Collection ID 915
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside
Genre: Action
Studio: Carolco International N.V.   Release date: 1990   Rated:   
Language (Country): English, English (Predator only), French (Not on Running Man) (USA)
Summary: When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real, or does he?
My Rating:
My Review: Directed by one of my favorite directors (Paul Verhoeven: Soldier of Orange, the Fourth Man, RoboCop, Showgirls, Basic Instinct, Black Book); Total Recall is based on a Philip K. Dick short story. A story about construction worker Douglas Quaid (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). Douglas is bored one day, so he decides to try a virtual vacation. His trip to 'Rekall' doesn't go so well. A memory chip in his skull triggers a flood of memories and a conspiracy laden story of world domination. These memories soon lead Douglas on a journey to Mars in order to discover who he is and who implanted those false memories in his mind. Costarring Sharon Stone, Rachel Ticotin, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox and others. The acting was Arnold's level, but the twisted sci-fi story was awesome. Visual effect made the roller coaster ride a memorable trip to Mars for sci-fi action with Arnold Schwarzeneger. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 92
Director: Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman
Starring: Andree Maranda, Mitch Cohen, Jennifer Prichard, Cindy Manion, Robert Prichard
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Troma Entertainment   Release date: 1985   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: This is the story of Melvin, the Tromaville Health Club mop boy, who inadvertently and naively trusts the hedonistic, contemptuous and vain health club members, to the point of accidentally ending up in a vat of toxic waste. The devastating results then have a transmogrification effect, his alter ego is released, and the Toxic Avenger is born, to deadly and comical results. The local mop boy is now the local Superhero, the saviour of corruption, thuggish bullies and indifference. Troma classic with good make-up effects and stunts, a pleasant surprise indeed.
My Rating:
My Review: Produced by Troma films, this movie was the one hit that kept the company solvent during the 80s. A campy cult classic that still manages to get a few laughs, despite its age and low production value. Filled with b-grade actors and porn stars, this tongue-in-cheek spoof turns toxic chic. Story: Melvin the janitor is a total dweeb in a health club full of meatheads. When one prank too many ends up with Melvin dipped in toxic goo, New Jersey's first superhero is born. Filled with satire, outrageous over-the-top acting, nudity, and low budget special effects (The make-up and stunts were well done); this movie manages to make you laugh with it's preposterous characters, excellent pacing, and zany story. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 881
Director: Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman
Starring: Andree Maranda, Mitch Cohen, Jennifer Prichard, Cindy Manion, Robert Prichard
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Troma Entertainment   Release date: 1985   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: This is the story of Melvin, the Tromaville Health Club mop boy, who inadvertently and naively trusts the hedonistic, contemptuous and vain health club members, to the point of accidentally ending up in a vat of toxic waste. The devastating results then have a transmogrification effect, his alter ego is released, and the Toxic Avenger is born, to deadly and comical results. The local mop boy is now the local Superhero, the saviour of corruption, thuggish bullies and indifference. Troma classic with good make-up effects and stunts, a pleasant surprise indeed.
My Rating:
My Review: Produced by Troma films, this movie was the one hit that kept the company solvent during the 80s. A campy cult classic that still manages to get a few laughs, despite its age and low production value. Filled with b-grade actors and porn stars, this tongue-in-cheek spoof turns toxic chic. Story: Melvin the janitor is a total dweeb in a health club full of meatheads. When one prank too many ends up with Melvin dipped in toxic goo, New Jersey's first superhero is born. Filled with satire, outrageous over-the-top acting, nudity, and low budget special effects (The make-up and stunts were well done); this movie manages to make you laugh with it's preposterous characters, excellent pacing, and zany story. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 1650
Director: John Frankenheimer, Arthur Penn
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau, Suzanne Flon, Michel Simon
Genre: Thriller, War
Studio: Les Films Ariane   Release date: 1964   Rated: Not Rated   
Language (Country): English, German (France, Italy, USA)
Summary: As the Allied forces approach Paris in August 1944, German Colonel Von Waldheim is desperate to take all of France's greatest paintings to Germany. He manages to secure a train to transport the valuable art works even as the chaos of retreat descends upon them. The French resistance however wants to stop them from stealing their national treasures but have received orders from London that they are not to be destroyed. The station master, Labiche, is tasked with scheduling the train and making it all happen smoothly but he is also part of a dwindling group of resistance fighters tasked with preventing the theft. He and others stage an elaborate ruse to keep the train from ever leaving French territory.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 1467
Director: Ron Underwood
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire
Genre: Action, Horror
Studio: Universal Pictures   Release date: 1990   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A small town gradually becomes aware of a strange creature which picks off people one by one. But what is this creature, and where is it? At the same time, a seismologist is working in the area, she detects _tremors_. The creature lives underground, and can 'pop up' without warning. Trapped in their town, the town-folk have no escape.
My Rating:
My Review: I've seen this movie before, and it's grown on me. Very remniscent of Jaws - On land, where the sharks are giant worms, pulled right out of the Dune series (books by Frank Herbert/and movies based upon the novels). The movie also evokes a 50s 'Giant Bug' vibe. All these things move this movie closer to my 'Favorites' category. Initially, I considered this to be just a typical sci-fi movie. Featuring bad acting by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward. The two play handymen in the desert town of Perfection, Nevada. As they decide to finally escape the confines of this isolated po-dunk town, subterranean forces conspire against them to thwart their plans. Strange creatures, who burrow through the earth are converging on the town. Stalking the residents of Perfection, these worm-like 'graboids' treat anything moving like livestock. While the survivors do their best to stay out of reach, the big diggers seem content enough to wait them out. The characters are simple folk, living in a totally backwater town in the middle of nowhere. So despite the poor acting. One can identify with the characters who aren't entitled celebrities who expect praise and recognition. The suspense and body count increase as the film progresses. How long can residents survive without access to food or water? After multiple viewings, I've come to love this oddball mish-mash of genres and fierce action. 5 out of 5

Collection ID 786
Director: Steven Lisberger
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan
Genre: Thrillers
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures   Release date: 1982   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, Spanish, French, Portuguese ()
Summary: As Kevin Flynn searches for proof that he invented a hit video game, he is "digitalized" by a laser and finds himself inside The Grid, where programs suffer under the tyrannical rule of the Master Control Program. With the help of TRON, a security program, Flynn seeks to free The Grid from the MCP.
My Rating:
My Review: Written in part and directed by Steven Lisberger (who never really amounted to much in this industry), this ground breaking movie (nominated for two oscars) was produced by Disney. The story is a good vs evil tale which takes place in real-space and cyber-space. Starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan and others. The actors played real-life people and computer programs in the 'matrix'. While the real life characters do battle with a tyrannical capitalist (who stole code to advance himself over a talented coworker), the computer programs do battle with the 'Master Controller' a computer program which seeks to put all programs under its control. Its quest to eliminate all independent programs mirrors the real-life plans of 'Dillinger'. As the battle escalates, Jeff Bridges real-life character is 'digitized' and sucked into the 'matrix' by the Master Controller. In this cyber world, he does battle with characters that are anthropomorphized computer programs played by various actors. As they struggle against agents of the 'Master Controller', they are cast in the role of being 'inside' a video game. What a great premise. The retro 80's special effects were very video arcade in style, and they worked well in this movie. So well in fact that they manage to create a cyber-universe that is at once absorbing and wholly believable in its context. The story was simple yet subtle. Some of the dialog was beyond the grasp of its audience (back in 1982), and as a result, it flopped in the box office. Thankfully, the brilliance of its shine has survived all these years. Great movie. 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 1451
Director: Steven Lisberger
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan
Genre: Thrillers
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures   Release date: 1982   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, Spanish, French, Portuguese ()
Summary: As Kevin Flynn searches for proof that he invented a hit video game, he is "digitalized" by a laser and finds himself inside The Grid, where programs suffer under the tyrannical rule of the Master Control Program. With the help of TRON, a security program, Flynn seeks to free The Grid from the MCP.
My Rating:
My Review: Written in part and directed by Steven Lisberger (who never really amounted to much in this industry), this ground breaking movie (nominated for two oscars) was produced by Disney. The story is a good vs evil tale which takes place in real-space and cyber-space. Starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan and others. The actors played real-life people and computer programs in the 'matrix'. While the real life characters do battle with a tyrannical capitalist (who stole code to advance himself over a talented coworker), the computer programs do battle with the 'Master Controller' a computer program which seeks to put all programs under its control. Its quest to eliminate all independent programs mirrors the real-life plans of 'Dillinger'. As the battle escalates, Jeff Bridges real-life character is 'digitized' and sucked into the 'matrix' by the Master Controller. In this cyber world, he does battle with characters that are anthropomorphized computer programs played by various actors. As they struggle against agents of the 'Master Controller', they are cast in the role of being 'inside' a video game. What a great premise. The retro 80's special effects were very video arcade in style, and they worked well in this movie. So well in fact that they manage to create a cyber-universe that is at once absorbing and wholly believable in its context. The story was simple yet subtle. Some of the dialog was beyond the grasp of its audience (back in 1982), and as a result, it flopped in the box office. Thankfully, the brilliance of its shine has survived all these years. Great movie. 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 1486
Director: Steven Lisberger
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan
Genre: Thrillers
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures   Release date: 1982   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, Spanish, French, Portuguese ()
Summary: As Kevin Flynn searches for proof that he invented a hit video game, he is "digitalized" by a laser and finds himself inside The Grid, where programs suffer under the tyrannical rule of the Master Control Program. With the help of TRON, a security program, Flynn seeks to free The Grid from the MCP.
My Rating:
My Review: Written in part and directed by Steven Lisberger (who never really amounted to much in this industry), this ground breaking movie (nominated for two oscars) was produced by Disney. The story is a good vs evil tale which takes place in real-space and cyber-space. Starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan and others. The actors played real-life people and computer programs in the 'matrix'. While the real life characters do battle with a tyrannical capitalist (who stole code to advance himself over a talented coworker), the computer programs do battle with the 'Master Controller' a computer program which seeks to put all programs under its control. Its quest to eliminate all independent programs mirrors the real-life plans of 'Dillinger'. As the battle escalates, Jeff Bridges real-life character is 'digitized' and sucked into the 'matrix' by the Master Controller. In this cyber world, he does battle with characters that are anthropomorphized computer programs played by various actors. As they struggle against agents of the 'Master Controller', they are cast in the role of being 'inside' a video game. What a great premise. The retro 80's special effects were very video arcade in style, and they worked well in this movie. So well in fact that they manage to create a cyber-universe that is at once absorbing and wholly believable in its context. The story was simple yet subtle. Some of the dialog was beyond the grasp of its audience (back in 1982), and as a result, it flopped in the box office. Thankfully, the brilliance of its shine has survived all these years. Great movie. 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 789
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Studio: LivePlanet   Release date: 2010   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Sam Flynn, the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn, looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 20 years. Along with Kevin's loyal confidant, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.
My Rating:
My Review: A 21st century update to a classic 20th century cyber classic. In 1982, Tron was groundbreaking, daring, new and sophisticated. In 2010, this sequel feels like many of the over produced sci-fi, action, blockbusters churned out annually by Hollywood. While the movie held my attention, I watched primarily for nostalgic reasons. The visual effects were excellent (despite some evident limitations in the synthesized versions of Jeff Bridges), the costumes awesome and the sets spectacular. Unfortunately, they didn't really move beyond the paradigms created by the original Tron. The story - Sam Flynn (played by Garrett Hedlund), son of missing tech visionary Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), is a listless, rebellious, young man. Disinterested with taking on adult responsibilities he plays pranks on the managers of his fathers corporation, squanders his inheritance, and satisfies himself with little more than vain pursuits. When an enigmatic 'page' leads him to an abandoned video arcade, he begins to wonder whether his missing father is actually 'presumed' dead. What follows is a thrilling ride into a cyber world that feels as much like the Matrix as it does Ultraviolet. With a glossy outer coating, this movie lacks much in the way of true plot, and the script was quite easy to follow. Jeff Bridges acting was intentionally downplayed so as not to create too much disparity between him and his less experienced co-stars. The perfect bodies and club stomping tunes stand in as a substitute for the lack of acting, add to that some excellent visual effects and you get a 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 1488
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Studio: LivePlanet   Release date: 2010   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Sam Flynn, the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn, looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 20 years. Along with Kevin's loyal confidant, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.
My Rating:
My Review: A 21st century update to a classic 20th century cyber classic. In 1982, Tron was groundbreaking, daring, new and sophisticated. In 2010, this sequel feels like many of the over produced sci-fi, action, blockbusters churned out annually by Hollywood. While the movie held my attention, I watched primarily for nostalgic reasons. The visual effects were excellent (despite some evident limitations in the synthesized versions of Jeff Bridges), the costumes awesome and the sets spectacular. Unfortunately, they didn't really move beyond the paradigms created by the original Tron. The story - Sam Flynn (played by Garrett Hedlund), son of missing tech visionary Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), is a listless, rebellious, young man. Disinterested with taking on adult responsibilities he plays pranks on the managers of his fathers corporation, squanders his inheritance, and satisfies himself with little more than vain pursuits. When an enigmatic 'page' leads him to an abandoned video arcade, he begins to wonder whether his missing father is actually 'presumed' dead. What follows is a thrilling ride into a cyber world that feels as much like the Matrix as it does Ultraviolet. With a glossy outer coating, this movie lacks much in the way of true plot, and the script was quite easy to follow. Jeff Bridges acting was intentionally downplayed so as not to create too much disparity between him and his less experienced co-stars. The perfect bodies and club stomping tunes stand in as a substitute for the lack of acting, add to that some excellent visual effects and you get a 3 out of 5.