Wow! This looks terrific! Do I sound surprised? Well, I guess I am. Like Jason Gedrick in "Backdraft", I've been burnt rather severely by some of the recent Blu-Ray releases (I'm still reeling over how crumby "Ghostbusters" looks. And "Major League" needs a good vacuum to clear up all the shit from its surface) so I've learnt to lower my expectations when it comes to the medium. But Adam Sandler's best flick - an adorable romantic-comedy, set in the 80s, that plonks a disconsolate wedding singer and a cuter-than-cute waitress (Drew Barrymore) together - looks as good as it plays here. And the music - all those great tracks from the Reagan-era - sound terrific. Smiles all round. Brief extras on the disc include a look at the Broadway show.
Point of No Return (Blu-Ray)
I don't know what it is about this cheesy, overly semimetal American remake of ‘'Le Femme Nikita'' that has me so entranced. But it's had me under it's spell since that initial viewing in the theatres in the early 90s. "Return" (originally known as "The Assassin" in Australia) is like crack - I know it isn't that good, but I can't get enough of it. And yes, it leaves me on just as big a high. Is it Bridget Fonda's hot hit-woman? The beautiful music score (that end track - what with the heavy piano and all - is magnificent)? Harvey Keitel's scenery-chewing cameo as ‘The Cleaner'? Or John ‘Saturday Night Fever' Badham's glossy direction (I do have a hard-on for Badham, I'll admit)? Probably a combo of all those things. Whatever-the-case, I love this movie. Transfer is pretty lousy, and there's less extras here than paid goods in Winona Ryder's shopping bag, but worth picking up if you're a fan.
Above the Law (Blu-Ray)
Aka ‘The skinny Steven Seagal movie'. In 1988, newly-crowned action star Seagal (a mysterious ponytailed martial-artist who, according to the always-up publicity machine, was ‘the real deal' - he use to get about in a Ninja outfit, scale high-rises, and steal execs's NKOTB records for the CIA.. or something) burst onto the scene with "Above the Law", an entertaining bit of fluff about a War vet who takes on gangsters. It'd be a few years before Seagal would be able to put bums on seats (with 1992's "Under Siege") but it was clear here that - and I know some will argue - the man did have something, be it charisma, some impressive fighting skills, or some sort of acting ability. Or maybe that's just what filmmaker Andrew Davis does best - makes actors look good (Hey, Arnie!?). Transfer is - as to be expected - average at best.
The Unborn (DVD)
As a director, screenwriter David Goyer is a bit like a funky fashion-conscious model - she know how she likes her hair, but really needs to someone to apply the tips and tease it. In Goyer's case, he needs someone to direct what he writes - he shouldn't try doing it all himself. He knows what he wants - and he needs to tell someone capable of applying that to celluloid to make it so. "The Unborn" is a really sloppy horror movie. The story of a hot-assed youngin' (Odette Yustman - spankable!) being haunted by her dead twin , it's suffers because of its directors powerlessness to be patient, his inability to let events unfold organically, and his idiotic fortitude to film his creative screenplay as it reads to an accountant. The DVD features an ‘Unrated' cut of the movie - apparently there's a few extra minutes in there... not that I'd know what's new and what's not, I nodded off about twenty times throughout both viewings.
The Cell 2 (DVD)
As someone who works for a company that's main output are direct-to-DVD sequels, I'm the first to defend the cheap loungeroom premiere follow-up... so long as they're good. Which this is not. But then, the first film - an excessively violent Jennifer Lopez pic that truly befuddled - was a pile of shit anyway. Should never have expected this to actually be tolerable. Right? Avoid it like Swine Flu.
Space Buddies (DVD)
Sometimes the only humane thing to do is to put something down - especially when they're suffering (or we are). The never-ending "Air Bud" series continues with another cheap, laugh less so-sweet-you'll-need-insulin installment. In this latest installment - though the title probably says enough - our kibble-eating friends are lucky enough to get a space-shuttle ride to the moon! Really good to see Deidrich Bader (Oswald from TVs The Drew Carey Show) has gone on to bigger and better things. I'm all for kids movies - especially with a 2-year-old myself at home - but c'mon, give the littlies something with a bit more, er, bark!
