Movie Review: Fun With Dick And Jane (1977)

A comedy about economic hardship prompting a benign crime spree, Fun With Dick And Jane is a commentary about the middle class obsession with keeping up appearances and materialism. It hits a few high notes, but generally ambles along, relying on star charisma to make up for a limited premise.

Aeronautical engineer Dick Harper (Georg Segal) is a victim of downsizing. His boss Charlie (Ed McMahon) fires him, blaming the recession and poor company performance due to the shrinking space exploration program. Dick and his stay-at-home wife Jane (Jane Fonda) have a large suburban home, a mountain of debt and no assets. Dick is unable to find work, so Jane takes on a variety of humiliating jobs to make ends meet. After trying to get by on unemployment insurance and food stamps, Dick and Jane grow desperate and start a crime spree, robbing everything from corner stores to church donations. For their final heist, Dick and Jane decide to break into Charlie's safe, where he keeps a large amount of cash as an illegal slush fund to grease business deals.

George Segal was the Dick Van Dyke of his era, never convincing as an actor but always watchable as a comedian looking for the next messy situation to get embroiled in. The Fun With Dick And Jane script (co-written by Mordecai Richler) lacks a cutting edge, leaving Segal to stroll through the film with minimal impact. He does get one good scene to spread his comic wings, attempting his first robbery at a pharmacy but getting his gun stuck in his pants.

Jane Fonda does better, adding effortless glamour and attractive bemusement to the role of the well-taken-care-of wife who now needs to take more control of her life and her man.

Director Ted Kotcheff finds few opportunities to add any flair to the proceedings, and settles for just following his two stars around.

Fun With Dick And Jane achieves what it sets out to do, but it does set the bar low before clearing it.

All Ace Black Blog Movie Reviews are here.

 

Movie Review: Wyatt Earp (1994)

Wyatt Earp is epic in length and scope, but it never stirs the soul. The detailed story of the legendary lawman is told in a mammoth 3 hours and 10 minutes, and by the end it certainly feels like every significant event in Earp's life has been chronicled, at least according to Hollywood's best imitation of life. But this is a humourless, almost robotic rendition, tipping into territory where the significance of the man appears to be insufficient to justify the attempted grandiose treatment.

Wyatt Earp (Kevin Costner) and his many brothers are raised in Missouri by a restless father (Gene Hackman), who is always looking for the next move and eternally stressing the importance of family and the law. The young Wyatt works as a wagon driver and fight referee, before courting and marrying Urilla (Annabeth Gish) and appearing to settle down. When the pregnant Urilla contracts typhoid and dies, Wyatt is devastated and he turns to drinking and crime. Bailed out of jail by his father, Wyatt cleans up and works as a buffalo hunter and eventually becomes deputy marshal in Wichita. His good reputation lands him a similar position in the wilder outpost of Dodge City, where he grows in power and wealth and is uncompromising in imposing law and order.

Replaced for being too tough, Wyatt travels to Fort Griffin, Texas, where he meets and befriends Doc Holliday (Dennis Quaid), a former dentist, frequent gambler, occasional outlaw, and suffering from severe tuberculosis. Two women also enter Wyatt's life, prostitute Mattie (Mare Winningham) and stage performer Josie (Joanna Going).

Another stint in Dodge City follows before the Earps relocate to Tombstone, Arizona. Wyatt and his brothers Virgil and Morgan antagonize the local cattle rustlers known as The Cowboys, including members of the Clanton, Claiborne, and McLaury clans. The escalating tension climaxes with the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, in which the Earp brothers helped by Holliday kill three Cowboys. The Earps are subsequently targeted with retribution attacks, with Morgan killed and Virgil maimed. Wyatt sets off to kill all remaining Cowboys, before continuing his life out west in the company of Josie.

While the relatively much lighter Gunfight At The OK Corral (1957) took great liberties with the legend of the man, Wyatt Earp conveys both the thoroughness and the dryness of reading an encyclopedia, with all the implied pleasures and frustrations. The performances are earnest, the episodes are recounted with respect, the emotions are packaged, the drama is predictable. Director Lawrence Kasdan plays along, with a serious orchestral score too eager to repeatedly flourish, and lush grand vista scenery. Its a film that never lets its hair down, evoking a history teacher who respects his subject too much to animate it.

Wyatt Earp is competent and reasonably engaging. But the attempt to faithfully capture the man unfortunately also manages to lose his spirit.

All Ace Black Blog Movie Reviews are here.

Heavy Metal CD Review Index by Year

Last Updated: May 22 2013 - added Time Is Up, by Havok (2011).

All heavy metal CDs reviewed on the Ace Black Blog are indexed below, listed by year of release. Another index organized by overall rating is here. And another index by band is here.

1967 (1 review)
Are You Experienced? by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967): 7.47

1969 (2 reviews)
Led Zeppelin II, by Led Zeppelin (1969): 8.44
Led Zeppelin, by Led Zeppelin (1969): 8.00

1970 (4 reviews)
Black Sabbath, by Black Sabbath (1970): 8.83
In Rock, by Deep Purple (1970): 7.86
Paranoid, by Black Sabbath (1970): 7.75
Led Zeppelin III, by Led Zeppelin (1970): 7.30

1971 (3 reviews)
Master Of Reality, by Black Sabbath (1971): 9.33
Led Zeppelin IV, by Led Zeppelin (1971): 8.38
Fireball, by Deep Purple (1971): 7.43

1972 (2 reviews)
Machine Head, by Deep Purple (1972): 9.00
Black Sabbath Vol. 4, by Black Sabbath (1972): 7.44

1973 (4 reviews)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, by Black Sabbath (1973): 8.50
Montrose, by Montrose (1973): 7.75
Who Do We Think We Are, by Deep Purple (1973): 7.57
Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd, by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973): 7.50

1974 (1 review)
Burn, by Deep Purple (1974): 8.13

1975 (4 reviews)

Physical Graffiti, by Led Zeppelin (1975): 7.86

Sabotage, by Black Sabbath (1975): 7.86

Toys In The Attic, by Aerosmith (1975): 7.67

Rainbow, by Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975): 7.56

1976 (9 reviews)
Rising, by Rainbow (1976): 8.50
Sad Wings Of Destiny, by Judas Priest (1976): 8.13
Boston, by Boston (1976): 8.00
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, by AC/DC (1976): 7.89
Jailbreak, by Thin Lizzy (1976): 7.78
2112, by Rush (1976): 7.50
Technical Ecstasy, by Black Sabbath (1976): 7.13
Rocks, by Aerosmith (1976): 7.00
Destroyer, by Kiss (1976): 6.56

1977 (5 reviews)
Sin After Sin by Judas Priest (1977): 8.25
Never Mind The Bollock's Here's The Sex Pistols (1977): 8.17
Let There Be Rock, by AC/DC (1977): 8.00
White Snake / Northwinds, by David Coverdale (1977/1978): 7.23
Lights Out, by UFO (1977): 6.75

1978 (6 reviews)
Van Halen, by Van Halen (1978): 8.73
Stained Class, by Judas Priest (1978): 8.33
Powerage, by AC/DC (1978): 8.22
Never Say Die!, by Black Sabbath (1978): 7.89
Hell Bent For Leather, by Judas Priest (1978): 7.68
Long Live Rock 'N' Roll, by Rainbow (1978): 7.50

1979 (4 reviews)
Lovedrive, by Scorpions (1979): 8.25
Van Halen II, by Van Halen (1979): 8.20
Highway to Hell, by AC/DC (1979): 7.90
Down To Earth, by Rainbow (1979): 7.00

1980 (13 reviews)

Back In Black, by AC/DC (1980): 8.90

Iron Maiden, by Iron Maiden (1980): 8.67

Ace Of Spades, by Motorhead (1980): 8.23

Heaven And Hell, by Black Sabbath (1980): 7.88

Women And Children First, by Van Halen (1980): 7.75

Blizzard Of Ozz, by Ozzy Osbourne (1980): 7.63

Animal Magnetism, by Scorpions (1980): 7.56
Strong Arm Of The Law, by Saxon (1980): 7.50
Wheels Of Steel, by Saxon (1980): 7.44
On Through The Night, by Def Leppard (1980): 7.36

The Michael Schenker Group, by The Michael Schenker Group (1980): 7.33
British Steel, by Judas Priest (1980): 7.22

Angel Witch, by Angel Witch (1980): 6.80

1981 (11 reviews)

High 'N' Dry, by Def Leppard (1981): 8.30

Mob Rules, by Black Sabbath (1981): 8.13
Difficult To Cure, by Rainbow (1981): 8.11

Killers, by Iron Maiden (1981): 8.00
Denim And Leather, by Saxon (1981): 7.56 

MSG, by MSG (1981): 7.25

Diary Of A Madman, by Ozzy Osbourne (1981): 7.25

Fair Warning, by Van Halen (1981): 7.11

Moving Pictures, by Rush (1981): 7.00

For Those About To Rock, by AC/DC (1981): 6.80
Too Fast For Love, by Motley Crue (1981): 6.33

1982 (8 reviews)

The Number of the Beast, by Iron Maiden (1982): 8.13

Blackout, by Scorpions (1982): 8.00

Battle Hymns, by Manowar (1982): 7.88

Restless And Wild, by Accept (1982): 7.70

Screaming For Vengeance, by Judas Priest (1982): 7.33

Saints and Sinners, by Whitesnake (1982): 7.00
Straight Between The Eyes, by Rainbow (1982): 6.89

Signals, by Rush (1982): 6.38

1983 (6 reviews)

Piece Of Mind, by Iron Maiden (1983): 8.89

Pyromania, by Def Leppard (1983): 8.70
Kill'Em All, by Metallica (1983): 8.00

Bark At The Moon, by Ozzy Osbourne (1983): 7.78

Holy Diver, by Dio (1983): 7.78

Eliminator, by ZZ Top (1983): 7.73

1984 (12 reviews)

Powerslave, by Iron Maiden (1984): 8.88

Love At First Sting, by Scorpions (1984): 8.56

Ride The Lightning, by Metallica (1984): 8.50

Perfect Strangers, by Deep Purple (1984): 8.33

1984, by Van Halen (1984): 8.13

Psalm 9, by Trouble (1984): 7.78
Bon Jovi, by Bon Jovi (1984): 7.67
The Last In Line, by Dio (1984): 7.56
Metal Church, by Metal Church (1984): 7.56

Don't Break The Oath, by Mercyful Fate (1984): 7.38

Slide It In, by Whitesnake (1984): 6.90

Metal Queen, by Lee Aaron (1984): 6.30

1985 (7 reviews)

Marching Out, by Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force (1985): 8.20
Walls Of Jericho, by Helloween (1985): 8.00
Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!, by Megadeth (1985): 8.00

Spreading The Disease, by Anthrax (1985): 7.78

Metal Heart, by Accept (1985): 7.40

Power Of The Night, by Savatage (1985): 7.10
Sacred Heart, by Dio (1985): 7.00

1986 (8 reviews)

Master Of Puppets, by Metallica (1986): 8.25

Trilogy, by Yngwie J. Malmsteen (1986): 8.00
Reign In Blood, by Slayer (1986): 7.90

Slippery When Wet, by Bon Jovi (1986): 7.80

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying, by Megadeth (1986): 7.75
Somewhere In Time, by Iron Maiden (1986): 7.50

Orgasmatron, by Motorhead (1986): 7.44

The Ultimate Sin, by Ozzy Osbourne (1986): 7.00

1987 (9 reviews)

Appetite For Destruction, by Guns 'N' Roses (1987): 8.50
Hysteria, by Def Leppard (1987): 7.67

Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I, by Helloween (1987): 7.67

Rock 'N' Roll, by Motorhead (1987): 7.67

Among The Living, by Anthrax (1987): 7.56

Electric, by The Cult (1987): 7.55
Permanent Vacation, by Aerosmith (1987): 7.42
Run To The Light, by Trouble (1987): 7.00

Whitesnake, by Whitesnake (1987): 6.89

1988 (11 reviews)

...And Justice For All, by Metallica (1988): 8.89
Operation: Mindcrime, by Queensryche (1988): 8.70
So Far, So Good...So What!, by Megadeth (1988): 8.50
South Of Heaven, by Slayer (1988): 8.40
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, by Iron Maiden (1988): 8.25
State Of Euphoria, by Anthrax (1988): 7.89
New Jersey, by Bon Jovi (1988): 7.64

No Rest For The Wicked, by Ozzy Osbourne (1988): 7.56

Nothing's Shocking, by Jane's Addiction (1988): 7.30
G N' R Lies by Guns N' Roses (1988): 6.38

Open Up And Say...Ahh!, by Poison (1988): 5.90

1989 (4 reviews)

Pump, by Aerosmith (1989): 7.90
Fright Night, by Stratovarius (1989): 7.63

Slip Of The Tongue, by Whitesnake (1989): 7.40

Beneath The Remains, by Sepultura (1989): 7.00

1990 (9 reviews)

Painkiller, by Judas Priest (1990): 8.89

II-Pornograffitti, by Extreme (1990): 8.08

Rust In Peace, by Megadeth (1990): 8.00
Seasons In The Abyss, by Slayer (1990): 7.80

II-Lucifuge, by Danzig (1990): 7.73

Stick It To Ya, by Slaughter (1990): 7.38

Persistence Of Time, by Anthrax (1990): 7.36

Black Out In The Red Room, by Love/Hate (1990): 7.25

Tattooed Millionaire, by Bruce Dickinson (1990): 6.60

1991 (10 reviews)

Blind, by Corrosion Of Conformity (1995): 8.42
Nevermind, by Nirvana (1991): 8.33

For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, by Van Halen (1991): 8.20

Metallica, by Metallica (1991): 7.92
Use Your Illusion II, by Guns N' Roses (1991): 7.85

Iced Earth, by Iced Earth (1991): 7.57
Unquestionable Presence, by Atheist (1991): 7.38

Badmotorfinger, by Soundgarden (1991): 7.33
Use Your Illusion I, by Guns N' Roses (1991): 7.31

Roll The Bones, by Rush (1991): 6.80

1992 (10 reviews)

Vulgar Display Of Power, by Pantera (1992): 8.27
Rage Against The Machine, by Rage Against The Machine (1992): 7.90

III Sides To Every Story, by Extreme (1992): 7.86
III - How The Gods Kill, by Danzig (1992): 7.60
The Triumph Of Steel, by Manowar (1992): 7.38
Countdown to Extinction, by Megadeth (1992): 7.27
Keep The Faith, by Bon Jovi (1992): 7.25

Fear Of The Dark, by Iron Maiden (1992): 7.17

Sven Gali, by Sven Gali (1992): 7.08

Meantime, by Helmet (1992): 6.50

1993 (9 reviews)

Space In Your Face, by Galactic Cowboys (1993): 8.11

Sound Of White Noise, by Anthrax (1993): 7.91
The Somberlain, by Dissection (1993): 7.75

The Battle Rages On, by Deep Purple (1993): 7.70
"The Spaghetti Incident?", by Guns N' Roses (1993): 7.67

Get a Grip, by Aerosmith (1993): 7.46
In Utero, by Nirvana (1993): 7.42
Heartwork, by Carcass (1993): 7.00

Counterparts, by Rush (1993): 6.36

1994 (14 reviews)

Deliverance, by Corrosion Of Conformity (1994): 8.27
The Cult, by The Cult (1994): 8.25
Balls To Picasso, by Bruce Dickinson (1994): 8.00
Youthanasia, by Megadeth (1994): 7.83

Silver, by Moist (1994): 7.73
Time, by Mercyful Fate (1994): 7.64

Vicious Circle, by L.A. Guns (1994): 7.57

4p, by Danzig (1994): 7.33
Superunknown, by Soundgarden (1994): 7.33
Still Climbing, by Cinderella (1994): 7.27

Sixteen Stone, by Bush (1994): 6.91

Far Beyond Driven, by Pantera (1994): 6.83

Pawnshop Guitars, by Gilby Clarke (1994): 6.55

Wildhoney, by Tiamat (1994): 6.50

1995 (7 reviews)

Slaughter Of The Soul, by At The Gates (1995): 8.64

Storm Of The Light's Bane, by Dissection (1995): 8.33
The Gallery, by Dark Tranquillity (1995): 7.73
The X Factor, by Iron Maiden (1995): 7.73

The Spider's Lullabye, by King Diamond (1995): 7.60
Symbolic, by Death (1995): 7.33

These Days, by Bon Jovi (1995): 6.92

1996 (9 reviews)

Down, by Sentenced (1996): 8.10
The Time Of The Oath, by Helloween (1996): 7.92

The Politics Of Ecstasy, by Nevermore (1996): 7.89

Heal, by Sacred Reich (1996): 7.70

Black Earth, by Arch Enemy (1996): 7.50

Evil Empire, by Rage Against The Machine (1996): 7.45

Overnight Sensation, by Motorhead (1996): 7.36
Roots, by Sepultura (1996): 7.13

Load, by Metallica (1996): 7.00

1997 (4 reviews)

Jugulator, by Judas Priest (1997): 8.20

Cryptic Writings, by Megadeth (1997): 7.92

Reload, by Metallica (1997): 7.92

Nine Lives, by Aerosmith (1997): 7.46

1998 (6 reviews)

The Sound Of Perseverance, by Death (1998): 7.89
Stigmata, by Arch Enemy (1998): 7.75
Something Wild, by Children of Bodom (1998): 7.67

System Of A Down, by System Of A Down (1998): 7.38

Snake Bite Love, by Motorhead (1998): 7.36
Diabolical, by Naglfar (1998): 7.11

1999 (5 reviews)

Hatebreeder, by Children of Bodom (1999): 8.78

Burning Bridges, by Arch Enemy (1999): 8.38

The Battle Of Los Angeles, by Rage Against The Machine (1999): 7.83
Onset Of Putrefaction, by Necrophagist (1999): 7.13
Dreaming Neon Black, by Nevermore (1999): 7.00

2000 (7 reviews)

Devoid, by Dark Lunacy (2000): 8.90
Chaotic Beauty, by Eternal Tears Of Sorrow (2000): 8.11
Renegades, by Rage Against The Machine (2000): 8.08
Dead Heart In A Dead World, by Nevermore (2000): 7.91

Brave New World, by Iron Maiden (2000): 7.80
Unknown Soldier, by Warmen (2000): 7.80

New American Gospel, by Lamb of God (2000): 7.36

2001 (7 reviews)

Swamplord, by Kalmah (2001): 9.25

Toxicity, by System Of A Down (2001): 8.36

A Virgin And A Whore, by Eternal Tears Of Sorrow (2001): 8.22

Sounding The Seventh Trumpet, by Avenged Sevenfold (2001): 7.75

Follow The Reaper, by Children of Bodom (2001): 7.50

Ensiferum, by Ensiferum (2001): 7.17

All Killer No Filler, by Sum 41 (2001): 6.67

2002 (9 reviews)

Wages of Sin, by Arch Enemy (2002): 9.45

Dreams Of Endless War, by Norther (2002): 8.63

They Will Return, by Kalmah (2002): 8.44
In The Halls Of Awaiting, by Insomnium (2002): 7.90

Audioslave, by Audioslave (2002): 7.86
Does This Look Infected?, by Sum 41 (2002): 7.83

Believe, by Disturbed (2002): 7.75

Steal This Album!, by System Of A Down (2002): 7.47

Versus The World, by Amon Amarth (2002): 7.44

2003 (13 reviews)

Swampsong, by Kalmah (2003): 8.56

Ember To Inferno, by Trivium (2003): 8.50

Hate Crew Deathroll, by Children of Bodom (2003): 8.44
Anthems Of Rebellion, by Arch Enemy (2003): 8.30
Forget Me Not, by Dark Lunacy (2003): 8.20

Waking The Fallen, by Avenged Sevenfold (2003): 7.82
Dance Of Death, by Iron Maiden (2003): 7.73

Bananas, by Deep Purple (2003): 7.55
Chaos Born, by Catamenia (2003): 7.50
Sheol, by Naglfar (2003): 7.50

Take A Look In The Mirror, by Korn (2003): 7.46

As The Palaces Burn, by Lamb of God (2003): 6.90

St. Anger, by Metallica (2003): 6.73

2004 (11 reviews)

Iron, by Ensiferum (2004): 8.40
Stained, by Imperanon (2004): 8.00

Fate Of Norns, by Amon Amarth (2004): 7.88

Wintersun, by Wintersun (2004): 7.88

Ashes Of The Wake, by Lamb of God (2004): 7.73
Since The Day It All Came Down, by Insomnium (2004): 7.64

The End Of Heartache, by Killswitch Engage (2004): 7.30

The Oncoming Storm, by Unearth (2004): 7.18

Advance And Vanquish, by 3 Inches Of Blood (2004): 7.08
Epitaph, by Necrophagist (2004): 7.00

A Celebration of Guilt, by Arsis (2004): 6.91

2005 (15 reviews)

From Your Grave, by The Absence (2005): 9.13
Are You Dead Yet?, by Children of Bodom (2005): 8.89

City Of Evil, by Avenged Sevenfold (2005): 8.45
Doomsday Machine, by Arch Enemy (2005): 8.30

End Of The Weakness, by Archeon (2005): 8.11

Ascendancy, by Trivium (2005): 8.00

Out Of Exile, by Audioslave (2005): 7.92
Mezmerize, by System Of A Down (2005): 7.90
Ten Thousand Fists, by Disturbed (2005): 7.86
This Godless Endeavor, by Nevermore (2005): 7.80

Hypnotize, by System Of A Down (2005): 7.58

Wolfmother, by Wolfmother (2005): 7.54

Character, by Dark Tranquillity (2005): 7.45

Pitch Black Effects, by Callenish Circle (2005): 6.67

Promises In Blood, by Paths Of Possession (2005): 6.58

2006 (12 reviews)

The Black Waltz, by Kalmah (2006): 8.60

Sacrament, by Lamb of God (2006): 8.36
Revelations, by Audioslave (2006): 8.33

With Oden On Our Side, by Amon Amarth (2006): 8.11
Above The Weeping World, by Insomnium (2006): 8.11

A Matter Of Life And Death, by Iron Maiden (2006): 7.70
United In Regret, by Arsis (2006): 7.22
III: In The Eyes of Fire, by Unearth (2006): 7.18

IV, by Godsmack (2006): 7.09

The Hours That Remain, by Mercenary (2006): 7.00

The Crusade, by Trivium (2006): 6.46

Inhuman Rampage, by Dragonforce (2006): 6.38

2007 (11 reviews)

This Age Of Silence, by Anterior (2007): 8.71
Thrash Metal, by Blood Tsunami (2007): 8.63

Rise of the Tyrant, by Arch Enemy (2007): 8.18

Victory Songs, by Ensiferum (2007): 8.11
The Onslaught, by Lazarus A.D. (2007): 8.00

The Blackening, by Machine Head (2007): 8.00

Fire Up The Blades, by 3 Inches Of Blood (2007): 7.82
Riders Of The Plague, by The Absence (2007): 7.73

A New Disease Is Born, by Nightrage (2007): 7.67

Avenged Sevenfold, by Avenged Sevenfold (2007): 7.60
Ninewinged Serpent, by Devian (2007): 7.18

2008 (11 reviews)

The March, by Unearth (2008): 8.60

Twilight of the Thunder God, by Amon Amarth (2008): 8.40

God to the Illfated, by Devian (2009): 8.33

Shogun, by Trivium (2008): 8.07

For The Revolution, by Kalmah (2008): 7.89
We Are The Nightmare, by Arsis (2008): 7.50

A Sense of Purpose, by In Flames (2008): 7.50

Blooddrunk, by Children of Bodom (2008): 7.30

Overcome, by All That Remains (2008): 7.09
Praises To The War Machine, by Warrel Dane (2008): 7.00 

The Thin Line Between, by Neuraxis (2008): 5.78

2009 (17 reviews)
Grand Feast For Vultures, by Blood Tsunami (2009): 8.29
Dead Harvest, by This Ending (2009): 8.20
Here Waits Thy Doom, by 3 Inches of Blood (2009): 7.90

Lullabies For The Dormant Mind, by The Agonist (2009): 7.82
Skeletons In The Closet, by Children Of Bodom (2009): 7.82
Burn, by Havok (2009): 7.82

Across The Dark, by Insomnium (2009): 7.75

From Afar, by Ensiferum (2009): 7.63
Cosmogenesis, by Obscura (2009): 7.60
Wearing A Martyr's Crown, by Nightrage (2009): 7.55
Deflorate, by The Black Dahlia Murder (2009): 7.50

Skyforger, by Amorphis (2009): 7.45

Romulus, by Ex Deo (2009): 7.45

Endgame, by Megadeth (2009): 7.45

Kingdom of Might, by Woe of Tyrants (2009): 7.20

Passiondale, by God Dethroned (2009): 7.11

Wrath, by Lamb of God (2009): 7.09

2010 (6 reviews)

Enemy Unbound, by The Absence (2010): 8.64
12 Gauge, by Kalmah (2010): 8.22
Fragments Of Form And Function, by Allegaeon (2012): 7.70
The Obsidian Conspiracy, by Nevermore (2010): 7.36
The Final Frontier, by Iron Maiden (2010): 7.30

Starve For The Devil, by Arsis (2010): 7.10

2011 (8 reviews)
Khaos Legions, by Arch Enemy (2011): 8.55
Echoes Of The Fallen, by Anterior (2011): 8.11
Surtur Rising, by Amon Amarth (2011): 8.10
Time Is Up, by Havok (2011): 7.70
Relentless Reckless Forever, by Children Of Bodom (2011): 7.44
Darkness In The Light, by Unearth (2011): 7.36
Black Rivers Flow, by Lazarus A.D. (2011): 7.00
What They Fear The Most, by As Heavens Collide (2011): 6.83

2012 (2 reviews)
Long Live Heavy Metal, by 3 Inches Of Blood (2012): 7.75
Formshifter, by Allegaeon (2012): 7.40

Movie Review: Bridesmaids (2011)

A clever chick flick that borrows heavily from raunchy bromedies then dramatically outdoes them, Bridesmaids is a most enjoyable comedy, unique for investing in character development without losing comic momentum. Kristen Wiig of Saturday Night Live co-wrote and stars, and in the process establishes herself as a potential superstar movie comedienne.

Thirty-something Annie (Wiig) lives in Milwaukee, and is finding out what life at rock bottom looks like. Her small bakery business went bankrupt; she is stuck in a dead-end sales job; her room-mates are insufferable; her car is falling apart; and the one man who pays any attention to her uses her purely for sex. Lilian (Maya Rudolph), Annie's best friend since childhood and now working in Chicago, announces that she is getting married, and of course wants Annie to be the Maid of Honour.

Annie gets to know the other bridesmaids, and quickly finds out that Chicago socialite and control-freak Helen (Rose Byrne) also considers herself Lilian's best friend. Helen's life is as perfect as Annie's is shambolic, and the two are immediate frenemies.

Also among the bridesmaids are the stocky and aggressive Megan (Melissa McCarthy), who will become Lilian's sister-in-law; the blonde Rita (Wendy McLendon-Covey), who is stuck in an unhappy marriage, and the naive Becca (Ellie Kemper).

In preparing for the wedding Annie tries to be a good Maid of Honour, but everything she touches turns into an unmitigated disaster, from gown fittings (diarrhea) to the bachelorette trip to Vegas (kicked off the plane), to the shower (destroyed). Annie also manages to sabotage a frail relationship that was developing with police officer Nathan (Chris O'Dowd), who genuinely cares about her.

With the catastrophes mounting and the wedding looming, the friendship between Lilian and Annie is ruptured, and Helen is installed as the new Maid of Honour. Annie needs to find the incentive to pick up the pieces and reassemble her life.

At just over two hours, Bridesmaids is long for a comedy, but director Paul Feig (a veteran of TV sitcoms) uses the time wisely to nourish the characters and the narrative, and the film takes advantage of the available elbow room to work on a variety of levels. Most importantly, it is extremely funny, with some laughs, such as the sequence in the bridal shop, of the side-splitting, rib-cracking variety. Yes the humour is sometimes (or almost always) vulgar and related to body parts and fluids, and the vulgarity works brilliantly.

But the film is successful because it ventures beyond the laughs to create a triangle of stressed friendship between Annie, Lilian and Helen, and the script by Wiig and Annie Mumolo takes the time to probe how people, and therefore what they value in a friend, change over time. And finally Bridesmaids finds a heart by colouring in a lot of distress in the life of Annie, and becoming a rare example of a comedy that provides eloquent context for hilariously anguished behaviour.

A thoughtfully unapologetic romp, Bridesmaids leaves a trail of delectable destruction in its wake.

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Movie Review: Mean Streets (1973)

A landmark film in the careers of director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro, Mean Streets examines the gritty lives of assorted small-time criminals in New York's Little Italy. Filmed in unglamorous locations emphasizing desperate men pretending to be big-shots while scrounging for a better living, the film is all about characters dripping with unsatisfied bravado trying to create space for their pathetically over-inflated egos.

Mean Streets just drops in on Charlie (Harvey Keitel) and his friend Johnny Boy (De Niro). Charlie is a low level hood doing the dirty work of collecting protection money from struggling businesses and trying to make his way up the crime family ladder, using the influence of his uncle Giovani (Cesare Danova). Johnny Boy is reckless and owes money all over town, including a large amount to local shark Michael (Richard Romanus).

Charlie desperately tries to keep Johnny Boy out of trouble, but generally to no avail. Charlie is also in a relationship with Johnny Boy's cousin Teresa (Amy Robinson), who suffers from epilepsy. Tony (David Proval) is friends with Charlie and Johnny Boy, and runs the local bar where they all hang out. Michael is growing tired of Johnny Boy not making his debt payments, leading to an ugly, unavoidable confrontation.


Mean Streets was the beginning of successful career-long collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro, which would include classics like Taxi Driver, New York, New York, Raging Bull, and GoodFellas, with New York City frequently the third point in the creative triangle. In Mean Streets, Scorsese brings out of De Niro a performance of doomed impetuousness, more jovial but not any less intense than his trademark future starring roles.

Harvey Keitel actually has the leading role as Charlie, but he is eclipsed by De Niro's Johnny Boy and Richard Romanus as the slimy but steely Michael. Keitel would rarely play the lead again and instead found his niche as a powerful supporting actor.

When De Niro is not stealing the movie with his young magnetism, Mean Streets flounders somewhat and features numerous scenes of the men posturing like peacocks and challenging each other's masculinity, often erupting into physical violence. The theme of repetitive reassertion for the overflowing testosterone does get tiresome. More interesting are the relatively few moments that focus on Charlie's relationships with Giovani and Teresa, who are both given relatively truncated treatment in the script co-written by Scorsese and frequent early collaborator Mardik Martin.

Mean Streets is an unflinching drama set in the world of crude wannabe mobsters, a window to a world that is equally captivating and distasteful.

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Movie Review: Source Code (2011)

A reasonably clever amalgamation of concepts from Avatar, Groundhog Day and Inception, Source Code deploys science fiction to counter a terrorism plot, and sneaks in an unlikely romance as a bonus. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan are attractive leads, and Vera Farmiga infuses unexpected emotion into a talking head role .

Decorated army helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) is on a most unusual mission: locked into a claustrophobic chamber, he is transported via a program called Source Code to repeatedly re-live the final eight minutes of the life of Sean Fentress, a commuter on a Chicago train that was blown up earlier that morning. Source Code was developed by scientist Dr. Rutledge (Jeffrey Wright), who has almost perfected the neat trick of transporting one brain into another across time and space. From within his chamber Stevens communicates with the outside world via monitor, and his handler in the Source Code control centre is Colleen Goodwin (Farmiga), who must keep Stevens sane and functional as he re-lives the final moments on the train prior to the explosion.

Embodying the brain of Sean Fentress, Stevens gets to re-live the same pre-bombing events on the train over and over, and he gets to know the other passengers including fellow-commuter Christina (Monaghan). But the real purpose of the mission is to identify the bomber within the eight available minutes for each of his trips. Another, deadlier radioactive bomb is about to the detonated in Chicago, and the only hope of stopping the carnage is for Stevens to figure who the planted the train bomb and how he can be stopped.

The journey of Colter Stevens also turns inwards as he begins to discover the reality of his condition, including how he came to be selected for this mission and how he may be able to communicate with his estranged father while helping to stop a mad bomber intent on spreading mayhem.

Source Code gets better as it progresses and reveals the depth of its complexities. Gyllenhaal effectively portrays a helicopter pilot dealing with a situation way outside the normal scope of his experience, and having to willingly endure the jarring trauma of a fatal explosion on a recurring basis, not just kicking him out of the Source Code but also killing all the people that he was attempting to interact with.

Director Duncan Jones makes excellent use of the limited number of sets, the film practically taking place in just three locations: the chamber, the Source Code control centre and the train. The script by Ben Ripley quickly develops the story into much more than a techno whodunnit, with the internal voyage undertaken by Stevens to discover who and where he is taking on ever increasing prominence.

For all its clever ideas and good performances, Source Code is badly let down in its final twist, with a Hollywood happy ending appended clumsily, where a brilliantly poignant earlier denouement was there to be embraced. It's an unfortunately poor, but not unexpected, choice.

Source Code is a compact thriller, carrying a hard-drive filled with good ideas. It's not perfect, but it is pleasingly thought-provoking.

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