Dolby Digital 2.0 (English)

Nobody’s Fool

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 21st, 2003

Synopsis

Welcome to North Bath, New York, a small town where everyone knows everyone, and thebest-known figure is Sully (Paul Newman). His landlady (Jessica Tandy) is his former 8th-gradeteacher. He works off and on for Bruce Willis, and while the two men appear to hate each other,they also weirdly look after each other. Newman flirts shamelessly with Willis’ neglected wife(Melanie Griffith). Newman walked out on his own family many years ago, but during theChristmas season his son …
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Deadly Invasion

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 17th, 2003

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You can pretty much guess a film’s in trouble when it begins with an ominous narrative that ends with: “The following could be a true story”. Deadly Invasion starts slow and gets dull from there. This was a 1995 TV film about killer bees. Weren’t we over that story in the 1970’s? The plot is predictable at every turn. This might not be all that bad if not for below B grade acting and cinematography. I’m more afraid of having to watch this film again than of killer bees.

Audio

MTV Cribs: Rock

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 17th, 2003

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With seemingly every TV show coming out on DVD as of late you know it was only a matter of time before MTV jumped on the bandwagon. Cribs is one of their longest running series and this discs looks at the homes of 8 different rockers and one of their own VJ’s. Follow along as we venture in to the living quarters of Incubus, Tommy Lee, Rob Zombie, Fieldy (the bass player for Korn), Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker of Blink 182, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach) and MTV VJ Ian Robinson.

Waxwork / Waxwork II: Lost in Time

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 16th, 2003

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Synopsis

The plot to both features is rather similar, in each case serving to set up a bunch of mini-movies loaded with tributes and/or parodies of classic cinema monsters. In the first film, amysterious wax museum, presided over by David Warner, appears in town, and a group of teensill-advisedly wander in. Step too near an exhibit, and you wind up in the world depicted, upagainst a werewolf, the mummy, vampires, and so on. In the sequel, Zach Galligan (hero of thefirst) and his gir…
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Prom Night III: The Last Kiss / Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 15th, 2003

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Synopsis

Though a largely undistinguished series the Prom Night hit something of a high watermark with Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (***). Advertized, on its initial release, as “ARomantic Comedy From Hell,” this sees the demonic prom queen Mary Lou Maloney escapingfrom Hell (where she was stuck in an infernal chorus line) to continue her depredations atHamilton High. There she falls in love with Alex, an average student whose life is suddenly notaverage at all now th…
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Outer Limits: Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 14th, 2003

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Maybe there wasn’t anything wrong with your television set, but what were the network executives thinking? It’s hard to believe that a show as influential and as well known as The Outer Limits never made it to the end of its second season. The original Outer Limits was cancelled just 17 episodes into season 2. Like Star Trek after it, this short-lived show found its footing in later syndication and revival projects. It is fortunate indeed that today’s general rule of 100 episodes to qualify for syndication did not exist in the 1960’s.
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Bride of Re-Animator

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 14th, 2003

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Synopsis

Having mysteriously survived the slaughterhouse finale of Re-Animator, madscientist Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs, in his definitive role) is continuing his experiments in re-animating the dead. Now he and his reluctant partner Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) are bringing lifenot just to the recently deceased, but to assemblages of body parts. The big project becomes thecobbling together of a woman, based around the heart of Meg, Dan’s lost love. Sloppy inconstruction, and wit…
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Spring, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 12th, 2003

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Synopsis

Single father Kyle MacLachlan is on a camping trip with his son. They wind up in the a nicelittle town, and an accident forces them to stay there longer than planned. The townspeople seemto be inordinately interested in who MacLachlan is, and they also have something to hide. Thefountain of youth, you see, is located here, and the locals will stop at nothing to protect theirsecret. Though very much a made-for-TV movie, and no classic of the field, it is somewhat betterthan …
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Night Scream

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 12th, 2003

Synopsis

One year after the death the murder of a young woman named Laura, her spitting imagedrives into town. Drew (Candace Cameron Bure) doesn’t know why she has come to this town,or how she got there, or why she has spells where she thinks she is Laura, much to theconsternation of the bereaved parents. Laura’s boyfriend Ted (Casper Van Dien) was blamed forthe murder, and is believed dead himself, but things are not what they seem, and Laura’s spiritwants her murder avenged. Deepl…
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Hatred of a Minute

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2003

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Synopsis

Writer/director Michael Kallio stars as Eric Seaver, autopsy report transcriber and serialkiller. In the present, he drives through the night, a terrified woman trussed up in the back of hiscar. As he talks to her, we see his life unfold in flashback. He was twisted by the relentless abusedished out by his stepfather (erstwhile Leatherface Gunnar Hansen), and the rage he held withinfinally explodes at his mother’s funeral. So begins his spiral into madness. Made on a shoestri…
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Invitation to Hell

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2003

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Synopsis

Robert Urich has just been hired by a high-tech firm to work on a spacesuit for a mannedflight to Venus. Flight to Venus? you ask. Yes. And the suit comes complete with built-in laserblaster and flame thrower. Why? For the simple reason that all this will be necessary for Urichto save his family from the clutches of Susan Lucci, the demon who runs the local country club.I swear I am not making any of this up. Lunatic plot aside, this is very pedestrian 80s made-for-TV horro…
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Silent Predators

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2003

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Synopsis

Twenty years ago, a deadly tropical rattlesnake gets loose near the town of San Catalano. Itinterbreeds with the local rattlesnake population. In the present, the hybrids are disturbed by theblasting going on a construction site, and make their way into the town. All the stock charatersfor a nature-on-the-loose film are present and accounted for: the fire chief no one will listen to,the heartless developer whose fault this is, the mayor more concerned with money than withli…
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Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Looming Thunder

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 10th, 2003

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Synopsis

Trouble looms for the Power Rangers when Dustin starts hanging out with some mysteriousnew friends. Are they up to no good? The answers to this and other questions will naturallyinvolve a great many martial arts sequences and cheesy special effects. If you’re not alreadyfamiliar with the Power Rangers storylines and characters, this will be pretty hard to follow.

Audio

A decent but unimpressive. 2.0. The bass could be heavier, given all the hard rock …
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Seabiscuit – America’s Legendary Racehorse

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 9th, 2003

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I had never heard of Seabiscuit until I saw a trailer for the movie starring Tobey Maguire. I had no desire to watch a movie about a racehorse and doubted the voice over as it tried to engage the audience by stating that the story of Seabiscuit were the things that legends were made of. Well that feeling of skepticism changed after I watched this documentary. This documentary follows the amazing story of Seabiscuit, possibly the most famous racehorse in American history. One of the opening lines states that in 1938, …
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C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 9th, 2003

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Make no mistake about it. CSI is not your father’s Quincy. The idea of forensic science on drama is not really a unique one. CSI makes its mark with an incredible style not seen before on TV or even in films. The cases are always engaging and the characters and writing remain strong. This second season set is far superior to the initial outing. Paramount finally got the message and released this set in widescreen and with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. The packaging, however, is the same awkward and flimsy design offered in year one.
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Mark of Zorro, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 8th, 2003

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Synopsis

Returning to California after some years in Spain, Don Diego de Vega (Tyrone Power) finds that hisfather has been deposed and that the region is ruled by a venal, corrupt governer under the thumbof tyrannical lieutenant Basil Rathbone. Pretending to be a useless fop by day, Diego dons maskand sword by night as Zorro, fighting for the liberation of the poor and the downtrodden. Powerspends surprisingly little time in the Zorro get-up, and the climactic duel comes earlier than …
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Repossessed

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 6th, 2003

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Synopsis

As a child, Nancy (Linda Blair, who played “Regan” in the original — get it?) was possessedby the devil, but was saved by Father Leslie Nielsen. But now she has been repossessed, and thebattle begins anew. Repossessed adopts the approach of the Airplane andNaked Gun films, but has none of their skill. There are a couple of okay chuckles, butmost of this plays like a bad high school sketch show. Writer/director Bob Logan forgot thatwhat made Niel…
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I, Madman

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 6th, 2003

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Synopsis

Jenny Wright is Virginia. She works at a used bookstore by day, and by night freaks herselfout with the frightening books of Malcolm Brand. Her life becomes a nightmare when themonstrous protagonist of Brand’s I, Madman appears to her in the real world, and startsre-enacting his crimes. Appearing well before the postmodern exercises of the Screamseries, In the Mouth of Madness and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, this littlefilm anticipates tha…
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Lair of the White Worm, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 3rd, 2003

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Synopsis

Loosely (to put it mildly) based on a Bram Stoker novel, this is the tale of the town ofD’Ampton, where once there was a monster (a clear reference to the Lambton Worm of legend).Archaeologist Peter Capaldi digs up the skull of what appears to be a giant snake. He andaristocrat Hugh Grant come to realize that a snake-worshipping cult is active in the area, and theysuspect Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe). They’re right: Donohoe is a snake-woman intenton sacrificing…
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House of Cards Trilogy, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 2nd, 2003

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Synopsis

Ian Richardson is Sir Francis Urquhart (FU to his friends), a scheming politician whocombines the guiles of Richard III and Iago. In House of Cards, the first mini-series ofthe trilogy, he is the Tory Chief Whip, and has just been disappointed in his expectations by anew prime minister he considers weak. Furious, Urquhart sets about the destruction of his ownprime minister. In To Play the King, Urquhart, now PM, comes up against the willfulnew king (who…
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Drop Dead Fred

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 24th, 2003

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Synopsis

Ever had an imaginary friend as a kid? Then this movie is for you. Elizabeth (Phoebe Cates) has just split with her husband and returns home to find the imaginary friend that she lost twenty-one years before. Drop Dead Fred (Rick Mayall) is ready for mischief and mayhem after being cooped up. After Fred sinks her best friend’s boat (played by Carrie Fischer) Elizabeth decides it is time to get rid of Fred once and for all. Instead she finds herself and gets her life back.

Vide…
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Guilty By Association

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 24th, 2003

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A cautionary tale about gangs and racism we have the story of Rick Brown convicted of drug offenses and now out on probation trying to get his life back together. With no where to go he gets sucked back into his own life. Lieutenant Redding (Morgan Freedman) is on the hunt for a ruthless gang killer. Things soon go bad for Rick and he finds himself in the middle as the violence erupts. Unfortunately the acting, directing and storyline is so weak that you are not really interested if the two s…orylines are ever going to come together.
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Day of the Dead

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 21st, 2003

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Decades before The Blair Witch Project drew attention to the small independent filmmaker, George Romero and a small band of Pittsburgh natives took the horror genre by surprise with the stunning and atmospheric Night of the Living Dead. Day of the Dead was the third and (so far) final entry into the Romero zombie trilogy. Romero admits that this is the least acclaimed film in the series while professing that it is his own favorite. There is absolutely no question that makeup magician Tom Savini did some of his greatest work in this film.
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Angel – The Complete Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 18th, 2003

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Angel: Season Two (a spinoff from the wildly popular Buffy the Vampire Slayer) follows the continuing adventures of Angel (David Boreanz), the vampire who searches for redemption while battling otherworldly demons and spirits on behalf of man. Angel and his team of modern day Ghostbusters find ways to track down trouble before it gets out of control, giving each episode an action-packed and imaginative flair, with numerous long-term story arcs running throughout the season. The overall theme of the en…
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Forbidden Fruit

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2003

Synopsis

Michael Kremko plays Adam, dashing young priest. Nadia Mansouri is a young woman whohas a crush on him. Her name is Eve. Get it? If you don’t, Jake Simons as a gay dancechoreographer helpfully points out the symbolism for us. Sure enough, Adam is tempted from thestraight and true path and begins a torrid affair with Eve. The jealous Simons starts underminingthe two characters. The dialogue is banal, even as it has pretensions to deal with Really BigIssues of faith and free …
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