THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS:
THE SCORNED
2006; DVD $19.95, UR
An overlooked and bloody indie vengeful-ghost story with lots of flesh. A secluded Malibu beach house is home to a savage murder when a woman finds her fiancée in bed with her maid-of-“honor.” Later, other infidelities in the house lead to death. Is it co-inky-dink, or is there an avenging angel with a talent for horrible violence afoot? By the time a psychic is called in, the body parts are piling up. A cheap, cheezy, dumb — and surprisingly funny — tale, entertaining as hell.
WOLF CREEK
2004; VHS Rental/DVD $29.95, UR/R
An Aussie travelogue-turned-slasher-flick that delivers the gory goods! A pair of comely Limey lasses wander across Oz with their buddy Ben, who regales them with urban legends and tall tales. When their transportation breaks down, they are befriended by a strikingly large and affable “former vermin shooter” who promises to put them up for the night and fix their ride. The next morning, however, the smiling mountain of a man shows his true colors … And they’re all BLOOD RED! BWAHAHAHAHA. A fun and original walk on the wild side. Recommended, but not for everyone.
AN UNFINISHED LIFE
2005; VHS Rental/DVD $29.95, PG-13
This, Robert Redford’s latest outing, was largely unseen by the movie-going public despite an amazing pedigree. After the death of his son, Redford’s character withdraws from life, spending his days caring for handyman Morgan Freeman, until visited by daughter-in-law Jennifer Lopez and his maybe-granddaughter Becca Gardner.
ATTACK OF THE SABRETOOTH/CAVED IN: PREHISTORIC TERROR
2005; DVD $26.95 each, R
A pair of CGI stinkers from the SciFi Channel. Fodder for your next Bad Movie Party, the first stars Robert Carradine hunting a genetically engineered prehistoric beast, the other finds Colm Meany and Angela Featherstone looking for underground treasure only to dig up giant man-eating bugs. Both end in explosions, of course.
CYBER WARS
2004; DVD $19.95, PG-13
Better known in cult circles as “Avatar,” this multi-ethnic mish-mash of sci-fi themes from Singapore is worth checking out. Genevieve O’Reilly, Luoyong Wang, David Warner, Joan Chen, Henry O and William Sanderson tell the tale of a bounty hunter and a police detective who uncover a diabolical, murderous misuse of power in a future run by the corporate elite. Insert George Bush joke here.
DAVE ATTELLS’S INSOMNIAC TOUR UNCENSORED!
2005; DVD $19.95, UR
Dane Cook steals the show in this unedited version of the hip late-night rolling comedy show from Censorship, er, “Comedy” Central. Here’s a thought: Why NOT buy this DVD, and see if we can get FCC to STOP CENSORING THE FREAKIN’ THINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE!
DAVID MACAULAY’S WORLD OF ANCIENT ENGINEERING: CASTLE
2000; DVD $24.95, UR
We love these PBS educational thingies, and this one is a real hoot. Using CGI and the latest scientific techniques, Macaulay and his team recreate daily life in a medieval castle. We were fascinated.
DAVID SPADE: TAKE THE HIT
1998; DVD $19.95, UR
David Spade, who really should spend more time doing stand-up, does 60 too-short sharp-tongued minutes on the banality of pop culture and his own life in this HBO special.
FUN WITH DICK AND JANE
2005; VHS Rental/DVD $28.95, PG-13
Not much, unfortunately. Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni — a potential match made in comedy heaven — just seem to be trying too hard in this badly directed remake of a Jane Fonda/George Segal classic. When jobs are lost and money becomes tight, two smuppies (Suburban Married Professionals) turn to comic crimes to maintain their lifestyle. Normally we’d say “get the original,” but a lot of people actually liked this. Go get both and tell us what you think.
LITTLE FISH
2005; DVD $24.95, R
Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill and Hugo Weaving — and you never heard of it, right? A minor drug/crime potboiler from Australia that was never released theatrically in American. Blanchett plays a former heroin addict who wants to move on with her life, but gets dragged into a drug deal that could cost her everything.
ONMYOJI
2001; DVD $19.95, R
A tiny precious gem of a movie from Japan; also known as “The Ying Yang Masters.” Not a martial arts movie, per se, it tells the tale of a master of an ancient Japanese occult art that brings together exorcism, necromancy, precognition, Chinese Daoism and Indian Buddhism, all found at the core of many daily Japanese rituals and ceremonies.
PRAY
2005; DVD $24.95, R
Terrific Japanese-made horror-thriller about two druggies who kidnap a young girl in hopes of collecting a ransom. Problem is, their hostage died a year ago …
RIKI-OH THE ANIMATION, VOL. 1
2006; DVD $19.95, UR
First video release of a uniquely original anime series. Riki-Oh is a kind-hearted young man, sent to prison for avenging the death of this girlfriend. There he discovers that he possesses a secret power of martial arts that he uses to battle the injustices of the savage for-profit prison and its death-dealing inmate rulers.
THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED
2005; DVD $29.95, PG
The world’s second-best golf movie behind “Caddyshack.” The true story of 20 year-old caddy Francis Ouimet, who shocked the world by challenging grand master Harry Vardon in the 1913 U.S. Open. Damned entertaining class-struggle tale from director Bill Paxton.
THE ORIGINAL KIMS OF COMEDY
2005; DVD $14.95, UR
A Korean-American take on the “Original Kings of Comedy” idea with four K-A comics, including MAD-TV’s Bobby Lee and Comedy Central’s Kevin Shea, taking jabs at the cultural differences that make us all the same.
OTHER DVDS OF INTEREST
PUERTO VALLARTA SQUEEZE
2004; DVD $19.95, R
THE BOB NEWHART SHOW: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON
1974; DVD $29.95, UR
A more complete listing and free vids at www.videotapeworm.com!