Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 8th, 2003
Synopsis
When terrorists strike New York City (blowing up a ferry, for instance), a courageous TVreporter winds up being the only one who can stop the terror. Extremely low-budget stuff, andthe subject just isn’t as much fun as it once was (though the campiness remains). Interesting,though, to see Adam West as a senator (not to mention all the other cameos).
Audio
The soundtrack is mono. It gets the job done, but there isn’t too much to say about it. Themusi...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 8th, 2003
Synopsis
Tiger was once a fearsome fighter, but now he is a drunk. We learn, in flashback (and inflashbacks within flashbacks), that he fell from grace after being unintentionally involved in thekilling of his fiancee’s brother. Now his own treacherous brother has kidnapped the fiancee, andthat is all Tiger needs to come roaring back. This is truly awful stuff, with boringly filmed fightscenes, choppy editing, and nonsensical plot.
Audio
Bad as the film is, ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 2nd, 2003
Synopsis
Brooklyn-to-the-core thief Nick (Charlie Mattera) is betrayed by his friend Manny (PeterGreene), who is jealous of his love with Maria (Justine Miceli). Released from prison years later,Nick moves to LA, where he re-connects with Maria. Maria had married Manny (who is nowa brutal cop), but the two have since split. Nick is also taken under the wing of Harry (EdLauter), an aging gentleman bandit, who trains Nick to be a more elegant criminal than he hasbeen until now. The fi...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 25th, 2003
Why is there yet another DVD of Stargate? This time it really is an improvement. The Ultimate Edition contains a director’s cut which is about 16 minutes longer than the original. If you like the original better, a second disc is included which contains the original cut. This was Devlin and Emmerich’s first real blockbuster. I found Independence Day and The Patriot to be better films, but Stargate has its moments. It’s a little hard for me to accept Kurt Russell as Jack O’Neal after 7 years of Richard Dean Anderson.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 25th, 2003
Synopsis
The time is 80,000 years ago. Our focus is tribespeople who value fire deeply, but do notknow how to make it. When they are attacked by a rival, far more simian, group, they lose theirfire. A trio of friends (Everett McGill, Nameer El-Kadi, and Ron Perlman, a man who doesn’tneed much make-up to look prehistoric) head off on a search for new fire. During theirquest, they encounter a cannibal tribe, and hook up with Rae Dawn Chong, a prisoner of thecannibals and member of a m...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 25th, 2003
Synopsis
Irascible Scottish scientist James Mason discovers evidence that an explorer made thejourney of the title. Determined to do likewise, Mason sets off for Iceland (there to descend avolcanic crater that will lead to the centre of the Earth) in the company of Pat Boone (whoseaccent must be heard to be believed). Along the way, they are joined by feisty widow ArleneDahl and towering Icelander Peter Ronson. They are not alone in their journey, however, andthey must confront huma...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 23rd, 2003
Road House is one long bar brawl interrupted occasionally by a thread of a plot line. Patrick Swayze is the offered marquee name, but better performances can be found from Ben Gazzara, best known for his portrayal of Al Capone, Sam Elliott, and even Kevin Tigue. The music is the only thing that keeps this one interesting. Jeff Healey stars as the bar’s regular musician and treats us to some of his best music.
Synopsis
Daulton (Swayze) is hired to clean up a rowdy redneck bar.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 14th, 2003
Synopsis
In the early years of the 20th Century, Winnie Foster (Alexis Bledel) is in the full throes ofadolescence and feeling extremely repressed by her domineering mother. Wandering off into thewoods next to her home, she stumbles upon the Tucks, a family of immortals. She falls in lovewith Jesse (Jonathan Jackson), who is 17, going on 104. Meanwhile, a supremely sinister BenKingsley is tracking the Tucks, hoping to make a mint with their fountain of youth. Kingsley isso dark, his...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 11th, 2003
Synopsis
Kate Davis (Chantal Contouri) is, unbeknownst to her, a descendant of Countess Bathory. Aninternational cabal of vampires kidnap Kate, take her to their industrial blood farm (wherepeople, called “blood cows,” are milked and the product is place in milk cartons). There Kate issubjected to extensive psychological conditioning, the purpose of which is to make her reclaimher heritage. The concept is interesting, taking the idea of the vampire as the upper class bleedingthe low...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on February 8th, 2003
Synopsis
De Niro is Vincent LaMarca. His father was a kidnapper and accidental murderer. Now hisson, a junkie, has also killed a man. Will LaMarca be able to stop the generational cycle ofviolence? The Long Beach settings are very effective, combining rotting former grandeur withStalinist architecture. So far, so 70s, and the hard-luck characters fit right in. FrancesMcDormand, however, is stuck with a woefully underwritten part as De Niro’s girlfriend. Theplot, as well, is strictly...
