Only someone as side-splitting funny as Ricky Gervais could successfully take a podcast – a purely audible phenomenon – and take it seamlessly to TV. The HBO show takes the comic’s wildly successful podcasts – which set records for the amount of downloads it racked up in 2007 – and brings them to life via Hanna Barbera-style cartoons. The show revolves around Gervais, his longtime collaborator Stephen Merchant (who helped…
Hard to believe, but 1971 was not a good year for Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and David Bowie, three of the most influential rockers to come out of that decade. The doc Sacred Triangle does a decent job of telling the story of how the trio of rockers nearly fizzled out at the beginning of the decade and how all managed to collaborate in various forms leading to great (and…
Few know this, but I try to work out every day. I was lucky enough to catch an episode of Circus during its original airing on PBS, and was hooked. This 3-DVD set captures the entirety of the series, with a MSRP ($35) that allows viewers to cheaply get their 6 hour fix. While the allure of going to a circus has declined for many with the advent of life-like…
There once was a time where linking oneself to the Daily Show meant that you had serious comedy chops. As the different elements to the show have grown up and have otherwise moved on, it seems that this claim has gradually lost its power. However, a Daily Show-laden cast for Cooper’s Christmas seems to make this the best period comedy since Hot Tub Time Machine. TDS members Samantha Bee and…
Despite having countless movies, music releases, and the like to their credit, Disney has a gravy train still on their hands with the Hannah Montana franchise. Who Is Hannah Montana collects a set of episodes that bridges the span between the original series (Hannah Montana) and the final season, which is slated to come out this next year. The show, rather than merely rehashing many of the trends and storylines…
Traditional knowledge would have it that a film with French Stewart (Third Rock From The Sun) and Pauly Shore (Jury Duty, Biodome) wouldn’t be a theatrical classic. However, Opposite Day ties together these two comedic actors, adds some kids and a cast of up and coming actors, and makes something that stands up to repeated viewings. The film has a number of hooks that it puts in children and adults…
Knight & Day has been one of the hardest films that I have ever had to review. It is not anything about the quality, but rather deals with the difficulty that all associated with the film had in getting the film to theaters in the first place. There were a number of cast shakeups and conflicting information about what the film itself was going to do – this home video…
To commemorate what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday there was a slew of re-releases (including updated versions of his solo records) and box sets last month. Among the barrage of remembrances to honor the former Beatles is the little-talked about documentary LennoNYC. The doc, just released on DVD, is a fascinating look at Lennon’s post Beatle life when he left behind his native England for New York in…
I love the fact that there are a number of North American companies that are falling over themselves to release all sorts of Asian films. Where the quality does tend to vary depending on the company that is releasing them, Well Go is one of the few that continually releases strong stuff. Case in point is Assault Girls, a 2009 film released by Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell, The…
It has been a number of years since there has been a good trail-based movie. It seemed almost as if the art form died out after the nineties, but The Trial looks to restore faith in the previously-fallen style. The Trial is based on a book by Robert Whitlow, a lawyer that is able to provide some realism to this flick that is sorely missing in many similar films.
I feel that, after years of ignoring GLBT-positive imagery in films, that there has been an influx of American and British-based films in the last few years. One specific sub-segment of GLBT cinema has been ignored, though – those films with a more international focus. Water Bearer Films has ensured that there is a United States-based venue for these types of films, and that the films do not require an…
Michael Madsen is one of cinema’s most slept-on actors. At least, that’s how ey typically looks when viewers first see eir in a film. Seriously though, Being Michael Madsen is a mocumentary that brings viewers into the hectic, crazy world that is Michael Madsen’s life. Expressing Madsen as the hottest movie star this side of The Rock, Being Michael Madsen showcases the creation and execution of a trap against a…
There are few in the way of titles that seem to pull for a slightly older-skewing audience that have broad relevance in cinema. While I totally understand that these titles have a built-in audience, I feel that this allows the filmmakers to get a little lazy. To be honest, I was expecting more of the same when I popped Mrs. Washington Goes To Smith into my DVD player. However, I…
It really is a bit of cinematic skill to make a tragedy such as the Altamont Free Concert (1969) funny, but that is precisely what happens with Altamont Now. Throughout the film’s runtime, a story is filled in that is while humorous, also points a sharp dirk at the throat of any overly preachy or otherwise heavy type of historical concert film. Altamont Now features the trials and tribulations of…
You Don’t Know Jack is an in-depth (and theatric) look into Jack Kevorkian’s life. Much like HBO’s previous epic, 2003’s Angels in America, each bit and piece of eir life is filled by an actor of tremendous talent. Key of these would have to be Al Pacino, who dons the killer’s cap and steals the show as a result. However, far from being a one-actor film, You Don’t Know Jack…
No matter how many different documentaries get green-lit to deal with a subject, there is always room for a title that looks to increase the dialogue that is present. That is precisely what Rock Prophecies does, but it ensures that fans of all generations will be able to understand and appreciate what is going on. That is due to the fact that the narrative does not assume any level of…
Lie to Me had a tremendous premise to it that ensured that they pulled great numbers for their first season, but I honestly feel as if the show’s second season was stronger than their initial one. The cast gelled together better, while the caliber of guest stars was better than in the first series of episodes. This season begins with “The Core of It”, which plumbs the depths of a…
This is a 6-disc, value priced collection comprising a number of previous releases. At a cost of less than $4 a DVD (at current market prices), it makes sense to pick up this collection even if you have a few of them already. For those that wish to know, the Best Tales on the Tracks collection takes the “Best of” line (Best of Percy, James, Thomas, and Gordon) and places…
Those still mourning the death of the true indie film need only look to Edward Burns’ latest effort to realize the indie spirit is still alive and kicking.
Delerium is an eclectic band, to say the least. More than just an alternative type of act, they incorporate ethereal, electronic, and even world music into something that is wholly unique. Nearing their twenty-fifth year as an act (being founded in 1987), this Front Line Assembly-side project is so much more. “Epiphany” showcases a side of the act that few have seen; far from studio recordings like “Morpheus” or Semantic…