DVD Collectors Online

Tiptoes, a review by Rich

29/11

Tiptoes



A drama about prejudice and the bonds of family, Tiptoes centers around Steven (Matthew McConaughey), a firefighter whose artist girlfriend Carol (Kate Beckinsale) has recently find out she is pregnant. When Steven reacts with unexpected dismay, Carol is rightfully perplexed, that is until she learns that the rest of Steven's family are dwarves, including Steven's twin brother Rolfe (Gary Oldman).

Disappointing film that falls oddly between comedy and slush. This made me think of a Jerry Springer episode gone wrong, a strange film and I am not quite sure if I should walk away with a meaningful message or moral story onboard? McConaughey is particularly bad in this role, Oldman is clever but unconvincing, and the real star is Peter Dinklage, playing a French Marxist free spirit he is very funny. Cliche'd and overripe, this movie just doesn't hang together properly. 

(From November Alphabet Marathon - Discussion/Review Thread on December 1st, 2008)

House of Sand and Fog, a review by Rich

Trudging across Iran...



Nominated for three Academy Awards (2003) including Best Actor for Ben Kingsley, HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG also stars Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly (Best Supporting Actress, A Beautiful Mind, 2001). When an Iranian immigrant (Kingsley) attempts to reclaim his dream - in the form of a house for his family - he's unaware that the home's former owner (Connelly) is determined to recover what she feels is rightly hers.

Both lead actors pull an average film through its paces, and co-star Aghdashloo shines as the Iranian wife immigrant wife. Nothing ground-breaking and predictable storyline, I would hesitate in recommending the purchasing of the dvd, but it is worth a watch 5/10

(From Around the World in 80 DVD's on February 6th, 2008)

"Friends" Marathon, a review by Rogmeister

Friends: The Complete Second Season continues the zany adventures of Monica, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler.

The One With Ross's New Girlfriend--Rachel is dismayed to find Ross bringing a new girlfriend when he returns from a trip to China (and we never did find out if he got that bone    Meanwhile, after Phoebe gives striking new haircuts to Joey and Chandler, Monica convinces Phoebe to give her a haircut as well...too bad Phoebe doesn't know the difference between who Demi Moore is...and who Dudley Moore is!  A fun episode.

The One With The Breast Milk--Monica agrees to go shopping with Julie (Ross's new girlfriend) at Bloomingdale's...which angers Rachel when she finds out.  And Joey dresses up like a cowboy when another such aftershave salesman does well with it at a store Joey works at.  And Ross is repulsed when people taste Carol's breast milk she had left for Ben.

The One Where Heckles DiesThe friends are shocked when eccentric Mr. Heckles ("I could have birds") passes away and leaves all his belongings to Rachel and Monica who lived in the apartment above him.  We get some extra laughs in this when Phoebe and Ross get into it over the belief in evolution.  Chandler winds up getting all worked up over the fact he and Mr. Heckles had so much in common.  Janice puts in another appearance but now she's married and pregnant.  "Oh...my...God..."

The One With Phoebe's Husband--Phoebe's gay husband shows up wanting a divorce.  In a moment where the friends blab some secrets about each other we find that Joey was in a porno movie (but he didn't get naked) and that Chandler has a 3rd nipple.  "Whip it out, whip it out!"  At the end of the episode, we learn that Ross has had sex with Julie (his first since he broke up with his wife" and he celebrates by dancing in the streets to the tune of "Singing in the Rain". 

The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant--The friends are divided when three of them are put off by the fact that getting together often costs them money they can't afford.  As a result, the three who have money go to a concert while the others play bargain basement games at home.  Monica gets fired at the end of this episode due to accidentally accepting some steaks her employers claim was a kickback.

The One With The Baby On The Bus--This may be may favorite episode of seaso 2 so far.  Ross gets food poisoning from Monica's pie.  "I thought you said this was a key lime pie?"  "No, it's a kiwi lime pie.  That's what makes it so special."  "That's what's going to kill me!  I'm allergic to kiwi..."  While he and Monica go to the hospital, Chandler and Joey take Ross' son Ben out for awhile...and accidentally leave him on the bus.  When they go to reclaim him, there are 3 toddlers at the bus depot.  They decide to flip a coin but what is assigned heads?  Joey says "Heads are for ducks...because ducks have heads" to which Chandler responds "What kind of scary ass clowns came to your birthday?"  At the end, Ross discovers the truth but Chandler grabs the pie and exclaims "Get back, I've got kiwi!  Run, Joey, Run!"  Meanwhile Chryssie Hynde guests as a professional singer hired at Central Perk to replace Phoebe.  This is one of only a few episodes where we see the owner (named Terry, played by Max Wright) of the coffee shop.

 

(From "Friends" Marathon on July 22nd, 2009)