Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 3rd, 2003
Inspector Gadget returns to take on the nefarious Dr. Claw who has just escaped from prison in small town Riverton. Throw into the mix an all new and improved G2…all-robot, all-tech and all-female gadget and we have the potential for a ton of fun. Inspector Gadget (this time around played by French Stewart and G2 (Elaine Hendrix) are set to save the world with help from Penny, her dog Brain and the tricked-out Gadgetmobile.
Video
Full bright and colorful scenes and characters the quality o...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 3rd, 2003
Synopsis
For the first twenty-five minutes, we are in 1950 Havana, where a typical noir tale of crimeand betrayal unfolds. Then we shift into colour, and discover that the hero of the first film, EricA. Leffler, is actually a writer of pulp fiction, and what we saw was the first part of his currentnovel, one that he doesn’t know how to finish. Before long, he gets caught up in a “real-life” noiradventure. This is a very, very low-budget exercise, but its ambitions are admirable, and i...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 2nd, 2003
Synopsis
Brooklyn-to-the-core thief Nick (Charlie Mattera) is betrayed by his friend Manny (PeterGreene), who is jealous of his love with Maria (Justine Miceli). Released from prison years later,Nick moves to LA, where he re-connects with Maria. Maria had married Manny (who is nowa brutal cop), but the two have since split. Nick is also taken under the wing of Harry (EdLauter), an aging gentleman bandit, who trains Nick to be a more elegant criminal than he hasbeen until now. The fi...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 2nd, 2003
Synopsis
An ancient clock is has almost finished its countdown to the return of Lucifer to Earth.Helping out is a cult led by an over-the-top Maximilian Schell. Schell and company have theireyes set on Rachael Leigh Cook as the vessel who will facilitate the devil’s return. What youhave here is recycled Omen crossed with Rosemary’s Baby, and a bit of cloning thrown in forgood measure. We’ve been here before, in much more elaborate films. Still, the film is ratherengaging in its very...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 2nd, 2003
Synopsis
Young Matt Howard’s father goes off to help the British fight the French and Indian Warsin Ohio, apparently in the cause of liberty, and is killed. Years later, Matt has grown up into CaryGrant (hellishly miscast and looking utterly ridiculous in his Daniel Boone getup). He becomesa surveyor, still imbued with his father’s political ideals and marries into an aristocratic andconservative family. Tensions rise and decisions must be made once the War of Independencebegins. Th...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 1st, 2003
Synopsis
Peter Firth is a young man who has just blinded six horses. Institutionalized, he comes underthe care of psychiatrist Richard Burton. As he digs away, slowly uncovering what led Firth tothis breakdown, Burton comes perilously close to a breakdown himself. Though much-lauded,this is really a rather silly film, with the performances pitched way over the top, and thepsychodrama truly hysterical (when it isn’t hilarious). The stage origins are painfully obvious,and what worked ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 1st, 2003
Synopsis
Martha is the highly strung, control-freak chef at a top restaurant. Her organized life isthrown into chaos when her sister is killed in a car accident, leaving Martha to look after her littleniece Lina. Lina, understandably traumatized, refuses to eat. Meanwhile, Martha feels that herposition at the restaurant is threatened by newcomer Mario. Soon, though, she realizes that Mariohas other, more romantic goals in mind. Though witty, the film does not shy away from the realp...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 1st, 2003
Synopsis
We’re a long way from the escapist song-and-dance numbers that characterize so manyIndian films. Salaam Bombay! is set on the mean streets of Bombay, with special focuson the street children living there. The main character is Krishna, who tries to make a life forhimself, but circumstances push him towards crime. Many of the roles are actually played byhomeless children.
Audio
The soundtrack (in Hindi) comes in both the original mono and in a...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 28th, 2003
posted by Marc Atonna
Film
Goldie won the best supporting actress Academy Award as a ditsy, blonde mistress. Not bad for a debut. Goldie starts the film with her suicide attempt foiled by a neighbor (who unknowingly gives a great James Stewart impression). Matthau thinks he has the perfect love scenario. He has a stuffy secretary (Bergman) who keeps his life in order and a fling (Goldie) he keeps in check by telling her about a non-existent wife and kids.
As with all successful romantic comedies, a wrench has...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 28th, 2003
posted by Marc Atonna
Film
Mitchum and Wayne are joined by a very young James Caan in this western tale of a few very talented fighters fighting a group of evil businessmen and cattle barons. Mitchum is the drunken sheriff who trades one crutch for another. Wayne plays an old friend with a fast gun and a bum right arm. Caan is a young expert with the knife, but needs a shotgun to hit the side of a barn.
The first hour introduces the bad guys and establishes the relationships and weaknesses of the good guys. ...
