Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 15th, 2004
Synopsis
After being kidnapped and assaulted by a serial killer, Laura Kove (Jillian Byrnes) hasbecome acutely agoraphobic, to the point that she is physically unable to leave her apartment.This becomes a real problem when something begins to haunt her home, first by moving thingsaround, later by taking on terrifying physical shape. The ghost hunter she turns to in desperationis a scam artist, who in spite of herself becomes obsessed with solving the mystery and endingLaura’s tormen...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 15th, 2004
Synopsis
In 1944, supernaturally inclined Nazis open up a other-dimensional portal, through whichcomes a demon infant. Rescued from such evil foster-parents, the baby grows up, under the wingof John Hurt, into Hellboy (a perfectly cast Ron Perlman), who now fights monsters undercoverfor the US government. Said government isn’t ecstatic about the clandestine work of Hellboyand other creatures (these guys get none of the respect of the Men in Black). But the need for thissupernatural ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 15th, 2004
Given this DVD’s release date (directly coinciding with one of the most highly anticipated election days in history), and season three’s initial air date (following on the heels of September 11th), this season may become the most pivotal in West Wing history- if not the most consistent. It opens with an out-of-context episode, “Isaac and Ishmael,” that’s as didactic as it is well-meaning. While Chief of Staff Leo (John Spencer) interrogates a suspect, Sam (Rob Lowe), Josh (Bradley Whitford), Charlie (Dule Hill...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 14th, 2004
Synopsis
Detective Tom Selleck investigates a triple-murder. The trail of evidence leads to a twitchy,obviously mentally incompetent small-time crook named Squirrel. Prosecuter Monica Porter putsSquirrel away, and he is sentenced to death. Years later, Squirrel’s final appeal lands on the deskof William H. Macy, who begins to find odd inconsistencies that point to the possibility that thewrong man is on death row.
Every frame screams “Network TV Mini-Series.” This is not a g...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 12th, 2004
Slow Ride…take it easy…ah yes. Foghat. Dazed and Confused is Richard Linklater’s love letter to teenage nostalgia. And it shows up on DVD in a “flashback edition”. The film is also a love letter to the 70’s and contains a bitchin’ soundtrack. In the same vein, Dazed is like Fast Times and Ridgemont High, American Graffiti, and Almost Famous. Linklater’s approach is different. Like his previous film Slacker, Linklater is interested in the composite effect. There’s no ON...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 12th, 2004
What is Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band – Tour 2003? Well…The Last Waltz this ain’t. Ringo has been touring with his All-Starr’s since the 1990’s. And the 2003 version includes “stars” such as Colin Hay from Men at Work, Paul Carrack from Mike and Mechanics, John Waite and Sheila E. I suppose we’re in time warp because these are 80’s stars.
The DVD was shot on Digital Video and goes back and forth between live concert footage, “behind the scene” stuff, and interviews (mostly about the “s...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 12th, 2004
What is Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band – Tour 2003? Well…The Last Waltz this ain’t. Ringo has been touring with his All-Starr’s since the 1990’s. And the 2003 version includes “stars” such as Colin Hay from Men at Work, Paul Carrack from Mike and Mechanics, John Waite and Sheila E. I suppose we’re in time warp because these are 80’s stars.
The DVD was shot on Digital Video and goes back and forth between live concert footage, “behind the scene” stuff, and interviews (mostly about the “s...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 12th, 2004
Slow Ride…take it easy…ah yes. Foghat. Dazed and Confused is Richard Linklater’s love letter to teenage nostalgia. And it shows up on DVD in a “flashback edition”. The film is also a love letter to the 70’s and contains a bitchin’ soundtrack. In the same vein, Dazed is like Fast Times and Ridgemont High, American Graffiti, and Almost Famous. Linklater’s approach is different. Like his previous film Slacker, Linklater is interested in the composite effect. There’s no ON...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 11th, 2004
Synopsis
Here is an excellent package for fans of classic animation: 40 cartoons, of which nine werenominated for Oscars, and seven won. Just about every variation of cat-chasing-mouse variationis provided, including the WWII-themed “Yankee Doodle Mouse” and the musical “The CatConcerto.” There are also the sequences from other films where our heroes dance with GeneKelly (Disc 1) and swim with Esther Williams (Disc 2). Under the guiding hands of WilliamHanna and Joseph Barbera can b...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 10th, 2004
Synopsis
The ice-locked crew of a ship searching for the Northwest Passage finds, to its collectiveastonishment, a near-dead man quite literally in the middle of nowhere. This individual is oneVictor Frankenstein (Alec Newman), and he recounts to the captain (Donald Sutherland) hishorrific tale of creating a monster (Luke Goss), and subsequently losing his family to themonster’s vengeance.
Of all the versions of Mary Shelley’s novel, this is probably the most faithful. The m...
