Crimespree Cinema

DVD Review: THE SHIELD: season six

2008-10-10T19:18:00.002-05:00

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release date: August 26th, 2008
MSRP: $59.95

Stars: Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins, Jay Karnes, Michael Jace,

Following on directly from the earth shattering events of the previous season, season six gives us a world in turmoil. The department has refused a full funeral for Lem and Claudette has been ordered to hold all officers in overtime so they cannot attend, Vic is determined to find Lem's killer and bring him to justice, Shane is attempting to hide the truth about his actions, Kavanaugh is driven to bring Vic down, a mass murder in Farmington has Dutch and his new partner Billings distracted from investigating Lem's death and new blood is recruited into the strike team.

The season is as intense as it's ever been; Vic is battling against grief, anger, Kavanaugh, forced retirement and Shane. He's determined to find and kill whomever caused Lem's death, but he's not yet aware that Shane is the guilty party. Kavanaugh's fall from grace becomes complete this season when he plants evidence in an attempt to bring Vic down for good.

Meanwhile Julien is promoted to the Strike team along with Detective Kevin Hiatt who is drafted in to become the new Strike Team Captain. This brings additional pressure to the Strike Team as it becomes harder for Vic, Shane and Ronnie to communicate. Shane in particular spirals out of control with grief; his actions become more and more wild as the season progresses and you're left wondering when he's going to crack. Needless to say, by the end of the season he's placed everyone in such a dangerous situation.

It's rather interesting the way Shane and Vic progress in this season, Vic starts out completely unhinged - willing to throw his life away if it means he'll bring justice to Lem's killer - but as the season progresses he regains control of his emotions and by the end he's relatively composed (considering the situation) able to maneuver a long time enemy Acevada into an alliance. While Shane loses control more and more as the season progresses until he's painted himself into a corner with the worst possible bedfellows - the Armenians.

This season is shorter than most of the previous seasons because it was initially intended to be shown as the second part of season five. This does mean that the season feels a little lighter than expected and it runs by with incredible pace, at the end of the final episode you're left feeling a little 'is that it?' Which is a shame, but when you realise that this is really the second half of a season it's understandable.

Extras:
There are not a lot of extras in this season boxed set. There are a total of four featurettes and that's it. Which is a bit of a 180 compared to previous seasons and most annoyingly there's no commentary here; which is a real shame because I do enjoy watching stuff with commentary on at least once. There's not much else to talk about, the featurettes are good - but it's not enough.

While not as stunning as the previous two seasons, season six still delivers it's punches well and stands like a giant above most other television. It's proven time and time again that it can twist the plot in directions you wouldn't expect and it's been consistently able to raise the stakes every season. Which is no mean feat when you consider the set up of the first few seasons.

It's not the best season, but it does include some of the best moments and it's every bit as essential to watch as the rest are.

Rev
Read more of Rev's writings at Rev-View.
For more reviews from Rev, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

The Shield - 706 - Animal Control

2008-10-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

"The Shield has almost felt like it's been killing time since Vic figured out that Shane was behind Lem's death and he confronted him in "Chasing Ghosts". This is actually the tenth episode since that revelation and for a while I was wondering when things would get back to the crunch. Fortunately The Shield hasn't been completely idle during this time but if it was left much longer there would be almost no time left.

Rest assured, Animal Control brings things crashing back down with a dose of that special "shield tension" as Vic and Ronnie decide to take action against Shane, spelling the start of the end game for the show. They arrange for a dummy box sale to occur with Razien and Shane, doctor the firing pin on Shane's Beretta and then hire some Mexicans to perform the hit. Shane in the meantime is meeting up with a face from the past, my favourite living (ex)member of the strike team, Tavon!

Tavon needs Shane's help to bring in a felon who murdered his wife and sons. The last surviving member of his family - his daughter - has been contacted by the man and this gives Tavon a chance to bring him into justice. But the girl won't do it without Shane being present. After successfully bringing the man to justice Tavon corners Shane outside and tells him that he knows what really happened that night when Mara hit him with an iron and he crashed his car. He knows that Shane lied while the others covered it up for him as he now remembers everything and he wants Shane to know that. To know that Tavon sees him for what he really is. I'm hoping that Tavon makes at least on more appearance before this is all over.

In a parallel to this story a man is found confused and naked by Tina, he's covered with someone else's blood and unsure if he's hurt someone while in a state of somnambulism (sleep walking). Dutch once again sees the colour serial killer red and chases after the flag with Claudette in support. They find a woman who matches the blood type and vague description given by the man dead in an alley and Claudette pushes him hard. Convincing him that he's acting out these homicidal urges in his sleep, she breaks him, but then a young blonde woman arrives with a story. She encountered a naked man after falling over and splitting her head on a fire hydrant, he attempted to help her up but she drove him away. Claudette and Dutch realise they've been chasing an innocent man, but when Claudette returns to the cell he's laying on the floor, the guilt too much he took the edge of his soda can to his neck. Both of these two stories deal with an innocent man being lead to believe he was guilty.

At the climax of the episode the hit on Razien, his lieutenants and Shane goes down. But the mexicans are a little late in arriving and Shane wanders out to take a look. By chance he spots them arriving with guns and hides while Razien and the Armenians are shot down. He attempts to shoot them both while they're looking the other way but his gun doesn't fire. He understands immediately what this means and he reveals that when talking to Mara at the end of the episode.

He knows that Vic and Ronnie tried to get him killed and as he says "You know the worst part is? They think I'm too stupid to even realise it."
Check out the Revtastic review.

DVD/Blu-ray info: The TAP is coming in High Def!

2008-10-10T06:15:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have noticed that we have started to run Blu-ray reviews. Rest assured, we will still be reviewing, and reporting on DVD releases.

But I am thrilled to report that This is Spinal Tap will be released, on Blu-ray, on January 20th!

In 1982 legendary British heavy metal band Spinal Tap attempt an American comeback tour accompanied by a fan who is also a film-maker. The resulting documentary, combined with powerful performances of Spinal Tap's pivotal music and profound lyrics, candidly follows a rock group heading towards crisis, culminating in the infamous affair of the eighteen-inch-high Stonehenge stage prop surrounded by dancing midgets.

Extras will include:
NEW Create Your Own Band Game – Create and customize your very own rock star avatars
Commentary by Spinal Tap
Commentary by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer
Commentary by Director Rob Reiner, Producer Karen Murphy and Editors Robert Leighton
and Kent Beyda
Deleted Scenes
Flower People Press Conference
Spinal Tap appearance on “The Joe Franklin Show”
Music Videos:
Gimme Some Money
(Listed to the) Flower People
Hell Hole
Big Bottom
Theatrical Trailer
Cheese Rolling Trailer
Rock and Rolls Commercials

MSRP: $34.95

BLU-RAY REVIEW: The GODFATHER TRILOGY: THE COPPOLA RESTORATION.

2008-10-09T17:06:00.000-05:00

Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: September 23, 2008
MSRP: $124.99

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, James Cann, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach

The Godfather films are not simply classics, but actual American cinematic icons. With this in mind, I am not going to review the actual films, you either like them or you don’t (Freak!). I suppose there may be two or three of you that have just awoke from a four decade coma and thus have not seen them.

If this is the case, then they are somewhere on your hundred page list of things to see (hopefully near the top).

What I am going to talk about as the contents and quality.

Part one and two are over three decades old. Until recently film preservation was a bit of a joke…no, forget the bit part, it was a joke. As a result, the original negatives had deteriorated severely over the years.

As a result, most of us that did not them in the theaters have had no idea what the films looked like when in their prime.

But the technological advances of the last decade have allowed the classics of old to be restored to their original glory.

A few years ago, Francis Ford Coppola reached out to his good friend Steven Spielberg (who had a business relationship with Paramount) and asked for his help in getting these films restored.

Under the supervison of Robert Harris Each frame was digitally copied and then reconstructed. I doubt I could explain just how big, and time-consuming, an undertaking this was.

Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis were both consulted every step of the way, with each approving the final product.

While obviously degradation would be bad for any film, it had an especially negative impact here because the overall look and feel of these films was something that was painstakingly crafted. The colors and textures were considered as important as the performances and story, helping to invoke a certain mood and provoke specific emotions.

So, having said all that, how do they look?
In a word: Amazing.

(Note: The image to the left is a comparison of the actual print and not indicative of DVD or Blu-ray image)

Before I go any further, let me point something out: These films (the first two) are still thirty plus years old. As I said, no attempts were made to turn them into 21st century pics, these are not ”perfect” but simply as they were intended.

The Blu-ray collection is breathtaking. All three have MPEG-4 AVC 1080p Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 transfer and look damn good. One suggestion: I would watch this in a dark room, the way that Willis shot the film really lends itself, in my opinion, to a theater-like setting.

The sound has also been competely restored and brought up to the 21st century: The films are presented both in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (Which my sad little set-up prevents me from truly embracing) and Dolby Digital Mono. It is also, in French and Spanish, here in Dolby Digital 5.1.

Extras:
Where should I start??

What we have here is a treasure trove of goodies, both old and new. Not only is every extra from the previous box set here, but new tidbits as well!

Included are Coppola commentary tracks, the deleted scenes, bios, storyboards, trailers, the photo galleries and the Family Tree...all of these classic featurettes have been brought on board.

With comes delightful new stuff like The Masterpiece that almost Wasn’t. This runs about 30 minutes and tells the story of the battle not only to get the original made, but also to convince Paramount to use Brando.
When the Shooting Stopped: A look at the post-production, including editing and music.

Godfather World has filmmakers and actors (including HOMER SIMPSON) talking about the films and their impact.

Emulsional Rescue (Horrid title) has Robert Harris (coordinator of the restoration process) talking about the process. Film geeks MUST watch this, as it is fascinating to hear about all of the steps involved.

Godfather on the Red Carpet has some celebs talking about the films. Personally, I thought this was pretty useless, no offence to those whose opinions are given.

There are four little segments (The Godfather vs. The Godfather, Part II, Cannoli, Riffing on the Riffing and Clemenza) that have additional interview footage and offer up some fun anecdotes.

There is also a Crime organization Chart giving us the rap sheets of various members of the Corlone family. Last, and maybe least, is wedding album with some photos from Connie and Clarlo’s wedding.

This is s must own for anyone that is a film buff. I cannot endorse this strongly enough. This package gives us everything we could possibly want and the restoration job should be viewed as a standard to be aspired to for future projects. THIS IS A MUST OWN COLLECTION.

ORDER The Godfather: The Coppola Resortation from Amazon.

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Cronenberg to tackle Ludlum.

2008-10-08T09:10:00.003-05:00

Six months ago, I reported that Denzel Washington had signed on to star in Robert Ludmul's The Matarese Circle.

Now it looks like a director has been found: David Cronenberg.

This is a major shock to me. While his last couple of films have been more mainstream, this seems to be a long ways away from his comfort zone.

So a couple of things come into my mind:
A)Mr. Cronenberg is hearing the call of the fat paycheck that a popcorn thriller can produce.

B) He feels that he can deliver a film that steps away the standard fare and that would be something special.

I had little use for much of his early stuff, but A History of Violence and Eastern Promises are two of my favorite films of the last couple of years and both are simply damn good crime dramas.

U.S. agent Bradly Scofield and Russian agent Vasili Taleniekov have been enimies for years. Each is responsible for the death of one close to the other. When an organization of assassins, known as The Matarese, emerges, the two are forced to work together to stop the group.

Washington will play Bradly Scofield.

Michael Brandt and Derek Haas are hadling the writing duties. The two most recently wrote Wanted and are also responsible for the 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma as well as the stinky 2 Fast 2 Furious.

DVD Review: THE GARMENT JUNGLE

2008-10-07T20:48:00.005-05:00

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 23rd, 2008
MSRP: $19.94

Director: Vincent Sherman (Director of credit, though Robert Aldrich filmed the majority og the film before being fired).
Stars: Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, Gia Scala, Richard Boone, Valerie French

I get the impression that The Garment Jungle might have been aspiring to be the next On The Waterfront, but could not quite get there. While not bad, it simply lacks the power (both in story and in performances) of that classic.

The Garment Jungle, set in the New York garment industry, finds Alan (Kerwin Mathews ) returning to the city to work for his father Walker (Lee J. Cobb) whose company makes dresses.

Walter is trying to keep his workers from unionizing and hires Artie, a local thug, to prevent it from happening, while Alan is sympatric with the workers plight and sides with the union organizer (Robert Loggia) and his wife (Gia Scala).

Obviously this causes conflict between father and son. Before long, Walter realizes that Artie is going too far and must be stopped. When Walter attempts to fire him. Artie makes his move and tries to take over the company.

Sadly, TGJ seems to simplify things, giving us an obvious villain when it could have played up the logical desires of each side in this conflict. Instead of shades of grey, we get black and white.

The conflict between factory workers and the owners was often brutal and complex, but this film takes the easy way out, with the result being a wishy-washy film.

Visually, The Garment Jungle is quite nice, certainly better than one might expect from a minor film of the era.

Extras:
We get a couple of promos for other movies in the Martini movies series, as well as the orignal trailer for The Garment Jungle.

Order The Garment Jungle from Amazon.

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

BLU-RAY Review: NIGHT WATCH, DAY WATCH

2008-10-06T22:39:00.003-05:00

Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 9th, 2008
MSRP:$39.99 each

Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Stars: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Valeri Zolotukhin, Mariya Poroshina, Galina Tyunina

We don’t hear too much about Russian cinema. Sure, the occasional art house theater will present the odd title, but that is rare (at least in the Twin Cities).
So when Night Watch started to get a solid buzz in the U.S., I was curious as to what a big budget Russian fantasy film would look like.
Based the novels of Sergei Lukyanenko, Night Watch, and its follow-up Day Watch, present a thousand year old cold war, between the forces of light (The Night Watch) and darkness (The Day Watch), that is being fought behind the scenes of modern day society.

Set in Moscow, circa 1992, there are folks with supernatural abilities (Shapeshifting, witchcraft and whatnot) that are known as Others. Over the centuries, the Others have chosen sides and maintained an uneasy truce.

Night Watch starts out with Anton discovering his has powers. Anton becomes a member of the Night Watch and ends up being a key member, one that may well lead the forces of order into the final battle against chaos.

In Day Watch, Anton’s son, Yegor, has chosen to become part of the Day Watch. Yegor is powerful and might tilt the balance of power to the forces of darkness.

Looking to prevent disaster, Anton seeks out a powerful talisman called Chalk of Fate. This piece of chalk can erase one mistake of the past. Anton wants to go back and stop himself from learning of his powers. Had he not joined the battle, he might not have lost his son.

I will say that the story, which is pretty standard fantasy fare, is made more interesting by the influences of the Russian culture and history. There is also a level of roughness that one does not usually find in American films. That roughness works and helps give these films a flavor all their own.

Watching them in HD is interesting because the roughness of the films make it difficult to determine just how much is added. I can say that the colours look good and the contrast is strong.

These films are not for everybody, I can see some art house snobs not liking the fantasy origins, and I can also imagine fans of Blade and Underworld might also have issues with the subtitles and foreign cultural sensibilities.

Me, I enjoyed Night Watch quite a bit. Day Watch was weaker, but even this weaker film is still interesting, something that cannot be said of many Hollywood releases. Fans of fantasy looking for something different really should pick up these two

Order Night Watch from Amazon.
Order Day Watch from Amazon.

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

DVD Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Collector's Edition

2008-10-06T12:12:00.006-05:00

Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release date: September 30th, 2008
MSRP: $34.98

Director: Nick Stoller
Stars: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Mila Kunis

Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) is a music composer that handles the music for the television series Crime Scene. He is also dating Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), the lovely star of said show.

Sadly, that part does not last. The show opens with what has to be one of the most uncomfortable break-up scenes in the history of film. Peter gets dumped just after stepping out of the shower. We get to see Peter in all his glory. Actually, glory is probably the least applicable word here.

The breakup leaves Peter completely crushed and wallowing in pain and self-pity. While this is certainly understandable, I did find myself wanting to slap him upside the head.

Peter attempts to wash away the pain by hooking up with many one-night stands. Unfortunately, shallow wanton sex does not lessen his crying jags (including some during said hook-ups).

This is about the time that I started to become annoyed with our protagonist. The scenes are designed to play up the humorous aspects of being dumped, but it makes Peter look like a whiny slob. We get to watch him shoveling in enough sugar cereal to sustain major parts of Africa.

Thinking that perhaps a change of scenery will do some good and help him relax, he decides to take a vacation. Peter opts for Hawaii and a resort that his ex was fond of.

Of course Sarah is there. Not only is she there, but she is with Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), a rocker that Sarah dumped Peter for.

This leads to more sobbing. Some self-induced and some brought on by some painfully funny situations. Peter does attempt to stay busy and have fun, but often ends up feeling worse than when he started.

Fortunately for Peter, he catches the eye of Rachael, a very sweet and sexy hotel hostess (Mila Kunis). She helps him take his mind off of Sarah and thus start the healing process.

As the movie goes on, it does offer up more and more authentic emotion. As I said, I had started to actually dislike our hero, but he won me over as time went on.

The casting is pretty good, with the aforementioned folks doing a nice job. One notable exception is Jonah Hill. I know many find him funny, but I just don’t get the appeal. He does an excellent job playing annoying characters, but that is my problem with him: Every role he does makes me want to hit fast forward.
Overall, Forgetting Sarah Marshall provides some good comedy along with some heart. That is something that too many comedies are lacking today.

Extras:

There is a freakin’ truckload of extras here. I could spend the next page or so covering all of them, but am going to simply point out some that should be seen.

Starting things off is a fun and lively commentary track with director Nick Stoller, executive producer Rodney Rothman, producer Shauna Robertson, Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand and Jack McBrayer.

There are a couple of collections of deleted/extended scenes. Entertaining, but it is generally clear why they did not make the final cut.

Be sure to check out Line-o-Rama, a bunch of improvised bits that are actually pretty funny.

21 video diaries are also included here. These give us a look behind the scenes and come in around 35 minutes,

There are a few pieces that look at Peter’s rock opera Dracula’s Lament. There really should be seen. Among these bits are Segel performing as Tom Waits and the frontman for the B-52s. There is also a rather disturbing puppet version of Peter and Sarah’s break-up.

In the film, William Baldwin is seen, in television clips, as Sarah’s partner on her series Crime Scene. We are treated to some very fun cheeseball lines from Mr. Baldwim. Between this and Dirty Sexy Money, I am starting to think that Billy has some actual acting skills.

This set is a treasure trove for fans of the film. You have hours of fun ahead of you. I can’t imagine skimping out and buying the one disc offering

Order Forgeting Sarah Marshall from Amazon.

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

DVD Review: RISKY BUSINESS: Deluxe Edition

2008-10-05T18:04:00.003-05:00

Warner Home Video
Release date: September 16th, 2008
MSRP: $19.96

Director: Paul Brickman
Stars: Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Curtis Armstrong

Tom Cruise stars as Joel, a respectful, white, upper-middle class Chicago boy. His biggest worry is making his father happy by getting into a top-notch school.

But all that changes when his parents go on vacation. His friend orders him a call girl, but this lady ends up being very tall, very black and very masculine.

Jackie gives Joel Lana’s phone number. Lana is what Joel wants; she is “what every white boy off the lake wants.”

After an unforgettable night of whoopee (A phrase from an old game show), Joel’s life turns to chaos.

Before his parents get home, Joel will be chased by “Guido the killer pimp”, put his father’s Porsche in Lake Michigan, make love on a train and have a Princeton entrance interview whiling hosting an escort party for his friends.

Risky Business may sound like a basic teen sex flick, but it is actually a very fun, very well made film. Tom Cruise was just another young actor, but Risky Business made him a star. While Cruise is great, Curtis Armstrong (Moonlighting, Revenge of the Nerds) steals many of the scenes he is in.

Extras:
The commentary track is noteworthy as it features Mr. Cruise, along with producer Jon Avnett and writer/director Paul Brinkman. Mr. Cruise does not normally partake in commentary tracks. The three work well together, offering up plenty of tidbits on filming of RB that are both insightful as well as entertaining.

The Dream is Always the Same: The story of Risky Business runs just under thirty minutes and features new interviews with Cruise, Avnet, Armstrong and several others.

Also included are screen tests for De Mornay and Cruise, as well as the director’s cut of the final scene.

After over two decades, it is fun to revisit this really good film.

So go out and pick up a copy. Remember, sometimes you have to say “What the F**K, make your move.”

Order Risky Business from Amazon.

Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Rachael McAdams officially joins Sherlock Holmes.

2008-10-05T09:05:00.003-05:00

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson now have their Irene Adler.

Rachel McAdams (The Family Stone, Red Eye) will be joining Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Watson) on the Guy Ritchie helmed project.

The concept, as has been previously reported here, is for a more physical Holmes. A Holmes that shows off his boxing and fencing skills as much as his powers of deduction.

Prior to Ritchie joining the project, Neil Marshall (The Descent, Doomsday) was going to direct.

While I did enjoy Ritchie’s early films, I must confess the last couple have left me cold.
Perhaps this change of pace is just the thing to spark his creative juices.

Lee Child's One Shot has it's screenwriter.

2008-10-04T19:29:00.009-05:00

Lee Child’s badasss protagonist Jack Reacher just took another step towards the big screen.

Paramount has signed screenwriter Josh Olsen to adapt the Reacher novel One Shot.

"Jack Reacher is working on his tan with a Norwegian blonde on the beach in Miami. The weather is hot and he is so cool you could skate on him. But he doesn't like to stick around. He likes to be on the move. He was in the machine his whole life. Then the machine coughed and spat him out. Now he takes it easy. He's not looking for trouble. But sometimes trouble looks for Reacher.

A lone gunman hides in a parking garage and shoots into a crowd in a public plaza in a small Indiana city. Five random people die in a senseless massacre. The shooter leaves a perfect trail behind him and the police quickly track him down. His name is James Barr. It's a watertight case. After his arrest, James Barr refuses to talk. Then, to his lawyer, he utters a single phrase: "Get Jack Reacher for me." But Reacher's already on his way. What could connect this obvious psychopath with our wandering ex-army cop?

By the time Reacher hits town, Barr's been beaten badly enough to forget everything about the day in question. So Reacher begins to piece together the wealth of evidence; he does the math and comes to a few conclusions of his own."

Olson was nominated for an Oscar for his script for A History of Violence, a film that rocked my world. He also wrote one of the stories for the very cool Gotham Knight.

Olson is also adapting Dennis Lehane's short story Until Gwen for the silver screen.

If Olson can do half as good a job, Jack Reacher may well be Hollywood’s next franchise hero.

One Shot was previously acquired by Wagner/Cruise productions. Paula has since split from Cruise and there is some question as to whether or not he will still be producing.

DVD Review: Cool Hand Luke: Deluxe edition

2008-10-03T18:08:00.003-05:00

Warner Home Video
Release date: September 9, 2008
MSRP: $19.98

Director: Stuart Rosenberg
Stars: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin, Lou Antonio

What we got here… is a failure to communicate.
That is one of the most legendary lines in film history. Even seeing the line in print brings Struther Martin’s voice into my head.

Unlike some “classic” films, Cool Hand Luke holds up over time. Sitting down with this, I was afraid that my mind had elevated CHL to a level it did not deserve…my fears were unfounded as it is every bit as good as I remembered.

Luke Johnson is a prisoner on a southern chain gang. Luke refused to be broken, and escapes more than once. While he is respected by the prisoners, the guards and warden obviously want to break him.

CHL got star Paul Newman an Oscar nomination, and co-star George Kennedy took home the statue for Best Supporting actor.

We are treated to a new documentary, A Natural-Born World Shaker: Making Cool Hand Luke. This doc features comments from director Stuart Rosenberg, Newman biographer Eric Lax, Donn Pearce (author of the source novel), Hank Moonjean (asst. director), Lalo Schifrin (composer)as wekk as cast members George Kennedy, Lou Antonio, Joy Harmon, Ralph Waite, Anthony Zerbe and others.

There is also a commentary track with Lax. This is, unfortunately, not that great. A lot of it is covered in the doc and Lax wanders into the realm of hero-worship more than a few times.

But the extras are not the reason to own this, Cool Hand Luke is a true classic and well worth the price.

With the recent passing of Mr. Newman, this is an excellent chance to experience the serious mojo he had and to revisit one of his finest films.

Order Cool Hand Luke from Amazon.

Jeremy
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

The Shield - 705 - Game Face

2008-10-03T08:17:00.003-05:00

"Last week on The Shield events took a serious turn for the worse when Vic discovered that one of his allies is not as solid as he thought. The revelation at the end of last week's episode dropped a huge unexploded bomb shell into his lap and now Vic, Ronnie and Shane need to run damage control until they can assess the situation.

Elsewhere in the Barn Dutch continues to try and prove that Lloyd - the young lad from last weeks episode - has the makings of a serial killer by enlisting the help of another familiar face, Leon the FBI profiler who helped with the Kleavon case in season five. Speaking of which, Claudette also has to face a serial killer of her own when Kleavon himself returns with a deposition. So while Dutch chases around after a lad who may or may not be a serial killer in the making (certainly Lloyd is a sociopath, but that doesn't automatically mean serial killer) Claudette has to face up to a confirmed and confessed one in Kleavon. One who displayed a real grudge against her during season five.

Kleavon has returned with the intent of using a deposition against Claudette; combined with knowledge of her lupus, to get the death penalty off the table. Now some other cop show would have Claudette triumph and watch him get taken back to county to await the death sentence, but The Shield is not some other cop show and Kleavon succeeds in his manipulations. He'll be in jail for a long while but he won't get executed for his crimes.

Kleavon isn't the only one concerned with past crimes in this episode; while Vic continues to ride along the wave of confidence that he is still in control Shane confronts Ronnie in a tense but revealing scene. This season we've had a lot of evidence that Ronnie understands just how bad things are and knows they're not getting out while Shane has commented quite a few times about the easy solutions just to find Vic shutting him down (a lot of Shane's easy solutions involve a potential loss of innocent life mind you). But this episode has Shane confront Ronnie and after both of them acknowledge that there is an irreparable rift between them over Lem's death; Shane reveals that he can see the trouble they're in clearer than Vic. Both of them confront the reality of their situation together despite the divide between them and it's clear that Vic is deluding himself now.

Vic isn't just under pressure from work related sources, he's also feeling a great deal from his home life. Danny wants him out of Lee's life but Vic is unwilling to do so, he doesn't want to abandon his son. This is an admirable sentiment, but a foolish one considering how poor he is in family life. But although Vic is a master at deception, he's also unfortunately a master at deceiving himself and this is no clearer than when Corrine reveals that Cassidy was at a Pimps and Hos party

This week we also get some actual honest to goodness Strike Team action while the team are sent after some kidnappers by Olivia. It's good old fashioned police work that uses a few more familiar faces from previous seasons, the young car jacker girl Dina appears in the course of the investigation and Burnout is used to help rescue the girl without revealing that the police were directly involved in it. This gives Julien a chance to once again stand up front and centre, while the rest of the Strike Team have been running about taking care of the messy gang war they created Julien has been solidly plodding along performing superb police work. Last week Vic and the others had to even work around Julien because of his skills, this week he puts them all to use and shines. It's clear that the Strike Team has finally got a solid, decent and law abiding member in it's ranks, sadly he's cut out of the loop and unable to work properly because he's surrounded by three corrupt cops. If there's anyone who could rescue the Strike Team project after Vic is gone it's Julien, he's superb police.

Finally Vic confronts Olivia about her situation and she tells him everything and then exclaims, "I'm in this so deep, and I don't know how to get myself out." Vic responds "You're talking to the right guy.""

Check out the super-sized summary!

DVD Review: DIRTY SEXY MONEY: The Complete First season

2008-10-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 16th, 2008
MSRP: $39.99

Stars: Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, William Baldwin

When Dirty Sexy Money first debuted, I did not know what to make of it. DSM tosses equal amounts of humor, humanity, absurdity and drama into the mix. For most shows, this would result in an unequal mess. DSM has, this far, managed to pull it off, with rather impressive results.

Nick Fisher (Peter Krause of Six Feet Under and Sports Night) is an attorney with a wife and daughter. Early in his career, he vowed never to make the same mistake his father did: Let his work rule his world.

Now the very job that owned his father threatens to swallow him: Nick’s father was the attorney for the Darlings, one of the richest, most powerful families in New York. They make Donald Trump look like a paperboy.

Not surprisingly, the Darlings require an enormous amount of attention (I.E. hand holding).

This is not your parents evening soap, this is night-time drama for a new generation.

DSM has a strong cast, with Donald Sutherland and Jill Clayburgh are excellent as the parents, and William Baldwin really shines as son being pushed thrust into greatness (ala JFK). Like JFK, Patrick is unable to stay faithful to his wife. Unlike JFK (as far as I know) Patrick is doing so with transsexuals.

The rest of the family consists of Brian (Glenn Fitzgerald), a cold-hearted, sharp-tongued son that is on the verge of losing his wife and children after his former mistress drops their child on his doorstep. Oh yeah, he is a man of God.

Karen (Natalie Zea) is the often-married (she goes through her fourth in the first season), sex-loving, hard-drinking daughter that had a fling with Nick while they were teenagers. She still harbors feelings for him.

Then there are the twins, Julia (Samaire Armstrong) and Jeremy (Seth Gabel). Both are 25 going on 15 and enjoy the trapping of fame and fortune.

The bunch of them keep Nick scrambling almost 24-7, a fact that is causing ever-increasing tension in his personal life.

For extras, we get a look at the style behind the show, no small feat considering the Darlings are supposed to be among the wealthiest and most stylish folks in the world. We get a look at the clothes and penthouse. Also included are some pretty standard “behind the scenes” bits where the cast talks about how much they love the show they are on…what the hell are they supposed to say??

Sadly, the writers’ strike caused the season to end rather abruptly, with many plotlines left in the air.

This is a fun night soap that gives us just enough reasons to actually care for this lot. Folks looking for some fun should check out season one of Dirty Sexy Money.

Order season one of Dirty Sexy Money from Amazon.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Some thoughts on Paul Newman.

2008-10-01T07:42:00.003-05:00

It is hard to summarize the life and career of anyone, let alone Paul Newman, in a few hundred words. As a result, I am not going to even try.

So are some thoughts from myself and some of the Crimespree staff on the works, and life, of a great actor and man.

From Jon Jordan:
My earliest recollections of going to the movies involve Paul Newman. I remember seeing Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in the theater when it cam out. I remeber watching Cool Hand Luke every time it came on TV. For me he was one of the first movie stars I remember seeking out films by. His presence added a lot to some really great flicks. I was really thrilled by his performance in Road to Perdition. It's a shame he and Redford never found another project to do together. He will be missed.

Randy Otteson:
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo! ....shit. Man, that sucks." ZzZzZzZzZzZzZz

Was pretty much my reaction to the news that Paul Newman had died (I was sleeping when my cousin yelled it to me). It wasn't until later that it really hit me: Paul Newman was dead! I had known it was coming, that he was sick. But still it was Paul F'n Newman. He's been around forever (forever for me being 38 years[my age]). EVERYTHING he has been in (that I have seen) I liked because he was in it. Even in the less than good movies, HE was always good, bringing a crappy movie to a tolerable level. I can't think of any of those at the moment, but they are there. Butch and Sundance the Early Days! Wait, no. He wasn't in that, thank God. Slapstick 2! No, he wasn't in that one either, whew! Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 2: Big Daddy's Revenge! No, that one I made up. The point being, he had charisma, like-ability that came across on screen. You could have teamed him with Carrot-Top and afterward say: “You know that Carrot-Top isn't as bad as I thought.” Because Paul Newman radiated so much like-ability he infected the people around him with it. …Eew. I need a different metaphor.

He wasn't just a great actor, he was a humanitarian, and by all accounts a really nice guy. Someone who didn't let his fame inflate his self worth, instead he used it to shed light on the poor and the down trodden. He gave money to charities all over the world, started camps for kids, started Newman’s Own food company of who’s profits go to various charities.

He didn’t make a lot of movies that last few years, but as long as he was alive, there was a chance, a chance that he would make another movie, or show up in something. But that chance is gone and I am very sad. The world is a little less sunny now. (Sappy and trite, but true).

For me, the thing that stands out the most is that Paul took aging in stride and even embraced it.
He took on roles that reflected his age and the issues that come with getting older. Many actors are terrified of getting older and keep playing action leads with romantic interests that are half their age (Zeta-Jones/Connery in Entrapment comes to mind).

Perhaps the best example of this is Nobody's Fool, an amazing film based on the work of Richard Russo. It was Newman's last leading role. If you have not seen it, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

It is an excellent example of Mr. Newman's brilliance.

His death brought tears to my eyes. It is awful to have to say goodbye to such a class act.

Jeremy Lynch

Happy Birthday to Rev-Views!

2008-09-29T18:51:00.002-05:00

Regular visitors to Crimespree Cinema will have noticed that, in the last couple of months, we have welcomed a new contributor: Rev of Rev-Views.
Rev has offered up summaries of Burn Notice and The Shield.

Rev-View just completed it's first year in existance. If you have not already checked out the blog, you really should. It is filled with excellent, very detailed reviews of shows like The Wire, Burn Notice, The Shield, Dexter, Red Dwarf and a hell of a lot more.

Do yourself a favor and read some of the goodness that Rev offers up.

DVD Review: THIS AMERICAN LIFE: Season one

2008-09-28T17:23:00.003-05:00

Showtime Ent./Paramount Home Entertainment

Release date: September 23rd, 2008

MSRP: $19.99

Star: Ira Glass

When I heard that public radio's This American Life was making the leap to Showtime, I was first excited, then a little dubious--rather similar to how I feel when a favorite book becomes a film or a TV series. Would the offbeat show translate well, or would it lose its heart, becoming too commercial and slick? And importantly, would Ira Glass look like Ira Glass sounds? I certainly didn't expect Brad Pitt, but there's a reason that some people do radio.

As it turns out, Glass is every bookish girl's dreamboat, with charmingly rumpled hair and large, owlish glasses. Indeed, This American Life the series is basically identical to WBEZ's radio program in structure and tone--and that's a very good thing. Each half-hour episode presents a small handful of thematically linked stories about people and places that generally aren't headline news. For the most part, Glass and company stay out of the way of the story; which must present a challenge when filming material as diverse and potentially controvertial as liturgical art, lab rats, verbally abusive hot dog stand patrons, dysfunctional families, standup comedy about 9/11, and peeing one's pants on a schoolbus.

Some of the vignettes in the six-episode arc are not for the squeamish--in particular, a story about a pig farm that had a crew member tossing his cookies and swearing off meat forever. I know this is tame stuff by Crimespree Cinema standards...but what about the farmer who cloned his favorite tame pet bull, only to be gored by the genetically engineered offspring in a place that a man would, ahem, least want to be gored? Yeah, that hurts...but the story is still handled with grace and wit, and without a hint of sensationalism.

In short, while This American Life the series shouldn't replace the radio program in viewers' hearts, it is a most excellent companion. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. The next time you binge on crap reality television, consider an hour or two with Glass and company the antidote to the existential angst brought on by, say, Big Brother, Rock of Love, or [shudder] Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. You'll feel better in no time!

Order season one of This American Life from Amazon.
Jill Lynch
For more reviews from Jill, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

DVD Review: CRIMINAL MINDS: season three

2008-09-27T20:55:00.004-05:00

CBS/Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: September 16th, 2008
MSRP: $55.98

Stars: Joe Mantegna,Thomas Gibson, Mathew Grey Gubler, Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangsness,Paget Brewster, and A.J.Cook

Criminal Minds is the best show I don't regularly watch. Good writing, good acting and some of the strongest characters on tv. But the usual subject matter creeps me out. I know there are people out there that would kill me because the neighborhood cat told them to, but I don't like to dwell on it. Make me twitterpated. Keeps me from sleeping soundly. Bad juju. Well these folk are a team of FBI Profilers who wade around in minds that would make a sewer worker blanch. I just finished season three(yes, all of it. I knew I shouldn't have ratted myself out like that) and I think it's going to be impossible to stay away.

This thing has become so character driven I am practally giddy. Sure I miss Mandy Patinkin. Gideon was a powerful force but Joe Mantegna is holding his own and the rest of the cast, Thomas Gibson, Mathew Grey Gubler, Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangsness,Paget Brewster, and A.J.Cook have truely stepped up. The powers that be have wisely deduced that if showing Gideons' human side worked then why not show everyones human side. And they have, in spades. Who's pregnant and by whom, who's getting a divorce they don't want, who's been shot, blown up,who's fighting drug addiction at a twelve step meeting, whos' getting their faith back, and who's sleeping with Xander of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (although he isn't Xander anymore, he's Kevin).The stories are as strong or stronger than ever but more and more we get to see the toll, and that friends is what I call drama.

So maybe I'll have a bad dream once in a while. This video gold is worth it.

Specials are nothing much.Cut scenes and a gag reel.
Order Criminal Minds from Amazon.
Read Jon's review of season one.
Read Lee's review of season two.
Lee Crawford
For more reviews from Lee, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.

Tom Hanks to bring James Ellroy to HBO.

2008-09-26T22:07:00.005-05:00

Celebrated actor Tom Hanks will be tackling the work of James Ellroy for HBO.

Hanks' production company, Playtone, is coming off of tremendous success with the HBO mini'series John Adams. They will bring Ellroy's American Tabloid and, it's sequel The Cold Six Thousand, to the same channel.

"We are behind, and below, the scenes of JFK's presidential election, the Bay of Pigs, the assassination--in the underworld that connects Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, D.C. . . .

Where the CIA, the Mob, J. Edgar Hoover, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Hoffa, Cuban political exiles, and various loose cannons conspire in a covert anarchy . . .

Where the right drugs, the right amount of cash, the right murder, buys a moment of a man's loyalty . . .

Where three renegade law-enforcement officers--a former L.A. cop and two FBI agents--are shaping events with the virulence of their greed and hatred, riding full-blast shotgun into history. . . . "

Kirk Ellis will adapt the novels. Ellis was the writer for John Adams and will be bringing David McCullough's 1776 to HBO as well. McCullough was the author the John Adams bio that the mini-series was based on. Ellis has a fair amount of experience in adapting literary material for film and television.

According to the Variety peice, it has not been decided whether this will be a mini-series or a regular show.

This sounds fantastic. The Adams mini-series was very well done and I can't help but think that this shows promise. Kudos to HBO for continuining to offer the public quality programming.

Ellroy is the author of over a dozen novels, including L.A. Confidential and The Black Dahlia.

After French film success, Hollywood wants Coben.

2008-09-26T14:44:00.005-05:00

With the French film of Tell No One doing well, U.S. filmmakers have decided they want the words of Harlen Coben.

Plum Pictures has purchased the film rights to Coben's bestseller, The Innocent.

"The horror of one night is forever etched in Matt Hunter's memory; the night he innocently tried to break up a fight-and ended up a killer. Now nine years after his release from prison, his innocence long forgotten, he's an ex-con who takes nothing for granted. With his wife Olivia pregnant and the two of them closing on a house in his home town, things are looking up. Until the day Matt gets a shocking, inexplicable video call from Olivia's phone. And in an instant, the unraveling begins.

A mysterious man who begins tailing Matt turns up dead. A beloved nun is murdered. And local and federal authorities--including homicide investigator, Loren Muse, a childhood schoolmate of Matt's with a troubled past of her own--see all signs pointing to a former criminal with one murder already under his belt... Matt Hunter. Unwilling to lose everything for a second time, Matt and Olivia are forced outside the law in a desperate attempt to save their future together.

An electrifying thrill-ride of a novel that peeks behind the white picket fences of suburbia, THE INNOCENT is at once a twisting, turning, emotionally-charged story, and a compelling tale of the choices we make and the repercussions that never leave us."

Plum Pictures generally produces smaller budget films, with budgets generally maxing out at two million.

They will be producing a film based on Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, which will star Julie Stiles.

Earlier this year, Harlan sold the television rights for his series character Myron Bolitar.

CBS buys television rights to Judi McCoy series.

2008-09-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

Variety is reporting that CBS has purchased the rights to Judi McCoy's Hounding the Pavement.

Hounding the Pavement, due out in May of 2009, is set in New York and features Ellie Engleman. a dogwalker. When her client is killed, Ellie works to find out who did it.

Hy Conrad has been hired to adapt the series for the small screen. Conrad has acted as a writer, producer and editor on the USA series Monk.

The Shield - 704 - Genocide

2008-09-26T09:03:00.002-05:00

If there is one thing you can predict about The Shield it's that it will be unpredictable, just when you think the landscape is set and everything is in place one small detail arrives that changes everything. Genocide is one of those episodes, saving it's big twist for just the right moment.

So, Vic and Shane are continuing to play the Armenians and the Mexicans off against each other but it's clear that the cracks in their web of deceit are beginning to show. Pezula is desperate to get his hands back on the blackmail box while Razien wants to end the war by proving that he doesn't have the box. As Vic is the only person telling Pezula that Razien has it this is a disaster for both of them (and Ronnie), so Vic manipulates Acevada into using the box to blackmail a councilman into a situation that would make Pezula and the Mexicans think that the Armenians are using the box. An Armenian genocide remembrance day event. But Pezula is acting beyond the boundaries Vic expects and the councilman is shot and killed.

But Vic's problems do not stop at his work and extra curricular activities, his home life is also spiralling away from him - Cassidy is a clearly troubled child who has begun to see the her father's true face. Not only that but her concerns are contagious, just talking to Danny has sown the seeds of doubt for them both and Danny choose to lawyer up in order to keep him away from her and Lee's personal lives. A wise move, but one that Vic really doesn't need to deal with right now.

Back at the Barn Dutch and Billings are called out for an intruder shooting that appears to be clean. But Dutch's keen detective insight and natural instincts tell him that things are not quite as they seem to be. It's clear that Billings is beginning to bond with Dutch because this week he's willing to trust Dutch's instincts and follow his lead. While it's not totally clear if Dutch is right or not, there isn't enough evidence to prove otherwise; but failed cases have a habit of coming back to haunt Dutch so it's possible that this storyline isn't over yet.

The biggest punch that this episode delivers occurs right at the end, after the shooting Acevada meets up with Vic and reveals that the ground underneath their feet isn't as stable as they thought. In fact there is no ground, they're in free fall and the end is looking a lot like a bullet for each of them. It turns out that the ICE agent Olivia is in Pezula's blackmail box and she knows enough to bring the entire house of cards down directly onto Vic and David's heads...

Check out Rev's longer write-up.

Valkyrie poster online.

2008-09-25T23:01:00.004-05:00

Here is a poster for the upcoming Tom Cruise film, Valkyrie.

While it being a Tom Cruise movie might not be a reason to pay attention, the fact that it is the reunion of the writer (Christopher McQuarrie) and director (Bryan Singer) of The Usual Suspects might be.

Superstar Tom Cruise heads an international cast as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler's bunker. The "July 20 Plot" on Hitler's life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler's once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation's government... He must kill Hitler himself.

Valkyrie also stars Bill Nighy, Stephen Fry, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard.

Valkyrie lands in theaters on Dec 26th.

DVD Review: BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY: Special Edition

2008-09-25T00:06:00.006-05:00

MGM Home Entertainment
Release date: September 2nd, 2008
MSRP: $14.98

Director: James Bridges
Stars: Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Swoosie Kurtz, Dianne Wiest

Jay McInerney’s 1984 book Bright Lights, Big City garnered considerable praise when it was originally released. Like many other titles of the time, it was about the drug-fueled have a good time lifestyle of the 80s. Unlike titles such as Less than Zero, McInerney managed to deliver a certain level of emotion and humor.

While Jay handled the screenplay himself, something went wrong on the way to the silver screen.

Much of the aforementioned warmth was lost in the translation to the big screen. As a result, I found myself not really caring about these characters.

The film went through a few directors, with some footage actually being scrapped. That kind of chaos could not have helped.

Jamie Conway (Michael J. Fox) does fact checking for a high profile magazine by day, while numbing his pain at night by partying it up in New York clubs and snorting massive amounts of cocaine.

While he certainly has reasons to be depressed (His wife recently dumped him, and his mother passed from cancer a year earlier), I did not feel enough of a connection to care what happened to him. If you don’t care about the characters, it is hard for a movie to resonate with you.

Having just slapped the film around, I have to say that those that disagree with me, will be rather pleased with the extras:

Two commentary tracks are included, McInerney offers up a track that is entertaining, but could have been better had Jay had somebody to interact with. Jay’s humor and intelligence does come through here, and that makes this track engaging.

The second track is very nice: Director of Photography Gordon Willis not only talks about the making of the film, but also gives us a lesion in filmmaking and cinematography. Even if one is not a fan of the film, this track is almost worth buying. As a big film buff, I found much of it quite fascinating.

Big City Lights clocks in a little under 15 minutes and talks about the culture of the 80s and how the source material captured it.

We are also treated to an interview with McInerney. While it is interesting, much of it repeats things from his commentary track.

Looking back at what I have written here, it certainly sounds harsher than I intended. Many will enjoy the film, but those that liked the book will likely feel it comes up short.

Order Bright Lights, Big City

Jeremy Lynch

Lisa Unger sells new novel.

2008-09-24T23:50:00.002-05:00

Lisa Unger has sold the film rights to her latest novel, Black Out.

"On the surface, Annie Powers’s life in a wealthy Floridian suburb is happy and idyllic. Her husband, Gray, loves her fiercely; together, they dote on their beautiful young daughter, Victory. But the bubble surrounding Annie is pricked when she senses that the demons of her past have resurfaced and, to her horror, are now creeping up on her. These are demons she can’t fully recall because of a highly dissociative state that allowed her to forget the tragic and violent episodes of her earlier life as Ophelia March and to start over, under the loving and protective eye of Gray, as Annie Powers. Disturbing events—the appearance of a familiar dark figure on the beach, the mysterious murder of her psychologist—trigger strange and confusing memories for Annie, who realizes she has to quickly piece them together before her past comes to claim her future and her daughter."

Barbara De Fina, Austin Chick and Andrew Kletjian are the purchasers.

Chick will write and direct. His previous work includes uncredited work on Before the Devil knows your dead, and is the director of the upcoming August, staring Josh Hartnett.