Movie Review: Save Your Legs! (2012, Twilight Time)

Directed by Boyd Hicklin

Movie Review by Greg Goodsell

Lovable loser Edward “Teddy” Brown (Stephen Curry) lives for his local neighborhood cricket club and his two best friends, Rick (Brendan Cowell) and Stavros (Damon Gameau). Teddy’s world is shaken when the substance-abusing, drunken Rick announces his impending marriage to a girl he recently knocked up. In lieu of thinking there may be more to life than getting pissed on the weekend with his fellow Aussie mates, Teddy leads his “D-string” team to a tour of India. Setting up a three match tour, coupled with the chance to meet cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, the usual “fish-out-of-water” shenanigans take place. Rick remains a surly, drunken piece of work, Teddy samples some of the local Indian cuisine and spends the majority of finding serviceable areas in which to defecate. Unaccustomed to the chaotic civilization of modern-day India, there is lots and lots of gags surrounding cultural differences. Local lovely Anjali (Pallavi Sharda) is thrown into the mix, and gives the boy something to ogle to perhaps draw away attention from Teddy’s, uh, somewhat inappropriate fixation on Rick. The clueless Australians stumble and fall adorably, and they take up a challenge from an arrogant Bollywood star to take on his cricket team. Everything turns out alright at the end … was there any question it wouldn’t?

Visiting Hollywood’s Amoeba Records DVD section, this reviewer saw a shelf full of discs with the title, “Sports Team is led by a Caring Individual to Victory.” Save Your Legs! Is one of those, and is exceptionally plain and unremarkable in spite of the many exotic locales and unique situations. The cricket team is a bunch of middle-aged losers who spend their weekends drunk and “attempting” to play the game (it doesn’t matter if the viewer doesn’t understand cricket as it doesn’t appear that any of the characters do). Well into their thirties, they cling to youthful hopes and ambitions, but must accept the fact that “the train has left the station” at this point. The guys get into scuffles, patch up their differences, and find plenty of time to look with startled expressions at the culture of India. Save Your Legs! Is painfully predictable, and is intended solely to provide diversion on a weekend night. The closest thing it makes to a statement on the team’s “Peter Pan” syndrome is when Teddy confronts the boozing Rick on what type of father he’ll make for his forthcoming child.

Movie Review: Fever Pitch (1997; Channel 4 Film/Twilight Time)

...and now, a word on obsession. Not the type of obsession, where the crazy insane woman business executive is one-night-stand spurned by the horny, reckless and married guy business exec, and it all culminates with a well-boiled bunny in the pressure cooker, and a deftly fired bullet in the forehead...No siree, Bob!! Nor is it a gaggle of sale savvy she-la mall shoppers, who violently storm and mob the nearest department store, like nutzoid concert goers at a Cincinnati 'Who' concert...after hearing the sudden announcement on the PA system, "...boxes of exotic gourmet chocolates...one, for $2.50, or three, for $4.99!!" Can you say, 'Stampede!!', yippee kai-yay, stiletto stompers?? Nope to all of that; rather, we're talking about the phenomenon of sports obsession. The elating, rip-roaring, high-decibel cheers, when a team is doing good, or even wins. The dejection and deep depression that occurs, when the team is not doing so good, or outright loses. The fantasy sports aspect...yes, 'fantasy' to most, but to some, just as real as watching the actual players, themselves. And, oh yes...even going so far as to ardently follow a favorite team across the country, like a crazed groupie, forgoing all else...including...well, this brings us to "Fever Pitch". 'Fever Pitch', huh?? Oh, really?? Title sound familiar?? Let's set the wayback machine to...oh say, circa 1997, and a little romantic comedy/drama ditty, which may well draw forth an equal measure of familiarity, as well as a rousing measure of celebrative fervor, obsession, humor, relationships. and well inspiration of life, itself...even if what is depicted here, seems...well, let's face it, a bit one-sided...

Movie Review: Division III: Football's Finest (2011)

Independent comedy can be tough to sit through. Occasionally you get a movie like Goon that surprises. I'm especially nervous about it when it stars a name comedian and still gets no traction. In this case, that might have more to do with the star's reputation than the content of the movie. I am an Andy Dick fan, and Division III can be added to the list of his best work.

We learn that Division III is at the bottom of the college football barrel. It's more BS than BCS.The Pullham University Bluecocks are not known for having a winning record at their level, so after the football coach suddenly dies, the school goes out on a limb and hires controversial coach Rick Vice (Andy Dick) to lead the team. He's controversial for one reason. He almost killed an entire kids' football team. Vice comes in with an anger and energy that pretty much terrifies the team. He especially seems to get to the backup quarterback, Mitch DePrima (played by director Marshall Cook). Trouble follows vice throughout the season and leads him from one horrifying situation into another.

Movie Review: The Tillman Story (2010)

Before the deaths of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, the biggest story of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars was the death of Arizona Cardinals star Pat Tillman. The NFL favorite made the surprising choice to leave the league and millions of dollars behind to become an Army Ranger with his brother, Kevin. It seemed like the most selfless and patriotic act someone could commit at the time. In his death, he was lionized as a hero, given the Silver Star, and held up by the government as a true patriot. That was all great, until the truth came out.

Buy The Tillman Story Blu-ray or DVD

Movie Review: The Rise and Fall of WCW (2009)

When I was a kid, my little brother and I were glued to the television every Sunday morning. No, we weren't watching the ramblings of Oral Roberts. We were watching another mouth from the South, Jimmy Hart. The likes of Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Savage and the Iron Sheik graced our television screen. We loved every second of the WWF back in the 80s, but there was something else going on that we didn't really follow. We really didn't have cable, so the WCW went under our radar. Years after we stopped watching, Hulk Hogan signed with the WCW and eventually joined the infamous NWO. That's when I started watching.

Buy The Rise And Fall of WCW on DVD

World Championship Wrestling was much more than just a secondary league. It was a pioneering league that was first to hit the national stage. In the early days of professional wrestling, leagues were regional. Occasionally, a star would travel between leagues. It was unheard of for an entire league to travel, but that's what the NWA did. The owners made another smart move. They partnered with superstation TBS, which was owned by Ted Turner. Turner liked wrestling's popularity and gave them a slot on his national channel.

TV on DVD Review: 30 for 30: Jordan Rides the Bus (2010)

In mid-August 1993, the city of Chicago fell into sadness. It was an empathetic sadness. I remember it very well. I was just about to enter my senior year at Lane Tech High School. The news that Michael Jordan's father had been murdered struck like a bolt of lightning. Here was an untouchable hero, a god in the sports world, shaken to the core. His world was destroyed, and the entire city just wanted to hug him and tell him that it would all be okay. Less than two months later, the greatest player that ever graced a basketball court announced that he would retire immediately.

Buy 30 for 30: Jordan Rides the Bus on DVD