Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 12th, 2007
Erin Brockovich tells a story based on a true series of event. Erin (Julie Roberts in her Oscar winning role) has a tough life. She’s a single mother of three kids, her two ex-husbands left her not supporting her or her children, she can’t seem to find any work due to her lack of education, and she has $16 in her bank account. Life seems to be continuing on a downward spiral for Erin. Things start looking up when she is practically handed a job by her defense lawyer Ed Marsy (Albert Finney). It’s here that Erin stumbles upon a case involving PG&E, a $28 billion company that had been disposing a chemical into the local water supply of a nearby town called Hinkley, California.
Erin and Ed soon find themselves in a lot more than they ever probably bargained for when this case turns more ugly as each minute passes.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 9th, 2007
Sometime after 1990 when Blue Planet was released, I remember really wanting to see it. Unfortunately I was young and with time my interest in the worlds around our own dwindled. Recently with the advancements in technology my interest in space has sparked up again, making for just the right time for Blue Planet to land in my hands. After nearly 20 years I’ll be able to set my eyes on this for the first time, and in hi-definition. Then of course there’s the additional documentary The Dream Is Alive of which I’ve never previously heard of. The footage on this one is over 20 years old, so my expectations aren’t extremely high.
Blue Planet is an interesting documentary and I can imagine it was quite a bit more ground breaking upon its 1990 release. The film is a cumulative collection of all things Earth, from space, from the ground, and form the ocean floor. There is some amazing footage; more specifically is the footage from the U.S Space Station in orbit. From here we learn about the creation of Earth, the constant changes Earth undergoes and mankind’s role in it. Although in the end I was left wanting more, I was still pleasantly surprised with the images I got to see.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 4th, 2007
(Non-format specific portions of this review are culled from my review of said film, so enjoy or read elsewhere.)
In watching Being John Malkovich again recently, for the first time in awhile, the thing I was struck by is how unique it is (duh!). It doesn’t try too hard at being different, to the point that it’s going to suck, everything is matter of fact, and it’s hilarious. Its characters are flawed, but we feel for some of them a great deal. It’s funny, it’s touching, it’s dramatic, it works on many levels.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 2nd, 2007
The War tells the story of newly returned Vietnam soldier Stephen Simmons (Kevin Costner). Steve is the father of Stu (Elijah Woods) and Lidia (Lexi Randall) and wants nothing more than to show them the meaning of life and what it (really what HE) can provide them. The only problem is that Steve isn’t getting the adequate funds a soldier should receive. Bouncing from job to job because of his mental history (he’s had numerous flashbacks to the war), the family struggles daily to survive. The children seem to be mixed on their father with Stu loving him, but Lidia calling him a loser.
What the Simmons family doesn’t realize is that soon a simple, old tree house will bring them closer than any of them have ever been.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 30th, 2007
Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) are best of buddies who share a flat with another roomie. Shaun works hard at a local electronics store, while Ed doesn’t really accomplish much besides playing games. Shaun has recently become despondent after breaking it off with his girlfriend Lizzie and fails to notice that London is slowing being taken over by zombies. When Shaun realizes what’s occurring, he and Ed must work together to fight these creatures off as well as now travel to save Shaun’s mum and his ex/girlfriend from these zombies.
Along the way, a few laughs are found, but the film’s main theme of trying to include romance with a comedy, just didn’t overall click for me (especially when compared to their follow-up film Hot Fuzz).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 29th, 2007
I’ve been in this run lately where I’ve seen quite a bit of Brad Pitt’s dramatic work from his earlier days, before he decided to funk himself up (and earn the respect of young males everywhere with Fight Club), and in the sprawling film Meet Joe Black, he tackles a different take on a character with a respected cast and crew behind him.
The film is a remake of the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday and this version was adapted by a cast of hundreds (well, four actually), and directed by Martin Brest, who was directing his first him after 1992’s Scent of a Woman. In this, Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs) is a successful communications mogul about to celebrate his 65th birthday. He has two daughters in Allison (Marcia Gay Harden, Pollock) and Susan (Claire Forlani, Mallrats) and quite frankly couldn’t ask for more. However things change when one morning he has sharp chest pains, as if he’s having a heart attack, but he pulls through it. That night at dinner, he is greeted by a guest, a strapping young man (in the form of Pitt) who tells him that he’s the grim reaper, Death himself. He tells Bill that he would like to spend some time with him before taking him, and if Bill tells anyone who he is, he’ll take him beforehand.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 28th, 2007
What is it about British comedy that is so damn funny? I suppose the humor behind it is their use of language and pronunciation (similar to how us in the Boston area add ‘r’ to everything like idea). When I heard about the creators of Shaun of the Dead (a film I still have yet to see but have heard a plethora of positives about), I became interested. When I heard that the film was going to be based on the police force in London, I knew this one would be a classic. Luckily, I was completely correct.
Hot Fuzz tells the story of Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg), a cop who is almost too good. His arrest record is a whopping 400% higher than any other cop in London and he’s received more awards than people can think of. Because of him being, well, too qualified, the top chief determines that he’s embarrassing the department. His punishment? He’s shipped off to Sandford (real-life town of Wells), a town whose police force and town members do everything for “the greater goodâ€. Soon a set of murders causes Angel and his new partner Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) (mostly Angel actually) to look further into this town. Is there more than meets the eye?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 23rd, 2007
Shooter is based upon the Stephen Hunter novel Point of Impact, and although there are multiple similarities, readers of the book can look forward to a modern rehash of the Hunter story. Since the release of the trailer I have been looking forward to this one, especially now that its being released on HD DVD, how does it turn out?
Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg, The Italian Job) is an elite Marine sniper and patriot. But that all changes when his commanding officer abandons him behind en...my lines, his best friend and spotter dies and Swagger narrowly escapes. Naturally Swagger turns to a life of solitude in the minuteness wilderness of Wyoming, where he shares a log cabin with his dog.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 15th, 2007
Synopsis
The Watcher is a groundbreaking piece of cinema. It takes the crime thriller film genre, employs a few recognizable stars, and proceeds to waste them by boring the absolute beejeezus out of me with performances and a story that is so holistically unoriginal that I didn’t feel good about myself after watching the film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 10th, 2007
Although romantic comedies aren’t my forte, I have admitted to liking a few in the past, and surprisingly a good number of the ones I have found tolerable or even likeable star Hugh Grant. So I go into watching this film with an open mind and hopefully we’ll see some results out of Music and Lyrics.
Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant, Nine Months) is a founding member of the hit 80’s pop group appropriately named PoP! And although he surmounted to a considerable amount of fame during his prime, he is no... contempt as being a has-been. Still Alex gets the opportunity of a career revival when current chart toping diva Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) offers to perform with him in a duet, which he must compose in a short period of time. Having not written anything in quite some time, Alex decides to enlist the help of a lyricist to get the ball rolling. After some convincing Alex convinces the unsure Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore, Charlie’s Angles) collaborate with him, and while getting places with their music there is obvious signs of an attraction from both parties. But things get more complicated as the two submit their song to Cora Corman. Although initially loving it she changes some things around pitting Alex and Sophie in awkward positions, at the same time the two try to deal with the feelings for each other.
![Erin Brockovich [HD DVD] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/erin-brockovich-hd-dvd-large.jpg)
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