I Vitelloni
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 18th, 2004
The folks at Criterion continue their quest to make every one of Fellini’s heirs millionaires with their release of I Vitelloni, the famed director’s second solo effort. This semi-autobiographical tale follows the lives of a group of young men who are on the verge of growing up and making something of their lives, but haven’t quite gotten there yet. Part American Pie, part About a Boy, and all Fellini, this film is an important addition to any foreign film collection.
The film garnered …
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The Chronicles of Riddick
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on August 18th, 2004
Universal Home Video will release The Chronicles of Riddick (starring Vin Diesel) in separate Rated and Unrated Director’s Cut (10 minutes longer) versions on November 16th. Each disc will be presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfers along with English, French, & Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks. Extras will include “Riddick Insider Facts on Demand” during the film, a 360 degree location feature entitled “Riddick’s Worlds”, a complete level from the new “Riddick Escape from Butcher Bay” X-Box game, an in…
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Laws of Attraction
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 17th, 2004
Synopsis
Julianne Moore and Pierce Brosnan are two formidable divorce attorneys. Neither has losta case prior to meeting each other. Thereafter, they wind up taking turns going down to defeat. Adrinking contest leads to a night together, one that Moore would rather forget, but we know thesetwo are going to wind up together even as they spar in court. When another drunk binge leads tothe two getting married, they must pretend to love each other, even if they don’t. Or do they?
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Dogville
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 16th, 2004
Synopsis
The time is the Great Depression, and the setting is the isolated mountain village of Dogville.One night, a beautiful stranger named Grace (Nicole Kidman) arrives, pursued by gangsters.Would-be writer and pretentious pseudo-philosopher Tom (Paul Bettany) hides Grace, and thenpersuades the town to give her refuge. In order to win the townspeople over, Grace sets out tohelp each household for an hour each day. After some initial reluctance, the townspeopleembrace her and her …
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Jeff Foxworthy Show – The Complete First Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 16th, 2004
Jeff Foxworthy has experienced something of a renaissance as of late. In the early 90’s, this loveable redneck burst on to the comedy scene with his southern style of humor, driven by the ever-popular series of “…you might be a redneck” jokes. Living in the south myself, I was both entertained and angered by his routine. On the one hand, it kind-of made me angry that he was making Southerners sound so stupid. On the other hand, it was funny because it was true. Such is the dilemma of living in the South.
An…
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Sliders – The Complete First & Second Seasons
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 15th, 2004
While Sliders may not rank in the upper echelon of sci-fi/fantasy series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel or its predecessor Quantum Leap, it is a very watchable show with endearing characters and witty writing at times. Quinn (Jerry O’Connell), a brainy San Francisco physics student, has perfected a device – in his mom’s basement, no less – that opens up a temporary wormhole between alternate Earths. By leaping into the wormhole, one can “slide” between worlds; but of course there’s …
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Hidalgo
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 14th, 2004
Synopsis
Depressed by the US government’s genocide of Native Americans, Frank T. Hopkins (ViggoMortensen) is drinking himself into oblivion while working for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.His horse, a Mustang named Hidalgo, has been called the world’s best endurance racer, whichdraws the ire of an Arabian shiek, who feels his horse owns that title. Honour challenged,Hopkins travels to the Arabian Desert to take part in a gruelling 3,000-mile race.
Having gone out of its way …
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Taking Lives
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 14th, 2004
Synopsis
A serial killer has been operating in eastern Canada for some 20 years, killing young men anddestroying their identities, then living their lives for a while. Montreal police unaccountably sendfor FBI profiler Angelina Jolie (what, the RCMP doesn’t have any such specialists?).Preternaturally smart and perceptive, as all movie profilers are, Jolie feels her judgment cloud asshe begins to fall for Ethan Hawke, a witness to one of the murders, and a potential targethimself.
The prologue, where Paul Dano takes his shy geek persona (also on display in The GirlNext Door) in a chilling direction, is intriguing. But then the credits appear, shamelesslyripping off Se7en, and everything is downhill from there. For once, Montreal gets to beitself, so naturally half the time it is played by Quebec City. All the Montreal cops are played byimports from France (Olivier Martinez, Tcheky Karyo, Jean-Hugues Anglade), as if there wereno good actors in Quebec. As for the mystery, it isn’t much of one, and the plot, lacking realsuspense, plays out in very meandering and predictable fashion. Though not incompetent, thefilm suffers from a pervading, crippling sense of déjà-vu.
Audio
The music is given excellent surround treatment, and there are numerous fine uses ofsurround effects (wind at night at a crime scene, pounding music and crowd noises in anightclub). The dialogue is always clear, never distorts, and is never drowned out by the ambientnoise.
Video
The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image is very sharp, and has no grain or edgeenhancement. The colours are very good, and the palette is most interesting, including slightlyharsh contrasts in the prologue. Blacks and flesh tones are excellent too. The transfer looks great,then, even if the actual look of most of the film is strongly derivative of Se7en.
Special Features
The “Taking Lives Crime Lab” is a documentary split into four featurettes. The combinedrunning time is only 21 minutes, so that should tell you just how in-depth this largelypromotional exercise gets. Otherwise, all you have is a gag reel and the theatrical trailer, so thefeatures are pretty unimpressive. The menu’s main screen and intro are animated and scored.
Closing Thoughts
Been there, done that, over and over and over again, even if the location is a bit different thistime.
Special Features List
- “Taking Lives Crime Lab” 4-Part Documentary
- Gag Reel
- Theatrical Trailer
Looney Tunes: Golden Collection (Volume Two)
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on August 14th, 2004
Warner will release the second volume of the Looney Tunes: Golden Collection on November 2nd. This four-disc set will include around sixty shorts presented in 1:33:1 full frame along with English Dolby Digital Mono audio tracks. Extras will include audio commentaries (on over thirty of the cartoons), nine Behind-the-Tunes featurettes, two documentaries, a 50th-Anniversary Bugs Bunny Tribute Show, the “Adventures of the Road Runner” 1962 TV Pilot, a “From The Vaults Bonus Cartoon Rareties” feature, a New 2004 Short (enti…
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Judgment at Nuremberg
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 13th, 2004
Synopsis
Spencer Tracy arrives in Nuremberg to sit as chief justice at a war crimes tribunal. In thedock are three judges and a prosecutor, accused of crimes against humanity. Chief among theaccused judges is Burt Lancaster, whose record prior to the Nazi era was exemplary. Theprosecutor is Richard Widmark, driven to fight for justice no matter what the wider geo-politicalcontext might be. Defending the accused is Maximilian Schell (who won an Oscar), stopping atnothing to protect h…
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Sweet Potato Pie
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2004
Synopsis
Three friends head out planning to lose their virginity. Misadventures ensue. You really don’tneed to know anymore about the plot than that, because you really, really, really don’t want towatch this amateurish, shot-on-video attempt to be an “urban” American Pie. Theassumptions behind the film seem to be that the target audience is completely stupid andundiscriminating, and will laugh uproariously at jokes lifted completely from other movies.Dreck of the lowest orde…
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Moto X Kids
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2004
Synopsis
Lorenzo Lamas is the coach of a group of motocross-racing kids. When an evil biker gangthreatens to take over the good guys’ track, a race is proposed, winner take all. The bikers don’tplay fair, however, and our heroes lose both their top rider and their bikes. Fortunately, as far asthe rider is concerned, a chimpanzee is able to fill in.
Groan. This is “family viewing” in the form of the worst kind of pabulum. But then, wat doyou expect from a film that tosses a m…
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Highlander 2
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2004
Synopsis
In 2024, the Earth’s ozone layer has been depleted (or so most assume), and life is protectedby an electromagnetic shield designed by Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert). Eco-crusaderVirginia Madsen, however, believes that the ozone layer has restored itself, and the corporationthat runs the shield is maintaining it for its own purposes. Meanwhile, back in the past, villainMichael Ironside sends assassins to the future to kill Lambert, who is an aging man as the filmbegins…
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Air America
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 12th, 2004
There was a time, even as late as the 90’s, when making an anti-American film was still taboo in Hollywood. Of course today, movies like Fahrenheit 9/11 are big money makers, but for many years, such films were discouraged. Air America is one of the rare exceptions to this rule. This may be due to the fact that it was disguised as a comedy about the Vietnam conflict, but no matter how you look at it, the film is quite critical of the US government, and it makes some pretty scathing accusations about our…
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Girl Next Door, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 12th, 2004
Synopsis
On the cusp of graduation, honour student Emile Hirsch’s quiet, orderly life is thrown intochaos when he falls in love with girl next door Elisha Cuthbert, who turns out to be a porn star.Hirsch’s reaction to this revelation drives a wedge between the couple, and pushes Cuthbert backinto the industry. Hirsch’s attempts to redeem himself lead him into deeper and deepertrouble.
This is not another would-be American Pie (though apparently the script started out…
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Judas
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 11th, 2004
Synopsis
It’s the story of Jesus one more time (stop me if you’ve already heard it), in this instance seenthrough the eyes of Judas (Johnathon Schaech). Enraged by the oppression of his people, Judasis a would-be revolutionary who believes he sees in Jesus the leader he has been hoping for, onewho will lead the Jews in a revolt against the Romans. He is increasingly disillusioned by Jesus’lack of commitment to armed resistance, and the bitter disappointment he feels ultimately leads…
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Laverne & Shirley – The Complete First Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 11th, 2004
Synopsis
Set in the same 1950s never-land as Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley starsPenny Marshall and Cindy Williams as its eponymous heroines, two bottle-cappers at the ShotzBrewery in Milwaukee. Laverne is the cynical, semi-bad girl, while Shirley is the wide-eyedPollyanna and conscience of the pair. Both hope for more in life, and inevitably wind up inawkward situations.
The first few episodes assured ratings success by working Henry Winkler’s Fonzie into the…
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Past Midnight
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 10th, 2004
Synopsis
Released on parole after serving 15 years for the murder of his wife, Rutger Hauer becomesthe new case for social worker Natasha Richardson. This being one of those thrillers we’ve seena million times before, Richardson naturally suspects that Hauer is innocent after all, andpromptly falls in love with him. She begins investigating the case, and someone doesn’t takekindly to the fact that she is digging up the past.
Any viewer who actually falls for the did-he-or-di…
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Good Times – The Complete Third Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 10th, 2004
Synopsis
All in the Family begat Maude, which begat Good Times, giving thisseries the dubious distiinction of being a spin-off of a spin-off. Unusual then and now for beingset in a housing project in a crime-ridden area of Chicago, the series continues, in its thirdseason, to tackle such subjects as gun control, unemployment, the recession, and so on. Thismakes the show more ambitious than the empty-headed sitcoms that were unaccountablysuccessful (Full House…
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Dead Ringer
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 10th, 2004
Synopsis
Bette Davis plays twin sisters. Edith is the poor sister, barely keeping her life together as herlittle bar goes under. Meanwhile, Margaret lives high on the hog, having become wealthy as thewife of the man she stole from Evie. Shortly after said husband’s funeral, Edith realizes that everyclaim Margaret had on him was a lie. Finally overcome by both misery and the need for revenge,she murders Margaret and takes her place. But Karl Malden, the cop who loves Edith, won’t let…
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Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 10th, 2004
Synopsis
Based on the life of co-producer/choreographer JoAnn Jansen, this is the tale of RomolaGarai (no more American than her co-star is Cuban, but what the hell), who is uprooted fromthe States when her father is transferred to Havana. Our heroine is very repressed and bookish,but before you know it, she is being taught all sorts of hot moves by waiter Diego Luna.
Situating the love story and the dancing against the backdrop of the looming revolution isadds a bit interes…
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Predator
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 9th, 2004
When I was a kid in the 80’s, Predator was one of those films that you weren’t supposed to watch, but everybody did anyway. Over-the-top action, invincible heroes, cheesy one-liners and big, big explosions made this a film that was a favorite of pre-pubescent boys everywhere. Going into this disc, I found myself wondering if the film would stand up to the harsh tests of time and maturity.
The answer to that question is both “yes”, and “no”. In the “no” column, it is very apparent early on in the film…
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Hellboy (Director’s Cut)
Posted in News and Opinions by Archive Authors on August 9th, 2004
Columbia Tristar will release the director’s cut of Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy on October 19th. This 3-disc set, running 20 minutes longer then the original cut, will include all of the extras found in the original two-disc set (with the exception of a newly recorded audio commentary). Disc 3 will feature over 3 hours of new extras including a Comic Con 2002 Panel Discussion (with Guillermo del Toro, Ron Perlman and Mike Mignola), a Mike Mignola Artwork Gallery (with Commentary) and many more extras (TBA). Also availa…
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Bad Seed, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 3rd, 2004
Synopsis
Christine (Nancy Kelly) has a wonderful husband (William Hopper) and a perfect little girlin Rhoda (Patty McCormack). But when hubby is sent off to Washington for several weeks andChristine must hold the fort, her lovely little life cracks apart. During a school picnic, one ofRhoda’s classmates drowns. He had been the recipient of Rhoda’s anger, since he won apenmanship award she felt was rightfully hers. It doesn’t take long before Christine realizes thatthe death was not …
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Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Volume 3, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 2nd, 2004
Synopsis
By 1948, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello’s film career was in the doldrums. It was revived inthis year by an inspired melding of genres: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Moreon the importance of this film a bit later on. For now, its premise sees Bud and Lou asdeliverymen who unknowingly help bring Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and the Frankenstein Monster(Glenn Strange) into the States. Hot on the heels of the monsters, determined to destroy Dracula,is Larry Talbot (Lon C…
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