price：$9.49
Universal Studios
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Cool Box Set) 『My son loves dinosaurs and this box set it really nice. It got here pretty fast too.』
(This is a CRAPPY recording of it - SOMEONE played SOUND GOD!) 『Jurassic Park ADVENTURE Pack - I do NOT "recommend" the Jurassic Park III DVD of this pack.
In Jurassic Park III the Sound in a few scenes of the DVD is not as good as the VHS of it.
SOME IDIOT decided to play SOUND god!
When the action is LOUD THEY decided to turn it down when the DVD was made,&then turn it UP when it was no longer loud, so the sound goes UP and DOWN!!! VERY annoying!
This TOTALLY ruined Jurassic Park III DVD that I got for my birthday! I'll go back to my VHS of it. IT was FINE!
LEAVE THE SOUND ALONE WHEN YOU MAKE ANYTHING! WE have fingers that can turn it down on OUR controller if it's too loud!!!!!!!!!!』
(Fa Sho!) 『Item came quicker than expected,&exactly as described.
Would buy from seller again.』
(Great Gift) 『Got this package as a gift (to myself) , order was delivered early and in perfect condition price was a few dollars on the competitive side... all in all a great deal and easy delivery』
(GREAT COLLECTION FOR A DINO LOVER!) 『Purchased as a good boy gift for my 4 year old son. He is a dino lover. There is no other movies like this set has. Highly recommend it.』 『No description available for this title. Item Type:DVD Movie Item Rating:PG13 Street Date:11/29/05 Wide Screen: yes Director Cut:no Special Edition:no Language:ENGLISH Foreign Film:noSubtitles:no Dubbed:no Full Frame:no Re-Release:no Packaging:Sleeve』 『Jurassic Park Steven Spielberg's 1993 mega-hit rivalsJawsas the most intense and frightening film he'd ever made prior toSchindler's List, but it was also among his weakest stories. Based on Michael Crichton's novel about an island amusement park populated by cloned dinosaurs, the film works best as a thrill ride with none of the interesting human dynamics of Spielberg'sJaws. That lapse proves unfortunate, but there's no shortage of raw terror as a rampaging T-rex and nasty raptors try to make fast food out of the cast. The effects are still astonishing (despite the fact that the computer-generated technology has since been improved upon) and at times primeval, such as the sight of a herd of whatever-they-are scampering through a valley.--Tom Keogh
The Lost World - Jurassic Park In the low tradition of knockoff horror flicks best seen (or not seen) on a drive-in movie screen, Steven Spielberg's sequel toJurassic Parkis a poorly conceived, ill-organized film that lacks story and logic. Screenwriter David Koepp strings along a number of loose ideas while Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm, the quirky chaos theoretician who now reluctantly agrees to go to another island where cloned dinosaurs are roaming freely. Along with his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and daughter, Malcolm has to deal with hunters, environmentalists, and corporate swine who stupidly bring back a big dino to Southern California, where it runs amok, of course. Spielberg doesn't seem to care that the pieces of this project don't add up to a real movie, so he hams it up with big, scary moments (with none of the artfulness of those inJurassic Park) and smart-aleck visual gags (a yapping dog in a suburb mysteriously disappears when a hungry T-rex stomps by). A complete bust.--Tom Keogh
Jurassic Park III Surpassing expectations to qualify as an above-average sequel,Jurassic Park IIIis nothing more or less than a satisfying popcorn adventure. A little cheesier than the first twoJurassicblockbusters, it's a big B movie with big B-list stars (including Laura Dern, briefly reprising herJurassic Parkrole), and eight years of advancing computer-generated-image technology give it a sharp edge over its predecessors. While adopting the jungle spirit ofKing Kong, the movie refines Michael Crichton's original premise, and its dinosaurs are even more realistic, their behavior more detailed, and their variety--including flying pteranodons and a new villain, the spinosaurus--more dazzling and threatening than ever. These advancements justify the sequel, and its contrived plot is just clever enough to span 90 minutes without wearing out its welcome.
Posing as wealthy tourists, an adventurous couple (William H. Macy, Téa Leoni) convince paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and his protégé (Allesandro Nivola) to act as tour guides on a flyover trip to Isla Sorna, the ill-fated "Site B" where all hell broke loose inThe Lost World: Jurassic Park. In truth, they're on a search-and-rescue mission to find their missing son (Trevor Morgan), and their plane crash is just the first of several enjoyably suspenseful sequences. Director Joe Johnston (October Sky) embraces the formulaic plot as a series of atmospheric set pieces, placing new and familiar dinosaurs in misty rainforests, fiery lakes, and mysterious valleys, turningJP3into a thrill ride with impressive highlights (including a T. rex versus spinosaurus smack-down), adequate doses of wry humor (from the cowriters ofElection), and an upbeat ending that's corny but appropriate, proving that the symptoms of sequelitis needn't be fatal.--Jeff Shannon』
price：$9.00
Lions Gate
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Good movie) 『This is great movie. I bought it on Blue ray and wasnt disapointed at all. Still is a great movie but now it is in hi def.』
(A*Searing* Movie...Must Have On Blu-Ray...But One Featurette Is Missing...) 『Darren Aronofsky's film, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, is one of my favorite all time films. Not only is it visually stunning--making use of clever editing and fliming techniques like split-screens and special effects--the story is one that will stay with you for a long time. Although the movie will leave you breathless and coming away with that feeling of "damn, that was a good movie," it's not for the faint-of-heart.
The movie is aptly named as the story follows a mother and her son, both on parallel tracks into drug addiction, and his best friend and girlfriend, and how their dreams disintegrate with the passing seasons. All four characters descend into the depths of hell, making choices they wouldn't otherwise make, just to score some dope.
Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, Jennifer Connelly, and the fantastic Ellen Burstyn give outstanding performances. Why this film didn't sweep the Academy Awards is beyond me.
I wasn't going to buy it on Blu-Ray, because I already have the DVD version, but since it was on sale here on Amazon, I couldn't resist.
I'm so glad I got the Blu-Ray edition. The transfer looks great and the scenes are even more horrific in 1080P.
Unfortunately there aren't any extra features on the Blu-Ray other than the ones that came on the DVD Edition. In fact, the 05:35-minute Sundance Featurette "Anatomy Of A Scene," where Aronofsky describes the shooting techniques in the film, is missing. Not sure why it was left off.
SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
*** Commentary by Aronofsky and DP (Director of Photography) Matthew Libatique
*** "The Making Of Requiem For A Dream" 35:23-minute documentary--showing footage of filming behind the scenes and Aronofsky comments on what is going on. Very informative and you get to see all the work that went into this film including the make-up prosthetics that Burstyn had to wear.
*** "Memories, Dreams and Addictions" 19:56-minute interview-- Ellen Burstyn interviews Hubert Selby, Jr. who wrote the book Requiem for a Dream: A Novel.
*** Deleted Scenes--many various deleted scenes with optional commentary.
*** TV Spots&Trailers』
(absolutely horrible nightmare of addiction and downward spirals) 『This is one of those art house films that transfixes you on first viewing but that you never want to see again. It is utterly horrifying to see these 4 people ruin their lives, each with their own drug nightmare. But what is remarkable is the mood - the consistent feeling of losing control, of fear, of dying hope - that permeates every part of it. The only kind of film to which I would compare it is a horror film, seen by a child: you feel trapped within someone else's fantasy, unable to extricate yourself until it ends, but this is for adults with adult issues. Yes, they are all losers in one way or another, yet you feel sympathy for them mixed with revulsion.
It is a great movie, but I would recommend renting it to see, you won't want to watch it again.』
(requiem of my life) 『the bluray disc is cheaper than the dvd, that's a first Requiem for a Dream (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] The same thing is on each version, only the DVD is 480p and the bluray is 1080p so if you've got the right stuff then it's a no brainer to buy it on bluray.
I can't say enough good things about this movie. It's about addiction as a whole. The director and author saw the whole picture. It doesn't matter what it is, heroin, crack, cocaine, food or coffee. I'm sure you'll understand after seeing it. Jared Leto is as great of an actor as he is a singer. I like his movies and music. If this movie doesn't shake you up, then nothing will.』
(great movie, but where are the extra extras) 『I wasn't expecting it to have anything extra than the DVD version, but then I got it and it really didn't and that makes me sad. It's the same exact copy of the DVD version, but it's all in stunning 1080p. I would have liked to had the songs as a playlist but no. I regret buying this because I already had a DVD copy and it was only the price that influenced my buying decision.』 『 Genre:Horror Rating:UN Release Date:8-SEP-2009 Media Type:Blu-Ray』 『Employing shock techniques and sound design in a relentless sensory assault,Requiem for a Dreamis about nothing less than the systematic destruction of hope. Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., and adapted by Selby and director Darren Aronofsky, this is undoubtedly one of the most effective films ever made about the experience of drug addiction (both euphoric and nightmarish), and few would deny that Aronofsky, in following his breakthrough filmPi, has pushed the medium to a disturbing extreme, thrusting conventional narrative into a panic zone of traumatized psyches and bodies pushed to the furthest boundaries of chemical tolerance. It's too easy to call this a cautionary tale; it's a guided tour through hell, with Aronofsky as our bold and ruthless host.
The film focuses on a quartet of doomed souls, but it's Ellen Burstyn--in a raw and bravely triumphant performance--who most desperately embodies the downward spiral of drug abuse. As lonely widow Sara Goldfarb, she invests all of her dreams in an absurd self-help TV game show, jolting her bloodstream with diet pills and coffee while her son Harry (Jared Leto) shoots heroin with his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) and slumming girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly). They're careening toward madness at varying speeds, and Aronofsky tracks this gloomy process by endlessly repeating the imagery of their deadly routines. Tormented by her dietary regime, Sara even imagines a carnivorous refrigerator in one of the film's most memorable scenes. And yet... does any of this have a point? Is Aronofsky telling us anything that any sane person doesn't already know?Requiem for a Dreamis a noteworthy film, but watching it twice would qualify as masochistic behavior.--Jeff Shannon』
price：$33.00
20th Century Fox
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (I miss this show) 『This collection of disks includes all 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had only watched a couple of them before and I greatly enjoyed watching these! I am very glad I purchased this box set!
The only downside was that my XBox, which is what I use to watch videos, had trouble reading a couple of the disks. This could just be my system though since the disks worked just fine when watching on my computer.』
(In every generation, there is an excellent TV show, and The Chosen has it all!) 『I have been a huge BtVS fan for more than a decade, even following the comic book tie-ins. But living in Mexico City it's hard to get the DVDs, and harder at a reasonable price. So I said "What the hell?" and went for the ultimate Buffy DVD set and was pretty satisfied with it, you get the complete series, some extras, a little recap booklet and a stunning box for storage, and mostly, thousands of hours of fun with one of the most revolutionary TV shows of the last couple decades!』
(Comentarios Para Latinos Interesados) 『Este producto me parece genial!!! No solo por que viene la serie completa sino por que es Zona 1, lo cual permite mejor calidad. Todas vienen subtituladas en español y de las 7 temporadas, de la 3 a la 7 estan dobladas.
El material extra es intereante, pero lo mejor es lo compacto del empaque.
Se lo recomiendo a todos porque la entrega fue muy rapida... anuncia un mes pero llego en 15 dias.』
(Great Gift) 『This was ordered as a Xmas gift and I couldn't have been any more pleased. It arrived in perfect condition and much sooner than I expected. My friend was thrilled with the special features on most of the discs (She still has not been through the entire collection) and will spend hours on this 40 disc set. She tells me that she can't wait to finish the set so she can start again and that it is the best Xmas gift she has ever received. Well worth the money.』
(Great Show, Bad Luck w DVDs) 『I already knew I loved this show so I knew I would love the content of the product. However this is the fourth time I've gotten a dvd from Amazon that has a damaged disc (computer skips over damaged section and tells me so). I'm returning it to get a replacement copy, and Amazon has always been really good with handling these situations, but four times is getting annoying. In general always watch the dvds as soon as possible, especially large box sets because you will have a short time period for returns (I lucked out since I bought it during the holiday time period so I got 2 months).』 『*Seasons 1-7 on each disc
Bonus Disc: **Introduction by Joss Whedon **Back to the Hellmouth: A Conversation with Creators and Cast **Breaking Barriers: It's Not a Chick Fight Thing **Love Bites: Relationships in the Buffyverse **Evil Fiends **Buffy: An Unlikely Role Model **Buffy Cast and Crew: Favorite Episodes』
『From its charming and angst-ridden first season to the darker, apocalyptic final one,Buffy the Vampire Slayersucceeds on many levels, and in a fresher and more authentic way than the shows that came before or after it. How lucky, then, that with the release of its boxed set of seasons 1-7, you can have the estimable pleasure of watching a near-decade ofBuffyin any order you choose. (And we have some ideas about how that should be done.)
First: rest assured that there's no shame in coming toBuffylate, even if you initially turned your nose up at the winsome Sarah Michelle Gellar kicking the hell out of vampires (inBuffy-lingo, vamps), demons, and other evil-doers. Perhaps you did so because, well, it looked sort of science-fiction-like with all that monster latex. Start with season 3 and see that Buffy offers something for everyone, and the sooner you succumb to it, the quicker you'll appreciate how textured and riveting a drama it is.
Why season 3? Because it offers you a winning cast of characters who have fallen from innocence: their hearts have been broken, their egos trampled in typically vicious high-school style, and as a result, they've begun to realize how fallible they are. As much as they try, there are always more monsters, or a bigger evil. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the core crew remains something of a unit--there's the smart girl, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) who dreams of saving the day by downloading the plans to City Hall's sewer tunnels and mapping a route to safety. There are the ne'r do wells--the vampire Spike (James Marsters), who both clashes with and aspires to love Buffy; the tortured and torturing Angel (David Boreanz); the pretty, popular girl with an empty heart (Charisma Carpenter); and the teenage everyman, Xander (Nicholas Brendon).
Then there's Buffy herself, who in the course of seven seasons morphs from a sarcastic teenager in a minidress to a heroine whose tragic flaw is an abiding desire to be a "normal" girl. On a lesser note, with the boxed set you can watch the fashion transformation of Buffy from mall rat to Prada-wearing, kickboxing diva with enviable highlights. (There was the unfortunate bob of season 2, but it's a forgivable lapse.) At least the storyline merits the transformations: every time Buffy has to end a relationship she cuts her hair, shedding both the pain and her vulnerability.
In addition to the well-wrought teenage emotional landscape,Buffydeftly takes on more universal themes--power, politics, death, morality--as the series matures in seasons 4-6. And apart from a few missteps that haven't aged particularly well ("I Robot" in season 1 comes to mind), most episodes feel as harrowing and as richly drawn as they did at first viewing. That's about as much as you can ask for any form of entertainment: that it offer an escape from the viewer's workaday world and entry into one in which the heroine (ideally one with leather pants) overcomes demons far more troubling than one's own.--Megan Halverson』
price：$4.99
MPI HOME VIDEO
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Very good but not as good as the hype) 『This film was listed as a possible best horror films of the past year by many though it usually fell short and was listed as honorable mention instead (since there were a fairly good number of such genre films this year). So when I saw it I picked it up and decided to give it a try. The box cover itself had a critic state it was one of the top 25 best zombie films of all time which fueled the promise it had.
The film's premise is of a small town near Hamilton, Ontario and not all that far from Quebec, Canada. It takes place almost entirely in the office of a radio station. The main character is Grant Mazzy, the talk show host for radio 660. His show is one of those mix of news, some humor, politics, things like that and he is in the building with his producer, a woman named Sydney, and Laurel-Anne, a young Afghan veteran who is the jack-of-all-trades employee (almost like an intern). During the course of the film, Ken Loney, the traffic guy in the "sunshine chopper" but actually just driving around seeing traffic calls in and starts explaining that large numbers of people are surrounding a Dr. Mendez's office chanting the same word over and over. At first, this seems something to do with Mendez and an illegal prescription scam and so it could be just protesters, etc.
Though not a traditional zombie film (the undead walk the earth or possessed from voodoo), we soon think more on the lines of Stephen King's novel Cell or the English films 28 Days Later and its sequel. Instead we have something resulting in a "virus" that may or may not travel through vocabulary and words. And we soon find out maybe it is related to English rather than anything else (i.e. French). The setting up of this works really well. There are a few early bizarre happenings from an encounter at a stop sign to a guest for the show suddenly acting bizarre with an almost obsessive-compulsive disorder with speech. And the call ins from Ken Loney are very suspenseful.
This film based off its setup (almost like a play and has been written as a play too) will turn a lot of folks off, so it isn't a film for everyone. But to me, this isn't its weakness at all. The weakness comes more from the various expositions that happen to explain what is going on (specifically by the Mendez character) and the much too quick understanding of what may or may not be happening. Also the behaviors and actions during parts of the set pieces are a bit too suspension-of-disbelief; with the "infection" of one of the main characters and the behavior of the others to him/her. My first reaction would have been to help (since there was no immediate danger) but instead there is almost an indifference or aloofness. And the end came way too quickly where one is left wondering who was infected and who wasn't and if those that were not infected, then why would the survival instinct quit with them especially when Quebec soldiers were apparently very close to the rescue. And of course, the "science" of the "virus" is preposterous.
After the end of the credits, there is an odd little piece which puts the film more into the Arthouse crowd and was somewhat unfortunate since it makes one just roll their eyes. And I'm sure there is various political and social commentaries in here but that's for you to really search out (i.e. an Afghan vet and what's that mean, English Canada versus French Canada, the fright of change versus actual love, white Canada and its opinion of recent immigrants (Arab, Hispanic, maybe the Asian subcontinent, etc.))
Anyways, the film is pretty good. Probably 3 1/2 stars, weaknesses or not. It is very suspenseful and works well when it is not doing its silly exposition. The main characters are bit of the pompous type which is more of a statement for its "arthouse" feel, its author, and its director, than more than its story. I'd still recommend it and definately would give it a thumbs up. I just wish the main characters were more likeable, the pretentiousness was absent (the author of the story even tries to claim they are not zombies but "conversationalists"), and the science and exposition worked better. Having no understanding of what was going on would have made a better story than a half understanding. Enjoy.
』
(outstanding zombie movie with a low budget) 『If you love zombie movies then get this movie. If you love gore then don't. this movie is about the wat if, about not knowing, or seeing whats happening. to be told but not to get to see for yourself. Think the movie Signs w/ Gibson. you only knew what was happening by the TV. this is the same. a creative way to give the feel of a zombie invasion if you don't have the budget for it. as good as many of the big ones out there but in a different way. the acting and cinematography was excellent. the music chilling. and i own pretty much every zombie move ever made from I walked with a zombie to present time. even the stinkers. if you love zombies, give this a try. you may find a gem here or at least a fun watch. But unfortunately, check the GORE at the door.』
(Forget Paranormal Activity! This is easily the best horror film of the decade!!) 『Wow. There's my review. Wow. Pontypool is EASILY the best horror film of the decade. This is going to sound funny, but I honestly think the last time a movie had me on the edge of my seat like this was when I saw the climax of The Bridge on the River Kwai!
People may tout this film as "original". It's really not all that original, as the director wisely acknowledges by including a copy of the book Snow Crash in one of the film's scenes. Though the credits say the movie is based on Pontypool Changes Everything, I would argue that it owes just as much to Snow Crash. Take both novels and rework the main idea of a memetic virus capable of altering the neurology of the brain, throw in Don Imus as the main character, and voila!, you have Pontypool.
In Snow Crash it is discovered that Sumerian is the language that is most intimately connected to the processing of the brain. Certain Sumerian phrases can actually "rewrite" the hardware of the brain when they are processed. A character learns how to use such spoken viruses to create zombies, and creates a chain of churches in which the church goers are reduced to mindless followers. (It has seriously been posited by some that this is pretty similar to reality. Christianity can be thought of as a "meme" that contains within its set of beliefs "code" that insures its own replication as a thought virus.) In Pontypool, the medium of the pulpit is changed to that of talk radio.
The entire film takes place within the claustrophobic confines of the recording studio (which is housed in a church). The effect is mind-blowing. The dialogue between the talk show host, his producers and callers sounds very "real", which only adds to the impact of the film on the viewer. Indeed, the realism of some of the exchanges evoked memories of the forgotten masterpiece Kings and Desperate Men, which was another film about a talk show host (in which all dialogue was adlibbed). The description of the carnage ensuing as reported by callers is far more horrifying than ANYTHING the biggest budget and best special effects could have provided. Five stars with no reservation. Watch this movie!!!!! 』
(Pontypoo...The tease that fails to deliver...) 『When a rural radio station received reports that locals are being infected with a "rage" type virus, they hunker down in the basement radio room to survive and to report on the unfolding disaster. When I saw PONTYPOOL with a couple of fellow Zombie film fans; two of us thought that this was a large steaming pile, while our artsy buddy loved it. PONTYPOO, as I shall now refer to this film, is a dialog driven Zombie picture that should appeal to many critics and the art house crowd. Although this dung is quickly fading from my memory, I shall try to resurrect enough of it to qualify my remarks. Many have applauded the psychological aspects of the picture, and if that is your thing then by all means scoop it up. Although the film waffles between being a Horror and a drama picture, most fans of Zombie films want CARNAGE, (of which there was little in this film). Cripes, the one scene that held promise for some serious ripping just showed the backs of the zombies then the camera cut (or panned away). What a tease. That is like making a porn film without T&A. I'm not a "Philistine" as I love art&culture, including cinema (even silent films), and most genres of Horror, (including Zombie films). This picture, however, offers little to the connoisseur. Don't bore me either with the social messages that are said to pervade such films as they allow film makers to hide behind a shoddy production. I want to be entertained, and not have to attend the theater with a clipboard in one hand and my University Psychology books in the other. Adding to this bore-fest the film was almost entirely shot in one room. This material is actually more suited to live theater rather than the cinema, (where it would have been far more effective and I would have been more forgiving). Although lead Stephen McHattie did an admirable job under the circumstances, (he carried the film), even he could not rescue this from the sea of mediocrity. I will admit that the build up of tension was very well handled, however, this proved to be too much of a good thing without a pay off. The film also failed to answer many key questions such as what caused the outbreak, though there was an inference that the spoken English language was the agent responsible! WTF! I am as open minded as the next person but the film failed to present such in a credible manner and I was unable to make the leap necessary to buy into it, (though I wanted to). Other random thoughts; the makeup was amateurish, (stage one Zombies again), the set decorating was minimal and uninteresting and the few Zombies seen were unconvincing. Some of the camera work was also spotty though being confined to one room may have had something to do with it. Some of the acting was spot on while at other times it was suspect. The film was also ponderous as the pacing was slow and it seemed to take forever to see a Zombie. Further, that the movie poster appears to show an exploding Zombie head, replete with splattering blood, like a victim of a Romero head shot. Sadly, nothing of the sort happened here, and I conclude that the poster is actually misleading. Also misleading is a reviewer's comment on the front of the box art that says this film is "Funny". One of the few good things about PONTYPOO is that it is straight as the Director avoided the dreaded Horror-Comedy combination. This is (thankfully), a serious attempt at a Horror film. There is nothing funny about it. So, the box art is also misleading. In fact, that about sums it up, that PONTYPOO is nothing but a big tease. The positive film reviews I have read are just another example of what I call "The Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome". In other words, despite the praise, this is a marginal film at best, but just watch the sheep jump onto the band wagon because others have praised it for being different as well as a superior Zombie film. That in itself is not really a positive as most Zombie cinema is indeed wretched. I can see some positive elements such as McHattie's shock jock DJ performance and the tension build up in a claustrophobic setting, all of which were well executed. In reality, however, the film maker took the safe and easy "Psychological Horror" route because he was unable to blend true Horror with the classic Zombie. That in itself is a tall order, but pull it off and you will have a monster hit. PONTYPOO is still the tease that fails to deliver and offers further proof that there are many so-called "Horror" fans out there who are easily satisfied. This is an economy Zombie film that while featuring a couple of new twists with some professional gloss&convincing psychological drama, remains largely formulaic, that is; survivors hunkered down in a fight for survival, (though there is not much of a fight). You will either love or hate this film. Not recommended for hard core fans of Horror, though artsy-fartsies and pretend fans of Horror will have a field day with this one. Just watch where you step... Note: Check out SOCKMONKEY's Amazon review titled; "I'm sorry, kiss is...what?", which is located in the book section under the title, PONTYPOOL CHANGES EVERYTHING, (though the review is for the movie). SOCKMONKEY's summation, (quote); "I think this is a unique case of subtext crowding out the enjoyment of a horror film", best sums up the issue I had with this film. This reviewer also dared to challenge the mind set of the Canadian art house movie scene, to the scorn of others. Right on! Again, the Emperor's New Clothes syndrome at work...』
(Just when you thought it was safe to turn on the radio....a scary, low-budget Canadian re-invention of the zombie thriller) 『While broadcasting his daily show from the local radio station in the small Ontario town of Pontypool, shock jock Grant Mazzy discovers some strange things going on. As he reports on the infestation of a strange virus that leads local residents to behave violently, he comes to suspect that he is himself spreading it through his words.
Pontypool is a small and deceptively simple film, that takes place almost entirely inside a local radio studio, but manages to feel dynamic and engaging throughout. The isolation of the location suggests a central theme of the film, how easy it would be to lose contact with what's really going on for one who characteristically spins the truth, and whose contact with the world outside (at least for several hours each day) is through the medium of screened phone calls and wire reports. Until the fairly recent big budget Hollywood zombie craze, the zombie phenomenon in film almost always stood in for larger social issues, and this Canadian thriller revives that tendency. While provocative and shocking radio is often entertaining, what does it do to our psyches? What happens to culture when dangerous and sometimes outrageous ideas and interpretations of current events, intended to keep people listening to the radio, begin to be accepted and embraced as truth? Crazy ideas can, after all, spread like viruses, raising fear and paranoia and anger. There's also a distinctively Canadian theme here, suggestive of the Canadian francophone fear that the universality of the English language may corrupt culture.
Of course, what you really want from a zombie film is terror and thrills, and, at least in the latter half of the film, Pontypool delivers the goods in a mostly satisfying way. It's not a perfect film, as there are a few plot gaps and underdeveloped characters and elements and a bit of lag time and at times the modest budget shows, but on the whole this is an entertaining and provocative film, that looks good throughout and keeps you involved and guessing.』 『Shut up or dieShock jock Grant Mazzy (McHattie) has been kicked-off the airwaves and now works at a small-town morning show. Another mundane day on the job quickly turns deadly when reports pile in of people developing strange speech patterns and evoking brutal acts of violence. Before long, Mazzy discovers that the behavior is actually a deadly virus being spread through language. Does he stay on the air in hopes of being rescued or, is he providing the virus with its ultimate leap over the airwaves and into the world?』
price：$9.99
Universal Studios
Not yet released Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Don't care what the critics say) 『*May contain slight spoilers*
Its not the greatest movie ever made but I loved it, my friend Ariana and I had a good time in the theater (which is the whole point of going to see a movie). We laughed quite a bit...
John C Reilly was excellent as Crepsley, no-one else could've played it better :). The characters at the Cirque de Freak were interesting... my favorite was the Snake Boy and Monkey Girl (though I didn't much care for the snake itswelf)
One of my favorite scenes was the "fight" in the graveyard between Crespley and the other vamp. Well-shot and exciting.
They could've played up the tension between Steve/Darren more but I think they saving more for the next film (it'll be a shame if they don't make another one).
One critic said "newcomes will be confused"... i don't see what was so confusing about it, I thought the filmmakers laid everything out quite nicely. Ariana and I were able to follow the story easily.
Combining two books into one film is risky (andI haven't read the second book yet) but I thought they did good with the translation with book to screen.
Mr Tiny was creepy, but an interesting villain, specially with the 'Book of Souls' part... He seemed a bit like the Fates from Greek Mythology.
I'm very picky about vamp films (most seem to be poorly done, with the exception of 'Interview with the Vampire' are poorly done.) but all in all, this one is worth your time :).
ignore any typos please』
(Brilliant!!! Loved it!!!) 『If I had to sum up "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assitant in one word, it would be; BRILLIANT! This movie was hilarious, interesting and had me thirsty for more! I saw it twice in the theatre and headed back for a third when I saw it was no longer playing. I have the DVD already in my cart and I am so excited for it's release. Give this film a chance and I gurantee you will not be disappointed! Great cast, story and sets! 2 Thumbs up and a million gold stars! Bravo! Encore!!』
(Freak du Film) 『Cirque du Freak is based on the first trilogy of The Saga of Darren Shan, a set of twelve books (four trilogies) by the Irish writer Darren O'Shaughnessy (pen name: Darren Shan, just like his hero's). These teen/young adult oriented novels have a worldwide following and been translated to over 25 languages.
Darren is a teen with a charmed life: popular, smart, from an upper class family, he is destined for a productive and orderly life of college-job-family. This order however is disrupted one night, when, after some prodding from his troubled best friend Steve, Darren attends a late night performance of Cirque du Freak. When Darren's actions put Steve's life in danger, a vampire performer from Cirque du Freak is the only one with the power to save the young man. And so, Darren strikes a deal: in exchange for his friend's life, Darren will abandon his family and become the vampire's assistant; a half vampire himself. Unbeknownst to him, a war has been brewing between the two fractions of the vampire world. Both Darren and Steve are destined to be major players in the coming events...
Even though, clearly, I am beyond the teen/young adult years, I found the story compelling enough to investigate further. I am pleased to report that most of the film's production values, including CGI, were impeccable. John C. Reilly as the vampire Larten Crepsley was surprisingly convincing. The number of big name actors who made an appearance in the film was astonishing. So, why only two stars? Well, there were two major problems: 1) The actors chosen to portray Darren and Steve not only lacked chemistry, but lacked the abilities to emote deep feelings. Consequently, what should have been a dramatic decision to leave his family comes across as nothing more then a minor blip on Darren's schedule. What should have been a complex feud between two friends who go on to become leaders of the opposing vampire fractions, seemed as nothing more then two silly characters bickering at one another. 2) Secondly, even though the story was great, the script was poor. Despite the fact that we learned of the events in a chronological order, their lack of clarity was unacceptable.
The film ended with many unanswered questions. Counting on audience support, there were three sequences planned, one for each trilogy. I suppose those plans must be on hold at the moment, given the poor turn out at the box office. Shame really. I think the books disserved better... 』
(Pretty Good!!!) 『Recently, I've wanted nothing to do with vampires because of Twilight. I saw this because it looked funny and I like some of John C. Reilly's movies, and it was better than I expected. After Darren and Steve go to a freak show, Darren steals a unique poisonous spider belonging to a vampire named Larten Crepsley. When Steve is bitten by the spider, Darren goes back to Larten and asks for an antidote. Larten agrees to give him the antidote if Darren agrees to become half-Vampire and be his assistant. Darren and some of the freaks help Larten battle another race of Vampire called the Vampaneze. The regular Vampires are more peaceful. Will they be able to stop the evil Vampaneze? I highly recommend CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT!!!
』
(A fun teenage vampire flick...) 『I will preface my review of this movie by saying that I much prefer Blade, From Dusk til Dawn and Underworld type vampire flicks that all have tons of action, violence and gore in them. Whenever you get into the PG-13 world you are going to get a much more friendly and watered down film with less brutality, violence and language. Reality and financing dictates that the movie studios have to appeal to a broader audience when possible to make enough money to allow the films I mentioned previously.
I am not familiar with the book that this movie is based upon. That being said this was a fun 'teen oriented' vampire movie with no significant violence or gore. This is a PG-13 (unfortunately) flick; you know it's going to be in the vanilla spectrum so don't expect Blade or Underworld. The CGI animation and coloring of John C. Reilly's pet spider was amazing, but then again any quality CGI animation done nowadays should be and usually is amazing. The makeup effects, set design and costumes were well done and give the movie an interesting modern Gothic appearance and feel.
The characters were interesting and I found myself pretty involved in the story. Comparing this film to the wildly successful Twilight films, the two out so far any ways, Cirque is much more interesting. There are no moping or perfect looking Twilight characters and Cirque was just more interesting than both Twilight 1 and 2. I love John C. Reilly and vampire movies so this was my primary motivation for seeing this in the theater. Reilly's character was not in his usual comedic or musical roles so it was good to see him do something completely different. Willem Defoe has a smaller role in this film and plays a very interesting vampire character as well.
All in all this movie is worth seeing and if you are a genre fan it is probably worth owning.』 『Welcome to the Cirque Du Freak, a traveling sideshow filled with magical creatures, misunderstood freaks, and the mysterious vampire, Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly). Drawn to the dark, unpredictable world of the Cirque, 16-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) decides to trade in his ordinary life for a chance to become an immortal vampire. As Darren explores his newfound powers and faces unexpected enemies, he’ll find that his existence as a member of the undead is filled with more challenges, suspense and fun than he ever thought possible. Based on the best-selling book series and co-starring Salma Hayek, Josh Hutcherson, Ken Watanabe, and Willem Dafoe, it’s a fast-paced, suspenseful journey critics call, “Imaginative!” (Peter Hall, Cinematical.com)』 『Adapted from Darren O'Shaughnessy's book series the Saga of Darren Shan,Cirque du Freak: A Vampire's Assistantis an endearingly goofy teen-vampire tale reminiscent ofThe GooniesorLost Boys. Like those kids' horror classics,Cirque du Freakis a coming-of-age tale in which maturity is hastened by horrific discoveries of alternate realms. Best friends Darren Shan (Chris Massoglia) and Steve (Josh Hutcherson) embark on a life-changing career path as monster prodigies after attending a taboo freak show starring various mutants and Madame Octa, a fluffy, neon orange, Muppetlike spider that Darren is irrevocably compelled to kidnap. Darren's petty theft results in the boys' introductions into the dualistic realm of good vampires, including the paternal Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly), and less-generous bloodsuckers such as Murlaugh (Ray Stevenson) and his Vampaneze family. Part of the fun is in learning how vampires are defined in this world; for example, they can't turn into bats but they have magic spit. The film's additional appeal is in its clever teen-vampire cultural nods, such as when Darren plays his Gameboy inside his coffin. The actual circus, too, offers a wide array of fun, spooky characters, such as ringleader Mr. Tall (Ken Watanabe) and Darren's scaly buddy Snakeboy (Patrick Fugit).Cirque du Freak: A Vampire's Assistanthas tough moments, too, once the boys realize they can't look back. These moments transformCirque du Freak: A Vampire's Assistantinto a film parents may even be charmed by. --Trinie Dalton』
price：$2.99
Sony
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A perfunctory bare bones compilation) 『I'm not a huge fan of MJ; but I enjoyed his body of work over his lifetime. If you're looking for his music videos and not a bunch of commentaries and fluff this DVD should serve you well.
』
(Its great to have all of Michael Jacksons Video's on DVD) 『We all know Michael Jackson was the greastest entertainer of our generation and with this video your able to see perfection at it's best.I give this DVD 10 stars if I could because it's great to have Michael Jackson on DVD besides having all his CD's.』
(Michael Jackson Number Ones-Number One) 『Every song on this CD represents the artistic growth of Michael Jackson, which was forming him into the genius talent that he is. It's a must have CD.』
(Great purchase&excellent condition!) 『This purchase was worth every penny and came in a timely manner in good condition. Great purchase!』
(Need Proof...Michael At His Best) 『Watching him from early in his career to his later videos is truly a keeper. This is proof positive that he is/was definitely "THE ONE."』 『Movie DVD』
price：$0.49
Universal Studios
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (FLAT OUT HILARIOUS) 『I'm not a huge fan of zombie movies, but this comic spin on the genre is simply delicious. Shaun ( Simon Pegg ) is a dead-ender who is so awesomely oblivious to everything around him, including his girlfriend ( until she leaves him ), that it is surprising that the zombies shuffling about even notice that he's alive. Shuan, and his horribly, flatulant friend Ed ( Nick Frost as the ultimate degenerate, slacker ) become the most unlikely saviors of London ever, exhibiting by turns, density far beyond that of lead, excellent use of a cricket paddle, and a salient ineptitude that is truly mind-blowing in its intensity. SHAUN OF THE DEAD is loads of fun from beginning to end, with not a dull moment to be had.』
(Perfec!) 『Nope not a misspelling see the special features. If you have the DvD you'll love this version.』
(An Instant Cult Classic) 『This movie just comes to show how great British Comedy is. Sean Pegg and Nick Frost are an amazing duo, that will have you laughing from beginning to end. Two thumbs way up!!』
(One word " Horrible") 『I feel bad for the Brits if this is what they give 5 stars.
Bad Movie in every way!』
(Blu Ray Transfer - OK) 『I thought this might be in great definition but because the movie is old, the quality isn't much different than the dvd. This has been my typical experience with movies that date before blu ray started to get popular. It's still a great movie and totally reccomend getting it - just thought you should know the quality is no where near the same as new release blu ray films like Inglorious Basterds.』 『A ROMANTIC ZOMBIE COMEDY, THIS FILM CENTERS AROUND A YOUNG MANWHOSE ONLY GOAL IN LIFE IS TO HANG OUT IN HIS LOCAL PUB. THAT CHANGES WHEN HE IS CHALLENGED TO WIN BACK HIS GIRLFRIEND'SHEART - AS WELL AS FIGHT THE HORDES OF ZOMBIES WHO MYSTERIOUSLY START TAKING OVER HIS BELOVED NORTH LONDON NEIGHBORHOOD.』 『British horror/comedyShaun of the Deadis a scream in all senses of the word. Brain-hungry zombies shamble through the streets of London, but all unambitious electronics salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) cares about is his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), who just dumped him. With the help of his slacker roommate Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun fights his way across town to rescue Liz, but the petty concerns of life keep getting in the way: When they're trying to use vinyl records to decapitate a pair of zombies, Shaun and Ed bicker about which bands deserve preservation--New Order they keep, but Sade becomes a lethal frisbee. Many zombie movies are comedies by accident, butShaun of the Deadis deliberately and brilliantly funny, while still delivering a few delicious jolts of fear. Also featuring the stealthy comic presence of Bill Nighy (Love Actually) and some familar faces fromThe Office.--Bret Fetzer』
price：$7.50
Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (STINKS) 『Long story short - Image quality OK. Story line quality Ludicrous. Mine ended up in the garbage. (I kept the tin). Nuff said. PS. Bill Shatner's talent was wasted. He deserves much better.』
(Love It) 『Brings back memories or sitting on the couch eating ppopcorn and waiting to see what would happen, very enjoyable』
(old fan) 『I love Ray Bradbury. I have read his stories sense I was a kid. They did a good job bringing them to life. I'm sure they did the best they could (costume and special effects) at the time.』
(For $11 There is Nothing Better!) 『If you are paying 11 bucks for 65 episodes of Great Entertainment dont be picky. I found this Collection while i was looking for Twilight Zone dvds, For The same Cost of 4 episodes of The Twilight Zone, you can get this! Video Quality is not the best but it is Bearable, I would have paid at least $5 bucks extra if the set was on 8 or 9 Dvds』
(Ray Bradbury DVD) 『Can't beat the price of over 60 episodes of half-hour stories. Some are outstanding and some are just okay. There are so many, so you don't have to worry about being bored. Ray is one of the best storytellers of our generation.』 『Featuring 65 Episodes! Entranced by magicians, comic strips, and science-fiction magazines, Ray Bradbury began "educating" himself at the Los Angeles Library three to five times a week. By twenty-seven years of age he "graduated," having written over several million words. In his early twenties, he supported himself by selling newspapers on street corners and writing for radio programs such as Suspense, Escape, CBS Radio Playhouse, and X Minus One. Bradbury has now written over one thousand short stories--400 of which have been published in such magazines as The New Yorker, The New Republican, The Saturday Evening Post, Amazing Stories, Colliers, Dime Detective and McCall's. He has also written for Alfred Hitchcock Presents and for Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. And now, showcased in this 5 DVD set are some of Ray Bradbury's finest works.』
price：$29.99
20th Century Fox
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Outstanding Alien Movie Collection - Highly Recommended) 『My son had seen "Alien vs Predator" and didn't know the background of either creature so, realizing that we were remiss in his pop culture education, we bought the Alien Quadrilogy. This is a fantastic 9 DVD set that contains two versions of each movie and more extras than we will ever be able (or inclined) to watch. While not detailed reviews of each movie, here are my general observations:
* Alien - This is a great movie that contains all of the elements of a classic sci-fi\horror. Like several other reviewers, I prefer the original release over the extended version.
* Aliens - Really good sequel which stays true to what made the original movie great. This time I liked the extended version better.
* Alien 3 - Not nearly as good as the first two, but still watchable. I think the theatrical release is the better one (other reviews disagree), but the extended version is still interesting to watch.
* Alien Resurrection - I really disliked this movie all around, it doesn't matter which version, but it still needs to be seen to round out the series.
The box cover art is in an attractive holographic like motif that looks very nice on the shelf. The DVDs are kept in a somewhat unwieldy fold out arrangement, but they do take up surprising little room.
Overall this a great value for all that is packed into this great set!
Highly Recommended!
CFH』
(Comprehensive doesn't begin to cover this baby.) 『With BluRay taking over in the way of picture/sound quality and, thanks to studio push, bonus materials, it looks like the Alien Quadrilogy is set to go down in history as the greatest DVD collection ever assembled.
I remember when this set first came out, there were actual complaints about it because some buyers felt that it was overkill. 50 hours of bonus features? Fox threw everything but the kitchen sink into this release. Two versions of each film plus a gajillion documentaries and featurettes spread across nine discs. I remember recieving this as a Christmas gift in 2003 and actually laughing at how long the package was when you folded it out. Another complaint was that some DVD players couldn't handle the enhanced viewing mode. But any player manufactured after, say, 2002 wouldn't have these problems.
If you're a fan of this series, you couldn't reasonably ask for anything else, unless of course you're a fan of the dreadful Alien vs. Predator movies.』
(alien on aliens) 『Brought mine at a shop, but has anyone brought the set where alien was on the disc where aliens is and Aliens on the disc where Alien is? Be interesting for a reply』
(Alien Fun) 『I love all 4 of the movies. The way the storyline follows the experince of one brave woman. It's great! The action, aliens, and stuff had me glued to the TV. I would tell everybody if they like syfy and action get these movies. Sheila』
(Alien fans unite !) 『This is a 9 DVD box set. OVer 50 hours of bonus materials. Each Alien movie has its own disc and there is a bonus disc for each film. Every major Alien fan should own this box set. Has interviews with most of the actors and movie makers. My only complaint is the disc holders works like an accordian where you have to unfold entire side to get to either the first or last disc. Would have been nice to have a CD soundtrack "best of" all 4 films included.』 『Disc 1: Alien Collector?s Edition Disc 2: Aliens Collector?s Edition Disc 3: Alien 3 Collector?s Edition Disc 4: Alien Resurrection Collector?s Edition Disc 5: Bonus Disc』 『TheAlien Quadrilogyis a nine-disc boxed set devoted to the fourAlienfilms. Although previously available on DVD as theAlien Legacy, here they have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and picture. For anyone who hasn't been in hypersleep for the last 25 years, this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and "special edition" form.
Alien(1979) was so perfect it didn't need fixing, and Ridley Scott's 2003 director's cut is fiddling for the sake of fiddling. Watch it once, then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely, the special edition of James Cameron'sAliens(1986) is the definitive version, though it's nice to finally have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternativeAlien 3(1992). This isn't a "director's cut"--David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release--but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered, and finished off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it's truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann's character adds considerable depth to story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different.Alien: Resurrection(1997) always was a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the special edition just makes it eight minutes longer.
TheAlien Quadrilogyoffers the first and fourth films with DTS soundtracks, the others having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary track that lends insight into the creative process--though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the firstAlienDVD release are missing here.
Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented in full-screen with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills, and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by theLord of the Ringsextended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including an hourlong documentary and even all the extras from the oldAlienlaserdisc. "Exhaustive" hardly beings to describe theAlien Quadrilogy, a set that establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time.--Gary S. Dalkin』
price：$4.99
Mill Creek Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Dont spend too much on this) 『While this set is not terrible, it's not too great either. Dont spend a lot. The movies range from quirky/weird in a good way to torturous attempts at drama. I'm not too sure about the "cult classic" status of these flicks either, theyre prettty much just 70's grind house B movies.
The presentations arent the worst I've seen and in some cases pretty good. Most are in widescreen, so that helps.
Like I said; dont spend too much on this and you should be satisfied...』
(You Really Do Get What You Pay For...) 『When a collection of eight movies costs less than five dollars especially when the packaging refers to them as "Cult Classics" it is definitely buyer (and viewer) beware. In this case caution is definitely advisable as depending on your appreciation of 1970's exploitation movies you may find these insufferable or morbidly entertaining. In rating them I am trying to be unbiased, but I have to admit that most of this set did very little for me. I am reluctantly settling on a three star rating as the best compromise available. Most of the films deserve one star reviews, but bearing in mind that most people purchasing this package will fully realize the sleaze they are buying and must therefore appreciate it, I decided that as a value proposition the package gives a lot of 70's B-movie running time for the price. If you are looking for actual good movies, you are definitely in the wrong place: this is nothing but a collection of insipid and implausible cheese.
"The Pick-Up" is a plodding piece of garbage about three losers cavorting in the Everglades after their giant bus gets stuck in the mud. If it were only that simple, it would probably have been a middling picture, but no, they had to go and mix in lots of astral visions, psychobabble, and witchery to pad out the plot. While the movie does manage to prove that baby raccoons are very cute (don't even ask), most of the film is padding. There are lots of slow scenes of birds flying, walking through mud, all told at a snail's pace with terrible synthesizer background music at every turn. The three people on the bus are a young and irresponsible couple and a creepy witch-girl who likes to take us psychically back to subplots about disgusting priests, ancient rituals, caricatured politicians, and a very creepy clown.
The film suffers from many flaws, perhaps the worst of which is sound quality. It is frequently impossible to hear dialogue over background sounds and the musical score. Do not be too upset; this actually improves the quality of the viewing experience. The film also features the most awkward kissing lesson in screen history followed by highly improbable arboreal hijinks, and continuity issues galore, all leading up to the most unnatural performance featuring a stuffed animal in cinema history. The film is as boring as it is pointless, and is the worst film of the bunch, but it does have one redeeming quality: it's short.
"The Sister In Law" dares you to suffer through it. Transparent and caricatured characters do and say predictable things in this tedious would-be potboiler. The entire production is laced with leaden dialogue like "Every beast ought to lick his own wounds", this intimate exchange between two brothers: "What's the matter?"..."I itch."..."You gotta' disease?", and, of course, this turgid chestnut: "I've had your wife and your mistress, and I threw your heroin into a mountain stream!" In other words, this was supposed a cool, swinging flick, but like so many other movies from the 70's, is merely painful and trying.
All the characters here are absolutely repulsive, so it's difficult to sympathize with any of them, though we're supposed to be aligned with Bobby, the younger brother (John Savage). Older brother Edward is a mobbed-up irresponsible lout with a hussy for a wife. Here's a tip to the wise: don't mess with your insane cold-blooded mobster brother's wife. Or girlfriend. No good can come of it. In an unintentionally humorous subplot we learn that Edward is really just a confused writer who needs understanding and one good deal to get out of his heroin smuggling ways. You will not be convinced of this, or really anything else, for that matter for two primary reasons: first, the acting is generally awful (especially from Will MacMillan as Edward, who needs to take subtlety lessons from William Shatner); and second, the soundtrack makes watching a challenge as dialogue, music, and effects go from nearly inaudible even with the volume cranked to maximum, to ear-splittingly loud, all within seconds.
The movie has little to recommend it: insipid plot, terrible acting, bad audio, and one of the worst musical scores in film history. The theme song over the lengthy opening credits was so bad I finally had to break down and mute it, and the incidental music is even worse, especially the lengthy "smuggling in Canada, with subsequent inappropriate aquatic disposal of heroin" montage set to banjo music. For a film set in very exclusive parts of New York, the banjo montage was jarring at best, grating at worst. On the positive side, the clothes are hilarious, especially the denim leisure suit worn by mob boss "Benjo", who, it turns out, has the stupidest goons in organized crime.
Despite press materials (and the title itself) blaming the whole tawdry mess on a brazen woman, everything that goes wrong is really entirely Edward's fault; unfortunately no good deed goes unpunished, which you will discover (without any surprise) at the end of the film. I recommend that you don't watch this piece of garbage if you want to avoid punishment yourself. Ugh.
"The Stepmother" is definitely the best movie of the eight, and is a decent potboiler about lust, betrayal, and murder from producer Hikmet Avedis (which is normally a warning sign). The film is carried by a great performance from Alejandro Rey as haunted architect Frank Delgado, who becomes embroiled in two separate murders. The film opens with terrible music and the murder of Delgado's wife's lover at the hands of an enraged Rey. While he seems to have put a lid on that successfully, Rey and Larry Linville (a prototype pre-MASH Frank Burns), his business partner, have both romantic and monetary issues to overcome, and Rey is a hothead with little self-control. I won't reveal what happens with Linville, but I will say that although contrived, it's interesting. The crimes are being investigated by a wannabe Columbo (Peter Falk has nothing to worry about) who, while none too bright, is extremely grating. Along with that distraction there are other negatives to the film, not the least of which is watching a bunch of fully dressed fifty-somethings frolic on a beach: I never need to see that. There are unexpected B-movie joys here, though, my favorite of which is without question the jazz-funk flute dance.
Although the film starts and ends with implausible coincidences and features completely moronic police work, the acting really does make the film highly watchable. The technical aspects of the film are middling at best and are very dated, especially the endlessly repeated freeze frame effect used for plot transitions. The subplot about the hot young stepmother, Margo, getting high and making a pass at her stepson is both repulsive and laughable. (This pass is extraordinarily clumsy, somewhat akin to the pass Torgo makes at Margaret in "Manos: The Hands of Fate".) Despite the obvious flaws, though, the film is very watchable and manages to overcome its history as an example of exploitation cinema, largely through the performance of Alejandro Rey.
"The Teacher" is a piece of 1970's trash featuring a bizarre coming of age plot superimposed with an insane lunatic stalker plot. I give auteur Hikmet Avedis credit for trying to blend disparate plots, but the entire thing comes across as one contrivance after another. The plot concerns creepy stalking Vietnam veteran (of course) Ralph, who drives a hearse and lives in a grain silo overlooking the marina where public school teacher Diane keeps her yacht moored. He keeps his belonging in a casket, which I would have thought the police would have noticed during their investigation after his brother Lou falls to death from the top. Peeping Ralph blames Lou's friend Sean (Jay "Dennis the Menace" North!) for the death, which sets the full psychotic stalker plot in gear. Despite numerous sightings and threats to Diane and Sean, nobody ever once thinks to call the police. That was one logically challenged area of the film, but the other bit of incredulity revolves around the fact that a public high school teacher drives a Corvette, has a giant pool, and her own yacht. How much do teachers make in California, anyhow?
In the least credible part of the plot, teacher Diane and student Sean are on a first name basis with each other, and quickly move to other pastimes together, all while Ralph watches (and gets ever more jealous) and, most insanely, with the explicit encouragement of Sean's mother. The mother was definitely the creepiest element of the film for me. Along the way there are many ridiculous and embarrassing scenes: Diane washes her car in a full length dress, a gossipy restaurant scene provides the most inept flirtation ever, and last but not least, Diane's bedroom provides the backdrop for the most ludicrous use of an umbrella in filmmaking history (and yes, I have seen "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies.") The film has intentions to be creepy, and the ending is a bit out of the norm, although equally implausible and predictable.
"Trip With The Teacher" is a typical schoolgirls-in-peril-from-bikers film. A couple of mean bikers and one nice biker meet up with the girls on their geology field trip (yeah, right) first at a gas station, and later when their bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere. The most evil biker, Al, who looks like Bono in Liz Taylor sunglasses, is a murderous thug with unwholesome intentions. As soon as the bus breaks down a catfight immediately erupts, halted only by the arrival of the dangerous bikers. The bikers tow the bus full of willing victims to a deserted cabin, where they quickly dispatch the bus driver, and quickly raise a question: did anyone even consider killing the bikers when their clothes were off and they didn't have access to their weapons? The good biker decides to become a hero and get help (who bothers to carefully don and adjust their helmet when running for their life in a bike chase?) While the boys are out dueling in the desert there are long, painful passages of staring at each other, which does nothing to further the plot, but pads the running time immensely. Then one of the most annoying actresses in screen history is dispatched to run and get help, but whines and snivels about how she is scared for what seems like hours: I was actually pulling for the biker in this instance. The ending requires quite a suspension of disbelief and concludes with smiles all around, except on the audience's face.
"Best Friends" features future "Battleship Galactica" heartthrob Richard Hatch in another bit of motorhome mayhem, this one even more farfetched than "The Pick-Up": it may be the single stupidest road movie ever. Every single character in this film is insufferable, and nobody behaves similarly to reality. In essence the story is that two Army buddies get out of the service and take their girlfriends home with them in a giant camper. What's impossible to grasp is why the four would stay together for the entire trip such are the factions involved. The crux of the matter is that one guy wants to get married (Jessie; Richard Hatch) and the other guy (Pat; Doug Chapin) spends the entire film trying to break up Jessie's relationship so the two guys can have a life on the road. Especially after Pat resorts to manipulation and physical violence, there is no rationale for staying together, and that's why the whole movie seems utterly contrived. There's a big Pat-wants-Jessie's-girl-and-vice-versa subtext here (that is utterly implausible), and the conclusion to be reached is that these characters are only capable of doing whatever is stupidest in any given situation. When Jessie and Pat have a feud over Kathy, why don't they leave in the camper, after all Pat bought a motorcycle for some reason. When threatened, leave.
There is some of the stupidest gunplay in history in this film (Let's get drunk and shoot lizards with a pistol!), culminating in a painful scene proving that Jessie is a poor shot with tragic results (no extra points for guessing) leading unsurprisingly to a pointless, unresolved ending. This film is an absolute chore to watch and should have ended the careers of everyone involved; Richard Hatch should consider himself very lucky.
"Cindy and Donna" is the only movie of the eight besides "The Stepmother" featuring girls who are actually pretty. The plot is a tawdry coming-of-age piece featuring the worst parents of the 70's (which is certainly saying something) and their two saucy and irresponsible children. There are occasionally amusing diversions like when the prostitute uses a Dremel tool on Dad's chest hair, and inner struggles about how far is too far to go on a date (I call this section of the film "Torrid Chastity".) The soundtrack is very grating, and the banjo-intensive driving music is almost too much to endure (as is a curious trend in this DVD set). The cast and characters are unrelentingly awful, and they whole thing is a voyeuristic and uneasy exploration of pubescent possibilities. Despite the pretty girls, I really loathed this movie. The ending is particularly ludicrous, but at least it's over.
"Malibu High" features Kim, a lazy, homely, stoner, drunk high school senior working her way through her teachers to get A's to enable her to graduate. The skank is trying to forget her high school sweetheart, Kevin, who is now dating a rich brat. I will particularly warn you about the high school disco scene, which requires a very high pain threshold to get through, and which does not go the way Kim intends. After the disco she gets the idea to use her wily feminine charms to seduce her male teachers to enable her to graduate. I will tell you that if you are expecting this to be erotic in the slightest, you will be gravely disappointed. Through her serial seductions, she turns pro, and then becomes an assassin for hire as well. This is perhaps one of the least plausible life-of-crime conversions in film history, and you will be especially entertained by the way she bumps her principal off. Eventually she is assigned on orders "from Chicago" to kill the father of Kevin's new girlfriend (how's that for justice?), and is assured by her handler "There's absolutely nothing that can go wrong!" Needless to say, he's horribly incorrect, and the hit turns into a disaster, although there is some fortunate elimination of annoying characters. The film concludes with a run down a beach and is very reminiscent of the conclusion in "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Mixed-Up Zombies", although without the deft directorial or acting skills of the Ray Dennis Steckler classic.』
(A pack of silly juvenile teasers) 『Great stuff for when you've grown tired of all of your good movies ... light entertainment with a cruel twist ... just the thing as a backdrop with pop-corn when you've got something else to do.』
(I was drawn in) 『I don't see many movies and these films are from an era in my life when I was trying to be far more serious. Now that I have retired and look back mainly as a way of engaging in 40 years of recapitulation of the Vietnam war, three of these movies tell me a lot about the nature of American life. "Malibu High" (1979) tells me how bad choices can make people advance in the wrong direction, like the American economy has been rolling in money like a bobsled rocketing down clear through to China. Each step in the plot takes a girl further along in seeing what trouble is all about. "The Sister In Law" stars John Savage, who was in the Deer Hunter, but I think the interesting character is a younger brother who thinks he has supernatural powers so everything that he does will turn out right, even if he does not know what is going to happen next. "Cindy and Donna" mainly has girls being seduced by guys with abject reactions by people who stumble in when the worm has turned. "The Teacher" was a movie I thought was creepy. After watching a few other movies, I was not ready to see more than one minute of "The Stepmother." There are times in life, as in the movies, when someone gets killed, but if you don't like those times, don't watch "The Teacher" and you might not want this set of movies as much as you think.』
(Saggy boobs and bad acting is all you'll get for your money...) 『I recently have become fascinated by exploitation films, so I decided this would be a sordid buy. I was surprised at how little the movies actually cost, considering there are eight in the set. But as I trudged through each one (fast-forwarding through the majority) I realized nothing worthwhile is cheap. These movies are campy and unbelievable. The story lines are non-existent and the sex scenes leave a lot to be desired...like sex. Malibu High was a cinematic trainwreck...the gratuitous nudity (which was not exactly pleasing or tasteful) was the only interesting thing about the "cult classic" The pimp in the movie looks like a weasel and the Lolita prostitute can't seem to find a client under 60. And everyone says this is the best one! I'd have spent more wisely on a Value Meal than this piece of junk.』 『Pick-Up:
An off-beat story about two young women whose lives are forever changed when they hitchhike a ride in a mobile home.
The Sister-In-Law:
A punchy story about the sexual entanglements of four people and how their moral conflicts lead to heartache and destruction.
The Stepmother:
A high-living architect who - as a result of his violent temper - finds himself enmeshed in two accidental deaths. When he discovers his 2nd wife having an affair with his teenage son...there's almost a third murder!
The Teacher:
She corrupted the youthful morality of an entire school! An explosively tense story about a beautiful, provocative 28-year-old high school teacher whose seduction of one particular student proves fatal.
Trip with the Teacher:
A chilling experience in terror as a group of female students and their pretty teacher are ambushed, while on a field trip, by two sadistic bikers, forcing the women to learn a lesson in survival.
Best Friends:
Two young couples taste the free and easy life on a cross country motor-home tour until love backfires and tragedy follows.
Cindy and Donna:
Two sisters, growing up in a middle-class home with parents too preoccupied with booze and sex, find that being grown up doesn't mean acting like their folks, as experiments with drugs and sex teach them.
Malibu High:
High school senior Kim is having her share of problems. Her grades are poor, her boyfriend dumped her for a rich girl and her financial situation is disastrous. So she makes an after hours deal with one of her teachers to improve her grade point average. Soon, she is working her way through the faculty room and taking on paying customers.』
The scallop of large satisfactory ! northern countries and - [ of how much ] botan shrimp are ! tightly.
getting to know the technique of motorbike expensive sale -- Ta -- if -- -
>,Rona Benson,Blake Michael Bryan,Laura Dern,John Diehl,Bruce French
