DVD Collectors Online

Ring Around the Rosie, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Ring Around the Rosie
Movie Count: 41
TV Ep Count: 8
Time Started: 2:30pm
Plot:
In this electrifying suspense thriller, your deepest fears become reality.
Following her grandmother's last wish, Karen (Gina Philips, 'Jeepers Creepers') reluctantly travels to a remote, run-down mansion to sell the family estate where she grew up. Karen soon realizes that she's not alone at the property. Living in the shanty at the horse stables is Pierce (Tom Sizemore, 'Heat'), an odd and mysterious caretaker. With every passing night as she rummages through the dusty house, Karen's fond memories of her childhood turn into nightmares.

Haunted, Karen feels relief when her sister arrives, but things only spiral out of control when Pierce becomes increasingly more violent. Suddenly both women find themselves trapped in a house that preys on their greatest fears. Karen has no choice but to face the horrible memory she thought she put behind her and walk the line between bad memories and deadly reality.

My Thoughts:
Another blind buy that I found cheap enough to take a chance on. This was a good... interesting movie. But it definitely could have been better. They did seem to leave some questions unanswered which would have been nice to have answered. I don't see time being a restraint here since the movie clocked in just under 90min. But still a good story... so I am happy I added it to my collection.



(From My Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2008 on October 11th, 2008)

Silent Running, a review by Danae Cassandra

Silent Running
Year of Release: 1972
Directed By: Douglas Trumbull
Starring: Bruce Dern
Genre: Science-Fiction

Overview:
As this science fiction classic opens, botanist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) has spent eight years aboard the space freighter "Valley Forge" preserving the only botanical specimens left from Earth under huge geodesic domes. When he receives orders to destroy the project and return home, Lowell rebels and hijacks the freighter, killing his fellow crewmen, injuring himself, and plunging the craft into the gaseous Rings of Saturn. From that moment on, he has only the trees, the gardens and two "Drone" robots, Huey and Dewey, to keep him company on the loneliest adventure of all.

My Thoughts:
At some point I went looking for a list of "the best sci-fi films ever made" and this came up on several lists. Having sat down for the watch, I can definitely see why. What gives it a place on those lists is that the film provokes thought about the future of humanity, which is what truly good sci-fi should always do.

Bruce Dern's performance is superb. He is the only human character on screen for the vast majority of the movie, and he has to carry it - and he does. Lowell isn't necessarily likable, but you do sympathize with his motivation. The droids are much more likable characters, and extremely expressive for characters with no speaking lines. I think Lowell should have left Huey with Dewy however at the end of the film.

It's far from a perfect film - there are some plot holes in the basic set-up, Lowell doesn't have the basic knowledge one would expect from a man in his position, and the three songs that are sung by Joan Baez (usually a great singer) are gawd awful. Leaving that aside, it's still an extremely worthwhile film and one that deserves a watch. Yes, it's a slow moving piece, and yes, it's message is heavy-handed, but the message and ideas are even more pertinent today then they were in 1972. Watch this film.

Bechdel Test:  Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Silent Running on March 13th, 2014)

Charmed Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

8. Muse To My Ears
The sisters fiercely battle warlocks who are enslaving the world's muses to use their divine creative inspiration for evil.

My Thoughts:
A good... but standard episode. Nothing that really stood out for me in this episode.

9. A Paige From The Past
Haunted by her parents' tragic death, Paige travels back in time while Pipermust prevent the marraige of Phoebe and Cole, whose bodies are inhabited by outlaw ghosts.

My Thoughts:
Another good episode. Obviously we see Paige's past in this episode. Since they go to her teen years they try to play down her bauty... with little results. I really didn't care too much for the side story with Phoebe and Cole though. But over-all an episode I enjoyed.

10. Trial By Magic
Phoebe must convince other jury members of the existence of magic while Piper, Paige and Leo frantically search for the real killer in time to free an innocent man.

My Thoughts:
This is one that I really liked a lot. Of course that could be because I do like some court shows as well... and always enjoyed shows that dealt with a jury. I don't know why... but always liked seeing my favorite TV Show characters in that situation.

11. Lost And Bound
The sisters must teach a 10-year-old Firestarter how to use his power for good before his demon bounty-hunter foster parents find him.

My Thoughts:
Another good... but standard episode. This one did have some purpose to the series though... it was to teach Piper a lesson for when she is to have her kids... and whether or not there could be justifiable reason to bind their powers.

(From Charmed Marathon on June 29th, 2008)