Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 9th, 2004
Synopsis
Liam Neeson is Oskar Schindler, ladies man with an eye for the main chance. He makes afortune in German-occupied Warsaw, staffing his factory with the cut-rate labour provided bythe Jews. As the Nazi persecution of the Jews becomes more and more murderous, Schindler’sconscience is awakened, and he eventually becomes intent not on making money through cheaplabour, but in saving the lives of his employees.
Shot in black and white, with the disturbing exception of a li...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 19th, 2004
Not that there was anything wrong with the picture and sound of the previous Superbit release. But now Panic Room returns in a package that truly contains every imaginable extra, and then some.
Synopsis
The set-up is elegant and simple. Jodie Foster and daughter Kristen Stewart move into their new home in New York. The previous owner built an impregnable panic room in the upper floor. During Foster and Stewart’s first night, three criminals (Forest Whitaker, Dwight Yoakam and Jared L...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 17th, 2004
Back in the day, the Looney Tunes were irreverent, violent, and created with an adult audience in mind (much like South Park is today). Somewhere along the line, however, values changed, and they became standard kids faire. Now, that’s not to say that there wasn’t still plenty in there for adults to enjoy as well, but they just didn’t carry with them the same humorous social commentaries that were prevalent in the days of old.
Well, the Tunes are back! The appropriately-titled Looney Tunes - Back ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on February 12th, 2004
Synopsis
Osvaldo Benavides and Rodrigo Cachero are two very different cousins. One is clean-cut, theother is a stoner. They hate each other’s guts, much to the despair of their grandfrather (XavierMasse). But the old man is wily, even in death, and thanks to his will, the two cousins musttravel together to Acapulco to scatter Masse’s ashes in the sea. This is yet another instance ofhow lively and vibrant contemporary cinema is. Neatly observed characterizations all round.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 10th, 2004
Synopsis
Cecilia Roth’s husband disappears at the airport. Shortly thereafter, she receives messagesfrom his kidnappers, demanded payment of 20 million pesos. Roth is hugely surprised todiscover that there is that huge sum of money in her husband’s safety deposit box. As the mysterydeepens, she forms fast friendships with an elderly neighbour from downstairs (Carlos AlvarezNovoa) and the young man from upstairs (Kuno Becker).
For the first half-hour, the film shows every pro...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 18th, 2003
Synopsis
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...
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 David Annandale on October 15th, 2003
Synopsis
Hundreds of years ago, alchemist Fulcanelli created the Cronos device, a contraption thatlooks like a silver Faberge egg. This device conveys eternal life, but at a price, as a kindlyantiquarian (Federico Luppi, who also starred in The Devil’s Backbone) discovers. Hebecomes younger, but also monstrous, and develops a thirst for blood. He must also battleRon Perlman, thuggish henchman of a dying millionaire who also wants the device. Then there’sthe bond Luppi has wit...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 24th, 2003
Synopsis
Jon Abrahams plays Lenny Burroughs. He’s about to get married and, to his fiancee’schagrin, continues to earn money by driving mob guy Peter Greene around. On this particularday, what he thinks is a simple errand turns out not to be when Greene kidnaps top mobster JeffBridges, the promptly gets himself killed. A terrified Abrahams holes up in his van with Bridgesat gunpoint, while the mysterious currents of the mob war play out around him. The cast is quiteimpressive (add M...
