DVD Collectors Online

Incendiary, a review by Rich

Title: Incendiary

Runtime:96
Certificate:15
Year:2008
Genres:Drama, Suspense/Thriller

Plot:Based on Chris Cleave's electrifying best-selling novel, Incendiary is an explosive thriller set in the aftermath of a terrorist strike in London.
When a bomb blast at a football game kills her husband and son while she is in the midst of an illicit encounter with Jasper (Ewan McGregor - Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge) - a man she picked up in a pub - the promiscuous wife and young mother (Michelle Williams - Brokeback Mountain) becomes wracked with guilt. Matters are further complicated when she becomes involved with Terence (Matthew MacFadyen - Pride and Prejudice, Frost/Nixon), the policeman in charge of the investigation into the bombing. Angry at the betrayal, Jasper begins his own investigation and soon discovers that Terence harbours some shocking secrets himself...

My Review:
Weak and oversentimental, to call it a suspense/thriller is a falsehood, it is a weak and boring diatribe about a mother trying to come to terms with the loss of her son, guilt from her and her lover, and an attempt at something moralistic at the finish.
The start with the affair and the terrorist attack at a football match was good and promised much, unfortunately it fizzled out after 20 minutes and was tedious to the extreme to view. All the actors plodded through their roles, McGregor in particular was poor, and Michelle Williams you would have gladly strangled to remove the sourpuss look she permeated for over an hour.
Definately one to avoid, do not get fooled by an interesting overview on the dvd like I did!


(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 19th, 2009)

Kokurikozaka kara, a review by dfmorgan

Kokurikozaka kara: Yokohama Version: Limited Edition (2011/Japan) Studio Ghibli (Japan) Director: Goro Miyazaki Writing: Hayao Miyazaki (Planning & Screenplay), Chizuru Takahashi (Original Material By), Tetsuro Sayama (Original Material By), Keiko Niwa (Screenplay) Length: 91 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: Japanese: PCM: 2-Channel Stereo, Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.0, French: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.0, Korean: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.0, Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.0, Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.0 Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Other

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Stars:
Masami Nagasawa (Voice)
Junichi Okada (Voice)
Keiko Takeshita (Voice)
Rumi Hiiragi (Voice)
Yuriko Ishida (Voice)

Plot:
In 1963 in Yokohama, Umi is a 16 year old high school girl and lives in a house located on a hill overlooking the harbour. Every morning she raises a signal flag which is "a pray for everybody to get a safe trip" as her father died on his ship during the Korean war. Meanwhile the entire nation is going through a transformation to ready itself for the approaching Tokyo Olympic Games, and old buildings are being destroyed for new ones. The old crumbling Culture Club "Quartier Latin" building inside Umi's high school is also about to be swept over by the transformation. Shun is one of student leaders trying to protect the beloved building and they garner enthusiastic support from students. Then as Umi suggests, they begin their opposition by cleaning up the place. But this "clean up" will go further than they think...


Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Music Videos
• Interviews
• Storyboard Comparisons
• Picture-in-picture
• Bonus Disc. Map.

A gentle romance film. Set in 1963 Umi lives in Yokohama but everywhere is getting ready for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Part of this preparation is the replacement of old and decrepit buildings with new up-to-date facilities. One of the buildings marked for demolition is the the Student Room at Umi's high school. A group of student leaders are trying to get the building saved and Umi gets involved with the activities after Shun, one of the student leaders, gets photographed with her. They progress trying to save the building and also start a budding romance. However the romance is halted with a twist in the relationship.

Rating:  I enjoyed this romance and give it a

(From Ghibli Blu's on July 29th, 2012)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

08. I Will Remember You (1999-11-23)
Writer: David Greenwalt (Writer), Jeannine Renshaw (Writer)
Director: David Grossman
Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Doyle), Carey Cannon (Female Oracle), Randall Slavin (Male Oracle), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy), David Wald (Mohra Demon #1), Chris Durand (Mohra Demon #2)

I didn't enjoy this episode as much this time around. Previously I was excited about the crossover, but now I just feel, that now the whole Buffy/Angel drama is forced into this show. I also forgot that Angel didn't start out as an ensemble cast. We notice it particularly in this episode. It entirely focuses on Buffy and Angel. Cordy and Doyle are almost forgotten. I would have liked more interaction between them and Buffy.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on April 18th, 2009)