Reviews (34)

A TRIUMPHANT STORY OF A REAL LIFE SURVIVOR....
This is an incredible, highly energized film about the life of rock and roll diva, Tina Turner, and her stormy relationship with her controlling and physically abusive husband, Ike Turner. Award calibre performances are turned in by Angela Bassett, as Tina, and Laurence Fishburne, as Ike. They are both absolutely riveting.

Ms. Bassett plays Tina with all the earthy charm and sexual magnetism of the real life Tina Turner. Laurence Fishburne gives an amazingly effective performance as Ike, at once both repellent and charismatic. The movie focuses on their relationship, one which sowed the seeds for the Tina Turner we know today.

What started out as a match made in heaven, quickly soured as Tina naturally took the lead musically in their Ike and Tina Turner Revue. When it became clear that Tina was the one for which the fans were clamoring, Ike did not take lightly to being second banana, and their relationship became one of domestic discord and abuse, with Ike easing into the role of abusive husband with relative ease.

When Tina finally had had enough, she divorced Ike, taking nothing from the marriage except her children and her show business name, the name she earned. From there, she went on to rebuild her life and career, becoming the world reknowned rock and roll diva she is today. Ike, a substance abuser, ended up in prison for narcotics possession and fell into relative obscurity, little more than a footnote in rock and roll history.

This is a film well worth watching, with great performances and great music. Look for the live stage performance by the real life Tina Turner at the end of the film. That alone is worth the price of this video.

Intense and Extremely Well Performed
Celebrity bio-pics are very hit or miss, but once in a great while a really good one comes along--and WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT is one of them. Based on the autobiography of Tina Turner, the film offers a glossy but intense portrait of her rapid rise to stardom under the sponsorship of husband-manager Ike Turner--a relationship that quickly turned dark and became increasingly abusive as Tina's fame began to outstrip Ike's own.

Although the film is a bit on the obvious side, it is well-crafted and the two leads offer powerhouse performances. Angela Bassett is simply astonishing as Tina Turner; where most other actresses might have simply imitated, Bassett accomplishes the impossible: she makes you believe that she is Tina Turner, capturing both Tina's famous on-stage performing style (the concert scenes are really exciting) and giving a completely believable interpretation of her off-stage personality as well. The script offers Laurence Fishburne little more than a one-dimensional role, but he plays it brilliantly from start to finish, and both are well supported by the overall cast.

There is certainly a great deal more to the lives of both Ike and Tina Turner than this film conveys--but what it does show it presents with considerable power and conviction, and by the time Tina finally hits back at Ike you'll be roaring for her to hit him again--and again--and again--and eager to see her finally triumph entirely on her own. Recommended.

ANGELA IS WONDERFUL !
Even though Dorothy Dandridge & Whoopi Goldberg have the most incredible performances by any actresses Angela's personification as Tina made me forget that she wasnt Tina. I was enchanted so much that even though Angela has no resemblance to Tina my mind couldnt tell otherwise. Angela is definitely my Queen. She has made such an impact and has widened the doors for the African American actresses. Even though the Academy failed to properly recognize her, we the fans would forever cherish her amazing performance as PROUD MARY. You go GIRL.

All that I can say is...
WOW! I have seen this movie hundred's of times and I never get sick of it. Angela Bassett does an excellent job potraying Tina Turner, from the costumes, the singing, to the emotions, it was all wonderful. Laurence Fishbourne is FANTASTIC as Ike Turner, he embodies the real Ike Turner's personality so well. It's a conspiricy that NEITHER Angela B. Or Laurence F. recieved an oscar for their roles in this movie because they both gave excellent performances. Vanessa Bellcalloway also gives a suprisingly good performance.
I dont feel the need to go into detail because I think most people know the movie is about Tina Turner's life and how Ike was horrible to her and abused her THIS MOVIE WILL MAKE YOU laugh at Ike's ignorant and at the same time wanna smack him for how mean he is. You will cheer for Tina, when she finally gets away from that man. BUY IT NOW!

Angela Bassett Deserved the Oscar, not Halle Berry
That is my sentiment. When Angela Bassett exploded on the silver screen as the irrepressible Tina Turner and was nominated for an Oscar....I was certain she would win. However, she didn't. Instead, Halle Berry earned the distinction of the being the first woman of African descent to win the Best Actress Award...and for a performance that doesn't come anywhere close to Bassett's. In fact, many Oscar winner's performances pale to Bassett's and people still remember Bassett's showstopper and didn't even remember whom she lost the award to.

Based on Tina Turner's autobiography, it "chronicled" Tina's rise to stardom as Ike Turner's partner. The relationship, already tumultous from the start, turned for the worst when Tina's fame pulled ahead of Ike's. Tina finally left the relationship and started from scratch, becoming the successful solo artist that she is today.

Ike is very much maligned in this movie, understandable since it is told from Tina's point of view. In any case, Laurence Fishburne delivered a tour-de-force performance that rivals Bassett's.

As for Bassett herself, I agree with reviewers that she did not imitated, or even looked much like Tina. To imitate someone only shows you are NOT that person. In any case, Bassett did an incredible job of endearing herself to the audience into believing that she IS Tina Turner. So successful was she that when the real Tina showed up in a concert clip at the end of the movie, it seems a bit of a comedown...because we have already attached to and identified with Angela; and invested a good portion of our emotions toward her.

Some reviewers seem to take umbrage with the fact that Tina's Black husband is the villain of the piece while benevolent White men "saved" Tina in the end.

Got news for you, despite what PC and feminism like to make you believe, heterosexual white men are not the only oppressors of the world. ... Read more

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As sequels go, Poltergeist II has the advantage of retaining most of the original film's cast (although the absence of the actress Dominique Dunne, a murder victim, is not explained). It's still not enough to turn this dreary outing into a passable horror movie. The terrorized Freeling family has moved from their haunted house, but the bothersome ghosties are not finished with them yet. The lame scares include a sequence built around Craig T. Nelson swallowing a demon worm from a tequila bottle and then regurgitating it. Far more frightening is the wizened face of theater legend Julian Beck, who appears as a foreboding old guy with bad news for the Freelings:"Yer all gonna die!"

Poltergeist III recruits only blond cherub Heather O'Rourke (who died before the film's release) and dwarf psychic Zelda Rubinstein from the first movies. The action has shifted to a Chicago high-rise, where little Carol Anne's otherworldly gift is being studied (Tom Skerritt and Nancy Allen play the uncle and aunt she boards with). Director Gary Sherman tries to get some ideas going with mirror images, but the bargain-basement atmosphere and the limited special effects undercut the movie at every turn. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Buy this set, if anything, just to see Julian Beck!!!
Ok, I'll be the first to admit that in and of itself, Poltergeist II is one of the most well-plotted but weakly executed horror films ever. The abrupt and tacked-on ending seems to be just an excuse to throw in some fancy pseudo-CGI effects, and the end scene leaves you feeling dissatisfied if not completely cheated. But, to the infinite good fortune of the producers, a staff-employed psychic who had a hand in casting the film chose for the role of the evil Reverend Kane an actor whose bone-chilling countenance and blood-curdling voice will linger with you long after the end credits have ceased. The masterful two to three-minutes total screen time that Julian Beck was allotted is worth the ENTIRE price tag all by itself!!! He OWNS the screen. As soon as he walks into frame, you can actually FEEL the impending doom and death wafting off of him in thick, smoky waves. Reverend Kane IS death, in the flesh. He's also my personal pick for Scariest Movie Villain Of All Time! Oh, and Poltergeist III is pretty cool also!

One good, one bad
I'm glad to have Poltergeist 2 on DVD, as it's one of the better horror sequels. Most of the cast is reunited, and it somewhat succeeds at taking a minor point from the first film (the Native American burial ground) and creating the interesting character of Taylor, played by the late Will Sampson.

But it's Julian Beck as the super-creepy Kane that makes this one worth seeing. You just might have nightmares after watching him do his best to cajole Carole Anne to the "other side."

On the flip side, the whole clairvoyant thing is overdone (Carole Anne has a connection to the spirit world, so her mother AND grandmother must have one too? Yeah...), and the ending is a pretty big letdown.

And speaking of letdowns, just try to get thru Poltergeist 3. Poor little Carol Anne has been shipped off to Chicago to live with relatives (Nancy Allen and Tom Skeritt. Yawn.) but Kane (played by another actor since Beck had passed away) finds her. What then ensues are a bunch of cheap effects and ridiculous plot turns that insult rather than frighten. As you're popping the disc out after watching (or abandoning) the film, just remember: you got the infinitely superior Poltergeist 2 for a great price!

"THEY'VE FOUND HER..."
After the success of the original 1982 blockbuster hit, "Poltergeist" (Directed and produced marvelously by Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg) Brian Gibson went on to direct the sequel which turned out to be just as good as the first film carrying some of the same special effects and similarities. "Poltergeist III" on the other hand was a decent entry, though not the best and sadly, Heather O' Rourke died before the films release. It's really a shame, because I'm sure she would've grown up to be very beautiful, considering her act is still adorable and she hasn't lost her touch at all.

These two films which were released by MGM are on this special DOUBLE FEATURE disk and it is truly the best edition for anyone to complete the horrifying trilogy. Here's a complete description and details for both films:

"POLTERGEIST II: The Other Side" (1986)
RATING: ****

Once again, the Freeling family faces the supernatural of their new home after their first one was destroyed in the original. An evil demon named Kane takes the form of a church preacher who's out to capture Carol-Anne in order to bring her back to 'the Other Side' and get rid of her family in the process. With the help of a new character, the Indian Taylor (performed excellently by Will Sampson) they must return to the ruins of their old home (an underground tomb) and defeat Kain in a climatic battle where only love and hope can keep them together.

OVERALL: Almost as good as the original was! Zelda Rubinstein also returns in this one as the psychic, Tangina and is just as good as she was in the first. One of the main reasons I enjoyed this a lot was because of Julian Beck's wonderful and convincing performance as Kane. His image truly haunts you even after you watch him on the screen.
The acting was also very well done by JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson and the storyline, while being a bit farfetched at times, was executed well. Fans of the first will especially enjoy this one. RATED: PG-13 for disturbing imagery, some scary moments, and mild language.

"POLTERGEIST III" (1988)
RATING: ***

The third and final installment to the "Poltergeist" trilogy, where young Carol-Anne (Heather O' Rourke's last role) is shipped off to Chicago to spend the summer with her aunt (Nancy Allen) and uncle (Tom Skerrit) and also to be examined and tested on by professionals who are studying her "gift". Living on the top floor of a skyscraper, everything seems to have returned to normal for our heroine. However, the evil demon Kane (This time played by both Nathan Davis & Corey Burton) is ressurected from his hellish grave after Dr. Seaton (Richard Fire) revives Carol-Anne's long forgotten nightmarish past. From there, all hell breaks loose as the ghosts from the previous films plot to pull Carol-Anne back over to the other side yet again along with her cousin (Laura Flynn Boyle) and eliminate all who stand in their way. Now, it's up to her uncle Bruce & her aunt Patricia to take a scary journey through the many hidden corriders and passageways of this tall urban funhouse and rescue both their children before the supernatural takes over the ENTIRE skyscraper! If you thought the first two films were scary enough for them to take over a house, wait until you see them move to the big city!

OVERALL: Not bad. Many people do not like this one as much, but I thought it was pretty good even though it's the weakest in the whole trilogy. I'm guessing the main reason it's not as popular is because of the REALLY cheesy special effects (which is still fun to watch) and the so-so acting. I wouldn't consider this as much of a high-budget (as was with the first two films) but low-budget flick that carries some of the B movie elements. I don't really understand why they couldn't have made the ghastly spirits effects or the objects moving on their own like they did in the prequels. I think Zelda Rubinstein who plays the role of Tangina saves the film and she still hasn't lost her touch to play her role. I know it's not the best, but it's still worth a watch to see the final chapter in the legacy come to an end and complete the trilogy. RATED: PG-13 for disturbing imagery, some scary moments, strong language, and a bit of blood and gore. To be honest, if I'd been directing this one, I would've given it an R rating because it's the most intense and crazy entry in the whole series!

Both of these films are in their WIDESCREEN anamorphic formats and the Special Features include the original theatrical trailers. They make a good bundle to watch whenever you're bored and goes good with some soda (or beer) and popcorn! Again though as far as Special Features are, there could've been more. As I explained before, there are no BTS footage, let alone cast interviews or director commentaries. But don't let that keep you from buying these two great films for one low price! The picture quality is excellent and the sound is also excellent. BUY TODAY! I also reccomend the original (and still the BEST) "Poltergeist" on DVD. It is one of the best horror series ever made and Kane's villain rules up there with that of Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruegar. Don't miss it!!

Reverend Kane is Awesome!!
Reverend Kane was great in Poltergeist II. Poltergeist II was my favorite of the 3 and definitely one of the best of all time. If you have not seen it, you definitely need to buy this DVD...

"God is in his holy temple...earthly thoughts are silent now..."-Reverend Kane.

Review
Poltergeist has scared me since I was a small child, and Poltergeist II is definitely as good as the original, if not better. I'll admit that the ending is kind of cheesy and has poor special effects (i.e. the whole family floating around in some weird disco-lighted other dimension) but overall the movie is awesome! Beck is very believable as the evil and insane Reverend Kane, and the by the end you really feel for the whole family who are just trying to live normal lives and never asked for any of this to happen to them.

Poltergeist III on the other hand made me want to vomit. What was MGM thinking when they made this movie? How sad that it had to be this terrible piece of garbage that is dedicated to the memory of Heather O'Rourke. This movie seems very slapped together, almost like the producers wanted to get it done as fast as possible and didn't care what the end result looked like. From very, very, VERY poor acting on the part of ALL the actors, to horrible special effects which basically only consisted of flashing lights, fake snow and ice, and a fog machine, to barely any coherent plotlines, this movie is a big fat 0 out of 5 stars. It is cheesy (and not in the good cheesy horror movie kind of way) and boring and leaves the viewer with a sick feeling at the end not because the movie itself is scary and disturbing, but because they can't believe how bad Poltergeist III actually was!

My advice...buy this DVD only because it has Poltergeist II on it. Remember...there aren't any evil spirits who would FORCE you to watch Poltergeist III. I don't think anyone or anything could be that crazy. : ) ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Enthralling Mystery
Last night I started watching this DVD and my wife soon put down her Harry Potter book because this movie drew her into the suspense. It pulls peoples attention into it because of the fine acting by Alec Baldwin and Demi Moore and a great storyline. The rest of the supporting cast are good as well.

The story is a fresh one, a juror is first courted then tormented by a hit man for the mob. Alec Baldwin is quite adept at being scary when he wants to be and charming as well. Demi is by no means a helpless beauty. She shows herself to be artistic, intelligent, and resourceful as well.

When first threatened she succumbs to the demands of "The Teacher", but when he murders her closest friend, she sets a course for revenge. If the mob can't help her she will enlist the assistance of her friends in South America. One gets a pretty good idea of how a womans inner strength can prevail over the worst evil.

The DVD includes extras and has excellent picture and sound quality. Anyone that enjoys suspense movies like "Witness", "The Client", and "Narrow Margin", or TV series like "The Sopranos" should like this movie. If you like this you might also enjoy Alec Baldwin in "The Shadow".

I love 'The Juror'!
Demi Moore is great as a Bohemian single mom and struggling artist living alone with her 12-year-old son (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in a converted barn in a country suburb of New York. When she becomes a juror in a murder case against a major Mafia boss, her peaceful life is turned upside down by a sociopathic hitman's (Alec Baldwin) obsession with her. Though she knows the mob boss is guilty, she is bullied into providing a verdict of 'not guilty' under threat of her son being killed. I see that some reviewers are 'yawning' that this story has been done before, but Moore and Baldwin give such fantastic performances that it seems like the first time anything of its kind has been done. The actors accomplish making their characters appear very real. Demi seems like she could be a woman who used to live on your block or who you once worked with, and Baldwin is like the living nightmare psycho you hope you'll never meet! Anne Heche is good as Demi's best friend, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is believable as the typical sweet kid of someone you might know. It is also a scenic, beautiful movie. Filmed partially in upstate New York in what looks like late May/early June, and in Central America, there's plenty of nice scenery. I think this picture is well worth owning and watching again and again.

LADY JUSTICE TRICKED AGAIN
If you didn't read the novel by George Dawes Green upon which this movie is based, you missed a lot of extra stuff that may have helped with the seemingly implausible points of the plot. A whole subplot involving the Teacher's lover and a has-been PI stimulated a lot of what is overlooked in the film version. But I think overall director Brian Gibson did a commendable job in translating this to the screen.
Demi Moore gives one of her best performances as the trapped mother; she is strong, yet vulnerable; determined and wise. Alec Baldwin is good at playing sleazeballs, but he tempers this with a sense of sensitivity he rarely displays; Anne Heche in an early role does well in the role of Juliette, although in the book Juliette's character is more fleshed out; James Gandolfino in a pre-Sopranos role is outstanding as Baldwin's henchman, who ends up siding with Moore; and Tony Lo Bianco in a brief role as the mafia don, is perfect in his sleazy shell.
THE JUROR is a manipulative movie, but done with enough style and finesse, to be a very entertaining thriller.

I liked it!
Ahh the mafia. Lock a few up, the rest hunt you down. The movie was entertaining, probably mainly because of Alec. He's gorgous, and his character is cold, evil, scary, and determined. Bad mix. The saddest part was when he killed the blonde doctor friend. I mean come on. How sick can you be.

Suspenseful but ordinary
Without Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin, this script never would have made it to film. It is a run-of-the-mill story about a single mother (Demi Moore) who is being pressured by an organized crime figure (Alec Baldwin) to vote "not guilty" on a high profile trial. The mob's leverage is her love for her son. Yawn. But Moore and Baldwin turn in fine performances: Moore as the defiant, intelligent, and terrified Annie, and Baldwin as her sociopath handler. Baldwin is so convincingly creepy and so demented in his take on everything that the audience fears intensely for Annie's survival.

This film contains some honestly terrifying sequences. Unfortunately, the ending is weak, and you're left with few memorable scenes. While this film was definitely a good escape for a couple of hours, you might want to question whether it is worth purchasing to see more than once. ... Read more

Description

Before Madonna, before Marilyn, there was Josephine. Outrageous, shocking, sensational, she travelled the world to become one of the most loved, truly international stars. ' 'Sizzling hot.' ' (USA Today) ' 'A knockout!' ' (Washington Post) ... Read more

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This gently satirical British comedy chronicles the quixotic reunion of a late, arguably not-so-great, and unlamented '70s rock band, Strange Fruit, with a winning mix of humor and poignancy. The "Fruits," as the survivors call themselves without irony, had disbanded after the tragic loss of one member, the mysterious disappearance of another, and the aftershocks of internal rivalries, but 20 years later they warily reassemble for a Dutch club tour, a warm-up for a proposed festival appearance.Between that seemingly hare-brained proposal and the fateful festival, director Brian Gibson, working from a sharp script by Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais, captures the absurdities of middle-aged rockers trying to recapture that lost cockiness.

Breathing life into the band is a terrific cast, including Stephen Rea, Jimmy Nail, Timothy Spall, and Bill Nighy, each managing to juggle deft archetype with believable character traits: Spall's cheerfully crass, flatulent drummer, and Nighy's preening, slow-witted lead singer exemplify the approach, grabbing chuckles yet making you actually care about them.Equally impressive is Billy Connolly as the wily roadie, Hughie, at once pragmatic and devoted to his charges.All are well-served by production details and script points that get the group's lost world of late '60s and early '70s rock exactly right, from costuming and stage moves to the long-forgotten bands they name-check--Blodwyn Pig, anybody?

The band's music likewise benefits from inspired insiders, cowriters Mick Jones (Spooky Tooth, Foreigner) and Chris Difford (Squeeze), who hit a nifty combination of bombast (for the silly scenes) and earnestness. When Gibson and his cast risk the story's amiable glow on a darker, more dramatic final act, the music rises to the challenge, and the whole project, like its fictional subject, achieves an unexpectedly touching victory. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

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Following the success of Traffic, this similar 1990 miniseries isbeing released in movie form. Based on the true story of the kidnappingand murder of a DEA agent named Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, Drug Wars: TheCamarena Story depicts how Camarena's success burning down a hugefield of marijuana in the Mexican desert led to his disappearance--whichin turn set off an escalating series of confrontations between drugtraffickers, the DEA, and the corrupt Mexican police. Despite lowproduction values, a melodramatic script, and clumsy direction, DrugWars does paint a complex picture of the political posturing and powerstruggles among agencies in the U.S., as well as the intricate web ofcorruption in Mexico, that have turned the drug war into a disastrousmess. Featuring Benicio Del Toro (as a Mexican drug lord), Steven Bauer,Craig T. Nelson, Mel Ferrer, Treat Williams, and Elizabeth Peña. --BretFetzer ... Read more