DVD Collectors Online

A Woman is a Woman, a review by Danae Cassandra

Une femme est une femme (A Woman is a Woman)
Year of Release: 1961
Directed By: Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Jean-Claude Brialy, Anna Karina, Jean-Paul Belmondo
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Musical

Overview:
With A Woman is a Woman (Une Femme est une femmeA Woman is a WomanA Woman is a Woman finds the young Godard at his warmest and most accessible, reveling in and scrutinizing the mechanics of his great obsession: the cinema.

My Thoughts:
This is a bright, playful, colorful film. It's a musical, too, sorta. Of course, it's also more than a bit absurd, but were we expecting anything else from Godard? I certainly wasn't. It's a film that knows it's a film, and breaks the fourth wall, with characters posing for and talking to the camera, with text on screen to describe emotions, the music cuts in and out seemingly on whim. Still, it's a fun film, more accessible than some of Godard's work that I've seen. The performances of the three main actors are quite good, especially Anna Karina's - she has to practically carry the film, and she does an excellent job at it. That said, it takes a bit to get into the film at first, and some bits can get irritating (why does Emile ride his bike around the dining room? and was there really a need to repeat the book title 'conversation' scene?).

I enjoyed it, but it will be a while before I would want to watch it again. Like any of Godard's work, this is recommended for the art film lover only.

Bechdel Test: Pass, barely

Overall: 3.5/5

(From Within My (Mom's) Lifetime Marathon on February 7th, 2015)

Max and Mona, a review by Danae Cassandra

Max and Mona
2004, South Africa

Max, bright-eyed and hopeful, leaves his home village for Johannesburg, to attend university and become a doctor.  Things go wrong from the beginning, when he is sent off with the sacred village goat instead of the goat he is supposed to deliver.  Max names the goat Mona, and with her in tow, ends up staying with his uncle Norman, a shady fellow who just happens to be in debt to a local gangster.  Once Norman learns Max is a gifted mourner, he comes up with the perfect plan for getting himself out of debt and making them some money...

This is a bright, funny comedy from South Africa.  Max, correctly referred to throughout the film as a country bumpkin, arrives a naive innocent, wide-eyed at the big city.  He knows nothing of the city or its dangers - or his uncle Norman and his dangers.  This leads Max into increasingly humorous, and increasingly dangerous, situations.  His innate good heart puts him at odds with his shady uncle, who nonetheless he stands by as family and tries to help. 

This is another release that is part of The Global Lens Collection, and like the rest it is obviously a low-budget film.  Like the other South African film I've seen, Bunny Chow (also Global Lens), it demonstrates South Africa's multicultural society both visually and aurally, since the characters speak a combination of English, Afrikaans and Zulu, sometimes switching from one to another and back in mid-sentence.  This was a fun movie, though it had its serious side when Max worries about upsetting his ancestors with what Norman gets him involved in, and ends on an upbeat and hopeful note.

Definitely worth watching, unless you absolutely can't stand subtitles.

Overall:  3/5

(From Danae's reviews on April 21st, 2011)

Grey's Anatomy Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

9. Crash Into Me (Part 1 of 2)
Meredith and the Chief rush to the scene of a devastating ambulance crash in which the lives of the paramedics are at stake. Bailey treats a difficult patient and Ava returns to find Alex with a new girlfriend.

My Thoughts:
This is one show that gets the 2 part episodes right... So far every 2 part episode of Grey's Anatomy I have seen has been excellent... and this one is no different. It has outstanding medical storylines. And it has great advancements in the personal lives storylines. This one has a very recognizable guest star in Seth Green (Oz on Buffy).

My Rating:

10. Crash Into Me (Part 2 of 2)
In the conclusion to the two-part episode arc, Meredith races to save the life of a paramedic, who is trapped inside an ambulance. Meanwhile, the life of a patient is in Lexie's hands and Derek and a nurse work together to save the life of a patient.

My Thoughts:
A great conclusion to the previous episode. I was really glued to the screen on both parts of this one. I must admit... I got a chuckle out of how Dr. Bailey handled her racist of a patient. I do however wish the outcome of Seth Green's character was different.

My Rating:

11. Lay Your Hands On Me
Bailey's family faces a medical trauma, just as her marriage is falling apart, a surprise visit from George's mother comes as a shock to both Izzie and Callie, a faith healer challenges Erica and Alex's beliefs in traditional medicine, and Derek must deal with the aftermath of his kiss with Rose.

My Thoughts:
Wow.. another amazing episode. I loved how they combined the medical and personal storylines together in this one... putting Dr. Bailey's baby son in trouble like that. I also got a kick out of the faith healer storyline.

My Rating:

12. Where The Wild Things Are
Six weeks following Derek and Meredith's break-up, Derek continues to date Rose while Meredith, Alex, Izzie and Cristina compete in a surgical contest. Meanwhile, George and Lexie adjust to their new apartment and Callie finds a new friend in Erica Hahn.

My Thoughts:
Wow! This is the first time ever... on any show... that I was able to give all episodes on the disc a rating of . The awesome bear attack victims through this one over the top for me. Enjoyed every second of it!

My Rating:

(From Grey's Anatomy Marathon on February 7th, 2010)