DVD Verdict reviews: MARK MESSIER: LEADER, CHAMPION, AND LEGEND and more!

Today, DVD Verdict posted reviews of CHRONICLE OF ANNA MAGDALENA BACH,
D.N. ANGEL: COMPLETE COLLECTION, LOVING COUPLES, MACHINE HEAD: ELEGIES,
MARK MESSIER: LEADER, CHAMPION, AND LEGEND, MISSING IN AMERICA,
MOBSTERS' CONFESSIONS, THE ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR, PASSING GLORY, REBECCA
OF SUNNYBROOK FARM, and YUMERIA: END OF A DREAM (VOLUME 3):


CHRONICLE OF ANNA MAGDALENA BACH (reviewed by Joe Armenio, overall
score 87/100):
"Adding to the sense of realism is the strict attention to historical
detail. The setting, instruments, and costumes of an actual Bach
performance are meticulously approximated, and the story, such as it
is, consists mainly of anecdotes involving Bach's day-to-day
business, his disputes with patrons and fellow musicians, and his
theories about music."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/chronicleanna.php

D.N. ANGEL: COMPLETE COLLECTION (reviewed by Adam Arseneau, overall
score 81/100):
"For further reference, we consult the 'Anime Cliche Checklist.' There's
the slightly dorky kid who has the nimble agility of a master thief, but
around the girl of his dreams, trips over his own feet...check. In the
first episode, said kid suddenly discovers his magical powers, with
which he will fight in the struggle between good and evil...check."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/dnangelcoll.php

LOVING COUPLES (reviewed by Jesse Ataide, overall score 95/100):
"Loving Couples carries its feminist agenda on its sleeve, and
subsequently takes on a lot of taboo topics not typically depicted in
such a direct manner on screen."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/lovingcouples.php

MACHINE HEAD: ELEGIES (reviewed by Bill Gibron, overall score 85/100):
"Without a doubt, the best thing about this release is the fascinating
featurette on the making of Through the Ashes of Empires. For 30
minutes, we hear the story of departing band members, unrealistic
commercial aspirations, phony promises from misguided major labels, and
an overall feeling amongst the group that the album was, in essence,
'do or die.'"

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/machineheadelegies.php

MARK MESSIER: LEADER, CHAMPION, AND LEGEND (reviewed by Ryan Keefer,
overall score 79/100):
"While it would have been nice to see a retrospective featuring more
recent interviews, this look at the future Hall of Famer is
comprehensive and well worth the time for fans of the Rangers, Oilers,
and hockey in general."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/markmessier.php

MISSING IN AMERICA (reviewed by Michael Rankins, overall score 87/100):
"When Glover is on screen, which is most of the time in this film, he
commands our attention without begging for it. He completely sells us on
the character of Jake -- on his history, his pain, and his brokenness."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/missinginamerica.php

MOBSTERS' CONFESSIONS (reviewed by Geoffrey Miller, overall score
83/100):
"Rokuro Mochizuki has a knack for making movies that are as compelling
as they are frustrating. This is one of his more fruitful experiments.
Despite its puzzling plot, Mobsters' Confessions rides an exhilarating
wave of fresh, fast-paced filmmaking."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/mobstersconfessions.php

THE ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR (reviewed by Bill Gibron, overall score
80/100):
"As long as you come into this set knowing that it's not complete
episodes, but instead represents a clip-filled overview of the program,
and if you can tolerate less than pristine sound and picture, then The
Original Amateur Hour will offer up a wonderful aura of wistfulness and
innocence. This is TV before the boob tube went tawdry, a chance to see
the basics of broadcasting before marketing and merchandising ruined
the ride."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/amateurhour.php

PASSING GLORY (reviewed by Michael Rankins, overall score 78/100):
"Passing Glory is a solidly entertaining film that manages to make light
work of juggling the weighty subject of racism in the pre-desegregation
South and the feel-good cliches of a sports movie."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/passingglory.php

REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM (reviewed by Neal Solon, overall score
83/100):
"Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm gets a lot of flack because it's not really
an adaptation of the book of the same name by author Kate Douglas
Wiggins. Apparently, the films and the book have little in common,
other than a girl named Rebecca and a place called Sunnybrook Farm.
I've never read the book, so I can't comment on that. I imagine that is
better. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, the Shirley Temple film, should
evaluated for what it is, and as a Shirley Temple film, it has what
fans will expect."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/rebeccasunnybrook.php

YUMERIA: END OF A DREAM (VOLUME 3) (reviewed by Mac McEntire, overall
score 75/100):
"Yumeria isn't a bad series. There's nothing necessarily wrong with it.
It's just even casual anime fans won't see much here they haven't seen
elsewhere."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/yumeriavol3.php

Mike Jackson
Editor & Webmaster, DVD Verdict
www.dvdverdict.com