MOVIE REVIEWS

FURRY VENGEANCE

For Mother Nature, revenge is a dish best served furry! In this hilarious family comedy with a message, greedy developers try to pave over paradise and unwittingly launch a side-splitting battle between man and nature. And anyone who doesn't learn that green isn't just the color of money might just end up as roadkill! After transplanting his family from Chicago to the Oregon woods for his new job overseeing the construction of a supposedly eco-friendly housing development, Dan Sanders (Brendan Fraser) thinks his biggest problem will be helping his city-loving wife Tammy (Brooke Shields) and nature-phobic teenaged son (Matt Prokop) adjust to their new surroundings while pleasing his demanding boss (Ken Jeong). But Dan's troubles have only begun once the local animals discover his leadership role in the destruction of their habitat. He soon lands atop their Most Wanted list, and realizes how much trouble a few feisty forest creatures can cause! The clever critters bedevil Dan night and day, sabotaging his work, his peace of mind and even his wardrobe. Under this concerted attack, Dan soon finds his once-perfect life in ruins. He completely fails in his efforts to trap, deter or even photograph the animal assault team and without proof of the covert woodland conspiracy against him, no one believes Dan's claims. With his wife and son poised to abandon him, and his construction project in jeopardy, Dan escalates the feud to all-out intra-species war that can only have one winner. Furry Vengeance is a great film for the younger kids and will keep them glued to the screen. Unfortunately for the twelve and up crowd, including the adults, this film coughs up a fur ball the size of an oak tree.

Furry Vengeance
Starring: Brendan Fraser & Brooke Shields
Director: Roger Kumble
Company: Summit
Now Showing: in Local Theaters
MPAA Rating: PG
Grade: C-

DVD REVIEWS

FREE DVD GIVEAWAY

We are doing a Free DVD Giveaway! If you are interested in a chance at winning a free copy of Attack of the Vegan Zombies or It's Just a Game: Changing Youth Sports Forever on DVD or Armageddon or Tombstone on Blu-ray, it is really easy. All you have to do is send me an email at Filmlords@gmail.com. The subject line of the email should read DVD GIVEAWAY. In the body of the email, be sure to put your name, full mailing address and which DVD or Blu-ray you would like. Winners will be selected by random drawing. Best of luck!

ON THE ROAD WITH CHARLES KURALT: Set Two - Acorn

Charles Kuralt is travelogue-perfect in this Set 2 OF "On the Road"; the Emmy-winning series which lasted over 20 years. Kuralt's CBS Evening News segments put the average, off-highway, common, American, "on the map" as well as defining the reporter's "lifetime achievement." Although this is a nostalgic look at life from 1967 to 1987; the episodes are as interesting and American for today as they were when originally filmed. Nothing on TV has matched it since. This is a must own set (along with Set 1) for every fan of Americana.

MURDOCH MYSTERIES: Series 2 - Acorn

Comedy, mystery, adventure and romance unite perfectly in a Victorian setting. This is Victorian murder investigations with contemporary evidence gathering techniques. Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) is a century ahead of his forensic sleuthing counterparts. Dr. Ogden (Helene Joy) is the gorgeous pathologist in the forensics search--the morgue maiden. Victorian 'sparks' happen between Murdoch and Dr.O, but at he cautious, delicate, discretionary Victorian rate. Romantic chemistry cleverly woven into murder investigations. Inspector. Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) ex-army & boss, plus Crabtree (Jonny Harris) ambitious right-hand man, are back in every episode. 4 TV stars who make this a 5-star Series.

BOUND BY A SECRET - Vivendi

A drama that gets to the true meaning of friendship and what it means to let go, "Bound by a Secret" is a stirring story of life, loss and redemption. Jane is a famous actress who gave up everything to make it big. Ida Mae, her best friend, has always been content to stay in their hometown, close to those she loves. But when these two dynamically different women discover that Jane has terminal cancer, they must both find inner strength they never knew they had in order to face the future and a shocking secret from their past.

THE NANNY EXPRESS - Vivendi

A turn of events in Kate's life causes her to quit her nanny job, but she returns to the Chandler home (I don't think I mentioned that Kate describes their home to her father as being bigger than the whole apartment complex in which they live) to give Emily a present on her 16th birthday. Emily is anything but grateful and doesn't bother opening it. In Kate's mind her association with the Chandler family is over and she is trying to move on with her life, but then Emily finally opens her gift and the surprising content causes a change of heart. She confesses her meddling to her father and the family sets out to get Kate back.

WORKING MIRACLES - Vivendi

Buddy Hoyt's life is filled with blessings, but he's always felt that one day he would do something incredibly special. After an accidental fall, he is left with the amazing ability to heal others - leading him into a new role as a famous miracle worker. As Buddy turns more of his attention toward his new found talent, he begins to lose sight of those he loves most. This is a heartwarming drama about the discovery of life's most incredible gifts...faith, family and love.

LADIES OF THE HOUSE - Vivendi

When three ladies are asked to refurbish a house for their church, they find that they must break down their own self-perceptions in order to build something together. Birdie can't get along with her husband, Rose doesn't want to do anything without her husband and Elizabeth has everything she wants, but nothing to call her own. Filled with heart, humor and hammers, "Ladies of the House" follows three women who find out that their construction project will mend each of their personal lives in ways they never expected.

TCM GREATEST CLASSIC FILMS: Westerns - Warner

Chisum: John Wayne fills the tall boots of John Chisum, the real-life cattle king determined to protect his empire against a land-grabbing developer (Forrest Tucker) in this lively reworking of the events of New Mexico's 1878 Lincoln County War. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid: The law vs. the lawless. Sheriff Pat Garrett (James Coburn) tracks Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson) in a legendary saga of the West's greatest legend, directed by the great Sam Peckinpah and scored by co-star Bob Dylan. The Stalking Moon: A relentless foe tracks Army scout Gregory Peck as he attempts to lead a woman (Eva Marie Saint) once held captive by Apaches to safety. Robert Mulligan directs "a movie of exceptional beauty and suspense" (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times). Ride the High Country: Cowboy icons in the sunset of their careers ˆ Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott ˆ play aged lawmen facing betrayal and their own mortalities in this extraordinary homage directed by Sam Peckinpah.

TCM GREATEST CLASSIC FILMS: War - Warner

Battle of the Bulge: This epic recreation of one of World War II's pivotal clashes captures the explosive action of massive forces squaring off as well as the brave ingenuity of weary GIs trying to survive a cruel European winter. Ken Annakin (The Longest Day) directs an all-star juggernaut: Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan and more. The Dawn Patrol: Errol Flynn and David Niven take to the skies in this thrilling aerial action yarn as World War I British flyboys who unite in devil-may-care gallantry and in disdain for their commander (Basil Rathbone). But war's realities will soon tarnish their bonhomie and change their disdain to understanding. Gunga Din: Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. star as cheeky soldiers of Queen and Empire armed with battlefield gallantry and chin-up heroics as they combat a murderous sect in colonial India. Director George Stevens orchestrates teeming battles, boisterous humor ˆ and an indelible title-role performance by Sam Jaffe. Operation Pacific: Meet the dive-for-glory torpedo devils of the USS Thunderfish as John Wayne commands a desperate World War II submarine mission deep into enemy territory.

ESCAPE FROM LA: Blu-ray - Paramount

Kurt Russell reprises his role as Snake Plissken, of the near-future thriller Escape from New York, in this reworking of that film's basic premise. Instead of New York being a maximum-security prison, this time it's L.A., which through the agency of earthquakes has become an island of the damned. This penal colony is where the film's future rulers, something very like the Moral Majority, send those deemed guilty of "moral crimes." But something has gone wrong in this new moral order, because the President's daughter has absconded to L.A. with a detonation device, and Snake is commandeered to retrieve it. The film's dark dystopia, with its satirical elements taking aim at our dwindling freedoms, and the eclipsing of democracy by narrow interests, are more the subject this time.

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN: Blu-ray - Paramount

A stalwart Tom Hanks plays Captain Miller, a soldier's soldier, who takes a small band of troops behind enemy lines to retrieve a private whose three brothers have recently been killed in action. It's a public relations move for the Army, but it has historical precedent dating back to the Civil War. Some critics of the film have labeled the central characters stereotypes. If that is so, this movie gives stereotypes a good name: Tom Sizemore as the deft sergeant, Edward Burns as the hotheaded Private Reiben, Barry Pepper as the religious sniper, Adam Goldberg as the lone Jew, Vin Diesel as the oversize Private Caparzo, Giovanni Ribisi as the soulful medic, and Jeremy Davies, who as a meek corporal gives the film its most memorable performance.

UNDER OUR SKIN - Open Eye Pictures

Many folks suffer from different kinds of afflictions. The diagnosis you receive may include fibromyalgia, arthritis, rheumatism,irritable bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, parkinsons, tourettes syndrome, Autism, or ALS. In many cases, you may have been misdiagnosed. It is possible that you may have Lyme Disease. Under our Skin examines a number of patients that were diagnosed correctly and incorrectly regarding the "Great Imitator," which is the nickname physicians have given Lyme Disease. Insurance companies often give denial of treatment for Lyme disease, which in turn causes incorrect diagnosis. This happens when physicians don't accurately read tests. This DVD exposes the unacceptable conflicts that exist because of the almighty dollar, and how greed has caused numerous human beings to suffer unnecessarily because of inadequate testing criteria. This DVD will definitely open your eyes towards this terrible disease and will really get under your skin!

IRONMAN ARMORED ADVENTURES: Season One - Vivendi

Howard Stark is killed in the first episode, and his son Tony must carry on his father's goal of collecting and researching the five magical Makluan rings. During this journey, he must also come to terms with his father's death, and the legacy he left behind when Tony is set to inherit the company when he turns eighteen. Along for the ride are Tony's friends, who all contribute something to either the storyline itself or to the development of our hero; who grows over the course of the series. The villains who are introduced feel like actual fleshed out characters, from the unstable and misguided Living Laser to the enigmatic and tragic Madame Masque, rather than obstacles that the hero must fight for the sake of filling time. As the show progresses, Tony begins to realize hidden secrets about his father he didn't know about and things begin to tie back to the late Howard Stark and how everything starts coming together in the end.

NINE: Blu-ray - Sony

"Be Italian!" comes the thundering command from one of the catchiest songs in Nine, and the movie version of this Broadway musical hit is undeniably solid on that point. It's drenched in cool cars, glamorous Italian threads, and cozy Roman neighborhoods, all circa 1962. That, you will note, is the vintage of Federico Fellini's classic film 8 ∏, the source for both the stage show and Rob Marshall's frantic musical picture. As in the Fellini, the story revolves around film director Guido Contini, a glamorous public genius who's expected to begin shooting his expensive new movie in a few days. The only problem is, the maestro has no idea what his next film will be about, and he spirals through a week of mistresses, cigarettes, and robust fantasy as he avoids the subject. Marshall's approach to musicalizing this massive case of writer's block is to shunt the songs off into the giant studio where the sets for Guido's new movie have been built; the idea, presumably, is to frame them so the audience isn't perturbed by the old-movie convention of characters breaking into song in the middle of a scene.

PAPER COVERS ROCK - IFC

Newcomer Jeannine Kaspar delivers a stunning performance as Sam, a troubled single mother who risks losing custody of her young daughter following a failed suicide attempt. Over the next few shaky weeks, Sam is released from the hospital into the care of her overbearing older sister, finds a job, makes tentative steps towards a new romance and tries to reconnect with her child. But lives and depression sometimes have a way of making their own rules. Can a woman lost somewhere between hope and despair find the strength to put all her pieces back together? Sayra Player co-stars in this powerful independent drama from writer/producer/director Joe Maggio that critics and audiences nationwide praise for its honest portrait of one woman s emotional instability and survival.

THE HONEYMOONERS SPECIALS: Valentines Day - MPI

The Honeymooners Return For Their Final Series Of Long-Lost Specials- In Color! In 1976, Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows, Art Carney and Jane Kean reunited for the first of four hour-long specials representing the final performances of their classic Honeymooners characters. Alice Kramden secretly plans to buy husband Ralph a suit for Valentine s Day but Ralph thinks she s sizing him up for a coffin after he finds incriminating items, including a life-insurance policy. Believing Alice is seeing another man, Ralph gets pal Ed Norton to join him undercover, dressed in drag.

THE HONEYMOONERS SPECIALS: Second Honeymoon - MPI

it‚s the Kramdens‚ 25th wedding anniversary and Ralph plans to remarry Alice in a special ceremony at the Raccoon Lodge. However, the festivities become overshadowed by Ralph‚s suspicion that Alice is pregnant ˜ and Norton begins to teach him how to take care of a baby! Further adding to Ralph‚s stress is the fact that his mother-in-law is visiting for a few days and Ralph must sleep in the kitchen.

SESAME STREET: The Best of Elmo 2 - Warner

Join everyone's favorite red monster for a fun filled story featuring some of the most popular Elmo segments ever! Elmo meets a robot on Sesame Street who is losing his power. The robot is a "Memorybot," and he needs "memories" to power up again. Elmo gladly shares his memories of special times with friends like Jason Mraz, Adam Sandler, Destiny's Child, David Beckham, India Arie, The Goo Goo Dolls, Feist and more. Will Memorybot get his power back? Every Elmo fan young and old will enjoy this story of friendship and treasure this collection.

PLAY THE GAME - 42 West

A slick-talking bachelor who enjoys the art of picking up women, David (Paul Campbell) has decided to help his grandfather Joe (Andy Griffith) find companionship again after the death of his wife. Showing Joe the ways of elaborate seduction, David hopes to offer his grandfather a new social venue. Instead, Joe discovers the miracle of Viagra, taking off as a Don Juan of his retirement community. With Joe scoring left and right, David is learning a more difficult lesson, finding his charms and schemes unable to convince acquaintance Julie (Marla Sokoloff) to turn their friendship into the relationship David never knew he wanted.

EDGE OF DARKNESS: Blu-ray - Warner

Gibson plays veteran Boston police detective Tom Craven, who welcomes home daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) for a rare visit, then sees her shot down at his front door. Because the gunman shouted "Craven!" and because a cop makes enemies, Tom assumes Emma took a bullet meant for him, which adds considerably to his grief and pain. But as he looks into the life of a daughter he loved yet scarcely knew, he discovers she'd been preparing to turn whistle blower on her employer, a corporation doing unsavory clandestine things for the government. Craven starts having oblique chats with a philosophical Brit named Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who keeps turning up unexpectedly--in Craven's backyard at night, say--always giving the distinct impression that he could just as well kill a fellow instead of schmoozing.

DARIA: The Complete Animated Series - Paramount

May 11th, 2010, a whole generation will be able to go back to a time when the world felt smarter in many ways and when teenagers were the hope of the future rather than oversexed, immature, corporate packaged fad followers (Or maybe we were but the corporations had to be less obvious about it?). Ironically, MTV, the channel that originally broadcast this brilliant show about Daria and her witty friend Jane to a mostly like minded audience have now begun to cater to, or some would say go out of their way to create and perpetuate, an immature drama addicted generation of Britneys and Kevins who only want shows like The Hills or Jersey Shore. Ah, look how far we've come.

EVIL TOONS: 20th Anniversary Edition - Infinity

Evil Toons is harmless to all except feminists and it's done in good humour and pretty much rips on itself with some jokes here and there. But even with this self-deprecating humour, the film is just so bad and a cheap excuse for a bit of skin. The cartoon demon looks really bad and is only on screen for about three minutes. But these three minutes are hilarious as he drools over one of the girls, eyes-popping out all over the place and then says "nice tits" as he rips her clothes off. Then to save on budget, the demonic toon assumes the identity of one of the actresses. Great - a body swap film which I hate because they are cheap ways out of the tricky situation of having to show whatever is possessing the characters. It's a shame too as the cartoon demon looks pretty funny when it's on screen. But the budget wasn't obviously going to stretch too far and they keep the cartoon to a bare minimum.

THE NEW DAUGHTER: Blu-ray - Anchor Bay

Academy Award winner Kevin Costner stars in this brand-new thriller as John, a newly divorced father who moves into a rural South Carolina home with his adolescent daughter Louisa and young son Sam. But when Louisa begins to behave in a bizarre and increasingly violent manner, John must uncover the truth behind her transformation. Is the former owner s shocking secret to blame? And how far will a father go to protect his daughter from an ancient evil determined to take her over?

PREACHER'S KID: Blu-ray - Warner

Family, faith and music: small-town girl Angie King leaves the first two behind to pursue a dream of singing stardom. LeToya Luckett of the original Destiny's Child makes her movie breakthrough in this inspiring tale bursting with music and talent. Luckett plays Angie, the daughter of a stern but loving bishop, whose attraction to the hunky star (Tank) of a traveling gospel show takes her on the road...and into romance, heartbreak and the realization that the happiness she seeks may be in the home she left behind. But will her disapproving father welcome his prodigal daughter back? Join Angie on a powerful coming-of-age journey. Not for the progressively minded, don't judge this film by its cover.

CARLITO'S WAY: Blu-ray - Universal

Al Pacino cuts a noble figure in this very enjoyable drama by director Brian De Palma (Scarface), based on a pair of books by Edwin Torres. Pacino plays a Puerto Rican ex-con trying hard to go straight, but his loyalty to his lowlife attorney (a virtually unrecognizable Sean Penn) and enemies on the street make that choice difficult. Penelope Ann Miller plays, somewhat unlikely, a stripper who has a romance with Pacino's character.

FALLEN - Image

Paul Wesley stars as Aaron Corbett, a high school jock with a promising future. But on his 18th birthday, his life forever changes when his incredible powers emerge, revealing the terrifying truth of his identity. As The Redeemer, a half-angel, half-man who can return fallen angels to heaven, Aaron holds the entire world's destiny in his young hands. He must battle warrior seraphs and confront the fallen angel who has sparked his nightmares (Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad). But can he save himself and the girl he loves? Based on the bestselling book series, Fallen soars to new levels in the battle between good and evil.

PERFECT COMBINATION - Image

Rick (Christian Keyes) has got it allexcept a steady woman. As his 30th birthday approaches, he decides to enlist the help of a matchmaking service called Perfect Combination, launching a hilarious dating journey of one catastrophic date after another. With his luck and the "help" of an over-opinionated group of friends with their own romantic problems, will Rick ever find true love? With an irresistible cast that includes Angell Conwell, Tiffany Hines and Kareem Grimes, Perfect Combination adds up to sexy, laugh-out-loud fun!

ARMAGEDDON: Blu-ray - Touchstone

The latest edition from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay continues Hollywood's fascination with the destruction of our planet. There's no arguing that the successful duo understands what mainstream American audiences want in their blockbuster movies--loads of loud, eye-popping special effects, rapid- fire pacing, and patriotic flag waving. Bay's protagonists--the eight crude, lewd, oversexed (but lovable, of course) oil drillers summoned to save the world from a Texas-sized meteor hurling toward the earth--are not flawless heroes, but common men with whom all can relate. In this huge Western-in-space soap opera, they're American cowboys turned astronauts.

TOMBSTONE: Blu-ray - Hollywood Pictures

This Western has become a modest cult favorite since its release in 1993, when the film was met with mixed reviews but the performances of Kurt Russell (as Wyatt Earp) and especially Val Kilmer, for his memorably eccentric performance as the dying gunslinger Doc Holliday, garnered high praise. The movie opens with Wyatt Earp trying to put his violent past behind him, living happily in Tombstone with his brothers and the woman (Dana Delany) who puts his soul at ease. But a murderous gang called the Cowboys has burst on the scene, and Earp can't keep his gun belt off any longer.

Back to Top