Sebastian Spence

Average customer rating:

Ok, excuse me while I go "out" my dog.
Which is more odious: A man who outs closeted gay hypocrites or drug company CEOs? Strachey helps us decide
Taking time out, for "Third Man..."
Loved the movie
AN ENTERTAINING WHO DONE IT, WITH A WONDERFUL GAY COUPLE !

Third Man Out
Starring: Chad Allen , Sebastian Spence , Jack Wetherall , Woody Jeffreys , and Sean Young
Director: Ron Oliver
Manufacturer: Regent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Dante's Cove
Shock to the System: A Donald Strachey Mystery
The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green
Another Gay Movie
Adam & Steve (2005)

ASIN: B000FZEU1K
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Customer Reviews:

Ok, excuse me while I go "out" my dog........2007-05-27

"Third Man Out" proves to be a pretty good movie packed with "film noir" moments and a lot of mystery, suspense and drama. The best part of this film is without doubt, it's star actor Chad Allen, who gives a wonderful performance as "Donald Strachey". Strachey is a gay private detective hired to find who has been threatening a notorious member of the gay community noted for outing prominent people living a double life. When he refuses the case and the notorious John Rutka is reported to have been murdered, Strachey is compelled to solve the crime in spite of his personal disdain for the deceased. To do so, Strachey must protect hundreds of extensive files Rutka kept on high profile individuals he felt were a threat to the gay community. All hell breaks loose when he and his lover become the target of those who had a motive to kill Rutka and are seeking to destroy any evidence which might place them at the top of the list of suspects.

I was intrigued throughout the film to stick with it and find out "who dunnit". Never really a dull moment in this first gay mystery movie. The acting was very well done by almost every one of the nearly all-gay cast. A little overacting on the part of Sebastian Spence, who plays the part of Strachey's boyfriend. Not a bad performance, but probably not best suited for the particular role of the more feminine character. This was a role for which I felt the writing could have been more realistic. Allen's character was perfect, macho and more "straight natured" which fit him to a tee. His acting was flawless. I felt the scripting for the character of Rutka to be written a bit sloppy, and the combination of John Wetherall (Rutka) and Woody Jeffreys as his gay lover Eddie, to be a bit strange, but somehow it worked in spite of that. All in all, the actors all gave a great performance considering the script they were given to work with. There were a few things here and there that I was personally not impressed with, such as one unnecessary political reference that I found very distasteful, a little too much flame in the script for Strachey's lover Timmy, and a few unbelievable lines that I felt could have been much more convincingly written. There was the tattoo that changed from one arm in one scene, to the other arm at one point in the film, and I think a little more attention should have been given to detail throughout. All in all though, this is a great movie, very well done, and a first for gay media. Not your typical "coming-out" theme, or dime a dozen gay film topics. It was a nice twist making a GAY police drama, and I personally enjoyed viewing it. If you like suspense and mystery, you are gonna like this film.

There is also a great DVD extra for your viewing. It is a featurette with behind the scenes interviews with the cast. It is well worth watching and fills in a few details you may miss the first time you watch the film. This screenplay is Loosely adapted from the novel "Third Man Out", and the first of a series of Donald Strachey films. I will be watching for the next one. Hopefully it will be a little better written and directed than the first, BUT that being said, I highly recommend this movie. Just don't go overboard with your expectations. It's not the best mystery flick you've ever seen, but the gay theme behind it, gives it a nice flair, and the acting of Chad Allen makes it well worth watching. A great mystery that will keep your attention and dispense a few surprises along the way.

Which is more odious: A man who outs closeted gay hypocrites or drug company CEOs? Strachey helps us decide.......2007-04-19

Which would be worse if you're a gay detective based in Albany, New York...slugged in the kisser by an irate blonde who doesn't care for the photos you took of her husband or being called "Nancy-boy Drew" by the corrupt and catty manager of a hotel who secretly films the doings of some of the guests? Donald Strachey (Chad Allen) doesn't much care for either, but this is nothing compared to what he is about to get involved in. Fortunately, Strachey is a happily married man, or as close to it as a gay man can be. His partner, Timmy Callaghan (Sebastian Spence), is a smart, affectionate political assistant to an elected New York state assemblywoman. Strachey's latest case brings him a client that both he and Timmy are repulsed by.

John Rutka (Jack Wetherall), an aging, self-righteous gay demagogue, publishes a cable expose program called The Rutka Report. In it he outs closet gays, especially well-known married public homophobes who promote family values and sponsor anti-gay legislation while secretly making nighttime visits to highway rest stops and wearing their leathers at, ah, small, intimate parties. After someone breaks into his home and shoots him in the leg, Rutka goes to Strachey for protection. Strachey turns him down. Outing people, Strachey and Timmy agree, is one of the lowest forms of human activity. But the need for Strachey to earn an income changes their minds. Even though Strachey has to hold his nose, he takes on the job. It's not long before a charred corpse turns up and is identified through dental records and that gunshot wound by the cops as Rutka. Strachey took the man's money; now he's determined to find the man's murderer. There are three prime candidates, one of whom Rutka was going to pick as the cover-boy for his next broadcast. From Rutka's files, Strachey identifies Ronnie Linklater, the host and star of a hugely popular children's television show who enjoys using his hand-puppets in unusual ways; Bruno Slinger, a powerful, anti-gay Congressman who thinks B&D without a little pain for his partner is for sissies; and a person Rutka identified only as "the ultimate hypocrite." From there, Strachey doggedly goes through piles of Rutka's documents, financial records and computer files. Along the way he visits sleazy motels, a Catholic church, a hospital and a funeral; he encounters Rutka's body-building partner, Rutka's foul-mouthed sister, an exercising granny who puts moves on him, and various tough guys who push him around and pistol whip him. He leaves one of them limping, after Timmy gets beaten up, by using a power nailer to plow a nail into the guy's foot. Strachey also visits a porn call-in site where the owner, Dik Steele, for a fee will talk to heavy breathing call-in chumps. Even Strachey looks put off a bit at the operators posing as Steele...balding, chubby males and grannies with deep voices, all pretending to be Dik Steele in the throes of ultimate passion. Kind of like internet sites. The conclusion carries a powerful and unexpected twist which some may like and some may not.

Third Man Out is the first of what may be a series of Canadian cable movies featuring Chad Allen as Donald Strachey. The second, Shock to the System, was broadcast in 2006. It seemed to me that with Third Man Out, director and writer Ron Oliver was still in the process of finding the right balance between message and mystery. Oliver and Allen deal with a lot of issues here, some head on, some in passing, everything from hypocrisy, AIDs and the costs of AIDs medicine, the ethics of outing, gay relationships and on and on. For me, all these messages began getting in the way of the mystery, which I thought was well-constructed with clever false leads, good characters and a disturbing conclusion. With Shock to the System, I think Oliver found the formula that works...make sure you put the mystery first and keep the messages low-key. For readers, the Donald Strachey mysteries by Richard Stevenson, all eight of them, are worth buying. The plots are strong and Strachey makes for a believable, sometimes cocky private eye. They are solid mysteries that happen to feature a gay private detective; they're not simply gay mysteries.

This is obviously a made-for-TV movie. Everything has that clean, careful TV look. The main characters do fine acting jobs but some of the secondary roles lack a little skill. There is one bonus feature, "Coming Out with the Cast and Crew," which I didn't watch. It comes down to this: Whether you enjoy the plot may depend on whether you see the ethics of outing as the same moral equivalent of being the CEO of a drug or insurance company. Tough call.

Taking time out, for "Third Man...".......2007-03-23

I'm not familiar with the book that this movie is based on, so I can't make a fair comparison of the two. This film, though not the same caliber as "Brokeback Mountain" and "Maurice", is still a decent addition into the genre of gay films and a fairly decent mystery film.

Much of the film's success certainly is due to the likeablity of Chad Allen as Donald Strachey, a private eye who is hired by a loathesome man who's life is spent outing politicians and celebrities on his website. When the man turns up murdered, Strachey is unwillingly drawn in to the mystery of his death.

QAF's Jack Wetherall does a fair job as the murdered man Strachey is originally hired to protect. Sean Young appears (barely) in a role that can't be considered more than a cameo role. And Sebastien Spence, as Donald's lover Tim, strives just a little too hard to prove that he's a friend of Dorothy---little white dog in tow each time he's in their apartment is just a little too much for me.

The director could have upped the suspense factor a little and, if needed, tinkered more with the storyline and characters. Overall, however, its a decent movie. Now that the second of an apparent series is out, it will be interesting to see it and compare the two. Let's hope the director strives to improve on what could be an entertaining franchise. Worth a look.

Loved the movie.......2007-03-21

Loved this movie over all...weak in spots but it was all made up with the second movie. Buy it and add it to your collection today!

AN ENTERTAINING WHO DONE IT, WITH A WONDERFUL GAY COUPLE !.......2007-03-19

I normally review books exclusively, but I'm making an exception for this fine film. Not having read the book this film is based on, I can't compare the two, but on its own this movie certainly entertains.

This is the first in a planned series of films, about out detective Donald Strachey, and his loving partner Tim. Donald is hired by a gay muck-raker, John Rutka, after he's been shot in the leg. Rutka fears someone he has publicly outed is responsible, and wants them stoped before it's too late.

The production values, so lacking in most gay films, are top-notch, and the script is well paced, never allowing the story to drag. The direction is crisp and the performances are well rounded and three dimensional.

It is so refreshing to see a truly loving and strong gay relationship portrayed on screen, and the relationship here is the real foundation of the film. Chad Allen as Donald and Sebastian Spence as Tim are to be commended for their fine work. They make a very impressive and heartwarming team. I'm ordering the second installment, SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM, now !

Shock to the System: A Donald Strachey Mystery

Average customer rating:

Mystery and love for everybody!
Stimulating, Riviting, and Good Depiction
Not a shock to my system - it was an injection of pleasure.
Not so shocking, another pleasant film!
A nice, complicated murder mystery with an interesting private eye. Don't forget to read the books by Richard Stevenson

Shock to the System: A Donald Strachey Mystery
Starring: Chad Allen , Sebastian Spence , Michael Woods , Daryl Shuttleworth , and Morgan Fairchild
Director: Ron Oliver
Manufacturer: Regent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Third Man Out
Dante's Cove - The Complete Second Season
Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds
Dante's Cove
Another Gay Movie

ASIN: B000K2V7EG
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Description

(Gay Thriller) When private eye Donald Strachey finds his latest client dead, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Strachey's investigation leads him on a dark and dangerous trail into the world of "gay conversion therapy" - a twisted mix of psychology and religion designed by a doctor to turn homosexuals "straight." Based on the best-selling series of novels by Richard Stevenson

Customer Reviews:

Mystery and love for everybody!.......2007-06-13

I loved "Third Man Out", the first Donald Strachey Mystery movie and this one is even better. The great thing about "Shock To The System" is that the characters are more developed, especially Donald. You get to know him better and in the scene when he tells Timmy about the Army (I can't give details) you feel and cry with him. Chad Allen is a excellent actor but in that particular scene he is simply superb.

I love murder mystery either on film or in books and "Shock To The System" is a great film for those like me who love this genre. But what truly caught my heart is Donald and Timmy's relationship... they are adorable together! This movie is MUST for cute-couple-suckers like me... you can't get wrong with these guys!!!

Stimulating, Riviting, and Good Depiction.......2007-05-13

For anyone who has wondered if the movies would change from showing us the stereotypical gay man, here is a set of films that do. A gay detective embarks on a mission to discover the devious deeds that lead to another mans death. Yet, this film shows much more than just an interesting plot. This is the second film in the Donald St. series and gives the audience a more indepth picture to who the hero really is as well as to how he is coming to understand what life is about. Through this film the protagonist, Det. Don, battles many fears and insecurities all people suffer from, not just a homosexual adience. He confronts a past that still haunts him and stands in the way of his current relationship as well as deals with the oppressive need to fit. Something the murder victim was struggling with.
So, if you enjoy a good murder mystery that also allows you to see how human a person can truly be, I highly recomend this film. You will enjoy the plot as well as charater development and be able to identify with many of the feelings and emotions portrayed within this film. Of course this is only my opinion, but I can safely say you will not be disapointed with the purchase of this video.

Not a shock to my system - it was an injection of pleasure........2007-05-11

This is the second movie in the Donald Strachey Mystery series. It is an improvement on Third Man Out (the first) which also was a thoroughly watchable mystery.

The characters and the storylines are developing well. There is more background information to show how Strachey became the man he is: loyal, trustworthy, tenacious and attracting trouble like a magnet. His partner Tim (Sebastian Spence you can put your shoes under my bed at any time:0)), although not as prominent also developed more depth in this installment of the series. It was like he is settling in for the long haul, relaxing into the role.

I felt the story flowed more easily than Third Man Out and it was a little harder to pick the murderer - although I did by the second murder (but I usually do because I LOVE mysteries).

I don't know if the fact that Chad Allen is actually an out gay man means he brings depth, understanding and a comfortableness to his role but he definitely portrays the character well and shows emotion realistically in the scene where he recounts his first gay relationship experience and the tragic outcome of that. He seems relaxed and real - which is not an easy thing to do - as Strachey.

I think although being gay oriented, because of the characters, it is not an in your face type of prominence. It shows being gay is as normal as being blonde - it just is, you can't change it (although ironically the storyline in this movie is centred around this being otherwise). I like that it is woven into the story showing gay people have real lives, real relationships, real problems and real love. (Sigh) I love a love story and this fits into that liking as well. It gets to me on a couple of levels which is refreshing - mutli-satisfying.

I am definitely looking forward to the next one. If they keep developing in depth and quality this will prove to be a must-have series for film buffs, especially those that love the mystery genre.

Not so shocking, another pleasant film!.......2007-04-23

The gay detective is back! After a promising turn in "Third Man Out", private dick Donald Strachey returns in this second mystery starring Chad Allen.

[...]

[...]

The story and the plot are much better than the first, a definite sign that the series is improving with each film. Sebastien Spence returns as Donald's partner,Tim, and Nelson Wong becomes Strachey's new office manager, Kenny Kwon. Chad Allen does a very good job as the main character and is a wise choice as the film's protagonist.

A good mystery film and worth adding to your dvd library. I hope we see another Donald Strachey film soon!

A nice, complicated murder mystery with an interesting private eye. Don't forget to read the books by Richard Stevenson.......2007-03-22

"Trevor Cornell is one of the most successful reparative therapy providers in New York," says Timmy Callahan. "I wonder what his idea of 'successful' is," says Donald Strachey, a private eye. "Dressing badly," says Callahan, "decorating your home with duck decoys, breaking out in a rash whenever Barbra Streisand sings."

To explain: Reparative therapy means conversion from being gay or lesbian into happy, contented heteroes. Timmy Callahan (Sebastian Spence) is a political type in Albany, New York. Donald Strachey (Chad Allen) is not only a capable and tough private eye in Albany, he and Timmy are married. "At least," as Strachey says, "as close as two men can get to it...more important, I'm in love with him." Those who find a gay agenda under every leaf, revolver and bloody baseball bat may not like this movie. On the other hand, those with a fondness for well-constructed mysteries that feature politics, victimization, murder, martinis and phenalzine should enjoy the story, the style of Donald Strachey and the puzzle. Bet you don't guess the murderer. It's worth pointing out that you don't need to be a collie to enjoy "Lassie" or a guy with a gut to enjoy John Wayne. And you don't need to be gay to enjoy Shock to the System. The movie has it's faults...it was made for cable with awkward acting in some of the secondary roles and it has that clean, careful look of most made-for-TV films. But the mystery is satisfyingly complicated, with a nice number of red herrings. Chad Allen makes a believable, interesting private eye. And his happy home life with Timmy would probably be the envy of many married couples, gay or straight.

Paul Hale, a frightened 20-year-old man, wants Strachey to help him. But before he can tell Strachey what he wants, he is found dead. At first it's thought Hale died of a stroke, but when a lethal mixture of alcohol and barbiturates is found in Hale's system, Strachey decides to find out what was going on. And that takes him undercover to the Phoenix Foundation, a successful institution led by Dr. Trevor Cornell and his wife, where gays and lesbians, Dr. Cornell says, can find their true path to heterosexuality. It turns out that Hale was going to be a poster boy for the Foundation when Cornell announced a major push to go nation-wide with his cures. Not only does Strachey find himself taking part in group therapy and flashing back to his own earlier life, he gets threatened, beaten up, chased and shot. Almost as frightening, he encounter's Hale's wealthy, well-groomed and surgically-enhanced mother. "My son was not gay!" she says. "He was...confused." Strachey eventually solves the crime. Justice, formal and informal, is dealt out.

Donald Strachey is the gay private eye in eight mysteries written by Richard Stevenson, beginning with Death Trick in 1981. They are first-rate reads with clever, involved and sometimes violent plots. In other words, they aren't gay mysteries...they're mysteries that happen to feature a gay private eye. Two of the books have been made into cable movies; this one was shown in 2006 and Third Man Out was shown in 2005. The books are well worth reading if you like mysteries. This movie is no classic, but it makes it's "gay agenda" points low-key enough that they don't interfere with the story. And although there is a bit of beef cake that shows up from time to time, one or two friendly smooches and a quick flash of frontal nudity, the movie has none of the leering smarminess that seems built-in to many of the boy-girl Hollywood films nowadays.

The DVD transfer is excellent. The disc has a director's commentary and two or three extras. I didn't bother to sample them.

Average customer rating:

A dissapointment after Category 6 .....
Category 7 End of The World
Good movie
Have 2 of 3 in series
Really Cool,I Liked It!

Category 7: The End of the World
Starring: Gina Gershon , Cameron Daddo , Shannen Doherty , Randy Quaid , and Robert Wagner
Director: Dick Lowry
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

10.5: Apocalypse
Category 6 - Day of Destruction
10.5
Aftershock: Earthquake in New York
Lightning: Bolts of Destruction

ASIN: B000E97HXA
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Amazon.com

Who doesn't enjoy watching big things fall to pieces? Category 7: The End of the World wreaks havoc on the Eiffel Tower, Mt. Rushmore, the Pyramids, and a midwestern trailer park, among other things. More or less a sequel to Category 6: Day of Destruction (presumably the latest in a series that began with Category 1: Don't Forget Your Umbrella), Category 7 offers the reassuring sight of Gina Gershon, skilled with disasters like Showgirls, taking control of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Confronted with city-destroying weather, she calls in rebel meteorologist Ross Duffy (Cameron Daddo, star of such classics as Pterodactyl and Anthrax), who runs the Extreme Weather Lab and harbors theories that threaten the political status quo. Ross brings in Tommy Tornado (Randy Quaid, the sole returning actor from Category 6), Faith Clavell (Shannen Doherty, Charmed), and Col. Mike Davis (Tom Skerritt, Alien) to gather data...which isn't the most dramatic of activities (even when it involves souped-up cars and superjets), so the movie adds a subplot about a religious zealot (Nicholas Lea, The X-Files) who wants to unleash the plagues of Egypt so that everyone will realize it's the End of Days. What does it all add up to? A lot of over-the-top hooey (and that's not including the assorted family turmoils), but pretty entertaining nonetheless. It's like a lesser Michael Crichton novel: Take an inflammatory vaguely scientific premise, add two-dimensional characters, cheesy but spectacular effects, and a full-throttle if nonsensical plot, and presto! Over three hours of silly yet utterly watchable television. For added fun, drink a shot every time one character tells another "You're the most important person on the planet right now." --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A dissapointment after Category 6 ............2007-06-13

Some movie sequels out-do those that precede them, but this ain't one of them.

The saving graces of Category 7 are superb performances by Tom Skerritt and Sebastian Spence, bigger and better city-eating storms, and being given the answer to the question left dangling at the end of Category 6 (the storms do continue world-wide and the reason why is discovered and applied successfully, albeit after much silly political wrangling).

Beyond these three things, this sequel disappointed me in every other aspect. The many (*too* many) ridiculous mini-dramas were annoyingly distracting rather than adding any amount of depth to the storyline. The performances of the majority of actors cast left much to be desired. And I think that Tornado Tommy (Randy Quaid) held together much better in Category 6 ... that fantastic twister ride he took last time apparently dropped him in Oz and scrambled his brains but good. He'd have been much better off remaining happily ensconced in Munchkinland, in my opinion.

Okay, Category 7 continues the story begun in Category 6. That would be the main reason to see it and why I watched it (though I ended up impatiently sighing my way through a whole lot of stupid sub-plots waiting for the grounding appearances of Tom Skerritt and Sebastian Spence <g>).

Not the worst movie sequel I've ever seen, but most definitely quite far from the best.

Category 7 End of The World.......2007-05-25

This movie is good I liked it but there is one thing wrong with it the ending is cut short the last thing that you see is the Torch of
The Statue of Liberty coming down on two people and that is it. It states to be continued where? there is nothing else that's it this is where it ends it is supposed to be part of a Mini-Series or so it states and it is supposed to be complete don't be fooled it's not complete where is the rest of it you don't just leave people hanging on waiting for the rest of it. This is a good one to have along with Category 6 I have both
but Cate 7 is not finished or is there another one to this one? Who knows?

Good movie.......2007-02-15

Category 7 was interesting and had many good points. It holds you at the end of your seat. My only disappointment is that most of the characters from Category 6 was not in Category 7 - especially the reporter and the secretary of energy that were in Category 6.

Have 2 of 3 in series.......2007-02-12

We own Day of Destruction, and Category 6. oth movies should make people realize accually what we are doing to earth. These storms can happen. Randy Quaid is awesome and as usuall, a great performance. Wake up world, any of these situations can happen. Watch and learn before it's to late.

Really Cool,I Liked It!.......2007-02-03

I haven't seen any of the others in this series,butI really enjoyed this one. The special effects are awesome,and I really liked all the storylines,and the characters are well developed.The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars,is because it isn't a movie that I would want to watch again,but that is because of my preferrences and so much going on,just seemed too "over the top" for me. No offensive elements here either. Definately worth a view.

Average customer rating:

Christmas in mid Summer
Just Eve
Heartwarming and good for an evening in.........
Unwrap The Christmas Joy
better than scrouge

Eve's Christmas
Starring: Elisa Donovan , Sebastian Spence , Cheryl Ladd , Winston Rekert , and Kavan Smith
Director: Timothy Bond
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

A Boyfriend for Christmas
Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus
The 12 Days of Christmas Eve
The Night Before Christmas
A Holiday Romance

ASIN: B000BD1LD6
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Description

On Christmas Eve, a high-powered exec's guardian angel offers her a chance to live her life again with a different spin.

Customer Reviews:

Christmas in mid Summer.......2007-05-28

This is a well done, well written movie about finding Love and having a second chance to redeem it. My family will enjoy this story for many years.
Linda

Just Eve.......2007-02-17

I was really surpised on how this movie was so different-To go back in time & change your life, was really unpredictable. It was just great!!!

Heartwarming and good for an evening in................2007-02-16

For anyone who has ever longed for a second chance with the one they "gave away".....for anyone who has ever wished they could go back and do something over in a different way...have that second chance to say things that went unsaid or maybe to try and say them better...or even just the urge to re-experience a special point in time when "feeling" was what life was all about, this movie should be right up your alley.

It is a sweet and charming little love story that i have actually watched a few times.......and still like it!

Unwrap The Christmas Joy.......2007-02-12

I must say I enjoyed this movie very much. It is a retrospective of Eve's
choices. Sometimes an individual looks back on a situation wishing that they could reexamine a decision. This movie is a fine example that Christmas is a magical time. That a person can get what they wish for.
Eve looks for happiness in New York, but she has to go home to Oregon and the road lest traveled. She finds happiness with Scott by making her Christmas wish.
Maureen McElroy

better than scrouge.......2007-01-23

very heartwarming to see someone get a second chance from a terrible mistake she made the first time. she almost makes the same mistake, but love conquers all.

Average customer rating:

You still in acting??
The Best Documentry to learn about fighting fire
Unparalleled realism, Howie's hygiene is beyond reproach
put this fire out
GREAT ENTERTAINMENT - A MACHO MOVIE - GREAT SUBJECT

Firestorm
Starring: Howie Long , Scott Glenn , William Forsythe , Suzy Amis , and Christianne Hirt
Director: Dean Semler
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Firestorm: Last Stand at Yellowstone
Hard Rain
Daylight
Asteroid
Broken Arrow

ASIN: 6305364419
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Description

The heat is on and time is running out! Howie Long, Hollywood's hottest new action hero. stars with Scott Glenn, William Forsythe and Suzy Amis in a searing, pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat adventure! "The match is lit." These chilling words spark a deadly chain if events when a prison break pits fearless smokejumper Jesse Graves (Long) against two devastating, seemingly unstoppable forces of nature: a raging inferno and a cunning, psychotic killer. Packed with spectacular stunts, scorching suspense and a cast that'll blow you away.

Customer Reviews:

You still in acting??.......2007-06-02

You still alive? That is the greatest line spoken in this movie. William Forsythe says it. This line alone is reason enough to avoid the film. My only question is, Mr. Forsythe, are you still in acting? hahaha. I haven't seen a new movie with him in ages. Ex-football player movies stink hahaha.

The Best Documentry to learn about fighting fire .......2006-12-09

As a person that took several units at the local community college in fire safety I can honestly attest that this film stays to true to form regarding firefighting. Having the experience of watching footage of fire and being at times several hundred feet from a fire I consider myself an expert in the matter of man's first foe: fire. In my class, we watched the compelling documentary of real life firefighter, Jesse Graves, fighting in what we call a "Firestorm." "Firestorms" are essentially storms of fire, which starts off in Tierra del Fuego. Unlike other storms which carry moisture and brisk winds, a "Firestorm" is a storm that has not clouds that squeeze out rain, sleet or snow, but spews out liquid-hot fire. Suffice to say, Mr. Jesse Graves has bravely chosen to fight this storm of fire alone. In the process of making the documentary, some ruffians have escaped from jail to recover several million dollars of so-called "loot." Aside from the shenanigans of these louts, Mr. Jesse Graves not only saves the town from this storm of fire, but also teaches us proper safety procedures for combating fire.

Unparalleled realism, Howie's hygiene is beyond reproach.......2006-06-11

As a real-life wildland firefighter I am here to tell you that this movie is perfection and grace. The writers themselves must have eaten smoke in some former life. Indeed they nailed every aspect of wildland firefighting. From DOC crews who are chained to their bus while traveling to the fire and released with a potential deadly weapon in a camouflage ridden forest---to Howie's masterful portrayal of a smokejumper with a heart and the childlike demeanor of an alcoholic scoutmaster, this film is pure gold. If one flaw should be cited, it is, that the incendiary, helicopter launched, ping pong ball machine failed to explode with enough devastating force! Firefighters know that ping pong balls do not make a grenade sized explosions, but one more akin to a bunker buster launched from an F16. The chainsaw scene took my breath away, Howie's acting was certainly slighted by a lack of an academy nomination. The fire at the movie's end was the first true-to-life portrayal of a wildland fire since the Lions Gate film 'Superfire'. It is comforting to know that someone realizes wildland fires travel at speeds exceeding 125 miles per hour and rip mature pine trees out by their roots hurling them a quarter mile or more. Thank you Howie, you're the man!

put this fire out.......2005-10-09

Hokey, instantly forgettable actioner that typically casts football star Long as a smoke jumper who ends up pursuing criminal Forsythe in the midst of a blazing forest fire. It's hard not to be a step ahead of this overdone, routinely-written turkey. The dialouge is silly and the characters are thin and unappealing.

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT - A MACHO MOVIE - GREAT SUBJECT.......2005-02-04

A macho movie -- just means that the guys are out there doing their job with a few nuts thrown in.

I am always looking for Scott Glenn's movies and enjoy the few that I have.
I have always had the greatest respect for paratroopers covering any job. I can't imagine a job much more dangerous. You got to admire these guys.

Loved the movie and all the color - the terrain - the characters - and hey, how about that heliocopter pilot. Wow! look at that long hair.
Would love to have had a feature on the making of the movie.
Oh, and Howie Long still looks better that the baby faced actors being used today.

Well worth seeing - will be added to my collection.

Average customer rating:

It's OK

A Family of Cops 2
Starring: Charles Bronson , Joe Penny , Angela Featherstone , Andrew Jackson (II) , and David Hemblen
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Vidmark / Trimark
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Family of Cops 3
Family of Cops
Death Wish V - The Face of Death
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
The Evil That Men Do

ASIN: B00004Y7EX
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Customer Reviews:

It's OK.......2007-01-13

Not a bad movie but I mainly wanted a copy because I was an extra on the set and appeared in a few scenes. Charles Bronson chatted with us between takes and seemed to be a nice man.
The outdoor scenes were filmed in High Park, Toronto, Canada with many local actor and extras.

Average customer rating:

Wine and murder
MURDER IN WINE COUNTRY

A Crime of Passion
Starring: Tom Butler , Gordon Currie , Cynthia Gibb , Michelle Harrison , and Jennifer Clement
Director: Charles Wilkinson
Manufacturer: Allumination
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Before I Say Goodbye
Mary Higgins Clark - We'll Meet Again
He Sees You When You're Sleeping
I'll Be Seeing You
The Cradle Will Fall

ASIN: B0002PYOZK
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Description

Heiress Frederica Dumay (Cynthia Gibb) has everything to live for, including a gorgeous new husband and half ownership of a multi-million dollar winery. But her happiness is short lived when her business partner's wife is slain. Frederica suspects foul play, but she cannot tell whether the murder was the result of greed, obsession or both. Plus, her old flame (Sebastian Spence) suggests that her seemingly perfect husband (Gordon Currie) is hiding a guilty secret. Now Freddi must find a way to crack this baffling case before she becomes the killer's next victim!

Customer Reviews:

Wine and murder.......2007-01-29

Mary Higgins Clark's novels have spawned several TV movies, ranging from schmaltzy to solid. "A Crime of Passion" is solidly in the middle, with a solid whodunnit set in sumptuous luxury, but an unintentionally funny ending.

Wine heiress Frederica Dumay (Cynthia Gibb) is devastated when her business partner's longtime wife drowns after a party. But she's even more upset when the partner, Thomas Shipman (Tom Butler) immediately takes up with a sultry, golddigging Frenchwoman, Arabella (Alexandra Kamp-Groeneveld), who is young enough to be his daughter.

The disagreement threatens to tear the company apart -- until Arabella is murdered. Thomas is the obvious suspect for both deaths, but Freddy knows that he can't be guilty. Yet someone killed those women, and Freddy soon finds that the killer may be very close to her -- especially when her husband's suspicious past comes to light.

"A Crime of Passion" is a pretty spectacle -- lots of sumptuous mansions, candlelit seductions, beautiful woods and much quaffing of wine. And courtesy of many red herrings, there's some genuine confusion over whether Allen is a villain or not.

As a sumptous spectacle, it's lots of fun, especially when the nasty golddigger is sashaying around the place, making threats and grabbing at the "Mick Jagger of fermentation." While she's on, it's pure trashy fun. But it loses luster once she leaves, especially since the identity of the murderer is quite obvious, as is the motive.

Cynthia Gibb turns in a decent performance as a pampered wine heiress who gets a nasty shock, and Gordon Currie has a nicely elusive turn as her might-or-might-not-be-a-golddigger hubby. The sour note is the actor playing the murderer, who acts like a villainous William Shatner on ecstacy.

"A Crime of Passion" is a visually appealing, fluffy movie, so long as you don't expect much in the way of actual mystery.

MURDER IN WINE COUNTRY.......2005-07-03

This entry in the PAX TV Mary Higgins Clark series is a fairly entertaining whodunit. The pace is a little slow and Jennifer Clement's over the top performance as the loyal maid borders on parody, but it's story of the murder of a wine magnate's wife is intriguing and there are a few surprises along the way. Cynthia Gibb is effectively plucky as Freddie, the wine heiress, and Sebastian Spence is well cast as her old flame. Gordon Currie is a little too "prissy" as her husband, and the aforementioned Clements is so demented that it's like watching an old Bette Davis movie. But I enjoy a good mystery and this one managed to be entertaining.

Average customer rating:

First Shot [Region 99]
Starring: Mariel Hemingway , Doug Savant , Jenna Leigh Green , Wanda Cannon , and Sebastian Spence
Director: Armand Mastroianni
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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First Daughter
In Her Line of Fire
The President's Man 2
The Sex Monster
First Daughter

ASIN: B00008DDXP
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Average customer rating:

Cerberus
THREE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
Yeah, this is good
Well, they tried
It's bad ,trust me on that.

Cerberus
Starring: Greg Evigan , Brent Florence , Sebastian Spence , Emmanuelle Vaugier , and Garret Sato
Director: John Terlesky
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Caved In: Prehistoric Terror
SnakeMan
Pterodactyl
Komodo vs. Cobra
Attack of the Sabretooth

ASIN: B000CRR3LU
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Customer Reviews:

Cerberus.......2007-01-14

Plot: Steal the sword of Attilla the Hun...unleash a 3-headed dog(made of BAD CGI) to wreak havoc amongst a village in the hills of BFE...bring in good guy and good girl to save the day...

OK, my take on this...

not really a BAD movie...typical plot line...BAD CGI...definitely not worth the $24 to spend on it...I can think of a LOT of other things to spend $24 bucks on...good for maybe 1/2 price rental...

but I actually did like it...would have been better if it had GOOD CGI...goes down as a "good" movie after drinking a few beers late at night

THREE HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE.......2006-09-27

Romania once again is the setting for this Sci Fi Channel movie based on a legend that I've never heard of. Seems Attila the Hun made a pact with the devil to conquer his enemies, and when he was killed on his wedding night, he was buried with his magic sword, that is guarded by Cerebrus, the legendary three headed dog from hell.
The shield/breastplate which maps the location of Attila's grave is stolen by a gang of thieves, headed by smarmy Greg Evigan. The curator is killed and one of his former colleagues, Emmanuelle Vaugnier, is heisted away to help the thieves, which they do by kidnapping her wayward brother. Vaugnier is rescued by hunky government agent Sebastian Spence, who along with his two heroic colleagues (Corey Michael Burke and director John Terlesky) attempt to beat the bad guys before they get the sword.
The effects are decent, though they'll set no standards for future movies, but it's all matinee adventure stuff and should entertain the genre fans.

Yeah, this is good.......2006-05-24

The center of this movie's plot is a magic sword that makes whoever uses it invincible, which is a common theme in many fantasy movies where a magic item gives its possessor incredible powers. In this case the sword belonged to Attila, a terrible real-life warrior of the past, big enemy of the Roman Empire. Legend says that Attila made a pact with the devil that made his sword magic and granted Cerberus' protection, the huge three headed dog. Now, in our current times a mercenary group wants to find the sword. They initially steal Attila's armour that has hints to find his sword. That action makes them get involved with an historian, Dr. Samantha Gaines, who in turn gets the attention from a secret security group that goes where she goes, and the story develops. The name of the secret security unit is not said but left up to the viewer to name it, although it figures from the movie that it belongs to the USA government.

I didn't bother to make sure the specific claims about Attila's life stated in the movie were true, you can't expect accuracy from acommercial movie after all. Yet, I think this movie went less off than other big productions like "Scorpion King". For example, Cerberus belongs to the Greek and Roman mythology and Attila did have much things to do with the Romans; thus there's a decent link.

It's a bit curious that the actors who played the main characters Dr. Gaines and Jacke Addams (leader of the security group) are not mentioned below in the cast unless you ask the full cast. Gee, they mentioned several extras or people who play pedestrians or mob before her name. Well, in one scene she said "Does he has them?" where did she get her PhD? Or more exactly which school did the writers go to? But this was no reason to rank this movie so low as it has been.

People should pay attention to the Theatrical Release Information where it says the budget was mere 2 million. Thus, you should not expect a "Lord of the Ring" type movie with constant especial high quality effects. This is not so bad, too many special effects bore me sometimes and in fact I often feel some freshness in these small productions which are normally blasted in these reviews.

It was not very convincing that the mercenaries had to kill anybody or steal anything (especially with such easiness) to get the sword because Attila's suit only had clues, but one can imagine many explanations. The plot itself gets a bit more complex and interesting as the movie advances since an insane North Korea ex-general seeks the sword. The real biggest defect of this product is its current price of $24. I would be mad as well if I had paid that for that price which I don't even pay for movies I've been a lifetime fan of.

Well, they tried.......2006-05-07

The scifi channel (as usual) manages to try and create a could-be-awesome movie and fails to deliver. They kinda sorta stuck true to the legend and all but everything is ruined by bad CGI, I recommend this movie only to scifi channel movie fans. Its hard rating this one, it'd be more like a 5/10.

It's bad ,trust me on that........2006-03-13

Steal a sword and unleach the devil ...there is a three headed dog and special effects straight out of sci-fi tv. The acting is not quite as good as a grade 4 drama class and basically we've all seen this type of film before.

Is it watchable ?? Yes but only if you're watching Television for the first time.

Please oh please dont see this...certainly your 1hr 32 mins can be better spent.

I'm the first to review this and certainly I hope to be the last to do so.

Average customer rating:

Death Wish 5, all is forgiven.

Family of Cops 3
Starring: Charles Bronson , Sebastian Spence , Barbara Williams , Kim Weeks , and Torri Higginson
Director: Sheldon Larry
Manufacturer: Vidmark / Trimark
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

A Family of Cops 2
Family of Cops
Death Wish V - The Face of Death
The Evil That Men Do
Death Wish 2

ASIN: B00004Y7EW
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Amazon.com

In Family of Cops III, Charles Bronson plays the aging, paunchy patriarch of a... well... family of cops. The point of this series seems to be the contrast between the family's hard-as-nails attitude toward crime and their warm, loving treatment of each other, but the writing is so cliché-ridden, and the acting so dominated by smug, ham-fisted machismo, that the most mediocre episode of NYPD Blue or Homicide: Life on the Street must be 10 times more compelling than this. There's a main story line about a murder within a prestigious banking family and a subplot about a young buck who feels responsible for the death of a fellow cop. There isn't a shred of intelligence, originality, or suspense in this entire movie. Does Bronson really have enough of a following to warrant making three of these? --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Death Wish 5, all is forgiven........2001-04-13

As a big Bronson fan I don't know what to think of these "Family Of Cops" TV movies. Did they really HAVE to make three ?. I don't think they had to, but unfortunately they made them anyway. The first one was o.k., and more than enough, but three is stretching it too far. -The old copper he portrays here is simply not interesting enough. Personally, I'd much rather have liked to see Bronson play two other final characters in two other final movies, than have this dull cop come back twice. (The father/daughter-relationship between Bronson and Dana Delaney in the TV movie "Donato & Daughter" would've qualified a lot better as a series of TV movies, actually.) I'm afraid absolutely nothing of interest to most Bronson fans happen in this series, and it's a bit of a shame he chose to end his acting career with this dud and not with a bang. It's not that I mind Bronson doing a bit of serious drama and less action, especially at his age, but the combination doesn't work here. Also, the "F.O.C." movies suffer from the same problem many TV series and movies today face; they have too many characters, and not enough time to care about them.

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