Directed and written by Terrence Malick, the talented artist behind The Thin Red Line (1998), great anticipation surrounded the release of The New World. The project was bold and ambitious enough to peak ones interest, but unfortunately, the film could not deliver on its promise. Entire scenes drift by with nothing in particular being achieved to either advance the plot, the theme, or the premise of the film. Unfittingly, the soundtrack featured blaring snippets of concert m…
The Sopranos (Season 2) DVD Review
In the late 1990s a new HBO original series took America by storm. The Sopranos redefined the cable drama series genre with its unique look into the family life of a New Jersey mafia kingpin. Recipient of numerous Emmy nominations in the years since, The Sopranos has built a loyal following among television viewers and critics alike.
The Sopranos focuses on the life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a middle-aged father of two and the successful head of an organized cri…
Walk The Line Movie Review
A real legend is…well, the stuff of legends. But much harder to reproduce on film, because of the depths of human expression that tend to get lost in the business of making it on time, on budget, and on a subject the public will “buy”. Which means 2005’s “Walk The Line” is that rarest of movies, one that dug deep into the story, put it up as it really unfolded, and managed to bag actors that could carry it off.
“Walk The Line” is the hard fighting/drinking/loving story o…
The Notebook (DVD) Review
Adapted to screen from the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, The Notebook is one of the best romantic dramas to hit the big screen in decades. Garnering high marks from a wide-range of critics, The Notebook is a funny and emotional film which deals with love, relationships, and the risks people take. James Garner turns in a notable performance as the elder man, Duke, who reads the pages of his notebook to dying nursing home resident Allie (Gena Rowlands). Overall, this …
The Sopranos (Season 3) DVD Review
In the late 90s, The Sopranos, along with HBOs other original series with Sex And The City, took the entertainment world by storm with its dry wit and flavorful brand of drama. A hybrid of The Godfather and a normal, run-of-the-mill sitcom family, The Sopranos created a new experience for its audience and quickly developed a legion of loyal dedicated fans. Winner of numerous Emmys, the show follows the lives of the Soprano family headed by Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a…
Walk The Line (DVD) Review
Nominated for five Academy Awards, and winner of the Oscar for Best Actress (Reese Witherspoon), Walk The Line chronicles the life and times of legendary country music star Johnny Cash with an intense, and sometimes dark, intimacy. Following on the heels of the previous years Oscar Award-winning picture Ray, based on the life of Ray Charles, I entered the theater under the mistaken impression that Walk The Line would be a cookie-cutter attempt to capitalize on the various th…
The Office (DVD) Review
One of the most refreshing new comedy series on TV, The Office catalogues the inner-workings of a fictional Pennsylvania paper company called Dunder-Mifflin. The name itself alludes to some sort of bureaucratic labyrinth administered by dunderheads, and in reality, it is. Unfortunately, what makes The Office so hilarious is the ability of viewers to relate to the onscreen office culture. The branch office of Dunder-Mifflin viewers are privy to is managed by the politically-in…
The Sopranos (Season 4) DVD Review
Recipient of numerous awards and critical acclaim, The Sopranos has solidified itself as one of the best shows of the past decade. A sitcom family version of The Godfather, although not to be confused with family-friendly programming, the show provides a fresh glimpse of the vast underworld of organized crime. Putting a middle-class family twist on the mafia lifestyle, it creates a seduction world that it is simultaneously easier to relate to for most viewers. James Gandolfin…
Wedding Crashers (DVD) Review
One of the funniest and most outrageous comedies of 2005, Wedding Crashers will have you falling out of your chair with laughter. Directed by the underrated David Dobkin, the film features now veteran Hollywood funny men Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in their first film together as the central headliners. TV writers Steve Faber and Bob Fisher author the screenplay, a breakout hit for both, that has to be considered one of the best written comedies of the year. Of course, it he…
The Passion Of The Christ (DVD) Review
The most controversial film of 2004, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ was widely derided by critics and detractors as a two-hour anti-Semitic pornography/horror flick, complete with splattering blood and arduous torture. But among the Christian community (of which I consider myself a part) and open-minded people who actually saw the film, The Passion stands alone as the most eloquent expression of God’s love for mankind ever to grace the big screen.
The Passion certa…
The Sopranos (Season 5) DVD Review
The Sopranos centers around the life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a middle-aged father of two, husband, and successful businessman. But unlike most sitcom families, Tony is constantly irritated by his children, Meadow and Anthony (Jamie Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler). Furthermore, he regularly cheats on his wife Carmela (Edie Falco), and to top it off, hes the head of a mafia crime organization. The constant confusion and stress in Tonys life pushes him to seek out a t…
Will & Grace (DVD) Review
Premiering in the Fall of 1998, Will & Grace has become one of the most celebrated shows of its time. Nominated for 49 Emmys, and winner of 12 (including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2000), the show follows the lives of two best friends who live together. With a plethora of other award nominations – 24 Golden Globes, 14 SAG Awards, and 6 People’s Choice Awards, Will & Grace continues to light up the small screen with its unique brand of comic humor and groundbreaking sitcom f…