DVD Confidential Monthly Newsletter
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Edition 9: April 10, 2006
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DVD Confidential
Finding The Best Movies On DVD
http://www.dvdconfidential.com
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What's New on DVD Confidential:
1) Win A King Kong Prize Pack!
2) Latest Reviews: Be Here to Love Me,
Suburbia, Barry Manilow, Godzilla Final Wars,
King Kong, Big Doll House, Red Eye
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"Monsters belong in B movies."
- Carl Denham (Jack Black)
in King Kong
Spring is here and the summer blockbuster
season is right around the corner. So many
movies, so little time! That's actually
why we are here folks, to help sort out
the gems from the junk. We've been finding
the best movies on DVD since 2002!
We have a TON of DVDs backed up and we'll
be cranking out reviews even faster now
that we have added a new reviewer to the
staff. Mark Focus has joined the DVD
Confidential staff and he's ready to rock.
Speaking of that - enough chit chat, here's
the reviews! But before I forget, make sure
to enter our King Kong super schwag giveaway!
- Scott Standish Editor, DVD Confidential
http://www.dvdconfidential.com
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1) Win A King Kong Prize Pack!
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We are excited to offer one lucky DVD
Confidential reader the best movie contest
prize pack to come along in years: one
King Kong DVD, one King Kong baseball cap
and one King Kong T-shirt. This is an
awesome movie schwag giveaway, courtesy of
Universal Pictures and DVD Confidential.
Here's how to enter the DVD Confidential
King Kong Contest: 1) subscribe to the free
DVD Confidential Newsletter (you're covered
there) and 2) email Scott at DVD Confidential
dot com the answer to the following question:
"Who played Ann Darrow in the original 1933
screen version of King Kong?" We will pick
one lucky winner from the list of subscribers
who have supplied the right answer. Good luck!
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2) Latest Reviews: Be Here to Love Me,
Suburbia, Barry Manilow, Godzilla Final Wars,
King Kong, Big Doll House, Red Eye
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The Latest Reviews from DVD Confidential:
Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes
Van Zandt (B+)
Directed by Margaret Brown
Starring Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson,
Willie Nelson, Steve Earle & Emmylou Harris
MPAA: UR
Grade: B+
Review by Bobby Nashville
I am sure glad I stumbled upon Be Here to
Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt. This
dynamite documentary about a legendary
songwriter and performer completely came
out of left field for me. I had never even
heard of this guy before this indie feature
- now I am a huge fan and I am eager to
search out and purchase some music by
Townes Van Zandt.
Townes was a magical songwriter that wrote
blues inspired folk songs (or were they
folk inspired country songs) that were
recorded and turned into top hits by Willie
Nelson and Emmylou Harris. Townes lived the
life of a rambler, driving from show to show
and partying with hippies, folk singers and
roadies. His life was on the road and many
of his songs were about how sad life
really can be.
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/04/review-be-here-to-love-me-film...
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Suburbia (1984)
Directed by Penelope Spheeris
Starring Bill Coyne, Chris Pederson, Flea,
Jennifer Clay and Timothy O'Brien
MPAA: R
Grade: B-
Review by Scott Standish
This punk rock angst-fest was produced by the
incredible Roger Corman and its just about what
you would expect from a Roger Corman/Penelope
Spheeris production. Lots of kids rebelling
against authority, some great music, a lot of
bad acting, and a film that somehow pulls it
together in the end. For fans of either auteur,
Suburbia is well worth seeking out.
Evan is an emotionally abused teen in LA,
alienated from his family and friends. He joins
up with a group of similarly mistreated teens
that have morphed into a punk rock gang,
squatting in a house set for demolition. This
rag tag crew of kids find acceptance among each
other, something they could not find back at home.
A very young Flea (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers)
stars as Razzle, an energetic punker that always
has a rat crawling all over him. Sheila (played
by Jennifer Clay) has escaped the sexual and
physical abuse from her father by banding together
with the punkers, who call themselves "The Rejects".
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/04/review-suburbia-b.html
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Barry Manilow - Music & Passion (Live From Las
Vegas) (2006)
Starring Barry Manilow
Directed by David Mallet
MPAA: UR
Grade: B
Review by Sebastian Francis Kennedy
As a young man, my first two record albums were
Endless Summer by the Beach Boys and Trying To Get
The Feeling Again by Barry Manilow. I played both
albums until my parents realized that they simply
had to buy me some new records or risk going insane.
Over the years, I retained my love for the Beach
Boys (Pet Sounds changed my life) but I left my
Manilow behind. And judging from the performance
in Music and Passion, that's a shame.
Music and Passion captures a brilliant performance
by Barry Manilow at the Las Vegas Hilton. Manilow
is an incredible songwriter and his array of hits
is enormous. The fabulous performance captured on
DVD here showcases just how well Manilow has it
down as an entertainer. He wows the audience with
his showmanship and his flare. Manilow is truly
entertaining and he puts on a fantastic show. Music
and Passion is excellent.
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/04/review-barry-manilow-music-pas...
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Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura
Starring Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa, Kazuki
Kitamura, Masami Nagasawa, Chihiro Ôtsuka, and
Don Frye
MPAA: PG-13
Grade: A-
Review by Bobby Nashville
Man, I love this movie. Any film that features
Godzilla, the Mothra Girls AND over a dozen
classic movie monsters from Godzilla's past is
going to get a good review from me. That's
guaranteed. Full of action, humor and cheesy
monster mayhem, Godzilla: Final Wars is the
Godzilla film that many of us have been waiting
for.
The "updated" Godzilla presented to America in
1998 by Roland Emmerich was nothing more than
computer generated trickery. The monster looked
almost exactly like the T-Rex from Jurassic Park,
and it had none of the Godzilla camp. Basically
they missed what the entire Godzilla franchise
is all about. Forget the special effects, I want
the old school Godzilla - a guy walking around
in a suit, stepping on fake trains and smashing
models of buildings. Godzilla: Final Wars has
all of this and more.
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/04/review-godzilla-final-wars.html
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King Kong (2006)
Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jack Black
and Andy Serkis
MPAA: B+
Review by Scott Standish
King Kong is a thrill ride. Perhaps one that
goes on a bit too long, but it is indeed
thrilling.
Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) directs an
all-star cast in King Kong, an updated version
of the classic that we all grew up with. The
film stays true to the original, and Peter
Jackson artfully blends action, horror, fantasy
and romance. It goes without saying that the
visual effects are stunning and the art direction
is incredible. The action scenes, specifically
where Kong fights with various dinosaurs are
truly amazing. King Kong is a wonder to behold.
The acting in King Kong is decent, although not
spectacular. Naomi Watts (The Ring, Mulholland
Drive delivers a fine performance but Jack Black
(School of Rock, Melvin Goes To Dinner) is not at
his best here. Adrien Brody (The Pianist) does a
passable job as Watt's suitor but let's face it
- the star of the show is Kong.
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/03/review-king-kong-b.html
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Big Doll House
Directed by Jack Hill
Starring Judy Brown, Pam Grier, Roberta Collins,
Sid Haig and Pat Woodell
MPAA: R
Grade: B
Review by Bobby Nashville
Woohoo! You got to love the Big Doll House, a
camp exploitation classic from director Jack Hill
(Switchblade Sisters, Swinging Cheerleaders). The
Big Doll House is lots of fun and it's one of the
"early classics" now being released on DVD from
legendary producer Roger Corman.
The Big Doll House has a story line that is as
cliche as it gets - its basically your standard
"women behind bars" flick, complete with evil
wardens and drug crazed maniacs. It's a bit camp
and surprisingly violent. This combo made the
film a huge hit on the drive-in circuit. The Big
Doll House was the second film for Corman's New
World Pictures division and it helped to kick
start the careers of Pam Grier (Jackie Brown, Big
Bird Cage, L Word) and Sid Haig (Spider Baby,
House of 1000 Corpses, Devil's Rejects).
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/03/review-big-doll-house-b.html
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Red Eye (2005)
Directed by Wes Craven
Starring Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian
Cox, Jayma Mays
Rated: PG-13
Grade: B-
Review by Sebastian Francis Kennedy
Red Eye is a thrilling little film... at least for
the first half. Directed by horror film veteran Wes
Craven, Red Eye has it's moments of chills and thrills,
but in the end, this film does not complete the job.
Rachel McAdams (Wedding Crashers) stars as Lisa Reisert,
a young hotel manager that is taking a much needed
vacation. While waiting for her plane, she meets
Rippner (played by Cillian Murphy, the wonderful
villian from Batman Begins) a ruthless man that
threatens family. I won't give away too much of the
plot here, but suffice it to say that this is a
simple, honest mystery/thriller held together by
fine acting.
Full Review:
http://www.dvdconfidential.com/2006/03/review-red-eye-b.html
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See you next month,
Scott, Sebastian, Bobby, Ellyn & Mark
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DVD Confidential
Finding The Best Movies On DVD
http://www.dvdconfidential.com
=======================================
