DVD Collectors Online

Sunshine Cleaning, a review by goodguy

Sunshine Cleaning (2008) Written by: Megan Holley Directed by: Christine Jeffs Starring: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin DVD: R1-US Anchor Bay (Aug 25, 2009) My rating:

Cover blurb: Academy Award Nominee Amy Adams, Golden Globe Winner Emily Blunt, and Academy Award Winner Alan Arkin find an unexpected way to turn their lives around in this "colorful, refreshingly quirky comic drama" (Leah Rozen, People).
Desperate to get her son into a better school, single mom Rose (Amy Adams) persuades her slacker sister Norah (Emily Blunt) to join her in the crime scene cleanup business to make some quick cash. With the help of their ill-fated salesman father (Alan Arkin), they climb the ranks in a very dirty job, finding themselves up to their elbows in murders, suicides, and... specialized situations. But underneath the dust and grime they also come to discover a true respect for one another, and create a brighter future for the entire Lorkowski family.

"Quirky" is pretty much an indie staple nowadays, and while this one doesn't exactly disappoint, it is a bit too well-calculated as an audience pleaser. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are both gifted actresses and give strong performances. Adams has the more interesting role while Blunt is a bit underused, especially since a side plot involving her and the tech girl from 24 (name?) ends rather abruptly. All in all, pretty light fare, but nontheless worth watching.


(From goodguy's Watch Log on October 4th, 2009)

Max Payne, a review by Rich

Max Payne



Coming together to solve a series of murders in New York City are a DEA agent (Wahlberg) whose family was slain as part of a conspiracy and an assassin (Kunis) out to avenge her sister's death. The duo will be hunted by the police, the mob, and a ruthless corporation.

Disappointing adaptation and possibly the 2nd worst film I've watched Wahlberg in.
The noir film setting, the effects (especially the hallucinations), and the principle of the film taken from the video game are wonderful, sadly it doesn't make much sense and is way too far fetched.
At one point he faces up to about 20 security guards who are armed with machine guns, whilst he has just a pistol, and only 10 feet between them. Somehow they shoot about 1000 times and miss him, whilst his never ending magazine picks them off with little trouble as he 'dramatically flees' the scene. And then his pump action shotgun that allows him to fire it with the speed of an automatic?? And let's not even get to how the star was shot so many times without bleeding or getting hurt. Maybe the director thought this was a game and not the movie, made with easy mode chosen.
I finished the film thinking why end here?, what happened?, and was it worth it?
 


(From Riches Random Reviews on February 1st, 2009)

"Due South" marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

The Man Who Knew Too Little
This one is basically just an average episode. I have seen several better but then again I have seen a few that were worse. The guy they were transporting back to Canada looked familiar to me... but after looking him up he wasn't anyone I am familiar with. Just had one of those faces I guess.

My Rating:


(From "Due South" marathon on July 15th, 2009)