Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 13th, 2005
Synopsis
Welcome to the Lower East Side, where the high-rise apartments of the super-rich abut thetenements on the riverside. Here Joel McCrea, a poor would-be architect, is infatuated with richgirl Wendy Barrie, while poor girl Sylvia Sidney pines for him, all the while trying to save heryounger brother from a life of crime on the streets. Into the scene strides Humphrey Bogart as awanted killer, coming home to try to reconnect with his mother and an old flame. Intersectingwith the...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 12th, 2005
Synopsis
Incorrigible and not altogether competent small-time crook Richard Pryor has pulled one fastone too many. His exasperated parole officer threatens him with a long jail term unless he agreesto drive a group of special education students in a rickety bus from Philadelphia to Seattle, wherethey will find a new home. All sorts of misadventures await along the road trip.
There’s a vaguely gritty atmosphere, which helps defuse some of the sentimentality, and thekids are h...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 10th, 2005
Synopsis
Poor Haru is have a rough day at school, and it isn’t like this is an exception. She can’t seemto fit in, and is filled with self-doubt. On her way home, she rescues a cat from traffic, and isastonished when the cat speaks to her. It turns out that she rescued the prince of the CatKingdom. By way of thanks, the Cat King decides she should become his son’s bride. Harudoesn’t like this idea. Coming to her aid is the Baron, an elegant cat figurine come to life, alongwith his f...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 9th, 2005
Synopsis
As with such other series as The X-Files, this is less about single-episode adventuresthan about a long, complex storyline. As a result, I can’t even pretend to understand what the hellis going on here, and so turn the synopsis over to the box copy: “‘You’re one of us now,’Nikita is told. But has she truly abandoned her compassionate nature and become anunquestioning member of the soulless covert organization called Section One? Or has shemastered the group’s knack f...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 8th, 2005
Synopsis
Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is a loan shark, but his heart isn’t in it anymore. His boss hasdied, and the deeply obnoxious Dennis Farina has taken over. Sent to LA to collect on some baddebts, movie buff Chili finds himself right at home in the Hollywood scene, and decides to getinvolved in the business. The other major figures include Gene Hackman as a low-end producer,Rene Russo as the world-weary B actress, and Danny De Vito as the high-profile actor.
The above ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 8th, 2005
Synopsis
Director Trey Parker plays Joe Young, a Mormon on a rather losing missionary trip toHollywood. A chance encounter lands him (reluctantly) as the lead in Orgazmo, a pornflick about the titular super-hero. The film becomes a runaway success, and Joe finds himself anunwilling porn superstar. Meanwhile, his co-star in the film has developed a real, workingversion of the hero’s Orgazmarator (or something like that), which causes orgasms at a distance.It is only a matter o...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 8th, 2005
Paul Giamatti, in typically depressed form, is an aspiring writer (his unpublished manuscript looks twice the size of War and Peace) and wine connoisseur who heads out with best friend Thomas Haden Church for a road trip through wine country before the latter’s wedding.Church is far more interesting in getting laid than in tasting wine, however, while Giamatti is still agonizing over his failed marriage (not to mention his perception of a failed life). He allows himself to be dragged by Church into all sorts of misadventures, but one particular entanglement,with Virginia Madsen, might perhaps turn out to be something special.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 7th, 2005
Synopsis
Dora the Explorer is a little girl with plenty of friends (human and otherwise). She invitespre-school viewers to learn basic Spanish and arithmetic with her, along with exploring herworld: her mother is having a baby, her sister is playing soccer, and so on, with Dora helping out.Viewers are encouraged to participate in that Dora addresses them directly, and pauses afterasking questions, waiting for a response. The effect is a bit odd, but maybe the post-Teletubbies...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 7th, 2005
Synopsis
Two brothers, Jin-seok and Jin-tae, are drafted into the South Korean army when war eruptsin 1950. Jin-seok is bookish and has a bad heart -- there is no way he can survive the war withouthis older, stronger brother’s help. Jin-tae takes on one insanely risky mission after another,having been given the hope that if he performs sufficient acts of bravery, his brother will be senthome. He begins to lose sight of this goal, however, as he starts to like the glory of being a hero...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 6th, 2005
Synopsis
Driving home one rainy night after losing an important deal, Matt Davis runs over a manstanding in the middle of a deserted country road. Repressing his initial impulse to call thepolice, Davis tries to cover up his crime. But then he finds out that not only are the police veryinterested in the victim, who might be involved with a local bank robbery, but that said victimmight also be his brother-in-law. Threatened with losing everything, Davis turns to sinisterlawyer James ...
