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Reviewspreviews
The X-Files
It’s the series that started a cultural phenomenon: It was suddenly cool to talk about little green men, flying saucers and men in black. And although the first season has been out on DVD for a while now, it is still fun to watch, especially with the special features.
The first season introduces the characters we all know and love: Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Scully — a forensic pathologist and scientist — has just recently been assigned to the X-Files, a special division in the FBI, and it is with her that the audience explores realms of the unknown.
Fox Mulder is a modern icon, and his kind comes our way only once in a while. Enigmatic, charming and weird, Spooky (as he’s known in the agency) helps guide Scully through this strange world.
The contrast between the two central characters is immediate during their first meeting. Logical and open to reason, Dana Scully’s life revolves around science and the laws that govern it. Fox Mulder’s world, on the other hand, is ruled by mysterious forces, incomprehensible to the human mind and logic.
The audience gets a taste of both in the first season. We learn that aliens do live among us, unidentified flying objects appear more often than you think, there are monsters in the woods, and the government knows more than it is letting on. The first season is “out there” to buy on DVD, loaded with behind-the-scenes features, commentaries, and other goodies. Go get it. — Khaver Siddiqi
ScrubsWherever there are doctors, stories are bound to follow. Some serious stories became E.R., Chicago Hope, House and Grey’s Anatomy; most funny sequences, however, remained hidden, until Scrubs came into the picture. Created by Bill Lawrence, Scrubs is a smart, witty and realistic sitcom — without a studio audience or laugh track — about hospital interns and their gradual rise to practicing doctors.
The complete first season comes in a 3-DVD box set featuring all 24 episodes including the pilot My First Day and the season finale My Last Day. The best thing about the show is its spontaneity along the lines of Family Guy, which makes it even more hilarious, while loads of laughs are brought on by the abrupt flashbacks and dream sequences. It’s just what the doctors recommend, with each episode being 24 minutes long.
The first season surrounds the life at Sacred Heart Hospital led by Dr J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff) who is the narrator and the main character of the show. He is followed by his med school pal Dr Chris Turk (Donald Faison), J.D.’s love interest, the cute-yet-clumsy Dr. Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke), Turk’s partner, the dominating nurse Carla Espinosa (Judy Reyes) and the devilish chief of medicine, Dr Bob Kelso (Ken Jenkins).
But it is the hilariously sarcastic Dr Perry Cox (John C. McGinley), who takes the cake as J.D.’s mentor. He does everything right without thanking anyone, and criticizes all, especially his protégé, calling him girly names all the time. Brandon Fraser also makes a lasting impact in his two-episode stint as Cox’s friend while J.D.’s nemesis, the hospital janitor (Nick Flynn) who makes his life hell, makes viewers laugh all around the world with his bullish attitude.
The bonus features are also in just the right amounts. They discuss how Scrubs evolved from being a single camera comedy to a nationwide success. From favourite moments of the cast and crew, audio commentaries with creator Bill Lawrence and the music video of the title track I Am No Superman to bonus features like newbies, a documentary about pre-Scrubs days of the actors, deleted scenes, outtakes and many others, this 3-DVD box set shows how Scrubs is different from other medical shows. — Omair Alavi
Over the hedgeOver the hedge is yet another masterpiece by Dreamworks animation, beautifully directed by Tim Johnson and Karry Kirk Patrick with an engaging story line.
The movie follows the trend of animated movies like Toy Story, Shrek, Shark Tale, etc, and for a moment, takes its viewers to a virtual world which revolves around the animal kingdom.
A sneaky raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) along with a bear persuades a bunch of scavenging animals to obtain food by raiding a part of the suburbs. His community of squirrels, skunks, gophers and possums had been doing just fine on nuts and berries until now, but the raccoon knows the powerful lure of the nacho.The only spoilsport is a highly dubious turtle (voice of Garry Shandling), who is worried about the raccoon's disregard for the natural order of things.
The movie highlights the issue of wasteful consumption and successfully makes it a part of the entire plot. It all builds to a caper-flick conclusion with the animals staging a midnight raid on a house where an exterminator (Thomas Haden Church) lies in wait. Emotions, suspense, humour and sorrow give further versatility to this movie. If you want Mission: Impossible thrills sans Tom Cruise, this is the movie for you.—Arsalan Faruqi
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