DVD Collectors Online

Creature From the Haunted Sea, a review by Danae Cassandra

Creature From the Haunted Sea
Year of Release: 1961
Directed By: Roger Corman
Starring: Antony Carbone, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Edward Wain, Beech Dickerson, Robert Bean
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Rating: NR

Overview:
A government agent learns that a Caribbean island is in revolt and a mobster is shipping off with fellow criminals and the treasury loot.  The agent decides he must infiltrate the gang to try to steal the booty, but first he has to invent a deadly sea creature so that he can more easily attain the treasure.

My Thoughts:
I love the creature!  He's absolutely great!  Beyond that, this was a pretty funny film, with Carbone doing an impression of Bogart as the gangster through the whole film, the secret agent is completely clueless and the rest of the gang are the most improbable group of criminals you could imagine.  There's a subtle political critique too, since the "good guy" is an idiot American spy, the bad guys are trying to rob Cuban military men who, in turn, stole the gold from the Cuban treasury.  Ultimately you gotta root for the monster!  He's the best!

I think if you like Roger Corman you'll like this film. 

Bechdel Test:  Fail

Overall: 2.25/5

(From B-Movie mini-marathon on March 19th, 2013)

Roman Holiday, a review by Danae Cassandra

Roman Holiday
Year of Release:
Directed By: William Wyler
Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert
Genre: Romance, Comedy

Overview:
There is an old saying: "See Naples and die...see Rome and liveMy Thoughts:
This is a charming, entertaining film.  It is Audrey Hepburn's breakthrough role, and it won her a best actress Oscar.  She is luminous and perfect, and it's hard to imagine anyone else there.  Peck plays his cynical reporter well, but you can easily imagine Cary Grant in that role.  This is Hepburn's film all the way. 

While it's a lovely film, warm, kinda dreamy, it would have been even better filmed in color, and that's the biggest criticism I have.  The black and white cinematography doesn't really pop like Technicolor would have.  Still, as a romance it's a sweet, innocent little feel-good film.  It would not be made the same way today, either with the innocence of the romance or with our protagonists choosing responsibility and duty over their own desire.  Times have changed.  Worth seeing for Hepburn's performance, the iconic scenes of her and Peck spinning around Rome on a scooter, and as a lovely daydream; but don't bother if you can't take a bittersweet ending.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

(From Within My (Mom's) Lifetime Marathon on July 12th, 2015)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

No Ordinary Family: Season One (2010/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Lions Gate Films (United States) Length: 860 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

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Plot:
After 16 years of marriage, Jim (Michael Chiklis, "The Shield," Fantastic Four) feels disconnected from his workaholic wife, Stephanie (Julie Benz, "Dexter"), and two teenage children. To encourage bonding time, the family joins Stephanie on her business trip to South America. When their plane crashes into the Amazon River, they barely enjoy a moment to celebrate their survival before returning to the grind of everyday life. But they will soon realize that their lives have been forever changed. Each member of the family starts to show signs of new, unique and distinct superpowers. Will their newfound abilities finally bring them together or push them further apart?


No Ordinary Family
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Greg Berlanti (Created By), Jon Harmon Feldman (Created By), Jon Harmon Feldman (Screenwriter), Greg Berlanti (Story By), Jon Harmon Feldman (Story By)
Director: David Semel
Cast: Michael Chiklis (Jim Powell), Julie Benz (Stephanie Powell), Christina Chang), Kay Panabaker (Daphne Powell), Jimmy Bennett (JJ Powell), Autumn Reeser (Katie Andrews), Tate Donovan), Romany Malco (George St. Cloud), Tom Amandes), Jamie Harris), Nathan Keyes), Reggie Lee), Stephen Collins (Dr. Dayton King), Melanie Chartoff (Iris Mitchell), Renee Faia (Sally Downs), Nadine Crocker (Lindsay), Gilland Jones (Emily), Nate Reese (Chairman), James Joseph Cole (Young Jim), Krissy Carlson (Young Stephanie), Oliver Alvarez (JJ's Classmate), Ingrid Sanai Buron (Guidance Counselor), Rey Herrera (Referee), Karen-Eileen Gordon (Crime Victim), Wiley Pickett (Cop), Loren Lazerine (Security Guard), Sean Andrew (Batting Cage Clerk), Larry Omaha (Supply Clerk), Lachlan Buchanan (Chad Claremont), Marissa Cuevas (Amanda)

A nice enough beginning. Not blown away by it, but curious how it will continue. But I still need getting used to Michael Chiklis in the lead. Nothing against him (I enjoyed him in Fantastic Four), but he just seem to really fit here. It's mainly his delivery I don't really like here.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on September 24th, 2011)