DVD Collectors Online

Sombre, a review by Jimmy

Title: Sombre
Year: 1998
Director: Philippe Grandrieux 
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h51
Video:  Wide Screen
Audio:  French (Stereo)
Subtitles: English

Stars:Plot:
Director Philippe Grandieux's contreversial feature debut is a psychological thriller that delves into the warped mind of a serial killer. While on a murderous rampage through the backroads of France, Jean picks up two sisters, Christine and Claire, whose car has broken down. the encounters turns into a nightmare of terror culminating with Christine being viciously attacked. Inexplicably, Claire gives up her chance for escape and stays with Jean in a desperate attempt to save him from his demons.

Extras:
Theatrical Trailer

It's very rare that I buy a movie in my native language, since the France and the other french country (Province of Quebec include even if it isn't one) doesn't produce the genre of films that interest me. But, I've decide to give a chance to this one because of the synopsis who looks promising.

What a deception... This movie promises a nightmare of terror, a murderous rampage and a study of a killer mind. Nothing of that appear really, some murder happen at the beginning but blink your eyes and you miss them. This is a boring story and the movie is seemingly endless, nothing happen and honestly after 30 minutes I wanted to stop it but I've to reviewed it so no choice : I've to go on with the torture.

The only moment of what this movie coul've been happen after one hour and it's the only reason why I don't give it a zero. The killer and one of the girl are at some kind of public party and they go at a private house to continue it. They are with 2 other guys and by the camera movement (constant change of POV and unclear picture) and the music choice (Bela Lugosi's dead by Bauhaus; great song by the way) we see how they are more and more drunk. I'll stop here (don't want to spoil the only good moment of the movie), but I can say that it doesn't end the way I was thinking.

Maybe a movie for the peoples who like the french psychological bore fest, but this is not my cup of tea.   

Rating : 1.5/5

(From My review - unseen and unwatched january marathon on January 23rd, 2008)

Frenzy, a review by Achim

Title: Frenzy
Year: 1972
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Rating: R
Length: 116 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, French: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Jon Finch
Barry Foster
Barbara Leigh-Hunt
Anna Massey
Alec McCowen

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes

I have watched the film two or three times through my school years and not since then. I was very surprised to find that it was much better than I remembered it (and I already remembered it to be a good film). At its core the film is still based on Hitchcock's favorite theme, the "wrong man", he did well in avoiding just doing more of the same and playing some interesting riffs on what he would have usually done earlier in his career. The main protagonist is far from the likable "man next door" who gets mixed up in some criminal plot, the plot is not just about being wrongly accused and then getting out of it and through the last third the theme actually shifts away I very much enjoyed how detailed it was described how poor Richard Blaney got deeper and deeper into the mess, even through events that had happened 2 years earlier! It looks like Hitchcock had great fun putting all that on screen.

Acting is excellent all through the cast, including smaller bit parts. I enjoyed Barry Foster and Alex McCowen the most.

It can be argued that this is Hitchcock's nastiest film (we had a discussion on this forum whether Hitchcock's films would be much the same today or if he'd make more use of gore himself), by what is shown on screen (e.g. we get to see a rape-murder) but just as well theme (there's not many nice people here). A good portion of that success is due to the decision to work much more on location than before; gone is the fake look of outdoor sets.



(From Alfred Hitchcock Marathon on May 5th, 2010)

NCIS Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

17. AN EYE FOR AN EYE
A petty officer commits suicide after the N.C.I.S. team investigates him, which leads the team to one of the officer's lecturers who works for the CIA.

My Thoughts:
This is a pretty good episode. But not really one of my favorites. I liked the parts towards the beginning... but it kinda lost me when Tony and Kate left the country... as the story really slowed down for me.

My Rating:

18. BIKINI WAX
The N.C.I.S. team suspects a possible stalker when a pregnant female petty officer is murdered backstage at a bikini contest.

My Thoughts:
This is a fun episode. I got a kick at the look on Tony's face when he realized the crime scene was at a bikini contest.

My Rating:

19. CONSPIRACY THEORY
Ducky believes love triangles can be murder, at least in the case of the petty officer who was thought to have committed suicide after suffering a supposed "nervous breakdown."

My Thoughts:
Another one I enjoyed quite a bit. I liked how they showed the cause of the nervcous breakdown. It shows in this day and age just because something sounds crazy... that isn't always the case.

My Rating:

20. RED CELL
A Marine in an ROTC program is murdered and Gibbs and his team suspect the soldier was involved in a game with deadly consequences.

My Thoughts:
This is a good... but really standard episode. Nothing really special to talk about.

My Rating:



21. HOMETOWN HERO
A heroic Navy medic killed in Iraq is the prime suspect in a murder in his hometown and Gibbs and his team work to clear his name.

My Thoughts:
This is a good episode. I liked how hard the team fought to to clear the medic's name.

My Rating:

22. SWAK
Tony opens a letter only to release a mysterious powder into the N.C.I.S. squad room. Now the team must work to discover an antidote before it's too late.

My Thoughts:
This is such an excellent episode. When you first watch this episode you get the feeling we are about to loose one of the regular characters of the series. I liked how this episode showed no matter how much they argue Kate really does care about Tony... and will go through much to help him.

My Rating:

23. TWILIGHT
Attempting to thwart an assassination attempt on Gibbs, the N.C.I.S. team pays the ultimate price with the death of a team member.

My Thoughts:
Another just excellent episode. And this time we actually do see the end of one of our favorite characters. And it happens so all the sudden and so in your face graphically that to this day... after seeing this episode at least 5 times... it still gets a reaction out of me. Very well done... very strong episode.

My Rating:



(From NCIS Marathon on December 8th, 2009)