DVD Collectors Online

Colt Comrades, a review by Rogmeister

The Hoppy film I watched this time is from one of several volumes put out by Platinum, each containing 5 original Hopalong Cassidy films.  Besides the one I discuss below, this volume also includes Undercover Man, Three Men From Texas, Stick To Your Guns and The Dead Don't Dream.

Colt Comrades (1943) 
Director: Lesley Selander
Cast: William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Jay Kirby, George Reeves, Gayle Lord, Earl Hodgins, Victory Jory, Douglas Fowley, Herbert Rawlinson, Bob Mitchum

The earliest Hopalong Cassidy movies came out in 1935 and I had actually started to watch them in order that they came out but I decided to move ahead in the series so I could catch an episode with a few other familiar faces.  Of course, I also had to "take a hit" with that idea as well because by 1943, Gabby Hayes had left the series and Andy Clyde had taken over the part of the "funny old geezer" role, playing a character named California at this point.  The first familiar face in this short film was Robert Mitchum (billed as Bob Mitchum in the credits), playaing a bad guy as he did in most of his handful of appearances in the Hoppy films.  He actuallyl winds up dead about 10 minutes into the picture but he gets it off to a quick start, gunning down a railroad man, stealing his mailbag and then being caught and finally gunned down himself.  The plotline has Hoppy and his friends using their share of the reward money for capturing him and using it to become partners on a cattle ranch with a man and his sister who are already there...the man here is the other familiar face in this film, George Reeves, later to be tht title star of TV's "The Adventures of Superman".  Apart from a few interesting plot twists, this is pretty much a standard Hopalong Cassidy movie which means it's got lots of gunplay, people running to the rescue on horseback and a fair smidgen of comedy relief.  At the end of the tale, so we don't expect Hoppy to be stuck on his own ranch for the rest of his cinema career, we learn he's been called back to work by the law due to other outlaw concerns.  Maybe that's why George Reeves didn't become a permanent member of the Hoppy cast, too.

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on October 11th, 2009)

Bloodsport, a review by Rich

Title: Bloodsport

Runtime:92
Certificate:R
Year:1988
Genres:Action, Martial Arts

Plot:My Review:
Loosely based on a true story, i must admit to enjoying watching this early van damme martial arts film that I watched years ago on video. He was an even worse actor then than he is now (and thats saying something) but he sure could fight, and his trademark splits were portrayed several times.
Definately a lads film with more and more violent bouts, a baddie in the guise of Bolo Yeung, a multitude of different fighting styles on show, and an early Forest Whittaker performance.
The loose sub plots do not detract from the main aim of the film, namely a high kicking ball busting scrapfest, which was delivered with aplomb.
One to watch with a few mates and a crate of beer.


(From Riches Random Reviews on January 24th, 2010)

"Friends" Marathon, a review by Rogmeister

The One With Two PartsYes, it's a "Friends" two-parter!  It's also a crossover with, of all shows, ER!  Joey meets Phoebe's twin sister Ursula and gets involved with her, which upsets Phoebe.  Ross comes to the sudden realization that he's actually going to be a father.  Rachel injures her ankle trying to take down Christmas lights and Rachel takes her to the hospital where they meet up with the ER doctors (played by ER's George Clooney and Noah Wylie).  And Ross rushes his pet monkey Marcel to the hospital after he swallows a Scrabble tile...giving him his first real experience of being a father figure.  This episode actually also crosses over with a second NBC show as Helen Hunt and Leila Kenzle appear in one scene as their "Mad About You" characters.

The One With All The Poker is one of my favorite episodes of the first season...I'm not sure why...maybe because I used to have friends of my own that I used to play poker with.  The girls suck at poker and lose several times so they get coached by Monica's Aunt Iris (Beverly Garland).  It all culminates in a high stakes poker game one night following Rachel's failing to get a job that she desperately wanted.  You could also call this "The One Where Marcel Keeps Playing 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'" as Ross' monkey keeps playing a certain CD...

(From "Friends" Marathon on July 13th, 2009)