Collection ID 1418
Director: Stewart Raffill
Starring: James Brolin, Anthony Quinn, Lindsay Wagner, James Coburn, Ernest Borgnine
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Studio: City Enterprise   Release date: 1981   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA, Mexico, UK)
Summary: Four American friends, badly needing money, decide to make a commando-like raid into a South American country and steal $5 million from the hacienda of an American-born drug dealer who lives there. The four Americans then succeed rather easily in stealing the money, but soon run into trouble trying to get back out of the country, as both the drug dealer and a small army of bandits each hunt them down trying to get the money.
My Rating:
My Review: A $1.00 Wal-Mart bargain-bin selection. Not bad for a low budget b-roll production. In this early 80s movie, four American's with dead-end jobs, and a keen sense of adventure decide to try their hand at a high-stakes heist south of the border. Cashing in on their welfare checks, they payroll a plan to fly to South America and rip off a big time drug lord. Armed with an infinite supply of bullets (hollywood style), a safe combination and they're trusty pet poodle, they make their way through the jungle to the drug lords heavily guarded hacienda. What follows is a hollywood heist and chase movie starring a fair cast of actors. The script was poor but the performances fair. A good amount of action and a few laughs. The scenery was great, but a 4:3 aspect ratio and poor focus/transfer spoiled the setting. 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 74
Director: Robert Harmon
Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn, John M. Jackson
Genre: Action
Studio: HBO Pictures   Release date: 1986   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A young man transporting a car to another state is stalked along the road by a cunning and relentless serial killer who eventually frames the driver for a string of murders. Chased by police and shadowed by the killer, the driver's only help comes from a truck stop waitress.
My Rating:
My Review: Rutger Hauer as the psycho hitch hiker is definitely the star of this movie. Everyone else is just dragged along for the ride. A brilliant thriller with non-stop action, an excellent story and a well matched cast. Jim Halsey (played by C. Thomas Howell) is driving cross country to deliver a 'drive away' to California. When he stops to pick up a hitch hiker. Rutger Hauer plays the psycho hitch hiker, and Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a truck-stop waitress. Together this trio tells a terrific tale of terror in this late night highway horror flick. Perfect pacing, a fantastic sound track, excellent editing and top notch direction in a low budget blow-out. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 868
Director: Robert Harmon
Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn, John M. Jackson
Genre: Action
Studio: HBO Pictures   Release date: 1986   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: A young man transporting a car to another state is stalked along the road by a cunning and relentless serial killer who eventually frames the driver for a string of murders. Chased by police and shadowed by the killer, the driver's only help comes from a truck stop waitress.
My Rating:
My Review: Rutger Hauer as the psycho hitch hiker is definitely the star of this movie. Everyone else is just dragged along for the ride. A brilliant thriller with non-stop action, an excellent story and a well matched cast. Jim Halsey (played by C. Thomas Howell) is driving cross country to deliver a 'drive away' to California. When he stops to pick up a hitch hiker. Rutger Hauer plays the psycho hitch hiker, and Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a truck-stop waitress. Together this trio tells a terrific tale of terror in this late night highway horror flick. Perfect pacing, a fantastic sound track, excellent editing and top notch direction in a low budget blow-out. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 352
Director: John Frankenheimer
Starring: Michael Caine, Anthony Andrews, Victoria Tennant, Lilli Palmer, Mario Adorf
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment   Release date: 1985   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, French (UK)
Summary: The son of a German General becomes part of a mysterious conspiracy to gain hidden Nazi funds.
My Rating:
My Review: One of my least favorite John Frankenheimer films (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Train, Seconds, The French Connection II, Prophecy, 52 Pick Up, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Ronin, Reindeer Games, Path to War). Starring Michael Caine (as Noel Holcroft), Anthony Andrews (as Johann von Tiebolt / Jonathan Tennyson), Victoria Tennant (as Helden von Tiebolt / Helden Tennyson), Lilli Palmer (as Althene Holcroft), and many others. Despite the highly revised screen play (three credits), the Robert Ludlum novel shines through. Michael Cain provides a fair performance as Noel Holcroft. He's starred in numerous spy thrillers (Foxhole in Cairo, The Ipcress File (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), Funeral in Berlin (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), Billion Dollar Brain (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), The Black Windmill, The Jigsaw Man) but I truly believe that he was miscast in his role. He's really not believable as the American raised son of a prestigious Nazi officer. He does his best, but the British accent, curly hair, and slightly aristocratic mannerisms contradict his character. As a Robert Ludlum film, the plot is convoluted and demands a large amount of exposition. Thankfully the editing and screen play (polished by several hands) manages to keep the story line believable and fairly easy to follow. Michael Caine (as Noel Holcroft) is the American raised son of Adolf Hitler's financial advisor. At the end of the war (World War II) Her Kessler and his two co-conspirators have forged a secret covenant that will only take effect many years in the future. Noel and the children of Kessler's co-conspirators are the chosen administrators of a 4.5 Billion dollar trust fund. Supposedly, this fund shall be used to make reparations for the Nazi war crimes. A Swiss bank account with 4.5 Billion dollars, Nazis and a sinister hidden agenda drive this thriller at a quickening pace. The pacing, direction and editing were all outstanding. The acting was a bit mixed, but the Robert Ludlum story manages to keep you interested from beginning to end. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 1086
Director: John Frankenheimer
Starring: Michael Caine, Anthony Andrews, Victoria Tennant, Lilli Palmer, Mario Adorf
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment   Release date: 1985   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, French (UK)
Summary: The son of a German General becomes part of a mysterious conspiracy to gain hidden Nazi funds.
My Rating:
My Review: One of my least favorite John Frankenheimer films (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Train, Seconds, The French Connection II, Prophecy, 52 Pick Up, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Ronin, Reindeer Games, Path to War). Starring Michael Caine (as Noel Holcroft), Anthony Andrews (as Johann von Tiebolt / Jonathan Tennyson), Victoria Tennant (as Helden von Tiebolt / Helden Tennyson), Lilli Palmer (as Althene Holcroft), and many others. Despite the highly revised screen play (three credits), the Robert Ludlum novel shines through. Michael Cain provides a fair performance as Noel Holcroft. He's starred in numerous spy thrillers (Foxhole in Cairo, The Ipcress File (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), Funeral in Berlin (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), Billion Dollar Brain (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), The Black Windmill, The Jigsaw Man) but I truly believe that he was miscast in his role. He's really not believable as the American raised son of a prestigious Nazi officer. He does his best, but the British accent, curly hair, and slightly aristocratic mannerisms contradict his character. As a Robert Ludlum film, the plot is convoluted and demands a large amount of exposition. Thankfully the editing and screen play (polished by several hands) manages to keep the story line believable and fairly easy to follow. Michael Caine (as Noel Holcroft) is the American raised son of Adolf Hitler's financial advisor. At the end of the war (World War II) Her Kessler and his two co-conspirators have forged a secret covenant that will only take effect many years in the future. Noel and the children of Kessler's co-conspirators are the chosen administrators of a 4.5 Billion dollar trust fund. Supposedly, this fund shall be used to make reparations for the Nazi war crimes. A Swiss bank account with 4.5 Billion dollars, Nazis and a sinister hidden agenda drive this thriller at a quickening pace. The pacing, direction and editing were all outstanding. The acting was a bit mixed, but the Robert Ludlum story manages to keep you interested from beginning to end. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 927
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Roberts Blossom
Genre: Family
Studio: Hughes Entertainment   Release date: 1990   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: An eight year-old, who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, has to defend his home against idiotic burglars.
My Rating:
My Review: A Christmas Classic staring Macaulay Culkin in his most endearing role. It amazes me how much more I like this movie, now that I'm watching it from an eight year old point of view - Not that I'm eight years old - I wish! - but watching this movie made me feel like I was eight years old (again). It's Christmas, and the McAllister family is desperately preparing for an overseas trip to Paris to be with family. The house is a mess, the Kids are frantic, the pizza kid wants his fare, and the cop at the door just wants to make sure the house is secure for the holidays… Are all the kids here? Check; Did you turn down the heat? Check; Pack the travelers checks? Check! Great - Let's go. The family jumps into the van and heads for the airport. Midway across the Atlantic it dawns on Kate that they left Kevin Home Alone! Hooray - He finally did it, he wished his family away, and now the house is his, all his, time to party like an eight year old! The party is going great until, the wet bandits decide to target the McCallister mansion, and the only one home is Kevin - They have no idea what they're in for. The story is fantastic, and Macaulay Culkin steals the show right out from under the rugs of Joe Pesci and Joe Stern as the bumbling pair of bandits; Harry and Marv. With a little luck, some help from a neighbor and the imagination of an eight year old, Christmas just might be saved after all. It's a great family friendly Christmas movie. Filled with thrills, imagination and an infectious sense of adventure that leaves you laughing throughout. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 154
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Roberts Blossom
Genre: Family
Studio: Hughes Entertainment   Release date: 1990   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: An eight year-old, who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, has to defend his home against idiotic burglars.
My Rating:
My Review: A Christmas Classic staring Macaulay Culkin in his most endearing role. It amazes me how much more I like this movie, now that I'm watching it from an eight year old point of view - Not that I'm eight years old - I wish! - but watching this movie made me feel like I was eight years old (again). It's Christmas, and the McAllister family is desperately preparing for an overseas trip to Paris to be with family. The house is a mess, the Kids are frantic, the pizza kid wants his fare, and the cop at the door just wants to make sure the house is secure for the holidays… Are all the kids here? Check; Did you turn down the heat? Check; Pack the travelers checks? Check! Great - Let's go. The family jumps into the van and heads for the airport. Midway across the Atlantic it dawns on Kate that they left Kevin Home Alone! Hooray - He finally did it, he wished his family away, and now the house is his, all his, time to party like an eight year old! The party is going great until, the wet bandits decide to target the McCallister mansion, and the only one home is Kevin - They have no idea what they're in for. The story is fantastic, and Macaulay Culkin steals the show right out from under the rugs of Joe Pesci and Joe Stern as the bumbling pair of bandits; Harry and Marv. With a little luck, some help from a neighbor and the imagination of an eight year old, Christmas just might be saved after all. It's a great family friendly Christmas movie. Filled with thrills, imagination and an infectious sense of adventure that leaves you laughing throughout. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Collection ID 108
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Wilson Brown
Genre: Family
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures   Release date: 1989   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Wayne Szalinski is your average "nutty scientist", working on a top secret machine which miniaturizes objects. When it unexpectedly starts working, he's so amazed he forgets to tell his family to be careful. And when they wander into his lab...
My Rating:
My Review: A Disney production. A family friendly comedy. Starring Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Wilson Brown , Jared Rushton, and Robert Oliveri. This lightweight comedy is cast with a lightweight b-list of actors. None of them made it big, and none of them delivered much more than a few yucks in this marshmallow of a movie. Funnyman Rick Moranis plays a scatterbrained scientist, a dreamer, believer, inventor, workaholic on the verge of losing it all - his job, his marriage, and his home. The dark themes of this movie are slight attempt at character development. The real story is a 'Fantastic Journey' through the back yard. When dad's latest invention inadvertently shrinks a group of kids (his and the neighbors), the adventure begins. Shrunken down to super small size (a scale which seems to constantly change), the kids embark on a surprisingly difficult and rewarding trek across the jungle of a suburban back yard. As the kids come together to make the perilous journey, their parents realize that they too will have to cooperate in order to achieve their goals. An excellent family values adventure that delivers as expected. The special effects are pretty good, and the sound production excellent. 3 out of 5. The 'Roger Rabbit' short included on this VHS is an extremely violent example of Disney's animation overlay with live action.

Collection ID 892
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Wilson Brown
Genre: Family
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures   Release date: 1989   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Wayne Szalinski is your average "nutty scientist", working on a top secret machine which miniaturizes objects. When it unexpectedly starts working, he's so amazed he forgets to tell his family to be careful. And when they wander into his lab...
My Rating:
My Review: A Disney production. A family friendly comedy. Starring Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Wilson Brown , Jared Rushton, and Robert Oliveri. This lightweight comedy is cast with a lightweight b-list of actors. None of them made it big, and none of them delivered much more than a few yucks in this marshmallow of a movie. Funnyman Rick Moranis plays a scatterbrained scientist, a dreamer, believer, inventor, workaholic on the verge of losing it all - his job, his marriage, and his home. The dark themes of this movie are slight attempt at character development. The real story is a 'Fantastic Journey' through the back yard. When dad's latest invention inadvertently shrinks a group of kids (his and the neighbors), the adventure begins. Shrunken down to super small size (a scale which seems to constantly change), the kids embark on a surprisingly difficult and rewarding trek across the jungle of a suburban back yard. As the kids come together to make the perilous journey, their parents realize that they too will have to cooperate in order to achieve their goals. An excellent family values adventure that delivers as expected. The special effects are pretty good, and the sound production excellent. 3 out of 5. The 'Roger Rabbit' short included on this VHS is an extremely violent example of Disney's animation overlay with live action.

Collection ID 613
Director:
Starring:
Genre: Culture
Studio:   Release date:   Rated: NR   
Language (Country): (United States)
Summary: Horizons - DVD Trio
Polynesian Collection: Horizons evening show, Welcome to Polynesia, Fa'a Samoa

Horizons - Where the sea meets the sky
A cast of more than 100 enthusiastic Pacific Islanders present Hawaii's most spectacular Polynesian revue. Join us as we sail through the South Pacific and enjoy the music, dance and heritage of six island nations: Hawai'i, Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti, New-Zealand, and Samoa. (80 minutes)

Welcome to Polynesia
Adventurous Polynesians, braving winds and seas in search of faraway islands, arrived in Hawai'i more than a thousand years ago. Today, millions journey to experience the splendor that is Polynesia. This video treasure will relive your memories of these beautiful islands. (60 minutes)

Fa'a Samoa - The Samoan way
Fa'a Samoa: The Samoan Way, defines the enduring vibrancy of Samoan culture. With pride the Polynesian Cultural Center's chief Sielu Avea shares the dignity, excitement, and humor of all things uniquely Samoan. Join Chief Avea for an informative and delightful perspective on this dynamic society. (45 minutes)
My Rating:
My Review: