Author: Jason Zingale (Page 45 of 154)

Blu Tuesday: Greedy Studio, Hidden Agenda

July 14, 2009 /

In lieu of my weekly Blu-ray column, I wanted to take the opportunity to take a closer look at one of this week’s higher profile releases. Fans of Ang Lee’s martial arts epic, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” have been waiting for an HD version of the film for quite some time now, but no one could have imagined it would happen like this. Instead of being given the update it deserves – complete with new bonus material and a silly subtitle like The Green Dynasty Edition – the film limps onto Blu-ray as part of a three-pack with two other movies it has nothing in common with other than falling under the wuxia subgenre. That’s not a slight against the included Zhang Yimou films (both “House of Flying Daggers” and “The Curse of the Golden Flower” are quite good in their own right), but rather the studio for thinking they could get away with such a heartless scam.

While most fans of “Crouching Tiger” will likely enjoy the other two movies (no doubt Sony’s big selling point), what the studio has failed to consider is that those same people probably bought them on Blu-ray the first time around. An unfortunate oversight or a crafty scheme to force consumers to pay for an added value they don’t want? I’m going to lean towards the latter, especially when the “Crouching Tiger” disc has been treated so poorly. True, the movie looks absolutely stunning in high definition, but there isn’t a single new thing about the release other than the upgraded video and audio. The same three special features have been imported from the DVD, while the addition of access to BD-Live means very little in terms of ever seeing new extras. If you don’t own any of the films, you could certainly spend your money on worse things, but just know that by doing so, you’re only encouraging Sony to do more of the same in the future.

Action Movies, External Movie DVDs, Movie Dramas, Movie DVDs, Movies

Entourage 6.1 – Drive

July 12, 2009 /

Fans of “Entourage” know that season premieres have never been one of the show’s strong suits (they tend to act more like a prologue than an actual part of the story), but while tonight’s episode wasn’t particularly memorable, it did set up quite a few interesting arcs for the coming season. The most obvious of the bunch is Vince’s return to the big time after the colossal failure of “Medellin” nearly ruined him for good. Granted, working with Scorsese will usually do that for you, but it’s just nice to see Vince back in his old digs worrying about things like getting his driver’s license instead of how he’s going to climb his way out of debt.

It’s a shame we didn’t actually get to see any of the footage from the film (maybe next time), but he did talk with Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” about his new gig: a biopic about Enzo Ferrari, hence the reason why he needs to learn how to drive. The actual exam didn’t go over quite as well as Vince’s confidence would have implied (he practically ran over the entire course of traffic cones), but he was still able to earn a passing grade after bribing the instructor with premiere tickets for his new film. Not exactly a sign that Vince has matured, but with everyone else in his life doing just as good as he is, it’s probably about time he starts.

After all, with Drama constantly working and Turtle always hanging out with Jamie-Lynn, the one person Vince has always been able to rely on is Eric. That’s all about to change, however, now that Eric has agreed to sublet a house from one of Sloan’s friends. Why he’d want to live in that house for only a year is beyond me, but Eric clearly understands that if he ever hopes to get a second chance with Sloan, he’s going to have to be a little more independent. Vince doesn’t seem to have a problem with it at the time, but now that he sees just how lonely life could be without anyone there to keep him company, it might just force him to reassess his bachelor lifestyle.

Meanwhile, with Vince back in the industry’s good graces, Ari is having the time of his life alongside his new partner-in-crime, Andrew, who’s settled into the agency quite well with a string of new clients. (Of course, if the writers knew that “My Name Is Earl” would be cancelled mere months after the episode was filmed, they probably would have chosen a different client for him to sign.) Okay, so maybe business isn’t exactly booming, but that doesn’t stop Lloyd from demanding his long-awaited promotion. Ari finally gives in to Lloyd’s constant bickering and offers him a deal: do whatever he says for 100 days and he’ll make him an agent. I’m really hoping Ari doesn’t follow through, though, because while Lloyd certainly deserves the promotion, the show would be better off maintaining that dynamic. It’s worked this long, so why mess with a good thing?

Entourage, External TV, TV, TV Comedies

G.I. Joe: Season 1.1

July 11, 2009 /

“He’ll fight for freedom wherever there is trouble, G.I. Joe is there!” And now, thanks to the fine folks at Shout! Factory (no doubt inspired by the upcoming film), the classic 1980s animated series has been re-released on DVD. For those who might not remember, G.I. Joe is a team of highly-trained soldiers assigned to defend the world against a terrorist organization known as Cobra. The good guys were comprised of Duke, Flint, Scarlett and Snake Eyes (as well as a host of other interchangeable Joes), while the baddies included Cobra Commander, Destro, The Baroness and Zartan. The characters themselves are probably more memorable than the actual show (you can thank Hasbro’s long line of action figures for that), but even though most of the episodes don’t stand out, they’re still entertaining – especially when compared to the junk on TV nowadays.

It’s not very often that a childhood favorite retains the appeal it did when you were younger, but “G.I. Joe” fairs much better because, with the exception of characters with stupid codenames like Snow Job, Barbeque and Beach Head, the series was essentially one big action movie that just happened to be animated. In fact, it even debuted with three annual miniseries (“The M.A.S.S. Device,” “The Revenge of Cobra” and “The Pyramid of Darkness,” all collected here) before going into syndication as a weekly cartoon. The first seven episodes of Season One have also been included in the four-disc set, while an interview with writer Rob Friedman and a handful of “Knowing is Half the Battle” PSAs highlight the modest collection of bonus features. Diehard fans will still be better off waiting for the Complete Collector’s Set due out later this month, but for those that would rather test the waters and see if “G.I. Joe” is just as great as they remember it, Season 1.1 is the perfect way to help jolt your memory.

Click to buy “G.I. Joe: Season 1.1”

TV, TV Cartoons, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

Reno 911!: The Complete Sixth Season

July 8, 2009 /

There was a time when “Reno 911!” was so uproariously funny that it’s hard to believe the show never became more popular. Nowadays, it’s just amazing Comedy Central hasn’t pulled the plug. Ever since the release of their feature film, the Reno Sheriff’s Department has been a magnet for low-rent gags and overused cameos. Desperately in need of a creative shake-up, the show killed off three of its deputies and introduced two new ones in their place. Improv veterans Ian Roberts and Joe Lo Truglio quickly proved that they weren’t the answer to the show’s problems, however, no matter how willing they are about making complete asses of themselves. They just don’t bring anything to the table that Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Mary Birdsong already contributed themselves, and in some instances, their involvement is even less effective. The show tries to make up for it with guest appearances by Jonah Hill, Rainn Wilson and George Lopez, but it’s like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. There’s still the odd flash of brilliance sprinkled throughout the season – like the well-made parody of the Montgomery Flea Market commercial – but unless you’re willing to sit through 20 minutes of groan-worthy jokes for the chance at laughing once, you’d be better off just watching something else.

Click to buy “Reno 911!: The Complete Sixth Season”

TV, TV Comedies, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

Baccano!: Volume Four

July 3, 2009 /

Much like the ending of the story-within-the-story, the fourth volume of “Baccano!” will probably be viewed as a letdown by some, but although it’s not quite as action-packed as the volumes that preceded it, the final batch of episodes does an excellent job of tying up all the loose ends – past, present and future. In the past, we see the demise of Szilard at the hands of Firo, who’s instructed by Ennis of the necessary steps to “eating” a soul, and in the future (2001, to be precise), we discover along with Isaac and Miria that they’ve been immortals all along. Most of the action takes place in the present, however, with the surviving members of the Flying Pussyfoot incident trying to move on with their lives. But when Chane is kidnapped by Graham Specter (a new character introduced via flashback as Ladd’s protégé), Jacuzzi sets off to rescue her, only to be interrupted by Claire, who’s hoping to convince Chane to marry him. The conclusion is about as satisfying as one could hope for from such a multi-layered series, but it still feels like something is missing. Whether or not that affects the overall experience will depend on the person, but if you liked the first three volumes, there’s no reason you won’t enjoy this quiet sendoff.

Click to buy “Baccano!: Volume Four”

TV, TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

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