Hey folks, Harry here… a brief trip to L.A. delayed the column a tidbit, but here it is – as quickly as I could. There’s some nice items this week – as I hope you’ll notice. As usual, the images and title links will transport you quickly and quietly to Amazon where you can learn more and even purchase the titles in question, usually at a decent discount while also throwing a bit of the purchase price towards the continuation of this column… which I hope you enjoy. Here ya go…

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES – Season 1 (Blu Ray)

When HD-DVD was the rage that fueled my purchasing insanity – that it had the Original Series on HD… well it made me very happy. That said, this is clearly a superior product. Not in Image, but in content. The image is as far as I can tell – every bit as sharp and hot. But the HD DVD only gave us the new fangled special editions. Here on the Blu Ray – branched perfectly – you can angle switch from the original episodes and the new spruced up versions. Meaning, if you’re watching the classic original – and you want to see the new effects for a sequence you just watched, you can switch over, back up and there it is. VERY COOL. They’ve done a fantastic job with this set. Exactly what we Star Trek geeks have been clamoring for. Special Editions and Originals – in 1080p. Sweetness. And god, reviewing the first season really got me fired up for seeing JJ’s in IMAX soon!

X-MEN, Volume 1

In my opinion and a lot of yours as well… the best X-MEN cartoon has finally come to DVD in a proper release. Here’s what on Volume 1:

Disc 1
Night of the Sentinels (Part 1)
Night of the Sentinels (Part 2)
Enter Magneto
Deadly Reunions
Captive Hearts
Cold Vengeance
Slave Island
The Unstoppable Juggernaut

Disc 2
The Cure
Come The Apocalypse
Days Of Future Past (Part 1)
Days Of Future Past (Part 2)
The Final Decision
Till Death Do Us Part (Part 1)
Till Death Do Us Part (Part 2)
Whatever It Takes

Marvel X-MEN Volume 2

Some day, we fans of X-MEN will hopefully get a reboot of X-MEN theatrically that actually endeavors to give us the films we all really have been clamoring for. That 5 part Phoenix Saga would be astonishing to watch adapted well. But at least we have this and our original issues to sate our desires. Here’s what is on Volume 2:

Disc 1
Red Dawn
Repo Man
X-Ternally Yours
Time Fugitives (Part 1)
Time Fugitives (Part 2)
A Rogue's Tale
Beauty & The Beast
Mojo Vision

Disc 2
Reunion (Part 1)
Reunion (Part 2)
Out of the Past (Part 1)
Out of the Past (Part 2)
The Phoenix Saga (Part 1): Sacrifice
The Phoenix Saga (Part 2): The Dark Shroud
The Phoenix Saga (Part 3): Cry of the Banshee
The Phoenix Saga (Part 4): The Starjammers
The Phoenix Saga (Part 5): Child of Light

THE READER

A very strong film, not quite worthy of edging out some of the Best Picture nominees that should have been, but Kate is amazing in the film - and that isn't just because she's naked and awesomely hot and real. This is an erotic and disturbing story about a May / December romance between a young student and an ex-Concentration Camp guard for the women's area. It is disturbing material - make no doubt, but it is a compelling story. Kate's performance is worth purchasing all on its own. Wonderful film

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: The Sixth TV Season

I love this series so much. This season featured the oh my god hot Lynda Day George! But we also get Kirk in an episode! Yes, William Shatner is tricked into believing he’s traveled into his own gangster past! Also this season we have Joe Don Baker walking tall! The writing and the music are tops as always on the series. The cast is really really popping here – which is so strange. This was truly a show that got better season to season – and it started out great!

THE DA VINCI CODE (Blu Ray)

I’m not entirely fond of this film. It has a lot to like, but from everything I’ve heard – it is a very apt adaptation of the original book – which many say is lacking as well. But I’m looking forward to ANGELS & DEMONS and as such, I’ll pick this up today and check out the “extended edition” to get me back in that universe prior to checking out this new chapter of the story.

IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES (Blu Ray) Criterion Collection)

Wow. If you’ve never seen Oshima’s IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES you’re in for an experience. Banned in its native country of Japan for a time, and still heavily censored, IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES purports to tell us a true story of excessive erotic decay in pre-WWII Japan. Criterion has done an amazing job with the image on this Blu Ray release on the title. It tells the story of a man of some means in Japan. He’s married, but develops an affair with a servant woman that becomes all-consuming. The sex is graphic and perverse at times. And where it goes in the story is definitely not where many of you will be able to stomach. But… it happened. A true Adult erotic masterpiece. Something that is more often than naught – a rarety. Great job Criterion!

THE UNINVITED

Quint and Moriarty both dismiss this film. I disagree. It feels like a horror film for kids that are still reading NANCY DREW and HARDY BOYS books, but with a slight kink to it all. The film is about sisters. One had been in a sanitarium, after a tragic incident that took her mother’s life. She returns home with her memory still clouded and a sister to help navigate her way to a new mom and a sexually satisfied pops. I found the film oddly more adult than I was suspecting, but really it’s the type of film where sisters would sit in the bathtub together to have a private discussion of suspicions. In particular I like David Strathairn as the grieving in the bedsheets Dad.

MARTYRS

Ok – if THE UNINVITED is a tweeny horror – this. Well, I would personally double bill it with THE UNINVITED for kids all day long. Because THE UNINVITED is Nerf Horror. MARTYRS is similar in many ways. It plays with Traumatized surviving girls that grow up to seek retribution, but find themselves in the midst of something so incredibly fucked up that it has left many vomiting. Seriously. MARTYRS isn’t a “ferocious horror film” as the box states. It is brutal. It is hard to watch. However, it is also oddly and disturbingly beautiful. The film is twisted beyond much that I’ve seen. This is easily one of the most disturbing and horrifying films I’ve ever seen. It is more than most can take. Even those that purport to have iron stomachs for cinematic wrongness. Be thankful this isn’t on Blu Ray yet.

THE HIT Criterion Collection

Do you like a side of existentialism with your British gangster flicks? Well, look no further than THE HIT – a tremendous film by Stephen Frears starring John Hurt, Terrence Stamp, Jim Broadbent and the wonderful Laura del Sol! Criterion has again pulled out the treats for this much needed release. Here’s what you get: Commentary featuring director Stephen Frears and actors _John Hurt and Tim Roth_Parkinson One-to-One: Terence Stamp, a 1988 television interview with the actor_Original theatrical trailer_PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Graham Fuller

JCVD

The unheralded performance of JCVD is that of director Mabrouk El Mechri. I can’t really credit Jean-Claude Van Damme with the full credit for this performance, because I’ve seen all of his films – and he has never been so much as on the same continent of performance ability exhibited in this film. And Van Damme has had many talented directors trying to crack that thud that accompanies his dialogue. In JCVD, we’re shown a post-modern performance from Van Damme which is quite startling. Do not watch this if you just want to see him doing split kicks and high kicks. This isn’t the typical Van Brain Dammage spectacle. Instead, this is a vastly superior film. Purporting to be the real Van Damme. I don’t know much of anything about Mabrouk El Mechri, but he’s a director that we should keep our eye on. If he can get this performance out of Van Damme, imagine what he could do with a real actor. Highest possible recommendation!

JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN

Directed by Dalton Trumbo, the year I was born, comes one of the most brutal war stories you’ll see. A tale too often not told in the wake of war, but seen by the families that welcome home their injured loved ones. Timothy Bottoms plays a survivor of World War 1, who no longer has his arms or legs… but he’s also missing his eyes, ears, mouth and nose. This is an adaptation of Trumbo’s own brilliant anti-war novel of the same name – written in the 30s. This has been released outside of the U.S. for years – but is just now finding release here – and it is a worthy release. There’s a DALTON TRUMO feature length documentary. An interview of Timothy Bottoms. Metallica’s ONE video and the 1940 radio adaptation which starred JAMES CAGNEY! A great release.

JETSONS: THE MOVIE

Ok – confession time. This came out the year I graduated High School. Class of 89! Yup, it’s my 20th High School reunion this year. Jesus. Time flies. Anyway – believe it or not, I was really excited about this release that year. It wasn’t nearly as much anticipation as I had for BATMAN or HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS – but you see… It had Tiffany, and at the time – I had a schoolboy crush on Tiffany. And I had fun with it. Watching it today – it isn’t what it used to be in my brain. Instead, I see it as less than the series, but still amusing.

THE LOONEY, LOONEY, LOONEY BUGS BUNNY MOVIE

I was 9 when this compilation film came to theaters. The new animation was fun and the old animation is classic. I actually have a gorgeous 16mm print of this – and as a result after watching it, gave this to a friend with a 4 year old. And ya know what – that lil fella didn’t know who or what Bugs Bunny was! Holy shit! That’s possible? Now look, I’m gonna speak real serious like to all you parents out there. Please educate your children beyond Cartoon Network, Nick, Disney, etc. Pick this up, and raise your kids right. Bugs, Daffy and crew are necessary in the hearts, souls and dreams of every child. So… hop to it. Get this for the kid in your life!

WHILE SHE WAS OUT

Not a great film, but a really fun one. I love movies with Lukas Haas. He’s a fellow Austinite, grew up here in town around the same time as me, but I’ve loved following his career. Here he plays a thug bastard gang leader that’s out to ruin Kim Basinger’s Christmas Eve. The initial encounter was enough to cause Yoko to go to bed early, parking lot encounters are a major phobia of hers. So warning to you ladies with similar phobias – but let me tell you something… this is actually a crazy cool woman empowerment flick. Kim doesn’t pull a Clayton Williams, she’s tough, smart and resourceful. This is a superior, smaller film that is at times unbelievable, but in a very fun and entertaining way. You might have read Capone’s full review earlier this month, if so, you know this is one to catch!

THE SHE-BEAST

As a card carrying member of the Bava-Believers – I, of course, worship Barbara Steele. Here she plays the victim of an evil witch in 18th century Transylvania that captures our dearest newlywed. Her newfound hubby must team with a distant relative of Van Helsing to bring the She-Beast down. Love it!

THE HAIRDRESSER’S HUSBAND

Patrice Leconte is one of the great filmmakers out there making films. His GIRL ON THE BRIDGE is easily one of my favorite films I’ve seen in the 13 years AICN has been putting movies in front of my eyeballs. When you see a film like GIRL ON THE BRIDGE it makes you seek out the rest of the auteur’s work – and Leconte is indeed deserving of an auteur title. RIDICULE, PERFUME OF YVONNE, GIRL ON THE BRIDGE and this… all absolutely fantastic works. This one stars one of my fave foreign actors, Jean Rochefort. Leconte also has an amazing eye for wonderful actresses – and Anna Galiena is amazing. A fantastic release.

GLEN AND RANDA

I love post-apocalyptic cinema. This is a relatively unseen film, but it is actually quite an intriguing look at the time after the sky rains death. Glen and Randa are Post-Apocalyptic children… all grown up and searching for something. Glen finds a comic book and comes to believe that Metropolis is a real and true place – and Randa head off across the wastelands for their four-color Shangri-La. There is X-rated content here. But this isn’t your typical X-rated sort of work. Of note – Randa is played by Shelley Plimpton, mother of Martha Plimpton… who we all had a goofy crush on, right?

THE PERFUME OF YVONNE

This is the other great work of Patrice Leconte that is available this week. This is another just flat out hot films. Leconte has the capacity to just make you turned on. It isn’t a matter of showing a bit of nudity, but in how he catches intimacy with his lens. He has an amazing quality of intimacy in his films. Not because it is two characters in a room, but because there is something in their eyes, something in how they are with each other. Something that we recognize as being hot, real and most importantly… honesty! A superior film for mature minds.

WAR GODS COLLECTION ( SON OF SAMSON, HERO OF ROME, WAR GODS OF BABYLON, THE MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD, SON OF CLEOPATRA, INVINCIBLE GLADIATOR, WAR GODDESS, DAY THE EARTH FROZE )

A series of cheap moderately entertaining sword and sandal films from Italy – where in the wake of the American Sword & Sandal flicks – they sprung forth like Old Faithful. These are of varying levels of entertainment. Personally I like the third, fourth and fifth films most in this set, but there’s nothing particularly awesome about them. If you’re a fan of the genre, the $18 bucks for 8 films should be enough reason to pick them up. The picture quality isn’t amazing, it’s what you’d expect at this price range, but you do have a selection of “ok” sword and sandal flicks that most likely you’ve never seen.

British Cinema Volume 2 – Comedy Collection: OUR GIRL FRIDAY, DENTIST IN THE CHAIR, RUNAWAY BUS, CARRY ON ADMIRAL & TIME OF HIS LIFE

I don’t know about you, but I love late 50’s British comedies. There’s just something about the odd, weird characters that appeals to me. With a cast of folks like Joan Collins, Peggy Cummins, Frankie Howard, David Tomlinson – we have here a series of late fifties and one early sixties British comedies that are very simple, yet amusing comedies. These are neat little films with light-hearted premises and they are by no means the best of type. These are no where near the top of British humor. They’re just fun films. Not greatly memorable. But fun for the time in which you give them.

THE BOOBY HATCH

From John Russo, one of the guys behind NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD – and the principal fella behind the wretched loathsome turd bath that was the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD SPECIAL EDITION, comes THE BOOBY HATCH. It’s a light hearted forgettable sexual farce that isn’t really worth picking up, even as an antiquated piece of masturbatory material. It’s just lacking in every way. So you shouldn’t pick it up.

NAKED RASHOMON

I haven’t seen this. There’s no record of this 1972 film, but ya know. I’m curious as fuck. Plus this label has put out a lot of very fun, risqué material – I look forward to picking it up! Meanwhile – have any of you seen this yet?

COLD EYES OF FEAR

From the director of INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, comes COLD EYES OF FEAR… This is an Italian Giallo. Not one of the best, but an ok run at the genre. It has a very fun score by Morricone, but the real treat is the fun, keep ya guessing narratie of a giallo. For fans of the genre only.

SHIFTING SANDS

A Pre-DeMille Gloria Swanson – not quite ready for her close-up, however, I love silent cinema – and I try to pick up as much of it as possible. She sort of gives off a Mary Pickford like innocence, but doesn’t quite have that level of cuteness going for her. This is a propaganda silent film about a German blackmailing an American into helping those in the service of the Kaiser… back stateside. Pretty interesting silent really.

THE CHICK’S ABILITY

I’ve really enjoyed my education into the utter hotness that is Helena Ramos. Since working on this column, I’ve discovered three of her erotic escapades and this Brazilian hottie definitely scores high marks for being way fuckable. Here, she’s playing a gal with child that needs intense medical treatment and as the mother – she sells her body in a brothel to pay for the medical treatment necessary. This isn’t just an exploitation film – it is that, but it is more. Nice release, frankly.

MISTRESS OF ATLANTIS

This is the only other film, that I’ve ever seen the gorgeous, intriguing Brigette Helm aka Fritz Lang’s MARIA in. This is a very interesting early sound film – that has more than a passing resemblence to the work of H Rider Haggard. However, I’m ok with that. Mainly because I’m so fucking happy to see another film with Brigette Helm in it. Worth checking out, seriously!

SILENT ENEMY: An Epic Of The American Indian

While this is no NANOOK OF THE NORTH – this is a solid film about Native peoples of North America. Played out by an all Indian cast – and is a picture that truly seems to be authentic. I found it fascinating. If you’re in love with Indian culture, you might as well.

Next week is our first of May 2009, and as such we’ll be looking at BENJAMIN BUTTON, ENCHANTED APRIL, GREASE (Blu), Dexter 2nd season (Blu), Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict: Season 1, DOG SOLDIERS (Blu), FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (Blu), SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (Blu), Mythbusters: Collection 4, ROXANNE (Blu), WENDY AND LUCY, AMAZON (Blu), JOURNEY INTO AMAZING CAVES (Blu), CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA, RED CLIFF 2 (Blu), GIGANTOR: THE COLLECTION Vol 1, MUM AND DAD and more. See you next Tuesday…