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486,979 | 386,241 | 160,184 | 5 |
Eye See You is a ludicrous title for a movie , so . . . .
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. . . I'll call it " D-Tox " instead . Under any name , this is not as bad as the " no theatrical release " label indicates , but with this cast and this setting , it should have been much better . The whole production has a rushed , sloppy feel to it ; the characters are poorly defined ( Tom Berenger and Robert Prosky are especially wasted , while other actors barely even get to utter two or three lines - only Robert Patrick comes through with a strong characterization ) and the script is choppy - you never even get a clear idea of how the rehab center operates . And while the killer does serve his purpose ( i . e . , the audience wants him to die in as gruesome a way as possible ) , the revelation of his identity is pretty ho-hum - the filmmakers haven't bothered giving him any real motivation , so he could be just about anyone . Nonetheless , the director does manage to pull off some impressive shots , and Sylvester Stallone tries his hand at a more dramatic role than usual , with moderate success . ( )
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486,946 | 386,241 | 118,079 | 5 |
Strictly for Tweed's fans .
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No better or worse than most of Shannon Tweed's straight-to-video films . The final twist is pretty clever and you probably won't see it coming , but the plot moves at about 5 miles per hour , and it's filled with stupid , bumbling characters that hurt its credibility ( notice the scene where the hero practically hands over a gun to a potential murderess ; or how about the scene where the killer has a perfectly good opportunity to shoot the hero but delays unnecessarily ) . Tweed is gorgeous as always , but not sexy in this movie ( yes , there is a difference ) . Julie Strain , who is arguably even more beautiful , is mainly kept offscreen . ( )
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486,515 | 386,241 | 299,556 | 5 |
Is Olivia Bonamy the most beautiful woman in the world ?
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Probably not . But while I was watching this movie , I was thinking that she may be just that . She has an incredibly beautiful face ( she reminded me a bit of Kristy Swanson , the original " Buffy " - coincidence ? ) , a magnificent , toned , fit body , lovely red hair , a hip hairstyle , an irreverent attitude , and she handles her fight scenes competently . She's far and away the best reason to see " Bloody Mallory " - the rest is sometimes fun but mostly silly stuff . The mythology presented in this movie is actually quite interesting , but the script seems to be inventing and changing its rules as it goes along , and it often gets overly silly ( ghouls that get into karate fights , talking bats , etc . ) . The film also suffers from an overuse of CGI , and the monster effects are rather cheesy . It all ends with the setup for a sequel , but so far one has not materialized and chances are it never will . ( )
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487,234 | 386,241 | 113,224 | 5 |
Too whimsical .
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Decidedly unpredictable but overly eccentric ( you could say " overly British " , but apparently the film was as much a failure there as everywhere else ) black comedy , that strains to be whimsical at the expense of everything else ( including laughs ) . The best thing in the picture is by far the bright young actress Lena Headey ( wonderful also in " Gossip " ) , who lights up the screen every time she appears . Her sardonic smiles and the occasional gleams of dirty fun in her eyes are priceless ; I don't think there's any other actress who can pronounce the phrase " how horrid ! " ( and mean exactly the opposite ) quite like she does . ( )
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485,599 | 386,241 | 83,034 | 5 |
Passable
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Imagine " The Birds " or " Night of The Living Dead " , but with lions instead of birds and zombies , and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this movie is like . Rather passable stuff , except for some unintentionally funny scenes ( like the sight of lions entering the house through the chimney or walking on the kitchen sink ) . Pretty good acting , too - both by the lions and by Tom Skerrit . ( )
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486,500 | 386,241 | 91,707 | 5 |
Tolerable .
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An enjoyably cheesy B-movie that has bad acting all around ( everyone seems to agree on that ) , but also some imaginatively gruesome scenes that make it worthwhile for undemanding genre fans . Inarguable highlight is the scene involving a naked girl ( of course ! ) , a bathtub and several snakes . . . . . ugh ! See if you can understand the point of the brief shot after the closing credits . ( )
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485,780 | 386,241 | 295,923 | 5 |
Blatant " Basic Instinct " clone ; fair on those terms
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Of all the " Basic Instinct " copies that have been made since 1992 ( and there are plenty ) , " Dead Sexy " must be one of the most blatant . Sure , it switches the genders of the two main characters , but keeps almost everything else the same , right down to the only other suspect for the killings being someone within the police force who has hidden ties to the primary suspect . Of course " Dead Sexy " does not come anywhere near the style and suspense and general quality of the Verhoeven film , but on its own low-budget straight-to-video terms it's a fair way to pass some time . Shannon Tweed is acceptable , Sam Jones ( as her partner ) is even better , injecting some needed humor into the proceedings . As for the matter of the body double , I personally cannot understand why Tweed felt the need to use one . She showed everything - and it looked good as usual - in " The Rowdy Girls " , made in 2000 ; what could have changed so much over a year ? ( )
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486,436 | 386,241 | 290,014 | 5 |
Very mediocre stuff
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Even at the age of 45 , Cynthia Rothrock is a superb martial artist , but " Outside The Law " / " Never Say Die " is a mediocre vehicle for her . The plot is completely uninteresting , and the scattered fight scenes don't compensate for that , because a ) they are mostly shot in too-tight close-ups , b ) the editing is choppy , c ) the villains don't offer much of a challenge to Cynthia . Only James Lew is introduced as a worthy opponent , but even their fight scene at the end of the movie is not as long as it should have been . There is an amusing nod to Rothrock's Hong Kong film past ( " You can read Chinese ? " , her friend asks her - " Enough to order from a menu " , she responds ) . Sidenote : when an action film starts with a couple discussing how many kids ( and pets ) they will have when they get married , you know one of them is not going to be around for long . ( )
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486,218 | 386,241 | 104,511 | 5 |
Less than perfect .
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This is certainly a slickly made , good-looking movie with great special effects and some entertaining moments ( like the ultimate fate of Don Rickles ) , but overall there is just something about it that doesn't allow me to call it a complete success . It's pretty slow-moving , and the mix of horror , gangster movie and comedy is not perfectly harmonious . However , Loggia makes an imposing villain and LaPaglia is likable . ( )
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486,965 | 386,241 | 70,078 | 5 |
Mediocrity .
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Five-part horror anthology that doesn't deliver the goods . First story was dumb , the second intriguing ( and my favorite ) , the third uneven , the fourth an incredible bore and the epilogue too short - and it came too late . Another creepy Donald Pleasence performance , but this forgettable film cannot rise above mediocrity .
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486,570 | 386,241 | 236,638 | 5 |
Weird , slow , indifferently dubbed and ultimately ludicrous .
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The director of " Deep in the Woods " shows a strong sense of visual style ( there is , for example , a point-of-view shot from inside a bag ! ) , but it's all for naught . This movie is a real mess ; people appear out of nowhere and disappear into nowhere , and the main characters are a little too dumb , even for typical horror-movie " heroes " . Give this director a decent script , and we might actually be onto something . As a side note , the stage play these kids set up is terrible enough to turn anyone into a killer . ( )
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486,178 | 386,241 | 87,412 | 5 |
New genre : pseudo-philosophical soft-core
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Personally I hated the original " Story of O " with a passion , and I only saw this in-name-only " sequel " by accident . Thankfully , the treatment of the subjects is a little more tasteful this time . Not that there aren't some unpleasant scenes here , but at least some of the women ( especially " O " ) are allowed to have a more balanced , sometimes even dominant role . And when the film seems to go into inexcusable territory near the end , it pulls the rug out from under your feet . It's a strange , interesting but confused and largely pointless film . Why pointless ? Because most people looking for an examination of money , power , sex and politics will choose to watch something else , and those looking for a 100 % erotic film won't be very satisfied either . ( )
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486,594 | 386,241 | 104,449 | 5 |
Average sequel .
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In some of the dream and scare sequences , the director of " House IV " shows considerable talent and imagination . But the plot is just a rehash of old cliches , and toward the end it goes all over the map and creates quite a few gaps . Even horror movies have to establish some rules and play by them , this movie goes every which way but loose . Still , it's better than the dreadful " House II " . ( )
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485,774 | 386,241 | 435,665 | 5 |
Solid B-movie
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Having never seen the original , I found this sequel to be a competent little B-movie in its own right . Of course it has its flaws : it doesn't really bring anything new to the zombie sub-genre , there is a lack of genuine scares , and the script screws up the timeline near the end ( before going to the university for the second time , the three leads say they only have 10 minutes before the government blasts the whole place with missiles , but they take A LOT more time to go in there and get the blood sample they need ) . But it still has enough suspense , humor and gore to please those who know what they're getting into . The casting is solid : I particularly liked Emmanuelle Vaugier , who not only looks like a perfect video game heroine in her uniform and ponytail , but also handles her guns in a very confident , no-nonsense manner - like an extension of herself . And Victoria Pratt is certainly one of the most convincing actresses you can cast as a female soldier , body-wise at least . The film is made with a certain wit ( the " Shhhhhh " in the library , Sticky Fingaz's death scene - " No , no , I'm not infected - growl ! " ) , and the downbeat ending cleverly piques the curiosity ( even of people who may not have liked this movie ) for a possible third chapter . ( )
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486,421 | 386,241 | 100,661 | 5 |
Quite interesting , very bizarre .
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If you're expecting this to be just a cheap , ugly exploitation film , you may actually be surprised . Although it does border on the offensive , and Paul L . Smith plays ( convincingly ) one of the most repugnant characters you'll ever see , the film has enough originality and audacity to be preferable to many other formula horror outings . The script develops into a variation on the " Frankenstein " myth , and the terrific music score gives a poetic dimension to some scenes . Outstanding performance by the actor who plays Sonny Boy . ( )
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486,964 | 386,241 | 113,253 | 5 |
Somewhat underrated .
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This movie has its share of flaws : heavy doses of graphic gore , that almost degrade a series which began with a gore-less film , and moments that simply don't make sense - why does Myers kill his " collaborators " at the end ? Still , I found the attempts to explain his origin mostly fascinating . It's the easiest , the laziest and the greediest thing to present a killer without a motive and to keep bringing him back for more sequels even though he should be dead . Why do people say that this series never contained supernatural elements ? When Myers is shot six times in " Halloween " and nevertheless lives , was that " natural " ? Script and direction were a bit muddled , but not TOO muddled : I've never seen " Halloween 5 " , yet the plot made sense to me , even if some details didn't . The classic music score has been unfortunately altered , but as a whole this sixth entry seems to be somewhat underrated - " Halloween II " is much more boring . Fair acting , too .
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486,564 | 386,241 | 74,442 | 5 |
Silly .
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Silly slapstick comedy is both sluggish and childish ( let's just say that it's less realistic than the average " Police Academy " sequel ) , but Terence Hill , with his acrobatic skills and use of everyday objects in the fight scenes , comes through as a somewhat slower version of Jackie Chan , and Bud Spencer's reactions and mutterings earn some laughs . ( )
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486,348 | 386,241 | 113,276 | 5 |
Riveting but unpleasant film .
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Although this movie is loosely based on real events , it seems artificial at times ; some of the dialogue sounds scripted , instead of spoken by real people , and not all of the situations are believable . But the one big situation is still enough to keep you riveted to the screen , and the performances are good all around , with a particularly unsentimental portrait of the criminal by Raymond J . Barry . ( )
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486,081 | 386,241 | 74,437 | 5 |
Better than its reputation suggests .
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After reading all the reviews about this film , I was expecting either a sleaze-fest or a camp-fest ( or both ) , but I was pleasantly ( ? ) surprised . Although there are undeniably exploitational elements here ( incest , castrations , torture ) , the director doesn't really linger over them . Nobody would mistake this for a thoughtful study on the mistreatment of black slaves in early 19th-century America , but it's a surprisingly well-made film , and the recreation of the period is just fine . The major weakness of " Drum " is that the male lead , Ken Norton , simply can't act ; thankfully , Warren Oates and Yaphet Kotto certainly can . Pam Grier is wasted , however , and Colicos is positively ludicrous as a gay slave-trader . ( )
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486,435 | 386,241 | 364,722 | 5 |
Delivers the goods for genre fans
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If you want to see fit , athletic young men and women in skimpy clothing doing martial arts poses and hand-to-hand combat for about an hour , " The Ultimate Game " is right up your alley . The first 30-40 minutes are slow and stilted , and the sound is sometimes out-of-synch , making the film look as if it had been dubbed . But when we get to the martial arts tournament , held in an exotic island somewhere off the coast of Japan ( I think ) , the movie starts delivering the goods for genre fans . If you can say a negative thing about the fight scenes , it's that sometimes they seem a bit too " rehearsed " ; on the other hand , there are LOTS of them , they are shot in broad daylight so you can clearly see them , and the hits look realistic . And it is an equal-opportunity film : women will go crazy over J . D . Rifkin's abs , while men will want to see more of that blonde fighter who , at one point , smiles wickedly and then drops her leg on her opponent's stomach with such force that the other woman probably had a belly ache for several hours afterwards . ( )
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486,197 | 386,241 | 109,360 | 5 |
Kathleen Kinmont vs . Lori Fetrick
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CIA II : Target Alexa is a typical low-grade action film with medium-grade fights , stunts and explosions . Which is about what you'd expect when the name Lorenzo Lamas ( here as director AND star ) is involved . Thankfully , Lamas is kind enough in this case to share the spotlight with two women , Kathleen Kinmont ( the heroine ) and Lori Fetrick ( the villainess ) , who both have superb bodies : sweaty , muscular and fit . They even have two fights against each other , and even though Fetrick has an obvious strength advantage , Kinmont holds her own pretty well . If any of this sounds like your cup of tea ( and it certainly is mine ! ) , then you should check this film out . If not , then there is not much else to see here . ( )
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485,833 | 386,241 | 82,951 | 5 |
Superb gore scenes , but nothing else .
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The usual slasher mix of indistinguishable , anonymous characters , bloody and brutal murder sequences and slow walks in dark rooms and corridors ( in which the killer may be hiding ) . There is also an unexpected but preposterous plot twist , and a ludicrous " shock " ending , also typical of the genre . The film's only seriously redeeming virtue ? Tom Savini's outstanding gore effects . His - MINOR SPOILER - pitchfork-through-the-belly and knife-through-the-head scenes are both technically excellent . ( )
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486,865 | 386,241 | 83,000 | 5 |
Awkward , but sometimes works .
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This is a strange , very Hitchcockian tale of suspense about a truck driver who ( much like the hero of " Rear Window " ) thinks he has witnessed a murder and after being ignored ( or even suspected ) by everyone else , decides to fight the ( supposed ? ) murderer on his own . The dialogue is often too self-consciously humorous , and Keach's continuous yammering and mumbling may get on your nerves . But as a homage to Hitchcock , the film sometimes works - it even goes to the trouble of showing a magazine with a picture of Hitch on its cover . ( )
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485,623 | 386,241 | 109,321 | 5 |
Affectionate reunion for Bud and Terence ; only for their fans .
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It's a pretty weird experience , watching this movie . An affectionate , warm-hearted reunion for Bud Spencer and Terence Hill , it is also a bittersweet farewell to an old era of movies . It will probably appeal only to fans of the duo , as they once again go through their familiar motions ( Spencer's mutterings , Hill's smiles , bean-eating , fist-fighting , helping the poor , etc . ) , only this time there are some serious dramatic moments as well . On the other hand , considering their age , you can't help but wonder if perhaps this film should never have been made , if they should have retired more gracefully a few years earlier . But if you insist on seeing it , try to avoid the DVD version , as the image has been blown up way out of proportion to fill the entire screen - perhaps in keeping with the tradition of the awful full-screen versions of the " Trinity " films ( to which this film is without a doubt an unofficial sequel - I wonder why they couldn't make it " official " ) . ( )
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487,243 | 386,241 | 96,114 | 5 |
Mad Max it ain't - but did you expect it to be ?
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Cirio H . Santiago is a director who has made quite a few " girls-with-guns " ( or , in this case , " girls - with - swords - and - later - guns " ) films ; he could perhaps be described as another Andy Sidaris , but with less sleaze and an even lower budget . " The Sisterhood " , a cheesy post-apocalyptic flick complete with laser beams and " talking " hawks , must not be one of his best moments : most of the action sequences are rather flat , and there is too much wandering around in the desert . But the two female leads are physically well-cast , and as for the third . . . . let's just say that if you ever wanted to see Lynn-Holly Johnson , of " For Your Eyes Only " fame , kicking some serious butt ( though it is never quite explained how her character is able to do that ) , this may be your only chance ! ( )
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486,948 | 386,241 | 87,282 | 5 |
A precursor to " Maniac " .
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This is a trashy film and will be of no appeal to most viewers , but what's interesting about it is that it would make a great companion piece to the notorious 1980 " Maniac " . I don't know why anyone would want to watch THAT film in the first place , but it's hard not to notice the obvious similarities . Although far less graphic and bloody , " Forced Entry " also allows as to " share " the maniacal killer's warped worldview , and the depiction of his mind seems pretty accurate . There is a minimal amount of plot , but it's starkly directed , and this is also one of the few chances you'll have to see Tanya Roberts giving a halfway good performance . ( )
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485,688 | 386,241 | 60,437 | 5 |
Flabby spy yarn .
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The Ipcress File was a genuinely intriguing spy thriller , a refreshing viewing choice for the mature viewers that were tired of the typical Bond films . Unfortunately , this sequel doesn't turn out to be a worthy one . Caine is still superb as Harry Palmer , of course , and he still has his dry cynicism ( when a woman likes him , he suspects that she's hiding something since he knows that he isn't that irresistible ) , but there are major problems with the pacing and the plot . This film is slow and flabby , and the story - after a relatively easy-to-follow first hour - becomes awfully confusing , a mistake that the original never made . " Funeral In Berlin " is still much better than the terrible third Harry Palmer film ( " Billion Dollar Brain " ) , and it has a memorable music theme , but take my advice : watch only " The Ipcress File " and skip the other two parts of the trilogy .
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487,378 | 386,241 | 104,888 | 5 |
OK martial arts film
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Despite being titled " Martial Law III " in the US , " Mission of Justice " has nothing to do with the two previous " Martial Law " films - Jeff Wincott appears in the second one , but as a different character . Unlike those two films , the focus here stays almost exclusively on the male star ( Wincott ) , who has three extended fight scenes among the smaller ones . His female cop partner Karen Sheperd is limited to a small supporting role and gets only one extended fight ( Karen also sports an unflattering haircut that hides her beauty ) . The story begins well , but wears out in the second half . However , Wincott is good at projecting intensity and anger , and there are enough hard-hitting , bone-crunching fight scenes to keep most fans of this genre satisfied . Rent it before you buy it . ( )
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486,193 | 386,241 | 109,301 | 5 |
Passable low-rent " Die Hard " imitation
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Bloodfist VI has its amusing moments : some lines of dialogue ( " I need all your intellectual power and your technological wizardry - open the beep door " ! ) , some situations ( like a big black dude who challenges Wilson with the phrase " Come on , sissy boy " and can only be defeated with a kick to the groin ) , some moments of over-the-top violence ( early on , a guy gets his neck turned 180 degrees ! ) . It also has its disappointments : the biggest one may be that there is no climactic showdown between Wilson and the No 1 villain . The fights are a little slow , but fairly realistic . But to be honest with you , the main reason I wanted to see this is that it's the last film of Cat Sassoon , who tragically died at the age of only 34 . Appearing for the second time alongside Wilson ( after " Bloodfist IV " ) , she plays the sexy villainess quite well and has a great topless scene at the very start , but no real fighting this time . Overall , " Bloodfist VI " is a harmless way to kill some time , and is worth a watch for fans of Wilson , Sassoon or low-budget action . ( )
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487,065 | 386,241 | 100,514 | 5 |
Humdrum .
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Humdrum , cliched actioner offers nothing we haven't seen before . If Eastwood ( who has a unique presence , even in this mediocre role ) wasn't around , it would be almost unwatchable . But the moral " lessons " of the film are even more annoying than its cliches : it seems to suggest that a " boy " becomes a " real MAN " only when he learns how to punch and kill people .
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485,815 | 386,241 | 64,782 | 5 |
Interminable .
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Clint Eastwood is an inappropriate lead for a musical . Not so much because he can't sing very well ( although he CAN'T sing as well as the genre requires ) , but mostly because he is too closely identified , at least in our minds , with his " tougher " roles , and we just can't take him very seriously when he suddenly starts singing . Lee Marvin isn't a very accomplished singer , either . And the two miscast leads aren't the only problems of this musical-Western . It's also pointless , slow and plodding . Its only strong redeeming quality , which keeps it bearable , is the lovely presence of Seberg . She gives the best , the most likable performance in the film , providing a center of strength and dignity . If she wasn't around , this movie would be nearly unwatchable . As for the songs , there are lively ones ( like the title song ) and there are boring ones ( like " I Was Born Under A Wandering Star " ) .
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486,855 | 386,241 | 87,260 | 5 |
Barely funny .
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A good-natured , agreeable , but featherweight and desperately unfunny comedy by Richard Lester . Beverly D'Angelo ( sexy and spirited ) and Louis Gossett Jr . ( amusingly cool ) try their best to enliven the film , but there are hardly any laughs and too many unnecessary subplots . ( )
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487,425 | 386,241 | 113,636 | 5 |
Better than " 2 " , worse than " 1 " .
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This very broad and very gross horror comedy is a step up from the junk called " Leprechaun 2 " , but that's not saying very much . The script is nothing new ( Lep yet again counts his coins , finds one missing , goes after whoever might be in possession of it ) , but it's certainly busy enough , with two or three parallel plotlines running simultaneously . Anyway , if you want to see the title character impersonating Elvis or giving people the finger , this may be your only chance . ( )
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486,154 | 386,241 | 109,278 | 5 |
Ordinary .
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Routine thriller that never rises above mediocrity , although the attractive and competent cast gives some class to an otherwise very modest and forgettable production . Still , it's watchable enough to stay in the two-star rating territory .
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486,121 | 386,241 | 87,247 | 5 |
Nothing much .
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Ex-boxer Tom Berenger , now an agent of strippers , tries to track down the maniacal killer that slashes " his " girls with a razor-blade . Problem is , we know who the killer is right from the start , so there's no mystery and no progression of the plot - it's just a series of consecutive murders . The good cast compensates somewhat , and the film holds your interest , but it all seems to be merely an excuse for the final showdown between Berenger and the killer , and even that isn't as good as it could've been . ( )
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487,031 | 386,241 | 95,956 | 5 |
Moronic .
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This is a preposterously dumb action epic ( though not as OFFENSIVELY dumb as " Commando " ) , routinely directed , with a few doses of anti-Soviet propaganda thrown in . There is little variety and imagination in the action scenes , and maybe that's why they become monotonous so quickly . There is a tank vs . helicopter collision at the end with a truly unbelievable outcome . The film owes whatever interest it has to Stallone's presence ; he brings some raw force to his role .
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487,414 | 386,241 | 256,524 | 5 |
We're gonna need better jokes !
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The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion offers a few smiles . That's hardly reason enough to sit through a motion picture . When a movie is centered almost completely around its jokes , it's the quality of the jokes that makes all the difference ; that's what separates , for example , the great from the not-so-great Marx Brothers films . And " Curse " is unfortunately closer to " The Big Store " than to " Duck Soup " : pleasant , inoffensive , but tired and forgettable ( and I mean that literally : after 2-3 days you won't even remember that you've seen it ) . Aside from Zhao Fei's remarkable cinematography , a very minor credit for Woody . ( )
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487,376 | 386,241 | 117,760 | 5 |
An uneven mix of drama , comedy and violence
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Shu Qi - the face of a goddess , with the body to match ! She arguably steals the show even from the cute and feisty as usual Chingmy Yau , and that is no small accomplishment . The first hour of this movie deals mostly with the rivalry between two night clubs operating in the same Hong Kong area - not exactly the stuff that compelling drama is made of . Then Simon Yam re-appears ( he had left the picture after the first 5 minutes ) , and his forceful performance makes the film more involving - he plays a scumbag that you really want to see knocked down . Fans of either of the three stars won't be disappointed , and fans of " Category III " Hong Kong sleaze may " enjoy " ( if that's the word ) the final half-hour , but pure action fans need not bother with this film . It's basically a drama , sprinkled with broad , raunchy comedy and nasty , unpleasant violence . ( )
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486,741 | 386,241 | 78,350 | 5 |
Agreeable time-filler , but WAY overlong .
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The Swarm has its share of flaws , no doubt about that : it's overlong , it's filled with genre cliches ( many veterans cast in pointless supporting roles , indifferent romances ) and it's occasionally overacted , especially by Michael Caine , who has a role far below his abilities . However , those who are calling it " terrible " and " campy " are REALLY overdoing it . The special effects are actually FIRST-RATE and most of the attack sequences are utterly convincing . Don't judge the film on the basis of its bad reputation ; watch it for yourself and you'll discover that , while it's not an " art " film , it's an agreeable way to kill two hours .
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487,161 | 386,241 | 95,989 | 5 |
Do we have enough money to finish this turkey yet ?
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This sequel to " Attack of the Killer Tomatoes " has actually very little to do with it . It's also a much better film . It does get a bit too juvenile for its own good toward the end , but it's entertaining ( at times ) , with bits of surreal humor , jabs at moviemaking itself and decent acting . Half the time you'll be laughing , the other half you'll be looking at your watch . ( )
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486,944 | 386,241 | 95,990 | 5 |
Disposable sequel .
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A funky , campy horror-comedy , in which the " horror " and the " comedy " parts don't combine ; they collide . You get some decent makeup effects and some straight brain-munching gore , then you get a silly scene ( the zombies staring admiringly at a female gymnast on TV ) than undermines the whole film . The acting is pretty bad , too ( except for the kid and the all-too-cool doctor , the cast showcases only one acting style : unending hysteria ) . Overall , I'd recommend this film only to zombie-movie completists , although it's far less unpleasant to watch than the next chapter of this series . ( )
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487,353 | 386,241 | 109,198 | 5 |
Not bad , but half-hearted , attempt at a feminist Western
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The idea of making a Western with women in the leading roles was an interesting one , but the casting was not exactly ideal . Don't get me wrong , the women in " Bad Girls " look great in their Western outfits , and they do a fine acting job as well , but only Drew Barrymore really convinces as a " bad girl " - you can see the fire of intensity burning in her eyes ( Madeleine Stowe is a close second - at times she is convincingly defiant ) . And for a " feminist " Western , the women get mistreated rather frequently . But the biggest problem with this film is an unfocused script that never really takes off . " Bad Girls " was a big commercial and critical flop , but I don't think it's such a bad movie - it's just not as good as it should have been . ( )
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486,873 | 386,241 | 69,700 | 5 |
Starts out well , ends up disappointing
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This is basically yet another variation on the " Magnificent Seven " theme , only here we have ( not 7 but ) 4 people coming to protect a village and teach the villagers how to defend themselves ( not against Mexican bandits but ) against an aggressive army of Amazons . The film begins rather well : the grungy , dirty look , the stunts , the Amazons ' mean-spiritedness , they all have an air of authenticity . But most of the action sequences occur at night , and it's often hard to see what's going on . And the biggest disappointment of all , during the big climactic battle nearly all the Amazons have their faces covered by white masks , apparently to camouflage the fact that they have been replaced by male stuntmen . Blech . At the end , there is a fierce swordfight between the bravest woman in the village ( well played by the profoundly beautiful Paola Tedesco ) and the Amazon Queen , but it's a case of " too little , too late " . ( )
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487,571 | 386,241 | 64,860 | 5 |
Mediocre spaghetti Western .
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Bud Spencer and Terence Hill click perfectly as a team and Eli Wallach , obviously enjoying himself , provides some funny moments . But the plot is so rambling that for about the first three quarters of the running time ( a slow 120 minutes ) it is never entirely clear what the various characters are trying to accomplish ; they simply seem to be going from one place to another . It all gets more involving in the last 30 minutes or so , but still , if you're not a VERY dedicated fan of the genre , you can safely miss this one - it is nothing special . ( )
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485,678 | 386,241 | 356,336 | 5 |
Very well-produced but mostly dry spy thriller
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This movie offers several spectacular shots ( free-falling , swimming against the sunset , scuba-diving , car flip / crash , etc ) , locations ( France , Switzerland , Morocco , Spain ) and means of transportation ( cars , boats , subway trains , planes , helicopters ) . The production values are certainly very polished . But the director takes an overly detailed approach to storytelling - there are quite a few scenes that go on longer than necessary . The thrills are limited : a car chase ends almost as soon as it begins , and a fight between Cassel and a Spanish female assassin ( Najwa Nimri ) is shot in such tight close-ups that you literally can't see any of the moves . As for the insights into the spy business ( " We're not asking her to collaborate with us ; we're asking her to obey our orders " ) , they're not exactly groundbreaking stuff . The intense Cassel and the dazzling Bellucci are interesting people to look at , but for the most part this spy thriller is too dry - and the ending is poor . ( )
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487,327 | 386,241 | 74,751 | 5 |
Campy , but not a total disaster . . .
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This ambitious remake of the 1933 classic is neither as bad nor as good as you may have heard from many different sources . It's just kind of " average " . In its first hour , about the only thing that keeps it going is Jessica Lange's gorgeousness ( she has a superbly well-defined figure , which is very often exposed ) . Then , the pace picks up and the special effects take over , but they are variable in quality ; sometimes Kong looks awesome , just like he should , but other scenes don't work at all ( the low points are his fight with a rubber snake and a scene at the end where Lange supposedly " touches " his bleeding body ) . What I disliked most of all here were the moments of campiness ( Kong grinning leeringly to Lange , Lange calling him a " big chauvinist ape " ) . But it's fairly entertaining , and the last 20 minutes are now historically important , too - for obvious reasons . ( )
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485,959 | 386,241 | 87,127 | 5 |
Sex and sandal .
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If you take this as a fantasy , you'll probably be disappointed : it's as second-grade as they come , with a total blank for a hero and plenty of chaotically staged swordfights . But if you take it as a soft-porn film , you may be more pleased ; there is a stimulating ( if brief ) sex scene midway through , and abundant nudity throughout , though only the beautiful Lana Clarkson escapes the film's depraved attitude toward women . Anyway , the film certainly isn't as bad as the two Ferrigno " Hercules " movies . . . . . ( )
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485,915 | 386,241 | 109,144 | 5 |
Confusing .
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This confusing sci-fi entry is a mixture of clever ideas ( the main character turns out to be the key to the spreading of a deadly virus ) and logic loopholes ( when the hero finds himself in the " alternate future " , the other characters seem to have known him for years ; so where is the other version of himself - the soldier - that apparently has been living there all this time ? How can two labs communicate when one of them isn't supposed to exist ? ) , but the production looks as slick as the budget will allow , and there are plenty of explosions for those who like them . ( )
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486,745 | 386,241 | 100,403 | 5 |
Inferior sequel .
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Inferior , if not uninteresting , sequel to one of Arnold's best movies . While the original began as a Rambo-type actioner and then turned into a claustrophobic thriller , this one emphasizes action , shootouts and mayhem throughout . Extremely loud film , it is not recommended for people with " sensitive " ears . The one thing the filmmakers didn't compromise was the superiority of the Predator : humans are still defenseless against him , and there is no " happy ending " .
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486,255 | 386,241 | 100,430 | 5 |
Not Bad + Not Good = Average
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If there ever was a movie that could be described as " a time-killer " , this is it . There's absolutely nothing to be gained from watching it , but it's not too bad . The plot may be a direct knock-off of " Eyes of Laura Mars " ( with the slight difference that the hero in this one has visions of murders BEFORE they happen ) , but it has enough twists and turns to make you wonder if you were right when you thought you had it all figured out in the first 10 minutes ( VAGUE SPOILER : you were ) . Zach Galligan lacks charisma and is a bit overage for his part too , but Catherine Mary Stewart is good enough to make you wonder why she never got her big break in more high-profile pictures , and Michael Nouri does a very solid job with his shady character . ( )
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486,097 | 386,241 | 126,698 | 5 |
A weird sequel
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Why weird , you ask ? Well , consider these points : 1 ) It's called " Tiger Claws II " , but the Tiger style is barely used in it . 2 ) The first movie was a " track down the serial killer " story , this is more of an " underground martial arts tournament " story . 3 ) Bolo Yeung is now - get this - a good guy ! In the film's most laughable line , he is referred to by Jalal Merhi as an " honorable man " ! I guess Merhi has gotten over the fact that several innocent people - including his best friend - were killed by Bolo in the first " Tiger Claws " . 4 ) Cynthia Rothrock ( who looks very good for 41 ) has virtually no action scenes until the 50-minute mark , but does get a couple of good fights near the end . 5 ) There some half-explained sci-fi elements , including time-traveling . Two more points : the production values are slicker than those of most DTV action sequels , and Evan Lurie , playing one of the bad guys , has a kind of slimy charisma , as opposed to the lead Merhi , who has none at all . ( )
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486,786 | 386,241 | 104,822 | 5 |
Mediocre overall
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Although her role is actually secondary to Chad McQueen's ( who is an OK action lead ) , Cynthia Rothrock is at her near-best in " Martial Law " , both looks-wise and fighting-wise . She even goes 1-on-1 against Benny " The Jet " Urquidez at one point , though her highlight is probably when she delivers 6 or 7 rapid kicks in a row to a guy's head ! But the script & direction are perfunctory , the " family drama " stuff is so lame and tiresome that it should have been left out altogether , and David Carradine is a weak , boring villain . If you find yourself watching this movie , my advice is to fast-forward through ALL of the dialogue scenes and focus only on the fight scenes - you won't be missing a thing , and you will be getting the maximum value for your money . ( )
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485,868 | 386,241 | 95,825 | 5 |
Too much plot but some intensely sexy scenes .
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A strange case , this movie . It's at its best when it explores the perverse ( past and present ) family ties that bind Leif Garrett and Greta Blackburn ( and she's has a powerful , sexy presence ) . But the script keeps intercutting their story with that of a misfit cop ( a real Dirty Harry wannabe ) and an ambitious female assistant DA who are searching for the killer that is slashing his / her victims ' throats with a razor . As you have probably already guessed , the film has too much plot , too many supporting characters ( what's Richard Roundtree doing here ? ) and too many plot coincidences . You could do a lot worse , though . ( )
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486,802 | 386,241 | 92,030 | 5 |
Decent attempt at a zombie flick .
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I've read some pretty extreme ( both positive and negative ) reviews for this movie , but it's really a very middle-of-the-road affair . It's directed competently enough to keep you from feeling that you totally wasted your time with it , but it's also so derivative that it can even be called a ripoff ( especially of Herschell Gordon Lewis ' " Two Thousand Maniacs " ; it has practically the same plot ) . The opening sequence is the best . ( )
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487,475 | 386,241 | 104,808 | 5 |
Passable sequel .
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The plot apparently was not the main consideration of the people who decided to make this , the second sequel to the 1988 surprise hit ; that's the only way to explain why there are so many gaps in it ( like " Who is that voodoo master ? " , " Why did he choose to resurrect the Maniac Cop " and " Why does the Maniac Cop kill / help good AND bad guys so arbitrarily ? " ) . Since justice had been set straight at the end of the previous installment , there is no really compelling reason for the title character to return from his grave , so the whole movie seems pointless and unmotivated . But the lengthy chase sequence near the end is so fast-paced and well-done that made me raise the film's rating by half a star . ( )
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487,273 | 386,241 | 95,867 | 5 |
Terrific girls - movie should have been better
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Once again , this Sidaris film seems to have everything : a fit and quite believable as an agent Dona Speir , an incredibly adorable Hope Marie Carlton ( on a scale of 1 to 10 , her smile is a 12 ) , a gorgeous Roberta Vasquez , international locations ( Paris , Las Vegas , Texas , Hawaii , etc . ) , LOTS of explosions , outrageous gadgets , etc . The mix should have been explosively hot , but sadly it's only lukewarm . The execution of the formula is mechanical , as if Sidaris was simply ticking off action scenes from a list . There are very few funny lines ( the best belongs to Speir : when she's accused of being jealous , she says " there is not a jealous bone in my body - check it out for yourself " , and she disrobes ! ) and the one fight scene , involving Harold Diamond , is terrible . But to end this comment on a positive note , John Aprea gives a slick performance as the arch-villain of the story . ( )
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486,648 | 386,241 | 64,990 | 5 |
Overlong and pointless .
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If I had to choose one word to describe this movie , the word would have to be " pointless " . Part Hitchcock homage and part romantic melodrama , the film takes so many turns that the characters ' behavior becomes totally inconsistent and you can never get a handle on them . The film's attempts to say " something meaningful " about blind passion and devotion are hampered by Denevue's cold performance . And on top of all that , it doesn't even LOOK very good . ( )
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486,381 | 386,241 | 91,990 | 5 |
Derivative , but not the worst of its type .
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Mad killer escapes from an insane asylum and goes after his sister ( does this remind you of anything ? ) , with whom he shares an unexplained telepathic link . This film is not too bad of its type , but it's just too derivative of both " Halloween " and " Nightmare on Elm Street " ( there are many ominous dream sequences ) . The main heroine is fairly engaging , but the rest of the characters are almost indistinguishable from one another ( and the men are badly acted , too ) . ( )
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485,850 | 386,241 | 94,701 | 5 |
It's OK .
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This " Nightmare On Elm Street " wannabe is well-directed by Andrew Fleming , but too derivative to make much of an impression . Some icky scenes , a few bad effects and much better acting than you're accustomed to seeing in this genre . Undemanding horror fans won't be disappointed . ( )
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487,498 | 386,241 | 82,611 | 5 |
Silly fun .
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If one was to try and make a list of all the implausibilities and flaws in this movie , he would need much more than a thousand words . From its crummy-looking cinematography ( the sky looks mostly yellow ) to its supremely silly plot ( that is just an excuse to get from one kung-fu scene to another in as little time as possible ) , this flick is bad . But . . . it's enjoyably bad . It is intended for bad-movie lovers ONLY , and only if you belong in that category should you take my rating seriously .
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485,679 | 386,241 | 447,619 | 5 |
Muddled and plodding thriller , unworthy of Monica Bellucci's brave performance
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Monica Belucci's fully committed performance , as well as her commendable willingness to appear as unglamorous as possible ( with very short hair , limited or no make-up , often bloodied-up and dirty ) , are wasted in this semi-supernatural thriller that suffers from a muddled script ( just like a previous adaptation of a Jean-Christophe Grangé novel , " Crimson Rivers " - maybe his books are just too hard to condense in under two hours of screen time ) , an incomplete finish that feels like a set-up for an ( unlikely ) sequel , cold direction , plodding pacing , and a completely humorless tone . I honestly found it a bit of a struggle to get through . It will probably be watched / remembered only for the first " cross-generational " on-screen meeting of Belucci with Catherine Deneuve . ( )
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485,869 | 386,241 | 67,176 | 5 |
Good idea , but film goes nowhere with it .
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A clever premise turns into one of the most obvious and unsurprising horror films ever made - this is a genre that almost always NEEDS surprises to work properly , and this script holds very few . Another problem is the lack of even one character we can fully empathize with . There are good performances , gory killings and a fine recreation of the period , though . ( )
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486,821 | 386,241 | 67,162 | 5 |
Far below expectations , but has its strengths .
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A disappointing adaptation of a James Chase novel ( which I have read , incidentally ) . It's a cheap , mostly badly cast production , with an incredibly choppy beginning , and full of poorly-drawn characters that don't make much of an impression on the viewer . The one important exception is the character of Slim Grissom ; neurotic , explosively unpredictable and complicated , this guy functions like a human-size time-bomb . Scott Wilson's convincing , excellent performance in the role elevates this movie , which , however , still should have been much better . ( )
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486,174 | 386,241 | 274,118 | 5 |
Mediocre is a kind way of putting it
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1 ) T & A and Trish vs . Crash and Molly Holly and Steve Blackman . Short and a bit messy , like most six-person tag team matches , but it's fun to watch Molly and Trish in this early stage of their careers , and Crash finds time to pull off one good headscissors takedown . ) Road Dogg , K Kwik , Chyna and Billy Gunn vs . The Radicalz . Survivor Series Elimination Match . A couple of nice moves ( K Kwik , Benoit ) , otherwise mostly punching and kicking . 3 ) Kane vs . Chris Jericho . A standard match between these two , where they hit almost all their trademark spots . ) William Regal vs . Hardcore Holly ( European title ) . A filler match with a terrible DQ ending . I've heard a more enthusiastic crowd at the church . 5 ) The Rock vs . Rikishi . Poor . Rikishi is a repulsive fat guy who can't wrestle , and The Rock's " devastating People's Elbow " sucks . ) Ivory vs . Lita ( women's title ) . As a match , pretty poor . But Lita gets a bloody cut over her left eye and not only does she continue the match , but she also takes all her usual risks . Admirable . 7 ) Kurt Angle vs . The Undertaker ( WWF title ) . Two highlights give this match its high rating : Kurt's awesome figure-four leglock around the ringpost ( ! ) , and one of the funniest and most imaginative endings I've ever seen . 8 ) Edge & Christian and RTC vs . The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz . Survivor Series Elimination Match . The only team I cared about in this one were the Hardyz . The bad news : Matt is the first man to be eliminated ! The good news : Jeff wins ! 9 ) Stone Cold Steve Austin vs . HHH ( no DQ ) . What a lame excuse for a main event ! Just a long , draggy brawl that ends with a cliffhanger . Only thing I found amusing was the crowd's reaction ( " yeah ! " ) when Stone Cold placed a steel chair around The Game's throat and threatened to jump on it !
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485,614 | 386,241 | 113,819 | 5 |
Woody Allen misses . . .
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. . . And he misses by a mile , at least . In this movie , I guess he is trying to combine his " comedic " with his " serious " side , but he succeeds in neither department . As a comedy , this film has a few scattered laughs , but Allen's timing is clearly off , the amount of obviousness is truly surprising , and the whole thing is kind of sad if you compare it to some early Allen outings , like " Bananas " . As a film with " serious undertones " , it also fares poorly ; it has few insights into the characters and it lacks depth . And that gimmick involving the use of a " Greek Chorus " doesn't work , because the infantile jokes ( for example , Gods are using answering machines when they're not available ) would be too silly even for Mel Brooks . As an actor , Woody has a few good moments but he doesn't show his usual enthusiasm , and Sorvino's performance was highly overrated - she was OK , but she DEFINITELY didn't deserve an Oscar for such an easy role . And the final complaint : this movie looks GRIMY .
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486,175 | 386,241 | 71,548 | 5 |
Kickass Heroine , not so Kickass Movie
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Get Christie Love ! is included in many DVD packages along with " TNT Jackson " , and the two films do have a lot of things in common : most importantly , they both have black female action leads who have the right attitude for their roles down pat , but their actual fight scenes leave a lot to be desired . " Get Christie Love " doesn't have nearly as much action as " TNT Jackson " , but Teresa Graves is a better actress than Jeanne Bell , and ( in my opinion at least ) prettier as well . However , this film is hurt by the flat direction , a dreary pace and an uninteresting plot that wastes far too much time with an investigation about an adopted kid . And I have to agree with a previous reviewer , the DVD transfer is pretty bad . You turn the volume almost all the way up and you still can't listen to the dialogue clearly . ( )
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487,117 | 386,241 | 86,973 | 5 |
Pleasant , old-fashioned farce .
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Featherweight treatment of a potentially serious subject , filled with too many stale jokes and too much Brazilian folklore . The capable cast gives this film whatever value it has , especially Michael Caine , who is working here below his usual high standards , but still manages to be extremely likable . ( )
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485,859 | 386,241 | 86,960 | 5 |
Cliched , brainless but watchable .
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If one of the characteristics of a great film is that is stands the test of time , then " Beverly Hills Cop " is by no means a great film . Almost everything about this comedy-actioner looks already dated today , including Eddie Murphy's persona . Although there are undeniably some comic highlights , the movie is sunk by its painfully cliched and unoriginal script which makes it feel programmed and destroys all the suspense elements . But Steven Berkoff makes a calmly effective villain and the film is OK fare if you're undemanding . ( )
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487,128 | 386,241 | 90,342 | 5 |
We need more Jackie and Yuen Biao .
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The script is totally incoherent ( something about a letter that could expose a criminal organization . . . don't even bother to think about it ) , and most of the comedy is lame , but the action is fast and exhilarating . Jackie has a small part and barely any dialogue in this one ; I also would have liked to see more of the gifted Yuen Biao , who has a way of making even the most amazing stunts seem effortless . Sammo Hung gets the lion's share of the fighting , and at the end he is pitted against Richard Norton , one of the most worthy villains of Jackie Chan movies . I give " Twinkle " for the comedy and for the action , so the average is .
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487,147 | 386,241 | 102,340 | 5 |
Lukewarm .
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Love Crimes tries for ambiguity , but fails to achieve it because the talentless Sean Young is unable to project any kind of emotion . Her character is supposed to be simultaneously charmed and appalled by the simultaneously seductive and sleazy Patrick Bergin ( who's quite good in his role ) , but you wouldn't know it from her narcotized performance . Couple that with an anticlimactic ending , and you'll know why this movie never found an audience . ( )
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486,002 | 386,241 | 90,264 | 5 |
Middling Bond ; Great Villain
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A View To A Kill is a big comedown for 007 after " For Your Eyes Only " and " Octopussy " . In fact , of all the Bond movies that Roger Moore made , only " The Man With The Golden Gun " is worse . At least this one has more action than " TMWTGG " - the car stunts in Paris rank with the best of the series . But John Glen's direction has no pace , no excitement ; in the first half , we spend too much time around Zorin's luxurious mansion and his stables , and in the end we get way too much footage of the mine flooding . The one saving grace of the film is Christopher Walken , who doesn't really play a Bond villain ; he plays a Walken villain , perverted and smug about it . His reaction to the information that Bond is " extremely dangerous " , and the scene where he completes the last phrase of a man ( " DEAD ! " ) and then shoots him in cold blood , are gems of acting . As for Tanya Roberts . . . sure , no acting talent , but for sheer physical beauty she is hard to surpass . ( )
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486,430 | 386,241 | 86,984 | 5 |
De Palma's career at a dead end .
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This Hitchcockian thriller isn't terrible , just disappointing . De Palma probably realized after this that he couldn't continue his career in the same path , borrowing so heavily from Hitchcock and bringing so little to the party . It's a slick movie on the surface , but the script is an uninspired " Vertigo " rip-off , plus the nudity .
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486,879 | 386,241 | 478,832 | 5 |
OK time-passer , if you accept its limitations . . . .
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This is a TV movie ; even the sequence transitions will tell you that . So you can't expect another " Basic Instinct " here : the erotic parts are tame , and the direction has little cinematic style . The movie clearly counts on its plot and its actors to maintain your interest ; the plot does , but it's nothing brilliant ( there are , after all , only two suspects for the killings ) , apart maybe from the killing method , which is indeed quite unique . The actors are clearly the best thing about " Flirting With Danger " , and provide some eye-candy ( for both sexes ) . Charisma Carpenter , one of the most uniquely beautiful actresses out there , with a smile that's at once sweet and naughty , plays the main suspect / love interest for the hero James Thomas , and Victoria Sanchez gives an appealing and believable performance as his childhood friend who may have deeper feelings for him . Despite his dilemma ( or should that be trilemma - Karen Cliché is also around , as the other suspect ) , Thomas is a lucky man - but will he live long enough to enjoy his luck ? You probably know the answer to that one , but " Flirting With Danger " is still an OK way to pass 90 minutes . ( )
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486,966 | 386,241 | 82,495 | 5 |
Strictly by-the-numbers .
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Strictly by-the-numbers , occasionally boring sequel to " Halloween " . The main element of suspense here is represented by the question " what kind of weapon is Myers going to use for his next murder ? " , but you never really see anything you haven't seen before . Even with two fair chase scenes , " Halloween II " is standard stuff . However , Pleasence is energetic and enjoyable in his role and the music ( the movie's biggest asset , and possibly the original's biggest asset , too ) is as chilling as ever .
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485,999 | 386,241 | 44,851 | 5 |
Elementary slapstick
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Abbott : " Miss McGillicuddy , you look charming today . Did you do something to your hair ? " Costello : " Yeah , she put it on her head " ! " Lost in Alaska " does have some inspired moments , and most of them are in the first half , like the " sleeping in 2-hour shifts " routine , or Costello's response to a sign that says " Use the axe only in case of fire " ( " Got a match ? " ) . But when A & C actually do get Lost in Alaska , the comedy gets largely reduced to elementary , childish slapstick ( Costello falling down on the snow a lot , etc ) . I did laugh a couple of times , but overall the film is pretty tiresome , despite its short running time . ( )
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487,310 | 386,241 | 90,180 | 5 |
Scattered good moments in an uneven film .
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To Live and Die in L . A is a very uneven film . In the first half , the story barely moves along and some uninteresting scenes run on longer than they should . The film improves in the second half , when the plot " thickens " , as they say , and has a couple of twists that lead to a shocking finale . Overall , this crime drama is somewhat cold and unmoving , despite some really good scenes ( including the widely praised car chase ) scattered here and there . Fair performances .
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487,188 | 386,241 | 74,885 | 5 |
Mildly interesting action drama
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This is a somewhat atypical role for Fred Williamson ; usually he plays a cop , or a bounty hunter , or just a general all-around badass who is always on top of every situation , but here he is a homeless , jobless Vietnam veteran who almost has to resort to eating out of garbage cans , is exploited by other people and , finally , forced to remember the killer instincts that got him a silver star in the army , when he gets involved in a war between two Mafia families ( those are rather typical ) . Despite a plodding first half , the film is mildly interesting . I mean , at least it keeps your attention until the downbeat ending - and the unbelievable , in every sense of the word , last-second " twist " . Fred , however , should NEVER do fight scenes , he just looks really clumsy in them . The cast also includes the cutie Jenny Sherman , Roddy McDowall sporting in one scene the fakest fake leg in the history of cinema , and Elliott Gould - for about 2 minutes . ( )
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485,944 | 386,241 | 82,451 | 5 |
Don't give a damn , I am the Cobra !
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Like other Enzo Castellari - Franco Nero teamings , this is a case of a routine script directed with flair . Castellari stages plenty of energetic fistfights and chases , and Franco Nero brings some of the qualities that made him a cult favorite - his humor , his athleticism , and of course his accent ( IMDB lists the language as Italian , but I think it was filmed , not dubbed , in English ) . The script , however , is strictly formula stuff ; some of the twists I guessed ( seriously , is there anyone who has watched even one Italian film before who couldn't guess the fate of Nero's innocent son ? ) , some I did not ( Sybil Danning's role turns out to be more important than it appears at first ) , but generally there is nothing here that you have not seen before . Except maybe for the scene where Nero fights a karate-chopping transvestite , but even something similar to this has happened at least once before - in the beginning of " Thunderball " . ( )
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486,316 | 386,241 | 239,948 | 5 |
Witless / Harmless .
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Steve Zahn is a funny guy . Amanda Peet is a sexy girl . And the film has energy in spades . What it lacks is wit : the humor is mostly moronic and obviously aimed at the less discriminating audiences . Despite an element of misogyny , however , the film isn't as annoying as Peet's previous " vehicle " , " Whipped " . ( )
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486,349 | 386,241 | 71,566 | 5 |
Flabby and overlong , but not without its moments .
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I saw this movie basically because I'm a Roger Moore fan , but his performance is rather rigid in this one ; you can sense that he is limited by his role . Still , even a rigid Roger Moore is livelier than many other actors . It's also a pleasure to watch Ray Milland and ( in a very brief part ) John Gielgud . But Susannah York plays the typical movie character of the daughter / granddaughter / heiress of a billionaire who hasn't had to work for a day in her life but is still unhappy because she hasn't found true love yet . . . . poor girl ! " Gold " begins and ends as a disaster film , but the flabby mid-section is taken up by the Moore-York romance . When director Peter Hunt sticks to action , the film has some good moments , like a tense and realistic fistfight inside the mine and ( at the very end ) a vicious sequence in which a man tries to run down another man with his car . ( )
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485,637 | 386,241 | 48,728 | 5 |
Mediocre Hitchcock .
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This is a minor Hitchcock thriller . Its pleasures are all on the surface . Grant and Kelly rely heavily on their great charm and they don't really put their heart into their acting ; I've seen them in other movies and they were more enjoyable . The whole movie is just too glossy for a thriller and , at the party towards the end , it almost becomes heavy-going . And the plot isn't THAT unpredictable .
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486,651 | 386,241 | 79,351 | 5 |
Below-par Hill & Spencer entry .
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The Hill & Spencer movies were never famous for their brilliant stories , but this one doesn't even make an effort . Plotless , slow-paced , boring and only occasionally amusing , it feels like a film that was made out of obligation , rather than like something that the stars and the filmmakers put their hearts in . At least with its animal-friendly messages you could say it's good for kids , but no - they'll be as bored with it as anyone else . ( )
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485,619 | 386,241 | 82,533 | 5 |
Way overrated . Nothing special .
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The Howling is a highly overrated horror movie . Apart from its great special effects , it really has little to recommend it . It isn't particularly scary , or clever , or original , and it's totally forgettable . Even its spectacular effects are often awkwardly presented , in various set-pieces that run on too long , because they are clearly designed just to showcase those effects , not to further the story . The direction is often awkward , too ; in the first 20 minutes , it's hard to know what's going on , and the fast cuts in the editing are TOO fast to have any impact . As for the cameos and the movie references , they can't save the film . Are we supposed to know what John Sayles looks like or which are the names of 1950's werewolf b-movies ?
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487,235 | 386,241 | 82,537 | 5 |
A notch above the usual slasher .
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Most of the reviews would have you believe that this is completely terrible , but actually it's not such a bad effort . It's predictable , to be sure , but directed with more skill than you'd expect , with a score that reminded me ( in a good way ) of Italian horror movies of the period , and a cute , fairly smart heroine in Janet Julian . Reports of it being " too dark " are true to a degree , but greatly exaggerated ; have you seen the much better-known " Hell Night " ? ( )
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486,330 | 386,241 | 417,251 | 5 |
Yes , I agree . He sucks
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The opening promo for this PPV promised " Triple H vs . Chris Benoit , one-on-one , NO DISTRACTIONS " . It lied . 1 ) Jonathan Coachman and Garrison Cade vs . Tajiri and Rhyno . Tajiri's fantastic kicks and Rhyno's boundless energy make this , arguably , the most enjoyable match of the night . These two RULED as a team - too bad Rhyno is no longer with the WWE . The company could use more " no bullst , down to business " guys like him . 2 ) Chris Jericho vs . Batista . An obvious mismatch . Batista applies two full nelsons ( perhaps the only wrestling holds of the match ) , delivers a powerbomb and generally dominates his opponent rather easily . The " instant replay " at the end makes the referee look totally blind . 3 ) La Resistance vs . Ric Flair and Eugene ( for the tag team title ) . Oh , look ! Mr . Woooooooooo ! and Mr . Unfunny Retard against the Stale - Gimmick - National - Anthem - Singing - Canadians . Aren't you excited ? Woooooooooo ! 0 4 ) Kane vs . Matt Hardy . No disqualifications . The match was too boring and routine to pay attention to , so I was thinking about Lita instead . Thinking how frustrating it must be for this woman to have worked so hard to be one of the very best at what she does , only to get wasted in a stupid , pathetic , insulting story like this " love triangle " . ) Randy Orton vs . Edge ( for the intercontinental title ) . Orton must be one of the best actors in the business . I like his facial expressions and his cocky attitude . I also like his simple but expertly executed submission holds . The match , however , is too long ( 30 minutes ) for what it has to offer . Mediocre most of the way , it does pick up some steam near the end . ) Victoria vs . Molly Holly . After the EXCELLENT match Victoria had with Lita only a couple of months before , in " Backlash 2004 " , this is a major disappointment . Molly Holly looks ridiculous with that wig and has no audience pull whatsoever . What's more , Victoria hurts her left shoulder for real ( I think ) in the middle of the match , and it's obvious that she is unable to perform as well as she would like to ( I still love her ) . But she does strike with an impressive ( and great-sounding ) kick for the finish . 7 ) Triple H vs . Chris Benoit ( for the heavyweight title ) . For the first 20 minutes , this was better than I expected . Mostly technical in-ring wrestling , with a particularly focused HHH performance . In the last 10 minutes it turns into a real mess , as Eugene shows up , the ref gets knocked out and a steel chair is introduced to the mix . Putting Eugene in the main event and having him play such a major role in its outcome tells a lot about how seriously the WWE takes the second " W " in its name .
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486,801 | 386,241 | 377,607 | 5 |
Definitely watchable but lacking in thrills
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I watched this movie mainly to see Erika Eleniak . The good news is that she looks more gorgeous than usual in this one . The bad news is that , although she plays a special agent of the Justice Department , she has little in the way of real action apart from running around waving a gun - she doesn't even get to kill one person ! The movie is watchable mainly thanks to its cast - in addition to Eleniak , there is a cute and likable Brigitta Dau , Kim Coates as a fairly complex villain ( he has no hesitation about killing people but at the same time he honestly loves Eleniak and doesn't want to get her hurt ) , and Stacy Keach and Erin Gray as an amusingly offbeat married couple of middle-aged assassins . But in the last 30 minutes " Caught in the Headlights " is caught by its low budget , and the action gets limited to watching all those characters endlessly running around in an abandoned mill . This stretched-out climax is definitely the weakest part of the movie . ( )
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486,415 | 386,241 | 117,723 | 5 |
Uneven , not unbearable .
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It's good-natured enough to be inoffensive , Leslie Nielsen seems to be in pretty good form and Nicollette Sheridan is an absolute knockout ! But it lacks freshness almost completely ; the material is rehashed , featuring a high amount of obviousness , and some of the references to other films ( " In The Line Of Fire " , " Pulp Fiction " ) seem extremely arbitrary . ( )
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486,448 | 386,241 | 102,159 | 5 |
Not one of the best
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Operation Scorpio is not one of the best HK action flicks you can find . The story is only mildly engaging , and at times utterly confusing . The martial arts choreography is unique and fascinating ( in one of the fights , superhuman strength is pitted against superhuman agility ; in another one , we have " scorpio-style " kung fu vs . " eel-style " kung fu ! ) , but a bit too " exaggerated " for my tastes . I'd say there is about 40 % wirework and 60 % physical skill involved , but even that percentage is still to be admired . One other thing the film lacks is star power : Chin Kar Lok is likable , but not strong enough to carry the entire film as a lead ( but that girl he rescues is incredibly lovely ) . Overall , if you just skip to the last 20 minutes and the three main fights , you won't have missed much . ( )
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487,015 | 386,241 | 106,453 | 5 |
Not as bad as you've heard .
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The courtroom scenes are moderately entertaining ( never mind the fact that this must be the most underlit courtroom in the history of movies ) , and the sadomasochistic sex scenes . . . . well , if you're into watching this kind of stuff , they may prove to be fairly entertaining as well . The problem is that these two different parts don't stick together ; the movie seems to be switching constantly from " normal-movie " mode to " porno-movie " mode , and vice versa . Thankfully , there are some good actors around to lend some credibility , particularly Joe Mantegna , Julianne Moore and Frank Langella . Madonna herself is OK , but she should have fired her hair-stylist and makeup artist , because they have done a very unflattering job on her . And someone should have fired the cinematographer too , for making the film look so murky . ( )
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486,971 | 386,241 | 78,879 | 5 |
Passable time-filler .
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This is one of those movies ( " Jaws The Revenge " was another ) that have a really low reputation , yet when you actually see them you find out that , while by no means good movies , they are at least passable time-fillers . Aside from Gert Frobe ( " Goldfinger " ) being cast as a detective , there is nothing laughable about this - also nothing exceptional . The pacing is wrong ; it doesn't stay focused on the mystery of the plot . But if you have two hours to waste . . .
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486,465 | 386,241 | 117,260 | 5 |
Gritty urban fairy-tale .
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Directed with flair and lots of authentic flavor by Larry Cohen , " Original Gangstas " / " Hot City " is still little more than a reworking of " Death Wish 3 " with an ( almost ) all-black cast . It's a strange movie : first it goes to great lengths to establish a realistic urban environment , and then undermines it with a cockamamie story that is completely un-realistic . The movie should have chosen one approach or the other . The stars are as engaging as ever ( if a bit long in the tooth ) , but Richard Roundtree's fans will be disappointed with his very minor part . ( )
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485,978 | 386,241 | 114,070 | 5 |
It won't rip or blow your mind , but it's OK .
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It's a trifle , of course , and it IS hard to know what attracted Wes Craven to such a degree that he lent it an " Executive Producer " credit , but it does have some interesting touches . The first is the compassion it shows for the " monster " . In fact , although many have made the " Alien " connection ( mainly because of the underground tunnels and shafts ) , it really plays more like a variation on the " Frankenstein " myth ; there is a scientist who wants to " play God " and a sad creature that is forced to become murderous ( and his killing method owes more than a little to Cronenberg's " Rabid " , too ) . Another interesting idea is the way all the characters are initially presented as either bland or obnoxious ( and boy are the two male teenagers obnoxious ! ) , only for most of them to reveal some redeeming side later on . And the gore fans will get some moments they can appreciate in this one , particularly an eyeball-piercing in close-up ! Lance Henriksen reportedly said that this is one of those films that " pay your alimony " , but at least he handles it like a pro and doesn't show any contempt for his audience . The film's worst part is the ending , which gets so far-fetched it's almost funny . But all-in-all " Mind Ripper " is worth one viewing . ( )
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486,623 | 386,241 | 106,475 | 5 |
Thin fun
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Brain Smasher . . . A Love Story is sort of fun to watch ( there must be about 5 or 6 laughs here and there ) and Teri Hatcher is sexy and feisty . But the script is just too thin and one-note : these evil Chinese monks want this flower that is the key to Ultimate Power , and Andrew Dice Clay , Teri Hatcher and Deborah Van Valkenburgh try to keep it away from them . That's it . The whole movie is basically an extended chase , without many plot complications : the monks catch up to the heroes , the heroes fight them off , the heroes run away , repeat . The other thing that bugged me was the inconsistency in the way these monks are presented : at certain times they seem to be invincible and almost superhuman , jumping from and to incredible heights ( these acrobatics are definitely the freshest idea of the movie ) , at other times they are bumbling , inept and useless in a fight . Oh well , I guess you can just look admiringly at Teri Hatcher and try to forgive the weaknesses . . . . Footnote : Brion James and Tim Thomerson have two very small parts as police officers . ( )
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487,534 | 386,241 | 82,923 | 5 |
Edwige Fenech's best role ( s ) ( probably )
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After years of playing the terrified target of deranged killers in gialli , or the sex-object nurse , teacher , wife , girlfriend ( like her secondary role in this movie ) , etc . , it's nice to see Edwige Fenech in a role that gives her the chance to throw punches and outsmart the villains ( not that it's very hard though , since they are all idiots ! ) . And don't worry , she still gets to show plenty of her 4-star cleavage . She is much more lively and animated here than she is in her serious films . The film has some really crude gags , but a couple of genuine laughs as well ( a sniper , aiming for Fenech , shoots a jogger in Central Park , the jogger falls down and Alvaro Vitali comments : " Wow , that guy is really out of shape ! " ) . The production values are higher than usual for an Italian sex comedy : they include location filming in New York , some fairly elaborate stunts , and even a car chase at the end . Now , if only I could track down Edwige's two other Policewoman films . . . . . ( )
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486,931 | 386,241 | 67,382 | 5 |
Only Dunaway holds this movie together .
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Playing a woman of slowly deteriorating mental health , Faye Dunaway dominates this movie . She graces it with her beauty and just about manages to keep us watching a story that's flawed and filled with implausibilities ( SPOILER : for example , how come an organization as powerful and sinister as the one the movie supposedly presents has left ONLY ONE person - and a foolish one at that - guarding the kidnapped kids ? ) . It's flatly directed , too . ( )
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487,203 | 386,241 | 94,374 | 5 |
Disappointing actioner .
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Cynthia Rothrock is a phenomenal martial-arts dynamo ( although in some scenes she is stupidly replaced by a male stunt man ) , and Yuen Biao is . . . . well , Yuen Biao , if you've seen him in even one Jackie Chan movie you already know what he can do . The sheer action involving these two almost redeems the rest of the movie . ALMOST . As film-making , it's sloppy and confusing and just plain bad . Plus , the downbeat ending leaves a bad taste in your mouth and kills any fun the viewer might have had until then . ( )
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486,755 | 386,241 | 106,418 | 5 |
Languid erotic thriller with spurts of violence
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The first half of this " country thriller " ( if I may invent a term ) is slow and languid , with an atmosphere of eroticism and barely any plot progression . In the second half the pace picks up a little , but there are too many plot contrivances . Stephen Baldwin gives a pretty bad performance here - I don't know if the popularity of the same year's " Forrest Gump " influenced his acting style , but he often makes his character look like a retard . On the other hand , Patsy Kensit and Jennifer Rubin are well-cast ; Kensit probably has the edge in sexiness thanks to her British accent ! Fans of either of the three main actors will probably enjoy this ; if you're not , you might want to keep your distance . ( )
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486,775 | 386,241 | 78,928 | 5 |
No structure , and no purpose .
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Dennis Christopher sure is convincing as a total nerd . He's so convincing , in fact , that we can barely stand watching for 90 minutes . But that's not the only problem with " California Dreaming " . It also lacks focus , and for most of its running times it just seems to be drifting from one scene to another , without seeming to know where it's going or what type of movie it's trying to be , and then ( after many stupid , leering comic scenes ) turns dramatic in the end . Well , at least there is an unusual and steamy sex scene . . . . . ( )
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487,350 | 386,241 | 78,925 | 5 |
Forgettable .
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Franco Nero is a shark hunter and treasure seeker who has a handful of allies , and also antagonists at every corner . The film has fistfights , car chases , foot chases , seaplane vs . speedboat chases and some nicely incorporated shark attacks , but no genuine urgency . The music score is very cool , but at times you get the sense that it's expected to carry along long stretches of the film by itself . And the underwater scenes slow down the pace ( inevitably ) . All in all , pretty forgettable stuff , but not bad . ( )
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485,955 | 386,241 | 109,578 | 5 |
A presentable " Face " .
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Well , it's easy to be scornful of this movie , after all it is " Part V " of a disreputable series , and Charles Bronson is so old to be playing in an action picture it's almost funny , but the fact remains that it's actually competently made , and possibly the most mean-spirited , sadistic " Death Wish " chapter of them all . Predictable and ultra-violent , but still better than parts " II " or " III " . ( )
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