Written by Pirata Hermosa
What’s a nerdy high school senior who is class president, yearbook editor, and trying to win a scholarship based on moral fiber supposed to do when a beautiful blonde moves in next door? He spies on her as she undresses, gets busted, and ends up having his entire life turned upside down.
And that’s exactly what happens to Matthew (Emile Hirsch). But you can’t blame him; she really is hot. Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) immediately takes a liking to him and instead of ratting him out to his parents for being a peeping tom, she decides to get a little revenge on him by taking him for a ride, forcing him to strip in the street, and then making him walk home.
The two are immediately attracted to one another as she pushes him to his limits and gets him to do things he normally wouldn’t, like skinny-dipping in the principal’s pool. She also takes him and his friends Eli (Chris Marquette) and Klitz (Paul Dano) to crash a party, which helps to increase Matthew’s popularity.
But everything falls apart when Eli, and his ever pornographic mind, finds a videotape and shows it to Matthew. It seems Danielle also goes by the name Athena and is an up-and-coming porn star. Not knowing what to do, Matthew takes Eli’s poor advice and ends up embarrassing himself and Danielle in a sleazy motel room.
Danielle had moved there to get away from her former job, but after the argument with Matthew, she ends up calling her old producer Kelly (Timothy Olyphant) and leaves with him for a porn convention in Las Vegas.
Realizing how stupid he was, Matthew convinces his two friends to drive to Vegas to stop her. But not only does he have to try and regain Danielle’s trust, but he has to circumnavigate Kelly, who refuses to let his biggest moneymaker leave the profession.
The special features on the Blu-ray are basically the same as the DVD, although the DVD has a photo gallery and a trivia feature that the Blu-ray does not. They are:
Full-Length Audio Commentary by director Luke Greenfield
Scene Specific Commentary by Emile Hirsch and one by Elisha Cuthbert – I found Elisha’s particularly funny just because she talks about standing up to the directors and refusing to do nudity. She was willing to go further than she had before, but didn’t think it was appropriate for her character to be seen naked. (Not like her character was a porn star or anything like that.)
The Eli Experience Featurette – Chris Marquette goes to the AVN Awards convention pretending to be his character Eli, and an adult film director. He brings along fellow cast mate and wrestler Matt Horshu Wiese. Together they pull pranks on convention-goers seeing if they can get them to do auditions (sex scenes) with the giant wrestler. It’s actually pretty entertaining, but might have been better if they were a little subtler in some of the pranks they try and do.
A Look Next Door Making-of Featurette – It discusses the characters, their motivations, and the overall themes of the film. The part I liked best is when they discuss how Elisha almost didn’t get the part because the studio execs weren’t sure she would be sexy enough to be believable as a porn star. I had to wonder if they had actually ever seen Elisha before? Hello?
Gag Reel – A pretty typical bloopers reel, but at least it had strippers in it.
Deleted and Extended Scenes Including the Original Ending - Every deleted scene was cut for good reason. If some of the scenes had been left in, it would have given away too much information and the big surprise of what’s on the videotape would have been ruined. However, I did enjoy seeing those clips after the fact. The original ending is only an extra 5-10 seconds added on to the film where they show Matthew at the White House smoking a cigar and musing about how he got there.
The film was shot in Widescreen 1.85:1 with 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Digital Dolby. The video is much clearer and brighter than the original DVD release, but has a surprising amount of grain for a recent release. The audio didn’t really impress me much, which could be the reason I overlooked it. The film doesn’t really have a big soundtrack. It’s mostly dialogue, and even when there is music in the film, it's lightly in the background setting the mood.
I actually really enjoyed The Girl Next Door. It reminded me of a film that would have been shot in the ‘80s. It had a good story and didn’t throw in the gratuitous gross-out scene like many of today’s films do. It reminded me of Risky Business. In this film there was a porn star, instead of a hooker. There was a $25,000 bank account instead of the crystal egg that had to be replaced, along with some badass hoods trying to stop him. Even the voiceover by the main character and the character’s evolution from a kid with no experience to a young adult with a unique experience on life was almost the same in the two films. There are a number of twists and turns in the film and the characters are really fleshed out. Kelly is the most interesting character as he is both the big brother and the scary bad guy but still manages to be likable in the end.
The most disappointing thing is the Blu-ray disc itself. It seems like they just made it just so they could push it out on the newer format. There’s no inserts in the box, the features on the Blu-ray are fewer than what’s on the original DVD, and when you load it up, it just goes to a screen showing a picture of the cover. The DVD actually has a background scene going on which changes as you move through the different selections. All and all, it just felt really cheap.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (Limited Edition with Plush)
Written by Senora Bicho
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie is a 2005 direct-to-video tale that tells the story of Lumpy the Heffalump’s first Halloween. His best friend Roo is excited to teach him how to trick-or-treat but Pooh ruins their plans by eating all the candy. Tigger informs Roo and Lumpy that capturing the Gobloon will earn them wishes, which they plan to use for more candy, but if the Gobloon catches them, they will be turned into a Jaggedy Latern.
When Lumpy becomes scared mid-adventure, Roo tells him about the time Piglet was scared of Halloween, which is really just an excuse to pad the movie with Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh, a 1996 television special. It’s obvious it doesn’t fit from the differences in animation and because Gopher only appears in this part. While the overall Halloween movie is for much younger children, I was enjoying it up to this point and thought it was cut, but Boo is boring and includes Piglet terribly singing a terrible song.
In Boo, Piglet was partially performed by John Fiedler, who had played the role since Disney’s first Pooh adventure, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. Due to Fielder’s untimely death, Travis Oates completed the work, though he was only credited as "Additional Voices." The rest of the cast sounds fairly reminscent of the original actors; Pooh and Eeyore come the closest while Rabbit is distracting and Gopher barely comes close.
The Bonus Features include four games: “Trick or Re-treat” gives players the opportunity to help follow a trail to help Roo recover his candy; “Pass the Pumpkin” teaches kids how to play hot potato with a pumpkin instead; “Pooh’s Boo! Bingo” offers the basic game of Bingo with special cards and markers that can be printed off the disc; and “Heffalump Halloween Party Planner” provides instructions to parents on how to host a Halloween party for their kids. The DVD-ROM Features offer Printable Party Invitations, Recipes, and Decorate Your Own Jaggedy Lantern.
The DVD now comes with an adorable plush toy of Winnie the Pooh dressed like Tigger. This was why I jumped at the chance to review it, but don’t be tempted by the adorable plushy. The movie is not worth it. Some friends who have a three-year-old daughter warned me that it was not worth watching and they were right. There are many other great cartoons out there for young kids that can also be enjoyed by adults. Pass on this stinker and buy the cute toy on its own.
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie is a 2005 direct-to-video tale that tells the story of Lumpy the Heffalump’s first Halloween. His best friend Roo is excited to teach him how to trick-or-treat but Pooh ruins their plans by eating all the candy. Tigger informs Roo and Lumpy that capturing the Gobloon will earn them wishes, which they plan to use for more candy, but if the Gobloon catches them, they will be turned into a Jaggedy Latern.
When Lumpy becomes scared mid-adventure, Roo tells him about the time Piglet was scared of Halloween, which is really just an excuse to pad the movie with Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh, a 1996 television special. It’s obvious it doesn’t fit from the differences in animation and because Gopher only appears in this part. While the overall Halloween movie is for much younger children, I was enjoying it up to this point and thought it was cut, but Boo is boring and includes Piglet terribly singing a terrible song.
In Boo, Piglet was partially performed by John Fiedler, who had played the role since Disney’s first Pooh adventure, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. Due to Fielder’s untimely death, Travis Oates completed the work, though he was only credited as "Additional Voices." The rest of the cast sounds fairly reminscent of the original actors; Pooh and Eeyore come the closest while Rabbit is distracting and Gopher barely comes close.
The Bonus Features include four games: “Trick or Re-treat” gives players the opportunity to help follow a trail to help Roo recover his candy; “Pass the Pumpkin” teaches kids how to play hot potato with a pumpkin instead; “Pooh’s Boo! Bingo” offers the basic game of Bingo with special cards and markers that can be printed off the disc; and “Heffalump Halloween Party Planner” provides instructions to parents on how to host a Halloween party for their kids. The DVD-ROM Features offer Printable Party Invitations, Recipes, and Decorate Your Own Jaggedy Lantern.
The DVD now comes with an adorable plush toy of Winnie the Pooh dressed like Tigger. This was why I jumped at the chance to review it, but don’t be tempted by the adorable plushy. The movie is not worth it. Some friends who have a three-year-old daughter warned me that it was not worth watching and they were right. There are many other great cartoons out there for young kids that can also be enjoyed by adults. Pass on this stinker and buy the cute toy on its own.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Lie To Me - Season One (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Lie to Me was a midseason replacement on FOX that premiered on January 21, 2009 and consisted of 13 episodes. The show has been renewed for a second 13-episode season to start on September 28th.
My curiosity was peaked on yet another crime drama due to the show’s star, Tim Roth. He plays Dr. Cal Lightman, a psychologist who has spent years analyzing body language and facial expressions in order to tell when people are being deceptive. He has started his own consulting firm called The Lightman Group that takes on assignments to assist in difficult investigations. Dr. Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams) is also a psychologist and is Lightman’s most trusted colleague. Eli Loker (Brendan Hines) is a younger member of the firm who is college educated and believes in radical honesty. Ria Torres (Monica Raymund) is the newest addition to the group and Lightman’s protégée. She is a “natural” which means that she has no formal training but can easily identify emotions and deception. Mekhi Phifer joined the cast at the end of the season as an FBI agent whose talent Lightman quickly recognizes and brings him in for ongoing, armed assistance.
Over the course of the first season, the team solves all types of mysteries from murder to embezzlement. There are usually two crimes being investigated per episode. The personal lives of the characters start to unfold as well. Lightman’s ex-wife (Jennifer Beals) makes an appearance while Foster’s marriage starts to fall apart. One aspect of the show that I enjoy is the dilemma that team members face in their personal lives, when to let people know that they can see the lying and when to let it go.
The DVD release contains all 13 episodes from the first season. There are not many special features offered. “The Truth about Lies” is interesting as it includes interviews with the cast and crew and provides good background information. The Lightman character is based on Dr. Paul Ekman, a real psychologist who has spent years studying micro-expressions to detect emotions. The Foster character is based on a psychology professor from the University of San Francisco. Learning about the real-life experts helped to bring some legitimacy to the show. There are also deleted scenes.
The video quality is presented in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The image has very good detail for the most part, but there are moments where they get soft. The colors are rich and vibrant. Edge enhancement appears to have been used and there are occasions of slight video noise,
The audio is available as 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Digital. The dialogue has great clarity in the fronts with the rears not given much to do other than deliver limited ambiance and the music.
What is unique about Lie to Me is the concept. The idea of solving a mystery just by studying people’s faces may seem boring but it isn’t. During the course of each investigation, many people lie, even the innocent. Finding out what they are lying about and getting to the ultimate truth is the intriguing journey. I have always been a big fan of Roth and he doesn’t disappoint here with his intense, quirky character that has lots going on under the surface. I am also happy to see Williams back on TV since I enjoyed her on “The Practice”. She does a good job here playing Lightman’s better half; she is charming and believable. This isn’t a show you need to watch every week and even if you do want to see everything with only a 13-episode season it isn’t a big commitment either. So if you are interested in a different type of crime drama, give it a try as it is worth watching.
Would I lie to you?
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Frost/Nixon: The Complete Interviews
Written by Fumo Verde
Harry Truman once said, “The only new things in this world is the history we don’t know” and though Watergate and its spin-offs have blurred the lines of our political landscape, it was men such as Sir David Frost who understood why people need to know the truth. President Nixon, too, knew the power of the truth, and as all presidents the truths he told couldn’t keep back the truths he was trying to conceal; those led to his resignation. Frost got the chance to seek out those truths that brought down an American President, and he, though completely disagreeing with Nixon, lets this fallen leader speak his mind and gives him a chance to tell his side of the story that was his presidency. The total interview time Frost spent with Nixon was around twenty-eight hours. Originally airing as four 90-minute programs in May 1977, the two-disc set Frost/Nixon: The Complete Interviews runs 6 hours 40 minutes.
The first disc contains the one everybody back then, and probably still today, wanted to see: the interview about Watergate. Here, Frost doesn’t rip Nixon apart but explains to the former president why people, such as himself, felt Nixon was guilty of obstructing justices. Nixon declares that his intent and motive was not criminal, but political. Nixon first sets the stage by defining the words “cover up”. He argues that covering up a criminal act is criminal, but covering a political foul-up is different and it is not an impeachable offense. This discussion goes back and forth even to the point where Frost reads off seventeen phrases which were on the White House tapes implicating the President and making it sound like he did have knowledge of the Watergate issue. Nixon refutes this and gives his perspective of what he was actually saying. This goes on until the former President states that he let the American people down and for this he was sorry and will have to carry it the rest of his life. For a man like Nixon, this was his way of accepting responsibility.
The second interview on disc on is called “Nixon and the World.” Here, we find out how Nixon and Kissinger go about getting China to invite the western leader over to this hard-line Communist county. We also find out how he dealt with the Soviets when it concerned the Middle East. These interviews are more relaxed than the Watergate interview, and you can tell because Nixon looks a little more at ease. He talks candidly throughout all of these interviews with Frost, but when he talks about Détente, you can see the joy in his face compared to the interview of Watergate. He also revels in the limelight of China and meeting Mao, and explains this was his idea as soon as he stepped into the White House, but he does give Kissinger credit for taking the idea and running with it.
On disc two, Frost focuses back on the States asking about Vice President Agnew resigning, the Civil Rights movement, and the anti-war radicals. It delves into his tax problems, his pardon by President Ford, and the eighteen-and-a-half-minute gap in those infamous tapes that eventually led to his resignation. As in the previous interviews, Frost asks the tough questions and Nixon explains his actions and gives his opinions about John Mitchell, Kissinger, and his Supreme Court nominations.
For those of us who love history, this is a worthwhile set to have because here we have a former President who left the office for less than honorable reasons, and Frost/Nixon: The Complete Interviews gives us a window into the past. I always wonder what these men in power were thinking when they make decisions which affect the rest of us. This set gives us some of those answers we are usually left wondering about. These interviews open a small door into what was going on in Nixon’s head at the time as all of these dramatic scenarios were playing out. We have to remember that each President leaves their mark on this country, for bad or worse, and that mark is a part of American history just as Nixon’s is and will forever be.
Harry Truman once said, “The only new things in this world is the history we don’t know” and though Watergate and its spin-offs have blurred the lines of our political landscape, it was men such as Sir David Frost who understood why people need to know the truth. President Nixon, too, knew the power of the truth, and as all presidents the truths he told couldn’t keep back the truths he was trying to conceal; those led to his resignation. Frost got the chance to seek out those truths that brought down an American President, and he, though completely disagreeing with Nixon, lets this fallen leader speak his mind and gives him a chance to tell his side of the story that was his presidency. The total interview time Frost spent with Nixon was around twenty-eight hours. Originally airing as four 90-minute programs in May 1977, the two-disc set Frost/Nixon: The Complete Interviews runs 6 hours 40 minutes.
The first disc contains the one everybody back then, and probably still today, wanted to see: the interview about Watergate. Here, Frost doesn’t rip Nixon apart but explains to the former president why people, such as himself, felt Nixon was guilty of obstructing justices. Nixon declares that his intent and motive was not criminal, but political. Nixon first sets the stage by defining the words “cover up”. He argues that covering up a criminal act is criminal, but covering a political foul-up is different and it is not an impeachable offense. This discussion goes back and forth even to the point where Frost reads off seventeen phrases which were on the White House tapes implicating the President and making it sound like he did have knowledge of the Watergate issue. Nixon refutes this and gives his perspective of what he was actually saying. This goes on until the former President states that he let the American people down and for this he was sorry and will have to carry it the rest of his life. For a man like Nixon, this was his way of accepting responsibility.
The second interview on disc on is called “Nixon and the World.” Here, we find out how Nixon and Kissinger go about getting China to invite the western leader over to this hard-line Communist county. We also find out how he dealt with the Soviets when it concerned the Middle East. These interviews are more relaxed than the Watergate interview, and you can tell because Nixon looks a little more at ease. He talks candidly throughout all of these interviews with Frost, but when he talks about Détente, you can see the joy in his face compared to the interview of Watergate. He also revels in the limelight of China and meeting Mao, and explains this was his idea as soon as he stepped into the White House, but he does give Kissinger credit for taking the idea and running with it.
On disc two, Frost focuses back on the States asking about Vice President Agnew resigning, the Civil Rights movement, and the anti-war radicals. It delves into his tax problems, his pardon by President Ford, and the eighteen-and-a-half-minute gap in those infamous tapes that eventually led to his resignation. As in the previous interviews, Frost asks the tough questions and Nixon explains his actions and gives his opinions about John Mitchell, Kissinger, and his Supreme Court nominations.
For those of us who love history, this is a worthwhile set to have because here we have a former President who left the office for less than honorable reasons, and Frost/Nixon: The Complete Interviews gives us a window into the past. I always wonder what these men in power were thinking when they make decisions which affect the rest of us. This set gives us some of those answers we are usually left wondering about. These interviews open a small door into what was going on in Nixon’s head at the time as all of these dramatic scenarios were playing out. We have to remember that each President leaves their mark on this country, for bad or worse, and that mark is a part of American history just as Nixon’s is and will forever be.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season
Written by Pirata Hermosa
When Supernatural first started, it was about two estranged brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester. Sam was going to college and trying to forget about the death of their mother, while Dean was busy following their father and trying to hunt down the demon that killed her. But everything changed when their father went missing and the demon that killed Mrs. Winchester killed Sam’s girlfriend. Vowing to track down the demon and find their father, the two set off for an adventure that would bring them face to face with monsters, demons, and creatures of ancient lore.
While the first two seasons served up storylines more along the monster-of-the-week mindset, seasons three and four made a more dramatic turn bringing the Winchester back-story to the forefront. Dean had a year to live as he traded his soul in order to save his brother’s life. Most of season three covered their attempts to find the demon that owned the contract to his soul and how they might find a way out of the deal. In the season finale, they failed to find an answer and Dean was dragged to hell by the demon Lilith.
Season four starts off four months later. Dean has been in Hell for what has seemed to him like forty years, and suddenly finds himself back on Earth. He remembers every moment of the torment that he suffered, but has no memory of how he managed to escape. Having a hard time dealing with the loss of his brother, Sam turns to the demon Ruby (Genevieve Cortese), who Sam believes is trying to help them. Not only does he become romantically entangled with her, but he is consuming her blood to give himself powers. While Dean is occupied on finding out how and why he escaped from Hell, Sam is finding it harder and harder to keep his newfound powers under control and hidden from his brother.
But what is the one thing that can save a man from Hell? It’s not another demon or blind luck that saved him. The angel Castiel (Misha Collins) was sent down to pluck him from unending torture. Dean has a destiny to fulfill. He is the only person who can stop Lilith from breaking the seals that bind Lucifer to Hell and stop the oncoming apocalypse.
It may seem like the cavalry has arrived to help the brothers combat the forces of evil, but the angels aren’t those written in fairy tales with fluffy white wings overflowing with love and good thoughts. No, these angels are Old Testament, feel-the-wrath-of-God, smite-your-enemies-by-wiping-out-the-entire-city angels. They have their own hidden agenda and they don’t mess around. And when they learn of Sam playing around with dark forces and demon blood, it’s all Dean can do to protect his brother.
Even though season four has a pretty heavy feel to it with the main overall thread, there are still a number of independent episodes that break up the tension rather nicely.
Some of my favorites were:
“Wishful Thinking” is about a town with a real wishing well. Wishes are coming true, but they aren’t exactly what the wisher asked for and are slightly perverted. You’ll never look at your stuffed animals the same way again after watching this one.
“Monster Movie” takes place in a small town during Oktoberfest. It’s filmed in black and white, which fits in perfectly with the fact that Hollywood’s most classic film monsters are prowling the streets.
“After School Special” brings the Winchesters back to one of their former high schools. It contains a number of flashbacks to their childhood and gives you an inside look of how they grew up to be the men they are now.
The Special Features on the DVD are:
1. The Mythologies of Supernatural: From Heaven to Hell is the most interesting extra feature on the DVD. It’s divided into three sections: Paradise, Purgatorio and Inferno. Each section has several small documentaries on how the writers came up with their storylines, and also involves scholars, and authors on Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism. It discusses issues about free will, angels, miracles, the war between good and evil, and the origin of Lilith.
2. Creator Commentary on “In The Beginning,” “When The Levee Breaks,” “Lucifer Rising.”
3. Extended Unaired Scenes from “Lazarus Rising,” “In The Beginning,” “Heaven And Hell,” “On The Head of a Pin,” “The Monster At The End of This Book,” “The Rapture,” and “Lucifer Rising.”
4. The Gag Reel is a rather long set of clips from the show. There are a couple of practical jokes, a lot of farting, and then a lot of random laughing during the middle of takes.
Supernatural is one of the better shows currently on the air. It’s a well-written show that does an excellent job of balancing its darker moments with just the right amount of levity and inside jokes. It reminds me of a Joss Whedon show, slightly more serious and just a little cooler. Some of the episodes are as good as or better than any horror film you might see in the theatres.
I don’t want to spoil the cliffhanger for anyone, but I can’t wait for Season Five to start because Lucifer and the Apocalypse are coming.
When Supernatural first started, it was about two estranged brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester. Sam was going to college and trying to forget about the death of their mother, while Dean was busy following their father and trying to hunt down the demon that killed her. But everything changed when their father went missing and the demon that killed Mrs. Winchester killed Sam’s girlfriend. Vowing to track down the demon and find their father, the two set off for an adventure that would bring them face to face with monsters, demons, and creatures of ancient lore.
While the first two seasons served up storylines more along the monster-of-the-week mindset, seasons three and four made a more dramatic turn bringing the Winchester back-story to the forefront. Dean had a year to live as he traded his soul in order to save his brother’s life. Most of season three covered their attempts to find the demon that owned the contract to his soul and how they might find a way out of the deal. In the season finale, they failed to find an answer and Dean was dragged to hell by the demon Lilith.
Season four starts off four months later. Dean has been in Hell for what has seemed to him like forty years, and suddenly finds himself back on Earth. He remembers every moment of the torment that he suffered, but has no memory of how he managed to escape. Having a hard time dealing with the loss of his brother, Sam turns to the demon Ruby (Genevieve Cortese), who Sam believes is trying to help them. Not only does he become romantically entangled with her, but he is consuming her blood to give himself powers. While Dean is occupied on finding out how and why he escaped from Hell, Sam is finding it harder and harder to keep his newfound powers under control and hidden from his brother.
But what is the one thing that can save a man from Hell? It’s not another demon or blind luck that saved him. The angel Castiel (Misha Collins) was sent down to pluck him from unending torture. Dean has a destiny to fulfill. He is the only person who can stop Lilith from breaking the seals that bind Lucifer to Hell and stop the oncoming apocalypse.
It may seem like the cavalry has arrived to help the brothers combat the forces of evil, but the angels aren’t those written in fairy tales with fluffy white wings overflowing with love and good thoughts. No, these angels are Old Testament, feel-the-wrath-of-God, smite-your-enemies-by-wiping-out-the-entire-city angels. They have their own hidden agenda and they don’t mess around. And when they learn of Sam playing around with dark forces and demon blood, it’s all Dean can do to protect his brother.
Even though season four has a pretty heavy feel to it with the main overall thread, there are still a number of independent episodes that break up the tension rather nicely.
Some of my favorites were:
“Wishful Thinking” is about a town with a real wishing well. Wishes are coming true, but they aren’t exactly what the wisher asked for and are slightly perverted. You’ll never look at your stuffed animals the same way again after watching this one.
“Monster Movie” takes place in a small town during Oktoberfest. It’s filmed in black and white, which fits in perfectly with the fact that Hollywood’s most classic film monsters are prowling the streets.
“After School Special” brings the Winchesters back to one of their former high schools. It contains a number of flashbacks to their childhood and gives you an inside look of how they grew up to be the men they are now.
The Special Features on the DVD are:
1. The Mythologies of Supernatural: From Heaven to Hell is the most interesting extra feature on the DVD. It’s divided into three sections: Paradise, Purgatorio and Inferno. Each section has several small documentaries on how the writers came up with their storylines, and also involves scholars, and authors on Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism. It discusses issues about free will, angels, miracles, the war between good and evil, and the origin of Lilith.
2. Creator Commentary on “In The Beginning,” “When The Levee Breaks,” “Lucifer Rising.”
3. Extended Unaired Scenes from “Lazarus Rising,” “In The Beginning,” “Heaven And Hell,” “On The Head of a Pin,” “The Monster At The End of This Book,” “The Rapture,” and “Lucifer Rising.”
4. The Gag Reel is a rather long set of clips from the show. There are a couple of practical jokes, a lot of farting, and then a lot of random laughing during the middle of takes.
Supernatural is one of the better shows currently on the air. It’s a well-written show that does an excellent job of balancing its darker moments with just the right amount of levity and inside jokes. It reminds me of a Joss Whedon show, slightly more serious and just a little cooler. Some of the episodes are as good as or better than any horror film you might see in the theatres.
I don’t want to spoil the cliffhanger for anyone, but I can’t wait for Season Five to start because Lucifer and the Apocalypse are coming.
earth (2009)
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Disneynature is the United States distributor for the fascinating earth, a companion piece to the 2006 television series Planet Earth. Using state-of-the-art technology and a skilled staff, the shots of animals and landscapes appear flawless, timeless, and as if a camera and man were never around to follow them as they migrate from place to place while James Earl James narrates.
Earth features many animals in their native lands, but it is three families that the spotlight shines on the most. The first are polar bears, a mother and her playful cubs as well as a look at the father. The father is off on his own hunting a meal while the mother looks after her cubs and tries to provide for them as she ensures their survival. There are some wonderful shots as they emerge from their den and the young get their footing on a slippery slope. We watch as they hunt the fragile, frozen-over bays, looking for the first meal after the long winter. These hunting grounds on frozen water begin to dissolve faster each year which is the real danger to their survival. There is a tragic, yet beautifully shot scene of the father desperately swimming to find solid ground.
Next, a mother elephant and her calf face dust storms, exhaustion, and lions as they head to summer watering holes. It’s a harsh life and the cameras stay focused as the blinding dust swirls and the lions pounce. With some great aerial shots, we can watch as the mother and calf push on after they have become separated from the herd and take days to catch up. Also caught on film here are other hunters such as the cheetah, who uses its speed to run down a gazelle.
The last family portrait is that of a mother humpback whale and her calf as they head to warmer water and plentiful feeding areas to spend the season. We get a good look at the way the whale “traps” its food as they force shrimp up toward the surface in a circle allowing the whale to glide through, mouth open, and scoop up its meal. There is some nice underwater footage and a nice shot of a great white shark as it lunges up through the water to nab a seal in its massive jaws.
All along the way the cameras caught many others images, including some great planetary shots from space. Monkeys and exotic birds doing crazy dances are brought to us in all their unique glory. Flowers in bloom and changing landscapes are breathtaking and shown through time-lapse photography as they change from season to season. We watch as snow melts to provide massive waterfalls in a scope and fashion not seen this clearly before. Special cameras that move in all directions with the flick of a switch were mounted to helicopters to make this film even better. The latest in multi-image capturing cameras where also employed to snap shots of speedy land creatures as well as high-breeching, quick-diving, massive sea beasts.
The Blu-ray disc contains “exclusive filmmaker annotations” while both Blu-ray and DVD include the 45-minute making of documentary “Earth Diaries,” a good look at how the film was made but may give away a bit too much of its “Hollywood magic” tricks as at times its revealed that some scenes of animals may not be the same family that we are lead to believe we are following. The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p, with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and 5.1 DTS HD sound.
Earth is good and entertaining with some humorous moments along with tragic ones. There are lots of scenes with youngsters being picked off by predators but that is the way life goes and we forget that some times being removed from those primitive dangers. The overall message is clear that we may never be able to see these creatures in this form again as their native lands are being lost for whatever reasons, be it man, man-made destruction, or simply our Earth going though another one of its own changes. A film easily enjoyed on an evening with family around to share it.
Disneynature is the United States distributor for the fascinating earth, a companion piece to the 2006 television series Planet Earth. Using state-of-the-art technology and a skilled staff, the shots of animals and landscapes appear flawless, timeless, and as if a camera and man were never around to follow them as they migrate from place to place while James Earl James narrates.
Earth features many animals in their native lands, but it is three families that the spotlight shines on the most. The first are polar bears, a mother and her playful cubs as well as a look at the father. The father is off on his own hunting a meal while the mother looks after her cubs and tries to provide for them as she ensures their survival. There are some wonderful shots as they emerge from their den and the young get their footing on a slippery slope. We watch as they hunt the fragile, frozen-over bays, looking for the first meal after the long winter. These hunting grounds on frozen water begin to dissolve faster each year which is the real danger to their survival. There is a tragic, yet beautifully shot scene of the father desperately swimming to find solid ground.
Next, a mother elephant and her calf face dust storms, exhaustion, and lions as they head to summer watering holes. It’s a harsh life and the cameras stay focused as the blinding dust swirls and the lions pounce. With some great aerial shots, we can watch as the mother and calf push on after they have become separated from the herd and take days to catch up. Also caught on film here are other hunters such as the cheetah, who uses its speed to run down a gazelle.
The last family portrait is that of a mother humpback whale and her calf as they head to warmer water and plentiful feeding areas to spend the season. We get a good look at the way the whale “traps” its food as they force shrimp up toward the surface in a circle allowing the whale to glide through, mouth open, and scoop up its meal. There is some nice underwater footage and a nice shot of a great white shark as it lunges up through the water to nab a seal in its massive jaws.
All along the way the cameras caught many others images, including some great planetary shots from space. Monkeys and exotic birds doing crazy dances are brought to us in all their unique glory. Flowers in bloom and changing landscapes are breathtaking and shown through time-lapse photography as they change from season to season. We watch as snow melts to provide massive waterfalls in a scope and fashion not seen this clearly before. Special cameras that move in all directions with the flick of a switch were mounted to helicopters to make this film even better. The latest in multi-image capturing cameras where also employed to snap shots of speedy land creatures as well as high-breeching, quick-diving, massive sea beasts.
The Blu-ray disc contains “exclusive filmmaker annotations” while both Blu-ray and DVD include the 45-minute making of documentary “Earth Diaries,” a good look at how the film was made but may give away a bit too much of its “Hollywood magic” tricks as at times its revealed that some scenes of animals may not be the same family that we are lead to believe we are following. The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p, with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and 5.1 DTS HD sound.
Earth is good and entertaining with some humorous moments along with tragic ones. There are lots of scenes with youngsters being picked off by predators but that is the way life goes and we forget that some times being removed from those primitive dangers. The overall message is clear that we may never be able to see these creatures in this form again as their native lands are being lost for whatever reasons, be it man, man-made destruction, or simply our Earth going though another one of its own changes. A film easily enjoyed on an evening with family around to share it.
Monday, August 31, 2009
THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD
Written by Hombre Divertido
In 1980 Robert Zemeckis co-wrote and directed a film starring Kurt Russell as a cheesy care salesman out to sell a bunch of cars in a short period of time to save a dealership. Used Cars was full of outrageous characters and cheap laughs that appealed to a teen audience, as is The Goods starring Jeremy Piven.
Piven plays fast-talking, gun-for-hire Don Ready, who may be one of the most enjoyable characters, albeit one–dimensional, to hit the screen since Ron Burgandy. Unfortunately, this review has already referenced a superior film on the same topic and a superior self-absorbed character, and we are not even out of the second paragraph.
Piven is surrounded by an outstanding, but completely wasted supporting cast including Ving Rhames, David Koechner, Ed Helms, Kathryn Hahn, Ken Jeong, Ron Riggle, Alan Thicke, James Brolin, and Charles Napier, just to name a few. Unfortunately this collection of outstanding comedic talent, all of whom have proven their ability to play solid characters in other endeavors, is given little to do, as writers Andy Stock and Rick Stempson provide muttled motivation and trite storytelling. Koechner is wasted as a car salesman with little to do throughout this tired 89 minutes other than to ward off the homosexual advances of dealership owner Ben Selleck (Brolin). Rhames is given even less to work with and stands around for the first 30 minutes of the movie. Napier gives the most enjoyable performance, simply because it is clear what his crusty old salesmen is about.
The story is overwritten and gets bogged down in ridiculous plot choices that make what should be a simple “good guys beat the bad guys” tale into a convoluted mess. Our talented cast is left standing around trying to sell the audience a product that just doesn’t get the mileage it should.
The Goods is not without laughs. The commercial produced to illicit sympathy and bring people to the dealership generates big laughs, as does a scene, that appears to be improvised, with Will Farrell (in an uncredited cameo) falling to his death, surrounded by sex devices.
Recommendation: This is a B-movie reminiscent of the late seventies and early eighties. There is one solid character backed by a well-intentioned performance by Piven, and some good laughs mostly based on foul language and raunchy themes. It’s fun for a while, but the script eventually falls flat, and all that talent can’t fix bad writing. Used Cars may not have the all-star cast, but it does have a far-superior plot. Wait for The Goods to hit DVD shelves and have a Saturday night double feature.
In 1980 Robert Zemeckis co-wrote and directed a film starring Kurt Russell as a cheesy care salesman out to sell a bunch of cars in a short period of time to save a dealership. Used Cars was full of outrageous characters and cheap laughs that appealed to a teen audience, as is The Goods starring Jeremy Piven.
Piven plays fast-talking, gun-for-hire Don Ready, who may be one of the most enjoyable characters, albeit one–dimensional, to hit the screen since Ron Burgandy. Unfortunately, this review has already referenced a superior film on the same topic and a superior self-absorbed character, and we are not even out of the second paragraph.
Piven is surrounded by an outstanding, but completely wasted supporting cast including Ving Rhames, David Koechner, Ed Helms, Kathryn Hahn, Ken Jeong, Ron Riggle, Alan Thicke, James Brolin, and Charles Napier, just to name a few. Unfortunately this collection of outstanding comedic talent, all of whom have proven their ability to play solid characters in other endeavors, is given little to do, as writers Andy Stock and Rick Stempson provide muttled motivation and trite storytelling. Koechner is wasted as a car salesman with little to do throughout this tired 89 minutes other than to ward off the homosexual advances of dealership owner Ben Selleck (Brolin). Rhames is given even less to work with and stands around for the first 30 minutes of the movie. Napier gives the most enjoyable performance, simply because it is clear what his crusty old salesmen is about.
The story is overwritten and gets bogged down in ridiculous plot choices that make what should be a simple “good guys beat the bad guys” tale into a convoluted mess. Our talented cast is left standing around trying to sell the audience a product that just doesn’t get the mileage it should.
The Goods is not without laughs. The commercial produced to illicit sympathy and bring people to the dealership generates big laughs, as does a scene, that appears to be improvised, with Will Farrell (in an uncredited cameo) falling to his death, surrounded by sex devices.
Recommendation: This is a B-movie reminiscent of the late seventies and early eighties. There is one solid character backed by a well-intentioned performance by Piven, and some good laughs mostly based on foul language and raunchy themes. It’s fun for a while, but the script eventually falls flat, and all that talent can’t fix bad writing. Used Cars may not have the all-star cast, but it does have a far-superior plot. Wait for The Goods to hit DVD shelves and have a Saturday night double feature.
TAKING WOODSTOCK
Written by Hombre Divertido
In Taking Woodstock Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee tries to give us roughly two hours of light-hearted antics in what is essentially a fish-out-of-water tale as hundreds of thousands of hippies descend on White Lakes New York in 1969 for a concert that would define a generation. Unfortunately the screenplay by James Schamus based on the book by Elliot Tiber only provides seventy-five minutes of interesting storytelling, and like a VW bug running out of gas, Taking Woodstock sputters and stalls.
Though Demitri Martin has limited emotional range as Elliot Teichberg, the young man who brings the powers that be behind Woodstock to his small town in hopes of boosting business for the locals, which include his parents and their rundown motel, Martin does manage to give the audience what it needs as a young man with genuine innocence who is smarter than those around him. In certain scenes Martin says nothing but manages to communicate much with looks worthy of Bob Newhart standing behind the front desk at the Stratford Inn.
As we watch young Elliot go through the challenges associated with such a monumentous undertaking, and dealing with a zoo full of eccentric characters, we certainly find him endearing and root for him to get over every roadblock, but the eventual lack of development of the supporting characters and story as a whole begins to test the patience of the audience.
The supporting cast does well with what they are given, and certainly creates some wonderful moments, but, as the movie gets sidetracked along with Elliot on his way to the concert, the audience finds itself longing for more of the characters we have come to appreciate, and seeing them experience the actual concert may have been a more entertaining choice.
Like Elliot, the audience never really gets to the concert, and the footage that we see of the general area surrounding the concert looks far too sparse and open compared to documentary footage seen over the years, and thus fails to generate the feeling of being in the crowd accomplished by other projects. Despite the disappointing footage of the concert area, the film does manage to put you back in the sixties with costuming, sets, props, and character portrayals. The soundtrack on the other hand falls a bit short considering the library of influential music available.
Recommendation: Watching Elliot come of age and begin to find himself, while surrounded by fun characters of that era, Taking Woodstock is certainly enjoyable, but the storytellers become conflicted as to which story to tell, and eventually fail on both fronts. It will make a pleasant DVD rental, but is not worthy of your summer-movie-going dollar.
In Taking Woodstock Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee tries to give us roughly two hours of light-hearted antics in what is essentially a fish-out-of-water tale as hundreds of thousands of hippies descend on White Lakes New York in 1969 for a concert that would define a generation. Unfortunately the screenplay by James Schamus based on the book by Elliot Tiber only provides seventy-five minutes of interesting storytelling, and like a VW bug running out of gas, Taking Woodstock sputters and stalls.
Though Demitri Martin has limited emotional range as Elliot Teichberg, the young man who brings the powers that be behind Woodstock to his small town in hopes of boosting business for the locals, which include his parents and their rundown motel, Martin does manage to give the audience what it needs as a young man with genuine innocence who is smarter than those around him. In certain scenes Martin says nothing but manages to communicate much with looks worthy of Bob Newhart standing behind the front desk at the Stratford Inn.
As we watch young Elliot go through the challenges associated with such a monumentous undertaking, and dealing with a zoo full of eccentric characters, we certainly find him endearing and root for him to get over every roadblock, but the eventual lack of development of the supporting characters and story as a whole begins to test the patience of the audience.
The supporting cast does well with what they are given, and certainly creates some wonderful moments, but, as the movie gets sidetracked along with Elliot on his way to the concert, the audience finds itself longing for more of the characters we have come to appreciate, and seeing them experience the actual concert may have been a more entertaining choice.
Like Elliot, the audience never really gets to the concert, and the footage that we see of the general area surrounding the concert looks far too sparse and open compared to documentary footage seen over the years, and thus fails to generate the feeling of being in the crowd accomplished by other projects. Despite the disappointing footage of the concert area, the film does manage to put you back in the sixties with costuming, sets, props, and character portrayals. The soundtrack on the other hand falls a bit short considering the library of influential music available.
Recommendation: Watching Elliot come of age and begin to find himself, while surrounded by fun characters of that era, Taking Woodstock is certainly enjoyable, but the storytellers become conflicted as to which story to tell, and eventually fail on both fronts. It will make a pleasant DVD rental, but is not worthy of your summer-movie-going dollar.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Eli Stone: The Complete Second Season
Written by Senora Bicho
Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) is an attorney who begins having visions due to a brain aneurysm, which direct him to the clients he represents. Season one ended with Eli in a coma after surgery to remove the aneurysm. Season two begins with a vision-free Eli but he is soon confronted with the consequences of his decision as the aneurysm is passed to his brother. As the season progresses, Taylor (Natasha Henstridge) and Matt (Sam Jaeger) continue their romance while Jordan (Victor Garber) tries to keep his new law firm alive. In addition to the visions, Eli also struggles with relationships that include a brief romance with guest-star Katie Homes and his on-again, off-again love interest Maggie (Julie Gonzalo). Since the show was canceled midseason, they were not able to wrap up all of the storylines. However, they did offer some closure in the final episode, leaving me in tears as the show usually did, and wanting more.
The 13 episodes of the second and final season of Eli Stone are included in this DVD offering. The potential bonus features were the reason I was looking forward to it, but since ABC canceled the series due to the ratings not meeting their expectations, there was no need on their part to spend any money on extras. Therefore, it is a dismal offering. “Dancing in the Streets” offers a behind-the-scenes peak at one of the big dance numbers and the massive amount of work that goes into it. “Good Morning Eli with Sam & Julie” features the antics of Jaeger and Gonzalo on the set. There are also deleted scenes and bloopers. If you loved the show like I did, you will find the so-called extras to be a huge disappointment.
This show is what is seriously lacking on TV today. It offered thought-provoking ideas along with the question of morality and our individual roles in the world, all done with an air of lightness and humor. Maybe I am a sucker for a good dance number, but here they are pure joy and evoke instant happiness. While they are outlandish, the song choices elevate the episodes to another level and help to deepen the storyline. I will really miss this show. I am starting to consider an ABC boycott since this is just another interesting and original show that they have given up on. “Pushing Daisies” was another cancellation that broke my heart. Reality shows, crime dramas, and brainless sitcoms continue to grow in popularity and shows with imagination, intelligence, and depth are falling to the way side. I am still holding on to hope that somehow this will change, in the meantime buy this set and enjoy some of the best television that was on last season.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Written by Hombre Divertido
Quentin Tarantino once again displays his penchant for writing dialog. Unfortunately he also displays his inability to make edits.
Quentin Tarantino once again displays his penchant for writing dialog. Unfortunately he also displays his inability to make edits.
In the generally slow-paced 153 minutes of Inglourious Basterds we are introduced, all too briefly, to Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) who has put together a crack squad of Jewish American soldiers known as “the Basterds,” whose mission it is to terrorize the Third Reich in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The Basterds are extremely efficient at what they do, though we only experience their skills in a few gore-filled scenes. Pitt’s character yields appreciative laughs in virtually every scene he is in, but we get little insight into the characteristics and personalities of the Basterds.
Instead of focusing on the truly intriguing Basterds, the film tends to bog down in the story of Shoshanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a young Jewish girl who escapes the capture of Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) and ends up running a theatre in France. Due to the affections of German war hero Fredrick Zoller for Dreyfus, said theatre is scheduled for the screening of a film about Zoller attended by every major Nazi officer. Dreyfus plans her revenge for the death of her family at the hands of the Nazis, while the Basterds also plan an assault on the theatre.
For the most part Tarantino’s dialog is entertaining, but the subtitles in many scenes slow down conversations already losing steam. The efforts to pull stories together as done in past outings seems extremely forced here, and there is simply too much focus on the story taking place at the theatre, which only leaves the audience longing for Raine and his Basterds.
Though Pitt’s character is entertaining, the best performance in the film is that of Christof Waltz as Landa, the German security officer who manages to create tension and comedy from one scene to the next as his character runs the gambit of levels. Performances by such comedic talents as Mike Myers and B. J. Novak tend to be wasted due to lack of use.
The project does manage to look and sound great as Tarantino creates a film that displays an authentic sense of the era, while adding music that energizes.
Recommendation: The unnecessary gore will turn many off as will the extremely long, subtitled, dialog-driven scenes. A simple action film focused on the Basterds a la The Dirty Dozen would have made for better summer fare.
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