DVD Collectors Online

McLintock!, a review by Rogmeister

McLintock!  Authentic Collector's Edition  Film Release: 1963   127m
Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
Cast: John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Stefanie Powers, Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Yvonne De Carlo, Jack Kruschen, Jerry Van Dyke, Bruce Cabot, Robert Lowery

You could call this a western comedic version of "The Taming of the Shrew".  In it, rancher G.W. McLintock (John Wayne) is surprised at the return of his estranged wife (Maureen O'Hara) who is mainly there due to the impending arrival of their daughter (Stefanie Powers) who is arriving from an Eastern college.  This sets into motion all sorts of goings-on in a riotous and hilarious movie with all kinds of great moments including a free-for-all where people are knocked down a steep hill into a watery mudhole and the big finale where McLintock chases his wife through town (while she's  in her underwear) culminating in his giving her a public spanking.  Hey, it's certainly not politically correct now but I never turn down the chance to see Maureen O'Hara in her undies!  Be aware, however, that a few public domain copies of this movie have been released by other companies, all of poor quality.  The one you want is the "Authentic Collector's Edition" released by Paramount.  Not only is it very affordable (list price in the U.S. of a mere $15) but it has a load of nice extras so you certainly get your money's worth there.

DVD Extras
Promo for The John Wayne Collection
Introduction by Leonard Maltin
Commentary by Leonard Maltin, Frank Thompson, Maureen O'Hara, Stefanie Powers, Michael Pate, Michael Wayne and Andrew V. McLaglen
The Making of McLintock! (3 parts including a nice chapter featuring nice on-screen interviews with Maureen O'Hara and Stefanie Powers)
The Corset: Don't Leave Home Without One!
2-minute Fight School (learn how to throw punches the John Wayne movie way!)
Photo Gallery
Original Theatrical Trailer
Batjac Collection Teasers (short trailers for several Batjac films, with and without John Wayne)

Overall, a highly recommended title.   

(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 22nd, 2009)

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, a review by Tom

Title: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Year: 2001
Director: Karan Johar
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 210 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Amitabh Bachchan
Jaya Bachchan
Shah Rukh Khan
Kajol
Hrithik Roshan

Plot:
Yashovardhan Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan) and his wife Nandini (Jaya Bachchan) have raised their sons, Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) and Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) showering them with love and affection. Yash has tried to pass on to his sons the values, heritage and traditions of their family. Nandini has different dreams for her sons. Dreams of love that she wanted both her sons to experience, more so Rahul as she shares a special bond with him. A bond that has been cultivated with love for a child that was never meant to be... a child who was adopted. Rahul's adoption was a secret never discussed in the Raichand household. Ever since Rahul found out at the age of 8 years, it became the reason for his unending gratitude for his parents- especially his father. His father's every wish became a command for him. A command which he never breaks until he falls in love with Anjali (Kajol)- a bubbly girl from Chandni Chowk, who dotes on her younger sister Pooja (Kareena Kapoor). Rahul marries Anjali and brings her home but his father doesn't approve of her. Rahul thus decides to leave home causing his mother's every waking moment to be spent eagerly awaiting his return. Seeing this the younger son Rohan makes a promise to reunite the family and bring back the happiness they once shared.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2002	Nominated	Best Actor Award	Shahrukh Khan
Filmfare Awards	2002	Won	Best Actress Award	Kajol
Filmfare Awards	2002	Won	Best Art Direction Award	Sharmishta Roy
Filmfare Awards	2002	Won	Best Dialogue Award	Karan Johar
Filmfare Awards	2002	Nominated	Best Supporting Actor Award	Hrithik Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2002	Nominated	Best Supporting Actor Award	Amitabh Bachchan
Filmfare Awards	2002	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress Award	Kareena Kapoor
Filmfare Awards	2002	Won	Best Supporting Actress Award	Jaya Bachchan
IIFA Awards	2002	Won	Best Male Playback	Sonu Nigam
IIFA Awards	2002	Won	Best Supporting Actress	Jaya Bachchan

Extras:
Scene Access

I watched this movie first of the three newly purchased Bollywood movies, as this one is the longest of the three. It goes three and half hours (currently the longest movie in my collection, beating out "Das Boot: Director's Cut" by ten minutes). Strange, that I always dread watching Hollywood movies which are more than two hours long, but I do not mind Bollywood movies taking this long. As a matter of fact I already think, that when a Bollywood movie is less than two and half hours long, then something is wrong with it
This movie started out a little too boring except for a few really fun scenes. But almost at the one hour mark, it really picked up for me and I really enjoyed the remaining two and half hours.
The movie is about a family, where one of the sons (Shah Rukh Khan) is outcast, because he fell in love with a common girl instead of marrying into an arranged marriage. The son moves with his new wife to London. Ten years later, his now grown up brother (Hrithik Roshan) follows him and is staying at his brother's without telling him who he really is. And his mission is to reconcile the father with his enstranged son.
This is now the first movie I saw with Shah Rukh Khan, who is a real superstar in Bollywood movies. And I am glad that I liked him, because he is also the star in the other two Bollywood movies I have bought.
And again we have a lot of beautiful women
In the beginning it was hard to keep track of who is who and how to keep them apart. But later on, only two of these women were relevant and these two are easily distinguishable.
Hrithik Roshan (who was the star in the first two Bollywood movie that I saw), again did a great performance. The only problem I have with him now is, that since I first noticed, that the has two thumbs on his right hand, I always seek out his hand when it's in the pictures. It's a little distracting. And they do not even bother one bit to hide this in any of his movies. I think they are right to just ignore this instead of constantly trying to hide it, but it is destracting nonetheless. You can see it, for example, a few times in the music video I posted with my Krrish review.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on July 9th, 2009)

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

03. The Harsh Light of Day (1999-10-19)
Writer: Jane Espenson (Writer)
Director: James A. Contner
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Seth Green (Oz), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Mercedes McNab (Harmony Kendall), Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams), James Marsters (Spike), Jason Hall (Devon), Melik (Brian)

A good episode. Nice to see Spike and Harmony again. Though Spike is really stupid to challenge Buffy as soon as he got the ring instead of leaving town. Even stupider is, that he tells her exactly why he is now invincible giving her the chance to take the ring away from him.

Rating:



04. Fear Itself (1999-10-26)
Writer: David Fury (Writer)
Director: Tucker Gates
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Seth Green (Oz), Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Marc Blucas (Riley Finn), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Adam Kaufman (Parker Abrams), Lindsay Crouse (Maggie Walsh), Marc Rose (Josh), Sulo Williams (Chaz), Aldis Hodge (Masked Teen), Walter Emanuel Jones (Edward), Adam Bitterman (Gachnar), Michele Nordin (Rachel), Adam Grimes (Lobster Boy), Darris Love (Hallmate), Larissa Reynolds (Present Girl)

Really fun episode. Anya in a bunny costume, Giles with a chainsaw and the great reveal at the end about the fear demon.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on August 1st, 2009)