Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 19th, 2003
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 19th, 2003
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 18th, 2003
You almost expect to see Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci at any time during State Of Grace. The influence of Martin Scorsese is everywhere, from the tight shots on character interactions to the slight angles during the more violent scenes. Even the clever use of source music more often than Ennio Morricone’s subtle score is reminiscent of Goodfellas. The prize of this feature is the cast. Ed Harris, Sean Penn, and Gary Oldman add much needed tension and realism to a mediocre and predictable script. Stereotypes and clichés abound. The interwoven elements of violence and pageantry in the film’s climax conjure the ghost of Fannuci from The Godfather Part II.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 18th, 2003
Why X-Men 1.5? This 2-Disc special edition re-release is set to coincide with the theatrical release of X2, the X-Men sequel. The 1.5 release is set up to be sort of a Director’s Cut of the original X-Men film. This new version has allowed for the film to be viewed with a number of deleted scenes to be branched into the film (not seamlessly... you have to hit enter on your remote to view the scenes). I am sure you know the premise, but here is a recap:
"Marvel's classic comic book comes to li...e in this exciting big-screen adaptation. The story focuses on the efforts of a well-intentioned professor, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). By pulling together a group of superhuman mutants, Professor X hopes to prove to the world that these genetically enhanced beings are not the dangerous, evil villains humanity claims them to be. When Magneto (Ian McKellen), an angry mutant, vows to eradicate human existence, it's up to the X-Men to save the day and keep the world united." – Fox
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 17th, 2003
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 16th, 2003
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 15th, 2003
Film
Bad Influence, while not a bad film, is certainly not a good one either. Try as I might I could not bring myself to really care about any of the characters. The film tries to portray Rob Lowe’s influence on James Spader as, well … bad. It’s not like he was a great guy to begin with. There is an incredible irony within the film when Lowe gets Spader out of a marriage he is dreading by slipping the family a copy of the groom-to-be having sex with another woman. Lowe, of course, had a real life video tape episode and Spader dealt with the same thing in Sex, Lies, and Video Tape. Mostly it plays out like an R-rated made-for-TV film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 13th, 2003
>
FearDotCom or Fear Dot Com depending on where you look is likely one of the first ghost stories of the information age. In my opinion it’s long overdue. While there will be other probably better efforts to update the classic haunting tale I found this to be a relatively solid start. The film borrows heavily from just about every sub-genre in the world of horror. The anatomical display is right out of the German film Anatomy. There are a number of Tim Burton elements present in the Elfman-like score to the dark nature of the cinematography. The plot is almost identical to the later released Ring. The acting borders on B grade fare, but the atmosphere is actually quite effective.
