| ALL ARTICLES BY Robert Bell |
Deadwood: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 13, 2010
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Check out the rightfully acclaimed HBO series that melds historical figures with fictional characters in High Definition. |
Alice in Wonderland 3D [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 8, 2010
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Tim Burton's adaptation of the famous Lewis Carroll novel makes it 3D home entertainment debut |
Cher: The Film CollectionDVD Review - Dec 4, 2010
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Just in time for the release of "Burlesque," The Cher Film Collection comes to stores. |
Eyes Wide OpenDVD Review - Nov 16, 2010
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See how the controversial topic of homosexuality in an Orthodox Jewish community is handled in Haim Tabakman's directorial debut |
Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Nov 15, 2010
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The superbly written and consistently hilarious Canadian series about a small town theatre festival comes to Blu-ray. |
Damned by Dawn [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Nov 9, 2010
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Find out if this Australian horror import is comparable to "The Evil Dead" as the cover suggests. |
The Pacific [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Nov 3, 2010
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From the makers of "Band of Brothers" comes the breathtaking 10-part Emmy Award winning miniseries on Blu-ray. |
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Nov 1, 2010
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The notorious horror about coprophilia and global politics makes its way to Blu-ray. |
Ghost Whisperer: The Final SeasonDVD Review - Oct 25, 2010
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After five years of ghost-whispering shenanigans, Melinda Gordon bids adieu. |
Sex & Lucia [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Oct 14, 2010
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Julio Medem's passionate take on female sexuality and the void between reader and author comes to Blu-ray. |
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye DoneDVD Review - Sep 27, 2010
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More pseudo-DVD bargain bin American trash from the master of insular satire, Werner Herzog. |
Scrubs: The Complete, and Final, Ninth SeasonDVD Review - Sep 27, 2010
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Scrub in on 13-episodes of the ninth season with new cast-members and hairy monkey balls |
Wall Street: 2-Disc Insider Trading EditionDVD Review - Sep 20, 2010
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Revisit the parable of insider trading evils before watching the sequel about deregulated investment banks and the exploitation of the Gramm-Leech-Bliley Act. |
Private Practice: The Complete Third SeasonDVD Review - Sep 20, 2010
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More bed-hopping shenanigans from pretty people with lots of problems and money |
The Good Wife: The First SeasonDVD Review - Sep 13, 2010
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It's the television procedural that steps outside the box and actually develops characters and storylines. |
Celebrated Women of Color: Volume TwoDVD Review - Sep 13, 2010
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Feel like celebrating women of color? Feel like celebrating them by watching some poorly made films? Well, here you go. |
Lost: The Final Season [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Aug 24, 2010
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Mainstream America's introductory approach to annihilation anxiety comes to an end. |
Cougar Town: The Complete First SeasonDVD Review - Aug 20, 2010
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It's like Scrubs for middle-aged women. |
Ugly Betty: The Complete Fourth and Final SeasonDVD Review - Aug 17, 2010
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After four years of groundbreaking campy entertainment, Betty bids adieu in these final twenty episodes |
The UninvitedDVD Review - Aug 8, 2010
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A strong lead performance and some clever visual stylings can't save this thematically and narratively confused horror. |
VincereDVD Review - Aug 2, 2010
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The untold tale of Mussolini's mistress. |
Inbred Redneck VampiresDVD Review - Jul 29, 2010
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Not even unintentional humor can save this desultory exercise. |
Sabrina, The Teenage Witch: The Final SeasonDVD Review - Jul 26, 2010
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Can Sabrina juggle the demands of a complicated romantic life and a demanding career as a music reporter? Does anyone care? |
Diario de una ninfómana (Diary of a Nymphomaniac)DVD Review - Jul 25, 2010
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A film that demystifies the myth of nymphomania. |
ZiftDVD Review - Jul 25, 2010
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A little post-communist and metaphysical angst from Bulgaria. |
2:37DVD Review - Jul 24, 2010
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Australian ripoff of "Elephant" ramps up teen angst and cliché to an embarassing level. |
La Ragazza del Lago (The Girl by the Lake)DVD Review - Jul 21, 2010
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This criminally overlooked Italian crime thriller is a must see! |
The Wind JourneysDVD Review - Jul 4, 2010
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The Columbian Award-winning festival favourite comes to DVD. |
Tokyo SonataDVD Review - Jun 22, 2010
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Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa takes a look at the effects of powerlessness on a cultural climate. |
Showgirls: 15th Anniversary Sinsational Edition [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 14, 2010
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In 1995 Jessie Spano showed the world her beaver, and 15 years later we still have yet to recover. |
When in Rome [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 13, 2010
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From the studio that brought you "The Proposal"... |
Cinema Pride CollectionDVD Review - Jun 9, 2010
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A collection of 10 DVD's spanning almost fifty years of queer cinematic history. |
Pride & Prejudice (Restored Edition)DVD Review - Apr 26, 2010
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See the digitally restored edition of the BBC modern classic interpretation of Jane Austen's novel |
The Great Mouse Detective (Mystery in the Mist Edition)DVD Review - Apr 22, 2010
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Basil of Baker Street is on the hunt for the fascist, power-hungry and sociopathic Ratigan |
Paper HeartDVD Review - Dec 1, 2009
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A documentary (story) about the unlikelihood (possibility) of love. |
I Sell the DeadDVD Review - Nov 23, 2009
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The Independent Horror Festival hit comes to DVD |
Jiang cheng xia ri (Luxury Car)DVD Review - Nov 15, 2009
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A subtle and contemplative look at the demoralization that Capitalism has created in Modern China |
The L Word: The Complete Final SeasonDVD Review - Oct 20, 2009
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Everyone's favourite lesbian melodrama comes to an end in this 8-episode final season. |
CheriDVD Review - Oct 19, 2009
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The team behind "Dangerous Liaisons" returns with another costume drama |
Medium: The Fifth SeasonDVD Review - Oct 19, 2009
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More psychic visions and fun with legal loopholes ensue in Season Five of Medium. |
Life on Mars: The Complete Series (US)DVD Review - Oct 9, 2009
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Another ABC cancellation comes to DVD. |
Ugly Betty: The Complete Third SeasonDVD Review - Oct 6, 2009
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More Betty. More clashing patterns. More sudsy melodrama. More inappropriate sex jokes. |
30 Rock: Season 3DVD Review - Sep 22, 2009
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The third season of Tina Fey's award-winning, idiosyncratic comedy comes to DVD |
PartirMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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Aside from a couple of narrative quirks and an occasional peculiarity in scene brevity, "Partir" is fairly standard exercise in trashy mainstream cinema with a little feminist panache thrown in for good measure. |
The Imaginarium of Doctor ParnassusMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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With characters on the fray of society, free from social order, surrounded by dilapidated buildings and other forms of urban decay, "Imaginarium" is undoubtedly a Terry Gilliam film. |
La donation (The Donation)Movie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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Much like Bernard Emond’s recent award winning Canadian submission for the 2008 Academy Awards, "The Necessities of Life", "The Donation" focuses its attention on the sense of alienation and displacement one has when thrust into an unfamiliar environment and culture. |
Year of the CarnivoreMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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What could be more appropriate for Sook-Yin Lee, the former mooning Much Music VJ, ex-lead singer of Bob’s Your Uncle and star of "Shortbus", than to offend the tender sensibilities of the elitist. |
Das weiße Band (The White Ribbon)Movie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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Winner of the Palme D’or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Michael Haneke’s latest indictment of humanity takes aim at the German sensibility pre-WWI, implying that malice, deception and blind vengeance lie beneath a polite and orderly exterior. |
Fish TankMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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The title, "Fish Tank", refers to the sense of insular learned behaviour that those segregated by class, and housing projects, are unable to escape or defend themselves against the unknown. |
Sammen (Together)Movie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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"Together" has two major things going for it: outstanding performances from both lead actors, and absolutely no hesitation in making its lead character detestable. |
Cairo TimeMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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Patricia Clarkson saves what is essentially an unwatchable, pretentious mess, by elevating perfunctory dialogue and a blasé story of repressed passion with a fascinating and nuanced subtlety that leaves us wondering what cards she holds in her hands. |
Max ManusMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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"Max Manus", about the eponymous, and widely known, Norwegian resistance fighter, is a mixed bag, capturing the awkwardness of inexperienced fighters and an appropriate sense of humour, but never feeling entirely cohesive as a film. |
Suck Movie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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Probably more noteworthy for its star-studded, musical supporting cast, "Suck" does not ironically suck, but it is not anything particularly memorable either. |
TriageMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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With its crisscrossing time-shifting narrative, Oscar-winning directorial pedigree and the dramatic weight loss of a leading man, "Triage" seems, on the surface, like more than it actually is, ultimately being far too familiar and slight in its implications to resonate truly. |
The Time That RemainsMovie Review - Sep 22, 2009
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Inspired by the diaries of the writer/director’s father, this film provides a strange and satirical outsider perspective to the conflict between Arabs and Jews that we are all too familiar with. |
The Young VictoriaMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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For all of its lavish set design, impeccable costuming and muscular shot composition, "The Young Victoria" cannot surpass one major obstacle... |
AntichristMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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Following the death of their son, a woman suffers intense grief (or pain, or despair), eventually requiring hospitalization and a medicinal cocktail, which her husband rejects, feeling that he, as a therapist, knows better than the doctor. |
A Shine of RainbowsMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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Amongst its many virtues, one of the greatest things about "A Shine of Rainbows" is its depiction of childhood shyness and insecurity, with the lack of a reliable male role model leading to a generalized fear of men. |
The Wild HuntMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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Initially, "The Wild Hunt" seems like yet another slice of prosaic Canadian hokum... |
Last RideMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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For the first half-hour, "Last Ride" feels like yet another bland, intentionally slow and generically “thoughtful” piece about abusive fathers and cyclic patterns of behaviour. |
L' Affaire FarewellMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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Set in the early 1980’s within a French compound in Moscow, "L’Affaire Farewell" deftly replicates not only the political and social climate of the cold war era, but also the filmmaking sensibilities of past espionage thrillers. |
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by SapphireMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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Wildly unfocused, undisciplined and screeching in its oppressive search for a tone while shouting its worldly rages from the rooftops, "Precious" takes the word draining to a new level, offering up horrors aplenty to demand our impossible-to-repress empathy. |
DaybreakersMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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After awhile, however, we begin to tire of the bland, humourless characters and the piecemeal story patching together what is essentially a series of vampire-related, science fiction ideas and prospects without focus. |
City of Life and DeathMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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Filmed entirely in black & white, Lu Chuan’s testament to the Rape of Nanking unapologetically reveals some of the horrors that occurred during the 1937 Japanese raid on China. |
The Damned UnitedMovie Review - Sep 21, 2009
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To understand the experience of watching "The Damned United" without actually doing so, one need look no further than the pedigree associated with it. |
Fear Itself: The Complete First SeasonDVD Review - Sep 16, 2009
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The latest horror anthology comes to DVD |
Children of the Corn: 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-rayDVD Review - Sep 10, 2009
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Anchor Bay brings the eighties Stephen King classic to Blu ray |
The Human ConditionDVD Review - Sep 7, 2009
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Kobayashi's 9 1/2 hour epic tale of war and idealism gets the Criterion treatment |
Brothers & Sisters: The Complete Third SeasonDVD Review - Sep 2, 2009
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More rich white people forming clubs and behaving passive-aggressively -- workers of the world unite... |
Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth SeasonDVD Review - Sep 1, 2009
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Five years have passed since season four but little has changed dramatically |
Samantha Who? The Complete, and Final, Second SeasonDVD Review - Aug 25, 2009
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The final season of the Christina Applegate comedy finds itself on DVD. |
Scrubs: The Complete Eighth SeasonDVD Review - Aug 24, 2009
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The eighth season continues with the same idiosyncrasies, injecting a little more drama than usual. |
The Last Days of DiscoDVD Review - Aug 24, 2009
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Criterion releases the 1998 character dramedy DVD with a variety of special features and a newly restored transfer. |
The Country TeacherDVD Review - Aug 22, 2009
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"The Country Teacher" explores human loneliness and forgiveness without political agenda or self-conscious posturing |
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Aug 22, 2009
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The insipid chick-flick comes to Blu-ray |
Dirty Sexy Money: The Complete, and Final, Second SeasonDVD Review - Aug 20, 2009
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With the younger generation tuning into trashy teen soap operas and the menopausal crowd sticking with passionless procedurals and the occasional song or dance competition, "Dirty Sexy Money" sits in an odd place. |
Hardbodies CollectionDVD Review - Aug 19, 2009
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A collection of the 80's drive-in classics that offended women and gave teenaged boys something to masturbate to. |
Eli Stone: The Complete Second (and Final) SeasonDVD Review - Aug 18, 2009
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"Eli Stone" is like "Touched by an Angel", only without the weird fat lady and all the sanctimonious baggage. |
Dexter: The Third SeasonDVD Review - Aug 17, 2009
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With a strong second season examining the implicit folly of emotional honesty within a sexual and romantic relationship, as represented by the unstable and clingy Lila, season three progresses logically into the world of duplicity and seeming trust in friendship. |
Spring BreakDVD Review - Aug 15, 2009
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Boobs, beer, parties and absolutely no logic |
Californication: The Second SeasonDVD Review - Aug 11, 2009
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The second season of Showtime's hit series finds Hank Moody trying his damnedest to play the role of father and husband. |
90210: The First SeasonDVD Review - Aug 9, 2009
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90210 is a like a surreal, hyper-realized satire of the American dream, and is likely perceived as such by the French |
Cold SoulsMovie Review - Aug 5, 2009
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"Cold Souls" is a fairly prosaic glance at thorny questions treated glibly and without insight, while an exuberant actor goes undirected. |
The WindowDVD Review - Aug 3, 2009
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Minor but masterful, this laconic tale of a man on his deathbed and the preparations made for the imminent arrival of his son, may be dilatory and slight, but marks a composite richness of material with an impressive languid template. |
DelgoDVD Review - Aug 1, 2009
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Liberally borrowing from the usual fantasy-based sources with usurped thrones, racial disharmony and a battle for tolerance, “Delgo” struggles with originality and urgency but is not offensive or outright bad. |
I Love You, Man [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jul 31, 2009
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Watching "I Love You, Man" is a lot like watching an episode of Friends: you can do the dishes, clean the cat litter and vacuum while doing so without missing anything significant. |
Dragonball: Evolution [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jul 31, 2009
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It’s interesting: the further the "Dragonball" franchise gets from its roots, succumbing to derivative, mind-numbing, expositional mainstream Western appeal, the more appalling and unwatchable it becomes. |
EldoradoDVD Review - Jul 13, 2009
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As a film defined by detachment and unspoken truths, "Eldorado" proves surprisingly engaging, offering up a quirky sensibility amongst its alienated road movie trappings and pitch black implications about humanity. |
Burn Notice: Season Two [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 29, 2009
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Burn Notice is visibly a USA Network series, with an unintentionally ironic Canadian television aesthetic that relies on sarcastic zingers, tight dresses and the occasional explosion to appease a mostly blue-collar demographic. |
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun LiDVD Review - Jun 29, 2009
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Well, the film is a piece of crap, but at least Chun Li randomly starts up a bitch fight in a public washroom through the art of hip-hop dancing. |
Lost: The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 22, 2009
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Logically progressing from a guileless examination of disparate parties brought together by happenstance, proximity and coincidence to band together from the unknown, to a challenging catechism of what to do when confronted with inimical elements and the abyss of the unknown, season two of Lost is probably the most intriguing and intelligent of the series, despite initial viewer response. |
Lost: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 16, 2009
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After five seasons of the hit television exploration of metaphysical angst, stepping back and revisiting the season that started it all provides an interesting context, and even offers a few pleasant reminders of just what it was that was so appealing about the show in the first place. |
Depeche Mode: The Dark Progression UnauthorizedDVD Review - Jun 16, 2009
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As a brief look at Depeche Mode's sound progression, and the general evolution of electronic music in the Eighties, this documentary isn’t bad. |
Friday the 13th, Part V: A New Beginning [Deluxe Edition]DVD Review - Jun 15, 2009
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Known by many as the worst installment of the “Friday the 13th” franchise, this “redirection” doesn’t hold back on the excess profanity, nudity and brutality made popular in other sequels, leaving one to wonder if pesky things like acting and direction actually matter in the world of slasher horror. |
Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives [Deluxe Edition]DVD Review - Jun 15, 2009
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I personally have a soft spot for this entry, given its awareness of convention and tendency to step in entirely random directions, like the fully-clothed sex scene, repeating shots of hamsters running in a wheel, and second unit direction of a girl’s crotch. |
Friday the 13th, Part IV: The Final Chapter [Deluxe Edition]DVD Review - Jun 13, 2009
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If Michael Myers were indicative of spiritual anxiety and the power of familial psychological suffrage, and Freddy Krueger represented generational angst in the face of Conservative lack of foresight, then Jason Voorhees would surely be their solipsistic, biblically confused, mongoloid cousin. |
Indecent Proposal [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 9, 2009
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“Indecent Proposal” acts as a love story at its centre, pointing out that one cannot buy love, despite being able to buy sex and physical presence, and even a performance of love from a person, while giving a sly nudge to male entitlement and a bit of a feminist edge, as Demi Moore is really the only reasonable character in the film. |
Fatal Attraction [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jun 8, 2009
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With a psychotic one-night-stand standing in as a metaphor for sexually transmitted disease, the film acted as a warning call to the glossy eighties consumer culture of immediate gratification in the face of AIDS awareness and the threat of other to the nuclear family. |
The House of Sleeping BeautiesDVD Review - Jun 4, 2009
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Edmond (Vadim Glowna), the older man, is the director of the film as well, leaving one to wonder if the entire ordeal was just an excuse for him to get beautiful 20-year-old women to play dead and let him play with their boobs. |
s. Darko [Blu-ray]DVD Review - May 23, 2009
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Where “Donnie Darko” examined annihilation anxiety in relation to science, faith, fatalism and an entire barrage of additional philosophical and theoretic principals involved in man’s existential plight, “s. Darko” examines only “Donnie Darko” as a text and many of its more glib and arbitrary machinations. |
Enemy at the Gates [Blu-ray]DVD Review - May 21, 2009
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Starting out with an elaborate and brutal battle in 1942 between the Nazi’s and the Russians, and eventually paring its way down to a cognitive battle between two opposing men and ideologies in a chess-like sniper blow out, “Enemy at the Gates” works when it ponders politics and survival strategies, but flounders when lovey-dovey hokum comes about. |
Dexter - The Second Season [Blu-ray]DVD Review - May 20, 2009
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If the first season of Dexter was about the introduction of an unlikely hero in the form of a sociopathic serial killer with a detached, observant and subsequently amusing perspective on the absurdity of social custom, Season Two is about his normalization and the inevitability of adaptation through mimicry and engagement. |
Paycheck [Blu-ray]DVD Review - May 19, 2009
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The title “Paycheck” is strangely apt, given that the film is just that—a paycheck for everyone involved. |
3 Days of the Condor [Blu-ray]DVD Review - May 15, 2009
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Holding up surprisingly well on the political thriller front, if not the romance and gender role front, “3 Days of the Condor” marks an interesting historical turn in American ideology, following Watergate and the subsequent death of an idealistic John Wayne mythology. |
ChrysalisDVD Review - May 12, 2009
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With issues of identity, along with the persistence of memory in relation to personality construct through dominant life-altering signifiers, floating around in the background, "Chrysalis" should prove to be at least mildly thought provoking -- but isn't. |
LookDVD Review - May 4, 2009
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Panopticon logic and the Western obsession with observation and normalization takes the front seat in Adam Rifkin’s derisive exploration of human hypocrisy and repression within the vacuum of social expectation and collective moral superiority, suggesting that a person is little more than a performance construct of attitudinal beliefs. |
The HitDVD Review - May 4, 2009
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"The Hit" ruminates in disjointed modes of communication as cultural symbol in a manner that theorist and philosopher Kenneth Burke would surely approve of, |
America BetrayedDVD Review - Apr 27, 2009
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Without a great deal of subtlety, and the occasional bout of weepy-eyed allegory with heightened score, “America Betrayed” reveals the unsurprising realities behind the “boy’s club” mentality of cost-cutting and back scratching that ultimately leads to the disintegration of the national infrastructure. |
A Jihad For LoveDVD Review - Apr 27, 2009
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As it stands, the documentary is a listing of events and ideas, as opposed to an exploration of them. |
Hellraiser [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Apr 21, 2009
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There just aren’t enough oedipal, psychosexual explorations of deviant desires and the horrors of nascent perversion out there, which is perhaps why there’s a new “Hellraiser” release every couple of years; to remind us of what we’re missing. |
SplinterDVD Review - Apr 18, 2009
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Playing with gender expectations and horror conventions without annoyingly winking at the audience, “Splinter” does something rare, in creating a horror movie that is both scary and smart, preying on fears of environmental unknowns and infection. |
The Last Kiss [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Apr 17, 2009
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The film acts as a fantastical tome of the heteronormative odyssey, featuring boys, err, men, on the cusp of thirty, facing marriage, whining relentlessly about never getting to stick their d*cks in other women |
Wings - The Final SeasonDVD Review - Apr 14, 2009
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With no special features or supplements, the eighth and final season of the hit series that sparked moderate careers for Tim Daly, Tony Shalhoub and Steven Weber, comes to DVD in a 3-disc package. |
No Country For Old Men - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Apr 14, 2009
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While the transfer of the film appears to be the same as the 2008 Blu-ray release of “No Country For Old Men”, this collector’s edition features a variety of new special features, in addition to a digital copy of the film for techies. |
Mean Girls [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Apr 12, 2009
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With Tina Fey’s career at an all time high, having won numerous awards and kudos for the hilarious 30 Rock, the release of “Mean Girls”—Fey’s earlier feature length effort—on Blu-ray makes a lot of sense. |
The Pope's ToiletDVD Review - Apr 11, 2009
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The film itself moves along with a natural neo-realism that captures a way of life, and the very real, very damaged, people within it. |
Rachel Getting MarriedDVD Review - Apr 10, 2009
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For the many successes that "Rachel Getting Married" can boast, including sharp characterizations, cringingly identifiable dialogue, layered and powerful performances and active directions that keeps the audience alive in the action, there is a sense of pretense and an occasionally ham-fisted sensibility that holds the film back from excellence. |
Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Seventh SeasonDVD Review - Apr 7, 2009
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The series that might be more aptly titled “Rich American White Kids Got Problems Too”, reached some seriously amusing heights in season seven that fans of trash TV appreciated and embraced with seriously misguided gusto. |
Doubt [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Apr 6, 2009
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With doubt substituting for a world-weathered practicality and a disillusioned, if antiquated, reminiscence of traditional values and all things left behind — mainly that of innocence — “Doubt” raises some interesting questions of morality, assumption and the peculiarity of circumstance and bias. |
Runaway: The Complete SeriesDVD Review - Apr 6, 2009
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Cancelled after only three episodes on its native CW network, “Runaway” has the honour, mainly, of being the first original series ever canned on the CW, following the merger of the WB and UPN networks. |
Danton - Criterion CollectionDVD Review - Mar 30, 2009
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Remarkable more so for the controversy surrounding its perceived allegorical implications than for its narrative thrust, or takes on the French Revolution, “Danton” proves a worthy ideological thriller with an unruly tribunal and kneejerk decisions standing in for a blood-drenched battlefield. |
A Mighty Heart [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Mar 23, 2009
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Examining strength in a time of crisis and the need to remain pragmatic when emotions are heightened and the stakes are global, “A Mighty Heart” takes a devastating subject and handles it with care and tactfulness |
Happy-Go-LuckyDVD Review - Mar 18, 2009
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One’s appreciation for “Happy-Go-Lucky” will have much to do with their tolerance of the eternally optimistic protagonist, Poppy. |
The Boy in Striped PajamasDVD Review - Mar 14, 2009
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The problem with “Pajamas” is that it was too obviously an Oscar film, and as such, needed to be knocked down a peg or two by the critic system, which implicitly likes to “discover” things. |
South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Mar 10, 2009
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After twelve years of criticising and satirising the sheer inanity and insanity of modern pop culture and politics, the kings of irreverent, but relevant, comedy show no signs of losing their edge. |
The Kaiser's LackeyDVD Review - Mar 2, 2009
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While most might consider an East German criticism of the blindly nationalistic bourgeois middle-class conformists that allegedly led to the Nazi movement to be dry material, the reality is that “The Kaiser’s Lackey” proves to be a highly amusing satire of social dysfunctions, learned assimilation and the inherent rigidity of dominant ideologues. |
Pirates II: Stagnetti's RevengeDVD Review - Feb 25, 2009
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It is unlikely that "Pirates II" will “cross-over” to anyone other than some folks who are titillated by the notion of porn, but above purchasing it. |
Alice in WondertownDVD Review - Feb 24, 2009
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Without a great deal of subtlety, "Alice in Wondertown" tosses about many political criticisms of Cuban partisan belief systems, coercion, opportunism and the necessity of blind advocacy for a life that is equated, quite literally, to sh*t. |
Dead Like Me: Life After DeathDVD Review - Feb 18, 2009
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Now that the "Dead Like Me" movie has arrived in DVD form, fans of the series can finally find closure with the Lass family, albeit in an unexpected, profoundly depressing and strangely disappointing way. |
BlindnessDVD Review - Feb 11, 2009
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As an obvious allegory for the inherent systemic “Blindness” that is necessary for a culture founded on delusion to function, the adaptation of Jose Saramago’s intellectually superior novel proves functional and sustainable due mainly to strong lead performances and consistent direction from Meirelles. |
The Exterminating Angel - The Criterion CollectionDVD Review - Feb 9, 2009
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What might be the greatest irony of “The Exterminating Angel” are the many attempts by various critics and academics to categorize the film, when the film is, obliquely, a criticism of this very need to categorize. |
Coming to America (I Love the 80's Edition)DVD Review - Feb 6, 2009
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While still donning an “R” rating, care of some exposed breasts and mutterings of the “F” word, Coming to America marks a pointed turn from Eddie Murphy’s early eighties expletive-laden comedies to more light-hearted, and eventually family oriented, fare. |
Friday the 13th, Part Three (3-D Deluxe Edition)DVD Review - Feb 4, 2009
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Having seen this “Friday the 13th” instalment in its true form during a 3-D horror marathon a couple of years back with “Amityville 3-D” and “Jaws 3-D”, this reviewer can attest to the fact that this movie is far more enjoyable with the addition of a third dimension. |
Friday the 13th, Part 2 (Deluxe Edition)DVD Review - Feb 3, 2009
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Along with the requisite killings of horny camp counsellors, Jason’s childhood psychology gets examined, in a drunken bar scene no less, with the wisdom offered to the extent of “it must’ve been real hard on him seeing his mother get decapitated like that”. |
Flashdance (I Love the 80's Edition)DVD Review - Feb 3, 2009
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Pointing out simultaneously that dreams can come true and that the loss of dreams is like a loss of self, “Flashdance” serves up some decidedly antiquated and surreal ideas of gender roles with a whole lot of sexy dances, synthesized eighties tunes and lingering views of the female anatomy. |
Friday the 13th Uncut - Deluxe Edition [DVD & Blu-ray]DVD Review - Feb 1, 2009
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The film itself is almost laughable by modern standards, barely constituting a narrative with aimless ciphers meandering about until they reach their inevitable demise, which is admittedly the purpose of the film: to create thrills through kills. |
Zodiac 2-Disc Director's Cut [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jan 30, 2009
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Creating a consistently unsettling and claustrophobic environment where obsession and self-destruction weigh heavy on the back of resolutions and solutions, “Zodiac” succeeds almost entirely in its aims, embodying the frustration of not knowing, in more ways than the literal, along with the awkward reality inherent in a lack of control. |
TakenMovie Review - Jan 28, 2009
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Given that "Taken" is a film written by two Frenchmen about a reckless, emotionally driven American that goes on a rampage through Paris, killing any Middle-Eastern criminal that gets in the way of finding his manipulative bimbette daughter, it does not take a genius to figure out what the film is really about. |
Caligula - The Imperial Edition [2-Disc Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jan 27, 2009
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In addition to presenting an unabashed depiction of the deviance and excess of the Roman Empire, “Caligula” acts as a representation of its time, criticising the fragile, hypocritical nature of dominant ideologues and Judeo-Christian ethics, while keeping its tongue firmly in cheek. |
The Lucky OnesDVD Review - Jan 24, 2009
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Like a tonal and thematic hybrid of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and “Stop-Loss,” the film follows three soldiers who meet on the flight returning to America from Iraq and embark on a road trip. |
Mirrors (Unrated) - [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jan 22, 2009
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With a nod to psychological, literary and mythological notions of the reflected self as a definitive and perhaps dangerously simplified representation of inner-complexities, “Mirrors” examines the horrors of self-perception and lack of control over this almost glib sagacity. |
Dexter - The First Season [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jan 20, 2009
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While more overtly, Dexter is associated with his ritualistic murdering of murderers who intend to strike again, which brings up the “good or evil” tagline that was associated with the show for awhile, the moments of the program that really strike home are those where he misses social cues in a comedic and naïve fashion. |
Funny Face - Centennial CollectionDVD Review - Jan 20, 2009
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While not entirely the criticism of the fashion industry that many have suggested, leaning more towards an indication that really any form of presentation, be it academic and external, is pretentious and inherently false, “Funny Face” is often beautiful, occasionally inspired, but mostly uneven and a tad hypocritical. |
Election [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jan 19, 2009
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As a sharp social satire that exacerbates the triviality and simplicity in human motivations, with some potent jabs at both the democratic and educational systems in North America, “Election” is both smart and highly entertaining. |
Little Britain USADVD Review - Jan 13, 2009
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One’s appreciation for Little Britain USA, the American spin-off of the UK hit Little Britain, will depend greatly on how easily offended they are and how critical they are of being shocked for the sake of shock itself. |
Brideshead Revisited (2008)DVD Review - Jan 12, 2009
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As a narrative that tackles issues of religious ideals, divisions between Catholicism and a protestant way of life, parental influence and social expectation, necessary conformities, sexual identity in relation to dominant ideologues, idealizing the unknown and the infinite nature of love; “Brideshead Revisited” simply has too much going on in it to translate successfully into a two-hour movie. |
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Centennial CollectionDVD Review - Jan 12, 2009
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This struggle between love and money has proven successful repeatedly in film and literature due to its simplistic, but true, handling of one of life’s eternal ideological struggles, which is: “what will make me happy?” |
The Truman Show [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Jan 5, 2009
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You are not free. You never were. |
Hellbound - Hellraiser 2 - 20th Anniversary EditionDVD Review - Jan 5, 2009
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As a further exploration of the perverse psychosexual desires, which deviate from social and heteronormative expectations, in a manner that presents such behaviour as monstrous, the “Hellraiser” sequel lacks much of the development of the original, linking notions of hell to nascent sexuality, but leaving much of the psychology at bay. |
Reflections on 2008: Robert Bell's Top 10 ListEditorial - Jan 2, 2009
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A narcissistic rant about the nature of film criticism and my top 10 picks of 2008 |
Event Horizon [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 31, 2008
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With the suggestion that purgatory exists mainly within the conscience of humankind themselves, manifesting in regret, guilt and developmental destruction, “Event Horizon” covers familiar territory thematically but does so with a fascinating hybrid of horror and Sci-Fi that is simultaneously cheesy, fun and gruesome. |
Ghost [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 31, 2008
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As far as escapist fantasies go, “Ghost” is decent, even if it has no concept of the complexities of human relationships, at least in those with some depth and intelligence. |
Ghost Town [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 29, 2008
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Aware of its own formulaic conventions and contrivances but capitalizing on any potential humor and drama within those confines, “Ghost Town” is leaps and bounds beyond the typical Rom-com yarn, with thoughtful characterizations, genuinely funny moments and a heartfelt core that suggests compassion, even just a little, is necessary in the world of love and human connection. |
The Duchess [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 29, 2008
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Far less romanticized and sweeping than most corset dramas of the Jane Austen variety, “The Duchess” is interesting for its simultaneously detached and passionate, “realist:”, approach to finding breathing room within a confined and stifling system of expectation and obligation. |
Passion & Power: The Technology of OrgasmDVD Review - Dec 27, 2008
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Revealing, informative and certainly worthy of the documentary treatment, “Passion & Power” certainly communicates its point and offers up many amusing anecdotes and informative tidbits but is a little too smug, condescending and aesthetically annoying to be considered a success. |
Revolutionary RoadMovie Review - Dec 26, 2008
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Throwing into question the necessity and desirability of the culturally dominant norm and its inherently circular and problematic patterns and limitations, "Revolutionary Road" sharply and sagaciously examines the disintegration of a marriage through disparate ideologies that grow broader over time. |
Old School (Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 24, 2008
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The variety of comedy styling proves interesting, with Ferrell’s broad, naïve physical comedy, Luke Wilson’s dry, slightly condescending humor and Vaughn’s in your face acerbic rants. |
Marley & MeMovie Review - Dec 24, 2008
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More amusing than the marketing of an ideological tragedy as a comedy is the idea that "Marley & Me" is only about a dog becoming part of a family, for the film is not really about the dog at all. |
Traitor [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 24, 2008
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With considerably more accurate Intel than the majority of recent political thrillers that have dipped into global terrorism territories, “Traitor” is, if nothing else, respectable, mature and intelligent, despite its many shortcomings from both a narrative and structural standpoint. |
Hot Rod [Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 16, 2008
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Despite its absurdist, non-linear and entirely aloof approach to comedy, “Hot Rod” strangely manages to find itself leaning more on the side of academic persiflage with obscure, but appropriate, references and an amusement in mocking assumed societal conventions, in a way that will make critical thinkers giggle and the mainstream frat-boy majority yawn. |
Deadwood - The Complete SeriesDVD Review - Dec 10, 2008
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As a show that has endeared many to the word "c***sucker" and blurred lines between notions of "good" and "bad" in the traditional "Western" sense, Deadwood offers a distinct vision of America's foundations through a dramatic re-creation of a town founded without abiding law or governance. |
Lost - The Complete Fourth SeasonDVD Review - Dec 9, 2008
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The fourth season DVD box set includes a ridiculous amount of special features that should please most fans of the series. |
CiaoMovie Review - Dec 4, 2008
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Quietly contemplative, often haunting, strangely simplistic and surprisingly literal, “Ciao” is a film with visible frays around the edges but is touching and well intentioned. |
The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian [3-Disc Blu-ray]DVD Review - Dec 1, 2008
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Gone are the incongruous tonal shifts and occasionally ham-fisted staging of the original “Narnia” outing, as “Caspian” delivers its slightly weaker story with a natural urgency and accessibility that is only ameliorated by some intense and brutal battle sequences. |
Transporter 3Movie Review - Nov 25, 2008
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While it would be easy to harp on strange conveniences and peculiarities, such as the fact that the many villains who battle Frank are polite enough to “wait their turn”, as well as his decision to strip during battle, it would be a moot point, as those who enjoy this sort of thing are not looking for probability. |
Mystery Science Theater 3000 - 20th Anniversary EditionDVD Review - Nov 23, 2008
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With Mystery Science Theater 3000, a niche audience found their unique brand of humor and perspective catered to, which explains the championed cult status of the series that ran for eleven seasons and even resulted in a feature film in 1996. |
The Gay Bed & Breakfast of TerrorDVD Review - Nov 22, 2008
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Initially amusing in its depiction of gay and lesbian stereotype with a camp sensibility and self-reflexivity, “The Gay Bed & Breakfast of Terror” ultimately tries too hard to play its hand at expositional pedagogy, overstaying its welcome just shy of the 2-hour mark. |
Heathers - Limited Edition Locker SetDVD Review - Nov 18, 2008
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With implications of chainsaws impeding on ones nether-regions, dead gay football players, unabashed mockery of the obese, flaky bulimic cheerleaders and much fun with suicide, “Heathers” continues to hold up, twenty years after the fact, as a hilarious satire of teenage vulgarity and mass societal hagiographic insincerity surrounding the deceased. |
Roman Holiday - Centennial CollectionDVD Review - Nov 12, 2008
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"Roman Holiday" was originally released on DVD back in 2002 with decent features and a nice, clear print, which begs the question, what is the purpose of this "Centennial Collection" release? |
Scrubs - The Complete Seventh SeasonDVD Review - Nov 10, 2008
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As a show that could be easily dismissed upon first glance, Scrubs is worthy of a season long effort from fans of unorthodox humor, who will likely have a greater appreciation for the show after seeing that the comedy works with natural character progression. |
The Boy in Striped PajamasMovie Review - Nov 6, 2008
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Arguably one of the most challenging and devastating films of the year, "The Boy in Striped Pyjamas" makes the unique decision to reveal the atrocities of WWII through the eyes of childhood innocence and naivety. |
The World UnseenMovie Review - Nov 6, 2008
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While the story of Sapphic affections and racial tension in 50’s apartheid-era South Africa itself is intriguing and loaded with potential, the big screen presentation is so stagy, awkward, badly acted and disastrously lit that it is extremely difficult to slip into the narrative and find emotional connection. |
Tuya's MarriageDVD Review - Oct 30, 2008
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Part ethnographic exploration of the impact that a Chinese socio-capitalist state has on an ancient Mongolian traditions and part romantic comedy of errors and misunderstandings, "Tuya’s Marriage" is a deliberately slow mediation on a way of life without a great deal of dramatic heft and some awkward transitions. |
Let the Right One InMovie Review - Oct 23, 2008
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A balance of cultural and commercial, along with a truly impressive overall aesthetic, and a fresh take on both the tired vampire genre and isolation anxieties, make "Let the Right One In" one of the most affecting and entertaining films in quite some time. |
Halloween - 30th Anniversary Commemorative EditionDVD Review - Oct 20, 2008
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While the box set itself feels mostly like a patchwork of the few things that Anchor Bay had the rights to distribute, it features the previously unavailable extended version of the original "Halloween" and other various features and goodies, which may appeal to some fans. |
W.Movie Review - Oct 16, 2008
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Lacking the sense of historical perspective that could take a conventional glance at a controversial presidency and make it profound, W is still far better than it could have been. |
Sex DriveMovie Review - Oct 16, 2008
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Much of the humour in "Sex Drive" would best be described as a guilty pleasure, since most will be too embarrassed to admit that they found any of this drivel amusing. |
Lil' Bush - Season Two: UncensoredDVD Review - Oct 16, 2008
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Capitalizing on both political discontent and the lefty hipness of the Jon Stewart generation, Lil’ Bush is occasionally clever in its topical relevance and irreverence but is rarely amusing in any way. |
South Park - The Cult of Cartman: RevelationsDVD Review - Oct 15, 2008
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Packaging together episodes of South Park, where Cartman uses his self-motivated persuasion techniques to get what he wants, with revelation-style introductions and a bible-like box, sums up much of the nature of organized religion and collective ideology. |
The Sarah Silverman Program - Season Two, Volume OneDVD Review - Oct 13, 2008
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The second season of The Sarah Silverman Program continues in a structurally and thematically similar vain to season one. Issues of abortion, bestiality, racism and religion are tackled with the usual aplomb. |
Breakfast with ScotMovie Review - Oct 9, 2008
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Drastically simplifying the complexities of internalized homophobia in relation to the public presentation of same-sex unions and historically feminine characteristics, Breakfast with Scot succeeds mainly in spoon-feeding some unfortunate realities of the homosexual persuasion to a mainstream audience that likely had not given it any prior thought. |
Saving MarriageMovie Review - Oct 8, 2008
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As far as documentaries go, it is entirely manipulative and lop-sided and perhaps not as thorough as it could have been, but every moment is engaging and enjoyable. |
Flash of GeniusMovie Review - Oct 3, 2008
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Taking a typical humdrum underdog biopic and injecting some topical significance and mild corporate and political subversion, Flash of Genius is sure to please most demographics with an entirely accessible and relatable battle and a slick commercial vision. |
Just BuriedMovie Review - Oct 3, 2008
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As a film that is humble in aspirations, yet consistently engaging despite an air of predictability, "Just Buried" succeeds enough to warrant some lukewarm, but mostly positive attention. |
Brothers & Sisters - The Complete Second SeasonDVD Review - Sep 25, 2008
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The second season of ABC’s adult ensemble drama continues on seamlessly from the passable and depressing but mostly charming first season, simultaneously delivering even more familial love and dysfunction. |
ChokeMovie Review - Sep 25, 2008
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For all of the mentions of hamsters, champagne bottles and sundry household items being inserted into ones fundament, as well as topless senior citizens and inappropriate sexual activity in the house of the lord, Choke is surprisingly flat, formulaic and digestible. |
Dirty Sexy Money - The Complete First SeasonDVD Review - Sep 22, 2008
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While the title Dirty Sexy Money may draw implications of the lascivious nature of nighttime soap operas with a plethora of malevolent characters and seedy conspiracies, the reality is that the show is far more human and sociologically analytical than one might expect. |
Lakeview TerraceMovie Review - Sep 19, 2008
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A retrogression to the suburban anxiety movies of the early ’90s, it is simply the kind of film where logic and accountability should be left at the door. |
BlindnessMovie Review - Sep 19, 2008
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Acting as a kind of erudite art house zombie movie, which dumbs down potential profundity with hippie-dippy, New Age, pseudo-philosophical insights on the state of mankind, Blindness creates discomfort and despondency but glosses over central connectivity, leaving a void where emotional resonance is intended. |
Grey's Anatomy - Season FourDVD Review - Sep 14, 2008
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With some behind the scenes drama and a truncated season due to the Writer’s strike, Grey’s Anatomy had some clear challenges to overcome throughout its 17-episode 4th season run. |
Ugly Betty - Season TwoDVD Review - Sep 12, 2008
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If John Waters and Liza Minnelli were to create a Mexican-flavored soap opera, with Star Trek inspired decorum and every recognizable pop culture signifier at their disposal, it would be Ugly Betty; a show that embraces its own absurdity with simultaneous resolve and self-deprecating humor. |
Private Practice - The Complete First SeasonDVD Review - Sep 11, 2008
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Private Practice has had a very successful first season, keeping much of the humanistic appeal of Grey’s Anatomy, while creating a much more laid back and light-hearted environment for it to play out in. |
Eli Stone - The Complete First SeasonDVD Review - Sep 4, 2008
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Eli Stone takes the typical episodic legal format and injects some maudlin ruminations on faith, empathy and personal sacrifice for loved ones, along with a little Ally McBeal sassiness and some awkward Viva Laughlin musical sequences. |
Smart PeopleDVD Review - Sep 2, 2008
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The world of Smart People is simple: intelligence is defined by profession; cleverness is a virtue; and even the most misanthropic curmudgeon is capable of change. It is a pleasant world, free of complex thought and realistic human behaviour, which is actually quite an enjoyable place to visit for an hour-and-a-half. |
Desperate Housewives - The Complete Fourth SeasonDVD Review - Sep 2, 2008
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Season four reels the show back in a bit to explore intimate, and often comedic, conflicts based on natural character trajectories. |
The House BunnyMovie Review - Aug 24, 2008
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"The House Bunny" is "Legally Blonde"’s slightly retarded and far more profane cousin who would likely get drunk at a kegger, show everyone her famous ping-pong ball trick and cry about it the next day. It’s kind of amusing in its own embarrassing way but lacks any real meaning or sense of self. |
Henry Poole is HereMovie Review - Aug 14, 2008
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Henry Poole is a film that boils down human complexity to the basic anxieties that create conflict and has the balls to answer the question "Why?" with "Why not?" |
South Park - The Complete Eleventh SeasonDVD Review - Aug 13, 2008
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The kings of irreverent cultural satire are back with their eleventh season of the clever, offensive and often hilarious South Park. |
ElegyMovie Review - Aug 7, 2008
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Elegy proves a worthy adaptation that takes the appropriate liberties with the text to enrich secondary characters and heighten character interactivity. |
Pineapple ExpressMovie Review - Aug 5, 2008
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The film - while nothing particularly special - succeeds in making the usually oblique and inaccessible (to those who aren't under the influence) stoner comedy engaging to a wider (read sober) audience. |
Swing VoteMovie Review - Jul 31, 2008
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This cloying, saccharine and entirely didactic offering of Capra-esque summer counter-programming, may be the perfect treat for the senior citizen crowd who will surely gasp and feel a little naughty during the many occasions that Kevin Costner cusses and takes the Lord's name in vain. |
Mad Men - Season OneDVD Review - Jul 21, 2008
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The 13-episode first season of the AMC hit features some of the most fantastic, delectable and goose-bump inciting writing to be seen on television in years. |
Mamma Mia!Movie Review - Jul 16, 2008
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As a straightforward and guileless adaptation of the hit musical, Mamma Mia! mostly succeeds, despite the fact that it is essentially two-hours of celebrity ABBA karaoke with only a little vocal talent. |
Slings & Arrows: The Complete CollectionDVD Review - Jul 10, 2008
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Characters are crafted with care, complexity and completion and used in an entirely believable and logical capacity as they integrate, afflict and influence each other in entirely organic, moving and often hilarious ways. |
Saving Grace: Season OneDVD Review - Jul 6, 2008
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Saving Grace features some distinguishably strong writing and a career topping performance from the irrepressible Holly Hunter. |
Kitt Kittredge: An American GirlMovie Review - Jul 3, 2008
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A depression era G-rated mystery starring Abigail Breslin that features some guileless didactics with a heartwarming center that is only occasionally contrived. |
Une vieille maîtresse (The Last Mistress)Movie Review - Jul 2, 2008
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Catherine Breillat has assembled her most accessible art house film to date. |
Auf der anderen Seite (The Edge of Heaven)Movie Review - Jun 24, 2008
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As a slightly morbid investigation of East-West culture clashes and the reconnection and adaptation of human relationships that surround loss and disappointment, "The Edge of Heaven" succeeds. |
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CD Giveaway - Paper Bird, "Rooms"
Ends May 28, 2013
Drifting ever so slightly away from traditional folk music, this Colorado band delivers harmony and energy aplenty. |
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