Tag Archives: DVD reviews

DVD reviews: ‘JCVD’ worth a (Van) Damme, ‘Hotel for Dogs’ not a bow-wow,

Van Damme acts! Jean-Claude Van Damme wrote me a letter once, in response to a less-than-stellar review of his action film. I forget which, but, like the rest of his work, it was rated FDR (fight, duck, run), a genre … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “W.,” “Nights in Rodanthe,” “My Name Is Bruce”

Stone cold The year Bush beat Gore, so to speak, many of us were saying that we’d vote for Gore but we’d prefer to hang with G.W. at a dinner party. So here’s the Oliver Stone biopic “W.,” out now … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” “Pride and Glory,” “RocknRolla,” “Lakeview Terrace,” “The Beiderbecke Affair”

Menage a trois Woody Allen plays with a ménage a trois in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” the filmmaker’s most enjoyable romance movie in years. A big reason is his knack for casting the perfect women. Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall play … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: ‘The Express’ scores, ‘Max Payne’ plotzes, ‘City of Ember’ sails, `Saw V’ sickens

Touchdown! Just in time for the Super Bowl, “The Express” charges onto the field, inspiration under its arm, to remind us about Ernie Davis, the Syracuse University running back who became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. Influenced … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “Appaloosa,” “Mirrors,” “Swing Vote”

Needs some giddyup There must have been a lot of moseying in the Old West. According to “Appaloosa,” a Western based on a Robert B. Parker novel, cowboys sat around gathering dust, occasionally spouting short sentences and, less frequently, firing … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “Mamma Mia!,” “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,” “House Bunny,” “Traitor,” box sets, Blu-ray releases

Oh, Mamma! It’s so tempting to call “Mamma Mia! The Movie” a chick flick, especially after the opening 20 minutes or so of women hugging and giggling. But the catchy ABBA songs have universal appeal (“Dancing Queen” and “Take a … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “The Dark Knight,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who,” “Man on Wire,” “Peter & The Wolf,” box sets

And in the dark of night As if the “The Dark Knight” needs any more cash in its coffers; reportedly, it’s already taken in more than half-a-billion dollars worldwide. And now it’s in stores, just in time for the holidays. … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “Hancock,” “Meet Dave,” “Fred Claus”

Up, up and away Had high hopes for “Hancock,” the Will Smith popcorn movie about a curmudgeonly superhero with a drinking problem. So much for expectations. “Hancock: The Two-Disc Unrated Special Edition” gives you a choice of watching the theatrical … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “WALL-E,” “Tropic Thunder,” “Mister Lonely,” “Charmed”

Futzing with friction Who knew robots had so much personality? Granted, R2-D2 and C-3PO had their moments, but nothing like the prolonged pleasure and enchantment of the little trash compactor in “WALL-E.” One of the year’s best pictures, even if … Continue reading

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DVD reviews: “Hellboy II,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Sukiyaki Western Django,” “Firefly: The Series”

“Hellboy” smokes Packed with action, personality and fantastical images, “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” pops off the small screen like a carnival at twilight. Ron Perlman exudes character as the ornery title character, red-skinned demon spawn smoking stogies, getting drunk … Continue reading

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