Topic: KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2011

[KinkyCyborg]

Lone Star State Of Mind



Title:Lone Star State of Mind
Year: 2002
Director: David Semel
Rating: PG-13
Length: 88 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai

Stars:
Joshua Jackson
James King
Matthew Davis
Ryan Hurst
John Mellencamp

Plot:
Joshua Jackson (The Skulls, TV's "Dawson's Creek") and Jamie King (Pearl Harbor) star in a hysterically rowdy look at small-town life and big-time trouble... deep in the heart of Texas. Also starring DJ Qualls (The New Guy, Road Trip), Matthew Davis (Blue Crush), Ryan Hurst (We Were Soldiers, Remember the Titans) and recording artist John Mellencamp (Falling From Grace).

With a couple grand in the bank and a dream in their hearts, Earl Crest (Jackson) and his girlfriend Baby (King) plan their escape to Los Angeles from their hometown of Bennett, Texas. But a dim-witted cousin (Qualls), an ex-con and an angry drug lord threaten to derail their plans. Now, with just 48 hours to straighten things out, Earl finds himself in the middle of a mess - bigger than the entire state of Texas!

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

Here's another I got of SwitchPlanet that I had little expectations from but it turned out to be a hilarious comedy about small town living.

Bennett, Texas sets the scene of a young couple, Earl & Baby played by Joshua Jackson & Jamie King who dream of getting out of the dead-end town and head for Los Angeles. A series of unfortunate but uproarious events threaten to delay their departure.

While this does get to be a little too silly near the end, there are many laugh out loud moments that more than make up for it. Dj Qualls & Ryan Hurst as the ex-con Tinker are comic genius as the conniving dimwits who stir up trouble for everyone. I've yet to watch a comedy with DJ Qualls that he didn't make me laugh. Ryan Hurst, whom I've never heard of, is way over the top but in all the right ways, stealing scene after scene.

Some interesting bit parts for both John Cougar Mellencamp and Thomas Hayden Church as well round out a great cast.

For a movie I knew little about I was pleasantly surprised as this movie will get more viewings down the road I'm sure. 

KC


Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Man Trouble



Title:Man Trouble
Year: 1992
Director: Bob Rafelson
Rating: PG-13
Length: 100 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Jack Nicholson
Ellen Barkin
Harry Dean Stanton
Beverly D'Angelo
Michael McKean

Plot:
In this wild, romantic comedy with a decidedly offbeat sense of humor, JACK NICHOLSON stars as Harry, a wisecracking con-man who owns a guard dog agency. When Joan (ELLEN BARKIN), an opera singer, seeks his aid after her house is broken into, Harry inadvertently makes them the target of hit men – and puts them at the mercy of Harry's out-of-control canines. HARRY DEAN STANTON as a less-than-honorable businessman and BEVERLY D'ANGELO as Joan's eccentric sister also star.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:

Offbeat romantic comedy with Jack Nicholson that is pretty much a carbon copy of a half dozen other of his movies. Story of a mostly sleazy, womanizing individual who loses control of all the balls he has in the air which include women, lies, debts et al.

This time Ellen Barkin and her 'smile gone awry' plays the leading lady. You know you have stretched even the boundaries of fiction when you cast Ellen Barkin as an opera singer.  While her voice was a wee bit softer in this early role of hers you still can't miss the huskiness of it which all but necessitated a voice over during the singing scenes.

Classic case of been there done that. Even for 1992 Nicholson sure does look old and tired.

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Island In The Sky




Title:Island In the Sky
Year: 1953
Director: William A. Wellman
Rating: NR
Length: 110 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles: English

Stars:
John Wayne
Lloyd Nolan
Walter Abel
James Arness
Andy Devine

Plot:
The frozen, unforgiving terrain of subarctic Canada is the setting as screen giant JOHN WAYNE heads an all-star cast in this meticulously restored adventure drama. Set after World War II, Wayne plays Dooley, a former army pilot flying transport missions, who is forced to crash-land his fuel-starved plane on a frozen lake after it strays from its course. A desparate game of survival begins as Dooley and his men confront a meager food supply, limited shelter, inadequate clothing, a primitive emergency radio transmitter and an impending arctic storm. Meanwhile, Dooley's fellow pilots and their crews launch a seemingly overwhelming air search of the bleak, uncharted landscape - grimly realizing that the rescue of the missing men diminishes with each tick of the clock. LLOYD NOLAN, WALTER ABEL, JAMES ARNESS, ANDY DEVINE and HARRY CARRY, JR. also star in this engrossing tale of bravery, hope and survival of the human spirit.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

True story about a transport plane that goes down in the frozen tundra of then uncharted Northern Quebec and the fight for survival of it's 5 crew.

First time watching this and it was a refreshing change of pace for John Wayne in a performance that was rather astonishing in contrast to the roles we are used to seeing him in. The Duke will always be remembered for the confidence and swagger of his many western persona throughout his career but as the Corsair's pilot, Dooley, we see a man clearly showing his fear and despair as he tries to keep the spirits up of his men while waiting for rescue. Next to True Grit, I think this is one of his finest performances.

I could not help but think of this as an earlier, dated version of the movie Alive, both films demonstrating hope that sometimes wavered but was never given up on. The difference between the two films is the men in Island In The Sky showed much more restraint when it came time to eat.... 

I spotted Carl Switzer in this, better known as Alfalfa from the little rascals, still covered with freckles and just as sheepishly goofy as he was when he was a kid. 

Great movie that I highly recommend!

KC

Rating:

[Achim]

I spotted Carl Switzer in this, better known as Alfalfa from the little rascals, still covered with freckles and just as sheepishly goofy as he was when he was a kid.

That makes me want to see it...

Is Full Frame the proper AR though...?

[hal9g]

Is Full Frame the proper AR though...?

Unfortunately, yes!  However, it is also the OAR.

[KinkyCyborg]

I was also bummed to discover that this only received a Full Screen release. I do still have some Full Screen movies in my collection that I have slowly been replacing with WS editions but I'm afraid there is no alternative for this movie.   

[KinkyCyborg]

The Dream Team




Title:The Dream Team
Year: 1989
Director: Howard Zieff
Rating: PG-13
Length: 112 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Michael Keaton
Christopher Lloyd (1938)
Peter Boyle (1935)
Stephen Furst
Dennis Boutsikaris

Plot:
Michael Keaton heads an all-star cast in this wild and crazy comedy about four mental patients who get separated from their therapist on the way to a baseball game.

Billy (Keaton), a pathological liar with a violent streak, finds himself on the loose in New York City with his fellow group therapy patients: Henry (Christopher Lloyd), a neat freak; Jack (Peter Boyle), a former advertising executive who thinks he's Christ; and Albert (Stephen Furst), a near catatonic couch potato. Faced with the task of rescuing their missing doctor from a pair of crooked cops, the group finds themselves sharing a series of hilarious adventures in this farce The Washington Post calls an "irresistibly nutty buddy movie."

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:

Comedy about 4 mental patients out on a day pass to go to a Yankees game but never make it as their doctor goes missing.

Not bad, but not great. The movie isn't nearly as good as some of the individual performances. Peter Boyle, who thinks he is Jesus Christ is a hoot!  Christopher Lloyd was the perfect choice to play the obsessive compulsive neat freak. He was funny but also had a touching moment or two as well. While there was nothing special about Lorraine Bracco's performance she is gorgeous in this early role, the first time I've seen her without the BIG hair.

Michael Keaton headlines this but he was the same as he was in so many of his comedies from the 80's... hyper, outlandish, smart ass and also with BIG hair.

This was ok but if you want to see a better comedy about mental patients gone awry I recommend Crazy People with Dudley Moore. 

KC

Rating:

[Achim]

Unfortunately, yes!  However, it is also the OAR.

Yes, OAR is obviously what I was after.

I was also bummed to discover that this only received a Full Screen release.

No need o be bummed here. As Hal pointed out, the film was filmed in 1.37:1, so Full Frame is apparently correct in this case, with nothing getting lost...

[m.cellophane]

I was also bummed to discover that this only received a Full Screen release. I do still have some Full Screen movies in my collection that I have slowly been replacing with WS editions but I'm afraid there is no alternative for this movie.   

While 1953 is the beginning of widescreen, there weren't that many that were made that year. I only have 4 (out of 42 1953 films in my collection):

• How to Marry a Millionaire (Marilyn Monroe)
• The Robe (Richard Burton)
• Miss Sadie Thompson (Rita Hayworth)
• Torch Song (Joan Crawford)

All were released in the last quarter of 1953.

[Achim]

While 1953 is the beginning of widescreen, there weren't that many that were made that year. I only have 4 (out of 42 1953 films in my collection):

Thanks of that James! I had thought it began a year earlier or two...

[Rogmeister]

Interestingly, I had also reviewed Island In The Sky recently.  It was the second movie in my "Movies of My Life" marathon...and I haven't done another movie since.  I need to get back to that.  By the way, though 1953 was when the regular widescreen era began, there were some earlier efforts at it that didn't "take".  John Wayne starred in one of the earliest..."The Big Trail" which was released in 1930.  I need to do a review of that someday.  It wouldn't work in my Movies Of My Life (too early) but I could put it in my ongoing Westerns marathon (another marathon I haven't contributed to in too long a time).

By the way, I don't remember spotting Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer in Island In The Sky...though I did spot Fess Parker!

[hal9g]

The only film I have from 1953 in Widescreen is The Glen Miller Story.  I have 12 in 1954, and they just increase from there.

[KinkyCyborg]

I have 18 from 1953... too lazy to see which ones might have been widescreen AR.   

[KinkyCyborg]

Black Hawk Down



Title:Black Hawk Down
Year: 2001
Director: Ridley Scott
Rating: R
Length: 144 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Thai

Stars:
Josh Hartnett
Ewan McGregor
Tom Sizemore
Eric Bana
William Fichtner

Plot:
From acclaimed director Ridley Scott (GLADIATOR, HANNIBAL) and renowned producer Jerry Bruckheimer (PEARL HARBOR, ARMAGEDDON) comes a gripping true story about bravery, camaraderie and the complex reality of war. BLACK HAWK DOWN stars an exceptional cast including Josh Hartnett (PEARL HARBOR), Eric Bana (CHOPPER), Ewan McGregor (MOULIN ROUGE), Tom Sizemore (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN), William Fichtner (THE PERFECT STORM), Ewen Bremmer (SNATCH) and Sam Shepard (ALL THE PRETTY HORSES).

In 1993, an elite group of American Rangers and Delta Force soldiers are sent to Somalia on a critical mission to capture a violent warlord whose corrupt regime has lead to starvation of hundreds of thousands of Somalis. When the mission goes quickly and terribly wrong, the men find themselves outnumbered and literally fighting for their lives.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

Bluray #4.

Black Hawk Down

Gawd I sure do love my war movies! 

When I first watched this movie most of it's relatively young cast were unknowns to me. I had heard of Josh Hartnett and recognized him but lost among all the copycat, jarhead brush cuts were Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Ioan Gruffudd & Orlando Bloom who are all household names now. It's easy to spot them during this second viewing and I marveled how I could not have known they were in this great movie! Complimenting them were familiars Sam Shepard, William Fichtner, Zeljko Ivanek (from OZ!), Jeremy Piven and Tom Sizemore who was seemingly born to be in these epic war movies... re: Saving Private Ryan, Pearl Harbor, etc...

Awesome cast!!

This is such an incredible true story of how what was supposed to be a simple in and out mission turns into a horrific fight for survival after one stroke of bad luck triggers a domino effect of deadly events. The credo 'No man gets left behind' is often mentioned in this film and it's that pledge that ultimately leads to an eventual 17 KIAs before it was all said and done as the ticking time bomb, known as the city of Mogadishu, Somalia rains downs on these Rangers and Delta Force units with unchecked hatred... wave after wave.

After about the first 25 minutes this has about the most sustained battles sequences of any war movie I have ever watched, all very intense and often very graphic. I very much like the part where the two snipers drop down to defend the pilot of one of the downed Black Hawks, fending off hundreds of swarming 'skinnies' as they were called, eventually paying the ultimate price. These two soldiers were posthumously given the Medal Of Honor for their bravery... the first that has happened since the Vietnam War.

The output in Bluray was phenomenal. Details are so precisely vivid that you could see the individual grains of sand as shell casings hit the ground in slow mo... and perhaps it's just me but it seems that the motion blur that I noticed when watching my first few blurays seems to have disappeared! I don't know if there is such a thing as 'breaking in' your bluray/HD TV but I'm just not seeing it anymore.

Hooyah!! 

KC

Rating:

[Achim]

Interestingly, I had also reviewed Island In The Sky recently.

I had a feeling there was another review just recently. I was just too lazy to look it up