DVD Collectors Online

Buena Vista Social Club, a review by Danae Cassandra

Buena Vista Social ClubOverview:
"The Buena Vista Social Club," guitarist Ry Cooder's celebrated album featuring the recently re-discovered talents of Cuba's foremost folk musicians, sold millions of copies and earned a Grammy Award. Now, Cooder teams up with acclaimed director Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas) to reveal the astonishing life stories, vibrant personalities and unforgettable music of the brilliantly talented but long-overlooked performers who collaborated on this now-legendary recording. From the crumbling barrios of their native Havana, to their triumphant, sold-out concerts in Amsterdam and New York's Carnegie Hall, it's an unforgettable, deeply emotional journey into the passion, pride and humanity of the artists whose music sparked a worldwide musical phenomenon!


My Thoughts:
I've always loved Latin music, and these guys do not disappoint. They are fabulous, and the story of how these guys were all but forgotten and then made a triumphant return/rediscovery in their golden years is quite inspiring. The film is an excellent documentation of the making of the album, but it could have benefited from including some history of Cuban music and discussing these wonderful musicians in context.

Despite that, if you enjoy Cuban and Latin music I cannot recommend this film highly enough for how good the music here is.

Bechdel Test: Fail (N/A)
Mako Mori Test: Fail (N/A)

Overall: 4/5

(From July Movie Marathon: Musicals (Yes... You read right!) on July 20th, 2016)

Highlander, a review by Tom

Title: Highlander
Year: 1986
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Rating: 15
Length: 111 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Italian: Dolby Digital Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Dutch, French

Stars:
Christopher Lambert
Roxanne Hart
Clancy Brown
Sean Connery
Beatie Edney

Plot:
They are immortals, destined to live forever. They must duel down the ages until one remains. Only decapitation by sword can release them from their age-long battle for an incredible prize - power beyond imagination.
From the Scottish Highlands of the sixteenth century to present-day New York, they war for the Prize, while the fate of mortal man hangs in the balance.

Extras:
Interviews
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Trailers

The best of the Highlander movies. I like this movie (and the TV series), mainly because of the flashbacks. It's almost like time-travel. You see the same (immortal) character interacting in different time periods throughout history. This is why I also like flashbacks in series like Buffy and Angel.
Another thing why I like the TV series is the sword fights. But in this movie they are not good. You can see, that Christopher Lambert is not so well trained at sword fights as Adrian Paul is in the TV series.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on May 3rd, 2009)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
7.16 Storyteller
Writer: Jane Espenson (Screenwriter)
Director: Marita Grabiak
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow), Danny Strong (Jonathan), Adam Busch (Warren), Tom Lenk (Andrew), Iyari Limon (Kennedy), Sarah Hagan (Amanda), Indigo (Rona), DB Woodside (Principal Wood), Alan Loayza (Stressed Out Boy), Corin Amber Norton (Crying Girl), Sujata DeChoudhury (Shy Girl), TW Leshner (Feral Teen)

A fun Andrew episode. With some really funny scenes.

Rating:



Buffy the Vampire Slayer
7.17 Lies My Parents Told Me
Writer: David Fury (Screenwriter), Drew Goddard (Screenwriter)
Director: David Fury
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Tom Lenk (Andrew), Iyari Limon (Kennedy), Indigo (Rona), Caroline Lagerfelt (Anne), K. D. Aubert (Nikki Wood), Juliet Landau (Drusilla), DB Woodside (Principal Wood), Damani Roberts (Young Robin), Ira Steck (New Vamp)

Here we get some great flashbacks to Spike's past.

Rating:



Buffy the Vampire Slayer
7.18 Dirty Girls
Writer: Drew Goddard (Screenwriter)
Director: Michael Gershman
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn Summers), James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Eliza Dushku (Faith), Nathan Fillion (Caleb), Tom Lenk (Andrew), Iyari Limon (Kennedy), Indigo (Rona), Clara Bryant (Molly), Sarah Hagan (Amanda), Kristy Wu (Chao-Ahn), DB Woodside (Principal Wood), Mary Wilcher (Shannon), Dania Ramirez (Caridad), Rachel Bilson (Colleen), Carrie Southworth (Betty), Christie Abbott (Helpless Girl)

Faith is back!
She has some great scenes with Spike. Also this is the start of Nathan Fillion's appearances as a villain.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on May 1st, 2011)