Abercrombie, Ian

The Ice Pirates

The amiable sci-fi spoof The Ice Pirates has earned a small but vocal cadre of admirers thanks to its go-for-broke gags and a healthy disrespect for outer space epics like the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises. An atypically goofy Robert Urich stars as the leader of a band of space pirates who kidnap a princess (Mary Crosby of Dallas fame), and then join her quest to find a mythical planet that can solve the universe's water shortage. A completely game (shameless?) cast (which includes Anjelica Huston in fetching leather gear, Ron Perlman, John Matuszak, and fantastic film icon John Carradine) and Stewart (The Philadelphia Experiment) and Raffill's breezy direction help sell the funniest bits (most notably, the notorious "space herpy" scene, and the frantic time-warp finale) and make the more leaden jokes palatable. --Paul Gaita

Spoofy-goofy comedy, otherworldly special effects, spectacular space creatures, bedraggled 'bots, and biceps-ripplnig swashbuckling highlight this cult fave. In the future, as the galaxy's water supply starts to run out, a band of pirates searches for a new water source.

Army of Darkness

A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff Shannon

The Lost World - Jurassic Park (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

In the low tradition of knockoff horror flicks best seen (or not seen) on a drive-in movie screen, Steven Spielberg's sequel to Jurassic Park is a poorly conceived, ill-organized film that lacks story and logic. Screenwriter David Koepp strings along a number of loose ideas while Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm, the quirky chaos theoretician who now reluctantly agrees to go to another island where cloned dinosaurs are roaming freely. Along with his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and daughter, Malcolm has to deal with hunters, environmentalists, and corporate swine who stupidly bring back a big dino to Southern California, where it runs amok, of course. Spielberg doesn't seem to care that the pieces of this project don't add up to a real movie, so he hams it up with big, scary moments (with none of the artfulness of those in Jurassic Park) and smart-aleck visual gags (a yapping dog in a suburb mysteriously disappears when a hungry T-rex stomps by). A complete bust. --Tom Keogh

Mouse Hunt

They've tried Catzilla, a feline so ferocious it can't be euthanized. They've tried booby traps that Rube Goldberg would marvel at. They've even tried Caesar (hilariously played by Christopher Walken), a demented exterminator whose "Squeak Seeker 2000" mouse-cam will infiltrate even the cleverest rodent's secret lair. But the Smuntz brothers Ernie (Nathan Lane) and Lars (British comedian Lee Evans) just can't win against the tenacious mouse that wreaks havoc in the vintage home they've inherited from their father. That's the one-note premise of this chaotic, lavishly produced comedy that starts on a high note and never lets up, eventually leaving the viewer exhausted. The special mouse effects (live-action, animatronic, and computer-generated) are delightful, and the slapstick is frequently ingenious, but the title says it all in a movie that is little more than an elaborate variation of Home Alone. A prime choice for family fun, but it's really just a live-action cartoon that overstays its welcome. It's harmless fun if all you're looking for is a marathon of slapstick gags and pratfalls, and it's notable as the final film appearance of veteran character actor William Hickey, who died in June of 1997, shortly after filming of Mouse Hunt was completed. --Jeff Shannon

Garfield - A Tail of Two Kitties

An impressive cast gives an unexpected boost to Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, the sequel to the first film starring the comic strip cat turned CGI feline. Once again voiced by Bill Murray (whose ever-eclectic career ranges from Meatballs to Lost in Translation), Garfield stows away in the luggage of his owner, Jon (Breckin Meyer, Clueless), as Jon travels to London to propose to his veterinarian girlfriend, Liz (Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ghost Whisperer). It just so happens that in England, a cat named Prince (voiced by Tim Curry) has just inherited a castle--much to the dismay of Lord Dargis (Billy Connolly, Mrs. Brown), who plots to get rid of Prince and all the other animals who inhabit the castle so that he can build condominiums on the property. Naturally, paths cross, identities get switched, and a barnyard of very British beasts find themselves dependent on the eternally lazy Garfield to keep their home safe from Dargis' predations. A Tail of Two Kitties is cheerful and short; nothing about it is very inspired, but it's certainly better than the first film and the technical effects are impeccable. Additional voice work by Bob Hoskins, Jane Horrocks, Rhys Ifans, Vinnie Jones, and others make everything seem just a little bit classier, as does the presence of Roger Rees (from the RSC Nicholas Nickleby) and Lucy Davis (from the original version of The Office). --Bret Fetzer

America's favorite fat cat is back, and this time, he's giving England the royal treatment! It's a British invasion of a different kind when Garfield, along with pals Jon and Odie, travels to London and meets his mirror-image in Prince, an aristocratic kitty who has inherited a fabulous castle. The two trade places, and soon Garfield is living large as only he can! There's just one problem: the dastardly Lord Dargis wants him out of the picture. A Tail of Two Kitties is twice the laughs and double the fun for the whole family... It's good to be the king!

Firewalker

This smashing no-holds-barred adventure stars action legend Chuck Norris (Missing in Action) and Oscar® winner* Lou Gossett (An Officer and a Gentleman) as a pair of treasure-hunters with a knack for finding danger at every turn!After a long career of mishaps wrong turns and utter failures archaeological adventurers Max and Leo (Norris and Gossett) are ready to call it quits until a spunky blonde beauty with an ancient treasure map hires them to guide her into Central America to find Aztec gold. But as they draw closer to the priceless bounty they are unaware that a powerful vengeful spirit is tracking their every move and will stop at nothing to protect the sacred treasure!*1982: Supporting Actor An Officer and a GentlemanSystem Requirements: Running Time 105 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE UPC: 027616920560 Manufacturer No: 1008022

Warlock

Clever and original, this horror film directed by Steve Miner (Forever Young) stars Julian Sands as a 17th century warlock who escapes the gallows and is transported--along with the witch hunter who brought him to trial (Richard E. Grant)--300 years into the future. Running loose in contemporary Los Angeles, Sands's supernatural monster sets about reuniting the scattered portions of a Devil's Book that will reveal the true name of God and thus destroy mankind. In a great twist, the last bit of the book is in a very interesting place: the grave of Grant's character, who has enlisted the aid of a woman (Lori Singer) in a hurried effort to stop imminent disaster. Genuinely involving, Warlock is aided immeasurably by sharp performances from the equally eccentric Grant (Withnail and I) and Sands (Naked Lunch). Miner invents his way through a kind of simultaneously new and old horror tale, and the results are taut, fun, and surprising. The DVD release features Spanish and French subtitles, cast and crew information, and 2.0 Dolby surround sound. --Tom Keogh

Boston 1691 the gallows await the Warlock (Julian Sands). What was an apparent triumph of Witch Hunter Giles Redferne (Richard E. Grant) is short lived as the Warlock escapes and is hurled 300 years into the future. Now say a prayer for the City of Angels for it is here in Los Angeles where he begins the task of reuniting three portions of the Devils Book that will reveal the secret name of God. If spoken all creation will be destroyed. Redferne who is also transported enlists the aid of Kassandra (Lori Singer) who has miraculously escaped the Warlocks wrath. But the carnage has begun as the Warlock successfully unites the first two sections. The final portion is buried in an old Boston cemetery... in Redfernes grave! It is on these hallowed grounds where evil magic will confront the strength of righteousness with the future of mankind at stake.Starring: Julian Sands Lori Singer Richard E. Grant Mary Woronov Kevin OBrien Richard KussDirector: Steve MinerCopyright: 1991 Trimark Produced by Arnold Kopelson; Running time of 90 minutes; Closed Captioned. System Requirements:Standard format English (2.0 Dolby Surround) Spanish and French subtitles Theatrical trailer cast/crew bios Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 031398684336

The Lost World - Jurassic Park (Full-Screen Collector's Edition)

In the low tradition of knockoff horror flicks best seen (or not seen) on a drive-in movie screen, Steven Spielberg's sequel to Jurassic Park is a poorly conceived, ill-organized film that lacks story and logic. Screenwriter David Koepp strings along a number of loose ideas while Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm, the quirky chaos theoretician who now reluctantly agrees to go to another island where cloned dinosaurs are roaming freely. Along with his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and daughter, Malcolm has to deal with hunters, environmentalists, and corporate swine who stupidly bring back a big dino to Southern California, where it runs amok, of course. Spielberg doesn't seem to care that the pieces of this project don't add up to a real movie, so he hams it up with big, scary moments (with none of the artfulness of those in Jurassic Park) and smart-aleck visual gags (a yapping dog in a suburb mysteriously disappears when a hungry T-rex stomps by). A complete bust. --Tom Keogh

The Lost World - Jurassic Park (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

In the low tradition of knockoff horror flicks best seen (or not seen) on a drive-in movie screen, Steven Spielberg's sequel to Jurassic Park is a poorly conceived, ill-organized film that lacks story and logic. Screenwriter David Koepp strings along a number of loose ideas while Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm, the quirky chaos theoretician who now reluctantly agrees to go to another island where cloned dinosaurs are roaming freely. Along with his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and daughter, Malcolm has to deal with hunters, environmentalists, and corporate swine who stupidly bring back a big dino to Southern California, where it runs amok, of course. Spielberg doesn't seem to care that the pieces of this project don't add up to a real movie, so he hams it up with big, scary moments (with none of the artfulness of those in Jurassic Park) and smart-aleck visual gags (a yapping dog in a suburb mysteriously disappears when a hungry T-rex stomps by). A complete bust. --Tom Keogh

Army of Darkness (Boomstick Edition)

A movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported--along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm--to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons--an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. --Jeff Shannon

Two Discs Of Mind-Blowing Mayhem From The Director Of THE EVIL DEAD And SPIDER-MAN! The one and only Bruce Campbell stars as Ash, a hapless housewares clerk time-warped back to the Dark Ages by the demonic power of the Necronomicon. Now armed with only a '73 Oldsmobile, his trusty chainsaw and a 12-gauge double-barreled S-Mart shotgun, our knuckleheaded hero must battle vicious she-bitches, a diabolical Evil Ash and the relentless hordes of the medieval dead in the most outrageously spectacular horror comedy every made. Get ready for some sugar, baby: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS - THE BOOMSTICK EDITION! By overwhelming fan demand, this groovy double-disc set presents the U.S. Theatrical Version complete with its notorious original ending and the Director's Cut with over 15 minutes of additional footage. There's also deleted scenes, a wild audio commentary with Bruce Campbell, writer/director Sam Raimi and co-writer Ivan Raimi, an exclusive featurette, storyboards and much more. So listen up, you primitive screwheads: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS like you've never seen it before! Includes an 8-Page Collector's Booklet with all-new liner notes by star Bruce Campbell