Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 24th, 2007
2004 brought moviegoers two big-budget historical epics in Oliver Stone's Alexander and Wolfgang Petersen's Troy. One bombed. The other performed well, but was by no means heralded as a critical success. No, Troy was praised for slick production values and exciting battles, but derided for a lack of emotional depth.
Can it all be blamed on running-time constraints and compromises made for the ratings board? The answer is here, with the unrated Troy: Director's Cut, Petersen's second shot at eternal glory, this time with more than 30 minutes of additional footage.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 22nd, 2007
It’s hard for me to believe that Darkman comes from a time when Sam Raimi was fresh off directing Evil Dead 2 and Liam Neeson was a little known Irish actor. A lot has changed since then, but a true classic can stand the test of time, and although I was very young when I first saw this movie, I remember it being very unique. Of course my perspective on films has blossomed since the time I was watching Rugrats, and it has literally been that long since I’ve seen Darkman. Nonetheless I’m pleased to finally get the chance to watch this Liam Neeson classic, and in HD to boot.
Darkman was hardly what I remembered it, but not in a bad way. I can understand it better now, and see there is more depth to it than I remember. It tells the story of scientist Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, Star Wars Episode I : The Phantom Menace) who is developing a synthetic skin that would allow burn victims to appear normal. That’s pretty handy considering Mr. Westlake is about to be hideously disfigured, but I’ll overlook that. Anyways, there is a flaw with the skin; it only lasts for slightly over 90 minutes before it disintegrates in the sun. In the dark it will stay intact. This all comes into play later, but in the meantime Westlake’s girlfriend and attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand, Fargo) has found evidence incriminating a local developer and a mobster. This leads to Westlakes lab being blown up, with him in it. The Darkman is now born, the disfigured Westlake undergoes surgery that severs his nerves and his ability to feel anything, along with an overactive adrenal gland, and you got a pretty pissed off halfway superhero. He escapes from the hospital and hopes to rebuild his relationship with Hastings, and get his vigilante justice on those responsible for making him the way he is.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 16th, 2007
Every time I long for the free and easy days of my youth, something like Disney Princess Enchanted Tales comes along to remind me why it's good to be done with childhood. If I was a kid, I'd be entertained by this stuff. Since I can no longer appreciate kid-friendly, sitcom-like productions, I will imagine I'm a seven-year-old girl for the remainder of this review. In order to keep things nice and coherent, though, I'll write like I'm not.
All you need to know about this original release from Disney is that it's Disney-lite, with lower production values and more heavy-handed stories. However, I'm sure it will please children, especially those who love all things princess.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 14th, 2007
One of the handful of films deemed extra special in 2006, Babel had lofty intentions, a lot of hype and plenty of Oscar nominations. And yet, while the film was well directed and very well acted, it falls well short of its reputation. In fact, Babel fails to create a real impact, unless you count the utter depression one experiences while watching it.
Still, the film has lots of fans willing to call it one of the best of 2006. Those folks will be happy to add Babel: 2-disc Collector's Edition to their own collections. That is, unless they already picked up the single-disc version released back in February. Is this double-dip good enough to say, "out with the old, in with the new?" Read on to find out.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 8th, 2007
There are those of us who love Will Ferrell and just about everything he’s done lately, and there are those of you who can’t stand the guy. Read that last sentence carefully and you’ll be able to determine which one I am, but I’m sure you won’t have to read much past this sentence to figure it out anyways. Starting back with A Night at the Roxbury and ranging to Old School and Anchorman, comedically I can’t get enough of these nonsense full movies. Surprisingly I didn’t check this one out in the theatres, but I eagerly welcome the opportunity now.
Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder, School For Scoundrels) are rival world class figure skaters. During the 2002 WinterSport games the two tie for a Gold medal which leads to a scuffle, ultimately banning the two from the sport. Three years go by and the two are working dead end skate related jobs, Chazz is a drunken ice show performer, and Jimmy sells skates at a local sports store. Jimmy then learns from an obsessed fan (Nick Swardson, The Benchwarmers) that through a loophole he is only banned from singles figure skating, not pairs. Of course one thing leads to another and after a hilarious fist fight, Jimmy teams up with Chazz against both their volition. What ensues is some pretty funny stuff as the two try to get ready in time for the WinterSport games in Montreal.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 6th, 2007
I like Paul Walker; I tend to enjoy his movies. However my experience with Paul Walker starts with JoyRide and ends with Running Scared. (we'll ignore the Fast and the Furious) So I was kinda excited at the chance to review Bobby Z, a straight to video release that also starred the clever Laurence Fishburne. Two fun actors in what looked like to be a fun action movie. The basic premise was that Tim Kearney (Paul Walker's character) is plucked from a prison by Tad Gruzsa (Laurence Fishburne's character) and his assistant because he looks exactly like the infamous Bobby Z, a drug runner who is supposedly dead. So, Kearney takes on the persona of Bobby Z and is used in a trade for a federal agent that was captured. Of course the deal goes horribly wrong and Kearney finds himself in the Mexican desert. Here he has to stay in the Bobby Z persona as he finds out that Bobby Z had a kid among many other plot points. This drives forward to a conclusion with some predictable twists where Kearney does everything he can to stay alive.
The movie runs ninety four minutes , for the first 40-50 minutes of the movie I was really enjoying myself. The plot started off so strong and the actors (particularly Walker & Fishburne) showed off their wares. The action was intense but not overdone. Then something happened in the last half of the movie. It became dull and incredibly clichéd. Every single cliché about either an action movie or a drama that used the idea of somebody impersonating somebody else is used. It's borderline scary how much just seems borrowed. Tough hard-nose prison guy suddenly develops heart of gold; check. The character he's impersonating has a kid; check. There is a girl who is still in love with the original character but remarks how much he's changed; check. I would go on; but in the event you can't guess the ending I'll stop there. There is even a scene near the end that borrows from Bugs Bunny shorts (think duck season, wabbit season). Not to mention the ending seems a little too cookie cutter and proceeds to just say okay everybody lives happily ever after; the end. When given the situation in a more realistic setting there would be some serious questions to be answered here.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 6th, 2007
Do you as the viewer ever watch that movie that you feel due to overwhelming popular opinion you should like? Unfortunately, I run into this all too often. Most of the time I'm able to push that aside, and give an honest review. Sometimes it is harder. Private Fears in Public Places directed by Alain Resnais is one of those movies. Set in Paris (with language to match); this puts six lonely characters in search of love during the harsh winter season. However, what they find isn't what they were searching for. Naturally these characters' stories intertwine and we get a whole lot of snow effects which encapsulate the end of each scene (and each part of this review).
The movie starts out with Thierry (played by André Dussollier), a realtor who is showing Nicole (played by Laura Morante) various flats in attempting to find one that will suit her and her fiancée. Her fiancée; Dan (played by Lambert Wilson) drinks his life away at a local hotel bar since he is between jobs. He is served by Lionel (played by Pierre Arditi), a bartender who must consistently get new caretakers to care for his elderly father. Thierry's assistant is Charlotte (played by Sabine Azéma) who also doubles as the nighttime caretaker to Lionel's father. Her story is entertaining as being a devout Christian but with a secret side. Finally, Thierry's sister; Gaëlle (played by Isabelle Carré) spends her nights searching for love by going out on blind dates. (*snow effect*).
The acting is pretty decent throughout the movie especially in nod to the two male lead characters: Dussollier and Wilson. There is no weak areas I can really find but the movie is just several shades of depressing. Sure there is some excitement and things do look up at certain events through the movie but by the end it comes to a crashing halt and you wonder what's the point. They do everything short of having the entire crew getting run over by a bus to give us any hope at this thing we call love. I'm a very strong believer in true love and watching this turned me momentarily into something less than that. I watch movies to escape not to re-live every failed courtship or bad relationship I've ever had. (*snow effect*).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 31st, 2007
I don’t care what anyone thinks, A Night at the Roxbury is awesome. Back when Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan would do the skits on Saturday Night Live I loved it, and when the movie came out I pumped. This was back when I was barley a teenager and for me, this one has still got it. The hard part is explaining why this movie is so funny to me and its cult following. It has no real story, character development, etc. But still it manages to keep me laughing, time and time again. I’ll get more into that later, for those of you who haven’t seen A Night at the Roxbury I’ll play it out for you.
It doesn’t really get much simpler than this; Doug (Chris Kattan, Corky Romano) and Steve (Will Ferrell, Blades of Glory) Butabi (Are they brothers? No…. Yes!) love the nightlife, and aspire to be club owners. The only thing is they can’t ever get into any clubs despite there flashy threads and their dad’s BMW. Until one night a chance accident with Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street) leads them into the doors of the infamous Roxbury. Here they meet the clubs owner Benny Zadir (Chazz Palminteri, Running Scared) and hit it off with him and some club girls. The girls of course think they have money, and spend the night with them at Zadir’s house party. The Butabi’s pitch an idea for a club to Mr.Zadir that he loves, but apparently the next morning his assistant Dooey (Colin Quinn, Saturday Night Live) says that wasn’t the first time he picked up some losers and dumped them the next day. Everything seems to be falling apart for the Butabi brothers, can they get it together? Wow that makes this movie sound a whole lot more dramatic than it is.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 31st, 2007
Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs) is a successful engineer who recently discovers his wife’s infidelity. He becomes aware that she has been sleeping with a police detective, which pushes Ted to the point of shooting his wife. Initially he confesses to the crime, and it looks to be an easy win for rising star district attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling, The Notebook). This is of course until Ted redacts his confession and engages in a battle of wits with Beachum. After enticing the arresting officer and adulterer into attacking him in the courtroom Ted’s case begins to look optimistic. Eventually he is acquitted of his charges and Beachum becomes obsessed with the case knowing that Ted is guilty. He literally puts his career on the line to find out what happened and even tries speaking with Ted’s comatose wife.
Fracture is one of those movies that I really wanted to like, but I couldn’t. The story wasn’t very intriguing and it just seemed to drag on and on with no real closure. As well, for a movie claiming to be suspenseful I can’t even recall one time where I was holding my breath. But despite the film having what I thought was a pretty weak script, the acting all around was quite impressive. In each performance he makes Ryan Gosling gets better and better, I think this Canadian native has quite a bright future ahead. I don’t think I need to mention that Anthony Hopkins played a terrific role as well, and they really paired up nicely. But great acting couldn’t save Fracture which was ultimately to stale. Not to say it was a complete waste of time either, this movie is worth checking out once but I couldn’t recommend it being worth a purchase.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 24th, 2007
Right off the start Wild Hogs looks to be appealing simply because of the cast which includes John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, and Ray Liotta. However when you get numerous big names together, some of whom aren’t known for comedy, their meshing on screen becomes quite an issue. Regardless, I don’t anticipate this to become a problem with Wild Hogs.
Wild Hogs tells the story of four middle aged recreational bikers who are all going through a personal crisis. Doug (Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest) is a dentist stuck in a rut, he wants to relive his glory days but has too much responsibility and a kid who doesn’t respect him. Bobby (Martin Lawrence, Bad Boys) aspires to be a writer but is stuck in a job as a plumber, his wife wears the pants and he hardly does or says what he wants anymore. Dudley (William H. Macy, The Cooler) seems to suffer from an inferiority complex as he can’t seem to muster up the courage to talk to women, his life lacks excitement. Finally there’s Woody (John Travolta, Hairspray) he seems to have it all, a big house and a supermodel wife, that is until she leaves him and he looses all his money. Desperate to get a taste of life, on Woody’s suggestion the group embarks on a cross country motorcycle trip with no cell phones and no plan, just the west coast in mind. Of course along the way they run into their share of misadventures including a homosexual highway cop, a gang of bikers, and Dudley’s inability to balance on his motorcycle.
![Darkman [HD DVD] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/darkman-hd-dvd-large.jpg)
![Wild Hogs [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/wild-hogs-blu-ray-large.jpg)
