Switching genres and playing the prequel game, From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter is more distinctive than the first sequel. A cod-spaghetti Western, it takes a plot nugget from history as the aged Ambrose Bierce (Michael Parks, the Sheriff killed before the credits in the first film) tangles with vampires in Mexico in 1914 en route to his mythic disappearance. After hangings, shootings, stagecoach robberies, whippings and historical footnotes, another collection of desperate characters ends up at a saloon which is recognisably the Titty Twister in its original form, the haunt of vampire queen Sonia Braga and fanged barkeep Danny Trejo (the only actor in all three films). Though it has the best storyline of the trio, it still degenerates into a compilation of horror gags in its carnage-strewn climax. On the DVD: The Hangman's Daughter comes to DVD in a great-looking 1.85:1 widescreen print which shows off the attempt made by director P J Pesce to add visual quality to a rerun of the original's plot. The only extra is a deleted snippet originally intended as an after-the-end-credits punchline.--Kim Newman
The opening scenes of The Replacements see American football team, the Washington Sentinels, in dire straits. The players have walked out in a protest over pay at a vital point in the season, forcing the Sentinels' owner to bring veteran coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) out of retirement to put together a replacement team. He assembles a group of oddballs and misfits including failed quarterback Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves), a boozing Welsh brawler (Rhys Ifans), a convicted former football pro, a deaf mute, a psychopathic ex-cop, a sumo wrestler and a kleptomaniac (Orlando Jones) who has trouble catching the ball. It is Falco's job to pull the team together and overcome his own problems to take the Sentinels to the playoffs. Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink, Grumpier Old Men) directs this variation on a losers-make-good storyline that runs like Police Academy on the playing field. Keanu plays the Steve Guttenberg role. Sandra Bullock clone Brooke Langton provides the all-too-predictable cheerleading love interest, while Rhys Ifans delivers light relief as the team's chain-smoking kicker. On the DVD: The main feature is presented in letterboxed widescreen format with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound in three languages (English, Spanish and Italian). There are optional subtitles in 20 different languages. Interactive menus are slickly designed like the yard markings on an American football field and provide access to a range of special features. As well as a theatrical trailer and commentary by director Howard Deutch, there is a 15-minute HBO special "The Making of the Replacements" hosted by Orlando Jones and a 10-minute "Actors Guide to Football" which provides a detailed look at the way the entirely authentic football sequences were planned and filmed. --Chris Campion
Deep within a forest on the US-Canadian border, two sworn enemies must work together to escape a ruthless drug cartel hell-bent on retrieving a drug shipment which went missing there.
The horror begins when telekinetic twins Seth (Gary Entin) and Jonah Trimble (Edmund Entin) use their powers to kill a handful of popular classmates by forcing them to play an involuntary game of Russian roulette. As their gruesome rampage intensifies, tormented Detective Lampkin (Orlando Jones) launches a detailed investigation into the murders that quickly points to the twins as the prime suspects. When Detective Lampkin's investigations stalls out due to a frustrating lack of evidence, his lingering grief over losing his wife in a tragic house fire that left him horribly burned finds him sinking into a deep depression. Meanwhile, the sudden appearance of pretty new student Eve (Samantha Droke) begins to drive a psychic wedge between the twins as her presence begins distracting them from the mysterious video 'project' they've been working on. After Detective Lampkin witnesses a gruesome 'accident' involving Seth and Jonah, he delves into their background and makes a shocking discovery. Just as he unearths a key piece of evidence, however, all hell breaks loose as the twins become locked in a spectacular fight to the death.
Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson yet again returns to Baltimore for inspiration with the semi-autobiographical Liberty Heights. Set in 1954, it tells the story of two young Jewish boys and their experiences of growing up in an America trying to come to terms with a changing society. The film focuses both on the sweet and innocent (the relationship between younger brother Ben and sole black student Sylvia) and the darker, more vicious side of a nation in flux. The evils of racism form a backdrop to all the intertwining plot lines--not only white against black but also widespread anti-Semitism. The young, largely unknown cast are all excellent--especially Adrien Brody and Ben Foster as the brothers and Rebecka Johnston as the quietly knowing Sylvia. Taking its cue from the great teen movies of the past, the film buzzes with the vitality of youth and of a generation on the verge of a new dawn (music plays a huge part), placing the political problems of the age in the context of adolescence to great effect. This is not Levinson's most high-profile work but certainly one of his best. On the DVD: The music of the period features heavily in the movie and dominates much of the action, so much so that it is possible to watch Liberty Heights with a music-only soundtrack. The film moves effortlessly between light and shade, both metaphorically and physically. Fair attempts have been made to provide an interesting set of extras: a gallery of interviews with the cast and director, deleted scenes and a very brief on-set documentary. --Phil Udell
Evolution (Dir. Ivan Reitman 2001): Glen Canyon Arizona the present day. The impact of a meteorite changes the life of biology teacher Dr. Ira Kane and geology teacher Harry Block from Glen Canyon Community College when he manages to take a sample. Soon he discovers a slimy blue fluid coming out of the meteorite. Shortly after he realises that cells within the meteorite evolve at an incredible rate. What appears to be a sure thing for the Nobel Prize soon develops into a nightmare: By evolving and adapting at that unbelievably fast rate the aliens start spreading out leading to destruction and the involvement of the military. Ghostbusters (Dir. Ivan Reitman 1984): When the University downsized the para-psychology department Doctors Venkman ( Bill Murray) Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Spengler (Harold Ramis) make the leap from scientist to Ghostbusters investigators and exterminators of paranormal pests! The bewitching Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) discovers her refrigerator has become a portal into the spiritual dimension our heroes then come face to face with an ancient evil force with plans to raise hell in Manhattan!
Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom star in this jaw-dropping epic about the famous siege of the ancient city of Troy.
Girl Next Door (Dir. Luke Greenfield 2004): Matthew never saw her coming...but all his friends had! Teenager Matthew's dreams come true when a former porn star moves in next door. However after falling in love with her Matthew finds out that he's going to have to do a whole lot of crazy things to keep her! This DVD boasts an 'Uncut' version of the film which includes all the bits that you couldn't get to see in the cinema! Say It Isn't So (Dir. James B. Rogers
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy