DVD Collectors Online

Pumzi, a review by Danae Cassandra

BONUS SHORT FILM!

Where We Are: Kenya
wikipedia

What We Watched:


Pumzi
Year of Release: 2009
Starring:  Kudzani Moswela
Directed By:  Wanuri Kahiu
Genre:  Science-Fiction

Overview:
Focus' Africa First program is an initiative designed exclusively for filmmakers of African nationality and residence, and presents annual awards to the best and brightest from around the continent. After touring film festivals around the world, these Africa First short films are now available for audiences everywhere:

Dyana Gaye's ST. LOUIS BLUES, an invigorating traveling musical; Jenna Bass' THE TUNNEL, a moving story of a young girl in search of her father; Jan-Hendrik Beetge's THE ABYSS BOYS a coming-of-age tale amidst rampant corruption and gang violence; and Wanuri Kahiu's PUMZI a startling vision of the future.

My Thoughts:
Pumzi is a short film, only 20 minutes long, a perfect length to watch over breakfast.  It's also a really great film!  It proves you don't need a big budget or lots of special effects to make smart, intelligent science fiction.  Asha lives in a world where the most precious and scarce commodity is water.  Every drop must be recycled.  The world outside their city enclave is a barren wasteland.  When she is sent a soil sample that is not radioactive and has an abnormally high water content, what discoveries will this lead her to?

While short, Pumzi gives you enough details about Asha's world for you to fill in the details for yourself.  It's a frighteningly realistic choice for a sci-fi setting, considering the recent droughts around the world and the usage and projected future of our water supply.  Aside from this DVD, IMDB says that Pumzi is also available from Netflix.  Highly recommended!

Bechdel Test:  Pass

Overall:  4.5/5

(From Around the World in 86 Movies on February 13th, 2013)

Sherlock Holmes, a review by Dragonfire

I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone would like to take a look.

Sherlock Holmes

(From Sherlock Holmes on January 5th, 2010)

Angel Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: The fight for Connor reaches a climax. Wesley kidnaps the boy to protect him but Holtz as well as Wolfram & Hart want him - alive. Sahjhan on the other hand wants him to be dead.

My Opinion: That Holtz would kidnap the child came unexpected - I love this unpredictability. But Wesley looked rather dead and the episode when Buffy's mother died ended similar.

Synopsis: Angel tries everything in his power to open a portal into the hell dimension Quor'Toth, to get his son back. And for this he would stop short before nothing.

My Opinion: Phew, Wesley is not dead - yet. But he and Angel don't have anything to say to each other for quite some time. My assumption is that the Holtz/Sahjhan arc is over for now.

Synopsis: Cordelia returns from her vacation but everything has changed. And then there is a certain boss of a casino who wants to collect a soul that was promised to him quite some time ago.

My Opinion: This episode was ok, but I had the feeling that it was a filler. The story was complete in itself, they haven't continued old stories and haven't begun new ones.

Synopsis: The dark magics Angel used to make Sahjhan solid had unexpected side effects. A swarm of very thirsty creatures tries to break out of the hotel to find water.

My Opinion: There's the new arc (I presume). Conner is back and he has grown a "little". When I saw this I was remined of Hope in "Xena". But what else could they have done with the baby... But except for the last third the story was only average.

(From Angel Marathon on February 21st, 2008)