I finally just broke down and bought the trilogy on eBay for $91 after shipping. You really won't find it below $100 on Half, Amazon or eBay. I've watched the first two films and have enjoyed them, so I guess it was worth it.

If Irish had a problem with me, he would say something about it. Besides, he doesn't care. Its a gentle jab.

Plus, so what?

Better yet, aren't you just a little peeved that Scorsese called him and not YOU? Ohhh, I can feel the jealousy in ya old bones.

I'll give Irish this, he's got stamina. That's got to count for something.

Ronnie, please stop trying to provoke him. Now please check your PM.

ILSA, THE WICKED WARDEN 1/2
(First Viewing)

Ilsa, now a vicious warden, runs a mental-hospital for young women. A girl deliberately "checks" in to the hospital to find out what has happened to her sister who stayed there. Meanwhile Ilsa and one of the guards are forcing the inmates to have sex with male prisoners, filming them and selling it as pornoflicks.

Surprisingly, not as much brutality in this film, just sex. Also Dyanne Thorne didn't seem to capture the same apathy she did in earlier films and she wasn't as convincing. I think by the third film this trilogy had lost a step. I hear there's a fourth movie, ISLA, THE TIGRESS OF SIBERIA but I don't think a Region 1 DVD is available for it.

NAKED WEAPON 1/2
(First Viewing)

Like a contagious virus, pretty and athletic girls in their teens start dissappearing around the globe one after another. The mastermind behind these abductions is Madame M (Almen Wong), who plans to train these girls into professional killers. After several years of gruesome training, only Charlene (Maggie Q), Katt (Anya) and Jill (Jewel Lee) survive and become the world's most sought after professional killers. On a recent mission to assassinate someone in Hong Kong, however CIA agent Jack (Daniel Wu), who vows to help her reclaim her past by eliminating Madame M.

Maggie Q has some moves to her. The reason I'm surprised is because I've only seen her in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD and DRAGON HEAT, none of which really let her show of her kung fu skills. However, the film ended rather abruptly (no credits or anything). It is also reminded me of 2002's SO CLOSE with Shu Qi.

RR or for anyone who is interested here is a link with a few short clips. I think it's very creative. Especially "I Want You", but then I enjoyed them all. I had to e-mail the page to my home. For some reason I didn't have access at work to play these clips.

TIS

Across the Universe

THE MUMMY (1999)
(Nth Viewing)

As punishment for killing Pharaoh Seti and sleeping with his mistress, Egyptian priest Imhotep was mummified alive and cursed. But in 1923 he is inadvertently resurrected by treasure hunters and must be stopped before he can wreak his final vengeance on the world.

Brendan Fraser getting his action on. I wonder why he didn't do more action films? This is really the only franchise I'm aware of his that he's done action wise and I've enjoyed at least the first installment. Plenty of action with a nice balance of humor for full enjoyment. The CGI wasn't bad either. A great retelling of the 1932 story outside of the horror genre. I'll always remember this film as the first time I set eyes on Rachel Weisz.

Wow. I think 300 (2006) -- which I finally just saw the other night, and the bonus disk tonight -- has some of the best visual photography I've seen in a LONG time!! The story is classic, too - so it should be enjoyable for most everyone - but the "look" is simply incredible!

THE MUMMY RETURNS 1/2
(Second Viewing)

The story is set in 1933, approximately 9 years after the events of the first film. Rick O'Connell is now married to Evelyn and the couple has settled in London,where they are raising their 8-year-old son Alex. When a chain of events finds the corpse of Imhotep resurrected in the British Museum, the mummy Imhotep walks the earth once more, determined to fulfill his quest for immortality. But another force has also been set loose in the world... one born of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism, and even more powerful than Imhotep. When these two forces clash, the fate of the world will hang in the balance, sending the O'Connells on a desperate race to save the world from unspeakable evil, and rescue their son before it is too late.

Not as much comedy as the first film and the CGI was worse, taking away from it IMO. Also, the one scene The Rock is in (not the CGI Rock), he didn't seem to ooze that charisma he did in the WWF/WWE. Hopefully his later films, which I'm going to begin watching next, he turns it around. I'll give him a free pass since it was basically his first time in front of a Hollywood camera. Finally, the fight scenes between Rachel Weisz and Patricia Velasquez were pretty hot.

Definitely! My second favorite movie thus far this year.

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 1/2
(Nth Viewing)

Two fugitive brothers at gunpoint get an ex-minister and his two children to take them accross the border into Mexico. They drive to a Mexican biker bar to rendevous with other crooks. While at the bar, a few unusual things happen.

Another great script turned in by the one and only Quentin Tarantino. I liked how Cheech Marin played three different roles. I also applaud Quentin and Robert Rodriguez for somehow getting Hollywood hearthrob George Clooney on board with this role. I think this is probably the first and only time I've seen him play a bad guy and he did a wonderful job with it. He should look into doing that more. I also wish Quentin would act more as I've enjoyed his work in this, FOUR ROOMS and PULP FICTION. However large or small his part I think the man can act and would love to see more of it.

Mr. Babe and I just did not like this movie. Most people I know really liked it, so maybe it's us.

My initial thoughts about 300:
300 review

Yojimbo **
My second Kurosawa movie. The merit of the movie lies in its imaginative visuals and the dramatic tension it sustains throughout. Otherwise there is hardly any story or thematic exploration.

What didn't you like about it?

I might as well punch a brick wall.

Besides, why can't people simply right:

"RRA, Quit being an Asshole, please? THANK YOU"

Ronnie, cut out the bullshit!

THANK YOU

With all this politeness, I thought we were like limeys or something.

"My dear good chap, shall I kick thou ass for your insult?"

We're not all polite.

Were does the word "Limey" come from when talking about the English?

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 2: TEXAS BLOOD MONEY 1/2
(First Viewing)

Five criminals get together to rob a bank in Mexico. On his way to their rendezvous point, one of them gets into an accident, and stumbles upon the Titty Twister Bar. This little detour sets up the terror that awaits the outlaws and the officers on their trail.

Definitely a lower budget and lower quality film than the original. At times it felt like I was watching a made for TV movie. The directing was sloppy and the score was awful save for one song maybe. There was also an attempt at an homeage to the famous PSYCHO shower scene which was a lame attempt at trying to pay tribute to Hitchcock. Unfortunately, Robert Patrick and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen had there names attached to this train wreck.

I think it has something to do with the British sailors taking limes on their long voyages to help fight scurvy.

That aside, everyone, please keep the childish jabs for the sandbox.

Wasn't much dialogue, I didn't think that the look was amazing, and wasn't impressed with the acting. I thought Troy was a far superior film.

I thought the look was amazing, like SIN CITY. Another visual achievement IMO but to each his own. And you're right, there wasn't much dialogue, more fighting/blood/etc.

It just looked to cartoonish in some spots. Perhaps that was supposed to be the look, but it just didn't appeal to me.

I think that might have been what they were shooting for since it was based on a graphic novel. I love the look personally but again, to each his own

Exactly the look that they intended to give it. It's Frank Miller's style. He also wrote Sin City and it had that same dark effect to it. He's written that way for years and many of the comic books that he has written are still amongst the most sought after comics books that are out there.

Miller is the kind of writer that has a style that either you like, or you don't.

Well, so many people had told us that they just loved 300 that we were really looking forward to seeing it. Perhaps we were a bit TOO eager and had built it up in our minds.

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3: THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER 1/2
(First Viewing)

"Prequel" to the first From Dusk Till Dawn is set in Mexico in the early 1900's which begins with the escape of Johnny Madrid, a dangerous local outlaw, from the gallows who then kidnaps his hangman's beautiful daughter, Esmeralda, with a little help from Reece, a female outlaw from the U.S. With the hangman and a local posse on their trail, Johnny meets with his gang who all rob a stagecoach which contains American author Ambrose Bierce along with newlywed couple John and Mary Newlie. As night falls, all parties coincidently seek shelter in an isolated inn/whorehouse which is run by vampires led by the high priestess Quixtla who targets Esmeralda. Esmeralda is revealed to be the half-human, half-vampire princess Santanico Pandemonium, whom the vampires want as their heir in which all the humans must join forces if they are to survive the night from the vicious blood-suckers.

Definitely a way to rebound after the horror that was FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 2. A great story that didn't focus so much on vampires which surprisingly was still interesting. I was very glad to see Michael Parks in a bigger role. I've loved his work in Quentin Tarantino's movies but he's in them so seldom. It was a nice change to be able to see him carry a movie more on his own.

Nizhalkkuthu (Shadow Kill) **
This Indian movie in Malayalam language was directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Interesting perspective on a hangman's dilemmas and his role in the pre-independent Indian society. The respect, the guilt and an almost divine power taunts and troubles a hangman's conscience and is depicted well.