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On the Beach, a review by Rich

Underwater to Alaska...



Title: On the Beach

Runtime:198
Certificate:15
Year:2000
Genres:Science-Fiction, Drama, Television

Plot:It's 2006 and most of the world has been devastated by a catastrophic atomic war between China and America. Billions have been wiped out.
Australia is the only refuge for survivors, but radioactive fallout is drifting alarmingly closer. Anarchy and chaos are taking over as tension builds on the loot-ridden streets.
There is one glimmer of hope, a lone American submarine led by Commander Dwight Towers (Armand Assante) sets off in the desesperate search for a faint radio message traced to Alaska.
Their mission is chilling. They see the brutal devastation of the war. Can they see off the end of the world as we know it?
"On the Beach" is based on Nevil Shute's classic novel warning of a terrifying possible future.
This heartbreaking yet exhilarating epic stars ARMAND ASSANTE (Striptease, Hoffa), his love interest is played by RACHEL WARD (Double Jeopardy). Also co-starring STEVE BASTONI (Matrix Reloaded) and BRYAN BROWN (Cocktail).

My Review:
Remake of Kramers classic which starred Peck, Gardner and Astaire. Enjoyed this film, but whoa how depressing is this story! Not the greatest acting or cast list (good to see the lovely Jacqueline Mackenzie ) but Shute's story pulls it through. Let's be honest, we all grumble about sickly Hollywood happy endings, but when they aren't there you feel a bit gloomy! I will hunt down the original now for comparison, for this remake I would recommend it if bought from a bargain bin or to watch on cable/tv.


(From Around the World in 80 DVD's on March 11th, 2008)

I Am From Titov Veles, a review by Danae Cassandra

Where We Are: Macedonia
wikipedia

What We Watched:


Jas sum od Titov Veles (I Am From Titov Veles)
Year of Release: 2007
Directed By: Teona Strugar
Starring: Labina Mitevska, Ana Kostovska, Nikolina Kujaca, Xhevdet Jashari
Genre: Drama

Overview:
Set in the quaint but scarred town of Veles, three sisters long to escape the suffocating environment of their dying community.  Burdened by memories of their late father, each chooses a different path:  Sapho struggles to secure a visa to Greece, Slavica desperately searches for a rich husband, and Afrodita harbors hopes for love and children.  In this contemporary story of urban decay, director Teona Strugar Mitevska blends stark realism with memorable performances to create a vivid landscape of life and longing in post-communist Macedonia.

My Thoughts:
Watching this film, I am reminded of coal country - eastern Kentucky, West Virginia - except instead of coal, here we have a factory that brings jobs and poisons the land and people.  We have a bleak crumbling infrastructure people are desperate to escape from - into dreams, drugs, sex, or to actually grasp the ability to leave for better opportunity.  This was a really well done character study, both of the sisters themselves and the character of the place.  You can feel the despair and the hopelessness roil off the screen.  If that didn't say it - this isn't a happy story, and it doesn't have a happy ending.  But it has something to say about life and living, and that always makes for a film worth seeing.

Bechdel Test:  Pass

Overall: 3.5/5

(From Around the World in 86 Movies on May 12th, 2014)

Charmed: The Final Season, a review by addicted2dvd

Charmed: The Final Season (2005/United States) Get ready for the ultimate ride in supernatural entertainment! In Charmed: The Final Season, the magical Halliwell sisters Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Paige (Rose McGowan) face their biggest challenges in love, life and death as they try one last time to fulfill their destiny! Join them in their fight to protect Leo from the Angel of Death, and witness their devastating battle when demons conspire to take over the Underworld! Charmed: The Final Season's 6 discs deliver 22 episodes of nonstop thrills, suspense and a climactic finale! The Charmed Ones are ready. Are you? EPISODES: 1. Still Charmed & Kicking 2. Malice in Wonderland 3. Run, Piper, Run 4. Desperate Housewitches 5. Rewitched 6. Kill Billie: Vol. 1 7. The Lost Picture Show 8. Battle of the Hexes 9. Hulkus Pocus 10. Vaya Con Leos 11. Mr. & Mrs. Witch 12. Payback's A Witch 13. Repo Manor 14. 12 Angry Zen 15. The Last Temptation of Christy 16. Engaged and Confused 17. Generation Hex 18. The Torn Identity 19. The Jung and the Restless 20. Gone With The Witches 21. Kill Billie: Vol. 2 22. Forever Charmed

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Stars:
Alyssa Milano as Phoebe Halliwell
Rose McGowan as Paige Matthews
Holly Marie Combs as Piper Halliwell
Brian Krause as Leo Wyatt
Kaley Cuoco as Billie

Extras:

• Audio Commentary
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Closed Captioned

Here it is... the final season of Charmed. I went through this season so fast... in just a few hours over a day. Come to think of it... I went through the entire series pretty quick... 8 seasons (178 episodes) in exactly 3 weeks. That averages out to 8 and a half episodes per day! This is my 4th time watching the series... and I loved the entire run this time as I did the first time I saw it.

Good new this set (is the only one that) has extras! There is a few commentaries as well as several featurettes. Including a featurette where they actually interview fans of the series. A strange thing about this set is that they did not use the theme song for the opening of the episodes. They have for every previous season... but they don't for the last season? Oh well... I always skip the episode openings anyway. One thing that bugs me about all the sets of Charmed is that there is no play all function. I know how difficult is it to click the next episode once it goes back to the menu...but it can be a pain. Especially when you keep forgetting where you set down the remote... like I did many times!

This season Kaley Cuoco is added to the cast. She is well known for playing Penny on The Big Bang Theory. Kaley plays a young witch that The Charmed Ones take in and teach the craft to. This is one time I just can not pick favorite episodes... as I loved every minute of them all. I especially loved how they ended the series. Episodes like Forever Charmed is how all series should go out. It gives a great sense of closure for the series. No unanswered questions. Just a sad goodbye. If there is anything I would change if I could. It is how the final episode brought back so many familiar faces from previous episodes/seasons... but they couldn't get Shannen Doherty to make an appearance. The final shot of the episode was of a bunch of family pictures on the wall as they followed an Piper and Leo up the stairs... and they couldn't even use a picture of her on the wall!?! It is a shame.

Over-all I can't say enough good about it... loved every second. After watching all 8 seasons I actually find myself a little sad that I don't have any more to watch.




(From Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched on April 21st, 2012)