Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 18th, 2003
Synopsis
Terminal loser William H. Macy hatches a scheme to get out of his debt problems: hire SteveBuscemi and Peter Stormare to kidnap his wife, then get the ransom from his father-in-law.Naturally enough, everything goes spectacularly wrong. Bodies pile up, and hugely pregnantSheriff Frances McDormand investigates. All the elements of prime Coen work are present:wonderful character turns from a top cast, dialogue to die for, cinematography that will take yourbreath away, and a sc...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 18th, 2003
Synopsis
This comic-yet-scathing documentary begins as an autobiography, as Michael Moorerecounts his formative years in Flint, Michigan, accompanied by all kinds of amusing stockfootage. From here we segue to the closing of GM's Flint plants, a move that devastated thetown. Moore begins a quixotic quest to confrong Roger Smith, the head of General Motors, andalong the way winds up in all kinds of amusing (yet revelatory) situations. He also meets manycolourful characters in his hom...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 17th, 2003
You can pretty much guess a film’s in trouble when it begins with an ominous narrative that ends with: “The following could be a true story”. Deadly Invasion starts slow and gets dull from there. This was a 1995 TV film about killer bees. Weren’t we over that story in the 1970’s? The plot is predictable at every turn. This might not be all that bad if not for below B grade acting and cinematography. I’m more afraid of having to watch this film again than of killer bees.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 17th, 2003
Synopsis
Following the death of a legendary folk music impresario, his son organizes a tribute concertwith the acts the father made famous. Through interviews and rehearsals, we see the groups (TheFolksmen, Mitch and Mickey, and The New Main Street Singers) prepare for the big show. Thecast is talented and funny, and the music is a well-nigh perfect pastiche. The creative team seemsa bit too close to the music, however, and so the comedy lacks the bite it could have. The wholeprotes...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 17th, 2003
With seemingly every TV show coming out on DVD as of late you know it was only a matter of time before MTV jumped on the bandwagon. Cribs is one of their longest running series and this discs looks at the homes of 8 different rockers and one of their own VJ’s. Follow along as we venture in to the living quarters of Incubus, Tommy Lee, Rob Zombie, Fieldy (the bass player for Korn), Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker of Blink 182, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach) and MTV VJ Ian Robinson.
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 16th, 2003
Synopsis
The plot to both features is rather similar, in each case serving to set up a bunch of mini-movies loaded with tributes and/or parodies of classic cinema monsters. In the first film, amysterious wax museum, presided over by David Warner, appears in town, and a group of teensill-advisedly wander in. Step too near an exhibit, and you wind up in the world depicted, upagainst a werewolf, the mummy, vampires, and so on. In the sequel, Zach Galligan (hero of thefirst) and his gir...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 16th, 2003
Synopsis
In 1924, a mysterious death occurred on a yacht owned by newspaper tycoon WilliamRandolph Hearst. This story imagines what might have happened amongst the variousHollywood luminaries who were aboard that ship. Along with Hearst and his young lover MarioDavies (Kirsten Dunst) are (among others) Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard), writer Elinor Glyn(Joanna Lumley) and up-and-coming gossip columnist Louella Parsons (Jennifer Tilly). Jealousyand deception are the order of the day a...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 15th, 2003
Synopsis
Though a largely undistinguished series the Prom Night hit something of a high watermark with Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (***). Advertized, on its initial release, as "ARomantic Comedy From Hell," this sees the demonic prom queen Mary Lou Maloney escapingfrom Hell (where she was stuck in an infernal chorus line) to continue her depredations atHamilton High. There she falls in love with Alex, an average student whose life is suddenly notaverage at all now th...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 14th, 2003
Synopsis
Having mysteriously survived the slaughterhouse finale of Re-Animator, madscientist Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs, in his definitive role) is continuing his experiments in re-animating the dead. Now he and his reluctant partner Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) are bringing lifenot just to the recently deceased, but to assemblages of body parts. The big project becomes thecobbling together of a woman, based around the heart of Meg, Dan’s lost love. Sloppy inconstruction, and wit...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 14th, 2003
Alias might well be the first TV series better on DVD than its original broadcast. I tried to get into this show when it began two years ago. Fans could have warned me that any attempt to join this series mid-season is a big mistake. Each episode ends in a cliffhanger and the plots are complicated enough that it can be hard to keep up with the intrusion of preemptions and repeats. These DVD's allow you to watch the show in a logical order without fear of missing an episode which could leave you completely lost.
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