Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 13th, 2008
Casino Royale was the only one of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels that was not a part of the deal with Ion Productions. It was the only Fleming story that was off limits even though it was the first Bond story written. Until recently it was never filmed as part of the official Bond franchise. However, there was a version made back in 1967 that has been deservedly long forgotten. After 40 years it remains unclear who originally came up with the idea for this farce, and after watching the results, I’m not expecting anybody to stand up and take credit any time soon. This is a James Bond film, but in name only.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 19th, 2008
The 70’s and 80’s were fertile ground for horror films. It was a new era of iconic monsters. Starting with Michael Myers and Jason, the trend that gave us Freddy seemed to be at the end of its run by the late 1980’s. Certainly sequels were still being churned out, but it seemed like we’d seen the last of these maniacal monsters, at least for a while. But before it petered out, the cycle would supply our nightmares with one more notable denizen…Chucky. Today Chucky paces the sidelines here in
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 13th, 2008
12 Angry Men is one of those rare films that appears to defy all the
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 30th, 2008
Stargate Atlantis went into its third season with a lot to prove. Its companion and older series SG-1 was winding down and preparing to take its show to the longer direct to video path. Atlantis rose to the challenge and had what was arguably its best season to date. The best decision the show runners could have made was the one to concentrate on their core characters and give us episodes that were obviously intended to help us learn more about them. We meet McKay’s sister and Ronon’s wife and family along the way.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 19th, 2008
I’m not going to spend any time in this piece telling you about the characters, actors, or plots of the new Stargate direct to DVD film The Ark Of Truth. Honestly, if you are not up to speed you will be totally lost here and have zero chance of even remotely enjoying the ride. For the show’s fans, I think you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say that The Ark Of Truth is basically a perfect extended episode of the series.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on January 31st, 2008
Director's cut can be a misleading term. The very definition of cut means to take away. A lot of Director's Cuts add in footage to the original release to make it longer. Then there are Director's Cuts which don't even involve the director. They involve a team which could possibly care less about whether the finished product resembles a movie or a saturday morning cartoon. Then there are Director's Cuts which involve a family member like a son. That my friends is another animal indeed.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on December 26th, 2007
Remakes of movies seem to be common these days. Originality is found almost nowhere and more often than not you get retreads of old ideas. Now it even seems that tv movies are getting remakes like The Initiation of Sarah. The original was made in 1978 and starred Shelly Winters and Morgan Fairchild. The remake produced in late 2006 would also feature Morgan Fairchild in a role. But would it be as good as the 1978 classic or would it simply be a silly excuse for teenage college mayhem with sororities and witchcraft?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 24th, 2007
Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) is the lone human survivor in an LA devastated by a worldwide plague that killed most of the global population and turned the rest into vampires. For three years he has survived on his own, mourning his lost family and systematically staking every vampire he can find, working his way block by block through the city. Then, one day, he sees what appears to be another survivor...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 17th, 2007
U.S. soldiers return home from war and find it difficult to re-assimilate into everyday American life. We've seen this idea played out dozens of times, mostly with Vietnam as the conflict of choice. In Home of the Brave, writer-director Irwin Winkler (De-Lovely) transplants the story into more modern times with the war in Iraq, without much success. Panned by critics and moviegoers alike, Home of the Brave feels a lot more like a made-for-TV movie than a major theatrical release, despite the presence of perennial Hollywood badass Sam Jackson (Snakes on a Plane).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 2nd, 2007
This box set of three movies tries to take advantage of a college course theme to generate interest for films already available in these same editions. This collection uses Astronomy to bunch together three lighthearted science fiction adventures. The films are Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Spaceballs, and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension. The lesson we’re really learning here is how corporate quests for profits can reach almost ridiculous proportions. Many studios are running low on the films in their libraries that have yet to be released but still have a market to sustain a DVD title. The obvious answer to this dilemma is double, triple, and beyond dipping.
