What are you watching on DVD these days?

[Nanuuk]

Perfume - The Story of a Murderer

A story set in 18th century Paris about a orphaned newborn with a keen (I would say supernatural sense of smell). He becomes isolated as a child and is sold into servitude.

I'd like to tell you more, but don't want to give away the plot. I quite liked the film, until the last 20 minutes or so, where I felt it became very surreal.

I like period pieces, from the sets to the costumes and the flavour of life during a specific period. Perfume met all of these requirements. Excellent sets, costumes and scenery. The sound track was very good as well.

The film was narrated by John Hurt and featured well known film stars Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Harry Potter) and Dustin Hoffman, but featured a British actor Ben Wishaw. Wishaw didn't speak much, but managed to make the character very believable.

Warning: the film is not suitable for children, or preteens and features a fair amount of nudity and sex and is about murder after all

[microft]

The number 23 - Tried twice to see to the end. I found it hard to follow.

The Contractor - Was like watching "Shooter" but worse.

[JesseJ]

Harry Potter 1 & 2 - Meh...maybe I'm just not into that stuff. I mean I'm 24, but it just doesn't grab me. I have more fun making fun of stuff in the movie than actually watching it. Never read the books.

[Nels Stewart]

Starter for 10 - An idealistic student (James McAvoy) heads to Bristol University with ambitions of participating in the University Challenge tv quiz show, but along the way he must overcome sloppy roommates with a penchant for cross-dressing, an uptight team captain, jealous friends back home, and his conflicted feelings for two different women. It all feels like it's been done before, borrowing little bits and pieces from various movies, and the plot holds few surprises, but it's all held together with a fun nostalgic soundtrack of '80s music from bands like Tears For Fears, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, The Style Council and even Wham!

[eljay]

The Prestige - A fatal error during a magic show turns two former magician's assistants in late-19th century London into bitter and treacherous rivals for the ultimate magic trick and the public's adulation.

An excellent movie with numerous twists and surprises to keep you mystified until the very end. A much better effort than The Illusionist.

[kgeorge78]

Apocolypco

My wife kept saying "This movie sucks!" but managed to stay up until the end.
I thought it was pretty good - Sound was great, pic quality was really nice too.

Maybe a 7/10 movie but nothing to write home about.

[johnp'in'bc]

The Prestige - .... "An excellent movie with numerous twists and surprises to keep you mystified until the very end." .... eljay

We really enjoyed that one too!! We liked The Illusionist as well, but I agree with your assessment ... we would definitely give the nod in effort to The Prestige as well. A fine movie!!

[Nels Stewart]

God Grew Tired of Us - An uplifting documentary that follows a small group of the tens of thousands of young boys who fled certain death during the civil war in Sudan as they make the move from a refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya, where they've been living for 10 years, to new lives in America[/b]

[eljay]

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Harry goes back to school and stuff happens. Snore.

[johnp'in'bc]

The Da Vinci Code - Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, et al.
Our first viewing of Director Ron Howard's adaptation of Dan Brown's international bestseller. And neither of us had read the book, so this was our first real taste of what the 'fuss' was all about.
We really enjoyed the film. We found the storyline fascinating, and most interesting, the acting very good, and the sets and scenery beautiful. And some very interesting and entertaining extra's on disc 2.
An evening well-spent. Looking forward to a second viewing sometime down the road.

[eljay]

I'm submitting a new review for HPatCoS because the one I wrote last night - after being bored by the film - was sub-par. So, here goes:

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Harry is warned by Jar-J...I mean, by Dobby the House Elf not to return to Hogwarts, but he does so anyway, "just to show 'em"*. Once there, lots of stuff happens.

There's plenty of nifty CGI, but the movie lacks the novelty of the first instalment and the promising core story is, unfortunately, eclipsed once again by bland dialogue, silly and irritating characters and pointless situations. I realize it's a kids' movie but - as Pixar has shown - they don't have to be unsophisticated to be enjoyable.

(*With apologies to Monty Python.)

[Lou Sytsma]

Reds - Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton. Interesting drama based on real life people.

[Nels Stewart]

The Big Bad Swim - The dvd's cover, featuring a sexy bikini babe, might make you think this is a raunchy little comedy, but this is really a quirky, low-budget, ensemble dramedy in which an adult swim class becomes a catalyst for the characters to confront some of the issues in their lives, make a few changes and forge new relationships. A little rough around the edges, but a well-written, nicely told story.

[johnp'in'bc]

Reds ... that's one I have often looked at (in the stores) and wondered about. I've seen it offered many times on some 'budget-bin' shelves, and have considered getting it .... maybe I just thought it was too long and drawn out? But I see it gets a "highly-recommended" (and more) rating at one of the dvd review sites I 'like & respect' ... ouch, maybe it's high time I went for it!!

[Lou Sytsma]

At the high level its about the Russian Revolution when Lenin took over but its really a love story. Not being a political person myself I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.