Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2002
Synopsis
The plot is very simple, as the spectacular song-and-dance numbers are the real star of theshow. Gene Kelly and Jean Hagen are big stars of the silent screen. But sound is arriving, andHagen’s voice sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard (and she has a personality to match). Kellyfalls in love with Debbie Reynolds, a struggling dancer with a terrific voice. This is enough of aframework on which to hang the production numbers, but the comedy in between is oftenhowlingly fun...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 19th, 2002
Synopsis
Sir James Bond (David Niven), a superhuman prude with a stutter, is forced out of retirementto discover who is killing off all the world’s spies. He recruits a whole load of other 007s, fromPeter Sellers to Ursula Andress (don’t ask), and the villain turns out to be Woody Allen.Comedies should rarely run more than 90 minutes. This clocks in at 137. Interminably,mortifyingly dull. I defy anybody to sit through this.
Audio
The sound comes in both 5.1 ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 18th, 2002
“I think they pulled it together in a way only Texans working together could.”
David Blocker – Producer, Frailty
Well, those Texans certainly did bring it together in a unique fashion, and Lions Gate has packaged it in an excellent DVD release. Bill Paxton’s directorial debut captures a family’s descent in dementia in 1979 in a performance that is surreal and believeable. The everyday and the unexpected are blended into a nightmare world where the mundane and supernatural are superimposed...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 17th, 2002
Band of Brothers, as should be expected from multiple emmy award winner, is an amazing miniseries. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks have collaborated on creating a memorable and poignant story that can be appreciate by all.
”Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's nonfiction bestseller, BAND OF BROTHERS tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Starting with their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942, it recounts the achievements of the elite rifle company fr...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 16th, 2002
Tommy Lee Wallace. Not John Carpenter. Do not be fooled. Just because “Vampires: Los Muertos” (V:LM) says “Presented by John Carpenter” on the front, doesn’t mean it has anything to do with John Carpenter. It was directed, in fact, by Tommy Lee Wallace, who is a Grade B king, responsible for such other gems as “Stell Chariots” and “Danger Islands”. Whether Carpenter was involved or not (no big prize after Ghosts of Mars, anyway), V:LM was a fairly large disappointment anyway. The sound and video are fine, but the mov...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 15th, 2002
Jason is resurrected by an unfortunate accident involving a boat anchor and a power cable.He climbs aboard a ship carrying a graduating class to New York City, and proceeds to do his stuff. While those of us who caught this on its original theatrical run were disappointed that we had to wait a full hour before Jason reached NYC (or, more accurately, Vancouver), a return trip reveals this as one of the better made entries in the franchise. The characters, though thin, make are a bit more coherent than in Part VII, the action is competently staged, and once Jason hits Manhattan, much is made of the fact that he can chase and slaughter in full public view, and no one wants to get involved.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002
Synopsis
Rod Steiger, obsessed with his dead mother, adopts one disguise and accent after another(Irish priest, German plumber, gay hairdresser, you name it) as he kills women and marks theirforeheads with lipstick. Frustrated cop on the case is George Segal, perpetually harassed by hiscartoonish Jewish mother, but also falling in love with Lee Remick. Good fun to be had here,especially from Steiger -- an actor who always had a propensity to ham it up, and here he is givenfree reign...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 14th, 2002
Plot? What plot? Oh right: traumatized telekinetic teen accidentally raises Jason from the bottom of the lake. Jason kills folks. That’s about it. But you don’t watch these for the plot --you watch them for the killings. These are, sad to say, relatively restrained, and some of Jason’s tool acquisitions are silly (where did he get that electric hedge trimmer from?). The characters (I use the word loosely) are even more interchangeable than ever, and the continuity goes all to #%&@ in the latter part of the film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002
Synopsis
Juan is a small-time grifter. Marcos is several steps up the ladder in terms of ambition andexperience. He takes Juan under his wing, and involves him in a possible Big Score, sellingcounterfeit stamps. Can Juan trust Marcos? Can we in the audience trust anything? This superbcrime film takes great delight in making you question absolutely everything you see, and youwind up in a state of grinning paranoia. Sophisticated, fiendishly intelligent, superblyentertaining filmmaki...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002
Synopsis
A group of college friends gathers at the isolated island home of Muffy St. John for an AprilFool’s weekend. One by one... Well, you know how the rest of it goes, don’t you?
SPOILER WARNING: ...or do you? The film’s main distinction (other than having somevery funny pranks and actors playing something approaching real characters) is that all of themurders turn out to be a practical joke – no one gets killed. Does this make or ruin the film? Hardto say – my own feeli...
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