Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
A tour bus goes hundreds of kilometres off-course in the African desert. Then it breaks downby an abandoned town. While waiting for rescue (which may or may not ever come), thepassengers work on mounting a production of King Lear, and their civilized veneer getsprogressively stripped away. The concept is odd, but it works, and the cast (including JenniferJason Leigh) is uniformly strong.
Audio
The sound is only 2.0, but it must be borne in mind that...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Can’t afford Jim Carrey? Then hire Dave Sheridan, who will do his best impersonation of thebig star. As Frank McKlusky, Sheridan plays a young man so traumatized by his daredevilfather’s disastrous stunt that he has become psychotic about safety precautions (a neurosisencouraged by mother Dolly Parton). McKlusky’s dad (Randy Quaid) was denied medicalinsurance due to a crooked legal firm, who now, many years later, are up to no good again.McKlusky investigates, and the hilar...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 22nd, 2002
Written by Dan Bradley
Ever since Dragonslayer lit up the screen, I've been waiting for a comparable dragon movie to come along. There have been a few between then and now, most recently the lighthearted Dragonheart, but none have come close to capturing the style and mood of Dragonslayer. Finally a dark depiction of the mythical beasts has returned to ravage audiences and scorch anything in sight, although it could have been a lot better.
The premise of Reign of Fire comes across like a classic bad B movie. Dragons are awakened...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 21st, 2002
The Greeks are well known for their complex and compelling mythology. Writers like Homer have for millennia defined the literary world of mythology. I challenge anyone to debate that J.R.R. Tolkien has filled that role for the 20th century and beyond. The foreword to The Fellowship of the Ring begins by saying: “The tale grew in the telling until it became a history…” I entered the theatre for a midnight showing of this ambitious film with very high expectations. Truth be told, it was not possible that those expectations could be met.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 19th, 2002
Several years ago David Caruso left a young TV series to pursue a career in the big time. That young series was NYPD Blue and the big time movie career ended up somewhat less successful. Caruso is back on TV now and his latest film is proof that’s where he belongs. It’s not that Black Point is a bad film at all. It’s not. It does, however, play out like a made for TV movie. Artisan must agree because they decided to release it in full screen format. It’s one of those several twists/ no honor among thieves affairs.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 14th, 2002
Artisan has come through with a well-executed 10 Year Anniversary Edition of Glengarry GlenRoss. Well-executed, yes. Exceptional, no. The highlights of this set are definitely the DTS audio track and the new Widescreen transfer. Both are so exceptional as to make this set a “must purchase” for any fans of this movie or its cast. Beyond these two features, there is nothing particularly compelling about this set, however. Special features contain no standouts, and the second disc is largely the filler of a widescreen t...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Kieran Culkin and Emile Hirsch are best friends in a Catholic junior high. They are goingthrough the usual adolescent throes, but with a few twists. Hirsch’s budding romance with JenaMalone is complicated by a rather dark secret of hers. As well, their pranks, whose target is theirnemesis Sister Assumpta (Jodie Foster), are spectacularly elaborate, not to mention dangerous.Hirsch’s hopes and fears also take the form of a cartoon (produced by Spawn creator ToddMcFarlane). Th...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Jimmy is an aspiring concert pianist. He also has a few sexual knots that need untangling.And he’s a brutal debt collector for his bottom-of-the-ladder loanshark father. The movie tracesthe couple of days during which his life disintegrates. This is not for everyone. The pace isdeliberate, with looooong stretches of nothing much happening, punctuated by explosions ofsurprisingly brutal violence. The whole is also shaded by a pretty pronounced misogyny. But thefilm sticks wi...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Dylan McDermott is a struggling writer in LA (cue de rigueur pseudo-profundities about thesoulless evil of Hollywood, many provided by ice-bitch agent Sharon Stone). He sets himself upin a house where murders took place, and starts work on a book about the murders. He rents aroom to Tom Sizemore, Norman Bates-ish in his shyness and fastidiousness. Guess that meanshe’s bad news, right? The plot asks rather too much good faith on our part, and so suspense iscrushed by falling...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 11th, 2002
Synopsis
In the full widescreen segments of the film, a portion of an American satellite lands inAustralia and is swallowed by a crocodile. Competing agencies send their agents to recover thedevice. In the segments where the screen shrinks to something resembling the TV screen (thoughstill wider than 1.33:1), Steve and Terri Irwin chase after animals, and Steve speaks continuallyto the camera. The collision course of the title is not just the intersecting courses of the Irwinsand th...
