DVDpedia : GQ DVD Library : Genre : A

Summary: Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade.

All three films in their original format, restored and digitally remastered, plus a fourth disc featuring 200 minutes of extras including never-before-seen footage from all three films.

System Requirements:
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Denhom Elliott, John Rhys-Davies, Kate Capshaw, Jonathan Ke Quan, Amrish Puri, Sean Connery, River Phoenix, Alison Doody, Julian Glover.
Directed By: Steven Spielberg.
Running Time: 540 minutes., Color.
These films are presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2003 Paramount Pictures.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Summary: Disc 1: COFFEY Disc 2: COOLEY HIGH Disc 3: FOXY BROWN Disc 4: I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA Disc 5: HELL UP IN HARLEM

Summary: Tautly directed and superbly photographed, this crowd-pleasing thriller from 1997 is indebted to Steven Spielberg's "Duel", but more closely resembles "Dead Calm" in its strengths and weaknesses. Kurt Russell plays a stressed-out husband whose wife (Kathleen Quinlan) disappears after their car breaks down in the desert. Tracking her whereabouts leads to an interstate theft and kidnapping ring, and as Russell pursues--and is pursued by--a vicious redneck played to perfection by J.T. Walsh (in one of his final film roles), the movie succumbs to several tense, but utterly conventional action sequences. That doesn't stop the movie from being an above-average nail-biter. It is so effectively directed by co-writer Jonathan Mostow that even the more surreal situations seem plausible and altogether unsettling. Russell's performance is key to the film's success--he's smart enough to be admirable, and we can readily identify with his frustration, confusion, and torment. Through him, "Breakdown" takes on the edgy quality of a wide-awake nightmare. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: The disaster-movie trend of the early and mid-1970s was starting to wear out its welcome when Earthquake was released in 1974. It’s another one of those enjoyably mindless all-star marathons, and the title tells you all you need to know about the plot. Charlton Heston offers his trademark brand of macho courage as the citizens of Los Angeles brace for the Big One--an earthquake that rattles the city to its crumbling foundation. It's got all the sophistication of a Love Boat episode, but the movie's momentum scores high marks (at least on the Richter scale), and the Oscar-winning sound design and special visual effects are still impressive, especially when you consider that advanced computer-graphics effects were still two decades in the future. Genevieve Bujold adds a touch of class to the all-star ensemble, and of course, what self-respecting disaster flick would be complete without a role for George Kennedy? In more ways than one, this cheesy movie rocks! (If you want to re-create the movie's original sound process known as "Sensurround," you’ll just have to crank up the bass and subwoofer on your home theater system until plaster cracks and windows shatter!) --Jeff Shannon

Summary: One of Clint Eastwood's two most important filmmaking mentors was Don Siegel (the other was Sergio Leone), who directed Eastwood in Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, Two Mules for Sister Sara, and this enigmatic, 1979 drama based on a true story about an escape from the island prison of Alcatraz. Eastwood plays a new convict who enters into a kind of mind game with the chilly warden (Patrick McGoohan) and organizes a break leading into the treacherous waters off San Francisco. As jailbird movies go, this isn't just a grotty, unpleasant experience but a character-driven work with some haunting twists. --Tom Keogh

Summary: Fifteen years after John Carpenter squandered a great idea on a mediocre movie ("Escape from New York"), he does it again--this time on the Left Coast. Kurt Russell is back as the terminally cynical one-eyed action hero Snake Plissken who, this time, has been coerced into saving the world in Los Angeles. It's 2013 and L.A. is now an island maximum-security prison off the coast of California. Snake has 10 hours to find a doomsday weapon that's fallen into the hands of revolutionaries before he dies of a virus with which he's been injected. But the action is clumsy and unimaginative: lots of shootouts and very little suspense. Even the bad guys aren't particularly inventive; only Pam Grier, as a transsexual gang leader, strikes any sparks. Russell growls his way through the role but can only blame himself: He cowrote the script with Carpenter. "--Marshall Fine"

Summary: This film is based on a terrific idea. It's the future, see, and New York has been walled up and turned into a maximum-security prison. If that concept doesn't grab you, you won't enjoy this cult classic.If it _does_ grab you, you're probably part of this film's target demographic. So here's what happens: the President (Donald Pleasence, of all people) has ejected from Air Force One and gone down somewhere in New York. He's being held prisoner and somebody is going to have to rescue him. Fortunately, convicted felon Snake Plisskin (Kurt Russell) is on his way there as a prisoner, and maybe in exchange for a full pardon he can be induced to save the President's butt. If he doesn't succeed within 24 hours, two bombs implanted in his arteries will kill him.Well, okay, it ain't _Les Miz_. But it's a good action flick and it's got the tremendously underrated Kurt Russell, in the film in which he finally shucked off his Disneyfied past. And it's directed by John Carpenter, who doesn't make _great_ movies but can turn out a _good_ one on a budget of about twenty bucks.This one's kind of cartoony; the bad guys, led by Isaac Hayes, look like Feyd-Rautha (as played by Sting) and a couple dozen Cheeches and Chongs. But Ernest Borgnine is charmingly droll as the Cabbie, Lee Van Cleef is Lee Van Cleef, and even Adrienne Barbeau has her moments. (And it's nowhere near as cartoony as Van Damme's _Cyborg_, in which all the characters are named after musical instruments. 'Gibson Rickenbacker', indeed.)I don't think the whole thing _quite_ gels, but it comes close. And it's fun to watch and even wallow in. It's all very dark and gritty, vaguely apocalyptic, and delightfully lacking in real 'good guys'; even Plisskin is the best of a bad lot, and we root for him more because he's played by Kurt Russell than because he has all that many genuinely redeeming features.It's a good movie for people who like anti-heroes, and to my tastes it's way better than _Mad Max_. And the low budget is probably a plus, because it provides an excuse for all the things that would still have been wrong with the movie even if it had cost ten times as much to make.I like it. Your mileage may vary, but maybe you'll like it too.

Summary: This lush retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a dark and engrossing tale. Director John Boorman ("Deliverance") masterfully handles the tale of the mythical sword Excalibur, and its passing from the wizard Merlin to the future king of England. Arthur pulls the famed sword from a stone and is destined to be crowned king. As the king embarks on a passionate love affair with Guenevere, an illegitimate son, and Merlin's designs on power, threaten Arthur's reign. The film is visually stunning and unflinching in its scenes of combat and black magic. Featuring an impressive supporting cast, including early work from the likes of Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne, "Excalibur" is an adaptation of the legend both faithful and bold. "--Robert Lane"

Summary: GOLD (DVD MOVIE)

Summary: Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the story of a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armour and vows to protect the world as Iron Man. The film also stars Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow and Oscar nominees Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges and is be directed by Jon Favreau.

Summary: Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD:it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ),SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access,SYNOPSIS: Charles Bronson is out for revenge (and doesn't that sound familiar) in this action drama. Jackie Pruit (Jill Ireland) is the girlfriend of notorious gangster Joe Bomposa (Rod Steiger). When it looks as if Jackie's life is being threatened by Bomposa's goons, the FBI moves in to protect her, in hopes that she'll have incriminating evidence that the Bureau can use against Bomposa in court. Veteran agent Charlie Congers (Bronson) is assigned to watch over Jackie, and while it soon becomes obvious that she knows almost nothing about Bomposa that would be of any use to the FBI, he also falls in love with her. However, Bomposa decides that it would be a lot more convenient to have Jackie out of the way, and he orders her to be executed. Bomposa's henchmen manage to slip through FBI security and murder her, but now they have to answer to the angry and vengeful Congers. Love and Bullets also features Strother Martin, Bradford Dillman, Henry Silva, and Paul Koslo.

Summary: Simply because of the sheer grandeur with which this movie was made, you have to overlook the cliches and stereotypes that fill the cast. Shelley Winters shines as Mrs Rosen, and even received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance. The basic plot involves a group of ten people surviving a terrible disaster aboard the S.S Poseidon. On New Year's Eve, the ship is struck by a gigantic wave, causing it to completely turn upside down. The upside down set-pieces are exquisite, and remain very convincing (as do the overall performances and interactions of the cast) all way through. If you enjoy disaster movies, Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman or Ernest Borgnine, you will love this. I urge you to see it as soon as possible. The DVD extras are rather poor, but it's worth it just for the movie.

Summary: The impressively muscular chest of Tom Jane is the focal point of "The Punisher", a movie based on a Marvel Comics superhero. Frank Castle (Jane, "Deep Blue Sea") retires from the FBI, which means--as any moviegoer expects--that his family is toast. Howard Saint (John Travolta, "Face/Off"), a shady Florida businessman whose son was killed in Castle's last mission, orders a hit not only on Castle's wife and child, but also on his parents and a whole bunch of aunts, uncles, cousins, and so forth. The killers shoot Castle himself in the chest, but he inexplicably survives and--as any moviegoer expects--sets out to even the score. Implausibly, given his sometimes curious and roundabout methods, he succeeds. Also featuring Will Patton ("Armageddon") as an oily thug, Laura Harring ("Mulholland Drive") as Saint's fleshpot wife, and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos ("X-Men") as a waitress with bad taste in men. "--Bret Fetzer"

Summary: If you've been wondering what ever happened to ex–Green Beret superwarrior John Rambo since he singlehandedly shot up a Pacific Northwest town ("First Blood", 1982), returned to the jungles of 'Nam to free U.S. POWs held long after war's end ("Rambo: First Blood Part II", 1985), and interrupted the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan long enough to blow lots of stuff up and rescue his old commandant from the Reds ("Rambo III", 1988), then "Rambo" (2008) is for you. Without so much as a "IV" to dilute the brand name, "Rambo"--which is what most of us called the second, most iconic film in the series--may aspire to open a new era for a pop legend. But it's a thoroughly mechanical attempt to reanimate a franchise that, absent the anger, frustration, and self-loathing of the post-Vietnam years, has no meaning or purpose. For some time now Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) has been putt-putting along the Thai-Burmese border in a longboat, catching exotic snakes to sell. As for the 60-year civil war in Burma between the brutal government and the Karen independence movement, he ignores it. Enter a party of American missionaries whose dewy blond spokeswoman ("Dexter"'s Julie Benz) asks Rambo to haul them upriver so that they can bring medical aid to the insurgents. After the requisite number of monosyllabic refusals, he does. Soon afterward the do-gooders are in a world of hurt, and he's summoned to lead a squad of mercenaries on a rescue mission.
As storytelling, the latest "Rambo" is the most bare-bones of the bunch. Rambo has little to say, so it's especially galling that Stallone, as director and co-writer, obliges him to have essentially the same conversation at three different points (the final distillation: "Live for nothing or die for something"). The Burmese army goons seem in competition to commit the most hideous atrocity (e.g., child skull-crushing underfoot), the better to justify the eventual, lovingly protracted spectacle of them being eviscerated by high-powered weaponry. Although shot in Thailand, the movie has mostly been photographed in brown, reducing any particular sense of place but, perhaps, perversely increasing our gratitude for the splashes of purple whenever hot metal tatters flesh. "--Richard T. Jameson"
Beyond "Rambo"
Complete list of Rambo movies on DVD and Blu-ray
Soundtrack
"Rambo: The Complete Collector's Set" Stills from "Rambo" (click for larger image)

Summary: In the year 2018, violence and crime have been totally eliminated from society and given outlet in the brutal blood sport of rollerball, a high-velocity blend of football, hockey, and motor-cross racing sponsored by the multinational corporations that now control the world following the collapse of traditional politics. James Caan plays Jonathan E., the reigning superstar of rollerball, whose corporate controllers fear that Jonathan's popularity has endowed him with too much power. They begin to pressure him according to their own ruthless set of rules, but Jonathan has rules of his own--the rules of a man determined to retain his soul in a world gone mad. As directed by Norman Jewison (who was enjoying a peak of success during the early and mid-1970s), "Rollerball" creates a believable society that's been rendered passive and compliant by the homogenization of corporate dictatorships, where the control and flow of information is the only currency of any importance. It's a world in which natural human aggressions have been sublimated and vented through the religious fervor toward rollerball and its players. "Rollerball" now looks like one of those 1970s science fiction films (another example being "Logan's Run") that seems a bit dated and quaint, but its ideas are still provocative and fascinating, and the production is visually impressive. The DVD includes full-screen and widescreen versions of the film, audio commentary by director Norman Jewison, a behind-the-scenes featurette, an interactive "rollergame," trivia, and production notes. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: Cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, the cameraman behind "Speed", "Lethal Weapon 4", and "The Devil's Advocate", makes his directorial debut with a lively but by-the-numbers film that mixes Hong Kong action pyrotechnics with gritty urban gang drama. Jet Li stars as a jailed cop named Han who hightails it to Oakland, California, to seek revenge for the gang-related murder of his brother. What he finds, though, is a fierce war between his father's syndicate and that of Isaak O'Day (Delroy Lindo) for control of the city's precious waterfront land, as both groups are trying to make a deal with a corrupt football-team owner to build a new stadium. The political shenanigans are basically just a backdrop for the kick-ass action, and to give Li a number of enemies to lock limbs with. It also provides him with a love interest, Trish (hip-hop star Aaliyah), who's O'Day's daughter and like Han, the only straight arrow in a family of crooked mobsters. Li and Aaliyah have a teasing, gentle chemistry, and when they're onscreen together, the movie lights up and glides along smoothly. Li even finds a way to work Aaliyah into one of his action set pieces, using her arms and legs to fight a female adversary because "I can't hit a girl!" However, when these two aren't onscreen (and that's a fair amount of the time) the movie plods along, despite a stately turn by Lindo and Isaiah Washington and Russell Wong as two family allies who may not be as loyal as they seem. Li's action, though, is still phenomenal as ever, from his prison breakout (as he takes out a platoon of guards--strung upside down by one leg) to a knockdown-dragout fight with the agile and dangerously sexy Wong. And despite the "Romeo and Juliet" overtones, this is one mighty chaste romance, albeit one with a happy ending for the star-crossed lovers. "--Mark Englehart"

Summary: Shaft's Big Score is the first sequel to the super-hip 1971 original. When a pal of detective John Shaft is murdered in a bombing (and $250,000 goes missing), New York's coolest private eye finds himself caught in the middle of a power struggle between black and white gangsters over the numbers racket in Queens. Directed by Gordon Parks (who does a brief cameo as a croupier in an illegal casino) and written by Ernest Tidyman (both of whom made the original Shaft), this film lacks the pacing of its progenitor. Roundtree is at his best when he's questioning a woman he's just met about a suspect, while at the same time beguiling her into the sack (ah, those lazy, crazy days of the sexual revolution). The finale--a shootout in a cemetery, followed by a car-boat-helicopter chase through Queens and up the Harlem River--is preposterously drawn out: Shaft, impervious to machine-gun fire, winds up tripping, spraining his ankle and limping while running from the chopper; two shots later, he's sprinting like a halfback. Look for late Muhammad Ali-trainer Drew Bundini Brown as a wisecracking mobster. --Marshall Fine, Amazon.com

Summary: More than a few critics hailed Spider-Man 2 as "the best superhero movie ever," and there's no compelling reason to argue--thanks to a bigger budget, better special effects, and a dynamic, character-driven plot, it's a notch above Spider-Man in terms of emotional depth and rich comic-book sensibility. Ordinary People Oscar®-winner Alvin Sargent received screenplay credit, and celebrated author and comic-book expert Michael Chabon worked on the story, but it's director Sam Raimi's affinity for the material that brings Spidey 2 to vivid life. When a fusion experiment goes terribly wrong, a brilliant physicist (Alfred Molina) is turned into Spidey's newest nemesis, the deranged, mechanically tentacled "Doctor Octopus," obsessed with completing his experiment and killing Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) in the process. Even more compelling is Peter Parker's urgent dilemma: continue his burdensome, lonely life of crime-fighting as Spider-Man, or pursue love and happiness with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst)? Molina's outstanding as a tragic villain controlled by his own invention, and the action sequences are nothing less than breathtaking, but the real success of Spider-Man 2 is its sense of priorities. With all of Hollywood's biggest and best toys at his disposal, Raimi and his writers stay true to the Marvel mythology, honoring Spider-Man creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and setting the bar impressively high for the challenge of Spider-Man 3. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: Legendarily chintzy "event" producer Irwin Allen ("The Towering Inferno") went out with a gargantuan buzz-on with this jaw-droppingly goofy disaster flick. No cliché is left unturned, as a hyperactive strain of hallucination-inducing killer bees get it into their microscopic brains to derail a commuter train, destroy a nuclear power plant, and otherwise decimate a veritable cornucopia of washed-up Match Game panelists (Fred MacMurray, Henry Fonda, Richard Widmark, Patty Duke, Slim Pickens, and narcoleptic dreamboat Richard Chamberlain are just a few of the legendary has-beens to get fatally stung by what appears to be airborne coffee grounds). Be sure to stay tuned through the closing credits for a (lawsuit-preventing?) coda absolving the good ol' hardworking American honeybee of any and all sinister charges depicted herein. An irresistibly hilarious chunk of honey-roasted cheese--'70s style. "--Andrew Wright"

Summary: In the year 2029, the ruling super-computer, Skynet, sends an indestructible cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in time to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) before she can fulfill her destiny and save mankind.

Summary: Disaster movies used to work because there was little certainty as to who would survive. Not so in this film, really an amalgam of two original stories, about a group of well-to-do celebrants at the top floor of a skyscraper. Cheapo electrical wiring and bad construction management cause an enormous blaze at the lower floors, steadily rising to consume the revelers. Newman's an architect, McQueen a firefighter, and Fred Astaire a kind old gentleman, for which he was Oscar-nominated. O.J. Simpson plays a security guard who rescues a cat. Now that's a disaster. --Keith Simanton

Summary: Not enough people went to see "True Crime" in theaters. Wasn't Clint Eastwood too old to be playing a guy whom a variety of glorious women, from the middle-aged Diane Venora and Laila Robins to the young Mary McCormack and Lucy Liu, find attractive? Could the onetime Man with No Name credibly play a brilliant crime reporter, Steve Everett, with an ironic turn of phrase and an incurable habit of screwing up both his personal and professional lives? The respective answers to those questions are: hell no and hell yes. "True Crime" features one of Eastwood's best and most entertaining performances--and his work as director is utterly assured.
The story (from Andrew Klavan's bestselling novel) gives Everett the last-minute assignment of interviewing a condemned man (Isaiah Washington) on the eve of his execution. The prisoner, a born-again Christian and exemplary family man, has everything the reporter lacks except a shot at seeing the next sunrise. Everett sets out to get him that, yet far from making a beeline to the exculpatory evidence that will save the life of his "client," this very tarnished hero has to spend a lot of the next 24 hours contending with the baggage he's accumulated through drinking, wenching, and familial neglect. (A Pirandellian note: Everett's daughter is played by Eastwood's own daughter, Francesca Fisher-Eastwood, and her mother, Frances Fisher, returns for a feisty cameo as a prosecutor.)
This is a good one that got away. Don't let it happen again. "-- Richard T. Jameson"

Summary: Unfairly dismissed by a number of critics, "Two Minute Warning" is an absorbing contemplation of the phenomenon of violence. Based on a novel by George LaFountaine, the story concerns an anonymous (and, until the very end, faceless) sniper perched above the scoreboard at a championship football game in Los Angeles. His lack of identity and unstated motivation is key to the film's air of cautionary fable, in which the killer's rage is one end of a continuum that includes many different kinds of violence among numerous characters: emotional withdrawal, police brutality, subtle racism, chips on various shoulders. Produced in 1976, the movie has all the hallmarks of the decade's vogue for disaster flicks: an ensemble cast, a web of story lines, and a lot of people contained in one place where something awful happens. But it is also something more: a successful exercise in plastic storytelling, a clever interweaving of a dozen discrete subplots with a mix of documentary and original action footage. The explosiveness of the football game itself becomes a refrain of ritualized mayhem in director Larry Peerce's patchwork film, but without beating us over the head with its metaphorical obviousness. "Two Minute Warning" may not be a great or classic work, but it is far more than the sum of its many parts and does leave a lasting impression. "--Tom Keogh"

Summary: "The Warriors" combines pure pulp storytelling and surprisingly poetic images into a thoroughly enjoyable cult classic. The plot is mythically pure (and inspired by a legendary bit of Greek history): When a charismatic gang leader is shot at a conclave in the Bronx meant to unite all the gangs in New York City, a troupe from Coney Island called the Warriors get blamed and have to fight all the way back to their own turf--which means an escalating series of battles with colorful and improbable gangs like the Baseball Furies, who wear baseball uniforms and KISS-inspired face make-up. Pop existentialism, performances that are somehow both wooden and overwrought, and zesty, kinetic filmmaking from director Walter Hill ("Southern Comfort", "48 Hrs.") result in a delicious and unexpectedly resonant operatic cheesiness. The "Ultimate Director's Cut" doesn't radically alter the movie--some of the editing is tighter, the Greek legend has been added as an introduction--with one exception: in transitions, scenes begin and end as scenes from a comic book. While "The Warriors" always had a comic book flavor (and Hill, in an interview, says he deliberately pursued that sensibility), this device--similar to "The Hulk"--seems a bit overkill. But it's a minor problem; the movie holds its own, even 26 years later. The dvd has no audio commentary, but there are four short documentaries (really, one documentary in four parts). These include excellent interviews with Hill, actors Michael Beck, James Remar, David Patrick Kelly, and Deborah Van Valkenburgh. The producers, the cinematographer, the costume designer, the stunt coordinator, and many others give lively and in-depth descriptions of how the movie came to be. One of these documentaries includes portions of a deleted scene that was used when "The Warriors" was screened on television; no other deleted scenes are included. "--Bret Fetzer"

Summary: Limited edition Steelbook version exclusive to JB
In an alternate reality, it's 1985, costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the "Doomsday Clock" - which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union - is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime- fighting legion - a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers - Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity...but who is watching The Watchmen?

Summary: Scorned by reviewers when it came out, this concentrated dose of commando death-dealing to legions of Nazi machine-gun fodder has acquired a cult over the years. In 1968 Clint Eastwood was just getting used to the notion that he might be a world-class movie star; Richard Burton, whose image had been shaped equally by classical theater training and his headline-making romance with Elizabeth Taylor, was eager to try on the action ethos Eastwood was already nudging toward caricature. Alistair MacLean's novel "The Guns of Navarone" had inspired the film that started the '60s vogue for World War II military capers, so he was prevailed on to write the screenplay (his first). The central location, an impregnable Alpine stronghold locked in ice and snow, is surpassing cool, but the plot and action are ultra-mechanical, and the switcheroo gamesmanship of just who is the undercover double (triple?) agent on the mission becomes aggressively silly. "--Richard T. Jameson"

Summary: First Blood Sylvester Stallone stars as larger-than-life super warrior John Rambo in this gutsy action thriller filmed in the wilds of western Canada. He plays an ex-Green Beret, a peacetime misfit haunted by memories of Vietnam. Falling foul of an over-zealous small town sheriff (Brian Dennehy), all hell is let loose as he goes on the run. In the life or death manhunt that ensues, he will need all his old skills to stay alive and outwit his pursuers – the sheriff, his posse, and more than 200 National Guardsmen. First Blood Part II Rambo is released from prison and is sent back to present day Vietnam. His mission: to track down American MIAs. The plan: a parachute into forbidding jungle. With nothing but a serrated knife and a bow with arrows, he is told not to engage the enemy, just to take reconnaissance pictures. Betrayed by his own, Rambo struggles against deadly oddds and vows revenge on those who made him an enemy - no man, no law, no war can stop him. Rambo III John Rambo has gone to live a life of seclusion in an old Buddhist monastery, searching for inner peace. When friend and mentor Col. Trautman (Richard Crenna) visits to ask for his help in a secret mission in Afghanistan, Rambo declines, perferring a life od serenity. Trautman goes it alone and is captured by the enemy. Rambo must now set out to bring his old friend back to safety.

Summary: Very limited stock available

Lee Jun Fan was born, according to the Chinese horoscope, in both the hour and the year of the Dragon, November 27th ,1940. Dubbed 'little phoenix' as a boy in a traditional ward against evil spirits, Jun Fan eventually became known to the rest of the world as the one and only, Bruce Lee.

BRUCE LEE: THE DRAGON COLLECTION includes five of Bruce Lee's remarkable feature films, with digitally re-mastered audio and video transfers from the original masters. Also, for the first time, this collection contains a specially commissioned, exclusive documentary, The Grandmaster and The Dragon: William Cheung and Bruce Lee, featuring a first hand account by renowned kung fu Grandmaster, William Cheung, and his friendship, training and teaching of the legendary Bruce Lee. All of this is presented in a newly designed special collectors edition, hard cover booklet featuring rare images, biographical and film information, and never before published, personally hand written letters from Bruce Lee to one of his earliest friends.

Titles included:
The Big Boss
Fist of Fury
Way of the Dragon
Game of Death
Game of Death 2
The Grandmaster and The Dragon: William Cheung and Bruce Lee

Summary: Yagami Light is a brilliant college student who, one day, finds a notebook simply titled "Death Note." Inside of this book is a list of rules and details as for the use of the "Death Note." When he realizes the power he holds, he decides he's going to make over the world. He wants to make it into a better place by killing those who do others harm. He has been nicknamed by the police "Kira." L, a brilliant detective who lives in secrecy, rises from the shadows and puts his life on the line trying to capture Light.

Summary: Shinigami own notebooks called "Death Notes" which are used as killing devices. Whoever's name they write down in a death note will die within 40 seconds. Shinigami Ryuku accidentally dropped his Death Note in the human world where it's found by honor high school student Raito. With the death note actually having directions in it for its use, Raito discovers he now has the power to discreetly kill people, and with this new power he plans to change the world in his ideal world by killing off criminals. Eventually the governments of the countries around the world notice the unusual amounts of deaths of their criminals, and figure out someone is behind them, but they have no way of discovering it themselves. That's when they hire L, a master detective, to find out who is behind the murders.

Summary: The last film completed by Bruce Lee before his untimely death, "Enter the Dragon" was his entrée into Hollywood. The American-Hong Kong coproduction, shot in Asia by American director Robert Clouse, stars Lee as a British agent sent to infiltrate the criminal empire of bloodthirsty Asian crime lord Han (Shih Kien) through his annual international martial arts tournament. Lee spends his days taking on tournament combatants and nights breaking into the heavily guarded underground fortress, kicking the living tar out of anyone who stands in his way. The mix of kung fu fighting (choreographed by Lee himself) and James Bond intrigue (the plot has more than a passing resemblance to "Dr. No") is pulpy by any standard, but the generous budget and talented cast of world-class martial artists puts this film in a category well above Lee's primitive Hong Kong productions. Unfortunately he's off the screen for large chunks of time as American maverick competitors (and champion martial artists) John Saxon and Jim Kelly take center stage, but once the fighting starts Lee takes over. The tournament setting provides an ample display of martial arts mastery of many styles and climaxes with a huge free-for-all, but the highlight is Lee's brutal one-on-one with the claw-fisted Han in the dynamic hall-of-mirrors battle. Lee narrows his eyes and tenses into a wiry force of sinew, speed, and ruthless determination. "--Sean Axmaker"

Summary:

Summary: Are you a fan of samurai films, but wish they were somehow..."dirtier"? Welcome to the deranged world of "Hanzo the Razor", a weird blend of swordplay and sexploitation. The first "Hanzo" movie, "Sword of Justice", came out a year after "Shaft" and "Dirty Harry" and fuses the influence of both: stout and surly Hanzo (Shintaro Katsu), a rebellious yet obsessively moral samurai, is also enormously well-endowed and provides almost unbearable pleasure to the women he "interrogates"--that is to say, rapes in the name of the law. Hanzo also tortures and blackmails without qualm as he slices through crime, uncovering corruption at higher levels in each progressive film. In "Sword of Justice" he overturns his own craven superiors; in "The Snare", he breaks into a temple used by local magistrates for the sadistic torture of young girls; in "Who's Got the Gold", the shogunate treasury is being looted by its own officials--had there been a fourth film, Hanzo would probably have confronted the shogun himself. But while the movies wallow in Hanzo's ruthless treatment of criminals and women, it also ogles the torture Hanzo inflicts upon himself! "Sword of Justice" will knock you sideways as you struggle to balance Hanzo's puritanical code with his masochism and brutality (as well as the funky '70s soundtrack). "The Snare" and "Who's Got the Gold?", disappointingly repeat many of the same routines (in particular, the "net torture" of female suspects). But while the fight choreography in the first two films is often crude, "Who's Got the Gold" (directed by Yoshio Inoue) has more visual finesse and social commentary--not many movies combine temple orgies and geysers of blood with inflation, unemployment, and high interest rates. (There's a particularly eerie scene in which a samurai in debt is hounded by a pack of blind men.) "Hanzo the Razor" undoubtedly influenced the moral outrage/leering voyeurism mix of "Death Wish" and its ilk, but Shintaro Katsu's gleeful ferocity (in contrast with Charles Bronson's dour, repressed deadpan) makes this trilogy stranger and sleazier. Katsu was also the star of the hugely popular "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman" series. "--Bret Fetzer"

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Summary: Lone Wolf and cub battle against their most powerful enemies yet. In the fourth instalment of the series, Daigoro is kidnapped by his father's most dealy enemy Retsudo- head of the Yagyu assasssin clan. Hired to kill a the delicious and deadly Oyuki- a lady ninja who confuses her enemies by fighting topless- the Lone Wolf must fight for his son against an army of assassins in the biggest body count battle in Samurai history.

Summary: The carnage continues as Lone Wolf and Cub return for their fifth adventure. Assasssins for hire- Lone Wolf and Cub are drawn into a violent web of intrigue that leads to their arch enemy Lord Retsudo. Five of the greatest warriors of ancient Japan are sent to destroy our beloved and bloody duo in a superb samurai splatterfest.

Summary: Lone wolf and Cub return for their final battle. The ultimate confrontation between the masterless Lone Wolf and Retsudo of the evil Yagyu clan is the bloodiest of the series. Lone wolf must use all of his skills to attempt to survive against an army in the frozen wastelands where the snow runs red with blood.

Summary: I wanna mention up front that though this is probably only a 4 star movie overall, action movie's are held to a lower standard in my book, and by those standards this is a 5.



This movie's not big on plot, but I'll talk about it some anyway. In the first film, Sword of Vengeance, which I haven't actually seen, Ogami Itto, the Shoggunate assassin, is framed for treason and his wife is murdered by the Yagyu clan. Thus he is now a Ronin, and he and his young son Daigoro wander the country as assassins. In this film they are hired to assassinate some guy to prevent the Awa clan from losing their secret dye processing method, or something like that, while they are continually hunted by the Yagyu clan. The man they need to assassinate is being guarded by the 3 Gods of Death, who wield a spikey-fist, a mace-type thing and a claw hand, whom Ogami will need to defeat in the final showdown.



The 2 protagonists are quite appealing. Ogami is your standard vengeance-seeking, morally dubious hero who is taciturn and isolated. Perhaps not the most original characterization in the world, but it's a good one none the less. And what can I say, Daigoro is a cute kid. Their relationship adds a greater emotional depth to the film, and not in the traditionally manipulative use of children in film. i.e. you sympathize with Ogami when Daigoro is in danger because Ogami is his father moreso than because Daigoro is a little kid. The villains are alright too, though they don't really do all that much other than fight. There's a bit of evil laughter on their part which seems a bit forced, but it's not to big a deal. Other than that the acting is generally more than competent, though it's harder to judge this sort of thing when you don't speak the languange.



This film is beautifully shot, with lots of great outdoor locations. Lotsa nice long shots as well, which remind of Leone's westerns and accentuate the landscape too. The dune filled desert at the end is particularly stunning. Overall the film has great atmosphere.(The scenes where Ogami listens to the drums of the Kurokawa are especially atmospheric) The music is good enough if not remarkable. It suits the material, but nothing really jumps out at you. The action scenes are just great, as they ought to be in an action movie. These are nice, old fashioned actions scenes where you actually get to see what's going on, and the camera actually sits still. It's melee stuff, of course, but always with weapons. Though the fight at the end is good, the ones with the female Shinobi and Kurokawa in the forest are the best. This series is most famous for its extravagant, over the top gore, and it doesn't disappoint. Limbs fly, arteries spray 20 feet or more, faces are cut down the middle etc. The most notable scene comes early in the film where, a pack of female Shinobi slowly dismember their opponent, eventually leaving him a limbless and rather dead torso. Despite the stylized nature of the gore this film isn't camp. Though the gore is over the top, and some of the moves they use in battle can be a bit whacky, the film is very serious and professional otherwise, and always plays the material straight.



Well, what else is there to say. It's got great action, which is all you need for an action movie, and some good atmosphere and cool characters to boot. Definitely worthwhile.

Summary: Adventures of Shintaro the Samurai travelling 18th century Japan with his trusted companion Tombei, battling the enemies of the Shogun and the dreaded Koga Ninjas.

Summary: Takeshi "Beat" Kitano, the Japanese actor-director best known in the US for his quirky, ulraviolent gangster movies ("Fireworks", "Brother", "Sonatine") and in the UK (among satellite and cable viewers, at least) for the bizarre "It's a Knockout"-meets-"Endurance" gameshow Takeshi's Castle, applies his off-kilter sensibility to the samurai genre in "The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi". A blind masseur (Kitano with his hair dyed white) wanders into a small town divided up by rival gangs. Though hunched and shuffling, Zatoichi soon reveals his deadly skills as a swordsman. He befriends a pair of geisha girls with secrets of their own and helps them hunt down the bandits who killed their parents. But one of the gangs has just hired a ronin, a masterless samurai, whose fighting skill may equal the blind swordsman's.
"Zatoichi" mixes a melodramatic storyline, deadpan comedy, and dazzling, CGI-enhanced swordfights into a supremely entertaining package. In Japan, Zatoichi is a recurring character in popular action movies, but Kitano places his own unique stamp on the series. "--Bret Fetzer"

Summary: Blind masseur and master swordsman, Zatoichi, is tired of killing. He journeys to his old village looking for peace, but is pursued by the brother of Boss Kanbei, a man he's killed. Back home, Ichi connects with Banno, his teacher, who seeks prestige and has arranged for his younger sister, Yayoi, to marry into a wealthy samurai family. Ichi and Yayoi realise they are in love, but Ichi's request for her hand meets with Banno's derision. Ichi is also drawn into Banno's plot to kidnap the son of a wealthy man, ostensibly to aid the Mito Goblins, a gang of thieves on the run; but Banno wants to keep the ransom. Ichi wants harmony and love, but can he escape a destiny of violence?

Summary: The legendary blind warrior discovers love and money have created divided alliances in this classic samurai film. After defeating a angry stranger he meets along the road, blind nomad Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) learns that a bounty is being offered for his head; despite the danger to himself, Zatoichi visits the mother of his victim and offers to help support her. As Zatoichi tries to find out why a price is being offered for his life, he discovers a community has been torn apart by violent feuding from rival bands of criminals - and that one of the bloodthirsty killers who has been drawn to this ugly contest is now the husband of Gajuro, a woman he once loved. Will Zatoichi fight to free his love, or will he search out the man who wants him dead?

Summary: I've seen several films in the Zatoichi, and I have to rate this as the best. I could see several ties to film noir in this movie, from the outlaw connections and shady bosses (never named) to the femme fatales and grey-shaded hero.



I was particularly drawn to the unnnamed Husband that shadows Zatoichi throughout the movie - here was a man honor-bound to avenge the "treachery" of his wife, and even when Zatoichi tells him that nothing occurred between them, the Husband's honor must be upheld. Driven increasingly eratic by his knowledge, the man pursues his enemy, even helping the blind swordsman when it appears that Zatoichi's life is in danger. After all, none but him may have the honor of slaying our hero. Their final fight is one of the most emotional that I have ever seen.



Zatoichi's closing words are chilling, not because he's moving on, but because he's (unsuccessfully) convincing himself that everything is fine. The blind swordsman is emotionally drained from the resolution of the conflict, and it will be some time before he can open up that much of himself again.

Summary: This is actually the second Zatoichi film i've ever seen (first was Kitano's). I took a chance seeing Animeigo had a sell on it, and since I enjoyed their releases of Lone Wolf & Cub I gave this a chance. I knew it was going to be good, but I had no idea it was going to be that good. Nice mix of martial arts and swordsplay as Zatoichi meets the one armed chinese man. Sadly they misunderstand each other due to the language barrier.
As for the DVD, the quality is excellent (don't expect less from animeigo). There are a few features such as character profiles which lets you get a better grasp of the story. There is also production notes and a few trailers for other animeigo releases that are very pleasing (except I think the trailer for this movie is kind of spoiler-ish). My only gripe is, I heard there were two endings for this film. One shot for Japanese audiences (which is what i'm guessing this film used), and one for Chinese audiences (which I have a good idea as to what happened in it). It would of been nice if they included the alternate ending as an extra or atleast mention it, but oh well. Nothing big since the ending used was perfect for the film.

Summary: This 23rd installment of Zatoichi is highly recommended. As usual, we find Zatoicihi in another one of his wildly strange predictaments. And as usual, we find the amusingly funny, humorous and charming personality of Ichi in this film. There is more humor in this episode than most of his previous outings. Also, Zatoichi is taunted by a young orphan who believes that Ichi killed his mother. And this orphan constantly taunts Ichi. [namely by throwing rocks at him]

In this episode Zatoichi helps to deliver the baby of a dying mother.[He even tries to breastfeed the baby] All the while, Ichi attempts to locate the missing baby's father. And of course there is the never-ending confrontation with the "bad-guys" in this film. There is a festival going on in the town where Ichi goes to seek out the father of the baby. Zatoichi intercedes when the aunt of the baby is grabbed by a gang of thugs, who intend to place her into prostitution. But Ichi' cane-sword is too quick.

The humor in this episode is very evident throughout the film: especially when comedy routines are performed before an official in order to qualify for admission into the festival. [namely the monkey act] The film is very entertaining and one of the better ones in the series. Although I do like them all [I am a bit biased] For Zatoichi fans, you will not be disappointed, there is plently of Ichi's swordsmanship on display when he starts to clean up the town of "bad guys." And a very good ending in the film. Highly recommend. Enjoy!

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Summary: Zatoichi, the wandering masseur and master swordsman, is a mercenary hero with a difference: he's blind, and no less deadly for it. In his debut, Ichi shuffles into a gangster-run town like a wry con man, fleecing the dim-bulb gambling thugs and sponging off a local mob boss who wants the deadly Ichi on his side in an impending gang war. Released the same year Akira Kurosawa unleashed "Yojimbo", stocky Shintaro Katsu's modest and soft-spoken Ichi couldn't be more different from the dynamic Toshiro Mifune's swaggering and arrogant Yojimbo. Director Kenji Misume can't match Kurosawa's searing cynicism or dynamic action, but when Ichi finally lets loose after avoiding conflict for the entire film, his spare, sudden attack makes a startling contrast to the usual flashing swords and furious movements. Zatoichi returned in 25 sequels and a long-running TV series, always played by Shintaro Katsu.
The newly restored DVD features a small stills gallery, a fold-out insert with an essay by Tatsu Aoki (a self described "Ichi Freak"), and four collector cards. "--Sean Axmaker"

Summary: At the Yokota Air Force base in Japan, a nervous American military is on the brink of the Vietnam War. But a greater threat exists within the walls of the heavily guarded compound: Vampires. A team of top-secret undercover agents dispatches a mysterious young woman to destroy them... she is the last remaining original. Featuring brilliant character designs, top-notch animation and a stunning musical score, Blood: The Last Vampire is a breakthrough in digital filmmaking, taking anime to a whole new level.

Summary: The original 1965 Japanese series, Gigantor is a large & indestructable robot. Under the remote control of intrepid youth Jimmy Sparks. Gigantor spends his days battling evil villains like Prince Hothead and Dr. Katzmeow, protecting various cities and sidekicks, often getting assistance from private eye Dick Strong. Gigantor absorbs much damage before determinedly rising to the occasion and laying his foe to waste. Special Features: New digital transfer from the original 16mm film
Director's commentary for the Spider series

Summary: Isao Takahata's powerful antiwar film has been praised by critics wherever it has been screened around the world. When their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo near the end of World War II, teenage Seita and his little sister Setsuko are left on their own: their father is away, serving in the Imperial Navy. The two children initially stay with an aunt, but she has little affection for them and resents the time and money they require. The two children set up housekeeping in a cave by a stream, but their meager resources are quickly exhausted, and Seita is reduced to stealing to feed his sister.
The strength of "Grave of the Fireflies" lies in Takahata's evenhanded portrayal of the characters. A sympathetic doctor, the greedy aunt, the disinterested cousins all know there is little they can do for Seita and Setsuko. Their resources, like their country's, are already overtaxed: anything they spare endangers their own survival. As in the "Barefoot Gen" films, no mention is made of Japan's role in the war as an aggressor; but the depiction of the needless suffering endured by its victims transcends national and ideological boundaries. "--Charles Solomon"

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Summary: "It is only a matter of understanding your effective qualities of heart and mind- this is what is essential to martial arts" - Musashi Miyamoto.
Considered to be the finest swordsman that ever lived, Miyamoto's theories have been transcribed into many languages and are highly regarded by successful business gurus. This Oscar winning trilogy starring Toshiro Mifune (SEVEN SAMURAI) follows the life of Musashi - from man, to myth, and into legend.

Summary: Triple DVD box set featuring: Invincible Shaolin:
An evil Ching warlord invites three Shaoliners to his mansion and has them fight it out with three novice South Shaoliners. When the South Shaoliners are accidentally killed by the Northern Shaoliners, news reaches Shaolin, and three top fighters are sent to deal with the problem. But will the truth of the evil warlord be revealed before it’s too late? Heroes Two:
This legendary tale of Shaolin avengers Fang Shih-Yu and Hung Hsi-Kuan is often considered one of the best films made by Chang Cheh, and features action choreography by the renowned Liu Chia-Liang. The Magic Blade:
This is an exciting tale of two rival swordsmen in imperial China, vying with a power-hungry villian for possession of the dangerous “Peacock Dart”, which leads to a final showcase that stands out as a highlight in kung-fu cinema.

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Summary: Go Deep Inside The World Of Hong Kong Crime The Infernal Affairs trilogy has been heralded as some of the best cinema to ever come out of Hong Kong. Going deep inside the world of the HK police and triad societies, the lines are often blurred between right and wrong. Featuring excellent performances from some of Hong Kong's best actors; it is easy to see why Martin Scorsese has chosen to remake this series with his upcoming film The Departed. This is crime cinema at its best.

Summary: Oh, how well I remember this one from a Saturday afternoon way back when! "Destroy All Monsters" is the ultimate Japanese monster movie that makes good on its promise to offer up every creature in this pantheon: Godzilla, Rodan, Gidrah, Mothra, Bagara, Spidrah, Minilla and Manda. There are so many monsters in this movie that there are some I have never seen before, and I thought I had seen more than my fair share of monster flicks from the Land of the Rising Sun. The excuse for the non-stop mayhem is that a sinister race of aliens is using Earth's own monsters to destroy every capital in the world (e..g, Godzilla takes out NYC). The only chance for the human race is for the United Nations Star Ship Moonlight SYS (you have to love the name) to locate the secret hidden base of the Kilaks, which is somewhere on the moon. If they can break the control of the aliens over the monsters, Earth has a chance! This 1968 film from director Ishiro Honda is letterboxed and dubbed in English (of course; would you have it any other way?). "Destroy All Monsters" certainly jams more destruction by guys in monster suits (or monsters suspended by wires) than any film you will ever come across. Sooner or later, if you are a fan of this genre, you have to check this one out.

Summary: MONSTERS OF MASS DESTRUCTION The giant monsters of old have been safely imprisoned on Monster Island.
From outer space come a race of Alien women called the Kilaaks who release the monsters to destroy the earth. New York, Bejing, Moscow and Tokyo are all suddenly under attack. The only hope is that astronaut Katsuo can reach the Alien moonbase - before it's too late. Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Manda, King Ghidorah and host of your monster favourites come to life in some of the biggest battles of the Godzilla series.

Summary: Godzilla's 50th Anniversary project and costliest adventure to date out of 28 films. Earth has been relatively peaceful since Godzilla was successfully buried deep in ice beneath the South Pole. Then - sometime a few years hence-several of his old nemeses return to wreak havoc on cities worldwide. A huge spaceship suddenly appears and neutralizes all the monsters in a blink. The visitors are "Xiliens," who take human form and announce they would like to negotiate a peace treaty that would replace the United Nations with a "United Universe". They are indeed too good to be true, however. It doesn't take long before their nefarious real purpose is exposed - conquering Earth. Greatly outmatched, Earth officials decide to de-freeze Godzilla as man's only hope to vanish the invaders, as well as the monsters they control. Only trouble is Godzilla is still mad at man for freezing him in the first place.

Summary: Strange radio waves are beamed to earth from Planet X, near Jupiter. After contact with aliens, the earth agrees to assist the people of Planet X with a monster problem. Soon, the aliens turn against the earth and launch an attack that includes Godzilla, Rodan and Ghidorah combined.

Summary: Japan's favorite city-wrecker faces his most formidable enemy--a robot version of himself--in this sci-fi adventure, which packs enough action to satisfy fans of giant-creature brawls. As with the previous films in the unofficial "Godzilla Millennium" series (which reinvented the Toho canon following the release of Godzilla 2000), Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla dismisses all of the monster's previous rampages after its initial appearance in 1954, including his three showdowns with MechaGodzilla. Here, the massive robot is constructed using DNA from the 1954 Godzilla (still moldering in Tokyo Bay) to combat a new one that threatens Japan. Director Maasaki Tezuki (Godzilla vs. Megaguirus) favors action over story, which may displease hardcore Godzilla fans, but the battles are spectacular, and clips from older Toho titles like Mothra and War of the Gargantuas are always a welcome sight (as is a cameo by the Yankees' Hideki Matsui!). As with other Columbia-TriStar Godzilla DVDs, this widescreen disc offers viewers two language options: the original Japanese dialogue track (with English or French subtitles) and an English-dubbed track. --Paul Gaita

Summary: Strange aliens hatch an evil plot to take over the Earth - building a Robot Godzilla to crush all interference. Soon, the real Godzilla along with King Caesar join forces in an epic struggle to save mankind. A monster from space fights the monsters of old in one of the best Godzilla films of the series!

Summary: John Blackthorne, an English ship pilot, whose vessel wrecked upon the Japanese coast in the early 17th century is forced to deal with the two most powerful men in Japan in these days. He is thrown in the midst of a war between Toranaga and Ishido, who struggle for the title of Shogun which will give ultimate power to the one who possesses it. Special Features:
13 Segment Documentary
The Making of Shogun
Historical Perspectives Featurettes
Audio Commentary by Director Jerry London on Selected Scenes