Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 22nd, 2004
Synopsis
An art-museum heist leads to the discovery of a map pointing the way to a treasure hiddenby Christopher Columbus. Two groups wind up on a remote island, racing each other and aferocious storm for the treasure. One group is a collection of criminals and crooked cops, eagerto kill our heroes in the second group (Stephen Baldwin, Nicolette Sheridan, and assorted comicrelief).
The director of this dead duck is supposedly someone named “Jay Andrews,” but withinmoments it is pa...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2004
Synopsis
Ivy Meeropol is the granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed fortreason at the height of the McCarthy era. Their case is a controversial one to this day, andMeeropol sets out to learn as much about who her grandparents were as she can, while peoplewho knew them are still alive. The series of interviews she conducts are fascinating looks backinto a dark period of American history, but there also flashes of the human comedy as well (suchas when former Ro...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 4th, 2004
Synopsis
Returning to his home town after eight years in the Special Forces, Chris Vaughn (The Rock)finds that everything has changed. The lumbermill has shut down, and in its place a casino hasarisen, dispensing drugs and sin on all sides. Beaten and left for dead by casino hoods, Chrisfights back, eventually replacing the sheriff and cleaning up the town by cleaning clocks.
This remake is loosely inspired by the life of Sheriff Buford Pusser (who was actually a prowrestler...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 2nd, 2004
Synopsis
A sprawling tale/fable/meditation centred on the early AIDS plague and the American dream,Angels in America is set in 1985, and traces hypocrisy and courage, disillusion and faithin the face of the disease. Prior (Justin Kirk) reveals to his lover Louis (Ben Shenkman) that hehas AIDS. Louis leaves him, and takes up with lawyer (Patrick Wilson), who, as a Mormon, ispretty damn closeted. His wife Harper (Mary-Louise Parker) spirals into depression. Meanwhile,spectacula...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 14th, 2004
Synopsis
Depressed by the US government’s genocide of Native Americans, Frank T. Hopkins (ViggoMortensen) is drinking himself into oblivion while working for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.His horse, a Mustang named Hidalgo, has been called the world’s best endurance racer, whichdraws the ire of an Arabian shiek, who feels his horse owns that title. Honour challenged,Hopkins travels to the Arabian Desert to take part in a gruelling 3,000-mile race.
Having gone out of its way ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2004
Synopsis
On the cusp of graduation, honour student Emile Hirsch’s quiet, orderly life is thrown intochaos when he falls in love with girl next door Elisha Cuthbert, who turns out to be a porn star.Hirsch’s reaction to this revelation drives a wedge between the couple, and pushes Cuthbert backinto the industry. Hirsch’s attempts to redeem himself lead him into deeper and deepertrouble.
This is not another would-be American Pie (though apparently the script started out...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 29th, 2004
Synopsis
The title says it all as far as our principle characters are concerned. They are coming of age ina world so inimical to them (thank you, Baby Boomers) that their survival response is cynicismand disengagement. The leads are Winona Ryder as a would-be filmmaker in a humiliating job,Ethan Hawke as the slacker who can’t express his true feelings for Ryder, and Ben Stiller as thecareer guy who also courts Ryder. Also here are friends Janeane Garofalo and Steven Zahn asequally c...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 23rd, 2004
Synopsis
A madman with a dream of cleansing the planet steals a ferociously deadly virus and kidnapsMadchen Amick, the only scientist who potentially knows how to create a vaccine for thedisease. A multinational special forces squad is sent to find the bad guys and rescue Amick.Meanwhile, our villain begins the spread of the virus, and a trigger-happy National SecurityAdviser wants to nuke all of Africa. Erstwhile mummy Arnold Vosloo is the scientist at theWashington HQ urging calm.
...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 21st, 2004
Synopsis
A powerful bomb explodes in downtown LA law office. The authorities suspect terrorism,but former FBI agent (now officer for the Bureau of Postal Investigation) Randall Batkinkoff hashis doubts. Politics interferes with his investigation, but he gradually becomes involved asanother bomb goes off. Evidence points to violent survivalist, but is he really the right man?
The rebellious investigator who’s always right. The politically-motivated chief investigatorwho hamstrings th...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 16th, 2004
The mid-nineties Fox Spider-Man was hands down the best animated series of the time. It was one of the first series to use a Japanese animation company to produce a regular Saturday morning series and the Japanese influence was immediately striking. The brightness and depth of colors as well as the consistency of the animation blew away everything else that was available on TV at the time. The stories were outstanding in that they borrowed heavily from classic comic stories and adapted them for viewers that may not b...
