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Director Robert Aldrich had a knack for depicting outsiders with originality and authenticity. Much like The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Yard is a popular fable about integrity and group unity. It possesses a requisite toughness along with the loneliness that accompanies the outsider status. Compromise is never easy in an Aldrich film. There's always a bitter price to pay.

Burt Reynolds, in peak form, plays a former pro quarterback ostracized for shaving points. After beating up his girlfriend and resisting arrest, Reynolds winds up in prison, where he's taunted by warden Eddie Albert to help his semiprofessional team of guardsmen win a championship. Naturally, the inmates despise Reynolds, and naturally he redeems himself in one of the great movie football matches of all time. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A CLASSIC FROM THE 1970'S
Well on the eve of the remake being released it's time to look back at one of the classic movies of the 1970's, The Longest Yard.Burt Reynolds was at his peak in the mid-1970's with a string of hits and reigned as Hollywood's box-office king.This movie had a stellar supporting cast which helped make it one of the great sports movies of all time.

Reynolds is Paul "wrecking" Crewe, a former pro quarterback who is sent to a Georgia prison after leading police on a drunken car chase.Crewe finds himself ostracized from his fellow inmates because of his "star" status but eventually befriends Caretaker (James Hampton of F-Troop) and an elderly inmate named Pop.Eddie Arnold (of Green Acres fame) is Warden Hazen, a typical evil prison warden who has a semi-pro football team made up of the prison guards that he is very proud of.

The Warden forces Crewe to put together a football team of inmates to play his guards in a scrimmage game.Crewe is reluctant and just wants to do his time but when the Warden threatens to make his time very tough, Crewe relents and he and Caretaker begin trying to find players.At first Crewe is stuck with a bunch of stiffs, partly because the black inmates refuse to play until one named Granville breaks the ice and decides to play.Crewe then enlists the services of several "specialists" including 7' 2" tall Richard Kiel playing a weightlifter named Samson, and the baddest guy in the joint, Connie Shokner, played by one of the great screen heavies of the 1970's, Robert Tessier.One note is that the Indian inmate was played by Sonny Sixkiller who was a well known QB at the University of Washington in the early 1970's and still holds several passing records.

With Caretaker's help they manage to steal the guard's personal medical records to find out which have had previous injuries to take advantage of and also steal game uniforms.The guard team is led by Guard Captain Knauer (Ed Lauter) and former NFL great Ray Nitschke playing a guard named Bodanski.This all culminates in the big game where Crewe is forced to make a VERY big decision about how well he wants to play in the game.

The remake of The Longest Yard is going to have some very big shoes to fill.They appear to have done a great job on the supporting cast which includes wrestlers Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg and kevin Nash along with 7' tall Indian power lifter Dalip Singh, and Bob Sapp to go along with actual actors Chris Rock, James Cromwell and David Patrick Kelly who people may remember as the crazy gang leader in the cult film "The Warriors".

This special edition DVD was a welcome additon with it's Burt Reynolds commentary as well as the making of featurettes.Great film.Hopefully the remake does it justice.

Great fun
One of my favourite movies of all time and I don't even like football. I just can't believe they pick Adam Sandler for the leading role of the remake. Big mistake. No comparison at all. He looks like a wimp, and acts like a wimp. I agree with the other review saying to pls enjoy this one before the remake comes out.

The Mean Machine is meaner than ever
Robert Aldrich's greatest gift as a film director was his ability to show bad boys and nonconformists in such a sympathetic light. "The Longest Yard" features Reynolds before he traded on his bad boyish charm in all his film roles. Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) is a former bad boy football player who ends up in prison for "stealing" his girlfriend's car. His life has fallen apart since he was banned from the game for shaving points.Crewe is pressured by the Warden (Eddie Albert)to coach the guards' semi-pro team to earn a national title. When he refuses (out of preservation for his own skin) Crewe must lead the team of prisoners (called "The Mean Machine") against the guards in an exhibition game where the prisoners are expected to lose. Crewe has a couple of surprises in store for the Warden. The good news about this remake is that it prompted the studio to re-release this classic film. I have no idea if the remake is any good as of yet but we do have the classic original in top form.

An exceptionally nice transfer from Paramount, "The Longest Yard" has some minor issues with grain (that's not a flaw in the transfer I might add but it can be minimized during the transfer or made much, much worse) but that's probably due to the type of film and its age. The image quality is exceptionally good with such robust colors you can almost feel the humidity. The mono sound is a bit flat but with clear dialogue.

Three featurettes are highlights of this re-release. "Doing Time" features Reynolds and Ruddy discussing the making of the movie. The fact that Reynolds played college ball was an advantage for him in the role. Sports Illustrated writer Michael Silver discusses how nasty Paul Crewe is yet we forgive him because he's so funny and charming. The sports writers interviewed for the disc point out that watching Reynolds on the field its clear that he played college ball. "Unleashing The Mean Machine" we hear from a variety of pro players and sports writers discussing what makes "The Longest Yard" the best football movie ever made. Ruddy points out how he managed to convince Jimmy Carter (governor at the time of Georgia). Reynolds comments on his first meeting with Carter. The soon-to-be President of the United States told Reynolds that if Reynolds was taken prisoner, "if they take you hostage I will take your place gladly." Aldrich turned to Reynolds after and told him, "this man will be President some day. He's lying through his teeth beautifully".

A new and fun commentary track with producer Albert S. Ruddy ("The Godfather") and star Burt Reynolds discussing the making of the movie is a highlight of this classic 1974 film. Shot on location Reynolds in the South, Reynolds comments frequently about the difficult working conditions shooting in the swamp. He never knew when and if they might have a cottonmouth show up. Reynolds and many of the actors actually stayed at the former prison where they shot the film. Reynolds points out the various former pro and college football players that appear in the film. They discuss the prep for shooting the big game and how they pulled the illusion together for this film.

A classic film gets a classy presentation on DVD. An excellent commentary track by Reynolds and Ruddy are a highlight of this terrific reissue on DVD. Two very good featurettes on the making of the movie and one where pros and writers comment on reality of what you see in the film.

Quick!Enjoy the original before the remake comes out!
I want to make the argument that "The Longest Yard" is an important film in the history of the movies because this 1974 comedy represents the point in cinematic history where a guy getting hit between the legs was funny for the last time. To be specific it was the moment in the film where it happened for the second time, which was even funnier than the first time it had happened, which was just a minute earlier in the movie. Ever since then I have not found these scenes to be anywhere near as funny because all such efforts are just pale imitations of what happens here.

"The Longest Yard" is solid B-movie material from start to finish. Burt Reynolds is Paul Crewe, a former pro quarterback who was banned from the sport for shaving points and ended up in prison for having some fun with the cops joy riding. In a nice example of casting against type Eddie Albert is the sadistic warden who is quite proud of the football team he has put together from the prison guards. So he decides that Crewe should put together a team from the prisoners for a friendly little game of football. Crewe is inclined not to be accommodating, but the warden, no doubt sensing a failure to communicate, persuades the ex-jock to get with the game plan.

We have to go through some rather trite and tired routines as Crewe puts together his team just so we can get to the fun part of the movie, which is the big football game. Obviously the cons are playing for self-respect and if the warden is stupid enough to give them the opportunity to pay back the guards for their brutal treatment under the guise of a football game, then we should just enjoy the fun. The set up might be stupid, but the game itself is one of the better staged pigskin competitions we have seen in a movie to date. Besides, the Mean Machine uses the drop kick, which I have always wanted to see ever since I read about it in "Gil Thorp" way back when. Certainly director Robert Aldrich takes the time to play the came and he makes excellent use of the split-screen to avoid having to constantly cut between the action on the field and the drama on the sidelines.

Reynolds is certainly the star of the film (he tells his team, "The most important thing to remember is: to protect your quarterback. ME!"), and the ex-Florida State football player certainly makes for a believable jock on the field (hey, the guy was drafted by the Baltimore Colts), while Albert clearly relishes the chance to forget all about Eva Gabor and have fun with the dark side. "Iron" Mike Conrad, before he became a cult figure as Sgt. Esterhaus on "Hill Street Blues," has a memorable turn as Nate Scarboro, one of the cons whose knees are not as strong as his heart so he has to settle for being the coach of the Mean Machine. Ed Lauter is Captain Knauer, the head of the guards, who manages not to be a total jerk about what is going on in the end as the film goes for one last over the top moment at the end.

Not to be mistaken for high art, "The Longest Yard" is a party film, perfect when you are in the mood for a little football. It was actually up for an Oscar for Best Film Editing (Michael Luciano), undoubtedly for that split screen work, and even won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy (beating out "The Front Page," "Harry and Tonto," "The Little Prince" and "The Three Musketeers"). Having already been made as a soccer (the other "football" movie, "Mean Machine"), "The Longest Yard" is about to be released with Adam Sandler and James Cromwell squaring off (Burt Reynolds is along for the ride as Coach Nate Scarboro). I wonder if Brian Bosworth played "Kill the Star" with Sandler the way Ray Nitschke did with Reynolds in the original. There could be some very interesting outtakes on that DVD down the road.

"Mean Machine! Mean Machine! Mean Machine!"
In the 1970's, there was a small genre of movies, that the studios released, that could best be termed, football comedies. These were a series of films that sort of aped the spirit of Jim Bouton's best selling baseball book, "Ball Four" about the rowdy and scatalogical antics of modern day pro-athletes. Most movie fans consider three films to be the best of this genre. They include "North Dallas Fourty", "Semi-Tough" and of course "The Longest Yard". When it comes to "North Dallas Fourty", I have to be truthful and admit that I've never seen it. I really can't make an informed opinion about it. But,"Semi-Tough really is a very funny film comedy. But let's face it...it's not really about football. It's more of a satire of the 'self-help/feel good' movements (such as E.S.T.) that were all the rage in the 1970's. That leaves, what I like to think of as the gold standard of football movie comedies, "The Longest Yard". This hilarious film is basically M*A*S*H* on steroids. A group of people trapped in a situation trying to relieve their boredom & frustrations through off-color jokes, rowdy antics and a love for football (for those who have never seen it, the film, M*A*S*H* ends in a humourously rowdy, football game). "The Longest Yard" is about Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) a former superstar, pro quarterback, who is living life as a disgraced, has-been. After a drunken fight with his wealthy girlfriend and a wild police chase in a stolen Mazardi, he finds himself looking at eighteen months of hard time in a Florida correctional facility. But this isn't just any prison. Apparently both the guards, the inmates and especially the nefarious Warden (Eddie Albert) take their football, waaaayyyy to seriously! The Warden hatches a plan for Crewe to put together and play with a team of felons in a tune-up game against his own semi-pro team made up of the brutally, sadistic guards. What starts out as a supposedly, friendly (and very funny) game soon devolves into a brutal, grudge match in which the Warden attempts to humiliate the Cons and send a message to the rest of the prison population. It's up to Crewe to keep this from happening. This is a great film with a plot (and hard hitting, realistic game), that gets the viewer really involved. I mean what film do you know, where the good guys are unrepented hard core felons (refered to by the hypocritical guards as "scum of the Earth") and we want to root for them? The film is helmed by an excellent cast playing interesting characters. Burt Reynolds plays a man, who when under presure finally learns, that there is more to life than just thinking about himself. This is probably Reynold's best acting job in any of his film comedies (he only breaks himself up once). His only better work has been in dramas such as "Deliverance" & "Boogie Nights". Eddie Albert is also great as the evil Warden, who on one hand, publicly spouts speeches about the "All-American" values and virtues of the game of football, but is privately more than willing to vindictively lie and cheat, all in the name of winning. Other standouts in the cast include Robert Tessier as Shockner, a silent, Karate chopping, psychopath and 7'2" Richard Kiel (in a pre James Bond role) as a giant, violent prisoner, who hilariously dosn't seem to know his own strength. Also look for Bernadette Peters in a brief, sexy cameo (and a huge B-52 hairdo) as the Warden's amorous secretary. If you like football movies or just plain gut-busting, funny movie comedies (or both) than get "The Longest Yard"! Great movie! Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (199)

Probably the best movie about loving the movies
Rightfully known as a movie for people who love the movies, "Cinema Paradiso" ("Nuovo cinema Paradiso") is Giuseppe Tornatore's 1988 memoir of growing up in a small Sicilian town. A famous film director returns home for the first time in years to attend the funeral of an old man, but this bit of foreshadowing hardly prepares us for the depth of the tale. For the young Salvatore who is called Toto (Salvatore Cascio), the center of the universe is the local cinema and its projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret). When we first see them together in the projection booth, Alfredo is editing out the kissing and other inappropriate scenes from a new film under the supervision of the local priest, Father Adelfio (Leopoldo Trieste) who rings a bell every time he finds something objectionable. The good father rings the bell a lot, to the dismay of the local citizens who bemoan the fact they have never seen a kiss on screen. Unlike most films featuring the cute kid and the grumpy old man, "Cinema Paradiso" presents the odd couple as kindred spirits from the very start. They both love the same thing: the movies. Even when the adolescent Salvatore (Marco Leonardi) discovers something else to love besides the movies in the form of a young woman named Elena (Agnese Nano), he is equally devote in his new obsession, standing outside her window for days in the pouring rain to impress her. Of course Salvatore loves not only the Cinema house but Alfredo as well, and when tragedy befalls them both he has to take his place in a new world while hanging on to the old. Finally, Alfredo has to kick Salvatore out of the nest and send him off into the world with the warning never to come back, because Salvatore's dreams will never be realized in the town of his birth. "Cinema Paradiso" is a film that captures both the pain as well as the joy of remembering the past. When the grown Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) opens up the gift left to him by the man who was much more than his father figure, we know immediately exactly what he has received. But that knowledge does not attract from the emotional impact of that glorious final montage.

One of the Best Films of the Last 20 Years
Guiseppe Tornatore's masterpiece proves for once, and for all, that you can indeed go home again. "Cinema Paradiso" is a timeless tribute to family, friendship and love as seen through the eyes of Toto, a filmmaker, who abandons his small town roots in search of that elusive "something more" in life. In a truly universal manner, Toto experiences success, failure, love and emptiness prior to the film's beautiful finale in which life's true meaning becomes clear to him. The childhood relationship between Toto and his father figure Alfredo, a projectionest at the local cinema, is the centerpiece of the film. Their ensuing lifelong friendship is simply priceless. The legendary Ennio Morricone's unforgettable score provides the perfect emotional backdrop . Overall, "Cinema Paradiso" is a stunning film that works on all levels. A word of warning: even the most macho of all macho will have trouble holding back tears during the film's remarkable final 15 minutes. Not to be missed!

Only one word that pops out when watching this: NOSTALGIA!!!
To make it short, this is the one and only movie that makes me cry every time I watch it. It's the kind of movie that melts your heart and keeps you thinking about it for days ahead. Also, I've never heard a soundtrack as beautiful as the one in this movie. It only helps bring out your tears more easily, especially in the last sequence.

A passion for film and filmmaking
I have not seen the "new Director's cut" version, and based on what the other reviewers have been saying, I'm so very glad. This movie has always had a special place in my film heart.

The theme of love has never really been so subtly and wonderfully dramatized. And the love is on so many levels: love for the opposite sex, love for filmmaking, love for family, love for one's hometown, etc. The plot is deceivingly simple and traditional but there are elements that are very unique. What particularly appeals to me isn't just the developing relationships among the main characters, but the relationships going on among the townsfolk. The extras are not anonymous here: all the patrons of the Cinema Paradiso have a slim storyline that are quite amusing. (In one sequence, a young couple are kissing. Next time we see them they're doing something more than just kissing. By the end of the film, they have a family in tow.)

Anyway, the story aside, CINEMA PARADISO is so gorgeously filmed, it's so pleasing to the eye that it's almost unbearable. This is a film for lovers of film and filmmaking.

Stay away from the director's cut
Cinema Paradiso is one of my favorite movies ever. This review is about the director's cut, it just ruins the whole movie. If you loved the original movie, don't watch this new version.

Cinema Paradiso is mainly a love story. But it's not about the relationship between Toto and Elena, it's about the relationship between Toto and Alfredo. The new version turns the whole move upside down. Not only the plot, but the characters too. Elena becomes the most important part of the story. And the character of Alfredo becomes a completely different person through the eyes of Toto. I don't want to give away anything about the "new" plot. But believe me, the director's cut and it's brand new 51 minutes changes the whole movie into -what a critic said, "mundane soup opera." ... Read more

Reviews (97)

Comedy, Poetry, Hot Chick
I'll begin with a confession: I was reluctant to watch this film. It was snobbish on my part. A recent interview with Tara Reid in MAXIM portrayed the actress as a shallow ditz, and I doubted that the voluntary suspension of disbelief would succeed in allowing me to see her as serious college student Gwen Pearson. This was the crux of my objection to NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VAN WILDER. My husband cleverly defeated my opposition with the "Yes, but she's a really hot chick" argument, and we bought the DVD. To my surprise, Reid pulls off the act, dropping words like "pander" and phrases like "benevolent agenda" as if they had belonged in her personal vocabulary bank all along.

The writing goes far beyond clever. It's down right poetic, with lines dance on the ear like a butterfly on a buttercup. Take, for example, "That's no bong! That's for my shlong!" Watch out Shakespeare.

Best of all, the movie answers the age-old question: What was Ferris Bueller like in college? Van Wilder (Ryan Reynonds) fits the mold rather closely. He's a philanthropist who knows how to have a good time. He's funny, good looking, and popular with just about everyone. Brilliant ideas like topless tutors and the naked mile run are a-dime-a-dozen with this guy. Most importantly, he gets away with everything. I'm glad I didn't get away with turning my nose up at this delightfully amusing film. So even if you're skeptical, give it a try, and don't neglect to consider that Tara Reid's a really hot chick.

It Felt Great To Laugh Freely Once Again
National Lampoon's Van Wilder is an absolutely Hillarious movie. It was so refreshing to see a movie where you can laugh freely once again without having to worry about whether or not what you're laughing at is Politically Correct or not. Who Cares, it's just a movie for Gosh Sakes, if it's funny, LAUGH! Ryan Reynolds is very charasmatic as Van Wilder, who is a College Campus Party Liason, who would rather party than study, until he's forced to, and then he shows that he can be serious when he has to. Kal Penn as Taj, Van's personal assistant, is hillarious, a job well done, and Tara Reid as Gwen Pearson, a student reporter who at first does a hatchet job story on Van, but then has the decency to print a follow up, much more researched truthful story on Van, something a lot of real life media members should have done long ago with regards to stories they've written on certain celebrities, especially, Tara Reid herself, who for some unknown and totally unfair reason has been designated as a media scratching post. She does a very good job in the film, especially considering what she had to work with, and the fact that she basically had to portray the "straight man" to everyone elses comedic performances. Her on screen presence, as usual is captivating. The eclair scene (when you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about), is very gross, it's extremely funny the very first time you see it, but every time I've watched it since, it truly is disgusting. But that's only one scene. All in all it's an absolutely hillarious movie, fine performances all around, and had it been any other actress, especially a "Hollywood Favourite", other than Tara Reid, they couldn't have portrayed the role of Gwen Pearson any better... Anyways, for a good laugh, and just to be able to forget about the hardships or trials and tribulations of the everyday rat race, just for an hour and a half or so, see this movie.

A very well-scripted comedy masterpiece...
This was avery funny movie that I enjoyed thoroughly from start to finish.Some of my favorite moments in this film included the eclair-stuffing scene involving the dog and the Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity,the hockey showdown,and when Gwen mixed up the "bloating formula".

Van Dumber
Let's put it this way: it takes a lot more than farting strippers and a dog with giant testicles to make me laugh. Should we have to watch another wannabe actor try to distinguish himself by doing what looks like a bad Jim Carey impression throughout the movie? What do you call toilet humor without the humor? Will Tara Reid ever act, or will she be stuck in an eye-candy phone booth forever? Is sex talk supposed to be funny just because it's coming out of the mouth of an ethnic guy with an accent? When a movie has nothing else going for it, is throwing in a pair of naked boobs really going to make much difference? These are but some of the questions "Van Wilder" poses.
Here's a tip for the guys over at National Lampoon:
Animal House = a funny movie about idiots
Vacation = a very funny movie about an idiot
Van Wilder = an unfunny movie starring, and made by, idiots
Moral: Comedies are supposed to be funny.

Best...Movie...Ever!!!
Van Wilder is the type of movie that you either love or hate...and I think if you are a teenager or in your young 20's, you will absolutely love this movie. I bought it when it was first released on DVD and didn't watch it until about 2 months after owning it, but when I finally got around to watching it I realized taht I made a huge mistake waiting as long as I did, as this was truly a great movie. The emotion is very apparent as I felt like I got to know the characters and it led me to follow Ryan Reynold's career by buying "The In-Laws" when that came out on DVD as well. I also became an avid "Two Guys and A Girl" watcher after catching him on it, as he is a great actor for these kind of roles. Pretty much everyone I've watched this movie with has gone into the movie thinking "this can't be as good as he's making it out to be" and then after the movie is over, they go out and buy the dvd themselves, so do yourselves a favor and buy this one as well... ... Read more

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To call Pearl Harbor a throwback to old-time war movies is something of an understatement. Director Michael Bay's epic take on the bombing that brought the United States into World War II hijacks every war movie situation and cliché (some affectionate, some stale) you've ever seen and gives them a shiny, glossy spin until the whole movie practically gleams. Planes glisten, water sparkles, trees beckon--and Bay's re-creation of the bombing itself, a 30-minute sequence that's tightly choreographed and amazingly photographed, sets the action movie bar up quite a few notches. And in updating the classic war film, Bay and screenwriter Randall Wallace (Braveheart) use that old plot standby, the love triangle--this time, it's between two pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a nurse (Kate Beckinsale) who find themselves stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, during what they thought would be a nice, sunny tour of duty. Then, of course, history intervened.

For the first 90 minutes of the movie, Affleck and Beckinsale find a nice, appealing chemistry that plays on his strengths as a movie star and hers as a serious actress--he gives her glamour, she gives him smarts. Their truncated romance--the beginning of which is told in flashback so we can get right to the point where he has to leave her to go to England--works, thanks to their charm. They're no Kate and Leo from Titanic (a strategy the film strives hard toward), but they're pretty darn adorable in their own right. Hartnett, as the not entirely unwelcome third wheel, squints bravely but makes only a slight dent in the film. Everyone else in Pearl Harbor--from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brave navy seaman to Jon Voight's able impersonation of FDR--is pretty much a glorified walk-on, taking a backseat to the pyrotechnics and action sequences that keep the three-hour film in fairly constant motion. But when that action does take hold, Pearl Harbor is quite a thrilling ride. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (1812)

'Pearl Harbor' a big misfire
From up to its pretty exciting 15-minute sequence as the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, 'Pearl Harbor' is a lumbering, barely involving film, which gives us a love triangle between two hunkish World War II fighter pilots, Josh Harnett and Ben Affleck and pretty nurse Kate Beckinsale.

'Pearl Harbor' tries to capture the atmosphere and engaging set up of 1997's better "Titanic" by setting up three star-crossed lovers, instead of the usual two. It fails terribly, but it's mostly scripter Randall Wallace's fault, which tries to balance three to four subplots by compromising the film's integrity and intelligence.

This 3+ hour film is obviously meant as a tribute to the people who died December 7, 1942 and has pretty nice cinematography, but the film itself is a shoddy-made puzzle in which all the pieces don't quite fit together.

The characters wallow in sentimentality and the film unsuccessfully tries to create atmosphere, romance and humor, but the film's bottom drops out in the final third, not only to reveal a plot full of holes, but a incomprehensible story told in bad faith.

Sorry, Bruckheimer. Nice try but no cigar.

September 11, 2001: Another "date that will live in infamy!"
"Pearl Harbor" is a movie of far greater importance after the terrorists attacks of September 11. We are now at war against ideologues committed to destroying our nation. Americans only a few months ago considered "Pearl Harbor" as merely a depiction of a bygone tragic era, but not particularly relevant to our present
concerns. Needless to add, this mindset is no longer embraced by the majority. Jon Voight brilliantly portrays President Franklin D. Roosevelt. You will have a difficult time remaining stoic and tearless when Voight gives tongue to Roosevelt's famous radio speech to the American people after the Japanese treacherous
December 7, 1941 assault on Pearl Harbor. "We are at war," declared the President and "we have been described as weaklings and playboys" unwilling to overcome formidable obstacles, and too cowardly to fight. Does this rhetoric sound familiar? History has been repeated, and once again we are challenged to bravely confront our enemies.

The cast that includes Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding Jr, Josh Harnett, Alec Baldwin, and Jon Voight are fantastic. Michael Bay should be congratulated for directing this work of art. The lengthy battle scene ranks among the best of all time. Every moral person should also be taken aback by the scene
where a wounded seaman curses a Japanese-American physician who comes to his aid. Racial and ethnic bigotry was wrong in 1941, and must be wholeheartedly rejected today when some less than admirable individuals are tempted to blame their fellow Americans of Arab descent for the horror of just a few weeks ago. The
United States courageously and ethically faced its enemies over fifty years ago. We must do so once again.

The very fact that this film's creators relied so extensively on focus groups to guide the making of this film was a serious mistake. Both Liberal and Conservative commentators used this as an excuse to blast "Pearl Harbor" immediately upon its initial release. Many wrongly concluded that these marketing studies might be dismissed as a mere cynical attempt by the producers to increase their profits. I strongly disagree with this assessment, and instead strongly recommend that every citizen view this film at least once. It may very well be your duty to so.

Awesome deleted scenes
This is the DVD to get, it has the deleted scenes of the love affair between Doolittle (played by Baldwin) and Beckinsale - the child Beckinsale carries was actually Doolittle's, not Josh Harnett's - in this restored, original version

good but not THAT good
This is a good movie but not great. It's way too long and the actors are not really that good. The special effects are amazing to look at but it gets boring after a while. Jennifer Garner had a very small role in the movie. Why didn't she got a bigger part is beyond me. This unrated version is not that special only has a lot more gore/violence. Why did I waste time and money on this one I really don't know. If you love violence movies buy this now if now avoid it at all costs.

Pearl Harbore, and inaccurate
I must say that, when I saw this film. I was expecting a high intensity build towards the ultimate climax of the attack itself. Instead, we get the usual Hollywood love fest, Hollywood liberties on the truth (though I am not bothered by the liberties themselves, but sometimes the liberties are too ridiculous!) For example, some of the ships used in the movie to be hit by torpedoes are woefully modern, IE not of WWII time period. The Doolittle Raid, look at the aircraft carrier, it shows an angle that only modern nuclear ACC's have, back then the ACC's were long rectangler shaped vessels.

Lastly, I just found it boring and it was like the director was attempting to do a Titanic style story with fictional characters caught in a love triangle all the while the story builds towards the attack as a secondary mentioning. Just way too much Hollywood liberties taken against one of the darkest times for America, and I can't help but feel that the veterans, especially those who were there, should have been given something that respected them more.

I will say though, the attack itself is stunning, why I give it two stars... other than that this movie falls flat for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You're better off having been born after, say, 1965, if you really want to enjoy this corny romantic comedy and its abundant references to the MTV culture of the mid-1980s--and even then the odds are only 50-50 that you'll have a shamelessly good time. But a lot of people beat those odds, because The Wedding Singer was a surprise box-office hit when released in early 1998, and it resulted in Saturday Night Live graduate Adam Sandler's salary going ridiculously sky-high. It's a schizophrenic film about a seemingly schizophrenic wedding singer (Sandler) who's charmingly sweet to some people but a tongue-lashing maniac to others, probably out of frustration over his fading ambition as a wannabe rock star (not to mention Sandler's penchant for loud-mouthed lunacy). When he meets an admiring young waitress (delightfully played by Drew Barrymore), it's love at first sight, complicated by their pending marriages to much less appealing fiancés. The plot then contorts itself to accommodate this contrived will-they-or-won't-they? scenario, so you're better off ignoring the love story and focusing on the comedy, which is sporadic but occasionally hilarious. This is also a lighter, friendlier Sandler than moviegoers had seen before, which probably accounts for the movie's success. Toss in a fine supporting cast--including a show-stopping drunk act by indie-movie stalwart Steve Buscemi--and you've got the ingredients for a no-brainer that's ultimately more fun than it is annoying. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (251)

Adam's Best
You are cordially invited to fall in love with one of the funniest romantic comedies of the year! It's 1985 and Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) is the ultimate master of ceremonies...until he is left at the altar at his own wedding. Devastated, he becomes a newlywed's worst nightmare - an entertainer who can do nothing but destroy other people's weddings. It's not until he meets a warm-hearted waitress named Julia (Drew Barrymore) that he starts to pick up the pieces of his heart. The only problem is, Julia's about to have a wedding of her own and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a lifetime, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

From big hair to Billy Idol (as himself), The Wedding Singer features a hilarious cast and a platinum soundtrack including 80's hits from Culture Club, David Bowie and The Police.

One of Adam Sandler`s Best Films.
Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) is a talented singer, who is the Ulimate Master at Ceremonies but When he`s about to get married, his girlfriend (Angela Featherstone) left him at the altar at his wedding. Mad at the world and especially himself, only thing, he could do is destory other`s people wedding just into he meets a soft-hearted waitress named Julia (Drew Barrymore) helps him to pick up the broken pieces of his heart. When Robbie meets Julia`s fiancee (Matthew Grove) and finding out that he`s a real jerk (especially when he manipulated Julia`s heart). Robbie falls in love with her, unless he could pull off a genuine moment with Julia before she gets married with a SOB.

Directed by Frank Coraci (The Waterboy) made a wonderful memorable romantic comedy that is absolutely satisfying. Sandler brings One of his Best Roles as a Struggling Song Writer & Barrymore is adorable as the Woman of his Dreams. This was a Surprise Box Office Hit, when it was release in the Winter of 1998. Carrie Fisher did some re-writes for this film, which she`s uncredited. Allen Covert is also fun as Robbie`s best friend and Christine Taylor is also attractively sexy as Julia`s Cousin. DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer (also in Pan & Scan) with an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are a Theatrical Trailer, Cast & Information & Three Karoke Songs. Billy Idol appears in a amusing cameo and also Jon Lovitz as a ridiculous Party Singer. Steve Bucesmi appears unbilled in a funny bit. Written by Tim Herlihy. Grade:A-.

very funny!!!
Adam sandler and Drew barrymore go nuts in this hilariouse romantic comedy, like 50 first dates.

"PERFECT."

One of the all-time romantic greats
This is one of the best all-time romantic comedies. You should be well-versed in 1980s pop culture to get the true humor, but a good time by all is basically guaranteed. One of my all-time favs!

Drew barrymore, and adam. 22nd may 2004.
The film was ace, i thought by watching it that drew and adam would be brill together for real life. They are great friends and they both act together soooooooo cool! Drew is funny in a couple of parts of the film i certainly think she should be a comedian, she is sooooooooooo funny. I really enjoyed one of there other films they made together 50 first dates, that was soooooooooo romantic. I think this musical film defently deserves a 5 star and not less because the acting is cool, and they are both made to act together. And she's my favorite actress anyway. It got me so tempting in buying this video because i like to see films with them both in together, it is certainly a good film for you if you like drew or adam. GOT TO BE SEEN, EVEN IF YOU ARN'T MUCH FOR A MUSICAL. ... Read more

Reviews (419)

Still one of my MOST favorite movies!!!
My mother tells me that when I was little, I used to make her rent this movie every week. I still remember what the old cover looked like. I have to say that I bought a copy a few years ago and I still watch it every once and a while. I know all the songs by heart - I can still repeat my favorite lines - This is an incredible movie for all ages that I think everyone should watch to get a glimpse of that magic of the imagination that we tend to forget exists after we've grown up!

The plot of the movie is based on the book by Peter S. Beagle(read it if you like fantasy!), but I have to say that I like the movie better. Of course, the author did the screenplay, so that might explain why the movie is so good. It's about a unicorn searching the world for others of her immortal kind. On her journey, she meets humans who help her on her path, like Schmendrick(sp?) the bumbling magician who transforms her into a human woman to carry out her quest, Molly Grue the cynical outlaw, and Prince Lir who becomes a hero for her sake. But some of those she meets, like Mommy Fortuna the witch and King Haggard with his castle by the sea, will try to stop her from solving the mystery of her lost people. Will she be able to hold onto herself long enough overcome the ominous Red Bull who drove the other unicorns down all the roads long ago?

Again, I say that this is one of the movies that defined my childhood, one of the things that convinced me I wanted to be a writer and believe in the magic of imagination. This is a great movie for kids, but there's plenty there for an adult to appreciate as well. Buy it and watch it!!! It's worth it.

An exquisite film... not quite for everyone, I believe
I recall seeing this movie on TV when I was like 8-years-old and its beauty and meaning really affected me. Not again a film has touched me the way this did. I am not giving away what is about, only thoughts and images. The journey of the last unicorn that runs thru the world to find her lost kin and finds love instead... A clumsy but noble magician named Schemndrick... A sad woman who has lost almost everything... A bitter and lonely king searching for hapiness and his adopted son, who will turn to be a hero... A haunting world with wonderful landscapes... An overwhelming score by Jimmy Webb and America... Let's just say that if you like fantasy and still carry with you that good old inner child and also have a taste for melancholy, this film will stay with you. But, if you are into happy endings, better stay away.
Even at that early age I saw this picture, I had a sense of loss and sadness when it ended. I think that actually, it changed me forever. A part of the innocence was gone, in a good way. It deals with deep and mature matters, kind of heavy and serious for an animated flick, but I think it's good for a child to learn to think and awaken sensibility.
I am not sure to recommend it for little children, 3 to 5... I think it's too much for them. From 7 and on, they can appreciate it more, and better for a 10 year-old. There's some middle cursing also, like "hell" and "damn", so very concerned parents should avoid it until their little ones are a little grown up.
The cast is great. Christopher Lee shines. Mia Farrow, Alan Arkin and Jeff Bridges are also here and deliver powerful performances.
Read the book which this movie was based on, written by Peter S. Beagle -who made the screenplay too, thank God, for it is perfect.
An unforgettable, beautiful, charming, touching, thought-provoking, heart-squeezing movie that you can fall in love with.

AVOID
This is a very good film that has yet had a decent video release here in the US. This DVD release is a disaster.

This particular print has several major defects. First this movie suffers more than most when cutting it from widescreen to full screen. But the pan-and-scan job (the technique used to make a widescreen film fit on a regular television) was also totally botched leaving many scenes showing only half a face or character.

There is also many color problems. The print is biased to red. Dark scenes, of which there are many, show a red tint. Related to this is that the greens are subdued. Many objects that should be green show as blue.

The print is also grainy showing more video noise than normal.

The soundtrack is extremely harsh sounding making it dificult to listen to.

I'd recommend you seek out the widescreen version which has none of these problems.

The Last Unicorn
I have seen this movie over 100 times and I really believe it is one of the greatest films of our time. I loved it as a kid and I don't know that I fully understood it, because now as an adult I appreciate the heart that goes into this film. It is a beautiful love/life story about being true to who you are. I cry almost every time I watch this, it is definetly worth buying.

good movie bad singing
It a good movie, with a good plot. The characters were good and well drawn. the only problem was the singing, now the songs were good. But they got people who thought they could sing who couldn't. But other then that a good buy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For all of its controversial manipulations of reality, ProjectGreenlight offers a revealing, pragmatic look at the pressure cooker of filmproduction. Originally broadcast during the HBO 2001 to 2002 season, this 12- part series chronicles the premiere contest--conceived by coproducers BenAffleck, Matt Damon, and Chris Moore--that resulted in 30-year-old Pete Jonesbeing plucked from obscurity, out of 10,000 contestants, to direct his winningscreenplay, Stolen Summer, as a professionally crewed feature filmdistributed by Miramax Films (included in this set; see separate review). Theseries gained notoriety for emphasizing the negative (backstabbing,budgetary battles, onset crises, etc.), but it's also a definitivenuts-and-bolts exposé of the filmmaking process--stripped of glamour,emotionally intense, and daunting to anyone without a steel-platedconstitution.

Key personnel emerge as admirably tenacious in their given roles, from thecommanding presence of Chris Moore; the frictional yet ultimatelycooperative dynamic between executive producer Pat Peach and coproducer JeffBalis; the rally-the-troops efficiency of 1st Assistant Director Bruce Terris;and many other crucial crew members. Through it all, Jones shows hisinexperience but rises to the occasion, earning the respect of those who couldeasily have dismissed him as a lucky amateur. The series' editorial weaknessesare readily apparent, and the postproduction process (especially the creation ofa musical score) is woefully underrepresented, but Project Greenlight isa riveting and altogether encouraging primer for anyone who shares Pete Jones'sdream. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Lights...... Camera..... DRAMA!
What started as a simple Internet contest transformed into one of the most acclaimed reality series to hit cable for quite some time. Pete Jones was the winner and was given the opportunity to direct his film, "Stolen Summer." Sounds easy, right? WRONG!

With these episodes, you get to see all the drama, all the battles, and all of the controvercy that took place during the filming of "Stolen Summer." From casting complications to the infamous beach incident, they're all here, uncut and uncensored.

I for one really enjoyed the series. It was a look into directing that I had never witnessed before. I never knew how complicated and stressful it is for the director, even when it comes to getting ONE scene into the can!

This spectacular DVD package includes four disks. On these disks you will find twelve episodes, the full length movie "Stolen Summer," and a disk full of all sorts of extras and goodies.

The disks go something like this:

Disk One: The complete film "Stolen Summer," with extra features that include audio commentary from the director, co-producer and producer Chris Moore, the theatrical trailer, 2 deleted scenes (with choice of commentary or no commentary), and Pete Jones' "Project Greenlight" scene vs. the final film. I highly recommend the full length commentary. It's funny and informative at the same time.

Disk Two: Episodes 1-6. (Or Episodes 101-106, if you want to be more accurate.)

Disk Three: Episodes 7-12. (Or Episodes 107-112, if you would like again to be more accurate.)

Disk Four: A bonus disk with tons of extras that include notable filmmaker videos from the contest, the Top 10 videos, Top 10 "Where are they now" videos, "The Chris Moore Challenge," the Top 10 3-minute scenes from the Top 3 contestants, and lessons from "Project Greenlight" that you didn't get to see on the show. "The Chris Moore Challenge" is guaranteed to get a laugh out of you, especially when you see Ben Afleck's impression. The extended lessons were also interesting and funny, especially Kevin Smith's conversation with Pete. There's some great filmmaking tips in it if you're interested.

Note: Since this was broadcasted on HBO, all of the strong language is in it, so it's not really recommended for younger viewers. The language can get pretty intense at times, but it adds to the realistic element of filmmaking. Not to mention it's funny as hell at times. (If you thought Afleck and Damon had potty mouths in "Goodwill Hunting......")

I really enjoyed "Project Greenlight." And I'm glad they released the complete series on DVD. Again, if you like the series and want the movie as well, DO NOT BUY THE MOVIE SEPARATELY! The movie already comes with the series. It was quite remarkable to see how the movie evolved from all of the battles and controvercy. I was a little worried about the movie, because there was a lot of drama that went on during the filming, but the movie turned out really good. (I'll write a seperate review of the movie "Stolen Summer" VERY shortly.) Forget "Survivor," this is the ultimate reality series! Filled with over 6 hours of bonus material, the "Project Greenlight" DVD package is a must-have for anyone who loved the show. It's also a great show for those who are new to it. I can't wait for the new season, and I hope it comes to HBO very soon.

Interested in the movie biz? Check this out...
First, the movie. "Stolen Summer" isn't bad, definitely not great, but for a first-time director with no real filmmaking experience at all, it's a pretty good effort. Sure I'm grading on a curve here, but when you see some of the dreck put out by people with plenty of experience, "Summer" begins to seem more than worthy to be called a film. Throughout the series, many involved express concerns that the script ventured too far down into Afterschool Special territory, and to some extent, they were right. The nice thing about the script is that it manages to avoid getting too preachy (given the clash of religions at the story's core, that is a feat in itself) and the attitudes of all the characters to young Pete's quest ring surprisingly true, at least, in a nice, better world scenario. As a directed film, The pacing is a bit slow, scenes can be a bit static, and the child actors in the leads could be a bit stronger, but these are not unusual problems in movies with bigger budgets and more accomplished directors, "Phantom Menace", anyone?

Enough defense of Pete Jones, and on to the series. As a general rule, I steer clear of the "reality" genre as it has developed into public humiliation of private citizens while avoiding the need to pay writers (it probably keeps film and video editors in banner business, however). "Project Greenlight" is an exception. Why? Well for one thing, the end result is at least a creative endeavor and not just some idiot getting a lot of money or a usless marriage proposal. For another, you also learn a little something about the business of making a movie, usless of course if you could care less, but it's better than watching "Survivor" for wilderness survival tips.

All that, a bag of chips and MOORE!!!
I must begin by saying that I am addicted to Project Greenlight. I, too, am an aspiring writer and find PGL inspiring. I loved this DVD set.
First, Stolen Summer. It may not win the academy award but it won my heart. Pete Jones tells a story that is so human and so touching with moments of humor as well as sadness. It just felt natural and I think that is why I enjoyed it so much. The little boy who plays the lead role was just amazing, especially being he first time out. I would reccommend this movie to anyone who wants to be entertained and touched.
Second, Project Greenlight, the series. WOW. I was unable to see all of the episodes while it ran last year so you can imagine my elation to find it all together in a DVD set. The whole process fascinates me and I just love Jeff Balis ( I love Balis more season 2) and Chris Moore.
Third, Pete Jones. He was terrific. Yes, he was rough around the edges but heck he had never done anything remotely like this before. I think his rapport with the younger actors is a gift and part of what will eventually make him a great director. The more opportunities Pete is given the better he will hone his craft, I am a fan and wish him all the luck.
Lastly, The Chris Moore Challange was great, Project Redlight was even better. Project Redlight was terrific in that it poked fun at everyone and the whole process and how wonderful is it that people are able to laugh at themselves in such a "self involved" industry!!!

If you are a fan of PGL, buy this, you will love it.

Great DVD
I thought this was a great DVD, and it's not just because I'm on DVD #4. ;-)

View this DVD on a PC/MAC with Internet Access
This DVD set is packed with more than Stolen Summer and the Project Greenlight series.

I made the mistake of viewing it with my default DVD sofware. Instead install the InterActual software (included on the DVD's) and you will get MUCH MOORE (You get links to the script notes made by all of the Key people in the series. I watched Stolen Summer once in normal mode, and then twice in the commentary mode which includes the comments and humor of Chris Moore, Jeff Balis, and Pete Jones which was hilarious. You will see that the Project Greenlight series does not on its own reflect the true chemistry between these three guys. Plus you will also get to find out some of the not-so-easy to spot bloopers that remain un-cut from the finished film. Another feature I like was watching Stolen Summer, and if JUMP-TO-SCENE was on, I clicked on the screen during certain parts of the movie, and it would pause the movie, then play the respective part of the Project Greenlight show that dealt with the filming of that scene.

It was nice to see all the top 10 winners scene submissions and videographies.

The Chris Moore Challenge is worth the cost of the set! Ben affleck is hiollarious. Stolen Summer has its own reviews and gets my recommendation.

I highly recommend the entire 4-disk series. Even if you saw the show on HBO, you will get much moore out of this DVD set. This is only my 10th DVD so far, but none of the others had features equal to this one. MIRAMAX did a good job with content, though I find navigating through the menus a little frustrating. I look forward to downloading a few of the commentaries by Pete Jones that did not have time to do yet. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Great movie and the DVD Transfer is Crystal Clear!
I don't think I've ever seen a good print of this film till I bought the DVD, which is fabulous! I'm not a die-hard Audrey Hepburn fan, but she is very charming and looks fabulous in the fashions. I love the ability to skip the numbers I don't like with the DVD since I find this a very uneven film. When it is good it is nearly flawless (and that's most of the time--opening credits, Think Pink, Funny Face, Bonjour Paris, The Photo Shoots, S'Wonderful, the final fashion show) but when it is bad it is horrid (a 60 year old Fred Astaire trying to be a beatnik, Fred's unending "matador" dance number, the whole plot with the Professor, Clap Yo'Hands). I was disappointed in the additional features--the original trailer is ho hum and the Paramount "documentary" is really just an extended sales pitch with bad stock footage. Where's an interview with the great Stanley Donen? Still, overall well worth purchasing.

A Marvelous Movie!
Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn together on screen. Just that alone makes seeing this movie worthwhile. However, this film has a lot of other things going for it. To begin with, this film gives the fabulous Gershwin score a first class treatment. Astaie's version of the title song is definitive, and while no singer, Hepburn's rendition of "How Long Has This Been Going On" has a sensitivity and power that is quite hard to find in many musicals. Next, The lush Paris locales are simply beautiful. After decades of musicals that were done entirely on soundstages, it is a breath of fresh air to see the realism and freedom of space that on location shooting can bring to a film. Then, there's Kate Thompson. While Fred and Audrey are glorious, it's Ms. Thompson who's the real scene-stealer as the bossy magazine editor. She transforms "Think Pink" into a delightful Showstopper, and always gets the best lines. Enugh talk. Go see this movie. It's a treasure you won't soon forget.

P.S. If your wondering why I took off a star, it's because of the age difference between Astaire and Hepburn. Astaire was in his late 50's when he made this film, and Hepburn was not yet 30. I simply don't believe that their romance is reasonable. After a few great song and dance numbers, it's not really a big deal, but it's worth a star.

Where Was MArni NIxon?
Funny Face has just about everything going for it. Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Stanley Donen, great Gershwin tunes, a terrific rare glimpse of the incomparable Kay Thompson and above all some of the most exciting visuals and overall art direction ever caught on film. So what happened? The sad decision to let Hepburn do her own singing. That's not to say her voice is bad. It's very... nice. But for a full blown musical of this scale, the audience is yearning for Hepburn's character to really give out with a great set of pipes. Perhaps not quite to the extent of Kay Thompson, an actress perhaps better suited for the stage than the intimacy of the screen. Yet while the movie does not fulfill its promise, it's still well worth seeing. The transformation of Hepburn from mousy bookstore clerk to haute couture model is as wonderful as her similar transformation in "Sabrina". The modeling sessions with Astaire directing Hepburn are delightful and above all the VistaVision presentation of late 50s gloss can not be matched, (the opening credits nearly make up for the entire movie). With Richard Avedon and Suzy Parker's influence the movie almost makes you forgive its failings. Still by the last frame the audience is left with only one thought: "Where's Marni Nixon when you need her?".

The Ultimate Fashion Musical!
Anyone who loves Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday knows that Audrey Hepburn is one of the most magical women ever captured on film. But there is something special about Funny Face. It captured a part of the real Audrey -- part book worm, part great dancer, part reluctant star. The "On How to be Lovely" scene with Patricia Neal is one of the most glorious moments in film. You just cannot help but smile when they start singing that song. It will make you fall in love with Audrey over and over again!

Isnt bad. Far from Great.
Fred Astaire, the greatest movie star of all time (Along with Chaplin of course) paired with Audrey Hepburn in this enjoyable, but still slightly dissapointing romantic musical set in France.

If your expecting this film to have great dancing, then dont. It hasnt. What you get however is a very colourful movie with a few decent songs, but others can be questionable.

The basic story is, Fred Astaire is a photographer who discovers a girl (Hepburn) who works in a bookstore and makes a model out of her (Check other reviews for more on the story).

Overall, not too bad a movie. Could have been better, but recommended for fans of either Astaire or Hepburn. ... Read more

Reviews (1660)

Pirates Treasure
Whenever I found myself on a family vacation at a Disney theme park, one of my favorite attractions, was always Pirates of the Caribbean. When I heard that mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer was going to make a film, based on the ride, I was more than a bit skeptical. It's hard enough sitting through some movies, based on TV shows, Comics, or books, let alone one born out of a ride. How would Brucheimer and director Gore Verbinski pull off the seemingly impossible. Things turned out better than I, or most folks for that matter, figured that they would.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)loves living on the high seas as a pirate. His world is turned inside out, when his mortal enemy, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) steals his ship, later using it to attack the town of Port Royal. During the onslaught, Barbossa decides to kidnap Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), the daughter of the town's Governor. Her childhood friend Will (Orlando Bloom) is determined to save her--he and and Jack team up--to reclaim both the ship and get the girl.

A big reason, that the film exceeded my expectations, was due to the inspired performance from Depp. Once again, he proves his versatility, and becomes the character. The role allows him to show off his rare comedic side and he really runs with it. The rest of the cast is up to the challange as well...but clearly having lots of fun in the process. Verbinski fills the screen with plenty of action and great effects, but at no time do these elements overtake this pirate tale. Everything falls into place very nicely. I was a bit surprised by the film's running time though, at 2 hours and 23 minutes, I thought some of the pacing could have been just a tad tighter--just a minor quibble if I may...

The folks at Disney and Bruckheimer must have known what they had in the film. The 2 disc DVD set is loaded with some fine extras, for both the technical film buff and the casual viewer. For me, the three audio commentary tracks, are the highlights of the the entire set. The commentary by Verbinski and Star Depp is the most interesting though. Depp seems relaxed and not as one demensional, as I've seen him in the past, doing interviews for his other work. For the second track, actors Keira Knightley And Jack Davenport, have the most fun. Davenport is very witty and keep things light. Recorded separtely and added in on this track are comments from Bruckheimer to balance it out. The final track brings together writers Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio and Jay Wolpert (Wolpert adapted the 2002 version of The Count Of Monte Cristo also recommended) for a look at the writing process.

Disc two starts out with a lively 37 minute look behind the scenes called aptly enough "An Epic At Sea: The Making of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl". I mentioned the film's running time before--so to my surprise there are no less than 19 deleted and alternate scenes that were wisely trimmed or cut altogether.5 addtitional featurettes explore filming and life behind the scences--"Moonlight Saranade" scene progression, "Fly on the Set" looks at some of the specific scences as they were being shot, "Diary of a Pirate" is a behind-the-scenes look with cast member Lee Arenberg (best known for playing a alien Ferengi on the Star Trek spinoffs The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine), a Producer's Diary with Bruckheimer as your guide, and the
"Diary of a Ship" Video Journal. Some of these work better than others, in terms of content, but are still worth a look. Next up there is the well researched primer "Below Deck" - An interactive and fun History Of Pirates. An 18 minute segment from January 1968, as part of the TV show "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", where Walt himself gives us a tour of the ride that inspired the film. It is very cool to have something like this as part of the set. A very extensive still gallery and a 3 minute blooper reelthat works once but not beyond that are here too. Finally, there are some really cool DVD-ROM Features for your PC: "Moonlight Becomes Ye" is an Effects Studio that allows you to create some magic of your own,there's even more history on the ride, a Virtual Reality Viewer, Scriptscanner & Storyboard Viewing Modes.

Who knew that a film, based on a ride, could be this much fun and entertaining? Pirates...is recommended with **** and a half stars

Blockbuster of the Summer DVD of the Winter
THE MOVIE
Movies about cursed pirates died out and flopped decades ago but this movie is brings new enthusiasm the pirate genre has been looking forward to. This is a great popcorn flick that has really put the Swash back into Buckling
This action/ adventure/comedy is loosely based on the ride at Disneyland. Although the similarities are somewhat few and far between this is probably a good thing as it escapes the Disney marketing attempt feel.
The extremely well chosen cast could never be better with Johnny Depp brilliantly playing the light-hearted mostly-drunk pirate Jack Sparrow (sorry Captain Jack Sparrow). He provides most of the comedy in his one-liners, lucky escapes and defiant bragging. The romance is between the kidnapped Governors daughter Elizabeth Swann, (Kiera Knightly) and Will Turner (played wonderfully by man-of-the-moment Orlando Bloom) who comes to her rescue. The typical cursed pirate, Captain Barbossa of the titular 'Black Pearl' (played by Geoffery Rush) is the all round bad guy shouting traditional pirate phrases.
The CG (done by Industrial Light and Magic) is literally ground breaking with cursed pirates turning from skeletal to flesh as they battle in and out of moonlight. This gives both an eerie and astonishing effect.
To round off there are action scenes galore with numerous sword fights and canon fire which are amazing and really keep the film up to speed.
THE EXTRAS
No DVD is complete nowadays without extras. With a full extra disc there is quite a lot to keep one amused for hours. There are three commentaries, which really depend on what you want to get out of a commentary the first is with Gore Verbinski (director) and Johnny Depp, which is surprisingly quite dull mainly thanking various people for hard work. If you are looking for trivia then the partial commentary with Jerry Bruckheimer (producer) or commentary with scriptwriters is for you, but the one I found the best is the commentary with actors Kiera Knightly and Jack Davenport (who plays Commodore Norrington) This commentary is also partial but is the funniest. The partial commentary is something I have never come across before but is quite an advantage, as you don't have to watch the whole film again and listen to people drone on about scenes that weren't really important to them.
The downfall I felt to this DVD is the interactive menus which if you just want to get the film to play means time is lost waiting for menus to load.
Back to positive and the second disc holds loads of good stuff. The first I checked out was the blooper real with the actors messing up, which you don't quite often get to see. The bad thing about this is that it was only 3mins. There are 19 deleted scenes, which I didn't really feel were very interesting so it just as well they stayed deleted.
There are many different featurettes on this disc. The ones I'm liking the most is the Epic at Sea, Diary of a Pirate and Fly on the set which are all on the set interviewing actors etc. which prove very interesting and in depth. There is also "Walt Disney Wonderful World of Color" which shows a bit about the ride for all who haven't been on it.
The last line is I think this is a wonderful movie and the DVD really compliments it well.

Incredibly entertaining
Johnny Depp plays Cap. Jack Sparrow, a pirate on a mission to get his ship back. Orlando Bloom plays Will Turner, a sword crafter out to save his secret love Elizabeth Swann played by Keira Knightley. With the help of a crew of misfits, they embark on an adventure that they won't soon forget.

Hilarious moments with incredible special effects, this movie will not disappoint you.

And then they made me their cheif...
This film shines like aztec gold! Johnny mad a superb Captain Jack Sparrow! It is my favorite movie EVER!!!!! Keira and Orlando made a cute couple, Geoffrey was cool, and Jack (the monkey ^-^) was adorable, but I must say, Depp stole the movie! Influenced by Keith Richards and Pepe Le Pew, he made a hilarious (and slightly drunken) Sparrow! 5 stars, MUST see! If you don't like it you need a medication.

I Want to be Saved by These Pirates!
Awesome movie filled with action, adventure, and romance! ... Read more

Reviews (1184)

This Movie is Why "Professional" Critics Must Go
I didn't see this movie in the theaters because it had gotten very mixed reviews from the so-called professional movie reviewers. But, when it hit the local vidoe store, I thought I would give it a try. WOW, what a kick in the teeth, interesting, and fast moving journey into one man's mind. The path this movie takes is fantastic.

Norton and Pitt are perfectly cast, and supported by a crew of fight club members that make for a well-acted show. Meatloaf, Ed Gil, Jared Leto, et. al. are great in support as the members/followers of the leads. Helena Bonham Carter has the only real female role in this film and is perfectly cast. But as much as the acting, this movie is made by the story. Unconventional, with a great twist at the end, the whole movie kept me on the edge of my seat. As with many great movies, it is hard to classify the genre (action, comedy, drama), as there is a sampling of all in this film. In the end, I would just classify this as a great film.

Much was made of the violence of this movie when it first hit the theaters. Those critics overstated the case. There is blood and violence in the movie, but it is not excessive and it serves the plot well.

If you missed this in the theater, see it now. If you saw it once, see it again. I will.

Fight Club-another reason to own a DVD player.
If any DVD was produced on the same level as the Terminator 2 Ultimate Edition and the Toy Story 3-Disc box set, it is this DVD. Fight Club is not only a VERY well produced DVD, but the supplemental material will keep you busy for LITERALLY hours. You will finally have a reason to 'break in' that angle button on your remote. As a story, Fight Club takes a more cerebral approach to ones thought processes. Containing many cool effects, Fight Club may make the average movie viewer pop a few Excedrins while trying to figure out the point of the film. While many may finish the movie in total confusion, mostly everyone will agree that Fight Club is a unique movie experience. When I received the DVD package, I was instantly impressed with the graphic design of the outer package, the discs themselves and the booklet that is included. Initially, this DVD comes off as a "special edition" rather then a simple "movie release on DVD". Whoever created the graphics on the cover and throughout the booklet has a very active imagination. Disc one has the film, disc two has the supplemental material. ** Pause the third FBI WARNING at the beginning of the disc....it is quite funny** Disc one offers you your usual "chapters" choices with 'moving' scenes (like The Matrix), audio setup for Dolby surround for both a 2 speaker setups and 5.1 setups in English and Spanish. This is also a THX certified DVD, so it includes a THX setup screen. Disc one also gives you the choice of several audio commentaries to listen to throughout the film, including David Fincher, Bradd Pitt, Ed Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, the novelist and the screenwriter, the Director of Photography, Visual Effects Supervisor and a couple of others. In a nutshell, you have a choice to listen to A LOT of people, a great addition to this DVD. Picture quality of Fight Club was incredible. Overall, the picture is moody and dark with beautiful blacks and wonderful color detail. It is beautifully photographed with incredible shadow detail and crystal clear highlights. Sound quality was equally impressive. Being THX certified, you can expect nothing less then awesome. Edward Nortons voice-over sounds very live, as though he's sitting right in front of you. The sound has beautiful detail, with stereo separation being impressively realistic and the music and dialogue recorded incredibly well. Surround detail is amazing with some scenes having deep bass that will make the neighbors call the cops. Disc two will stay in your DVD player for a long time. The supplemental material includes crew and cast information. behind the scenes of the production, the visual effects and on-location footage with commentaires and multiple angles.......WOW! Disc two also contains seven deleted scenes as well as trailers, TV spots, music videos, an interview with Edward Norton and a bunch of storyboards, visual effects stills, paintings and many other additions to keep your fingers happy on that remote. The Producers of this DVD should be applauded....not only is the picture and sound quality top-notch, but the graphical elements and the supplemental materials included are fantastic and incredibly entertaining. I highly recommend this DVD for those who enjoyed this movie in the theatre, who are curious about the film, or those simply interested in seeing what a superb DVD release is all about. Enjoy!

Not bad, but...
OK, blend Matrix, Guy Richi, and Osama Bin Laden and you get a masterpiece? A funny comedy, not more. Fight Club is brilliant in the beginning with all that satire, but when it gets philosophical, I felt like I have seen this before.

Famous Fight Club quote.
"F*** Martha Stewart. Martha's polishing the brass on the Titanic; it's all going down, man."

-- She just 5 months in prison and 5 months of home confinement. Isn't it wierd how much of this film has been almost prophetic?

Outstanding commentaries
All the commentaries you could want, and they're all great. The actor's commentary is at least as entertaining as the film. ... Read more

Description

Members of an Antarctic research team are killed off by a frozen alien they uncover. ... Read more

Reviews (135)

The Finest Thing Movie Ever!
The Thing From Another World is the mother of all aliens attack the world films. Most people think immediately of John Carpenter's version of this story. It is an unfortunate comparison because the two films could not be further apart in story, style or intent. Where the modern version relies on gory effects and the star power of Kurt Russel to carry the day, the original film has none of that. The great director, Howard Hawks, is probably best remembered for his westerns, and his work with John Wayne. As Producer, Hawks brings a masters touch and a history of being one of the greatest storytellers in American cinema to this film. Even though Christian Nyby directed the film, Hawk's style is evident in the retstrained pacing, crisp banter and short but absolutely stunning action sequences. The viewer barely sees The Thing, played by a younger James Arness except in brief and savage action sequences. We have to wait until finally in the film's exciting finale he is revealed in full. The creature is unlike the modern take on the alien lifeform. The Thing is human in design, with a minimal approach the the make up. No spewing orifices, shooting mandibles or acid blood here. This Thing is a relentless, intelligent being who keeps upping the stakes, staying one step ahead of the heroes in a tense game of cat and mouse, with the fate of the entire world in balance. The cast is one of the great ensembles of all time. The dialogue is terse, witty and sparse. All of the archetypical heroes are here, the brave Army officer, the beautiful ex-girlfriend, the scientist who is so naive and trusting that he would be willing to risk the world in the pursuit of knowledge. The setting, an isolated, weather whipped outpost on the continent of Antartica is a wonderful, eerie backdrop for the grim proceedings to come. There are so many cinematic and entertainment reasons to enjoy this masterpiece that it would be easy to overlook the messages that Hawks delivers with this seemingly straight forward film. Science for science's sake can be destructive. A people must be aware of external threats and be prepared to defend against them. A nation must work together and recognize that strong leadership is necessary when a crisis is looming. All favorite themes of the times when this film was made. It was made at the inception of the Red Scare in America. In a sense it is a facist piece of work, but taken as a whole, it is so exciting and so crisp in execution that one can forgive and overlook the undercurrent of paranoia that permeates the work. Every generation of science fiction fans should be required to see this film, The Innocents and The Bride of Frankenstein so they can see how it was all done first, and in many cases better.

The classic 1950's science fiction film of cold war paranoia
"The Thing From Another World" remains the best of the 1950's black & white science fiction films, avoiding both the fake monsters of "Them," its ideological counterpart, and the piety of "The Day the Earth Stood Still." I still remember the first time I saw this movie and realized that here were characters who talked as fast as I did. I know Robert Altman and "M*A*S*H" get the credit for "inventing" over-lapping dialogue, but that seems a bit absurd to me after watching the conversation and group discussions throughout this film. I am teaching a Science Fiction literature class for the first time this semester and I wanted them to also watch an example of a classic 1950s science fiction film and this film was my immediate choice.

As John Carpenter reminded us in his 1982 "remake," the 1951 version is not even remotely faithful to John W. Campbell, Jr.'s classic sci-fi short story, "Who Goes There?" Campbell wrote of a stranger visitor from another planet who could take on human appearance, so that the problem was that you never knew if the guy sitting next to you was your buddy or the monster. "The Thing" offers a monster from outer space, but with atmosphere, pacing and wit rarely seen on the silver screen. Charles Lederer gets screen credit for the script, but we know know both Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht had a hand in the writing as well (you can find Lederer's original script on line to check out the differences for yourself), and it has been taken as gospel for years that Hawks had some hand in the direction as well (as did Orson Welles according to some). After all, this was Christian Nyby's first screen credit as a director and he went on to direct mostly television series from "Gunsmoke" to "Kojak." Whatever the background of the story, what is important is that this film manages to combine claustrophobia, xenophobia, paranoia and hypothermia into a first rate chiller.

The story is relatively simple. Something crashes in the arctic near a scientific station and Air Force Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) and his crew fly on up to see what is going on. The station is run by Dr. Arthur Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite), who may well be the haughitest scientist on the planet. Just to make things interesting Hendry has a relationship with the good Doctor's secretarial assistant, Nikki Nicholson (Margaret Sheridan, technically the "star" of the film). The group heads out to the crash site, where they find something buried in the ice. In one of the most famous (not to mention inexpensive) special effects shots of all time, the group traces out the shape of the buried object and discover'it is round. When attempts to use thermite to thaw out the space ship only end up destroying it, the crew finds the "pilot" has been thrown clear and frozen in a block of ice, which they obligingly take back to the station and where an electric blanket used so the armed guard does not have to look at that thing in the ice serves as the deus ex machina for getting the creature out and about. Mayhem then ensues. Note: I remember people referring to the Thing (played by James Arness, who avoids monster makeup as the heroic FBI agent in another classic 50's sci-fi film, "Them!") as