DVD Collectors Online

Rebecca, a review by Dragonfire

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this one.  Some scenes do move a tad slower, but that works since it allows for the suspense and tension to build up more.  The movie has a rather creepy atmosphere overall, which is established during the first few minutes with the shot following the very long drive up to Manderley.  The house was actual a model, which looked amazingly realistic.  There are a few other elements that Hitchcock is known for, but none of the bits of humor.  Hitchcock had a ...well...complicated working relationship with the producer, Selznick.  The one extra on my copy that is focused on the making of the movie does share a lot about the tensions between the two men.

Only a little bit of time is taken to show the characters meeting and spending some time together before they decide to get married.  Then they go to Manderley, where she is very overwhelmed by the huge house, staff, and especially Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper.  Many things around the house have been kept the same since Rebecca died, which only adds to the new bride's feelings of inadequacy.  Most of the movie takes place around Manderley, and the house is very imposing and important to what is going on, almost like another character.  Things in the house do seem a bit creepy, especially when Mrs. Danvers gives a tour of Rebecca's room.  Mrs. Danvers is downright creepy, but in a subtle way.  She acts like she is being helpful when she isn't.  The woman does not seem stable and ends up being a wonderful villain.  There is no way any sane person would want her for a housekeeper.

My copy of the DVD has a featurette on the making of the movie and one of Daphe Du Maurier, both of which are entertaining and interesting. 

 

I have a longer review in progress that I'm going to post on Epinions.

(From Alfred Hitchcock Marathon on July 2nd, 2009)

Bad Boys, a review by DJ Doena

January, 28th

Synopsis: Heroin worth 100 million Dollars gets stolen directly from the police's evidence room. It is suspected that this was an inside job and Internal Affairs is investigating. The detectives Lowrey and Burnett have only one lead, an eyewitness to a shooting between the thieves. But for this to work, Lowrey and Burnett have to switch roles and their lives are very different.

My Opinion: I listened randomly thorugh my iTunes library when the theme song of COPS suddenly played and that gave me the idea to watch Bad Boys again.
It's a good action movie although neither my favourite Michael Bay movie nor my favourite Will Smith or Martin Lawrence movie. But it was funny to see them bickering about their different livestyles and I loved all these different shootouts and explosions. Hey what did you expect? It's a Bay/Bruckenheimer movie for crying out loud! 

(From DJ Doena's movie watchings 2009 on January 28th, 2009)

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete Second Season marathon, a review by goodguy

2x14 The Good Wound
Synopsis: Gravely wounded Sarah is guided by the image of John's father, Kyle Reese. Weaver moves to protect John Henry.
My Rating: -

And Sarah's desert quest continues with Kyle Reese taking over as her guiding spirit. There is of course the immediate task of survival, but the episode is called "The Good Wound" for a reason. It is one that makes you stop, consider your life choices, as Derek said in 2x05 Goodbye to All That.

Sarah thinks she cannot stop, but Kyle responds that she is not one of them. Them being the machines of course. I was reminded of that scene in 2x12 Alpine Fields, where Lauren's mother says to Derek "Your from the future, like them." And Derek, whose self-hating side we already saw when talking to Fisher in 2x09 Complications, just agrees "Yeah. Like them."

It is Sarah's more vulnerable side that gains her the help of the doctor, Felicia. I didn't mind the abusive angle they played with Felicia, but the ending with the sheriff was a misstep. I guess the writers (or the network) wanted some resolution to that storyline, but not only was it severely overdone, it also took away from that final moment between Sarah and Felicia, where Sarah takes it all back (Was anything you said the truth? - I got shot.)

But otherwise the scenes with Sarah and Kyle where beautiful done, drawing back to small pieces of the T1 dialogue and a touching reversal of a T1 scene, when Kyle looks at the many wounds on Sarah's body.

Dillahunt as John Henry continues to be hilarious and creepy. Ellison has to face some follow-up questions for all his talk about God. John Henry has caught onto Weaver's secret and lets her know in a complete non sequitur that was brilliantly done. Weaver channels Sarah via Bryan Adams (Everything I do, I do for you). Then she goes on a rampage that, like in the power plant case, achieves something what Sarah was set out to do.

After Riley is removed from the hospital from Jesse we get to see that she has way more attachment to Jesse than John, something Jesse rather dislikes. Are we still missing pieces in the puzzle about them?

I think it is a handler and informal operative thing. Riley's attachment to Jesse is understandable, and Jesse deliberately plays it, much like an abusive relationship. She wants Riley to be close to John, but she also wants to maintain the hold she has on her.

BTW, Achim, I have also watched 2x15 and 2x16 now and I will post comments later.


(From Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete Second Season marathon on February 19th, 2010)