Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 12th, 2006
Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments hits store shelves in a new three-disc special edition, just in time for the release of the new made-for-TV mini-series. While the film classic is no stranger to DVD, it has yet to be released with this kind of gusto. At over three-and-a-half hours long, the film is simply too much for one disc to hold. The first disc contains the first 140 minutes, while disc two finishes up with the last 80. Plus, as a bonus, we get the original 136-minute silent version (also a DeMill...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 11th, 2006
It’s rather stunning to discover that My Neighbor Totoro was made way back in 1988, long before the days of CG and all automatic illustration. And perhaps that animation does detract from the overall experience from the film, but if that’s the only reason that it would be a problem, then people simply need to get their taste in order.
In another film from legendary Japanese film director Hayao Miyazaki (who made the Oscar-winning film Spirited Away), the film follows sisters Mei and Satsuki, w...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 11th, 2006
Synopsis
I like to consider myself both wild and out. Not knowing a helluva lot about Nick Cannon, other than he seems to be an entertainer that’s heavily produced to appear in movies and release the occasional rap/R&B album, kinda like a taller version of Bow Wow, with a little bit more emotional depth and a lot less charisma. The kind of guy that the ladies (that what I like to call them) take a fancy to, without knowing…what he’s famous for.
I wasn’t too surprised to see that MTV would give him...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 11th, 2006
Godzilla is now a hero after being feared for so long? Did I miss something? Anyhow, Godzilla – The Series featured 39 episodes created by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin shortly after the big budget remake. The show was run off the air in 2000 after pretty poor results. This is probably because Emmerich and Devlin transformed Godzilla from a huge monster to a practical little pet we would want to own. The animated series is worth a watch for children as there are only 39 episodes, but don’t expe...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 11th, 2006
Synopsis
Jack Nicholson is a journalist in Africa, fed up with his job and his life. When an acquaintance in an adjoining hotel room dies, Nicholson, struck by the other man’s physical resemblance to himself, switches identities, allowing everyone to believe that he is the one dead. But his new self doesn’t turn out quite to be the escape he had hoped for, as the man he has now become turns out to be an arms dealer.
Though that kind of a set-up is pure thriller, in the hands of Michelangelo...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 10th, 2006
The original 1959 version of The Shaggy Dog is notable for two reasons. First, it is the first live action film that Disney ever produced. They had created some animated features, of course, but this was the company's first real foray into the live action market. Secondly, the film marks the screen debut of Annette Funicello, a name certain to be familiar to fans of later Disney films. Later known as “America's Sweetheart”, Annette became a staple of the popular teenage beach movies of the 60's.
This ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 10th, 2006
When MTV picked up The Tom Green Show, they opened the floodgates to a whole new (and bizarre) genre of television; reality pranks. "But what about Candid Camera?", you might ask. That show was close to this genre, but not quite the same. This new breed of prank show takes much more from reality shows such as The Osbourne's than their earlier counterparts. In these new shows, the prank is not really a one-time event as much as it is a lifestyle. The main target of Bam Margera's pranks are his loving and amazingly understanding parents.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 10th, 2006
Synopsis
Laurel and Hardy’s career highs were all at Hal Roach Studios, and these three films are from their Fox period, in the twilight of their filmography. It is hard to call any of these classics, but there is still some very worthwhile comedy.
Best of the bunch is Jitterbugs (1943), where are duo hook up with con man Robert Bailey, and decide to pull a sting on the grifters who robbed Vivian Blaine’s mother of her savings. As is the case with the other two films, the trademarked...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 10th, 2006
I'm not in to the whole Harry Potter thing. I tried to watch couple of the movies, and I just found the whole thing to be bland, contrived and downright boring. I realize that I am in the minority on this, and that's fine. I have no problem with that. If you enjoy it, then by all means, buy the books and watch the movies. I'm just saying that it is not for me.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 10th, 2006
John Singleton burst on to the scene in 1991 with the gritty urban drama Boyz N Tha Hood. While this excellent film brought him critical acclaim, I think it also brought some misconceptions about who he is as a filmmaker. While he certainly has an urban element to his films, he is not content to keep re-making urban films throughout his career. What made Boyz N The Hood so good was not the fact that it was an urban drama, but that it was a genuine story about the love that a parent has for a child.