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"A Fine Romance" is, pardon the awful and obvious pun, a fine example of relatively safe, if wholly uninspired sitcom television managing to establish a lasting place in the consciousness of viewers through two lead actors, to put it bluntly, working far beneath their talents and skills. Running a mere 26-episodes from 1981 to 1984 on British television, "A Fine Romance" took the classic sitcom convention of the trials and tribulations of a new and unexpected romantic pairing and offer viewers something far more magical than one might expect by filling two sitcom roles with two esteemed, classically trained actors: Judi Dench and Michael Williams, who just happened to be married in real life. While Dench would go on a decade later to revisit the formula in a farm more sentimental, more soundly produced and often semi-dramatic series, "As Time Goes By," the actual on-screen ch...Read the entire review

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The average moviegoer has likely never heard of "The Grand Duel" and even those with more of an interest in film, may likely be more familiar with it's masterfully composed title theme, through its usage in "Kill Bill Vol. 1." The truth about "The Grand Duel" though, is, it's a near masterpiece of the spaghetti western genre and until now, is a film that's never had a fair shake in terms of a proper home video treatment. Produced in 1972, "The Grand Duel" (also known under the title of "Storm Rider") gives perennial western icon, Lee Van Cleef as the steely eyed (honestly, would we expect any less from Van Cleef), Clayton, a sheriff turned bounty hunter who begins the film on the trail of outlaw Phillipp Wermeer.

The film itself is impressive en...Read the entire review

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Poorly plotted, dimly animated, horribly dubbed, and ultimately giving of a feeling of pointlessness, the first half of the debut season of "A Certain Magical Index" contains all the elements of anime that turned me off the genre for years. Based on the light novel of the same name, "A Certain Magical Index" throws viewers abruptly into a hodgepodge of a world that operates on modern conventions, archaic imagery, fantastic technology, and good old fashioned occultism, often simultaneously, but lacking any real cohesiveness to the stylistic choices...at least not in time to possibly alienate viewers from investing further time into the series. The audience surrogate is Toma Kamijo, whose life as an somewhat awkward high school student gets thrown into disarray upon meeting Index, a nun whose brain, is used as a storage device (remember "Johnny Mnemonic?!") for over a hundred-t...Read the entire review

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Neil Simon's "Chapter Two" was one of those unfortunate films from a master scribe that I approached with a heavily skeptical viewpoint. Somehow I managed to avoid one of Simon's semi-autobiographical offerings, produced in the heyday of Simon's 1970s film offerings, mostly due to negative word of mouth and truth be told, a EP VHS copy I tried to watch a number of times but couldn't get past the sickening picture quality. Thankfully, due to Sony's manufactured-on-demand Choice Collection, one of the more noteworthy but illusive Simon film offerings makes its way to DVD. Despite the negative word of mouth in my own circle, "Chapter Two" is a film of critical merit, garnering Marsha Mason her third Academy Award nomination. Now, 34 years after it's release, "Chapter Two" is a surprisingly familiar diversion and one I found enjoyable for reasons that wouldn't have existed even...Read the entire review

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It's a rather interesting, but utterly inconsequential coincidence that Michael Gambon replacing the late Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" series was not the first time the former actor followed in the footsteps of the latter in terms of playing the same character. The 1992 series "Maigret" based on the writings of Georges Simenon had been adapted numerous times throughout the years, but prior to Gambon's portrayal of the Belgian police detective (one must wonder if the criminology instructors in Belgium are the world's best secret, with Poirot and Maigret both coming from the same country), the late Richard Harris portrayed the prior most incarnation of the character. Although he died in 1989, Simeon had made it clear (at least to the actor himself), that Rupert Davies was his preferred actor for the role, one can't help but wonder where Gambon's perf...Read the entire review

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The Royal Rumble serves many purposes in the WWE season. For starters it's the first pay-per-view of the new year and both kicks off the Wrestlemania season as well as provides a transition to fresh storylines, leaving behind the remnants of 2012. For WWE fans though, the titular match of the event holds special meaning as it is by far one of the most unique events they will bear witness to over the course of the year and often means surprise one-night-only nostalgia runs from former WWE superstars and long retired veterans. The 2013 Royal Rumble held significant meaning as it's main event put the year-plus long WWE Championship reign of CM Punk against the long awaited (by some) in-ring return of The Rock (last seen victorious nearly a year prior at Wresltemania against John Cena). The match was the essence of old versus new, in more ways than one.

With the exception...Read the entire review

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Coming off the heels of the Royal Rumble the 2013 Elimination Chamber pay-per-view serves one purpose: fill time between the Rumble and Wrestlemania. This year is no exception, offering viewers seven matches, with results that in the grand scheme of things are completely inconsequential. The main event of the evening is a clever marketing ploy by the WWE to get viewers upset with the Rumble's title match to buy into a rematch where reigning champion The Rock, would lose his title back to CM Punk even through disqualification or count out. Looking at this through the eyes of anyone but a fan, its obvious from a business standpoint, the commercial rematch between John Cena and The Rock at Wrestlemania is not going to stop and right away, the event already feels like a mild waste of time, not to mention money.

In another example of lazy booking on the World Heavyweight Ch...Read the entire review

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It would be nearly impossible to succinctly catalogue the number of documentary series' produced on wars in the 20th century; however, it's a much easier task to give craft a solid list of documentary series that are not only worth one's time, but more importantly, possess an inherent quality in their efforts of relaying facts that a viewer would want to invest their money for hopes of repeat viewings. I think few would argue that the 1973 26-episode, 22.5 hour series "The World at War" is not only the definitive World War II documentary series but one of the finest examples of the format (for the record, while I love Ken Burns' work, "The World at War" is so comprehensive, Burns' efforts feel like a primer in comparison). Sadly, I don't think I could list a single series, long or short, that adequately provides viewers insight into the Vietnam War, one of the most controvers...Read the entire review

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2012 was interesting year for the WWE; while as the standard pro-wrestling formula follows, the majority of the biggest matches occurred on pay-per-views, what arguably draws the largest portion of viewers are the weekly television shows, Raw and Smackdown respectively. While meant to be somewhat separate brands (or at least at times they are treated as such), Raw has forever been and likely forever shall be the flagship of WWE programming. Even in the mid 2000s when booked by Paul Heyman, Smackdown may have had the wealth of talent at the time, but it's Raw where the biggest storylines go down. 2012 was no exception, with the year kicking off with fevered anticipation towards the (then) "once in a lifetime" match between The Rock and John Cena at Wrestlemania; but as any wrestling fan knows, a big Wrestlemania storyline can only carry you though the event itself (and maybe ...Read the entire review

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As someone who was largely an anime neophyte few years back when it came to anime in series format, "Dragon Ball Z: Kai" has served as a strong source of education in both anime and the process of adaptation. If you're reading this review you're most assuredly aware of what "Dragon Ball Z: Kai" is and how it differs from the nearly 300 episode behemoth that is "Dragon Ball Z." Actual show content aside, the most apparent lesson to be learned from this unique experiment is that a "filler" heavy series can be properly salvaged and honed into something manageable, engaging, and in some instances downright brilliant. With season four, "Dragon Ball Z: Kai" offers viewers a final 20 episodes, wrapping up the story of Cell, a villain introduced in season three and more importantly a reasonable stopping point for the series.

As stated previously, if you're checking this revie...Read the entire review

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If one were to take portions of "Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best" out of context, I could easily see the reaction being one of minor ambivalence as it would most likely appear to be yet another poorly crafted sketch comedy piece on delusional hipsters and their artistic endeavors. Unfortunately, despite being billed as largely a comedy, "Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best" is a deadly serious but good intentioned independent comedy that tries its best, repeatedly to pass itself off as something fresh and original. Written, directed, and co-starring Ryan O'Nan, "Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best" feels painfully out of place in the world of 2013. O'Nan and Michael Weston are the titular "brothers" who more specifically make up a low-rent, indie music act based around one member's largely silly gimmick and the other's earnest, soulful lyrics; roughly this translates to 98-minutes o...Read the entire review

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When looking over the list of film adaptations of Elmore Leonard's work (both in the western and crime genre), it is actually a bit of a surprise at how many were at least decent overall. "Freaky Deaky" is one of the most recent big-screen adaptations, specifically of the 1988 novel of the same name; what sets it apart from your average crime film and is liable to catch the eye of Leonard fans, is the heavy 1970s look, that instantly telegraphs its vibe as a darkly funny farce of a tale. Running a scant 93-minutes, "Freaky Deaky" throws viewers into an increasingly confusing world of washed-up cops, two-bit psychopaths, and delusional B-movie producers. Directed by Charles Matthau (the son of the late, great Walter Matthau), "Freaky Deaky" is a film that struggles with adhering to a cohesive identity on both the visual and narrative front, ultimately proving it is leagues fr...Read the entire review

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Films about Marie Antoinette or more specifically, the French Revolution are nothing new. Sofia Coppola's pop-culture infused, eclectically cast, aptly titled "Marie Antoinette" represents to an extreme, the problem I have with modern period films in particular: they're just too polished and stylized, whether overtly or subconsciously. Films outside the specific topic of the French Revolution such as "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Duchess" are prime examples of the brand of pseudo-period film that the mainstream public will consume and in many cases, ultimately presume to be factual representations of life centuries ago and thousands of miles across the ocean. In 2012, "Les Miserables" largely caught the attention of audiences, adapting the musical based on Victor Hugo's saga of the June Rebellion in a very safe setting with an all-star cast. While "Les Miserables" could...Read the entire review

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Earlier this year I proclaimed a match between Daniel Bryan and CM Punk at Over the Limit to be the best match of 2012 in WWE. I still stand by that proclamation, but now, only slightly. I can't say I'd have ever guessed a six-man TLC match featuring a hoss who some might call the modern day second coming of Goldberg to be one of the strongest offerings in a year of pro-wrestling, but expectations are to be defied and even better, "TLC 2012" emerges as one of the better minor pay-per-view events of the year; even with the original Main Event scrapped due to injury.

The event has its fair share of mediocrity, with the opening tag team bout between Team Rhodes Scholars and a combo of Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara tedious, even at less than ten minutes, being only slightly better than an equally long Intercontinental bout between Kofi Kingston and Wade Barrett. Sadly, as usua...Read the entire review

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If you've ever had the pleasure of seeing a TV segment by the late Huell Howser, you might believe Huell's take on any given topic might be as strange as it could get. One of his most memorable segments took place at the Bagdad Caf , located in the California ghost town of Bagdad. Howser's seemingly impromptu interview segment revealed a few colorful regulars as well as a mysterious painting of Burt Lancaster on the wall that captivated Howser's nearly childlike wonder. The precipitating factor for doing a segment on the Bagdad Caf was its use as the locale in the 1987 film of the same title. Do yourself a favor and go watch the Huell Howser segment and then come back; I guarantee, what you see there is far more sensible and grounded in reality than what this curious, independent film has to offer.

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]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59958 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:21:42 PST Recommended

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In her 2009 TED talk, Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, eloquently shares her life's experiences, specifically key instances where she personally experienced the danger of "the single story," or the concept of understanding a person or group at large from only one perspective. Ms. Adichie's speech is thought provoking, relatable, and infinitely relevant and my viewing of the speech comes right on the heels of viewing the 1964 adaptation of nonfiction book of the same tame. Griffin, a native Texan, eighteen years before Ms. Adichie was even born, chose to take the idea of knowing more than just a "single story" to the extreme, undergoing hours of tanning after taking skin-darkening drugs, to change his appearance in order to pass as an African American and see first-hand what it was like to be black in the southern US during a very trying time in our nation's history. ...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59255 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 01:48:21 PST Highly Recommended

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On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers embarked on what was to be the first attack on the Japanese mainland by US forces during World War II; although the attack didn't result in a major strategic victory, the boost to US morale and the ensuing aftermath of the attack would put what became to be known as the Doolittle Raid into the history books. "Missions That Changed the World: The Doolittle Raid" was a program originally produced for the Military Channel and over the course, of four, 45-minute episodes takes viewers through history from the genesis of the raid to the ensuing legacy, including on-camera interviews with surviving members of the mission. Whether you're a history buff or not, the program is a remarkably well-paced and insightful offering at a solitary moment in history.

Narrated evenly by Gary Sinise, "The Doolittle Raid" is the quickest, three hour...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59258 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 03:56:13 PST Highly Recommended

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Joseph Campbell's contributions to the study of mythology and comparative religion are impossible to fully measure. More importantly, his teachings and zest for life and knowledge have benefited humanity in ways many people don't realize. His study and interpretations of mythology from multiple cultural angles are well documented in books and lectures, many of which were filmed in the years prior to his death and released on public telelvsion and subsequently, home video. Of those, "Mythos" is a fantastic series of college lectures on both Eastern and Western myth and religion, however the running time is well above what the average viewer might be willing to invest in order to broaden his or her horizons; furthermore, Campbell embarks on fascinating tangents, including some that require a working knowledge of certain background information to fully appreciate. The year pri...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59213 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:13:17 PST Highly Recommended

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"Robot and Frank" had a criminal theatrical treatment in 2012. The incredibly intelligent, comedy/drama uses a sci-fi setting few films are able to do, in order to tell a story of aging through the most unlikely and improbable friendship. The premise is simple: an aged thief, Frank (Frank Langella), received a robot helper from his son (James Marsden) after it becomes apparent, despite protests, he's unable to fully care for himself and his home. Quite honestly, the less you know about the film the better, but I somehow suspect a lot of people wouldn't be sold on the premise along. "Robot and Frank" is a rare film though that transcends genres and the sci-fi setting is only lightly used to give believability to the inclusion of Frank's robot helper (voiced eloquently by Peter Saarsgaard).

Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59834 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 05:18:32 PST Rent It

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Writer/director Gu Su-yeon's "Hard Romanticker" is a tough film to digest. On the surface, it's a unique brand of Yakuza film, focusing on Korean-Japanese immigrants and their experiences in the Japanese underworld. What makes the film even more intriguing is it's actually the semi-autobiographical tale of the writer/director. Within the first few minutes of the film, any viewer with common sense would realize that a huge emphasis should be placed on the "semi" portion of that claim. Japanese TV star, Shota Matsuda serves as the nearest thing the film has to a protagonist, as Gu, the character I assume we're to believe represents the film's captain.

The underlying problem with "Hard Romanticker" is the massive disconnect between reality and an...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58812 Fri, 25 Jan 2013 04:52:48 PST Recommended

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"Agatha Christie's Poirot and Marple: Fan Favorites" collection is the DVD equivalent of a greatest hits collection, gathering 11 episodes from the British TV adaptations of Christie's two most famous literary creations, Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. While both series have had DVD and Blu-Ray releases over the years, to the newcomer, to ask one to invest money and time into such long-running (at least in the case of "Poirot) series' is no easy feat and this moderately priced collection serves as a great entry point, highlighting some of the best of each series over the years and in the case of "Miss Marple" giving viewers a look at the work of both Geraldine McEwan and Julie McKenzie's work as the iconic character.

Despite her predating the character by decades, I'm always going to think of Jessica Fletcher when I watch an episode of "Miss Marple." Represented wi...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58707 Sat, 12 Jan 2013 05:43:17 PST Recommended

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"The Story of Math Collection" is a packaging of two, British TV documentary series' from Oxford mathematics professor, Dr. Marcus du Sautoy. The collection consists of "The Story of Math" and "The Code." I had previously reviewed "The Story of Math" a few years back and the discs presented here are identical, and as my opinion on the program is still the same, that portion of the review will be re-used.

The Story of Math

Athena is quickly becoming one of my favorite DVD companies. When I saw the title "The Story of Math" pop up on the list of screeners, I quietly chuckled, thinking "boring." Then I saw this was an Athena release and thought back to their release of a documentary series on mapping, "The Edge of the World," that was absolutely amazing. I decided to give "The Story of Math" a shot and was pleasantly rewarded for my efforts.

D...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58418 Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:53:27 PST Rent It

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Initially airing from March through April of 1995, "Chiller" is a long forgotten, six episode British horror anthology series. Unlike "Tales from the Crypt" or "Tales from the Darkside," "Chiller" is a very straight-faced exercise in short form, supernatural storytelling. Covering topics ranging from your standard ghost story to a sinister small-town secret, "Chiller" is very much a slow-burn series that at a surface glance, has the visual look of your standard British drama. While decidedly not campy in production design, "Chiller" proves to be only a mildly effective (and that's debatable) entry in the genre, ultimately finding itself hamstrung by its own low-key approach to entertai...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59138 Tue, 08 Jan 2013 05:10:07 PST Recommended

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"Dallas." For 14 seasons and a handful of TV movies, that one word defined a generation of prime time television. The epic, melodramatic saga of a Texas oil fortunes was in fact overshadowed by one of its own characters, the villainous but compelling J.R. Ewing. Even those who have never seen a single episode of the show know the pop culture value of the phrase "Who Shot J.R.?" Naturally, when TNT decided to revive the show in 2012, following the children of the original series' main characters, there was some very justified scoffing; but when the man himself, Larry Hagman was announced to return as J.R. alongside his on-screen bother Bobby (Patrick Duffy), it would be very hard to not be intrigued. Debuting to impressive ratings and strong critical buzz, the initial 10-episode season ...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58470 Mon, 07 Jan 2013 05:01:18 PST Rent It

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No one can ever accuse Ricky Gervais of not being self-aware, or self-deprecating. In "Life's Too Short," Gervais' latest creation, Johnny Depp cameos as himself, ripping into Gervais with a stream of bad jokes (because as Depp puts it, "no one makes fun of Tim Allen on my watch."), culminating with the deliciously self-ware, "I hear Ricky Gervais quit Twitter recently because it only has 140 characters, well that's 139 more characters than he's ever come up with." Not for a second, would anyone familiar with Gervais' work truly believe Gervais' writing is that shallow at a deeper level. Part of the problem lies with Gervais himself playing these abrasive and flawed characters he invents, so when it came time for another actor to fill the shoes of the lead in a mockumentary based program, many felt it would be vindication for Gervais as a writer, but alas, "Life's Too Short"...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=55980 Sat, 05 Jan 2013 08:59:55 PST Recommended

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These days, my interest in professional wrestling arises merely whenever I have nothing better to do with my time. For the most part, the industry has changed and just isn't for me anymore...but that doesn't stop me from being entertained by the current product. Coming off the return of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at the Extreme Rules PPV event, Over The Limit 2012 dials back the main event spectacle significantly, to the point where long-term fans would think John Cena vs. John Laurinaitis is some sort of clever joke. While the main event of the show is indeed, as sad, drawn out joke, that recalls a similar, but far more convincing match-up of Stone Cold Steven Austin vs. Vince McMahon in a steel cage match over a decade prior (especially the match concluding appearance by Paul "The Big Show" Wight), the rest of the show's card, is quite serviceable.

...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58710 Sat, 05 Jan 2013 08:59:55 PST Skip It

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Hell in the Cell 2012 reminds me why I gave up being a regular fan of the WWE a few years back. The draw of the annual event has always been the main event match that takes place in the Hell in a Cell itself, a mega sized enclosed cage that has produced some of the most memorable and brutal moments in WWE history. Sadly, the main event this year didn't deliver the anticipated encounter between John Cena and CM Punk, but instead hotshots the massively over and undefeated Ryback into the WWE title scene after Cena was unable to compete due to medical reasons. If a disappointing main event switch wasn't enough, the remainder of the event's card, largely made up of matches that would be mediocre on TV are the cement shoes that send this turkey to the bottom of the river.

The two highlights of the eight matches that comprise the event include the opening bout between Randy...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58019 Thu, 27 Dec 2012 06:58:45 PST Skip It

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The worst kind of comedy is bad comedy and the worst kind of bad comedy, is comedy that thinks it's intelligent or witty to begin with. "We Can Be Heroes" is unequivocally guilty of the crime of attempting to be witty and intelligent and only proving to be insufferable and in some instances, offensive. The series is the brainchild of Australian comedian Chris Lilley, who has built a career based on mockumentary-based humor. Apparently a critical success in his native country, his series' have had small releases from HBO here in the United States and in the case of "We Can Be Heroes," a solid seven years after its initial debut. Running for the course of six, 25-odd minute episodes, "We Can Be Heroes" will test even the most easily entertained's patience as Lilley plays six separate characters, five of whom are in contention to be named "Australian of the Year."

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]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=55790 Wed, 26 Dec 2012 05:27:39 PST Rent It

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Competition, Science, Democracy, Medicine, Consumerism, and The Work Ethic. According to Harvard professor, Niall Ferguson, these are the six "killer apps" that allowed Western culture to dominate over the east over the course of modern history. Spanning six, 45-minute episodes, each focusing on one of these "killer apps," "Civilization: The West and The Rest" bills itself as a fresh approach to looking back at historical achievements of both the West and the East and in the process, looking forward to the future to see if the trend of Western dominance will continue to flourish or fall by the wayside.

Hosted by Ferguson, "Civilization" is little more than a step-above your gimmicky History Channel miniseries offering. Thankfully stripped of cheap CGI flourishes and academics with questionable, baseless theories, Ferguson instead goes the safe route of hitting what he ...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=57579 Wed, 26 Dec 2012 05:27:39 PST Rent It

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It's tough to have to write a lukewarm review for a film like "They Call It Myanmar: Lifting the Curtain." The 86-minute documentary is a labor of love and sheer humanity from director Robert H. Lieberman. Filmed over the course of two-years, in extremely secret fashion in many instances (for reasons the documentary addresses almost immediately), the film provides a raw look at Burma, a country engaged in a decades long struggle with brutal dictators. Lieberman lets the camera tell the story whenever possible and relies on those brave enough to speak to him (many with their faces hidden, for fear of political reprisal) about life in general in the country. The result is initially fascinating, but quickly tedious experience.

At it's worst, "They Call It Myanmar" feels like a poorly edited, directionless cable news segment, but when it's on-point, it can be simultaneous...Read the entire review

]]> Theatrical http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=59082 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 04:04:49 PST Recommended

The opening entry in Peter Jackson's "prequel trilogy," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is a painful review to write. After achieving the impossible with the original "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, fans of the director (myself included) felt Jackson could do no wrong. While not as amazing, his remake of "King Kong" was thoroughly pleasing, but gave early warning signs that the filmmaker had become overindulgent in terms of pacing. Then "The Lovely Bones" happened and apart from being visually pleasing, doubts regarding Jackson's ability had to be addressed. Still, with him initially attached to what was to be a Guillermo del Toro helmed duo of "The Hobbit" films, Tolkien fans felt the project was in safe hands, and some even more so when del Toro left over delays and Jackson took over.

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is very much a film in the look and feel of Jackson's "Lord of the ...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=57546 Sat, 08 Dec 2012 14:48:02 PST Highly Recommended

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It's always an iffy proposition tackling a new-to-DVD film of something that was produced a few years prior and never saw proper wide (or even small scale) release. Glendyn Ivin's 2009 "Last Ride" is thankfully one of those films that restores ones faith in "straight-to-DVD" releases and then goes on to infuriate at the notion that such a magnificent, human film could have sat unnoticed, even for a few years. Commanded by a powerful leading performance from Hugo Weaving, Ivin's film is a road movie, following Kev (Weaving) and his 10-year old son Chook (Tom Russell) on a journey through the less urbanized areas of Australia. The precipitating event for Kev and Chook's journey isn't abundantly clear at first, but Kev's surly demeanor and immediate references to his criminal and violent past make for easy reasonable guesses.

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]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58931 Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:53:07 PST Recommended

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Robert Mitchum is an icon, no debate necessary. A stalwart fixture of 50s and 60s Hollywood, Mitchum at the very least left an indelible impression on viewers with his large stature, striking face, and his rich, deep voice. "The Robert Mitchum Film Collection" is a repackaging of 10 previous released Mitchum films owned by Fox and MGM in a handsome, double digpak (be warned as the packaging does place the discs in sleeves prone to minor scuffing). Unlike other collections of previously released efforts, this set doesn't have any particular theme nor represent the actor's best work; it instead gives viewers a look at selections from 14 years of Mitchum's career from 1954 to 1967, highlighting not only the actor's finest on-screen performance, but some otherwise middling genre fare elevated by his presence (as well as some very famous names attached as well).

The collect...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=58873 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:06:37 PST Rent It

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Many pro-wrestlers have attempted to pursue careers outside wrestling, but none have had quite the success and genuinely good reception as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. At the height of his pro-wrestling career, The Rock, along with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin helped define a new high-water mark for the industry, with both men using their natural charisma and athleticism (I'm not saying they are great technical wrestlers) to propel themselves to stardom and entertain audiences and television viewers in numbers that to this day are a pipe dream of replicating. There are some fans out there though, who felt "betrayed" by Dwayne Johnson hanging up his boots and have longed for his return. In 2011, their dreams were realized, with the return of The Rock to the WWE as the guest host for Wrestlemania XXVII; little did they know though, that The Rock's return would set-up a feud with th...Read the entire review

]]> DVD Video http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=56348 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:54:16 PST Rent It

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"The Giant Mechanical Man" is a movie that I groan to think of; written and directed by Lee Kirk and starring Jenna Fischer (Kirk's wife) and Chris Messina, "The Giant Mechanical Man" is one of those trite films that is best described as "inoffensive" merely for the fact that while it has nothing of real value to say to the audience apart from broad platitudes and broad clich s, in all other categories it's a well-made film that is reasonably well acted. The film follows Janice (Fischer) a generally un-ambitious, single woman floating from temp job to temp job; through classic, quirky exposition, she meets Tim (Messina), a street performer who has just broken up with his snobbish girlfriend. Naturally, this means romance between the two will follow, occurring as the two meet again (Janice doesn't know Tim is the titular character that Tim portrays) as newly hired employees at...Read the entire review

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