Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 5th, 2007
Many people – myself included, looked at Timothy Spall as Wormtail from the Harry Potter films and didn’t think much about it. But the guy has found other work and done well for himself over the years. Recently, he made The Last Hangman, a film based on the life of Albert Pierrepoint, one of England’s chief executioners during the pre and post-war eras.
To sum up Pierrepoint’s accomplishments, for lack of a better word, he executed over 600 convicted criminals during a quarter century period. Most of them were convicted British criminals, however he was responsible for the executions of some Nazi war criminals after the war ended. Spall portrays Pierrepoint as one who took to the job rather well, with a detached efficiency that was praised at many high levels of British government. He was married for a long period of time to Annie (Juliet Stevenson, Bend it Like Beckham), who was increasingly aware of his notoriety as the years went on, and he almost unwillingly served as a lightning rod for the capital punishment debate in London.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 4th, 2007
Everybody remembers the first scary movie that gave them nightmares for days and months after they saw it. For some, it was the Exorcist and for more recent folks perhaps it was Scream or Saw. For me, it was Poltergeist. I was but seven years old and thought it would be something like E.T. Phone Home, but with swirly demons and ghosts? It was PG, how bad could it be? In the next two hours, I was treated to something that resonates with me to this very day. From the moment I heard "They're Here", I knew I would never see static on televisions the same way.
It's 3:00 in the morning, the national anthem is playing and then the television goes to static (remember those days, now we just get infomercials about losing weight). A small child named Carol Anne (played by Heather O' Rourke) gets out of bed and walks towards the television. She starts talking to the set and works up a pretty good conversation. The people inside the television were trying to communicate with the 5 year old child. However, there was something else in the television set, something far more sinister. There was more at work here than a girl perhaps making an imaginary friend.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 2nd, 2007
This box set of three movies tries to take advantage of a college course theme to generate interest for films already available in these same editions. This collection uses Astronomy to bunch together three lighthearted science fiction adventures. The films are Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Spaceballs, and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension. The lesson we’re really learning here is how corporate quests for profits can reach almost ridiculous proportions. Many studios are running low on the films in their libraries that have yet to be released but still have a market to sustain a DVD title. The obvious answer to this dilemma is double, triple, and beyond dipping. The idea is to repackage a film, maybe add an extra or two, often not, and put it in a newer, shinier package. In theory we unsavvy buyers are like wild raccoons who can’t resist putting their hands on that new glittering design and will buy products which we already own. It would sound silly, except that it works. Record companies have been doing it for decades. Elvis has been dead for almost 30 years, but there’s still at least one new Elvis CD every year since. OK. Rant out of the way. Let’s talk about the three films in the package.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 2nd, 2007
The Sopranos, called by some the greatest TV show in history, is over. With a much-publicized fade-to-black finish, the series finale aired June 10, 2007, leaving fans to forever speculate about the fate of Tony Soprano. Many were disappointed at this ambiguous ending, but I'm sure a similar number enjoyed having some major loose ends.
It's all academic for me, because I hadn't watched the series since its season three finale, and only caught the end when this DVD set came my way for review. After catching up on seasons four, five and six (part one) through synopses, I sat down to experience The Sopranos' closing act.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 30th, 2007
Scrubs is a show that resists being defined. Certainly there have been a ton of medical shows over the years. Recently shows like Grey’s Anatomy have found a way to balance a bit of drama with a light mood that often approaches comedy. MASH was the opposite. It was a comedy that often allowed quite serious moments to intrude upon the laughter. Any way you slice it, it turns out that pain and disease can be funny. Nowhere is that more true than on Scrubs. On Scrubs you are never left in an awkward position of knowing if it’s appropriate to laugh. Everything about the show is geared toward the absurd, and hopefully the funny.
The show exists almost exclusively in the mind of Dr. J.D. Dorian (Braff). He exists in a world where he can say and do exactly what he feels like, even if he might not actually say or do any of it. We see what he sees inside of his head. If he sees a good looking woman, he has a vision of his friend giving a sportscaster breakdown of her attributes. In this place he has none of the inhibitions his real life demands. He can ridicule a patient or fantasize a torrid affair with a nurse. Dorian is surrounded by a solid cast of crazy characters. His best friend is Dr. Christopher Turk (Faison). Turk is recently married to Nurse Carla (Reyes) and they are having a baby. She’s pretty much the straight man here and sets up a lot of the material. Dorian has an awkward relationship with his ex Elliott Reid (Chalke), now with another guy. He’s a bit jealous of her time these days, and more than a few of his fantasy moments involve her. Dr. Bob Kelso (Jenkins) is one of the better characters and actors in the show. Often underused, his tight ship exterior would make a better foil for the gang if used more generously. Finally, arrogant Dr. Cox (McGinley) does get to be the butt of a lot of the jokes, but he’s established himself as a strong lead at times instead of the typical fall guy. All in all, the cast is sharp and witty. Where I find fault with Scrubs is likely what the fans enjoy the most. It is way over the top. The moments are often ridiculous, and the writers are not afraid to make a huge stretch for a joke. Fans of the show probably went head over heels for the My Musical episode as Scrubs goes where Buffy The Vampire Slayer has gone before and the cast breaks out in song.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 29th, 2007
OK, brace yourself when I tell you that Hallowed Ground was a straight to video release. I know, you're stunned, right? You can't even get up. I was as shocked as you. But I've got to hand it to the filmmakers, they've got a decent idea by putting a somewhat scary image on their cover and keeping a brother intrigued, so to speak.
Written and directed by David Benullo, he of Shadow Man fame, this film focuses on the town of Hope, where Liz (Jaimie Alexander, Kyle XY) finds herself standed. The people are nice to her, but for some reason, they just come off as being "too nice". She manages to find out the town is pretty much composed of religious fanatics, who find out that Liz is part of a prophecy as outlined by the town's preacher. The funny part is that the preacher died a century ago and was crucified and hung like a scarecrow, resulting in the semi-cool picture. So the town tries to hold her hostage while the scarecrow gets his pseudo freaky deaky on.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 29th, 2007
Every now and then a writer gets stuck for what to write. As a reviewer it happens that I can watch a film or series, take pages of detailed notes and read everything I can get my hands on about the subject, but still when I sit down to my computer it’s just me and that flashy cursor, aptly named, for every writer has felt the curse as that incessant blinking blob continues to remind us we’ve got nothing. In the industry we have a highly technical term for this condition. We call it writer’s block. Sometimes I’ll try and get around it by telling a little story about myself and hope the reader won’t find out it’s just a stall.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 29th, 2007
I admit I don't have the strongest faith. Sure I believe in God, but it pretty much ends at that like any other agnostic. So when I get a movie that is based on the idea of the Ten Plagues; let's say I'm not that familiar with the subject matter. I know there are locusts attacking and toads dropping involved along with the whole river of blood thing but outside of that I'm a little thin. However, not to say I wasn't interested. In fact I'm always intrigued by stories in the bible when they are used as methods of literature and peaks into the historical past.
The Reaping is the story of Katherine Winter (played by Hilary Swank), a LSU professor who has made a living off debunking miracles by explaining them away with science. We find out from her backstory that she was in fact an ordained minister who lost her faith when her husband and daughter were killed in Sudan on a mission. Her partner and fellow teacher, Ben (played by Idris Elba) helps her out. They are approached by Doug Blackwell (played by David Morrissey), a schoolteacher from Haven, LA about a new case. Haven, LA has seen a young 12-year old girl Loren (played by AnnaSophia Robb) murders her brother and turned the river to blood. The town also believes this is the start of the Ten Plagues of the Old Testament. Katherine & Ben go to investigate.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 28th, 2007
What happens when the reviewer who did Dante's Cove decides to tackle its vampiresque cousin, The Lair? (Besides scheduling more sessions with his psychiatrist) You get somebody who starts understanding what makes up the Here! network. We're homies, we break bread together. Just don't expect me to wear my pants that low nor participate in your late night parties. I got an image to uphold. Season one of the Lair provides something that no other show on the Here! network has proved to this point. A show where there is actual dialog and something more than a cheap excuse to show lots and lots of male on male action. Welcome to the Fang Bang.
The Lair is the story of a journalist, Thom (played by David Moretti ) who is investigating the John Doe murders when he comes across a janitor, Frankie (played by Brian Nolan) who gives him information about a club called the Lair. The Lair as it turns out is a sex club with all gay male clientèle (expect gratuitous scenes of six or seven men at a time doing things that would make Ron Jeremy walk out of the room) who have much darker secrets than their lifestyle. They are vampires. The vampires are lead by Damian (played by Peter Stickles) and Colin (played by Dylan Vox). Colin looks like he should be the double for Billy Idol's next televised concert. Seriously, I expected him to bust out with White Wedding at any moment. The story starts to get interesting when Thom's jealous boyfriend Jonathan (played by Jessie Cutlip) goes to the Lair and finds himself in a deadly situation. This leads to Thom who must keep himself alive and in the process unravel the mystery of how the John Doe murders and the Lair are connected.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 27th, 2007
The Invisible appears to have been marketed a couple of different ways when it was released in early 2007, but the most used phrase for the film appears to be “Supernatural Thriller”, which might address it to some degree if it was, you know, thrilling.
Christine Roum (Bodyguard II) co-wrote the screenplay, which David Goyer directed. Goyer has been a longtime writer, providing words to such films as Dark City, Blade and Batman Begins. And for all the good work he’s put in as a writer, you’d think he would have learned some things when it comes to directing, but ultimately, he’s just another guy who was talented in one area and needs some work in his new one.
