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"The Chronicles of Riddick" (HD DVD) Synopsis The
Chronicles of Riddick is the follow-up to the sleeper hit Pitch
Black that had found a bit of a cult following after its release on
DVD. It also introduced the world to the anti-hero Riddick, played by
Vin Diesel. Riddick is a hardened criminal who has spent most of his
life in remote prisons on several different planets. This film is set a
few years after the end of Pitch Black and finds Riddick on a
remote planet being hunted by mercenaries working a bounty from one of
the people Riddick saved in the first film. Commentary The
Chronicles of Riddick is a very solid sci-fi action film with good
effects work, great locales, and plenty of action. Twohy has penned
other underappreciated gems like Below and Pitch Black,
and this film sets up yet another story at the end. Anyone who is into
science fiction should not miss this one. I have my fingers crossed that
Twohy will be able to bring this character back again in more films!! Extras Extras on this release are identical to the previously released Director's Cut DVD with no new HD material. This includes some behind the scenes features as well as an opening introduction by the director. - Kris Deering -
Synopsis A bank in New York City is being robbed, and there are hostages. Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) is a negotiator, and is assigned to get the hostages out with no casualties. In dealing with the leader of the gang in the bank, Dalton Russell (Owen), Frazier gets suspicious that something unusual is going down, and it is not just a bank robbery. He becomes even more suspicious when a young woman, Madeline White (Foster), asks to talk to Russell. It seems the head of the bank, Arthur Case (Plummer) has something to hide, and the bank robbers know what it is. And . . . it's in the bank. When everyone comes out of the bank with their hands up, and all are dressed the same, Frazier is faced with finding out not only what the dark secret is, but which of the group were the perpetrators in the first place. Commentary Maybe not all of Denzel Washington's movies are terrific, but I have never seen one that wasn't worth the rent at Blockbuster, and this is no exception. He is a fine actor, the story is very unusual, and Spike Lee delivers as he always does (apparently Ron Howard was set to direct it, but decided to do Cinderella Man instead). It is nice to see a movie with so many big stars in it. Reminds me of the good old days in the 1950s. Extras These include Making Of, Deleted Scenes, Director's Commentary, and other things. - John E. Johnson, Jr. -
Synopsis Julian Noble (Brosnan) is a hit man. Unfortunately, he has anxiety disorder, and fails to execute his target in Mexico City. His boss, Mr. Randy (Hall), realizes that Julian has now become a liability, and decides that Julian will be the next target. In a bar, Julian meets Danny Wright (Kinnear), who is in Mexico as a salesman. They strike up a conversation, but Danny decides that Julian is just a bit weird - besides being a murderer - and makes his exit. Six months later, Julian shows up at Danny's home back in the USA, and asks Danny to help him do one last hit. He says he can't do it alone because he is so anxious. So, together, Julian and Danny go to a ball game to make the hit, and guess who is the target? Commentary Critics have said this is Brosnan's best work, but I think it is only because it's so shocking to see him having explicit sex and using such profane language. It's not his best work, but it is a funny movie, if the topic of assassination can be in the comedy category. Extras These include Making Of, Deleted Scenes, Director's Commentary, and other things. - John E. Johnson, Jr. -
Synopsis Philip Sauvage (Van Damme) was a Desert Storm soldier and is now in a hospital, trying to recover psychologically. Another former soldier asks Sauvage to join him in forming a team of bodyguards who will be protecting the Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Wayne Barclay (Adoti) from a thug, Terrell Singletery (Leacock), whom Barclay testified against, resulting in Singletery going to prison, and who has just been released. At first, Barclay's sister Tamara (Fox) does not like Philip, thinking him a bit strange. But, when Singletery's henchmen attack Wayne at a dance club, and Sauvage saves Wayne's life, Tamara decides that Philip is just the man to cornerstone the entire team. When Singletery discovers that getting to Wayne will not be easy, he kidnaps Tamara and demands that Wayne come to his house for peace negotiations. Of course, Philip is not fooled by this, and makes sure the meeting is a trap, not for Wayne, but for Singletery instead. Commentary Like most Van Damme movies these days, this one was direct to DVD, but it is one of his best action films. What makes Van Damme's characters much more appealing than Steven Segal's (another action film selection that is usually direct-to-DVD at this point) is that Van Damme characters have weaknesses, such as the damaged psyche in this one. So, when Van Damme comes back from his suffering to win, it is always satisfying. Extras There are none. - John E. Johnson, Jr. -
"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" Synopsis Peter Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones), a Texas cowboy, has a friend named Melquiades Estrada (Cedillo), who works with him on the ranch. Melquiades tells Pete one day that if he dies, please take him back to Mexico to be buried. Pete brushes off the conversation, saying he isn't going to die. Well, of course, we all have to die someday, and Melquiades' day comes when a new USA/Mexico Border Patrol officer named Mike Norton (Pepper) accidentally shoots him while searching for illegal immigrants crossing the border. Mike buries Melquiades (the first burial). Pete finds out that Mike did the deed and makes him dig up the body, only to rebury him on the ranch (the second burial). Then, Pete decides to honor Melquiades' request, and has Mike dig the body up again so they can take it back to his home town in Mexico for final burial (the third burial). Along the way, of course, Mike continually tries to get away, but in the extreme heat and dryness, he finally resigns himself to his fate. You can imagine the state of deterioration of the body as they march the horses through Mexico. Commentary This was Tommy Lee Jones' theatrical film direction debut (he directed a made-for-TV movie back in the 1990s), and it is quite entertaining. For those of you who have never been to Texas, it is just like it's portrayed in the movie. Whether or not you like that sort of scenery and climate is another matter. And, oh . . . the Mexican food is something else. Lots of red gravy and not too much cheese. Extras These include a Director's Commentary and other things. - John E. Johnson, Jr. -
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