Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 4th, 2002
Synopsis
I’m not going to summarize an entire season for you. But this is the season where theBuffy/Angel arc reached its conclusion, since the spin-off series was about to begin.
Audio
The sound is limited to a 2.0 mix, but it is a solid mix. As ever with TV shows, the musicheavily dominates, but there is still some sound effect presence, and the result isn’t bad atall.
Video
The last collection was marred with some truly awful grai...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 1st, 2002
Men in Black was a landmark film that almost came out of nowhere. Tom Baker’s standard setting makeup effects combined with the Lethal Weapon-like chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made it one of the best simple entertainment films in recent memory. The problem with a sequel is you aren’t going to sneak up on an innocent audience. Expectations are high and this film does not meet those high expectations. With that said, however, it really is an entertaining film. All the great elements from the original film are here: Frank the Pug is much more involved, Tony Shalhoub’s Jeebs is still loosing his head over the MIB, and The Practice’s Lara Flynn Boyle is a far more attractive bad guy … eh girl ... eh something.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 28th, 2002
Synopsis
Two young children move to a new house with their father. Their mother is in the hospital,but they are hopeful she is getting better. In the garden, they have access to a magical world ofspirit creatures. This is a gentle, warm work, with the same delight in the fantastic as is present inPrincess Mononoke and Spirited Away (though unlike those films, this one can be enjoyed evenby very young children). Sweet but never cloying, moving but never saccharine, funny, andfrequent...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 28th, 2002
Synopsis
Kari Wuhrer is an ambitious corporate lawyer constantly hitting the glass ceiling in a male-dominated world. Her affair with Stephen Baldwin leads to a $40-million theft, and doubt,deception and betrayal follow. Now, if Wuhrer really turned your crank in Eight Legged Freaks,then you might be interested in a film that has her naked as often as possible (and thus makingthe plot’s pseudo-feminism even more laughable). And, if you’re into trivia, one-time JamesBond George Lazen...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 28th, 2002
Synopsis
David Krumholtz plays Benny Silman, and his performance is a rather startling bit ofmimicry (check out what the real Silman looks and sounds like in the extras). Our hero movesfrom New York (amusingly set up as if it were a small, provincial town) to Arizona StateUniversity, home of sun, fun, girls and gambling. The sexual politics are as bad as you’d expect,but the direct-to-camera addresses by Krumholtz are entertaining, and the story itself is notwithout interest.
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 27th, 2002
The only reason I can see for this film getting a DVD release is the sudden reemergence of Kiefer Sutherland’s popularity with the trendy TV show 24. In all fairness to Sutherland he is the best thing about the film. He does an outstanding job of portraying the brooding hit man. The supporting cast is weak and uninteresting. Although Desert Saints is rated R and was a theatrical release it has the basic feel of a made for TV film with nudity. The most annoying thing about the film is the intercut of future scenes for no apparent reason than to achieve a film noir art flavor.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 27th, 2002
Raw Heat is actually the video release of an early 90’s TV movie called Victim Of Love. Pierce Brosnan was cashing in on his Remington Steele fame then, not the much more sophisticated Bond image he struts today. Recently Brosnan announced he has been signed to at least one more Bond film after Die Another Day. If Raw Heat is the caliber of films he would otherwise be making count his further commitment to Bond as the greatest escape in 007 history.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 27th, 2002
Synopsis
Stacy Keach is a boxer in serious decline, now working odd jobs and hooking up withneurotic alcoholic Susan Tyrrell. He runs into Jeff Bridges, a young man who might have a futureas a boxer (emphasis on “might”). These are all downtrodden losers in an ugly California town.Fat City is definitely not for everyone. It is well put together, and the performances are great, butthe pace is very slow, and not very much happens.
Audio
The sound is mono, and ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 26th, 2002
This movie stunned me in its completely unexpected excellence. Its unrecognized title, cast of minors, typical B-movie premise, and sponsorship by the government of Luxembourg all suggested a weak slasher film to follow. Like Ginger Snaps before it, however, Dog Soldiers is a new brand of monster movie that blends subtle talent with creative plots, superb directorship, spectacular camera work, and over the top action to take viewers completely by surprise.
Before I continue, here’s the synopsis:...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 24th, 2002
Synopsis
Luke Perry picks up an outer-space pebble in a parking lot, gets zapped, and then startsspreading the alien virus. We’ve been in this territory before (and nowhere better than with theoriginal Invasion of the Body Snatchers), but we’ve never had to see it drawn out to 175 minutesbefore.
Audio
Okay, but nuthin’ special. The music starts off rather weak, but then suddenly gets a boostsin volume a few minutes in. There is some rear presence from the sound effe...
