Damned If You Do...

Today we've got a few brief movie reviews...

But first a rant (which may be a repeat...so I apologize if I've bitched about this before)...

Releasing TV Shows on DVD is a tricky business for the studios. They put out a show's first season and then based on sales they decide to do (or not do) more seasons. We as consumers know this and we buy a show's first season in hopes we'll see more. When it works, we get screwed in the end anyway.

There have been too many instances of a studio actually getting an entire show out on DVD only to turn around and fuck the fans by then releasing a complete series box set with even more material. This has happened several times in the past (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, M*A*S*H, Homicide: Life on the Street), but seems to be more prevalent.

We can now add the upcoming Twin Peaks, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files and I Love Lucy to this list. Its even more obnoxious in the case of I Love Lucy because fans had been promised that what is now the "bonus" disc in the Complete Series set was going to be part of the last season set when it came out back in May. This wouldn't be too much of an issue if the studios released the bonus disc separately (like Fox kind of did with M*A*S*H in putting the bonus material into a set with the final episode...which was already part of the 11th Season set anyway...but at least a fan wouldn't be forced to buy the whole series over again).

Its one thing to put out an entire series, season by season, and then repackage the whole thing in some bizarre collector's box when they're all out. Its another thing to reward fans by fucking them in the ass by saying "We want you to buy this all over again just to get the special stuff." So a big raspberry to the studios for this marketing ploy (especially Fox & Paramount who seem to be the biggest offenders so far).

There ends the rant.

Saw Becoming Jane. It took a while to decide if I couldn't get into the film because the first 30 minutes were dull or because the three teenage twats behind us wouldn't shut the fuck up. Turned out the film was boring. I didn't know much about Jane Austin going in (aside from being my wife's favorite author) and now I don't think I know much more and don't care at all. Skip it.

The Bourne Ultimatum was an exciting action packed film. As far as plot goes, it feels like it was stitched together as they went along. Since I could barely remember what had happened in the other two films, I guess this didn't matter much. Is it just me or is Albert Finney starting to look and sound like Noah Cross (John Huston's character in Chinatown). If you know anything about movies and have never been to Tangier, you know that the best way to find someone is to run across rooftops while looking at the other buildings. Lastly, the most unbelievable thing in the film (aside from the return of the assassin at the end looking like he had time to take a shower between what looked like his "death" in a car accident and his next appearance) is an overhead shot of a NYC highway with three cars on it. Maybe at 3am, but not during mid-day.

Hot Fuzz is the second film from director Edgar Winters and writer/actor Simon Pegg after (following on Shaun of the Dead). What starts as a very funny sendup (which is the wrong word, because like Shaun this film is much more than that...a sendup exists solely to poke fun at something specific, these films are films in their own rights) turns into a hysterically funny film about a big city cop trying to fit into a small village. Easily one of the funniest films in quite some time with a nice dark twist to it. Look for Timothy Dalton to chew more scenery than he did in and Flash Gordon and The Rocketeer combined, but its all in good form for this film.

Marvel Comics' latest animated offering is Doctor Strange and its the best of the four direct to DVD releases so far. While not being the perfect adaptation of the Sorcerer Supreme's origin, it is a very good one. For anyone who doesn't know (and since he's a B level hero at Marvel, most of you don't), Stephen Strange was an arrogant surgeon whose life is ruined when he gets into a car accident and loses the use of his hands. He searches the world for fixes and eventually winds up in Tibet to discover who he really is and becomes the greatest sorcerer on Earth. The movie is relatively faithful but adds some modern twists and new elements all of which work well for the film.

Well...that's all I've got for today. I don't think I've left anything out. I'll be back over the weekend with a look at the savior of the universe.

Be seeing you.