Blu-ray review: “The Prophecy II” (1998)

“The Prophecy II” (1998) Drama Running Time: 83 minutes Written by: Matt Greenberg and Greg Spence Directed by: Greg Spence Featuring: Christopher Walken, Russell Wong, Jennifer Beals, Brittany Murphy and Steve Hytner Gabriel: “There's a small step from prophet to martyr. Can you take it?” Critical Commentary "The Prophecy II," directed by Greg Spence and released in 1998, is a supernatural horror film that …

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Blu-ray review: “The Prophecy” (1995)

“The Prophecy” (1995) Drama Running Time: 97 minutes Written and directed by: Gregory Widen Featuring: Christopher Walken, Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz, Amanda Plummer and Viggo Mortensen Gabriel: “I'm an angel. I kill firstborns while their mamas watch. I turn cities into salt. I even, when I feel like it, rip the souls from little girls, and from now till kingdom come, …

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Blu-ray review: “Losing Isaiah” (1989)

“Losing Isaiah” (1989) Drama Running Time: 111 minutes Written by: Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal Directed by: Stephen Gyllenhaal Featuring: Jessica Lange, Halle Berry, David Strathairn, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson Margaret Lewin: “Any animal can give birth. That doesn't make it a mother.” Khaila Richards: “Oh, so you're calling me an animal? If you think you're going to just take my baby from me …

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Blu-ray review: “Music Box” (1989)

“Music Box” (1989) Drama Running Time: 124 minutes Written by: Joe Eszterhas Directed by: Costa-Gavras Featuring: Jessica Lange, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Frederic Forrest and Lukas Haas Mikey Talbot: “Grandpa told me that the holocaust was a big exaggeration.” Critical Commentary In the vast realm of cinematic history, there are films that entertain, films that enlighten, and films that haunt our deepest emotions. "Music Box," …

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Blu-ray review: “Crimes of the Heart” (1986)

“Crimes of the Heart” (1986) Drama Running Time: 105 minutes Written by: Beth Henley Directed by: Bruce Beresford Featuring: Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Tess Harper and Hurd Hatfield Meg Magrath: “Why'd you do it, Babe ? Why'd you put your head in the oven?” Babe Magrath: “I don't know... I'm having a bad day.” Critical Commentary "Crimes of the Heart," directed by …

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Blu-ray review: “Frances” (1982)

“Frances” (1982) Drama Running Time: 140 minutes Written by: Eric Bergren, Christopher De Vore and Nicholas Kazan Directed by: Graeme Clifford Featuring: Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard and Kim Stanley Harry York: “Frances, you're crazy.” Frances Farmer: [softly] “Don't tell anybody.” Critical Commentary In the realm of cinema, there are certain films that transcend the boundaries of time, leaving an indelible mark on the audience's heart and …

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Blu-ray review: “House of Sand and Fog” (2003)

“House of Sand and Fog” (2003) Drama Running Time: 126 minutes Written by: Shawn Lawrence Otto and Vadim Perelman Directed by: Vadim Perelman Featuring: Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard, Frances Fisher and Kim Dickens Behrani: [Praying for his dying son] “Please, God, don't take my joon-am. I make my nazr. My nazr, hear me, please to hear me. I will give everything to one who …

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Blu-ray review: “Waking the Dead” (2000)

“Waking the Dead” (2000) Drama Running Time: 105 minutes Written by: Robert Dillon Directed by: Keith Gordon Featuring: Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connelly, Molly Parker, Janet McTeer, Paul Hipp, Sandra Oh and Hal Holbrook Sarah Williams: “You can't be everything to me.” Fielding Pierce: “I want to be.” Sarah Williams: “Oh, dear. I love that you said that.” Critical Commentary Released in 2000, "Waking the Dead" is a …

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Blu-ray review: “Career Opportunities” (1991)

“Career Opportunities” (1991) Comedy Running Time: 83 minutes Written by: John Hughes Directed by: Bryan Gordon Featuring: Frank Whaley, Jennifer Connelly and Dermot Mulroney Josie: “And you're happy, you know, you're happy.” Jim Dodge: “I'm not happy. I'm working nights, everybody thinks I'm a liar, my whole family's laughing at me... Reverend Harwell gave me the finger last week!” Critical Commentary "Career Opportunities," …

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Blu-ray review: “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle” (1994)

“Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle” (1994) Drama Running Time: 126 minutes Written by: Alan Rudolph and Randy Sue Coburn Directed by: Alan Rudolph Featuring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Campbell Scott, Matthew Broderick, Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Beals, Andrew McCarthy and Wallace Shawn Dorothy Parker: “Razors pain you, rivers are damp, acids stain you, drugs cause cramp. Guns aren't lawful, nooses give, gas smells awful; …

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Blu-ray review: “Blue Chips” (1994)

“Blue Chips” (1994) Drama Running Time: 108 minutes Written by: Ron Shelton Directed by: William Friedkin Featuring: Nick Nolte, Mary McDonnell, Ed O'Neill, J. T. Walsh, Alfre Woodard and Shaquille O'Neal Pete Bell: “Dwayne, you can get through college half-assed. Richard, you can get through LIFE half-assed. But I'll guarantee you boys one thing: sure as hell, I'll guarantee you this: you cannot win …

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Blu-ray review: “Broken Trail” (2006)

“Broken Trail” (2006) Western Running Time: 184 minutes Written by: Alan Geoffrion Directed by: Walter Hill Featuring: Robert Duvall, Thomas Haden Church, Greta Scacchi, Gwendoline Yeo, Chris Mulkey, Rusty Schwimmer, Scott Cooper, Donald Fong and James Russo Prentice Ritter: “Without marriage and women we'd all have been drunk, shot ourselves to death, or died of the clap.” Critical Commentary In the vast landscape of television, …

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Blu-ray review: “Johnny Handsome” (1989)

“Johnny Handsome” (1989) Action Running Time: 104 minutes Written by: Ken Friedman based on The Three Worlds of Johnny Handsome by John Godey Directed by: Walter Hill Featuring: Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Elizabeth McGovern, Forest Whitaker, Scott Wilson, Lance Henriksen and Morgan Freeman Rafe Garrett: “You got a real nice face now don't you, Johnny? But I think I liked it better the old way. Yeah, and I think I …

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Blu-ray Review: “Extreme Prejudice” (1987)

“Extreme Prejudice” (1987) Action Running Time: 104 minutes Written by: Deric Washburn and Harry Kleiner Directed by: Walter Hill Featuring: Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Rip Torn, Michael Ironside and María Conchita Alonso Sheriff Hank Pearson: “Hell, Jack... the only thing worse than a politician is a child molester.” Critical Commentary In the realm of cinematic storytelling, certain films manage to transcend their …

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Blu-ray review: “The Long Riders” (1980)

“The Long Riders” (1980) Action Running Time: 99 minutes Written by: Bill Bryden, Steven Phillip Smith, Stacy Keach and James Keach Directed by: Walter Hill Featuring: David Carradine, Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine, James Remar, James Keach, Stacy Keach, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Christopher Guest and Nicholas Guest Cole Younger: “When this is all over, I'm goin' to write a book; make myself more famous than I already am.” Frank James: “I trust you'll …

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Blu-ray review: “Wolf Creek” (2005)

“Wolf Creek” (2005) Horror Running Time: 109 minutes Written and directed by: Greg McLean Featuring: Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi and John Jarratt Mick Taylor: “I'm going to do something now they used to do in Vietnam. It's called making a head on a stick.” Critical Commentary “Wolf Creek”, directed by Greg McLean and released in 2005, is a renowned …

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Blu-ray review: “Marlowe” (2022)

“Marlowe” (2022) Drama Running Time: 109 minutes Written by: William Monahan and Neil Jordan Directed by: Neil Jordan Featuring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ian Hart, Colm Meaney, Daniela Melchior, François Arnaud, Seána Kerslake, Danny Huston and Alan Cumming Philip Marlowe: [after beating up two thugs] “Fuck it!” [grabs a chair and hits one of them in the head] Philip Marlowe: “I'm too old for this shit!” Critical Commentary …

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Blu-ray review: “Four Rooms” (1995)

“Four Rooms” (1974) Drama Running Time: 98 minutes Written and directed by: Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino Featuring: Tim Roth, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Beals, Paul Calderon, Sammi Davis, Valeria Golino, Madonna, David Proval, Ione Skye, Lili Taylor, Marisa Tomei and Tamlyn Tomita Angela: “It's hard to stop talking about something that's so *huge*. I mean, I could go on and on about his cock, his …

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Blu-ray review: “Dersu Uzala” (1974)

“Dersu Uzala” (1974) Drama Running Time: 144 minutes Written by: Akira Kurosawa and Yuri Nagibin Directed by: Akira Kurosawa Featuring: Maxim Munzuk and Yury Solomin Arsenev: “Dersu, maybe we should wait till the rain stops?” Dersu Uzala: “Time to get ready. Birds begin singing, you hear? Rain soon finish now. Sun shine soon.” Critical Commentary Cinema has often served as …

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Blu-ray review: “The Unknown Terror ” (1957)

“The Unknown Terror ” (1957) Horror Running Time: 77 minutes Written by: Kenneth Higgins Directed by: Charles Marquis Warren Featuring: John Howard, Mala Powers, Paul Richards and May Wynn Tagline: “They dared enter the Cave of Death to explore the secrets of hell!” Critical Commentary In the realm of cinema, horror movies have always held a special place. They are capable of evoking …

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