DVD Collectors Online

Man Without a Star, a review by Rogmeister

Unlike most of my reviews, this isn't a DVD I have...I've only been able to catch this on a cable channel (the US's AMC mostly) as it's never gotten an official U.S. DVD release.  I keep hoping but here's the review I wrote up for this movie anyway...



Man Without a Star (1955)
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor, William Campbell, Richard Boone, Jay C. Flippen, Sheb Wooley, Roy Barcroft
Director: King Vidor

This is probably one of my favorite westerns that's not currently available on DVD...I had to watch it on AMC. And they took this trim 89-minute western and fed it commercials until it clocked in at a bloated two hours. When it is running, it moves very quickly and is fun to watch.

Kirk Douglas plays a drifter who helps a young cowhand (to the point where the youngster starts hero worshiping him) and they wind up working on a ranch which winds up having a new female owner. She wants all the range for herself and that starts all kinds of conflict. Though much of the story gets serious with the subject of barbed wire and everything, it does have it's lighter moments such as a couple times when Kirk gets to play the banjo and sing a bit. He doesn't sing the title song, though...they hired Frankie Laine for that.

I'll continue to hope for a DVD release but will have to watch the TV listings for the occasional cable airing until then.  The only release of this available to me is one of those Hong Kong imports which I don't care for (the quality usually isn't all that sharp).  This may be about the only Kirk Douglas western now not available on DVD...but don't quote me on that.

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on July 5th, 2009)

Hostel Part II, a review by Rich

hiding behind cushion in iceland...



Director Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) and producer Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs) up the ante in the brutal and terrifying sequel to the smash hit Hostel.Starring Bijou Phillips (Almost Famous, Venom), Heather Matarazzo (The Princess Diaries, Scream 3) and Roger Bart (The Producers, TV's Desperate Housewives), Hostel Part II takes place directly after the events of the first film and once again also features Jay Hernandez (Hostel, Ladder 49) as the revenge-seeking but ultimately hapless Paxton.Hostel Part II follows a group of female backpackers as they are lured to the apparently perfect youth hostel for a holiday packed with hedonistic fun. However, the truth once again turns out to be far more terrifying as the girls are subjected to a brutal ordeal at the hands of the sick tourists who pay to exercise their darkest desires.

I know a few here can enjoy gore, but I am a lightweight so spent some time averting my eyes at the most gruesome parts of the film. Well constructed and slickly produced, breathless pace and vivid imagery. If you are a fan of this genre I would have thought this to be nearly as good as they come. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, and thus have to say it would be worth a viewing. 5/10


(From Around the World in 80 DVD's on March 18th, 2008)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title: Suzuka: The Complete Series
Year: 2005
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 610 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English

Plot:
Love is not a spectator sport.

High school is a hectic time of change for most... But for happy-go-lucky Yamato, it's gonna be a complete revolution! He's the new kid in class, having transferred to the big city to attend Aoba High, where he finds himself smitten with the local rising star of track and field. Yet two people could not be more different! And as Suzuka remains completely uninspired by Yamato's cheerfully irresponsible nature, things progress from bad to worse with record-breaking speed! So when the young man decides to step up his efforts and join the track team, his best might not measure up...

It's mixed signals and high school hormones with everyone running in circles! Throw in the antics of a handful of high school stereotypes, and Yamato's completely out of his league! When love is not a spectator sport, the only question is who will go the distance?

Extras:
Commentary
Scene Access
Textless songs.
Trailers

An enjoyable high school romance without wacky characters for a change.
The male lead falls in love with Suzuka, a girl in his class and also his neighbour. Problem is, that she has some emotional baggage, which causes her to be rather cool towards him in the beginning, but also doesn't let her acknowledge her feelings towards him later on.
Animation is rather average, but I like the character design of the characters, especially Suzuka. The only thing I do not like about is, is the hair of the male lead.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on December 26th, 2008)