DVD Collectors Online

The Fast and the Furious, a review by addicted2dvd

The Fast and the Furious (2001/United States, Germany) Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Rob Cohen Writing: Gary Scott Thompson (Screenwriter), Erik Bergquist (Screenwriter), David Ayer (Screenwriter), Gary Scott Thompson (Story By), Ken Li (Original Material By) Length: 107 min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, French: DTS: 5.1, Spanish: DTS: 5.1, Japanese: DTS: 5.1, Portuguese: DTS: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish

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Stars:
Paul Walker (1973) as Brian O'Conner
Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto
Michelle Rodriguez as Letty
Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto
Rick Yune as Johnny Tran

Plot:
Los Angeles police officer Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) must decide where his loyalties really lie when he befriends Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and becomes enamored with the street racing world he has been sent undercover to destroy.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary

Why didn't I watch this one sooner. This film was a lot of fun. The entire cast did a great job. A lot of cool action with lots of cool cars driving fast. What more cold a guy ask for? What else can I say... this film is just a fun way to waste a couple hours. Recommended.




(From 4K Marathon on March 24th, 2023)

Zatoichi in Desperation, a review by Antares

Zatoichi in Desperation (1972) 72/100 - One has to wonder if the title of the 24th film in the series is meant to describe the feeling in its star, that the end is near in this long franchise. After the lackluster offering that preceded this film, Katsu decided to take the reins of director upon himself and he makes a very striking film from a visual standpoint. Although at times, his framing dwells precipitously close to art school overindulgence. A lot of people consider this a weak sister when compared to the long extended family of films of the blind masseur, but I thought it was quite entertaining, and only in brief moments, did it lag. What I liked the most was that Katsu kind of returns to the roots of the franchise, when it wasn't all about action and comedic segments, with a bleak storyline and setting. Katsu also tosses in a few MacGuffin side plots, one which seems to pay homage to Kenji Mizoguchi's Sanshō dayū. One of the highlights of this film is when Ichi finally gets a bit of trim from a prostitute, whose mother, through a kindly act from Ichi, is accidentally killed in the beginning of the story. Alas, the prostitute is merely setting him up for his assassination. Finally, the climactic battle in the end is made more suspenseful when Ichi has his hands stabbed by whaling spears in exchange for the prostitute's life. The yakuza boss gives him back his cane sword and Ichi awaits his execution by the yakuza's brigands in the morning. But Ichi has one surprise left in his bag of self defense tricks, and although wounded seriously, he lives on to make the final film in the Toho run. It's not a great film, but it's worth a look if your a completest and dare I say, I'd probably watch this one again in the future.

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on December 20th, 2014)

Charmed Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

17. Pre-Witched
The Charmed Ones battle a warlock that gets stronger every time it is vanquished, as Piper wrestles with her decision to move out of the manor.

My Thoughts:
This is a really powerful and emotional episode. As Piper and Leo prepares to move out of the Manor they deal with the memories of life with Grams as well as her death and what it meant to the sisters. Aside from such emotion running wild we get a warlock, an ex witch familiar, that needs to be killed off by The Charmed Ones 9 times so that he can stay in warlock form... as well as be immortal.

18. Sin Francisco
When the sisters fight a demon cursing people with the Seven Deadly Sins, they must first save themselves from succumbing to the powers of their own sins.

My Thoughts:
After a good handful of serious episodes... here we have one that plays for fun. The sisters... as well as Leo... get infected with one of the 7 Deadly Sins each.

19. The Demon Who Came In From The Cold
The sisters and Leo count on Cole to help them when he goes undercover in The Brotherhood, an elite gang of demons, but can he be trusted?

My Thoughts:
This is a decent, but standard episode. A huge Cole episode... so that was something I had to deal with. This episode is there to make you wonder if Cole can stay good even though surrounded by evil.

20. Exit Strategy
When Cole is framed for the killing of a witch the sisters tried to protect, he finds it harder to contain his dark side while Piper can no longer control her powers.

MY Thoughts:
This is a continuation of the last episode. Is also a decent episode... but this time I definitely can not call this one standard. Something happens in this episode that changes things for the rest of the series. In this episode Piper's powers grow. Now instead of just having the ability to freeze... she discovers she now also has the power to blow things up.

(From Charmed Marathon on June 26th, 2008)