The Hunt for Red October (1990)

This great movie was previously only available on DVD as a "bare-bones" edition -a non-anamorphic presentation of the movie, with only a trailer and no real extras. But with this release, the film finally gets the Special Edition treatment!

The special features for this disc will reportedly include a new anamorphic transfer, both a Dolby Digital 5.1 sound track AND a DTS 5.1 sound track, an audio commentary by director John McTiernan, a "Beneath the Surface" featurette (new interviews with Alec Baldwin, James Earl Jones, screenwriter Larry Ferguson and producer Mace Neufeld) and the theatrical trailer. Not TONS in the way of extras, but certainly a lot more than what was on the previous edition.

And for you Tom Clancy fans, Paramount has also announced "The Jack Ryan Special Edition DVD Collection" for release on the same day this disc is released, May 6th. The box set will include the new Special Editions of "The Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games", "Clear and Present Danger", and "The Sum Of All Fears"... each with new bonus material, new anamorphic transfers and both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound. (The movies will be available separately as well as in the 4-disc box set.)

As for my review of "Hunt For Red October":

Personally... and I'm sure that Harrison Ford fans will lambast me for this... I think that Alec Baldwin made the best Jack Ryan in the series. At least, he fit my own personalized vision of the character as I was reading the book better than Ford did. "The Hunt For Red October" is also far and away the best movie based on a Tom Clancy book and follows the SPIRIT of the book more closely than any of the others. Sure, they took some liberties with the details of the story, but they got the broad strokes absolutely dead-on correct. What movie based on a thick, highly technical, politically complex book could possibly match it exactly scene for scene???

One of the thrilling things for me when I watch this film is seeing INTELLIGENT characters actually THINKING their way through problems. There are political, personal and technical issues that many of the characters are forced to deal with, and it is a joy to watch -for example -Alec Baldwin's Jack Ryan using his MIND and not his fists to get into and out of situations. This movie is defenitely a thinking man's action film.

But that is not to say that this isn't an exciting movie with lots of plot twists, and some of the best submarine battles ever put into a movie. And to top all that off, you get Sean Connery AND the underrated Sam Neil as the "villains", and James Earl Jones in a superb supporting role. This is also directed by one of the best action-film directors working today, John "Die Hard" McTiernan (although I don't know WHAT he was thinking with the "Rollerball" remake). What more could you want in an action film?

SOME TRIVIA: Star Trek fans take note, that is Gates (Dr. Beverly Crusher) McFadden in a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo role as Jack Ryan's wife at the beginning of the movie. ... People in and around Portland, Oregon may be interested to know that the "Russian" submarine that breaches the water towards the end of the film is actually an American submarine called the USS Blueback which is retired and on permanent display for public tours at OMSI, the Portland science building.

The Hunt for Red October is my favorite movie of all time, bar none. It's the kind of movie you can watch over and over.. I've probably watched it a couple of dozen times over the years, first on VHS, then DVD, now on BD. Mind you, I'm not in the habit of re-purchasing titles, but in this case, I made an exception.

The picture is the best I've seen for a film of this vintage. It's not up to the quality of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but it is a film that's nearly 20 years old. All that said, there is a noticeable improvement over my copy on DVD.

The audio was remastered in Dolby TrueHD 5.1, and is utterly stunning. Good thing my wife & kids are out of town tonight, because I'd be in trouble if they were here -the sound's so good, I've got the shades drawn and the sound turned up, we're going movie-theater style here.

Don't expect a gaggle of extras here, just expect a great copy of the film with fantastic audio.

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Now this is a movie worth watching. "The Hunt for Red October" has such a superb casting with actors Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones, Richard Jordan, Joss Ackland, and more.

Under the command of Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery), a technologically superior Soviet nuclear sub, the "Red October", is heading for the U.S. coast. When the American government hears this, they immediately jump to the conclusion that the Russians are planning to attack the United States. But then strangely enough, they find out that the entire Russian naval and air commands are trying to find the "Red October": there orders, to sink the submarine! The Americans are told that they think that Ramius is mad and that he's going to shoot nuclear missiles into America so of course, the American government agrees to help the Soviet hunt the "Red October" to stop him. But a lone CIA analyst, Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin), has a different idea that he thinks that Ramius is planning to defect but he has only a little time to be able to prove it with the reluctant help of Cammander Bart Mancuso (Scott Glenn). The hunt is on!!

On my list of favorite movies ever, "The Hunt for Red October" measures up to such submarine movies such as "Run Silent, Run Deep" with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster and "U-571" with Matthew McConaughey. This movie is based on Tom Clancy's bestseller and you have to admit, he was a genius in writing this story.

I love the acting done by not only Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin, but also of Sam Neill as Vasily Borodin, Scott Glenn as the Commander, and naturally James Earl Jones as Admiral James Greer. My favorite parts are probably the very last 40 minutes (of which I won't tell what happens because I don't want to give anything away to anyone who hasn't watched this movie yet) and the parts where National Security Advisotor Jeffrey Pelt (Richard Jordan) and Amabassador Andrei Lysenko (Joss Ackland) and talkint to each other. And the whole movie has very subtle humor which I like.

Watch "The Hunt for Red October" and if you like it, I also recommend other submarine movies such as "Run Silent, Run Deep" and "U-571".

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Thought is was nice in DVD, but then decided to take a chance on Bluray.

What a difference. Not in the habit of upgrading a DVD, but now that I've seen and heard the difference that BD makes, I'll be replacing several of my old DVD versions. Just a classic that belongs in anyone's inventory.

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It is obvious that Paramount's late entry into the DVD format and lack of support shows on this movie. It is not anamorphic transfer but a second generation print used for making VHS tapes..hence the poor video and dust specks. Sound is also lacking it's depth of realism though it is Dolby. I have also noticed a "pause" when the layer change occurs. This seems to be common on all of their releases thus far and hope that they would take a second look at their quality -vsthe demand by the public for DVD titles. The $29.95 MSRP for the movie is NOT worth it's features or quality and unless you can find it on sale somewhere, would pass on it until Paramount can become serious with their DVD's.

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West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition Box Set (1961)

Wow. What a great DVD.

The one hour documentary featuring interviews with some of the cast, Robert Wise, Harold Prince, Sondheim, and some key crew members is completely engrossing. Home movie footage showing the filming of the movie is included. Examples of the techniques that the movie makers used to film a musical are fascinating. I was amazed that the knife scene, for example, is COMPLETELY counted out and the actor/dancers' movements were choreographed down to the second (breath, two, three, four; stab, two three; look, two, three, four). Incredible! Rita Morena is particularly informative regarding the dubbing of her song "A Boy Like That". The Robbins/Wise codirecting of the film is explained. And some of Natalie Wood's original vocals are included. The documentary is invaluable for fans of the film.

As for the film itself, it looks and sounds incredible on my widescreen HDTV. The anamorphic transfer is very good.

The DVD is packaged very well. The book which accompanies the set is very cool, with a great introduction by screenwriter Ernest Lehman (who is one of my movie heros).

I'm very impressed with this special edition of WEST SIDE STORY. The film is a classic, and deserves such treatment.

"West Side Story" is proof that the sum of its parts can not only be greater than the whole, but possibly be the greatest!

Little known writer in Elizabethian England pens a drama about two star-crossed lovers. Flash ahead to the turbulent streets of New York in the late 1950s and early 60s. Turn feuding families to rival gangs. Add music, choreography, make it vital. Then find a brilliant director who knows what to show, and watch as it takes home every Oscar it can.

We know the story of this film but what's important for you to know about here are the extras you get in this package that make it worth your while: The first disc is the film, preserved perfectly. And the second disc has your special features.

First, you get a great documentary on the making of the film. Titled "West Side Memories," Principals like Sondheim, Moreno, Chakiris, Beymer and more sit before the cameras and explain the process of preparing and executing what could be the finest example of the Hollywood Musical, ever. It's a piece that's could have been a stand alone DVD, it's so rich with insights.

You also get an interesting "Storyboard to Film" montage, where you see the artist's renderings of the scenes, and how those shots looked when they appeared in the film. You get to study these storyboards more carefully in several galleries on the disc. Lots of other goodies, like the theatrical trailers and photos galore... everything from Jerome Robbins's cattle call for dancers to location shots during production!

And if that wasn't enough, there's a massive book that comes with the set, that includes the complete script of the film, the original lobby brouchure that theater patrons who attended the film received, which has more photos and info, and the newspaper clippings lauding the film as it took its place in movie musical legend.

It's simply a valentine to a remarkable film, and a fantastic package, all the way around.

Highly recommended.

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When "West Side Story" hit the Broadway stage it must have shocked theater critics. A balletic musical about street gangs and murder, with such an emotional swell built in, that even the most hardened cynics must have left the show dewey-eyed and humming the Leonard Berstein score. The film created nothing less than an international craze and garnered an unprecidented 10 Oscars the most of any musical.

PLOT: In a nut shell, this is Romeo and Juliet in the ghetto. Natilie Wood (dubbed by Marni Nixon) is Maria; poor, Puertorican and in love with Richard Beymer (Tony). But her brother, Bernardo (George Chakaris) and his girlfriend, Anita (Rita Moreno) don't approve. If you know your Shakespeare, you know how this one ends. The difference here are the songs, so electric and outstanding that they easily steal the show. Try listening to "America" or "I Feel Pretty" without tapping your toes or "One Hand, One Heart" without getting goose-bumps. It's impossible.

MGM gives us some nice packaging and some extras but let's state the obvious first: this transfer is identical to the one previously issued on DVD. Having said that, the transfer is quite good, with a rich bold color scheme and fair solid blacks. But there are cases where edge enhancement is present and quite obtrusive. There's also a lot of pixelization in the backgrounds.

Certain scenes appear slightly out of focus, while others are so sharp that even with your televsion sharpness turned to zero, the image is rather hard to look at on the screen.

The soundtrack is very strident. Songs are presented at an explosive listening level that really rocks the house. But other bits of dialogue are soft or muffled. Some of the songs have a grating high pitch to them that really strains the ear. A moderate listening level is recommended to fully appreciate this audio.

Now for the extras for starters we get a very handsome book that contains the entire script as well as personal reflections from the producers and cast and newspaper clippings of the initial reviews. The print quality of the book is okay, but the photo image quality herein is simply unacceptable, with smeared images of original stills and others that have faded colors.

Since this is a two-disc set, the movie is on disc one, with the option to listen and view with or without the intermission music a very nice touch. Disc 2 contains a documentary "West Side Memories" that is somewhat disappointing in that not all the cast members have their say.

Missing from the proceedings are George Chakaris (Bernardo) who is still alive and should have been included. Yes, Natalie Wood is no longer with us but I find it hard to believe that she never gave any sound bytes to the press ever, with regard to her participation on the film. Marni Nixon, who dubbed for Natalie is also not present to lend her expertise and talk about the art of dubbing, which she did plenty of during Hollywood's golden age. There's also no Ernest Lehman odd, considering how active he's been on other special edition DVD's.

This documentary is self-congratulatory and pretty much plays it safe. The premiere and the film's enduring popularity are glossed over.

On disc 2 we get the isolated intermission music presented a second time for what reason, I'm not sure presumably to fill disc space. There's also a montage of stills set to music and no less than five theatrical trailers all of them looking pretty dull and worn out. Lastly, we get a shameless add from MGM, promoting its other DVD releases. That's pretty much it. A real waste of a second disc if you ask me. Yes, the documentary is fairly comprehensive, but it could have fit on side two of a flipper disc. Yes, the book is a nice companion piece but it's not printed with high quality in mind. The handsome packaging on the exterior hints to more hidden treasures than are actually found inside.

BOTTOM LINE: A genuine work of art. The transfer is nice, just not pristine. The extras are okay, but don't really live up to the excitement one has before taking the plastic wrapper off.

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There are known issues on this blu ray release. The studio says it will fix the problems ONLY in future manufacturing. Don't buy this one right away. It's a great film and it's opening moments were accidentally mutilated by the blu ray mfr. I am surprised a mass distributor like Amazon is moving forward and shipping this bad pressing.

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West Side Story

Score: 86/100

In 1961, West Side Story, this endearing classic, garnered a total of ten academy awards, which is one of the most plausible amounts ever. The film is now terribly ignored by audiences, but for me, West Side Story set a standard that remains, most likely, unsurpassed in movie musicals. It's that good.

West Side Story is a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set in New York City, where rival street gangs the American Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks battle for territory and respect. Is the love affair between former Jets leader Tony (Richard Beymer), and Maria (Natalie Wood), sister to Sharks' leader Bernardo, doomed to failure? Well, you're doomed until you find out, so grab this movie as soon as you.

West Side Story is a truly electrifying piece of cinema, it sets ageless tragedy on the slums of New York in the 1950's and does it maturely and with stunning style. The violence and some unnecessary language may slightly falter it, but Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's unforgettable score, which includes such famous songs as Maria, America and Tonight, and Jerome Robbins' exuberant chereography makes up for whatever may put the film down. Performances are no problem for these now-crinkly actors; Natalie Wood captures Maria with such heartbreaking richness that makes her performance ignored beauty, while Richard Beymer is excellently controlled in his performance as the confused but honest Tony. Oscar-winners Rita Moreno and George Chakiris both make sure this film is satisfying in supporting performances as well.

West Side Story is a lovely film that remains a feast for the eye, the ear and, ultimately, the heart.

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True Legend (2010)

I watched this movie a few months ago while I was on deployment. A buddy in my shop had a bootleg copy and at the time I had no idea what the movie was called. After googling the plot and some quotes I finally figured out it was True Legend.

Anyway I really enjoyed the movie as a whole. Great fight scenes and interesting story (although the story itself is pretty depressing). The background scenery and cinematography were amazing.

If you're a Yuen Woo-ping fan (The Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill Volumes I and II, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, Iron Monkey, Drunken Master) or just like martial arts movies in general then I'd recommend checking out this movie.

I've got this pre-ordered now and I'm really looking forward to watching a legit copy on blu-ray.

I don't know how much of TRUE LEGEND is either `true' or which is more `legend', but I found the end result of Director Yuen Woo Ping's work to present the story as an incomplete parable one where perhaps the viewer can draw inspiration from to seek out answers to questions regarding martial arts history but certainly not a `definitive work.' Or, at least, I wouldn't hope so. I can only suspect that, if this is based on true events, there may be more story here than what made it to the screen this time around. While TRUE LEGEND has moments of great entertainment, it felt only half-baked to me, a somewhat mixed bag of effective acting, tremendous fighting, and excellent choreography. And I couldn't help from wondering what a more accomplished director may've been able to do with the material.

The biggest detraction to TRUE LEGEND is that the end result actually feels more like one, big, sprawling combination of two smaller, incomplete halves. By the conclusion, I found myself wondering if the project had originally started out as two films a first flick with a planned sequel that, for budgetary considerations, were merged together. The first half runs about one hour and ten minutes, and it deals with Su Can's conflict with a vengeful brother, Yuan; the second half runs about forty minutes, and it explores Su Can's nearly-accidental "discovery" of fighting which prompts him to modify his Wushu style combat into `the Drunken Fist' style. I say "nearly-accidental" because that's how, narratively, it's structured, with Su Can happening across a demonstration of this new style.)

On reflection, it's easy to see that the first half has plenty of meat-and-bones, though I'm not entirely certain as to how the film could've been expanded despite the fact that the lovely Michelle Yeoh was tremendously under-used here. Perhaps much of her character was left on the cutting room floor? There's no way to tell. Comparatively, the second half is spent almost entirely with fighting as Su Can finds himself battling (to the death!) China's invaders in scenes vaguely reminiscent of territory already explored spectacularly in IP MAN. Of course, the fight choreography is incredible TRUE LEGEND arguably contains some of the best hand-to-hand contact put to film but the story suffers as a consequence. These two halves are introduced and bridged by graphics which serve to `fill in the gaps' between Su Can's filmed adventures; it's a serviceable technique ... it just isn't all that interesting.

It's worth mentioning that one of the greatest strengths of the film aside from the martial arts, of course is the talent of the actors. As the Su Can, leading man Man Cheuk Chiu brings not only tremendous physical prowess to the role but also he almost exudes a classic `leading man' charisma; when he's onscreen, he owns the screen, and everything accompanying him bends to his obvious charm. As the nefarious Yuan Lie, Andy On snarls his way through scene after scene, doing his best to match Su Can's graciousness with equal parts venom; these two men are brilliantly paired for the respective roles of `good' versus `evil', and the film benefits greatly from their opposing chemistry. Xun Zhou is suitably lovely and demure as Su Can's wife and sister to Yuan Lie; she's photographed beautifully and is clearly seen as the inspiration to these two opposing forces. Like Helen of Troy, it's not hard to see how her loveliness brought these two men into conflict. The remainder of the players all perform suitably, though some feel underused (as was the aforementioned Michelle Yeoh), but they're most inconsequential to the film's narrative focus.

All in all, TRUE LEGEND is entertaining. Throughout, it's smartly photographed, well-staged, and flows gracefully like a martial arts routine from start to finish. It just felt more than a bit incomplete to me. I would rather have enjoyed a greater exploration of these characters perhaps a handful more of the subtle moments explored between husband and wife Su Can and Yuen Ying which may've ended up on the cutting room floor or were deemed unnecessary to the fight pace set by the film. A few other scenes could've pushed the creative envelope, and they could've gone a long way toward honoring the `truth' and `legend' implied by the film's title.

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This is a pretty strange flick. Part of it is very now and wow while other parts read like director Hark Tsui's "Zu Warrior" or "Once Upon a Time in China."

Here's the scoop. Su Can is a great warrior. He and his brother in law, Yuan Lie, finish a particularly grueling battle and Su wants to hang it up and start a school teaching the Wushu style of fighting. He takes his wife and son and heads off to the big city. Yuan, in the meantime, is starting to fume. He has always felt like a second fiddle to Su so he loads up on venom from various creatures and perfects a way to deliver it via the Five Fingers of Death. He now goes after Su and it leads to a really big mess.

This is a pretty wild ride. The opening battle uses a lot of CGI and looks as though it came from a poor man's version of "The Lord of the Rings." It then shifts to something more like "Zu Warrior" with the over exaggerated wire work, the white haired mystical dude and the "God" who will put Su through the paces to get him back up to speed after losing a fight with Yuan. I don't know where this genre is these days. I don't see enough of these to tell, but seeing a guy kick a big rock into pebbles isn't anything I've seen in "Hero" or "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon."

The story is pretty good but it takes an odd turn. It's two hours long but the first part ends in 90 minutes then veers off to an entirely different chapter where Su becomes an alcoholic and, through a changing socio-political condition in China, begins to develop the "drunken fist" method of fighting. It caught me way off guard.

I liked this movie enough. Good story and direction. Good sets and costumes with a decent score. Michelle Yeow is on hand but has a woefully small, underwritten part. Some of what is portrayed is supposed to be based on fact but the viewer can tell that great liberties were taken in the telling.

It's a fun watch, but if you're not a fan of the genre, you might end up going WTF?!

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I'm a big martial arts and HK cinema fan, but man was this depressing!! Visually, it looked good and action was good, and the initial bad guy was ok.

SPOILER ALERT!!! ENTIRE PLOT SUMMARIZED HERE please skip if you don't want to spoil the story! Continue on if you want to know specifically why I felt this film was depressing...

Bascially this is the fictional story of Su Can, aka "Beggar Su," who invented drunken boxing. Of course this was preceded by his brother-in-law killing his father and later his wife, the loss of his life as a teacher, his descent into madness (as in "A Beautiful Mind"), and finally his becoming a drunk and homeless father. What a downer!!!

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If you like martial arts movies with lots of action, including wrestling, this is a great movie to watch. It is a legend of the martial art warrior who is forced to abandon his peaceful life of a devoted husband and a father when his evil and vindictive stepbrother decides to destroy him. Michelle Yeoh and David Carradine make guest appearances in this film, but amazingly enough, they have roles that require not fighting. I liked their quiet presence on screen.

In any case, movie goes over the top with fighting scenes. One almost wishes for good old times when Bruce Lee movies were in fashion. I liked wonderful costumes and gentle and graceful depiction of female characters. Great spectacle and entertainment. Do not expect more than that.

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Happythankyoumoreplease (2010)

I'm not going to summarize the story. Plenty of that already out there. My thoughts about the movie are that if you like movies that focus on the characters and their relationships rather than a linear story, this movie is a rare treat. Extremely well thought out. Bad title almost kept me away. Glad I took a chance. I thought it was fantastic in all areas. Interesting relationships with likable people, many life lessons mostly well presented, good production value, score was beautiful, smart character studies, perfectly understated delivery by the actors. Found myself pausing to think about what was presenting at the moment. Clearly the best of the current bunch playing.

I think that it's become my mantra--"quirk is the curse of independent cinema." In an effort to be cutesy and/or clever, films have been systematically stripping away genuine warmth and humor by presenting character types and sitcom contrivances instead of mining what is really funny in our everyday foibles. It becomes a fine balancing act, then, because a good quirky film can be both hysterical and touch your heartstrings. However, one that goes over the top can be painfully unreal and hard to sit through. And, in my opinion, there is very little middle ground. Josh Radnor's (How I Met Your Mother) debut feature "HappyThankYouMorePlease" cues you in right away with its title to its eccentric feel good nature. But after a pretty painful beginning and one incredibly off-putting storyline, Radnor's film overcomes its cliches with a likable cast selling even its most awkward moments.

Radnor, who also wrote and directed the film, stars as a typical commitment-phobic man/child. A New York writer (who supports himself with absolutely no discernable source of income), Radnor engages in an appropriately zany new romance with a very appealing Kate Mara. In addition, he encounters a little boy on the subway that seems to have nowhere to go. While I won't divulge much here, what Radnor does with the boy is so outrageously improbable and illogical--it strains every notion of suspension of disbelief. As a central plot line, you have to give up all reason and just go with it. But it seriously almost completely derails the entire film. Much better are the other two story lines--co-workers Malin Akerman and Tony Hale beginning an unlikely romance and couple Zoe Kazan and Pablo Schreiber entering a new dimension of their life together.

Aside from Radnor, the other main characters seem much more grounded and relatable. As their relationships evolve, there is a tender believability that can be quite engaging. And Mara, despite the script's uneven tone, brings real warmth to her role as a struggling cabaret singer and waitress. But the film still relies on some unnecessary quirks to make it utterly irresistible (but trust me, I resisted!). Radnor is apparently supposed to be so winning that everyone forgives his eccentricities and irresponsibility, but he doesn't come off very well. Akerman's character has alopecia (isn't it wacky that she's bald?), but far worse is the fact that she has a party to lecture all her friends about her condition. What--didn't they notice when she lost her hair? Seems the subject probably would have been dealt with on an individual basis, but it's so much more eccentric to have a party! Of course, the soundtrack is also littered with expected indie artists delivering heartfelt songs that parallel the plot--Radnor really followed the play book. Yet, the film still had a sweet tone and some nice moments. For lighthearted escapism, it works fine. About 3 1/2 stars, I'll round up for the extended cast and two of the three central stories. KGHarris, 5/11.

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Sam Wexler is a lonely, struggling writer living in Manhattan. While rushing to make it on time to an interview with a publisher, he rescues a cute orphan boy, Rasheen, who is lost on the subway. The interview is ruined. To complicate matters, Rasheen won't allow Sam to take him to the police. Sam falls in love with Mississippi, a gorgeous waitress who is a struggling singer. Sam's best friend, Annie, has low self esteem because of an autoimmune deficiency that has left her bald; she is attracted to losers like a magnet but has been deflecting the advances of a successful, kind-hearted lawyer, Sam 2, who works in her company. Sam's other friends, Mary-Catherine and Charlie, who live together, are afraid of taking their relationship one step further to the marriage altar.

An evangelist once taught me that Christians should have an attitude of gratitude. In other words, we should always be thankful for what we have been given. When Annie once stepped into a cab, the Indian driver told her she had the potential to be very happy if she always said "Thank you" and followed it with "More please." Charlie once told Mary-Catherine that LA was a blank canvas that reflects one's attitudes. If you believe you're going to love LA, then you'll see it as the best city in the world. From watching "HappyThankYouMorePlease," I've learned that, in order to achieve success, love, happiness, and all the other good things in life, one must believe in oneself and have a positive attitude that one will obtain them. This is a spiritual concept that is prevalent in most religions.

"HappyThankYouMorePlease" is a sweet, quirky, uplifting film that is fun to watch. It will encourage the lovelorn not to lose hope in finding someone special and eventually having a family. I believe that Sam's reluctance to surrender Rasheen to the authorities is the product of his subconscious desire to have a family. He is pushing thirty and his biological clock (men also have them) is probably screaming for him to begin reproducing. As soon as Sam finds the adorable surrogate "son", he finds the adorable surrogate "wife", Mississippi. He barely knows her when he practically begs her to move into his apartment. Mary-Catherine and Charlie are close to the altar but are having commitment issues. Several surprises help spur them onward. I think Annie is extremely attractive (I love her wardrobe); unfortunately, she doesn't. She soon learns after dating the witty, sincere lawyer that true beauty comes from within.

The soundtrack is excellent. Much of the music, provided by singer/songwriter Jaymay, contains lyrics that complement the film's drama. The DVD contains a short featurette that focuses on Jaymay. Also, the DVD has deleted scenes that further explain what is transpiring in the film; they are essential viewing. They include one disturbing scene in which Rasheen kicks and beats on a boy who purposely walked into him. When Sam scolds him, Rasheen asks him if he's going to beat him. This scene hints at the abuse the little boy must've suffered at the hands of his foster parents and why he doesn't want to return to them. Without this scene, the film does not contain any violence. Neither does the film contain graphic depictions of sex. There is only the frequent use of the four-letter "f" word, which gives it an R rating.

Anchor Bay Entertainment has provided an excellent presentation of "HappyThankYouMorePlease" on DVD. As mentioned before, it has a featurette on Jaymay and deleted scenes; it also has a theatrical trailer and audio commentary provided by Producer/Writer/Director/Actor Josh Radnor (star of the hit television series "How I Met Your Mother") and Producer Jesse Hara. The film is presented in its theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and has English and Spanish subtitles. Thank you Anchor Bay for providing subtitles for those of us who are hearing impaired.

"HappyThankYouMorePlease" is not a raunchy, hormonally driven sex comedy. It is an emotionally uplifting, inspirational, teary-eyed romance that gives people like me, who've been single for a very long time, hope that there is someone out there for them. Though it is not totally realistic, it does, however, provide excellent advice on having a positive attitude towards one's self image and self worth. In order to be loved, one must first love oneself. Remember Whitney Houston's hit song, "Greatest Love of All." The greatest love of all is learning to love oneself. How very true. In conclusion, I must state that this film has made me very Happy. To Josh Radnor, I must say, "Thank You." Furthermore, I beseech him to please make more movies like this one. "More Please."

Joseph B. Hoyos

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This movie has a "little engine that could" feel about it: it wants to be better than it is. And it's trying very hard. The actors are talented, the script has potential, but the characters could be more interesting than they are allowed to be, and somehow it never quite pulls together.

A slice of life movie, there is no great plot twist or even much of a character arc-it's just a few days in the lives of young adults finding their way in New York City. Which is part of the problem: too many other (better) films of this genre come to mind. This film adds nothing new to the genre. And the ultimate fate of the characters is just too neat and nice.

Even though parts of the film really made no sense (the main character doesn't seem to have much of an income yet maintains an apartment alone in NYC; he essentially kidnaps a child, but that's somehow OK because he means well-even though he leaves the child alone in his apartment?) there's an overarching sincerity about the production that makes it hard to completely dismiss.

The supporting couples played by Zoe Kazan and Pablo Schreiber, and Malin Akerman and Tony Hale are actually more interesting than the lead couple, Josh Radnor and Kate Mara. The movie would have been better if those characters could have been developed more.

The movie tries hard. I suspect director/writer Josh Radnor learned a lot while making this film, so his next effort will be even better.

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"What if you don't know whats best for you?" After struggling writer Sam Wexler (Radnor) takes in a small child who is left behind on a subway he begins on a course that will change his life. Stuck in a posisition of what's more important between the kid, his book or love life, Sam is left trying to find out who he is. This is the type of movie that I have talked about before, a movie that because of no CGI and small budget gets forgot about by the studios and does not get the advertising it deserves. This is one of the best movies of the year, and will continue to be one of the least scene. Very dissapointing considering more people have seen and will continue to see movies like "Drive Angry". Taking away the fact that Radnor both wrote and directed this, Malin Akerman is a huge surprise in this one. Much like Milla Jovovich in "Stone" she is the definate break out acting star in this one. In a drastic change from her usual choice she far and away steals the movie and proves that she is a joy to watch even with her clothes on. Besides Akerman, the acting all around is excellent, but the fact that the budget is under $100,000 and no comic book hero or a car that becomes a robot this will not be seen by the audience that it deserves. This is the type of movie there needs to be more of, but because of greed the studios refuse to take a chance on interesting movies like this one in favor of the next comic book hero, or the next sequel that doesn't seem necessary. Overall easily one of the top ten best movies of the year so far. I give it an A.

Would I watch it again? Yes, I would.

*Also try Garden State & Jolene

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Daughters of Darkness (1971)

Since I've been watching a ton of Eurohorror classics lately, now is as good as a time as any to say a few words about "Daughters of Darkness." I made a vow some time ago to ignore vampire films as a general rule. It's not that I strongly dislike all vampire films, mind you, but I just feel like the genre has been done to death over the years. How many versions of Dracula can you watch before your eyes start rolling over the predictability of it all? The plots are all essentially the same, right? You've got the obligatory virgin, the dashing young lad, the wizened vampire hunter, and good old Drac himself ambling around in the dark tormenting the others. A bunch of people fall prey to the vampire, the hunter teams up with the young man in an effort to save the young girl, and a stake through the old ticker pretty much wraps the whole thing up. Well, a bit of experience reveals quite a few films that play around with this tried and true formula. One way to accomplish something different, if these European flicks are any indication, is to punch up the proceedings with a generous helping of bare flesh. There's nothing like a bunch of gals trooping around in revealing outfits, or no outfits at all, to perk up the dreary old Stoker legend. And if you can make the head vampire a woman, that certainly can't hurt either. Welcome to "Daughters of Darkness."

Something weird and wonderful is going on in this movie, but you have to wait awhile to see it. The picture starts out by showing us two freshly wedded lovebirds, Valerie (Danielle Ouimet) and Stefan (John Karlen), heading to the European coast on a train. Ostensibly, the two married in secret and are now going to head over to England to meet Stefan's domineering mother. Valerie worries whether the woman (ha!) will accept her since Stefan makes it abundantly clear that his beloved mother is quite picky about her son's girlfriends. Stefan assures Valerie all will go well, but it soon becomes apparent that he isn't hurrying to get to England. While waiting for the ship that will take them home, the two check into a massively creepy hotel on the coast. No other guests are staying in the building since it's out of season, so Valerie and Stefan have the beautiful building all to themselves. That is until Countess Elizabeth Bathory (Delphine Seyrig) and her beautiful companion Ilona (Andrea Rau) arrive on the scene in a vintage automobile. Most of us are aware that Elizabeth Bathory was a notorious sixteenth century Hungarian noblewoman who supposedly kept herself eternally young by bathing in vats filled with the blood of young maidens. Unfortunately, Valerie and Stefan don't make the connection.

Still, the newlyweds grow increasingly aware that something isn't right with the beautiful countess. First, it's rather odd that the hotel manager claims that he remembers Countess Elizabeth showing up at the hotel nearly fifty years before looking exactly as she does now. Second, she's downright creepy. There's something hidden behind her horrific grin that makes you want to scream. Second, the Countess Elizabeth takes an incredible interest in the activities of the couple. She always seems to appear whenever Stefan and Valerie leave their room, grinning that horrible grin and cooing like a cat over the two newlyweds. Bathory seems to have an eye for the beautiful Valerie, too, which makes sense when we discover exactly why Ilona follows her around like a puppy. It turns out history made a mistake about the blood vats, not recognizing or refusing to record that Bathory was really a vampire with a penchant for young gals. She's roamed Europe for over three hundred years playing the same bloody game, a game that now threatens to rip apart forever this hapless couple. In no time at all, Elizabeth manages to drive a wedge between the Stefan and Valerie, recruit the latter to her thirsty cause, and wreak a whole heck of a lot of havoc in the hotel.

You just gotta love this film. "Daughters of Darkness" is one of the best vampire films I have ever seen for a multitude of reasons. The primary reason the picture succeeds is due to the amazing talents of Delphine Seyrig. Who is this enchanting woman and where has she been all my life? I love this lady! She manages to make her character insanely gorgeous and metaphysically eerie at the same time. She slinks around in shimmering outfits dropping suggestive comments, tells horribly gory stories, winks, and grins with the greatest of ease. And her fate at the end of the film is gruesome and disturbing. Just as good as Seyrig is the oppressive atmosphere of the hotel and the desolate surroundings. Characters move around outside under overcast skies and through pouring rain. Forests nearby are dense and spooky. Every set piece seems to telegraph a sense of impending doom for the film's participants. Finally, you simply won't believe your eyes when Stefan calls his mother on the phone. What was director Harry Kumel thinking here? What an incredibly bizarre scene to insert into the picture! Oh man, you just won't comprehend the insanity of it!

"Daughters of Darkness" deserves five stars for its amazing performances and over the top antics. I can't thank Blue Underground enough for releasing this treasure on DVD. While the print transfer occasionally suffers from some minor blemishes and fading colors, most of the movie looks great. Extras include two commentary tracks, radio spots, a trailer, stills, and an interview with Andrea Rau. Run, don't walk, to pick up a copy of this underrated gem.

The notion of "vampirism" has always had ties to dark and forbidden sides of human sexuality, and has served as metaphor for homosexuality, nymphomania, and maochism. The sexual revolution of late 60's and early 70's produced a bevy of erotic, "lesbian" vampire films, in which their creators were able to graphically exploit all manner of sexual taboos that had only been hinted at previously. DVDs have given us a wonderful cross-section of these forbidden fruits from Jess Franco's psychedelic Vampiros Lesbos to the surreal-dreamy trappings of Jean Rollin's Shiver Of The Vampires, but Daughter's of Darkness is for many (myself included) is the cream of the crop.

Daughter's is kind of a hybrid between Sheridan Fornau's often-filmed vampire story, Carmilla, and the many legends and exploits of real-life "vampire" Elizabeth Bathory. Brought into the present, the film begins with the arrival of two newlyweds, Stephan & Valerie (John Karlen & Danielle Quimet), to a gloomy and mostly deserted beachfront hotel in Belgium. From the onset we observe all is not right with this union, Stephan refuses to tell his "mother" of their marriage and is revealing an aloof and sadistic temperament, which Valerie mournfully tolerates. Out of the night arrives the Countess Elizabeth Bathory (Delphine Seyrig) and her sultry companion/accomplice Ilona (Andrea Rau). The Countess takes an immediate, carnal interest in the young newlyweds, and especially in Valerie. Meanwhile there seems to be a rash of murders in the nearby villages in which the young female victims have been drained of all their blood. Before long the countess and her reluctant companion have seduced the troubled newlyweds, and this is where the fun begins.

Though many erotic vampire films of the time boast tantalizing visuals & copious nudity, director Harry Kummel clearly meant Daughters of Darkness to be more than a thinly veiled soft-core "art film". Not that it's minus these elements, Daughters' is quite explicit, but it's also a sophisticated and highly styled horror film laced with bewildering moments of black-comedy. In short, it's delightfully European.

As the ageless and decadent Elizabeth Bathory, Euro-star Delphine Seryig is without peer. More often than not, female erotic-vampires are portrayed as baleful, unwilling victims of their own desires, but not Elisabeth. The Countess takes great pride in her wickedness, and done-up like a thirties Marline Dietrich, Seyrig is believable and amusing, but never corny as she gleefully corrupts all that she touches.

Blue Underground's anamorphic transfer of Daughters is a vast improvement over the early Anchor Bay edition. Though utilizing the same source, Blue Undergrounds mastering is sharper, the colors are more stable and it's free of the bleeding and artifacts that plague the previous release. It still contains the commentary track with male lead John Karlen, but raises the stakes greatly with an additional commentary track with director Harry Kumel, an onscreen interview with actress Andrea Rau, an excellent theatrical trailer, radio spots, and a poster and still gallery. Priced at $20 (or less) this is an essential up-grade for Euro-horror fans and an excellent entry for the Euro-curious.

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This is one of those movies from the days when local stations ran horror movies on Saturday afternoons, stations that -alas! -have since aligned with upstart networks and now run infomercials all day. Mostly they'd run the great films from Hammer Studios, the Japanese monster movies like "Godzilla," and, of course, the '50s B-movies like "Them." Every now and then, though, they'd show this truly creepy little gem. Now, of course, as an adult I recognize this as an 'Art Film' but then it was just eerie, creepy, and totally different -especially when compared to the typical vampire and other monster movies where the hero gets the girl and the monster gets killed/destroyed. A horror movie done as an art film, there's a lot going on that the viewer either has to guess, assume, or be left wondering about. In that sense, "Daughters of Darkness" foreshadows the modern Japanese horror films like "Ringu" or "Uzumaki" where you're left with unanswered questions, the kind that make you check to make sure the doors are locked. Blue Underground did a fantastic job with this DVD transfer, and it's great to be able to see this movie in its entirety instead of edited for TV. The only thing missing is Delphine Seyrig singing the title theme at the beginning of the movie ("...Don't let the sunlight find you, or you may fade and die."). Where'd that go?

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"Daughters of Darkness" crackles with repressed sexual energy and barely suppressed libidinous desire in a way uncommon for an early 1970's horror film. Eschewing the somewhat vulgar and obvious treatment of the same story by Hammer, made as "Countess Dracula", Belgian director Harry Kumel opts for an overly symbolic aesthetic that self consciously emulates European art cinema. The similarities to Alain Resnais' "Last Years in Marienbad" are notable in relation to casting, but also in the strangely isolated and ethereal hotel setting. Kumel also experiments with time and space in a non linear way. This is not to say that his film makes no narrative sense, in fact it easy to follow, but symbolic representations of time signified by the countess herself makes one question not only the films reality but also its temporality. Kumel also makes use of an intriguing colour scheme which privileges reds and greens as symbols of death, decay, but also regeneration. Perhaps the films most impressive aspect though is its almost total rejection of the iconography of the horror genre. For example we see no fangs, we so no drinking of blood, no familiars, in fact by the films conclusion we are not even 100% sure there has been any vampirism. This is a great film because Kumel takes exploitation material (lesbianism and vampirism) and places them in the background, preferring to privilege mood, ambience and an artistic formal strategy.

Blue Underground's DVD presents the film fully restored and uncut and in a sumptuous transfer. Also included in this edition is another treatment of the Countess Bathory story, the rather more exploitative "Blood Spattered Bride", this is a perfectly acceptable effort, but with a stronger emphasis on nudity and violence...But there is nothing wrong with that.

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This is a well-executed vampire film with a number of very good ingredients thrown in. The lead role of the seductive countess is well played by Delphine Seyrig, and she leads a small but attractive cast of actors who all perform convincingly and are also enjoyable to look at. The movie is set in a bleak European winter that offers little by way of great scenery. The plot centres around a young newlywed couple on their way to England who get sidetracked and find themselves staying at an empty seaside resort. Here the husband starts to reveal the first hints of his slightly sadistic and perverse nature. Shortly afterwards, a Hungarian countess with a mysterious past arrives with her female assistant and they immediately start taking an unnatural interest in the newlyweds. The Hungarian countess is actually a blood drinking vampire and when she decides to thrust herself upon the unwary couple in a quest for fresh blood she finds that the husband is somewhat more forthcoming than his beautiful wife. An accidental death follows and then things start going out of control.

Despite the inclusion of frontal nudity, lesbian erotic undertones and a certain amount of blood and gore, this is no exploitation movie. The production is polished and the acting accomplished. The movie is somewhat of a slow burn that builds and maintains a good amount of atmosphere. For lovers of the vampire genre there are enough touches of class in this to warrant multiple viewing.

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Sanjuro (The Criterion Collection) (1962)

This movie speaks for itself. It's pure cinematic artistry from Akira Kurusawa himself. This movie is gorgeous. It's the best looking black & White film I have ever seen. The plot is very interesting & quite humorous despite the characters being faced with death at every turn. GREAT cinematography. When you observe what Kurusawa was able to do back in 60's without modern tech, it really puts most modern directors to shame. Toshiro Mifune is an extraordinarily well rounded actor, and this is my favorite roll of his that I've seen so far. Brilliant.

I love all the works of Akira Kurosawa and his collaboration with Toshiro Mifune. I have always found

this movie to be fun to watch. The acting is great and their are some funny lines throughout. A most

entertaining film.

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Movie 4.5

Alright, my third Kurosawa film! Here we have the continuing adventures of Sanjuurou in the self-titled movie, which amply reflects a good majority of the elements that made Youjimbou so successful. We're essentially presented with the same mix of comedy and drama (albeit, of a lighter nature), tantalizing swordplay (much bloodier), and a still very appealing protagonist, though not quite to the magnitude of its predecessor. However, what Sanjuurou lacks in overall bravado, it makes up for in some great character development and complexity. After listening to the very insightful commentary, I found that a lot of the elements in this movie helped to fill some of the character gaps and actually compliment Sanjuurou to make him a more complete person. Furthermore, the screenplay also differentiates itself from the previous film with the whole "unsheathed sword" analogy and its message on the brutality of violence, as opposed to its necessity in the former, and its focus on traditionalism, as opposed to Youjimbou's take on modernism. Instead of glorifying the bloodshed we were led to believe as a necessary, almost obligatory, catalyst for change in the first film, we learn here that even if killing is required, living with it is the hardest part of all. We're also exposed to the softer side of Sanjuurou here, as seen in his interactions with the rebel samurai. His brash and eccentric nature has always been a part of his charisma, though we get to see him display a little more compassion, maybe even a kind of paternal instinct for those young men. This complimentary piece to the tale of Sanjuurou is much more light-hearted, but at the same time adds a more intimate and subtle look to the man.

Video 4.5

The video isn't quite as striking as it is for Youjimbou, but Sanjuurou still looks relatively good. Contrast, black levels, and overall sharpness show about the same level of excellence as its predecessor, though it does have a few moments of inconsistency. Images appear fuzzy, contrast or blacks are too high/low, and some shots even show instances of film damage, but only on occasion. Facial features and object detail still look amazing for a movie filmed in b&w, and I was particularly surprised at some of the shadow delineation in some of the night scenes.

Audio 4.5

While the video transfer isn't as good, the audio is. The 3.0 DTS-HD track offers a clear and presentable effort with no loss of quality in the dialogue, music, or sound effects. Ambiance is as good as its predecessor with center and front side speakers engaging in their respective elements. Of special note, there are more instances of sword slash and flesh-cut noises as opposed to the wind effects and emphasis of the score in the previous film. The running water sounds also create a pretty pleasant atmosphere.

Extras 4.0

More of the same as in Youjimbou: 35-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, a very in-depth commentary by Stephen Price, and a nifty little book with essays about Kurosawa and his work. I actually found the b-t-s feature a little less interesting than Youjimbou's. It tends to focus more on the writing/acting aspects and effects departments, but not so much on the filming process itself. Some of the cinematography was cool to look at, and it would've been nice to hear about the shooting locations as well. However, the commentary makes up for it a good deal, showing that Mr. Price, yet again, really knows his stuff.

Overall 4.5

Sanjuurou is a great complimentary piece to Kurosawa's Youjimbou. It's not really a "sequel" in the structural sense, but more so a spiritual one. We get to see more of what makes him the man, as well as getting a few life lessons from his words and actions. While it's probably not quite as captivating as its first incarnation, this makes a fine addition to any Kurosawa or samurai fan's collection. Highly recommended.

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Even the title is interesting, ichro is the first son and inherits all the property, nichro is the second son and normally helps his older brother manage the property, and sanjuro the third son is hung out to dry. In the movie the title character is wonderfully acted and the mixture of comedy and drama is well done. Sanjuro is very real and plot twists are very good indeed. The head of the village who is saved is a wonderful surprise and last scene is incredible. One of my all time Japanese movie favorates and having spent six years in Japan I have seen a few. Get it.

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He's a nameless, grizzled man who wanders through 1800s Japan. Think Clint Eastwood with a topknot.

And the sequel to Akira Kurosawa's classic "Yojimbo" is very different in tone -rather than a straightforward grizzled-anti-hero-cleans-up-the-town tale, it's a comic story about the unnamed hero getting stuck on a ship of fools, and having to unravel a small-time political conspiracy. While it's Kurosawa's lightest samurai movie, it's still a solid action/drama flick with plenty of comedy sprinkled in.

A gang of idealistic young nobles are gathered in a decaying house, talking about how they are trying to battle local corruption. Suddenly a scruffy warrior (Toshirô Mifune) who calls himself Sanjûrô Tsubaki (basic translation -30-year-old camellia... going on forty), appears and tells them who is lying and who isn't -and that after confiding in the treacherous superintendant, they're being set up for an ambush.

After he saves their butts and drags the none-too-bright young men into hiding, he begins concocting a plan to save one young man's uncle, who is being held as a political hostage. After rescuing the lord's wife and daughter, Sanjuro and his band of fools continue with their plots to save him from the evil superintendant -and he teaches his bumbling co-conspirators that exalted social position isn't what keeps you alive...

Kurosawa isn't known for having made goofball comedies -he tended more towards action and tragedy - but there's a definite comic flair to "Sanjuro," from the pampered prisoner offering nuggets of wisdom ("Get back in the closet!" one of his captors yells) to the silent "happy dance" that all the young noblemen do. At the same time, there's a poignant note to Sanjuro's regrets about the men he's killed -including men much like himself.

Even steeped in comedy, Kurosawa's knack for action and vibrant creativity is still intact -to give the feel that people are running, he shows short, rapid shots of several young men running down different streets. Every action scene is a pared-down, sharp-edged affair, and he juggles the complex plot threads easily. There are a few flaws (a lot of people get cut down without a speck of blood) but these are just minor quirks. And the finale is a shatteringly brutal scene, reminiscent of a western shoot-out, where you almost expect Sanjuro to put on a white cowboy hat and spit.

Mifune is wonderful as the grubby, grumpy samurai who is like an "unsheathed blade," and who has more brains than his little gang. He gives the character a lazy, languid air, sort of like an unexploded land mine. His followers are well-acted, though they don't have much individual personality -think the best buddies of Bertie Wooster, except with topknots and katanas. And small supporting roles -like the kindly, prim noblewoman and the friendly prisoner in his little closet -are very well-drawn.

As for the Criterion blu-ray edition, it has pretty much the same extras as the original DVD edition: improved subtitling, a behind-the-scenes stills gallery, theatrical trailer and teaser, an audio commentary track by a Kurosawa scholar named Stephen Prince, and a half-hour excerpt from "Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create" about "Sanjuro."

Lurking under the comic flourishes is an intelligent film with likable characters, solid writing, and plenty of action. "Sanjuro" is as good as the film before it, though in a slightly different way.

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Kevin Hart: I'm a Grown Little Man

I first saw Kevin Hart on Comedy Central and I was laughing so hard that I was crying. It is absolutely funny from beginning to end. But since Comedy Central left out a lot of his jokes I just had to find his stand up on DVD. Kevin Hart's stand up is funny I got two copies, one for me and one for my best friend and her husband. I think his stand up is funnier than Kat Williams Pimpin' Pimpin'!

This stand up was hilarious from beginning to end. My abs were killing me by the end of the show. This is a definite must have.

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I've never seen his stand up, well except a 30 min stand up he did, which was funny as hell. So I was going through my T.V. Guide and seen that this was coming on Comedy Central, I Tivo'd it and finally got around to watching it. Damn, Kevin Hart is hella funny. This is one of the best stand-ups I've seen, I really hope he does some more like this because it had me laughing the whole damn time. And to think I almost didn't check him out, what a mistake that would have been. Between him and Bill Burr they got the best stand up's I've seen from 08-09 so far with Katt Williams coming in 3rd. Definetly check this one out, you won't be sorry!!!!!!

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He's so funny and stupid! I mean that in a good way! No matter how many times I look at it, it cracks me up! I highly recommend his dvd!

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Super funny, If you're a Kevin Hart fan you will like it! I've already watched it a few times & it's funny everytime!

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Venus and Vegas (2010)

OK. I am going to be quick on this one. this is a very average movie. even below average at points. some chuckles. not any great laughs. mediocre story. not bad, not very good either.

the only thing that left me with a happy feeling after watching this was Eddie Kaye Thomas's acting (the guy from American Pie, the one with Stifler's mom)

he is brilliant. i think he is going to be a great comedian. he has so much more potential. just take the horse track scene. perhaps the only hilarious scene in the whole movie. and look at him in other scenes. he *can* act physically. and just look at his face movements. i really think he should be given a better chance in bigger movies.

and i can't figure out why his scenes are funny and OK, but other scenes are sometimes so boring and borderline bad.

could it be his are written by a separate writer? or others are not 100% acting their best (and they are good actors, from hilarious shows). i don't know....

to sum it up it's worth a watch. only if to watch Eddie's scenes.

Rarely (and I do mean rarely) do actor's personal vanity projects come to life in a way that audiences fully appreciate. I don't think that's so much the fault of the actor, per se; rather, I tend to believe it's because with all of the creative people involved in front of and behind the camera it's gets increasingly difficult for the actor to translate the full value of that vision into a completed project. In other words, what I find funny in my mind may not inevitably equate to big laughs when it's completed and put up on the silver screen because an awful lot of hands get to handle it before that happens. In the interim, tiny slivers of artistic intent as well as content get chipped away, and the end result probably ends up being something like the tepid VENUS & VEGAS, finally out on DVD since completion in 2010 from RLJ Entertainment.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come', then read on ...)

Three long-time Vegas friends Stu (played by Donald Faison), Alex (Eddie Kaye Thomas), and Eric (Eddie Guerra) are more than just platonic acquaintances: they're house thieves looking for their next big score. When they stumble across old-school gangster Frank Santino (Jon Polito) running a scam with counterfeit poker chips out of a rural warehouse, they believe they've found the perfect score: all they need to do is get in, steal the chips, and then cash them in at the casinos for some easy cash. But when the heist goes bad and one of their own gets caught and captured red-handed, they'll take their own hostage in hopes of eventually offering up an exchange while keeping the cash.

VENUS & VEGAS is the kind of flick that had real potential but it was never quite realized in the completed product. Demian Lichtenstein directs from a script by lead Eddie Guerra himself, and maybe the two of them were simply too close to the material to understand that the chemistry needed to pull off a `caper' flick never surfaced. Instead, the players move from one predictable set piece to another, all the while aping and mugging for the camera as though they were delivering big laughs. Instead, what audiences get are a handful of watchable sight gags along with some TV-grade acting from a wealth of recognizable faces.

To their credit, they try to make use of some bona fide talent. Jaime Pressly (from MY NAME IS EARL) does the best she can in splitting her time and relationship woes between Eric and mobster Bruno (Abraham Benrubi, who does the best he can to pull off an Italian accent). Roselyn Sanchez tries hard to muster some big-screen chemistry with Faison, but, unfortunately, her scenes are so brief and ineffectual one even wonders why she agreed to the picture. FEAR FACTOR's Joe Rogan gave his short scene all he was worth, and he manages to inject a bit of welcome irony and sarcasm into his good-friend, bad-friend relationship with Faison. Even Florence Henderson drops her BRADY BUNCH personae to play a Vegas bad-girl grandma with an insatiable sexual appetite and a desire to do bad things.

The chief problem I had with it is that Guerra's script is incredibly uneven. At times, VENUS felt like it was intended to be a piece of family entertainment, something that might air on a cable channel in relative obscurity but retain the chance (however slim) of finding a respectable TV audience. At other times, it tried to approach the bawdiness so common with other big screen films lately THE HANGOVER trilogy and BRIDESMAIDS come to mind but Guerra really missed the chief ingredient that makes those films work: chemistry. No one has any here when, at least, the men should as they've apparently been hanging together for over a decade. Their relationships felt rote, not natural but the creation of a Hollywood script, and, as such, they failed to convince this reviewer.

Alas, this one wasn't meant to be.

VENUS & VEGAS is produced by PasoFino Productions and Luis Moro Productions. DVD distribution is being handled through RLJ Entertainment. As for the technical specifications, this film looks and sounds very solid consistently. As for the special features, there's a brief `behind-the-scenes' featurette and the theatrical trailer, but that's nothing to phone mama Brady about!

(MILDLY) RECOMMENDED. Just because so much of VENUS & VEGAS wasn't for me, that doesn't mean you folks won't find it of value. Based on the trailer alone, I honestly expected more. What I took away from it makes me better understand why this one waited so long to `street' on DVD.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at RLJ Entertainment provided me with an advance DVD copy of VENUS & VEGAS by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

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The Awful Dr. Orlof: Remastered Edition (1962)

STORY: When beautiful music hall entertainers begin to disappear under mysterious circumstances, Inspector Tanner is summoned to investigate. His resourceful fiancée decides to help him by attracting the attention of the diabolical Dr. Orlof -who, with his blind henchman, Morpho, is using the skin of slain women to restore the beauty of his disfigured sister, Melissa!

PICTURE: 4/5 Image has given Jess Franco's "The Awful Dr. Orlof" a nice looking transfer at 1.66:1. The picture is sharp and blacks look good and solid, but in some scenes the blacks look a little on the gray side. I saw 3 vertical lines on the print and i did not notice any film grain. To spite a couple of flaws on the print, I think the picture looks the best the film will ever look.

SOUND: 3/5 The sound is 1.0 Mono English and French. The english track sounds good and clear, but i heard a couple of pops and the track distorts sometime when the music comes on. Overall, not a bad sounding track for a 26 year old film.

EXTRAS: 2/5 This is where the disc is a let down. You get not thing. But you do get some great liner notes from Tim Lucas.

OVERALL: 4/5 IMO, The Awful Dr. Orlof is a classic! If you like the old gothic films of Hammer, Mario Bava and Universal, then you should like The Awful Dr. Orlof. Even though this disc does not have any extras, it's still worth the buy to see this cool film.

I love this movie. Awful acting and all. There's atmosphere to spare and a morbid story that moves. A mad surgeon uses his disfigured mind-controlled "slave"---Morpho---to kidnap women to use in fiendish skin graft experiments to restore the ruined face of his beloved daughter. Set at the turn-of-the-century, his laboratory is the basement of an old castle surrounded by a moat. In this European version, there's a few [breast]shots here and there. But it's the delirium of the entire movie that keeps me going. Hysterically awful at times but so lovable as a relic of a bygone genre that I have to rate it high. The music is a cacophonus clanging that just adds to the lurid aura of Morpho stalking the women as his "master" waits nearby. Delicious b&w photography is preserved wonderfully on DVD. Jess Franco was noted for his sexy shockers but this is my favorite of them all. Dubbing is bad and this works just fine as well in making this a true-blue "Euroshocker" that to me defines itself.

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When I was a boy they would show this movie very late saturday nights on TV and I'd stay up way past bedtime just to watch Gothic Horror Euro-movies like this and BLACK SUNDAY(a.k.a. "The Mask Of Satan")which terrified and scared me to death. I grew up, but I never forgot those two, amongst several other OLD gothic horror flicks I've been lucky to find on Dvd these past couple years. I always thought the terrifying "Mortho" was a vampire! All I know and have never been able to forget is that I was Mortho-fied with fear and terror at the site of him. I'd be so terrified laying in bed when the lights were out because I feared seeing his face on the ceiling if I opened my eyes. He still seems quite creepy after all these years. This movie is a CLASSIC of its genre and a 'must have' for collectors. It is a gem of a remaster in classic B&W, mostly filmed at night(it seems), nevertheless, it's a well made atmospheric movie. More of a "thriller" than a "horror" flick. Nice to have just for the memories of loving scary movies as a child...

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THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF is the masterwork from the sinister mind of genius, Jess Franco. This movie contains all of the elements for a perfect movie. We get the mad doctor himself, played by the skeletal Howard Vernon. Then there's Orlof's blind, evil assistant, Morpho (Riccardo Valle), who hunts down and kills the women that the doctor needs. Also included are the police inspector Tanner (Conrado San Martin), dancehall babes, and some peek-a-boo scenes that are quite memorable! I almost forgot to mention the Doctor's disfigured sister, Melissa, who spends the entire movie on her backin a cage! There's even a nice dark castle to boot! Yep, this movie has all the ingredients for a cold, clammy night's viewing! There are many movies w/ similar themes that would go together w/ Orlof to make quite the mega-marathon. I suggest THE HEAD, THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE, HUMAN MONSTER, BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT, ATOM AGE VAMPIRE, ATOMIC BRAIN, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (after all, what was Buffalo Bill trying to do?) to name a few. TADO has many influences, and has influenced many others. Highly recommended...

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Seen now, some 40 years later, Jess Franco's "The Awful Dr. Orloff" (1962), is a bizarre homage, an S/M twist on the Universal horrors of the '40's (1944's "House of Frankenstein") and producer Val Lewton's horror/noir ( also 1943's "I Walked With a Zombie") to Master Director Terence Fisher's semi-goth Hammer excursions (1958's "Horror of Dracula"). "Orloff" is imbued with fog shrouded camera lenses prowling the cobblestone streets of unknown, syphilitic European villages interspersed with a venereal cohesion of flesh and fantasy.

In 1962, prolific director Franco (credited in "Orloff" as Jess Frank) began a wholly new, wholly subversive subgrenre of horror cinema, merging (long before David Cronenberg) medical science and terror (and, to a certain extent, eroticism in the 'roughie' vein) with varied yet gruesome results. "The Awful Dr. Orloff" isn't far off the stalk 'em/slash 'em realm and could even be seen as a precursor to Roy Ward Baker's pseudoperverse 1971 Hammer produced "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde". The difference is , however, Orloff (played with understated glee by Howard Vernon) pursuing women (usaully nightclub performers/prostitutes) beautiful enough to provide the skin needed for grafting onto his horribly scarred daughter rather than murdering them for their pituitary glands. Orloff's desire to help his daughter is not driven by her wish to be beautiful but by his sinister urge to make his sexual object attractive.Orloff is assisted by a blind, yet perverse, henchman named Morpho (Riccardo Valle) who, previously, fell under the scalpel of Orloff years before in the name of 'science'. Morpho can't see but he can sniff out women, indulge his sexual profondo rosso fantasy by drawing their blood through biting them on the neck (vampiric yet he's no vampire) then hand the body over to the doctor for more nefarious mayhem.Orloff's foil is an innocent police detective named Tanner (Conrado San Martin) who's more smitten with his fiance Wanda (Diana Lorys) than solving the rash of serial killings that's plaguing his little village. In fact, Wanda is more hell bent on ridding the village of the murderer than Tanner so she decides to find the killer herself. And what better bait. Wanda's face is flawless perfect for Orloff's daughter. Somehow Wanda figures out that Orloff needs someone like her so she dresses herself up like a 'shamelss hussy', and, of course, is kidnapped by the strange Morpho. Wanda's boredom with Tanner becomes a turning point for the woman to indulge herself in a masochistic relationship first with Morpho, then with Orloff himself a twisted man who relishes in his own sadistic behavior. The triage Wanda, Morpho, and Orloff become embroiled in a classic manage a trois relationship based on edgy sexual posturing and unulfilled desire. The audience becomes participating voyeurs while Franco exploits Wanda's body in a quick shot of Morpho ripping her shirt open, fulfilling adolescent fantasies fueled by Hammer's Dracula bodice-poppers.

"The Awful Dr. Orloff" is Franco's first step in a long string of bizarre cinematic sexual excursions that promote forbidden urge fulfillment (including, but not limited to, 1967's "Besame Monstruo", 1967's "Succubus", 1970's "Vampyros Lesbos") almost akin to the Brazilian films of Jose Mojica Marins (specifically 1966's foray into sexual madness, "Tonight I Will Make Your Corpse Turn Red"). Marins, who is a truly venal filmmaker, makes Franco's films seem positively Disney-like in their biazarre expulsion of sexual innocence. Where Marins seems to be fulfilling his own warped fantasies through his films, Franco ignites his movies with pop culture references (scoring them with groundbreaking lounge tripping soundtracks and incorporating hyperactive, yet pointless, car chase scenes in his later movies) and an obvious affection toward the Grand Guignol of Shirley Jackson novels and Universal Studio horrors.Franco recently stated a desire to remake "The Awful Dr. Orloff" utilizing up-to-date filmmaking techniques and refurbishing his flawed script. Its an interesting notion but the 1962 feature is, at best, a historical film adressing timely taboos (incest, immoral medical procedures, sexual oppression and scant nudity) thus paving the way for entrees into cinematic psychological darkness explored by Mario Bava, Dario Argento and, eventually, George Romero and David Cronenberg.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Grade: B+ 90%

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Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010)

I've loved Iron Man ever since my first Tales of Suspense comic, so I might not be the most unbiased person to write a review. Still, I'm going to try and be as honest as I possibly can. In some ways, Iron Man 2 improves on the original. For instance, the brawl between Iron Man and War Machine was perfect, and RDJr was even better this time around. However, there were some weak moments. For example, Pepper Potts is almost absent from the movie, and is shrill and unpleasant during her brief appearances. Whiplash has never been a particularly compelling villain, and the movie doesn't do much to make him any more exciting. Also, they really need to STOP with the "Iron Man fights someone who has the same technology" plots. It's already boring. Plus, I couldn't help but wonder where a drunken hobo managed to get the equipment to build an Arc Reactor. Stark did it in the first movie because he had several billion dollars worth of his own weaponry to cannibalize. How does a homeless Russian manage it? Furthermore, the character of Justin Hammer was silly and played for laughs, which was the wrong move. It had a real "Jim Carrey in Batman Forever" vibe to it.

Others have mentioned the unnecessary plot lines, and they're right. We could have done entirely without the "Paladium Poisoning" and the "Under House Arrest by SHIELD" plots, since neither of them really went anywhere, and felt like padding in a movie that didn't need any. I didn't mind the Black Widow showing up, but eventually it felt like we were tripping over minor characters. Also, they're not fooling anyone with the whole "The Avengers don't want Tony Stark" subplot. None of us believe for a moment that they'd do an Avengers movie without the only Avenger that's proven to be a box-office success.

Still, it was a good movie. Perhaps not a GREAT movie like the first one, but at least it wasn't a franchise-killing fiasco like Spiderman 3 or Batman and Robin. Honestly, if none of us had ever seen the original Iron Man, we'd all be talking about how this movie was one of the best Comic Book movies ever. But as it is, it's over-shadowed by it's phenomenal predecessor.

While Iron Man 2 may not be perfect, it is a very solid and fun sequel. Improvements include better action sequences and some great characters added to the franchise. Unfortunately there is a lot going on here and even though it isn't hard to follow, there isn't enough time to give each sub plot the proper screen time it deserves. Oddly enough for a super hero film, I think they could have edited some of the talky scenes down and added a little more Iron Man action.

A good example of this is when we meet Natasha Romanova she isn't given much to do and I found myself wondering if she was going to be The Black Widow on screen. She is only in one action sequence(a great one with one of the funniest moments in the film)late in the movie and she and Nick Fury are really only there to set up The Avengers movie. I'm not saying it should be edited out, but there is only so much ground you can cover in two hours. Whiplash is played with gusto by Mickey Rourke, but he doesn't have much screen time either and that seems to be the problem with this film, no one but Tony Stark gets enough screen time.

After the first encounter with Whiplash in Monaco on the race track, we don't really get a good dose of Iron man until the final battle, which means there is over an hour of time where there isn't that much action. Considering what I had read about this being an action packed film, I found it to be very talky. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because the characters are well developed and the actors are all really good here.

The final battle is very good with some very cool Iron Man destruction and some nifty moves, but it's surprising and anti-climatic when Whiplash is defeated very quickly. In the first film, I thought the final battle was too long and in this one, it just seems to end too abruptly. I'm not bashing this film in any way as it is a very fun film that I will most certainly own the DVD/Blu Ray when it is released, but I think the story may have been a little too ambitious for one film.

Overall I give Iron Man 2 a solid B(4 stars)and I think Favreau did a very good job all things considered. Of course if you are seeing this in a theater, then stick around until the end of the credits role for a little teaser scene about another Marvel Hero who will be hitting theaters next year.

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At the end of 2008, I made two bold assertions: (1) That "Iron Man" was one of the year's best films; (2) that "Iron Man" was one of the greatest superhero films ever made. I still believe both to be true. Now we have "Iron Man 2." While it is thoroughly entertaining, it's also a bit conventional when compared to its predecessor, having less of a compelling story but more in the ways of action, special effects, gadgets, humor, and stunt work. It's a comic book through and through. That's fine by me what it lacks in introspection it more than makes up for in sheer fun. We have plenty to cheer for, not the least of which is our hero, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), who when we last left him had shut down the weapon's division of his company to focus on more humanitarian uses for technology. The result was a high tech metal suit equipped with rocket boosters and missile launchers.

It's now six months after Stark revealed himself as Iron Man at a press conference. Despite the demands of a United States Senate committee, he refuses to share his technology with the American military, believing that world peace can be maintained only if it's privatized. At this meeting, he humiliates Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), the CEO of a rival company who has unsuccessfully tried to outdo Stark's technology with his own prototype machines; in an effort to get ahead, Hammer appeals to Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian physicist who publically revealed his grudge against Stark by attacking him as he was car racing in Monaco. For as yet unknown reasons, Vanko has constructed an arc reactor very similar to the one implanted in Stark's chest. He has improved the design by attaching whips that surge with bolts of electrical energy.

Stark, meanwhile, is realizing that his chest implant, originally constructed as a way to keep him alive, contains an element that's slowly poisoning him. He doesn't handle it well. He acts out. He drinks in excess. He hastily appoints his former personal assistant, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), as the new CEO of his company. If he's to survive, he must replace the core of the implant with an entirely new element, one he has tried but failed to create on his own. Out of the blue comes special agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who suggests that Stark look to his father's research for guidance.

New to the cast is Don Cheadle, who replaces Terrence Howard as Stark's dedicated but weary friend Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Also new is Scarlett Johansson as Stark's newly hired personal assistant Natalie Rushman, who says she's from the company's legal department.

Watching this movie, I was quite dazzled by the sights and sounds, and I found the plot engaging in a suspension-of-disbelief kind of way. I did not, however, find it persuasive, as I did the first film, which I felt put a refreshing and thought-provoking spin on the traditional comic book adversary; Stark might have physically battled with the power-hungry Obadiah Stane, but his real enemies were war and injustice, both of which he took part in by selling weapons of mass destruction. This time around, it's much more by the book a superhero pitted against a madman out for revenge, a fight to the finish that includes a lot of things blowing up, a showcase of digital wizardry and highly choreographed stunts. There are a number of films that can give you pretty much the same thing.

That being said, there's no denying the quality of the performances, especially Downey, whose cocky take on Stark makes the film fun but not jokey. Rockwell is quite good, playing Hammer is if he were Stark's slightly goofier evil twin comedy relief with a hint of something darker, you might say. Credit also to Rourke, who truly does convey the anger, resentment, and pain his character feels in every one of his scenes. He isn't given all that much screen time, but when he's on, he's on, resonating with a deep, calm, frighteningly low voice and an imposing build.

If there is an "Iron Man 3," and I have no doubt that there will be, I can only hope it doesn't follow its predecessor's lead and decline in quality. The original "Iron Man" was a superb film, redefining the superhero genre for both old and new generations of moviegoers. "Iron Man 2" is a great looking and wonderfully performed sequel, although its approach to the story is routine, more so than I had preferred it to be. Still, you've got to hand it to director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux they sure know how to entertain an audience. There's an early scene in which Stark, dressed as Iron Man, jumps off a plane, flies through the sky, and lands unharmed in the middle of one of his own lavishly high tech expos in New York City. Throngs of people cheer him on. I suspect the audiences for this movie will do the same when it's over.

Read Best Reviews of Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010) Here

Love the movie, but if you are going to advertise something as containing a digital copy you shouldn't sell ones where the codes are expired. You can do better than this, Amazon.com.

Want Iron Man 2 (Single-Disc Edition) (2010) Discount?

There's nothing like that first kiss, yeah, and so even though IRON MAN 2 comes out and unleashes its share of awesomeness, even though it is very much worth a look, the mystery is gone, the expectations met, we've, er, already copped that feel. IRON MAN 2, good as it is, doesn't drop on us like lightning in a bottle, and so it isn't quite as exhilarating. What it does give us is more of that good Robert Downey, Jr.

The guy has made the Invincible Iron Man into his own, and I can't see anyone else now as Tony Stark, and I'm betting you can't, either. Downey brings the same devilish, bigger-than-life charisma, that same brash "I'm Tony Stark! Who the eff are you?!" swagger. Tony Stark is brilliant and ego-centric, but he's got good intentions. His heart's in the right place, and so we forgive the rampant narcissism. Plus, he's a fun dude to be around.

IRON MAN 2 chronicles Tony's fall from grace and his redemption. Six months ago Tony Stark told the world that he was Iron Man. But has fame and success gone to his head? He's been more eccentric lately, indulging even more in hedonism lately, and he's conducting the Stark Expo like it's a rock concert (which is actually bloody cool). Certain parties are worried. Iron Man's arrival had gone a ways into ensuring global peace or at least global detente. But six months later, the American government as embodied in the person of the slimy Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) is itching to get its paws on the Iron Man tech and, so, Tony has to attend senate hearings. Stark, in his own inimitable manner, blows the hearings out of the water.

There's a fatal flaw in the schematics, a gremlin in the wires. Carefree on the outside, on the inside Tony is very concerned. The palladium element in the arc reactor in his chest is gradually poisoning him, and each use of the Iron Man armor accelerates the condition. But he keeps up the pretense, having informed no one of his impending death. Maybe you can't blame the guy for carrying on so.

I actually expected this movie to delve into Tony's alcoholism (from the classic story arc in the comics), but we only get a peek at the man's fondness for booze. We do get moments when we see the flamboyant playboy take a sippy, as well as one epic drunken binge at a party (while in armor, no less). This public eff-up sends Tony's credibility plummeting, and that slimy senator's smirk just got even smirkier.

Rival industrialist Justin Hammer isn't the Big Bad of the movie, but Sam Rockwell supplies him with a pronounced air of unctuousness, and you hate him. Hammer, fed up with languishing in Stark's shadow, hires a crazed and tattooed Russian physicist to craft his own arsenal of armored suits, and a Russian physicist played by the menacing Mickey Rourke probably would have no choice but to be crazed and tattooed. They don't call Rourke's character by his supervillain code name, but it's Whiplash (with a smidge of Crimson Dynamo thrown in). He nurses a serious grudge against Tony and Tony's father, Howard Stark, who had a falling out with Whiplash's own inventor father. But how does Rourke get away with chewing a toothpick all the time?

IRON MAN 2 isn't magic like the first movie and that initial sense of novelty has worn off, but it's still terrific and the scale is bigger. Downey's presence drives the thing, and the fact that we don't mind that Tony Stark is onscreen more than Iron Man says something about the skills set Downey brings to the party. We still get that good banter between him and Gwyneth Paltrow. Don Cheadle takes over from Terrence Howard, and it's like he's always been on board as Rhodey. The f/x is flawless state of the art stuff; there's nothing like heavy metal clashing resoundingly. If you've at all seen the posters and the trailer, then you already know War Machine would make his debut, and he may not be as impressive as the ol' shellhead but, damn, he's got all those big mounted guns. And, for dessert, curvy Scarlett Johansson steps into the franchise as the smoking hot Black Widow and she demonstrates high levels of kickassery. And oh that sexy black leather....

I only wish Pepper Potts were given more stuff to do.

Jon Favreau features himself more as Happy Hogan, a chauffer in this incarnation, and I'm not mad at Favreau. What's the point of being director if you can't call your own number once in a while? Meanwhile, IRON MAN 2, in a scene here and there, gets us another step closer to that Avengers movie. Somewhere, executives from DC Comics must be gnashing their teeth, late to the game, lagging behind. The Green Lantern movie had better be something.

And, as become a habit with Marvel Studios flicks, stick around until after the closing credits, yeah? Nerd nirvana awaits.

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