This adaption of three short stories by Stephen King isn't particularly well-known, but that's because audiences go into a movie expecting one big story, not three short ones. With an
open mind, you'll be entertained. The first is called "Quitters, Inc.", in which a man enters a sketchy rehabilitation center, which resorts to violent threats to get him to quit smoking.
The second is called "The Ledge", in which a man is forced to climb around the outside of a skyscraper by a rich penthouse owner as punishment for being involved in an affair. The third is called
"General", in which a cat comes to save the day when trolls invade a little girl's bedroom.
The first two stories are adapted from "Night Shift", and are especially entertaining. The third was written especially for the film, and is cute, but lacks the tension and dry wit of the first two.
Still, "Cat's Eye" is a hidden gem.
Available on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and Blu-Ray
Grade: B+
This animated musical is better than it has any right to be. Featuring a wonderfully 80's soundtrack, it follows Alvin and the Chipmunks, as they compete against the Chipettes
in a hot-air-balloon tour across the world. Unbeknownst to them, they are being tricked by diamond smugglers, who have hidden stolen jewels in the dolls they are assigned to pass out.
This movie doesn't pretend to be profound. It's just a fun time, with a plot that keeps the chipmunks moving. At times, they encounter characters who are basically ethnic stereotypes. But these have existed in
cartoons for decades. "The Chipmunk Adventure" won't win any awards, but it's certainly better than the 2000's live-action movies.
Available on VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray
Grade: B
The title of this movie sounds like a joke. "Christmas Coupon" is one of those direct-to-DVD, Dove-family-approved holiday movies, made by people who know nothing about filmmaking. It has
strange camera filters, generic music, and acting that is on par with a high school play. The story centers around a skating instructor who rekindles a romance with her high school boyfriend,
who is torn between her and his hockey career. This happens at odds with the instructor's fiancee, a mean office worker.
The movie drags along at a snail's pace, with scenes that go on for longer than they have to, and a story that does nothing to distinguish itself. Still, some unintentionally funny lines keep it
watchable. "Christmas Coupon" might get you in the Christmas spirit, if you happen to be part of its very niche audience. Otherwise, skip it.
Available on DVD
Grade: D-
While it may seem like a cheap blaxploitation film on the surface, "Coffy" is actually well-written. The plot centers around a part-time nurse, part-time vigilante who wants revenge
against a drug lord for her sister's addiction. As she infiltrates the operation, she has clever tricks up her sleeve, such as replacing the heroin with sugar, or putting razor blades
in her hair so anyone who tries to grab it will get their hands sliced. The soundtrack in the movie is unintentionally funny, with lyrics that remind you that even though this is
an entertaining blaxploitation film, it's still a blaxploitation film. Still, give it a chance, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Available on VHS, LaserDisc, and DVD
Grade: B
Using both live action and animation, Ralph Bakshi intended "Cool World" to be an R-rated horror movie. Paramount heavily interfered, turning it into a PG-13 dark comedy.
Kim Basinger plays Holli Would, who is animated but wants to become human. When she has sex with Jack Deebs, the creator of the cartoon universe, a World War II veteran-turned
police officer named Frank Harris, played by a young Brad Pitt, is tasked with restoring the human-toon balance.
The troubled production means the script is quite sloppy, with certain plot events not being explained clearly. Still, the movie is worth a watch for the art design alone, which
blends 30's and 90's cartoon styles. It's a shame that we didn't get the film Bakshi intended, but there are some good ideas scattered throughout that would have been fully realized
if not for Paramount wanting to market the hell out of it. Far better than most critics in 1992 gave it credit for.
Available on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and Blu-Ray
Grade: B-
In order to translate Neil Gaiman's novel to the big screen, some compromises had to be made. The tone is lighter than in the book, with added characters for comic relief. This was
presumably done to reach a wider audience. Still, even in its tamed form, it's easy to see why "Coraline" put Laika Studios on the map.
The story is about a young girl who feels neglected by her parents, only to find an alternate dimension, where her Other Mother and Other Father shower her with affection. But all is not
what it seems, as they have a sinister agenda.
It's refreshing to watch a modern movie with stop-motion animation. It's also refreshing to watch a movie aimed at children that doesn't insult their intelligence, instead presenting them
with heavy themes that have staying power. This is pretty much as good of a Hollywood adaptation as it could have been.
Available on DVD, Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D, and UHD
Grade: B+
"Corky Romano" was advertised as having "two of the producers of 'The Waterboy'". That's pretty desperate marketing, and upon watching the movie, it's easy to see why. It was yet another
SNL Hollywood spin-off that tried to replicate the success of "Wayne's World". Instead, it's a run-of-the-mill slapstick comedy where even the slapstick is unconvincing.
Corky, played by Chris Kattan, is an assistant veterinarian who is a criminal organization's only hope after it gets investigated. He infiltrates the FBI, but due to his clumsiness, he inadvertently helps them out. The humor sometimes
sinks to the level of fart jokes, and there is a subplot involving one of the crime members being gay, which is the entire punchline. "Corky Romano" is watchable, but its dated, juvenile humor continued the trend of failed SNL movies.
Available on VHS and DVD
Grade: D
"Cry Wolf" was marketed as a slasher, but it really isn't. It follows a group of high school students who spread a rumor that there is a killer on campus. When a body is discovered, the school panics, and
the culprit is sought after.
The reason this movie is not a true slasher is because of a plot twist at the end, which muddies the waters and undercuts the tension. "Cry Wolf" is not very good, but it does feature Jon Bon Jovi as a creepy teacher,
and with prominent use of AOL Instant Messenger, it's sure to bring 2000's nostalgia.
Available on DVD and Blu-Ray
Grade: C-
Is this really a movie by Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson, the same people who brought us "Scream"? Well, the Weinsteins didn't care about artistic genius - they just saw dollar signs, which was
why they rewrote 60% of the script to earn a PG-13 instead of an R. They also ordered for the practical effects to be replaced with CGI in order to cut costs. Needless to say, "Cursed" is a major disappointment.
It follows a group of teenagers, who are exhibiting werewolf-like symptoms after a mysterious attack. In order for things to go back to normal, they need to kill the source of their newfound curse. Christina Ricci and
Jesse Eisenberg star in leading roles, but they can't save the predictable plot. The CGI that Dimension Films was so hell-bent on is unconvincing, and with all the shaky-cam, cutaways, and jump-scares, you can tell that this
movie was begging to be given the freedom of an R rating. "Cursed" may have high-profile actors and filmmakers, but they aren't given much to work with.
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Grade: D+
Apart from a synthesized intro and a cameo appearance by Roger Moore, "Curse of the Pink Panther" has little to offer. After Peter Sellers died, the "Pink Panther" series had
nowhere to go but down, and it shows. The plot centers around a new detective named Clifton Sleigh being assigned to find the missing Inspector Clouseau after the Pink Panther diamond
is once again stolen. Sleigh has no distinguishing characteristics, instead just a lesser version of Clouseau. The slapstick along the way is recycled from previous installments, making
the movie drag. You could say the curse of the Pink Panther is that the franchise has been sucked dry.
Available on VHS, Betamax, and DVD
Grade: D-