Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 27th, 2004
Synopsis
Michael Gambon narrates four tales from Greek mythology: Daedalus and Icarus, Orpheusand Eurydice, Perseus and the Gorgon, and Theseus and the Minotaur. Gambon is the Storytellerof the title. Clad in toga and moving about his workshop, he tells the stories to a talking dog. Thestories themselves cut back and forth between the tales and Gambon, and are a mixture of humanactors and Jim Henson Creature Shop creations. The result is rather ambitious, and the tone israther oddly...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 27th, 2004
Synopsis
Patrick Stewart is King Henry II of England. He is on the verge of announcing the heir tohis throne. Trouble is, none of his sons are fit to rule, and two of them previously were part ofa rebellion against him, led by his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine (Glenn Close). He summons hisfamily to his seat of power, and the stage is set for all sorts of palace intrigue.
The screenplay is the same one used in the original film -- James Goldman’s adaptation ofhis play. As present...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 25th, 2004
Sometimes, the craziest ideas are the best ones. In the world of television (and movies as well), there seems to be a constant struggle between playing it safe and gambling on a big return. For instance, when it comes to sitcoms, stories about a family plus one or two outside characters are sure-fire hits. Just look at Family Matters, The King of Queens, The George Lopez Show, Cosby, Frasier and My Wife and Kids. Shows about work, such as Newsradio, Suddenly Susan, Veronica’s Closet, Scrubs and < ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 23rd, 2004
Synopsis
Cate Blanchett is rearing her two daughters in 19th-Century New Mexico. The youngest isa pleasant tomboy, the eldest is a whiny young woman who wants fine things (they seem to havebeen lifted straight from Mildred Pierce). Appearing at their home one day is TommyLee Jones, Blanchett’s father who walked out when she was a little girl. The stiff, unforgivingBlanchett wants nothing to do with him, until her eldest daughter is kidnapped by a roving bandwho sell women into prosti...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 21st, 2004
Synopsis
The Carter family might appear to have it all. But as this is a Movie of the Week, we knowthat these people are really a dysfunctional calamity. And so they are: Dad is a tyrant, Mom isa social-climbing bitch-on-wheels, daughter is terrified of becoming like her mother and so hasan abortion behind her husband’s back rather than risk being a mother, older son (Jim Carreyin a supporting role) is a disappointment in every aspect, and Perfect Younger Son turns out tobe gay. My ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 20th, 2004
Synopsis
Tyrone Power comes from a good family and a has a fine future as a concert violinist, but hedreams of leading a band. A chance encounter in a bar leads to the formation of Alexander’sRagtime Band, with the brassy Alice Faye as singer. Power and Faye are at it hammer and tongs,so you know they’ll wind up falling in love, and so they do. But the road they must travel is notan easy one, as Faye is hired away from the band to Broadway, and Power is recruited into thearmy just i...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 19th, 2004
Synopsis
The most unholy of characters from the Conan O’Brien show, this rubber dog has reallytaken on a life of his own. You either love this guy, or you can’t stand him. Me, I’m still laughingas I try to write this review. Included in this compilation are such routines as the controversialQuebec City visit, and Triumph’s appearance on The Hollywood Squares. Extremely rude andnasty, but quite appallingly funny too.
Audio
The 2.0 audio is certainly adequate ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 19th, 2004
Synopsis
Conan O’Brien’s 10th anniversary show is pretty much what you’d expect: lots of highlightclips from the past, old friends and guests showing up on-stage (Will Ferrell, Mr. T, AndyRichter, etc.), and so on. Though the format is hardly revolutionary, the fact remains that a lot ofthese routines are extremely funny, and the parade of characters highlights just how one-of-a-kind the Conan show is, not to mention how much network TV has relaxed over the decades (justtry to imagi...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 18th, 2004
The folks at Criterion continue their quest to make every one of Fellini’s heirs millionaires with their release of I Vitelloni, the famed director’s second solo effort. This semi-autobiographical tale follows the lives of a group of young men who are on the verge of growing up and making something of their lives, but haven’t quite gotten there yet. Part American Pie, part About a Boy, and all Fellini, this film is an important addition to any foreign film collection.
The film garnered ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 17th, 2004
Synopsis
Julianne Moore and Pierce Brosnan are two formidable divorce attorneys. Neither has losta case prior to meeting each other. Thereafter, they wind up taking turns going down to defeat. Adrinking contest leads to a night together, one that Moore would rather forget, but we know thesetwo are going to wind up together even as they spar in court. When another drunk binge leads tothe two getting married, they must pretend to love each other, even if they don’t. Or do they?
< ...
