Leon: The Professional (Deluxe Edition)
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on November 2nd, 2004
Columbia-Tristar will release the Deluxe Edition of Luc Besson’s Leon: The Professional on January 11th. Along with the unrated international Superbit audio & video presentation, this set will include three featurettes (“Ten year reunion”, “Trial by Fire: Natalie Portman As Mathilda”, & “Birth of a Star: Jean Reno As Leon”), a full length Leon fact track, and more.
Mulholland Falls
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 31st, 2004
Synopsis
Nick Nolte (in full bruiser form) heads up the Hat Squad, a team of LA detectives composedof himself, Chazz Palmiteri, Michael Madsen and Chris Penn. We first see them in actionroughing up a gangster by tossing him down a cliff (hence the joke of the title). Their next caseis the body of a woman, found flattened in the sand, every bone in her body broken. Nolte israttled by the sight of the victim, because she is Jennifer Connelly, with whom he had an affair(kept secret fro…
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Dawn of the Dead
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 29th, 2004
Synopsis
A plague is sweeping the world: the dead are rising to bite and eat the living, turning theirvictims into yet more ferocious zombies. A group of survivors (headed by Sarah Polley and VingRhames) take refuge in a mall. Tensions keep threatening to tear the group apart, not to mentionthe fact that they don’t know what their next course of action should be. Outside, the zombiesgather in ever increasing numbers.
This is the unrated version, running nine minutes longer t…
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Vanity Fair
Posted in News and Opinions by David Annandale on October 29th, 2004
Universal will release the Reese Witherspoon film Vanity Fair on February 1st. This disc will be presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with both English and French Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks. Extras will include an audio commentary (with director Mira Nair), two featurettes (“Welcome to Vanity Fair” & “Women Behind Vanity Fair”), as well as deleted scenes.
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation – The Complete Fourth Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2004
CSI hasn’t changed much in its first four years. Expect more of the same here. The unique photography and f/x material is pretty much as solid as it was in the first episode. I’m not sure I like the “scruffy” Grissom look, but the show is as good as it’s ever been. As in each of the previous season, Gil Grissom leads a team of Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) on the night shift in Las Vegas.
Audio
This Dolby Digital 5.1 sound once again reinvents TV sound. Highs and lows both exhibit dynam…
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5ive Days to Midnight
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 28th, 2004
Synopsis
On the tenth anniversary of his wife’s death (and his daughter’s tenth birthday), TimothyHutton finds a mysterious briefcase (we see it appear out of nowhere near his wife’s grave). Thecase has his name on it, and when he unlocks the combination, Hutton finds a file containing thedetails of his murder five days in the future. The clock starts ticking. Once he accepts that he isnot the victim of a hoax, will he be able to alter his destiny?
If the idea of a man inves…
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Stargate SG-1 – The Complete Seventh Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2004
Michael Shanks returned to Stargate full time in Season 7. What continues to impress me is that after 7 years the quality of this show just keeps getting better. I’m rarely moved by film or TV, but “Fragile Balance” was one of the most moving hours of television I’ve ever seen. The writers and actors continue to collaborate to create the best science fiction show ever. I’m sorry, but that might even include Star Trek. Season 7 brought us even more complex stories, if that was possible. The characters each had opport…
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Godzilla Vs Hedorah
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 27th, 2004
Synopsis
Humanity’s pollution of the seas has given rise to Hedorah, a giant sludgy tadpole creature that feasts on industrial waste and grows bigger and more powerful all the time. Godzilla, protector of Earth and small children, is already angered by the pollution, but concentrates his energies on defeating Hedorah. The first battle goes well, but soon Hedorah is back, bigger and stronger than before.
Godzilla is in full-on superhero mode here, in a film better known in North America as < ...
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Raising Helen
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 27th, 2004
Synopsis
Kate Hudson is the golden girl at a modelling agency, scouting out talent and being very much the apple of ruthless boss Helen Mirren’s eye. She enjoys her cosmopolitan Manhattan lifestyle to the fullest, and then everything goes to smash. Her elder sister is killed in a car accident, leaving the care of her young’uns not to middle sister Joan Cusack (humourless and annoying) but to Hudson, who is promptly fired by Mirren and forced to move to Queens and work at a car dealership. Fortunately…
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One Tree Hill – The Complete First Season
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on October 27th, 2004
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Warner Home Video will relesae the complete first season of the hit show One Tree Hill on January 25th. This 6-disc set will feature each season one episode presented in their televised 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio, along with English Dolby Digital 2.0 audio tracks. Extras will include an cast & crew audio commentaries on three episodes, fourty-eight minutes of unaired scenes (with introductions), a “Building a Winning Team” making of documentary, a “Diaries From The Set” behind-the-scenes vignette, a gag reel …
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Friday the 13th: From Crystal Lake to Manhattan
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 26th, 2004
Synopsis
These are the first eight installments of the slasher franchise, a franchise that is now bathedin the warm glow of nostalgia. The basic premise for all the movies is the same: a vengefulmaniac hacks up teenagers in retaliation for the drowning of little Jason Voorhees back in 1958.The films resemble each other so closely, and their plotting is so minimal, that viewers may beforgiven for having trouble keeping them straight. Herewith, a brief reminder of the salientdifferences.
Before Sunset
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 26th, 2004
Synopsis
Nine years ago, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) met in Vienna and spent a magical night together, their conversation blossoming into love. But they did not meet six months later as promised, and they moved on with their lives. Now Jesse has come to Paris to promote his book (inspired by that one night), and Celine comes to his book signing. He has an hour or so before his flight, and they head off together for coffee. Their conversation ranges over all manner of topics, graduall…
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That’s Entertainment! The Complete Collection
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 25th, 2004
Synopsis
There’s nothing really to summarize about these films. Their reason for being, after all, is simply to present clips from classic MGM musicals. The first film, released to huge success in 1974, set the pattern, with various big stars (Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly and so on) narrating different segments of a potted history of the MGM musical. That’s Entertainment, Part 2 (1976) broadened its scope to include comedy and romance scenes as well. The third film didn’t arrive…
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Alexander the Great
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 25th, 2004
Synopsis
Philip, King of Macedonia (Fredric March) is busy conquering all of Greece when his wifebears him a son. There is no love lost between the couple, and the young Alexander (RichardBurton) grows up to be torn between the political machinations of his parents. His prowess inbattle threatens to make his glory overshadow his father’s, and conflict between them leadstemporarily to Alexander’s exile. When Philip is assassinated, Alexander ruthlessly consolidatespower, and then mar…
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Dark Heaven
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 25th, 2004
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Synopsis
Officer Gabriel Goodman (and yes, the name is supposed to be allegorical) comes to on thefloor of his precinct. He is alone, and his watch is running backwards. Strange enough, but thenhe stumbles outside to discover that the city is deserted. He follows a hooded figure, andencounters a priest who is locked out of his own church, and has apparently gone mad. Moreshadowy figures lure Goodman into a school, and he is soon locked in conflict with the priest,mysterious beings, …
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AVP – Alien Vs Predator
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on October 25th, 2004
Fox Home Entertainment will release the ultimate Sci-Fi battle Alien Vs Predator on January 25th. This disc will be presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with English DTS 5.1 and English & French Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks. Extras will include two audio commentaries (the first by Paul W.S. Anderson, Lance Henriksen and Sanaa Lathan; the second by Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. and John Bruno), an alternate opening version of the film, an “AVP Making-of” Featurette, 3 deleted scenes, an Ins…
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Untouchables, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 23rd, 2004
The time: Prohibition. The smell of bootleg gin and the sound of bullets lingers in the urban air. It’s Chicago. It’s Good vs. Evil. Elliott Ness vs. Al Capone. Kevin Costner vs. Robert DeNiro. Brian De Palma directs this wonderful period piece. The film drips with as much stylish atmosphere as outlawed booze. I’m not sure if the credit belongs to David Mamet’s imaginative script or De Palma’s direction. Both were at the top of their game with this film. Sean Connery must certainly bear mention as the no nonsense me…
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Dream On – Seasons 1 & 2
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 22nd, 2004
Synopsis
Brian Benben is a book editor. He is still madly in love with his ex-wife, but his dreams of getting back together with her are smashed by her upcoming marriage. And “dreams” is very much the operative term here, since Benben’s emotional reactions to the world around him are daydreams in the form of B&W clips from old films and TV shows. Exec-produced by John Landis, the series follows Benben’s misadventures (primarily with the opposite sex), and features plenty of Big Name guest appearances…
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Garden State
Posted in News and Opinions by David Annandale on October 22nd, 2004
Fox Home Entertainment will release the Zach Braff / Natalie Portman / Peter Sarsgaard / Ian Holm comedy Garden State on December 28th. This disc will be presented in an anamorphic widescreen transfer along with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. Extras will include two audio commentaries (the first with Writer/Director/Actor Zach Braff and Actor Natalie Portman; the second wiht Zach Braff along with Director of Photography Lawrence Sher, Editor Myron Kerstein and Production Designer Judy Becker), 16 del…
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Van Helsing
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 21st, 2004
Synopsis
Gabriel (?!) Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman), 19th-Century James Bond/Batman action guy forthe Vatican, is dispatched to Transylvania, where Dracula is up to no good. Dracula wants to usethe Frankenstein Monster’s life force to bring to life his thousands of vampire offspring, littlebat-gremlin thingies that so far only live for a few moments before expiring. Should Draculasucceed, the world will be overwhelmed with vampires. Jackman is aided by Kate Beckinsale (ina wildly anach…
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Ed Wood
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 19th, 2004
Synopsis
This is the story of Edward D. Wood, Jr., who gave the world such classics as Glen orGlenda? and Plan 9 From Outer Space. Tim Burton’s film follows Wood (JohnnyDepp) from his dismal theatre days through to the premiere of Plan 9, along the wayexploring his friendship with various misfits, including Bela Lugosi (an Oscar-winning turn byMartin Landau), not to mention Wood’s own cross-dressing proclivities.
Purists can complain about the factual in…
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Happy Birthday to Me
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 18th, 2004
Synopsis
Erstwhile Little House on the Prairie fixture Melissa Sue Anderson is recoveringfrom the death of her mother and her own brain injury. She seems to be doing okay, despite aloss of memory, for which she seeks the help of psychiatrist Glenn Ford. She is one of thepopular kids at her college. All is not well, however, as the friends start being killed one by one.Who has it in for the Top Ten?
Happy Birthday to Me has no more plot than the usual slasher, b…
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Wimbledon
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on October 18th, 2004
Universal will release the Paul Bettany / Kirsten Dunst romantic comedy Wimbledon on December 28th. This disc will be presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with English DTS, English Dolby Digital 5.1, and French Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks. Extras will include an audio commentary (with director Richard Loncraine & actor Paul Bettany), and four featurettes (“Wimbledon: A Look Inside”, “Welcome to the Club”, “Ball Control” & “Coach a Rising Star”).
Frankenfish
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 17th, 2004
Synopsis
A medical examiner and a biologist travel deep into the Bayou, investigating the death ofa local fisherman. They and the inhabitants of a group of houseboats are soon all-too-aware ofthe what killed the man: giant, genetically modified snakehead fish. The fish lays siege toour unfortunate characters.
Not much more plot to this tight little creature feature than that. It gets right to the point, andwastes precious little time on subplots. Most of the film consists of…
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Man on Fire
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 17th, 2004
Synopsis
This is a redemption movie – in this case, redemption for CIA assassin (“counter insurgent expert”) John Creasy – a burnt out alcoholic in search of forgiveness for the heinous acts perpetrated under the banner of his job (“Do you think God will ever forgive us for what we’ve done?”). Creasy’s path to redemption is laid out by his friend and compatriot Rayburn, who lands him a job as a bodyguard for a wealthy family in Mexico City. Apparently kidnapping the children or spouses of wealthy cor…
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