Review: Is It Really So Strange? (B)

Is It Really So Strange? (2005)
Directed by William E Jones
MPAA: NR
Grade: B

Review by Bobby Nashville

Okay. I was expecting a documentary about the fans of Morrissey to be almost as boring as a documentary about Morrissey himself. Strangely enough, Is It So Strange is actually quite fascinating.

Is It Really So Strange takes an insider look at a growing group of Morrissey fans, including a group of latino youths in LA. The group gathers for Morrissey parties at nightclubs throughout LA. These fans feel an affinity to Morrissey's lyrics as a solo artist and as a front man for the legendary band The Smiths.

Morrissey fans feel such a strong connection to this performer that one can't help but be mesmerized by their testimony. These fans often style their hair like Morrissey, dress like him and affect his entire persona. While I am not a huge fan of Morrissey, his power over his fans is undeniable and the documentary Is It So Strange is well done indeed.

Rumors & Innuendos: Pee Wee Herman, Ridley Scott, Brian Standing, John Lennon & Missy Elliott

Could Pee Wee Herman actually be the new Joker? We've heard crazier things. As long as it's not Robin Williams (a rumor that's been floating around for way too long).

Ridley Scott is reportedly going to helm a pic about the Gucci family. Of course, it will look incredible.

Our friend Brian Standing has a new documentary entitled Why Are You Here? The film focuses on "The Great American Boycott" that hit U.S. on May 1st. Check out the Why Are You Here? web site for more info.

Speaking of politics, there is a film coming down the pike that focuses on the U.S. Government's attempts to silence John Lennon's cries for peace. The movie is called The U.S. vs. John Lennon and it is slated for a September release. Should be interesting.

Missy Elliott is rumored to be in talks to develop a film based on her life. We love Missy and can't wait to see this one on the big screen. Of course, the million dollar question is - who would you like to see star as Missy Elliott?

Peace out.

Posted by Scott Standish

Review: Sasquatch Dumpling Gang (B+)

The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang (2006)
Directed by Tim Skousen
Starring Jeremy Sumpter, Justin Long, Joey Kern, Veanne Cox, Carl Weathers, Stephen Tobolowsky
MPAA: UR
Grade: B+

Review by Bobby Nashville

I was lucky enough to score tickets to Sasquatch Dumpling Gang at the Waterfront Film Festival and it is by far the funniest comedy I have seen in months. The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang is silly, hilarious and at times, very, very sweet. Here is a sneek peak at what may be one of the biggest hits of this fall.

The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang comes from the first Assistant Director of Napoleon Dynamite and it features the same quirky style of humor. The lighthearted comedy tells the story of a group of school kids in the 70's that encounter Bigfoot tracks (and some Bigfoot droppings). The leader of the group (Gavin) attempts to prove that the droppings (and tracks) are real, while his very bizarre neighbors (played by Justin Long and Joey Kern) try to profit from the findings. Carl Weathers makes a rather awkward appearance as a Bigfoot expert with a flair for the eccentric.

The film is broken into chapters with cartoon titles between each chapter. There are dorky teens, idiotic adults and weird situations that have little to no bearing on reality and the characters rip of strange one liners a mile a minute. If you loved Napoleon Dynamite, you will certainly enjoy the Sasquatch Dumpling Gang.

The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang is a comedy with a kind heart. It feels like a cross between an after school special (and I mean that in a positive way) and (of course) Napoleon Dynamite. The Saqsquatch Dumpling Gang is really a simple tale about friendship and how valuable it is to kids growing up. Look for standout performances from Justin Long (that guy from the Apple ads) and Joey Kern, who plays a guy that always goes shirtless and munches on corndogs.

The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang is rumored to be slated for a fall 2006 release.

Review: A Year Without Love (D+)

A Year Without Love (2005)
Directed by Anahi Berneri
Starring Juan Minujin, Mimi Ardu & Carlos Echevarria
MPAA: UR
Grade: D+

Review by Scott Standish

You've got to hand it to Strand Releasing. They aren't afraid to touch some of the most daring cinema around. They often release films with strong sexual content, often with gay or lesbian storylines. Usually these films are excellent. One of their recent releases, A Year Without Love, pushes these boundaries in typical fashion. Unfortunately, the film is also a bit boring.

A Year Without Love is based on the published diaries of Pablo Perez. Pablo has AIDS. He places ads in magazines looking for a new lover. He soon finds himself into a deep world of S&M, with mixed emotions about it. The problem with A Year Without Love is that the non-stop S&M scenes are not very exciting, and the story seems to go in circles. I was looking for more information about the main characters and hopefully, some sense of connection to the story.

We love Strand and they have a great track record of putting out daring, interesting films. Unfortunately A Year Without Love isn't one of them.

Rumors & Innuendos: Ian Curtis, Artie Lange, Cheerleaders & The Dresden Dolls

DVD Confidential has heard rumors that an Ian Curtis (Joy Division) biopic is in the works. Reportedly, the director will be a music video veteran that has helmed several Radiohead vids. Could be interesting, but the big question is: who will play Ian Curtis? That's a tough role.

The press machine behind Bring It On: All Or Nothing has been huge. We are actually a little intrigued by this one. The original Bring It On was suprisingly cute, and it singlehandedly created a new genre of film - the cheerleader movie. Anyway Bring It On: All Or Nothing streets on August 8th. Check out the Bring It On Squad for more info.

Lots of buzz about Artie Lange's Beer League right now. The film was written by Artie Lange and Frank Sebastiano. Sebastiano makes his directing debut. DVD Confidential faves Laurie Metcalf and Jim Breuer also appear. It opens in theaters on September 17th.

Confidential favorites the Dresden Dolls are touring with Panic! At The Disco, but Amanda is hosting a little cabaret show filled with film, art installations and similar surprises. It's being touted as Celluloid Vaudeville (we like that) and the show is called "Fuck The Back Row" (we really like that). For more info on this this underground film fest, visit their web site at DresdenDolls.com.

Posted by Scott Standish

Review: Get Rich Or Die Tryin' (B-)

Get Rich Or Die Tryin (2005)
Directed by Jim Sheridan
Starring 50 Cent, Terrance Howard
Grade: B-

Review by Scott Standish

The knock on Get Rich Or Die Tryin' has been that it's a ripoff of Eminem's Eight Mile. Well, I haven't seen Eight Mile, so I can't really comment on that. What I can say is that Get Rich or Die Tryin' is completely watchable, fairly entertaining, and at times, downright riveting. In other words, this one snuck up on me.

Get Rich or Die Trying certainly belongs in the "Rock & Roll Biopic" genre, alongside films such as The Buddy Holly Story, La Bamba and yes, Eight Mile. I can't say that it is as good as them, but if you are a fan of that genre, you will probably enjoy Get Rich. It's your typical "young man makes good" story and it has a ring of truth to it. Director Jim Sheridan wisely doesn't turn this into an explotation of 50 Cent's music, and the film treats it's subject with compassion and the right amount of detachment.

50 Cent is probably not going to become a hugh movie star after this role - he just isn't that impressive here. However, he also isn't Madonna. He can act. He doesn't have a wide range of emotions on screen, though, and I kept wondering what it would have been like with another actor in his role. The incredible Terrance Howard (Hustle & Flow, Crash) does a more than capable job of backing 50 Cent up.

You won't see Get Rich Or Die Tryin' show up with Oscar nominations this year. But, by the end of Get Rich, you might just find yourself rooting for the rapper to get his shot at fame. Definitely rental worthy.

Review: Sunday Driver (A-)

Sunday Driver (2005)
Directed by Carol Strong
Grade: A-

Review by Bobby Nashville

Wow. This is one cool documentary.

Sunday Driver takes a look at the phenomenon of lowrider cars in California, particularly the Majestics car club out of Compton. This car club is perhaps one of the best known in the country. Members of the Majestics have to truly love low riding cars (cars with hydraulic lifts) and be committed not only to lowriding, but also to the club in general. That means a strict adherence to club rules. Gang banging is not allowed, even though a large amount of the club members are ex-gang members.

Sunday Driver features excellent interviews with car club afficianados. It also tells a great story of the car club members and how their lives change over time. But most of all, Sunday Driver is all about the cars. Unbelievable paint jobs, insane hydraulics and lots & lots of chrome. These cars are amazing, so if you like classic cars, this is definitely a must see.

Sunday Driver was produced by RockStar Games, a company best known for their groundbreaking video game Grand Theft Auto. The film has a great look, a great vibe, and a remarkable soundtrack. The cars are unbelievable. Sunday Driver is a fantastic documentary and it's highly recommended.

Ramblings From The Waterfront Film Festival

The Waterfont Film Festival has grown into a fairly big showcase for indie films. The festival focuses on American made indie films, high quality documentaries and iffy major releases. I guess the major studios want to test out the waters before spending alot of cash marketing a film that doesn't play well in the Midwest. We were fortunate enough to be able to check out most of the Saugatuck, Michigan based film festival last week, and for the most part, it was a blast.

Despite our repeated attempts to get media passes to the event, the festival elders chose to ignore us. It would have been nice to at least get a "thanks, but no thanks" e-mail or even a condescending letter for us to frame, but that apparently wasn't to be.

So, at the last minute, without media passes, we decided to go ahead and fork over our own hard earned cash and see some of the films. We saw six films in two days, and got in lots of partying. Maybe a little too much partying but that seems to be part of the whole film festival experience these days. Saugatuck has lots of great restaurants and bars, and by the end of the event, we must have hit them all.

The Waterfront Film Festival is 100% volunteer organized and run. That might account for the slightly unorganized atmosphere and the media pass diss. But despite the all-volunteer workforce, the event still went fairly smoothly. Movies started on time, there were some minor celebrities to be seen, and there were lots of media types milling around. That reminds me - at one point I was psyched to spot a guy wearing a "Boy Howdy" t-shirt at the premiere of In Memorium (more on that clunker of a film later). He explained that he was editor of Creem Magazine (woo-hoo, it's back!) and that you can now check out the legendary magazine online. Sweet. Also, apparently you can buy Boy Howdy t-shirts online at a site callled Worn Free. Who knew?

Okay, back to the festival. One of the biggest downers at this year's Waterfront Film Festival was the return of Emerson Hart as the opening party performer. The opening party is basically a block party, with beer and wine tents, and a performer (Hart) that entertains the crowd before they show a film outdoors. Hart was the lead singer of the band Tonic, and his accoustic sets are the epitome of whiny complaint rock. Ellyn Elm was getting so annoyed with his overly sentimental, pseudo-intellectual meanderings that at one point I actually had to restrain her from rushing the stage and beating him over the head with her Guns N Roses Appetite For Destruction LP... That happens a lot.

Another down side to the Waterfront Film Festival (besides the fact that we had to pay to see movies) were the venues themselves. We saw one film in a high school gym and two others in a boat warehouse. Seriously, we sat on lawn chairs in an empty boat storage barn. I know. But, to be honest, it was worth it. The films that we saw in the warehouse (Word Play and the awesome Sasquatch Dumpling Gang) were top notch. But the festival could use some better venues. Not sure how they can pull that off, but that has to be something they look to improve in the years ahead.

Don't get me wrong, dear readers. The Waterfront Film Festival was a blast. Great films, plenty of parties and lots of activities all weekend long. We will have some reviews for you in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, unless you've got a boat, stay out of the storage barns.

Posted by Scott Standish

Poseidon: Why Hollywood Sucks

Have you seen the horrible Poseidon remake? This movie is the perfect example of why Hollywood sucks right now. It seems like every summer release these days is either a thown together remake or a tired sequel of a film that you sort of liked three or four years ago. Where is the originality?

Let's face it, my friends, Hollywood is in a rut. The mere fact that no one along the way stopped Poseidon from going out to theaters proves that to me. Somewhere along the way, somebody (whether it was a studio executive or an assistant producer) should have taken a look at this piece of crap and said "Um... Wasn't the original version ten times better than this? Why are we doing this again?" The original Poseidon Adventure actually had decent actors (who can forget Shelley Winters). The paint by the numbers remake of Poseidon is a rambling, incoherent mess with nothing but flat, meaningless performances.

The sad fact is that the heads of the studio probably green lighted Poseidon fully knowing that it was crap. They knew it would get a big opening weekend, garner bad word of mouth and then die a slow death. And they released it any way. Hey, maybe it will make it up on rentals, foreign sales, etc. Is this really what Hollywood has come to?

We here at DVD Confidential have been supporting indie film for a while now. That's an easy job. However, we also have been championing big budget films with originality when appropriate. But the time has come to start putting our foot down. Horrible, big budget remakes have to go. It is time. Hollywood, go back to the drawing board and come up with something new. It's better to go with quality over quantity - hasn't anyone learned anything from the Pixar business model?

In the months ahead, look for the DVD Confidential crew to start throwing some elbows. Hollywood needs to wake up, smell the Starbucks and stop taking the American public for granted. We are smarter than Hollywood is giving us credit, and someone needs to take a stand. We've got a site here with lots of bandwidth, and I guess it's time we started using it. If you agree, please stand up with us by commenting on our forthcoming posts. And if you disagree, that's cool too. It is, after all, a free country.

Stay tuned.....

Review: Boston Legal Season One (B+)

Boston Legal - Season One (2005)
Starring James Spader, William Shatner, Julie Bowen, Monica Potter
MPAA: UR
Grade: B+

Perhaps the best show on television right now, Boston Legal started as a spin off from the successful ABC drama The Practice. The show combines your usual "L.A. Law" type legal fare with eccentric humor and lots of campy sexual innuendo. It's not Shakespeare, but it's good entertainment.

James Spader and William Shatner are the stars behind Boston Legal and season one is all about building that relationship. The two heavyweights won Emmys for their roles on The Practice and they continue their excellent chemistry in season one of Boston Legal. Season One of Boston Legal is also all about Alan Shore (Spader) and his flirting with various office mates. He gets away with it, of course, with flair and humor. He also brings a ton of cash into the firm, so that helps, too.

Boston Legal found it's groove in season two, but season one definitely has it's moments of humor and drama as well. For fans of television drama box sets, Boston Legal is a must own.

Win A Copy Of Something New

DVD Confidential is proud to give away one copy of Something New, the excellent romantic comedy starring Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker. Reviewer Scott Standish says that "The acting is first rate and it is highly recommended for those that admire romantic comedies. Look for standout performances from Blair Underwood and Donald Faison."

To be eligible to win, simply sign up for our monthly newsletter and be the first to email Scott at DVD Confidential dot com with the subject "Something New Contest". You must be a newsletter subscriber and accept delivery in the U.S. Good luck!

Review: The Sisters (C-)

The Sisters (2005)
Directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman
Starring Maria Bello, Mary Stuart Masterson, Ericka Christensen, Elizabeth Banks, Steven Culp, Tony Goldwyn, Eric McCormack, Chris O’Donnell, Alessandro Nivola and Rip Torn.
MPAA: R
Grade: C-

Review by Ellyn Elm

Ultimately unsatisfying, The Sisters, is like a tired old mimeograph handout from your History of Western Civilization class freshman year in college. It’s a movie based on a play based on the Chekov classic, Three Sisters. And believe me, it suffers in the translation (as will you).

An impressive cast and solid acting on the part of Maria Bello and Mary Stuart Masterson, can’t save this one from the abyss. It’s pedantic and smug with none of the depth, grace or humanity of the Chekov original. As you may have guessed, the story centers on three sisters struggling to cope with their late father’s life and death. Throw in a lesbian, an overdose, infidelity, a couple of literary quotes, top it off with some incest and you’ve got yourself one big ole’ cliché.

I’m guessing I was supposed to be moved by the witty bons mots and clever dialog. But, clearly this movie is much smarter than me. This movie is so smart, in fact, is doesn’t stoop to create any kind of connection between the audience and the characters. It assumes we’re going to care about a bunch of neurotic intellectuals mentally sparring for an interminable 113 minutes. It’s like watching a Woody Allen movie without all that humor and insight to get in the way.

I’ll save you the trouble of having to watch the movie in its entirety and sum it up as follows: (Spoiler Alert!) Blah, blah, blah.

Whatever.

Review: Something New (B-)

Something New (2006)
Directed by Sanaa Hamri
Starring Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker, Mike Epps, Donald Faison, Blair Underwood, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Alfre Woodard, Golden Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Earl Billings
MPAA: PG-13
Grade: B-

Review by Scott Standish

A refreshing comedy that deals with race, class structures and love, Something New is an entertaining film that leaves one thinking. Kenya Denise McQueen (Sanaa Lathan) is a successful African American businesswoman at a top accounting firm. She is up for partner and seems to have it all. Except a social life.

Kenya goes out on a blind date and is surprised to find her date to be a white man. She can barely hide her disappointment. He (Simon Baker) is a landscape architect that loves dogs, the outdoors, and having new experiences. Kenya is about as opposite as one can get, and she is not receptive to dating him (at first). She hires the landscaper to do a job, and before long, he talks her into more dates.

Something New is cute, and although a bit cliche at times, it knows how to push the envelope without going to far. The acting is first rate and it is highly recommended for those that admire romantic comedies. Look for standout performances from Blair Underwood and Donald Faison.

Movie Buzz: Tegan & Sara Live Tour Documentary

All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, comes Tegan & Sara. Who are Tegan & Sara? Glad you asked. Here's the inside scoop on Tegan & Sara, and their new DVD, direct from Vapor/Sanctuary Records.

Tegan & Sara are set to release their first full length DVD, entitled It’s Not Fun. Don’t Do It!, on August 8, 2006 through Vapor/Sanctuary Records. The DVD is a treasure trove of Tegan & Sara vernacular as well as an in depth look at one of today’s most compelling artists.
 
It’s Not Fun. Don’t Do It! includes:
 
- Full live concert from Tegan & Sara’s performance at the Phoenix in Toronto
- The making of So Jealous
- A tour documentary shot by Tegan & Sara
- All of Tegan & Sara’s music videos
- A photo album highlighting Tegan & Sara’s career
- Endless commentary from Tegan & Sara
 
Over the past two years Tegan & Sara’s career trajectory has been on a dramatic rise. So Jealous was released in September 2004 to a wave of critical praise from The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, Spin Magazine, Village Voice, amongst many others. The album made Rolling Stone’s Top 50 of 2004, and garnered late night television appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Late Late Show” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Touring non-stop since the release of So Jealous, Tegan & Sara have sold-out venues across the country, opened for The Killers and were invited to perform at this year’s Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals. The first single off So Jealous, “Walking With a Ghost,” charted at alternative radio, and was recently covered by The White Stripes.
 
With the release of It’s Not Fun. Don’t Do It! latecomers and fans alike will get a chance to witness the band’s dynamic live show and their affable – and often humorous - personalities up close and personal.
 
Tegan & Sara are currently in the midst of writing new material for their fourth full-length, expected in 2007.
 
Tracklisting:
“I Bet It Stung” - “I Know, I Know, I Know” - “I Hear Noises” - “Monday, Monday, Monday” - “Not Tonight” - “So Jealous” - “Where Does The Good Go” - “Speak Slow” - “Downtown” - “This Is Everything” - “Walking With A Ghost” - “Living Room” - “You Wouldn't Like Me”
 
DVD Extras:
"It's Not Fun. Don't Do It!" Tour Documentary * The Making of SO JEALOUS * Music videos for "Walking With A Ghost," "Speak Slow," "I Hear Noises," “Living Room,” and "Monday, Monday, Monday." * Photo Album from the Road *Commentary from Tegan & Sara

Movie Buzz: The Devil Wears Prada

The upcoming film The Devil Wears Prada is generating some serious buzz in movie land. According to 20th Century Fox, the film opens in theaters June 30th. Here is the official rundown on the new film, starring Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci.

Based on the best-selling novel by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada stars two-time Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep as high-powered fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly. Anne Hathaway also stars, as Miranda’s new assistant, a small-town girl in her first job out of college, trying to navigate a world she’s only glimpsed in print – while surviving her impossibly demanding new boss.

The Devil Wears Prada Site

The Devil Wears Prada Trailer