Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on May 15th, 2012
"...So when I walked into the hair cutting place, I was taking a leap. But I wasn't doing it for a guy — I was doing it for me."
Season 2 of Felicity features Keri Russell getting one of the most infamous haircuts in TV history. When people think of super-producer J.J. Abrams and his television projects, images from Alias, Fringe and a little show called Lost probably spring to mind. On the other hand, a significantly smaller portion of weirdos the TV-watching population may think of the relationship dramedies Abrams has produced, such as What About Brian, Six Degrees and Felicity, by far the best of this latter group. (Then again, Felicity — co-created by Abrams and Matt Reeves — resorted to time travel towards the end of its run, so it probably has more in common with the producer's genre shows than you think.)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on May 7th, 2012
When people think of super-producer J.J. Abrams and his television projects, images from Alias, Fringe and a little show called Lost probably spring to mind. On the other hand, a significantly smaller portion of weirdos the TV-watching population may think of the relationship dramedies Abrams has produced, such as What About Brian, Six Degrees and Felicity, by far the best of this latter group. (Then again, Felicity — co-created by Abrams and Matt Reeves — resorted to time travel towards the end of its run, so it probably has more in common with the producer's genre shows than you think.)
Anyway, we're here to talk about season 1. Felicity Porter (Keri Russell, in her star-making performance) is a smart, responsible California teen who suddenly decides to follow high school crush Ben Covington (Scott Speedman) to college at the fictional University of New York, despite the fact that Ben barely seemed to be aware of her existence prior to a brief exchange at their graduation. Season 1 follows Felicity throughout her freshman year as she tries to establish her independence.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on May 7th, 2012
As I get older, I find myself slightly more forgetful. Perhaps I will not remember where I put my watch (even though I own half a dozen), or maybe I will not see my sunglasses when they are conveniently strapped to my head. But at least I am not old enough yet to be clueless. This brings us to our next review starring Alicia Silverstone as the one and only Cher, a 15 year old Beverly Hills girl who is clearly Clueless.
Funky fresh 90’s music and go. Oh wait, that’s an eighties tune but covered by a nineties band. Cher (played by Alicia Silverstone) is another upbeat high school kid, who lives life like a Noxzema commercial. She has the best clothes and shoes and has lots of fun. She tends to fight with her dad over his daily dose of Vitamin C, (played by Dan Hedaya) who is a famous litigator. Cher does not like the idea of her ex-stepbrother Josh (played by Paul Rudd) showing up for dinner.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 11th, 2012
Holy chick flicks, Batman! Aye, the torture! Even all of the previews on this disc are chick flicks. There are very few that I can stand. Mostly, because they do not follow the usual chick flick script. Will this one be one I can get behind? I guess we will see. If anything I can get behind watching Hugh Jackman for a few hours. Though, looking at the cover, I prefer him as Wolverine. Oh yes. Enough drooling, on with the show.
We start with a man giving a speech about time in an earlier century. Leopold (Hugh Jackman) is in the crowd doing a sketch drawing of the monument behind the speaker. Stewart (Liev Schreiber) is laughing because the man speaking is talking wildly about the “erection” of this new monument. Heh heh, hey Beavis... He said... Erection! Leopold goes home and gets ready for a party. He is getting dressed and his uncle is talking about his need to take on a wife. He tells him what a failure he is and how he needs to marry someone with a lot of money in order to make himself useful to the family. This kind of sounds familiar... Anywho, he is told to announce his bride tonight. Or else! Dun dun dun!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 11th, 2012
Bob Newhart may not have a ton of range as a comic actor, but the television personalities he created in both The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart were lovable enough to bring great success to both of the shows. One could safely admit that he was really playing the same character in both, and the final episode of Newhart pretty much acknowledged that fact with one of the more clever series finales in television history. So, with two pretty solid hits under his belt, it wasn't a complete surprise to see the comic enter our living rooms once again in 1992 just a couple of years after his last show finished its run. The name could have been just as predictable: Bob.
Bob McKay (Newhart) had once created a comic book hero named Mad Dog. It was about a vet who conducted experiments with the adrenal gland of a Doberman. The result was a new superhero with the enhanced senses of a dog. The comic lasted just 12 issues and quickly faded into obscurity. During that time Bob was putting his artistic talents to use with a greeting card company, a job he hated. Along comes Mr. Terhorst (Cumpsty) whom we never see. He's always just a voice over the speaker phone. He's bought ACE Comics and wants to hire Bob to bring back Mad Dog. It's the chance of a lifetime, except he's teamed with Harlan Stone (Cygan) who grew up a Mad Dog fan but now has some radical ideas for the new book. Bob has to constantly rein him in to save the integrity of the hero. The office also includes Albie (Bilgore) who is the office gofer. He's shy and completely inept in social situations. There's Chad (Fall) the comic's colorist who is a super geek. Iris (Kobart) is the old crotchety woman who letters the book. His daughter Trisha (Stevenson) comes to work for the team as well. At home is faithful wife Kaye (Watkins) and their lively cat Otto.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on April 4th, 2012
Nine college friends are reunited by the death of a beloved former classmate. While attending his funeral, they learn their wealthy friend has left behind a will stipulating that each of them will receive a big chunk of his fortune if they can stay at his mansion for five days without a single person leaving. So basically, this terrible movie is an unholy mash-up of The Big Chill and The House on Haunted Hill. Come to think of it, I would've liked this flick a lot more if everyone had been murdered by ghosts.
That's because pretty much every character in Dysfunctional Friends — the early frontrunner for the 2012 Just Go With It award for Laziest Movie Title — is completely unbearable. (This, despite the fact that notorious NFL malcontent Terrell Owens isn't even playing himself!) I know this group of estranged "friends" is supposed to be self-centered, but it's impossible for the audience to get invested when we simply can't stand any of them.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Michael Durr on April 3rd, 2012
Much like a relief pitcher, sometimes a substitute has to fill in for a movie review. The person is usually a specialist, one who can write up a review in a snap, the blink of the eye. Well, sometimes the relief pitcher runs into a tough power hitter or a wiry runner. I find myself in a similar situation with the dreaded foreign film. It sounds clichéd and uncultured perhaps, but I did not even want to read today! Okay, anyway on to the show of Sidewalls.
The sun rises upon Buenos Aires. We get some depressing narration about the city and how overpopulation has basically made the city a shell of the splendor it once held. The narrator compares this to the humans within the city and how their lives have no direction, the same as an ill-built skyscraper. This narration concludes with a discussion of how letters and numbers in apartments represent class status.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on March 16th, 2012
Carnage is the (un)true story of two couples who've agreed to meet in a Brooklyn apartment — drink together and have their lives filmed (by Roman Polanski) — to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real. If you had told me that one day I would be relating a Roman Polanski film to the opening credits of MTV's The Real World, I would've told you...yeah, that sounds like something I would do.
Based on God of Carnage by French playwright Yasmina Reza (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Polanski), the film follows Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly), who have invited Nancy and Alan Cowan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) into their home after their sons are involved in a physical altercation. As the two pairs of parents try to agree on a proper course of action, the initially cordial meeting becomes less about their respective sons, and more about their own prejudices, character flaws and childish behavior.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on March 16th, 2012
Sometimes you just know. As a movie reviewer, I always strive for an open mind. I work for the idea that even if the cover screams snorefest or if the movie has a star I can absolutely not stand, perhaps just perhaps there is a nugget of cinema goodness underneath. Then I received Tooth Fairy 2 on Blu-Ray. After I screamed at the heaven’s above and drank myself into a deep coma, I decided that an open mind was a terrible thing to waste.
We open up to the Boardwalk Bowl and apparently they run a weekly contest where some lucky guy or gal could bowl for the chance to win a new Camaro. Here at a bowling alley, I was expecting a Ford F150, but I digress. Larry Guthrie (played by Larry the Cable Guy) ogles the car but his girlfriend Brooke (played by Erin Beute) reminds him of her niece’s birthday party. BTW, for those scoring at home, Larry has played Larry quite a few times in his acting life.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on March 14th, 2012
“You already started reading the evil words, didn't you? Then could you pass me my blood mop? I'm gonna need it later.”
Somehow I was never aware of Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil: The Complete First Season until I received the DVDs to review. Based on the 2003 short film of the same name, Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil debuted on Canada's Space Channel in September of 2010 and was picked up for broadcast in the United States by FearNet, which started showing the series in August of 2011.
