DVD Collectors Online

The Blind Side, a review by Tom

The Blind Side (2009/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Warner Home Video (Germany) Director: John Lee Hancock Writing: Michael Lewis (Original Material By), John Lee Hancock (Writer) Length: 128 min. Video: Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Audio Descriptive: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish

---

Stars:
Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Touhy
Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy
Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher
Jae Head as SJ Tuohy
Lily Collins as Collins Tuohy

Plot:
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

Awards:
Won:

Academy Award (2009)		Best Actress (Sandra Bullock)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Actress (Sandra Bullock)
Golden Globe (2010)		Actress in a Leading Role - Drama (Sandra Bullock)

Nominated:

Academy Award (2009)		Best Picture (Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Young Actor/Actress (Jae Head)
Golden Globe (2009)		Actress in a Leading Role - Drama (Sandra Bullock)
MTV Movie Awards (2010)		Best Breakout Star (Quinton Aaron)
MTV Movie Awards (2010)		Best Female Performance (Sandra Bullock)

Extras:

• Deleted Scenes
• Digital Copy
• Featurettes
• Interviews
• Scene Access

When I first saw the traier to this movie, I was not keen on watching it. It looked like nothing special. But after Sandra Bullock has won an Oscar for her role and the Blu-ray was on sale, I thought I'd give it a chance. I am a Sandy fan after all.
I enjoyed the movie but I still think it is nothing special. There were no surprises at all. The movie went exactly like I thought it would. And Sandra Bullock as a bottle bonde just doesn't look right. One of the reasons I wasn't keen on this movie in the first place.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on January 3rd, 2011)

Knives of the Avenger, a review by Jon

Knives of the Avenger (1966)
3 out of 5



Bava proves himself to be a master of all genres by taking on the Western and for the most part, does so very well. As Akira Kurosawa did with Seven Samurai, this is Western at heart even though it's about Vikings. Unfortunately, whereas Kurosawa could claim to have possibly rescued the genre, this is far less important, aping the style of Leone's Fistful of Dollars (1964) a little too close in the newly coined "Spaghetti" Western, and using Shane (1953) as a too obvious template.

It's an interesting mix and the fact it works at all should be applauded and it is very enjoyable, if sadly predictable if you know Shane. The rugged acting and straightforward bare dialogue matches the colourful cinematography, and it really is pure Leone (even the music has a Morricone edge), so if you like those films, you'll know what to expect. To be honest, I always found Shane a bit weak so I didn't mind seeing it filtered through the more passionate Spaghetti style and thank goodness we didn't have the kid whining at the end! No matter how unoriginal his sources, Bava knows how to handle a set-piece or two with good solid knockabout action and a bar brawls to rival John Wayne's. Achim picked up on the colour style as well and it's a very good point as the colours match the mood, as does the style over all. He really is very good at changing the pace and some moments are sinister while others are bright and almost comedic.

It may sound like I'm being too critical of his copycat approach to this film, but it's worth bearing in mind the way the industry worked at the time. Directors didn't always have complete freedom to forge new paths and sometimes were just for hire. Indeed, Bava was apparently drafted into this at the last moment and had to deal with what looked like a complete rip-off of The Vikings (1958), complete with a blonde haired hero (Cameron Mitchell instead of Kirk Douglas). He rewrote it in just a few days, so perhaps was rather shrewd in picking genres and stories that were financially proven. And making the leap from wishy-washy melodramatic Shane to hard-boiled death-ridden Leone was certainly unpredictable!

(From Mario Bava marathon on July 1st, 2009)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

UGLY BETTY - SERIES ONE - PILOT



First aired: 9/28/2006
Betty has always dreamed of working in the publishing world, but it seems as though there's no place for the non-thin and non-beautiful in the business. People already have their minds set in the idea that beautiful women are only the thin and perfect! Betty really wants a job in that wonderful, yet cruel, world. But can she really find a place in it?

Ok I had female company when we watched this, so thats my excuse for putting this pilot in to the player.
However, I must admit I did find it ok and a few belly laughs were had along the way with this 'devil wears prada'/'ugly duckling' sister series.
The show wasn't what I was expecting, in a good colourful way.
America Ferrera as Betty totally steals the show, how crap do you feel for her during that photoshoot?
This series is still more designed for the female viewer, but I will now not be adverse to sitting down and watching a show or two.










(From My PILOT Marathon on May 18th, 2008)