Eldspip Movie: September 2013

Monday, September 30, 2013

The Tiger and the Brahmin, Told by Ben Kingsley with Music by Ravi Shankar

Beautiful
We enjoyed this short movie.We used this as a supplemental tool for our homeschool ancient India unit and my boys were intrigued.

Work of Art, here it is.
Hats off to Ben Kingsley. This talented actor takes you to Old India, where animals speak & wise man lives. It doesn't matter if you already know a story. You'll still be smitten by his voice, his story, his characters. You'll even feel the tiger's breath near you. Ravi Shankar's music accompanies the story perfectly, and together, they took this simple children's story to a whole new work of art, where a book alone couldn't have achieved.

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The Acceptance

If a tree falls...
At times, unforeseen events can almost literally befall us, unexpectedly and violently tearing into the web of our interconnections and relationships. In "The Acceptance", one such event has disrupted the core existence of Elli (compellingly played by Alicia Lobo). Khubchandani's poetic, spell-binding film uses images and sounds to create an urgent sense of mystery as he traces her inner journey from near despair to a calm acceptance. Khubchandani masterfully recreates a seamless interweaving of the inner imagination and outer events that constitute Elli's flow of experience.

Intense emotion is experienced as sudden silence and a sense of time slowing almost to stop as the character focuses full attention on the anger or fear or frustration and the rest of the world disappears for that stretched-out moment of time. Several threads weave themselves throughout the film: the restorative power of nature, thanking God for what we do NOT have, vegetarianism as identity, the...

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Ballhawks

Great Documentary with Bill Murray narrating
Loved this independent gem with long time Cub fan Bill Murray as the narrator that chronicles the plight of the Ballhawks outside of Wrigley Field in Chicago. This is a sports based film but not the type of movie that you have to be a jock to enjoy. It's about people, relationships and doing what you want with your life. I loved the characters in the film and there's also well though out, comedic counterpoint from local ESPN radio jock Harry Tenowitz. Well worth the time and money. See it.

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Paul Bunyan, Told by Jonathan Winters, Music by Leo Kottke & Duck Baker

Great
Had it when I was a kid, just as good these days. I'm glad it's on Amazon Instant Video now.

Worth a watch for children
A re-telling of the Paul Bunyan tall tales, generally well done, with good narration. A virtue is that, in the end, Paul shows some remorse that the cut down so many trees.

Great
This is a good, wholesome movie for children to watch. Jonathan Winters is a great narrator and the music is awesome.

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The Boy Who Drew Cats, Told by William Hurt with Music by Mark Isham

Wonderful story!
One of my favorite stories from childhood. I purchased the DVD to give to my grandson as a Christmas present. Well worth it.

Darling video
I bought the book expecting to see the illustrations from the video in the book. They are not in the book and my 7 year old great granddaughter was fascinated with the video and so was I. Any child interested in drawing would be able to pause the video and copy the drawings.

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The Five Chinese Brothers, Told by John Lone

Perfect!
Obviously, the story is very interesting and many people may know about it.
I think the most attractive part is the sound from the reader Mr. John Lone.
The sound is perfect, making the whole story touching and moving.
I like the sound more than the story.
Definitely I will buy this story and the video.

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Note to Self

In love with Christian Keyes
This movie made you wanna love again. I was really suprised that it was written by the star himself Christian Keyes. I think the chemistry between the two was cute. The storyline was nice as well. I love to see a movie where the dead beat Father and successful son end up recreating a bond that was lost in childhood years. Please go and purchase this movie. I have made this apart of my Black Film collection..

A must see!!!
This film is inspirational, uplifting, thought provoking, and hilarious! The thing that I appreciate the most is that it's not stereotypical and therefore predictable! I didn't want it to end! Furthermore, I absolutely love how you see people of color represented in such a positive light! I encourage everyone, all races, creeds, cultures, young and old, to watch this heart-warming film! Definitely want to see more movies from Christian Keyes!!!!

love love love it
i love this movie very much . christian keyes is so fine ......... love any movie or play he is in.

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Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (English Subtitled)

Great!
Dragon Inn is one of my favorite movies (Maggie Cheung!). This is a sequel of sorts with much of the action taking place in the same inn. References are made to the first film, and there are some similarities in the plots. I'm a great fan of HK martial arts films, and this one satisfied in every respect, story, cinematography (3D!), acting and action. Tsui Hark directed. Jet Li did much of the heavy lifting in the action department, but all of the actors and actresses made significant contributions. The ladies are very lovely and very lethal. (Would we want them any other way?) This is being billed as the first HK actioner in 3D, and the 3D is used very effectively. The same 3D cameras James Cameron uses were used filming this apparently. Another first I'm sure is a fight sequence inside a tornado. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like that before. So, to sum up, the film is highly recommended if you're into this kind of movie or if you're looking for a good addition to...

Convoluted and bogged down by sloppy special effects
It's been 23 years since Jet Li has worked with Tsui Hark and you'd expect something with better results or at least a final product that doesn't feel so cluttered. At times, it's difficult to distinguish the difference between the heroes and the villains. During the time of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor's eunuchs came into power and divided themselves into the East Bureau and the West Bureau. Eunuchs in both bureaus abused their power and were notorious for being some of the most corrupt individuals around, but the West Bureau was the more feared of the two. Stuck in the middle is a vigilante named Zhou Huai'an (Li), a skilled swordsman who rejects both Bureaus and desires order to be restored to the royal throne.

That summary doesn't sound all that complicated, but once Dragon Gate and its innkeepers are introduced along with Zhang Xiao Wen (Kwai Lun-mei) and her tribe and the wandering Gu Shaotang (Li Yuchun) and her traveling partner Wind Blade (Chen Kun) who looks...

Doesn't disappoint!
I watched the original New Dragon Gate Inn a long time ago and that was a great film as well with excellent actors back then. Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung, Donnie Yen...the original had an amazing cast with some solid actors that it'd be hard to outdo it. I wasn't sure what to expect with this version going in but I figured it wouldn't be exactly the same. I much prefer the story line of this one. It was similar in some areas but not really. There were characters in this version that wasn't present in the original but it was done well. The film was beautifully shot with some wonderful scenic views and was just pretty to watch. I had the Blu-ray so the movie was super crisp and clear. I didn't realize that this movie was filmed in 3d at first but the effects were still great in 2d. You can definitely tell how it will look in 3d in some areas but the CGI was done very well. I watched a ton of Asian cinema growing up since I'm Asian, and I love wuxia movies. I love...

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Note to Self

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Hungry for Change

Better Living Through Healthy Choices: Another Impactful Expose About The Food We Eat
The new documentary "Hungry For Change" covers a familiar topic, but repackages the information in a nice user-friendly way. In all honesty, I have now seen about a dozen different films that challenge the status quo and seek to enlighten the masses about the destructive nature of careless eating. But despite what seems like a patently obvious message, we (as consumers) still choose to look the other way. As a society, we have branded convenience as more important than health and big business has taken advantage of this decision in some pretty nefarious ways. But like many, while I realize my faults, I still perpetuate the problem in my own lifestyle. In truth, "Hungry for Change" really doesn't present anything I haven't seen before--but I guess a caustic reminder is appropriate every once in a while! And if you have never given your food choices much thought, I'd definitely say this is worth a look.

There are a lot of topics covered in this brief ninety minute...

Conflicted about this
I'm conflicted about this a bit. The first half of this documentary seemed fairly solid, but the latter half went off the rails a bit for me. This documentary somehow featured a subplot about some woman who felt chubby (but didn't appear so, to me) and insecure, until she started juicing vegetables. The weirdest point was easily when this woman fired up her iPad to watch the documentary I was already watching. I giggled a little bit, thinking she was going to be pretty pissed when she got to the part where they'd been filming her without her knowledge.

I thought it was interesting that the documentary mentioned the addictive properties of modern, processed food. More focus on that probably could have made this an awesome documentary, but much of this was glossed over. Only later in the film do we find out that the people we've been hearing from aren't experts per se, but have a definite stake in getting people to buy their particular books or buy their particular...

Hate to disagree but...
I loved "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" and saw an add for this movie on the JointheReboot website. I was expecting something more like that. I don't disagree with the ideas discussed here, I just didn't like the format. A lot of the clips were repetitive, there were only minor allusions to some of the speakers' personal stories - which sounded like they would have been some of the most compelling parts. I also didn't find the little vignettes of the diet-soda chugging lady necessary, it was a cheesy and distracting story telling device. I wanted to see more personal stories and more specifics on healthy eating and juicing and whatnot. Disappointed.

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Masters of the Universe (25th Anniversary) [Blu-ray]

Pure Fun For Fans Of The Series, Or Fans Of Fantasy!
While I was reading the other customer reviews of "Masters of the Universe" on this page, I was shocked at how many negative reviews there were. I absolutely love this movie! It is one the most fun movies you could ever see, and has been one of my favorites ever since I was a kid. When I was little, I had all of the toys, and watched the cartoon series religiously. Now I know that the movie doesn't stay true to the cartoon series, but you have to think of it as a seperate entity of a central idea. The makers of this film were trying to appeal to hardcore fans of the series, and also to attract new viewers to the series. In one review by Access Hollywood in the 80's this movie was hailed as "The Star Wars of the 80's" I believe that this movie is as good as Star Wars when you compare them as fantasy films. The special effects are great in this movie, when you consider the time that this movie was made. And they make a stunning transfer to DVD! This movie looks as...

2 stars for the blu ray transfer and 5 for the movie
Warner Bros was able to put just enough effort into this release to get the film onto a bluray disc and nothing more. There is a perfunctory commentary track from director Gary Goddard and a well preserved theatrical trailer and that is it. The lack of extensive extra material might be excusable if this was a first rate high def transfer but unfortunately it never manages to look very good. I suspect this is the same transfer used for the previous DVD release. The colors are bright and well saturated but there is an enormous amount of grain and noise throughout the film (and not just in the effects shots where you might expect it) and there is a fair amount of wobble and instability in the print. They have not even bothered to put art on the disc itself, just plain black (a more and more frequent occurence with major studio releases). The disc comes in a thin, ultra cheap eco case. Warner did nothing special whatsoever for this disapointing "25th Anniversary" edition and if you...

By the power of grayskull!
Ok, so the movie did not stay true to the cartoon. This is still a kickin' movie. He-Man, the strongest man in the universe, and hero to all who live on the mystical planet of Eternia, comes to the big screen. He-Man comes from one of Mattel Toys biggest sellers in their history, and toy history. The line was called 'Masters of the Universe'. Mattel spun off the line into a cartoon for the small screen that was produced by animation group, Filmation. The cartoon and toys was so popular amoung youngsters and even adults, that a live action movie came about.

Now, I have read the original script for the movie. Much better than what actually made it to screen. The only fault of the movie is too much Earth. People want to see it on Eternia. But, the movie is still cool, with great effects and a nice score by Bill Conti.

The true highlight of the movie is Frank Langella as Skeletor. He was made to play the role. He is very scarey and at most very evil in the movie.

Also, Friends fans...

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Scooby-Doo! Big Top Scooby-Doo! [HD]

Tons of fun; a classic direct-to-video Scooby adventure with the whole gang!
Scooby and the gang help solve the mystery of werewolves terrorizing a traveling circus. Loads of fun. One of the best direct-to-video adventures with the entire gang. Check out Daphne's amazing motorcycle riding, Velma being shot through the air as a human cannonball, Shaggy and Scooby are... Scooby and Shaggy trainers, and Fred is a second assistant safety net watcher - just don't let him up on the trapeze. The kids loved it!

Fun Scooby Movie
We ordered this for family movie night. My two girls enjoyed it a lot and my husband and I had fun with it too. It is about on the same level as Legend of the Phantasaur (which was really funny). This one is not quite as good, but still very enjoyable with some good lines. Recommended!

Hilarious. WAY! better than Music of the Vampire!
Probably one of the funniest Scooby Doo movies I have seen in a long time. Especially after the horrible "Music of the Vampire" movie...which was aweful, awkward, and left me feeling very uncomfortable...almost queasy inside. This movie is what I love about the Scooby franchise. There were several times when My son and I were laughing so hard we had to rewind to catch the next joke. The script is a typical Scooby Doo type show....after a little while it is obvious who the villains are, but this one had a bit of a twist...not gonna spoil it. Totally enjoyed this one and hope that they continue to make more Scooby Doo movies like this instead of experimenting with idiotic ideas like the Music of the Vampire...I just cannot express how much better this is than Music of the Vampire. Did I say that hated Music of the Vampire? Well, I did hate Music of the Vampire. I didn't really like the Goblin King either....actually never finished the Goblin King because every time I watched it...I...

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East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Told by Max von Sydow, Music by Lyle Mays

With my grandchildren all snugged beside me
Another classic with a lesson to be learned. To care enough about another is a treasure within a treasure. With the two little ones all snuggled beside me we once again venture into the land of enchantment. These tales were read to their father when he was a child and their excitement brings contentment and joy. What more could I ask of this fascinating series to share with these grandchildren of mine?

Beautiful sound, beautiful images.
A dear, familiar story even better with Von Sydow's mesmerizing voice. The images are fantastic, dreamy. Highly recommended for all ages.

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Koi and the Kola Nuts, Told by Whoopi Goldberg with Music by Herbie Hancock

Another adventure to share . . .
Whoopi Goldberg was the perfect choice to narrate this tale. Young Koi seeks adventure with just Kola nuts. Each animal he meets needs a few nuts for various reasons. He is rewarded for his kindness by each of the creature. Yes, once again my grandchildren and I enjoy another adventure . . . one not familiar to them. The artistic drawings and music accompany the narration to give us another fun video. Just for fun? Add this to a collection that encompasses many different cultures . . . Enjoy!

Folk tale
A simple story of how helping others helped Koi in life. The illustrations are likable with its 3D layer feel.

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Touchback

This little town is really special
Wow, what a great family movie!!!

This movie is definitely worth your money.

The story is simple. Scott Murphy (Brian Presley) is a great quarterback for a small town high school football team that plays the Cinderella role in a state final championship game against a big time high school football team in Ohio. They end up winning the state championship on a great play by Scott, however, Scott gets severely injured, resulting in being crippled for life. We follow Scott for a while, 20 years later on the eve of a big celebration of the state championship, where all players are coming back to town for the 20th anniversary of their win. That is the first part of the movie (about 30 minutes). Scott gets somehow the opportunity to try to live these moments all over again while knowing what will happen. And we are in for 90 minutes of a very intense emotional performance by Kurt Russell, Brian Presley, Melaney Lynskey, and Christine Lahti. The script, the dialogues,...

One of the best movies I have seen in awhile
This movie is extremely good. I haven't seen such a great story telling movie in a long while. It's about a football player Scott, who is the star quarterback for his small town of Coldwater. He and his team gets to play in the State Finals for the championship. Scott and his team does defects the rival team, but at the costs of his left leg. Scott leg gets bended apart and is extremely hurt from his amazing play he did.

(What I found odd is that in the play his right leg got hurt in the play he did, but some how after the play his left leg is bended. I think this is a mistake on the director.)

Now, the movie fast forward to present time and Scott is now a framer/fireman and is family man with 2 kids and a wife. He has bum left leg and needs to be tie up with steel leg holder to keep it straight.

What is worse is that Scott is in trouble with the bank. He is at risks of lossing his farm and house to the bank, because he can't pay back his loan on time...

A really good family movie.
This is a really good family movie. It is a bit of "Back To The Future" and "It's A Wonderful Life" rolled into one. There is some foul language, but not much. There are some sexual references but not overtly obvious. I would recommend it for kids 10 and over to watch with their parents. It has a good moral....do you dwell on the "only ifs" of your past or do you play the cards that you are dealt and move on with your life.

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Red Lights

`the whole playing with your mind thing'
In the film a psychologist and paranormal investigator, played by Sigourney Weaver, and her physicist assistant, played by Cillian Murphy, investigate a famous psychic.
This movie attacks the tired old idea of 'is ESP real? With those who need to believe as opposed to those that see naivety at best, or a down right con at worst' with new dynamism, new concepts and explanations. Not a single shot of the movie is redundant or a 'filler' shot. There are none of the 'excessive scary movie' theatrics to keep you on edge of your seat.
It has the right narrative, with what I believe to be the right actors and the right scenes to take you where it wants to take you. There is misdirection and the odd McGuffin peppered here, and there has some clever twists in the tale.
This is a 'clever' movie, doesn't spell out everything for you, and makes you want to watch it carefully so as to not miss a thing. I had not heard much about this before it came out, and I was enticed by the...

Riveting Command of Your Attention from Start to Finish
You know how when you are watching a magic trick or slight of hand how your focus is heightened watching like a hawk for each nuance to catch how they did that? Red Lights (DVD + Digital Copy) compels the viewers attention to that heightened extent from beginning to end. Not one second is boring. One dare not turn one's attention elsewhere for one second.

The acting I found to be top notch. I think this is Robert DiNero's best acting ever and each and every other actor delivered some of their best performances.

Action.

Suspense.

Is there such a thing as paranormal or can it all be debunked upon close scientific examination? To know the answer in really examining this and its possibilities in other humans, one must first examine and know oneself (according to DeNiro, Weaver, and Murphy's characters) which is dangerous in itself...

The most underrated film in years.
Let me start this review by saying I went into this movie thinking it might be pretty good, I was excited to see Cillian Murphy because I love the man, but coming out of this film I was in complete shock at how good it was.

The thing that makes this thriller so great, is that unlike most of the movies made under the genera, the first half doesn't suffer to make the final half that much more shocking/amazing. This movie had me hooked from the start until the end without wasting a moment. Each scene was tense and did its job. The concept alone was enough to get me interested but they throw curve ball after curve ball to keep you that much more invested and it worked without fault. Nothing in the movie felt at all cheesy or forced. It had a very natural flow about it.

Now if you have heard anything about the movie you probably know that some people are loving the ending and others are hating the ending. I am without a doubt one of the people who love it. Not just...

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From Dusk Till Dawn III: The Hangman's Daughter

Pretty Good Third Entry In "Dusk" Series
Third entry in "From Dusk Till Dawn" series is a prequel which has a violent outlaw escaping his execution at the hands of a ruthless hangman and taking off into the desert with his daughter. The two end up at the infamous bordello bar from the first "Dusk" film and it's vampire mayhem galore. This straight-to-video effort is actually very creative with both its direction and general story, not to mention some quality make-up effects from the KNB team. Featuring a strong cast for a video release which includes "Dusk Till Dawn" alumni Michael Parks and Danny Trejo, Rebecca Gayheart, Orlando Jones, and Temura Morrison, just to name a few, this sequel is actually far more solid than one might expect.

Good follow-up is better than second...
"From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter" is a mostly fun little movie that doesn't have the memorable quality of the first, but loses the bland delivery of the second. More of a prequel than a sequel, this movie is about a Mexican outlaw who kidnaps an executioner's daughter and finds himself chased by soldiers, criminals and, of course, vampires. The ending is very cool with the action staying pretty solid. A fun hour and a half of nonstop action and humor.

great movie
This movie is great, i saw it three times in the two weeks after it was first released. While the second movie was somewhat of a letdown, this was not. The special effects and acting were as good as they were in FDTD 1. This one may even have a better plot. The best part is how original it is. It isn't your typical vampire movie that takes place in the '90s. This is so different its great. The plot is great, and the acting is too. The very end is awesome. I highly reccomend it to anyone who liked FDTD 1.

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Snow White

An Enchanting Double Experience
I grew up with both this and the Disney versions of Snow White and Cinderella. This is MUCH better than the Disney interpretations, for both Cinderella and Snow White.
SNOW WHITE: I never cared for Disney's Snow White. I did not find Snow White to be particularly beautiful at all - she's pretty, but not gorgeous enough to be "the fairest in the land." The songs were mediocre, and the story strayed very much from the original. I was terrified when the evil queen transformed into the old hag, and she gave my brother nightmares. He used to run out of the room and hide under his bed whenever she appeared.
In THIS version, Snow White is positively stunning, and she is portrayed as very kind and sympathetic. The song "The Power of Love" is very good and "A Little Bit of Magic" is fantastic. "Hip Hip Hooray" is very funny. The evil queen is also very beautiful, and her vanity is depicted much better. True to the original tale, the queen visits Snow White THREE times. The Brothers...

The enchanting classic fairy tale, but definitely not the best adaptation...
Snow White, produced by Jetlag Productions in the year 1996 and released on DVD format by Goodtimes Entertainment in 2002 is based on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, "Snow White". Alright, so Jetlag Productions has produced some pretty mediocre animated films and I have to say that "Snow White" really is one of them. Unlike "Pocahontas" (1994), "Snow White" does have very strong competition from Disney, the 1937 "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is an animated masterpiece if there ever was one. Even alone, Jetlag Productions' "Snow White" will come off as poorly crafted and somewhat bland. Its weaknesses overshadow its strengths, for it does have one or two, and it really doesn't fall as downright awful in any particular category, either. Compared to other adaptations by the studio of Grimm's and Charles Perrault's fairy tales,...

It's really not a bargain
The animation is crude and the music is monotonous. I have to admit that it holds my 3-year old's attention, but any adult will find it unbearable. There is not even the slightest comparison to the Disney classics and I will be tossing this out and replacing it immediately.

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Tom Thumb Meets Thumbelina

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Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Finally, Transformers as it was meant to be seen!
PLEASE NOTE: This product review is for the 3D Blu-Ray... Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy)

This is the way "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" was meant to be seen: in 3D! I saw this movie in 3D at the theater and I can tell you it was a great experience. The movie itself has some flaws, but the stereo image was simply amazing... say what you want about director Michael Bay, the man knows how to shoot action sequences! This is one of the most entertaining 3D movies to date, and is a no-brainer for anyone with a 3D TV.

Not only is the picture quality top-notch, but the sound is great too. I recently watched an interview with sound mixer Greg P. Russell, and he said that the TF3 blu-ray sound mix was specifically tailored for home video release. Anyone who owns the previous blu-ray release would agree that the sound mix is incredible...

As long as MIchael Bay will see his fans as cavemen, this will not stop.
Sorry with my english for i am from Montréal.

I still do not want to give up on Michael Bay. When i see him in interviews, underneath his condescending tone and his obvious self-love, i see an educated and intelligent man. I still have hope that he will mature eventually and direct a genuine great film. But right now, he is a teenager. He obviously thinks that most of his audience is dumb, sexually depraved and uneducated. The way he films women, the way he portrays the adults, the things he makes them say and do, the "comedy" that he puts in there and that he thinks will make us laugh, all of this makes me think that Michael Bay simply sees his fans as cavemen. And by reading some of the comments here, well my God, he's about right!

It is not a question of putting your brain to neutral in order to enjoy a good old "pop corn" movie. Not all "pop corn" movies are good. "Transformers 3" is a bad movie. Just like the second one. Probably even more. The...

AVOID at all costs!!!
If you like any special features at all do not buy this version. They are doing the same thing as Avatar. This release gets a full price but absolutely zero special features. Not so much as a trailer. They will be putting out deluxe versions toward the end of the year including a 3D combo pack, blu ray combo pack & dvd. ALL will be packed & you will kick yourself for having to buy this a second time. Many people don't care about features but if you do consider yourself forewarned. And it's not like they're giving you a cut on the price for a "movie only" release.

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Saturday, September 28, 2013

Je'Caryous Johnson's Love Overboard

Great Play!
This was a great play with some great actors! Je'Caryous Johnson is starting to make a name for himself in the gospel play arena!

Satisfying
Ladies if you are experiencing any turmoil in your relationship than you will want to see this play. I was in a relationship with an unappreciated man and after watching this play I gained to courage to kick him to the curb and move on. Thank you Jecaryious

get right
this movie has the same story line as cheaper to keep her it could have been more to it cause everyone doesn't take a man back when he cheats and the writer shouldn't have use the same story line from his other play I love Je'Caryous Johnson plays but this one sucked, I though I was watching cheaper to keep her. Need a writer hit me up.

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Jungle King

a reveiw: The Jungle King
I love it. Its fun, romantic, and has enjoyable songs to. Its about, Max a vain lion, Irwin a artistic lion, and Lennette a romantic lion. Other characters include, Genaral Glump an ape, Chanler an hyena, and Richardo an parrot. I highly recomend it to anyone with a good imagination.

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Tarzan

Tale of Egypt & Tarzan
This is another Movie about Moses and his freeing of the slaves of Egypt. I am a fan on Edgar Rice Burroughs and his tales of Tarzan. Interesting version

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May

Angela Bettis Works Wonders in "May"
I suspect the movie "May" snuck in under most people's radar. In fact, I am not sure many people know about this wonderful little picture even now. I only came across it through pure chance, read a short review about it, and decided to give it a shot. I am certainly glad I watched "May" because this film about a meek young woman with a desperate need to belong really delivers on multiple levels. This movie underscores the fact that there are plenty of films floating around out there that deserve more attention than they receive from general audiences. I cannot say whether "May" got a theatrical release or not, but the film is available on DVD and is well worth picking up if you are a horror film aficionado or if you just enjoy great acting performances.

Angela Bettis plays May, a young woman with several serious mental issues. Her problems started as a child, when doctors diagnosed May with an eye problem that required an eye patch. Of course, the kids at school thought May was a...

A quirky masterpiece that creates its own genre
May is a peculiar sort of movie, part social commentary, part slasher flick. It manages to succeed admirably at both, despite the fact that it's central star is a cute little misfit named May.

May Dove Canady (Angela Bettis) is a sheltered misfit. Born with a lazy eye, she grows up wearing a pirate-like eye patch, only to be teased by children her entire life. Her mother (Merle Kennedy) drives the point home: if you can't find a friend, make one. And May's mother does just that, crafting a doll for her daughter with big, spooky eyes. The catch is that the doll can never be let out of her box.

And thus we have an allegory for May. May tentatively explores her world through her job as a veterinarian's assistant and her interactions with her coworkers, the barely-understandable veterinarian (Ken Davitian) and the oversexed lesbian coworker Polly (Anna Faris). Then May bumps into Adam Stubbs (Jeremy Sisto), a horror movie fan and budding auteur that specializes...

Just friends....
Angelina Bettis stars in this predictable, but creepy and well-made gothic thriller about a very shy and disturbed young woman with a lazy eye. When she's little, she has to wear an eye patch, and no-one wants to be her friend, so her mom gives her a rather disturbing-looking dolly in a glass case and tells her that if you can't find a friend, the next best thing is to make one! Hmmm, I wonder what's going to happen when she takes up sewing and a job at the veterinary clinic. As if that's not enough to telegraph the ending, the first shot in the film is one from the final scene. I guess they figured the audience might get bored if they didn't open with something flashy, I don't know. Non-linear opening shots are kind of cool, when we flash back and towards the end find out the story around the shot, but it would have been more effective left out.

Jeremy Sisto (who fans of Six Feet Under will know can be creepy himself) plays an artist who worships Dario Argento (really!) only to...

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The Prophecy: Uprising

OK Movie but no Christopher Walken
First off, this direct to DVD release of the Prophecy line does not have Christopher Walken starring, so it is like eating a Rum cake without the Rum. It might taste ok but is not Rum cake! Anyway, this is a stand alone film, as very little is referenced from the previous releases. The movie concerns the finding and protecting an ancient manuscript, called the Lexicon which basically writes itself as God completes the Book of Revelations. What God writes, will determine the fate of Angels and Mankind, so ownership of the Lexicon will give an advantage to the holder. Angels and Demons vie to own the Lexicon, but it is up to a lone woman, well played by Kari Wuhrer, to protect it. The movie is fast paced which forces the incredulous to become believers rather quickly and some important plot points are glossed over. Sean Pertwee is excellent in the role of the Rumanian detective who has his own personal demons to overcome. He has the look of Russell Crowe and the angst of Stellan...

The Prophecy -The Uprising DVD Review
Being a big fan of a lot of the horror movies that Dimension Homevideo has released over the last few years, I decided to rent this movie. Not expecting that much, but I was impressed by the overall quality of this movie. The special effects were good, the actors were great, and the story line keep you interested in what was going to happen next. There are some really good sudden scares that catch you off guard and surprise you.

The story might be a little confusing to people who are not familiar to the Prophecy movies. A lot issues dealing with heaven and hell, Angels and Demons, and the Devil. I myself haven't seen any of the older Prophecy movies that star Christopher Walken, so I can't compare this movie to the other Prophecy movies.

A standout in this movie is the acting of Doug Bradly towards the end of the movie. For Hellraiser fans like me it's a total treat to see Doug Bradly(Pinhead from Hellraiser films) do some great acting outside the character of...

The War Between Heaven and Hell Rages On...
During the mid-nineties, Dimension Films produced a small, yet entertaining franchise of films based on a supposed 23rd chapter in the book of Revelation, this series was known as `The Prophecy'. Focusing on a second war in Heaven, this one being waged by those angels that had once been loyal to God during Satan's revolt, but after seeing the evil humanity is capable of exacting on itself, and wondering why the Creator would bother to shower His love and grace on a creation that is completely ungrateful, some of the loyal angels have questioned their allegiances. With the battle lines clearly drawn the angels take sides against each other waging a war that closed off access to Heaven by all of humanity. In 2000, Dimension released "The Prophecy 3: The Ascent", which at the time of its release was to be the 3rd and final chapter in `The Prophecy' saga. With humanity being allowed access into Heaven after a final battle between the hero of the good angels and the leader of the evil...

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The Prophecy

Good Stuff
This is a highly original and highly effective outlook on introducing the seemingly innocent theme of "angels" into the world of horror and suspense. Walken gives an expert performance; everything from his morbid and haunting looks, to his quiet manner and poetic dialogue. This is one of those movies you need to pay attention to in order to truly "get it", and to get the entire picture all three movies are needed to be seen, or so I assume. The little girl who plays Mary also does her part well - so thankfully we have no annoying children actors we wish would be killed off early in the film. Although creative and entertaining this movie to me did happen to lag in certain scenes, and I kept mentally pushing the fast-forward button in my head a few times.

A beautifully directed and well-thought out plot, you find yourself getting pulled into what is happening with the characters, and it's hard to walk away without finishing until the end. When a movie has done that, it's...

Walken, gotta love him
I love almost anything with Walken in it. The understated humor in this movie is remarkable. Don't miss this movie. Just sayin

I am so glad that...
The Prophecy was available in Amazon Instant because it's one of my favorite movies with Christopher Walken. For those that don't know the storyline: Angels fighting over the "Monkey's" Souls/ vying for God's Love...however, Walken...makes an excellent Gabriel ;-)

Love the movie!

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Prince and the Pauper

Not a fan of talking shoes
This version of the Prince and the Pauper is fun for little children but deviates enough from the tale to be just plain silly. I was not a fan of the talking shoes and any things were unclear (chiefy the relationship between the King and Tom) and hoe Edward (the prince) gets back home).

Only show to kindergarten or younger, not useful if you're a teacher for 6th grade.

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Treasure Island

Entertaining animated version of classic
This DVD is a full length animated feature, very fun for kids, suitable for age 6 and up. Unlike alot of what is out there, this one is very good. It has been shown on Nickelodeon and you may have seen it there. It was first released on DVD in 2002. The story is based on the classic Robert Luis Stevenson tale of the same name. A young man meets Captain Long John Silver, and the adventure of a lifetime begins. Sailing ships, pirates, swordplay, buried treasure, it's all here. I thought it was an enjoyable afternoon of viewing with my son.
The Video from DIC Entertainment is of a movie produced in 2002, with very modern animation, it was animated by the Hong Ying Universe Company for DIC.
This movie is one of those that parents or babysitting teens will not mind watching too. It is 74 minutes long. The animation is fluid, the voice actors are good. Nice animated effects. Extras include bloopers, a behind the scenes show, and fun facts with Inspector Gadget. The same...

An entertaining animated adventure
This animated version of the classic boys' adventure story written by Robert Louis Stevenson is actually a re-release of a 1971 Australian production. While the animation itself is subpar compared to today's standards, it's average for the day. The voice work, which to my surprise included Hugh Keays-Byrne (Mad Max, Moby Dick), is pretty good. Pretty faithful to the original text, though a bit fast paced, this cartoon is suited for audiences of all ages (though primarily young children).

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Tale of Egypt

Friday, September 27, 2013

Hunchback of Notre Dame

Not one of their best, but good songs make it an enjoyable film!
Jetlag Productions' 1996 animated film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is yet another title in the large line of Goodtimes Entertainment's children animated outputs. I'll make it clear right now that this is not Disney's animated feature released the same year, so don't think you'll be getting a Disney product, quality or no quality, for such a low price as this. Instead of wasting time making detailed comparisons between Disney's film and Jetlag's, I'll review this film based on its own merits and ignore any different adaptations of this story. To be frank, The Hunchback of Notre Dame was not Jetlag Productions' finest hour, perhaps this adult story was simply not intended to become a children's film in any way. Like most animated films from the studio, The Hunchback of Notre Dame has its good points and its bad points.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame was inspired by Victor Hugo's timeless novel, "Notre Dame de Paris", and tells the story of a misshapen young man named...

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Gulliver's Travels

Enchante Tales: Gulliver's Travels & Hercules
Both of these movies were enjoyable I bought this in order to upgrade from VHS Tapes to DVD's. By getting 2 moveies in one video it gives me more room for more DVD's

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Alice in Wonderland (Animated)

OK for an Off-Brand A in W
My kids did enjoy this version of Alice, but for those parents used to the Disney version, this one is a little weird. At the time, the traditional Alice version was not available, and this one did the trick though I would probably not get it again unless in a pinch.

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Princess Castle

Completes my collections
This is the only one of the enchanted tales I haven't been able to find on DVD and it was the sole missing one out of my collection. I loved the series when I was younger so obviously this is a must for my collection.

My Princess loved it
I've been searching this DVD for along time. My princess saw the movie on demand and loved it. When they took it off demand she was very sad. Once she opened the DVD on Christmas she was very excited and could not wait to watch.

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The Adventures of Francis the Talking Mule

By the tail of my great-aunt Regret!
The listing says that the DVD is in color. But the movies definitely aren't, and never were.

The transfers were OK by me, but I'm no expert. It looked clean.

While I've seen these movies since I was a kid, and always loved them, I was surprised to see who some of the secondary actors turned out to be. In the first movie there's Tony Curtis. In the third one, there's David Janssen and Leonard Nimoy.

This was a formulaic series of films, but they had their hearts in the right place. Francis is an always entertaining guardian angel with a little bit of attitude. And Chill Wills managed to get several octaves in on almost every line, which brought a hee-haw effect to his speech. It's... endearing.

Donald O'Connor is definitely believable as Pete. He's a hoot. Maybe someday that character will actually get it, and won't need Francis to take care of him any more.

Interestingly, on the "Singin' in the Rain" 50th anniversary...

A wonderfully fun collection...beautifully packaged
If you've forgotten Francis, Mr. Ed's distant cousin, it's time to reintroduce yourself. Francis (a.k.a., Chill Wills) and Donald O'Connor, are great, light hearted adventures that all ages can enjoy.

Universal has in the past, put out some pretty shoddy products. But this time, I have to hand them credit. The transfers are great! About my only complaint would be lack of any extras or trailers.

Hopefully, a volume 2 is in the works....with the widescreen movies in the series in proper aspect ratio.

All in all, this set is highly recommended!

great whole family fun!
I loved the Francis Movies - the before Mr. Ed of the movies. Francis was a wise-cracking, know it all mule, with the voice of the great Chill Wills. Donald O'Connell was Francis' sidekick and they had simply FUN adventures. Most are seldom, if ever seen in the last couple of decades, so this will be a great trip for those who remember them and a chance for children and grandchildren to discover them.

Volume 1 - is for full-length movies

1. Francis the Talking Mule

2. Francis goes to the Races

3. Francis goes to West Point (with William Reynolds and small part by Leonard Nemoy)

4. Francis Cover the Big Town

They are Black and White - for those unfamiliar with the Francis movies, though later ones were in colour.

So pop the popcorn, kick back and let the whole family have a wee giggle at Wills and O'Connell's antics.

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The Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Road to Comedy Collection

How to Buy the First 4 Road Pictures - Read This Before Buying.
Bob Hope and Bing Crosby + Dorothy Lamour made six "Road" pictures for Paramount between 1941 and 1953:
1) Road to Singapore - 1941
2) Road to Zanzibar - 1940
3) Road to Morocco - 1942
4) Road to Utopia - 1946
5) Road to Rio - 1947
6) Road to Bali - 1953 (the only one in color)

Paramount is now owned by Universal, which has a spotty record of reissuing these wonderful films on DVD.
Films 1-4 are available in three different editions:

Best, but most expensive, is 4 movies on 4 DVDs (2002): Bob Hope Tribute Collection - The Road Show Series (The Road to Morocco / The Road to Singapore / The Road to Utopia / The Road to Zanzibar)
(available separately).

Worst is 4 movies on 1 double-sided DVD (2004): On the Road With Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Collection (Road to Singapore/Road to...

Bob, Bing and Dorothy
Always been a fan of Bob Hope and the Road pictures are some of his best. Road To Utopia remains my favorite for the simple fact that they make fun of the genre.

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Tales From The Crypt: Bordello of Blood

Underrated brilliance
I never understood why so many people hate this movie. Even Fangoria called it 'abysmal'. But I consider it a worthy follow-up to the delicious Demon Knight. It has brilliant acting: Dennis Miller is a treat as smartass private eye. Angie Everhart is not only the hottest female vampire in years, no, she even proves that she can actually act. Corey Feldman has one of his very few good roles. But who really chews the scenery is Chris Sarandon (Fright Night), one of the most underrated actors ever: His performance as a TV preacher alone makes this movie worth watching. Only Erika Eleniak is rather miscast. And watch out for Demon Knight veteran William Sadler (another underestimated actor) as mummy. The make-up F/X are not only unbelievably gory for an R-rated movie; they're so excellent they even surprise genre buffs who thought they've seen it all. The characters are wonderfully weird, and although there's loads of black humour in it, I'm glad Bordello of Blood never turns...

Billy Zane and Dennis Miller Together
This disk collects the two Tales From the Crypt movies on one side of a single disk. For some reason the menu has the second movie listed first.

In the first movie, Billy Zane is excellent as a demon looking for a final key so that the demons can retake the universe. This is the story of his battle with the current Demon Knight, the protector of the key. Wonderfully crafted and dark.

The second movie, Bordello of Blood, is a more tongue-in-cheek T&A-fest and lacks the dark seriousness of the first. Lilith, the queen of all vampires, has been awakened. She can be controlled by a key (the one from the first movie). She has set up a bordello to lure victims to her hunger. Dennis Miller is his wise-cracking self as he portrays a down-and-out private investigator looking for a missing person.

It is nice not to have to flip the disk over or insert a new disk but there is no room for real extras (we do get the original trailers). Seeing the two films...

Devilish Double Feature
An entertaining double creature--er, that is, double feature inspired by TV's TALES FROM THE CRYPT (which was itself inspired by the identically titled, delightfully decadent EC Comics of the 1950s).

First on the bill is DEMON KNIGHT (1995). On the surface, this one's a typical tale of good-versus-evil, with a noble agent of Heaven working to protect mankind from an evil Demon who, with the help of his minions, seeks to throw a veil of darkness over the universe and oppress mankind in the process. Trite, yes, but a good script, a talented cast (including Billy Zane as the wonderfully smarmy Demon), and high production values raise this one a notch or two above the average morality play. The weakest element of the film is the Crypt-Keeper wraparound, which has too much of the TV show's cheesy feel (though it does feature an uncredited cameo by John Larroquette, whom hardcore genre fans know to be the opening narrator for 1974's original TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE). The...

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Young Americans

Moody, Moralistic, Violent and Loud
Harvey Keitel stars as a FBI agent in this dark and death-filled tale of gangs in London. The premise is a simple one, one that we've seen in many other mob movies. The older, established mobsters have a code of honor and try to do things the proper way. The rash, up and coming punks care nothing for honor and just want quick cash and drugs. In this case, it's an American - Carl Frazer (played by Viggo Mortensen) who is causing the trouble. The FBI has sent John Harris (Keitel) to help the London police force to shut him down.

Carl is a truly psychotic drug / arms dealer who loves to gather up lost but innocent young men, tell them that they are special, and then turn them into cold blooded killers. Carl gets his thrills from corrupting the virtuous. There are many comments throughout the movie - both by the cops and the old time mobsters - about how these young, sweet kids are having their lives destroyed by drugs and the lure of cash. In one scene, an old mob guy is...

Super British Film Noir
I thought that I had seen all of Harvey Keitel's films but, due to the inexplicable failure of this film to attain a theatrical distributor in the U.S., I had never even heard of this one. Then I caught it on Bravo a few weeks ago and it knocked me out! It's a gritty, tough British crime film in the tradition of THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY. The cast is very good - of course, Keitel is excellent as a weary American liaison to the English police, but Craig Kelly (currently in the Brit TV series QUEER AS FOLK) is also impressive as Chris, a young man struggling to survive the mean streets of London. This film is truly a pleasant surprise.

Both Mortensen's and Keitel's fill their roles quite well, but that's all,
THE YOUNG AMERICANS, released 1993, is a picture whose script
appears to have been written by a 14 year old, considering the
social circle of the protagonists, the title of the movie itself,
and the simplicity of the story. Unfortunately, those facts didn't
turn out to be trumps for the picture.

The strong point, is Harvey Keitel, who brings natural charisma and
realism to the filming, playing a police detective on loan to
Interpol (international enforcement) tracking down a weapons
trafficker, played amusingly by the sometimes enigmatic star Viggo
Mortensen.

The lesson of this movie, is difficult to surmise, considering the
confused, fatuous plot. Perhaps it is to bring patience to the
segment of the population who is over 21, with regards to those
younger than that age bracket, with a secondary goal bring to have
the juvenile element reflect on the serious consequences of taking
the message...

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Netherworld

Netherworld
I have added this movie to my ever growing collection of Out Of Print (oop) Full Moon videos. However, now the DVD has been re-released. I just watched the video yesterday. I must say, this was a very interesting picture. I think I was expecting a little more from it, but was satisfied w/ the twist at the end. very colorful. Never coming out and saying it dealt w/ Voodoo, it did use different ascepts of the religion to convey its self to the audience. A young man inherits his estranged & deceased father New Orleans Plantation. He comes to find black magic at play and his fathers dying wish to be brought back to life. A sleazy bar/brothell, people turned into birds and such are just a few of the many things that make this movie interesting and worth watching.

Diamond in the rough
Under-rated in the world of horror movies, The Netherworld is a hidden treasure! A young man inherits his estranged father's estate and discovers his father's dying wish: To be brought back to life. His desire to get to know the father he never met gets the better of him and, with the help of a mysterious woman, he goes about fulfilling the wish. However, there is an unexpected catch.... And he must decide if he's willing to pay the price. The exotic setting and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack add to the mystery and appeal of this movie. A true gem!!

None of those worlds
A movie that brings to the depths of dark imagination.David Schmoeller succeeds in showing us a fresh new idea that show the spectator how possible it is to bring new stuff to the horror genre.A must see for the fans of Charles Band's Full Moon House of terror.

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2: Voodoo Academy

Not a good movie but enjoyable
this is more of another addition to the 1313 series then a sequel to VOODOO ACADEMY. I do like these kind of movies even though they are stupid.

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Invisible: The Chronicles of Benjamin Knight

Great,Great Great Great!!!!
This Movie Rocks! I Like It So Much That I watched It So Many Times The Tape Broke! i Guess Im The Only One Who Put A Review For This movie. For Right Now Anyways... So Come On If U Havent Saw This Movie Then Go On And Rent it And Then Put Your Review in. I Garentee Youll Love It!

Invisible
INVISIBLE follows the events of MANDROID, where Benjamin Knight has been turned into an invisible man after battling the evil Drago. Drago seeks to uncover the secret behind Ben's new powers, so he kidnaps Ben's beautiful assistant Zanna in order to force him out of hiding. Now, it is up to Ben and the Mandroid unit to stop Drago once and for all! Full Moon puts their own spin on The Invisible Man, with a surprising amount of success. Although the film is frequently weighed down by the eccentric villain's half-baked plot and the endless amount of filler material, the special effects are impressive for the scale, and potential that the invisible character represents is fully explored through a number of unique and interesting techniques that exceed the film's budgetary limitations. With sword fights, gun battles, and invisible espionage, director Jack Ersgard packs in as much action as possible to make up for the loose plotting and weak character development. INVISIBLE is mindless...

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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Wes Craven Presents: Dracula III-Legacy

okay
Cheesy but better than the second one. Rutger Hauer is always a great bad guy. But even he can't make it great.

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Cat Chaser

DVD buyer beware
Viewers hoping to see the controversial "pistol" scene, in which McGillis's character is forced by her jealous husband to open her legs for his gun will be disappointed to find that it has been cut from the R-rated DVD version. For that, you'll apparently have to stick with the unrated VHS tape. Other than that, the movie is a decent if unspectacular B thriller, and the digital transfer is pretty good.

a good movie lessened by censorship
This DVD is 7 min. shorter than the previously released VHS version. Most of the steamier scenes have been cut
completely or edited for content.While these scenes are not crucial to the plot,they were part of the original presentation and should have remained as they aided in character developement.A good movie lessened by censorship.

Nothing, done well
A thin story of intrigue and desire in Miami is made very watchable by a good director and a superb collection of actors. Weller and McGillis are thoughtful and convincing as reluctant lovers trying simply to be left in peace. Frederick Forrest provides strong support. Charles Durning, in a small role, walks away with the movie. The character he plays is smart, cunning and, by turns, endearing and brutal. Durning is the reason I've watched this film three or four times since it first appeared in 1990, and I recommend you give it a try.

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Ten Seconds That Shook the World

Surprisingly Accurate
I've been studying the history of the atomic bomb program and the bombing of Hiroshima for many years and have read countless books and articles on the topic. It remains one of the most controversial topics in history and shows no signs that it will become less controversial as time goes by.

This documentary, made in 1963, was impressive in regards to the detail provided as well as the accuracy of the information. There were a few instances where they used footage from other sources to help complete their story-- examples include the long shot of the "Trinity" test was actually footage of a test in the 1950's at the Nevada Test Site, though the close up was indeed actual film from the Trinity test. The explosion over Hiroshima was actually footage again from the Nevada Test Site and then, the footage of the fully grown mushroom cloud was actual footage from the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb explosion over Nagasaki. It's not clear why they chose not to use the long shot of the...

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