DVD

Lucia, Lucia

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 10th, 2004

Synopsis

Cecilia Roth’s husband disappears at the airport. Shortly thereafter, she receives messagesfrom his kidnappers, demanded payment of 20 million pesos. Roth is hugely surprised todiscover that there is that huge sum of money in her husband’s safety deposit box. As the mysterydeepens, she forms fast friendships with an elderly neighbour from downstairs (Carlos AlvarezNovoa) and the young man from upstairs (Kuno Becker).

For the first half-hour, the film shows every pro…
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Apollo 8 – Leaving the Cradle

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 10th, 2004

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Apollo 8 – Leaving the Cradle continues the high standard that Spacecraft Films have set for themselves with their previous NASA-themed releases. While earlier titles examined the early role that rockets played in the ultimate goal of manned space flight, Apollo 8 sees that dream come to fruition.

This three-disc set is an amazing record of that famed mission, and literally all of the footage available in the NASA archives is included here, much of it coming complete with bonus audio. The foot…
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Overnight Delivery

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 8th, 2004

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Synopsis

Paul Rudd is a college student carrying on a long-distance relationship with his blandlybeautiful and rather sickening girlfriend when he learns (he thinks) that she is cheating on him.With the help of Reese Witherspoon, a fellow student moonlighting as a stripper, he composes anexcoriating letter (plus accompanying materials) and sends this to her on overnight delivery. Nosooner has he done this than he finds out that the “other man” is, in fact, a Chihuahua. A cross-count…
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Fist of the Red Dragon

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 8th, 2004

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Synopsis

Set during the Opium Wars in the 19th Century, Fist of the Red Dragon tells the tailof two masters of marital arts. One of them leads the battle against the opium trade. The other(played by lead Donnie Yen) is a brash, cocky young man who falls under the spell of the evilprince who rules the territory. Yen must undergo some painful experiences before he realizeswho his real enemy is.

When the fight scenes happen, they are reliably entertaining, with much by w…
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Devil’s Pond

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 8th, 2004

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It seems to me that B-level actors sometimes agree to do a movie for the experience and practice as much as to further their career and get a paycheck. Other times, the opposite is true, and major stars purposely chose to do a small independent production following a major success, knowing that they could never top their last picture. Often times, it is obvious when an actor has their personal motives in mind when choosing to do a film. Kate Winslet’s decision to shoot Hideous Kinky following the hugely-succes…
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Lost and Delirious

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 6th, 2004

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Sometimes, movies are just inexplicably bad, and as a DVD reviewer, I get to see a lot of them. These are films that are so horrible that I sometimes don’t know where to begin. It is often times hard to place blame in one are or another, when the whole production is flawed.

In the case of Lost and Delirious, however, the blame is easy to place. This film is not half bad… the premise is decent, the film looks and sounds better than expected, and the acting, while not fantastic, is respectable. The pro…
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New Guy, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 4th, 2004

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Seriously… was a director’s cut of this film really needed? Extended versions of The Lord of the Rings films are welcome, but come on now, The New Guy? This disc includes a mere 4 extra minutes of footage, all of which adds to the back-story; so for those of you hoping of a little bit of added ranch… sorry. You have probably read it before, but here is the premise…

Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Samurai

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 4th, 2004

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Synopsis

More Power Rangers adventures, this time focusing on Cam’s coming to Rangerhood. Thisis the usual mix of rather pointed after-school lessons, teen foibles, skateboarding, motorcrossracing, and cheesy special effects. Energetic, but no Buffy, that’s for sure.

Audio

The 2.0 sound is about average for TV product. The pop metal soundtrack dominates thesurround aspect, but itself could use some boosting in both power and base. As things stand, the…
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Space Ghost: Coast to Coast – Volume One

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 3rd, 2004

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Easily the one of the weirdest (if not the weirdest) concepts to ever grace the small screen, Space Ghost Coast to Coast is a bizarre talk show hosted by a minor 60’s cartoon hero Space Ghost. Repeated animation clips are used to have Space Ghost “interview” such luminaries of the mid 90’s (the show ran on Cartoon Network from 1993-1996) such as Slash, Hulk Hogan, Bobcat Golthwait, Michael Stipe from REM (promoting Monster), and The Jerky Boys.

The basic premise has Space Ghost asking inane questions to hi…
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Last Hand, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 3rd, 2004

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Synopsis

Benny Walsh (Frank Gorshin) wins big at a poker game, but then is murdered as he driveshome with his winnings. His son Clyde (Robert Dubac) comes into town looking for answers.Before long he is at odds with the sinister casino owner Frank (Stanley DeSantis). Clyde is moreand more convinced that Frank is responsible for Benny’s death. His struggle for justice iscomplicated by the presence of other parties fighting over the casino and a big bag ofcocaine.

Not…
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Born to Be Bad

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 3rd, 2004

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Synopsis

Loretta Young plays, from all available evidence, a high-class call girl. When her son isknocked down by a truck driven by milk industry tycoon Cary Grant (hardly the “dairy farmer”the blurb says he is), Young tries to extort a huge settlement from the company. The schemebackfires, and she loses custody of her son to Grant and his wife. But Young hasn’t given upyet…

A wildly improbable melodrama, which contorts itself with all kinds of dubious pretzel logic…
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Adam Had Four Sons

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 2nd, 2004

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Synopsis

In 1907, Ingrid Bergman arrives at the household of Warren Baxter and Fay Wray to lookafter their four sons. The happiness of the household is disrupted by the death of Wray and astock market crash. Baxter, fallen on hard times, has to let Bergman go, but when his fortunesimprove during WWI, he sends for her once again, even though his sons are now grown up. Oneof them has married Susan Hayward (the Slut to Bergman’s Saint), who proceeds to poison theatmosphere of th…
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Northfork

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 1st, 2004

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Synopsis

In 1955, the town of Northfork is about to be flooded as a hydroelectric dam is completed.Three two-man Evacuation Teams move through the remnants of the town, getting the lastholdouts to move. If they evacuate 65 households, they will be granted 1.5 acres of propertyalong the new lakefront. Among the last of the inhabitants of Northfork is Irwin, a dying orphanabandoned by his adoptive parents and cared for by the local minister (Nick Nolte). But Irwinmight also be …
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Photographer, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 31st, 2003

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Synopsis

Max (Reg Rogers) is a photographer. After a stunning debut, he finds himself, a year later,suffering the photographer’s equivalent of writer’s block. He’s lost his inspiration, and can nolonger take pictures. He must provide ten for the next day, however, or his career tankspermanently. Hitting a bar, he encounters a strange man who leaves behind a package of fabulouspictures. They could be Max’s salvation. Max is unsure whether or not to claim them as his own,but wh…
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Man on the Train

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 31st, 2003

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Synopsis

Johnny Hallyday (that most peculiar of oxymorons, the French rock star) plays an aging bankrobber who arrives in a small town to case the bank. He winds up staying with cinema icon JeanRochefort, here playing a retired schoolteacher. One man is taciturn and blunt. The other is chattyand insecure. Each begins to envy the other man his lifestyle. Hallyday plays at being tutorfor a day, while Rochefort tries on Hallyday’s leather jacket and pretends to be tough. This is…
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Alex & Emma

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 31st, 2003

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There have always been directors that have stood out in the public consciousness. Scorsese. Spielberg. Hitchcock. Lynch. These are all directors that have a specific vision. With very few exceptions, if you came across one of their films on television on an average Saturday afternoon, it wouldn’t take too long to figure out who the director was. They each have a very unique cinematic style, usually based in dramatic films.

Oddly enough, Rob Reiner also fits into this category. His light comedies all have a …
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I Was a Male War Bride

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 30th, 2003

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Synopsis

The story begins in occupied Germany, immediately after the end of WWII. American WACAnn Sheridan and French officer Cary Grant are sent on a mission together. They have workedtogether before, and are extremely prickly with each other. Naturally, we know this meansthey are going to fall in love. But Grant, who has already suffered one humiliation after anotherduring the mission, has more to face, this time in the form or US Armed Forces bureaucracy: ifhe wants to tra…
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People Will Talk

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 30th, 2003

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Synopsis

Cary Grant plays Noah Praetorius, a doctor so deeply humane he puts us all to shame. Hugelypopular at the University where he teaches, he inspires the jealousy of the petty Hume Cronyn,who launches an investigation into his past, hoping to bring Grant down. At the same time, Grantfalls in love with a pregnant, unmarried woman. Her condition is a big deal in 1951 — hersituation is such that early in the film she tries to kill herself.

Attempted suicide, McCar…
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Kiss Them For Me

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 29th, 2003

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Synopsis

Andy Crewson (Cary Grant) seems to live for nothing by parties and women. He’s certainlyhad his fill of the horrors of war. Finagling a four-day pass, he and his friends hit San Francisco.There the officer who is charged with keeping track of these hellraisers (Werner Klemperer, laterto be Colonel Klink in Hogan’s Heroes and cutting a odd figure as an American officerwith a noticeable German accent) tries to get the trio to be anti-absenteeism spokesmen for ai…
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Postman Always Rings Twice, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 28th, 2003

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Synopsis

Drifter John Garfield arrives at a filling station which advertises “Man Wanted” (a sign to beinterpreted in more than one sense). The proprietor is the jovial but cheap and aging CecilKellaway, and his wife is bombshell Lana Turner. Garfield and Turner fall in love, and beforelong, they’re plotting the murder of Kellaway.

To say more would be unfair — this is a film that is best experienced cold, so you can be hitby the twists and turns of the plot. I will …
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Bogart Collection, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 28th, 2003

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Casablanca. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The Big Sleep. TheMaltese Falcon. To Have and Have Not. All legendary titles, all among the very bestmovies Hollywood has ever made. Terrific adventures and mysteries, the fit together as acollection in fascinating ways, beyond simply having Bogart as the lead. To Have and HaveNot is structurally very much like a more upbeat version of Casablanca. TheMaltese Falcon is frequently held up as the first film no…
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Redemption

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 27th, 2003

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Synopsis

The film is “based on true events” (an opening announcement the director wasn’t too happyabout) and tells the story of Christian Rayne (Brian White). He dreams of a career in acting, andignores the advice of his best friend, deciding against going to university. He doesn’t want to usehis family connections, however (having a rather conflicted relationship with his father), and thechoices he makes, and the people he meets, set him down a path to drugs and despair.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 26th, 2003

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Synopsis

The version of the story these films tell much the same, given that the 1941 Spencer Tracyeffort was a remake of the 1932 Fredric March production. Handsome Dr. Henry Jekyll,frustrated over being denied an earlier marriage to his fiancee (Rose Hobart in 1932, Lana Turnerin ‘41), quaffs a potion and becomes the monstrous Edward Hyde. Hyde’s principle victim is Ivy(Miriam Hopkins/Ingrid Bergman), the woman on whom Jekyll’s now unleashed sexuality ventsits fury.

Cambridge Spies

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 23rd, 2003

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Synopsis

We begin is the 1930s, as the forces of Fascism are rising on the European continent.Convinced that Communism is the hope of justice for the future, Cambridge University gradsKim Philby (Toby Stevens), Anthony Blunt (Samuel West), Guy Burgess (Tom Hollander) andDonald Maclean (Rupert Pehry-Jones) become Soviet agents. We follow their lives over thecourse of twenty years, as they rise (in no small part due to the British class system) to everymore important positions …
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Gang Tapes

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 23rd, 2003

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I have never really seen a movie like Gang Tapes, a sort-of urban mockumentary told in the first-person through a digital camcorder. The Blair Witch Project is all that really comes close, and even that is not exactly the same thing. The film begins with home video footage of a family on vacation in Hollywood, but once they are carjacked, the family video camera falls into the hands of a 14 year old kid in urban Los Angeles. With this camera, he chronicles his adventures with the other boys and young me…
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