Either Dean Koontz shouldn't adapt his own bestsellers, or his 1983 novel Phantoms was a pack of horror clichés to begin with, or this movie is 15 years past its due date. What might have seemed fresh at the time of Poltergeist now feels like it was made from a derivative script with pages missing. Plagued by reckless leaps of logic, the movie starts with adequately eerie atmosphere and a perversely twisted performance by Scream 2's Liev Schreiber, but decays into a familiar hash of gross-out effects, resulting from the annihilation of a small Colorado town by an evil force known as "The Ancient Enemy". In a dreary role that insults the twilight of his distinguished career, Peter O'Toole plays a paleobiologist whose crackpot ideas have become tabloid fodder; but he holds the key to conquering the beast. Or does he? Sure enough, an obligatory coda leaves room for anticlimactic doubt. Phantoms has a few genuinely creepy highlights, including a devilish beastie resembling an angry flying scorpion, and horror fans will surely find something to admire, but everyone else is advised to proceed with caution and lowered expectations. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Oscar winning Jack Cardiff directs twisting British thriller in which a detective investigating the murder of a young woman makes a startling discovery. Veteran detective Matthews (James Booth) is determined to crack the brutal murder of a young woman. Her face has been badly battered but her body is identified by her identical twin, Delphi (Francesca Annis), towards whom Matthews feels a growing attraction. As Matthews' investigations take him deeper, he uncovers a plot to steal a priceles...
Surprisingly light-hearted and witty, Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey (based on his off-Broadway play) was one of the first films to tackle the AIDS crisis without patting itself on the back or offering everything up in a sobering movie-of-the-week scenario. The titular Jeffrey (Steven Weber) is a happy-go-lucky gay man who suddenly comes face to face with the fact that AIDS has turned sex into something "radioactive". Paranoid in the extreme, he vows to become celibate--at just about the same time that hunky Steve (The Pretender's Michael T. Weiss) saunters into his life, eyes twinkling and hormones raging. The only problem is that Steve, for all his muscles and charm, is HIV-positive, thus setting Jeffrey's deepest fears into motion. When it was written in 1995, Jeffrey struck a nerve in mining the fear that a number of gay men felt during the height of the AIDS crisis. Even just a few years later, though, Jeffrey's paranoia (what, he's never heard of condoms?) seems dated, and his behaviour more self-damaging than self-aware--basically, he needs a slap upside the head as opposed to therapy. Still, Rudnick (who went on to pen the more mainstream In and Out) is never one to pass up a witty one-liner or an opportunity to poke fun at anyone, and Jeffrey now stands as a hilarious, sometimes poignant portrait of gay single life and the perils of dating in a paranoid time. Weber's Jeffrey is simultaneously open to the possibilities of life and fearful to embrace them, and Weiss is, well... gorgeous and funny and sexy beyond belief. Still, it's Patrick Stewart, as Jeffrey's interior decorator best friend, who effortlessly steals the film with his cutting wit; in his mouth, Rudnick's lines are priceless gems. With a host of amazing cameos, including Sigourney Weaver as a conceited New Age maven, Kathy Najimy as her sad-sack follower, Christine Baranski as a high-society hostess for a roundup-themed charity dinner, and a top-form Nathan Lane as a gay priest who seems to have discovered the meaning of life--literally. --Mark Englehart, Amazon.com
The Real Story Behind American Gangster This is the true-life story of a junkie turned multimillionaire drug-lord. Mr Untouchable takes you deep inside the heroin game. With the first hand testimony of the black Godfather himself Nicky Barnes. This is an epic story of business excess greed and revenge. Nicky Barnes was the most powerful black drug kingpin in New York City history. From humble beginnings he came to dominate the heroin distribution business and make himself and his comrades rich beyond their wildest dreams. Trusted and trained by the Italians he set up his own black crime family 'The Council' a formidable drug collective. The film has secured the testimony of Nicky Barnes himself. Barnes has broken the street code and his 23-year silence to tell all in this epic American dream story. We have also interviewed former members of The Council and others in the Barnes drug Collective. This is an inside look at the heroin business from the Kingpin at the top to the dealer and user on the street.
It is difficult to know who this compilation of nominees for the 2002 BRIT Awards is aimed at. It is implausible that anybody will like everything here, and it is unbelievable that anyone possessed of rudimentary critical faculties will like more than three or four of the artists whose videos feature in this collection. Given the perennial determination of the BRITs to celebrate all that is mediocre, and the fact that 2001 was less than a vintage year by any standards, "BRIT Awards 2002" is mostly rather dismal viewing. There are a few heartening moments: Kylie Minogue releasing a decent single ("Can't Get You out of My Head") is testament more to the law of averages than her musical abilities, but the video is a small masterpiece of choreography and computer imaging. Destiny's Child and Dido also owe particular thanks to their directors, though it might reasonably be argued that the bulldozer that eventually destroys the house in which Dido simpers along to "Thank You" arrives about four minutes too late. Probably coincidentally, the best three videos (and the best three songs) are all animated affairs: Daft Punk's "Digital Love", Gorillaz' "Clint Eastwood" and Radiohead's typically baleful, and beautiful, "Pyramid Song". On the DVD: That individual tracks can be easily selected is a necessity with a compilation of this sort. The "bonus features" are barely worthy of the phrase: extremely desultory biographies of the artists, and links to the official Web sites of the BRITs and Sony. --Andrew Mueller
This is the powerful independent review of the music that changed the face of rock music for all time. Featuring fascinating in depth interviews with original founder member Nicky Simper and Purple Mark III stalwart Glenn Hughes the film draws on rare footage of Purple in concert in the studio and on the road. Also featured is behind the scenes footage of the band on tour in 1974 the first television appearances by the Mark II line up and a rare glimpse of the original Mark I line up in performance. We also hear the views of Jon Lord Ritchie Blackmore Iain Paice Ian Gillan and David Coverdale.
Malik Ali (Clayton Prince) is a high-profile defense attorney who specializes in getting guilty criminals off the hook. Five years ago Hagiwara a ninja master who was once Ali's client viciously murdered Malik's wife (Heather Hunter) and children. Haunted by the past and racked with guilt Malik spends his evenings protecting the city from evil and trying to avenge the death of his family. In his latest task to protect beautiful Tracy Allen (Carla Brothers) a witness in a case agai
Two films that capture the very essence of Punk. Released simultaneously with the definitive punk CD collection and what is without doubt the most comprehensive and most beautifully produced punk book ever published PUNK.RUDE BOY: Rude Boy takes in the mood of England circa 1978. The Clash tour an England plagued by economic decline unemployment and fascist demonstrations and play some of their best music ever.PUNK IN LONDON: Featuring The Clash and some of punks most important bands including The Adverts X-Ray Spex Subway Sect The Boomtown Rats The Jam Chelsea and the outrageous Wayne County and the Electric Chairs.
A couple Brian and Julie experience the happiness of childbirth and the lows of baby blues when Julie begins to suffer post-natal depression. Their marriage is tested further when each forms an attachment to a third party.
Created by the same people that founded the Vans Warped Tour! Chaos Tour celebrates each year's finest in screamo and hardcore music acts. Those who couldn't make it to the 2004 Chaos event (or those who want to feel the excitement all over again) can now experience its intensity from the comforts of their homes. Taste Of Chaos collects highlights from the event including performances by the bands Atreyu My Chemical Romance Opiate For the Masses Bleed the Dream U
Steven Soderbergh's contemporary comedy about life and love in 24 hours of LA life.
Romper Stomper: An utterly engrossing story of rampaging neo-Nazi skinheads that may well be one of the most disturbing films. It's intoxicating violence and willingness to suspend moral judgement on its hypnotic characters make the film complex. Emotionally powerful and never afraid to portray the ugly destructive face of ignorance and prejudice 'Romper Stomper' excites disturbs and boldly challenges the viewer. Winner of 3 Australian Institute Awards including Best Actor (Russell Crowe) film critics have hailed Romper Stomper as one of the most brilliant provocative and truly exciting motion pictures to appear on the screen. (Dir. Geoffrey Wright 1992) Assault On Precinct 13: Isolated cut off inside an abandoned police station a handful of cops and some convicts on their way to Death Row must join forces and defend themselves against the gang called Street Thunder who have taken a blood oath to destroy. From the director of Halloween and The Thing Assault On Precinct 13 combines elements of the classic western and modern thriller to create a cult favorite. (Dir. John Carpenter 1976) American Yakuza: In America they call it the Mafia. In Japan they call it Yakuza. When they meet they call it war! Viggo Mortensen and Michael Nouri star in this explosive action-thriller about the first American accepted into the savage brotherhood of Japan's criminal underworld. Sent to infiltrate the American arm of the Yakuza FBI agent Nick Davis (Mortensen) rises through the ranks of assassins and is soon adopted into the powerful Tendo crime family. His work brings him into brutal conflict with not only the Italian mob run by Dino Campanela (Nouri) and hotheaded enforcer Vic (Nicky Katt Boiler Room) but also a hard-nosed FBI task force guided by unscrupulous Agent Littman (Robert Forster Jackie Brown). Caught dead center in a war between the Yakuza the mob and the FBI Davis must decide what's more important: his old loyaltiesor his new bond of blood. (Dir. Frank Coppello 1995)
Boo Zino And The Snurks (Dir. Lenard Fritz Krawinkel and Holger Tappe 2004): German animation with featuring the voice of Captain Jean Luc-Picard! When Gaya's power stone the Dalamite is stolen by the diabolical scientist Professor N. Icely (Lander) using his vortex machine local hero Zino (Wrage) his trusted companion Boo (Mariot) the major's daughter Alanta (Watson) and the local trouble makers The Snurks are pulled into the swirling vortex as well. They awake to find themselves in a strange world filled with giants monster rats and buildings that reach into the sky. Realising they are not in Gaya anymore the group are shocked to discover that Gaya is not real but their homeland and themselves are in fact the creation of Albert Drollinger (Stewart) and have been pulled out of a TV show! Secondhand Lions (Dir. Tim McCanlies 2003): A coming-of-age story about a shy young boy sent by his irresponsible mother to spend the summer with his wealthy eccentric uncles in Texas. Neighbours think the crazy old men have a secret fortune stashed away... But what's the real truth and where's the cash? Elf (Dir. Jon Favreau 2003): After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size a man raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity. This charming fantasy is packed full of hysterically funny moments and is destined to be a future classic!
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