The Poseidon Adventure (2005 TV Movie) (Widescreen Edition)
by John Putch
from Platinum Disc
A made-for-television remake of Irwin Allen's 1972 disaster-movie blockbuster of the same title, The Poseidon Adventure updates the story of a capsized cruise ship whose survivors are literally walking on the vessel's ceiling in an effort to save themselves. Fans of the original movie will recognize counterparts to several characters, including Rutger Hauer as a Catholic clergyman who helps lead others through the Poseidon's upside-down maze of rooms, and Sylvia Syms as a frightened widow who finds the resolve to save her companions at a crucial juncture. Bryan Brown plays a hotshot television producer whose young wife (Tinarie Van Wyk) is uncertain of their future; Steve Guttenberg and Alexa Hamilton are a married couple whose marriage is a sinking ship of another sort; and C. Thomas Howell plays the ship's doctor whose broken arm necessitates the aid of a nursing student (Amber Sainsbury).
Peter Weller makes a nice impression as Captain Gallico (named after the author of The Poseidon Adventure's source novel) and Adam Baldwin is terrific as a Homeland Security operative. In our current political climate, the temptation is strong to attribute the Poseidon's troubles to terrorists, and that's exactly what happens this time around. Some of the action concerning Al Quaeda-like infiltration of the Poseidon's service staff, the planting of bombs, etc., is a little overdone, and a number of scenes starring British actress Alex Kingston as a senior intelligence official are a bit overwrought. But special effects, while not spectacular, make the Poseidon tragedy unnervingly believable (and visually surreal), and a solid cast keeps the accent on emotion despite the script's tendency to shove speeches in everyone's mouth. --Tom Keogh
Where There's a Will
by John Putch
from Platinum Disc
Richie Greene's (Frank Whaley) luck is about to run out. His latest con has failed miserably and now he can't repay Paulie (Dan Riordan), a merciless loan shark who has promised to start removing Richie's fingers until he pays up. And then...the phone rings. On the line is an offer he can't refuse: to look after his ailing grandmother Clyde (Marion Ross), who he's never even met. As Clyde's only living relative, Richie would also be the only heir to her estate. In need of a hideout, a decent scam, and a nice inheritance, Richie says hello to Hicksville...only to discover that Clyde is anything BUT the naive old lady knocking on death's door he'd hoped for... Full of wisdom and heart, unexpected humor and the unpredictable turns of life, Where There's a Will is a film about the value of family ties and the second chances we sometimes take for granted.
Pursuit of Happiness
by John Putch
from Mti Home Video
My Magic Dog
from Allumination
He's cute, he's furry and he's completely invisible... except to Toby, his 8 year old best friend. His name is Lucky, The Magic Dog. When Toby's evil Aunt Violet tries to steal Toby's inheritance, Lucky fights off 2 teenage bullies and wrecks Aunt Violet's nasty scheme. Only you and Toby can see his invisible friend when Lucky saves the day!
A Time to Remember
by John Putch
from Gaiam
Four-time Emmy Award winner Doris Roberts ( Everybody Loves Raymond ) and two-time Emmy winner Dana Delany ( China Beach ) star in this critically acclaimed holiday celebration that offers an opportunity to heal old wounds for an estranged family on the mend. Britt Calhoun is a struggling LA artist and single mother who returns home for a Thanksgiving reunion. For Britt the black sheep of the wealthy Calhouns it also mean revisiting painful memories and reconciling with a past her mother chooses to ignore until a revealing secret about the family matriarch changes everything.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY UPC: 018713515148 Manufacturer No: 51514
The Poseidon Adventure (2005 TV Movie) (Full Screen Edition)
by John Putch
from Platinum Disc
A made-for-television remake of Irwin Allen's 1972 disaster-movie blockbuster of the same title, The Poseidon Adventure updates the story of a capsized cruise ship whose survivors are literally walking on the vessel's ceiling in an effort to save themselves. Fans of the original movie will recognize counterparts to several characters, including Rutger Hauer as a Catholic clergyman who helps lead others through the Poseidon's upside-down maze of rooms, and Sylvia Syms as a frightened widow who finds the resolve to save her companions at a crucial juncture. Bryan Brown plays a hotshot television producer whose young wife (Tinarie Van Wyk) is uncertain of their future; Steve Guttenberg and Alexa Hamilton are a married couple whose marriage is a sinking ship of another sort; and C. Thomas Howell plays the ship's doctor whose broken arm necessitates the aid of a nursing student (Amber Sainsbury).
Peter Weller makes a nice impression as Captain Gallico (named after the author of The Poseidon Adventure's source novel) and Adam Baldwin is terrific as a Homeland Security operative. In our current political climate, the temptation is strong to attribute the Poseidon's troubles to terrorists, and that's exactly what happens this time around. Some of the action concerning Al Quaeda-like infiltration of the Poseidon's service staff, the planting of bombs, etc., is a little overdone, and a number of scenes starring British actress Alex Kingston as a senior intelligence official are a bit overwrought. But special effects, while not spectacular, make the Poseidon tragedy unnervingly believable (and visually surreal), and a solid cast keeps the accent on emotion despite the script's tendency to shove speeches in everyone's mouth. --Tom Keogh
Alone in the Woods
Tycus
from Paramount
The idea behind Tycus is one of those high-concept brainstorms that can restore your faith in no-budget filmmaking: Rip off the "astral body racing to destroy Earth" scenario of Deep Impact and Armageddon, but replace the chest-thumping heroics and patriotism of those films with a touch of X-Files-lite paranoia. That the film fails to deliver on its premise is unfortunate, if not very surprising. Sleepy-eyed, bulked-up Peter Onorati stars as an idealistic journalist who, following a dishonorable discharge from the Army for hunting down a story too doggedly, has been reduced to taking photographs for a sleazy tabloid. When he gets a call from an old buddy he'd thought long dead, it doesn't take this ace reporter long to figure out he's onto something big. After a visit from the requisite mysterious messenger in a dark suit, Onorati quickly learns about a secret mining project going on in the Sierra Nevada, complete with plenty of armed guards, run by a goateed Dennis Hopper. It's a nice touch, if somewhat annoying, that our hero is so slow to pick up on what's obviously going on, and the cheap sets and special effects aren't tacky enough to annoy. The audience is asked to swallow a lot of implausible narrative touches, though--most stunningly, that no one besides Hopper and his crew have noticed a killer comet heading our way. Which makes Tycus no better or worse than plenty of other sci-fi films that are bereft of imagination; too bad after that nifty setup. --Bruce Reid
Deep Water
by John Putch
from 20th Century Fox
An international terrorist plot to kidnap the daughter of an oil tycoon off an ocean liner goes awry after a nuclear test in near-by waters creates a massive tidal wave that capsizes the ship. Now, a group of survivors must fight their way through the upside-down maze of the ship’s corridors racing against the rising water, deadly sharks, and the terrorist leader still on board.
Tycus
from Paramount
The idea behind Tycus is one of those high-concept brainstorms that can restore your faith in no-budget filmmaking: Rip off the "astral body racing to destroy Earth" scenario of Deep Impact and Armageddon, but replace the chest-thumping heroics and patriotism of those films with a touch of X-Files-lite paranoia. That the film fails to deliver on its premise is unfortunate, if not very surprising. Sleepy-eyed, bulked-up Peter Onorati stars as an idealistic journalist who, following a dishonorable discharge from the Army for hunting down a story too doggedly, has been reduced to taking photographs for a sleazy tabloid. When he gets a call from an old buddy he'd thought long dead, it doesn't take this ace reporter long to figure out he's onto something big. After a visit from the requisite mysterious messenger in a dark suit, Onorati quickly learns about a secret mining project going on in the Sierra Nevada, complete with plenty of armed guards, run by a goateed Dennis Hopper. It's a nice touch, if somewhat annoying, that our hero is so slow to pick up on what's obviously going on, and the cheap sets and special effects aren't tacky enough to annoy. The audience is asked to swallow a lot of implausible narrative touches, though--most stunningly, that no one besides Hopper and his crew have noticed a killer comet heading our way. Which makes Tycus no better or worse than plenty of other sci-fi films that are bereft of imagination; too bad after that nifty setup. --Bruce Reid
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