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486,176 | 386,241 | 69,729 | 6 | Pam Grier and Margaret Markov - what more is there to say ? | I wish there were more actresses out there like Pam Grier . A very pretty face , a wonderful body , a tough attitude and surprisingly mature acting for a woman who was , when this " Arena " was made , only 24 years old . And Margaret Markov , her co-star here , is not far behind in any of those categories . The biggest virtue of this film are those two characters - strong , well-defined , acted with conviction . Others have compared the " Arena " with Roger Corman's WIP flicks , but the treatment of the subjects here is much more thoughtful and non-exploitative . As for the actual fight scenes , considering that most of these women probably had not touched a sword before in their lives , they did a fairly good job . Too bad the DVD is full-screen , which damages the compositions severely . ( ) |
487,242 | 386,241 | 455,116 | 6 | Unpretentious , energetic entertainment | Tokyo Raiders , made in 2000 , was a fun , lightweight action film that didn't exactly cry out for a sequel . But after five whole years one was made anyway , and it is another fun , lightweight action film that manages to equal , if not top , its predecessor . There are some creative fight / chase scenes ( in the subway , on the wings of a bi-plane , etc . ) , and most of them have a comic element as well . It's always nice to see a Hong Kong film with real martial arts and limited wire-work and CGI , though the editing can be confusing at times . Tony Leung is a cool and suave lead , like an Asian version of James Bond . Shu Qi is charming , if perhaps underused action-wise . And Richie Ren does a good job of replacing Ekin Cheng ( not in the same role ) from the first film . Overall , " Seoul Raiders " is a film that doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is - pure entertainment - and I enjoyed it on that level both times I saw it . ( ) |
487,497 | 386,241 | 69,738 | 6 | Don't think about it too much . | The concept sounded intriguing - the execution is inadequate . First of all , it's too literal . It would perhaps be better if we couldn't see the " Asphyx " at all - and if we had to see it , it should have been a more " abstract " form , not a cheesy little creature . Also , horror films usually work better when a character you can identify with gets into trouble . Here , all the characters are unlikable from the word " go " . And last of all , the film's plotting won't stand up to any kind of scrutiny . Can anyone explain how exactly one becomes " immortal " under any circumstances when his asphyx is captured ? If , say , someone was to chop off your head , how could you possibly continue to live ? If you're interested in the consequences of immortality , there is a four-part horror anthology out there , called " From A Whisper To A Scream " . Its second episode was about just that , and did a better job with it in 20 minutes than " The Asphyx " does in 90 . ( ) |
486,424 | 386,241 | 74,553 | 6 | Atypical Bronson fare . | Amusing western-comedy , with Charles Bronson in one of his most atypical roles . The film is an interesting curio ; I don't remember seeing something similar . A minor work , but well worthwhile . |
485,876 | 386,241 | 83,366 | 6 | Childish , occasionally amusing . | It begins as a spirited , freewheeling farce , but somewhere along the line it runs out of script and goes flat ; this is the kind of comedy that will occasionally have you grinning but rarely truly laughing . George Hamilton is equally zesty and self-spoofing in both his roles , but Leibman , as Zorro's merciless enemy , gets increasingly annoying as the film goes along . ( ) |
486,038 | 386,241 | 95,984 | 6 | No surprises , but still a solid " B " . | Solid B-movie with OK performances and slam-bang special effects . This is one of those neglected little thrillers that set out not to offer anything new to the genre , but at least to give fans of those movies their money's worth . And this one generally seems to know its business ( although it does get a little too loud near the end ) . ( ) |
487,109 | 386,241 | 109,196 | 6 | She's tougher than she looks ! | Linda Kozlowski is pretty much the whole show here . As a female P . I . , she strikes a believable balance between toughness and vulnerability : she is not superhuman but she is fearless ( even reckless ) , she is not an expert fighter but she can and will fight anyone when the need arises . It is quite refreshing to see a woman portrayed like this in the movies , and Linda's performance is excellent ( even if it's easy to spot the 2 or 3 scenes where she was stunt-doubled ) . As for " Backstreet Justice " as a whole , apart from a fairly explicit - and sensual - sex scene , it plays more or less like a TV-movie-of-the-week , and just isn't very interesting . I give it a , but if the exact same movie had been made with a male lead , I'd probably give it a 3 . |
485,809 | 386,241 | 87,175 | 6 | Generally enjoyable film . | Dreamscape does require a little more suspension of disbelief that most entries in the sci-fi genre , but adds up to well-paced , generally enjoyable , occasionally exciting film . Effects are somewhat dated today , but Quaid's charming , confident performance makes up for that . Definitely a minor picture , but still unjustly neglected . |
486,699 | 386,241 | 69,697 | 6 | Mainly for kids . | Watch Out , We're Mad has a slam-bang beginning , some good slapstick ( especially the fight in the gym ) and the occasional clever comic bits ( check out Bud Spencer's reaction when he is ordered to get out of his buggy or the bad guys will have to " splat " it ) , but is hampered by the slow-moving , nearly non-existent plot and the tiresome overacting of the villains ( which include a German-accented Donald Pleasence ) . By the way , you'd better like the theme song of this movie , because you're gonna be hearing it A LOT during its running time . ( ) |
487,085 | 386,241 | 60,522 | 6 | Extremely slight . | As everyone else has said , Hepburn and O'Toole make a wonderful pair ; unfortunately , this vehicle doesn't do them justice . It begins promisingly , as a sparkling and witty romantic comedy . But then it turns into a straightforward caper movie , and it gets stalled . The plan for the caper itself is both ingenious and implausible . Overall , a passably entertaining little movie , but nothing worth seeing more than once . |
486,547 | 386,241 | 117,821 | 6 | Ponytail fu , head fu , mantis fu , spear fu , etc . . . . . . . | Most Westerners will probably be drawn to " Tai Chi Boxer " by Yuen Woo Ping's name , but I think it is a movie targeted primarily at Chinese audiences , who will probably respond more to its themes and period setting . The story is uncompelling , but the martial arts action choreography is spectacular and fascinating . Although Yuen Woo Ping sometimes resorts to wires , he lets the action stay on the ground long enough to let you appreciate the skills of the several martial artists who appear in the film . Jackie Wu , in his film debut , has graceful moves , and the fact that he is not very muscular makes his victories even more impressive ; he really does make you believe that Tai Chi is the most powerful form of kung fu ( especially when you add a mean ponytail to it ) . The guy who plays the main villain is fantastic - he seemed REALLY angry at all times . It is also a pleasure to see Sibelle Hu ( one of the sexiest and most expressive actresses of Hong Kong cinema , in my opinion ) in what is , according to IMDb , her last film role to date . ( ) |
485,736 | 386,241 | 100,353 | 6 | OK fare . | This made-for-TV crime drama is one of those films that terms like " OK " and " passable " must have been invented for . It certainly isn't a bad film to be condemned and ignored at once , but it isn't good enough to be watched twice or to deserve special attention , either . Just a professionally made little thriller that manages to sustain your interest , despite a high number of implausibilities in the second half . Never rousing but always watchable . |
487,317 | 386,241 | 416,496 | 6 | Enjoyable female buddy Western | The pairing of Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz in action roles and a Western setting sounds like an idea that can't miss - and it doesn't . The two women make a dynamite team and are just plain enjoyable to watch together . Personally I'm not the biggest Cruz fan , but she impressed me in this film , particularly with her gun tricks . The leads get able support from a clever but physically clumsy Steve Zahn , a creepy Dwight Yoakam and a gruff Sam Shepard . Even the horses are amazingly well-trained and add to the action and comedy . The directors maintain a lively pace , with the exception of the " kissing lesson " scene , which develops into a running gag that falls flat . The film's attempts at substance ( " Viva la revolucion ! " ) also come off as forced , but as a piece of lightweight fun " Bandidas " does the job . Highlight : the wonderful fight between Cruz and Hayek , this scene is a dream come true . ( ) |
486,662 | 386,241 | 74,740 | 6 | Nothing you haven't seen before . | Franco Nero essentially reprises his role from " Django " , playing yet again a shaggy loner who is the fastest gun in the West and almost singlehandedly fights and destroys an entire gang of crooks . However , what was fairly fresh in 1966 , is no longer fresh in 1976 . The movie is too self-conscious about its own style , too derivative . You can only milk the " strong man of few words " cow so many times . It does have some interesting , unusual flashbacks , though , and beautiful widescreen cinematography . ( ) |
486,133 | 386,241 | 95,800 | 6 | Beautiful . . . . when it doesn't sag . | There are some extraordinary moments in this stunningly filmed movie ( a tear in the eye of a horse that's about to die , a human-bear close encounter , a weird dream sequence ) , but it often sags because of its rather numbing pacing . The bear cub is certainly lovable and expressive , but maybe it's just impossible for us to stay as deeply involved in the story of a bear cub as we can stay in a story with humans . ( ) |
486,161 | 386,241 | 95,803 | 6 | Passable stuff . | A pretty routine thriller , but competently directed and relatively well-written . At first it seems to play all its cards too early , but it does keep some surprises in store . Some intense horror sequences help , but in the final 5 minutes the film resorts into standard cliches and implausibilities ( killers that just won't die , forgotten characters appearing out of nowhere , etc ) . |
486,785 | 386,241 | 100,410 | 6 | Uneven Hong Kong ripoff of " The Golden Child " | Much like the " Inspector Wears Skirts " series , also directed by Wellson Chin , " Prince of the Sun " is a mix of broad comedy and wild , over-the-top action . The first hour or so belongs mostly to Sheila Chan , Conan Lee and the little boy who is the reincarnation of Buddha ; these three are sometimes funny and Sheila is cute . Cynthia Rothrock pops up for a fight here and there , but doesn't really take charge until the last 30 minutes ; from then on it's all action , as the good guys , helped by the spirit of a martial arts master , fight the bad guys who want to kidnap the little Buddha and use him for their own purposes . Cynthia is in good form , but the film often gets cheesy , especially when the head villain / demon with the maniacal laugh appears . Unfortunately , the current DVD version of this movie is a total rip-off , featuring atrocious dubbing , poor full-screen framing , and even off-synch sound ! And , perhaps needless to say , Cynthia NEVER appears in the sweaty tight top that the cover shows her in . ( ) |
487,370 | 386,241 | 100,404 | 6 | Overplotted and stagy , but fairly compelling . | When I had watched this film a few years ago for the first time , my overall impression was highly negative ; I found it to be a boring , stagy courtroom thriller unworthy of its great cast . Now that I watched it again , more attentively , I STILL find Pakula's direction overly stagy , but some virtues do begin to show up . Undoubtedly , the casting is the main one : the movie is filled with terrific supporting performances , from Raul Julia as an incredibly clever counselor to Bonnie Bedelia as the frustrated wife . Harrison Ford himself is very good ( although with a bad haircut ) in one of his unconventional roles . But the movie has too many plot threads , some of which could have easily been omitted to make the whole story shorter and more tense . ( ) |
485,626 | 386,241 | 95,834 | 6 | Kinky and bizarre . | OK , I admit it : I rented this movie only because it has Eva Grimaldi in it ; well , Eva has only a minor , virtually non-speaking part , and the film is far from the conventional erotic thriller you might expect based on the video box promotion . It's really not a very good movie , but it's unlike anything you've ever seen before . Part kinky soft-core sex film , part murder mystery , set in a vaguely futuristic world , it is a very strange , very arty film , with some bizarre music ( " The Man I Love " ! ) and casting ( female bodybuilder Teagan as . . . herself ) choices . It's obvious that one of the goals of this movie was to create ( with limited means ) its own world ; it succeeded admirably . By the way , did the person who said that " it wants to be like " Basic Instinct " " bother to check out its production date ? ( ) |
486,760 | 386,241 | 104,823 | 6 | Respectable low-budget martial arts film | The plot is nothing new ( police corruption , a crime syndicate that uses a night club as a front , a cop investigating the death of his partner , etc . ) but the fight scenes range from good to very good ( the best one might be an illegal 2-on-1 that doesn't involve any of the leads ) . Maybe they can't match up to the best that Hong Kong has to offer , but they are choreographed in a way that showcases the fighters ' power , speed and technique . My two main disappointments with this film are : 1 ) as already reported by another reviewer , VERY short final fight between Cynthia Rothrock and the female bodyguard ( what a bummer ! ) , and 2 ) no arch-villain role for the master of such roles , Billy Drago ( he's just a corrupted police chief ) . ( ) |
486,956 | 386,241 | 100,419 | 6 | Funny . . . even if you don't want to admit it . | This movie is undeniably tasteless , and toward the end it runs out of steam ( one car chase too many ) . BUT . . . it's often funny , and that has always been the essential mission of a comedy . By the way , this is NOT primarily a kids ' film ; kids may get a few laughs out of it , but the more subversive asides ( " Maybe if you keep moving your hands like that people will think you actually know what you're talking about " ) are really intended more for adults . ( ) |
487,120 | 386,241 | 74,686 | 6 | Too languid . | After this film is over , you'll probably feel that you've just seen a quality movie for serious movie-goers . But while you're watching it , you may find yourself thinking than it needed a shot of adrenalin . It's an elegant and insightful drama , but very languidly paced . Apparently , everybody involved with it tried to give the ( rather soapy ) material more weight than it could hold , so almost everything - direction , acting , dialogue rhythms - seems kind of overdeliberate . Great last shot , though . ( ) |
485,814 | 386,241 | 113,419 | 6 | OK but plodding family fare . | The Indian in the Cupboard is a generally acceptable film , but it could have been MUCH better . Although it lacks originality , its story had potential , but somehow the result falls short . Arguably the most crucial weakness is that it stretches credibility to the limit ; the basic premise of toys coming to life is easy enough to accept , but the suggestion that the toys have their own , secret , private lives even when they are seemingly soulless pieces of plastic , is really hard to swallow . Moreover , the film would me more fun if it allowed its characters to explore the possibilities and activities of " the real world " , but they seem to suffer from melancholia and boredom and they just want to " go back " . The special effects are excellent , and the film does have a couple of inventive moments , but too much moralizing and plodding pacing make it seem longer than it is . would be a fair rating , I think . |
485,699 | 386,241 | 29,811 | 6 | Unexceptional Hitchcock fare . | Young and Innocent is a passable but unexceptional Hitchcock thriller ; it is inferior to his preceding ( " Secret Agent " ) picture and FAR inferior to his following ( " The Lady Vanishes " ) one . There isn't enough suspense , and the script is devoid of surprises ; in fact , the whole story is so exceedingly SIMPLE that the film feels slow-moving , even though it's only 80 minutes long . And Hitchcock collaborates here with one of the least appealing female leads of his entire career . Still , the picture does improve in the second half , and the much-talked-about scene where the identity of the killer is revealed is indeed a magnificent , unforgettable shot . Hitchcock also handles the increasing nervousness of the twitching killer exceptionally well . Why couldn't the rest of the film be equally inventive ? |
485,804 | 386,241 | 95,871 | 6 | Morbid , offbeat . | This film is certainly unique - nothing like you've ever seen before . That's not necessarily a good thing , but it does make it intriguing . Sure , it may remind you of " Psycho " or of " Magic " ( the 1978 thriller with Hopkins ) , but its slow pacing , its MORBID atmosphere and its weirdness make it feel completely different from those movies . It's not particularly good or bad , just EXTREMELY weird . Pay attention to the opening sequence , or else the ending will seem inconclusive and you'll have to rewind the tape - like I did . |
486,769 | 386,241 | 104,769 | 6 | Tense , claustrophobic and at times bloody thriller | I had never heard of this movie until I watched it , but it turned out better than expected . It's nothing great , but it's tense , well-made and well-acted . Having three relatively unknown actors in the three main roles works in its favor - sometimes you almost forget you're watching a movie . Elizabeth Gracen is beautiful , sensual , strong and convincing : when she tells the villain that she is somehow turned on by him , only to catch him off guard , it's no wonder he is fooled - the viewer is fooled as well . And David Bradley is not the one-dimensional villain you might expect : he manages to bring out the sympathetic sides of his character , despite the horrible things he does ( " It's not so much that I want to sleep with you " , he tells Gracen , " It's just that I want to wake up next to you " . That is genuinely romantic . Too bad he also kills people . . . ) . ( ) |
485,728 | 386,241 | 90,323 | 6 | More interesting than people say it is . | If you're expecting lots of action and gunplay , don't bother ; you'll surely be disappointed . The movie focuses more on intrigue and endless spy games . The complicated story maintains interest throughout , but ultimately it's all for naught . Still , there is a sly performance by Edward Fox to be enjoyed ( if you can stand his deliberately curious accent ! ) ( ) |
485,896 | 386,241 | 90,327 | 6 | Average . | False " scares " abound but few genuinely scary moments in this slick-looking but unexceptional thriller . The earnest performances give some unexpected depth to a few " intimate " scenes , but the " demonic possession " plot is too cliched for this movie to qualify as anything more than a passable time-killer . ( ) |
486,942 | 386,241 | 71,517 | 6 | Grier is foxy but the film is mediocre . | Pam Grier's beauty and the not-so-subtle attempt at social commentary make this somewhat overhyped blaxploitation film worth seeing . But it's a lurid , sometimes overly brutal picture , and despite what many others have said , I found the pacing to be not half as fast as it should've been . The catfight in the lesbian bar ( which is prominently featured in the old video box cover ) is also majorly disappointing in its staging . ( ) |
486,574 | 386,241 | 113,855 | 6 | Good of its type . | Although I've never actually played the game , I found this movie surprisingly entertaining . It had plenty of visual pyrotechnics to keep the viewer interested , some impressively shot fight scenes ( the standouts ? Johnny Cage vs Scorpio and Kang vs Reptile ) and a comic , spoofy flair that worked as the perfect antidote to the moments of solemnity . Except for Lambert ( who is awful ) and Bridgette Wilson ( who is beautiful but can't act ) , the cast is adequate , with a particularly likable performance by Linden Ashby as the sarcastic Johnny Cage . And what a pulsating music score ! ( ) |
487,141 | 386,241 | 94,671 | 6 | Minor item . | If you're planning to watch this simply because you're a Donald Sutherland fan , don't bother . He isn't likely to impress you with his mediocre performance here . As the for the film itself , it's watchable but very minor . It manages to remain reasonably interesting most of the way , but it doesn't have many surprises to offer and it MOVES LIKE MOLASSES ! |
486,065 | 386,241 | 74,806 | 6 | All setup , no payoff . | Jodie Foster is indeed impressively good in this movie , and she is perhaps the only actress who could have pulled off such a challenging role at such a young age . However , the script is disappointing . It's the kind of story that keeps you watching by implying that many big revelations will be made , and when the revelations do arrive they prove to be less-than-shocking . There's only one moment in the film ( when the seemingly vanished father appears ) that it looks like there's gonna be a REAL SURPRISE , but that moment lasts only about 20 seconds , in which you have enough time to guess what is actually happening . Worth seeing only for Foster , and for her co-stars who are all very good , too . ( ) |
487,467 | 386,241 | 90,350 | 6 | Overscaled , uneven . | This would probably have been more effective as a straightforward crime thriller ; Michael Cimino stages some unusually gripping action scenes with great flair . Unfortunately , those scenes are brief interruptions of the long , talky passages that occupy most of the film . Often plodding , " The Year of the Dragon " has an intense moralistic tone , trying to make the hero's crusade against crime seem a lot more grand and tragic than the script would justify . But Rourke , who has always been an underrated actor , does bring some depth and ambivalence to his character . ( ) |
486,870 | 386,241 | 86,978 | 6 | OK thriller . ( SOME SPOILERS ) | Blind Date is an OK little thriller that takes place in an unusual setting ( Athens ) . It has : a ) A pretty shaky plot . Although the initial idea , that of a blind man being able to see through a device that transmits images directly to the brain , seems vaguely plausible , the way the hero literally stumbles upon a maniacal killer , and the way he can remember things by " connecting " his brain to an Atari video-game machine ( ! ) , is just too much of a coincidence . b ) Plenty of gratuitous female nudity . It seems that EVERY single female character in the movie had to disrobe in front of the camera ( usually just before being killed ) . c ) Acceptable ( for 1984 ) special effects - except for one quick attempt at gore that is unintentionally funny ( a blood-spraying knife ? ) . Not a great film by any means , but time passes . . . . ( ) |
487,566 | 386,241 | 94,642 | 6 | Not as bad as I thought it would be . | The theme of religious fanatics who live in complete isolation and consider any contact with the outside world " contamination " has been done to death in the horror genre , but here they give it another go . Apparently they decided that wasn't enough , so they also threw in the " adults-behaving-as-kids " theme , which also has been done before ( check out the REALLY twisted 1973 film " The Baby " ) . The result is a campy , silly , demented and thoroughly unpleasant horror film , but the production is fairly polished , the direction is competent and Rod Steiger gives a deliciously embarrassing performance as " Pa " ( what the hell was he thinking when he decided to sign on for such a movie ? ) ( ) |
486,300 | 386,241 | 67,100 | 6 | Unapologetic martial arts / mixed fighting fest | The plot is of secondary importance : something about a female karate champion who goes to the Phillipines to investigate her sister's disappearance and stumbles on a drug ring and a tournament of no-holds-barred fights to the death . The film is mainly a showcase for the beautiful , athletic , voluptuous woman and convincing , tough fighter Jillian Kesner - and I have no complaints there : she has about 10 fight scenes in this movie , the first one of which occurs after only 2 minutes ! The production is very cheap , but the fight choreography is actually quite good - not exactly on the level of early Jackie Chan but certainly vastly preferable to the heavily wired , computer-enhanced crap that so often passes for martial arts today . The long scene in which Kesner ends up topless as she tries to fight off two attackers is not just exploitation , but almost a statement : here is this undressed , unarmed , completely feminine woman and these two men can't touch her , can't even go near her without getting hurt . I'm surprised this B-movie mini-classic is so little known today . ( ) |
485,681 | 386,241 | 389,328 | 6 | Lucy Liu has rarely been more commanding - not to mention beautiful - on the screen | In " Rise " , Lucy Liu gets one of the most complex characters of her career so far - certainly a far cry from the fluffy " Charlie's Angels " - and she is absolutely compelling to watch . She is by turns scared , confused , desperate , driven , brutal , ruthless , cruel , humane , compassionate . She is both a heroine ( taking revenge against the serial killing vampire clan that left her for dead ) , and an anti-heroine ( killing innocent people to survive ) . She is a victim AND a victimizer . And she is solidly supported by the rest of the cast : Michael Chiklis takes a role that could have easily been just a sidekick , and makes him important . James D'Arcy , as the head villain , is both repulsive and suave . And Carla Gugino manages to make a strong impression in about 10 minutes of total screen time . The director keeps the story tight , at least in the first hour ( and I'm surprised that so many people found the film's simple time twists " confusing " - I wonder how long they would last in " The Prestige " . . . . ) , and makes very judicious use of gore - there is just enough needed to make the point and move the story along , but not too much to slip into gratuitous excess . " Rise " does look and feel like a B-movie , but sometimes a well-made B-movie is preferable to an overproduced blockbuster . Those expecting an action / gore fest will probably be disappointed , but those who want a bit of depth along with the feasting on their menu ( think " Interview With The Vampire " here ) may like this more . ( ) |
486,910 | 386,241 | 79,271 | 6 | Doesn't shock anymore , but Scott is first-rate . | In this movie , Paul Schrader more or less equates the world of pornography and sex shops with a version of urban hell , and that is pretty hard to swallow . " Hardcore " is never once as shocking as it probably would like to be ( no , not even in the brief " snuff " footage ) . But as a look at the way the porn industry operates , it has its telling moments ( and a few amusing ones ) . The good actors carry the film on their shoulders determinedly , especially George C . Scott in an intense , terrific performance . ( ) |
486,868 | 386,241 | 90,186 | 6 | Tense and better than you might expect | Purists or experts might disagree , but I believe " Too Scared To Scream " is an earnest attempt by the filmmakers to create an American version of the Italian " giallo " thrillers . Although the violence isn't particularly graphic , the film plays like a murder mystery in which you think you know who the murderer is , but you can't be sure until the last frame . It does have its flaws ( some obvious red herrings , some ridiculous " fake scares " ) , but it offers a few tense moments , an unexpected ( if far-fetched ) conclusion , and good performances by most of the cast ( especially by the man who plays the chief suspect ) . A good choice for mystery fans . ( ) |
486,573 | 386,241 | 82,432 | 6 | A good movie with too many slow passages . | Though undeniably well-intentioned , " Gallipoli " just isn't as wholly compelling as it should be . It seems to ramble on for an inexcusably long amount of time , getting lost in too many side trips , before finally hitting its target ( and rewarding our patience ) with a powerful and memorable ending . Mel Gibson , strikingly handsome , also gives a striking performance . ( ) |
486,440 | 386,241 | 417,248 | 6 | Gail Kim , where are you ? | Your opinion about this PPV will largely depend on your opinion about the Shawn Michaels vs . Triple H match , since it takes up almost a third ( ! ) of the total running time . Seven matches are presented : 1 ) La Resistance vs . Edge and Chris Benoit ( for the tag-team title ) . A regular tag-team match , Edge gets it most of the time , Benoit comes to his rescue . . . and then Kane enters the scene and attacks them both , interrupting the match . No ending , thus no rating . 2 ) Chris Jericho vs . Tyson Tomko ( with Trish Stratus ) . Mediocre match with a lame finish : Tomko has the advantage , but he accidentally runs into Trish and Jericho knocks him out with a kick . 3 ) Shelton Benjamin vs . Randy Orton ( for the intercontinental title ) . A very long match , incorporating many different styles of combat ( ground wrestling , acrobatic moves , even boxing ) . Some crucial interferences by Ric Flair ( what a surprise ! ) . ) Trish Stratus vs . Gail Kim vs . Victoria vs . Lita ( for the women's title ) . The " sudden death , fatal 4-way " concept doesn't work . Each woman gets only one or two opportunities to shine , and the action is hard-to-follow . Gail Kim , in particular , deserved better ( by the way , they had a woman who looks AND wrestles like that and they let her go ? What were they thinking ? ) . 5 ) Eugene vs . Jonathan Coachman . I expected this to be garbage , and I was right . A disgrace . ) Chris Benoit vs . Kane ( for the heavyweight title ) . I agree that THIS should have been the main event . Kane is awesome here ; he's like a comic-book creation . The match is pretty slow , but the sheer physical power ( Kane ) and technique ( Benoit ) on display make it worth your while . 7 ) Triple H vs . Shawn Michaels . " Hell in a cell " match . This one is a matter of taste . If you like them bloody , brutal and exhausting , you'll have a field day . If not , you'll probably find it ( after a while ) boring and interminable ( it goes on for almost 50 minutes ! ) . |
486,881 | 386,241 | 109,950 | 6 | Slightly above-average Cynthia Rothrock vehicle | Guardian Angel could possibly be the best of Cynthia Rothrock's early 90's low-budget American martial arts flicks , IF the whole movie was as good as its first half hour : during that time we get some dynamic fights , gunplay , a car chase , two car crashes , bad girls with guns , a tight plot , etc . But after Cynthia quits the police force and becomes a bodyguard , the film becomes repetitive and starts to drag . The absolutely gorgeous Lydie Denier ( who really caught my eye in a couple of " Acapulco H . E . A . T " episodes I happened to watch ) playing a truly evil bich is a definite plus , but the lack of a proper showdown between her and Rothrock is a disappointment . The climax is a relatively large-scale speedboats-and-helicopter chase , but most of it appears to have been done by stunt doubles and is not very exciting . ( ) |
486,624 | 386,241 | 71,610 | 6 | Well you must have upset someone , or else I wouldn't be here | Yvette Mimieux looks gorgeous and gives a fine , understated performance as a contract killer who methodically seduces her targets , waits until they have let their guard down , and then strikes - lethally . But problems arise when she decides that she wants to quit the business . What I particularly liked about Yvette's performance here is that she presents the character and lets the viewer decide how he or she should feel about her . She doesn't force-feed you the answers , and neither does the movie . It proceeds economically from scene to scene , telling a seemingly simple story , but the unexpected twist at the end of it has real impact . Be warned : it's not an action movie ( though there is one car chase ) , it's more of a character drama . ( ) |
486,368 | 386,241 | 90,563 | 6 | Artistically well-made but empty film . | Is " Betty Blue " as great a movie as most people seem to believe ? Well . . . it's amusing at times , erotic at others , but overall the story it tells is so insubstantial that you wonder what exactly compelled Beineix to tell it . The shorter ( 120 minutes ) version also has some huge narrative gaps - but I won't be searching for the three-hour version anytime soon , the movie is already too long as it is . The actors , however , are perfectly cast : Anglade is engaging as the constantly befuddled by Betty's personality hero , and Dalle , while not beautiful in a conventional sense , has a luscious body and sure isn't timid about showing it off ( neither is Anglade , for that matter ) . ( ) |
487,126 | 386,241 | 232,083 | 6 | Lethargic Chabrol " thriller " ( SPOILERS ) . | Any rating higher than 2-2 . for " Merci pour le chocolat " is sheer critical prejudice in favor of French cinema in general . This dull thriller is subtle to the point of lethargy , relentlessly talky and lacks credibility ( at the end Mouglalis agrees to drive Huppert's car , at night , on a twisty mountain road , even though she practically knows that she has just been poisoned with sleeping pills ! ) . At least piano-music aficionados will get an earful . . . |
486,323 | 386,241 | 106,434 | 6 | Another fairly good low-budget martial arts film from Wilson | The fifth " Bloodfist " entry , and the second one I've watched so far ( after part " IV " ) . Playing an amnesiac is something of an " acting stretch " for Don " The Dragon " Wilson , but he admittedly does a pretty solid job in the role . He also receives good support from Steve James , Denice Duff and Michael Yama . The plot is interesting , it never stops moving and has lots of twists and turns , and the fight scenes are good , filmed in the same close-quarters , hard-hitting style of the previous " Bloodfist " entry , a style that is refreshing to see every once in a while . Of course , you shouldn't get your hopes up too high : this is only a very low-budget martial arts film , after all . But within its field , it's certainly better than you'd expect . ( ) |
485,796 | 386,241 | 131,349 | 6 | One-set thriller is pretty effective . | Darkness Falls is not the kind of movie that becomes a box-office hit , but if you're patient and give it some time , it may prove to be engrossing enough . The director does a moderately effective job of constantly twisting around our sympathies regarding the three main characters , and of showing how appearances can be deceiving and how a human monster may be hiding behind the facade of normalcy . Kudos , too , to Sherilyn Fenn , who in addition to being perhaps one of the three or four more stunningly beautiful actresses working today , shows that she has also worked on her acting , which has improved considerably . ( ) |
486,353 | 386,241 | 64,382 | 6 | Bad songs , good film . | As a drama , this is absorbing and often powerful ; an example of good storytelling . But as a musical it doesn't fare that well , because it's plagued by some lame , inane songs . Maybe the songs should have been omitted and the story would have worked better if it had been approached as a straightforward drama . But despite my complaints , I have to recommend the film because Peter O'Toole's superlative performance is truly a sight to see . He takes a rather stereotypical role ( the clumsy intellectual ) , and makes it moving and intense . Perhaps he should have won the Oscar that year . ( ) |
486,717 | 386,241 | 109,758 | 6 | Has its faults , but still is quite daring . | This film tiptoes around its " controversial " subject ( sadomasochism ) , and Dana Delany is terribly miscast and always unconvincing as a dominatrix - for example Iman , who co-stars here , would be a much better choice for the role of Mistress Lisa . But , for a mainstream Hollywood picture , this is still pretty daring and unusual . As others have said , the many different genres and styles employed here inevitably clash , and make the film inconsistent - but at least it's never boring . Not for kids . ( ) |
486,284 | 386,241 | 94,383 | 6 | Mildly entertaining horror pic . | Zombie High begins badly and the first half is kind of dull . But I was surprised to discover that it actually improves as it goes along , turning into a mildly entertaining little thriller . Its premise may be goofy , and it does require some suspension of disbelief , but so does the premise of the " Invasion of the Body Snatchers " films , which share some common ideas with this one . The female cast is attractive , and Madsen's performance is way above average for this genre . Add a genuinely mad , determined villain and you have a more-than-passable film . |
486,554 | 386,241 | 102,067 | 6 | Continues the upward course of the series ( after the good " V " ) | A werewolf movie with an unconventional angle : you actually want the werewolf to prevail in this one . It has an air of mystery and at times it's very compelling , but the climactic " battle of the beasts " is kind of silly . Still , it's miles ahead of Parts " II " , " III " and " IV " . ( ) |
487,148 | 386,241 | 117,342 | 6 | Too many holes , but still a fair film . | Okay , the premise and story ARE cliched . But the film is executed with a far greater degree of skill than you'd expect from the director of such undistinguished ( if not downright bad ) films as " Night of the Demons " . His direction here is more mature and measured ( though not without its effective " Boo ! " moments ) . However , the film suffers from one of those annoyingly ambiguous endings , where the filmmakers can't think of a way to cover up their plot holes , so they " leave you to decide " . ( ) |
487,115 | 386,241 | 71,200 | 6 | Had the potential to be better , but still interesting . | This low-budget horror film had an innovative concept , mixing rather successfully a traditional Agatha Christie-type murder mystery with a " gory " werewolf flick ; the result does hold your attention but is marred by wooden acting ( except for the excellent Peter Cushing ) and a few overextended chase scenes . As another reviewer noted , no real clues are given to us to help us figure out the identity of the werewolf , so it's strictly a matter a guessing , but there is some fun in the game . . . ( ) |
487,541 | 386,241 | 36,004 | 6 | Too slapstick-orientated | Bud and Lou walk into an apparently empty bank : B : " Teller ! " L : " I'll tell her , where is she ? " B : " Where is who ? I said teller " L : " Tell her what ? " B : " Tell her nothing . I want a teller " L : " Go ahead and tell her , I don't care ! " B : " No , teller in the bank " L : " Tell her in the bank , tell her on the street , tell her anywhere you want , I won't listen " " Hit the Ice " has some very funny verbal exchanges ( the aforementioned " teller " routine had me in tears , followed by the " pack the grip " - " unpack the grip " one ) , and also some absurdist moments ( check out the way they enter the mountain cabin ) . Less successful are Lou's pratfalls in the skating ring ( seeing him fall flat on his face is not so funny after the 10th time it happens ) , and the climactic ski chase suffers from the obviousness of the rear projection . Kids will probably enjoy the slapstick parts more , but I imagine that most adults will prefer the verbal humor . Ginny Simms ' songs are forgettable and time-wasting , but at least we get to look at her - she was a remarkably beautiful woman . ( ) |
487,254 | 386,241 | 94,320 | 6 | A triumph of style over substance . | What we have here is a clear case of a movie that tries to get by on sheer style , without any particular concern for the story or the characters . There are many interesting directorial touches and a unique atmosphere , but the film suffers from a weak script , and from overlength . Strictly for fans of the offbeat . ( ) |
486,655 | 386,241 | 75,140 | 6 | Twisty . | A very obscure thriller - both in the sense that it's very hard to find ( I actually saw what seemed to be the imported British version , under the title " Deception " ; the print was in terrible condition ) , and also in the sense that it has a very murky structure and characters with motivations that are pretty hard to understand , unless perhaps you've read the book . Some good twists and interesting performances ( especially by Robert Shaw as the politically powerful villain ) . . . . but hold off watching it until you come across a decent print . ( ) |
486,146 | 386,241 | 117,427 | 6 | Predictable but harmless . | This movie is utterly , drearily predictable , but it's pretty harmless as well . You've seen this story many times before , and seeing it once more won't hurt , since it's reasonably well-told here . The enthusiastic cast helps a lot , and Halle Berry . . . . . well , let's just say that she's a feast for the eyes . ( ) |
486,394 | 386,241 | 67,568 | 6 | Has its ups and downs . . . . | For a movie centering around the world's first successful penis transplant , " Percy " turns out to be considerably less raunchy than one might expect ; in fact , it's downright melancholy at times . The hero spends half the movie trying to discover the identity of the ( deceased ) donor of his new " member " , and the other half meeting the donor's past conquests ; in the end he realizes that going to bed with a woman only gives him pleasure when he really cares about her . The film is meandering and short on big laughs , but Hywel Bennett gives a likable , low-key performance , as do most of the women , who are quite lovely to boot ( be aware , however , that the biggest names , Elke Sommer and Britt Ekland , appear only for a couple of minutes each ) . So " Percy " does not rise to any great heights ( ha ! ) , but it is not completely limp either ( ha ! ) ( ) |
485,866 | 386,241 | 75,161 | 6 | Film loses its grace at the end . | It's a compelling , morbid film most of the time - but what's up with the ending ? It builds up ( competently and suspensefully ) to a situation that can easily be guessed right from the beginning , and then . . . . it just stops , as if being afraid of going " too far " . Perhaps the novel ends the same way , but in this movie it doesn't work - it renders the whole film pointless . The hyped-up erotic scenes are brief and too darkly photographed , but the performances are right on target . ( ) |
487,212 | 386,241 | 113,939 | 6 | Good acting and directing , very bad script ( vague spoilers ) | Nature of the Beast is a well-crafted thriller , with excellent chemistry between Eric Roberts and Lance Henriksen ( two actors who have often wasted their time on worthless direct-to-video movies ) . However , the " twist " at the end is predictable ( generally , when a thriller tries its darnedest to convince you that " something " is true , nine the " opposite " is true ) and moronic ( just think about the specifics of the murder of the waitress , and it all falls apart ) . Ultimately , it's a movie for those who don't like to think too hard about movies . ( ) |
486,072 | 386,241 | 60,120 | 6 | Slow Western for patient viewers | This ritualistic Western must be one of Marlon Brando's least-seen films , and no wonder . The plain story moves very slowly , and Brando himself never fully slips into his role ( and the Western environment ) . The film's few highlights include a tense armwrestling match , in which the defeated man will be stung by a deadly scorpion , and the final showdown between Brando and John Saxon ( who's quite good ) . ( ) |
486,333 | 386,241 | 82,700 | 6 | Adequate but overrated shocker . ( SPOILERS ) . | As another person has already said , perhaps it is inevitable , for a movie that has received so much acclaim from gorehounds and has been billed as " the most violent movie ever made " , not to be able to live up to the hype , and " Ferox " isn't the exception to the rule . The special effects are occasionally superb ( examples : the breast-piercing and the scalping scenes ) , but at other times they leave a lot to be desired ( the castration scene is actually a split-second shot ; a gutting looks fake ; and notice , later on , that we never get a clear full-size view of Mike after his hand has been chopped off ) . As for the notorious " real animal killing " , you've been probably seen similar stuff in nature documentaries - the one exception is the dismemberment of a giant turtle , that may well be the hardest-to-watch scene in the entire film . Overall , this film may be too extreme for mainstream audiences , but it's not nearly as sick or gruesome as , say , " Hellraiser 2 " ( don't believe me ? Just watch them back-to-back , both of them uncut , of course ) . Violence and gore aside , this is actually a technically well-made film , nicely filmed on location , and stays at least mildly interesting throughout , with some unexpectedly compelling sequences along the way ( especially the long flashback sequence - it was masterful ) . The acting is acceptable by gore-movie standards , the dubbing is OK and the N . Y scenes , although very unnecessary , are at least filmed with some polish also . Overall , " Ferox " is a movie that probably no horror fan will have serious trouble sitting through , just don't expect it to be an all-out assault on your senses , because - for better of for worse - it isn't . ( ) |
486,105 | 386,241 | 60,121 | 6 | Too gimmicky and not up to " Charade " . | Stanley Donen's follow-up to his very entertaining 1963 " Charade " is a more than similar film ( the opening credits are almost identical ! ) , but , unfortunately , it is a step down . Peter Stone's script is absurdly convoluted and too " clever " for its own good ; Donen's direction is gimmicky , lacking the simplicity and effectiveness of his work in the earlier film ; Gregory Peck delivers his supposedly witty lines flatly and makes an unsuccessful effort to imitate Cary Grant's mannerisms ; and Sophia Loren basically exists in the movie for the one scene where she shows off her gorgeous legs . The only aspect in which " Arabesque " is superior to " Charade " is its visual look : this movie glitters ! And if you watch it twice ( like I did , because my first reaction was too negative ) , you'll find out that there are some scenes that actually work ( for example , the interrogation in the van ) . ( ) |
486,481 | 386,241 | 64,505 | 6 | Enjoyable , but a bit overrated . | The Italian Job is an enjoyable caper film with fast pacing ( there are almost no dead spots ) , good car stunts , OK performances and a unique , hard-to-forget ending . But many of the scenes involving Noel Coward supposedly planning the whole " job " from inside the jail are laughable ( they're just too far-fetched to be accepted as satire of any kind ) and the chase goes on perhaps a bit too long . Still , the film is much better than " Dollars " or " How to Steal a Million " . ( ) |
485,838 | 386,241 | 51,411 | 6 | It's a long country . . . . | Forget " big " ; this film is gargantuan in scale , ambitions and length . Impressively photographed , and with some very effective moments ( both dramatic and humorous ) , but too often plodding . Gregory Peck is an one-note Mr . Right , but he provides a strong presence that holds the movie together , and Carroll Baker provides the eye candy . The other performers are also good , although Charlton Heston is not well suited to the rather unpleasant character he plays . ( ) |
486,035 | 386,241 | 86,618 | 6 | More swordfights than laughs . | Yellowbeard has some funny moments , but with THIS cast , it should have been much better . There is perhaps too much attention to the production values , at the expense of comedy . The " plot " is cluttered and chaotic . And Monty Python fans will probably be disappointed because , although the film has many of their members in big or small roles , it never makes the leap to surrealism ( come on , couldn't they have come up with some clever jokes during the title cards ? ) . However , as I said , there are enough funny moments for this to get a rating . |
487,215 | 386,241 | 109,665 | 6 | Great-looking stars in a thoroughly predictable film . | Another one of those " if you've seen the video cover , you've seen the movie " thrillers . Quite honestly , I can't understand where some people saw the " twists " here ; " Dream Lover " is as predictable as yesterday's news and as obvious as its overwrought dream scenes . Essentially this is nothing more than a more expensive , better acted and directed version of those Shannon Tweed / Andrew Stevens straight-to-video soft-core thrillers . But Spader and Amick do make an attractive couple , and there are some genuinely erotic moments in the early parts of the film , so as long as you know why you're watching the film ( it's certainly not for the " twists " ) , you'll probably be satisfied . ( ) |
487,278 | 386,241 | 114,014 | 6 | Disjointed mess almost rescued by climactic fight sequences | When a movie pairs up the beautiful and graceful Cynthia Khan with the athletic and charismatic Yuen Biao , you expect something better than what " Tough Beauty and the Sloppy Slop " turns out to be . This movie is a frantic , disjointed mess , way over-the-top for a " modern " action flick ( people jump off tall buildings , get thrown 30 feet away and sometimes even float in the air ) . What's worse , the subtitles are not only grammatically awful but also often unreadable ( against white backgrounds ) , which makes the viewing experience painful . Thankfully , we at least get an action-packed climax , with some very entertaining fight sequences which FINALLY remind us what made HK cinema so popular in the first place . The last 15 minutes almost make up for the rest of the movie . ( ) |
486,233 | 386,241 | 71,330 | 6 | Slick , violent tale . | After being taken as a hostage and beaten by three vicious bank robbers , an " average guy " ( Franco Nero ) becomes outraged by the refusal of the police to take drastic action and decides to go on a personal war against the underworld . The script of this slick-looking , violent tale is standard crime-movie stuff , but director Castellari manages to put in some stylish shots and to stage a gripping final shootout . It's almost as if you're watching a spaghetti crime thriller . ( ) |
486,720 | 386,241 | 82,782 | 6 | A competent but unexceptional slasher . | This is a competently made slasher film , featuring acceptable acting and a tense final showdown between the killer and the remaining survivors . But it's terribly routine ! Very reminiscent of " Halloween " and " The Prowler " , and most of the killings occur offscreen . In fact , the only novelty here may be that the victims are not teenagers ; they're pushing 30 ! ( ) |
486,922 | 386,241 | 101,831 | 6 | Routine . . . . until the exciting climax . | A peculiar story of a woman scientist trying to track down ( with the help of a tough army colonel ) a female robot with nuclear powers , who not only looks like her but also shares her thoughts and memories . The gimmick is that the robot has no inhibitions , and acts out the woman's darkest sexual and violent fantasies , until " it " gets completely out of control . The story provides plenty of opportunities for male-bashing ( it seems that almost every man that the robot meets is a chauvinistic pig ) , and the film doesn't miss any of them . But if you're patient , you'll be rewarded ; the climactic sequence in the New York subway is excitingly staged and delivers the goods . And Renee Soutendijk is utterly convincing in both her roles . ( ) |
486,895 | 386,241 | 90,849 | 6 | Funny - Sexy - Gory | Funny : The comedy is wittier than you'd expect . Along with the obvious gross gags , there are some deadpan character reactions that made me laugh , like when some of the men checking the plant for radioactivity were dropping like flies and their colleagues , who were standing right beside them , didn't seem to notice or care . Also , you learn a useful lesson here : when you find a barrel full of green slime that smells bad and makes weird noises , DON'T stick your hand into it ! Sexy : The heroine is cute , but the two ( or were there three ? ) bad girls are from another planet ! Gory : Considering the budget they probably had to work with , the gore effects are ingenious . The mutations , mutilations and monsters all look good . I've not seen enough Troma films to compare this with , but it's fun for at least one viewing . ( ) |
487,493 | 386,241 | 75,290 | 6 | But how can they survive ? There is nothing on the plane for them to eat ! | The highest compliment one can pay to this movie is that it's no better or worse than the 1993 version of the same story ( " Alive " ) , despite its having been produced on a much lower budget , with more primitive special effects . The problem is that if you're familiar with the story , there are no surprises left ; you're simply waiting for the inevitable . It must be noted , however , that the " gore " factor has been considerably hyped up : the scenes that are " not for the squeamish " amount to a total of two . ( ) |
485,602 | 386,241 | 120,841 | 6 | Enjoyable trash . | The people who are stating that this movie is the worst sequel they've ever seen obviously never saw " Hercules II " or " Jaws 3-D " or " Hellraiser II " . Now , I am not about to tell you that this is a great film , but if you set your expectations low , you are likely to have fun . Despite the icky ( and variable in quality , though impressive in the last 10 minutes ) special effects and the large amounts of blood and t & a , the film never becomes truly disturbing , because you're never meant to take it 100 % seriously . Michael Madsen understood that , to be sure , and thanks to his trademarked coolness , he walks away with the picture . As for Natasha Henstridge , she has more or less a supporting part , but one that is rather imaginatively linked to the central story line . Overall , a movie with no artistic pretensions and , undoubtedly , many flaws ( someone else already mentioned this ; why didn't her head explode when she escaped from the lab ? ) , but watch it in the right frame of mind and it's quite enjoyable . Do you know any other movie that features sex between slimy aliens ? ! ? ( ) |
486,185 | 386,241 | 114,376 | 6 | The definition of the word " average " . | The Secretary is one of the many " The Hand That Rocks The Cradle " - inspired thrillers that were made in the early 90's . It is a totally routine , paint-by-numbers movie . And yet , it's made with a certain workmanlike competence . The director knew , of course , that he was making a forgettable film , but he showed some respect for the audience , to the degree of at least delivering something watchable . Not worth renting , but seeing it for free , if you happen to catch it on TV , won't hurt . ( ) |
486,412 | 386,241 | 59,674 | 6 | Absorbing . | The story may be banal , and the dialogue may often seem too studied and affected . But this glossy MGM production still offers some of the pleasures of the " old-fashioned " , straightforward moviemaking : first-rate performances by the three leads , good narration , gorgeous cinematography and a refreshingly unhurried pacing . ( ) |
487,460 | 386,241 | 75,347 | 6 | Leisurely paced , but agreeable . | A prettily photographed , occasionally enjoyable but rather leisurely paced Disney adventure . It features an amusing Peter Ustinov ( as a good-hearted quack ) , some pretty good special effects ( except for a mosquito attack , which looks awful ) and a few unusually adult elements ( one character is nearly executed by the Ku Klux Klan ) . The two leading kids are not irritating at all , and the film is agreeable enough , but too long and not very compelling story-wise . ( ) |
486,399 | 386,241 | 381,061 | 6 | Can a movie be overrated and underrated at the same time ? | Probably the most controversial Bond film to date ( along with " On Her Majesty's Secret Service " , with which it shares a lot of similarities ) , " Casino Royale " has been described as anything from " the best Bond movie ever " to " the worst Bond movie ever " . After watching it twice , now that the hype has died down a little , I would call it simply an above-average Bond film , give it a , and rank it somewhere alongside " The Living Daylights " and " The World Is Not Enough " . One of the problems with CR is that it doesn't seem 100 % sure of the type of Bond audience it's going for : those who want the class and intelligence of films like " From Russia With Love " and " Goldfinger " , or those who prefer the Rambo Bond mentality of films like " License To Kill " and " Tomorrow Never Dies " ? It ends up going for both , and at times you feel as if you're watching 2 or 3 different films : for example , the expressionistic Black & White prologue that recalls the style of classic film noirs is soon followed by a laughably excessive foot chase sequence ( " Someone is chasing me . I know , I'll climb up a crane so we can fight there , that seems to be a good idea ! " ) that seems to exist only for " wow " purposes . The movie dares , to its credit , to spend a lot of time around a poker table , where all the action occurs in looks , words and gestures , but not before another extraneous and over-the-top chase / fight scene at an airport . The production values are very high and the international locations are often breathtaking , but some of the dialogue is unbelievably corny ( Le Chiffre's " I see you take good care of your body " to Bond is the most homoerotic line in the series since Mr . Wint's " She's very attractive . . . . for a woman " in " Diamonds Are Forever " ) . Leaving aside my pro-Brosnan prejudices , I must say Daniel Craig surpassed my expectations as the new 007 . He brings a harshness to the role that is comparable to Timothy Dalton's , except he has more style than him and is better at the playful banter . However , in his second film he will have to play a more suave and experienced Bond , and it remains to be seen how he'll pull it off . Eva Green is fine ( and prettier without makeup ) , but the woman that caught my eye more was Ivana Milicevic , as the villain's girlfriend , who has one of the sexiest backsides I've ever seen . Sadly , her role is small and mostly silent . As Le Chiffre , Mads Mikkelsen is IMO one of the weak spots of the movie . He is more of a poser than a threat , and the fact that we see him getting bullied by other characters in the film doesn't help any . Jesper Christensen , although he doesn't appear in more than 3 scenes , creates a more interesting villainous presence as the mysterious Mr . White . Judi Dench as M is a plus , but there are no other memorable minor characters , unlike , say , " Goldeneye " , where you also had Xenia , Zukovsky , Boris , Orumov , Q , etc . My conclusion , based on the length ( 140 minutes ) , the way Craig plays Bond and the plot turns in the last 30 minutes of the film , is that CR could be described as a better-made modern version of OHMSS . It presents things that some people never want to see in a Bond movie ( Bond falling in love , quitting the service , a downbeat ending , etc . ) while others like them so much that they proclaim the film a masterpiece . In a series as long as this one ( 21 official films and counting , plus " Never Say Never Again " ) , preferences are always going to be even more subjective than usual . But if you rank OHMSS among the top Bond films ( personally I don't ) , then you'll probably do the same with this one . |
486,638 | 386,241 | 105,631 | 6 | OK diversion . | Overheated but good-looking and fairly entertaining murder mystery that will probably please most whodunit fans , despite ( or , for some viewers , perhaps BECAUSE of ) its overly convoluted plot , which may even demand a second viewing to get completely straightened out in one's head . James Belushi gets to show some ambiguity that's rare for him , but Lorraine Bracco's femme fatale is a barely sexy disappointment . ( ) |
487,011 | 386,241 | 156,729 | 6 | A disappointment . | Don McKellar tackles an unimaginably difficult and thought-provoking subject matter here - too bad this shallow , sombre and often dull film doesn't do it justice . It does have some funny and poignant moments ( as well as some that are both funny and poignant at the same time - a man says to his friend " See you later " and the other guy responds " No you won't " ) , but ultimately there are no real revelations , nothing you couldn't come up with yourself , without seeing the movie . When the highest compliment that people pay to a movie in the vast majority of the reviews here is " There are no special effects " , you know you're in trouble . ( ) |
487,277 | 386,241 | 90,681 | 6 | A mixed bag | Operation Pink Squad is a strange HK mix of action , drama and lowbrow comedy . The cover features four girls , and the Pink Squad IS made of four girls , but two of them aren't really important and are soon forgotten . The main leads are Anne Bridgewater and Sandra Ng . Anne has the lion's share of the action - the film begins with an incredible fight scene ( her vs . Jeffrey Falcon ) , but sadly she has only two more fights after that : the one has no proper ending and the other is too silly ( she is disguised as a clown ) . Sandra is in charge of the comic and dramatic elements , and she handles them well , in fact she is the main reason they work at all . Overall , the film is a mixed bag , and probably works better if you know that you should not expect a lot of action . ( ) |
487,567 | 386,241 | 90,659 | 6 | OK action thriller . | Armed Response is one of Fred Olen Ray's earliest directorial efforts , and it also less schlocky than some of his other ones , closer to an actual legitimate action film ( it's hard to believe he would make a film as unbelievably bad as " Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers " only two years later ) . It has a fairly complicated plot , which would be hard to summarize in a single paragraph , and a cast that's a B-movie fan's dream ( where else could you find Lee Van Cleef and Michael Berryman together ? ) , though it must be noted that David Carradine is particularly awful in this movie . ( ) |
486,840 | 386,241 | 81,989 | 6 | Interesting . | I stumbled upon this little-known movie by accident . It's a confusing at times , but still fairly interesting " political paranoia " thriller . Unfortunately , both the video box summary and most of the other reviews pretty much give away the entire plot , so don't expect anything terribly surprising . And Robert Mitchum's performance in this one was disappointing , considering his juicy role . Still , it WAS a rare find . . . . ( ) |
486,278 | 386,241 | 59,800 | 6 | The quintessential Bond movie in some aspects . . . . but still flawed | In some ways , " Thunderball " is one of the best Bond films ever made : the title song , the entire music score and the photography are first-rate , the dialogue has a lot of wit ( " Don't worry , I'll call the chef ! " ) , Connery gives perhaps his most confident and charismatic performance as 007 , the good girl Claudine Auger is , like the other French Bond girls Carole Bouquet and Sophie Marceau , gorgeous , and the evil girl Luciana Paluzzi is delicious ( " But I may not be in the mood later " , a man tells her . " You wanna bet ? " , she replies ) . On the other hand , Adolfo Celi is not one of the most memorable Bond villains - he can be cruel and he can be suave , but that's about it . His henchmen are no Oddjobs either ( in fact , Luciana is the most interesting villainous presence in the movie , along with Blofeld , whose voice we hear but whose face we do not see ) . But the biggest problem with " Thunderball " are its long , tedious and chaotic underwater scenes . The film on the whole lacks the tight , economic structure of " Goldfinger " - it was the first Bond movie to run over 2 hours , beginning a trend that was followed by almost all of the series entries that came after it , usually not to their benefit . ( ) |
486,226 | 386,241 | 63,636 | 6 | Twisty yarn . | Near the beginning of this film , there is a fistfight , but it's not exciting because we don't know why the two men are fighting . A little later , there is a car chase , but it's not exciting either , because we don't know who's chasing whom or why . Later still , we find out the answers to those questions , but two potentially good action scenes have been wasted . And then the movie turns into a standard heist flick . . . . thankfully only for a while . The focus here is not on the actual heist , but more on the aftermath . And it's there that the movie finally goes in unexpected directions . There is , for example , the bizarre scene in which a man gets off on shooting someone with a machine-gun . There is the memorable image of a white sheet that gradually " absorbs " the blood of the body that's underneath it , and red spots start appearing on it . And there some neat plot twists along the way , mostly involving a character ( I won't say which ) that enters the picture when you least expect him to . If the whole movie was as good as its final 30 minutes , I'd give it one more star , but for now this gets a rating . |
485,935 | 386,241 | 90,655 | 6 | Classy but bland horror fare . | Well , it does have more class and wit than you normally expect to find in the typical slasher movie . But let's not get carried away here . . . it's still just a reworking of a very familiar formula . Actually , it's mostly the generally likable cast that keeps this one ( slightly ) above average . ( ) |
486,328 | 386,241 | 430,750 | 6 | An almost total rip-off , redeemed by the main event | 1 ) Tyson Tomko and Christian vs . Eugene and William Regal ( for the tag team title , if you can believe that ! ) . Not as pathetic as I expected , though what really makes it interesting is that it's one of those rare matches where everything doesn't go as planned : Eugene hurts his knee for real , Regal's nose bleeds for real , and Tomko is " pinned " even though his right shoulder is several inches above the canvas . 2 ) Lita vs . Trish ( for the women's title ) . The build-up to this match is great . The match itself is a sad disappointment . A disappointment , because it lasts only 2 minutes , as Lita gets injured after a risky stunt . And sad , because this injury was a serious setback to her career ; I don't think she has wrestled again to this day since that match . ( By the way , Lita is far from being the " sloppy btch " another reviewer insultingly called her . In fact , she can do some things in the ring that most men on the current roster can only dream of ) . 3 ) Shelton Benjamin vs . Maven ( for the intercontinental title ) . This match never really starts . Maven trash-talks to the audience and to Benjamin for about 5 minutes , and gets pinned by him in 2 seconds TWICE . Obviously this rates below zero as a wrestling match , but Maven IS pretty funny on the mic and the crowd obviously enjoyed it , so what can I say ? No rating . 4 ) Muhammad Hassan vs . Jerry ( not Springer , but . . . ) " The King " Lawler . Mind-numbingly bad . At one point , there are six identical body slams in a row ! I have only two questions : 1 ) Who is responsible for this garbage ? 2 ) What punishment is severe enough for him ? 05 ) Kane vs . Snitsky . As you'd expect from two big men , a rather plodding match , but this one has its moments , like Snitsky's bearhug ( I never thought I'd see someone try THAT on Kane ! ) and the double attempted chokeslams . However , the premise on which the match was based ( " it wasn't my fault " ) is utterly distasteful . 6 ) Elimination Chamber Match for the heavyweight title . Triple H vs . Batista vs . Randy Orton vs . Chris Benoit vs . Chris Jericho vs . Edge , with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee ( I think he had more fans in the crowd that night than any of the participants ! ) . It would be very difficult for this match to fully live up to the huge hype before it , and the commentators ' overstating can get annoying at times . Nevertheless , it is by far the best match of the night , and considering its length it is relentlessly paced , with virtually no dead spots . Among the highlights : Benoit getting the crossface on Orton and HHH mocking Orton and supporting Benoit ( ! ) , HBK playing " Sweet Chin Music " on Edge ( the crowd goes wild after that one ! ) , HHH in double submission holds by Jericho AND Benoit , Batista throwing Jericho on one of the cameramen and later powerbombing him ( a very high-impact move ) . Can't say I liked the ending , though . This was the second time in a row ( after " Unforgiven 2004 " ) that HHH defeated Orton with interference from ( an eliminated ) Batista and Ric Flair . |
485,694 | 386,241 | 82,334 | 6 | Fairly successful , but it goes on forever . | The outstanding performances of Barbara Hershey ( who is stunningly beautiful ) and Ron Silver ( who has a rather irritating role as a stupidly stubborn psychologist ) lift this film above the average level of most similar supernatural thrillers . But it seems to go on FOREVER . Overlength really diminishes the power of this film . It's very well-directed ( I think director Furie is a very talented man ; he also made " The Ipcress File " ) but the story has almost nowhere to go and it progresses very slowly . Still , a fairly good horror entry . |
486,833 | 386,241 | 66,907 | 6 | Pre - " Death Wish " in the West . | Familiar Western with a noble anti-racist message , delivered with sledgehammer subtlety ( in the very first scene , Bronson , a half-breed Indian , is called a " red-skinned nigger " by an ignorant redneck ) . Charlie looks positively great in this one , but ( excluding his untranslated Indian dialogue ) utters exactly SIX words in the entire film . Jack Palance is good as the level-headed leader of the posse that hunts him down . By the way , the film runs 100 minutes , not 110 as listed in most places . ( ) |
486,281 | 386,241 | 101,591 | 6 | Surreal sequel is uneven but crazy fun | If the original " Class of Nuke'Em High " was a mix of horror and comedy , this sequel is a straight-up parody that abandons all groundings in reality ( the college operates INSIDE the nuclear power plant , and the students are regularly tested for radiation and often have to wear gas masks ) and should be taken about as seriously as " Hot Shots , Part Deux " . It's sometimes funny , sometimes not , but what I appreciated about it is that , although it rubs its bad taste in your face , it does it in a goofy and essentially good-natured way . I did think that the male leading role should have been played by an actor who looked more like a nerd and less like a jock , but that's a minor complaint . Jam-packed with hot women , great ( or at least greatly creative ) special effects , slime , destruction of property , and inside Troma references , " Subhumanoid Meltdown " is recommended for those who like their comedies unafraid to go over ( and I do mean over ) the edge . ( ) |
487,343 | 386,241 | 66,924 | 6 | Sometimes jerky but enjoyable giallo . | Filmed mostly in Greece , this is a flawed but enjoyable giallo . The editing is incredibly jerky at times , the gore effects are unconvincing ( the blood looks like red paint ) and the solution , while fairly unexpected , is not the most original you're ever likely to come across . But the smooth George Hilton and the voluptuous Anita Strindberg ( she could have easily been one of the best Bond girls ) make an attractive couple , the story dares to break some conventions ( the first slashing comes when you least expect it ) and mystery fans should generally be pleased . ( ) |
487,294 | 386,241 | 91,083 | 6 | Rather entertaining . . . . | Entertaining horror film with some imaginative ideas and concepts , but ultimately it's more a showcase for gruesome special effects than anything else . The effects themselves are good , though not up to par with those of " The Thing " ( 1982 ) or " The Fly " ( 1986 ) . Still , Barbara Crampton in leather is a sight to behold ! This is not recommended for mainstream audiences , but as a straightforward gore flick it's above average . ( ) |
487,225 | 386,241 | 51,732 | 6 | Lumbering . | A lumbering , exceedingly slow psychological drama . It contains many intriguing elements and characters , and Jean Simmons ' performance as the slightly neurotic heroine is courageous ; she isn't afraid to appear less attractive than usual . But the pace is so slow that the film becomes heavy-going at times . |
485,615 | 386,241 | 94,963 | 6 | Passably mediocre . | The fourth and last sequel to " Dirty Harry " offers more of the same , but at least it's a definite improvement over the repellent " Sudden Impact " . Eastwood once again demonstrates his acting flair and he manages to transform the poor material into a slick and often entertaining movie . It's action-packed and it has some quotable dialogue ( watch for the scene where Harry is " reading " a fortune cookie ) , but the story is slim and predictable , and the villain comes across as a complete caricature . |
487,502 | 386,241 | 59,496 | 6 | Intriguing but lumbering . | The first half of " The Nanny " has an intriguing air of ambiguity : we have a smooth-talking nanny who may be a nut and a spoiled , rude little boy who may be acting this way simply because he feels trapped and scared . Who is guilty and who is innocent ? Unfortunately , we learn the answer to that question too early , and after that the movie gets increasingly predictable . The performances are excellent ( the actor who plays the kid steals the show ) , but the film suffers from lumbering pacing . |
487,202 | 386,241 | 101,625 | 6 | Pleasant , forgettable entertainment . | THE GOOD : Sean Young ( unusually lively and appealing ) , Giancarlo Giannini ( who gives class to the film by his mere presence ) , some moments of James Belushi . THE BAD : John Candy ( grating , with barely even one funny line ) and George Hamilton ( his aging gigolo is an even more aging stereotype ) . The others fall somewhere in between . All in all , this film is pleasant entertainment for 90 minutes , although for a film billed as a " mystery-comedy " , the mystery part is largely secondary . ( ) |
487,402 | 386,241 | 56,127 | 6 | This one calls for a remake . | As other reviewers have noted , what we have here is a great basic concept ( and to think that the film predates " Solaris " by more than ten years ! ) , trapped in a grade-Z production ( appalling color-processing , cheap special effects , overuse of stock footage , etc . ) . The film would still make a pretty good " Twilight Zone " episode , but a well-made remake would be most welcome . ( ) |
486,177 | 386,241 | 311,999 | 6 | Average | 1 ) T & A vs . Edge and Christian vs . The Dudley Boyz . Three-team elimination tables match . Nothing special , just chaotic . 2 ) Ivory vs . Lita ( women's title ) . Very short and rather poor match , but I can't rate any Lita match lower than ( even though she only gets to do about 3 moves here ) . 3 ) Perry Saturn vs . Steve Blackman ( hardcore title ) . Both men seem capable of wrestling , too bad it's a hardcore match and they don't get to do too much of that . And even if you like this type of match , this one has no blood . ) Crash Holly vs . William Regal ( European title ) . A decent amount of technique on display here , plus a nice missile dropkick by Molly Holly at the end . 5 ) Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko vs . Chyna and Billy Gunn . A formulaic tag-team match , with one exception : the awesome Chyna , giving and taking a beating like no other woman could . ) Kane vs Chris Jericho . A pretty good big vs . small , power vs . speed match . ) The Hardy Boyz vs . Right To Censor ( tag team titles ) . Wait , aren't there a few too many tag team matches in this PPV ? But this one at least has some exciting , fast-paced offense by the Hardyz . 8 ) Chris Benoit vs . The Undertaker . The best match of the night . Before it starts , the Radicalz attack the Undertaker and hurt his left leg , and Benoit spends most of the match focusing on that leg , while Taker focuses on Benoit's lower back . The ending is sudden and surprising . 9 ) Fatal 4-way for the WWE title . Kurt Angle vs . The Rock vs . Stone Cold Steve Austin vs . Rikishi . Not much wrestling here , mostly just brawling , but fairly entertaining . It would have been better without so many outside interferences , and without that fat slob Rikishi . As you can see , this PPV has 9 matches and none of them are bad , but there are no must-see classics either . |
487,038 | 386,241 | 59,399 | 6 | Mediocre but worth watching . | This film is certainly overlong , the narrative tends to meander and O'Toole's overly earnest performance becomes monotonous after a while . But it still includes bits of excellent dialogue , Eli Wallach and James Mason give smashing performances and , near the end , some philosophical depth is actually achieved . Overall , not a very successful picture , but one with enough redeeming qualities to be worth watching at least once . |
485,996 | 386,241 | 79,428 | 6 | A perfectly acceptable - if pointless - remake | There was no need for this movie to be made ( but that is true for most remakes ) . The original is a classic and generally considered the best of Hitchcock's early British films . But if you forget about the comparisons and let this remake stand on its own , it's actually pretty decent : good-looking , beautifully scored , and well-cast , even in the secondary roles . The two leads are likably goofy ( they do bring a 70's flavor to these 30's characters , which may or may not be to your taste ) , and male viewers will be glad to know that Cybill Shepherd spends the entire running time wearing a white dress that reveals her sexy back , arms and shoulders . If I can point one flaw in this movie , it's that the script doesn't build enough ambiguity - even people who don't know the story won't think for a moment that it could all be " in Cybill's head " . But it's clear that the intention here was to create a light comedy-mystery , not a suspense classic . ( ) |
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