The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 10 (Godzilla vs. Megalon / Swamp Diamonds / Teen-Age Strangler / The Giant Spider Invasion) (1988) Review

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(More customer reviews)The latest MST3K 4-disc set contains a good variety of episodes from seasons 2, 5 and 8. Two episodes feature Joel Hodgson as host and two have Mike Nelson as host. Three episodes are from the Comedy Central years while one is from the first season on the Sci-Fi Channel. Here is a synopsis of each episode:
212- GODZILLA VS. MEGALON
This extremely silly Toho picture from 1973 is a blast whether you love or loathe Godzilla movies. Its original Japanese title is Gojira tai Megaro. It is simply goofy beyond belief! The people of Seatopia, who live under the ocean, decide that it's time they controlled the surface world as well, launching an all out assault on surface dwelling humans. Their main instrument of destruction is Megalon, a large monster with big spike-like arms and a star-shaped projection on his head. Godzilla comes to the rescue, assisted by a man-made robot named Jet Jaguar that can change its size to become gigantic. Together, Godzilla and Jet Jaguar teach Megalon and the Seatopians a lesson they'll not soon forget.
This is a GREAT episode and includes some of the BEST host segments ever, including the "Rex Dart, Eskimo Spy" sketch, the `Bots get new arms sketch, the `Bots argue over whose monster is the "coolest" sketch, and the HILARIOUS translation of the Jet Jaguar fight song during the final host segment. The scene of Godzilla dropkicking as if flying through the air during the opening titles in later seasons of the show comes from this episode. This is a must-see episode!
503- SWAMP DIAMONDS (plus short: WHAT TO DO ON A DATE)
This is a 1955 Roger Corman "classic" starring Beverly Garland and Mike "Touch" Connors before his fame with Mannix. Beverly Garland leads a gang of escaped female convicts to a cache of diamonds and they kidnap the innocent Mr. Connors and his girlfriend along the way. A policewoman goes undercover inside the gang hoping to recover the stolen diamonds. Beverly Garland turns in the usual good performance and looks great doing it in spite of the mediocre film quality.
Host segments in this episode focus on the dating short as Servo tries to get up the nerve to ask Gypsy for a date. There's also a hilarious bit based on the "This Side of Paradise" episode of the original Star Trek series.
514- TEEN-AGE STRANGLER (plus short: IS THIS LOVE?)
This is the second episode of MST3K to be hosted by Mike Nelson after the departure of show creator Joel Hodgson. The main feature is a small independent film made in 1968 West Virginia about a serial killer in a small town and it looks every bit the amateur film. Highlights in this episode include Mike Nelson transforming into Mikey from the movie and the hilarious "The Janitor Song." The short is also a winner with some of the oldest looking "young people" you're likely to see on film; this is really funny stuff!
810- THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION
This movie is a 1975 monster flick from Bill Rebane, the same man who brought you Monster A-Go Go! This film is ever so slightly more competently made than Monster A-Go Go and actually features a couple of well-known actors: Barbara Hale of Perry Mason fame and Alan Hale, Jr. who was The Skipper on Gilligan's Island and also the sheriff in the film The Crawling Hand which was featured in MST3K episode # 106. The movie is really goofy fun, with large spiders everywhere, sleazy and gross yokel-type characters less appealing than the spiders, and a small car dressed up as the biggest and cheesiest looking spider of them all. The scene where Barbara Hale's character does an odd tumble down a hill is worth seeing all by itself and there's plenty of other good material here as well for the MST3K writers. This is certainly one of the more fun episodes done after the show moved to the Sci-Fi Channel. The amusing host segments are based loosely on the classic SF film Invasion of the Body Snatchers rather than on the film featured in the episode.
This DVD set also contains the following extra features:
-MST3K Video Jukebox with 15 songs from the series
-Photo Gallery
-Outtakes consisting of about 15 minutes of the best moments from "Poopie 2"
This is a great set any MST3K fan, film buff or comedy aficionado would enjoy, with a wide variety of film genres and seasons of the show represented here. Join Us! Movie Sign!

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Four never-before-released episodes of the incomparably funny TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Episodes include: Godzilla vs. Megalon, Swamp Diamonds, Teen-Age Strangler, and The Giant Spider Invasion.

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Ticking Clock (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. has had one of the strangest acting careers in a long time. Ever since he won at the Academy for his performance as Rod Tidwell in 'Jerry Maguire,' he has been caught in a sort of downward spiral. This has sent the once-promising actor deep into the realm of straight-to-video nonsense, like his previous films 'The Devil's Tomb' and 'The Way of War.' Why he's been doing this is a mystery. No talent agent is bad enough to actually think these scripts are worth while or think they're anything more than a guaranteed failure. Maybe it's bad luck, maybe it's laziness, maybe Cuba just doesn't want the spotlight he deserves.
Whatever the reason for his failing success, it has led him straight to 'Ticking Clock.' In it, he plays Lewis Hicks, a journalist who gets put on the trail of a sadistic serial killer after his own girlfriend is viciously murdered. With the killer's journal in hand, Lewis must race against time to rescue the murderer's next victims. As the path begins to weave its way around and to a young orphan boy, Lewis begins to discover a deeper mystery surrounding the murders.
In the crime-thriller subgenre, there are really only a few good ways to go about writing a story. One maintains consant mystery, concealing the identity of the killer until a final reveal that should be a shock to the audience. The other is to reveal the killer from the start and use his intentions and motivation as the mystery. With 'Ticking Clock,' however, both approaches are mostly thrown out, revealing the killer's identity, his motive, and everything else pretty much immediately. This is a problem because the mystery is what is usually keeps a viewer watching in a film like this. If you don't have it, the audience just won't care. Here, the writers knew what they wanted to accomplish with an interesting (though ridiculous) twist, but didn't give enough reason to stick with it in the first two acts. By the third act, the audience is fairly apathetic with the story & characters and will most likely not even care about the twist, which the entire film revolves around.
This major flaw is not the only problem with the film. No, a more detrimental issue to its success comes from the extremely amateurish direction by Ernie Barbarash, a man very familiar with mediocre straight-to-video thrillers with his work on 'Cube Zero' and 'Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming.' If you look at a film like 'Se7en' (which, by the way, 'Ticking Clock' actually compares itself to on its DVD sleeve along with 'Silence of the Lambs'), you will see a perfect a example of how to craft a stunning & dark crime thriller. With 'Se7en,' David Fincher used the gritty city setting as almost another character, having the actors play off the direction in a way that added a deep realism to the film. Barbarash, with 'Ticking Clock,' blows his opportunity to do this by squandering the Baton Rouge & Las Vegas settings he had at his disposal, instead limiting the entire film to a few boring settings like living rooms & back alleys. Add this to the rather annoying cinematography by Phil Parmet and 'Ticking Clock' is just all around unpleasant to watch.
Unfortunately, there isn't much else to cling onto to try to save the film from being a total disappointment. The script is boring & contrived, providing nothing much that hasn't been done better many times before. The lack of mystery & thrills for the first two acts gives no real drive to continue watching for anyone but completionists who don't like to leave a film unfinished. Even the ridiculous, supernatural twist isn't original, and ends up hurting the film anyway due to the number of plot holes it creates. For being so crucial to the film's success, one would think the filmmakers would be willing to do what they can to seal plot holes (like a simple case of incorrect eye colour, for example). Even the once-talented Cuba Gooding, Jr. has nothing much to offer thanks to how poorly his character was written. Let's face it, an actor can only do so much with what they're given. Take De Niro & Pacino as examples in supremely disappointing 'Righteous Kill' from a couple years back. Add in some shoddy gore FX, CGI that looks like it should be in a mid-90s sci-fi flick, and a mundane cast of supporting actors, and you have nothing more than a sad excuse for a crime thriller here.
Overall, 'Ticking Clock' is just one of those films that will be stuck on the Blockbuster® shelvse for a few months trying to bait renters into biting onto the former star power of Cuba Gooding, Jr. Sadly, it will do nothing but disappoint with its unoriginal & unthrilling story and amteurish filmmaking.
Final Verdict: 3.5/10. Hopefully Cuba will get another chance in the spotlight some day.
-AP3-

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Louis hicks is an investigative crime reporter who must stop a brutal serial killer before time runs out.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 01/04/2011Starring: Cuba Gooding JrRun time: 101 minutesRating: R

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The Karate Kid Part III (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)KKIII is a modern-day Greek tragedy. The universal themes of love, betrayal and quicksilver are thoroughly explored in this stunning classic. I have not seen writing like this since Aristophanes.
In Terry Silver, billionaire toxic waste peddler, we have the perfect foil. This morality play begins to unfold when Danny-boy is forced to sign the entry form to defend his All-Valley championship. "I think a champion should defend his title," observes Silver in one of the most gripping and compelling scenes imaginable.
Mike Barnes and Snake (and, to a lesser extent, Dennis) provide the fuel for Danny-boy's moral fire. The scene in the bonsai shop that ends in the mustang convertable being nearly smashed by a speeding locomotive is reminiscent of early Kafka.
Constantly challenging and never boring, KKIII forces each of us to look in the mirror. For indeed, who can really know when our real, actual John Kreise will jump from behind the cardboard imitation?
In closing, keep in mind Myagi's admonition: "Karate fought for plastic metal trophy no mean nothing." Indeed. I couldn't sum it up any better than that.
A definite 5-star classic.

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KARATE KID 3 - DVD Movie

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Friday the 13th (Extended Killer Cut) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Oddly enough i found myself enjoying this movie quite a bit, sure there were a few parts towards the end where i wanted to fast forward, but nothing to make me wanna shut it off. This movie is far far superior to the absolutely horrid My Bloody Valentine, which is about the worst attempt at a horror flick i've ever seen. Anyways moving on here is a short review using pros and cons about the movie.
PROS
*The actors can actually act, some better than others.
*The comical parts are actually funny, (one is unintentional as a body flies from the window above and smashes a windshield mr TOUGH blonde guy screams like a girl)! I rewond it a few times!
*Its scary in a very realistic tense way.
*Jason looks bigger and badder than ever, the way he finds his mask in this film is very cool.
*All the characters have there own unique personality, and the girls arent just stupid bimbos who run.
*It actually HAS a plot, the guy who is looking for his sister gone missing.
*Bloody but not even nearly as bad as a movie like CRANK-HIGH VOLTAGE.
*The over all atmosphere and production(direction) is well executed.
*Great looking girls(much better than the 80's and 90's) with a few great sex scenes:)
CONS
*Every actor except maybe 3 look like they just stepped out of GQ or Vogue magazine(put at least one fatty in there).
*Some obvious cliche' parts of why didnt they just swim to the other side, or why didnt they just run(faster), or hide.
*Some of the killing scenes are a bit drawn out(die already).
*Jason has become an expert archer.(laughs)
*The people you do think will survive do survive,(well sorta)
*Some of the script seems a little off in places, or confused.
*A few parts don't make sense, plot wise.
*The usual, he kills everyone very very easily except one person who always seems to be the toughest.
*Also Friday the 13th, is NEVER mentioned in this movie.
Other than the for mentioned which can easily be overlooked, unlike a lot of horror films, it really is a worth while watch. I watched it the first time alone, but plan on watching it with a group, or just one girl, at some point. So though i'm not a big splatter horror fan(more of a psychological horror buff) this was not bad at all. Just a few usual cliche's and a few plot mistakes here and there. Also the people are just a little TO beautiful, but hey isnt that what a good horror film is all about. Good looking people must be easier to kill!!! HA.
PS-Jasons last name is not mentioned either, same dude? Who knows. Plus sometimes in this he's an emotional little big ole psychopath. Poor Jas.

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FRIDAY THE 13TH:KILLER CUT - DVD Movie

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Powder Blue (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Everyone has their problems. This we are constantly reminded of in Timothy Linh Bui's latest film, Powder Blue. Linh Bui, who both wrote and directed this film, is a newcomer to mainstream film, having previously directed one feature-length film, 2001's Green Dragon.
Powder Blue is the story of a pivotal week in the life of four individuals struggling to keep their lives together. Charlie (Forest Whitaker) is an ex-priest battling suicidal tendencies due to the anguish of losing his wife. Jack (Ray Liotta) is a recently released hit man who recently found out about the cancer in his body. Qwerty (Eddie Redmayne) is an awkward, twenty-something mortician whose asthma acts up when he tries to talk to women. And Rose Johnny (Jessica Biel) is a stripper trying to pay the medical bills of her comatose son. Each is hurting immensely. Each is looking for some glimmer of hope.
This is a strange film in terms of the press that it has been getting. The overwhelming majority of articles and news surrounding this project have narrowly focused on the fact that Jessica Biel has a small handful of topless scenes. In fact, one online site boldly proclaims, "this film is always going to be known for one thing -- Jessica Biel was topless in it." Many other sites which have written pieces on this movie have uniformly dubbed Powder Blue "the Jessica Biel Stripper Movie." Commentary on the hyper-sexualized yet stuck in a 15-year-old boy's body nature of American culture aside, this film is much more than a stripper movie and will hopefully be remembered as a good piece of art, rather than the fact that one of the actors shows some skin.
The core of this film is the nature of love. What is love? How do we find it? What happens when we lose it? Everyone has their problems, but no one should have to face them alone. The characters understand this and each has a deep sense of the need for relationships, they just don't quite know how to pursue real and lasting love. Instead, their pursuit is initially selfish, built on what they themselves can get out of feeling loved and fulfilled in hopes that their problems will all go away. So Qwerty attends functions in hopes of getting a date. Jack attempts to restore and build a relationship with his daughter out of the guilt of never being there for her. Rose Johnny throws herself at men looking for someone to not only financially provide for her and her son, but also to treat her and love her as a woman rather than a piece of meat on a stage. And Charlie, the most desperate of the lot, cries out for help to anyone he can find, propositioning them to end his life for him in exchange for $50,000.
Each must discover, however, that honest love can only be so if both parties give of themselves to each other. Each of these characters must be willing to be vulnerable, to let others see the hurt and struggles that they are going through, and then be willing to let others help them and love them in ways that they never imagined anyone could. But again, this is a two-way street, and they must also be willing to do the same for others, allowing them to be vulnerable as well and to work with them through the pains and trials of life. It's only after each of the characters realize this that they are able to see glimmers of hope and redemption in their otherwise shattered lives.
Powder Blue is a fascinating film. Linh Bui has captured something very real and true about life, a feat which most of Hollywood either avoids or fails miserably at. He shows that life isn't a fairytale, hope doesn't come easily, and, again, everyone has problems. However, he also shows that there is true love out there, that there is hope and redemption even if such comes through the pain and hardships that each of us face in life, if we will only allow others in and allow others to help us through whatever it is we are going through, and be willing to do the same when the chance presents itself.
It is this writer's hope that this is what Powder Blue will be remembered for.

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On the gritty streets of LA, the destinies of four people desperate for connection and redemption are about to collide. Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker and Eddie Redmayne lead a top-notch cast in this powerful thriller about an overwhelmed erotic dancer, a grieving husband who has lost his will to live, a terminally ill ex-con and a pathologically shy mortician. With Kris Kristofferson, Lisa Kudrow and Patrick Swayze in unforgettable supporting roles, this film movingly chronicles the imperfect lives of people teetering on the edge of despair and the miracles that bring them back.Stills from Powder Blue (Click for larger image)

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The Messengers (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Most people have probably heard of the idea that babies and young children can see and hear things that older people can't, or have lost the ability to. That a baby in a crib gurgling and laughing at the ceiling, for example, is actually talking to a spirit there. It's a fascinating premise, whose application to a horror movie is a stroke of genius.
In "The Messengers" a family moves into an old farmhouse where something very bad once happened. Only Ben, the little toddler of the family, can see the supernatural prescences in the house, and he appears more delighted with them than afraid. When his teenage sister Jess also starts encountering unusual occurences - this time of an apparantly non-benevolent nature - she also begins noticing Ben's unusual behavior as well and realizes that he too is experiencing something out of the ordinary; the hard part after that is getting anybody else to take her seriously. The movie utilizes much more atmosphere than action, and the cast has to carry off a lot the show by reacting to very subtle (Most of the time), slow-paced, occurences, in a way that makes it feel real and frightening. The actors and actresses were well picked for their parts, and Kristen Stewart as Jess and twins Evan and Theodore Turner as Ben, playing the characters who experience most of the strangeness in the movie's early, slower-going, parts, are especially impressive. All the production values necessary to make this kind of atmosphere work - the light and shadows, the subtle use of sounds, the camerawork, etc. - are all handled very well too.
In the last one third or so of the movie, as things start to speed up and secrets come to light, I guess you could say that there were too broad directions it could have gone in, that it had to choose from. Myself, I would have chosen the route the movie didn't take, but it handles the path it chooses so well that it avoids slumping into a letdown. (I am still curious, though, what it would have been like if they had gone that other way) It's worth noting that when it ended I was rather taken aback that it was over so quick. Its running time is something like 85 minutes, but it felt like it came it at under an hour - and that's even in light of the slowly building pace it maintained. It must have been doing something pretty right to make time fly like that (on the other hand, I've seen other movies of about the same length that seem to drag on for hours). "Messengers" could have actually been quite a bit longer without hurting itself one bit; and as good as the ending turned out to be it may have been even better if it had gone on that different turn, but there's no point in complaining with something this good. Highly, highly recommended for fans of "Dark Water", "The Eye", "Haunted", "The Sixth Sense", "Pan's Labyrinth" and other atmospheric horror movies. "Red Rover" is another, far less known, movie that also fits great in this vein that you might want to check out.

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Desperate for a fresh start after a tough two years in Chicago, the Solomon family retreats to a desolate sunflower farm in North Dakota. But the calm of farm life is shattered when 16-year-old Jess (Kristen Stewart) and her 3-year-old brother Ben begin to see nightmarish apparitions throughout their new home – visions that nobody else can see. As the visions grow darker, they become fear-inspiring experiences and Jess’ parents (Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller) start to question their daughter’s sanity. Now, Jess must find a way to save her family and win

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Live Free or Die Hard (Unrated Edition) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like many other people nervously anticipating Len Wiseman's debut as DH4 director, I could only hope that he could live up to, at the least, Die Hard 2. But he has done a fantastic job with McClane, that lives up to the previous trilogy. In fact, I'd rank LFoDH just behind the first Die Hard movie. No one can top Alan Rickman! The small touches, e.g. Gennero/McClane, Agent Johnson, helicopter flying, are subtle, but add greatly to the movie.
There were a few things missing from the theatrical release, of course. Most noticeably, the lack of swearing, McClane's trademark yippee-kai-yay being truncated. The violence was all there, but it just wasn't intense enough. Fear not fans! The unrated version fixes all of that! It's fantastic, McClane is back in all of his mf-in' glory!
**Spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk.**
--------------------------------------------
I was hoping for some more dialogue from Timothy Olyphant in the unrated version, but unfortunately, he is still a bit one-dimensional. Run-times of the unrated vs. the theatrical are about the same, surprising considering that the unrated does add extra scenes.
What the unrated version includes:
Many more f-words and MF-ers.
- Extra dialogue between McClane and his captain, Clevino.
- Longer opening intro scene to Matt Long typing to the warlock,
listening to rock music.
- Extra banter when McClane and Matt first meet.
- More intro shots at the FBI command center.
- Shot of the National Transportation Center losing control of their
traffic grid.
- More shots of false anthrax alarm evacuation.
- Thomas Gabriel's hodgepodge of video of Nixon/Bush/Clinton speaking is
longer.
- Blood spurts!!! More gore, though not significantly more.
- More McClane-isms. When John is driving the police car in the tunnel
towards the helicopter, Rand shoots the engine, which lights on fire.
McClane quips, "Well the car's on fire, that can't be good."
- When Matt runs to his side after McClane destroys the helicopter,
McClane adds, "100,000 people are killed every year by cars. What's
another 4?"
- Quick shot of dead guards in power plant.
- When Mai dies in the elevator explosion, McClane screams a profanity
laced tirade at her.
- McClane flying (and landing!) helicopter scene much longer.
- The guy getting crushed in the giant blades scene doesn't have much
more blood.
- Yippee-kay-yay mf-er is said in full!

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John McClane takes on an Internet-based terrorist organization who is systematically shutting down the United States.

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Star Wars Ewok Adventures - Caravan of Courage / The Battle for Endor (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)Reading through all these people bashing these movies has me shaking my head. Really what can you expect out of television movies about Ewoks? To criticize these movies as being too childish is like criticizing the smurfs for being blue.
These movies were made for kids and not the people like me who saw the original STAR WARS movies in the theater as a kid but are now in their 30s. Really though to be able to get two movies on DVD for about half the price of a tank of gas to me sounds like an okay deal. People really should lighten up and take into account the audience these TV movies were made for.
One bright spot in these movies are some quite ambitious special effects (for TV at least).

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Reading through all these people bashing these movies has me shaking my head. Really what can you expect out of television movies about Ewoks? To criticize these movies as being too childish is like criticizing the smurfs for being blue. \r\nThese movies were made for kids and not the people like me who saw the original STAR WARS movies in the theater as a kid but are now in their 30s.Really though to be able to get two movies on DVD for about half the price of a tank of gas to me sounds like an okay deal. People really should lighten up and take into account the audience these TV movies were made for.\r\nOne bright spot in these movies are some quite ambitious special effects (for TV at least).

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The Maiden Heist Review

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(More customer reviews)The prior reviews of The Maiden Heist have given a good idea of the story of this film. To those I have some non-spoiler comments.

The Maiden Heist, to judge from the clapboards, was originally titled The Maiden Lady from the painting that Christopher Walken is obsessed with. This film answers the question if museum guards actually like the art they protect. The three guards of the story - Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman and William H. Macey - are all obsessed with different pieces of art. They feel very protective about their art so when they learn that the entire exhibit will be moved to a museum in Denmark and replaced by some avant-guard art, they decide to save their favorites.
Morgan Freeman plays a soft-spoken affable man who enjoys drawing and painting; William H. Macey's character claims he was a Marine but changes his combat stories and Christopher Walken is a quiet homebody who daydreams about protecting his Maiden Lady from ant harm. Marcia Gay Harden has a marvelous supporting role as Christopher Walken's wife who-must-be-obeyed.
The fun of the film is that the three guards fumble their way through the heist. There are many funny scenes in the film but also some that stretch the imagination. The conclusion of the film is one of real charm and understanding. The DVD comes with bonus features that include a making of the film, deleted scenes and bloopers. The many scenes that were deleted struck me as wise decisions. The performances are what make this film and are excellent even when the material is lacking.

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Their plan wasn't exactly a work of art. It was a stroke of genius. But now the perfect crime is turning into a perfect disaster in this madcap comedy featuring Academy Award winners Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken, Marcia Gay Harden and Academy Award nominee William H. Macy. Charles, Roger and George are the very picture of honest security guards. But when they learn their favorite artworks are being sent to another museum, they concoct a plan to switch the real masterpieces with fakes. All goes well until a mistake forces these first-time thieves into a last-minute escapade in the comedy caper that proves you're never too old to have some new fun.

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Less Than Zero (1987) Review

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(More customer reviews)Though most reviewers commented on their disppointment that this movie missed the mark 1000% when it came to adapting the novel by Ellis to the big screen, I believe if you view this film as a message movie for the ages where drugs and excess are concerned, then you will be quite impressed. If not for Robert Downey Jr. and James Spaders' performances, however, the other actors could not have carried the message with such brutal force. Julian is a wreck of an addict, distraught over family issues, wild eyed with crazy drug induced moods, not really making it in school, and his circle of friends, male and female, are his only salvation. At the same time, they are his downfall, for Julian slides effortlessly into the glamorous world of sex, clubs and drugs with his friends right by his side. This picture came out in the eighties, when JUST SAY NO was on everyone's lips, and the dangers of "recreational" drug use were not exposed as vividly. Watching Julian's descent into hell feels like a punch in your chest, and the ending, though some may have seen it coming, shook me up considerably, having known a person with a similar fate back in my '80's high school days.Of course this film is not classic filmmaking or even original storytelling, but I think showing it to impressionable teens at an early age might not be a bad idea. And how accurately did art mirror life when, in the 1990's, Downey Jr. nearly killed himself getting high on everything under the sun.This film was not a far stretch for him.

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Returning home from college for Christmas vacation, Clay (Andrew McCarthy) is eager to resume his long-time romantic relationship with Blair (Jami Gertz) and his old friendship with the irresponsible Julian (Robert Downey, Jr.). But he finds the two have started a relationship of their own and developed a fondness for clubs, wild parties and endless amounts of cocaine. Clay's determination and love for Blair enables him to win her back, but Julian is a different story. Increasingly hopeless, addicted and deeply in debt to his dealer (James Spader), he puts Clay and Blair through the ultimate test of friendship, loyalty and love.

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Crossroads (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie has everything you could ever wish for to become an Academy Award Winner. With each passing minute, the plot thickens and leaves you wondering what will happen next. "What happens after Britney sees her long-lost mom? Who's the real father of the baby? Why did Britney give up her virginity to that guy and not to the other one?, etc." Such issues would have a profound impact on how the viewers would look at their own lives and would make them reflect on what they have been doing for the past 1.5 hours of watching this film. Indeed, the issues presented in this movie such as getting deflowered, getting pregnant without the guy knowing, running away from home to discover oneself and then found by dad and then to run away again to be with the boy who popped her cherry, etc. are very unique and settled in a very appropriate and convincing way as the viewers are treated to a finale of a croaking, whining, earwax splitting vocal spectacle which drills into the minds of the viewers that we should always remember to treat Britney as someone special; not a girl, but not yet a woman. Britney drives home the message that she's a little girl trapped in a woman's body; which of course makes pathetic, lifeless, looser men like me want her more. It's like reaching out to something so near yet so far away but then I just can't keep my eyes off her navel. I'm sure that Britney would surpass her mentor Mariah Carey in terms of acting talent and would get the recognition she deserves. With her starry-eyes transfixed on everything and everyone at the same time, she makes acting look so easy and dumb. Of course, it's not surprising because it seems so natural for her to look like that. All said, this film thrives on Britney's charm and persona, and nothing else, which is enough to make me patronize every move she makes and consequently, pour more money into her deep pockets so that she could pay her house, while I watch her from my trailer.

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THREE CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS, AND A GUY THEY JUST MET, TAKE A TRIP ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FINDING THEMSELVES AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP IN THE PROCESS.

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The Dream Team (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Dream Team is just another one of those killer comedies that no one went to see when it was originally released, but has now found a nice following on home video. I actually saw the film in theaters and thought it was hands down the funniest movie of the year!
First you have a great comedy ensemble who also can play drama just as effectively. Michael Keaton is Billy Caufield ("I'm an escaped mental patient with a history of violence"), Christopher Lloyd is Henry Sikorsky, an overly organized person ("Why don't we bring this up in group? Or maybe we should just hug?"), Peter Boyle is Jack McDermott who has a Messiah complex ("Arise and walk, my son"), & Stephen Furst is Albert Ianuzzi, who only speaks in TV ads and baseball jargon ("Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee").
If you don't already know by now, these guys are four mental patients, whose doctor, played by Dennis Boutsikaris ("One more afternoon in the rec room and I'm gonna have to go on Thorazine myself"), decides to take them to a baseball game in New York. Only things don't go as planned, as the good doctor ends up getting knocked unconscious and whisked away to a hospital, leaving his patients all alone on the streets of New York City. And the comedy ensues! As the gang tries to figure out a way to find their doctor, they end up finding "themselves" in the process. Add Lorraine Bracco (of "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos" fame) as Keaton's girlfriend ("So am I walking home with an escaped mental patient or what?") and you know you're set to have a good time.
What makes the film memorable is that it has the perfect blend of laugh outloud humor ("We're a special combat unit with the United States Marine Corps and we've been tracking some Libyan terrorists. In fact I think we've got 'em trailed to a bagel shop around the corner.") combined with some tender dramatic moments, that work together seamlessly.
The DVD is your typical standard DVD. No extras, other than the original theatrical trailer. Happily the film is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which looks pretty good. A little dark in some spots, but not too much to complain about.

So if you're looking for a comedy that's full of great laughs as well as a good story with some dramatic moments thrown in for good measure, pick up The Dream Team today. It's the sanest choice to make!
The Dream Team - a very funny movie.
Henry - "We're directly under the Hudson River now".
Billy - "Yeah. You guys see those tiles up there, all those individual tiles? Doc, isn't true that if even one of those tiles were to come loose, like millions and millions of gallons of water would come pouring down on us and crush us like tiny little bugs? (pauses) Is that a leak up there? You see those tiles? They're leakin' water! Oh, my God!"
Jack - "I will hold back the waters".
Billy - "Thanks, Jack".

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This morning they were playing ping-pong in the hospital rec room. Now theyre lost in new york and framed for murder. This was never covered in group therapy.Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 01/06/2004Starring: Michael Keaton Christopher LloydRun time: 113 minutesRating: Pg13Director: Howard Zieff

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Old Dogs - 3 Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Includes DVD + Digital Copy) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the insufferable and unwatchable "Old Dogs," John Travolta and Robin Williams play longtime Manhattan business partners who've been best friends since high school. One's a superannuated swinging bachelor (I'll let you guess which); the other's a divorced commitment-phobe who suddenly discovers that he's the father of two fraternal twins from a woman (Kelly Preston) he briefly married, then got an annulment from, seven years earlier. Now that the kids are in his life, Williams is learning what it means to be a daddy - movie-comedy style, that is.
I guess there must be an audience out there for these dumbed-down daddy-day-care scenarios, featuring grown men who are more childish and immature than the kids they`re supposed to be raising, but, frankly, I don't get the appeal. Suffice it to say, the script - a gruesome combination of painfully contrived setups, unfunny jokes, teeth-grinding sentimentality and stunningly desperate slapstick routines - feels as if it were written by a not particularly gifted third-grader; the direction is low-grade and cheesy, and the acting consists of little more than nonstop mugging for the camera. It even employs the oldest family-comedy standby of them all: a cutesy dog for cutaway reaction shots that are somehow supposed to make the whole thing even more side-splitting and hilarious than it already is. (And, in deference to their careers, we hesitate to even mention that Bernie Mac, Ann-Margret, and Matt Dillon drop in for some ill-advised cameos, which I`m sure they`ve since come to regret).
This may not be the worst movie ever made by either Travolta or Williams, but it's certainly right down there vying for the title. An embarrassment for all concerned, the pooch included.

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John Travolta and Robin Williams star in Old Dogs, the hilarious family comedy that will have you howling. Two best friends have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of seven-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The clueless bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the children, leading to one debacle after another, with a gorilla and some pecking penguins -- and perhaps to a newfound understanding of what's really important in life. Featuring a riotously funny supporting cast including Seth Green, Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon and Lori Laughlin, Old Dogs is a laugh-a-minute comedy filled with heart.Bonus Features Include Exclusive To Disney Combo Pack: Young Dogs Learn Old Tricks, Exclusive To Disney Combo Pack: Music Video You've Been A Friend To Me Performed By Bryan Adams, Bloopers, Deleted Scenes, Music Video Every Little Step Performed By John Travolta And Ella Bleu Travolta, Audio Commentary By Director Walt Becker, Producer Andrew Panay And Writers David Diamond And David Weissman, DVD Feature Film Plus Bonus, Digital Copy Of Feature Film

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Far and Away (1992) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I first viewed this film when I was 10 years old on May 23, 1992, when fell in love with it from the very start. It was so rare a feeling at that age to actually feel good in a very human way, not just as a spectator. The movie's theme seems to be a very trite one: Always follow your dreams. Many films have tried to exercise this theme and failed miserably. They will pump a lot of cheesy moments into one finale, without any kind of supporting events to show that it is an earned pay off. FAR AND AWAY succeeds where these other films fail. The journey starts at point A and goes straight to point B without any pishposh in between. You are with Joseph and Shannon through their fortunes and misfortunes and see almost every step they take from getting to rural Ireland to Boston and finally to Oklahoma. What also makes it work is the onscreen chemistry between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The two had only done one movie together (DAYS OF THUNDER) before teaming up for this one. At the time, they had only been married for a year, so their new found love for each other was fresh in their minds and ready to be shared. The advantage Cruise has for playing a scrappy Irish boxer is his star status and the amount of time he spends with a personal trainer. His bulging muscles in the boxing scenes show that he's no longer the little bugger in RISKY BUSINESS. It also doesn't hurt that the film is beautifully shot, taking adavantage of the rich Irish coast and the vast farmland of Oklahoma. This beautifully illustrates the long journey of the films location and plot. How exceedingly different the images feel and how far must one travel to get to each!Perhaps another reason this film is so special to me is the complete and utter romantic feel it has. The beautiful scenery, the love between the two lead characters and actors, and the gorgeous music. The score is one of John Williams' best setting all the right moods in all the right places. He starts with traditional Irish folk sounds and moves into Coplandesque America. Watching this film, my heart always goes a flutter, thinking about how I want to achieve my dreams and ambitions. One of my dreams is true love. The way Joseph and Shannon find love is striving for their dream, not knowing it was there all along. I am madly in love with a girl right now. In my fantasies, I always picture myself as Joseph and her as Shannon, kissing on an open wheatfield, our land. Whenever I hear Enya's book of days played at the ending credits, I almost weep with joy thinking about holding her and sharing my love with her. Watching FAR AND AWAY is the closest I get to fulfilling my dreams at this point. Leonard Maltin complains of no story. If there was no story, there'd be no kind of journey and I would be completly detatched. I give FAR AND AWAY 5 stars because it has stirred almost every emotion in me for over 8 years. A movie like this deserves no less.

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A stubborn Irish farmer and a fiesty landowner's daughter emigrate to America in 1892 to make a new life for themselves. Includes notes, bios, highlights, and trailer.

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Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia Review

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(More customer reviews)I should have known when I saw this was a follow on from Fairytopia that I would be disappointed. This is the story of Elina, who in the movie Fairytopia saved her country of Fairytopia and gained her wings. In this she is sent an urgent message from the Prince of Mermaidia (who briefly appeared in Fairytopia) who asks for her to help him. The movie is full of the trials and tribulations she goes through for him, along with his girlfriend Nori. I expect it is deliberate they have named the Mermaid heroine after Japanese Edible seaweed but it seems ill-considered.
Anyway - the good things about the movie, it is brightly coloured, and the costumes for the characters are gorgeous, when Elina becomes a mermaid she looks just stunning. There are really nice messages in this - about overcoming jealousy, selflessness, sharing and the power of team work. Some of these messages are laid on with a trowel, but on the other hand it is for young children and I think the message needs to be strong. And lets get real here, the movies aren't aimed at adults. However I thinksome of hte best movies are those that can easily be watched by Adults and children together - and the best Barbie movie (I think) was Princess and the Pauper where I still find it easy to sit down with my kids and watch it. I wish Barbie movies would get back to that sort of good, singing fun.
the things I found difficult is that although there was a strong basic story (getting the immunity berry) the whole thing was quite confusing for my under 5 year olds. There is so much going on that they quickly lost track of what was happening and who was who. There were too many characters and they all seemed to have marketing tie-ins - lots of mer-ferry's, snails, mermaids, turtles, dolphins - the list went on and on. The overall story which seemed to start it all seemed a weak concept from the start. Some of the characters faces were too animated. In the early Barbie movies there still seemed to be a semblance of reality, but the merferries and so on did seem oddly characterised, almost like Japanese Anime. Perhaps it is something children like, but I prefer the traditional animation, certainly the mix of the two was unsettling at times. Lastly, there is a moment when Elina and Nori get marks of courage which look like tatoos - call me conservative, but I don't want my under 5 year old even thinking a tatoo is cool - no matter what form it takes.
There were some genuinely good moments in this film and despite its faults my children have watched it a couple of times, but it doesn't really interest them in the way that the early dancing ones (swan lake for instance or Princess and the Pauper) I really hope the next movie planned is one of these sort.

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BARBIE FAIRYTOPIA:MERMAIDIA - DVD Movie

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Pocahontas II - Journey to a New World (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I first heard that Disney was making a sequel to "Pocahontas", I wondered if they would do it jusice, or butcher it. Obviously, they got themselves in quite a predicament here. They couldn't be true to the original without murdering history and they couldn't be true to history (what gave them the urge to suddenly be loyal to history, anyway?) without murdering the original. The brilliant solution: murder both! Okay, let me put in more detail. First of all, they took John Smith, who was my favorite of Disney's male heros, and not only drained his brain, but drained his heart. He doesn't even care when he finds out that Pocahontas fell for John Rolfe! Honestly! And what's the big idea of making Pocahontas fall for him anyway! The Rolfe guy is a total jerk,and suddenly Pocahontas loves him!They didn't want us to like John Smith anymore, that's what it is! They didn't want us to say "Come on, Pocahontas, you know who you really love!" No, they wanted us to say "You go, girl! Dump him! Dump him!" So the movie rushes by without any real emotion, plenty of scenes where a wisecracking, swashbuckling John Smith uses his sword to show off, and a lame mix of fact and fancy. Forget history, Pocahontas and John Smith seem like the LAST Disney couple that would "divorce"! I refuse to believe that this guy is the same John Smith that was in the original! It simply can't be! You remember "Colors of the Wind" from the original? That was one of the most moving transformations that Disney ever cranked up! So how was Pocahontas's influence on him only temporary! The only logical explanations would be that John Smith was posessed by an evil spirt, or hypnotized between movies, or this is his evil twin! Although John Smith is the most notable butchering of the original, it's not the only thing they did to it. The animation is terrible, the songs are only so-so, and, with all due respect to Native Americans, Pocahontas acts like a jerk. In the final battle, she just sits around under Ratcliffe's sword, waiting to be rescued by John Smith. Honestly! I'm not a picky feminest, but that's ridiculous! Also, so many things are left hanging, such as why does Ratcliffe have such a strong influence on the king when he came home in chains? In short, this movie is murder. You can feel that Disney is walking through the film on tiptoe, not wanting to upset anyone. Well they upset me! Badly done, Disney!

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All the magic of Disney's Academy Award(R)-winning film POCAHONTAS (Best Original Song, 1995) continues in a fun-filled adventure that finds Pocahontas setting sail for an exciting new world, England. With her comical companions Flit, Meeko, and Percy, along for the ride, this spectacular film promises plenty of thrills and laughter for everyone. As an ambassador of peace, Pocahontas is swept away by London's "curious" customs. Attempting to fit in, she makes friends with the dashing English diplomat John Rolfe, and Mrs. Jenkins, his lovable housemaid, both of whom help Pocahontas prepare for her debut at the celebrated Hunt Ball. There, she must convince the King of England that her people are truly civilized in order to stop an armada moving against them. Pocahontas soon finds herself at odds with the scheming Ratcliffe, but when a mysterious stranger comes to her rescue, the courageous Pocahontas must choose between the love of her past ... and the path to her future. Told through brilliant Disney animation, five incredible new songs, and unforgettable characters, POCAHONTAS II: JOURNEY TO A NEW WORLD, is alive with all the colors of a Disney classic.

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Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie is getting a surprising amount of hate and I don't know why. There is very little in the way of violence, even less in the way of sex and even the gross-out jokes are kept way below what is usually the minimum level for comedies lately. The bad guys get around the mall with mountain bikes, skate boards and by utilizing some impressive parkour moves. Clearly this movie was meant for the PG crowd and in that it succeeds. It's a nice clean family comedy that everyone can attend and enjoy. There were lots of families in the theater when I saw this movie and they all seemed to have a pretty good time. They laughed and giggled and there was very little of the bored chatter you hear sometimes at kids/family movies.
I was thinking a little about the John Candy movie Summer Rental after I saw this. Candy played a few different roles in films before he did Summer Rental but that movie is where you see the classic John Candy affable lug character that kind of served as a template for most of his following roles. His characters were usually some variation of that, he did it well and people loved it. Kevin James has a similar likable quality and I'm hoping that maybe he picks up the Easy Going Good Guy mantle where John Candy left it.
To paraphrase Paul Blart himself, "Don't write this movie off." Like I said, there were plenty of scenes that had both kids and adults laughing together. Isn't it worth at least the price of a matinee ticket to laugh for a while with your kids?

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In Columbia Pictures' comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Kevin James stars as the title character, a single, suburban dad, trying to make ends meet as a security officer at a New Jersey mall. Though no one else takes his job seriously, Paul considers himself on the front lines of safety. When a heist shuts down the megaplex, Jersey's most formidable mall cop will have to become a real cop to save the day.

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