Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 28th, 2006
There was a time when no major groundbreaking events were captured on film. The thing is, it's sometimes hard to know when something of historical significance is going to occur. Major events such as World War II and the fall of the Berlin wall were planned in advance (so to speak), so it was easy to set-up a camera and capture the event. Spontaneous events, however, were mostly passed over. As technology has progressed, however, it has become easier to capture important and notable moments on the fly. September 11, ...001 has taught us that fact in graphic and horrible detail.
That's part of what makes this disc so very unique. At the time, who would know how popular Otis Redding would become, or that he would die an untimely death in the weeks following his performance? What's more, who could have predicted the unbelievable phenomenon that was Jimi Hendrix? Obviously these men were talented musicians, but the kind of lasting fame they eventually garnered, especially Hendrix, could never have been predicted.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 28th, 2006
Hosted by Boston comic Fran Solomita, When Stand Up Stood Out is a detailed retrospective of the historic comedy boom that took the city by storm from the late 70’s to the early 80’s. You get the impression it was a fun crowd to be with most of the time. From the famous Ding Ho to the Comedy Connection, some of the nation’s biggest names worked out their routines to the local audiences.
The documentary tells its story very simply. With the use of extensive narrative, vintage clips, and countless interviews, you get a rather complete history of the phenomenon. To the film’s credit, there is as much time spent on the relatively unknowns who worked the circuit as it does with the eventual big names like Bobcat Goldthwait, Denis Leary, Steven Wright, and others. While this might not lead to as much mainstream success, it certainly adds a touch more honesty to the piece. The language is rough, and not a problem so long as you expect it. This is not a family entertainment video. You have to admire the brutal honesty on subjects such as drugs and competitive jealousies that began when Steven Wright was the first to crack the elusive Johnny Carson Show.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 28th, 2006
Synopsis
The ironically named Julian Noble (Pierce Brosnan) is a hitman whose lifestyle of promiscuous sex, exotic locales and contract killings is catching up with him. As he approaches meltdown, he runs into Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear), a businessman who has had a long run of bad luck. The two strike up a friendship in Mexico city, and toward the end of their stay there, something happens. Six months later, Noble, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, turns uup on Wright’s doorstep.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 27th, 2006
Coach is one of those shows that never seemed to make a lot of noise. I can’t remember any year it was on that it burned up the ratings or scored many awards. Still, it was the little show that could. It ran for nine seasons, always holding on to a loyal core audience. I’m sure most of the success belongs to the underrated talents of Craig T. Nelson. I’ll admit that this guy just never showed up on my talent radar until his unexpected turn at drama during The District. It was then I learned to appreciate his self-effacing subtle abilities. Now I watch Coach with a somewhat renewed interest. Dick Van Dyke’s lesser known brother in comedy, Jerry is also a huge reason for the show’s stamina, if not outright success. The bumbling Luther was my favorite part of the show. The first season of Coach is a short one. I also appreciate the way it begins. It assumes you already know these guys and doesn’t feel the need to explain why everyone is here. The Coach is already in his position with his staff that we’ll soon get to know better. It’s a quirky show, and not at all one of my favorites, but certainly worth a second look on DVD.
Video
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 27th, 2006
So now we come to the fourth year of NYPD Blue. In the show’s ever-changing look this year was no exception. Most notable is the fact that a new camera operation crew toned down the jumpy camera moves a bit. Style was not sacrificed, but the series is now easier to watch. Smits and Franz are really starting to click now, and we begin to see the special relationship we know will evolve between their characters. This buildup is absolutely necessary for the coming payoff with Simone’s death in later years. Again, several characters came and went, most notably a couple of female detectives. I’ve heard the show described as testosterone heavy, but I can’t believe that could be said of year four.
Greg Metavoy gets a lot more to do starting this year, and I think you’ll find the results entertaining. This is the only character other than Sipowitz to survive the show’s entire run. He’s placed in some awkward moments in year 4. The Simone and Russell romance heats up, and while I tend to think these things cheapen a series, I found this one to be tolerable. It was also quite necessary for the eventual payoff mentioned earlier. As always, NYPD Blue is about Andy, and you won’t be disappointed. The character continues his wonderful growth in this season, mostly aided by the influence of Simone. There’s plenty for every Blue fan out there in this set.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 27th, 2006
Synopsis
Private Kang (Jan Dong-kun) is a coast guard – i.e. a soldier tasked with watching the South Korean coast for spies from North Korea. He is obsessed with shooting one, even though it is extremely unlikely that he will encounter any. One night, he sees movement and opens fire, killing not a spy, but a teenager having a tryst with his girlfriend. The boy isn’t just shot – he’s riddled with bullets and then blown to pieces with a grenade. No surprise, then, that the girl is traumatized to the p...int of insanity. When Kang realizes what he has done, his mental state disintegrates rapidly as well.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 27th, 2006
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is, it seems, the poor cousin to the likes of the FBI and the Secret Service. It doesn't have all the toys of these other organizations, and appears to have a staff of four (five by the end of the first episode). Mark Harmon heads up the investigative team that delves into mysteries that invariably have a military tone (and thus the stories frequently deal with terrorism and the like).
This is a series that wears its pop-culture influences on its sleeve. Too much so. Everyone watching this will compare it to CSI, and so, naturally, we get a jokey reference to that acronym. But the bigger problem is that though the shows wants to appear as it is Ripped From Today's Headlines, it is instead Ripped Off From Works Ripped From Today's Headlines. Thus, in the pilot episode, we are expected to believe not only in an al-Qaida that is presented in such an insultingly simplistic and fairy-tale that its leader is less Osama bin Laden, more Professor Moriarty, but an al-Qaida that shapes its plans by basing them on Harrison Ford movies. Pretty cheesy stuff, then, though entertaining enough.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 26th, 2006
Let’s face it. Movies released in January usually aren’t very good. Yes, some of these movies are Oscar hopefuls that are released nation-wide, but only after being released in selected cities to quality for those Oscars. No, we’re talking about stinking piles of crap like Uwe Boll’s Bloodrayne here. Being that January is Hollywood’s cinematic dumping ground, it comes as no surprise that Tristan & Isolde was released during this very same month in 2006.
Delayed for nearly a year, Tristan & ...solde follows a slew of disappointing historical epics, so common sense would tell you that the studio heads looked at this film and dubbed it a risk, with no bankable stars attached. What the studio heads seemed to forget (or miss, because let’s face it -- they’re more concerned with target audiences and opening weekends than quality) Tristan & Isolde is not half bad. In fact, it’s rather good.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 26th, 2006
Once in awhile, a film comes along that really catches you by surprise. Little Manhattan is one of those films. At first glance, it appears to be an updated take on a coming of age film that warms the cockles of your heart and leaves you smiling, but it's actually a bit of a romantic comedy that is timeless and memorable.
Written by Jennifer Flackett and directed by Mark Levin, who are a married writing team whose most notable work was Wimbledon, the focus of Little Manhattan is Gabe (Josh Hutcherson, Kicking and Screaming), who also narrates the film. At first the film starts with Gabe, sitting on his bed with a broken arm, crying over someone named Rosemary (Charlie Ray, in her first acting role). From there, Gabe tells the story of how happy he was before he met Rosemary. He was a happy 10 year old boy, knowing that girls were gross and he was going to be a placekicker with the help of his father (played by Bradley Whitford, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants). Gabe has known Rosemary for awhile, since kindergarten, but they bump into each other again in a karate class. Gabe suddenly realizes that he has feelings for Rosemary, and wants to be around her as much as possible.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 26th, 2006
Jack Nicholson can make a convincing case for being one of the greatest actors of all time. He's had his share of memorable moments in movies, with quoted lines etched in our brains. It took a while for me to get "You can't handle the truth!" out of my head. He has also turned in outstanding performances in lesser known movies that have shown his range and dramatic ability. Alternate viewing recommendations to see Jack in action include Hoffa and The Pledge, among a variety of others....In About Schmidt, the follow-up effort by Alexander Payne (Election), Jack strips away the sunglasses, the eyebrow and the devilish grin, puts on 20 pounds, and gives us a performance that some have labeled as career defining.
Warren Schmidt (Nicholson) has recently retired from his job at Woodman of the World Insurance, in Omaha, Nebraska. While he has put his time and energy into the job, is it of no significance. Warren stops by the office shortly after retiring, to perhaps answer any questions his replacement may have, and he has none. His place in the world almost reflects this insignificance, as he is unable to complete a sentence around his wife Helen (June Squibb, Far From Heaven), and their marriage has emasculated him to the point where he finds himself sitting down in order to urinate. In order to pass the time in retirement, he decides to donate money to a "Save the Children"-type organization, and becomes the foster parent of a 6-year Tanzanian boy named Ndugu. He does have a daughter Jeannie (Hope Davis, Hearts in Atlantis) who is living in Denver, about to be married to Randall (Dermot Mulroney, Point of No Return), a waterbed salesman with a mullet, who also happens to be a fan of pyramid schemes. After Helen dies suddenly from a blood clot, Warren (with the help of a recently purchased Winnebago) heads out to Denver in an attempt to stop Jeannie from making a mistake that she may regret. Not only do we see Warren's adventures in getting to Denver, but he meets Randall's mother Roberta (Kathy Bates, Misery), where the events pick up at a hilarious pace.
