Collecting Movie Reviews
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Wow ! France is so beautiful !!!
The best of the lot, Cold Fusion, involves serious globe-hopping through four continents: Join a long, long hike through Kenya to ski what remains of a disappearing glacier, and later watch the surreal ballet of multiple "aerialists" launched high on the slopes at Colorado's Winter Park Big Air Expedition. Scale up--and snowboard down--an impossibly steep peak in Waddington, U.K., and then, believe it or not, ski Iran, a place "between dreams and awakening, of hot tea and cherry tobacco."
Ride provides its own thrills, traipsing after Whistler's avalanche hunters as they launch explosives clearing landslides before landslides clear skiers. Stick around for stops in New Zealand and France, plus helicopter skiing in the North Cascades, snowboarding the bouncy trail of the Breckenridge Bumps, and cross a war zone in Russia to reach (via creaky cable cars and choppers) the top of Europe.
Storm continues the fun in British Columbia's Blue River, Aspen's Roaring Fork Valley, Lake Tahoe, and Antarctica's South Georgia Island, the haunting first site of Ernest Shackleton's legendary, ill-fated voyage. Rounding out this DVD collection is the retrospective Fifty, an album of highlights (e.g., snowboarding in the Chugach Range, near the site of the Valdez crash) that takes a fun, then-and-now approach. --Tom Keogh
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All Great Wesley Snipes Movies
You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! --Jeff Shannon
Das Boot
This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically rereleased in 1997. Originally made as a six-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. --Jim Emerson
In the Line of Fire
Between his directorial duties on A Perfect World and The Bridges of Madison County, Clint Eastwood starred in this pulse-racing 1993 thriller. In the Line of Fire was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the brilliant director of the World War II U-boat masterpiece Das Boot. Eastwood gives one of his best performances as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, who still feels responsible for the death of JFK 30 years earlier. Horrigan gets a shot at redemption when challenged by a psychotic but highly intelligent assassin (John Malkovich) who intends to kill the current U.S. president. Tension builds as this intellectual cat-and-mouse game reaches its climactic confrontation, but not before we've seen the killer at work, covering his trail with ruthless precision. Tightly scripted by Jeff Maguire, the film cuts Malkovich loose as one of the most memorable screen villains of the 1990s, and costars Rene Russo as Eastwood's sharp Secret Service colleague and romantic partner. --Jeff Shannon
The Perfect Storm
Setting out for the one last catch that will make up for a lackluster fishing season, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) pushes his boat the Andrea Gail out to the waters of the Flemish Cap off Nova Scotia for what will be a huge swordfish haul. While his crew is gathering fish, three storm fronts (including a hurricane) collide to create a "perfect storm" of colossal force, and Billy's path back to Gloucester, Massachusetts, takes them right smack into the middle of it. Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of Sebastian Junger's seafaring bestseller is a faithful if by-the-numbers true-story account of a monster storm that rocked New England in 1991, specifically Tyne's commercial fishing boat and its crew. Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up. The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves. Still, it's a long way to that action, with an extended first act that consists mainly of stoic men, crying women, and a fair amount of "don't go out into the sea" dialogue--in other words, a compelling story has been shoehorned into standard summer movie fare. It's too bad, as Peterson assembled an excellent cast--including Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner among them--but seems to opt for only a surface exploration of these characters, though Clooney seems to have a touch of Captain Ahab in him. You may still be won over by the movie, but for a more in-depth portrait, go to Junger's book for the missing details. --Mark Englehart
Great Films, Excellent Price
Vintage Wrestling on DVDThe biggest sell of this DVD series is the optional "Insider Commentary" (from Select Audio screen) from series hosts Jim Cornette (noted wrestling manager/promoter) and Dave Meltzer (noted wrestling journalist) which can be turned on in lieu of the original match audio. The insider commentary offers great insights into wrestling history, the superstars and the world of wrestling in general.
Though this collection is referred to as "Wrestling Gold" perhaps a better name for this particularly volume would have been "The Best of Memphis Wrestling" which is where most of these matches were pulled from. Here's a rundown of the featured matches on this volume:
1.Tommy Rich and Eddie Gilbert vs. Phil Hickerson and The Spoiler: Early 80s from Memphis. Tennessee Street Fight. Rich was a former NWA World Champion. He and Gilbert were top stars from the South. All were mainstays in Memphis wrestling. Decent tag match. 3 stars.
2.Rock N' Roll Expresss vs. Randy Savage and Lanny Poffo. From Memphis 1984. This is a rematch from the match featured on volume II. Another top-notch contest between these legendary competitors. 4 stars.
3.Dory Funk Jr. vs. Dick Slater: From SCW. Great scientific mat wrestling from these two old-school grapplers. Funk was a legendary heavyweight champion. Slater was a noted brawler who emulated Dory's brother Terry. 4 stars.
4.Tiger Jeet Singh vs. The Sheik: From Toronto. Cage Match. Both were legendary brawlers from the 60s through the 70s. Great brawl. 4 stars.
5.The Fabulous Blonds (Eric Embry and Ken Tims). Vs. Manny Fernandez and Al Perez: From SCW 1984 from the tag titles. All four competitors were mainstays in Texas wrestling with Fernandez and Embry achieving legendary status. Perez went on to mild success in the NWA. Decent scientific bout between these two teams. Post-match run-in by the Sheepherders (AKA, the Bushwhackers). 4 stars
6.Terry Funk vs. Harley Race: 2/6/76 from Toronto. Historic match for the NWA world title. Outstanding old-school scientific match between these two legendary grapplers. 5 stars.
7.Pepper Gomez vs. The Bounty Hunter: Decent match. 3 ¾ stars.
8.Austin Idol vs. Jim Neidhart: Memphis 1984. Idol was a Memphis legend. Okay match. Also featuring Jimmy Hart and the Spoiler. 3 stars.
9.Junkyard Dog vs. "Hacksaw" Butch Reed: Memphis 1984. Awesome "power" match up. JYD was an icon throughout the South. Both went on to success in the 1980s WWF. Reed also went on to greater success as part of Doom in WCW. 4 stars.
10.Rick Rude, Jim Neidhart, Ox Baker and the Japanese Assassin (w/ Angel) vs. Robert Reed, Tiger Mask, Keith Eric and Mad Dog: Memphis, 1984. Squash match. Rick Rude wrestles in a dress. DUD.
11.King Kong Bundy vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler: From Memphis, 1984. Lawler makes $1000 for every minute the match goes on. Bundy went on to success in the WWF. Lawler was a legend in Memphis, known by today's fans as the former WWF Raw announcer. Great match psychology. Rick Rude run-in. 4 stars.
12.Terry Funk vs. Mark Lewin: Detroit, 1977. Great brawl between these two noted brawling legends. Post-match run-in with Walter Johnson. 4 stars.
13.Tommy Rich vs. Massao Ito (w/ Jimmy Hart): Memphis, 1984. Great match between these two including some nice martial arts spots from Ito. 4 stars.
14.Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Kamala The Ugandan Giant: Memphis, 1984 for the Southern Heavyweight Title. Kamala was a major star throughout Memphis and Texas who went on to greater success in the WWF in the 1980s through early 90s. Lawler at his best. 4 stars.
15.Ray Stevens, Blackjack Mulligan and Baron Von Raschke (w/ Blackjack Lanza and Bobby Heenan) vs. The Crusher, Dick the Bruiser and Sailor Art Thomas: Indianapolis, early 70s. Star-studded six-man tag with 8 legends of the 1970s. All 8 men were top stars/top draws throughout the 60s and 70s, particularly Stevens, Crusher and the Bruiser. 4 stars.
Wrestling wise, this is a GREAT DVD. Here's my rundown:
Price of Admission Alone: The NWA title match between Race and Funk. This is a true piece of wrestling history.
Awesome: The "Insider Match Commentary." It's a fascinating listen/insight into the stars and the business. You'll learn a GREAT deal about the history of the business and the stars that made it. Also, many of the anecdotes that Cornette shares are PRICELESS.
Good: Seeing all the old-school superstars (Savage, JYD, RN'R, Rude, Gilbert, Heenan, etc).
Whoa: Where'd the biographies go????
Could Improve: The match intros by Cornette and Meltzer. They do a good job of introducing the matches and placing them in context of the feuds and time, BUT they neglect to mention important details (for most) such as the DATES of these contests. It's something they should mention, plus also put on the box. To get this basic info you'll have to listen with "Insider Commentary" turned on.
Overall, this is a great DVD if you are into old-school style matches and stars. The matches in this volume are great!!! You'll get a good mix of scientific (Funk/Race), (Funk Jr./Slater), hardcore (Sheik/Singh), (Funk/Lewin), power (JYD/Reed), aerial (RnR/Savage, Poffo), etc. There's something for everyone. Plus, you'll see legends like Ray Stevens, the Crusher and Dick the Bruiser and even contemporary favorites who are no longer with us (Rude, Eddie Gilbert, JYD). If you are a wrestling nostalgist THIS IS FOR YOU. Definitely give this a watch. You'll see many of the older stars of today back in their prime or as rookies. Also, you'll get to see some of the legends that older fans always reminisce about. Plus, if you want a great lesson in wrestling history, listen to it in "Insider Commentary" mode. It's a fascinating listen.
Highly Recommended (for nostalgia)
A Great Look At Wrestling History...The biggest sell of this DVD series is the optional "Insider Commentary" (from Select Audio screen) from series hosts Jim Cornette (noted wrestling manager/promoter) and Dave Meltzer (noted wrestling journalist) which can be turned on in lieu of the original match audio. The insider commentary offers great insights into wrestling history, the superstars and the world of wrestling in general.
Though this collection is referred to as "Wrestling Gold" perhaps a better name for this particularly volume would have been "The Best of Memphis Wrestling" which is where most of these matches were pulled from. Here's a rundown of the featured matches on this volume:
1.Randy "Macho Man" Savage (w/ Angelo Poffo) vs. Rick Rude (w/ Jimmy Hart): Early 80s Memphis. Both men went on to SUPER stardom as both are multi-time heavyweight champions. Okay match. Big stall-fest. King Kong Bundy run-in. 3 stars.
2.Andre the Giant vs. The Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk AKA The Grand Wizard): Toronto, 1974. Great seeing Andre in his prime. Both men were huge legends in this sport. The Sheik, in particular, was a legend in Toronto, known today as "Sabu's uncle." One-sided squash for Andre notable for the "fiery finish." 3 stars.
3.Pampero Firpo vs. Jeff Doney: Firpo was an Argentine also known as the "Wild Bull of the Pampas" who teamed up with the Sheik. Squash match. 3 stars.
4.Bruiser Brody and Scott Casey vs. Kelly Kiniski and the Spoiler: San Antonio, early 80s. Brody was the legendary Brawler. Casey and the Spoiler were mainstays in Texas wrestling. Casey went on to achieve VERY mild success in the late 80s WWF. Kiniski is the son of former NWA champion Gene Kiniski. Great mat classic in this match. 4 stars.
5.Jerry "The King" Lawler and Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs. King Kong Bundy and Rick Rude: Memphis, 1985. Star-studded tag match featuring 4 modern-day legends of the sport. AWESOME tag match showing Lawler and Savage at their best. 4 ¾ stars.
6.Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Don Kent: Early 70s. Shark Cage match. Strongbow was a legend throughout the Northeast in the 70s. Don Kent was one half of the Fabulous Kangaroos. Interesting match that took place in a VERY mobility limiting shark cage. Definitely NOT something you see everyday. Mark Lewin run-in. 5 stars just because it's something unique.
7.Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs. Austin Idol: Memphis, early 80s for the International title. Idol was a Memphis legend and a big star throughout the South. Savage at his finest. AWESOME match. 5 stars.
8.Terrible Ted the Wrestling Bear vs. Gene DuBois: from the 50s/60s. Wrestling bears (yes, REAL bears) were big draws during the 50s/60s/70s. This match is a special treat. While it is NOT a great classic, it is definitely a great novelty to see. The ref gets in on the action too!!! 5 stars.
9.Rick Rude (w/ Angel) vs. Tommy Rich (w/ Tojo Yamamoto): Memphis, early 80s for the Southern Heavyweight title. Tommy Rich was a former NWA Heavyweight champion and big star throughout the South. A pretty decent match notable for one HORRIBLY blown spot. Lawler run-in. 4 stars.
10.Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Nick Bockwinkle (champ): Memphis 1983 for the AWA Heavyweight title. Another 5 star classic for Bockwinkle. AWESOME old-school match with great back and forth action. 5 stars.
11.Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs. Austin Idol: Memphis '84. Another great match with these two. Too bad it had a cheap finish. 4 stars.
12.Bobby Heenan (w/ Blackjack Mulligan and Lanza) vs. Cowboy Bob Ellis: Vintage Bobby Heenan trying to squeak out of a match. Ellis with the beat down on everyone. DUD.
Wrestling wise, this is a GREAT DVD. Here's my rundown:
Price of Admission Alone: The novelty of the Bear match and the GREAT action with Lawler/Bockwinkle and Savage/Idol and also seeing Andre in his prime.
Awesome: The "Insider Match Commentary." It's a fascinating listen/insight into the stars and the business. You'll learn a GREAT deal about the history of the business and the stars that made it. Also, many of the anecdotes that Cornette shares are PRICELESS.
Good: Seeing all the old-school superstars (Savage, Andre, Bundy, the Blackjacks, Heenan, etc).
Whoa: Where'd the biographies go????
Could Improve: The match intros by Cornette and Meltzer. They do a good job of introducing the matches and placing them in context of the feuds and time, BUT they neglect to mention important details (for most) such as the DATES of these contests. It's something they should mention, plus also put on the box. To get this basic info you'll have to listen with "Insider Commentary" turned on.
Unforgiveable: Misprint on the box. Match 9 (Funk/Putski vs. Hernandez/Blanchard) was NOT on this volume, but rather volume I.
Overall, this is a great DVD if you are into old-school style matches and stars. The matches in this volume are great!!! You'll get a good mix of scientific (Lawler/Bockwinkle), (Savage/Idol), hardcore (Strongbow/Kent), etc. There's something for everyone. Plus, you'll see legends like Andre the Giant, the wrestling bear, the Sheik, and Chief Jay Strongbow and even contemporary favorites who are no longer with us (Rude, Bruiser Brody, etc). If you are a wrestling nostalgist THIS IS FOR YOU. Definitely give this a watch. You'll see many of the older stars of today back in their prime or as rookies. Also, you'll get to see some of the legends that older fans always reminisce about. Plus, if you want a great lesson in wrestling history, listen to it in "Insider Commentary" mode. It's a fascinating listen.
Highly Recommended (for nostalgia)
The 39 Steps (1935) is a prime example of the MacGuffin principle in action. Robert Donat is Richard Hannay, an affable Canadian tourist in London who becomes embroiled in a deadly conspiracy when a mysterious spy winds up murdered in Hannay's rented flat--and both the police and a secret organization wind up hot on his trail. It's classic Hitchcock all the way, a seemingly effortless balance of romance and adventure set against a picturesque landscape populated by eccentrics and social-register smoothies, none of whom is what he or she appears to be.
The Lady Vanishes (1938) begins innocently enough, as a contingent of eccentric tourists spend the night in a picture-postcard village inn nestled in the Swiss Alps before setting off on the train the next morning. Attractive young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) clashes with brash music student Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) when his nocturnal concerts give her no peace. True love is inevitable, but not before they are both plunged into an international conspiracy. Hitchcock effortlessly navigates this vivid thriller from light comedy to high tension and back again, creating one of his most enchanting and entertaining mysteries.
Rebecca (1940) is an ageless, timeless adult movie about a woman who marries a widower but fears she lives in the shadow of her predecessor. This was Hitchcock's first American feature, and it garnered the Best Picture statuette at the 1941 Academy Awards. In today's films, most twists and surprises are ridiculous or just gratuitous, so it's sobering to look back on this film where every revelation not only shocks, but makes organic sense with the story line. Laurence Olivier is dashing and weak, fierce and cowed. Joan Fontaine is strong yet submissive, defiant yet accommodating. Brilliant stuff.
Hitchcock takes on Sigmund Freud in Spellbound (1945), in which psychologist Ingrid Bergman tries to solve a murder by unlocking the clues hidden in the mind of amnesiac suspect Gregory Peck. Among the highlights is a bizarre dream sequence seemingly designed by Salvador Dali--complete with huge eyeballs and pointy scissors. Spellbound is one of Hitchcock's strangest and most atmospheric films, providing the director with plenty of opportunities to explore what he called "pure cinema"--i.e., the power of pure visual associations.
Notorious (1946) features a cast to kill for: Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and Claude Rains. Bergman plays the daughter of a disgraced father who is recruited by American agents to infiltrate a post-World War II spy ring in Brazil. Her control agent is Grant, who treats her with disdain while developing a deep romantic bond with her. Her assignment: to marry the suspected head of the ring (Rains) and get the goods on everyone involved. Danger, deceit, betrayal--and, yes, romance--all come together in a nearly perfect blend as the film builds to a terrific (and surprising) climax. Grant and Bergman rarely have been better.
What More Could You Really Ask For??!
Great teachers, good mix of sessions
Great Set for Red Shoe Diaries fans
dog eat dog world
Indipensible masterpiece
Coppola's magnam opus