Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 22nd, 2003
Synopsis
Gene Tierney is Mrs. Muir, a young widow at the turn of the 20th Century, who has hadenough of her overbearing in-laws. She moves to the coast, falling in love with a cottage thatturns out to be haunted by Rex Harrison, a crusty sea captain. The two strong wills clash initially,but soon develop a real affection for each other. Directed by All About Eve’s JosephMankiewicz, this low-key romance is affecting and witty, and the black-and-whitecinematography is gorgeous. The per...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 22nd, 2003
Synopsis
A huge biker dude wreaks havoc in a strip club. Captured by the police, he tears his way outof the police truck and is on the loose again. Naturally, this is because he is a werewolf (or, moreaccurately, a “hybrid werewolf,” but you would be forgiven for failing to notice what the hell thedifference is), and he is seeking the next werewolf matriarch, killing all and sundry she hastouched (they have her scent on them, you see), along with anyone else in his way. The nextmatr...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 22nd, 2003
Synopsis
Harry Feversham (Heath Ledger) appears quite comfortable with his life as a soldier, andhe is about to be engaged to Kate Hudson, so life is good. But then his garrison is assigned toquell an uprising in the Sudan, and Harry is frightened. He resigns his commission. His friends,feeling betrayed, send him the white feathers of cowardice. Shamed, Harry follows themincognito to the Sudan, and his presence turns out to be crucial to their fates. In many ways athrowback to such ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 17th, 2003
Synopsis
Ione Skye is Frankie (named after Frank Sinatra, the patron saint of her family). She is achronic insomniac, and is unable to find a man who meets her high standards (why any rationalmale wouldn’t run screaming from this scary neurotic, however, is as mysterious as the fact thatthat geek always winds up with the babe in male-centred romances). Into her life walksMackenzie Astin, who has the necessary blue Sinatra eyes (which is also the cue for the film toshift from black-a...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 16th, 2003
Synopsis
There is no plot, as such, here. Each of the dreams has some sort of narrative, but moreimportant are the visuals and the themes (humanity and nature, nuclear power, and so forth).Dreams is not on the same level as Kurosawa’s great masterpieces (Ran, The Seven Samurai,Throne of Blood, and so on), and is not always compelling. But it is very frequently jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Audio
The music, a curious blend of eastern and western influences, sound...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 16th, 2003
To be fair, The Ring is not the most original horror film to come along recently. It is not only based on the cult classic Japanese film Ringu, but at times mimics the script word for word. There are also enough similarities to the recent Fear Dot Com to make one take pause. It is one of the scariest and most atmospheric films to appear in quite a few years. Since the 1980’s the state of the American horror film has been in a steady decline. Yes, special effects have advanced light years since the days of Karloff and Lugosi, but the end result has more often been to gross out rather than engross.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2003
Synopsis
Lucy (Monica Potter) is dumped by the man she though would love her forever. In fact, sheis so off-putting in her confidence, that it’s hard to feel sorry for her when the dumping occurs inthe most humiliating way possible. The rest of the film follows her through a series of five dates.We cut back and forth between the dates, and which man she marries is held off for the end. Ifyou still care by then.
Audio
The 5.0 audio mix is a completely profess...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2003
Synopsis
Sketch (Jeramie Gladman) is artistic and sensitive. He doesn’t want to have anything to dowith his buddies’ obsessive quest to lose their virginity on prom night. Nevertheless, he getsroped into a bet to do just that. Misadventures ensue. A very independent film, whose low-budgetquirks and likeable central character keep threatening to make it transcend the morass of itsgenre.
Audio
Box claims to the contrary, the audio tracks come in both 5.1 and 2...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2003
Synopsis
Matthew Modine, somewhat down on his luck as a writer, takes a job as a creative writinginstructor in a prison. He suspects a particularly bright student has been kept in prison unjustly.This man also wants to make amends with the sister of the man for whose murder he has beenheld responsible. Wouldn’t you know it, redemption is a two-way street as Modine finds newpurpose in life too. Ordinary, but competent TV drama.
Audio
The music is good, there ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2003
Synopsis
Balthazar Getty is Sol Goode, charming campus rogue unable, as his best friend Chloë(Katharine Towne) says, to commit to a relationship for longer than 20 minutes. The hijinks can’tlast forever, though, and as Sol matures, he realizes he’s fallen in love. No points for guessingwho with. The direct-to-camera asides make this the college version of Malcolm in theMiddle.
Audio
The 2.0 mix is solid, if unspectacular. It is certainly crisp and clear, and...
