Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 29th, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 28th, 2004
I spent many an evening as a child watching the Peanuts gang in one of their famous holiday specials. I looked in my backyard for The Great Pumpkin at Halloween, and I often times decorated my very own Charlie Brown Christmas tree at Christmastime. Obviously, I was not alone in my enjoyment of these cartoons, as the very same shows are aired even now, during the appropriate time of year.
The popularity of these cartoons has not escaped the attention of the estate of Charles Schultz, either. In an attempt to...keep a good thing going, the Peanuts gang is back in an all new special, Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown. Often times, any effort to capture the magic of a classic in an all-new feature fails miserably, but thank goodness that is not the case here. This special is just as much fun as the originals were, complete with the determined spirit of underachieving Chuck, the cruel nature of loudmouth Lucy, and the mannish (dare I say homosexual?) tendencies of Marci.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 28th, 2004
When I first glanced over the cast of this film, I was certain that it was shot in the 80’s. These days, names such as Deborah Harry, Ally Sheedy, Ralph Macchio and Robin Givens just don’t show up together on a movie poster. Of course, this is no ordinary gangster film, either. In fact, for a director trying to make a name for himself, this casting strategy is pretty brilliant. If Quentin Tarrantino has taught us anything, he has taught us that old actors don’t lose their chops, they just become less fashionable. If ...ou can get a name with skill at a bargain rate, then by all means, do so.
From the opening title sequence, I was hooked on the visuals of this film. It is clear that Singer has fun as a director, and that enthusiasm bleeds over into the feel of the film. In fact, the whole piece is cut like a feature-length trailer, with lots of action going on behind the camera, and respectable acting in front of it.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 28th, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 27th, 2004
Ahh, those funny little Kids from Canada. I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but at some point in the 90’s, The Kids in the Hall became North America’s answer to Monty Python. Now, that’s not to say that the Kids are as classically funny as the Pythons, but the similarities run rampant nonetheless. Both troupes had a very successful sketch comedy television series, in which many of the all-male cast dressed in drag. Following the success of their respective shows, they both explored what feature films might conta...n. Following this exploration, they both performed some of their classic material before a live audience. The last part of the puzzle is the emergence of one of the cast members as a serious Director; for the Pythons, it was Gilliam, and for the Kids, it’s Bruce MuCulloch.
Just to make this clear yet again, I am certainly not saying that Gilliam and MuCulloch are equals in the world of film… far from it. I can say, however, that McCulloch is off to a good start, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him evolve into a talented comedy director in the future. Dog Park is a basic romantic comedy, with indie sensibilities and a twisted view of dog owners. Think Best in Show meets When Harry Met Sally.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 27th, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 27th, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 22nd, 2004
I remember all of the controversy and discussion that was stirred up when Judy Dench won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love. It’s not that the public felt that she didn’t do a great job, it’s just that she was only in the film for approximately six minutes. What’s more, Cate Blanchette was in a film called Elizabeth that same year, in which she played the same historical figure, and was nominated for the role of Best Actress, which sh... did not ultimately win. Ahh, the drama and controversy that is Oscar.
A similar controversy brews on this DVD, though certainly not as strongly. 20th Century Fox has released this disc billed as a Marilyn Monroe movie. True, Marilyn is in the film, but let’s be honest… she’s only in it for about eight minutes. Granted, the film is only 76 minutes long, but still. Eight measly minutes. For me, the better story here is Robert Wagner. Yep, the cast includes Mr. Hart to Hart himself, in one of his first film appearances. Not only that, but he has a major supporting role in the film. In this case, I feel that Wagner should be on the cover of this disc, instead of Monroe
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 20th, 2004
What would prep school be like on December 7th, 1941? For those of you not historically savvy, 7/41 was the day of Pearl Harbor. December is about 5 prep school boys coming to terms with the patriotic and moral issues involved with the Pearl Harbor attack. I suppose the movie is timely in the sense that, ever since 9/11, people are still wrestling with the same questions. Unfortunately, the wrestling in this movie is more like tai chi.
Wil Wheaton (better known as Wesley Crusher Star Trek) is t...e “star” of this ensemble cast. He’s the rebel in a character list full of clichés. There’s also the jock, the geek, the good goody, and the “little brother”. So it’s like The Breakfast Club, but not as cool. The boys’ performances are solid, but they are everything you expect.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 20th, 2004
Film
Kata (Katrina Gibson) and Ana (Melida Prado) are best friends growing up on the streets of L.A. To pass time they steal cars, hang out with their fellow gang mates, and compete in dance contests against rival gangs. When Ana gets pregnant by a member of a rival gang, she must choose between the street life and a life where she leaves it all behind, including Kata, to raise her child.
