DISTRICT 9 NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie District 9 from imdb.

The film opens with a documentary-style series of interviews that introduce the situation. Twenty years before, an alien ship is seen coming towards Earth and arrives above Johannesburg, South Africa. It hovers above the city for three months without any contact; eventually humans take the initiative and cut into the ship. They discover a large group of aliens who are malnourished and sick. The aliens are later assessed as apparently being all "workers", with their leadership mysteriously missing (it is hypothesized that a plague may have wiped out all of the leadership-caste). Grainy footage shows part of the ship (supposed to be a command module) falling to Earth, but nobody has been able to find it, leaving the ship inoperable.

The creatures, called "prawns" as a derogatory reference to the sea creature which they resemble, are housed in a government camp. The alien race's true name is never learned they are primarily referred to as "prawns" or, more rarely, "non-humans". Overcrowding and militarization eventually turn the area into a slum known as District 9. A massive black market is set up between the aliens and a group of Nigerians primarily led by Mumbo, a paralyzed warlord. In addition to inter-species prostitution, the Nigerians exchange canned cat food for alien weapons, of which the cat food has a similar effect to catnip on the aliens.

The movie takes place in 2010. Patience over the alien situation has run out and control over them has been contracted to Multi-National United (MNU), a private company that shows little regard for the aliens' welfare. MNU is interested in using the aliens' advanced weaponry, but its integration with alien biology makes it useless for humans.

An MNU field operative named Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), is set with a task to move 1.8 million aliens to a new District 10 camp located 240 km from Johannesburg, with help from private security forces working for MNU. While inspecting a suspicious alien residence, Wikus handles an alien device which squirts a dark liquid into his face. He becomes very sick and collects the device as evidence.

A rapid transformation begins to occur, and shortly after exposure to the liquid, Wikus's left arm mutates into a claw exactly like that of a prawn. After collapsing at a surprise party in his house, and a doctor at a local hospital discovers his alien left arm, Wikus is taken into custody and a series of tests and experiments are performed on him; these reveal that his alien DNA allows him to operate alien weapons. The scientists discover that his DNA is currently "in balance" with the alien DNA, which is gradually taking over. They decide to harvest his body for biological material at this critical point, to have the greatest chance of replicating his ability to use alien technology in other humans later. To reduce any side-effects, no anesthetic was used. However, during the attempted vivisection Wikus escapes after overpowering his captors, and flees from MNU.

Wikus seeks refuge in the run-down shack of an alien called Christopher Johnson, the same alien who Wikus attempted to evict earlier, who created the alien device that infected Wikus. The device contains fuel that Christopher scavenged from various alien parts scattered around District 9. It is hinted that Christopher might be a surviving member of the prawn leadership caste, as he shows much more knowledge of how alien technology works, possesses or at least found the command module, and interacts with MNU officials more articulately than other aliens. Although initially hostile towards Wikus, Christopher eventually agrees to help him reverse the transformation if Wikus will retrieve the fuel from MNU labs. Christopher promises to undo the mutation by getting Wikus aboard the mother ship hovering over Johannesburg, and shows Wikus the ship's command module, which has been hidden under his shack.

Wikus steals some alien weaponry from Mumbo and his gang, with Mumbo vowing to capture Wikus and eat his mutated arm (his witch doctor believes this will give him the power to operate the alien weaponry). With Christopher's help they launch an assault on MNU and successfully retrieve the fuel sample. While there, Christopher discovers that MNU has been experimenting on his people. Wikus and Christopher fight their way back to District 9 and Christopher begins preparations to leave. He tells Wikus that he must first return to his home world to seek help for his people before he can cure Wikus. Furious, Wikus knocks Christopher unconscious and powers up the ship himself. The MNU mercenaries target Wikus and destroy one of the command module's engines, causing it to crash land inside District 9.

After Wikus is captured by MNU, a battle between the MNU mercenaries and Mumbo's gang breaks out. After a protracted firefight, the Nigerians capture Wikus. Just before Wikus' arm is chopped off, Christopher's son activates several systems in the mothership, including the autopilot routine of a mechanized battle suit; it slaughters Mumbo and his men after they fire on it. Wikus enters the alien walker battle suit, and after initially attempting to flee, returns and rescues Christopher. Armed with a lightning cannon, tracking missiles, and a high-powered machine gun, Wikus begins to fight the MNU men. After being knocked over by a anti-tank sniper round, he convinces Christopher to return to the shuttle without him, over Christopher's objections. Christopher promises Wikus that he will return in three years to repair his body. Christopher then boards the shuttle and activates a tractor beam which returns the command module to the mother ship.

Wikus is shot in the back and the walker suit ejects him. Wikus, heavily wounded, begins dragging himself away from the leader (and sole survivor) of an MNU squad, but is quickly caught. As Wikus prepares to die, aliens burst out of the surrounding slums and dismember the mercenary.

The film concludes with another series of interviews and news broadcasts, providing human opinions on the events that unfolded. The aliens are successfully moved to District 10, which now has a population of 2.5 million and is growing. One of Wikus' coworkers hacks MNU's database and publicly exposes their illegal genetic experiments. There are many differing theories on Wikus' fate. Some people believe that he either left on the mother ship, is in hiding, was captured by MNU or a government agency. Some interviewees hypothesize that the aliens are planning to return with a full army and declare war on humanity. An interview with Wikus' wife reveals a small metal rose was left on her doorstep (Wikus has earlier demonstrated his affection with handmade gifts). Her friends have told her that it could not have possibly been Wikus, but she appears unsure. In the final scene, an alien with a bandaged left arm is shown in a junk yard fashioning a rose out of scrap metal.


Here is a review for the movie District 9 from dvdtalk.

An electric brew of "Alien Nation" and "The Fly," coated with a viscous layer of social commentary, "District 9" is a volatile action/horror picture with a stupendous visual fingerprint. A barnstorming combat film with flashy weaponry, alien mysteries, and goopy body trauma, the film is destined to become a cult classic -- a largely unapologetic statement of hysteria, flanked by large deposits of geek Spanish fly. However, while there's astounding visual reach, "District 9" is riddled with inconsistencies and a confusing point of view, reducing the heat on this ambitious film, robbing it of a lasting power it should rightfully own.

20 years ago, a massive alien mothership appeared above Johannesburg, South Africa. Inside was a race of dying creatures, soon brought down to Earth by local government and forced to live in a walled off section of the city, dubbed District 9. As the aliens, nicknamed "Prawns" due to their vaguely crustacean appearance, grow in numbers and hostility, the task of relocation to a concentration camp has been handed to the Multi-National United Corporation and its head field operative, Wikus (Sharlto Copley). Entering the vile shantytown, teams of soldiers find the Prawns concocting a secretive plan of attack, with Wikus coming into contact with a mysterious black liquid. Forced to flee when he learns his superiors want to tear him apart for examination, Wikus heads back to District 9, befriending an intelligent Prawn named Christopher.

Based loosely on the events of District Six that occurred in South Africa in the 1970s, "District 9" collects bits of history, sci-fi, and action to build itself a story of man hating alien. An unusual visitation tale, the film seeks to reimagine the ravages of apartheid with an otherworldly angle, positioning the Prawns as the abused culture, separated from the general public, finding their rights refused in the name of governmental protection and handed a war zone for a home. The political and social overtones of "District 9" are straightforward and vividly distributed, integrated cleverly by director/co-screenwriter Neill Blomkamp, who conjures a horrific atmosphere of violence and humiliation as man finds renewed purpose keeping the Prawns at bay.

How this story is captured is where my head starts to spin. Introduced as a documentary, "District 9" is ostensibly telling the story of Wikus and his company man efforts to get the Prawns to their new, vaguely threatening home. Blomkamp arranges faux news footage of the District's violence and community filth, while "interviewing" Wikus's closest associates and superiors. Following the action into the District as Wikus and the soldiers go from door to door to con the residents, the film finds an incredible stride of intrigue and discovery, with Blomkamp parading around some of the finest special effects work of the year to merge the real and the unreal into a singularly disturbing, unsettling event.

The feature soon rudely breaks away from the factual perspective, morphing into direct fiction, as Wikus's accident with the black goo becomes a living nightmare. From there, Blomkamp juggles back and forth between shaky-cam documentary footage and traditional dramatics. It's a hazy perspective that cheats the film out of a compelling identity, making the intention of the footage confusing -- a needless distraction in the middle of overwhelmingly grungy eye candy. Is this a documentary? A dramatization? Blomkamp doesn't answer the questions, leaving various plot-holes behind as he starts to scratch his geek itches.

Adapted from Blomkamp's short film "Alive in Joberg," "District 9" doesn't feel like it was sufficiently inflated to fill a feature-length running time; instead, Blomkamp spackles the cracks in the story with explosions and the grisly wonders of alien machinery, taking an already violent film to the extreme for the final showdown. Bodies are torn apart, Blomkamp's "Aliens" fixation is satisfied, and bullets of every design zip around the frame. Perhaps a majority of the audience won't mind the way "District 9" hops on one foot, as long as the pyrotechnics display is appropriately blinding and the creatures are cool. And they are. Wonderfully so. Blomkamp is a filmmaker to watch, with absurdly precise visual instincts. But "District 9" is his first film and it shows, bloating a fascinating fable to a point of collapse.

Here is the direct download for the movie District 9.

007 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie 007 Diamonds are forever from imdb

James Bond's mission is to find out who has been smuggling diamonds, which are not re-appearing. He adopts another identity in the form of Peter Franks. He joins up with Tiffany Case, and acts as if he is smuggling the diamonds, but everyone is hungry for these diamonds. He also has to avoid Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, the dangerous couple who does not leave anyone in their way. Ernst Stavro Blofeld isn't out of the question. He may have changed his looks, but is he linked with the heist? And if he is, can Bond finally defeat his ultimate enemy. Written by simon

After traveling the world in his quest to kill Blofeld, Bond returns triumphant, only to discover a case waiting for him: a large amount of diamonds has been stolen from the South African mines and two offbeat assassins are killing everyone in the smuggling ring one-by-one. Bond goes undercover as Peter Franks, diamond smuggler. What he discovers shocks him: the head of the smuggling ring is none other than Ernst Stavros Blofeld! Now, Bond must resist the wiles of a beautiful smuggler and survive the machinations of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, Blofeld's two best assassins so that he can uncover Blofeld's sinister plot. Written by A Shady Government Operative

When Bond investigates mysterious activities in the world diamond market, he discovers that the evil Ernst Blofeld is stockpiling the precious gems to use in a deadly laser satellite capable of destroying massive targets on land, sea and air. Bond, with the help of beautiful smuggler Tiffany Case, sets out to stop the madman, but first he must grapple with a host of enemies. He confronts offbeat assassins Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, as well as Bambi and Thumper--two scantily-clad beauties who are more than a match for Bond in hand-to-hand combat! Finally, there's the reclusive billionaire Willard Whyte, who may just hold a vital clue to Blofeld's whereabouts. Written by Robert Lynch {docrlynch@yahoo.com}

When the British Government suspect the existence of a world-wide diamond smuggling operation, James Bond is called in to investigate. He soon discovers the extent of the problem and travels to America where a millionaire casino owner is suspected to be behind it all. However, when the casino owner turns out to be none other than Ernst Stavro Blofeld, 007 knows exactly what he must do. Especially when some of the world's most powerful weapons are involved - and two of the three stooges! Written by Graeme Roy {gsr@cbmamiga.demon.co.uk}

The British Government become suspicious when large shipments of uncut diamonds begin disappearing during transit and then fail to reappear on the international market. British agent James Bond is at first reluctant when ordered to investigate believing it to be a simple case of smuggling, but when a lead points to the involvement of 007's arch nemesis Blofeld, Bond becomes desperate to uncover his plans and to avenge the death of his wife Tracy. Written by Dave Jenkins {david.jenkins@smallworld.co.uk}

Here is the direct download for the movie 007 Diamonds are Forever.

DRAG ME TO HELL NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Drag Me To Hell from imdb

A loan officer ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, which turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.

Here is a review for the movie Drag Me to Hell from dvdtalk

Drag Me to Hell is the kind of movie that would have brought a smile to the face of horror showman William Castle, who was known for sticking buzzers in seats and dangling plastic skeletons on wires to get a giggle-worthy reaction out of audience members. Lots of movies are described as rollercoaster rides for the audience, and Castle might have suggested someone hook co-writer/director Sam Raimi's return to horror up to an actual rollercoaster, so the audience could get flung around like poor heroine Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) as they watched her desperately try to escape a curse placed on her by an incensed gypsy woman (Lorna Raver). Sadly, Castle can't, but it isn't necessary: this movie is a ride already.

So what makes Raimi's film work while other teen slasher films fall flat? Two factors stand out: Raimi's respect for his audience, and his desire to make being terrified fun again. He and his co-writer brother Ivan (the writing team that gave us Darkman, and, of course, Army of Darkness) know that people go to horror movies expecting to jump out of their seats, and it's twice as entertaining if the director lets them in on the joke, because most genre fans are anyway. When Christine looks out the window at a horrendous creaking sound, Raimi cuts closer on her face in rapid succession because he wants the viewer to get up on their toes and grab their dates in advance, and when the scare arrives, it's almost cathartic in its amusement. Raimi described the style as "spook-a-blast", which encapsulates his technique perfectly: if you're not laughing after every scream in Drag Me to Hell, then you're only getting half the experience.

Anyone worried by the movie's trailer and big studio backing -- and worse, the dreaded PG-13 rating -- that Raimi isn't going to go all the way with this one can also put their fears to rest. The first thing you'll notice is the sound; Drag Me to Hell is one of the loudest movies I can remember seeing. Weird compliment, I know, but it's almost a classic Raimi gag: I laughed because it's like he wants the viewer to experience Christine's physical torment through the abusive soundtrack (and every Raimi fan know how much the man loves to abuse). Also, while I don't agree with the common opinion that this is Evil Dead 4 with a different wrapper, it's hard not to feel like you've been transported back to 1992 when a possessed lackey, decked out in signature KNB makeup, dances comically in the air above a flaming table, or when any number of gross-out fluids spew on the movie's hapless characters. Raimi even slaps the 80's Universal logo on the movie, and an even older logo at the end of the credits. It's wonderfully nostalgic.

Drag was originally meant to star Ellen Page of Juno fame, but her trademark cynical demeanor would have derailed Raimi's intentions. Lohman plays Christine with more naïvete than Page could have mustered (or, perhaps, has ever mustered), and it's key to the character's development. Much like Bruce Campbell's Ash, Christine just doesn't understand how she's implicitly responsible for her horrid fate at the hands of the lamia, and her relative cluelessness actually drives the plot forward. You also wouldn't have been able to buy Page liking a dork like Christine's boyfriend Clay Dalton (Justin Long), who's a different type of naïve, believing that Christine's accursed affliction can be chalked up to post-traumatic stress disorder. So often in movies, the skeptic is meant to be relatable to the audience, an icon of our own disbelief, but Raimi plays Clay's dismissal like a joke we're in on...one with a darkly amusing punchline.

As for everything else, the movie breezes by at a cool 99 minutes: it takes three days for the lamia to take you away, so Christine's time to figure out a solution is in short supply. Help comes in the form of Rham Jas (Dileep Rao), whose potential con-man status is amusingly unresolved by both the script and Rao's quiet performance. He suggests a séance, which results in one of the film's best armrest-gripping sequences. The film's only flaws are more than a fair share of sub-par CGI, and a fairly predictable resolution, but both elements are sold with enough enthusiasm to keep the audience on board through the rough patches.

It's the middle of summer, and I don't know if people are looking to be frightened, but I hope so, because Drag Me to Hell delivers. I don't know if I've seen a more successful horror movie in theaters, and it's great to get Raimi back, even if it's just for one picture. I criticized the trailer before, but it's right about one thing: this is a return to true horror, delivered with impish glee by one of the genre's modern maestros. As Christine is repeatedly besieged by floating corpse as she tries to crawl out of a flooding graveyard plot, I couldn't help but wonder if Sam himself was under the water, insistently jabbing the prop at his lead actress, trying to get a rise out of her, and by extension, the audience. It's Raimi's version of the seat buzzer, and somewhere, William Castle is laughing out loud. Boo!

Here is the direct download for the movie Drag Me To Hell.

DANCE FLICK NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Dance Flick from imdb

Megan (Shoshanna Bush) has a dream of going to Juilliard and becoming a dancer. While she is performing at her dance audition, her mother is tragically killed in an auto accident. Megan must move to another city to her destitute father's apartment which is located in a condemned building. She enrolls in Musical High, an inner city high school. Since her mother's death, Megan has given up dancing. Megan meets some new friends at the school like Tracy (Chelsea Makela), Charity (Essence Atkins), and Thomas (Damon Wayans Jr.) who dance in a street dance gang. Thomas and Megan connect, and they must face their impossible dance dream together. They try to bring the ultimate dance crew together to win $5,000 at the local dance contest. Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)

Here is a review for the movie Dance Flick from dvdtalk

What I'm about to write isn't a recommendation of the new parody film "Dance Flick," but more of a gentle warning that what the Wayans Brothers are serving up here isn't nearly as wrist-slittingly disgraceful as expected. We're still miles away from the bellylaugh miracles of the golden "Airplane!" and "Naked Gun" era, but "Dance Flick" has an appealing concentration on zany that's eluded fellow yuksters such as Friedman/Seltzer and even David Zucker in recent years. Again, this is not a recommendation. More a blazing "all clear" signal flare to those partial to a little brainless comedy on occasion.

Joining the never-ending stream of Wayans siblings into the spotlight is Damien Dante, who takes a director slot on "Dance Flick" while the rest of his family eats up the writing, co-starring, and producing credits. Spoofing seems to be a unique family obsession, with "Dance Flick" joining the likes of "Scary Movie," "Don't Be a Menace to South Central," and the classic "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" on the carousel of Wayans-approved lampoons. The targets of derision here are musicals and the once-flooded urban street dance genre, with the script primarily using "Save the Last Dance" and "Step Up" for inspiration, though plenty of bile is saved to splatter a wide range of titles.

Certainly "Dance Flick" has its fair share of dud gags, potty jokes, and disturbingly uninspired riffs (a "Black Snake Moan" parody comes immediatley to mind), but it's astonishing to observe Wayans locate the right speed of lunacy for his picture, with leads Damon Wayans Jr. and Shoshana Bush eager to follow anywhere the script leads them. It's a devotion to the fine art of insanity that makes "Dance Flick" somewhat endearing. This is not a consistent picture, nor a product dripping with commendable wit. It's lowbrow and PG-13-bendingly shameless all the way, refusing to accept the lazier razzing track the diseased Friedberg/Seltzer train has been occupying. Instead, "Dance Flick" employs known screen successes to form its own cyclone of stupidity and slapstick. Wayans does a sufficient job building "Dance Flick" into a runaway boulder of a comedy, using the lampoons wisely, or at least creatively. While I've been conditioned to treat spoof movies as the enemy in recent years, "Dance Flick" actually finds room to have fun with itself and not just slow down to rehash every last pop culture speed bump.

There's likable buoyancy to Damon Wayans Jr.'s lead performance -- he's clearly inherited his father's timing; David Alan Grier shows up in a bizarre cameo as a morbidly obese criminal known as Sugar Bear and Amy Sedaris adds uncomfortable tartness as the stern ballet teacher Ms. Cameltoe; crosshairs are aimed at "Hairspray," "High School Musical," and "Dreamgirls" (Sugar Bear sings "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" to food); Keenan Ivory Wayans arrives to slap Steve Harvey and his "loud-ass suits" around; and there's plenty of urban-flavored bits that require the services of Shawn and Marlon Wayans. "Dance Flick" is a cornucopia of cartoon trimmings and raunchy escapades, and I have to be honest here: it did make me laugh. Not a lot, but just enough.

At its worst, "Dance Flick" incites a few groans and uncomfortable silences. At its best, it's an energetic, slaphappy comedy with a cheerful attitude. I mean, come on: it's a scant 75 minutes long, contains a well-deserved swipe at the goofiness that is the "Twilight" saga, and features a beatboxing vagina. If that doesn't marginally entertain you, nothing will.

Here is the direct download for the movie Dance Flick.

DADNAPPED NOW AVAILABLE

Here is the summary for the movie Dadnapped from imdb

Melissa has a bad case of sibling rivalry, only her competition is a fictional character in her father's best-selling novel about a teenage super spy. When her father is "dadnapped" by a group of overzealous fans, it's up to Melissa to help him by tapping her inner superhero. Written by Dadnapped

Here is the direct download for the movie Dadnapped.

DONNIE DARKO NOW AVAILABLE

DONNIE DARKO NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE DONNIE DARKO FROM IMDB

Donnie Darko gets along badly with his family, with his teachers and with his classmates; but he does manage to find a sympathetic friend in Gretchen, who agrees to date him; and he has a compassionate psychiatrist, who discovers hypnosis is the means to unlock hidden secrets. His other companion may not be a true ally. Donnie has a friend named Frank, who is either a large purple bunny, or man in a large purple bunny costume. Either way, Donnie is the only one who can see him. When an engine falls off a plane and destroys his room, Donnie is not there. Both the event, and Donnie's escape, seem to have been caused by supernatural events. Donnie's mental illness, if such it is, may never allow him to find out for sure. Written by J. Spurlin

A troubled teenager, Donnie Darko, escapes death when a jet-engine crashes in his bedroom, because he follows a giant bunny leading him outside. The bunny, called Frank, tells him that the world will end in 28 days. As the final date comes closer and closer Donnie is drawn into an alarming series of events that may or may not be a product of growing insanity. Written by Mio

Donnie Darko is a paranoid schizophrenic anti-social teenager having therapy and using medication. He has visions of a giant rabbit, Frank, the Fuzzy Bunny, who instructs him to make violent acts, like destroying the fire hydrant and piping of his high-school (like in Graham Greene's book, which text was read in his English class), or burning the house of the hypocrite Jim Cunningham. Further, he predicts the doomsday and is very interested in time travel through the wormhole. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Donnie Darko is a disturbed adolescent from a semi-functional upper-middle-class family. After nearly escaping from death because he hears the voice of a 6-foot-tall bunny, Donnie is led by the bunny to create havoc that is both destructive and creative. Written by Brendan Smith

Troubled adolescent, Donnie Darko, receives a disturbing vision that the world will end in 28 days. With the help of various characters, including a 6 foot rabbit called Frank, he slowly discovers the mysterious physical and metaphysical laws that govern his life and that will lead up to the destruction of the universe. Written by Benjamin Conway

During the presidential election of 1988, a teenager named Donnie Darko sleepwalks out of his house one night, and sees a giant, demonic-looking rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. He returns home the next morning to find that a jet engine has crashed through his bedroom. As he tries to figure out why he survived and tries to deal with people in his town, like the school bully, his conservative health teacher, and a self-help guru, Frank continues to turn up in Donnie's mind, causing him to commit acts of vandalism and worse. Written by MTRodaba2468

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE DONNIE DARKO FROM DVDTALK

The Movie: "Donnie Darko" was one of the most talked about films at Sundance last year, a film that looked to be a success story once it eventually released theaters. Unfortunately, the studio didn't seem to be quite sure about how to market a film that largely revolves around a disturbed teenager who recieves prophetic warnings from a large, talking rabbit (possibly the cousin of the Mothman from this year's "Mothman Prophecies".) Newmarket (who also released "Memento") should have built up a wider release, but did not. The film soon dissapeared from theaters, snapped up by Fox Home Video for a DVD release. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Donnie, said troubled teen who, as the movie begins, has just started taking his medication again. Shortly after, the visions begin to appear. Frank, a six-foot-tall individual who wears a bunny suit and an insect-ish face, casually informs Donnie that the world will end just under a month. If Donnie had not ventured into the outdoors to hear more, he would have been in his room, which is demolished by a jet engine that falls out of the sky while he'd taken the stroll. "Donnie Darko", with its blend of the conventional (Donnie awkardly asks out a new girl in school, nicely played by Jena Malone) and the surreal, could have ended up being a messy mixture of genres, but ends up being similar to director David Lynch's films while taking on a fascinating feel and tone of its own. We are kept unsure of whether or not Donnie is an intelligent psychotic or if he is really seeing the things that he is seeing. Director Richard Kelly gains the interest by providing a remarkable sense of atmosphere and adds rich, unexpected twists throughout the film that successfully engage the audience further. Title cards let the audience know the days remaining until what Frank noted would be the last. The performances are also terrific. Gyllenhaal, whose recent "Bubble Boy" was horrendously terrible, returns to the kind of performance he showed he was capable of with "October Sky". With equal parts intense calm and fascinating menace, Gyllenhaal is riveting. Mary McDonnell and Holmes Osbourne are terrific as Donnie's parents, unusual characters in a situation like this, as these characters would usually be baffled and angered in their inability to understand what's going on with their son. McDonnell and Osbourne convincingly portray the parents as people who don't have all the answers, but genuinely care about their son and are saddened at the idea thrown out by their son's psychologist (Katherine Ross) that more medication is needed. Noah Wyle and producer Drew Barrymore give fine performances as two teachers who believe in Donnie, even if the usually cheery Barrymore doesn't portray glum entirely well. Even 80's icon Patrick Swayze appears as a motivational speaker. What should also be mentioned in discussion about "Donnie Darko" is the film's special effects. While certainly not an effects-heavy picture, there are several sequences with impressive visual effects that, considering this is a low-budget film, are remarkably well-done. In terms of non-computer generated visuals, the film does a very solid job portraying 80's suburbia. "Donnie Darko" bounces between so many genres and events that it's amazing that debut director Kelly can piece them all together and not have the film seem to be either too strange or too all-over-the-place or too grounded. The puzzle ending is clear enough to basically understand, but not quite put together enough to conclude the exploration - after the end of "Donnie Darko", I started it up once again and found it as enjoyable and realized new aspects of the story, although I think I'm still missing a couple of parts of the greater picture about the finale. The DVD VIDEO: "Donnie Darko" is presented by 20th Century Fox in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The intended look of the picture is one that will likely not match with expectations of what a newer film should look like. The look of the film is soft and occasionally, even hazy. Apparently, this was intentional.

While the softness isn't of huge concern, there are a few other problems on display throughout. The print used seems less-than-pristine, as some minor marks and a scratch or two are on display a bit more frequently than I'd expect for a recent picture. Some sequences also displayed slight-to-mild grain.


SOUND: The film's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is certainly not demo material, but it's very enjoyable considering its mainly dialogue-driven nature. Surrounds often creep in with some pleasant ambience, but also come in more agressively on occasion, with the voice of the Bunny and other sound effects. The score sounded terrific, as did dialogue. While this certainly isn't the most thrilling sound experience, it's still better than I expected.

MENUS: Very enjoyable film-themed animated main menu, along with solid transitions between menus.

EXTRAS: Commentaries: "Donnie Darko"'s DVD contains two feature-length commentaries, one by director Richard Kelly and actor Gyllenhaal, wile the other is a very crowded affair that includes Kelly, producer/actor Drew Barrymore, actress Malone as well as producers Sean McKittrick and Nancy Juvonen, along with most of the remaining primary cast members: Mary McDonnell, Beth Grant, Holmes Osborne, Katherine Ross, and James Duvall. All of these folks have been recorded together and, although Barrymore and Kelly do dominate the proceedings, all of the rest of the folks to chime in from the background. Sometimes things do go off track or people talk over one another, but there's some good information and insight occasionally thrown out as well as a few jokes about the making of the film. The other commentary with director Richard Kelly and actor Gyllenhaal isn't quite as interesting. As with his commentary for "Bubble Boy", Gyllenhaal says a lot, but doesn't really end up offering that much substancial information. Kelly is informative, but he proves to be more interesting on the second track, where some of the other folks occasionally act as interviewers and get more information. Deleted Scenes: Director Richard Kelly offers commentary for no less than 20 scenes, which are a mixture of deleted and extended material. Trailer/TV: The trailer for the film is included, as are 5 TV spots. I don't think I ever saw any of the TV spots - and I watch a lot of TV. Cunning Visions: The infomercial from the picture, complete with joke commentary. Also included in this section are book covers featured in the film as well as a "His Name Is Frank" gallery, a feature which locked up my player once, then didn't the second time around. Odd. Also: Filmographies, a gallery of images from the film's website, a music video, art gallery, liner notes for the soundtrack and pages from the "Philosophy Of Time Travel" book (which are difficult to read) featured in the film. Final Thoughts: "Donnie Darko" is a whole lot of genres and other elements put together in a way that could have become unglued, but instead is able to present surprises, terrific performances and tie almost all of its loose threads together. It's a wonderful, original debut that I thought was very enjoyable. While this film likely isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, Fox's excellent DVD edition of the film is worth checking out, at least as a rental.


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DARK KNIGHT DVD QUALITY NOW AVAILABLE

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HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE DARK KNIGHT FROM IMDB

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker. Written by Peteagassi

With just one year passed after taking out Ra's Al Ghul's plan to have Gotham eliminated and the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Jonathan Crane AKA the Scarecrow, after the city was nearly plundered with his toxins, Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter-ego the Batman, continue the seemingly-endless effort to bring order to Gotham, with the help of Lt. James Gordon and newly appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent, but a new threat has now emerged into the streets. The Dark Knight faces a rising psychopathic criminal called The Joker, who's eerie grin, laughter, and inhuman morality makes him more dangerous than what he has yet to unleash. It becomes an agenda to the Batman to stop the mysterious Joker at all cost, knowing that the both of them are in the opposite line. One with no method at all and seeks to see the world plunge into the fire he has yet to lit. One who represents the symbol of hope and uses his own shadow to bring the peace and order he has yet to accomplish on doing. Written by Anonymous

Set within a year after the events of Batman Begins, Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new district attorney Harvey Dent successfully begin to round up the criminals that plague Gotham City until a mysterious and sadistic criminal mastermind known only as the Joker appears in Gotham, creating a new wave of chaos. Batman's struggle against the Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and improve his technology to stop him. A love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent and Rachel Dawes. Written by Leon Lombardi

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE THE DARK KNIGHT FROM DVDTALK

You might not think it possible for a character that is pushing 80 years-old to have as much energy in his old bones as Batman does in his latest screen epic, The Dark Knight, but that is just not the case. In his follow-up the franchise re-energizing Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan takes the Caped Crusader to places never before explored in film, and seldom touched upon even within the comics. The result is a superhero film unlike most other superhero films--a grim, often unrelenting tale of moral ambiguity about men driven by convictions so intense it compromises their sanity.

With masked vigilante Batman (Christian Bale) striking fear into the hearts of criminal throughout Gotham City, it looks like there may actually be hope for the city that has been plagued by rampant crime and a corrupt police department. But despite his best efforts, Batman has not been able to stop all crime, especially those committed by a psychotic criminal who calls himself the Joker (Heath Ledger). Horribly scarred, and hiding behind poorly applied clown make-up, the Joker brings a wave of senseless terror to the streets of Gotham the likes of which have never been seen before. When he offers the leaders of all the crime syndicates his services in dealing with Batman, Joker sets the stage for a brutal war that will leave much of the city burning and in ruins.

Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is looking for a reason to retire from his career as Batman, so he can pursue the love of his life, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). But before he can give up fighting crime forever, Bruce Wayne must find a new hero to replace Batman. Wayne sees such a hero in Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the crusading district attorney who also happens to be his rival for the love of Rachel. Romantic rivalry notwithstanding, Batman prepares to let Dent lead the charge in cleaning up the streets of Gotham City. Unfortunately, the Joker has other plans, and as he steps up his war to destroy Batman, he adds several others to his death list, including Dent, Rachel and James Gordon (Gary Oldman), Batman's closest ally on the police force. This leads to an epic showdown that is brutally violent both physically and mentally, that will take an incredible toll on all the key players.

Arguably one of the best comic book movies to date, The Dark Knight is certainly the best Batman movie to date. Just as Batman Begins drew from some of the best eras of Batman--primarily his early days in the late 1930s, his classic 1970s tales by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, and Frank Miller's seminal interpretations (both Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns)--so to does The Dark Knight take from the best interpretations of the Caped Crusader. When Batman ventures off to Hong Kong to retrieve a criminal who could help bring down Gotham's crime families, it recalls the re-invention the character underwent in the 70s with O'Neil and Adams. Likewise, Batman's bordering-on-insanity pursuit of justice owes much to Miller's work. But the film's crowning achievement--the Joker--comes straight from the character's most earlier exploits, when he was little more than a deadly enigma.

It is difficult to separate all of the hype surrounding the death of Heath Ledger, who died shortly after he finished filming, from the hype surrounding what truly is a stunning performance. In much the way Brandon Lee's overshadowed the initial release of The Crow, so too has Ledger's death threatened to overshadow The Dark Knight. But his performance simply refuses to be obscured by the tragedy that surrounds it. Ledger is, for lack of a better term, absolutely brilliant and almost unrecognizable, giving a stunning performance as "an agent of chaos" that sets the tone for the film, and helps put the "dark" in The Dark Knight. And make no mistake; this film is not only dark, it is depressing and disturbing as well. It is also bordering on brilliant.

Ledger's performance is the highpoint of The Dark Knight, but the film is filled with other great work by an incredible cast. Oldman is terrific as soon-to-be Commissioner Gordon, and both Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman give solid performances as Alfred and Luscious Fox. Even Tiny Lister gives a great performance in what could have easily been a throwaway role. And of course there is Bale, who manages to give Bruce Wayne the depth that he lacked in the hands of George Clooney and Val Kilmer.

Having resurrected the franchise with Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan has taken the series to new heights. Nolan has crafted a taut film noir that has disguised itself as an action thriller. Exploring the fine line that separates good and evil, The Dark Knight revolves around Batman as much as it does the Joker and Harvey Dent--who is destined to become a rather gruesome looking Two-Face--with a surprising amount of attention also paid to Jim Gordon. The result is an ensemble film that traverses rugged moral terrain, making The Dark Knight the comic book movie equivalent to L.A. Confidential.

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DEATH RACE NOW AVAILABLE

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HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVE DEATH RACE FROM IMDB

In 2012, the United States economy collapses and life for everyone is not the same. Once a NASCAR champion, Jensen Ames, (Jason Statham), hits rock bottom and spent several years in prison. His life was improving and changing for the better after meeting and marrying Suzy (Janaya Stephens) and having a baby girl. Then the steel mill closes, and he loses his job. But that was not the worst thing to happen to Jenson that day. Suzy is brutally murdered, and he is framed for her murder. Jenson is sent to Terminal Island, the worst and toughest for-profit prison in the country run by Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen). She has created the country's most popular pay-per-view sport, a kill-or-be-killed car race where the inmates race to win their freedom from prison after 5 wins. Every inmate driver is driving a monster car that they built which is loaded with machine guns, missiles, flamethrowers, napalm, and no rules. Warden Hennessey convinces Jensen to secretly take the place of the late 4-time superstar winner, Frankenstein, and wear his metallic mask in the race. If Jensen wins just one race, he can go home to his baby daughter. To get to the finish line, Jensen must kill his competition before they kill him. Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE DEATH RACE FROM DVDTALK

While I won't pray at the altar of the 1975 cult film "Death Race 2000," I definitely enjoyed its satiric spit-take on outrageous violence and media-fed bloodlust. It was an innovative and enormously entertaining exploitation picture, blessed with a brain to compliment the body count. The remake takes everything that was imaginative about the original feature and reduces it to an ear-splitting energy drink commercial, topped off with some of the worst filmmaking decisions to be found at the multiplex this year. Yes, that's right: Hollywood has allowed Paul W.S. Anderson to make another movie.

Framed for the murder of his wife, former race pro Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is sent to prison, where corporate overlord Hennessey (Joan Allen, in full boat-payment mode) is waiting for him. Forced to partake in the brutal "Death Race" sporting event, Jensen must don the mask of deceased champion Frankenstein (David Carradine, in a voice cameo) and combat his fellow inmates on a private roadway. Armed to the teeth with weapons and defensive gadgets, Jensen, his pit crew (including Ian McShane and Frederick Koehler, Chip from "Kate & Allie"), and his navigator (Natalie Martinez) battle to stay alive as Hennessey unleashes the full wrath of her prized track, provoking the other racers (including Tyrese Gibson) to go after Jensen/Frankenstein to secure their freedom.

Of course, when dealing with a remake (or "reimagining"), there's bound to be a certain level of disappointment with the upgraded results. However, the new "Death Race" is a sickening reflection of today's wretched filmmaking standards, eschewing robust satiric drive for a brain-dead romp around mortifying base sensibilities. Anderson is awfully good at shaping crud ("Aliens vs. Predator," "Mortal Kombat"), but "Death Race" is his Mona Lisa as far as I'm concerned. It's an outrageously irritating, mouthbreathing spectacle, dripping with loathsome, pandering machismo, which often clouds the most basic filmmaking functions one would think Anderson could've mastered by now.

The updating is immediate: the year is now 2012, and the dystopian world is ruled by corporations. The public demands blood to mask unemployment and environmental fears, leaving "Death Race" the profitable focal point for the masses. However, if the world is falling to pieces, how does Hennessey find 75 million subscribers willing to shell out $100 a pop to watch the races? Why does Jensen's crew use VHS tapes to monitor chase mishaps? Why does Jensen, having recently lost his wife and infant child, openly flirt with his navigator? Asking questions of "Death Race" is a waste of time, since Anderson is only fascinated with the bewildering visceral whack of the premise, not the goofy, fascist futureworld conceived in 1975 and promptly dumbed-down for 2008.

This "Death Race" is all about the testosterone. Now the cars are souped-up murder machines with explosive accouterments for every whim, the navigators are all busty model-types to help boost ratings (do you really need assistance to drive around in a circle?), the musical score by Paul Haslinger offers a headbanging mood, the villain of the race is a homosexual (zing!), the trendy camerawork is set on permo-zoom to lazily generate tension, and the event itself is an over-edited (to a nauseous degree), violent jaunt around an island prison backyard, not the cross-country design of the 1975 film. Also missing is the point accumulation contest, racked up when the contestants ran over pedestrians with their automobiles; why Anderson stopped short of that delicious idea is a mystery, considering the rest of the film is a gory, excitedly immoral production.

I guess killing the innocent places last on Anderson's "to do" list, falling behind such priorities as: "offer plenty heart-stopping displays of unreasonable misogyny," "destroy art of drama," and "piss all over Paul Bartel's grave."

Visually, "Death Race" is as hackneyed a film as can be. Performance-wise, it's in REM sleep. It's playing with fire to put Tyrese Gibson, Joan Allen, and Jason Statham in the same room together, and Anderson often leaves the cast to their own devices, each hamming it up in their own special way. I'm concerned most for Statham, an actor of special growly menace who has apparently made it a personal quest to work almost exclusively with dreadful directors (Uwe Boll, Philip G. Atwell, Hunter Richards, James Wong, Mark Neveldine, and Brian Taylor), digging a hole in his career that appears motivated by the highest bidder. Jensen holds no arc, no chance for Statham to find interesting angles to play. It's a paycheck film in a career full of wrong moves. A few more clunkers, and it might lead to an E! reality show before you know it.

Again, "Death Race 2000" was a scrappy Roger Corman B-film, not high art. It contained wit to plug the budget holes, fearlessly crossing the line of taste to make a broader statement of delirium. "Death Race" is unbearable tripe from a worthless director; a hack job to rile up the late summer box office blues. It's a complete affront to the 1975 picture, but, criminally, the target demo of young men and the recently lobotomized won't notice what they're missing.

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DEAL NOW AVAILABLE

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HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE DEAL FROM IMDB

As an ex-gambler teaches a hot-shot college kid some things about playing cards, he finds himself pulled into the world series of poker, where his protégé is his toughest competition.


HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE DEAL FROM DVDTALK.

THE FILM

Poker has been dealt some terrific cinematic hands before, but "Deal" is hardly cinematic. The feature finds a perfect home on the small screen, where the curious lack of energy running through this picture doesn't seem quite as severe. "Deal" is a passable diversion for poker junkies, but I fear will hold little interest for anyone not enthralled by gambling.

A poker prodigy at age 21, Alex (Bret Harrison) has trained himself with online tournaments and dorm room games. Now vying for a shot on the professional poker circuit, Alex piques the interest of former gambler Tommy (Burt Reynolds), who takes the young man under his wing and teaches him the details of the game. Ready for his shot, Alex heads to the World Poker Tour tournament in Las Vegas to match skills with the best of the best. However, ego and mistrust rear their ugly heads, leaving the partnership strained and futures uncertain with a multi-million-dollar jackpot on the line.

"Deal" is a film of limited ambition, yet I think someone forgot to explain that to director/co-writer Gil Cates Jr. Intoxicated by the recent chess-like romanticism of poker, Cates Jr. directs with an aim to be cutting edge, often abusing commonplace editing techniques, blasting whiny emo-rock leftovers, and idolizing the nightlife of Las Vegas with all the visual invention of a Travel Channel special. He's sweating hard to make "Deal" feel electric and edgy, at the same time filling up his screenplay with hoary scenarios of conflict and redemption that keep the whole affair thoroughly sedated.

It's difficult to tell if poker maniacs will dig into what "Deal" has to offer, but the film appears to get the surface details of the game right. It's a familiar road of tells, bluffing, and bravado, but "Deal" does settle into a passable atmosphere of high-tension gambling, using WPT iconography for street cred and the likes of Jennifer Tilly to cameo, lending the picture a reality the rest of the film is sorely lacking. Perhaps Cates Jr. is ultimately more fascinated with the bright lights of competition than the mechanics of the game, but when "Deal" focuses on the cards and chips, the film's nagging problems melt away.

The mere presence of Burt Reynolds offers a mixed bag of production quality reactions; however, he's the best thing to happen to "Deal." Sure his hair looks like a tennis ball and the man's face is pulled tighter than the villains of "Star Trek: Insurrection," but he's the only one in the cast with Hollywood-bred gravitas, making Tommy far more complicated (and therefore compelling) than Cates Jr. could have ever dreamt of. It's a sharp performance of concentration and star-powered snap, and he burns his co-stars off the screen; leaving me to wonder why the production even bothered with the Alex arc, since Tommy and his troubled road back to the limelight is sturdy enough for its own movie.

THE DVD

Visual:

Heavily tinkered with in post-production, the anamorphic widescreen image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) on the "Deal" DVD brings out the details - an unfortunate quality for Reynolds's plastic surgeon. Black levels tend to mush together, but colors pop generously and grain remains.

Audio:

The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix does just fine with casino atmospherics, but keeps most of the action up front. The dialogue and soundtrack are separated agreeably. A 2.0 mix, French 5.1, and Spanish 5.1 are available as well.

Subtitles:

English and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Extras:

"PokerStars Presents: Winning Big at Texas Hold 'Em with Isabelle Mercier and Greg Raymer" (13:22) offers the DVD viewer a primer on cards from two champions. Walking through the intricacies of betting, bluffing, and (hopefully) winning, the featurette is ideal for the poker buff in your life. For added fun, it's hilarious to listen to Mercier's French-Canadian accent tackle card table lingo, especially her repeated use of the term "to da nuts."

A Theatrical Trailer for "Deal" has not been provided on this DVD.

FINAL THOUGHTS

"Deal" is confused when separated from the comfort of the green felt, piling on way too many clichés. As a poker diversion, it should pass the time, but if you're hoping for a dramatically rewarding piece of filmmaking, your odds are better with a different movie.

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