Index of High Definition (HD) Movies on HD Cinema & Monsters HD

[Sean Mota]

The Thing with Two Heads (1972)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005AUK3.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> When an incredibly rich racist (Ray Milland) discovers that he's dying, he decides to have his head transplanted onto another body, but his health slips away too fast for him to make any concrete plans. When he wakes up, he's a little irked that his bigoted head has been sewn onto the body of a black death-row inmate, played by the inimitable Rosey Grier (the famous football player who enjoys knitting). THE THING WITH TWO HEADS is the camp classic to end all camp classics, an uproarious film that has a large, dedicated cult fan base. The special effects team even includes a very young Rick Baker, who went on to revolutionize the use of SFX in film. While not exactly THE DEFIANT ONES or IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, this surreal, absurd, impossible-not-to-love film hits 1970s racism right on the head--er, or is that heads?--leaving willing audiences with an unforgettable cinematic experience.</p>

Starring: Ray Milland, Roosevelt Grier Director: Lee Frost Studio: MGM/UA Video Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1


Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 1 star. I am watching this movie and I think it will be finished soon (thank God!). This movie is not your way to spend your evening waiting for a good sci-fi movie. Even though is categorized as a sci-fi movie, it really is a comedy that can't make you laugh. Fifty percent of the movie is based on a silly police chase that you think it will never end. I give the actors and director credit for putting these two heads together but there were obvious cuts and edits in the movie that make you wonder how the hell this ever made into 35 mm film. The HD transfer was ok. I give it 1.5 stars. It was this bad... I am glad is over.

 

[Sean Mota]

The Man with Two Brains (1983)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305308802.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> Meet Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin), the famous brain surgeon. Perhaps the name is not unfamiliar, though it is unpronounceable; the good doctor is the inventor of the celebrated "screw-top" method of brain surgery, in which the top of the skull twists off as easily as the lid of a pickle jar. The man may be a medical genius, but his talent for love leaves something to be desired, which explains his marriage to a gold-digging vixen (Kathleen Turner). Ah, but Dr. Hfuhruhurr may yet find true love, in the form of the disembodied brain he discovers in the lab of a mad scientist--David Warner, gone the Frankenstein route. (Lovely image: Hfuhruhurr in a rowboat, taking the brain out for a romantic ride on the lake.) Thus, in its own utterly goofy way, does The Man with Two Brains delve into the eternal dilemma of male indecision: does a man fall in love with a woman's body, or with her mind? Along the way, of course, there are gags both highbrow and very, very lowbrow, a mind-body split that might be why critics have tended to prefer the more sophisticated slapstick of All of Me (directed, like this film, by Carl Reiner) and Roxanne among the early Steve Martin outings. Still, this is one of Martin's funniest pictures, and a game Kathleen Turner, fresh off her Body Heat success, ably spoofs her own sultry image. The cerebral love object is voiced by Sissy Spacek. --Robert Horton.</p>

Starring: Steve Martin Director: Carl Reiner Studio: Warner Studios Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3.5 star. This movie was hilarious. It made it fun to watch. I love Steve Martin and this one was the first time I saw this movie. The HD transfer was very good.

 

[Sean Mota]

South Central (1992)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000JGHV.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> This film traces the odyssey of a young black man who is a product of the violent street gang culture of Los Angeles who finds self-respect in prison and when paroled he searches for his son in order to save him from the evils of ghetto life. Glenn Plummer's Bobby has all the attitude and menace of a young street tough who adheres to a strict code of honor of the Deuces, a violent street gang bent on controlling their neighborhood and making their turf unsafe for outsiders while encouraging young boys to commit crimes and risk their lives for a manipulative gang leader. LaRita Shelby is very effective as the barely conscious PCP addict Carole who has long since given up trying to be a wife and mother. She and Plummer represent an untapped wealth of talented black actors who deserve to be noted and applauded for their work in this film. Carl Lumbly's Ali turns Bobby around in prison as a Muslim teacher who encourages the young gang member to look within himself for strength, courage and dignity and to find his son and rescue him from the dead-end life of the mean streets of South Central.</p>

Starring: Glenn Plummer, Byron Minns Director: Steve Anderson (II) Studio: Warner Studios Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3 stars. This is a movie about gang related. It was both on HDnet and Cinema 10 non-oar. The transfer was very good and the movie was very good as this father is trying to teach his only a lesson about character and being a man.

 

[Sean Mota]

Species II (1998)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0792839722.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> "They could f**k the human race out of existence!" warns Michael Madsen in this inevitable--and inevitably contrived--sequel to 1995's surprise sci-fi hit. He's referring to a celebrated astronaut (Justin Lazard) infected with alien DNA from his history-making Mars landing, and the half-alien Eve (Natasha Henstridge), who was created from alien-human embryo splicing by biochemist Dr. Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger) in an effort to discover the alien species's vulnerabilities on Earth. While the astronaut sows his gruesomely wild oats with doomed women (resulting in a bevy of creepy kids in alien cocoons), Eve goes into heat until she and the astronaut can consummate their procreative lust. Sex and death are served up like money-shots in a porno flick, with an emphasis on gory flesh-regeneration, explosive pregnancies, and slimy-tentacled intercourse. All of which makes this is the kind of derivative schlock that only a true fan could love, but it's boosted to a tolerable level of entertainment by the returning cast (Madsen, Henstridge, and Helgenberger) from the previous film. --Jeff Shannon.</p>

Starring: Michael Madsen, Natasha Henstridge Director: Peter Medak Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios Aspect ratio 2.35 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3.5 stars. very good transfer and movie was fine. I have seen it many times (SD version) but seeing it in HD was quite good.

 

[Sean Mota]

Star 80 (1983)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305161895.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> Legendary director/dancer/choreographer Bob Fosse may have been a consummate entertainer, responsible for popular productions on the Broadway stage, but he was also an uncompromising filmmaker who wasn't afraid to explore the dark side of humanity. After the autobiographical intensity of All That Jazz, Fosse's final film was this honest and painfully authentic biography about Dorothy Stratten, who was Playboy's Playmate of the Year for 1979 and had just begun a promising film career when her jealous boyfriend took a shotgun to her head. Fosse tackles this brutal reality head on, opening the film with the aftermath of murder and telling the story in flashback, beginning in Vancouver when slick charmer Paul Snider (Eric Roberts, in a chilling performance) discovers Dorothy (Mariel Hemingway) and makes her his ticket to fame and unearned glory. He's a loser and a user, and when Dorothy rises to success and glamour at the Playboy mansion, Hugh Hefner (Cliff Robertson, perfectly cast) urges the blonde beauty to drop her troublesome boyfriend. Jealousy and rejection push Paul over the edge, but Star 80 (the title is taken from Snider's vanity license plates) is no simple tale of male ego gone bad. Fosse explores the chasm between fame and obscurity, and the self-destructive lengths to which some people will go to bridge that gap. The film is a darker telling of the kind of story Boogie Nights would tell nearly 15 years later--both films are set in the late '70s and early '80s, and both deal with the inevitable loss of innocence in a world where innocence cannot survive. In a bleak but fascinating way, Star 80 is masterful in its refusal to look away from the tragedy of its true story. It's a farewell statement from a director who clearly understood the high cost of stardom. --Jeff Shannon.</p>

Starring: Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts Director: Bob Fosse Studio: Warner Studios Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3 stars. I saw this movie a long time ago. The HD version was quite grainy. The movie itself was ok but not my type of movie. I expected more nudity but there was not much.

 

[Sean Mota]

Just Between Friends (1986)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000V492E.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> Sudsy soap opera is saved by the touching performances of the leads, Mary Tyler Moore and Christine Lahti. Produced my Moore's production company MTM, this modern tale reminiscent of best of 1930s and 1940 melodrama actually transcends the gimmicky premise. Implausible as most soaps of this genre, JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS has a feminist edge not often seen in classic Hollywood. These kinds of "dramedies" rely less on writing skill and more on acting chops and manipulative tear dropping. While the performances are top notch, unforunately the sob elements are less effective. Moore, coming off of her ORDINARY PEOPLE Oscar nomination 5 years before plays the role with conviction...rather like her Mary Richards persona thrown into this maudlin predicament. Her foil is wise cracking, but ultimately lonely Christine Lahti, who was fresh from her nomination for SWING SHIFT. Writer/Director Allan Burns (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) attempts to infuse the proceedings with a humor that works some of the time. The tear jerking elements simply did not work for this reviewer. Too little time was spent leading up to the denoument that it comes across more as an afterthought than an entirely effective plot device. Another weight on the proceedings is the awkward and sometimes obtrusive score by Patrick Williams. In 2004 it comes across as terribly dated and a little obnoxious. Several dramatic moments are eclipsed by this overbearing score. Whats odd about JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS is its ability to rise above its faults and become an entertaining little film. Perhaps one could call this a "guilty pleasure". Its not a classic by any means, but at least an interesting time capsule of 1980s feminism and family.

MGM has presented this film in both Widescreen and Full Screen formats on opposite sides of the DVD. MGM presents these with beautiful transfers. Film grain is not a big problem and the color correction comes off a little orange with the skin tones...but overall a nice presentation. The soundtrack comes off beautifully, with dialogue easy to understand and no noticeable distortion. For a mono mix, this actually has some range and depth which was a surprise. The only supplement is the original theatrical trailer...which is actually a delight to watch. For once a trailer that doesn't give everything away!

For the price, this is a great deal. MGM has built quite a reputation for releasing their catalog to DVD. JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS, a minor 1980s film has been given a careful treatment by MGM.</p>

Starring: Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Danson Director: Allan Burns Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3 stars. Funny and tragic movie of a family doctor who is unfaifthful to his wife and later on finds out that his mistress has accidentally made friends with his wife. He tragically dies and the mistress and wife become very good friends. Very grainy HD transfer.

TheTimm : 2.5 stars : Well, the picture wasn't very good and there wasn't anything exciting happening with the sound; the story itself was okay. Didn't love the movie overall, but I didn't turn the channel either.

 

[Sean Mota]

A Little Princess (1995)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304698623.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5">After the critical success of 1993's The Secret Garden, Warner Bros. returned to the novels of Frances Hodgson Burnett to create this 1995 adaptation of A Little Princess, which instantly ranked with The Secret Garden as one of the finest children's films of the 1990s. Neither film was a huge box-office success, but their quality speaks for itself, and A Little Princess has all the ingredients of a timeless classic. A marvel of production design, the film features lavish sets built almost entirely on a studio backlot in Burbank, California. The story opens in New York just before the outbreak of World War I, when young Sara (Liesel Matthews) is enrolled in private boarding school while her father goes off to war. Under the domineering scrutiny of the school's wicked headmistress, Miss Minchen (Eleanor Bron), Sara quickly becomes popular with her schoolmates, but fate intervenes and she soon faces a stern reversal of fortune, resorting to wild flights of fancy to cope with an unexpectedly harsh reality. Rather than label her fanciful tales as escapist fantasy, A Little Princess actively encourages a child's power of imagination--a power that can be used to learn, grow, and adapt to a world that is often cruel and difficult. It's also one of the most visually beautiful films of the '90s and creates a fully detailed world within the boarding school--a place where imagination is vital to survival. A first-class production in every respect, this is one family film that should (if it's not too stuffy to say it) be considered required viewing for parents and kids alike. --Jeff Shannon .</p>

Starring: Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Bron Director: Alfonso Cuarón Studio: Warner Studios Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : Little Princess is a big winner! Cute story . And the best picture I've seen on Voom so far.

txcruiser : My daughter loves The Little Princess. It looks great in HD with No Commercials.

Sean Mota : 4.5 stars if you have not watched this movie, you have missed a good evening at the movies with your entire family. Story, character and HD transfer are excellent. A must see.

barth2k : 2.5 stars. A little disappointed with this movie. Though it looks good and has nice production value, it doesn't hold a candle to the pbs/wonderworks adaptation of the novel. I think the key is the lead actress, who is kind of pouty and doesn't light up the screen as the other girl. She's not even British *gasp*. But if you have not seen the version I'm talking about, it's a good family film, esp. for young girls.

 

[Sean Mota]

Putney Swope (1969)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BJXW.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> If you're looking for a movie that shocked the filmgoing public with its outspoken take on race relations in corporate America circa 1969, look no further than this Robert Downey debut effort. Made on a shoestring in black and white, this film begins with a wonderful moment of racial discomfort. The board of directors at a Madison Avenue ad agency must elect a new chairman, and, in the maneuvering to make sure that enemies don't get votes, all the board members accidentally cast their ballot for the board's token black man, Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson). Swope immediately cleans house and transforms the agency into New York's hippest shop with a Black Power mentality and a willingness to tell previously unspoken truths in advertising. Though it looks dated today, it is a fascinating time capsule of the period and still contains its share of outrageous laughs. --Marshall Fine.</p>

Starring: Arnold Johnson Director: Robert Downey Sr.
Studio: Rhino Video

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : Putney Swope is flippin' hilarious! Loved it! Can't wait to see it again.

 

[Sean Mota]

The Hours and Times (1992)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000766F7.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> John Powers, New York Magazine, April 13, 1992
"..the most unexpectedly engrossing American movie I've seen this year"

J. Hoberman, The Village Voice, April 14, 1992
"..a narrative of remarkable precision..raising deftness and economy to a form of elegance"

Description
In 1963, just months before Beatlemania swept the world, John Lennon and the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, took a four day vacation together in Barcelona. They were there to relax after a grueling series of concerts, but the trip remained charged with an unspoken tension. These four emotional days are embodied in The Hours and Times, a flight of imagination that evokes the complex relationships between Lennon and Epstein. Candid, intelligent and loaded with backstage conjecture, the movie captures masterfully the fleeting moments of their intense friendship before celebrity washed over intimacy.</p>

Starring: Director: Christopher Munch Studio: Choices, Inc Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : Am watching The Hours and Times right now -- not really my cup of tea, but undeniably interesting if you're a Beatles/John Lennon fan.

 

[Sean Mota]

Rush (1991)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006L92T.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> It's an ugly world," warns brooding undercover cop Jason Patric to his naive rookie partner Jennifer Jason Leigh. "You get ugly with it." First-time director Lili Fini Zanuck brings both accomplished style and three-days-without-a-shower grit to this tough adaptation of Kim Wozencraft's book, the real-life story of two undercover narcotics agents who succumb to the rush of the drugs and the danger while building a case in rural Texas in 1974. This isn't an action film, but a harrowing, tense drama in which sudden death hangs over every drug deal and the so-called rules no longer exist. Patric and Leigh give riveting performances as the compromised cops trying to survive the self-destructive spiral into addiction, and Gregg Allman is memorable in an almost wordless performance as a shady bar owner. Eric Clapton's bluesy score and a soundtrack of well-chosen roadhouse tunes perfectly set the time and the tone. --Sean Axmaker.</p>

Starring: Jason Patric, Jennifer Jason Leigh Director: Lili Fini Zanuck Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : My two favorites so far are Molly and Rush. I'd give 'em both about 3 1/2 stars. I think Rush is the better movie - a drug classic - but Molly looked better transfer-wise.

 

[Sean Mota]

The First Time (1969, Comedy)

<p><img border="0" src="http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1010/101034.1010.A.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> starred Jacqueline Bisset, Wes Stern, Rick Kelman, Wink Roberts in a seldom-seen, low-budget teenage "coming of age" flic.

Three teenage boys decide they want to experience the, shall we say, "finer things of life"....as in FEMALES. So, they arrange for a trip to the tourist-town of Niagara Falls, New York, with the intent to visit the seedier side of town. As luck might have it, they get diverted from their goal when a beautiful "lady in distress" (Bisset) crosses their path. The boys proceed to help her, and ultimately develop a relationship with the lovely mid-20's-aged lass.

Do the boys achieve their goal and "become men"? You'll have to watch and see. You might be surprised at what happens. Then again, maybe not.

This isn't a kar flic, by any means. However, there is a kool Bucket-T hot rod displayed during the opening credits of the film. One of the boys also rides around on a Schwinn Stingray bike (with shift on the cross-bar)....pretty kool.

This film really is of little consequence. Some liken The First Time to the 1982 film Porky's, although this saga is quite a bit tamer. Some might also wonder what a "big Star" like Jacqueline Bisset is doing in this low budget film....good question.

The really interesting thing, though, is that the film becomes a travelogue of Niagara Falls. The film has LOTS of location shots, and if you want to see what 1969 Niagara Falls looked like, here ya go. Kind of interesting. No kidding. On that basis, I recommend The First Time for a look, for reasons that have nothing to do with cars.</p>

Starring: acqueline Bisset, Wes Stern, Rick Kelman, Wink Roberts Director: Lili Fini Zanuck Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 4.0 stars. I started watching this movie and for some reason I couldn't stop watching it. It was funny and interested. HD transfered looked quite good for a 1969 movie. If you have seen Porky, you will like this one. Not as explicit as Porky but entertaining.

MattP-bgsu : I would agree about the First Time. Something about it made you continue to watch it. It was also cool to see Niagara Falls back in the sixties, since I was just there a year ago. I would say it was a 3.5.

TheTimm : 3.5 stars : Cheesy as all get out and probably not a movie most folks would like - but I sure enjoyed it! Kind of a celebration of awkward teenage innocence in the 60's. Pretty good PQ for an old movie, but the sound was pretty weak - no surround action, not even on the music. Best part of this movie, by far, is an impossibly gorgeous young Jacqueline Bisset.

 

[Sean Mota]

The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant (1971, SciFi)

<p><img border="0" src="http://www.moviesunlimited.com/boxcovers/100_Wide/551130.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> Astonishing is the only word to describe this over-the-top exploitation movie. Bruce Dern plays a psycho doctor who splices a maniac's head onto a huge retarded man's body. The original head cries and babbles while the new head takes the body on a homicidal rampage. Cult movies just don't get much weirder than this.</p>

Starring: Director: Studio: Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

MattP-bgsu : I then stuck around for The Incredible Two Head Transplant. Surprisingly this one also was intresting enough to keep my attention. Murders were weak, but I didn't expect much. Maybe 3 stars on it.

 

[Sean Mota]

Late Night Shopping (2001)

<p><img border="0" src="http://www.play.com/covers/94445m.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> 'Late Night Shopping' is the story of four young friends, all of whom work night shifts in dead-end jobs and meet up after work in a local all-night café every day. They are generally bored, unhappy and unable to see any future for themselves. Hospital porter Sean (Luke de Woolfson) hasn't seen his girlfriend Madeline (Heike Makatsch) in three weeks although they live together - she works days while he works nights and the two have been passing each other by. Sean isn't even sure that Madeline is still his girlfriend and is unsure how to find out or what to do about the situation. To make things more complicated, he is attracted to the girlfriend of a coma patient at the hospital where he works.

Vincent (James Lance) stacks shelves in a supermarket and is a flirt who takes every opportunity to chat up women - he even unknowingly sleeps with Sean's girlfriend Madeline. Lenny (Enzo Cilenti) is a bit of a geek who works in a call centre and fancies a girl at his work but is too terrified to ask her out. Instead, he phones her pretending to be someone else. Although Jody (Kate Ashfield) has always felt that the boys leave her out of things, she still keeps turning up at the café even though she was fired from her job some weeks ago - she has nowhere else to go. Their dull lives suddenly become more interesting when Sean discovers that Madeline has left and wants to track her down so that he can tell her he loves her.

'Late Night Shopping' is a worthy addition to the stable of understated but outstanding British romantic comedies. Down-to-earth and realistic, the characters are easy to like and will be familiar to many young people, and many older ones. The largely-unknown ensemble cast all do a fine job of making their characters genuine and appealing, and one can hope to see more of them in future. The script is confident and well-executed, and the story charms with its ironic situations and genial comedy. Unlike many recent British comedies, there are no drugs or violence, and the sex is implied rather than explicit, leaving the story to carry the film - which it does admirably.</p>

Starring: Luke de Woolfson, James Lance, Kate Ashfield Director: Saul Metzstein Studio:

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : .5 stars : Nothing too original here, but entertaining enough for what it is -- one of those movies about a group of twentysomething friends and their relationship issues and bad jobs. I kinda liked some of the cheesy music - at least it gave the surround speakers something to do. Looked pretty good, too - and it's a relatively new movie (2001). Wouldn't go out of my way to see it again, but enjoyed it the first time around.

 

[Sean Mota]

Grievous Bodily Harm (1988, Mystery)

<p><img border="0" src="http://www.reel.com/content/boxart/vhs/4461.GIF" align="left" hspace="5"> When Claudine is discovered missing and her friend's say she's dead, her husband starts killing people trying to get to her underworld of sex, crooked cops and shadowy secrets. There he meets an honest reporter, a police detective and a bizarre series of events.</p>

Starring: Colin Friels, John Waters Director: Mark Joffe Studio: Fries Entertainment Aspect ratio

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3.0 Stars. I personally did not like the story of this movie but it was ok. The HD transfer was very good

 

[Sean Mota]

The Count of Monte Cristo (1975)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0784001294.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> Alexander Dumas' stirring classic tale of injustice, revenge and retribution, in which Edmond Dantes (Richard Chamberlain) is falsely accused by three men of conspiring with Napoleon. Prosecuted by the conniving De Villefort (Louis Jourdan), he is sentenced to an agonising life on the isolated island fortress of Monte Cristo. The dying Abbé Faria (Trevor Howard) tells Dantes of a secret treasure. Dantes escapes, finds the treasure, assumes the identity of the rich and revered Count of Monte Cristo, uses his enemies' corruption and greed as weapons to utterly destroy them and wins back the heart and hand of his love, Mercedes (Kate Nelligan).
.</p>

Starring: Richard Chamberlain, Trevor Howard Director: David Greene Studio: David Greene Aspect ratio 1.33 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 3.5 Stars. Exceptional story and movie. I saw the new one and thought that both compared very well. This was a very good transfer as well but it would have been much better in its OAR.

 

[Sean Mota]

Les Miserables (1978)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0784001316.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> Many versions have been made by this classic tale written by Victor Hugo, but none does justice than the 1978 version of top-rated performances by Richard Jordan & Anthony Perkins. This classic story of "one man's search for freedom and another's quest for revenge" will be enjoyed and loved by both men and women. Life's lessons on forgiveness and the giving of oneself to another, portrays a heroic adventure that few dare to endure till the very end. A great paper to write about for school; a great movie to watch as a family and to open for conversation with parents and their children afterwards. A must see by all!</p>

Starring: Richard Jordan Director: Glenn Jordan Studio: David Greene Aspect ratio 1.33 : 1

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 4.0 Stars. A must see. Excellent transfer and of course OAR would have been better but even so a must see.

 

[Sean Mota]

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! (1988)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0792839943.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> From Keenan Ivory Wayans, the man who brought us Jim Carrey (initially just one of the bunch on Wayans's television comedy-sketch show, In Living Color), comes I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), a comedy spoof on the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Wayans plays Jack Spade, an army private just returning from the service. He comes home to find his younger brother June Bug dead of a overdose of gold chains (an "O.G.") He vows revenge, and with the help of some of the neighborhood's old school heroes including Flyguy (Antonio Fargas), Kung Fu Joe (Steve James), Hammer (Isaac Hayes), Slammer (football star Jim Brown), and John Slade (Bernie Casey), Spade wages a war against Mr. Big, the neighborhood crime lord.
In the tradition of Airplane! and Naked Gun, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka pokes fun through satire and offensive comedy. The film also features some of the players that would end up on In Living Color and has appearances from such varied actors as Clarence Williams III, Eve Plumb (better known to most as Jan Brady), and Chris Rock as a rib-joint customer. --Shannon Gee

</p>

Starring: Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bernie Casey Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios Aspect ratio

Voomer Reviews:

Sean Mota : 4.5 Stars. Excellent transfer and very funny movie. After all these years it still makes you laugh.

 

[Sean Mota]

The Birdcage (1996)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0792833198.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> The great improvisational comedy team of Mike Nichols and Elaine May reunited to (respectively) direct and write this update of the French comedy La Cage Aux Folles. Robin Williams stars as a gay Miami nightclub owner who is forced to play it straight and ask his drag-queen partner (Nathan Lane) to hide out when Williams's son invites his prospective--and highly conservative--in-laws and fiancée to a meet-and-greet dinner party. Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest play the straight-laced senator and his wife, and Calista Flockhart (from television's Ally McBeal) plays their daughter in a culture-clash with outrageous consequences. May's witty screenplay incorporates some pointed observations about the political landscape of the 1990s and takes a sensitive approach to the comedy's underlying drama. Topping off the action is Hank Azaria in a scene-stealing role as Williams's and Lane's flamboyant housekeeper, "Agador Spartacus." --Jeff Shannon
</p>

Starring: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman Director: Mike Nichols Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : 3 stars : I'm actually watching this one right now, so it may be a little early for a review, but I think I pretty much get the idea. The whole premise is a little hard to believe ( I just don't think Robin Williams' character would agree to pretend to be straight ), but it's a good cast with some amusing bits and decent picture and sound. But please, never ever again do i want to see Hank Azaria in a thong. Ever.

Sean Mota : 4.0 was fantastic! What a laugh? HD Transfer was excellent! A must see if you have not seen it. A must see if you seen it but never in HD. Movie was AOR (1:85:1)

 

[Sean Mota]

Hoosiers (1986, Drama)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000399WQ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> One of the most rousingly enjoyable sports movies ever made, this small-town drama tells the story of the Hickory Huskers, an underdog basketball team from a tiny Indiana high school that makes it all the way to the state championship tournament. It's a familiar story, but sensitive direction and a splendid screenplay helped make this one of the best films of 1986, highlighted by the superb performances of Gene Hackman as the Huskers' coach, and Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper as the alcoholic father of one of the team's key players. As the drama unfolds we come to realize that many of the characters (including Barbara Hershey as a schoolteacher with whom Hackman falls in love) are recovering from disappointing setbacks, and this depth of character is what makes the otherwise conventional basketball story so richly rewarding. Like Rocky, Rudy, and Breaking Away, this is a quintessentially American movie about beating the odds and rising above one's own limitations. Just try to watch it without cheering! --Jeff Shannon </p>

Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Starring: Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey Director: David Anspaugh Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios

Voomer Reviews:

squicken : 4.5 Stars A personal favorite. Good transfer. Great underdog story. Dennis Hopper is great in this film and Gene Hackman is steady as always.

TheTimm : 5 stars : Excellent movie. Feel-good masterpiece with underdogs galore and stories of second chances and redemption. Hackman, Hershey, and Hopper at the top of their games. Perhaps not the best HD transfer ever, but a definite step up from the DVD. With a real surround sound mix, too. You don't even need to be a basketball fan to love this movie!

 

[Sean Mota]

F/x (1986)

<p><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0792845781.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" align="left" hspace="5"> "F/X" is Hollywood-speak for "special effects," those often-bloody tricks that fool us into believing a gun has been fired or a head has been blown off. Bryan Brown plays a freelance effects wizard who arrives for each job fully equipped in a customized truck, making it easy for him to roll from one gig into the next. Accepting a hefty chunk of change for one such job, Brown stages the death of a gangster for the Witness Protection Program. At least, that is what he is led to believe. Illusion, it turns out, is everything. Not knowing whom to trust or what to think, Brown soon finds himself playing a vicious game of cat and mouse with the bad guys. What gives this an added thrill is that Brown is not sure exactly who is the villain in his own personal mystery movie. It could be the gangster (Jerry Orbach), the government agents, or the police officer (Brian Dennehy) with whom he joins forces. Evenly paced and surprisingly cunning, this is will leave you guessing until the last squib has been fired. Brown and Dennehy were reunited less successfully in the 1991 sequel, F/X2. --Rochelle O'Gorman </p>

Starring: Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy Director: Robert Mandel Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios

Voomer Reviews:

TheTimm : 4 stars : I have kind of a soft spot for this movie - it was the first thing I ever rented on VHS back in the day! Still love it! And not bad transfer-wise and sound-wise either.