DVD Talk DVD Reviews https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/list/DVD Video DVD Talk DVD Review RSS Feed en-us Psychophony: An Experiment In Evil DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/64586 Fri, 25 Apr 2014 01:43:26 UTC Rent It

The Movie:
There is a lot of good Spanish language horror cinema in the world. I was looking through an IMDB list of such the other day, and was stunned by the number and quality of films. But that doesn't mean that every Spanish language horror film is going to be good. Psychophony, though it has a fairly intriguing premise, is at best mediocre.

Dr. Jara (Merce Montala) is a psychiatrist with a controversial theory, namely that schizophrenia has a supernatural rather than a chemical or biological cause. Along with the help of her nurse Luz (Leyla Rodriguez) and paranormal researcher Matt Kram (Raul Alvarez) she devises an experiment, which consists of spending a week in a haunted house with a bunch of schizophrenic and recording it all. How exactly this qualifies as an experiment is unclear, though at one point Jara and Matt decide that they've "proven" their thesis.

The schizop...Read the entire review

]]> Paranormal Apparition: Revenge From Beyond The Grave DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/61889 Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:07:15 UTC Rent It

THE FILM:
Around the same time that Oren Peli was setting up a camcorder it two wannabe actor's bedroom, the better to film their supposedly shocking story of haunting and demonic possession, director Alec Tuckman was working on his own indie fright flick. With a significantly bigger budget than what would end up becoming Paranormal Activity, he crafted a tale about an occult obsessed movie producer, his semi-interested gal pal, and a family that moves into their home post-tragedy. Yep, this is one of those the-cheaply-priced-mansion-with-a-pool-and-a-guest-house-is-so-inexpensive-because-somebody-DIED-there plots, with some unusual twists and turns along the way. Originally released as Cold Blood Canyon, it came and went with little notice. Now, a new DVD distributor, hoping to cash in on the popularity of Peli stop-now-before-we-sequelize-again series has re-titled the film <...Read the entire review

]]> Indemnity: Rage Of A Jealous Vampire DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/60078 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:41:05 UTC Rent It

The Movie:
Independent horror has a lot of potential for groundbreaking, unsettling material and approaches. It also has a lot of potential for mediocrity, and outright failure. Scrappy, under an hour vampire film Indemnity: Rage of a Jealous Vampire isn't quite a total failure, but stumbles more than it dances.

William (David Dietz, who also writes and directs) is on the run. He flees through the darkened woods, pursued by a female figure with glowing red eyes. He's clearly in fear for his life. Luckily, a truck stops by the road, and offers him a ride to a nearby tavern, called the Rinky Dink, which is quite rustic, complete with a pig rutting outside the front door. He's safe for the moment. Inside, he meets the grizzled proprietor Joe (Daniel I. Radakovich), and they strike up a conversation.

Meanwhile, Angela (Crystalann Jones) relentlessly follows, picking up a ride from a ...Read the entire review

]]> Steel Gaze: An Unauthorized Story on Clint Eastwood DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/47588 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:41:09 UTC Skip It

THE PROGRAM:

There's rip-offs, and then there's an item like Steel Gaze: An Unauthorized Story on Clint Eastwood--a blatant cash grab that strings together existing materials into a faux-documentary without a trace of artistry or scholarship. We get a ton of these "unauthorized biography" jobs here at DVD Talk, and I've sat through plenty of them (I've even enjoyed a couple, for what they're worth). This one--whose existence I can only attribute to a desire to confuse consumers seeking out the far-superior Richard Schickel documentary The Eastwood Factor--contains an astonishing dearth of information, relying instead on lots of video of Eastwood attending stuff. The program makes Eastwood's A&E Biography seem positively penetrating in comparison.

The first few minutes cover, as shallowly as possible, Eastwood's early years: Read the entire review

]]> Parting Ways: Beatles - An Unauthorized Story DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/45179 Sun, 08 Aug 2010 17:24:13 UTC Rent It

It has been over 40 years since the Beatles' infamous break-up. They remain popular as evidenced by the recently re-released albums, a video game, and even a Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas in their honor. They have been the subject of countless documentaries and books. Parting Ways: The Beatles is a forgettable and poorly produced documentary that does nothing to stand above the crowd. In fact, it gets trampled by the multitude of superior documentaries available.

Parting Ways covers the split of the Fab Four and their lives that followed. The documentary begins with perhaps the most famous Beatle, the late John Lennon. It tells the story of how he began pursuing non-Beatles interests in the Plastic Ono Band with Yoko Ono and Eric Clapton among others. It then quickly discusses how John Lennon ...Read the entire review

]]> Miley Cyrus: The World According To DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/42492 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:52:10 UTC Skip It

The World According to Miley Cyrus: An Unauthorized Story:
OK, so I'm not the target demo for this DVD, but the way it has been assembled indicates the real target demo is probably a paper towel left on the top of someone's refrigerator. With any luck, I'll at least get some angry emails from Mylie fans, after I rip into this lame DVD. Then again, even Mylie's audience of ten-year-old girls is savvy enough to be disappointed in and enraged by this overlong puff-piece of a cash-in.

By accounts from this paint-by-numbers effort, the young Cyrus took to acting of her own accord, and not to somehow salvage the achey-breaky family name. Her turn on the Hannah Montana show for Disney is now legendary, and Cyrus is using that fame to launch her own music career. Like other Disney starlets, (Lindsey Lohan, Hillary Duff, etc.) Mylie hopes to reap the rewards of stardom, while avoiding the pit...Read the entire review

]]> WWE - Brian Pillman - Loose Cannon DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/25988 Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:07:38 UTC Highly Recommended

As i've mentioned in previous reviews, there was a period in my life where I was not watching the WWF/E. I'd like to state precisely when I stopped, but I know it was sometime during the late 80's. Since I didn't start watching again until the lovely Trish Stratus captivated me in 2002, I missed out on at least 12 years of WWF/E - which is a blessing and a curse. A curse, because I was absent for the entire attitude era - I missed the rise of Stone Cold, the Rock and the real DX, amongst other things. However, thanks to Vince and WWE Entertainment, they continue to release DVDs showcasing individual talent to let those of us who weren't there the first time around catch up on what we missed.

Brian Pillman - ...Read the entire review

 ]]> WWE - Unforgiven 2006 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/25262 Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:50:18 UTC Highly Recommended

This year's Unforgiven took place on September 17, 2006 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Air Canada Centre. In addition to Umaga's first PPV appearance, we also see newly introduced tag team &quot;the Highlanders&quot; taking on the male cheerleaders for the championship belt. We're also subjected to (what will hopefully be thefinal) match between DX and Vince McMahon. However, the best (and saddest) match out of them all is Trish Stratus' final match.

Here's the card:

  • Intercontinental Championship [Johnny Nitro vs. Jeff Hardy] - Johnny and Jeff put on a pretty good match with a lot of high-flying by Jeff ...Read the entire review

    ]]> WWE - Hulk Hogan - The Ultimate Anthology DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/24846 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 08:45:48 UTC Recommended

    As Superstar Ric Flair tells us on this DVD set entitled Hulk Hogan – The Ultimate Anthology, ask anyone around the world who Hulk Hogan is and anyone can probably tell you regardless of whether or not they have any interest in professional wrestling. Hulk Hogan, even if you don't like him, simply represents what wrestling is about. He proved that wrestling was a true form of sports entertainment and was a type of business that did have mass appeal. The provided three-disc set chronicles the huge career that Hulk Hogan had.

    Provided Matches

    Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant – 9/13/80 Shea Stadium

    This brief 6 minute clip starts off the DVD set as we see the first meeting between these two legends (and obviously not there most important meeting). ...Read the entire review

    ]]>     WWE: Summerslam 2006 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/24853 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 08:45:48 UTC Recommended

    Taking place in Boston, Massachusetts on August 20th, 2006, the 2006 Summerslam featured some feuds concluded, and some continuing.

    Provided Matches

    Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero

    Running about 17 minutes, this match, despite having some solid wrestlers involved in it, is dull. I really wish WWE would drop this whole Eddie Guerrero storyline. The great man is dead WWE, let him rest in peace by not constantly reminding us he's dead.

    King Booker and Queen Sharmell backstage

    A little backstage bit running about 3 minutes featuring King Booker and Queen Sharmell talking about how good they are and their Smackdown! Show is. Edge and Lita enter and the two agree to a wager about there two titles.

    Read the entire review

    ]]>     WWE - WrestleMania 22 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/22746 Sat, 15 Jul 2006 15:18:52 UTC Highly Recommended

    Besides showers and flowers, about the only other thing we can count on during the month of April is another WrestleMania event. This time, the show took place on April 2, 2006 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago. While I am a fan of Peter Gabriel, I was curious why Vince opted to dust off Pete's '86 hit &quot;Big Time&quot; for the theme of the event, since I grew so accustomed to against his usual practice of picking some anonymous nu-metal band's &quot;song&quot;.

    Also, unlike WrestleMania 21's comical film parodies, WrestleMania 22 didn't benefit from any sort of creative promotion. In fact, I don't even recall what promotional push this even received. My minor annoyances aside, I was actually l...Read the entire review

    ]]>     WWE - Taboo Tuesday 2005 DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/19695 Sat, 14 Jan 2006 15:12:54 UTC Recommended

    Raw presented the second "Taboo Tuesday" PPV in San Diego, California on November 1st, 2005. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of "Taboo Tuesday", this is the annual PPV that the fans are supposedly in charge of. Fans that log on to WWE.com before the event will be able to choose things such as "What type of match will Coach and Batista have?" or "What outfit will the Divas be wearing during?". However, unlike last year's event and with the exception of the main event voting, this one seems to be more determined by the fans.

    Here's the card:

    • SmackDown! Challenge - Tag Team MatchRead the entire review

      ]]> Kung Fu of Eight Drunkards DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/4860 Sun, 27 Oct 2002 22:54:36 UTC Skip It

      Everybody loves a good drunk, and while Americans may have at one time giggled at WC Fields and Foster Brooks antics, no one loved a drunk more than the old school Chinese kung fu movies of the late 70's after Drunken Master hit the screens. Kung Fu of 8 Drunkards (1980) is one such imitator, co-starring and directed by HK film veteran Wu Ma- Circus Kids, Just Heroes, Shaolin Deadly Kicks, Dead and the Deadly.

      This time we open with our stereotypical boyish young hero Chang Fung (Meng Fei -Prodigal Boxer, Shaolin Kung Fu Mystagogue, 5 Masters of Death ) being trained by the stereotypical surly, unkempt, mean, toothless drunken master. Chang Fung returns home to his uncles restaurant and trouble arises when he is in a crowd watching a guy whupping some locals; he chases a scrappy gambler/thief named Monkey (Wu Ma) and they end up on stage where Chang Fung soundly trounce...Read the entire review

      ]]>       The Empress Dowager DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/4859 Sun, 27 Oct 2002 22:52:39 UTC Rent It

      Director Li Han-hsiang (The Kingdom and the Beauty, Love Eternal, Burning of Imperial Palace) had a bit of a fascination with the Empress Dowager, directing, I think, two films with The Empress Dowager as a title, one for Shaw Bros in the 70's and, on the heels of Bertoluccis' success with The Last Emperor, this one in the late 80's

      The Empress Dowager is a very important figure in Chinese history, a cold and overbearing monarch, whose blind need for power lead to the downfall of the Chinese hierarchy, made way for the Boxer Rebellion and British rule, and eventually all of this leading to China being governed by Communism. Much like The Last Emperor, The Empress Dowager plays out as a look behind the Forbidden Cities walls, into the double dealing, backstabbing, and power games that played between the two Empress Dowagers, Tzu Hsi, the headstrong of the West, the ...Read the entire review

      ]]>       Dual Flying Kicks DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/4848 Sat, 26 Oct 2002 21:06:23 UTC Skip It

      Wan Tai (Lung Fei) is a mayor dealing in a little minor crime on the side. Commissioner Fung (Chen Sing), his cohort in dirty business, arrives to warn him that the government has sent two agents, the Double Kicks (Dorian Tan Tao Liang & Tan Tao-Chien), to infiltrate the town and expose the crime and smuggling operations. With various crime gangs arriving for his birthday, Wan Tai offers his daughters hand in marriage to the person that can expose and defeat the Double Kicks.

      Now here is an odd one. It is fair to say that 98% of all kung fu movie plots are pretty predictable. From the early moments of the film we are usually introduced to the good guy and the bad guy, the actors might as well be wearing shirts with big red letters saying this, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out how the plot will play out. However, Dual Flying Kicks(1978) is a movie where it remains just as predict...Read the entire review

      ]]>       Yellow River Fighter DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/4809 Tue, 22 Oct 2002 23:06:06 UTC Recommended

      Three lords are waging battle against each other; as their battles intensify across the countryside, they are callous to the needs of their people and only want dominance over the land. One day, one of the lords is rescued by the skilled swordsman Master Ma. Merely seeing a man in trouble, Master Ma entered the fray with no desire of a reward or thanks for what he saw as his simple noble duty to defend someone in trouble. Master Ma returns to his village to find his people slaughtered and his family dead. Alone and despondent, Master Ma wallows in drunkenness and he is taken in by a street performer and soon is performing his sword technique in front of crowds so he can get money for more wine to drown his sorrows. After a failed poisoning by one of the lords, who he refused his services as a soldier, Master Ma is half blind and he and his sidekick are taken in by the lord he protected. But, this lord ...Read the entire review

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