DVD Collectors Online

Out of the Past, a review by Antares

Out of the Past





Year: 1947
Film Studio: RKO Radio Pictures
Genre: Film Noir, Drama, Suspense/Thriller
Length: 97 Min.

Director
Jacques Tourneur (1904)

Writer
Daniel Mainwaring (1902)...Screenplay
Daniel Mainwaring (1902)...Novel "Build My Gallows High"

Producer
Warren Duff (1904)
Robert Sparks (1898)

Cinematographer
Nicholas Musuraca (1892)

Music
Roy Webb (1888)...Composer

Stars
Robert Mitchum (1917) as Jeff Bailey
Jane Greer (1924) as Kathie Moffat
Kirk Douglas (1916) as Whit Sterling
Rhonda Fleming (1923) as Meta Carson
Richard Webb (1915) as Jim
Steve Brodie (1919) as Jack Fisher
Virginia Huston (1925) as Ann Miller
Paul Valentine (1919) as Joe Stephanos

Review
       A hardboiled gumshoe, a playboy with a vendetta and a drop dead gorgeous dame who leaves bodies in her wake, are pitted against each other in a deadly game of deceit, double-crosses and murder in the classic Out of the Past
       It may all sound convoluted and distorted and in the end no one lives happily ever after, but Out of the Past is at its finest. The dialogue is lyrical and raw with icy emotions that keep the viewer engaged for its entire duration. The performances are all first rate and this film would set the benchmark for all Ratings Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.

(From Out of the Past (1947) on December 4th, 2009)

A Life Less Ordinary, a review by Rich

Title: A Life Less Ordinary

Runtime:104
Certificate:R
Year:1997
Genres:Romance, Comedy, Adventure

Plot:My Review:
A hotch-potch Danny Boyle film, rather tedious with ill-casted leads, minimal comedy, zero romance, and a boring silly storyline. After Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, this was a directors low point.
After a good start, it went downhill, and only the claymation sequences at the end piqued general interest. Rather odd overall, it never shines in any specific area, and you feel no affinity to the cast.
Best part of the film is definately the soundtrack, which mixes some great music together and works really well.


(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 14th, 2009)

"Friends" Marathon, a review by Rogmeister

Friends, The Complete Second Season Continues...

The One Where Ross Finds Out--While on a date (and somewhat inebriated), Rachel calls Ross on the phone and leaves him a message revealing her feelings for him.   Ross gets the message the next day while with Rachel.  Meanwhile, an out-of-work Monica helps work Chandler out so he can drop a few pounds.  One nice thing about the "Friends" DVDs is they add in some footage that wasn't there in original airings so, not only do you get footage cut for cable or syndicated airings but you get footage you never saw to begin with.  Seeing this episode, for instance, we see Ross and Julia at a pet store about to buy a cat...I can't recall if this scene was in the original airings or is one of those bonus bits thrown in for the DVDs. 

The One With The List--Ross can't seem to choose between Julie and Rachel, so Chandler urges him to make a list (on Chandler's computer) listing the pros and cons of both.  When Rachel discovers this, naturally all hell breaks loose.  Monica, still looking for work, agrees to a test with a firm, making dessert treats with a new chocolate substitute called Mockalate.  "This is what evil must taste like!", exclaims Phoebe after trying one of her treats.

The One With Phoebe's Dad--During the Christmas season, Phoebe learns where her dad (who abandoned her mother and her years ago) now lives and takes off for there in her grandmother's taxi, accompanied by Joey and Chandler.  Special bonus in this episode...Gunther speaks for the first time!  Okay, he only says about a word and a half but I'm confident he'll be speaking full sentences by the end of the season!  Meanwhile, Monica and Rachel host a Christmas party, despite the fact that Ross has broken off the knob on their radiator and now it can't be shut off, making the room about 90 degrees...



(From "Friends" Marathon on July 24th, 2009)