DVD Collectors Online

Uncommon Valor, a review by Rich

limping through 'nam...



Based on a true story, this action film set in the post-Vietnam era casts Gene Hackman as a retired military man who gets tired of government inaction in tracking down the whereabouts of his son, who has been listed as missing in action in Vietnam. So he gathers and trains a rough group of Vietnam vets to launch his own mission into Laos, where his intelligence tells him the son is being held. Hackman brings sorrowful power to the role of determined father, and has a rugged supporting cast (including Patrick Swayze, Fred Ward, and Randall "Tex" Cobb) to keep the story moving forward, even when the machinations become formulaic

Despite the fact it is loosely based on a true account, it comes across as a poor mans rambo. Dull, slow, wooden and predictable. Not recommended. 4/10

(From Around the World in 80 DVD's on March 2nd, 2008)

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, a review by Jimmy

Title : Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Overview
Michael Rooker is unforgettable as Henry, a soft-spoken loner with a cool exterior masking an inner rage that boils at blast furnace intensity.

When fellow ex-con Otis invites Henry to move into his Chicago apartment, he becomes a willing participant in Henry's senseless, random killing sprees. Meanwhile, Otis' unsuspecting sister, Becky (Tracy Arnold) is smitten with Henry, whose broken childhood mirrors her own.

Masterfully directed by John McNaughton, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER is a chilling character study of a mass murderer that continues to shock and disturb twenty years after its debut.

My Impression
Now I'm happy that my favorite horror movie was selected for this marathon. I know that some will disagree that this film is an horror movie, but for me it's the most frightening film I've ever seen (as you know I'm only frighten by the movie that could happen in real life). This movie is an evidence that it's possible to make a great film without a budget (100,000 $ for it). The acting is great and really convincing, seriously this is the best work of Michael Rooker and Tom Towles is the perfect choice to play Otis Toole. The movie doesn't always show the violent murder, but the result and this is scary to see only the dead victim and an echo of the murder action. Of course some murder are shown and the familly murder is the scarier thing I've ever seen on screen (I'm certain that the people who had seen the film understand) it's so realistically filmed and possible with all the crazy people living outside. The way Michael Rooker play Henry you had no choice to think that these kind of psychopat live a perfectly anonymous and normal life in reality.

Really nothing negative to say about this film (even the music score is frightening). They had changed some little fact about the real story by exemple the real Becky was the 12 years old niece of Otis, but I'm not sure that it's a bad thing since at one point enough is enough.

Rating :

(From Jimmy's 2009 Horror Marathon on October 22nd, 2009)

Fear Itself Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

1. Eater
Rookie cop Danny Bannerman spends the night in an isolated precinct guarding a serial killer who eats his victims and is intent on making Danny his next "meal."

Stars:
Elizabeth Moss
Russell Hornsby
Stephen Lee
Stephen R. Hart
Pablo Schreiber

My Thoughts:
This is one of the episodes I actually missed when it was on TV. It is the 4th episode to air. I really wish I seen this one on TV as it may have given me some more hope for the series... as I really liked this one a lot. Sure there was some problems with it.... some good sized plot holes and such. But it was entertaining... and kept my interest throughout the episode.

My Rating:

(From Fear Itself Marathon on December 28th, 2009)