Home Media Magazine - March 16-22, 2008 - (Page 20) REVIEWS I TRIPPING THE RIFT: THE MOVIE Street 3/25 Anchor Bay, Comedy, $26.97 DVD, Unrated. Voices of Stephen Root, Jenny McCarthy, John Melendez, Maurice LaMarche. www.homemediamagazine.com T his movie version of the CG sci-fi animated series “Tripping the Rift” plays like three episodes strung together by a loose plot. Sure enough, some Internet research reveals much of the material comes from the third season of the show, which aired in Canada but not in the United States. The show, about a randy spaceship crew, relies primarily on sci-fi spoofs and sex jokes (one actor describes it as a mix of “Star Wars” and porn), like “South Park” in space. The series was always good for a laugh or two, but paled in comparison to sharper fare such as “Futurama,” which also revolved around a spaceship crew. I THEM Street 3/25 For American fans familiar with only the two seasons that have been released on DVD, Tripping the Rift: The Movie should whet their appetites long enough for an official season-three DVD release. It is a curiosity why Anchor Bay wouldn’t just release the third season instead of this watered-down version. The main story involves a parody of The Terminator. A robotic killer from the future shows up to kill libidinous spaceship captain Chode McBlob before he can impregnate the daughter of his chief rival, Darph Bobo (an obvious Darth Vader gag). Subplots take their cues from Young Frankenstein (cleverly set on a black-and-white planet), the “Indiana Jones” movies and “Desperate Housewives.” The movie presents all the salty language uncensored but shies away from animated depictions of nudity, save for the occasional backside. The DVD’s lone featurette offers a few minutes of interviews with the voice cast discussing the differences between performances for animation and live-action. It doesn’t add much to the experience except to put a face to each character. – John Latchem in a gated manor hidden among the peaceful Romanian countryside. What they don’t know MPI/Dark Sky, Horror, B.O. $0.05 million, $24.98 DVD, ‘R’ for some is that an unidentifiable group of cutthroats violence and terror. is lying in wait to destroy the happy couple’s In French with English subtitles. perfect world. Stars Olivia Bonamy, Michaël Cohen. What makes Them suspenseful in an M. Night Shyamalan way is how you never know efore frightening audiences with the just who the villains are that Clem and Lucas recent American remake of The Eye, are up against until the climax. This use of the innovative French filmmakers David Moreau and Xavier Palud broke onto the scene with Them, a chilling tale about a couple fighting for their lives in a bizarre home invasion. The film, based on true events that are revealed at the end, opens with the heinous deaths of a mother and daughter who find themselves stranded on a deserted road, then quickly transitions to the lives of its two main characters, Clementine (Bonamy) and Lucas (Cohen), a young French couple living alone B unknown keeps you enthralled throughout the entire movie, which at less than 80 minutes doesn’t leave much downtime. It’s definitely an impressive first for the talented foreign filmmakers, who chose the perfect pair of actors to lead us down the path of terror. The film has been a hit at film festivals worldwide for its smart, fast-paced storyline that pulls you in and makes you confront your greatest fears. If you’re sick of all the blood and gore, and are looking to be truly scared, Them is the movie for you. And if you like the movie, you’ll enjoy the DVD’s special features, which include movie trailers, an indepth making-of featurette that among other things discusses the benefits of shooting in DV, and other revealing behind-the-scenes footage. – Matt Miller I BOYS LOVE Street 3/18 Picture This, Drama, $24.95 DVD, NR. In Japanese with English subtitles. I n Japan, there is a style of manga called Boys Love, aka yaoi, which features erotica and romantic stories about men for a primarily female audience. The men are incredibly handsome in that anime style, all sharp cheekbones and stylish coifs. One is usually the aggressor, a bit more macho and masculine, while the other is the pursued, more feminine and probably in his first homosexual relationship. Boys Love follows this formula to a T. The story is unabashedly romantic and tragic, the type of story that would melt a starryeyed teenage girl’s heart. Taishin (Yoshikazu Kotani), a young editor, is sent to interview Noel (Saito Takumi), a male model still in high school. Noel forces himself upon Taishin, and though Taishin is initially upset, a deep friendship and love develops between the pair. Noel’s childhood friend Chidori (Hiroya Matsumoto), however, can’t stand to see his friend — and object of affection — in love with another. For the amount of bare butts and sex we see Noel engage in with strangers, the romance between Taishin and Noel is surprisingly chaste and full of honor. It’s a unique entry in the gay romance market; there’s no coming-out story, flamboyant friends or hot ‘n’ sweaty nightclubs. The forbidden nature of the union — both their genders and ages — is treated as a sort of sexy hurdle. The foreignness of the film lends a unique appeal. Watching many films in this genre could get tiresome — the naiveté, the gooey romance, the silly tragic ending — but as an anomaly in the U.S. gay film market, this title will surely find interest from audiences seeking a new type of erotic romance. Many may look forward to director Kotaro Terauchi’s follow-up, also called Boys Love and starring Kotani, which is set in a boarding school. – Laura Tiffany 20 Home Media Magazine March 16–22, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.