DVD Collectors Online

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
Year of Release: 2003
Directed By: Craig R. Baxley
Starring: Lisa Brenner, Steven Brand, Kate Burton, Tsidii Leloka
Genre: Horror

Overview:
A prequel to the hit Stephen King's Rose Red, The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer unveils a story of the twisted marriage of a matriarch to a promiscuous early 20th-Century industrialist and the haunted beginnings of an enormous Seattle mansion that has come to life.

Passages of the diary track a series of deadly encounters surrounding the Rose Red estate that transform Ellen from the innocent and submissive wife into a woman possessed by the dark forces inhabiting her home.

My Thoughts:
For a prequel to a movie that doesn't answer many of the viewer's questions, this movie only leaves you with more.  Nothing is offered up about the nature of the house, it's mysterious disappearances and hauntings.  while that works in "Rose Red" it distinctly does not work for a prequel about the house and its ghosts.  Vague mentions are made of 'cursed ground' and we learn that the house was moved over from Europe, but that's it.  The film is quite handsome in it's sets and costumes, and has a nice atmosphere to it, but there's no suspense.  Instead it's really the story of a philanderer, his marriage, and the wife who must suffer him.  Ellen comes off much too innocent and victimized here - she needed much more depth, as did her friend Sukeena and their relationship.  About average for a film, recommended only if you really, really liked "Rose Red."

Bechdel Test: Pass, barely

Overall: 2.5/5

(From Within My (Mom's) Lifetime Marathon on May 30th, 2015)

Olympus Has Fallen, a review by GSyren

Title	Olympus has fallen (7-332421-048709)
Director	Antoine Fuqua
Actors	Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Finley Jacobsen, Dylan McDermott, Rick Yune
Produced	2013 in United States
Runtime	120 minutes
Audio	English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DTS 5.1
Subtitles	Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Overview	A nation's hopes rest in the hands of a former White House guard after the president is held hostage by terrorists in this action thriller from director Antoine Fuqua. Trying to adapt to civilian life after a tragedy ended his Secret Service career, former special forces veteran Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is thrust back onto the front line when a group of terrorists led by Kang (Rick Yune) attack the White House and seize the president (Aaron Eckhart). Now, finding himself the last Secret Service man left alive inside the building, Banning, overseen by acting President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), must bring all his special forces experience to bear as he embarks on a one-man mission to take out the terrorists and save the president.
My thoughts	Olympus Has Fallen Die Hard or Under Siege, except set in the White House. Only not nearly as exciting. And just when you think it's over and you can eject the disc... you get a sickly patriotic speech from the wounded but healing president. My advice, skip this one and rewatch Die Hard instead. It's so much better.
My rating

(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on February 21st, 2014)

Samantha Who?: The Complete First Season, a review by addicted2dvd

Samantha Who?: The Complete First Season (2007/United States)

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Stars:
Christina Applegate as Samantha
Jennifer Esposito as Andrea
Kevin Dunn as Howard
Melissa McCarthy as Dena
Tim Russ as Frank
Barry Watson as Todd
Jean Smart as Regina

Extras:

• Audio Commentary
• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Outtakes/Bloopers
• Closed Captioned

This is a set I just had given to me... an early birthday present. Never seeing a single episode before getting the set. I found it to be a pretty good series... but far from great. The show actually had to grow on me a bit to get the 3.5 rating I decided to give it. After the first few episodes I was thinking between a 2.5 and a 3. But it did start growing on me. And would probably had grown on me some more if it wasn't such a short first season. But I did end up enjoying it enough to want to get the second season and complete the series. I liked seeing Melissa McCarthy in something earlier in her career. I only know her as one of the stars of the sitcom Mike & Molly. The set has a few nice extra features. I didn't listen to the audio commentary (on the pilot) yet. B ut I did check out the blooper reel and deleted scenes. Both sections was a little shorter then I would  normally like. And the blooper real... which is usually one of my favorite extras... left me disappointed. It was nothing more then some of the cast members getting fits of laughter while trying to do their lines. And then very few of that. Over-all I would say this is a cute show... but don't expect too much from it.




(From Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched on May 15th, 2012)