DVD Collectors Online

Ice Age, a review by addicted2dvd

Ice Age (2002/United States) Wikipedia |IMDb |Trailer | Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Chris Wedge Writing: Michael J. Wilson (Story By), Michael Berg (Screenwriter), Michael J. Wilson (Screenwriter), Peter Ackerman (Screenwriter) Length: 81 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish

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Stars:
Ray Romano as Manfred
John Leguizamo as Sid
Denis Leary as Diego
Goran Visnjic as Soto
Jack Black as Zeke

Plot:
Heading south to avoid a bad case of global frostbite, a group of migrating misfit creatures embark on a hilarious quest to reunite a human baby with his tribe. Featuring an all-star voice cast, including Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary, ICE AGE is the coolest animated adventure of all time!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Closed Captioned
• Short: Gone Nutty

I watched this one with my daughter Brittany today. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I really liked the animation here... and the story was enjoyable as well. It is definitely worth the time put in to watch it. Looks like I will have to look into seeing the sequels.



(From May Marathon - Animals on May 2nd, 2016)

Five Dedicated to Ozu, a review by Danae Cassandra

Five Dedicated to Ozu
Year Released: 2004
Directed By: Abbas Kiarostami
Starring: nature
Genre: Documentary

Overview:
Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami (A TASTE OF CHERRY, THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES) pays homage to Yasujiro Ozu, the brilliant Japanese filmmaker whose spare but evocative style has been a major influence on Kiarostami's work. Canny and sublime, the 74-minute film is comprised of five long, apparently single takes of a beach on the Caspian Sea, all focusing on the ocean, comprised of virtually no camera movement and enveloped in rapturous natural sound.

Richly poetic and shot on a hand-held DV camera, the film features five extended, apparently single-take sequences:

1. The camera accompanies a piece of wood with which the waves are toying, at the beach.
2. People are walking along, by the seaside. Older people stop, look at the waves, then walk away.
3. Indistinct shapes on a beach in winter. A group of dogs. A love story.
4. Ducks noisily cross the frame in one direction, then the other.
5. A pond. Nighttime. Frogs. A chorus of sounds. Then, a storm, and finally, dawn.

My Thoughts:
This is a tough film to review, and it definitely has a limited audience. I tried to describe it to a friend and he was like "I'm not seeing a point here." It's a visual meditation, an exploration of time - day moving to night, the timelessness of the sea contrasted with the finite span of living things. If that sounds interesting to you then watch this film. I thought it was beautiful.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5

(From March Around the World 2016 on April 7th, 2016)

Firefly Marathon, a review by Tom

01. Serenity
Writer: Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Nathan Fillion (Mal), Gina Torres (Zoe), Alan Tudyk (Wash), Morena Baccarin (Inara), Adam Baldwin (Jayne), Jewel Staite (Kaylee), Sean Maher (Simon), Summer Glau (River), Ron Glass (Shepherd Book), Carlos Jacott (Lawrence Dobson), Mark A. Sheppard (Badger), Andy Umberger (Dortmunder Captain), Philip Sternberg (Inara's Client), Eddie Adams (Bendis), Colin Patrick Lynch (Radio Operator), Bonnie Bartlett (Patience), Domingo Vara (Ensign), Stephen O'Mahoney (Man (Dortmunder)), Jamie McShane (Man), John F. Kearney (Old Man), Gabrielle Wagner (Slave #1)

I have borrowed the Blu-ray release of this series from a friend to see, if there is much difference in quality.
I have now watched the pilot episode again and am thinking about rewatching the entire series again. The series and its characters made a lasting impression, with me wanting to revisit this series again so soon after. The 14 episodes weren't just enough. It is not often that a series makes me to rewatch it so soon after the first time. In recent history only "Sarah Connor Chronicles" and "Big Bang Theory" made me do it.

This pilot episode had much rewatch value. Now knowing the characters a lot better and was fun to see the beginning here.

Rating:

(From Firefly Marathon on February 24th, 2010)