Collection ID 1139
Director: William Friedkin
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn
Genre: Horror
Studio: Warner Bros.   Release date: 1973   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (Pan &#38, Scan), English (Widescreen), French (USA)
Summary: A 12 year old girl is possessed by the devil and her only hope is an exorcism.
My Rating:
My Review: Classic throat quivering primal fear. This version of William Blatty's 'The Exorcist' contains 11 minutes worth of previous cut footage. Directed by William Friedkin, this is one very scary movie. Excellent acting, great sound track and sound production. Great characters, fantastic sets and locations. An innocent little girl is possessed by 'The Devil'. Conventional doctors completely fail the desparate mother, who finally turns to the Catholic church for an exorcism. This movie spawned an entire string of 'look-a-likes'.

Collection ID 579
Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Izabella Scorupco, James D'Arcy, Remy Sweeney, Julian Wadham
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Morgan Creek Entertainment Group   Release date: 2004   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: "This movie is cursed!" exclaimed movie-magazine headlines regarding Exorcist: The Beginning, but those dire warnings turned out to be exaggerated. Considering a tumultuous production history that actually did seem cursed, Renny Harlin's much-maligned prequel to The Exorcist is a surprisingly competent, serious-minded shocker filled with the same anxious foreboding that made the 1973 original so phenomenally effective. The story lacks focus and feels cobbled together (perhaps the result of its tortured development, which included the untimely death of original director John Frankenheimer), but Stellan Skarsgård is well-cast as Father (now Mr.) Merrin, a lapsed Catholic priest summoned to East Africa in 1949 to retrieve a demonic idol. He discovers a buried church, a vast underground cavern, demonic possession, and a legacy of carnage that preys upon guilt-ridden memories from his parish in Nazi-occupied Holland. Harlin delivers the gross-out moments that Warner Brothers demanded, but otherwise shows remarkable restraint while cinematographer Vittorio Storaro delivers doom-laden visual atmosphere. It's not the classic many were hoping for--not even close--but it's still a win-win scenario for horror fans, since it's rumored the unreleased and "abandoned" version directed by Paul Schrader will be paired with this film for its DVD release. Comparisons will no doubt prove interesting. --Jeff Shannon
My Rating:
My Review: I was scared shitless! Kim and I went to see this at the movie theater. We were the only ones in the audience, so that set me in a mood. The soundtrack, sound production, and sound effects were awesome. Stellan Skarsgård as Father Merrin was an excellent casting choice, but the acting in this movie wasn't all that good. The best performance came from Alan Ford as the ill-fated Jeffries. Directed by Renny Harlin, this movie was well executed. The writing for this movie was pretty good; If you overlooked the obviously 'added-for-shock-value' parts. This movie had a lot of production problems. The original choice for director (John Frankenheimer), died during pre-production, and the first choice to play Mirren (Liam Neeson), balked at the last moment necessitating re-casting. Despite the critics bemoaning the fact that this isn't the Exorcist resurrected, I thought it was a very scary movie worthy of a 5 out of 5 rating.

Collection ID 1280
Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Izabella Scorupco, James D'Arcy, Remy Sweeney, Julian Wadham
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Morgan Creek Entertainment Group   Release date: 2004   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: "This movie is cursed!" exclaimed movie-magazine headlines regarding Exorcist: The Beginning, but those dire warnings turned out to be exaggerated. Considering a tumultuous production history that actually did seem cursed, Renny Harlin's much-maligned prequel to The Exorcist is a surprisingly competent, serious-minded shocker filled with the same anxious foreboding that made the 1973 original so phenomenally effective. The story lacks focus and feels cobbled together (perhaps the result of its tortured development, which included the untimely death of original director John Frankenheimer), but Stellan Skarsgård is well-cast as Father (now Mr.) Merrin, a lapsed Catholic priest summoned to East Africa in 1949 to retrieve a demonic idol. He discovers a buried church, a vast underground cavern, demonic possession, and a legacy of carnage that preys upon guilt-ridden memories from his parish in Nazi-occupied Holland. Harlin delivers the gross-out moments that Warner Brothers demanded, but otherwise shows remarkable restraint while cinematographer Vittorio Storaro delivers doom-laden visual atmosphere. It's not the classic many were hoping for--not even close--but it's still a win-win scenario for horror fans, since it's rumored the unreleased and "abandoned" version directed by Paul Schrader will be paired with this film for its DVD release. Comparisons will no doubt prove interesting. --Jeff Shannon
My Rating:
My Review: I was scared shitless! Kim and I went to see this at the movie theater. We were the only ones in the audience, so that set me in a mood. The soundtrack, sound production, and sound effects were awesome. Stellan Skarsgård as Father Merrin was an excellent casting choice, but the acting in this movie wasn't all that good. The best performance came from Alan Ford as the ill-fated Jeffries. Directed by Renny Harlin, this movie was well executed. The writing for this movie was pretty good; If you overlooked the obviously 'added-for-shock-value' parts. This movie had a lot of production problems. The original choice for director (John Frankenheimer), died during pre-production, and the first choice to play Mirren (Liam Neeson), balked at the last moment necessitating re-casting. Despite the critics bemoaning the fact that this isn't the Exorcist resurrected, I thought it was a very scary movie worthy of a 5 out of 5 rating.

Collection ID 575
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Oliver Stokowski, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Stephan Szasz
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Studio: Columbia Tristar Hom   Release date: 2001   Rated: R   
Language (Country): German (Germany)
Summary: Inspired by a famous 1971 psychological experiment, Oliver Hirschbiegel's German-language movie The Experiment finds a group of 20 volunteers randomly divided into 12 prisoners and eight guards and asked to play out their roles for a fortnight while scientists study their reactions. A conflict arises between undercover reporter Fahd (Moritz Bleibtreu), a con with a hidden agenda, and the apparently mild-mannered Berus (Justus von Dohnanyi), a guard with a megalomaniac streak. The film begins as a psychological drama as ordinary people settle into the game, with joking displays of resistance by the "prisoners" greeted with increasing brutality from the "guards," but detours into suspense and horror as Fahd, who needs the experiment to get out of hand in order to make his story more saleable, deliberately ratchets up the tension between the factions only to see the situation spiral nightmarishly out of control as various test subjects in both camps edge closer to snapping. With a terrific display of ensemble acting and unforced use of the popular claustrophobic semi-documentary look, Hirschbiegel's movie takes its time to get underway, with apparently irrelevant cutaways to Fahd's outside girlfriend (Maren Eggert), but works up to a powerful second half that delivers a sustained symphony of psychological and physical anguish. --Kim Newman
My Rating:
My Review: The experiment: (German - Das experiment) With english subtitles. This movie is based on the infamous "Stanford Prison Experiment" conducted in 1971. A makeshift prison is set up in a research lab and volunteers are divided into two groups. Prisoners and Guards. They are given a very simple set of instructions. Act according to your roles, but there is to be no violence. Well, things get out of hand. Way out of hand. A tense psycho drama with some excellent acting. The lead (prisoner 77) is played by Moritz Bleibtreu. He starred in Run Lola Run as well. Another one of my favorites. This one gets a 5 out of 5. Rent it and own it. I had no idea it was this good.

Collection ID 1276
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Oliver Stokowski, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Stephan Szasz
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Studio: Columbia Tristar Hom   Release date: 2001   Rated: R   
Language (Country): German (Germany)
Summary: Inspired by a famous 1971 psychological experiment, Oliver Hirschbiegel's German-language movie The Experiment finds a group of 20 volunteers randomly divided into 12 prisoners and eight guards and asked to play out their roles for a fortnight while scientists study their reactions. A conflict arises between undercover reporter Fahd (Moritz Bleibtreu), a con with a hidden agenda, and the apparently mild-mannered Berus (Justus von Dohnanyi), a guard with a megalomaniac streak. The film begins as a psychological drama as ordinary people settle into the game, with joking displays of resistance by the "prisoners" greeted with increasing brutality from the "guards," but detours into suspense and horror as Fahd, who needs the experiment to get out of hand in order to make his story more saleable, deliberately ratchets up the tension between the factions only to see the situation spiral nightmarishly out of control as various test subjects in both camps edge closer to snapping. With a terrific display of ensemble acting and unforced use of the popular claustrophobic semi-documentary look, Hirschbiegel's movie takes its time to get underway, with apparently irrelevant cutaways to Fahd's outside girlfriend (Maren Eggert), but works up to a powerful second half that delivers a sustained symphony of psychological and physical anguish. --Kim Newman
My Rating:
My Review: The experiment: (German - Das experiment) With english subtitles. This movie is based on the infamous "Stanford Prison Experiment" conducted in 1971. A makeshift prison is set up in a research lab and volunteers are divided into two groups. Prisoners and Guards. They are given a very simple set of instructions. Act according to your roles, but there is to be no violence. Well, things get out of hand. Way out of hand. A tense psycho drama with some excellent acting. The lead (prisoner 77) is played by Moritz Bleibtreu. He starred in Run Lola Run as well. Another one of my favorites. This one gets a 5 out of 5. Rent it and own it. I had no idea it was this good.

Collection ID 1534
Director: James Glickenhaus
Starring: Samantha Eggar, Christopher George, Robert Ginty, Steve James, Tony DiBenedetto
Genre: Action
Studio: Interstar   Release date: 1980   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A man's best friend is killed on the streets of New York. The man (Robert Ginty) then transforms into a violent killer, turning New York into a great war zone and Christopher George is the only one to stop him.
My Rating:
My Review: It's really hard to believe that this movie received sequel treatment. With a B-Grade cast, the dialog was terrible, the story boring, and the acting poor. The story: Some opening 'Nam scenes introduce us to John Eastland, the bad ass veteran who survived the jungles of Vietnam. Then we fast forward to the present, the 'jungles' of New York City. John Eastland's best friend is mugged and left crippled. As a result, John becomes a vigilante. He puts on his old Army uniform and goes out hunting the street thugs who prey upon the citizens of New York city. Eventually, the criminals, the cops and CIA are all out to get John. After all, we can't have citizen's taking the law into their own hands. There's plenty of action, but the story is quite flat and predictable. I give it a 2 out of 5.

Collection ID 19
Director: James Glickenhaus
Starring: Samantha Eggar, Christopher George, Robert Ginty, Steve James, Tony DiBenedetto
Genre: Action
Studio: Interstar   Release date: 1980   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A man's best friend is killed on the streets of New York. The man (Robert Ginty) then transforms into a violent killer, turning New York into a great war zone and Christopher George is the only one to stop him.
My Rating:
My Review: It's really hard to believe that this movie received sequel treatment. With a B-Grade cast, the dialog was terrible, the story boring, and the acting poor. The story: Some opening 'Nam scenes introduce us to John Eastland, the bad ass veteran who survived the jungles of Vietnam. Then we fast forward to the present, the 'jungles' of New York City. John Eastland's best friend is mugged and left crippled. As a result, John becomes a vigilante. He puts on his old Army uniform and goes out hunting the street thugs who prey upon the citizens of New York city. Eventually, the criminals, the cops and CIA are all out to get John. After all, we can't have citizen's taking the law into their own hands. There's plenty of action, but the story is quite flat and predictable. I give it a 2 out of 5.

Collection ID 152
Director: Steven Kloves
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer, Beau Bridges, Ellie Raab, Xander Berkeley
Genre: Drama
Studio: Gladden Entertainment   Release date: 1989   Rated: R   
Language (Country): German, English (USA)
Summary: Frank and Jack Baker are professional musicians who play small clubs. They play schmaltzy music and have never needed a day job. Times are changing and dates are becoming more difficult to get so they interview female singers. They finally decide on Susie Diamond, a former 'escort' who needs some refinement, but the act begins to take off again. While the act is now successful, both Frank and Jack have problems with their life on the road. Susie becomes the agent that makes them re-evaluate where they are going, and how honest they have been with each other.
My Rating:
My Review: An Academy award nominee - But it didn't take the prize. The cast was great; Beau Bridges (playing Frank Baker), Jeff Bridges (playing Jack Baker), Michelle Pfeiffer (playing Susie Diamond). Jeff and Beau play a Jazz piano duo who specialize in small clubs. Discontent with their inability to move up a notch in their business, they seek out a certain type of singer. A sexy songbird who'll draw a bigger audience, a better pay-check, better booking prospects. They find that certain commodity in Susie Diamond. Susie joins the team and immediately improves the standing of their lounge act. The problems begin when Suzie and Jack decide to Jazz it up in the bedroom. The two get along fine, but tensions start to build between Jack and Frank. The brothers are forced to re-evaluate their relationship and the impact of this new twist on their arrangement. A pretty good drama, with some good music (towards the end). The music gets better and better throughout the movie, but the story doesn't hold much originality or staying power. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 925
Director: Steven Kloves
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer, Beau Bridges, Ellie Raab, Xander Berkeley
Genre: Drama
Studio: Gladden Entertainment   Release date: 1989   Rated: R   
Language (Country): German, English (USA)
Summary: Frank and Jack Baker are professional musicians who play small clubs. They play schmaltzy music and have never needed a day job. Times are changing and dates are becoming more difficult to get so they interview female singers. They finally decide on Susie Diamond, a former 'escort' who needs some refinement, but the act begins to take off again. While the act is now successful, both Frank and Jack have problems with their life on the road. Susie becomes the agent that makes them re-evaluate where they are going, and how honest they have been with each other.
My Rating:
My Review: An Academy award nominee - But it didn't take the prize. The cast was great; Beau Bridges (playing Frank Baker), Jeff Bridges (playing Jack Baker), Michelle Pfeiffer (playing Susie Diamond). Jeff and Beau play a Jazz piano duo who specialize in small clubs. Discontent with their inability to move up a notch in their business, they seek out a certain type of singer. A sexy songbird who'll draw a bigger audience, a better pay-check, better booking prospects. They find that certain commodity in Susie Diamond. Susie joins the team and immediately improves the standing of their lounge act. The problems begin when Suzie and Jack decide to Jazz it up in the bedroom. The two get along fine, but tensions start to build between Jack and Frank. The brothers are forced to re-evaluate their relationship and the impact of this new twist on their arrangement. A pretty good drama, with some good music (towards the end). The music gets better and better throughout the movie, but the story doesn't hold much originality or staying power. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 309
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, Embeth Davidtz, James Gandolfini
Genre: Horror
Studio: Turner Pictures (I)   Release date: 1998   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, German, Spanish (USA)
Summary: Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.
My Rating:
My Review: Excellent movie. Screenplay by Nicholas Kazan and directed by Gregory Hoblit (Primal Fear). The casting was great: Denzel Washington plays Det. John Hobbes. John Goodman plays Jonesy, Hobbes' partner, Donald Sutherland plays their boss. This group of Philadeplhia homicide detectives do battle with a supernatural killer who can't be killed. The movie starts when a killer (Edgar Reese, played by Elias Koteas). We're immediately informed that this man is no ordinary killer. He can move by spirit from body to body. As the 'copycat' murders start to pile up, suspicion begins to shift to those intimately familiar with the case. While the cops are spinning their wheels, an increasingly supernatural mystery is revealed. It's a very compelling story, filled with plenty of good dialog and fair acting (balanced to the cast). The best acting (in my opinion) actually comes from John Goodman who provides a surprisingly even and understated performance. Narration throughout the movie provides vital hints and necessary exposition to some. The movie is a bit complicated but not very difficult to follow. More horror than violence. More mystery than drama. Excellent use of music in the plot. The premise is quite good, but the twists are just a bit too easy to spot. I give this movie a 4 out of 5.