Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Despite the title, this holidays covered in this story run all the way from Christmas to theNew Year. Rabbit gets so touchy that, in order to placate him, the Hundred Acre Wood friendsmake resolutions to change, which involves exchanging roles. This is a gentle cartoon aimed atthe very, very young. The Carly Simon songs are pretty hard to take, though.
Audio
The precise nature of the soundtrack isn’t specified, which usually means 2.0. the music isg...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Carolyn McDuffy (Christina Ricci) appears to have it all. She is the most dynamic memberof her sorority. She’s dating the most popular boy on campus. Her unspeakably shallow life isperfect. The sorority does some charity work with challenged athletes, and Ricci is paired up withPumpkin (Hank Harris). She is at first disgusted, then fascinated, and then... Life, of course, goesspinning wildly out of control. Though the trailer suggests this might be another gross-outcomedy, ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Louis Gossett, Jr. is the dean of a private school for troublesome boys. The main prankstersare led by Sean Astin. School life turns deadly when a group of Columbian gangsters take overthe campus, holding the students hostage and demanding that the father of their leader bereleased from prison. I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting much when I popped this in, and deathless itis not. But it is reasonably suspenseful, with solid action sequences. As time-wasters go, this isn’tbad at...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
New girl Sandy (a simpering Olivia Newton-John) arrives at school after a summer romancewith bad boy John Travolta. Will he acknowledge the love they shared together, even if this costshim some of his coolness factor? Whether or not you care can be gauged by how you feel aboutthe extremely 70s soundtrack.
Audio
The film has been given a 5.1 mix, but the result isn’t spectacular. Granted, the soundtrack isalmost 25 years old, but the sound quality he...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Psychologist Mia is caught up in a web of erotic danger thanks to Tammy, whose husbandgets killed in the opening scene, and who is no doubt not as innocent as she appears to be. Bigyawn. And hasn’t anyone noticed that “Trois 2” is a singularly stupid sounding title? Why not“Trois 2: Uno”?
Audio
Film aside, the sound quality is pretty damn good, with an excellent music mix, and a prettysolid environment creation, with sound effects noticeably present...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
A tour bus goes hundreds of kilometres off-course in the African desert. Then it breaks downby an abandoned town. While waiting for rescue (which may or may not ever come), thepassengers work on mounting a production of King Lear, and their civilized veneer getsprogressively stripped away. The concept is odd, but it works, and the cast (including JenniferJason Leigh) is uniformly strong.
Audio
The sound is only 2.0, but it must be borne in mind that...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Can’t afford Jim Carrey? Then hire Dave Sheridan, who will do his best impersonation of thebig star. As Frank McKlusky, Sheridan plays a young man so traumatized by his daredevilfather’s disastrous stunt that he has become psychotic about safety precautions (a neurosisencouraged by mother Dolly Parton). McKlusky’s dad (Randy Quaid) was denied medicalinsurance due to a crooked legal firm, who now, many years later, are up to no good again.McKlusky investigates, and the hilar...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 21st, 2002
The Greeks are well known for their complex and compelling mythology. Writers like Homer have for millennia defined the literary world of mythology. I challenge anyone to debate that J.R.R. Tolkien has filled that role for the 20th century and beyond. The foreword to The Fellowship of the Ring begins by saying: “The tale grew in the telling until it became a history…” I entered the theatre for a midnight showing of this ambitious film with very high expectations. Truth be told, it was not possible that those expectations could be met.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 19th, 2002
Several years ago David Caruso left a young TV series to pursue a career in the big time. That young series was NYPD Blue and the big time movie career ended up somewhat less successful. Caruso is back on TV now and his latest film is proof that’s where he belongs. It’s not that Black Point is a bad film at all. It’s not. It does, however, play out like a made for TV movie. Artisan must agree because they decided to release it in full screen format. It’s one of those several twists/ no honor among thieves affairs.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Jimmy is an aspiring concert pianist. He also has a few sexual knots that need untangling.And he’s a brutal debt collector for his bottom-of-the-ladder loanshark father. The movie tracesthe couple of days during which his life disintegrates. This is not for everyone. The pace isdeliberate, with looooong stretches of nothing much happening, punctuated by explosions ofsurprisingly brutal violence. The whole is also shaded by a pretty pronounced misogyny. But thefilm sticks wi...
