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486,224 | 386,241 | 70,679 | 6 |
This one earns its " R " rating .
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Perhaps the most entertaining of the three " Shaft " films , but be warned : it's incredibly violent ! ( Shaft snaps necks , elbows , runs over people with his car , you name it ) . It's also more sexually provocative than any other mainstream release of the 70s I can think of . In other words , this is the first and only " Shaft " movie that lives up to its reputation in terms of violence and nudity . Whether or not this is a recommendation is up to you to decide . ( )
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486,953 | 386,241 | 82,406 | 6 |
A beautifully made but predictable film .
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A beautifully animated cartoon , with loving attention to detail and bright , pleasing colors . . . . but the story is overly predictable . Kids will probably like this , and adults will have a passable time , but don't expect anything in the realm of " Alladin " . . . ( )
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486,274 | 386,241 | 426,535 | 6 |
Solid , if unremarkable , murder mystery
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Not a movie that will go down in history , but if you're looking for something to keep you interested for 90 minutes , you could do a lot worse than watching " Murder at the Presidio " . It's a murder mystery set at a military base , and even though the script ( based on a true story ) gets too soap-opera-ish at times , the handling is solid in a somewhat old-fashioned way . Lou Diamond Phillips portrays the determination of his character to get to the truth convincingly ( when someone asks him " You'll find the murderers , right ? " and he responds " Yes . I will " , you believe him ) , and Victoria Pratt is fit , sweet , sexy and beautiful - very close to my perception of the ideal woman ( she may be somewhat miscast though - she looks too strong for what happens to her character at one point ) . The rest of the actors are mostly unknown , but they do the job . As does , in general , the film . Other reviewers have mentioned inaccuracies in the depiction of military life , but the majority of viewers will neither notice them , nor care . ( )
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486,788 | 386,241 | 75,683 | 6 |
Amusing , if insubstantial , French comedy
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As he had already proved in other films , Jean Paul Belmondo is possibly the closest European equivalent to Jackie Chan in terms of the stunts and acrobatics he is willing to do ( another candidate : Terence Hill ) . In " L'Animal " he is in peak form and takes some life-threatening risks ( including standing on the top of a flying bi-plane ! ) , and , playing two different characters ( a stuntman , brave but with a knack for screwing things up , and a movie star , popular , spoiled and gay ) , he shows his comic talents as well . Raquel Welch does her share of physical stuff , and , needless to say , she is a total babe . This is not a great comedy by any means , and you'll find no substance whatsoever here , but it's still enjoyable enough , especially if you like the two leads . ( )
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486,828 | 386,241 | 110,134 | 6 |
Delivers the goods - those goods you should expect at least
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Indecent Bahavior II is probably close to " as good as it gets " in the soft-core erotic thriller market . The reasons are simple : the " erotic " parts are fairly sensual and explicit , and the " thriller " ( or rather , " whodunit " ) parts , although VERY contrived , at least manage to hold enough interest in-between the erotic parts . The cast and the production values are decent . Shannon Tweed plays a Beverly Hills " sex therapist " with rather unorthodox methods ( which include hiring women to have sex with unknown men to help them with their problems ; under other circumstances such women are called " prostitutes " , but here they are known as " surrogates " ) , who becomes a murder suspect when one nosy female reporter who had tried to blackmail her turns up dead . She has two shower scenes and gets in bed with James Brolin - all to keep her fans happy ! But the best shot of the movie belongs to Rochelle Swanson ( who plays the wife of one of Tweed's patients ) : during her one night stand ( literally ) in a dark , rainy alley , she pulls back her partner's head by the hair and gives him a dominating look that is just priceless . ( )
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486,204 | 386,241 | 75,704 | 6 |
Interesting but too slowly-paced .
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An interesting but too slowly-paced metaphysical thriller . It has conviction and restraint ( both unusual for the genre ) but no real surprises . In fact , the script is mostly one-note . Hopkins is good , if not yet as expressive as he later became . Mason , as the mother , is excellent , but the little girl's performance is sometimes overdone .
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485,826 | 386,241 | 105,813 | 6 |
Overplotted but stylish .
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This interesting cop thriller has a convoluted plot that gets a bit out of hand in the second half , with improbable , needless twists added only to provoke a surprised response on the audience's part ( consider , for example , Mickey Rourke's true identity ) , but it has been stylishly directed by Roger Donaldson ( who has already shown his competence with the first-rate " No Way Out " ) and acted with restraint by the three leads ; Rourke is particularly magnetic . Samuel Jackson also has an amusing supporting role . ( )
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486,636 | 386,241 | 105,811 | 6 |
Contrived but absorbing .
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A pretty standard mystery thriller , but absorbing nonetheless . The sometimes impossibly contrived plot is chock-full of strange coincidences and red herrings , but the film is so competently and professionally made that you can ignore the script's weaknesses and enjoy the work of a director who seems to have a genuine feel for the genre . Most of the performances are also very good , giving weight to their roles and making the movie more respectable . ( )
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486,632 | 386,241 | 94,827 | 6 |
Standard , well-made thriller .
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Reasonably entertaining thriller , which maintains an intriguingly ambiguous atmosphere for at least its first hour , when you don't know who might turn out to be a villain and how the two parallel plotlines are going to merge . The director also makes good use of the N . Y locations , but the story is filled with too many coincidences and improbabilities . An early showcase for the talent of Steve Buscemi . ( )
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485,932 | 386,241 | 82,243 | 6 |
Hypnotic .
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Not quite the underrated masterpiece other people are talking about , I'm afraid . It begins well enough , with an atmospheric , out-of-this-world Tangerine Dream score and hypnotically slow direction , but the story tips its hand too early ; the basics ( if not the particulars ) of its plot become rather obvious to us well before they do to the characters . Still , this is above average for an early-80s horror film . ( )
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486,118 | 386,241 | 90,917 | 6 |
OK horror from Craven .
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A few people have said that it's an undiscovered treasure , more people have stated that it's possibly Wes Craven's worst movie ( haven't they seen " Shocker " ? ) ; I simply found it to be an OK , average horror offering that merely helps you kill two hours . The first half plays almost like a well-observed drama , but after Swanson has been " resurrected " the film becomes just too silly to work . The " infamous " basketball scene , however , is undeniably great ; you'll have to rewind the tape multiple times to get the full effect of it ! ( )
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487,578 | 386,241 | 70,819 | 6 |
Entertaining , but very minor .
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Sometimes funny , sometimes forced comedy . Segal's hugely entertaining performance helps this very minor film , and it is the real reason for you to see it . He seems to be having a great time , even after the script has run out of ideas .
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485,601 | 386,241 | 114,508 | 6 |
Kind of cool and pleasant . . . . .
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Species has a hopelessly derivative premise that makes it a completely unnecessary view for anyone who has ever seen " Alien " or " The Predator " ( or their sequels ) , but it does have some things going for it . To be short and specific : Natasha Henstridge is dreamily , extraordinarily beautiful ; the rest of the cast is distinguished , with a very cool Michael Madsen stealing the show ; the special effects are convincingly yucky ; and the pacing is fast and unrelenting , with the " search-and-destroy " team being always only one step behind the pursued alien " monster " . A forgettable film , but not nearly as bad as many reviews have suggested . ( )
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486,293 | 386,241 | 79,593 | 6 |
It's good for what it is
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To appreciate " Murder by Natural Causes " , first you have to accept its TV-movie limitations : few sets , few characters , pauses for commercial breaks , direction with no cinematic interest . The emphasis here is on the writing and the acting . The script has many clever ( but not phenomenal ) twists . The main plot device reminded me somewhat of Ira Levin's " Deathtrap " ( which was filmed three years later ) . The acting is top-of-the-line : the term " bad Hal Holbrook performance " hasn't been invented yet , as for Katharine Ross , judging from the three films I've seen her in ( " The Stepford Wives " , " The Swarm " , and this one ) , she must be one of the most underrated ( in beauty as well as talent ) actresses of the seventies . ( )
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487,028 | 386,241 | 94,761 | 6 |
Good fun .
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I haven't seen the original " Blob " , but somehow I don't think it can compare with this entertaining 1988 remake . Above-average of its type , thanks to fun characters , terrific special effects and Chuck Russell's good directing ( he had already displayed his talent with " Nightmare On Elm Street 3 " , the best film of that series ) . It deserves a rating . There is just one problem : until the final 15 minutes , it has the basic structure of a slasher film , and the Blob seems to simply represent another version of " Friday the 13th " ' s Jason .
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486,308 | 386,241 | 106,819 | 6 |
Enjoyable , if uneven
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Enemy Gold marks a turning point in Andy Sidaris ' filmography : his son Christian is sitting in the director's chair , and Dona Speir , Roberta Vasquez and Cynthia Brimhall are gone . The female lead this time is Suzi Simpson , and she is quite a find ( I wonder why Sidaris didn't use her again ) : she has a great body ( no matter what angle you look at it from ) , combined with a sweet , innocent face and a cute smile ; she is appealing in the same way that Hope Marie Carlton was , plus she fights a bit more than other Sidaris heroines . Tai Collins , as a higher-in-command agent , is another total knockout , and Julie Strain , as an assassin-for-hire , is like a mythological Amazon come to life . Looking at this woman is much better than listening to her - her delivery turns her character into camp . The pacing of the movie lags in the second half , and when it's all over you have the feeling ( as with other Sidaris movies ) that it could have been much better . But what is there on the screen is still enjoyable - some of the lines are funny and all of the women are sexy . ( )
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487,286 | 386,241 | 75,995 | 6 |
The story of a boy who prefers horses to Jenny Agutter ( if you can imagine that ! )
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This movie is never boring , that must be said . Although it runs 138 minutes , it feels more like 98 . BUT . . . . its " message " is dubious at best ( there is a difference between non-conformity and sheer paranoia ; the boy's actions are never condemned , and almost justified by the movie ) and the " devices " used by Lumet to transfer the play to the screen ( like flashbacks with an older Firth playing the six-year-old Firth , or Burton's madman-like monologues ) create an extra feeling of artificiality . Also , it would help if we could study the gradual disintegration of the boy's mind , but there is no " gradual " - he is deranged from the start . ( )
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485,664 | 386,241 | 85,627 | 6 |
At least it's not unentertaining .
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Entertainingly goofy science-fiction from Lucio Fulci . The story takes forever to get started , and the part of the film that may attract most viewers - the recreation of the gladiatorial battles of the ancient Rome - is too short . But , the effects are amusing , the sets almost psychedelic , and the decapitations plentiful ! This is a picture that I wouldn't care to see twice , but certainly one viewing is recommended . ( )
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487,166 | 386,241 | 68,281 | 6 |
Familiar but enjoyable .
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Jim Brown , the personification of coolness , is the nightclub owner who decides to avenge his brother's murder and begins a war against the local Mafia . Familiar but enjoyable , thanks largely to Brown's presence , and to some dynamic action scenes . Two interesting things : the use of wide-angle lenses during a fight scene , and a strong supporting role for the actor who was memorable as one of the two homosexual goons in " Diamonds Are Forever " . ( )
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486,932 | 386,241 | 80,360 | 6 |
Outrageous !
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Highly ambitious , pretentious horror film is packed with delirious , hallucinatory sequences that seem to try to take the viewer on an " acid trip " . Many memorable images , but the story is developed disappointingly and leads nowhere . The movie is definitely worth seeing ( at least twice ) , if only for its stunning effects , but don't expect to comprehend all the parts or to find much substance . All the actors deserve praise for their very good work here .
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486,809 | 386,241 | 97,573 | 6 |
Not bad .
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This is a slick erotic thriller with an interesting plot , lengthy sex scenes that will appeal to both men and women , and a few amusing references to Brian De Palma and Hitchcock's " The Birds " . Although it bogs down a little in the middle , and has some atrocious dialogue , it is still one of Mastorakis ' best efforts ( out of the handful I've seen ) . And it would perhaps be even better if the two main actresses had switched roles , with Shannon Tweed being the mysterious femme fatale instead , and Adrienne Sachs getting the thankless supporting part . ( )
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485,834 | 386,241 | 110,675 | 6 |
By straight-to-video standards , this is above average .
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Shannon Tweed's first attempt to change her image and become an action heroine is also one of her best films . To be more accurate , it's the best of the three or four films that I've seen her in so far . It's nothing more than a " Die Hard " clone , and Robert Davi is wasted , but the pacing never lags , the direction has energy and Tweed is fairly convincing as a kick-boxer . ( )
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487,206 | 386,241 | 106,850 | 6 |
Like a TV cop show with a little more violence ; routine script , solid cast .
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In a plot strikingly similar to that of Eastwood's " Magnum Force " , " Extreme Justice " deals with cops that take the law into their own hands and execute criminals in cold blood . The blurring of the line between law and justice , and between vigilantism and paranoia , is done here more efficiently than it was in " Magnum Force " , so the movie holds your interest , despite the routine on all other accounts script and Mark Lester's unimaginative direction . The entire male cast is solid , but Chelsea Field is unconvincing as the hotshot reporter . ( )
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486,541 | 386,241 | 106,873 | 6 |
Kind of stale now .
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This movie would have probably been much more fun if I had seen it in a theatre , back in 1993 . But in 2003 , how much relevance can parodies of " Sleeping with the Enemy " and " Fatal Attraction " possibly have ? In other words , many of the movie's most creative and then-timely gags seem just stale now . However , Armand Assante is surprisingly good in this type of comedy , and there are some funny moments scattered here and there . ( )
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487,486 | 386,241 | 102,945 | 6 |
By-the-numbers thriller is boosted by good performances .
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I think most people tend to overlook how well-done the first 20 minutes of this movie really are . Ruben carefully builds a creepy atmosphere , relying on brief glances , moments of silence and quietly expressive performances ( especially by Julia Roberts ) to help the viewer understand that , behind the image of a perfect couple , something is really wrong . Unfortunately , after Roberts escapes from her husband , the movie turns into a strictly by-the-numbers thriller , where you can predict almost every development of the script . It's a visually polished movie , though , and the very good performances give it a strong psychological center that keeps it above-average .
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487,073 | 386,241 | 50,598 | 6 |
Needed more subtlety .
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Chaplin's next-to-last film is not among his greatest ( although it's better , in my opinion , than , say , " Monsieur Verdoux " ) ; it's visually ugly and awfully unsubtle as a political satire , and the character of the brilliant , leftist kid who condemns the whole American system is absurdly conceived . But there are some ( scarce ) pretty funny moments ( Chaplin trying not to laugh is one scene that stands out ) and the movie is worth seeing anyway , because it's one of Chaplin's relatively unknown efforts . ( )
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486,331 | 386,241 | 407,301 | 6 |
Spoiler : Chris Benoit defends the title in his hometown
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This is an uneven PPV . About half of the matches are worth seeing , but the other half are barely average . 1 ) Shelton Benjamin vs . Ric Flair . Visibly fake . Benjamin has to pull his punches and receive about 50 backhand slaps . I can accept Ric Flair as a ringside interference , but putting him in the center of the ring , alone , at his age , is a joke . 2 ) Jonathan Coachman vs . Tajiri . Another joke . The only way this match could be good is if Tajiri demolished " The Coach " in three minutes , but this doesn't happen . The high-kicking " Japanese Buzzsaw " deserves better booking than this . ) Chris Jericho vs . Christian and Trish Stratus . A 2-on-1 handicap match . What could have been yet another mediocre encounter between these two men is made a little more lively by the involvement of Trish ( who even gets spanked here ! ) . Then we get a small segment / tribute to Chris Benoit , at whose hometown this PPV was shot . Nice , but it removes even the last drop of suspense about the outcome of the main event . 4 ) Victoria vs . Lita ( for the women's title ) . FANTASTIC ! ! ! This is what the word " wrestling " is all about . The match lasts only 10 minutes , but you can see more technical holds and moves in these 10 minutes than in entire PPVs . Even the camera stays mostly on the ground level to follow the action . These two women work excellently together , and - in another nice touch - there is no fake " hate " between them , only respect ( at one point , they smile and congratulate each other ) . Victoria is a terrific champion - she should be wearing the belt more often . P . S . The aftermath of this match shows how badly misused Gail Kim was in the WWE . 5 ) Randy Orton vs . Mick Foley . A no-holds-barred fight for the intercontinental title , with the Evolution banned from ringside ( yes , really ! ) . I'm not a fan of hardcore matches , but I have to admit this one delivers what it promises . Some CRAZY stuff here . if you like this sort of thing , if you don't . 6 ) The Hurricane and Rosey vs . La Resistance . Hurricane and Rosey are an interesting , unorthodox team ( one looks like a cruiserweight , the other like a sumo wrestler ) , but after about 3 minutes Eugene shows up and the commentators , the crowd and even the cameraman stop paying attention to the match . I guess Eugene was supposed to turn it into a comedy , but he turns it into a tragedy instead . until he appears , then 0 . 7 ) Kane vs . Edge . Slightly better than other Kane matches , because it's relatively short and the action is mostly confined inside the ring . By the way , is there anyone who believes that someone like Edge can defeat someone like Kane in a real fight ? 8 ) Shawn Michaels vs . Triple H vs . Chris Benoit . A triple-threat match for the heavyweight title . This is a good main event . However , that's all it is - simply " good " . Benoit does his nice submission moves , HHH tries to dominate through sheer power , and HBK plays " Sweet Chin Music " ( when he's not knocked out cold outside ) . And of course when " A " ( whoever that may be ) is about to lose to " B " , " C " interferes . In the end , the right man wins and the fans go home happy . No surprises here .
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487,216 | 386,241 | 212,235 | 6 |
Pleasant if stale horror spoof .
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As you might expect , " Shriek " is packed with throwaway gags , verbal puns , absurdist humor and pop references . As you might also expect , it runs out of steam after the first half hour or so . Almost all the film's best moments involve The Killer and his confrontations with his potential victims ; sadly , there are too many side trips that take the movie away from its basic horror-spoof line , and too many references to movies and TV shows that are not only irrelevant ( " Reservoir Dogs " , " Baywatch " ) , but often outdated as well ( " Grease " , " Home Alone " , " Christine " ) . The " Mentals " commercial , in particular , was the low point in stupidity , whereas the killer's note saying " I NO WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER " was one of the high points . ( )
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486,317 | 386,241 | 68,154 | 6 |
Better than the first . . . . for what that's worth .
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This sequel to " They Call Me Trinity " is a slight improvement on the original ; it has a couple of chuckles here and there ( like Maltin says , the " restaurant scene " is the funniest ) and a LARGE-scale final showdown between the " good guys " ( including some monks ) and the " bad guys " , but still nothing to write home about . Hill and Spencer had obviously perfected their screen personas by that point , but it's a pity nobody sat down to write them a real script ; the story in " Trinity Is Still My Name ! " meanders and tires before long . I would like to say , however , that it may be the best-dubbed movie ever ; no awkward synchronization problems are present , and those who did the voices were obviously enjoying their work . You would SWEAR it was filmed in English ! ( )
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485,875 | 386,241 | 68,152 | 6 |
Slick but empty .
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$ is a caper film typical of its era ; slickly made and photographed but cold and soulless . The first half is a series of rambling , disconnected scenes ; the second half is a long , boring chase , which is not filmed excitingly enough to sustain our interest . And there is never much tension in the movie , because the characters are too indifferent for us to really care about the development of their adventures . ( )
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487,179 | 386,241 | 85,701 | 6 |
Too choppy , too arty , but has its moments .
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This is the kind of film that you'll either admire or despise - and you'll know which category you fall into after the opening five minutes or so . Much of it is pretentiously arty and choppy , but there are some effective moments , and a literally awesome , amazing sequence : David Bowie , suffering from a rare disease that makes him age rapidly , waits for doctor Susan Sarandon , expert on such matters , to examine him ; she thinks he's a nut and ignores him ; and he gets about 30 years older within two hours . Awe-inspiring ! However , when Bowie disappears from the action , the movie goes downhill . ( )
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487,082 | 386,241 | 45,810 | 6 |
Debatable title . . .
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The title of this movie makes a point that is highly debatable - to put it kindly . I don't think that anyone in his right mind would prefer Marilyn Monroe to Jane Russell after watching them both here : Russell seems to be a more attractive woman , a better actress ( her smile is natural , Monroe's is forced ) , a sexier dancer and she plays a " normal " , likable character , while Monroe's character is appallingly lame-brained . Russell is vastly preferable , no doubt about that . As for the film , it's just a little piece of nothing , made endurable only by Russell's presence . The ironic thing is that , although there aren't enough musical numbers here for this movie to qualify as a musical , they forgot to throw in a decent plot , as well . And visually , it looks stagy and inexpensive .
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487,458 | 386,241 | 54,357 | 6 |
Great-looking film , but too wholesome .
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This is a dazzling Disney production , beautifully photographed and colorful , but the treatment of its subject ( survival on a desert island ) is overly wholesome and unrealistic . The family seems to be treating the whole situation like the perfect holiday . Even at the face of many hardships they all remain surprisingly cheerful ! And the parents have an annoying habit of calling each other " Mother " and " Father " , even when they're alone . By far the most interesting element of the film is the antagonism between the two older brothers , each trying to win the affections of the teenage girl they take along in their adventures ; it's the only part of the movie that provides some dramatic conflict . ( )
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487,096 | 386,241 | 116,531 | 6 |
Predictable comedy .
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Although it was co-written by David Zucker , this comedy is more conventional than , say , the " Naked Gun " series ; it doesn't have the same rapid-fire , relentless pacing . However , it does have a number of successful gags ( when the teacher enters the ghetto area , his car radio will play ONLY rap music ) , and , of course , the gorgeous Tia Carrere . . . . wow ! ( )
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486,551 | 386,241 | 80,166 | 6 |
Yuen Biao is awesome
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First things first : the fight scenes in " Knockabout " are plentiful and SUPERB . Some of them are staged like elaborate comic dances - Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton would probably be pleased if they could see some of the gags here . In addition to his great fighting , Yuen Biao performs many admirable acrobatic feats ( I doubt that Jackie Chan could ever do some of the stuff that Biao does here ) , and Sammo Hung moves with incredible agility for a man his size ! There is also a lot of comedy in this film , which will not be to everyone's taste , as it involves a lot of mugging and twitching ( as well as exaggerated sound effects and animal sounds ) , but there ARE some genuinely funny moments . The only problem with the film is the plodding pacing : there simply isn't enough story to support 100 minutes of running time . ( )
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486,491 | 386,241 | 97,775 | 6 |
Occasionally enjoyable Jet Li vehicle
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In " The Master " , one of his earliest and relatively little-seen flicks , Jet Li is basically placed in a fish-out-of-water situation : he comes from Hong Kong to America ( knowing only a few words of English ) to visit his old kung fu teacher , is followed everywhere by three Mexican small-time crooks who want him to teach them the martial arts , and tries to protect his teacher's shop from a gang led by a rival kung fu master . The main problem with the film is that it lacks urgency : much like the bad guy in Jackie Chan's " Thunderbolt " , the villain has no real motive for his actions apart from wanting to prove that he is " the best " . To put it in his own words : " When I finish with you , I'll go to China and beat all the kung fu teachers there ! " . But it has some pretty funny moments ( watch Jet describing his experiences on his first day in America ) , great ( if sometimes brief ) fight sequences , and even a warm message about interracial friendship and acceptance : those Mexicans may seem like silly stereotypes at first , but if you think about it , the movie shows how people can overcome the barriers of their different races and languages to work together and help each other . ( )
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485,819 | 386,241 | 75,807 | 6 |
Run-of-the-mill Disney outing .
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This one is an adequate time-filler , but , surely , it won't be hard to find many other films to watch when you just need to sit back and spend two hours painlessly . It's an uninspired , undistinguished Disney comedy , with OK performances but a predictable storyline . The brightest moments are contributed by David Niven , who gives some class to the whole production .
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485,947 | 386,241 | 63,067 | 6 |
Familiar but OK spy drama
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This is certainly not a bad film : the script maintains an air of uncertainty as to who is and who is not in the conspiracy to kill Plummer , there are some frantic fight scenes , a nice elegiac score , the performances are fine , putting in more emotion than usual for the genre , and the Goddess-like Daliah Lavi & the beautiful Camilla Sparv more than fill out the required " babe quotient " ( as I've said before , these 60's spy thrillers are almost always a sure bet if you want to see some incredibly beautiful women ) . However , there is not much here that you have not seen before . Perhaps it says something about the greatness of Hitchcock that even one of his widely considered " lesser " pictures ( " Topaz " ) is still better than this movie . ( )
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485,663 | 386,241 | 66,109 | 7 |
A few boring moments , many terrific ones .
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Although this film is difficult to follow at times ( and , reportedly , historically inaccurate , too ; I wouldn't know ) , there are still several reasons to see it : 1 ) Glenda Jackson's outstanding performance ( you won't believe that the actress we see at the final stages of the film is the same one who played Tchaikovsky's wife early on , but it is - her transformation is amazing ) . 2 ) Some truly impressive sequences ; be sure to watch this movie on tape , so you can rewind it and watch them again . 3 ) Tchaikovsky's music , of course . 4 ) Lush sets and costumes . Ken Russell is a very unpredictable director ; just when you think the film is about to start boring you , he'll give you a wonderful moment out of nowhere .
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487,088 | 386,241 | 65,054 | 7 |
Gimmicky musical .
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A spirited , energetic but perhaps overly gimmicky musical . Some of the gimmicks work , and result in highly imaginative scenes . Other gimmicks ( most of the " freeze-frame " tricks , for example ) don't work , and simply seem unnecessary and distracting . Most of the songs aren't particularly memorable , and some dance numbers , although spectacularly staged , go on too long and sometimes start looking redundant . But this musical is distinguished by its surprising amounts of substance , which make it a lot more thoughtful than you might expect . Definitely worth seeing .
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486,502 | 386,241 | 66,104 | 7 |
Probably one of Franco's best .
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She Killed In Ecstasy must be one of Jess Franco's most artistically well-made films ( I say " must be " , because the man has made almost 200 movies , so it's hard to be sure ! ) . Of course , there are scenes that make him come off as a hack ( especially those involving physical violence ) , but at least the film is not boring , and it is helped immeasurably by the mesmerizing presence of Soledad Miranda . She is almost able to convince us that a woman would go to bed with her ten minutes after she had first met her ( ! ) , or that a man would go to bed with her even though he knows she is a killer out to get him ( ! ) ; the story is still implausible , yes , but without her it would've been laughable . She is also able to suggest the rage and sorrow of her character , and indeed one thing that sets this movie apart from other revenge thrillers , such as " I Spit On Your Grave " , is that it doesn't try to justify or celebrate the heroine's vengeance ; instead , it presents an initially normal woman who seems to be getting more deranged by the minute because of her own actions . ( )
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485,725 | 386,241 | 66,053 | 7 |
Haunting .
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A fascinating story - a man haunted by his doppelganger - and Roger Moore's excellent performance ( s ) make this film worth seeing , even though it overelaborates its point somewhat ( the situation becomes clear to us long before Moore figures it out ) . Still , what we have here is an example of how a good movie can be produced on a relatively low budget , as long as it has a strong script and dependable actors . ( )
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486,545 | 386,241 | 264,429 | 7 |
Entertaining - if you watch it in the right frame of mind
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I tried to watch the first " Black Mask " a few months ago , but it was the dubbed version and I only lasted about 10 minutes . This sequel , however , was actually shot in English , so no problems there . Visually intricate and full of interesting and cool computer graphics ( loved that extending fist ! ) , it is one of the craziest and most action-packed flicks I've ever seen . Although most of the fighting involves heavy wirework and computer effects , it is easy to accept it because the movie never hides its comic-book roots . And in true comic-book tradition , the villains are more colorful and entertaining than the hero ( especially Lang and Thorn ) . Amid all this action , Tsui Hark finds room for small comic asides about " Batman " and pro wrestling . And Yuen Woo Ping hasn't lost his touch : he makes Traci Lords look like just about the best female wrestler you'll ever see , even BEFORE she is transformed into a semi-invisible chameleon . In short , if you like one or more of the following things - " Batman " , " Mortal Kombat " , " Power Rangers " , wrestling , Yuen Woo Ping and general craziness - you'll probably like the film . ( )
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487,451 | 386,241 | 73,747 | 7 |
Good , methodically paced thriller .
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I watched this film without knowing too much about it beforehand , which is the best way to get hit by its surprise revelations - so , as another reviewer suggested , don't read any reviews before seeing it , they'll probably spoil it one way or the other . It is fueled by the same fear that pervaded the " Invasion of the Body Snatchers " films - the loss of one's individuality . The director's careful , methodical pacing and his attention to detail may make the film seem slow to impatient viewers , but they pay off in some really chilling moments . Katharine Ross is extremely engaging in the lead . . . . and ( not to give anything away but ) I'll never forget the image of the woman with no eyes . ( )
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485,676 | 386,241 | 676,188 | 7 |
Hitting close to home
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Hercule Poirot doesn't feel too good this morning : a ) he has a cold , and b ) no new cases have come his way in the past few weeks . He even picks the wrong murderer in a theatrical murder mystery that his friend Captain Hastings takes him to ( though he insists that the writer of the play cheated the audience ) . But all that is about to change when a real murder happens - in an apartment just 2 floors below his own , no less ! Featuring fluid camera-work that immediately establishes the setting ( 3rd floor : the murder victim , 4th floor : the people who find the body , 5th floor : Poirot ) , a typically clever script ( when Poirot , back in form and obviously pleased with himself , says " And now , I know everything ! " , few viewers will be prepared for his revelations ) , fine acting , and even some suspense at the end AFTER the culprit has been revealed , this early entry into the Poirot series is a good solid whodunit . ( )
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485,672 | 386,241 | 676,191 | 7 |
Poirot the burglar
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A high society lady turns to Hercule Poirot for help : a secret love letter she had written in the past has fallen into the hands of a blackmailer , who now wants 20 thousand pounds to give it back to her . When that man goes to Paris for a few days , Poirot and Hastings decide on a bold course of action : they will break into his apartment and look for the letter themselves ! This is a somewhat atypical entry in the Poirot series : for the most part it appears to be a straightforward blackmail story , and Poirot does more snooping around than sleuthing . But of course there is a twist in the tale - and a quite clever one at that . There are also some pretty funny moments in this episode - when Inspector Japp finds Poirot locked in a cell , he says to a younger officer : " Nobody knows his real name , but they call him " Mad Dog " " . The climax takes place inside London's Natural History Museum . ( )
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486,036 | 386,241 | 35,279 | 7 |
With a better lead , this could've been a classic .
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An entertaining first draft for " North By Northwest " , " Saboteur " has some wonderful Hitchcockian moments ( one of the best occurs at a table , when the hero is asked by a woman who hasn't yet seen that he's wearing handcuffs , to give her a plate ; trying to do that , he also drops a knife to the floor , exposing himself even more ! ) but suffers from a poorly chosen lead ( whether he's delivering patriotic speeches , romancing Priscilla Lane , making jokes or trying to look worried , Robert Cummings is wooden ) , and from a lack of really distinct villains ( oh , there are villains , many of them , but hardly anyone has enough screen time ) . ( )
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487,558 | 386,241 | 676,179 | 7 |
The ending makes this episode
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A Chinese man arrives at a London hotel ; he has with him the map to a long-considered " lost " mine , and he has agreed to sell the map to an English bank . But the next day he doesn't turn up at the time of the meeting ; in fact , after a few hours , he turns up dead . The president of the bank asks Hercule Poirot for help . Apart from the Oriental flavor ( it's partly shot in London's Chinatown ) , and a brief look at Scotland Yard's methods in the 1930's , this is for the most part a rather trivial episode of the Poirot series . But it is saved at the end by the startling revelation of the killer's identity . Up until then , it's a out of 4 , but the last 5 minutes make it a . One of the clues is so obvious in retrospect that you may feel like hitting your head on the wall if you miss it ( and I did . . . . miss it , I mean ) .
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487,557 | 386,241 | 676,171 | 7 |
I was talking to the parrot !
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A wealthy banker disappears ; " People don't just vanish into thin air ! " , says Poirot ; Inspector Japp has a challenge for him : he bets 5 pounds that Poirot can't solve the case within one week without ever leaving his apartment ; Poirot accepts the challenge , and sends Captain Hastings out with a list of " odd " questions to collect information . Three things are most notable about this episode : a ) the " Poirot solving the mystery from his own house " gimmick , b ) the story itself , which is quite intriguing ( as usual for an Agatha Christie story , the truth is hiding in plain sight ) , c ) the little magic tricks that Poirot learns how to do by studying a book - they are amazing . I re-watched them step-by-step on the DVD , and I couldn't spot any editing tricks - it looks as if David Suchet did them himself ! ( )
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487,415 | 386,241 | 112,769 | 7 |
Masterfully directed Chabrol thriller .
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Taken as a psychological thriller , this is a marvellously well-made piece of work . Chabrol is a master of subtle storytelling , and even though you know exactly how the film will end right from the first few frames , he still manages to work up some suspense and creepiness . Taken as a " serious " social statement about class distinctions , it's a complete failure ( the supposed " target " of the film , the bourgeois family , comes off as very likable ) . So take it as a thriller , and you'll be fine . ( )
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487,444 | 386,241 | 118,548 | 7 |
Overall disappointing effort from Eastwood .
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As an actor , Eastwood still has his unique screen presence , and his glances / line readings ( " I'm fresh out ! " ) can still put a silly-yet-knowing grin on your face , especially if you're among his long-time fans . And as a director , he sure knows how to stage some tense suspense sequences . But he cannot overcome the artificial , contrived and often unconvincing plot , or its awfully unsubtle attempt at some sort of political " commentary " . Ed Harris and E . G . Marshall are standouts in a generally fine cast , but Gene Hackman isn't believable for a minute as the president . ( )
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486,808 | 386,241 | 73,784 | 7 |
With this cast , it can't miss ( completely ) .
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This predictable and formulaic Western will not blow you away with its brilliance , but it IS fun , carried along almost entirely by the strong presences of its top stars . Only Jim Kelly and his karate moves feel out of place . And it also must be mentioned that the big moment that you all ( ? ) have been waiting for , a fight between Jim Brown and Fred Williamson , does arrive in this film . . . . but the scene is terribly unrealistic-looking . ( )
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486,584 | 386,241 | 91,167 | 7 |
Perceptive comedy-drama , but not a masterpiece .
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Hannah and Her Sisters is a very good movie that , unfortunately , falls short of greatness . Alternately entertaining ( as a comedy ) and penetrating ( as a drama ) , this film has many wonderful moments , and is filled with superb dialogue . All the actors deliver first-rate performances ; Michael Cain in genuinely touching when he is trying to decide his next moves in his life , Hershey is warm and radiant and Allen himself is delightful in his role . The script is perceptive throughout ( look for the scenes when Caine shares his thoughts and plans with us ) and the main characters do have depth . The only flaw here ( and , I think , a crucial one ) is the too-tidy ending . I wouldn't have preferred a thoroughly depressing conclusion , but the way everything gets " settled " in the end was just too neat . Still , I read somewhere that the " upbeat " tone of the ending was " required " partly by the studio who made the film , so I guess this flaw is forgivable . Nevertheless , it doesn't allow this movie to become a masterpiece .
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486,322 | 386,241 | 118,745 | 7 |
Exhilarating martial arts movie
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Although the DVD cover and plot synopsis tries to promote " Bloodmoon " as a serial-killer thriller , that part of the film is the least successful one . It works much better as a " buddy movie " and a martial arts flick . Gary Daniels and Chuck Jeffreys have a surprising amount of chemistry : Jeffreys is obviously the better actor of the two , and perhaps working with him inspired Daniels to work a little on his acting as well . And Darren Shahlavi is truly spectacular as the villain - how can this guy move so fast ? The action choreography in this movie is terrific ; not one fight scene is bad , but the final showdown in particular is about as good as it gets . Do you remember Jackie Chan's fight against that deaf-mute guy at the end of " Police Story 2 " ? That's the level of combat I'm talking about . The Hong Kong influence can be clearly seen in the speed of the fighting , the occasional ( don't worry , it's very occasional ) use of wires , and the crazy , over-the-top stunts . In short , if you're a fan of the genre , " Bloodmoon " is at least worth seeing , if not owning . ( )
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485,864 | 386,241 | 95,599 | 7 |
An adequate thriller .
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Adequate mystery with lots of twists and turns . . . TOO many twists and turns , perhaps . Like some other mystery movies , this has a convoluted story that seems , after a certain point , to be adding complications for complications ' sake , regardless of how far-fetched they may be . But it's a slick , handsome production , well-acted and fairly erotic , too . ( )
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485,976 | 386,241 | 210,382 | 7 |
Underrated film by an underrated director .
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The Weight of Water ( interestingly obscure title , isn't it ? ) is not a masterpiece , and sometimes seems to be striving for a " greater meaning " that simply isn't there . However , that's no excuse for its excessively poor critical reception . Yes , the " seduction " part of the present story is a bit cliched , and the story of the past goes pretty much where you expect it ( after a point ) to go . In spite of all that , the film is able to get by on the strength of Kathryn Bigelow's direction , which is , in a word , impeccable . Every single shot is meticulously planned and - when it has to be - visually beautiful . Bigelow has already proved that she is a master of her craft when it comes to directing high-energy action sequences ; here she proves that she is equally adept at subtlety . There are facial expressions , small gestures and glances that speak volumes in this movie . Of course part of the credit for that has to go to the cast , which is mostly superb ( with the notable exception of Elizabeth Harley ) ; Catherine McCormack and Sarah Polley are the best , each one holds her own story together perfectly . The film also has stunning photography and a beautiful music score . ( )
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486,656 | 386,241 | 70,592 | 7 |
Chilling war drama , but could have been better .
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This movie has a chilling subject matter , but there are a few too many unnecessary distractions along the way , which prevent it from getting down to the heart of the story as quickly as it should . It's still worth seeing , however , especially for fans of Richard Burton , who gives a compelling performance as a man caught in a mechanism that far surpasses him and forces him to do unthinkable deeds . And all this despite the obvious fact that Burton is miscast as a German officer with a distinctly British accent . ( )
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486,784 | 386,241 | 91,532 | 7 |
Exhilarating at times ; a must-see for martial arts fans
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Magic Crystal takes an everything - but - the - kitchen - sink approach to movie-making : there is action , comedy , spy stuff ( the villains are KGB ) , exotic adventure ala Indiana Jones ( it was partly shot in Greece , and there are underground lairs full of traps ) , and science fiction ( a little boy befriends an alien creature - does that remind you of anything ? ) . The mixture of all these different genres isn't 100 % smooth , but at times it is exhilarating , particularly during the fight scenes , which are furious and ferocious . Cynthia Rothrock ( possible highlight : her Eagle Claw kung fu ) , Richard Norton ( ph : the way he handles his double sharp weapons at the end ) , Andy Lau ( ph : using an umbrella as a weapon ! ) , and the actress who plays his sister ( ph : her astonishing body-bending abilities ) are all superb in action , and there are some big laughs as well ( a man wakes up to find his hands and feet having exchanged places ! ) . IMO , any martial arts / 80's Hong Kong film fan should seek this one out . ( )
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485,982 | 386,241 | 77,945 | 7 |
Very well-made jungle adventure
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Mountain of the Cannibal God may disappoint those looking for a hardcore cannibal flick , but if you're willing to accept it as a jungle adventure with occasional doses of gore it works better . The production is colorful and polished ; this movie really looks great on DVD . Sergio Martino does a solid job with the direction ; apart from " Predator " , I don't think I've seen a film with a better sense of place during its jungle scenes . The plot has a good build-up , and even attempts a couple of twists . Ursula Andress handles her physically demanding role well ( no wonder the cannibals mistake her for a goddess ; that's what Ursula is . And did anyone else find one of the cannibal girls that were painting her up quite hot ? ) . Stacy Keach is a solid lead and has the best ( and best-delivered ) line in the film : " You never forget the taste of human flesh ! " . By the way , I watched a 97-minute version which was quite gory , but had some " extreme " scenes that others have mentioned ( bestiality ) missing . ( )
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487,581 | 386,241 | 77,921 | 7 |
Unjustly neglected .
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Like the wonderful " Omen " , this a horror film aimed strictly at thoughtful genre fans . A well-made , unjustly neglected metaphysical thriller that leads to an impressive finale , reminiscent of disaster movies .
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487,543 | 386,241 | 95,403 | 7 |
Superb action and serious Jackie !
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Police Story 2 is a movie that mostly shows Jackie Chan's serious side . His performance is relatively mature and restrained , and he allows his character to be portrayed as not only brave , smart and determined , but flawed and selfish as well ( his scene with Maggie Cheung after the fight in the playground is a key point ) . There is less slapstick and more plot than usual for a Chan movie ; less emphasis on comedy and more on action . The action sequences are superb , and that deaf-mute guy with the incredible martial-arts skills is one of the most memorable villains Jackie ever had to face ( literally : I had seen the film only once before in 1997 and I still remembered him clearly ) . ( )
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487,338 | 386,241 | 39,302 | 7 |
Unlikely plot made entertaining by sheer star power .
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This is a good example of how far sheer star power can carry a movie . The unlikely plot is riddled with coincidences that might have been unacceptable under different circumstances , but just because the leads are Bogart and Bacall , you're willing to cut it some slack . Terrific acting ( especially by Bogart , who has to act a lot with his eyes here ) , great camerawork in the first half and taut dialogue ( or maybe it's the delivery that's taut ) make " Dark Passage " an entertaining 40s thriller . ( )
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485,595 | 386,241 | 113,089 | 7 |
A lovely , forgotten little picture . . . .
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I don't know if it was a " fluke " or not ( pun intended ) , but they really made a good and worthwhile movie here . Despite some familiar " kid-movie " trappings ( actually , when you first hear the two dogs " talking " to each other you may be disappointed that yet another movie has used that gimmick , but at least the other dog is voiced by Samuel Jackson ) , this film isn't very accessible to kids ; it's very unusual , rather grim and pretty much of a downer . Older viewers , though , should appreciate the consistently interesting story , the excellent cinematography and the remarkable " performances " by the dogs ; their trainers really did a great job . ( )
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487,123 | 386,241 | 191,074 | 7 |
Compelling pulp .
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New Best Friend is a slow , pulpy but compelling mystery-thriller . It works in large part thanks to Meredith Monroe , who brings real depth to her role . Another one of its strong points is that the characters are not clearly labeled as " good " or " bad " ; you can feel the evil hanging over everything but you never know where it will come from . On the negative side , there is at least one gaping story hole ( in a flashback near the end , Kirshner's character appears to be at two different places at the same time ! ) , and Taye Diggs is miscast ( too young ) as the investigator on the case . ( )
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486,759 | 386,241 | 330,691 | 7 |
Riveting thriller - Argento is still a master
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For anyone , like me for instance , who thought that Dario Argento's previous movie , " Sleepless " , went overboard with violence , it's nice to see a more restrained Argento where the impact comes not so much from gore as from the suggestion of gore ( though there are a couple of scenes , like the close inspection of dead bodies , that are not for the squeamish , even if you know they're just mannequins ! ) . In fact , apart from not having a great actor like Max Von Sydow in its cast , I found " The Card Player " superior to " Sleepless " in nearly all respects . Argento still knows how to create suspense and play with the audience ; Stefania Rocca is a very capable lead , a REAL WOMAN , instead of some supermodel posing as a cop ; and Liam Cunningham bears a striking resemblance to Jean Reno . I would have given this film an even higher rating , if it weren't for two things : 1 ) The most obvious ( after a point ) suspect turns out to be the killer ; what happened to the good old red herrings ? 2 ) The climax walks a fine line between the suspenseful and the ludicrous , and probably falls to the side of the latter . ( )
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487,561 | 386,241 | 182,361 | 7 |
Good , not great
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Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings travel to a small seaside English town for some " restful vacation " . But that is not exactly what they get , when they meet a young woman who owns a large house near their hotel , and whose life seems to be in danger . This is a 100-minute-long episode of the Poirot series , and I'd be lying if I said that the pacing never lags - it does . At the same time , I wish the post-climax had gone on a bit longer , to allow Poirot to make some further explanations . As it stands , the plot has some unclear points ( the bullet . . . . the poisoned chocolates . . . . the cousin that was invited upon the insistence of Poirot . . . . obviously I can't go any further without spoiling things ) , and it is possible that it doesn't stand up 100 % under scrutiny . On the other hand , there's plenty to like here : the wonderful locations and production design , the exceptional acting , the cinematic direction , the small clues planted here and there ( " Oh , how I like them ! " , says Poirot ) , some laugh-out-loud moments ( the scene where Hastings tries to explain who Poirot is to Nick is a small masterpiece of writing and acting , as is the one of Inspector Japp on the beach ) . As for another reviewer's remark , " how beautiful is Polly Walker ! " , the answer is : more beautiful than words can explain . ( )
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486,473 | 386,241 | 95,454 | 7 |
Sexy and fast-moving ; better than you'd think .
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A surprisingly good little horror film . The direction and acting are clearly above average , the atmosphere is tense and subtly sexy , and Meredith Salenger is so beautiful that it's a wonder she never became a minor star . The film just gets a little silly in the end , when - possible spoiler - Pakula's witchcraft is reduced to an " Alien " - like mini-monster , but I guess that's to be expected when the special effects department is helmed by Chris Walas , the man who also designed " The Fly " ! ( )
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486,403 | 386,241 | 87,718 | 7 |
Irresistible .
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Micki + Maude is a warm , lovely little comedy , so sweet-natured and appealing that it's hard to resist . We identify completely with Dudley Moore , who honestly loves both his wives ; his behavior never seems smug or calculating . He just can't choose between them , because he cares deeply for both of them . And because of that , the movie becomes emotionally involving . Warning : this isn't the kind of comedy that will make you laugh so much you won't be able to take a breath ; it's the kind of comedy that will leave you , repeatedly , with a goofy grin on your face .
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486,621 | 386,241 | 61,107 | 7 |
Fairly absorbing but overlong .
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This fairly absorbing Hitchcock thriller just doesn't have the zest it needs to be really exciting . I think that's the major problem with it , and not the casting ( remember those actors in " Frenzy " ? ) . Some sequences ( like the way Newman gets the formula or the escape from the theatre ) are ingenious , others ( the one with the woman who needs " sponsors " ) are inexplicable .
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485,710 | 386,241 | 91,415 | 7 |
The critics hated this , but it's fun .
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Richard Franklin is a self-proclaimed Hitchcock fan ( he made " Psycho II " , after all ) , and you've got to hand it to him , " Link " is more artfully directed than the average mid-80s horror film , with some nice camera movements and some even nicer transition shots . It moves slowly , though , and some characters seem to be introduced only to pump up the body count . Elizabeth Shue , in only her second role , is admirable in the way she holds her own against the naturally scene-stealing chimpanzees . ( )
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486,444 | 386,241 | 91,427 | 7 |
One of Jackie's strangest movies - and one of his best
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The first half of " Heart of Dragon " is essentially a tearjerker ( with occasional light moments ) : Jackie Chan is a lot more serious than usual , and Sammo Hung gives an un-self-conscious and honest performance as the mentally handicapped Dodo - he is forced to do the most ridiculous things and does them without any apparent embarrassment . The second half is a rather complicated crime caper , and the stunts , fights and chases are top-notch . Sammo doesn't get to do any fighting , of course , though he takes quite a few brutal hits . Jackie is in great form , and in typical HK-cinema tradition the villains can certainly hold their own in a fight . The total result is one of Jackie's best films , because the comic , the dramatic and the action-packed moments all work on their own terms . ( )
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486,556 | 386,241 | 78,032 | 7 |
Surprising ending .
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SPOILERS SPOILERS Jack Palance plays a tough cop , modelled on Dirty Harry . He's so frustrated about the leniency of the judicial system that he decides to take the law into his own hands and become what the title implies . As these things go , this film is not bad at all . The action sequences are well-handled , the ending is surprising , and there is one small but subtle and insightful touch ( Minor Spoiler ) : when Palance kills the first villain , in cold blood , he covers his face with a handkerchief before going down the stairs , just as his victim had previously done after HE had killed a woman in cold blood . Interesting . ( )
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487,005 | 386,241 | 206,226 | 7 |
Truly off-the-wall .
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I'm not 100 % sure they knew what they were doing when they were making this film , but what they came up with is an offbeat , entertaining mess . Lauren Ambrose is cute and fun in her role ( s ) ; her performance practically makes the movie . The rest of the cast , comprised mostly of unknowns , is also likable and has conviction ( though Busch's transvestite cop is somewhat annoying ) . If you're looking for a mindless and insubstantial film that won't insult your intelligence , " Psycho Beach Party " should fill the bill . ( )
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486,453 | 386,241 | 108,558 | 7 |
Compelling thriller
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When you can feel your heart beating faster while you're watching a thriller , you know it has done its job ! Apart from some questionable plot devices ( does it really take entire MONTHS for computers in London to get a positive fingerprint match ? ) , " Interview With A Serial Killer " is a compelling thriller that makes the most of its small budget and benefits from unusual storytelling techniques and two excellent performances by Harriet Robinson and Peter Firth ; they both ( and especially the former ) look and sound like real people , not like standard movie creations . To get an idea of how good this movie really is , try comparing it with the somewhat similar American thriller " Where Sleeping Dogs Lie " , which was made one year earlier , with a larger budget and much more " name " stars , including Sharon Stone . " Interview . . . " easily comes out on top . ( )
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487,520 | 386,241 | 61,138 | 7 |
Insightful but a bit too " stylish " .
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At its core , this is a good film . Lelouch seems to have a very insightful eye for body language and ear for the tentative words two people who are slowly falling in love with each other might say ( the lunch scene is exceptional ; you completely forget that you're listening to actors ) . And Anouk Aimee is particularly luminous and beautifully enigmatic as the Woman . But sometimes the emotions tend to get overshadowed by Lelouch's insistent desire to be " stylish " and " groundbreaking " . And there are some scenes ( especially the racing ones ) that are pure filler . ( )
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486,832 | 386,241 | 56,732 | 7 |
This film deserves a good re-mastering job .
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A brilliantly conceived filmic joke , with an incredibly cynical and ironic ending . Be prepared for a lot of chatter in the first 20 minutes or so ; as soon as the premise starts working and the degeneration of the characters begins , it all becomes more involving . The video version however , as others have already noted , is of pretty poor quality , with a lot of grain and other flaws in the image and a persistent hissing on the sound . ( )
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486,524 | 386,241 | 69,895 | 7 |
A little too frantic , but a must for Romero fans .
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One of Romero's least-seen efforts , this film is well-made on a low budget , but the frenzied pacing , the documentary-type directing techniques and the unsympathetic characters leave you with nobody to root for . More cruel than bloody , and especially interesting for those who want to study Romero's career more closely , as it has both the nihilism of " Night of the Living Dead " and the strong anti-military spirit of " Day of the Dead " . Worth seeing . ( )
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485,905 | 386,241 | 74,292 | 7 |
A dynamic disaster pic .
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This is not one of those soulless , uninteresting all-star packages of the ' 70s , like " The Towering Inferno " or one of those pseudo-artsy " entertainments " like " The French Connection " ; it's a vigorously directed , tightly edited thriller that grabs you by the throat right from the opening sequence and keeps its grip throughout . Sure , it contains most of the expected disaster-movie cliches ( peculiar love-hate relationships between characters played by big stars of the era , useless supporting roles - especially Ava Gardner's - , etc . . . ) , but the directing is so efficient , and Burt Lancaster is so convincingly hateful , that you find yourself completely absorbed . In my opinion , a first-rate movie , with a spectacular finish . ( )
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486,509 | 386,241 | 69,956 | 7 |
Repellent but fascinating .
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This is often credited as " the first cannibal horror film " , although it has less to do with cannibalism than with Italian shockumentaries such as " Mondo Cane " . Viewing it is an often repellent but altogether fascinating experience - one that you will not soon forget . Umberto Lenzi's direction , which is a curious mix of skill and amateurishness , combined with the location shooting , give it a documentary-like feel that compensates for the thin and sloppily set-up plot . ( )
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486,533 | 386,241 | 83,111 | 7 |
It's the land of hospitality . . . unless you don't belong
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It starts out as an unremarkable action picture ( you've seen this type of story before , and you'll certainly see it again ) , but it becomes more engaging as it progresses , and gets really tense in the final 20 minutes or so , when the action moves to a Cajun village and Walter Hill makes full use of the contrast between the peaceful , fun-loving locals and the murderous , unrelentingly brutal ones . The actors do a good job of playing soldiers who aren't among the brightest men you'll ever meet . ( )
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486,949 | 386,241 | 109,443 | 7 |
Clever , witty comedy-mystery .
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Clean Slate is an engrossing , cleverly plotted comedy , but be warned : if you're looking for belly laughs , this isn't the film for you . It's a plot-driven film that can be categorized as a comedy only because of its light tone . With the same material and a serious approach , this could have been a great Kafka-esque thriller . Carvey is remarkably easy to identify with . ( )
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485,759 | 386,241 | 167,752 | 7 |
The Tenant meets " Rear Window " ; excellent until the last 10 minutes .
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When the build-up of a movie is as good as it is in " The 4th Floor " , the third act will almost inevitably have to be somewhat disappointing . The director , who is a first-timer to boot , does a very good job of creating a sinister , eerie atmosphere and keeping us hooked , always in doubt about who the guilty party is . Then in the last 10 minutes , it all becomes a routine slasher film , complete with half-baked plot " explanations " and a gratuitous " twist ending " . Still , for the most part this an excellent little thriller , and definitely worth your time . ( )
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485,960 | 386,241 | 87,397 | 7 |
Stylish and smart .
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Stylishly directed , very well-acted , offbeat , adult film with good , complex characterizations and a terrific music score that pushes it forward . The only problems are a certain lack of direction ( in the sense of destination and purpose ) , and some implausible scenes ( the behavior of the French woman is rather totally unrealistic ) . Still , the film is never boring and deserved better than it got from the public . ( )
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486,968 | 386,241 | 70,068 | 7 |
Surprisingly good .
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40 Carats is a surprisingly good movie . While Ullmann and Albert have little chemistry together , they nevertheless make a sweet pair , because they are both enormously appealing individually . Gene Kelly adds a few nice moments and leads a likable supporting cast . The film is slightly overlong but more mature than you might think .
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486,856 | 386,241 | 83,064 | 7 |
Arguably Burt's best .
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I haven't seen every single movie that Burt Reynolds has ever made , but this one ( which I've just finished watching , for the third time ) may very well be his best ! It suffers only from some slow stretches ; Burt perhaps tried to make it more " arty " than it should have been . On the other hand , he managed to avoid many of the usual cliches in the presentation of the " tough cop " role he plays ( notice , for example , the scene in which he attempts to kiss Rachel Ward for the first time , or the fear he expresses just before the final showdown with the indestructible Henry Silva ) . In fact , Silva and those two ninja assassins are three of the most memorable villains of cop thrillers of the 80s . The film also has some offbeat touches , a surprising amount of humor , a brutal and gripping fistfight and many well-directed shots . ( )
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486,463 | 386,241 | 22,395 | 7 |
Not typical Hitchcock , but not bad .
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Technical crudities , print / sound deficiencies and dated acting styles taken into consideration , " Skin Game " still has innovative ( for the time ) camera techniques and thematic ambiguity ( who is right and who is wrong ? Who are the true villains of the story ? ) and is generally better than other , more " typical " Hitchcock films of the period , like " Murder ! " from 1930 . Edmund Gwenn is terrific and Phyllis Constam is quite sexy . ( )
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486,617 | 386,241 | 57,076 | 7 |
Top-notch .
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By no means a great movie , but a top-notch BOND movie . Connery isn't yet as entertaining as he later became ( especially in " Thunderball " ) , but he is certainly more confident and likable than he was in " ' Dr . No " . This is probably the only GENUINE spy movie in the series , and it contains ( in my opinion ) the best-sustained sequence of all the Bonds ( the Connery-Shaw fight and the 15 minutes leading to it ) . Unfortunately , the two following climaxes ( especially the boat chase ) can't approach the same level of quality . It's still above-average .
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486,838 | 386,241 | 91,670 | 7 |
For patients viewers only .
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Tarkovsky's final film has a very contemplative , sedate tone ; the characters are liable to open philosophical discussions or talk about their memories from the dim , dim past at the oddest moments . The " plot " is very vague and , despite the terrifying premise of a nuclear holocaust , there is almost no urgency . Where the film excels is in its camerawork : the movements of the camera are so fluid and so " soft " , that you'll often get from a very long shot to a close-up of a person without even noticing it . Some people have called it a masterpiece ; such an opinion is understandable , even if I don't agree with it . ( )
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487,140 | 386,241 | 91,671 | 7 |
Surprisingly good .
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This four-part horror anthology was definitely better than I expected - I gave it a , when before viewing it I was hoping for a 5 at best . Its main strength is its wonderful unpredictability ; at least two of the stories ( the second and the third ) demonstrate very good scripting . The first episode , an illogical story of paranoia and necrophilia , is the weakest , but then the ( twisted ) fun begins ! A surprisingly successful effort , if perhaps too gruesome and unpleasant to be recommended without some hesitation .
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487,125 | 386,241 | 286,635 | 7 |
Style over substance .
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Fulltime Killer is not quite as good as John Woo's ( just plain ) " Killer " . The super-stylish direction catches your attention , and the flashbacks and changes of focus among the four main characters are confidently and successfully integrated into the narrative . Also all the performances are good . But if you're looking for any qualities like originality , substance or realism you've come to the wrong place . ( )
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487,542 | 386,241 | 104,558 | 7 |
Top-notch Jackie , despite its minor flaws
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Though this is billed as the official third entry in the " Police Story " series , it doesn't really feel like a part of it . The higher production values and the rapid changes of international locations give it an almost Bondian feel . The comedy has been touched-up a bit from the previous entry , and it is actually frequently funny ( unlike , for example , the comedy in " Twin Dragons " or the " Lucky Stars " films ) . The action sequences - from the ( literally ) death-defying stunts to the dizzyingly fast fight scenes - are incredible . The plot is much stronger than usual for a Chan film , though sometimes it collapses into chaos ( particularly in the massacre after the meeting of the drug lords , where it's hard to know who's killing whom , or why ) . Michelle Yeoh cannot quite match Jackie in the comedy department - she doesn't have his facial expressions or comic timing - but she more than matches him in the action scenes , and she shows off some fantastic moves . The version I saw was ( acceptably ) dubbed , but thankfully did not include the rap soundtrack that others mention . ( )
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486,413 | 386,241 | 96,071 | 7 |
Entertaining and frightening enough .
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At times genuinely frightening thriller , full of hallucinatory andimaginative visuals , strongly supported by good performances , a fine sense of place and an original , intriguing , thought-provoking script . It suffers only from a rather weak - and protracted - finale . ( )
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486,753 | 386,241 | 113,153 | 7 |
Uneven , but worth the effort
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Much of " My Father Is A Hero " is heavy-going , downbeat and melodramatic ; on the other hand , the final fight scene alone is almost worth the price of admission . Jet Li has some powerful acting moments in this film ( like the scene where he realizes that his wife has just died and has all those recollections of her , but has to keep his cool so as not to expose his identity to the crime boss ) , and his bond with his son is moving . A surprisingly flexible Anita Mui has a couple of crisp fight scenes as well , but the show is pretty much stolen by the little boy who plays Jet's son , and who doesn't just kid around - he shows really spectacular kung fu skills . On the whole , it does take some effort on the viewer's part to stick with this film , but ultimately it's worth it . ( )
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486,329 | 386,241 | 428,031 | 7 |
A stratusfying enough package , but it could have been even better
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I expected the main feature to be the weakest part of this DVD and the extras to be the strongest , but it was the other way around . " Trish Revealed " is an entertaining , informative and well-paced hour-long documentary on Trish's life and career up to 2003 . It begins from her childhood , goes to her years in the medical school and her early steps as a fitness model and traces her career in the WWE , from a teasing piece of T & A to a " comic relief " catfighter ( with Stephanie McMahon ) to a legitimate wrestler to an international superstar . It also examines things like her main feuds with her fellow divas and her relationship with her fans . My main complaint about this disc is that it doesn't include enough bonus matches . There are only four , and only three of those are real matches . In detail : 1 ) Mud Match vs . Stacy Keibler ( on Raw ) . OK , this sounds good . It isn't . It lasts about 2 minutes and it's mostly just splashing around in the mud . The women get so covered in it you can't even tell them apart ! 0 2 ) Chicago Street Fight vs . Victoria ( on Raw ) . This also sounds good , but it's much too brief ( about 5 minutes ) . Some solid hits by both women with trash can lids and the like , but the match is not given enough time to develop the intensity it could have . 3 ) Triple Threat Match vs . Victoria vs . Jazz ( for the title , from Wrestlemania XIX ) . Very entertaining , and more of an actual TRIPLE threat than most such matches , but also too brief . Victoria , who was in her " psycho " mode then , steals the show ; her " shoulder tic " is brilliant and her outfit ROCKS . 4 ) Title Match vs . Jazz ( from Insurrextion 2003 ) . This is a mediocre match , but Trish puts in a good performance . Her escape from Jazz's boston crab alone makes it worth watching . In the rest of the extras , the standouts are the " Home Tour " ( wow ! nice home ! ) and the " Diva of the Decade " ( nostalgic clips of older divas - and check out Lita's reaction when HBK announces the winner ! ) . Most of the other stuff ( " Babe of the Year " photo shoots , Summerslam commercial ) is rather trivial ( just for the record , I find Trish's looks a little overrated ; she's not quite as hot as , say , Torrie Wilson ) . And there are some things ( like the " Much Music Awards " segment , with Trish and Chris Jericho opening up two bags full of presents ) that are just a waste of time ( as Jericho himself points out repeatedly in that one ) . All in all , I wouldn't recommend buying this DVD without watching it first , unless you're a very dedicated fan of Trish .
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487,213 | 386,241 | 171,546 | 7 |
Mediocre whodunit with a marvelous Gene Wilder performance .
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In a mostly straight role , with only occasional moments of humor , Gene Wilder is surprisingly good ; his warm and insightful theatrical director / amateur sleuth is like a more humane Hercules Poirot . The film is well-cast right down the line and has a reasonably intricate plot , but it suffers from the usual limitations of most TV productions , including bland cinematography and slow pacing . Enjoyable overall , but mediocre . ( )
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486,055 | 386,241 | 65,761 | 7 |
Brilliant camera work & editing , intricate and complex plot , draggy pacing
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Dario Argento has often been called " The Italian Hitchcock " , but there are moments in this chilling giallo where he surpasses even the master ; the weird camera angles , the momentary flashbacks and flash-forwards , the closeups of the killer's blinking eye , the POV shots . . . after seeing this film , one is likely to call Brian De Palma " The American Argento " . But what separates " The Cat O'Nine Tails " from other Argento films is that it's more plot-driven than gore-driven ; in fact , the plot of this film has everything I want in a mystery : it's always one step ahead of you , has lots of red herrings , and holds up logically ( by giallo standards ) even on a second viewing . The problem with the film is the same one Argento had with some of his other giallos : he can't keep his pace from occasionally getting bogged down . He delays the revelation of the killer so much in this one , that at one point I was afraid the film would end and he STILL would not tell us who it was ! After the killer is revealed , however , the director holds a special fate for him / her . . . . ouch , that MUST have hurt ! Finally , the movie is very well-dubbed ; you can barely tell it was not filmed in English . ( )
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486,510 | 386,241 | 100,486 | 7 |
Fascinating but ultimately pointless puzzle of a movie .
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Reversal of Fortune is a fascinating study of the " relativity " of truth , of the way certain events can be seen and judged from many different perspectives . At the same time , there is a certain pointlessness and even redundancy about a movie whose ultimate message seems to be " you can never know the absolute truth " . After all , didn't we all know that before we sat down to watch the movie in the first place ? It does keep your interest , make no mistake about that , but it is rather cold and distant ( as is , intentionally , Jeremy Irons ' performance ) , and not as emotionally gripping as it should have been . ( )
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486,239 | 386,241 | 87,262 | 7 |
Above-average .
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Good special effects and a great cast make this film above-average , as Stephen King adaptations go ( well , it's certainly better than " Maximum Overdrive " ) . The story may be a bit predictable , partly because King had visited similar territory before ( " Carrie " , anyone ? ) , but you have to admire the way the film puts you into the action right from the start , omitting any slow introductions , and George C . Scott is such a strong , perverse and eccentric villain that you can't help watching him . ( )
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486,371 | 386,241 | 109,266 | 7 |
An interesting experiment .
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Bleak look at the life of the less-privileged in contemporary Los Angeles . Darling Narita is utterly believable as the unemployed , homeless actress who gets to be a " cop " for a day , and the dialogue , situations and general flow of the film have a definite ring of authenticity ( you will never say to yourself " no , this couldn't happen " ) . The director's documentary-like technique draws you into the film ; on the other hand , it doesn't give you too many insights into the characters . Ultimately , the film comes to a dead end - like its heroine , it has nowhere to go . ( )
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486,258 | 386,241 | 69,732 | 7 |
Bizarre is putting it mildly .
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Arnold may be the most active corpse in the history of movies ( we're not talking about zombies here ) . There he is , lying in his casket throughout the movie , and yet his presence dominates the world of the living , and his sardonic smile makes him look pretty darn alive . This highly original horror comedy has a morbid sense of humor and will keep you guessing all the way , but ultimately has one twist too many , becoming excessively illogical by the end . It's still recommended , perhaps as a double feature with " Terror In The Wax Museum " , another 1973 film by the same director , with many of the same stars , with even the same " they never set foot outside the studio " feeling . ( )
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