122.Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut) 122.Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut) 122.Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut)

(- 1994 -)

Original Title Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut) Director Oliver Stone Genre Action Playtime 118 Filesize 701 / 701 Resolution 640x352 Video Codec   Video Bitrate   Audio Codec   Audio Bitrate   Released 1994 in USA Rated 0/100 Media Type DivX Number of CD's 2 Media Label Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut) Part 1/Part

Plot Summary

The misadventures of Mickey and Mallory: outcasts, lovers, and serial killers. They travel across Route 666 conducting psychadelic mass-slaughters not for money, not for revenge, just for kicks. Glorified by the media, the pair become legendary folk heroes; their story told by the single person they leave alive at the scene of each of their slaughters.

Actors           O-Lan Jones (as Mabel), Woody Harrelson (as Mickey Knox), Juliette Lewis (as Mallory Knox), Ed White (as Pinball Cowboy), Richard Lineback (as Sonny), Lanny Flaherty (as Earl), Carol-Renee Modrall (as Short-Order Cook), Rodney Dangerfield (as Mallory's Dad), Edie McClurg (as Mallory's Mom), Sean Stone (as Kevin), Jerry Gardner (as Work Boss #1), Jack Caffrey (as Work Boss #2), Leon Skyhorse Thomas (as Work Boss #3), Robert Downey Jr. (as Wayne Gale), Corinna Everson (as TV Mallory)

Notes           I'm not going to complain about the graphic nature of the film. In fact, most of the violence is sustained and left to the imagination. The physical and psychological violence didn't disturb me. It was the style of filmmaking that disturbed me. I'm sure Oliver Stone had some valid points to make in doing this film, but it's all muddled in this hyperkinetic, rambling, incoherent structure. Stone is known for his paranoid style of direction, but it's usually effective in films like "Nixon" and "Any Given Sunday." But in this film, he went to extremes. "Natural Born Killers" is more like an acid trip than a movie. The opening sequence is quite fetching, but from that point on I couldn't engage myself. I had a massive headache after watching this film, and I got absolutely nothing out of it. The numerous cuts simply detached me from the story, for good reasons. This is a well-intentioned but extremely annoying and highly pretentious satire that definitely didn't deserve massive critical acclaim. Michael Bay's films have half as much cuts as this film, but he gets criticized for his style of direction. Well, at least his films are usually fun to watch, despite being highly superficial. The only part I enjoyed was the hilarious mock sitcom sequence in which Rodney Dangerfield plays the arrogant father. But if you have A.D.D. or you're on an enormous acid trip...this film will be an absolute treat. My score: 2 (out of 10)

123.Unendliche Geschichte, Die 123.Unendliche Geschichte, Die 123.Unendliche Geschichte, Die

(- 1984 -)

Original Title Neverending Story, The Director Wolfgang Petersen Genre Fantasy Playtime 94 Filesize 608 Resolution 640x464 Video Codec   Video Bitrate   Audio Codec   Audio Bitrate   Released 1984 in West Germany Rated 0/100 Media Type CD-ROM Number of CD's 1 Media Label The Neverending Story.avi

Plot Summary

Chased by school bullies, reprimanded by his father for daydreaming too much Bastian is lost in his own world. Bastian escapes school bullies one rainy day by hiding in an old used book store. After explaining his predicament to the old clerk Bastian notices a large leather bound book with a symbol of two snakes intertwined into an emblem. Soon after the clerk warns Bastian that this book is not for him Bastian, rushes away with it "borrowing" it, while the clerk is in another room. Taking refuge in the attic of his school Bastian opens the book, and a world of fantasy. Learning that the wonderous, beautiful land of Fantasia is being destroyed by a terrible "Nothing" Bastian is taken deeper into the story. Soon discovering the ChildLike Empress is deathly ill, the cause; she needs a new name. A young warrior named Atreyu is called and Bastian follows his adventures, unknowing that he, himself is slowly being written into the mysterious book. Soon realizing that he is now written in the book Bastian realizes that the only one who can save Fantasia is him.

Actors           Barret Oliver (as Bastian), Gerald McRaney (as Bastian's Father), Drum Garrett (as 1st Bully), Darryl Cooksey (as 2nd Bully), Nicholas Gilbert (as 3rd Bully), Thomas Hill (as Koreander), Deep Roy (as Teeny Weeny), Tilo Prückner (as Night Hob), Moses Gunn (as Cairon), Noah Hathaway (as Atreyu), Alan Oppenheimer (as Falkor's voice (voice)), Sydney Bromley (as Engywook), Patricia Hayes (as Urgl), Tami Stronach (as The Childlike Empress)

Notes           Uneven and often disgusting fantastical journey has a young boy (Barrett Oliver) being transported to the titled location via reading a book that weighs about as much as he does. "The Neverending Story" makes little sense and that is probably meant to be its calling card. However, the movie makes literally no impression for the most part as the youngsters involved are annoying and the adults (Gerald McRaney in particular) have such little time that they hardly make a dent in the celluloid. Dark sequences and light-hearted situations combine to create a tangled mess that is too silly for adults and a bit too demented for the youngsters. Disappointing outing for director Wolfgang Petersen. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

124.Nick of Time 124.Nick of Time 124.Nick of Time

(- 1995 -)

Original Title Nick of Time Director John Badham Genre Thriller Playtime 90 Filesize 700 Resolution 480x256 Video Codec   Video Bitrate   Audio Codec   Audio Bitrate   Released 1995 in USA Rated 0/100 Media Type CD-ROM Number of CD's 1 Media Label Nick Of Time.avi

Plot Summary

Gene Watson (Johnny Depp) is an ordinary public accountant returning home from his ex-wife's funeral and is met by Mr Smith (Christopher Walken) and Ms. Jones (Roma Maffia) who kidnap his daughter (Courtney Chase) and give him a gun, six bullets, a name-tag that will give him access to anywhere in a specific hotel, and the itinerary of Governor Grant (Marsha Mason) and is informed that he must kill the Governor in 1 hour and 15 minutes or his daughter will die. The rest of the movie follows Mr. watson as he desperately attempts to warn the Governor without the knowledge of Mr. Smith and finds out that the conspiracy against her reaches all the way to her husband (Peter Strauss).

Actors           Johnny Depp (as Gene Watson), Courtney Chase (as Lynn Watson), Charles Dutton (as Huey (as Charles S. Dutton)), Christopher Walken (as Mr. Smith), Roma Maffia (as Ms. Jones), Marsha Mason (as Gov. Eleanor Grant), Peter Strauss (as Brendan Grant), Gloria Reuben (as Krista Brooks), Bill Smitrovich (as Officer Trust), G.D. Spradlin (as Mystery Man), Yul Vazquez (as Gustino (Guest Services)), Edith Diaz (as Irene (Domestic Maintenance)), Armando Ortega (as Hector (Guest Services)), C.J. Bau (as Mixologist), Cynthena Sanders (as Beverage Server)

Notes           Deep is the only weakness holding this intelligent thriller behind about plans for an assassination put in the hands of an ordinary Joe who is kidnapped, by the always devious Walken, and ordered to kill a major politician, played by Mason. He has to do the deed to save his daughter. Charles Dutton co-stars.

125.Nightmare Before Christmas, The 125.Nightmare Before Christmas, The 125.Nightmare Before Christmas, The

(- 1993 -)

Original Title Nightmare Before Christmas, The Director Henry Selick Genre Animation Playtime 76 Filesize 278 Resolution 352x240 Video Codec   Video Bitrate   Audio Codec   Audio Bitrate   Released 1993 in USA Rated 0/100 Media Type CD-ROM Number of CD's 1 Media Label Nightmare Before Christmas.avi

Plot Summary

Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town, is bored with doing the same thing every year for Halloween. One day he stumbles into Christmas Town, and is so taken with the idea of Christmas that he tries to get the resident bats, ghouls, and goblins of Halloween town to help him put on Christmas instead of Halloween -- but alas, they can't get it quite right.

Actors           Danny Elfman (as Jack Skellington (singing), Barrel, Clown with the Tearaway Face (voice)), Chris Sarandon (as Jack Skellington (voice)), Catherine O'Hara (as Sally, Shock (voice)), William Hickey (as Dr. Finklestein (voice)), Glenn Shadix (as Mayor (voice)), Paul Reubens (as Lock (voice)), Ken Page (as Oogie Boogie (voice)), Ed Ivory (as Santa "Sandy Claws" Claus (voice)), Susan McBride (as Big Witch (voice)), Debi Durst (as Corpse Kid, Corpse Mom, Small Witch (voice)), Greg Proops (as Harlequin Demon, Devil, Sax Player (voice) (as Gregory Proops)), Kerry Katz (as Man Under the Stairs, Vampire, Corpse Father (voice)), Randy Crenshaw (as Mr. Hyde, Behemoth, Vampire (voice)), Sherwood Ball (as Mummy, Vampire (voice)), Carmen Twillie (as Undersea Gal, Man Under the Stairs (voice))

Notes           I was a kid when I first saw Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, but I wasn't scared by it in the slightest - this world is one entirely of the imagination, and in a sense saying that the film is scary for younger children is something of a compliment. 'Nightmare' is both a horror film and a musical, and fantasy and a suspense film, and like most Burton effort, comedy is thrown in at just the right moments. With Henry Selick as director and Michael McDowell & Caroline Thompson as the screenwriters, Burton has fashioned the worlds of Halloween-town and Christmas-town as real originals, working on the cliches that are in each holiday and surrounding the worlds with a host of terrific and terrifying characters. While Halloween-town has a mayor (appropriately with two faces, one smiling one distressed), the real leader is Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon voices with a great Danny Elfman as the singing Jack) who orchestrates Halloween every year for its citizens. But he's grown weary over the years, and after stumbling upon Christmas-town, loaded with good will towards men and a large man in a red suit, he gets his town riled up to overtake the joyous holiday. Despite one protest by Sally (an amazing Catherine O'Hara), the doll-girl who loves him, the town goes on creating Jack's vision. The results are hilarious and, indeed, spellbinding. Much credit is given to Burton and Selick for their work on the film, but a lot should also be attributed to Denise Di Novi (co-producer and co-designer), Rick Heinrichs (visual consultant), Pete Kozachik (D.P.), and of course Danny Elfman for his perfectly fitting score and song creations. Along with the talented voice actors, Nightmare Before Christmas ends up a triumph of artistic ingenuity. Some could construe it as too weird or too stylish, but for the cult audience it has garnered over the past ten years it remains of of Burton's finest accomplishments. A+

129.Original Sin 129.Original Sin 129.Original Sin

(- 2001 -)

Original Title Original Sin Director Michael Cristofer Genre Thriller Playtime 116 Filesize 692 Resolution 656x480 Video Codec   Video Bitrate   Audio Codec   Audio Bitrate   Released 2001 in France Rated 0/100 Media Type DivX Number of CD's 1 Media Label Original Sin.avi

Plot Summary

Can love release our true self? A wealthy Cuban coffee exporter, Luis Vargas, advertises for a US wife; Julia Russell, from Delaware, sends her photograph, but the woman who steps off the ship is much lovelier. Luis marries her immediately and gives in to love. But Julia may not be who she claims: first a private eye shows up on behalf of Julia's sister, then the sister herself. By now, Luis has given has wife access to bank accounts, and when she runs with his cash, he pursues her, with the help of Downs, the P.I., perhaps to kill her. Pursuit may be part of a con game as well, and Julia's past explains some, if not all, of what remains of the story. A priest hears her confession.

Actors           Antonio Banderas (as Luis Antonio Vargas), Angelina Jolie (as Julia Russell), Thomas Jane (as Walter Downs), Jack Thompson (as Alan Jordan), Gregory Itzin (as Colonel Worth), Allison Mackie (as Augusta Jordan), Joan Pringle (as Sara), Cordelia Richards (as Emily Russell), James Haven (as Faust, on Stage), Pedro Armendáriz Jr. (as Jorge Cortés (as Pedro Armendáriz)), Mario Iván Martínez (as Cuban Priest), Harry Porter (as Stage Manager), Fernando Torre Laphame (as Wedding Priest (as Fernando Torre Lapham)), Shaula Vega (as Dressmaker Girl), Lisa Owen (as Margareta, on Stage)

Notes           I wasn't too into the movie, but I have to admit I was intrigued. I really loved the plot. And how Antonio's character becomes so passionatly in love with Angelina's character. I'm not sure if I would watch it more then a few times. But it's worth another look. 8/10