God's Little Acre (1958)

Perhaps one seeing this film for the first time, in this day and age, will not realize just how racy this picture was when it was produced (in 1958). I watch it now, and I still can't believe that they "got away with it". The picture, a yarn concerning a Georgia hayseed family, took the "Ma And Pa Kettle" concept to new heights!

The gist of the story is that Ti-Ti, and his strapping sons, are digging for his pappy's gold, which, legend has it, is buried somewhere on their Georgia farm. They've been digging in the ground for fifteen years.....and haven't found anything yet. The characters seem, to me, to be the basis for the Clampetts on the Beverly Hillbillies........especially Darlin' Jill (who surely was the model for Ellie Mae).

The picture includes one of the hottest forbidden love scenes to ever be committed to celuloid (between Tina Louise and Aldo Ray). This was back in the days when things had to be creatively SUGGESTED (to avoid censorship). Things are different today, when anything goes and a "love scene" is thrown in for mere titillation, showing yet another improbable, sexual acrobatic endeavor between two participants. This scene between "Griselda" and "Will" has actual BEARING on this story. Those were the days.

It might seem quite campy (it is!). It certainly is hilarious, and even tragic at times. I recommend "GOD'S LITTLE ACRE" highly!

Released in 1958, Anthony Mann's God's Little Acre caused a scandal in theaters and was even banned in many places. Now 50 years later, the DVD format lets viewers see what they may have missed. In 1930s rural Georgia, Ty Ty Walden and his family live on a farm, barely scraping by. Ty Ty was told by his great grandfather there's gold buried on the farm, and he's convinced it's still there. Helped out by his sons, he's been digging for 15 years without luck. The gold story serves as a jumping off point for the rest of the story, the relationships and dynamics of Ty Ty's family. Directed by Anthony Mann, this is a beautifully shot movie, in more ways than one, as the story of the Walden family develops. The relationships are real, the love and hot believable as Ty Ty tries to find the gold while also continuing to be able to live. It's not a well-known movie, but it's an enjoyable movie, if for nothing else than to see what all the scandal was about. It seems tame compared to movies now, but you can see why it caused a stir.

In what's really an ensemble cast, Robert Ryan gives one of his best performances as Ty Ty Walden, the family patriarch trying to keep his family together, all the while searching for his great grandfather's gold. Ryan pulls off the dramatic and comedic scenes equally well throughout, especially the scenes with the cross on his farm's God's little acre. Aldo Ray plays Will Thompson, Ty's son-in-law who's been out of a job for six months since a mill closed. Will married Ty's daughter Rosamund (Helen Westcott) but really loves Griselda, married to Ty's son Buck. They have a history together, and it's their scenes together that caused a stir upon the movie's release. Tina Louise of Gilligan's Island fame shows off what a good actress she is in her first movie role as Griselda, the beautiful wife of Buck who still has feelings for Will. Mann puts Louise on display throughout, and she looks more beautiful here than any of her Ginger Grant days. Jack Lord and Vic Morrow are very good as Ty's sons, Buck, the jealous husband who worries his wife doesn't love him, and Shaw, the younger son still growing up. Buddy Hackett has a funny part as Pluto Swint, a local man running for sheriff who's fallen in love with Ty's youngest daughter, Darling Jill (Fay Spain). Also worth mentioning is Michael Landon as Dave Dawson, an albino who Ty is convinced will lead them to the gold.

The DVD doesn't have any special features, but the movie looks great in a widescreen presentation, Ernest Haller's cinematography never looked better. This isn't a great movie, but it's positives heavily outweight the negatives. So for a good story with great performances from Robert Ryan and Tina Louise, check out God's Little Acre!

Buy God's Little Acre (1958) Now

Review are you kidding, they just don't make movies like this anymore. Two plots going on at the same time the main being a treasure hunt which causes men to test what their true treasure is and the love story which for its time was almost scandelous. This is a good old fashhion movie. Did I say good. I mean great.

Read Best Reviews of God's Little Acre (1958) Here

Here's a movie that I'd not expected. Robert Ryan, Vic Morrow, Michael Landon, Jack Lord, Buddy Hackett, and Tina Louise really set the screen on fire. A good surprise for me.

Want God's Little Acre (1958) Discount?

I'm not sure what the other reviewer got for his dollar but I have the dvd pictured & yes it is in a slim case but the picture looks fabulous. Maybe they were reviewing the case? If you liked Peyton Place or anything Tenesse Williams, you will like this one. And yes, Tina Louise is stunning in it but who knew Jack Lord was so damn hot back in the day? You won't recogize Michael Landon for a while (at least I didn't).It's a good story & well worth the I paid.

Save 17% Off

Read More >>

Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010)

Lost Boys: The Tribe was a horrible movie. It was a blemish on the Lost Boys' series. The Thirst is a major step in the right direction. This film is more of a Frog Brothers film than a Lost Boys film. It's more in the vein of a horror/action picture than a straight horror picture. Honestly, I feel The Thirst kind of has an Expendables feel to it, with a more comedic tone. Feldman and Newlander give very likeable and well-balanced performances. The girl who helps the Frog Brothers fight the vampires also does a great job, and I'd like to see her character reappear if a sequal is made. My only compaint with the Thirst is that the main gang of vampires look like bratty, rich-kid, reality show wannabees. This detail is kind of rectified though, but I won't say anymore. Go watch Lost Boys: The Thirst! It's a great direct to DVD Halloween treat!

Okay, I am not sure how a person would feel about this movie if they didn't grow up loving the original, especially the Frog Brothers.

Personally, I really didn't care for The Tribe. It seemed like they were trying to kind of remake the first one in a way but with a more modern twist. Frankly, I felt like that just didn't work. I had to get it though because it had Edger in it. I was so upset that they left out Alan, MY favorite Frog brother. The Tribe was just a huge let down to me like I figured it would be.

When I saw that they made The Thirst, I thought "Are you serious!? Another one?? How far are they going to try to stretch this?"; then I saw that Jamison Newlander would be in this one as well as Corey Feldman. Well, that did it for me. I had to see the original Frog brothers reunited! I must say, I really enjoyed watching it. The story line was a little corny, but doable. Most of the vampires all die the same way. I think 2 or 3 of them exploded without turning to ash. I didn't really care for the way the voices of the vamps changed when they were bearing teeth. But regardless, everyone keeps changing vampires over the years. Not much you can do about it. Everything was worth it to me just to see the Frog brothers back in action, kicking a$$ and making corny wise cracks when pushing 40. It was a riot! You can tell that Newlander and Feldman had a good time getting back in touch with those characters.

Buy Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010) Now

Ok so you know, I loved the first installment with the 2 Corey's. I'm a vamp fan ok.

Have now seen the second one, I loved it as well.

But it certainly was nice to see this one. It is different than the first, a bit campy in some places, but if you love vamp movies you will enjoy this installment for so many reasons the memorial to Corey Haim, little flash backs to him in the first installment, they did a good job of showing Corey Feldman's missing his good friend wishing he was still alive and garnering strength from his relationship with Corey Haim's character Sam (such a great tribute). He was dead in this one and they let you know how he died.

Corey Feldman with his 'brother' Jamison Newlander in the movie certainly stepped up with lots of great thumbs up towards the first movie. At the end they introduced a female werewolf ... yeah!! I personally enjoyed it, hope you do too. And I wish to thank everyone for the nice tribute to Corey Haim, as I have always enjoyed him and Corey Feldman movies.

Read Best Reviews of Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010) Here

I grabbed this DVD this week against what I thought was my better judgment.

After all, I watched The Tribe twice: Once because it was the long awaited sequel,

again because I was hoping that my first impressions would give way to something

more favorable (they didn't). Despite disliking The Tribe however, I

thought, 'oh what the heck', threw 'The Thirst' in my computer, minimized the

window and proceeded to net surf because, frankly, my intentions were just to

see what was done this time for the sake of morbid curiosity and then leave it

to collect dust. Needless to say I had to max the screen and put everything

else on hold for a time.

I was really, really surprised to come out of this with a good impression.

First, to get something important out of the way:

This IS a low budget direct to DVD release. Keep expectations realistic in that

respect.

I'm not writing this in an attempt to convince both myself and others that it's

better than it was. Yes, the dialogue is cheesy and the situations are campy

(but they are supposed to be!). But yes, there are parts that are borderline bad

(which I'm pretty sure were not supposed to be). Overall however, this is a fun

movie that has the heart of the original in it. Feldman of course is the one who

pulls most of this off, his performance as a vampire hunting wouldbe Rambo is flawless

and genuinely entertaining to watch. I'm writing this because I think this

movie deserves a shot (at the very least a rental), and I know there are likely

MANY people who may not otherwise give this title a second glance because of how

The Tribe turned out and imo, that would be a shame! (but I digress).

criticisms:

My biggest criticism of the film (and yes it's a big one) has to do with

the vampires. Considering that the original vampires had a unique design, I'm

not sure why they would want to take them away from, well, a traditional 'Lost

Boys' look. It's not that the effects looked any more (or less) fake than the

original, but that they were actually distracting at times. It would have been

a challenge for any of the actors to have been on the same level as Kiefer

Sutherland, but it is virtually impossible when I can't get past their upper

jaw. I felt taken right out of the movie at times because I started

thinking 'what did they do with the teeth?' rather than about what was actually

going on in the scene.

The vampires also could have used more backstory to make them more interesting.

One of the reasons the original Lost Boys was good was because the

audience could identify, at least on some level, with both the heroes and

villains. The vampires were 'cool', but they were also motivated by emotions

that were easy to relate to like jealously, or the desire for some kind of

family (albeit an extremely dysfunctional one). To put it another way, I could

believe in David and Max, I couldn't really believe in DJX (and I think this

has to do as much with the movie as it does with not being 9 years old

anymore). I was never told why he wanted to do what he did, and didn't

particularly care to any significant degree either.

The above said, it's pretty much unfathomable to me as to why the writers did

not invest more time into developing Alan's character. During this movie I had

at least a dozen questions about his character leap into my brain, and with very

little difficulty could probably come up with over 100. Yet they tell us

virtually nothing WTF? It's very hard to imagine that the writers somehow

overlooked that *there is a good 5 year stretch of time of probable interest to

the movie's fanbase. Regardless of being deprived of answers to 99% of these

questions, I'd say it's a positive thing to leave the movie asking 'why didn't

they do this?' rather than (as I did with The Tribe) 'Why did they do this at

all?". If there HAD been a character on the 'opposing' team even half as

interesting and with half as much heart as Feldman's Frog, then this movie would

easily have gotten 4 stars from me

Want Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010) Discount?

Loved the ending. Great all the way through. Wish more of the original cast could have been in it. It stuck with the story line with a few surprise twist to hold your interest. Better than I had thought it would be seeing as how it never showed in theaters and went straight to DVD.

Save 40% Off

Read More >>

You Me & Dupree

YOU, ME AND DUPREE is a formula film, a template designed for teenage guys who feel the need for potty mouth, noisy, crude guy things movies. There have been a lot of these films of late (all spinoffs of The Wedding Crasher image) and one wonders if there is a saturation point.

Relating the story is rather pointless as it is a one-line joke (?). Dupree (Owen Wilson playing Owen Wilson) is the best man at his buddy Matt Dillon's wedding to Kate Hudson (the You and Me) and subsequently moves in with them, causing all manner of mayhem and bad taste and faux pas and grim situations (think toilet problems etc). And that is it. Michael Douglas was brought in to play a flat role as Kate Hudson's father who objects to her marriage blah blah blah. Ask directors Anthony and Joe Russo for the rest.

We know that Hudson, Dillon and Douglas have much better roles to offer (Wilson seems to have found his niche), and the only reason films like this keep getting made is because they make money (for some reason) at the box office. The film is silly, tacky, tired and should only be rented if the shelves in the video store are otherwise empty... Grady Harp, November 06

familiar story (cf Down and Out in Beverly Hills), some shouting and falling over, masturbation jokes you know the drill. Tiresome after a while, but the wife sorta liked it after a hard day with the kids....

.

Owen Wilson you were good in Behind Enemy Lines, so less of this boring shaggy guy thing would be nice....

Buy You Me & Dupree Now

What can you say about a movie like "You, Me, And Dupree?" Your first response might be, "Man, haven't I seen this movie before?" That's how familiar this buddy comedy will seem, it covers no new territory. It's not a terrible film and it has some enjoyable elements, it just lacks a creativity and spontaneity that might have branded it as compelling entertainment. As is, it's a slight and reasonably pleasant way to waste a couple of hours. You might not remember anything about it in a week, but you might get limited enjoyment in the now.

The story revolves around two college buddies. Matt Dillon, the responsible friend, has recently married Kate Hudson, gone to work for her dad (Michael Douglas), and is trying to make a place in the "grown-up" world. Owen Wilson plays the resident "Man-child," a buffoon who shirks responsibility and lives in a carefree (and hopeless) state. Conveniently, Wilson loses his place to live and so must move in with the newlyweds. Juxtaposing Wilson's antics with Hudson's stability is the comedic center of the film, and the two battle for the attentions of Dillon. Nothing new, huh? Wilson is an engaging performer, and talented, but we have seen him (and dozens of others) play this exact character time and time again. When did it become OK to continually represent 30-somethings as drifting losers? (I don't know anyone like this. Right out of college, sure--but 15 years later, not so much). But he is likable, and Hudson and Dillon are likable too. It's all so likable, if not riotously funny.

I actually found most of "Dupree" to be a pleasant, if extremely familiar, diversion. Having no ambitions whatsoever, the picture plays out as a genial poke at friendship and responsibility. The performers carry the mundane story, and it unfolds as a comfortable and watchable TV sitcom plot might. However, inexplicably, this mildly amusing endeavor goes way, way over-the top for its finale. Shifting in tone, and for reasons unnecessary to delineate, the last act of "Dupree" involves Douglas as a corporate villain (a lightweight Gordon Gecko, if you will) and our pair of heroes breaking into his offices. Turning things into an action comedy seems at odds with the rest of the picture, and the shift in tone does not serve the film well. Nothing about this conclusion is necessary or amusing.

Ultimately, "Dupree" is what "Dupree" is--a paint by numbers comedy. Instantly recognizable, there are aspects of so many other films working here--and instantly forgettable. I don't regret watching "Dupree" and I don't hate it. It's just so unassuming, it hard to generate much passion either way. KGHarris, 01/07.

Read Best Reviews of You Me & Dupree Here

It seems like this film is too much like other "over the top" comedies trying to hard to make you laugh. To make matters worse, all of the best scenes in this movie are seen in the previews/trailers, which annoyed me! Previews/trailers are meant to give you a quick taste of the movie & create desire for you to see the movie, NOT show all the best scenes in the movie!!

Owen Wilson is the best part of this movie! He is a very witty actor and does a great job in this role. Unfortunately, Owen Wilson is getting too type cast/stereotyped by playing the same type of goofy, comedic characters he always does. I wish he'd branch out and try some new roles! His role in this film is the same type of character seen in "Zoolander", "Meet the Parents", "Wedding Crashers", "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights", all of which were better films in my opinion!!

Alrighty then.... Matt Dillon plays a man with no backbone, who ends up marrying the daughter of a wealthy land developer, who just happens to be his boss! His new father-in-law, played by Michael Douglas, can't stand his new son-in-law and does everything he can to emasculate his new son-in-law and destroy the their new marriage.

Too top things off, Owen Wilson plays Matt Dillon's best friend in the movie. Wilson's character is a single, unemployed, well-meaning loser who ends up moving in with the newlyweds and completely disrupting their home and lifestyle.

Kate Hudson, plays Matt Dillon's wife in the movie who has a love/hate relationship with Wilson's character. She hates him in the beginning and loves him in the end, which seems so unbelievable!

The storyline is lacking anything resembling real life! All of the characters (with the exception of Owen Wilson's character) are so one dimensional it is pathetic!

Want You Me & Dupree Discount?

With such a talented and likeable cast, I was hoping for more from this movie. Aside from the 3 stars, you also have Michael Douglas making a signifigant contribution to the film. He plays Hudson's father well, but the part is not written well. Hudson and Dillon mostly play things straight, which would be great if Wilson was being completely zainy. But Wilson is not really over the top as a boy trapped in a man's body, so the film sort of sputters along without any really big laughs. It tries to be sweet and amusing, but it fails more times than not. I would rent this one before considering a buy.

Save 60% Off

Read More >>

High School (2010)

I sat down to watch "High School" with no preconceived notions about the movie. All I knew was that Michael Chiklis was in it and that was good enough for me. I can't say Chiklis stole the show here, but he played a part so different than what he's played recently in Vegas and The Shield that my wife didn't even recognize him. Chiklis plays a high school principal hell bent on getting drugs out of his school but of course that becomes impossible to do when honors student and soon to be class valedictorian Henry, played by Matt Bush, decided to toke up for the first time the day before a school-wide drug testing program is implemented.

Henry and his stoner friend Travis, played by Sean Marquette, decide that if EVERYONE fails the drug test then nobody can really be held accountable. Sound thinking, right? Well, in order to get enough drugs to dose the whole student body they have to rip off the local drug dealer "Psycho Ed," played with gusto by Adrien Brody who absolutely steals the show here. "Psycho Ed" is one part Snoop Dogg and one part white suburban lawyer who had a nervous break down. He somehow comes off as hilarious and terrifying at the same time!

There's no doubt that the premise here is over the top, the characters are over the top and the delivery here is over the top. All of that doesn't take away from the fun of the ride. There are a ton of "stoner comedies" out there but this one really does stand on its own as a movie with a little more substance to it. Well worth the rental for Brody's performance alone!

Hank (Matt Bush) is a high school student who is MIT bound. He has become reacquainted with his junior high friend Breaux (Sean Marquette) who is not MIT bound, and might be classified as a "Stoner." Breaux convinces Hank to share a bone with him. To their surprise the principal (Michael Chiklis with a bad wig) announces a drug test for the entire student body with everyone who fails being expelled.

Hank envisioning his life going down the drain, because what college would ever take a high school kid who got high once in his life, our duo gets an ideal that if everyone was stoned and failed the test, they would throw it out. The brownie bake sale being held the same day as the drug test provides them the delivery method and the film director says, "Okay cast, everyone act stoned."

Sure it was nice to see Lisa Simpson and Booger as instructors and Adrian Brodie as a mentally unstable drug dealer. But as a stoner film goes, this one doesn't measure up. Consider the first joke, that of an oriental girl named "P-h-u-c." This type of humor was done in an Austin Powers film, or for you older stoners, "Groove Tube" had it in a fake Vietnam newscast or was that "Kentucky Fried Movie?" While a younger generation might laugh at this humor, us older guys have been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and are now using it for the cat's bed.

Some of the humor rolls quickly, such as when the principle claims that the downfall of America is "drugs, fornication and a grown man singing about his feelings." Nice words from "The Thing." The film needed more of this type of humor.

The movie also includes a man with "the munchies" and people feeling paranoid. The cliche cup over flowed. No rush to buy this one.

Parental Guide: F-bombs, no sex, minor shower nudity. I thought "Budz House" was superior for a modern stoner film.

Buy High School (2010) Now

"Drugs, fornicating, a grown man singing about his feelings, it's time we win this war, expunge this school of all dope fiends." Henry Burke (Bush) has everything going for him. He has a scholarship to MIT and is in line to be his classes valedictorian. After an accident leads to detention he is brought back together with his old friend Travis (Marquette). They decide to take a break that night and unwind with a joint. After the school's representative in the national spelling bee loses it on TV the principal (Chiklis) institutes a mandatory drug test for everyone in the school. Fearing he will lose everything Henry and Travis come up with a plan. I am not really a fan of "stoner' comedy (I did like the Harold & Kumar movies) but the plot to this and the cast made it seem interesting to me. I was not disappointed. Adrien Brody is very funny as the man they steal from and Colin Hanks is good as a clueless asst. principle but Michael Chiklis steals the movie. Playing a clueless borderline pervert in charge of the school he is perhaps the funniest clueless principal since Ed Rooney. This is a very different style of stoner comedy and it is more like "Girl Next Door" then "Pineapple Express". This is nothing amazing but I enjoyed it and laughed quite a bit. Overall, a funny movie you can just put in and not think about, those are fun sometimes. I give it a B.

Read Best Reviews of High School (2010) Here

Sadly, "High School" was only released in a handful of theatres this summer...If it didn't make it to your town, you need to buy a copy! It is the funniest movie I have ever watched. I saw it at Sundance a few years ago and have been eagerly wating for it to hit the theatres so all of my friends could see the movie I have been blathering about for two years. I am really disapointed that it didn't reach a larger audience, I was certain that it would be the next Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Hopefully it can have a great DVD life! Show your support for independent film makers who have the stones to make a comedy that isn't a stupid rom-com starring Ashton Kutcher...that said, if you are a fan of Ashton Kutcher rom-coms...this movie probably isn't for you.

Want High School (2010) Discount?

good movie funny parts. would not recommend for younger kids as there is extensive drug scenes

interesting story line. y

Save 38% Off

Read More >>

Project X (1987)

One day my mother came home with a film she showed her kids in school that day. I was either 4 or 5 years old. The film was "Project X", a heart warming, no so far fetched idea, melodrama starring Matthew Broderick and Helen Hunt not to mention the extremely cute and hairy chimps.

The film is about an air force pilot who is transfred to an "Experimental Pilot Preformance Project" conducted by a strict doctor. From there he meets Virgil, an extremely smart and loving chimp who ended up there by mistake. He falls for the chimp like anyone else would and tries to save him with the help of the researcher who taught and cared for Virgil in the begining.

I found this film by mistake and quickly bought it. It's only special feature is the theatrical trailer and TV Spots but the film itself is well worth the ten bucks. The film has some very emotional scenes and some harrowing. Some of the scenes were honestly hard to watch. Being an animal lover one can only imagine how bad these kinds of experiments got. However, like all family films, this one has a great and happy ending.

This is simply a great movie that kids will love as well as adults. I'm 21 and I just love it!

I saw this movie when it first came out and have always wanted it. I could not believe I found it here at Amazon at such a great low price. This movie is so funny and yet so sad. It is the best movie I have ever seen. You have to see it. It is so sad to know that this kind of testing was actually performed on chimps by the US Airforce. This movie really makes you think. It gives you a sense of respect and love for these animals. (I was rooting for the chimps all the way.)

Buy Project X (1987) Now

PROJECT X is really a movie fairy tale for adults. It is billed as a comedy, and there are truly some humorous moments, but the basic thrust of the film is to transport the audience to a world of a deep and dark forest populated and run by evil witches and warlocks. The dark forest is a United States Air Force research test center and the resident warlock is a heartless and slimy researcher whose only stated purpose is to expose chimpanzees to lethal doses of radiation. Enter Matthew Broderick as a young and innocent air force recruit whose job is to bond with these chimps and basically and unwittingly get them ready for their lethal exposures. Broderick is young and boyishly goodlooking, but he is not the star. The one who steals more than a few scenes is Virgil the chimp. Virgil learns to trust Broderick, who in turn learns that the horrors of the dark forest are masked by the antiseptic environment that kills chimps in the name of science.

Director Jonathan Kaplan clearly tries hard to infuse PROJECT X with more than just the comic interaction between a chimp that is as at least as bright as his handler. Kaplan sets up the relation between Broderick and Virgil as a dramatic focus that zeros in on the rationale that the air force doctor slimily insists is the case: namely that if and when American pilots are exposed to killing radiation during a bombing run--perhaps to Russia--then how well will they be able to continue their mission? To Kaplan's credit, he has Broderick point out that unlike their simian counterparts in a flight simulator, a human pilot will certainly know if he has been exposed, and it is this knowledge that renders the entire PROJECT X experiment rationale as unneeded at best and evil at worst. Broderick is forced to juggle duty versus conscience, never an easy task at any time. By the film's midpoint Helen Hunt enters as a simian sign language teacher who, years earlier, had taught Virgil to communicate in contextually meaningful ways, thus intensifying Broderick's dilemma about the potential destruction of a sentient being that is not only cute but smart. It is this smartness that director Kaplan uses to ease the film into the slapstick world of farce. Not only is Virgil bright enough to help Broderick defuse a melt down in a lab experiment gone haywire, but he is also savvy enough to take an airplane up and pilot it in an escape.

PROJECT X is that odd but pleasant comedy/fantasy that brings the audience into the dark world of science to force the hero and the audience to wonder where duty ends and conscience begins. PROJECT X implies that a useful starting point is to define just what it means to be human--or in Virgil's case--near human.

Read Best Reviews of Project X (1987) Here

I am giving the movie 4 stars because It is one of the movies I remember from my childhood that really left an impact on my views about animals and humanity. As a child, soaking in every little bit of this movie really made me feel a lot more attached to animals and more intuitive to the fact that every creature on this earth has feelings and emotions, regardless of if they can't express them like humans do.

Project X is one of the few movies that I also can't get myself to watch again to this day. It always makes me cry. I just get so overwhelmed with emotions over the chimps and the testing. It's all so sad.

James Horner is my musical epitome of a soundtrack God! I will admit though that you can identify his scores immediately because they are all very similar, but they ALWAYS evoke such strong, powerfully moving feelings during the films and it really works here with Project X.

This is a movie that has a nice, happy ending..but there is sadness to get to it, and it makes me all mushy and emotional just thinking of it!

Just had to put some thoughts about this movie up out of boredom!

Great childhood memories film. Reminds me of being a kid in the 80's.

Want Project X (1987) Discount?

This movie is a poignant reminder to me of how cruel and how kind the human race can be to other animals. I know it is mostly a fictional story, but I still root for the escape of the chimps, even for grumpy Goliath. Jimmy was being manipulated, same as the subjects of the "experiment" and he comes to realize he has to stand up for himself. He won't just be the wise-cracking card player anymore.

Save 40% Off

Read More >>

Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990)

Frankenhooker, it just sounds like a good time, doesn't it? I've been waiting for this dvd for a long time now. I saw this film way back when it first came out. Most folks who also saw it back then might remember the cool vhs box that said, "Wanna Date?" when you pressed it. That was a great little gimmick, wasn't it? That kind of thing was never done much, but I do remember the box for the movie The Dead Pit(which sucked by the way, or at least it couldn't live up to it's cool cover) which had the puffed out 3-D zombie on the cover who's eyes would flash green when you squeezed the box. If anyone can remember any more of those cool vhs boxes, let me know. Anyway, I was confident that Frankenhooker would hold up after all these years and it still does. Frankenhooker is the kind of film that Drive-in theaters were made for. As the title suggests, this isn't a movie taking itself seriously. It was directed by Frank Henenlotter, the B movie crusader who brought us Basket case and Brain Damage. If you've seen either of those films and thought they were dumb, you might as well stay away from Frankenhooker coz it's in the same vein. Frankenhooker herself doesn't show up til about an hour into the film, but that's all fine and dandy coz there's enough bare breasts, exploding hookers(and guinea pigs), musclebound pimps, huge crack rocks and head drilling to keep you entertained. Plus the zany, mumbling performance by James Lorinz as the mad doctor really carries the movie along. He's got some pretty damn funny lines, especially in the scene where he's inspecting the hookers. Frankenhooker herself is an amusing parody of Elsa Lanchester's Bride Of Frankenstein performance. For the mostpart her dialogue consists only of lines used by the hookers who's body parts have all gone into constructing her. It doesn't really make sense that she would do this(or that men would explode when touching her), but who the hell is watching this for scientific accuracy? Definitely worth viewing again if you haven't seen it in a while. Also definitely worth viewing if you want a good time. Hell, my wife even liked this movie! Though I must say the price tag on this one's a bit high considering what's on the disc and all(a couple of interviews and a commentary. Nothing THAT special), but I guess it all boils down to how much you want it. It might be worth it if they'd have made the dvd case talk.

A Minor Classic for Cult fans.

Synopsis: After the tragic death of fiancée Elizabeth who died due to a freak lawnmower accident her fiancée Jeffery Franken dreams up a too bring her back to life. He decides to give her new body by taking the best body parts from various prostitutes. After he reassembles Elizabeth he gets more then he bargained for when she takes on the persona of the prostitutes who body parts now make up her body and she goes on a rampage through the streets of New York looking for John's who are looking for a date.

Frankenhooker is like a cross between Mary Shelly's Frankenstein and the film Weird Science. Who hasn't dreamed of or wouldn't want to put together a perfect woman. Unlike these other films that explore a similar idea the plot for Frankenhooker sees Jeffrey Franken who wants to bring his dead girlfriend because he misses her and not to advance science. It is also amusing how he wants to give her the perfect body when while she was alive she battled a weight problem.

One of the films strongest assets is its special effects which while at times not perfect they still get the job done. The most memorable scene is when a group of prostitutes start smoking the super crack Jeffery Franken made and then they all start to explode. The most colorful and charismatic character in the film is a pimp named Zorro who brands his ladies with a Z that he burns into their arms. Patty Mullen (Doom Asylum) is also really good especially once she takes on the persona of Frankenhooker. She also gets some of the more memorable lines in the film. James Lorinz (The Sweet Life) is wonderful as the prototype mad scientist Jeffrey Franken and his enthusiasm for his work is infectious.

Part of Frankenhooker's charm is that the film never takes itself seriously. Fans of director Frank Henenlotter who go into the film expecting the gore and violence to be on the same level as his previous films Basket Case and Brain Damage might feel under whelmed since this film relies more on comedy on less on these two things. Overall Frankenhooker is a biting satire that cleverly pays homage to the Frankenstein legacy.

The BluRay:

Frankenhooker comes on a 50 GB dual layer BluRay. The film is presented in a 1080 progressive anamorphic widescreen. For this release Synapse Films have created a brand new 2K high definition transfer from original vault elements. Colors and flesh tones look accurate, black and contrast levels look consistently good and details look sharp throughout. There are no problems with compression and DNR is never an issue.

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround mix in English and a DTS-HD MA Stereo mix in English. Both audio mixes sound great, with the differences between the two being minimal. Dialog always comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced and the more ambient aspects of the soundtrack are well represented.

When compared to the Unearthed Films DVD release, the audio / video presentation for this new release from Synapse Films is a substantial upgrade.

Frankenhooker was originally released on DVD in 2006 by Unearthed Films and all of the extras pertaining to the film have been carried over for this release. Extras include a theatrical trailer for the film (1 minute 33 seconds anamorphic widescreen), three interviews, the first interview with actress Patty Mullen (8 minutes 53 seconds 4:3 full frame), the second interview with actress Jennifer Delora (19 minutes 32 seconds anamorphic widescreen) and the third interview with special effects advisor Gabe Bartalos (21 minutes 4:3 full frame) and a image gallery titled `Jennifer Delora's Frankenhooker photo scrapbook' and a audio commentary with director Frank Henenlotter and Gabe Bartalos. The interviews with Patty Mullen and Jennifer Delora, both ladies are candid as they recall in great detail working with director Frank Henenlotter and their experiences making Frankenhooker, while the interview with Gabe Bartalos covers the make-up effects and this segment is filled with a lot of cool behind the scenes footage. Topics covered in the audio commentary track with Frank Henenlotter and Gabe Bartalos include technical aspect of making the film like the special effects, casting and other behind the scenes stories. Also included with this release is reversible cover art. Overall Synapse Films gives Frankenhooker its best audio / video presentation to date.

Written by: Michael Den Boer with Thanks to Michael.

Buy Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990) Now

I experienced the joy of getting this HD release a bit early. Don May and Synapse Films have delivered the goods yet again.

The picture quality is of the highest class with a very filmic look. It's Blu-rays like this that make me wish I had the space (and the money) for a proper home theater room with projector. There's a very fine layer of grain present that looks natural but unobtrusive, the remainder of the image very detailed and representative of its film roots. There are some emulsion scratches here and there, but nothing that will take away one's enjoyment. A little more scratch cleanup would have been appreciated in this case, but it's not a problem.

Most of the extras from the Unearthed Films DVD have been carried over, save for a short five-minute photo gallery and some trailers for other films. The exciting trailer for "Frankenhooker" is thankfully in HD; I wish more companies would follow Synapse's example and offer HD trailers of the films, particularly when it comes to these cult classics.

The film itself, if you haven't seen it, is a riot--very quirky humor with a bit of a twisted side. I can't imagine anybody not laughing at the exploding hookers scene, or the female body part monsters toward the end (including what special effects artist Gabe Bartalos named "the Titty Twister"--you'd have to see it to get it). The special effects in these scenes are well-made and with high comical effect. No gore here, just hokey fun. It's difficult to really call this a horror film; whereas Henenlotter's other films--the "Basket Case" series, "Brain Damage", and "Bad Biology"--all exhibit rather horrific subject matter and scenes fused with the humor, "Frankenhooker" is straight-up comedy.

The performances all around are entertaining with James Lorinz (a.k.a. "the Doorman from 'Street Trash' ") and Patty Mullen (vivacious Penthouse Pet) leading the show exceptionally well. You'll adore Lorinz' mad scientist depravity, drilling holes into his head to help him think, and Mullen's jittery head movements, face spasms, and snippy dialog.

I suck at writing film reviews, but there it is! Thought I'd talk about the film in addition to the video quality for once.

This is a highly recommended Blu-ray Disc. If you're a fan of the film, ditch the DVD and pick this up; and if you've never seen it before and can laugh at the stranger things in life, buy it and show it to all your friends. Then congratulate Don May for a job well done and pick up every one of Synapse's other Blu-ray Discs (and spam him--lovingly, of course--with requests for "Street Trash" and the remainder of the Coffin Joe trilogy to come out soon on the format).

Read Best Reviews of Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990) Here

What a classic piece of cheese. The premise is that a guy invents a robotic lawnmower that runs amok and cuisenarts his virgin girl friend. He decides to rebuild her, but driven by lust, he realizes like the Million Dollar Man he can build her better. He invents a powder that causes the user to explode so he can easily harvest the body parts (since he isn't a surgeon or anything) and what better source of hotter body parts than the local street corner, hence the roomful of naked exploding hookers! Once rebuilt, all of the cellular memories of the hookers bits and pieces take over the virginal girlfriends head and she sets out to look for "A Date!"

So cheesy. So twisted! So very off the wall and unique. I have never watched this movie in daylight. It comes out when my friends are over and the beer and pizza needs a cheese chaser.

Want Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990) Discount?

In 1982 Frank Henelotter brought you "Basket Case", then in 1988 he gave you "Brain Damage" now in the good start of the 1990's he gives you the craziest movie of all time.....Frankenhooker!!!

You want to know something reall strange....after watching this movie three times in a row I figured why Henelotter got no true mainstream credit for this movie. Think to yourself for a second and look at the main character Jeffrey Franken....who does he remind you of? Think hard for a second..........that's right good old Jeffrey Dahmer but with out the cannablism.

This movie came out one year before Dahmer got caught and arrested. He does everthing that Dahmer did (Except for eating people) He takes drills and drills head but his own instead of others. He had dressed similiar to Dahmer and drove a similiar car. Killed people and played around with there body parts. And not to forget he puts the human remains in his cooler/refrigerator. Man that was kind of creepy seeing a big similiarity to Jeffrey Franken and Jeffrey Dahmer. Maybe Frank Henelotter secretly knew Dahmer and just made a movie that was based off what Dahmer was doing. No I'm joking.

This movie has everything plus alittle bit more. Super Crack, exploding people, drugs, sex bad launguage, hookers, and a frankenhooker, Beverly Bonner, a cold lawnmower and even a cool camera angle of a dismembered leg flying across the room and hitting the dresser.

BUY THIS MOVIE. Frank Henelotter needs to make more movies but hasn't since 1992. Make more, Henelotter forever!!!

Save 20% Off

Read More >>

A Fork in the Road (2009)

What I'm rating here is the lead in to the movie because the producers do not allow me to skip over the filthy, subjective comments in this gross attempt at advertising. I purchased the movie because I wanted the movie. Since I paid for the DVD I should be allowed to go directly to the movie without watching any advertising. The first coming attractions were of SPRING 1941 and includes a man and a woman in the middle of hot, steamy sex. The next coming attraction is of STUNTMEN and what is pictured is a dirty old man being asked why he got into stuntwork and his answer is "Pussy". A little later a woman holding an nterview offers her opinion of real supreme as having a "Rhinoceros cock." I was throughly discusted not only with these previews but the fact that I was not allowed to avoid them and go directly to the movie. I do not feel the producer of this DVD has any right to force customers to watch these coming attractions prior to watching what was ordered. .

Found this movie on Netflix and loved it so much I had to buy it. Have lent it to friends and they bought it. It's definitely my kind of movie. If you live by Murphy's Law (What ever can go wrong, will go wrong) you'll appreciate it.

Buy A Fork in the Road (2009) Now

I wrote this film with Jim Kouf, who also directed it. Jim has written some very big features and I mostly write for Network TV. A couple of years ago, Jim got wind of some guys who wanted to put a few dollars into an independent film. So Jim and I sat down and decided to write a "studio" type film that we could do on a low-budget. We wanted to make a little black comedy, with the emphasis on comedy and also something that almost the whole family could see. We had a blast writing it and it was the first time in both of our careers that we wrote exactly what we wanted without a studio or a network looking over our shoulders and telling us what we could or couldn't do. We decided to shoot it in Montana because it's pretty easy to crew-up there with excellent people. Not only that but every time you turn the camera around, you've got a shot that makes your movie look like it cost a lot more than it did. We tested the movie in both L.A. and in Montana and our test audiences all laughed in the places we thought we're funny. Plus we got over eighty percent "recommends", which usually denotes a hit. However, for some reason we never did get a theatrical release. But, as you can see, it's now on DVD. It's got a terrific cast, a mixture of seasoned comic vets and some very funny new faces. We made this film so people could kick back and have a few laughs and forget about their day. We hope that's you.

Read Best Reviews of A Fork in the Road (2009) Here

Starts out sort of hokey but just keeps getting better & funnier as it goes along. Very entertaining & worthwhile.

Want A Fork in the Road (2009) Discount?

We loved it. We referred it to others. Watched it 3 x & others will probably. Great acting & plot

Save 36% Off

Read More >>