I've said before that viewing Numb3rs is like going to see old friends and last nights opener was no exception. It's that comfortable.
The whole gang was on hand, a situation I understand will not be the case for most of the season for financial reasons, but hopefully everyone will get their fair share.
Part of the effectivness of the stories is a tendency in making the bad guys not all bad and the good guys not all good, which give a lot more interest and depth. The 'victem' was a self serving twit while the would be assasin seemed a decent type(played by Gary Cole) denied justice. I have been a fan of Coles since American Gothic and Crusade and I'm glad to see him landing the meaty roles. He's good at them.
The personal stories continue to turn and spin and are the major reason I tune in. While Charlie's marriage proposal did not have me rivited, Dons rethinking of his life and work shows promise and Judd Hirsh's father figure again displays an infinate capacity for caring. These are good people doing the best they can in the world they find themselves.
Numb3rs is for sure a keeper.
Lee Crawford
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Lee looks at the NUMB3RS season premiere.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
More Stephen King for television.
Stephen King's THE COLORADO KID is being adapting for television...kind of.
E1 Entertainment is taking the setting of the novel and using it for a new television series called HAVEN. It is described as
"the project centers on a spooky town in Maine where cursed folk live normal lives in exile. When those curses start returning, FBI agent Audrey Parker is brought in to keep those supernatural forces at bay -- while trying to unravel the mysteries of Haven."
So it is not a straight adaptation as it will differ from the book. Actually the setting is about the only real connection.
The producers (Scott Shepard, Lloyd Segan and Shawn Piller) are the same bunch that brought his novel, THE DEAD ZONE, to USA. TDZ ran from June of 02 to Sept of 07.
Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn, also from TDZ, are writing the pilot and will also be producers.
While plans are set for 13 episodes, no television deals have been made as of yet. They are planning on securing international deals first, then focus on North America. Read More......
Polanski arrest puts THE GHOST on hold.
When news of Roman Polanski's arrest broke, the first thing that came to mind was: How will this affect THE GHOST?
Sorry kids, I am totally ambivalent regarding this issue, Jon and I talked about it last night and I don't think either of us really cares one way or the other about it.
But, Polanski was in the process of editing his film version of Robert Harris' THE GHOST. Because filming is complete, the project almost certainly won't die, but I figured this would seriously screw things up.
A ghostwriter (Evan McGregor) is hired to finish the memoirs of an ex-British prime minister (Pierce Brosnan). The ghostwriter's research leads him to uncover skeletons in the pol's closet that put the writer's life in danger. Things are complicated further when the PM's wife (Oliva Williams) falls for the writer.
Sure enough, THR is reporting that the project is on now on hold. Until Roman's current legal situation is cleared up, no work will be done. In addition to editing, sound mixing and scoring is still needed. The article states that the film needs several more months worth of work.
In addition to Bronson, McGregor and Williams, GHOST has Timothy Hutton, Wilkinson, Kim Katrall and James Belushi.
DiCaprio is Travis McGee?
Here we go again:
Last summer, it looked like John D MacDonald's THE DEEP BLUE GOODBYE was back on track to becoming a movie. Then things died down and the project stared to, on again, collect dust.
Now the Hollywood machinery, in this case Fox, has started back up and it looks like Leonardo DiCaprio will be playing TDBG's Travis McGee.
For you heathens that are not familiar with the Mcgee series, Travis is a former navy man that lives on a houseboard (the Busted Flush) and acts as a "salvage consultant" and helps folks out for a large fee. He is described as a "knight in slightly tarnished armor" and usually ended up aiding a lovely lady.
TDBG was publshed in 1964 and was the first of 21 books to featuring McGee. It seems certain that Fox is hoping this will become a new franchise. Travis McGee hit the silver screen in 1970 when Rod Taylor played him in Darker than Amber. In 1983, a telefilm (based on The Empty Copper Sea) was made, for ABC, with Sam Elliot as McGee.
I simply can't see Leo as Travis McGee. Not in the slightest. I will give him credit for developing some serious acting skills, but in way does he fit the bill. Too young, too small. I love the series and have issues with them reimagining the character. Sam Elliot was actually in line with how I see McGee.
The writer is Dana Stevens, who wrote CITY OF ANGELS and FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME as well as having been a writer/producer for the television series WHAT ABOUT BRIAN. I never saw WHAT ABOUT BRIAN, but neither film exactly rocked my world.
It is not known whether or not previously attached Gary Fleder (RUNAWAY JURY, KISS THE GIRLS) is still on board. My guess is no.
POST NOTE: Lee and I were talking this afternoon about the casting of Travis McGee, tossing various names about. Lee came up with one that I think could be brilliant: Viggo Mortensen. As soon as he said it, I could instantly see Vig sitting on the Busted Flush, scruffy, lean and tan.
I am curious as to who others think would be good.
DVD Releases for Sept 29th, 2009.
The hoiday season is starting to rear it's ugly head. This week sees a couple of box sets that will almost certainly end up as gifts to some of our loved ones: Acorn Media is presenting FOYLE'S WAR megaset and Fox is deliving the complete series of THE UNIT.
Cagney & Lacey: The Menopause Years Four-disc set featuring: "Cagney & Lacey: The Return" (November 1994), "Cagney & Lacey: Together Again" (May 2, 1995), "Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass Ceiling" (October 25, 1995) and "Cagney & Lacey: True Convictions" (January 29, 1996). Extras: Interviews with Sharon Gless, Tyne Daly, producer Barney Rosenzweig and writer Barbara Corday. $39.95 (S'More Entertainment).
"In my house, John Leonard began in his New York magazine review, of December 1994, Cagney & Lacey was to prime time what The Golden Notebook had been to modern novels and modern marriage: street-smart feminism: politics and friendship; therapy on the barricades; brains on a rampage. Before Doris Lessing, we had never heard women talk like that in fiction. Before Cagney & Lacey, we d never seen them act like that on television. Without Chris and Mary Beth, Thelma and Louise would not have been imaginable. And so it s a joy to have them back... Mr. Leonard concluded his review with the cogent observation, older, thicker, smarter, wrinkled and not the least bit apologetic about it.
As the producer of the original series and these reunion films, there is not much I care to add ... except perhaps this: most professional analysts of these films invariably make some reference to the fact that during the series six years on the air, no other actress...NOT ONE... only Tyne Daly or Sharon Gless... would win the EMMY for Best Dramatic Actress in a television series. These movies seemed to serve as a reminder to those commentators as to why that was.
Inside this package you will also find some history excerpted from my memoir "Cagney & Lacey... and Me". along with some other observations about the four reunion films made in the mid-1990s each here on separate discs.. The films herein, individually labeled Cagney & Lacey: The Return, Cagney & Lacey: Together Again, Cagney & Lacey: The View From The Glass Ceiling and Cagney & Lacey: True Convictions. Collectively they were all lovingly known as Cagney & Lacey: The Menopause Years. "
CSI: NY: The Fifth Season (2008-09) Gary Sinise, Melina Kanakaredes, Carmine Giovinazzo, Anna Belknap, Hill Harper. Six-disc set with 25 episodes, $71.41. (Paramount).
Foyle's War From Dunkirk to VE Day (Sets 1-5) Nineteen-disc set of the acclaimed WWII British detective series starring Michael Kitchen' aired on PBS. $149.99. (Acorn Media).
"Featuring the first collection of the universally acclaimed WWII detective series starring Michael Kitchen, Foyle’s War: From Dunkirk to VE Day (Sets 1-5) arrives on DVD from Acorn Media on September 29, 2009. One of the most highly acclaimed and popular programs on PBS, Foyle’s War features 19 riveting mysteries set against the backdrop of real World War II history. Foyle’s War, Set 1 is Acorn Media’s No. 1 best selling DVD, with all five sets ranking in the top 20 life to date. The 19-Disc Collection features all of the series’ previously aired episodes (Sets 1-5), spanning the dark days of Dunkirk (1940) to Victory in Europe (1945), as well several bonus features, including exclusive interviews, and making-of documentaries, in a new, slimmed down configuration ($149.99, www.AcornOnline.com).
Combining uncompromising historical accuracy with compelling, character-driven murder mysteries, this award-winning British series has won unqualified critical praise and undying viewer loyalty since its premiere on ITV in the U.K. in October 2002 and PBS in February 2003. Despite reports to the contrary, new episodes portraying the war’s aftermath are currently in production.
Michael Kitchen (Out of Africa) stars as Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Foyle who investigates civilian crimes in a small English coastal town during World War II. War has torn the social fabric of this once quiet coastal community, and Foyle’s investigations explore the violence and opportunism that the conflict has fostered on the home front. His loyalties are also put to the test as his investigations frequently uncover unpleasant truths that powerful people would rather keep hidden. Grounded in historical fact and filmed in London and the southern counties of England, Foyle’s War opens a unique window on a significant time and place. The 19 mysteries in this collection follow the course of the war from 1940 to 1945."
How I Met Your Mother Season Four (2008) Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $49.99. Extras: Commentaries, gag reel, "Barney Stinson: That Guy's Awesome" music video, "Eriksen's Fight Club." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
From dating dilemmas to career conundrums, the recently engaged Ted and his feisty friends find themselves at the crossroads of young adult life. While newlyweds Marshall and Lily contemplate parenthood, single gal Robin explores the advantages of having "friends with benefits." Meanwhile, the irrepressible, opinionated Barney continues his hilariously dogged pursuit of the fairer sex. As for Ted, his Miss Right is out there, but amid bar brawls, blizzards, and buck-naked strangers, how will he ever find her?
Life on Mars: The Complete Series (2006-07) Jason O'Mara, Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Jonathan Murphy Four-disc set with 16 episodes, $39.99. (Disney).
Midsomer Murders, Set 13 (2006-07) John Nettles. $49.99. (Acorn media).
"Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, Midsomer Murders combines quirky characters and surprising mysteries with postcard-perfect English village settings and the ever-charming John Nettles (Bergerac) as the steady, unfailingly decent Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby. Jason Hughes (This Life) also stars as his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Phil Davis (Vera Drake), Golden Globe®-nominee Lisa Eichhorn (Yanks), John Castle, Richard Johnson, David Horovitch, Harriet Thorpe, Flora Montgomery, and Suzi Quatro (Happy Days).
Midsomer Murders premiered in the United Kingdom in March 1997. Since then, more than sixty-five feature-length episodes have aired with new episodes still in production. In the U.S., the series has been seen on A&E and The Biography Channel, however the episodes in Set 13 consist of the first half of Series Ten (2006-2007), which never broadcast in the U.S.."
Nightmare (2005) Jason Scott Campbell, Nicole Roderick. (IFC Films).
A film student and an aspiring actress awake after a one-night stand to find a video camera pointed at their bed; the camera contains a brutal snuff movie -- starring the pair as the killers. But they have no memory of any murder and there's no indication in their room of any gruesome killings. Was there a murder or are the they going mad?
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) Available as a single-disc DVD, a two-disc DVD special edition and Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "The Blackest Night" DC Comics event featurette, "A Test of Minds" Superman and Batman featurette, "Dinner With DC" featurette, extended sneak peak at next DCU film, digital copy download. (Warner).
United States President Lex Luthor uses the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his "partner in crime," Batman. Heroes and villains alike launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite -- and recruit help -- to stop the asteroid and foil Luthor's plan.
Traffik Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition (1989) Bill Paterson, Lindsay Duncan and Julia Ormond. Two-volume set, $39.99. (Acorn Media).
From the poppy fields of Pakistan through the docks of Hamburg to the halls of London’s power elite, this epic drama crosses continents and cultures to portray the dark and dangerous world of international drug smuggling. Traffik traces three intersecting lives: Jack, a British government minister who finds the scourge of heroin striking too close to home; Helen, a woman who embarks on a daring survival strategy after her husband’s arrest; and Fazal, a Pakistani peasant who works for a menacing drug lord.
The all-star cast, topical subject matter, and masterful writing make for an absorbing thriller that resonates powerfully through the years. The six-part miniseries is produced by Britain's Channel 4, written by Simon Moore, and directed by Alastair Reid.
Steven Soderbergh’s 2000 film Traffic was based on the British miniseries and won numerous awards, including four Academy Awards®."
The Unit Season Four (2008-09) Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Audrey Marie Anderson, Robert Patrick, Max Martini DVD: $59.98. Blu-ray: $69.99. Extras: "Into Hell: A Brotherhood Divided" featurette, "Shadow Riders: A Western Come Undone" featurette, "Snake Doctor: A Leader Among Us" featurette, deleted scenes. (Fox).
Packed with explosive action and edge-of-your-seat suspense, The Unit delivers a non-stop blast of spectacular thrills and hard-edged excitement! Risking their lives on deadly undercover missions around the globe, the Unit is a highly skilled, ultra-secret contingent of special forces soldiers operating outside the traditional chain of military command. Now, the hunters become the hunted as the team and their families are targeted by a deadly and far-reaching conspiracy. And, as they are forced to relocate and assume new identities, Season Four follows the complicated day-to-day lives, intricate military operations, and extraordinary heroism of the world’s finest counter-terrorism strike force – The Unit!
The Unit Complete Giftset Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Audrey Marie Anderson, Robert Patrick, Max Martini. Nineteen-disc set, $199.98. Extras: Featurettes, commentary, deleted scenes. (Fox).
Music on DVD - ZAPPA
More and more lately I find my self buying music on DVDs. I love seeing the bands play live, I love the videos.
One of my all time favorite acts live was Frank Zappa. After his death his son Dweezil has taken on a project to keep Frank's music alive. Zappa plays Zappa is that project. Dweezil has put together a band which sometimes features original members of Frank's band and they go on the road playing Frank Zappa's music. Dweezil has said that he had to retrain himself to play the way Frank did, and he nailed it. Some of the former Zpappa band members who appear on the DVD are Napoleon Murphy Brock - vocals, saxophone and flute, Terry Bozzio - drums and vocals and Steve Vai - guitar.
A great review of one of the shows here
And A really nice interview here
Being a huge fan I had to go see it. I loved every minute of it and the live show is captured perfectly on the DVD Zappa Plays Zappa. I bought the FanPak that also comes with 3 CDs. The show is filmed the way a concert show be filmed. You see people actually playing instruments. And watching Dweezil's hand work the guitar is truly watching an artist at work. And the look on his face, you can see that he loves hearing this band play his Dad's music and doing it so well. It is very clear that this is all about Frank and not Dweezil. And I respect the Hell out of him for that.
I also picked up a DVD that explores two of Frank Zappa's best albums. Overnight Sensation and Apostrophe are examined through interviews with the musicians who played on them, others who have played with Frank and people who know the music. if you are a fan of Zappa at all you will love this. It's worth the cost just for the tour of the Zappa vaults with all the original tapes and music. AMAZING.
Buy Zappa Plays Zappa (Brilliant Box)
The Deluxe PackageBuy Zappa Plays Zappa (Fan Pak)
Buy Frank Zappa: Apostrophe / Over-Nite Sensation
If you are not yet a fan, either of this discs is a wonderful place to start. If you are a Zappa fan, you really need to get these DVDs.
Now, if only they would start releasing more of the shows on disc... One can dream
Monday, September 28, 2009
Film Review: LORNA'S SILENCE
Released August, 27, 2008
Belgian
105 minutes
Starring Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione, Alban Ukay
I doubt that I will see a better film this year than Lorna’s Silence. As someone trying to write, I was blown away by the ability of these two Belgian brothers to tell a fairly complex story in a completely lucid way. They achieve this, as Roger Ebert has pointed out with their earlier movies, (Rosetta, 1999, The Son, 2003, The Child, 2005) by putting one foot in front of the other. The camera follows Lorna from scene to scene. If this makes the movie sound flat or dull, it isn’t. Arta Dobroshi’s face, shown mostly in profile, keeps our attention throughout. There is something wonderful about the single person point-of-view in a movie. Its tight focus allows us to understand a character because we become one with them.
Plot: Lorna is a young Albanian refuge living in Liege. She has a boyfriend, Sokol, she sees on occasion and makes a meager living working in a dry-cleaning store. She makes a deal with a hustling taxi driver, Fabio (Fabrizio Rongione) that she will marry a Belgian junkie, Claudy, to attain citizenship and then divorce him to marry a Russian who needs citizenship to peddle his wares and escape Russia. The Russian (Alban Ukay) has plenty of money to pay off the junkie for marrying Lorna. Lorna believes the money she is paid and her Belgian citizenship will allow her to marry her boyfriend and open a small cafe. The plan begins to go awry when the junkie (Jeremie Renier, in a mesmerizing performance) actually asks for Lorna’s help in kicking his habit.
At first, she is able to blow off his overtures for aid, but he wears her down. The rest of the movie emanates from her divergence from the deal she has struck with Fabio. Although Lorna is not a prostitute, she shares their lack of esteem and is little more than another currency to the men in the film. The ending is enigmatic but satisfying nevertheless.
Highly recommended.
Patti
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at http://pattinase.blogspot.com/. She hopes you'll join in.
Where Selleck's JESSE STONE stands right now.
Variety recently posted a story about Tom Selleck and his ongoing portrayal of Robert Parker's Jesse Stone.
Five telefilms have aired thus far, with a sixth (NO REMORSE) in the can with no broadcast date announced. In addition to these, Selleck and co recently started production on the seventh, INNOCENTS LOST.
According to the article, Selleck would like to do as many as two telefilms per year. No contract is in place for any beyond INNOCENTS LOST.
According to Gerald, the telefilms have tended to be darker than the original novels and that THIN ICE (the first not to be based on a novel) continued the trend of presenting a more hard-boiled tale.
The Jesse Stone series has done fairly well for CBS, so I would think the only issue might be financial. Most networks are looking to cut expenses and I would imagine these are not cheap.
Read Gerald's reviews of THIN ICE, SEA CHANGE, NIGHT PASSAGE and DEATH IN PARADISE.
DVD Review: THE MENTALIST: Season one
Warner Home Video
Release date: Sept 22, 2009
MSRP: $59.98
Simon Baker stars as Patrick Jane, a former television psychic whose world comes tumbling down when he earns the wrath of a serial killer named Red John. John takes his anger out on Jane's family, killing his wife and daughter. After this tragedy, he uses his extraordinary powers of observation and persuasion to help the CSAC solve crimes. His ultimate goal is to find and catch Red John.
The Mentalist is carried by Baker. The rest of the cast do a decent job with what they are given, but Baker has quite a bit of charm and delivers his lines with a smoothness that makes it easy to envision him as a psychic.
I would like to see the show spend some time fleshing out their other characters. Each is given a moment or two, but they are working with some pretty thin material. Shows like CSI, Numb3rs, Bones and NCIS have developed their characters (Numb3rs especially has done a great job of mixing characters and plot) and it keeps folks coming back even when the shows premise gets a little stale. I honestly could not tell you anything about the backgrounds of any of the supporting cast. Kimbo Cho is the dour one, Wayne likes Grace...that is about it.
In addition to the 23 season one episodes, the set also contains two featurettes as well as a gag reel.
As I said, Baker does a great job and kept me watching despite my frustrations with the show. If you have seen any episodes and enjoyed them, you will likely find this worthwhile. But fans looking for a strong series, might want to look elsewhere.
Order season one of THE MENTALIST.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
First picture from THE A-TEAM.
Here is the first photo from the upcoming A-TEAM fillm (from the Daily Mail). Shown is B.A. (Quentin Jackson) in a chopper. It looks like the mohawk is a go.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
DEXTER: Early Cuts promo.
This sounds very cool. Showtime will be airing, online, a series of animated videos that delve into the background of DEXTER.
Crimespree Issue #32
If I say so myself it looks like a great issue.
We have our first ever sideways cover!
There are also some great interviews and articles plus all the regular features.
From the Editor by Jon Jordan
Q & A with Jamie Freveletti by Dana Kaye
Hey It’s Ayo - Akimitsu Takagi
Jason Pinter Interviewed by a Jerk
Fiction – Daughters by Nathan Walpow
Cover Story -
Bruen and Coleman Interviewed by Gabriel Cohen
Robert Ward Interviewed by Jon Jordan
City of Hearts, City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley
Interview with Mike Carey by by Jon Jordan
A Touch of Paris by Margot Justes
I Love You Jonathan A Turner by Steve Hockensmith
Interview with Rick Geary by Jon Jordan
Dialogue With Declan (Declan Burke)
Reed Farell Coleman column
Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson Interviewed by Jon Jordan
Craig’s Joint (Craig McDonald)
Sunshine and Crime from Michael Lister
Eye On Hollywood by Jeremy Lynch
DVD Reviews
The Sixty Year Old Virgin from Lenny Kleinfeld
Crimespree On Tap featuring Anthony Neil Smith
Footprints: Dorothy Uhnak by Ruth Jordan
Interview with Adrian McKinty by Ruth Jordan
Buzz Bin
Book Reviews
Crimespree on Comics
Cooking With Crimespree featuring JT Ellison
So if you need a subscription or you need to renew shoot over to here:
Crimespree Subscribe
DAMAGES add to cast for season three.
Well, DAMAGES will have additional fresh faces for season three. I previously mentioned that Campbell Scott was joining the cast, now FX has announced that Martin Short will also be a regular.
This should be interesting as Short is primarily known for his comedy. Hell, I don't know that I have ever seen him in anything other than comedy. But Ted Danson was known for humor and he did an amzing job in seasons one and two.
In addition to Short, this season will see Lily Tomlin and Keith Caradine make special appearances as will Ebon Moss-Bachrach (John Adams), Michael Gaston (Fringe) and Darren Goldstein. Goldstein appeared in season one as Chris Sharp and will be reprising that role.
Filming started earlier this week, with the season airing in January.
Major changes in store for LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT.
Several cast members, including star Vincient D'Onofrio, are leaving L&O: CI.
According to an article in THR, the show will see not only D'Onofrio depart, but Eric Bogosian (Captain Ross), Julianne Nicholson (Detective Megan Wheeler, partner of Jeff Goldblum's Detective Zach Nichols) and Kathryn Erbe (D'Onofrio's partner Det. Alex Eames) will be heading out as well.
The only addition that has been mentioned is Saffron Burrows (BOSTON LEGAL), who will be coming on board as Det. Nichols' new partner.
While Jeff Goldblum has gotten a fair amount of praise for his work on the show, I am shocked to see such a dramatic house cleaning going on. I would assume much of this is to cut costs, but D'Onofio and Eames have been the heart of the show. I hope the producers can deliver a strong enough cast to keep the show from sinking.
DVD Review: BROTHERS & SISTERS: The Complete Third Season
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date: Sept 1st, 2009
MSRP: $59.99
Stars: Calisita Flockhart, Sally Fields, Rob Lowe, Rachel Griffiths, Ron Rifkin, Patrica Wettig, Tom Skerritt
Brothers & Sisters features some of the best actors working on TV today. Nearly the entire cast has a resume that includes a leading role in a previous hit show: Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal), Rob Lowe (The West Wing), Tom Skerritt (Picket Fences), Patricia Wettig (thirtysomething) and Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under). Of course there is also Sally Field at the center of the series, who may not have any Emmys for The Flying Nun, but she has 2 Oscars so she gets a pass.
The first two seasons of this series were a marvel in ensemble acting. Unfortunately season 3 went another route and the storylines feature far too much of Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart, leaving the rest of the family to scramble for storylines of their own. It makes sense in the current TV climate that producers would focus on the sexier of its stars, but wasting the talents of Sally Field, Ron Rifkin and Ken Olin is a crying shame. I know ABC is selling advertising time to hipper products than Boniva or diabetic testing supplies, but favoring the lesser talents of Dave Annable over Norma bloody Rae is not going to sell iPhones either.
That said, the show’s new format is still very solid; it’s just not what fans of the show have come to expect after the first couple of seasons. However, what fans can expect with this DVD release is the usual ABC royal treatment. There is an entire disc devoted to special features, of which there are many. Deleted scenes, bloopers, commentaries and a half dozen informative featurettes are all included. Overall, it’s worth a buy for fans of the show who don’t mind the shift from Brothers & Sisters to Sister & Husband.
Order season three of BROTHERS & SISTERS.
Bradley Hayward
For more reviews from Bradley, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
DVD/Blu-ray review: EASY VIRTUE
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release date: Sept 15th, 2009
MSRP: DVD $28.96, Blu-ray $39.95
Director: Stephan Elliott
Stars: Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristen Scott Thomas
Writers: Sheridan Jobbins & Stephan Eliiott (screenplay), Noel Coward (play)
Jessica Biel & Noel Coward. There is a combo that sounds about as good a mix as oil and water. But work they do in Stephan Elliott's Easy Virtue.
Cultures clash when John Whittaker takes his new wife Larita (Jessica Biel), an American race car driver, back to his childhood estate in rural England. Her appearance seriously disrupts the household, especially for her new mother-in-law. It is not just that she is an older, brash American, but also because Larita's appearance ruins a carefully planned marriage between John and the daughter of a wealthier neighbor and family friend.
Despite her attempts to fit into the household and establish a bond with her mother-in-law, Larita finds herself more and more isolated, as well as bored and frustrated. To make matters worse, what was to be a short visit becoming a never-ending stay as John, seemingly oblivious to his bride's discomfort, soon falls back into the life of his childhood.
After trying hard to fit in, Larita opts to simply be herself and let the chips fall where they may. Aside from the help, the only member of the Whittaker family she seems to connect with is John's father (Colin Firth), who seems to have left part of himself in France during WW1.
Elliot and co do a nice job of playing up the humor, yet also getting to the core of many of the characters. The film flows fairly well and delivers an ending that is satisfying and really was one of the only I see happening working. By the time the end came, I knew what had to occur and was completely in Larita's camp. There was one last twist that I hoped for and was delighted by. It saved the film from being too depressing.
Video:
EV is presented in 1080p with a ratio of 2.35:1. The outdoor scenes shine, with the lush green mxing nicely with the period costumes. The attention to detail in the 1920s sets make this quite enjoyable and there is a dancing scene, featuring the Can-Can, that is rather bold and eye-catching.
Audio:
Dolby TrueHD 5.1 is used and does a good job. The show features numerous Cole Porter tunes to great effect and the clarity of sound really helped me with some of the English accents. There are also tracks for German, Portuguese and Spanish as well as subtitles for English, Spanish, German, Turkish, and Portuguese.
Certainly some credit must go to the source material, but Elliott and co deliver an entertaining film with nice performances by everyone involved. Biel and Thomas play off one another very well, as do Fith and Biel. This is a period peice that can be enjoyed by folks that don't normally go for historical flicks.
Order EASY VIRTUE on Blu-ray or DVD.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Latest trailer for PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF.
Ok, I realize PJ is not a crime film, but it is based on a young adult novel by crime writer and good guy Rick Riordon.
Here is the latest promo to make the rounds.
DVD Review: Ghost Image (2007)
MTI Home Video
Release date: August 25, 2009
MSRP: $24.95
Stars: Elisabeth Rohm, Stacey Dash, Waylon Payne, Roma Maffia
Written by James Dean Shulte, Jack Snyder
Directed by Jack Snyder
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 96 minutes
Elisabeth Rohm (Angel, Law & Order) plays Jennifer, a video editor who blames herself for her family's death in a car accident when she was a child. On medication to prevent hallucinating her younger sister, she wakes up one morning to a visit from the police. They tell Jennifer her boyfriend Wade has been killed in a car accident, and she becomes so distraught her only comfort is repeatedly watching the last video message Wade left earlier that morning.
Soon Jennifer begins to hear and see Wade saying something new on the video, telling her she's in danger. Just after Wade's warning, Jennifer is attacked by a stalker, but when she reports the attack to police, they can find no evidence and still suspect her of killing Wade. Ghost Image kept me guessing for a while whether Wade's warning and the stalker were all in Jen's mind, but the execution and acting left something to be desired.
Likewise, it was interesting to try and find answers along with Jen by watching the videos Wade had shot, but the ultimate answers—who killed Wade and why—seemed ordinary compared to the movie's premise. Worth a rent if you're enough of a fan of ghost stories or Elisabeth Rohm.
--Gerald So
Promo for ABC's V.
ABC's remake of the mini-series V launches on Nov 3rd, here is promo. Whether it is good or bad, I have to give it credit for getting Morena Baccarin (FIREFLY) back on television.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
DVD Review: Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection: X-Men Volumes 3 and 4
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
MSRP for each volume: $23.99
Release date for both: September 15, 2009
Starring the voices of Cathal J. Dodd, Cedric Smith, Norm Spencer, George Buza, Lenore Zann, Catherine Disher, Alyson Court, Chris Potter, Alison Sealy-Smith.
For much of my childhood, I preferred Marvel superheroes to DC, both because Marvel seemed to have more fleshed-out characters in real-world locales and because Marvel's cartoons were better animated. Warner Bros. Animation's recent DC Comics projects have done much to sway me, so it's a pleasure to look back on the X-Men cartoon that aired on Fox from 1992-95. To me, this remains Marvel's best-looking, smoothest-animated project. Combine the animation, ambitious ripped-from-the-comic-book storylines, and Cathal J. Dodd's much-echoed performance as Wolverine, and you have a classic.
My only complaint about X-Men when it aired was the stories were too complex to follow week-to-week. DVD solves that problem, of course. These volumes are presented in the original fullscreen with no special features, but it's enough to be able to play the stories out in one sitting.
Volumes 3 and 4 cover the final two-thirds of Season 3 and all of Season 4. Here's a disc-by-disc listing of the episodes:
Volume 3
Disc 1
34. Savage Land, Strange Heart (Part 1)
35. Savage Land, Strange Heart (Part 2)
36. Obsession
37. The Dark Phoenix (Part 1)
38. The Dark Phoenix (Part 2)
39. The Dark Phoenix (Part 3)
40. The Dark Phoenix (Part 4)
Disc 2
41. Cold Comfort
42. Orphan's End
43. The Juggernaut Returns
44. Nightcrawler
45. Weapon X, Lies, and Videotape
46. One Man's Worth (Part 1)
47. One Man's Worth (Part 2)
48. Courage
Volume 4
Disc 1
49. Proteus (Part 1)
50. Proteus (Part 2)
51. Sanctuary (Part 1)
52. Sanctuary (Part 2)
53. Beyond Good And Evil (Part 1)
54. Beyond Good And Evil (Part 2)
55. Beyond Good And Evil (Part 3)
56. Beyond Good And Evil (Part 4)
Disc 2
57. Have Yourself a Morlock Little X-Mas
58. The Lotus and The Steel
59. Love in Vain
60. Secrets Not Long Buried
61. Xavier Remembers
62. Family Ties
--Gerald So
Monday, September 21, 2009
CASTLE: Interview with Richard Castle
Interview with Richard Castle on Central Crime Zone
http://centralcrimezone.blogspot.com
2009 Emmy Awards.
Last night, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handed out of the Emmy Awards.
Couple of comments:
Glenn Close winning for DAMAGES. She has done a fantastic job, but I don't know that she should have won for the second season, which was certainly a notch below the previous.
But, it is always nice to see talented folk get rewarded. Personally, I would have given it to Holly Hunter for SAVING GRACE.
Also, I was thrilled to see Kristin win for PUSHING DAISIES. Nice to see her (and the show) get some recognition for a nice performance in a unique show.
Emmy nominations complete list
Outstanding Drama Series
Big Love • HBO
Breaking Bad • AMC
Damages • FX Networks
Dexter • Showtime
House • FOX
Lost • ABC
Mad Men • AMC
Outstanding Comedy Series
Entourage • HBO
Family Guy • FOX
Flight Of The Conchords • HBO
How I Met Your Mother • CBS
The Office • NBC
30 Rock • NBC
Weeds • Showtime
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory • CBS
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
Flight Of The Conchords • HBO
Jemaine Clement as Jemaine
Monk • USA
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
The Office • NBC
Steve Carell as Michael Scott
30 Rock • NBC
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • AMC
Bryan Cranston as Walter White
Dexter • Showtime
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
House • FOX
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
In Treatment • HBO
Gabriel Byrne as Paul
Mad Men • AMC
Jon Hamm as Don Draper
The Mentalist • CBS
Simon Baker as Patrick Jane
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The New Adventures Of Old Christine
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine
Samantha Who? • ABC
Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
The Sarah Silverman Program
Sarah Silverman as Sarah Silverman
30 Rock • NBC
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon
United States Of Tara • Showtime
Toni Collette as Tara Gregson
Weeds • Showtime
Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters • ABC
Sally Field as Nora Walker
The Closer • TNT
Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson
Damages • FX Networks
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
Mad Men • AMC
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson
Saving Grace • TNT
Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Entourage • HBO
Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama
How I Met Your Mother
Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson
The Office • NBC
Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute
30 Rock • NBC
Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan
30 Rock • NBC
Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
William Shatner as Denny Crane
Boston Legal • ABC
Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson
Breaking Bad • AMC
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
Damages • FX Networks
William Hurt as Daniel Purcell
Lost • ABC
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus
Mad Men • AMC
John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Pushing Daisies • ABC
Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Amy Poehler as Various Characters
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Kristin Wiig as Various Characters
30 Rock • NBC
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney
Ugly Betty • ABC
Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater
Weeds • Showtime
Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hodes
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Damages • FX Networks
Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons
Grey's Anatomy • ABC
Sandra Oh as Dr. Christina Yang
Grey's Anatomy • ABC
Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
In Treatment • HBO
Dianne Wiest as Gina
In Treatment • HBO
Hope Davis as Mia
24 • FOX
Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor
For a complete list of winners and nominees, click here.
DVD Review: BLOOD AND BONE
Sony Pictures
MSRP: $24.95
Stars: Michael Jai White, Julian Sands, Eamonn Walker, Dante Basco, Nona Gaye, Michelle Belegrin
Written by Michael Andrews
Directed by Ben Ramsey
Runtime: 90 minutes
Release date: September 15, 2009
Michael Jai White plays Bone, an enigmatic ex-con who rises quickly through the ranks of L.A.'s underground fight scene. At first it seems Bone only wants to land a fight with the local champ, Hammerman (Bob Sapp), and attract the attention of mob boss James (Eamonn Walker). However, as the film unfolds, we learn of Bone's promise to look after his cellmate Danny's wife and son. Danny's wife, Angela, happens to be indentured to James, addicted to heroin, and unaware if her son is even alive. Meanwhile James is looking to prove himself to an organization called the Consortium, represented by arms dealer Franklin McVeigh (Julian Sands).
Leading man and producer White and writer Michael Andrews have extensive martial arts training, and the film features many real-life MMA fighters, lending it low-tech authenticity. At the same time, White, Walker, and many of the supporting players have the acting chops to lend their characters depth. Definitely worth watching.
The DVD includes a behind-the-scenes featurette and an audio commentary with actors Michael Jai White, Dante Basco, and Michelle Bellegrin, director of photography Roy H. Wagner, and director Ben Ramsey.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Lee looks at the FRINGE season two premiere.
I am thrilled to have him stepping back into the fold and hope this is just the start of regular sharing of opinions.
Jeremy
Season two of Fringe (Fox) kicked off Thursday night and grabbed me by the throat. I haven't been this pulled in by a series since Kidnapped and it feels good, good, good. A couple of things you could see coming down Main Street and I still jumped when they happened. Beautiful. The cast is so much more comfortable in their adoptive skins it it a treat watching them work.
Peter took the lead and blew the doors off to find out what was going on with Olivia, who spent the episode in a hospital bed about as rattled as a human being gets without beading belts or weaving baskets. The scene where she is shaking too badly to load the gun she is keeping under her pillow is oddly poignant. A nice contrast to the cold, hard beauty she usually plays and she played it to! the hilt.
Walter is Walter squared. A little more caring and still one of the great charecters to hit TV.
They've added a new player,a woman FBI agent whose name I don't recall and the Fox site doesn't list her yet( Editor: Amy Jessup played by Megham Markle). I don't see the need but she seemed ok, so what the hey.
The change in the tone is palpable. Peter summed it up to Broyles at the end. "We're done being reactive." That means butt kicking and name taking and I can hardly wait. Don't call my house Thursday night, I won't be answering.
Lee Crawford
Saturday, September 19, 2009
DVD Review: THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY - Complete first season.
HBO/Warner Home Entertainment
Release date: September 8, 2009
MSRP: $59.99
Based on the novel by Alexander McCall Smith , Agency stars Jill Scott as Precious Ramotswe, a young lady that decides, after leaving an abusine husband, to make some changes in her life. She opens a detective agency in the Botswana city of Gaborone. With her is Grace Makutsi (Anika Noni Rose) as her assistant. Together they plan to solve crimes and right wrongs in the male-dominated land of Africa.
The show kind of reminds me of something that would have been on CBS in the late eighties and early nineties (Diagnosis Murder, Muder She Wrote). So it is a little strange to see that it has found a home on HBO, home of THE SOPRANOS and THE WIRE. Instead of cold-blooded killings, we have tea and smiles.
If this sounds a little on the fluffy side, its because it is on the fluffy side. But to be fair, the source material is pretty light hearted. But rather than being inane, it is mellow and pleasant. The show moves at a relaxed, even leisurely pace and slowly heads to what are generally satisfying conclusions.
One upside to this show is that it will help dispel the notion that many of us have that all of Africa is war torn and devistated. It turns out Botswana is a fairly peaceful country with citizens that not only are not killing each other, but also get along (for the most part).
Agency makes excellent use of the setting, with local music, art and customs being put front and center. As much as the show is about the characters, it is also very much about Botswana.
Extras: There are actually pretty interesting. The series is being filmed in Botswana, something that has never happened before. The extras give us a look on the set and show us how important the country and people of Botswana are to the series. This is made clear in the making of featurette.
We also get The Beat of Botswana which shows us the local musicians and talks about how important music, song and dance are to the culture of the country. Very interesting and well worth watching.
The No. 1 Ladies Detectives Agency is a little too light for my tastes, but fans of cozies will almost certainly have fun with it. I do think a little more work is needed to flesh out the supporting cast and give them the fun little characteristics that will make them memorable. But it is a pleasant enough show that will entertain the fans of television's Jessica Fletcher as well as those that love the source material.
Order season one of NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
DVD Review: WISEGUY:THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
WISEGUY: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
Mill Creek Entertainment
Back in the 1980’s Movie stars came from television, not like these days where the opposite seems to be true. Wiseguy is a show that if made today would be filled with box office heavyweights. The cool thing about this show is that these actors and actresses were perfect for this show. Ken Wahl as the undercover agent was great, his boss was played by Jonathan Banks in one of his few turns as a good guy. And his handler was played by Jim Byrnes, a terrific Canadian actor who has been in a number of shows over the years including Highlander and the newer show, Sanctuary. Guest stars a plenty also filled out the cast. Kevin Spacey as bad guy extraordinaire Mel Profit, Joan Severance as his crazy sister. Later plot lines brought in Jerry Lewis as a great villain and Stanley Tucci who is always a joy to watch.
The first season of Wiseguy was split into two cases. Sonny Steelgrave was ten episodes putting Vinnie (Ken Wahl) in with a mob boss in Atlantic City. This first arc includes Annette Benning in an early role. The second story arc is Mel Profitt, putting Vinnie under to try and bring down a drug empire run byKevin Spacey as Mel Profitt.
The beauty of this show is in Wahl’s portrayal of a man conflicted and troubled by his work undercover. Sometimes forgetting who he really is and getting a bit too into the role. Other times he gets a bit too close and ends up conflicted about taking certain people down, though in the end it sometimes has to be a “Baby out with the wash water” situation as if you take down one, you need to take down all of them.
Ruth and I both watched this when is was originally on way back before we met. It was entertaining then, and still is. Plus I love not having to wait till next week to see what happens next.
The show was on Disc before, but they were sold in individual story arcs, now you can get them all in order as they aired.
17 and a half hours that originally aired in 1987-1988 on 4 discs for only $14.98. No frills, but at that price, who cares!
Jon
Buy Wiseguy: The Complete First Season
Friday, September 18, 2009
DVD Review: UNTOUCHABLES: SEASON 3,Vol. 1
CBS/Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: Aug 25th, 2009
MSRP: $39.99
Stars: Robert Stack, Walter Winchell, Nicholas Georgiade, Paul Picerni, Abel Fernandez
The Untouchables was originally based on the book by Elliot Ness. (He didn’t live to see publication). They pretty quickly worked through all the material and began creating fictionalized stories.
The common theme here is that Frank Nitti needs to be taken down, the bad guys are really bad and the good guys are righteous. Season three sees the action taken up a few notches as the mob really tries to take Elliot Ness out of the equation. Guest stars include Murray Hamilton, Ned Glass, Vincent Gardenia, a young Peter Falk, Carroll O'Connor, Wendell Corey, Martin Balsam, Don Gordon, Marc Lawrence, Arlene Martel, Telly Savalas, Jack Klugman, Martin Landau, Gavin MacLeod, Cloris Leachman, Anne Helm, Mike Kellin, Harold J. Stone, John Larch, JoanStaley, Arthur Hill, Herschel Bernardi, Victor Buono, Dyan Cannon, Bert Convy, Henry Silva and Edward Asner.
The untouchables was always good for high drama and action but season three seems to be stronger, maybe due to the fact that a lot of the stories are original and not based on actual events as much. The writers were able to create scenarios which feel honest and were exciting. The acting was wonderful two, Robert Stack feels less stoic in this season and very comfortable in the role of Ness.
The show is great fun and the remaster is crisp and looks great. Season 3.5 is coming in November.
Jon
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Life Season Two
Season One of Life really took me by surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect of a show with a Zen police detective. It didn't take long for me to really fall for the show. The show has a nice episode to episode series of cases for the detectives to solve and it's strengthened by an underlying subplot to discover who framed our hero detective cruise.
The premise is actually pretty simple. A cop is wrongly accused of murder and serves 12 years. He gets out, is awarded a crap load of money and is reinstated as a detecive in homicide.
Season One ended with finding the real killer, but not the men behind the frame up.
Damian Lewis is terrific in this role, I've been a fan since Band Of Brothers. The rest of the cast is great as well. Sarah Shahi as his partner Danni Reese, Alan Arkin as a former con Cruise knew in prison, and season two brought in Donal Louge as the new captain.
Season two has our detectives solving cases, which is great fun as Cruise has such a unique attitude. But the real fun is the running case of his solving who was behind his frame up. The series was canceled and I can't help but think that caused them to put together the finale they used. It works and is in character, but I think that had the show continued it wold have been more complex.
Life is a show worth owning and with both seasons on DVD it gives hours of entertainment that will be worthy of rewatching.
Jon
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Blu-ray Review: DEXTER - THE THIRD SEASON
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: August 18th, 2009
MSRP: $57.99
As season three begins, Dexter accidentally kills an “innocent” man. Innocent as in not the person Dex was planning on killing. He is, quite understandably, upset by this.
It turns out that the deceased is (or rather was) the brother of Miguel Prado, the district attorney and a player in Miami politics. Dexter does some snooping to learn about the man he killed and soon finds that he was not exactly a choir boy. Miguel finds out about said snooping and confronts Dexter. Dexter, also the blood spatter analyst on the case, spins a tale about wanting to know more about the man who died so tragically. Miguel buys it and takes a liking to him. Despite Dexter's attempts to distance himself from Miguel, they develop a friendship. The fact that Miguel's wife bonds with Rita makes it even harder for Dexter to push Miguel away. As time goes on, Dexter starts to confide in Miguel and feels that he is no longer along in this world, that Miguel accepts him for who he is and does not judge him.
The introduction of Miguel had me very excited. The evolution of the relationship was quite fascinating as Dexter seemed to almost take Miguel under his wing and Miguel's wife bonded with Rita. Sadly, the relationship seemed to conclude a little too quickly and ultimately was not unlike the conclusion of season two. It seems like every season, Dexter has found somebody that he has a bond with, only to have to take action to stop their own dark side. It is as though the writers feel that they need to end each season with Dexter showing his humanity, as if we are going to forget the dynamics that have been established thus far.
In my mind, the best thing would have been to sign Jimmy on for two seasons, Establish the relationship in the first season and have things crumble in the second. Done right, it could have been amazing.
But the season was not without redeemable qualities. Rita continues to shine and Deb's relationship with Anton was very fun to watch. While the show certainly focuses on Dexter, they have done a decent job continuing to flesh out the supporting characters. Another strong point is Dexter's continuing exploration of his past. With each piece, he becomes more of a person, using his own judgment and relying less on Harry's rules to guide his life.
Video:
Dexter is presented in 1080p with a ratio of 1.78.1. I have said this before, but the lush Miami setting looks gorgeous in HD. Dexter is one of the shows that does not need effects to make the BD a worthy purchase. The plants, Batista's shirts, the blood...all of these really stand out.
Audio:
The sound is delivered in 5.1 Dolby TrueHD sound. Everything sounds fine, there really is not a whole lot of heavy lifting for the system to do. A nice job is done mixing the music with dialogue.
Once again, I must call out Showtime/Paramount for being grinchlike in regards to extras. We are hosed once more. With a show as popular and unusual as DEXTER, why can't some time be spend examining the evolution of the characters? How about talking about the unlikely success the show has had? There is NO excuse for the continuing refusal to provide us with a more substantial collection of featurettes. What we do get must be accessed via Blu-ray live. Many don't have players with that ability and I am betting the contain won't be available a couple years down the line.
As I said, it was the weakest of the seasons, but even the weaker moments are better than much of the dramas on television today. Fans of the show won't be too disappointed with the overall quality. Michael Hall continues to excel in one of televisions most fascinating roles.
Order season three of DEXTER on Blu-ray.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from MYSELF, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
DVD Review: GREY'S ANATOMY - The Complete Fifth Season
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date: September 15, 2009
MSRP: $59.99
Stars: Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sara Ramirez, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Kevin McKidd, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight
Season 5 of Grey's Anatomy is a real treat and this reviewer breezed through all 1080 minutes on 7 discs in less than a week. After the doom and gloom of season 4, which had all of the characters in emotional turmoil at every possible moment, it's nice to see the writers lighten up and let the residents of Seattle Grace Hospital have a little fun. Of course it's no walk in the park; there are always cancer patients and gunshot victims around every corner. However, it's nice to see the characters come together to solve these problems, rather than dwell on events that took place three seasons ago.
The cast is fantastic as always, but Sandra Oh really stands out this year. Whether it's because they added a studly love interest for her (Dr. Hunt, played by Kevin McKidd), or because she's finally been given the chance to smile, it's refreshing to have her character feel comfortable enough to show her true colors, rather than just hide behind her usual cold exterior. Also exciting is the lack of Meredith/Derek drama. Viewers are finally delivered what they were clamoring for, and get to see the two of them happily work on their relationship. I'm sure there will be obstacles of epic proportions in the future, but it's a huge weight off the show's creative back to see why they love one another.
There were a few creative missteps, but thankfully the writers caught them quickly enough to prevent them from polluting the entire season. The lesbian plotline between Calli and Dr. Hahn definitely felt forced. It's a shame they had to axe the brilliant Brooke Smith from the cast; however, after the shaky and awkward romance, it was clear one of them needed to go. And then there's poor George O'Malley who gets virtually no screen time whatsoever. The worst offense of all was the return of Denny Duquette, and we had to suffer through actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan lurching over Katherine Heigl for several episodes. Thankfully they found a way out of that one, and maybe now they can finally put that tired story line out of its misery.
The DVD set is loaded with extras, as is the norm for this series. There is a behind-the-scenes look at the 100th episode that is quite entertaining, as well as scads of deleted scenes and even a few bloopers. There's also a Denny Duquette featurette that is a total throwaway, unless you enjoy the idea of Jeffrey Dean Morgan fawning over himself and congratulating his own popularity.
Overall, Season 5 ranks among the best Grey's Anatomy has to offer. It captures the same spirit that made it so irresistible in its early years. It has rich and three dimensional patients revolving in and out of episodes, which has always been a hallmark of the show. It has some of the best episodic acting on television, which allows every character to grow and mature. And, as usual, has a snappy soundtrack that knows exactly how to tug at our heartstrings as well as our funny bones. Grey's Anatomy spent a year or two on melancholy overdrive and started showing signs of age, so season 5 is a welcome refresher course.
Order season five of GREY'S ANATOMY.
Bradley Hayward
Bradley's web site
For more reviews from Bradley, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Monday, September 14, 2009
A PATRICK SWAYZE CHRISTMAS.
As most likely have heard, actor Patrick Swayze passed away earlier today. He was 57. Swayze had a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.
Many will write heartfelt eulogies for Mr. Swayze, but I am going to pay my respects by posting the MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000K's homage to him.
So here is A PATRICK SWAYZE CHRISTMAS.
Films rights for Coleman & Bruen's TOWER purchased.
Born into a rough Brooklyn neighborhood, outsiders in their own families, Nick and Todd forge a lifelong bond that persists in the face of crushing loss, blood, and betrayal. Low-level wiseguys with little ambition and even less of a future, the friends become major players in the potential destruction of an international crime syndicate that stretches from the cargo area at Kennedy Airport to the streets of New York, Belfast, and Boston to the alleyways of Mexican border towns. Their paths are littered with the bodies of undercover cops, snitches, lovers, and stone-cold killers.
Weston is a former head of Paramount and was behind the second and third SCARY MOVIE films as well as BAD SANTA. He is also a producer on the (hopefully) upcoming SIN CITY 2 as well as the forthcoming remake of FOOTLOOSE. If he gets TOWER to the big screen, I might forgive him for messing with my memories of Kevin Bacon dancing.
Gil Adler has been working in film and television for almost three decades, His films include Valkyrie, SUPERMAN RETURNS and STARSKY AND HUTCH. He is also working to bring Ken's ONCE WERE COPS to the big screen as well as HAVANA NOCTURNE, a very cool book about the end of the mob in Cuba as the revolution gained steam.
Shane McCathy has worked on a trio of shorts and is co-producing several projects, including HAVANA NOCTURNE, with Adler.
Reed: "It’s amazing to see how a simple idea nurtured with a mix of mutual respect and friendship can blossom into this project."
Ken: "I give all the credit to Reed, Al (Guthrie, agent and a fine author himself) and of course, David (Thompson of BUSTED FLUSH Press) who published the book. I'm the roadie in this terrific band, cross me heart."
If you have not picked up a copy of TOWER, do so. It is a hell of book written by a couple of seriously great guys. If my count is correct, Ken has two films in production, two more (including this) optioned and a forthcoming television series.
As I said, Ken and Reed both are as nice as they are talented. Everyone cross their fingers that TOWER moves forward and ends up in a theater near you!
Campbell Scott stands alone as guest for season three of DAMAGES.
In the months leading up to the second season of DAMAGES, guest star names were flying left and right: William Hurt, Timothy Olyphant, Marcia Gay Harden, Mario Van Peebles...the names seemed to keep coming.
This season, there appears to be only one noteworthy addition to the series: Campbell Scott (DYING YOUNG, SINGLES). I have been impressed with him in a number of independant films and look forward to seeing what he does here.
Season two was more than a little frustrating. While there were good performances, there was way too many plotlines. In addition to working on leftovers from season one, they added plenty of new ones. The result was an overly complex and messy show.
I did enjoy it for the most part, but it could not hold a candle to season one.
I have my fingers crossed that the mojo returns for the third season. Filming starts this month, with the show broadcasting in January.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Where things stand with THE A-TEAM.
Prelim filming has already started on Joe Carnahan's film version of THE A-TEAM but, believe it or not, casting still is not complete.
Three of the four main roles are set:
Liam Neeson is Col. John ‘Hannibal’ Smith, Bradley Cooper (THE HANGOVER) is Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck and former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Quinton Rampage Jackson is cpl. Bosco Arnold ‘Bad Attitude’ Baracus.
Those three are signed, sealed and delivered.
Word is that they have offered the role of Captain Mad Dog Murdock to Sharlto Copley. Copley recently was seen in DISTRICT NINE.
No word on who is playing the main baddie CIA agent Lynch (good name) but Moviehole is saying that David Richmond-Peck has snagged a role as "Gammons." I know nothing about that character, but it sounds like he is another McNasty. Richmond-Peck is a Canadian actor that folks will be seeing in the upcoming ABC mini-series V.
I have not seen D9, but the other three could be good in the roles. I say COULD because as I have previously written, Rampage is not an actor and does not strike me as somebody that will be able to memorize lines quickly. He is very charismatic and could end up being fantastic. I hope he is, because his taking the role posponed a HUGE fight. The tenth season of the UFC's reality show THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER was based around him facing his opposing coach ("Sugar" Rashad Evans) at the end of the season. That fight will now likely happen next Feb.
I really do think Carnahan could do a great job with The A-Team. I know a lot of folks disliked SMOKIN' ACES, but I thought it was a very fun, chaotic blast of cinematic mayhem.
Ken Bruen on the set of BLITZ.
As I mentioned a while back, Ken Bruen has a small role in BLITZ as a priest. Ken shot his scenes Monday-Wed last week.
Here is a photo of Ken with star Jason Statham and director Elliott Lester.
Ken says he had a lot of fun on the set. Things must have gone well since there is more interest in putting Mr. Ken in front of the camera.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Film Review: TETRO
Directed and written by Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Vincent Gallo, Maribel Verdu, Alden Ehrenreich, Klaus Maria Brandauer
You can find laudatory reviews of this movie on many websites and in newspapers. I personally found it a frustrating, over-wrought and ultimately unsatisfying film. The primary source of much of my frustration lay in the casting of Vincent Gallo as Tetro. For me, he was completely implausible as a would-be writer, the son of a famous, if maniacally narcissistic, conductor. This background suggests a particular type of person, a sort of fellow that Gallo in no way embodied And if the central character in a film doesn’t work for you, nothing much good will follow.
The plot. Tetro's been holed up in Buenos Aires since a falling out with his famous father, a conductor, many years ago. He works as a lighting technician for a small theater and lives with the lovely Miranda. Ostensibly he is a writer, blocked by his past. His teenage brother, Bennie, shows up, trying to find out what has happened to his brother. Tetro is not happy to see Bennie but eventually tolerates his presence. Their joint and separate pasts eventually play out much like the pieces of ballet and theater (THE TALES OF HOFFMAN, COPELIA, THE RED SHOES) that Coppola has threaded through the film. A manuscript for a play of Tetro’s turns up and Bennie finishes it and enters it in a contest in Patagonia. Family secrets play out in an operatic style.
There were too many scenes in TETRO that seemed to be in the film for no reason other than to provide local color or take up space. In an early scene, a wife tosses her husband’s things out of a window. How many times have we seen that? In fact, many of the scenes seemed to belong in another movie altogether—one by Fellini, perhaps. The mix of Italian, Spanish and American cultures didn’t work well for me. Its actual landscape seemed to be that of movies. (Not that this is necessarily a bad thing in itself). The scenes dealing with Latin culture seem almost to parody rather than celebrate it. Why does the younger brother speak no Spanish when their connections with Buenos Aires are so strong, for instance? Why do both brothers seem so unabasedly American when they have spent so much time in foreign places with foreign relatives?
On the brighter side, it was beautifully filmed (much of it in black and white) and the score was terrific. The rest of the cast played their parts well.
I think a lot of people will probably enjoy this film so I am hesitant to completely dismiss it. But I found it interminable and pretentious. If I didn’t know the director, I would have assumed him to be a novice, trying out various styles as he looked for one of his own. Plenty of things happen in this movie, but none of them feel organic, merely layered on operatically. But in an opera, we get to hear great music. Here we merely had Gallo’s overly emphatic nasal whisper.
Patti Abbott
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at http://pattinase.blogspot.com/. She hopes you'll join in.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Premiere dates for Fall season.
Some folks have been asking me to put together a list of combined season premiere dates, so without further ado, here are the return dates for all your favorite shows:
Monday, September 14:
8 p.m.
LINCOLN HEIGHTS. (ABC Family)
ONE TREE HILL (CW)
9 p.m.
GOSSIP GIRL. (CW)
10 p.m.
THE JAY LENO SHOW (NBC)
Tuesday, September 15:
8 p.m.
THE BIGGEST LOSER (NBC)
Wednesday, September 16:
9 p.m.
THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE (CW)
Thursday, September 17:
8 p.m.
BONES (Fox)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAY (NBC)
SURVIVOR: SAMOA (CBS)
8:30 P.M.
PARKS AND RECREATION (NBC)
9 P.M.
FRINGE (ABC)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
9:30 P.M.
COMMUNITY (NBC)
10 p.m.
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FX)
Friday, September 18:
9 p.m.
BROTHERS (Fox)
10 p.m.
CRASH (Starz)
Sunday, September 20:
9 p.m.
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)
9:30 p.m.
BORED TO DEATH. (HBO)
Monday, September 21:
8 p.m.
DANCING WITH THE STARS (ABC)
HEROES (NBC)
HOUSE (FOX)
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS)
8:30 p.m.
ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE (CBS)
9 p.m.
TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS)
9:30 p.m.
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
10 p.m.
CASTLE (ABC)
CSI: MIAMI (CBS)
Tuesday ,September 22:
8 p.m.
NCIS (CBS)
9 p.m.
NCIS: LOS ANGELES (CBS)
10 p.m.
THE FORGOTTEN (ABC)
THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
Wednesday, September 23:
8 p.m.
MERCY. (NBC)
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE (CBS)
8:30 p.m.
GARY UNMARRIED (CBS)
9 p.m.
CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (NBC)
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
9:30 p.m.
COUGAR TOWN (ABC)
10 p.m.
CSI: NY (CBS)
EASTWICK (ABC)
Thursday, September 24:
8 p.m.
FLASH FORWARD (ABC)
9 p.m.
CSI. (CBS)
GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)
10 p.m.
THE MENTALIST (CBS)
Friday, SeptemberS 25:
8 p.m.
GHOST WHISPERER (CBS)
LAW & ORDER (NBC)
SMALLVILLE (CW)
9 p.m.
DOLLHOUSE (Fox)
MEDIUM (CBS)
10 p.m.
NUMB3RS (CBS)
Saturday, September 26:
10 p.m.
48 HOURS MYSTERY (CBS)
11:30 p.m.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
Sunday, September 27:
7 p.m.
60 MINUTES (CBS)
8 p.m.
THE AMAZING RACE (CBS)
THE SIMPSONS, 8 P.M. (Fox)
8:30 p.m.
THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Fox)
9 p.m.
DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
FAMILY GUY (Fox)
9:30 p.m.
AMERICAN DAD (Fox)
10 p.m.
BROTHERS & SISTERS (ABC)
CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
COLD CASE (CBS)
Monday, September 28:
9 p.m.
LIE TO ME (Fox)
TRAUMA (NBC)
Wednesday, September 30:
8 p.m.
HANK (ABC)
THE MIDDLE (ABC)
Thursday, October 1:
10 p.m.
PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC)
Friday, October 2:
8:30 p.m.
TIL DEATH (Fox)
9 p.m.
STARGATE UNIVERSE (SYFY)
Sunday, October 4:
7 p.m.
AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS (ABC)
9 p.m.
THE NEXT IRON CHEF (FOOD)
THREE RIVERS (CBS)
Monday, October 5:
7 p.m.
SHERRI (LIFETIME)
Tuesday, October 6:
SCARE TACTICS (SYFY)
Wednesday, October 7:
10 p.m.
SOUTH PARK (Comedy Central)
10:30 p.m.
SECRET GIRLFRIEND (Comedy Central)
Friday, October 9:
8 p.m.
UGLY BETTY (ABC)
WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE (Disney)
10 p.m.
SANCTUARY (SYFY)
Thursday, October 15:
9:30 p.m.
30 ROCK (NBC)
Friday, October 16:
8 p.m.
SUPERNANNY (ABC)
Friday, October 23:
9 p.m.
SOUTHLAND (NBC)
10 p.m.
WHITE COLLAR (USA)
Tuesday, November 3:
8 p.m.
V (ABC)
Saturday, November 7:
11 p.m.
THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (FOX)
Blu-ray review: M*A*S*H*
Release date: Sept 1, 2009
MSRP: $34.98
Theatrical release date: Jan 25th, 1970
Director: Robert Altman
Stars: Elliot Gould, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Tom Skerritt and Sally Kellerman
Writers: Richard Hooker (novel), Ring Lardner Jr. (screenplay)
M*A*S*H* will always hold a special place in my heart. Not only is it a damn good film, but it was my introduction to the late Robert Altman ( I was 11 at the time). To me, MASH is Altman at his best. Dialogue flying every which way in a film that not only thumbs it's nose at authority, but also gives us close look at people in general.
For any heathens that are not familiar with MASH, it is about a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean Warr. Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould and Tom Skerritt play doctors that drink, have sex, joke and generally try to stay sane in the middle of chaos. Sally Kellerman is Hot Lips Hullahan and Robert Duvall is Major Frank Burns. The film spawned the massively successful television series.
The film does an incredible job of delivering legitimately funny humor, but also throwing the stark reality of the casualties of war in the face of the viewer. It is the epitome of anti-establishment, no shock since Altman spent the bulk of his career playing outside of the Hollywood system.
The transfer looks good. The film is presented in 1080p with a ratio of 2.35:1 and features English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Most of the extras are coming from the previous DVD releases.
Pick this up and reacquaint yourself with a funny, well-made film.
Order M*A*S*H* on Blu-ray.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Type rest of the post here
Thursday, September 10, 2009
DVD Review: SANCTUARY SEASON ONE
A DVD arrived at Crimespree central and upon opening I was immediately intrigued. A show about science, crypto-zoology and the supernatural. And it's a Canadian TV show.
As of late we've been big fans of Canadian TV here at the Jordan house, DaVinci's Inquest and Intelligence in particular are favorites.
So with anticipation we popped in disc one of the four disc set and I have to say, the machine was on till all four discs were done. Wow. I'm totally hooked.
Sanctuary was originally done as webcasts, 8 of them 15 minutes each. These were re shot and became the first two shows. The set up is simple. Sanctuary is a foundation run by Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) that studies, rescues and protects "Abnormals". Their word for things that aren't quite human, or more than human. She recruits a young doctor to help her in her work, a forensic psychiatrist named Will Zimmerman. Rounding out the tam is a handy tech guy named Harry, a Bigfoot and her daughter Ashley.
They track down Folding men, people with flexible skeletons, sisters who may actually be the Furies, mermaids, and all sorts of other wonderful creatures. There is a group trying to do something similar but for sinister reasons known as the Cabal. There is more interaction with these evil folk as we go.
We also start to get background. I don't want to give much away as it is so much fun to discover, but lets just say that in 157 years, Helen has met some very interesting people.
I am 100% invested in this show and the characters. I think they are doing some really clever things. I loved the episode that is an homage to The Trouble With Tribbles. They do a great hand held camera episode. There is a Fight Club episode,(but rule on of fight club is you don't talk about fight club). I love that this is entertaining as hell, smart, humorous and has great action. This is what television needs right now.
And lucky you, Season one is on DVD.
Buy Sanctuary: The Complete First Season
Official Website
The show goes into it's next season starting on October 9th.
Give this a shot, you won't be sorry.
Jon
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