Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on January 17th, 2007
A Symphony not so small, too much Wii Wii, and a just right Morgan Webb - Welcome to the column that makes the playoffs every time only to miss the bus to the big dance known as Dare to Play the Game.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 17th, 2007
Invincible (2006) marks the latest in a string of sports-underdog films from Disney, following such hits as 2002's The Rookie and 2004's Miracle. This time, we have a film inspired by the real-life Cinderella story of Philadelphia Eagles' alumnus Vince Papale.
Papale's story is so similar to that of fictional Philadelphia son, Rocky Balboa, that calling Invincible a remake of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky isn't much of a stretch. But then, the sports long-shot genre is tried and true, so as far as my enjoyment goes, I have few issues with this film's formulaic plot.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 16th, 2007
10 years ago, Clerks was released, appealing to the ever-growing population of the subculture of slackers. For a generation of grunge-music-listening, going-nowhere, fast-food-working young adults, Clerks became a cult favourite. With the release of Clerks II, I�m sure the very same people are attracted to this title, whether they have grown up and want to revisit that nostalgic feeling, or are still flipping burgers and living the slacker lifestyle. Whether you live in your parents� basement or ...ou�re an upstanding citizen, Clerks II appears to be a slapstick movie that everyone can enjoy.
Clerks II picks up just where the original left off. Randall (Brian Anderson) and Dante (Brain O�Halloran) are still working their dead-end jobs at the Quickie Mart. Their days consist of one sarcastic quip after another, and of course the barrage of insults for every customer that walks through the door. But one day their world is turned upside down when a fire demolishes the Quickie Mart, forcing them to find employment with Mooby�s, the local fast food joint. Life here continues much as it did back at their other job, with the exception of the new boss, Becky (Rosario Dawson), with whom Randall appears to be infatuated. Aside from documenting the daily tribulations of a burger flipper, Clerks II actually has a plot; Randall finally has a chance to grow up and make something of himself, as he is engaged and ready to move to Florida. Of course, this doesn�t sit well with best friend and man-child Dante, but more importantly Randall is ultimately unsure if it�s what he wants as well. As the movie plays out, some hilarious dialogue as well as some dismal humour is thrown our way. Our two protagonists have to make some important life decisions, such as, are they ready to turn their backs on their slacker lifestyles?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 16th, 2007
Halfway through The Celestine Prophecy, I was exasperated and ready to turn it off. If I hadn't been watching it for this review, I would have, and would have been better for it.
When this DVD came across my plate, my interest was piqued. I'd never heard of the film, or the worldwide bestselling book it's based on, and the cover quote said, "...a huge leap forward in spiritual adventure films." My first thoughts were, "if it's based on a bestseller, maybe it has a great script" and "hey, I didn't even know there was a spiritual adventure genre".
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 16th, 2007
Def Comedy Jam Classics: Martin Lawrence contains a few hearty laughs in between heaps of "f-this, f-that, f-to the point where it is no longer a curse word and becomes simply an overused adjective" and sexually explicit material. Many of the comedians featured on this disc seem to be delivering material purely for shock value before an audience that does their best to encourage. As a result, most of the comedy lacks a genuine feel, and that includes the offerings we get from Mr. Lawrence himself. That's n...t to say I found the release a total waste. Dave Chappelle and Chris Tucker show up in early turns proving that funny doesn't have to be a learned trait. These men were just as strong on the mic then as they are now. While their material sticks to the tried-and-true, sex-and-cursing formula, their delivery stands out from the rest of the pack, causing them to come off more as innovators than copycats.
The same cannot be said for every other comic on the disc, including D.L. Hughley, Garfield, Maestro, and comedienne Chocolate. Most are doing their worst impressions of an early Eddie Murphy routine, and the stacked audience hoots and howls as if they are being treated to the real deal. Ultimately, I can see two realities in watching this release: one, why so many comics didn't make it; two, why Chappelle and Tucker did.
Posted in: Highly Defined, News and Opinions by Archive Authors on January 15th, 2007
This may take a little while.
So did we enjoy our thoughts and impressions of what CES 2007 held and brought? Well, let’s take a look at things that didn’t relate to Apple, shall we? First off, it appears the new color to speak of is purple. You’ve got word of the Warner Total Hi-Def disc, which is a dual format disc. The packaging is even a compromise too, with the HD DVD red on one side, and the Blu-ray blue on the other. It costs slightly more than a HD/SD combo, but does certainly provide for some inter...sting screenshot comparisons, and a lot of laborious moving from one player to another. At least with that announcement
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 15th, 2007
Adapted from the hit stage musical, Norman Jewison's film version of Fiddler on the Roof has established itself as a classic over and over again since its release in 1971.
"He loves her. Love, it's a new style... On the other hand, our old ways were once new, weren't they?" I'll hardly be the first to write it, but the reason Fiddler on the Roof, a story about Jewish people and their culture, is so popular, is that its themes have universal appeal. In fact, in a way it hardly matters th...t the characters are Jewish. As we learn from a famous anecdote, when the first Japanese production of the stage musical opened, the show's creators traveled to Japan to meet the producer. He said to them, "I don't understand, I don't know how this piece can work so well in New York. It's so Japanese!"
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 15th, 2007
The zaniness continues in Bikini Bottom, and the series shows no sign of losing its appeal or its lunatic creativity. Wonderful little example: “Whale of a Birthday” is about Mr. Krabbs’ daughter’s sixteenth birthday. The highlight: a performance by “Boys Who Cry” singing “It’s All About You.” Perfect. There are twenty episodes here to keep your funny and whimsy bones tickled. (What, you don’t think you have a whimsy bone? Of course you do.)
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 15th, 2007
Warner Bros. had the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, Disney had the Silly Symphonies. This is the second volume collecting those shorts, covering the years 1929 to 1938. The shorts are selected on a menu that can be presented in alphabetical or chronological order, and it is the latter approach that is the most enlightening, as we can see the cartoons evolve. There is no dialogue in these shorts – the point was to fuse animation and music. And while that is an end in itself in the earlier cartoons (and quite the technological feat at that), more and more narrative content develops over the years. The culmination of this form of animation would, of course, be Fantasia, and in such early pieces as “Hell’s Bells,” one can see in embryonic form the ideas that would become, for instance, the “Night on Bald Mountain” segment.
Audio
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 15th, 2007
Jaleel White continues to flounder about aimlessly looking for a post-Family Matters career in Who Made the Potatoe Salad?, a mindless 90-minute excursion into the offensively cliched family comedy. Looking for laughs in all the wrong places, this effort from writer-director Damon "Coke" Daniels tries to cash in on every dirty race-driven joke it can think of without once pausing for a breath of originality. White plays, of all things, a police officer, who decides the time is right to move his relati...nship forward with the gorgeously awful Jennia Fredrique. That's where the film takes a turn from the familiar to the overdone. Of course, her family disapproves right away, led by her former Black Panther daddy, who believes all cops are pigs. Lucky for White, he picked the right profession to set Daddy Dearest up with every "been there, done that" joke in the book.
As for White's performance, I suppose he is a capable actor, but there are portions of this film where he disappears for what feels like an eternity, so the less than stellar cast can result to every outrageous gangland quip and situation to push the film along to its well-deserved R-rating they can think of. Of course, the real fault lies with Daniels' humorless script and direction. Family comedies, both dirty and clean, should connect with viewers on the grounds we can see our own lives reflected in the situations and character play that arise. All of this film seems as staged as a suspicious crime scene, where the characters react based on the needs of the script - and that, ladies and gentleman, is an ass-backwards way to write any work of fiction.
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