Quick Reviews - DVD Catch Up

The Black Dahlia
In the same vein as the far superior, L.A. Confidential, Dahlia is a cop drama set in Los Angeles in the 1950’s. Inspired by the real Black Dahlia murder, the movie entertains, but doesn’t stand out. There is some nifty camera work by De Palma – a couple of amazing one-shot scenes – and the actors do a decent job. It does give me yet another reason to read some of Ellroy’s novels, of which Dahlia and Confidential were based. If the novels are half as good as the movies made from them are, then I know I’d been in for a treat.
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Hex: Season 1
This is a weird little import from England. The first six episodes in this collection comprise the actual first season as it aired in England. And they kind of stink. They’re boring. Cassie goes to school at some huge manor. Cassie is witch with a dead best friend. Cassie is semi-stalked by Azazeal, a fallen angel who wants to impregnate her. Blah, blah, blah. After all the raves I read online – an adult and smart update of Buffy - I expected so very much more.

And then I watched episode 7 (the start of the show’s actual second season). It was like watching a whole new show. Some characters stuck around and some were simply gone. It was like the writers realized all their errors and corrected them. Things got scary. Interesting. Mysterious. Sexy. And like that, I ran out of episodes. The second half of the second season is being released as the show’s “second season” here in America in the near future, and I can’t wait. While you do need to slog through the first six episodes for some important back story, it’s the second season that shines and is worth viewing.
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The Venture Bros.: Season 1
An insane cartoon from The Cartoon Network. It is a certain type of humor, and so might not be a show for everyone, but I laughed hard during some of these episodes. Hank and Dean Venture are the somewhat dumb sons of semi-mad scientist, Dr. Venture. Protected by bodyguard, Brock Sampson (voiced by the wonderfully funny Patrick Warburton), the entire Venture clan continually finds itself in trouble or attacked by ninth-rate super villains. Sarcasm and insane ramblings are the driving forces behind this show. If you like your cartoons smart and caustic, you can’t go wrong with Team Venture.