DVD Collectors Online

Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a review by Antares

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) 78/100 - An interesting, yet nori wrap thin documentary of a man on a mission... to create the world's most perfect sushi. His whole life is dedicated to this pursuit, and being from a culinary background, I can appreciate his zeal and tenacity. But the documentary doesn't really delve into why customers regard this shop as the best sushi in Tokyo. It just fawns over Jiro like he's some mystical, beguiling force of culinary nature. When the film was finished, I found myself respecting his sons more than him. One opened his own restaurant, while the eldest son trudges on in the shadow of his now famous father. I started to wonder if his father's eventual death would be devastating or maybe a lifting of a great weight from his shoulders.

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 March 7th, 2014)

Grumpy Old Men , a review by Dragonfire

Grumpy Old Men



Next-door neighbors John Gustafson and Max Goldman are Grumpy Old Men.  And since they're played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, they're also Funny Old Men.  The stars of the film The Odd Couple pair up again in this hilarious and heartwarming story of neighborhood curmudgeons whose long-running feud becomes an all-out rivalry when an attractive widow (Ann-Margret) moves into the house across the street.

Snowy Minnesota provides the setting as Max and John unleash an uproarious blizzard of practical jokes and zingers.  Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Ossie Davis, Kevin Pollak and Buck Henry add star-packed support to snow packed shenanigans that "will cure your blahs and jump start your heart" (Rex Reed, New York Observer).

My Thoughts

This was one that I wasn't really interested in seeing when it first came out.  I ended up seeing it on television eventually and really liking it.  I've seen it several times since then and decided to pick up the DVD when I found it cheap.

The plot is somewhat simple, but it manages to work as an entertaining movie.  A few minor complications pop up with a problem John is dealing with and his daughter's marriage problems.  The main focus is the contentious friendship between John and Max.  They are rather nasty to each other most of the time, calling each other names and doing stupid stuff to irritate each other.  Things get worse when they both decide that they are interested in Arial, the woman who just moved in across the street. 

Most of the humor comes from the relationship between John and Max.  They are always calling each other names and insulting each other in humorous ways.  Some of the things they do are silly, but that works for the movie.  The movie is a lot funnier than I expected it to be before I first saw it.  When I watched it this last time, I was having a snack.  One of the funnier moments happened and I almost choked when I started laughing with a mouth full of food.  So I would suggest snacking while watching this one with caution.  Much like I can't snack and watch Big Bang Theory.

Several scenes involve ice fishing, something I can't imagine ever doing.  Sitting in a little shack on a frozen lake trying to catch a fish just doesn't seem fun to me.  But John and Max spend most of their free time doing it.  The things tied to ice fishing that are shown are sort of interesting though.  There is basically a little town of fishing shacks on the frozen lake.  The movie takes place during the winter in Minnesota, so there is also a lot of snow around and it looks really cold, so that part of the movie is realistic.

The characters, while not always likable, are interesting.  John and Max are definitely grumpy, though they show nicer sides as well.  Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon are wonderful in the parts.  They work well together.  Arial is nice and it is believable that both men would be interested in her.

There are a few bloopers that play during the closing credits that are funny.  The only extra are a few production notes that can be read about the making of the movie and some of the cast. 



Grumpy Old Men

(From Grumpy Old Men on September 13th, 2010)

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

06. Sense & Sensitivity (1999-11-09)
Writer: Tim Minear (Writer)
Director: James A. Contner
Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Doyle), Elisabeth Rohm (Kate Lockley), John Capodice (Little Tony Papazian), John Mahon (Trevor Lockley), Ron Marasco (Allen Lloyd), Alex Skuby (Harlan), Kevin Will (Heath), Thomas Burr (Lee Mercer), Ken Abraham (Spivey), Jimmy Shubert (Johnny Red), Ken Grantham (Lieutenant), Adam Donshik (Uniform Cop # 1), Kevin E. West (Uniform Cop #2), Wilson Bell (Uniform Cop #3), Colin Patrick Lynch (Beat Cop), Steve Schirripa (Henchman), Christopher Paul Hart (Traffic Cop)

Sadly this episode is boring and rather stupid. I would have liked a better episode, when we have Kate Lockley in a bigger role.

Rating:



07. The Bachelor Party (1999-11-16)
Writer: Tracey Stern (Writer)
Director: David Straiton
Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Glenn Quinn (Doyle), Kristin Dattilo (Harry Doyle), Carlos Jacott (Richard Howard Straley), Ted Kairys (Ben), Chris Tallman (Nick), Brad Blaisdell (Uncle John), Robert Hillis (Pierce), Lauri Johnson (Aunt Martha), Kristen Lowman (Mother Rachel), David Polcyn (Russ)

A fun episode. But I always had a little trouble with the way, that this series humanized the demons. In Buffy they always made it clear, that demons are evil and there is no question that they have to be killed.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on April 4th, 2009)