Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 26th, 2007
The style of "Grindhouse" films were something of a cult legend. More often than not, they were crazy over-the-top horror movies or action movies that had insane action that usually involved a body count that could rival an Arrrrrnold flic. These were referred to commonly as "B" flics due to the shoddy quality of the films. Video would be scratched up, missing reels were all over the place and audio would drop at the most inconvenient moment. More often than not they would be shown at some crusty drive-in for the change in your pocket. Fast forward to 2007 where Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez decided to resurrect the forgotten genre and brings us two movies (Death Proof and Planet Terror) to the screen.
The films unfortunately did not do so well at the box office. They were scrutinized for being too long (due to the Double Feature, the movie experience was roughly 4 hours) and many people just didn't get "it". When it came time for the two movies to be released on dvd, they decided to release them separately. Planet Terror would be released in mid-October and the focus of this review: Death Proof would be released in mid-September. I had the opportunity of picking it up at Best Buy with a special limited edition tin that included three discs rather than the standard two found in the other editions. Being the huge Kurt Russell fan, I leapt right in and paid at the counter.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 26th, 2007
I have no idea what critics thought of this film. I don't know how it did at the box office. I can't even recall knowing anything about it, except for seeing its title on the showtimes board at the theatre. It doesn't matter. I'm telling you now, Reign Over Me is a wonderful film.
I'm in one of those situations when I've discovered a really special movie, and want to recommend it to everyone I know without telling them anything about it. I'm not sure whether I can get away with that here, but I'll try. Let's talk about the DVD. Does it give Reign Over Me a fair shake? Read on to find out.
Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 26th, 2007
Halo 3, Halo 3, and Just say No To Transsexuals - Welcome to the column that is overloaded with hype and sexual indecency known as Dare to Play the Game.
Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. In my hand I have the Halo 3 CE Tin. It's pretty, it's sexy, I want to have relations with it. (okay not really). In my other hand, I hold a 20 ounce of Halo 3 Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Feeeel the hype. I have not played the game yet; I will soon and hope to have a review on this site by Sunday. Sure, the other reviewers had it up on Tuesday. But I have a job, and I don't get the game early. The tin looks great seriously, but my only complaint about the tin is how the discs are held inside. Its flimsy and they should have used the harder plastic pegs we are accustomed to. I'll have to be careful with it so my Halo 3 goodness goes undamaged. Apparently there is already news about this. Perhaps I need to find a double cd case for the two discs. In other gaming news, I took the time to put my Bomberman Live (XBLA) Review up. Great game, great use of 800 points. Expansion pack #2 is set to hit today, most people will probably miss it because they'll be knee deep in Master Chief's crotch. Hey you know it's true.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 25th, 2007
If you are a fan of the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker, you were more than likely disappointed in the remake a couple of years ago on ABC. Your hope is now once again restored. Supernatural is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to The Night Stalker. Like Kolchak, the
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 25th, 2007
Do you believe that a numbers wizard can predict the most random of human actions with mathematical equations so accurately as to know where and when such a person will be? If so, then I suggest you put down that letter you are writing to Santa, finish eating that egg a bunny left for you, go to your pillow and pull together all of the loot you got from the tooth fairy, and plunk it down on season three of Numb3ers. No, that’s not a typo, apparently they believe that letters aren’t good enough to stand on their own so they inserted a 3 where the e should be. Aren’t they so clever? Not. In the fairy tale world of Numb3ers, all you need is an almost obsessive knowledge of math and the crooks don’t stand a chance. It’s almost unfair, isn’t it. Those poor criminals go about their carefully plotted crimes, unaware that everything they do is controlled by math. They live their lives oblivious to the fact they are at the mercy of a diabolical equation which forces their every move. In fact, I suspect some clever attorney somewhere is already preparing the “math made me do it” defense at this very moment. Soon our justice system will be forced to account for this undeniable force on our very destinies. I would go on but I can’t… must… fight… numbers…
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 25th, 2007
Shout Factory has begun to release DVD editions of Elvira’s Movie Macabre, the cult hit TV show from the 80s wherein our curvaceous goth host makes off-colour jokes and pokes fun, during the commercial breaks, of the movies she’s showing. Up on the chopping block in this set are Gamera, Super Monster and They Came From Beyond Space.
The former was the last Gamera film until the revival in the 90s, and is a thoroughly weak entry. An evil spaceship (suspiciously resembling a Star Destroyer, but introduced to us through the excitingly cinematic technique of ILLUSTRATIONS) is heading towards Earth. Acting in our defense is a trio of superwomen and Gamera, who battles, through the miracle of stock footage, his former foes.
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 25th, 2007
The Simpsons announcement has dropped: December 18th is the day! Coming out on Blu-ray and DVD, both single disc releases:
The DVD Release
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 25th, 2007
The Simpsons announcement has dropped: December 18th is the day! Coming out on Blu-ray and DVD, both single disc releases:
The DVD Release
Posted in: Blog Posts, News and Opinions by Archive Authors on September 25th, 2007
Next year, YouTube plans to add 30-second bumper ads to the beginning of video clips. I visit the site infrequently to watch the latest, "you gotta see this" video, or to find trailers of older films. You think I'm going to sit through 30 seconds of crap advertising to watch some idiots launch their friend with a giant slingshot? Think again.
No word on whether the ads will be on every video, or whether ads will vary in length. No matter how you cut it, this is bad news for YouTube users, and will surely mark the end of YouTube's reign as top video-sharing site. What'll be next?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 25th, 2007
If you told me about a film by the screenwriter of Forrest Gump, The Insider and Munich, and the director who brought us L.A. Confidential, I'd say bring it on. If you went on that it was set in the high stakes world of professional poker, I'd be excited. But then you'd say it's a romance starring Eric Bana (Troy) and Drew Barrymore (Never Been Kissed). I'd begin to doubt. Then I'd think back to The Insider, and tell myself a great script is the only way to make a great film.
Then I'd watch Lucky You and realize even a great screenwriter can turn out a clunker. But maybe there'd be hope for the DVD?
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