Collection ID HM003-1992
Director:
Starring:
Genre: Home Video
Studio:   Release date:   Rated: NR   
Language (Country): ()
Summary: Robert & Kim we’re stationed in Southern Italy. In March of 1992, they visited Dennis & Evie Arkwright who were living in Rome, Italy. We spent a week or so visiting Dennis & Evie and seeing all the sights of Roma. A guided tour by Dennis & Evie: Driving in Rome, Cathedrals in Rome, taking trains in Rome, history of Rome, busses in Rome, ruins, fountains, video inside St. Paul’s cathedral, the Colosseum, Robert’s color commentary. Rob Garrity visits us in Italy. Catacombs, Ruins of Pompei, Trulli huts, dogs of Pompei, premier Skank champion of Pompei, amazing sites and sounds! Closure of San Vito Air Base.
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Collection ID 156
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman
Genre: Action
Studio: Warner Bros.   Release date: 1991   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: When Robin and his Moorish companion come to England and the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham, he decides to fight back as an outlaw.
My Rating:
My Review: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - 1991 (Action, Adventure, Drama) This movie was directed by Kevin Reynolds (The Beast of War, Water World, The Count of Monte Cristo). He’s a good director for these romantic adventure pieces with a period or fantasy setting. The casting was pretty good. Kevin Costner as Robin Hood was excellent - Understated, calm, a bit clunky, but cool and collected. Despite the fact that he hasn’t got any English accent whatsoever, his character fit the character quite well. Morgan Freeman as Azeem was somewhat boring, but the role was exceptional, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Marian Dubois was good, Christian Slater as Will Scarlet, and Alan Rickman as the hilariously evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Alan Rickman’s performance was the best in this cast, but the entire cast was well suited for their roles. The acting was a bit comedic, and I believe that elevated the movie somewhat. The story is a slightly better track for the typical Robin Hood fodder. Here we have a young nobleman (Kevin Costner playing Robin Hood (of Locksley)) returned from the crusades. His experiences there have led him to a clearer vision of the role of the governed over the governed; as a result, he embarks on a mission to right the wrongs committed in his absence. To avenge his father death and restore Richard to the throne is no easy task. He becomes an outlaw and fights a righteous guerrilla campaign, recruiting the downtrodden, exiled and criminal subjects of the crown. What follows is jolly-good fun at the expense of the Sheriff. Humorous, action filled, and somewhat romantic, the movie delivers excellent entertainment in a well directed romp through Sherwood forest. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 778
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman
Genre: Action
Studio: Warner Bros.   Release date: 1991   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: When Robin and his Moorish companion come to England and the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham, he decides to fight back as an outlaw.
My Rating:
My Review: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - 1991 (Action, Adventure, Drama) This movie was directed by Kevin Reynolds (The Beast of War, Water World, The Count of Monte Cristo). He’s a good director for these romantic adventure pieces with a period or fantasy setting. The casting was pretty good. Kevin Costner as Robin Hood was excellent - Understated, calm, a bit clunky, but cool and collected. Despite the fact that he hasn’t got any English accent whatsoever, his character fit the character quite well. Morgan Freeman as Azeem was somewhat boring, but the role was exceptional, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Marian Dubois was good, Christian Slater as Will Scarlet, and Alan Rickman as the hilariously evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Alan Rickman’s performance was the best in this cast, but the entire cast was well suited for their roles. The acting was a bit comedic, and I believe that elevated the movie somewhat. The story is a slightly better track for the typical Robin Hood fodder. Here we have a young nobleman (Kevin Costner playing Robin Hood (of Locksley)) returned from the crusades. His experiences there have led him to a clearer vision of the role of the governed over the governed; as a result, he embarks on a mission to right the wrongs committed in his absence. To avenge his father death and restore Richard to the throne is no easy task. He becomes an outlaw and fights a righteous guerrilla campaign, recruiting the downtrodden, exiled and criminal subjects of the crown. What follows is jolly-good fun at the expense of the Sheriff. Humorous, action filled, and somewhat romantic, the movie delivers excellent entertainment in a well directed romp through Sherwood forest. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 1463
Director: Byron Haskin
Starring: Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin, Adam West, The Woolly Monkey
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction
Studio: Aubrey Schenck Productions   Release date: 1964   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: During a flight to Mars in the spaceship Mars Gravity Probe 1, Commander Christopher 'Kit' Draper and Colonel Dan McReady are forced to deviate from an asteroid and they leave their spacecraft in pods. Draper lands on the surface of the Red Planet and survives. He learns how to produce oxygen and while exploring the planet, he finds McReady dead in his crashed pod. He finds also the monkey Mona and brings the animal to the cave where he is sheltered. He learns that he can breathe the Martian air for short periods but needs also oxygen. But Mona finds water and an edible plant in the underground. .After a long period alone, Draper feels the loneliness. One day, he sees a spacecraft landing on Mars and he believes it might be the rescue team to save him. But he finds aliens working on the planet and some of them are slaves. One of them flees and stumble with Draper and he names him Friday. Now he needs to find a way to be rescued and return to Earth.
My Rating:
My Review: Another Robinson Crusoe story. Based on the novel by Daniel Defoe. This time it's set on Mars. Starring Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin, Adam West and a Monkey. This low-budget sci-fi drama tells the tale of Cmdr. Christopher 'Kit' Draper, stranded on Mars. When he and Adam West are forced to ditch during an asteroid near-miss, they crash land on the surface of the red planet. Adam West doesn't make it but 'Kit' and the Monkey do. What follows is a pretty good sci-fi movie where the main character has to figure out how to survive; ala-Robinson Crusoe style, on a planet with no water, food or breathable air. While the science aspects are definitely fiction, the drama is pretty good. When aliens visit the planet, they land on the surface with a crew of slaves in order to carry out some sort of mining operation. When one of the slaves escapes, Kit finds himself some new company in this alien 'Friday'. The special effects were cheesy. With War of the Worlds rip-offs, 357s instead of ray-guns, paper-mache sets, and Aliens that look like extras from a Mel Brooks movie; this movie didn't get a very big production budget, and it felt rushed in that sense. What it did have was an original story. The Criterion Collection treatment - film transfer, sound, and extras - was great. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 131
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: Orion Pictures Corporation   Release date: 1987   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: In a dystopic & crime ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him.
My Rating:
My Review: Directed by one of my favorite directors (Paul Verhoeven: Soldier of Orange, the Fourth Man, Total Recall, Showgirls, Basic Instinct, Black Book); RoboCop is a sci-fi thriller set in a bleak, dystopic, detroit. Ruled by a powerful, corrupt corporation, the city's police force is the last line of defense between the law abiding citizens and an ever growing criminal element tearing the city apart. When the corporation attempts to introduce a new 'Robotic' enforcement model, things go wrong and they have to scrap those plans. Instead they use the body of a recently deceased law officer to create a cybernetic crime fighter. RoboCop is activated to serve and protect, but the corporation soon becomes the target of this human powered law enforcement machine. When RoboCop's submerged memories start making their way to the surface, his sense of duty and humanity return, putting criminals and corrupt officials on notice. The script was excellent. An interesting mix of satire and drama kept the plot lively and interesting. The cast featured some less than top-notch talent (Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, Ronny Cox, Miguel Ferrer, and others), but the talent level was even and performances were pretty good. Despite some production problems and some misplaced humor, the movie shines as one of the 80s better movies (two Oscar nominations). I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 914
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: Orion Pictures Corporation   Release date: 1987   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: In a dystopic & crime ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him.
My Rating:
My Review: Directed by one of my favorite directors (Paul Verhoeven: Soldier of Orange, the Fourth Man, Total Recall, Showgirls, Basic Instinct, Black Book); RoboCop is a sci-fi thriller set in a bleak, dystopic, detroit. Ruled by a powerful, corrupt corporation, the city's police force is the last line of defense between the law abiding citizens and an ever growing criminal element tearing the city apart. When the corporation attempts to introduce a new 'Robotic' enforcement model, things go wrong and they have to scrap those plans. Instead they use the body of a recently deceased law officer to create a cybernetic crime fighter. RoboCop is activated to serve and protect, but the corporation soon becomes the target of this human powered law enforcement machine. When RoboCop's submerged memories start making their way to the surface, his sense of duty and humanity return, putting criminals and corrupt officials on notice. The script was excellent. An interesting mix of satire and drama kept the plot lively and interesting. The cast featured some less than top-notch talent (Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, Ronny Cox, Miguel Ferrer, and others), but the talent level was even and performances were pretty good. Despite some production problems and some misplaced humor, the movie shines as one of the 80s better movies (two Oscar nominations). I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 599.5
Director: Ted Passon
Starring: Josh Meakim, Molly McIntyre, Rodney Gray, Kathleena Formica, Stanley D. Jacobs
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Short
Studio: All Ages Productions   Release date: 2003   Rated:   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A young boy is born to two very particular parents who improve his less-than-perfect human parts with robot parts and a remote control. He spends all of his time mowing his parents' lawn until he meets a friend with an escape plan drawn in crayon.
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My Review:

Collection ID 1299.5
Director: Ted Passon
Starring: Josh Meakim, Molly McIntyre, Rodney Gray, Kathleena Formica, Stanley D. Jacobs
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Short
Studio: All Ages Productions   Release date: 2003   Rated:   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A young boy is born to two very particular parents who improve his less-than-perfect human parts with robot parts and a remote control. He spends all of his time mowing his parents' lawn until he meets a friend with an escape plan drawn in crayon.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 69
Director: John G. Avildsen
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith
Genre: Drama
Studio: Chartoff-Winkler Productions   Release date: 1976   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
My Rating:
My Review: The original Rocky is an epic classic - An Academy award winning masterpiece (Director, Picture, Film editing). Early in the career of Sylvester Stallone, this was the movie that truly launched his career. The movie that will forever be the touchstone attached to his name. The movie was a rather low budget (a little over $1m) drama filmed primarily in Philadelphia, the city itself was one of the most important stars of the movie. The work ethic, the people, the hopes and dreams of everyone who knew Rocky. The story - Rocky is a 'nobody'; a down on his luck fighter who takes fights that just get him by. Struggling with the his personal demons and the environment of his working class neighborhood, Rocky gets a chance to 'be somebody' when he's offered a chance to fight Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) for the heavy weight title. What starts out as a publicity stunt soon turns into Rocky's chance. His one chance to make his life better. To elevate himself, his girl, his neighborhood, the nation. A truly awesome 'root-for-the-underdog' story. Outstanding direction, editing, acting, production and writing that can't be beat. How many times have you seen this film? Of course I own it. Watch it when you're feeling down - A guaranteed 'pick-me-up'. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 862
Director: John G. Avildsen
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith
Genre: Drama
Studio: Chartoff-Winkler Productions   Release date: 1976   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
My Rating:
My Review: The original Rocky is an epic classic - An Academy award winning masterpiece (Director, Picture, Film editing). Early in the career of Sylvester Stallone, this was the movie that truly launched his career. The movie that will forever be the touchstone attached to his name. The movie was a rather low budget (a little over $1m) drama filmed primarily in Philadelphia, the city itself was one of the most important stars of the movie. The work ethic, the people, the hopes and dreams of everyone who knew Rocky. The story - Rocky is a 'nobody'; a down on his luck fighter who takes fights that just get him by. Struggling with the his personal demons and the environment of his working class neighborhood, Rocky gets a chance to 'be somebody' when he's offered a chance to fight Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) for the heavy weight title. What starts out as a publicity stunt soon turns into Rocky's chance. His one chance to make his life better. To elevate himself, his girl, his neighborhood, the nation. A truly awesome 'root-for-the-underdog' story. Outstanding direction, editing, acting, production and writing that can't be beat. How many times have you seen this film? Of course I own it. Watch it when you're feeling down - A guaranteed 'pick-me-up'. I give it a 5 out of 5.