DVD Collectors Online

Vivah, a review by Tom

Title: Vivah
Year: 2006
Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya
Rating: FSK-0
Length: 166 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:

Stars:
Shahid Kapoor
Amrita Rao
Anupam Kher
Aloknath
Seema Biswas

Plot:Awards:
Extras:
Poster
Production Notes
Scene Access

Finally I got the chance to see Amrita Rao in another movie besides Main Hoon Na. She is beautiful again and she did a good job here.
The first two hours of the movie is slowly building the romance between the two main characters. We follow them through their first shy meeting after their parents arrange their marriage. Then through their engagement period where they are getting to know and fall in love with each other.
Although very enjoyable there is not much else happening in the first two hours. Both families are full of nice people who are just perfect. His family rich but down-to-earth and nice. Her family poor and also nice. Strange that a movie with no conflict whatsoever can be entertaining.
The last half an hour deals with the aftermath of a fire accident where she is badly burned. Just shortly before the wedding. And deals how the groom will react to this. It is sugary sweet with Hollywood ending. We never get to see the burns (her face is unharmed and the rest is always covered).

Rating:

(From Tom's Alphabet Marathon Reviews on July 6th, 2010)

Un été ŕ La Goulette, a review by Danae Cassandra

Where We Are: Tunisia
wikipedia



Overview:
The year is 1967 in La Goulette - a small harbor town in the suburbs of Tunis where various cultures have lived together for ages in effortless harmony. Youssef, Jojo and Giuseppe are as inseparable as their three 16-year-old-daughters, Meriem, Gigi and Tina. In a fit of teenage provocation, the three girls swear that they will lose their virginity by the day of the procession of the Madonna. To make matters worse, each of them has her eyes on a boy of a different religion, thus challenging an inviolable taboo. This leads the three families to cut off all ties with one another. But the bonds tying the three fathers are too strong. They end up making up, more like brothers than ever, just before the Six Day War breaks out in the Middle East, tearing apart Jews and Arabs the world over.

My Thoughts:
This is the image of an idyllic, peaceful place, a "paradise on Earth" as one of the mothers describes it, a place where Jews, Christians and Muslims live side-by-side happily.  It has a nostalgic view of a simpler time, when it seemed like there might still be a hope for peace in the Middle East.  It's a fun film, part coming-of-age, part slice-of-life, part comedy.  None of the performances stand out, but all of them were decent and the girls were all very lovely, especially the girl who plays Meriem.  It's also a film where summer is fleeting, a time to enjoy romance and live without worries before the coming storms.  Recommended for just about anyone, unless you don't like subtitles. 

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

(From Around the World in 86 Movies on April 2nd, 2013)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

3rd Rock from the Sun: Season One (1996/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Network (United Kingdom) Length: 433 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

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Plot:
An alien expedition is boldly going where no aliens have gone before: Earth! Taking on human identities, these visitors are in for culture shock of astronomical proportions as they encounter our planet's bizarre ways. Stranger still are their new physical forms, which constantly amaze them with surprises like puberty and passion, as when the High Commander (John Lithgow) becomes hopelessly infatuated with his Earthling co-worker (Jane Curtin). With sophisticated satire and wild farce, 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN offers a hilarious look at our world from an outrageously new point of view.

3rd Rock From the Sun
1.01 Brains and Eggs
Writer: Bonnie Turner (Writer), Terry Turner (Writer)
Director: James Burrows
Cast: John Lithgow (Dick Solomon), Kristen Johnston (Sally Solomon), French Stewart (Harry Solomon), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tommy Solomon), Jane Curtin (Mary Albright), Elmarie Wendel (Mrs. Dubcek), Simbi Khali (Nina), Ian Lithgow (Leon), David DeLuise (Bug), Chris Hogan (Pitman), Danielle Nicolet (Caryn), Jennifer Rhodes (Mrs. Sumner), Marne Patterson (Volleyball Girl), Susan Leslie (Kissing Woman), Dan Gilvezan (Radio DJ)

This continously funny series had already a great start. The characters were already strong and didn't change much later on (except of course for Tommy who did grow-up a little ).


Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on March 24th, 2011)