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 | Stop! or My Mom Will Shoot |
 | "Winner of Three Razzie Awards!" | 2009-11-13 |
Sylvester Stallone had an alternate title for this sitcom drivel masquerading as a feature film: "Dial M for Mother." That alone is funnier than anything that happens in this truly embarrassing action-comedy. Everyone has seen better days, especially Roger Spottiswoode (who directed the 1983 political drama "Under Fire"). In recent interviews, Stallone ranked "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" as his all-time worst movie. The competition must have been intense.
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 | The Beatles - Please Please Me |
 | "Changing the Face of Pop Music" | 2009-11-02 |
Recorded with speed and energy, The Beatles' "Please Please Me" (1963) proved that the four lads from Liverpool would be around for the long haul. Opening with the breathless rocker "I Saw Her Standing There" and finishing with "Twist and Shout" (a remarkable first-take performance from John Lennon), the group's auspicious debut album still packs a sonic wallop. Along with "Love Me Do" and the title hit are Lennon-McCartney classics such as "Misery" and "There's a Place" - plus memorable covers of "Baby It's You," "A Taste of Honey" and "Boys" (Ringo's first lead vocal). The original mono version remains preferable to the decidedly weird stereo mix. Shortly before his death, Lennon acknowledged "Please Please Me" as one of his favorite Beatle albums.
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 | Mad Max |
 | "The Original Australian Cult Classic" | 2009-10-15 |
For more than 20 years, American audiences were saddled with an inferior version of the 1979 action-thriller from Down Under. A worldwide hit upon its initial release, director George Miller's "Mad Max" had the misfortune of receiving U.S. distribution from American-International Pictures (AIP), which trimmed five minutes and redubbed the film with American voices - thus eliminating its Australian flavor. Adding insult to injury, AIP buried the movie in drive-ins and grindhouses as a second feature. Happily, the original 95-minute version can be found on this DVD release. Fueled by Mel Gibson's effective performance as a vengeful highway cop and David Eggby's stunning photography, the futuristic "Mad Max" boasts some extraordinary stunt work and offbeat characterizations. Miller gains tremendous mileage from his limited budget and the Australian locations provide an ideal visual counterpart to the desolate cops-vs.-bikers atmosphere. Not surprisingly, this independent cult classic helped put Australia on the cinematic map.
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 | Robin and the Seven Hoods |
 | "Rat Pack Finale" | 2009-10-11 |
Frank, Dean and Sammy go gangster in the Rat Pack's most satisfying film. Breezily directed by Gordon Douglas, "Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964) features a colorful supporting cast and the Sinatra standard "My Kind of Town." The musical-comedy is notable for the only cinematic collaboration between Sinatra, Martin and Bing Crosby - who memorably croon their way through "Style." Sammy Davis Jr. finally gets to strut his stuff with the incredible "Bang! Bang!" number. Despite its overlength and disappointingly abrupt conclusion, the Rat Pack's final big-screen epic remains preferable to the self-indulgence of "Ocean's 11" and "Sergeants 3."
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 | Robin and the Seven Hoods |
| "Rat Pack Finale" | 2009-10-11 |
Frank, Dean and Sammy go gangster in the Rat Pack's most satisfying film. Breezily directed by Gordon Douglas, "Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964) features a colorful supporting cast and the Sinatra standard "My Kind of Town." The musical-comedy is notable for the only cinematic collaboration between Sinatra, Martin and Bing Crosby - who memorably croon their way through "Style." Sammy Davis Jr. finally gets to strut his stuff with the incredible "Bang! Bang!" number. Despite its overlength and disappointingly abrupt conclusion, the Rat Pack's final big-screen epic remains preferable to the self-indulgence of "Ocean's 11" and "Sergeants 3."
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 | Robin and the Seven Hoods |
| "Rat Pack Finale" | 2009-10-11 |
Frank, Dean and Sammy go gangster in the Rat Pack's most satisfying film. Breezily directed by Gordon Douglas, "Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964) features a colorful supporting cast and the Sinatra standard "My Kind of Town." The musical-comedy is notable for the only cinematic collaboration between Sinatra, Martin and Bing Crosby - who memorably croon their way through "Style." Sammy Davis Jr. finally gets to strut his stuff with the incredible "Bang! Bang!" number. Despite its overlength and disappointingly abrupt conclusion, the Rat Pack's final big-screen epic remains preferable to the self-indulgence of "Ocean's 11" and "Sergeants 3."
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 | Fatal Attraction |
| "Play Ripoff for Me" | 2009-10-08 |
This ludicrous imitation of Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty for Me" fooled many critics who should have known better. "Fatal Attraction" (1987) goes downhill the moment Michael Douglas finds Glenn Close's femme fatale more enticing than spouse Anne Archer. Perhaps if the Douglas character had been married to Anne Ramsey (who played the title role in "Throw Momma From the Train"), the psychopathic hijinks would have made sense. Director Adrian Lyne's ill-conceived thriller becomes increasingly cartoonish with age. However, Clint's 1971 classic holds up just fine.
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 | Fatal Attraction |
| "Play Ripoff for Me" | 2009-10-08 |
This ludicrous imitation of Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty for Me" fooled many critics who should have known better. "Fatal Attraction" (1987) goes downhill the moment Michael Douglas finds Glenn Close's femme fatale more enticing than spouse Anne Archer. Perhaps if the Douglas character had been married to Anne Ramsey (who played the title role in "Throw Momma From the Train"), the psychopathic hijinks would have made sense. Director Adrian Lyne's ill-conceived thriller becomes increasingly cartoonish with age. However, Clint's 1971 classic holds up just fine.
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 | Force 10 from Navarone |
| "Solid WWII Escapism" | 2009-09-28 |
Though Carl Foreman wrote the screen story, "Force 10 From Navarone" (1978) has little connection to Alistair MacLean's "The Guns of Navarone." It doesn't matter. 007 veteran Guy Hamilton directs this action-filled World War II adventure with efficiency and humor. Robert Shaw and Edward Fox take over the Gregory Peck and David Niven roles in memorable fashion - ably supported by co-stars Harrison Ford, Carl Weathers and Barbara Bach. Composer Ron Goodwin ("Where Eagles Dare") provides a typically rousing score. "Force 10 From Navarone" received a bad rap from critics, yet holds up nicely when seen today. The double-sided DVD features the superior 125-minute European version in widescreen format.
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 | Paul McCartney ,Paul Mccartney ,Wings - At The Speed Of Sound |
 | "Wings at the Speed of Decline" | 2009-09-21 |
After the high standards established by "Band on the Run" and "Venus and Mars," Paul McCartney and Wings display their group unity by producing a remarkably mediocre album. Released to coincide with the band's American tour, "Wings at the Speed of Sound" (1976) has two hit singles - "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'Em In" - the snappy rocker "Beware My Love" and plenty of obvious filler. The low point is Linda's embarrassing "Cook of the House." Despite the tour's phenomenal success, the decline of Wings as a studio entity begins here.
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 | Eye See You (aka D-Tox) |
| "Stallone Goes Straight to Video" | 2009-09-20 |
Before the box-office comeback of "Rocky Balboa," Sylvester Stallone's movie career hit rock bottom with this misguided 2002 thriller. Originally titled "D-Tox" for overseas consumption, "Eye See You" bypassed U.S. theaters and landed on the video shelves - a fate "Over the Top" somehow managed to avoid. An excellent cast is wasted in a poorly made slasher-fest that defies credulity. Stallone gives it his best shot as a burned-out FBI agent, but what he saw in this ridiculous script remains anyone's guess.
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 | Eye See You |
| "Stallone Goes Straight to Video" | 2009-09-20 |
Before the box-office comeback of "Rocky Balboa," Sylvester Stallone's movie career hit rock bottom with this misguided 2002 thriller. Originally titled "D-Tox" for overseas consumption, "Eye See You" bypassed U.S. theaters and landed on the video shelves - a fate "Over the Top" somehow managed to avoid. An excellent cast is wasted in a poorly made slasher-fest that defies credulity. Stallone gives it his best shot as a burned-out FBI agent, but what he saw in this ridiculous script remains anyone's guess.
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 | The Angel Levine |
| "The Unknown "Levine"" | 2009-09-19 |
Languishing in obscurity until its DVD release, this Bernard Malamud adaptation provides a fine showcase for Zero Mostel and Harry Belafonte (his first screen role since 1959's "Odds Against Tomorrow"). Czech filmmaker Ján Kadár's American debut suffers from staginess and his uncertain handling of Malamud's short story, but the actors save the day. An engaging fable, "The Angel Levine" is recommended for ambitious cinephiles rather than mainstream viewers.
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 | The Angel Levine |
| "The Unknown "Levine"" | 2009-09-19 |
Languishing in obscurity until its DVD release, this Bernard Malamud adaptation provides a fine showcase for Zero Mostel and Harry Belafonte (his first screen role since 1959's "Odds Against Tomorrow"). Czech filmmaker Ján Kadár's American debut suffers from staginess and his uncertain handling of Malamud's short story, but the actors save the day. An engaging fable, "The Angel Levine" is recommended for ambitious cinephiles rather than mainstream viewers.
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 | For A Few Dollars More |
| "Weak Link in the Leone-Eastwood Trilogy" | 2009-09-14 |
Though worth seeing, director Sergio Leone's "For a Few Dollars More" (1965) remains the least satisfying film in his Clint Eastwood trilogy. Despite superior production values and undeniable style, Leone's second Italian Western is too ambitious for its own good - resulting in an overlong, somewhat draggy narrative. Strangely enough, Eastwood's Man With No Name takes a back seat to Lee Van Cleef's veteran bounty hunter in this revenge saga. Memorable action sequences and Ennio Morricone's classic score help redeem the uneven tone. Leone benefited from the film's flaws when crafting his immediate follow-up, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966) - a fully realized masterwork with no dead spots.
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 | For a Few Dollars More |
| "Weak Link in the Leone-Eastwood Trilogy" | 2009-09-14 |
Though worth seeing, director Sergio Leone's "For a Few Dollars More" (1965) remains the least satisfying film in his Clint Eastwood trilogy. Despite superior production values and undeniable style, Leone's second Italian Western is too ambitious for its own good - resulting in an overlong, somewhat draggy narrative. Strangely enough, Eastwood's Man With No Name takes a back seat to Lee Van Cleef's veteran bounty hunter in this revenge saga. Memorable action sequences and Ennio Morricone's classic score help redeem the uneven tone. Leone benefited from the film's flaws when crafting his immediate follow-up, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966) - a fully realized masterwork with no dead spots.
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 | For A Few Dollars More |
| "Weak Link in the Leone-Eastwood Trilogy" | 2009-09-14 |
Though worth seeing, director Sergio Leone's "For a Few Dollars More" (1965) remains the least satisfying film in his Clint Eastwood trilogy. Despite superior production values and undeniable style, Leone's second Italian Western is too ambitious for its own good - resulting in an overlong, somewhat draggy narrative. Strangely enough, Eastwood's Man With No Name takes a back seat to Lee Van Cleef's veteran bounty hunter in this revenge saga. Memorable action sequences and Ennio Morricone's classic score help redeem the uneven tone. Leone benefited from the film's flaws when crafting his immediate follow-up, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966) - a fully realized masterwork with no dead spots.
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 | Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon |
| "Holmes Matches Wartime Wits With Moriarty" | 2009-09-10 |
"Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" (1943) remains one of Universal's better World War II entries - pitting Basil Rathbone's immortal detective against Lionel Atwill's sinister Professor Moriarty. In his first Holmes effort, director Roy William Neill makes the most of a "blood-draining" climax. Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson is far less bumbling than usual, with the comic relief provided by Dennis Hoey's debut as Inspector Lestrade. Fast-moving escapism that gets the job done in 68 minutes. Avoid the inferior public-domain DVDs and purchase this MPI release, which offers an excellent 35mm restoration by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
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 | Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon |
| "Holmes Matches Wartime Wits With Moriarty" | 2009-09-10 |
"Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" (1943) is one of the better World War II entries - pitting Basil Rathbone's immortal detective against Lionel Atwill's sinister Professor Moriarty. In his first Holmes effort, director Roy William Neill makes the most of a "blood-draining" climax. Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson is far less bumbling than usual, with the comic relief provided by Dennis Hoey's debut as Inspector Lestrade. Fast-moving escapism that gets the job done in 68 minutes. Avoid the inferior public-domain DVDs and purchase this MPI release, which offers an excellent 35mm restoration by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
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 | Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon |
| "Holmes Matches Wartime Wits With Moriarty" | 2009-09-10 |
"Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" (1943) is one of the better World War II entries - pitting Basil Rathbone's immortal detective against Lionel Atwill's sinister Professor Moriarty. In his first Holmes effort, director Roy William Neill makes the most of a "blood-draining" climax. Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson is far less bumbling than usual, with the comic relief provided by Dennis Hoey's debut as Inspector Lestrade. Fast-moving escapism that gets the job done in 68 minutes. Avoid the inferior public-domain DVDs and purchase this MPI release, which offers an excellent 35mm restoration by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
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 | Tomorrow Never Dies |
| "Brosnan Excels as Hard-Edged 007" | 2009-08-31 |
A flat pre-credit sequence and by-the-numbers climax prevent "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) from matching the overall excellence of "GoldenEye." What remains is mostly splendid - with Pierce Brosnan as an elegant yet refreshingly hard-edged James Bond. Jonathan Pryce's multimedia villainy and Michelle Yeoh's energetic presence help tremendously. However, the 007 producers made a big mistake replacing k.d. lang's dynamic theme song with Sheryl Crow's weak "official" version in the opening credits.
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 | Tomorrow Never Dies (Special Edition) |
| "Brosnan Excels as Hard-Edged 007" | 2009-08-31 |
A flat pre-credit sequence and by-the-numbers climax prevent "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) from matching the overall excellence of "GoldenEye." What remains is mostly splendid - with Pierce Brosnan as an elegant yet refreshingly hard-edged James Bond. Jonathan Pryce's multimedia villainy and Michelle Yeoh's energetic presence help tremendously. However, the 007 producers made a big mistake replacing k.d. lang's dynamic theme song with Sheryl Crow's weak "official" version in the opening credits.
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 | Tomorrow Never Dies |
| "Brosnan Excels as Hard-Edged 007" | 2009-08-31 |
A flat pre-credit sequence and by-the-numbers climax prevent "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) from matching the overall excellence of "GoldenEye." What remains is mostly splendid - with Pierce Brosnan as an elegant yet refreshingly hard-edged James Bond. Jonathan Pryce's multimedia villainy and Michelle Yeoh's energetic presence help tremendously. However, the 007 producers made a big mistake replacing k.d. lang's dynamic theme song with Sheryl Crow's weak "official" version in the opening credits.
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 | Tomorrow Never Dies |
| "Brosnan Excels as Hard-Edged 007" | 2009-08-31 |
A flat pre-credit sequence and by-the-numbers climax prevent "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) from matching the overall excellence of "GoldenEye." What remains is mostly splendid - with Pierce Brosnan as an elegant yet refreshingly hard-edged James Bond. Jonathan Pryce's multimedia villainy and Michelle Yeoh's energetic presence help tremendously. However, the 007 producers made a big mistake replacing k.d. lang's dynamic theme song with Sheryl Crow's weak "official" version in the opening credits.
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 | Tomorrow Never Dies (Special Edition) |
| "Brosnan Excels as Hard-Edged 007" | 2009-08-31 |
A flat pre-credit sequence and by-the-numbers climax prevent "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) from matching the overall excellence of "GoldenEye." What remains is mostly splendid - with Pierce Brosnan as an elegant yet refreshingly hard-edged James Bond. Jonathan Pryce's multimedia villainy and Michelle Yeoh's energetic presence help tremendously. However, the 007 producers made a big mistake replacing k.d. lang's dynamic theme song with Sheryl Crow's weak "official" version in the opening credits.
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 | Tomorrow Never Dies |
| "Brosnan Excels as Hard-Edged 007" | 2009-08-31 |
A flat pre-credit sequence and by-the-numbers climax prevent "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) from matching the overall excellence of "GoldenEye." What remains is mostly splendid - with Pierce Brosnan as an elegant yet refreshingly hard-edged James Bond. Jonathan Pryce's multimedia villainy and Michelle Yeoh's energetic presence help tremendously. However, the 007 producers made a big mistake replacing k.d. lang's dynamic theme song with Sheryl Crow's weak "official" version in the opening credits.
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 | Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color |
| "Technicolor Mickey" | 2009-08-27 |
No longer available in North America, this historic DVD set remains among the crown jewels of the Walt Disney catalog. "Mickey Mouse in Living Color" features 26 Technicolor cartoons from 1935 to 1938 - along with rare shorts produced for the 1932 Academy Awards and the 1939 New York World's Fair. Though gradually overshadowed by Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto, the beloved Mickey still gets a chance to shine in classics such as "The Band Concert," "Thru the Mirror" and the Oscar-nominated "Brave Little Tailor." Other Disney gems include the star-studded "Mickey's Polo Team," "Clock Cleaners" and "Pluto's Judgement Day." A must-have for aficionados of vintage animation.
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 | Stroker Ace |
| "The Wheels Fall Off Burt's Movie Career" | 2009-08-20 |
Burt Reynolds lost his box-office following with this embarrassing NASCAR comedy. "Stroker Ace" (1983) is so incredibly bad that it makes Elvis Presley's "Spinout" look like "Grand Prix." Worse still, you're stuck listening to Jim Nabors sing! One never expects lavish production values from a Reynolds-Hal Needham movie, but utilizing video stock footage (that's right, VIDEO) shows contempt for the audience and filmmaking in general. Amazingly enough, Reynolds and Needham would explore new cinematic depths with "Cannonball Run II."
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 | Stroker Ace |
| "The Wheels Fall Off Burt's Movie Career" | 2009-08-20 |
Burt Reynolds lost his box-office following with this embarrassing NASCAR comedy. "Stroker Ace" (1983) is so incredibly bad that it makes Elvis Presley's "Spinout" look like "Grand Prix." Worse still, you're stuck listening to Jim Nabors sing! One never expects lavish production values from a Reynolds-Hal Needham movie, but utilizing video stock footage (that's right, VIDEO) shows contempt for the audience and filmmaking in general. Amazingly enough, Reynolds and Needham would explore new cinematic depths with "Cannonball Run II."
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 | Loving You |
| "Elvis in Blazing Technicolor!" | 2009-08-16 |
Released in 1957, "Loving You" not only represents Elvis Presley's first starring vehicle and first Technicolor extravaganza, but also his first assignment for producer Hal Wallis. After the engaging awkwardness of "Love Me Tender," Elvis rips the screen open in this vibrant musical drama that parallels his rise to fame. Classic numbers include "Mean Woman Blues," "Got a Lot O' Livin' to Do" and the smash hit "Teddy Bear." Nicely directed by screenwriter Hal Kanter, with good support from Lizabeth Scott, Wendell Corey and Dolores Hart. This British import features a beautifully restored print in its original VistaVision format.
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