Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 7th, 2006
Synopsis
Well with this particular incarnation of reality shows, beautiful people show us common folk how tough it is to look pretty. The wonders of being paid thousands of dollars to get up and dress in clothes that you won’t wear because they’re either ugly or too expensive. People like Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks trying to illustrate that fashion and glamour is tough, demanding work is simply silly. Now bear in mind, this point of view is from a bitter, bald and dumpy looking guy whose idea of fashion is m...king sure that he wears comfortable socks before getting into sandals.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2005
I love it when a DVD as advertised as a “hit series” on the back of the box, yet I have never even heard of it. Granted, I am not this product's target market, but you would still think that I would have at least come across the title of this show somewhere. I am familiar with all of the products advertised on this disc, so I know I am not completely out of the loop.
This show tells the adventures of Lopaka, a boy who has made friends with a dolphin with the original (?) name of “Flipper”. It seems that Flipp...r has somehow taught his earth-bound buddy how to live and breathe underwater. Now, I know this is a cartoon, and it is supposed to fanciful, but come on! I am all for teaching kids to think outside the box, but I don't know of anybody who can “learn” to breathe underwater. Yo have to have a strong command of reality to live outside the box.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2005
I love it when a DVD as advertised as a “hit series” on the back of the box, yet I have never even heard of it. Granted, I am not this product's target market, but you would still think that I would have at least come across the title of this show somewhere. I am familiar with all of the products advertised on this disc, so I know I am not completely out of the loop.
This show tells the adventures of Lopaka, a boy who has made friends with a dolphin with the original (?) name of “Flipper”. It seems that Flipp...r has somehow taught his earth-bound buddy how to live and breathe underwater. Now, I know this is a cartoon, and it is supposed to fanciful, but come on! I am all for teaching kids to think outside the box, but I don't know of anybody who can “learn” to breathe underwater. Yo have to have a strong command of reality to live outside the box.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 6th, 2005
I’m still trying to figure out why no one wanted anything to do with this project. Among some of the names I read that were attached to this in some fashion or another were Sean Penn, Mike Myers, Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman. After what seemed like an eternity, George Clooney (Ocean’s Eleven) decided to tackle the film as a first time director. The project seemed to roll from there, casting Sam Rockwell (Heist) as the lead, along with marquee names Drew Barrymore (Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle... and Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich) in supporting roles. Rockwell plays Gong Show host and television producer Chuck Barris, in writer Charlie Kaufman’s (Being John Malkovich) adaptation of the book of the same name. The story poses the question; What if the man who created The Newlywed Game was actually a CIA hitman?
The story focuses on Barris’ life, but first starts with him, naked in a hotel room in the early 1980’s. By this time, he’s a shadow of what he used to be, and he believes that writing his memoirs will be a cathartic process. He recounts his stories as a youngster obsessed by success, and the women that come with it. He remains a dreamer while working on the set of American Bandstand in the early 60’s, and meets Penny (Barrymore). Chuck and Penny have a friendship that grows more intimate with time. And despite Chuck’s ups and downs in his life, Penny is usually there to pick him up.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 4th, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 24th, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 15th, 2004
Synopsis
Here are three cartoons that Paul McCartney backed and scored. They are all lovinglycrafted, even if they don’t always work at the narrative level. “Tropic Island Hum” and “Rupertand the Frog Song” are the weakest (though again, they look stunning). They are little more thanvisually lush excuses to set up underwhelming musical numbers (which tend to reinforce theimpression that McCarney is a creatively spent force in this department). The former apes thelook of classic musical shor...s of the 40s, but has little of the loosey-goosey energy of its models.The latter, which revives a character from a popular British children’s comic strip, doesn’t goanywhere much with this revival. The middle film, “Tuesday,” on the other hand, is a delight.One night, a multitude of frogs levitates on lily pads, and the gently surreal image is played out toits fullest. That this piece is taken from a children’s book, and so the narrative arc was not left toMcCartney and his team, may account for its being so much better than its companions.McCartney also does a number of the voices here, to rather uneven effect.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 25th, 2004
Billy Bob Thornton is a strange ranger, even by Hollywood standards. He is a self-made man, resulting from his breakthrough role as writer/director/star of Sling Blade. With Daddy & Them, Thornton returns to his role as a triple threat, and the result is a film that is not only funny, but features more stars than a stint in rehab. The list of notables includes Thornton, Laura Dern, Dianne Ladd, Kelly Preston, Jim Varney, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Affleck, Brenda Blethyn, musician John Prine and even America... legend Andy Griffith.
The film follows Thornton and Dern, an insanely jealous married couple, as they travel to visit his family in Little Rock, AR, as his uncle (Varney) has been incarcerated while awaiting trial for attempted murder. This is not just a story about white trash family, but they are unbelievably dysfunctional as well. The comedy comes quickly and masterfully from all directions, resulting on one of the best independent films that I have seen in quite some time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 25th, 2004
Billy Bob Thornton is a strange ranger, even by Hollywood standards. He is a self-made man, resulting from his breakthrough role as writer/director/star of Sling Blade. With Daddy & Them, Thornton returns to his role as a triple threat, and the result is a film that is not only funny, but features more stars than a stint in rehab. The list of notables includes Thornton, Laura Dern, Dianne Ladd, Kelly Preston, Jim Varney, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Affleck, Brenda Blethyn, musician John Prine and even America... legend Andy Griffith.
The film follows Thornton and Dern, an insanely jealous married couple, as they travel to visit his family in Little Rock, AR, as his uncle (Varney) has been incarcerated while awaiting trial for attempted murder. This is not just a story about white trash family, but they are unbelievably dysfunctional as well. The comedy comes quickly and masterfully from all directions, resulting on one of the best independent films that I have seen in quite some time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 28th, 2003
Synopsis
Hard Core Logo is a “documentary” about a fictional Canadian band of the same name and their last tour/reunion. Watch as the guys head off across the country and their van dies, gigs go very wrong and things start to unravel. Starring Hugh Dillon of the band The Headstones this is a rock and roll film without any frills, down and dirty and truer to life then most would admit.
