DVD Collectors Online

The Uninvited, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Uninvited
Year of Release: 1944
Directed By: Lewis Allen
Starring: Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Donald Crisp, Alan Napier, Gail Russell
Genre: Suspense/Thriller, Horror

Overview:The UninvitedMy Thoughts:
This is a sophisticated, romantic take on the haunted house story. It has a beautiful, mysterious setting at a mansion overlooking the Cornish coast and a wonderful score, including the now-classic "Stella By Starlight." Like a lot of old films a lot is left to the viewer's imagination. The ghostly activity, for instance, is very understated.

The performances are all good. Veterans Milland and Hussay anchor the film, but fragile Gail Russell is it's soul. She's perfectly cast as Stella Meredith, and her luminous beauty here makes knowing her real-life fate all the more tragic. There's some obvious age differences in the film's romances, but nothing that shouldn't be expected from films of this age.

Which brings this point: do you like classic Hollywood movies? Because that rather predicates whether you'll enjoy this one. Highly, highly recommended if you enjoy films of this age.

Bechdel Test: Pass

Overall: 4/5

2015 Horror Movie Count: 6

(From Horror/Halloween Marathon 2015 on October 10th, 2015)

RocknRolla, a review by Rich

RocknRolla



In London, a real-estate scam puts millions of pounds up for grabs, attracting some of the city's scrappiest tough guys and its more established underworld types, all of whom are looking to get rich quick. While the city's seasoned criminals vie for the cash, an unexpected player -- a drugged out rock 'n' roller presumed to be dead but very much alive -- has a multi-million dollar prize fall into his hands.

Disappointing Guy Ritchie film after all the hype, and in this genre we have seen it all before, only done significantly better. The script is weak and full of holes, cockney rhyming slang straight from a dictionary (sorry, people don't talk like that), in fact so bad in places it became laughable.
There is no subtlety or intrigue, the plot is shoved down your throat and made me think Ritchie must think his whole audience is dumb. Acting is tame and only Tony Bebbel would come out with any credibility. The violence in the movie is so watered down to achieve a 15 certificate that it loses it's edge, and makes everything seem pointless.
They are making a sequel to this - nice to know that money is now Ritchies sole purpose of directing.
Earwig the dickie bird and save yerself some bread & honey Guv, give this a wide berth!
 

(From Riches Random Reviews on January 28th, 2009)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Stargate Atlantis



What's the show about?
As its predecessor it's about exploring a galaxy with the help of the stargates and fighting an evil and supposedly superior enemy. I've only watched the first season until now.

What happened before?
"Stargate Atlantis" is a spin-off of "Stargate SG-1" and started simultaneously with the 8th season of SG-1. It begins after the great battle against Anubis' forces over the Antarctica.

"Rising"
With the help of the Antarctica ZPM (zero point module) Stargate Command is able to open a Stargate to the Pegasus galaxy, to Atlantis. An international team consisting of military and scientists goes there in the knowledge that it might be a one-way trip. But soon after their arrival they get into trouble of all sorts. The Atlantis ZPMs are depleted and the shields cannot hold back the water much longer and the scouting party is attacked by a race called "Wraith", a race that seems to have wiped out the Ancients who built the stargate system and Atlantis...

My Opinion

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on January 2nd, 2008)