Topic: KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2010

[dfmorgan]

There is a DVD with floating around with a special set of subtitles, which almost add to the film (like one time, the subtitles are red and then dissolve within an underwater shot which also shows blood). You can find samples on YouTube. Unfortunately not all releases have them, especially the Blu-ray omitted them.

IIRC the special subtitles were part of what was known as theatrical cut but most versions available now are the international cut. I agree that Night Watch was the better film. I think I currently have 3 editions of it, the Russian DVD Nochnoi Dozor, the Fox DVD 2 disc SE with theatrical and international cuts and the Fox Blu-ray which is the international cut.

At the time there was rumor they would make a thrid film (Dusk or Twilight Watch), then based in a Western country and filmed in English. Personally I feel it's not needed and they should leave it as is. Anyway, Timur seems to busy otherwise.

Yes a third part was always meant to happen. The strange thing is that the books that these are based on, by Sergei Lukyanenko, is currently up to 4 parts but the films Night Watch and Day Watch together are based purely on the first book "The Night Watch".

Dave

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Way of War
Year: 2008
Director: John Carter
Rating: R
Length: 87 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Clarence Williams III
John Terry
Jaclyn DeSantis
Lance Reddick

Plot:
Paramilitary operative David Wolfe (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a highly trained and deadly assassin assigned to kill a notorious terrorist in the Middle East. During his mission, he stumbles upon a US government conspiracy involving the top members of the administration. Now on the run, David is determined to expose the truth before it's too late.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:

I don't want to say this was a bad movie but it was very confusing. I sort of got the point at the end but the movie was all over the place and hard to follow at times. The writer of this film must have been a philosopher as all the key characters were spouting metaphors and quoting proverbs throughout. Weird 

J.K. Simmons (is there a movie this guy hasn't been in?!) was solid and has always been a favorite. Cuba Gooding Jr. was good too... I just find it a shame that this seems to be the type of movie he has been relegated to now. That would be those straight to video, second tier action flicks that are sometimes good but mostly bad.

If you watch this, pay close attention or you will be hopelessly lost.

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Boiling Point
Year: 1992
Director: James B. Harris
Rating: R
Length: 92 Min.
Video: Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles:

Stars:
Wesley Snipes
Dennis Hopper
Lolita Davidovich
Viggo Mortensen
Seymour Cassel

Plot:
They've got guns and a deadly plan. They're killing cops and hitting the mob. A smooth-talking crime sleaze and his quick-fingered accomplice are not afraid of anyone. But they should be. They've crossed paths with Treasury Agent Jimmy Mercer (Wesley Snipes), a cop at his Boiling Point.

Snipes and Dennis Hopper turn up the heat in this tightly wound police-action manhunt. Mercer is tough, proud, married to his job...and not above stretching the law to smoke out his partner's killers. Hopper is Red, a scam artist looking for a last big score and running out of options. He'll play those options to the max. He could be playing into Mercer's hands.

Extras:
Scene Access
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

Wesley Snipes cop flick from when he was still relevant. Now he seems to be in the same boat as Cuba Gooding Jr.... even worse actually.

Good story, great action and an amazing cast that includes the late Dennis Hopper, Lolita Davidovich (schwing!), Viggo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya, Seymour Cassell and even a pre-Jigsaw Tobin Bell.

Looks like Snipes finally had a meaningful role once again in the recent Brooklyn's Finest with Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke. New Jack City remains one of my most favorite gang movies of all time and for that reason alone I hope that this might be the beginning of a rebound for him, similar to Mickey Rourke's recent resurrection. After he finishes serving his jail sentence that is... 


KC



Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Mulan
Year: 1998
Director: Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft
Rating: G
Length: 88 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Miguel Ferrer
Harvey Fierstein
Freda Foh Shen
June Foray
James Hong

Plot:
Honored with legions of critical acclaim, Disney's 36th animated masterpiece magically transforms an ancient Chinese legend into unparalleled fun and adventure that comes along but once every dynasty!

Embraced for her lovable, spirited nature, Mulan is a young girl who doesn't quite fit into her tradition-bound society. When the invading Hun army comes charging over China's Great Wall, Mulan's aging father is ordered to battle! To spare him from harm, Mulan disguises herself as a soldier with a comical, ragtag troop, led by the courageous Captain Shang. Never far away are Mulan's hilarious guardian dragon, Mushu, and lucky cricket, Cri-Kee. But Mulan will need more than razor-sharp wit to defeat the ruthless Hun leader, Shan-Yu. Only by staying true to herself will she bring victory to her country and honor to her family!

Triumphant across all fronts, including unforgettable, chart-topping music and rich Disney animation featuring a spectacular fireworks display, Mulan is in the finest tradition "a total delight!" (Time)

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Music Videos
Closed Captioned
THX

My Thoughts:

Another movie my daughter sat and watched with me although I looked over at her with about 20 minutes to go in the movie and she was sound asleep.

Has there ever been a bad Disney animated film? Such great story telling and excellent historical depiction. It's meant for kids but most adults who sit down and watch a Disney movie find themselves completely engrossed in the film. Rather surprising to see that war was the central theme in this Disney outing but it was done with children in mind and does not cross any lines. The hilarity factor is provided by Mushu the pip-squeak dragon, aka Eddie Murphy. He keeps things light and fun.

All in all another well rounded success for Disney.

Loved it!

KC

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Title:Boiling Point
Year: 1992
Director: James B. Harris
Rating: R
Length: 92 Min.
Video: Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles:

Stars:
Wesley Snipes
Dennis Hopper
Lolita Davidovich
Viggo Mortensen
Seymour Cassel

Plot:
They've got guns and a deadly plan. They're killing cops and hitting the mob. A smooth-talking crime sleaze and his quick-fingered accomplice are not afraid of anyone. But they should be. They've crossed paths with Treasury Agent Jimmy Mercer (Wesley Snipes), a cop at his Boiling Point.

Snipes and Dennis Hopper turn up the heat in this tightly wound police-action manhunt. Mercer is tough, proud, married to his job...and not above stretching the law to smoke out his partner's killers. Hopper is Red, a scam artist looking for a last big score and running out of options. He'll play those options to the max. He could be playing into Mercer's hands.

Extras:
Scene Access
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

Wesley Snipes cop flick from when he was still relevant. Now he seems to be in the same boat as Cuba Gooding Jr.... even worse actually.

Good story, great action and an amazing cast that includes the late Dennis Hopper, Lolita Davidovich (schwing!), Viggo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya, Seymour Cassell and even a pre-Jigsaw Tobin Bell.

Looks like Snipes finally had a meaningful role once again in the recent Brooklyn's Finest with Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke. New Jack City remains one of my most favorite gang movies of all time and for that reason alone I hope that this might be the beginning of a rebound for him, similar to Mickey Rourke's recent resurrection. After he finishes serving his jail sentence that is... 


KC



Rating:

I have this one in my unwatched collection. I may have to check this one out before too long.

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Fair Game
Year: 1995
Director: Andrew Sipes
Rating: R
Length: 91 Min.
Video: Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles:

Stars:
William Baldwin
Cindy Crawford
Steven Berkoff
Christopher McDonald
Miguel Sandoval

Plot:
If Kate and Max itch, the killers after them know where to scratch. If they order pizza, slip into a hotel or go online, high-tech surveillance equipment instantly pinpoints them. The killers are sure the two have met their match. It's match, all right: one to light a hell fire of retaliation.

Fair Game pairs Cindy Crawford as Miami attorney Kate McQuean and William Baldwin as homicide cop Max Kilpatrick, determined to protect Kate when she's targeted by an ex-KGB operative (Steven Berkoff) and his commandos. Producer Joel Silver and debuting director Andrew Sipes craft a blistering perpetual motion machine, frequently delivering more lam for your bam. Buckle up for thrill upon thrill.

Extras:
Scene Access
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

I watched this many moons ago and it still holds up as a decent action flick. It's your typical 'protect the beautiful witness at all costs' movie and while it presented nothing terribly original it is as good as most other similar movies.

As many directors have been want to do, they take non-actors at the height of their popularity and throw them in a movie. In this case it was Cindy Crawford. Who cares that she can't act... she's sexy with a capital S.  Soon as I pulled this movie out I immediately thought of that famous Pepsi commercial with her in it. As an added bonus, Salma Hayek and her ample bosom also make a brief but memorable appearance.

Certainly not an award winner by any stretch of the imagination but entertaining none the less.

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Bad Boys II
Year: 2003
Director: Michael Bay
Rating: R
Length: 147 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French

Stars:
Martin Lawrence
Will Smith (1968)
Jordi Molla
Gabrielle Union
Peter Stormare

Plot:
Hang on for maximum mayhem, full-on fun and the wildest chase scenes ever put on film! The action and comedy never stop when superstars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith reunite as out-of-control trash-talking buddy cops. Bullets fly, cars crash, and laughs explode as they pursue a whacked-out drug lord from the streets of Miami to the barrios of Cuba. But the real fireworks result when Lawrence discovers that playboy Smith is secretly romancing his sexy sister, Gabrielle Union (Bring it On).

Director Michael Bay (Pearl Harbor, Armageddon) and producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Carribean, Black Hawk Down) deliver a high-speed, high-octane blockbuster that will blow you away! "...Year's most action-packed and high-flying flick." (Shawn Edwards, FOX TV).

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Bonus Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Music Videos
Storyboard Comparisons
Closed Captioned
Script for selected sequences.

My Thoughts:

Bad Boys, Bad Boys... whatcha gonna do?

Great action in typical Michael Bay fashion but by mid-movie I was wishing for two different leads. Will Smith's dialogue seemed completely centered on proving how cool, how hip, how fly, how dope he is and it was starting to get annoying.

It's time to put Martin Lawrence to the acid test by putting him in a dramatic role and see if he can act outside of the pathetic, whining, goofball characters he always seems to be cast as. At least Will Smith has some range. 

KC

Rating:

[Najemikon]

Repeat viewings of Bad Boys really weakened it for me. I don't really rate it at all now. The other thing that ruined it was the sequel, which was just offensively bad.

[KinkyCyborg]

Repeat viewings of Bad Boys really weakened it for me. I don't really rate it at all now. The other thing that ruined it was the sequel, which was just offensively bad.

I agree the sequel paled in comparison to the original although the first outing still holds up well for me. Perhaps I haven't watched it as many times as you yet (2 or 3 times at the most for me I think).

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:North to Alaska
Year: 1960
Director: Henry Hathaway
Rating: NR
Length: 122 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 4.0, French: Dolby Digital: Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
John Wayne
Stewart Granger
Ernie Kovacs
Fabian
Capucine

Plot:
John Wayne and Stewart Granger strike it rich in this rousing comedy-adventure set in the heyday of the Alaskan gold rush. When prospectors Sam McCord (Wayne) and George Pratt (Granger) hit the mother lode, George asks Sam to go to Seattle and fetch his sweetheart, Jennie, but she has already married someone else. Determined to bring George a new love, Sam invites a saloon dancer (Capucine) back to Nome as Jennie's replacement.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

One of the Duke's more light-hearted movies, it plays like a 60's rom-com. Highly entertaining! I've always loved the song North To Alaska by Johnny Horton. A very young Fabian is hilarious as the lovestruck Billy Pratt.

The love interest was played by french beauty Capucine. So gorgeous! Upon reading her bio on IMDB I learned that she was great friends with another beauty, Audrey Hepburn and that she was manic-depressive her whole life, committing suicide in 1990. Pity. 

Again, not my favorite John Wayne movie but a fun watch!

KC


Rating:

[lovemunkey187]

Title:Wanted
Year: 2008
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Rating: R
Length: 110 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Audio Descriptive: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
James McAvoy
Morgan Freeman (1937)
Angelina Jolie
Terence Stamp
Thomas Kretschmann

Plot:
Wesley's (James McAvoy) life is over – his pathetic, old one, anyway... Fortunately, it is all because of a girl. Enter sizzling-hot Fox (Angelina Jolie), who crashes into his life and introduces him to the Fraternity, a secret society of assassins, led by the enigmatic Sloan (Morgan Freeman). Seems Wes's long-lost father was killed while working for the Fraternity and Wes has been selected to target the rogue member who murdered him. But before he can complete his assignment, Wes must first uncover the dark secrets behind the Fraternity in order to determine his own destiny.

Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

Movie #10 means I get to pick and I picked Wanted.

About as far fetched as a movie can get and yet it's still a slam-bang, grabastic, thrill ride of epic proportions. Death served up with a sense of humor and moments of pure comic book action.... this rates high for originality and creative kills.

Angelina Jolie, in my mind, is the only sustainable female action star out there right now. I might have thrown Uma Thurman in there too had she done more action beyond the Kill Bill movies. Any other actress I can think of have only basically done one-offs and don't really qualify. Jolie delivers a knockout punch in this movie and I suspect she will in her upcoming spy flick Salt which I hear had Tom Cruise originally cast in the lead role and they decided to (thankfully) go in a different direction. I've seen the trailer and it looks great.

James McAvoy seemed an odd choice at first as the would-be assassin as I've found him to be rather docile in his other roles but he surprised me with a good performance that I think he can sustain in upcoming sequels that I'm sure are coming.

I just bought the bluray of this so I'm looking forward to a re-watch down the road. Wanted has franchise written all over it. 

KC

Rating:

Read the graphic novel that this is loosley based on and you will see how amazing this could have been.

Although, I admit that they would've had one or two complaints by the limp wristed liberals if they had.

[KinkyCyborg]

Well, like I said I think the possibilities for sequels are endless so perhaps some of the finer aspects of the novel will come to fruition.   

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Happily N'Ever After
Year: 2007
Director: Paul J. Bolger, Yvette Kaplan
Rating: PG
Length: 87 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
George Carlin
John di Maggio
Andy Dick
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Lisa Kaplan

Plot:
Once upon a time will n'ever be the same again. Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and Jack from the Beanstalk are all about to live happily ever after when the balance between good and evil gets thrown out of whack. It's up to Cinderella - aka Ella (Sarah Michelle Gellar) - to save the day by taking on her power-hungry stepmother, Frieda (Sigourney Weaver). But this time, Ella will have to do it without her Prince Charming (Patrick Warburton) as she joins forces with an unlikely army of dwarves, fairies, and the Wizard's bumbling assistants, Mambo (Andy Dick) and Munk (Wallace Shawn). Your favorite fairy tales are turned upside down in this funny, fast-paced adventure that teaches the lesson that - no matter who you are - you have the power to affect how your story turns out!

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Interactive Games
Storyboard Comparisons
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

My daughter sat down to watch this with me but she lost interest and wandered off after about 15 minutes. It wasn't hard to see why as the dialogue was comprised almost entirely of inside jokes meant for the adult viewers, all of which was completely lost on a 4 year old. Still, I thought it was quite comical particularly the Rumpelstiltskin character. Fredia, voiced by Sigourney Weaver was masterfully done as well.

Better than I was expecting but a little too much geared towards an older audience.

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Two Weeks
Year: 2006
Director: Steve Stockman
Rating: R
Length: 99 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Sally Field
Ben Chaplin
Lauren Eliman
Julianne Nickolson
Tom Cavanagh

Plot:
Two time Academy Award Winner, Sally Field delivers a "flawless performance" ('TV Guide's Movie Guide') in this bittersweet dramatic comedy about one family's determination to stay together till the very end.
Four grown siblings return home to their terminally ill mother's house for what they think are her final days. When she hangs on, they find themselves stuck under the same roof for two difficult weeks. But as the children come to terms with their grief, they discover laughter in the midst of sorrow, love in the face of anger, and an opportunity to gain new perspectives on their own lives.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

Story of four siblings that have grown apart who return home to be with their dying mother in her final days.

Touching, funny, and sad... at times difficult to watch as you witness Sally Field brilliantly playing the unfortunate mom who is dealing with the ravages of ovarian cancer with as much dignity as she can. Meaningful to anyone who has had a loved one deal with cancer... but it will stir emotions in anyone as films of this nature often turn ones thoughts to family.

A downer, but a great movie.

KC


Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Title:Oz: The Complete Series
Year: 1997
Director: 1. The RoutineDarnell Martin, 2. Visits, Conjugal and OtherwiseNick Gomez, 3. God's Chillin'Jean de Segonzac, 4. Capital PDarnell Martin, 5. Straight LifeLesley Libman, Larry Williams, 6. To Your HealthAlan Taylor, 7. Plan BDarnell Martin, 8. A Game of CheckersJean de Segonzac
Rating: NR
Length: 451 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
1. The RoutineErnie Hudson
Terry Kinney
Harold Perrineau
Eamonn Walker

Plot:
Welcome to Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison or 'OZ'. As run by Tim McManus and overseen by Warden Leo Glynn, Em City is about prisoner rehabilitation over public retribution. No matter how hardened a criminal or killer, whether you're in for a few years or in for life, you have a role to play. Once inside, choose your friends carefully. Every group—Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans—stick close to mutual friends and terrorize mutual enemies. Don't smile. Get yourself a weapon. Stay on everybody's good side...if you can find one.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Production Notes
Music Videos
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

I can't be bothered to write a review for every TV episode I watch and will only review a season or complete series in it's entirety, doing this on a go forward basis.  Also note that I changed the picture and edited a few details above as I only took the BBcode from Season 1 in DVD Profiler.

After many long months of my wife and I trying to find the time to sit down and watch this series together, we finally finished watching the series today. The fact that it took us so long to watch the series was in no way indicative of our interest in the show... we loved it!

Raw, shocking, debasing and at times horrific, HBO delivers once again in no holds barred fashion.

The series started off a bit rough for me... the constant narration of Harold Perrineau was terribly annoying through the first several episodes, but then you get used to it, and even miss it during several episodes late in the series.

The only other real knock I had on the series is that while deaths in prison are not uncommon, the body count for this series was completely unrealistic. If ANY correctional facility in North America had the kind of homicide rate it would have been shut down ages ago.

Despite the violent nature of the show, the vulgarity and the abundance of drugs and man-love, it really is fascinating to watch.

Some of my favorite actors/characters in the series :

Eamonn Walker as Kareem Said
Lee Tergesen as Tobias Beecher
J.K. Simmons as Vern Schillinger
Christopher Meloni as Chris Keller
and
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Simon Adebisi who was so outrageous and over the top... he was iconic in his role. I was so disappointed when they killed him off at the end of Season 4.

I'd highly recommend this series to anyone who isn't overly sensitive or easily turned off by constant violence.   

On to Dexter next!

KC

Rating: