DVDpedia : GQ DVD & Blu-Ray Library : Title : R

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Drama

Duration: 91

Summary: In this wicked thriller from 1992, director Brian De Palma shamelessly borrows from Alfred Hitchcock (as usual) and several other filmmakers to create a shock-a-thon that plays like a film buff's highlight reel from a dozen different thrillers. Taken on those terms it's a lot of fun to watch (though not for the faint-hearted), and multiple maniac roles for John Lithgow make it an irresistible shocker that isn't afraid to wallow in its own excess. Lithgow not only plays the evil Dr. Carter Nix, who is performing strange experiments on children, but he also plays the doctor's twin sons, Josh and Cain, who kidnap kids and bring them to their father's laboratory. Lolita Davidovich is a mother whose child has been abducted, but she won't give up without a fight. If this sounds repulsive, rest assured that De Palma focuses on the battle between the mother and the nefarious twins (this isn't a film about gratuitous child abuse), and film students will delight in the allusions to Hitchcock, Michael Powell's "Peeping Tom", and Orson Welles's "Touch of Evil," among others. It never makes much sense or adds up to anything truly satisfying, but thanks to Lithgow's wild performances "Raising Cain" is the kind of over-the-top thriller that grabs you for 95 minutes and holds you in its entertaining grip. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Lionsgate

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 92

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)

Theatrical:

Studio: Universal

Genre: Action & Adventure, Box Set

Duration: 279 mins

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.

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Genre: Horror

Duration: 86

Summary: Stuart Gordon's adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "Herbert West: Re-Animator" puts a "Night of the Living Dead" spin on the classic "Frankenstein" story. Jeffrey Combs furrows his brow and bugs his eyes as the preternaturally intense Herbert West, a maverick medical student whose gory, gooey experiments cause bloody corpses and body parts to jerk to life. Bruce Abbot is the studious roommate drawn into his extracurricular experiments, which soon involve the dean's daughter (the frequently naked Barbara Crampton) and the college's cadaverous, calculating star professor (David Gale), who literally loses his head over a battle for West's discovery. In this world, that's only a minor setback. Charged with sick gallows humor and a ghoulish gallery of undead beasties, "Re-Animator", like "Evil Dead II", is one of the most inspired and inventive--and funniest--horror films of the 1980s. Combs, Abbot, and Gale reunite for the almost-as-entertaining sequel "Bride of Re-Animator". "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical:

Studio: Wild East

Genre: Western

Duration: 114

Summary: A film that has James Coburn and Telly Savalas starring should be entertaining, at least that's what I thought when I bought this dvd. Unfortunately, a mediocre story line sinks this, and Savalas does not even appear until an hour into the film, and his performance is restrained at best. I'm wondering if he was doing Mario Bava's "Lisa and the Devil" which was around the same time, and this was just a quick job for him. He adds nothing to the film. Coburn is okay, but the decision to dub his voice with another actor is strange. The cinematography is excellent, and the dvd transfer is great as well, though the first five minutes of the film is very rough, with scratches and a washed out look. Otherwise it looks gorgeous, almost Criterion quality. The plot, borrowing liberally from the Dirty Dozen, involves Coburn "recruiting" men sentenced to death for various crimes. Their mission: to destroy a Confederate base that is the key to Southern control of the South West part of the Confederacy. The real purpose is personal, and Coburn wants Savalas dead. Nice idea, but there is no depth to the characters; Coburn's men are a motley lot, but after the initial escape attempt, are a bunch of red shirts being led to slaughter. For diehard spaghetti western completists only.

Theatrical: 1940

Studio: MRA

Genre: Crime & Thriller

Duration: 130 mins

Summary: The shadow of this woman darkened their love. A young woman believes her every dream has come true when her whirlwind romance with the dashing Maxim de Winter culminates in marriage. Bus she soon realizes taht Rebecca, the dead first Mrs. de Winter, haunts both the tempermental, brooding Maxim and the deWinter mansion, Manderley. In order for Maxim and the new Mrs. de Winter to have a future, Rebecca's spell must be broken and the mystery of her violent death unraveled.

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Paramount Studio

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Summary: Do yourself a favor: pick up a copy of Alien, Ridley Scott's brilliant sci-fi/horror masterpiece, instead of wasting your time on The Relic. This patent rip-off of just about every other worthy horror and/or disaster flick certainly looks good in the packaging: a sturdy cast led by Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, and Oscar-winner Linda Hunt; a reliable director (Peter Hyams); and a creepy enough setting--Chicago's Museum of Natural History, where an anticipated exhibition about tribal artifacts called "Superstition" is about to debut. OK. So far, so good. But some of the pieces scheduled for show have crossed customs even though the freighter that has hauled them north is found adrift and empty--its crew the victims of a mysterious creature that is soon on the rampage in the museum. The Relic relies on huge leaps of faith to engage the viewer, and finally offers nothing to elevate what could have been good fun--poking here and there at several different movie genres--to a higher level . Ultimately, the film suffers most from its own self-consciousness--it knows it's a carbon copy of better predecessors, and its awkwardness is apparent. The otherwise glossy production is so dimly lit that it's a struggle to tell what's going on, and everything in this tepid formula piece about genetic mutation gone awry is further marred by cheesy special effects. It's almost as if the movie is trying to run away from itself and hide. Try as they may, the cast is saddled with dull, wishy-washy characters who are predictably doomed or saved, depending on their place in the food chain. While the trick in any good sci-fi film is to make the monster as smart--or smarter--than its pursuers, The Relic relegates its mutated horror to less than brainy turf and the war between good and evil is never much of a war at all--just a noisy, bloody, borrowed mess. --Paula Nechak

Theatrical:

Studio: Paramount Home Video

Genre: Cartoon & Animation, Television, Box Set

Summary: The delirious animated series "Ren and Stimpy" makes its DVD debut in a three-disc set that features seasons 1 and 2, as well as a handful of extras to please its devoted fan base. The surreal adventures of short-tempered Chihuahua Ren and good-natured but simple cat Stimpson J. Cat caught on like a house afire with teen and college audiences during its 1991-96 run on Nickelodeon, despite regular battles between the network and creator John Kricfalusi (who also voiced Ren and several other characters) over allegedly objectionable content in certain episodes. The conflict eventually led to several episodes suffering edits, much to the chagrin of the show's creators and audience alike; the unedited versions of these episodes have become much sought-after and traded items among collectors. And while this set attempts to rectify that situation by presenting the show in its uncut form, die-hard fans should know that several episodes retain minor cuts; however, many others, most notably the pilot, "Big House Blues," and "Powdered Toastman" are presented in their original, uncut versions. Extras include commentaries on seven episodes by Kricfalusi and the show's creators, storyboard galleries, a featurette, and the "banned" episode "Man's Best Friend." "--Paul Gaita"

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Nickelodeon

Genre: Cartoon & Animation, Television, Box Set

Duration: 373

Summary: Did you REALLY think you were safe from the insanity and stupidity of Ren and Stimpy? Well, the demented duo is back for more madness with their friends Powdered Toastman, Jimmy Lummox, Jerry the Bellybutton Elf, crazy Wilbur Cobb, deranged circus midgets, and more! From girl scouts to brain surgery, from prehistoric times to Washington, D.C., from inside Stimpy Bellybutton, to inside Ren's face, get ready for a whacked-out ride! Oh, joy of joys!

Theatrical:

Studio: Momentum Pictures Home Ent

Genre: Crime & Thriller

Summary: Tarantino's debut movie is cult viewing. The film benefits from a quality cast of actors with Harvey Keitel & Steve Buscemi being particularly impressive as Mr White & Mr Pink. The script is witty and engaging throughout. I'd never previously seen such a seemingly disjointed movie come together so perfectly as in Reservoir Dogs. I especially enjoyed the way the resevoir dogs turn on each other in order to try and uncover who the "rat" is after their failed diamond heist. Furthermore, the use of colour code names and cool suits & shades is another inspired choice by Tarantino. The film is both violent,coarse and darkly humourous - a perfect mix. The movie soundtrack is also particularly impressive. The highlight would have to be Mr Blonde dancing to the ditty of "Stuck in the middle with you", prior to engaging in ritual torture. This is of course the movie's most controversial episode with Michael Madsen hacking off the cop's ear, humiliating him and threatening to set him alight. A big fuss over nothing was made over this and its release on video was delayed as a result. They only succeeded in further enhancing the film's appeal. If your yet to see this film then you're in for a treat, I remember emerging from the cinema on pure adrenaline. The dvd special features cupboard is worryingly bare. Why only a trailer and Tarantino intro for such a very special movie? I can't let that trivial detail detract from this film's excellence - maximum marks for this masterpiece.

Theatrical:

Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Genre: Action / Adventure, Drama/Romance

Summary: Mastermind Joe Cabot assembles a crew of top-notch criminalsto pull off a jewelry store heist. As the film opens it becomes immediately clear that the plan backfired, forcing the survivors, who have gathered at an abandoned warehouse, to figure out if one of them is, in fact, a police informer. The crew--Mr.White, an aged veteran; Mr. Orange, a wounded newcomer; Mr. Blonde, a psychopathic parolee; Mr. Pink, a bickering weasel; and Nice Guy Eddie, Joes son--begin to unravel as thepressure becomes too much for them to handle. When Joe arrives, the truth becomes clear in a vicious Mexican standoff.

Theatrical:

Studio: El Paso Pictures

Genre: Western

Duration: 85 minutes

Summary: From back cover, "Jack Nicholson and Monte Hellman star in this timeless cult classic, written and produced by Nicolsen this western tells the tale of how an innocent man becomes an outlaw. Three cowboys are in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and are mistaken for a gang of robbers by a band of vigilantes. Two of the cowboys are killed and the last is forced to become an outlaw himself, if he is to stay alive."

Theatrical: 2011

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 105

Summary: During experiments to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease, a genetically-enhanced chimpanzee uses its greater intelligence to lead other apes to freedom.

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Drama

Duration: 112 min

Summary: But director Sam Mendes was at the helm plus my all time favorite actor, Paul Newman, was in a strong supporting role. So I went. Boy, am I glad I did! First, this is the most artistically rendered gangster film I've ever seen. There is one scene of gangsters being machine gunned to death out in the rain that is absolutely magnificent, for example. You don't hear the sound of the gun at all but see its flash instead from deep within the shadows of the rainy night. The whole movie is like this, including an off camera rendering of grief (finding a wife and child gunned down). The theme is fathers and their sons, where fathers may lead their sons and how that can come back to haunt them. Paul Newman is the head gangster, Rooney, with a son, Connor, that it would be tame to describe as "good for nothing." Rooney is used to making excuses for Connor though and that is the genesis of the conflict at the core of the movie. Hanks' Mike Sullivan is a father too. One of his sons is killed by Connor and he's forced to go on the lam with his other son, Michael. I was not a Tom Hanks fan in his younger days but I like the job he is doing on these middle-aged characters who have more complexity. He does a fine job. The boy who plays his son does a terrific job too. Some may complain that this has some mawkish or overly sentimental moments but the whole of it is so well done that I can't really complain about them.

Theatrical:

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Summary: When Robocop was release in Malaysia, it was a hit. I enjoyed the movie (and at that time, I don't even know who is Paul Verhoeven) a lot. Title maybe corny, but what makes a hit is the story involve and the violence.Years later, two sequels came (Robocop 2 was a more action packed oriented without direction rather than the 1st movie while Robocop 3 was an excuse of making a sequel of the sequel) by and I have watched both with dissapointment. And I never thought the movie was written what used to be my favorite comic book writer Frank Miller. Dissapointment it is.Well, comes the DVD Robocop Trilogy set. And yes, I bought it with curious reasons because its cheap. After viewing the classic, this is one edition that you have to get because you can't find a Director's Cut version of 2 scenes that was editted out because its VERY VIOLENT. Plus the 4 deleted scenes, 3 featurettes, storyboards & more is what gives the classic worth paying for, even though Robocop 2 & 3 suck.But to buy all 3 together with the price that is given? I'll buy that for a dollar... well, if only it is for a dollar.Only for the fun of enjoying the cult hit series.

Theatrical:

Studio: Fox

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Summary: Robocop:
When a good cop (Peter Weller) gets blown away by some ruthless criminal, innovative scientists and doctors are able to piece him back together as an unstoppable crime-fighting cyborg called “Robocop”. Impervious to bullets and bombs and equiped with high tech weaponry, Robocop quickly makes a name for himself by cleaning up the crime-ridden streets of violence-ravaged Detroit. But, despite his new, hardened exterior, Robocop is tormented by scraps of memory of his former life and relives vivid nightmares of his own death at the hands of the vicious killers. Now he is about to seek more than justice…he wants revenge! Robocop 2:
Detroit has descended further into a state of turmoil and chaos. With the police department on strike a new designer drug called “Nuke” is causing rampant city-wide street violence. Only Robocop , the police department’s top crime-fighter, can stop the mayhem. But standing in his way is a bigger and tougher cyborg with a deadly directive: take out Robocop. Updated with the newest technology and weaponry, and containing the brain of the madman who designed “Nuke,” this new cyborg isn’t only more sophisticated than his predecessor…he’s psychotic and out of control! And Robocop will have to risk everything – maybe even his life – to save Detroit from complete and utter anarchy. Robocop 3:
The Motor City has gone completely private. And the ruthless corporation that runs the town is violently kicking families out of their homes to clear space for a profitable new real estate project. Robocop (Robert John Burke, Copland), sworn to protect the public, joins forces with a renegade band of freedom fighters to aid in the battle to save people’s houses – pitting himself against some of his toughest opponents to date, including and android Ninja and a dangerous gang of thugs: The Splatterpunks. Robocop’s latest arsenal of high-tech weaponry only somewhat evens the battlefield as this lone superhero, takes on the entire army of corporate militia in an all-out war to control Detroit.

Theatrical: 2003

Studio:

Genre: Music DVDs - Concerts

Summary: Tracks: Fold, Funky Pervert From Des Moines, The Song of Sam, Oblique Firefly Overlocker, Cant, Memorial Discotheque, The Wing Of The Plane, Anti Intellectual, Choose Evil, Heart Of The Party, Kittens, Dollarex, All Saints Ballet, Walrus Guitars, Starts With K.

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Crime & Thriller, Television

Duration: 1076

Summary: Series about an ex-con-turned-private-investigator named Jim Rockford who would rather run away than fight and would rather go fishing than work. He isn't a coward and he isn't lazy--just a bit on the cautious side that's all. And he bears a very strong resemblance to Western TV hero Bret Maverick. Rockford is sometimes aided (and sometimes deterred) in his cases by friends Dennis Becker (a police detective) Angel (his cowardly former cellmate) and pretty Beth Davenport (his lawyer).Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 025195005715 Manufacturer No: 61100691

Theatrical: 1961

Studio: Sony Music (Video)

Genre: Cartoon & Animation

Summary: Now here's something you don't see everyday, Chauncey. It's the complete first season of one of television's smartest, savviest, and most subversively funny animated series, ranked by TV Guide as one of the top 50 series of all time. Like the animators at Warner Bros.' Termite Terrace (birthplace of Porky, Daffy, and Bugs), producer Jay Ward, his partner Bill Scott (the voice of Bullwinkle), and the cracked writing staff did not write down to children. The dialogue is witty and sharply satiric. Characters break the "fourth wall" between the screen and the audience. They make sly references to the show's creators and the television network. They hurl barbs of mass destruction at Washington, D.C. politicians. And then there are the godawful puns. This four-disc set contains the series' first two serial adventures. "Jet Fuel Formula" is a cold war-era blast, as Rocky (voiced by June Foray, the Queen of Cartoons) and Bullwinkle frantically race to re-create a rocket fuel recipe (actually Grandma Bullwinkle's recipe for mooseberry fudge cake), while being menaced by those no-goodniks Boris Badenov and femme fatale Natasha. "Box Top Robbery" reveals that the basis for the world's economy is not gold and silver, but cereal box tops. Linking these cliffhanging episodes are such hilarious segments as "Fractured Fairy Tales," which upend familiar storybook favorites (Red Riding Hood, for example, is a predatory fur merchant after the unwitting wolf), "Mr. Peabody," the canine genius who travels through time in the company of his boy, Sherman, and forthright Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties, who must contend with his own horse for the affections of sweet Nell. Bullwinkle gets extra credits as Mr. Know-It-All and as the host of Poetry Corner. And watch him pull a rabbit out of his hat! These cartoons are as fresh and funny as when they first aired more than four decades ago. Boomer-era adults will be amazed at the jokes that no doubt soared over their heads as children. --Donald Liebenson

Theatrical: 1975

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 125

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"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 115

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"