:The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Year: 2004
Director: Mary McGuckian
Rating: PG
Length: 120 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: DTS: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:Plot:
Robert De Niro, Kathy Bates, Gabriel Byrne, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, and Geraldine Chaplin co-star in this epic film adaptation of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning novel.

Five seemingly unrelated travelers cross the San Luis Ray bridge when it suddenly collapses. Were their tragic deaths the result of Divine Intervention, mere chance or perhaps something more sinister? Intrigued, a Franciscan monk investigates the victims' pasts, uncovering secrets in this moving tale of passion, ambition and destiny.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Closed Captioned


Five souls plummet to their deaths off an old bridge in Peru during a period of the Spanish Inquisitions. The movie delves less into the tragedy and more into the lives of the five people, their own personal tragedies, how their lives interconnect and the intrigues of the Spanish court. A pious priest played by Gabriel Byrne investigates what these people may have had in common, and if that denominator might have been the reason God might have taken their lives.

Pretty heavy subject matter which leaves the viewer with much to digest. The irony of the priest's findings is that they themselves lead to an inquisition, his assertions deemed heretic, and the priest burned at the stake.

Some excellent performances by an A-list cast make up for an at times excessively slow pace. I didn't find the ending very satisfying as many questions that should have been asked at the trial of the priest were not asked. Kathy Bates was incredible as the Marquess, a lonely old woman of power who only longs for the love of her petulant daughter who is off in Spain, playing the social game at Court, all the while ignoring her mother's many letters. You feel terribly bad for Bates' character, almost thankful for her death which was more of a release from her misery.

F. Murray Abraham and Harvey Kietel were also excellent in their respective roles. Robert De Niro seemed out of place as the Archbishop of Peru. His enunciation of the speech from that era was good, but his Goodfellas accent was evident which almost made it appear to be a bad voice over job. 
If you want to watch and appreciate some great method acting then you may enjoy this but I'm certain this movie is not for everyone and would likely be labeled as boring for many.

KC

Rating:

(From KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2010 on February 6th, 2011)

Tom's TV Finales marathon, a review by Tom

Undeclared: The Complete Series (2001/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Shout! Factory, Sony BMG Music Entertainment (United States) Length: 403 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

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Plot:
College life as seen through the eyes of Steven Karp, a freshman determined to reinvent himself at a new school. Faced with dilemmas as miserable as being "sexiled" to the rec room while roommates use the bedroom and as dire as confronting a girlfriend's jealous stalker-ex-boyfriend, Steven and his new friends tackle the challenges of higher education. Named one of Time magazine's top ten television shows of 2001 and praised for its "pitch perfect" casting, Undeclared is "one of the cum laude comedies of the new season . . . a sneaky funny hoot with endearingly offbeat characters." (Los Angeles Times)




Undeclared
Season 1.18 Eric's POV
Writer: Judd Apatow (Original Characters By), Judd Apatow (Writer), Nicholas Stoller (Writer)
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Jay Baruchel (Steven Karp), Carla Gallo (Lizzie Exley), Charlie Hunnam (Lloyd Haythe), Monica Keena (Rachel Lindquist), Christina Payano (Tina Ellroy), Seth Rogen (Ron Garner), Timm Sharp (Marshall Nesbitt), Loudon Wainwright (Hal Karp), Ben Stiller (Rex), Jason Segel (Eric), David Krumholtz (Greg), Kyle Gass (Eugene), Jarrett Grode (Perry), Sarah Ann Morris (Janice), Kim Fifield (Alice), Leroy Adams (Adam), P. B. Smiley (P.B.), Alex Breckenridge (Celeste)

A nice little series. The last episode was fun, but nothing special. Jason Segel plays a derailed ex-boyfriend really well. You saw hints of this with his character in Freaks & Geeks. But here it is a completely different level.



(From Tom's TV Finales marathon on February 18th, 2022)