Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 16th, 2005
Synopsis
Society belle Gene Tierney is in love with the dashing but penniless Tyrone Power, much to the displeasure of her snobbish uncle Clifton Webb (turning in another of his signature bitchy roles). Tierney wants Power to settle down and earn a good living in order to keep her in the manner to which she is accustomed, but Power needs to find some meaning in life, and he heads off to find enlightenment, first in Paris, later in India. Tierney doesn’t wait for him, and marries millionaire John Payn..., but when Power returns to Paris, where she now lives, her torch burns as brightly as ever, and she will stop at nothing to preserve him for herself.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2005
I remember my Junior High teacher reading us excerpts from the novel I Am David in English class. Raising social consciousness was not something we into at that age. Looking back, I can see what my teacher was trying to do. The novel, and this movie adaptation, follows the story of 12 year old David, who escapes a Communist gulag in order to deliver a letter to Copenhagen. David is equipped with nothing but a compass, a bar of soap, and a loaf of bread. His quest across the continent is a journey of enlig...tenment and “growing up” the hard way.
How is the movie version? Well…let’s just say…sometimes a novel should stay a novel. The director Paul Feig has good intentions, and the movie sports solid performances by Ben Tibber (as David) and Jim Caviezel (beware of the misleading DVD cover…Jim only has a supporting role). The problem is Feig’s adaptation and the handling of the material. The flights of fancy and overt sentimentalism get in the way of an engaging film. In other words, the movie just doesn’t work.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 16th, 2005
I will be honest and admit that Insurrection is one of my least favorite Trek films. I rank it down there with the first film due to its many flaws. While it has always been Star Trek’s style to engage in open social commentary, I don’t believe it usually needs to hit you over the head so blatantly. The social message here is too cut and dry. There is not the necessary moral middle-ground to create honest conflict. This is also Brent Spiner’s worst performance. The inside jokes are too cute and forced to appeal to any but the most dedicated fans, and I believe even they might feel insulted. The Picard/Data duet while two shuttles engage in a dogfight is just too much for my gag reflex to handle. Jonathan Frakes, after turning in such an impressive directorial display on First Contact, plays it safe for the entire film. I’ve heard fellow Trek fans say this would have been a better series episode. I disagree. This would have been a poor episode as well. Rich Berman puts one more bullet in the gun that killed Star Trek.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2005
Poker viewing on television has been a phenomenon that has exploded over the last few years. This 8-disc set of The World Poker Tour - Season Two (14 episodes and one disc with bonus material) is a viewing pleasure for any poker fan who just enjoys watching it or is looking to improve their game.
Each episode includes poker instruction and player profiles for an inside look at the professional poker world. The host team of Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten are very knowledgeable and add excitement t... every match, and then of course there’s Shana Hiatt!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 15th, 2005
In the unnecessary sequel department comes Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. Why make this movie? Because Sandra Bullock needs a hit? It doesn't come here. Bullock, once again (and hopefully for the last time), plays Gracie Hart. Her involvement in a well known beauty pageant has made it impossible for Gracie to maintain a low FBI profile. So she has become the PR person for the bureau. But Gracie is "called back" into the line of duty (against the FBI's wishes) when two of her friends (played by ...illiam Shatner and Heather Burns) are kidnapped. This uncomfortable blend of action and comedy does not work. It's a waste of almost two hours of your life.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 14th, 2005
The Godfather Part II is, quite simply, one of the best films of all time. Personally, I would actually place it above it's predecessor, the original Godfather film, though both won Academy Awards for Best Picture. Part II, however, gave us not only Al Pacino in a genre-defining role, but also the young days of the original Godfather, played brilliantly by Robert De Niro, who impressively treads the line between believability and farce that is so fine with an actor like Marlin Brando.
In fact, i... is not only Al Pacino's acting that defines the gangster genre, but just about everything about this film, from the cinematography to the dialog. After the original film was released, every classic period piece for the next 35 years had to have that same golden look. The acting, the romantic storylines, and the cinematography re all first-rate. This is a classic film that deserves to be on every film fan's top 5 list and DVD shelf.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 13th, 2005
Synopsis
The degree to which any of these films is or was “controversial” varies quite a bit, but the claim can certainly be made that all seven of these films dealt with pertinent social issues of their times. Some are still quite relevant today, and all are well worth watching.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 13th, 2005
This Showtime version of John Knowles' A Separate Peace will bring joy to high school teachers everywhere. Finally, there is a quality movie version to show in English class. Peace is usually mandatory reading in high school (I know I read it), and follows the story of Gene and Finny. Their prep school relationship is ambiguous, and character motivations are a little more complex in the novel (dare I say...a little more provocative?). But, at its core, the novel and this adaptation is a coming of ag... tale. On the brink of World War II, prep school boys are coming to terms with growing adulthood. The private school "feel" is just right, and the director (Peter Yates) is an old vet. He directed Steve McQueen in Bullitt for crying out loud. Yates also directed the masterful film The Dresser, guiding great peformances by Albert Finney and Tom Courtney. Yates direction here is graceful. He gets excellent performances from his cast.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 12th, 2005
Synopsis
Michael Sheen (so good as the sweet, big-hearted protagonist of Heartlands) is on the verge of losing his job as an architect, and he and his wife have just separated. His obsessive compulsive disorders, which led to these problems in the first place, are enormously exacerbated by the resultant stress, and Tourette’s Syndrome becomes a problem now too. He is desperate to win his wife back, an in an attempt to get his life together, he joins an OCD self-help group led by Shirley Hender...on, the woman he should really open his eyes and hear to see.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 12th, 2005
Synopsis
One of the unique parts of the Western film genre is the lore behind Buffalo Bill. And while the western has faded as a favored film genre through the years, it’s still the subject of various films, stage plays and other adaptations. This particular film tells the story of a white man living in the West who was sympathetic to and friends with the Native Americans, Bill Cody, who later became a scout for the Army and was the head of a sideshow in the later years of his life.
