Battlestar Galactica: Razor
Directed by Felix Alcala
By James Keast

Ostensibly created for the DVD market, Battlestar Galactica: Razor is a stand-alone two-hour movie that bridges seasons three and four of this cult TV show. But in content, it hearkens back to a story arc in the middle of season two - the discovery of the Battlestar Pegasus, which survived the initial cylon attack and took a run-and-gun war-like approach that contrasts nicely with Galactica’s civilian-oriented “run for our lives” tack. (It’s good timing for DVD-only Battlestar watchers, since season three won’t arrive until spring.) Told in a series of interlocking flashbacks, Razor primarily concerns Pegasus officer Kendra Shaw on the day of the initial cylon attack, the untold story of her promotion to second-in-command under Lee Adama later in the Pegasus saga, and for a brief segment, back to Commander Bill Adama’s first missions in the original cylon war. This flashback structure seems a little odd for Battlestar fans looking for forward progress on season three’s finale revelations, but it serves a couple of purposes for producers. It fleshes out one of the more fascinating periods in Galactica lore, it features the return of fabulous meanie Michelle Forbes as militant Admiral Cain, and they make the most of their chance to revive original cylon designs from the show’s late ’70s version. What it doesn’t do is stand on its own - the show’s mythology is so dense, and the events featured here so tied in to knowledge of Pegasus, of various characters, and of their history with the cylons, that to see it outside that continuity would be fairly frustrating. Already broadcast on television, then rushed to stores a mere two days later, the Razor DVD offers up about ten more minutes in an extended cut, and then teases fans anxious for the show’s April ’08 return. There are a couple of season four teases, cast members reveal their favourite episodes (usually the ones in which their character gets the most dramatic work), and exec producer Ronald D. Moore and writer Michael Taylor chat amiably on a commentary. If you are a fan of the show and have dismissed Razor as a not-relevant side-trip, be warned that there is one crucial revelation in it that points to the show’s fourth and final season, and the wild ride it’s going to be. Plus: deleted scenes, “The Look of Battlestar Galactica.” (Universal)
Dvd Reviews: Dante’s Inferno - Dir. by Victor Cook
Dvd Reviews: Daytime Drinking - Dir. by Young-Seok Noh
Dvd Reviews: The Godfather [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Francis Ford Coppola
Film Reviews: Dear John - Dir. by Lasse Hallstrom
Film Reviews: Frozen - Dir. by Adam Green
Film Reviews: Saint John of Las Vegas - Dir. by Hue Rhodes
Film Reviews: From Paris With Love - Dir. by Pierre Morel
Dvd Reviews: Turner Classic Movies Sci-Fi Adventures
Dvd Reviews: Zombieland - Dir. by Ruben Fleischer
Dvd Reviews: Troubled Water - Dir. by Erik Poppe
Dvd Reviews: Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me - Dir. by Beth McCarthy
Music DVD Reviews: Various - GonerFest 4
Dvd Reviews: Surrogates - Dir. by Jonathan Mostow
Dvd Reviews: Turner Classic Movies Greatest Classic Films: Marx Brothers
Dvd Reviews: thirtysomething: The Complete Second Season
Dvd Reviews: Don’t You Forget About Me - Dir. by Matt Austin Sadowski
Dvd Reviews: Aziz Ansari - Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening
Dvd Reviews: Amelia - Dir. by Mira Nair
Dvd Reviews: Small Wonder: The Complete First Season
Dvd Reviews: Whiteout - Dir. by Domenic Sena
Dvd Reviews: Free Style - Dir. by William Dear
Film Reviews: Edge of Darkness - Dir. by Martin Campbell
Film Reviews: When In Rome - Dir. by Mark Steven Johnson
Film Reviews: The Yes Men Fix the World - Dir. by Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno & Kurt Engfehr
Film Reviews: La Donation - Dir. by Bernard Emond
Dvd Reviews: Saw VI - Dir. by Kevin Greutert
Dvd Reviews: Mary & Max - Dir. by Adam Elliott
Dvd Reviews: Little Ashes - Dir. by Paul Morrison
Dvd Reviews: Black Belt Jones / Hot Potato / Black Samson / Three The Hard Way - Dir. by Robert Clouse; Oscar Williams; Charles Bail; Gordon Parks Jr.
Videogame Reviews: Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks [Nintendo DS]
Videogame Reviews: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces [Wii]
Film Reviews: Extraordinary Measures - Dir. by Tom Vaughan
Film Reviews: Petropolis: Aerial Perspective on the Alberta Tar Sands - Dir. by Peter Mettler
Film Reviews: Tooth Fairy - Dir. by Michael Lembeck
Film Reviews: The Last Station - Dir. by Michael Hoffman
Film Reviews: Creation - Dir. by Jon Amiel
Film Reviews: Creation - Dir. by Jon Amiel
Dvd Reviews: Moon [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Duncan Jones
Music DVD Reviews: Exodus - Shovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken And Other Assorted Atrocities
Dvd Reviews: The Invention Of Lying [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
Dvd Reviews: Pandorum - Dir. by Christian Alvart
Dvd Reviews: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell - Dir. by Bob Gosse
Dvd Reviews: Weeds Season Five
Dvd Reviews: The Age Of Stupid - Dir. by Franny Armstrong
Dvd Reviews: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - Dir. by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Dvd Reviews: Whip It - Dir. by Drew Barrymore
Dvd Reviews: Adam - Dir. by Max Mayer
Dvd Reviews: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Ultimate Edition [Blu-Ray]
Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets: Ultimate Edition [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Chris Columbus
Dvd Reviews: According to Greta - Dir. by Nancy Bardawil
Dvd Reviews: Downloading Nancy - Dir. by Johan Renck
Dvd Reviews: Gamer - Dir. by Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor
Dvd Reviews: The Drummer - Dir. by Kenneth Bi
Dvd Reviews: Outrage - Dir. by Kirby Dick
Misstress Barbara - Montreal, QC November 21
One of this city’s superstar DJs, Misstress Barbara specializes in big beats for the masses, and with her three-piece band Girls on a Ducati, she’s extending her house pop chops to a more traditional live setting. With a guitar and mic, as well as keys and effects, she’s a capable front-woman but he... Full Review
Transit / Man Overboard - Transit / Man Overboard
The deliberately lo-fi, yet earnest, split between Transit and Man Overboard sounds like the product of a bunch of friends growing up on punk and hardcore throughout the '90s. The hardcore leanings of Boston fivesome Transit lay the groundwork for the pop punk tendencies of the Jersey kids in Man Ov... Full Review
Crazy Heart Dir. by Scott Cooper
Crazy Heart, in which Jeff Bridges adds another career achievement notch on his belt as a down-to-his-last-drink country singer, might be more difficult to watch for musicians than for average moviegoers.

Bad Blake (Bridges), who's on the wrong side of 50, is hauling his truck ... Full Review
Viewing the December 2007 Issue: • Contents Page • News • Click Hear • Articles --> Front Five  •  Points  •  Year In Review  •  Questionnaire  •  Release Dates  •  Timeline  •  Videogames  •  Web Exclusives • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Destination Out  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  No Future  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews  •  Videogame Reviews • Music School --> Label Life  •  Need to Know  •  What I Play • Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio • Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue • Browse Issues