On March 16, 2010, Acorn Media will be releasing The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection.
In 17 stories of suspense, award-winning writer Ruth Rendell combines vivid plots with a keen understanding of the motivations and machinations of the human mind. Featuring outstanding performances by Colin Firth, James Callis, Amanda Redman, James D’Arcy, Honeysuckle Weeks, and George Baker as Inspector Wexford, these programs bring Rendell’s work to life with every wicked irony and startling twist intact.
The 11-disc set contains:
Master of the Moor
Vanity Dies Hard
The Secret House of Death
The Double
Bribery & Corruption
Front Seat
A Case of Coincidence
A Dark Blue Perfume
May & June
The Orchard Walls
Going Wrong
Harm Done
The Fallen Curtain
The Lake of Darkness
You Can’t Be Too Careful
Simisola
Road Rage
Special features include:
Super Sleuths: Inspector Wexford: a documentary featuring George Baker
Ruth Rendell biography
Cast filmographies
MSRP: $99.99
Monday, November 30, 2009
DVD Info: The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection.
Film Review: AN EDUCATION
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Written by Lynn Barber (memoir) and Nick Hornby (screenplay)
Starring, Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Olivia Williams, Alfred Molina, Emma Thomson
Running time 100 minutes
Released: November 2009
Every once in a while, a film comes along that gets so many things right, it takes your breath away, reminding you of how powerful the medium can be and taking you back perhaps to the days when a movie seemed magical.
“An Education” is such a film. Buoyed by a breakout, dead-on performance by Carey Mulligan as Jenny and a contrastingly brave and sinuous one by Peter Saarsgard as David, not a single false note marred the production. It is humorous, scary, insightful, uplifting, surprising and hugely entertaining.
PLOT: It is the early sixties and Jenny is following the ham-fisted advice of her father (Alfred Molina) and of her rather wan and weary teachers (Olivia Williams and Emma Thompson) and doing what she must to get accepted at Oxford. She is the bright star in their orbit, that smart insightful student a teacher always hopes to find and rarely does.
On a rainy day, a stranger enters Jenny’s claustrophobic and drab world. David Goldman (Sarsgaard), twice her age, offers a means to cutting through the dull work (especially Latin) so she might quickly enter the brighter, more sophisticated world she craves. Surprisingly life throws up very few obstacles to her plan. David doesn’t seem overly predatory at first, his friends are entertaining and the world he introduces her to is even more seductive than he. Jenny is able to overlook one or two of his flaws in her eagerness to avoid the dull existence she sees as the fate of an educated woman of that era. An education does not have to take place in a classroom perhaps.
Any parent of a daughter will experience some queasy moments during AN EDUCATION, some dark spots, but in the end, Jenny’s intelligence and the people with her real interest at heart prevail. 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 pattinase.blogspot.com. She hopes you'll join in.
Blu-ray Review: LEON
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: Nov 17, 2009
MSRP: $24.95
Director: Luc Besson
Writer: Luc Besson
Stars: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman
Quick disclaimer: I am a Hyoooge fan of Leon: The Professional. If it has any flaws, I sure as hell have not noticed them.
Leon (Jean Reno) is a quiet, lonely contract killer in New York city. He is a true master, able to slip in and out of places without drawing attention. His life is a fairly simple one.
One day, in a drug deal gone bad, the family living next to him is murdered. Leon suddenly finds twelve year-old Matilda (Natalie Portman), the lone survivor, at his door. Before he knows it, she has worked her way into his apartment. She looks to him to train her in his craft so that she can avenge her family. Knowing that turning her out onto the streets would be a death sentence, he reluctantly lets her into his home and his life.
Leon may sound like a simple action film, but it is also quite moving. Matilda and Leon develop a bond. He teaches her the craft and she teaches him how to feel and express himself. Years of solitary existence has left him cut off from the world around him. Matilda's presence does not really warm his heart, but rather help him get in touch with it again. The bond between the two is touching and, at times, slightly uncomfortable. . Jean does a nice job, making a killer sympathetic. Portman is utterly amazing here. That she did not get an Oscar nomination is a true crime.
Gary Oldman plays agent Stansfield, a corrupt corrupt that in entrenched in the very part of society that he is supposed to be pursuing. It is he that Matilda is looking to kill. Obviously he wants her dead as well. Oldman does a hell of a job here as well. He is pure and total scum. You don't simply want him dead, you want to chopped up into itty bitty pieces and buried alive! (Quote from HEAVY METAL). Over the top does not begin to describe Oldman's performance. He is crazy, but it never seems forced. One would have no trouble believing that Oldman has a screw loose.
Luc Besson does an amazing job directing. Not only is LEON a wonderful story, it is visually powerful as well. The camera work adds tension to some scenes and tenderness to others. The look and style is unique and helps make this a truly great film.
Video:
LEON is presented in 1080p, with a ratio of 2.35.1. Part of the magic of LEON is the cinematography. The film has always had a distinct look, but seeing it in HD is something special. The colors of Matilda's wardrobe are vibrant and bold. The city shots are powerful and really show off the details of NYC. Even Leon's plant looks great! The details of the leaves stand out. There is some grain, but not too much. Certainly not enough to detract from the film.
Audio:
There are DTS-HD 5.1 tracks for English, Portuguese and French. The sound is good, the dialogue is always clear. The sounds of the city come alive throughout the speakers and the bullets and explosions rock. The film makes full use of lossless track and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Subtitles are provided for English, English SDH, French, Portugues and Spanish.
Bottom line is that LEON a great film with damn good cinematography. Sony has done a nice job transfering and upgrading it to BD. So now you have a great, visually dynamic film that looks fantastic. Pick a copy now!
Order LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL on Blu-ray.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
DVD Review: ANDY BARKER P.I.
Shout! Factory
MSRP: $24.99
CPA Andy Barker (Andy Richter) moves into a new office at the Fair Oaks strip mall and is promptly mistaken for the office's previous tenant, P.I. Lew Staziak. Hired to find a crime-fighting politician who may have faked his death, Andy inadvertently leads the Russian mob right to him. Staying on the case out of basic desire to see justice done, Andy finds he enjoys P.I. work and allows himself to be drawn into more cases.
Andy Barker, P.I. didn't make a splash with national audiences when it aired as an NBC midseason replacement in 2007, but as a Richter fan and mystery fan, I found it charming. Writers like Jane Espenson (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica...) and Josh Bycel (Psych) smartly blended mystery, comedy, and drama, giving Andy and his strip mall cohorts a subtle chemistry viewers should appreciate on DVD.
There was Andy's worried but supportive wife Jenny (Clea Lewis), his eager movie buff sidekick Simon (Tony Hale), superpatriotic Afghani American Wally (Marshall Manesh), and eccentric retired hardboiled P.I. Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell).
The two-disc set includes all six episodes with commentary, a screenwriting featurette with co-creator Jonathan Groff, Jane Espenson, Josh Bycel, and Jon Ross, a gag reel, and a look back at the show with Conan O'Brien and members of the cast.
If the concept intrigues you, give it a try. You may find yourself. like me, watching over and over.
--Gerald So Read More......
Friday, November 27, 2009
Morrissey, Billingham team to bring Tom Thorne to television.
We have some great news for fans of Mark Billingham, or of good crime television.
Sky is partnering with Mark to bring his first two novels (SLEEPYHEAD and SCAREDY CAT) and their protagonist, Tom Thorne, to the small screen in the U.K. Each title will consist of three one-hour episodes, though it is not known whether or not they will run over the course of consecutive nights or weeks.
For those unfamiliar with Billingham and Thorne (Shame on you!), Thorne is a 41 year old cop on the Murder Squad at the Metropolitan Police. He is rather intense fellow with a bit of darkness about him. One other thing that sticks in my mind about him is that he likes country music. Mark has done a great job of developing Tom over the course of the series. If you are not familiar with the books, pick them up.
David Morrissey (STATE OF PLAY, truckload of British television, Upcoming film version of Ken Bruen's BLITZ) will be playing Tom and is quite excited about it. “I’m a huge fan of Mark Billingham’s books in the Tom Thorne series, so to get the chance to bring the character to life is very exciting for me. Thorne is such a complex and intense character, and I like the fact that there is nothing easy about this man.”
In addition to starring, David is also a producer, as is Mr. Billingham and Jolyon Symonds.
“I’m excited to be closely involved with the production," Mark said. "David Morrissey and I came together very early on the project once the broadcaster had made the initial approach and we have worked closely with the writers from day one. David was always the actor I wanted to play Thorne, so to have him on board and so fired up about the series is fantastic.”
Stephen Hopkins (CALIFORNICATION, 24, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS, LOST IN SPACE...ouch) will be directing, with the screenwriting being handled by Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton. Keeble and Appleton have worked together previously on TRIAL AND RETRIBUTION and SILENT WITNESS. Stephen and David have worker together previously on THE REAPING.
We should have some more cast news as we enter the new year.
No timetable has been set, but it is expected to air sometime in late 2010.
As I recall (it has been a while since I read Mark), Thorne is not a tall fellow. David is 6'3 so there certainly are some physical differences, but David is a good actor and, for me, it is about the character not the appearance. I am sure he will deliver the goods!
2nd DAYBREAKERS trailer.
Yahoo has provided the 2nd trailer for the upcoming vampire flick DAYBREAKERS.
Two-time Academy Award nominee® Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race.
DAYBREAKERS lands in theaters on Jan 8th, 2010.
5 Favorites of 2009: Angela Henry
Wall-E: Robot romance. Minimal dialogue. What’s not to love?
Taken: I love anything with kick ass action and spies, even ex spies, especially Liam Neeson as an ex spy, especially Liam Neeson as an ex spy running around Paris.
Coraline: I’m a big fan of the book and was very worried when I heard this was going to be animated. But it was creepy cool and very well done!
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency: Heartwarming with a touch of mystery and a down to earth heroine who isn’t a size zero. A winner!
Burn Notice: See above comments about Taken and replace Liam Neeson and Paris with Jeffrey Donovan and Miami.
Angela Henry is the author of the Kendra Clayton mystery series and her blog MystNoir features African-American mysteries. http://aamysteries.blogspot.com/
Check out the rest of the 5 favorites of 2009 picks.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
To my fellow Americans, Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Crimespree Cinema.
To those that live elsewhere, Happy Thursday.
To celebrate, let us watch a magical clip from WKRP in Cincinnati:
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
New Trailer for DAYBREAKERS.
Here is a new trailer for DAYBREAKERS.
Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race.
In addition to Ethan Hawke, DAYBREAKERS stars Willem Defoe (Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire) and Sam Neil (Jurassic Park, The Piano).
As I have said before, I am intrigued.
Read More......
FOX mid season dates (Includes PAST LIFE, FRINGE, BONES, 24)
FOX 2009-2010 MIDSEASON SCHEDULE
(All times ET/PT except as noted)
MONDAY
Monday, Jan. 4:
7:30 PM-CC ET TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL (LIVE)
Monday, Jan. 18:
8:00-10:00 PM 24 (2-Night / 4-Hour Season Premiere, Part 2)
Mondays, beginning Jan. 25:
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24 (Time Period Premiere)
****************************
TUESDAY
Tuesday, Jan. 5:
7:30 PM-CC ET FEDEX ORANGE BOWL (LIVE)
Tuesday, Jan. 12:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 1)
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 19:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM OUR LITTLE GENIUS (Time Period Premiere)
Tuesdays, beginning April 13:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE (Time Period Premiere)
***************************
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, Jan. 13:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 2)
9:00-10:00 PM OUR LITTLE GENIUS (Series Premiere)
Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 20:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (Series Premiere)
***************************
THURSDAY
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 14 (no change to lineup):
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (All-New Episodes)
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (All-New Episodes)
Thursday, Feb. 4:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (Winter Finale)
Thursday, Feb. 11:
8:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE (Two-Hour Series Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning Feb. 18:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE (Time Period Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning April 1:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (Time Period Premiere)
***************************
FRIDAY
Friday, Jan. 1:
8:00 PM-CC ET ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL (LIVE)
Fridays, beginning Jan. 8:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Encore Episodes)
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE (All-New Episodes)
Friday, Jan. 22:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Encore Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE (Series Finale)
Fridays, beginning Jan. 29:
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE (Encore Episodes)
9:00-10:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES (Season Premiere)
**************************
SATURDAY
Saturdays (no change to lineup):
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW
Midnight-12:30 AM SIT DOWN, SHUT UP
***************************
SUNDAY
Sunday, Jan. 10:
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (450th Milestone Episode)
8:30-9:30 PM THE SIMPSONS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON ICE!
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
Sunday, Jan. 17:
4:00 PM-CC ET NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF (LIVE)
8:00-9:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (Series Preview)
9:00-11:00 PM 24 (2-Night / 4-Hour Season Premiere, Part 1)
Sunday, Jan. 24:
6:00 PM-CC ET NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (LIVE)
Sundays, beginning Jan. 31 (no change to lineup):
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episodes)
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (All-New Episodes)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New Episodes)
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD (All-New Episodes)
Sunday, March 14:
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Time Period Premiere)
FOX is announcing premiere dates of new and returning series as well as revisions to its 2009-2010 midseason schedule. FOX also has ordered a full season of the sophomore drama LIE TO ME.
January starts off on a high note when the ninth season of AMERICAN IDOL, television’s No. 1 series, begins with a two-night premiere Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Immediately following AMERICAN IDOL on Jan. 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), FOX unveils the not-to-be-missed series debut of OUR LITTLE GENIUS, a new unscripted series that features America’s most gifted kids as they are tested with some of the most challenging and difficult questions that only a remarkable little genius could answer.
A special extended primetime event on Sunday, Jan. 17 kicks off with the NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF (4:00 PM-CC ET live/1:00 PM-CC PT live), which leads into the explosive series preview of HUMAN TARGET (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), the new full-throttle, action-packed drama about a unique private contractor (Mark Valley) who will stop at nothing – even if it means becoming a human target – to save his clients. The special primetime event concludes with the first installment of the pulse-pounding two-night, four-hour premiere of 24 (9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT). The season premiere of 24 clocks in for two more hours of action Monday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and the season premiere of HUMAN TARGET airs Wednesday, Jan. 20 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) following AMERICAN IDOL (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).
On Sunday, Jan. 10, FOX presents a special SIMPSONS event beginning with the animated series’ milestone 450th episode, “Once Upon a Time in Springfield” (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), in which BART (Nancy Cartwright) and MILHOUSE (Pamela Hayden) try to help KRUSTY (Dan Castellaneta) regain his popularity after network executives force him to restructure the format of his television show by hiring a female sidekick, PRINCESS PENELOPE (guest voice Anne Hathaway). Then, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me,” “30 Days”) will present The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice! (8:30-9:30 PM ET/PT). The documentary special examines the global phenomenon that is THE SIMPSONS and serves as the momentous conclusion to the “Best. 20 Years. Ever.,” a year-long global celebration of THE SIMPSONS that launched in January 2009.
Chef Gordon Ramsay steps out of his own kitchen to serve up a new season of KITCHEN NIGHTMARES on Friday, Jan. 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Each week, Chef Ramsay will try to help turn around some of the most unsanitary and unsuccessful restaurants in New York, New Jersey, Florida and California on the verge of closing their doors forever.
PAST LIFE, a new drama series inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” about detectives who investigate the world of the unexplained, will bow with a two-hour series premiere Thursday, Feb. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and will make its time period premiere Thursday, Feb. 18 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
SONS OF TUCSON, the new family comedy from Emmy Award winner Todd Holland (“Wonderfalls”) about three young brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison, debuts Sunday, March 14 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT).
AMERICAN IDOL sings on Tuesdays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) when it makes its time period premiere Jan. 19 followed by the time period premiere of OUR LITTLE GENIUS (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and 24 syncs up for its time period premiere Monday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
After its fall finale Wednesday, Dec. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), GLEE returns from its interlude with a score of all-new episodes on a new night beginning Tuesday, April 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). FRINGE delves into its winter finale Thursday, Feb. 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and then resurfaces with new cases beginning Thursday, April 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE goes out with a bang with its series finale Friday, Jan. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
[EDITOR’S NOTE 1: LIE TO ME will return to the schedule in the late spring, and ‘TIL DEATH will return to the schedule at a later date.]
[EDITOR’S NOTE 2: THE CLEVELAND SHOW takes over the timeslot previously held by AMERICAN DAD, which will return to the schedule at a later date.]
[EDITOR’S NOTE 3: THE SIMPSONS milestone 450th episode and The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice! special, which were previously announced to air Thursday, Jan. 14, are now scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 10.]
5 Favorites of 2009: Ali Karim
I have to admit with the pressures of life I don't get much time to watch as many films or as much TV as I'd like to, and like Sturgeon's law states 90% of most things are cack. As one gets older, our tastes are sharper and it takes a truly great work to get me excited.
TV
With TV most concepts such as Lost, Flash Forward or 24 have been good at the start but soon they tail off as my attention is lost. There have been 2 exceptions -
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - the re-imagined series
We'll I got the complete DVD Boxset from Jon Jordan in a trade and have watched the mini-series, all 4 seasons, the movie RAZOR and THE PLAN. I have to state that Battlestar Galactica has it all, amazing existential writing that probes the nature of reality; great acting all-round; combat style filming, and basically for me, this is the greatest TV series I have watched. Not one duff episode, exceptional entertainment.
SPOOKS / MI5 [US title]
With Series 8 on UK TV, it just gets better and better with scripts that raise anxiety, featuring topical stories, brutal and compassionate in equal measures. Lead writer Neil Cross ['Burial'] raises the stakes making each episode focus on morality and doing the right thing. Each episode has such high production values that they are like mini-movies
Film - DISTRICT 9
The one film that had me reeling when I left the cinema was this South African oddity about a refugee spaceship landing near Jo'Burg. Part political allegory and reflection on Apartheid and part SF action adventure, it has it all. Cerebral, intense with a streak of black humour to pepper the proceedings.
Ali Karim - is Assistant Editor at Shots eZine, a contributing editor at January Magazine & The Rap Sheet and writes for Crimespree magazine, Deadly Pleasures and Mystery Readers International and is an associate member of both The Crime Writers Association [CWA] and International Thriller Writers [ITW]. Karim contributed to ‘Dissecting Hannibal Lecter’ ed. Benjamin Szumskyj [McFarland Press] a critical examination of the works of Thomas Harris, as well as The Greenwood Encyclopedia of British Crime Fiction [ed. Barry Forshaw]. Karim has contributed to ITW’s 100 Thriller Novels due out in 2010.
LIE TO ME gets order for 2nd half of the season.
FOX has ordered 9 more episodes of LIE TO ME, according to show producer Shawn Ryan. Ryan announced it via Twitter:
#LieToMe picked up for a back 9! Thanks for all the support everyone!
Excellent news! I am a big fan of Tim Roth and have enjoyed the show. It has been slowly fleshing out the characters. I would like to see a little more character driven storylines, but these things take time. Read More......
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
DVD Review: UFC: ULTIMATE 100 GREATEST FIGHTS
Release date: Nov 10th, 2009
MSRP: DVD: $99.97, Blu-ray: $119.97
Ok, let us be clear on one thing: This is not really the 100 greatest fights of the UFC. Politics played a role in deciding which bouts qualified for voting. For example, Tito Ortiz vs. Frank Shamrock was not a voting option. Frank and the UFC don't get along...that is an understatement. They hate each other. As a result, there was no way the powers that be at the Ultimate Fighting Championship were going to allow him to appear on this set. Too bad, because that bout would certainly be in the top 20.
But this collection is an impressive one. Fans of the UFC will love this. Even if you already buy the individual DVDs, this contains matches from Ultimate Fight Night cards that have not been released, as well as some numbered cards that are not currently available.
While I could argue many of the actual rankings, the vast majority of the bouts included deserve to be here.
Disc One
100. UFC 80: Kelly vs. Taylor
99. UFC 31: Newton vs. Miletich
98. UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Lauzon
97. UFC Fight Night: Evans vs. Salmon
96. UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie
95. UFC 90: Sherk vs. Griffin
94. UFC 32: Penn vs. Thomas
93. UFC 78: Alves vs. Lytle
92. UFC 39: Penn vs. Serra
91. The Ultimate Fighter: Franklin vs. Shamrock
90. UFC 41: Penn vs. Uno
89. UFC 66: Jardine vs. Griffin
88. UFC 67: Edgar vs. Griffin
87. UFC 54: Liddell vs. Horn
86. UFC 45: Tanner vs. Baroni
85. UFC 49: Parisyan vs. Diaz
84. UFC 30: Rizzo vs. Barnett
83. UFC 49: Liddell vs. White
82. UFC 54: St-Pierre vs. Trigg
81. The Ultimate Fighter: Koppenhaver vs. Rollins
Disc Two
80. UFC 42: Franklin vs. Tanner
79. UFC 69: Serra vs. St-Pierre
78. UFC 76: Jardine vs. Liddell
77. UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Irvin
76. UFC 42: Hughes vs. Sherk
75. UFC 1: Gracie vs. Gordeau
74. UFC 58: Franklin vs. Loiseau
73. UFC 52: St-Pierre vs. Miller
72. UFC 92: Mir vs. Nogueira
71. Ultimate Ultimate 96: Frye vs. Abbott
70. UFC 17: Williams vs. Coleman
69. UFC 34: Penn vs. Uno (4:3)
68. UFC 84: Machida vs. Ortiz
67. UFC 31: Carter vs. Serra
66. UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn
65. UFC Fight Night: Fisher vs. Stout
64. UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral
63. UFC 50: Hughes vs. St-Pierre
62. UFC 72: Griffin vs. Guida
Disc Three
61. UFC 80: Penn vs. Stevenson
60. UFC 46: St-Pierre vs. Parisyan
59. UFC 91: Lesnar vs. Couture
58. UFC 38: Hughes vs. Newton
57. UFC 69: Huerta vs. Garcia
56. UFC 53: Franklin vs. Tanner
55. UFC 92: Evans vs. Griffin
54. UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Leben
53. UFC 64: Sherk vs. Florian
52. UFC 40: Liddell vs. Sorbal
51. UFC 88: Evans vs. Liddell
50. UFC 92: Jackson vs. Silva
49. UFC 71: Alexander vs. Jardine
48. UFC 35: Pulver vs. Penn
47. UFC 31: Liddell vs. Randleman
46. UFC 71: Jackson vs. Liddell
45. The Ultimate Fighter: Smith vs. Sell
44. UFC 83: St-Pierre vs. Serra
43. UFC 45: Hughes vs. Trigg
42. UFC 56: St-Pierre vs. Sherk
Disc Four
41. UFC 81: Nogueira vs. Sylvia
40. UFC 15: Couture vs. Belfort
39. UFC 84: Silva vs. Jardine
38. UFC 31: Couture vs. Rizzo
37. UFC 3: Gracie vs. Leopoldo
36. UFC 52: Liddell vs. Couture
35. UFC 48: Mir vs. Sylvia
34. UFC 84: Penn vs. Sherk
33. UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn
32. UFC 74: Couture vs. Gonzaga
31. UFC 75: Jackson vs. Henderson
30. UFC 46: Penn vs. Hughes
29. UFC 98: Machida vs. Evans
28. UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz
27. UFC 44: Couture vs. Ortiz
26. UFC 87: St-Pierre vs. Fitch
25. UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture
Disc Five
24. UFC 1: Gracie vs. Shamrock
23. UFC 65: St-Pierre vs. Hughes
22. The Ultimate Fighter: Huerta vs. Guida
21. UFC 43: Couture vs. Liddell
20. UFC 79: St-Pierre vs. Hughes
19. UFC 82: Silva vs. Henderson
18. UFC 47: Liddell vs. Ortiz
17. UFC 68: Couture vs. Sylvia
16. UFC 58: Stout vs. Fisher
15. UFC 85: Alves vs. Hughes
14. UFC 34: Hughes vs. Newton
13. The Ultimate Fighter: Sanchez vs. Guida
12. The Ultimate Fighter: Sanchez vs. Diaz
11. UFC 86: Griffin vs. Jackson
10. UFC 76: Griffin vs. Rua
9. UFC 70: Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop
8. UFC Fight Night: Sanchez vs. Parisyan
7. UFC 77: Silva vs. Franklin
Disc Six
6. UFC 64: Silva vs. Franklin
5. UFC 81: Mir vs. Lesnar
4. UFC 58: St-Pierre vs. Penn
3. UFC 52: Hughes vs. Trigg
2. UFC 79: Liddell vs. Silva
1. The Ultimate Fighter: Griffin vs. Bonnar
One of the best things about a set like this is that there is likely some stuff here that one has not seen (Unless you are a die-hard MMA nut like myself). This set will introduce fans to some of the guys that paved the way for the current stars. Carlos Newton, Pat Miletich, Mark Coleman, Don Frye, Tank Abbott, Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie all make appearances in some memorable bouts.
Really, this would be a killer gift for the fight fan in your life...or for yourself!
Order UFC: ULTIMATE 100 GREATEST FIGHTS on DVD. Order it on Blu-ray.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
USA orders fourth season of BURN NOTICE.
Jeffrey Donovan is Michael Westen, a blacklisted spy. After coming face to face with the group of people that burned him, Michael must figure out his next move. All while staying ahead of anyone else that may have him in their crosshairs. In the meantime, he continues to use his unique skills and training to help people in desperate need of assistance.
Burn Notice also stars Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona, a beautiful ex-IRA operative who happens to be Westen’s ex-girlfriend. Bruce Campbell stars as Sam, Michael’s closest buddy in town. Sam is a washed up military intelligence contact who is an expert in tactical analysis, cutting through red tape, and finding the quickest route to a cold Mojito. Also starring is Emmy® Award-winner Sharon Gless as Madeline, Michael’s hypochondriac mother, who couldn’t be happier to have her boy back in town.
Season four, slated for 16 episodes, will likely debut in the Summer of 2010. The second half of season three will start in January.
5 favorites of 2009: Gerald So
Thanks to Jeremy for suggesting this topic. Without further ado, my list of five...
FILM
Star Trek - As a Trekkie (Well, someone who just watched Star Trek: TOS, TNG, DS9, Enterprise, and the movies. Okay, a Trekkie.), I went into JJ Abrams's franchise reboot with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained in a way I haven't been for years. The actors called to mind iconic characters without becoming caricatures. I'm truly hopeful for the future.
Up - A touching, ultimately optimistic movie for young and old. The casting and interplay between Ed Asner and Jordan Nagai are right on. Up succeeded for me where Wall-E fell short.
TV
Castle - As a loyal Browncoat, I'd probably watch any member of the Serenity crew in anything. Castle was a bit too light for my taste when it premiered in March. Luckily it performed well enough to go into a second season in September, and it feels as if the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic has been perfected. The show is hitting its mark as a lighter procedural.
White Collar - USA Network's latest character-driven series brings together a master thief and an equally adept, dogged FBI agent. The writing has met that challenge. New York shows in a uniquely bright, yet authentic light. I haven't even mentioned the actors yet, the individually and collectively great Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins, and Natalie Morales.
DVD
The Middleman: The Complete Series - A masterful mix of rapid-fire pop culture homage and completely original banter between classic square-jawed hero The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) and modern sarcastic Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales).
Jones out of THE LINCOLN LAWYER.
Tommy Lee Jones has walked away from Michael Connelly's THE LINCOLN LAWYER.
According to Variety, the reason is the age old problem of creative differences. Jones was slated to direct as well as co-star.
"Mickey Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car, traveling between the far-flung courthouses
of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk
drivers, drug dealers — they're all on Mickey Haller's client list. For him, the
law is rarely about guilt or innocence — it's about negotiation and
manipulation. Sometimes it's even about justice."
Matthew McConaughey is playing Mickey.
Monday, November 23, 2009
PSYCH gets picked up for a fifth season.
I don't think there was ever any doubt, but USA has ordered a fifth season of PSYCH. The order was for 16 episodes.
The show has been a hit and USA is looking to get things in order as MONK comes to an end. PSYCH has certainly benefitted from having that show as a lead-in, it will be interesting to see how they do on their own.
Raised in Santa Barbara by a family of cops, Shawn (James Roday) possesses uncanny powers of observation honed by his police officer father, Henry (Corbin Bersen), who drilled young Shawn to note even the smallest of details from his surroundings as a way of grooming him for his inevitable career in the family business. Unfortunately, when a rift develops between father and son, Shawn finds himself taking a series of random jobs instead of becoming the detective he was groomed to be.
However, for the fun of it, Shawn makes a habit of calling in tips to the police about cases he reads about or sees on television, and when one of his tips appears too close to the truth, the police are convinced that Shawn is an accomplice and arrest him.
Using his charm and well-tuned talent, Shawn convinces the cops that he's actually a psychic, and although highly skeptical of his explanation, they hire him to help solve tough cases. With the reluctant assistance of his best friend Gus (Dule Hill), Shawn uses his skills of observation and charismatic personality to become the detective he was trained to be, opening his own PI agency – Psych – and solving cases for an ever-suspicious, but grudgingly impressed, police force.
5 favorites of 2009: Ken Bruen.
As the end of 2009 nears, we have been asking folks what they really enjoyed in terms of films, television and DVD. None of these are meant to be lists of the best of the year, merely what some have enjoyed.
Irish author Ken Bruen recently shared his picks in typical Bruen style:
True Blood.....................anything from the creator of Six Feet Under get's my vote and I just love the camp humour in this and it's as steamy as the location, the acting is superb and wonderful script
Mad men.............season 2................what can I possibly say but it goes from strengh to strength.............
Appallossa...........Ed Harris and Vigo Mortsen.............the ultimate Western for me, and the stunning photography
Man On A Wire.....................one of the finest documentaries I've ever seen
White Tulips....................from the director of The Hidden.........proving he is one of the finest most innovative directors around
And Traitor.........I would watch anything with Don Cheadle
Look for future lists by Sean Chercover, Gerald So, Clayton Moore, Roger Smith, Megan Abbott, Lou Boxer, Angela Henry and more.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Chris Ryan's STRIKE BACK coming to British television.
Hat tip goes to Euro Crime.
Filming is under way on the television production of Chris Ryan's STRIKE BACK.
"STRIKE BACK is a story of deception, redemption and revenge, all played out in the interlinked lives of two former soldiers; Major Hugh Collinson and discharged veteran John Porter. Their paths last crossed seven years ago. Now, amidst a new hostage crisis in the Middle East, their lives are about to collide again.
2003, On the eve of the invasion of Iraq, John Porter leads a special forces unit on a daring hostage rescue into the heart of Basra, events overtake our hero with disastrous results. The decisions taken on that night inexorably unite the fate of both Porter and Collinson. Porter bares the burden of guilt and the repercussions haunt him for seven years, until an opportunity presents itself for him to return to Iraq and redeem himself."
The cast features Richard Armitage (Spooks, Robin Hood) as John Porter and Andrew Lincoln (This Life, Teachers) as Hugh Collinson. Jodhi May (The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, A World Apart, The Last of the Mohicans) plays intelligence officer Layla Thompson, and in the opening film, Orla Brady (Mistresses, Wallander) plays Middle east correspondent, Katie Dartmouth. Nicola Stephenson (The Chase, Clocking Off) is Diane Porter, John Porter’s wife. Laura Greenwood (Prime Suspect) plays Porter’s daughter, Alexandra, Dhafer L’Abadine (The Mark of Cain, Whistleblowers) plays Hakim Al Neseri and Fenar Mohammed Ali plays Hassad.
Filming is currently underway in South Africa and is expected to continue until mid to late December. It will air in mid 2010 and will be six episodes of 60 minutes each.
2 clips from Clooney's UP IN THE AIR.
Here are a couple clips for George Clooney's upcoming UP IN THE AIR. The film comes out on Dec 25th.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
DVD Review - Spin City
I remember watching this a few times when it originally aired 13 -14 years ago. I recently ordered some older sitcoms and seasons 1 and 2 were a part of that order. Not a fan of watching TV while it's on I've been on a nostalgia kick.
Spin City is a sitcom about the deputy mayor of New York, his boss and their staff.
It holds up really well. A big part of this is the amazing ensemble cast headed up by Michael J Fox. The humor is rather timeless and Fox's delivery is amazing. Michael Boatman is wonderful as Carter, dry humor with such perfect timing with his delivery of one liners and side comments. Alan Ruck as a inappropriate man who can't stop talking about sex is also hysterical and I can't help but wonder if done today the character would be toned down to be politically correct. PC or not, he's funny as hell. Barry Bostwick as the airheaded mayor, Richard Kind as a naive media liaison, and Alexander Chaplin as James, a farm kid in the big city are all great. But one of the real strengths of the show is the women. Strong characters with no bullshit. Victoria Dillard, Jennifer Espisito, and Connie Britton are all perfect for the show.
The half hour episodes don't really deal with anything really deep, or at least not often. A raunchy DJ challenging the mayor to a fake election, a misstep with the mayor saying there is no Santa, the mayor's daughter speaking out against the treatment of horses in central park. In fact, a lot of the shows are the staff putting a spin on something silly or disastrous that the mayor has said or done.
The humor is timeless as it deals with relationships, in what seems like an accidentally realistic way. Relationships not just between people romantically involved but also with work mates and the people around them. One especially good episode was Michael Flaherty (Michael J Fox) dealing with his Mother sleeping with the Mayor.
Spin City is still funny as hell and it's priced nice. So if you are building a library of television on DVD I would say that Spin City definitely needs to be a part of it. These first two seasons are terrific and I just ordered season three.
Buy Spin City: The Complete Season 1
Buy Spin City: The Complete Second Season
Buy Spin City: Season Three
Read More......
Full PERCY JACKSON trailer.
The full-length trailer for PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF is online. PJ is based on the children's (or young adult) novel by crime writer Rick Riordan. It lands in theaters on February 12, 2010 and stars Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pantoliano, Uma Thurman and Ray Winstone.
It's the 21st century, but the gods of Mount Olympus and assorted monsters have walked out of the pages of high school student Percy Jackson's Greek mythology texts and into his life. And they're not happy: Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Even more troubling is the sudden disappearance of Percy's mother. As Percy adapts to his newly discovered status as a demi-god (his father is Poseidon), he finds himself caught between the battling titans of Mt. Olympus. He and his friends embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true lightning thief, save Percy's mom, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.
New SHERLOCK HOLMES featurette.
Warner has released a new SHERLOCK HOLMES featurette.
In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous characters, "Sherlock Holmes" sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.
SHERLOCK HOLMES lands in theaters on Dec 25th.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Film Review: THE MEN WHO STARED AT GOATS.
Directed by Grant Heslow
Written by Peter Straughan, based on a book by Jon Ronson
Starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey
Running Time: 93 minutes
Released November, 2009
Although no goats were harmed in the production of THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, the audience didn’t get off as easily. Watching it, I thought back to the movie “1941” and rumors that surfaced at the time that the entire cast and crew were under the influence. I wondered if having a good time on a movie set (drug-induced or otherwise) turns out to be bad idea. You can easily imagine this group of veteran actors intimidating a fledgling director and running off with the production. You can also see that all this “wondering” meant that the movie wasn’t holding my attention. The jokes were so broad, so lacking in wit, so repetitive in nature, it wasn’t much fun. I can enjoy a silly comedy and have done so for years, but political humor needs a more sure-footed director than this film had, a better script, a more focused point of view. If you compare it to Dr. Strangelove, for instance, it plays like a student film. Ewan McGregor in a lead role seems to be there solely to be the butt of jokes about Jedi Warriors. If he is to be the film’s sane center, he needs to have something more to do than raise his eyebrows and duck.
Plot: It is 2003 and Ann Arbor newspaper reporter (McGregor) tries to prove his manhood by embedding himself in Iraq. He is immediately pulled into the looney orbit of a member of the New Earth Army, Lyn Cassady (Clooney). Clooney persuades him that through skills learned at the hand of Bill Django, (Jeff “Lebowski” Bridges) the New Earth Army will…well, do what, I never completely understood. Most of the film examines what these skills, learned during the Vietnam Era, are. Some of them are funny and I don’t want to step on the few laughs in the film by detailing them. After a while, and I mean perhaps thirty minutes, we’ve seen the best of the humor and the plot goes completely off the tracks. At times, the film is preachy (what probably drew Clooney to it), and at times it seems to have no point of view other than, “What should we toss out there next.”
Hopefully Clooney’s next outing Up in the Air will be a goat of a different color.
Patti
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at pattinase.blogspot.com. She hopes you'll join in.
Blu-ray Review: HEAT
Warner Home Video
Release date: November 10th, 2009
MSRP: $28.99
Director: Michael Mann
Stars: : Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Amy Brenneman, Tom Sizemore and Mykelti Williamson.
HEAT may be best known as the first film in which Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared the screen (both were in The GODFATHER II, but were in different storylines) together. Though they do so for only one scene is a truly great one. But that scene is only part of the greatness that is HEAT.
Neil McCauley (De Niro) is the leader of a world-class gang of bank robbers. He is calm, smooth and careful. Among the members of his crew is Chris (Val Kilmer), who is considerably more reckless and has plenty of personal issues. Neil has little time for a personal life of his own and seems to spend an ample amount of energy keeping Chris' family from falling apart.
Vincent Hanna (Pacino) leads the L.A. detectives on their trail. Hanna becomes intrigued by this crew and finds himself draw to the case, fixated really. Like Neil, He in focused on his job, but he is married and is unable to balance personal and professional. Hanna's obsession with his job is more than his wife can take."You don't live with me. You live among the remains of dead people."
Interestingly enough, while Hanna's personal life is crumbling, Neil strikes up a romance with a graphic designer named Eady (Amy Brenneman). I found it fascinating that it is Neil that is able to separate his personal and professional lives. The relationship between the two of them is as tender as Hanna's marriage is caustic.
HEAT follows these two men as events slowly build towards a fateful meeting in which only one can come out on top. Each man is careful and methodical, yet unwilling to change course even though they both know somebody will almost certainly die. Mann does an excellent job of bulding towards that showdown, with the stage being set when Vincent and Neil meet in a restaurant to finally meet one another. That scene is truly breathtaking, two pros step up and deliver the kind of performances that has made each a legend.
The actions scenes of HEAT are not gratuitous. Don't get me wrong, they kick ass, but they also make sense in the context of the film. These scenes are made even better by excellent camera work. Well shot, kick ass, make sense...that is pretty much everything I could ask for in an action scene.
Both De Niro and Pacino deliver excellent performances, though I think De Niro's performance is more nuanced. They are ably backed by Brenneman, Tom Sizemore, Mykelti Williamson and Kilmer.
Still, it is not without it's flaws. There is a serial killer storyline adds little to the film and detracts from the tension that is built over the course of the film. Without that, it would have flowed better. Somebody should have told Mann that more is not always better. While Mann is a good director, he tendency towards excess often hampers his films and this is no exception. The film comes in at almost three hours.
Video:
The film is presented in 1080p with a VC0-1 transfer and has a 2:40.1 ratio. This looks amazing. This is about as good a Blu-ray as I can remember watching. HEAT has plenty of dark scenes, with quite a bit of black clothing. Those scenes are all crystal clear with amazing contrast and depth. The image is clean and crisp with only a touch of grain. I noticed no signs of DNR. After watching this BD, I don't know that I could ever go back and watch it on DVD.
Audio:
HEAT is presented with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that is fully utilized. Right off the bat, we are treated to shattering glass and deep rumbling explosions. A nice balancing act is done between playing up the effects and still keeping the dialogue clear. All channels are used liberally and the sub-woofer rocks in a club scene.
Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Spanish, and German tracks are also available, as is a Dolby Digital 2.0 Portuguese track.
Extras:
Nothing new has been added since the Special edition from a few years back. A nice collection including a Mann commentary track as well as five featurettes, deleted scenes and trailers.
Visually, HEAT is as strong a case as I can think of for upgrading from DVD to Blu-ray. The film is damn entertaining, if a tad too long. If you like watching films in HD, pick up a copy, you won't be disappointed.
Order HEAT on Blu-ray.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Trailer, poster & start date for season 3 of CHUCK.
CHUCK returns to NBC on Sunday, Jan 10th, 2010. On Jan 10th, there will be TWO new episodes, with an additional one on Monday Jan 11th! Three eps in two days. Here is poster and trailer to give folks a taste of season three.
I fell behind in season two and will have to get caught up before Jan 10th!
FRINGE stars talk about show, future.
John Noble (Walter) and Anna Torv (Olivia) spoke with Zap2It recently and talked about tonight's episode, alternate universes and more.
Here are the videos:
SOUTHLAND star says show will be grittier.
Here are his comments:
SOUTHLAND will debut on TNT on Tuesday, Jan 12th at 10 p.m. EST
Pictures from the set of THE GUARDS.
Ken Bruen has been kind enough to share some on the set photos from THE GUARDS. The photos were taken by Peter Muender, a German journalist.
First up is a mock-up of the Gallway Times done for the film. It has a feature on Jack Taylor.
Ken has a bit part in the film, as a reporter. Second photo is a picture from his scene.
Third photo is of Ken with actor Ralph Brown, who plays Sutton. Brown has been in LIFE ON MARS, MEADOWLANDS, NEARLY FAMOUS and Richard Curtis' new flick Pirate Radio.
Number four is of Ken, star Iain Glen and director Stuart Orme. Stuart has previously worked on INSPECTOR MORSE AND MERLIN and spent much of the 80s making music videos for the likes of Whitney Houston and Phil Collins
Final photo is Ken with Anne McCabe, co-writer of THE GUARDS.
Lou Boxer's Noircon blog has a lot more pictures up. Certainly worth checking out.
DVD Info: BARNABY JONES coming to DVD.
CBS/Paramount has announced they will release season one of BARNABY JONES on Feb 16th.
This series focused around a retired private detective, Barnaby Jones (Buddy Ebsen), who had passed his private investigation business to his son, Hal. When Hal was murdered while on a case, Barnaby came out of retirement to track down his son's killer. Hal's widow, Betty (Lee Meriwether), worked with Barnaby as his invaluable assistant on cases.
Jones debuted, on CBS, on Jan 28th, 1973 and ended on April 3rd of 1980.
For more news on upcoming titles, check out our DVD calendar.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Blu-ray Review: GODZILLA (1998)
Blu-ray release: November 10, 2009
MSRP: $24.95
Sony Pictures
Stars: Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria.
Story by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Screenplay by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Runtime: 139 minutes
Rated: PG-13
In this American Godzilla movie from the makers of Independence Day, Godzilla is said to be a mutation caused by years of nuclear testing on the French Polynesian islands. Matthew Broderick stars as Nick Tatopolous, a scientist studying mutant earthworms at Chernobyl, who is summoned to Panama to study evidence of Godzilla's movement inland.
Before you know it, the creature is spotted smashing through the streets of Manhattan. As you might expect from the makers of Independence Day, this plays as more a disaster movie or dinosaur movie than a monster movie. Joining Broderick's character in the effort to stop Godzilla's path of destruction are Jean Reno as a French secret service agent, Maria Pitillo as aspiring TV reporter and Tatapolous's old flame Audrey Timmonds, and Hank Azaria as Audrey's cameraman.
The human stories and efforts to stop Godzilla (and hundreds of offspring) are played only half-seriously despite the level of devastation. Part of the fun of a Godzilla movie is in watching people run for their lives, but it's surreal to watch it fictitiously happen in New York since 9/11.
Godzilla was panned by critics and fans back in 1998, and I didn't get around to seeing it then. Its special effects don't hold up too well, but it's worth a look to curious die-hard Godzilla fans and those who want to see how it plays in high definition.
The Blu-Ray includes a commentary on the visual effects, a behind-the-scenes mockumentary with Harry Shearer, a medley of Godzilla's best movie fights, a music video, a Scene It? style trivia game, and an available digital copy.
Video: 1080p High Definition / 2.40:1
Audio: English, French, Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD MA; Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
--Gerald So Read More......
Blu-ray Review: SAY ANYTHING.
Fox Home Entertainment
Release date: November 3rd, 2009
MSRP: DVD: $19.98, Blu-ray: $34.98
Director: Cameron Crowe
Stars: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Joan Cusack, Lili Taylor
Writer: Cameron Crowe.
The word classic is bandied about quite a bit these days, all-time classic, modern-day classic, cult-classic, but believe me when I say that Cameron Crowe's SAY ANYTHING is a classic. A truly great film that should be occasionally revisited, if only to remind ourselves how good a romantic comedy can be.
For those that are not familiar with SAY ANYTHING, Lloyd Dobler has just graduated from high school and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. He trains at kickboxing, something he sees as the sport of the future, but has no other focus in his life, except dating Diane Court. Diane is, as one of Lloyd's friends describes her, a brain trapped in the body of a game show hostess. She lives with her father and everything she has done has been to prepare for college and her very bright future. Because she spent most of her high school years taking college courses, she missed out on most of the typical teen experiences. Her fellow classmates knew of her, but did not know her.
Lloyd convinces her to accompany him to a graduation party (hosted by Crowe pal Eric Stoltz, who has appeared in almost every Crowe film) and thus, despite the reservations of Diane's father (played by John Mahoney) begins a magical romance. Neither Lloyd nor Diane has ever been in love, so they carefully stumble forward. The scene in which they first make love is touching, sweet and a tad awkward.
In a few months, Diane is heading to London on a scholarship. She decides she should not get too involved at this time and opt crush Lloyd's heart. Her father does not approve of Lloyd, feeling he is only a distraction, and pushes for said heart crushing.
Things happen that leave Diane confused and feeling as though everything she knew is false. Not knowing what to do, she turns to the one person she can be sure of: Lloyd.
Crowe, in his directorial debut, shows the skills of a veteran director and also clearly remembers the pain and joy of being a teen. He crafted a collection of very real characters that don't play as idealizations or caricatures, but as honest to goodness folk that we might actually know.
This is also the film where John Cusack really came into his own. His performance is truly something to behold and makes Lloyd special. With a lesser actor, Lloyd could have been a bit of a loser, but John fleshes him out and you believe this is a good guy that simply lacks a goal in life.
As good as John is, credit must go to many others. Ione Skye and John Mahoney have nice chemistry, I have no trouble believing they are daughter and father. John does a balancing act of playing loving father yet still letting the flaws of the character come through. Lili Taylor as ASDSA, Lloyd's damaged singer/songwriter friend. None of these characters is perfect and that is part of what makes them special. They make the same mistakes we all do, are stubborn and occasionally too self-oriented...they are just like the people around us.I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I
don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or
processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything
sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.
In my opinion, this is the greatest romantic teen comedy ever made. If we are talking just comedy, Ferris Bueller might have it beat, but no other film captures the pain and magis of love quite the way SA does. It is what films like 16 Candles can only aspire to be.
Video:
This looks good, especially for a 20 year old film. I would guess part of this is the fact that it is a fairly popular film and thus the negatives have likely been taken care of. There is very little noticeable wear. I also did not see any DNR or other signs of tampering. The colors look good as do the details. The first time Diane and Lloyd are together (in the biblical sense), is in a car and looks great. Lloyd is overcome with emotion and is shivering, the clarity makes the scene all the more touching.
Audio:
To me, this is more important than the image. This is, after all, a Cameron Crowe film so the music plays a major role. I am happy to say it sounds great! The track is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and it really highlights the music. One can't help but sit back and bask in the audio glow of In Your Eyes while Lloyd is standing outside of Diane's room, boombox held over his head. And while that music sounds great, it never drowns out any dialogue.
In addition to the 5.1 track, there is also a Dolby Digital stereo track as well as mono tracks for Spanish and French. Subtitles are in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Extras
We are given three new featurettes, all in HD, that look back at SA and feature comments from Crowe, Skye and Cusack, among others. It is clear this film still means a lot to all involved, with John Mahoney stating it is one of the proudest achievements as an actor.
Other extras include deleted/extended scenes, a commentary track with Crowe, Cusack and Skye, a trivia track, television promos, trailers and a photo gallery.
Order SAY ANYTHING on Blu-ray. Or on DVD.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Bracco comes on board for RIZZOLI.
Lorraine Bracco (THE SOPRANOS) has signed on for RIZZOLI, the TNT series based on Tess Gerritsen's novels. She will play the title character's mother.
RIZZOLI is about Det. Jane Rizzoli (Harmon), a Boston Homicide detective that works with Medical Examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander).
Also on board are Jordan Bridges as patrol officer Frankie Rizzoli Jr, Jane's younger brother who is described as idolizing his sister and hopes to follow in her footsteps. Bruce McGill (MY COUSIN VINNY, ANIMAL HOUSE)is Jane's former partner Vince Korsak, who is "gruff but loveable" and is a little hurt by Jane taking a new partner. McGill might be best known as D-Day from ANIMAL HOUSE. Lastly, the aforementioned new partner is newbie Barry Frost. Lee Thompson Young is playing Frost. Lee plays Agent Al Gough on ABC's FLASHFORWARD.
Earl is going to fight crimes and sing Elvis.
Ok, this rocks.
Jason Lee (MY NAME IS EARL) has signed on for the lead role in the upcoming TNT pilot DELTA BLUE. DB is about Dwight Hendricks, an excellent Memphis cop that moonlights as an Elvis impersonator and lives with his mother.
“Jason Lee is the ideal choice to bring the compelling, off-kilter Dwight Hendricks to life,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “With extraordinary talent in front of and behind the camera, along with an outstanding script, DELTA BLUES is shaping up to be a hugely entertaining show and a great fit with our lineup of original dramas.”
I have been a fan of Lee since seeing him in Kevin Smith's MALLRATS. He recently has had success on MY NAME IS EARL and the film version of ALVIN AND THE CHIPMONKS (I guess a guy has to eat). He will next be seen in Smith's A COUPLE OF DICKS.
George Clooney is Exec producing and Clark Johnson (THE SHIELD, LIE TO ME, THE WIRE)is directing.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
DVD/Blu-ray release recap fof Nov 17th, 2009.
ANDY BARKER, P.I.: The Complete Series (2007) Andy Richter $24.99, Extras: Retrospective feature "Going Where the Numbers Take You" containing interviews with Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter and other members of the cast and creative team; the "Writers Class 101" feature, with co-creator Jonathan Groff and writers Josh Bycel, Jane Espenson and Jon Ross; cast and crew commentaries; gag reel. (Shout! Factory).
From the hilarious minds of Conan OBrien (The Tonight Show) and Jonathan Groff comes Andy Barker P.I., an off-the-wall comedy about earnest, hard-working CPA-turned-detective, Andy Barker (played by Andy Richter, Late Night with Conan OBrien), and featuring the extraordinary writing talents of Conan OBrien (The Simpsons), Jonathan Groff (How I Met Your Mother), Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Josh Bycel (Psych). The show premiered on the NBC network
and was immediately greeted with critical praise.
ELVIS COSTELLO - SPECTACLE: Season 1 (2009) DVD: $49.95, Blu-ray: $69.95 . Extras: Extended episodes, behind-the-scenes interviews, outtakes. (MVD Entertainment Group).
This show features intimate one-on-one conversations and live performances with legendary artists and notable newcomers. Conceived to provide a forum for in-depth discussion and performance with the most interesting artists and personalities of our time, "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With ..." fuses the best of talk and music television. Each of the thirteen one-hour episodes exposes the essence of iconic and influential figures who are given the rare opportunity to speak intelligently and in-depth about music and their careers -- how their classic songs were written and why; their experiences; their influences and the creative process overall, revealing new insights about their extraordinary work and lives. Guests include Elton John, president Bill Clinton, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Julian Schnabel The Police, Smokey Robinson, Rufus Wainwright, Jakob Dylan, Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock, Kris Kristofferson, Roseanne Cash, Norah Jones, John Mellencamp, James Taylor and more.
I know, Elvis is not crime-related, but it is Elvis Freakin' Costello! Folks looking for a gift for the music lover in their life might want to take a look at this. An interesting concept that Elvis pulls off quite well.
FARSCAPE: The Complete Series Megaset (1999-2003), $149.95. Extras: 29 Episode commentaries; multiple featurettes and documentaries including "In the Beginning: A Look Back With Brian Henson," "Making of a Space Opera" and "Inside Farscape: Save Farscape"; multiple video profiles featuring archival clips and cast and crew discussing their characters and roles; more than 90 minutes of deleted scenes; sideshows and archival photo galleries, including character concepts and promo photos; production design galleries featuring screenshots, rough drafts and concept slide shows; behind-the-scenes interviews with Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Virginia Hey, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard, Wayne Pygram; original TV promos and trailers.(A&E Home Entertainment).
John Crichton. Astronaut. Flung through a wormhole and lost in a galaxy far from
home. He finds himself in the middle of a prison break, surrounded by hostile
aliens, soaring through space inside a glorious living space ship called Moya.
Hunted by the relentless Peacekeepers, he allies himself with his unimaginably
alien fellow refugees and searches for a way home.So begins the epic sci-fi
classic Farscape. A fusion of live action, state-of-the-art puppetry,
prosthetics and CGI, Farscape features mind-boggling alien life forms, dazzling
special effects, edge-of-your-seat thrills, irreverent humor and unforgettable
characters all brought to life by the creative minds at Jim Henson's Creature
Shop. No wonder it's been called the most imaginative sci-fi series in
television history.Here, in time for the series tenth anniversary, are all four
Farscape seasons, 88 episodes, together for the first time in one epic
collection. These are the adventures of Moya's crew, Crichton, Peacekeeper Aeryn
Sun, warrior Ka D'Argo, azure priestess Zhaan, spritely thief Chiana, Dominar
Rigel, Pilot and many others. Like Moya herself, this package contains amazing
surprises including hours of bonus materials, making-of featurettes,
commentaries, interviews, deleted scenes and much more. Prepare for Starburst!
GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) Three 50th Anniversary editions: Two-disc special edition: $24.98; Five-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition: $69.92; Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition: $84.99. The Ultimate Collector's Editions will also contain collectible memorabilia.
Extras:
Two Disc DVD: Commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer.
DVD & Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Editions:
Disc 3: About The Movie:
The Making of a Legend documentary (1989 TV Special) (Narrated by Christopher Plummer)
Restoring a Legend - Chronicles the film/video restoration process, Dixie Hails Gone with the Wind -1939 Premiere newsreel, 1940 MGM historical short - The Old South, Atlanta Civil War Centennial 1961 premiere newsreel, International prologue, Foreign language version sample scenes, Theatrical Trailers
Disc 4: About the Cast: Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland - Exclusive 2004 Documentary, Cast profile - Gable: The King Remembered, Cast profile - Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond, The Supporting Players - Cameo portraits of an unforgettable ensemble
Disc 5: New Bonus Disc:
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment presents 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year - New documentary about Hollywood's watershed year narrated by Kenneth Branagh, Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives On -- Exploring the legacy of the most beloved film through, illuminating interviews, footage and visits to historical sites, events and museums, Moviola: The Scarlett O'Hara Wars 1980 WBTV Special never before on home video, Trailers.
20-page reproduction of the original and complete 1939 Souvenir Program; 40-page Production History Book with photos and production notes; eight Frameable 5x7 Art Prints; CD soundtrack sampler featuring eight tracks (Main Title, Tara, The Barbecue, Escape From Atlanta, I'll Never Be Hungry Again! Paddock Scene, Scarlett In The Mist/Rhett Leaves, Flashback/Finale)
Blu-ray contains all of the above materal, plus MGM: When The Lion Roars Documentary (Warner)
Period romance. War epic. Family saga. Popular fiction adapted with
crowd-pleasing brilliance. Star acting aglow with charisma and passion.
Moviemaking craft at its height. These are sublimely joined in the words Gone
with the Wind. This dynamic and durable screen entertainment of the Civil
War-era South comes home with the renewed splendor of a New 70th-Anniversary
Digital Transfer capturing a higher-resolution image from Restored Picture
Elements than ever before possible. David O. Selznick’s monumental production of
Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book can now enthrall new generations
of home viewers with a majestic vibrance that befits one of Hollywood’s greatest
achievements.
LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (Blu-ray)Dir: Luc Besson. stars: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello, Peter Appel. $24.95 Extras: 10 Year Retrospective: Cast and Crew Look Back, Jean Reno: The Road to Leon, Natalie Portman: Starting Young, Fact Track. (Sony)
Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman and Danny Aiello star in Leon: The Professional, a go-for-broke thriller about a professional assassin whose work becomes dangerously personal. Calling himself a "cleaner", the mysterious Leon (Reno) is New York's top hitman. When his next-door neighbors are murdered, Leon becomes the unwilling guardian of the family's sole survivor - 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman), but Mathilda doesn't just want protection; she wants revenge. Training her in the deadly tricks of his trade, Leon helps her track the psychotic agent (Oldman) who murdered her family.
ROME (2005-2007) Ten-disc set of the HBO series that follows the lives of two soldiers during the "fall of the Roman Empire," $99.98; Also available on Blu-ray Disc for $139.99. (HBO Home Entertainment).
Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the wealthiest city in the world, a cosmopolitan metropolis of one million people, epicenter of a sprawling empire. But now, the city's foundations are crumbling, eaten away by
corruption and excess...And two soldiers unwittingly become entwined in historical events, their fates inexorably tied to the fate of Rome itself. The entire award-winning, critically-acclaimed series will be available as a gift set, just in time for the holiday season.
THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN: Volume 5 (2009) Season 2 of the animated TV series that was recently re-launched on Disney's XD network; pits the super hero against super villains Kraven, Mysterio and The Sinister Six. $19.94. (Sony).
Witness the original web-slinger's mythology from the beginning! Peter Parker is a not so typical high school junior, fresh off an exciting summer engaging common criminals with his new found powers. But now he must conceal his secret identity as "Spider-Man", while engaging a new level of terror: the multi-leveled pressures of teenage life at home/school with combating bigger, badder super villains in the real world!
STAR TREK (2009) Dir.: J.J. Abrams; Stars: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Marlene Forte, Jimmy Bennett. Three-disc Blu-ray set with digital copy: $39.99, Two-disc DVD with digital copy: $34.98, Single-disc DVD: $29.99. Extras: Commentary by director J.J. Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk; "A New Vision" behind-the-scenes featurette; Gag Reel; bloopers featuring the entire principal cast; digital copy, deleted scenes with optional commentary, "To Boldly Go" featurette on the many challenges re-imagining the "Star Trek" franchise; casting featurette; "Aliens Designers" featurette; featurette on the score; "Starfleet Vessel Simulator" that allows viewers to explore extensive data on the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Romulan ship, the Narada, with 360-degree views, close-ups and detailed tech information (by holding their disc packaging up to a webcam, a Star Trek visual cue will morph into a 3D holographic tour on the screen), more. Blu-ray: "NASA News," branching pods, a starship featurette, featurettes on the locations and props, "Gene Roddenberry's Vision" featurette, more. (Paramount).
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before.
THIRST (2009) Dir.: Chan-wook Park; Stars: Kang-ho Song, Ok-vin Kim, Hae-sook Kim. $29.98(Universal).
From the acclaimed director of the global hit "Old Boy" comes this original vampire story with a chilling, erotic style. A blood transfusion saves the life of a priest, but also transforms him into a vampire. He struggles to control his insatiable thirst for blood until a love affair unleashes his darkest desires in deadly new ways.
Read More......
DVD Review: WHITECHAPEL
Whitechapel
Carnival Films and Television
(A UK DVD)
About twice a year I order DVDs from the UK. Our buddy ALI KARIM brought some over for me during Bouchercon and I got a few more afterwords. One of the was WHITECHAPEL.
Whitechapel stars Rupert Pentry-Jones who fans of Spooks (MI_5) will recognize as Adam Carter. In Whitechapel he plays a copper, DI Chandler, on the rise in the department, making the right moves for a trip to the top. Chandler is given a homicide case with the thinking that a quick wrap up will help move him forward. It son becomes obvious that the case is a bit too complex for that and that his detective skills are not up to the task.
There is a murderer re creating the crimes of Jack The Ripper and his attention to detail is disturbing. As the case progresses help comes from a suspect who is a ripper-ologist. He turns out to be thr wrong man, but his insights help move the case forward.
As these types of things go, we get a chance to see DI Chandler become a better cop and earn the trust of the men under him. They eventually figure things out and the ending works.
All in all this is a fun 136 minutes. The acting is good, the production values are wonderful and they do a nice job building suspense. They also do a nice job of portraying the violence without being overly graphic. A bit cliched at times but not to the point of being annoying.It's a fun film and I am truly a sucker for anything with Jack the Ripper themes. When the credits rolled I was glad I watched and will no doubt be popping it in for repeated viewings.
In the extra features one of the producers claims that no one has ever done an updated version of the Ripper killings. Really? Maybe she just doesn't ever watch TV or movies. Or she could just be a publicity machine pouting things to sell the show.What ever the case, her comment is typical of the featurette about the production and it isn't reall must see viewing.
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