Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on March 25th, 2007
Synopsis
Family pictures usually miss when viewed by a lonely dvd reviewer who has nothing better to do on a saturday morning. There are no kids to laugh at the bad jokes and slapstick mayhem, there are no wives to go awwwww and marvel at the cute kids. All that one man can hope for is a decent lead who provides thought provoking characterisms and smart laughs. Wait, I'm watching Are We There Yet?, so I have pretty much no chance of that. Are We There Yet? is the stor... of Nick Persons (played by Ice Cube) who just bought a Lincoln Navigator (good blatant advertising to start a film off of) and works at the local fine sports collectibles shop. One day he spots a fine woman ( Nia Long as Suzanne Kingston) and wants to ask her out until he realizes she has two kids (been there, done that) Lindsey and Kevin (played by Aleisha Allen and Philip Bolden respectively. After another brief encounter he decides to pursue her anyway and gets introduced into the friend zone. He tries to break out of the zone and is unsuccessful until an opportunity arises when somebody is needed to escort the kids to meet her in Vancouver for New Year's eve. So from there, we get Ice Cube and two terrible kids in and out of a Navigator for an hour and a half. Hilarity, mayhem and a single dvd reviewer who wishes to impale himself with blunt objects ensue.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on March 25th, 2007
Synopsis
As I get older, I notice my tastes for movies change. Sure, I still like over the top action and if there is an attractive girl on the screen it gets my attention. I'm human, however as I get older I start liking films that are older. Now, I'm not talking about keeping true to films of my generation but I find myself engrossed in films that were made before I was born. There are some true classics out there such as In the Heat of the Night. This movie starred Sidney Poitier ...s Virgil Tibbs and Rod Steiger as Police Chief Bill Gillespie. A murder has gone down in the little town of Sparta, Mississippi of a prominent businessman Colbert. He was going to bring hundreds of jobs to the town for both blacks and whites alike with building a new factory. Virgil Tibbs, a black Philadelphia homicide detective is merely passing through town when he gets arrested by Officer Sam Wood (played by Warren Oates) for the color of his skin. When he is brought into the police station; the mistake is realized by Police Chief Gillespie. After a call to Philly; Tibbs is coaxed into helping out the local police solve the murder. As one would suspect from the era and the locale, this movie is steeped in race relations. This was one of the last states that was truly racist (some would argue it still is)in the middle of the civil rights movement. However, the movie brings this across in such a way as a backdrop, not the forefront. This movie is basically a whodunit where solving the murder is more important than the prejudice that surrounds it.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 24th, 2007
He's one of the most compelling villains of modern fiction. Disturbing, disgusting and absolutely captivating at the same time, Hannibal Lecter can really get inside your head.
You may not have read the novels by Thomas Harris, or even seen all of the films, but I'm willing to bet you're familiar with The Silence of the Lambs. One of the greatest thrillers in film history, the film in which Sir Anthony Hopkins became Dr. Lecter is the cornerstone of this three-movie set.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 24th, 2007
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 Cuarén (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.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 22nd, 2007
Zac is the fourth of five sons in a Montreal family, growing up in the 60s and 70s. He’s sensitive, and rather more in touch with his feminine qualities than his father (very macho, though a huge fan of Patsy Cline) would like. The film then tracks Zac’s struggle to accept the direction his sexuality takes, to accept himself, and to once again find his father’s acceptance.
Lord knows that rock music is more than the soundtrack of our teenage years; it’s the narration. And so it is here for Zac, with the Rolling Stones (“Sympathy for the Devil”), David Bowie (“Space Oddity”) and Pink Floyd (“Shine On You Crazy Diamond”) taking pride of place, setting up a dialogue with Zac’s father’s own life soundtrack (Patsy Cline and Charles Aznavour). By turns moving and funny, but always ringing true, this is a quietly remarkable film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 16th, 2007
I can't say I'm too familiar with The Last Unicorn, I mean overall, animated children's films were in the midst of a decline in the '80s. However my wife was more than familiar with it and enjoyed it a lot growing up. And Lion's Gate has presumably cleaned up the film and thrown some extras on it just in time for the film's 25th anniversary.
Based on a novel by Peter Beagle and directed by the animation team of Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin (who helped produced such shows as the stop motion of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and The Hobbit animated version back in the '60s and '70s), the unicorn in question is named, well, Unicorn (voiced by Mia Farrow, The Omen), who walks around rather peacefully in the countryside. She is captured by a witch and is released by her assistant named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine). So when Schmendrick and Unicorn are threatened by an ominous red bull, he turns her into a mortal named Amalthea, who finds love by Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges, Tron) and finds out why she was the last unicorn from King Haggard (Christopher Lee, The Lord of the Rings).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 15th, 2007
At one point or another you�ve either seen Ghost, or have seen some of its memorable scenes parodied. Paramount is now releasing a new special collector�s edition of the 1990 Academy Award winning picture. Since then, star Patrick Swayze hasn�t really been up to much besides a Ja Rule video and a small role in Donnie Darko. Whether Demi Moore has seen success since this film is debatable, but for a while there in 1990 these two were the talk of the town. At the time I was too young to have any interest in the film, so prior to this review all I knew were the memorable clips I�d seen. I looked forward to finally viewing the entire film.
Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) are just your average happy couple living out their lives in New York City. Sam appears to have a problem expressing his feelings for Molly, only saying �ditto� when she tells him �I love you.� Apart from this obvious minor hindrance on the relationship, the two seem genuinely happy. That is until one night while walking back from the theatre the couple is mugged, Sam puts up a fight and is shot and killed. His soul doesn�t realize this and chases down the thief. When he returns to the scene, he realizes what has transpired but he doesn�t accept it and refuses to be taken by the light, leaving him on earth as a ghost. Sam follows the thief home and eventually finds out that none other than Sam�s best friend and co-worker Carl Bruner in fact planned his murder. Frustrated and feeling helpless, Sam enlists the help of the fraudulent medium Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), who appears to be the only one who can hear him. Through her, Sam contacts Molly and tries to remedy the situation, but things get out of control and quick.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 15th, 2007
I�ve been anticipating the release of Harsh Times for quite a while now, never being able to catch it in the theatre, I finally got the chance to check it out. Christian Bale is by now known for his versatility and wide range of playable characters; Harsh Times offers another committed and deep portrayal to his resume. Bale plays ex-ranger Jim Davis who is back in Los Angeles after a 6-year tour. He is trying to land a job with the LAPD so he can marry his Mexican sweetheart and have her live in America. Only things don�t go as planned and the LAPD turn him down sending Jim into an uncontrollable rage and has him craving all things illegal. Riding shotgun for the whole adventure is his best friend Mike Alonzo (Freddy Rodriguez), a nearly completely reformed ex-con. Dealing with problems of his own, particularly his girlfriend Sylvia (Eva Longoria), Mike sets out daily to find work but instead finds himself running the streets with Jim. Before things get worse there is hope yet as The Department of Homeland Security calls up Jim where he hopes to land a job. Soon the two aspects of his life have to find balance as things start spinning out of control for the two best friends, will it end with everyone back on the right track, or in blood?
Simply put Harsh Times is a great movie, some great performances and a story I�ve never seen done before. Bale�s character was so conflicted it was hard to predict his next move and what he was really capable of, then to counter that was the equally impressive performance of Freddy Rodriguez as the mellow cool headed one of the group. This movie takes turns down places you wouldn�t expect which left me interesting throughout its entire duration. At times this film had me laughing, at the edge of my seat, and mesmerized with what was going to happen next. If you were a fan of Training Day you should check this movie out, although there are a few similarities, Harsh Times provides a deeper story with more realistic characters, proving to be a must see.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 11th, 2007
Dubbed as the frat boy comedy that started it all, Revenge of the Nerds is a 80�s cult classic making its way to DVD as a special Panty Raid Edition - Basically you get a standard slipcover and a handful of features thrown at you. I remember seeing this movie about ten years back I found it amusing then, so I look forward to being able to watch it again, maybe this time I�ll get more of the jokes.
The movie takes place where two nerds played by Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards are off to attend the fictional Adams College. They have both enrolled in the acclaimed computer studies department. The two dress like typical nerds with tucked in shirts, thick black-rimmed glasses, buckteeth, and pens in their shirt pockets. This is of course noticed by some of the frat members the minute they step foot into the quad and they are already labeled as nerds. The Alpha Beta frat house are the apparent bullies of the school who also happen to all be star players on the football team coached by the arrogant John Goodman. While partying the group accidentally burns down their frat house and take over the freshman dorm, forcing them all to sleep in the gymnasium. Of course while some of the freshman are recruited for frats and sororities a group of them are left out, the nerds. Sick of living in the gym they set out to find a house, which they turn, into a frat house, Lambda Lambda Lambda. Gaining some respect around the school the jocks of Alpha Beta set out to make their lives hell, while the nerds get a little revenge for themselves.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 11th, 2007
If you�ve been anywhere on the planet over the past year then there�s no doubt that you�ve at least heard the name Borat in passing, well Borat - Cultural Learning of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan has finally made its way to DVD. Although I�ve wanted to see this movie since I saw its preview before Jackass 2, this is the first time I�ll actually be watching it and I eagerly anticipate it; I�ve heard lots of things about this controversial mockumentary comedy. Adding to my anticipation of the film is the fact that Seinfeld writer Larry Charles is the director.
Sacha Baron Cohen plays Borat the fictitious journalist from Kazakhstan who first introduces us to the people of his village and their way of life. He then explains that he is being sent on a mission to America to observe the way of life there and bring back lessons to help make Kazakhstan a better place, hence the title. Ken Davitian stars as the producer and close friend of Borat who accompanies him on his journey to America. From this point Sacha Baron Cohen stays in the character of Borat and tricks people into thinking that he is this over the top character, and basically their reactions to his hilarious comments are what make this movie what it is. For example, there is one scene where Borat is dinning with high society and he basically makes an ass of himself by acting indifferent, and oblivious to the customs in America. In another scene he sings at a rodeo, where a bunch of redneck�s apparently insight a riot over his comments. Its things like this that makes Borat what it is, a hilariously unpredictable journey across America.
