Russ | November 1, 2012
It’s only taken me approximately forever, but I have finally achieved Nerdvana: my home theater and peripherals are all working the way I want. The components: TV A/V receiver + speakers (5.1) Blu-Ray player DVD changer DVD player X-Box PC (as a file server for videos & mp3s) And, of course, enough cables to set [...]
Russ | June 16, 2011
Remember what I said about Season 1 of Dexter? Probably not — it was a while ago. Well, having watched Seasons 2 and 3, I have to reiterate my recommendation. Absolutely a top-notch program. Onward to Season 4.
Russ | June 9, 2011
Taken (2008)Starring Liam Neeson, directed by Pierre Morel Quick Review: This is the movie fathers ought to have playing on the big screen TV when their teenage daughters are being picked up for dates. 4½ stars Good movie — better than I expected. Neeson’s action sequences were better than those in the Star Wars prequel, [...]
Russ | April 12, 2010
Dexter: Season 1Starring Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Erik King Quick review: How and why did it take so long for there to be an entry in the vigilante serial killer genre? And… is it wrong to occasionally root for the serial killer? 4½ stars It’s a Showtime production, so caveats about language [...]
Russ | January 26, 2010
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(Directed by Tim Burton. Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Sasha Baron Cohen, etc.) Quick review: I knew it was going to be “dark,” but… ho… ly… crap. 3½ stars Depp, as always, impresses. This is the sort of movie that, in a cultural literacy sense, [...]
Russ | October 27, 2009
Knowing(Directed by Alex Proyas, starring Nicholas Cage and a bunch of other people I never heard of.) Quick review: 50 years advance knowledge, and the best they can do is whisper in a few kids’ ears? Aliens are major league a-holes. 1½ stars Once again, I am underwhelmed. I’m really trying, and I can think [...]
Russ | September 8, 2008
Hot Fuzz(Directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton — rated R for language and graphic violence.) Quick review: Small-town life is so much better without all the murders… but nowhere near as entertaining. 4½ stars This is a fun one; I’m glad I put it in my Netflix queue. Most Americans [...]
Russ | May 23, 2008
Packet has become a TV junkie. Cat Sitter is his favorite DVD so far. Rodents and birds are not the only things he likes to watch. He seems to enjoy Good Eats as much as I do, and he’s a regular Red Eye viewer. He’s a big fan of ombudsman Andy Levy. He’s probably hoping [...]
Russ | December 3, 2007
It’s easy in recent years to poke a bit of fun at U2′s lead singer Bono as being a bit full of himself. Heck, I’ve done it myself. But then today I watched Rattle and Hum which I’d DVRed over the weekend. Say what you want, but those guys were probably the best band of [...]
Russ | October 21, 2007
300 (Directed by Zack Snyder, starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham and Dominic West) Official tagline: Prepare for glory! Better tagline: Putting the ‘graphic’ in ‘graphic novel.’ 4 Stars
Russ Emerson : If I could bottle the smell of my kitchen right now, I'd be richer than Croesus. Um... is "Croesus" on the IRS' hit list?
(Wed May 15, 9:29 pm).