Jack of All Trades - The Complete Series (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Jack of All Trades" puts Bruce Campbell into the perfect role as a sort of swashbuckling hero that reminds me quite a bit of the Daffy Duck "Scarlett Pumpernickel" cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. Appointed by Thomas Jefferson to prevent the French from further colonizing, Jack tangles with Napoleon (played by Vern Troyer aka Mini-Me)in a number of episodes. He also rescues Ben Franklin from Napoleon who hopes that Franklin will come up with the ultimate weapon and Jack appears as a masked folk hero the Daring Dragoon (great name)when he tangles with the French governor Croque. His contact is a beautiful British agent (Angela Dotchin). Aside from the great chemistry between Campbell and Dotchin, the show has all the entertaining trademarks of Equal bits adventure and comedy the show was the best part of the ACTIONPACK hour that also featured "Cleopatra 2525". The DVDs look extremely good with nice full screen transfers and colors that pop off the screen.
Unfortunately Universal has decided to release the full series without any extras. There was a review that mentioned that Campbell was against the release of this show and Brisco on DVD--nothing could be further from the truth. He was probably referring to a money issue (or being sarcastic)and the haggling with Universal. Also, the show had such a small cult following I'm sure that impacted the release as well. Campbell was executive producer of this show with Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi.
Delightfully funny "Jack" makes a perfect compliment to "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr." (through no accident its being released the same day at a much lower price--because there are no extras--Universal is hoping that Campbell/Brisco fans will see this, see the price and say, "hey this looks pretty good, too". Can't fault them for a brilliant marketing ploy).
The show is nicely packaged in those slimline DVD holders so they won't take quite as much space on your shelf.

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JACK OF ALL TRADES:COMPLETE SERIES - DVD Movie

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Burn Notice - Season One Review

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(More customer reviews)Michael Westen: "Most people would be thrilled to be dumped in Miami. Sadly, I am not most people...I've never found a good way to hide a gun in a bathing suit."
When you're a spy, getting a burn notice means that you've been officially deemed unreliable by your covert brethren, and that you're no longer wanted in the cloak-and-dagger community. Always good at rubbing people the wrong way, international spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan, TOUCHING EVIL) is in Nigeria brokering a deal with a terrorist when he learns of his burn notice over a cell phone. Barely skedaddling out of Nigeria with his life, Michael somehow finds himself stranded in his hometown of Miami, with his finances frozen, his options about nil, and former friends and colleagues keeping far, far away.
Michael decides to lay low for a while and, because a man has just got to make a living somehow, becomes a makeshift private investigator and troubleshooter. But, even as he takes on the criminal elements in Miami, his overriding objective remains finding out why he was blacklisted. But it's hard going as, mysteriously, no one will tell him anything. Meanwhile, various spooks are monitoring his every move. So, something's going on...
Yup, I dig this show. The USA Network's BURN NOTICE proved to be one of the more pleasant surprises of 2007. Not having seen a lot of Jeffrey Donovan's work, I'm still quickly becoming a fan. He brings a wry, deadpan charm to the show, and he looks like there's stuff just churning underneath his character's self-contained exterior. And it's exactly because of this distant persona that I appreciate Michael Westen providing a very quotable, "been there, done that" voice-over narration. This device not only engages us further but also makes us privy to Westen's cynical inner musings, as well as giving us frequently amusing first hand advice on various stuff. No, it's not exactly life lessons that he's imparting. Rather, it's more of a tutorial on espionage and breaking heads. Y'know, the cool stuff. For example, Westen, on fighting: "You don't want to break the little bones in your hands, so you look for a bathroom, which has plenty of hard edges and surfaces." On guns: "Guns make you stupid. Better to fight your wars with duct tape. Duck tape makes you smart." Or on setting traps: "A good trap doesn't scare people, it makes them curious." And, so on and et cetera. Dude's often wry observations make my day. Someone should put together a quotation book, because I'd shell out.
Chemistry rears its beautiful head. Donovan's supporting cast is very good, and two of them are very engaging. Westen's tiny circle of trust consists of three folks. There's his sexy and fiery Irish ex-girlfriend Fiona (gorgeous Brit, Gabrielle Anwar). Fi is an ex-IRA agent and into mayhem and violence, and, of her, Westen unequivocably states, "I am NOT hooking up with her. I need her for tactical support." (sure, sure). Slovenly Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell, who's casually let himself go) is Westen's long-time buddy and a semi-retired spy. Now Sam helps Westen out on cases, and vice versa. And then there's Westen's irritating dragon of a mother, Madeline (Sharon Gless, CAGNEY & LACEY), who is a champion emotional blackmailer. Gless is effective at channeling Doris Roberts from EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND. So if you're hating on Gless's character, then she's just being brilliant.
BURN NOTICE, with its first season's 12 episodes, brings it with suspense and some action, and with humor and a rocky romance, even if I could do without the fractured family stuff. It's a well-done lighthearted spy & crime drama, with an element of the sting, and it left me craving for more episodes. Jeffrey Donovan might just have found his breakout role in the glib and uber capable but emotionally detached Michael Westen. Certainly, he makes for a compelling character. I enjoy how he uses his Special Ops training to satisfyingly one-up Miami's teeming lowlifes. And, all along, there's slow progress being made on the whole burn notice arc. The writing is smart, the production values are terrific. And it doesn't hurt that BURN NOTICE is filmed in sun-drenched, visually arresting Miami, so give the show some style points. I definitely don't have anything against babes and bikinis and margaritas and martinis.
Michael Westen, who dislikes his hometown, might beg to differ, but, hey, bienvenido a Miami. And bring on Season 2.

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Michael Westen is a trained spy who receives a "burn notice" for an unstated reason & effectively is fired. Penniless, he returns to his hometown in Miami and freelances while trying to find who burned him.
Audio: English & Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Surround
Language: Dubbed: English / Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 1.78:1
Disc 1: 170 Minutes
Breaking and Entering
Turn and Burn
Trust Me
Comrades
Special Features TBD
Disc 2: 170 Minutes
Scatter Point
Bad Blood
Rough Seas
Double Booked
Bad Blood - Audio commentary with Bronwyn Hughes, Ben Watkins, Rashad Raisani, Matt Nix and Rob Benedek
Double Booked - Audio commentary with Tim Matheson, Jason Tracey, Craig O'Neill and Matt Nix
Other features TBD
Disc 3: 174 Minutes
Good Soldier
Do No Harm
Hot Spot
Seek and Destroy
Behind the scenes look at the making of episode 210 - Do No Harm
Disc 4: 176 Minutes
Bad Breaks
Truth and Reconciliaton
Sins of Omission
Lesser Evil
Audio Commentary with Matt Nix, Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless
Deleted Scenes TBD
Gag Reel
Boom Notice Easter Egg

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Burn Notice: Season Two Review

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(More customer reviews)The writing for the first season of Burn Notice was excellent, very tight with interesting characters and situations. However, towards the end, a lot of fans were worried. Some of the helpless clients of the week were starting to feel a touch repetitive.
We needn't have worried.
The second season just finished, and I can assure you that the writing is even better, the characters stronger, and many of the story lines more compelling, than in the first season. It's no wonder the show has doubled its viewing audience. I particularly like how the characters have evolved. Michael has dealt with some of his family issues, gotten closer to his brother, and understands that his mother really does care about him--even if that's easier to take when she's not blowing cigarette smoke (literally) in his face. The bad guys are organized and smart, which means he have to be even smarter. It's good story telling.
However, even with all the other positives that made me pre-order the DVD set as soon as it was possible, there are several particular episodes that stand out from the rest, which alone are worth the price of the DVDs. One of these involves Michael Westin trapped inside a bank during a robbery with a government agent, Bly, whom he blackmailed the first season and who hates Michael's guts. Watching the respect build between the two, and the way they wind up working together -- not to mention Michael Westins way of dealing with the robbers -- is delightful. It's nothing you've ever seen before. It's not Die Hard and it's not like The Ransom of Red Chief (where a little boy makes kidnappers regret ever taking him to the point they wind up paying the parents to take him back). From start to finish, the robbers never figure out that they have a tiger by the tail. The only one with a clue how dangerous that Westin can be is Bly, who had read Westin's dossier in season 1 and has been dancing back and forth with him to see who can top whom. The ending is particularly satisfying. So, I really loved "Bad Breaks" and doubted (silly me) whether they could top this story line in the remaining episodes.
They did.
The season finale completed a fascinating story arc involving an ex-CIA agent, Victor, gone to the dark side. This 4 episode story arc alone makes this season is a must-have for fans. What can one say about this amazing character? Played by Michael Shanks in a recurring role, Victor took us through the gamut. We went from hating him and thinking he is a psychopath wavering on the edge of sanity (you were never quite sure how he was going to react to things), to realizing he was an incredibly tragic character and a cautionary tale of what Michael could have been in other circumstances. The emotional roller coaster we share with the characters on screen as we learn of Victor's back story (which comes out in the finale) and resulting changes in his relationship to Michael Westin is story telling at its best.
I have not been a fan of Michael Shanks in the past. However, his acting here is truly inspired. It goes far beyond anything I've seen him do other than in "The Arc of Truth" in the prison scene when Shanks' character, Daniel Jackson, finally gives up hope. It is worthy of an Emmy. Moreover, even with the already great supporting cast of Bruce Campbell (always worth watching and allowed some great scenes in the 2nd season), Sharon Gless (as Michael's mother who smokes while exercising to Jack LaLanne--which you have to watch to realize how funny that is), and Gabrielle Anwar (as the explosive Fiona), there's something magical about the chemistry between Shanks and Donovan that seems to kick Donovan's acting--already extraordinary--up a notch to a level seldom seen on the small screen. And if the ending is shocking, the choices made surprising to the viewer, one cannot help but feel that the characters have been changed forever by this experience and nothing will be quite the same again. Perhaps best of all, it makes the viewer asks of season 3, what's next? Because if there's one thing the writers, actors, and producers have shown us, it's that they understand good story telling, and can be trusted to make choices that will keep us on the edge of our seats, coming back for more.
I highly recommend this DVD set, especially if you haven't seen the show on TV. Although most of the story lines could work as stand-alones, there is an on-going story arc (of how and why Michael got burned and what he's doing to get his life back) that makes more sense if you watch them in order. The extras on the season 1 DVD set were excellent (including Donovan and Anwar's audition tapes), and I expect them to be equally good here. So far, I know of at least one extra that should be a lot of fun. Michael Shanks has reported recording a commentary track with Bruce Campbell and Matt Nix.
I speak for many fans when I say I can hardly wait for June, and the start of season 3 on USA network! Thank goodness Donovan's contract has been extended for another 6 years (total 8 seasons)! I love this show!

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BURN NOTICE SEASON 2 - Blu-Ray Movie

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The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: The Complete Series (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)Few DVD releases will generate the excitement among fans that this boxed set will, and for good reason: The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., is arguably one of the best TV shows of ANY genre to have been produced in the past 20 years. (As its tag line promised, "Smile. You're about to meet your new hero.")
Not only does this box set include pristine transfers of the entire series (comprised of 27 episodes which aired on Fox from Aug. 27, 1993-May 20, 1994), it also boasts an in-depth feature interview with star and cultural icon Bruce (Army of Darkness) Campbell, who supported this DVD release in every way.
In addition, the studio has announced these great "extras" include Brisco's Book of Coming Things; A Brisco County Writer's Room, a write-em cowboy reunion; History of Brisco County Documentary; A Reading from the Book of Bruce; and Tools of the Trade, an interactive gadets gallery.
Kudos to Fox Studios for getting it right! (Note: while the individual episodes have been available for sometime on VHS, this is the first time the series has been released on DVD, and the first time the show has been released in a single boxed set in any format.)
While the series is clearly a western, it truly defies classification because it incorporates many different and unexpected elements including science fiction, time travel, ghosts, the supernatural, comedy, amazing gadgetry and core morality issues that make it a truly unique and unforgettable viewing experience.
In the pilot, the saga begins simply enough when, "one of the greatest lawmen the West has ever known," U.S. Marshal Brisco County, Sr., (played by R. Lee Ermey) is on a train with other lawmen transporting outlaw John Bly and his evil Gang of 12, whom he had captured, to face justice. But, the tables are abruptly turned when the prisoners are freed and the Marshal is killed by Bly.
The Marshal's son, Brisco County, Jr., a Harvard graduate who earned a law degree, is hired as an unlikely bounty hunter by the members of San Francisco's Westerfield Club to track the outlaws down. Brisco straps on his father's gunbelt with its famed ivory-handled six-shooter, which he handles better than a western trick star, and never looks back.
Brisco, ably assisted by Comet the Wonder Horse (who has more intelligence than most people), meets a variety of friends and foes as he pursues his goal and also stumbles onto an incredible legend: the tale of a supernatural golden glowing orb that bestows unimaginable powers on the person who possesses it. Brisco soon realizes that Bly will stop at nothing to obtain the orb and wield it for his own diabolical purpose.
Campbell, who is perfectly cast, brought a warm, human depth to the character along with an inside wink to the audience underscoring life's absurdities. He also gave deadpan deliveries of puns laced with sexual and non-sexual overtones.
The primary cast includes Julius J. Carry III as James "Lord Bowler" Lonefeather, a rival bounty hunter packing a sawed-off shotgun strapped to his back who eventually became Brisco's best friend and "side-kick"; Christian Clemnson as Socrates Poole, the straight-laced Westerfield Club attorney befriended by Brisco and Bowler; Kelly Rutherford as Dixie Cousins, dance hall singer and Brisco's love interest; John Pyper-Ferguson as bungling outlaw Pete Hutter, in love with his six-shooter; John (Addams Family) Astin as brilliant, eccentric inventor Professor Albert Wickwire; and Billy Drago as the infamous Bly. There are also great and unexpected guest stars throughout including Terry Bradshaw, Sheena Easton, and Timothy Leary.
In addition to the two-hour pilot, episodes are: The Orb Scholar; No Man's Land; Brisco in Jalisco; Socrates' Sister; Riverboat; Pirates; Senior Spirit; Brisco for the Defense; Showdown; Deep in the Heart of Dixie; Crystal Hawkes; Steel Horses; Mail Order Brides; A.K.A. Kansas; Bounty Hunter's Convention; Fountain of Youth; Hard Rock; Brooklyn Dodgers; 'Bye Bly; Ned Zed; Stagecoach; Wild Card; And Baby Makes Three; Bad Luck Betty; High Treason Part I; and High Treason Part II.
Ironically, while the series was short lived its memorable theme song, composed by Randy Edelman, has been heard on NBC broadcasts of the World Series and the Olympic Games

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The world's favorite western/sci-fi/comedy/action cult hit rides again! Here on 8 discs is the complete series about Brisco (Bruce Campbell), a tough-as-rawhide cowpoke, debonair ladies' man and Harvard-educated smarty-britches who roams from Frisco to Jalisco in pursuit of outlaws who killed his father...and in search of a mysterious orb possessing out-of-this world powers. Hot lead and cool anachronisms await Brisco as he and his sidekicks - including Comet, the intellectual equine who doesn't know he's a horse - fight for justice in the way, way, way-out West. Put your boots in your stirrups, your tongue in your cheek and join the fun. Let's play cowboys and aliens. DVD Features:Audio CommentaryDocumentaryFeaturetteOtherDocumentaries:The History of Brisco County: A behind-the-scenes documentary with cast and creator.Featurette:1.) "Tools of the Trade" - mini featurettes on special aspects of the show narrated by Bruce Campbell. 2.) "A Brisco County Writer's Room" - Roundtable discussion with the writers & producers fo Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.Other:1.) "A Reading From The Book of Bruce" 2.) "Brisco's Book of Coming Things" - interactive menu launching mini-featurettes about the signature references to futuristic elements of the show, narrated by Bruce Campbell.

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