Netflix Customer Reviews

Eating Out: All You Can Eat

The Eating Out Gang is back not really, just Tiffany and Ryan her boyfriend from the first one. It opens at the funeral of Kyle and Mark from EO 2. Kyle's mom, Helen (Mink Stole) gives the Eulogy, and afterwards she takes in her nephew Casey, who came in for the funeral. Casey is new to the gay thing, where he runs into Zack. NOW with the basic plot out of the way, we get to LOAO. With memorable lines like 'you can use the internet for more than sex, like what, well maybe gay people can't' and 'I don't know what kind of orgyastic kerfluffle you got yourself mixed up in, but tell your Aunt Helen everything'. Hillarity calls itself Eating Out 3. The acting isn't too bad, there are the gratuitous frontal and rear shots, but the casting could have been slightly better, but then again maybe the hot crush guy was supposed to be as big of a dork as the guy doing the stalking. Oh well, they did have a new director, so maybe that is the reason. 4* 11.17.09

Ghost in the Machine

Ghost in the Machine is a sci-fi thriller, that seems to have decided to take several tricks from other movies and combine them to get the end result. Do you remember Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man? Well this is the same movie with a serial killer thrown in the mix. It even has a few elements of Tron thrown in for good measure. A serial killers brain waves have been uploaded into a data storage network, with one thought in mind getting his last target, Terry Monroe (Karen Allen). It was fun to watch this flick again, but I just couldn't help to feel like "Been there, Done that". 3* 11-12-09

Make the Yuletide Gay

Director Rob Williams actually (or maybe I should say finally) impressed me with a script with depth, heart, and lots of laughter. A coming out film, a holiday film, a love story, and puns gallore. Alright, I admit me it the gushy, lovey-dovey, gay story plots get to me in a good way, and sometimes you just need that sparkle of hope, in oft-times dreary moments in your life and Rob delivers with every second. His friend, and a great actor to boot, Derek Long pulls off the role of dad and pot-head, as his closted son Keith Gordon (Gunn) comes home for Christmas. Gunn's boyfriend, Nathan (Adamo Ruggerio), finds out at the last minute that his East-coast well-to-do parents Ian Buchanan and Gates MacFadden are going on a cruise for the Christmas holidays and has left him alone, desides to suprise Gunn by showing up on his doorstep. Gunn's parents welcome him lovingly, but he finds out that Gunn is not "OUT" to his parents. Does he come out this Christmas? Does Nathan leave him because it is too much stress? Do Gunn's parents accept his news? All of these questions will be answered, but you have to watch it for yourself. 4* and 2 thumbs up for this holiday comedy. 11.10.09

Max Rules

With the likes of Cody Banks, Spy Kids, and more recently even Bedtime Stories Max Rules is a Kid adventure spy movie. Max, Jessica & Scott each have their strengths singly, but together they create a team that can get the job done, no matter if it is breaking into a locked top secret warehouse to steal back a stolen computer chip or starting a food fight in the school cafeteria. They have fun doing it too. Not being a kid myself, I found this movie enjoyable enough to give it 4* as it played toward the kid deep inside. Good family viewing, or even to those few that want their hidden kid to have a little fun. Enjoy! 11.03.09

Death Note: Re-light: L's Successors

Death Note: Relight 2, L's Successors is the sequel to Relight , Visions of a God. If you have watched the 9 disc series, it would be fine if you skip this 2 hour compliation of the last of the series. Strangely enough though the begininng was very original, as the intro is done by a dead L and Watouri. I did enjoy how they condensed this great series. Once again, like the series it seemed contrived, for it to continue past L's death entertaining all the same. if you have viewed the the previous Relight instead of the 9 disc series, you can choose this to view. 3.5* for this conclusion for this Death Note saga.

The Wedding Dress

Instead of 'Six Degrees of Seperation' this is better described as 'Six Degrees of Love'. When Travis (Neil Patrick Harris) announces to his aunt that he is getting married, she sends him the wedding dress that she never got the chance to wear. Circumstances are said to happen for a reason, and this wedding dress ends up passing itself throughout the movie. From couple to couple this dress seems to ignite the passion between these couples, as well as inspires them to make their dreams come true. Yes, this was truly a sappy movie that I just had to sit through twice. I thoroughly enjoyed every cheesy sappy moment. 4* 10.29.09

Vampire Diaries

I am quite conflicted at the moment after watching six episodes back to back. When I first heard about this teenage drama with vampires, I thought cool beans, I have to watch this. Well, I have now and it is like every other high school drama on the CW network ie 'Gossip Girl' 'One Tree Hill' etc. The only difference is the two 'rivals' are centuries old vampire brothers, who have taken the brotherly feud to far for to long. I have never read the books by LJ Smith, upon which this new series is based, and after watching, I don't think I ever will. I will finish out this season, but I am not expecting much in the way of improvement, overall this series only gets 3* from me. I do not think the writers/creators have done these characters much justice in making the love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon all about the sex and who has possession of whom. Yes even though this is on network television, I don't think it is decent enough for children, young adults perhaps, but 16 and under, drugs, alcohol, and sex should not be decent viewing material. The other entertwined story lines and characters do not even help this series much. The only character I remotely even like is Elena's best friend Bonnie who is decended from the Salem Witch bloodline. She is funny, sweet, and amazingly intuitive. 10.24.09

That Man: Peter Berlin

I found this biographical documentary quite interesting and also a bit informative. First of I would like to address a few of the issues in several reviews. Peter Berlin was 60 years old when this was filmed. He is a gay man and the stereotypes that the gay community has basically projected over the years is that you are not attractive, you are not worth dating when you reach 40. So when he slanders older people, he is simply re-enforcing that issue. Personally, I find it is not true, I think the older a person is the more level minded they are or become, which makes them an A+ dating, relationship material. He is self centered, how could a gay sexual icon, whom was basically an exhibitionist in his 30's, not be self centered. I really enjoyed his stories, as well as the interviews with people who knew him personally (or not so personally like John Waters). I would only recommend this to people, like me, who wanted to learn about the man who called himself Peter Berlin, despite his many character flaws, he is a human being and not just a picture in a coffee table book. 3.5* 10.22.09

To Be Fat Like Me

Lifetime movies are generally not my cup of tea, but flipping through something intrigued me enough to stop. Kaley Cuoco, Caroline Rhea, or the plot about when a 'jock' thought it would be a good idea to put on a 250 pound fat suit and do a documentary on fat teens. No matter what it was, I am pleased I stuck it out. As one of the outsiders growing up in school, I identified with some of the aspects, and all of the attitudes were written true to life. The only thing I did not enjoy was the reasoning behind her shallow desire to film such a documentary. HOWEVER I really liked and was pleased with the various life lessons, and personal growing into ones skin that was explored throughout her journey. For me it sort of fizzled and did not really finish or have much of an ending. There should have been more of a follow-up, rather than the short facts that should have been in the movie. 3.5* 10.19.09

Sanctuary: Season 2

Season 2 got started off with a bang, and has not failed to impress me yet. I was so anxious for this season to begin, that I almost missed it. With only 2 episodes aired so far on the Sy-fy channel, it picks up where season 1 left off. Ashley had given the precious last of the ancient blood to the head of the Kabal. I could tell you what has happened so far in the war between the Sanctuary network (across the globe) and the Kabal, but I don't wish to spoil your anticipation or enjoyment. Dr.Magnus, Will, and the rest carry on in the protection of the abnormals in their care. If you missed the beginning of this fabulous CGI created scenery, awesome gadgets, and freaky looking abnormals be sure to catch up to the continued saga that is Sanctuary. Oh and one flaw in the synopsis above Magnus and Will were trapped in a plane crash in an episode back in Season 1. If you are new to Sanctuary catch Season 1 on DVD and WI. A 5* television not to be missed by any fan of sci-fi or even those who can take it or leave it. After the first episode how could you not get hooked. 10.16.09

The Last Sentinel

Mankind has done it again, in this post-apocalyptic war saga. Will they ever learn? Don't make computers smarter than ourselves. They created drones to help 'enforce' law and order, but the drones have evolved. Tallis, the last of the E700 series, was enhanced to be able to monitor and stop the drone army mankind has created. Trained from childhood up, he has a implant behind his eye, that allows him to 'be aware' of his surroundings. He is paired with a nano-tech talking weapon, that also acts as his confidant/best friend. While I was expecting massive gun fights, a few bloody battles, and Don Wilson possibly doing his choreographed footwork, I did not expect it to be a Battlestar Galactica spin-off. It isn't really, but with Katie Sackoff in it and the goal of killing drones that have basically run human kind underground, sounds like a cylon war doesn't it. The story is centered around Tallis surviving against the odds, with a few flashback sequences to bring us up-to-date, it kept me entertained despite the similarities to BSG. A 3.5* rating for this slightly above average 'Clone War' movie. 10.15.09

Breaking the Cycle

GOOD GRIEF!!!!!! This was so bad, in some ways it was even good NOT! Thin plot, bad acting, bad sex, the only positive aspect was the guys were worth looking at. Yes they were the cloned pretty boys every gay movie seems to have nowadays. With variously major flaws, director Dominick Brascia could have done better by realizing that the viewers deserve something better. Would you like details on why it was so bad, well you asked for it, don't say I didn't warn you. The kisses were smacking without even touching the other person. The best friend, with glasses, had no lenses in his glasses. The typing did not match what was written on the screens. The phone sex was even bad phone sex, yeah I know he was supposed to hang up before he finished, but for petes sake at least make it titalating. If this was a short made in a longer version someone screwed up, if not, it would have been SOOOOO much better in 15 minutes. I give it 2*, even though it deserves .5*, why you ask, well the 1 willy shot was worth a star and the behinds gave it the extra .5 to bump it up to 2*. 10.16.09

Doctor Who: The Next Doctor

This Christmas special aired for Christmas in England, but did not make it to the states until recently. I, however, caught this little gem online back in April. It showed up as a recommendation, which made me remember the fun I had watching as The Doctor (David Tennant) tried to figure out how he was actually meeting himself. David Morrissey played an excellent version of The Doctor which gave me hope that he would become the REAL next Doctor when Tennant leaves. The Doctor tries to figure out how he can be in the same time as himself, while fighting the powerful Cybermen, in this special episode, who have twisted or maybe just gave Miss Hartigan (Dervla Kirwan) the ego boost she thought she deserved. A fun hour of your time, that I believe you will enjoy, I know I did. 4* 10-12-09

Judgment Day

Judgement day was moreso about beliefs than the fear and threat from above. An astroid is on a trajectory to the planet, but the leading scientist never completed the weapon to be used. Unfortunately, he has been kidnapped by an underground religious order who believes that the star from above is the coming destruction God has foretold since the days of Noah and the flood. I was impressed with the story line, acting, and direction. The only disappointing factor was the lack of action/suspense. The drama was mostly centered around the the FBI agent sent to 'rescue' the kidnapped scientist. If you are expecting an Armageddon or Deep Impact type of movie then be sure to pass this one up. If you want to see a story about the difficulty in determining between religion and science then you may like this one. A simple 3* for the acting of Ice T and Mario Van Peeples as well as Suzy Amis the rest were just dry characters filling in the screen time. 10.11.09

Megafault

This Sy-Fy Original Movie, sounded like a must watch, visually stunning earthquake movie not to be missed. Beginning in the mountains of Boone Co WV, the bombing of a coal mining mountain top removal program, begins a quake the travels to DC, then takes a drastic turn across the states to Wyoming. Bruce Davidson, Brittany Murphy and Eriq LaSalle lead the fight to save theirselves and the Nation from this devastating quake. Well it sounds like a great adventure doesn't it. Unfortunately, it lacks the emotion and thrill other Earthquake movies have given this viewer. I enjoyed '10.5' & '10.5 Apocalypse' much better for the effects, for emotion, try 'Earthquake' starring Charlton Heston. The effects in this movie (even though major devastation) the characters weren't really a part of the 'action' so to speak. So watch this, as I know you will, if you enjoy these destruction movies as I do, but be forewarned it is mostly just CGI efffects, with little storyline. 3* 10.10.09

Solar Crisis

Before Chris Evans journey to reignite the Sun in 'Sunshine', before Luke Perry and Tia Carrera reported the rips in the ozone layer allowing the suns flares to bomb the Earth in 'Supernova', Director Alan Smithee collaborated with Joe Gannon and Crispin Bolt to bring the novel by Takeshi Kawata to life on the big screen in 1989. A solar flare is forming that will wipe out all life on Earth, unless the crew of the USS Helios can make it to the sun in time to launch an Anti-matter bomb to difuse in incoming flare. I enjoyed every minute of this movie, despite a few flaws. With stars like Charlton Heston, Peter Boyle, Tim Matheson, Jack Palance, etc., one would get the impression of big budget picture. Outside of a few fantastical sets and images from space, this movie was very low-key in the FX department. The story is what kept this viewer watching to the end. The few flaws, I mentioned earlier, I could have done without, unexplained actions/inconsistencies, several timing issues, and Freddie. Who is Freddie you ask? Freddie is the name of 'the bomb'. Freddie was a Hal wanna be that constantly complained. I got used to him after a time, but to me it was a blatant copy of '2001: A Space Odyssey'. If they would have used a female voice, it would have been better for me. As I came to the conclusion, it took a twist I did not expect. One major inconsistency happens towards the end that left me confused enough to rewind the last 15 minutes. But then again it could have just been my perceptions at that point. An enjoyable 4* for this sci-fi adventure. 10.7.09

Mammoth

Well, how about that. Tom Skerritt can actually save the day. He didn't achieve it in' A River Runs through it', he totally missed the mark in 'Steel Magnolias', so I guess someone actually thought he should grow a pair. He plays a crazy old man, whose son (Vincent Ventressca) works in a museum, and he lavishes love on his granddaughter (Summer Glau), while keeping an eye in the stars waiting for visitors from Outer Space to land in his backyard. Even though most of the movie is centered around his son and granddaughter, he steals the spotlight each and everytime. I felt Summer's talents were wasted playing a 16 year old, but Vincent played creepy well, but what can you expect from The Invisible Man, who was literally invisible to his responsabilities as a father. When I read the blurb, I did not truly expect much and thankfully I walked away with quite a few laughs and a ton of groans. The humor was limited to snide remarks about hillbillies, stupid cops, and inept government agencies, but the groans themselves could have been hillarious coming out of someone else's mouth. The CGI effects of the mammoth were cartoonish at best, they tried going for frightening, and did not pull it off. If you want to watch some low rate script, with dismal acting (outside of Tom), then enjoy this C-rate cheese fest. I kinda did. 3* 10.4.09

Doctor Who and the Silurians

This 2 disc series, from the 7th season of the popular Doctor Who saga, has the doctor facing an ancient civilization deep in some caves on Earth. I think it is important to mention that the beginning of Jon Pertwee's reincarnation of the Doctor left him stranded/banished to Earth in the late 20th century. Therefore, his time as the Doctor were all local happenstances. He teamed up with Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart and UNIT during most of his time as the Doctor. In this 7 episode series the underground caves not only contains a Nuclear test facility, but also an ancient race that has been in hibernation since the moon came in close contact with the Earth millions of years ago. The Humans of the time call them Silurians, The Doctor and the creatures do not name themselves at all. Jon Pertwee makes such a sassy Doctor that he just seems to grow on you over time. The lizard creatures called Silurians are not the threat, but the threat is of a more human nature. I was pleased with my viewing of this 7 episode series for the most part, but episode 3 and 4 just drug its heels a bit to contain the suspense needed for this era of Doctor Who. 3.5* 10.4.09

Another Time, Another Place

Everyone dreams of what could happen if they met in Another Time or Another Place. Well the lady that is Lana Turner (Sarah) actually tries to live that dream. While covering human interest stories during the war in London, for her NY paper, she falls in love with BBC radio anouncer Mark Trevor (Sean Connery). After learning of his death, she wants to visit the place where he lived and grew up. Unexpected circumstances begin piling up, and it was delightful to this viewer watching each one unfold. This movie can pull on ones heart strings and unravel your soul Well it did mine anyway. Beautiful performances by all, but Glynis Johns (Kate Taylor) was amazing. In a few scenes she even outshone the vision of Lana Turner. 4* 10.4.09

Superman / Batman: Public Enemies

The title of this animated movie led me to wonder how Batman and Superman could possibly become enemies, well they aren't to each other. Lex Luther becomes president of the US, sets up Superman, and the excitement begins. The Animation team at DC Comics did an excellent job of bringing just about every super villian and superhero to your home viewing system. With some great voice talents worthy of these powerful heroes. I do have a warnings, for those who like to know what their children are subjected to. There is some language, and the violence is at most mild. The destuction however is totally cool. 4* 10.1.09

Fetching Cody

A Butterfly Effect rip-off that was a quite a let down. It had entertaining moments, how could it not with Jim Bynes as the mentor, homeless man, voice of reason for they young Jay Baruchel (Art). After his girlfriend Cody (Sarah Lind) ends up in a coma, Art thinks he can fix it by using a barco lounger to go back in time. I kept yelling at the screen telling him to listen to Harvey, but he didn't of course LOL. Slow paced, drawn out to ridiculous proportions (even at 87 minutes), repetitive so much that I wanted to shut it off, Fetching Cody failed to fully engage my attention (except for the yelling at my TV part). Even with all of the drug use, language, and violence, I think this was geared toward a younger crowd of people, rather than me. 2.5* 10.1.09

Fangs

With a cast like Whip Hubley, Corbin Bersen and Tracy Nelson, I thought I would be entertained. Well I wasn't. Fangs tried for humor instead of horror, which left me bored out of my mind. There were only 2 sequences that made me cringe, and I didn't even need to. I believe the director was going for a 'and the kids save the day' plot, which could have actually made it a bit better, but it did too much jumping from daughter to dad to daughter, for it to really pull through. My suggestion is let this one be banished to MST3K, they would make it so much better. 2.5* 10.1.09

Silver Hawk

Silver Hawk was pure martial arts beauty. The way, Michelle Yeoh (Lulu/Silverhawk) brought this characcter to life, was poetry in motion. I had fun watching this action paced movie. The underlying background story between Rich and Lulu were entertaining as well, seen mostly as flashback memories. As with all superhero movies we have a madman trying to take over the world, Luke Gross (Alexander Wolfe) portrays this character to a tee. The fight sequences were choreographed very well. There isn't much more to say except to add this and see for yourself. 3.5* 10-1-09

Jim Henson's the Storyteller: Greek Myths

This is not your average 'Muppet Show' you have come to love, or expect from Jim Henson. Located in a dark, dismal set Michael Gambon and The Dog (voiced by Brian Henson)give us introductions and conclusions of these for sad and lonely tales from Greek Mythology. Originally aired on television, these four tales of misery were entertaining to me back then and a delight to watch again. Orpheus & Euridyce, Icarus & Daedalus, Theseus & the Minotaur, Perseus & the Medusa are wonderful tales of heroes, love, and loss, which Jim Henson made memorable in each 20 minute segment. 3.5* 10.1.09

Warehouse 13: Season 1

Just finished watching the exciting, exploding, experiment called Warehouse 13 season finale. This is a series that grows on you. Add one part Eureka, a dash of X-files, stir in images and items from history, mix vigorously for an hour and enjoy. Pete and Myka seem out of sorts with each other, which at the beginning made this veiwer feel as if they were trying to channel Mulder and Scully, but they matured into their own characters. With quite a few cameos by some famous sci-fi characters (Zack & Jo from Eureka, Colonel Ty from Battlestar Galactica) also some new commrades Claudia and villians get introduced in the mix, which in my opinion sends this series into the catagory of must see sci-fi. I guess I am going to have to wait impatiently for the next season to start next summer. 5* 9.27.09

Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis

Good Cheezy Zombie Fun! Of curse that would be the only reason to rent a Return of the Dead movie. Brains, brains and brains, there really wasn't any production value, script and even acting left me wishing I had Night instead. Fun enough to watch if you catch it on Sy-fy, but don't waste a precious Q spot like I did. IF you do, Necropolis is where they are actually trying to make Zombies, instead of an unfortunate accident. Of course Peter Coyote pulls off crazy really well. 3* for simply the effort.

Babylon 5: Season 3

Season 1 gave us hints at corruption, and we were led to believe Commander Sinclair had something to do with it. Season 2 began a war between the Centauri and Narn, and the death of President Santiago. Season 3 begins by tying all of these various loose ends together. It also give Bruse Boxlightner (Sheridan) the ability to expound and take his character to the next level. So many thing happen in this season, that there is no way to go into major detail. Let me just say if you started Season 3 but gave up because of confusion, go back and watch at least Season 2 before renting 3. The story that began this great series at least comes to some fruition and you will not be disappointed. 5* 9.24.09

Yoga Zone: Yoga Basics for Beginners

The Yoga Zone series of DVD's are the best, easiest, and I personally have gotten the most out of my yoga workout with this series. On this dvd, Al and Michelle takes turns doing the 2 20 min basic workouts. In the first workout Michelle focuses on a few simple most common poses, and how to best do the poses playing to your strengths, and giving you simple cheats to help improve your weaknesses. Cat, Downward Dog, Triangle, as well as focusing on a few back postures. The second workout Al has you examining yourself as you form the poses, are you trying to hard, are you forcing youself to do it perfectly. He also teaches us how to use our breath to make the poses easier to do. I caught most of these episodes on Lime TV when it was available to me, yet it is always a joy to workout with the Yoga Zone crew. 3* 9.23.09

The Day of the Locust

When choosing a movie, I listen to recommendations from peers, or in this case a favorite radio DJ. I enjoyed this movie full of innuendo (mainly through imagery), but I was a bit disappointed because I did not read the synopsis, otherwise I may have skipped it, but in the end I am glad I didn't. When reading a title like 'Day of the Locust', I was sort of expecting attacking bugs. LOL. You have to be patient during this movie for all of the subliminal meanings to make sense, which it does in the LAST 10 minutes. The entire cast gave themselves to their roles, most of them were selfish, egotistical, users then again what do you expect from a movie about Hollywood in the '30's. Everyone wants to be famous and in pictures, and will do anything to get what they think they want, reguardless of whom it hurts. I must say Burgess Meredith totally creeped me out as did Jackie Earle Haley. BTW, if you find yourself lost, it is only because the movie seems to be done in moments over several years, instead of several days as you may be expecting. 3.5* 9.23.09

Right at Your Door

How paranoid can one get? How terrified do you feel? How much do you truly love someone? While watching this very scary, suspenseful drama, these questions kept coming across my mind. A bombing has happened in LA this time, in several places at once. Dirty Bombs, paranoia soars, contamination, how should you react, your loved one is out there somewhere. The cast did an excellent job getting these and many other questions across without the accusations of the one big question the movie never addressed who did it? At one time I would have gone right on by this film without another look at it. Yes I do enjoy the Mother Nature natural disasters, and the apocalyptic genre of the world ending by some natural, not genocidal or world war scenario. There was just something about the synopsis of this film that intrigued me and I was definitely NOT disappointed. If you think you can handle the 9/11, terrorist, dirty bomb, genre of movies that seem to be appearing more often nowadays then this is a must see. 5* (Resubmitted 9-23-09)

Death Note: Re-light: Visions of God

Fans of Death Note, may be disappointed, but not this one. This is the perfect companion for the Death Note live action movies. If you have seen DN 1 & DN 2, and want to watch the manga series, yet have no time for a 9 disc series, you no longer need too. Death Note Re-Light: Visions of a God condenses the first 7 discs down to an easily viewable 2 hrs. It would also be a good refresher for those who watched the 9 disc series, and are just now moving on to the movies. The synopsis is accurate in the fact, that Ryuk introduces the story, as if he was telling a story of his time in the human realm, but it is not from his point of view. They just took important moments of the manga and compiled them together, for a less lengthy viewing time, instead of re-animating the entire series from Ryuk's POV. I give it 4* simply because it was a great watch, and I did not have to re-watch the 5* 9 discs again (even though I know I will). 9.19.09.

Death Note: L: Change the WorLd

The Death Note manga series was exceptional in quality script and animation. The previous 2 Death Note movies took a few liberties with the live production. Understandably, DN 1 and DN 2 could not possibly handle as much as was covered in the manga series. If you have yet to see Death Note 1 and 2 or the manga 9 disc series, then read no further In the manga, Kira (Light Yagami) actually kills L, in Death Note 2 it happens in reverse. L has written his own name in Misa's Death Note with a 23 day window, then destroys both books. This movie interweaves the last of DN 2 within the beginning and takes you on an amazing 23 day journey, as L tries to save the world from a deadly virus before his time runs out. We also learn the strentgh of L the person as he struggles to go on without his mentor Watari. I was glued to my television screen the entire time. This is a MUST SEE film, if you previously enjoyed any of the availabe Death Note Sagas. 5* 9.18.09

Two Lovers

*Resubmitted review* The best part of this movie was when the end credits began rolling. Before I Q'ed this, I read some great reviews, and thought COOL I will enjoy this. Before I wrote this, I went back with different eyes and re-read those same reviews. They still have that pull to see it, but the movie greatly lacked the same pull the reviews did. I was terribly disappointed in every aspect of this film. The acting was very bland, the plot was tasteless, and the story itself lacked any real feeling. The happy moments did not make me happy, the sad parts were dull, and the rest of it could have been better. I wish at the beginning of the movie when he jumps in the bay, he would have never risen to the surface. THAT would have been a better story than was presented here. Just because I found no merit in this movie, I still believe I have a valid point, this movie will not be enjoyed by all. 2* 7.1.09.

People

Charles People, a famed party planner, has hit rock bottom, by an unfortunate coincidence that was planned by his nemesis. Rupert Everett does a great job in portraying an older, washed up, actor oops I mean event co-ordinator. When the old money makers ostrasize him, he looks into a more hip, somewhat younger crowd led by John John (Jose Garcia). I sat and enjoyed the satire and comic way this movie was directed. If you are looking for a brainless comedy, with an element of satire, then this movie is definitely a good one to go with. Having never heard otherwise, I was pleased with Rupert's graceful ability with the French language, even though the role did not use much of his acting potential. 3* 9.05.09

Sudden Fear

Based on the Novel by Edna Sherry, Sudden Fear joins the noir-ish group of dramas that were popular back in the early 50's. Joan Crawford brought so much emotion to this role which earned her an Oscar Nomination. Playing the role of a playwriter and heiress, she gets seduced by the not so dashing Jack Palance, who she fired from her play because he didn't look romantic enough. Several times while watching this drama, I thought I knew which way the story was going to go, but it kept twisting away until the end. Joan Crawford plays paranoia to the nines, which this viewer thinks is what garnered her later role in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. A thrill ride worth all 4* 9.5.09

Android Apocalypse

A decent script, good direction, acting well done, and a lot of low key CGI effects. I debated with myself on how to rate this bit of Sci-fi fluff. It kept me entertained enough for the 4* I gave it, yet it lacked the umph to push it up to 5*, and almost got a 3*. Joseph Lawrence had the android thing down pat, with just enough heart to show the struggle of becoming more than his programming. Scott Bairstow has the look of Mr. Angry Blue Collar Bigot, so his acting was slightly over done. There is more to the story, than just the blurb above, which made this sci-fi fan pleased with his viewing of the apocalypse mankind created, after destroying what this planet, we call home, gave us. One more thing, this is not your run of the mill sci-fi, so do not be expecting fantasy sets, unrealistic gadgets, and out of this world special effects. The CGI is strickly low key, the action sequences are well choreographed, and the android blood is green. So you are not a huge sci-fi fan, you may like this anyway just maybe not as much as I did. 4* 9.2.09

Whole New Thing

What is 'NEW' about the 'Whole Thing' you ask, well I shall tell you. Being home schooled his whole life, Emerson's mother thinks it is time for him to get some experience dealing with kids his own age, his 'green' father thinks it's a mistake, yet he lets Emerson make up his own mind. Stubbornly refusing until a surprise dinner party his mother throws with a teacher (Mr. Grant), Emerson relents and goes to school. He ends up with the 'new kid syndrome' and the story just goes from there. This movie has elements anyone should be able to enjoy, some more than others I'm sure. A comical look at growing up, finding oneself, discovering your past mistakes and owning up to them, and it is not just Emerson, his mother, father and Mr. Grant all are doing those same things. So enjoy 'Whole New Thing' I did. 4* 8-25-09

In the Arms of My Enemy

Despite the many misconceptions, with this French film being called a 'gay' film solely on the fact of the production company Picture This!; In the Arms of My Enemy does have a male rape scene. They say there is no bond greater than that of a brothers love, which in many aspects describes this movie better than the above synopsis. Two sets of brothers, in the same set of circumstances, take two different paths in order to better their lives. The first set, Jakub and Valdi, join the Cossack army. The second set, Elais and Roman, steal and sell horses. (warning a horse gets shot, and another is cruelly branded) This film, directed by Micha Wald, is trisected into 3 different stories all focusing on the two sets of brothers and how their love for each other, gets us to the inevitible ending. I was pulled in by their situations, and knew where it would go, while enjoying it at the same time. If you like dark drama, or have a penchant for something quite artistic without heavy plot lines to follow, then by all means add this to your Q. 3.5* 8.17.09

Private Diary

Let me begin by saying that, as a documentary it is and isn't at the same time. Also, this will not be every person's cup of tea. I watched this with a few friends half felt as I and the other half thought it was a poor excuse for any sort of film. The synopsis pretty much covers the basics, so I will tell you how I reacted to this film. I have always enjoyed the visual stimulation of photography. This taught me how the genius, Pedro Usabiaga, looks and thinks when he creates. The subtle instrumental music that played throughout the film, became a little monotonous after awhile. The 15 ordinary men were all visions of sculptured physiques, which were beautiful to behold. One must take into account that this is a movie Pedro made to document his journey, in finding 15 men who were not models, to photograph for his book titled 'Private Diary'. He narrates the whole time, except for the few times the men were interviewed. Don't worry all 15 were not interviewed. The few that were mostly talked about how his personality switched from friend to photographer, as soon as it was time to begin. All of his photographs were in black and white or sepia toned which gives them a etheral beauty on top of the visual beauty of the men. Can you tell I am a fan of his artistic quality? If you aren't into photography don't rent, if you are curious about it, or even know who Pedro is, then this is a must to rent. 4* 8.17.09

Being Human: Series 1

Let's see, what do you get when you have a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf? Being Human is what you have. This new series from BBC (showing now on BBCA Saturdays) is quite the show. I have enjoyed every episode in getting to know these characters. George, a timid, insecure, gentle soul, is a werewolf does this have anything to do with his current personality. Mitchell has been around the block a few times, he is charismatic, quite the looker, and yep he is the vampire. Finally, but not so ever the least is Annie, a happy go lucky soul that is thrilled at being seen even if one is a vampire and the other a werewolf, she is our ghost. All three share an apartment, while trying to survive in the outside world, trying to fit in and 'Be Human'. So far this series has great potential, but I fear it will fall by the wayside like 'Hex' another series cancelled before it's time. The stories thus far have been a basic history, getting to know you, quite the bit of drama and enough comedy to keep it lighthearted. If you have the time and channel (DVR this) otherwise Save it to your Q, it is worth the watch. 4* 8-14-09

Rise: Blood Hunter

'Sex and murder are the only pleasures left to man.' A great line of dialogue which could describe most of this movie. One thing that makes it relevant here is the fact it is said by a vampire. They exude sex out of every pore anyway. This movie has a star studed cast, that in and of itself made it worthwhile to me. Mako, Robert Forster, Carla Gugino, Nick Lachey, Marilyn Manson, along with the main stars Lucy Lui, Michael Chiklis, and James d'Arcy makes this much more than your everyday vampire flick. The movie starts in the middle then flashes back and forth, which can unnerve some viewers, I found it to be a great character delvoping tool for Sadie Blake (Lucy Lui). It begins with Sadie taking a hook up away from Robert Forster, and the kiss WOW what a voyeuristic scene that was. Hehehe. I got ya snagged now don't I. Well I seem to be in the minority after reading several reviews, but I say go for it, you may get a 'RISE' out of this one. 4* 8.14.09.

Boys Briefs 5

The Last of the Boys Briefs collection of Shorts brought to you by "Picture This" deals with Schoolboys. From grade school to college, these 6 shorts has the pains of growing up, being bullied, and even how to deal with family situations when they arise. My favorite out of these six was You, Me, & Him 4*. The others are Kali Ma 3*, Yeah no definitely 1*, Secrets 1*, Flatmates 3*, Benny's Gym 3*. 'Flatmates' and B'enny's Gym' were good stories, just ones I had heard before. 'Benny's Gym' is the youngest of the six. 'Secrets' and 'Yeah no definitely' were 2 shorts they could have replaced with something that actually made sense or at least made me want to watch them. 'Kali Ma' was somewhat funny, don't hurt me or I will sic' my momma on you. Now for my favorite, 'You, Me, & Him', what is a guy to do when his parents die and he gets custody of his younger brother. How does he make it work with his boyfriend, when he has just made plans to get married, move in together, etc.? Well I guess you will have to rent it cause I ain't telling. OVERALL RATING 3* 8-13-09

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition

Whoever imagined that 5 little notes would ever become so memorable. This is one movie that never grows old for me. Close Encounters brings almost all of the charaters closer together. Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, and Francios Truffaut follow all the clues that are left to them to one place... Devil's Tower, WY. Each are searching for their own answers. You ask if they get them, well if you have to ask, you have yet to have your own personal experience with Close Encounters, then I suggest that it is about time you do. Stephen Spielberg did a fantastic job in this out of this world Sci-fi adventure. I did rent and watch all 3 discs spread out over a 3 week period. Disc one has the original theatrical release, which to me is the best of the bunch. The only reason I would suggest you rent the other 2 are for the special features. They give great insight into what makes this movie so memorable and how it made it to the screen. Stephen talks about how even 30 years later he still dreams of having his own Close Encounter. 5* 8.13.09

Boys Briefs 2

Boys Briefs 2 gives us a better selection of gay themed shorts dealing with Lustful Hookups. Doors Cut Down 5*, Chicken 2*, Backroom 4*, Breakfast 3*, Touch 2*, and Take Out 3*. The unqualified winner in this collection is 'Doors Cut Down'. Filmed in Spain, En malas compa��as (Doors Cut Down) gives us the story of Guillermo, he likes the meaningless hookups and regularly visits the bathrooms at the mall. Everything is hunky dory until he meets Asier. I enjoyed the way it was narrated, rather than acted. My next pick would have to be Backroom, another Spanish pick, and not simply because of all of the sexual situations (full frontal blood engorged is included), I really liked the way the voice overs were truly stating how the characters were thinking, rather than them actually speaking. I know several of those thoughts have gone through my head while mingling in a bar situation. I could see myself watching all of these shorts again even though Chicken was quite abrupt @ a 2* rating, and Touch was downright pointless to me. OVERALL RATING 4* 8-13-09

Boys Briefs 3

Yes, this one went downhill after watching #2. This collection had 8 shorts dealing with hooking up once again. I had rented this before and even left myself a note: "When they say brief, it is! Stupid shorts, not funny, not interesting, not enough to even watch, waste of time." Well someone convinced me to give it another go, I did and I still reach the same conclusion. Caballerno 1*, Shakespeare's Sonnet 2*, David 3*, Latch Key 3*, Little Boy Blues 3*, Between the Boys 2*, Postmortem 1*, and Boys Grammar 2*. After having just watched this again, and writing down the shorts titles and rating each, the only memorable one is Little Boy Blues. It stars Malcolm Gets from Adam and Steve, and he is dealing with the loss of his lover when he gets picked up/played in a bar and hooks up with a drifter. Loneliness is a bad drug of choice which he finds himself in. OVERALL 2.5* 8-13-09

Boys Briefs 4

Onto round 4 HUSTLERS! Not a bad performance by 'Ricky' as your hustler of choice for the introductions to each short. He describes each short as he would be talking dirty to you if you rented him. A definite plus if I must say so. Into the Night 3*, Boy 4*, Gigolo 3*, Build 3*, Rock Bottom 2*, and Gold 4*. 'Boy' is more of an artful take in this 15 minute short. It was edited together like a snapshot slideshow, sort of confusing the first go around so guess what I watched it again, and things popped right into place for the full 4* rating. As for 'Into the Night' my other 4* rating, it has a Pass it On feel to it. The hustler sees a kid hanging out on his corner and tells him to beat it and go home, then gets picked up by an older john, returns and finds the kid still there (watch and find out what happens). The only one I bounced back and forth on was 'Gold'. I liked the story and the acting, but to me it needed a little boost of something more to push it up to a 4 or 5* rating. OVERALL RATING 4* 8-13-09

Boys Briefs

For this shorts collection, the six short films are: Stanley Beloved 2*, The Absolution of Anthony 3*, Smear 1*, Front Room 1*, Piglets 3*, and Fairy Tale 3.5*. Each of these shorts deals with a coming of age plot line and first time crushes. The introduction for each film was well done by Jason Tobin and Michael Saucedo. As for my thoughts overall, I was thankful that some of the shorts were really short, and the longest of this collection is Fairy Tale. Think Little Red Riding Hood (as a man) goes cruising in the gay section of the park to get away from the big bad wolf that lives at home (mother), leaving his boyfriend to deal with her. It was overall the best of the bunch. The next underrated gem would be Stanley Beloved. Skip the rest if you are want to rent this collection of gay themed shorts. OVERALL RATING 3* 8-13-09

Ice Spiders

Ice Spiders eeewww creepy... well it wasn't all that creepy. The spiders (what you did see of them) were a bit cartoonish, and there were only 6. The premise is a little misleading so here goes, Vanessa Williams (Dr. Sommers) recieved funding to genetically alter spiders, for the use of their silk (web). When something seems awry, she goes back to her lab in the skiing country of Utah and discovers 5 of the six have gone missing. When the local ranger asks skiing instructor Patrick Muldoon (Dash Dashiell) to help him locate two missing hunters, he comes across Dr. Sommers' spiders. Together they team up to find out what went wrong, and to try and stop the deadly creatures from causing further harm. There are several scenes of red splashed about the wintery scenery. Just enough eeww factor to thrill us gore fans and not enough to turn leery stomachs. This Sy-Fy movie was a 3* feature for this fan, who laughed quite a lot, simply due to seeing this Days and Melrose Place soap star (Patrick) play a 40 something ski instuctor, and a macho snow bunny language and all. 8-12-09

Japan Japan

This film is beyond BAD. If you don't heed my warning, do not blame me. The opening 30 seconds has a condom being removed, and that is the ONLY scene in the movie that would have any appeal whatsoever, and it wasn't that great either. The way they cut the film together was UNIMPORTANT to the movie. Example:1 - 2 minutes of watching the landscape pass by from a train window without anyone talking or even in the frame. Most of the movie is filmed this way. As for the acting, what there is of it, has no quality or redeeming factors. I have no idea what the motive behind making this movie, besides this guy wanting to move to Japan, and I watched the entire 66 minutes to find out if he goes, well guess what he doesn't. Spoiler warning I know, but trust me there is nothing to spoil. It was spoiled as soon as it hit the film. 1* 8.8.09

The New Twenty

An interesting concept, that somehow diminished what it could have been. Five college friends have kept in touch and are an integral part of each others lives. A brother and sister, her boyfriend (fiancee), and two other guys (one is gay the other seems to be a lazeabout). The too high drama factor made it quite dry to truly enjoy, but as it was it seemed kinda real to life at the same time. I was conflicted in my rating, I really wanted to rate it higher, but something about it just made it so-so for me. The stories were just not complete enough for me to be able to really like the characters. I did enjoy the time I spent watching, so take this with a grain of salt, you may get more from it than I did. 3* 8-8-09

Tinker Bell

What a delight this was! Disney finally gave Tink her own voice in this magical tale. The first time a baby laughs a fairy is born, this is the birth of Tinkerbell. Floating along, she makes her way to Pixie Hallow, gains her wings and finds her talent. A beautifully told story with life lessons to teach the young and a visual treat for the young 'at heart'. It was not overflowing with solo songs, like The Little Mermaid and others, but the music followed the story magically. Walt Disney gave this fairy her wings and Mae Whitman gave this fairy her voice. She still is the spunky go get 'em gal from Peter Pan, and she still gives us the belief that if we close our eyes and truly believe, Dreams Will Come True. 4* 8.8.09

Green Lantern: First Flight

Hal Jordan - The Green Lantern makes his movie debut in the animated adventure. Based on the DC comics of old, Warner Bros animation brings his story to life. An astronaut pilot, Hal gets found by a dying man's ring, to become the only human in a League of Green Lantern protectors, aided by the immortal Guardians of the green stone. With a talented voice cast like Christopher Meloni (Hal), Victor Graber (Sinestro), Michael Madsen (Killowog), and many others we learn of Hal's induction and Sinestro's separation from the Green Lantern Corp. This animated adventure was thoroughly entertaining and visually stunning. As a fan of animated Superheroes, I was pleased with this version. I am not necessarily a fan or know much about the comics with the Green Lantern, but I have followed the animation of him over the years, they made him white once again, with a playboy attitude, instead of the stoically serious character I came to love in Justice League Unlimited. A worthy presentation of his tale gets two thumbs up and a 4* rating from this fanboy. 8.5.09

Cheeky!

Cheeky, yes it is, Fleshy, yes it is, Erect, yes it is, there are all manner of descriptive words to describe this film. The director Tinto Brass gives the masses want he wants with this pretty much 100% total nudity from both sides of the gender. I'm suprised they even bothered with what little apparel they did wear. I also found a deeper storyline than just the 'here a sex, there a sex, everywhere a sex sex'. How much trespassing would you allow your partner to get away with, would you want to know, and how can you tell when she is lying? These questions jumped out of the script at me, as all of the fleshy, jiggly parts were bouncing all over my TV screen. I enjoyed the funny undertone the film had going for it as well. If you don't want to pay attention to the story, you don't have to, the total amount of nudity will keep you watching all the way to the end. I am going with 4* for this one. Enjoy! 8.4.09

The Crow: Wicked Prayer

This fourth installment takes The Crow back to its roots. Based in tribal history, the crow is the bearer of lost souls to correct wrongs done to loved ones. In this version we have the two extremes battling it out. On one side we have The Crow (Edward Furlong). On the other we have the Four Horsemen: Pestilence (Yuji Okumoto, War (Marcus Chong), Famine (Tito Ortiz), and Death (David Boreanaz). Both sides are basically led by the women in their lives: Lilly (Emmanuelle Chriqui) is the love that brought Jimmy back and Lola (Tara Reid) is the witch behind (yet) leading the Four Horsemen. A more spiritual saga than the previous two sequels. It is well worth the watch in my opinion. The acting is decent, not great and the story is actually what sold this movie for me. Rena Owen, Dennis Hopper, and Danny Trejo have small and oddly enough interesting characters to portray. The direction the story took was slightly off kilter from the previous crows, the bad weren't quite bad and the good weren't quite so good, which gave it some flair. Overall a 4* movie, that ALMOST stands up to the standards Brandon set. 7.29.09

Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead

Doctor Who: Planet of the dead begins with your normal everyday stunt of someone breaking in through the ceiling of the museum to steal a precious item. Michelle Ryan (Lady Christina) was that burglar. She flees the cops, by getting on a bus. WHO shows up yep none other than The Doctor himself. Hes tracking some sort of anomally, that doesn't make any sense until they get transplanted onto another planet through a rip in space. NOW THE FUN BEGINS where are they, what has happened, will they get back the 6 other passengers want to know these things and look to the Doctor for answers. This movie is an extra special (like the Christmas Specials) not the first episode of the new series, which is supposed to kick off later this Summer or beginning of Fall. David Tennant reprises his role of The Doctor for this hour long adventure that I found to be great. Russell T. Davies wrote this one, especially for you so you better add it to your Q. 5* 7-27-09

The Crow: Salvation

Salvation centers around a young man being executed on death row for the murder of his girlfriend. Did he do it? Well if you know 'The Crow', you will also know that of course he didn't. Eric Mabius stars as the tormented soul that The Crow helps in this film, and Kristen Dunst stars as the victims sister. I sort of had most of this movie figured out from the beginning, but that did not dampen my enjoyment of it. There were one or two twists I did not expect, but they fit nicely into this tale. The music, as in the original Crow, is not to be missed. I comprehend they need new actors for each movie, but Eric Mabius did not have the wings to carry this one to 5*, so I gave it 3.5* instead. 7-27-09

Perfect Hideout

I just love everything Billy Zane brings to this movie. Even when he may be playing a bad guy. This was a bit difficult to like, simply because of how the characterization was so jumpy. You never quite get (at least I didn't) to the truth, not even a little bit, it is hinted at, but mostly it just left me guessing. Quite a lot of satire throughout this seemingly dramatic storyline. I really can't say anything outside of the synopsis given, because one iota of anything I would write could spoil what is good about it. I will tell you this, it is set in Germany, yet it seems like a New England suburb. 3.5* 7.22.09

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I was extremely pleased by this adaptation of the Harry Potter saga. If you have read the book as I, then you should be as pleased as I. This was the second movie directed by David Yates, and he stepped it up another notch. The previous movies, for me, left too much of the important bits, yes I know with a novel of that size, everything cannot be included, but to leave something out and change it IMO is wrong. This script was pretty much on key, watching it gave me the impression of reading with my eyes. The cast has finally grown into the roles Rowling wrote, and I am left yearning to see the last. Yes it was dark, yes it was creepy, and yes if you have not let your young ones watch any of the others, then don't let them watch this. If they have grown up watching the previous installments, then this is not any different, only BETTER. A full 5* movie from this Potter fan. 7.22.09

Torchwood: Children of the Earth

Torchwood Children of Earth was 100% awesome. I have just gotten caught up on 4 of the 5 episodes. The DVD's will be released on the 28th of July. I caught it on BBC America from 7-20 - 7-24. So I have one episode left to watch. Captain Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Reese are still recouperating from the loss of Tosh & Owen, but when the children freeze in place they have to get to work. Each episode ends in a MAJOR cliffhanger, so it will be difficult to tell you very much, so here I try. It opens up with a bunch of kids late at night on a bus Nov 1965 in Scotland. The bus comes to a stop, the kids get off of the bus and walk toward a bright light. Ffwd to present day, the children just stop and stare. No worries they come back to themselves, and it happens again later in the day, except this time they all scream WE WE ARE WE ARE COMING. The first episode in a nutshell. The special effects that continue throughout the episodes are extraordinary and spectactular. The story line keeps you on the edge of your seat. The twists and turns are like nothing they have done before. There are still some of the laughs we have came to expect. If you are a new Whovian,(fan of Doctor Who,the new series), and you do not know anything about Torchwood, this is a good place to start, if you don't wish to rent the previous 2 seasons. This series stands alone and gives you enough background info, so that you know what is going on. I think I will also let you know that the alien in this series is called 456 (named after the frequency that they first contacted us on). All I have left to say is HIGH PRAISE goes to Richard Davies, who penned this series. 5* 7-23-09

Futuresport

I started watching this, and the thought came to me that oh crap why did I rent this trash. So be forewarned, it starts out majorly boring. Then with a small amount of gumption it picks up the pace, and ends with a final BOOM! Futuresport in and of itself is a mixture between basketball, soccer, roller derby, with a dash of hockey thrown in for violence. Dean Cain (Tre) stars as the sports star everyone loves and hates, Vanessa L Williams (Alex) is his ex and a leading news reporter. They are both wanted for crimes against Hawaii. They never say what they were exactly, but Hawaii has become the battleground for war between the North America Alliance & the Pacific Island Commonwealth. So what does a sportstar do to solve his own problem, he plays a game and the stakes are The Hawaiian Islands themselves. I would describe this as a sci-fi, sports movie, with political ramifications that ended up entertaining. 3.5* 7.22.09

Partes Usadas

Partes Usadas (Used Parts) was to me a USED story that fell into PARTS as it played along. It was mediocre at best. Two best friends, an Uncle and his interloper, and a mother striving to make their lives better anyway they can, is the basic story line of this tale set in Mexico, from Aar�n Fern�ndez Lesur (writer/director). There was a little inspiration going into the movie, but the redundancy of the rest left me longing for more. It does eventually pick the inspiration back up, but for me it was a little too late. Sort of how Ivan felt towards his uncle about halfway in. I honestly can say the parts I liked was getting to know the characters at the beginning, then they threw all of that out the window and changed midstream which left me with a used feeling of 2.5*. 7-22-09

The Bubble

This Israeli drama gives us a look into the lives of Noam & Ashraf, as they try to make their relationship work. Yes, it is work because they are each from the opposite sides of the tracks so to speak. Noam is Israeli, while Ashraf is Palestinian. The war betwixt the two nations have been going on for centuries, so ingrained prejudices are only natural. Noam's roommates are very accepting, as they are against all the war and want a lasting peace to become reality in their lifetime. So how do they make it work? Well if you really wish to find out what happens between these two young men then I suggest you watch this 4* drama for yourself. 7-22-09

Bubble

A good enough movie for an WI, but not for a space in your Q. This 73 minute movie set in the town of Belpre, OH, stars real people, not actors playing a role. THEREFORE don't expect trophy winning acting, or for that matter a fascinating script. It is all very simple. Steven Soderbergh wanted to direct real people, play roles of real hardship from this small town on the OH WV border. I watched this with a friend from Parkersburg (directly across the river) and he kept going I know where that is and he even knew one of the actors (Decker Moody) who was a real cop, playing a cop (imagine that LOL). The synopsis leaves a lot to be desired, and in my opinion has absolutely nothing to do with what happens in the movie. The only thing remotely even written in it was that most of the story took place inside the Middleton Doll Factory where the 3 leads worked. I will say some of the story had merit, and is worth the watch, IF you want to see real people trying to act or how Soderbergh directed a simple story with simple people in a small town in OH. 3* 7-22-09

Amateur

This was a so-so movie for me. I found no humor, no plot intrigue, and a storyline that fell flat on its back. The acting was good enough to keep me watching, but something was lacking to get me to actually enjoy it. Two women in a love to hate relationship with a man who 'claims' he has no memory. Well, that was because someone threw you out a window, ya idiot. For me the 'pratfalls/comedic' value was nonexistent, the drama was available, but played very low-key, and the why this is happening was so out in outer space you could not find it with the Hubble telescope. I suggest you leave Amateur where it came from back in 1994. 2.5* 7-22-09

Lawless Heart

I liked this look into the lives of these 3 men from the writer/director duo of Neil Hunter & Tom Hunsinger. Bill Nighy (Dan) is having to deal with his wife's brothers death as finds himself drawn to another woman. Tom Hollander (Nick) is dealing with the death of his lover Stuart, trying to manage the restaurant, and finding out Stuart's sister won't give him any of Stuart's money. Lastly we have Douglas Henshall (Tom) comes back to the small town he grew up in to find out his best friend just died. Be forewarned if you are reading this review the ORDER I listed the men are the order the story plays out. Three different men, three separate viewpoints, all along the same story line, each starts at the funeral. I knew this going into it, because as I started watching I remembered having watched before, so I wasn't confused, my friend however was, after catching on to how it played out he told me he really liked it, even though at the beginning he was confused.The cast was great, and the supporting characters behind these three leading men were what made their story worth watching. 3.5* 7-22-09

Pedro

Real life events were the basis for MTV's Real World. In Real World San Francisco, the group of people included a young man with HIV, Pedro Zamora. It chronicled his battle with housemates, the disease, family, and his strength of character to go out and teach/educate others how to avoid his situation. I remember watching many of the episodes when they were aired, so this retelling of his story was inspiring as it was the first time. The actors did a great job in portraying/reliving some of the moments from the show. If I had not watched when it aired, I would have though this was just a 93 minute compilation of the series, and the message Pedro had to give. The bonus features actually had the taped footage of the real kids from the Real World San Francisco. 4.5* 7-17-09

Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space

Doctor Who has a new face at the beginning of Season 7. Spearhead from Space introduces Jon Pertwee as the new Doctor. Fans, of the NEW series and the Christmas specials, have learned of 'Living Plastic', well this is the first serial where it was introduced. It is actually an intelligence called, Nestene Consciousness. Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) becomes a regular companion as The Doctor finds himself stuck/trapped in this time and space. With the TARDIS in disrepair (by the Time Lords) The Doctor imposes himself upon Stewart and joins UNIT, he also implores Liz Shaw (Caroline John) to assist him as he tries to fix the TARDIS. This is one of Pertwee's better performances as the Doctor. I must also mention that this is the first of the series to be filmed in color. It was fun getting to know The Doctor all over again, in this regeneration. 3.5* 7-15-09

Spaced Out

This comedic romp into alien abduction was ridiculous from beginning to end. A reporter gets sent home after 2 years of being probed in every orifice possible, or so he says. The aliens have been discovered in the 2 years he has been gone and they expect him to debunk all of the reports. Threatened to two more years of the same thing, he carries out his mission. The comedy is dry, the acting terrible, and the effects are even worse. LOL, it sounds as though I did not like it, well it was fun for what it was, but I would leave the room if it ever showed up back in my DVD player. Once was enough for this one. OH did I mention that what actually made this bearable was the gay innuendos, with the characters names, most of the script, and aliens with their a**hole* on their foreheads. 2.5* 7-14-09

Ang Lihim ni Antonio

This coming of age and awareness drama, follows a 15 yr old Filipino boy, as he finds understanding as well as disappointment. His two best friends, one accepts, the other uses & denies. His mother is a strong, independent woman who accepts her place in life with grace. but Antonio (Tong) has a secret, he finds himself infatuated with his uncle. His uncle, however, does not seem to mind and uses that to his advantage. The story seem straight forward doesn't it. Well I was surprised at the lengths it actually went. A great tale with an even better ending is one I hope you will decide to watch. The acting was superb, the script was original in most respects, and the direction flowed evenly. A solid 4*. 7-14-09

Sexual Matrix

Virtual reality, plugged directly into your brain to make you feel what is happening sounds like a good movie. This wasn't. Filled with sexual fantasies, this soft core Showtime Saturday Night movie was not even all that erotic, as I'm sure it was meant to be. Yes, there are sexual situations, with all the ooh's and aah's you would expect, but the overall movie fell way short of enjoyable. Give this one a miss. 1.5* 7-14-09

Solaris

Solaris a planet in the cosmos. With so many deaths and conflicting reports, it is finally decided on to send Kris Kelvin to Solaris to make a final decision on whether or not it is prudent to scrub the mission totally. At least this was my take on the story. There are so many different (almost hidden) nuances to this sci-fi classic that I ended up watching it 2 times (once with commentary), to understand different aspects. What actually captivated my attention was the scenery. Tarkovsky's use of natural beauty was mesmerizing. I wanted to rate this a 4 or 5, but the endless repetition of some scenery (inside the space station) made me wish my FF button worked. The sometimes extreme metaphorical meanings left me feeling like I was too stupid to get it the first time. The cast was amazing, in the depth they took their characters, with just their expressions. While watching/listening to the commentary, i thought they should have gotten someone with less of a monotone, which made me sleepy. The length of this film will put some off (I was almost one of them), but overall I am glad I took the time to watch. The remake starring G. Clooney was too bland compared with the original. 3* 7-14-09

Pleasurecraft

A so-so trip into space with the all male crew of the starship Prometheus. Hired to transport some cargo to the leader of a rival world seeking domination, the crew end up finding their hearts pulled between duty and love. Another one of the lame late night erotica movies, which has a fair amount of sexual situations to stimulate your body but not your mind, Pleasurecraft delivers on that front. I require a bit more realism with my stories than this movie actually delivered. The acting is SO NOT believable that you really don't care if the cargo gets delivered regardless of the consequences. Like I said at the beginning if you want to watch a so-so erotic movie, with annoying music and unbelievable acting, then this will be ok for you, if you desire a bit more plot, I say skip it. 2.5* 7-14-09

Death Note

Death Note is a impressive 9 disc anime series, which covers the gambit of supernatural, good vs. evil, investigative reporting & detective work, and a little bit of romance. After finding a strange notebook, Light Yagami follows the instructions within, and discovers in himself the ability to become justice. The police form a task force to capture the serial killer known only as 'Kira', with the additional help of a genius 'L'. The Death Note book allows its owner to write a persons name down and the person dies within 40 seconds of a heartattack. The user has to have a image of the person as well, otherwise no death. The owner also has a Shenigami (reaper) that if they ask the right questions they can learn how to better use the Death Note. I was enraptured from the get go. The script was written so you would want to keep watching, however I found the last 2 discs to be almost like an afterthought. Based on a comic by the same name, this Japanese anime truly delivers excitement. I would also like to note that this is more of an adult anime, or even kids above 15 years of age. There is violence, language, and a few sexual overtones that is not appropriate for the younger. 4.5* 7.13.09

The Unborn

Writer/director David S Goyer brings us a tale of spiritual proportions. Similar in nature, in my humble opinion, to The Exorcist, Omen, and Rosemary's Baby, The Unborn uses elements of dreams, possessions, mythical entities, and a basic history tied to the Nazi's experimentation on twins. The actors were compelling in their roles, and the directors� choice of music added an extra dimension to the suspense. If you have a fondness for adrenaline pumping, no gore needed tales of horror then I would recommend you clicking the little red button. 4.5* 7.11.09

Doctor Who: Lost in Time: The Patrick Troughton Years

This 2 disc set of Lost in Time: Patrick Troughton contains a few gems of episodes that survived BBC's policy of deleting/re-recording over used film rolls. Disc 1 contains the 4 part series The Moonbase. Episodes 1&3 are audio only. The Doctor, Jamie, Polly & Ben plan on landing on Mars but get sidetracked to the Moon. The base was constructed to control the gravity and weather patterns on Earth. The residents have came down with some sort of virus. It's up to the Doctor to find a cure, and who is behind it. The rest has a few other gems: The Underwater Menace - Ep.3, The Faceless ones - Ep. 1&3, The Evil of the Daleks - Ep. 2, and a bunch of surviving clips found in the special features. Disc 2 continues with Jamie & Victoria in these following episodes: The Abominable Snowmen - Ep. 2, The Enemy of the World - Ep. 3, The Web of Fear - Ep. 1, The Wheel in Space - Ep 3&6, and The Space Pirates - Ep. 2. With them not being the entire series, I suggest skipping, unless you just want to see them like me for the fun of watching. 4* 7-9-09

So Proudly We Hail!

This beautifully written drama, depicts events which truly could have happened in WW 2, after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. A group of nurses, bound for Hawaii at the time, set sail with a ship full of men. After the bombing, they are diverted to Bataan, where General MacArthur is said to be on the front lines. When this small island is no longer habitable, they flee to another, until they are forced/ordered to go home. Claudette Colbert (Lt. Janet Davidson) leads this cast of amazing actresses as she falls in love with George Reeves (Lt. John Summers) in this wartime drama. a solid 4* 7-8-09

Devotee

With very little dialogue, the director, Remi Lange gets his point across. How do people with disabilities truly find love? Herve Chemais was born without hands, arms and legs. Wanting to feel someone beside him he finds (mostly) younger men, which have a fetish/obsession for guys that have no limbs, as he does. I give high praise to the director for bringing this story to us, but his actual directing left me feeling nauseous. It seemed all the movie was supposed to express was left out. There is no ending whatsoever. I watched 50 minutes (the entire length of the film), and still have strong feelings of disappointment. The sexual scenes were extremely graphic in nature and could easily disgust anyone. I do not wish to come across as prejudicial or biased toward the subject matter, but this movie felt put on instead of giving us the true emotion out of a real life situation. 2* 7-7-09

Lake City

First off, Sissy Spacek and Troy Garity come together in this indie drama, with a BANG. Misunderstandings, non-communication, and GUILT have kept this mother and son apart for many years. After some run ins with his girlfriend's drug dealer, Billy decides he needs to go home, taking her son Clayton with him. I was wrapped up in these characters lives by the ending, but at first it was just another movie. Slow paced and very heavy, Sissy & Troy bring it off perfectly. My rating of 3.5* was almost 4, except for some inconsistencies/plot holes that I couldn't get past. 7-7-09

Phoebe in Wonderland

This Alice in Wonderland adventure, reaches deep in your heart and puts everything out in the open. Not a TRUE Alice story, but Phoebe is infatuated with the story of Alice and it helps her cope with her day to day life. Elle Fanning brings so much to this little girl known as Phoebe, you will find yourself amazed and stunned. This was beautifully created, and directed that at times I found myself wondering which moments were real and which were parts of her imagination. A truly wonderland of an adventure as Phoebe and her parents find out and deal with life living down a rabbit hole. 4* 7-7-09

Witchblade

This anime was a well crafted, artistically balanced, and with an unusual tale to be told. Amnesia victim, Masane Amaha unearthed the legendary Witchblade after an earthquake erupts underneath her feet. Social Services tell her she has a daughter that she doesn't remember having, so she raises Rihoko as her own, or does Rihoko raise her (after she ages of course). That is the history behind this series titled Witchblade. What exactly is Witchblade? It is an artifact that throughout the centuries chooses a female to host it's might and power. If you wish to learn more then you will have to sit down on your couch and enjoy it as I did. Warning: Not suitable for children. Also there are several episodes long about disc 4 & 5 which seem to draw out the story, and make it lag a bit. Even with that it is still great at 3.5*. 7-7-09

Kyle XY: Season 1

I was leery going into this series, as it was aired on ABC Family. Several friends told me to give it a go though, so I did. From the first 15 minutes, I found myself trapped in the mind of Kyle. I wanted to learn more about him as much as he wanted to find out where he was from, who he really is, and why can't he remember anything. At first I thought, well they made a teenage John Doe, and in some respects they did, but unlike John Doe who cannot get his memory back, Kyle's gradually emerges from his superior brain, in bits and pieces. I will definitely be renting Season 2 and Season 3 (when it becomes available). 4* 7-7-09

Night Watch

This film from Edgardo Cozarinsky brings the streets of Argentina to life, as we follow Victor on this night of Nov. 1st (All Saints Day). A few people may get the somewhat hidden theme of this movie even after reading the synopsis. Victor meets several people from his past as well as those in the present, seemingly accidental, but is it really. As he turns tricks throughout the night into the early minutes of dawn, we are left to decide for ourselves, what the impact of these meetings has on Victor. A very slow and artsy/philosophical filled drama with many scenes of Victor just walking the streets. 3.5* 7-7-09

Incognito

Incognito is a love story with and unbelievable twist. It deals with the art world and how art is subject to its viewer. It sort of reminded me of The Thomas Crown Affair. Harry Donovan, played by Jason Patric is a talented artist/painter, who longs to have his own show. In the meantime he does forgeries of lesser known artist for money, so that he does not get caught. He gets approached by some big money people to do another forgery, but this time they want one of the masters Rembrandt. They expect him to come up with an UNKNOWN portrait Rembrandt was supposed to have done, that no one has ever seen. Harry, knowing how Rembrandt painted, yet also knowing he could not possibly do it, unless he had specifics, sets out around the globe studying and searching for the perfect way to create an unknown piece of artwork by Rembrandt. Here is the point the love story takes off, when he meets up with Marieke (Irene Jacobs). I enjoyed visiting the museums, and catching glimpses of all the artwork displayed, I especially liked the restoration room, where the art is cleaned, restored and authenticated. Does Harry pull off this con, or does he get caught 'red' handed. If this review has peaked your intrest, and you want to find out what happens next then click the litte red button. 4* 6-26-09

The Big Gay Sketch Show: Season 1

As seen on LOGO network, The Big Gay Sketch Show is a set of skits performed by gay and lesbian comedians. They spoof show such as The Facts of Life, All in the Family and many others, in their attempts to bring humor to the screen. In comparing this to MAD TV, SNL, and In Living Color, BGSS will fail to live up to these well known skit comedies. I sat through most of this feeling somewhat disappointed and amused at the same time. The only amusing thing about it was the ridiculousness of the concept. I was left wanting by the end of this, and removed the second season out of my Q. 2.5* 6.25.09

Doctor Who: The Invasion

This 8 episode series from season 6 has the Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Jamie (Frazer Hines) & Zoe (Wendy Padbury) dealing with an invasion from the darkside of the moon. Mr. Vaughn (Kevin Stoney) heads up the single most powerful electronics company, International Electromatics. He seems to be in control of several people the Doctor and gang run into. Finding out he is once again battling on of his most violent enemies, The Doctor goes head to head with Vaughan and The Cybermen. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) also appears in this series as the leader of U.N.I.T. (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce). U.N.I.T. was created to deal with the unkown from space. These 8 episodes were found not to be complete, as episode 1 & 4 were missing. They had the original script however and recreated the images (from the remaining episodes) as animations. The story leaves no holes as the animation flows well with the surviving episodes. A unique way to bring them back for us viewers. I wish they could recreate some more in this manner, if details, scripts, etc., were available to use. 4* 6.25.09

Doctor Who: The Mind Robber

This 5 episode seires, once again finds The Doctor and company in trouble. After fleeing the planet Dulkis, the shockwave sends them into a white void. Trying to flee this void and get back to real time and space the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) flips a switch which seems to take him, Zoe, & Jamie out of time and space. Finding himself and his companions seperated once agian, he realizes that they are in a alternate reality controlled by a writer of some skill. He robs images and stories from thier minds and brings them to life. Rapunzel, the Minotaur and his maze, are just a few of the story tale figures that gets the Doctor in trouble. With a little help from his past (William Hartnell) he manages to comvince 'The Master', from not making him the next storyteller, or does he really? 4* 6.25.09

Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen

This 4 part series begins the 5th Season of Doctor Who as played by Patrick Troughton. I suggest you get the DVD version, due to episode 2 bieng the same as episode 3 on the WI version. The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria (which just joined the Doctor and Jamie) land on a planet and find a group of archeologists opening a Tomb of some sort. The leader Kaftan is obsessed with the find and wants to recreate the legendary beings who inhabited the world. Cybermen!!! The Doctor and gang try and convince the explorers to leave things as they find them, but Kaftan cannot resist trying to revive the Cybermen from their appearant hybernation. I enjoyed the complete 4 episodes, one of the few complete serials that has survived, of the Troughton years as The Doctor. 4* 6.25.09

The Three Faces of Eve

After recently watching Sybil again with a friend, I felt compelled to revisit this classic with Joanne Woodward. Both movies deal with the mental illness of multiple personality disorder, and both movies are stand alone cases where the disease/disorder truly were based on real people. Eve White would have extreme headaches and blackout, when Eve Black would take over. In some cases like Eve's there were MANY different personalities other than the main two or three as depicted in the movie. I really love this classic, as it was one of the first to delve into this illness. It is one that garnered a nod from critics and the Oscars alike, and Woodward took it home. Unlike Sally Fields in Sybil, there wasn't much of a change when a new personality took over, Woodward let it be known in her eyes. The withdrawn look of Eve White, the cheery look of Eve Black and the calm understanding look of Jane. All were portrayed beautifully through her eyes. That is real talent, that the actresses of today could take lessons from. 5* worth of excellent acting, direction, and story. I did not wish to view the availabe commentary track. 6.21.09

Fear House

A simple plot, a simple script, and a simple job in keeping me entertained. Fear House is exactly as it sounds. A house cursed long ago, brought to the states, re-erected, and resurrected as well. What are your basic fears? What is it in your past, that causes the deepest regret? THE HOUSE will find it, and prey upon it. Is it worth the effort of watch you ask? Yes, I believe it is. The actual ending threw me for a loop, is one reason why I think you can spend your time on it. BUT be prepared it is a simple movie, with decent direction and acting, and not the creepy special effects some have been known to use. 3* 6-18-09

Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters & Marvels

In these 2 features, we get to learn about the Master of Marvel Stan Lee and his work. He is interviewed by a great writer, as well as the new writer of the Daredevil comics Kevin Smith. In the first feature, they begin by chronicling the progress of Spiderman from thought to the first ever motion picture of the webbed wonder. He also gives his background at becoming a script editor at the age of 16, as well as the progress from Thymelee comics becoming Marvel comics. In the second feature, he talks about his creation of the serial comic with his first creation of The Fantastic Four, journeying through the XMen and many others. The extra features has added interviews with his wife Joan, as well as other must see content. If you are new to comics or a longtime fanboy or fangirl, I say you must give this a spot in your Q. I really enjoyed every single minute of this interview. 4* 6.18.09

3 Guys, 1 Girl, 2 Weddings

A fun quirky French comedy, about love, lust, and obsession. Laurent obsesses about his best friend Dan, as Dan falls in love with Camille, while Laurent and 3 friends are writing a bill for the government to pass for gays to get married. THe supporting cast are well developed characters in and of themselves. The director, Stephane Clavier, did an excellent job in directing his cast (and keeping the audience) guessing at the outcome of this film. 3* 6.17.09

I Remember Mama

What a wonderful cast of characters, in this well done film by George Sanders. Irene Dunne plays the matriarch of this San Franscisco family that immigrated from Norway back in the late 1800's. This movie is based on the play adapted by John Van Druten, which was based on the novel 'Mama's Bank Account' written by Kathryn Forbes. There are so many great things found in this movie that I feel it has stood the test of time. Barbara Bel Geddes plays the daughter/author and opens the movie with a basic background of how she came to write the novel 'I Remember Mama'. As the story unfolds, we meet her family, her aunts and their uncle Chris. Mama manages them all quite nicely. This film is one I would recommend everyone seeing, who has loving memories of their mother. 4* 6.17.09

The Ice Rink

If you find yourself renting this movie for Bruce Campbell you will be mistaken. His comic genius was more or less abused in this French movie about making a movie. He has very little dialogue and screen time. It is more about the film crew making the movie and how utterly disorganized they were. There were a small spattering of hillarity in some of the actions the director and crew did, but overall I felt cheated. Yes it is satrical, but not all that it could have been. I rated this 3* for mostly the physical prattfalls that amused me, not for the story or acting itself, which was drier than the ice they filmed on. 6.15.09

Fire Island

Drama, Drama, Drama would be one of the only reasons to watch this. I thought that this would be an interesting reality show about Fire Island itself. It did feature the beautiful beaches, the ocean, boardwalks crossing and crisscrossing everywhere, and beautiful bodies getting some sun. HOWEVER, the two groups of men and women that were featured in this 4 episode series, seemed to have MORE problems happening during the 'relaxing' weekends than humanly possible. I did enjoy most of it, but I don't think I could even remotely urge anyone to view this, unless they want to watch real people play out their problems with overemotional DRAMA. 3* 6.16.09

SoleJourney

Kate Burns and Sheila E Schroeder direct this powerful documentary, which focuses on the group/organization called Soul Force. Soul Force is a foundation founded by Rev Dr Mel White and Gary Dixon, which takes the non-violent resistance taught and used by Gandhi and Dr. M L King Jr., to promote the facts that are being misrepresented by religion based oppression. Religion based oppression/prejudice is being led by James Dobson and Focus on the Family. The first goal was to try and meet with the oppressor, and after being rejected time and time again they took it to the streets in this 65 mile protest march to the headquarters of FotF. Judy Shepard, Chad Allen and many others discuss this issue and what needs to be done, and what this organization stands for, as well as how to take action without using anger/violence. As a member of the GLBT community, I was moved by how this documentary used the truth over the lies and half truths being spouted ignorantly by James Dobson. The sad thing is that the politicians are paying attention to Dobson, over the truths of the situation. Family values are deeply ingrained in every man, woman, and child in this nation. What are family values? To me they are the giving of love, understanding, and knowledge to our children. If you want to learn more, get a better understanding or even wish to enjoy a well filmed documentary on this extremely controversial subject, rent this. 4* 6.15.09

The Crow: Bonus Material

After once again enjoying The Crow, I thought I would see what is available on the BONUS Disc. The interview, with the graphic novelist James O'Barr, was the highlight of the extras available on this disc for me. The making of was your normal fare of actors and crew commenting on their characters and jobs on the set. The extended, deleted, and the rest were mostly standard with a couple of better moments. I found the Bonus disc to be worth my time, but I can see how others wouldn't enjoy. 3.5* 6.15.09

Johan

Johan is a set of correspondance between two lovers,one in prison(which we do not see) the other a documentarian who turned them into a movie. If you find yourself watching this, the visual aspect, the director took in order to separate his life from his filming of the movie, was one I found to be quite stimulating. He used B&W for his life and color for his film. In addition to the film Johan, he does a somewhat behind the scenes on his making the movie, how he got started, how it came to be, and even short clips of his work prior to Johan. He also gives us a brief history of gay filmaking. My rating of this takes into consideration of the whole disc, movie and extra commentary. Now for the film itself, there were a few explicit scenes, not for the faint of heart. Full frontal, gay sexual situations, and a few scenes that were cut when it was released in '76. I was relatively satisfied in my choosing to view this ground breaking piece of French film. 4* 6.13.09

Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon

The Sci-fi channel brings to us a western, set in the early 1900's. Yes, I saw it as a western, with a mythological twist. The Aztec's were destroyed by the Spainards. Well according to this movie some escaped their tyranny and travelled North to the Grand Canyon. Yes, not historically accurate I know, it's not even mythically or religiously accurate either. HOWEVER, it was and entertaining movie all the same. Michael Shanks plays the bookworm, Shannon Doherty plays the daughter and archeologist in training, not their best work, but they played their parts as they were written. 3* 6.11.09

Skull & Bones

With a title like Skull and Bones, one may think cool a real slasher horror flick. The writer/director 'T.S. Slaughter' (obviously a nom de plume) wants us to believe that this film has more character and plot than other serial killer movies. This is what I think he was trying to accomplish when writing this script. Let us take a few well known scripts like Skulls, The Brotherhood, oh and throw Zodiac in for good measure. Once we combine these various scripts, let's make it gay for good measure, OH YEAH why not add in some true facts about well known serial killers for good measure to give it that extra flair. Well guess what Mr. T.S. Slaughter, YOU FAILED miserably. This goes beyond cheese, this goes beyond enjoyable, it's not even good enough to be called trashy. I hope you heed my warning and let this one pass you right by, but if you are like me and are just curious enough to see how bad it really is for yourself, then go ahead and waste 73 minutes and a spot in your Q, but move it to the top so you can get it over with. Not even worth the 1* rating, it only got that for some gratuitous backside shots. 1* 6.10.09

The International

New York, Milan, Berlin, Luxembourg are the starting points for this globetrotting movie. Banks, everybody uses them, but do you truly trust them. The economy hinges on them, but what do they actually do with our money. This movie pretty much is about one possible scenario, with just a little too much intrigue. It was more like a James Bond movie, than what I was expecting. A whole bunch of shoot 'em up scenerios, rather than the actual crime solving (if you find a lead you follow it, not kill it). I expectged a good mystery and got a good action movie, the mystery was there, but they let it out of the bag too early IMO. Clive Owen and Naomi Watts were well cast and directed, with a stellar complimentary national and international supporting cast. 4* 6.11.09

The Crow

Haunting, visually stunning, gothically stimulating, The Crow is a masterpeice of film, not to be missed. Brandon Lee's final performance was even better than his fathers. Revenge is the game, Eric Draden is my name. Beware of the night, when the crow is in flight. A wedding was planned, but in the end was canned. By the spirit we fly, on wings way up high. Evil will fall and love will rise, one night shall pass when the sun doth rise. This movie is so poetic I couldn't help myself. If you so choose to immerse yourself in the world of The Crow, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 5* 6.10.09

Were the World Mine

This Romantic Musical is a must see for any fan of Films, such as Dead Poets Society, Get Real, Beautiful Thing, Moulin Rouge as well as several others. The synopsis pretty much covers all of the pertinent details. This film was based on a short film 'Fairies' and 'A Mid Summer's Night Dream'. Writer/Director Tom Gustafson took his short to another level. The cast was amazing, the songs were well written and developed to go along with the story presented here. Shakesphere would have been proud! There were a few suprises, that I blindly did not foresee, which made me love it even more. 5* 6.09.09

Jason Stuart: Making It to the Middle

Jason Stewart is a good actor and funny man. This stand-up comedy routine has some great one liners, and the way he picks on the poor little straight boy in the front row is priceless. For a few good laughs add this one to the Q. 3.5* 6.10.09

The Wayward Cloud

For the life of me, I have no idea why I even finished this unadulterated piece of watermelon, drought filled crappy trash of a film. The musical numbers were stupid and seemed an added afterthought to the no dialogue slow paced scenes, when they were not filming the somewhat pornish sex scenes. 2* 6.09.09

Clandestinos

How do I begin with this drama, that had no thrilling aspect as previously described in the synopsis. Crime Drama would be a more accurate description. It was a well acted, directed and scripted drama, about a young man in a characterization of a repeated juvenille delinquent offender. He, with the help of a friend, break out of the JD center, followed by an unwanted tag-along. They run to Madrid, in order for Xabi to meet up with an ex-compatriot/lover. I found this movie to show how, through circumstances, children coming of age are/can be impressed and/or pressured into beliefs that they do not fully understand. Xabi thinks that doing something extreme will get him back in the good graces and arms of the man he fell in love with. It took some time for me to actually get into this Spanish drama, but in the end I was pleased I took the time. 3.5* 6.08.09

Myra Breckinridge

Trashy camp at its best. Myron wants to get back at his womanizing uncle, so he gets his willy chopped off and becomes Myra. Yep, this story, by Gore Vidal, was scandalous at the time, as seen now it is so fun and with a great cast of characters, such as the impeccably beautiful Mae West (at the age of 77), Raquel Welch and Rex Reed as Myra and Myron, with cameos by Tom Selleck, Farrah Fawcett, and many others. If you are looking for some fun, a good laugh or two, and some great old film clips thrown in for good measure, then you must rent this one. 4* 6.08.09

The Killing Gene

I was lost most of the way through this movie, even though it kept me watching. Some of the weird twists it took seemed totally irrelevant to the story as a whole, so heed my warning, if you find yourself confused, stick with it. The synopsis gave me enough background to get me interested, but the movie really carried me through. A little over halfway through it begins to step up the pace so pay close attention, to what Melissa George's character discovers. I realize a few may see this as a potential spoiler, and it isn't. IMO her character though somewhat in the background carries the entire film, even though Stellan Skarsgard and Selma Blair are excellent in their performances as well. 3.5* 6.08.09

Back Soon

Writer Director, Rob Williams brings another of his storys to your home entertainment system. Back soon is a story of loss and new found love. This gave me a few unexpected plot twists, that did not make very much sense until later, after I sorta guessed what was going on he threw me another twist for good measure. Matthew Montgomery was great in this somewhat off kilter love story. I was impressed at how much better Rob's script was than his previous attempt with 3 Day Weekend. 3.5* 6.08.09

The Midnight Meat Train

Based on a short story from the magnificent Clive Barker, the director, Ryuhei Kitamura, brings this story to the screen in a slow and gory set of sequences, that had me cringing in my seat. The special effects added to my experience rather than diminishing it as some are apt to. Vinnie Jones wowed me with his performance. I think it helped that he didn't talk. hehe. Most of the story develops in the final scenes when we finally find out what the story is about. Be prepared for some fabulous blood splattering imagery. 4* 6.08.09

3-Day Weekend

As for having a 3 day weekend, this movie was probably filmed in just 3 days. It was a very simple film. The acting was ok and as for the writer/director Rob Williams, he gave a good shot at showing us a group of individuals, seemingly couples and friends, in different stages of relationships. He should have went with the alternate ending to give it a bit more pizzaz. I enjoyed it for what it was, but it was a retake, remake or even a copy of Love! Valour! Compassion. The movie even gets a nod in one of the first scenes, when they are doing the whole getting to know the extra invitees. Overall 3* 6.5.09

Martyrs

Oh my, I feel highly compelled to warn, encourage, as well as prohibit the viewing of this film. You may think how can I do that. Well I strongly suggest NO CHILDREN EVER be allowed to view this, next those of you who do not like exceedingly strong gore factors I give you a warning, and finally those who enjoy the creepy, blood spattered, mind blowing imagery you HAVE to watch this. At the beginning of this film we get to know Anna and Lucie as childen. Lucie was kidknapped at a young age and basically tortured. We then catch up to the pair 15 years later, and find them in trouble. Finally, Anna is alone at the conclusion of this film, not totally alone, but in some ways so alone it is frightening. I found myself really liking this movie, but after one viewing I do not think I could bring myself to watch it again. During this film, I kept seeing a few similarities between Martyrs and Hostel, and Hostel to me was just plain ole' boring, torturing trash. This french film went a step or two above and beyond Hostel. You can expect some of the same themeatical elements, but this deals with a more spitiual nature than plain ole' torture. As I watched, the plight of Anna and Lucie had me yearning for them both. I wish I could say more, but you need to watch this for yourself. 4* 6.2.09

Defiance

I highly recommend this true story about the Polish jews during the occupation of Polland during WWII. The four brothers find their niche in the most troublesome time in their history. As the story progresses, I got more and more involved with these characters. The specifics are well explained in the synopsis, the acting by all involved is very believable, the accents are quite believable as well, although Daniel Craig slips up a couple of times and James Bond comes out. 5* 6.2.09.

Sebastian

In this Swedish coming of age film, Sebastian, a 16 year old boy, kisses his best friend on an impulse. After doing this, he begins to question his sexuality. The movie to me was real to life, except his circumstance in how he begins wondering or thinking he may or may not be gay. Almost every gay person I am friends of always questioned their orientation BEFORE they did something as simple as kissing their best friend. That was the only problem I had with this movie that kept it from being a 5* film. The acting, the story were all excellently directed, and the music fit every scene except for one (Ulf and Sebastian were sitting in his room listeneing to music and tapping the rhythm on their legs, their fast rhythm did not match up with the slower melody that was playing at the time). A film worth the rental, for laughs, tender moments, and an overall great drama. 4* 6.02.09

Heaven

The story of Heaven drew me in gradually and actually constructed the tale for me as it went along. Cate really shines, as her story unfolds. Giovanni suprised me, with the depth of feeling he brought to his character. Together, they are stunning. The beginning had me a bit baffled, as the story begins unfolding, I began getting a glimmer of something magically compelling. I would recommend this film, for the story as well as the beautiful landscape of Italy which looks like a piece of 'Heaven'. 4* 5.31.09

When Love Comes

When Love Comes is a question and/or statement many people think will add definition or quailty to their lives. When Love Comes, it comes in many different shapes, packages, and sometimes you cannot or even fail to see what is right in front of you. The emotion and feelings I got while viewing this drama made me laugh, made me tear up and it played beautifully across my TV screen. The six characters were loveable and true to life in so many ways, I could not help falling in love with them all over again. What do they do, when love comes along. I guess if you truly wish to know, you will pop the dvd into your Q. Rena Owen does a magnificent performance. 3.5* 5.25.09.

End of the Line

It's a full moon and all of the crazies come out. The End of the Line was a dark and twisted piece of work. With a job at a mental hospital, Karen has seen every kind of crazy, but tonight it seems they are coming out of the woodwork. A religious cult, which would put Jim Jones out of business, is preparing for the coming Armegeddon. I was impressed with the moreso head trip, than the actual scare factor. The gore was a bit over the top fake, but just the right amount to give you the cringe factor. This was not a masterpiece by any means, but an original idea that was pulled off very well. 4* 5.23.09

November Son

If you seen October Moon, you may wish to pass this one on by. A sequel, which I found to be a small step up, with a better script, and the acting had more emotion to it. The beginning is a mixture that would just confuse a new comer, someone who has seen October (like me), may think oh no not a sequel. It was though they realized where they screwed the pooch on the first one and upped the ante a bit, (not much, but enough for me to find a small amount of enjoyment). A few new characters enter the mix of ladies left in the aftermath of what happened in October Moon. Eli, his father and mother cause utter confusion and constantly bring up the past. What is going on? Did Eli show up to replace Elliot, his mom seems to think so. I found more tense moments, which promoted this to a 3* movie for me. 5.19.09

Outlander

A beautifully done piece of art, action, sci-fi, and adventure film worth every star possible. Kainan crashes on a seeded planet, during the iron age, in the country of Norway in the year of 709 AD. Yes, I said a SEEDED planet. After finding out he has had a dangerous stowaway, he proceeds on his way trying to track it down. The real adventure begins when he gets captured by the locals. A small amount of Norse mythology, great action sequences, bloody battles and mayhem, and a CGI creature not to be missed. EXCELLENT!! 5* 5.20.09

October Moon

This so called psychological thriller was nothing much outside of a snooze fest. The amount of total gay bashing was way too much. As for the meager offering of acting and such I blame most of it on the unkind and extremely uncomplimentary script. A gay triangle murder, suicide gone terribly awry with a decent amount of gore thrown in for good measure. I say skip this one at 2*. 5.19.09

My Fake Fianc�

Melissa Joan Hart and Joe Lawrence come together in this family friendly movie. The script was your average boy meets girl, the plot to make their problems go away, by plannig a wedding. The usual problems arise of course, but it was fun watching them all the same. I hope you have as much fun watching as I did. Great LOL moments, without to much sappy ones. 3.5* 5.18.09

Personal Effects

Personal Effects (for me) was trying to find and sort thru all of the emotional garbage (pain, anger, denial, regrets) one goes through when dealing with the senseless murder of loved ones. This was a show of what time can accomplish, no matter how slow or fast of a process, it takes. It gave us glimpses into the different reactions these four characters went through. Yes, it was a slow, and not a totally, completely, believable scenario at times. I found that simply due to a fault of timing on the directors part. Was it a few weeks, or was it several months? We never really get any sort of timeline to fully grasp these small, lonely, and depressing moments of their lives. The overall feeling I received was one of each finding closure and relief of grief. I must mention the sole character which gave this movie any emotion was Clay (Spencer Hudson), for a deaf character to fill the screen in such a way as he did, gave the others a place to strive for, but unfortunately did not quite pull it off. I can't say I enjoyed such a depressing film, but it did draw me into the story in such a manner that I found myself watching until the end. 3.5* 5.16.09.

Muriel's Wedding

I recently found myself in the need of revisiting and old favorite of mine. The joys of Muriel Heslop's failures, while still coming out on top. I fell in love with Toni Colette back in'94 as she portrayed this positive thinking loser, dreaming of being the star in her own Dancing Queen Dream. If you have yet to catch a glimpse of this powerful actress in one of her major beginning roles, then you must click that little red ADD. 4.5* 5.16.09

Clockwatchers

Someone recently, FORCED me to watch OFFICE SPACE, which I hated, so I made them watch a much better office worker movie with three fabulous leading ladies that never seem to get the credit they deserve. Parker, Toni, and Lisa make the life in a cubicle funny as they watch the clock. 4* 5.16.09

Starstruck

This 80's movie has so many incidental characters, which just add to the comic value of Jackie and Angus. The New Wave Punk music fills this film with so many catchy tunes, that you just feel like getting up and bebopping along with it. The synopsis pretty much fills you in on what to expect, but the legnths they go to get there are wild and outrageous. This Aussie creation took me back to all of the wild hairdo's, make-up, and music of my youth that I had a blast watching it once more. I caught this on the IFC movie channel, but remember watching it on VHS. Jo Kennedy and Ross O'Donovan did a great job in inviting me into the pub and their lives, giving me a viewing pleasure. Music mostly written by Phil Judd and performed by The Swingers an Jo Kennedy herself. 3* 5.17.09.

Empire of the Ants

A fun cheesefest of a movie, there are no redeeming qualities to this movie whatsoever. It was just fun to take a step back in time to see how movies were made, that was supposed to scare us. The effects were good enough for the late '70's, but just made me laugh today. There were several things that made me mad and laugh at the quality of the direction and editing process: the continuity did not get sewn together, like the pants leg of Joan Collins outfit did, the screams were not in time with the actual screaming (unless ants have learned to scream and no one told me), the acting was mediocre at best, and the script was pure CHEESE! 3* 5.16.09

Hybrid

I gave this movie an overall 3* rating, which actually had to do with a few, and I mean very few, subtle plot points. First of I have to admit I was quite defeated in my expectations, by the synopsis provided, I did however read some of the reviews, which in turn brought me to watch. The good points that I did find were, how with a wolf's eyes he was able to do wolfish things, as well as they made him seem to actually communicate with other dogs and wolves. (No he did not howl). The only physical characteristic he received was the eyes. Not a werewolf movie! I enjoyed the overtones of the donating wolf's memories, but like another reviewer mentioned it had no actual revelence, except to fill in gaps. 5.15.09

Phase IV

Ants gallore are depicted in this Sci-fi thriller, directed by Saul Bass. Have you ever watched ants go back and forth, to their hive? Well this movie takes it one step, or maybe ten steps farther. I have to admit it kinda freaked me out years ago, when I was younger. Watching it again gave me the same freaky feeling, yet it also gave me a different view as well. The steps the director took to make them larger than ants actually are was stunning. We know they have innate abilities to find their way back to the hill, but the intelligence this movie gave these six legged creatures was astounding. How they adapted to the different attacks from the human element, reminds me of how they continue to come back each year despite the chemicals, pesticides, and steps we take to keep them out of our yards and homes. 4* for this creepy crawly thriller, well worth the rental. 5.13.09

The Girl

I found this lesbian love story to be quite poignant and inviting. Filmed in Paris, yet voiced in English, an artist, a lounge singer, and a man all are trying to travel down the same road, where only two can go. A very slow paced film, with moderate narration, and a beautiful script. The scenes between the two women were artfully done, with very few full nudity scenes. As the movie played out, I found myself enjoying the chemistry between Claire Keim (the girl) and Agathe de La Boulaye (the lover/artist). It was odd, the characters were not named, this gave me space to where the story carried me through it, rather than the actual people themselves. I don't believe that this is something for everyone, but if I intrigued you in the slightest, rent it. 4* 5.13.09

The Farmer's Wife

The film quality of this 1928 silent film was well restored. I did find it a little difficult to completely follow, due to the fact of the cut away script, for the amount there was, seemed fragmented. The overall feel of the film was decent for the period it was supposed to be portraying. I suggest you have fun and enjoy for what it is worth, just not an high recommendation. 3* 5.9.09

Enchanted April

A very visual delightful movie, the garden, the landscape, and especially the house. The four leading ladies begin to blossom as the flowers in the garden. The Italian landscape just opens them upto the beauty they have inside. Lotty Watkins sees an advertisment in the paper by reading over someones shoulder. It captures her heart, which allowed her the courage to approach a neighbor lady she has seen in church, but never was formerly introduced to Rose Arbuthnot. They hatch a plan to go, by splitting the cost betwixt the two. Lonny says that it is a castle of love. Mrs. Fisher finds her preposterous young woman. She says she sees her husband there so she invites him against the wishes of the others. They soon learn to love and believe what she sees. Caroline Dester just went to get away from her life, and left to her own devices, she comes to learn more about herself. A period drama, which is based on a novel by Elizabeth von Armin, and adapted exquisitly by Peter Barnes. 4* 5.8.09

A Home at the End of the World

A poetically beautiful movie told with the correct depth of emotion to give it the 5* quality. The total innocence of Bobby (Colin Ferrell) is just so deep and passionate that it tugs at every heart string I have. The search for love, a home, and a family after tremendous loss from poignant moments in Bobby's life. We follow him from the young age of 9 to around 30 something. Michael Cunningham's novel, of the same name, was scripted excellently, and the cast really put their heart into each character. Robin, Sissy, and Dallas enhance Colin's performance, in such a way, that they get me in such a state of love and hate at the same time, mostly love, but a small amount of selfish hate as well. I have read the novel and the director did a wonderful job covering the basic parts of story so that the movie came together in such a way it did not destroy my love of it or the novel. 5* 5.8.09

Oh Happy Day

Focus, Focus, Focus. The script overused this word way too much. I wish the actors would have done that in a few parts of the movie. Overall it was a great comedy, with the correct amount of dramatic elements to give it that extra something special. Jonathan gets to focused on what he should not do, that he begins putting his job before his family and friends. He is hired by Green Pharmaceuticals to come up with a name and promotion for a new 'happy' pill. He meets David one night at a party and something clicks. OOPPS, David turns out to be his new client. The chemistry between these two actors is quite passionate, but there were a few scenes they were in that they did not mesh well in their reactions, losing MY focus. It will be an OH Happy Day when you rent this. 4* 5.6.09

When Boys Fly

The movie Circuit (2001), had a filmmaker doing a documentary on the circuit parties he attended, partied at, met his DJ boyfriend at, and while I enjoyed the background story more than this character doing the documentary, I did think it would be cool to actually see such a film. Circuit and When Boys Fly were both released by TLA Releasing and could have been filmed at the same time. However the documentary covers a time frame of about 4 to 5 years. I was stunned by the reality and the truly harsh look at the supposedly fun you can have at the various circuit parties. I have always seen the glamour and draw of the parties, and honestly would go to one just to experience it firsthand. BUT after watching how couples split, how the side effects of the drugs are worse than the high/joy they are supposed to give you, and how lonely all of these people actually are makes me glad to have more respect and love for myself than the 'party boys' seem to. A must see look at the reality that is CIRCUIT. 4* 5.6.09.

The Dr. Who Collection

2.5* As described in the synopsis "A must see collection", I say NOT! If you want to see reguritated Doctor Who, then yes go ahead and rent this. Disc 1: Dr. Who and the Daleks, starring Peter Cushing 2* (see my review). Disc 2: Dr. Who Invasion Earth 2150 AD, starring Peter Cushing. Another revamped William Hatnell series turned into a movie. This time he has a niece, Louise as well as the 12 year old granddaughter Susan. A copper from London, Tom finds himself in the Tardis as the Doctor takes off and ends up in London circa 2150. When I watched the Hartnell version I was impressed, that they actually used fire to come out of the Daleks arm. They apparently did not find that feasible for the movie, so they used steam that seemed to explode on impact. STUPID! I did not think it was possible to screw a script as bad as they did the first time, but they did it. 1.5* Disc 3: Dalekmania, documentary. This third and final disc contains a sort of look back, and making of the two above movies. The better of the three in my opinion. It made my torture of watching the movies lessen somewhat. I want to rate them more, but it is impossible for me to do. If you wish to watch these anyway rent the first and third disc. I recommend skipping #2 altogether. 3* 5.6.09

Arc

As I began watching, I was questioning, what in the world was I thinking about when I Q'ed this. Long about day three, I began getting involved with the story happening between Paris and Maya. I thoroughly enjoyed how the director used splashes of color in a basically B&W movie. Be sure to give this a chance. I almost missed out on a truly twisted tale, that left me wondering what exactly just happened. Even though I finished watching up to day seven. 4* 5.4.09.

What's Up, Scarlet

Scarlet Zabrinski runs a matchmaking service called You Are Not Alone. Unfortunately she is, after many failed attempts, and her mother's hounding her to settle down, along with her deadbeat brother milking her for dates as well as money. She determines enough is enough, then on the way to work one morning she gets rear ended by an out of work actress Sabrina Fisser, and finally ends up on one delightful rollercoaster of an affair. A sweet comic drama filled with a great cast of characters, a decent script, and a upbeat soundtrack, Scarlet brightened up my mood. 4* 5.4.09.

Arthur and the Invisibles

What an exciting and cute live and animated adventure this was. The overlapping adventure Arthur takes in his backyard, as a Minimoy, while trying to save the same backyard from a man who wants to turn it all to a concrete apartment complex. It was fun to just sit back and enjoy this tale. 4* 5.3.09.

Final

Final was an imaginative and emotional affair of the mind. Dennis Leary (Bill) awakens in a memory. In walks Hope Davis (Dr. Ann Johnson), he tries to get her to tell him what is going on and when the final shot is scheduled for. He begins to believe that his memories are just dreams, his paranoia growing daily, until things cumulate into the truth of the matter. Will Ann give him the chance to leave, or will she be the inducer of his death. The twists had me wandering what was next, the story had me at hello, and the acting was excellent. There were a few dry emotional elements involved in the love story aspect. 3.5* 5.4.09.

Second Sight: Series 1

Second Sight is a BBC/PBS series, that gives us a glimpse into the life of DCI Ross Tanner (Clive Owen). As he begins working on the case of a murdered college kid, something goes wonky with his eyes. With a new second in command to get to know, that figures out his secret, she begins inserting herself into his daily life so that he depends on her more than he would like. The case he is trying to solve, he finds he needs his sight more than we can guess, does he have it all done and dusted? Well, I guess you will just need to watch and figure it out for youself. 4* 5.3.09.

The Lathe of Heaven

Interesting, very interesting. Based on a novel by Ursulla K Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven was a novel she believed was not dramatic enough to make a film about it. Set in the year of 1998, in the city of Portland, George Orr has dreams, as we all do, but his dreams seem to change the reality, or does it really? Undermining OR using George's ability, Dr. Hayber, in his own way, tries to help George realize that his dreams are not coming true. An extremely visual delight of film, it just wrapped me up dreaming right along with George. A must see for all Sci-fi enthusiasts, for those who would say I don't like Sci-fi, I would suggest that you give this a chance as it is not your Star Trek or Alien type of film. It is more sedentary and cerebral, which added to my enjoyment. After the film is finished be sure to check out the interview between Bill Moyers and Ursula K Le Guin. I found it insightfully poignant, which also added to my understanding. 4.5* 5.4.09.

Dreamscape: Special Edition

Every person dreams, every person has nightmares, what would happen if the government came to you and said we can help you rid yourself of these terrifying dreams. Max Von Sydow stars as the Dr. in charge of such a facility. He recruits dream walkers to aid you in working through the traumatic imagery in your dreams. Dennis Quaid is one such dream walker. He has a psychic ability that gives him insight into one’s mind, which allows him to insert himself into the dreamers. The story is a good one with several interesting visual effects. As for the direction the film took, it had a nice little twist, that pretty much was expected, yet it had a nice little jolt to it. I enjoy this each and every time I watch this. 4* 5.4.09

Legend of the Seeker: Season 1

I just got caught up with my viewing of recorded episodes of Legend of the Seeker. They were very LOOSELY based on Richard & Kalahan's journey from the Westlands to the Palace of Darken Rahl, from Terry Goodkind's novels. It is very understandable as to the WHY they do not follow the long and treacherous journey through the Midlands. Interposing elements from several novels, the series tells a fantastic story as they are viewed. Plenty of Action, Mystical elements, Magical beings, and a gentle compelling love story which plays out for the enjoyment of all. However some elements may be lost on younger viewers. This could be a very long running show if they continue on the path they are taking, and I am looking forward to how it plays out. 4.5* 4.30.09

Mulligans

Charlie David, star of Dante's Cove, wrote and starred in this drama of second chances. I had pretty much figured out what was going to happen from the get go, but got anxious to see how it would end. The story was your basic man meets married man story. The unusual circumstances, or possibly not so unusual chemistry that transpired between all parties of this family, they found in themselves a little shred of forgiveness to be able to let it go, each in their own way. Second chances are deserved, but not always an easy thing to do. I was glad I rented this, even though the soundtrack left it a little unemotional. The acting was well done by all concerned. I especially liked the young daughter, Birdie, that came across smarter than the adults. 4.5* 4.29.09.

Doctor Who: Doctor Who and the Daleks

I was very disappointed in this regurgitated movie, starring Peter Cushing. The writers took quite a few liberties in rewriting the origins of the Doctor, as well as Susan, Barbara, & Ian. Barbara and Ian are dating, preparing to get married. Susan is Barbara's 10 - 12 year old daughter Barbara and susan are both granddaughters to the Doctor. He creates the Tardis on Earth instead of coming from Gallifrey. They turned Ian into a bumbling idiot. The Story borrows HEAVILY from the original episode which can be seen on Disc 1 of Doctor Who: The Beginning. The sets seem the same, the elements are all alike, the ony difference are the UPgraded Daleks and a completely different cast. Very disappointing to this Whovian. 2.5* 4.30.09

Gypsy Boys

Set in the beautiful city by the bay, this well cast film plays out the lives of 8 gay men over a weekend. David andd Seth throw a party to celebrate their break-up, Manny is in love with his best friend Aaron, whose boy friend Noel, is flying in from London, and finally we have Kevin, a dreamer, Steven, an artist, and Blair, a playboy. As the varied dramas play out at a local bar, you get to know these characters very well. By the end of the movie, I found myself glad it was over. It was fun, but got quite repetitive by the end. 3.5* 4.28.09.

The Night Buffalo

This movie was a very dark and troublesome film, that gave me off and on doubts to its stability. Overall, it was a haunting story about a young man, Manuel, giving us glimpses into significant moments during the dark friendship between him and Gregorio. The past as they were growing up in love with the same girl (Tania), to the present after Gregorio's appearant suicide. Gregorio's sister gives Manuel a box he left for him, that leads him down a twisted self discovery, that he doesn't wish to explore, but is forced to do so. Manuel has a bevy of young women ready to let him do whatever he wishes, all the time wanting the love of Tania. I hated it and loved it at the same time, one of those movies, that you just have to see. A subperb beginning for Mexican director Jorge Hernandez Aldana. 3.5* 4.28.09.

The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior

I wish they would leave a good thing alone; another prequel to the previous prequel is just ridiculous. The story was a good one; it just tried too hard to follow/begin in the previous footprints. It was a good frivolous movie to watch, as long as you don't expect too much. They did an interesting thing with the scorpion, but for a 'big budget' movie of this nature I was expecting a better done scorpion. 3* 4.27.09.

The Scorpion King

The Scorpion King played out surprisingly well. Unfortunately, I really did not understand why they made The Rock the hero after he was portrayed as the villain in 'The Mummy'. For this being a prequel, in a well developed series like The Mummy, it fails in certain aspects, which are easily overlooked by me. I did enjoy it. The cast was perfect, the action sequences well directed, and the CGI effects were interesting. 4* 4.27.09

Ready? OK!

Writer, Director James Vasquez brings a very light, upbeat and extremely sweet comedy. He also did '29th and Gay'. Executive Producer Carrie Preston, star as the mother (Andrea Dowd) of an 11 year old boy who loves cheerleading. She tries to, in a roundabout way, discourage him by getting him to do wrestling, at the Catholic school he attends. Joshua is a very positive and passionate young man, played by Lurie Poston. He really loves cheerleading, and is very OK with who he is and what he wants to do. To me this was more of how the mother dealt with the possibility her son may or may not be gay. The things she deals with on her journey are somewhat inspirational as she comes to accept that she needs to let him become and grow as he needs for himself. A couple of important characters aiding her and giving the movie that added comic relief are her mother, her brother (John G Preston, Carrie's real life brother), her gay neighbor (Michael Emmerson, Carrie's husband), the nun and priest at Joshua's school. I truly had fun watching this movie, which I sat through it twice. 3.5* 4.26.09.

Terminal USA

This movie was totally terminal in its makeup, direction, and acting. Terminally ILL, that is. My hat goes off to the other two reviewers, for at least finding something a little bit positive to say about this hour long, night club lighting, ridiculous mess. I like spoofed films and actually enjoy quite a few. The satire in this wasn't even the slightest bit funny, it did have a few interesting characters, and they were not even part of the family unit. When daddy started shooting everyone, I thought don't forget the director. LOL. Sorry guys, but I think this should have been a TOTAL MISS for me. 1.5* 4.24.09.

Battlestar Galactica: Caprica

What an impressive start to the new Galactica series! Caprica begins a bit slowly, but as the pilot starts playing, little bits are revealed and the picture begins to form, and boy do you get all wrapped up in what plays out in front of you. I so want to delve into what happens in this DVD pilot episode of the series soon to come to television. I will refrain, but I will give you a couple bits of readily available information. Eric Stolz is Daniel Greystone, his daughter Zoe (Alessandra Toreson) has used the holo-imager, her father created, and uploaded her life into this holo of herself. Esai Morales plays Joseph Adama, a lawyer and father to William Adama. What happens when you have two different families from two differing backgrounds, coming together by chance, or do the gods have something to do with it? You decide. A fantastic and must see for all Galacticans! If you have yet to see the new Galactica, this is not a bad place to start, but I do suggest that you do. A solid total of 4* I cannot wait for it to begin, I'm sure it will only get better. 4.23.09.

The Gay Bed & Breakfast of Terror

Good Grief!!! This was a movie I want a refund on the 105 minutes I spent watching this trashy, good for nothing, supposedly horrorifying, and gory flick. Serial killer, not in my opinion, but then again maybe, she was just a sick Bible thumping mother, that thinks she is the hand of him above, ridding the world of homosexuality. She runs this bed and breakfast, off the beaten trail (Bates Motel, anyone). Five couples end up here, because all the main hotels are booked. Good plot line huh? Well they sure didn't pull it out of the hat. The scipt was fourth rate, the acting was worse than poor, and there was more humor, than I expect from horror movies. If you seriously consider watching this, be prepared for some distinctly, overdone, week old poisoned muffins. 1.5* 4.23.09

Ang Lalake Sa Parola

Ang Lalake Sa Parola was a well done film, for the subject it portrayed. It was one of the more sexually graphically done films coming from the Phillippino director, Joselito Altarejos. I liked how he played the ending as snippets throughout the film, making it almost like two stories. In some ways it was two stories as the snippets focused on an old man who used to work at the lighthouse that Mateo now caretakes for. It told of the magic of a legend about the Queen of Fairys, and how if a man were to see the Lady, then he would be ruined, as no woman could compare, in the end he would have a life without marriage. The myth was actually created to hide the attractions of men for other men. As Jerome comes to town, on vacation, he meets and befriends Mateo, and after a night of drinking tea made from a lilly, Mateo discovers the Lady Fairy. I thought the film well done and the simplistic nature of the story was quaint. I think most viewers will find it to be a decent attempt at a coming out love story, but dissappointing overall. 3.5* 4.22.09

The House of Adam

Okays! It wasn't that bad, well yes it kinda was. Yes the script left a lot to be desired, yes the plot in and of itself was a decent outline, MOST Definitely the music was so cheesy that it never quite meshed with what was happening. The plot is Anthony comes home at the bequest of his father to find out if Adam is stealing from his diner. A year later his dad dies, and leaves the diner and house to Adam, six months later Adam gets killed with a Bible no less, and Anthony goes missing. After the house gets sold, the real fun starts. The continuity in this movie is realllllllyyyyy bad, example a house in the woods with no one around for miles, yet when Helen, one of the new owners goes to lock the front door, after it keeps opening by itself, there is traffic outside on the street. The outdoors scenes are actually beautiful, but not filmed anywhere near the house. The editing was mismatched and elementary, for something to have taken 3 years to get from production to screening. Writer, director and producer Jorge Ameer, cameo as the real estate agent, explains his whole process of making The House of Adam. I think that he needs to revisit HIS WHOLE OUTLOOK and revamp it so that he does become a better director. He also directed The Singing Forrest. He states in the segment of making the movie, that yes there will be mistakes, making a movie is a jouney, it doesn't matter where you end up, it is the getting there. He needs to change his philosophy. The actors did a decent job with what they had to work with, even though some of it seemed contrived and forced, especially the nudity and kissing scenes. I laughed quite a lot while watching this. I agree with one reviewer, make watching this into a drinking game and you will be drunk in 20 minutes or less. 2.5* 4.21.09

Jamaica Inn

Alfred Hitchcock brings us a tale about the scallywags and scoundrels, whom deliberately cause ships to wreck off the coast of England back in the late 1800's. The head scallywag is played perfectly by Leslie Banks. Maureen O'Hara pays the part of heroine and niece to Leslie Banks. After the death of her mother, she leaves Ireland to come and live with her aunt at the Jamaica Inn. The coach refuses to stop there so she ends up at the home of Sir Humphrey Pengallen (Charles Laughton). The story was well played and of course the direction of this 1939 film was perfection itself. I purchased this in a 3 disc 15 hour set, so I have no idea about the quality that others have complained about. It kept my attention and my enjoyment was 3.5* worth. Hitchcock fans will find the dark side of these charaters well worth the watch. 4.19.09.

Young and Innocent

Young and Innocent (1937), is a masterful film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring the talents of Derrick De Marney, as Robert Tisdall, and Nova Pilbeam, as Erica Burgoyne. The film is based on the novel by Josephine Tey, adapted by Charles Bennett. Circumstances lead to Robert being accused of murdering a socialite and actress Christine, played by Pamela Carme. Being innocent, of course, Robert flees his trial, and causes Erica to want to join him to prove his innocence. This was a great adventure in the telling, that I enjoyed. A Hitchcock film worth the watch. 4* 4.19.09.

The Skin Game

The Skin Game (1931), directed by the Master of Human Nature, Alfred Hitchcock, is about a family trying to hold on to their lifestyle and property. The Hillcrests are being hounded by a ruthless and brash business man who has already purchased the land surrounding theirs. The downside is this upstanding family longs to keep and hold on to what they have, so exactly how low and what will they do to maintain it. I liked watching how Hitchcock brought out the darkerside of this upstanding family, mostly through Mrs. Hillcrest (Helen Hayes). 3* 4.19.09.

Don't Look Down

Don't Look Down was a beautifully filmed, almost magical coming of age love story about Eloy, a young man that works for his family's business as a headstone delivery boy. After his father's death, he begins sleepwalking, but thinks it is his father's spirit leading him down a path meant for him. Avoiding the traps his brother has set up to startle him awake her literally falls into the arms of the love of his life. Elvira sleeps with the skylight open; she is also visiting her Nana for the summer months. After Eloy falls through her skylight, she finds, in him, the spark of a kindred spirit. She proceeds to take him in hand teaching him the joys of prolonging, and pleasuring his partner in love making. The roles are clearly laid out in the beginning, but they both can't help falling in love even though they know the vacation shall soon be over. The whole movie is full of spiritual and somewhat magical moments; I could not help but to find some poetic meaning in all of the intimate and artfully done sexual situations. 4* 4.18.09.

Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her

The glimpses into each of these ladies lives are compelling, in their own right. They do however blend a bit, sort of like the movie 'Crash'. Each have a character that tell them where they are, where they are going, and give them an idea on how to get there. I enjoyed these lives as moments, and the special glimpses were almost magical in the telling. 3* 4.16.09

The Deadbeat Club

From the get go, I was not sure I would like this movie. Then, there was a couple of great one liners, that peaked my interest to continue watching. After the fire, the story goes a little bit downhill as Cynthia tries to get people to help out for the talent show, to raise money for Mr. Nash. The one liners keep the movie going, unfortunately the town has it in its collective butt of a mind, that Mr. Nash is responsible, so the turn out is less than expected. The show must go on and it is a hoot. Just watching it for the talent show alone is enough for my 3.5* rating. 4.20.09

Battle Planet

Battle Planet failed to pull off the seriousness of the plot, with the amount of cheese it brought to the table. The reasons behind Captain Jordan Strider's (Zack Ward) mission to a desolate planet in the neutral territories, was a great premise for a movie, but the elements that they added destroyed for me a good story. They promoted this movie by the TV series Heroes star Brea Grant, who had a total screen time of maybe 2 minutes max. The different species of The New World Alliance were good in thought, the make-up and prosthetics killed them though. The ending fell flat on its butt. I still cannot place my finger on the point that the script, direction, or editing, started going downhill, like an avalanche; once it got started it just went right over the edge. Interesting concept, they just failed to pull it off. 2.5* 4.14.09

War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave

C Thomas Howell is a good director, he just should not direct himself. The special effects are okay, nothing overtly spectacular. The walkers that invaded the Earth, have come back 2 years later. With 2 years to plan for another invasion, we were better prepared. OR were we. If you want to try this mess of a movie feel free to do so, but I suggest that you give it a pass. 2* 4.14.09.

Blade: The Series

How poorly could someone mess up the character of Blade? Apparently very much so. The actor made a decent Blade in place of Wesley Snipes; it was all of the crap they decided to add into the characters behavior, script, etc. I would give the pilot episode a 4* rating, but the soap opera drama they added into the series made the rating drop tremendously. My vampire stories require major butt kicking, bloody fangs, and erotic undertones. This had very little butt kicking, a smattering amount of bloody fangs and practically no erotic imagery or erotic undertones. The Bade movies got better as they went along, the series got worse. I rented all four discs, and am writing this on watching the third, I am hoping for a good ending, yet I am tempted to remove the final disc and just be done with it. If you decide to watch this deservedly short lived series, grab disc one only. 2.5* 4.14.09

Jocks

This is your typical '80's fare, dealing with the college world underdog's achieving against the odds. In this movie it is a tennis team, going to the nationals in Vegas. It was quite fun to reminiscence back when these movies were in abundance. Not a great movie by any means, it is enjoyable for the type it was. 3* 4.11.09.

Yoga Zone: Yoga for Weight Loss

In this Yoga Zone DVD, you get your heart rate up more than the normal yoga workout, which actually is what burns the calories, rather than the sweat factor. Starting out with Sun Breaths Al talks you through the poses as Jean and Laura give you both versions (beginner and expert) of the positions. For the beginner or someone who has done yoga for years, the Yoga Zone series of DVD's are a great source of yoga. Moving through the poses, as they did on the DVD, without pausing for the several breaths for each pose, as normally, also helps you realize to focus on your breathing, the first 30 minutes gives you the workout while the last allows you to cool down and relax. 3.5* 4.10.09.

In the Electric Mist

As luck or fate would have it, Tommy Lee Jones takes on a dramatic role that could have been written with him in mind. Based in the mystery and beauty that is bayou country, the novel 'In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead' is set in the time after Katrina, and shows the utter devastation that was caused in the smaller towns of various counties. There is a film being made about the Civil War, there are a couple of murders, and bones of a dead black man from 40+ years ago, all for County Deputy Robeschek (T.L. Jones) to deal with and solve. John Goodman does an evil spot on job, as the local 'business' man, who has his fingers in every cookie jar around. Peter Saarsgard is the main actor and all around bad-boy drunk. Mary Steenburgeon plays a subdued wife and mother, whose husband (T.L. Jones) is never home when he needs to be. This was a decent all around slow paced murder mystery, dwelling more in the past than the present. 3.5* 4.7.09

Ogre

A small town plagued by disease, a town that has disappeared and became a legend. Four friends go on a camping trip, in the area that Ellensborough was supposedly located. After one of the boys trips and breaks his ankle, the two of them try to find their way back out of the woods when they stumble across the boundary of the town they were looking for. I enjoyed the setting, the simple storyline, and the meager amount of emotion even when they were supposed to be scared to death, what I did not like was the blob of jelly, that was supposed to be an Ogre, to me an ogre that only eats on the winters solstice would be rail thin, but huge all the same. This was a poorly CG designed monster. It had the feel of 'The Village' (secluded period town) with a little bit of Blair Witch (searching for the mystery of the disappearance), a monster, and dark magic stirred up in one movie. A 3* enjoyable viewing experience from me. I did want to rate it higher, it's just that the ogre made the movie full of CHEESE. 4.9.09

Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep

I don't know why others found this to be such a horrible movie. Yes, it is a Sci-fi original movie, but that does not automatically a bad thing. Victoria Pratt, from Mutant X, is a marine archeologist, searching for a fabled Greek opal and mask, which has been found and lost so many times; it would make it one of the most important finds of her career. Charlie O'Connell, from Sliders, is a lost little boy/man that became an underwater photographer, simply to hunt the creature that killed his parents when he was 10. The movie was a twist between '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' and 'Peter Benchley's The Beast'. There of course were a few problems with the script, Jack Scalia’s character and plot line that tied him into the movie was unnecessary, in my opinion. They could have just made Nicole and Ray's search more difficult instead. Therefore instead of a 4* sea monster movie it gets 3.5* 4.9.09

Dark Storm

This Sci-Fi original movie was a fun jaunt into the stupidity of scientists in the movies. Why do they always try messing with stuff they only should theorize about? Dark storm is about science gone awry, as well as creating a possible superhero. Think the Marvel hero Storm, becoming Stephen Baldwin, and controlling dark matter from destroying the geomagnetic field that surrounds the Earth. We even have a super villian. Hehe. The special effects were actually quite good, for a TV movie budget. 3.5* 4.7.09

Drift

After pretty much being forced to go to a party, thrown by his agent, screenwriter Ryan, and his boyfriend of 3 years Joel, meet Leo. Ryan worrying over his expired visa, his lack of faith in his agent and writing ability, finds a breath of fresh air in Leo. Leo is going to college and planning on becoming a novelist. Ryan actually thinks he has found a kindred soul in Leo, they like the same books, the same movies, and even have the same flair for trivia. This movie was a 'grass is greener' type of movie, but after leaving Ryan, we are left to wonder how the story plays out, with the three different scenarios or endings, the writer Quentin Lee leaves this up to our own imagination. An overall good independent film worthy of my 3* rating, I just hope you don't find yourself drifting as I almost did. 4.8.09

Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss

I just had to take a jump back to the 90's, in order to actually see a funny movie. Billy Collier (Sean Hayes) has a dream of being a famous photographer with his work plastered in every art gallery, as well as having a fabulous boyfriend to play out every famous on screen Hollywood kiss. He actually finds the boy, to act out these famous kisses for him to photograph, there is only one problem Gabriel (Brad Rowe), a waiter/musician, is straight or is he?!? This movie has a few LOL moments, but ends up being an all around feel good movie, that was a joy watching again, after some of the more serious movies I have been watching lately. 4* 4.7.09

The Secrets

This film, by Avi Nesher, moved me in ways that I would not have expected from the beginning. The beginning was a slow start, then the drama and emotion took off, and was very powerful. The synopsis does not do this movie justice. It has the basic outline, true enough, but the drama that plays out between the two leads, Naomi (Ania Bukstein) and Michelle (Michal Shtamler) was truly amazing. The friendship and trust that blossomed was just beautiful. As they came to know what happened to bring the French woman Anouk (Fanny Ardent), back to Safed, Israel, they found her as the key to their own fears and passions. This has quite a lot of the biases about and concerning the men and womens roles in the Jewish religion. Think Yentel meets womens lib. As for the lesbian undertones involved in this drama, they were tastefully done, and not the least bit forced or even trashy. A 5*, highly recommended foriegn film, is Ha Sadot (The Secrets). 4.7.09

Phantoms

"Phantoms", written by Dean Koontz, has been brought to your home DVD viewing experience. This movie is a psychological, suspense, thriller/horror, experience not to be missed. When a doctor, (Jenny) Joanna Going has to bring her younger sister (Lisa) Rose McGowan to live with her, in the small town of Snowfield. They get back to a deserted town with 400 residents. No phones, no electricity, it’s like they have been cut off from everything. As night time nears, when Sheriff Henderson (Ben Affleck) comes back from out of town, the fun really starts. Also, a noteworthy performance by Peter O'Toole, he plays a journalist/novelist, that possibly has some insight to what happened to this small backwater town. I hope you like this 'sit on the edge of your seat' thriller as much as I did. 4* 4.6.09

Flash Gordon

Flash aahh haa!! This was a great update to the '50's serials. Max Von Sydow was the PERFECT Emperor Ming. The truest meaning of hero, Flash Gordon a simple football star, saving the Earth from destruction. It was such a joy watching this after all these years. 4* 4.5.09

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter

The special features on this DVD expounds on the glory that was/is Watchmen. Watchmen Chapter 1, is a comic book motion animation. It tells the beginning of the movie, from the Comedian's demise to Rorschach's involvement in finding who killed him. There is also a story within a story that tells how they brought the two stories, The Black Freighter and Under the Hood to us. I really enjoyed 'Under the Hood', it took what to me was jumbled up images inserted into the movie about the past, and made everything much clearer. Now on to 'Tales of the Black Freighter', for which I rented this DVD. After his ship was destroyed, by the Black Freighter, the captain uses what he has handy to make a raft to get back to his family. This short animated feature is darkness to the extreme. The bloody horror depicted here, is definitely not meant for viewing by the young. As I watched the imagery played on my TV, I wondered how this relates to The Watchmen. It gets explained in the special features. I reviewed this in the order I WISHED I had watched it, so if you decide to enjoy this DVD extra addition to The Watchmen, remember this reviewers review, on the order of viewing. 3.5* 4.5.09

Ethan Mao

The synopsis was interesting enough, and some of the reviews gave me a sense of things, so I took a chance. Entertaining, nope thrilling, not to likely A decent attempt though, the self sacrificing nature that was supposed to be evident, or should have been evident was very unemotional for my tastes. My biggest problem with this film was the basic acting especially out of some of the familiar faces like Raymond Ma and Julia Nickson-Soul. Overall, a big disappointment out of this coming out, getting kicked out, trying to survive all alone drama. 2.5* 4.4.09

Filth and Wisdom

With quite a colorful cast of characters, Filth and Wisdom has a whole lot of one and very little of the other. A Ukranian gypsy AK, wanna be rocker, with a job as a hedonistic humiliation expert, a ballerina Holly, with a penchant for stripping, and an spoiled little runaway rich girl Juliette, with a dream of going to Africa, who works for a Hindu pharmacist, with the knack of stealing drugs. Who could possibly have wanted to direct such a mumbled mix of trash yep, the Queen of Trash Herself Madonna. In her first ever directorial debut, Madonna actually pulls off a pretty good narrative about these three roommates and the cast of characters they interact with daily. With the limited amount of wisdom, spoken narratively by AK, gives this film its own bit of character. I actually enjoyed this first attempt by Madonna more than I originally figured I would. 3.5* 4.2.09

No Regret

Can there truly ever be No Regrets? Following the life of Su-min, an orphan, trying to make it in Seoul. He works for a factory, goes to evening classes, and he is a hired driver. He meets Jae-min when he gets called out for a driving job, and finds himself stalked at every turn. this drama is one that had me at the word go, and did not let me go. It actually had many suprises, that are not your typical gay love story. Directed by Souith Korea's first out gay director, Hee-il Leesong gave me chills with some of the twists it took. Leaving me asking the question once again, do we truly ever have no regrets. 4* 4.2.09

Chrysalis

Finding myself enthralled by the visual acuteness of the dark and dull color palate, this also gave an added intensity to the details one would normally take for granted. The story of the doctor and the vigilante cop play out beautifully as the director begins to weave them together, giving us the viewer a unique experience. Set in the year 2020, the sets are aesthetically plausible, the science mentally available, allows Chrysalis to be a possibility. Chrysalis is a holographic machine allowing the user to perform difficult surgeries as well as an alternative use, which is a bit creepy thinking it could actually be a reality in the near future. The cast gives us a great performance with a well written script, bringing us into their lives, feeling their pain, distrust, etc. There were a few explanatory slow parts, where the visuals took over. This French film has been dubbed into English with English subtitles. I could not get the French/English to work, so I suffered through the dubbed version, you will need to turn off the subtitles when viewing it this way, due to the spoken does not match the written. 4* 4.1.09

Holding Trevor

Please, bear with me for a moment while I first give a rant, about the writers of gay characterizations. Of all that happens in someones life, and all the different types of personalities you could draw from. I wish they would stop portraying gay male leads as self centered irresponsible idiots. Now onto my review Yes, Trevor can be described as above, thus my rant. Other than that, this movie had many good qualities, deserving of the 4* rating. When, Trevor's friend/ex-boyfriend overdoses again, he has a sort of epiphany that makes him realize the life he is 'living' is not really a life. A dead-end job, friends that he loves, but really just tolerates, and a doctor that would like to see where things may go. An enjoyable film starring Brent Gorski (Trevor, also wrote and produced), Eli Kranski (Ephram), Jay Brannan (Jake, also starred in Shortbus). Have fun if you choose to watch the personal journey of Trevor, can he hold onto his sanity, in the mess of his life. 4.1.09

Breaking and Entering

After hearing so many different views about Breaking and Entering, I was finally compelled to view and judge it for myself. I found the story to be very compelling and powerful. The emotion that was portrayed on screen between, Jude Law (Will) and Juliette Binoche (Amira) is actually what carried me through it. Robin Wright Penn (Liv), Will's wife for all intents and purpose, was very closed off from this viewers perspective, except in several scenes, even though unemotional, she allowed the pain to show in very subtle ways. Also, the major situation Liv had in her life may have been the cause behind the unemotional detachment that I perceived as a viewer. The synopsis of this movie should have been written more like this: ** After his office was robbed, Green architect designer Will finds out his life is not what he believes it to be. He discovers the truths in his heart, he thought lost forever. ** The underlying stories the other characters tell, truly adds that extra flair, that makes this drama well worth the Q space. 4.5* 4.1.09.

Cthulhu

When the movie first began, this viewer wondered if and when would the movie start. The script started picking up and just wrapped me up and tied me up like a little neat package. The visuals and scenery were stunning, as was the way everything was laid out and presented to keep you watching. Cthulhu was a very good mind twister, which kept surprising me with every scene. Dark, eerie, and mostly what just happened made the psychological horror one that I will not forget anytime soon. The only part of this story that made me wonder why it was included, that somehow did not really fit, was the best friend love story. It was tactfully done, although parts of the gay storyline seemed somewhat forced, as if this was or could be the only reason for Russ (Jason Cottle) to ever leave home. If you like a good brain bender, don't miss this film inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft. 4.5* 4.1.09

Doctor Who: The Time Meddler

The last set of episodes for the second season, pays tribute to the loss of Barbara and Ian, whom left the Doctor and Vicki to find their own way home after the last battle with the Daleks. After landing, as well as finding that Stephen managed to get aboard the Tardis, the Doctor finds himself face to face with a Monk who wishes to rewrite history. This happens in the year 1066, when the Vikings land on the shore of England and are defeated by King Harold. A well restored version from multiple types of media. 4* 3.27.09

Reign of Fire

Gerard Butler, Christian Bale and Matthew McConahey all come together in order to kill and destroy the Queen. Why would they do it, you ask? Well if the Queen kept destroying your food supply, killing your kin and loved ones, I believe I would hunt her down as well. After years and years of hiding, running, and fighting, the Americans show up and light a fire under their buts, to actually do something about the Queen. Oh did I forget to mention the Queen I am speaking of is a dragon. This Dragon is not to be taken lightly, she is just trying to survive as the humans are. 4* 3.27.09

The Boys in the Band

After years of waiting for this to be available to watch on DVD, I finally got my chance. This 1970 movie is a true classic gay themed film. Yes it was based on a play, but taking into account I had never gotten a chance to see the play, this stands alone for me as a viewer. I owned the VHS for many years until it gave up the ghost, and my appreciation for the way it ranged over and through the typical gay stereotypes, has not paled. These guys basically bare their souls to the camera, while at a birthday party for one of their group of friends, some are new friends, some are old friends, and we even have the innocent never met friend to be. A definite pleasure that I enjoy every time. 4.5* 3.26.09

200 American

This movie left me wishing that it had more to it than it actually brought to the table. The acting was quite dry and unemotional, even the fight (yelling) scenes left you not feeling any emotion. A bloke from down under is getting married to stay in America, the lady in question wants money to pull off the scam of a marriage. So whats a bloke to do, he starts escorting. $200 for a date, he is hot enough to get it to. The rest of the script, fell flat on its $200 dollar budget. For an independent film it did have its merits, the picture was good, the lighting & sound came across better than expected, the unfortunate side effect was the script & direction, the director should have gotten better reactions from the cast, than actually came through with the meager offering he was handed by the writer. 2.5* 3.26.09

The Dark Half

Timothy Hutton stars as Thad Beaumont, a writer in a small town of Ludlow, Maine, wants to truly write his own novels. What exactly does this mean?, well his first novels didn't pan out so he submitted a new one under the nom de plume of George Stark, in order for him to be taken seriously his agent decides to set up a magazine shoot where he buries George Stark as a stunt to promote himself as the true author. Bizarre happenstances begin taking shape, and Thad becomes the # 1 suspect. Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Needful Things) knows Thad on a personal level and realizes something doesn't quite mesh well. An ending not to be missed, I hope you have as much fun watching as I did, and do every time I visit the life of Thad Beaumont. 4.5* 3.25.09

Resident Evil: Degeneration

This CG 3D movie was such an exciting adventure, that after watching it, I immediately went to the store and bought one for myself. The madness Umbrella Corp unleashed on Raccoon City comes back with a vengeance. This animated movie tells the story of Claire one of the few who escaped Raccoon City, before the bombing occurred. An episode of the Resident Evil saga NOT to be missed. 4.5* 3.25.09.

Scenes from a Mall

Scenes from a Mall is just one of those movies you just love to hate. Bette Midler and Woody Allen play off each other very well. Except for the first maybe 10 minutes the entire movie is of them in a mall, dealing with every problem possible. Infidelity, children, their upcoming anniversary party, their past, and a Mime that literally follows them around everywhere. Enjoy it for what it is, I did. A brainless comic jaunt, into the minds of a couple that belong together or do they? 3* 3.24.09

Meet Me in St. Louis

One of the best Hollywood Musicals that stick with you forever, once you have seen it. Mucsical numbers, like "The Trolley Song", "Meet me in St. Louis, Louie", and others just stick in your head for days after, for me years after. I just by chance came across this gem of a movie again and had to watch it. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, he gave his wife Judy Garland the role of Esther Smith, and filmed her so that she would look younger than her true age. Esther Smith and her family are going to the World's Fair. She falls for the boy next door, her sister Rose wants her beau to marry her, her little sister Tootie is a rascally scamp, Her mother (Mary Astor)keeps the family together and her father (Leon Ames) is totally clueless in his own home. With the addition of Marjorie Main (Ma Kettle), as the maid Katie, it make this movie funny most of the time, sad a few times, dreamy all the time, so come and join the Smith family as they prepare to go to the Fair. 4* 3.25.09

Golden Years

Strictly a screenplay, not taken from any of his novels, Stephen King takes us on an adventure in the life of Harlan Williams. Harlan is just a run of the mill cog in system of a company called "The Shop", he is a janitor at one of their testing facilities. After finding out that he is too old, and must retire soon due to failing health and eyesight, Harlan goes about his business as always, when an explosion occurs sending him to the hospital. One thing leads to another, and Harlan finds himself being chased by the company he has worked for all these years. How does it end you will have to check it out and see for yourself. On a side note, this screenplay was never truly finished, and the ending you will see was altered to conclude it, instead of leaving it as a cliffhanger. Also, "The Shop" are the same people who kidnapped and chased after Charlie in Firestarter. Should have been 5 stars for a more conclusive ending, but gets stuck at 4* 3-25-09

Walled In

It will be a bit difficult to write this review without giving anything away, regardless I shall try anyway. First off, I think you should be in a frame of mind to want to watch a slow paced, extreme, psychological thriller, to get any amount of quality enjoyment from this. Secondly, the synopsis is enough background to get you interested or not. Finally, the whole story is focused around this masterpiece of architectural wonder. I think you have to dispel your beliefs and expectations when taking this on to watch. A weak 3.5*. 3.24.09

Deathtrap

Good grief. I do not believe it took me 3 attempts to finish this. Was it a Thriller? Nope, Was it a comedy? Nope, what was it about then. I couldn't honestly tell you it did take 3 attempts for me to finish it. I think I will just say, watch something else if you come across this review or this film. The principle plot behind this was figured out in the first 10 minutes. I suffered through it hoping for more, it failed miserably. A fading playwriter (Michael Caine) struggles to find his next great play, when mysteriously ?!?, or was it fate, something comes in the mail by a old student of his (Christopher Reeve). Well that is how the story begins. You will have to watch to find out what happens next. 2.5*. 3.24.09

Fashion Victims

First off, I would like to say I loved and hated this movie. I loved the story line, of the whole competition, between the two leads. Fashion merchants taking their wares, produced by the same company, to the various shops, and trying to get there ahead of the other. The part that I hated was the role of Wolfgang Zenker (played by Edgar Selge) everything about this character grated on my every nerve, but in all honesty that is where most of the comic relief came from. The background love story of this German film, was played down quite a bit by most of the standards known today. Nevertheless, this was a fun enjoyable film with enough merit to make it 3.5*. 3.21.09.

Circuit

After being rudely outted, small town cop John leaves and heads for the big city of LA to stay with his cousin and his lover. The writers of the screenplay took the phrase 'don't get mixed up with the wrong crowd' to a whole new level with Circuit. The drug thing can really rock your world, or it can turn it totally upside down. Circuit has a great dance soundtrack, that takes me back to my own party days. This movie actually has an underlying story, and it is pretty much filmed in the same manner, John's cousin is making a documentary on the whole, designer drugs, circuit dance parties, and perfectly sculpted pretty boy image. This not a 5* movie by my standards, although I mostly found it enjoyable, I was also bored with the duality, daytime soap feel of it. 3* 3.22.09

Connie and Carla

Nia Vardolas does it again. She wrote, starred and produced this extremely comical look about a lounge act, Connie and Carla. The story goes something like this After watching their boos bite a bullet, the duo runs away where there are no dinner theater, lounge acts to be found West Hollywood. I can't help but to sing along throughout the movie, except when I'm laughing myself stupid. I did find my heart strings pulled on several occasions. Nia, Toni Collette, David Duchovney, Stphen Spinella, and a special appearance by the dinner theatre herself Debbie Reynolds. The extras, deleted scenes, etc. are not to be missed either. 4 solid stars! 3.22.09

The Man I Love

I rented the '97 film back when it came out on VHS. I found the story of Lucas and Martin totally enveloping my heart. The synopsis is actually the first 2 minutes of the film. What happens next is a drama like no other, if I was to detail it out like I wish I could, it would ruin the emotion for you. At times, I wanted to scream get on with it, but my patience won out and I was thoroughly pleased at the direction it took. If you have a bit of time, you may find a gem in the rough with this one, I certainly did. 4* 3.21.09

Punisher: War Zone

After watching this film, I had to read the other reviews to see what I missed. Personally, Dolph and Thomas made a more believable Frank Castle, with what little emotion Frank was supposed to have. All that Ray brought to the table was his brawn and stoically, brooding, I don't give a rats butt about anything; his emotional being didn't even spark for me, when it should have. The story was well done, yet it did have dragging moments. All of that aside WOO HOO!!! Brain spatters everywhere! LOL The extremely graphic bloodshed was creatively and sometimes explosively beautifully done. The final scene was the keeper though. 4* originally 3* prior to the ending. 3.21.09

The Lair: Season 2

In Season 2 of The Lair, someone must have gotten some script writers. The storyline had more depth, with all of the sex, eye candy and a few twists added in. As if gay vampires was not enough, we have a botanist obsessed with a night blooming flower, with a hunter from the mainland, oh yeah they added a gay werewolf too. Cameos by gay porn icons like Will West, Zak Spears, and Frankie Valenti. It was not a whole lot better than season one, but in some respects it is. 3.5* 3.18.09

La Le�n

I shall first of state, the synopsis of this film is about as close you will get to figuring out what is supposed to be happening. The imagery, of the jungle on this island off the coast of Argentina, was captivating. It was all done in black and white, I do not think if they had filmed in color, it would have been as beautiful. As an added bonus the subtitles when there are any were done in red. I honestly do not know whether I could recommend this. The small part of this story that actually grabbed me was the circumstances of Alvaro, he is surround by this cloud of loss and conflict, which made me yearn for him. 3* 3.18.09

Jekyll

This BBC series takes the legend by Robert Lewis Stevenson of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde to a whole new level. The dual personality truly comes out of Denis Lawson, as he plays Dr. Jackman the progeny of the original Dr. Jekyll. An organization that has been following the history of the legend, is out to capture Dr. Tom Jackman. He hires a personal assistant to keep tabs on his darker side, as well as to keep him from finding out he has a wife and kids. The spectrum, that this story takes, is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I found that this was a fantastic and visually stunning series. 4* 3-19-09

Coupling: Season 1

Jane was dating Steve, Steve was sleeping with Susan, Susan was dating Patrick while sleeping with Steve, Susan’s best friend is Sally, Steve’s best friend is Jeffrey, Susan and Steve want to break up with Patrick and Jane so that they can date, Patrick starts seeing Sally, and Jeff and Jane are just a mess. This is just the first episode; the other 5 episodes are just as messed up as the first. The comedy of this series is just fabulous, I had watched quite a few episodes throughout the 4 seasons and it was a joy to watch the ones I had missed, and a pleasure to watching the ones I remember. 4.5* 3-19-09

Dead Like Me: Life After Death

SPOILER Text Edited Thank you! After 5 years of waiting, we finally get to see what would have happened had this perfect series continued. Der Waffle House burns down, Rube has disappeared, so what is a reaper to do. With a new head honcho Calvin, the team of Mason, Roxie, and Daisy take his cue, and to frak with everything they learned from Rube. George (Ellen Muth) sets out to rectify what is wrong when a reap goes bad. Now, peanut is the one responsible. The cast is all the same, except for Daisy (now played by Sarah Wynter). If you saw or enjoyed the series, this is not to be missed! 4.5* 3.18.09

Rockaway

Revenge overrides justice, but isn't revenge a sort of justice? This short adventure was a might to slow for me, but then again it may have just been the mood I was in. Coming home after a stint in Afghanistan Trane seeks out his revenge on the chain from knife to orders, in the death of his family. Not a whole lot of suspense, nor is there really much script, just a mindless haze of gun fire, chases, with a small dash of heart. So-so rating of 3*, not one for the Q, unless WI is still available. 3-18-09

The Lair: Season 1

The Lair begins weirdly, and ends just as weirdly. With a vague idea to go on, the creators made it up as it went along. It does have quite a bit of eye candy, tons of nudity, and quite a few gay porn icons like Colton Ford (Sheriff Trout) Dylan Vox (Colin). The Lair is located on an island "supposedly" the same island Dante's Cove is located on. Damien, the owner of The Lair, is actually the head of the family of gay vampires, a reporter Tom (David Moretti) is researching the missing and not so missing, (dead) string of bodies that have been turning up all over the place. There are you storylines, now go act, LOL. I'm sure that is what happened when the filming started. Bad porn, described as drama to the producers. 3* 3.18.09.

Sukiyaki Western Django

OK WHAT DID I JUST WATCH??? Was there an actual story behind all of the Blood, Bullets, Mayhem, Sword fights, etc.? OR was this just another collaberation for Tarantino & Miike to do because they were bored. I think it was the later. Let’s take the Wild West, throw in some Asian actors, oh why not give them a few white boys too, PLUS let’s give it a gang style and an Asian kung-fu flair for effect. GEEZ I suggest avoiding this bloody mess. 1.5* 3-18-09

Rick & Steve: Season 2

Rick and Steve are back with 8 more episodes. When Dana and Kristyn went to get pregnant, there was a slip-up and Dana was the one seeded. The season opens up with the cast in the maternal ward. Dana is having the baby, and she has been in labor for 4 days. Yes, this season continues the stupidity, vulgarness as well as all the laughs. With the new baby, as an addition to the cast, everything turns upside down and right back up. Not to be missed if you caught the first season, with a cliffhanger for season 3, I suppose I will just have to wait to see what happens next in West Laghuna Beach. 4* 3.15.09.

Phone Call from a Stranger

Gary Merrill, Michael Rennie, Shelly Winters, and Keenan Wynn meet by circumstances, that cause them to bond over personal tales of their lives and loves. They exchange numbers and addresses so tht they can get together sometime in the future. As the new guy to LA, Gary Merrill (David Trask) gets the responsibility of contacting the others, because he has no contact info, other than his life in Iowa. After the plane goes down, David takes it upon himself to contact the loved ones of the other three, of their last day. I found this classic drama to be well written, acted and directed. 4* 3.15.09.

Rick & Steve: Season 1

The Happiest Gay Couple in the World, this description is just so true. In the case of this Lego animated gay series it is so much more. It is funny, rude, stereotypical, and very vulgar. Not a typical children's animation, the opening disclaimer says it all 'This show should only be viewed by legally and emotionally mature adults. It contains graphic violence, language and puppet on puppet sex.' In the episodes contained here, we learn about Rick and Steve, Dana and Kristyn, and Chuck and Evan. Kristyn wants a baby and she wants Rick to donate, the whole season revolves around this plot. It is laugh out loud stupid. If you think you can handle the vulgarity, then you may just find this as enjoyable as I did. 4* 3.15.09

Good Times

I so wanted to like this. Part I did really enjoy, others I wanted to fast forward through, but I didn't. Sonny and Cher get offered the chance to star in their own movie, by George Sanders, who plays a movie producer. Cher says not to do it, but Sonny just sees stars. They get handed this rags to riches story and Cher laughs in his face, so the producer gives Sonny 10 days to come up with his own script. His 3 visions, of how the movie would go, were the funniest parts, after his dream sequences, the movie became dull and left you wanting more. I thought it odd how true life was somehow played off of what was happening in the movie. They are in a movie playing themselves making a movie, Cher didn't want to, Sonny did. I found myself wondering if that was the actual way this movie got made, just because Sonny wanted to. The musical numbers, are a few of their early ballads, including an extremely slow rendition of "I got you babe". 2.5* 3-14-09.

12:01

This time piece of an adventure, has Barry (Jonathan Silverman) reliving the same day over and over. Barry is a basic cog in the system where he works, he hates his job, he hates his boss, his best friend works with him and constantly gets him in trouble, and he has a crush on one of the head scientist, (Helen Slater). After finding out that 'his' day keeps repeating, no one remembering from day to day, has him rushing about trying to find out why. It doesn't matter if he screws up, it gives him a chance to get to know the girl, so that he can save her life. People compare it to 'Groundhog Day' simply due to the repeating of days. What they are not taking into account is that both were made the same year, one for TV (12:01), the other for theater (Groundhog Day). This has more of a Sci-Fi Thriller than the comedy GHD brings to the table. This is also a bit more enjoyable to me, due to how bits of the puzzle are revealed each day, than a basic repeating of the same day. 3.5* 3-13-09

10.5 Apocalypse

After reviewing 10.5, I felt I should continue and review 10.5 Apocalypse as well. It picks up right where 10.5 left off. The west coast has a new outline, the state of California now has an island, the nuclear warheads they triggered to stop the eathquake actually triggered and even DEEPER fault line. This time instead of following the coast, it snakes inward toward Vegas and up the other side of the Rockys. Actually it could be said that it is 2 different faults both heading toward the central plains, where 2 nuclear plants are located. This is a better conclusion than the first, which is why I believe they continued. Better destruction, more realistic CG FX, and new cast memebers join Kim Delaney & Beau Bridges in the conclusion of 10.5. 4.5* 3-13-09

Jeffrey

A few friends of mine were teasing me about my passion for this movie, so I just had to review it. Jeffrey (Steven Weber) loves sex. He thinks about it all the time, but it is getting difficult for him. (Poor Thing Not) What is difficult for him, is the fear factor of HIV. So he gives up sex, simple enough right? Not in this movie, as soon as he decides that, he meets THE ONE... Stephen (Michael T Weiss). Stephen is this built, beautiful, male god with the most perfect smile ever, but he is HIV positive. What's a guy to do? There is just so much stupidity, one can't help but to laugh your but off, feel sad, feel happy, and even get mad at what is happening on the screen in front of you. I can pretty much quote the entire movie, the real kicker is Patrick Stewart (Sterling) plays a gay interior designer, with the best one liners ever! When this movie first came out back in '95, I read an article about it, and they said before they went to promote the movie, the writer(gay), director(straight), and 4 leads were in a room discussing what questions to answer, the director told the reporter doing the interview that the room was evenly mixed half straight, half gay, so who did you decide was the other 2? With cameos by, Nathan Lane, Sigourney Weaver, Cameron Manheim, Kathy Najimy, and many more add to the comedy and excitement this movie gives the viewers. 5* 3.12.09

10.5

After reading the reviews for this made for TV mini-series, I felt compelled to give my greatly differing opinion. 10.5 was many different stories all playing out at the same time. It all starts with a small earthshaking event, building up to half of the state of California at the bottom of the San Andreas fault. California now has it's own island. To some this may be a spoiler review, but you know what will happen at the beginning, so I say sit right back and enjoy the ride. As some reviewrs have noted the special FX in a few scenes leave a bit to be deisred, but others are stupendous. Kim Delaney stars as a Dr. Samantha Hill, a specialist in seismology. She predicts other aftershocks growing in magnitude after the small one that hit Washington State. As the movie progresses along people are coming to believe in her theory that this is a deeper fault line than has ever been recorded. Other reviewers say the science is bad, I don't personally know, I do know I accepted her theory as I watched, and simply enjoyed the movie as it went along. 4.5* 3-13-09

The Pretender: Season 2

Michael T. Weiss (Jarod) stars as The Pretender. As a child, Jarod was 'brought' to The Centre. An organization that ran tests, experiments, and situations, on 'bright' children. Twins, geniuses, and 'pretenders' alike were all 'victims' of the Centre's subjects. A 'pretender' is a person who can mentally become someone else when placed in certain circumstances. Jarod, a prodigy if there ever was one, escapes the clutches of The Centre, to find out who he is, where he came from, and to finally find his family. With no clue as to where to begin he has also 'confiscated' the tapes that they made of him as a child. His 'trainer' Sydney (Patrick Bauchau), tries to help him in his quest, while at the same time bring him back 'home' to the Centre, with the aid of Miss Parker (Andrea Parker) and Mr. Broots (Jon Gries). Jarod, in his search, sets out to right wrongs as he goes. He sets out locating people whom have been done a great disservice or suffered from misfortune, by the hands of another, all recieve the aid that only Jarod can provide. With great performances by the entire cast, great script direction, and excellent moral stories, The Pretender is a series that will forever stand the times. I have thus far re-watched 2 seasons of this drama, after watching when it was on the air back in '96, and have yet to come across an episode that I remember everything about. It is like watching it for the first time. 5* 3-10-09

The Pretender: Season 1

Michael T. Weiss (Jarod) stars as The Pretender. As a child, Jarod was 'brought' to The Centre. An organization that ran tests, experiments, and situations, on 'bright' children. Twins, geniuses, and 'pretenders' alike were all 'victims' of the Centre's subjects. A 'pretender' is a person who can mentally become someone else when placed in certain ccircumstances. Jarod, a prodigy if there ever was one, escapes the clutches of The Centre, to find out who he is, where he came from, and to finally find his family. With no clue as to where to begin he has also 'confiscated' the tapes that they made of him as a child. His 'trainer' Sydney (Patrick Bauchau), tries to help him in his quest, while at the same time bring him back 'home' to the Centre, with the aid of Miss Parker (Andrea Parker) and Mr. Broots (Jon Gries). Jarod, in his search, sets out to right wrongs as he goes. Locating people whom have been done a great disservice or suffered from misfortune, by the hands of another, all recieve the aid that only Jarod can provide. With great performances by the entire cast, great script direction, and excellent moral stories, The Pretender is a series that will forever stand the times. I have thus far re-watched 2 seasons of this drama, after watching when it was on the air back in '96, and have yet to come across an episode that I remember everything about. It is like watching it for the first time. 5* 3-10-09

Doctor Who: The Web Planet

The Web Planet is in an alternate solar system. The Tardis has been captured by the planet from unknown sources. The Tardis crew sets out to find the cause and runs into the the different species on this new planet. Barbara finds herself with the Menoptra, moth like creatures, Ian ends up underground with the Optra, larvae creatures, Vicky and the Doctor get captured by the Zarbi, ant creatures. The trials the crew went through with the various insect like creatures was enjoyable, yet I found the depth of script a bit much, as well as the simplistic nature of the outcome. 3*

Watchmen

I am having extreme mixed emotions about this film. I keep jumping back and forth from didn't like to loved it. I have never read or had any prior knowledge of the comic itself, as a newbie I found the three different plot lines as quite confusing, until they actually tied them together at the end. The Watchmen were basically retired superheroes, due to governmental policy. One storyline is about President Nixon, trying to warn and control the Russians from starting a Nuclear war in 1985, another is the hero Rorschach trying to find the person responsible for killing The Comedian, and finally we have the storyline of the past, where and how the Watchmen came to be. There is also a subtle yet quite evident plot as to if superhero's should even be allowed to live, as well as are they morally right/just in their actions or just simply wrong. The moral compass of each hero was slightly off kilter from one to the other, and how they became so jaded. By the end of this 3 hour movie, I am still wondering what I just watched. The few action sequences were very well done, the FX were extremely beautiful (especially the Mars shots), the music was spot on, and I have to mention quite a bit of flesh is shown throughout the film mostly by Dr. Manhatten, who works with Ozymandis to create a new renewable power source. Overall, a fanboy's perfect hero movie, once the ending actually explains a few things. Is world peace the goal or is it the destruction of mankind as we know it? 4* 3.6.09

Wonder Woman

I have been excited to watch this since I first heard about its creation. For DC and Warner Brothers, to finally bring us fans the story of Wonder Woman was a feat they accomplished to a tee. This story is the actual birth of the Princess Diana, (voiced by Keri Russell) of the Amazon Women. It even covers how the gods of Greece, set them up on the island she has always called home, Themyscira. It also takes us on a journey I had never heard or dreamed of. The journey is of Diana going off to capture the god Ares. Aided by Colonel Steven Rockwell Trevor, (voiced by Nathan Fillion) she flies off to New York to confront the downtrodden god Ares as he attempts to resurrect his followers, in a cause only the God of War could conceive of. He wishes to get the manacles that Hera his mother placed upon him which restricts his powers of psychically feeding of the fear and hate that war breeds. In order to do this he must first get a true god to remove them, whom did he choose? I will let you watch and find out for yourself. This is a superbly written Origin set up for a Wonder Woman series we can only hope. A must see and wonderful adaptation of Wonder Woman in this animated adventure. 4.5* 3.3.09

Meteor

Prior to Armageddon, Deep Impact, Forces of Nature, and other asteroid movies heading for Earth, Meteor still stands the test of time. When a meteor collides with a comet, it changes the trajectory of the object and sends the five mile wide meteor hurtling straight for us. The US military has a satellite in orbit for such a disaster called Hercules and sets out to aim it skyward. Knowing it wont be enough to destroy it, Sean Connery convinces his Russian counterpart Brian Keith to help him combine Russias own satellite Peter the Great to effectively deal with the meteor. I have watched this several times over the years and it is as great as it was the first time I viewed it. Made in 1979, it lacks the FX of today, but gives us a beautiful view of horrible natural disasters such as a tsunami, avalanche, and major devastation. 4.5* 3-2-09

The Mirror Has Two Faces

I finally found someone, would be a better title. Even though I get it, the two faces of Barbra. I must say, this is a fabulous love story, but to me it's more of a finding the truth in who you are. Rose thinks and believes that to find love it is making your partner happy. She realizes after changing her appearance, that all she truly needed was to change her attitude and how she looked at herself. Jeff Bridges, Mimi Rogersn Pierce Brosnan, all support her in becoming true to who she is. Lauren Bacall plays Rose's mother. She is as exquisite as ever. Her talent literally explodes every scene she is in. When she first makes her appearance, in the church for Mimi's wedding, that scene is priceless. Barbra did a good job in the direction of this film, as well as her acting. 4.5* 3.1.09.

Hot Yoga

For one who enjoys Yoga as I do, this had poor instructional value. I was hoping for more than a voiced over, bland direction, and no continuation from pose to pose. Watching the 3 male figures in G-strings, sweating out in the desert sun was the only thing that geve this any merit, their poses was correct in the performance if you wish to visually watch yoga, instead of doing it yourself. They did hold the poses more than is usually required, which would give you a better strength and stability workout if you actually wish to use this video for workout purposes. The models were too close to get the stretch that is needed, which almost made this a bit pornographical. I will be generous with my 2.5* rating. 3-2-09

Yoga Zone: Gentle Yoga for Beginners

I first found Yoga Zone on the Lime Network on my satellite service. I had recorded most of the airings before they dropped the station. So knowing the ease, and great direction these workouts gave me, I decided to rent them. In Gentle Yoga for Beginners, Charles Matkin one of the main instructors in this set of yoga workouts, leads us with true precision as well as a way for beginners to get the workout, with no straining if your body is new to the poses. If you want a great yoga workout, then I highly recommend the Yoga Zone Fitness DVD's. This is a good starting point, as for where to go from here, visit my Yoga List. Thanks! 4* 3-2-09

Guys and Balls

This German film is a hoot. Ecki, a soccer player, gets thrown off of his home team, when his beat friend finds out he is gay. Not the type of guy to quit, he decides to challenge his old team to a game to prove gay guys can play soccer just as well as the 'normal' players. First off, he has to find the players to make up his team, second he has to make sure they can play, and finally he has to make them a team. With so may gay stereotypes on his new team it becomes an impossible task. An laughable foriegn film, along the lines of 'Eleven Men Out' with less drama. 4* 3.1.09

Divine Madness

The fabulously Divine Miss Midler gives us an outstanding performance, combining her raunchy outrageousness comedy along with her musical abilities. A concert, like she became famous for, doing shows in bathhouses and clubs. Musical numbers include 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy', 'Leader of the Pack', 'Do you Wanna Dance', 'The Rose', and many more. This live show premiered shortly after her starring role in the movie 'The Rose'. Classic Bette worth the watch, and most definately worth the laughs. 5* 3.1.09

On the Other Hand, Death

Donald Strachey is finally back. Another mystery, another murder, another setup, and great supporting cast. These set of mysteries get me going like a couple of well shaken martini's. This edition, starring Chad Allen and Sebastian Spense, have Strachey investigating a vandalized house of a longtime couple (Margot Kidder and Gabrielle Rose). This becomes his main case, but not the one he originally started with, because everything eventually ties together in a nice neat little package. If you are new to The Strachey Mysteries, checxk out 'Third Man out' and 'Shock to the System'. 5* 2.28.09.

Dane Cook: Vicious Circle

Foul mouthed, stupid stand-up, comedian Dane Cook actually had me laughing so hard my abs hurt. In this HBO special, he talks about heaven, his dad's man junk, dating, and many others. Normally I don't rent stand-up, but a friend of mine told me I needed to catch this one, and they were right. If you like Dane then you definately don't want to miss this one. If you haven't gotten in touch with Dane before now, think part Chris Rock, part Jay Moyer with a dash of Rosanne for good measure. 4* 2.28.09

Kiss Me Guido

Are you looking for light comedy? Look no farther than Kiss Me Guido. A Bronx Italian native, Frankie needs to find a roommate. He leaves his family home when he finds out the girl, he is planning on asking to marry him, has slept with his brother Vito. He finds an add GWM needs roommate. He automatically assumes GWM is 'Guy With Money'. Unbeknownst to Warren, his best friend has placed the add in order to help Warren get over breaking up with his good for nothing boy friend. So what happens when you put a homophobic boy from the Bronx in the middle of Greenwich Village? A lot of fun chaos that is what. Enjoy the 4* it got from me. 2.27.09

En la Cama

Two beautiful people, one room, one bed and one fantastic story. Several friends gave greatand intriguing recommendations for this film. There was not one sigle moment that I was not captivated by the performances of these two actors. 4.5* 2.27.09

Horsey

94 minutes of cursing, drug usage, and good music. There isnt much of a story, A female artist, Delilah, basically trying to find her way in the world, and trying to find some balance between her love for drug addicted Ryland, and her love for Lisa, a student. The rest of the cast makes no impact on what story there is, with the exception of her best friend who leaves her in the dust. 2.5 stars was a stretch, probably only deserved 2*. 2-27-09

Body Snatchers

I think this is my least favorite of the Invasion remakes. In this version, the kids are the ones who realize first what is happening. Where can you go, what can you do. The way they invade the bodies was kinda cool though, as well as a few updates to the story. Unfortunately, it is just your basic remake of a sci-fi classic. 3* 2-26-09

Time Runner

Not really sure where he is or when he is actually, Mark Hamill (Michael Raynor)wakes up on a farm in Washington state in 1992. The only screwed up part of this movie was bouncing back and forth from the future to the past, as well as how Karen Donaldson (Rae Dawn Chong) actually found out about Michael Raynor. The rest of the movie was enjoyable as it was for what it was supposed to be. A light jaunt into the past in order to save the future. 3* 2-26-09

Brother Born Again

This documentary was good enough for me to comment on. I want to first say that one should have a basis in various religious beliefs in order to connect on some level or perhaps to even grasp an understanding of what is going on. Beliefs, in religion, are ingrained in us, whether we joined later in life, or had the benefit of parents who have taken us to church since babes, and therefore can be deeply prejudiced against other beliefs. My family is deeply baptist oriented. Myself, I studied and learned about other beliefs while in school, because of my personal interest in religion. I learned quickly in my studies that all belief systems have basis of One supreme being that loves all that was created. In this documentary a sister tries to learn and understand her brothers point of view in becoming a born again instead of the religion he grew up with, Judaism. I enjoyed both perspectives of Julia & Marks positions. The depth of feelings coming from both, brother and sister, toward each other, was strained due to their beliefs, yet inspiring that they try to work through those differences. The problem some may have, which to some degree bothered me as well, was the fact that he could not actually give his sister HIS opinion without trying to find the answer in his bible. It was like he had no opinion on anything unless his bible gave him an opinion. He still refrains from truly accepting his sister & her lifestyle. 3.5* 2-26-09

Cyborg Cop

An ex-DEA agent, Jack (David Bradley) is trying to locate his partner & brother, whom was lost when they were on a sting in the Caribbean. While following a lead on his brothers’ whereabouts, he keeps bumping into Cathy (Alonna Shaw), a reporter to do a story on Mr. Kessell (John Rhys-Davies). Unbeknownst to both they are looking for the same man. He uses dead humans to create robot soldiers to be assassins, selling them to the highest bidder. With a cheese filled script, it is not light on the action, and the acting isn’t anything to write home about. An entertaining, mind numbing, action movie is just good enough to sit back and watch. 3* 2-25-09

Body of Lies

I gave this movie 3.5* , simply for the amount of double crosses there was, as well as the performance of Leo. The rest of the movie was just recycled scripts Hollywood has written to exacerbate the feelings about the war since 9-11. Does Hollywood not get that these movies that are somewhat based on real happenings, actually give real people new ideas on different ways to do these terrorists acts. Honestly, I am just getting fed up with it all. I understand that I am probably just ranting about all the true life situations of today, but the movie industry in my opinion are making profits off of these unfortunate acts. 2.25.09

Cyborg Soldier

I have no idea why I have not seen this yet. The Cyborg movies have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. This movie is no exception. I was actually surprised at Tiffani’s abilities as a kick but kinda girl. Bruce Greenwood as the Mad scientist, pulled off his role really well and the Cyborg this time was Rich Franklin (Isaac), a new face for the action genre along the lines of Van Damme & Stallone, although he does show a bit more humanity than either ever could. You know the rules, genetically altered human escapes, his creators in pursuit, but this time a small town cop (Tiffany) helps him out. Entertaining, action packed, with a bit of mystery added in. 4* 2-25-09.

Quarantine

Dearest Goddess, please give me the peace of mind in order to sleep as I lay my head down upon my pillow. Amen. I wish I had said that before I watched this. Better late than never. This movie freaked me out! Yes, it messes more with your head than it is actually scary. Nope I take that back it will scare the crap out of you. Think shaky camera, meets zombies, meets Cujo, with a small dash of Blair Witch. Extreme camera work, with closes ups, some out of focus shots, a little dark at times, a whole lot of screaming and confusion. What really happened was it the scientist in the attic, was it the rabid dog that was taken to the vet, or was it just something as simple as a rat bite? Will we ever know? I don't think so, until maybe part 2, you know they will make one. 5* for a sleepless night ahead. 2.24.09

Zebraman

Zebraman for what it's worth is a tale of belief, belief in yourself! A teacher, with no backbone, has always been fascinated with the superhero Zebraman. Zebraman was a short lived TV show when he was younger that never got its due and was cancelled before it even began. He is so fascinated he even sewed his own Zebraman costume and acted out the scenes from the show. When he gets a new kid in class, who is in a wheelchair, he finds that he is fascinated with Zebraman as well. Taking the next step he comes to realize that he could become Zebraman, because this little boy, who should have never heard of Zebraman, believes in him. He begins his journey of belief in himself with many pitfalls and comedic screw-ups. This was a surprise to me, due to knowing Director Takashi Miike delves into the horror genre more than anything else. It follows a generally good storyline, but drags in a few spots, when the action is of no consequence. Most hero lovers will really like this; the rest may think good grief what a waste. I give it 4* with a hesitant good recommendation. 2-25-09

Satisfaction

A close knit group of friends get together for the summer at the beach, in order to get their rock band going. 80's hair, music with a splash of sex, drugs, and heartbreak these friends fall apart each wanting to go their own way, and finally end up becoming stronger together. Justine Batemen, Julia Roberts, Trini Alvarado, Britta Phillips, and Scott Coffey give the cheesy script some character, while Liam Neeson just falls flat as the aging songwriter turned concert promoter. The music actually ain't half bad, of course I did happen to grow up in this era so maybe I'm a bit prejudiced. I was a bit suprised that Justine could actually carry a tune. 3.5* 2.25.09

I Love Trouble

Who doesn't like a little bit of trouble every now and then. Two rival reporters, writing for two rival papers in Chicago end up at a massive train derailment, meeting like star-crossed lovers in the night. He wishes anyway. Not exactly a brilliant script, but it is well put together and quite funny performances by the entire cast, with special nods to the supporters. 3.5* 2.25.09

Isn't She Great

Bette Midler and Nathan Lane star as Jacqueline Susann and her agent turned husband Irving Manfield. The real life tale of the author of Valley of the Dolls. This is such a depressing comedy, yet it makes me laugh every time I see it. It is the tale of her going from actress to author. What is depressing about this movie is, if you have read the book, watched the movie, Jacqueline actually went through everything her characters went through. The extra actors in the movie, like Stockard Channing and David Hyde Pierce actually boost the comedy of the movie, and make the dryness of Bette and Nathan better. 3* 2.25.09

Adam's Apples

Adams Apples is not what I expected after reading the various reviews. Comedy nope, drama certainly. This foreign film certainly, has more depth than I expected. A pastor, with a somewhat skewed look at the world, takes in parolees to give them a purpose. He believes that the devil causes every little thing that happens in his limited view of things. When Adam comes to his small church, he finds out that the preacher is slightly of kilter, and tries to get him to see the truth. After several visits to the local doctor, Adam learns the pastor has a tumor in his brain that is actually causing the limited view of things. Adams goal was to bake an apple pie from the small apple tree in the church grounds, but the apple tree has many hardships of its own, crows, worms, and finally lightning all but destroys it. So how is Adam supposed to bake his pie now? This movie actually has a deeper feeling about it, how far does faith take you, how far can hope lead you on your journey, when and do you ever give up. A great tale worth the 4*. 2-24-09

Ghost Story

Four friends, since youth, are suddenly plagued by guilt, the past, and jealousy. As the story unfolds, Craig Wasson (playing Don and David) goes home for his brothers funeral and begins to believe that he was murdered. His father one of the old friends refuses to listen. So thinking that maybe the others will listen, after his own fathers death, he decides to try to enter the Chowder Society by paying their entry fee of a Ghost Story. You will get wrapped up as the story unfolds layer by layer. Classic actors, such as Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Melvin Douglas, and John Houseman round out the cast as Don tries to uncover the truth behind the story. 4* 2-24-09

Eleventh Hour: Season 1

Ok. I finally got caught up with my DVR of this excellent series. I was quite skeptical when I became aware of this coming to CBS. I had previously watched and reviewed the BBC version starring Patrick Stewart. With only 4 episodes I was disappointed they did not continue. After watching the pilot episode, it was the same episode word for word action for action. I became more leary of getting into it. With 14 episodes aired, I have finally gotten used to Rufus Sewell as Dr. Jacob Hood. Dr. Hood is a well known scientist in protective custody, working for the FBI on special cases, that are extremely science based. Cloning, cryogenics, poisoned water are just a few of the many things going on in this fantastic series. 4* 2.23.09

Blindness

I was not going to write a review of this, but after a restless, dream filled night, I feel the need to get it out of my head. This movie was carried entirely by Julianne Moore and to tell the truth, after watching, cannot see anyone else in the role. I loved the way they showed the imaginative progression of the disease, but the rest of the story impaled my heart strings. The suffering, the unknown, and the support they got by pulling and staying together. The way the story played out while in the quarantine facility, pieces were hard for me to handle, but when they got out, I was horrified at the state of things. The ending left me a bit wanting, as did how the blindness actually began. A definite recommendation, but do beware there are scenes which caused myself to be distressed beyond belief. 4* 2.21.09

Out at the Wedding

Out at the Wedding starts out innocent enough and then the laughter begins. Lies, upon lies, upon lies, eventually comes back to bite Alex in the butt. She finally says to her fiancee Dana, she sees herself as an animated character, like the Disney princesses. She has no mother, she has found her prince, but she doesn't want her story to be over. I laughed through this entire movie, I even rewound several parts because I had to find out what I missed, while laughing. 5* 2.20.09

Tequila Sunrise

Back in the day when crime thrillers were staples of movie watching, Tequila Sunrise was no exception. Made shortly after Lethal Weapon, this movie gave Mel Gibson a different role to play. A drug runner, trying to go straight, living in a camper on the beach, falls in love with a sexy restaurant owner Jo Ann (Michelle Pfeiffer). As their steamy romance blooms, his somewhat friend Nick (Kurt Russell), finds himself falling for her as well. Wanting her all for himself, Nick uses his friendship with Mac, to get on her good side, and at the same time he uses her to get info on Mac so that he can make the big drug bust of his career, and perhaps take a piece of the profit for himself. Twists and turns left me wondering what was going to happen; way back when, now it is a guilty pleasure to just watch it unfold, over and over. 3.5* 2-20-09

The Fourth Protocol

Micael Caine, Pierce Brosnan and an excellent cast of actors bring The Fourth Protocol to life as murder, blackmail, spies, and intrigue after the cold war come to fruition. It is a bit hard to follow who is on whose side, British allies, American air base and Russian agents all working toward finding or detonating a nuclear/atomic bomb. The twists this movie takes, keeps you waiting as to what is truly happening. Information is scattered and does not seem to truly fit together. It is up to Michael Caine, working behind the scenes to find the truth in the lies. This is pretty much standard British intrigue, and entertaining all the same. 3.5* 2-19-09

Sleepwalkers

So what if Mr. King's works don't always translate well to film. Sleepwalkers is still an entertaining film. Alice Krieg (Mrs. Brady) and Brian Krause (Charles), mother and son, have a sensual, and somewhat incestual bond, simply because they are the last of their kind. Shape-shifters, with feline qualities, makes them vulnerable to the simple scratch of a cat. They survive on the life force of nubile young girls/women. This movie is a twist to the fable that cats steal your breath while sleeping. When actually they protect the young from the shape-shifters. The script does have a lot of cheese as well as a dash of sarcasm with the horror that is King. Kitty cat lovers won't like this very well, even though no animals were actually harmed during filming. Where is King? Yep, there he is oh and Clive Barker too. 4* 2-18-09.

Lawnmower Man 2: Jobe's War

Lawnmower Man 2 starts off basically where the first ended. Matt Frewer, star of Max Headroom, replaces Jeff Fahey as Jobe. Implanted with an interactive plate, they begin putting him back through VR to stimulate his brain once again. BIG MISTAKE. Fast forward to the future and boom the story begins. Jobe contacts Peter through VR and asks him to find and get Dr. Trace (Patrick Bergin) in order to help him finish building the Crion Chip. This movie is very loosely based on the first Lawnmower Man. It basically stands on its own, the only part of the story is that Jobe wants to control the entire world network communication system. 3* 2.18.09

Hush

Shhh Secrets are meant to be kept. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Lange carry what there is of the movie. It does have a few basic scenes which would have not hurt the movie if they were edited out and a few that should have been expanded on. Jessica befriends, shows caring support, yet she manipulates and twists everything to her own satisfaction the perfect evil mother-in-law. Johnathon Schaech is the mommas boy which sees no wrong in anything his mother does. Gwyneth is slow to realize what an outright monster she is. Little things begin and start adding up to a great finish. 3.5* 2-18-09

The Lawnmower Man

Based on a short story of the same name, found in the collections of the novel Night Shift by Stephen King, The Lawnmower Man is a jaunt into the world of virtual reality. Dr. Angelo (Pierce Brosnon) is the man behind developing a serum when used in conjunction with VR, it increases brain wave patterns. Unfortunately, the chimp, who had been given the batch 5 formula, went on a killing spree and the project was closed. Finding the flaw in the formula, Dr. Angelo needed a new test subject. Jobe (Jeff Fahey), the local village idiot, seemed like the perfect subject. He used the new formula to increase the simpletons brain wave, but it had unknown and unexpected side effects. With the limited ability of his home lab, Dr. Angelo takes Jobe to Virtual Space Industries where he used to work. The Lawnmower Man is an exceptional piece of work that helped the progression of the CGI effects that are pretty much today's standards. The first time I watched this in the theater, I enjoyed it, but even after reading the short story, some of it didn't flow well. When it came to DVD I had to buy it, the extras and especially the deleted scenes added so much more to the story. So they are a must watch if you have seen this and 'not got it'. 4* 2.18.09

Are You Being Served?

Finally! I just got done watching the final disc of Are You Being Served?. It still makes me laugh. This BBC show was aired years ago on PBS, so I grew up watching Captain Peacock, Mrs. Slocombe, Mr. Humphries, Miss Brahms, Mr. Lucas, and the rest of the cast of Grace Brothers Dept. Store. The comedy is right on still today. Mrs. Slocombe's hair is still rainbow bright, Mr. Humphries is still questionably light in his loafers, and everything you remember about Grace Brothers is all here. It was sad when Mr. Grainger left the show, and they never really was able to replace him, though my favorite was Mr. Goldberg. Mr. Spooner was a fine replacement for Mr. Lucas, but he never really bonded well with the cast. A must see for any who remember, just simply to relive the experience once again, and for all of you juniors its time to catch up with the sitcom no one else could pull off. I recommend spacing the 14 disc series throughout your Q, because it will give you a break from laughing so hard it hurts, and if you don't wish to see the bonus features remove disc 7 & 14. 5* 2-18-09

Thinner

Thinner is based on a novel by Richard Bachman aka Stephen King. Attorney William Halek is defending Mob boss and friend Gianelli, when the gypsies come to town. After a night of celebrating his victory, his wife gets him going on their way home, and causes him not to see the old gypsy lady Suzanne Lempke crossing the road and BAM the movie starts off. Add in a gypsy curse, a cover up, and a 300 pound fat man you get Thinner. The movie lacks the cohesion of the novel, but makes up for it in other ways. Everyone won't like this due to it being made from a Stephen King novel and they can't help but to compare the two, just watch it for the entertainment value like movies were meant to. Can you find Mr. King in this movie? I did. 4* 2.18.09

4

Odd is how I felt while watching 4. Three strangers meet in a bar, and tell various stories to each other. Are they truth, or simply lies to make themselves feel better or to impress? As they leave the bar, they each go their own way, and here is when the strangeness starts. The Piano Tuner, Vladimir, (Geneticist) gets arrested, the Beef Seller, Oleg, (Political Administrator) has conflict at home, and Marina (the Advertiser) runs into many odd characters while seemingly not doing anything, but attending a funeral. Everything is done in terms of 4, four sisters, four dogs, four dolls, four gets repeated throughout the entire film with many surreal images and definitions. Nothing seems to really end either, its almost like just this part of their lives were important enough to show and talk about. A so so movie with very few highlights to make it entertaining enough for a 3* rating. 2-17-09

Greenfingers

H.M. Edgefield is a reform prison for hardened lifers, to give them a chance at parole with job training. Clive Owen (Colin Briggs) stars as the nobody who thinks he isn't worth the breath that he breathes. Fergus gives him a packet of violets for Christmas and things just take off from there. The touching moments, the laughter, and even the learning they get from gardening are apparent in this great comedy. 4* 2-17-09

Happy, Texas

Oh my word. I can't beleive that I actually watched this. This was SO stupid, I could not help but laugh. Let's ALL Get HAPPY. LOL. Two escaped convicts, end up in Happy, Texas. That is the only thing that I really need to say about it. If you can get around the fact these 2 convicts, that end up pretending to be a gay couple, that were hired to be working on the pageant, but they end up doing it anyway, despite the fact they aren't any of the above. So just sit back and enjoy the farce the situation creates you should like this piece of crap. I have seen crap that I could not finish, I have seen crap that WAS THE WORST EVER, but I am still laughing about this piece of crap called Happy, Texas. Total insanity. You just have got to rent this. 4* 2-16-09

The Poseidon Adventure

An excellent adventure, that was a thrill watching again. No matter how many times I see this film, it is like the first time. The Poseidon is on its last cruise before being retired. They choose to make it a New Years cruise. Just as the clock strikes 12, the adventure begins. Gene Hackman, Red Buttons, Ernest Borgnine, and Shelly Winters lead a few survivors, while dealing with their personal demons, to the rear of the ship as it hangs suspended, slowly sinking, upside down. If you have yet to join these survivors on their adventure, then rent this. If you have seen the version with Kurt Russell, and think there is no reason to rent this one shame on you. This version is MUCH better, but then again aren't all originals better than the remakes. A solid 5*. 2.16.09

Leviathan

I remember watching this fantastical sci-fi mission in the theater back in 89. I have seen it many times since then, and it never gets old. Peter Weller (Beck) stars as the head miner, geologist on this underwater mining mission. With 3 days left until they journey topside for some well needed time off, Six-Pack stumbles off a ledge, one of the miners Williams (Amanda Pays) goes in search of him and finds a Russian ship, on the ocean floor. The Leviathan is reported to be sailing the Baltic Sea, yet is clearly right in front of her. Richard Crenna, the doctor, finds himself in a dilema when Six-Pack seems to be mutating. What happens next, what is really going on here, I hope you take my advice and check it out for yourself. 3.5* 2.15.09.

Bill Engvall: 15 Degrees Off Cool

15 degrees off cool is the best work Bill has done for years. True enough his comedy is stand alone funny no matter what he does, but 15 degrees has a ton of new stuff, not the recycled stuff he did in Blue Comedy Tour. A must watch for all Engvall fans!! 5* 2.14.09.

Hard Rain

Hard Rain is action packed, fast paced, wet and wild ride. Christian Slater, Minnie Driver, and Morgan Freeman star in this very wet crime thriller. Water is the enemy, even the bad guys are fighting this unconquerable force of nature. Trying to save and protect the church she has rebuilt Minnie Driver refuses to be evacuated. Christian Slater and his partner Ed Asner have just collected around 3 million dollars to be delivered to the home bank. Finding themselves mired in the mud and water, Mogan Freeman holds them up to steal the money. Christian races to the police station, only to find himself behind bars. One mishap after another, leaves these stars soaked to the bone, as they race against Mother Nature and the bank robbers. 3.5* 2.11.09

Color of Night

Longtime friends, Bruce Willis and Scott Bakula are psychologists, who reunite after a period of years, due to Bruce having a breakdown after one of his clients commit suicide. Scott ends up murdered, and the police request for Bruce to continue the group sessions in order to find out which of the five killed him. With many twists turns and some lustful intrigue between Bruce and Jane March, one of the five, Bruce gets locked into the mystery of his lifetime, as the five start bringing him into their confidences. Yopu may think you know who is the killer, but guess again. The cast play beautifully off of each other and you end up involved before you know it. 4* 2.11.09

Between Something & Nothing

**First of all, I feel the need to rant a bit. Water Bearer Films is an independant film company that seems to have no moral compass whatsoever and will produce anything. Most of the films I have watched, that they produced have been major disappointments. The sound quality is poor, the scripts if that is what they are lack any cohesion, and the film quality itself is almost substandard. Now for my review. ** Joe, a first year art student, finds himself between something and nothing. He longs to be an artist, but finds himself on the road to nowhere as his classmates lead him down the road of drugs, sex, and alcohol, he goes along willingly. His enfatuation with a hustler Ramon, has him letting go of the rules, in unsafe, selfish practices. His best friend, Jennifer, becomes self-destructive, and Ramon, after finally returning his affection, looses himself forever. Joe finds the difference between nothing and ends up with a little something... it's called self respect. 3* 2.11.09

Dolls

A pefect movie that recommends that you stay forever young at heart. A dollmaker and his wife live on a deserted country road that has a tendency to trap unwary travellers. This time we have a married couple stuck with his daughter for the summer, two valley girl hitchhikers, and a innocent young man who still cherished his childhood memories. Unable to find comfort in the shelter provided by the elderly couple, the house guests decide to ignore the eerie circumstances they seem to be in with all of the dolls. Creepy, with quite a bit of camp to give it the 4* treatment. 2.10.09

Babylon 5: Season 2

With the addition of John Sheridan to the space station known as Babylon 5, the second season exceeds the set up of the first. If you haven't seen Babylon 5, you can actually skip the first season if you wish. The first season is just a set of episodes thrown together to create a season. The second season has an actual storyline to it from episode to episode. It also allows us and the crew get used to the new commander, which makes you feel like a part of the crew. So come and join the Vorlans, Mimbari, Na'arns, or the Centari Republic as they co-exist on Babylon 5. 5* 2.11.09

Jack

Robin Williams revives his child-like characterization of Mork to step into this role. Jack, a 10 year old boy, in the body of a 40 year old man, is tired of not having friends his own age and wanting to go to school. His tutor, Bill Cosby, thinks it would be a good idea, while his parents, Diane Lane and Brian Kerwin, do not want him exposed to the cruelities of children. He meets a boy his own age Louis, Adam Zolotin, and their friendship grows immediately. This movie is a riotness of laughs and a few tears as well. A truly inspirational role for Robin Williams, the man of many talents. 4* 2.11.09.

Highlander: The Raven

Elizabeth Gracen reprises her role as Amanda Derieux, from the popular series Highlander. Amanda is still the sexy femme fatale, thief she always has been. She has lived for 1,200 years, evading, seducing, and killing other Immortals. Taking her queue from Duncan MacCloud, she refuses to fight, unless it ends up to be totally necessary. She captures the heart of Nick Wolfe, (Paul Johansson), a detective that catches her in the right place at the wrong time. Their journey together leads her to take him into her confidence, and for her own reasons she unwillingly takes him under her wing. The action blends well with the comedy that Elizabeth brings into her role of Amanda. The directors and writers hoping that there would be a second season, or just wanting to be cruel, left us hanging in the air with the reveal that Nick himself is an Immortal. I still look and hope for a movie, or a new series starring Nick Wolfe. Truly not as good as it could have been, not on the level of the original series and movies, but entertaining in and of itself. 4* 2.11.09

Forever Knight: The Trilogy: Part 2

Season 2 takes us more to the spiritual side of the vampire. As Nick stuggles with his need for humanity or even his desire to fulfill absolution for his vampyrific nature, he finds himself drawn to those with answers. As the series progresses the other characters become more stable in their roles. 4* 2-10-09

Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom

Noah is back Finally! If you have seen any of the two seasons of the hit Logo show Noah' Arc, you will want to catch Jumping the Broom. It closes up nicely, and it also answers a few quiptical questions that were never truly acted out or on in the series. For better or worse you must watch the conclusion. 4* 2.9.09

Day of the Dead

This is not your average, stumble along, non-ambulatory, zombie flick. These zombies can really move. Director Steve Miner did a good job in creating his version in The Dead genre. Project Wildfire got out of hand and escaped the underground bunker. Like its name it spreads like wildfire contaminating the small town Ledville, CO. where the virus was created. A major gore fest like the all the rest. 3* 2-9-09

The One

The One is a fantastical journey of heroic proportions. If anyone can pull of a role like this it has to be Jet Li. Impressive fight sequences, an imaginitive plot, and a supporting cast with just the correct blend of strength, humor and compassion. The multiverse, as seen through this movie, was an intriguing concept that other movies have hinted at yet not took to the level of The One. I wish to state that it would have been great to see a different ending than the one they filmed, but that just leaves me to wonder was this an opening for a sequel. If it was I hope they leave the sequel in the can, and not release it. A 3.5* ride for this sci-fi adventure not everyone will enjoy. 2-9-09

Forever Knight: The Trilogy: Part 1

Season 1 of Forever Knight sets us up beautifully. For those of us who remembered viewing on TV it was great to go back and visit Nick Knight struggle to fit into the Toronto Police Division as a homicide detective, with the wish to become human again. For those of you who have yet to get to know Nick, do not think you are watching Moonlight or Angel, they stand on their own and have no relationship to Forever, even though they both came years after. Season 1 took a bit to get its bearings as to how the story would play out, but by the second season it developed into a much better series so be patient with some of the slow episodes. 4* 2-9-09

Alive

Director Frank Marshall did an outstanding job, with this true story of a rugby team that was on their way to Chile when their plane crashed. The majesticness of the scenery gave the grim reality of the story more depth. The length that these every day people took to survive, makes one sit back and ponder what you would have done in the same or similar situation. The film was deicated to the 29 who died and the 16 who survived the journey of a lifetime. In the special features Nando Parrado journeys back 30 years later to pay repects to the friends and family that died. 4.5* 2.6.09

Immortal

I am in the midst of watching this film as I review it. Normally when I do this I end up ranting due to how much I loathe it. Such is not the case now, I am enthralled by this blending of two worlds. One of mythology and one of real life - - one of live action and one of CGI effects. We have Egyptian gods, we have human intelligence and limitations, we have cybernetic mutations, we have aliens, we even have amazingly beautiful yet eerie settings set in the year 2095, we even have a corrupt company called Eugenics which specializes in cybernetic organ transplants and runs the city of New York. Jill an impeccably innocent, beautiful creature of unkown origins with unique qualities, has been rounded up and sold as a guinea pig, to Dr Elma Turner. A chyrogenic prison barge malfunctions, and releases a true human, Nikopol, with whom the Egyptian god Horus finds and inhabits in order to breed with Jill. All I can say is WOW!!! Some of the story is a bit disjointed, but it MIXES images, feelings and pieces of other Sci-Fi greats like The Fifth Element, Blade Runner, Matrix, Keana: The Prophecy, with a splash of Stargate, and designed/loosely based on the comic strips by Enki Balal 'The Carnival of Immortals' and 'The Woman Trap'. The CGI mixture and imagery does not distract from the true sets and actors as in other movies of the same nature. I think my other movies will have to wait as I go watch this again. A solid 4* 2.4.09

Whirlwind

A close knit group of friends, who enjoy having dinner, conversations, and a little bit of partying. Desmond a one night stand playboy, Mick a chef whom has lost his companion two years ago, J D the confident lacking screw-up best friend everyone has, and Shawn and Bobby a couple, of three years, that are starting to look for a place together. At a after party for Bobby's sister Fiona, the group get introduced to Drake. Drake slowly and smoothly insinuates himself into this group of friends and totally twists their worlds upside down. Playing on their fears, insecurities, and faults, he takes it to the extreme and then acts like he didn't do anything wrong whatsoever. I was touched, angered, and got all wrapped up in these characters lives I couldn't not watch and hope things would get better. I will leave the rest for you to feel and watch as I did. 3.5* 2.1.09

Puppetmaster vs. Demonic Toys

Blade, Pinhead, Jester, and Six Shooter are back again. This time by Andre Toulon's great gand-nephew Robert and his daughter Alexandra. BUT someone else wants the formula. Erica Sharpe of Sharpe Industries, a ceo and toymaker, who has made a deal with the demon Bael, to make her toys come to life by Christmas Eve. I have enjoyed every Puppetmaster movie, and this one is no exception although it is a bit CHEEZIER than the others. It is actually sort of funny, more than scary. It does have blood, mayhem and murder to keep you on your toes. The Christmas toys consist of a clown jack-in-the-box, a rude baby doll, and a freaky teddy bear. The real movie starts when the toys decide to start to take matters into their own hands, like they always do. 3.5* 1.31.09

Man with the Screaming Brain

Late Night B-Movie Schtick or maybe C/D-Movie. Bruce Campbell fans will mostly find this somewhat entertaining, although myself I thought it was utterly tediousness garbage. It did have a few funny moments that gave it a bit of a boost in my rating. Bruce and his wife travel to Bolivia for 'work and shopping', but they get in the wrong cab. He is Russian and has an uncle (Stacy Keach), whom is doing research in transplanting, cloning, cybernetics, who knows exactly. Anyway, he wakes up with only half of his own brain, the other half belongs to a ex-KGB operative here is where the funny parts come in to play. Worth a once over, but not a second viewing in my honest opinion. wait till you see what happens to his wife LOL. 3* 1.31.09

Vampires: Out for Blood

I haven't a clue as to whether or not I liked this that is the reason behind the so so 3* rating. I may actually change my mind about it later though. Kevin Dillon is a terrible actor, he has no emotion, no talent and in this movie he has not enough charisma to even be in this movie, anyone else could have done a better job. As for the script, it is the usual vampire fare, discovery of vampires, have to find them, have to kill them, get bitten by them, etc. etc. etc.. The only redeeming quality the movie has is Lance Henrickson as Kevin's boss. He isn't actually in it very much, but when he is he carries the script well. There is also a cameo of Melissa Rivers, as the talk show host who interviews Vanessa Angel, Kevin's wife. If you want a bit of mindless vampire fare this will do, if you want something better I suggest 'From Dusk Till Dawn' or 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'. 3* 1.30.09

Organizm

A Russian scientist, Dr. Y Tarasov, defected to the US in 1958. He was tasked to study, create and test biological weapons with unknown specifications. He was not only sucessful, but he unknowingly created the destruction of his best experiment. Frank, (Johnathon Schaech) watched his mother shoot his father and then herself at the age of 10. Before she killed herself, she told Frank that he should warn them not to open Vault 12 on Sub-level 3 at Fort Lambert, if he ever heard of them back there. Fort Lambert has been sold and is set for demolition, afraid that he is too late he rushes to Fort Lambert to give them the warning. Great creature effects, plot simple, acting decent, and a few editing faux pas, but I will let you find them. 3.5* 1-30-09

The Fallen Ones

The Fallen Ones were the angels that were cast out of Heaven. They lived and bred with human females and created a race of giants called Nephilim. Archaeologist, Matt Fletcher (Casper Van Dien), finds a mummy named Aramis, while excavating a site for a resort. Robert Wagner (Mr. Morton) tells him to dispose of it and to continue excavating the site, unknowingly he has awakened the mummy and his father the Angel Ammon, whom wants to resurrect his son. Casper does the whole good guy thing and saves the damsel in distress (Kristen Miller) the daughter of Mr. Morton, from becoming the sacrifice. This movie was not great by any means, however I did find it enjoyable to watch twice, and have since purchased it for myself. Give it a shot if you liked 'The Mummy Trilogy', but do not expect the big budget those films had, nor should you expect to see Casper naked in this one. 3* 1-30-09

Antibody

Loosely based on the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage, where a group of scientists are shrunk down to the cellular level and injected into the bloodstream to remove a blood clot. That is the only similarity. In Antibody, a Sci-Fi Channel Original Movie, Lance Henrickson is a FBI agent in Germany or Russia they never really say due to the fact that the bad guys are Russian, yet his daughter is flying from Chicago to meet him in Munich go figure. There really isn't a whole lot of plot except if the Russian dies a bomb will explode destroying 'The World' The detonator is in his bloodstream, so what happens, yep, you guessed it they have to go in and find the detonator to disarm the bomb. It did have a few entertainment values, but the acting was dry and the script left a lot to be desired. I suggest you watch the Original "Fantastic Voyage" and leave this one on the shelf. 2.5* 1-30-09

Already Dead

The opening had me completely wondering what was going on. Ron Eldard (Tom Archer) is following instructions by an unknown caller who he believes has kidknapped/killed his son. In flash back sequences as he is following directions we learn that he and his wife came back from a party and find the house broken into, the babysitter dead and his son on the bedroom floor, when he gets attacked himself as well as his wife in the kidknapper/killers escape. I will say no more of the plot so that it unfolds before you as it did for me. Other reviewers, have said this film was like Hostel. I say No it wasnt, the only similarity between the two was the room where he ended up. What happens exactly? you will just have to watch it for yourself. 3.5* 1.29.09

A Four Letter Word

This farce of gay cliches, gives new meaning to every four letter word in the dictionary. I was pleasantly suprised at the deeper meaning beneath all of the cliched slap-stick. Luke, the flamboyant, over-the-top, party boy works in a toy store with his best friend Zeke, who is an all out activist for every gay right problem. He tries to pick up Stephen one night in the favored bar, and gets shot down big time. As the movie progresses it gets a little bit redundant, but picks up the pieces and leaves with a good feeling in the end. There is plenty of pretty boy eye candy, as well as gratuitous full frontal maleness. (4* 1.22.09)

XChange

Oh WOW! What an imaginative movie. Have you ever wanted to get somewhere instantly, have you ever wanted to be someone else, or have you wanted to take a risk ans was afraid to? Well, while waching this sci-fi thriller I was able to imagine all of those things. Rufus Sewell (Toffler) was told he needed to get to San Fransisco in 2 hours to show support for one of his company's clients, whose father died. His boss said that he had no choice, he must exchange. Hating the thought of having to exchange, he does it anyway. Unknown to Mr. Toffler, the exchange was bogus, a Mr. Fisk (Kyle MacLachlan) has stollen his body. After exchanging into a clone, that has a shelf life of 7 days, he finds out the clone he had his consciousness put into, has an expiration date of 53 hours. This kept me watching the whole way through, anticipating how or if he would get his body back. (4* 1.22.09)

Safe House

Paranoid much? Patrick Stewart is absolutely amazing. Is he really loosing his mind, does he have the right to be so paranoid, or is his daughter correct and it is all in his head? Well it does have a few slow spots, but it will keep you on your toes trying to figure it out. (3.5* 1.21.09)

Save Me

Genesis House, a home for wayward homosexuals, sets the backgroeund for this beautifully told story. Gail (Judith Light) and Ted (Stephen Lang) run the house with deep christian beliefs, that homosexuality can be changed by God's Grace. Mark (Chad Allen) has a serious addiction problem, so his brother sends him the Genesis House in order to get him clean and he hopes on God's Path. I was moved by Judith's performance in this film. Gail lost her son 8 years ago to an overdose, he was also gay and one of the reasons behind her starting the Genesis House. She wants to show her residents the path and allow them to make their choice, she doesn't harp on you MUST change, like other places and other movie plots. She worries that the friendship between one of her residents Scott (Robert Gant) and Mark are becoming more than it should. The chemistry between Scott and Mark become evident as the movie travels through the months. I found this movie compelling to the point of my own beliefs. God is love and all of the Bible thumpers that say homosexuality is wrong, how can Love in any shape or form be wrong. Love is powerful, Love is great, and Love is the story told here. Highly recommended (4.5* 1.20.09)

Mars

This movie is not strictly what I would call Sci-Fi. It is more of an action adventure set on the planet Mars. The Company, an inter-governmental unit, has bred a team of soldiers called The Keepers. They follow orders to the letter, never questioning, never thinking for themselves, and with no feelings. Set in the future, on the planet Mars, Caution Templar goes to identify his brothers body, he finds out that he was murdered and seeks out the people responsible for his death. Of course the plot is easy to figure out, but the reason he died escapes you till the end. High on action, low on story, ok on character development. Not a bad IW movie, but not one I would seek out to rent. (3* 1.20.09)

Brideshead Revisited

Impressive story, beautifully cast, and spiritually moving. In trying to control her childrens' lives, Madam Marchmain drives them away from her strict Catholic upbringing. GUILT is the carriage that carries this movie. Charles Ryder narrates this tale of his life beginning at Brideshead and th unfortunate events which keep bringing him back. Charles meets Sebastian Flyte at Oxford, in the most strange situation, when Sebastian vomits into his dorm window. A strange and loving bond begins to form between the two men. Sebastian tries to keep his new friend away from his twisted family, knowing that they will spoil the friendship he wants and gets from Charles. Having no choice, one day when Mummy shows up, she invites Charles to dinner to find out more about this new 'playmate' of her son. She truly has made a mess of her childrens' perspective on how they live and deal with their problems. Her daughter, Julia, marries Rex, a pompous idiot, who only wanted the estate, goes a bit mad and unaware of what she truly wants, Sebastian becomes a alcoholic and runs away to Morroco, her eldest son Birdie, stays home until her decides to marry a 'comely' proper catholic widow, and her youngest daughter we don't really learn much about. Charles is thrown in and out of the mix over the years, dealing with the guilt she feels about how her children turned out, dealing with the guilt of Julia for not being a proper Catholic, dealing with Sebastians guilt of loving men, but most of all his own guilt in how he yearned to be apart of their lives and his guilt for not loving Sebastian and Julia enough. I long to read the novel after watching this film of Faith and Guilt and the beautiful home of Brideshead. (4* 1.19.09)

Battlestar Galactica: Complete Epic Series

As a fan of the Sci-Fi Genre, I was excited when I came across this selection to watch instantly. I remember back when it was actually showing on TV, watching it every week even if it was a rerun. I still enjoyed it as much as I did then. True, the effects are dated, and the outerspace action sequences are the same in every episode (except for the close-up dialogue shots), because of budget Im sure. Greene, Hatch, & Benedict carry the weight of the Fleet on their shoulders very well. If you dont know much about this series, and have watched the NEW series first, be warned that you may loathe the FX, Design, Acting, etc.. If you are new to Galactica I suggest watching this series first, prior to getting into the new one. This series gives a bit more background and history than what I have seen in the New Series. Commander Adama leads a Fleet of Colony ships after the Cylon attack on the 12 Colonys, in the Battlestar known as Galactica. Picking up strays, settling disputes, running from Clyons, and many adventures await the crew on their quest to reach the 13th Colony known as Earth. Having no idea the location of the 13th colony, Adama sets his direction into the Unknown, searching for clues as to the location of Earth. A grand adventure and reminder to those who caught it on TV and those who wonder where the new one got its start. Have fun and enjoy this epic adventure. (4* 1-19-09)

The River's Edge

The River's Edge has a few flaws, but to its credit I will say it had me hooked. Out of the norm of my viewing choices, I was flipping channels and caught a glimpse of Debra Paget sitting at a bar with Ray Milland and just started watching. I came into the movie 15 minutes late, but it didn't matter I got caught up fast. Ray has came upon one million dollars so he propses to Debra that they run off to Mexico together. The twist is the money is hot, but he didn't steal it added to that they have to convince her ex-husband to get them across the border. A lot of things happen throughout the movie, but the ending is what gave it the extra .5 * True, it is similar to other movies from this era, but enjoyable all the same. 3.5* 1.15.09

Doctor Who: The War Machines

In this 4 part seires that actually closes out Season 3 of Doctor Who, The Doctor & Dodo have landed the Tardis in London 1966. Feeling a strong magnetic source, somewhat like the Daleks general source of power, he poses as a scientist in order to get into the Tower where it eminates from. He discovers a Super computer, Wotan, that is slowly taking over the minds of humans which created it. A very scientific leap for the writers of Doctor Who in this series. The Computer Wotan has the controled humans to build War Machines that are created to attack and destroy those whom interfere. These episodes remind me of Future Episodes of beings called Cybermen, Are these the originators of those terrible creations? Dodo (Jackie Lane) leaves the Doctor in the last episode, and as he leaves he unknowingly takes on 2 more new companions, Ben (Michael Craze) and Polly (Anneke Wills). Ben and Polly, both played stand out roles in the four episodes, that we just assume one or both will end up with the Doctor. There is an Easter Egg located on the Episode List beside Ep. 2. The Special Features have a bit of background on The Post Office Tower and how it came to be featured in Doctor Who, as well as how they discovered these episodes of the War Machines. Have fun Watching, and reading my Reviews of Doctor Who as I watch them myself. 3.5* 1.13.09

Gypsy 83

WOW! Gypsy 83 was a bit slow in a few places and uneventful, but it does draw you into the agnst this 20 something young girl and her 18 year old gay best friend go through. Gypsy lives with her father, her mother left when she was 7, and she is a die hard Stevie Nicks fan. With the hair, the wardrobe, the make-up and the works, she lives her life working in a 1 hour photo booth, until Clive comes across a web site announcing that a club in NY is having a 'Night of 1000 Stevies'. They leave Ohio, meeting several strange and intersting people like Karen Black, a fraternity with pledges on a road trip, and a married amish runaway. The background music was great, and Sara LaRue can actually sing. **Warning** the R rating is definately in use on this film, mostly in the foul language usage. I was not expecting the extremely large melons being shown to me, but they were there in all their glory. I enjoyed the flashback to the 80's feel of the costumes as well as the acting done by both leads. 4.5* 1.13.09

Doctor Who: Lost in Time: The William Hartnell Years

To old fans You will enjoy this. To new fans this is one you could skip, unless you want to see Daleks and recovered LOST 10 sec to 1 min clips. The main 2 storys deal with Hartnell going back in time to The Crusades with King Richard the Lionheart and forward in time to the Dalek's Master Plan. The thing I like best about Doctor Who is the history, they are actually inserting themselves into the world's history time line. The Crusade has an introduction for each of the 4 episodes by William Russell (Ian Chesterton) which was really great. Episode 2 & 4 only have audio, due to the film being destroyed or lost (as stated by a previous reviewer). We also meet Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) as a new companion since the loss of Susan. There are 3 out of the 14 episodes of The Dalek's Master Plan. They fit together sort of erratcially, and do not really close out this segement as there are 4 episodes after Escape Switch. The Daleks have had an upgrade once again. They can shoot actual fire out of the right 'arm'. We also meet the new travelers with the doctor Steven Taylor (Peter Purves), Katrarina (Adrienne Hill), Sarah Kingdom (Jean Marsh, who also played Joanna, Richard's Sister in the Crusade episodes), and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney). Katarina is the first of the Doctor's Companions to actually get killed in the series. One more FULL episode on the disc is from The Celestial Toymaker series. It is the last episode of the series, so you have no idea what happened before. I recommend NOT watching this one for that reason alone. The Sepcial Features section of the disc have the Episode Clips they have found or that has survived somehow. The clip of The Tenth Planet is worth the watch because this is the first time we see the Doctor transformed/regenerated into the Next Doctor. For the Historical referrences as well as the fact we actually get to see them 4* 1-12-09

The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition

From the Novel, Different Seasons, by Stephen King, This is the first tale in the book Hope Springs Eternal - Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. One of the best adaptations of King's novels to the big screen. This prison movie tells of Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, as an innocent man convicted of his wife's murder, simply by not having an alibi, and his time in prison as well as his escape. There are various differences that mesh well together in the screenplay from the novel. Red, played by the excellent talents of Morgan Freeman, is the go-to guy in Shawshank. He and Andy become close friends, and Red actually is the narrator of the tale, in the movie and novel. The movie is beautifully scripted as well as acted by these two great actors. I had a great time watching this again and again. 5* 1-12-09

Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel

Disco, Drugs, & Dirty, Dirty, Dirty. Leslie Jordan is an absolute riot. In the opening he seems to be talking to St. Peter telling him the story of his life in the Pershing Point Hotel. Atlanta, in the 70's, when you took a little upper, but didn't want to get to high so you took a little downer, drink a little booze, and NEVER EAT. What room do we live in again? This movie was SOO RIGHT DOWN STUPID, I couldn't stop laughing. His best friend Miss Make-Do teaches him how to get along in the big city. He comes from a bible thumping household and finally left after 38 years. Dealing with his homosexuality, he tries to survive jail, pimps, and TONS OF DRUGS. Realizing that Miss Make-Do has gone over the edge on cocaine and her new boyfriend Niko, he limps away like a whipped lost little dog and gets involved with a straight hussler. This is just twisted hillarity worth the watch. 4* 1-12-09

Apt Pupil

From the Novel, Different Seasons, by Stephen King, This is the second tale in the book Summer of Corruption - Apt Pupil. Paper boy Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro) meets neighbour Arthur Denker (Ian McKellan) and discovers his dark secret, he is the Nazi general Kurt Dussander. Fearing for his life of freedom, Denker finds out all Todd seems to want are his stories. The pair form a bond over the next few months which deepens when Todd is also found out about keeping secrets. Todd has told lies and decieves his parents as to his relationship with the Nazi war criminal as well as forging his own school records to cover up for his activities. The secrets and the shared experiences bring emotional problems for both and in their personal choice of outlets in an attempt to assuage their disturbance, both indulge in murder and social menace. Both Todd and Denker use moves and counter moves to blackmail each other to keep control of the other, but within four years circumstances expose them and spin out of their control. The ending in the film is significantly different than the novel. King fans will either like this adaptation or hate it. I found myself enthralled by the extreme violence and relationship the two forged. 3.5* 1-12-09

Stand by Me

From the Novel, Different Seasons, by Stephen King, This is the third tale in the book, Fall from Innocence - The Body. The story talkes place during the summer of 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. A kid named Ray Brower had gone out to pick berries and never returned, having been thought to have been hit by a train. Gordie LaChance and his three friends, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio set out to find his body when their parents are told they are camping out. The four young actors, Corey, River, Jerry and Wil, do an excellent job playing friends out to find a body. The fear of getting caught in the lie, or getting thrown into "The Shank" for trespassing through the junkyard are just a few of the troubles they get into on their search along the tracks. The screenplay adaptation is mostly spot on except for the ending. There are a few other minor miscues as well: Castle Rock, in Oregon instead of Maine, when they are attacked by leeches the film takes them through a marsh instead of a beaver's dam, and Gordies big brother was a baseball star not a football star. The One Major difference I will not reveal you will just have to watch the film and read the book to figure it out. 4* 1-12-09

Sanctuary: Season 1

The Sci-Fi Channel's newest series takes us on an amazing adventure. Sanctuary is just as it sounds, a place to go to for those who need or seek it. Dr. Helen Magnus owns and operates the Sanctuary with her daughter Ashley. She investigates, captures & studies beings in this world that defy the laws of sciencen called abnomls. She has recruited Dr. Will Zimmerman a behavioral psychologist, that she has watched since he was a little boy, who saw his mother being killed by an abnormal. Yes I said she watched him grow up, did I forget to mention that Dr. Magnus is 137 years old, and her daughter Ashley was frozen as an embyro back in the late 1800's. The entire concept was originally a web series, and all has been filmed entirely on a green screen. You definately do not realize they have not created the fantastic sets the actors are acting in. A must see for sci-fi fans of every type. 5* 1.9.09

Babylon A.D.

I watched the unrated side of this disc, not the theatrical side. Don't expect much out of this dystopian world feel, overkill on the violence (kill them all if they are breathing), a race to the finish line, very little back story that does nothing for the film, and a little bit of mystery. Vin Diesel repises his role of an action don't care tough guy. Michelle Yeoh does an excellent job as a calm and collected nun, that can still kick your behind into tomorrow. The suprise for me was Melanie Thierrey as an orphan raised by Michelle, with an unknown ability/condition, that everybody seeks out to get her for their own selfish reasons. Her character is the only one worth caring what happens to and about her. If you are looking for a movie that keeps you entertained and on the edge of your seat, I suggest you leave this one alone. If you want to turn off your brain for 90 minutes and watch something you do not really need to follow or know whatis going on, then go ahead a Q this. What happens to them when they reach their destination? I found out, and am still a little bit befuddled on whether I enjoyed my brain dead 90 minutes. So this gets a 3.5* 1.9.09

Charmed: Season 1

Have you been Charmed yet? May the powers that be let you Charmed as I was while watching this series. Season 1 starts us off thinking that this will be just another sister drama series. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell are sisters, that seem to have major problems with each other. After the death of Grams, Phoebe ran off to NY, but now she is back, and Prue isn't that thrilled to see her, while Piper tries to mediate between the two, Phoebe finds and old book of Grams' in the attic and innocently reads the first page. The Book of Shadows, The Power of Three, what does all this mean? Finding out the hard way, they come to accept their witches powers and learn as they go along that they are part of the Good vs Evil race to keep things in balance and harmony. The series is chock full of spells, demons, warlocks, magical beings, and other things we mortals only dream about. Striving to maintain a balnce between their personal lives and their witches lives, and to keep their secret, the sisters grow in knowledge, spirit, and bond as siblings should, and as they grow so do their powers. BLESSED BE! 5* 1.10.09

The Game Plan

How in the world did I not ever see this? The Rock was just totally cool as a self-centered idiotic sports figure. Oops... but isn't he that already LOL. No, seriously though, this was a very cute and somewhat inspirational movie, brought to us by the magic makers at Disney. Never say no, you can do anything you set your mind to. This movie also has a perfect chemistry with the music. Filled with laughter and Disney heartwarming moments, and of couse the HAPPILY EVER AFTER that Disney is famous for. The Rock, Madison (Peyton, the daughter), and Roselyn create a chemistry together that gives the movie the needed credibility to making it real for the viewer. 4* 1.9.09

The Mummy: The Animated Series: Vol. 2

Volume 2 continues, the story where the first left off. Alex still has the manacle of Osiris on his wrist, they still need the scrolls of Thebes, and Imhotep is still on their tails, with Weasler. This disc is actually in two parts the first 4 episodes they discover the puzzle of Horus which leads them to the scrolls, does Alex finally get the Manacle of Osiris off? In the last 4 episodes, Imhotep resurrects Awck Su Mamum, just as he did in the original Mummy movie. Now the O'Connell's have two mummies to deal with. They also deal with Alex being on his own studying to become one of the Madjai. An exceptional animated series that keeps us watching. 4* 1.8.09

The Mummy: The Animated Series: Vol. 3

Volume 3 is the last nine episodes of this fantastic animated series. The O'Connells visit more ruins, fight more mummies, and past villians seek revenge on them all. Alex continues his training as a Madjai, Uncle Jonathan keeps getting into trouble, Evelyn and Rick are still finding treasures and on the trail of ending Imhoteps anarchy. You will definately want to watch this last installment if you have seen the previous two volumes. 4.5* 1.8.09

The Mummy: The Animated Series: Vol. 1

In this volume of the animated series, loosely based on the movie The Mummy Returns, the O'Connells race around the globe searching for the scrolls of Thebes to get the manacle of Osiris off of Alex's wrist. In the nine episodes of this volume, Imhotep, the mummy, dogs their every step. This is a great adaptation of the mummy, to animation fit for every age group. 4* 1.8.09

Eagle Eye

Conspiracy Theorist Unite! Big Brother is literally watching you. A small time looser, who happens to be a twin, gets news of his brothers death. From this point on, the movie is a non-stop adrenelin rush. As the movie goes along we often wonder exactly what is happening... well guess what I could tell you, but I won't. I will however give you a little taste as to why I found this movie overwhelmingly exciting... 'The FBI will arrive at your apartment in 30 seconds. You must flee the premises, You have been activated. Your compliance is vital. You now have 24 seconds to leave your residence.' 'You must immediately add this movie to your Q, or you will be in violation of your civil rights to enjoy this as much as I did.' LOL I hope that is the case anyway. On a side note, they give clues throughout this movie so pay attention. I figured out exactly what was happening, but it did not take away from the excitement I felt while watching. Thanks for reading. 4.5* 1-7-09

Surveillance 24/7

It is odd that I chose to watch this movie today. It has been in my WI Q for several months. Last night I watched and reviewed Eagle Eye, and today I am watching Surveillance 24/7 and reviewing as well. Both of these movies deals with the same concept. How much privacy do we really have, with the available technology of today? Cameras, everywhere, GPS chips in cell phones, wireless and satellite internet connections, the list goes on. Adam, a teacher at a private school, to which he has a semi relationship with Jake, the son of a very important media mogul, finds himself suddenly set upon by the police, reporters and others not knowing exactly why. He assumes that the reported accident of Jakes death was actually a murder cover-up story. He has an old friend, Annie, who is a reporter for a television reality show, he frist goes seeking her help. Thinking that she is part of the cover-up he tries to find help elsewhere, becoming more and more paranoid. This movie is not as action packed as Eagle Eye, this has more of a story to it. Giving us bits and pieces to keep us intrigued as to what is going and how it will end. 3.5* 1-8-09

Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth

The Daleks Invasion of Earth, Disc 1 shows how much the show has grown over the 2 seasons. They have taken the show to the literal streets of London. Filming in vehicles, more actors, better props and effects, they have also upped the ante of the script, by splitting Ian, Barbara, The Doctor and Susan on their own seperate quests. They keep trying to get back together and at the same time they are trying to defeat the Daleks. They even upgraded the Daleks by allowing them to have better mobility. Susan sure has grown up in the 2 years since the first episode 'An Unearthly Child' she is actually showing that she can handle herself, instead of sccreaming like a child every second of the show. She even shows her grandfather that she has the spirit to stay with David to help him rebuild the Earth of 2164, even though he is the one whom seems to have made that decision. Ian and Barbara continue their journey with the Doctor. A great episode to watch no matter the order of viewing. 4* 1-7-09

Sleuth

After watching this I am literally stunned by the performances of Law and Caine. Two great actors, with whom I enjoy watching alone, came together in this thriller and lit the screen on fire. Who is the good guy, who is the bad guy, and what in the world is going on? This movie has so many twists and turns, you can get lost in the story between these two men. This movie is not filled with car crashes, boogie men, or even a serial killer this movie has 2 actors with TONS of word play between the two, which is what impressed me the most. Branagh sets up the scenes between Caine & Law so superbly he had no need of any other cast to carry the story. A solid 4.5* OMG what just happened thrill ride. I think I will go watch it again. 1-6-09

Neverwas

The writer, of this tale, wove a wonderful recipe for us to fall in love with. One part mystery, one part fantasy, and one part psychological thrill ride, add in stars like Ian McKellen, Aaron Eckhart, and Brittany Murphy and you will not regret watching this film. 4* 1-4-09

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Ahhh Great Memories It was a pleasure to revisit the 6 episode in this series, of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Comical at times, a bit DUH! at times, and several what were they thinking moments. I personally never read the book or heard the radio broadcast, but I did get to watch this on PBS. It was good back then, and still gives me a chuckle watching it again. The effects were Doctor Whoish due to the time frame of when it was created. The actors fit into their roles like they were born into them. If you want a bit of silly, stupid fun then catch this on WI. The only reason to get this on Disc would be to see what special features it has available, and since At A Glance doesnt state any, I personally wouldnt get it on disc. 4* 1-5-09

Carolina

Carolina is a touching family drama that makes your family seem normal. A grandmother, raising her sons three daughters, does the best that she can as the years pass by. This story spans the lifetime of the eldest granddaughter, Carolina, we visit certain times of her life, as she grows up, then the story takes off. Her sisters, Georgia and Maine are constantly leaning on her to help them get around and contol the antics of their wild and crazy grandmother. Being the eldest, she is more the mother of them all, even grandma Millie. Her father only comes around for the holidays, and her love life is nil, until she gets fired from her job as production director on a dating show. Then, as she starts dating the guy who got her fired, her best friend professes his love for her. Shocked beyond belief she continues juggling her family and boyfriend as best as she can when everything around her goes to pot at Christmas dinner. What happens next is something you will just have to watch for yourself. 4* 1-4-09

Georgia Rule

A Triple Crown Trifecta! All three leading ladies give unforgettable preformances in this drama brought to us by the fantastic Garry Marshall. Fonda, Huffman, and Lohan play off of each other just fabulously. Lohan, a rebelious teen is sent to stay with her grandmother, Fonda, for the summer. Grandma Georgia has so many rules, that absolutely drove Huffman, to leave the house as soon as she was able. Thinking that Georgia would be the only one to handle the rebelious teen, she chooses to pawn her off regardless of her own feelings. After a few days, a bit of shocking news is revealed, but is it true, or is Lohan just lying to get attention once again. 5* 1-4-09

Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars

Finally, the wait is over. Fans of Farscape rallied together for a final season and all we got was a 3 hour finale, titled The Peacekeeper Wars. Picking up where we left off in Season 4, bringing all the past characters back to add to the mix and drama this was a well written closure to the Farscape universe. Everything you have came to love and expect to see is in this movie. 12-31-08 5*

Farscape: Season 4

The fourth and unfortunately final season of Farscape left alot to be desired. They created all of these dual story lines to the detriment of the series, which some may have had a hard time following. Myself, I enjoyed both lines of story one on Moya the other on Talyn, with 2 Creightons what else could they do but to split them up. The Scarrans and Peacekeepers are after both ships thinking this new wormhole technology will help in the battle that seems to be growing more and more inevitable. They even mess up the timeline of Earth, that John has to find away to fix as well as keeping the knowledge from the Scarran spy within their midst. They ended this season prematurely, at the same time they left it open for another, but chose to cancel it anyway. 4.5*

Farscape: Season 1

This dramatic Sci-Fi series ivites us to join a whole new world, with all new characters, foes and trouble that only a human could get into. John Creighton is an astronaut. He is test driving a new form of hyperspace technology, which inadvertantly creates a wormhole in which he gets sent off into a new galaxy. His ship crashes into another as he gets transported aboard Moya, a living ship filled with prisoners. Rygel, a Hynerian Dominar sent to prison by his cousin. Pa'u Zotoh Zahn, a Delvian priest imprisoned for the murder of another priest. Ka D'Argo, A warrior of the Luxan Warrior cast was the scapegoat of the Peacekeeprs. Aeryn Sun, A top-notch pilot and soldier of the Peacekeeper regime, she ends up on Moya while doing repairs to the control collar to keep the living ship under peacekeeper control. This series began as a 5 season run on the Sci-Fi channel with help from the Jim Henson Company which helped to create the makeup and puppets whom the series is based around. Creighton adds his feeble human talents of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and keeps the crew of Moya on their toes with all of the mistakes he gets them in in trying to find a way home. As one of us whom happily own the series I wish to tell the others who wish to see it be patient it is well worth the wait. Go ahead and watch the other seasons you won't regret it. 12-31-08 A solid 5*

Farscape: Season 3

Still fleeing from Scorpius, the crew of Moya are first seen on a Medical Facility trying to figure a way out of their predicament. Aeryn is dead, Creighton can't speak and still has the clone of Scorpius in his head even though the neuro chip has been removed, Zhaan is fading fast, Chianna & D'Argo are having issues with each other due to his son. The hectic race beginning this third season gives us another addition to the crew. Jool a beautiful Interion, with loads of knowledge the crew hopes will help them on their journey. 12-31-08 5*

Farscape: Season 2

Season 2 of Farscape has us dealing with the loss of Moya's offsrping Talyn, stolen by Captain Crais, the man who wanted Creighton killed for the accidental murder of his brother in the first season. We also have a few new crew members Chiana, a Nebari runaway and Stark, a member of the Banik slave race. Creighton was captured at the end of season 1 by our new villian Scorpius, half Sebacean & Scarran, who believes John has a form of wormhole technology locked somewhere in his brain and Scorpius will do anything to get his hands on it. How they get out of this is anyones's guess, you will just have to watch and see for yourself. 12-31-08 5*

Grand Theft Auto

Ron Howard stars in his directorial debut, Grand Theft Auto. Fleeing from her father's grip on her life, Paula Powers steals her fathers Rolls Royce with her soon to be husband Sam Freeman. A star studded cast of characters chase the love birds on their way to Vegas to get married. Hounded by her ex-fiancee, who offers a reward over the radio, adds to the drama of the chase. Car thefts, major pile-ups, and hijinx gallore fill this comedy. Do they make it, what happens next? I recommend that you ewstch and find out for yourself. 4.5* 12-29-08

Blood and Chocolate

Blood and Chocolate is not your normal werewolf fare. If bitten you don�t become a lupus, the full moon does not change you, and the alpha of your pack has the last say so. The myths of the werewolf are dispelled by going back to the origins, like the Native American legends of the shape-shifters; you actually become all wolf not some half-breed of wolf and human. Vivian, a teen, trying to live as normal of a life as she can, runs into a young man, Aiden, researching the legends and tales of the lupus for his next graphic novel. She finds herself drawn to him for reasons unknown to her, while trying to find a way out of her �destiny� to become the next mate of her packs alpha. Her alpha, Gabriel, wants her for himself, by the rules of the pack, as well as to fulfill a prophecy that a female shall lead the pack into a new �way of life�. He believes it is to rule man and to get back at them for all of the hardship mankind has caused the lupus. Vivian is forced to choose between her love for Aiden and the desires and responsibility Gabriel has placed upon her, keeping the secret of the pack and becoming his next mate. I found the effect of shifting from human to wolf visually beautiful, unlike the more painful aspects of trying to merge the two into one being. A good version to watch, not an over the top blood bath, more of a love story with a supernatural flare. 4* 12-29-08

Doctor Who: The Beginning

Disc 3 - An Unearthly Child (4 part series)starts us off on the wonderfull adventures that has became an all around great series. We meet the very first Doctor and his granddaughter Susan. We learn about the Tardis and what it can do, as well as travel back in time to the days of the cavemen discovering fire. Disc 1 - The Daleks (7 part series)introduce us to the biggest threat mankind has ever known or dreamed of. A race of machines with a hive mentality seeking the destruction of The Doctor as well as the race of man. Disc 2 - The Edge of Destruction (2 part series) We find the crew of the TARDIS acting strangely totally out of sync with each other throwing blame around until nerves get frayed, emotions run high and things are said in the heat of the moment. Can the Doctor fix what is wrong in time before someone gets serious harmed? Disc 2 aslo has the first of the missing Marco Polo episodes. The film was destroyed, so we have the first episode 'The Roof of the World' viewed with snapshots and the recording only. It is also stated that the 7 part series is available on Audiobook only. It was fascinating to go back an revisit 'The Beginning' of the Doctor Who franchise. A must see for the Whovian in us all. 4.5* 12-29-08

Doctor Who: The Aztecs

Going back in time once again, The Doctor, Susan, Barbara & Ian find themselves dealing with, the Aztec nation in Mexico. Mistaking that Barbara is a reincarnation of the beloved god Yetaxa, the Aztecs' start to worship her, giving her the notion she can change the destructive path they are currently on. The Doctor has to figure out a way to get them home without interrupting this vital time in the Aztec history, that Barbara is trying to change. 4* 12-29-08

Not | Gay

Not - Gay is a four short fim collection dealing with the relationships between gay and straight men. In the short 'The Best Men' the sister of the groom says it best 'all the best men are gay, literally'. The next short, Katydid is stupid. A jealous twin finds out that his best friend and twin are gay. My favorite of the four is 'Float'. This short deals with homophobia, living in fear, finding oneself, and most of all finding respect for who you are. If you just let go and float you can find the peace, joy, and love for yourself. In the last short, 'Cowboy Forever', deals with finding acceptance with the people you work with as well as yourself. This short is narrated through out the story. The narration adds good details into the main characters history together. The only problem I have with short films like this is they do not allow you to tate each one. Therefore, I will now do so. The Best Men - 3.5*, Katydid - 1.5*, Float - 4*, Cowboy Forever - 3* 12-21-08

Dead Calm

This is one thriller that just does not get old. ONeill, Zane & Kidman do a fantastic job in this open sea, get in your head psychological thrill ride. Husband & wife take a journey on their schooner after the loss of their baby. Haunted by nightmares of the accident, Rae does not want to continue the voyage, while John thinks it will be better for her in the long run. They come across another schooner, with someone paddling away shouting they are all dead. John & Rae take the stranded stranger, Hughie, aboard in order to help. Leaving his wife with the unknown man, John goes on board the other ship to see what happened. Rae, alone with Hughie locks him up down below, which pushes the psychotic stranger over the edge. He breaks out and leaves John stranded himself, on the other ship. What happens next? You will just have to wait and see for yourself 5* 12-16-08

Eureka: Season 3.0

Eureka: Season 3, still keeps the high-jinx, comedy and amazing inventions coming. This season also has an intriguing mystery to go along with all of the hilarity the show has kept fresh. With the addition of Frances Fisher as 'The Fixer', playing the role of Eva Thorne sent to GD with the job of bringing Eureka up to standards and cost, she also has a hidden agenda of her own. One of the ways she decides to accomplish this is the product placement everyone is harping about. I found it to be a bit funny, as it added something to the ridiculousness of the show. If you are just coming to the town of Eureka this is a good season to begin with as it stands alone and separate from the previous 2.

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3

Avatar: The Last Air bender Book 3 - Fire, gives us the conclusion of Aang's journey to defeat the Fire Nation as well as bring the four nations back to a harmony only the Avatar can bring. Aang, Katara & Sokka have fought many battles, had many disagreements as well as finding great friends in Aang's quest to learn the other 3 bending abilities as he was supposed to do 100 years ago before he fled. In Book 1 - Water, Katara & Sokka find Aang frozen and set off on a journey, running and hiding from Prince Zoku. Katara a water bender follows Aang as well as teaches him the art of bending water. In Book 2 - Earth, Searching for an Earth bending master they meet Toph, a blind girl, who has taught herself the secrets of earth-bending. She joins the trio, teaching Aang along the way. In Book 3 - Fire, Prince Zoku finally realizes his calling and offers to teach Aang the secrets of Fire Bending. Standing up to his father and sister Zoku helps Aang fulfill his destiny. Book 3, is the conclusion to The Best Anime Show on television. The Last Air bender is filled with spiritual philosophy, kung-fu action, magical abilities, as well as morals to live by.

Bones: Season 3

eason 3, of Bones, revolves around Bones & Booth trying to figure out a case that has the whole lab up in arms. A serial killer, called Gormogon, causes the Squint Squad to question, suspect and wonder if they are the killer or as the season goes on, the Gormogon's unknown apprentice. Meanwhile, Angela & Hodges try to locate her husband to get a divorce so they can get married. Zack comes back from Iraq, just in time so that Bones no longer has to find his replacement. While all this is going on, Bones has to deal with her long lost and thought dead father, while he is in jail awaiting trial. The BEST episode of this series is 'The Santa in the Slush'. A Santa, Christopher Kringle, is found in a drain. While searching for the killer, Bones� dad wants to have a real Christmas with his family (Bones, her brother, his girlfriend and her two daughters), seeing as how he and her brother are in jail, she does just about everything to give him the Christmas he wants and she never really had.

Sons of Anarchy: Season 1

The first season just ended on a VERY HIGH note, I did not want to get into another TV series, but I felt compelled to give it a try. I was extremely impressed by the actors, the storyline, as well as how compelling it is to be a biker and belong. Filled with extreme violence, strong sexual situations, one can't help but to become ingrossed in the lives of this gang of bikers. SOA stars Ron Perlman, Katey Segal & newcomer Johnny Lewis, as the leaders of this delightfully intrigueing cast of characters. Clay (Ron) and Jax (Johhny) are president and vice president of the Charming, CA Factor, their alternate buisness venture is SAMCRO garage & body shop. In the series Jax's old flame moves home, his pregant drug addicted ex-wife almost kills herself & the baby, He comes across some old journals of his deceased father (who was one of the founders of SOA), his life seems to be just coming apart at the seams. His mother (Katey) and Sam want to keep things the way they are, but the ATF and new deputy just make it that more difficult for them to run their guns, with Jax having his life turned upside down becasue of his fathers journals, causes even more problems. If Bikes, Gun Running, gang violence, murder, secrecy, as well as just plain ole mayhem is your thing check this series out. I, myself, am eagerly anticipating the Second season of SONS OF ANARCHY!

Dog Tags

The premise decribed here does not do this movie any justice. In order for this review to do it any justice, I must first state that story was beautifully told as well as acted. Nate is basically pressured to go into the marines by his mother and fiancee. Both ladies in his life think of him as worthless as well as a quiter, that is their reasons for forcing him into the military life. After boot camp, he gets leave and decides to go back home, expecting to get his fiancee a ring, when a chance encounter with Andy, it sends them on a journey neither one ever expected. A great friendship elovles from this encounter, and gives them both a 'clean slate'. A touching drama full of heart, I give this a solid 4 stars. 12-10-08

Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!

Ok yep just OK. The fact that they replaced 3 of the original actors was a bit of a disappointment, but the replacements just made it a bit more comical. They covered it up by SPOOFING a well loved movie 'The Wizard of OZ'. You were there and you and even you, but you looked so different. All throughout the movie you will see DIGS into other iconic movies like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Splash, Sunset Boulevard, as well as The Brady Bunch goes to Hawaii, with many others, the spoofing of the movies made the movie campy and funny, unfortunately those were the only laughable moments. A great performance by RuPaul as the Hostess of Gay Relations and Activities, Bunny Love was great as well. Not quite as good as the first but are sequels ever as good as the first. BEWARE at the end of the movie there is something YOU HAVE TO SEE. 3.5*

Maximum Overdrive

Maximum Overdrive was a spooky scary story brought to us by Stephen King one of the masters of the horror genre. Only he could make us petrified of thinking, moving by themselves, diesel guzzling machines. The STAR of this movie is the Semi with the green goblin as a hood ornament. The cast of characters are trapped at a rest stop ran by Emilio Estevez, by these monsterous trucks which seem to have became possessed by an unknown chemical leak in a nearby plant. The vehicles have become the masters of the humans, they want fed, they want to be repaired, but most of all they want blood. Check this one out if you have yet to see it, and if you have seen the newer version simply called Trucks! rent this one to see how much better it is.

Who Wants to Be a Superhero?: Season 1

Stan Lee the MASTER OF HEROES, brings us the chance to become our own Superhero. Eleven mere mortals, whom have created a hero, designed their costume, as well as their hero background. You are judged on your ability to perform heroically, how you work with your teammates, your general attitude and how well you pay attention to responsibilities. Stan gives you the tools, the lessons, and at the end of each episode one has to turn in their costume. I found this to be an entertaining reality show, one of the few I actually have watched. Check it out on the Reality Televison channel, until it is released on DVD. They are currently running the 2nd season.

Beautiful Creatures

Drama? Yes. Thriller? Yes. Comedy? Yes. I found the chemistry between the two ladies to be simply kismet. The way that Rachael and Susan gave their characters life made you want them to beat everyone. The many turns the plot took left you in doubt as to the ending. Amazing performances by the supporting fellows as well. The only fault that I found were a few spots where there could have been some great confrontational dialogue, I found it to be dismal at best. 4.5* 12-7-08

Into It

I have NO IDEA how anyone could get 'INTO IT'. This movie was just 90 minutes of pure unadulterated trash. No plot, No acting, No directing, No editing, and with No redeeming qualities whatsoever. The at a glance description had nothing whatsoever to do with this movie except for the characters names Simon & Evan. The other 48 people whom have rated this movie an average of 2.3 stars has it correct. Heed this warning LEAVE THIS ONE ON THE SHELF!

7 Virgins

7 virgins chronicles a weekend in the life of Tano, a juvenille deliquent out of the detention center for his borthers wedding. This movie was a bit enjoyable, but not a memorable one. Two days to shove an entire summers worth of fun, frivolity, & mayhem without getting caught by the cops, before he has to go back to the detention center. This movie was a growing experience for Tano more than the frivolity he desired and expected. Trying to help his unhappy brother get ready for his unwanted wedding, trying to keep his best friend out of trouble while trying to not get in trouble himself, adding in the fact his girlfriend seems to be trying to dump him. The plot and time limit doesn't quite mesh completely together. The editing does give you the impression of 2 days, but the continuity does fail in several places. Most of the plot has real life issues, they are glossed over and not explored, which would have made this a much better told story. 2.5* 12-6-08

Kiss the Bride

Kiss the bride is a pocketful of suprises, hillarity, with a few touching tear jerking moments thrown in for our viewing pleasure. I don't know exactly what made me enjoy this film so much. Was it the fact that Matt rushed back to his home town when he found out that his first love was getting married to a girl. Was it the fact that Matt still carried a torch for 10 years, which basically made him run away from every relationship since Ryan. Was it that Matt ended up liking Ryan's fiancee in spite of him thinking Ryan was doing it to spite him. Finally a sweet over the top real love story to sink our teeth and heart into. I think I'll let you decide for yourself and tell me what you think.

Get a Life

One wishes this was a comical look at glory-holed bookstores and gay bars, where most of the scenes take place. One was very disappointed. This is about a gay man searching for a straight lover to keep his sheets warm at night with none of the ties that bind, except for a steady boyfriend/lover. He does the books for a friends garage, while cruising the bookstore at lunch and the bars at night. This movie was poorly acted with limited eye candy (sans nudity) 1.5* 11-30-08

Saturday Night at the Baths

Saturday Night at the Baths, was just not a bit of what I expected. Made in the mid 70's when free love and pre-AIDS, I expected a bit more frivolity than was presented. If you are expecting this to be totally gay and full of nudity forget this rent. There was a nude scene between Michael & Tracey, a bit of butt here and there at the baths, with nothing but a kiss between Michael & Scotti. Partying, drugs, and the baths being open 24-7 does give you a view into the scene back in the mid 70's. They even have almost the entire show fimled for the movie. Remember this is when the baths were promoters for singers like Bette Midler and others. The drag show were definate look alikes that was entertaining to watch. Personally I would not recommend this to anyone, but I did enjoy bits and pieces. 2.5* 11-30-08

Theft

Writer, director Paul Bright brings us another quirky cute movie. The original title was Theft of a Drag Queen's wig. It has a very funny opening that must be watched. I actually was going to post the entire monologue here, but it would be funnier just watching it. PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE LEFT. Guy, a dissatisfied manager of a bar gets into trouble when the owner dies and he is left ownership of the only leather bar in Liberty Hills. A stranger comes to town, the local preacher lady wishes to close the bar down and run the sodomites out of Liberty Hill, drama drama drama. It is actually funny in some places, with a bit of a political stab concerning a certain group of 'christian' protestors to gay rights. If you liked or perhaps enjoyed Angora Ranch, watch this and see how Paul Bright brings us another quirky comedy with a bit of love thrown in the mix.

Glitter & Queer 2

This was a poor follow up to the first Glitter & Queer. It does have a few jewles to watch and enjoy, like Erasure, Amanda Lear, DQ Drama Queen & Tomboy. They had to scrape the bottom of the queer barrell in order to put most of this compliation together, it is mostly foreign artists attempting to showcase their lame attempts at being drag queens or doing popular gay anthems. Most of the numbers does have a catchy beat to them, but fall short on the visual performance. 2.5 stars

Birds of Prey: The Complete Series

A great series to watch. We meet the love child between Batman & Catwoman. Helena Kyle aka Huntress, with Catwoman's feline qualities, and Batman's yearning for justice and ability to deduce criminal behavoir, She fights for justice in New Gotham with the aid of The Oracle aka Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. Barbara becomes the Oracle after an attempt to kill her by the Joker leaving her paralyzed. They are joined by Dinah, a runaway with telepathic abilities, we find out that she is the daughter of The Black Canary. Superhero lovers will like and appreciate seeing female heroes take the lead in this short lived series. 4.5*

Neverwhere

Neil Gaiman brings us a fantastic series with colorful characters. Neverwhere is set in the tubes and tunnels underneath the streets of London. It isn't meant to glorify but rather to intrigue the viewer into the lives of the street people who live in this underground world. The hierarchy, the theivery, and the rotten charcters of the underground, that we above ground seem to take no notice or pay attention to, get by in taking risks and chances with all the dangers implied or even created by the above grounders. It is an almost a magical adventure he has created and brought to life. If you were Richard would you choose your old mundane life or the life that you have seen in the underground of NEVERWHERE?

Lightspeed

Another Hero brought to us by the superbly imaginative talents of Stan Lee. Lightspeed gets his powers from a radiation overdose after getting his legs crushed when a building falls down around and on him. Daniel actually works for a governmental anti-terrorist orginization that is called to arms whenever someone or something tries to steal, harm or endanger the country. Finding his legs healing faster than expected, and with a new faster way of getting from place to place Daniel tries to help the organization he used to work for without letting them find out what he can now do. They think he is pushing himself to hard and doesnt believe that a should be dead doctor is the one they now hunt, known as Python. Hero geeks should like this, but may find it a bit lacking in storyline. A solid 3.5 stars.

Manoushe

The Life and Passing of a Gypsy, is one of tale and legend. In this beautifully depicted tale. A widow travels down memory lane after the death of her husband. Falling for the lone gypsy traveller, she flees her arranged marriage, and her fathers controlling ways. With hardly any dialogue, the director weaves this tale magically. A compellingly told story of meeting ones true love, while obstacles put into their path are as if they never existed.

Stuck

WOW!! What can I say? The movie begins showing this extremely responsible nurses assistant in a nursing home, being offered an higher ranking position, due to her boss finding her extremely helpful and capable of taking on more responsibility. It's Friday so we have plans to go out and let loose a little bit, then WHAM!!! Things majorly go awry, and continue on a downward spiral until the end. Based on true events, this is a must see simply for the WTF factor as well as the bit of gore factor if you like that sort of thing.

In the Blood

Psychic Visions, Rape and murder, lists of victims, no suspects with a brother and sister thrown in the mix, this film does some justice to the serial killer genre. Just don't expect an overly convoluted plot with twists and turns. The plot is very simple, the acting is believable (except for the 'love scenes') and the pschyic powers has a cool twist to them. In the blood concerns a killer on a college campus who seems to be going after blonde virgins. Cassidy happens to have a younger sister who is blonde, he then starts having visions about her screaming and covered in blood, what is an older brother to do, except to try and protect her from this killer. I enjoyed getting lost in the movie, even with the slow plot points that just didn't quite seem to make it as suspenseful as I like my mystery who done it's.

Midnight Dancers

Its about 3 Phillipino brothers and their family. The youngest brother comes home from school (after dropping out) and starts working in a dance club with his brothers as an exotic dancer. It was a bit hard to watch this as the subtitles blended in with the scenes instead of standing out, or under the movie like other foreign films are known to do. The movie is well written and well acted, that you just get taken in by the hardships of this family. There are quite a bit of erotic dance scenes, as well as hook ups but taking into consideration the asians cultural limitations the scenes between the men are very limited. Also to note one other aspect of the film, it was originally banned from being shown in the Phillipines due to the sexual nature of the film. 4*

2 Minutes Later

An insurance investigator, Michael gets sent out on a claim to the city where his brother lives. He shows up unannounced and finds out that no one has seen him for two weeks. a few circumstances later he comes across Abagail, a private investigator who was hired by his agent to find him, they ban together to try and locate him. It helps that Michael is Kyle's (the missing brother) twin. A fast paced mystery, with lots of full frontal nudity, enjoyable to watch. It also has a few disappointing factors. The actors are a bit dry, you see no emotion in Michael that his brother is missing and the PI tries to be domineering and in charge, but she doesn't quite pull it off. 3.5* 10-10-08

Irreversible

This is an impressively, artistically, designed movie. The plot was gruesome and graphic in and of itself, also it was quite simplistic. A couple go to a party with their friend, the lady leaves alone, gets raped and the guys go out seeking revenge and retribution. That is where the storyline takes us. The director does something amazing with this film that I have not seen before. He uses amazing camera work with a great bit of editing. This more than anything else makes me want to recommend this to film lovers that have a taste for the extreme or artful form of directing or editing.

Glitter & Queer

Expecting a movie? This is not that, it is a bunch of music videos. The electronica sound is great to get up and dance to, or cleaning house, as I did while watching. The videos to watch left something to be desired, except for the eye candy and that would be the only reason to watch this. Better to listen to than watch.

Vendetta

Very dry acting, not alot of plot, and somewhat bland to the taste. Divorced police couple, working from 2 different precints try to solve a spree of killings they belive is tied to a cop. A bit of soft core scenes, I suppose to add something to the story, actually distracts from what little storyline there is. Ok to watch, just not enough to enjoy.

Sal�

Salo, is a masterfully depicted drama, that has extremely uncommon or even taboo subject matter. I came across this on video back in the late '80's and to my suprise liked the story behind the sometimes appalling imagery being depicted. A friend of mine found it here on NF and I simply had to rewatch it. Broken down into circles, the movie progresses through stories told by the 'upper class' as they 'teach' the younger kidnapped victims the values they believe in, leading to the ending of their lives. Through a series of graphic scenes of nudity, violence, and bizarre sadomasochism acts, an actual philosophical, socialogical and psychological story comes to life.

Eleventh Hour

I was suprised at how much I enjoyed these 4 episodes of Eleventh Hour starring Patrick Stewart. This isn't a Sci-fi series, It is more of a Science Thriller dealing with 4 disticntly different subjects in each episode. Global warming, threat of an infectious disease getting spread, human cloning as well as a false cure for cancerous tumors. All four tales are superbly written, and told in a way that brings these issues of today to light. The only disappoitment that I had with this series was that it was just 4 episodes. There are way more topics of today they could have done, and I feel need brought out even if it is only in a 1 hour episode were everything gets settled in the ELEVENTH HOUR.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

GOOD GRIEF! This was an imaginative take on a MST3K concept, that was stupidly funny. Voiced over from the film Killers from Space, the cast pun and degrade the issues of being gay. ALIENS MADE ME GAY HOW FABULOUS IS THAT? It does have quite a bit of satire that makes you either groan or laugh. I kinda liked it you decide.

An American Crime

SPOILER WORDAGE EDITED REVIEW - (3/18/09)... 4* True Stories always get me going, freak me out, or makes me want to learn more. This true story about a girl named Sylvia, whose mother & father left her and her sister with a woman they did not know, for $20.00 a week. The woman/mother substitute had a bunch of kids of her own, but what Sylvia's parents did not know made this one twisted psychological thriller.

Ultraviolet

An interesting twist on the usual vampire nature. Take Interview with a Vampire and the small drink, add in a touch of House with all the medical tests, with a dash of CSI as well and you get Ultraviolet. The writers of this BBC drama chose to see it as a disease, with global proportions. Allergic to sunlight, the ability to mask their bites, as well as a cure for the infection they give the people of whom they drink of. Vampire lovers beware there isn't a whole lot of gore, mostly just detective and lab work until they dust the vamp.

The Houseboy

The synopsis of this movie was a bit misleading to me. I was expecting the drama of the movie between the couple and their Houseboy. What I got was a depressing afterthought. Poor little third is getting the shaft after Christmas, but I have to babysit WAY TOOOOO MANY PETS. The suprise was a new love affair after feeling degraded by multiple one night stands. A little bit of eye candy is included as well as a bit of camp in the depressive nature of the film. 3.25*

Trade

A gripping drama about a brother and sister. It is also a very disturbing drama dealing with the trafficing of girls, boys & women for the right price. Kevin Kline showed every ounce of his compassionate acting skills when dealing with Jorge, while helping him locate the kidnappers of his 13 year old sister, who was to be sold for the pleasure of anyone with the right amount of money. Sometimes we forget that the trafficing happening across our borders isnt only drug related. The sale of illegal immigrants is a very big problem that outweighs illegal immigration, and is a difficult to control as the drug trade. It makes one think, how unimportant is someones life that you would sell or even buy another humans existence to please your owns needs?

Father Knows

Father Knows what is it that he knows? This movie had no real story line to it other than the voice-over narration. The acting was minimal to say the least.I guess that is what happens when you to a gay porn star (Cort Donovan) and give him a script to read.

Starhunter 2300: The Complete Series

Starhunter 2300 has some good elements to it, as well as a few bad ones. The space settings are realistic, but the story lines seem pretty much identical. The cast brings little emotion to their characters, yet you do get to know them quite well. This series reminds me of Firefly with leather, plus a touch of Babylon 5 & Battlestar Gallactica (the Orignial series). *** 3.5 stars

The Killing Floor

This was a tightly twisted tale of a dream becoming a nightmare. This movie has so many weird twists that you can�t quite keep up with what is going on. After a while, the drama just turns to foolishness, and eventually catches back up to itself. The set up is a literary agent gets his dream home only to find out that something wrong is going on, not exactly knowing what it is, he tries to figure it out on his own. I enjoyed watching the drama unfold bit by bit, but it was taken over the path of enjoyment, to the path of hurry up and finish. Therefore, it gets a 3 instead of a 4 star rating.

Stop-Loss

I do not remember why I rented this movie, but I�m glad I did. This movie just wrapped me up in the drama and had me yearning for all the soldiers that this has happened to. It concerns a very bad program that the government has implemented and is now using to the extremes. The movie starts out with the actors fighting in the war. I started to turn it off because I did not want to watch a war movie. I watched anyway. The soldiers go home on leave as well as two of them are finished with their service tour, looking forward to getting out of the service. Ryan Phillippe stars as Sgt. King, as he starts turning in his equipment, uniforms etc. he learns that he is to report for duty. Confused by this news, Sgt. King goes to his superiors and learns that he has been stop-lossed. Stop-loss is a program in the military where they can ultimately force you back into service, even after your time is up. You have no choice in the matter other than going AWOL. In my opinion the government needs to eliminate this program from every military branch. Yes, our service men and women choose to fight for our country and to serve their time, but when that time is up they should be given a choice on whether they want to go back into service, not forced into it. Yes, this is wartime, yes, this is a time when we need soldiers, yes, they are needed to help to try and control the situation that the government has imposed upon us. Let me ask a question, how many have died that have been stop-lossed, how many of the deceased did not want to go back, and were forced to do so? TOO MANY! I apologize if I have preached in this review, but this movie was enlightening to me, and I felt the need to express my opinion to describe how this movie affected me. A must watch to all who know or even have family/friends as members of the military.

First Snow

A total suprise, not what I was expecting at all. It was a little bit confusing to begin with, not sure what was going on. As the movie progressed it just wrapped you into the drama of what would you do if you found out your future. Pearce brings total belief to his characters progression throughout this film.

Fixing Frank

A movie with a great idea, that fails miserably in making it through to the screen. Frank goes through with his boyfriends experiment to entrap and get a great story out of trashing another psychologist who claims to fix being gay. Frank lies to get into the office and ends up trying to figure out if he can be fixed. As if being gay is something one can fix. I may be partially cynical in this review, but in order for one to be happy with oneself you need to love yourself first and foremost and not to believe that there is something wrong in whom you choose to love, or even in the lifestyle you are born to be a part of. The only thing that this movie did have to its credit was that it did try to honestly portray both sides of the issues. It is slow in the deliverance, and a bit dull to watch.

Bonneville

This was a great movie, which shows how deep love between two people can overcome even death. Jessica has lost her husband, but her daughter in law refuses to let her carry out his last wishes. She forces Jessica to do the unthinkable, blackmailing her with her own house for trade of her father�s ashes. All of the ladies in this movie portray their characters in a way that make you fall in love with each of them. This movie was like Steel Magnolias meeting and mixing with Thelma & Louise. Fantastic friendships, wonderful storyline, as well as a road trip worth the watch.

Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes

This is not your typical superhero movie. Yes, the lead actor gets superhero powers by a lab experiment, yes he does fight the villain and right wrongs, and yes he even gets a love interest. It stops there. They spoof and rename other comic characters, (for copywrite purposes I�m sure) that make it all extremely hilarious. Oh one other thing the new superhero he is totally out of the closet, and not his superhero identity, you have to keep that a secret. A good watch and laugh, for first time writer/director/actor Vincent J. Roth. *3.5 stars

The Tattooist

Tattoo's to have or have not. After watching this film, I would say a definite no. The movie delves into the Samoan art of tattoo�s and the history behind it. �Once you start a tattoo it must be finished�. The spirit in this tale is taking Jason Behr�s creations and finishing them for him. When his love interest, played by Mia Blake, has him do a tattoo on her, he realizes that there is something seriously twisted going on. A great film to watch, even through the close your eyes and cringing parts.

Odyssey 5: The Complete Series

Odyssey 5 has a great storyline and premise for a complete 5 season show. The only thing it lacks was continuity. The crew of the space shuttle Odyssey 5 is picking up a satellite, something malfunctions and they get a front row seat as the Earth is destroyed. An alien race, outside the boundaries of time, sends them back 5 years to keep the incident from happening. The show seems to accelerate from there, on a downhill spiral. They have incidents where they are trying to �defeat� a project called �Bright Sky�, which seems to be an AI computer glitch. The timeline becomes quite fuzzy and speeds up faster than the 5 years they are supposed to have to complete the �Save the World� mission. I think that is one of the reasons that it failed to last longer than 20 episodes. It is an entertaining show to watch with some deep life questions. What would you do differently if you went back 5 years and knew exactly how things were going to play out?

Coffee Date

I watched this movie sometime ago, and rated it 4 stars. I just watched a collection of shorts 'Straight Men and the Men Who Love Them (2004)', and guess what; there was a short called 'Coffee Date'. The short gets the 4 and the movie gets downgraded to 3. Why do we need to expand something that made perfectly good sense in 12 minutes to 94 minutes? We don't. The movie is cute and funny to watch where it goes from the short, but totally unnecessary in the end.

Straight Men and the Men Who Love Them

The main movie short 'Space 2' on this disc leaves a bit to be desired. It is somewhat confusing because you aren't quite sure what the main character is doing or even what he feels, other than being angry about the heat. The rest of the shorts are funny and cute especially 'Coffee Date' which was familiar enough to me that I felt as though I had seen it before, low and behold I had. They made a movie in '06 with the same name. The trailer 'The Singing Forest' had me intrigued enough to search for it, it seems as though past lives can surprise us. One other short worth a mention was 'In the Name of the Father', about a son in love with his dad and consequences that follow.

The Air I Breathe

With a cast of this magnitude, you can't go wrong or can you? I found it a bit slow to begin with, then I was drawn in to the drama of it all as the director started bringing in the other characters. Forrest to Brendan to Sarah to Kevin with Andy in the middle of every bit of it. A pleasure ride that had me wanting to see more.

Naked Boys Singing!

Campy, quirky songs abound in this musical. Also, YES! they are all naked showing everything they were blessed with. A good watch if you want to see Naked Boys Sing a few songs.

Long-Term Relationship

LTR was a good movie but not that great. I thought it was a movie that left a lot to be desired. It did have quality to the storyline, unfortunately the acting left a bit to be desired. I found myself not caring for the characters at all. The roommate/best friend was the only real character that developed at all.

Fade

Listen shhhh he's sleeping. Not really, but you will. I watched this boring movie and wondered what in the world was I thinking in renting this. I fell asleep watching it the first time, so I suffered through it again. There was no plot to speak of other than the fact the main character couldn't sleep. Avoidance is the main key if you come across this in a search.

X: Equis

With many twists and turns, X: Equis will leave you wondering up to the end. Javier, a cop, is convinced that he is the murderer of a gay man in a salon. Recently separated by his pregnant wife, Javier tries to find out what happened to the young man, Micky, before his fellow officers put it all together, while trying to protect himself, wife, and the sister of Micky from the guys who want their money back. Murder, money laundering, and paranoia make up this foreign thriller. A who done it not to be missed.

Wolves of Wall Street

Wolves of Wall Street, has to do more with the whole world of biting, clawing your way up the Wall Street ladder than the actuality of being a werewolf. Throughout the movie, you see references to the firm of being weres' in the real sense, but no changing takes place (just a few overly done shadows and a few screams along with bites & scratches). William Gregory Lee plays the new kid on the block, (he makes a better witch/warlock in Dante's Cove) who wants to become a member of the firm, Wolfe Brothers. He has wanted to be a stock broker since he was a little boy. Taken under the wing of Michael Bergin, he finds himself becoming a true member of the pack. After a big blow-up with his girlfriend, he realizes he needs to get out somehow. A semi-erotic drama that shows more of the senses than it does of the mayhem most werewolves movies out there. An entertaining 3.5 stars.

The Last of the Blonde Bombshells

Judi Dench hits another movie 'out of the park'. Her granddaughter catches her playing the sax, which leads Judi on a journey own memory lane. She used to play in a band back during the war. Ultimately she tries to find and reunite the other members for a 'one last time' performance at her granddaughter's school dance. The memories searching for and finding the members, leads her on a personal journey where old feelings and an old flame become grand new memories. If you liked Mrs. Henderson Presents then this will become a hit as well.

Put the Needle on the Record

Put the Needle on the Record takes you on a trip through the history of electronica, trance & dance music. A documentary detailing different DJ's experiences and introductions into the world of music, focusing mainly on the remixing of music into the dance sound. An awesome mix of different sounds and styles make up the musical experience in the background as well as clips of concerts and dance clubs allowing you to see and feel the beat of the music.

Brother to Brother

An inspirational film, that tells about the generational difference and conflict between the gay black community of the 20's and that of the present. Words, art & stories are the backbone of this film. As Perry learns about the past, by meeting and conversing with Richard, helps the young man to realize and eventually come to terms with how he wishes to live his life. Looking for love in all the wrong places, he finally feels what love can be, with the loss of artist/poet Richard. Beautifully written, this tale of an era past, teaches us how to believe in ourselves and to examine how and what we can do to lend our experience to the future generation.

Company

The talents of Broadway found in the comfort of our homes. Company, is a recasting of the original Sondheim musical by the same name. Looking for love, we all are in our different ways. Bobby has a birthday, he�s 35 this year, whatever shall we do. I know throw him a surprise party, bake a cake, sing a song or 2, invite everyone we know, oh and lets tell him he should get married. He knows this already; he has and is searching for that special someone. I sat enthralled, as I watched this musical performance by a talented cast of people. Not only could they sing their little songs, act their various roles, but they were also the orchestra. The filming was excellent, as it allowed you to feel as if you were in the theatre at the show. I have seen various productions that were filmed and failed to relate the actual feeling one gets when they see the live performance. This was a great film to watch if you enjoy musicals or Broadway productions.

Heat

Heat! IMO this movie was good and entertaining enough to watch. The heat available in this movie is Joe Dallesandro. Ad libbed beyond belief, you can tell that there was not much scripting in this film. Its more like the director told the actors this is where I want you, now talk whatever comes out of your mouth is what we will film to keep. If you wanna go for it then by all means do it. The late 60's & early 70's were the height of the free love revolution and it shows in this film.

Joe's Apartment

Awww How sweet Roaches. LOL. Joe's Apartment is hillarious in its totally stupidity. I watched it simply because of Jerry O'Connell, who plays interesting characters. This role is no different the cast is the only thing that is different. 20,000 or so extras. He joins a band S*** as the drummer, he gets a job as a retrieval person for urinal cakes, falls in love with a green thumb daughter of the senator who is trying to tear down his apartment, his best friend loves to humilates him, oh and his 20,000 or so roommates love to put on singing performances at the oddest times. You cannot help but laugh at antics of the roaches, who inhabit Joe's apartment.

Gabriel

Gabriel, The Trumpet blower, an Arc Angel, Michael's right hand man. The last Arc Angel to visit purgatory in this dark thrilling tale. The previous 6 have been sent down to purgatory to give the people there the choice of freewill. The darkness has held reign over purgatory not giving them any options but misery. Gabriel, the last one to bring them the light, searches for the others who have not came back or succeeded, including Michael the strongest Arc of them all. Raphael was shot with a bullet, but too weak to heal himself, Itherieal is running a soup kitchen, to weak in spirit to even confront the darkness led by Sammael, Uriel is hiding in fear of everything even his own powers, drinking his way to oblivion, Amnell (Jade) was tricked by Sammael to give up her wings and became a drugged prostitute, Ramael was killed, Michael has disappeared what will become of Gabriel? A must see for those of us who like the dark gothic tales like: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Highlander, The Crow and even the Matrix.

Soul Maid

This movie was so stupid that you cannot help but laugh. A sorceress, who was banished by a clean demon, has taken possession of a young gay man, intent on continuing her legacy of turning all homosexuals straight, by baptizing them with her holy sponges. His ex boyfriend and his female roommate hatch a plan to get Glintentica out of Moses. Judge for yourself � I enjoyed the ridiculousness of it.

The Wolves of Kromer

This movie was a bit disappointing, only for the fact I believed I was going to see some werewolves. A cute little love story though, with an undercurrent of euphamism. A small town backwater town in England, where the wolves appearently congregate to escape the hassles of their lives. The villagers do not appreciate the wolves in their neighborhood so led by the priest they try to erradicate them. While watching this film I realized there was not really wolves in the story, the term wolf was simply a euphamism for homosexual, the priest was the leader in the lynch mob who corners the two lead characters into the church he presides in. He hated the feelings that were in him so much that he wanted everyone to believe that being a wolf was evil and against the word of God. Kinda reminds me of a few preachers I know. Overall this film was enjoyable if you don�t mind a lot of sarcasm & euphamisms with your movies.

Come Undone

A small budget very simple French film, that is a bit hard to follow, for some, due to the fact that they combine the past with the present. Two young boys meet fall in love on the beach, 2 years later things have gone awry and one becomes obsessive to the extreme. Mathieu flees from Cedrics� jealousness & obsessive behavior, and becomes friends with one of Cedric�s exes who went through the same thing years earlier.

Star Wars: Ewok Adventures: Caravan of Courage / The Battle for Endor

Some Movies stand the test of times, Ewok Adventures does just that. Made after the Star Wars Episodes 4, 5, & 6, Caravan of Courage & The Battle for Endor were made to give the Ewok's a bigger presence in the Star Wars Saga. I remember watching these with pleasure and they still give you that nostalgic feeling, if you take into account that this was in 1985 and not expecting it to live up to the standards of Episodes 1,2, & 3. pIn Caravan of Courage, the Ewoks join two children on a quest to find their parents, whom have been captured by one of the evils on Endor. This movie was a little slow and even a bit elementary. (Ewoks meets Escape from Witch Mountain) pIn The Battle for Endor, the Ewok�s village has been attacked and destroyed, by a witch & an army of Marauders, led by King Terak. Cindel & Wicket from the previous movie escape, but her brother and parents were killed during the attack on the village. They join an old hermit who is stranded on Endor as well and rescue the imprisoned Ewoks. IMO this was the better of the two movies.

Socket

An electrifying experience, literally. A terrifying, yet sensual film, addictions can be harmful to ones� family, personality and even oneself. Dr. Bill Matthews doesn�t know when enough is enough. Pushing his friends and lover Craig away, he falls to new lows and eventually over the edge.

An Angel Named Billy

I was reluctant to watch this after reading the synopsis, but was pleased that I took the time. Billy really is an angel. His sweet and kind disposition has him taking care of an elderly man who has had several strokes. He falls in love with his son James. Does it work out? You will have to find out for yourself. :)

Slipstream

Written, Directed & Starring Sir Anthony Hopkins. Need I say more? I feel I must. This movie may seem a bit disjointed, not flowing, not following any particular script. Stick with it; it will make sense in the end. I sat watching it liking the way it seemed to jump and not make sense, sort of what you would think a writer goes through with all of the characters for the book, script, or play shouting in your head wanting more air time, trying to take over, or even just confusing the issues you are trying to portray. Watch this movie with this in mind and it you may like it. I found it intriguing to say the least.

Solstice

A simple yet thrilling ghost adventure. Winter & Summer Solstice are the longest day of the year, yet there are many pagan rituals concerning both. This movie takes place during the Summer Solstice. A group of friends go to the summer house of a girl who has recently lost her twin sister. As soon as they get there unexplainable things begin to happen. They meety a guy whose grandmother celebrated the solstice with some of the rituals that brings us closer to the spirit world. I was mesmerized by the plot of this movie in which I found myself wanting a happy ending, did I get my happy ending, you will have to watch to see.

Hate Crime

Revenge anyone? Well lets talk about Hate Crime. A tale full of differing views, as well as differing opinions of the film. Right wing Christians, living next to the gay couple on the block. Everything seems fine on the surface, but when his partner is murdered, he blames his next door neighbor. Conflict abounds in this movie, some may hate it others may love it. I found I liked watching this movie, but there was the underlying aspect of hate and religion which should not be filmed together for the sole aspect 'enjoyment'.

Mrs. Henderson Presents

Dame Judi Dench & Bob Hoskins stars in this wonderful movie directed by Stephen Frears. A recent widow with too much money and too much time on her hands decides to dabble in Vaudeville. She puts together a fabulous cast of ladies, with the help of her manager. A beautifully told story of an era gone by. Set in a few years from the start of WW2 we laugh at the antics of the entire cast, then mourn with them in the circustances of the war. I sat enthralled by this film, I also recommend to anyone who likes to be entertained by laughing and crying at the same time.

Teeth

When I heard about this movie I had to move it to the top of my queue, because I could not wait to sink my teeth into it. If you read the premise it may spoil it a bit but I still enjoyed it even after reading it. This was a fun cheesy horror fest of a movie that wasn�t all that scary but you did lean forward a little bit while you wait for what is going to happen. The actress in the lead role did a fantastic job of being totally committed to her promise, and you feel her grow to acceptance of her affliction. It has many moments where one finds the cheese that makes this totally unbelievable. It also has a bit of gore that fills in for the horror genre, just enough to make one squirm. I would recommend this B movie for those only who enjoy that type of thing.

The Dying Gaul

Oh my, what to say about this film. Campbell Scott, Patricia Clarkson & Peter Sarsgaard give us a tale that draws you in, wraps you up, and leaves you wanting more. I could not remember having seen this movie before, but as I watched pieces came back to me that I remembered on the prior watching (still surprised at the ending). Bit by bit you get the feeling of pain, loss, compassion, guilt & excitement as the characters get to know one another and share with the audience. The premise of a screenwriter going to an executive to sell his script, meeting the heads of the studio, working closely with him & getting to know his family, while all the time becoming more alive after the loss of his loved one. The growing love triangle makes this movie more real than one would expect. An enjoyable use of your time, it may get off to a slow start for some, just be patient you will see.

Cut Sleeve Boys

Where to begin � Asian Actors, doing drag, having sex, and all in all MAJOR CAMP! It all begins with a b(*^ j)@ and a heart attack, in a public toilet in London. It all ends at the reading of a will. In between drama drama drama LOL. For a good laugh, or just out of total boredom you may find this a bit interesting (not a lot but just maybe a little).

Law of Desire

Pedro Almodovar directs this amazing film where desire can overwhelm ones underlying nature of responsibility. One of his best works. Desire and Obsession rule the character of Antonio Banderas, when he kills the lover of a man that he has been smitten with. He enlists the aid of the man's transexual sibling, to find out where he is, why he won't see him, and tries to get in good with the sibling to get even closer to the man he is being spurned by.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Great movie FOR ITS DAY. Silent film Classic. You have to remember that this was filmed in 1916 when they did not have the bells and whistles of today. The underwater scenes were astounding, in the respect that this was the first movie to have underwater photography. The film had several merits to its name first off the actors had to make you know what is going on by their expressions and actions due to having no sound. secondly was the scenes of the sea where they filmed most of the movie. The disappointments to me was the overlaid music which was a little annoying simply becasue it started to put me to sleep, and the time that it took for them to go on with the movie from the cutaways where the script was. (I am a fast reader so I could actually read it twice before they moved on the only reason it was annoying to me). I recommend only to those movie buffs who like the silent film era, as well as those of us who would like to know how things were done back when.

The Living End

I have waited for years to be able to see this movie on DVD. I first saw it on VHS back in �94, back then I found it completely intriguing. I could not believe that someone who found out that they were HIV positive would take such a self destructive path. Since I have gotten older, and more people I have loved or known in the past have been diagnosed as being positive, watching them respond in a similar nature gave me time to pause and reflect as to how would I respond. In this movie the drifter Luke does go a bit far to the extreme, but his taking Jon along for the ride, and Jon allowing him to do so still amazes me. Most self destructive nature would be getting high, drunk or simply gorging out to excess in any manner one desired. Even going as far as getting so upset, depressed that you do indeed take your own life. Luke takes Jon down this path, live for now, devil to care attitude, lets kill whomever is in our way, have a lot of sex, get high, get drunk and then lets blow our brains out in a timely manner as we climax. The acting is a bit low key, the camera work is like a home video, but it all comes together to create the intensity I believe the movie needed.

Imitation of Life

Imitation of Life Both versions have merits that allow them to stand alone. The original with Claudette Colbert who is a woman of the 30�s makes it on her own as an entrepreneur would have to be the best IMO. Lana Turner plays the role of an unemployed actress pushing her way to the top like the role was meant for only her to reenact. The plot remains the same in both... widowed mother, black maid who encourages her, eventual success; daughter falls in love with mother�s boyfriend, maid�s daughter rebels. Seeing both versions one after the other allows you to see the similarities in both versions yet how they get there, how both daughters grow up, how both mothers react differ in subtle ways. Louise Beavers performance (as Delilah) is aces above that of Juanita Moore (as Annie), even though Juanita was nominated for an Oscar for supporting actress. The love between the two women outshine the romantic interests of Steve Archer (which BTW was the only character name repeated in both). You can see the happiness each brings the other in their life's adventure as well as the pain that sometimes comes from shared experiences. A definite must see for the classic lover in all of us.

The Savages

Laura Linney & Phillip Seymour Hoffman were the carriers of this movie. He a depressive and obsessive professor trying to get a paper/novel published. She a self absorbed playwright/office temp, trying to get anyone to notice her. The two personalities combined make for an interesting drama where a brother and sister whom grew up with no parental figure whatsoever try to get confirmation of their existence. Everything seems to go awry when they hear that their father�s girlfriend dies and he has no one to take care of him or a place to live. What they didn�t realize was he himself is suffering from dementia. Now how do these two depressive, self abusive people deal with this tragedy that has literally fallen upon them to deal with? Denial and guilt to name a few are at the top of the list. I won�t tell you how it ends, but it is an interesting tale by writer/director Tamara Jenkins. Which leads me to wonder is this perhaps based on her real life?

Highlander: The Source

The Highlander Series of movies and TV series are GREAT. Christopher Lambert is Excellent of course but my definate FAVORITE is Adrian Paul, and 'The Source' I thought was awesome. I've seen the many loves of Duncan MacCloud, and Tessa was my favorite, but I could see that loosing his love and her still alive, after becoming 'The One' would push him so far off kilter that he doesn't care about anything or anyone, but his deep down character and convictions prevailed in the end and he got his deepest yearning and desire. Which I think is why I loved the movie so much. The rest of it was grimm to the point of rehashing Highlander 2, ie: post apocalyptic world, with a different quest of course.

Southland Tales

Reminds me a bit like a John Waters Movie, you have this quirky bunch of characters who are taking problems of today and warping them all out of proportion. Which in reality that is the kind of thing that could happen in this day and age. The rights of privacy, politics, war, economy, and even the have got to know when this or that celebrity goes to the bathroom have escalated to unbelievable rates that it is almost sickening that we as a country keep doing it. We need to just stop everything we are doing and take a step back and look at where we are going as opposed to where we should be going and what we should be doing. This movie definitely makes one think.

Cloverfield

Oh My! What to say. I personally was mesmerized throughout the film. Hats off to Director J. J. Abrams for bringing us something entirely new and fresh. In this age of remakes and rehashing of old and likeable characters (aka Aliens Vs Predator 2). We have Cloverfield. I�m still totally unsure how they came up with the name, but the story is totally real-like. Give an amateur a camera, throw him and his friends into an unforgetable situation where perhaps even their lives are at stake, and here you have Cloverfield. The acting keeps you on the edge of your seat, the camera work even makes you pay more attention and enthralls you to keep watching to see what happens next. I watched the commentary and special features after the film and it gave a whole new meaning behind a great director for me. To be in a time where you have the computer age and special effects to add to your work, some have let it make their movie for them. J. J. used it as a tool to add to his vision of Cloverfield. Although now that Manhattan is no more I wonder � will we see Cloverfield somewhere else?

Kaena: The Prophecy

A breathtakingly beautiful, imaginative animation film that takes us to a twin world connected by a root system known as Axis. Kaena is a young woman who believes her world of Axis is much more than she was taught. She takes an amazing journey when suddenly she is outcast. The story and animation of this film are incredible. The artistic imaginations of the creators have given us something worth watching in just the effects of the building of this new world.

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale

As a rule I do not normally review new releases because there are so many other reviews out there. I was impressed to write a review of In the Name of the King. There was an underlying aspect to this movie that compelled me as well as gave the movie the extra oomph to become a 5 instead of a 4. If you were Farmer why and who you would fight for, The King who requires it, Revenge for your lost son, to try and rescue your wife, or would you just fight simply because you believed in the fight. The drama in this mostly cut them up shoot them down movie wraps you up in the storyline so much that you feel the pain of loss Farmer has suffered as well as his determination in making the peace The King has asked him to fulfill on his death bed. I kneel before the feet of Uwe Boll for bringing this tale to the screen.

Awake

The premise of this movie seems promising, yet to me it was a major let down. The acting was dry, no emotions from the actors. The script was drawn out to the point of utter boredom. I was told to rent this movie; they thought I would enjoy the suspense of it & the twists that the story took. What suspense there was, was anticlimactic, the one twist was seen or at least to me hinted at from the beginning. The only redeeming quality of the movie was seeing the love between mother & son and how far a mother would go to protect her young.

The Mist

(((( MAJOR SPOILER)))) Yeah!!!!! I applaud the Director & Screenwriter Frank Darabont for finally giving us an ending to this short story by Stephen King. I always wondered what would happen when they kept driving after finding his wife dead. I was a pessimist in the fact that I figured that the mist would never ever end, and that the few left in the truck would have to continue to fight for their survival. The story left alot to be imagined and my imagination runs to the extreme. The acting was done true to Stephen King form and very superb performances from all concerned.

Chaos

WOW! This movie is aptly named. Anyone who has heard of or even read of the Chaos Theroy can appreciate the many twists and turns of this action packed mystery. Who done it? This one, no this one, no this one � Once again WOW! Follow the threads, follow your instincts, follow my opinion, Rent this Film. Great cast, believable performances, edited just right to leave you wondering and sometimes even confused right to the end.

Boy Culture

X Interesting Character! You wanted t hate him, but you find yourself drawn into his life and his lustful almost totaly loving thoughts of roomate Andrew. You feel the compassion he tries so hard to hide, yet it shows in the interactions between he and the other roomate Joey. A hustler, bad boy, no games, no feelings, totally hidden emotionally behind his wall of 'no one can touch me, that way I don't get hurt'... X is such a character. Derek Magyar portays X and brings so much through his eyes and body language you see the undercurrent of truth behind his slanderous, yet hurtful words. Is love more important than money a never answered in this film yet worth the while watching to figure it out for yourself.

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales

I loved this 2 part episode of Babylon 5. Its 10 years later and everyone is preparing for the Anniversary of B5. Sheridan & Lockley have a conversation as to who will be there and why they won't be. I thought it was touching how they gave tribute to the 2 actors whom have died They are 'Beyond The Rim'. Long time fans of B5 will remember this to be a meaning of the unknown, hereafter, or just being. Watching this short film gave me the idea that perhaps they may be trying to bring back B5 in series form. The introduction of a new character Lando's Son and the Time Mage being back with a new conflict hmmmm makes one think.

Aeon Flux: The Complete Animated Collection

It was a pleasure to catch this series in its entirety. I had watched a few episodes here and there, and enjoyed them. The flow of the series doesn't seem consecutive like a comic book, but is many different instances in which Aeon & Trevor go head to head. I think the artists created the series to reflect the angst between them, but left enough 'sexual tension' to let the viewers know the lingering passion they feel.

Hitman

I enjoyed watching this movie on several points. Yes it was a total shoot 'em up kill them all, what really impressed me was the correlation between this movie and the series Dark Angel staring Jessica Alba. The company neither acknowledged or stated created super humans to become hitmen and women, the only clue to their identity is the bar code on the back of their necks. What I liked about Hitman was that there was no EMP pulse which in turn took us back to a pre-computerized age. The whole what if scenario that Dark Angel hinted at but never explored.

Rock Haven

Let me first state that the setting of this movie was visually stunning and breathtaking. The script was excellently written and the performers did a good job of portraying the characters that left you feeling like you knew them. Brady struggles with the angst of trying to find peace between the man he is becoming and the spirituality that he grew up believing in. His first love is the Lord and he can�t find that balance when true love comes caling in Clifford. His mom is no help when she discovers the truth about his emerging sexuality. I found myself remembering what that struggle was like and the relief that can come when you do obtain that peace between the physical and spiritual side of your heart.

Schoolhouse Rock!: Special 30th Anniversary Edition

School House Rock! stands the best of times. I grew up watching these short and entertaing learning toons. It was great reliving and seeing my favorites once again. It reminds me of sitting in front of the television watching Electric Company, Sesame Street & Mr. Rogers over and over again and again. A must see for kids of this generation as well as reminding their parents of the lessons they learned from this TV series.

The Brave One

A compelling and exciting thriller, Jodi Foster does an extraordinary performance of a radio talk show host who ends up in a hospital after a major beating, in which her fianc� ends up dead. How far would you go and how would such a trauma affect your sanity? She takes this character and runs to the ends of the earth in the mind, soul and body. A not to be missed movie, it pulls your heart strings, makes you wonder how you would react, and it also ends on a high of unspoken emotions.

Shock to the System

'Shock to the System' brings more depth and personality to the character of Donald Strachey, as we learn what was hinted at but left out of 'Third Man Out'. The chemistry between Chad Allen and Sebastian Spence is more real to life than other gay themed movies. I love the fact that gay issues are portrayed with character and thought rather than preaching or demeaning the issue. As Donald tries to figure out his latest case he goes into a gay rehabilitation program where he explores more of the darker parts of his psyche. This movie has an old black and white film noir feeling to it that expands on the whole mystery of this who done it film. I recommend that you watch �Third Man Out� prior to watching this one that way some of the story makes a bit more sense to you.

Rent

Rent was a vivid and musical drama that had me hooked from the get go. I loved all of the characters and the interaction between them. The story flowed like the music they sang. Beautifully!

Michael Clayton

I�m sure you know the quote �Out of the mouths of babes�, well I have to say Michael Clayton�s son wrote this review for me. When he was talking to Arthur on the phone describing the book Realm & Conquest �All of these people are having the same dream � you know like a vision quest. They don�t know why they have to go to this one place, but all of them are still drawn to it with the feeling they just have to go. They don�t know they are having the same dream, they just think that they are going crazy or something, and don�t want to admit it.� While watching this movie and up until the end I felt as if it all was just a dream and the characters were playing the parts they were supposed to play, but yet it was just so real.

Adam & Steve

After a one night stand and a very unpleasant incident, Adam & Steve meet years later. Adam has been longing for the chemistry that he had in that one night stand, while complaining and whining about a love lost. He meets Steve again and thinks that he has finally found it again not realizing Steve was the one night stand. Very campy, hilarious, and with Parker Posey you can�t go wrong in renting this movie.

Ambulance Girl

Kathy Bates shows us the fears and often the strength it takes to go from doing something you love and become dissatisfied with, to something noone thinks you can handle. A great story with laughter sprinkled through it makes one enjoy it all the more.

Our Sons

Ann-Margaret and Julie Andrews are flawless in this movie. The difference between the two pulls and tugs at the heartstrings. Ann-Margaret�s son has AIDS and is dying and she could care less, Julie Andrew�s son is loved by both his mother and his dying partner. He convinces Julie to go and find Ann and get her to understand and come and see he son. The comedy between the two is priceless, yet at the same time makes you yearn for it all to work out.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Visual stunning and award deserving performances by the entire cast. This movie makes you reflect on your own life in wonder who the 5 people you would meet when you make it to heaven and how would your Heaven be when you get there.

The Sex Movie

As soon as I finished watching this film I knew I had to review it. I Loved It. Full of conflict, Full of drama, Full of philosophy, Full of psychology, any one and every one should watch this. Although, I must say that not everyone will understand or get it. J.D. - Straight guy, jock, everyone wants him Kris - Straight girl, rich, uninhibited, Rafe - Gay guy, wants love, finds sex Heidi - Gay girl, loving yet angry, man-hater The write of this movie places all four of these differing personalities in one place Kris's apartment. Kris proceeds to play one of her mind games and the conflict starts. The writer has made them lie, argue, all the while expressing their fears and all of their dirty little secrets. He also tries to explore the fact that no one is 100% anything. Society, religion, friends & family have placed us in these preconceived roles and we try to force yet maintain our own identities into those roles. The above also try to determine who and what we are as well as whom and how we react in certain circumstances. In this movie I feel that you can find or at least identify yourself in at least one if not all of these characters, their problems, attitudes or even their dreams and fears.

The Fire That Burns

This French film to me was a very touching drama of friendship, religious suppression and the love & pain that young people may go through. Sevaris & Souplier form a 'special' friendship where the Abbot of the all boys school wants them to end it. The Abbot has made it perfectly clear that no one should be a mentor to Souplier other than himself, and Sevaris calls his bluff as to how can the abbot be a influence when someone near his own age cannot be. Sevaris asks the Abbot why is he and Souplier being weeded out when there are others that have the same 'special' friendship as well. The pain of losing that frienship is clearly etched on his face and soul.

Shiner

After watching this twisted tale I felt the need to review it. The world is full of different people, different appetites, different views, and different attitudes. This fim introduces an untold topic of violence tied in with sexual situations. Three stories intertwined make up this tale of people who find voyuerism, beatings, violence, and sex all tied in together. A brother with 2 firends, his sister and her boyfriend, and strangely enough a stalker of 4 years, all of which 'get off' on beating each other in sexual situations. They literally use their fists to beat up on each other to get the full erotic experience that they desire. I applaud the writer/director for the guts to tell this tale, the actors although much seems put on truly express the needs and desires their characters are craving. The bruises and blood are a definate FAKED makeup effect and they also are not the same in each scene or (day) as the story gets told. I do suggest that you seriously consider if this is something you want to watch before renting it.

Thr3e

Thr3e is an exciting thriller with many twists and turns, which leave you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what is happening and who exactly is causing the incidents to happen.

Shortbus

A sexually provocative and even artistic film leaving no boundries or even sexual appetitites unfullfilled. The storyline centers around a woman who has never had an orgasm. She meets several individuals who are trying to help her in her quest. Shortbus in and of itself is a club with no inhibitions where all sexual appetites are welcome. Straight, gay, transgender, & everything else imaginable relationships, couplings, and real on screen right in your face sex takes place. Well worth the rental for the exhibitionist in us all but not so for the timid.

Neverland

A dark and almost horrifing take on 'Peter Pan'. A drug induced Tinkerbell, A gay promiscious Captain Hook, A unfullfilled lusty crocodile, A slutty Michael, A dreaming John, A drag queen Indian Princess, and then we have Peter and Wendy who seem the most real of the characters. The storyline was along the lines of the original version with inuendos and suggestive meanings of the original. Neverland was a boring, ridiculous and twisted tale.

O Fantasma

It is rare that a movie leaves me wondering if I liked it or hated it. O Fantasma is such a film. I applaud the director and writer for this fact. O Fantasma is a twisted and tormented tale of a young man who lives as a garbage collector who ends up living in a garbage dump. I am left wondering is he loosing his mind, is it his strange sexual proclivities, or is it just his simple desires and yearnings that lead him to live like a wild ferrell animal. This film was an intrigueing, horrid and very dark (?) fantasy. I find myself enjoying the transformation yet knowing that I NEVER will watch this movie again. I leave you to be the judge for yourself if you find yourself watching this film.

Skinwalkers

This movie easily could have been a 5 star rating if the character development was more detailed rather than letting the viewer to have figure out what exactly is going on. The myth of the native americans becoming or behind the werewolf ledgend was amazing. The fact of a possible cure for this 'blessing/curse' was an interesting twist. Have a bit of patience when watching due to the slow start and almost 'put on' shoot them up scenes. An entertaing bit of fiction worth the time to watch.

Next is an amazing twist that makes one wonder what just happened. Cage is a very convincing actor that can draw you into anything he does. You yearn for him to save the girl and himself as well as the day. In watching this movie one must ask themselves did the movie actually happen or did I just sit still for 96 minutes, thinking I watched a movie. A great plot with believable characters. Writing reviews to me is something everyone should get a chance to do. Opinions matter to viewers and either intrigue them or get them to move on to the NEXT one.

The Dresden Files: Season 1

Paul Blackthorn brings life to Harry Dresden in this short lived Sci-Fi Drama based upon the books by Jim Butcher. It is hard for the writers and directors to bring everything from the books to the screen, but it was well done in this series. After watching this series on television, I longed to find and read the books. Finally Found and read them I rented the series in its entirety and re-watched the beloved Harry Dresden do his thing. Captured once again in his magic spell I loved the charcter development and mystical element of his unique ability to find and enmesh himself in trouble & heartbreak. My only regret is that the series ended before it had a chance to bloom.

Peaceful Warrior

First let me state this is an edited review. While watching this movie I found myself wondering why it was that I rented it. (The first time) I found a copy of the book at my local library and read it; I then rented the movie again and watched it. I came to have a better respect and enjoyment after reading the book. I found the story compelling and extremely thought provoking, but I knew the ending in the first 15 minutes of it. I find I generally get or even understand most of the philosophical discussions in movies and books. Peaceful Warrior has many such discussions, which to some would drag the movie out (it did to me at first watch). The underlying aspect that was more apparent in the book is that Dan chose the path that Socrates led him down although reluctantly at first, so Dan’s own frustrations were his own. If you find yourself watching this film, remember the strength and courage it would take to overcome a devastating injury or illness.

Keeping Mum

Maggie Smith does an excellent job as Grace a mother who just wants to get to know her orphaned daughter and family. Hilarity reigns throughout, a dark comedy with definate laughs as well as 'OMG no she didn't' moments.

Friends and Family

The humor in this movie comes more from the cast of supporting characters than the 2 leads Stephen & Danny. A very funny plot, and a loveable cast makes this movie well worth watching. It makes one wonder how far your own friends would go to protect a secret or help you cover up a lie.

Ben & Arthur

OK First off I would like to say that despite the reviews I rented this movie. I gave it 2 stars ONLY becasue the script delivered by the actors was SOOOOO put on made me laugh. Other than that I felt the 85 minutes was 75 minutes too long. It would have made a better short than a full length film. The story line was simple we want to get married but others in our lives don't want us to so (((SPOILER as if anything can spoil this movie))) they try to kill us and eventually do. the rest of the movie is just simply TRASH.

Visions of Sugarplums

After reading the reviews I decided to give this film a shot and watched it. This could be based on a true story and not a made up one. Most of the reviews were correct in the fact that the sound & video were poor quality, the acting left much to be desired. I rated this movie on the storyline instead of the acting, directing, & producing. It is a sweet plot that had a deep personal nature even though the acting did not even come close to making it personal.

Very Natural Thing

I read the reviews before renting this movie and found most of them interesting enough to warrant myself to watch it. You can tell that it is a straight persons view of the gay lifestyle and not that of a gay person trying to enlighten the straight community in general. The plot was very lacking and to be honest I watched it bored out of my mind. It is compared to The Boys in The Band in several reviews. It is nothing like Boys in the Band. The two are so dissimilar in writing, acting and overall production. A Very Natural Thing could be considered Soft Porn without the porn. It has a cheezy soundtrack that plays throughout the movie in clips and flashes of the leading actor's life. That in turn makes you just want to use your fast forward button.

Regular Guys

I must first say that I generally appreciate and love foreign films. Subtitles do not bother me in the least I even most of the time forget that I am reading the subtitles. This particular film was enjoyable in the fact that neither main character Christoph & Edward could remember what happened between them on the first night they met. One gay, one straight, wake up in bed, naked, leaves you to make your own conclusions. They end up living together through their own violition and seem like a loving, caring married couple they even get jealous of each others relationships through the movie. A coming to terms on a social acceptance level which makes this movie a revelation on how society should and could be.

Broken Sky

My hat goes off to Director Julian Hernandez. He took an ordianary tale of love & heartbreak to a whole new level. In this artistic film there is almost no dialogue whatsoever. A reminder of the classic silent films that made going to the movies loveable. The emotions are the story tellers rather than words. You feel for the characters, love and hate thier situation, and yearn for everything to turn out perfect. A great depiction of true life. The story is broken up by dreams of what the characters yearn for but in the end do not get. The music adds to this drama as much as the actors showing raw emotions without saying a word.

...And Then Came Summer

A love story between two teenage boys coming to terms with feelings that they have for each other. One is just realizing what is going on while the other has accepted his feelings due to a incident involving his mom 2 years ago. There is a hint of suicide and yearning that many young gay people have had to live and deal with. While acceptance is the easiest way to go it does take some time. The fear of rejection is more than prominent in this movie. A little slow in getting started but well worth the watch. 4* 7-7-07

Eureka: Season 1

Chock full of hillarity with a bit of suspense thrown in. Small minded Sherrif Carter is constantly reminded of his inhierant lack of knowledge in a town full of scientific geniuses. Experiments are constantly going arwy, visitors bring in major problems, and the residents have thier own quirky attitudes to any outsider trying to fit in. A must see series cannot wait until July 10 for Season 2!

An Early Frost

I fell in love with all of the characters and even yearned to help them get through the pain and to come to terms with what was happening. Beautiful performances by Rowlands & Quinn. On a more persaonal note this was the first gay themed movie I remember in dealing with the AIDS crisis, and it helped me in realizing that the confict in families & society were something one has to accept as a part of being out. We have to live for ourselves and not as we are expected to.

Victor / Victoria

I knew going in that this was the Broadway version of the 1982 movie by the same name. The cast made the characters thier own instead of trying to portay the original cast. On a side note Andrews character was a little dry in the Broadway version. The benefit of watching this version are the new songs. I was glad they didnt try to redo all of the old ones. My suggestion to the viewer reading this is Rent the 1982 version. If you enjoyed it and still wish to see this version do so knowing that Broadway is a stage and you dont get the beauty of the scenery or the feelings of the elements of the original sets.

Bent

A beautifully told love story, often looked over in the history of Hitler's persecution of the Jews. The homosexual story of the 2 stars reminds one that the pink triangle was worse than the gold Star of David. The director & cast make you fall in love with the story and events even though you are somewhat horrified by the images of what happened during the Holocaust.

The 24th Day

The 24th day was a very twisted story of a man who has lost all common sense. The actors play well off of each others characters, and make the story totally believeable. An enjoyable and interesting plot about someone finding themselves positive. 3.5*

Deadly Skies

I enjoyed this movie more than apparently the rest of the reviewers did. I just wanted to let you know that Deadly Skies is the same movie as Force of Impact. I rented both assuming that one was a continuation of the other but such is not the case. **EDITED** Madison is not believed by her fellow astronomers, that an asteroid is on direct course to Earth. They don't believe her because they are tracking the same asteroid, what they don't realize is the one she is talking about is hidden behind the one they see. She enlists the aid of a former AF Colonel to help her destroy the hidden asteroid with a weapon he helped to create but everyone denies its existence. Deadly Skies is the UNedited version of Force of Impact. Another Armageddon movie with a twist the heroic characters are gay. Which is what was edited out, the nudity and the sexual situations of gay characters.