Reviews (351)

A Predictable, But Delightful and Optimistic Gem
Pretty Anne Hathaway, who, interestingly enough, has the same name as Shakespeare's wife, plays the lead character in a modern fairy tale that the Bard himself might have found amusing.
Hathaway's Mia Thermopolis is a gawky teen living with her artist mother (gently and generously portrayed by Caroline Goodall) in San Francisco (whereas, in Meg Cabot's book, her home was New York). She attends a private school via the financial support of her father, who had passed away shortly before the story begins, has a best friend involved in social activism, (played by a loud and cynical Heather Matarazzo), a crush on a heartthrob who doesn't notice her, and a clique of annoying cheerleaders who constantly taunt her, led by pop singer, Mandy Moore.
One day, a meeting with her grandmother changes her life, and Mia discovers that her father was the Crown Prince of Genovia. While reluctant to accept her heritage at first, Mia gradually warms to the idea. As the very regal Queen Clarice, Julie Andrews combines her two Broadway roles in "Camelot" and "My Fair Lady" as she begins the process of training the gawky Granddaughter she had never met before for the role she may one day have on the world stage. Scenes of Mia's Princess lessons are reminiscent of scenes in the film, "Gigi".
The makeover scene is enjoyable to watch, as we see Mia turn from looking like Sarah Jessica Parker's character in "Square Pegs" to looking more like Queen Rania of Jordan. She is truly beautiful with her big, sparkling doe eyes and softened hair as she sees her outwardly polished self in the mirror.
Her friend, Lilly, taunts her about her metamorphosis, while Lilly's brother, Michael, played by an adorably sweet Robert Schwartzman, admires it. After a few tumultuous and embarassing incidents, Mia must make a final decision about where she belongs, and is ultimately influenced by her best friend's opinion in so doing. Genovia may receive a new heiress, and the prospective Princess might be on her way to finding true love as well.
All the while, it is the cool-headed Hector Elizondo's Joseph, the head of the Queen's security detail, who helps the young girl through her dilemma, providing sage advice, and helping to reconcile both grandmother and granddaughter after Mia generates some bad press.
The books on which this film was based have a bit more of an edge and may be more cynical. The premise is a teenage girl's answer to the 1991 film, "King Ralph". But once again, Disney has provided viewers with light and wholesome entertainment.

DELIGHTFUL FAMILY FILM
In the great tradition of such Disney live-action family films as The Parent Trap, Garry Marshall spins a perfectly fine fairy tale with The Princess Diaries. Featuring a sparkling performances from natural comedienne Anne Hathaway and seasoned vet Julie Andrews, this movie is one virtually all members of your family can enjoy together -- it is truly G-rated, and in this case, the G-rating does not mean boring. A nerdy San Francisco highschooler is dumbfounded -- and not terribly happy -- to learn that she is in fact royalty -- and the chaos that ensues is both compelling and highly entertaining. What a welcome sight to see Julie Andrews -- the 60s queen of G-films -- return to form in the role of a Queenly grandmother! The movie has the amiable pacing and gentle humor of a romantic comedy, and unfolds in a way that is predictable without being flat. The score, laden with pop music, adds to the fresh warm-hearted gloss. Watch for a minor car accident, and its subsequent scene, to earn the biggest laugh, though there are giggles and smiles aplenty.

PRETTY GOOD!
PRETTY GOOD MOVIE!GREAT ACTORS,GREAT EVERYTHING!JULIE ANDREWS IS REAL GOOD AS THE GRANDMOTHER!ME AND MY MOM LOVED IT!WE LAUGHED THE WHOLE TIME!

really cute
this was a really cute movie, really different from the books which i think are better. Something for the whole family to watch.

The book is better!
Apparently based on some of the reviews I've seen here, a plethora of people do not seem to know that the movie is based upon (or is supposed to be) the book "The Princess Diaries" by Meg Cabot, I believe.

This movie is cute. However, this is not to say that it barely follows the book. The only things that are in the movie that are like the book, are the fact that Mia acquires princess lessons, goes out with Josh to the dance, finds out she's a princess, Mia's mother dates one of her teachers, Lilly yells at her when she sees her hair, and a few other things.

In the movie, when Lilly sees that her friend is turning to someone similar to Lana, she becomes angry. In the book, she ignores her for quite a large bit of the story. In The movie gives the impression that Mia's grandmother is a loving woman but they have not spoken in fifteen years. In the novel, Mia does speak to her grandmother but never was able to figure out that she was a princess (in the book grandmother is a princess, not a queen) of Genovia herself. In addition, Mia's grandmother is not the nicest of people. Furthermore, the Prince of Genovia, Mia's father is still alive. The only thing is that he can not have any more children.

I think you understand my meaning. Please, read the book instead. ... Read more

Reviews (1926)

The force is strong with this one.
Star[]Wars! The series has come back into full swing with 'Attack of the Clones.' Everything that 'Phantom Menace' tried to be and more, we return to the rollicking space adventure that made the first three classics. Don't pay attention to the negitive reviews, aside from a little cheese covered romance the goods are delivered in great fashion. 'Attack..' is packed with extremely well lensed action set pieces that remind the viewer of the summer of 1980. The acting is decent and works for the material provided...I mean, this is Star Wars not Shakespere and lines are delivered with intended monotonality; lightsabers speak louder than words and emotion a Jedi does not crave. I found this film to be better than 'Return of the Jedi' due to its return to the swashbuckling action/adverture of the first two movies sans cute little talking kid friendly creatures that help generate mechandise sales for the toddler marketing target group. The special effects are outstanding of course, and the sound effects were really cool. The story was decent enough to get you to care what happens to the heroes and dislike the villians (finally, villians. That seemed to be missing from episode one save Darth Maul who was way underused). All around an excellent chapter in the saga and a great movie in itself. This film makes you look forward to the next installment and the man himself-Darth Vader. Thanks, George for reigniting the magic that was, and is, Star Wars.

the best of the star wars movies
in this one,yoda fights.this is truly awesome.anakan is growing up.he goes to get his mom from slavery but shes been killed by these nasty little monsters.so he goes genocidal on them all.ben is tring to teach anakan but hes learning way faster than normal and is quite the showoff.the kids will like it.it is the last full length movie of the set.there is an animated short film after this part called clone wars.the last one is due out next summer.just anybody bwill like it.the chick is a young teen ans ends up being anakans girlfriend.i dont know what you heard but this is an all time great.the special effects are cool.this movie is a classic!

Big Trouble In Little Greece: Attack Of The Kung Fu Robots
If I were a movie director and for some reason I decided to undertake the project of making the most grotesque parody and mockery ever made of the original Star Wars trilogy, I would do the following:

First, I would open the movie where the main character of the movie -The Jedi- freefalls some 10,000 stories in a sprawling metropolis, all the while narrowly missing multitudes of careening hovercrafts which literally filled the sky, only to finally land safely inside one of them just in the nick of time, nanoseconds before he was about to slam into the ground.

Secondly, I would include the most bland, personality-less, emotionally-uninspiring actors and actresses I could find. Also, I would incorporate pseudo-Greek cultural and archeological elements throughout the movie (which had no relevancy to the sci-fi theme of the movie) so as to confuse the viewer as to what planet...or planets the movie was taking place in...or what universe and epoch(s) for that matter. I'd include several pseudo-romantic scenes where there wasn't an iota of emotion or chemistry between the two love birds and whose forced, stimulated 'romantic scenes' seemed to serve no purpose, either.

I would then attempt to completely destroy...annhilate the original Star Wars's sacred notion of the force -as being stimulated and channeled by spirituality and mind over matter- and any drama associated with it as well. MY notion would be that the measure of one's force can be determined by analyzing mitochondrial DNA samples to tally the number of antibodies present in the protoplasm.

Next, I would blow away the concept of the original Star Wars's wimpy 2-jedi battle scenes with an epic magnitude-12 mega battle scene which consisted of 10,000 jedis and 100,000 jedi foes engaged in flipping-through the-air somersault kung fu moves that render the likes of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and all '70s special-effects-laden Chinese kung fu flics obsolete. You thought that Luke Skywalker jumping 10 feet out of a carbon freeze container was cool? Could Luke Skywalker stay airborne for 10 seconds all the while throwing barrages of backroundhouse kicks and punches? Screw that punchless Luke Skywalker single-blade lightsaber. Behold, I introduce the double-edged light saber which all jedis are equipped with. FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL. Only an elite and intelligent class of human being can be a jedi? Not anymore. Any living, crawling, oozing intelligence-devoid parasite, wingless bat or orc -of any gender-can be a jedi.

Finally, I would end the movie with Kung Fu/Force-Master Yoda defeating the Master Evil Jedi with triple and quintuple cartwheel backroundhouse kicks and punches, while airborne, and lightning-fast Tae Kwan Do slaps and curled finger combinations that would put Jackie Chan to shame. The very last scene of the movie would end with the Evil Jedi Master becoming so angry, because of his defeat, that his head grew to the size of a large balloon, then exploded with the force of 20 grenades. Maybe I'd include that scene only in the UNCUT version.

The result: The sci-fi sequel to "Big Trouble in Little China" -Big Trouble in Little Greece: Attack Of The Kung Fu Robots...or as some people may prefer to call it -Star Wars II: Attack Of The Clones.

My Take on Mr. Lucas
OK, here's my rant. I'll keep it brief (unlike some other reviewers)

Best Parts:
1. Phantom Menace - Pod Race, Darth Maul
2. Attack of the Clones - Yoda's lightsaber flight

That's it. Everything else in these films is an utter joke. I could go on for many paragraphs, but I'll spare you. You gotta realize that there was a reason George didn't direct Empire or Jedi. He's an awful director. He has no ear for dialogue. The newer digital film process looks really awful. Only good ol' George could manage to waste the talents of Christopher Lee, Sam Jackson, Ewan McGregor, and Natalie Portman. And I think Hayden Christensen is the only other actor who possesses Keanu Reeves' atrocious wooden technique. His Anakin doesn't possess darkness, just stupidity. I hope Lucas gets a tumor in that fat double chin of his. If you don't like it, sue me. He's destroyed the meaning of my childhood favorites, so the hell with him. Do you really think the next film is going to make up for it? Only if it's about four hours long and is directed by someone else.

Star Wars is Star Wars-No matter what anyone thinks
I am writing on behalf of all the Star Wars movies. Sure the prequals aren't life changing but they still make the cut worthy of the title Star Wars.Back in the 70s/early 80s America needed a major facelift. We had nothin to look foward to anymore and just went by living. The movies out back then were dark and dreary. our common mythology had faded into the closet. Then came Star Wars. It was just supposed to be another space family film that would eventually be forgotten about. We were decieved. What George Lucas put on this Earth was meant to be. He dragged us out of the gutter and gave us something to talk about. People had a place to escape to and run away from there troubles. It wasn't like your average cowboy movie where you know the outcome and the setting. It was a strange galaxy with weird looking creatures and strange spaceships. It was all so real and lifelike. It was the total opposite of Star Trek. It was cool. People wanted more. They got two more. Each delivering there own set of memories. The lines became legendary. The sound of a light saber instantly recognizable. Movies nowadays are always borrwing lines and plots of other movies. Star Wars only borrowed one thing. Creativity. The Star Wars story was pulled out of mid-air. It wasn't like George Lucas said he wanted to make a space movie kind of like an old western. He created the idea of A Space Saga Trilogy. He's the one who threw us into this exciting new world called Star Wars. Fans wanted more. They got comics and books. then Star Wars movies were no more. They were still in the movies. Oter movies had borrowed lines and plots for their own. Thats why Star Wars is pop culture ICON. That is what the prequals lack. When someone comes up yo you with a stick in one hand and is waving it around they don't say "Watch out Count Dooku". They say watch out Darth Vader. The prequals are good movies but they aren't life changing like the Classics. If the prequals came first people wouldn't be walking around saying Look A destroyer droid. They don't have the trademark line like they do in the Classics. They didn't create new famous lines, they just took them from the old ones. As a movie I would give Phantom Menace and AOTC a 4 Star award. As a Star Wars film I would give it 2. The negative two is for lack of creativity. The OT is so popular because of what it was nd what it was created as. George did'nt give us that sense of story and herics like he did with the OT. George didn't create the OT because he wanted to tell a story for himself. He made it for us. For Episode one we weren't thrown into this new world with weird craetures and memorable charecters. In a sense of story The prequals fit nicely with the OT. But for a regular movie It gives us nothing to remember and say over and over again and to instantly recognize as Star Wars. I know it is hard to repeat what happened in the 70s/80s but there was nothing George Lucas could do about it. The Prequals are out in a world where evereything has already happened and didn't ignite the flame as the OT did. The Phantom Menace just continued in the name of Star Wars. The OT are just such good movies in themselves and it just doesn't matter which one you see first. They are all memorable. Don't get me wrong, the prequals are good movies and definantly worthy in the name of Star Wars but they are just thrown in with all the other movies which were created around one movie-Star Wars. Other movies wouldn't be the same without there Star Wars moment. That is why when in the movie Just Married Sarah(Brittany Murphy) asks Tom(Ashton Kutcher) if he ever dreamed of anything more glorious in his childhood than his wedding night, he flashes back to when he was playing lightsabers on the playground with other kids to the famous tune that Changed The World. Da da da DAAAA daa-you know the rest!
"Remember, the Force will be with you, Always" ... Read more

Reviews (1736)

Best movie of 2001 and a great DVD to own.
Great works of art that challenge conventional notions often polarize opinion, and it's obvious that "Moulin Rouge" has done just that. The polarity of opinions seen here on Amazon mirrors the love-it/hate-it reactions the film generated upon release in Spring '01.

I think this is because "MR" reinvents that most sacred and traditional of genres, the romantic musical, and because the film has the audacity to take pop culture [and pop music specifically] seriously. Plus, the idea of watching Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, whatever you think of their acting, SINGING for more than two hours isn't intuitively appealing.

But I urge viewers to give this movie a chance if you haven't already, and I'd highly recommend buying the DVD if you already DO like the film from the theaters. This is a marvelous piece of cinematic entertainment and the DVD is a fantastic exploration of the medium and the source material. I applaud the director and his crew for delving so deeply behind the scenes.

Make no mistake: "MR" is a work of art. If you didn't like it, I posit that you didn't get it.

Love it or Hate it--it is a great film and an awesome DVD!
Yes, this is a film like most any groundbreaking or specific director's vision that will cause people to love it or hate it. People who like musical theatre have both hated it and loved it. People who don't like musical theatre have both hated it and loved it. It just depends on how the film grabs you. If you don't like the first 10-20 minutes--wait--because the film's tone changes. It's like ROMEO AND JULIET. The first part is a crazy, comical spectacle. The second half is a gut wrenching, beautifully filmed drama. The film is thrilling and majestic. The DVD is FULL of incredible extras. If you listen and watch how Baz and his creative team made the choices that became this film, you really understand how well thought out this film is. I love the film even more knowing that there is indeed an intelligent method to the madness. And hey, the film hold the National Board of Review Award, Golden Globes, and 8 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Seems the Love it audience is bigger than the (vicious) Hate it audience. I love this film and especially its DVD extras.

Come what may...indeed...
Frankly, the first reaction for this movie is, musical...cheezy! I have to admit, it is hard to look for a really good musical nowadays, or at least up average would be fine for me. Then, I heard Nicole Kidman is going to star on this musical, so I firgured, what the heck, let's gie it a shot. Since she just had her divorce and such. I must say, I have had put my foot in my mouth for this. The movie was splendid. Despite her personal mishaps, Nicole has proven to be one of the best. She sings, with Ewan Mcgregor as her co-star and they have their work ut out for them.

This is a story of a poor writer (Ewan) in strive of getting his unobtainable object of desire (Nicole), who happens to be the main star of this circus theater show in Paris. They succumb into some sort of Forbiddened Love and they tried anything to be and stay together but fate have other plans for them. Nicole has to help her friend and boss from going bankcrupt and with that, she has to attend to this other rich guy, who owns the deed to the place. Help in the sense of be her compainion. Meanwhile, to cover up their affair, the Ewan has manage to create a play, due to mistaken liason earlier in the movie; therefore giving them the room to be together at least somewhere along the line.

I must add one thing.

The rich man gets what he wants, and if he can't have what he wants...nobody else will either.

An applause for this one.

This Proves That Oscars Are Bought
I wish I could have given this no stars. Unquestionably one of the 10 worst movies ever made, although it doesn't even deserve to be called a movie. A lacerated video clip more like it. Nominated for a bunch of Oscars, together with A BEAUTIFUL MIND(another overrated dose of sugar), it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that those awards are completely political & utterly misguided. As many will agree, CHICAGO was everything this dismal effort so desperately yearned to be. A girlfriend of mine told me she cried when Satine(Nicole Kidman)died. I was incredulous. Who cared???? (I was overjoyed since it meant the ordeal was nearly over) With Richard Roxburgh apparently suffering from constipation coupled with Tourette's & Jim Broadbent(usually brilliant)doing some sort of Quentin Crisp/Tootsie impersonation, I would equate this experience with a 3 day migraine. What in God's name were they smoking in the editing room?

I RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE ALL THE WAY!
VERY GOOD! A LITTLE SLOW, BUT I LIKED THE OVERALL SENSE OF IT! ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Has it's moments
I was skeptical before watching this movie, I wasn't expecting good acting and drama in a movie about gangs in prison. The story of 3 young Mexican/ American growing up in the streets of LA. Each one representing the different choices that many of us take in life.

So we see ourselves utilize our god given gifts to make an honest living. And at the same time to resist and battle the temptations of drugs in Cruz, the artist. To channel our rebellion and energy to push us past what it seems like a dead end street, in Paco the Cop. Or "go with the flow' and be part of a self-destructive life by associating ourselves with the wrong crowd in Miklo.

While Benjamin Bratt and Jesse Borrego offer a very strong and believable performance, I found some of the slang way over done to the point that it becomes laughable and corny.

The story has it's moments. One in particular between Paco and Cruz that is so intense, dramatic and real that it made a knot in my throat.

If you get past the corny gang slang, you will find this movie intense and dramatic.

"When you expect nothing,but get everything, that¿s destiny"
Ok, for one thing, it's more then just 5 stars. Jesse Borrego (Cruzito) does an amazing job at his character. Watching him perform pushes me to WANT to become an actor. He transforms himself well, he changes from innocent to drug addicted, to clean and sober.

Benjamin Bratt (Paco Aguilar) does an amazing job, watching his character go from Bad-boy "el gallo Negro", to "la oda." its just, Amazing to watch him for the years of his life, diss the cops, then just years after become one. Making a choice, deciding against FAMILY and LAW.... so yeah, question, if ya seen it, what would you do?

Damian Chapa does an excellent job, watching his character go from Wero to CHICANO RULER.Besides, the fact each main character in this movie is just HOT! Even for being their age.;)
Enrique Castillo is just awesome all around, this is an excellent movie! I can't stress that enough.
This movie was thought out well, each and every character was played RIGHT and VERY very well, and I am still amazed. I've seen this movie more then once, and every time I watch it, I walk away completely amazed!

This movie, was like I said, written well, directed well, I'm a very critical person when it comes to movies, I pay more attention to the outer side of the scenes, to see the mistakes. I've watched this movie, enough to know, that there aren't any, or if there is, I haven't caught them yet. Well in other words, this movie is SMART. Flat out, in order to fully understand it, you've got to fully watch it. Its like a perfect soup, with each actors extra attitude to their character, their sound, their look, adds that extra spice to the recipe. So if you haven't seen it, see it. If you've got the movie, pull it out, and watch it. It's awesome. That's all I can say.

Hasta Luego!

nice
this was such a nice movie. since this movie is very actioned packed.

It's just i'ight
Interesting cast, nice whips, and some of the gadgets were hilarious, BUT Duane Martin as anything but a lady's man, or screw up I wasn't ready for all that! And JadaKiss acting OOH HELL NO! Sometimes you just have to say no. It's obviously a low budget film filled with African Americans so I say support your people! I mean it was what it was a movie!

hot
this movie was very hot. and this movie even has a great cast. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What a combo! Tobe Hooper, the director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, teamed up with family-oriented producer Steven Spielberg to make Poltergeist. The film is about a haunted suburban tract home in a development very much like the Arizona one in which Spielberg was raised. (Because it came out the same summer as Spielberg's E.T., it was tempting to see both movies as representing Spielberg's ambivalent feelings about childhood in suburbia. One was a fantasy, the other a nightmare.)Spielberg also cowrote the screenplay, which taps into primal, childlike fears of monsters under the bed, monsters in the closet, sinister clown faces, and all manner of things that go bump in the night. At first, some of the odd happenings in the house are kind of funny and amusing, but they grow gradually creepier until the film climaxes in a terrifying special-effects extravaganza when 5-year-old Carole Anne (Heather O'Rourke) is kidnapped by the spooks and held hostage in another dimension. Though not nearly as frightening as Hooper's magnum opus, or the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, which came along two years later, Poltergeist is one of the smartest and most entertaining horror pictures of its time. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (147)

Haunting.
Steven Spielberg doesn't just make great family films and moving dramas. He also can help make a great horror movie. Of course, he had some help from famed horror director Tobe Hooper. However, make no doubt the hand of Spielberg is all over POLTERGEIST and the movie wouldn't be the classic it is without his guiding vision.

The movie is about the Freeling family, a typical suburban family living in an above average suburbs. Everything about the Freeling's life seems normal. That is until the youngest daughter, Carol-Anne. (Heather O'Rourke) starts hearing voices late at night from the television. She wakens the family late one night to announce that, "They're heeere." From there the Freeling's lives are slowly turned upside down as small ghostly pranks such as moving chairs and breaking glass snowball into more and more frightening incidents until young Carol-Anne is kidnapped into the neatherworld by forces from beyond.

JoBeth Williams pulls off a wonderful performances as the distraught mother and Craig T. Nelson is a joy to watch as the family's patriarch.

POLTERGEIST is a horror movie that is remininscent of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but with an extra heaping of Spielbergian special effects. The movie is full of suspense, yet actually contains very little violence, hardly any foul language, and no sex. If the film wasn't so frightening, it could be a family film.

A HORROR CLASSIC--AND RIGHTFULLY SO
What sets Poltergeist apart from the usual banality of other horror films is quite simple: this one actually has a story. A story that is as touching and beautiful as it is bloodchilling. This movie actually grabs you by the heart and holds on tight until you reach the final credits. The plot centers on the suburban Freeling family and the supernatural havoc their home is wreaking on them all. There is no sex, no slashing, and minimal gore, and yet you are quite honestly frightened out of your wits. The special effects-- which include a spectral parade down the stairs of the Freelings' home and a massive, roaring skull forcing its way through a doorway--are spectacular, and the cast is genuinely talented. The way Diane Freeling (JoBeth Williams) caterwauls in despair when her daughter, Carol Anne (the late Heather O'Rourke) is abducted by the spirits is heartwrenchingly believable. In short, this is a true must-see. Other standouts: Tangina Barrons (Zelda Rubinstein), a determined clairvoyant; and Dr. Martha Lesh (Beatrice Straight), a hard-nosed but sensitive parapsychologist.

"IT KNOWS WHAT SCARES YOU..."
When two of the greatest directors, horror master Tobe Hooper (creator of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" & "Salem's Lot") and filming genius, Steven Spielberg (creator of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" & "Schindler's List") came together, the blockbuster smash-hit, "Poltergeist" was born and blew audiences away worldwide! A classic combo of epic proportions that brought us one of the most horrifying, imaginative, and powerful films ever put on the BIG SCREEN!

Originally released in 1982, Heather O' Rourke plays the main role as loveable (and cute!) Carol-Anne, while JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson (leading star of the 80s T.V. sitcom hit, "Coach"), & Zelda Rubinstein would probably be considered the supporting actors. It is the most original and creative ghost story since "The Exorcist" (1973) & "The Amityville Horror" (1979) about the Freeling family who lives in the beautiful California suburbs. (which is where the movie was filmed) Carol-Anne somehow has a link with the supernatural via the family television set and soon strange and funny things begin to happen: a large earthquake strikes the community, chairs begin moving on their own, and the family dog begins barking for no apparent reason. (Or so it looks from OUR point of view!)

However, the phenomenon soon turns into a terrifying nightmare of unspeakable horrors: the mysterious tree outside in the back yard comes to life and nearly swallows Carol-Annes' brother, Robbie whole; and Carol-Anne is sucked into a parallel demension (the afterlife) through her bedroom closet. Now, it's up to a group of professionals in the study of the paranormal and a gifted elderly psychic to get her back!

(WARNING: Do NOT read this if you have not yet seen the movie. Contains spoilers...)

In the world of the afterlife, Carol-Anne continues to be tormented by the powerful entity (AKA The Beast) and soon her mother must be plunged into the spectral world herself, while her husband and the others assist her safe return in the process. Barely escaping the undead insanity, Carol-Anne and her mother are brought back to our reality through a gateway in the bathroom ceiling.

Everything is back to normal and everyone is safe again... OR SO IT SEEMS! One night, the family agrees to leave their beautiful home but the nightmare isn't over yet! Robbie is attacked by the one thing that scares him, his stuffed clown doll, while the mother tackles head on with the beast ITSELF! The spirits are now PISSED!! Carol-Anne and Robbie are nearly swallowed back into the portal to the afterlife but are saved by their courageous mother.

The father, being a real estate agent arrives home with his boss and is enraged with anger with the discovery that the town cemetary's headstones was moved but the bodies were left buried under the Freeling's home. After a breathtaking escape, all hell breaks loose in the suburbs in an explosive thrill-ride finale! The ending was quite clever and nicely done and once you see it, you'll never think of T.V. sets the same way again! The DVD includes WIDESCREEN & FULLSCREEN animorphic formats and the original theatrical trailer to the film which is nice for an extra treat! But keep in mind that the BONUS extras are pretty limited.

There are absolutely NO BTS footage, let alone cast interviews or director commentaries. During the production of the film, real scary events were reported happening which weren't supposed to happen and ironically a few years later, Heather O' Rourke, Dominique Dunne (who played Carol-Anne and Robbie's older sister, Dana Freeling), & Julian Beck (who played the villain, Kain in the sequel) died. (Heather O' Rourke died before the release of "Poltergeist III") I only hope that maybe in the future a Special Edition 2-disk set of the movie can be available, teaching us what REALLY happened during filming with the cast interviews and such. After all, it would give Tobe Hooper and Spielberg fans a more insight to the movie. For now, this is the best version of the movie you can get and is without doubt, a MASTERPIECE in cinema!

I GIVE IT A 10/10!!!! DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS #1 HORROR CLASSIC! BUY TODAY!!! I also recommend, "The Amityville Horror", "Tourist Trap", "The Exorcist", & "The Funhouse" in addition! They are all truly horrifying films in their own unique way.

Always Liked This But...
Poltergeist comes from my childhood so it will always be a part of me. It was one of the first films I remember seeing and I will never forget it. To watch it now brings back memories of being a kid and for that it will always have a place in my heart. This film was never that scary to me. For some reason I found it too silly to be scary. Poltergeist is also one of the dumbest movies to be made because there is no way a family would stay in a house AFTER chairs pile up on the table and they hear voices at night. Also who would stay in this house AFTER they got Carol Ann back? That was the straw that broke the camel's back. When I was a child I didn't notice these things but as an adult it makes a once very interesting film seem down right pathetic. I still like this movie it just makes no sense whatsoever.

Poltergeist (1982)
Director: Tobe Hooper
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Jobeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Zelda Rubenstein.
Running Time: 114 minutes.
Rated PG for ghastly scary scenes and some language.

The anticipation for "Poltergiest" was imminent. With "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" director Tobe Hooper teaming with the likes of Steven Spielberg (who has directed such classics as "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park") and Frank Marshall, it was bound to be a supernatural classic. The team did not disappoint. This film is one of the most stylish, devilishly entertaining horror films of the past quarter century, using superb special effects, fine performances, and an elegantly humorous screenplay as a springboard to portray the terror of restless spirits.

The opening scene of "Poltergiest" is the most famous, presenting the cute six-year old girl Carol Ann in front of a disoriented television screen. As the girl turns back to her family, who has fallen asleep watching a television program, she proclaims "They're here!", creating the foundation for a tense, roller-coaster ride full of ghoulish thrills and chills. When the family realizes that their house has been inhabited by fiendish spirits who wish to use their daughter as tool to reach the next world, parents Steven and Diane (played extremely well by "Coach"'s Craig T. Nelson and the charming Jobeth Williams) must put their faith back in love and use sheer determination to save their family from the evil ghosts.

Some of the most memorable and witty scenes involve the quirky haunted house specialist (played by Rubenstein), which she guides the Freeling parents into a world of unspeakable horrors as they attempt to rescue their daughter. The musical score by Jerry Goldsmith is evocatively on the mark, using a chorus of children vocalists that not only create a glorious harmony, but add an eeriness to the film. "Poltergiest" is not only a ghost tale, but a film that renders a theme of hope and faith, using a gentle touch that is not found in many horror films. A magnificent spectacle of stricly original terror, "Poltergiest" has withstood the tests of time and is still of one of the best. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A true Disney classic.
HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS is one of the better Disney, live-action films out there. It's original and unique - followed by two [HONEY, I BLEW UP THE KID and HONEY, WE SHRUNK OURSELVES] just as good sequels. This film is about a wacky scientist named Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) who knows all about science and nothing about family or the "real world". When Wayne creates a shrinking machine, in hopes that it will shrink matter, it actually ends up shrinking his kids, Amy and Nicky (Amy O'Neill and Robert Oliveri), and his next door neighbor's kids, Russell and Ron Thompson (Thomas Wilson Brown and Jared Rushton). They escape from the trash bag and end up entering what appears to be a jungle but is actually the Szalinskis' own backyard! Now, just a few inches tall, the kids must find a way to get to the house and get their parents' attention so they can deshrink them and turn them back to their normal sizes.

This is a very funny comedy, and there are some excellent visual effects, too. Everything from the shrunk kids to riding on a flying bee - there is some truly amazing special effects. The plot is solid and so is the acting. This is one Disney comedy I recommend for every family!

Great, Great, Great!
The story is about an inventor Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) who is trying to perfect his machine which, when working, will shrink matter. The problem is, nothing he does seems to make it work. But somehow, his kids Amy and Nicky (Amy O'Neill and Robert Oliveri), and his next door neighbor's kids, Russell and Ron Thompson (Thomas Wilson Brown and Jared Rushton) are shrunk! Being only a few inches tall, they end up in the garbage bag and are taken outside. They get out but the only way back to the house is through the Szalinski's front yard. They meet up with a friendly ant, a killer scorpion, the danger of being chopped up by a lawnmower, and being drowned by a water sprinkler. Will they make it home so they can be made back to their normal size?

This movie is just GREAT! Even though it's a kids movie, it's great for adults, too. I love to watch this movie with my parents. I especially love Robert Oliveri and Jared Rushton. They did a very good job acting in it. Anybody who wants to enjoy a good movie with the family, watch "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." You won't regret it!

where did the widscreen for honey i shrunk the kids go
i whould have liked it better if it were widescreen i think fullscreen movies are a thing of the past please do away with full screen if possible but if the movie was only filmed in full screen then i dont mind but if the movie can be made for full screen then it should thank you yours truely a disturbed fan of disney movies.

Fun and full of adventure
Who knew cheerios in milk could be so dangerous? This is a fun adventure of a film. I still enjoy watching this film. Rick Moranis plays the bungalking inventor who shrinks his children. The special effects in this film were good.

Okay...but emphasizes special effects
This is a nice kids movie...but pretty stereotypical story line. Clearly devised to show off the Disney special effects. Can be scary for a 5 year old. Kids characters are stereotypes. And of course, it is the one girl who needs rescuing! ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Surfing through Warhol's '80s
Painter Julian Schnabel made his film directing debut with his impressionistic biography of his late friend and fellow '80s Warhol hanger-on, Jean-Michel Basquiat. A charismatic, young heroin addict, Basquiat started out as a graffiti artist who called himself SAMO (as in samo bulls--t) and, depending on where your aesthetic tastes fall, his success represented either a great rebirth of artistic orgininality OR yet another sign that the American art scene was becoming a victim of trendiness. The same, of course, was said of Schnabel at the same time. Luckily for myself as a viewer of this film, I'm in the former camp. For the latter group or the growing number of people who see, "I don't know nothing about art but I like what I see," as the height of critical thinking, this film probably isn't for them.

Told in a freeform fashion, Schnabel's vision of Basquiat's life is rather uneven. The story is occasionally rather muddled (Basquiat's rise from homeless drug addict to prodigal Warhol son seems to come out of nowhere) and plotwise, Schnabel is rather conventional in his structure -- Basquiat reaches the heights of fame and forgets all of his former friends before being redeemed at the end. (His own eventual death of a heroin overdose isn't shown beyond a title card at the end credits -- though the film strongly hints it was related to his own depression concerning the death of Andy Warhol.) However, the film is also blessed with occasional flashes of genius that make this a film that is worth watching. Not surprisingly, Schnabel has a strong visual sense and he uses his limited budget to his advantage, capturing a strange sort of grimy fantasy world. Some of his enigmatic images are haunting. Basquiat continually sees an image of a lone figure surfing whenever he looks up to the sky. Why does this child of New York have this surfer in his head? No explanation is given or really needed. The surfer just happens to be there, just as Basquiat's artistic talent just happened to be there -- unexplainable but definitely real.

Schnabel also proves himself to be a capable director of actors. The film is full of cameos from the actors who always seem to show up in independent, art cinema and at first sight, the cast list looks a little self-conciously hip. At the same time, the celebrity casting somehow works brilliantly. Early on in the film, Basquiat stares through a window at the Warhol crowd standing in an art gallery. That "crowd" is made up of David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, and several other recognizable faces and its somewhat jarring to see all of these familiar actors gathered together -- just as it was probably jarring for Basquiat to stare at the "icons" of his world. Plus, for the most part, these actors all give strong performances and don't just coast on their image. Bowie, especially, surprised me as Warhol. Its not a deep performance but at the same time, he never allows the artist to become a fey caricature. Parker Posey is wonderfully haughty as gallery owner Mary Boone while unusually restrained work comes from unexpected sources like Dennis Hopper, Paul Bartel, and Willem DaFoe. Christopher Walken has a wonderful cameo as a pretentious interviewer and nicely satirizes his own intense image. Of the supporting cast, the four strongest performances are given by Clare Forlani (who has never been allowed to be a strong and sexy as she is here as Basquiat's lover), Michael Wincott and a pre-traffic Benecio Del Toro (playing early friends of Basquiat -- Del Toro especially has some hilarious monologues early on), and Gary Oldman who is basically playing Julian Schnabel and brings a wonderfully arrogant glee to his scenes. (A highlight, late in the film, is the image of Oldman dancing with his daughter in front of one of Schnabel's trademark epic canvasses).

The best performance and the linchpin that holds the film together comes from Geoffrey Wright who found his first taste of fame playing the doomed Jean-Michel Basquiat. Wright, quite simply, is a revelation. He brings a touch of childlike vulnerablity to a character who isn't always extremely sympathetic and manages to add a much needed cohesion to Schnabel's uneven composition. His scenes following Warhol's death are especially haunting. Much as Schanbel's second film introduced many of us to Javeir Bardem, Basquiat serves as an introduction to Wright as well. When Wright sees his surfer, you don't wonder what a surfer's doing above the New York skyline as much as you share Basquiat's (and Wright's) excitement at what possibilities the future might hold.

Deep movie about a shallow art scene.
Basquiat (Julian Schnabel, 1996)

Schnabel has made two films in five years. I'm still wondering why the man hasn't yet been immortalized. Less talented directors have gotten stars on the Walk of Fame for less accomplishment than Schnabel showed with his second film, Before Night Falls, alone. His first, Basquiat, is damned close to being as good, and yet it fell almost completely below the radar of American cinema upon its release, despite a stable of talent so broad it's almost ludicrous.

Schnabel (played in the film by Gary Oldman, incidentally-- and Schnabel's real-life family plays Oldman's family in the film. heh.) gives us the story of Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the brightest lights of New York's avant-garde art movement in the seventies and eighties before his 1988 overdose. Basquiat himself is played by the always-engaging Jeffrey Wright (recently seen giving Sam Jackson trouble in _Shaft_), and while the film never fails to center on Basquiat himself, Wright's brilliantly low-key performance seems almost a backdrop for a slew of A-list actors in minor roles (Willem Dafoe, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Tatum O'Neal, etc.) and up-and-coming stars who have since gone on to eclipse even Wright (Benecio del Toro, Courtney Love, Vincent Gallo, Linda Larkin, Caire Forlani, Michael Badalucco, et al.). But the show is truly stolen by David Bowie as (a believable, believe it or not) Andy Warhol. Bowie doesn't do a whole lot of acting, but when he does, he's usually wonderful at it (viz. The Hunger, Christiane F., etc.). He takes it to new heights here, and Bowie and Wright give a sense of the friendship between Warhol and Basquiat that does far more in far less screen time than most buddy movies could dream about. Of course, that may be because Schnabel, an artist himself, is a virtuoso at conveying the shallowness of the New York art scene. What's more, he manages to do so without turning Basquiat into a shallow film. Not an easy task, by any means.

Fantastic all the way around. **** 1/2

abysmal twaddle about egocentric junkies
Good performances can't save this self-indulgent tale of yet another artist whose out of control ego is supposed to be interesting to the viewer. Even the scenes of his "creative process" are meaningless, and no better than watching a wall being defaced by spray paint; somehow we are made to assume Basquiat is an inventive genius, when what the screen shows us is a man who has no respect for anyone (for instance, there is a scene where he goes to a lovely home for dinner, and urinates in the hallway), no gratitude to those who help him become famous, and is more interested in self-promotion than art.

It has a stellar cast of character actors, among them David Bowie, who shines as Andy Warhol (and is sporting one of Warhol's actual wigs), and Gary Oldman as "Albert Milo", which is an alias for artist and writer/director of this film, Julian Schnabel, and uses Schnabel's paintings, including one he made for Basquiat (the one he shows Jeffrey Wright/Basquiat saying he painted it for a friend who died).
The reproductions of Basquiat's work were also done by Schnabel.

Will Basquiat's work be known 100 years from now ? I doubt it; though it is lauded now, I believe time will reveal it to be no more than glorified graffiti.
For superior films on other self-obsessed, but far better artists, see "Pollock" or "Surviving Picasso", for a humorless depiction of substance abusing bores, an aimless script, and jumpy editing, this is your film. Total running time 1 hour and 46 minutes.

Watch and listen
I'm totally ignorant of art, but this film is very exciting especially in Jeffrey Wright's scenes with actors Claire Forlani, Michael Wincott, and Benicio Del Toro. The way Basquiat's success changes his relationship with his girlfriend and friends and the way he seemingly unwittingly uses people and is also used by people makes for great entertainment. I'm not sure about the Andy Warhol scenes, and nothing much is learned of the relationship between he and Basquiat, but I enjoyed the reunion at the end between Basquiat and his pre-fame best friend Benny. My two favorite scenes would be the one where Basquiat ruins his girlfriend's painting sparking a wonderful argument and the scene between Basquiat and Benny in the car when Basquiat accuses Benny of being a racist. Benicio Del Toro's response is awesome in this scene: "What gives you the audacity to even think that..." I really appreciate the fact that Jeffrey Wright's performance does not allow Basquiat to become merely a symbol for oh-so-cool self-destructive artists. At times he is sweetly sympathetic and at other times he is very irritating and self-righteous. What I think is tragic about the film's Basquiat is that he is constantly being judged based on his race and set apart rather than being embraced solely for his artistic talent. Although Schnabel is an artist himself I don't feel the film is a visual film, it is visual/audio similar to Scorcese's Mean Streets but without that film's violence. The music soundtrack is so important and the songs are so well chosen that it feels like many of the scenes were filmed to fit a specific song. The wonderful soundtrack includes songs by The Pogues, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Miles Davis, and John Cale. I especially like the use of the songs Fairytale of New York and Summer in Siam by The Pogues and Hallelujah by John Cale. Great music fills plot holes and connects fragmented scenes together. For me the dialogue is very musical as well, especially as delivered by such uniquely talented actors. This film can be watched many times without becoming boring, and therefore I recommend owning it.

Too fragile for the World / Excellent Film
Basquiat is an amazing true life story of a man too fragile for the world. Jean Michel Basquiat posessed a child like quality that made people want to help him and an innate charisma that made people want to be around him. This is a man that was almost too creative for this world a tortured soul who could not deal with fame Julian Schnabel captures that in this film. This movie really depicts his struggle with fame. Basquiat wanting fame / recognition so badly then finally reaching it & not knowing how to or can't deal with it. The acting is phenominal Jeffrey Wright is amazing he is Basqiuat in this movie to the exact detail. David Bowie plays a great Andy Warhol. The cinematography and symbolism in the film is incredible there's a scene where Basqiuat is walking down the street and sees on a billboard a man surfing catching a wave which pretty much symbilizes his drive & wanting to be at the top. This film also captures that exciting time in the early 80's where art met music & fashion when artists were the superstars. Sad story of an eccentric man whose talent was exploited & became more of an image then a soul. A must see I own it on VHS one of my top 10 favorite films, the soundtrack rocks too. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

American Dreams Is Fabulous
I just found out about the new American Dreams Season One DVD that will be released in September. Thank God that my birthday is in August so I can order it! I started watching American Dreams in September of 2003 and fell head over heals in love with it! Even though I did not grow up in that generation, my goodness, I can certainly relate to their family's way! Watching the show is one of the highlights of my week. I already know that this DVD will be awesome, and I haven't even seen it yet. I definately suggest everyone get the DVD. I sure will.

What a great family show!!
I have watched every minute of American Dreams since it began and LOVE it!! I'm a Baby Boomer who lived through the tumultuous 1960's and this show portrays the unrest very accurately. It's a great family show and I applaud NBC for renewing it!!

One of the Best!!!
This is one of the best shows on today. It's great for the whole family. I'd love to know what the extras on this DVD will be and I can't wait for it to come out.

Great Show!
From the first promo I saw for "American Dreams" in the summer of 2002, I knew I would love this show and I was right!

This is such a great show for the entire family. It surprises me that it doesn't do better in the ratings than it does.

I was born in the late 60's, so I can kind of relate to how the Pryor's family life plays out ... having only one television set (and only having 3 channels to choose from), one telephone, buying and listening to 45's (for those younger ones of you out there, these are the single records) on a tabletop record player, penny candy that actually cost a penny, Coca-Cola in glass bottles, getting into movies for 50 cents, having a sit down dinner with your family most every night (exceptions were Friday & Saturday nights) of the week ... especially Sunday and so many other things. I love this show, because it reminds me so much of being a child in the late 60's in early 70's.

If you haven't ever watched "American Dreams", I suggest you buy the DVD for Season 1, catch up on Season 2 by reading episode synopsises at nbc.com and start watching Season 3 at 8 p.m. on Sunday night starting September 26th!

American Dreams is awesome
I love this show so much. Even though i wasn't born in this generation, each week, i tune in. The music of American Bandstand is amazing. The special guest stars were awesome. I love how the Pryor family always has something going on. I can't wait to watch the 3rd season. Meg pryor and Roxanne are really funny and cool, while Patti is a brat. Will is adorable, and JJ Pryor has issues with Beth. JJ is also very cute! anyways I would recomend this dvd to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (286)

Hilarious!
The first American Pie started the trend, but American Pie 2 has even more laughs. And it has retained and amplified one important aspect of the original, a somewhat cornball sentimentality that offers a nice counterbalance to the gross sight gags and pervasive atmosphere of salaciousness.

Jason Biggs continues to throw himself into the most embarrassing of situations with admirable gusto, and the movie hinges on his ability to play Jim's most humiliating shenanigans with an odd but appealing, dogged dignity...even when wearing only his drawers. His comic timing is even better than last time, and the movie's best moments come of his straight-faced delivery. And in this sequel you can see how Alyson Hannigan managed to walk off with the most famous line in the original: Given much more weight in American Pie 2, Hannigan is a delight, playing Michelle's offbeat geekiness but hidden warmth to perfection. And her deadpan delivery (the "trumpet" line is bound to become another classic) is beautiful as always. Shannon Elizabeth is surprisingly lacklustre, and Tara Reid is still stuck with the most boring character of the bunch, but otherwise the rest of the supporting cast (Seann William Scott is especially good, reprising uber-jock Stifler) is great, and the sight and verbal gags come faster and tighter than in the original, with the benefit of familiar characters. The famous central gag (won't give it away) had me belly-laughing for a solid minute, something I haven't done since the first time I saw Clerks.

No, it's not cerebral, nor is it an unprecedented classic. But for a good rowdy night of teen comedy, American Pie 2 hits the spot.

Go see this! Best sequel of the summer!
I've seen many movies this summer. As many of you know, there has been many dissapointing movies out there this summer.(Tomb Raider, A.I.,Scary Movie 2,and Planet of the Apes to name a few.) Sequels have been horrible lately, like Scary Movie 2 and Jurassic Park 3. Rush hour 2 was one of the better sequels this summer. When I went to see AP2 with my friends yesterday, I was expecting another sequel that was put together way too fast and didn't have any thought in it. I loved the first one, and I probably have watched the American Pie DVD about 100 times! I bought my popcorn and my drink and was ready for another bad sequel. Man, was I so wrong. AP2 was probably my favorite movie of the summer. I barely ate any of my popcorn or drank any of my drink I was laughing so hard. I thank Universal Studios for giving Eugene Levy a bigger part in this movie. Seann William Scott is extremely funny in this movie, with all his comments. I don't want to spoil it for all you people who haven't seen this movie, but there will be lesbians, some phone sex between Mena Suvari(Heather), and Chris Klein(Oz), a "champagne" bath for Seann William Scott(Stifler), an accident with superglue for Jason Biggs(Jim), the rule of three, and more of Eddie Kaye Thomas and Stifler's mom(What a MILF!just kiddin!) Go see this movie, You will not be dissapointed. It is the funniest, crudest movie of the summer. NOT for Kids!

Awful
Maybe the worst movie i've ever seen. Boring, very TALENTLESS actors, and bad jokes. Primitive film for primitive people.

Wow....what a great sequel!
I loved the first American Pie movie; I would watch it almost weekly with friends. I didn't think any movie could top it, but American Pie 2 comes very close, and at times, is better than the original. I also wanted to start off by saying, to the viewers who complain about such movies having too much raunchy humor, and therefore rating it low, you have to know going into these movies that they will be like this. Some people need to seriously lighten up, quit being a stiff, and have a good laugh every now and then. Also, to the last 1 star guy on here, you need a reality check. I'm not saying that the military is a bad thing, but you can't underrate the value of a college education/experience. It gives people who aren't born for the military (which is most of us) a chance to get a career and contribute to society, and it's also a social experience (the social experience aspect of college is probably more beneficial in the long run than even the educational aspect). And Road Trip was a great movie as well; LIGHTEN UP! (or quit your complaining). The only people that make your generation look bad are people like you!!

Anyway, Jason Biggs is in his usual role as Jim, despite getting laid last movie by a band geek, of having zero confidence in his ability to score (or do much else, for that matter). I disliked the opening scene, especially with that cheesy line "this is my first time......since my.....first time....so....technically, it's my second time," which made me weary about this movie. However, when Jim's dad (Eugene Levy) enters the room, the scene became hilarious, as Eugene perfectly plays the nimwitted father who is completely inept to the fact that no kid wants his/her father to see him/her naked. The movie continues as Stifler (Sean William Scott) and Oz (Chris Klien) discuss how many girls a man is supposed to have sex with during one year at college. This scene could have been a waste of a few minutes, but Scott, being the acting prodigy that he is, knows how to play the cocky card while not coming off as a complete a$$hole. When the four boys Oz, Jim, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) later meet at their local diner, Finch comes off as this sex god, having gotten laid with a Japanese girl in an art museum, his psychology professor, and of course, Stifler's mom. Finch and Stifler steal the show this time around, as the two have amazing chemistry as enemies. Stifler constantly makes fun of Finch's practice of tantric sex, and Finch constantly practices his tantra in various places just to piss off Stifler (like the plant in the house that the boys rent for the summer), as well as.......well, I won't reveal the ending. They rent this house to throw monster parties, and to help Jim have amazing sex with Nadia when she plans to visit him at the summer. Jim also gets practice from the nerd he "scored" with last time around, and when she told him that he sucked, I laughed my ass off! (not only at how she said it, but Jason Biggs needs to be told he sucks, and I relished that moment). Also, the scene where Jim is mistaken for a trombone king Petey is very poorly done (what a surprise, since Biggs is a the forefront of the whole scene). He isn't as bad in this sequel as he was in the first one, but overall, Biggs isn't even close to the talent of the others (which is how he usually is). However, I do have to admit that the superglue scene was quite funny, mostly because we expect lousy things to happen to Jim, though I have to give him credit for putting effort into at least that scene. Despite any other minor flaws this movie may have, it overall comes across as a strong comedy that often goes for the gut, and succeeds about 98% of the time, with viewers in constant pursuit of fresh air after laughing so hard.

The Best Part of the Pie
American Pie 2 is a sequel that is better than the original and better than the 3rd one.No denying that this one is the best one of the series. FAMOUS SCENES

1)Lesbian Scene 10/10
2)Super Glue 10/10
3) Trumpet Scene 9.2/10
4) Jim on Stage 8.5/10
5) Phone Sex 8.7/10
MORE!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Julia Ormond shines in role played by Hepburn!
Being a huge Audrey Hepburn fan, I NEVER thought I would find the remake as entertaining as the original. But was I ever wrong!

Julia Ormond's transformation to the luminously beautiful "woman of the world" Sabrina, is every bit as believable as Hepburn's earlier transformation. Ormond's chemistry with Harrison Ford is far more believable and charming, as Linus tries to distract Sabrina from her obsessive fascination with his younger brother, David, now engaged to the daughter of a business associate.

Harrison Ford gives his portrayal of Linus the needed humanity that Bogart's portrayal lacked. Linus, in Ford's capable hands, revealed the weight of being the older, more responsible brother, in whom the family fortune rested. Yet, Linus yearned to fall in love, and until Sabrina's return from Paris, and their mock courtship, he didn't believe it could ever happen. I really believed he was falling in love with Ormond's Sabrina.

Ford's Linus seemed genuinely heartbroken when he admitted the truth about the Paris trip to Sabrina. He watched with dismay, as her heart broke, to realize he'd been playing her for a fool during their romance. That's why their reunion in Paris, at the end, was so satisfying!

Greg Kinear's David was also more humane and less calculating, than William Holden's in the original version. I felt David's anger at his brother's deceptive romance of Sabrina. And so his punching Linus was a more realistic response.

I highly recommend this movie to all romantics! It also makes a great date film. A great update of an earlier classic, this film may well become a classic in its own right.

Enjoyable, more meaningful/romantic version than original
If you look through the reviews for this version and those for the old B&W, you'll see that there is a little debate going on about which is better. Really, both films have their merits. The original was cute and unpretentious, presenting a fragile Audrey Hepburn in some fashionable clothing (including that absurd gown she dragged through the tennis court scene). But this recent version has the benefit of having a much more appealing hero. Harrison Ford, though he is awkward in romantic roles, is still a far better choice than the clumsy and unattractive Humphrey Bogart. Ford plays the lead, Linus Larrabee, the oldest of two brothers and the responsible (even greedy) one. Greg Kinnear gives a brilliant performance as the younger brother, David, a playboy with only women on his mind. Caught between the two is Sabrina, even more brilliantly played by Julia Ormond. Unlike Hepburn, who presented a shy and awkward Sabrina, Ormond plays the role with not just shyness or insecurity, but an underlying gentleness that fleshes out the character, making her very real and very appealing. Each scene, she delivers just the right amount of insecurity combined with the right amount of emotion, and each line is delivered perfectly. Yet you are never aware that she is acting. The interactions between Kinnear and Ormond have tremendous "chemistry", more so than those she has with Ford. But between Julia and Greg, or rather their characters, there is so much honesty and quite frankly such superb acting that what you are witnessing is not some celebrity actors playing themselves playing a role, but two true actors who make it all look natural. (I know, something Hollywood typically doesn't appreciate.) Their scenes bring a passion and a reality to the film that is rather inspiring -- I'd like to see these two paired again, this time as the lovers and not those who end up "just friends". The storyline is played gently, more for comedy than drama. This film owes a lot to its predecessor, but I have to vote that this is the better, more charming, more emotional and more natural version. The cast of supporting characters is marvelous and expert, including Nancy Marchand as the Larrabee matriarch, John Wood as Sabrina's sensible father, Angie Dickinson and Richard Crenna as the Tysons of Tyson Electronics and a billion dollar merger if David marries their daughter, a physician played by Lauren Holly. Dana Ivey is Mack, Linus' secretary, who has all the funny lines ("We were up to our arms in your underwear drawer. It was like touching the Shroud of Turin.")All the supporting cast do a wonderful job of, well, supporting the stars. The pace never lags, the fun and the drama don't stop. The DVD version has excellent sound and color picture. This is a good investment if you want to see a film that is adult, gently dramatic, clever, and pure pleasure.

My Favorite Movie, Bar None
This movie is wonderful. It takes an already-good plot and updates it -- an Ever After for our classic Cinderella story. The new Sabrina is more self-sufficient, worldly, and her relationship with Linus is much more mature than the variety of relationships portrayed in any movies from Hollywood's Golden Era. It's not that the first Sabrina isn't a wonderful classic, but while that one was classic for its fairy-tale quality, and cute scenes that could never be truly be duplicated, this one meets the demands of an audience who today, wants proof that these are actually two people in love. With Ormond's character, we, the audience, understand and participate in her transition from teenage infatuation to mature love. There are no petty emotional mind-games here, as are so common in Bogart-era romantic comedies.

In addition, the actors themselves add considerably to the movie's success. Kinnear's David matures as well, from playboy to partner, and it is easy to see that his relationship with his brother has played no small part in the formation of his playboy image. Additionally, many of his lines are priceless. Ormond delivers a few ringers as well, including my favorite, when she refers to Linus as "the only living heart donor."

And all this is without speaking of the music. The soundtrack is excellent. The score is classy for its infusion of jazz, yet made passionate by John Williams' unmistakable orchestration. Sting also contributes a haunting ballad. It all fits beautifully into the movie.

Everytime I watch the new Sabrina, it makes me cry. And I'm not the crying type. I highly recommend it -- not as a remake, but on its own merit.

Enjoy it without comparing it to the original
In addition to this movie I've also seen the older one starring Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, and I found that both can be enjoyed almost as two different kinds of films. Though not without its moments of drama, the Bogart/Hepburn film was lighter, more sparkling and witty, but also a little more shallow. In that movie, I couldn't understand the attraction between Bogart and Hepburn; they never seem to connect across their age gap.

In this remake of Sabrina, Julia Ormond gives a performance that's more mature and has more depth. Once she goes to Paris and grows up, she truly grows up (unlike Hepburn, who is loveable but too childlike). The love that develops between her character and Harrison Ford's is more believable; the movie takes more time and trouble to develop a plausible relationship between the grown up chaffeur's daughter and the billionaire without a social life. In addition to that, it also has witty dialogue and funny moments, just like the original.

Genuinely terrible remake of movie classic
This is a simply awful remake of the 1950s original with Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. Their roles are reprised by Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear.

Of the three leads, Greg Kinnear (David Larrabee) does the best job. I think he is a very underrated actor, especially after his excellent work in "As Good As It Gets". He even slightly resembles a young William Holden.

Harrison Ford does an adequate but uninspired job as Linus. Actually both Ford and Bogart were both too at least 20 years old to play Linus, who is supposed to be the older brother, not the father. This detracts a little from the romance, which is supposed to be May-September, not May-Decenber in character, but in the original film, Bogarts sheer charisma carried the day. Harrison Ford has many talents, but romance isn't one of them. He's a good performer in action flicks like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" but he just has no chemistry here.

The worst of the pack is Julia Ormond, an otherwise fine British actress ("Smilla's Sense of Snow"). She is everything wrong for Sabrina -- I can only think they picked her for her smooth voice and accent, which do superficially resemble Ms. Hepburn's. But Julia Ormond is too old to play Sabrina (she was in her thirties when it was filmed and Sabrina is supposed to be about 20!) and doesn't come across as an ingenue. She is just plain painful in the early scenes, where the costume/makeup people went into overtime making her a frump with mounds of frizzy hair. Later, she is "transformed" with a short haircut but unlike Audrey Hepburn -- one woman who was utterly enchanting and beautiful with very very short hair, a hard look to carry off -- Julia looks just awful. It's an unflattering cut and served only to make her look even more mature, rather than sophisticated and charming.

Much of the delightful, sparkling dialogue has been chopped out, towards what end I can't imagine. Also, instead of going to Paris and training as a chef (a very acceptable modern profession for a woman!), they have decided to make Sabrina a Vogue fashion photographer (despite no previous interest or background in photography OR fashion). Frankly, I think the writers were getting "Sabrina" mixed up with Audrey Hepburn's other great classic "Funny Face", where she plays a frump-become-fashion-model. There is no other believable explanation! This also ruins her Paris experience, which was handled so delightfully in the original. If that isn't bad enough, they have innocent little Sabrina having a love affair, a point which terribly muddles the whole idea that she is a naive virgin pining for David. OK, frankly, not many girls stay virgins that long these days, but Sabrina had a reason for doing so and the additional lover (who is quite attractive) really skews the storyline off course.

As a fashion buff, one of the great charms of the original film is the utterly exquisite, iconic fashions wore by Audrey Hepburn, who was not only one of the most beautiful actresses of her day but one of the most stylish women ever, period. (Both Edith Head and Herbert Givenchy designed her costumes.) Every outfit she wore in the original film is an absolute style classic. Some, like the dress she wears to the Larrabee's party after returning from Paris -- a white, strapless gown with black embroidery and a long swishy train -- are so absolutely breathtaking that the hairs on the back of your neck go up when you see her.

In contrast, the remake "Sabrina" has some of the lamest, plainest costumes I have ever seen. In the identical scene (the party), Sabrina wears a drab, dark green evening dress. Not that Julia Ormond isn't attractive, but there is nothing dramatic or stunning about her appearance that would make every head turn when she enters...it's even more lame when other characters, like Mrs. Larrabee (the late Nancy Marchand, in her last role) make comments about how ravishing she is.

Actually, while the filmmakers were "updating" Sabrina to be politically correct, I wonder why they didn't consider making Sabrina and her chaffeur father African American or Hispanic? Certainly that would reflect the reality in the 90s of what ethnic background servants to the very rich are likely to come from. (How often do you see a British chaffeur, really? Almost never! and why would Sabrina, who was raised in the US have a British accent anyways?) I think an interraccial romance would emphasize the cultural/economic differences between the Larrabees and the Fairchilds in a way that modern audiences could truly understand. BTW: I think Hallie Berry or Jennifer Lopez might have done very well in that kind of remake, and they each have a "star" quality that Ms.Ormond utterly lacks. Well, just my two cents.

At any rate, this is a lifeless, tired and completely unnecessary remake. Do yourself a BIG favor and rent the original with Hepburn and Bogart and try to forget that this bloated remake was ever made. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The long-awaited emergence of Nightmare Alley into the light of DVD should achieve two things: make a legendary film noir available to a new generation, and restore the horrific charge to the lately watered-down term geek, a concept that once had the power to give people very bad dreams indeed.

To his lasting credit, Tyrone Power--20th Century Fox's extraordinarily handsome but not terribly interesting star of the '30s and '40s--begged for the chance to play Stan Carlisle, the predatory charmer who snakes his way through this bracingly unwholesome story. A spieler for--and lover of--carnival mind reader Zeena (Joan Blondell), he displays uncanny skill at "reading" the susceptible rubes, including a tough sheriff who turns to jelly after Stan psychs him out. Once Stan's mastered the intricate code used in Zeena's act, he's set to dump her for the younger, sexier Molly (Coleen Gray) and go bigtime as nightclub psychic "Stanton the Great." After that, it's only a blasphemous bank shot to superstardom as a miracle worker with his own tabernacle and radio show.

Few '40s films ventured as deeply into cynicism as Nightmare Alley, or dealt so frankly with sexuality (with ripplings of polymorphous perversity yet) and power-tripping. The movie's rhythm is uncertain and Jules Furthman's screenplay telegraphs things, but the overall tone is remarkable, as are individual sequences: the freaky forced marriage of Stan and Molly in accordance with carny morality, and a creepy night scene in a park when Stanton the Great raises a ghost for a high-society client. Cinematographer Lee Garmes's chiaroscuro creates a relief map of the carnival world and what passes for life there. As for the geek... well, you'll find out what geek means. Stan does. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Greatest Film Noir You Never Saw!!
It's about time this amazing classic film is made available to the public!For years this movie has been withheld due to copyright disputes.I was fortunate enough to get an excellent VHS copy some years ago from a collector, and can attest firsthand that this movie is an absolute cinematic masterpiece.

Nightmare Alley is a twisted ride from the start in its depiction of the ugly side of carnival life. This movie is, hands down, Tyrone Power's finest hour in his acting career!He plays a heel with gritty realism as his character embarks upon his rise and fall, using everyone to further his own ambitions.His ambiguous performance leaves us sometimes sympathetic and sometimes with disgust.

And what an amazing supporting cast!!Joan Blondell plays a more evolved rendition of her 30's tough-mouthed, strong-shouldered, cynically-witted dames, and gives a very rounded performance.She has a dangerous edge despite her on-the-surface saintly devotion to her husband in the film.Joan's acting in this film is undeniably great, and worthy of recognition.

But my favorite performance in the film is that of Helen Walker, who also gives her finest and most memorable performance out of the many fine roles she's played in other significant film noirs.Her acting in the movie is wickedly fierce as she gives new meaning to the term 'femme fatale'.

Aside from the acting, the black and white cinematography is brilliant, and it has a perversely modern feel to it!And to say anything else would be to say too much! See for yourself. ... Read more

Description

Stanley Kubrick directed a cast of screen legends-including Kirk Douglas as the indomitable gladiator that led a Roman slave revolt-in the sweeping epic that defined a genre and ushered in a new Hollywood era. The assured acting, lush Technicolor cinematography, bold costumes and visceral fight sequences won Spartacus