Universal

Smokin’ Aces

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 23rd, 2007

I’ve just watched Smokin’ Aces for the first time. What. A. Mess.

Having read and heard comparisons with Tarantino films like Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, I had anticipated a violent, highly entertaining romp. The violence part I get, no problem. Smokin’ Aces is certainly a bloody film, but come on, ”Tarantino”? You’ve got to be kidding me.

I barely got through this film. At the half-way mark, I wanted it to end so badly I paused it to grab the DVD case and check …
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Game, The (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 18th, 2007

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Take a second and think about your life. You have a pretty set schedule right? Get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV and go to sleep and repeat. Pretty dull no? Imagine getting a card when day at your birthday inviting you to open your life into a completely different world of change. Would you necessarily change? And what would come from the change? That is what David Fincher looks at in his 1997 film The Game.

Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is your typical investment banker. Hi…
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Smokin’ Aces (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 17th, 2007

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January is typically the month when most studios dump those films they think won’t succeed on our laps. Unfortunately this was the case with Smokin’ Aces, a film that has such an odd sense of humor that we can’t help but smile at what’s in front of us. As we know Joe Carnahan’s previous effort Narc is a dark, gritty film with little to no humor. How could a man with such a dark, violent mind direct a film with as much violence but such a level of humor?

Our film opens with two federal agents …
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The Rockford Files – Season Three

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 6th, 2007

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Rockford, James Rockford. OK. So that doesn’t sound as suave as you know who. Still, for me growing up, there was perhaps no one cooler. We all wanted to be Rockford. Created by Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins, the same team that brought us Maverick, Rockford really was just a modern day Bret Maverick. I’m not sure if that was the intent or if James Garner simply slid into the persona as easily as a plaid jacket. Whatever the plan, The Rockford Files is truly classic television at its best.

James Rockford lived in a trailer on the beach.
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Good Shepherd, The (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 3rd, 2007

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Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) believes in all that America stands for and will do whatever he must to protect what his country stands for. As one of the founder members of the CIA in 1939, Wilson is also one of the most trusted members of this group of secrecy. When the idea that a mole may be working within the CIA is found, Wilson is told to find out which member is the mole. The path Wilson must take to discover this mole will lead him to question not only the CIA as a group, but also his personal life.
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Children of Men (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 27th, 2007

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Ask anyone on the street about children and odds are they will respond that children are our hope and are the obvious future of the world. We strive to improve our lives and fight for every available right so our children can live the best possible life. Imagine a world where children have become such an absent feature of daily life that everyone gathers around the TV when one dies. Visionary master Alfonso Cuaron invites us to sit back and imagine a future that is drab, dull and lacking the brightness of a world we expect for our children.
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Children of Men

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 24th, 2007

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Children are the future. They’re why we strive to make the world a better place, or at least to maintain the world we’ve got. But what happens when there are no more children, when there is no future?

That’s the context for Children of Men, the latest film from director phenom Alfonso CuarÃ©n (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). Based on the novel by P.D. James, Children of Men is set in 2027, our near future. There are no flying cars, or space-suit clothes. In fact, the world appears pretty rundown, and the reason for its shabby state is the most striking difference between our present and the film’s – humankind is infertile.
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Emergency – Season Three

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2007

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Jack Webb’s empire was running strong as Emergency entered its third year. What is interesting is that the series never racked up great numbers, but it had some strong staying power. Fans who did watch the show were loyal, and it along with Webb’s police shows were affecting the pop culture. It’s no secret that the contributions to society were high for Emergency. The modern paramedic system owes more than a little bit to the legacy of the series. The actors are still approached by folks who credit them with their decision to go into the life-saving business.
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Las Vegas – Season Three (Uncut & Uncensored)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 16th, 2007

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Las Vegas made its most significant changes in the third season. The full time addition of Lara Flynn Boyle as the new rich owner of the Montecito made the show somewhat lighter overall. It was probably a good idea to shake things up a bit. The cast chemistry on this show is quite good but was perhaps settling in a bit too much after two years. Boyle’s Monica was a perfect foil for James Caan’s Ed. Caan was able to stretch his acting muscles a lot more in this season. The overall idea hasn’t really changed: The Montecito Hotel and Casino is the setting for action and play.
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Hollywoodland (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 8th, 2007

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There are a few early sequences in Hollywoodland that show two important aspects of the film. First these sequences show us the type of man that George Reeves was trying to become (simply trying to get noticed) and, possibly more important, the type of actor that Affleck is becoming as his career becomes more about making quality films than making sure-fire moneymakers.
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Hollywoodland

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 8th, 2007

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Ever write off a movie based solely on the buzz? I did that with Hollywoodland before I’d ever heard the actual title – someone asked, “did you hear about Ben Affleck’s new movie? I hear it stinks.” Given Affleck’s recent string of box office flops, that’s all it took for me to avoid the film.

Of course, it’s not just an Affleck movie; it also stars Adrien Brody (The Pianist), Diane Lane (Under the Tuscan Sun) and Bob Hoskins (Mrs. Henderson Presents).
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Half Baked (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 30th, 2007

Iï¿½m sure Iï¿½m not the only person wondering why on Earth a studio like Universal, with so many classics in their vault, would release Half Baked so quickly onto HD DVD. One can presumably assume that the only reason they chose to release it at this particular time is to bank on the recent popularity of David Chappelle. The only unfortunate part here is that Chappelleï¿½s performance, while sometimes funny, shows that his talent was best used elsewhere.
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Brokeback Mountain (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 23rd, 2007

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Wow. Itï¿½s already been over a year since hearing the endless ï¿½I canï¿½t quit youï¿½ pander that many labeled Brokeback Mountain with. Sitting down to see this one for the 3rd time, I feared that the initial power the film had over me would be diminished. Such isnï¿½t the case here as Brokeback Mountain is still the same excellent film it was over a year ago.
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The Sting (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 20th, 2007

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Con movies are nothing new to Hollywood. Each has that character who thinks theyï¿½re on top of the world behind this bullet proof armor only to eventually realize that theyï¿½ve either been played or been watched the entire time. I suppose what makes con films work on the level they do is that these characters (admit it!) are all committing acts weï¿½d love to even THINK about committing. The only problem is that weï¿½re not even that badass of a person to even attempt it. Having never seen this film, I figured Iï¿½d get a fairly entertaining film with decent acting and an interesting enough plot. Boy was I mistaken about this one. Oscar awarded 1973 film The Sting has easily become my favorite con film.
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Deer Hunter (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 18th, 2007

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Let me begin here by saying that Iï¿½ve never found any film based on the Vietnam War good. I assume this stems from that everything Iï¿½ve ever known or been taught about the War shows that (I apologize in advance for those who get offended) the War was not necessary (this said by my Uncle who fought in the War). Every Vietnam film Iï¿½ve tried to enjoy from Born on the Fourth of July to Platoon I just couldnï¿½t as this little reminder always poked in the back of my mind. I should honestly scratch that last sentence as Iï¿½ve found the first Vietnam film that I absolutely found excellent.
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Mummy Returns, The (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 13th, 2007

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Honestly, was anyone really surprised when Universal announced a sequel to the ultra successful (and ultra-good) film The Mummy? The easiest comparison one can make is that Universal was trying to create their Indiana Jones series ala Fox. Even though neither Mummy film will EVER approach the quality of any of the Indiana Jones films (even the weakest Temple of Doom), The Mummy films, especially The Mummy Returns, are damn fun to watch.
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 7th, 2007

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Some of you might know the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream, then others of you might known the movie simply called Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but one way or another you know about the crazy days Hunter S. Thompson had in Vegas. Hunter Thompson along with his buddy Oscar Zeta Acosta are the credited creators of Gonzo Journalism (Journalism with indistinct lines between fact and fiction), so the book and movie are partially based on their accounts, except replace Thompson with Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and Acosta with Dr. Gonzo (Benicio del Toro).
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The Breakfast Club (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 7th, 2007

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Truth be told ladies and gentlemen, before receiving The Breakfast Club in for review, I couldnï¿½t even begin to fathom the fan base this film has had since its 1985 release. After all how interesting does a film where 5 students are put in detention sound? After seeing the film, I believe the interest lies not necessarily in the basic premise of the film, but the overall impact the five students have on themselves and, more importantly, the viewer.
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Field of Dreams (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 7th, 2007

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For the longest time I avoided Field of Dreams. This is simply because Iï¿½ve never really liked Kevin Costner as an actor, and mainly because I figured a film about baseball starring him would be boring. Boy was I wrong on this one. Sure Field of Dreams isnï¿½t the best film ever made, but damn if itï¿½s not a film that one canï¿½t help but enjoy slowly falling for the story, characters and surroundings.

Ray Kinsella (Costner) is a simple man who has a lovely wife named Annie (Amy Madigan). Ray decides to move to Iowa soon buying a farm.
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Casino (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 1st, 2007

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Letï¿½s face it people. Martin Scorsese, for most part, is a god amongst filmmakers. The man canï¿½t do anything wrong in the filmmaking. Film after film he continues to amaze me with his sheer ability to tell a story bundled together with fantastic acting. Even though many donï¿½t name Casino as one of his best works (rightfully so), the film is still excellent as it shows the gritty 1980s Las Vegas mob world.

One cursory glance at the plot of Casino would make the smallest Scorsese fan think that the film should be called Goodfellas 2.
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The Scorpion King (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 29th, 2006

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Truth be told, when I first heard of the idea of a new Mummy film, I became excited. The first two in the series were surely not examples of Oscar material, but were damn entertaining films. Then news slipped out that the next film would be based on WWE Superstar The Rockï¿½s character The Scorpion King, which seemed like an odd idea on paper. Was The Scorpion King that much of an awesome character that he needed his own film? Well, success continues as The Scorpion King isnï¿½t excellent film making, but sure is pretty entertaining.
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Jet Li’s Fearless (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 29th, 2006

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Based on a true story, Jet Liï¿½s Fearless takes place just after the turn of the 20th century. Huoï¿½s father is challenged and beaten by the leader of the Zhao Clan leading to sheer embarrassment for everyone involved. Soon Huo Yuanija, his son, suffers a similar fate. Only Huo swears to never let a beating like this occur again. Huo wants nothing more in the world than for his father to teach him the way of the wushu, which is the way of fighting. The problem is that Huo doesnï¿½t tend to put his heart in the right places. He hates studying his medicine and doing his calligraphy leaving his mother to tell him that wushu is not all about winning, but rather about patience and self-discipline.
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Jet Li’s Fearless

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 28th, 2006

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Jet Li’s Fearless is reportedly the star’s final martial arts epic. Since we’re talking about the guy who did Once Upon a Time in China, Twin Warriors and Hero, that fact alone makes this is a significant film for martial arts fans.

Fearless tells the story of Huo Yuanjia, who in 1910 helped found the Jin Wu Sports Federation (Chin Woo Athletic Association), the first civil Kung Fu organization in China. Li plays Yuanjia, who is a Chinese folk hero. The film follows Yuanjia’s life from early childhood until his last days, showing his journey from a weak, little boy to a cocky, selfish bully, and finally to a respected martial arts master and Chinese patriot.
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Hulk, The (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 27th, 2006

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Synopsis

I must be crazy, but I kinda liked Hulk! Although, this is coming from the kid who faithfully watched the old CBS show and loved every damn minute of it. When Universal decided they were going to make a big-screen adaptation, with a computer created green machine, so be it. I fell for the trailers, and everything else. So when it came out to theaters, it seemed like the consensus result was: ï¿½Blah!ï¿½ in large part to said CG leading man/monster. But at the end of the day, it doesnï¿½t seem like he takes up much of the movie, and the action scenes arenï¿½t hurt by his presence, some of them look very good.
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Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (HD DVD)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 20th, 2006

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Director Ron Howard is quite the puzzling man. He surely knows how to direct a fine film like A Beautiful Mind or even The Da Vinci Code, but still knows how to give us that random piece of crap. When word came that Howard was going to adapt Dr. Seussï¿½ timeless classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas, I immediately questioned why? After all wasnï¿½t the TNT special that airs oh 40-50 times a year good enough? I guess not for Hollywood as the 2000 remake made some serious bank with Jim Carrey portraying the lead character. The only unfortunate part here is that the film is absolutely horrendous.
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