Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 23rd, 2011
Written by John Delia
The inspiring, moving, poignant true story Dolphin Tale splashes into theaters this weekend with a family friendly theme that’s sure to touch your heart. Filmed in Florida where it happened, it’s a movie about a dolphin that receives a compassionate helping hand and a strange new lease on life.
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Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 23rd, 2011
Written by John Delia
The film Killer Elite plays out like you are watching a video game — kill an assassin and move up to the next level. Exciting, power-packed, and relatively predictable, the film tends to mirror other action movies that have been released this year. The thing that does play better than the rest involves the suspense that comes with trying to decide who really is the bad guy here.
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Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 23rd, 2011
Written by John Delia
Sweet, charming and touching, My Afternoons with Margueritte has what it takes when it comes to entertainment value. What makes the film so good comes from the acting of Girard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus and fine directing by Jean Becker. If you prefer a film that has excellent acting with a loving script, then My Afternoons with Margueritte is your French strawberry croissant.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 22nd, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
Judd Nelson and cupcakes. Cue Whitney, Didn’t we almost have it all? If you must, at least don’t watch this one an empty stomach. The movie’s about a small town’s star cupcake baker Mary Maroni (Lea Thompson) who ends up becoming Mayor on a fluke. And besides Judd (yes we’re on a first-name basis) as Thompson’s moustachio’d, harmonica-playing husband, frankly, the endless beauty shots of rainbow-colored cupcakes stole the show.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 22nd, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
“Maybe that day when I ran out of the hotel, maybe I never stopped running really. Maybe I’m running away from the hurt.”
– Firefighter Tim Brown
When I got this batch of DVDs, I moved Rebirth to the back of the stack. I like documentaries, but I wanted to feel something—a connection—to rally emotion, or savor a narrative.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 21st, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
Fans of Airwolf will recognize the DVD as a version of the movie that launched 1980s TV series of the same name. For those who aren’t familiar with the show, director Don Bellisario also created Magnum, P.I., JAG, Quantum Leap and more recently NCIS.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 21st, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
Dear Lemon Lima is the story of a girl who loves a boy and realizes what a jerk he is. But there’s more, and if the story doesn’t keep you, the characters will.
The projected teen fan base might immediately recognize a couple of the supporting actors from recent ABC Family series. Actor Vanessa Marano played artist sister Bay Kennish in Switched at Birth, while stereotypically popular blonde Meaghan Jette Martin starred in the 10 Things I Hate About You series, and the movie Mean Girls 2. However, Lemon Lima (pronounced LIME-uh) is the first feature film for most its young cast.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 20th, 2011
Written by John Delia
If you are a Keanu Reeves fan, then you won’t want to miss Henry’s Crime, now out on DVD. The movie, released in 2010, has a thin storyline, but the good acting overshadows this downside. His support cast includes nice performances by Vera Farmiga and James Caan, so the film can’t be all that bad. The film is directed by Malcolm Venville.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 20th, 2011
Written by John Delia
This television movie fits into the hackneyed cinema mold of predictable storyline ordinary camerawork, low-budget talent and the absence of any realistic special effects. If you can’t find anything else to rent, however, then it will do in a pinch. Geared for the terror crowd, the insipid acting, unimpressive script and implausible actions are all downsides for this film genre.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 20th, 2011
Before I review the DVD copy of The Last Godfather, I should mention that the previews that preceded it had me scratching my head. They played Bad Santa and Scary Movie, and I’m going, “What the heck?” Then they played Everything Must Go and I say, “Oh, Okay.” It was just disconcerting to see films from such divergent time periods slapped together like that.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 20th, 2011
Disco Worms
Disco Worms is animated film featuring Jane Lynch of Glee. When I first saw the title of this film, I was rather skeptical about another animated movie singing old hits all over again. I was surprised to see that it was actually very well done. The animation is fairly enjoyable. I especially liked the brilliantly-designed body language of the worms whose tail-gestures make up for the lack of arms.
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Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 16th, 2011
Written by John Delia
Here’s a remake that actually makes for better entertainment. It’s called Straw Dogs, and the cunning little tale takes you into the dark side of a dysfunctional town and renders fear. I was very much blown away by the film from its mellow beginning to a buildup of concern and a final turn of events that made me shudder. If you like films that have a deep seeded alarming undertone, then rush to see Straw Dogs.
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Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 16th, 2011
Written by John Delia
Just to make sure that the trailer for Drive doesn’t give you the wrong idea, NO, this is not a Jason Statham movie in the vein of the adrenaline pumping Transporter series. Ryan Gosling holds his own in this rough surrealistic drama that inserts all the thrills shown in the preview and more. If you like looking into the mind of a tough loner who is on a road to a life full of angst, then take a ride to Drive.
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Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 16th, 2011
Written by John Delia
If you are looking for action and adventure then you will not want to miss X-Men: First Class, a top-notch production that thrills. The explosive storyline under the able direction of Matthew Vaughn contains all the explosiveness you would expect from a prequel to Marvel Comics’ famous X-Men.
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Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 9th, 2011
Not all documentaries can make a mark in society, but I found Genius On Hold a remarkable film that takes a crack at big business and proves positive. Genius On Hold is eye opening, courageous and extraordinary. It’s a father and son story of fate that intertwines life struggles, crime and monopolies, which decide their future. If there’s one documentary you see this year, make it be Genius On Hold.
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Posted in The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 9th, 2011
Slick, compelling and gripping Contagion uses the fright brought on by past outbreaks of deadly virus attacks around the world to punch home a ‘what if’ plot that succeeds in scaring the pants off accepting moviegoers. The recognizable actors saves the plot from being hard to follow as it jumps from country to country in this thriller that ‘could actually happen’.
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Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 25th, 2011
Back around the time I was born, when Tom Cruise had an ounce of sanity, a little movie called Top Gun swept across the globe raking in over $350,000,000 worldwide, as well as sparking an interest in the US Navy and everything Tomcat, Skyhawk, and MiG related. Ever since its original release Top Gun has kept a hold on its audience, being played almost weekly, and now it makes its way into the world of high definition with its release on Blu-ray.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on August 10th, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
Lifetime movies are like rollercoasters for weak-stomached scare addicts. You know what you’re in for, but you do it anyway. Not every time, but admit it: you’ll put your butt in the seat if your friends are already strapped in. Halfway through you wanna throw yourself from the moving car, but you’re going too frickin’ fast and they beg you to stay, so you do.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on August 10th, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
The first time I watched Amanda Knox, the film caught competition with impromptu roofers who decided to finish their job directly above my screening room as soon as the movie started. But I have to say Knox won.
Sure, it’s Lifetime, and I have the extra X chromosome recommended to appreciate one of their films. But Hayden Panettiere’s physical interpretation of the internal struggles that American Amanda Knox must have fought while under trial for murder in Italy, is striking
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Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 4th, 2011
By Natasha Samreny
Scent of a Woman is a rich example of classic storytelling maintaining its power through the years. In this American remake of an Italian tale, Al Pacino, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Chris O’Donnell continue to captivate. If you love the film already and want to make it part of your collection, consider its HD-DVD or Blu-ray versions, released later. It seems neither color nor sound were improved for this film until then. To fans’ dismay, Universal has yet to update any discs with special features beyond the outdated text-centered cast/crew list and bios.
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Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 27th, 2011
I’ve got to admit that for a long time, Four Weddings and a Funeral was in a category of movies that I had no intention or curiosity to see because of the title, the cast and the story. Hugh Grant was a significant step down towards the emasculation of man, where we start wearing large sweaters, hang out in pseudo-Starbucks coffee shops and talk about what happened on American Idol or some lame thing along those lines.
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Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 17th, 2011
Dog the Bounty Hunter: This Family Means Business is a six episode DVD special release. The series chronicles the Chapman family as they chase down fugitives in scenic Hawaii. The show has been on A&E for seven years now and has become a flagship series for the network. The show introduces a fugitive, investigates the fugitive, and catches the fugitive. The show has a strict formula that it adheres to and rarely differs from. This particular special release arrives to celebrate the show crossing the two hundred episode threshold.
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Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 17th, 2011
There has been a trend recently that has seen classic fairy tales being adapted, often with new, modern twists. While this is not a bad idea in itself, it seems that this trend is skipping along, arm in arm, with another trend in not only the movie business, but the entertainment industry as a whole: almost everything is being aimed at 13-year old girls. Beastly is the latest product of that union.
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 11th, 2011
Oh, how the rich can get into mischief. This DVD set is smack dab in the middle of Dynasty’s successful nine season run. The mudslinging, both literal and figurative, was at its height in this fifth season, and no $200 haircut or $1000 outfit was left unruffled by the various scandals and plots set into the web of these wealthy Denver residents. In fact, this season was the one and only time this series won a Golden Globe for best TV drama.
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Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on July 11th, 2011
Written by Bamboo
An old black and white movie made in 1958, Curse of the Faceless man has a familiar plot line. A stone-covered body is discovered in the ruins of Pompeii which turn out to be the remains of Quintilus Aurelius. While trying to flee Pompeii, the mummy was buried in volcanic ash and turned to stone. Carlo Fiorillo, Italian archaeologist, speculates the mummy may hold some life; medical researcher Paul Mallon dismisses the idea. But people left alone with the seemingly petrified “faceless man” keep dying of crushed skulls;
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