Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 6th, 2006
One of the great things about television today is the trend of extreme diversification. Where there used to be a specialized channel called ESPN, that has now been broken down into ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN U... the list goes on and on. Whatever your interest, there is a very specialized niche available that it fits into. The nice thing is, all of this specialization has allowed some truly creative (and bizarre) programing to creep out onto the airwaves. Robot Chicken is a great example of this trend... It is a wildly creative stop motion animation show created and produced by Seth Green that parodies pop culture using pre-existing action figures. One episode parodies The Real World by showing what would happen when characters such as Batman, The Incredible Hulk and Wonder Woman are made to live together in a house. Quite literally, if you name the pop culture reference, it is here, from American Idol to Kill Bill to Dawn of the Dead. There's even a Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place reference here... and that's all packed into just the first episode!
I had never even heard of this show before I was sent this DVD set to review, but I am a complete and total convert now. I am sometimes amazed at some of the truly funny stuff that is out there that I have never even heard of. This show deserves to find a wider audience. Hopefully this DVD release will do for this hilarious series what it did for Family Guy and Firefly.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 4th, 2006
For those Flintstones collectors out there, the ride is almost over. Season five of this show's six season runis now available on DVD. Of course, this show will never completely go away, and for good reason. The Flintstones was quite progressive for its day. Not only was it the first prime time cartoon program to develop a following, but it also has other things in common with modern animated sitcoms. It is easy to see traces of the characters of Homer Simpson and even Peter Griffin in these episodes. F...ed means well, but it is abundantly clear that Wilma is the brains of the family. This is a plot device that has almost been taken for granted today.
There are 26 episodes in this season, and each one includes some great laughs that easily translate to today's modern lifestyles. Though the show was created in the 1960's, it is still funny to see Wilma hang clothes on a clothesline with birds, or to see Barny fix the garbage disposal by poking it in the hindquarters with a stick. Our tools may have changed, but the personalities still ring true today.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 29th, 2006
With the original Controversial Classics Collection from Warner Brothers, the studio pulled seven films from their classic film archive that were controversial in their day. Topics included government corruption, racism, troubled youth and the wrongfully accused. Instead of following that set with more classic films based on the same themes, Warner Brothers has done something interesting and varied the focus of their theme. The films this time around, as the title suggests, deal with the role of the news media...in modern society. Instead of including seven different films, they have focused on newly re-mastered, double disc versions of three films from the 70's; Network, All the President's Men and Dog Day Afternoon. Each film is available individually, or as part of this box set.
Network is a film that rates at number 66 on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Films of All Time list. As fate would have it, it is also my least favorite film of the three. Each film in this set takes a different approach to examining the nature of the news media. This film is probably the most on point with the nature of modern news. In Network, the role of the news media is to make money for the broadcast networks. The story, justice and reporting the truth behind the events are all seen as tools to be manipulated to obtain ratings, and ultimately money. This is one of those films that probably seemed like sensationalism at the time, but it is certainly right on point in the new millennium.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 28th, 2006
Where is Chuck Norris when you need him? The Rangers alluded to in this Babylon 5 film aren’t anything like Walker’s bad boys. These Rangers talk tough but are pretty much dull when it comes to action. The problem with Babylon 5 has always been the convoluted and complicated mythology of the show. I’m a huge science fiction fan who has always wanted to get into this show but just couldn’t wrap my mind around the premise. The Rangers are no exception to this flaw. These guys are charged with basically protecting the...helpless in the Galaxy. Instead they mostly spill out Yoda-like nuggets of wisdom. Die hard fans will probably get most of this, but apparently there weren’t enough of them. This was intended to serve as a pilot for a Babylon 5 spin-off that never got off the ground. Check out this film and you’ll understand why.
It appears the most important element in the Ranger code is to never retreat. Echoes of Galaxy Quest’s “Never give up. Never surrender” abound. It’s almost as comical. Captain Martel (Neal) has broken this sacred oath when he retreated with a crippled ship from an imposing enemy. He’s now out of favor with the council. When Ambassador S’Ka speaks up for him his career is spared. Still… Hell hath no fury like a council scorned. Martel is given command of a cursed ship that isn’t even ready to launch. His duty is to escort the Ambassador to a mysterious meeting about a new threat in the Galaxy. Of course, things go wrong, but the hopelessly outgunned Martel manages to save the day. What an original plot that was. And they all lived happily ever after in cancellation land.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 19th, 2006
Synopsis
Sometimes Disney will release a film that provides feelings of nostalgia to a lot of people. And other times they release shows onto DVD that make me realize just how old I am. When Disney’s Goof Troop was released onto DVD, my wife said the most horrible thing I’ve heard her say so far: “I used to watch that show growing up.” Keeping in mind that Goof Troop aired from 1992-1993, that statement probably says more about her than it does me, it still didn’t make me feel good. For God’s...sake, I was of drinking age when this aired!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 17th, 2006
Anthology films are a good training ground for young filmmakers to flex their muscles and really get creative. However, with Eros, the three filmmakers have already been around the block a time or two, and on the surface, that could be considered a good thing. But when you consider what Michaelangelo Antonioni, Steven Soderbergh, and Kar-Wai Wong, are already capable of, these shorts seem a bit of a letdown. The best segment is Soderbergh’s “Equilibrium,” with its symbolic stylistic effects and wry sense of hu...or. It was the only one of these vignettes, which seemed neither cliché (“The Hand” – Kar-Wai) nor pointless (“The Dangerous Thread of Things” – Antonioni). In “Equilibrium,” Robert Downey Jr. plays a man caught up in an ambiguous dream world, who explains his situation to an eccentric psychiatrist (Alan Arkin). Arkin’s psychiatrist is a capable man, but he often uses his patients’ discussion time to do other less constructive things (i.e. stare out the window with binoculars, fly paper airplanes to the street below, etc.). The whole time, he is equally capable of dispensing advice and helping his patients get to the root of their issues. There are three color schemes in this segment (black-and-white; all blue, natural), all of which add artistic flare by making each portion a genre in and of itself. And in the blue portion (Downey’s recurring dream), the camera bobs slowly from side to side, giving an off-equilibrium effect, which is contrasted in the other two portions.
In “The Hand,” Kar-Wai proves himself a quality director, while the story of fading love and devotion rekindled for one final farewell lacks the intrigue of similar – and better executed – works. However, the performances by the two lead stars are solid. Unfortunately, even that perk is missing from the uninspired Antonioni contribution. “The Dangerous Thread of Things,” meanders about with all the importance of a porno (but without the excessive sex and nudity those, who might find such fare entertaining, are interested in seeing). It’s not a flattering introduction to the works of the great Italian director. As for storytelling, I’m not sure he even attempted to dabble in it here. Stick with Blow-Up, if you want a primer on Antonioni.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 14th, 2006
In the first few years of the nineties, hip-hop singer/movie actress Queen Latifah headlined her own comedy show called Living Single. The show went on to last for five seasons. Although it never won much acclaim or any big awards, the show still had viewers. The basic premise for the show saw the day to day life of four twenty-something year old girlfriends and their two male neighbors.
In each episode, the cast sorted out its various issues with life. They also found time to find problems with eve...ything and also found time to overreact in nearly every situation. The show was might to show how normal people deal with everyday life. While I didn’t find the show to be constant laughter, I did find myself enjoying the show for what it was worth.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 28th, 2006
Utter the simple phrase of Harry Potter to any age, and it is nearly guaranteed that they will know what you are speaking about. Since becoming a worldwide phenomenon in 1999, the Harry Potter series have been turned into everything from video games to bathing products. Most notably, the series have been turned into a set of excellent films that are successful, for the most part, in recreating the major elements presented in the novels by author J.K.Rowling.
With this being the fourth film in the series of ...even, I had a few fears going into this film. With this book being the longest of the four books at this point, I was worried that new director Mike Newell would’nt be successful in presenting all the ideas Rowling went over in the book. While the film does not mention every little detail (the most notable gripe is the lack of the Dursley’s), Newell is very successful in bringing the action, suspense, fear, emotion, and growth of the characters to the big screen in stunning style.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 21st, 2006
The Adventures of Superman – The Complete Second Season is the last of George Reeves’ Superman character. It’s also a loving tribute to a show that didn’t really deserve it. I respect television shows and movies from yesteryear – in many cases, I even prefer them – but it’s hard to justify the shallow plots and poor character development this show has to offer. I’m sure nostalgia buffs reading this are screaming “Blasphemy!” as we speak, but honestly… how can this show be justified on merits of good writing an... acting? It can’t. What I will give it is this – it reminds us of a simpler time, and sometimes, that warm fuzzy feeling is all a show needs to achieve for its recommendation. But Superman has been honored with much better incarnations than that of this short-lived series. Even the most recent cartoon puts our hero in more exciting scenarios, where a prevalent feeling of danger exists, and the different players all get a more sophisticated degree of characterization – all while appealing to children. So The Adventures of Superman can’t hide behind the idea of being a kids’ show… not for today’s audiences.
A viewer can appreciate it for what it is – in fact, I do. But appreciate or not, I find sitting through more than three episodes an arduous task – and there are 26 in this collection. By the time you lay it to rest, you’re tired of it, and that warm feeling of nostalgia has long since gone by the wayside. With that said, it’s an easy show to collect, and it will perhaps give anyone years of enjoyment, so long as it is taken in small doses. There is nothing beyond the quick feeling of days gone by to look forward to with this set, so even if you’re thinking marathon, you’ll be done with it after a couple of hours. One thing’s for sure – it isn’t like the “will they or won’t they” anticipation Lois and Clark or the Christopher Reeve films provide. Those incarnations were exciting and left you wanting more. With The Adventures of Superman, you’ll think, “All right, that’s enough” – dare I say it – faster than a speeding bullet.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 2nd, 2006
This short-lived series was based on the popular DC Comics character, The Flash. Barry Allen (Shipp) was a crime lab technician, long before CSI made the job trendy. When lightning interacted with an unknown chemical compound as only comic cosmic events can, Allen receives a powerful jolt. The injury results in a dramatic change in his metabolism. Now supercharged, his body is capable of moving at supersonic speeds. Complete with a bright crimson costume appropriately modeled after the swift Greek god Mercury, The ...lash uses his powers to combat crime in Central City. Help is provided by Julio (Desert), his capable lab assistant. Julio is apparently smart enough to tackle complex chemical formulas, but remains oblivious to his partner’s abilities. His secret is shared by scientist Tina McGee (Pays) who works with Allen to try to figure out the changes his body has been put through.
Every superhero has a weakness. Superman had kryptonite and Batman had… well… Robin. The Flash, it seems, can be done in by a junk food deficiency. It turns out that speed burns up an awful lot of sugar which, of course, must be replaced. I think they missed out on some great tie-in opportunities here. “Hey kids! Want to grow up big and strong with blinding speed just like The Flash? Then don’t forget a super sized bowl of Capn’ Crunch with extra sugar for a superhero breakfast.”
