Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 19th, 2005
I'll bet the script to this film read like a dream. The Exorcist meets Hellboy meets The Mummy. Surely this is the ideal vehicle for Keanu Reeves following his three picture run on The Matrix. Sound too good to be true? Unfortunately, it is. Now, there is a lot that is admirable in this film. For example, the acting, which is is far above the tired bar set by most modern action/sci-fi flicks. Furthermore, the special effects in Constantineare simply fantastic. In fact, I would go so...far as to say that they are some of the most amazing special effects I have ever seen. These are effects so amazing that they actually help to convey the story on their own. It is one thing to hear people describe hell, it is quite another to experience it firsthand through a special effect.
It is a shame that for all of the hard work and thought that went into this film, the end result is so disappointing. The film starts off with such promise. Why must it go downhill? The simple answer is that brilliant visuals can't cover a script that has been dumbed down to appeal to the lowest common denominator in the summer blockbuster movie going pantheon. This could easily have been one of the best comic book films of all time. I am just so disappointed by the potential that was squandered in this production.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 19th, 2005
Synopsis
Charlton Heston is the title character, a Union officer who determines on his own hook to track down a group of Apache raiders. He gathers together a ragtag group of raw recruits, criminals and Confederate prisoners, and heads off to Mexico. His second-in-command is Confederate officer Richard Harris, and the two men have a long history of mutual hatred and respect. Heston forges ahead despite all obstacles, and despite the costs both to his men and to the civilians they encounter.
Posted in: News and Opinions by Archive Authors on August 18th, 2005
Lions Gate Home Entertainment will release Crash (starring Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito & Ludacris) on September 6th. This disc will be presented in an anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with English Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1 audio tracks. Extras will include an Introduction by Director Paul Haggis, a Director's Commentary, and a Making-of Featurette.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 14th, 2005
Synopsis
Another eight Columbo mystery movies are included here. The formula they follow is familiar: a murder is committed (and we generally know whodunit right off the bat), and we watch as Columbo, apparently absent-minded, closes in on the culprit, making said individual sweat like the dickens before he closes in for the kill. The episodes here also feature turns by such stars as Martin Sheen, Vincent Price and Johnny Cash, which makes this nostalgic trip all the more fun. These short movies-of-t...e-week are perfect examples of the Good Story Well Told. They are by no means challenging to the mystery genre, and their formulaic construction is very apparent. But they work within the strict parameters exceedingly well, and Peter Falk is an unceasing delight in the title role. Absolutely perfect late-night viewing.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 12th, 2005
Season Two of Star Trek Enterprise was without a doubt the weakest of the series. It’s no mystery that the show’s demise was already being talked about by the time Year Two was finished. The stories were unoriginal and it appears budgetary concerns often meant unimaginative bottle shows. The words Star Trek were finally added to the title. Rick Berman has always tried to distance himself from Gene Roddenberry. When Enterprise was first released he felt it was time to finally cut the umbilical cord and drop the franchise tag. If that doesn’t tell you something about his level of respect for Star Trek, then the countless instances of disregarding traditional Trek continuity should. The franchise officially jumped the shark with the episode “A Night In Sickbay”. Come on, Berman, that cute puppy in a fight for its life is so... Lassie.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2005
Synopsis
Model Jessica Alba heads off to a party in the country with her current boyfriend. The house is owned by the members of a once-popular rock band, and there are creepy dolls and a deaf-mute young woman about. Alba wakes up the next morning abandoned by her boyfriend and imprisoned by the family. The only person who might be able to help her is the obscene caller who’s been causing her so much grief.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2005
Synopsis
In the 1930s, the dreaded Axe Gang is taking over all organized crime, terrorizing the city. One of the only places they don’t control is a slum complex ruled by a formidable landlady and her henpecked husband. Into this place come a couple of con artists, who pretend to be members of the Axe Gang. They set in motion an chain of events that leads to one apocalyptic battle after another, with ever more bizarre and powerful Grand Masters of Kung Fu turning to fight either for or against the Ax... Gang.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 12th, 2005
This is one of those films that is depressing solely for the sake of being depressing. There was a string of these kinds of films in the 90's, but they have gone out of style as of the past seven years or so. This particular film tells the story of what happens to a dysfunctional family when one of the members commits suicide. Apparently, each member of the family grieves in his or her own way, all of which are wildly dangerous. Sexual promiscuity, substance abuse, lawlessness and despair abound in this tale of miser... and woe. In fact, just when you don't think this film can get any more screwed up, it goes one step further.
The acting is top-notch, but the script is painfully sub-par. Plot twists are easily perceived way in advance, and the inevitable questions that arise after a suicide are addressed in a way that, quite frankly, seems to make the answers a bit to easy. Let's face it, suicide is an extremely heavy subject, and one that is very hard to discuss. This film attempts a monumental task, and gives it an admirable try, but just doesn't quite live up to the goals it sets for itself.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 11th, 2005
Synopsis
Akira Kurosawa’s impact on filmmaking and storytelling will be part of Western cinema for decades to come. Despite being slightly underappreciated in his later years in his native Japan, some of the work he put to film is some of the greatest and most influential ever seen. His work, such as Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress and The Seven Samurai, to name a few, have been remade or cited as major influences in the films and/or careers of George Lucas, Clint Eastwood and James Cobur..., among others. I’ve become increasingly interested in Kurosawa’s work, and I recently picked up the Kurosawa DVD Collection, which is available as an Amazon.com exclusive as part of a limited edition run of 5,000. The 3-disc set contains the documentary on the sensei (Kurosawa’s nickname), aptly titled Kurosawa. The other two discs house Kurosawa’s last film, Madadayo, and the Masterworks Edition of Ran. In terms of packaging, it’s a bit hard to describe, the box opens much like your standard amaray case. On the left side, Kurosawa is at the bottom, and on the top, there is a greeting card sized package of materials. Aside from the obligatory certificate of authenticity, four 5x7 glossy cards that are Kurosawa storyboard illustrations for Madadayo and Ran are here, as well as a small booklet that is mainly comprised of biographical information. The discs for Madadayo and Ran are on the right side, as well as a small board (Amazon says it’s a “Japanese-style miniature shoji screen”) that has art from Ran on it. It’s nice artwork, plus it’s been clear-coated to help prevent damage to it. To round out the goodies, there is a reproduction of the poster that trumpeted the re-release of Ran in 2000, but the poster is reduced to a more manageable size to fit the case.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 11th, 2005
Synopsis
Tim Allen was fortunate enough to ride a couple of trends and nurture them into a steady paycheck without really having to do anything. He was a stand-up comic in the mid ‘80s and early ‘90s and was pretty good at it. And like many other stand-ups during the time, he was given a sitcom with which to basically recycle his act onto a smaller stage. And to his benefit, the public enjoyed it, and Allen’s pet project Home Improvement was a smash hit, and would later go on to enjoy eight seasons o... ABC, and included a small unknown actress named Pamela Anderson.
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