DVD Verdict reviews: THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: UNRATED DIRECTOR'S CUT and more!

Today, DVD Verdict posted reviews of THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA, BUDDY
(2003), THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: UNRATED DIRECTOR'S CUT, ERIC
BOGOSIAN: WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE, GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE
DESTROYERS: 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR LIVE, GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH, I'LL BE
SEEING YOU, THE IRON GIANT: SPECIAL EDITION, IT'S ALIVE 2: IT LIVES
AGAIN / IT'S ALIVE 3: ISLAND OF THE ALIVE, RAGTIME, SOUND STAGE PRESENTS
CHICAGO: LIVE IN CONCERT, THE WHO LIVE IN BOSTON, and WHY MOSQUITOES
BUZZ IN PEOPLE'S EARS...AND MORE STORIES FROM AFRICA:


THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA (reviewed by Joel Pearce, overall score
95/100):
"Whether or not it is Miike's best, I think this shows him at his most
accomplished."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/birdpeopleinchina.php

BUDDY (2003) (reviewed by Amanda DeWees, overall score 86/100):
"To begin with, Buddy is not named for a character named Buddy. Once
this realization dawns, we can recognize that the film is going to bring
up questions about the nature of friendship and ask us to assess
Kristoffer's status as the 'buddy' of Geir and Stig Inge."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/buddy.php

THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: UNRATED DIRECTOR'S CUT (reviewed by Mitchell
Hattaway, overall score 75/100):
"There are some potentially compelling ideas on the fringes of the
story, but they're given short shrift, which is a shame considering
Twohy's real interest in the film seems to exist in these fringe
elements. Why he wouldn't save these ideas until he could fully develop
them is a mystery, unless of course he thought he'd never again be given
the chance to explore them."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/chroniclesriddick.php

ERIC BOGOSIAN: WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE (reviewed by George Hatch,
overall score 95/100):
"Once Eric Bogosian gets 'in-your-face,' you'll see the world from a
different -- and shrewdly warped -- perspective."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/bogosiancoffee.php

GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS: 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR LIVE
(reviewed by Patrick Naugle, overall score 82/100):
"While his music may be rather simplistic and straightforward (George
Thorogood will never be known as an artist whose songs delved deep into
the human spirit), Thorogood is a master at one thing: loud, catchy rock
and roll."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/thorogood30th.php

GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (reviewed by Dennis Prince, overall score 81/100):
"The Hedorah creature looks relatively decent, though he reminded me of
a cross between congealed hurl and a loose bowel movement."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/godzillavshedorah.php

I'LL BE SEEING YOU (reviewed by Amanda DeWees, overall score 83/100):
"With no subplot to take the focus from Cotten and Rogers, the two must
bear much of the burden of the film's success, and they acquit
themselves well. The film also benefits from the small-town setting,
which helps to create a cozy Christmas atmosphere, although some viewers
may find it corny when the characters say grace or sing Christmas carols
over dessert."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/illbeseeingyou.php

THE IRON GIANT: SPECIAL EDITION (reviewed by Neil Dorsett, overall
score 99/100):
"These days people take a 'been there, done that, doesn't scare me'
attitude toward nuclear weaponry; an attitude that's as outright stupid
and head-in-the-sand as the old-fashioned 'duck and cover.' Here's
hoping that all us jaded tough guys and gals never have to face the face
that our laptops and PDAs and self-estimated superiority aren't actually
going to help much if a nuke goes off nearby or an Iron Giant gets
driven over the edge."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/irongiantse.php

IT'S ALIVE 2: IT LIVES AGAIN / IT'S ALIVE 3: ISLAND OF THE ALIVE
(reviewed by Dennis Prince, overall score 89/100):
"'Sequel-itis' certainly is afflicting these two films, but profiteering
Larry Cohen still managed to deliver some interesting moments between
the two pictures. These aren't the best sequels around, that's for sure;
but they're certainly not the worst."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/itsalive2and3.php

RAGTIME (reviewed by Mitchell Hattaway, overall score 90/100):
"Ragtime the novel is a classic; Ragtime the film is a near-classic."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/ragtime.php

SOUND STAGE PRESENTS CHICAGO: LIVE IN CONCERT (reviewed by Patrick
Naugle, overall score 84/100):
"Hey, if you lived in some idle town called 'Podunk' and some band
called Podunk suddenly because popular, wouldn't you puff your chest
just a little bit?"

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/chicagoconcert.php

THE WHO LIVE IN BOSTON (reviewed by Steve Evans, overall score 80/100):
"Guys half their age couldn't rock as hard as The Who -- proof positive
that when Townsend penned a bitter rant, 'Hope I die before I get old,'
we are all the better that he didn't. "

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/wholiveinboston.php

WHY MOSQUITOES BUZZ IN PEOPLE'S EARS...AND MORE STORIES FROM AFRICA
(reviewed by Lacey Worrell, overall score 83/100):
"Its emphasis on African culture and stories is especially welcome given
the fact that it shows how stories can remain compelling despite the
lack of princesses or swashbucklers or other fairy-tale elements."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/whymosquitoes.php

Mike Jackson
Editor & Webmaster, DVD Verdict
www.dvdverdict.com