What DVD have you just watched?
Posted by: u5227470736789439 on 27 November 2005
All the best from Fredrik
tonym posted:
Whenever it's a warm, sunny day I think of this film. Set in California, it shows the life of a supposedly successful and popular guy who, on a particularly fine day, decides to make his way across the local county by way of other folks' swimming pools. On his journey, the truth of his life is revealed as he meets his neighbours and supposed friends. Burt Lancaster is excellent in the role, and it's one of those films that stick with you. Highly recommended.
Thank you for posting it. I really enjoyed the film.
The Warsaw Ghetto on DVD:
An excellent film based on the true life story of Irena Sendler who was a young social worker in Warsaw during the German occupation and who worked with the resistance to save children from the ghetto clearances and the eventual concentration camps.
It appears to be a film made for TV, and appears under a different title in the US - The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler - but don't let that put you off. It's well worth watching and the epilogue is very moving.
Just working my way through the box set of series 2. I'd recorded this from TV a year or so ago but lost it when my TIVO disk failed. The box warns of 'strong bloody violence' and its not wrong. Gripping but gruesome. Series 3 coming soon on Channel 4.
Tomorrow Land - Directed by Brad Bird. Written by Brad Bird & Damon Lindelof. Streamed via Netflix.
What a genuine surprise this movie was. Due to the mixed reviews on release I hadn't paid it that much attention, but now I wish I'd seen it at the cinema. After watching it I can easily understand it being so divisive.
In places, it's a Sci-Fi design feast for the eyes - an interesting mix of romanticised mid century space race aesthetic and also a steam punk reference thrown in for a most unexpected sequence. Visually it's a delight.
It has some (frustrating) issues and flaws, but I'm not going to dwell on the negative. Gorgeous George is on good form when he eventually breaks cover and Hugh Laurie is convincing although his role is a little underwritten. Britt Robertson & Raffey Cassidy as the main leads are just superb.
The most refreshing aspect, it's an original Sci-Fi movie unassociated with Marvel, DC, Star Wars or any other franchise (much as I like those movie house juggernauts). There's also a lovely freeze frame sequence for us Sci-Fi geeks in a movie memorabilia shop.
Highly recommended, but only for the dreamers!
Haim Ronen posted:tonym posted:
Whenever it's a warm, sunny day I think of this film. Set in California, it shows the life of a supposedly successful and popular guy who, on a particularly fine day, decides to make his way across the local county by way of other folks' swimming pools. On his journey, the truth of his life is revealed as he meets his neighbours and supposed friends. Burt Lancaster is excellent in the role, and it's one of those films that stick with you. Highly recommended.
Thank you for posting it. I really enjoyed the film.
"Enjoyed"? It's pretty grim and depressing as I recall.
A slight disappointment that the film encompassed so little of the wonderful book. Takes place in my hometown and told by my favorite native writer, no way I was going to miss it.
On BBC iplayer
Harrowing and, I warn you now, a distressing watch.
A story within a war about courage without glamour.
I had a few tears at the end.
Loved it however I can imagine some people would find it long and needs trimmed a little.
Not really a DVD I guess, but I binge-watched all four hours of this earlier in the week and absolutely LOVED it - I'd recommend viewing it even if you're not a Deadhead. There are omissions - no mention of crucial figures such as TC, Rock Sculley, Betty Cantor, Bill Graham, Mountain Girl or Vince Welnick - and the band's (or Jerry's) drug problems (as well as Jerry's failures to live up to his reposnsibilities) are glossed over, but it was compelling viewing for this committed fan.
Star of the film for me was London-born Sam Cutler, the Dead's indefatigable road manager, who was hilarious, but I loved the sections about the Wall of Sound and the various fan tribes; as well as JP Barlow visiting Pig's grave and wondering why a memorial to a keyboard player was covered in plectrums and guitar picks...
Among the many wonderful and previously unseen clips were the band goofing about at the Bickershawe Festival and Cutler trying to tech the
Interesting to see the band's individual personalities emerge too - Zen Bob, professorial Phil, wired Mikey, chilled Bill - although Garcia remains intriguingly vague about everything.
And for all his faults, Jerry was freakin' great. Wish he were still here now.
Illuminating a little-known piece of history from WW II aftermath, the film follows a group of German prisoners of war as the Allies force them to defuse thousands of land mines buried in Denmark during the Nazi occupation.
Very powerful and highly recommended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kao3t0NBMU
Bought for SWMBO. Very colourful, packed with great tunes and very nicely choreographed. The two leads have a strong chemistry and the story's pretty good too. An old-fashioned musical, surprisingly lovely.
Terminator Genisys: Directed by Alan Taylor. Streamed via Netflix.
I enjoyed the James Cameron Terminator movies. Tremendous Sci-Fi genre flicks infused with an energy and vigour I always found compelling. So, ever the optimist, I dearly wanted to like this movie. Oh dear - heavy sigh. Outside of a couple (well, one really) of well choreographed action set pieces and competent (if unremarkable) cgi effects, this movie is achingly dull and ponderous. Even with Schwarzenegger back on full (uncanny valley) Terminator duties its a lamentable follow up to the Cameron films. Even Terminator Salvation was better than this hogwash. Empire gave it two stars. Rotten Tomatoes certified rotten. Lets hope Mr. Cameron returns to direct another instalment once he's finished playing on Pandora.
I haven't watched this in a while and the arrival of a new 55" OLED telly prompted me to dig it out. Marvellous action scenes, especially the Normandy landings one. However its the opening and closing scenes with the veteran and his family visiting the US graves in France at the beginning and end of the movie that I find the most powerful and very emotional.
Really enjoyed this, I seem to rememebr it getting dome iffy reviews but I thought it was good fun. Nice style too.
Domo Arigato by The Durutti Column. Just reissued on DVD in a box set. This concert video was only ever released in Japan, on Laserdisc. Nice to see this properly, as I only ever had a crap quality LD to VHS bootleg.
JamieWednesday posted:
Really enjoyed this, I seem to rememebr it getting dome iffy reviews but I thought it was good fun. Nice style too.
I enjoyed it, too, and being a boyhood fan of the original TV series, I didn't expect to.
tonym posted:
Bought for SWMBO. Very colourful, packed with great tunes and very nicely choreographed. The two leads have a strong chemistry and the story's pretty good too. An old-fashioned musical, surprisingly lovely.
Hi Tony,
I saw this at the cinema with my wife, we both love musicals. I am going to disagree with you. It presents and shapes itself as an old-fashioned musical, but I think the director/writers were being intellectually clever, they:
1. Used minor-key music;
2. Bright primary colors; and
3. Gave a downbeat ending.
We came away feeling cheated.
Your view is in line with the critics and the award bodies.
M