Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 17th, 2006
Synopsis
I’m not even going to try to summarize this, as that would mean pretending I had the faintest idea what was going on, and who was who. I know, I know, I’m revealing my cultural deprivation – I haven’t been following the series. What I will say, though, is that even with that ignorance, the quality of this chronicle of the ups and downs of a New Jersey mob’s lives, loves and deaths, is undeniable. But then, you knew that, or you wouldn’t be reading this. Do note, of course, that this is only ...art 1 of the season, so you’ll be looking at the best part of 200 smackers for the whole thing when it becomes available. Ouch. But what superb work.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 16th, 2006
Steven Seagal has never been able to do it for me, that probably explains why this is the first time I have ever seen this movie. Upon reading the back it seemed to have potential, the first thing I notice on the back was the comment “Die Hard on a battleship”. That’s a bold statement as Die Hard is one of the best action movies ever made, having all the core elements.
It’s the fiftieth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor as the movie begins, and it’s the final voyage of the USS Missouri. ...teven Seagal plays Casey Ryback an ex-navy seal turned cook who has the tedious task of retaking the ship once terrorists seize it. Tommy Lee Jones and Garry Busey play the leaders of the terrorists, who are now hell bent on stopping Segal from reeking havoc on their plans. Yes the movie plays out in similar fashion to Die Hard but lacks everything that made that movie good. I’ve never been a fan of Seagal and this movie clearly demonstrates why. The guy acts like a robot, lacking any charisma that Stallone and even Schwarzenegger bring to the action genre. This guy is supposed to be well trained in martial arts but I don’t see it, all he does is throw people around, no Jackie Chan moves here.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 15th, 2006
Synopsis
Based on the book by Christopher Buckley, the cellular version of Thank You for Smoking may be misconceived by some as a movie about a guy who’s defending smoking, but I think it is a movie about a couple of different things. The first, more obvious things is that it’s a movie about spin. Either in the early ‘90s (when the book came out) or in the last year or so (when the film came out), even if the setting has changed, the method of dispelling one’s argument, even without possessing any co...crete facts, and how important it is in American debate is still a clear message.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 13th, 2006
Angel Rodriguez is a realist film that covers a 36-hour snapshot of the lives of two people: a troubled young man and his guidance counsellor.
I have to admit right off the top that this type of film is not my bag � realism to me pretty much means boring. While there may great artistic merit to writer-director Jim McKay�s little film, it�s not particularly entertaining. Interesting, maybe.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 11th, 2006
(Portions of this review have been pulled from the original one-disc version of Platoon, which can also be found in the reviews portion of the site)Synopsis
There are a good number of people who have labeled Oliver Stone as a fan of conspiracy theories, out to destroy foundations of conservative ideology, while at the same time re-visiting 60’s nostalgic icons. Despite the jokes and the stereotyping, one has to admit that, as a filmmaker, he has helped bring to screen some of the most talk...d about cinematic experiences of our time, including Midnight Express, Scarface, not to mention Conan the Barbarian. As a director, his works, such as The Doors, Nixon, JFK and Natural Born Killers, have generated discussion both within and aside from the technical merits. Platoon was his most personal work, and is widely regarded as one of the defining films of the Vietnam War.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 8th, 2006
One of the longest running and most successful television sitcoms came to an end on February 28th 1983. It was an event to end all events. Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen was perhaps the greatest series finale in television history. It was certainly the most watched. Night workers called in sick. Some businesses either suspended work or offered sets for workers to see this long anticipated conclusion. What a fitting end it was. Each character was given what amounted to the best moments in the run. More serious than fun...y, this 90 minute movie explored the end of the Korean War and the effect it had on this family of people who spent eleven long years away from home. Of course, the actual war lasted only a fraction of that time. Still, this collection is worthy of owning, if only for that single episode..
Not that there wasn’t a wonderful collection of MASH moments to be had in the final year leading up to this dramatic conclusion. Trick or Treatment was a hilarious Halloween show. Paranoia sets in when BJ announces the greatest practical joke of all time will be played in just a day’s time in The Joker Is Wild. An Enemy Mine relationship develops in Give and Take. Everyone involved knew from the first episode of the season that MASH was going to end in the spring. Rather than go through the motions as too many “lame duck” series have done, MASH never let up for a second. It was the professionalism from the writers to the actors that allowed the team eleven years on the air and the chance to go out in style. Mission accomplished.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 31st, 2006
Ice Age – The Meltdown is a short, funny, well-animated sequel that offers up a new adventure for the memorable characters from the original Ice Age film. As a great bonus, it’s nicely balanced for audiences young and old.
20th Century Fox Animation is still a poor second cousin to Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios, but for sheer entertainment value, Ice Age – The Meltdown doesn’t get knocked completely out of the water by top-shelf blockbusters like The Incredibles. Sure, the animation is weaker, and story is less inspired, but the voice work is excellent, with the talent of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, Jay Leno, and the list goes on.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2006
I have to be honest. An HBO series about a fake reality series starring Lisa Kudrow hot-off-the-heels of Friends did not appeal to me as a worthy expenditure of time. And it does take a bit for the show to get started. However, as with other HBO comedies that deal in quirkiness and irritability (see Curb Your Enthusiasm), The Comeback – The Complete Only Season manages to press just the right amount of buttons to keep you watching. Now on DVD, and featuring all thirteen episodes, this show’s ...umor succeeds in its ability to create mock reality, which plays scarily like the real thing.
The strength of the show is on its realization that the best thing it has going for it is the negative relationship fun-loving Valerie (Kudrow) has with a hideous slug writer, who routinely goes out of his way to humiliate her. The dislike shown for Valerie fuels the show, and Kudrow’s ability to play off each new sign of disrespect with smiling cheer accentuates every positive this on-screen dynamic has to offer. It’s where the show truly creates its magic moments. Everything else comes off as filler for the main event.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2006
Synopsis
Bill Paxton is a polygamist. He and his three wives (Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin) and their children live in three adjoined houses, and must constantly be careful not to let the secret of their lifestyle be revealed. That might be stress enough, but Paxton is having trouble keeping up on the sexual front, there is tension and competition between the wives (Tripplehorn is the alpha, Sevigny is manipulative and a shopaholic, Goodwin is insecure), and one of his fathe...s-in-law, the inimitable Harry Dean Stanton, is creating business hell for him as he opens up another hardware store.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 29th, 2006
Phat Girlz is one rotten piece of crap. I hate to say it that way, but some movies don’t deserve the flowery lambasting some more deserving bad films get from their critics. They should simply be called what they are. That’s why I equate this film with the “c” word. Mo’Nique stars as a plus-sized hypocrite, who seems to have the same prejudgments about “skinny bitches” as they seem to have about her – in the confines of the film, that is. Overweight people are given a saintly presence, while most everyone...– male or female – capable of squeezing into one airplane seat is portrayed with utter contempt.
And the jokes are the epitome of weak. One embarrassing moment in the film comes when Mo’Nique has one of the lamest word battles ever heard with a fry cook. The jokes written for her hapless adversary were in circulation around the first Thanksgiving, and I’m sure made it over on the Mayflower. Mo’Nique’s comebacks are designed to be uproariously better, a technique which might have worked were it not for the head-scratching lack of sense made on execution. We’re left to think, “Was that supposed to be funny?” Topping off this exercise in ridicule – as in ridiculous – is a story that sends eyeballs rolling immediately into their sockets. Mo’Nique and her shy plus-sized friend win a trip to a Caribbean resort, where they JUST SO HAPPEN to meet two buff Nigerian men, who JUST SO HAPPEN to like large women, and JUST SO HAPPEN to be successful doctors in their native land. The film’s efforts at fairy tale unwind quickly to the realms of absurdity, and never recover.
![Under Siege [HD DVD] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/under-siege-hd-dvd-large.jpg)
