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.
I will say that I was never a huge fan of this series. However, I find Dog Chapman to be a compelling figure. His family is very interesting with their outfits and colorful language. Dog wears his hair long (mullet) and his clothing is usually always trailer park chic. However, much like his tan, his schtick never fades. Dog recently went through some legal trouble which I found problematic as he continues to preach to fugitives the importance of being law abiding. However, the success of the show is undeniable. There is no series that runs for seven seasons that does not have a rabid fan base.
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.
Beastly, as you can probably guess, is a new take on Beauty and the Beast. In this case, we get a modern retelling of the tale, with several plot points that mirror the now classic Disney animated version (though the alternate ending supplied in the Special Features has a moment that, shockingly, pays homage to the even more classic 1946 Jean Cocteau film). However, Beastly not only makes the decision to set its tale in a modern, urban setting, but to attempt to ground it in reality. This is a mistake. Why, you ask? Well, simply because it leads to all kinds of logic-defying moments and paper-thin character motivations which I will address shortly.
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.
Both my age and lack of interest from the time I was between the ages of 1 to 5, when this show originally aired, betray any memories I may have of this program. Approaching it these days, I can clearly see how it was derivative of Dallas, its CBS rival (Dynasty having aired on ABC). If these wealthy folk are not in each other’s faces, they’re in each other’s beds.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews 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; and Paul's artist fiancée Tina starts having strange visions of the mummy. Even for a film made in the 1950s, the acting is terrible, and the plot is very predictable.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on July 11th, 2011
Written by Bamboo
On January 9th 2009, five college students left New York City for a weekend in the country. 48 hours later they vanished without a trace. There were no leads and no evidence ... until now. (Meaning the video we are watching was found.) You get to see the movie on a hand held camera from one of the people alone on this adventure. It’s Miriam’s 21st Birthday. Miriam’s Aunt Gail lends Miriam her beautiful country house for the weekend as her birthday present. This country house is surrounded by breathtaking mountains and miles and miles of woods. Interestingly enough there appears to be no cell phones anywhere in this movie, which I find hard to believe when five college kids take a weekend trip. I mean it can’t be that there isn’t any reception for anyone wherever this house is. Anyway, Miriam invites her college buddies Cassy, Mark, Tanya, and Leo to join her at the country house for the weekend.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on July 8th, 2011
Written by Bamboo
Johnny Cool is a black and white movie made in 1963 starring Henry Silva and Elizabeth Montgomery. The movie starts in a flashback of Sicily in 1943. Giordano, as a young boy, kills a solider in an attempt to save himself and his mother. This starts him on his path to become a local Robin Hood-like hero. Early in the movie he is chased down and appears to be killed by police and soldiers. Colini, an exiled American gangster living in Rome, fabricated Giordano’s death in order to exploit his bold, emotionless ability to take down the ones who took Colini down.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 6th, 2011
Happythankyoumoreplease is centered on a group of twenty something New Yorkers at various levels of transition: love, career, and growing up. The film is written, directed, and also stars Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother). Radnor’s directorial debut showcases a colorful side of New York and a variety of colorful characters. The group of young actors all put together solid performances which is essential for an ensemble cast. This is another festival friendly film with a solid group of actors that is definitely worth a look.
All too frequently independent films are stymied by previous failures and clichés. It’s refreshing when a film utilizes prior missteps to shape its story. The multiple narrative is difficult to pull off if the characters are flat. The integral part is that the characters need to be interesting. I found myself drawn to Sam Wexler (Josh Radnor) he’s an aspiring writer that finds himself taking care of a foster child. Sam is the lead of the ensemble cast as well as the character experiences the most development. Radnor’s performance is more than just a guffaw or two. He actually demonstrates some range with his ability to show compassion as well as have some comedic timing. He is undeniably charismatic and had some chemistry with Mississippi (Kate Mara). I found Annie (Malin Akerman) to be the weakest of the cast. Throughout the film, I found myself having to get through her scenes to the more interesting storylines. Most people would chalk that disinterest up to writing. However, I feel like good actors will command the viewer’s attention whenever they are on camera and she just does not do it. As an up and coming actress, she just needs to be better.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 5th, 2011
Dear John centers around a soldier, John Tyree (Channing Tatum) who falls in love with a college student, Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) while he is back home on leave. This film is adapted from the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name and directed by the melodramatic romance aficionado Lasse Hallstrom. If you are looking for a romance tale that offers very little surprises, look no further.
Hallstrom and Sparks seems to be a match made in heaven. For the better part of a decade, Hallstrom has entirely dedicated himself to romantic films: Chocolat, The Shipping News and Casanova. These films do not really demonstrate a form of versatility. Usually, I am fascinated with directors or writers that stay in their proverbial lane. They are not interested in writing or directing anything other than the genre that has garnered them any form of success. Sparks churns out the same romance novels because there is an appetite for them. Hallstrom provides the same service with romance films. Therefore, from a studio’s perspective, why wouldn’t you want to make film with these two?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 3rd, 2011
Capadocia: Un Lugar Sin Perdon is an HBO Latin America Original that showcases both the political and social angles of an experimental penitentiary in Mexico City. The penitentiary exploits the inmates as a form of cheap labor for the government. A riot begins that uncovers the violent truths behind the experimental prison and viewers are thrust into the lives of these female inmates. This series depicts the complexities of prison life as well as the political posturing that takes place. There is plenty of emotion in this series and it is executed at a very high
level.
The performances in this series are brilliant. Much like the HBO original series Oz, there is a proliferation of important characters. With a series such as this, each character needs to be both written and performed exceptionally well. Oz achieved transcendence as a series because it had its share of memorable characters. This series uses a similar template by engaging its audience with a range of interesting personalities. For example, Lorena Guerra (Ana De La Reguera) is a common housewife that commits a crime of passion when she walks in on her husband with her best friend. Once she enters the prison, her performance becomes exceptional as she reacts to the brutality of the violence. A character comparison to Oz would be Tobias Beecher. Guerra and Beecher both are introduced as wide eyed optimists and the system chews them into tougher individuals.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on July 1st, 2011
Written by Bamboo
The Sweet Life is a very low-budget, poorly produced romantic comedy lacking comedy and romance. It has a talentless cast complete with terrible acting. The movie is about two brothers, Michael and Frankie, both very different from one another. Michael is a sensitive, unsuccessful New York magazine writer, basically a pushover who lets everyone walk all over him. His brother Frankie is a shallow, very confident, much more successful womanizer. When Michael gets set up on a blind date with the roommate of his brother’s current girlfriend Lila, he has a terrible time and ends up falling for Lila, who has just realized that Frankie doesn’t care at all about her.
![Beastly [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/beastly-blu-ray-large.jpg)
![Happythankyoumoreplease [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/happythankyoumoreplease-blu-ray-large.jpg)
