DVD Collectors Online

Kokuriko-zaka Kara, a review by Danae Cassandra

Kokuriko-zaka Kara (From Up On Poppy Hill)
Year of Release: 2011
Directed By: Goro Miyazaki
Starring: Masami Nagasawa, Jun'ichi Okada or Sarah Bolger, Anton Yelchin
Genre: Drama, Romance

Overview:
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and The Secret World of ArriettyMy Thoughts:
This was a beautiful film, with a lovely, sweet feeling to it, combining a bit of nostalgia with a hopeful spirit and thought of the future.  I thought the characters were particularly good - Umi and Shun are pretty well-developed, but even the minor characters have little quirks that make them memorable.

Unlike most of the other films from Studio Ghibli, this is set squarely in the real world - no touches of fantasy here.  It's a sort of everyday life kind of film.  Umi does her chores, goes to school, and misses her father, who was lost at sea.  Shun helps his dad on his boat, goes to school, and works on the school newspaper.  Together with the many of the rest of the student body, they set out to save a beloved old building on their campus.  In their relationship with each other, they discover things about themselves.  It's really a simple little film, sweet, calm and romantic.  The animation and character design are what you expect from Ghibli:  clean and beautiful, with that characteristic Ghibli look.  Nobody does it like they do.

While there's nothing offensive, I'd wait for children to be a bit older to show it to them - little ones wouldn't appreciate it.  Think 9 to 10 and up.  It's also a lovely film for adults - our audience of five included three in the mid 20's, one late 30's and one late 60's.  The dub wasn't bad either, though I'm looking forward to watching it again with subtitles.  Easily recommended for just about anyone.

Bechdel Test:  Pass

Overall:  3.75/5

(From Kokuriko-zaka Kara (From Up On Poppy Hill) on September 27th, 2013)

Assault on Precinct 13, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Assault on Precinct 13
Year: 2005
Director:Rating: R
Length: 109 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: DTS: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Jeffrey 'Ja Rule' Atkins
Maria Bello
Peter Bryant
Gabriel Byrne
Fulvio Cecere
Kim Coates

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Bonus Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
Let me start out by saying I never seen the original. So I can't compare the two or even comment on whether or not this one followed the original's storyline. While I enjoyed the movie... I was somehow expecting more from it. Probably because while I didn't see the original... I have always heard good things about it. There was a familiar face that I knew from a TV Series in this one. That being Drea de Matteo who I knew as Joey's sister on Joey. Over all a decent action flick... but I find it hard to believe it lives up to (at least what I heard of) the original.



(From What Movies I Been Watching on September 4th, 2010)

Firefly Marathon, a review by Tom

02. The Train Job
Writer: Joss Whedon (Writer), Tim Minear (Writer)
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast

(From Firefly Marathon on February 24th, 2010)