Archive for August, 2011

City Enterprise, Hemdale, Libertad Films

James Coburn, Anthony Quinn, James Brolin, Ernest Borgnine, Bruce Davison, Cleavon Little, Lindsay Wagner, Chick Vennera

Four American friends stuck in low paying jobs decide it would be easy to make a commando-like raid into a Colombian drug lord’s compound and steal $5 million. They 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. The chase is on, big time!

High Risk is a very little known adventure story from 1981. The reason it’s so little known is not because it’s a bad movie. Actually it’s pretty good. It’s a B movie, sure, but it’s got great adventure and comedy. With all the stars in this film, it’s amazing it’s not known better than it is, but it only ran one week in the theater in 1981 because another action film premiered one week later and sort of blew it out of the water. The other film was a little thing called “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. As a result, almost no one has seen or heard of this film.

I was impressed with this film. I watched it on Netflix “Watch Instantly” and enjoyed it a lot. I expected sort of a TV Movie thing, but it was actually a good 80’s style adventure. Excellent acting and a strong story, it was impressive. Everyone did a good job, so it’s hard to single anyone out, but Anthony Quinn was great as the bandito leader just trying to get his share of the money. But really, everyone was good.

This is well worth watching on DVD or on Watch Instantly, and I recommend it if you like the 80’s style adventure stories like the Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain and other films of the decade. This has a similar feel, and the fact that the robbers are just regular guys is an interesting twist, since they obviously are not prepared for what’s about to happen. Somehow they thought this would be easy, just walk in, take the money, and get out. It got complicated in a hurry. If you have a chance to track this one down, it’s worth it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Movie Rentals Releasing Tuesday August 30, 2011

  • Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family
  • Prom
  • In a Better World (Danish)
  • Forks over Knives (Documentary)
  • The 5th Quarter
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    American Film Company, The, Wildwood Enterprises

    James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexis Bledel, Justin Long, Danny Huston, Norman Reedus, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson



    Abraham Lincoln was shot, attempts were made on the Vice President and the Secretary of State. John Wilkes Booth was identified as the shooter, and he was captured and killed, but the public knew there was more than one person involved and wanted a trial. Booth and a number of other conspirators met at the boarding house of Mary Surratt (Robin Wright Penn) and her son in Washington. Mary’s son was nowhere to be found, but Mary was arrested under the suspicion that she was a participant in the plan. It was a military trial with no jury and the accused was not allowed to speak on her own behalf. The story is of young lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) as he defends Mary Surratt.

    Directed by Robert Redford, the American Film Company is bringing this, as the first, in a series of factual movies based on America History. This story is one that will haunt you. The story is told in unflinching truth, and from what I can tell is pretty historically accurate. It is a 2 hour labor of love to tell the story of this interesting gentleman and what happens to him when he is called upon to represent a damn rebel murderer. He comes to think that maybe she is innocent, but recognizes that she is not able to get a fair trial and he goes to elaborate lengths to try to convince the military tribunal that what they are doing is wrong. Through his efforts it was decided by the supreme court that american civilians must be tried in a public court and not in military tribunals.

    Excellent cinematography and beautiful period Washington D.C. in the 1860’s. The film is rich and vibrant, but also very touching and very, very interesting from start to end. I am really glad I got to see this film, and we all enjoyed watching it very much. I highly recommend this film for all ages, except maybe very small children.

    EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

     

     

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    Modern VideoFilm, TLG, Younggu-Art Movies

    Harvey Keitel, Hyung-rae Shim, Michael Rispoli, Jason Mewes, Jocelin Donahue, Jon Polito, Blake Clark, Josh Rosenthal, Paul Hipp, Logan Shea, Debra Mooney, Jack Kehler

    Mafia Boss Don Carini (Harvery Keitel) is about to pass on the title of Godfather to his son. However his illegitimate son, Young-gu (Hyung-rae Shim) is a bit funny in the head. Still, Don Carini brings him to America and begins grooming him to take over the family business. Mostly through luck, he rescues the daughter, Nancy Bonfante (Jocelin Donahue) of the other mafia boss Don Bonafante (Jon Polito) and sets off on a quest to win her heart and possibly either unite or destroy both families.

    Apparently Young-gu is a character from Korean TV. I’m not Korean, so I was not aware of that. So I went into this film expecting a relatively funny Godfather parody. Instead, it is extremely stupid! This is one of the biggest wastes of time that I have ever seen. I was sorely disappointed at the lack of humor in this film. We had some decent stars in this film, but they were completely wasted. It was just silly. There was nothing to make it worth the time watching it, and I’d recommend avoiding it at all costs. The concept was not so terrible. A mafia Don’s illegitemate son is being groomed to take over the family, but the execution was so awful, that there was nothing done with the premise that made it more than a silly show. Perhaps someone gets it, and understands the value of this film. If you do, I’d be very happy to have a comment below explaining what I’m missing, but I found it a real dud!

    View the trailer if you dare, and see for yourself the quality of humor in this movie!

    EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

     

     

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    Albuquerque Studios, DreamWorks SKG, Gaeta / Rosenzweig Films

    Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Imogen Poots, Toni Collette, Dave Franco, Grace Phipps, Reid Ewing


    Teenager Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) suspects that his new neighbor, the strange and confusing Jerry Dandrige (Colin Farrell), is a vampire. Charley turns to a self-styled vampire expert and Vegas magician and showman, Peter Vincent (David Tennant), for help. Vincent proves pretty useless, and it’s up to Charley to save his mom, Jane (Toni Collette), and girlfriend, Amy, from the seductive bloodsucker next door.

    This remake of the 1985 horror film goes much more for horror than for comedy as the original did. Though there are some truly funny scenes, especially when Vincent is involved. He’s a very “Arthur” like alcoholic, playboy, rich as sin, but basically useless character, basically this is the vampire movie that vampire movies should be like. It’s pretty scary and has some very good nightmare inducing scenes in it, for sure! It was actually not bad. This particular breed of vampires are very tough to deal with, and it takes everything they have to survive. Vincent’s statement that you don’t hunt vampires, you survive if you can, is a good one.

    Very well acted and the desert scenes in this little subdivision out in the Vegas desert is really perfect for this kind of thing. Working all night and sleeping all day is a lifestyle that fits in well in Vegas. They are remote enough to not be able to get any help, but the constant view of the Vegas skyline in the distance is a reminder of the place that’s not far away. I saw this film in 3D and the 3D effects were very good. I’m beginning to not think about the extra couple dollars spent on the 3D glasses each time because it really adds to my enjoyment of the film. I know some people cannot stand 3D, but for me, it’s a great add to many films. This is one of them. In a season with a lot of horror films coming out, this is one that could get lost in the shuffle, especially as it’s a remake, but I certainly like it better than the original and it is a vampire film I could “sink my teeth into” (pun intended). Enjoy!

    EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

     

     

    Here is the preview for the 1985 “original” version

     

     

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