DVD Review: Mod Squad - Season 1, volume 1.

Prior to watching this, the name Mod Squad conjured mental images of schlock and all that was cheesy 1970s. Add to that the wretched remake (Thank goodness nobody has let Scott Silver direct again) of a few years back and I could not imagine any good coming of watching it.

But after actually seeing the show, I have to say it was better than I thought it would be. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

The Mod Squad was created by Buddy Ruskin. Ruskin was a former L.A.P.D. cop that actually worked with a special youth squad. His own experiences were the inspiration for the show.

Clarence Williams III, Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton all star as youth that, after getting in trouble with the law, are given a chance to avoid jail time by working as undercover cops. Because regular cops are/were so square, these kids would have an easier time infiltrating the youth subculture.

Cheesy sounding? Yeah, but in a good way.

Included here are three featurettes. Forming the Mod Squad is your basic "here is how it all came together" segment. It runs a little under 15 minutes, with the original stars delving into their memories (though Williams, the biggest star of the bunch, is absent.) and offering up some anecdotes. Having not been very familiar with the series, I found this fairly interesting. There is also a shorter segment that talks about the era (late 60s) and how The Mod Squad fit into those very turbulent times.

The final bonus feature has Louis Gossett jr., Leslie Ann Warren and Tyne Daley all talking about their appearances on the show. While enjoyable, it is a bit odd since only Gosset is actually seen in this bunch of episodes.

Nobody is going to mistake The Mod Squad for great television, but the style and overall vibe of the show make for a fun trip back to the late 60s. Can you dig it?

Jeremy Lynch

For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Read More......

DVD Info: Michael Clayton DVD release date set.

Warner Home Video has announced that the DVD of Michael Clayton will hit stores on Feb 19th.

Oscar winner George Clooney stars as Michael Clayton, a man called to save a court case put in jeopardy by his mentor (Tom Wilkinson) who appears to have lost his mind. Tony Gilroy, one of the minds behind the screenplays for the Bourne films, makes his directorial debut here.

Extras are somewhat sparse, with a commentary track with writer/director Tony Gilroy and editor John Gilroy, as well as some deleted scenes.

SRP will be $29.98

For more dates and info on upcoming crime-related DVD releases, check out our DVD calendar.

Read our review of the Michael Clayton DVD.

Read More......

New Joker poster+ new trailer coming?

Here is yet another poster for the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight.

Plus the official website for The Dark Knight now has a video page up. None of the links work at this time, but we shall check back and will let you know when something shows up.

Read More......

Knight Rider teaser online.

A very short teaser for the upcoming teleflick of the updated Knight Rider is online. It shows a glimpse of the new KITT.

Check it out.

Read More......

DVD Review: The Wire season four

I should warn you; this is not so much a review as it is a valentine to an incredible season from the best show on TV.

Over the course of the first three seasons, The Wire set the bar pretty damn high. They created rich, dynamic characters, that never fit the clichéd archetypes we commonly see, and put them into complex stories that go beyond the simply parameters of good and bad.

But season four not only rises to the challenge, but actually raises the bar to a level that will likely not be cleared by another show anytime soon.

All of the regulars are back, with some new faces as well.

Season four revolves around four 12-year-old boys as they head into eighth grade. As the season goes on, each of these boys find his life heading down a different path, often not the one that seems obvious.

Whereas previous seasons have looked closely at the politics of the law enforcement and the battle on drugs, this season gives us a rather brutal look at education, one that can’t help but leave you feeling more than a little depressed. These kids start out behind the 8 ball and have an uphill battle even if they are motivated to learn to improve their lot in life. Since many have no such motivation, their future is pretty much sealed before they even complete middle school.

This storyline could have been very preachy, but the four young actors do an amazing job and really bring the characters to life, making them so real that you can’t help but become emotionally invested in their future. While we have come to expect this from The Wire, seeing actors in their early to mid teens deliver the goods in such a compelling way is damn impressive.

But while these boys are a focal point, their stories are simply some of the many that occupy the season. Surprisingly enough, never does the show become convoluted or confusing. It manages to always give us clarity in the storylines and keep them on track.

Credit must be given to the writers for developing such rich storylines that evolve from one episode to the next. All of the characters are fleshed out and, as I said, do not fit into neat stereotypes. Not all of the dealers are evil, not all of the cops good. We see cops that are not particularly likeable (Some are downright assholes) work hard to uphold the law, while dealers that are likely decent folk slinging crack because that is what they know.

That no Emmys were handed up for this is perhaps the greatest crime in television.

Quite simply, season four cemented The Wire’s claim on the title of “the best crime show in the history of television.” What we have here isn’t simply “must see ” TV but “must see again and again” TV.

If you own seasons one through three, you must buy this. If you have never visited the world of The Wire, order all of them now and prepare yourself for crime television nirvana.

Dickens and Shakespeare would approve.

Order The Wire - The Complete Fourth Season

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Read More......

Toronto Film critics declare No Country best film, Viggo best performance.

The Toronto Film Critics association named No Country for Old Men the best film of 2007.
Ethan and Joel Coen also won best director and screenplay for the film, and Javier Bardem picked up the award for best supporting actor.

Viggo Mortenson won best actor for his role in David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises.

The award for best actress was split between Ellen Page (Juno) and Julie Christie (Away from Her) and Cate Blanchett snagged the best supporting actress award for I'm Not There.

Read More......

John Singleton to direct the A-Team, but who will star?

Director John Singleton has signed on to direct the film version of the 1980s NBC show The A-Team.

The show, which ran from 1983 to 87, was about four falsely accused Vietnam vets that are on the run. They helped out folks in need while dodging the authorities.

The film will be updated with the crew being Iraq vets. According to Variety, the story will include "oil tycoons and laser technology."

The same article states that the screenplay was written by Jayson Rothwell. Rothwell previously wrote a Jean-Claude Van Damme direct to DVD flick (Second in Command) as well as 2004's Blessed, in which Heather Graham is artificially impregnated with the Devil's seed...I am not making that up.

Singleton has a pretty good track record. His directorial debut (Boyz in the Hood) snagged him two Oscar nominations and since then, he has generally had success at the box office. Of course he did write and direct the stinky remake of Shaft, but nobody is prefect.
The big question now is who will star?

The one rumor that seems to have at least some substance to it is that Ice Cube may be playing B.A. Baracus. Mr. T played him in the television series. I could see that. Ving Rhames came to mind, but I think he is a little old for the role...no offense intended as Ving is fantastic.

How about Common? The rapper turned actor did a nice job in both American Gangster and Smokin' Aces.

I could see Ryan Reynolds or Chris Pine playing Face (Dirk Benedict in the original series), while George Clooney would seem to be the perfect Hannibal (George Peppard in the series).

Anyone else have suggestions for the starring roles?

Everything I have read says that it will be a little darker and more serious than the original series.

Read More......

DVD Review: 24 - season six

After five seasons, seeing Jack Bauer and those of the CTU crew that have survived, is like going to see old, if somewhat disaster prone friends. And while the real time premise is a little shop worn it is still very good TV. I'm not going to go into a lot of plot outline because if you are a fan (I am) you saw it and if you're not I wouldn't start with season six. Not that there is anything wrong with it, there's not, but having some background couldn't hurt.

In this session we meet Jack's father (James Cromwell) and the woman that dumped him for his brother. Our hero it seems, springs from money. We also meet Chloe O'Brian's ex Morris , a recovering boozer and horses patoot, who will be familiar to any fans of the La Femme Nikita series (I was, until they screwed the ending so badly). And Peter MacNicol doffs his scholarly robes(NUMB3RS) for a stint as the Presidents Chief-of -Staff. Throw in suitcase nukes in LA and enough treachery to fill a boxcar and you've got some pretty good entertainment. Maybe not the can't miss it of the old days but still way better than most.

There are a bunch of commentary and deleted scene specials to round out a full package, including a magazine you can subscribe to and a DVD-ROM link to access exclusive content online.
If you are a die hard fan you need to jump on this like a duck on a junebug.

Order from Amazon.

Lee Crawford
For more reviews from Lee, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Read More......

New KITT revealed and Hasslehoff will make an appearance in the new Knight Rider.

So it is official, David Hasslehoff will be making an appearance in the forthcoming Knight Rider teleflick. The Hoff played Michael Knight in the original series.

In addition to this nugget of news, the car(s) that will play KITT were revealed recently.

There are three of them. One is a remote controlled car, one a stunt car and one…well is just a car (albeit a fairly cool car).

In the original series, KITT was a Trans Am. This time around, it is a “Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR.” I put this in quotations because it is not as though I could tell you that by looking at it. I know NOTHINIG about cars other than they get me from point A to point B. You can check out video of the new car here.

But, it is a pretty cool looking vehicle.
Will Arnett will be the voice of KITT.

I don’t care how cool it looked; I would not want my car to talk to me. On a Monday morning, it is all I can do to get to work without having to discuss politics or the wretched performances of the local sports teams (Hey Timberwolves) with my car. The upside would be I could sleep on the way to work.

Ok, I am getting off track. Let us go back to discussing the new Knight Rider.

So let us quickly rundown the whos and whys of the new show.

Justin Bruening is Mike Traceur. Mike is the son of Michael Knight (David Hasslehoff) but he apparently does not know this when the show starts. He is a former Army Ranger and a “reluctant hero”…that certainly sounds like a new concept.

Mike is contacted by Sarah Graiman (Deanna Russo) the daughter of the creator of KITT, when she is contacted by KITT to warn her that dear old Dad is in trouble. Papa is Charles Graiman (Bruce Davison ). Yes, they have changed the last name of Charles. Don’t ask me why, none of the press releases gave a why.

Also in the cast is Sydney Tamiia Poitier as FBI agent Carrie Ruvai.

As I said, David Hasslehoff will be making an appearance as well.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say I had to fight VERY STRONG urges to make some alcohol related jokes at the expense of the Hoff, but am refraining because I am above that sort of thing…beside they seemed just too easy.

For those of you that had not heard, David Hasslehoff recently had two bouts of alcohol poisoning.

If this teleflick does well, it will serve as the pilot for a new series. Actually, unless it bombs that is the plan. Since the strike is still underway, no additional scripts have been written.

Read More......

Trailer for The Dark Knight online officially.

After being leaked, via camcorder, on You Tube, the trailer for The Dark Knight officially went online Sunday night.

Check it out.

Read More......

Season two of Dexter comes to an end tonight.

Season two has seen some rough times for Dexter. He started attending Narcotics anonymous meetings (No, he is not a drug addict), he lost his girlfriend, picked up a new one…one that is insane (literally), had his body stash found, is being hunted by the police and FBI and found out some unsettling details about his mother and foster father.

Well, it all wraps up this Sunday as the season comes to an end.

As we head into the finale, Dexter has started to patch things up with his ex-girlfriend Rita. But Lila is aware of this and unwilling to let go of Dexter, whom she feels is her soulmate. While love can often be complex and messy, it is even tougher when
A) You are a serial killer
B) One of the ladies is INSANE! We are talking cracked, nuts, willing to kill to get what she wants or die if she does not. Attractive? Sure, she is lovely and has that a killer British accent (What can I say, we Americans are suckers for a British accent) but still does not offset the fact that she is a lunatic.

While I have a pretty good idea what is going to happen, the power of the show is such that I still can’t wait to still it play out.

The finale will be followed up by a discussion with the cast and crew. Dexter has become Showtime’s biggest hit so it seems a lock that Dexy and crew (Well, some of them, since I am pretty sure that not all will survive the finale ) back for more.

Read More......

Another poster for The Dark Knight, the Joker gets one!

Here is another new poster, one that features The Joker. I am so jacked about THE DARK KNIGHT!

Read More......

New Dark Knight trailer + poster.

We finally get a decent looking poster for The Dark Knight.

Oh yeah, there is a real trailer online. It has not officially hit the net yet, this was recorder by a filmgoer.

This trailer is very cool and certainly makes Heath Leder's Joker look like the real deal.

Check it out.

Here is yet another promo site, one that looks like it will be featuring the official trailer on Sunday.

Read More......

Crime well represented in the Golden Globe nominees.

So the nominees for the 2007 Golden Globes were announced today.


Motion picture -- drama
"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"Eastern Promises"
"The Great Debaters"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Actress -- drama
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"
Jodie Foster, "The Brave One"
Angelina Jolie, "A Mighty Heart"
Keira Knightley, "Atonement"

Actor -- drama
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"
James McAvoy, "Atonement"
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"
Denzel Washington, "American Gangster

Supporting actress
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"
Julia Roberts, "Charlie Wilson's War"
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"

Supporting actor
Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"
John Travolta, "Hairspray"
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton"

Director
Tim Burton, "Sweeney Todd"
Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Ridley Scott, "American Gangster"
Joe Wright, "Atonement"

Screenplay
Diablo Cody, "Juno"
Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Aaron Sorkin, "Charlie Wilson's War"

Personally, I am pleased to see so many crime films among the nominees for best drama. It also warms my heart to see Amy Ryan nominated for her amazing performance in Gone Baby Gone. Hopefully these are predictors of the Oscars.

Read More......

DVD Info: Warner announces details for volume 3 of their Gangster collection.

In the last few years, Warner Brothers has been mining their amazing library of films and putting together various themed collections.

On March 25, WB will offer up Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection Volume 3. This edition will feature six flicks, three of which have never been released on home video in the U.S. Each film will also feature trailers, shorts, newsreels and cartoons from the same era.

Picture Snatcher (1933)
"James Cagney portrays Danny Kean, a gangster looking to reform himself -- after a stretch behind bars -- with a new career as a tabloid newspaper photographer. He’s also fallen for Patricia Nolan (Patricia Ellis), the daughter of the cop who put him away (Robert Emmett O'Connor). Dad is less than impressed with Kean’s new career and none too happy about his daughter’s budding relationship. Danny and his editor (Ralph Bellamy) may be selling papers, but is Danny able to sell Dad? Some of the photographs featured in the movie were recreated from sensational images of a 1928 electrocution that were printed in the New York Daily News."
Special Features:
Vintage theatrical trailer: I Loved A Woman
Classic WB short: Plane Crazy
WB cartoon: Wake Up The Gypsy In Me

Lady Killer (1933)
"In one of his more comedic efforts, Cagney plays Dan Quigley, a former con artist who goes to Hollywood to hide out and ends up becoming a star. Making it in show business may have its perks, but it also puts him in the spotlight and in jeopardy of being recognized by the thugs he ran away from. By turns, Lady Killer is a filmmaking spoof, a crime thriller and a character study. With Cagney’s vitality out front, it’s definitely greater than the sum of its parts. The likable cast includes Mae Clarke, his co-star from Public Enemy (part of the first Warner Bros. Gangster Collection) and the recipient of the famous grapefruit."
Special Features:
Two exclusive WB shorts: The Camera Speaks and Kissing Time
Original theatrical trailer
WB cartoon: The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives

Smart Money (1931)
"Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney were teamed up for the only time in their careers in Smart Money. Robinson has the larger part of a small-town barber who fancies himself a big-time gambler. He travels to the Big City carrying ten grand from backers at home with his younger brother (Cagney), who comes along as his bodyguard. Unfortunately Robinson has a weakness for beautiful blondes, which means trouble with a capital T. Watch closely in the first reel for an unbilled appearance by Boris Karloff as a dope pusher. Smart Money was Oscar® nominated for Best Original Screenplay."
Special Features:
Theatrical trailer: Other Men’s Women
Two WB shorts: George Jessel and His Art Choir and The Smart Set-Up
WB cartoon: Big Man From the North

Black Legion (1937)
"Factory worker Frank Taylor (Humphrey Bogart in one of his early starring roles) believes that he has missed out on a deserved promotion when it is instead given to a Polish immigrant. Angry and looking for a scapegoat, he is an ideal mark for the Black Legion, an underground “Pro American” group that wants to get rid of immigrants and racial minorities through violent means. Frank joins, and with his new friends, he dons black robes and drives the Polish family from their home. His aim achieved, Frank gets his job, but soon the Legion begins to take up more of his time and money, and turns his character darker and darker. Co-starring Ann Sheridan, Black Legion was inspired by a real case and was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay."
Special Features:
Theatrical trailer: The Perfect Specimen
Two WB shorts: Hi De Ho and Under Southern Stars
Authentic newsreel
WB short: Porky and Gabby

Mayor of Hell (1933)
"Five members of a teen-age gang, including leader Jimmy Smith (Frank Darro), are sent to the State Reformatory, ruled with an iron fist by a callous warden. Soon, Patsy Gargan (James Cagney) - a former gangster - arrives, having been appointed Deputy Commissioner as a political favor. Gargan falls for activist nurse Dorothy (Madge Evans) and, inspired by her, takes over the administration to reform the reformatory and institute some formerly ignored basic Roosevelt-era principles, like humane treatment and democracy."
Special Features:
Four exclusive theatrical trailers: The Kennel Murder Case, The Mayor of Hell, Crime School, and Hell’s Kitchen
WB Short: The Audition
WB Cartoon: The Organ Grinder

Brother Orchid (1940)
"Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart made five films together and Brother Orchid is the only one in which neither is killed! In this gangster comedy, Little John Sarto (Robinson), returns from Europe where he was hoping to find some “class” and finds his old mob has been taken over by Jack Buck (Bogart). Barely escaping an attempt on his life by the new regime, Sarto takes refuge in the monastery of the “Little Brothers of the Flower,” pretending he’s interested in becoming a monk so that the Brothers will let him stay while he plots his revenge. However, the kindness of the monks gradually changes him and he resolves to turn over a new leaf and reject his violent past."
Special Features:
Theatrical trailer: It All Came True
WB short: Henry Busse and His Orchestra
Two exclusive WB cartoons: Busy Bakers and Slap Happy Pappy

The collection will have a SRP of $59.92, with each title also being sold separately for $19.97

Read More......

No Country for Old Men shining bright with accolades, awards.

The Coen Brothers return to gritty Noir-tinged cinema has been a success, both commercially as well as artistically.

Thus far, No Country for Old Men has rec'd the following awards:
the New York Film Critics Circle: Best Film.
Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Film, Javier Bardem for best supporting Actor.
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association: Best film, Javier Bardem for best supporting actor.
The National Board of Review: Best Film, Best Ensemble cast, Best adapted Screenplay.

Does anyone have any doubts as to whether the Coen Brothers are heading for another Oscar nomination? Javier seems a lock to get a nomination for best supporting. His next role is scheduled to be Pablo Escobar for Joe Carnahan's Killing Pablo.

Read More......

New poster for Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Here is the new official poster for the forthcoming Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Goofy name? Absolutely, but I could not care less since it is Indiana freakin' Jones!

Click on the poster to see the full sized version.

The film comes out on May 22, 2008.

Read More......

Photos from In The Electric Mist

Author James Lee Burke has, on his site, put up photos from the forthcoming In The Electric Mist.

Mist is based on Burke's 1993 novel and stars Tommy Lee Jones, as Dave Robicheaux, as well as Ned Beatty, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard and Mary Steenburgen.

This film has real promise. They have put together a strong cast of good actors, not big names, but actual folks with real acting skills.

Add to that a good director in Bertrand Tavernier (Round Midnight) you have the makin's of something good.

No U.S. release date has been set, but it will debut in France on March 26th, 2008.

Click here for our complete rundown on the cast.

Check out the photos. There are ten in all.

Read More......

Take a look at the early days of Omar, Prop Joe and others! (+info regarding the final season of the best crime show in television history).

HBO and David Simon have taped vignettes exploring back stories of Omar, Proposition Joe, McNulty and Bunk.

On December 15th, fans can get a peek into the past of their favorite characters from the hit series The Wire by going to HBO.com.

This should whet our appetites for the Jan 6th premiere of the fifth and final season. Interestingly enough, episodes will be available online at HBO on Demand one week before they air on HBO.

Season four was the best season of the best crime show in history, so the bar is set pretty damn high.

Here is a press release featuring details regarding the upcoming season:

ACCLAIMED PEABODY-WINNING DRAMA SERIES THE WIRE
KICKS OFF FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON JAN. 6, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

The Peabody Award-winning drama series THE WIRE launches its ten-episode fifth and final season SUNDAY, JAN. 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, with other episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time.

In addition to resolving storylines that have continued throughout the previous seasons, the culminating narrative arc of THE WIRE will reflect on the media's role in addressing - or failing to address - the fundamental political, economic and social realities depicted over the course of the series.

Explains series creator David Simon, "It made sense to finish THE WIRE with this reflection on the state of the media, as all the other attendant problems of the American city depicted in the previous four seasons will not be solved until the depth and range of those problems is first acknowledged. And that won't happen without an intelligent, aggressive and well-funded press."

A 13-year veteran of the Baltimore Sun newspaper, Simon decries recent trends in the newspaper industry that have conspired to make high-end journalism vulnerable: out-of-town chain ownership, an economic climate in which the share price of media companies matters more to industry leaders than the product itself, and a newsroom culture in which prizes, personal ambition and the cult of the "impact" story has replaced consistent and detailed coverage of complex issues as the primary goal.

Returning cast regulars on THE WIRE include Dominic West, Sonja Sohn, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Deirdre Lovejoy, Clarke Peters, Reg E. Cathey, Domenick Lombardozzi, Seth Gilliam, Aidan Gillen, Jamie Hector, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Andre Royo, Corey Parker Robinson, Tristan Wilds, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jermaine Crawford and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.

New cast regulars this season include Clark Johnson ("Homicide: Life on the Street") as city editor Augustus "Gus" Haynes, Tom McCarthy ("Year of the Dog") as ambitious reporter Scott Templeton, Michelle Paress as reporter Alma Gutierrez, Neal Huff ("Michael Clayton") as Michael Steintorf, Mayor Carcetti's chief of staff, and Michael Kostroff ("The Closer") as Maury.

Supporting cast members this season include Steve Earle, Frankie Faison, Anwan Glover, Method Man, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson and Amy Ryan.

Among the directors this season are series veterans Dan Attias, Joe Chappelle, Ernest Dickerson, Agnieszka Holland, Seith Mann, Anthony Hemingway and Clark Johnson (who directed the first episode of THE WIRE, and also directs its final episode). New directors this season include the husband and wife team of Joy Kecken & Scott Kecken and series regular Dominic West, in his directorial debut.

The writing staff of THE WIRE includes David Simon, who penned two books of narrative nonfiction, "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets," which inspired the hit series "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood," which inspired the Emmy(r)-winning HBO miniseries "The Corner"; Ed Burns, a former Baltimore police detective and Baltimore city public school teacher, who coauthored the book "The Corner" with Simon; William F. Zorzi, a former political writer and editor for the Baltimore Sun; and Chris Collins, an up-and-coming talent who served as staff writer last season and also wrote the award-winning documentary "Disarm." Also writing for the series this season are novelists Dennis Lehane ("Gone Baby Gone," "Mystic River"), George Pelecanos ("Hard Revolution," "Right as Rain") and Richard Price ("Lush Life," "Clockers"), as well as TV veteran David Mills, who was one of the writers and executive producers on "The Corner," and a writer for "NYPD Blue" and "Homicide: Life on the Street."

Beginning Dec. 31 with the season premiere, weekly episodes of THE WIRE will be available on HBO On Demand the Monday prior to its Sunday debut on the main HBO channel.


Anyone else jacked beyond words for this season?

Read More......

Teddy gets a wife: More casting news for Shutter Island.

And the cast just gets better and better.

The Hollywood Reporter is …well, reporting that Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) is in final negotiations to join the cast. Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley have already been announced.

Williams will play, in flashbacks, the late wife of U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio). Teddy is haunted by the memory of his wife.

He and his partner, Chuck Aule (Ruffalo), travel to Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane. Sire Ben Kingsley plays Dr. Cawley, head of said hospital.

Shooting is expected to begin in early spring of 2008.

To read our previous posts about a Shutter Island, go here.

Read More......

DVD Review: Live Free or Die Hard.

Before I begin, I thought I would mention that I am a huge fan of Die Hard. I have watched the first movie 1,239 times and could probably do a one man play Off Broadway on it. I even liked the second one, not as much, but it was fun. The third one was a rip off of a Starsky and Hutch episode from the 70s, but was worth sitting through. But the fourth one I had no intention of seeing. The commercials just turned me off. They made me feel they had forgotten what made John McClane a fan favorite: He was just a guy-- an ordinary guy thrust into extra-ordinary circumstances--that rose to the occasion. But in the commercials for the third one, it looked like they had turned him into a cookie cutter cut out of the Hollywood action hero like Schwartza-howz-you-spell-it or Stallone or Van Dame or Even Steven “Couldn’t act if my life depended on it, and my martial arts are just shit I made up, and that guy on Mad TV spoofing me is more entertaining than I could be if I lit my self on fire and jumped off the Empire State Building into a Dixie cup filled with Bacardi 151 and the best movie I ever made, was when I died in the first 5 minutes (Executive Decision)” Segal.

But as I was watching Live Free or Die Hard, I thought, “this isn’t so bad. It’s got Bruce; it’s got the kid from the Mac commercials wise cracking, loads of action. Ok, he blows up a helicopter by jumping a car into it. We can get past that, it’s Schwatz-a-hooie-esc, but that’s ok.” But I kept watching. With out going into too much detail, the bad guys, tap into the Air Force computers and send a jet after McClane. An Air Force Jet, with an Air Force pilot. Not one of the bad guys flying a jet, but the “real McCoy.” Not just any jet mind you, one that can hover. (They didn’t say it was a British made Harrier, which to my knowledge is the only hovering jet our military has, but it was an F-something, with a rotor thing built into the tail. The Harrier uses jets to hover.) ANYWAY, this American pilot proceeds to blow up pillars holding up freeways to kill MacLean, destroying bridges with cars on them. But then they did something that, to quote Eric Burden, “really blew my mind.” They completely ripped off the Harrier Jet sequence from James Cameron’s True Lies where AH-Nood rides on the nose of the Harrier.


Order Live Free or Die Hard from Amazon.

Randy Otteson
For more reviews from Randy, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Editor's note: It has been commented that the protagonist's name was misspelled. As editor, I take full responsibity since I know full well that Randy can't spell worth a darn. It has since been corrected and a kudos goes to Bryon Quertermous for noticing it.

Read More......

DVD Info: New edition of Bonnie and Clyde coming.

Warner Home Video has announced that they will be releasing 2 special editions of Bonnie and Clyde on March 25th.

The film starred Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as the pair of infamous robbers and was directed by Arthur Penn. The film has been completely remastered and will include over 3 hours of extras.

Extras:
Disc 1
Teaser Trailer
Theatrical Trailer
Disc 2
The History Channel® Documentary – Love and Death: The Story of Bonnie and Clyde
* includes newsreel footage, period accounts, and interviews with biographers to bring the story of the notorious outlaws to life.
Revolution! The Making of Bonnie and Clyde
*Bonnie and Clyde’s Gang (The challenges of bringing together the right creative forces to adapt the true story into a glamorous tale)
*The Reality and Myth of Bonnie and Clyde (Blending old and new Hollywood crews to bring about the style and look of a film which impacted more than just the fashion industry during the era)
*Releasing Bonnie and Clyde (From production to the final edited cut, a look at the struggles and joys of making a film that became a worldwide phenomenon and an Oscar winner)

Warren Beatty Wardrobe Tests
Deleted Scenes:
*The Road to Mineloa
*Outlaws

Both editions will have the above extras, but the ULTIMATE EDITION will also include
36 page hardcover book of behind the scenes photos
24 page reproduction of the original press book
Mail-in offer for a poster.

The Ultimate edition will retail for $39.92, while the Special edition will be $20.97.

Read More......

DVD Info: Release dates for Rendition and Charlie Chan volume 4, plus details for Gone Baby Gone.

Buena Vista has announced the date and details for the DVD of Gone Baby Gone.

Based on the Dennis Lehane novel of the same name, GBG tells the story of a pair of Boston private eyes and their search for a missing child. The mother leaves the child alone while she goes out for some fun. When she returns home, her four year old daughter is missing from her bed. While the cops are doing all they can, the girl's aunt turns to Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Michelle Monagahan), a pair of neighborhood private investigators. She hopes the locals might talk more to them than the police. This search leads them into the drug world as well as that of pedophiles and questionable cops.

It also featured an impressive directorial debut by Ben Affleck.

GBG will be released on Feb 12 and will have a SRP of $29.99.
Extras:
*Going Home: Behind The Scenes with Ben Affleck – An exclusive look behind the scenes, including a conversation with director Ben Affleck and star Casey Affleck about the brothers’ most memorable professional collaboration to date.
*Capturing Authenticity: Casting Gone Baby Gone
*Deleted scenes with Optional Commentary by writer/director Ben Affleck and writer Aaron Stockard
*Audio Commentary by writer/director Ben Affleck and writer Aaron Stockard

Read my review of Gone Baby Gone.

Also coming out on the 12th is the fourth volume in Fox’s Charlie Chan collection. This volume will feature four films : Charlie Chan in Honolulu, Charlie Chan in Reno, Charlie Chan at Treasure Island and City in Darkness.

CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU
Charlie’s called to solve a murder aboard a freighter headed to sea. Upon arrival, he orders the ship held at anchor, detaining its passengers several days until the crime is solved and discovers two of his sons attempting to hone their crime-solving skills. Further complicating matters, $300,000 has been stolen, another person is murdered, and the Captain of the liner is putting pressure on the Honolulu Police Department to let him take the ship out of the harbor and get on its way before the shipping company loses too much money.
Extras:
Reinventing Chan
Sidney Toler: The Man Who Became Chan
"Charlie Chan? Courage: A Re-creation of a Lost Chan Film"
Restoration Comparison
Still Gallery

CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO
Mary Whitman has gone to the divorce mecca, Reno, to obtain a divorce. While there, she is arrested on suspicion of murdering a fellow guest at her hotel. Confusing matters, many others at the hotel wanted the victim out of the way. Charlie comes from his home in Honolulu to solve the murder and determine if Mary is innocent.
Extras:
Welcome to Reno: America's Divorce Resort
*Reno Memories **Chan's Killer Actress: Kay Linaker
Restoration Comparison
Trailer
Still Gallery

CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND
Charlie's novelist friend has appeared to have committed suicide, but things are not always as they seem. At the 1939 World’s Fair held at San Francisco Bay's Treasure Island, Charlie investigates the true nature of this crime including digging up information about the mysterious Dr. Zodiac, a phony mystic who blackmails clients.
Extras:
Commentary by Film Critic Ken Hanke & Film Historian John Cork
The Real Treasure Island
Charlie Chan & the Zodiac
Restoration Comparison
Still Gallery

CHARLIE CHAN IN CITY IN DARKNESS
While in Paris for a reunion with friends from World War I, Charlie investigates the murder of a munitions manufacturer who was supplying arms to the enemy. At the end Charlie preaches to us about the dangers of peace conferences.
Extras:
The Making of Charlie Chan in City in Darkness
Writing Chan: Robert Ellis & Helen Logan
Restoration Comparison
Trailer
Still Gallery

SRP is $49.98


One week later (Feb 19th) will see Rendition come out. Rendition stars Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin, Peter Sarsgaard and Jake Gyllenhaal.
"When a man mysteriously vanishes from an overseas flight, his disappearance sends shockwaves all the way to the nation’s capitol. Desperate for the truth, his wife begins a search for the missing man which leads a CIA unit head and a novice agent into an international web of deceit, conspiracies and top secret truths far more frightening than the lies that conceal them."

Extras include:
commentary with director Gavin Hood
“Intersections: The Making of Rendition” documentary
“Outlawed” featurette
Deleted scenes with audio commentary
Alternate scenes
Theatrical trailer
SRP is $29.98

Read More......

Shutter Island has it's head physician.

Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island is already off to an impressive start, with Leonardo DiCaprio (as Teddy Daniels) and Mark Ruffalo (Chuck Aule) playing the leads and Martin Scorsese directing.

But they have now added another very impressive name to the cast: Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley (Ghandi, Sexy Beast, House of Sand and Fog, Lucky Number Slevin) has signed on to play Dr. Joseph Cawley, the medical director of the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane. Kingsley won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ghandi and has been nominated three other times.

Read More......

DVD Review: Chinatown (Special collector's edition)

Chinatown’s place in history is assured. The passage of time has not diminished it’s greatness. Set in the 1930s, Chinatown is a story of power and the dark influence it can have on men.

Jack Nicholson is Jake Gittes, a former cop turned private detective. Gittes is good, his skills fall just short of his ego.

After being made the fool, Gittes puts all of his energy into finding out who was behind a scheme in which he was made a pawn.

After being tricked into discrediting her husband, Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) hires Gittes to find out who was behind the scheme to ruin her husband’s reputation.

Gittes uncovers a plan to privatize the ownership of water and thus make millions off the drought that is currently wrecking havoc on L.A. county. The trail leads to Dunaway’s father (John Huston in a brilliant performance) and gives us one of the most memorable endings in cinematic history.

Chinatown’s excellence is not limited to just one thing; the story, the cinematography, the score, the acting…all hit the mark. The Gittes character is a fascinating one. His flaws are evident (His past failings haunt him, he clearly has racial prejudices and is not as clever as he thinks he is) and Jack (as all of us close personal friends call him) takes these aspects and uses them to create a character that steps beyond the usual prototypical noir/hardboiled protagonist archetype.

From a technical stand point; this disc is a definite step up from the previous Chinatown DVD. The picture is sharper and that alone would make it worthwhile to purchase.

But the icing on the cake is an excellent documentary. This four-parter features Jack Nicholson, Roman Polanski, writer Robert Towne and producer Robert Evans. Each gives their own insight into not only the making of the film, but their thoughts on it now and its place in cinematic history. Polanski and Towne each discuss the famous disputed ending. Polanksi wanted an ending darker and more tragic than what Towne had originally written. In the end, Polanski won out and delivered what has become a truly legendary finale to an already classic film. Towne now agrees that Polanski was right.

Any fan of noir fiction or film needs to have Chinatown in their collection. No library can be considered complete without it.

Order Chinatown from Amazon.

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Read More......

DVD Review: The Untouchables-Season 1, volume 2

THE UNTOUCHABLES
SEASON1 VOLUME2
Paramount

The Untouchables was one of the very first producing jobs Quinn Martin held. He would later go on to produce many other television shows such as Street of San Francisco (also reviewed here).
This is the second part of the first season, later season went on to write totally fictional episodes, however the first season drew from the book Ness by the same name. Episode by episode it is fun to watch, however if you know the real history of it watching in order could give you a headache as it's shown out of the real sequence.

There are some interesting episodes in here and it's interesting to see television form this time period wondering how they would have done it today.

Ness is played by Robert Stack, deadpanned and deliberate. For the role he's playing it works.
If you are a fan of crime television today this may be too slow for you, however it is enjoyable if you are interested in Capone or Ness.

The only extra feature is an episode of the Lucy Show featuring Stack as Ness.

Jon Jordan
For more reviews from Jon, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Read More......

Stallone to remake Death Wish.

This has been floating around my in box for a while, but I have not gotten around to putting it up.

Sylvester Stallone is planning on following his upcoming Rambo film with a remake of Charles Bronson’s 1974 Death Wish.

In the original, Bronson played Paul Kersey, a New York architect. After his family is murdered, Paul becomes a vigilante, taking out muggers and thugs.

In addition to starring, SS will also handle directing duties.

The screenwriting duties are to be handled by Michael Ferris and John Brancato, the duo previously wrote Terminator 3, The Net (and it's sequel The Net 2.0) as well as the infamous CATWOMAN. Obviously the current writers strike will dictate the timetable for this, but the plan is to start production in spring of 2008.

Read More......

DVD Review: The Streets of San Francisco - season 1, volume 2

Paramount Home Entertainment

Let me start by saying I don't understand why they split this into two sets, maybe it has to do with keeping costs down.

What ever the case, they came out pretty close together so it wasn't like I had to wait for the rest of season 1 for very long.

I do love this show. This part of season one has an episode which has stuck with me since I first saw it back in '73 at ten years of age. An old man living in a big house is accused of killing a child. The house is piled high with newspapers and other things which are collected daily by the senior citizen. Upon rewatching this episode for the first time in 34 years something became clear to me about why this show works. The characters are very human. Mike Stone played by Karl Malden is tough as nails as the veteran detective. But when the need arises he can also be caring and even nurturing. I also love seeing Micahel Douglas acting with Malden. The characters compliment each other almost as well as the actors do.

The other thing that really makes this show stand out is the use of the city. Real shots on real streets.

This show holds up really well and I would recommend this to any one who loves a good cop show.

Jon Jordan
For more reviews from Jon, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Read More......