Charley And The Angel

Nice period film set in the depression
STORY: During the Great Depression, Charley Appleby is a hard working small-town businessman. Since he started out so poor, he is relentless in his discipline to work hard and keep his business afloat. Even though he loves his family, he has neglected to spend enough quality time with them. His sons are especially hurt with him, and spend more time with other kids dads. One day his guardian angel shows up and lets him know his time is up, and Charley realizes he is leaving without making things right at home. But is his family too distant for him to do this? In the meantime he keeps trying to survive accidents intended to send him off. Will he mend things before he leaves? A series of mad-cap events involving his sons unknowingly transporting bootleg liquor, a prohibition era road house of ill repute, gangsters, police chases, a kidnapping, and more give him the chance to be a hero to his family.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Released theatrically in 1973, this was the last acting...

Would Disney PLEASE Re-Release This Classic On DVD!!!!
look. it's been too long. this film is obviously being neglected by Disney for some absurd reason. if the current Disney company wants anyone to believe they understand their origins and the original Burbank studio films they will not continue to neglect and ignore this film.
i mean this was Fred MacMurray's last film for Disney and that without a doubt means something in Disney history. or has the company forgotten what an asset MacMurray was in the fledgling days of the Disney live-action films?
some Disney films may seem obscure to those today, but to those of us that were there while Walt was still alive, and who never missed a single studio release, these films made a strong impression.
i think Disney needs to hire a true Disney fan on their staff who grew up watching these wonderful little films like a lot of us did. maybe then would the older live-action films get better treatment.
james johnston (the Alice fan)

Charley And The Angel Is Great
Struggling through the Depression years of the 1930s, Charley Appleby (Fred MacMurray) is a mserly storekeeperwhose idea of music is the sound of his cash register's bell. Then, abruptly, a series of near-fatal accidents, visitations from a novice angel (Harry Morgan of TV's M*A*S*H), and a run-in with bootlegging gansters help Charley gain a heartwarming - and hilarious - new outlook on life! Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman and Kurt Russell add to the fun in this whimsical Disney romp.

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Mad Monster Party Combo Pack BD + DVD [Blu-ray]

At Last! The Best of the Rankin/Bass "Animagics"
Aesthetically, the best Rankin/Bass "Animagic" flick of them all. Well worth watching, if for no other reason, just too see the fantastic in-the-round MAD MAGAZINE-like caricatures of the entire array of classic monsters. Those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s fondly remember seeing this classic on TV a few times around Halloween. And now, thanks to the cool folks at Anchor Bay, we can nostalgically relive that childhood experience over and over again--in more vivid color and with crisper images than ever before, as the DVD was digitally remastered (for the first time ever for home video) from a rare original 35mm print!

Unlike their other Christmas and Easter productions, this one-and-only Halloween flick from the Rankin/Bass team is not overly saccharin or maudlin. Not only did MAD MAGAZINE's Harvey Kurtzman and Jack Davis have their hands in the writing and the visual artistry, but the master of macabre himself, Boris Karloff, voiced the animated puppet version of...

A Halloween Blast from the Past
I was thrilled to come across this newly repackaged DVD version of "Mad Monster Party" - thank you, Anchor Bay!

Like other reviewers, MMP was a staple of my early TV viewing years. KTTV in Los Angeles used to show this program every year, around Columbus Day (I think), and it quickly became a holiday tradition. Then, and now, I don't think MMP ever got the respect it richly deserved. It dropped from the airwaves sometime in the late 60's.

This newly re-mastered DVD has captured the film in all it's colorful richness. The sound is what you'd expect, (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), but on my home theater it still looked and sounded great. And there were a few more surprises.

For example, I was surprised to find that the film is 95 minutes long - I guess it's a product of looking back through 30+ years, but I hadn't realized that this was intended to be a full featured theatrical release, competing with Disney's total dominance of the youth and family film...

Groovy retro puppet monster classic is better than ever!
Not too long ago, this lost Rankin/Bass puppet-animated feature film was virtually forgotten about under the pile of other holiday classics - including "RUDOLPH", "FROSTY" and "SANTA CLAUS" - from the same creators. Now, thanks to verification from Rick Goldschmidt (and his wonderful books about R/B) that this film really did exist and wasn't just a childhood dream, "MAD MONSTER PARTY" has acheived cult status with its own website, a CD soundtrack, several airings during the past couple Halloween seasons and is finally released in this gorgeous collector's DVD.

When Dr. Baron Von Frankenstein decides to retire from his long career as the head of the "Worldwide Organization of Monsters", he invites all of his creations - Frankenstein, The Mummy, Count Dracula, The Invisible Man, The Werewolf and many others - for one final bash to announce that his successor will be his long-lost nephew, a nerdy boy named Felix Flankin. This does not sit well with the monsters, who each covet the...

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My Little Chickadee

Please Don't Listen To The Complainers...
I purchased this set last week without having read any reviews previously. I only knew that I was a fan of Mae West and that I wanted a nice collection of her films. However, before I even put in the first DVD I sporadically decided to read some of the reviews for this set on Amazon just for kicks. One reviewer here claims that the sound is horrible, that the picture is garbage, and that Warner Bros. is putting out "trash" sets. Well first of all, this is not a Warner Home Video release. This set is from Universal Studios despite the fact every film contained within originated from Paramount Studios... I digress. Expecting the worst, I popped in the first disc. The movie begins. The sound is clear. The picture is clear. It doesn't shake and there seems to be very little grain on the image aside from the usual specs that grace older films. Personally, I find a bit of grain/debris to be somewhat charming and enjoy products looking "of their time" so to speak. Why, even mono sound is...

Sooooo Close!
I have been waiting years for "It's a Gift" to make it onto DVD, and it would appear that my wish will finally come true with the release of this set. I will undoubtedly buy the collection, but I already have the Criterion version of "The Bank Dick" (and also their great release of the collection of 6 short films), and "Chickadee" and "Honest Man", while crowd-pleasers, never made it onto my list of must-see Fields films. I, like many others, am baffled by the choice of "International House" for inclusion, as Fields probably only spends about 1/30th of the time on screen, but if owning it is the price I must pay to see a great copy of "It's a Gift", then so be it!

I also hope that enough people buy this to prompt additional releases of some of the other pure Fields vehicles like "Man on the Flying Trapeze", "The Old Fashioned Way", "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break", and "Poppy". (Now that would make for a nice boxed-set!)

For me, Fields's comedy is still...

YES, YES, YES!! About time!
Well THANK YOU UNIVERSAL!!! It's about time!!! W.C. Fields is one of THE greatest comedians EVER, yet his catalog has been grossly overlooked. I can be certain with Universal issuing these the quality will be top notch. Criterion had already issued The Bank Dick, so I'm not sure why it's on here too, but I won't complain as the other 4 are certainly worth the price of admission!

Now, PLEASE continue to release the many other Fields movies that are out there. I'm really hoping this is only 1 of several volumes that will be issued.

Any and all Fields fans should buy this, buy another 1 or 2 for gifts to family and friends, the better this release does the better chances of more to follow!

And if you haven't seen Fields ever??? You have to buy this, this man is one of THE building blocks of all modern comedy!

MUST SEE CLASSIC CINEMA! Fields slow burn style of comedy is a drastic opposite to today's modern, cheap, "fast food" style of comedy...

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The Best of Walt Disney's True Life Adventures

True-Life Adventures
The day I visited this page, the video had been suspended over licensing rights issues. Hopefully it will be back soon. In the meantime, if you are still looking for Walt Disney True-Life Adventures, the entire collection is available on DVD in the 2006 release "Walt Disney Legacy Collection - True Life Adventures". There are 4 volumes, and the video has been remastered on all of them. They are sold here at Amazon, I bought all 4. They include extras and behind the scenes info as well.

disney true life adventures
Disney did amazing series of wildlife, and added perfect music for some of the scenes, and many funny scenes are included.. I remember seeing these as a kid, that they were great. They are even better than I remembered.

Classic Disney real-life doc
A nice amalgamation of several old-school 1950s/1960s era nature documentaries. Holds up remarkably well. The photography is still world-class 50-plus years after the fact.

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Son Of Flubber

Very Disapointing DVD Release
If you loved Disney's "The Absent Minded Professor," than you will love "Son Of Flubber." While this sequel isn't better than the first, it is a good companion to it. I have found the kids under age 9 get bored with this movie, probably because it is in black and white. This film follows the same safe formula used in the first film, but there is something fresh and new about it that sets it apart from it's predecessor. The storyline is that Professor Branard's invention of Flubber has been confiscated by the government, leaving him and his wife pennyless. By using Flubber gas, he is able to make a gun that can control the weather, however it dosen't work according to plan. After a fight, his wife leaves him. Without funding, Medfield College will have to shut down. So when his invention gets him into trounle with the law, he tries to save the college and his marriage by helping the football team win their last game.

This DVD release is very disapointing. Disney...

More Fun from Disney
While Son of Flubber hasn't achieved the same status as a classic that it's predecessor has, it's got the same charm and lighthearted fun.
Fred MacMurray and the rest of the cast return and deliver. The characters have continued to grow, and the actors are very comfortable and convincing in them.
Professor Ned Brainard captures your sympathies even as you laugh your way through his struggles.
The script for this movie lives up to the original, and doesn't fail to entertain.

"Ya might call it Dry Rain."
Quick, what is the only Disney movie in which you will hear the phrase "bolluxed up?" haw haw Never saw that one coming.

Flubber becomes a victim of "national security" and our hero Ned Brainerd (MacMurray) returns home empty handed from our nation's capital to find creditors threatening to cancel his newspaper subscription, predators threatening to bulldoze Medfield College, the IRS threatening to ruin his life, and his wife (Nancy Olsen) looking like a million bucks in her new mink coat while holding a check for same for something poor Ned doesnt own anymore and cant sell so that we can all enjoy the wonders of Flubberoleum and can safely drop our children on the floor without the fear of being locked up by Social Services. A very frustrating start to the terrific sequel to Absent Minded Professor, all adding to the frenection of MacMurray, who must now invent something entirely new so that he can save Medfield, his home, and his marriage from the slimey advances of Prof...

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200 Motels

An unforgettable viewing experience...
First of all, the one thing that a lot of people miss about Zappa was that he was a master "resource" utilizer. - - He knew what he wanted his projects to look and sound like, and was great enough of an artist/producer to find/discipline people capable of delivering his vision - - So the big question : Despite his notorious reputation for his mixture of music and oddball stage antics, given a REAL big budget to make a real big motion picture, could he pull something off ? - - The answer... UNBELIEVABLY FRIGGIN' YES ! ! ! - - The film captures the MOTHERS in their prime circa the antics of FLO & EDDIE... the bizarre stage routines of his group are MELTED together by a great theme... that TOURING can make you crazy... though surreal, beyond the paranoia and psychadelic wierdness, the backstage politics of a band touring on the road, the stresses between the leader and bandmembers... and yes, the neverending quest for the ultimate BJ come through in the form of a BRILLIANT opera,...

touring can make you crazy [apparently]
Frank Zappa himself does not say/sing a word in 200 Motels, though he is often seen on screen. The starring roles are taken by Flo & Eddie, Jimmy Carl Black, Ringo Starr, Miss Lucy & Miss Pamela, & more Mothers & their friends. If you expecting a straightforward plot or a 'proper' film this isn't it, but if you want pioneering experimentalism, many subplots, a lot of bizarre humour & music, this is the place. Set in the typical American town of Centerville [despite being filmed mostly live to videotape in England], on a seemingly endless tour, the title referring to approximately how many places the real life Mothers of Invention had stayed over the previous 6 years, complete w/ "vile foamy liquids" & groupies galore [listen to the Fillmore East lp of the same year as this film as that is about 1/2 of the lyrical content]. Reality & fiction merge, cameras are openly visible, breaking all the rules of Hollywood which we don't really need anyway...

Cult Classic that preaches to the choir
If you know nothing about this movie, there are a few facts you should be aware of before watching that help mitigate the usual hatred this movie elicits:

1) It had a budget of $700,000. Of that, $400,000 went directly to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, so effectively this movie had a budget of $300,000.

2) It had a shooting schedule of five 8-hour days.

Given these two tourniquet-like limitations, it is amazing that Zappa got ANYTHING done, let alone this final product. A good companion piece to this film is "The True Story of 200 Motels" which documents these (and numerous other) obsticles Zappa encountered while making this beast. If Gail Zappa ever gets around to issuing a DVD of 200 Motels, hopefully she will be precient enough to include The Making OF as a bonus feature... but I digress.

Yes, this film is technically "bad," but it's so bad it's good, and it has much self-effacing humor within it about how bad it is. Admittedly,...

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Out of Africa [DVD + Digital Copy] (Universal's 100th Anniversary)

Africa DVD is Gorgeous
The transfer of OUT OF AFRICA is gorgeous on this newly released DVD. The African sun is bright and the detail is crisp -- very important since the scenery is practically a third character in this Oscar-winning "Best Picture" from 1985.

I really enjoyed "Song of Africa", the documentary created for this DVD release. Not mentioned in the DVD's technical specs, this documentary features several cut scenes not included in the film (except in a network television showing). Example: the subplot of the servant boy with the bad leg whom Karen Blixen heals. There are a few Redford-Streep scenes there, too, which ended up on the cutting room floor (a last dance among Karen Blixen's packed-up home; a made-up story on safari.)

Also, the documentary features incredibly funny and entertaining tales told by Meryl Streep. She is a great mimic -- listen to the sound effects that woman can make! At times hilarious and reflective, she shares stories about the...

Beyond this place there be dragons
"Out of Africa" stands out as one of the most spectacular movies ever made. At the 1985 Academy Awards this movie won seven Oscars including Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Picture. It deserved all seven!

It is filled with romance, scenery, real-life struggles and the inevitability of fate. It is a journey into Africa and into love. The escape is in the hand of fate. This movie presents Africa as a paradise. The natural environment is harsh, yet unspoiled in this movie.

This is based on the true story of Danish writer Isak Dinesen/Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) who left Denmark to marry German Klaus Maria Brandauer/Baron Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer) and start a dairy in Kenya.

Some women do enjoy the security of a man looking after them, however Karen is different. She seems to desire companionship and offers her fortune in exchange for marriage. Her husband changes his mind about the dairy and instead they use her money on a risky...

Takes My Breath Away....
This review refers to the Universal Widescreen "Collector's Edition" DVD of "Out Of Africa".....

"Out Of Africa" not only takes my breath away, but for 2 hours and 40 minutes I am transported to another time and place. A beautiful story in a wonderous setting will have you mesmerized as well. No matter how many times I view this film, I never tire of the gorgeous cinematography,the lulling music, the compelling story and of course the superb acting all brought together by the wonderful direction of Sydney Pollack.

Based on a true story, it depicts the life of Karen Blixen(who wrote under the name of Isak Dinesen) She marries a philandering Baron, and gains a title but discovers he has squandered her money on a coffee plantation in Kenya. Left to run it on her own, she befriends the local residents "The Kikuyu", offers them education and medical help, survives on her own strong willed nature and falls in love with the country, the people and...

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The Real Rocky

This Movie Has Energy
"The Real Rocky" is another stellar entry in ESPN's fine 30 x 30 documentary series. My favorite sports films of all time are the stunning, panoramic "Hoop Dreams" and the original "Rocky." Stallone, an under-appreciated talent, wrote the initial salvo over something like one long weekend, spurred on by having witnessed the Ali-Wepner bout live. All of this is legend now, of course, but seeing the transformations Chuck Wepner's cinematic life took are nearly as fascinating as watching "Rocky" and the final chapter, "Rocky Balboa," a gem, back to back. Do I buy the central thesis that Stallone had robbed Wepner of life rights? Not really. The similarities are there, but Wepner, although not in the class of Ken Norton, George Foreman, and Philadelphia's favorite son, Joltin' Joe Frazier, WAS a ranked fighter. Mr. Balboa was a nowhereville collector for a loan shark. This flicks simply moves, though. A tale of an Also-ran, it ranks up there with...

Great movie
I don't want to give any spoilers, as a lot of this movie was a big surprise to me. Just watch it.

For fans of Rocky, boxing, or Muhammad Ali (or even professional wrestling), this is a must-see.

But you don't have to be a boxing fan or a Rocky fan to enjoy this movie. This is a tale of human drama (and occasional comedy) that should appeal to anyone. Wepner is a likeable Everyman.

The movie had great pacing, there wasn't a boring moment.

Highly recommended.

A breath of fresh air
Fascinating video which shows exactly where the inspiration for the Rocky movies comes from and more than once Stallone admits this to be true. Watch a true story about a working stiff from New Jersey who takes on the world [ sometimes he wins/ sometimes he doesn't ] but he never loses his ability to be honest, especially about himself which is next to non-existent in this "I'm the Victim" world we live in today. You also get to see M. Ali as he really is: a self absorbed draft dodger who never knows when to shut up. Great story about a great guy.

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My Trip to Al-Qaeda

Compelling and Concise: Understanding The History, Culture, And Psychology That Led To 9/11
To be completely honest, I had very little interest in seeing another documentary film profiling Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, or even the events of 9/11. After ten years of watching every related news profile and non-narrative (and fictional) movie on these topics, I'm on complete information overload. What's left to say? I mention this in preface to my comments about Alex Gibney's "My Trip to Al-Qaeda" because the experience really took me by surprise. I found this film to be so smart, so insightful, so unusual, and absolutely riveting. I'm not prone to unnecessary hyperbole (like Best Movie Ever!), but I think this is nearly essential in understanding the history, culture and psychology that led to that fateful day. But it doesn't stop there, it offers further commentary about the aftermath of the event and critically examines actions in the war on terror that might have been a part of a master plan. And whether or not you take these conclusions as gospel, it certainly presents an...

Good documentary, but a bit of a stretch.
Overall, this is a decent documentary that sheds light on how Al Qaeda formulated. Like one other reviewer said, Lawrence Wright's monologues seem a bit forced an unnatural. The biggest criticism I have is that Wright more or less asserts that bin Laden turned on the United States because his pride was hurt when we turned down his offer to help with the invasion of Desert Storm. Maybe Wright didn't mean to state this as the only reason, but he focused on it like it was a main reason.

Superb Background
One of my students (I teach a violence and terrorism course at one of the CSU campuses) taped this from HBO for me. It is magnificent and this should receive an award. If you wonder why we have terrorism today, this tells a significant part of the story. Wright outlines how Egypt, our ally, a dictatorship, but our dictatorship, managed to turn Islamists into Jihadists. Thanks, President Carter. You managed to create Sunnis that are now willing to kill us and then in Iran, Shias willing to kill us. This should be mandatory viewing for everyone. I will buy it as soon as it is available. Very well done. TC

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Score [Blu-ray]

GOOD RATHER THAN GREAT BUT WELL WORTH WATCHING!!!
Aren't heist movies great? Warm and familiar like a comfy old armchair, they are one of the oldest and (if done well) most enjoyable film genres around. You can sit back at the movie theatre with your popcorn in one hand or at home in front of the TV with a beer, safe in the knowledge that some craggy, world weary old thief set on retirement will be persuaded to do one last job, with a rookie understudy whom he doesn't trust, on a job which you just know wont go as smoothly as planned.

The Score is no different in that respect in that it stars Robert De Niro as a craggy old world weary thief, persuaded to take on one last high risk job before retiring. Ed Norton plays the rookie understudy scamming his employers by posing as Brian, a man with a disability and learning difficulties. Of course Robert De Niro's character Nick, always works alone and doesn't trust anybody but he is persuaded by his camp bloated old fence, Max (Marlon Brando) to work with Jack (Ed Norton). You see Max...

What does `one last one' mean?
There's a fence, a weary veteran safecracker, and an eager outsider. There's a valuable whatsit in the Montreal Custom House that's guarded as if it were the crown jewels. It ain't quite that, but it is a many-centuries old scepter that's worth tens of millions of dollars. It's got `last big score' written all over it. The eager young one has an assistant janitor job at the Custom House and is in the perfect position to case the joint, get the schematics, cut the video feed, what have you.

Sound familiar? Save for a end game twist or two THE SCORE is pretty much the same heist movie you've seen time and again. It's a strong enough story that doesn't stray too far at all from the tried and true. What sets this movie apart is its cast. To say THE SCORE is actor rich is an understatement. Its three leads - Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and Ed Norton - have all been hailed the greatest actors of their generation. Brando plays the fence, De Niro the old pro who...

The Score Scored Nicely
Hollywood heavyweights Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando, and Edward Norton together with Angela Bassett deliver very nice performances in this beautifully shot, nicely edited, and well directed film.

The cinematography is beautiful and even without the cast, the visual elements alone -- the film noir lighting and atmosphere, the elegant and stylish set designs, the framing, and the editing -- make this a very enjoyable film.

Although some reviewers comment that DeNiro is on "autopilot" or that he and Norton "phone in their performance," this is not true at all. DeNiro delivers a very smooth and appropriately subtle character without going "over the top". Likewise, Norton also gives a very good performance.

Each character in each film should be viewed on its own merit. People who are disappointed because they don't see the "fireworks" of DeNiro in "The Deer Hunter" or Norton in "American History X", frankly, should go see...

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Hot for Teacher

Nice Buy!
A Very cool Buy if your interested in some "Hardcore" Hentai. It was kind of funny, though! Yumi is the V.P. and some other guy's secret sex slave and they have her doing some WILD things. A Good buy in my opinion, you won't be disappointed if your hunting for a good teacher gone "wild". Only a few things that could've been done better: Some of the Graphics are a little off ,some characters look like they've been drawn by a child, and The English subtitles wouldn't work on my DVD player,but the Japanese subtitles worked and they translated into English. Overall the main characters(Especially the women) are done decently and I would buy the sequel if they came out with one! GET THIS ONE!!

Not your Saturday morning cartoon
It is what it is, toones having sex, bondage, rape, and all the other aspects of Hentai. If you haven't seen any Hentai and are curious this is a little better than the other couple I have seen. I've bought a couple other movies of this genre and I think I've had enough, if toone sex is yur thing there is plenty of it here..

kinky
this is one good hentai its very very kinky specially when it comes to very sexy ass teachers its amazing

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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 [Blu-ray]

Extras! It's what the people want! NAM LAND!!
If you are a serious fan of horror films or you already have the bare-bones DVD version of TCM 2 then you need to buy the Gruesome Edition now. Comparing Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 to the original or the other sequels/remakes is pointless because this film is a beast all its own. It was made to be different than the first and Tobe Hooper lived up to it. It is quite obvious that this film is camp, but thats what makes it so great. The absurdness, the heavy gore(lovingly provided by legend Tom Savini), the rockin' soundtrack(The Cramps, Concrete Blonde), and the action just makes this one of my favorite horror movies ever. The performances are completley memorable. Bill Mosley's Chop-Top character is one of the funniest and most iconic roles ever. Caroline Williams is one hell of a shrieker and plays the part of Stretch to a T. The locations and set pieces really gives this film an epic feel, especially the amazing underground lair of the Sawyer Family. The only horror fans that I can...

A very misunderstood sequel
This 80's sequel to the 1974 hit "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is actually a good movie once you set aside the fact that it is completely different from the original. Those expecting a continuation of part 1 are sadly mistaken. This wild sequel is more about special effects, action, gore and dark humor. I like this one a lot simply because it doesn't take itself too seriously and it's actually a decent movie, there is a pretty good ammount of thrills and laughs, and I like it very much.

A sequel that is worthy of the original.
Most people don't realize what a genius Tobe Hooper really is. When Tobe Hooper created the original "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" in 1974, he created a terrifying, horror masterpiece that set the standards for slasher films to come. Tobe also realized something that most other horror producers never figured out; you can't sell the same movie twice. That's why many horror franchises continued drop box office sales lower and lower with every single sequel they made. Tobe realized that audiences get tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. He knew he could not top the masterpiece he created, so he created another form of masterpiece. "Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2" is an over the top thrill ride that will entertain you from begining to end. Whereas the first TCM provided shere terror,TCM2 provided thrills, excessive gore, and it's own brand of dark humor. The film is pure genius, and provides an epic conclusion to the events that had unfolded over a decade earlier.

The...

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Girl In Progress

Awesome movie, even though it's 'meta' and isn't a comedy
If you're expecting a lighthearted comedy, then stop here, because you'll hate this movie. It's as close as American movies ever come to a true tragedy.

This movie is about a girl, Ansiedad (which means anxiety in Spanish, which shows how clueless her mom is), who is really frustrated with her life, and wants to turn her life into a coming of age drama, where she escapes in the end by boarding a train.

Ansiedad does a bunch of research, trying to figure out how to be the girl in the movie that breaks through, and attains popularity in school. After she's graphed this out in her room, she meticulously follows her plan, step by step. Everybody else in the movie is clueless about what she's doing, even when she tells them, and she keeps following her plan to it's tragic completion.

Ansiedad is played by Cierra Ramirez, and her mom Grace is played by Eva Mendez. Ramirez does a great job of acting a super smart kid who's actually pulling off a crazy plan to...

Unexpectedly Pretty Good
I liked this movie. A lot. It was a welcomed change to the traditional emotional strife via Mother and Child.
The story revolves around a young teen who has grown tired of her mother's childish irresponsible ways. Especially when it comes to married men and money. Also the constant moving which is about the only thing that changes in their life. This movie, as depicted in Ansiedads research is akin to a metamorphosis. The teenager believes that a rite of passage would lead her on the path to freedom from her mom, this life. But as in life nothing goes as planned. Very good movie for a family to watch and discuss. Teens and preteens only though. B+

Fun, a bit weird, oddly fulfilling
Well it isn't a masterpiece of cinema, but not a bad flick. The high school girl Anne/Ansiedad comes across as a borderline narcissist who cruelly dumps her best and only friend in pursuit of a consciously thought out, clinically executed "coming of age" project. Her mother (Eva Mendez) is a flighty, sexy but lost working gal who nearly destroys a doctor's marriage, then nearly loses her daughter, then nearly ruins the restaurant where she works. Patricia Arquette is the stable, reasonable English teacher who anchors Ansiedad's adventure and occasionally fills in where mom is lacking. There are a few other supporting characters who are somewhat unusual and generally well played. Kendall Cross, as Alice Harford, the doctor's wife (who seems to always address him as "Doctor"), is a surprisingly solid and sympathetic character who is fighting to keep her own dysfunctional family together. Altogether, the cast is interesting enough that it makes up for what might be otherwise a rather...

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Killer Klowns From Outer Space [Blu-ray]

A Fatally Funny & Scary Ride Through The Big Top...
It's hard to believe that an innocuous PG-13 B-movie such as the Chiodo Bros. underrated masterpiece "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" could instill a sense of mysterious dread and thrills to an inveterate horror fan like myself. The Klowns definitely break down the redundant slasher film villian barriers that ran rampant during the 80's and give a frighteningly original, yet humorous flair to their evil work that parallels the old alien invasion films of the 50's (right down to the backwoods farmer and his dog and to the overly-skeptical village police). These extraterrestial jokesters are by no means makers of fun merriment, but rather ravenous predators who hoodwink their victims with circus magic and sinister smiles.

The first time I viewed this acclaimed cult classic, John Mussari's ominous circus synth soundtrack, grizzled Officer Mooney (John Vernon) turned into a klown merrionette, and the corrosive cream pie death of the security guard each made a...

SEQUEL PLEASE!
Anybody who says all the best B-movies came from the fifties obviously hasn't seen this little gem. It really is an admirable piece of film making which is actually very clever and inventive. It is reminiscent in someways of The Blob (50s version)in that a teenage couple witness a "comet" fall from the sky and then spend the movie running around trying to get people to believe them. However, this is far more "tongue in cheek" than most movies in its genre and could almost be passed as a black comedy rather than a horror.

The movie isn't particularly scary, although I do remeber finding it very freaky when I was younger. People who have a phobia of clowns should probably stay away from this movie though, because as the title suggests thay are the stars of the show. It is worth watching for the inventive and amusing ways in which the "Klowns" Kill and cocoon their victims alone. But as it happens the film also has a lot more to offer as...

Learn to read...
Don't be put off by the incorrect reviewer claiming this DVD will be pan-and-scan fullscreen. It will not. The product description confirms this. If you actually read it, it does say "Widescreen".

According to the press releases from MGM, the DVD will be a full Special Edition and presented in anamorphic widescreen (16:9 enhanced) in the 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio.

Additional features on the DVD: deleted scenes, a storyboard gallery, a photo gallery, the original theatrical trailer, a "making-of" documentary (supposedly with "home-movie" footage), director's commentary by the Chiodo Brothers, behind-the-scenes material on composing the film's score, a visual effects commentary, a "director's reflection on the film", English/French/Spanish Mono Audio (it was mono in the theaters), and French/Spanish subtitles.

Maybe the VHS is 1.33:1 full frame. I don't know because I don't buy VHS any more. Regardless, the DVD should be quite nice...

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Paranormal Activity Trilogy Gift Set

Warning...
The box says that the 2nd and 3rd films are extended version. But this is only the case for the 2nd, 3rd is only theatrical cut.

But despite this, the films are not expensive, and should delight fans of horror movies.

what was there was great
what was there was great. the first disk was not there. other two were great loved them first movie sucked anyway.

Awesome!
These movies keep you on the edge of your seat. I love it. Very, very creepy. Makes you feel like something is in the house

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Where Evil Lives

Not a bad independent film
When we made this film some twenty years ago, we thought it would be released within a year or two. We finally get to see the finished product. Not as good as a big budget film, but, for a little, almost no budget production, it was pretty good. I got to see myself before I had any grey hair and had more lines than I remembered.

The film itself was three separate horror stories as told by Claude Akins, all connected to this old mansion in Florida. When you see it, judge each one separately because there are definite performance differences. But you have to take into account the actors, for the most part, were true newbies. That fact alone adds a facet of interest.

There are the required blood and gore scenes as well as some skin for the "Did you see that?!?" effect.

I believe this is worth the the cost to own. Especially if you like seeing how a creative filmaker can make due with a low budget and an inexperienced cast. With today's technology, a lot...

Where Evil Lives
This movie has the makings of a cult classic, buy it if you like campy movies. They did a great job with the special effects and makeup.

Where Evil Lives
Finally a 80s horror film that is not a retro but the real suff! Glad to see this finally released thru Troma.This movie has all the makings of a 80s cult horror film.1st it has Veteran actor Claude Akins who is well known to have made many B horror films in the 1980s.2nd itfs shot on 16mm film which gives us that distinct look of the 1980s.3rd it has plenty of 80s camp and sleazy sex.4th it was shot in Florida were most of H.G. Lewis films were shot,and 5th you have 3 stories to choose from.If you want the real thing,then this is the film to own.

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Darkness / Below [Blu-ray]

BELOW Debuts on Blu-Ray But in an Inferior 2.0 Stereo Soundtrack
This Miramax/Echo Bridge Blu-Ray double-feature is a good news/bad news type of situation, because although this two-fer includes the lousy Jaume Balaguero effort "Darkness" (previously released), it also debuts David Twohy's superb 2002 thriller BELOW -- but unfortunately in a somewhat crippled 2.0 stereo soundtrack.

In "Below," a crew on an American sub during WWII rescues three survivors from a sunken British ship, only to find out that their own vessel is haunted while they attempt to flee from an enemy cruiser! This smart, exciting ghost story/action thriller manages to deliver on its intriguing premise penned by Darren Aronofsky, Lucas Sussman, and director David Twohy. Perhaps it figures, then, that "Below" was cast off by the Dimension/Miramax powers-at-be and barely released, surfacing in a few late night screenings in various metropolitan venues before being sent to video. At a time when so many genre films are either gory or derivative (or both), "Below" offers a...

Good films
BELOW is by far the better of the two movies on this disc, but I still like DARKNESS, which is atmospheric (if ultimately not terribly coherent). To be clear, DARKNESS is the longer 102 minute version. The film was originally released in the U.S. in a PG-13 88 minute cut.

David Twohy's Haunted Masterpiece
BELOW is easily the best horror movie since de Palma's CARRIE (with the exception of THE OTHERS). It is a flawless masterpiece of film making. On par with ROSEMARY'S BABY, THE OMEN, THE EXORCIST and Wise's THE HAUNTING. In the top 5 or 10 horror films of the 20th century. Yes, it really is that good. David Twohy is a superb craftsman. It is a shame he does not make more movies. If I were in charge of Hollywood, I would let him do whatever he wants.

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