Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 17th, 2005
Synopsis
Direct-to-Video queen Kari Wuhrer headlines as hard-edged reporter willing to risk life and limb for a story. Her editor sends her to Bucharest (your first hint of the pic’s minimal budget) to investigate a strange cult of people who call themselves “Deaders.” The members of this group appear to have died and been resurrected by the charismatic leader. Wuhrer descends into the underground, and reality goes all rubbery after she finds and opens a Lament Configuration, summoning Pinhead into h...r life.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 16th, 2005
I will be honest and admit that Insurrection is one of my least favorite Trek films. I rank it down there with the first film due to its many flaws. While it has always been Star Trek’s style to engage in open social commentary, I don’t believe it usually needs to hit you over the head so blatantly. The social message here is too cut and dry. There is not the necessary moral middle-ground to create honest conflict. This is also Brent Spiner’s worst performance. The inside jokes are too cute and forced to appeal to any but the most dedicated fans, and I believe even they might feel insulted. The Picard/Data duet while two shuttles engage in a dogfight is just too much for my gag reflex to handle. Jonathan Frakes, after turning in such an impressive directorial display on First Contact, plays it safe for the entire film. I’ve heard fellow Trek fans say this would have been a better series episode. I disagree. This would have been a poor episode as well. Rich Berman puts one more bullet in the gun that killed Star Trek.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2005
I remember my Junior High teacher reading us excerpts from the novel I Am David in English class. Raising social consciousness was not something we into at that age. Looking back, I can see what my teacher was trying to do. The novel, and this movie adaptation, follows the story of 12 year old David, who escapes a Communist gulag in order to deliver a letter to Copenhagen. David is equipped with nothing but a compass, a bar of soap, and a loaf of bread. His quest across the continent is a journey of enlig...tenment and “growing up” the hard way.
How is the movie version? Well…let’s just say…sometimes a novel should stay a novel. The director Paul Feig has good intentions, and the movie sports solid performances by Ben Tibber (as David) and Jim Caviezel (beware of the misleading DVD cover…Jim only has a supporting role). The problem is Feig’s adaptation and the handling of the material. The flights of fancy and overt sentimentalism get in the way of an engaging film. In other words, the movie just doesn’t work.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 16th, 2005
Synopsis
Society belle Gene Tierney is in love with the dashing but penniless Tyrone Power, much to the displeasure of her snobbish uncle Clifton Webb (turning in another of his signature bitchy roles). Tierney wants Power to settle down and earn a good living in order to keep her in the manner to which she is accustomed, but Power needs to find some meaning in life, and he heads off to find enlightenment, first in Paris, later in India. Tierney doesn’t wait for him, and marries millionaire John Payn..., but when Power returns to Paris, where she now lives, her torch burns as brightly as ever, and she will stop at nothing to preserve him for herself.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2005
In watching Being John Malkovich again recently, for the first time in awhile, the thing I was struck by is how unique it is (duh!). It doesn't try too hard at being different, to the point that it's going to suck, everything is matter of fact, and it's hilarious. Its characters are flawed, but we feel for some of them a great deal. It's funny, it's touching, it's dramatic, it works on many levels. I'd expected this to be a 112 minute MTV video from Spiegel heir Spike Jonze, but it's clear that with his work, combined with Charlie Kaufman's script, the result is a story about the 3 main characters experiencing deep, life-altering experiences, and from those experiences, finding (or wanting to find) love. How they get there though, that's another story.
Craig Schwartz (John Cusack, High Fidelity) is a street puppeteer dreaming of success. Sometimes his puppet shows are a little on the PG-13 tip for some G audiences, leading to a young girl's father punching Craig. He then returns home to his wife Lotte (you'd barely notice, but it is Cameron Diaz of There's Something About Mary) convinces him to try and find a job. Lotte runs a pet store, and their apartment is crowded with pets, among them a chimp suffering from an ulcer. With Craig's expert hands, he manages to find a job working as a file clerk at LesterCorp, located in the Merton Flemmer building on the 7th floor. He meets and falls for Maxine, who is not afraid to speak her mind, especially when it comes to Craig's passion. She tolerates Craig, knowing that he's pretty harmless. One day at work, Craig accidentally drops a file behind a cabinet, and behind the cabinet, finds a door and a small crawlspace. Going through the door whisks him through a portal which places him inside of John Malkovich's head for 15 minutes, before depositing him along the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. Craig returns to work and tells Maxine (and subsequently Lotte) about the portal, and things go from there.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 16th, 2005
Synopsis
Why give a DVD about West Point to a guy to supports the Army? You’re probably going to get a lovefest DVD review about just how awesome the Army is anyway. Well, I’ll do my best to keep things in check. Besides, as an enlisted man, I hated officers (or just didn’t respond to too many of them), but I tried to keep an open mind.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2005
As usual, National Lampoon comes up with a silly but at times funny movie - if you like silly that is. The two leading goofballs are just off the wall enough to make this movie bearable.
Gold Diggers is about two young losers named Cal (Will Friedle) and Lenny (Chris Owen) who enter a life of crime trying to survive on the streets. Unfortunately, they are terrible at it and end up going in and out of jail a couple of times before things begin to look up for them - they attempt to rob two very old si...ters who end up wanting to marry them. The guys are all for this as Cal has the idea of offing them to inherit their estate while the sisters want to off the young men to collect on an insurance policy they have taken out on them. The two opposing teams show smiling faces toward each other while plotting the others' demise.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 16th, 2005
Synopsis
Years after the events of Bride of Chucky, evil dolls Chucky (voice of Brad Dourif) and Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) are dormant and being used to make a Chucky movie, starring in-decline sexpot Jennifer Tilly. (I know: very postmodern already, and we’ve only just begun.) Their offspring (voice of Billy Boyd), of indeterminate gender and gentle spirit, escapes its evil ventriloquist captor, travels to Hollywood and revives the demonic duo, unaware of their psychotic natures. Chucky wants ... boy, and names the child Glen. Tiffany wants a girl, and picks the name Glenda. Chucky wants Glen to take up the knife, while Tiffany tries to quit killing (but keeps having slips). Meanwhile, they plan to impregnate Tilly so that Glen/Glenda can become a real child, while the parents plan to transfer their souls into the bodies of Redman and Tilly. Lurking in the background is, appropriately, John Waters as a paparazzo.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 16th, 2005
Poker viewing on television has been a phenomenon that has exploded over the last few years. This 8-disc set of The World Poker Tour - Season Two (14 episodes and one disc with bonus material) is a viewing pleasure for any poker fan who just enjoys watching it or is looking to improve their game.
Each episode includes poker instruction and player profiles for an inside look at the professional poker world. The host team of Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten are very knowledgeable and add excitement t... every match, and then of course there’s Shana Hiatt!
Posted in: News and Opinions by Archive Authors on June 15th, 2005
Miramax Home Entertainment will release the Collector's Edition of the Academy Award Winning Chicago on September 13th. This 3-disc set will be presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with both English Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS audio tracks. Extras will include an audio commentary (with the Director and Screenwriter), extended musical performances, song rehearsals, Chita Rivera’s Encore, a "From Stage To Screen: The History of Chicago" documentary,An Intimate Look at Director Rob Mar...hall feature, featurettes on the Academy Award winning costume and production designers, a "VH1 Behind The Movie" featurette, a Deleted Musical Number, a "Behind the Scenes" featurette, and a sixteen track movie soundtrack.
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