cvoci-1 Reviews

The Challenge (1982)

Martial Arts at it's Best

[10/10 · 18 August 2008]

This is a captivating picture that is deeper that your average martial arts picture. This is a story of honor and culture that takes no prisoners.

Scott Glenn starts out as a down and out boxing trainer who gets caught up in a plot to smuggle a samurai sword into Japan. During this film he goes from a washed up slob to an warrior steeped with honor.

Toshiro Mifune is such a presence here, simply riveting performance as the teacher who turns Scot Glen into the warrior.

The film has such a minimal feeling, filmed in quieter parts of Japan, not in the glitz of the Ginza. The only extravagance it the ultra modern office building where the final scenes take place.

There is violence, lots of it, but none of it is gratuitous. It is part of the story. From the beginning with the hijacking of the handicapped van (where they throw one of the couriers out of the back to the office scene at the end...and what a scene it is. Scot Glen and his nemesis (Mifune's evil brother) go at it with two samurai swords. In a large office suite they slash and pummel each other like you can't believe, including usage of staple gun into one's forehead, the knocking down of a very large wall unit, and electrocution via a power cord ripped out of a computer terminal. And of course the final devastating blow at the end where Scot Glen kills his opponent by splitting his head in half.

The final scene where Scott Glen emerges from the office bloodied and battered presents the two swords (finally united as a pair)to Mifune, who nods in recognition - talk about saying a million things without saying a word - such power! I first saw this on cable in 1983 and have loved it ever since. It is compact, taught and unflinching. We learn about Japanese culture regarding honor and tradition and how one can redeem themselves and earn honor and respect. A great piece of film making especially the Stephen Segal martial arts choreography.

Lady Cocoa (1975)

Lola Falana Steps Out!

[10/10 · 14 August 2008]

This is the kind of film you take lightly; and a good example of the genre (Blaxploitation). Lots of action and attractive stars (Lady Lola and Gene Washington. The color and sound are bad on the DVD due to a bad transfer process.

Lola Falana really steps out of her Las Vegas entertainer role to play a gritty foul mouthed gangster's moll; and she does it to the max; especially the exchange between her and Washington in the hotel room -where she goes into a tirade about the police and poor people.

I actually picked this DVD in a bargain bin at 99 cent store in the mall and I was really surprised. If you're a fan of the Genre, you will like this. And all you "serious" critics, if you want an art house therapy session, watch something else. This is just turn your mind off and enjoy. I loved it.

Earthquake (1974)

One of the Best 70's Disaster Films

[10/10 · 8 July 2008]

Everything is going for this movie. A great cast, great special effects (which hold up pretty well) and just enough soap opera to get you involved.

This s a true over the top extravaganza in the Hollywood sense. Charleton Heston, Ava Gardner, Genivieve Bujold, Lorne Green, Victoria Principle and Richard Roundtree head up a great cast. The special effects are awesome, even to his day; especially when you factor in the great efforts to do this. Matting is purely a manual thing, no CGI here; such craftsmanship you can appreciate. Lots of craziness too, like the elevator scene, the plane on the runway, The cattle truck scene and especially Ms. Bujod's scene where the stilt houses are collapsing around her. Every concieveable consequence of an earthquake is shown here including the damn collapse at the end and pivotal characters dying in the finale.

I remember seeing this in the theater with Senoround when I was young and it was truly an experience - and having been through my share of tremors in California I always think of this movie.

(There are several versions of this movie, the 1974 version and an updated version from 1977 which includes some additional scenes with a plane landing during the quake (with Debralee Scott) made for the ABC TV debut of the movie - try to get this one) You want totally crazy yet credible 70's Disaster movie experience, I recommend this movie! (Be sure to view it with your surround sound turned up!!!)

10.5: Apocalypse (2006)

What a MESS!

[1/10 · 8 July 2008]

Absolutely bombastic waste of time. Both 10.5 movies are so over the top it takes away any credibility. The sequel where the US is split in half is so ridiculous...obviously a geological event like this would have world wide ramifications and this wasn't shown. These 2 movies are 8 hours of torture. If this is on, run away from the TV screaming! The producers and writers should be flogged for doing a movie like this; it's only nice to destroy the US? This is the same kind of junk like the remake of the Andromeda Strain, TV show 24, etc, with characters and plots so caught up in their own self importance.

If you want to watch better campy disaster movies, look at Earthquake (1974) or the Towering Inferno (1974) and other 1970's Irwin Allen pictures. At least those absurdities are entertaining, well cast and don't take themselves so serious.

Foxes (1980)

Lived the life

[11 June 2008]

One of the best portrayals of being a teen in the late 70's early 80's. Jodie Foster is simply wonderful as the one who tries to hold all of her friends together through the difficult times of being a teen in Califirnia; actually this could have been set in any city. I lived this life of parties, concerts and excess during this same era. Being 44 and looking back it is like looking back into my own memories of kids I went to school with and the things we experienced. Though the look of this movie is dated, big hair, satin jackets etc, however it certainly is still relevant. Donna Summer's "On the Radio" is such a great song and is a vital part of the fabric of this move. This is movie is so much better than the teen sex farces that seemed to proliferate after this movie came out - because it is a pretty close portrayal of what being a teen at this time was like with absent parents and lots of free time.If you haven't seen it you should...

The Andromeda Strain (2008)

Typical Bad Gen Y Small Attention Span Remake

[2 June 2008]

The original novel and 1971 movie worked because it was character driven, taught story. Unfortunately the new remake takes so many liberties and turns the whole thing into something else, something way overdone.

For those not familiar with the 1971 move, I suggest you watch it.

Let's compare and contrast: Cast - The original cast was well selected; each character was well defined (quickly) and were believable as scientists. Of special note was Kate Reid, who played Dr. Levitt to the hilt as a sarcastic, "speak your mind" genius. Arthur Hill played Dr. Stone with just the right amount of politics and authority without being over the top.

The new cast was just unbelievable, too "soap opera perfect". Everyone was too beautiful to be believable. The only exception was Rick Shroeder who did well. The rest of the cast was just too overwrought. Also, some of the characters are inappropriately missing or recast to fit a more Hollywood PC beautifulness.

Story - The original story rarely strays outside of Wildfire as the main focus is on the four scientists trying to come to a solution to the problem. The only time we are not in the lab was in the beginning when Stone and Hall go to the town for an up close look and to retrieve Scoop. Other shots included momentary scents of a jet fighter taking pictures of the town, a few scenes in Vandenberg etc. just to move the story along. Because a lot of the threat is implied the viewer is allowed to imagine the degree of horror, doom and destruction in their own mind - which would truly out do any graphic depictions.

the new version is all over the place and the consequences of the spread are magnified - taking away the ability of the viewer to let their mind run wild about what is going on. As I said, this is an unimaginative "in your face" kind of affair.

Special Effects - The original is certainly dated from a technological standpoint as it was made in 1971. Mainframe computers and Electron microscopes the size of bazookas are long gone, but all of this was in vogue and cutting edge at the time it was made. Also though the special effects and technology were very prominent, they are still merely props the characters used to move the story along, not the center of attention.

In the new movie, it is an onslaught of special effects. Everything is again overdone and so in your face that the sense of impending doom is stripped away. The body count is raised for sure and the degree of spread is raised exponentially. Though technologically impressive, the effects seem to be as much of the story as the characters, not a compliment to them.

All in all this unimaginative presentation disappoints and it is certainly way too long. Unlike the compact and tense original, this is nothing more than an overdone "re-imagining" (??) of a timeless gem of science fiction. Don't waste time on this mess

Torque (2004)

Throw your mind out of gear and enjoy!

[10/10 · 28 May 2008]

This is a perfect movie for someone who just wants to throw their mind out of gear and have a good time. This movie doesn't claim to be "Out Of Africa" or Shakespeare nor aimed at those fans.. It is just eye candy; which for me is fine. It is not intended to be any kind of reality; just entertainment. To all the pompous snob critics, get a life, lighten up- not everyone wants to see a movie that is a art house therapy session or something so sublime you can't get it.

I don't care about technical details. It doesn't need to be reality or to make sense in our place and time. Fast and Furious, XXX, Charlies Angels, Bad Boys etc can't be mistaken for real as well.

The story was a bit thin, but that is part of the charm of this movie. However, the video game FX, editing, sound track were all excellent and over the top as expected. Martin Henerson and Monet Mazur were great in their roles, both looked great decked out in leathers and on their bikes. Ice Cube makes a great villain and played it to the hilt! (all set in my favorite City of Los Angeles!)

Though violent,it was more like an old cartoon and fit in with the plot. (a Hummer crushing a Porsche roof to roof no less!). It was not gratuitous like movies are today.(It was refreshing not to have blood splatted all over the place - there was a scent where some one gets hung with a bike chain, but they didn't show it; but presented it in away that you knew what happened. You knew bad things were happening but it wasn't in your face so to speak)

I caught this movie on TV and was quite surprised. I actually went out and bought the DVD. So if you want fast bikes, good guys vs. bad guys, very bad girls, heavy metal and out of this world action, this is for you - kick back, don't take it seriously and you will have a great time.

I rate it as a 10 all around because it delivered what I expected from this genre of light drama/ heavy action movie.

Can't believe this movie was rated so bad when there are so many other movies that are so much worse!