El Topo (1970)

I recently saw El Topo at the IFC Theater in NYC, and the restoration was beautiful. This film has only been available in North America in bootleg form, and these bootlegs ran from from passable to abominable. My personal copy was a VHS dub of a Japanese laserdisc, which had the film optically censored (you can't show pubic hair in Japan, but just about everything else), Japanese subtitles, and it was dubbed in English (it is supposed to be in Spanish). Now we will get it as the great Alejandro meant it to be seen. This film is really astounding at times, considering Jodorowsky was mainly known as a theater director, and he had only directed one previous feature (the little seen and frequently banned Fando y Lis). His films have a truly hallucinatory quality that is magnificent to behold. This was reportedly John and Yoko's favorite movie. They recommended that Allen Klein pick up the rights to it, and he did. Allen and Alejandro have been feuding for the last 30 years over this film and who owns the rights, but luckily, they've made peace (let's hope it stays that way). El Topo, along with The Holy Mountain, are Jodorowsky's best films. Many thanks to ABKCO films for finally releasing this masterpiece.

Just to let you know, the above is a review of El Topo. This review is also appearing for some reason under the box set of The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky. The box set is magnificent, by the way...

Notorious as "the" cult movie between "Night of the Living Dead" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "El Topo" certainly deserves a new, commercial DVD edition no less than the aforementioned cult hits and the contemporaneous "Pink Flamingoes." The film is primarily Jodorowsky's private allegory, often inscrutable but nonetheless thought-provoking and conducive to productive discussion--perhaps more than any independent film prior to "Eraserhead."

There's something for everyone in this film. The alternative, cultist crowd will enjoy the striking, often daring, imagery--the nude child who accompanies the mole, the wife impaled on a lofty stake towering over a pool of blood, the lust in the dust scenes, the mutilated bodies, the homoerotic images, etc. The philosophic and theologic-minded will have a field day with the film, drawing as it does on all three of the world's major religions with a good deal of "magic realism" thrown in. (El Topo's mortification and transformation into a clown recalls both St. Paul's "you must become a fool for Christ" and the privileged and sacred role of the clown in Eastern religions; his self-immolation summons up television imagery of Buddhist monks in Viet Nam during the time of the film's production.) The archetypologists will no doubt interpret the film as a variation on the Campbell monomyth, beginning with the hero's departure and--following numerous tests, descent into the belly of the whale, and resurrection--concluding with his return home.

But for a true film buff, "El Topo" deserves to stay around because of its clear indebtedness to a film tradition of cutting-edge, innovative movies--Bunuel's surrealist "Un Chien Andalou," "Simon of the Desert," and "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie"; Godard's ellipsist editing in "Breathless" and "Contempt"; Peckinpah's over-the-top, cleansing violence in "Straw Dogs" and "The Wild Bunch."

My major problem with the film concerns the ubiquitous, practically non-stop gun play. At some moments the story makes it clear that "El Topo" cannot be a master of selfish fear until he renounces the gun, but more often than not the gun serves the cause of both justice and the assertion of personal will. When even as a clown he returns to the gun, I find it difficult to muster any sympathy for him. Perhaps the final image of his self-demise (a return to the earth echoing and building on the opening image of interment) is meant to be the story's major apocalypse, but I doubt that most of the 1970's' "midnight movie" crowd ever saw it that way.

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El Topo is the classic Mexican film hailed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono enough that it was shown at midnight in many cinemas for years. It is often credited as starting the midnight movie countercultural that helped bring attention to, and build cult film audiences for movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and David Lynch's Eraserhead. In that respect it is far from a mainstream film but it got enough attention that it is celebrated even today. I feel that this is with good reason, as El Topo is one of best films ever made. Alejandro Jodorowsky directs and stars as the title character.

El Topo begins with its eponymous character in the desert with his son. He tells the boy to bury a picture of his mother and his toy in the sand as now it is time for him to become a man. The boy is vulnerable but El Topo leads him by example while protecting him in their various interactions with others. The film understands the western genre and the machismo that often accompanies it. El Topo is one bad cowboy who can guarantee protection for anyone he cares about. So it really sucks when he soon leaves his son behind with a bunch of monks after emasculating some evil banditos. He leaves with a girl he saved and he names her Mara. Mara loves El Topo for being the alpha male that he is, so she convinces him to kill the four best gunslingers so he can be baddest cowboy of them all. He manages to defeat them in various significant ways. These scenes are rich in biblical and other religious references and operate allegorically to show that being a bad cowboy isn't really all it's cracked up to be. Nevertheless, for better or worse, El Topo kills all four of them and begins to learn four specific lessons along the way. He begins to feel guilty and while he is caught off guard during the beginning stages of his enlightenment, he is defeated by the unknown woman who followed El Topo and Mara during their journey. Viewing El Topo as vulnerable, Mara betrays him and leaves with this unknown woman gunslinger. El Topo's battered and shot up body is taken away to a cave by a multitude of unseemly characters.

Macrocosmically, the journey for El Topo overall suggests that his travels represent the rise and trials of Judeo-Christian theologies, with the son representing new Judeo-Christianity and El Topo representing the old philosphies. The second half of the film seems to comment on more contemporary dealings and even anticipates what will happen in the future. How will El Topo's son grow? How will he react to the father who abandoned him but who has himself grown? How will the dominant faith evolve? How will it maintain its truth and purity with humanity at the wheel?

In the literal sense, the second half of El Topo forwards to a few years later after he is brought to a cave by this band of deformed pariahs. When he wakes up we soon realize that El Topo is a different man. He shaves off his beard and head and dresses as a monk. He makes a plan to free these people from their cave so they can join the community outside. He plans to fund the building of a tunnel to free these people. He does this by going to the town with his dwarven girlfriend to entertain them with comedy and dancing, among other small jobs. The town itself is by no means a utopia as it is wrought with slavery and violence. A new priest at the church in town is revealed to be El Topo's own son who he abandoned years earlier. El Topo's son plans to kill him but he decides not to do so until the tunnel is complete. The tunnel gets finished and El Topo's son decides not to kill him. Meanwhile, the deformed people are free and as they head to the town the villagers there begin to shoot and kill all of them, to El Topo's dismay. El Topo unleashes his vengeance on the villagers, killing them all and in the process freeing their slaves. El Topo then lights himself on fire, which was a timely parallel to the Buddhist monks who did the same in protest of the Vietnam War. During his death, El Topo's new son is born to his dwarven girlfriend. If the Buddhist references are consistent then this would suggest that El Topo is reincarnated as his own son and religious truth will continue to surface again.

I think it is important to note that the content in El Topo could be perceived as both perplexing and offensive to many movie-goers. Alejandro Jodorowsky kills real animals, uses real deformed and dwarfed people, and liberally applies nudity and violence throughout. It doesn't offend me at all but I knew my wife wouldn't like it and I understand why, so I mention it here just in case.

El Topo is a complex story with many odd details as well as many religious references and metaphors that comment on a larger scale as I noted earlier. I've seen it many times and in my first few viewings I didn't understand it and thought it was entertaining but pretentious. It is not pretentious. Microcosmically, El Topo is a film about a human being finding himself, and finding out all alone what it means to be alive. It is about independently becoming a good man as a good man is defined in the eyes of Alejandro Jodorowsky. It is obviously a deeply personal film for its director and it may not touch on elements personal to everyone in its audience, but it definitely did for me. Jodorowsky invokes religious references as a vehicle to express his own torments and challenges and how the enlightment experience for El Topo is merely mirroring his own experiences. It's commentary addresses oceans of issues in many layers. Conjuring up the imagination to produce this web of ideas so alive is indeed an ambitious undertaking. I find El Topo to be profoundly inspiring in a way that few films are. Its significance alone should at least justify one viewing for you and I hope you get the same satisfaction that I did. Perhaps you will like it enough to enjoy El Topo again and again.

Read Best Reviews of El Topo (1970) Here

NOTE: For the purpose of this review, I will be addressing the new Blu-Ray editions of "El Topo" and its sequel "The Holy Mountain" together. I viewed them back to back and feel that it is easy to see the two films as one experience.

Blu-Ray specs: If all you care about is how the new discs stack up, let's get that out of the way. Both films have received new HD transfers and look better and crisper than any other version that I've seen. That day-glo blood is potently orange! El Topo is in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio (won't be in widescreen), while The Holy Mountain is anamorphic. Most notable special features on El Topo are Jodorowsky commentary and an additional interview. Most notable special features on The Holy Mountain are a commentary track, deleted scenes, and insight into the film restoration. Both have traditional extras like the trailer, photo gallery, and script excerpts.

Madman or genius? Pretentious hokum or revolutionary cinema? Alejandro Jodorowsky is a film maker whose vision brooks very little middle ground. It seems to be a love it or hate it proposition. In truth, I'm a fan--but his work is definitely not for everyone. I may get into trouble with the most ardent of Jodorowsky enthusiasts when I say that I get more visceral satisfaction from the madcap imagery in his films than to any purported deep meaning. As two of his trademark films hit Blu-Ray, I was pleased to get an opportunity to check out his landmark films "El Topo" and "The Holy Mountain" again after about ten years. Experimental, controversial, provocative, disturbing--these demented films helped define the cult movie scene in the early seventies. "El Topo," in fact, played as a midnight movie in New York City for seven straight months. Today, they are still bizarrely fascinating but, once again, their divisive nature is likely to garner as many (if not more) detractors than admirers.

Of the two films, El Topo is closer to my heart. Starting out as a deranged western, the film morphs into a bloody existential quest, and ends as a struggle for redemption. The early scenes of this film always trap me into a full viewing! The central hero, played by Jodorowsky himself, is a gunfighter who becomes corrupted. Searching for meaning within his new existence, he tracks down four opponents with advanced battle skills and enlightened viewpoints. But these battles don't offer the solutions he had hoped for. Another chance at salvation comes about with a clan of misfits, but do they really require saving? Absurd, funny, and always intriguing--this is an incredible journey to nowhere and I love it!

The Holy Mountain has much loftier goals--but, to my mind, bigger isn't always better. A direct sequel, although relatively unrelated except for the central character, it picks up in the aftermath of the first film. Our hero now embraces a Christ-like countenance and the first third of the film presents some of the grimmest religion related spectacles you're likely to encounter on film. (In fact, the was a huge uproar at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival). Achieving a heightened state of being, he assembles a collection of powerful individuals--each representing a different planet. Stripping them down, the gang embarks on a lengthy existential quest to take a place among the gods. Strong religious allegory, mystical symbolism, and ideological iconography are brought together and are inherent parts of this film--but philosophical points tend to be hammered home. Sometimes "The Holy Mountain" loses me, it can be very heavy handed and message oriented. But still, an intriguing example of avant garde film making.

Again, the most arresting aspects of both films for me are most assuredly the visual qualities. If you like the gruesome and provocative imagery of Bunuel or Pasolini, you'll definitely want to check the films out. For entertainment, my easy choice is "El Topo." (4 stars) If you're searching for something fraught with meaning, try "The Holy Mountain." (3 1/2 stars) Or catch them together as I did. KGHarris, 4/11.

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"El Topo," long enmeshed in litigation, finally makes its bow on Blu-ray. Originally released in 1971, the strange Western "El Topo" perplexed moviegoers and still will cause some head scratching, though the movie has become a huge cult classic over the past 40 years. The film pays homage to the spaghetti Westerns of the late 60's/early 70's while incorporating a great deal of curious religious symbolism and grotesque imagery. It is definitely not a movie for everyone.

Alejandro Jodorowsky directed, wrote the screenplay, composed the music, and stars as the title character, a mysterious gunfighter in black who roams the Mexican desert. El Topo is accompanied for much of the film by his son, who learns several brutal lessons about growing up. Among other things, the boy witnesses firsthand how his father deals with a corrupt Mexican army colonel (David Silva), who's been terrorizing local villages.

"El Topo" is unrated and contains scenes of extreme violence, violence against women, blood and gore, male and female nudity, strong language, and simulated sex. The movie ran a full year in New York at midnight showings. Bonus Blu-ray features include commentary and on-camera interview with director Jodorowsky, and a photo gallery with original script excerpts.

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Fear (1996)

When you see a movie edited on tv and you say "I have got to own this movie!" then you know that it is really good. I was afraid to commit to it since it seemed like a CRUSH rip-off and I didn't want it to outstand my beloved favorite movie. It didn't. But, it's still a creepy little thriller about obsession, love and murder.

Meet Nicole Walker. A 16 year old girl with sex on her mind. Her father just married a woman and has a new stepbrother. Her girlfriend Margo Masse and her friend Gary decide one day, to be late for school and to go get some food at a gritty coffee shop. Nicole glances at David but doesn't really meet him until a party later that night. When the party becomes a riot, Nicole escapes with David to sit around and talk. It's love at first sight.

One night, Nicole tells David that she's ready to have sex. He says he's with some friends and has to do something. She tells him it's alright and to come over after and she tells him the code to the front door. Well, David comes in and they have sex. A day later or so, David goes to Nicole's school to pick her up, he see's Gary hug her. Not good in David's eyes. He goes over and beats the crap out of Gary and in the process, hits Nicole in the face, giving her a black eye.

Nicole's father is more than pissed. David seems to give him the creeps. When he confronts David, David says "You know, Mr. Walker-you really aren't a f***ot." Mr. Walker tells David to stay away from Nicole. After Mr. Walker leaves, David starts hitting himself in the chest. He tells Nicole that her father hit him. So she runs off with David, feeling sorry for him. He asks her if she wants to go to a party when he brings her back to her house. She tells him no. But after a few seconds, when he leaves, she decides to drive over herself. She goes there, and looks in a window to see Margo being abused and about to be raped by her "true love" David.

She now discovers David's true dark side. She won't talk to him so he "attacks" her in a bathroom at the mall. Mr. Walker's red car gets smashed up with a note on the broken window saying "Now I've poped both your ........!"....Mr. Walker finds out where David and his gang lives and ruins the place. When the group finds the place in ruins, David knows exactly who it is. And by their law "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a ...... tooth" they decide to pay the Walker family a little visit...

What worked in this movie was the psychotic attitude of David. He's a soid good actor and a damn good liar. You know he's bad but you really like him. He seems perfect. You try to like him after his accidently hitting Nicole but it becomes harder and harder.

RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:

Fatal Attraction (1987)

The Crush (1993)

The Stepfather (1987)

CAST

Mark Wahlberg...........David McCall

Reese Witherspoon....Nicole Walker

William L. Petersen.....Steve Walker

Amy Brenneman..........Laura Walker

Alyssa Milano..............Margo Masse

THE MOVIE: 3/4

THE PICTURE QUALITY: 10/10 Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 with only a very very very small amount of grain. Basically, perfect.

THE AUDIO QUALITY: 10/10 5.1 surround is perfect for my TV's sound system. No upping the volume for me! There is also a Dolby Surround French track.

THE SPECIAL FEATURES: Production notes on the film, cast & crew bios and film credits (Only pre-FEAR movies are shown), a trailer with a lot of grain and Universal Weblinks (basically pointless).

SUBTITLES: English and spanish.

You just know when you see photo booth snaps of Nicole and David (Reese Witherspoon and Mark Wahlberg) kissing and snuggling cleverly juxtaposed with David's jailhouse mugshot on his bedroom wall...this won't be a cinematic enigma wrapped in a riddle. Fear certainly doesn't require much thought on the part of the moviegoer.

But it isn't entirely bad though, if you are prepared for predictable teen angst and psycho boyfriend antics. Reese Witherspoon plays the virgin nymphet Nicole Walker, desperately pining for brooding bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks David McCall, deliciously played by Mark Wahlberg. With the help of "gets around" pal Margo (Alyssa Milano), Nicole soon begins to develop a close bond with David, and (surprise surprise) even loses her virginity to him.

But of course, no such plot would be complete without the overprotective father, played by CSI's William Petersen. Suspicious of his daughter's new boyfriend from the start, he forbodes their relationship from the very beginning. That's when things go "psycho"...

David quickly begins to sport the crazy-serious-insane-obssessed face whenever any other guy goes near Nicole or when her father tries to keep them apart. Where does this get everyone? In a whole mess of unbelievable trouble that will leave the moviewatcher saying "hello? this would never happen!" while watching the movie through their hands.

All in all, not a terrible flick. The ending definitely could have had better closure, but you can't expect too too much given the corny plot. Oh, and of course, you get to see Mark Wahlberg without his shirt on. That, in itself, makes the movie worth at least one look. :)

Buy Fear (1996) Now

This is a little known film from the early 90's. The movie takes it's time to flesh out the characters and to build some tension, but when it lets loose, it delivers! Mark Wahlberg gives a very chilling performance as a class 'A' nut job in this above average thriller. It smells like TV, but it's much better than that. Reese Witherspoon and the rest of the cast are very good as well. I rate it 3 1/2 stars.

Read Best Reviews of Fear (1996) Here

While this movie had mixed opinions from critics, I thought it was thoroughly underrated. I didn't really see what this movie didn't have to please people around the globe. It had a story, and an intriguing one at that, it had a lot of genres to mix its story up in, it had well-developed characters especially the character of the father and it had excellent direction, acting and a great script that explores further into the world of terror. The film succeeds highly because of its characters and the original bunch they are. Reese Witherspoon plays the short-skirt wearing, blonde-haired and extremely family-bound and nice young girl that gets involved with a psychopath and doesn't know how to take it. Mark Wahlberg plays this psychopath excellently, his character is someone obsessed with Witherspoon's character and we will go to any great lengths to protect her and assure that his and her relationship is safe. And then he gets violent, very violent, and the outcome is horrifying. The father is not the most original character in the film, but the most developed. He is the caring, brave and extremely clever dad who wants the best for his daughter but doesn't want to hurt her. Anyway, enough about the characters. The rest of the movie rocks too the script is surprisingly original for its premise, taking the boy-meets-girl, girl-dumps-boy, boy-gets-angry angle to new areas in psychological horror. The suspense scenes are incredibly tense and the movie has some gut-wrenchingly scary but incredibly good ideas. I really enjoyed the director's point of view and liked the way he built his film as each of the characters slowly drifts off. I appreciated this thriller a lot and think it is worth your time, but beware, you're in for a pretty darn scary and atmospheric ride!

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EThis was a good movie. It was very much full of suspense. Good story too. One thing it definitely supported was my strong conviction in the right to own a gun. This is a movie is a must see for a candy*** liberal do-gooder who doesn't believe in the private ownership of guns. That person might have a changed view on gun control after viewing this (I hope). I recommend this movie for Rosie O'Donnell and Michael Moore and other peeps of their ilk. This would be rather educational for them.

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Taken (Two-Disc Extended Cut) (2008)

When I was a soldier stationed in Germany in the 1970s there was a raid on a Turkish-owned bar on the outskirts of Frankfurt A/M. German Polizei and US CID (US Army Criminal Investigation Division) broke up a white slavery ring that had been operating out of the bar for some time. The bar was a way-point in the transportation route of young European girls (preferably blonde) who had been kidnapped throughout Europe and were being smuggled to be sold in the harems and brothels of the Middle and Far East. The police found some twenty girls in the basement of the bar, some from as far away as Denmark and the Netherlands, waiting to be shipped further down the pipeline.

The German police and Interpol had been watching the bar for some time and were hoping to trace the route farther down the track to take down the ringleaders. The white slavers made the mistake of kidnapping the daughter of a US Army colonel whom they thought was a German national. The Colonel learned about the investigation and refused to allow his daughter to be held by the white slavers and victimized so the police could gather intelligence. As it turned out, I learned later, the raid eventually did lead to the disruption of this particular ring because the guys busted talked.

So, when I learned what this film was about I went in with a certain amount of understanding of the subject matter. Let me say here that this film hits the nail on the head in presenting its subject matter and the way young women are victimized by ruthless animals only out to make a buck. (SPOILER) The scenes where they show the young women being made into drug addicts to control them are particularly disturbing to me as I've seen the impact drugs had on young girls working as unlicensed street walkers in Germany (a nation that legalized prostitution to make it "safe"). As disturbing as the film was I am glad I watched it and if I had a daughter (I had all sons) I would make her watch this film when she reached an appropriate age in hopes it would make her more careful in how she behaved when I wasn't around to protect her. This is a film every parent should watch it is a film every teenaged girl and boy should watch. It's sad, but things like what happens to the girls in this movie go on every day.

Having said that, the next question is, is the movie good?

Well, I've never seen Liam Neeson deliver a bad performance. Even if I didn't like the movie (and he's done a couple turkeys) he has always been superb. No exception here. Sadly, most of the negative comments about this film seem to be from people who don't like action movies. But Neeson elevates this even above the typical action movie. This is a story of family. When I watched Neeson's reaction to what happens to his daughter and his response I imagine it is what Natalie Holloway's daddy wishes he could have done, what every father of a child who has been abducted and brutalized wish they could do.

As a professional soldier and former martial arts instructor I find Neeson's action scenes are superbly executed and realistic. Don't look for a superhero leaping tall buildings with a single bound, but watch an expert, who may not be as young as he once was, doing what he knows best for a good cause. The fights are brutal, ruthless, and efficient, pros doing what they do. Even the violence is understated, brutal, but avoids the spectacular many audience have come to expect. What Neeson does is violent but considering the circumstances and motivation, necessary to save his girl. Great stuff.

The alleged coincidences do not strain or insult the intelligence overmuch, this is an action movie for folks who think. Of course, if you thought "The English Patient" deserved the Best Picture Oscar you'll probably hate this film. Otherwise, it is a don't miss. Neeson brings to the revenge flick empathy and gravitas lacking in other such films.

As I watched the film I thought of that Army colonel fighting Interpol and the German police to save his daughter. I hope he was able to see this film, I think he'd approve.

This is a review for the 2 disc version:

Taken blew me away. It's a tight, well written action flick. Luc Besson wrote and produced this and the character building of Bryan (Neeson) reminds me a lot of "The Cleaner" in Leon: The Professional, which was an earlier work of Besson's. The action reminds me of the Bourne series but more satisfying in a way than Bourne. The first 30 minutes is awkward. But a lot of what Besson writes is awkward, but charmingly awkward. The extended cut is the European cut. They decided the American audience couldn't handle some of the scenes. There is NO nudity in this film at all and none in the extended cut.

But what you get on the 2-disc version and not on the 1-disc is the following:

"The Making of 'Taken'" (18:22) a featurette of the making of.

"Avant Premiere" (4:37) video of the premier night in Paris

"Inside Action: Side by Side Comparisons" (11:05) what it says

Plus, two tracks of commentary.

The second disc is nothing but the digital copy which is extremely annoying.

Is the 2-disc worth it? If you are a hardcore fan of Taken, then yes. If not, then buy the 1-disc cause that also has the extended cut. Buying the 2-disc is worth it for the commentary and 18 minute featurette.

Cons:

For me, the let down was the acting by Maggie Grace, but I'm not sure it's her fault. She is in real life a 25 year old woman and here she is unconvincingly playing a 17 year old teenager. I'm not saying she's a bad actor...she just doesn't pull off the age thing right. Her portrayal doesn't kill the film, and at times she nails it but at others it's just weird. They should have gotten an actress closer to 17 in real life. Even the ending was not realistic but I'm not sure it was Grace's fault. But at the same time she only endured the ordeal for less than 96 hours so I guess she might not be as traumatized as one would think she should be.

Taken is a solid popcorn flick. One you can watch and have fun with and it gets the nerves going too.

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This is one of those great action movies where the hero isn't burdened by doubt, ineptitude, or guilt. He knows what he has to do and he does it coolly and ruthlessly! What he does is kill bad guys... Lots and lots of bad guys of all nationalities, races, and creeds who deserve what they get. Very efficient and ecumenical...

I lost count, but Liam Neeson must have killed about 50 bad guys in this one. And they keep on spawning so he has more to kill. I haven't seen one hero take on so many bad guys who keep on reproducing since Steven Segal made "Hard to Kill"...

The action is non-stop and the retribution is very satisfying. There is a lot of violence, but this is not an explicit blood and gore film. Just good old Hollywood movie violence that hits you at the gut level. "Taken" is a nice vicarious vigilante thrill for all the rest of us who must play by the rules. Liam Neeson does an excellent job! Highly recommended for action fans...

Read Best Reviews of Taken (Two-Disc Extended Cut) (2008) Here

I was skeptical when I heard that this movie would be produced by Luc Besson (The Professional, La Femme Nikita), the go to man or the French Joel Silver of action movies since some of his films have been hit and miss. This turns out to be a hit (it's already grossed $143 million thus far) thanks to the casting of Liam Neesom (Schindler's List; Rob Roy). A physically imposing actor of great presence, Neesom brings this physicality to the role of an retired CIA man brought back into action when his daughter is kidnapped in Paris. What ensues is 97 minutes of breakneck action and Neesom is totally convincing in this role. It may lack the complexity of the Bourne series but if you like your action movies to be lean and mean--this is the flick to see!!

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The US version of this movie is a little different than the one released overseas (I specifically remember two fairly violent scenes that were edited out), but it's still amazing. I remember watching the trailer in the theater and leaning over to my friends with a look of glee and amazement. We all knew we were going to see that movie on opening night.

And we did.

It did not disappoint.

It takes a minute to get rolling, but I think it only felt that way because the movie is so short (I think it's about an hour and a half long). It doesn't feel like very long, though, as, once the action starts, it blows you away. It's quick, gritty camera angles that really make the film come alive. Some of the violence is so out there, yet realistic, that you have to cringe when you watch it.

At it's heart, it's about a man, desperate to find and save his daughter, and willing to employ any means necessary to get her back. As the title of this review suggests, it's a little like 24 okay, a LOT (with one scene ripped straight out of day 5, fans will know what I'm talking about), the man's daughter's name is Kim and she's been kidnapped and he's gotta do crazy bad things to get her. It's enough to hold me over until the real 24 movie is out, BUT, it's good enough in its own right.

I love Liam Neeson in this role, if only because I was surprised that he could pull it off. I kept hearing Aslan as he was making death threats and it was a little disconcerting. But he makes me believe he's Brian Mills in every second of the movie. The only thing I didn't believe was that he and Lenor were ever married. They just didn't click. At all. Maybe it's good that they divorced!

It's definitely worth the rent, but even more so, it's worth the buy. I can't wait until it's released on DVD.

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Platoon (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1986)

"I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy. We fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us."

Thus the summation of Private Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) at the end of this film, a film about war, hate, self-realization, and survival. PLATOON tells a powerful story that moves beyond the horror and gore of the Vietnam War, a story that ultimately depicts the demise and disintegration of a dysfunctional combat unit. We see young Chris change before our very eyes, from a green, idealistic "grunt" to an embittered, disillusioned soldier. Chris' platoon is dominated--and subsequently divided--by two strong, yet very different men: Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe). Barnes is cold, calculating, brutal, intolerant; Elias is compassionate, humanistic. The battle of wills between these two men is just as challenging as the Viet Cong out in the bush, and just as deadly. The film's climatic ending is powerful, spellbinding.

I dismiss naysayers of PLATOON as a soapbox for writer/director Oliver Stone's political agenda just as much as I dismiss Mr. Stone's politics. PLATOON hits you between the eyes with its depictions of warfare and human conflict, again and again. There's nothing to feel good about by watching this movie, just as there is nothing to feel good about by fighting a war. It is a dark, negative film--a negative film that happens to be compelling, thought-provoking, and very riveting.

The last Platoon DVD had some impressive extras, most notably two audio commentaries and a retrospective making of documentary. These have been included along with several additional featurettes and deleted scenes.

The first disc features an audio commentary by Oliver Stone. He talks about the challenges of making Platoon on a low budget and working in a harsh, unforgiving environment. This track is filled with fascinating personal insights and is essential listening for any fan of the movie.

Also included is a commentary track by the film's military advisor Dale Dye, a retired Marine of 22 years with 30 months in Vietnam. This is a great track that is technical but also accessible and really makes you appreciate the amount of work that went into this movie.

All of the new extras are contained on the second disc, starting with "Deleted and Extended Scenes" with optional commentary by Stone. Most interestingly, is an alternate ending for Barnes which Stone says he now wishes had been used.

"Snapshot in Time: 1967-1968" gives a historical perspective to the time period the film takes place in and puts things into perspective by exploring the origins of the conflict and how the U.S. got involved.

"Creating the `Nam" takes a look at how the filmmakers created the condition of Vietnam in the Philippines on a limited budget. Some highlights include a bit about how they created the village in the movie from scratch and did such a good job that locals moved in with no prompting!

"Raw Wounds: The Legacy of Platoon" examines the film's legacy and how it gave veterans the dignity they deserved and allowed the U.S. to come to terms with the war.

"One War, Many Stories" features a group of vets talking about the movie after a screening and how it relates to their own experiences. These guys tell some fascinating stories that are in turn juxtaposed with Stone talking about his own experiences.

Included from the previous edition is "Tour of the Inferno," an excellent, in-depth retrospective documentary that brought back a lot of the film's cast who talk about their experiences making the film. This is a fantastic doc that manages not to repeat too much of what was said in the two commentary tracks.

"Preparing for the `Nam" examines what basic training was like with vets talking about their experiences. It was tough but also taught them valuable lessons that helped them survive and bonded them with their fellow recruits.

Finally, from the previous edition, there are photo galleries, three T.V. spots and a theatrical trailer.

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Oliver Stone's Platoon transcends the romanticization that so often infuses our thinking about war with a painfully honest portrayal of its dehumanizing effects. Charlie Sheen plays Chris Taylor, whose idealism drives him to leave college for the hellish jungles of Vietnam. He sheds his innocence quickly, however, as the horrors of war take a heavy toll on his body and his sanity. After witnessing acts of barbarity by fellow soldiers--including rape and the deliberate killing of civilians--Taylor becomes aware that he is fighting not only an external enemy, but an inner one as well.

Representing the sides of this internal battle are Sergeant Elias (William Dafoe), who shows compassion towards his men and is outraged by atrocities he witnesses, and Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger), who displays no regard for human life. With their sanity pushed to its limits by the terror of combat, members of the platoon are torn between the two men and begin to turn on each other.

This film is disturbing in its brutal realism, and the painful questions it raises remain relevant decades after the Vietnam War, particularly in light of incidents such as the Haditha massacre and the overwhelming numbers of Iraq veterans struggling with PTSD. Platoon sheds light on the conditions that breed atrocity and the devastating psychological effects of war upon soldiers. It is not an antiwar film, nor one with a political agenda; it is simply a raw, candid film about war's impact.

Read Best Reviews of Platoon (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1986) Here

First, let me lay my cards on the table: I'm a conservative Republican, am generally pro-military (i.e. U.S.), and distrust Oliver Stone nearly as much as I do Michael Moore. Further, I don't know if I've ever agreed with a thing that the Sheen family has said. Yet even though some of my political pals disdain this movie, I feel differently. I half-expected a heavy dose of lefty propaganda and intentional distortion, but for the most part was pleasantly surprised. I try to evaluate every item I encounter fairly and individually (instead of a knee jerk reaction), and these are my thoughts on Platoon, after viewing it again tonight:

On the 'positive' side, the film rightly shows the awfulness of war. Again and again, liberals seem to think that those on the right somehow deny this. Of course we do not! I give the movie high marks for depicting war as a living nightmare. Personally, I cringe when some of the older movies represent war as little more than a comic book boys' fantasy. I also thought Platoon contained some admirable acting (Sheen, Dafoe, Berenger, David), and combat scenes. It held me throughout.

The one major criticism I would make, and the flaw that keeps it from being an elite film in my opinion, is the way in which it reaches too far to show the dark side and corruption of the soldiers (American). Stone has a crippling weakness for sensationalism (evidence: JFK), and it seeped through some here. For instance, you cannot take the worst atrocities (even if they are all factual, which I question) and then portray them as representative of a typical company of soldiers and their Vietnam experience. Yet this was the impression given. In fact, it was basically the story. This is irresponsible and misleading. One of the film's few faults, but a bad one.

However, when considered as a whole, Platoon has much to commend it. While it is unfortunate that its weaknesses diminish its merit, they do not ruin it. I'd be very surprised if Stone ever makes another movie nearly as good.

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The reason this movie is no longer for sale is because New Line was bought out a while ago by MGM (or something along those lines, but MGM now owns the video rights). MGM is rumored to be planning a special edition of Platoon in August, which probably means they are just rereleasing the old New Line DVD and calling it a Special Edition. Hope you find that useful!

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The Crying Game

"When I was a child I thought as a child, when I became a man I gave up childish things." The words of the captive(Stephen Rea) to his prisoner(Forrest Wittikar) the night before he has to shoot him. He has (unwisely) formed a human bond with his prisoner, and its easy to see way, because Jodi as played by Whittikar is a lovable, open hearted and kind man. Even though he is only in the movie for 20 about minutes, Whittikars performance haunts the rest of the film, we come to understand more of his character once we meet the love of his life he left behind, Dill(Jaye Davidson). Caught between the two is Stephen Rea's Fergues, who with those soulful heart broken eyes of his, discovers the gift and troubles Jodi has left him by telling him about his girlfriend. When Dill sings the crying game in the pub, we can feel real pain in "I know all there is to know about the crying game" because she like Fergues (who's lost his faith in the cause he's fighting for)and Jodi are very lonely people. This is a truly beautiful and original film, its tone is rather sad because Fergues's past will defintely come back to claim him and we know this, but it deserves to be owned not just watched because like the best of movies its impact is not lessened on repeated viewings. Jodi's character gains that much more poignance once we know about Dill, therefore when you watch the movie again, the opening scenes are that much more powerful. Finally I have to mention the great muusical score and an unforgettable story told by Jodi and then by Fergues about the frog and the scorpion that bookends the film. The Crying Game is a great film.

International customers, please note: this is the version for Puritans, with Jaye Davidson's naughty bits blacked out. As a result, one pivotal scene loses 90% of its punch. Also, on the technical side, there are compression and NTSC artefacts galore, especially in the opening shot. (The film itself rates 5 stars.)

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Still an amazing film over a decade later, The Crying Game continues to resonate with power due to its themes of obsession and redemption. Jordan's film plays tricks with its twisting plot structure and change in tone similar to its inspiration Vertigo. Stephen Rea plays Fergus a gunman for the IRA who helps take a soldier named Jody (Forest Whittaker) hostage. They plan on trading him for a senior member of the IRA being taken by the British. Fergus later becomes obsessed with Jody's girlfriend Dil (Jay Davidson) a hairdresser by day who performs in a bar in the evenings lip synching her favorite songs. Fergus begins to fall in love with Dil. Is it guilt that drives him into her arms? He's not sure. Suddenly, Fergus and Jude are thrust into the middle of the conflict between the IRA and the British. Fergus gets sucked into Jody's life and becomes obssessed with helping Dil and seeing more about the life of the man he kidnapped.

The plot is far more complex than the synopsis I've given. If you haven't seen the film (or heard about it), do yourself a favor to read as little about the plot as possible. While the surprises in the plot don't define the film's quality, they do involve the viewer in the story. So keep it simple and just rent the movie (or buy it if you've seen it before). With strong performances from Rea as the world weary Fergus, Richardson as the aggressive and hateful Jude, Whitaker as Jody and Davidson as Dil, The Crying Game demonstrates Jordan's uncanny skills as a storyteller and film director. The fact that it wasn't recognized with only an Oscar for writing is a crime considering what was released the same year.

With a crisp, clear image The Crying Game looks particularly good in this DVD transfer. The bright colors and grainy textures of the original film are well reproduced. Although the darker sequences of the film occasionally look a bit murky, the transfer looks exceptionally good overall. The 5.1 surround sound mix and 2.0 mix both have great presence.

We get the originally shot ending of the film which differs substantially from the final version. The BBC's Channel 4 originally agreed to back the film but only if Jordan would write and shoot a different ending from the final version (the one that's seen in the film is the original version as written). This version is included from a VHS rough assembly of the film so doesn't have the best picture quality but does provide an idea of what the film might have looked like. Northern Troubles is a documentary looking at Ireland from two different view points; an Irish Catholic and Protestant Loyalist who drove the filmmakers around to interview people about the making of the film. Interestingly, it provides considerable insight into the current and past political troubles of this beautiful country. Images of violence and conflict appear everywhere throughout the landscape. The Making of The Crying Game bundles together a number of featurettes to produce a documentary that provides a comprehensive look at the film's production. Featuring Stephen Rea, Neil Jordan and many of the principle production members, it can be viewed in one sitting or watched as individual featurettes. Stephen Wooley the producer of the film discusses the nasty reception that the film received at Cannes by American distributors.

There's also a discussion of Miramax's part in effectively marketing a very difficult film to an audience used to popcorn thrillers. Wooley discusses the press reception and how Miramax used this for a brilliant marketing campaign that captured the attention of audiences but also focusing encouraging viewers to not discuss the "secret" of the film. We also get the original trailer and a featurette on Madame Jojo's today.

Neil Jordan provides a comprehensive commentary track focusing on the visual images that inspired the story including the places from his childhood that showed up in the film. Jordan also discusses the twists in the plot so, by all means, watch the film prior to listening to it with the commentary track.

Lion's Gate has done a great job of updating and upgrading this terrific film for DVD. The previous version looked very good as well but the image quality in this anamorphic transfer gives it the edge. The inclusion of a commentary track, documentary and featurettes gives viewers an idea of the world that The Crying Game occurs in. The crisp, sharp image quality and overall transfer looks exceptionally good as well making this essential for fans of the movie.

Read Best Reviews of The Crying Game Here

This is an outstanding and unusual film with a melange of issues. Forest Whitaker, Stephen Rea, and Jaye Davidson all give compelling and moving performances. Miranda Richardson also gives an absorbing performance as a hard nosed IRA terrorist.

The movie begins with IRA terrorists capturing a British soldier named Jodi, affectingly played by Forest Whitaker. One of the erstwhile terrorists, Fergus, sensitively played by Stephen Rea, is on the fringes of the terrorist group and assigned to guard the hapless Jodi. As they spend time together, a curious bond begins to form. Jodi, knowing that he will ultimately be executed, shows Fergus a photograph of his girlfriend, Dil, and extracts a promise from Fergus that he would let Dil know that Jodi was thinking of her at the last. Fergus reluctantly agrees.

When Fergus is finally ordered by his hard nosed IRA associates to shoot Jodi, he hesitates, and Jodi takes off running. Not wanting to shoot him in the back, Jodi manages to make it to a main roadway, where he is run over by a truck and killed. Fergus then deserts his terrorist buddies and goes to make good on his promise to Jodi.

When Fergus finds Dil, poignantly played by Jaye Davidson, she is working in a club and singing "The Crying Game". Fergus gives her a false name and insinuates himself into her graces, as there is a palpable attraction. They begin meeting, going out, and falling in love. Then, the moment of truth ultimately arrives, and Jodi is surely having the last laugh from the great beyond

Just when the viewer thiks that things cannot get any stranger, Miranda Richardson turns up, demanding that Fergus perform another act of terrorism in order to redeem himself for having failed so badly during his last foray into terrorism. To ensure his compliance, Richardson implies that Dil may be a target, should he not cooperate with the new scheme.

Fergus reluctantly agrees to participate in the IRA plot and commits himself to what is, in essence, a suicide mission. Dil, however, interferes with his plan at the eleventh hour, putting both herself and Fergus in danger of a retaliatory attack from Fergus' IRA buddies.

After his plan goes awry, all hell breaks loose. Suffice to say, true love does seem to conquer all. This is one terrific and unusual movie.

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This DVD is EXACTLY the same as The Crying Game DVD (Collector's Edition) released in 2005. They only changed the slip cover. The only BIG difference is the price. The Collector's Edition 2005 release DVD sells for around $20, while the 2012 release only sells for around $5, BUT, I repeat: They are the same exact DVD, no difference at all except for the slip cover.

Save yourself the heartache by saving yourself some money Buy the recently 2012 release for a much lower price.

Here are the DVD contents (aside from the feature film):

Special Features -

The Making of The Crying Game: Irish Luck, English Love, The Marketing of an American Independent & Discussing The Crying Game

Alternate Ending

Trailers

Modern Day at Madame JoJo's

Northern Troubles featurette

X-Men Quadrilogy (X-Men / X2: X-Men United / X-Men: The Last Stand / X-Men Origins: Wolverine) (201

First of all I was shocked that I could find a collection of ALL the four X-Men movies I was looking for in one set. I was assuming all this time that I would have to buy Wolverine separately. Each movie looked fantastic in its blu-ray transfer, and it has renewed my interest in the X-Men series. The boxset was delivered to me lightning fast, not to mention it was a very reasonable price for all four of these movies. The only thing I was slightly dissappointed about was that the casing for Wolverine was the slim casing while all the others were standard blu-ray design. I would've preferred them to be all the same size. But whataya gonna do? That's up to 20th Century Fox! ;) Overall, I'm quite happy with this experience.

What a great box set. This is a great Blu-ray set for anyone who is a fan of the X-Men series.

Picture Quality and Audio Quality shine; worth a buy, but not all of the discs are region-free!

X-Men Region ABC

X-Men 2 Region ABC

X-Men : The Last Stand Region ABC

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Region AB (not C)

Buy X-Men Quadrilogy (X-Men / X2: X-Men United / X-Men: The Last Stand / X-Men Origins: Wolverine) (201 Now

Bought this set for my boyfriend for Christmas. He was very happy to see the 4 discs in one set, as we had not seen that anywhere else. All cases were the same size, one disc for each movie. Haven't had any issues playing the movies, will update the post if any arise. Overall very pleased with the purchase.

Read Best Reviews of X-Men Quadrilogy (X-Men / X2: X-Men United / X-Men: The Last Stand / X-Men Origins: Wolverine) (201 Here

I love this box set, however be warned that these blurays are in a format for region B/2 and not all blu ray players will support this, luckily my player does and so I give this a 5 star rating

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Even though it was for the wrong region I was able to view it on some of my devices by hacking the region code. One player had no hack but that's ok I can watch it in others.

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Get the Gringo (2012)

With Mel Gibson doing himself no favors in the public media over the last six years, GET THE GRINGO is a much-needed reminder of why we loved him so much. While it was greatly refreshing to see Gibson on screen again in EDGE OF DARKNESS and THE BEAVER after an overbearing eight-year absence, GET THE GRINGO does the best of capturing everything we truly loved about Gibson's performances: charm, wit, humor, edge. The script by Gibson, director Adrian Grunberg and producer Stacey Persky is an original and tight balance of humor, edge, and danger that can very easily be considered an unofficial sequel to the theatrical cut of Gibson's cult favorite, PAYBACK. While the character of GRINGO's Driver never reveals his actual name, he possesses a lot of the same qualities as PAYBACK's Porter, including a U.S. military tattoo, a chain-smoking habit, sticky fingers, an iron jaw, and a penchant for bloodshed. Grunberg's direction is also solid with an obvious love for Sam Peckinpah paraded throughout.

For those of us who endured so many years of understandable negativity towards Gibson for his personal troubles, GET THE GRINGO is the film we've long awaited. It's truly a shame this film won't be seen wide in the U.S. It would've been a better comeback vehicle than EDGE OF DARKNESS was meant to be. GET THE GRINGO practically screams, "Remember me? I'm still here, and I still got it!"

But if one thing is certain, it is that in the age of home entertainment, every good film gets discovered by an audience. Sooner or later...

Now THIS is how you make a proper action-thriller! "Get the Gringo" is one hell of a film; a stripped-down, gritty actioner reminiscent of the kind of dark, no-nonsense thrillers we saw back in the '70s and '80s. With so many glossy, CGI-laden blockbusters hitting screens these days, it's invigorating to see Mel Gibson who grows more badass with each passing year doing what he does best in his first true action-thriller since 1998's "Payback". Gibson may be controversial, but those who are open-minded enough to watch "Get the Gringo" will be rewarded with a visceral, lively motion picture featuring Gibson back at the top of his game.

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"To the untrained eye it looks as if crime pays doesn't it, but bear in mind for guys with my particular set of karmic could-be's there was bound to be a bump or two down the road." After a car chase ends with Driver (Gibson) being caught be the Mexican police he is thrown in to their prison. Able to come and go as he pleases within the town he meets a nine year old boy who fills him in on the local people and problems. Wanting to get his money back from the corrupt cops Driver also decides help the young boy and his mother. I have to admit that I am a Mel Gibson fan. His last movie, "The Beaver" was outstanding and really was in unison with his personal meltdown. This movie, while not as good as that one still has some similarities to his life. This is about a man trapped and trying to not only help himself to straighten out, but also realizing that helping others is just a fulfilling. I may be reading too much into this and it may be just me though. The only down side is that after a string of great movies like "Edge Of Darkness" and "The Beaver" this one isn't quite that caliber. This is a good and entertaining movie though, just not at that level. Overall, a movie that has the feel of an Oliver Stone type movie that is fun to watch and is entertaining as well as violent. I recommend this. I give it a B+.

Read Best Reviews of Get the Gringo (2012) Here

Ah, how the mighty have fallen. Mel Gibson, once the world's highest-paid actor (after receiving an at-the-time-record-breaking $30 million payday for his role in THE PATRIOT) and beloved by millions, got drunk one night, said some bad things, was drowned in REALLY negative press (some very deservedly so), and he went from superstar to pariah in just a few weeks. And here, he's co-written his own (essentially) Direct to Video star vehicle called GET THE GRINGO, a return to form into the kind of role that made him famous: The Violent Rascal. This is the type of role he helped to create the archetype for in the LETHAL WEAPON series and that he brought to many other films as well. But his character here is a little edgier, a little darker, a little more clever if not as violent and incendiary as Martin Riggs.

The film opens with a car chase through the desert along the American/Mexican border. Two police cars are chasing a car driven by a character only known as "Driver" (Gibson). Seeing no way out on this side of the border, he crashes through the fence onto the Mexican side of the border, but it's straight out of the frying pan and into the fire as the corrupt Mexican federales see bags loaded with millions of dollars in the car and they dump Driver, obviously a career criminal, in a prison referred to El Pueblito, which is NOT like the prisons you see in The U.S. of A; in The Driver's words, "Is this a prison, or the crappiest mall on Earth?". There are non-prisoners amongst the population, such as wifes and children and some are allowed to come and go. There are also small but lucrative businesses in the prison; drugs, guns, prostitution, but also little food stands and bodegas that sell cigarettes, candy, soda pop and beer. The Driver is a man constantly on the move and on the make. He makes the observations of a thief and of someone intimately familiar with the prison system and hierarchy and sees the easiest way to get at the goods. It is during one of these observations that he sees Javi (Daniel Gimenez Cacho), the kingpin of El Pueblito and also during one of his thefts that he finds an ally in a tough 10-year-old boy, simply called "Kid" (Kevin Hernandez) who lives in the prison with his equally-tough mother (Dolores Heredia, also simply credited "Kid's Mom"), an inmate busted for drug trafficking some time before. Kid and Javi are on a collision course for reasons that I won't spoil here, but with Driver finding a friend in the kid and the mother, Driver has more personal reasons for staying.

There are other fun sub-plots involving a corrupt U.S. Consulate official, the mobster Driver stole the money from, and various other shady individuals doing various shady things. The major cast is made up mostly of unknowns to American audiences and the performances by Kevin Hernandez and Cacho are pretty layered and exciting, but it is also populated with various other character actors, such as Dean Norris, Bob Gunton, Patrick Bauchau and Peter Stormare in very small roles. The director is Adrian Grunberg, a former assistant director making his feature directing debut. He's worked with Mel in the past on films like APOCALYPTO and EDGE OF DARKNESS, but his influence from others is more felt from his work on films like MAN ON FIRE, TRAFFIC and JARHEAD. Grunberg directs the film with some gusto and urgency, but make no mistake though: this is Mel's movie through and through. The character of Driver is very similar to his likable bad guy Porter in the original cut of 1998's PAYBACK (because the "Final Cut" released a few years back on DVD, his character is much darker). It's obvious that Mel's having a really good time making this film, and it's obvious that he co-wrote this (with director Grunberg and co-producer Stacy Perskie, a PA who worked with Grunberg on a few other films) to give himself a star vehicle that felt more like what we used to see him in, as opposed to the extremely dark EDGE OF DARKNESS or the heavier drama of THE BEAVER. All of the violent acts he commits have a cartoony action film feel to them and they're mostly committed with a glint in his eye, particularly a bravura sequence with two hand grenades and an umbrella.

Despite what you may think about Mel Gibson personally, it hasn't diminished his capabilities as a consumate performer who does his best to engage the audience in his films. This film shows how much of a badass Mel can still be, but he's also gotten to a point where he's starting to wear his age well. I know (and I believe Mel knows as well) that he will never get back to where he was with star vehicles like GET THE GRINGO, but at least we can still get films where we get to see Mel kick some tail and have some fun with him along the way.

3.5/5 Stars

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The title of this review pretty much sums up GET THE GRINGO: a violent, darkly humored noir piece. (A friend of mine described it as PAYBACK'S "spiritual prequel.") The film starts with a masked thief (Gibson) making his getaway across the desert. He ends up crashing (literally) across the border, and winds up stuck in El Pueblito, a Mexican prison run more like a small town. He befriends a kid (the excellent Kevin Hernandez) and his mother (Dolores Heredia), while at the same time trying to get his money back, protect the boy (who is basically a living organ farm), dealing with a corrupt U.S. official (Peter Gerety), and the mobster he stole the money from in the first place (Peter Stormare doing his crazy thing).

As you can tell, there's a lot going on here. Too much so, perhaps. The film feels too much like Gibson's previous PAYBECK (basically, it's the same thing, except half the film is in Spanish); this is both in terms of tone (very dark in spots, very humorous in others) and plot. Gibson is great, as usual; say what you want to about the man, but as an actor, no one does likeable sleaze better. He's still got some bite to him, and there's never any knowing what his character will do next. The direction, too, is solid; the problems lie with the script, which tries to do too much. The subplots stumble over each other; this is, at its core, a simple story, like PAYBACK (I'm thinking the Director's Cut here), and should not go off on so many tangents. Still, in terms of grit and fun, GET THE GRINGO offers plenty of both. And, let's face it, it's nice to see Mel Gibson sinking his fangs into a dirty role again. Who knows--if he somehow cleans up his public image, he could be having blockbusters again. (Well, maybe not; but at least he's still got the chops to pull them off.)

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Miami Connection (+ Digital Copy) (1987)

Ok, full disclosure, I don't yet own this blu ray. But I have seen Miami Connection several times and plan to upgrade my old vhs rip with this product (which merits the 5 star rating based on the assumption that the transfer isn't absolute garbage). Thus, I am giddy at the prospect that the world is now discovering the many pleasures of Miami Connection.

Miami Connection is an action movie, a study of what happens when ninjas tragically divert their powers toward the forces of evil & greed, a rock odyssey, an anti-drug screed, a glorious collection of poorly choreographed extras and slow-moving onscreen fighting, and one of the most endearing & endearingly hilarious films ever made. This is the un-self-conscious, unintentional version of what films like Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun, The FP, and the ending movie-within-a-movie in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure have tried to be.

"Tae kwon do is the *best*."

-Grandmaster Y.K. Kim, auteur of Miami Connection, purveyor of infinite optimism & brotherhood

"Friends forever, we'll be together. /

We're on top, 'cause we play to wi-in. /

Friends for eternity, Loyalty, honesty, /

Stay together through thick and thi-in."

-Dragon Sound, taekwondo practitioners, adorable roommates, hard rockers, community watch group, anti-powder drug warriors, stars & soundtrack of one of the most entertaining films of all time

"Only by eliminating violence can world peace be achieved."

-epilogue to Miami Connection, the movie event of our lifetimes

Also, Miami Connection is set in Orlando.

Let me just say I am a move collector of 80's horror, action, and martial arts and love movies like this. I remember seeing this on the shelf of West Coast Video back in 88. The box was different it was a "vhs big box" it looked horrible all the box said was Miami on it. It was one of those movies that was always on the shelf and no one rented and I always ignored it. I had no idea it was a martial arts movie til one night i finally rented it. It was awesome!!!! low budget, cheesy one liners, bad acting, but GREAT martial arts action. I had it on bootleg vhs then converted to DVD for my personal collection. When I heard it was coming back to life I said nooooo it can't be the same Miami Connection. So glad it is... The Bluray is really cleaned up and looks great. The extras alone are worth the 29 bucks I paid for the pre ordered. now I see its half that price, thats an awesome deal!!!! Two other movies come to mind while watching this KILL LINE, and LA STREET FIGHTERS aka Ninja Turf (there isn't one Ninja in it) They are both good martial arts movies with the same 80's low budget feel. If you like fun movies from the 80's with good fights, bad acting and hate Hollywood big blockbuster sell out movies for the the "sheep" then this indy flick is for you.

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This movie has changed my life, and it has taught me all I need to know when facing the world.

Read Best Reviews of Miami Connection (+ Digital Copy) (1987) Here

If you like your films cheesy and full of technical errors, you can't go wrong with THE MIAMI CONNECTION. I first read about the appeal of this film in an article in Entertainment Weekly and I just had to buy it. I'm glad I did. You don't get to see very many films this bad and still have a great time in the process. Recommended for all those people who like their 80's flicks colorful and nonsensical. You know who you are!

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Ninjas, terrible amazing acting,Titties, mouth fisting,foot nosing, blood, limbs cocaine, and the best soundtrack ever. What more could you ask?

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The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1976)

In my opinion, this is probably the best Sherlock Holmes film ever made, and one of only a couple that ring true as being faithful to the spirit of the original stories. This is no Hollywood butchery pitting Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper or Dracula, but a truly excellent film.

The story centers around a cocaine-addicted Sherlock Holmes beginning to lose touch with reality, and the effort by Watson to save him from this fate by recruiting the aid of none other than Sigmund Freud. The three lead actors are thoroughly outstanding. This is especially true for Robert Duvall as Dr. Watson, who is really the lynch-pin of the film. It is a pleasure to see Dr. Watson portrayed well (a doctor and accomplished chronicler after all!) instead of nothing more than the stereotypical bumbling oaf. The story is compelling and entertaining with action and humor in just the right measures. Tennis, fencing, and high-speed chases (by train)!

I can imagine that some Holmes purist might take exception to film, but I think that this original flight of fancy is far better than anything out of Hollywood based on stories that Conan Doyle did write. And the film itself even takes a bit of a bow to the Holmes mythos and Doyle's own designs. I won't give it away, but just listen the last lines in the film as Holmes says goodbye to Watson.

As to the quality of the DVD, however, this one is unexceptional. Just try to let yourself enjoy this 5-star film and don't get too caught up in the media (still, to be fair, the DVD has too lose a star because of the DVD, even if the film itself is great).

This is an off-beat Sherlock Holmes film that rings true. If you're looking for pure fare, just the way Doyle wrote it, look for something by the BBC, such as the Jeremy Brett series of the past decade. If you like this film, try "They Might Be Giants" starring George C. Scott. It, too, is a bit of a 'strange' Sherlock Holmes film that nevertheless seems right.

This is the best Sherlock Holmes motion picture.

The plot, characters, acting, direction, production are all quite good. Nicholas Meyer wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his very fine novel which resulted in a handsomely crafted and very engaging entertainment. Meyer remains faithfull in spirit to the Canon and takes us on an enjoyable and plausable adventure that moves along at a good pace. Highly recommended!

I regret to say, this early Universal DVD is NOT presented in it's theatrical widescreen ratio. Pan and scan is evident in a few scenes and the images feel claustrophophic. The sound is mono but I thought it was stereo back in 1976. There are no extras. Neither is this disk 16x9 enhanced.

This film deserves to be redone and reissued. And please, Universal, redo that cover. This IS a Sherlock Holmes story. Your theatrical poster art would be welcome here.

There are substantialy less than a handful of Sherlock Holmes films on DVD. Why this is so is a mystery. At the very least we should have Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Christopher Plummer and James Mason in Murder by Decree, and Basil Rathbone in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Buy The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1976) Now

From the opening to the closing credits, filled with illustrations that originally accompanied Doyle's stories in the Strand, the details of the movie are painstakingly accurate when compared to those in the canon. This is one non-canonical Holmes story that exists in the same world as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

The movie takes the liberty of assuming that all of Dr. Watson's accounts of Sherlock Holmes are true, except for one. That would be "The Final Problem", in which the great detective supposedly dies at the hands of his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty. The movie suggests that this story is merely a cover up for a period in time in which Holmes was getting help with his cocaine addiction from none other than famous psychiatrist Sigmund Freud.

The settings and characters ring true to both Doyle's mysteries and the Sydney Paget illustrations that accompanied them. Sherlock Holmes' deerstalker and cloak, though never mentioned by Doyle, look more like Paget's illustrations than ever before, more rugged than in most film interpretations. American actor Robet Duvall, despite sometimes struggling with the British accent, portrays Watson as an intellectually and physically fit comrade for Holmes, not a bumbler. Laurence Olivier's Prof. Moriarty matches the vision of Doyle and Paget rather than the cliché mustache twirler of other movies. Only now, Moriarty isn't really a criminal mastermind. He's Holmes' childhood math tutor.

Alan Arkin depicts Freud as a man of intelligence, insight, and above all, honor.

The inclusion of lesser known characters like Mycroft Holmes and Toby is a plus. There are also references, both direct and sly, to canonical Holmes stories.

While Nicol Williamson's performance as Sherlock Holmes lacks the vigor and spark of Basil Rathbone or Christopher Plummer, Williamson succeeds in showing Holmes as a troubled individual rather than a god. The movie mixes drama, subtle humor, mystery, and even action, finally showing Holmes as the capable fighter he was in the canon. The end of the film strays from the books in order to explore the uncharted territory of Holmes' childhood, providing a deeply moving climax.

This may come truer to Sir Arthur's original vision than any other pastiche written for film so far.

Read Best Reviews of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1976) Here

I own this movie on 12" laserdisc format. Unfortunately I haven't had the laserdisc player hooked up in a long time. I've always loved this film. Certainly far above average. I only wish Nicol Williamson would have finished the Granada television Holmes series after Jeremy Brett died. That was sort of a fantasy casting idea. He is superb as Holmes in The Seven Percent Solution. And what can you say about Robert Duvall? You know he's up to the task.

The DVD is out of print in the USA as of this writing (August 2009), and it costs an arm and a leg on the used market.

However, if you have a region-free player, I would check the UK amazon site. You can probably get a Region 2 PAL copy of this movie for about $8 plus shipping. It's also been re-released on DVD in Australia (which the site I'm looking at says is also PAL format -I don't know, I've never bought anything from Australia).

With most DVD players, you can find a little trick with the remote to make it region-free (Google is your friend). Wikipedia's article on "DVD Region Code" states, "Most freeware and open source DVD players, such as VLC, ignore region coding. Most commercial players are locked to a region code, but can be easily changed with software." Likely you could view it on your computer with VLC player. So, if you're a fan of this movie, and you don't mind a small technical challenge... it is available at reasonable prices. I think I'm going to get the import.

Update 10/2011: I did indeed buy the import, and the picture quality is fine. Since I only watch movies on my computer, it was no problem to convert it to a format that can be played with common software players. The movie appears to have been filmed largely through a gauzy lens -i.e. the focus is soft, there is not a lot of detail. I don't believe it is a flaw in the mastering of the DVD. That's just the way the original film looks. I'm very glad I bought this from amazon.uk, as it is one of my favorite films, the best non-canonical Holmes ever done.

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It's the only Sherlock Holmes-inspired movie I have ever thoroughly enjoyed. It's funny, intriguing, clever and even romantic. It takes a lot of poetic liberties with the characters, both the fictional (Sherlock & co) and the real ones (Sigmund Freud), but it ennobles and humanizes them, so fans of both can have nothing to complain about.

The movie does something very interesting: Freud psychoanalyzes Sherlock and 'explains' him.If only it was that easy in real life...but you know that you can never walk away with a full proof 'explanation' to the conundrum that is Sherlock Holmes. Still, as the saying goes, if they did not get it right, they have made a very good point.

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Pals of the Saddle (1938)

The Three Mesquiteers tangle with secret agents in a race to keep the villains from smuggling deadly monium gas to foreign governments. If nothing else, the Three Mesquiteers series "modernized" the Western. This movie begins with a blazing WWI battle scene depicting European armies pounding each other. Historical details are vague. Maybe it's some other European conflict. Anyway, the 3M encounter a '30s Emma Peel-type secret agent at a dude ranch. She is woking for the U. S. Secret Service. Depicting a strong, independent woman is another positive innovation of this little picture. Republic Studios was excellent at producing fast moving B Westerns that stressed outdoor action. Intrusive musical numbers were thankfully absent in the 3M series. Lullaby (Max Terhune) provides ventriloquist comic relief via Elmer, the dummy. Stony (John Wayne), Tucson (Ray Corrigan), and Lullaby are a three man army that stand off the bad guys until the Border Division of the 81st Cavalry arrives. This could be the only sighting of WWI era cavalry in a B Western. Before he became a major star, John Wayne was a familiar face in B Westerns. The VHS edition of this flick is recorded in the EP mode. This is great Saturday matinee fun. Today's high-tech youth may be a little puzzled at first, but cowboys and blazing six-guns can interest even the most plugged-in kids around. Saddle up and ride, pardner. ;-)

Republic Pictures presents "PALS OF THE SADDLE" (28 August 1938) (54 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -The series was based on a series of western novels by William Colt MacDonald, which began with "Law of the .45's" in 1933 --The Three Mesquiteers is the umbrella title for a series of 51 western B-movies released between 1936 and 1943, including 8 films starring John Wayne --The name was a play on The Three Musketeers, and each film featured a trio of stars --The series blended the traditional Western period with more modern elements, which was not unknown with other B-Western films and serials --Towards the end of the series, during World War II, the trio of cowboys were opposing Nazis --The Three Mesquiteers series was extremely popular at the time of its release --The series was the only one of its kind to be specifically named and ranked in contemporary polls of the top western film stars --For example, from 1937 to the end of the series in 1943, The Motion Picture Herald consistently ranked the series in its top ten, reaching a peak of 5th place in 1938, when a pre-Stagecoach John Wayne was the series lead

Under the production staff of:

George Sherman Director

Betty Burbridge Screenwriter

Stanley Roberts Screenwriter

Reggie Lanning Cinematographer

Cy Feuer Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score)

Tony Martinelli Editor

William A. Berke Associate Producer

Our story line and plot, Our heroes Stony Brooke (John Wayne), Tucson Smith (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) and Lullaby Joslin (Max Terhune) members of the Three Mesquiteers returning a lost item to Ann (Doreen McKay), Stony arrives just two men shoot each other --Ann is a Government Agent and she gets Stony to replace her now dead partner --An important chemical is being smuggled out of the country and she sends Stony to the storage facility posing as the foreign Agent --He fools the guards but the boss arrives to expose the hoax and Stony is made a prisoner --Director George Sherman paces this 54-minute effort like a Republic serial, with excellent results --Ray Corrigan as Tucson Smith does some camera mugging, a comedic style for which he has never been properly acknowledged --John Wayne, is, well, John Wayne, a presence to be reckoned with --The Duke's "Listen Mr. Big Chest" remark to Corrigan as they duel verbally over the femme interest is a great moment. Undoubtedly unscripted --"Pals of the Saddle" is the first of eight Three Mesquiteer series westerns that John Wayne made for Republic's 1938-39 season --During this time, "Stagecoach" would be released, and the rest, as they say, is history --Granted, Max Terhune as Lullaby Joslin has too many "I'll look after the horses!" moments but he is not left to get lost.

the cast includes:

John Wayne ... Stony Brooke

Ray Corrigan ... Tucson Smith

Max Terhune ... Lullaby Joslin

Doreen McKay ... Ann aka Mirandy, Secret Service Agent

Joseph Forte ... Judge Hastings (as Josef Forte)

George Douglas ... Paul Hartman (Foreign Agent)

Frank Milan ... Frank, Secret Service Agent

Ted Adams ... Henry C. Gordon (Smuggler)

Harry Depp ... Hotel Desk Clerk

Dave Weber ... Russian Musician

Don Orlando ... Italian Musician

Charles Knight ... English Musician

Jack Kirk ... Sheriff Johnson

Special footnote -The 32 year old John Wayne was fortunate enough to have talented writers around him to write novels that could be adapted into vehicles for his career, as well as short stories and screenplays that would immortalise him as the American hero --This film is one such example --When you watch this film you're not watching it for the story (like you would do in 'Rio Grande' or 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'), you're watching it to see John Wayne in action --He is the romantic embodiment of what it was like for the settling community to live in the post-civil war era --Despite the fact that most of these westerns distort history, what Wayne delivers gives you access to his humanity --That's what we like about him.

BIOS:

1. John Wayne (aka: Marion Robert Morrison)

Date of Birth: 26 May 1907 Winterset, Iowa

Date of Death: 11 June 1979 Los Angeles, California

2. Ray 'Crash' Corrigan (aka: Raymond Benard)

Date of Birth: 14 February 1902 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Date of Death: 10 August 1976 Brookings Harbor, Oregon

3. Max Terhune

Date of Birth: 12 February 1891 Anderson, Indiana

Date of Death: 5 June 1973 Los Angeles, California

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment

THREE MESQUITEERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT

VOL 1 -GHOST TOWN GOLD & COME ON COWBOYS (VCI #7215)

VOL 2 -HIT THE SADDLE & HEART OF THE ROCKIES (VCI #7218)

VOL 3 -THE THREE MESQUITEERS & ROARIN' LEAD (VCI #7254)

VOL 4 -PURPLE VIGILANTES & PRAIRIE PIONEERS (VCI #7277)

VOL 5 -OUTLAWS OF SONORA & WEST OF CIMARRON (VCI #7290)

VOL.6 -CALL THE MESQUITEERS & RIDERS OF THE WHISTLING SKULL (VCI #7310)

VOL.7 -GANGS OF SONORA & PIONEERS OF THE WEST (VCI #7321)

VOL.8 -CODE OF THE OUTLAW & OKLAHOMA RENEGADES (VCI #7330)

VOL.9 -GAUCHOS OF EL DORADO & OUTLAWS OF CHEROKEE TRAIL (VCI #7332)

VOL.10 HEROES OF THE SADDLE & THE KANSAS TERRORS (VCI #7337)

VOL.11 RIDERS OF THE RIO GRANDE & SHADOWS ON THE SAGE (VCI #7339)

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --please stand up and take a bow --all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 54 min on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (4/15/1997)

Buy Pals of the Saddle (1938) Now

Again a Three Mesquiteers Picture so sharp and clear it's like being in the movie theater. The famous trigger trio is here played by young John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Max Terhune. The plot is exciting, the story intelligent and witty and there are lots of great action. Doreen McKay is a very convincing heroine and it is good to see mainstays like Jack Kirk and Ted Adams. This one is highly recommendable for b-western fans and for newcommers who would like to explore the magic of the genre.

Read Best Reviews of Pals of the Saddle (1938) Here

Love the Mesqueteer series. The eight films with John Wayne as "Stony Brook" are my favorites. The music in the Wayne films is the best. Pure B western. I can watch them over and over again. Wish they would put the series out on DVD.

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Big Trouble in Little China (2009)

...People back in 1986 did not understand Big Trouble In Little China. It's the kind of film you either "get" or you "don't get"...They were ahead of their time. Big Trouble In Little China is no different. Basically a Hong Kong action picture with stabs at humor, magic, mysticism and a touch of romance, "Big Trouble" clashed with the heroic heroes of the time... and instead gave us a lead character who's big on talk but usually not good at much else. Kurt Russell's Jack Burton is the type of character with an over-evolved sense of ego that never seems to match his less than perfect grasp of how to deal with real situations. The other difference here is that Jack is not the real hero, it's really Wang Chi(Dennis Dun), who shows us all the great Kung Fu moves and sword fighting styles... Jack Burton is more of the sidekick who thinks he's the head honcho but never seems to do anything right and when he does do something right it's usually because of blind luck. But that's the kind of character Carpenter wanted and he knew Russell would be the best person for the job because he's not afraid to let his hair down and look foolish. Looking tough with smeared lipstick on his face, rolling backwards in a wheelchair screaming or shooting his gun straight up causing small rocks to fall down, knocking him unconscious. No ego is involved with Kurt Russell...

The DVD transfer looks wonderful (widescreen 2.35:1) and even comes with DTS sound which you've got to listen to to believe. As for the special features, the biggest gem on this 2DVD Set is the Audio Commentary by John Carpenter & Kurt Russell. These two have done commentaries before and hinted at doing one for "Big Trouble" during the commentary they did for The Thing (1982). I love listening to these guys! It's just so much fun, it's like being in the room with them and you're just being quiet and listening. Their comments tend to take off from "Big Trouble" and aim more towards where their careers have been, where they're going and how their children are doing in regards to sports and music. Carpenter laments that his son, Cody, can play the keyboard better than he can now and Russell talks about his son, Wyatt winning a hockey championship and how he'd rather see a twenty-something do action films instead of people like himself who are in their fifties (this is him saying this, not me). There's a lot of respect between the two and some hinting that they might work together again soon...I wrote a review about Escape From New York and how I felt it was Carpenter's and Russell's best collaboration out of the five films they've done together. Well on this commentary, Kurt Russell said that working on Escape From New York was the best experience of his career. It would seem we're in agreement. There's also talk about how the styles of directing has changed over the years and how it seems to be going downhill. You need a director who believes in his vision and sticks by it, otherwise you're in for trouble, Big Trouble. Sadly, no mention whether or not they'll do commentaries for Elvis and Escape From L.A.(the only films they haven't made commentaries for), but I'm sure they'd jump at the chance. These guys are such good friends, you can feel it...Carpenter even said he thought "Captain Ron" was Kurt's best performance! I wish the film was twice as long just so I could hear more from them!

The rest of the features are basic: trailers, TV spots, featurette, music video by the Coup De Villes(love Carpenter's low voice!), interviews, still gallery, magazine articles, production notes, cast & director film lists and some interesting deleted scenes, including an extended version of Jack in the Chinese bordello with an added line about the green-eyed girl that's hysterical...The actual ending, however, is still the same. There are even some trailers to Aliens & The Fly hidden on page 2 of the special features section (just click to the left once you're positioned on the Richard Edlund Interview and press "Enter").

This Special Edition rocks and is second only to the collector's edition DVD of The Thing by Universal Pictures. That DVD included a retrospective documentary with most of the original cast & crew returning for a look back. Ennio Morricone's Score is given it's own isolated track during this documentary as well, so those are the main reasons why The Thing is still the best John Carpenter Special Edition DVD out there, but Big Trouble In Little China is very impressive as well. Some of you may be wondering why they couldn't fit all the special features on Disc 1? Well, normally you could, but DTS Sound takes up a lot of room and this is why they had to split it all into a two disc set. So add this Carpenter masterpiece to your collection. It is truly one of his all time bests!

ADDITIONAL BLU-RAY INFO:

I recently bought this film again on Blu-Ray and just had to comment on how nice an upgrade it is. First, I was really impressed with the new transfer. There's so much more detail now in the picture quality, which, while still not perfect, is a vast improvement over the DVD. Second, all of the special features from the out of print 2 disc Special Edition DVD set are all included on the Blu-Ray, along with a wonderful new feature: an Isolated Score audio track for the complete film in 5.1 DTS. This was the first thing I checked out when first popping in the Blu-Ray and I was just blown away by it. It's exactly like having the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack in your possession, with every complete music cue and sequence included and intact (no edits or cuts at all). There are a couple of dead-air spots, where no music was used, but they are brief and don't detract very much at all from the overall listening experience. So if you're thinking about upgrading this fantastic movie to Blu-Ray, my advice is "Go for it." The price for the Blu-Ray is usually very cheap too. Plus, again, if you don't already have the 2 disc special edition DVD, you'll get all of the special features from it on the Blu-Ray, with the added Isolated Score option as well. Check it out!

Big Trouble In Little China A Cult Classic!

"It's all in the reflexes" Kurt Russell as Jack Burton

Other recommended Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collaborations:

"Elvis: The Movie" DVD (1979)

"Escape From New York" DVD & Blu-Ray (1981)

"The Thing" DVD & Blu-Ray (1982)

"Escape From L.A." DVD & Blu-Ray (1996)

Director John Carpenter teams with Kurt Russell in this wonderfully unique spoof of the martial arts movie genre, and they hit on all cylinders in a film that is incredibly funny, surprisingly well-crafted, and just plain fun.

Russell takes advantage of Gary Goldman and David Weinstein's script to deliver the best comic performance of his career as his swaggering trucker Jack Burton blunders through Chinatown in an attempt to recover his stolen truck and his friend's kidnapped fiancee.

Masterminding the badguys is demon/ghost David Lo Pan, played wryly by James Hong. Hong parodies practically his whole career in this role, and has some priceless lines in so doing. His motive in the kidnapping is to marry a girl with green eyes, which will appease his demon-god and restore his lost vitality.

The plot grows more absurd and hilarious as the movie progresses and Burton and his companion, Wang (Dennis Dun) enlist the aid of local magician Egg Shen (Victor Wong) to thwart Lo Pan. Russell and Dun are perfectly over-the-top in their deliveries, and they provide constant laughs to propel the movie rapidly along to its conclusion.

It is very hard to find someone who doesn't like this movie, and with good reason. The film is so novel and so funny that it can be enjoyed over and over again--a real treasure.

Buy Big Trouble in Little China (2009) Now

The Critics shredded and diced this movie so I really went to the theatre expecting to see one sick puppy. Instead, I was delighted and I continue to be delighted every time I watch this marvelous movies. John Carpenter created an original howl of a time, with tongue firm planted through the cheek and simply went wild with fun and throw away lines, that will keep you coming back again and again. The Critics just did not get the JOKE!! Sigh...fortunately, the public did not agree.

A great cast Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, Kate Burton (Richard's Daughter), Victor Wong and James Hong take several wrong turns and end up in a war kung fu style kidnappings and all sorts "some very unreasonable things". Originally the manuscript for the second Buckaroo Banzai movie, Big Trouble hits bulls eye where BB just missed. It's over kill to the max, but such a great way to go as Jack Burton Russell doing a BAD John Wayne Imitation runs headlong into the magick underbelly of Chinatown. One critic put down Russell's performance as "was so poor, it was like he was doing a poor John Wayne imitation" WELL, DUH???? Earth to LM!!

Russell is taking Dennis Dun to pick up his bride to be, but she is mistakenly snatched. It's up to Russell, Dun, Wong and crew to try and get her back. Instead, they lose Kim Cattral to Hong as well as Burton's Peterbuilt "the Porkchop Express", so old Jack has to get mean.

If you don't want to laugh so hard your ribs hurt, you don't enjoy parodies, you don't enjoy bad John Wayne imitations...fine give it a pass. But everyone else wanting a great time, this is one you should not miss!

Read Best Reviews of Big Trouble in Little China (2009) Here

For non-stop action and entertainment, you can't beat this movie. There is no way any of it could happen in this world, and probably not in the next one, but it's so much fun that we just suspend belief and go along for the ride. And what a ride it is. Our hero, Jack Burton, superbly played by Kurt Russell, and his sidekick, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), are in a race against time to rescue Wang's girl, a beautiful, green-eyed (huh? ) Chinese immigrant fresh off the plane, who has been kidnapped by the henchmen of a villain named David Lo-Pan, a 2000 year old ghost who must marry a girl with green eyes to restore him to flesh and blood. Along the way, Jack and Wang have to do battle with the Three Storms (thunder, rain and lightning) and a host of nasty bad guys in Lo-Pan's service. By the time Wang's girl is saved from the evil machinations of Lo-Pan, we've been through an incredible roller-coaster ride spiced up with gun-shooting, knife-slinging, things exploding in a ball of green fire, karate chops galore, mid-air swordfighting (yes, these guys actually fly through the air), and a hefty dose of good old black magic. It all adds up to a wild, crazy, hilarious, slambang knockout of a movie experience.

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Another title we've all known about for a while has now been tapped as official: Big Trouble In Little China will hit DVD as a 2-disc Special Edition on May 22nd! Disc 1 will feature the film with a brand-new digitally remastered anamorphic transfer and both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS soundtracks! Also included on Disc 1 will be an Audio Commentary track with John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. Disc 2 will be loaded with treats, including: Deleted Scenes, an Alternate Ending, a new Making-of Documentary from DVD producer David Prior(Fight Club), an extensive Stills and Promo Art Gallery, DVD-ROM interactive material, and much MORE. MSRP will be a VERY fair $26.99, and this amazing 2-disc set is already available for pre-order! When we visited Fox last November, we were treated to a sneak of this set and the DVD menus. Trust me, it's going to be nice... and the wait for those of us who are fans of the film will be more than rewarded. Fox is taking charge of DVD... that's for sure. And it's also worth mentioning that on that same day (5/22) they will also be releasing the cool Point Break disc we told you about. It's not a "Special Edition", but will receive nice treatment including a new anamorphic transfer and both Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks! A fun film that is sure to be a worthy DVD!

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