Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2010
Grey’s Anatomy follows the life and tribulations of a group of doctors and interns at Seattle Grace Hospital. There’s certainly nothing original about the premise, except that the story is told by one of the more unlikely characters, Dr. Meredith Grey (Pompeo). As a lead she’s really not all that remarkable, but the show doesn’t put everything on her narrow shoulders. The series is populated by a solid supporting cast, giving it all a far more ensemble feel despite the title. James Pickens, Jr. is perhaps the most extraordinary actor in the show. He’s underused, but steals every scene he’s in. His Dr. Webber is a powerfully serious voice in an otherwise often frivolous world.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 13th, 2010
"On April 21st,1967 the 100-millionth GM vehicle rolled off the plant in Janesville. A blue two-door Caprice. There was a big ceremony, speeches, the Lt. Governor even showed up. Three days later, another car rolled off that same line. No one gave two craps about her, but they should have. Because, that 1967 Chevrolet Impala would turn out to be the most important car in pretty much the whole universe...I guess that's where the story began. And here's where it ends."
Except it doesn't; not really.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 13th, 2010
Look up in the sky. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s…. well, Clark Kent. When Smallville was first developed for television, the show runners made a few conscious decisions that have, for the most part, been kept for the show’s first 8 seasons. There was a strict “no flights, no tights” rule that was in effect for anyone hoping to pen an adventure for the show. Everyone knows we’re talking about Superman here, but the term is avoided like a deadly disease. All of the familiar places and names are firmly in place, but make no mistake. This is the world before Superman began to make his presence known to the world.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 10th, 2010
When I saw the title for this movie my immediate thoughts went to that old Neil Diamond song of the same name. I don't know why, but I absolutely expected to hear it at some point in the film. So I actually found myself smiling a bit when the first guitar chords for the song began during the opening credits. I was a little disappointed to hear the song, but performed by the Man In Black, Johnny Cash. Not that I dislike Johnny. I just was expected something else.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on September 10th, 2010
The good folks over at Image Entertainment have given us 2 copies of Legends Of The Canyon on DVD to give away. This documentary includes footage of Crosby, Stills & Nash, America, The Mamas & The Papas, America and many more classic Laurel Canyon bands of the 1960's. To win a copy of this historic DVD, follow these instructions:
Contest is now closed Winners are: Elizabeth Thomas & Ronald Host
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 8th, 2010
I'll be honest, at first Chuck sounded like a pretty bad idea to me. I expected it to be a kind of modern Get Smart with a reluctant geek hero. And that's pretty much what it turned out to be. Except it turned out to also be pretty darn entertaining as well. It all really starts with a solid cast and tightly written stories. Each episode manages to capture just the right blend of drama and comedy. I resist the trendy word dramedy, but if any series fits the mold, it would have to be Chuck.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 8th, 2010
You say you want an old-school slasher film like they did it back in the 70's and 80's? How would it sound if we gathered up Freddy, Candyman, and Jason and put them all in the same movie? Would that get your attention? Now that I have your attention, let's talk about Hatchet, a little quality slasher just like your uncles Craven, Cunningham, and Carpenter used to make. Okay, I exaggerated about that Freddy, Candyman, and Jason bit. You won't really find any of them in Hatchet. You will find their alter-egos Robert Englund and Tony Todd in amusing cameos, while Jason's best man plays Victor Cowley, the main attraction in this sweet throwback to classic slasher films.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 8th, 2010
"We went AWOL around the time the rest of the world did. We became stick-up guys, stopping people on the road, taking whatever they had. We held up this bunch of kids in a Winnebago shooting a documentary about themselves. Went out on the internet. Millions of hits. I became notorious. Could have gotten an agent. Made a fortune if there was anybody left to care. It had become an us-versus-them world. All we were looking for was a place were there was no them."
Think of zombies and you think of George Romero. It's impossible not to think or talk about one without the other
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 7th, 2010
“Ride into this world all alone. God takes your soul. You're on your own.
The crow flies straight, a perfect line on the devil's back until you die.
Gotta look this life in the eye”.
When these guys send a message, they don’t use Western Union.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 7th, 2010
NCIS was a spinoff, of sorts, from the popular military lawyer show JAG. You could say that NCIS is the Order to JAG’s Law. The NCIS is a real government agency that deals with criminal activity inside or involving the US Navy or Marine Corps. The show has proven even more popular than its parent series. Today that means branching out like the CSI and Law & Order franchises have done so well in the past. The next step in the ladder is NCIS: Los Angeles.