Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 4th, 2006
Synopsis
I have to write an open letter to those who are (deep breath) fans of teen idol used-to-bes Scott Baio and Willie Aames. What the hell is wrong with you people? Did the online petition have THAT many signatures that it had to be recognized and acted upon? Did you really need to have the theme song to Charles in Charge on DVD? I admit, it’s a little bit catchy, but if you watch all 22 episodes in one setting, you need to up your lithium dosage. I know and understand that Universal is catering...to the VH-1 “I Love the ‘80s” crowd by releasing shows like this onto disc, but let’s exercise some sort of restraint, huh?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 4th, 2006
For those Flintstones collectors out there, the ride is almost over. Season five of this show's six season runis now available on DVD. Of course, this show will never completely go away, and for good reason. The Flintstones was quite progressive for its day. Not only was it the first prime time cartoon program to develop a following, but it also has other things in common with modern animated sitcoms. It is easy to see traces of the characters of Homer Simpson and even Peter Griffin in these episodes. F...ed means well, but it is abundantly clear that Wilma is the brains of the family. This is a plot device that has almost been taken for granted today.
There are 26 episodes in this season, and each one includes some great laughs that easily translate to today's modern lifestyles. Though the show was created in the 1960's, it is still funny to see Wilma hang clothes on a clothesline with birds, or to see Barny fix the garbage disposal by poking it in the hindquarters with a stick. Our tools may have changed, but the personalities still ring true today.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 29th, 2006
With the original Controversial Classics Collection from Warner Brothers, the studio pulled seven films from their classic film archive that were controversial in their day. Topics included government corruption, racism, troubled youth and the wrongfully accused. Instead of following that set with more classic films based on the same themes, Warner Brothers has done something interesting and varied the focus of their theme. The films this time around, as the title suggests, deal with the role of the news media...in modern society. Instead of including seven different films, they have focused on newly re-mastered, double disc versions of three films from the 70's; Network, All the President's Men and Dog Day Afternoon. Each film is available individually, or as part of this box set.
Network is a film that rates at number 66 on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Films of All Time list. As fate would have it, it is also my least favorite film of the three. Each film in this set takes a different approach to examining the nature of the news media. This film is probably the most on point with the nature of modern news. In Network, the role of the news media is to make money for the broadcast networks. The story, justice and reporting the truth behind the events are all seen as tools to be manipulated to obtain ratings, and ultimately money. This is one of those films that probably seemed like sensationalism at the time, but it is certainly right on point in the new millennium.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 7th, 2006
Ahh, Moonlighting. For people of my generation, this may be the golden age of television. That's not to take anything away from I Love Lucy or The Andy Griffith Show, but when you grew up in the 80's, there was this, L. A. Law and Miami Vice. For my money, Moonlighting was the best of the three. Even by today's standards, it is extremely rare to find a show such as this. A genuine drama/mystery program that succeeds in being very, very funny. The fact is, the entire show was ...uilt around the skill of a new actor on the scene named Bruce Willis, and had he been anything less than stellar in every single scene that he was in, the program would have crashed and burned. Suffice to say, the show soared. Cybill Shepard was both beautiful and clumsy, and quirky character work by Allyce Beasley and Curtis Armstrong filled in the supporting plotlines, but it was Willis who stole the show every week. By the time the series ended, he had made himself a superstar.
Season Three may very well be the best season of this shows five year run. On the one hand, the early introductions and quirks of the first season had been worked out. On the other hand, we are still in the midst of the brilliant episodes that came before David and Maddie took the plunge, so to speak. These episodes are the cream of the crop. If you are thinking about trying out this series to see if it is for you, Season Three actually might not be that bad of a place to start. It's cheaper that the combined Seasons One and Two release, and you don't necessarily need the back story to dive right in and have fun.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 5th, 2006
Synopsis
Let me tell you a story. Back in 1904, I used to be in the Army. For 3 glorious years, I went to the office every day from 9 to 4:30 (with an hour and a half for lunch), typing up and processing awards and various evaluation reports and generally doing the best job I could. When I had to, I went out for field training and would (for lack of a better phrase) “play Army”, where I would sit in a communications center for 8 hours at a time, checking to see if the radios worked occasionally.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 28th, 2006
Wildfire has all the subtlety and charm of an ABC After School Special. Truth be told, the pilot episode reminded me a lot of Showgirls, but instead of becoming a pole dancer, this girl is becoming a horse trainer. The basic elements are still the same, though. A girl with a rough past gets an entry-level position at her dream job, and must work her way up the ranks. Only this show is on ABC Family. Gone is all the glitz and flash that tried to cover up the horrid plot of Showgirls. Withou... all those distractions, the viewer is sadly left only with lame, tired dialog and incredibly predictable plot lines to keep them warm.
If this was a dog show, and you asked me what I thought, I'd say “woof”. However, it's a horse show. Therefore, I say “neigh”.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 24th, 2006
The death of a celebrity usually brings sadness to many of their fans. However, whenever a celebrity does die, you can definitely expect a best of or some type of collection to find its‘ way to your video store shelves as soon as possible. After Richard Pryor died in December, Universal decided to wait one short month before releasing this four disc movie collection which features four of Pryor’s films that he either starred in or had something to do with. While the film’s contained her are not the best work of Pryor...s (other studios have rights to those particular works), the film’s Universal chose are pretty entertaining and remind us of the genius that Pryor was.
First up is the film Which Way is Up? which is re-make of the 1972 Italian comedy The Seduction of Mimi. The Italian version concerns the mob, but this version concerns Corporations and Labor Unions, where the workers at an orange-picking field want to form a union to ensure better and less-dangerous working conditions. Pryor steps up the plate when he falls off his ladder one day. Pryor is asked to leave the town by the big bosses at the orange corporation. This causes him to move to the city, fall in love with a union supporter, and funny comedy simply ensues. While the comedy presented is nothing that will have you laughing on the floor, it did have me similing many times simply because the type of comedy is something we can all relate to. The comedy is about human beings and their life lessons through family and work.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 23rd, 2006
My name's trouble... and you got some of it lady.
I admit, I wasn't even a big fan of The A-Team back in the day. I mean, I was a boy, and Mr. T was cool and all, but the show itself never really grabbed my attention. Even at a young age, the whole thing just felt a little too unbelievable. I mean, if these guys are a group of deserters and felons who are wanted by the government, then how is it that everybody knows who they are? Plus, Mr. T isn't exactly inconspicuous wearing 832 gold ...hains around his neck everywhere he goes. Then, of course, there is the fact that they frequently open fire with fully-automatic weapons in public places (and nobody gets hurt). Apparently the government hasn't made finding The A-Team priority one.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 21st, 2006
The Adventures of Superman – The Complete Second Season is the last of George Reeves’ Superman character. It’s also a loving tribute to a show that didn’t really deserve it. I respect television shows and movies from yesteryear – in many cases, I even prefer them – but it’s hard to justify the shallow plots and poor character development this show has to offer. I’m sure nostalgia buffs reading this are screaming “Blasphemy!” as we speak, but honestly… how can this show be justified on merits of good writing an... acting? It can’t. What I will give it is this – it reminds us of a simpler time, and sometimes, that warm fuzzy feeling is all a show needs to achieve for its recommendation. But Superman has been honored with much better incarnations than that of this short-lived series. Even the most recent cartoon puts our hero in more exciting scenarios, where a prevalent feeling of danger exists, and the different players all get a more sophisticated degree of characterization – all while appealing to children. So The Adventures of Superman can’t hide behind the idea of being a kids’ show… not for today’s audiences.
A viewer can appreciate it for what it is – in fact, I do. But appreciate or not, I find sitting through more than three episodes an arduous task – and there are 26 in this collection. By the time you lay it to rest, you’re tired of it, and that warm feeling of nostalgia has long since gone by the wayside. With that said, it’s an easy show to collect, and it will perhaps give anyone years of enjoyment, so long as it is taken in small doses. There is nothing beyond the quick feeling of days gone by to look forward to with this set, so even if you’re thinking marathon, you’ll be done with it after a couple of hours. One thing’s for sure – it isn’t like the “will they or won’t they” anticipation Lois and Clark or the Christopher Reeve films provide. Those incarnations were exciting and left you wanting more. With The Adventures of Superman, you’ll think, “All right, that’s enough” – dare I say it – faster than a speeding bullet.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 18th, 2006
I think all true DVD fans have a list in their mind of movies or television programs that they find to be utterly captivating, and simply cannot fathom why the rest of the world doesn't feel the same. I have some products on that list in my mind, and MI-5 may very well be on the top.
I first discovered MI-5 when I was sent Volume 2 to review. Upon watching the first episode of that season , I was so completely blown away that I promptly sent away for Volume 1 before proceeding any farther. I was...not disappointed. For my money, this is a program that rests comfortably between the best seasons of Alias and The West Wing.
