…seen (The Silence of the Lambs and Dune boxes come to mind). Of all the VHS boxes and white plastic chips I picked up during my childhood, no VHS has been more imprinted on my brain and become one with my being than Disney’s 1985 box-office flop, Return to Oz. 1939’s The Wizard of Oz would have been my most viewed movie at that time since we owned the VHS, so it was a natural choice for me to want to see the continuation of the story. Little did…
Read More Brian Henson, Fairuza Balk, featured, Gabe Rodriguez, George Lucas, Jean Marsh, jim henson, John Lasseter, Judy Garland, Nicol Williamson, Return to Oz, Video Vault
Future criminals pay attention, this week Video Vault stakes out Woody Allen‘s 2000 crime-comedy Small Time Crooks. This is a very simple and fun movie that I have always enjoyed, but nobody else seems to have seen. Allegedly, it is a remake of 1942′s Larceny, Inc., but Allen has never commented on this. The DreamWorks picture stars Allen along with Tracey Ullman, Elaine May, and Hugh Grant. Michael Rapaport, Jo…
Read More dreamworks, Elaine May, Hugh Grant, Jon Lovitz, larceny inc, Michael Rapaport, new jersey, New York, small time crooks, Tony Darrow, Tracey Ullman, woody allen
This week Video Vault plugs in to David Cronenberg‘s eXistenZ (1999). Despite garnering a slew of film festival nominations and awards, I think I know one other person who has seen this Inception-y romp. Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ian Holm, and Willem Dafoe star in the reality jumping horror thriller. Sarah Polley drops in for a hot second too. The film begins at a focus group for “the greatest game designer…
Read More alternate reality, cronenberg, David Cronenburg, existenz, ian holm, Inception, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Multiple Realities, nesting, sarah polley, video game, Video Vault, videodrome, willem dafoe
…rming. Even with third tier British TV actors and special effects that were outdated at the time of release, they don’t need to try too hard for me to love them. The magical creatures of Narnia are a combination of puppets, 2D hand-drawn animation, and actors dressed as animals (think Cats or Zoobilee Zoo), and yet it still manages to create an engrossing fantasy world. Extensive location shooting in English countryside definitely enhances pro…
Read More bbc, Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis, VHS, Video Vault
orney showing up in Wheaton to present Beth and Jody with bags of gold from an anonymous benefactor. The first thing that Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain loses points for is the title. 1) Why are there two of them? 2) There is no digging involved, very little bears, and the ‘secrets’ are just plot holes posing as uninspired mystery. Obviously, the old woman who saves the day is supposed to be the pioneer woman, Molly Morga…
Read More 1980, abuse, adventure, anna chlumsky, boat, Christina Ricci, david keith, gold, GOLD DIGGERS, john travolta, lesbian, my girl, pioneer, THE SECRET OF BEAR MOUNTAIN, treasure
Today Video Vault remembers “Weird Al” Yankovic’s cult classic UHF! Hot off the heals of one of Orion Pictures’s best test screenings ever, the film was expected to save the studio in the summer of 1989. As we all know, this didn’t happen. Mixed reviews and heavy box office competition from the likes of Batman, Ghostbusters 2, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Lethal Weapon 2, When Harry Met Sally, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusa…
Read More 80's, anthony geary, batman, billy barty, club a seal, comedy, Conan, david bowe, emo philips, first blood, Fran Drescher, gedde watanabe, ghandi, ghostbusters, honey i shrunk the kids, Indiana Jones, jay levey, kevin mccarthy, lethal weapon, michael richards, Parody, spatula cty, stanley spadowsky, trinidad silva, twinkie weiner sandwich, uhf, victoria jackson, weird al, wheel of fortune, When Harry Met Sally, yankovic
is a mediocre small-town-American-cafe-movie, but I really did find myself rooting for the town’s contest and it has a nice message without being preachy. Thankfully, it mostly shies away from on-the-nose dialogue. In 2001, a successful musical stage adaptation of the story was produced with a brighter, less death-filled conclusion. I think that is probably an improvement! Check out more Video Vault features here and follow @RealBrianRud…
Read More Alison Elliott, Castle Rock Entertainment, Drama, Ellen Burstyn, james horner, Lee David Zlotoff, maine, marcia gay harden, melodrama, Roger M. Courts, small town, spitfire grill, Sundance, vermont, vietnam
This week Video Vault gets moved by the heartwarming tale of 1998′s Simon Birch. Loosely based on John Irving‘s 1989 novel A Prayer for Owen Meany, the film stars Jurassic Park‘s Joseph Mazzello and first-and-only-time actor, Ian Michael Smith, as best friends growing up in a 1950′s small New England town. Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt, Jim Carrey, David Strathairn, and Jan Hooks are also featured. It is t…
Read More 1950's, a prayer for owen meany, armadillo, ashley judd, baseball, boobs, breasts, daredevil, david strathairn, dwarf, ghost rider, god, ian michael smith, jan hooks, Jesus, Jim Carrey, john irving, joseph mazzello, Jurassic Park, little people, mark steven johnson, midget, new england, Oliver Platt, sandlot, simon birch, when in rome
to say a lot of really funny things while causing clever mischief full of cartoonish violence. It is wacky, way over-the-top, extremely politically incorrect, and a joy to watch. If anyone finds a VHS copy of Problem Child 2 please let me know! I’ve been looking for it for ages. Check out more Video Vault features here and follow @RealBrianRudlof and @ScreenInvasion on Twitter for more reviews, interviews and news!…
Read More 1990, adam sandler, amy yasbeck, dennis dugan, gilbert gottfried, jack warden, john ritter, michael oliver, michael richards, problem child