Set just after the 2016 U.S. presidential election, American Horror Story: Cult follows a community torn apart by a dangerous cult leader who uses fear as a weapon. AMERICAN HORROR STORY is an anthology horror drama series created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning franchise is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.
Leave it to the wildly inventive Coen brothers to concoct a fiendishly clever kidnap caper with Fargo that's simultaneously a comedy of errors, a Midwestern satire, a taut suspense thriller and a violent tale of criminal misfortune. It all begins when a hapless car salesman (played to perfection by William H. Macy) ineptly orchestrates the kidnapping of his own wife. The plan goes horribly awry in the hands of bumbling bad guys Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare (one of them being described by a local girl as "kinda funny lookin'" and "not circumcised"), and the pregnant sheriff of Brainerd, Minnesota, (played exquisitely by Frances McDormand in an Oscar-winning role) is suddenly faced with a case of multiple murders. Her investigation is laced with offbeat observations about life in the rural hinterland of Minnesota and North Dakota, and Fargo embraces its local yokels with affectionate humour. At times shocking and hilarious, this is utterly unique and distinctly American, bearing the unmistakable stamp of its inspired creators. --Jeff ShannonOn the DVD:Fargo, Special Edition presents the movie in anamorphic widescreen (16:9) with Dolby 5.1 available in a choice of English, French or Spanish. Extras include a rare 20-minute interview with the Coens and Frances McDormand, dating from the time of the movie's release, and the 27-minute retrospective documentary, "Minnesota Nice", which has more interviews with the principal cast and crew. There's a "Coen Brothers' Family Tree" listing actors who have collaborated with the duo, and an on-screen trivia track which, among other nuggets, provides a history of pancakes after Peter Stormare's character famously demands "Where is pancakes house?". Cinematographer Roger Deakins provides an intermittent commentary mostly concerned with technical issues. The text of an American Cinematographer article about Deakins and the Coens, trailers and a behind-the-scenes photo gallery complete the package. --Mark Walker
All 24 episodes from the eighth season of the spin-off crime drama starring Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J. Set in the Office of Special Projects, a crack team of government agents operating outside the military chain of command, the series follows the team as they assume false identities and utilise the most advanced technology to investigate international crimes from murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines. The episodes are: 'High-Value Target', 'Belly of the Beast', 'The Queen's Gambit', 'Black Market', 'Ghost Gun', 'Home Is Where the Heart Is', 'Crazy Train', 'Parallel Resistors', 'Glasnost', 'Sirens', 'Tidings We Bring', 'Kulinda', 'Hot Water', 'Under Siege', 'Payback', 'Old Tricks', 'Queen Pin', 'Getaway', '767', 'From Havana With Love', 'Battle Scars', 'Golden Days', 'Uncaged' and 'Unleashed'.
Take off your thinking caps and toss 'em in a corner, 'cos you won't need 'em when you're watching this deliriously dumb thriller from 1997. Bruce Willis stars as a demoted FBI agent who comes to the aid of an autistic boy whose mind holds a potentially deadly secret. It seems that by gazing on a puzzle magazine and making order out of a hidden system of numbers, the 9-year-old autistic boy (Miko Hughes) has accidentally deciphered a sophisticated top-secret government code. This makes him the prime target of the ruthless bureaucrat (Alec Baldwin, in one of his silliest roles) and Willis comes to the rescue. This formulaic thriller sets up this plot with a lot of entertaining urgency but you can't give any thought to Mercury Rising or the whole movie collapses under the weight of its own illogic and nonsense. The redeeming values are the performances of Willis, young Hughes and newcomer Kim Dickens as a woman who agrees (perhaps too easily, it seems) to aid Willis in his plot to out manoeuvre the bad guys. Mercury Rising is not a waste of time compared to other formulaic thrillers but its entertainment value depends on how much you enjoy being smarter than the movie. --Jeff Shannon
JACKIE is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). JACKIE places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband's legacy and the world of Camelot that they created and loved so well.
It's not quite as clever as it tries to be, but The Game does a tremendous job of presenting the story of a rigid control freak trapped in circumstances that are increasingly beyond his control. Michael Douglas plays a rich, divorced, and dreadful investment banker whose 48th birthday reminds him of his father's suicide at the same age. He's locked in the cage of his own misery until his rebellious younger brother (Sean Penn) presents him with a birthday invitation to play "The Game" (described as "an experiential Book of the Month Club")--a mysterious offering from a company called Consumer Recreation Services. Before he knows the game has even begun, Douglas is caught up in a series of unexplained events designed to strip him of his tenuous security and cast him into a maelstrom of chaos. How do you play a game that hasn't any rules? That's what Douglas has to figure out, and he can't always rely on his intelligence to form logic out of what's happening to him. Seemingly cast as the fall guy in a conspiracy thriller, he encounters a waitress (Deborah Unger) who may or may not be trustworthy, and nothing can be taken at face value in a world turned upside down. Douglas is great at conveying the sheer panic of his character's dilemma, and despite some lapses in credibility and an anticlimactic ending, The Game remains a thinking person's thriller that grabs and holds your attention. Thematic resonance abounds between this and Seven and Fight Club, two of the other films by The Game 's director David Fincher. -- Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
No matter how many sequels they've made or how big a hit it was in 1980, it's difficult to view the first Friday the 13th as anything but a quickie designed to cram in as many elements from horror movies that had been hits in the late 1970s--most obviously, Halloween and Carrie--while adding as little as possible to the formula. Director Sean S Cunningham has an archetypal plot at his disposal as a group of attractive, shallow teenagers out in the woods to reopen a once-cursed summer camp are murdered in manners designed to show off Tom Savini's gore effects. Kevin Bacon, killed early (arrow through the throat), is the only player who went on to have a career, and he hardly stands out from the strip-Monopoly-playing, goon-acting meat-on-the-hoof teens who fall prey to the mostly unseen murderer. That it's not a total write-off is down to a few neatly edited bits of classical suspense and, two decades on, a simmering nostalgia for a world of bouffant-haired bubbleheads in short shorts (and that's just the guys) observed by edgy subjective camera as the music hisses "kill kill kill". On the DVD: Friday the 13th may be the least worthy of all horror "classics", but it's still nice to have an edition that (unlike earlier video releases) offers a 16x9-enhanced 1.85:1 restored image and a healthy dose of extras. The hard-sell trailer gives away most of the big scares, and so should be sampled after the film. The making of the movie is covered by a 20-minute "Return to Crystal Lake" featurette and a commentary track with input from many of the creatives (Cunningham, composer Harry Manfredini, stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, writer Victor Miller). Some anecdotes get repeated, but there's a lot of solid background material. --Kim Newman
Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a shrewdly successful businessman who is accustomed to being in control of each facet of his investments and relationships. His well-ordered life undergoes a profound change however when his brother Conrad (Sean Penn) gives him an unexpected birthday gift that soon has devastating consequences. There are no rules in The Game...
An examination of the trials and tribulations of the Jordache family from the period following World War II to the late 1960s and beyond.
Few actresses have dominated the camera as powerfully as Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones. Her polished beauty plays in irresistible contrast to her title character's leonine sexuality and fluid emotions; a man can't decide from moment to moment if he wants to save her from doom, build her a castle, or never let her out of bed. Of course, that's the problem with the boys in this semi-experimental adaptation of Bizet's opera, Carmen. Straight-arrow Joe (a strapping Harry Belafonte), an obedient corporal on a southern military base during World War II, is all set to go to flight school and marry his hometown sweetie, Cindy Lou (Olga James), when his troublemaking sergeant orders him to accompany Carmen to a civilian court. In short order, Joe is swept up in Carmen's carnal anarchy and her craving for release from lousy options in life. An impulsive act of violence ensures that Joe's future is gone forever, putting Carmen in the difficult position of destroying their relationship to save him. Oscar Hammerstein II took Bizet's music in 1943 and rewrote the book and lyrics. The result is largely a smashing success with a few missteps (the bullfighter in Bizet's piece becomes a heavyweight boxer here, which breaks up a certain grace in the story) and a couple of perfect stretches (the long prelude to Carmen and Joe's first embrace, set on Carmen's hoodoo-ish home turf). Despite the fact that both Dandridge and Belafonte were singers, their vocal performances were dubbed by LeVern Hutcherson and Marilyn Horne. (Yes, it is a little disconcerting to hear another voice coming out of the more familiar Belafonte's mouth.) Otto Preminger directed with his usual eye on economy of action and production, as the numerous musical numbers tend to be shot in lengthy, single, carefully choreographed takes. The result can be a little visually static at times, but the passion behind the singing pulls everything through.--Tom Keogh
JACKIE is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). JACKIE places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband's legacy and the world of Camelot that they created and loved so well.
Three convicts - Joseph (Bogart) Albert (Aldo Ray) and Jules (Peter Ustinov) - are plotting their escape from Devil's Island. Fate intervenes when they hide out with kindly but inept Felix (Leo G. Carrol) and his family. Felix manages a store for his arrogant cousin Andre (Basil Rathbone) who makes the fatal mistake of stealing Albert's pet a poisonous snake. After resolving Felix's problems the convicts return to prison convinced that the world is much too wicked!
Petty crook Skip McCoy (Richard Widmark) has his eyes fixed on a big score. When the cocky three-time convict picks the pocketbook of unsuspecting Candy (Jean Peters) he finds a haul bigger than he could have imagined: a strip of microfilm bearing confidential U.S. secrets. Tailed by manipulative Feds and the unwitting courier's Communist puppeteers Skip and Candy find themselves in a precarious gambit that pits greed against redemption the Right versus the Reds and passion ag
Beautiful Joanna Darby (Lindsay Wagner) is haunted by a brush with drowning and her frightful journey to the gates of the afterlife. Soon after she experiences a horrifying series of narrow escapes from death through encounters with strangers who seem bent on killing her. Struggling with fear and past guilt Joanna is unsure whether she is a victim of coincidence or the target of some malicious spirits. Hoping to restore her peace of mind Joanna and her boyfriend visit Mexico where unknowingly they arrive during the annual Day of the Dead festival. Before long Joanna is nearly pulled into another violent death by a boating accident victim who grabs her on his way down. Joanna enlists her old flame Peter to help her unearth supernatural explanations for her predicament. When they discover the eerie truth Joanna must race against time to survive four more attempts on her life by walkers from the other side who want to reclaim her.
A bumper 12 disc DVD box set featuring 18 uplifting classics from the incomparable Russ Meyer! Films Comprise: 1. Vixen 2. Supervixens 3. Beneath The Valley Of The Ultravixens 4. Mondo Topless 5. Up! 6. Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill! 7. Lorna 8. Mudhoney 9. Wild Gals Of The Naked West 10. Blacksnake 11. Motorpsycho 12. Good Morning & Goodbye 13. Cherry Harry and Raquel 14. Pandora Peaks 15. Finders Keepers Lovers Weepers 16. The Immoral Mr Teas 17. Eve And The Handyman 18. Common Law Cabin
It's not quite as clever as it tries to be, but The Game does a tremendous job of presenting the story of a rigid control freak trapped in circumstances that are increasingly beyond his control. Michael Douglas plays a rich, divorced, and dreadful investment banker whose 48th birthday reminds him of his father's suicide at the same age. He's locked in the cage of his own misery until his rebellious younger brother (Sean Penn) presents him with a birthday invitation to play "The Game" (described as "an experiential Book of the Month Club")--a mysterious offering from a company called Consumer Recreation Services. Before he knows the game has even begun, Douglas is caught up in a series of unexplained events designed to strip him of his tenuous security and cast him into a maelstrom of chaos. How do you play a game that hasn't any rules? That's what Douglas has to figure out, and he can't always rely on his intelligence to form logic out of what's happening to him. Seemingly cast as the fall guy in a conspiracy thriller, he encounters a waitress (Deborah Unger) who may or may not be trustworthy, and nothing can be taken at face value in a world turned upside down. Douglas is great at conveying the sheer panic of his character's dilemma, and despite some lapses in credibility and an anticlimactic ending, The Game remains a thinking person's thriller that grabs and holds your attention. Thematic resonance abounds between this and Seven and Fight Club, two of the other films by The Game 's director David Fincher. -- Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
A 1950s romantic comedy transported into the end of the swinging 60s, For Love Of Ivy, is an intriguing snapshot of a Hollywood coming to terms with a changing world. Made in 1968, the movie fizzes with the colours of a Day-Glo world and the stark contrast between urban and suburban life at the turn of the decade. The Ivy of the title is a house maid (Abbey Lincoln) who longs to head for those bright lights and give her life more of a purpose, much to the chagrin of the dysfunctional white family that she works for, who set about matchmaking her with suave businessman Jack Parks (Poitier) in an effort to dissuade her. Although initially appearing to play to type, Poitier's character develops both darker and lighter sides as the movie (based on his own story) develops and the film becomes far more interesting when it leaves the semi-comedic scheming behind and focuses on the burgeoning relationship between the two protagonists. To be honest, much on offer here has dated-especially the dialogue-and there are a few sexual and racial howlers, but the film has a sweet heart. On the DVD : Very, very little-scene selection and biographies of Poitier, Beau Bridges and musical director Quincy Jones. Lincoln--arguably the films true star--is totally ignored. The colours and beauty of the film however are given added impact by the crispness of DVD.-Phil Udell
A Japanese man claiming to be Mr Moto of the International Police is abducted and murdered soon after disembarking from a ship at Port Said in Egypt. The real Mr Moto is already in Port Said investigating a conspiracy against the British and French governments. The dead man was his colleague impersonating him to throw the conspirators off his scent. Mr Moto recognises one of the conspirators as a British Secret Service agent and together they discover that the gang have mined the
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