Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 2nd, 2006
This short-lived series was based on the popular DC Comics character, The Flash. Barry Allen (Shipp) was a crime lab technician, long before CSI made the job trendy. When lightning interacted with an unknown chemical compound as only comic cosmic events can, Allen receives a powerful jolt. The injury results in a dramatic change in his metabolism. Now supercharged, his body is capable of moving at supersonic speeds. Complete with a bright crimson costume appropriately modeled after the swift Greek god Mercury, The ...lash uses his powers to combat crime in Central City. Help is provided by Julio (Desert), his capable lab assistant. Julio is apparently smart enough to tackle complex chemical formulas, but remains oblivious to his partner’s abilities. His secret is shared by scientist Tina McGee (Pays) who works with Allen to try to figure out the changes his body has been put through.
Every superhero has a weakness. Superman had kryptonite and Batman had… well… Robin. The Flash, it seems, can be done in by a junk food deficiency. It turns out that speed burns up an awful lot of sugar which, of course, must be replaced. I think they missed out on some great tie-in opportunities here. “Hey kids! Want to grow up big and strong with blinding speed just like The Flash? Then don’t forget a super sized bowl of Capn’ Crunch with extra sugar for a superhero breakfast.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 31st, 2006
Synopsis
Sarah Miles is the spoiled young daughter of Leo McKern. In the troubled Ireland of 1916, she falls in love with, and marries, middle-aged schoolteacher Robert Mitchum. Their marriage hits troubled waters when she begins a passionate affair with a young English officer, which is a politically delicate move, to say the least.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 29th, 2006
It's great to see Scorsese return to his love and respect of music in documentary form. Of course, the first time he did a music documentary, the result was what many consider to be the best musical performance film of all time; The Last Waltz. He has always paid special attention to rock and roll music in his films, from using Cream in a gangster film (Goodfellas) to The Moody Blues in a film about old Las Vegas (Casino). Music has played an interesting and important role in all of Scorsese's fi...ms, no matter the theme.
No Direction Home is more than just a documentary about Bob Dylan. It approaches The Beatles Anthology in both its superior style and its importance as a historical record. This is not just a film about a rock musician, this is a film about the consummate rock musician. Uncle Bob is an entire generation all wrapped up into one man. In the Southern part of the United States, the importance of getting the stories of the eldest generation onto tape is often discussed, as so much of their lives are still passed down today through the oral tradition. This 2-disc documentary is a very similar idea, as so much of it is made up of Dylan discussing his childhood, his early days in music and on into his career. The result is a record of a life that is both important and utterly captivating.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 28th, 2006
Last year, Warner Brothers put out a great ten-disc set of all of the Hitchcock films in their catalog. While not the ultimate Hitchcock collection, it was still an excellent representation of the Master's work, including many films that have received a well-deserved second look as a result of their inclusion in the set. It was especially rewarding to be given the opportunity to see Montgomery Clift's amazing portrayal of a Priest caught in the middle of a murder scandal in I Confess.
Not to be outdo...e, Universal has now decided to showcase its Hitchcock films as well. After all, nobody can out-Hitchcock Universal's deep catalog, and they hit back hard at Warner's with a staggering fifteen disc set of their own. While the WB set set is well worth purchasing, as the saying goes, "if you only buy one Hitchcock boxed set this year... make Universal's The Masterpiece Collection be it." These are the classics. The films that Hitch is known for. The hit list is as follows; Saboteur, Rear Window, Psycho, Vertigo, The Birds, Rope, Shadow of a Doubt, Marnie, Frenzy, The Trouble With Harry, Family Plot, Torn Curtain, Topaz and The Man Who Knew Too Much. While pieces like Topaz and The Trouble With Harry may not be well known films, there is no denying the important place in cinema history that so many of the others possess. This is an instant film school in a box, and thanks to packaging multiple discs in each case, Universal has kept the cost relatively low. If you order through Amazon, this set can be picked up for about $6 per film, and that doesn't even include the book or the bonus disc.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 25th, 2006
No single television show defined the 1980’s as did Miami Vice. Did Vice influence the 80’s culture, or did the 80’s culture create Miami Vice? The line appears blurred. This much is unmistakable. Miami Vice dominated the pop culture of the time. The biggest names in music, from Joe Walsh to Phil Collins, have lent their music and (sometimes pitiful) acting skills. It was suddenly cool to walk around in pastel longboats. Don’t even get me started on the car. Were Ferraris ever not cool? Don Johnson was an overnight heartthrob to millions of teen girls across the nation. The show depicted a highly stylized Miami that is not quite recognizable to those of us who really live in Florida. At least the locations were often more real than in the current CSI: Miami, which uses only establishing shots of the Beach Metropolis.
Of course, buried somewhere in all of this style and sex appeal there was a fair share of crime fighting. Crocket and Tubbs were an 80’s retread of Starsky and Hutch. While the show sported far more action than the 70’s counterpart, the partner interaction was often amazingly familiar.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 25th, 2006
Synopsis
The second season begins with the aftermath of the apparent demise of Lex Luthor (John Shea). His ex-wife picks up the slack in trying to eliminate Superman (Dean Cain) and Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher). Luthor himself comes back in Episode 13. Meanwhile, such classic comic book characters as Metallo make their appearance, and the odd triangle romance between Lois, Clark and Superman continues its tantalizing way.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 21st, 2006
Having originally seen Underworld on HBO one summer night, I recall myself finding the film fairly dull and vapid. When I heard of a director’s cut coming out, I thought back to my original viewing of the film Daredevil, which was made that much better via more explanation of plot and the characters. Maybe this could occur for this film. Unfortunately, Underworld is not that much better this time around.
Underworld stars Kate Beckinsale as Death Dealer Selene. We learn, at the be...inning of the film, that there is a ancient blood feud that is occurring between vampies and Lycans (creatures we call werewolves). Unlike the typical werewolves we are use to seeing on screen, these Lycans can change form at will. Cue in the Death Dealers who try to kill off all of these Lycans. Why so much animosity toward the Lycans you may ask? Well, according to Selene, the Lycans are planning something big and this may be in correspondence to the ‘Awakening’. A vampire named Kraven (Shane Brolly) is in charge until the ‘Awakening’. Naturally Kraven doesn’t get along with Selene.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 20th, 2006
Synopsis
At first glance, the Australian produced film Ferngully appears to be a film that helps to educate and moderately punish the crazy white man for all of the harm and damage that he’s done to Mother Earth, never mind all of the data that seems to refute the selfish thought that our generation would be ultimately responsible for harming the land.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 18th, 2006
After the MTV show Jackass closed production, MTV scrambled to try to find a show that would secure the ratings that Jackass had been doing for so many years. What resulted from that scrambling? The moderately entertaining Viva La Bam which features a majority of the Jackass outcasts and ‘losers’. Since this is the review for the fourth and fifth seasons, one can imagine that Viva La Bam did succeed in finding that audience that would make MTV more money.
While the show original...y began by finding the stars adjusting to their new found success and stardom, the show slowly has become less and less funny as the years drew by. The main reason lies in the editing room. The editing of the show almost makes the characters look cartoonish causing the viewer to lose focus on what the show was originally about. The show was very funny because it was a type of insanity that was sporadic giving the show a unique feel from Jackass. Episodes in this season seem to almost have that sitcom feel to them, which is NEVER a good thing.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 18th, 2006
After the MTV show Jackass closed production, MTV scrambled to try to find a show that would secure the ratings that Jackass had been doing for so many years. What resulted from that scrambling? The moderately entertaining Viva La Bam which features a majority of the Jackass outcasts and ‘losers’. Since this is the review for the fourth and fifth seasons, one can imagine that Viva La Bam did succeed in finding that audience that would make MTV more money.
While the show original...y began by finding the stars adjusting to their new found success and stardom, the show slowly has become less and less funny as the years drew by. The main reason lies in the editing room. The editing of the show almost makes the characters look cartoonish causing the viewer to lose focus on what the show was originally about. The show was very funny because it was a type of insanity that was sporadic giving the show a unique feel from Jackass. Episodes in this season seem to almost have that sitcom feel to them, which is NEVER a good thing.
