Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 4th, 2005
Synopsis
The thing that surprised me about this animated version of Spider-Man was not that it ran for over 60 episodes during afternoons in the early ‘90s, but that there was a decent level of voice talent on the show. Ed Asner (Elf) is the voice of J. Jonah Jameson, Roscoe Lee Browne (King) does Kingpin, and the voice of the Venom character is done by Hank Azaria (The Simpsons). And they put together a fairly decent storyline also.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 4th, 2005
Synopsis
Among the more unjustly ignored performances was Jack Nicholson’s turn as Union boss Jimmy Hoffa in Hoffa. Fox finally decided to put out the Danny DeVito directed, David Mamet written film on DVD. Mamet’s script seems to romanticize Hoffa, portraying him as more of a Union man, as one who was forced to make deals that could compromise his integrity, but he overlooks his integrity in order to help benefit the American working man. The story is told in the point of view of Hoffa aide Bobby Ci...ro (DeVito), a fictitious character whose flashbacks are used to help us see how Hoffa perhaps should be viewed, as opposed to the punchline in some jokes we may make now.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 3rd, 2005
Synopsis
For several years, unbeknownst to a lot of people, Kevin Spacey (American Beauty) was a fan of Bobby Darin and had a film project in the works about the singer’s life. One of the reasons why the project took so long is that even with someone of Spacey’s caliber, the toughest part is always the financing. Spacey’s project was definitely a labor of love, as he wrote and directed the film, and even sung such Darin standards as “Splish Splash”, “Dreamlover” and of course, the hit that shares the...movie’s title.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 3rd, 2005
Synopsis
I’m a very white guy. But in growing up, one of my first music gods was Jimi Hendrix. Then, one day I saw Bustin’ Loose with Richard Pryor and Cicely Tyson (a.k.a., Miles Davis’ punching bag) when I was 10, so I wanted to see any comedy Richard Pryor had made. And I did, from Car Wash to Uptown Saturday Night. These were my first real lessons or experiences, watching a cast (or film) with African Americans in it. It wasn’t Star Wars or anything, it was memorable for its ...wn reasons.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 29th, 2005
Synopsis
When it comes to 80’s films, you can talk about Spielberg, Lucas, or whomever, but those in the know will always put John Hughes at, or near, the top of influences of that era. Take a look at the 7 year run that he had in the 80’s when it came to writing movies in that era. From 1983 to 1990, the list brings up a flood of kitsch and nostalgia for any movie going kid during that time – Mr. Mom, Vacation, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty In Pink, Ferri... Bueller’s Day Off, Some Kind of Wonderful, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Uncle Buck and Home Alone. Aside from getting a good dose of Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald and John Candy, one, some or all of those films have a soft spot in anyone’s heart if they’re under 30. So much was experienced from his films, hell, the guy served as a surrogate parent to a lot of people! For good or bad, he had an influence on a lot of lives, and if you take a look at the high school comedies that come out now, there’s no comparison. They just don’t have the same kind of originality. Hughes may not have done the high school comedy first, but very few have come close to achieving the combination of unique characters, quotable lines, touching emotional moments and hilarious scenes that have resulted in the Hughes films of the 1980’s. Universal put out an inexpensive boxed set of 3 of his films; The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and the "other" movie in the set, Weird Science, which I’m reviewing for your dining and dancing pleasure.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 29th, 2005
Synopsis
In the midst of all of this Lucas-generated Star Wars hype, why not release an animated film on DVD whose storyline seems to eerily mirror Episode IV’s A New Hope? The story is about a boy named Orin, who works in an underground mine that’s guarded by silver stormtrooper-looking robots. I’m just saying. One day, he finds a sword that has magical powers, and with the help of his friends, he goes on an intergalactic adventure to free his friends from an evil warlord named Zygon. With he...p from the magic sword, of course.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 26th, 2005
Synopsis
After making such internationally renowned samurai period films such as Rashomon and The Seven Samurai, Akira Kurosawa did make another film Yojimbo, with a decidedly different tone, bordering on dark comedy. The opening shot is of Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune, Throne of Blood), a samurai without a master, who looks at a mountain, and suddenly scratches his head, as if his hair is on too tight. It’s almost the breaking down of a facade, helping to show you that the film will ...e bit different from other Kurosawa samurai films. The introductory cards say that the film is set in the 1860s, and the samurai comes into a town ruled by rival gangs. He doesn’t know this when he comes in, but the first thing he sees in town is a dog carrying a human hand. People have said that the way that this film was told reminds them a lot of the Clint Eastwood/spaghetti westerns that came out several years later, and it’s easy to understand why, with the quiet main character whom you can never really tell he’s a hero or villain. He deals with some situations with a toothpick in his mouth, reminding me of Chou-Yun Fat in Hard Boiled. Kurosawa does action flicks? That’s probably the best way to characterize it, but he does it well, without a lot of one-liners or lack of common sense seen within a lot of today’s action films.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 24th, 2005
Las Vegas has a credo of sorts: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Well... not anymore. Las Vegas tells all in a new smart and often sexy NBC series. Most of the cast was chosen for their more physical attributes; however, the performances are not bad either. James Caan takes a surprising journey to TV land. The part of an ex-CIA boss fits Caan like one of Sonny Corleone’s tailored suits.
The series always features special guest stars, often playing themselves. The lineup of guests includee Vegas names like Penn&Teller as well as box office champions that include Dennis Hopper and Sean Astin. The show’s Montecito Hotel and Casino is as much a character of the show as anyone in the cast. The sets have been an added bonanza for Universal, as the hotel has shown up in other studio run shows like Monk (sans the cast). Perhaps the most endearing aspect of the series is how easily the plots develop without ever really taking themselves too seriously. Even the dire straits Caan’s Big Ed often finds himself in never seem to venture too far from the shtick. While the stories are easily forgotten just minutes after watching, it is nonetheless a fun ride while it lasts.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 24th, 2005
Who doesn’t have a soft spot in their heart, if not their DVD collection, for The Andy Griffith Show? The denizens of Mayberry have been with many of us our entire lives. For most of America, The Andy Griffith Show has become the template for any small rural town. The characters stand as prerequisite citizens in any said town. The town drunk, the local barber, the motherly little old lady, and the corner mechanic all look like Otis, Floyd, Aunt Bee, and Goober to most of us now. Griffith himself brought fine qualities to his role of Sheriff Andy Taylor, but it was Don Knotts as the incompetent but lovable deputy Barney Fife who stole the show. And who was that sweet little boy? He grew up to be a first class filmmaker with plenty of Oscars on the shelf. No question that The Andy Griffith Show started something back in 1960.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 20th, 2005
Stargate SG-1 is about to enter its ninth year. There was speculation that after season 8 the series would bow out gracefully with the anticipated exit of Richard Dean Anderson. With that plan in mind the folks at Stargate Command decided it was time to spin off the franchise, and so was born Atlantis. Stargate Atlantis boasts pretty much the same team as SG-1. The quality of the production and tight storytelling have translated well to this sister series. The only flaw in this plan is that fans don’t want to let go of the original. With a cast shake-up that brings us a newer look, SG-1 Atlantis will find it harder to learn to stand on its own.
Synopsis
