Topic: KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2011

[Achim]

This movie pops up every once in a while when cult film safe discussed. I should seek it out and finally see it.

[KinkyCyborg]

This movie pops up every once in a while when cult film safe discussed. I should seek it out and finally see it.

Make no mistake, it is low budget and looks cheap but for it's time (1975) it was outrageously provocative and creative.   

[KinkyCyborg]

McHale's Navy



Title:McHale's Navy
Year: 1997
Director: Bryan Spicer
Rating: PG
Length: 109 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: French, Spanish

Stars:
Tom Arnold
Dean Stockwell
Debra Messing
David Alan Grier
Tim Curry

Plot:
Set sail on a hilarious voyage to outrageous adventure as Tom Arnold, Debra Messing, David Alan Grier, Dean Stockwell, Tim Curry and Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine (the original McHale in a madcap cameo appearance) take to the high seas in this laugh-packed, big screen adaptation of the wildly popular 60's television series.

Arnold stars as laid-back retired Naval Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale, whose days of leisure are jeopardized when his former nemesis Major Vladikov (Curry) unexpectedly surfaces with a scheme that threatens his beloved Caribbean Island base. Returning to uniform, McHale, assisted by Penelope Carpenter (Messing), his lovely, fun-loving First Lieutenant, guides his crazy crew of misfits through a series of madcap maneuvers that has the enemy scrambling for cover and the audience roaring with delight!

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers

My Thoughts:

Drab comedy made worse by the inclusion of David Alan Grier. I just never got his brand of comedy. Tom Arnold is ok but he's done better. The original McHale, Ernest Borgnine makes an appearance and even the inclusion of Tim Curry does little to improve this.

Much better comedy fare to be found out there. This is one of those watch it and forget about it type of movies.

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Dexter : The Fourth Season



Title:Dexter: The Fourth Season
Year: 2009
Director: 1. Living the DreamMarcos Siega, 2. Remains to be SeenBrian Kirk, 3. Blinded by the LightMarcos Siega, 4. Dex Takes a HolidayJohn Dahl, 5. Dirty HarryKaith Gordon, 6. If I Had a HammerRomeo Tirone, 7. Slack TideTim Hunter, 8. Road KillErnest Dickerson, 9. Hungry ManJohn Dahl, 10. Lost BoysKeith Gordon, 11. Hello, Dexter MorganS. J. Clarkson, 12. The GetawaySteve Schill
Rating: NR
Length: 632 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono
Subtitles:

Stars:
1. Living the DreamMichael C. Hall
Julie Benz
Jennifer Carpenter
Desmond Harrington

Plot:
The Fourth Season brings not just one, but two new arrivals - a baby, and The Trinity Killer! The groundbreaking and critically acclaimed original series from Showtime, starring Golden Globe® winner Michael C. Hall, returns on DVD with all 12 thrilling and riveting episodes.

America's favorite serial killer has gone from freewheeling bachelor to responsible husband and doting dad. Maintaining an average-guy facade while satisfying his need to kill has never been easy. But now, with wife and kids in tow, Dexter's got more to lose then ever, as he gets drawn into a deadly game with a killer every bit as dangerous — and conflicted — as he is.

1. Living the Dream
2. Remains to Be Seen
3. Blinded by the Light
4. Dex Takes a Holiday
5. Dirty Harry
6. If I Had a Hammer
7. Slack Tide
8. Road Kill
9. Hungry Man
10. Lost Boys
11. Hello, Dexter Morgan
12. The Getaway

Extras:

My Thoughts:

All I can say is.... Holy-shit-goddam that was good!!! By far the best and most thrilling season so far. And what an ending!

I must spend some time talking about the brilliant acting genius of John Lithgow. The Golden Globe he earned for this role was most deserving. He conveyed such a range of emotional states as the Trinity Killer... in turns calm, family oriented, helpful, then childlike, docile, fearful... and near the end of the series, menacing, haughty, driven... a deadly tactician. In many ways he was far superior to Dexter in their deadly pursuits. I could not help think of his role in the movie Raising Cain while watching this. Always loved his performance in that movie as well.

Dexter is starting to show more emotion with every season and at the end of this season, in the last scene

(click to show/hide)

I was expecting to see a primal outcry and was shocked to see him calm and detached as he picked up his son and walked away. I'm thinking that incident has now caused him to regress in his progress to be and feel more normal.

It will be interesting to see where his head is at in season 5.

Speaking of Season 5, which is already in the books, I believe this series is going to end after the conclusion of Season 6. My rationale behind this is how Debra is steadily coming closer to the truth about her brother. Every season she unlocks another secret that inches her closer to the big reveal about Dexter and she is already very close. I've predicted very early in my Dexter experience that his end is going to come at the hands of his sister in one way, shape or form. Combine that with the pending real life divorce of Michael C. Hall & Jennifer Carpenter, there now has to be tension on the set. Unless they kill off Debra I don't see the series going much farther beyond a 6th season.

Not enough screen time for Masuka played by C.S. Lee. He is hilarious and I think he should have his own show. Quinn is turning into another Doakes with his ever growing suspicions of Dexter. You can bet your ass he is going to be all over Dexter in season 5.

Easily one of my top 3 favorite shows on television right now. Looking forward to watching Season 5 which I see includes Julia Stiles and Peter Weller which is a good thing but I have a hard time imagining how it will meet or exceed the success of season 4.

I had the Dexter theme music turned into my ring tone on my new iPhone. I'm officially now an unabashed Dexter fanboi.

KC

Rating:

[Achim]

I thought I could stop... But after your raving review I am reminded if th goodness of the fourth season and will have to order Season 5 shortly...

Even you're just speaking your mind there, I do agree that this show should get a proper ending and 6 seasons seems a good time to do so.

[Dragonfire]

I still need to catch up with Dexter...I'll get to it eventually.

[KinkyCyborg]

Bride Wars



Title:Bride Wars
Year: 2009
Director: Gary Winick
Rating: PG
Length: 90 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Kate Hudson
Anne Hathaway
Bryan Greenberg
Chris Pratt
Steve Howey

Plot:
Lifelong best friends Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have shared a dream since childhood: Each yearns for the perfect June wedding at New York’s famed Plaza Hotel. But when a clerical error puts them both down for nuptials on the same day at the same time, one of them will just have to switch the date, right? As if! More than the bouquet goes flying when these desperate brides-to-be “duke it out” for matrimonial supremacy! Full of fun, fashion and heartwarming moments, Bride Wars “will keep you laughing all the way down the aisle" (Maryland Gazette).

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes

My Thoughts:

BFFs Kate Hudson & Anne Hathaway square off against one another when their weddings get double booked at The Plaza Hotel on the same day. Good movie with a predictable finish. The back and forth treachery between the two was quite humorous.

In the battle of the babes Anne Hathaway wins hands down. She is gorgeous! Kate Hudson is nothing to sneeze at either but for me brunette is best. 

KC

Rating:

[KinkyCyborg]

Kick-Ass



Title:Kick-Ass
Year: 2010
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rating: 18A
Length: 118 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital EX: 5.1 (Matrixed 6.1), French: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Aaron Johnson
Garrett M. Brown
Clark Duke
Evan Peters
Deborah Twiss

Plot:


Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Bonus Trailers
Featurettes
Gallery

My Thoughts:

My pick last night and I've been seeing nothing but great reviews for Kick-Ass so it was time to watch it.

Wild comic book action and fantastic characters. I really liked the movie but it's not quite the 5 out of 5 stars I see most people giving it. Probably a 4 and a half for me. I like the idea of ordinary people wanting to fight injustice because they are tired of society turning a blind eye to it but I think I would have liked this even more if it had a bit of a darker, harder edge to it. All of the phony social media hoopla surrounding Kick Ass and the other superheroes made it a bit corny for me.

The young Kick-Ass was likable because his heart was in the right place and he had determination if not any real skills. He kept getting his ass kicked but never bowed out of the game. Luck was probably his greatest asset.

Big Daddy was cool despite the apparent rip off of the Batman image. He delivered justice in brutal, bloody fashion, terminating with extreme prejudice. I'm sorry we won't be seeing any more of him.

The real star of course is Hit Girl. Death never came in such a cute, innocent looking package before. Chloe Moretz plays this young phenom who can kill you a thousand different ways in an acrobatic blink of an eye. Awesome kill sequence as she made her way down the long book lined corridor towards the kingpin. I played it back twice.  Loved the rockin' music during that scene and throughout the movie actually.

Will be watching this again soon on Bluray. The success of this along with the closing remarks from Red Mist all but guarantee this is heading to a sequel.


Now, watch this video below and tell me this joker didn't recently watch Kick-Ass. Just a matter of time before he gets the shit beat out of him too... 



KC

Rating:   and a half

[KinkyCyborg]

World Trade Center



Title:World Trade Center
Year: 2006
Director: Oliver Stone
Rating: PG-13
Length: 128 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Maria Bello
Connor Paolo
Anthony Piccininni
Alexa Gerasimovich
Morgan Flynn

Plot:
From three-time Academy Award® winner Oliver Stone comes this inspiring true story about courage, family and our nation's unyielding spirit. Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage and Michael Peña (Crash) star as John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, two New York City Port Authority policemen who were trapped in the rubble of September 11, 2001. As McLoughlin and Jimeno bond together in a fight for survival, the events of an unimaginable day unfold through the eyes of the two policemen, their loving wives (Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal), survivors and rescuers throughout the city.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

I need to stop watching these 9/11 movies and documentaries as they never fail to boil up emotions in me. The World Trade Center attacks changed many peoples lives and mine too. I started looking at things differently since that day and I no longer take so many things for granted. While some will say these 9/11 movies were meant to profit from a truly tragic event I don't see it as such. Movies and film help us to not forget these world changing events and we need to remember because some day, some time in the future some despicable bastard will say that this never happened just like there are people today who say the Holocaust never happened. To them I say F@#k You, your ignorance and/or deceitful agendas.

Oliver Stone's story focuses on two Port Authority officers who were trapped in the rubble but were miraculously saved. They very much kept each other alive by talking intimately about their lives and the reasons they had to keep on living. While this is a story of hope and courage I could still not shake off the unbearable weight of the bigger picture and the thousands of lives lost in such a short span of time.

Also inspiring is the courage of the two marines, Karnes & Thomas who needed to do something and went into the smoky and dangerous rubble to look for survivors when no one else would risk it so soon after the towers fell. Sgt. Thomas, an African American was wrongfully portrayed as a white man I later found out as Stone was unable to locate or properly identify him before shooting started.

Nicholas Cage did a sufficient job in this one although I felt his Bronx accent was a bit overdone. Also his gaunt appearance was rather shocking as he must have went on a crash diet to slim down for this role.

There are important lessons to be learned from movies such as this, United 93 and Schindler's List. I will have my kids watch them some day so that they may understand them and perhaps give them some perspective to their carefree lives.

KC

Rating:

[Kathy]

I became a bit obsessive recording any and all documentaries and other related material about this terrorist event. I have several dozen 6 hour VHS tapes filled with this information.

I know that VHS tapes eventually get ruined so I just bought a VHS > DVD player so that I could transfer the material to DVDs.

Once I do that and if you are interested, I'll be happy to make you copies too.

[KinkyCyborg]

Thanks for the offer Kathy. I still have a number of docs and features yet to watch on 9/11 to go along with a boatload of docs on the JFK assassination... another topic I am fascinated with. Should I run out of new source material I'll be sure to come calling. 

[KinkyCyborg]

The Hole



Title:The Hole
Year: 2001
Director: Nick Hamm
Rating: PG-13
Length: 102 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Thora Birch
Desmond Harrington
Daniel Brocklebank
Laurence Fox
Keira Knightley

Plot:
Four young students, two girls and two boys go missing from an exclusive English private school. After an 18 day search nobody expects to see them alive again, but one of the girls reappears. Liz has survived the ordeal. As she relives the experience of being trapped for two weeks in a dark, underground bunker, it becomes clear that she is so traumatized by what happened that she can’t sort fact from fiction. But what really happened in the hole?

As detectives dig through the bunker, a terrible truth begins to emerge, where each piece of the puzzle threatening to expose the full horror of the actual events; an obsession that became the ultimate nightmare.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Production Notes

My Thoughts:

Slick little British thriller/whodunnit which explores the depths of obsession and the tragic turns it can take.

Four friends escape from dreary school life by partying in an old WWII bunker near the school campus but get accidentally locked in. Or was it an accident? The story unfolds in a series of flashbacks from the only survivor whom you don't know whether to believe or not.

Great cast with Thora Birch, Keira Knightley in an early role along with Desmond Harrington (Quinn from Dexter) and the classy Embeth Davidtz. The conclusion is pretty well mapped out for you but the crafty way in which you get there is neat to watch.

For a low budget movie that has flown under the radar I thought this was pretty good.

KC

Rating:

[Achim]

I won "The Hole", but not this one (I have Joe Dante's film from last year, which hasn't found it's way into the US yet, I believe.)

Only concern I have is, that whodunits usually have a low rewatchability. How about here?

[KinkyCyborg]

No, I wouldn't give this one high marks for rewatchability... more like the kind of film you watch every ten years or so when even then you're still likely to remember how it ends but not all the finite details on how you got there. This is probably better for a rental rather than a purchase.

[goodguy]

I won "The Hole", but not this one (I have Joe Dante's film from last year, which hasn't found it's way into the US yet, I believe.)

There is also this one, which recently came to my attention. Haven't seen it yet, but you should be familiar with it for obvious reasons. Here's a clip.