Big Girls Don’t Cry
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Kati and Steffi are best friends, and each relies on the other to get through the trials andtribulations of high school. Challenges arise, such as when they discover [x]’s father is cheatingon her mother. They plot an elaborate revenge. Boy trouble also figures prominently, of course,as these two girls painfully reach toward adulthood.
Audio
The sound is first-class. The music has good, pumping energy in its mix. The dialogue isclear and distortion-…
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Lovely and Amazing
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 20th, 2003
Synopsis
Catherine Keener and Emily Mortimer are the neurotic daughters inevitably produced bytheir neurotic mother Brenda Blethyn. Keener is trying (unsuccessfully) to sell her art (tiny chairsmade of twigs). Mortimer is a desperately insecure actor. Blethyn is about to undergo liposuction,which isn’t going to help with the body image of her young, African-American adopted daughter.All the men these women are involved with are jerks, but Keener’s life takes an unexpected turnwhen, …
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Fargo
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…
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Roger & Me
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…
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Deadly Invasion
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
Mighty Wind, A
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…
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MTV Cribs: Rock
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.
Waxwork / Waxwork II: Lost in Time
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…
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Cat’s Meow, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 16th, 2003
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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…
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Prom Night III: The Last Kiss / Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil
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…
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Bride of Re-Animator
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…
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Alias – The Complete First Season
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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Outer Limits: Complete Second Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 14th, 2003
Maybe there wasn’t anything wrong with your television set, but what were the network executives thinking? It’s hard to believe that a show as influential and as well known as The Outer Limits never made it to the end of its second season. The original Outer Limits was cancelled just 17 episodes into season 2. Like Star Trek after it, this short-lived show found its footing in later syndication and revival projects. It is fortunate indeed that today’s general rule of 100 episodes to qualify for syndication did not exist in the 1960’s.
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Sleeping Beauty
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 14th, 2003
In the tradition of DVD releases of other classic Disney films, Sleeping Beauty as been given an all-star DVD treatment. Everyone has grown up watching Disney animated classic films, and everyone knows the story. No matter how many time you see these films, they never go out of style… and so is the case with Sleeping Beauty.
- ”Walt Disney’s SLEEPING BEAUTY is a magical and timeless story combining some of Disney’s most enchanting characters with one of the screen’s most infamous villains, Maleficent. Th…
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In a Glass Cage
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 13th, 2003
Synopsis
Klaus (Gunter Meisner) experimented on children during WWII, and he continues his terriblesexual crimes in Spain for years after the war. Consumed by self-loathing, he throws himself offthe roof of a tower. His suicide attempt fails, but he is confined to an iron lung. A mysteriousyoung man named Angelo (David Sust) arrives at his home, and insinuates himself into thehousehold as Klaus’ nurse. Klaus’ wife Griselda (Marisa Paredes) is distrustful, but his youngdaughter Rena …
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Night Scream
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 12th, 2003
Synopsis
One year after the death the murder of a young woman named Laura, her spitting imagedrives into town. Drew (Candace Cameron Bure) doesn’t know why she has come to this town,or how she got there, or why she has spells where she thinks she is Laura, much to theconsternation of the bereaved parents. Laura’s boyfriend Ted (Casper Van Dien) was blamed forthe murder, and is believed dead himself, but things are not what they seem, and Laura’s spiritwants her murder avenged. Deepl…
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Spring, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 12th, 2003
Synopsis
Single father Kyle MacLachlan is on a camping trip with his son. They wind up in the a nicelittle town, and an accident forces them to stay there longer than planned. The townspeople seemto be inordinately interested in who MacLachlan is, and they also have something to hide. Thefountain of youth, you see, is located here, and the locals will stop at nothing to protect theirsecret. Though very much a made-for-TV movie, and no classic of the field, it is somewhat betterthan …
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Silent Predators
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2003
Synopsis
Twenty years ago, a deadly tropical rattlesnake gets loose near the town of San Catalano. Itinterbreeds with the local rattlesnake population. In the present, the hybrids are disturbed by theblasting going on a construction site, and make their way into the town. All the stock charatersfor a nature-on-the-loose film are present and accounted for: the fire chief no one will listen to,the heartless developer whose fault this is, the mayor more concerned with money than withli…
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Invitation to Hell
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2003
Synopsis
Robert Urich has just been hired by a high-tech firm to work on a spacesuit for a mannedflight to Venus. Flight to Venus? you ask. Yes. And the suit comes complete with built-in laserblaster and flame thrower. Why? For the simple reason that all this will be necessary for Urichto save his family from the clutches of Susan Lucci, the demon who runs the local country club.I swear I am not making any of this up. Lunatic plot aside, this is very pedestrian 80s made-for-TV horro…
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Hatred of a Minute
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2003
Synopsis
Writer/director Michael Kallio stars as Eric Seaver, autopsy report transcriber and serialkiller. In the present, he drives through the night, a terrified woman trussed up in the back of hiscar. As he talks to her, we see his life unfold in flashback. He was twisted by the relentless abusedished out by his stepfather (erstwhile Leatherface Gunnar Hansen), and the rage he held withinfinally explodes at his mother’s funeral. So begins his spiral into madness. Made on a shoestri…
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Nicholas Nickleby
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 10th, 2003
Synopsis
At the at of 19, Nicholas Nickleby loses his father. He, his sister Kate and their mother go toLondon to seek the help of a rich uncle, played with villainous gusto by Christopher Plummer.Plummer packs Nicholas off to be teacher at a hellish Yorkshire boarding school, while keepingthe women in London under his thumb. At the school, Nicholas befriends the crippled Smike,and soon begins to stand up against the tyrants. So begin his adventures, during the course ofwhich he gat…
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Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Looming Thunder
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 10th, 2003
Synopsis
Trouble looms for the Power Rangers when Dustin starts hanging out with some mysteriousnew friends. Are they up to no good? The answers to this and other questions will naturallyinvolve a great many martial arts sequences and cheesy special effects. If you’re not alreadyfamiliar with the Power Rangers storylines and characters, this will be pretty hard to follow.
Audio
A decent but unimpressive. 2.0. The bass could be heavier, given all the hard rock …
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Carrot Top Rocks Las Vegas
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 10th, 2003
Synopsis
Also apprently titled “Casino Dreams,” this is concert footage of Carrot Top in Las Vegas,interspersed with fantasy sequences. You either like this guy or you don’t. Personally, I find himdull. And if you are a fan, be warned that the feature is only 50 minutes long.
Audio
Mono sound, and very boring, sucking all the life out of the pounding music. Carrot Top’sdelivery is clear enough, but the feel is of a rather cheap recording.
Video
The picture (fullscreen) looks just as cheap. The concert footage looks like it was done onsomeone’s camcorder, and has very harsh colours. The dream sequences have a lot of grain, andthe orange is pushed much too far.
Special Features
The only extra is a behind-the-scenes feature, 23 minutes long, that is more of the same kindof stuff as the movie itself (all kinds of flashy editing and goofing around). The menu is fullyanimated and scored.
Closing Thoughts
Everything about this package, with the exception of Carrot Top’s stage setting, screamscheap.
Special Features List
- Behind-the-Scenes Feature
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation – The Complete Second Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 9th, 2003
Make no mistake about it. CSI is not your father’s Quincy. The idea of forensic science on drama is not really a unique one. CSI makes its mark with an incredible style not seen before on TV or even in films. The cases are always engaging and the characters and writing remain strong. This second season set is far superior to the initial outing. Paramount finally got the message and released this set in widescreen and with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. The packaging, however, is the same awkward and flimsy design offered in year one.
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Solas
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 9th, 2003
Synopsis
Maria is at war with the world, and one can hardly blame her, given her life. Her mother,Rosa, arrives in the city, accompanying her abusive husband, who is undergoing surgery. Mariaunenthusiastically puts Rosa up at her dingy apartment. Maria’s life continues to get worse,thanks to a relationship with a cruel truck driver, but her mother’s quiet dignity and absolutegoodness gradually begins to win her over. Then there is the Maria’s older neighbour, who isthe first kind ma…
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