Sunday, September 22, 2013

Chernobyl Diaries (DVD + Ultraviolet Digital Copy)



Loved it!!
I see alot of bad reviews for this movie but....I simply enjoyed it not really original but what is in this day and time.I love movies so i never,ever listen to bad reviews i watch them for myself due to the fact people like different things.The movie had a few jumps and scares but i freaking loved the ending!!!!

Seen this type of movie countless times
I'll give it 2 stars for the simple fact that the first 15 minutes or so of the film is decent. The setting is original but that's pretty much it.
If you've seen The Hills Have Eyes 1 or 2, then you've seen this movie also. Any movie goer will be able to predict who dies next in the group with astonishing accuracy. Many of the scenes in the movie are just simply ridiculous and obviously meant to prolong the storyline. It would have been a good 45 minute short film but the director saw fit to include another 45 minutes of cliche 'Hills Have Eyes' horror into the movie.

(Slight spoiler alert)
I began losing interest in the movie when a bear comes blazing down the hallway but what did the movie in for me was when the ex-spetsnaz (Russian special forces) takes running off into the woods at night with just a 9mm and no light to find out what's making a strange noise. He already knew the woods were extremely dangerous at night. Why not just stay in the van until morning...

not bad...but very predictable
Not a bad movie. The fact that a creepy place like Pripjat could indeed work very well as the location of a horrorfilm seems to have evaded all sorts of moviemakers for the last 25 years. So it was about time that someone took notice. The problem here is, they could have done so much - imagine this abandoned city, perhaps mutation of animals and nature through radiation from the reactors, or maybe a cover-up story by the government etc. but no! I'm not gonna spoil who or what the villains are, but I have to say this: if this is really all that the filmmakers could come up with, man, my dead grandpa would have had more imagination !
If there wasn't this terrible lack of originality, it could have been a truly great movie. But there are lots of films that are much worse, so if you are able to look beyond the (very) average storyline you might still enjoy it. At least the setting is perfect.

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Moonrise Kingdom (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)



Stirs the memory of adolescent first love
Set in 1965, Moonrise Kingdom is a stylized coming of age film that delivers on its promise to bring the viewer of any age back to the intensity of just-entering-adolescence love. That alone makes this an extraordinary film. In addition, the music and imagery are beautifully orchestrated to delight the senses. The casting, characters, and acting are superb. It is rare to have a film that puts together this much talent and then taps it to the fullest.

Heavy hitters include the brilliant Edward Norton (for once watching his language and holding his temper) as an anal but dedicated troop leader, Bill Murray who in stark contrast to the young stars in this film, fails to find any joy whatsoever in his work in the law profession, wealth, family or beautiful surroundings. His dissatisfied wife (Frances McDormand who was the psychiatrist in Norton's first film Primal Fear), is also an attorney (the lawyer banter are some of the funniest lines in the film). Bruce Willis (who plays...

Swept away by style and story
IN A WORLD WHERE films must shock, where films must employ impossible stunts, extreme violence and outrageous characters, comes Moonrise Kingdom - with none of it. This is a real STORY, with real characters, in which everything that happens is actually possible. What a concept. Told with humor and compassion, the film sweeps you along without the dreaded need for suspension of disbelief. The story is pure Americana - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some do it better than others. Not everyone is a winner. Its stars - seven of them! - are all totally out of character. This is not a Bill Murray vehicle or an Edward Norton vehicle or a Bruce Willis vehicle. The stars fit in, almost as afterthoughts. It's the story that counts. Most impressively, it has style. From the opening shots of Susie, face on with her binoculars in various rooms of the house, you know this film will be stylish. And understated. It is worthy of any screen in the world, in a world where American films...

"REMARKABLE IN EVERY WAY!"
It's 1965, and this mystical-magical story will tug at the heartstrings as it entertains with delight for the entire family. Sam and Suzy are both age twelve, neither one of them is popular and they both have their own issues outside of their charming relationship. However, they are appealing to each other in a unique friendship when they decide to run away together in their own great adventure. Bruce Willis can play the role of just about anything, and in this captivating story, his acting performance is excellent, along with all the other characters. The heart-warming story is touching, enjoyable from start to finish, and very funny. A Magnificent fun-filled movie for the entire family. Highly Recommended!

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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Hardflip [Blu-ray]



Good Plot, Bad Ending
This movie could have been wonderful if it would have tied off loose ends. Add an extra ten minutes to the movie and show a resolve to the issues please! Well, too late, this movie is an hour and about 50 minutes and does not end with a very great tie over. Why?

#1- Did the son ever forgive the father? it doesn't show
#2- Did the father ever drop his girlfriend, or did she drop him?
#3- Did the young asian boy ever stand up and get away from the bully that always wanted to compete with the main character?
#4- Did the main character ever get accepted into college, as was his mother's wish?
#5- Did the boy ever get the skating scholarship that kept being brought up?
#6- Did the homeless man ever forgive himself and start picking up the pieces of his life again?

These are some of the main things that were acted out in the movie, but no sufficient ending to tie up the loose ends. I am sorry, i have to give it a two for that reason. And more...

Great for skateboarding fanatics. Good for the rest of us.
If you're into the skateboarding scene, you might be in for a treat here. Or you might be in for a laugh fest, if the movie failed to portray the world of skateboards realistically. Since I grew up in the era of roller skates, the ones with the keys to tighten the skates down over the shoes, I have no knowledge of boarding and I'll just give the benefit of the doubt to the director/writers here. John Schneider, who seems to be getting typecast as a father figure for hurting young people does his usual stellar job. Randy Wayne is excellent as the troubled, but very likeable, skateboarder. Baby faced Wayne is still playing kid's roles even though he will turn 32 this year. The conflict in this film was fairly intense, keeping the viewer's interest, even for non-skateboarding fans to see this through to the climax. My main issue, which prevented me from assigning five stars, is that the message of Christianity was a bit watered down, potentially leading some to believe all we have to do...

My favourite!
Hardflip is a movie unlike any other that teaches us not only forgiveness, but also that we can accomplish whatever we desire, and in reality nothing can stop us as long as we let go of our anger, and are able to forgive other people's mistakes and learn from our own. The most important lesson from Hardflip though is that we must also forgive ourselves as hard as it may be. In this story of Caleb a young skater hoping to get sponsored he is one step away from the most important position to reach his goal, but is faced with problems along the way, including his mother falling ill with a fatal disease, his father whom he never met attempting to reconcile, and his own self questioning what to do.

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Midnight Horror Collection: Hatchets & Cleavers









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Sterile Cuckoo [Blu-ray]



A bittersweet beauty
This lovely, heartwrenching film is the sort of story that just doesn't get told today -- perhaps the innocence & honesty required just isn't there any longer. More's the pity, because this is a beautifully tender story of first love & its inevitable ending, which deserves to be seen. Liza Minnelli is unafraid to play the eccentric, lonely Pookie as needy & infuriating when required. Yet we never lose our sympathy for her, especially as we realize that Wendell Burton's shy, introverted Jerry is gradually outgrowing her. She's exactly what he needed to break out of his shell, and he clearly understands this ... but he sees that they're destined to go different ways before she does (or before she'll admit it to herself). Minnelli & Burton are superb together, utterly convincing in their wistful, somewhat lost, always searching way. And Tim McIntire's supporting performance as Jerry's boastful roommate, who surprises us with a heartfelt confession on a night drive home, is a small gem in...

Marvellous Minnelli Classic, crying out for DVD Transfer
In my review of 'Cabaret', I rather rashly claimed that Liza's turn as self-destructive Ingenue Sally Bowles was her 'once-in-a-lifetime' performance. That, however, was before I caught this 1969 Gem, 'The Sterile Cuckoo', on Sky Classics.

Beautifully-directed by Alan Pakula in that strange, isolated, stereotypical 1960's-flick style, 'The Sterile Cuckoo' tells the bittersweet, emotionally macabre tale of anally-retentive college freshman Jerry Payne (Wendell Burton), and his intense relationship with the scatterbrained, maniacal Pookie Adams (Liza Minnelli), an enigmatic and energetic girl with a sad past.

Liza's first Oscar nomination was very thoroughly deserved. Even as late as 1969 the Oscars were not yet the meaningless PR-Fest that we now know them to be, and it's nominations for odd, thought-provoking performances like Minnelli's, here, that restores our faith in that system. She's absorbing and heart-wrenching, infuriating and devastating, all at the same time. Her...

Odd Little Film
The first time I saw this movie it bothered me. Watching the love story develop between Pookie and Roger was like watching a horror movie, I kept wanting to yell at the guy for getting into a relationship with this obviously unstable, needy, life-sucking parasite of a human being. But the film haunted me (maybe because I couldn't get "Come Saturday Morning" out of my mind), so much so I bought the video. It's really a different film that couldn't be made today. The pace is different, the plot depends on the characters, Liza Minelli's performance breaks your heart. I suggest this film to anyone who doesn't like the typical romance film of the "Pretty Woman" persuasion. Watch it after you've broken up with somebody if you want a good cry.

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Stand Strong Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack



Must see!
Our world is experiencing a lot of stumbling blocks, two of which are withdrawing from God and tough financial situations. This great film addresses both of these! And is very well done, with a great story line, tear filled scenes as well as ones that make you laugh. Great for family movie night!

Fantastic Movie with a very Timely message
We absolutely loved this movie. It wasn't afraid to share a tough message in a clean uplifting way. On top of the the content - the movie itself is very high quality and entertaining to watch. I am recommending it to everyone!!

Clean and Christian
It's hard to find good media these days that is clean enough for the whole family, and even harder to find modern day stories of virtue and solid Christian principles. I was so happy to see what a great job Illumin8ed did on Stand Strong. Great Bible-based messages, full of real life lessons for young and old. It will have you laughing and crying. Definitely a keeper!

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Terror Train (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray/DVD Combo]



Better Than It Had To Be
Lets just start off with a blanket statement that is unequivocal; I typically DESPISE "slasher" films. Oh, I worship every frame of Halloween (1978, which is classic cinema period) and had fun seeing Friday the 13th (1980) for the first time and going BOO! But I don't go to see "dead teenager" movies, don't rent them, and don't care. I didn't even like Red Dragon with Ralph Fiennes as a very worthy screen monster; I don't want to get to know mad killers, I want to see them smacked over the head with a coal shovel and done away with.

I first saw Terror Train quite by chance -- sleepover party at a friends in 1981 at the age of 14 where a bottle got passed around. Everyone else zonked out; I snuck upstairs to watch HBO on his parent's big screen TV set, and what did they happen to show, but Terror Train.

I had never seen a movie like it before. We had whispered to each other in the hallways of our middle school about Jason Vorhees and his mad mother, but I had...

Terror Train on Blu-Ray - a classic gets the HD treatment, but the results are mixed
It can be a challenge to review Blu-ray releases on Amazon. Theater reviews, VHS reviews, DVD reviews, digital copies - they often all end up under the same collection of feedback. I tend to rate the films themselves with the initial star rating, and cover the specifics of the medium I am reviewing in the body of the review. So, considered alongside the other films of the slasher genre, Terror Train is easily 4 star film, in my opinion. If you appreciate 1980s horror and understand the mechanics of film making at the time, this is easily one of the better entries of the period. The Blu-ray from Shout! Factory, is, however, a bit disappointing when considered alongside some of their other recent releases. I would probably give the disc three stars. It is worth buying, but if you are trying to decide between this movie and Shout! Factory's recent releases of The Funhouse, Halloween II or Halloween III, Humanoids from the Deep or Piranha, I would place this title at the back of...

Party Pooper...
Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween, Halloween 2, The Fog) plays a college gal who is tricked into playing a sick joke (involving a cadaver) on a freshman frat pledge. Three years later, all is forgotten, as the fraternity brothers and their girlfriends hop aboard a rented steam train for a big New Year's Eve costume bash. Little do they know, someone has killed one of their pals and taken his place! So, one by one, he fools his victims into getting close enough to kill. Then, he puts on their costume and assumes their identity (It's a neat trick, and is similar in effect to the scene in Halloween where P.J. Soles mistakes Michael for her boyfriend)! Jamie Lee is convincing enough to make up for some of the shabby acting around her. Ben Johnson (Sugarland Express) is solid as the concerned conductor. David Copperfield is only mildly annoying as the magician (what else?). TERROR TRAIN chugs along at an enjoyable pace, never stopping long enough to become tedious. I recommend it to all Jamie...

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Don't Answer The Phone (Remastered Edition)



Rhino has no respect for 80s horror
I was totally disgusted with rhino,s version of Don,t answer the phone.All the great parts are butchered beyond belief.The violence was watered down to nothing and all you are left with are a bunch of talky parts.The reason people buy a film like this is for those exciting segments.Without that you have nothing.First of all we pay money for these products so they should not be edited.This version was like a bad tv movie.We should all get our money back from being ripped off like that.My advice is to wait until a reputable company releases this film UNCUT,and gives it the respect it deserves.

Censored G-Rated Version Of A Notorious Sleaze Epic
DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE (1979): Suffering from the memories of his abusive father, gibbering lunatic Kirk Smith is a photographer who occasionally uses the cover of his job to help locate young female victims to murder. For fun, the serial killer routinely takes part in Psychologist Lindsey Gale's call-in radio program, pretending to seek advice about his sexual obsessions. Street savvy cop Lt. McCabe and his sidekick Sgt. Hatcher attempt to identify the perpetrator of the fiendish killings with little success, at one point utilizing the powers of an incompetent psychic. During the investigation, McCabe and Gale meet and become romantically involved. Meanwhile, Smith breaks into the house of Carol, a beautiful young patient of Dr. Gale's, and tortures her before killing her. Later, he is invited into the home of prospective model Joyce. When she complains about the sick nature of some of the photographs on display in his portfolio, he tears off her clothes and strangles her on...

Don't bother with this version!
Rhino has totally butchered this old exploitation/drive in flick --do NOT buy this version. The only reason to watch this movie was to see sex and violence; all nudity and graphic violence has been edited out on this version. It has been so badly butchered it would not get an "R" rating if submitted as presented on this DVD.

Shame on Rhino, you people are obviously very sick.

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That '70s Show: Season Two [Blu-ray]



SECOND TIME AROUND...
The second season is amazing! I'd say about equal to the first and this set picks up the slack the first season left behind. Tons of bonus features and 26 amazing episodes from 1999-2000.

The episodes on this set are, again, spread out onto 4 DVDs and the layout of the cover art and thinpak cases are the same to those of the first season. The set includes all episodes from the season and are as follows:

Disc 1:
2.01: Garage Sale
2.02: Red's Last Day
2.03: The Velvet Rope
2.04: Laurie and the Professor
2.05: Halloween
2.06: Vanstock
2.07: I Love Cake

Disc 2:
2.08: Sleepover
2.09: Eric Gets Suspended
2.10: Red's Birthday
2.11: Laurie Moves Out
2.12: Eric's Stash
2.13: Hunting
2.14: Red Gets A Job

Disc 3:
2.15: Burning Down The House
2.16: The First Time
2.17: Afterglow
2.18: Kitty and Eric's Night Out
2.19: Parents Find Out
2.20: Kiss Of...

2nd just as good as the 1st
If you liked the 1st season, then you are sure to like the 2nd.

This release of That 70s show on DVD contains all of the episodes of the second season. All 26 episodes are contained on 4 disks.

Episodes:

-----------

1) Garage Sale - At the Forman's garage sale, Hyde makes his special brownies.

2) Red's Last Day - It is Red's last day at the plant, so he goes to the bar and gets hammered. Kitty sends the boys after him but they wind up joining him.

3) The Velvet Rope - Donna, Hyde and Fes go dancing but Eric can't get in.

4) Laurie and the Professor - Eric sees Laurie making out with her professor and believes he has something on her.

5) Halloween - The gang goes back to their old grammar school.

6) Vanstock - Eric, Donna, Hyde, Kelso, and Fez are all going to Vanstock, Wisconsin's version of Woodstock.

7) I Love Cake - When Donna says "I Love You" to Eric, he freaks and tells...

Hello Wisconsin!
The second year of That '70s Show took an already great show and completely amped it up (even the theme song got a small change). Knowing what worked and what didn't work from a very solid first season, the writers and actors were able to deliver a sophomore year that was superior to Season 1.
The year starts off with a true gem; in "The Garage Sale", Hyde (Danny Masterson) bakes "special brownies" to help out at the Formans' (Topher Grace, Kurtwood Smith, Debra Jo Rupp, and Lisa Robin Kelly) garage sale to raise money, now that father Red is out of a job. Despite Eric's pleas to not do it, he unknowingly gets Eric's Vista Cruiser sold when Red, Kitty, Bob (Don Stark) and Midge (Tanya Wright) sample some of the drug-laced chocolate. What follows is one of the shows most hilarious "circle scenes" with the parents talking nonsense while under the influence of the brownies. And that is just the beginning of the season...
This year, a few story arcs develop. Donna (Laura...

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Elf (Le Lutin)



Bonkers But Beautiful
I loved this movie. It was totally bonkers: a human baby accidently ends up on the north pole and grows up among the elf community that supports Santa Claus. Buddy, as he comes to be known, knows that he's "special" however, since he can't keep up with the other elves. Never mind the fact that he's about three times as tall as any of them and barely fits in the shower.

When he's 30, and still young by Elf standards, he learns that he's really a human. Buddy decides to go in search of his father (who's on Santa's naughty list), to find out where he belongs. He walks to New York (through the Lincoln tunnel), and is immediately run over by a cab. The chain of events starts at that moment ...

Buddy is a delightful and enchanting character with many special talents and a childish personality. He is naive to the point of stupidity, but charming all the while. His lovable demeanour gains him friends in spite of his clumsy efforts. He is sweet, kind and generous. When his father at first...

SWEET, FUNNY AND ORIGINAL
I rarely go see movies twice, but after taking my four children, I treated my parents and watched it again! You fall in love with Buddy, you just can't help it! Will Ferrell is not the kooky nut in this one as in most of his movies, he truly shows the innocent, sweetness of Buddy the elf. Full of laughs, and not as predictable as you might think. I just can't wait until it is released to purchase. I will own this one, please note that after viewing you will need to decorate your house for Christmas immediately !! :)

A real "Feel Gooder"!
Elf will land a spot alongside The Grinch (cartoon), Charlie Brown & A Christmas Story in my holiday video library! Will Farrell was hilarious & touching as the ever-cheerful,naive and polite Buddy. Bob Newhart, deadpan & stuttering as ever, was the perfect Papa Elf. The rest of the cast were ideal picks. A nice movie & a clever story. I needed a "feel-gooder" the day I watched it, and I wasn't disappointed.

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8-Film Haunted Hollows



This isn't really a review.
This isn't really a review. I just feel that Amazon doesn't give enough information about this DVD collection. I'm adding this so any potential buyer might to be able to make an informed purchasing decision. I hope it's useful.

7 Nights of Darkness (2011) - 90 min - Horror - Director: Allen Kellogg - Stars: Thomas Cassell, Jessica A. Fleming and Jennifer Hoffman.

Ominous (2009) - 84 min - Drama / Horror - Director: Justin Bergonzoni - Stars: Sean Patrick Flaherty, Joseph Anthony Jette and Elizabeth Purdy.

The House That Would Not Die (1970) - TV Movie - 74 min - Horror - Director: John Llewellyn Moxey - Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Egan and Michael Anderson Jr.

The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farm (2011) - 67 min - Documentary - Director: Dan T. Hall - Stars: Tracy Bacon, Myrna Cooke and Alex Hall.

Haunting of Winchester House (Video 2009) - 86 min - Horror - Director: Mark Atkins - Stars: Lira Kellerman, Michael Holmes and Tomas...

Varying Quality but Ample Entertainment
There are no superior films in this collection but plenty of decent movies in the range 2 and 4 stars. For the price, you will have something to watch in those time periods when you are not prepared to come to grips with a major film. I would have given perhaps one four, two or three two's, and the rest three's.

Great purchase for the price!
I like when you get a good deal on multiple movies in one. I would recommend this purchase for those who like hauntings.

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Friday, September 20, 2013

Amicus: House of Horror - A History of England's Groundbreaking Studio of Terror (2-DVD)



One man band
Fairly interesting doc, but VERY low budget and lo fi. This is basically a one man show, as the same person writes, produces, direct, narrates, and conducts the interviews (which are shot on very low resolution video). No film clips aside from a few trailer excerpts, presumably because there was no money to license any. Hardcore fans may enjoy, all others should stay far, far away. The DVD cover makes this look much more elaborate than it is.

Amicus Respected
'Amicus', a name that may not be as familiar as it's cinematic cousin 'Hammer', but one that also produced horror film classic's as well , is the subject of this comprehensive documentry. Never before has the company been given this royal treatment on video. Derek Pykett gives us Amicus' humble beginnings and it's less that glorious end with interviews from the artist's and technicians that called the company home...actors such as Geoffrey Bayldon, Barbara Ewing, Angela Pleasence...Directors such as Kevin Conner, Stepen Weeks, Peter Duffell...Producer John Dark, and many other men and women who worked for the company. There are tons of facts given about all their classic horror films by all involved...stories told for the very first time. You get to visit the actual ASYLUM house, both inside and out ! Amicus and Hammer stars Michael Ripper & Peter Cushing are both given loving tributes by all involved. There are Trailers for all of the Amicus horror films and you will be amazed how...

AMICUS PRODUCTION FILM'S Documentary
This 2 Disc DVD is only for fans of AMICUS films that's it, if you only like a few Amicus films and not really a big fan then don't buy this DVD
or do buy this dvd if your interested but if your not sure then don't bother.
But if you like all AMICUS films and a big fan then definitely get it.

i'm a big fan of both AMICUS and HAMMER films, i think that some of Gothic horror Amicus films are just as Good as some of the Hammer films, no doubt about it.
this Doco is definitely Low budget made, but Low budget or not it's still a fantastic tribute to AMICUS PRODUCTIONS
they definitely don't make films like this anymore, not in the Horror genre, there might be some Horror films that have been out over the years
that have the similar feeling to the old Amicus classics but definitely not the same

it's a Great Doco, 15 years too late in my opinion this Doco should've been made about the same time as the HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR Documentary back in...

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Gone in 60 Seconds: H.B. Halicki's Original (BD/Combo Sku)



WARNING TO ALL FANS OF THE ORIGINAL FILM...
First of all, I love this movie. I was quite surprised to discover it's release on DVD, and needless to say, I grabbed it. There is no doubt that this disc is loaded with extras, but sadly, the claim that the film has been "fully restored" is extremely misleading. The advantage of these review forums, is to provide insight, from someone who has already bought the product, to those interested. And, that's what I'm here to do.

Here are the DVD's special features, as listed: LETTERBOXED PRESENTATION (1.85:1), REMASTERED SOUNDTRACK (in Dolby 5.1 and DTS), NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE, AUDIO COMMENTARY: Jack Vacek (Cinematographer) and Warner Leighton (Editor), 3 TRAILERS (The original theatrical trailers for "GONE IN 60 SECONDS" and "THE JUNKMAN", and another for the remastered version of "GONE IN 60 SECONDS"), EXTENSIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PHOTO GALLERY, DVD-ROM CAPABILITIES, INTRODUCTION with Denice Halicki (H.B. Halicki's widow) and...

For true fans of the original classic: here's the lowdown
First of all, I've loved this movie since I was 6 years old. My mom and dad saw it in the cinema -- more than once -- while they were dating in 1974. To say the least, this title holds special significance in my whole family. Which is why it's great to see it re-released on both VHS and DVD for all to enjoy.

For those of you who, like me, have every scene, every line, every sound effect of the original movie committed to memory, you will be shocked when you play the "remastered" version. For one thing, the picture is beautiful. It's never looked so good. And the soundtrack has never sounded so good, either -- because it's been completely redone from scratch. That's the other thing. The sound effects are all new. Gone are the authentic, live-recorded engine sounds, tire screeches, and other hard effects. Gone also is the original music, including my favorite tune, "I Do Hope The Man Doesn't Catch Me", and the title song, "Gone In Sixty Seconds". For...

Looks Great, Sounds Awful
Like the early CD releases of classic albums, sometimes technology gets a little overzealous and tries to re-invent something that doesn't need re-inventing. Unfortunately the DVD release of Gone In Sixty Seconds is about the worst example I've seen yet of the phenomenon, taking the bottom spot away from the botched remixes of all the old ZZTop albums of the 70's. This is a five star film for me, one of the ten greatest films of the seventies. A DVD edition should be a boon to all fans of the film, and while it does provide some insights with the director's commentary and the additional features, for some reason the "restorers" seemed to be trying to compete with the new (and extremely mediocre) Nicholas Cage version of the film. The totally redone musical sound track is utterly awful. It doesn't fit anything in the film at all, doesn't befit a film of the 1970's, and stomps all over some wonderfully scored moments in the original. Even the title theme song has...

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Awkward: Season 2



engaging, entertaining & Funny!
My 24 year old daughter talked me into watching this show on MTV with her. I thought there was no way I would enjoy this show because I'm a 63 year old male and a grandfather. Just one episode of season two had me hooked. To my amazement the show sucked me right into the world created by the great writing and acting by this cast. The show is funny, cleverly written, with a slew of twists and turns that keeps me guessing and entertained. The episodes are only a half an hour long but they fly by leaving me eager to see what will happen next. It's become my guilty pleasure. I wish they were an hour long!
The show brings back all those anxieties, crushes, what ifs, and pitfalls many of us have experienced in high school. Yet keeps you entertained and laughing through every twist and turn. It makes me wish I could go back and live those high school and college years again. Give this show a try and you'll be glad you did.

For Adults Too.
I love this show. When It first came out, I was not interested, but ended up watching an episode that came on in the middle of the day. I couldn't believe how funny it was. Here is a show that can be appreciated by everyone. Some one my age (31) who can look back on my high school years and be thankful they are over, while finding humor in the situation. Anyone my age probably had a mean girl like Sadie who would say something hateful to people (but at least she says Your Welcome after) and made you hate her and think that she was a bad person. On the show you see that while Sadie says terrible things, she is very human and you end up relating to the mean girl. Some one high school age can relate the characters and experiences that they may be having right now. They should be able to see the humor in the situation and maybe feel not so alone. Is the show over the top, yes, and some much better for it. All of the characters are very different from each other but compliment...

great show
Love it great show for teens. A
Love it love it and the cast is great. Like the great abs.

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The League of Incredible Vegetables



Excellent Video!
I was able to buy a pre-release of the League of Incredible Vegetables, and I was thoroughly impressed. From the music video (Newsboys), to how well it relates to kids (both boys and girls), to the clear presentation of the biblical values regarding trust, faith, and fear. Both my 7 year old and 4 year old love it. Heck, who am I kidding? I love it.

It's also great to finally see Bob realize his dream of being a super-hero.

A VeggieTales Thriller!
I was able to watch and review a pre-lease copy of this DVD and I really enjoyed it. All your favorite characters get to be super heroes in this adventure as they team up to help Larry Boy, and in the process, learn how to handle fear. Using David against Goliath as an example, Junior learns that God is with him and that there is no need to fear.

The bad guys do a good job of being bad but not scary, so my 3 year old was never scared.

The silly song wasn't the funniest one they have done, but it was still funny. It is called Supper Hero, and it is about a supper hero who will come finish your plate when you have food you don't want to eat.

This movie has a very goof, clear message about trusting in God when we are scared.

Veggies ride again!
If you're a VeggieTales fan then you'll love this newest effort. i can't give the story away as that may prevent the purchase and ruin the idea, but I will say Big idea still has a long way to go before they run out of big ideas. We truly enjoyed the movie and ensure you too will have a smile in store for the ones you watch it with as well. Another good job Bob!

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4 Film Favorites: Gene Kelly (For Me and My Gal, Invitation to the Dance (1956), On the Town (Sinatra Tribute), Summer Stock)



A Must for Gene Kelly Fans!
This collection is great! Not only do you get 4 great Gene Kelly films for a good price, but the picture and sound quality are wonderful! I got this set for "Invitation to the Dance", which both my husband and I wanted to see, but love the other films as well.

. For her generation to watch the cla
Always have Loved Gene Kelly, and my 20 something daughter has watched this collection.
For someone in her generation to sit down and actually enjoy these films is wonderful.
She actually told me she thought Gene Kelly was "dreamy"

Excuse me, We are talking Gene Kelly!
What can I say... GENE KELLY!!!! all awesome. If you like classic movie musicals with great dancing, smart sining and a cute story - okay it is not War and Peace, but what do you expect for excapest viewing!

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Undaunted



Great DVD
This is the story of Josh McDowell's early life. It's acted out in story form by good actors and is quite compelling. It tells how Josh was sexually abused by a farmhand when he was young while at the same time his father was the town drunk. What a way to start a life, yet not uncommon nowadays. It reveals his aggressive skepticism about Christianity during his college years. Then after he examined the facts supporting the truth of Christianity, we see his conversion as he began a personal relationship with Jesus. Because of his conversion he forgave his father, who then became a believer. Because of his father's conversion, his father dramatically changed his life in a positive and public way. Finally we see Josh confront and forgive the man who sexually abused him. I won't forget that scene for a long time. This DVD gives us us an appreciation of what God has done in Josh's life. But even more importantly it could be used to help those who have experienced a similar...

Redemption with a Capital "R"
This is less what I consider a "movie" and more a "dramatized documentary/testimony." But don't take that as a negative. This is a moving and inspiring film. If it does nothing else, it will serve as a reminder that God can redeem the very worst this world dishes out and turn it to good in the lives of those who love Him. Josh McDowell appears in the film as the narrator which serves to make the film very personal, and the actors who show his story in the dramatized parts all do a very fine job.

I highly recommend this film.

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this DVD in exchange for an honest review.

Incredible Testimony
I was working with the youth of my church with the pastor approached me and said that another pastor had approached him about the possibility of several churches joining together for a Josh McDowell conference. I had never heard about Josh McDowell at that point. All the details were planned. On the first night of the conference two things happened: (1) I was so impressed by Josh McDowell and what he had to say and

(2) I met my husband for the first time. That has been 24 years ago now. Although we have been admirers of Josh McDowell's books like More Than A Carpenter, Right from Wrong and Don't Check your Brains At the Door, I never had any clue of Josh's life before his ministry.

Opening scenes of this movie start with Josh's earliest memories. His Dad has lost their farm and the entire town has turned out to mock them. It was painful to watch the reenactment. I hurt to think of what that was like for him as a child. It hurt even more to hear him...

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The Mark [Blu-ray]



mark dvd
If you are a fan of the left behind series your going to love this movie. It is a action packed faith based film that had the whole family on the edge their seats.

movie review
Not a bad movie bit slow could of had a bit more of a story line no quite biblical but ok

movie
watch it with my family and it was very surreal. I cant wait until the other one comes out. Thank you

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The Santa Clause 3-Movie Collection [Blu-ray]



Full Screen Clauses
The three Santa Clauses films were a cute franchise for the Disney company. Tim Allen was and still is a hot Disney Property. The first film is a modern day Xmas classic. The other two films were good, but didnt live up to the first films promise.

Disney has smartly gave the public a gift, wrapping all three films in one package. However this version is full screen and formatted to a TV set. Others have remarked that is a problem, I dont like it..but many of my friends and family dont care if the film is the same as the cinematic focus. So I know what people are getting for xmas this year

So at the price of these films it is a good buy at the price and a great holiday gift

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

Don't Yell at Santa
THE SANTA CLAUSE: 3 MOVIE COLLECTION is a three DVD box set that includes all three movies of the Santa Clause trilogy from Walt Disney Pictures. The three movies included are:

THE SANTA CLAUSE-Scott Calvin is a divorced Dad. Much to his ex-wife's chagrin, his six-year old son still believes in Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, an unexpected visitor falls off of Scott's roof. All that remains of the visitor is a sleigh and eight reindeer on Scott's roof, a red and white furry coat, and instructions that if involved with the accident to put the coat on. Scott does and soon finds himself zipping around the world delivering packages through chimneys. He eventually winds up at the North Pole and is informed by a group of elves that he's the new Santa. Scott believes the whole thing is a dream and goes about his regular life. But as the year progresses Scott's hair turns grey, he gains a ton of weight, and his face doesn't stay shaved. Scott has to either accept his new job or...

Right idea, wrong format
I've been waiting for them to get smart and put out a three disc set of the three Santa Clause films, since I don't have any on DVD yet. I agree with most critics in thinking that the first is the best (in fact, I think it's our generation's "Miracle on 34th Street"), the second not as good and the third not as good as the second. I still like some aspects of the third film though, especially the whole "It's a Wonderful Life" aspect of what would have been different if he had never become Santa.

So what do they do? They put out the trilogy in a reasonably priced set, and they only make it available in full screen!!!! I think that DVD sales have shown that most fans want the films in widescreen, so this is ridiculous. I've got to believe that the only reason they're doing it is because they still have a huge inventory of unsold full screen copies, so they're hoping that releasing it this way will move some of them. Well, I didn't buy them in full screen when you put...

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Alcatraz: The Complete Series



Ahh, Fox. Will you EVER give a high-concept show a chance again?
While this is a review for the first and, sadly, the only season of J.J. Abrams' ALCATRAZ, this will also be, in part, a rant against Fox Broadcasting and how quickly they forgot their roots.

Let's begin with the review though. First, a quick rundown of the plot: Back in March of 1963, Alcatraz officially closed. All the prisoners were transferred to other prisons. This is the official story, but it's not the way it happened. In actuality, 256 inmates of Alcatraz as well as 46 guards mysteriously vanished and no one knows where... until now, that is. Mysterious and shadowy Federal Agent Emerson Hauser (the terrifically underrated Sam Neill) appears in San Francisco just around the time that our main protagonist SFPD Detective Rebecca Madsen (the talented and lovely Sarah Jones, who doesn't have a lot of credits to her name) loses her partner to a fleeing suspect. Madsen comes into direct contact and conflict with what Agent Hauser is trying to do when two men are murdered...

Real Ghosts of Flesh and Blood...
The Fox midseason replacement TV series "Alcatraz" is built around the fascinating premise that the 1963 closure of the notorious federal prison was a cover story for the sudden and unexplained disappearance of the inmates and their guards. San Francisco police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) becomes involved in the mystery when her partner is killed by a man who is supposed to be dead, one of the missing "63's". Rebecca is recruited into a secretive federal task force run by FBI agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill), formerly an Alcatraz guard and now in search of the former inmates as they resurface in modern-day San Francisco to resume their criminal careers, mysteriously unaged and still fully lethal.

The story is told on parallel tracks, as Hauser, Rebecca, and Rebecca's unlikely partner Dr. Diego "Doc" Soto (Jorge Garcia) pursue the criminals in the present, while their backstories are told in flashback. The hulking Doc, a comic book store owner and expert on...

Why not more?
"Alcatraz" COULD have worked and worked well...I think its only major flaw was that some of the episodes, particularly midseason, felt more like a crime procedural ("hey, another inmate appeared, let's go get 'im") than a surreal mystery. If only EACH ep had given us a bit of the plot points! It seemed like several went by with little more than a tease into the three keys, the '63s, and the sleazy Warden's master plan...and then in the season finale we had major points all dumped at once!

Still and all...this could have been MAGNIFICENT in a second season. I detest Fox for pulling it.

My question is, WHY can this story not continue in graphic novel form?? Hey you producers and writers, if you're reading this, FINISH THE STORY! I want more Senator BadA-- (aka Hauser -- as Sarah Jones so perfectly called him), more Doc, more Becca, more Warden! I wanna know how it ENDS! Bring in Joss Whedon, bring in any of the supremely talented writers and artists working in...

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15-Film Horror Cult Classics Collection



This isn't really a review.
This isn't really a review. I just feel that Amazon doesn't give enough information about this DVD collection. I'm adding this so any potential buyer might to be able to make an informed purchasing decision. I hope it's useful.

White Zombie (1932) - 69 min - Horror - Director: Victor Halperin - Stars: Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy and Joseph Cawthorn.

The Devil Bat (1940) - 68 min - Horror / Sci-Fi - Director: Jean Yarbrough - Stars: Bela Lugosi, Suzanne Kaaren and Dave O'Brien.

The Bat (1959) - 80 min - Horror / Thriller / Mystery - Director: Crane Wilbur - Stars: Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead and Gavin Gordon.

The Last Man on Earth (1964) - 86 min - Action / Drama / Horror - Directors: Ubaldo Ragona, and Sidney Salkow - Stars: Vincent Price, Franca Bettoia and Emma Danieli.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) - 75 min - Drama / Horror / Thriller - Director: William Castle - Stars: Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart and Richard Long...





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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Fantasy



Almost too good to be true!
If you're a Galaxy Express 999 fan in the United States, for a while you were pretty much out of luck. Only the first two movies had seen official USA releases, and the only way to see Eternal Fantasy or the TV series you needed a good internet connection and some patience. Finally were getting what we need, Discotek has finally released Eternal Fantasy in the USA and the show is being licensed by S'more Entertainment. When I first heard about these releases I almost couldn't believe it.

As for the film itself, its pretty good. Better than Adieu Galaxy Express but nowhere near as good as the first movie. Just keep in mind that it takes place after the TV show, it does not follow Adieu. My only gripe is that its much shorter than the other two movies, its a gripe but not a big enough one to have a star removed.

EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, EPIC SPACE OPERA FROM 1998
Discotek aka Eastern Star has released Eternal Fantasy for the very first time in the US. Before this release, this movie was very rare outside Japan and for years, fans could only watch low quality versions without subtitles. Now at last, the final movie in Galaxy Express 999 series is available to fans and it meets expectations. It's also a standalond piece, set 1 year after the other works, so previous knowledge is not a necessity but is helpful.

Eternal Fntasy was released in 1998 and was one of the last productions to use Cel Animation. Although made in the late 90's, if you didn't know the production date, you would be forgiven for thinking it was made in the mid 80's. The animation is incredibly vivid and bright, there's not a single scratch, mark or grain on the entire print. The video is clearly using a remastered telecline print from an R2J DVD source and is in Progessive Scan and Widescreen Anamorphic. The audio is clearly remastered as well, as every sound is...

Great video, great audio for a DVD
Eternal Fantasy is the late 90s follow up to the original Galaxy Express 999 series. My understanding is that Matsumoto Leiji began a GE999 spin-off in the '90s and this was a film designed to capture that. Unfortunately it hints at a much longer journey that we were never treated to in animated form. And I believe Matsumoto actually stopped writing it, or put it on permanent hiatus.

The film takes place 1 year after the end of the TV series (or possibly the movies - it's really just academic). Maetel returns to Earth to save Tetsuro who is needed to travel the rails once again.

Video-

The show itself is an amalgamation of cel based animation, mixed in with some 3D models of the Galaxy Express. The 3D is quite laughable given it was attempted at a time when animation studios were experimenting with 3D animation.

There are no issues to be seen in the video itself. It's well encoded and the original elements must be in great shape. I have the...

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The Santa Clause [Blu-ray]



Great Holiday Fun
If you are looking for a great, feel-good holiday movie that everyone can enjoy, this is your movie. It is not just another typical cartoon, though. There is a nice mix of comedy, drama, and great holiday fun to turn this into the next holiday classic.
We begin with Scott Calvin, a divorced businessman with a child. His wife has got another man in her life that Charlie, their son, looks up to, while Scott is still alone. It is Scott's turn to take Charlie for Christmas that year, but Charlie is less than enthusiastic about staying with his work-involved, unattentive father. Nothing goes well for them that night with dinner (it is actually quite a humorous affair), and you can sense the distance between the father and son.
Later on that night is when things change. Scott scares Santa Claus into falling off of the roof. Charlie nags Scott into putting on the Santa suit and getting into the sleigh. From that point, there is non-stop action until morning as Scott...

A Christmas Favorite
Once a year, there comes a time for families to get together and celebrate the magic of the holidays. The Santa Clause is a wonderful movie for the family to watch, one for all ages. The story is heart-warming and funny. Tim Allen is terrific. I recommend this movie for anyone who loves the Holiday season and believes in the spirit of Christmas.

Merriment in July ;>
If the summer weather is getting to you and you start to long for snow and Christmas cookies with hot apple cider, this is just the movie to awaken that inner child who is still fascinated with life and believes in magic.

The scene is set for a rather bleak Christmas. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) plays the part of a divorced toy company executive who wants to spend Christmas with his son. Charlie is not exactly thrilled with the prospects of his father's culinary talents and they opt out for dinner at Denny's. Later that evening after Scott has read The Night Before Christmas to Charlie, Charlie awakens to the "clattering" on the roof. Scott runs outside to find reindeer on his roof and Santa who then suddenly falls off the roof. Ooopps.

So, what will happen to all the presents and who will deliver them? Scott puts on the red suit and by doing so enters into the" Santa Clause" and must be the next Santa. In order to prepare for his duties, he physically changes into...

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Bush Christmas



Classic Australiania
This film is a light-hearted film that kids and adults will enjoy. I had a laugh at the way Australians were portrayed - It was so exaggerated. It made it funny in a nice way- I reckon if they re-released the film, it would almost get cult status. Mum in the kitchen cooking and all perfectly made up in the middle of the Bush. The stereotypical portrayal of Aboriginals (which are referred to as blackefellas believe it or not) as good stockman and trackers. (which they were but there is alot more to ABoriginals than that - ie their culture, spirituality). The Aussie kids all blond and freckled with names like Snow (How original!)
Australia had come such as long way, and we like to laugh at ourselves! This film is a bewdy mate!

Summer Christmas
Yes Christmas in Summer down under, and in a long gone era. I first viewed this film when I was about eight or so, with my Grandpa stating how he actually filmed this movie. It is a long gone era in Australian history with everyone having a slight British accent, but northern hemi-sphere viewers do get to see Christmas in the summer instead of winter. As for some of the references to Aboriginals.......my kids didn't even pick them up (6 & 7 ages), funny to think how half these lines would now have this movie poorly judged, but as I said my kids didn't even pick them up and laughed with the jokes. And my kids are black! This movie also featured the late Chips Rafferty who was one of Australia's most premiered stars, and always portrayed that so called "Australian look and sound".

bush christmas
I saw this film as a 13 year old in Holland, after migrating to Australia saw it several times and enjoyed it, am now 66 years old and still enjoy it

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4 Film Favorites: Meg Ryan (The Women, You've Got Mail: Deluxe Edition, Joe Versus The Volcano, Innerspace)



Great package!
I was totally shocked when I saw what this package contained. While I've never seen "The Women", the other three movies are old favorites, with the weakest being "You've Got Mail" (although it's still a cute little movie). Each film has it's own dedicated DVD and are all enhanced for 16x9 and include some special features. Highly recommended.





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Patient Zero



THAT WAS HIS WIFE!
The film opens with a hunt and kill segment that is foreboding of events. Dr. Jonathan Wright (Brandon Slagle) is engaged to Dr. Jenna Barnes (Amanda Phillips). They both work at GEM, a company in a small town that genetically modifies agricultural, "saving the planet one ear of corn at a time." At least that is what everyone believes, except for people at Jonathan's level. They are developing biological weapons, something that could be described as a "berserker virus."

There are several things I noticed that was a cause for pause. Why do employees wear Tyvex clothing to protect them from infection, then go eat lunch in the same clothes? Why does the military hunt down infected people without any protective gear? And when people are infected and feel they must kill each other, yet they don't kill other infected people. Why is that?

The film starts out slow to build character, or to let us know Jonathan doesn't have any. Amanda takes showers, but is camera shy...

What is it that drives with our fascination with Zombies?
I will never forget, as a small child, my first viewing of George Romero's classic "Night of the Living Dead." Even though this genre'-launching, micro-budgeted feature was shot in Black and White (and viewed in our home on a tiny Zenith television screen), the impact was undeniable. All of my siblings and friends were terrified to the point of vocal screams, and even at this young age, I knew that I was witnessing the birth of something new in cinema. Flash Forward 30+ years to now, and we are still mesmerized with "The Walking Dead" and anything zombie related. Brian Jayne's newest thriller, "PATIENT ZERO", takes a stab at a genesis theory (one that has been suggested before in many incarnations). But still, the first zombie -- and the rampant spread of "Zombieness" -- is a ripe formula for simple cinema pleasure. This is not the best zombie movie of the year, not even the best from Brian Jaynes. But for all of those out there, like me, who find the terror of walking dead...

Nope-Nada-Zip
Not a zombie film, not even a 28 days later decent rip-off. From the Humans VS Zombies film, which I thought was okay -- comes one that just has already been done to death and I ended up hitting the scan forward button - a lot. I did not hate the film and they did a good job of locations and acting .... but don't package it like a zombie film and then not deliver. Just been there and did that to the Nth degree and glad I got this from the $5 bin at WaL-Mart because I cannot see myself popping it into re-watch it.

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20-Movie Western Pack



A hefty bounty
Echo Bridge Home Entertainment has issued this big box of Spaghetti Westerns at a budget price. I will get to the titles in momentarily, first I just want to sing Echo Bridge's praises for giving us these movies with superior quality, good looking transfers for the most part and most of these films are in the widescreen format.

The only major exception comes from one disc featuring four Lee Van Cleef movies ("God's Gun", "Kid Vengeance", "the Grand Duel", "Death Rides a Horse") these are the same crappy looking copies available in countless other discount collections, I suspect their inclusion is simply to pad this one out to the nice round number of twenty, but they throw the whole box out of wack a bit.

The 20 Titles contained here within are:
MASSACRE TIME
SOME DOLLARS FOR DJANGO
LITTLE RITA
LIGHT THE FUSE SARTANA IS COMING
HOLY WATER JOE
BUFFALO BILL: HERO OF THE WEST
BLOOD MONEY
KID VENGEANCE
THE BOUNTY...

Met my expectations
My husband is a truck driver and this was perfect for his portable DVD player while in his sleeper cab.



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Robert Conrad Double Feature (Live a Little, Steal a Lot/Sudden Death)



Qualité image
La qualité de l'image n'est pas très bonne surtout sur le film sudden death (image un peu trop sombre). Sinon, il est dommage qu'il n'y a pas de version sous titré ou de version fran

Dragon Eyes



"Stand like a man. Get kicked like a man"
When "Dragon Eyes" was first announced in the midst of Jean-Claude Van Damme's budding comeback, fans pompously stated that it'd be his definitive reanimation vehicle and was headed for movie theaters. Well, they were wrong on both counts - this one's not about to see the inside of an American theater and it's definitely not a vehicle for Van Damme - but this isn't reason to be disappointed, because despite being a DTV production, it's very good action movie. Not mind-blowingly good (Van Damme's own Universal Soldier: Regeneration was superior, if you ask me), but nevertheless one of the better examples out there of quality martial arts flicks being feasible on a relatively small budget.

The story: a soft-spoken martial artist (UFC star Cung Le, Pandorum) - fresh from prison and the tutelage of his wizened teacher (Van Damme) -...

SYMBOL FOR CHANGE
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a minor role as the prison mentor for Mr. Hong (Cung Le)..."There are two tigers inside you." These are seen as occasional flashbacks. Mr. Hong rents an apartment in an Hispanic neighborhood of St. Jude and immediately draws attention to himself. He attempts to pit two gangs against each other (both work for Mr. V (Peter Weller) although does so rather poorly as he leaves a calling card with an oriental symbol for change. But wait...that is all part of the master plan. Mr. V also controls the local cops (Craig Walker, Kristopher Van Varenberg).

Rosanna (Crystal Mantecon) plays the straight honest daughter of the landlord.

Mr. V. recruits Mr. Hong to work for him. The film has some questionable plot points...such as why Mr. Hong was allowed to live so many times. It utilizes grindhouse style music and introduces characters with written screen titles, however the film doesn't quite flow lie a good grindhouse, either by design or poor...

Good old school ass kicking.
I was finally able to watch this and I have to say that I enjoyed it. I do agree with some other reviews that the story did have some plot holes, which was the main flaw of the movie. It felt like a lot of the scenes were missing about 5 min that would explain why the next scene plays out how it does. Still, this didn't really affect most of the overall enjoyment factor for me. I thought Cung Le was a cool lead. He has minimal dialog, which is probably a good thing, so he comes off as the strong silent type. As we all know, JC only has a small part...probably about 10 minutes spread throughout the whole movie. His scenes and his performance are both very cool though. I didn't really care for how his back story was explained but no big deal. Peter Weller was a blast to watch as Mr.V as well. The fights do have a lot of slow motion thrown into them but it actually works for the most part. It allows you to feel the brutality of street fighting...plus you see everything clearly, which is...

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Heaven Is Waiting - Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack



Decent movie with an odd emphasis on material wealth
I enjoyed several aspects of this movie. The script is smart and funny. The plot device of having the deceased wife show up from time to time to give advice to her still grieving husband is fairly original and works well. The consideration of the emotions we experience when we don't want to betray those we have loved and lost by moving on is nuanced and thought provoking. And I enjoyed the open and unembarrassed references to God and church throughout the movie, which are not at all heavy-handed.

So what's not to like? For me, it is that far too many elements of the characters' lives are glamorous or successful beyond what is typical for normal folks. The main character--the widowed husband--has apparently retired at the age of 43 and lives in an enormous, beautifully furnished house and is tall and handsome to boot. His college-age daughter also lives in a large, beautifully furnished home while attending school and is perky, loving and cute. The father's eventual...

heaven is waiting
this was a bad movie. I like happy/sappy movies but this was neither of those. the acting was strained, there was no humor, it just didn't go anywhere.

Rather Bored...
There is nothing inherently bad about this movie, but that doesn't exactly make it worth watching. All in all, it was a very vague, undefined, cliched story.

1) as far as I can tell, there isn't really much of a message to the story...
2) the plot is extremely one-dimensional. The first half of the movie is the story of a protective father who doesn't like his daughter's "perfect" suitor - not a terribly original plot device. The second half is about the man's daughter trying to convince him to date this slightly creepy woman who he does not like, when he's not ready to date at all. It mentions that the man is a pastor, but that doesn't play into the plot a bit - there is no mention of God, no "working through grief" overtone, and not even any church patrons are involved.
3) the script/dialogue was stilted and also rather one-dimensional
4) the characters were also one-dimensional. The only thing I know about the man is that he misses his wife and is...

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Turn Me On, Dammit!



Finally a film about teenage girls.............
Finally here is a wonderful film about the trials and tribulations of a teenage girl and her desire. It's really no wonder that the critics (94% Certified Fresh Rating at Rotten Tomatoes) have warmly embraced "Turn Me On Dammit" because there really is no american film like it. The originality the critics have embraced is based on the fresh perspective of the director (a woman of course) who gracefully tells the story of a teenage girl who struggles with her sexual fustrations and her relationships. I encourage all women (and everyone else) to check out this fresh take on growing up as a teenage girl. As a teenager it does not matter if you are a woman or a man because this is an experience that is universal.

A quality foreign film.
A teenage girl struggles with an obsessive sexual nature in this Norwegian film. She becomes an outcast in her school, and the mother is concerned about her daughter's odd behavior. This movie portrays real-life problems that kids have to deal with in any nation, so American kids should appreciate it. The movie approaches the borderline of inappropriate content without crossing it. These could be high school girls in any movie made here in American film, as they deal with peer pressure, sex, and trying to fit in with their classmates. This is a good movie for those that like to see quality foreign films.

TURN ME ON Is A Teenage Delight ... Without All the Bawdiness
Boys will be boys, but, so far as this boy is concerned, I'm forever glad that girls will be girls. Why? Well, for starters, because that gives us boys something to talk about. Generally speaking, I find it much easier to strike up a conversation with a girl than I do a guy. And, in point of fact, if there were no girls, there would eventually be no boys, either! So ... delving into the mind of the fairer sex shouldn't be all that frightening or treacherous. It can be downright refreshing, especially if TURN ME ON, DAMMIT! is any indication.

(Note: the following review will contain minor spoilers solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you want a spoiler-free assessment, you can head on down to the final two paragraphs. There. You've been warned.)

Alma (played by Helene Bergsholm) isn't your typical teen in a small Norwegian town. All of a sudden, she's blossoming into womanhood, and, as a consequence, her raging young hormones are causing...

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6-Movies With Soul V.2



A great way to see African American portrayed in a positive light
I enjoyed see the different African American actors in different roles. I will share this DVD with younger people because these are stories with substance.





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Thug Life: All In The Game



As the Director I hope you give it a chance
Thug Life: All In The Game, this was my third uber low budget film in 5 years. Believe it or not we shot this film for $1,700.00 on CANON 7D's and T2i cameras.

We tried to raise $7,500.00 but since I am known for my zombie films (Deadlands 2: Trapped/Deadlands: The Rising) it was hard to convince my fan base and followrs to help us make an URBAN gangster film.

The work you're watching is a colloboration between Baltimore City based actors, crew members and friends. Being a huge fan of HBO's The Wire I wanted to make a wire-esqe style indie film. Having the opportunity to work with not one but 3 former cast Members of The Wire (Chris Clanton - Savino Bratton, Micaiah Jones - Little Man, and Norman Jackson) it was a dream come true.

Every ounce of the film was done uber cheap using real locations, real folks from the city, Baltimore based artists for 90% of the music soundtrack and with everyone working for Food... no pay at all.

Originally...

Great movie
Great urban gangster film. Director Gary Ugarek did a great job, casting great actors, who could make these characters authentic. The black and white version is awesome. I recommend this to anyone who love urban gangster films. Or to anyone that likes great acting. Kudos.

I was blown away "literally"
I heard about this movie and that it was filmed around Baltimore MD and since I live close to there I decided to watch it. I would say it has a little taste of the wire and it was very realistic and I have seen may of the places in the scenes and actually ran into one of the actors Micaiah Jones while in Baltimore one weekend, he was pretty cool. Anyways this movie has a lot of action and some very powerful scenes. I was really impressed by a scene where one of the gang leaders was giving a speach about "this is a business" and that really translated into real for profit business and I was impressed how that scene with "thugs" could actually apply to real businesses and the actors really pulled off that scene. The quality of the movie was very good, the acting was better than most of the Hollywood movies and it felt real like this was really happening. From the story line I liked how the gang was gaining control and how they pushed out the Italian mafia - that was pretty brutal. I...

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4 Film Favorites: Stanley Kubrick (The Shining: Special Edition, 2001: A Space Odyssey: Special Edition, Barry Lyndon, Eyes Wide Shut: Special Edition)



Gateway to Kubrick
This collection gathers up 4 of Stanley Kubrick's films produced for Warner Brothers and at this price, it's hard to beat. Before griping that this is hardly the way these cinema masterpieces should be packaged and sold, it should be noted that this set serves as an excellent introductory point for anyone discovering these for the first time. The package consists of the following: All films, except for Barry Lyndon, consist of the 2007 remastered versions that were previously issued as two-disc special editions. You only get the movies here though, no bonus discs. Barry Lyndon remains the non-anamorphic edition first released in 2000 and does not look as good as the other three. The best version of Barry Lyndon available at this time is the blu-ray itself. Eyes Wide Shut is the unrated version. 2001 and The Shining each contain feature-length commentaries. All 4 discs are stacked on top of the other inside the case as seems to be customary for the WB 4 Film Favorites series. Please...

Magnificent!
As long as you don't expect extras (other than the almost mandatory theatrical trailer), this 4-disc set of Stanley Kubrick masterworks is an unbelievable buy. Just think, for less than the price of a ticket to the evening showing of one of Hollywood's current and mostly forgettable blockbusters, you can own four unforgettable masterpieces of cinema by one of the screen's true artists.

"2001: A Space Odyssey" is still the most fascinating science-fiction film ever made.

"Barry Lyndon" is the ultimate "costume drama," and the best, and quite possibly the most visually beautiful film ever made. It's also a joy to listen to thanks to Leonard Rosenman's Oscar winning score adapting classical pieces by Handel, Mozart, and others. (The copy I received is in wide-screen as promised on the package.)

"The Shining" was a disappointment when I first saw it, but it's a movie that stayed in my mind like a nightmare and now I recognize it as one of the greatest and...

"Barry Lyndon" disappoints
The back of this DVD package says the version of "Barry Lyndon" enclosed is "widescreen," 16X9, 1:1.85:1. That is a lie. The version included is equivalent to the VHS copy available since the mid-1980s, formatted for standard TV screens, not contemporary wide screens. Without the original aspect ratio, the film (which won four Oscars, for cinematography, art direction-set decoration, costume design, and adapted score) is a pale reduction of the 1975 original. Either Warner Bros. doesn't think Kubrick fans can tell the difference, or (more likely) it had old copies to dump and didn't want to pay for a correct aspect-ratio version on DVD. Not recommended if you're buying it for "Barry Lyndon."

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The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp



Clear!
Well, my wife wanted this one as part of her interest in Ms. Cilento's work -- I was prepared to deal with not being able to understand post-war British film-making dialogue, but was surprised that I followed almost every word.

A simple feel-good plot, impossible not to enjoy.

Excellent old movie
First saw the film when I was an impressionable young man of 18 and instantly fell in love with Diane Cilento who was not much older than me then. So bought it during a period of nostalgia and it didn't disappoint being very evocative of an age now gone and lost innocence. Well worth a look



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WWE: Superstar Collection - Rey Mysterio



The Master Of The 6-1-9
Mask Or Title Match vs. Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho - The feud of the year (IMO) continues here as they used the motto "it it ain't broke, don't fix it" as they used the same formula that's worked before & even had some counters to moves in their previous matches (watch out for that Codebreaker in mid-air). Just like what this feud was based on, the mask did come into play at one point but it was another creative finish here that again delivered the match of the night.
The Bash '09
[Best PPV Matches Of 2009-2010]

Intercontinental Championship Match vs. Dolph Ziggler - All I can say after watch this match is that Dolph has really come along way from dressing up as a cheerleader yelling "NICKY!" to having a very impressive performance here against Mysterio...with bonus points for having Maria in his corner. This was a nice match that built up over time with Dolph pulling out some impressive moves which were either high impact (his gutbuster from the top...





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TCM Greatest Classic Legends: James Stewart (The Shop Around the Corner / The Stratton Story / The FBI Story / The Spirit of St. Louis)



TCM Greatest Classic Legends: James Stewart
This is a great set of James Stewart released by TCM and WB. All movies have great video and audio quality. This set of movies star: James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Vera Miles, Murray Hamilton, June Allyson, Frank Morgan, Agnes Moorehead, plus others! Only "The FBI Story" & "The Spirit of St. Louis" are in Widescreen and in color in this set. Overall this is a great buy and I would recommend it.

Great Collection
How can you go wrong with Jimmy Stewart. The Stratton Story still brings tears to my eyes; and I didn't know that "You've Got Mail" was based on "The Shop Around The Corner"....just proves everything old is new again.

st louis
spirit of st louis , i think well done , one of the best and exciting ,would recommend to every one

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Harry Potter Double Feature: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban/Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire [Blu-ray]



Why Buy Them Separately?
I did not intend to upgrade my Harry Potter collection from DVD to Blu-ray until this "Double Header" collection came along. This is such a great bargain; why do they even still offer the films separately? These editions contain all the special features found on the two DVD editions.

I'm sure you're familiar with the films themselves, but if not: Prisoner of Azkaban is my personal favorite. Werewolves, time-travel, shape-shifters, wrongfully imprisoned convict escapes ... what else could you ask for? This duo of films marks the transition within the Harry Potter series from children's stories to something more sinister.

Bought to update dvd to BD
Was nice to get two movies for a better price. Have the special feature disk on dvd. Hate that I have a minimum of words on this post just to help someone that I have no idea who that could be thinking about buying this double feature that is well worth it and dont know why I just cant tell you that in the first sentence. Hope you all enjoyed my attempt to fill this review with words that did not need to be here but you all will enjoy the movie and the price, but lets not forget that I have to tell you this with more words that you need to hear. Hope you all have a wonder time watching these movies. Good day, or maybe good night.

Awesome 2for
Great all around. 2 great movies for one super low price, oh and they are Blu-Ray. Give it a try.

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Slender Thread



Bancroft & Poitier at their best - a Classic!
Was fortunate enough to come across The Slender Thread on a cable movie channel several years ago. This film is Anne Brancroft & Sidney Poitier are at their best - extrodinary performances! Poitier plays a Seattle college student volunteering at a crisis center. One night when he's at the clinic alone, a woman (Bancroft) calls needing to talk saying she's taken pills. While Poitier tries to get help for her, he keeps her ton the line while he learns about her life, family, and why she wants to die. With a brillant script by legendary writer Stirling Silliphant, direction by Sydney Pollack, and original music by Quincy Jones; The Slender Thread engrosses the viewer from the start. We're drawn into the building suspense, caring about the people, concerned for the outcome. This dramatic character study is enhanced all the more by being in black & white. Plus, it features a fine supporting cast including Telly Savalas, Ed Asner, and Dabney Coleman. The Slender Thread is a great example of...

EXCELLENT MOVIE
A SLENDER THREAD is a super movie to watch alone. Not a lot of action - just intense drama. Have watched it many times.911 operators would like this movie. It shows a crisis line in action.

Late b/w film that hits the bullseye....
Black and white was rare for a big budget film in 1965....sometimes done for effect (Psycho, The Hustler) or just a lack of funds (I believe color film at that time added about 25% to the budget).... This is a pretty good film either way.... Definitely talky, but it never seemed to get boring....pure drama....flashbacks fill in the blanks.... Poitier is fantastic as usual....very interesting all around....just watching them try to trace a phone call draws you in to the story....good stuff....different to be sure....

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Road To Avonlea: Season 6 - Digitally Re-Mastered



Not Quite the best, but still better than most shows
Season 6 of "Avonlea" as we always knew it by in the US is not quite as excellent as its pervious seasons, but is still worth the purchase none the less. The season begins with one of the best episodes of the series, "The Return of Gus Pike." This episode finally resovles the story arc between Gus Pike, Captain Crane, Abe Pike, and Gus's Mother. In this episode we finally find out why exactly Gus ended up a orphan without a family, and what really happened to his mother Eliza. Janet-Laine Green does a amazing job of portraying Gus's mother and even somewhat resembles him.

The other episodes in this season are kind all over the place. Focusing on many of the different characters. Sara appears in only one episode, and it is basically the big goodbye for Sarah Polley who had, had her fill of the series. In this episode Sara must decide rather she is going to follow her own dreams or those of her Aunt Hetty or Nanny Louisa. The episode also brings back Arthur Pettibone who...

Pleasant.
Season-six weakens in episode consistency compared to earlier seasons. Out of 13-espisodes, 8 are pleasant, 2 break believability without the real Cecily, 2 are good, and 1 is excellent. The pleasant stories of Avonlea do continue. The episode, "A Fox Tale", where Felix and Izzy start a business, is excellent with bantering between Felicity and "that annoying boy" Nat Lester.

Sarah appears in one episode.

A different actress plays Cecily, appearing and starring in two episodes. The original actress, in spite of the small part, created a likeable and memorable Cecily with a distinct personality; that she could not be replaced without notice. The two emotional Cecily episodes depend on the audience remembering and liking the original Cecily, but then switch someone else as Cecily. Who's idea was that? If they were unable to sign the original actress for another season after flowers and gifts, they would have done better to leave Cecily out entirely.

This...

May not be the best season of RTA but contains some great episodes
In the Sixth Season of RTA, we do not get to see much of familiar characters Sarah Stanley and Gus Pike, but the series manages to move along with the other supporting cast. Gus Pike's past is finally revealed in this season, and Sarah Stanley is all grown-up and making her own decisions regarding her future which also takes her away from Avonlea. Felicity King tries medical school, makes a success of her first year, but a personal tragedy drives her away from medicine.

There is a lot of focus on Davey Keith this season, a plot line I did not personally care for. Despite sympathizing with his plight as an orphan, I would rather have seen more focus on some of the other beloved characters such as Janet, Alec, and Hetty. I wonder if the focus on the younger characters was an attempt at trying to get a couple of more seasons in the series by following these characters as they grew up. Sadly, the appeal of the first batch of youngsters in the earlier seasons of RTA (focusing on...

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8-Movie Family Collection



Value Pack of 8 Family-friendly movies
I'm glad I saw this product here on Amazon as it's a value pack of 8 family-friendly movies. Some are more appropriate for older children, possibly ages 10 and up, while others are OK for younger children ages 6 and up. Due to some scary images in many of these movies, I'm not sure they are appropriate for the under six age group.
Here's a listing of the movies:

The Neverending Story III: Escape from Fantasia
A young boy named Bastian wishes himself into Fantasia which is a storybook world full of magical creatures. This movie is not, in my opinion, as good as Neverending Story I, but it is OK for children.
This movie is rated G and runs 96 minutes. There are many fantasy sequences in this with some images that may be too scary for younger children.

Mysterious Museum
Two siblings, a boy and girl, find themselves going on an adventure when they get sucked into a museum painting that takes them to the 17th century.
This movie is rated PG...

great family movies
These are wonderful family movies at a very good price. I recommend them to everyone. My granddaughter loved them, and she usually is not interested in movies but prefers cartoons.

Kid friendly shows
I just bought these for my niece because the cartoons today are so violent, which these aren't. I would recommend these for those who don't let their kids watch cartoons.

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Exorcism (with Demoniac): Remastered Edition [Blu-ray]



"You can't knock a good chimney scene."
EXORCISM is a good but not great film. Like so many of Franco's films EXORCISM is at once brilliant and amatuerish. Franco stars as a kinky priest who serves GOD by ridding the world of sinners with his "Sword of the Lord." Crimes of Passion anyone? His best moments are shared with his lover/partner Lina Romay. It's always interesting to watch the couple interact together especially during sadistic scenes. Towards the end of the commentary track Producer Kevin Collins asks Franco how many times he has been killed on film? A more interesting question is how many times has Jess Franco killed Lina Romay on film?
Despite it's strong scenes of violence EXORCISM is not a gory film. The bloodiest scenes involve the beheading of a pigeon and the removal of a woman's entrails. Franco claims (on the commentary track) that the pigeon is a special effect. I seriously doubt that what Franco says is true. The film budget was much too small to afford such a fine effect and the...

Quirky and weird!
If you have never seen a Jess Franco film, you are really missing something. (If you a "film-lover" who detests Franco, well to heck with you.)

"Exorcism" is quirky and weird, even by Franco's standards.

Franco's dual role as director and star give some extra punch to this work: Franco manages successfully (despite severely limited acting skills) to convey the pathetic and twisted character of a defrocked and homicidal priest who wreaks revenge on the participants of a "make-believe" Black Mass.

Lina Romay shines forth in all her sleazy glory.

The screenplay is sketchy , but this only adds to the enjoyment of the film.

Although there are rough patches here and there (including some faded color), the print as a whole stands up well and is more than merely presentable.

Along with extras, the DVD is quite an achievement. My thanks to the people at SYNAPSE for another great addition to their excellent series of strange movies.

'The Exorcist' - This Aint ! (and that's a good thing)
Whereas most films based on the concept of 'exorcsim' deal with some sort of demonic possession and attempts by 'the clergy' to rid the inflicted individual of 'the devilish' influence - Spanish exploitation master Jess Franco managed to turn the concept on its' head in his (1974) version titled: "Exorcism". Apparently, 'this one' was potentially 'so much fun' that Franco wanted to 'play' as well as 'direct' - so he personally took on the lead role of the 'de-frocked' murderous priest who is the main protagonist of the piece. For those who 'appreciate' Franco's, somewhat clunky, style of serving up sexploitational 'thrills' this flik REALLY delivers! The film has barely started to roll when the screen is filled with a massive close up of a totally nekkid Lina Romay chained to a x-frame cross as another naked girl whips her then 'sacrifices' her in a satanic ritual in front of a room full of eagerly watching people. 'Fortunately' (because it would be a shame to dismiss the lovely...

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