DVD Collectors Online

Abouna, a review by Danae Cassandra

Where We Are:  Chad
wikipedia

What We Watched:


Abouna
Year of Release: 2002
Starring: Ahidjo Mahamat Moussa, Hamza Moctar Aquid, Zara Haroun, Mounira Khalil
Directed By: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Genre: Drama

Overview:
From a dusty village in the Republic of Chad, two brothers, Amine and Tahir, set out in a search of their father. Reflecting the rhythms of Africa, ABOUNA is a film rich in culture with a deep understanding of the human condition in general and youth in particular. This devastatingly powerful, magnificently photographed drama is director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun's triumphant follow-up to his international award-winning BYE BYE AFRICA.

My Thoughts:
This was a good film.  The overview is a bit misleading, as the film is really about how the boys deal with their father leaving, and more of a emotional searching for him in their lives than a physical searching for him.  The actors playing the two boys are particularly good.  This film is less about plot than it is about character and relationships, and those are the parts that are well developed.  There's also a lot of things that are unspoken and not shown, but must be inferred by the audience.  The film is a plea for families to stay together, to be whole, and for communication within the family.  Questions go unanswered for the boys, especially for Amine, that his anxiety over what he doesn't understand brings him great grief, and that in turn leads to grief in others.  Another thing that must be said is that the film is very well made, despite the obviously low budget, with the lighting choices being particularly distinctive.  Recommended.

Bechdel Test:  Fail

Overall:  3.5/5

(From Around the World in 86 Movies on February 26th, 2013)

Octopussy, a review by Tom

Title: Octopussy
Year: 1983
Director: John Glen
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 125 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.45
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital Surround, English: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English, German, Spanish

Stars:
Roger Moore
Maud Adams
Louis Jourdan
Kristina Wayborn
Kabir Bedi

Extras:
Commentary
Featurettes
Music Videos
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Storyboard Sequenzen
Trailers

I rather enjoyed the first half hour of this movie, but for some reason I lost interest in it after that.
And what was the point of introducing the assistant for Moneypenny? Did the producer want to introduce a possible replacement?
I must say, that I liked the first M better. I have just read, that Lois Maxwell lobbied for Moneypenny to be the new M after the retirement of Moore as Bond. I think that would have been a fun idea.
And amazing with what lines the Bond movies get away with:
"What's this?" - "This is my Octopussy"

Rating:

(From James Bond Marathon on April 25th, 2009)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Tom

3.12 Mountie on the Bounty - Part 1 (1998-03-15)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), John Krizanc (Story By), Paul Gross (Screenwriter), R.B. Carney (Screenwriter)
Director: George Bloomfield
Cast

(From "Due South" marathon on January 4th, 2010)