DVD Collectors Online

Pan's Labyrinth, a review by RossRoy

Original Title: El Laberinto del fauno Year: 2006 Country: Mexico Director: Guillermo Del Toro Rating: 14A Length: 119 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: Spanish: DTS ES (Discrete), Spanish: Dolby Digital Surround EX, French: Dolby Digital Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

What they say
From acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro ('Blade II', 'Hellboy') comes a dark fantasy/thriller about a young girl who enters a mysterious labyrinth and finds herself at the center of a ferocious battle between Good and Evil. 

My Thoughts
It is not often that I watch a movie after hearing all the hype surrounding it and end up liking it as much as the hype hints to. I loved the film. The story is well told, and the contrast between the fantasy world and the real world is well played. The character design is awesome: we've all seen the Fauno on the posters, and I love its look. Guillermo Del Toro did a good job crafting a world beyond reality that is fantastic, at the same time as it is scary.



(From RossRoy's Random Viewings on November 24th, 2008)

The Up Series, a review by James

Title: The Up Series
Year: 1963-2005
Director: Michael Apted
Rating: NR
Length: 710 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary:
Subtitles:

Plot:
Starting in 1964 with 'Seven Up', 'The UP Series' has explored this Jesuit maxim. The original concept was to interview 14 children from diverse backgrounds from all over England, asking them about their lives and their dreams for the future. Every seven years, renowned director Michael Apted, a researcher for 'Seven Up,' has been back to talk to them, examining the progression of their lives.

From cab driver Tony to schoolmates Jackie, Lynn and Susan and the heart-breaking Neil, as they turn 49 more life-changing decisions and surprising developments are revealed.

An astonishing, unforgettable look at the structure of life in the 20th century, 'The UP Series' is, according to critic Roger Ebert, "an inspired, almost noble use of the film medium. Apted penetrates to the central mystery of life."

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Gallery
Production Notes
Interviews


"Give me the child until he is 7, and I will give you the man."

That is the basis on which this series was started. The filmmakers interviewed a bunch of 7 year olds to look at class distinctions and such. They've returned to interview most of them again, every 7 years since then.

I first started watching the series at 28 Up. The entire series was first released to DVD in a package containing the films through 42 Up. The latest set, through 49 Up, has been out since last year.

If you haven't seen any of it, I recommend that you do. It's a unique look into the lives of these people, but it's a window through which we can see ourselves.

I remember a line from Weather Man where Nicholas Cage's character says something like when you are young, you have so many possibilities for your life. As you grow older, they drop away one by one until you are left with only the life you are living.

That's sort of what is observed here in the Up films. Some start out with grand dreams and go through the struggle in which those dreams don't come true. But then contentment comes too.

This is akin to some of the reality shows we see today where you get to know people over the course of a show, but here, you get to know them over the course of their lives. As soon as I finish one, I can't wait for the next. But the next one comes 7 years later. By then, they are different people, but so am I. The Up interviewees are 7 years older than I am, so I'm always sort of seeing my immediate future when each new film comes out.

Roger Ebert is quoted on the latest cover with "On my list of the ten greatest films of all time." In fact, he does list The Up Documentaries on his Great Movies list. An interview by Roger Ebert with director Michael Apted is included on the 49 Up disc.

You can get the set or you can also get 42 Up and 49 Up individually. The format of each film is to focus on one person at a time and show clips from all of their prior interviews. So you can sample a later film and still get a flavor for what came before. I don't think it would be necessary to watch all of them if you just wanted to check out 49 Up, for example, but you might be left wanting for more.

(From The "Up" Series on June 29th, 2008)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Bionic Woman: The Complete Series (2007/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Universal Pictures, Universal Playback (United Kingdom) Length: 324 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

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Plot:
Join one of TV's most stunning breakout heroines as the action-packed series Bionic Woman leaps onto DVD! From executive producer David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) comes this gripping re-imagining of the universally beloved character.

Jamie Sommers is a hard-working woman struggling to take care of her younger sister. But after a serious, life-threatening accident, Jamie is saved by a top-secret procedure that makes her much more than just an ordinary woman... it makes her superhumanly bionic. Starring hot newcomer Michelle Ryan, as well as Miguel Ferrer (Crossing Jordan), Molly Price (Third Watch), Will Yun Lee (Witchblade), Lucy Kate Hale (How I Met Your Mother), and guest stars Isaiah Washington (Grey's Anatomy) and Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica), it's a non-stop thrill ride unlike anything you've seen before!

Bionic Woman
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Laeta Kalogridis (Writer)
Director: Michael Dinner
Cast: Michelle Ryan (Jaime Sommers), Miguel Ferrer (Jonas Bledsoe), Chris Bowers (Will Anthros), Molly Price (Ruth Truewell), Will Yun Lee (Jae Kim), Lucy Hale (Becca Sommers), Thomas Kretschmann (The Man), Mark A. Sheppard (Dr. Anthony Anthros), Aaron Douglas (Prison Guard), Katee Sackhoff (Sarah Corvus), Conrad Coates (Doctor #1), Alicia Thorgrimsson (Doctor #2), Jenn Forgie (Nurse), Heather Doerksen (Mother), Roan Curtis (Little Girl), Leela Savasta (Shawna), Crystal Lowe (Jessica), Dominic Zamprogna (Med-flight Tech #1), Jacqueline Samuda (Med-flight Tech #2), John Mann (Drug Dealer), Craig Lobzun (Sleazy Bar Patron)

I saw the pre-air pilot when it first appeared on the net and I was not overly impressed with it. So I never bothered watching the series. But after Pete's recent reviews I thought it may be worth checking out (and it was cheap). The pilot is better than I remember it being (I don't know if it is different than the pre-air pilot). A good start to what looks like it could be worth following.

Rating:


(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on June 23rd, 2011)