DVD Collectors Online

Spellbound, a review by Dragonfire

Spellbound

A dedicated psychiatrist (Ingrid Bergman) falls for a man (Gregory Peck) who may or may not be a cold-blooded murderer.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this movie overall.  Some scenes do move slower and there it almost seems at times if the psycho babble stuff is tossed in more often to make the movie longer, but I still think it is entertaining overall.  The characters are interesting for the most part and I was interested in finding out the truth about Peck's character.  I did think that the relationship between Constance and Dr. Edwards progressed faster than was believable, but I still enjoyed the movie. 

The dream sequence is interesting and a bit..bizarre...which works.  I do wonder what the sequence would have been like if Selznick hadn't cut much of it. 

The extras on my version of the DVD are interesting.  There is one about Dali and the dream sequence and it also covers the fact that Selznick cut a lot of the scene.  A few little memos from Selznick are shown.  Another one talks about psychoanalysis and how it was used in the movie.  There is also one about an actress.  I can't remember her name at the moment, but she talks about being discovered.  The extras were interesting.

Overall I really enjoyed this movie.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Spellbound

(From Alfred Hitchcock Marathon on September 2nd, 2009)

Crossing Over, a review by KinkyCyborg

Crossing Over



Title:Crossing Over
Year: 2009
Director: Wayne Kramer
Rating: R
Length: 113 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Harrison Ford (1942)
Ray Liotta
Ashley Judd
Jim Sturgess
Cliff Curtis

Plot:
Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones films) is on a quest for justice as an immigrations agent investigating the case of a missing illegal. In a cross-fire of crime and bureaucracy, fraud and murder, he must race against time to try to save a family from becoming collateral damage in the fight for the American dream. Critics rave, "Harrison Ford is terrific. An engrossing, thoroughly entertaining movie with great performances from a first-rate ensemble cast" (Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com). Co-starring Ashley Judd (Twisted), Ray Liotta (Smokin' Aces), Jim Sturgess (21), and Cliff Curtis (10,000 BC), Crossing Over will keep you riveted until the final mystery unfolds.

Extras:
Scene Access


Dreadful look at the ugly world of immigration in the U.S. and the lengths some people will go to get in, and those who would keep them out.

A myriad of hard luck stories some of which overlap. With a couple of lucky exceptions all of them conclude badly for those involved.

Harrison Ford plays an INS agent who deals with illegals on a daily basis but finds it harder and harder to remain detached from his work and the unfortunate illegals he encounters. He's solid in his typical brooding way as he exhibits compassion to one young Mexican woman and tries to help her. Ashley Judd is fine too as another bright light who is heartbroken day in and day out as she deals with the children of families without green cards.

On the darker side of the coin we meet Ray Liotta who sleazes his way into a young, sexy (and often nude!) Australian woman's bed in exchange for help with her green card. Alice Eve plays the Aussie and demonstrates the desperation that leads to the surrendering of ones convictions.

Many cultures are given air time including Koreans, Islamics, Israeli's and Hispanics all with emotionally charged stories to tell, some more interesting than others but told in an effort to show opposing points of view on the immigration debate.

Personally, despite the sometimes cold, harsh portrayal of U.S. immigration controls and those who enforce them I find them completely necessary in this day and age and are seriously lacking here in Canada.

This was a bit too slow and drawn out, perhaps biting off more than it could chew by telling so many individual stories. It would have been better had they narrowed their focus to one or two of the better stories but overall it gives a very eye opening, raw look into the world of the illegal alien.

KC

Rating:

(From KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2010 on January 9th, 2011)

Lesbian Movie Marathon, a review by Tom

Title: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Year: 1990
Director:
Rating: 15
Length: 163 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1
Subtitles: English

Stars:


Plot:
A POIGNANT, COMIC AND TOTALLY ORIGINAL COMING-OF-AGE STORY ADAPTED FOR THE BBC BY JEANNETTE WINTERSON FROM HER WHITBREAD PRIZE-WINNING NOVEL.

Jess is the adopted daughter of a deeply religious woman. Growing up isolated and insulated in the north of England in the 1970's, Jess is told she's part of a larger plan. Her mother keeps her away from "Breeding Grounds" like schools, preferring to train her to spread God's word "to all the heathens in the hot countries." Jess eventually attends school, but continually feels like an outcast due to her religious beliefs. Her small town life changes when she meets Melanie, a beautiful sixteen-year old, and she experiences love at first sight. As the two draw closer, Jess's mother sees the devil at work and determines to exorcise the demons from her daughter.

Faced with the ire of Pastor Finch and his congregation, Jess realizes that she must soon decide between following her own heart or the path set out for her by others.

Awards:
Extras:
Interviews
Scene Access

Overall an okay mini-series. I liked the second episode the best of the three. I didn't enjoy it as much as the later BBC mini series I have reviewed in this thread ("Fingersmith" and "Tipping the Velvet").
The old ladies reminded me very much of Monty Python when they are doing their old ladies drag. Especially in the beginning of the first episode

Rating:

(From Lesbian Movie Marathon on May 14th, 2010)