DVD Collectors Online

Ikiru, a review by Hal

Title: Ikiru: The Criterion Collection
Year: 1952
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Rating: NR
Length: 143 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Takashi Shimura
Shinichi Himori
Haruo Tanaka
Minoru Chiaki
Miki Odagiri

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes

A powerful and moving look at a man who discovers he has stomach cancer and suddenly realizes that the past 30 years of his life have had no meaning; that he has simply existed from day-to-day without actually enjoying life or doing anything meaningful to or for anyone.  He spends the last 5 months of his life bucking city hall (literally), in order to accomplish one small selfless act so that he can pass on with some measure of peace.  Much of what we learn of this man is through the eyes of others as he moves through the various stages of dealing with the imminence of his own demise.    Definitely, a movie that was ahead of its time. 
Rating:


(From Ikiru on July 11th, 2010)

Paradise, a review by Jimmy

                   
       DVD Cover                                              Theatrical Poster

Title: Paradise
Year: 1982
Genre: Adventure
Director: Stuart Gillard (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III)         
Rating: 13
Length: 1h31
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English and Spanish
Subtitles: Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish

Stars:
Willie Aames (Zapped!)
Phoebe Cates (Private School)
Tuvia Tavi (Death Before Dishonor)
Richard Curnock (TekWar: TekLab)
Neil Vipond (Kings and Desperate Men)

Plot:
David and Sarah travel with a caravan from Baghdad to Damascus. At an oasis the white-slave agent 'Jackal' raids them, mainly to add the beautiful young Sarah to his harem. Only David and Sarah can flee, all the others are slayed. Their flight leads them to a beautiful oasis - their paradise - where they discover love and sex.



(From The little known movie review depot on February 22nd, 2008)

Tom's TV Finales marathon, a review by Tom

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Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi: Volume 3 "Destiny" (2003/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia (United States) Length: 93 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

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Plot:
Can they stay together?

What a time for suprises for all the friends! Kaoru and Aoi go on a date together and spend their time reminiscing and enjoying each other's company. The two end up spending the evening at a hotel... Later, the residents of Sakuraba mansion decide to go to a spa resort and Kaoru winds up seeing more than he was meant to! Digital cameras can be so much fun - the gang decides to take some pictures themselves, dressing up in costumes and outfits that turn out to be very fun. Tina then takes a trip back home to America, leaving the rest of the household worried and missing her... will she ever come back?


Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi
Season 1.12 Kizuna
Writer: Kou Fumizuki (Original Material By)
Director: Katsuichi Nakayama
Cast: Soichiro Hoshi (Kaoru Hanabishi), Ayako Kawasumi (Aoi Sakuraba), Akiko Hiramatsu (Miyabi Kagurazaki), Satsuki Yukino (Tina Foster), Kaori Mizuhashi (Taeko Minazuki), Sayaka Narita (Mayu Miyuki), Haruko Momoi (Chika Minazuki), Kimiko Koyama (Natsuki Komiya), Mamiko Noto (Chizuru Aizawa), Yuka Inoguchi (Uzume), Mami Koyama (Tina's Mom), , Dave Wittenberg, Julie Ann Taylor, Kay Jensen, Kirsty Pape, Lia Sargent, Michelle Ruff, Midge Mayes, Scott Page-Pagter, Sue Beth Arden, Wendee Lee

This episode is more about concluding Tina's storyline (a supporting character), than about the two main characters. I don't remember how much resolve they brought to those two in the previous episodes. But I know it was definately different than the manga ending (which was also still running when this series was produced).

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Finales marathon on January 26th, 2013)