Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 16th, 2010
Elvis Presley is often referred to as The King Of Rock And Roll, at least to his fans. There's no denying the impact that he had on the music scene. He was the first rock and roll star, to be sure. Colonel Tom Parker, his long-time manager and partner, created many of the marketing traditions that are commonplace in the industry today. He knew the value of his star, not only as a performer, but as a brand. For the first time, a musician's image and name started to appear on everything from bath towels to women's underwear. Fans are often split on their feelings for the self-styled Colonel, but Elvis would not have become the name brand he still is today, without him.
One of those brand expansions tapped into Elvis's own boyhood fantasy. Elvis had worked as an usher at a local movie theater as a teen. He's often related that he would linger in the auditoriums, watching those movies and fantasizing that he was James Dean or Marlon Brando, two of his idols. With the help if Colonel Parker, Elvis would get to see that dream become a reality. The King was to expand his realm to include the movie business and Hollywood. No experience? No problem. After all, if Elvis could go from failing music in high school to becoming the highest paid musician on the planet, he could certainly tackle the world of acting. And he did just that.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 16th, 2010
"What you are about to see has a mechanical gopher in it."
Recently I was having a bit of a playful, and at times aggressive, back-and-forth with a friend over our top 50 films of all time. While we disagreed at almost every turn (of course his list had Speed and Pretty Women and not Jaws, Unforgiven, King Kong, or Gladiator). What we did seem to agree upon was that neither of us was willing to allow very many comedy films into our lists. There's something about a very good comedy that doesn't fit with the likes of The Godfather or Gone With The Wind. Caddyshack wasn't on either of our lists. But Caddyshack did make AFI's funniest films back in 2000. I suspect it made a lot of lists over the years. It should. It's a very funny film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on June 16th, 2010
The closest I ever got to regularly watching a medical show in my life was watching General Hospital, a soap opera with my mom growing up. When I was out of school, I would catch here and there an episode of Scrubs which was a wonderful comedy. I then wondered how I would fair with the brand new medical drama: HawthoRNe which just wrapped up its first season on TNT. Man, do I miss Luke and Laura.
Richmond Trinity Hospital is one of the finest medical establishments in Richmond, Virginia. Like most hospitals, it is run by a board of directors. However, if one were to walk the hallowed halls, one would immediately realize it is really run by the chief nursing officer, Christina Hawthorne (played by Jada Pinkett Smith). She and her quite adequate nursing squad handle a multitude of patients with unique personalities and different aliments.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 15th, 2010
"Three years of filming. Seven continents. 70 camera crews. 3,000 shooting days. 200 different species. Groundbreaking technology. It all adds up to the most ambitious natural history series ever created."
The BBC has been at the forefront of natural history documentaries since the 1950's. Each decade the teams from the British unit have traversed the globe with what has always been, for the time, the latest in technology. The images that have been captured have entertained and educated the world for more than half a century. In today's high- definition world, the BBC has not failed to impress with its acclaimed Planet Earth series, among other notable projects. The latest of these is the three-year project, Life.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 15th, 2010
“My name is Michael Weston. I used to be a spy until, ‘you’ve got a burn notice’. When you’re burned, you’ve got nothing. No cash, no credit, no job history. You’re stuck in whatever city they decide to dump you in. You do whatever work comes your way. You rely on anyone who’s still talking to you: a trigger happy ex-girlfriend, an old friend who used to inform on you to the FBI, family too, if you’re desperate. Bottom line: Until you figure out who burned you, you’re not going anywhere.”
Burn Notice has all the earmarks of a really great television series. It has Bruce Campbell, and that alone should make it worth watching. The concept is a clever one and not the usual kind of spy show we’ve already seen too much of. The problem is that it’s not a great show. It’s not even a very good show. Campbell is way too underutilized and would have improved this series if he’d been in the lead role. I can see him as Weston big time. The series is also way too over-stylized. Ever since 24 and those distracting frames, there has been this race to see who can be the most distracting and annoying. Burn Notice wins hands down. There is this incessant need to freeze-frame the image at the most ludicrous moments. Somehow this is intended to up the drama ante. If that’s the ante, I fold. There’s too much annoying narration from Weston. Back in writing school you’re taught over and over again that you need to show, not tell. Here the Weston narration treats us like we’re kindergarten kids who need every little action he takes explained in incredibly boring detail. He then throws in some not very funny moments of wit that just fall flat.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 14th, 2010
If you are a fan of the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker, you were more than likely disappointed in the remake a couple of years ago on ABC. Your hope is now once again restored. Supernatural is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to the Night Stalker. Like Kolchak, the Winchester brothers are faced with weekly incarnations of evil. They’re forced to research these legends and figure out a way to stop them. As Kolchak discovered, it’s a thankless job. Sure, Supernatural is populated with all sorts of beasties and nasties, but it also manages to hold on to a sense of humor that rounds out these adventures to make this one of the most entertaining shows around. When UPN and WB merged, I was a little worried about Supernatural. You do the math (that was another review). Two networks worth of shows, one network worth of programming time. Half of the shows needed to vanish, and I was concerned Supernatural would be one, if history of respect for genre shows was any indication. Fortunately for us, the show has not only survived, but it has thrived, looking to be around for quite a while yet.
What amazes me most about Supernatural is the incredible balance the show manages to keep up week after week. Of course, there is that creature-of-the-week idea, but without taking anything away from each episode, there is an overall story arc that ties these creatures and moments together in such an intricate yet easy-to-follow fashion. Each episode blends just the right mix of darkness, comedy, and series mythology. Even The X-Files wasn’t able to spin this flawless a tapestry. I also can’t say enough about the leads. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have a wonderfully complicated chemistry that gives us an element even Kolchak never had. This is not a one-trick-pony relationship. Under all of the brotherly love and shared tragedy, there are far more emotional themes that surface from week to week. There are resentments and rivalries that can suddenly dominate their intercourse. Unlike most shows, these conflicts are real and remain a part of the fabric of this relationship, not to be brought out and then quickly overcome never to be seen again. Each of these events leaves a visible mark on their personalities. This kind of continuity is almost unheard of. It requires discipline and dedication by everyone involved: actors, writers, and production staff. And again, the season finale will leave you counting the hours until the next episode.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 14th, 2010
I'd like to think that the concepts of what makes a good children's movie is somewhat international. While cultures may vary, kids all over the world are pretty much the same. They look for the same kinds of characteristics in their heroes. While the martial arts film is somewhat cultural, there have been more than enough child-friendly martial arts films for me to conclude that these kinds of acrobatics and old fashioned good kicking-evil's-butt themes work for kids of any nationality. The recent Jackie Chan The Spy Next Door outing is one good example of the genre-crossing martial arts children's movie. I suspect these are the feelings that director Rachata Krissanapong must have had when he took on the Thai project 5 Huajai Hero or Power Kids and when Magnolia Home Entertainment packaged the film for American kids in this Blu-ray release.
At first the plot is rather difficult to follow. Blame it on the English translation or a little unfamiliarity with the culture. We get the general idea, however. We have this group of children living with their uncle, who happens to run a martial arts school. Of course, they are well trained and display impressive skills as the film throws somewhat light-hearted moments into the mix to establish the team's skill level. We eventually learn that the youngest is very sick. He has a severe heart condition and is close to death, unless he can get a heart transplant. The film attempts to build emotion and sympathy by showing the kids working together to buy the boy his favorite RC race car. But when he attempts to take it to the public track, he's bullied, and the stress brings on an attack that nearly kills him. The boy is rushed to the hospital, where it is discovered a heart has been found just in time to save his life. Unfortunately, an American diplomat has checked into the cross-town hospital where the heart is located. A group of rebel terrorists have taken over the hospital to make their vague point, and nothing is getting in or out of the building, including a certain necessary heart. Our Power Kids spring into action. They go to the hospital under siege, and inspired by the Die Hard-style films they've seen out of America, find a way into the hospital. Of course, they must locate the heart and get it out, while kicking some terrorist butt along the way.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 14th, 2010
Reading the synopsis on the back of the dvd case for Hard Ride to Hell, I was immediately struck by its similarity to the 1975 film Race With The Devil. A group of vacationers in an RV accidentally witness a satanic ritual out in the boonies and, after inevitably being spotted doing so, are set upon by the Satanists and must fight for their lives in a cross-country chase. As it turns out, the similarities are pretty much all cosmetic.
Hard Ride to Hell, after a brief prologue featuring some sinister cowboys and a pregnant, flesh-chomping madwoman, moves to the present where we are introduced to our heroes. Here is where the similarities to Race With The Devil begin to crumble. The group is indeed traveling in an RV but, for starters, instead of Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, we are stuck with guys in frat-boy haircuts who call each other “dude”. There are also two women and a black guy. The male cast members are, through most of the film, stiff and unconvincing, but the women are fairly strong. One of them, Katherine Isabelle from Ginger Snaps, actually brings some life into the picture when she’s onscreen. The only other standout in the cast is the guy who gets his name above the title, Miguel Ferrer. Even though he’s phoning it in on this one, he is still a treat to watch as the leader of the bad guys.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on June 12th, 2010
This film takes you back to the realm of Leave it to Beaver and from there tells the story of a young boy who has a crush on a girl who works at the local pizza parlour, and befriends an elderly neighbour who inspires him and all his friends (and enemies) to become devout Christianity. This film does not hide the fact that it is geared towards those who are faithful and are seeking a family friendly story to witness.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 12th, 2010
Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster), a decorated solider just back from Iraq and having difficulty re-adjusting to life on the home front, is understandably less than thrilled with his new assignment: working with Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) in the Casualty Notification Service. These two have what must surely be one of the worst jobs in the history of history: knocking on doors and informing people that their loved ones have been killed. It is important that they deliver the news and leave, and have no further involvement with the bereaved. If only life were that simple...
![Life [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/life-blu-ray-large.jpg)
![Supernatural: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/supernatural-the-complete-first-se-large.jpg)
![Power Kids [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/power-kids-blu-ray-large.jpg)
