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Member's Reviews

Move Over, Darling, a review by GSyren


TitleMove Over, Darling
Year1963
DirectorMichael Gordon
StarsDoris Day, James Garner, Polly Bergen, Thelma Ritter, Fred Clark
Overview
My thoughtsMy Doris Day marathon continues. This time with a remake of the 1940 comedy "My Favorite Wife" that starred Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. If you're looking for a Doris Day musical, look somewhere else. Apart from the title song over the opening credits, the only time you'll hear Doris sing is when she sings a lullaby to her children.

As a comedy, this film is pleasant enough. However, James Garner is no Cary Grant. The story is rather farfetched. Doris has been shipwrecked and has lived together with one other survivor on a deserted island for five years. She has been rescued by the Navy and arrives back home the very same day that her husband has had her declared legally dead, and has remarried. Confusion ensues...

The original is really a better film that this one, so unless you're a Doris Day fan, you're better off watching "My Favorite Wife". But then again, everyone is a Doris Day fan, right?
Rating


(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on April 15th, 2013)

Member's Reviews

24 7: Twenty Four Seven, a review by Jon


24 7: Twenty Four Seven *****

Year: 1997
Director: Shane Meadows
Rating: 15
Length: 93 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles:

GIVING IT, TAKING IT, LIVING IT, MAKING THE BEST OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT... TWENTY FOUR HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. That's the philosophy Alan Darcy (Bob Hoskins) teaches the bored Nottingham youth he sees wasting their lives on rundown Council estates when he forms a local boxing club. As the club gets noticed with coverage in the papers and an important match against a rival outfit, Darcy gives the troubled teens something worth fighting for and a dream to believe in for the first time ever. Acclaimed as "The Best British Film of the Year", with Shane Meadows hailed as the most exciting young director of his generation, Twenty Four Seven is a life-affirming experience full of genuine humour, courage and hope in the human spirit.

This film is magic. That's the only real sensible explanation! It was made for next to nothing, in black and white, with a cast of largely unknowns (aside from one). It's rough around the edges and feels unassuming, yet it is in turns poetic, hilarious and moving. It has a sting in the tail but is an uplifting and emotional story. It's an astonishing piece of work that, to be honest, makes the star rating look silly.

It's the story of Darcy (Bob Hoskins), a lonely but enthusiastic man who starts a boxing club for the local teenagers to try and build up their self respect. He drags them up from nothing and gives them a reason to exist. Several of the young boxers have their demons and the various threads of their stories come together in that little club with Darcy's own little tale running through the middle. It's a great screenplay with loads of mileage, told in a flashback device that gives it a lyrical, melancholic air, yet feels so relaxed the humour and honesty just roll out. Bob Hoskins is marvelous and all credit to him for doing it in the first place. He is absolutely convincing as Darcy and he'll make you hope there are real people like him. I loved the scene where he drags one drug-addled loser (called Fagash!) to his court appearance, despite his protest he's rather go back to bed!

As for the rest of the cast, it's tough to single anyone out. They all seem real, like they walked straight off an estate and onto the set, with a comaraderie you just can't fake. They're actors, so I know how silly that statement is, so watch it if you don't believe me! English viewers will enjoy spotting a couple of well-known soap stars and even James Corden, now very well known as an exceptionally talented writer, comedian and actor makes his debut here. Gavin and Stacey is his big hit and I know a few of you enjoy British sitcoms, so I recommend you look it up. Actually, now I think about it, I wouldn't be surprised if Meadow's writing was a direct influence on Corden as I can think of some similarities, especially in the big family scenes.

If the film is magic then Shane Meadows is a magician. He's a Nottingham film-maker and 24-7 was his first feature film. His most recent is This Is England, which was followed by a brilliant TV series. He could surely have had his pick of projects, yet he has stayed committed to small budgets and fledgling casts from drama groups. Long may he continue because his is some of the most important work being done for British film. His secret might be in the way he composes any one scene, letting the actors play it out and choosing his focus carefully. A sequence in Wales is stunning. And this remember, is on cheap film with little definition, so no Blu-Ray vistas to enjoy! He just knows how to make something truly beautiful. That doesn't prepare you for how dynamic his brief action moments are, such as the scenes in the ring or an awful explosion of violence that will shake you to the core.

I hope to eventually include his other films here, but don't wait for my say so. Just start for yourself with 24-7 and don't be put off by it's cheap look. It's wonderful. This trailer is not a good representation of the actual quality, the film does have more clarity! But maybe you'll get a taste of what I'm trying to show you.



(From "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon on February 15th, 2011)

Member's TV Reviews

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon, a review by DJ Doena


Disc 7

Tribunal
Synopsis: While on a holiday trip with his wife, O'Brien is being abducted by the Cardassians. Back on Cardassia he is charged with aiding the Maquis and delivering photon torpedos to them. In the cardassian justice system the verdict is always the same: guilty. The tribunal is just to show why he's guilty.

My Opinion: I liked that episode. Despite the seriousness it was funny to see how O'Brien's "defense attorney" became more and more despaired. Why would his client be so unreasonable? Why doesn't O'Brien simply confess and thus proves the effectiveness of the cardassian justice system? And the face he made when he realized that his client was free to go...

The Jem'Hadar
Synopsis: Sisko invites his son to do a science project in the GQ who in turn invites Nog. And Quark is accompanying them as well. But they are caught by the Jem'Hadar, warriors of the Dominion. A message is brought to DS9, declaring their capture and the destruction of several ships as well as the destruction of the bajoran colony in the GQ.

My Opinion: And so it begins. The Dominion in shape of the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar has entered entered the chess board. And although they've only stated that they do not want any more AQ ships in their territory they've also made it clear that they've gathered intel about the races of the AQ. Now the show gets really interesting.

The Season - My Opinion: This season was half'n'half. There were a number of very interesting and great episodes mixed with rather uninteresting ones. I especially liked the character-driven episodes like Armageddon Game, Blood Oath and Crossover. And now let us see the Defiant!

(From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon on October 12th, 2008)