Latest/recent DVD movies watched? Part 3

Red Cliff, quite bloody!

 

Picture Bride (1994)

Director: Kayo Hatta
Actors: Youki Kudoh, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Tamlyn Tomita, Akira Takayama, Yôko Sugi, Toshirô Mifune.

From Amazon: "Highly acclaimed by critics everywhere, this memorable story of passionate love is set amid the breathtaking scenery of a tropical paradise. With only a picture in hand, a beautiful young woman leaves behind all she knows for the far-off islands of Hawaii -- and an arranged marriage with a man she has never met. Though she initially regrets her decision, in time her new life on an island sugar plantation is filled with unexpected discovery and joy. Featuring Youki Kudoh (MYSTERY TRAIN) and Tamlyn Tomita (THE JOY LUCK CLUB), PICTURE BRIDE was the winner of the Audience Award for Best Dramatic Film at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival."

 

The Searchers on Blu-ray - The great John Ford/John Wayne classic. Grade = A+

Last night: Good Hair on DVD. Interesting documentary about African American women and their quest for straight hair. Pretty good but it could have been better. There was a silly hair cutting contest with some bizarre contestants and I thought there was some interesting social commentary that was ignored or barely touched upon. Grade = C+/B-

 

I watched The Stepfather on BD. I thought it an OK psycho, murder movie despite the lame soundtrack music.

 

The Wolfman (2010)
The Legend of Leigh Bowery

 

I just finished Hot Fuzz on BD. It plays like an NRA training film that went to muck and ended up a movie release... It's hot enough fun.

 

Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Book of Eli (2010)

Both good films. Recommended.

 

Gimme Shelter on Blu-ray. Nice upgrade from the DVD.

 

Cheap Trick at Budokan on DVD. This was originally filmed for Japanese TV. Video quality is okay but sound is pretty good. Nice to finally see the band live in action during the recording of their famous live album.

 

The Quiet Duel aka Shizukanaru kettô (1949)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Actors: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Miki Sanjo, Kenjiro Uemura, Chieko Nakakita

Toshiro Mifune in his second of many film collaborations with Akira Kurosawa.

 

It was a hot afternoon so I stayed in to watch The Message on DVD. It's the story of Islam's beginning. It's one of the strangest films ever. What other film doesn't ever show the central character, in this case, Mohammed?

 

Days of Heaven on Blu-ray. Absolutely breathtaking visuals on this one. If you want to see what Blu-ray is capable of check this one out.

 

I recently picked up an animated film, 'Muhammad: The Last Prophet'. Although I haven't watched it yet I understand the title character doesn't appear on screen.

 

The Book of Eli

 

Nice offbeat movie, Rose Byrne as usual doing a great job.

Bet the book is good, mayu read it soon.

 

Muslims believe it's bad taste, well, probably worse than that for the messenger of god to be portrayed. In The Messenger, folks talk to the camera as if it's the prophet. Mohammend has several spokespersons in the film to get his messages across. You should get pretty much the same thing.

 

I've never seen Lady In The Lake. I'm not sure I want to unless she's a watery tart that hands out swords to knights.... Robert Montgomery was good lookin' too.

 

I think it is a pretty good film, certainly worth watching.

 

I put in a Tivo search for it and see for myself, eventually.

 

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

 

Whip It, on Blu-Ray. A moderately enjoyable, if predictable, coming-of-age moving where its setting in the quirky world of Austin Roller Derby is the hook. A lot like other movies such as Breaking Away, an unavoidable--but not wholly detrimental--comparison since Daniel Stern is in both movies. I suspect the connection was one of the reasons for casting him in the father role. It could have come off as a pale imitation of better movies, but the acting and direction helps it rise above (as long as you don't think too much about those better movies).

John K.

 

I watched Tombstone on BD.

 

I did, too. It hasn't aged well for me: It now seems too stagy and self-conscious for its own good.

John K.