DVD Collectors Online

Initial D, a review by Jon

INITIAL D (2005)
2 out of 5

Movie based on the Manga/Anime about the drifting sub-culture in Japan... why am I even including this? Look, just read the bloody book. And I bet the animated version is far better. This is bollocks. Some cool driving scenes and using an older car against the flashy modern machines was great, but not enough to get in a lather about. The film is hamstrung by terrible MTV style editing that continually distracts. The kid looks good lazy and laid back while driving, but doesn't change when he gets out the car. His mate is a stupid character who really annoys me and the nail in the coffin was a completely daft subplot about his girlfriend

Special mention for Anthony Wong who is a great actor. Here he plays the drunk dad who, in an unusually subtle part of the story, could be as good a driver as his son. He and the drifting kept me watching. As a pure car film, it's better than The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, but that film was more enjoyable overall. It just scrapes in for two stars because of Wong and some of the drift scenes. The other drivers are decent mysterious characters too, but I repeat, try the book or the series first.

The Car's the star: Toyota Sprinter Trueno


Trailer

(From Car Movie Marathon on August 15th, 2008)

A Knight's Tale , a review by Tom

A Knight's Tale (2001/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Brian Helgeland Writing: Brian Helgeland (Writer) Length: 132 min. Video: Widescreen 2.35 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: PCM 5.1 Subtitles: Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Turkish

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Stars:
Heath Ledger as William
Rufus Sewell as Count Adhemar
Shannyn Sossamon as Jocelyn
Paul Bettany as Chaucer
Laura Fraser as Kate

Plot:
A KNIGHT'S TALE is the rousing story of lowborn William Thatcher's (Ledger) quest to change his stars, win the heart of an exceedingly fair maiden (Shannyn Sossamon) and rock his medieval world. Follow this fearless squire and his band of medieval misfits as they careen their way toward impossible glory that's part romance, part road trip and part exuberant swashbuckler.

Awards:
Won:

Taurus Award (2002)		Best Work with an Animal (Tom Dupont)
Taurus Award (2002)		Hardest Hit (Tom Dupont)

Nominated:

Casting Society of America Awards (2001)		Best Casting for Feature Film – Comedy (Francine Maisler)
MTV Movie Awards (2002)		Best Female Breakthrough Performance (Shannyn Sossamon)
MTV Movie Awards (2002)		Best Kiss (Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon)
MTV Movie Awards (2002)		Best Musical Sequence (Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon)
Taurus Award (2002)		Best Work with an Animal (Pasquel Madera)
Teen Choice Awards (2001)		Film - Choice Actor (Heath Ledger)
Teen Choice Awards (2001)		Film - Choice Breakout Performance (Shannyn Sossamon)
Teen Choice Awards (2001)		Film - Choice Chemistry (Shannyn Sossamon, Heath Ledger)
Teen Choice Awards (2001)		Film - Choice Drama
Teen Choice Awards (2001)		Film - Choice Drama/Action Adventure
World Soundtrack Awards (2001)		WSA Soundtrack Composer of the Year (Carter Burwell)

Extras:

• Scene Access

This is the first time that I have seen this movie. I enjoyed the mix between medieval and modern style. This mainly effects the music (classic rock) and fashion. But it also shows in how the tournaments are potrayed. It is shown more like a modern sport event. Heath Ledger was perfectly cast as William. Also Alan Tudyk (Wash from Firefly) was fun to watch. The guy who played Chaucer reminded me very much of the character Adam Monroe from "Heroes". I couldn't believe that it isn't the same guy.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on August 7th, 2011)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Being Erica: Season One (2009/Canada) IMDb | Wikipedia Channel 4 DVD (United Kingdom) Director: Writing: Length: 551 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

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Stars:


Plot:Extras:

• Erica's Weblogs
• Scene Access

A very nice surprise. I really enjoyed this series. In my pilot review I said that the time-travel doesn't effect the present, because this is what I had read and the pilot didn't really suggest otherwise. But that is not the case. The changes that Erica does, can slightly effect the past and present, but usually lead to the same present.
Except in the season finale, where she did a change she wasn't allowed to which brought major consequences.

#	Episode	Rating
01	Dr. Tom
02	What I Am is What I Am
03	Plenty of Fish
04	The Secret of Now
05	Adultescence
06	Til Death
07	Such a Perfect Day
08	This Be the Verse
09	Everything She Wants
10	Mi Casa, Su Casa Loma
11	She's Lost Control
12	Erica the Vampire Slayer
13	Leo

(From Tom's Random Reviews on August 31st, 2011)