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Comedy

Robot Chicken Season Two: Uncensored

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 15th, 2007

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Do you know what happens when creative people get toys and wacked out people get a tv show? Robot Chicken happens. The first season was a great success on Adult Swim, so that meant two things. One, creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich would be able to move out of their parent’s house (okay, not really) and we would get Season 2. Robot Chicken for those who don’t know is toy figures (or special sculpted toys) put to life in hilarious sketches and parodies with the use of stop motion capture technology.
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College Essentials: Partying 101 (Bio-Dome, Back to School & PCU)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 11th, 2007

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Box Sets that compile older titles usually just make me cringe. Think about it. Recycled discs, tired old movies, and a fancy somewhat new box cover. In other words, I get to sleep for 4-5 hours and then wake up in a cold sweat wondering what happened. Alright; so that just sounds like my first honeymoon. Anyway, I happened to get the Partying 101 Boxset (because I am a wild and crazy guy) which featured Bio-Dome, Back to School and PCU. These are the old MGM discs from 8 to 10 years ago. Be afraid.
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Evan Almighty

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 9th, 2007

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Steve Carell is Evan Baxter in this “sort of” sequel to Bruce Almighty. He is a freshman member of the United States Congress about to start his first day. His campaign promise was to “change the world”. In the “be careful what you wish for” department, God (Morgan Freeman) gives him the chance to do just that. There’s just one catch, however. Evan has to build an ark…. You know the rest of that story. Suddenly animals begin arriving in pairs, and Evan makes a physical transformation into the traditional long bearded Noah. As you might imagine, this causes some troubles in his life as a Congressman. Try as he might, this modern-day Noah can’t escape his divine destiny. You’re probably thinking: “this sounds like funny stuff”. Wrong.
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Drawn Together – Season 2 Uncensored

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 4th, 2007

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“Find out what happens when cartoon characters stop being polite…and start making out in hot tubs”. The legendary kiss between Clara and Foxxy highlighted Season 1 and with the recent release of Season 2 on dvd, the Drawn Together cast is back for more adult fun. Drawn Together is the cartoon show that parodies reality shows by using parodies of classic cartoon characters. There are characters like Captain Hero who is a parody of Superman and many other super hero types. Or Ling-Ling who is a spoof of Pikachu from Pokemon. But these aren’t normal; they are very perverse, stereotypical, and deviant characters.
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Family Ties – The Second Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 3rd, 2007

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Family Ties is likely remembered most as the series that launched the career of Michael J. Fox. There’s no question that he owes a great debt to Alex Keaton. It’s almost a bit awkward now to watch him as this young, extremely conservative teenager after Fox has spent so much of his life as a liberal poster boy in the last couple of elections. Politics aside, it’s hard not to credit his performances in Family Ties and the Back To The Future films for launching him into a well deserved lucrative career. The Michael J. Fox issue, however, might hide some of the other assets the show had going for it in its time.
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Dirty Sanchez (Unrated)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 29th, 2007

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Dirty Sanchez, the Welsh Jackass, or at least it’s something like it. Like Jackass, this little British show started on TV and has since made its way to the big screen, that of course is not where the similarities end. Dirty Sanchez, ‘They make Jackass look like the Royal Shakespeare Company.’ Well that’s what the say anyways, I disagree but they are definitely just as careless and insane as the Jackass crew.
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Elvira’s Movie Macabre — Gamera, Super Monster and They Came From Beyond Space

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 25th, 2007

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Shout Factory has begun to release DVD editions of Elvira’s Movie Macabre, the cult hit TV show from the 80s wherein our curvaceous goth host makes off-colour jokes and pokes fun, during the commercial breaks, of the movies she’s showing. Up on the chopping block in this set are Gamera, Super Monster and They Came From Beyond Space.
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The Film Crew — Killers from Space

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2007

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Since Mystery Science Theater 3000 came to an end, fans have been having to make do with various second-best replacements. The most obvious one has been Mike Nelson’s solo commentaries on the likes of Reefer Madness and House on Haunted Hill. Though his efforts have been amusing, they have like the lunatic fun generated when he had Tom Servo and Crow to bounce off. With The Film Crew releases, we have the closest thing yet to a return of MST3K, as Nelson is reunited with Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett (who were the ‘bots). Playing themselves, they are a trio of working joes whose job is to provide commentary tracks to undeserving films. We don’t see their silhouettes, but we hear their exchanges over the course of the film. The result is pretty damn funny.
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The Return of the Living Dead

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2007

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It’s back, yet again, and looking for more brains. Dan O’Bannon’s lively zombie comedy tells the tale of a toxic spill reanimating corpses who, not content with wanting to eat your brains, are going to give you lip about it at the same time. Notable for its mix of horror, punk rock, gore, humour and nudity (this is the film that established Linnea Quigley as a horror starlet), the film has since been bested in terms of wit and gore by both Dead/Alive and Shaun of the Dead, but it was there first, and remains great fun. Never having caught the film in the theatres, I haven’t noticed anything amiss with the soundtrack, but the chatter out there among the film’s fans lets it be known that some of the songs have been truncated, so be warned on that front. Otherwise, have a blast.
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College Essentials: Romance 101 (Heartbreakers/Legally Blonde/The Cutting Edge)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 18th, 2007

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Looking for romance? This three-movie collection from MGM likes long walks on the beach, candle-light dinners and formulaic plots. The films have been around a while, but a fresh new look makes this set an attractive option.

As is usually the case for common-theme boxed sets, Romance 101 includes one stinker, one hit and one older gem you probably forgot about years ago. The movies aren’t the greatest examples of the genre, but the studio sweetens the deal, offering you three films for the price of one new-release DVD. Hit the jump for a rundown of these three discs.

Notting Hill

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 18th, 2007

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Notting Hill is a bit of a spin on a Cinderella type story, only Cinderella is William Thacker (Hugh Grant, About A Boy) the owner of a break even book store. Nothing seems to be going his way until fate would have it that Anna Scott (Julia Roberts, Oceans Eleven) the worlds most respected and loved actress enters his store. William having a hard time coping with his recent divorce can’t believe the glimmer of hope placed before him.
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Y Tu Mamá También – R Rated Edition

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 13th, 2007

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The film that arguably more than any other put director Alfonso Cuarón and actor Gael García Bernal on the map, Y Tu Mamá También is a smart, funny, extremely erotic tale of two young friends travelling across Mexico in the company of an older, sexually experienced woman. It’s a great film. But this isn’t the DVD you should watch to appreciate it. In this day and age of a veritable deluge of discs boasting unrated versions of their theatrical release, what, pray tell, is the point of an R rated DVD butchering of a unrated theatrical release? Fully six minutes are missing. The 100 that remain are, of course, excellent, but what is here is not the director’s vision. There is terrible irony in box boasting a blurb that exults in how “unafraid of sexuality” the movie is, when the DVD is clearly terrified.
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Hot Fuzz

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 12th, 2007

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Writer note: Apologies to Brendan who did the fine HD-DVD review for this flic. Some hack had to pick up the slack for the regular DVD and present a slightly alternate view. (and a different interpretation of english grammar)

Ever see Shaun of the Dead? No? Don’t worry, not too many people did either. This fine film directed by Edgar Wright was a parody and homeage to the George Romero Dead films. Full of comedy and nods to the genre, it was a very good but mostly forgotten flic. Fast forward to 2007 and Edgar Wright along with Simon Pegg (who would also play the character of Nicholas Angel) decide to write the homeage to action movies: Hot Fuzz.

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Desperately Seeking Susan / Something Wild (Totally Awesome 80s Double Feature)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 12th, 2007

At long last, we’ve received the two greatest films of the 80’s on DVD. Finally. Ok, maybe not the greatest films – they’re ok at best – but this is the first time they’ve been released on DVD. Wait, that’s not true either. Desperately Seeking Susan, Madonna’s sixth best movie, hit the streets on DVD in 2000. And Something Wild, one of the answers to “what was Johnathan Demme doing before Silence of the Lambs?” has been available since 2001.

So what’s special about this Totally Awesome 80s Double Feature? Shelf space. You can fit two films in one spot, thanks to MGM’s efficient packaging.

‘Til Death – The Complete First Season

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 10th, 2007

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Written by Evan Braun

Unfortunately, one of the best things you could say about the first season of ’Til Death is that it’s consistently inconsistent. It’s sometimes boring, it’s sometimes sentimental. Occasionally it’s angry. From time to time, it’s even funny. That said, I have a hard time believing the back cover’s assertion that this sitcom is a “top rated comedy.”

Here’s the premise, which is hardly new to television. Eddie and Joy Stark (Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher) have been married 24 years and have settled into a period of their lives that could charitably be described as stable, but more honestly as a rut. They love each other, but they take each other for granted. The magic is gone. Unfortunately, there’s no chemistry, either.
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Blades of Glory

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 8th, 2007

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There are those of us who love Will Ferrell and just about everything he’s done lately, and there are those of you who can’t stand the guy. Read that last sentence carefully and you’ll be able to determine which one I am, but I’m sure you won’t have to read much past this sentence to figure it out anyways. Starting back with A Night at the Roxbury and ranging to Old School and Anchorman, comedically I can’t get enough of these nonsense full movies. Surprisingly I didn’t check this one out in the theatres, but I eagerly welcome the opportunity now.
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Everything’s Gone Green

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 7th, 2007

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When I first heard the title I was thinking, documentary on celebrities impact on making the planet go green. But now having seen Everyone’s Gone Green I can assure you that’s not the case. Instead this is a low budget Canadian movie about a slacker, which doesn’t leave me with much more expectations than when I thought it was a documentary on global warming. As a Canadian I can admit that besides producing some great actors and actresses and supplying some great filming locations, Canadian cinema is about as entertaining as watching the wind blowing around a plastic bag. This movie doesn’t prove to be any different.
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Private Fears in Public Places

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 6th, 2007

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Do you as the viewer ever watch that movie that you feel due to overwhelming popular opinion you should like? Unfortunately, I run into this all too often. Most of the time I’m able to push that aside, and give an honest review. Sometimes it is harder. Private Fears in Public Places directed by Alain Resnais is one of those movies. Set in Paris (with language to match); this puts six lonely characters in search of love during the harsh winter season. However, what they find isn’t what they were searching for. Naturally these characters’ stories intertwine and we get a whole lot of snow effects which encapsulate the end of each scene (and each part of this review).
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The Dark Backward

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 5th, 2007

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In hellish vision of a near future (?) LA, Marty Malt (Judd Nelson) is an incompetent garbage man who moonlights as an even worse comedian (his jokes aren’t funny, and he is half-crippled by stage fright). His only friend is the manipulative Gus (Bill Paxton). When Marty starts to grow a third arm out of his back, he loses his girlfriend (Lara Flynn Boyle) but attracts the attention of sleazy showbiz types Wayne Newton and Rob Lowe.
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A Night At the Roxbury (Special Collector’s Edition)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 31st, 2007

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I don’t care what anyone thinks, A Night at the Roxbury is awesome. Back when Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan would do the skits on Saturday Night Live I loved it, and when the movie came out I pumped. This was back when I was barley a teenager and for me, this one has still got it. The hard part is explaining why this movie is so funny to me and its cult following. It has no real story, character development, etc. But still it manages to keep me laughing, time and time again. I’ll get more into that later, for those of you who haven’t seen A Night at the Roxbury I’ll play it out for you.
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The Ex (2006)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 29th, 2007

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Maybe you’re wondering why there’s a movie starring Zach Braff (Scrubs) and Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) that you never heard about. That’s what I was doing when I first received this disc. I’m a big fan of Braff, and a moderate fan of Bateman, so why was I not in the know on The Ex?

I’ll tell you why. The Ex had only a limited North American release in late 2006, and under a different title: Fast Track. It bombed. Then it disappeared for all but a handful of foreign markets, before washing ashore in DVD-land.

Year of the Dog

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 27th, 2007

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Every office has one. Peggy Spade (Shannon) is that co-worker who always seems to be up. You know the kind. Always smiling even when there are a lot of crappy things going on around her, she walks through life oblivious to it all. Now don’t get me wrong. These people do have their uses and can often relieve the stress of a particularly bad day. I mean, don’t you feel a little better after just a minute or two of putting your hands around their throat and squeezing just a little? Alas, I digress. What is the source of Peggy’s blissful nature? It’s none other than Pencil, her faithful pet dog. Pencil is her emotional center, leaving her quite awkward around most humans.
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White Boyz in the Hood

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 27th, 2007

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Over the course of all of the reality shows out there, someone decided to want to do one with the goal of finding the next big stand up comedian of North America. But with every comic remotely worth something having done at least a stand up special for a television show of some sort, the search to find a decent stand up was a long one, to say the least. And after several “winners”, are any one of them really top shelf material? Of course not.

Wild Hogs (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 24th, 2007

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Right off the start Wild Hogs looks to be appealing simply because of the cast which includes John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, and Ray Liotta. However when you get numerous big names together, some of whom aren’t known for comedy, their meshing on screen becomes quite an issue. Regardless, I don’t anticipate this to become a problem with Wild Hogs.

Wild Hogs tells the story of four middle aged recreational bikers who are all going through a personal crisis. Doug (Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest) is a dentist stuck in a rut, he wants to relive his glory days but has too much responsibility and a kid who doesn’t respect him.
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Kickin’ It Old Skool

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 18th, 2007

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There was a time when break dancing was the hottest thing around. For this film, that time is 1986, when a talented young dancer goes too big in a dance contest, flips off the stage and winds up in a coma. He wakes up 20 years later, a grown man with the mind of a 12-year-old, an unhealthy passion for break dancing and a crush on the girlfriend he almost had two decades earlier.

With that premise, how can you go wrong? Plus, you know Kickin’ It Old Skool is a righteous movie because it spells ‘School’ with a ‘k.’

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