The Best of Judge David Johnson (Oct 2003 - present)
Commando: Director's Cut (17 Sep 2007)
Few movies offer such a perfect storm of all the conventions that made '80s action red-meat roid ragers so fantastic. This review allowed me to further explore the nuanced intricacies of the genre, which means, you know, make fun of the name "John Matrix" for about 1,300 words.
Inside (4 Apr 2008)
A truly messed-up horror movie. Having been subjected to countless shockers through my Verdict tenure, I've developed a solid outer shell resistant to the creeps that cinematic horror provides. This French mindscrew, though --man, I still shudder when I think about that ending on the staircase.
Full House: The Complete Third Season (19 April 2006)
Really this whole ridiculous affair was an excuse to write "Who Shot Uncle Jesse?" and get it published.
He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special (8 Feb 2006)
It's not necessarily a noteworthy release, but as the official He-Man reviewer for the site, it's as good as any of the roughly 200 billion discs I've plowed through during my tour of Eternia. Plus, Skeletor is nailed with a heaping dose of the Christmas spirit!
Fist of Legend (15 Sep 2008)
Dragon Dynasty is my favorite DVD label. They've consistently released stellar treatments of kick-ass Asian actioners. In my opinion, this is Jet Li's greatest film, one of the finest Kung Fu flicks ever crafted, and the special edition treats it as such.
NWF Kids Pro Wrestling Summer Sizzler Extravaganza (15 Jan 2005)
Can't have a list without this dubious slice of Verdict history. Never has a review of mine prompted so many malevolent emails promising bodily harm, the threat of litigation (which led to a postscript by the DVD's producer on the actual review), criticism from my peers, and the complete alienation of the adolescent-Midwest-wrestlers-from-the-mid-1980s demographic.
Tomcat Angels (31 Oct 2003)
One of my very first reviews and the kickoff to a long and glorious relationship between myself and whatever it was Troma felt like vomiting forth that month. Of special note is my tenuous grasp on the scoring model at the time. The flick sucked for sure, but in retrospect, a 20 strikes me as overly harsh.
For Your Height Only / Challenge of the Tiger (8 Nov 2005)
Two sublime imports from the great Mondo Macabro, a studio which has excelled at bringing all manner of foreign lunacy to our shores. Challenge is inspired chop-socky weirdness, between its scenes of slow-motion topless tennis playing and a fight between "Bruce Le"and a bull, but it's For Your Height Only--the tale of a three-foot tall Philipino secret agent--that scores consistent replay value in the Johnson household.
Hot Fuzz (HD DVD) (9 Aug 2007)
One of my all-time favorite movies and to date the dopest high-definition release I've encountered. From the perfect sound and picture to the overwhelming amount of supplemental material, this has been my gold standard--that is until we get the "Super Deluxe Peck Edition" of Willow on Blu-ray, complete with full-color liner notes, commentary from Meegosh and Burglecut, and collectible plastic magic acorns.
Gymkata (30 Jan 2007)
The greatest bad movie ever made received a sadly barren DVD treatment, but who cares. Here, finally is your chance to take in the spectacle of all-star gymnast Kurt Thomas kicking mentally handicapped village people in the head the way it was meant to be seen--drunk. Plus, I got to record my own personal audio commentary!
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