Underworld
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 11th, 2004
Legends of vampires and werewolves are almost as old as time itself. Long before Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney defined these creatures for Hollywood, the myths persisted. Cave drawings in South America depict stories of changelings and blood suckers that were told 5,000 years ago. Underworld offers a refreshing spin on both tales. What if the clans of Vampires and Werewolves were at war for over a thousand years? The dark, seedy “Underworld” is visually compelling. Let’s not even talk about Kate Beckinsale. The wonderfully photographed blend of Gothic and modern settings owes much to the European locations.
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Apollo 8 – Leaving the Cradle
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 10th, 2004
Apollo 8 – Leaving the Cradle continues the high standard that Spacecraft Films have set for themselves with their previous NASA-themed releases. While earlier titles examined the early role that rockets played in the ultimate goal of manned space flight, Apollo 8 sees that dream come to fruition.
This three-disc set is an amazing record of that famed mission, and literally all of the footage available in the NASA archives is included here, much of it coming complete with bonus audio. The foot…
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Lucia, Lucia
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 10th, 2004
Synopsis
Cecilia Roth’s husband disappears at the airport. Shortly thereafter, she receives messagesfrom his kidnappers, demanded payment of 20 million pesos. Roth is hugely surprised todiscover that there is that huge sum of money in her husband’s safety deposit box. As the mysterydeepens, she forms fast friendships with an elderly neighbour from downstairs (Carlos AlvarezNovoa) and the young man from upstairs (Kuno Becker).
For the first half-hour, the film shows every pro…
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Freddy Vs. Jason
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 10th, 2004
Synopsis
Freddy has been rendered powerless by being forgotten. In order to revive his memory, andthus his power, he impersonates Jason’s mother (work with me, here) and sends the hulkingkiller down Elm Street way, hoping that he will be blamed for Jason’s murders. His plan beginsto work, but Jason is so relentless in his slaughter that he starts nailing teens that Freddy hadreserved for himself, and thus the two monsters are set on a collision course.
Enormous fun, even tho…
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Fist of the Red Dragon
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 8th, 2004
Synopsis
Set during the Opium Wars in the 19th Century, Fist of the Red Dragon tells the tailof two masters of marital arts. One of them leads the battle against the opium trade. The other(played by lead Donnie Yen) is a brash, cocky young man who falls under the spell of the evilprince who rules the territory. Yen must undergo some painful experiences before he realizeswho his real enemy is.
When the fight scenes happen, they are reliably entertaining, with much by w…
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Devil’s Pond
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 8th, 2004
It seems to me that B-level actors sometimes agree to do a movie for the experience and practice as much as to further their career and get a paycheck. Other times, the opposite is true, and major stars purposely chose to do a small independent production following a major success, knowing that they could never top their last picture. Often times, it is obvious when an actor has their personal motives in mind when choosing to do a film. Kate Winslet’s decision to shoot Hideous Kinky following the hugely-succes…
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Overnight Delivery
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 8th, 2004
Synopsis
Paul Rudd is a college student carrying on a long-distance relationship with his blandlybeautiful and rather sickening girlfriend when he learns (he thinks) that she is cheating on him.With the help of Reese Witherspoon, a fellow student moonlighting as a stripper, he composes anexcoriating letter (plus accompanying materials) and sends this to her on overnight delivery. Nosooner has he done this than he finds out that the “other man” is, in fact, a Chihuahua. A cross-count…
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Lost and Delirious
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 6th, 2004
Sometimes, movies are just inexplicably bad, and as a DVD reviewer, I get to see a lot of them. These are films that are so horrible that I sometimes don’t know where to begin. It is often times hard to place blame in one are or another, when the whole production is flawed.
In the case of Lost and Delirious, however, the blame is easy to place. This film is not half bad… the premise is decent, the film looks and sounds better than expected, and the acting, while not fantastic, is respectable. The pro…
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Karaoke Revolution (Playstation 2)
Posted in Game Reviews by Archive Authors on January 5th, 2004
When the PS2 and Xbox were released both promised to be full home entertainment units. No questions that they both shined with the cutting edge graphics and sound as well as performing admirably as DVD players with both Dolby Digital and DTS decoders built in. This year both systems have tried to push another venue into home entertainment : Karaoke. Love it or hate it Karaoke looks like it’s here to stay. Earlier this year, X-Box had the X-Box Music Mixer which provided karaoke features – with mixed results. Could th…
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Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Samurai
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 4th, 2004
Synopsis
More Power Rangers adventures, this time focusing on Cam’s coming to Rangerhood. Thisis the usual mix of rather pointed after-school lessons, teen foibles, skateboarding, motorcrossracing, and cheesy special effects. Energetic, but no Buffy, that’s for sure.
Audio
The 2.0 sound is about average for TV product. The pop metal soundtrack dominates thesurround aspect, but itself could use some boosting in both power and base. As things stand, the…
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New Guy, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 4th, 2004
Seriously… was a director’s cut of this film really needed? Extended versions of The Lord of the Rings films are welcome, but come on now, The New Guy? This disc includes a mere 4 extra minutes of footage, all of which adds to the back-story; so for those of you hoping of a little bit of added ranch… sorry. You have probably read it before, but here is the premise…
- ”Terminally nerdy Dizzy Harrison (Qualls) is routinely laughed at, ridiculed and picked on. His senior year is nothing but an exercise in pain…
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Born to Be Bad
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 3rd, 2004
Synopsis
Loretta Young plays, from all available evidence, a high-class call girl. When her son isknocked down by a truck driven by milk industry tycoon Cary Grant (hardly the “dairy farmer”the blurb says he is), Young tries to extort a huge settlement from the company. The schemebackfires, and she loses custody of her son to Grant and his wife. But Young hasn’t given upyet…
A wildly improbable melodrama, which contorts itself with all kinds of dubious pretzel logic…
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Last Hand, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 3rd, 2004
Synopsis
Benny Walsh (Frank Gorshin) wins big at a poker game, but then is murdered as he driveshome with his winnings. His son Clyde (Robert Dubac) comes into town looking for answers.Before long he is at odds with the sinister casino owner Frank (Stanley DeSantis). Clyde is moreand more convinced that Frank is responsible for Benny’s death. His struggle for justice iscomplicated by the presence of other parties fighting over the casino and a big bag ofcocaine.
Not…
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Space Ghost: Coast to Coast – Volume One
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 3rd, 2004
Easily the one of the weirdest (if not the weirdest) concepts to ever grace the small screen, Space Ghost Coast to Coast is a bizarre talk show hosted by a minor 60’s cartoon hero Space Ghost. Repeated animation clips are used to have Space Ghost “interview” such luminaries of the mid 90’s (the show ran on Cartoon Network from 1993-1996) such as Slash, Hulk Hogan, Bobcat Golthwait, Michael Stipe from REM (promoting Monster), and The Jerky Boys.
The basic premise has Space Ghost asking inane questions to hi…
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Project Gotham Racing 2 (Xbox)
Posted in Game Reviews by Archive Authors on January 3rd, 2004
X-Box’s first venture into the racing genre gave us Project Gotham. A great looking title with its own unique charms but also had a fair number of shortcomings. Would the sequel address these shortcomings and live up to the hype? In a word: YES.
Graphics
The graphics are outstanding. The attention to detail is noticeable – it’s neat to watch the driver in the cars accurately turn the wheel and shift gears. It has been done before in other games but it is always a welcome inclusion. There is…
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Adam Had Four Sons
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 2nd, 2004
Synopsis
In 1907, Ingrid Bergman arrives at the household of Warren Baxter and Fay Wray to lookafter their four sons. The happiness of the household is disrupted by the death of Wray and astock market crash. Baxter, fallen on hard times, has to let Bergman go, but when his fortunesimprove during WWI, he sends for her once again, even though his sons are now grown up. Oneof them has married Susan Hayward (the Slut to Bergman’s Saint), who proceeds to poison theatmosphere of th…
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Northfork
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 1st, 2004
Synopsis
In 1955, the town of Northfork is about to be flooded as a hydroelectric dam is completed.Three two-man Evacuation Teams move through the remnants of the town, getting the lastholdouts to move. If they evacuate 65 households, they will be granted 1.5 acres of propertyalong the new lakefront. Among the last of the inhabitants of Northfork is Irwin, a dying orphanabandoned by his adoptive parents and cared for by the local minister (Nick Nolte). But Irwinmight also be …
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Alex & Emma
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 31st, 2003
There have always been directors that have stood out in the public consciousness. Scorsese. Spielberg. Hitchcock. Lynch. These are all directors that have a specific vision. With very few exceptions, if you came across one of their films on television on an average Saturday afternoon, it wouldn’t take too long to figure out who the director was. They each have a very unique cinematic style, usually based in dramatic films.
Oddly enough, Rob Reiner also fits into this category. His light comedies all have a …
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Man on the Train
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 31st, 2003
Synopsis
Johnny Hallyday (that most peculiar of oxymorons, the French rock star) plays an aging bankrobber who arrives in a small town to case the bank. He winds up staying with cinema icon JeanRochefort, here playing a retired schoolteacher. One man is taciturn and blunt. The other is chattyand insecure. Each begins to envy the other man his lifestyle. Hallyday plays at being tutorfor a day, while Rochefort tries on Hallyday’s leather jacket and pretends to be tough. This is…
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Photographer, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 31st, 2003
Synopsis
Max (Reg Rogers) is a photographer. After a stunning debut, he finds himself, a year later,suffering the photographer’s equivalent of writer’s block. He’s lost his inspiration, and can nolonger take pictures. He must provide ten for the next day, however, or his career tankspermanently. Hitting a bar, he encounters a strange man who leaves behind a package of fabulouspictures. They could be Max’s salvation. Max is unsure whether or not to claim them as his own,but wh…
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People Will Talk
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 30th, 2003
Synopsis
Cary Grant plays Noah Praetorius, a doctor so deeply humane he puts us all to shame. Hugelypopular at the University where he teaches, he inspires the jealousy of the petty Hume Cronyn,who launches an investigation into his past, hoping to bring Grant down. At the same time, Grantfalls in love with a pregnant, unmarried woman. Her condition is a big deal in 1951 — hersituation is such that early in the film she tries to kill herself.
Attempted suicide, McCar…
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I Was a Male War Bride
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 30th, 2003
Synopsis
The story begins in occupied Germany, immediately after the end of WWII. American WACAnn Sheridan and French officer Cary Grant are sent on a mission together. They have workedtogether before, and are extremely prickly with each other. Naturally, we know this meansthey are going to fall in love. But Grant, who has already suffered one humiliation after anotherduring the mission, has more to face, this time in the form or US Armed Forces bureaucracy: ifhe wants to tra…
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NHL Rivals 2004 (Xbox)
Posted in Game Reviews by Archive Authors on December 30th, 2003
NHL Rivals is Microsoft’s first effort into the hockey market, and you can easily tell this once you start to play this game. NHL Rivals had to battle with three other hockey titles (Ea Sport’s NHL 2004, ESPN’s NHL 2k4, and NHL hitz pro) and Rivals was also the last of the games to be released. Hockey fans are very pick about there hockey games, with most fans either going with EA’s effort and ESPN’s game. Microsoft would have to do something real different to win over the hockey gamer. Unfortunately they faile…
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Kiss Them For Me
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 29th, 2003
Synopsis
Andy Crewson (Cary Grant) seems to live for nothing by parties and women. He’s certainlyhad his fill of the horrors of war. Finagling a four-day pass, he and his friends hit San Francisco.There the officer who is charged with keeping track of these hellraisers (Werner Klemperer, laterto be Colonel Klink in Hogan’s Heroes and cutting a odd figure as an American officerwith a noticeable German accent) tries to get the trio to be anti-absenteeism spokesmen for ai…
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Postman Always Rings Twice, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 28th, 2003
Synopsis
Drifter John Garfield arrives at a filling station which advertises “Man Wanted” (a sign to beinterpreted in more than one sense). The proprietor is the jovial but cheap and aging CecilKellaway, and his wife is bombshell Lana Turner. Garfield and Turner fall in love, and beforelong, they’re plotting the murder of Kellaway.
To say more would be unfair — this is a film that is best experienced cold, so you can be hitby the twists and turns of the plot. I will …
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