Reviews (80)

Excellent Example of Using Film to tell a Story
Strange Days is an excellent example of using film to tell a story given the high-caliber actors (Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Tom Sizemore and Juliette Lewis) and the realistic/futuristic production design (LA 1999). Everyone I've recommended this movie to has enjoyed it! The story of a lovesick ex-cop, turned virtual-reality junkie and civil rights advocate is a delightful "what if" scenario. Also, I'm not surprised that James Cameron's production company is involved, I'd have to say that he is the "King of the "What If" scenario!" (For instance, "What if" In order to change the future, a robot is sent back in time to kill a specific person.(The Terminator)) It is unfortunate that this movie wasn't promoted more and I feel lucky that I came upon this movie accidently on HBO. Although I am a fan of thrillers and sci-fi, a good story (giving the viewer a range of feelings and emotions) regardless of the genre is what truly sells to a wide audience. I believe that Strange Days is a good story told extremely well by the director, Kate Bigelow, using film.

Strange days is one of the best movies out there
Strange days,which stars ralph fiennes,juliette lewis,angela basset,tom sizemore,michael wincott and many others,is a stylish,cool,and wild movie.The plot is about an ex-cop(fiennes)who stumbles into murder involving his ex-girlfriend(lewis)and his best friend or so he thought(sizemore)along with the murder of a rap star by 2 corrupt cops,one of them played by the brilliant actor vincent donofrio.Ralph fiennes play the role of lenny nero brilliantly and superb.And tom sizemore is great as the crazed killer.The ending is awesome..in fact the whole movie is excellent.It is one of my favorite,not so in the distance future,thrillers.Right up there with escape from new york and blade runner.Katheryn bigelow,who directed,is an excellent filmaker(point break).If you enjoy the movie,you should also check out the soundtrack.It has great tunes by peter gabriel,deep forrest,lori carson and many more.This film is an instant classic.Great casting,great score,great filming.Great movie.Billy from new jersey....

Terrible Movie
This movie is absolutely horrid. There is constant violence including sexual assaults against women. I agree with another viewer that found it odd that a woman would choose to direct this type of film. If you enjoy watching nothing but violence and seeing women hurt, then this film is for you. I wonder what James Cameron was thinking when he wrote this piece of garbage.

Brilliant Days
One of the sci-fi masterpieces of the nineties, "Strange Days" is a movie that has a bit of everything and ends up being a terrific cinematic experience. Set in a near future, the story deals with classic themes like virtual reality, thought control or the share of memory, providing and exciting and engaging cyberpunk adventure.

Director Kathryn Bigelow creates a futuristic LA that manages to be both sophisticated and believable, avoiding the over-the-top, utopic and not very realistic depictions of future societies presented in other sci-fi films.

Although "Strange Days" is basically a thriller, it is way above many run-of-the-mill movies of its genre, as it suceeds at combining its key elements perfectly. The direction is dynamic, unique and fast-paced, adding style and energy with an excellent sense of rythm, flow and tension.

The acting is also a plus, since Ralph Fiennes is unforgettable as the flawed anti-hero Lenny and Angela Basset shines as his sister-in-arms Mace. This duo makes for an odd, yet original and memorable couple, delivering some enticing and moving scenes. It`s also interesting seeing the female character protecting the male for a change, making for a clever reverse of the predictable and typical scenario of most action flicks. Juliette Lewis is also convincing as the dark and feral femme fatale, especially when she sings a P.J. Harvey song to perfection (one of the many excellent and remarkable moments of this movie).

"Strange Days" is much more than a futuristic thriller, providing a rich cinematic experience that brings issues such as isolation, trust, friendship, love and life in general. Every scene is compelling and intriguing, and the plot is very well developed, culminating in a tense, dynamic and huge finale with a superb climatic ending. Kudos to the soundtrack, by the way, especially the Skunk Anansie live presence during the last scenes that adds a lot of edge, mood and atmosphere to that peculiar chase sequence.

Overall, this movie is definitely an underrated classic and a must-have. Forget overrated stuff like the boring and very flawed "Blade Runner", since "Strange Days" is a much more compelling and solid sci-fi masterpiece.

Highly recommended.

Can't watch this more than once..
Amazon has had this DVD listed as a featured recommendation for me for the past couple of weeks.. but Strange Days is one of my least favorite films so I feel compelled to review it and say why. I saw this film in the theatre and was immediately turned off as the setting was a completely unrecognizable LA of the future -- set just a little over four years away. Um, the world doesn't change that quickly.

I tried to ignore that and I admit the story got a bit more interesting.. but then I was completely put off by not one but TWO scenes depicting sexual assault. I'm no prude but these scenes were repulsive. So just a warning before you buy or buy this as a gift: if the MPAA had any sense whatsoever this film would be rated NC-17.

One more criticism: the camera cuts so much during the finale that the scene is barely watchable. For all these reasons, I just don't understand why anyone would put themselves through Strange Days more than once. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A woman's movie for sure--how erotic!
This movie is on my list of "chick" movies or those movies that would appeal to our female need for sexiness, erotic content, and, sometimes, a competent storyline. Other movies on my list would be "Two Moon Junction", "Against All Odds" and "Thief of Hearts". I don't know why David Duchovny seems to shy away from mentioning his participation in this movie and the Showtime cable series that came after. He was so palpably sexy in this movie, and in the "Jake's Story" episode of "Red Shoes" the series. Billy Wirth is also mighty fine to look at as well. How can a girl choose between these two fine specimens? Sigh...

David Duchovny or Billy Wirth...what a choice!
A young woman(Bridget Bako) is torn between her fiancee, played by a pre-X Files Duchovny, and a shoe salesman she is having an affair with, played by gorgeous Billy Wirth...not that Duchovny isn't bad himself! She can't decide between the 2 men...so she committs suicide! After her death, Duchovny finds her diary, along with a pair of sexy red shoes she purchased from Wirth, and tries to put the pieces together. This is bascially the jist of the film. It is shown in flashbacks as Duchovny sorts painfully through her belongings. He reads her diary hoping it will provide some insight as to why she took her life. What he learns about the woman he loves is devastating! I have watched this film many times. I enjoy it very much. I like director Zalman King's films. (Another good one is Two Moon Junction) I think he is able to make sensual films from a womans point of view, which is why they come across as erotic, not smutty. The only thing I don't like is, the version originally aired on Showtime and the rental version have different endings. I prefer the cable version. You end up liking Wirth much better. I don't know why King found it necessary to have 2 endings, the difference drastically alters the tone of the film. If possible, try and get your hands on the cable version first. You can purchase both versions, so know which is which. I must admit that I don't care for the Showtime series, Red Shoe Diaries, for which this movie was the pilot. Bridget Bako is absolutely lovely in the scene were she manically dances about her apartment. She reminds me of a young Jane Fonda. Billy Wirth's smouldering character posesses the uncanny ability to guess his customers shoe sizes the moment they walk into the store. But his character is not as shallow as he appears. Wirth is SO incredible in this film! Then again, let's face it, most woman would be content to watch Wirth read the phone book aloud! This was the first time I ever saw Duchovny, and I immediatly liked him. He has a nice screen presence. He is subtly sexy. I am glad I got to know him in this film before I became familiar with the stone-faced Muldar on X-Files. He CAN do more than play the straight man. I really can't say too much more about Red Shoe Diaries without giving up too much of the story. All I can say is, if I had the dilemma of choosing between Wirth and Duchovny, I certainly wouldn't kill myself! I'd be on the phone boasting to all my girlfriends!

DEAR MEN: This is porn for women!
A sexy guy who talks a woman into a pair of outrageous red shoes and into his bed for some seamy steamy forbidden sex....a nice guy lover who thinks everything is perfect until he comes home and finds her in the bathtub with her wrists slit.... THis is a tragic love story with complicated emotions and no true resolution. Every woman I know loves this movie- it speaks to us. The eroticism is classy and tasteful- even the obligatory bimbos are treated with class as are all of the women in Zalman King's work.

The Red SHoe Diaries worked as a series on Showtime because they discovered that like Fred Savage's mom- women tend to be the viewers of soft porn on cable late at night. We ogle mens bodies, enjoy the sizzle but want a story! Red Shoes the Movie, and the episodes deliver up a healthy serving of fantasy and escapism that is comepletely safe.

A recommendation- guys if you want to give your lady some steamy stuff to read to get ideas and fantasy scenarios from- the Harlequin Blaze line of romances read not too unlike the letters to Penthouse! Fantasy and building a scenario, setting a mood, prolonged foreplay- this is what Zalman King is all about in visual form. Use the books for times when you can't watch a movie ( ie kids are still up!)- try anything by Vicki Lewis Thompson- Notorious has a wild sex scene in a hot tub and in a Vegas hotel that any man would love to have read out loud.

Romantic Tragedy
Duchovny is great in this Red Shoe debut movie. If you ever caught one the series on Showtime, but often wondered how did Red Shoe Dairies ever start, this explains it all. It keeps one guessing throughout the emotional rollercoaster of love. Too bad David didn't make more of these types of films. He is much better as one of the stars (such as in this title) rather than just the narrator, as the series goes. It's nice to see him sensually interactive on film, pure enjoyment, especially if you're one of his fans.

The saddest, most beautiful film ever made.
... it's just an amazingly touching film, about a successful, romantic, loyal man (Duchovny), his neurotic girlfriend (Bako), and the "hottie" she meets by accident (Wirth). What happens next is up to you to watch it.... it's a beautiful and sad film.... ...please check out this film. You will not regret it. It has basically nothing to do with the Showtime cable softcore porn series that followed... this is a beautiful, intelligent, engaging film with a gorgeous score (thanks to George S. Clinton)... Duchovny rules in this film.... it always makes me cry... always. Intense, passionate, and yes, there is sex in the film (don't shy away from it because of that).... just watch, enjoy.... and prepare to have your life and perspective of love and lust forever changed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Since its 1994 debut, Disney's animated series Gargoyles has attracted a sophisticated viewership for its unusually thoughtful storyline, mature characters, literary allusions (Arthurian lore, Shakespeare), and parade of celebrity voiceovers. Part Gothic fantasy and part contemporary urban drama, Gargoyles begins with a brutal, 10th-century battle over a Scottish castle, which is guarded at night by winged gargoyles who become flesh in the dark (but who return to stone by day). Under the leadership of Goliath (Keith David), the gargoyles ward off an attack by Vikings, yet are met with disdain by those they protect, including a princess and her advisors. Such is the gargoyles' lot until they are betrayed by a friend and turned to stone for a thousand years. Rescued by a billionaire named Xanatos (Jonathan Frakes)--who breaks the spell by purchasing the castle and relocating it atop his Manhattan skyscraper--Goliath and his friends slowly adapt to the modern world and figure out whom they can trust. In a moving season finale, they adopt New York City as the home they vow to protect. With a certain urgency in every episode, tangled relationships between Goliath and his several allies and enemies (as well as characters who belong somewhere between), and a vocal cast full of Star Trek types (Michael Dorn, Nichelle Nichols, Marina Sirtis, among others), Gargoyles has great appeal to thinking viewers of any age. Special features include the original show pitch by series creator Greg Weisman. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on the much-maligned 1998 American Godzilla feature (including the revamped creature design), the animated Godzilla: The Series (1998-2000) actually hews much closer to the original films from Japan, as illustrated in this exciting, three-part episode from the first season. The storyline, which borrows heavily from Destroy All Monsters, has alien invaders take control of the mutated creatures that Godzilla and H.E.A.T. (Humanitarian Ecological Analysis Team) tangled with in the previous 13 episodes of the season-including the Godzilla that rampaged through New York in the theatrical feature, but now augmented with robotic parts (shades of Mecha-Godzilla!). The Monster Wars Trilogy manages to pack considerable excitement and suspense in its brief running time (just over an hour), and benefits greatly from a fine vocal cast, which includes Joe Pantoliano, Paget Brewster, and Kevin Dunn, reprising his role from the theatrical film. No extras are included. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (1)

i hope there is a season set soon
where the american godzilla had major problems this went a ways toward the original by adding the atomic breath. these are supposed to be the three best episodes a destroy all monsters homage. but i want them to release the entire series of which i have only seen several episodes of when it was broadcasted. i would also like some special features but not expecting much in that category based on other godzilla releases. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Kinda nice, but mixed
This consists of three shorts, "Forbidden Zone," "The Art of Loneliness," and "Picnic". The first, FB, was a story within a story, where the video switched back and forth between the couple and the scene from her imagination. I liked it - the female leads were gorgeous, and the imagined scene had an iconic quality. The second story, TAL, featured a woman narrating her fantasies. There was conversation, of a sort, where the other would step into the narration for a little while. The scene, the characters, and the story-telling all had a dusky elegance. In the end, though, the narrator was alone with her story. The third short, Picnic, reminded me why I like compilations - the other stories suited me, even if that one didn't.

This isn't the steamiest collection around, but the first two stories each set an agreeable mood. I could imagine moving either story forward on my own, given a willing partner. These stories weren't especially memorable. They were well done, in a low-key way, and I'll come back when my mood matches their understated sensuality.

Sizzling Hot!
Description
Zalman King's long running Showtime series is a unique blend of erotica and fantasy and is one of the few cable tv shows that can claim to be both genuinely erotic and tasteful. FORBIDDEN ZONE includes three episodes from the series. The title episode finds two lovers mysteriously transported to the future, where they find the freedom to shed their inhibitions and give themselves over to lust. Also included are "The Art of Loneliness" and "The Picnic."

Sexy storyline!
Zalman King's long running Showtime series is a unique blend of erotica and fantasy and is one of the few cable tv shows that can claim to be both genuinely erotic and tasteful. FORBIDDEN ZONE includes three episodes from the series. The title episode finds two lovers mysteriously transported to the future, where they find the freedom to shed their inhibitions and give themselves over to lust. Also included are "The Art of Loneliness" and "The Picnic." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent and Disturbing
This is a thought-provoking and deeply disturbing film that examines the confrontation between weak minds and an uncaring world. Tom McCamus turns in a flawless performance as Henry Adler, the non-entity actor who wins a part in a cop show. At first, he draws strength from his macho cop character, but then - well, I won't say any more. See it for yourself - at least twice. This one is bizarre, but it's worth the trouble. Recommended.

Should have been better
The story seemed interesting to me which is why I picked up this DVD, but it fell short of my expectations. McCamus does a decent job in the lead role, but that's about it. The story is about an actor who plays a cop. He becomes so obsesses in his part that he starts acting out his role in the streets. The scenarios that he was put in were dull and the plot was undeveloped. Overall there was nothing new and nothing special.

An honest psycho-drama . . .
Tired of watching dishonest suspense? A MAN IN UNIFORM will restore your faith in the fine art of mystery. It is an honest psycho-drama. Why is it that Canada is able to give us good movies in B packages? The script was excellent. The writers were faced with a problem of writing a script withing a script. They did a banging good job. The "cop" lead by Tom Mc Camus was played superbly. Five stars for Brigitte Bako's stupendous performance.

Highly recommended
Interesting plot, and very well acted for the most part. Somewhat lackluster production value, but I guess that's not too exceptional from an indie film. Anyone who liked Taxi Driver or Fargo should definately watch this film! ... Read more

Description

Deception and double cross know no boundaries in this chilling tale about th e mysterious murder of an Internet millionaire. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Suprise ending Great Movie want for my collection
This was one of the best movies I have seen all year. Great Suprise ending, kept me guessing and had a diffent ending would have never thought of it. Great Acting, only thing I did not like was the one or two bedroom scens that added nothing to the picture, even with that was a great movie am buying it to add to my movie collection 5 stars.

You must be kidding !
The worst thing since a long time. Why bother making that kind of crap...

Lipper shows Roberts Wrong Number
Eric Roberts is one of those great actors you wonder what happened to, after Oscar nods in the eightees. Here is another example of a movie where I looked to see if he had some of his old stuff back, when all I could focus on was the the talent of a newcommer (sorry don't know you) - David Lipper.

This guy simply steals the movie with solid acting skills, while Roberts and Bako were the least entertaining. I thought Kane Picoy was pretty good too as the headstrong cop.

All in all, an interesting little movie, maybe a little too wordy at times. In the vain of the Usual Suspects. Worth checking out. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

rather boring
The storyline is pretty boring. The actors are ok, but Richard Grieco is more and more losing his charisma (of "Booker"-days). It's not a cheap production as such, but the storyline is very weak.

So-so
This is one of the better "B" movies I have seen. There were some bright spots. The musical score was quite good, I thought. So was the quality of the photography and editing. The actors did a pretty good job with the material they were given. The weak link in the movie was the quality of the writing which, unfortunately, was pretty bad. The plot was totally transparent. You'd have to be brain dead not to guess the ending after the first meeting between the female star and her ex-husband. My biggest complaint with the writing though was the ridiculous behaviors the actors were put through. For instance a woman gets three chances to blow away a thug trying to kill her and lets him go each time. The third time she ties his hands with a necktie and he gets loose in 30 seconds and almost kills her again. Come on! Nobody would behave that way. The movie was full of dumb situations like that.

The other thing which might have helped the movie would have been some stunt men. I guess the low budget didn't allow for that. Pity.

Overall a so-so film. Worth a watch if you can pick it up for a buck or two.

(i wold like this movie to) Die! Die! Die!
pretty horrible excuse for a action movie the plot is flimsy and i couldn't even finish it just look at the horrible title and you will already know what i mean ... Read more

Reviews (4)

SLICK AND DIFFERENT
PARANOIA focuses on a young woman who witnessed the senseless murder of her family by a demented madman named Calvin Hawkes. Because she saw a brilliant light at the time, she is now afraid of the light, not the dark. She has become an interior designer, pretty much a recluse in her darkened apartment, having psychiatric sessions with a doctor on her computer. Into her life resurfaces a young man she grew up with, a hunky football player who admits he was interested in her, but felt she was unapproachable. And now, the woman is receiving instant message conversations with the imprisoned Hakes, who is threatening her, and saying he will get her like he did her family. She calls the prison and after some obstacles, discovers that Hawkes is getting out on probation. This just begins the miasma of plot twists writer/director Larry Brand serves up.
I liked this movie because it's simple, not overly gory and melodramatic. Brigitte Bako as the heroine is very convincing; Sally Kirkland does a nice cameo as the psychiatrist; Robert Floyd is a nice combination of machismo and sensitivity; and of course, Larry Drake is cool as the mad executioner. It is by no means a flashy movie, and it's cool atmosphere makes it a haunting movie.

I liked it
My husband rented this movie a couple years ago. We were pleasantly surprised. The stalker plays a very convincing, creepy role. You will want to see his victims vindicated and will cheer the main character as she takes matters into her own hands.

Don't confuse this one with the "giallo" original
No, this is not the sleazy-awful-fun Carroll Baker 'Giallo' thriller from Italy with the same title (in Italy the title was "Orgasmo") released in 1968 that had a rich widow captive in her own mansion to her sexually menancing gardener and his bisexual girlfriend, listening to groovy Piero Umilani music while they wrapped her up in mind-and-sex games. I guess if you've completely run out of grade B thrillers to watch, this 1998 release rates OK. Decent technical, but the storyline is tired, and it has been done better.

Not Scary, Not Original, & Not Worth Your Time...
This film looks like an old slasher film from the 80s, but really it is lowbudget horror flick made only 2 years ago. A stalker terrorizes a poor, innocent victim, but the poor, innocent victim decides to get him back for killing her family. This is an okay storyline, you might be saying, but it is executed so poorly it isn't even close to scary (or interesting for that matter). Save yourself some time and do not view this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Better than the first. Still flawed, though.
...P>A quick synopsis...I liked this much better than the first...the characters weren't as dull or paper-thin. There was more going on in this movie. It was not just "let's see how fast we can get to the next scene with guys in their underwear". The plot is flawed by silly dialouge, and bad direction. Not really a horror movie...it still delivers on a small level...

7 out of 10

Another homoerotic horror film from DeCoteau
This is the second film in the "Brotherhood" series of low budget homoerotic horror films directed by David DeCoteau. I preordered it on the strength of the amazingly sexy stills and trailer I've seen. It looks as if this will be even more fun than the first Brotherhood. Cuter guys, more underwear scenes, two warlocks in the bedchamber with one woman, etc. By the way, if you're interested in the original entry in the series please be aware that there are several films with the same or similar titles. If you're looking for sexy vampires running around in their boxer briefs then you want the one directed by DeCoteau, who also made the infamous "Voodoo Academy". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Better than the first. Still flawed, though.
...P>A quick synopsis...I liked this much better than the first...the characters weren't as dull or paper-thin. There was more going on in this movie. It was not just "let's see how fast we can get to the next scene with guys in their underwear". The plot is flawed by silly dialouge, and bad direction. Not really a horror movie...it still delivers on a small level...

7 out of 10

Another homoerotic horror film from DeCoteau
This is the second film in the "Brotherhood" series of low budget homoerotic horror films directed by David DeCoteau. I preordered it on the strength of the amazingly sexy stills and trailer I've seen. It looks as if this will be even more fun than the first Brotherhood. Cuter guys, more underwear scenes, two warlocks in the bedchamber with one woman, etc. By the way, if you're interested in the original entry in the series please be aware that there are several films with the same or similar titles. If you're looking for sexy vampires running around in their boxer briefs then you want the one directed by DeCoteau, who also made the infamous "Voodoo Academy". ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent and Disturbing
This is a thought-provoking and deeply disturbing film that examines the confrontation between weak minds and an uncaring world. Tom McCamus turns in a flawless performance as Henry Adler, the non-entity actor who wins a part in a cop show. At first, he draws strength from his macho cop character, but then - well, I won't say any more. See it for yourself - at least twice. This one is bizarre, but it's worth the trouble. Recommended.

Should have been better
The story seemed interesting to me which is why I picked up this DVD, but it fell short of my expectations. McCamus does a decent job in the lead role, but that's about it. The story is about an actor who plays a cop. He becomes so obsesses in his part that he starts acting out his role in the streets. The scenarios that he was put in were dull and the plot was undeveloped. Overall there was nothing new and nothing special.

An honest psycho-drama . . .
Tired of watching dishonest suspense? A MAN IN UNIFORM will restore your faith in the fine art of mystery. It is an honest psycho-drama. Why is it that Canada is able to give us good movies in B packages? The script was excellent. The writers were faced with a problem of writing a script withing a script. They did a banging good job. The "cop" lead by Tom Mc Camus was played superbly. Five stars for Brigitte Bako's stupendous performance.

Highly recommended
Interesting plot, and very well acted for the most part. Somewhat lackluster production value, but I guess that's not too exceptional from an indie film. Anyone who liked Taxi Driver or Fargo should definately watch this film! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent and Disturbing
This is a thought-provoking and deeply disturbing film that examines the confrontation between weak minds and an uncaring world. Tom McCamus turns in a flawless performance as Henry Adler, the non-entity actor who wins a part in a cop show. At first, he draws strength from his macho cop character, but then - well, I won't say any more. See it for yourself - at least twice. This one is bizarre, but it's worth the trouble. Recommended.

Should have been better
The story seemed interesting to me which is why I picked up this DVD, but it fell short of my expectations. McCamus does a decent job in the lead role, but that's about it. The story is about an actor who plays a cop. He becomes so obsesses in his part that he starts acting out his role in the streets. The scenarios that he was put in were dull and the plot was undeveloped. Overall there was nothing new and nothing special.

An honest psycho-drama . . .
Tired of watching dishonest suspense? A MAN IN UNIFORM will restore your faith in the fine art of mystery. It is an honest psycho-drama. Why is it that Canada is able to give us good movies in B packages? The script was excellent. The writers were faced with a problem of writing a script withing a script. They did a banging good job. The "cop" lead by Tom Mc Camus was played superbly. Five stars for Brigitte Bako's stupendous performance.

Highly recommended
Interesting plot, and very well acted for the most part. Somewhat lackluster production value, but I guess that's not too exceptional from an indie film. Anyone who liked Taxi Driver or Fargo should definately watch this film! ... Read more