Van Helsing [Blu-ray]Van Helsing [Blu-ray]
The director of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns brings three of Universal’s classic monsters back to life like never before in the action-packed Van Helsing! Legendary monster hunter Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman, X-Men) must rely on the help of the beautiful and mysterious Anna Valeris (Kate Beckinsale, Underworld) as he engages in an epic battle with the ultimate forces of darkness – Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein’s Monster! Get ready for non-stop action and spectacular adventure in this pulse-pounding thrill ride loaded with eye-popping visual effects and exciting bonus features!Like a roller coaster ready to fly off its rails, Van Helsing rockets to maximum velocity and never slows down. Having earned blockbuster clout with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, writer-director Stephen Sommers once again plunders Universal’s monster vault and pulls out all the stops for this mammoth 8-million action-adventure-horror-comedy, which opens (sans credits) with a terrific black-and-white prologue that pays homage to the Universal horror classics that inspired it. The plot pits legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) against Dracula (the deliciously campy Richard Roxburgh), his deadly blood-sucking brides, and the Wolfman (Will Kemp) in a two-hour parade of outstanding special effects (980 in all) that turn Sommers’ juvenile plot into a triple-overtime bonus for CGI animators. In alliance with a Transylvanian princess (Kate Beckinsale) and the Frankenstein monster (Shuler Hensley), Van Helsing must prevent Dracula from hatching his bat-winged progeny, and there’s so much good-humored action that you’re guaranteed to be thrilled and exhausted by the time the 10-minute end-credits roll. It’s loud, obnoxious, filled with revisionist horror folklore, and aimed at addicted gamers and eight-year-olds, but this colossal monster mash (including Mr. Hyde, just for kicks) will never, ever bore you. A sequel is virtually guaranteed. –Jeff Shannon
Rating:  List Price: $ 26.98 Price: $ 15.72 Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
Quentin Tarantino presents the premiere of the JACKIE BROWN COLLECTOR’S SERIES DVD, complete with your favorite award-winning movie, all-star cast, and never-before-seen footage. What do a sexy stewardess (Pam Grier), a street-tough gun runner (Samuel L. Jackson), a lonely bail bondsman (Academy Award®-nominee Robert Forster), a shifty ex-con (Robert DeNiro), an earnest federal agent (Michael Keaton), and a stoned-out beach bunny (Bridget Fonda) have in common? They’re six players on the trail of a half million dollars in cash! The only questions are … who’s getting played … and who’s gonna make the big score! Combining an explosive mix of intense action and edgy humor, Tarantino scores again with the entertaining JACKIE BROWN!The curiosity of Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown is Robert Forster’s worldly wise bail bondsman Max Cherry, the most alive character in this adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch. The Academy Awards saw it the same way, giving Forster the film’s only nomination. The film is more “rum” than “punch” and will certainly disappoint those who are looking for Tarantino’s trademark style. This movie is a slow, decaffeinated story of six characters glued to a half million dollars brought illegally into the country. The money belongs to Ordell (Samuel L. Jackson), a gunrunner just bright enough to control his universe and do his own dirty work. His just-paroled friend–a loose term with Ordell–Louis (Robert De Niro) is just taking up space and could be interested in the money. However, his loyalties are in question between his old partner and Ordell’s doped-up girl (Bridget Fonda). Certainly Fed Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) wants to arrest Ordell with the illegal money. The key is the title character, a late-40s-ish flight attendant (Pam Grier) who can pull her own weight and soon has both sides believing she’s working for them. The end result is rarely in doubt, and what is left is two hours of Tarantino’s expert dialogue as he moves his characters around town. Tarantino changed the race of Jackie and Ordell, a move that means little except that it allows Tarantino to heap on black culture and language, something he has a gift and passion for. He said this film is for an older audience although the language and drug use may put them off. The film is not a salute to Grier’s blaxploitation films beyond the musical score. Unexpectedly the most fascinating scenes are between Grier and Forster: two neo-stars glowing in the limelight of their first major Hollywood film after decades of work. –Doug Thomas
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(out of 743 reviews)
(out of 251 reviews)
Review by Steven Hedge for Van Helsing [Blu-ray]
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This film is a throwback to those old 50′s horror films that had classic monsters doing battle with each other coupled with the wit of the 60′s era all combined with the thrills and special effects of today’s films.
Entertainment rarely gets better than this. Now stop laughing at my five stars for this kind of film. This isn’t the five stars you would give a film like Platoon or The Painted Veil. It’s more like the five stars you would you give a film like Aliens or Die Hard. This is fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment. It’s simple popcorn fun that the whole family, for the most part, can enjoy. The CGI can be a little over-the-top, but it is still excellently done and doesn’t get in the way of the story.
The film has engaging actors who, while playing their roles with some seriousness, you can tell that it is all tongue-in-cheek and one expects them to wink at the camera at any time. Hugh Jackman certainly carries the film with great charm and coolness that reminds one of Ford’s Indiana Jones. Kate Beckinsale is great as his reluctant partner and just looks dang sexy in this role that brings to mind her Underworld character. She just sizzles on the screen. In addition, excellent support is rendered by David Wenham, most known for his roles in 300 and The Lord of the Rings – The Motion Picture Trilogy, Richard Roxburgh of Stealth, Kevin J. O’Conner from The Mummy, and Robbie Coltrane who is best known as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.
The direction is confidently done and unobtrusive. He combines action and horror very effectively. The photography is appropriately creepy and atmospheric. The set designs are elaborate and the score is compelling. The entire film is excellently produced and is what I call a high octane film. This film gets you running on all cylinders. Watch it and have a blast enjoying it for the kind of entertainment it is.
The film is thrilling and suspenseful with the various classic creature battling each other and at times forming uneasy alliances. This is just old fashioned witty and enjoyable entertainment. The repeat value of this film is what also makes this film worthy of a place in your DVD collection.
Review by Marc Ruby™ for Van Helsing [Blu-ray]
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All said and done, this film is a tremendous amount of fun. Director Stephen Sommers takes the stuff of our favorite fictional monsters and blends them together to create a highly imaginative reconstruction of the story of Dracula. Resemblances to Bram Stoker’s original tale are entirely accidental. Instead we find Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) using with Dr. Frankenstein (Samuel West) to serve some dark and nefarious purpose. Not very far in the background is a werewolf (Will Kemp) who carries part of the answer to the puzzle – when he isn’t trying to chew a hole in Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman).
Kate Beckinsale plays Anna Valerious, the last living member of her family, who have been dedicated to exterminating Dracula for some 400 years. Thanks to an oath of her forefathers, the Valerious line is condemned to purgatory as long as Dracula wanders the night. Concerned that this curse is about to become permanent, a secret order of the Catholic Church sends in their best occult assassin – Van Helsing – aided reluctantly by Friar Carl (David Wenham), who plays the mad inventor to Van Helsing’s athletic efforts. Gabriel shows up to help Anna, is promptly rebuffed by the woman, whose mind is definitely her own. But the action goes ballistic, and no one gets time to be banished or stomp off.
And of action, special effects, stunts. and computer graphics there is a great muchness. Most of which looks just believable enough to keep the audience staring open mouthed at the screen. An outstanding job is done with Dracula’s wives (Elena Anaya, Silvia Colloca, and Josie Maran) and the Frankenstein monster (Shuler Hensley). So good that these characters very nearly steal the entire show. Sets are equally carefully crafted, with a marvelous medieval town and two whole gothic castles. The visual impression of the film often completely overwhelms the story.
The acting is bright, with a slightly crude, sarcastic style of interplay between the characters. The overall touch is comedic, despite the inevitable sour grapes of the ending. Don’t look for greatness here. The point is to create an exciting, fun experience, not to recreate the dark and brooding spirit behind the originals. Sommers does well with this tongue-in-cheek, cut-and-run style and Van Helsing proves this once again
Review by N. Durham for Van Helsing [Blu-ray]
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After writing and directing the empty blockbusters of the Mummy and the Mummy Returns, Van Helsing finds him looting Universal’s monster vault once again, this time featuring the Frankenstein monster (Shuler Hensley), the Wolfman (Will Kemp), and of course, Dracula (Richard Roxburgh). Hugh Jackman stars as the monster hunter Van Helsing, teamed up with a princess (Kate Beckinsale) and a loyal friar (David Wenham from Lord of the Rings), sent to Transylvania to stop the count from unleashing a horde of bloodsucking offspring. Some spots of the film are deliciously campy, while others stick out as plain dull. The opening is a wonderful homage to the classic Universal monster films, and buffs of classic horror will find plenty of references and homages in the film. The special effects are some of the best CGI seen today, and Van Helsing is more satisfying than Sommers’ Mummy films, although underneath the break neck pace and special effects there isn’t much left to it. It’s still worth seeing and it has a bit of a surprising ending, and a sequel is almost virtually inevitable.
Review by Luka for Van Helsing [Blu-ray]
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I was at the screening of Van Helsing last Tuesday and my first impression is that the movie is quite amazing.
The CGI stuff looks like it needs more work (pygmy bats look quite silly), but the werwolf and the brides are fantastic.
As far as the actors, my praise goes to Mr Richrad Roxburgh who created a new Dracula, whose sadness and hollowness is rather touching.
Kevin O’ connor is great as usual, hidden in the heaviest make up you would imagine.
Kate and Hugh team up very well even though Kate’s beauty is challenged by the three stunning vampire brides, especially by the charm of the dark head vixen ( Sylvia Colloca, I think).
On the whole, a very good job that will hit the box office!
Review by Only-A-Child for Van Helsing [Blu-ray]
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Don’t let the negative comments scare you away from this film; most of these viewers totally missed the point of the film. This is a actually a parody of the horror genre (like Polanski’s “The Fearless Vampire Killers”). So if you don’t appreciate parody don’t watch it and I’m not guaranteeing that you will find it good parody, just don’t dismiss the film because somebody thought it was serious and said or wrote something negative about it-they are probably clueless.
Parody/satire of horror films has a long tradition and ranges from the obvious (see Abbott & Costello, Mel Brooks, and “Redneck Zombies”) to the subtle (see “The Fearless Vampire Killers” and “Evil Dead”). Before reading many of the comments I would have grouped “Van Helsing” closer to the obvious, after all the film depicts a Vatican Department modeled on James Bond’s Special Weapons “Q” Section. But apparently even something so obvious is not registering with many people, if the true measure of a ‘subtle’ satire is how many people just don’t get it, then “Van Helsing” certainly qualifies.
They went into this project saying something like: “let’s use digital effects and a large budget to create the most interesting sets in horror movie history, and then use these as a backdrop for a parody of the “horror genre”. When concerns were raised about the expense for just a comedy, they pitched it as a sophisticated parody that would not get in the way of the average viewer’s desire to see a traditional vampire movie. Such a dichotomy allows the movie to generate big bucks at the box office while still providing its makers with an outlet for their creativity. But such a dichotomy means there will be a third group of viewers who cannot suspend disbelief enough to enjoy it as a horror film and yet will totally miss the parody angle (the only question is whether they too humorless to find enjoyment in such frivolity or are just a little too dim to appreciate it).
The movie opens with a visually awesome scene of the villagers storming a huge castle and burning a windmill; the sets and the music are great. Except for the overacting and the presence of an assistant named ‘Egor’ or “Igor” (see Mel Brooks reference), you would not suspect that this is anything but a serious horror film.
The film plays homage to the Karloff/Chaney films, to Abbott and Costello, Mel Brooks, James Bond and The Wild, Wild West. There is a little Phantom of the Opera and even Eli Wallach’s best line from ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ (if you’re going to shoot, shoot don’t talk). In fact they even lift the vampire ballroom scene from “The Fearless Vampire Killers”.
The individual performances are from the William Shatner School of Over-Acting with Dracula’s brides totally stealing each scene in which they are featured. I particularly liked Josie Maran (who had that great scene as the cigarette girl in “The Aviator”) as Marishka. The costumes are almost as good as the sets. The computer-generated action sequences illustrate all the problems with digital effects, but work fine as satirical devices.
So if you want to see a fun film with unparalleled visuals this is the one. Others who can suspend disbelief and ignore a few campy elements will enjoy it as a straight vampire picture. But if you are can’t, are just humorless, or don’t know the horror genre you should stay away.
Because there are really two movies here, the first viewing withholds most of the viewing pleasure; once you understand what is happening repeated viewings are even more fun. I suggest getting the “Ultimate Edition” DVD because of all the extras it contains.
Then again, what do I know? I’m only a child.
Review by brewster22 for Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
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“Jackie Brown” was widely received as a disappointing follow-up to Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” but I think it’s actually a better movie, if less obviously so. It’s hard not to be blown away by “Fiction” because of it’s sheer audacity; “Jackie Brown” is a quieter film that shows Tarantino has the potential to become a mature and sophisticated director.It’s somewhat ironic that Tarantino, associated with the young hipster audience, made this film, because at the basic level “Jackie Brown” is about getting old. All of Jackie’s motivations spring from the fact that starting over will soon become impossible for her. That the options available to a a middle-aged, lower income level, black woman in modern America are severely limited. Tarantino shows an amazing prowess for getting into the head of this woman. His sensitive direction coupled with Pam Grier’s top-notch performance combine to make Jackie one of the most compelling and honest female characters to hit the movie screen in recent years. The rest of the cast is uniformly excellent too. Robert Forster stands out as bail bondsman Max Cherry, who becomes Jackie’s partner in crime, as it were. Samuel L. Jackson does well with the kind of part he seems born to play, but his character is not as interesting as the others and so makes less of an impression. Bridget Fonda is a scene stealer as a California beach bunny, and the contrast between her and Pam Grier is used quite effectively.It’s interesting to note that in the book this movie was based on, “Rum Punch” by Elmore Leonard, Jackie was white. Changing the race of the title character to black adds a whole other dimension to the film that the book lacks. This is one case where the movie greatly improves on its source material.”Jackie Brown” will take some commitment on behalf of the viewer. It’s leisurely paced and more reliant on character study than Tarantino’s other films, but these aren’t detriments. They merely illustrate that Tarantino has some range as a director, and I hope he continues to explore that range.
Review by Mike Stone for Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
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I waited a long time to see “Jackie Brown”, because I heard it wasn’t any good, and I didn’t want to tarnish the memory of “Reservoir Dogs” or “Pulp Fiction”. Both those films were kinetic, profane, daring, and truly visceral experiences. I loved every minute of them. “Jackie Brown” is a horse of a different colour, however. It is low-key, thoughtful, tender, and assured. And, I must say, just as good.One of the main criticisms leveled against it, that I’ve heard, is that it’s too long and too slow. Well, compared to “Pulp Fiction”, which is about the same length, of course you’d think it was too slow. But that’s the way this story needs to be told, for one simple reason. “Pulp Fiction” was about young, experienced criminals, always on the go, always in control. They could afford to move quickly. “Jackie Brown”s criminals are a touch older. Jackie Brown and Bail Bondsman Max Cherry even have a conversation about what it means for men to get older (they lose their hair) verses what it means for women to get holder (their behinds get bigger). It’s actually kind of a touching, and very odd, moment to have in the middle of what should be a zippy little heist flick.Another way it differs from “Pulp” or “Dogs” (which would lead people to believe that it’s sluggish) is the lack of gunplay. Tarantino’s earlier films were defined by the style and abundance of their shootouts. “Jackie Brown” has only six gunshots. And all are essentially off-camera, or off in the distance, producing little or no blood. Now I’m not offended by violence in movies. Not at all. But it is kind of refreshing to see a director, especially one who’s made his name off it, not rely on the showy exploitation of shooting someone. When he does show it, however, the torment and suffering and guilt of the shooter is always apparent.Which brings me to the most intriguing thing about this movie. Tarantino, who the rap on in recent years has been that he’s tormented by his early success and hasn’t the confidence to make his next picture, actually shows a very assured hand in making this movie. Besides the above conversation between two aging characters, there are other places where he shows supreme confidence in his decisions. For instance, he’s cast Robert DeNiro in his movie. Okay, a no-brainer, right? Wrong. Because he’s cast DeNiro in a tiny, stoical role. Simultaneously, he’s cast Robert Forster (I know he got an Oscar nod, but before that wasn’t everyone asking “Robert who?”) in a role that’s very meaty, the tortured love-interest. A less-assured director would have switched the two actors, but Tarantino knows what he wants, and boy does he get it. DeNiro doesn’t do more than he has to in creating his understated character. And Forster steals the show with his laid-back, relaxed, but always conflicted Bail Bondsman. And Forster’s scenes with Jackie Brown are touching, chemistry-filled, and a joy to watch. Credit in this case should go to Pam Grier, as Jackie Brown, another Tarantino casting coup. Grier is asked to be maturely sexy, street-smart, tough, and vulnerable all at once. And she pulls it off without flaw. I suspect that Tarantino has fantasized most of his life about casting Pam Grier in a movie, and would have done so even if the role didn’t suit her so. But it does. It truly does. She carries the picture as not only the title character but also its emotional centre.The rest of the cast is good in their own rights. Sam Jackson was born to speak Tarantino’s dialogue, and doesn’t disappoint. He makes Ordell a genuine badass, even through his ponytail and silly little beard (and Jackson, bless his heart, even throws in a nod to my home town basketball team, the Toronto Raptors). Bridget Fonda is actually quite sexy as a layabout surfer chick, whose big mouth is bound to get her into trouble. And Michael Keaton, who I’ve always thought of as a very underrated and interesting actor, plays his ATF agent with just enough faux-cool and indifference that you’re always wondering if he’s playing Jackie or if Jackie’s playing him.While talking about character, I’d like to give kudos to Quentin for a neat little-shorthand trick he uses to define them. Each character essentially has his/her own soundtrack. A scene near the end, which cuts between several different characters driving in their cars, shows this very well. Cut from Melanie’s (Bridget Fonda) van, where faux-eighties punk is blaring, to Max Cherry’s (Robert Forster) car, which features the laid back grooves of the Delfonics, to other characters and their distinctive musical tastes. The music shifts so suddenly sometimes that it can be jarring, but it’s an effective technique. Furthermore on the music front, Tarantino liberally uses the Meters’ “Cissy Strut” near the beginning of the film, which quickly brought a smile to my face, and let me know that funky good times were ahead. “Jackie Brown” is a fine addition to Tarantino’s oeuvre. Sure, his fingerprints are all over it in some cases, such as his distinctive use of language, and his fondness for shifting time back and forth upon itself to show the same scene from several different perspectives. But it’s much more of a grown up movie. True, it’s a tad too long. But just a tad. I can take excessive verbosity from Tarantino easier than I can from any other writer/director, because he’s always fascinating, always moving, always trying to surprise, and always trying to tell a good story. “Jackie Brown” succeeds on all counts.
Review by for Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
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First off: “Jackie Brown” is not a disappointment. After the surprise success of Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” in 1994, everyone was looking for him to fail on his next attempt. Sorry, friends, but this just isn’t the case. In many ways, “Jackie Brown” is a more enjoyable ride. After repeated viewings of “Pulp Fiction” and “Reservoir Dogs,” one can easily pinpoint the weaknesses in Tarantino’s style. He uses similar references to ’70s action and blaxploitation films, he uses relic music hits from the same era, and he even uses similar character names (Marvin with no ear, meet Marvin with no head). The violence is always there, and the incessant use of profanity is always there. But “Jackie Brown” is different from these previous efforts. There’s no appearances by either Harvey Keitel or Tim Roth; instead, the film is headlined by the queen of the ’70s blaxploitation flicks, the eternally sexy Pam Grier. The supporting cast includes Robert Forster, a staple of cheesy B-movies, Samuel L. Jackson in a return to the world of Tarantino, and the very interesting threesome of Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and the ever-versatile De Niro to round out the cast. So what, besides the cast, makes the film such a knockout? While the profanity level has been toned down, Tarantino’s script loses no edge and maintains a constant freshness and sense of humor. Grier has never been much of an actress, but she’s always had a certain charm, and she uses this charm effectively in “Jackie Brown.” Forster gives his most memorable performance here, playing the role of Max Cherry with complete control and positive cool. Fonda is great as Melanie, and Keaton has a blast playing ATF agent Ray Nicolet, but De Niro steals the show as Louis Gara. De Niro has one of his better supporting roles here, and he makes the most of it. Louis is something of a dimwit, but only De Niro could inject the character with as much humor as he has here. The film, at 154m, is probably too long and overindulgent, but Tarantino presents us with an interesting plot, and some equally interesting subplots to boot. The most effective of these is the relationship that builds between Grier and Forster; there is an attraction there, but the insecurities of each character prevents this from ever reaching a climax. The film is colorful, has solid (but not brilliant) direction, and, aside from some serious lapses in logic, the script flows seamlessly. And guess what? There’s no guest appearance by the man himself, who must have realized after “From Dusk Till Dawn” that, while he may be a writer and a director, and actor he is not. “Jackie Brown” reveals the limitations of Quentin Tarantino, but the film is still a riot, and one of the most entertaining of 1997. That’s more than I can say for James Cameron’s “Titanic,” which fails on all levels for me, despite what the critics say. “Jackie Brown” delivers a knockout punch. It’s great to see that some Elmore Leonard novels are finally getting the big-screen treatments that they deserve.
Review by James Ferguson for Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
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Tarrantino showed his maturity in this film, assembling a very fine cast in a wry transformation of Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch. Always one to have fun with 70′s action films, Tarrantino’s masterstroke was resurrecting Pam Grier in the title role. Grier, who made her career in such blaxploitation movies as Coffy and Foxy Brown, gives a star performance in this film. She is well balanced by Samuel L. Jackson as Ordell, a two-bit drug dealer, and Robert Forster, who turns in a remarkably understated performance as Max Cherry, a bail bondsman.
Tarrantino pretty much followed the 70′s action film formula here, letting the movie build slowly and relying heavily on dialog to carry the action. Once again, he has underscored his film with a fine soundtrack, which even includes a track from the Brothers Johnson, Strawberry Letter 23, as Ordell does away with one of his runners. But those used to Tarrantino’s high octane films may be disappointed with this one, but I found it to be a very enjoyable departure from his usual fare.
Review by Ari Weiss for Jackie Brown (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
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Jackie Brown: rated R, 2 hours and 40 minutes Jackie Brown is an incredibly well played movie about guns, drugs, and money. Half a million in cash is up for grabs, and the only way to obtain it is by figuring out who is playing whom.
When Jackie (a stunning Pam Grier) is caught at an airport carrying a veritably large sum of money and a bag of crack, the outline of the story is formed. Jackie is held in custody facing possible time in prison, when the deceptive Ordell, played by black talking Samuel L. Jackson steps into the picture. Ordell hires an honest bailbondsman, Max Cherry, to release Ms. Brown. While Ordell takes care of business, we see behind-the-scenes conversations between the spaced out Robert De Niro, as Lewis, and the dim-witted Bridget Fonda, as Melanie, two of Ordell’s main connections. Jackie becomes caught between two sides, both with equal objectives. Ray (Michael Keaton), the cop that apprehended Jackie earlier is after small time arms dealer, Ordell, and Ordell is pulling Jackie into his scheme of acquiring the cash. Meanwhile, Lewis and Melanie have their own plans of taking the money. Jackie can’t afford to get into any more legal trouble, and if she doesn’t cooperate with the man she owes her freedom to, she will be killed, which sets the stage for the perfect swindle.
Quentin Tarantino, creator of Jackie Brown, is master of `film noir’, and adds an interesting perspective to one scene in particular. Jackie is forced by the feds to frame Ordell, and according to Ordell, she is supposed to double-cross them. Caught in the middle, Jackie must fake an exchange of marked bills, in order to seem loyal to both. The switch is shown through three different viewpoints, adding greatly to the effect. The first time, Jackie is shown leaving the bag of money in a dressing room. Next, Lewis and Melanie are shown actually making the exchange, with the real bag of money left behind in the dressing room, and a suspicious Max Cherry watching. Lastly, Max Cherry watches as Lewis and Melanie swap bags, and the actual bag of cash left for him to pick up. By doing this, the big picture is seen through bits and pieces. Tarantino deserves much credit for its ingenious execution, and Jackie Brown in its entirety is recognized as a success, with phenomenal acting by the whole cast, primarily Pam Grier.