The show that literally redefined the sitcom genre, Seinfeld evolved from an idea of a show about nothing into a sacred pop culture icon. The show follows the life and times of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his best friends, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Living lives of complete selfishness (which is why most of us relate so well to the show), theyre joined by an extensive cast of eccentric support…
South Park (DVD) Review
Premiering in the late summer of 1997, South Park took American pop culture by storm with its no-holds-barred examination of social and political issues and its lewd yet unique brand of cartoon humor. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park is the lynchpin of cable network Comedy Central’s original programming lineup. Centered around the lives of several kids in the small Colorado town of South Park (a place prone to odd and paranormal occurrences), the series prese…
The Andy Griffith Show (DVD) Review
One of the most beloved shows in television history, The Andy Griffith Show takes its viewers back to a simpler time of small town America, apple pie, and black and white television The trademark whistling theme song is one of the most recognizable in history, and the duration of the show in syndicated reruns is unrivaled by its peers. The Andy Griffith Show follows the exploits of the small town of Mayberry and its family values, no nonsense sheriff Andy. Widowed, and fathe…
Braveheart (DVD) Review
Long before The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson directed another cinematic masterpiece, Braveheart. Filmed against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rolling meadows, it tells the historically-based (yet not entirely accurate) story of William Wallace, a common mans warrior who led the Scottish people in rebellion against King Edward I, also known as Longshanks. Written by Randall Wallace, an American tourist fascinated with a Scottish statue of his namesake, the scr…
Curb Your Enthusiasm (DVD) Review
Nominated for 20 Emmys and winner of a Golden Globe for Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy), Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of the more clever and hilarious shows on TV. The HBO original series is the brainchild of Seinfeld co-creator and writer Larry David, whose life maintains a peculiar resemblance to the quasi-fictional George Costanza. And just like George Costanza and his neurotically-low self-esteem (i.e. “God doesn’t want me to be successful), Curb Your Enthusiasm…
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (DVD) Review
Nominated for 19 Emmys and 5 Golden Globes, including Best TV Series – Drama, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman experienced the rare double victory of audience loyalty and widespread critical acclaim. Premiering in mid-season (January 1993), the hour-long CBS original series illustrated American frontier life like few other shows before it. Like the smash hit Little House On The Prairie, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman vividly portrays the hardship, struggle, and community kinship endemic …
Frasier (Season 4) DVD Review
One of the funniest and most beloved comedies of its era, the Cheers spin-off Frasier remained a lynchpin in the NBC lineup for much of the 1990s. Following the life of eminent psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the aftermath of his divorce from Lilith, Frasier takes place in Seattle, Washington where the title character lives with his handicapped father Martin, a retired police officer wounded in the line of duty. The two are joined by Daphne Moon, a live-in housekeeper and p…
Gilmore Girls (Season 2) DVD Review
Recipient of a single nomination for an Emmy and a Golden Globe in its initial five seasons, Gilmore Girls is much more successful among members of the television viewing public than among critics. The result of a joint partnership between The WB Network and television industry executives, Gilmore Girls the first script from the Family Friendly Forum to become a regular series showcases a mother-daughter relationship and the chronicles the personal world in which they liv…
I Love Lucy (Season 2) DVD Review
Widely regarded as one of the best, if not the greatest, sitcom in TV history, I Love Lucy marked the beginning of the television era. Created by husband and wife team Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the series completely changed its industry with its use of a live audience and the deployment of more than one camera angle. The product of true comic genius, I Love Lucy’s ability to entertain audiences of every age remains as relevant today as it was upon its first inception
T…
La Femme Nikita (DVD) Review
Nominated for 18 Gemini Awards (which honor the English language achievements of Canadian television), La Femme Nikita established itself as a stalwart on the USA Network in the late-1990s. Based on the 1990 motion picture of the same name, La Femme Nikita changed its cast, but not its edgy characters and exciting underworld setting. A forerunner to the successful hit series Alias, the show features all the intrigue of its successor coupled with the fast-paced action of 24. A…
Munich (DVD) Review
Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Munich is undoubtedly director Steven Spielbergs best work since Band of Brothers (2001). At 2 hours and 44 minutes, the film moves along at a surprisingly quick pace. Spielberg makes adequate use of the time, providing added depth to the characters and illustrating the changes each undertakes in the course of his mission.
Writers Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, the latter of whom is best known for Forrest Gump (1994)…
Ray (DVD) Review
Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Ray is a captivating and inspiring true story about a man beloved by millions around the world. Based on the life and times of Ray Charles Robinson, the film follows the popular singer’s life from the earliest days of his youth to the day of his triumph over a heroin addiction. Featuring a soundtrack second to none in the history of cinema, Ray is the total package in terms of a blockbuster film – great characters blend…