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Get ready for some seriously big hair. The Last Dragon--or, to call it by its full title, Berry Gordy's the Last Dragon--is a stunning example of 1980s camp cinema. One-name kung fu wonder Taimak plays Leroy Green, a.k.a. Bruce Leroy, a humble student of kung fu who has achieved the highest level of skill, but hasn't yet found his inner master. Wandering through the streets of New York in a Chinese peasant outfit, he accidentally becomes the protector of nightclub hostess/video jockey Laura Charles (played by former Prince protégé Vanity, who also costarred in the trash classic Action Jackson). She's being threatened by a height-challenged mobster who wants her to play his girlfriend's video (the girlfriend is something of a Cyndi Lauper look-alike, played by Broadway star Faith Prince). Meanwhile, a man who calls himself Sho'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, wants to kick Leroy's ass and prove himself the baddest kung fu master in town. Add to this Leroy's smart-mouthed brother Richie (who calls Leroy "the chocolate-covered yellow peril"), a dregs-of-Motown soundtrack (DeBarge is a high point), ninja battles, pseudo-Eastern philosophical babble, and a jaw-dropping club performance by Vanity, and you have a hilarious example of why we're all so very glad the '80s are over. Featuring a bit role by William H. Macy (Fargo, Magnolia). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (170)

I wanted more, but at least it's on DVD
Before I was old enough to buy things on my own, I wanted to own the Last Dragon. This is easily one of my favorite 80's movies growing up. Who can forget the hair, the music, the crazy plot and the killer fight scenes. Waiting for this one to be released on any format seemed like an eternity. The VHS version was released for a short period over a decade ago, but was then quickly a discontinued item. Well after countless years of waiting, fans can rejoice, we can all finally enjoy, probably the best version ever, a DVD version of "The Last Dragon." Although Columbia didn't go all out with this DVD, just the fact they decided to put in on DVD is good enough reason to get a 4 star rating. The movie, simply put, is cool. It has a great 80's soundtrack and is still one of the funnest, and silliest movies ever made.

I was diappointed to see that the DVD did not offer the Dolby Digial 5.1 format, but the Dolby Surround 2.0 does the job nicely. The picture quality is as good as I have ever seen this movie look since I saw it in the theater in 1985, but you can notice it looks a bit aged and perhaps a little more remastering from Columbia would have made it look like new. The DVD lacks all the extras. Although the director commentary was nice, it would have been nice to see some bio's. And where in the heck is the theatrical trailer? But as a whole, fans won't hesitate, and probably already have it on the shelf. Knowing Columbia and how they have treated this movie for 15 years, it will probably only be out for a short period. So you better get your copy now while you can. If you've never seen the movie and just want to enjoy a silly, but fun movie, The Last Dragon is a good DVD to add to your collection.trailer.

A vintage 1980s kung fu/comedy classic
I have always loved this movie. Sure, it's a little bit kooky, but Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon just about has it all: plenty of kung fu action, comedy, romance, great vintage mid-80s music, a little bit of funk styling, and plenty of tributes to the great Bruce Lee; it is also the only film I know of whose two main characters are known by only one name in real life. I actually saw this film twice in the theatre back in 1985, and I can say that of only a few movies. Taimak plays Leroy Green, better known around the New York streets as Bruce Leroy for his impressive kung fu skills. His pursuit of the martial arts is a search for truth and mastery of self, and he is only one step away from acquiring "the glow," a state of being wherein mind and body are one. His pursuit of a new and final "master" keeps getting sidetracked, however. Sho'nuff (Julius Carry III), a particularly nasty dude who proclaims himself to be the Shogun of Harlem, is constantly provoking him and baiting him to fight. Then he finds himself the fated protector of star video jockey Laura Charles (Vanity), who is constantly being kidnapped and pressured into showing a certain video on her show. Eddie Arkadian (Christopher Murney) is determined to make a star of his untalented, Cindy Lauperized squeeze Angela (Faith Prince), and he will stop at nothing to get her video on the air. All of Leroy's enemies, naturally enough, come together for a slam-bam martial arts extravaganza finish.

Laura Charles naturally quickly develops some affection for her knight in flowing Asian robes, and a pretty darn innocent Leroy struggles to overcome his shyness in the ways of love. It makes for a rather sweet as well as comical budding relationship. There is ethnic humor scattered throughout the film, all of which I found funny and in no way offensive - by way of example, there is the somewhat Asian fellow trying to act like Bruce Lee because he thinks that alone will scare away any opponents. The music is great; Debarge's video for his hit song Rhythm of the Night gets prominent placement in the film, as does a rather illuminating performance by Vanity which seems a lot sillier now than it did 18 years ago. Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson contribute to the soundtrack, and Willie Hutch provides a couple of great tracks.

The best thing about The Last Dragon, though, has to be the martial arts. I know this was a somewhat cheesy martial arts film, but I still enjoyed all of the action. This is due in no small part to the fact that clips of Bruce Lee movies are shown at several points in the film, and a scene reminiscent of the huge melee that took place late in Lee's Enter the Dragon is a really nice touch. The whole thing with "the glow" was cartoonish in conception and execution, yet it too was pretty cool. I think The Last Dragon is just a great, entertaining film, but it is probably not for everyone. If you have no interest in martial arts, the romance and sometimes goofball comedy of the film may not be enough to satisfy you, but anyone who enjoys seeing everyone kung fu fighting should have a heck of a fun ride over the course of this somewhat underrated movie. It always leaves me feeling pretty juiced up and positive about life, which is a pretty nice feeling to take away from any movie.

steveo
i first saw this video when i was 10 years old.I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN DISCONIUED,then finally i come across it again this is one cheesy film but i love it to pieces

5 Stars--Brilliant, Baby!!
I absolutely LOVE this movie. This is one of my favorites! I don't know how people critique movies, and what they call "great", but I'm tired of them, they don't know what the (bleep) they're talking about!!

This movie is sooooooo great! I love Taimak and Vanity (a protegee of the man Prince I awesomely adore) and all of the characters. Sho'nuff may be ug-ly but he makes me laugh! The whole movie makes me laugh.

The tough, strong, yet cute and gentle Leroy Green (son of Daddy Green and his Pizza) a.k.a Bruce Leroy is a funny character I just love. Laura Childs is so pretty and sassy, you just love her. The Plot is endlessly good and I LOVE THIS MOVIE! I recommend it to you and your family (PG-13, though) and you will love it! I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT!!

BUY IT, WATCH IT, LOVE IT!!

Forget the critics! I love this movie!
I don't know why such a bad review is posted here on Amazon? I am sad that the 80s are over, but I still have my DVD to watch any time I want. Bruce Leroy has to go up agienst a bad dude by the name of sho nuff.. All while tring to find the inner glow that will give him the power to defeat his foes...
He has to help a beautiful lady named Laura Charles a video DJ who is harassed by some crazy promotor who will stop at nothing to get a video played on her show..
I love the film for the action and we get to see some Bruce Lee in it too! Leroy is sent out on a mission to find the way to reach the glow and when he has to fight Sho nuff, he finds out that he is the master!

I loved this movie and I wish that there was a sequel... Grab some popcorn and just sit back and have fun... ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Schmaltz In A Purple Wrapper
[Add a half-star if you don't mind being manipulated.]

All during the summer, in seeing previews, I was worried about To Wong Foo... being an American version or rip-off of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert. Trust me, there are a lot of similarities; however To Wong Foo... stands on its own as an enjoyable movie experience. In the audience I sat in, there was laughter and applause throughout and I found myself laughing and applauding along. (I hadn't expected to.)

Patrick Swayze is Vida Boheme, a drag queen from Bala Cynwyd, PA living in New York City. Bala Cynwyd is pivotal in his story. So is Noxeema Jackson (Wesley Snipes). Boheme and Jackson are friends competing against Chi Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo) and others for "Drag Queen of the Year". Well, as luck would have it, Boheme and Jackson tie for the honors and both win an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood.

Well, Boheme is a queen with a heart. She can't stand to see Chi Chi, who lives in the same building, so upset about not winning the crown; so, Vida bullies Noxeema into trading their paid-for airline tickets for a car and, together, the three set off to drive cross-country. Shades of Boys On The Side.

Early on, the trio is stopped in the middle of nowhere by a county sheriff (Chris Penn in a hoot of a role). What happens next brings more remembrances of Boys On The Side.

Eventually, our fun-loving "females" end up in Snydersville, a small hamlet where everyone seems to have a problem and our girls have a solution for every single one of them. Despite this manipulation, To Wong Foo... delights at every turn. It's laugh-out-loud funny and not at all subtle. Normally, that would be a criticism, but in this case, it turns out to be a refreshing change of pace.

Of course, all of the elements in the story come together for a schmaltzy conclusion. But, that's OK. You'll get all wrapped up in it anyway, just like I did.

(Boy, was I surprised.)

[Originally written 10 September 1995]

A Fine, Fun and Snazzy Film, anything but a Drag!
This movie is one of those rare perfect films. Casting is brilliant (especially Stockard Channing, who only gets better and better as the years go by--and she was always totally incapable of less than a fantastic performance). The general plot line of the movie is a congenial road trip, as three drag queens drive from New York City to California to compete in a contest, and the themes are fulfilling.

In essence, the movie deals with the healing of "broken people." (For other such films, see such gems as "Batteries Not Included" and "Fried Green Tomatoes.") The unlikely angels? The three drag queens. The situation? Their car breaks down in a red-neck hamlet. Unlikely hijinks and dangerous confrontations lead to a satisfying conclusion.

And Julie Newmar was never better!

Uneven but when it's good it's GREAT
"To Wong Foo" seemed horribly miscast when you found out who was in it ... I mean, John Leguizamo had done drag before, proving himself to be very convincing and most definitely in touch with his "feminine side" -- but Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze??! Two macho movie stars pulling off parts as drag queens on a road trip?

But then you saw the movie ...

The three men do excellent jobs, Wesley Snipes in particular a total surprise in his role as Noxeema Jackson, drag queen with Attitude. Swayze, as Vida Boheme, is the "lady" of the trio who can get down and dirty when she has to -- and Leguziamo as Chi Chi Rodriguez is nothing short of perfection.

The plot is simple: At New York's Drag Queen of the Year contest, Noxeema and Vida tie for the crown. The title comes with a free airline ticket to Los Angeles, to compete in the Drag Queen of America competition, and the two "girls" couldn't be more excited. But then they meet little Latin Chi Chi Rodriguez, whose drag queen self-esteem was not at all helped by losing this competition. Vida, the kind of person who always believes in helping those less fortunate, talks a VERY disgruntled Noxeema into selling their plane tickets ... and using the money instead to buy a cheap car and drive to the L.A. contest. The night of the win, Vida spots an autographed photo of Miss Julie Newmar on the wall of the reataurant they are dining in, and reads the inscription: "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar". For those not in the know ... for years actress/model Julie Newmar, best known for her role at Catwoman on the tv series "Batman," has had rumors floating around saying that she's a drag queen in real life -- not a woman. She's just too statuesque, her face too strong on bone structure, to be a real woman! When Vida sees the framed autographed photo on the wall, she takes this as a sign that the three of them will be blessed on their quest. She also takes the photograph.

Halfway 'cross country, in Nebraska, the threesome is stopped by a racist sheriff who notices their tail light is out. Taking Vide back toward his car, he comes onto her, thinking she is a real woman. When he reaches under her dress and learns the truth, Vida tries to break free ... and knocks the sheriff to the ground, where he conks his head. They drive off quickly, before he can come to and REALLY do them all some damage.

Soon after, their old Cadillac breaks down, and Chi Chi hitchhikes them all a ride into Snydersville, a town that makes Mayberry look like New York City. Tiny and hick and populated with small-town minds as well, Snydersville seems to be the LAST place three drag queens would want to get stranded (if they want to live, that is), but when these three are stalled there for the weekend, until they get their car repaired, they decide to make the best of it by making over the town's women, addding some spark to a Strawberry Social - and, in general, bringing tons of color to an otherwise drab existence. But little do they know that Sheriff Dollard (Chris Penn) - who is less than thrilled by being knocked unconscious by a "boy in a dress," is out to find them ...

The movie is uneven in spots - the scenes in the town go from hysterical to being too stage - but overall whenever Snipes or Swayze or Leguizamo are on-screen, you could never be bored. Funny and with some VERY sharp one-liners, the movie comes close (especially in the end) to turning sappy with its "why can't we all just get along" mind-set -- but never quite pushes that envelope. The three leads are EXCELLENT, and backed beautifully by a great supporting cast the includes Stockard Channig, Melinda Dillon, Chris Penn, Jason London - even "Alias" star Michael Vartan. Ru Paul and Robin Williams add both class and style to brief cameos ... as does the one and only Miss Julie Newmar herself.

Stylish and funny and just corny enough to work, this comedy is anything but a drag ...

Oh no girlfriend, did you just do a ue?
Nothing but praise for this great flick! Let's face it, while it may not be a movie that George Bush would ever watch (mind you if he did he could learn a thing or two about love and acceptance). I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to watch a great movie. Even after seeing it over five times I still laugh out loud and get a kick out of all three "ladies"! Robin Williams is hilarious and RuPaul makes a surprise visit! Rent it today and you will be glad you did!

"It comes down to that age-old decision: style or substance"
One year after the success of the 1994 Australian film "The Adventures Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures joined to produce the 1995 American version, "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar". Like the Australian film, which featured a trio of drag queens traveling across the rugged Australian outback from Sydney to the isolated resort of Alice Springs in a pink bus, the American version featured its own drag queen trio traveling from NYC to Los Angeles in an aging yellow Cadillac convertible; but the similarities end there. The drag queen trio featured in the American version was Miss Noxeema Jackson (Wesley Snipes), Miss Vida Boheme (Patrick Swayze) and Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo). After Noxeema and Vida share the title of a drag queen contest, they invite (with Noxeema's reluctance) Chi-Chi to join them to participate in a national contest in Los Angeles. Not having enough money for all three to fly to Los Angeles from NYC, Vida convinces them to instead use their winnings to purchase a car that all three could travel in. The film's title comes from an autographed picture of Julie Newmar that Vida steals from a restaurant and places in the used yellow Cadillac convertible that the trio purchases. Similar to the Australian version, the car breaks down along the way, forcing the trio to stay a few days in a small, languishing town. There, they meet the town's assorted residents that include hotel owner Carol Ann (Stockard Channing), her abusive husband Virgil (Arliss Howard), Beatrice (Blythe Danner), the polite Bobby Ray (Jason London), Merna (Melinda Dillon), Loretta (Beth Grant), the aging Clara (Alice Drummond) and restaurant owner Jimmy Joe (Mike Hodge) to name a few. They also meet law enforcement officer Sheriff Dollard (Chris Penn) who wants to arrest them.

Though arguably not as well made as "The Adventures Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar" is still a very entertaining and engaging film that is sufficiently different from the former to not be redundant. Cameo appearances in the film include Julie Newmar, Robin Williams (as John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt), RuPaul (as Miss Rachel Tensions) and Naomi Campbell. Memorable scenes in the film include the restaurant, the used car lot, Vida seeing her mother (Margaret H. Flynn), Chi-Chi earning rites of passage, Sheriff Dollard, Noxeema's interactions with townsfolk, the clothing store, the beauty parlor and the closing scenes. Patrick Swawye received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical, and John Leguizamo received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in the Comedy/Musical. Sadly, Wesley Snipes did not receive a nomination for his excellent performance. Overall, I rate the film with 4 out of 5 stars. After watching the deleted scenes on the DVD, I concluded that they were best left deleted. ... 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

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Actor Griffin Dunne improves a bit on his first film as a director, Addicted to Love, with this drama-comedy about a family of witches. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play spell-casting sisters of different temperaments: the former is a high-living, free-spirited sort, while Bullock's character is a homebody who can't get around a family curse that kills the men in their lives. A widowed single mom, Bullock gets into a jam with an abusive Bulgarian (Goran Visnjic) and is helped out by her sibling, but the result brings a good-looking, warm, inquisitive cop (Aidan Quinn) into their lives. The film has a variety of tonal changes--cute, scary, glum--that Dunne can't always effectively juggle. But the female-centric, celebratory nature of the film (the fantasies, the sharing, the witchy bonds) is infectious, and supporting roles by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as Kidman and Bullock's magical aunts are a lot of fun. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (231)

I loved this movie.
No matter what religion you are or how you feel about witchcraft, if you enjoy good acting & a great storyline, you'll like this film. Both Bullock & Kidman are excellent & their characters are well-drawn, likable & familiar. Most women will relate to the loves & losses, trials & errors of these independent young women.

They are, of course, different in some ways. Born into a legacy of witches & dark history, the Owens females live under a curse that destroys any man who gets too close to them. (Then again, some of us may have felt 'cursed' more than once in our love lives...)

Bullock plays Sally, the levelheaded one who is determined to have a "normal" life. She falls in love early (w/a little crafty help from the aunts -Stockard Channing & Dianne Wiest), then marries & has two daughters who look exactly like she & 'Gillie' (Kidman). For a few years, Sally is blissfully happy until the day she hears the cricket chirp - a sign of impending death. After her husband is killed, Sally falls into a depression so deep that only her sister can pull her out.

They have an unbreakable bond - not only of blood & love, but of spirit. The strength of this bond actually saves Gillie's life, when she manages to hook-up with an evil madman who 'comes back' from death. The ending is quite well done.

This was a movie about belief, trust, family & a very old fight - good vs. evil. It was also about a love strong & pure enough to break a centuries-old curse, true enough to save a woman pulled in the depths of true evil. It is touching, satisfying & emotionally uplifting. Rent it! Then rent it again for the soundtrack alone!

Powerful Performance by Kidman
While many reviews are positive and a few of them negative in this section, I found it to be a fantastic tale about women and the Craft. Yes, Bullock could give a better performance, but I don't think it is about her or Kidman. Instead, I challenge all of the people who have written negative reviews to examine EVERY DAY LIFE and then watch the movie. I found this a heart-warming tale about the "magical" instances in our childhood. As a child, I was told of curses, boogey stories, voodoo, magic and it was left for me to decide what to believe. Depending on the viewer's BELIEFS, the story could or could not happen. The thing that I ultimately think made the movie was the special effects and the composition of the scenes. The director (Dunne) utilized them in a way that they did not stand out. Rather, the effects were blended seemlessly into the film. To those doubters, watch it first, then again, noting the effects. Only after the second time, decide wheather you like it or not. Overall, I found the movie (DVD) captivating. I will be buying this on DVD very soon.

To live and to die in strange circumstances.
This was a fun movie, a romp through a fantasy life of three generations of witches. The house was set somewhere in Maine but the action took place in some strange places. It almost makes one belief that witchcraft is alive and well in the modern age.

The two older witches were especially good. Sandra Bullock, on the other hand, was playing a continuation of her character in HOPE FLOATS, same funky outfits and the acting just the same.

These beautiful witches had the bad luck to always kill the men they love. No matter how many potions they tried to concoct, nothing ever came out right. The little ones had no special magic, and yet their peers called them witches just the same.

The living dead had eyes like Riddick. Now, I understand where he got his strength; he was already dead. What'd he have to lose?

I enjoyed this romp, but I have always been interested in how the women in Salem and along the Eastern coast were burned as witches. Even Guinevere in Richard Harris' version of CAMELOT was 'almost' killed as a witch. Thank God, she was rescued by her Sir Lancelot to waste away in a nunnery. What a price women have to pay when they love the wrong men!

Can love travel back in time and heal a broken heart? I like to think so.

Great! Two Thumbs to the sky!
It was great! According to real witchcraft, it was pretty accurate!

Fantastic!
The story line is fantastic--that of friendship, sisterhood, attaining dreams, and love. This movie shows witches in a more realistic light incomparison to the ole tale of green skin and bubbling eyes of newt. It, also, shows the politics that they face due to these deeply rooted tales and lends hope that the general populus will become more embracing/accepting of others' beliefs--particularly that of earth-based religions. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

One of the key films of the 1970s, John Boorman's Deliverance is a nightmarish adaptation of poet-novelist James Dickey's book about various kinds of survival in modern America. The story concerns four Atlanta businessmen of various male stripe: Jon Voight's character is a reflective, civilized fellow, Burt Reynolds plays a strapping hunter-gatherer in urban clothes, Ned Beatty is a sweaty, weak-willed boy-man, and Ronny Cox essays a spirited, neighborly type. Together they decide to answer the ancient call of men testing themselves against the elements and set out on a treacherous ride on the rapids of an Appalachian river. What they don't understand until it is too late is that they have ventured into Dickey's variation on the American underbelly, a wild, lawless, dangerous (and dangerously inbred) place isolated from the gloss of the late 20th century. In short order, the four men dig deep into their own suppressed primitiveness, defending themselves against armed cretins, facing the shock of real death on their carefully planned, death-defying adventure, and then squarely facing the suspicions of authority over their concealed actions. Boorman, a master teller of stories about individuals on peculiarly mythical journeys, does a terrifying and beautiful job of revealing the complexity of private and collective character--the way one can never be the same after glimpsing the sharp-clawed survivor in one's soul. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (104)

What REALLY happened on the Cahulawassee River?
When it comes to fictional survival stories, few can approach the sheer grueling brutality of DELIVERANCE. Brilliantly adapted by James Dickey from his best-selling book and superbly directed by John Boorman (POINT BLANK, HOPE AND GLORY), this is a tremendous endeavor. So much so that horror writer Stephen King and Boorman's fellow director Stanley Kubrick both expressed a tremendous admiration of it.

As pretty much everyone knows, DELIVERANCE focuses on four Atlanta businessmen (Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox) who decide to take a canoe trip down the Cahulawassee River in the Appalachian Mountains of northern Georgia before it is dammed up into a lake. It is apparent, however, that the local folk don't take kindly to these "city boys" messing around in their woods. And when Voight and Beatty are sexually assaulted at gunpoint by a pair of sadistic rednecks (Bill McKinney, Herbert "Cowboy" Coward), in the infamous "SQUEAL!!" segment, what began as a canoe trip explodes into a nightmare.

Much is made, and justifiably so, not only of the "SQUEAL" scene but also of the "Dueling Banjos" part, between Cox and a retarted mountain kid. But DELIVERANCE has much more to offer besides these moments. Like A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and STRAW DOGS, it offers a hard-hitting and unflinching look at Man's penchant for violent and (arguably) abhorrent behavior. The four leads are extremely good in their roles, and McKinney and Coward make for two of the more frightening and vicious villains in screen history. Dickey appears in the film's final reel as a local sheriff who, as he puts it would "kinda like to see this town die peaceful."

Shot totally on location, and featuring ominous cinematography from the legendary Vilmos Zsigmond, DELIVERANCE is a great and frightening piece--arguably a modern gothic horror film, certainly a great action film with an undercurrent as sinister as the Cahulawassee River itself. It is not to be missed,

Terrific, violent and distressing thriller!
In 1972, the English filmmaker John Boorman ("Excalibur", "Hope and Glory") accomplished one of the most contusing and acclaimed dramas of Hollywood history.Based on James Dickey's original best-selling novel, Deliverance is a vigorous picture about the human cruelty directed with mastery by Boorman, who substituted the original profesional chosen to make the film, Sam Peckinpah. Dickey also worked on the movie (and he even has a small part as a sheriff), helping to give the correct contours and maintaining the fidelity to his shocking book: four friends, common and hard-working citizens, decide to spend the weekend challenging the dangerous and fast rapidses of the "last unpolluted river in Georgia".Worst is what waits for them in the margins. Starting from the moment in which they arrive in the mountains, the confusion with the eccentric hillbillies gets announced and explodes later into mutilation, murder and rape. After Voight and Beatty are assaulted by two hillbillies, comes one of the most distressing cinematography's sequences ,Ned Beatty under the power and strength of a sick local's inhabitant .Then, Reynolds kills one of the homosexuals, and the other scapes, this is the point in which Boorman sets inside that hostile and natural enviroment a type of "primitive" tribunal. This is the most frightening moment: what should they do?hide the body, kill the other mountain man who fled, and pretend that nothing happened, deceiving the authorities, or go to the police, admit the crime and take the risk that resides in a possible trial? the dignity and the heart of each character will be tested!Burt Reynolds gives an outstanding performance and, perhaps, the best of his career, as a man obsessed by adventure who will do to everything to survive,but the most astonishing and brave acting belongs to Ned Beatty,terrific as a poor overweight salesman who receives the most impressive punishment by the hillbillies. Agile, violent, and extremely dramatic, this thriller is powerful and courageous.

Thrilling, Exciting and Still Disturbing...
DELIVERANCE (1972) was adapted from the great and controversial best-selling novel, written in 1970 by James Dickey. Made by British director John Boorman, who was relatively new to Hollywood at the time, this film was a faithful adaptation of the book, with the exception of some humor being interlaced into some of the earlier scenes. In some ways, it is even more disturbing; by juxtaposing some light comedy in the first half, Boorman makes what happens in the second half that much more nightmarish by comparison. And it is a nightmare...happening in the middle of the woods on a sunny day in the deep South.

The book told the story of four middle-aged surburbanites---Ed Gentry, Lewis Medlock (guess he did have a last name, after all), Drew Ballinger and Bobby Trippe---encouraged by nature-loving, alpha-male Lewis to brave the rapids of a river before it gets dammed for good. Told in first-person by Ed, who harbors latent homosexual desires for Lewis (though never acts upon them), the men paddle downstream in two canoes---Lewis & Drew in one, Ed & Bobby in the other---when they are separated at a river fork. As Ed & Bobby manage to get their boat ashore, and try to figure out a way to rejoin their friends, they are confronted by two mountain men with shotguns. Both are ugly. One of them is toothless. The non-toothless one forces the chubby, soft-bodied Bobby to strip half-naked and then rapes him at gunpoint, as Ed is restrained by being chained to a tree. When he has finished with Bobby, the toothless man prepares to force Ed to go down on him when Lewis finally catches up with his lost friends and shoots the first attacker with his bow & arrow, killing him almost instantly. As the toothless man runs off, Lewis attempts to lead his friends to safety down the river. However, banjo-playing Drew is shot to death by an unseen sniper (presumably the Toothless Man) and Lewis is incapacitated in an accident soon after. It is up to citified friends Ed and the now-broken-spirited Bobby to somehow gather their muster, and for Ed to learn to use his long-buried primordial instincts to help them get out of this horrible situation *and* to not arouse suspicion by the law.

The book was a compulsive page-turner and nail biter, and the well-made film is no different in that respect. Deciding to work with a 30-something cast instead of 40-somethings, Boorman cast then-rising-stars Burt Reynolds and Jon Voight as Lewis and Ed, supporting player Ronny Cox (who would achieve stardom over a decade later in BEVERLY HILLS COP, 1984) as Drew, and then-unknown Ned Beatty (in his film debut) as the unfortunate Bobby. It was casting genius. Reynolds fills Lewis Medlock perfectly, with his macho swagger hiding a surprising sensitivity which emerges once he is rendered practically useless. This performance made him a superstar (and should have earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination), and began a decade of Burt dominating at the box office, though usually in Southern-fried comedies. Voight, who had already been Oscar-nominated as urban cowboy gigolo Joe Buck in MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969), correctly tones down his usual overplaying tendencies to convey Ed Gentry's low-key complacent nature. Ronny Cox brings Drew Ballinger to life, and nearly steals the show with the film's early "Duelling Banjos" scene, and shows a lot of dramatic ability in the film's darker half. But it's Ned Beatty, in his brilliant performance as the at-first clownish and wimpy insurance salesman Bobby Trippe whose horrific trial-by-fire at first breaks him, then rebuilds him into a man who can stand up for himself and prevail, that is the film's emotional centerpiece. He definitely should have earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for this very difficult role. Kudos must also be given to Bill McKinney, as the Mountain Man who rapes him; his portrayal is among the most chilling and creepy in cinematic history.

Speaking of that, this was the very first time male-on-male rape had ever been depicted on the big screen. John Boorman directed this scene with utmost care for his actors, while creating a scene that was in some ways even more horrific than had been described in James Dickey's book (there is no "squeal like a piggy" order given by the Mountain man in the book). According to Burt Reynolds' account in his autobiography, Ned Beatty was only going to do one take of this scene and Bill McKinney took his Method Acting a little too far and actually seemes like he was really going to "bang" Ned Beatty (it is maintained that he even had an erection at the beginning of this scene!); Burt and director Boorman had to intervene at one point! No matter what actually happened, this scene was handled bravely, and considering the fact that it was filmed in 1972, was especialy not easy to do. Lastly, the author himself appears at the end as Sheriff Bullard, and is amazingly well-cast in a subtely threatening (as scary as heck) cameo.

DELIVERANCE is still no less impacting as it was over 30 years ago. It is a must-see for anyone who calls themselves a movie fan.

MOST RECOMMENDED; AGES 15 & UP

Banjo, anyone?
City folk Burt Reynolds (Louis), Jon Voight (Ed), Ronnie Cox (Drew) and Ned Beatty (Bobbie) take a canoe trip down a backwoods Georgia river which will soon be flooded out when a new dam is constructed.

The foursome hire some possibly-inbred hillbillies to drive their cars down to Aintry to be picked up later. Off they go downriver. They encounter small rapids, bugs, and then Ed and Bobby are assaulted by two unpleasant hillbillies. They make Bobbie drop his drawers and squeal like a pig, and tell Ed he has a "real purty mouth". Louis and Drew sneak up on them and kill one of the men as the other runs off.

This leads to a moral dilemma among the four canoers. Do they tell the cops? Do they bury the body and act innocent? They make a decision, and continue downstream. At one point going through some rapids, Drew falls overboard, apparently shot by the second hillbilly, and Louis breaks his leg. Bobby camps out with Louis as Ed climbs up a cliff to reconnoitre and ferret out the second man. Finally, they continue down to Aintry, where they recuperate, and are questioned about their experience.

The screenplay was written by James Dickey based on his book, and he has a small part as the sheriff who wonders what the men had been up to.

Good ensemble acting (probably Burt's best role), beautiful photography and locations, and a great story make this an impressive movie. Oscar nominations for director (John Boorman), picture and editing, and Golden Globe nominations for director, picture, actor (Voight), song ("Dueling Banjos") and screenplay. The reasonably-priced DVD has the R-rated full-screen and wide-screen format movie, a good documentary, English or French language and subtitles, Dolby sound, chapters, cast/crew/production notes, and a trailer.

Duelling banjos and a lot lot more
I have always known the movie 'Deliverance' because of the dueling banjos tune and that is why I finally wanted to see this movie. Turns out that this is one of the best movies I have seen in a long long time.

It is the story of four Atlanta businessmen on a rafting trip. While on the river they encounter some 'crackers'. One of the four gets raped and the other almost before one of the businessmen (someone who does not believe in law) kills the attacker with an arrow. Because the whole valley will be flooded soon they decide to leave the body there and tell no one. The one with a heavy heart falls overboard however.

What is right? What is wrong? are questions asked in this movie and no one is sure. The movie is very disturbing, a strange look into the human mind and human society and also that part of the world where civilization as we know it does not exist.

The duelling banjos are fun, but the movie is really good. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

One of the best movies about the effects of the Vietnam War
I've seen quite a few movies dealing with the subject of the war in Vietnam but this is the best by far. I love the realism in this film and how effective the plot of the movie plays into the lives of the two main characters. This is one of the best films ever made period, the acting,writing and directing is superb on all counts. John Voight is brilliant in this movie as the bitter paraplegic. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1978, which I was glad that he did because he truly deserved it. Bruce Dern (in his Oscar nominated role) is also wonderful and very convincing even Jane Fonda who I have never been fond of was very good. This movie was directed by the late Hal Ashby and Waldo Salt wrote the terrific screenplay. This film is excellent in every way and it would make a great addition to anyone who collects great movies such as this one.

One of the most important films on Vietnam!
This movie really blew me away. I rented it the other day not expecting much, but after the movie ended I realized how wrong I was! Jon Voight does an incredible job as the wheelchair-bound Vietnam War vet who falls for Jane Fonda. Bruce Dern is almost as good in his portrayel of Fonda's husband, who goes to fight in the jungles of 'Nam while Fonda & Voight fall in love. I've never been a big Jane Fonda fan because of her actions duing the war, but she did a very good job. However, I don't think it was academy award winning acting. Jon Voight's award was well deserved, though. One of my favorite moments is when he talks to the high school students at the end. The film is great & I loved it, but it's far from perfect. For example, the movie ends rather abruptly without totally resolving the plot. And how come one of the last things we see is Bruce Dern's rear!!! It adds absolutely nothing to the plot & takes away some of the power of Jon Voight's speech. One last thing I've got to mention is the awesome music. I've never heard so many great '60s songs in one film, and they add so much to the movie's dramatic mood. I especially liked the song "Once I Was" by Tim Buckley played during Jon Voight's speech at the end. I highly recommend this film for everyone (except kids!).

HORSE MANURE
As if to counter-balance "The Deer Hunter", good old Jane Fonda starred in "Coming Home" (1978) with Jon Voight. Saved by the pure benevolence of American goodwill from a treason trial, she was allowed to pursue her craft (she is excellent at it). "Coming Home" seemed to be the realization of the self-fulfilling prophecy she created in 1972. It was that year that she traveled to Hanoi, the heart of America's enemy, and allowed herself to be posed on Communist tanks, wearing an army helmet. It was blatant "aid and comfort" provided to an enemy during a time of war. Jane did not stop there. Like a modern day Tokyo Rose, she got on the radio and told the troops their wives and girlfriends were having sex with hippies and protestors back home. To this day, the G.I.s have never forgiven "Hanoi Jane". She tried to apologize and say she was wrong, but her heart was never in it.
Eventually she married CNN founder Ted Turner, a man who may not be the anti-Christ (but may be), and may not have achieved his success by invoking Satan (but may have). When Turner saw CNN employees adorned in "ashes" to worship Ash Wednesday, he went ballistic about "Jesus freaks" in his employ. Such a crime! Jane, in the first move she ever did that I liked (other than wearing skintight sex clothes in her hot-selling workout vids), declared she was a "born again Christian." That was the last straw for Turner, who divorced her. There is no word on whether Christianity took in Jane's life, but I wish her well.
In "Coming Home", she portrays the very cheating wife she described to the boys in her "Hanoi Jane" days. She tries to pepper the performance with an apology to her officer husband, Bruce Dern, but it ends up being more of an explanation, which in light of what we know about Vietnam does not wash. Two thumbs down.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

THE MOST MOVING OF THE VIETNAM WAR FILMS
More emotional than THE DEER HUNTER, and that's going some, Hal Ashby has a masterpiece that moves even the most macho of hearts, especially when Tim Buckley's "Once I Was" plays its first five notes. Oscar worthy, as well as winning, COMING HOME is a gripping work of artistic integrity. Forgotten among the two big Oscar winning roles are Bruce Dern and Penelope Milford (both Best Supporting nominees) and Robert Ginty, all 3 of whom do more than fill screen space. The Rolling Stones "Out Of Time" cannot be more perfectly placed.

A Serious And Sensitive Portrayal Of Vietnam Vets!
Who would have thunk?? How is that someone as adamantly against the Vietnam war made such a transition that she starred in this terrific melodrama focusing on what happens to those who gave their all for their country, and have to live with the consequences. Certainly none of us veterans would have supposed Hanoi Jane to be capable of such a mind-boggling transformation. Yet her personal feelings about the damage done to our young men and women "in country' were truly galvanized by what she learned in preparing for her role as the wife of a Marine officer at loose ends with her time and spirits, and volunteers her time at the local Veteran's hospital. Both she and co-star Jon Voight won Academy Awards for their thoughtful, moving, and emotional portrayals of people caught in the biggest and most overwhelming geo-political issue f the sixties.

The entire ensemble cast is wonderful, with Bruce Dern superbly playing the marine officer feeling confused and cuckolded, on an emotional knife's edge as he learns of her romantic and emotional betrayal with the wheel-chair ridden Voight, and neither of them can save him from the roaring emotions Dern feels roaring through his head. This is a sensitive screenplay that introduces a lot of fairly sophisticated and sometimes shocking aspects of real life onto the screen, but it is so well done that it all seems quite natural and open and healthy. For example, this was the first time paraplegics are seen making love on-screen, and the action is both realistic and fairly explicit. So forget about Jane's confused and somewhat tortured past, take a chance and give this movie a roll. I know you will love it. Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

While 2003's Daredevil was a conventional superhero movie, the 2005 spinoff, Elektra, is more of a wuxia-styled martial arts/fantasy flick. Elektra (Jennifer Garner) has returned to her life as a hired assassin, but she balks at an assignment to kill a single father (Goran Visnjic, ER) and his teenage daughter (Kirsten Prout). That makes her the target of the Hand, an organization of murderous ninjas, scheming corporate types, and a band of stylish supervillains seeking to eliminate Elektra and tip the balance of power in the ongoing battle of good vs. evil.

As the star of Alias, Garner has proven that she can kick butt with the best of them, and some of the visual effects are impressive, but the action sequences tend to be anticlimactic, and there's not much to the story. Fans will notice numerous references to Frank Miller's comic books, but there's very little resemblance to Miller's cold-blooded killer (Elektra with an agent? Elektra referring to herself as a "soccer mom"?).

Is Elektra better than Daredevil? Not really, even with the distinct advantage of having all Garner and no Ben Affleck. That could be the spinoff's greatest disappointment: after Spider-Man 2 raised the bar for comic-book movies, Elektra lowered it back to Daredevil's level.Directed by Rob Bowman (the X-Files movie), and featuring Terence Stamp as the mysterious mentor Stick, Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day) as the chief villain, and NFL-player-turned-mixed-martial-arts-champion Bob Sapp as the immovable Stone.

DVD features
Ben Affleck's much-rumored cameo is one of the deleted scenes on the Elektra DVD.It's a one-minute throwaway, and while he's supposedly appearing as Matt Murdock (who romanced Elektra in Daredevil), the barrage of celebrity gossip makes it impossible to see him as anything other than Jennifer Garner's real-life boyfriend.There's also a making-of featurette, which is mostly promotional hype other than a few interesting effects shots; four editing featurettes; and Jennifer Garner's videotaped message to ComicCon.--David Horiuchi

More on Elektra

Elektra: The Album (Soundtrack CD)	Elektra: The Movie (Comic Adaptation)	Frank Miller Comic Books
Daredevil (Director's Cut) (DVD)	Jennifer Garner stars in Alias (DVD)	More Superhero DVDs

... Read more

Reviews (163)

Not bad
I don't understand when people complain about Elektra being trashy. Com' on, you know you're watching a comic character, a character written from comics, how intellectual do you want the movie to be?

I love the trashiness of the movie.

More like E-Suck-tra...
This was one of the crappiest movie I have ever seen in the history of movies. The boss fights were stupid, the final boss, stupid, The tatoo guy that was supposed to be TOTALLY sweet died way way way too easily. She had this stiff pissed look the entire movie which just made me fell Stiff and pissed. I think the only part I found entertaining was how they died, If you want to laugh get this movie, if you want action(which is what you expect from this movie) Go try Samurai Champloo.

good dvd release but worst superhero movie i've ever seen
I'd never seen this movie in big screen, but one of my friends told me it was an average movie. when the dvd released, I Bought to put it near my daredevil DVDs (special 2 discs edition & directors cut), oh my... when i watched it... it was not an average movie but one of the worst superhero movies i've ever seen. too much lies! terrible actings and a boring story! not comperable with daredevil in any way, daredevil was a five star movie but this can hardly get one star! its just like one of jackie chan recent and cheap movies with a TV Worthy picture and special effects. it's not even worth to rent. don't be fool by the beautiful and kind of sexy photo on the cover of dvd! don't buy it even you are a super hero DVD Collector

Good acting , silly story
I was surprised that someone like Jason Isaacs would appear in a movie like this... special effects are very good, but still, the story wasn't very good. Goran Visnjic did a great job, excellent. But I don't know...watch it if you want to have some fun.

A Different Concept ?!!/ Disappointing and Medicore!!!!
I personaly am a comic book fan and can tell you from experience that the comics of Elektra are way better. The movie was somewhat weak with barely any action scenes!!! The only good part of the movie was Jennifer Garner which put some flavor into the movie and was in fact perfect for playing the part of Elektra!!! I place all blame on marvel who basically focused too much on setting up for the sequel and less on the action!!! This movie had so much potential but in the end it was barely amusing!!! If you want the truth the only reason I gave this movie 3 stars was because, of pitty and Jennifer Garner!!! It was a nobel effort but there are way better movies than this!!! The special features aren't that special either and not worth buying the movie over!!! Some hardcore Elektra fans will have a special place in their hearts for this movie!!! Don't buy this movie because of Jennifer Garner, if you want to see more of her just watch Alias/ or buy the first season!!! Marvel used to be about making comics and pleasing their main fan group, but now they have turned into a bunch of corporate business investors trying to make a profits!! The movie "Hulk" was even worse than this, which makes this look good!!! If you are looking for good movies from marvel here are some suggestion:

Spiderman
spiderman 2
X Men
X Men 2
The Punisher
Daredevil
The Incredibles

I hope Marvel is wise and makes more movies like the one's listed above!!! I suggest you rent this movie first to see if you truly want it!!! If you are a action fan like me you will probably not like it!!! Better luck on the sequel!!!

-Anonymous ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Redford's underrated directorial follow-up to his Academy Award-winning Ordinary People, The Milagro Beanfield War is a loose and whimsical fable about community pride and social activism in the face of modern progress. Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman) plays a local mechanic in a small New Mexico town who takes up the challenge of rallying support for a local farmer who uses water owned by a real estate developer to grow beans in his field. Everything escalates to a showdown between the townspeople and the developers, with unexpected results. The strongest aspect of the film is the way it doesn't take itself too seriously, with Redford adopting a leisurely tone and allowing his fine cast (including Ruben Blades as the pragmatic town sheriff and Christopher Walken as a nasty state police officer) to deliver finely nuanced performances that touch on themes of faith and perseverance without seeming heavy-handed. The Milagro Beanfield War is an overlooked gem. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (36)

A real New Mexican comments
You can read in other reviews about the DVD quality, the excellent cinematography, and the passable acting (a bit over-acted on Sonia Bragga's part, but not as bad as in "moon Over Parador").Redford is also a good director.If you can choke down another socialist good-people-of-the-land versus greedy developer plot, this isn't a bad film.

Milagro in reality is Truchas, NM, a very old hardscrabble Spanish farm village between Chimayo and Penasco (that's in the real high country north of Santa Fe).Water rights are indeed sacred there and it is a delightful area if you don't mind a snowy winter and being a long way from a supermarket.or the new age nutballs coming in from Santa Fe.....

But it's not the edenic area the film makes it out.This would have been a way better film if the director and writer had admitted that the average folk in that area have really severe drug problems and aren't exactly high on smarts or initiative.

Nonetheless, a cute little film and a great look at my home asrea in glorious northern NM.

DVD should be splendid.
I received the UK DVD release of The Milagro Beanfield War several months ago and the digital transfer of this beautiful film is truly breathtaking-- the saturated colors, the wonderful New Mexico light. If the British DVD is any indication, viewers should be in for a very special treat. A great cast. A warm, whimsical slice of life which affectionately captures the wonderful essence of New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. Not to be missed!!!

Overlooked for far too long
Others have summarized the plot below so I will try to add a few relevant thoughts.First of all, the story is basically a skim off the John Nichols novel.Like all his books, it is so deep in back story that no movie can contain more than a tithe of the actual narrative.This screenplay actually does it justice, though.The strength of the work is not the plot but the characters.In Nichols' novel, each character has such richness and depth, they become very much alive and real.Sadly, no movie can ever capture all of that, but I think Redford's efforts here managed to pick up enough of it to make the film work because the most important character in the film is the town of Milagro itself.By getting even a glimpse of such venerable old-timers as Amarante Cordova, Onofre Martinez, and Nick Rael's crazy mother, we understand much more of Milagro's personality.

Within the movie we get some very nice depth added to other characters, as well.Reuben Blades as Sheriff Bernabe Montoya, for example, is tripping over his feet jumping a ditch in one scene and using cunning wisdom to disarm a firefight in the next.Sonia Braga's passive-aggressive manipulation of John Heard's lawyer-activist is brilliantly played by both of them.James Gammon as Horsethief Shorty, the one Anglo who may love Milagro as much as the local Hispanics, is perfectly played, as well.

The film is beautifully photographed and Redford's love of the American Southwest is visually documented here with a very nice touch.The soundtrack also adds a lot of character to the piece and is very well placed.Finally, two small roles that I thought added a lot to the movie were Julie Carmen as Nancy Mondragon, Joe's wife, and also Freddy Fender as Milagro's mayor, Sammy Cantu.

Overall, this is one of those movies that isn't so much about what happens in the film as it is about how the director and the actors portray it, which in this case is done beautifully.

Great Film-Better News
Milagro is the classic good vs. evil/David vs. Goliath story but not as serious as most of the others. The little guy occasionally gets help from the strangest places-his own townfolk. This is a great family movie with minimal profanity.
Now the good news-thanks to all the letters to the distributor, this will be released in Region 1 DVD on or about may 31, 2005.
Horrayyy!!!!! for the little guy-you and I can make a difference.

A Former New Mexican
It's Christmas and two years since we left New Mexico.I wanted to order The Milagro Beanfield War for my husband for Christmas and was so sad to find it's not available on DVD.I was in Santa Fe for the premiere and saw Robert Redford strollng around the plaza.
It's a beautiful movie; full of humor, great characters and beautiful scenery.
We can't get green chile or our Christmas tamales here, but had hoped to feel New Mexico again by watching this movie.I hope to see it soon on DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Conspiracies abound in Children of Dune, Sci-Fi Channel's praiseworthy miniseries sequel to Frank Herbert's Dune, loyally adapted from the Herbert novels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune by John Harrison, who passed directorial duties (due to a scheduling conflict) to Greg Yaitanes, a 31-year-old TV director and Dune neophyte tackling his biggest assignment to date. Uninitiated viewers face a disadvantage; it's best to read Herbert's books and/or see the first miniseries before plunging into this remarkably coherent tangle of political intrigue, unfolding 12 years after the events of Dune.

To his horror, Maud'Dib--Arrakis emperor Paul Atreides (Alec Newman, reprising his Dune role)--has become the unintended figurehead of a violent dictatorship, and his enemies are multiplying. Vanishing into the desert, he waits as destiny shapes his twin heirs Leto II (James McAvoy) and Ghanima (Jessica Brooks), who must contend with their scheming aunt Alia (Daniela Amavia) while Princess Wensicia (Susan Sarandon), of the enemy House Corrino, plots her own attack on Maud'Dib's familial empire. Exiled Atreides matriarch Lady Jessica (Alice Krige, giving the film's finest performance) returns to Arrakis, where the enormous, desert-dwelling sandworms face an uncertain future. As always, the spice must flow, and the universe's most coveted commodity remains at the center of this richly detailed and physically impressive production. Special effects range from awesome (fly-over shots of the capital city, Arakeen) to awful (the saber-tooth tigers look like Jumanji rejects), and Dune devotees will endlessly debate the miniseries' strengths and weaknesses. Some may desire more action to punctuate the film's inherent verbosity, but consensus will surely conclude that this is Dune done right, with monumental effort and obvious devotion from everyone involved. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (122)

Fine adaptation of an SF classic
This sequel to the mini-series "Dune" combines action from Frank Herbert's novels "Dune Messiah" and "Children of Dune." Paul Muad'Dib (Alec Newman) has taken control of Arrakis, but all does not go as planned. He has become the figurehead for a violent revolution that is spreading across star systems, various conspirators are gathering against him, and the greening of Dune is playing havoc with the traditional Fremen way of life. His children, Leto (James McAvoy) and Ghanima (Jessica Brooks), are destined to play pivotal roles in the complicated machinations for control of Dune and its spice.

This is a handsome production with mostly impressive special effects. The acting tends to be rather wooden, as a great deal of dialogue is given over to exposition about the various complex maneuverings that are ongoing throughout the story. However, if you enjoy complicated stories full of scheming and strategizing among the powerful, as well as an impressive, fully realized alien milieu, you should find something to enjoy here.

The Saga of Dune is far from over.....I hope
"History is written on the sands of Arakkis..."

So begins the tale of one of the most epic mini-series ever produced;and rarely have truer words ever been spoken.Based on Frank Herbert's second and third books in his Dune saga,Children of Dune is a breathtaking look into the mind of a genius.The science-fiction equivalent of Tolkien,Herbert has brought to life a universe unlike any other,that,without fail,sucks you into it in a maelstrom of love,lineage,and legacy.And much to the surprise and awe of a Dune junkie like myself,director Greg Yaitanes not only manages to do Herbert justice with this small screen outing,but manages to do him proud as well.

With awesome special effects(check out the worms!!),perfect casting,mindblowing cinematography,and the greatest soundtrack I have ever had the privilege of hearing,the Children of Dune mini-series is the ultimate science-fiction saga of our time.Arakkis is as real,raw,and powerful as any Shire,Hogwarts,or galaxy far,far away.

Step inside a world of political intrigue,action, and drama.Bear witness to the triumphs of men as well as his tragedies.Behold the Fremen at his best,and also at his worst.And watch as life is born,ended,and given meaning in a beautiful epic that is,in the best and only way to describe it,undying.

Step inside the majesty of Children of Dune.

Dune Messiah and Children done RIGHT!
When I rented and watched the first Dune miniseries, I was shocked at how poor a job had been done. True, the story was kept pretty much intact, but the costumes were horrible, the acting wasn't credible, and the sets were even less credible. Most of the time, you could easily tell that the backdrop was a wall painted to look like dunes and mountains. This time, however, the makers got it right. First, everybody who returns for this second mini-series must have gotten acting lesson in between the two. I was shocked at how good some of the performances were (Paul and Irulan for example). Second, some of the special effects are truly impressive. Throughout most of the miniseries, I could believe that this was a very respectable theatrical release- I love Alia's "fight" scene. Also, the music this time around is unbelievable. I don't think it would be an exaggeration at all to say that this is the score that should have won best soundtrack at the most recent Academy awards.

Many people display disappointment over how some plot points were changed or ommitted. However, in my eyes, the miniseries accomplished the highest note that I think it possibly could have reached: it REALLY made me want to read the books again.

I also think that the miniseries accomplished something that the books did not. I think it added more emotion to the characters and made it easier for viewers to empathize with them. I can return to the books, perhaps, with a better idea of what the characters are going through.

Overall, a very commendable effort- not to be missed by any Dune fans (unlike the miserable first mini-series)

The saga of Dune is far from over.....well, let's hope so- on to God Emperor!

Read the book
I bought this DVD recently, after a 20-year lapse since I last read the Dune books. With only a vague memory of what was supposed to be going on, the movie was pretty much incomprehensible.

What was the reason for Leto II transforming himself into a sandworm? I don't remember, and the movie didn't explain. Somehow, this was supposed to be the next evolutionary step, or some such thing, but why? And why did Leto seem so confident and at peace with his decision, when later we find out that he sobbed in his sister's lap and asked her to help him die?

A lot of the acting is truly dreadful, and seems more appropriate to a stage play than a movie. Many of the costumes look like they came from old the original Star Trek series. And many of the sets were obviously just that ... sets with painted backgrounds.

As with the other adaptations of Dune books, too much had to be left out in the interest of time, and if you aren't very familiar with the story, you can easily be left scratching your head.

Considering it's a TV production, a great effort.
John Harrison wrote the script for this , as he did for the first Dune series. I think some are being too hard on this installment(double). It's the best sci-fi TV to come about in a very long time. The acting for the most part was a great surprise. There's some real talent here. Daniela Amavia's Alia puts most disturbed bombshell ladies in horror films to shame. It's true it's more of a petty political soap opera but that's how the sequel novels also seemed. Like another reviewer said, a knockout scene was where Duncan Idaho had to face the moment of truth and a lot of principle characters get killed off, a la Godfather. The scene captured the moment in story in just about the best way possible. The "wierding" effects like the first Dune are a rush, but the directors wisely use it sparingly and go for build up to dramatic highpoints just as Herbert's books do. Considering the recent sci-fi in the movies, this new director hopefully will get to the big screen sometime. ... Read more

Description

The Name of the Rose is a gothic medieval mystery thriller set in a 14th-century Italian monastery. Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and a young novice (Christian Slater) arrive for a conference to find that several monks have been murdered in mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church authority and fight the shadowy conspiracy of monastery monks using only his wit and intelligence. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Interesting Medieval Movie
Sean Connery plays William of Baskerville, a 14th cenutry Franciscan Monk who comes to an abbey high in the Italian Alps and investigates a series of murders that surround a mysterious book.

A young Christian Slater plays his companion/student. Connery is similar to a Sherlock Holmes, using very modern methods of investigation during this dark ages period.

The Monastery is home to all sorts of creepy monks including Ron Perlman playing a hunched backed simpleton. William find himself the target of heresy charges by a vengeful cardinal portrayed by the villian F. Murray Abraham.

The movie is somewhat slow but not in a bad way. It's a dark but thought provoking movie with religious overtones. Throughout is an on-going battle between William and some of the older monks. It seems the older Monks want the book supressed because it's a comedy and comedy is thought to be the work of the devil.

I've heard that the movie doesn't hold a candle to the book, but since I've never read it I have nothing to compare it to.