DVD Collectors Online

Bound, a review by RossRoy

Original Title: Bound Year: 1996 Country: United States Director: The Wachowski Brothers Rating: NR Length: 108 Min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Mono Subtitles: English, Spanish

What they say
A mobster, his mistress and a tough female ex-con are caught in a dangerous plot with over $2 million of the mob's money at stake in this new, ultra-hip film by the Wachowski Brothers. Starring Academy Award® nominee Jennifer Tilly ('Liar Liar'), Gina Gershon ('Face/Off') and Joe Pantoliano ('The Fugitive').

My Thoughts
I must say, I had apprehensions going into this movie. The whole LGBT angle was a bit scary for me, not that I have anything against it, I mean, what you do in your own bedroom is your business, but a movie around that? Turns out it is basically a MacGuffin, a way to get the girls together and start the story. After that, it is a mob movie, and a very good one at that.

I didn't know what to expect going into this. I'd barely heard of Gina Gershon (only on Tripping the Rift, and it's only a voice part), and not much more of Jennifer Tilly (basically only the Chuky movies), I was happy though to know that Joe Pantoliano (Cypher in The Matrix) was in there too. All three actors give great performances. You don't really know what anyone's motive really is. And isn't it the whole point of a mob movie? The mystery surrounding everyone's personality and the tested loyalties, betrayals and manipulations?

The imagery is also great in this movie. It's gritty and ugly when it needs to be, yet maintains a visual beauty throughout, especially in the final showdown. There's even a scene where you can sort of see the precursor to The Matrix's famous bullet-time effect (not that The Matrix was the first incarnation of it, but I'd say it was the first time it was used to such an effect).

One negative point though: the DVD I have is the unrated version (which is good!) but it was not enhanced for widescreen! Big let down on that front. Good thing PowerDVD handles that well with a smart stretch.



(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on April 7th, 2008)

The Wolverine, a review by addicted2dvd

The Wolverine (2013/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Director: James Mangold Writing: Length: 136 min. Rating: Rated PG-13 : Sequences of Intense Sci-Fi Action and Violence, Some Sexuality and Language Video: Widescreen 2.40:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 7.1, German: DTS: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1 Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

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Stars:
Hugh Jackman as Logan
Tao Okamoto as Mariko
Rila Fukushima as Yukio
Hiroyuki Sanada as Shingen
Svetlana Khodchenkova as Viper
Brian Tee as Noburo

Plot:
Hugh Jackman returns as The Wolverine and faces his ultimate nemesis in an action-packed life-or-death battle that takes him to modern-day Japan. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his limits, Logan confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality; an epic fight that will leave him forever changed.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Digital Copy
• X-Men: Days of the Future Past set tour
• Second Screen App

This is another one I borrowed from the library. The first thing I did was watch the trailer for the film. Going by the trailer... I must admit I was a little concerned if I would like this one or not. But it didn't take long at all for me to get into the story. Before I knew it I was enjoying it quite a bit. Now compared to the other X-Men films... I must say this one is probably my least favorite. But don't take that wrong... this one is still well worth the time put in to watch it. I just prefer the others a little more. But this is one I hope to add to my collection before too long.



(From What Movies I Been Watching on January 22nd, 2014)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Episodes: Series One (2011/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia 2 entertain Video (United Kingdom) Length: 196 min. Video: Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

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Plot:
Matt LeBlanc plays a deliciously outrageous version of himself in this laugh-out-loud comedy from creators David Crane (Friends) and Jeffrey Klarik (Mad About You). Episodes offers a peek behind the curtain at the insanity of Hollywood. You'll never watch TV the same way again.

Sean (Stephen Mangan) and Beverly (Tamsin Greig) are a happily married English couple, who are also the successful creators of a hit British TV show. Their life seems complete. That is until a hugely powerful and charismatic US network president persuades them to move to LA to remake their show for American television. He's full of praise and promises "not to change a thing".

However, things begin to unravel as soon as Sean and Beverly arrive in LA. They discover that the network president has never even seen their show. To make matters worse, he insists that they replace their brilliant lead actor (Richard Griffiths), an erudite Royal Shakespeare veteran with... Matt LeBlanc! Sean and Beverly are appalled.

But the decision is out of their hands. Matt comes on board, and soon Sean and Beverly find themselves in a complicated triangle which threatens to destroy not just their TV show but also their marriage.


Episodes
1.01 Episode One
Writer: David Crane (Created By), Jeffrey Klarik (Created By), David Crane (Writer), Jeffrey Klarik (Writer)
Director: James Griffiths
Cast: Matt LeBlanc (Matt LeBlanc), Stephen Mangan (Sean Lincoln), Tamsin Greig (Beverly Lincoln), John Pankow (Merc Lapidus), Kathleen Rose Perkins (Carol Rance), Richard Griffiths (Julian Bullard), Alejandro Postigo (Ernesto), Ben Miller (Ben Miller), Lou Hirsch (Wallace), Daisy Haggard (Myra Licht), Joseph May (Andy Button), Bruce Lester Johnson (Roger)

A promising start to a series, which looks like fun. I am curious how the next episodes will be, where Matt LeBlanc has a bigger role.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on August 20th, 2011)