Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 20th, 2007
Synopsis
An overheated Cold War plot sees a scientist, crucial to American interests, felled by a blood clot. The only way of saving his life consists in shrinking a submarine and specialist crew to microscopic size and injecting them into the his body. They must make their way up the circulatory system to the brain and there destroy the clot. But on top of all the hazards they encounter in the body, there is also a saboteur aboard.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 20th, 2007
I’m not sure exactly what I expected going into this film, but whatever it was, the film I saw could not have been farther from it. What Bridge to Terabithia is, is a little hard to explain. It’s certainly a children’s fantasy, but not in the style most popular today with franchises like Harry Potter and Narnia. This film is actually wonderfully understated. It centers on two children who are misfits of a sort. Like many kids they feel alien in the world around them. They are at that awkward age where they are gett...ng too old for childishness but are still too young for the adult world. The only option left to them is to create a world where not only do they fit in but rule with confidence. Terabithia is indeed populated with the traditional fantasy elements, but here these things blend in with the real world around them. It is a place firmly imbedded in their imaginations, a world let out only in snippets at a time. The film is never overwhelmed with an f/x laden image that fails to satisfy on any complete level. They immerse themselves in the battle of good and evil in Terabithia, but everything there is strongly connected with the lives they are actually living in the mundane world of reality. The film also goes down a path that will be unexpected, and that I will not spoil for you now. Like all classic Disney, Bridge To Terabithia is loaded with the obligatory life lessons. Concepts like friendship and standing up for yourself abound. Disney understands that less can often be more, and that understanding makes this a far more rewarding film to watch. There are moments when the film does bog itself down and move somewhat slowly. If I think so, I’m sure the kiddies will be even more aware. The film dips its toe into Christianity a bit. Most of this is directly from the Katherine Paterson novel. Fantasy and reality can often be so intertwined here that you will never quite know where one ends and the other begins until you are already fully there.
Another fine Disney tradition is the performances they have consistently gotten from child actors. Bridge To Terabithia is no exception. Jess, played by Josh Hutcherson, is the understated character. Hutcherson does a fine job of portraying the changes that come over his character. When we first meet Josh, he is shy and turned well within himself. He gets picked on at school, and his Dad seems to favor his younger sister. Once he warms up to new student Leslie, he begins to open up and finally finds things to get excited about. AnnaSophia Robb is equally good as Leslie. Leslie’s character doesn’t change quite so much. Still, it is Leslie who must bring out Jess. It is her imagination that first gives birth to Terabithia. Robb plays her with a tremendous amount of energy.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 20th, 2007
"Oh Bother"A.A. Milne was quite an eclectic writer. He wrote murder mysteries that even appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. From that fertile mind would also come a place known as the 100 Acre Wood. In that select place some of literature’s finest characters had the greatest adventures any boy could imagine. And adventures are certainly no fun on your own. Young Christopher Robin was joined by Piglet, Tigger, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, and, of course, Winnie-The-Pooh. Who didn’t fall in love with that silly old bear... Winnie-The-Pooh. OK, so maybe Dahmer or Bundy might have been exceptions. Still, anyone growing up in the last 30-40 years who isn’t a psychopath has had a love affair with Winnie-The-Pooh, all stuffed with fluff.
Often when a company gets the rights to such classic characters they end up doing more harm than good, particularly if they include some quite radical changes to the beloved material. Walt Disney was first introduced to the stories after seeing his own children delighted by their adventures. His quick mind told him that this English story needed to be more formally introduced to American children. It took several years for the versions of these characters to evolve into what we so instantly recognize today. The original characters were quite different from these uniquely Disney inventions. I know the folks at Disney claim they stayed very true to the originals, but that simply isn’t true. Today the characters are recognized all over the world more in their Disney incarnations. More than the drawings, the voices of these characters have become very distinctive with those of us who grew up with them. Jim Cummings has done the voice of Pooh for years, but it was Sterling Holloway who originated the voice for these feature pieces. Paul Winchell gave us his giddy Tigger voice for over 40 years now. John Fiedler supplied the shy stuttering Piglet. These last two voice actors died just one day apart in June of 2005.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 20th, 2007
Since its release first as a Dan Brown novel and then as a less successful film, The DaVinci Code has stirred up more than its fair share of hornet’s nests. What most folks seem to be forgetting is that the stuff was fiction. Brown NEVER claims to be offering a secret look inside the workings of the Catholic Church. So why do we need this investigation? The self-professed documentary isn’t really a look at the story at all. It’s merely a lot of real wackos trying to fill our heads with their claptrap conspiracy the...ries and new definitions for Christianity. This will not appeal to fans of the film, unless you are one of those who think Brown was really on to something. I have no problem with these beliefs. If that’s what you want to believe, go ahead. I do have a problem getting sucked into this craziness in the guise of having something to do with a film I might have enjoyed. Susan Sarandon attempts to hold the whole thing together but can’t seem to save this sinking ship.
The problem, as I see it, is how thin the line is for some folks between fact and fiction. It shouldn’t really come as such a surprise when one looks at how much news time today is dedicated to the likes of Paris Hilton or Anna Nicole Smith. In recent years we’ve lost men who have been President of the United States and got far less attention than has Smith. Are we that far gone as a society? Watching this makes me wonder. With that much attention on celebrity, is it any wonder we start to believe almost anything we’re told, even in a work of fiction? Oliver Stone has made a living trotting out conspiracy theories knowing he can beat the conspiracy nuts into a frenzy. This gets good PR for his films, but does it serve us as a society? I’ve already said more than this thing deserves. Just say no.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 20th, 2007
Shooter is closely based on Point of Impact, an excellent novel by thriller writer Stephen Hunter. I read the book in the late 90’s, and enjoyed it. A lot. When I began seeing trailers for this film last year, you can bet I was excited at the prospect of seeing Bob Lee Swagger come to life on the big screen, even if it had to be “Marky” Mark Wahlberg in the role.
The film updates Hunter’s story to present day, shifting Vietnam to Iraq and villains to mercenary pawns of thinly veiled Dubya coho...ts. Otherwise, it’s fairly true to the story structure in the novel, which is a good thing in my book, but obviously the movie has to play well on its own. I’d call this one entertaining overall, but uneven – some parts are terrific, others drag it down.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 19th, 2007
Marvel Comics has certainly enjoyed a renaissance of late. There can be no question that this entire run of comic heroes on screen began with Spider-Man. Even the recent DC reimaginings might not have gotten this second chance without everyone’s favorite web slinger, or at least the gobs of money that franchise has pulled in. While none of these recent comic films have come close to the success of Spider-Man, the studios are determined to keep the trend alive and well. That translates to great news for us. The most...recent development of this success is that lesser known comic heroes are starting to emerge on film. Ghost Rider is not quite as known around the world but is not without its loyal following. Nicholas Cage happens to be among the Ghost Rider faithful. We’re talking about a guy so into the comic scene that he named his son Jor-El (Superman). Cage, it appears, has wanted to do Ghost Rider for almost as long as he’s been acting. This unusually high level of passion for a character plays to the film’s advantage. He believes in the role and thus becomes Ghost Rider with an uncanny ease.
The Ghost Rider character has evolved more over the years than perhaps any other comic icon. The story and the character himself have gone through many significant changes. The film pays homage to a ton of this history by including elements of many of those comic runs. The writers combined some of the best elements from the whole to create a world and character that is unique, yet quite true to the spirit of the Ghost Rider. The basic story remains relatively faithful to some aspect of the story’s varied history while allowing the film to have its own distinct look and tale. Here a young Johnny Blaze discovers that his father is dying of lung cancer. Together father and son have a motorbike daredevil show. He is approached by an ominous stranger who offers to heal his father’s ailment in return for, you guessed it, his soul. I know what you’re thinking. “Boy have we seen that one a thousand times before. Believe it or not this story has a remarkable twist to the old story. Of course, the deal’s a rip-off and Johnny gets exactly what he wants but not really what he wants. It’s that old fine print stuff again. The twist is that our old devilish friend has a more complicated fate in store for Johnny. When called upon he must ride his bike as the flaming skulled Ghost Rider to do the Devil’s bid. In this film the spectral rider is called upon to collect a powerful contract , which is also goal of some rather nasty elemental bad guys. It’s a royal battle to control Hell, and Blaze is right in the middle of it.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 18th, 2007
Written by Evan Braun
Television today is littered with shows that burned bright but died quickly. In a time when networks are quick to cancel, it’s becoming more and more rare to see a show live out its full potential. Having just concluded its thirteenth season, with many more years on the horizon, ER has more than shown itself to be a proven commodity. It could very well be remembered as one of the most successful and longest-running series in the history of primetime television.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2007
Watching the trailers for Black Snake Moan, I recall thinking it was going to drum up some outrageous controversy. I mean, the only thing we really knew about the film was that a big, scary black man chains up a half-dressed white girl in his home. Not exactly a wholesome image.
It’s a southern gothic parable, starring Samuel L. Jackson (Shaft) as Lazarus, a God-fearing man whose wife just left him for his own brother, and Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow) as Rae, a broken young woman wh...’s haunted by terrible sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather. Other key players include Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog) as Rae’s boyfriend, Ronnie, John Cothrane Jr. (Madagascar) as Lazarus’ reverend friend, and S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order) as a potential love interest for Lazarus.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2007
I’m kicking myself. Martin Scorcese’s The Color of Money has long been a favourite of mine, but for some reason I never knew it was a sequel to The Hustler, a film 25 years older and three times better.
Starring a young Paul Newman (Road to Perdition) in a role that earned him his second Oscar nomination, The Hustler is about a cocky pool player hustling his way to the top. When “Fast Eddie” Felson (Newman) challenges undefeated straight-pool champ Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason,...Requiem for a Heavweight) to a high stakes game, the talented young hustler shows he has the skills to be the best, but self-destructs toward the end of the 25-hour marathon match. Left near-penniless and without the managing partner who helped him get started in the seedy world of pool hustling, Eddie faces an uphill struggle to regain his confidence. Shacking up with smart, attractive and similarly self-destructive Sarah (Piper Laurie, Carrie) proves to be a decent diversion while Eddie wallows in misery, but while he uses her as a crutch, he becomes the cause of her destruction when he agrees to play for Bert Gordon (George C. Scott, Patton), a ruthless, greedy manager, and brings her along when they hit the road.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 14th, 2007
Recently released on HD DVD, this film is the last of the films from the famous British comedy band Monty Python. Originally released in 1983, this is by far Python’s darkest film, filled with violence and dark humor, seemingly tailored to offend everyone. I did not care for the part in the restaurant with the extremely obese man, so there we are.
The film consists of a series of short sketches about various aspects of the “Meaning of Life” or at least an observation of the quirky aspects of life, such as ...he delightful part in which John Cleese plays a sex educator or a very “British” colonel during the 2nd Zulu War near the end of the 19th century. The film actually begins with a short prelude film entitled “The Crimson Permanent Assurance”. What little plot there is seems to involve a group of oppressed accountants rising up against their corporate masters and becoming pirates, using their building as a pirate vessel none the less. It is more amusing in execution than on paper, I especially liked later on when the accountant shouts: “It’s the Crimson Permanent Assurance!!” and then something rather unexpected happens to address the presence of the supporting feature involving itself in the feature presentation.
![Monty Python's The Meaning of Life [HD DVD] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/monty-pythons-the-meaning-of-life-large.jpg)
