Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 24th, 2003
Who would have thought that a Lego animated film would be so cool? This CGI animated feature film, Lego’s first venture into a mainstream feature-length movie, is great for all ages; it contains an interesting story line, good characters, and amazing animation. If you have not been privy to the past stories of Bionicle, you should really jump in and explore Mask Of Light…
”Discover the latest chapter in this legendary story in an all-new CGI animated movie. It's nonstop action as Jaller and his bes...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 23rd, 2003
Synopsis
Meryl Streep copped another Oscar nomination for her performance as Karen Silkwood, low-level employee at an Oklahoma nuclear power plant. She is driven to activism once she realizeshow her life and those of her fellow employees are being endangered by the shoddy safetystandards. Streep is backed up by fine performances from Kurt Russell and Cher, but Nicholstakes his own sweet time with the direction.
Audio
A mono soundtrack, and this is a film fro...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 23rd, 2003
Synopsis
In Troll (**), a family headed up by Michael Moriarty and Shelley Hack move intotheir new apartment. Unfortunately the young daughter is kidnapped and impersonated by a troll,who goes about turning the other residents into greenery or fairy creatures. Among thosesuffering this fate are Sonny Bono and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, who can't have been too happy tohave this hunk of cheese lurking on their CVs. Mediocre as Troll is, it does at least havefairly high ambiti...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 23rd, 2003
If you like to nitpick the “that couldn’t happen” stuff in a sci-fi film, this is not the movie for you. The only thing you’ll get out of The Core is a ride. The plot is completely absurd and unlike the very similar Armageddon, this film doesn’t deliver near the action. Special effects range from quite cool to the obvious animations and matte paintings. What impresses me most is that the cast got through this with a straight face. The Core deservedly didn’t perform well at the box office but it is still worth a watch.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 23rd, 2003
Synopsis
A terrible virus called Rage (which just happens to be the French word for rabies, thatdistinctly English fear) gets loose and ravages the population of Britain. 28 days after the initialrelease, Cilian Murphy wakes up in a deserted hospital. He wanders around empty London,wondering where everyone has gone, until, come night, he is attacked by a horde of the infected,who move like George Romero zombies on speed. He is rescued by Naomie Harris, and togetherthey then hook up ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 22nd, 2003
Please do not confuse this Hallmark made for TV film with the wonderful Tim Burton film of the same year. They have about as much in common with each other as either does with the classic Washington Irving story. The only good thing I can say about the film is that Brent Carver’s Ichabod Crane is a spectacular performance. Carver reminds me a great deal of the late and great Roddy McDowall. He shares his overall appearance as well as certain characteristic mannerisms and speech inflections with McDowall.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 21st, 2003
Synopsis
Welcome to North Bath, New York, a small town where everyone knows everyone, and thebest-known figure is Sully (Paul Newman). His landlady (Jessica Tandy) is his former 8th-gradeteacher. He works off and on for Bruce Willis, and while the two men appear to hate each other,they also weirdly look after each other. Newman flirts shamelessly with Willis’ neglected wife(Melanie Griffith). Newman walked out on his own family many years ago, but during theChristmas season his son ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Keith Carradine plays an independent director who has come to Cannes, hoping to sell hismovie (to which he has devoted two years of his life). French Customs seizes the film and won'tlet him bring it into the country. He is helped out by Monica Vitti, wife of a powerful Italianproducer. Before long Carradine and Vitti are in each other's arms. While we are constantlyaware of Vitti's guilt and worry about cheating on her husband, all references to Carradine'sgirlfriend back ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Kati and Steffi are best friends, and each relies on the other to get through the trials andtribulations of high school. Challenges arise, such as when they discover [x]'s father is cheatingon her mother. They plot an elaborate revenge. Boy trouble also figures prominently, of course,as these two girls painfully reach toward adulthood.
Audio
The sound is first-class. The music has good, pumping energy in its mix. The dialogue isclear and distortion-...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Catherine Keener and Emily Mortimer are the neurotic daughters inevitably produced bytheir neurotic mother Brenda Blethyn. Keener is trying (unsuccessfully) to sell her art (tiny chairsmade of twigs). Mortimer is a desperately insecure actor. Blethyn is about to undergo liposuction,which isn't going to help with the body image of her young, African-American adopted daughter.All the men these women are involved with are jerks, but Keener's life takes an unexpected turnwhen, ...









