Iron Maiden: Rock in Rio
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 11th, 2002
Synopsis
I’ll confess, I saw Maiden myself, lo these many years ago on their Powerslave tour, so I was sort of partial to this disc. The big favourites (“Number of the Beast” and “Run to the Hills” among them) are present and correct. As with all concert films, there are only so many ways of filming largely motionless people and making them look interesting, but the main point is the sound, when you get down to it.
Audio
The sound is BIG. A hugely powerful mix. I was suspic…
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Big Fat Liar
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 10th, 2002
Synopsis
Frankie Muniz is the liar of the title, and so is already in plenty of trouble. Then he meets someone even worse than the truth than he is: Paul Giamatti, playing a completely sleazy Hollywood producer, who steals Muniz’ creative writing paper and makes a movie from it. Muniz and best friend Amanda Bynes head off for Hollywood to exact revenge — some of which, I must confess, is pretty damn funny.
Audio
The music sounds terrific, as does the dialogue (no distortio…
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Mummy: Quest for the Lost Scrolls, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 10th, 2002
Synopsis
Young Alex O’Connel accidentally brings the Mummy back to life, and has the manacle of Osiris stuck to his wrist. With the help of his parents, and wielding the power of the manacle, he must find the lost scrolls (scattered hither and yon around the world) in order to defeat the Mummy. The animation is strictly Saturday-morning level, and calling these three episodes a feature at 65 minutes is stretching it a bit.
Audio
The sound is nice and clear, with no distorti…
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Business of Strangers, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 7th, 2002
Synopsis
Stockard Channing is top-flight executive, and has been in the game long enough to become a hardened, battle-scarred veteran. When Julia Stiles arrives late, screwing up a presentation, Channing initially comes down on her like a ton of bricks. Later she apologizes, and the two, becoming friends, plot revenge on a mutual acquaintance who has apparently done them both wrong. But there are plenty of twists ahead (some easier to swallow than others).
Audio
This isn’t …
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Vampire’s Kiss
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 7th, 2002
Nicholas Cage did this film in 1989, long before most of the more famous films he places high atop his resume. He admits this is a film he would not be able to do today but is damn glad he did. Director Robert Bierman was also pretty much a novice when he created this quirky dark comedy.
To be honest I never saw the film when it was originally released and approached the DVD with a lot of skepticism. Most of the performances are way over the top and the cinematography is simple, often resorting to what Hollywood calls “stolen shots” (filming done without any set-up in a public area using real people.)
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Monsoon Wedding
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 4th, 2002
Synopsis
The film is basically about the four manic days of a Punjabi wedding. We have a plethora of characters, all involved in different kinds of relationships. At the centre we have the reluctant bride (still carrying on an affair with a married man). Sharp, clever, warm, this one’s a keeper.
Audio
What happened to the sound? For a good chunk of the film, the audio experience is deeply uninspiring: the sound effects have barely any rear speaker presence (lots of missed o…
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Con Express
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 3rd, 2002
Con Express is, at its heart, a low budget Die Hard / Speed hybrid. Terry Cunningham shows off his love for the high impact thrillers, but unfortunately not always his respect. There are times when you don’t notice the millions missing in the budget. The story, while it is a bit contrived, carries well throughout the entire film. My only complaint is that Cunningham saw fit to interrupt the film each time it started to flow with a senseless wraparound story of the hero being interviewed to take over the Customs office in Alaska. In an action film pacing is everything and the element most missing from Con Express.
Return to Never Land
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 3rd, 2002
Synopsis
It is World War II, and Wendy’s daughter Jane, living in a constantly bombed London, has given up on childhood dreams. Her disillusion ends when she is kidnapped by Captain Hook and brought to Never Land. The animation is in no way up to Disney’s current theatrical standard, but is leaps and bounds beyond other direct-to-video fare. The problem is, this WAS released theatrically. Anyway, the London sequences are nicely atmospheric, but things go rather flat and ordinary once we reach Never L…
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In The Bedroom
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 2nd, 2002
In the Bedroom carries with it some very powerful acting performances. The story is good, but not as great as it was hyped up to be around the Academy Awards. If you like a very powerful drama, you will enjoy this film.
“Frank Folwer is a young man home from college. He develops a special relationship with an older woman and their love blossoms in their small New England town. Natalie is the older woman (Tomei) and has two children from her marriage to an abusive husband. When this abusive ex…
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Stargate SG-1 – The Complete Second Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 31st, 2002
Synopsis
If you’ve seen the movie, you know the premise: Earth’s military has found an alien artifact that permits instantaneous travel over vast light years. At the other end of one of the portals, however, is the Goa’uld, a hostile alien race. The special effects are impressive by TV standards, and the characterizations are pretty standard fare.
Audio
The sound is pretty solid stuff, again for TV material. The mix is in 5.1, and while I wasn’t struck by a whole heck of a …
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Jackie Brown
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 31st, 2002
Pam Grier, in a superb performance that sadly did not revitalize her career to the same degree as happened with co-star Robert Forster (and with John Travolta in Pulp Fiction), plays a flight attendant who is being used as a pawn by both bad guy Samuel L. Jackson and FBI guy Michael Keaton. Grier, with the help of bail bondsman Forster, sets up an elaborate counterattack. While Jackie Brown lacks the propulsive intensity of Reservoir Dogs, and Tarantino’s reliance on 70s-dominated soundtracks is getting annoying, the…
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Hell’s Gate
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 29th, 2002
Recipe for Hell’s Gate:
- Start with a cupful of “Jack The Ripper films”
- Add a pinch of Hannibal Lechter
- A sprinkle of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
- Layer in a mixture of Hand That Rocks The Cradle or Tie That Binds
- Mix in a paste of B-Film standard acting and production
- Cover with a thick Argento and Bava sauce
- Bake for 92 minutes
- Serve hot
Synopsis
A young girl (Kensit) is literally shocked into remembering that she was once the mole of Jack The Ripper.
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Pulp Fiction
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on August 28th, 2002
Film
Bruce Willis, Samual L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth… and the list goes on. Never has one singular film launched the careers of so many actors as Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. This film brought John Travolta back from actor’s purgatory, and gave almost every other actor a jump-start to their careers. This film is genius – from the plot, the style, and the acting. Tarantino is very unique, and he out-did himself with this film.
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“A spectacular mix of explosive action and wickedly funny humor — critics and audiences worldwide hailed PULP FICTION as the star-studded movie event of 1994. Writer/director Quentin Tarantino (Academy Award®-winner — Best Original Screenplay) delivers an unforgettable cast of characters — including a pair of low-rent hit men (John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson), their boss’ sexy wife (Uma Thurman), and a desperate, last-chance prizefighter (Bruce Willis) — in a wildly entertaining big-screen adventure.” – Miramax
Audio
Both the Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS audio tracks come across a little thin on this DVD release. The most noticeable flaw is the lack of range on the high and low bandwidths. The sound is not overly powerful, but the dialog is crisp, and the soundstage is used nicely in regards to the score and sound effects.
Video
Finally, Pulp Fiction is presented in a 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen transfer. With sharp colors, natural skin tones, and deep darks, this disc looks pretty good. Unfortunately, the transfer is marred with excessive halo effects and edge enhancements, and these flaws do somewhat deter from the viewing experience.
Special Features
For anyone who can appreciate this film, you will be very satisfied with the depth of the features included in this set:
- Pulp Fiction: The Facts: This 30 minute documentary is very good. It focuses on how Pulp Fiction came to be, and we get a number of behind-the-scenes clips.
- Behind-The-Scenes Montages: Two sequences are featured in this behind-the-camera look at Tarantino’s work – Jack Rabbit Slim’s (4:44) and Butch Hits Marsellus (6:02).Both are very interesting, and a solid viewing experience.
- Production Design Featurette: If you like set-design information, you may enjoy this 6 minute featurette that features a number of interviews.
- The Charlie Rose Show: This 55 minute show features Tarantino in a one-on-one interview with Charlie Rose. If you want to get somewhat into Tarantino’s head, you will want to watch this show.
- Deleted Scenes: 5 scenes, spanning 25 minutes, are included in the deleted scenes section. We get a good idea why each scene was cut, and see some deleted content (Elvis or Beatles) that still gets mentioned in the final cut of the film.
- Lastly, this disc included the DVD basics such as Trailer, TV Spots, interviews, 8 stills galleries, Awards filler, and some random goodies.
Final Thoughts
Although the audio and video were a little sub-per, everyone should own this DVD! The film is absolutely amazing, and the special features included are very complete. Do not hesitate to buy this disc ASAP!
Special Features List
- Pulp Fiction: The Facts Original Documentary
- Deleted scenes
- Eight Still Gallery
- Behind-The-Scenes Montages
- Production Design Featurette
- Charlie Rose Show – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
- Trailers
- Interviews
- MORE…
Scream 3
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 27th, 2002
If you are a fan of the teen slasher movies, popular since John Carpenter’s Halloween began, then the Scream series is a virtual hoot. The first film made fun of the so-called “rules” of the horror film. The second film, of course, covered the obligatory sequel. Scream 3 delves into the horror trilogy. The same cast of characters, led by real-life spouses Courtney Cox and David Arquette, appears in the same goofy roles. Scream is one of the better attempts at satire to appear in cinemas over the last few years.
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Sleepy Hollow
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 22nd, 2002
Sleepy Hollow is certainly not your father’s version of the Washington Irving tale. Sleepy Hollow is enshrouded in patented Tim Burton darkness and rich gothic atmosphere. Johnny Depp continues to amaze… although his performances never appear extraordinary, they are nonetheless almost always wonderful immersions in character. Christina Ricci proves that her inspired deadpan performance in the Addams Family films was no fluke. I think you will find this to be one of the finest contemporary horror films to come along in years.
Cleopatra’s Second Husband
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 16th, 2002
What happens when you take a writer/producer known primarily for music videos and documentaries, give him a modest budget, and a script of vignettes? You get a very artsy David Lynch imitation that I like to call Lynch-Lite. Jon Reiss wants so much to be David Lynch that there are even moments of the Twin Peaks theme in the score. I don’t mind struggling through a piece of film noir if I can eventually find my way to a payoff. Not that there aren’t bright spots and even flashes of cinematic genius here, just not enough.
The Insider
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 16th, 2002
Anyone who watched all the tobacco CEO’s testify before a congressional committee might have thought they were watching a Hollywood comedy. They all stood there with straight faces and denied their products were addictive. It felt a little bit like watching Ted Bundy saying, “What girls are you talking about?” The Insider is actually a brave film. Hollywood has for years depended upon tobacco for revenue. Product placement was, until recently, a tree of money for many productions. Russell Crowe shows a preview of the talent that would blossom fully in Gladiator.
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In the Time of the Butterflies
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Minerva Mirabal (Salma Hayek) is an independent spirit in a society where that can get you killed. Her spiritedness, present from childhood, gradually evolves into outright rebellion against the brutal regime of General Trujillo (Edward James Olmos). The personal cost is heavy.
Audio
This telefilm has a very solid soundtrack. It is free of distortion, the music sounds wonderful, and enough care has been paid to the sound effects that there is always something going…
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Masque of the Red Death, The / The Premature Burial
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 13th, 2002
Synopsis
The Masque of the Red Death is one of Corman’s most sumptuous Poe pictures. Vincent Price plays the decadent Prince Pospero, presiding over sadistic revels while the plague rages outside his castle walls. The plague, however, is personified here, and has plans for Prospero. In The Premature Burial, Ray Milland is obsessed with the fear that he will be buried alive. Guess what happens? Though not as good as Masque, this film has long been absent from home video, and its appearance here is ver…
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New Best Friend
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Meredith Monroe is the rich girl who’s been breezing through life. Mia Kirshner is the poor girl for whom life is a struggle. Thrown together for a sociology project, they find that each has something the other needs, and dangerous wheels are set in motion. All of this is recounted in flashback, as Sheriff Taye Diggs (looking a bit young for the role) investigates the cause of Kirshner’s near-fatal drug overdose.
Audio
Good, crisp sound, with decent surround for bo…
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976-EVIL
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Bad boy Spike discovers the benefits of calling the title phone number for his “horrorscope.” Bad things happen to the people who tick Spike off. But Spike doesn’t need help as much as his put-upon cousin Hoax does. And Hoax’s addiction to the number is going to spell bad news for everyone.
Audio
The music is good, the effects okay. Most of the time there’s not too much to create an environment for the viewer, and there is some minor distortion on some voices. But …
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Razor’s Edge, The
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 13th, 2002
Synopsis
Bill Murray (finding some difficulty to lose that trademark smirk) plays Larry Darrell, a man who takes nothing seriously until World War I happens to him. Disillusioned, he embarks on a quest to find meaning in life, a quest that will take him to the Himalayas and back to his home town.
Audio
All in all a pretty successful creation of a sound environment. Ambient sound effects are a constant presence, and the music is served well by its mix. Some of the dialogue s…
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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 12th, 2002
After a dismal resurrection on film with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, it appeared that the crew of the good ship Enterprise was finally stilled forever. Enter two heroes to rival Kirk and Spock in Harve Bennett and Nicholas Myers. Star Trek II is everything that shines about Star Trek. Finally the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy dazzle longtime fans with the chemistry that made the original series so enduring. In The Motion Picture, the characters come off stiff and cold. They hardly seem to know each other.
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Lethal Weapon 4
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 11th, 2002
The final (so far) Lethal Weapon is not a bad film at all, but it does suffer from the escalation syndrome. After three explosive films number 4 finds itself in the trap of having to try too hard to top its predecessors. While Chris Rock is a funny guy and he adds some great moments in the film, he’s just simply not necessary and distracts from the Glover, Gibson, Pesci trilogy of hysterics. I could also do without the domestication of Riggs through Russo’s character. All that said, you won’t be disappointed because it’s back to Disney World and another film literally exploding with rides.
Dinotopia
Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 11th, 2002
Synopsis
Two brothers survive a plane crash (a crash in which their father dies, but they don’t seem too broken up about the sad event), and find themselves washed up on the island of Dinotopia. As the name implies, this is a land where humans and dinosaurs co-exist. We explore this island with the brothers, and get caught up in their quest to help save this world in its hour of peril. The characters here are a long way from believable, and so the main draw is the special effects, which are, by telev…
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