Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 22nd, 2002
Written by Dan Bradley
Ever since Dragonslayer lit up the screen, I've been waiting for a comparable dragon movie to come along. There have been a few between then and now, most recently the lighthearted Dragonheart, but none have come close to capturing the style and mood of Dragonslayer. Finally a dark depiction of the mythical beasts has returned to ravage audiences and scorch anything in sight, although it could have been a lot better.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 14th, 2002
Artisan has come through with a well-executed 10 Year Anniversary Edition of Glengarry GlenRoss. Well-executed, yes. Exceptional, no. The highlights of this set are definitely the DTS audio track and the new Widescreen transfer. Both are so exceptional as to make this set a “must purchase” for any fans of this movie or its cast. Beyond these two features, there is nothing particularly compelling about this set, however. Special features contain no standouts, and the second disc is largely the filler of a widescreen t...ansfer.
I approached this release without having seen the movie previously and was somewhat disappointed, given the media acclamation. Screenplays adapted from plays generally result in movies that hammer the watcher over the head with whatever message the movie is trying to communicate over and over and over again. Such is the case with Glengarry GlenRoss, and it quickly grew boring. David Mamet is undoubtedly a genius writer, but as we all know, that doesn’t necessarily translate into an enjoyable cinematic experience. Here’s my thought: In a play, the director, playwright, and cast have little to work with beyond dialog and some set design. In a movie, the director has full run of setting, special effects, weather, etc. As such, if the director doesn’t tone down the screenplay, allegory and heavy handed morality while perhaps subtly communicated on stage become a chore to watch on screen. In GgGR, the continual darkness, rain, and borderline pedantic dialog were all a bit too much for my taste.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 11th, 2002
Written by Dan Bradley
The right to bear arms has been a heated debated for many years now. Entertainment industries, Hollywood included, have often been singled out as culprits for violence at the hands of these legally-owned weapons. Liberty Stands Still serves as a direct commentary from Hollywood towards the effects of this law, and the influence gun manufacturers and politicians have on the distribution of firearms. Although not released theatrically in the United States, Liberty Stands Still comes home to DVD in a confusing but intri...uing political thriller.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2002
This disc combines excellent sound, a fantastic movie, and bales of extras with murky video to create a very acceptable – if not truly outstanding - first release of Spider-Man. I would heartily recommend this disc to anyone, but with some caution: this release (“Widescreen Special Edition” reviewed) leaves plenty of doors open for SuperBit Deluxe and later Collector’s releases. Both sound and video are good – but definitely not the best – so, watch for re-releases after the holidays.
This two-disc set is b... no means unworthy of purchase, however. Its highlights include sound with paranormally accurate special placement, wild menus, and a roster of extras that boggle the mind. Beware, however. The menus switch formats completely within different sections of the discs, so navigation can be confusing. Also, while there are some true gems amongst the extras, there’s also mountains of filler… take a look at the Special Features section below for suggested viewing.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 19th, 2002
Written by Dan Bradley
I’ve experienced sleepless nights, as I’m sure most everyone has at some point in their life. But for some, this conscious prison can linger for many days, sometimes weeks at a time. Christopher Nolan’s remake of Insomnia manages to capture this feeling through terrific writing and strong sensory cues littered throughout.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 18th, 2002
“I think they pulled it together in a way only Texans working together could.”
David Blocker – Producer, Frailty
Well, those Texans certainly did bring it together in a unique fashion, and Lions Gate has packaged it in an excellent DVD release. Bill Paxton’s directorial debut captures a family’s descent in dementia in 1979 in a performance that is surreal and believeable. The everyday and the unexpected are blended into a nightmare world where the mundane and supernatural are superimposed...and inseparable. Therein lies the fear of Frailty – the implication that dementia can ride in to any family (in the form of a winged angel spewing fire), and wrap itself in a guise of normalcy that renders it routine.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 17th, 2002
Band of Brothers, as should be expected from multiple emmy award winner, is an amazing miniseries. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks have collaborated on creating a memorable and poignant story that can be appreciate by all.
”Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's nonfiction bestseller, BAND OF BROTHERS tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Starting with their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942, it recounts the achievements of the elite rifle company fr...m D-Day to the fall of Nazi Germany and the surrender of Japan. Drawn from hours of interviews with survivors, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, BAND OF BROTHERS chronicles a unit that took 150 percent casualties and whose lives became legend.” - HBO
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 16th, 2002
Tommy Lee Wallace. Not John Carpenter. Do not be fooled. Just because “Vampires: Los Muertos” (V:LM) says “Presented by John Carpenter” on the front, doesn’t mean it has anything to do with John Carpenter. It was directed, in fact, by Tommy Lee Wallace, who is a Grade B king, responsible for such other gems as “Stell Chariots” and “Danger Islands”. Whether Carpenter was involved or not (no big prize after Ghosts of Mars, anyway), V:LM was a fairly large disappointment anyway. The sound and video are fine, but the mov...e is definitely direct-to-video. Strangely enough, this is a “Destination” film, implying that it is supposed to be distinct and alternative. That it is – but it may not quite be of the caliber that destination collectors are expecting.
V:LM follows the saga of some character played by Jon Bon Jovi, who has cast off his super-stardom to become a Grade B movie star. There are no spoiler warnings forthcoming because I only last through half of the movie. In the half that I saw, a bunch of randomly timed, ill-conceived plot devices created not much drama, a few uninspired action sequences, and zero character empathy. Ok, perhaps that’s a bit harsh. The movie is not a complete loss, with a few decent Matrix-esque scenes thrown in, and the occasional creative prop, such as (Spoiler!) Jon Bon’s folding surfboard weapons. For some reason, this movie is rated R – don’t expect anything too wild.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2002
As my odds-on favorite to win Best Animated Film at this years Academy Awards, Ice Age combines a wonderful mix of breathtaking digital animation, and a wonderful story full of entertaining characters. Fox, with this film, has jumped into the upper echelon of digital animation studios, along with Disney and Dreamworks.
”Twenty thousand years ago, the Earth was being overrun by glaciers, and creatures everywhere were fleeing the onslaught of the new ICE AGE. In this time of peril, we meet the...weirdest herd of any Age: a fast-talking but dim sloth named Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo); a moody woolly mammoth named Manny (voiced by Ray Romano); a devilish saber-toothed tiger named Diego (Denis Leary); and an acorn-crazy saber-toothed squirrel known as Scrat. This quartet of misfits unexpectedly, and reluctantly, comes together in a quest to return a human infant to his father. Braving boiling lava pits, treacherous ice caves, freezing temperatures and a secret, evil plot, these "sub-zeroes" become the world's first heroes!“ – Fox
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 12th, 2002
A truly atrocious television mini-series (the second in the “V” series) has been resurrected for “V: The Final Battle.” This is (apparently) the second in the V series (“V” stands for Visitors, or maybe Vituperative snake aliens), and shockingly, not the last. In fact, the “Final Battle” was apparently followed by a weekly TV series which – irony alert – ended up being cancelled in favour of “Dallas.” Wow! What times the eighties were!
At any rate, this DVD wraps a mediocre TV series in a mini...um value package. The audio and video are as fine as can be expected, but there’s no extras or content of any kind. This is (apparently) in stark contrast to the Original Mini-Series DVD release, which was apparently a much bigger budget production, loaded with extras. Warning to V fans or collectors: don’t expect the same level of quality from this disc.
