DVD Collectors Online

Miss Congeniality, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Miss Congeniality: Deluxe Edition
Year: 2000
Director: Donald Petrie
Rating: PG-13
Length: 110 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Sandra Bullock
Michael Caine
Benjamin Bratt
Candice Bergen
William Shatner
Ernie Hudson

Plot:
Legs waxed. Lips glossed. Gun ready. Special Agent Gracie Hart is going undercover as a hopeful eager to be the next Miss United States. But Gracie doesn't have a beauty-pageant bone in her body.

Sandra Bullock stars as an operative posing as a pageant contestant in order to ferret out a terrorist targeting the event. Michael Caine deliciously plays the frustrated consultant hired to turn Dirty Harriet into a poised beauty. And Benjamin Bratt, Candice Bergen, William Shatner and Ernie Hudson also score points for hilarity in this box-office smash. From big laughs to sly quips, Miss Congeniality hits.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Interactive Games
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
I have seen this movie get not so great reviews on the net... but I have to say... it is one of my favorite Sandra Bullock movies. I have watched it countless times. I find this movie to just be pure fun. There is several parts of this movie that I literally laughed out loud on. Sandra Bullock really has a great style in this movie. Shows that she can really hold her own when it comes to comedy.



(From Monday Mini-Marathon: Happy Birthday Sandra Bullock on July 27th, 2010)

Under the Roofs of Paris, a review by Danae Cassandra

Under the Roofs of Paris (Sous les toits de Paris)
Year of Release: 1930
Directed By: Rene Clair
Starring: Albert Prejean, Pola Illery, Edmond Greville, Bill Bocket, Gaston Modot
Genre: Drama, Romance, Musical

Overview:Under the Roofs of Paris is an exhilarating celebration of filmmaking and one of France's most beloved cinematic exports.

My Thoughts:
This is an early sound film, so it very much comes off in style as a silent film.  Clair is sparing with his use of sound, but he uses it in interesting ways so as not to give up the freedoms of camera movement.  The filmmaking here is unique and excellent.  Clair's camera and vision make Paris the uncredited co-star here.

Sadly, the story isn't quite as good as Clair's filmmaking, as its a fairly conventional one of a beautiful girl and the men who vie for her attention.  The actors all do a good job, and don't come off quite as hammy as most silent actors.  I enjoyed the film, and it's an important work historically, but I'd only recommend it if you like silent cinema (even though it's a talkie).

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5

(From July Movie Marathon: Musicals (Yes... You read right!) on July 8th, 2016)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Tom

1.07 Chicago Holiday - Part 1 (1994-11-10)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Jeff King (Writer), Paul Haggis (Writer)
Director: Paul Lynch
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Lisa Jakub (Christina Nichols), Stacy Haiduk (Janice DeLuca), Ron Lea (Mr. Nichols), Deborah Rannard (Medical Examiner), Peter Williams (Gerome), Stephen Shellen (Eddie Beets), Jonathan Shapiro (Teenager), Daniel DeSanto (Jerry), Kelly Proctor (Janus), David Rosser (Quigly), Beth Amos (Housekeeper), Kevin Rushton (Henry)

Another good episode. Nice gag with naming the housekeeper "Mrs. McGuffin"
This is the episode Kathy didn't like. I haven't watched the second part yet this time around, but at least in the first part, the diplomat's daughter doesn't know yet, that she has killers after her (except if I had missed something). She just runs away again and again, because she doesn't want to be babysit and rather go out partying. For now the two storylines with Ray searching for the killer and Ben escorting the daughter are separate as far the characters is concerned.


Rating:

(From "Due South" marathon on July 5th, 2009)