Posted in: Brain Blasters, News and Opinions by David Annandale on January 5th, 2007
William Peter Blatty might seem a slightly odd candidate for discussion in this space. After all, he wrote and produced The Exorcist, whose enormous mainstream success makes it rather suspect as a cult film. Ditto for another of Blatty’s screenplays: A Shot in the Dark, which is arguably the best of the Pink Panther movies. But as a director, ah, there we start getting closer to cult status. He has made two films. The Exorcist III (1990) is his best-known effort, and is debatably a cult movie. Ve...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 5th, 2007
Pierce Brosnan as a hit man, something were all used to with the James Bond franchise, but this time he�s not killing for the good guys. Instead he is a freelance assassin traveling the globe killing whoever he�s told and for good money too. But comparing Pierce�s role in this film to James Bond isn�t exactly fair, although the characters share some similarities; you really have to watch this one to appreciate the uniqueness of the character.
![The Matador [HD DVD] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/the-matador-hd-dvd-large.jpg)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 5th, 2007
You may have heard this one before. Annabelle (Erin Kelly, channelling Leelee Sobieski) is the hellraising daughter of a US Senator, sent to a Catholic girls’ school to be out of sight and out of trouble. Her rebellious ways continue, however, and she falls in love with her poetry teacher Simone (Diane Gaidry). Much angst, particularly on Simone’s part, ensues, not to mention inevitable walks on the beach and much Lilith Fair-style musical noodlings (our heroines would clearly die of shock if they had a run-in with Maria Beatty), before the consummation and the rather sudden ending of the movie arrive.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 5th, 2007
Here we go, with another rise and fall story in the underworld. Two young friends in Jamaica, Biggs and Wayne, grow up separately to become powerful gangsters (the “shottas” of the title). After a prolonged separation, they reunite in Kingston, and the story takes them back and forth between that city and Miami as they climb the drug totem pole, heading for the inevitable fall shown pre-credits.
All the characters speak Jamaican patois, making subtitle necessary.
Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on January 3rd, 2007
New Columns, Gamers do make money & Guitars for everyone - Welcome to the Busted Old Jalopy that got a new fender this year known as Dare to Play the Game.
Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. It is a brand new year, and yes your co-host and wonderful person spent new years by himself. Don't weep too much, it was mostly my own doing. I could have gone to my parents but didn't want to drive and the thought of spending new years with my parents was actually...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 3rd, 2007
Two things you should know about me before reading this review: I'll watch anything involving John Goodman, and I've never seen the animated classic this live-action version of The Year Without a Santa Claus is based on. So unlike when I watched the horrendous Jim Carrey-Ron Howard take on Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, in this case I hold no special place for an original.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 3rd, 2007
I've gotta say, I love stand-up comedy. My first albums were George Carlin records, and I'd always listen to my Dad's recorded tape of a Friar's Club roast of Don Rickles, where four letter words would get dropped as often as the drinks in the room. Then it was on to Richard Pryor, then onto the R-rated genius of Sam Kinison and to a lesser extent, Andrew Dice Clay. And now, it's Lewis Black, David Cross, Dave Attell and Robert Schimmel.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 2nd, 2007
On its surface, The Promise seems to have a good pedigree backing it up. You've got the guy who directed Farewell, My Concubine and the cinematographer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, combining forces for a Chinese film that is epic in scope, similar to the Zhang Yimou films Hero and House of Flying Daggers.
The problem with The Promise is that the story rambles a bit, and the characters are ones that you don't care about. The stunts aren't even breathtaking either, as the visual effects are apparently done with wires and green screens, and can be made out so obviously, they lack the magic and wonder of the Yimou films, or even other films like Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle.
Posted in: Highly Defined, News and Opinions by Archive Authors on January 1st, 2007
Give a brutha some slack, OK?
So in between a busy daytime job that included being in the office for 19 hours of a 24 hour day and the holiday week, things have been a little busy at the casa de Keefer. Besides, everyone’s bracing themselves for the CES show next week and the fun stuff to come from it, right? So let’s take a look at those next-gen discs that have made this particular reviewer stand up and smile. Oh, and as far as the lack of Blu love here, if someone wants to spring for a player for me, fee...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 1st, 2007
Let�s face it people. Martin Scorsese, for most part, is a god amongst filmmakers. The man can�t do anything wrong in the filmmaking. Film after film he continues to amaze me with his sheer ability to tell a story bundled together with fantastic acting. Even though many don�t name Casino as one of his best works (rightfully so), the film is still excellent as it shows the gritty 1980s Las Vegas mob world.
One cursory glance at the plot of Casino would make the smallest Scorsese fan think that the film should be called Goodfellas 2.
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