DVD Collectors Online

My Neighbours The Yamadas, a review by dfmorgan

Title: My Neighbours The Yamadas
Original Title: Houhokekyo tonari no Yamada-kun
Year: 1999
Director: Isao Takahata
Rating: PG
Length: 104 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Yukiji Asaoka
Toru Masuoka
Masako Araki
Hayato Isohata
Naomi Uno

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Storyboard Comparisons
Closed Captioned



A very weird film. Based on a popular manga this is a series of vignettes very much in the comic-strip style of Andy Capp, The Perishers, FoxTrot, Blondie and many, many others. The style takes some getting used to, apparently this was the first film from Studio Ghibli to be produced entirely on computer as Isao Takahata did not want the traditional look and feel of cel animation. As to be expected with a film of this concept some of the vignettes work better than others, one of my favourites is when Mr. Yamada is 'watching the baseball' and Mrs. Yamada wants to watch a movie. The ballet between them as Mrs. Yamada tries to use the zapper to chanage the channel and Mr. Yamada blocks with his newspaper is well executed and nicely choreographed.

I did enjoy this to a degree, some bits worked some didn't so a 3

(From dfmorgan's Studio Ghibli Marathon on August 1st, 2010)

The Vampire Conspiracy, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: The Vampire Conspiracy
Year: 2003
Director: Marc Morgenstern
Rating: NR
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Sarah Boes
Adrian M. Pryce
Ron Mazor
Christiane Garcia
John Lopes

Plot:
Five strangers are abducted by a megalomaniacal vampire and put into a deadly maze of wits and endurance. Should they make it through alive, they receive this vampire entire fortune. Should they fail, they become his victims and are placed back into the game, this time as a succubus to hunt the next round of victims.

Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
This is another movie out of the 50 movie boxset Mortuary of Madness. And for me... this is another winner. It kinda reminds me of one of my favorites... Cube. Sure this movie is very low budget... but it don't hurt it much at all. I would say the acting is pretty good... though not great. If a lot of bad language bothers you for whatever reason this one may bug you a bit. As it seems like they throw in some bad language after every other word. The ending is a bit on the confusing side... but overall I enjoyed this one quite a bit. There is now a few movies in this set that I enjoyed... so I can definitely say I didn't waste $15 on this set!



(From Addicted2DVD's November Alphabet Marathon on November 6th, 2009)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Murder in Suburbia: Series One (2004/United Kingdom) IMDb | Wikipedia Acorn Media (United Kingdom) Length: 286 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: Subtitles:

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Plot:
The suburbs - manicured lawns, palatial houses, car pools, wife swapping and murder. Even the most picturesque suburb can hold dark secrets in its lush gardens. Detective Inspector Kate 'Ash' Ashurst (Caroline Catz, The Vice) and Detective Sergeant Emma 'Scribbs' Scribbins (Lisa Faulkner, New Street Law) are partners who investigate crimes in Middleford Criminal Investigative Department.

In Series One the detectives investigate six cases ranging from a singles club murder to an out-of-control stag party and a home improvements lover whose hammer becomes a murder weapon.


Murder in Suburbia
1.01 Episode One
Writer: Nick Collins (Writer), Nick Collins (Created By)
Director: Edward Bennett
Cast: Caroline Catz (DI Kate Ashurst), Lisa Faulkner (DS Emma Scribbins), Jeremy Sheffield (DCI Sullivan), Danny Webb (Gavin Webb), Patrick Barlow (Redmond Appleby), Barbara Durkin (Maxine Appleby), Stuart Bunce (Ralph Mitchell), Stuart Nurse (Dr Weatherall), Liam Noble (DS Pudney), Sebastian Knapp (Harry), Jay Simpson (Photographer), Linette Beaumont (Nikki Pengelly), Cal Jaggers (Hazel Lawrence)

Your average murder mystery series with likable leads.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on June 10th, 2012)