Category: TV DVDs (Page 30 of 54)

Jeffrey Ross: No Offense: Live from New Jersey

October 20, 2008 /

Comedy Central’s roastmaster extraordinaire headlines his first show in his home state of New Jersey, and on “No Offense,” the audience provides almost as many laughs as the comic they’re paying to see. Ross is easily at his best when dissecting the audience, and the audience gives him plenty of ammo with their choice of dress alone. (Word of advice: don’t wear flip flops to a Ross show.) The rehearsed material is cute but predictable; the roast-like bits, naturally, are much better, but the show’s highlight is when Ross invites two members of the audience to accompany him on piano while he reads “poetry.” Each of them lets loose with a zinger that produces as big a laugh as anything in Ross’ act. Being an insult comic is a slippery slope – ask Lisa Lampanelli, whose last album veered dangerously close to Andrew Dice Clay-ish desperation – and while Ross hasn’t quite figured out the right balance of stand-up and put-down, he’s close.

Click to buy “Jeffrey Ross: No Offense: Live from New Jersey”

Humor, Stand-Up Comics, TV Comedies, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

Click & Clack’s As the Wrench Turns

October 14, 2008 /

If you’re someone who’s prone to have his car radio turned to NPR as often as not, then the Tappet Brothers are likely well known to you. Tom and Ray Magliozzi started their radio show, “Car Talk,” way back in 1977, but they’ve been a part of the National Public Radio family since ’87, making their voices and their often-awful jokes instantly recognizable to NPR listeners. After 20 years on the air, someone at PBS apparently decided that they were ready to make the transition to TV…in animated form, at least. “As the Wrench Turns” takes the guys’ radio show and makes it the center of the series, first giving them a producer named Beth Totenbag, then introducing us to the guys who work at the brothers’ garage: Fidel, Crusty, and Sal. (Actually, Sal’s a woman, but you get the impression that she could take on anyone else on the show and come out victorious.) While it might’ve been fun to see Click and Clack taking on car problems in cartoon form, with the solutions animated on the screen for educational purposes, what we get instead is light political commentary and mainstream sitcom shenanigans. There are moments when you imagine what creators Howard Grossman and Doug Berman were going for, but mostly you’re reminded that the Tappet Brothers are at their best when they’re solved car problems…and while they’re nice guys, their humor has always been more groan-worthy than legitimately funny. Unfortunately, that feeling translates to much of their animated series.

Click to buy “Click & Click’s As The Wrench Turns”

External Entertainment, External TV, Reviews, TV, TV Comedies, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

Blue Dragon: Volume One

October 11, 2008 /

If there was ever a video game that could be so effortlessly adapted into an animated series, it’s the Japanese RPG “Blue Dragon.” Not only were the characters designed by “Dragon Ball Z” creator Akira Toriyama, but the setup feels a lot like two other popular shows (“Pokémon” and “Yu-Gi-Oh!”) that constantly thrust its characters into battles that aren’t actually fought by them, but rather their magical counterparts. In the case of “Blue Dragon,” these brawlers are known as Shadows – powerful beings that only a select group of people possess. When ten-year-old Shu discovers that he contains such an ability and unleashes it for the first time, he’s unable to control the Blue Dragon Shadow from nearly destroying his own village. With the help of Zola and her apprentice Jiro, Shu begins his training to learn how to control the power hidden within. When the group is attacked by the evil Nene’s right-hand man Logi, however, Shu’s training is thrust into overdrive as he must learn to use his power in order to save his friends. Though the series is a bit too childish for the average anime fan, “Blue Dragon” is a great distraction for the Saturday morning cartoon set. It features crisp animation, some colorful characters, and the same limitless possibilities that made “Pokémon” an international sensation. And they said video games were bad for you.

Click to buy “Blue Dragon: Volume One”

External TV, TV, TV Anime, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs

Picard to engage…the TARDIS?

October 11, 2008 /

Earlier this week, U.K. tabloid The Sun reported a delicious “Doctor Who” rumor that will hopefully turn out to be more than scuttlebutt: Patrick Stewart taking on a guest-starring role in the series alongside his “Hamlet” co-star David Tennant. The scoop claims he will be playing the Meddling Monk, a fellow Time Lord who appeared only once in the classic series. The Sun is often correct with their “Who” rumors, but once again their report contains some dubious statements, such as the claim about the next series (season) screening next year, when it’s a well-known fact that Season Five won’t be unveiled until 2010, under the guidance of Steven Moffat. There will be four specials unveiled throughout 2009, but nothing’s been said publicly about any of them comprising a two-parter or that the Daleks will return. In any case, many a sci-fi nut will no doubt have their fingers crossed in hopes of this turning out to be true, as it would somewhat fulfill a major geek fantasy of seeing the two greatest TV sci-fi franchises crossing over (in a sense).

In the meantime, why not take a gander at ”The Time Meddler,” which was recently released on DVD? It features the one and only appearance of the Meddling Monk (played by Peter Butterworth), who isn’t quite as evil as the Master – he’s more of an intergalactic shit disturber. The story takes place in 1066, and sees the Doctor (William Hartnell) meeting another Time Lord for the first time in the series (although their race isn’t explicitly named – that didn’t happen until Patrick Troughton’s final story). The Monk is involved in an elaborate scheme which will ultimately change the outcome of the Battle of Hastings. Make no mistake, this is “Who” from 1965, which is a far cry from rapid fire adventures of Tennant, but this still makes for a weird little slice of TV history. (And if you’re really the sort of person who needs a star rating to consider something, then let’s call this one a three-star affair, shall we?)

Actors, Gossip, News, Reviews, TV, TV Action, TV DVDs, TV Sci-Fi

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Collection

October 11, 2008 /

After giving “Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather” a positive review earlier this year, I was eager to check out the latest release of video fodder from his Discworld universe. “Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Collection” encompasses two different tales from his oddball universe of magic and mysticism, only this time in animated form. “Wyrd Sisters” is the story of the orphan boy of a murdered king, and how the child comes to be in the care of a trio of witches (two of which are voiced by Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield of “Absolutely Fabulous”), all while the king’s ghost wanders around his castle, irate and perplexed by his offing. “Soul Music” tells the story of Buddy, who puts together a band to play a new type of sound – “music with rocks in.” (Get it – rock music?) As is often the case with Discworld, Death plays a pivotal role in both tales, voiced here by Christopher Lee. No doubt hardcore fans of Pratchett will be amused and delighted by these very faithful adaptations (the running times are 140 and 175 minutes respectively), but they may be the only ones. The animation is unfortunately something of a challenge to get through. Think of drawings a few steps below some of Ralph Bakshi’s older work and you can sort of guess what the style looks like – pretty but not fluid; colorful but lacking grace. However what these stories may lack in the visual department, they more than make up for in the realms of wit and imagination.

Click to buy “Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Collection “

TV, TV DVD Quicktakes, TV DVDs, TV Sci-Fi

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