RETRO FLASHBACK "Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo" 25/9/06

I have been searching for this film for the last few months and knew I would get it cheap; as I wanted to re-watch it after having recently seen the sequel "Deuce Bigalow European Gigolo" and yes, it was great to see again after finding a £5 copy in Asda and have a chuckle or two about. Totally juvenile in a 12 year old sense of wet t-shirt breast gags and fart jokes it also has a fairly large heart to it which a lot of people missed. This DVD is more or less vanilla even though it has a "Making Of Featurette" but if you blink you'll miss it; as it's on - then gone, it's so short!
Storywise Rob Schneider is a fish-tank cleaner who causes devastation in a local gigolo's apartment and finds himself "man whoring with his mangina" to pay for the damage - Hilarity ensues in a variety of avenues. Over the top in so many ways and totally politically NOT correct - It's funny. Definitely worth watching once or adding to the DVD collection like I've done for repeated viewings.

LOST Part Two { 2nd. Season } (DVD Review) - 21/9/06

This second half of the second season of "Lost" is really doing my head in and it's starting to annoy me like the last couple of series of "The X-Files" did. We wander all over the island getting a huge insight into all the character's past lives and then start to turn all those conceptions on their heads as further revelations start to worm there way to the surface. Certain questions are answered - But not enough for my liking - As things get weirder and weirder especially so in the last two episodes which again leave us on a massive cliffhanger with a whole load of queries waiting to be answered? Who has actually died? Has anyone really died? What is the significance of the mysterious statue's foot? What exactly is the electromagnetic anomaly? Nothing is really being explained and the infuriating mystery just gets deeper - Just what is going on? If you need to catch up on all these questions and more - I would suggest the complete boxset and not the rip-off half's currently available. Literally the plot has thickened!!

16 BLOCKS Film Review - 17/9/06

Well I had been toying with getting around to seeing this film and knew it was soon to be released on both Region 1 (USA) and Region 2 (UK) DVD. Still hadn't seen it and was away for the weekend in London staying at the Sheraton Hotel at Heathrow. My own DVD player had just died and I'd emailed Mr. Periwinkle about us getting together and sorting out a replacement for further DVD viewage; especially as all the best discs come out early on Region 1 most of the time, and a multi-region DVD player is a must!
I had a couple of hours to kill and found that the Pay-Per-View Movie Channel at the hotel had "16 Blocks" under it's new releases so keyed in the code and sat back to watch. Wow - Was Bruce Willis doing some method acting here - Playing an old, stubbled chin, fat,wheezy and at the end of his tether cop with a serious alcohol problem. Beside him we had Mos Def as a witness to a crime which he underplayed to the extent that I wanted to slap him round the face several times he was so irritating! David Morse did his villain by numbers routine and Richard Donner directed rather slap-handed in this fairly slow movie.
The premise is great - Cops try to off villain before he gets to court and testifies against them. Willis is the cop having to take Mos Def 16 blocks in a 118 minutes before the Jury retires for the day and then it all goes pear-shaped it all ended up a bit too much kitchen sink drama and not enough action. Really only one for a wet Sunday afternoon or if your in a hotel room with a few hours to spare.

STARGATE ATLANTIS {1st. Season} (DVD Review) - 11/9/06

My mate Franky The Squirrel lent me Season 1 of "Stargate Atlantis" that he had recorded off of Sky 1 - Unfortunately he had missed a couple of episodes so I have had to track them down individually. The episode I had missed from this single disc DVD from Season 1 - Vol. 5 - Episodes 17 to 2o was the episode entitled "Letters From Pegasus". I felt this first series of "Stargate Atlantis" had a real sense of urgency and really piled on the pressure; the only complaint I have about genre series like this is the repeated use of "clip-shows" where they pad the story out with clips from previous episodes to save money. It's a cheap tactic and I usually fast forward these episodes - Luckily enough though both "Stargate SG-1" and it's spin-off manage to accommodate these clip shows with a fairly good story so I put up with them for that reason alone. We get some fairly good action on this disc and it also has a good selection of Special Features in the form of 4 short featurettes, production design & photo gallery, with some trailers and a preview of the Stargate Alliance Videogame. To be perfectly honest MGM have done a very good job on the production of the DVD Cover Sleeves, lay-out of the DVD Menus and the show itself plus of course the Special Features per disc. Now I just need Franky The Squirrel to record me the third season when it's available!

ENIGMA - TV Film Review 11/9/06

Having read Robert Harris's previous work "Fatherland" and seen the film I had also decided to read his "Enigma" novel (which I greatly enjoyed as fiction) and had wanted to get around to seeing the film version. With Michael Apted directing and a screenplay by Tom Stoppard I was in for a treat! So seeing it lined up for TV broadcast I stuck it on the hard drive to watch later. Don't get me wrong here - It was a well directed, well laid out film successfully evoking the whole period - But my was it tedious! As it slowly dragged itself through the scenes of the Enigma coding process during the latter phase of the Second World War - It just got duller and duller. Fine talent on show in good performances from Dougray Scott and Kate Winslet with Saffron Burrows and Jeremy Northam really couldn't save this turgid mess. Which is a real pity - As the real story of the Enigma Code/Machine had a drastic effect on the war effort and really fully deserves to be recognised from start to finish without a fictional stylised account that Robert Harris's novel gives us as well as this film. I would hunt down the true tale of the Enigma instead of watching this twaddle!


If you really must see this film it's available on both Region 1 (USA) [as below] and Region 2 (UK) DVD.

KINKY BOOTS (DVD Review) - 9/9/06

The blurb on the DVD cover says "from the creators of calendar girls" and as that was a pretty good film I felt I'd be in for a treat with "Kinky Boots". Also having seen how good Chiwetel Ejiofor was as The Operative from "Serenity" I was pretty interested to see how he would handle the role of Lola the drag queen in this production; and not surprisingly, he comes out on top in an ace performance. Nick Frost also crops up in a rather nasty role much different from how he's seen in TV's "Spaced" or "Shaun Of The Dead". I had heard tale of this story long before it was turned into a film and was more than amused that a dour Northern shoe factory should change it's production to drag queen fetish wear to stave off redundancy and the closure of the business. Unlike tinsel town of course this story is "inspired by true events" but in reality the situation was much harsher eventually causing the closure of the real factory. As a film of course it goes with the ups and downs and creates a very nice and very entertaining romp through Lola's world which clashes with the strait laced Northampton setting. Funny and tragic at the same time it's another shot in the arm for quality British film making.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes and "The Real Kinky Boots Factory" Featurette plus short video: "Journey Of A Brogue" a publicity shoot from the film.
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1. English. 2.0. Audio Described English. Subtitles: English/English For The Hearing Impaired. Colour PAL. Rating : 12 - Region 2 (UK). Running Time: 102 Mins Approx. Widescreen Format: 2.40:1. Miramax Films 2005. Z1A BUA0019001 / ISBN # 8717418078270>

BEYOND THE SEA (DVD Review) - 9/9/06

Consummate actor Kevin Spacey's labour of love "Beyond The Sea" which was written & directed by him also hosts a gallery of other professionals in the form of John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn, Greta Scacchi and Kate Bosworth charting the trials and tribulations of crooner Bobby Darin in the era of big band singers and nightclubs. Jumping around in a clever pastiche of screen to stage, soundstage to club, past to present - We get a view of one of the forgotten singers of that period - But who should also be mentioned in the same breath as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. The music is as timeless as ever and it also strikes a chord as it is all so familiar - I defy anyone to say that they haven't heard at least one of these songs even if it's only in the background to something?
Spacey sings all the works throughout and zaps a freshness to the whole proceedings from start to finish. Filming in Germany, the USA and Britain (some parts filmed in Dorset) we get a fascinating view of the whole period in time and dramatically it is pretty wide in it's scope. Definite kudos to Kevin Spacey for bringing this all to life!
SPECIAL FEATURES: Optional Commentary and a nice Making Of "Beyond The Sea" Featurette.
Region 2 (UK) Rating: 12. Feature Runtime: 121 Mins Approx. Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 16x9 Anamorphic Widescreen. English Subtitles. Audio: 5.1. Dolby Digital. Entertainment In Video. 2004/2005. EDV 9285/ ISBN # 5017239192852>

STARGATE ATLANTIS {2nd. Season} (DVD Review) - 8/9/06

A friend of mine Mr. Periwinkle doesn't like this spin-off from "Stargate SG-1" as he isn't happy with the characters and thinks the stories are poo - Strangely enough though my other friend Franky The Squirrel loves both "Stargate Atlantis" and the original - Much like I do! It's a pity of course that the stupid men in suits have now cancelled "Stargate SG-1" with some silly spurious excuse - So no Season Eleven! But I sure that won't stop them from wringing every penny they can out of the franchise in whatever manner they see fit? Anyway, having missed Episode 2.16. on the goggle box I got the stand alone Season 2 - Vol. 4 - Episodes 13 to 16 on single disc DVD. I hate missing episodes in a series when something vital might happen? Franky The Squirrel said it doesn't matter - But I caught him out with an episode about time travel which affected the later storyline - So yes, continuity does matter! This disc comes with a nice slew of Special Features with Audio Commentaries on all 4 episodes, 2 Featurettes covering Stunts and the character of Ronon Dex with some Production Design and a Photo's Gallery. How these Special Features stack up against the box sets of the full seasons I don't know as I've never purchased any? But I've still a missing episode from "Stargate Atlantis" Season 1 to catch up with and one from "Stargate SG-1" Season 9 as well - So more reportage when I find them.

ZOOM Film Review - 8/9/06

Having seen Tim Allen in a shedload of comedic roles here we get him as an ex-super hero in a sickeningly family fun outing as he trades verbal blows with scientist Courteney Cox and backed up by Rip Torn (Doing his "Men In Black" role again!) and a Chevy Chase you would not recognise until you saw his name on the credits. The totally nonsensical plot has holes so big you could drive the bus from "Speed" through it and Keanu Reeves could wave! But as family entertainment it will hit the spot with family bonding, a few regrets and a couple of fart jokes. For a far more sassy teenage/kiddie super hero film I'd stick with Kurt Russell in "Sky High".

A SCANNER DARKLY Film Review - 8/9/06

One can only applaude a film director like Richard Linklater who using his revolutionary animation technique from his film "Waking Life" has taken it a step further and adapted Philip K. Dick's novel of paranoia (what else?) into a wonderland of bizarre reality from filming the film "live" then putting it through the animation process. Unfortunately the film is like being hit in the face with a saucepan several times hard! A group of stoners meander all over the shop and spout drug crazed nonsense whilst an erstwhile covert agency polices their moves in stealth suits.
This utter crap wanders up hill and dale getting nowhere fast and can in no shape or form be added to other successful adaptions of Dick's bizarre paranoid fantasies like "Total Recall" or "Blade Runner". Even low-budget stuff like "Screamers" and "Imposter" at least is entertaining and mildly intelligent - But they did manage to put in the fact that the covert agency operative is actually tracking himself and doesn't realise that his alter-ego is the person he is tracking in a typical Philip K. Dick head screw.
Sadly the animation is this picture's only saving grace apart from the sterling performances from the main cast of Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson and Winona Ryder. Twenty minutes into this film I was so bored I knew this would be no "Minority Report" or "Paycheck". We have none of the previous adaptations of the author's work's twists and turns, plot threads or inventiveness.
One to file in the storage container marked "BIN".

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (DVD Review) - 7/9/06

From the short story by Annie Proulx and Director Ang Lee - We get the tale of a lot of windswept landscapes, a few thousand sheep and a couple of rough, tough cowboys (Heath Ledger & Jake Gyllenhaal) who get a liking for it up the dirtbox. From the fairly sparking beginning we see a story of two men who fuck up their lives from 1963 as they strive to be normal (having kids, getting married) when all they yearn for is each other and the natural wonders of the outdoor life until 20 years later around 1982 when things turn tragic. Certainly not your usual mainstream Hollywood fare and all the more poignant and surprising because of it. SPECIAL FEATURES: Four Featurettes - "On Being A Cowboy", "Directing With Ang Lee", "From Script To Screen Interviews" & "The Making Of Brokeback Mountain". Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen 16x9. Colour PAL. Rating: Region 2 - 15. Subtitles: English & English Descriptive. Audio: 5.1. Dolby Digital. Runtime: 129 Mins Approx. Focus Features/Entertainment In Video. EDV 9377/ISBN # 5017239193774>

ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (DVD Review) - 7/9/06

Like a bucket of spew being thrown from the top floor of the local whorehouse we alas get the saddened remake of John Carpenter's classic 70's film "Assault On Precinct 13". Unlike the original we get an exemplary acting talent on show from the leads Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne; with backing from Ja Rule, John Leguizamo and Gabriel Byrne - One can only presume the rent had to be paid that month or an electric bill for them to appear in this awful travesty! Yes, it feels very realistic - Yes, lots of big guns and blood, a few changes to the original story and absolutely no depth or atmosphere at all? Worse we even get Ethan Hawke in the "Making Of " on the Special Features saying it was the best action script he'd ever read - He obviously doesn't read many if this remake is anything to go by. Stick with the original and best (as below) we certainly didn't need this pointless remake!

THE NIGHT LISTENER Film Review - 7/9/06

This very low key slow burn film had a superb performance by an unrecognisable Toni Collette playing a blind social worker - Every time I see her in something she looks totally different; so different in fact that I usually don't realise it's her? Backed ably by a dishevelled and disgruntled Robin Williams as a radio show late night storyteller; who gets so involved in the horrific tale of an abused 14 year old boy, that he gradually is drawn into a spider's web of deceit and intrigue.
What is worse in fact is that the screenplay by Armistead Maupin based on his novel is inspired from true life events and the more that you look into the story in "reality" the stranger it becomes as people continue to propagate "fiction as fact". Unfortunately the performances aside (which are terrific) really can't save this film from a let-down ending and taking a very slow (and what feels like hours) time getting there. It's the actual story's subject of psychosis and mental aberration that is the real grist of the matter here.
I would certainly be interested in following up this film by reading Maupin's novel and also the "true" story that it was based on written as the "supposed" real life child's autobiography. It is true that "fiction is stranger than truth" and yes, that quote is as I meant to type it.

GINGER SNAPS TRILOGY (DVD Review) - 6/9/06

Had heard of this werewolf movie "Ginger Snaps" a while back and had not got around to seeing it before they had already released a sequel to it "Ginger Snaps Unleashed" and then topped it off as a trilogy with a prequel "Ginger Snaps Back". Don't know if this is a play on words with the use of the word "back" as this prequel is a sort of 18th century Buffy setting and the other two films are present day. Chronology wise is doesn't make sense unless presumably the character's have been re-incarnated into the present day setting which is what I'll go for! This Region 2 Boxset has all 3 films with a nice selection of Special Features and an ace hologram cover to the boxset casing.
The first film in the series "Ginger Snaps Back - The Beginning" is actually a prequel made in 2005 after the other two film's in the series. You can tell from the outset that two girls alone in a snowy forest; when their horse runs away, are obviously going to find trouble - Pretty soon trouble comes knocking at their door. For a low-budget film it has a certain flair for atmosphere and some of the sequences seen are quite nasty. The repressed Priest is one to look out for as well in what can only be termed as Buffy for the 1800's or certainly elements of at any rate! SPECIAL FEATURES: Deleted Scenes, Grant Harvey's Video Diary - Plus featurettes: "Wolfboy", "Blood, Guts & Fire", Production/Costume Design. Bloopers Reel and Director's Video Diary. Runtime: 91 Mins Approx. 2005.
The second film in the series "Ginger Snaps" (actually the original made in 2001) has been often hailed as a metaphor for female puberty but also covers teenage angst and being an outsider from the norm. Starting off like a female version of "Harold & Maude" it soon descends into horror territory but at least the leads really do like like teenagers instead of 26 year olds playing kids. Soon we're creeping round darkened basements and the blood's flying. SPECIAL FEATURES: Trailer, Screen Tests, "Creation Of The Beast" Featurette and Making Of. Production & Cast Notes. This Version is Widescreen. Runtime: 104 Mins Approx. 2001.
In the final film in the trilogy "Ginger Snaps Unleashed" from 2004 we get some very nasty moments that made me squirm in a couple of instances which are quite unpleasant. The degenerate hospital orderly, the female masturbation, the mentally unbalanced child - Are all fairly sick. This film turns the first two on it's head and really screws you over. SPECIAL FEATURES: Deleted Scenes, Auditions with Behind The Scenes Featurettes and Storyboards. Runtime: 91 Mins Approx. 2004. ALL THREE DISCS: Audio: 5.1. Dolby Digital. Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Full Height Anamorphic. PAL Colour. Language: English. Region 2 - Rating 18. Warner Brothers, Lionsgate Films, Optimum Releasing, Mosaic Entertainment. ISBN # 7321900989190>

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA {2nd. Season} (DVD Review) - 4/9/06

Why don't I like this TV show? I suppose because I'm a hypocrite - In the real world there are no happy endings and in Hollywood it's all boy gets girl and lives happily ever after. Unfortunately in Battlestar Galactica it's the reverse and instead of the Hollywood ending we get the real world. This series is so good and has such gravitas with actors like Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell that it is too real - And that's where it falls down for me - It's too in your face, too close and upfront, it's visceral and nasty and is just like real life. When I want to see Science Fiction I want to be transported into another world....Not dragged along into depressing reality as nothing goes right and people are bloodily killed amongst political machinations and filled with boring, repetitive personal disputes and all the other problem's that go along with humanity.
I want the "happy Hollywood ending" and with this re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica this is not going to happen. I have watched 20 episodes of Season 2 and been depressed by the fact that everything is turning to shit for humanity and sunset looks like it is going down on the human race with nothing left to back it up. Not only is there no humour or light relief in this darkness I think it is only going to get worse. The only spark I saw was in Episode 18 "Downloaded" which actually made you think about a possible light at the end of the tunnel when 2 heroes of the Cylon actually contemplate their "human" taint. We can see a change which the Cylon's may not have anticipated in their own ranks as nobody can really predict the outcome of any action with total accuracy.
The Region 2 6-Disc Boxset covers the 20 episode's of Season 2 with selected Episode Commentaries and the sixth disc covering a whole collection of Deleted Scenes. This is crap compared to the Region 1 Boxset releases which have a vast range of Special Features compared to the UK release. I would advise buying the Region 1 (USA) release instead of the Region 2.
Also features PLAYBACK Trailer for numerous classic cult TV shows. Region 2 also covers Region's 4 & 5. Colour PAL. Rating: 15. Feature Soundtrack: English 5.1. Feature Commentaries: English 2.0. Stereo. Deleted Scenes: English 2.0. Mono. Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Full Height Anamorphic. Subtitle Tracks: English SDH. Running Time: 14 Hrs. 42 Mins. 2005/2006 Universal Studios. 824 270 8-11 / ISBN # 5050582427080.