Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 4th, 2002
Time travel stories and their inevitable paradoxes have been with us since Twain’s Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. This film takes a fresh approach to the subject. Instead of the characters moving through time, they are afforded the chance to communicate through time. Frequency is both engaging and often emotional. There is an amazing chemistry between father and son even though for most of the film they are never actually together. The baseball theme, for me, adds warmth that makes the relationship play out like a common memory. I hesitate to use the moniker “feel good movie” but it does seem to fit Frequency.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 16th, 2002
Let me start off by being very honest. I was not a huge fan of the Devlin and Emerich film version of Stargate. And because I wasn’t into the film, I did not bother to watch the Showtime original series when it first debuted. That was a major mistake on my behalf. The series is closer to Star Trek than Stargate (the movie). The cast is excellent beginning with Richard Dean Anderson taking over the Mike Douglas role of Col. O’Neal. With a refreshing blend of wit and tough guy, Anderson is everything you want in a le...der. Showtime’s commitment to quality production values and tight writing make this one of the better TV boxed sets out there (in terms of content). Look for Anderson’s reaction in the pilot when Carter explains how she needed to “McGyver” a dialing station… it’s priceless.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 14th, 2002
The X-Files is one of those TV shows that lends itself very well to the DVD format. Its insanely complicated mythos and attendant continuity makes it a show where extras actually make sense. (Does anyone REALLY need Ally McBeal commentary?)
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 12th, 2002
Let’s take a little trip down memory lane, shall we? Follow me back to that bygone era known as the eighties. Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were consolidating their formula for slick, commercial fluff, Harold Faltermeyer’s synthesized scores were inescapable, and Steven Bauer actually rated star billing.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 10th, 2002
Let me start off by saying that “The Cell” is not for the timid. It can be as disturbing as it is visually stunning. On the surface this is a serial killer thriller but in reality the film is much more. Elements of suspense and graphic horror combine with a science fiction premise that one can enter the dreams of another person. It’s hard not to make comparisons with the 1980’s film “Dreamscape”; both have created elaborate larger than life dream worlds where if you die in your dream you die in reality. “The Cell” goes much further with its stark contrasts of often gritty environments followed by lavish and brightly colored settings.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 27th, 2002
This film has been met with mixed but mostly rave reviews (Maltin only gives it 2.5 stars) since it was released. I loved it. It wasn’t just the spaceships and groundbreaking effects but the well-rounded cast that makes this film a future classic for me. Goldblume’s quirky nerd works perfectly here (more than it did in Jurassic Park), Quaid is a simple joy, Will Smith showed that he has grown out of the “Fresh Prince” stereotype, and anyone who thought Judd Hirsh wasn’t anything more than Taxi’s Alex must have been awed by his performance. This is a visually appealing film with a touch of cheese to wrap it all up.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 11th, 2002
Intro
It is interesting to see a film with such a tiny budget ($500,000) on the MGM label.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 11th, 2002
Intro
The hero is a kitchen sponge. I think I’ve seen everything now.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 9th, 2002
Intro
An ambitious, intelligent, serious look at the life of Oscar Wilde, this is a first-class biopic.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 6th, 2002
Starting a few years back with Out of Sight and continuing on with The Limey and Erin Brokovich, director Steven Soderbergh had been riding a remarkable streak of winning films that fulfills the blazing promise of his first film, sex, lies, and videotape. With his most complex film to date, Traffic, Soderbergh once again proved that he is one of America’s most inventive filmmakers. He doesn’t play it safe – with each and every new outing, Soderbergh proves that he’s not afraid to ...ake chances. It seems as if he thrives off of the challenge and manages (so far) to hit a home run every time he steps up to the plate.
Based on the British mini-series “Traffik”, Soderbergh’s film tackles America’s complex “war on drugs”, ultimately declaring it a draw, if not a futile endeavor. It interweaves three separate storylines, each with its own trailing threads and allows Soderbergh, and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (Rules of Engagement), to detail various aspects of the drug trade in America, Mexico, and in homes all across America. The film is many stories and no center – a drama that describes a condition in which symptoms far outnumber any possible cure. We see smart, affluent teens smoking, snorting, and shooting-up under the noses of parents you would think are most likely to realize it. We see the high living that drug money can afford you and we wander the streets of dusty Tijuana to see the beginnings of the drugs making their way across our borders. The film retains a personal touch for viewers by making the cops, crooks, and users into individuals with strong personalities and credible motives for their actions.
