Archive for the “Reviews” Category

Just Can’t Get Enough

Posted by admin in Movies, Opinions And Essays

As I sit here watching Independence Day on television for possibly the hundredth time I wonder: Is it just me, or does everyone have a handful of movies that they can’t stop watching? Movies that, no matter how many times they show it on TV, you’re going to watch–even if you own the movie on DVD!

For me, the handful consists of: Independence Day, Men in Black, 2010, The Shining, The Final Countdown, and Practical Magic. I own these movies on DVD, and yet here I am watching a commercial-laden, truncated version of Independence Day on television. And I’ll probably watch it again when they repeat it late tonight. What is it about these movies that appeal to me? On the surface I would have said the fact that the good guys win the day. But what of the Shining? Good certainly doesn’t triumph there.

Is it the characters? Again The Shining is the odd man out. I find Shelley Duvall’s portrayal of Wendy thoroughly annoying. She’s like an automaton, stomping through the scenes in an expressionless monotone. And yet, from the opening long shot of Jack Torrance driving to the overlook punctuated by the Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind soundtrack, my attention is all there. Perhaps it’s all the creepy minor characters. Even thinking of the twins intoning “Come play with us, Danny” gives me a shiver.

In the case of Men in Black and Independence Day, the attraction is two-fold: actors and message. In both movies, the good guys triumph by laying some whoop-ass on aliens who dare to mess with Earth. Both feature Will Smith who is particularly adept at this kind of movie. He’s a perfectly believable action hero while at the same time tempering the characters with a wise-cracking sense of bravado. Independence Day also features Jeff Goldblum, who is good at pulling off the brainy yet baffled hero of the day. Independence Day features a rousing morale building speech by the president which is a highlight of every watching. The president then jumps into a plane and goes to fight the bad guys. Maybe the appeal here is a secret wish to have a president of that fearless caliber.

The Final Countdown is an odd time travel movie with a big cast: Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, James Farentino, and Katherine Ross. Even after multiple viewings, the final scene is the grabber. While a minor cult classic, the movie explores a classic paradox (which Martin Sheen’s character outlines at one point) of what would you do if you had a chance to change a horrific historical event. And what would be the consequences?

I can’t explain the appeal of 2010. Perhaps it’s the novelty of Helen Mirren doing a bad Russian accent. Or perhaps it’s the underlying theme of triumph through ignoring political borders. 2010 is often touted as the movie that explains a lot of what was going on in 2001: a Space Odyssey, but it doesn’t. I don’t think anything can explain 2001.

The last movie on my repeater list is Practical Magic. It’s just a sweet little comedy with thoroughly likable characters and an equally enjoyable cast. The combo of Sandra Bullock, Nichole Kidman, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest make a family of witches seem perfectly normal. And any movie that touts love and family conquers all evil can’t be all that bad, can it?

What about you? Do you have repeater movies that you watch every chance you can? And now… onto another run of Independence Day!

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Movie: The Changeling (1980)

Posted by admin in Horror

SynopsisThe ChangelingComposer John Russell (George C. Scott) loses his wife and young daughter in a tragic road accident. In order to put it behind him and move on with his life, Russell moves into an old secluded house recommended to him by real estate agent Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere).

Once inside the house a series of events including strange noises, music that composes itself, a hidden room, and a lively seance lead John and Claire on a search for information that yields surprising results. John finds himself tangling with a local high powered politician (Oscar Award winner Melvyn Douglas) in his relentless task to make public the truth behind the old house’s former occupants.

Our TakeOver the years this little film has begun to enjoy a cult following and it’s no wonder. It’s full of mystery and subtle creepiness and one or two edge of the seat moments. Instead of relying on special effects and trickery, the makers of The Changeling rely on character development and believeable situations to get the audience fully invested in the characters. George C. Scott pulls off a sensitive portrayal of a man who has been devastated by the loss of his family and finds himself in a confusing, and even dangerous, situation. Trish Van Devere pulls off some of the best horrified looks ever as she realizes that John Russell isn’t just suffering from flights of fancy.

The Changeling has an overall gloomy look about it. Snow, rainy days, dark nights, barely lit rooms. It all adds to the overall spookiness of the whole. There is no blood, guts or gore in this movie but it delivers the thrills. Watch for the rubber ball and the wheelchair. Creepy!

Despite having seen this movie multiple times, and knowing where all the big scares are, I still jump in all the appropriate places and get involved with the characters and story line. It’s a perfect movie to have in your collection.

Overall Rating : A
Horror doesn’t always have to be “in your face” and this film proves it. It’s the little things that set the hairs on the back of your neck dancing.

Tech & TriviaProduction Year : 1980
Running Time : 115 minutes
Color
Origin : Canada
Rating : R

Lead actors George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere were married.

In 1981 the movie won a Golden Reel Award from the Genie Awards. In 1980, the Genies presented the film with awards for Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Sound, Best Motion Picture, Best Performance by a Foreign Actor (George C. Scott), Best Performance by a Foreign Actress (Trish Van Devere), Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium, and Best Sound Editing.

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Music: Nine Lives from Robert Plant

Posted by admin in Rock

Our TakeNine Lives Robert PlantAfter existing as a rumor among hopeful Robert Plant fans for years, Nine Lives was finally released in 2006. This beautiful boxed set features all of Robert’s solo albums as well as the Honeydrippers EP, a 60 page book, and a DVD.

Each of the discs has been remastered, and bonus tracks added. The remastering process is the most exciting on the earlier discs, Pictures at Eleven, Principle of Moments, and Shaken ‘n’ Stirred. The original CD transfers were not as bright as they should have been, and the remastering process for Nine Lives has greatly improved their clarity, bringing out the subtle nuances.

The DVD included with the package is worth the price on its own. It contains an hour-long documentary of Robert Plant discussing his career album by album. His commentary is counterpointed with remarks by the late Ahmet Ertegun (founder of Atlantic Records), Tori Amos, Phil Collins, Lenny Kravitz, John McEnroe, and others.

The interesting aspect of the documentary is seeing how Robert has influenced some high profile musicians. Tori Amos went so far as to say that watching Robert work had affected the way that she approached her own work. Lenny Kravitz tells of how Robert gave him some advice on his approach to playing live which Lenny heeded. Throughout it all, the respect and admiration of his peers is clear. Robert also analyzes his own work, offering insight into what he was thinking and feeling at the time it was recorded.

The liner notes included with Nine Lives can’t really be called a “booklet”. This 60-page, perfect-bound publication measures almost 6×10 inches. Beautifully designed by Richard Evans, the book contains a selection of photos from many photographers including Frank Melfi, Ebet Roberts, Richard Evans and more. Along with the pictures is a historical overview written by Ed Vulliamy. Vulliamy also examines each album individually, offering commentary from Robert as well as other writers from the time period.

Nine Lives is a journey of discovery. If you are a long-time fan, having this set will reaffirm what you already know: Robert has produced a fine body of work and shows no sign of stopping. Having his entire collection in one nice package is convenient, and it encourages discovering his music all over again with the remastering process.

If you are a new fan of Robert Plant and haven’t yet explored all of his albums, this is a must-have for you. Here you discover the wide range of solo music he has produced and why he’s still on top of his game after nearly 30 years as a solo artist.

Tracks & TriviaNine Lives contains all the tracks that were on the original releases of each Robert Plant album. Each disc also contains bonus tracks and b-sides. Here’s a rundown of the extras:

Pictures at Eleven (originally released 1982)
Far Post (from the White Nights soundtrack), Like I’ve Never Been Gone (Live)

The Principle of Moments (originally released 1983)
In the Mood (Live), Thru’ With the Two Step (Live), Lively Up Yourself (Live), Turnaround (previously unreleased)

Honeydrippers Volume One (originally released 1984)
Rockin’ At Midnight (Live). Shaken ‘n’ Stirred (released 1985), Little By Little (Remix, Long Version)

Now and Zen (originally released 1988)
Billy’s Revenge (Live), Ship of Fools (Live), Tall Cool One (Live)

Manic Nirvana (originally released 1990)
Oompah Watery Bint, One Love, Don’t Look Back

Fate of Nations (originally 1993)
Colours of a Shade, Great Spirit (Acoustic Mix), Rollercoaster (Demo), 8:05, Dark Moon (Acoustic)

Dreamland (originally released 2002)
Dirt in a Hole, Last Time I Saw Her (Remix)

Mighty Rearranger (originally released 2005)
Red White and Blue, All The Money in the World, Shine It All Around (Girls Remix), Tin Pan Valley (Girls Remix), The Enchanter (Unkle Reconstruction)

Many of these tracks appeared as either bonus tracks on non-U.S. releases, or as singles and B-sides. Some of the live tracks (Tall Cool One, Ship of Fools) have never been commercially released and this is a great opportunity to hear them live and professionally mastered. Ship of Fools, for example, is a smooth aural adventure that clocks in at ten minutes. If you’ve never seen Plant perform live, or just want to recapture the excitement of the show, these live tracks fill the bill.

Songs like Colours of a Shade and Dirt in a Hole are amazing songs that deserve more attention on their own and were originally released only on the non-US versions.

Over the years, Robert has put out a lot of Remix versions, but many of them are now hard to find. Nine Lives carries a few of those, including three of the best from Mighty Rearranger. Shine It All Around was used in 2005 to open up the shows, and the Unkle Reconstruction for Enchanter has been played on various radio stations around the world.

The DVD included in the package contains 20 commercial videos that were made for the various albums. Videos are: Burning Down One Side, Big Log, In the Mood, Rockin’ at Midnight, Sea of Love, Little by Little, Pink and Black, Heaven Knows, Tall Cool One, Ship of Fools, Hurting Kind, Nirvana, Tie Dye on the Highway, 29 Palms, Calling to You, If I Were a Carpenter, I Believe, Morning Dew, Darkness Darkness, and Shine it All Around. The Morning Dew and Darkness Darkness videos are rarely shown on TV, but they did appear on a couple of CD singles released with Dreamland.

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Movie: The Thing

Posted by admin in Science Fiction

SynopsisThe ThingA research outpost in the Arctic reports something fell from the sky near their outpost and a group of army fliers go out to take a look. They soon discover they’re dealing with something otherworldly.

The occupant of the downed spacecraft is found frozen in a chunk of ice and is ferried back to the outpost. The creature is accidentally thawed out, enabling it to wreak havoc on the band of researchers and military. The researchers spend their time trying to discover how this vegetable-based being works while the military tries to exterminate it.

Our TakeForget that travesty of a “remake” starring Kurt Russell in what can only be described as “Escape from New York on Ice”, This original 1951 movie will deliver a full 87 minutes of entertainment ranging from humor, suspense, and even a moment or two that will raise the hair on the back of your neck. The moment the Army realizes that they have a spaceship on their hands is thrilling even after repeated watching.

The Thing recalls those snappy movies of the 40s with fast-paced dialog delivered crisply and with plenty of meaning. There are moments of humor in the banter of the fliers with their captain and also in the form of Scotty, the newspaperman along for the ride. The movie may be only 87 minutes long, but not a minute of it is wasted.

Also contributing to the general creepy air is the Dimitri Tiomkin score with it’s eerie use of the theremin for effect. Some bootleg versions of this film have been circulated which don’t have the musical score and it loses some of its impact without it.

The Thing is a top notch movie and worth having for repeated watchings. Even if you know what’s happening, it’s still enjoyable.

So grab the popcorn, lower the lights, close the door! And keep watching the skies!

We give this one five out of five stars.
This movie just drives home the point that often, less is more. It may be low budget black and white, but it can deliver the chills just the same. Sometimes what you don’t see is creepier than having it shown to you in blood-spewing detail.

Tech & TriviaProduction Year : 1951
Running Time : 87 minutes
Black and White
Origin : USA
Rating : Not Rated
Also known as: The Thing from Another World

The carrot…er… Thing is played by James Arness, probably best known for his role as Marshall Dillon in Gunsmoke.

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Movie: Carnival of Souls

Posted by admin in Horror

SynopsisCarnival of SoulsA youthful joyride ends up in tragedy when Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) and her two girlfriends go off a bridge during a drag race. Only Mary survives. Mary leaves town to take a job as a church organist, the advice that she put her soul into her work falling on deaf ears.

Things start going awry on the drive to her new town, as she is plagued by visions of a strange man who dogs her every move. Mary also finds herself drawn to a local abandoned carnival, but can’t say why. Soon, she begins to have moments where she feels that she has become invisible. The old carnival turns out to hold the terrifying key.

Our TakeLong before Haley Joel Osment was whining about seeing dead people in The Sixth Sense, Candice Hilligoss was creeping audiences out in this ultra low budget flick filmed in Kansas.

While this movie was filmed in under three weeks and on a budget of $17,000, it’s heavy on the atmosphere. In a time before Twilight Zone and its imitators had explored this theme, the creepy music and stilted acting of the extras served to produce a disturbing atmosphere. Even once the fairly predictable ending is revealed, the movie holds up to repeated watchings.

We give it 4 stars out of 5.
This movie shows just how disturbing a a film can be without a big budget or big special effects.

Tech & TriviaProduction Year : 1962
Running Time : 78
Black and White
Origin : USA
Rating : Unrated in the US. Banned in Finland.

Director Herk Harvey made over 400 industrial training films, but this low budget horror flick is the one he is remembered for.

Candace Hilligoss made only one other film in her career, but this one was enough to make her a cult icon.

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