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Reviews
Great Performances: Josh Groban Live at the Greek (2004)
The always amazing Josh Groban does it again
Josh Groban is THE most talented and unique singing sensation working in the biz today. Each of his melodic and purely wonderful songs are well-written, powerful, and even thought-provoking. This DVD, which comes along with the soundtrack, is a perfect way to experience Josh Groban's talent on the big screen. The performances exude an energy and charisma that the CD's can't capture. The lights, the audience, the camera movements all add up to heaven for Grobanites. I thought that the songs in "Josh Groban at the Greek" were even better than his previous DVD concert "Josh Groban in Concert". There are also some great extras that get the viewer to know even more about this rising talent. All-in-all, this is a brilliant, tour-de-force, musical sensation of a DVD that Grobanites, and music-lovers in general should experience right away.
Tôkyô goddofâzâzu (2003)
A beauty to behold
From Satoshi Kon, the director of Millennium Actress and Perfect Blue, comes the intriguing tale of three homeless people who discover an abandoned baby while foraging through some trash. They keep it overnight, and the following morning decide to track down the baby's parents using a single clue they found. Naturally, they encounter several interesting adventures along the way before reaching the compelling climax.
The story is fresh and exciting, infused with adventure, comedy, and drama. By the end of the film, you really feel a connection with the characters, and only truly good film-making can accomplish that. The dialog is witty and fun, but serious when it needs to be. With such an original storyline, how could a viewer not be pulled in? Of course, the success of this film is really on the shoulders of its animators. And what an amazing job they did! The animation is bold and unique. It captures the beauty and adventure of Japan's capital city with ease. The way the animation seemed so real and lifelike was marvelous, adding another element that only furthered my enjoyment.
The voice acting was also great. Sometimes the voices on anime movies or TV shows can get really irritating, but not in "Tokyo Godfathers". The three main characters are voiced by Toru Emori, Aya Okamoto, and Yoshiaki Umegaki, and they really know what they're doing. Each three use their own talents to the max, and their styles and voices are all so different, that it creates a perfect contrast.
"Tokyo Godfathers" is a near-perfect film. The story is heartwarming, fun, and at times, hilarious. The characters are easy to relate to, but very real. The animation is spectacular, and the acting great. This is a film that I highly recommend to anime fanatics, and anyone else that just loves good animation. Sure its far different from any Disney creation, but it is still a masterpiece in its own right.
The Egg and I (1947)
Innocent country fun, but it has its flaws
"The Egg and I" features the first appearance of America'favorite country couple, Ma and Pa Kettle. Unfortunately, it does not star them, but puts them in the supporting cast. The film does center around Betty and Bob MacDonald (Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray), a couple that decides to move from the city out to a chicken farm in the country. The rest of the film follows their trials and tribulations as they try and adapt to their new surroundings. It also focuses on their marital problems, but not so much as to take away from the comedic factor of the film.
The reason that this doesn't appeal to me the way the Ma and Pa Kettle films did is probably because Ma and Pa aren't the main players. Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride's wonderful chemistry were what made their films enjoyable, but "The Egg and I" doesn't pair them up enough to do the same. Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray are good enough as Betty and Bob, but they don't have the same charisma and comedic timing that Main and Kilbride do.
The best part about "The Egg and I" is the fact that it did spawn off the "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies, which made Main and Kilbride famous. In fact, Main even garnered an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in this film. Her feistiness steals the show, and ever scene she's in is all the more hilarious. She really was a great comedic actress who deserved more praise than she got.
I'd definitely recommend this to any Ma and Pa Kettle fans, just for the few scenes they appear in. The story itself never has much of a real storyline, but is mostly a bunch of sitcomish events strewn together. The film and cast makes this work, to an extent, but some parts are a bit too dull. This is still a must-see for fans of down home country comedy, and innocent fun.