Collection ID 53
Director: John D. Hancock
Starring: Nick Nolte, Ernie Hudson, Rita Taggart, Mark Rolston, Lane Smith
Genre: Drama
Studio: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)   Release date: 1987   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Lee Umstetter is a lifer at San Quentin prison and a multiple suicide attempter. Eventually, another prisoner suggests reading to find something better to do with his time. Lee takes that advice and finds himself inspired from what he reads to write a play about life in prison. He has auditions and assembles a cast from his fellow inmates. The play proves popular and it catches the attention of a female reporter who writes about it, creating publicity that allows for a parole for him. Once out, he later reassembles his cast when they come out to do the play professionally. However, they learn that the demands of the life outside are difficult to cope with for the newly released and their play needs to be changed in major ways while they struggle to make it succeed.
My Rating:
My Review: Starring Nick Nolte and a well matched cast, Nolte plays Lee Umstretter, a convict serving life at San Quentin. With little to live for, Umstetter eventually comes to realize that life is better than death, and he commits himself to portray the challenge of life behind bars. He writes a play and recruits fellow convicts to act in this play about a play on the stage of life. The story swings widely between drama, musical, statement on the penal system, thriller and comedy. After impressing the critics, a newspaper critic campaigns for his release, and eventually Umstetter is released. Once free, he continues his campaign to educate the law abiding public about the injustice of life behind bars. Assembling a cast of ex-cons proves easy. Holding the band together and putting on a play outside the confines of Sam Quentin proves far more difficult. The performances were outstanding, and many members of the cast go on to prove their merit in follow-on careers. The low budget production was a sincere attempt to portray a heavy subject without alienating the audience. Nick Nolte turned out a perfect performance. 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 855
Director: John D. Hancock
Starring: Nick Nolte, Ernie Hudson, Rita Taggart, Mark Rolston, Lane Smith
Genre: Drama
Studio: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)   Release date: 1987   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Lee Umstetter is a lifer at San Quentin prison and a multiple suicide attempter. Eventually, another prisoner suggests reading to find something better to do with his time. Lee takes that advice and finds himself inspired from what he reads to write a play about life in prison. He has auditions and assembles a cast from his fellow inmates. The play proves popular and it catches the attention of a female reporter who writes about it, creating publicity that allows for a parole for him. Once out, he later reassembles his cast when they come out to do the play professionally. However, they learn that the demands of the life outside are difficult to cope with for the newly released and their play needs to be changed in major ways while they struggle to make it succeed.
My Rating:
My Review: Starring Nick Nolte and a well matched cast, Nolte plays Lee Umstretter, a convict serving life at San Quentin. With little to live for, Umstetter eventually comes to realize that life is better than death, and he commits himself to portray the challenge of life behind bars. He writes a play and recruits fellow convicts to act in this play about a play on the stage of life. The story swings widely between drama, musical, statement on the penal system, thriller and comedy. After impressing the critics, a newspaper critic campaigns for his release, and eventually Umstetter is released. Once free, he continues his campaign to educate the law abiding public about the injustice of life behind bars. Assembling a cast of ex-cons proves easy. Holding the band together and putting on a play outside the confines of Sam Quentin proves far more difficult. The performances were outstanding, and many members of the cast go on to prove their merit in follow-on careers. The low budget production was a sincere attempt to portray a heavy subject without alienating the audience. Nick Nolte turned out a perfect performance. 3 out of 5.

Collection ID 177
Director: Michael Crichton
Starring: Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Norman Bartold, Alan Oppenheimer
Genre: Action
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)   Release date: 1973   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: A futuristic amusement park becomes a deathtrap when the androids and computer systems used in it begin to murderously run amok.
My Rating:
My Review: A 1970's sci-fi. Some would say a B-Movie. Written and directed by Michael Crichton. This movie is definitely a precursor in many ways to Jurasic Park, both the book and the movie. With a very thin plot, the characters are attacked by robots run amok at an amusement park. The acting was horrible, except for that of Yul Brynner, who plays a rogue gunslinger who just can't seem to get enough of one of the two cowboy guests. It's a good sci-fi thriller, and some of the concepts are cutting edge. Robot's and machines that seem to have a mind of their own. There's even some talk around a 'computer virus'. Almost as if the machines were infected with a disease. I wouldn't be surprised if a remake would be in the make.

Collection ID 1622
Director: Michael Crichton
Starring: Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Norman Bartold, Alan Oppenheimer
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)   Release date: 1973   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: An amusement park for rich vacationers. The park provides its customers a way to live out their fantasies through the use of robots that provide anything they want. Two of the vacationers choose a wild west adventure. However, after a computer breakdown, they find that they are now being stalked by a rogue robot gun-slinger.
My Rating:
My Review: A 1970's sci-fi. Some would say a B-Movie. Written and directed by Michael Crichton. This movie is definitely a precursor in many ways to Jurasic Park, both the book and the movie. With a very thin plot, the characters are attacked by robots run amok at an amusement park. The acting was horrible, except for that of Yul Brynner, who plays a rogue gunslinger who just can't seem to get enough of one of the two cowboy guests. It's a good sci-fi thriller, and some of the concepts are cutting edge. Robot's and machines that seem to have a mind of their own. There's even some talk around a 'computer virus'. Almost as if the machines were infected with a disease. I wouldn't be surprised if a remake would be in the make.

Collection ID 517
Director: Frank Oz
Starring: Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, Julie Hagerty, Charlie Korsmo, Kathryn Erbe
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Touchstone Pictures   Release date: 1991   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: A successful psychiatrist loses his mind after one of his most dependent patients tracks him down during his family vacation.
My Rating:
My Review: A comedy with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus. Bill Murray at his understated best. Murray plays a therapy patient who just can't cope. He ends up following Dreyfus (his psychiatrist) and his family on a family vacation. Eventually, Dreyfus ends up needing 'help'.

Collection ID 1222
Director: Frank Oz
Starring: Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, Julie Hagerty, Charlie Korsmo, Kathryn Erbe
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Touchstone Pictures   Release date: 1991   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: A successful psychiatrist loses his mind after one of his most dependent patients tracks him down during his family vacation.
My Rating:
My Review: A comedy with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus. Bill Murray at his understated best. Murray plays a therapy patient who just can't cope. He ends up following Dreyfus (his psychiatrist) and his family on a family vacation. Eventually, Dreyfus ends up needing 'help'.

Collection ID 426
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Diana Scarwid, Joe Morton, James Remar
Genre: Horror
Studio: DreamWorks   Release date: 2000   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): German, English, English (USA)
Summary: The wife of a professor investigates the murder of a beautiful college student who has been appearing to her.
My Rating:
My Review: Co-written by Clark Gregg and Sarah Kernochan, directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump, Contact), starring Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katharine Towne and others. It's a small cast horror movie, written in the style of a Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller. Norman Spencer (played by Harrison Ford) and his wife Claire (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) have just sent Norman's daughter Caitlin (Katharine Towne) off to college, and they're ready to begin their retirement. It's time to take it easy and relax, in the idyllic setting of their lakeside Vermont home… Unfortunately, something is keeping them from relaxing. An uneasy feeling is affecting Claire. She's hearing voices, catching glimpses of faces in mirrors, reflections here and there, the surface of the lake. When she agrees to see a therapist, things really get interesting. Now she's convinced that the house is haunted by the sprit of a young woman. The direction, acting, and screenplay all work very nicely. The movie's tension builds slowly and steadily and the music keeps pace perfectly. The acting is really good. Michelle Pfeiffer does an excellent job playing a very complex character and Harrison Ford is very good in his shocked and surprised role. As this thrilling horror movie builds towards a crescendo the psychological terror surrounds you, sucking you into the remote lakeside setting. The ending is excellent and the movie a keeper. I'll be watching this one many times. 5 of 5.

Collection ID 1145
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Diana Scarwid, Joe Morton, James Remar
Genre: Horror
Studio: DreamWorks   Release date: 2000   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): German, English, English (USA)
Summary: The wife of a professor investigates the murder of a beautiful college student who has been appearing to her.
My Rating:
My Review: Co-written by Clark Gregg and Sarah Kernochan, directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump, Contact), starring Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katharine Towne and others. It's a small cast horror movie, written in the style of a Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller. Norman Spencer (played by Harrison Ford) and his wife Claire (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) have just sent Norman's daughter Caitlin (Katharine Towne) off to college, and they're ready to begin their retirement. It's time to take it easy and relax, in the idyllic setting of their lakeside Vermont home… Unfortunately, something is keeping them from relaxing. An uneasy feeling is affecting Claire. She's hearing voices, catching glimpses of faces in mirrors, reflections here and there, the surface of the lake. When she agrees to see a therapist, things really get interesting. Now she's convinced that the house is haunted by the sprit of a young woman. The direction, acting, and screenplay all work very nicely. The movie's tension builds slowly and steadily and the music keeps pace perfectly. The acting is really good. Michelle Pfeiffer does an excellent job playing a very complex character and Harrison Ford is very good in his shocked and surprised role. As this thrilling horror movie builds towards a crescendo the psychological terror surrounds you, sucking you into the remote lakeside setting. The ending is excellent and the movie a keeper. I'll be watching this one many times. 5 of 5.

Collection ID 265
Director: Luis Mandoki
Starring: Andy Garcia, Meg Ryan, Ellen Burstyn, Tina Majorino, Mae Whitman
Genre: Drama
Studio: Touchstone Pictures   Release date: 1994   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: An airline pilot and his wife are forced to face the consequences of her alcoholism when her addictions threaten her life and their daughter's safety. While the woman enters detox, her husband must face the truth of his enabling behavior.
My Rating:
My Review:

Collection ID 978
Director: Luis Mandoki
Starring: Andy Garcia, Meg Ryan, Ellen Burstyn, Tina Majorino, Mae Whitman
Genre: Drama
Studio: Touchstone Pictures   Release date: 1994   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: An airline pilot and his wife are forced to face the consequences of her alcoholism when her addictions threaten her life and their daughter's safety. While the woman enters detox, her husband must face the truth of his enabling behavior.
My Rating:
My Review: