Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 13th, 2006
Paul McCartney is a great example of what Darwin meant by survival of the fittest. No one in the music business has learned to adapt and thrive like Paul McCartney. The term timeless has been applied so often to so many performers that it might have lost any meaning. Still, if anyone deserves that description, it is Paul McCartney. With The Beatles he helped define the 60’s and reinvent Rock and Roll. In the 1970’s and 80’s he continued the hits with Paul McCartney and Wings. When Wings finally disappeared into the midnight sky, McCartney was still at it as a solo artist. Certainly, McCartney albums are fewer and far longer between. Still, each new release is an exercise in quality. Even when I don’t care for a particular McCartney song, it’s easy to hear the work that went into each note.
The Space Within US is a wonderful showcase for this ageless Beatle. At 65 years of age, he doesn’t seem to show any of it. He might not be quite as energetic as he was, but all of the passion and energy is still in the music itself. McCartney gets to wake up the astronauts aboard the International Space Station with a cut from his latest CD. (Talk about being up in the nosebleed section.) Even though I live in Tampa which was the second stop of the tour, I missed the show. Turns out Paul missed a hole in the stage and fell straight through. Fortunately he was unharmed, and the show, as they say, went on. I did catch McCartney here during the Trip The Lights Fantastic Tour, and it was one of the best I’ve seen. Only Elton John has put on a better one that I’ve seen. This concert film catches the show with a huge number of cameras and wonderful sound. I do wish the documentary material wouldn’t interrupt the concert. At least give us the ability to watch the performance uninterrupted. Some of the inserts are nice trips down memory lane or touching interviews with Paul himself. Some of it horribly detracts from the music. Do I really care what Bill Clinton has to say about McCartney?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 8th, 2006
Synopsis
Hooray for Donald Bellisario and his decision to create prime time television shows with various branches of the armed forces! But in this case, NCIS takes advantage of the craze of all the CSI related shows that have sprouted up over the last several years. But with various jump cuts and clips of music that are interspersed with it, it’s still hard to make the distinction.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 7th, 2006
A secret military research base (consisting of boring green-lit corridors and boasting a total staff and solider complement of about eight plus Michael Madsen) is working on a serum that boosts aggression and creates super-soldiers. Used on war heroes, it turns them into raging psychotics, so the decision is made to test it on losers, with the idea that they won’t be boosted quite as much. (Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t write the script.) A group of misfits is hauled in, but they don’t like what they’re being subjected to, and are soon running around corridors, looking for a way out. One of the previous subjects is accidentally freed, and he stalks the hallways as a very economical monster.
The introduction to our losers is actually quite funny, raising hopes that this might turn out to be some kind of torqued satire. No such luck. Just another DTV exercise in hallway horror. Depressingly familiar and tedious.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 3rd, 2006
Excalibur tells the story of King Arthur, from his simple beginnings to his noble ends. War plagues Great Britain, and many countrymen relish at the thought of peace as everyone is making claim to the Kingship. It is told that who ever removes Excalibur from the stone will be declared King. This legend might sound familiar to you as The Sword in the Stone (Excalibur being the sword). It is a mythical sword, which has been said to have magical, and only a noble and worthy man can bear it. Every noble i... the land claims they are worthy enough to remove the sword from the stone but each who tries, fails. Arthur, who has yet to realize who he really is, accidentally removes the sword one day. Being so young, the nobles are divided on whether to follow him as King. Civil war wages on and Arthur quickly defeats and unites the remaining noble leader, forming the fellowship of the Round Table. From here we are taken on the adventures that span most of Arthur’s life, including the search for the Holy Grail.
Excalibur has hit a chord with many people and has its own cult following, unfortunately I could not be completely drawn in to this film. Excalibur has all the elements to make it an enjoyable movie but misses the mark from making it truly memorable. Some scenes seemed really out of place, and overall it failed to captivate my attention with drawn on dialogue and mediocre action scenes.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 30th, 2006
Five years seemed to go by in the blink of an eye, but Sydney Bristow and friends have gone on their final mission. The final season brought along the expected plot twists, new faces, and clever disguises just as the previous four had, but something was definitely missing by now. With J.J. Abrams moving on to other things like Lost and Start Trek XI, it seems that Alias was left to fend for itself. Now, granted, it had been a while since Abrams was involved in the day to day running of the show, but by year 5 it se...med to also be lower on everyone’s priority list. It was the lowest ratings for many episodes. The introduction of Prophet Five never really made it out of the awkward stage. While it was clear that at times Alias was trying to return to the beginning in tone and delivery, the same tricks don’t seem to always work the second time.
Cast additions dominated this season cut short. Rachel Nichols is an attempt to remind us of our first introduction to Sydney. She also has been deceived into working for a CIA pretend organization called The Shed. Rachel Gibson has a more technical skill set, but takes to the APO as did Sydney. Amy Acker has the far better new role as Kelly Peyton. Peyton is a bit of a villainous foil that we could have actually used more of. Finally, I think we were all getting a little tired of Rambaldi. It would have served Alias far better to have moved on at some point. (I’m talking years ago.) By the last episodes all they were trying to do is wrap things up, and it ended up causing some contrived finishes that did not do the show or its legion of fans justice.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 29th, 2006
The first full season of Kelley’s “The Practice” spin-off was somewhat abbreviated. It was also a time to introduce us to the firm and new cast of characters. As is Kelley’s trademark style, we were sure of one thing. These characters would be quirky with enough of a touch of reality to keep them interesting. So as his flagship series faded away into production problems and slipping ratings, Boston Legal erupts like a phoenix from the ashes of certain death. Now as popular or more so than The Practice, Boston Legal...hits our DVD shelves for season 2. This set contains a whopping 27 episodes, which includes several originally produced for season 1. There is an awkward beginning to this season, as cast changes don’t kick in for a handful of episodes. Once the season finds its legs, however, it is better than ever.
Most of the action surrounds friends Alan Shore (Spader) and senior partner Denny Crane (Shatner). From the very beginning this coupling has been character chemistry at its best and perhaps drives the entire show. I say this because even the weakest and most outrageous stories are somehow worth watching just for the Shore/Crane antics. Shatner has certainly enjoyed a rebirth of his own with this role. The supporting cast is also very strong. Fellow Trek alumnus Rene Auberjonois plays senior partner Paul Lewiston and Candice Bergen is senior partner Shirley Schmidt. Both seem to exist only as foils for Shore and Crane. Leaving the series by the 5th episode are Rhona Mitra’s Tara and Monica Potter’s Lori. Lake Bell’s Sally left earlier to pursue sea monsters in the doomed NBC series Surface. The combination of laughs and drama continue. In spite of the often over the top Democratic rhetoric and Republican demonizing, the show offers plenty of entertainment no matter what your own philosophies. Still, Kelley just can’t seem to help himself, and when the show suffers, this is often where the weak link lies.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 17th, 2006
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Season 5 of CSI saw really the first shake-up of any kind on this CBS anchor series. While there weren’t any serious cast changes, the team was split up. It’s apparent that idea didn’t work out very well. Modest ratings decline and vocal dissatisfaction from the internet fans and even many of the cast members were heard loud and clear. Now Season 6 brings the team back together again. It doesn’t take long for the old team chemistry to remix, and CSI returns to th...t comfort zone it has ridden for so many years. That comfort zone doesn’t necessarily mean same old stuff. The two-parter Bullets In Motion is one of the most action packed episodes of CSI ever. With an opening like Saving Private Ryan, the bullets are flying and the sirens are wailing. In the aftermath of this gang shootout with the cops, we have a dead cop and a lot of evidence to sift through. Fortunately for them, and us, the old crew’s back together and on the case.
There are some very nice moments in Season 6 to look for. Faye Dunaway stars as the corpse of the week in Kiss Kiss Bye Bye. This is also a good episode for the often underused Greg character. Werewolves is an amusing episode with some great moments for another underused character: David Berman’s Dr. Phillips. Even your Thanksgiving dinner will never look the same again after Dog Eat Dog. Fortunately you don’t need to use your imagination to figure this one out.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 17th, 2006
Synopsis
I’m not even going to try to summarize this, as that would mean pretending I had the faintest idea what was going on, and who was who. I know, I know, I’m revealing my cultural deprivation – I haven’t been following the series. What I will say, though, is that even with that ignorance, the quality of this chronicle of the ups and downs of a New Jersey mob’s lives, loves and deaths, is undeniable. But then, you knew that, or you wouldn’t be reading this. Do note, of course, that this is only ...art 1 of the season, so you’ll be looking at the best part of 200 smackers for the whole thing when it becomes available. Ouch. But what superb work.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 15th, 2006
The Shawshank Redemption is a film that didn't do much at the box office. However, home video, word of mouth and countless airings on TNT have made it an enormously popular film in the time since. Director Frank Darabont returned to prison with The Green Mile, another film based on a story by acclaimed writer Steven King. One could almost look at these two films as companion pieces. Whereas the central theme of Shawshank was the importance of never giving up hope, The Green Mile was more about the changing power of love. Granted, a 1930's prison death row cell block isn't the most obvious place to set a love story. Then again, we've all seen the obvious love stories countless times before. King has always had a knack for the original, and this film is most certainly that.
The film is a thorough examination of the guards and guests at this inn without a door. The guards are mostly cynical and worn down by the long line of murderers that have come through their walls, the inmates are deserving of their fate, and the warden benevolently looks over the whole affair, with his own demons patiently waiting for him at home. The guards and the inmates have something of a kinship, as they all spend every day together. Though there is a clear distinction between the haves and the have nots, the two sides still spend the majority of their days talking and working together.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 13th, 2006
Angel Rodriguez is a realist film that covers a 36-hour snapshot of the lives of two people: a troubled young man and his guidance counsellor.
I have to admit right off the top that this type of film is not my bag � realism to me pretty much means boring. While there may great artistic merit to writer-director Jim McKay�s little film, it�s not particularly entertaining. Interesting, maybe.
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