ScreenArchive

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6 - Volcanic
5 - Blistering
4 - Hot
3 - Smolder
2 - Room Temperature
1 - Fizzled
0 - Extinguished

A - Multiple Viewing Possibilities
B - Deserves Another Look
C - Once Should Suffice

 

WALLACE & GROMIT:
Nick Park's award winning creation not only took the Oscars and Baftas by storm, but also the hearts and minds of the world. Our mild-mannered, simple, nerdy inventor,Wallace, and his trusty, intelligent dog, Gromit have become an industry unto themselves with merchandise covering almost every base. The perfect characterization in the facial expression and mannerisms are superb and together with the great voice artists, the set detail and hilarious stories, it's quite hard not to love the Wallace and Gromit tales.
A GRAND DAY OUT
Tea time is an event at the Wallace/Gromit household - but, when there is no cheese for the crackers, something has to be done ! Where is the best source ? The moon of course ! After building a bright orange space ship, our heroes set off in search of the perfect lunar picnic with cheese galore. The moon is not all they expected, including a rather grumpy coin-operated custodian. Hilarious with so much to look at you can't just view it once.
THE WRONG TROUSERS
Wallace presents Gromit with a birthday gift - one of his new inventions, of course... a wacky pair of automated trousers. Needless to say, these trousers cause calamity. To add to the brew, a mysterious penguin lodges at 62 West Wallaby Street, and Gromit doesn't trust him one little bit - especially when the whole set up drives a rift between him and his master. A vicious chicken burglar is also on the loose. Great fun with mystery, comedy and some wild chases. Extraordinary.
A CLOSE SHAVE
Our two pals run a little window washing business and one fine day Wallace discovers the client who's windows they're cleaning, Wendolene Ramsbottom, is the girl of his dreams ! But all is not well, as to be expected. Meanwhile, evil sheep rustlers are cleaning up the area and an escaped sheep hides out in W&G's home. They adopt him. Preston, a malevolent dog who lives with Wendolene forces her to conspire in stealing Wallace's latest invention, the Knit-o-Matic. Wallace is framed by Preston who wants to convert the machine for his dog food factory and our inventor gets a life sentence for sheep rustling ! Can Gromit save the day? Thrilling excitement like no other with a bit of Terminator thrown in. This last in the series of three make this an unmissable trilogy for the whole family.
6 / A
- PB

WAR OF THE WORLDS
With Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Many versions of this tale have seen the light. Obviously this modernized sci-fi spectacle does not follow the original H.G. Wells tale to a T, but incorporates all of the essential elements to create a devastating earth invasion of aliens and holding onto the title. Tom Cruise plays Ray, a divorced dad who has his kids for the weekend when this genocide strikes. The human extermination is hectically depicted, vapourised people bursting into dust, their clothing flapping to the ground. As confused as everyone else around the globe where this Martian invasion is happening, Ray tries to protect his children against an indefensible enemy who overpowers the earth's weapons without much effort. Great effects, convincing performances and relentless aliens add up to an exciting movie with the right ingredients to hook up with the terrorist fear grip around the globe.
4 / B
- PB


Vans WARPED TOUR 2003
The Vans Warped Tour seems to be the yardstick when you want to see the state of punk rock each year. Like most festivals other related activities are hooked up, but you can't find a more relevant tour to incorporate skateboarding and BMX culture. With 60 bands playing in random order across 48 days, this particular release selected 24 of the bands performing live with interview clips in between, some with moments of clarity and dare I say it, sense, while others spew forth stupidity. From
Face To Face, Poison The Well, Glassjaw, Pennywise, The Ataris, The Used and Less Than Jake to Simple Plan, The Unseen, Suicide Machines, Andrew W.K., Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, Sum 41 and Thrice at least it is not an all-out commercial punk trip.
Extra features include extended interviews, behind the scenes footage and Lisa Johnson's photo gallery. Produced & directed by Joe Escalante and Kris Martinez.
4 / B
- PB


WARRIOR OF THE LOST WORLD
With Robert Ginty, Donald Pleasence, Persis Khambata
Directed by David Worth
Wow. If a film has a low budget, at least they can attempt a plausible screenplay. Not the case here I’m afraid. A sad post Mad Max rip-off with a fascistic regime ruling the wasteland (with lush trees, greenery, mowed grasslands!) and a loner on an annoying (and laughable) super bike. The good guys approach him to help them in their fight against the evil leader Prossor and his army. Ginty’s pathetic Eastwood/Gibson whispering bad ass hero is just so damn cool, yet he’s a total dork. Bad action, poor sets, crap lines, stupid plot and terrible acting (except for Pleasence’s ham up) makes this a great example of how not to make a movie.
1 / C
- PB

THE WASHING MACHINE
With n/a
Directed by n/a
This Euro-Thriller’s marketing abroad tries to fork it off as a horror film. It’s everything but. A cop gets called in where one of three sisters believes she saw one of the others’ boyfriend chopped up and stuffed in the washing machine. Many secrets and plots pop up as the cop starts to get obsessed by all three sisters. If it was subtitled and didn’t have the fake horror angle it’d be quite a semi-stunner. On screen gore total about 2-3 minutes.
3 / C
- PB

THE WATCHER
With James Spader, Keanu Reeves, Marissa Tomei
Directed by Joe Charbonic
Some story lines could never be wished away - even after its basics had been churned over countless times. As much as it is unlikely for love stories to disappear from our screens, the same is prevalent when it comes to that stale (yet intriguing) genre of the serial killer. When taking the plunging twist of turning Keanu, everyone’s favourite dude (besides Bridges in The Big Lebowski, of course), into the villain (a move Reeves hardly ever attempts) could be a shot in the foot. Looking a little bloated around the jowls, Keanu is a tad mechanical (not much of a change, then) as the serial killer who follows the retired lawman to Chicago who worked his case. Spader burnt out after our killer got hold of the married woman he was having an affair with. Reeves draws Spader back into the game by sending him photos of his next victim, which he needs to track down before a specific time every night. By making them characters in stead of ID-free victims, the viewer does get drawn in, not wanting him to kill the girls with his trademark piano wire. The Watcher is pretty cliché ridden, complete with the misogynist victimization theme, grainy video point of view shots (with breathing…come on!) and negative/black & white transitional cuts that happen with an audible bang… The ever familiar cat & mouse game and symbiotic relationship thing is also not spared. The two Rob Zombie tracks and Portishead tune are not enough to elevate The Watcher from its mediocre thriller status while Reeves fans might also be a bit rattled by his borderline haggard appearance (be it a prerequisite for the role or not).
2 / B
- PB

THE WATERBOY
With Adam Sandler, Fairuza Balk, Kathy Bates
Directed by Frank Coraci
Ludicrous, slapstick comedy with Sandler playing a bit of a loser (big surprise!) who is the waterboy for a losing college football team. They discover he has great playing abilities but his possessive mother won't let him. Silly jokes, silly movie, but does produce laughs (however cheap or below the belt). The drool-worthy Balk does add a touch of yum.
3 / B
- PB

THE WEDDING DATE
With Debra Messing, Dermot Mulrony, Amy Adams, Jack Davenport
Directed by Clare Kilner
Will & Grace star Debra Messing keeps it safe with her big screen transition, sticking to the romantic comedy (besides her small part in the way more interesting Mothman Prophecies). Based on Elizabeth Young's book Asking For Trouble, here her screen beau is (the bland and not-as-handsome-as-his-agent-believes) Dermot Mulrony. I'm not sure who decided he's a romantic lead, but they can do with a good slap. Kat has to attend her sister's wedding in the UK. Her ex-fiancé happens to be the best man. Her sister is a brat and she rents Nick, a highly paid date for hire to pretend he's her boyfriend to make the other guy jealous. Eventually dirty secrets come out but we all know who'll end up together. This is as bland and brightly lit as any one of the two dozen big buck romantic comedies that came out at the same time as this one. A chick flick, sure, but do they have to treat their audiences like idiots? And when will they run out of title options containing the word "wedding"?
2 / C
- PB


'WEIRD AL' YANKOVIC - The Ultimate Video Collection
Around the release of
Al's Poodle Hat, I mused on when we'll be treated to a collection of the man's classic video clips on DVD… Some six months later I strolled into a Cash Crusaders and spotted a bunch of these DVDs (with 'Brand New' stickers on them) amoung the variety second hand titles. Priced at only 50 bucks (in fact R49)! So, I bought two - one for myself and another for my brother. We'd been Al fans since we saw his music videos on SABC TV in the '80s, events that were very rare, and if you're lucky, a tape was in the Betamax VCR to record. If you're unsure who 'Weird Al' is, he's the musical parody king, taking existing songs and changing the lyrics to hilarious effect. This collection contains two-dozen of the man's wacky parody tunes (including a few originals). Not arranged in chronological order, the disc opens up with one of his biggest hits, Fat - it is of course the hilariously obese take on Michael Jackson's Bad, the dance routines duplicated by a padded Al and a troupe of overweight dancers. Absolutely priceless. Another Jackson song he retouched earlier in his own crazy way is Beat It, following the food theme he loves so much with Eat It. Again the video is replicated with slapstick hilarity. James Brown's Living In America becomes Living With A Hernia and Madonna's Like A Virgin is reinterpreted as Like A Surgeon. One of the best ones is the take on Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, again the video is replicated with a bent twist. Al's comedy lyrics are not just slapped together, but damn good parodies with both wit and lunacy, the music sometimes perfectly executed. Some of his originals include the theme from his movie UHF, as well as Spy Hard and Johnny Dangerously. His movie tale replications to the refrain of popular songs include that of Forrest Gump (to the tune of Presidents Of The USA's Lump), Star Wars Episode 1 (using Don McLean's American Pie as its basis) and TV's Flintstones (getting the Red Hot Chili Peppers treatment). His pessimistic take on love songs are very sharp, like on You Don't Love Me Anymore and One More Minute. His rip of Bob Dylan, Bob, is constructed of palindromes, sentences that can read identical front to back, using the written card video trick many people have ripped from Mr. Dylan since the '60s. Devo, Coolio, Crash Test Dummies, Joan Jett and Dire Straits are not immune to Al's satirical lampooning. The extras include a photo gallery and a rare 1981 live performance on NBC's The Tomorrow Show, with Al on his accordion doing Another One Rides The Bus (the obvious Queen spoof), his buddy banging a suitcase and honking horns. The extracts from his The Weird Al Show are great, but not enough! It includes a fabulous little piece of Mr. Yankovic ripping Prodigy 's Firestarter and Keith Flint's haircut! No question about it, no home can do without this comedy & music combo.
6 / A
- PB


WELCOME BACK Mr McDONALD
With Toshiaki Karasawa, Kyoka Suzuki, Keiko Toda, Masahiko Nishimura
Directed by Koki Mitani
A radio station in Tokyo runs a drama writing competition. The winner is a shy housewife and the show is about to be recorded live at midnight. But, when the prima donna lead actress decides she wants her name changed to Mary Jane, a chain of ludicrous events lead to a chain reaction of last minute changes that twists and changes the entire tale of love and simplicity. This leads to many a comedic scenario but our writer feels so strongly about the material, how many more distortions will she tolerate? The assortment of character actors in the play, the spineless producer, the carefree station manager, serious director, manic technical staff and a bunch of other characters combine to create a sweet (and at times tense) little tale of convictions, creative integrity, compromise, duty and love. This feelgood film, even though it's Japanese, can be related to by all cultures.
3 / C
- PB

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE
With Heather Masturazzo, Brendan Sexton Jr.
Directed by Todd Solondz
Dawn Weiner is a mousy, nerdy 11-year-old ugly duckling having a horrendous time in Jr. High. From being hounded and picked on by the nasty, insensitive pupils to her bratty younger sister getting all the parental attention, you cannot help but to sympathise with the poor little thing, hoping she would triumph. Falling in love with the singer in her brother's garage band only results in her heart being broken while the school bully who threatens (rather comically) to rape her, seems the most likely candidate as her boyfriend. This is a bittersweet suburban nightmare, which is both heartfelt and true to life. Welcome to the Dollhouse marks the triumphant return of disillusioned award-winning film school director, Todd Solondz, in a film everyone can enjoy and identify with, whether you're a dork or not. His more recent Happiness is as entertaining, but far more shocking.
5 / B
- PB

WESTLIFE - The Number Ones Tour
This popular surviving boyband is still huge. They perform all of their favourites (which include many covers) like Uptown Girl, Mandy, Footloose, Aint That A Kick In The Head, Smile, Mack The Knife, as well as My Love, If I Let You Go, Unbreakable, Disco Inferno, Pretty Woman, I Feel Fine, and Flying Without Wings. You also getan extra 11 best live songs and the video for their version of
Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up. Strictly for fans.
3 / C
- PB


WHAM! - The Best Of

While
Wham! was one of THE pop sensations of the 1980s, they only released three albums, each spawning a string of hits though: Wham Rap!, Club Tropicana, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Last Christmas, The Edge Of Heaven, Where Did Your Heart Go?, I'm Your Man, Everything She Wants, Freedom… While George Michael's solo career has outweighed his days with Wham! (just like Ozzy Osbourne's did after Black Sabbath), Andrew Ridgeley seemed to have disappeared into an abyss of obscurity. This DVD contains their hits, a discography (which was in fact not a very lengthy one), lyrics in English as well as French (if you so choose mon cheri). The hilarious Wham Rap! has our duo acting all streetwise and hip with hardly any beard stubble. Club Tropicana encapsulates their happy holiday feeling that was present in most of their songs (besides the sad ones of course, but then, Last Christmas is set around the holidays!). Their trademark tune Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go features the brightly lit studio performance video with the baggy Choose Life T-shirts. The Edge Of Heaven ventured into less frivolous pop territory, as with the tender Where Did Your Heart Go? The energetic I'm Your Man is followed by the video for Freedom, which contains footage from their visit to China. A documentary about the duo would've been a marvelous extra feature, but alas.
4 / B
- PB

WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE?
With Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mary Steenburgen
Directed by Lasse Hallström
Depp knows how to pick great, interesting roles. Here he plays Gilbert, the oldest son in a family whose mother is too over-weight to leave the house. He also has a mentally retarded brother amazingly portrayed by a young DiCaprio (who got an Oscar nomination). A girl passes through town shedding light on Gilbert’s seemingly dead-end life.
5 / A
- PB

WHAT LIES BENEATH
With Michelle Pfeiffer, Harrison Ford, James Remar
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Surprisingly bland and predictable chiller by academy award winning Forrest Gump director, Zemeckis. Ford is dry (big surprise) as the scientist whose wife starts to hear and experinnce weird things in their lake side home - culminating in her suspecting their neighbour of killing his wife. But, cold, dark secrets come calling from the grave, Pfeiffer the recipient of the message. And what a gorgeous recipient she is! The film feels very much like Ghost Story, but didn’t succeed in grabbing me. Sure, there are some scares, many cheap soundFX stings and silly hand-on-shoulder scares.
3 / B
- PB

THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
With Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, Rosanna Arquette, Natasha Henstridge
Directed by Jonathan Lynne
Hardly as hilarious as publicized, most of the gags seem to be in the trailer. Perry is an unhappy dentist living in Canada with his pain in the ass wife. His ex-partner and father-in-law swindled their practise out of big bucks, making him even more miserable. His new neighbour just happens to be Jimmy The Tulip, a hitman who squealed to get a shorter sentence. The guys he ratted out wants him dead and our poor dentist gets knee deep in it when his wife cons him into going to Chicago, tell them where he is to get a finders fee. There’s more to it, though, with 10 milion bucks waiting to be collected, but requiring the signatures of Jimmy, his wife and the man who wants him dead. One signature and two death certificates will also do…Obviously he falls in love with Jimmy’s wife, his own being a pain and also has a contract out on him to get his life insurance. Many gags will make you chuckle, but no more. Perry seems to be perfecting his slapstick routine without resorting to Jim Carey proportions. Arquette is annoying, even though her role requires it. Willis smirks as if he’s only thinking about the cheque and not the luke warm script, while Henstridge is as tasty looking as always. If Willis hadn’t done this one, no-one would’ve missed it - Hudson Hawk is far more hilarious, regardless of what everyone has to say because of its shitty box office takings.
2 / C
- PB

WILD AT HEART
With Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Diane Ladd, Harry Dean Stanton, Isabella Rosselini, Crispin Glover
Directed by David Lynch
Made on the cusp of the '80s / '90s crossover, this is not only one of my favourite directors of all time, but also one of my favourite movies. Perhaps it was because I saw it at a life turning point (entering my '20s), or maybe just because it is such a damn great movie! This often deliberately cheesy lovers-on-the-run road movie fused with
Wizard Of Oz elements is filled with spectacular sex and violence, a great dose of humour and an irresistible atmosphere with that Lynch ingredient you cannot resist. Sailor Ripley is released on parole (after killing a man paid by his girl's mother to kill him when he refused her advances - but more importantly, the unsuccessful killer insulted his sweetheart Lula). She awaits him at the prison gates and they go on the lam after her mother puts another hit out on him. With some brilliantly over the top performances and too many memorable moments to go into here, Wild At Heart is a visual feast everyone should see. Ladd is psychotic as the mother, Dafoe out of his mind as an ex-marine turned robber, Stanton is his quirky himself, and many of Lynch's regulars and Twin Peaks actors waft through in sometimes surreal sequences, making Wild At Heart a gleaming piece of filmmaking which also saw Lynch's first inclusions of heavy rock music to emphasize moments of intensity. Gotta love it!
6 / A
- PB


THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE
With voices by Lacey Chabert, Tom Kane, Cree Summer, Tim Curry, Lynn Redgrave, Flea
Directed by Jeff McGrath, Cathy Malkasian
These crazy animated Nickelodeon TV characters eventually got their own feature film. Eliza is the daughter of a husband-wife nature film production duo who basically grew up around the world's wild spots, from India to Africa. The rest of the family includes the monkey Darwin, the clueless older sister wild adopted tarzan-boy (voiced by
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea), and their visiting granny from England. Here they find themselves in the grasslands of our aforementioned dark continent. The first few minutes give Thornberry-laymen the rundown of how Eliza gained the power to communicate with animals. When a cheetah cub friend is stolen by poachers, a wider net with a vicious plot is exposed. Eliza's Dr. Doolittle power comes under threat as she will lose it if the secret leaks out. This becomes crucial in the uncovering of a mass pouching operation. A fun toon with an environmental and conservation message at its root.
4 / C
- PB

WILD WILD WEST
With Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Salma Hayek, Kenneth Branagh
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
The marvelously entertaining Men In Black created a team in Sonnenfeld and Smith that seems to be a no miss sure thing. Then you take a look at Wild Wild West. Perhaps they concentrated a bit too much on the 13 year-old market, forgetting about the rest of us. Smith is West, the wise-ass cowboy marshal who teams up with government agent Kline, to thwart Branagh’s evil take-over plans. Hayek is thrown in as a well-deserved beauty element while silly humour, mad set pieces, western cliches, action and FX provide a wild ride of sheer brainless entertainment. A great gigantic mechanical spider is probably the highlight of the film. Smith fans will watch this no matter what anyone says about it, so, whatever. PS. WWW won the ’99 Raspberry for worst picture - I second that motion.
2 / A
- PB

WIMBLEDON
With Paul Bettany, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Neil
Directed by Richard Lonccraine
When I saw the trailer for this light little romantic comedy I squirmed a bit in my seat, the same way I might if I had to sit a whole day through an actual Wimbledon game (probably getting rained on and ripped for strawberries & cream), in stead of catching TV highlights or just the men's & women's finals. But, it turned out to be enjoyable after all, especially because of Bettany's laid back portrayal as the washed out (rich kid) English tennis player who plans to retire but gets one last shot when he's drawn as a wild card entry for Wimbledon. Instead of being the helpless girl and object of Peter Parker's fantasies in
Spider-Man, here Kirsten Dunst is an assertive young champ who has won every title except Wimbledon. Her dad is the opposite of her reckless youthfulness and tries to keep her focused and under control. When her path crosses with Bettany, they develop a relationship and it seems as if his contact with her is improving his game. With a lot of digital tennis balls the makers saved tons of time by getting the ball to hit the exact mark they want to, without a cut-away. The humour is a mix of dry English and plain American, but tends to lean towards the former. If I could enjoy it, imagine tennis-freaks! Pat Cash was an advisor and John McEnroe & Chrissie Everett play themselves as commentators.
3 / C
- PB


WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON
With Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, Josh Duhamel
Directed by Robert Lukenic
A frivolous romantic comedy with the usual Three's Company scenarios. With TV stars all over it (from Will & Grace to Vegas and That '70s Show), this movie doesn't exactly convince the viewer to be anything beyond just that. A big Hollywood hunk star causes another PR disaster. His agent plots to get attention diverted. This is done by posting a competition for a fan to win a date with him. The winner is chosen for her wholesome appeal - a goody-goody middle-America girl who works at a supermarket. Her childhood friend and manager at the store has obviously been in love with her since forever. He fears his chances when she wins, but it gets worse when Tad visits her hometown afterwards to learn from her good nature. A few jokes here and there. Zero tension when it comes to fearing if Tad will steal the girl. As a whole just a time passer between popcorn and slushy. Not your first choice when scanning the video store shelves. The fact that it's from the director of Legally Blonde is no comfort.
2 / C
- PB


WINGSPAN
Most people usually focus on and remember
John Lennon's solo career after The Beatles. Paul McCartney's stint with his wife and other musicians in Wings was actually way huge and even had them earn a Guinness Book Of World Records best seller award. Songs like Band On The Run and the first Moore 007 feature theme song, Live And Let Die are but a few of the songs Wings made popular around the world. This DVD is a wonderfully crafted & integrated documentary, not only on the band, but also on Paul and Linda as husband and wife with a strong sense of family. In a way it is also a tribute to the woman with whom he shared most of his life who passed away several years ago. The older footage get woven together with current interviews conducted by McCartney's daughter. It doesn't get more "inside story" than this, with very little hidden, from the pot busts and departing band members to happier experiences like hanging in Jamaica. The DVD includes promo videos of three Wings songs, live clips, on the road & behind-the-scenes footage, a discography and photo gallery. Apart from the 88 minutes of documentary footage there is also an additional 22 minutes of outtakes. As the cover reads, it is an "intimate portrait". This is just another production that proves how phenomenal the DVD capabilities are, not only for movies and additional extras, but also when it comes to music and the amalgamation of audio, video and text to thrill true fan to the gills.
5 / B

- PB

WINNERS & SINNERS
With Samo Hung, Jackie Chan, Richard Ng, Charlie Shin
Directed by Samo Hung
Totally ludicrous comedy with action scattered throughout. Chan features in a handful of scenes, a cop as always, doing what he does best (a chase on roller skates being the highlight). A bunch of petty criminals meet in jail. On their release they stick together and start a cleaning business. They get tangled in a counterfeit deal. The comedy is absolutely silly, even the super-cheesy music stings reiterating the fact. Not Raymond Chow’s best production, but a good laugh for its off the wall attitude. Chan fans will be disappointed not seeing enough of him.
2 / B
- PB

WITHNAIL & I
With Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann
Directed by Bruce Robinson
All the elements seemed to have been aligned with the making of this classic. From Bruce Robinson's screenplay and direction to the casting of newcomers, Swazi expatriate Richard E. Grant and English actor Paul McGann. This modern masterpiece takes us on the extraordinary, gritty ride of two unemployed, broke and over-indulged actors who need to get away from their wasted flat, depression and squalor. It's the closing of an era, the '60's, and they are confronted with a wide range of realities. Their conflicting characters make it that much more of an experience. They head for the countryside to stay in a cabin owned Withnail's Uncle, the gay Monty. Brilliant lines, great acting and an unforgettable story you simply have to watch if you haven't several times already.
6 / A
- PB

WOODSTOCK Director's Cut
With Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Who, Santana, Ten Years After, Canned Heat, Joe Cocker & more, plus a couple hundred thousand hippies
Directed by Michael Wadleigh
It doesn't matter who should get the most credit for this mammoth concert film. Be it the organizers and artists who made the whole historic 1969 weekend possible, the cameramen capturing every aspect of it, the fans who traveled far and attended well, director Michael Wadleigh or editor (turned genius director) Martin Scorsese. Fact remains, this was the festival by which all would be measured. A world-changing event amidst a seriously changing world. The DVD format is perfect, not only for the clear digital sound, but also the widescreen format with its multiple segments, split screens and vast coverage. A fine selection of rock, pop, blues & folk artists of this significant time brought their talents to the stage and ultimately screens across the globe, and now, home entertainment centers in lounges across the planet. This is not only great for those who were around at the time and can reminisce to the timeless tunes of
Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Joe Cocker, Santana, Canned Heat, Janis Joplin, Country Joe & The Fish, The Who, Ten Years After, Crosby Stills & Nash, even Shanana and a bunch more. It is also one hell of a historic documentary for modern kids who have no idea of what went on back then (great Rock music, Vietnam, Hippies…). This director's cut contains some extra footage as well as some minor, but fun bits. Absolutely essential stuff, whether you consider yourself a rock aficionado or not.
6 / A
- PB


WORLD IN UNION
- The History Of The RUGBY WORLD CUP

Just in time to get some added perspective on the 5th and current Rugby World Cup (underway until 22 November 2003), this documentary on the first four clashes takes you through the pivotal games with interviews and comments from the captains and key players. Focussing on the lead teams from the quarter-finals, semi-finals and tense final games of each cup, teams like Japan and Namibia get no mention. From the first winners, New Zealand, through Australia, South Africa and the Aussies again in '99, all the highlights and thoughts of the players get relayed to the viewer in its 73 minute running time. The great plays, tension, upsets, controversy and the advent of the steamroller Lomu are a few of the elements you can find here. Extended interviews with each captain who had the privilege of accepting the William Webb-Ellis trophy for their team and country can be found in the bonus section, including our very own no-more-mister-nice-guy-Lays-chips captain André Pienaar. To top it off, a bonus quiz game will test your knowledge of the game and this huge sporting garnering 3 billion viewers worldwide every four years. Even for non-rugby fans, the documentary can be an emotional viewing experience (especially if your nationality happens to be one of those who proved victorious).
4 / B
- PB


WRONG TURN
With Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto
Directed by Rob Schmidt
The "lustful youngsters out in the woods get slaughtered by freaks" tale is hardly a new one. Yet, like with the great
Pumpkinhead, Stan Winston's production company managed to take this stale premise and wring a pretty tense little horror from its sinewy neck. Inbred mountain men deep in the backwoods spend their time hacking up campers and tourists who happen to make the mistake of passing through their neck of the woods. A guy late for a meeting takes a back road shortcut and smashes into a 4x4 whose wheels were ripped by a barbwire trap. They head on foot to find help, stumbling on the house of said mountain men. Sure, from the get-go you know which two will be the sole survivors as the deformed weirdos chase the group through the woods, shooting, hacking and even using a bow & arrow. A few nail-biting scenes are countered by some truly annoying characters you wish will be next on the chopping block. To sum this up in the easiest way would be: a cross between Deliverance and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
3 / B
- PB

 

© 2006 Flamedrop Productions