Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2002
This disc combines excellent sound, a fantastic movie, and bales of extras with murky video to create a very acceptable – if not truly outstanding - first release of Spider-Man. I would heartily recommend this disc to anyone, but with some caution: this release (“Widescreen Special Edition” reviewed) leaves plenty of doors open for SuperBit Deluxe and later Collector’s releases. Both sound and video are good – but definitely not the best – so, watch for re-releases after the holidays.
This two-disc set is b... no means unworthy of purchase, however. Its highlights include sound with paranormally accurate special placement, wild menus, and a roster of extras that boggle the mind. Beware, however. The menus switch formats completely within different sections of the discs, so navigation can be confusing. Also, while there are some true gems amongst the extras, there’s also mountains of filler… take a look at the Special Features section below for suggested viewing.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2002
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2002
As my odds-on favorite to win Best Animated Film at this years Academy Awards, Ice Age combines a wonderful mix of breathtaking digital animation, and a wonderful story full of entertaining characters. Fox, with this film, has jumped into the upper echelon of digital animation studios, along with Disney and Dreamworks.
”Twenty thousand years ago, the Earth was being overrun by glaciers, and creatures everywhere were fleeing the onslaught of the new ICE AGE. In this time of peril, we meet the...weirdest herd of any Age: a fast-talking but dim sloth named Sid (voiced by John Leguizamo); a moody woolly mammoth named Manny (voiced by Ray Romano); a devilish saber-toothed tiger named Diego (Denis Leary); and an acorn-crazy saber-toothed squirrel known as Scrat. This quartet of misfits unexpectedly, and reluctantly, comes together in a quest to return a human infant to his father. Braving boiling lava pits, treacherous ice caves, freezing temperatures and a secret, evil plot, these "sub-zeroes" become the world's first heroes!“ – Fox
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 12th, 2002
A truly atrocious television mini-series (the second in the “V” series) has been resurrected for “V: The Final Battle.” This is (apparently) the second in the V series (“V” stands for Visitors, or maybe Vituperative snake aliens), and shockingly, not the last. In fact, the “Final Battle” was apparently followed by a weekly TV series which – irony alert – ended up being cancelled in favour of “Dallas.” Wow! What times the eighties were!
At any rate, this DVD wraps a mediocre TV series in a mini...um value package. The audio and video are as fine as can be expected, but there’s no extras or content of any kind. This is (apparently) in stark contrast to the Original Mini-Series DVD release, which was apparently a much bigger budget production, loaded with extras. Warning to V fans or collectors: don’t expect the same level of quality from this disc.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 11th, 2002
Well. Where to begin? At this point, no-one expected less than a truly amazing DVD release of Episode II from Fox, and true to form, they have certainly delivered. The Attack of the Clones release sets the new standard for audio and video, as did Episode I before it.
It is interesting, though, to examine this DVD relative to the release of Episode I. The Phantom Menace DVD had a lot riding on it – the first Star Wars film to be released on DVD would set the precedent for future releases, and it had the furt...er onus of salvaging a terrible film. The Episode I disc endeared itself to the masses by meeting and exceeding both of these expectations. Episode II is a fantastic release as well, but it doesn’t have quite the same impact as Episode I, much as a new BMW being released today among its stablemates is singled out for a much lesser degree of adulation than it would receive if it were the first and only BMW on the market.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 1st, 2002
Long before tough cop Dirty Harry made our day, Clint Eastwood defined the modern western with his Spaghetti Westerns. It is no surprise that a Western would define Clint Eastwood as an Academy Award winning producer and director. Unforgiven is unlike any movie Eastwood has ever done. It is loaded with extraordinary actors surrounding his own stellar performance. Names like Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, and Richard Harris are rarely found in such supporting roles. Unforgiven also sets itself apart from Eastwood’s previous films in the way it portrays the West that Eastwood glorified for so many years. This film is dark and foreboding and offers no redemption by the end of the story.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 30th, 2002
Written by Dan Bradley
Rifling through my father’s LP collection as a child produced many musical memories, ranging from Kiss and Pablo Cruise to the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. It wouldn’t be until years later when I would fully understand the impact those very Beatles had on the world’s culture then and continued to influence today.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 25th, 2002
Pixar, with the smashing success of the Toy Story films, works its enchanting magic yet again with the wonderful Monsters, Inc. It’s fitting that Disney acquired the creative team that more than any other filmmakers embody what Disney had been for half a century. Monsters, Inc. is the new standard for computer animation. Sully’s generated hair is nothing short of amazing. What makes this movie worth buying is its incredible rewatchability. The attention to details means there’s always something new to see with each v...ewing.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 31st, 2002
Pam Grier, in a superb performance that sadly did not revitalize her career to the same degree as happened with co-star Robert Forster (and with John Travolta in Pulp Fiction), plays a flight attendant who is being used as a pawn by both bad guy Samuel L. Jackson and FBI guy Michael Keaton. Grier, with the help of bail bondsman Forster, sets up an elaborate counterattack. While Jackie Brown lacks the propulsive intensity of Reservoir Dogs, and Tarantino's reliance on 70s-dominated soundtracks is getting annoying, the...writing is still very strong, Tarantino gets ace performances out of his cast, and the climax is a rather striking piece of bravura filmmaking.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 12th, 2002
After a dismal resurrection on film with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, it appeared that the crew of the good ship Enterprise was finally stilled forever. Enter two heroes to rival Kirk and Spock in Harve Bennett and Nicholas Myers. Star Trek II is everything that shines about Star Trek. Finally the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy dazzle longtime fans with the chemistry that made the original series so enduring. In The Motion Picture, the characters come off stiff and cold. They hardly seem to know each other. In Wrath of Khan we believe these old friends haven’t missed a beat. Add to all of this perhaps the greatest Star Trek villain of all time in Ricardo Montalban’s enigmatic and obsessive Khan and you truly see Star Trek at its very best.
Synopsis
