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Dolby Digital 5.1 (French)

Dinner for Schmucks

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 3rd, 2011

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Paul Rudd is desperate for a promotion. Moving from the drudgery of the sixth floor to the executive seventh will, he feels, cement his financial status and convince his girlfriend (Stephanie Szostak) to marry him. Opportunity knocks, but also has a price: he must find an idiot to bring to boss Bruce Greenwood’s dinner party, where these unfortunates will be ridiculed. Rudd doesn’t like the idea, but then he (literally) runs into Steve Carrell, a man of such transcendent idiocy that Rudd can’t resist the siren call he represents. But before they can make it to the dinner, Carrell’s well-meaning stupidity threatens to completely derail Rudd’s life.
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The City of Your Final Destination

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 24th, 2010

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Omar (Omar Metwally)desperately needs to write the biography of author Jules Gund if he wants to hang on to his academic post. In order to do this, he will have to secure the cooperation of the reclusive author’s surviving family: his wife (Laura Linney), his mistress (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and his brother (Anthony Hopkins). Pressured by his girlfriend to make something of himself, Omar heads off to Uruguay and essentially invites himself into the Gund residence, an isolated mansion in a state of genteel decay
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Inception

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 23rd, 2010

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Written by Diane Tillis

It is hard to talk about Inception without spoiling something. It is also hard to read any review and get a full feel for the film. Inception truly needs to be seen to understand why it is so amazing. On one level, it is an incredible action film that revolves around the heist scenario set in exotic locations such as France and Japan. On another level, the core purpose of the film is a complex discovery into dreams and the subconscious,
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Resonnances

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 15th, 2010

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Six young men and women head off in two cars for a weekend trip in rural France. Along the way, the car with the three guys runs out of gas, fortunately within pushing distance of a filling station. There, our boys inadvisedly pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be an escaped psychopath. But no sooner have they started to worry about their new passenger when a mysterious fog and a ghostly vision send them careening off a cliff. Wounded and lost, they find that not only do they have a killer to contend with, but there is something monstrous and huge under the ground that is hunting all of them.
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Young Adam

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 13th, 2010

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Written by Dave Younger

Young Adam (2003, 98 min.), set in drab postwar Glasgow, Scotland, combines the kitchen-sink dramas of late 50s/early 60s northern England with a Hitchcockian tale – what if you discovered your girlfriend floating dead in a river? Throw in explicit full-frontal NC-17 sex (most movies, like Blue Valentine, will do anything to avoid this kiss of death, but Young Adam embraces it; they wanted to cut Ewan McGregor’s junk for the American release, but he fought to keep it in)
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Knight and Day (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 10th, 2010

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A suave Tom Cruise and a flustered Cameron Diaz (wow, what a stretch for both actors) bump into each other at Wichita airport, and a few minutes later do so again. Diaz thinks she might be on to something with the charming hunk, but she is more accurately into something, and in far out of her depth, as the plain flight turns into a gun battle and forced landing. Before she knows it, she doesn’t know where to turn and whom to trust: the various menacing government officials (headed up by a sinister Peter Sarsgaard), or the cheery but possibly psychotic rogue Cruise. There will be many a narrow escape and an international location visited before she knows the answer.
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Ramona and Beezus (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 27th, 2010

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As one could expect, I read a lot of books when I was a kid. I stuck with the classics from Ronald Dahl, Tolkien, and even Charles Dickens . But among all of the male authors in this boy’s life, I also read a few female ones too. One stands out in particular, Beverly Cleary. From Henry Huggins to Runaway Ralph and the beloved Dear Mr. Henshaw , I clearly enjoyed her work. But I must confess, I even read the beloved Ramona books, so naturally I was delighted to see Ramona and Beezus on my doorstep.
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Suck

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 24th, 2010

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The Winners are anything but, being an undistinguished rock band playing to tiny, apathetic audiences in nowhere bars. Their time has not only passed, it never arrived. But just as they seem headed for the scrapheap, their bass player (Jessica Paré) is bitten by a vampire. Though her newly acquired taste for blood is a bit of an inconvenience, leading to some extremely messy murders to clean up, she now mesmerizes audiences, and the band catches fire. Leader Rob Stefaniuk is so desperate to catch a break that he is willing to turn a blind eye to just about anything.
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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 9th, 2010

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His name was Fleming, Ian Fleming, and he would go on to create the most famous spy in literary history. James Bond would actually be based on Fleming’s own experience in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. But Fleming had another side. It’s hard to believe that the man who gave us such ubervillians as Dr. No and Goldfinger brought us one of the most enchanting children’s stories of our time. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang‘s bond association doesn’t end with its celebrated author. Albert “Cubby” Broccoli might have been just as instrumental for the success of Bond as Fleming himself.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street (Blu-ray) (2010)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 8th, 2010

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When Wes Craven delivered his first Nightmare On Elm Street film back in 1984, there wasn’t much expectation for the film to do anything but deliver a little profit for the new independent studio New Line Cinema. The film did quite a bit better than that. It made the small studio into a player in the industry with the budget to make mainstream films that would have never been possible if not for Craven’s little Nightmare. You could say that The Lord Of The Rings owes its very existence, at least in the form of the Peter Jackson films, to Freddy Krueger.
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Toy Story 3 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 4th, 2010

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“The Toys Are Back In Town”

That’s right. All of your favorite toys are back in Pixar’s latest great film Toy Story 3. This time the toys are dealing with the inevitable. Andy (Morris) is about to go off to college. It’s been a long time since he’s played with his friends, and they are getting desperate and worried they will get tossed away. Although Andy bags them to be stored in the attic, a misunderstanding sends them to the curb and a date with the garbage truck.
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Moulin Rouge! (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 1st, 2010

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WELCOME! TO THE MOULIN ROUGE! *tips her purple satin top hat with an amethyst topped cane* Come in, come in! Take off your cloaks and have a drink of Absinthe! So many lonely women here tonight that need a partner… to dance with of course! Hope you brought lots of cash, your dancing shows, and perhaps a nice big diamond for one of our infamous Diamond Dogs! What’s that? Oh! Yes of course! I know, you came to see a show, and of course to see our lovely Satine! Well take a look see, here she comes! *cues “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” and the curtains pull open!*
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Predators (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2010

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In June of 1987 many of us took to our local theaters to watch two future state governors tackle an alien creature in the jungles of southeast Asia. Director John McTiernan had combined the Rambo mercenary-styled film with that of a creature feature. The result was an impressive $60 million on a mere $15 million budget, and a franchise was born. From its first reveal in those Asian jungles, the Predator was an impressive sight. The creature was highly intelligent, to be sure, but it possessed those baser instincts of hunting and survival. It was a monster, but one who utilized advanced technological weaponry to accent its own fearsome brutal nature.
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Jonah Hex

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2010

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“War and me took to each other real well. It felt like it had meaning. The feeling of doing what you thought was right. But it wasn’t. Folks can believe what they like, but eventually a man’s gotta decide if he’s gonna do what’s right. That choice cost me more than I bargained for…”

All of the good superheroes are getting used up. With so many Hollywood blockbuster films featuring those iconic comic superheroes, there comes a time when you have to start looking at the next tier of comic favorites.
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Dolan’s Cadillac

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 22nd, 2010

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Wow, someone took Dolan’s Cadillac, one of my favourite Stephen King short stories, and made it into a movie! Awesome! Cool, not a bad cast either. Christian Slater and Wes Bentley. Good actors. A little bit of edge to them. This might be alright. What’s that? It’s a straight to DVD release? Well that’s not promising. Hmm? It was made in Saskatchewan? By a Canadian sit-com director? Okay, now you’re just messing with me…

As it turns out, it’s all true. King’s sun-scorched tale of madness and revenge has indeed been brought to the screen, even if that screen is the one hooked up to your DVD player.

Gunless

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 11th, 2010

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In the opening scenes of Gunless, a horse trots into what appears to be a tiny western town. Atop the horse is an unconscious man, slumped backwards in the saddle with a noose around his neck attached to a large tree branch that drags along behind them. An iconic Western opening if ever there was one. Reminiscent of Clint Eastwood in High Plains Drifter or Hang ‘em High. However, things soon begin to stray from formula when we realize that this tiny town is actually in “The Dominion of Canada” and the man turns out to be the Montana Kid, a notorious American gunfighter.
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2010

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One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest was the first movie I ever saw on HBO. These were the very early days of the cable network. It was before the dawn of any real home video. It was at my Aunt Shirley’s house that several members of the extended family gathered in dining room chairs around a 19-inch television to watch a movie uncut and without commercial interruption for the first time in our lives. A lot has changed since that 1970’s afternoon at my aunt’s house. Today we have hundreds of such choices on our television dials.
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“31 Nights of Terror”: Seven Days

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 5th, 2010

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Bruno Hamel (Claude Legault), a surgeon, and his wife Sylvie (Fanny Mallette) enjoy an afternoon tryst while their young daughter Jasmine (Rose-Marie Coallier) heads off to school. Tragedy strikes, though, when Jasmine is assaulted and killed by pedophile Anthony Lemaire (Martin Dubreuil). Bruno and Sylvie are devastated, and each deals with the tragedy an unhealthy way, with Sylvie withdrawing from the world and her husband, and Bruno plotting vengeance. Lemaire is caught, but doesn’t remain in police custody long, since Bruno kidnaps him and carries him off to a secluded cottage in the forest. His plan: torture Lemaire for the seven days leading up to what would have been Jasmine’s birthday, and then kill him. The police investigation becomes at least as much about saving Bruno’s soul as it is about saving Lemaire’s life.
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Iron Man 2 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 24th, 2010

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Jon Favreau’s Iron Man was one of the happy events of 2008. It was a superb piece of super-hero entertainment, one that handled lightning-quick shifts in tone (grimness in Afghanistan, hilarity in Malibu) with a deftness that made the very hard work look very easy. It also reassured comic fans and mainstream audiences alike that there were still terrific movies to be made based on Marvel characters, reassurance that was sorely needed in the wake of the dire Spider-Man 3. So, the question with Iron Man 2 is, given the returning director and cast, was that same magic recaptured? The answer is a delighted yes.
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Stomp the Yard: Homecoming

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 23rd, 2010

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This might be a newsflash to some, but I can’t dance. I can’t groove, shimmy or even lay down some dope moves. As such, a whole generation of movies is probably lost on me. In it, young hip kids move around and perform moves that would have made Fred Astaire jealous. It is a showcase of talent on the most basic level. One such movie appeared on my review plate named Stomp the Yard: Homecoming. Hopefully with some fresh moves, we can get an interesting story to boot.
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Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on September 17th, 2010

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Zeus’ mighty bolt has been stolen, and whomever holds it may have the power to topple the king of the Gods. Zeus suspects Poseidon’s estranged, half-human son is the Lighting Thief and threatens his wrath upon the entire realm if it is not returned. Percy Jackson is Poseidon’s son, making him a Demi-God, but as far as he knows, he is a just a high school student living with Dyslexia, ADHD and struggling to live with his abusive step-father. As mythic monsters and Gods all start to threaten Percy’s life, his best friend and his mother both reveal themselves to be protectors of his life, both with connections to Greek Mythology.
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The Thorn in the Heart

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 23rd, 2010

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Michel Gondry is a director whose work has been characterized by its originality and personal vision. The likes of Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep have marked him as a filmmaker with a distinct vision. Here he makes what must be his most personal film yet, as it is a documentary about his family. More precisely, it is about his aunt Suzette, a strong-willed, redoubtable matriarch who worked as a schoolteacher in some of the most remote regions of France. Gondry and crew follow Suzette as she revisits her former schools, working her way through the decades and chronicling her life, that of her family, and, along the way, that of France.
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Kalifornia (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 18th, 2010

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“I remember once going on a school trip to the top of the Empire State Building. When I looked down at the crowds of people on the street, they looked like ants. I pulled out a penny and some of us started talking about what would happen if I dropped it from up there and it landed on somebody’s head. Of course, I never crossed that line and actually dropped the penny. I don’t think Early Grayce even knew there was a line to cross.”

Kalifornia was never made for a mass audience, at least that’s how it appears to have played out.
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Escape from New York (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on August 18th, 2010

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Some of you are aware of this but my favorite movie of all time is Escape from New York. To me, John Carpenter and Kurt Russell represent the perfect director/actor combination. The director knows how to play the actor’s strengths (and minimize weaknesses) and the actor knows how to bring out the best in the direction. It is my sincere pleasure to cover this film on its first trip to the Blu-ray format.
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Finding Bliss

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 10th, 2010

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Jody Balaban (Leelee Sobieski) is a newly minted film school grad who, heady with the success her student film has brought her (an award presented by Garry Marshall!), heads off to Hollywood to find fame and fortune. Instead, she finds doors shut to the newcomer, the closest she can get to a major studio job being a stint directing traffic. But then she is offered a job as an editor. The only problem is, the studio in question is a porn outfit. Her dismay is all the greater since she has been put off sex due to the enormous childhood traumas of having been spanked
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