DTS (English)

AVP: Alien vs. Predator

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 21st, 2004

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Synopsis

Set in the near future, well before the Alien films but after the Predatorfranchise, AVP has a group of scientists and security experts in the pay of the LanceHenriksen (Weyland, of the Weyland-Utani Corporation that plays such an important role in theAlien films) arrive in Antarctica. Here they find a pyramid buried deep in the ice, whichturns out to be a Predator training site. A trio of these creatures arrives for training, but thehumans have …
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Meet the Parents

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 17th, 2004

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Synopsis

Ben Stiller wants to propose to sweetheart Teri Polo, but first he has to impress her dad –Robert De Niro. The weekend with the parents proceeds as one would expect a movie with BenStiller in the lead: disastrously. De Niro is an over-protective ex-CIA control freak, and Stillerinevitably finds the way to wreak the most humiliating havoc possible.

As the embarrassments mount, and yet more loom ominously over the horizon, you findyourself wishing you could look away…
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I, Robot

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 23rd, 2004

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Synopsis

In a rather sparsely populated Chicago in 2035, Detective Spooner (Will Smith) is called into investigate the death of US Robotics’ top scientist (Jame Cromwell). Spooner has deep-seatedprejudices against robots, and is eager to believe that a robot is the murderer. Evidence suggeststhat he is right, but then the signs build that the problem is much bigger: a general robot rebellionmight be in the works.

Director Alex Proyas, after The Crow, gave us Dark C…
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Dazed & Confused (Flashback Edition)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 12th, 2004

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Slow Ride…take it easy…ah yes. Foghat. Dazed and Confused is Richard Linklater’s love letter to teenage nostalgia. And it shows up on DVD in a “flashback edition”. The film is also a love letter to the 70’s and contains a bitchin’ soundtrack. In the same vein, Dazed is like Fast Times and Ridgemont High, American Graffiti, and Almost Famous. Linklater’s approach is different. Like his previous film Slacker, Linklater is interested in the composite effect. There’s no ON…
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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 9th, 2004

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Okay. I admit it. I’m guilty. I’m probably one of the few people on the planet Earth who has never seen Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Not because I’m an art film snob or anything (which I’m not…usually). I just never got around to it. I heard all the hype, heard a lot of the famous lines. But I’ve never actually seen the movie. Until now.

The Special Edition of Fast Times is now available and it’s worth picking up. For all the rest of the planet that has seen it, the movie takes plac…
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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 3rd, 2004

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Synopsis

Sterling Hayden, as the demented General Jack D. Ripper, sends a squadron of bombers offto nuke the Soviet Union. The principle bomber pilot is the equally demented Slim Pickens.Captain Mandrake (Peter Sellers) desperately tries to stop the bombers. The President (PeterSellers again) summons his principle aids to the war room and the assembled characters(including George C. Scott, and Sellers again as the titular character) do all they can to avert adoomsday scenario.

Man on Fire

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 17th, 2004

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Synopsis

This is a redemption movie – in this case, redemption for CIA assassin (“counter insurgent expert”) John Creasy – a burnt out alcoholic in search of forgiveness for the heinous acts perpetrated under the banner of his job (“Do you think God will ever forgive us for what we’ve done?”). Creasy’s path to redemption is laid out by his friend and compatriot Rayburn, who lands him a job as a bodyguard for a wealthy family in Mexico City. Apparently kidnapping the children or spouses of wealthy cor…
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 27th, 2004

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Synopsis

Jim Carrey wakes up on Valentine’s Day in a funk. On the spur of the moment, he takes offto Montauk, where he meets Kate Winslet. Sparks fly, and a relationship seems about to be born.We suddenly flash back in time, and realize that, though they no longer remember it, these twohave previously had a relationship. When it collapsed, Winslet availed herself of the services ofLacuna, a company that erases unpleasant memories. Carrey has been removed from hermemory. Dist…
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Day After Tomorrow, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 26th, 2004

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Synopsis

Storms both freakish and intense devastate the planet. Climatologist Dennis Quaid realizesthat the world is on the brink of a sudden new ice age. As a freezing hurricane descends uponthe US, Quaid must struggle through the snow and killing cold to reach a crippled New YorkCity, where his son (Jake Gyllenhaal) is huddled with other survivors in the Public Library.

The science is preposterous rubbish from start to finish, the dialogue is laughable, and theplot…
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Star Trek: Generations

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 20th, 2004

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With the success of Star Trek as both a television and film franchise, it made perfect sense to eventually pass the baton from the Kirk era to the Next Generation. Generations had promise, but could and should have been a far better film. The f/x were for the most part inferior to previous Trek films. The destruction of the Enterprise D is the notable exception. Perhaps it was unwise to attempt to blend the established film environment with the too recently completed television series.

The film might have …
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Duel

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 28th, 2004

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Duel was the first “ made for television” movie directed by Steven Spielberg. This thriller could best be described as a cross between the Rutger Hauer classic, “ The Hitcher,” and the Steven King inspired “Maximum Overdrive.” Dennis Weaver plays David Mann, a salesman on his way home from a cross state trip. During his return, he passes a rusted out old gasoline truck on the highway without giving it much thought. As the film unfolds, the truck begins to pursue him and initially just appears to annoy him on the r…
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Passion of the Christ, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 26th, 2004

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Synopsis

If you really need a synopsis, where have you been hiding for the last 2000 years? Anyway,the film follows the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life, beginning with the Garden of Gethsemane,where he is tempted by Satan and betrayed to the authorities by Judas. We then move on to thetrial, the whipping, scourging and crucifixion (interspersed with little sepia flashbacks of Jesuspreaching to his apostles). At the very end, we get the resurrection (oops, was that aspoiler?).

Three Musketeers, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 21st, 2004

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Synopsis

Mickey, Donald and Goofy aspire to being Musketeers, but their respective weakness,cowardice and stupidity stand in their way. All seems lost, until Peg-Leg Pete, the evil captain ofthe Musketeers, finds a use for them for his own dastardly ends: the deposing of Minnie so hecan take the throne himself. Our heroes, of course, rise to the occasion.

Plenty of songs here (some quite witty), and some sharp gags too. The Useful Lessons,however, seem to me rather more hamf…
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Hidalgo

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 14th, 2004

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Synopsis

Depressed by the US government’s genocide of Native Americans, Frank T. Hopkins (ViggoMortensen) is drinking himself into oblivion while working for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.His horse, a Mustang named Hidalgo, has been called the world’s best endurance racer, whichdraws the ire of an Arabian shiek, who feels his horse owns that title. Honour challenged,Hopkins travels to the Arabian Desert to take part in a gruelling 3,000-mile race.

Having gone out of its way …
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Predator

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 9th, 2004

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When I was a kid in the 80’s, Predator was one of those films that you weren’t supposed to watch, but everybody did anyway. Over-the-top action, invincible heroes, cheesy one-liners and big, big explosions made this a film that was a favorite of pre-pubescent boys everywhere. Going into this disc, I found myself wondering if the film would stand up to the harsh tests of time and maturity.

The answer to that question is both “yes”, and “no”. In the “no” column, it is very apparent early on in the film…
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Thunderbirds – International Rescue Edition (Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 11th, 2004

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Synopsis

If the word “Supermarionation” triggers a delicious shiver of nostaglia in you, then youobviously need read no further. The stories of the two films are properly expansive variations onthe TV show’s basic plots.

In Thunderbirds Are Go (1966), a Mars-bound spaceship, the Zero-X, is sabotaged ontake-off. International Rescue is called in to provide security for the second attempt. This time,the Zero-X makes it into space. But its sojurn on Mars and return to Ea…
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Along Came Polly

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 8th, 2004

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Synopsis

Risk assessor Ben Stiller believes his life is unfolding according to plan. But then his newwife (Debra Messing) leaves him on their honeymoon for a French scuba instructor (aterrifyingly ripped Hank Azaria). Trying to put his life back together (with dubious help fromslob friend Philip Seymour Hoffman), Stiller runs into old classmate Jennifer Aniston (the Pollyof the title). Her bohemian character is the polar opposite of his, which leads to many dismayingsituations for h…
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Monster

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 14th, 2004

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Synopsis

Charlize Theron doesn’t play Aileen Wuornos, she incarnates her. At the end of hertether, highway prostitute Aileen meets 18-year-old Selby (Christina Ricci) when she accidentlywalks into a lesbian bar. They click, and suddenly, Aileen has a reason to live. She tries to turnher life around, but with the implacability of Greek tragedy, her attempts end in failure and shereturns to turning tricks. One date goes turns ghastly, and she kills the brutal john in self-defense…
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Three of Hearts

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 13th, 2004

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Synopsis

Kelly Lynch is distraught after girlfriend Sherilyn Fenn moves out, claiming she “needs somespace.” Lynch hires male escort William Baldwin (who is having troubles of his own with aviolent past acquaintance) to be her date at her sister’s wedding, and then hits upon a scheme: shewill hire Baldwin to seduce Fenn and break her heart, thus sending Fenn running back to Lynch.But matters take an unexpected turn.

That last sentence is a lie. Things play out safely and pre…
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Jewel – Live at Humphrey

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on May 3rd, 2004

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In today’s age of manufactured talent less pop stars you have to hand it to the artists that still write and actually perform their own original material. Versus the one’s who simply head into the studio with a team of writers and producers and who don’t even have the talent to actually sign live but instead just lip sync. Jewel whether you like her music or not is an artist, she writes her own material and even co-produced her last album. At times she is incredibly engaging at other times slightly annoying but, her …
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Elephant

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 30th, 2004

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Synopsis

The film spirals around and around the last half-hour or so at a high school before twoheavily armed students arrive to slaughter their classmates. Again and again, we go over the sametime segment, but Gus Van Sant’s constantly moving camera takes a different POV each time,and interactions that were fleeting background at one moment become central on the next goaround. Anyone who has survived high school (one of society’s most successful attempts tocreate Hell on Earth) wil…
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Schindler’s List

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 9th, 2004

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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…
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Master and Commander – The Far Side of the World

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 5th, 2004

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Master and Commander is an epic tale that is adapted from 2 novels of a 20 novel collection by writer Patrick O’Brian. This Napoleonic-era story follows the escapades of Captain “Lucky” Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his intrepid crew aboard the British war frigate HMS Surprise, as they try to hunt down and capture or destroy the French warship Acheron. The Film gets off to a fast start as Capt. Aubrey and crew are ambushed by the Acheron and decimated in short order. This initial attack is well done and well acted …
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Brother Bear

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 22nd, 2004

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Brother Bear is the story of a boy who becomes a man by becoming a bear. Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) is a young man set on revenge against a bear he feels is responsible for his brother’s death. Going up against the beast and winning the battle, the great Spirits who guide Kenai transform him into a bear himself. As Kenai tries to undo the spell placed on him by the spirits, he meets Koda (Jeremy Suarez) a young cub who was separated from his mother. As the story unfolds Kenai becomes more find of Koda and “adopts…
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Ripley’s Game

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 17th, 2004

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Synopsis

John Malkovich plays Tom Ripley in this incarnation. He is living a life of luxury in Italy,house in a palatial villa with his harpsichordist wife. Two events disrupt his comfortableexistence: the unwelcome re-emergence of former colleague-in-crime Ray Winstone, and a aninsult at a part from leukemia-ridden picture framer Dougray Scott. Winstone wants a criminalrival eliminated, and Ripley, vengeance on his mind, decides that the innocent Scott is just theperson to be manip…
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