DVD Collectors Online

Hana-Bi, a review by Tom

HANA-BI

This movie was okay. A high improvement over the movie I have seen on Saturday 
Director and star is Takeshi Kitano, who has played the character Kitano in Battle Royale. In my opinion he was like a Japanese version of Harvey Keitel in this movie. This movie is a little reminiscient of Tarantino (especially Jackie Brown), but much more subdued with sprouts of violence in-between.

Rating:

(From AsiaFilmFest 2008 on November 4th, 2008)

Random Harvest, a review by Antares

Random Harvest





Year: 1942
Film Studio: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Loew's Incorporated
Genre: Drama, Romance
Length: 126 Min.

Director
Mervyn LeRoy (1900)

Writing
Claudine West (1890)...Screenplay
George Froeschel (1891)...Screenplay
Arthur Wimperis (1874)...Screenplay
James Hilton (1900)...Novel

Producer
Sidney Franklin (1893)

Cinematographer
Joseph Ruttenberg (1889)

Music
Herbert Stothart (1885)...Composer

Stars
Ronald Colman (1891) as Smithy
Greer Garson (1904) as Paula
Philip Dorn (1905) as Dr. Jonathan Benet
Susan Peters (1921) as Kitty
Henry Travers (1874) as Dr. Sims
Reginald Owen (1887) as 'Biffer'
Bramwell Fletcher (1904) as Assistant
Rhys Williams (1897) as Sam

Review
       Random HarvestRandom Harvest introduces us to a soldier (Ronald Colman) who is convalescing in an asylum in a remote English town towards the end of the First World War. Suffering from a severe case of Shell Shock, he can remember nothing about himself or his past. On the night of the Armistice signing, while the guards are reveling in the proclamation of peace, he accidentally slips away from the asylum and wanders into the town. At a local pub he joins the locals in celebration and it is here where he meets Paula (Greer Garson), a traveling showgirl whose maternal instincts lead her to deduce that , as she will christen him, is in need of the kind of pampering and attention unattainable in an asylum. She therefore whisks him away to a small countryside town where over the next few months; she helps to restore his dignity and confidence.

       As the months pass by they start to fall in love and are subsequently married. During his recuperation they discover that has a talent for writing and after an editor agrees to interview him for a job at a London periodical, he sets off for the capitol. The hustle and bustle of post-war London are very far removed from the pastoral setting in which he has been living for the past year and in a moment of bewilderment he steps out into the street and into the path of an oncoming vehicle. He is knocked to the ground and when he awakens in a city hospital, we learn that his memory of his previous life has returned and that he remembers nothing that has transpired since being removed from a foxhole in France. The key to his new and now forgotten life is exactly that, a key, which is in pocket and opens the door to the cottage where his now unknown and expectant wife awaits him. It turns out that is actually Charles Rainier, the son of a prominent aristocrat and businessman who has just passed away, leaving the bulk of his estate to his missing son.

       As he settles into his old life, Charles begins to assume power over the many facets of the Rainier empire. To help him stay in focus in regards to his many holdings, he has partnered himself with his extremely efficient and beautiful secretary, who turns out to be; yes, you guessed it, Paula. When Ratings Criterion4 Stars - Historically important film, considered a classic.

(From Random Harvest (1942) on January 25th, 2010)

Angel Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: As it turns out, Darla has the same illness that she had before she became a vampire. And she will die from it - within the next months. Angel tries anything in his power to prevent that - except for making her a vampire again.

My Opinion: Full circle. Darla sired Angel. Angel sired Drusilla. And now did Drusilla sire Darla. I liked the tests (they had an Indiana Jones touch), but I'm asking myself what kind of guys did try it before Angel, because the first guy didn't really looked unbeatable.

Synopsis: Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war! Angel couldn't prevent the rising of Darla. Dru and Darla waltz through the city and leave a trail of blood and they do a massacre - just like Wolfram & Hart wanted them to do.

My Opinion: This episode totally proves the point I made earlier. Angel has let these people die - willingly, when he could have saved them. Let's see how that develops.

Synopsis: Angel fires Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn and goes on a hunt for his "relatives". In the meantime the three try to do what is supposed to be Angel's job: help the helpless.

My Opinion: Angel can be a badass even without being Angelus. But being on a campaign of vengeance has such results. But it is exciting to watch him.

(From Angel Marathon on February 16th, 2008)