DVDs Video & Music Russell's Hot picks 2002+++

An eclectic collection of the latest Movies  Independent and classic releases on VHS and DVD plus DVD-A music. Some times funny serious or super bent seriously sick cult twisted dramatic poetic classical slow action fast action true stories and  fiction man do yourself a treat sit back vegetate and enjoy some of the best actors and best movies best Drama ever made . With DVD music Attention has been paid to music content detail sound & picture quality .With Movies background music quality and mood setting  in movies and will be commented on where I find it exceptional .

 

 Cover TitleArtist#Video DVD # Video    Tape  Plot Comments    rating 
The Gift
Directed by Sam Raimi.
Cate Blanchett
Keanu Reeves
DVD VHS

Acult  Mystery Thriller Suspence    
  (2000)

 

In a small town deep in the   Deep South of America, Reeves a blockhead redneck and  Blanchett (Annie ) A single mother endowed with a special ability becomes involved with the disappearance of a young woman and has a brush with the supernatural,  attempting to raise her three kids and provide a decent life for her family, scraping out a living on Social Security since the tragic death of her husband in a work related accident the previous year. She supplements her meager income by doing ` card readings' for the local townsfolk, accepting their donations for the insights she offers them into their own inner being .
Riveting mind twisting emotional  
Excellent plot Excellent acting  9/10
Pearl Harbour

Directed by Micheal Bay 
Alec  Baldwin
Jon Voight
Ben Affeck
Josh Harnett
Kate Beckinsale 
Jennifer Garner 
Ewen Bremmer
Dan Aykroyd
 
DVD VHS

 Drama 
 War 
  (2001)

 

This is not just a war story there is  more to it watch it  
Pearl Harbour follows the story of two best friends as kids fighter   pilots in the war  and their love lives as they go off to join the war.
Sounds a  simple plot but this movie actually has an excellent sub plot of characters  .The sound  and visual effects are excellent through DVD the Zeros( Japanese   fighter planes guns bombs bullets  sound like they should  "real ") the story is life like .
The actors are excellent and there is another plot thrown in after Peal Harbour ends The Yanks on a secret mission not may people know about  .Interesting twist at the end 

8/10

What lies BeneathHarrison Ford
Michelle Pfeiffer  
DVD VHS

 Mystery Thriller Suspence    
  (2000)

 

The wife of a professor investigates the murder of a beautiful college student who has been appearing in her  visions.
Norman Spencer, a university research scientist, is growing more and more concerned about his wife, Claire, a retired concert cellist who a year ago was involved in a serious car accident and in poor health ,  Claire reports hearing voices and witnessing eerie occurrences in and around their lakeside Vermont home, including seeing the face of a young woman reflected in water.

Harrison is excellent .
Pfeiffer acting  is sunning in this role  
 Definitely keeps you on the end of your chair and has a bit of a twist to it at the end.
     8/10 

 

coverEnemy of the StateGene Hackman

Will Smith

DVD VHS

Action Thriller     (1998)

 

 The murder of a congressman is caught on tape and Robert Dean (Will Smith) has it.
He has to save his family career and life all in 2 hours!
Fast action from Hackman and Smith on the run

7/10

coverGene Hackman
Anne Archer
James Skilling
Jt Walsh 
DVD VHS

Thriller  Suspence Fast   action  on a Train    (1990)

Gene Hackman has never been better.   
A fast train  contrasting with the wide open Canadian wilderness.
Tension is built up  through a series of one-on-one confrontations, each with electric undercurrents. The best by far is the gentlemanly chat between Hackman and James Sikking in the dining car.

Excellent brain teaser twiser  8/10

coverDead Calm  
Nicole Kidman
Sam Niel
Billy Zane
 DVD  VHS

Thriller Suspence


Australian (1989)

 

 Two excellent Aussie Actors Kidman and Niel  with Billy zane on a yaught
This a great suspense  thriller that  will have you gripping your seat in every scene. I'm serious. It is one of those that never lets its pace slow down.
 Excellent acting, direction and the nail-biting music score keep you tangled up in this intense  suspense filled story,  8/10
cover A day at At the Circus The Marx Bros  VHS

Comedy
 (1939)

 

Love them or hate them  The marx brothers can destroy
any thing including a circus
5/10
coverA day at the races The Marx Bros  VHS

Drama War  Extreme violence

(1937)

 

Everyone knows the Marx brothers, of course.
There's Groucho (The anarchic wise guy with the drawn-on moustache),
Chico (The likeable Italian stereotype), Concert pianist in real life
Harpo (The mute, childish,  annoying one, there for kid appeal) Concert Harpist in real life 
 Zeppo (The normal-looking one who was always left as the straight guy). Get Your tutsi Frutsi Ice cream scene is a classic

7/10
coverA night at the opera

 

 

The Marx Bros

Groucho
Chico
Harpo
Zeppo

 VHS

Comedy
  (1935)

 

 Probably on of the better
marx bros movies

7/10
Dirty Harry Clint EastwoodDVD VHS

Action Cult 

(1971)

Clint de mans first movie in this series Clint  has an uncuth manner with his captives and women  a "huge Colt 45" pistol can be very persuasive 9/10  poor sound 
Twelve monkeysBruce Willis 

Madeleine Stowe

 

DVD VHS

Drama Thriller Si Fi    US 

(1995)

 

yes Bruce can act .A convict, sent back in time to stop a devastating plague, is sent too far back and is hospitalised as insane twisted plot .8/10
Hell freezes over 

 

  The Eagles 

DVD DTS   VHS

Music live studio concert     (1994)

DTS sound recording and Digital picture .This is Excellent for the music and the picture quality  Excellent 9/10 
The Dance  
Fleetwood Mac 

Lindsey Buckingham

Christine McVie Mick Fleetwood

DVD VHS

Music live studio concert     (1997)

This reunion of the Mac is Excellent viewing sound and pic digitally recorded at the Warner Studios Live there best  songs 8/10
Blue ICE Michael Caine

Sean Young  

DVD VHS

Thriller Fast action  

(1992)

One of Michaels best movies with twists and turns  sexy girls  Caine a retired  British Spy turned sleazy Jazz club owner keeps you on the edge of you seat.  Excellent Aust producer  9/10 
Wild At Heart Nicolas Cage 

Launa Dern

Willem Dafoe
DVD VHS

Thriller Erotic Bent

(1990)

Bent twisted sex Joltingly violent wickedly funny and riveting erotic Cage de  bad man  on the run from the Law.   by Creators of Twin Peaks           8/10
Crimson Tide Sean      Connery

Denzel Washington

DVD VHS

Thriller-Drama 

(1995)
Nuclear Submarine action with Missiles and Rusky Sub chase Top actors excellent pic and sound   effects Good story       8/10  
The Hunt For the Red October  Sean      ConneryDVD VHS 

Thriller-Drama 

(1990)
Nuclear Submarine action with Missiles and Russian   Sub chase Top actors excellent pic  and sound  effects Good story      8/10 
True Lies Arnold Schwarzenegger
DVD VHS

 Action 

(1994)
Very action packed with arnie's dry humour  one of his best have a laugh with a harrier jet scene good sound effects

9/10

HEAT Al Pacino 

Val Kilmer

DVD VHS

 Action-Drama 

(1995)
Excellent live action in this Action packed drama bank robbery Best bullet  sound excellent plot edge of seat 

9/10

60 Seconds Nicolas Cage DVD VHS

Action Auto

(2000)

 Like action high speed auto theft  expensive cars and Cage at the Wheel this has it !! Fast and action packed             8/10 
The Ninth Gate  Johnny Depp DVD VHS

Thriller Drama

(2000)

 

Depps acting  is absolutley Excellent as the plot weaves thru  Italy in this  biblical occult drama  riveting end edge of seat stuff   9/10
Week end at Burnie's  Andrew McCarthy Jonathan Silverman
 VHS

Comedy 

 Dumb Silly but funny  the dead man actor will make your cheeks ache with laughter 7/10
Blue Velvet Dennis HopperDVD VHS

Drama  Cult Thriller

 (1986)

Dennis is a bad boy  bent twisted drug  crazed  naughty mean man what else This is Hoppers  CULT classic            8/10
The Fifth Element Bruce Willis  DVD VHS

Si-Fi Action   Drama

 (1997)

Excellent futuristic SI FI with great visuals and sound effects Bruce is action man but good watch it    9/10
Judge DreadSylvester Stallone DVD VHS

Si- FI Action  

(1995)

Futuristic SI FI with great visuals and sound effects Stallone  is action man but good watch it    9/10
The Abyss  Dustin Hoffman

 Ed harris

DVD VHS

Si-FI  thriller  

(1989)

Under Water research facility si Fi with excellent pict and effects creepy scary under water stuff  8/10
My Cousin Vinny Joe PessiDVD VHS

Comedy

(1992)

Joe can make you laugh and bungle his way in and out of trouble  Excellent fast witty Pessi Humour in the Court house  etc     8/10
FreewayKiefer Sutherland 

Brook Shields Reese Withers 

DVD VHS

Thriller Drama road movie

 (1996)

Director Oliver Stone Re Natural born  killers .Twisted fast pace disturbing Thriller Reese and Sutherland  take to the hwy in an action  packed stream of twisted events  exhilarating 9/10
Final AnalysisRichard Gere

Kim Basinger 

Uma Thurman

DVD VHS

Psycho Thriller Drama

(1992)
   Hitchcock type plot Psychiatrist (Gere) gets caught in an exciting  twisted web between to sexy sisters which keeps you guessing all the way through to the end  excellent 9/10
 
The Fugitive

special edition

Harrison Ford DVD 

Action thriller

(1996)

Action packed Ford at his best. Chased by the Law fast and furious twisted plots with excellent ending put your seat belt on ......

9/10

Air Force One Harrison Ford Gary Oldman

Glenn Close

DVD VHS

Action thriller(1997)

 

Harrison the ell president of the USA is in big trouble  with bad boy oldman but saves the day and his family action packed    .....8/10
 

Groundhog Day 

Bill Murray 

Andie MacDowell

 DVD VHS

Fantasy comedy drama

(1993)

 

Bill (X ghost busters "I've been slimed man") is caught in a time warp loop where the day will never end interesting concept .... 8/10
  Memento        

Independent
Directed by
Christopher
 Nolan

 

 Guy Pearce
 Carrie-Anne Moss
Joe Pantoliano
 

DVD VHS

Thriller Drama 

(2000)

 

 A man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt down his wife's killer. ..... 8/10

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