Michael-Bay Movie Reviews

I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Wow! I love this movie! My younger brother and I used to watch it with our family all the time-it was our favorite. When I finally put two and two together and realized Michael Crawford was Woody-I loved it even more! I totally agree that the truck turned race car is the coolest, and the guy with the silver eye. My friends and I have been looking for this forever! Now we can watch it endlessly in our dorm rooms!

This is defintly a movie that the whole family will enjoy. Michael Crawford is just wonderful in it. I highly recommend this film. I'd give it ten stars if I could.

I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Wow! I love this movie! My younger brother and I used to watch it with our family all the time-it was our favorite. When I finally put two and two together and realized Michael Crawford was Woody-I loved it even more! I totally agree that the truck turned race car is the coolest, and the guy with the silver eye. My friends and I have been looking for this forever! Now we can watch it endlessly in our dorm rooms!

This is defintly a movie that the whole family will enjoy. Michael Crawford is just wonderful in it. I highly recommend this film. I'd give it ten stars if I could.

A pair of bisexual women (Marianne Morris and Playboy playmate Anulka) living in a dark, decaying mansion have a craving for blood and sex. Hitchiking in long black cloaks, they lure men home and then take them to bed, slash them with knives, and dump the bodies, making it look like a car wreck. They like one guy so much they keep him around for days and he knows something bad is happening, but he's not sure what. Some people camping nearby also suspect that the women are up to strange things.... The violence is strong even though there's more blood than gore, plenty of sex and nudity, and some very lyrical, beautiful scenes. The ending throws a whole new, darker twist on the proceedings and ties it all together nicely. It has kind of a "Hammer Films" look to it, but the storyline is more along the lines of Jean Rollin. Even though the budget was small, this is a quality-looking film. The DVD looks great and contains a commentary track with producer Brian Smedley-Aston and director Joseph Larraz that's worth listening to - it's informative, and Larraz is hilarious and pulls no punches - ya gotta love the guy, even though he admits he's become a dirty old man (the comment during one of Anulka's nude scenes had me rolling on the floor). :) It's one of the most entertaining commentary tracks I've heard on a DVD, and a quality film besides.

Former Playboy centerfold Anuika Dziubinska and the equally sexy Marianne Morris play a pair of bisexual vampires named Miriam and Fran (go figure), roaming the English countryside looking for unsuspecting men to lure to their castle. First comes the fun in the bedroom and then the blood feast, or, as the tagline for this one put it: "They shared the pleasures of the flesh, and the horrors of the grave!" Certainly "Vampyres" is one of the most sensual vampire movies you are going to come across as director Joseph Larraz constantly turns erotic encounters into blood baths. Those looking for cheap thrills or who have heard about the strongly implicit lesbian relationship between the two main characters, are going to be in for a surprise when the women get down to serious bloodsucking. The DVD extras on "Vampyres" includes a fairly decent audio commentary from the director and producer, both U.S. and international trailers, and a photo still gallery of the production. Also known as "Blood Hunger," "Satan's Daughters," "Vampyres, Daughters of Dracula" and "Vampyres: Daughters of Darkness" when it was released in 1974, this film was reissued as "Daughters of Dracula" in 1980. Be warned that British copies of this film were cut down to 84 minutes; the U.S. version is 87 minutes but there is an Australia version that runs 92.

Ever since I read about this movie in a British horror magazine I wanted to watch it. And finally - it was released by Blue Underground on DVD, for the first time ever uncut (a former DVD release missed about 30 seconds of footage, former videotape releases were even more cut, totalling sometimes up to three minutes) Needless to say I ordered it. And I was not disappointed.
VAMYPRES is undoubtedly the best erotic horror movie ever committed to celluloid. The plot concerns two VERY sexy female vampires, mysterious, ample Fran (Marianne MORRIS) and the blonde, more fragile Miriam (ANULKA). They are unusual vampires: daylight does not harm them and they do not have fangs. At dawn the duo leaves their rundown castle (a really beautiful and very gothic building), ask male motorists for a lift and invite them to their castle for vine and sex. After killing them and feasting on their hapless victims' blood, the bloodsucking duo deposes of the corpses in staged car accidents. (Wouldn't so many traffic accidents within such a small area arouse suspicion? Okay, okay, I admit, I'm nitpicking here.) One of Fran's victims, Ted, awakens in the castle after a night of lovemaking and boozing, to find his arm severely cut. He thinks he hurt himself with a shade of glass the other night due to his inebriation. (Contrary to her usual habit, Fran did not kill Ted immediately.) Ted gets weaker and weaker and though he gets increasingly suspicious, finds himself unable to leave the castle, because he fell for Fran (small wonder!)
All the while, a young couple holidays outside the castle in their caravan, and the wife gets increasingly nervous about the strange duo of women...
Will Ted survive? Will the young couple be able to uncover the dark secret of the castle?
Well, watch for yourself... I won't give it away, but let me assure you that you won't be disappointed.
VAMPYRES will be enjoyed by any fan of horror movies for a large number of reasons. Firstly and most importantly, VAMPYRES is super ultra sexy!!! Rarely did I see an actress with the outstanding good looks and sex appeal of Marianne MORRIS. And there is lots and lots of nudity and (surprisingly graphic) sex in the film! The script provides many opportunities for the vampires to appear in the nude.
Secondly, there is enough bloodshed to appeal to horror fans. However VAMPYRES does not entirely rely on sex and violence to keep you entertained, it is also beautifully shot, exceptionally well written and with the mood and feel of a vampire film of the well-known HAMMER studios. The castle and the autumn season, during which VAMPYRES was shot, add immensely to the gothic feeling.
As is appropriate for an outstanding movie, Blue Underground's DVD presentation is very impressive. The film is presented in the correct widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85 : 1 and offers a lot of extras. There is a 14 minute interview with the lead actresses Marianne MORRIS and ANULKA. Despite being in their early 50ies by now, both (and MORRIS in particular) still look very good today. Both comment on the film shot, provide anectodes about the director, reveal how they felt during the more lascivious scenes and remark on their further live post VAMPYRES. (It is a shame that MORRIS did not pursue her acting career after this film, but opened a refurbishing company instead.) Both are proud of their participation in VAMPYRES.
There are also two trailers, the international one and the US trailer. Both are very good, with the US having the advantage, but unfortunately give away too many highlights.
Another interesting feature is a recreation of a scene, which did not made it in the final cut. The footage is now lost, so some stills give you an impression of the scene.
There are also very extensive picture galleries with interesting behind-the-scenes photoes, promotional material and stills from the film (including many nudity stills). And there is a socalled ANULKA glamour gallery (actress ANULKA was photomodel before and after her lead role in VAMPYRES) There are scores of pictures to watch!
Also included is a rather short biography and filmography of director Jose Ramon LARRAZ.
There is even a small poster of the Italian version of VAMPYRES in the keepcase.
Believe my raving and buy this DVD! I'm sure, you'll like it as much as I do!

There are 3 stories in this DVD that are also in "Thomas Gets Tricked." None of the stories are new (hence-the Best of Thomas). There are other features such as 4 sing-a-longs, games, and read-alongs which are great for your pre-schooler. The downside is that they can't play themselves since it needs to be operated with your DVD remote. However, if you have a DVD-Rom drive in your computer, not only will they be able to play on their own, the DVD comes with the game "The Great Festival Adventure" .... It's a great game for children 2 & up. It's a sure hit if you have a young Thomas fan!

Best Of Thomas is the first DVD release of episodes of the colorful Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends cartoon. In addition to eight different episodes featuring the cheerful blue engine, the DVD also contains extra features such as "Thomas and the Dinosaur" read-along story, "Harold the Helicopter" CD-ROM game, eleven character biographies, eight stories told by George Carlin, four sing-along songs, and a collectible 12-page color booklet. Best Of Thomas shows a perky young mechanical hero with a happy smile and gentle, responsible messages for young children. Recommended for young folks age 2-6, this 46-minute (not counting bonus features) DVD is a sure winner for parents in need of wholesome entertainment for their toddlers. Best Of Thomas is also available in a VHS edition.

Thomas the Tank Engine is a very lovable character. Which Thomas fan wouldn't love Thomas? This is a very wonderful video. It contains the stories: Thomas Gets Bumped, A New Friend for Thomas, Thomas, Percy, & the Dragon, Thomas Saves the Day, Trouble for Thomas, Thomas & Stepney, A Big Day for Thomas, Thomas Meets the Queen, and Really Useful Engine (music video). My favorite story is Thomas Meets the Queen. The video is told by George Carlin. If your child loves Thomas (himself), then he'll love this video.

For people who havn't seen this movie and are thinking of renting or buying this movie,DON'T!!!!!It is not scary or macrbe or anything.People who say this movie is better than the texas chainsaw massacre are dumb!!!!!This is only one of the low works by Wes craven.His other low works are "they" which is positivly,absolutly,horribly,stupid!!!!!

Yes, all right, we've all seen the slasher film where the innocents becomes stranded in the back woods, and prey to a family of cannibals.

This film is a little different though. A Michael Myers or a Jason Vorhees keeps coming through onslaughts of cutlery, bullets, various blunt objects, falls from great heights, and trips underwater. They must be somehow supernatural not to be be really killed this time. I know, I know, they need to set up the sequel. But it really gets tiring after awhile, because you know the point of view characters can't ever ultimately win, despite the obligatory single surviver for the sequel. They are relentlessly pursued by these invincible monsters.

There's no sequel to The Hills Have Eyes. Even though the appearances of the slashers suggest a bit of the not-so-natural, they are, in fact, vulnerable, and beatable. This makes for real tension in this film; you really don't know how it's going to turn out. Will the beast family be destroyed, or just dented? Will even one of the victims survive to tell the tale? It's a real unknown, and it makes for some edge-of-the-seat moments that most slasher films can't deliver.

I saw THE HILLS HAVE EYES at the HorrorFind 2003 Convention on August 16, where I met two actors from this film, Dee Wallace Stone and Michael Berryman. Now that I own the DVD itself, I must say that this is one of Wes Craven's greatest movies that he ever made in his distinguished career. Like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE HILLS HAVE EYES explores the darker side of the family dynamic; it also explores the concept of civilization and savagery. The two families, the Carters and the mountain cannibals, both have a father figure that ultimately leads them to their respective destructions; ironically, the cannibals seem more functional than the Carters, since whereas the Carters split up whenever possible, the cannibals keep in contact with each other via radio. There are excellent performances all around, especially the aforementioned Stone (as one of the doomed Carters) and Berryman (as Pluto, the most memorable of the cannibals), as well as Susan Lanier as Brenda Carter, Janus Blythe as Ruby (the most sympathetic of the cannibals), and Robert Houston as Bobby Carter. The final moments of this movie left me in a state of shock in its display of sheer brutality and savagery!
At long last, THE HILLS HAVE EYES gets a terrific DVD release. The picture quality of this DVD is even better than it was in theaters, although a little rough around the edges! The documentary "Looking Back On THE HILLS HAVE EYES" is truly informative and really makes you more interested in the film itself. There's also a truly awesome U.S. trailer and a segment of "The Directors" on Craven among the other extras. Makes a great double feature with the original THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE! A definite must-watch!

For people who havn't seen this movie and are thinking of renting or buying this movie,DON'T!!!!!It is not scary or macrbe or anything.People who say this movie is better than the texas chainsaw massacre are dumb!!!!!This is only one of the low works by Wes craven.His other low works are "they" which is positivly,absolutly,horribly,stupid!!!!!

Yes, all right, we've all seen the slasher film where the innocents becomes stranded in the back woods, and prey to a family of cannibals.

This film is a little different though. A Michael Myers or a Jason Vorhees keeps coming through onslaughts of cutlery, bullets, various blunt objects, falls from great heights, and trips underwater. They must be somehow supernatural not to be be really killed this time. I know, I know, they need to set up the sequel. But it really gets tiring after awhile, because you know the point of view characters can't ever ultimately win, despite the obligatory single surviver for the sequel. They are relentlessly pursued by these invincible monsters.

There's no sequel to The Hills Have Eyes. Even though the appearances of the slashers suggest a bit of the not-so-natural, they are, in fact, vulnerable, and beatable. This makes for real tension in this film; you really don't know how it's going to turn out. Will the beast family be destroyed, or just dented? Will even one of the victims survive to tell the tale? It's a real unknown, and it makes for some edge-of-the-seat moments that most slasher films can't deliver.

I saw THE HILLS HAVE EYES at the HorrorFind 2003 Convention on August 16, where I met two actors from this film, Dee Wallace Stone and Michael Berryman. Now that I own the DVD itself, I must say that this is one of Wes Craven's greatest movies that he ever made in his distinguished career. Like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE HILLS HAVE EYES explores the darker side of the family dynamic; it also explores the concept of civilization and savagery. The two families, the Carters and the mountain cannibals, both have a father figure that ultimately leads them to their respective destructions; ironically, the cannibals seem more functional than the Carters, since whereas the Carters split up whenever possible, the cannibals keep in contact with each other via radio. There are excellent performances all around, especially the aforementioned Stone (as one of the doomed Carters) and Berryman (as Pluto, the most memorable of the cannibals), as well as Susan Lanier as Brenda Carter, Janus Blythe as Ruby (the most sympathetic of the cannibals), and Robert Houston as Bobby Carter. The final moments of this movie left me in a state of shock in its display of sheer brutality and savagery!
At long last, THE HILLS HAVE EYES gets a terrific DVD release. The picture quality of this DVD is even better than it was in theaters, although a little rough around the edges! The documentary "Looking Back On THE HILLS HAVE EYES" is truly informative and really makes you more interested in the film itself. There's also a truly awesome U.S. trailer and a segment of "The Directors" on Craven among the other extras. Makes a great double feature with the original THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE! A definite must-watch!

SOD has always been under rated. I, too, saw this (along with Dracula Has Risen From The Grave) on t.v. when I was a kid and enjoyed it. The production values aren't as grand as earlier Hammer films, but the performance by Lee and scenes borrowed from Stoker's novel give this film considerable power. Roy Ward Baker does an admirable job stepping into Terry Fisher (or Freddie Francis) shoes. Baker, who directed the classic Hammer film Quatermass & The Pit (aka Five Million Years to Earth--a bizarre title for such a fine film)creates considerable tension in some of the most powerful scenes in the film

Anchor and Bay have done their typically meticulous job in restoring the film. The bonus of having both Lee and Baker for the audio commentary makes this a great addition to any Hammer film buff's collection. I'd have to rate this just behind Horror of Dracula (still not available on DVD--are you listening Warner Brothers?)and just before Terry Fisher's fine sequel Dracula Prince of Darkness.

After this film the Count was in need of a transfusion. Sadly, it was the wrong blood type. Hammer chose to bring the Count into the 20th century. It could have been a brave move if Hammer had chosen quality writers and directors to work the material. Dracula became little more than a glorified Fu Manchu in the rest of the films and, by the end, Lee could have sleepwalked through the roles despite the return of Peter Cushing. It was another missed opportunity.

Fans of Christopher Lee and/or Hammer Films, don't wait on this one. Get the "Limited Edition" and you'll be treated to a superb bonus disc, that includes an hour-long documentary hosted by the man himself, plus two MUSIC VIDEOS featuring Mr. Lee singing! A rare treat which makes the DVD worth buying. As for SCARS OF DRACULA, it's neither the best nor worst in the series. Widely reputed as the most violent Hammer Dracula, the film has not been viewed favorably (detractors include Lee himself---check him out on the commentary track!). But if you can avoid comparing the film to the studio's earlier, superior films (particularly those helmed by Terence Fisher), you might just find a decent horror movie waiting to be discovered. As expected from the nice folks at Anchor Bay, the picture and sound quality are top-notch, surpassing DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS (in my opinion). But the extras really overshadow the beautifully-transferred, but flawed film. Sink your teeth into this one, horror fans!

This is a very Good Film. The cast is first rate, in this one Lee has more to do than in his other Dracula movies. A very fine performance by Christopher Lee, the rest of the cast is great! Patrick Troughton as the servant Klove is quite good, look also for Michael Gwynn as the priest. This was Hammer Films last period Dracula movie.

Good old American Patriotism accounts for most American action movies, with Chuck Norris representing the free world with his deadly Karate moves and extreme firepower. After seeing Delta Force at the tender age of eight, although I don't recommend it to anyone younger, Chuck Norris took over from James Bond (a true Englishman that represents my humble Great Britain). The original Delta Force, in my opinion, was a flawless 5 star movie that incorporated every action movie cliché into what should have been labelled the best action film of this century. 5 years on Delta Force 2 is made and the question is on every Chuck Norris fan's lips, "Is it any good". You'd be forgiven for asking this after all how can you build on an already perfect film? Well with production names including Aaron Norris and Globus this film doesn't disappoint. So after blowing up half of the middle-eastern terrorists in the original Delta Force who's in the firing line now? This time the enemy is the almost domestic Columbia drug baron poring it's drugs into America. Sounds boring? Well thankfully once you realise that after the first ten minutes this isn't a second rate action/thriller, the action begins to roll with Chuck Norris going on a one man solo mission. "A one man mission?" you may ask, worrying about not seeing those well choreographed motorcycle stunts performed in the original. Sadly the military hardware has been scrapped from the script. What we do see instead is some of Chuck Norris's most explosive Karate moves since his fight against Bruce Lee in "Way of the Dragon". Delta Force 2 is a difficult movie to recommend to someone who liked Delta Force, but isn't a Norris fan in general. The film really takes a giant leap to once side as supposed to up, in the fact that it is different. By removing the title and changing a few names, you'd believe this is "Missing In Action" 4 as it has the same feel as the series. In short if you liked the original because of it's feel good "go get em" action scenes, then this may taste a little sour. Why? The reason being is that the driving force is basically, witness a few cold blooded killings and watch Norris perform some of the most aggressive kicks you'll ever see him doing. Buy this, sit back and lock and load!.

By all other standards, this movie ain't so hot. From an action-flick standpoint, this movie ROCKS.

Plot = Chuck Norris fighting a South American drug dealer and his private army.

There's some atrocity-payback, and a whole lot of flying fists, kicks and elbows.

Two moments in particular stand out:

1. Chuck going one-on-one against a henchman, teaching him Lessons Number One and Two. Both involve pummeling.

2. Chuck training a bunch of recruits in a circle of pain. One poor sap even gets a head-plant into the dirt -- I'm not entirely sure it's a stunt.

Bottom line: while not necessarily a fine example of cinema, "DF2" is a perfect Saturday afternoon diversion. The DVD isn't exactly packed with bonus features, but at least you can slow-mo the fight scenes.

Chuck Norris is brilliant as Colonel Scott McCoy, a man who kicks and asks questions later in the exciting and entertaining sequel to the original Delta Force. Replace Middle-Eastern terrorists with Columbian drug lords and you have a delicious cocktail of over-the-top action sequences and cheesy music. Still not convinced? Just wait until you see ol' Chuck dodge an RPG shot directly at his head. Easily Chuck Norris' best work next to 1995's "Top Dog".

I was lured to buy the DVD version of "Q" after reading some amazon costumers' reviews. However, once I saw the film, I had to conclude they greatly overrated it. "Q" is badly written and has a terrible edition. Besides, it focuses so much in Michael Moriarty's character that it ends overlooking the snake itself (and I don't actually mean showing the monster... sometimes you can achieve really artistic results without doing that frequently). There are better low budget monster movies out there. Thus, my recommendation is that you forget about this title and get "The Howling" or something like that.

I first saw this movie 19 years ago, and brother it was awful. I thought it was a cheap add for shaving cream, it was amazing to discover it was an actual film. What were they thinking? Give me Godzilla any day please...

Q is a fun, low budget thriller from B-movie auteur Larry Cohen. The premise is that an ancient Mexican God Quetzalcoatl has taken the form of a giant flying serpent and is living somewhere in New York, feasting on unsuspecting residents. Sunbathers, window washers, high-rise construction workers are all fair game for this gigantic beast.

Michael Moriarity stars as Jimmy Quinn, an out of work piano man/small time criminal. It's so weird seeing him in a role like this, as I am used to seeing him on the TV show Law & Order as an ADA. In this movie, his character stumbles on the secret location of the beast's nest, and he tries to use that information to get money and the respect he thinks he deserves. While a criminal, I did feel a certain amount of sympathy for this character in the beginning, which evaporated rather slowly as the intoxication of power sets in, along with its' illusions. In the beginning, he was just some poor schlub who couldn't catch a break, but later on his true nature appeared. I read a quote once, I am not sure by who, that said something like 'to really see what's in a man's heart, give him some power'.

David Carradine plays a detective who's trying to solve a series of gruesome murders, and his investigation leads him into uncharted territories of the unknown. The deeper he gets, the more he butts heads with his supervisors, who would rather see things cleared up neatly and without any superstitious mumbo jumbo. Also look for Richard Roundtree, as Sergeant Powell, a cop wound a little too tight whose beliefs are based on what he can see and touch.

The actual creature does not get much screen time, but its' presence is noticeable throughout the movie. I really enjoyed the storyline with Quinn, his tenuous relationship with his girlfriend (Candy Clark), and the manner in which he tries to use the vital information. Here's a small time schnook, never had a break in his life, literally trips over something, sees nothing but the value to himself, and tries to get everything but ends up with nothing.

Here is another fine example of a filmmaker making a lot out of very little. The horror aspects of the movie are present, and the special effects are used sparingly, but the characters drive the story. Another example of this is the original Jaws movie. I suppose the special effects were kept to a minimum due to budgetary limitations, but it helped, rather than hindered, the movie. This movie also has a raw, gritty feel to it, in the sets, use of locations, dialogue, giving us an almost documentarian feel.

The movie is presented in a wide screen format, with good audio. A number of special features include commentary by the filmmaker, biographies, trailers, and promotional materials. All in all, not a bad way to spend 93 minutes.

This is a silly story really. Outrageous, improbable events. But still enjoyable. I last saw this film over 10 years ago and I can still recall it as if it were yesterday. Shockingly, Phoebe Cates is great in this! Silly storyline and situations, but entertaining.

Betsy Russell is hot. If anything, buy it for her. Matthew Modine is in this as well as Phoebe Cates, the lead. But they suck next to Russell. And if you've seen this movie, check out Cheerleader Camp, she's in that too.

This movie has a young and nubile Phoebe Cates in it... Nuff said! Automatic 5 Stars!!!