DVD Collectors Online

The Call of Cthulhu, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Call of Cthulhu
Year of Release: 2005
Directed By: Andrew Leman
Starring: Matt Foyer, John Bolen, Ralph Lucas, Chad Fifer
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Written in 1926, just before the advent of "talking" pictures, The Call of Cthulhu is one of the most famous and influential tales of H. P. Lovecraft, the father of gothic horror. Now the story is brought richly to life in the style of a classic 1920s silent movie, with a haunting original symphonic score. Using the "Mythoscope" process ~ a mix of modern and vintage techniques ~ the filmmakers have worked to create the most authentic and faithful screen adaptation of a Lovecraft story yet attempted.

My Thoughts:
This is a modern film, made in the style of an old-fashioned silent film.  When this turned up at the store, I knew I had to have it. I adore Lovecraft, and this very short film (47 minutes!) is as authentic an adaptation of this story as will every be done. This is an ultra-low-budget picture, so don't expect high-tech effects, but the performances are solid and the film is eerie and altogether delightful. Recommended.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

(From Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon on October 22nd, 2014)

Analyze This, a review by Tom

Title: Analyze This
Year: 1998
Director: Harold Ramis
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 99 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Stars:
Robert De Niro
Billy Crystal
Lisa Kudrow
Chazz Palminteri
Kresimir Novakovic

Plot:
Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal team with Lisa Kudrow, Chaz Palminteri and director/co-writer Harold Ramis to make you a comedy offer you can't refuse in this laugh-out-loud mob hit. De Niro, deftly spoofing the wiseguy roles that have been a staple of his estimable career, plays powerful New York crime family racketeer Paul Vitti. Crystal, always one joke ahead of sleeping with the fishes, is shrink Ben Sobel, who has just days to resolve Vitti's emotional crisis and turn into a happy, well-adjusted gangster. Yes, Sobel is a family pychiatrist.But surely this isn't the kind of family he had in mind.

Awards:

American Cinema Editors Awards	2000	Nominated		Christopher Tellefsen
ASCAP Awards	2000	Won	Top Box Office Films	Howard Shore
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	2000	Won	Favorite Comedy Team	Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	2000	Won	Favorite Supporting Actress - Comedy	Lisa Kudrow
Golden Globe	1999	Nominated	Actor in a Leading Role - Musical or Comedy	Robert De Niro
Golden Globe	1999	Nominated	Picture - Musical or Comedy	Jane Rosenthal, Paula Weinstein
Young Artist Awards	2000	Nominated		Kyle Sabihy

Extras:
Commentary
Outtakes
Scene Access

I found this movie rather boring. It had its moments, but overall nothing I will be dying to see again. I thought that I had never seen this movie before, but a lot of it was familiar so I think I must have caught parts of it on TV in the past.

Rating:

(From December Marathons - DISCUSSION AND REVIEW THREAD on December 22nd, 2009)

"Friends" Marathon, a review by Rogmeister

Friends: The Complete Second Season continues the zany adventures of Monica, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler.

The One With Ross's New Girlfriend--Rachel is dismayed to find Ross bringing a new girlfriend when he returns from a trip to China (and we never did find out if he got that bone    Meanwhile, after Phoebe gives striking new haircuts to Joey and Chandler, Monica convinces Phoebe to give her a haircut as well...too bad Phoebe doesn't know the difference between who Demi Moore is...and who Dudley Moore is!  A fun episode.

The One With The Breast Milk--Monica agrees to go shopping with Julie (Ross's new girlfriend) at Bloomingdale's...which angers Rachel when she finds out.  And Joey dresses up like a cowboy when another such aftershave salesman does well with it at a store Joey works at.  And Ross is repulsed when people taste Carol's breast milk she had left for Ben.

The One Where Heckles DiesThe friends are shocked when eccentric Mr. Heckles ("I could have birds") passes away and leaves all his belongings to Rachel and Monica who lived in the apartment above him.  We get some extra laughs in this when Phoebe and Ross get into it over the belief in evolution.  Chandler winds up getting all worked up over the fact he and Mr. Heckles had so much in common.  Janice puts in another appearance but now she's married and pregnant.  "Oh...my...God..."

The One With Phoebe's Husband--Phoebe's gay husband shows up wanting a divorce.  In a moment where the friends blab some secrets about each other we find that Joey was in a porno movie (but he didn't get naked) and that Chandler has a 3rd nipple.  "Whip it out, whip it out!"  At the end of the episode, we learn that Ross has had sex with Julie (his first since he broke up with his wife" and he celebrates by dancing in the streets to the tune of "Singing in the Rain". 

The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant--The friends are divided when three of them are put off by the fact that getting together often costs them money they can't afford.  As a result, the three who have money go to a concert while the others play bargain basement games at home.  Monica gets fired at the end of this episode due to accidentally accepting some steaks her employers claim was a kickback.

The One With The Baby On The Bus--This may be may favorite episode of seaso 2 so far.  Ross gets food poisoning from Monica's pie.  "I thought you said this was a key lime pie?"  "No, it's a kiwi lime pie.  That's what makes it so special."  "That's what's going to kill me!  I'm allergic to kiwi..."  While he and Monica go to the hospital, Chandler and Joey take Ross' son Ben out for awhile...and accidentally leave him on the bus.  When they go to reclaim him, there are 3 toddlers at the bus depot.  They decide to flip a coin but what is assigned heads?  Joey says "Heads are for ducks...because ducks have heads" to which Chandler responds "What kind of scary ass clowns came to your birthday?"  At the end, Ross discovers the truth but Chandler grabs the pie and exclaims "Get back, I've got kiwi!  Run, Joey, Run!"  Meanwhile Chryssie Hynde guests as a professional singer hired at Central Perk to replace Phoebe.  This is one of only a few episodes where we see the owner (named Terry, played by Max Wright) of the coffee shop.

 

(From "Friends" Marathon on July 22nd, 2009)