DVD Collectors Online

Ben-Hur, a review by addicted2dvd

Ben-Hur (1959/United States) Warner Home Video (United States) Director: William Wyler Writing: Lew Wallace [General Lew Wallace] (Original Material By), Karl Tunberg (Screenwriter) Length: 222 min. Video: Widescreen 2.76:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, German: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Italian: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital: Mono, Czech: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Hungarian: Dolby Digital: Mono, Polish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Music Only: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai

---

Stars:
Charlton Heston as Judah Ben-Hur
Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius
Haya Harareet as Esther
Stephen Boyd as Messala
Hugh Griffith (1912) as Sheik Ilderim

Plot:Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers

Years ago when I was a teen they showed a portion of this (the chariot race) in class in high school. Every since then I wan't to see the entire film. And now... more years later then I wish to admit to... I finally got to see the entire epic film. A true classic if there ever was one. Yes, such a long film, but it doesn't feel like it when you watch. The time went by so fast! The acting is great, the visuals are fantastic and the story will bring out multiple emotions through-out. If there was one thing I would change here it would be a little more action. Not much more mind you... but I think just a touch more would have been beneficial. But over-all recommended as a must see!



(From 2018 Challenge: Box Office TOP 100 FILMS OF ALL-TIME (Domestic Gross) on February 14th, 2018)

House of Strangers, a review by Antares

House of Strangers (1949) 82/100 - It's truly sad that modern day film lovers only know Richard Conte as Don Barzini in The Godfather, because in his younger days, he had real screen presence and acting chops. He's the kind of actor George Raft would never become. I have yet to see him play a role in a film where he doesn't hold the viewer's attention whenever he's onscreen. But then, there's Susan Hayward, who gives him a run for his money with her performance. Their dialog together is biting, bantering, seductive and noirishly playful. There's a scene early in the film, where Hayward and Conte are sitting in an Italian bar, listening to a piano player and Hayward's character is in the process of ending their affair and she just radiates on the screen, her lines of dialog, cutting like a knife in Conte's heart. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. If this film doesn't make you fall in love with her, then I don't think any other would. Edward G. Robinson does what Robinson always did best, he disappears into his character, making him completely believable. Sure, some may say that his portrayal might be a bit stereotypical and somewhat of a caricature. But when you take into context, the fact that his character also speaks Italian throughout the film, these assessments don't hold water. If he just spoke the broken English, then yeah, he'd look like an over the top buffoon. The mixing of both languages is pivotal to making his character convincing. He's Old World and old school and I've known a few modern day, elderly Italian men who also spoke that way. Hell, he must have done something right, because he took home the at the Cannes Film Festival that year.

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on November 29th, 2014)

Pilot Season 2014-15, a review by DJ Doena

Undateable



Undateable @ Wikipedia
Undateable @ IMDb

Synopsis: Danny's (stand-up comedian Chris D'Elia) old roommate is buried, err, married now and he's looking for a new one.
That's when he invites the Black Eyes Bar owner Justin to live with him.
Except that Justin is not what you'd expect when you think of someone who owns a bar. He's very shy and serious and Danny on the other hand is a man-child.
Now it's Danny's mission in life to teach Justin and his lovable loser friends the art of speaking to women (and in one case, to men).

My Opinion: I like the guys. Even though they are portrayed as weird and losers, they are not the butt of the joke. They are just different.
They are not nerds but they do remind me of the early seasons of The Big Bang Theory.
I didn't even remember that until I rewatched the pilot yesterday evening but this sitcom does come with a laugh track though I think it's not as loud and obnoxious as with other shows.
I still don't get why this concept hasn't abandoned yet. I decide when I think something's funny or not, I do not need a sarcasm laugh sign.
But maybe it's because you can't completely mute it out since most shows like this are recorded in front of an audience - but then I'm wondering why they are laughing after just about every sentence, funny or not.

One of the female characters is portrayed by Briga Heelan who's acting in another small comedy series I really like, Ground Floor.



Ground Floor:



(From Pilot Season 2014-15 on September 7th, 2014)