collectorz.com.jpg

Dolby Digital 5.1 (English)

Surf School (Unrated)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 1st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

I can just feel already, what an epic teen comedy Surf School is going to be, much pun intended of course. But appearance isnâ€™t everything and I hope that this film can somehow surprise, as much as I doubt it.

Laguna Beach High School is tough for everyone, especially the outcasts, the non surfers. But when a group of social misfits band together, they decide to beat the schools reigning champions in a surf competition. The group goes to Costa Rica to learn, meeting some interesting people along the way. I bet you can already guess how this one ends, and trust me there are no surprises.
Read More

Daddy’s Little Girls

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 1st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Tyler Perry, best known for Madea’s Family Reunion, is responsible for yet another film in Lionsgate’s line of movies about nice black people. In Daddy’s Little Girls, the writer-director explores the conflict between the ghetto-class African Americans we’ve seen so much of in films and the black middle- and upper-class we haven’t. While this aspect of the conflict is relatively fresh in cinema, what the premise really boils down to isÂ an age-old tale of love between princess and pauper.
Read More

Kung Fu Hustle (Axe-Kickin’ Edition)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 1st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

I am a big fan of Kung Fu on film, whether it be Bruce Leeâ€™s Enter The Dragon or Jackie Chanâ€™s Drunken Master I can’t get enough. More specifically I love Asian Kung Fu cinema, the Sammo Hung’s and the Sonny Chiba’s. So I think it goes without saying that this isnâ€™t the first time Iâ€™ve seen Kung Fu Hustle, and it certainty wonâ€™t be the last.

Itâ€™s the 1930â€™s in Shanghai and various gangs compete for territory, the most powerful being the deadly Axe Gang.
Read More

300

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 31st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

In the same cinematic style of Sin City another Frank Miller graphic novel has found its way to the big screen. For those of you history buffs out there, you might recognize this story as the Battle of Thermopylae. Although 300 is large in part fictitious, the core elements of the historical story remain intact, and factual. Regardless of your knowledge of history, 300 is to be enjoyed by anyone, and everyone.
Read More

8 Simple Rules – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 31st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

There are 8 simple rules for having a successful sit-com on television today.
1. Strong leading actor: John Ritter never really had much of a chance in his early career to show just how good his acting chops could be. Letâ€™s face it. While Threeâ€™s Company had quite a loyal following, it was never mistaken for anything more than a parody. Ritter was never asked to stretch himself here, and the role likely cost him better opportunities over the years. Fortunately, while 8 Simple Rules wasnâ€™t a great show either, it did offer quality enough work to allow Ritter to thrive. Unfortunately he would not live long enough to reap the rewards he was earning for himself.
Read More

The Astronaut Farmer

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 31st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Throw reason out with the trash, and sit down to a feel-good movie that tries just a little too hard to be quirky. Thatâ€™s your best approach to The Astronaut Farmer, which pits Billy Bob Thornton against all odds to reach outer space by way of his farm-built rocket.

Everyone likes an inspirational story now and then, so Iâ€™m sure this film will find an appreciative audience. For me, there are better choices â€“ say, October Sky, for example. Here, instead of a boy who loves rockets, we have Charlie Farmer (Billy Bob, Sling Blade), a former astronaut who never made it to space.
Read More

Zodiac

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 30th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Director David Fincher (Se7en) has returned to serial killer territory in a very different way. Zodiac is an effective period piece that enwraps the viewer in a real-life mystery that remains unsolved because it happened before the age of computers and minute C.S.I. technology.

In 1969, a serial killer who eventually became known as the Zodiac struck for what is believed to be the first time. While the Zodiac continued to kill and take credit for murders for more than two decades, the killer eluded police, reporters and hobbyist investigators who tried to nail him down.

Perfect Creature

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 30th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

I have to admit that I have never heard of this film prior to receiving it for review, so I went into this one completely blind without any expectations. My only guess was that this would be some sort of fantasy/horror film, and it turns out I was right. Perfect Creature is a different sort of take on a vampire film which makes it rather unique, but howâ€™s it going to end up?

Set in a fictitious New Zealand referred to as Nuovo Zelandia, Perfect Creature takes place in an alternate world not unlike our own.
Read More

Fay Grim

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 29th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

In 1997, Hal Hartley put out a film called Henry Fool. It was the story of an introvertish garbage man Simon who makes friends with Henry Fool, a witty but talent-less novelist. Simon ascends to be a great poet while Henry finds the bottomless pit of alcoholic brew. However, the plot turns around and Simon helps Henry to flee the country since he has a criminal past. The movie did seem to hint at a sequel but didn’t see one until 10 years later. Fay Grim tries to pick up where Henry Fool left off. It includes many of the same cast of characters.
Read More

Spawn – The Animated Collection

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 28th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

I still remember the first time I watched a Spawn animated episode. I was with my parents in my younger years on what I believe was the last vacation we ever took together. It was a hotel we were staying at which had HBO (I never had that channel growing up). I had read Spawn but didn’t even know of the animated series. The fact it was late at night and on a premium movie channel meant it had to be good. I was simply blown away and remember telling my parents that we had to be back at the hotel to watch it again the next night. I remember that later I would procure used copies of the series.
Read More

Live Free or Die

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 27th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Although I was never really motivated to check this movie out on my own, I had just recently heard of it and thought it could be fun. It doesnâ€™t have any A list stars in it, but rather has a nice collection of well enough known actors and actresses including Zooey Deschanel, Michael Rappaport, Aaron Stanford, and Paul Schneider. Already Iâ€™ve heard this film to be a cross between Bottle Rocket and Fargo, well I donâ€™t know if those statements have any warrant, I can only hope they do and Live Free or Die turns out to be a hit. Writers Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin did some writing on Seinfeld so I can only hope a bit of that can rub off on this one.
Read More

Played

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 27th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

With a cast that includes several well known actors, IÂ couldn’t believe that I hadn’tÂ heard of this movie prior to reviewing it. ThisÂ really didn’t worry me however, because in the past Iâ€™ve alwaysÂ enjoyed low budget Indy films. So how does Played stack up?

Played dissects the lives of players in the London underground ring of crime, from the hustlers to the crooked cops. After an elaborate heist goes all wrong small time thief Ray Burns takes the fall and is sentenced to eight years in prison. He keeps his mouth shut and does his time with only one thing on his mind, revenge.
Read More

John Grisham’s The Rainmaker

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 27th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Some of you may know John Grisham as a politician or an attorney but thatâ€™s not very likely. Like me you probably know him as an author of some of the best legal/crime fiction novels. His works have made their way to the big screen several times including; The Firm, Runaway Jury, A Time To Kill, The Client, and of course The Rainmaker. Although itâ€™s been quite a while since Iâ€™ve seen any of the aforementioned films I do remember them all being rather good, I just hope The Rainmaker can live up to what I remember.
Read More

Pride (2007)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 24th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

The latest in Lionsgate’s line of movies about nice black people (see Daddy’s Little Girls and Akeelah and the Bee), Pride presents a well-tread story with a few tweaks.

Its formula is the sports team underdog winning against all odds. The sport is swimming, which I don’t think we’ve seen much of in the past. All of the usual players are here, though: the frustrated coach inspired to lead, the unlikely athletes who are too poor and too black to succeed, the rival team too rich and too white to be beaten, the crusty old guy who helps out and the token love interest for our protagonist coach.
Read More

High School Musical: The Concert – Extreme Access Pass

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 23rd, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

I did a couple of high school musicals growing up. South Pacific and Oklahoma. South Pacific I remembered much more fondly as sometimes I wanted to wash that man right outta my hair. Wait…umm…*taps fingers* *pause*. Oh, right, musicals. High School Musical was a low-budget Disney tv movie that would end up becoming one of Disney’s best successes in recent memory. It was only natural that due to its musical nature and teen fanbase that it would expand into a national tour that would encompass 51 dates over 6 months.
Read More

For Your Eyes Only (Region 2)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 21st, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Honestly, the only thing that I remembered from watching For Your Eyes Only was that Sheena Easton sang the title song (qualifying her as probably the most attractive Scotsperson out there) and that there was a sprawling chase scene involving Roger Moore on skis that was cool. But that’s it. And now that I’m wrapping up this long winding once over for all the James Bond Ultimate Edition DVDs and I get a chance to see everything again, it turns out that this film is a pretty good one.

The Number 23

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 20th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Jim Carrey is an animal control officer whose wife (Virginia Madsen) gives him an odd crime novel for his birthday. The book is narrated by a police detective who becomes violently obsessed with the recurrence of the number 23 in all aspects of life. The book has plenty of strange similarities with Carrey’s life, and he becomes consumed with finding the author and knowing what it’s all about, not to mention descending into the 23 obsession himself.
Read More

Premonotion

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 20th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

While expecting her husband home from a business trip, Sandra Bullock receives word that he has died. But the next morning, when she wakes up, he is still alive, and hasn’t even left yet on the trip. Next morning, he’s dead again, and it’s the day of the funeral. Understandably, our poor heroine is a might discombobluated as she deals with having become unmoored in time, struggling to save her sanity, her husband, and her marriage.
Read More

Renaissance

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 17th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Style over substance. Why is it so rare that we find quality in both at the same time? I suppose I might be showing my own age here, but Renaissance is an extremely hard film to watch. The high keyed image offers no middle tones at all. The result is a stark black and white that offers a strain on my eyes. I understand the idea was to recreate the experience of reading a graphic novel (that’s comic book to my generation). Still, I wasn’t reading a comic, was I? It took the French film crew 7 years to create this film.
Read More

Roving Mars

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 17th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Mars has always held a certain fascination with us mostly earthbound humans. What child has never looked to the heavens at night, mind filled with more questions than they could ever hope to find answers for? If you are one of these star crossed dreamers, Roving Mars be a thrilling journey indeed. I’m sorry to say that I missed the Roving Mars IMAX experience. I’m sure it was available at one of the several IMAX facilities here in Tampa. Life, as usual, is often too busy to get to everything I want to see. As I wat…
Read More

Coming To America

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 16th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Ever know that feeling when you’ve seen a movie about twenty times and vow never to see it again until it comes out in a new collector’s edition dvd? Coming to America is exactly like that. Coming to America is the tale of Prince Akeem (played by Eddie Murphy) who isn’t quite happy with his country’s arranged marriage practice. (but apparently pretty happy with the country’s bathing procedure) He decides that with his friend Semmi (played by Arsenio Hall) he should travel to New Yo…
Read More

Color Me Kubrick

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 15th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Try to wrap your mind around this one. Take the guy who was the center of attention and played the role in Being John Malkovich, and have him play a role as a guy who impersonates the film auteur Stanley Kubrick, of 2001 fame in a story that may or may not be true.

Color Me Kubrick tells the tale of Alan Conway, who decided to take on the personality of the director of Dr. Strangelove lore, as the director had become notoriously reclusive for almost two decades…
Read More

Die Hard Collection

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 15th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

I’ve gotta say that when the first Die Hard was released, I was in a position where I hated, absolutely despised Bruce Willis. In my opinion, the world honestly didn’t need another loudmouthed movie star who was from New Jersey and didn’t hesitate to say so, and that whole schtick about him and the Bruno persona would allow him to release music albums reeking of self-promotion and another money grab. And when he hooked up with Demi Moore, my initial reaction was “good, they’ll have mongoloid…
Read More

Robin Hood Season One

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 6th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Robin of Locksley returns to England from the Crusades to find the home he had left behind has taken a drastic turn for the worse under the tyrannical Sheriff of Nottingham. He is forced to take up an outlaw life, fighting for justice for the common man. Marian, fending off the advances of Guy of Gisborne, is his mole in the houses of power.

Of course, you probably knew all of this, didn’t you? What’s new to this version of the Robin Hood’s adventures is a rather contemporary aware…
Read More

Hills Have Eyes 2, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 6th, 2007

Buy at Amazon.com

It’s no secret that horror films these days severely lack originality and overuse violence and gore instead of actually scaring the audience. Sometimes this works and when coinciding with an actual story can make for a good movie. The Hills Have Eyes remake from 2006 wasn’t half bad because there was a tiny amount of depth in the story, combined with the violence that audiences have come to love. But ultimately for me, it didn’t hit the mark, it was just another typical horror movie. I really don’t think the s…
Read More

«< 42 43 44 45 46 >»