Television & Film

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

The film is about as fun as an evening spent dining out at T.G.I.Friday’s and about as funny as the funnies.  Talentless shell of a man Rob Cohen sexifies this Mummy for the audience of seven-years-later, apparently doubling the budget in his requisites.

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New York Dolls: Live at the Fillmore East

Like any live album, this is no substitute for seeing the real thing, so get out there and catch these guys while you can. In the meantime though, Live at the Fillmore East should hold you over. And if you've already seen them, it serves as a great memory.

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Shine a Light: Directed by Martin Scorsese

Scorsese proves there are moments where the Stones’ have slowed down in their old age and other moments where they can easily kick Coldplay’s ass. As the first rock band to age before our eyes, Shine a Light, big pay days aside, shows why the Stones have lasted longer than any other rock band.

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The Clash: Live Revolution Rock

What’s it say about the legacy of The Clash that a truncated version of Revolution Rock was broadcast on public television prior to the release of the DVD? Somehow it makes the English quartet seem less insidious in their influence than they would want their legacy to be.

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Be Kind Rewind: Starring Jack Black & Mos Def

Be Kind Rewind tells the story of a guy who sabotoges a power plant, magnetizes himself and unknowingly demagnetizes all the VHS tapes in his friend's video store while the boss is out.  Sound weird?  Then you don't know Michel Gondry.

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Bob Dylan: The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965

Considering how much has been written, spoken and contemplated about Bob Dylan’s appearances at the Newport Folk Festival, especially his (literally and figuratively) electric set in 1965, it boggles the mind it’s taken forty years for the film of those shows to find broad circulation. But the wait to see Murray Lerner’s The Other Side of the Mirror is worth it, because the director lets the performances speak for themselves, and they constitute a profound statement indeed.

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U2: Popmart:Live from Mexico City

Popmart finds U2 at their most bloated. The set is absolutely huge and probably has enough lights to illuminate a mid-size town. The grand entrance with the band entering as a boxing entourage heading to the ring of a championship bout (with Bono as the fighter) all set to the tune of M's "Pop Muzik" is about as over-the-top as it could be. They had costume changes. At one point, they return to the stage in what appears to be a UFO. With all this superficiality, how could they possibly connect with the fans?

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