DVD Collectors Online

Umberto D., a review by Antares

Umberto D. (1952) 89/100 - At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through this film. The main character, Umberto, is a surly septuagenarian who I found no feelings for right from the start. But then, after Umberto saves Flike from the dog pound, and its inevitable consequences, I started to see the human side of this lonely, desperate man. I could step inside his shoes, because I have no children, my wife is six years older than me and I've passed the half century mark in age. What if my wife dies first? I'm not very close to my sisters. Will I be discarded by society and its ever changing feelings towards its elder population? This movie puts it all on the plate, and it does it very well. I don't think it is a film that I will re-visit very often, because quite frankly, it scares the shit out of me on a personal level. But overall, I'd highly recommend it.

What the color coding means...

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 September 13th, 2013)

Das kleine Arschloch und der alte Sack - Sterben ist Scheiße, a review by Tom

Title:
Year: 2006
Director: Michael Schaack, Konrad Weise
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 76 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Ilona Schulz
Helge Schneider
Badesalz
Dirk Bach
Ralph Morgenstern

Extras:
Commentary
Featurettes
Scene Access
Trailers

here (in German).
The main story with the Kleines Arschloch watchable, even funny sometimes. But the second story with the "Alten Sack" (derogatory term for a old man) is rather boring, mostly because of the bad voice acting by Helge Schneider.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on January 17th, 2009)

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

22. Becoming Pt. 2 (1998-05-19)
Writer: Joss Whedon (Created By), Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), David Boreanaz (Angel), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Max Perlich (Whistler), Seth Green (Oz), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), James G. MacDonald (Detective Stein), James Marsters (Spike), Juliet Landau (Drusilla), Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder), Susan Leslie (First Cop), Thomas G. Waites (Second Cop)

Probably my favorite Buffy season finale. I remember first seeing it, when it was first aired in Germany and had to wait months for the new season.
As a matter of fact I think I had it taped, because I was vacationing in the US at the time. There I got to see some episodes from the third season. My first chance to see Buffy in English. At the time it was something special to have the chance to see the original language version. No DVDs and still on dial-up internet connection. I remember that the third season finale was supposed to air, but got postponed. My first taste of English language Buffy were some re-runs (Homecoming, Band Candy, and I think Doppelgangland as replacement for Graduation Day Part II).

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on February 15th, 2009)