DVD Collectors Online

Hi-De-Ho, a review by Danae Cassandra

Hi-De-Ho
Year of Release: 1947
Directed By: Josh Binney
Starring: Cab Calloway, Ida James, Jeni Le Gon
Genre: Musical

Overview:
Bandleader Cab Calloway is tiring of his sexy girlfriend Minnie, who in turn is jealous of Cab's manager Nettie. When Nettie gets Cab a job at the Brass Hat Club, Minnie retaliates for his imagined infidelity by setting gangster Boss Mason, owner of a rival club, against him. Will she regret her action before it's too late?

My Thoughts:
The plot is really thin and none of the performers can act.  Seriously, they are all about as good as the cast of a high school play.  Fortunately that plot only takes up half the film, interspersed with music.  The second half is all music, and the music is the reason to watch this.  What Calloway lacks in acting chops he makes up for in fabulous jive. 

If this was just the music I'd rate the film higher, but the plot parts really drag.  Recommended only for the music - and hit fast-forward when those aren't on.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 2.5/5

(From July Movie Marathon: Musicals (Yes... You read right!) on July 20th, 2016)

Band of Outsiders, a review by Antares

Band of Outsiders (1964) 3/5 - This was my first Godard film and after it was finished, the first thought that ran through my mind was a scene from the movie Amadeus. After Mozart's first royal commissioned opera, is finished, Emperor Joseph II comes on stage to praise Mozart for the work. He is at a loss for words, but manages to blurt out that it was 'quite new', but with slight trepidation in his delivery. Mozart retorts It is new...isn't it your Majesty? as if being new instantly makes it praise worthy. But sometimes, being new doesn't make something a masterpiece, and I felt that Godard was more interested in being fashionably different as opposed to making an interesting film. Sure, it does have it's share of crafted shots, but as a whole the story was lacking in creativity. I will admit that just looking at Anna Karina was worth the effort of watching this film, but aside from her, the rest was pretty shallow and a bit self exalting on the part of the director. It won't stop me from seeking out his other films, but now at least, I know what I can expect and hopefully, this was just an aberration, and not the norm.

(From Antares' Short Summations on July 13th, 2012)

Tom's TV Finales marathon, a review by Tom

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Being Erica: Season Four (2011/Canada) IMDb | Wikipedia BBC Worldwide, Just Bridge Entertainment (Netherlands) Length: 495 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: Dutch

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Being Erica
Season 4.11 Dr. Erica 12.12.2011
Writer: Jana Sinyor (Created By), Aaron Martin (Writer), Jana Sinyor (Writer), Jana Sinyor (Original Material By), David Fortier (Original Material By), Ivan Schneeberg (Original Material By)
Director: Chris Grismer
Cast: Erin Karpluk (Erica Strange), Adam Fergus (Adam Fitzpatrick), Reagan Pasternak (Julianne Giacomelli), Kathleen Laskey (Barb Strange), Joanna Douglas (Samantha MacIntosh), Michael P. Northey (Ivan), Morgan Kelly (Brent Kennedy), Sebastian Pigott (Kai Booker), Michael Riley (Dr. Tom), Devon Bostick (Leo), Jadyn Wong (Rachel), Joanne Vannicola (Dr. Naadiah), Tatiana Maslany (Sarah), Jana Sinyor (Jana), Aaron Martin (Aaron), Lauren Collins (Young Barb), Suzy Joachim (Amanda), Graham Greene (Dr. Arthur), Shanda Bezic (Young Amanda), Grace Arianna Kirby (Child Erica), Joseph D'Aguanno (Child Leo)

"Being Erica" is a great series, which I can definately recommend. Also the final episode is a good conclusion to this series.
The last season on the other hand has disappointed me somewhat. Not that it doesn't have good episodes. It does. But the last episode of the previous season promised a specific direction that the series will take, but in my opinion it did not live up to it.

Rating:




(From Tom's TV Finales marathon on July 28th, 2013)