Pixars classic second feature, A Bugs Life, finally makes its high-definition debut. Heres Marks review… Let me be upfront about this: I likeAntzmore than I likeA Bugs Life. From a CGI perspective, it broke entirely new ground in scene complexity and lighting. But for youngsters whove not been schooled in the works of Akira Kurosawa, its engrossing enough. What can I say about the transfer? Flawless would be a good word....
Robert Zemeckis' take on A Christmas Carol arrives on a stunning-looking Blu-ray. But the film’s worth a second glance, too… Instead, Zemeckis tapped into Dickens novel and went dark, bleak and often really quite scary. And I also stand by much of what I thought then. It remains, for me, a compelling film. The extras package isnt bad, either. Its really interesting, and Id have liked a lot more along these lines....
Ad content continues below Its also, it should be noted, very cleverly made. They nudge the story, even when Nev himself is far from keen. I found it an oddly uncomfortable film to watch, and really struggled with parts of it. Its a skilful documentary, by skilful filmmakers. Thats the debate for after youve seen the film, though. Do try and give it your support. Catfish is on limited release in the UK now....
Action thriller Salt arrives on Blu-ray, but how does it fare on the small screen? Its a quart ofBourne, mixed with a dash ofMission Impossibleand a slice ofNikita. In the UK this movie was released as a 12A with cuts. But more fascinatingly, they also fix a number of plot holes that the theatrical release suffers. One question everyone I asked about this movie had originally is why Salt runs at the end....
Episode 21 of The Muppet Show features a guest appearance from model-turned-actress Twiggy. The opening sketch and musical number is the headache-inducingDanceperformed by an assortment of Day-Glo feather dusters. I have to admit that, going into this episode, my expectations were quite low. you could read our remembrance ofepisode 20 here.
The long-awaited Tron: Legacy finally arrives in cinemas today, but is it more than mere eye candy? What I liked aboutLegacyis just how much it references back to the original film. IfTron: Legacyteaches us anything, its that computer graphics really have evolved into something quite terrifyingly powerful. But at the same time, theres an awful lot in Kosinskis take onTronthat is enormously enjoyable. Its in storytelling terms thatLegacyseems unusually timid....
Can Duncan find much to love in the straight to DVD sequel to Death Race? Yes, he can… Instead, all three of them have consistently important roles throughout. ), then accidentally triggering the evolution of the prison-based entertainment show, Death Match. Where the film falls down, though, is when it tries to handle its female characters. I didnt think it was that controversial, but felt very self-conscious. Jane, even sharing the awful suck my dick!...
Hollywood is in the grip of a hybrid genre fever, but are the results mere low-brow nonsense? Now, I love genre movies. However, more often than not, they completely divide audiences. ),The Warriors Way(cowboys vs. ninjas! ),Cowboys & Aliens(cowboys vs. andMega Shark Vs Crocosaurus(erm., Mega Shark Vs Crocosaurus!) Ad content continues below Now, obviously, most genres are a hybrid to some degree. But Im talking about the extreme mash-up of genres that would not be generally put together at all....
Dave Gorman returns with a new stand-up DVD. But is it worth your time and money? James checks it out… Over the last few years, stand-up DVDs have become big business. Dave Gorman, fresh off his return to stand-up, is no exception. A more conventional tour followed in 2010, and this DVD is the final fruit of the whole endeavour. But dont let the projects origins fool you. This show is purely about the jokes....
I would love to [have seen it at the cinema]. Theyve got to do something like that bring it back to the cinema. What impressed me the most was the suits they wore, which were just covered in tape. Ad content continues below In this film, weve got the self-illuminating lights. It just blows my mind. I heard you had to train in martial arts and Parkour forTron: Legacy. It takes a little time to be able to leap over things, and get that trust....
(He was wired in to microphones.) I like you already!, instantly relaxing the atmosphere as we started the interview. We could tell people were excited, saying, Oh that movie. I have gotta see that!. But, no, we didnt really know, so when it happened it was great. How did the whole experience feel for you? So, that was the best thing for me was playing that character. Fighting Jet Li was cool, but for me, I do that in a lot of movies....
A reason why Goldenthal hasnt got the number of credits his contemporaries boast? He often alternates between film scoring and stage productions. Arent we all?! Its just a shame that the action on screen doesnt live up to his score. Its one of the many scores that can get overlooked because of the quality of the film it accompanies. For fans of Goldenthals work or fans of sci-fi scores in general, this is an essential purchase....
I saw it in its entirety shortly before I met Joe [Kosinski] and Sean Bailey. And I thought Id seen it before that because of how it had woven in to the cultural fabric. Id seen so many references to it, but I think that happens with iconic films. Ad content continues below What part of the original film most impressed you? It was interesting, because it was a lot funnier than I thought it would be....
