DVD Collectors Online

Super 8, a review by Dragonfire

I went to see Super 8 Sunday evening.  I had seen trailers, but I still didn't feel like I knew a whole lot about the movie..and I think that is best.  The movie is very well done and entertaining and definitely worth seeing.  It is one of the best movies of the year.

Basically, a group of friends in 1979 are making a zombie movie to enter in a super 8 contest.  The friends - who are around 14 or so - are shooting at a train station one night when a train goes by.  Charles, the one directing the movie, thinks the train will add to his movie.  They end up witnessing a horrible train derailment before running back home.  The Air Force moves in to take control of the accident site and doesn't tell the local law enforcement much.  Strange things start happening around town and the friends end up trying to figure out what is going on.

There is some mystery and suspense to what is going on as well as a few horror movie elements without being gory.  A few things that happen are a bit upsetting or disturbing.  The movie really isn't one that is family friendly even though certain things about it remind me of The Goonies. 

The characters are interesting and developed decently.  Most of the characters are teenagers which could have been a problem, but the cast is really talented.  I was really impressed by Elle Fanning. 

This is a wonderful movie that definitely deserves to be seen.



I did get a review - without spoilers - posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Super 8

(From Super 8 on June 16th, 2011)

Don , a review by Tom

Don (1978/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Spark Video (United Kingdom) Director: Chandra Barot Writing: Salim Javed (Story By), Salim Javed (Screenwriter) Length: 166 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: Dutch, English, French

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Stars:
Amitabh Bachchan as Don
Zeenat Aman
Pran
Ifrikhar
Om Shivpuri

Plot:
When ruthless Don (Amitabh Bachchan) is killed by the police, the DSP (Iftekhar) is afraid that another "Don" will take over when the rest of the gang come of know of his death, so he, unbeknown to the rest of the police force, recruits Don's lookalike Vijay (also Amitabh Bachchan) to become the real Don. Vijay is, at first reluctant, but when promised that two children he is caring for, will be looked after and educated, he agrees. He is successfully re-located back with his gang by feigning injuries, and loss of memory. He soon recuperates. Then fate takes an unexpected turn when the DSP is killed and Vinay becomes the suspect: his role as the Don ends, as his gang comes to know he is a fraud: Vijay must run for his life - both from the police and Don's gang - for his life, and the life of the two children.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (1979)		Best Actor Award (Amitabh Bachchan)
Filmfare Awards (1979)		Best Female Playback Award ("Ye Mera Dil Pyar Ka Deewana": Asha Bhosle)
Filmfare Awards (1979)		Best Male Playback Award ("Khaike Paan Banaraswala": Kishore Kumar)

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (1979)		Best Lyricist Award ("Khaike Paan": Anjaan)
Filmfare Awards (1979)		Best Music Director Award (Kalyanji Anandji)

Extras:

• Music Videos
• Scene Access

Last year in this place I have reviewed "Don: The Chase Begins Again". So I thought I would review the original "Don" this year. So far this is my oldest Bollywood movie in my collection. It stars Amitabh Bachchan ("Black") in his prime. He was his generation's Shah Rukh Khan. He reminded me a lot of his son Abhishek Bachchan.
I enjoyed this movie. Especially in the beginning it reminded me of early Bond movies, if Bond were the bad guy. Don's simple self-introduction "Don" had more impact than Bond's "Bond. James Bond", in my opinion. There are a lot of simularities to its remake, of course. Although the remake put in more twists. I was surprised that the main twist of the remake wasn't part of the original.

Rating:

(From 2010 December Marathon - Discussion thread on December 11th, 2010)

Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews, a review by Tom

VOY 3.11 The Q and the Grey
Writer: Kenneth Biller (Screenwriter), Shawn Piller (Original Material By)
Director: Cliff Bole
Cast: Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway), Robert Beltran (Commander Chakotay), Roxann Dawson (Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres), Jennifer Lien (Kes), Robert Duncan McNeill (Lieutenant Tom Paris), Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Tim Russ (Lieutenant Tuvok), Garrett Wang (Ensign Harry Kim), Suzie Plakson (Female Q), Harve Presnell (Colonel Q), John de Lancie (Q)

A stupid episode. Q wants to mate with Janeway. When she refuses, they end up in the Q continuum portrayed as the American civil war. And then even Voyager manages to enter the continuum. I don't know what the writers were smoking while they have written this episode.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on October 25th, 2009)