Hombre is a great Western drama with a fantastic performance by Paul Newman to go along with a beautiful cinematography by James Wong Howe and direction by Martin Ritt (The Spy Who Came in Out of the Cold). The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers limited features but the video and audio transfers are both great.
It’s easy to see why Blindsided had a hard time seeing a home video release after some distribution overseas. Michael Keaton is easily the best part of the entire film making it from a utter turkey to something watchable if only one time, though I can’t say it’s worth even a rental.
I didn’t find Stay as You Are (Cosi’ Come Sei) to be anything extraordinary, though it is controversial, but Nastassja Kinski is fantastic and at least the story itself had some compelling elements. Unfortunately the Blu-ray release fails in almost every category with piss poor video/audio and only a trailer. Even if you are a big fan of this film or of Italian cinema, this is not worth the price.
This release of “Walker: Texas Ranger” is utterly ridiculous. The episode itself might be OK – though I haven’t watched enough to compare with others – but the fact you can buy the third season set, where this episode is available, for basically the same price on Wal-Mart.com, makes this a rip-off and with that I cannot recommend it.
“The Nanny” might not make the list as one of the better sitcoms of the 1990s, dwarfed by the likes of “Frasier”, “Friends”, “Seinfeld” and even “Roseanne” but it’s still a well written and often funny series with the right touch of heart and soul along with a charming ensemble that made each episode so much fun.
Love Sick might’ve made for a fine episode of some slapstick comedy, produced by Chuck Lorre no doubt, or a made-for-TV movie to air on Lifetime or the Hallmark Channel, but as it is, there’s nothing really special going on. LeBlanc and Larter share some charming scenes but put together, the comedy just doesn’t work.
Nightlight is yet the latest found footage horror film that takes more than a few cues from The Blair Witch Project though I guess moderate points for taking from a shaky camera to a flashlight instead. The acting isn’t the best but considering the material and environment, can’t judge them too harshly. Perhaps as a rental this might be fine especially combined for that person who enjoys the sub-genre…
Flawless isn’t fantastic with an overwrought crime plotline but makes up for it with two fine performances by Robert De Niro and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman who play well off against one another. Still, it’s not an entirely memorable drama and rightfully fell to the wayside compared to each of the actor’s filmography.
The Drownsman actually isn’t a bad movie but it’s also pretty ordinary for the genre and certainly borrows from Nightmare on Elm Street without the memorable villain instead we get something akin to the Swamp Thing. Aside from that, though, the acting isn’t half bad but the idea of water being scary doesn’t quite work and it seems to take itself too seriously to be considered satire either.
Mississippi Burning is a very well made movie with top notch performances by Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe to go along with a story that, in some instances, resonates with the news of the day. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time has good audio/video transfers but is on the disappointing side features-wise.
American Buffalo is what you think a stage play adaptation would be with singular locations, though a more open world in the beginning, and all the Mamet-isms you expect from his dialogue. The acting though is good from both Dustin Hoffman and Denis Franz so even though it is a slow film, it might be worth checking out especially if you can’t see the real thing.
Roommate Wanted isn’t a good movie but it is made tolerable by Alexa Vega and Spencer Grammar. However, the DVD cover artwork makes it out to be a horror thriller but instead we get a dark comedy which doesn’t always work but in the end, makes for a time waster, nothing more.
My Dad’s a Soccer Mom is not within my demographic (I have no kids) and family films really don’t appeal to me as the jokes are obvious and often not that funny. That said, some younger viewers will enjoy it and even their parents might be able to sit through it especially considering the vastly short 82-minute running time.
Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of supernatural horror or demonic possession flicks with some obvious exceptions (The Exorcist for one) but for some of its flaws, mainly dating itself to the time period with the music and style, Stigmata is a decent enough flick and tolerable thanks to Patricia Arquette and Gabriel Byrne (who two months later would go on to play Satan in End of Days).
The Barber isn’t an altogether terrible movie but it doesn’t exactly break new ground in the genre and greatly benefits from the performance from veteran actor Scott Glenn. The Blu-ray released by Arc Entertainment offers good video/audio transfers and only some deleted scenes and a trailer.