Directed by Grant Heslow
Written by Peter Straughan, based on a book by Jon Ronson
Starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey
Running Time: 93 minutes
Released November, 2009
Although no goats were harmed in the production of THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, the audience didn’t get off as easily. Watching it, I thought back to the movie “1941” and rumors that surfaced at the time that the entire cast and crew were under the influence. I wondered if having a good time on a movie set (drug-induced or otherwise) turns out to be bad idea. You can easily imagine this group of veteran actors intimidating a fledgling director and running off with the production. You can also see that all this “wondering” meant that the movie wasn’t holding my attention. The jokes were so broad, so lacking in wit, so repetitive in nature, it wasn’t much fun. I can enjoy a silly comedy and have done so for years, but political humor needs a more sure-footed director than this film had, a better script, a more focused point of view. If you compare it to Dr. Strangelove, for instance, it plays like a student film. Ewan McGregor in a lead role seems to be there solely to be the butt of jokes about Jedi Warriors. If he is to be the film’s sane center, he needs to have something more to do than raise his eyebrows and duck.
Plot: It is 2003 and Ann Arbor newspaper reporter (McGregor) tries to prove his manhood by embedding himself in Iraq. He is immediately pulled into the looney orbit of a member of the New Earth Army, Lyn Cassady (Clooney). Clooney persuades him that through skills learned at the hand of Bill Django, (Jeff “Lebowski” Bridges) the New Earth Army will…well, do what, I never completely understood. Most of the film examines what these skills, learned during the Vietnam Era, are. Some of them are funny and I don’t want to step on the few laughs in the film by detailing them. After a while, and I mean perhaps thirty minutes, we’ve seen the best of the humor and the plot goes completely off the tracks. At times, the film is preachy (what probably drew Clooney to it), and at times it seems to have no point of view other than, “What should we toss out there next.”
Hopefully Clooney’s next outing Up in the Air will be a goat of a different color.
Patti
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at pattinase.blogspot.com. She hopes you'll join in.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Film Review: THE MEN WHO STARED AT GOATS.
Blu-ray Review: HEAT
Warner Home Video
Release date: November 10th, 2009
MSRP: $28.99
Director: Michael Mann
Stars: : Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Amy Brenneman, Tom Sizemore and Mykelti Williamson.
HEAT may be best known as the first film in which Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared the screen (both were in The GODFATHER II, but were in different storylines) together. Though they do so for only one scene is a truly great one. But that scene is only part of the greatness that is HEAT.
Neil McCauley (De Niro) is the leader of a world-class gang of bank robbers. He is calm, smooth and careful. Among the members of his crew is Chris (Val Kilmer), who is considerably more reckless and has plenty of personal issues. Neil has little time for a personal life of his own and seems to spend an ample amount of energy keeping Chris' family from falling apart.
Vincent Hanna (Pacino) leads the L.A. detectives on their trail. Hanna becomes intrigued by this crew and finds himself draw to the case, fixated really. Like Neil, He in focused on his job, but he is married and is unable to balance personal and professional. Hanna's obsession with his job is more than his wife can take."You don't live with me. You live among the remains of dead people."
Interestingly enough, while Hanna's personal life is crumbling, Neil strikes up a romance with a graphic designer named Eady (Amy Brenneman). I found it fascinating that it is Neil that is able to separate his personal and professional lives. The relationship between the two of them is as tender as Hanna's marriage is caustic.
HEAT follows these two men as events slowly build towards a fateful meeting in which only one can come out on top. Each man is careful and methodical, yet unwilling to change course even though they both know somebody will almost certainly die. Mann does an excellent job of bulding towards that showdown, with the stage being set when Vincent and Neil meet in a restaurant to finally meet one another. That scene is truly breathtaking, two pros step up and deliver the kind of performances that has made each a legend.
The actions scenes of HEAT are not gratuitous. Don't get me wrong, they kick ass, but they also make sense in the context of the film. These scenes are made even better by excellent camera work. Well shot, kick ass, make sense...that is pretty much everything I could ask for in an action scene.
Both De Niro and Pacino deliver excellent performances, though I think De Niro's performance is more nuanced. They are ably backed by Brenneman, Tom Sizemore, Mykelti Williamson and Kilmer.
Still, it is not without it's flaws. There is a serial killer storyline adds little to the film and detracts from the tension that is built over the course of the film. Without that, it would have flowed better. Somebody should have told Mann that more is not always better. While Mann is a good director, he tendency towards excess often hampers his films and this is no exception. The film comes in at almost three hours.
Video:
The film is presented in 1080p with a VC0-1 transfer and has a 2:40.1 ratio. This looks amazing. This is about as good a Blu-ray as I can remember watching. HEAT has plenty of dark scenes, with quite a bit of black clothing. Those scenes are all crystal clear with amazing contrast and depth. The image is clean and crisp with only a touch of grain. I noticed no signs of DNR. After watching this BD, I don't know that I could ever go back and watch it on DVD.
Audio:
HEAT is presented with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that is fully utilized. Right off the bat, we are treated to shattering glass and deep rumbling explosions. A nice balancing act is done between playing up the effects and still keeping the dialogue clear. All channels are used liberally and the sub-woofer rocks in a club scene.
Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Spanish, and German tracks are also available, as is a Dolby Digital 2.0 Portuguese track.
Extras:
Nothing new has been added since the Special edition from a few years back. A nice collection including a Mann commentary track as well as five featurettes, deleted scenes and trailers.
Visually, HEAT is as strong a case as I can think of for upgrading from DVD to Blu-ray. The film is damn entertaining, if a tad too long. If you like watching films in HD, pick up a copy, you won't be disappointed.
Order HEAT on Blu-ray.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Trailer, poster & start date for season 3 of CHUCK.
CHUCK returns to NBC on Sunday, Jan 10th, 2010. On Jan 10th, there will be TWO new episodes, with an additional one on Monday Jan 11th! Three eps in two days. Here is poster and trailer to give folks a taste of season three.
I fell behind in season two and will have to get caught up before Jan 10th!
FRINGE stars talk about show, future.
John Noble (Walter) and Anna Torv (Olivia) spoke with Zap2It recently and talked about tonight's episode, alternate universes and more.
Here are the videos:
SOUTHLAND star says show will be grittier.
Here are his comments:
SOUTHLAND will debut on TNT on Tuesday, Jan 12th at 10 p.m. EST
Pictures from the set of THE GUARDS.
Ken Bruen has been kind enough to share some on the set photos from THE GUARDS. The photos were taken by Peter Muender, a German journalist.
First up is a mock-up of the Gallway Times done for the film. It has a feature on Jack Taylor.
Ken has a bit part in the film, as a reporter. Second photo is a picture from his scene.
Third photo is of Ken with actor Ralph Brown, who plays Sutton. Brown has been in LIFE ON MARS, MEADOWLANDS, NEARLY FAMOUS and Richard Curtis' new flick Pirate Radio.
Number four is of Ken, star Iain Glen and director Stuart Orme. Stuart has previously worked on INSPECTOR MORSE AND MERLIN and spent much of the 80s making music videos for the likes of Whitney Houston and Phil Collins
Final photo is Ken with Anne McCabe, co-writer of THE GUARDS.
Lou Boxer's Noircon blog has a lot more pictures up. Certainly worth checking out.
DVD Info: BARNABY JONES coming to DVD.
CBS/Paramount has announced they will release season one of BARNABY JONES on Feb 16th.
This series focused around a retired private detective, Barnaby Jones (Buddy Ebsen), who had passed his private investigation business to his son, Hal. When Hal was murdered while on a case, Barnaby came out of retirement to track down his son's killer. Hal's widow, Betty (Lee Meriwether), worked with Barnaby as his invaluable assistant on cases.
Jones debuted, on CBS, on Jan 28th, 1973 and ended on April 3rd of 1980.
For more news on upcoming titles, check out our DVD calendar.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Blu-ray Review: GODZILLA (1998)
Blu-ray release: November 10, 2009
MSRP: $24.95
Sony Pictures
Stars: Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria.
Story by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Screenplay by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Runtime: 139 minutes
Rated: PG-13
In this American Godzilla movie from the makers of Independence Day, Godzilla is said to be a mutation caused by years of nuclear testing on the French Polynesian islands. Matthew Broderick stars as Nick Tatopolous, a scientist studying mutant earthworms at Chernobyl, who is summoned to Panama to study evidence of Godzilla's movement inland.
Before you know it, the creature is spotted smashing through the streets of Manhattan. As you might expect from the makers of Independence Day, this plays as more a disaster movie or dinosaur movie than a monster movie. Joining Broderick's character in the effort to stop Godzilla's path of destruction are Jean Reno as a French secret service agent, Maria Pitillo as aspiring TV reporter and Tatapolous's old flame Audrey Timmonds, and Hank Azaria as Audrey's cameraman.
The human stories and efforts to stop Godzilla (and hundreds of offspring) are played only half-seriously despite the level of devastation. Part of the fun of a Godzilla movie is in watching people run for their lives, but it's surreal to watch it fictitiously happen in New York since 9/11.
Godzilla was panned by critics and fans back in 1998, and I didn't get around to seeing it then. Its special effects don't hold up too well, but it's worth a look to curious die-hard Godzilla fans and those who want to see how it plays in high definition.
The Blu-Ray includes a commentary on the visual effects, a behind-the-scenes mockumentary with Harry Shearer, a medley of Godzilla's best movie fights, a music video, a Scene It? style trivia game, and an available digital copy.
Video: 1080p High Definition / 2.40:1
Audio: English, French, Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD MA; Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
--Gerald So Read More......
Blu-ray Review: SAY ANYTHING.
Fox Home Entertainment
Release date: November 3rd, 2009
MSRP: DVD: $19.98, Blu-ray: $34.98
Director: Cameron Crowe
Stars: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Joan Cusack, Lili Taylor
Writer: Cameron Crowe.
The word classic is bandied about quite a bit these days, all-time classic, modern-day classic, cult-classic, but believe me when I say that Cameron Crowe's SAY ANYTHING is a classic. A truly great film that should be occasionally revisited, if only to remind ourselves how good a romantic comedy can be.
For those that are not familiar with SAY ANYTHING, Lloyd Dobler has just graduated from high school and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. He trains at kickboxing, something he sees as the sport of the future, but has no other focus in his life, except dating Diane Court. Diane is, as one of Lloyd's friends describes her, a brain trapped in the body of a game show hostess. She lives with her father and everything she has done has been to prepare for college and her very bright future. Because she spent most of her high school years taking college courses, she missed out on most of the typical teen experiences. Her fellow classmates knew of her, but did not know her.
Lloyd convinces her to accompany him to a graduation party (hosted by Crowe pal Eric Stoltz, who has appeared in almost every Crowe film) and thus, despite the reservations of Diane's father (played by John Mahoney) begins a magical romance. Neither Lloyd nor Diane has ever been in love, so they carefully stumble forward. The scene in which they first make love is touching, sweet and a tad awkward.
In a few months, Diane is heading to London on a scholarship. She decides she should not get too involved at this time and opt crush Lloyd's heart. Her father does not approve of Lloyd, feeling he is only a distraction, and pushes for said heart crushing.
Things happen that leave Diane confused and feeling as though everything she knew is false. Not knowing what to do, she turns to the one person she can be sure of: Lloyd.
Crowe, in his directorial debut, shows the skills of a veteran director and also clearly remembers the pain and joy of being a teen. He crafted a collection of very real characters that don't play as idealizations or caricatures, but as honest to goodness folk that we might actually know.
This is also the film where John Cusack really came into his own. His performance is truly something to behold and makes Lloyd special. With a lesser actor, Lloyd could have been a bit of a loser, but John fleshes him out and you believe this is a good guy that simply lacks a goal in life.
As good as John is, credit must go to many others. Ione Skye and John Mahoney have nice chemistry, I have no trouble believing they are daughter and father. John does a balancing act of playing loving father yet still letting the flaws of the character come through. Lili Taylor as ASDSA, Lloyd's damaged singer/songwriter friend. None of these characters is perfect and that is part of what makes them special. They make the same mistakes we all do, are stubborn and occasionally too self-oriented...they are just like the people around us.I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I
don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or
processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything
sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.
In my opinion, this is the greatest romantic teen comedy ever made. If we are talking just comedy, Ferris Bueller might have it beat, but no other film captures the pain and magis of love quite the way SA does. It is what films like 16 Candles can only aspire to be.
Video:
This looks good, especially for a 20 year old film. I would guess part of this is the fact that it is a fairly popular film and thus the negatives have likely been taken care of. There is very little noticeable wear. I also did not see any DNR or other signs of tampering. The colors look good as do the details. The first time Diane and Lloyd are together (in the biblical sense), is in a car and looks great. Lloyd is overcome with emotion and is shivering, the clarity makes the scene all the more touching.
Audio:
To me, this is more important than the image. This is, after all, a Cameron Crowe film so the music plays a major role. I am happy to say it sounds great! The track is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and it really highlights the music. One can't help but sit back and bask in the audio glow of In Your Eyes while Lloyd is standing outside of Diane's room, boombox held over his head. And while that music sounds great, it never drowns out any dialogue.
In addition to the 5.1 track, there is also a Dolby Digital stereo track as well as mono tracks for Spanish and French. Subtitles are in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Extras
We are given three new featurettes, all in HD, that look back at SA and feature comments from Crowe, Skye and Cusack, among others. It is clear this film still means a lot to all involved, with John Mahoney stating it is one of the proudest achievements as an actor.
Other extras include deleted/extended scenes, a commentary track with Crowe, Cusack and Skye, a trivia track, television promos, trailers and a photo gallery.
Order SAY ANYTHING on Blu-ray. Or on DVD.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Bracco comes on board for RIZZOLI.
Lorraine Bracco (THE SOPRANOS) has signed on for RIZZOLI, the TNT series based on Tess Gerritsen's novels. She will play the title character's mother.
RIZZOLI is about Det. Jane Rizzoli (Harmon), a Boston Homicide detective that works with Medical Examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander).
Also on board are Jordan Bridges as patrol officer Frankie Rizzoli Jr, Jane's younger brother who is described as idolizing his sister and hopes to follow in her footsteps. Bruce McGill (MY COUSIN VINNY, ANIMAL HOUSE)is Jane's former partner Vince Korsak, who is "gruff but loveable" and is a little hurt by Jane taking a new partner. McGill might be best known as D-Day from ANIMAL HOUSE. Lastly, the aforementioned new partner is newbie Barry Frost. Lee Thompson Young is playing Frost. Lee plays Agent Al Gough on ABC's FLASHFORWARD.
Earl is going to fight crimes and sing Elvis.
Ok, this rocks.
Jason Lee (MY NAME IS EARL) has signed on for the lead role in the upcoming TNT pilot DELTA BLUE. DB is about Dwight Hendricks, an excellent Memphis cop that moonlights as an Elvis impersonator and lives with his mother.
“Jason Lee is the ideal choice to bring the compelling, off-kilter Dwight Hendricks to life,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “With extraordinary talent in front of and behind the camera, along with an outstanding script, DELTA BLUES is shaping up to be a hugely entertaining show and a great fit with our lineup of original dramas.”
I have been a fan of Lee since seeing him in Kevin Smith's MALLRATS. He recently has had success on MY NAME IS EARL and the film version of ALVIN AND THE CHIPMONKS (I guess a guy has to eat). He will next be seen in Smith's A COUPLE OF DICKS.
George Clooney is Exec producing and Clark Johnson (THE SHIELD, LIE TO ME, THE WIRE)is directing.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
DVD/Blu-ray release recap fof Nov 17th, 2009.
ANDY BARKER, P.I.: The Complete Series (2007) Andy Richter $24.99, Extras: Retrospective feature "Going Where the Numbers Take You" containing interviews with Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter and other members of the cast and creative team; the "Writers Class 101" feature, with co-creator Jonathan Groff and writers Josh Bycel, Jane Espenson and Jon Ross; cast and crew commentaries; gag reel. (Shout! Factory).
From the hilarious minds of Conan OBrien (The Tonight Show) and Jonathan Groff comes Andy Barker P.I., an off-the-wall comedy about earnest, hard-working CPA-turned-detective, Andy Barker (played by Andy Richter, Late Night with Conan OBrien), and featuring the extraordinary writing talents of Conan OBrien (The Simpsons), Jonathan Groff (How I Met Your Mother), Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Josh Bycel (Psych). The show premiered on the NBC network
and was immediately greeted with critical praise.
ELVIS COSTELLO - SPECTACLE: Season 1 (2009) DVD: $49.95, Blu-ray: $69.95 . Extras: Extended episodes, behind-the-scenes interviews, outtakes. (MVD Entertainment Group).
This show features intimate one-on-one conversations and live performances with legendary artists and notable newcomers. Conceived to provide a forum for in-depth discussion and performance with the most interesting artists and personalities of our time, "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With ..." fuses the best of talk and music television. Each of the thirteen one-hour episodes exposes the essence of iconic and influential figures who are given the rare opportunity to speak intelligently and in-depth about music and their careers -- how their classic songs were written and why; their experiences; their influences and the creative process overall, revealing new insights about their extraordinary work and lives. Guests include Elton John, president Bill Clinton, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Julian Schnabel The Police, Smokey Robinson, Rufus Wainwright, Jakob Dylan, Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock, Kris Kristofferson, Roseanne Cash, Norah Jones, John Mellencamp, James Taylor and more.
I know, Elvis is not crime-related, but it is Elvis Freakin' Costello! Folks looking for a gift for the music lover in their life might want to take a look at this. An interesting concept that Elvis pulls off quite well.
FARSCAPE: The Complete Series Megaset (1999-2003), $149.95. Extras: 29 Episode commentaries; multiple featurettes and documentaries including "In the Beginning: A Look Back With Brian Henson," "Making of a Space Opera" and "Inside Farscape: Save Farscape"; multiple video profiles featuring archival clips and cast and crew discussing their characters and roles; more than 90 minutes of deleted scenes; sideshows and archival photo galleries, including character concepts and promo photos; production design galleries featuring screenshots, rough drafts and concept slide shows; behind-the-scenes interviews with Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Virginia Hey, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard, Wayne Pygram; original TV promos and trailers.(A&E Home Entertainment).
John Crichton. Astronaut. Flung through a wormhole and lost in a galaxy far from
home. He finds himself in the middle of a prison break, surrounded by hostile
aliens, soaring through space inside a glorious living space ship called Moya.
Hunted by the relentless Peacekeepers, he allies himself with his unimaginably
alien fellow refugees and searches for a way home.So begins the epic sci-fi
classic Farscape. A fusion of live action, state-of-the-art puppetry,
prosthetics and CGI, Farscape features mind-boggling alien life forms, dazzling
special effects, edge-of-your-seat thrills, irreverent humor and unforgettable
characters all brought to life by the creative minds at Jim Henson's Creature
Shop. No wonder it's been called the most imaginative sci-fi series in
television history.Here, in time for the series tenth anniversary, are all four
Farscape seasons, 88 episodes, together for the first time in one epic
collection. These are the adventures of Moya's crew, Crichton, Peacekeeper Aeryn
Sun, warrior Ka D'Argo, azure priestess Zhaan, spritely thief Chiana, Dominar
Rigel, Pilot and many others. Like Moya herself, this package contains amazing
surprises including hours of bonus materials, making-of featurettes,
commentaries, interviews, deleted scenes and much more. Prepare for Starburst!
GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) Three 50th Anniversary editions: Two-disc special edition: $24.98; Five-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition: $69.92; Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition: $84.99. The Ultimate Collector's Editions will also contain collectible memorabilia.
Extras:
Two Disc DVD: Commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer.
DVD & Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Editions:
Disc 3: About The Movie:
The Making of a Legend documentary (1989 TV Special) (Narrated by Christopher Plummer)
Restoring a Legend - Chronicles the film/video restoration process, Dixie Hails Gone with the Wind -1939 Premiere newsreel, 1940 MGM historical short - The Old South, Atlanta Civil War Centennial 1961 premiere newsreel, International prologue, Foreign language version sample scenes, Theatrical Trailers
Disc 4: About the Cast: Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland - Exclusive 2004 Documentary, Cast profile - Gable: The King Remembered, Cast profile - Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond, The Supporting Players - Cameo portraits of an unforgettable ensemble
Disc 5: New Bonus Disc:
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment presents 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year - New documentary about Hollywood's watershed year narrated by Kenneth Branagh, Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives On -- Exploring the legacy of the most beloved film through, illuminating interviews, footage and visits to historical sites, events and museums, Moviola: The Scarlett O'Hara Wars 1980 WBTV Special never before on home video, Trailers.
20-page reproduction of the original and complete 1939 Souvenir Program; 40-page Production History Book with photos and production notes; eight Frameable 5x7 Art Prints; CD soundtrack sampler featuring eight tracks (Main Title, Tara, The Barbecue, Escape From Atlanta, I'll Never Be Hungry Again! Paddock Scene, Scarlett In The Mist/Rhett Leaves, Flashback/Finale)
Blu-ray contains all of the above materal, plus MGM: When The Lion Roars Documentary (Warner)
Period romance. War epic. Family saga. Popular fiction adapted with
crowd-pleasing brilliance. Star acting aglow with charisma and passion.
Moviemaking craft at its height. These are sublimely joined in the words Gone
with the Wind. This dynamic and durable screen entertainment of the Civil
War-era South comes home with the renewed splendor of a New 70th-Anniversary
Digital Transfer capturing a higher-resolution image from Restored Picture
Elements than ever before possible. David O. Selznick’s monumental production of
Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book can now enthrall new generations
of home viewers with a majestic vibrance that befits one of Hollywood’s greatest
achievements.
LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (Blu-ray)Dir: Luc Besson. stars: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello, Peter Appel. $24.95 Extras: 10 Year Retrospective: Cast and Crew Look Back, Jean Reno: The Road to Leon, Natalie Portman: Starting Young, Fact Track. (Sony)
Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman and Danny Aiello star in Leon: The Professional, a go-for-broke thriller about a professional assassin whose work becomes dangerously personal. Calling himself a "cleaner", the mysterious Leon (Reno) is New York's top hitman. When his next-door neighbors are murdered, Leon becomes the unwilling guardian of the family's sole survivor - 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman), but Mathilda doesn't just want protection; she wants revenge. Training her in the deadly tricks of his trade, Leon helps her track the psychotic agent (Oldman) who murdered her family.
ROME (2005-2007) Ten-disc set of the HBO series that follows the lives of two soldiers during the "fall of the Roman Empire," $99.98; Also available on Blu-ray Disc for $139.99. (HBO Home Entertainment).
Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the wealthiest city in the world, a cosmopolitan metropolis of one million people, epicenter of a sprawling empire. But now, the city's foundations are crumbling, eaten away by
corruption and excess...And two soldiers unwittingly become entwined in historical events, their fates inexorably tied to the fate of Rome itself. The entire award-winning, critically-acclaimed series will be available as a gift set, just in time for the holiday season.
THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN: Volume 5 (2009) Season 2 of the animated TV series that was recently re-launched on Disney's XD network; pits the super hero against super villains Kraven, Mysterio and The Sinister Six. $19.94. (Sony).
Witness the original web-slinger's mythology from the beginning! Peter Parker is a not so typical high school junior, fresh off an exciting summer engaging common criminals with his new found powers. But now he must conceal his secret identity as "Spider-Man", while engaging a new level of terror: the multi-leveled pressures of teenage life at home/school with combating bigger, badder super villains in the real world!
STAR TREK (2009) Dir.: J.J. Abrams; Stars: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Marlene Forte, Jimmy Bennett. Three-disc Blu-ray set with digital copy: $39.99, Two-disc DVD with digital copy: $34.98, Single-disc DVD: $29.99. Extras: Commentary by director J.J. Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk; "A New Vision" behind-the-scenes featurette; Gag Reel; bloopers featuring the entire principal cast; digital copy, deleted scenes with optional commentary, "To Boldly Go" featurette on the many challenges re-imagining the "Star Trek" franchise; casting featurette; "Aliens Designers" featurette; featurette on the score; "Starfleet Vessel Simulator" that allows viewers to explore extensive data on the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Romulan ship, the Narada, with 360-degree views, close-ups and detailed tech information (by holding their disc packaging up to a webcam, a Star Trek visual cue will morph into a 3D holographic tour on the screen), more. Blu-ray: "NASA News," branching pods, a starship featurette, featurettes on the locations and props, "Gene Roddenberry's Vision" featurette, more. (Paramount).
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before.
THIRST (2009) Dir.: Chan-wook Park; Stars: Kang-ho Song, Ok-vin Kim, Hae-sook Kim. $29.98(Universal).
From the acclaimed director of the global hit "Old Boy" comes this original vampire story with a chilling, erotic style. A blood transfusion saves the life of a priest, but also transforms him into a vampire. He struggles to control his insatiable thirst for blood until a love affair unleashes his darkest desires in deadly new ways.
Read More......
DVD Review: WHITECHAPEL
Whitechapel
Carnival Films and Television
(A UK DVD)
About twice a year I order DVDs from the UK. Our buddy ALI KARIM brought some over for me during Bouchercon and I got a few more afterwords. One of the was WHITECHAPEL.
Whitechapel stars Rupert Pentry-Jones who fans of Spooks (MI_5) will recognize as Adam Carter. In Whitechapel he plays a copper, DI Chandler, on the rise in the department, making the right moves for a trip to the top. Chandler is given a homicide case with the thinking that a quick wrap up will help move him forward. It son becomes obvious that the case is a bit too complex for that and that his detective skills are not up to the task.
There is a murderer re creating the crimes of Jack The Ripper and his attention to detail is disturbing. As the case progresses help comes from a suspect who is a ripper-ologist. He turns out to be thr wrong man, but his insights help move the case forward.
As these types of things go, we get a chance to see DI Chandler become a better cop and earn the trust of the men under him. They eventually figure things out and the ending works.
All in all this is a fun 136 minutes. The acting is good, the production values are wonderful and they do a nice job building suspense. They also do a nice job of portraying the violence without being overly graphic. A bit cliched at times but not to the point of being annoying.It's a fun film and I am truly a sucker for anything with Jack the Ripper themes. When the credits rolled I was glad I watched and will no doubt be popping it in for repeated viewings.
In the extra features one of the producers claims that no one has ever done an updated version of the Ripper killings. Really? Maybe she just doesn't ever watch TV or movies. Or she could just be a publicity machine pouting things to sell the show.What ever the case, her comment is typical of the featurette about the production and it isn't reall must see viewing.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Filming wraps on THE GUARDS.
Filming has been completed on Magma's THE GUARDS, the television production based on Ken Bruen's novel.
‘The Guards’ tells the tale of Jack Taylor, a disgraced ex-cop, cast out of the force after physically assaulting a member of parliament. Now operating as a private eye, Jack takes his drinking as seriously as his job. When asked to find a missing child, his investigation uncovers the seedy underbelly of Galway City. Then, when an old friend of Jack’s dies under mysterious circumstances, everything Jack believes in begins to unravel, making him question even those closest to him.
I spoke with Ken (pictured here with producer Ralph Christians as some extras) and he is thrilled with the production. According to him, Iain looks completely fooked and 20 years older and has such presence. How often can one take being "fooked" as a compliment?
Filming will start on THE KILLING OF THE TINKERS in May of 2010.
Friday, November 13, 2009
CONSENT TO KILL takes another small step towards big screen.
Word has come that a script has been approved and a list of 25 directors is being purused for Mr. Right. Producers are hoping to have someone in place by Christmas.
Still no word on casting, but the list is small at this point and I would expect the start of the new year to have some exciting info.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Travolta thinks Butch/Sundance remake is "not a bad idea"...he is wrong.
"Someone came up with a good idea - it was a remake of 'Butch Cassidy and The
Sundance Kid' - and there was a rumor that we were gonna do that, and I said to
Tom, 'It's not a terrible rumor, it's not a bad idea,'"
That came from John Travolta. John thought BATTLEFIELD EARTH and SWORDFISH were good ideas as well.
Let me put this bluntly:
Leave it alone! Not only is it a classic with a great script, but the chemistry between Newman and Redford can not be recreated. To try is only going to
A) Humiliate them
B) Tarnish our memories
C) Inflict pain and suffering on us that would likely get them in trouble with many Human Rights organizations.
That any sober person likes this idea scares me. Is there anyway to make sure these folks don't breed? Read More......
DVD Review: BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD Volume 2
Release date: November 10, 2009
MSRP: $14.98
88 minutes
Warner Bros. Animation's latest DC Comics-based Cartoon Network series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold is a throwback to the classically drawn, lighter superhero cartoons of the 1960s. Each episode teams a clever, bantering Batman (Diedrich Bader) with guest heroes.
In contrast to the currently popular realistic interpretations of Batman, the tone here is fanciful without crossing into silly. Typically there is a short standalone adventure before the opening credits, followed by a longer main adventure. The single-disc Volume 2 includes four 22-minute episodes:
Day of the Dark Knight! - Merlin (David McCallum) transports Batman and Green Arrow back to Camelot to retrieve Excalibur and thwart Morgan Le Fay's takeover of Arthur's kingdom.
Enter The Outsiders! - Batman and Wildcat (R. Lee Ermey) battle a group of misguided super-powered teens.
Dawn of the Deadman! - Buried alive by Gentleman Ghost, Batman uses a secret meditation technique to seek help from Deadman (Michael Rosenbaum).
Fall of the Blue Beetle! - Newly-minted Beetle Jaime Reyes (Will Friedle) lands in peril on an impetuous quest to learn more about the former Beetles.
There are no special features, but this is a nice sample of the series.
--Gerald So Read More......
DVD Review: NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS
Anchor Bay
Release date: October 26th, 2009
MSRP: $29.98
Director: Alfredo De Villa
Stars: John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, Vanassa Felito, Freddy RodrÃguez, Jay Hernandez
It is the holiday season on the Rodriguez house. Eduardo (Alfred Molina) and Anna (Elizabeth Pena) will be celebrating the holidays with their three children. Roxana (Vanassa Ferlito) is an aspiring actress that is finding the pursuit of her dream a lot harder than she expected. Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez) is returning home after three years in of service in Iraq and Mauricio (John Leguizamo)is struggling with his wife (Debra Messing) whose career goals clash with his desire to have a family.
As one can imagine, the gathering results in plenty of drama, spilling of secrets and emotional breakthroughs. Perhaps a bit too much drama, as the film risks numbing us with the truckload of neuroses and confrontations that are packed into 98 minutes. A little less could have gone farther.
For me, NltH is a mixed bag: The cast does a very nice job with what they have, but the screenplay is uneven and often struggles to find a balance between humor and drama. The film is about a Puerto Rican family and it feels like they tried to cram every damn cultural cliché in the book at us. I can't help but feel they could have made it authentic without playing up so many stereotypes. The story that is at the heart of this film is a universal one: No matter what issues and conflicts arise, our family is the only one we have.
Extras:
Director Alfredo De Villa, producer Robert Teitel and actor Freddy Rodriguez offer up a commentary track (with appearances by Luis Guzman) that is breezy fare. Everyone likes everyone and was thrilled to be a part of this project! That gets a bit old, but they have a good time and that fun is contagious. The film is set in Chicago and the talk about the city is pretty cool with comments about the weather, restaurants and local landmarks.
There is one featurettes: Nothing like the Holidays: Cast Reunion. This runs just under 12 minutes and features Rodriduez, Messing, Ferlito and a few others as they talk about the making of the film and what fun it was.
Also included are a blooper reel (yawn) and theatrical trailer.
Fans of good acting will likely enjoy NltH, as the cast is strong and deliver the goods. But don't expect a well-rounded film, as it falls a little short. Not a bad film, but I can't help but think there was something better hiding inside, waiting to be let out. That said, the warmth and charisma of these talented group of actors makes NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS enjoyable fare.
Order season five of NUMB3RS.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
DVD Info: Scarecrow and Mrs. King: The Complete First Season.
Warner Home Video has announced that the DVD release of SCARECROW AND MRS. KING: The Complete First Season is slated for March 9th, 2010.
PTA...hello, foreign intrigue! Single mom Amanda King leads a quiet suburban life in Washington DC until the day a dashing stranger shoves a package in her hands with instructions to give it to the man in the red hat. In no time, Amanda is dodging bullets, foiling assassination plots – and finding herself drawn to the dashing stranger, agent Lee Stetson, aka Scarecrow. Of course, Scarecrow has no interest in a ditsy amateur spy, no matter how pretty. But she certainly is handy in a crisis! Share the Season One fun with stars Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner in this fast-paced 5-Disc, 21-Episode Set of the lighthearted series that proves laughs and romance are powerful weapons in the battle to protect national security.
Scarecrow and King ran from October 83 through May of 87 on CBS and, if my memory servies me correctly, was likeable fluff.
MSRP is $39.98.
