Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 27th, 2003
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 25th, 2003
You don’t necessarily have to be a fan of Big Beat or Electronica music to enjoy this DVD, but it probably helps. Luckily for me, I’m a fan of the genre, and I’m an especially avid fan of Norman Cook, A.K.A. Fatboy Slim. He is an artist that has an uncanny appeal to young and (hip) old alike. Even still, I had my doubts about just how interesting it could be to watch other people dancing and having a good time, while a DJ spins records.
Lucky for me, this DVD follows the same “just have fun” attitude that ...ook’s music does, providing a truly entertaining disc. It’s one thing to think about a large number of people going to a free concert on the beach, it’s another to hear that there were about 250,000 people there. It’s still another thing to see it yourself, and actually try to wrap your brain around the scene. A quarter of a million people, on an average day, meet at the beach at sunset for no reason at all, except to dance and be happy. Wow. This is really cool stuff.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 24th, 2003
It Runs in the Family is a film that combines three generations of the Douglas family – patriarch Kirk Douglas, son Michael Douglas and grandson Cameron Douglas (Michael’s son from his 1st marriage). It’s not clear how much this movie resembles their real-life problems but chances are the emotions involved are quite similar.
The movie follows the story of the Grombergs. Mitchell Gromberg (Kirk Douglas) is the founder of the law firm that his son Alex (Michael Douglas) works at. Alex is quickly involved in...an affair with a fellow volunteer at a soup kitchen (Sarita Choudhury). This is an event that gets the movie rolling.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 24th, 2003
The biggest band in the world did something completely revolutionary on their 2001 tour… they took a step back.
In the eighties and nineties, U2 was a band that became big. Huge. Their shows grew from arenas to stadiums, incorporating massive special effects, a giant lemon-shaped disco ball, and the largest video screen ever. As the productions grew, however, so did the costs, until the band was barely breaking even on the road, despite enormous audiences and absurd ticket prices. After some time off and a...new album, the band returned to the arenas where they first hit it big. This DVD set features the Boston, MA show from the Elevation tour in its entirety. The performance is not only fantastic, but completely honest and real. It is, as the saying goes, all that you can’t leave behind.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 23rd, 2003
It has taken years to finally get a block-buster Hulk film produced, and the outcome has received mixed reviews. Grossing $132 million in the domestic box-office is usually nothing to sneeze at, but considering it cost $150 million to make the Hulk, it must still be looked at as disappointing. Many would argue that the animation was unrealistic, other would argue that it was amazing… each to their own. I, myself, found the film quite disappointing. I found the animation far too overdone, and the story to be lack...uster. I did really appreciate Ang Lee’s direction, but that is about as far as my praise will go for this film.
For those of you who have been stuck under a rock for the past 20 years, here is the basic storyline…
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 22nd, 2003
Go up front and live with one of music’s fasting rising young stars. Then follow her behind the scenes and find out what she is like in real life.
Video
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 22nd, 2003
Synopsis
George and all his pals return for this second installment in the George of the Jungle Series…
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 21st, 2003
Many people would argue that T3: Rise of the Machines should never have been made; a new director, an unknown storyline, and a new actor playing John Connor. Others could not wait to see Arnie suit up as the Terminator one last time. Sure, the Rise of the Machines plot is somewhat questionable, but you sure do get a bunch of action packed into this film.
Arnold Schwarzenegger reprises his role of the big, bad, funny (yet not knowingly) terminator… but this time he is in for his biggest challenge yet, fa...ing off against a female terminator. Kristanna Loken does a good job as the newest Terminator, and the rest of the cast do an adequate job as well. This film may not hold a candle to the first two films in this series, it is still extremely entertaining to watch.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 20th, 2003
William Shatner refused to reprise his role of Kirk in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home without a promise to write and direct the next film in the franchise. Against their better judgment Paramount agreed, and to this day wish they had not. The story is absolutely silly and the direction very one-dimensional. The truth is, however, that there still are some very endearing Trek moments in the film. DeForest Kelly gives a superb performance as McCoy must face his past decision to allow his terminal father to die. Even the Kirk / Spock moments are often quite compelling. Unfortunately Shatner couldn’t help but show with how little regard he held his minor cast mates. Sulu, Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov are reduced to comic parodies of themselves. The f/x are some of the franchise’s weakest.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 19th, 2003
The eighth season of the X-files brought major changes to one of Fox’s strongest running series. And whenever major changes occur there is always a concern about what is going to happen to the integrity of the show. By the end of the 7th season the worries about what David Duchovny was going to do left fans of the show in limbo. Luckily, the creative team behind the X-files (one of the best in television history) was up to the task.
The season opened with the introduction to Agent Fox Mulder’s replace...ent – John Doggett (Robert Patrick – best known as the lethal liquid metal T-1000 from T2). There was an initial great exchange between Scully and Doggett in which she throws a cup of water in Doggett’s face. The writers anticipated that this is exactly what the fans would have wanted to happen (how dare they replace Mulder?). Doggett was a great contrast to Mulder – a complete straight shooter and team player. A very similar premise reminiscent of the first season was replayed with a reversal of roles – Dogget was the skeptic and Scully was the believer. In addition a second addition to the cast occurred early with the appearance of Agent Monica Reyes – a true believer in the purpose of the X-Files with a weird new age feel about her that added some levity to Doggett’s “straight by the book” attitude. Scully was transformed throughout the season as her pregnancy progressed with worries about not only the health of her unborn child but also questions about its genetic make-up. How alien would it be? And what are the implications of its birth?
![U2 - Elevation Tour 2001 - Live from Boston [Region 2] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/u2-elevation-tour-2001-live-fro-large.jpg)
