DVD Collectors Online

The Human Contract, a review by KinkyCyborg

The Human Contract



Title:The Human Contract
Year: 2008
Director: Jada Pinkett Smith
Rating: R
Length: 107 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French

Stars:
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jason Clarke
Paz Vega
Idris Elba
Steven Brand

Plot:
Corporate player Julian Wright (Jason Clarke) stands on the verge of the deal of his career. But his life just crossed paths with a woman (Paz Vega) who will turn his world upside down, triggering emotions Julian never knew he had. As he pursues her in a dangerous game of seduction, he is forced to confront his past. Ultimately, Julian must face the dark family secrets that continue to haunt him and his troubled sister (Jada Pinkett Smith). Jada Pinkett Smith makes her directorial debut with this sophisticated, stylish and suspenseful film.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes


Directorial debut of Jada Pinkett Smith which was much better than I was expecting. The ending left a boatload of unanswered questions but it was compelling to watch throughout.  

An arrogant, hotshot corporate prick named Julian, played by an ugly Jason Clarke (he's the spitting image of Quentin Tarantino) after meeting up with a beautiful free spirit named Michael, played by Paz Vega, has his wall of defenses, born of a troubled childhood, slowly begin to disintegrate.

Very slow pace to this film but not in a bad way as the time is used to deftly develop the interesting characters. Some intensely erotic scenes make things interesting as well.

Jason Clarke, despite a face that only a mother could love, is a very intense, good young actor whom I'd like to see more from. Paz Vega is a gorgeous woman but it's unfortunate she has to speak. I've always found her rapid, clipped dialogue rather exasperating and difficult to understand at times although here she does manage to convey a lot of emotion.

Good supporting roles from Idris Elba, Jada Pinkett Smith and Ted Danson along with an excellent musical score make this a surprising good pick up of a movie that I knew little to nothing about. I'd recommend this for a watch.

KC



Rating:

(From KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2011 on June 10th, 2011)

Solomon Kane, a review by dfmorgan

Solomon Kane

Year: 2009
Director: Michael J. Bassett
Cast: James Purefoy, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Pete Postlethwaite
Overview: Solomon Kane is a brutally efficient 16th Century killing machine. Armed with his signature pistols, cutlass and rapier he and his men unleash bloodlust as they fight for England in war after war across all continents. Things change when Kane is visited by the Devil's reaper, dispatched from the depths of hell to lay claim on his corrupt soul. Solomon has to redeem himself by renouncing violence and devoting himself to a life of peace. As Kane embarks on his newfound spirituality he has to face the ultimate test when he begins his journey across an England ravaged by diabolical human Raiders. Will he jeopardise his own soul by re-embracing his murderous talents for a higher cause?

Watched: 22nd. Aug 2010
My Thoughts: Based on the Solomon Kane stories by Robert E. Howard. We meet Kane (James Purefoy) as an adventurer fighting for queen and country. However the Grim Reaper is waiting for him to reclaim his soul for the Devil. Kane escapes from the Reaper and returns to England where he takes sanctuary in a monastery and renounces his killing ways. The abbot has a vision and expells Kane and tells him to return to his ancestral home. On his journey there Kane befriends a puritan family on their way to the new world. This family is attacked and the daughter (Rachel Hurd-Wood) is taken prisoner. Kane is assured by the father's dying breath that he will be redeemed if he frees the girl even though he has taken up arms again. Kane now pursues the attackers.

My Rating: I found this to be enjoyable action for the most part so a 4

Dave

(From Dave's DVD/Blu-ray Reviews on August 22nd, 2010)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
Every morning Gary Hobson gets his paper delivered by a cat. And if this weren't weird enough, it's not the paper from today - it's the paper from tomorrow. And every day Gary and his friends try to prevent any disaster he reads about and that are about to happen.

"Pilot"
Gary is a not so successful stock broker who lives in a hotel room. His wife has thrown him out and has filed for divorce. Then a cat "delivers" a paper, he reads it and throws it away. It takes a while for him to figure out that something was wrong - or very right - with that paper. Luckily for him, he gets a new one the next day. Now he can hit the race tracks. But he has overlooked more urgent news than the sports results...

My Opinion
I really liked that show. Kyle Chandler (now on Friday Night Lights) is a very likeable guy and they always found new twists to make his day an adventure. And I also liked his friends, especially Fisher Stevens (The Plague in Hackers) who always tried to make a little profit on the sideline but came through when he was needed.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on September 3rd, 2009)