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Disney's 1986 Flight of the Navigator combines a strong ensemble cast and classic '80s soundtrack with dazzling special effects for a high-flying sci-fi adventure. While searching for his little brother in the woods, 12-year-old David Freeman (Joey Cramer) falls down a ravine and is knocked unconscious. After what seems like minutes, he returns home, only to discover that eight years have passed since he was declared missing and presumed dead. Even more mystifying is that David hasn't aged, nor can he account for the time lapse. Meanwhile, NASA officials stumble upon a futuristic spacecraft and are determined to assess what David knows about it by locking him in a top-secret lab for scanning and testing. His only chance of escape is in the spacecraft manned by Max, a wisecracking robot. Cramer gives an earnest performance, which overcomes an imperfect script, while enough one-liners and imaginative animation will keep families engaged. Watch for Sarah Jessica Parker in one of her first film appearances. Rated PG for language. (Ages 6 and older) --Lynn Gibson ... Read more

Reviews (53)

One of my favorites as a kid
I waited a long time for this to come out on dvd. Bugs me that the companies don't get it right the first time though. They release the dvd with no extras what so ever just so they can release a special edition a few months later. Disney did the same thing with Tron. I'm sure they have a lot of stuff they could've put on this dvd but they chose otherwise. I would've liked to see some trailers at least and it doesn't even look like it has any.

Anyway Flight of the Navigator is a great movie for the whole family. It's under-rated and a lot of people might not even have heard of it. It's about a boy who's accidently sent to the future by an alien space ship. When he finds his family they wonder why he hasn't aged a day. Scientists then run tests on him to find out where he was. He decides to escape and find a way back to the past and getting a ride on the space ship is the only way back. Once he gets on the ship is when the movie turns more goofy as the alien is voiced by Paul Reubens (Pee Herman) after all. The movie is still tons of fun and it does have some clever science fiction in it too for a kids movie. So eventhough the dvd has no extras what so ever the movie itself is worth checking out.

Reminiscent of the best of the Heinlein young adult novels..
Flight of the Navigator is a far better movie than we'd have a right to suspect.

Plot spoiler if you read further:

A few minutes into this film, 12-year-old David Freeman (Joey Cramer) is on an
errand to retrieve his 8-year-old brother, Jeff, when he falls into a gulley and is
knocked out. Regaining consciousness, David returns to his house, thinking only a
few minutes have passed, and instead of his parents and brother finds a locked
door and an elderly couple living there.

Taken to the police station, David is identified by computer records as a boy
reported missing eight years before. Despite the fact that he hasn't aged, he's taken
to the Freeman's at a different house nearby, and when he sees his parents
obviously older, he faints. He returns to consciousness again on a gurney on his
way to a hospital bed. A few minutes later, while his parents are called out of the
room by a somber-faced doctor, David is left alone with his brother Jeff -- who is
now 16.

This is ostensibly a Disney movie for kids -- and later on there is a lot of comedic
Disney hijinks -- but the first half hour of the movie, as David and his family deal
with the trauma of his time relocation, are some of the most heart-rending and
chilling sequences I've seen in any film.

Spoiler over.

This movie reminded me of some of the time-relativity sequences in Robert A.
Heinlein's novel, Time for the Stars. The characters are well written and the actors
do an excellent job, particularly in the scenes between Joey Cramer and Matt
Adler, as 16-year-old Jeff. The distraught parents, Cliff de Young and Veronica
Cartwright, are also excellent -- and Howard Hesseman and Sarah Jessica Parker
round out a great supporting cast.

Special kudos are due to Paul Reubens (best known for his character Pee Wee
Herman) who was originally credited under his own name for lending his voice to a
major character in this film, but had his name removed from the credits, replaced
by the pseudonym "Pall Mall," after Reubens was arrested for alleged indecent
exposure committed in a movie theater seat. (I've never understood how Reubens
was convinced to plead "no contest" to the charge, after theater security cameras
showed him in the lobby buying popcorn at the time of the alleged offense.)
Considering that Disney's Hollywood Pictures division released Powder, directed
by a convicted and confessed child molester, Disney should show some backbone
and restore Reubens real name to the credits.

If you can get ahold of this movie, see it -- and maybe Disney will see fit to release
it again -- on DVD, I hope.

One of the Greatest Family Movies of all time!
This is one of the greatest family movies I have ever seen. I saw it in the theatre in 1986 (twice). I purchased the video as soon as it was released and will now purchase the DVD. I'm so glad it is finally available. If you are looking for a wonderful movie to watch with your family...this is the one to buy!

wtf!!!
get this strictly for the boy's trippy,lsd addicted little buddy that rides on his shoulder!what a little tripper!!!

One of My Favorites as a Child, now on DVD!!!
Flight of the Navigator certainly brings back wonderful memories, of childhood in the summertime eating hotdogs and drinking soda on a sunday night. This Disney flick about a boy's journey mysterious journey through time was long overdue on DVD!! Ofcourse we cannot forget that Sarah Jessica Parker has a prominent role! And isn't Paul Reubens, (aka Pee Wee Herman) the voice of the alien navigator??

The Picture and Sound quality are excellent, as compared to that old VHS copy we all have! Presented in 1:85:1 Aspect Ratio Widescreen. The DVD is lacking any real special features, like "The Making of" or "Commentaries" but it is a wonderful addition to that nostalgic childhood collection. ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Visually stunning, disappointing story, good for kids
I purchased this movie when it released based on the trailer I saw in the theatre (which accentuated the visual aspects of the movie). I was not let down in that regard, the blend of real world locations and computer animation is seamless and beautiful. What left me cold was the story. The characters are interesting (such as the Brontosaurus and Triceritops) but the story all to often falls into cheezy pop-culture references. It almost seems as if Disney spent all their time on the visuals and NO time developing a compelling story. You may be thinking "Yeah, but it's a Disney movie..." but all of the adult overtones that make other Disney movies soooo enjoyable for grownups(as seen in Toy Story 1&2, Lion King, etc.) are missing in Dinosaur. Being a huge fan of Disney and Disney movies for this reason (I am male, 23 no kids, by the way) I was dissapointed.

Now, that doesn't mean that kids won't love it. Children are pretty forgiving of cheesy stories, so they will definately enjoy it. The problem will come when the kids want to watch Dinosaur over and over again (I'm having flashbacks of my little sister watching "Little Mermaid" every day for SIX MONTHS... I can still sing along to every song in that movie..). The first viewing will be entertaining for adults, but after three times, you'll be ready to "lose" this DVD accidently.

The Land Before Trash Like This
What a joke. Before I trash this movie let me just say the only thinkg keeping this from 1 star is the interesting idea to use real backrounds with the CGI characters. I can't tell if it was an act of genious or lazyness. But either way it came out pretty good.

Now for the reason it got 2 stars. Disney has sunk to an all time low. Not only have they made a silly attempt to copy the success of Pixar films, but they went so far as to shamelessly rip off The Land Before Time. I mean, they didn't even try to make the story original. The opening scene copies the opening scene in the TLBT almost directly. What's worse is that I went into the theatre expecting this to be the best movie ever. I came out wanting to throw up from digust of this trash. I thought the whole movie was going to be like the promo trailer and nobody would talk. It would just be a visual art piece. But then I heard them talk and I was appalled. Another thing that drove me crazy was the fact that a lot of the characters just weren't lovable. I'm going to spoil something right now. 80% OF THAT MONKEY FAMILY DIES AND THE REMAINING DON'T CARE AT ALL!! Sure they cry for one second then they just go back to being comic relief. It's just not a good movie and I can't recomend it.

Dinosaur
Dinosaur is just like Land Before Time, but the difference is that Dinosaur is fully CGI animated.
The music and the animation is great, and there are many memorable scenes and characters.
There is a lot of extras to explore on the 2 Disc edition, and it includes behind the scenes, deleted scenes, and the early versions of Dinosaurs.
I think that extras like commentary tracks are missing, and that the movie could had been a little longer.

Stunning animation, silly plot.
Dinosaur (Eric Lighton and Ralph Zondag, 2000)

Why does Disney insist that every animated film have two directors? Just wondering.

In any case, when I first saw the previews for this, I had hopes it was going to be a full-length animated silent film. So I ended up initially disappointed, but at least they got some fun voices.

Newbie director Leighton and second-timer Zondag (whose earlier film was the painfully bad dinosaur flick We're Back!) have, basically, done an update of The Land Before Time with stunning animation and (to say the least) a better voice-acting cast. Where The Land Before Time used unknowns (though Helen Shaver has since gone on to relative fame), Dinosaur started with the works: D. B. Sweeney (Strange Luck), Ossie Davis (Do the Right Thing, Bubba Ho-Tep), Alfre Woodard (Holiday Heart, A Wrinkle in Time), Max Casella (Doogie Howser MD), Julianna Margulies (ER), Della Reese (Touched by an Angel)... you get the idea.

The story is your typical cutesy Disney pablum (if you're expecting Winged Migration after watching the incredible trailers for this flick, steel yourself for political correctness now) overlaid upon the Land Before Time storyline; best if we leave it at that. If you're going to rent this, rent it for the astounding animation and leave the sound off. ** ½

A Visual Buffet of Dinosaurs
"Dinosaur" is a fine film from the folks at Disney. Like "Hercules," the story isn't moving or too impressive, but the film is fun to watch and has some brilliant moments in it. Many people have bashed the film for being too violent, but the PG rating does seem fair. I agree that kids under the age of five shouldn't see this movie without some serious adult supervision, but at the same time, children do need to know about death...even if it's violent. The Carnotaur sequences involve quite a bit of violence, but these are dinosaurs! Dinosaurs ate each other in reality. Don't knock this movie for that reason. Here's a concept: Watch the movie with your kids(you won't be bored) and then explain to them that death and violence was a very real part of daily life for dinosaurs. It may take your children a little time to cope with this information, but sometimes the truth hurts. If your child is under the age of five, you may want to skip certain sequences in the movie because of the violence. My daughter watched this movie, but I always managed to skip through the violent parts for one reason: she's two years old. She loves this movie. When she gets old enough to understand that things die, I'll let her see the violent sequences in this film.

For adults, I found this movie very entertaining. As in other reviews, I agree that the visuals are stunning. The film is brilliantly animated and does use some real scenery to blend in with the CGI graphics. The differences in the two are almost seamless. The lemurs provide both comic relief and solid wisdom in this flick.

If for no other reason, buy this movie for it's artistic value, but the story is a good one and the characters are very believable. It's a good show, but I cannot help but reiterate the importance of watching this show with young kids in order to explain some of the things that occur in it. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

3 1/2 Stars
I do wish that we could do the half star rating here. Anyway when I first saw this movie I wasn't really impressed with it. But I was at the end of seven long years in the Army and I was tired of all things military. A week ago I gave it a second chance. Now, many months after leaving the Green Machine, I find this movie is better then I remember. Like the first review said this isn't a big scale, over the top, Hollywood action flick. The bad guys are believable and some are even sympathetic, to a point. The special effects are subdued, the writing is brisk, the suspense is constant and the soundtrack is invigorating. Actually I found it preferable to the Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer school of action films. George Clooney plays a somewhat arrogant, but charming hero is also capable of being very deadly. Nicole Kidman does a capable job playing an academic who arises to the emergency at hand. Nowhere in the movie is there superhuman heroics or larger than life bad guys. This isn't a masterpiece but it is a nice way to pass the evening.A Tom Clancy story without the verbosity. Or to paraphrase another reviewer it's like the Day of the Jackal only better made.

VERY refreshing spec ops piece
This is the most refreshing action movie I've seen in a while. Forget the critics: director Mimi Leder has delivered a very credible film. The strategic premise is realistic, and the action scenes are hot, thanks to the inspired casting of George Clooney as Special Forces colonel Devoe.

Clooney is completely unlike the sad special operatives that Hollywood has been doping us with. He's no Rambo at a funeral, no tortured soul, no reluctant anti-hero full of dark secrets, ambiguities, or self-doubt.

Instead, he reminds me of certain Navy SEALs I've met: intelligent, cocky, self-assured, grinning. Ready for immediate action. Direct, practical, and unhesitating in dealing out whatever destruction and demolition will get the job done ... fast. Clooney's character metes out punishment equally well in military and civilian settings, and he is VERY clear about why he does what he does. The man has energy and snap.

If you like the fast, decisive action of special operations, do yourself a favor and check out The Peacemaker. Bear with the muddled plot; the hard action scenes are worth the wait. The fact that overweight film critics didn't like the movie, shouldn't trouble you in the slightest. They're paid to sit in armchairs and pontificate. This movie was made for you, not for them.

Excuse me I hate to keep interrupting
While 1997's prescient "Peacemaker" is a piercing wakeup call with early echoes of 9-11 and weapons of mass destruction, it is also an instrument of propaganda that could easily have oozed out of America's trigger-happy military-industrial complex. But it also goes beyond both of these cliches to try to achieve an understanding of the subverted forces fighting each other in our ever churning world.

Politics not withstanding, this is just about the finest, tightest thriller I have ever seen, and extremely fast paced. It was Dreamworks' first major thriller, a home run that vaults way out of the ballpark! They did it right. Congratulations to Mimi Leder for a first rate job. Among the many German crew members, Hans Zimmer's score is one of his best. Or anyone's best, complete with full choir.

From first frame to last, Peacemaker is a film of razor-sharp pacing, superb casting, spectacular stunts, and incredible locations. It stimulates the brain on the most primitive and sophisticated levels, as the best films should -- a sensory delight of sound, music, facial expressions, graphic action, and delightful camerawork, and crisp and often funny use of language.

I found this film totally believable. From a standpoint of cast, script, and score, we clearly have here a labor of love.

First, let's talk about George Clooney as Lt. Colonel Tom Devoe. Clooney's never been in anything this good before or since. Mimi Leder brings out the best in George. His role summons superlative comparisons such as Alec Baldwin in Red October. Or William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Will the feat ever be repeated? Heroes like this don't come along every day.

Clooney is in his element, whether screaming expletives into a helicopter radio, or testifying before a congressional committee.

I nominate Clooney's peak moments in the film were when he 1) "excuse me I hate to keep interrupting" in the congressional briefing and 2) when he captures those warheads on the Russian bridge. Righteous! He has the most important neck of any actor in Hollywood, living or dead.

Kidman, with her sharp, aggressive, professional feminity, lights up the screen! Sorry, there just wasn't time for romance or love in this life-threatening story.

From the moody richness of a a train chugging through the dark Ukrainian forest, to the crowded streets of New York, Peacemaker is rich in imagery and texture.

Look closely. There are no extras. Nothing is generic or stock. Everyone on the screen, from lead actor to those many people in the background, render perfectly convincing performances! Even minor non-speaking roles were delivered with utter authenticity.

After the sensational Mercedes car chase in Vienna and the helicopter pursuit in Russia, the pursuit of Bosnian diplomat Dusan Gavrich in the streets of New York brings the film to it's desparate climax.

The only thing I found hokey and overblown was when the Russian General Aleksandr Kodoroff first steps out of his vehicle in the smoky train station; it seemed rather staged.

But forget that. This is one of the best thrillers ever made. Intelligent, thought provoking, and precise.

Basically, George Clooney portraying Oliver North
The is a good, solid political thriller. It's probably the best of that sub-genre that does not involve Tom Clancy in some capacity.

The most interesting thing, perhaps, about the movie is to see a diehard liberal like George Clooney play a character based EXACTLY on Ollie North, right down to mannerisms and hair. I guess this film proves ol' George can act after all...

One I've watched over and over
I've owned this movie for years. I seem to find myself reaching for it whenever I can't make up my mind on what to watch. I think it is George Clooney's finest film. I'm an avid action movie fan and this one just never gets old. There are very few slow spots and even they add to the story instead of leaving you sighing because you want it to get on with it. I don't usually review movies but this is one that I feel pretty strongly about. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies that you want to watch more than once. ... Read more

Description

Let COREY FELDMAN and COREY HAIM (LICENSE TO DRIVE) take you on a wild romantic comedy adventure with MEREDITH SALENGER (THE KISS), VICTORIA JACKSON (CASUAL SEX?) and screen veterans HARRY DEAN STANTON, PIPER LAURIE and JASON ROBARDS!Set to a hot, hit-filled soundtrack featuring R.E.M.VAN MORRISON, MICKEY THOMAS (of STARSHIP), and the #1 smash hit ROCK ON by MICHAEL DAMIEN, DREAM A LITTLE DREAM is a fun-filled, non-stop adventure for the young at heart."My best friend Bobby is totally cool.We hang together, go to the same school and think rock' n' roll's rad.Bobby's kind of a dreamer.Now he's stuck on some dreamboat named Lainie.She's pretty hot, I guess, but doesn't know he exists.Bobby's got just three days to convince Lainie that she loves him, even though she already does but doesn't know it yet.This whole thing is just too weird - but I'm sticking around to see what happens." - DINGER ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The 80's at it's finest! Not to be missed!
I saw this movie when it first came out... I"ve owned the soundtrack on tape and now on CD... I've bought the movie used from a video store when I couldn't find it new - and I hope that it will somehow get onto DVD... The movie is a must see if not a must own.. the Soundtrack is a MUST OWN for sure... one of my fave's of all time with it's ONLY problem being that it doesn't have the song "Where Is She" by Blue Future on it - if you've seen the movie, you know the song... other than that it's near perfection... another great soundtrack "The Lost Boys" ironically another Corey/Corey tagteam hit...

Great Movie for all Generations.
This movie is a great movie and I have been enchanted by it since I first saw it in the 80's. Now it is out on DVD and I still enjoy it. It is so romantic and has alot of human emotion in it. I have to also admit I used to be in love with Meredith Salenger. She is such a fine actress and Wow, what a bod. This movie has soooo much cool music in it and it appeals to all ages. The romantic part of me loves this movie and it is right up there with another romantic movie that I love, "Xanadu" with Olivia Newton John. Corey Feldman might not have been the best actor ever, but he was excellent in this and the Academy Awards should have noticed. (Like they ever vote for anthing that REALLY deserves it). The rest of the crew made an excellent movie and the dirctor and editor did a first rate job. What else did the director go on to do?

Pick up the sound track and you will love it. I listen to it all the time and the inclusion of the Van Morrison hit "into the mystic" sets the mood for any situation. Beautiful movie and all time classic.

my favorite movie of all time so far
although a hard movie to follow at times,its very entertaining and i know it word for word.i have probably watched it 50 times or so.its not for everyone,but if you like 80s movies about romantic comedy with wild twists you will love this one.its worth a buy for sure,and i suggest getting it new ,for only a few dollars more.

Dinger lives / An 80's gem
One of my favorite films so defining of the 80's. A classic teen angst high school movie but with imagination. I think Corey Feldman & Corey Haim made a great team in this. This film makes you want to go back to the 80's as a teenager in high school, watching it nowadays. I completely related to Corey Haims character Dinger. Dinger and Bobby are best friends Bobby falls for Lainie the hottest girl in school and has to convince her that she loves him before the night's over but here's the story in an accident Bobby switches his body with the old man next store living life thru his eyes and vice versus. The same thing with Lainie and the old man's wife. A romantic comedy with a twist. Pay attention to the characters and their bond. A great film about friendship & relationships in high school. An essential to collection for anyone who grew up in 80's cinema. I own the DVD and the soundtrack is great too.

Dream a little dream on dvd
Just to let you know Dream a Little Dream was released on dvd ... Read more

Reviews (62)

ho bra, lines so great. try watch?
I LOVE this movie...got introduced to it by some Hawaiian mates at Uni, and now I've seen it about a gzillion times...got my friends Down Under hooked on it, too...and my sister...anyone who watches it likes it. Don't own it yet, but it's on the 'to do' list I didn't surf before I watched it, and now-I'm learnin'! Anyone who has an appreciation for it should read all the reviews: you'll crack up and 'relive' the movie reading peoples' quotes. Also, I must say, it's not "we treat friends mo betta on the North Shore", it's "here on the north shore, we treat friends mo betta", then Turtle tosses his hair and drives off. However, Vince and Chandler are my favorites...awesome guys! Rick Kane is a weenie kook, and Chandler was SO right when he said, "you got a lot to learn, so why don't you just shut up and watch." also, there is a North Shore line for every occasion. Watch it. Love it...Learn it. use it.

Occy, Curren, Hamilton and the kid from Teenwolf...
...and that old guy from TRAPPER JOHN, M.D.

Ok, so this movie is from the Hot Tuna era of surfing when Billabong was lost in neon colors. So what? It's brilliant. Featuring some of the best surfers of the time, and the best surfers of our current time...with epic Pipeline surf. Get it just to have the chance to see Laird Hamilton decades before he became the big-gun town-master of Jaws Maui or TO' Tahiti.

Slightly cheesy lines...yes. Turtle...he's the man...the greatest...movie moved him so much he became a surf instructor. I'm so glad to finally have this movie on DVD. My tape version of it wore thin years ago.

It's simply a great movie that even non-surfers can appreciate. Even though I've surfed for over 20 years now, I still find this movie enjoyable despite it's "Gleaming the Cube" vibe....it's truly far better than that.

Also...when the heck are they gonna release Endless Summer 2 on DVD??? Every single Bruce Brown film ever made is on DVD but that one! What gives!?

Sorry for that...get this movie, get this movie, get this movie. You'll thoroughly enjoy it and get to capture a period of surfing not captured many other places.

no title
this movie rocks!! "Eh haole, you stay J.O.J. or what?"

Paddle Yo!
Ahhh, so many North Shore fans out there. I love it! I must say that myself and older brother have got to be the ultimate fans. Not to many people I'm sure can say they have taken surf lessons from John Philbin (Turtle). I don't say this to brag or boast, but that's how much this movie meant to a couple of guys from the West Coast of Florida. Like so many have said, North Shore touches your soul. It's hard to say what it is, but this movie is an absolute classic! No vulgarity, nudity, or violence. Just an all-around great "feel good movie." With of course, so many memorable quotes. No doubt my favorite movie of all time!

Anyways, we found out that Philbin is now teaching surf lessons in Southern California. After finding this out, we jumped at the chance to have him teach us. We packed our stuff and flew out from the east coast to Cali. What a great experience! I loved this movie as a kid, and to be paddling out in the Pacific Ocean with Turtle was an absolute thrill! Philbin's a very cool guy and an excellent surf instructor. If you have the means and are going to be in So. Cal, or live in Cali, and REALLY want to learn to surf, look up Philbin for surfing lessons. - Nice little plug for my boy John!

Laters Brah

"Paddle Yo!"...John Philbin

Chandler Surfboards North Shore T-Shirts Rule
"Chandler teach me how to big wave surf not even" Turtle
"Here on the North Shore we treat friends mo better" Turtle
"Yeah, design thing...design me right out of the picture howle"
"He one bad ripper yeah. I hear he break his stick he shred so bad"
"Scrub it kook!"
And the list goes on. If you love the movie you can quote every line. The DVD rules. Kudos to the company for actually believing in this film, after all of these years, and including interviews with the original cast.
This film touched a nerve in a whole generation of surfers and wanna be surfers alike.
If you love it like I love it, send an email to skatervet@yahoo.com. I'll send you a pic of the tribute Chandler Surfboards North Shore Hawaii T-shirt like the one Rick Kane (Matt Adler) wore at the end of the movie. Maybe one can be yours.
Later Barneys. ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Visually stunning, disappointing story, good for kids
I purchased this movie when it released based on the trailer I saw in the theatre (which accentuated the visual aspects of the movie). I was not let down in that regard, the blend of real world locations and computer animation is seamless and beautiful. What left me cold was the story. The characters are interesting (such as the Brontosaurus and Triceritops) but the story all to often falls into cheezy pop-culture references. It almost seems as if Disney spent all their time on the visuals and NO time developing a compelling story. You may be thinking "Yeah, but it's a Disney movie..." but all of the adult overtones that make other Disney movies soooo enjoyable for grownups(as seen in Toy Story 1&2, Lion King, etc.) are missing in Dinosaur. Being a huge fan of Disney and Disney movies for this reason (I am male, 23 no kids, by the way) I was dissapointed.

Now, that doesn't mean that kids won't love it. Children are pretty forgiving of cheesy stories, so they will definately enjoy it. The problem will come when the kids want to watch Dinosaur over and over again (I'm having flashbacks of my little sister watching "Little Mermaid" every day for SIX MONTHS... I can still sing along to every song in that movie..). The first viewing will be entertaining for adults, but after three times, you'll be ready to "lose" this DVD accidently.

The Land Before Trash Like This
What a joke. Before I trash this movie let me just say the only thinkg keeping this from 1 star is the interesting idea to use real backrounds with the CGI characters. I can't tell if it was an act of genious or lazyness. But either way it came out pretty good.

Now for the reason it got 2 stars. Disney has sunk to an all time low. Not only have they made a silly attempt to copy the success of Pixar films, but they went so far as to shamelessly rip off The Land Before Time. I mean, they didn't even try to make the story original. The opening scene copies the opening scene in the TLBT almost directly. What's worse is that I went into the theatre expecting this to be the best movie ever. I came out wanting to throw up from digust of this trash. I thought the whole movie was going to be like the promo trailer and nobody would talk. It would just be a visual art piece. But then I heard them talk and I was appalled. Another thing that drove me crazy was the fact that a lot of the characters just weren't lovable. I'm going to spoil something right now. 80% OF THAT MONKEY FAMILY DIES AND THE REMAINING DON'T CARE AT ALL!! Sure they cry for one second then they just go back to being comic relief. It's just not a good movie and I can't recomend it.

Dinosaur
Dinosaur is just like Land Before Time, but the difference is that Dinosaur is fully CGI animated.
The music and the animation is great, and there are many memorable scenes and characters.
There is a lot of extras to explore on the 2 Disc edition, and it includes behind the scenes, deleted scenes, and the early versions of Dinosaurs.
I think that extras like commentary tracks are missing, and that the movie could had been a little longer.

Stunning animation, silly plot.
Dinosaur (Eric Lighton and Ralph Zondag, 2000)

Why does Disney insist that every animated film have two directors? Just wondering.

In any case, when I first saw the previews for this, I had hopes it was going to be a full-length animated silent film. So I ended up initially disappointed, but at least they got some fun voices.

Newbie director Leighton and second-timer Zondag (whose earlier film was the painfully bad dinosaur flick We're Back!) have, basically, done an update of The Land Before Time with stunning animation and (to say the least) a better voice-acting cast. Where The Land Before Time used unknowns (though Helen Shaver has since gone on to relative fame), Dinosaur started with the works: D. B. Sweeney (Strange Luck), Ossie Davis (Do the Right Thing, Bubba Ho-Tep), Alfre Woodard (Holiday Heart, A Wrinkle in Time), Max Casella (Doogie Howser MD), Julianna Margulies (ER), Della Reese (Touched by an Angel)... you get the idea.

The story is your typical cutesy Disney pablum (if you're expecting Winged Migration after watching the incredible trailers for this flick, steel yourself for political correctness now) overlaid upon the Land Before Time storyline; best if we leave it at that. If you're going to rent this, rent it for the astounding animation and leave the sound off. ** ½

A Visual Buffet of Dinosaurs
"Dinosaur" is a fine film from the folks at Disney. Like "Hercules," the story isn't moving or too impressive, but the film is fun to watch and has some brilliant moments in it. Many people have bashed the film for being too violent, but the PG rating does seem fair. I agree that kids under the age of five shouldn't see this movie without some serious adult supervision, but at the same time, children do need to know about death...even if it's violent. The Carnotaur sequences involve quite a bit of violence, but these are dinosaurs! Dinosaurs ate each other in reality. Don't knock this movie for that reason. Here's a concept: Watch the movie with your kids(you won't be bored) and then explain to them that death and violence was a very real part of daily life for dinosaurs. It may take your children a little time to cope with this information, but sometimes the truth hurts. If your child is under the age of five, you may want to skip certain sequences in the movie because of the violence. My daughter watched this movie, but I always managed to skip through the violent parts for one reason: she's two years old. She loves this movie. When she gets old enough to understand that things die, I'll let her see the violent sequences in this film.

For adults, I found this movie very entertaining. As in other reviews, I agree that the visuals are stunning. The film is brilliantly animated and does use some real scenery to blend in with the CGI graphics. The differences in the two are almost seamless. The lemurs provide both comic relief and solid wisdom in this flick.

If for no other reason, buy this movie for it's artistic value, but the story is a good one and the characters are very believable. It's a good show, but I cannot help but reiterate the importance of watching this show with young kids in order to explain some of the things that occur in it. ... Read more

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It seems that thrillers these days--even good ones--are all about scene-chewing bad guys, cute retorts fit for the Dennis Miller show, and one big special effect to end the movie. Well, something like The Peacemaker, the first feature film from DreamWorks, puts the record straight. Here is an expertly paced thriller with a sensible villain, smart instead of cute dialogue, and a focus on action instead of special effects. It's not original, just solid. It's the second of these energetic and effective thrillers that writer Michael Schiffer (Crimson Tide) has penned. The White House Nuclear Smuggling Group tracks down 10 stolen nuclear bombs after a suspicious train wreck in Russia. The acting head of the department (Nicole Kidman) and her military field officer (George Clooney) are off to Europe to track down the bombs. Instead of a Gary Oldman-Bruce Dern madman, The Peacemaker's heavy is an unknown Romanian actor (Marcul Iures) playing a Bosnian rebel who works passionately and quietly. This may be a popcorn movie, but it uses the ripe emotions of the Bosnian War to create tension. This is the best film vehicle yet for the overwhelming charisma of George Clooney as a quick witted, generally warm Oliver North type who will seek deadly vengeance without pause. He's matched very well by the professional polish of Nicole Kidman who is showing great flexibility in dividing her roles between serious and fun fare. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (67)

3 1/2 Stars
I do wish that we could do the half star rating here. Anyway when I first saw this movie I wasn't really impressed with it. But I was at the end of seven long years in the Army and I was tired of all things military. A week ago I gave it a second chance. Now, many months after leaving the Green Machine, I find this movie is better then I remember. Like the first review said this isn't a big scale, over the top, Hollywood action flick. The bad guys are believable and some are even sympathetic, to a point. The special effects are subdued, the writing is brisk, the suspense is constant and the soundtrack is invigorating. Actually I found it preferable to the Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer school of action films. George Clooney plays a somewhat arrogant, but charming hero is also capable of being very deadly. Nicole Kidman does a capable job playing an academic who arises to the emergency at hand. Nowhere in the movie is there superhuman heroics or larger than life bad guys. This isn't a masterpiece but it is a nice way to pass the evening.A Tom Clancy story without the verbosity. Or to paraphrase another reviewer it's like the Day of the Jackal only better made.

VERY refreshing spec ops piece
This is the most refreshing action movie I've seen in a while. Forget the critics: director Mimi Leder has delivered a very credible film. The strategic premise is realistic, and the action scenes are hot, thanks to the inspired casting of George Clooney as Special Forces colonel Devoe.

Clooney is completely unlike the sad special operatives that Hollywood has been doping us with. He's no Rambo at a funeral, no tortured soul, no reluctant anti-hero full of dark secrets, ambiguities, or self-doubt.

Instead, he reminds me of certain Navy SEALs I've met: intelligent, cocky, self-assured, grinning. Ready for immediate action. Direct, practical, and unhesitating in dealing out whatever destruction and demolition will get the job done ... fast. Clooney's character metes out punishment equally well in military and civilian settings, and he is VERY clear about why he does what he does. The man has energy and snap.

If you like the fast, decisive action of special operations, do yourself a favor and check out The Peacemaker. Bear with the muddled plot; the hard action scenes are worth the wait. The fact that overweight film critics didn't like the movie, shouldn't trouble you in the slightest. They're paid to sit in armchairs and pontificate. This movie was made for you, not for them.

Excuse me I hate to keep interrupting
While 1997's prescient "Peacemaker" is a piercing wakeup call with early echoes of 9-11 and weapons of mass destruction, it is also an instrument of propaganda that could easily have oozed out of America's trigger-happy military-industrial complex. But it also goes beyond both of these cliches to try to achieve an understanding of the subverted forces fighting each other in our ever churning world.

Politics not withstanding, this is just about the finest, tightest thriller I have ever seen, and extremely fast paced. It was Dreamworks' first major thriller, a home run that vaults way out of the ballpark! They did it right. Congratulations to Mimi Leder for a first rate job. Among the many German crew members, Hans Zimmer's score is one of his best. Or anyone's best, complete with full choir.

From first frame to last, Peacemaker is a film of razor-sharp pacing, superb casting, spectacular stunts, and incredible locations. It stimulates the brain on the most primitive and sophisticated levels, as the best films should -- a sensory delight of sound, music, facial expressions, graphic action, and delightful camerawork, and crisp and often funny use of language.

I found this film totally believable. From a standpoint of cast, script, and score, we clearly have here a labor of love.

First, let's talk about George Clooney as Lt. Colonel Tom Devoe. Clooney's never been in anything this good before or since. Mimi Leder brings out the best in George. His role summons superlative comparisons such as Alec Baldwin in Red October. Or William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Will the feat ever be repeated? Heroes like this don't come along every day.

Clooney is in his element, whether screaming expletives into a helicopter radio, or testifying before a congressional committee.

I nominate Clooney's peak moments in the film were when he 1) "excuse me I hate to keep interrupting" in the congressional briefing and 2) when he captures those warheads on the Russian bridge. Righteous! He has the most important neck of any actor in Hollywood, living or dead.

Kidman, with her sharp, aggressive, professional feminity, lights up the screen! Sorry, there just wasn't time for romance or love in this life-threatening story.

From the moody richness of a a train chugging through the dark Ukrainian forest, to the crowded streets of New York, Peacemaker is rich in imagery and texture.

Look closely. There are no extras. Nothing is generic or stock. Everyone on the screen, from lead actor to those many people in the background, render perfectly convincing performances! Even minor non-speaking roles were delivered with utter authenticity.

After the sensational Mercedes car chase in Vienna and the helicopter pursuit in Russia, the pursuit of Bosnian diplomat Dusan Gavrich in the streets of New York brings the film to it's desparate climax.

The only thing I found hokey and overblown was when the Russian General Aleksandr Kodoroff first steps out of his vehicle in the smoky train station; it seemed rather staged.

But forget that. This is one of the best thrillers ever made. Intelligent, thought provoking, and precise.

Basically, George Clooney portraying Oliver North
The is a good, solid political thriller. It's probably the best of that sub-genre that does not involve Tom Clancy in some capacity.

The most interesting thing, perhaps, about the movie is to see a diehard liberal like George Clooney play a character based EXACTLY on Ollie North, right down to mannerisms and hair. I guess this film proves ol' George can act after all...

One I've watched over and over
I've owned this movie for years. I seem to find myself reaching for it whenever I can't make up my mind on what to watch. I think it is George Clooney's finest film. I'm an avid action movie fan and this one just never gets old. There are very few slow spots and even they add to the story instead of leaving you sighing because you want it to get on with it. I don't usually review movies but this is one that I feel pretty strongly about. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies that you want to watch more than once. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

great entertainment!
a great film with laughs, drama, gorgeous scenery and a brilliant soundtrack. White Water Summer is a story of conflict; man against nature and man against man. It is about a city boy, Alan (played by Sean Astin) and four other boys going into the wilderness with their guide Vic (Kevin Bacon). Right from the beginning Alan is suspicious of Vic and so Vic begins to target him, leaving him to cross a dodgy bridge over a 180ft gorge and leaving him hanging off the edge of a cliff.
Bacon makes a fantastic baddie and Astin is, as usual, brillant as a cute geeky Alan who has to grow up fast and protect himself from their psycho tour guide....
this film did not exactly get rave reviews from critics but the key is not to take it too seriously. White Water Summer is fun and great entertainment and I'd recommend it for a good watch anytime!

AWESOME MOVIE!
Sorry ya'll but in my opinion I think this movie is awesome and I think Kevin Bacon looks great as a creepy guy. His character looked creepy in Sleepers. He does a fantastic job playing it! I think he's a good actor but the rest of the guys didn't do a great job but it's still a good 80's flick. If you hadn't seen this movie yet go rent it or buy it. You will enjoy it. It does come on HBO or TNT a lot so you can try to catch it on those channels. Like I said this movie is awesome and it does deserve a 5 star rating!

Last of a Long Gone Era
If you liked Goonies, and are yearning for more 80's style adventure, you'll probably like this film. I like Sean Astin, and in general, I'm a fan of 80's style adventure movies. They weren't serious, pretentious things, like "Bourne Identity" or "Patriot Games". This movie isn't sensationalistic. If you love the outdoors, and liked camping and having adventures when you were a kid, this movie may remind you of your youth. The scenery is great and the music fits well and is actually mixed well as far as levels. Overall it's got pretty good production values. I probably wouldn't turn the lights down, crank up the THX and watch this film. It's more the type of film you watch over and over while doing something else, or while falling asleep. Which isn't to say it's boring, it's more like a comfortable old T-shirt you can wear again and again. It makes me want to go camping, swing from ropes, and play with pocket knives.

An okay action movie
I rented this movie a couple of weeks ago because I remember seeing the ending of this movie on TV so I wanted to see the whole thing. The movie was actually pretty good.

The movie is about a boy named Alan(Sean Astin) who goes camping with Vic(Kevin Bacon) and 3 other boys and Vic is taking these boys out here to teach them the ways of the wilderness. Things start out pretty well but Vic then starts to push the boys too hard, especially Alan. Vic is trying to teach the boys the best he can but his ways of doing it are a bit rough on the kids. Should the kids stay and be tought by Vic, or should they try to go home? him.

I gave the movie 3 stars because some parts of the story were unclear or they weren't very good. But the good points of the movie were the scenery, the music and the action. If you are in to action movies then watch this one!!

Excellent Study of Male Bonding
This is a movie for anyone who remembers the bonds formed with friends, when a camping trip "goes wrong." It is a story of male bonding, and how boys can discover hidden strengths when confronted by adversity. Forget the absurdity of carrying a canoe on a backpacking trip in the mountains (an addition, not in the original script.) The story is in the relationships, and how they develop. ... Read more

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The Last Castle
The Last Castle rides high on a wave of American patriotism, respectful of military service and protocol, and primed to ignite anyone's passion for justice against corrupted ideals. This intense prison drama begins when a court-martialed three-star general (Robert Redford) is sentenced to military prison for defying a presidential command. The prison's warden (James Gandolfini) is a jealous martinet who's never seen combat, and when the jailed general seizes command of the prison to protest the warden's abuse of power, The Last Castle erupts toward a classic showdown between integrity and cowardice. Former critic and West Point graduate Rod Lurie (The Contender) directs this intimate battle with manipulative skill, appealing more to emotions than intelligence, but his stellar cast keeps the action on track, and a potent script returns flag-waving to its rightful place of honor. --Jeff Shannon

The Peacemaker
It seems that thrillers these days--even good ones--are all about scene-chewing bad guys, cute retorts fit for the Dennis Miller show, and one big special effect to end the movie. Well, something like The Peacemaker, the first feature film from DreamWorks, puts the record straight. Here is an expertly paced thriller with a sensible villain, smart instead of cute dialogue, and a focus on action instead of special effects. It's not original, just solid. It's the second of these energetic and effective thrillers that writer Michael Schiffer (Crimson Tide) has penned. The White House Nuclear Smuggling Group tracks down 10 stolen nuclear bombs after a suspicious train wreck in Russia. The acting head of the department (Nicole Kidman) and her military field officer (George Clooney) are off to Europe to track down the bombs. Instead of a Gary Oldman-Bruce Dern madman, The Peacemaker's heavy is an unknown Romanian actor (Marcul Iures) playing a Bosnian rebel who works passionately and quietly. This may be a popcorn movie, but it uses the ripe emotions of the Bosnian War to create tension. This is the best film vehicle yet for the overwhelming charisma of George Clooney as a quick witted, generally warm Oliver North type who will seek deadly vengeance without pause. He's matched very well by the professional polish of Nicole Kidman who is showing great flexibility in dividing her roles between serious and fun fare. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Description

Miracles only happen in the movies. Behind the glitz and glamour, another Hollywood exists--a world in which aspiring starlets, hardened gangsters, teenage runaways, and straightlaced innocents share the stage. In this sprawling tale, the lives of eight people intersect as they search for love, redemption, and meaning on the streets of Hollywood. Director Josef Rusnak (The Thirteenth Floor) brings poignancy and relevance to a remarkable ensemble piece led by rising stars Hilary Swank (Academy Award and Golden Globe Winner--Best Actress, Boys Don't Cry), Natasha Gregson Wagner (Urban Legend) and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell (Galaxy Quest). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

moving picture of real life
I do not agree with most of the reviewers here as they are looking for pulp fiction type movie and not real life on the street depiction as this movie is about. I find it moving and very involving involving many characters and the super hot Hillary Swank. She plays a hooker on the street and her acting make it very believeable OMG. Life is not exciting, it is grim for many and this movie shows that. It makes u feel fortunate that you are not walking on the streets of Hollywood or anywhere in your town.

I recommend this for a true life experiance.

Bad
Let me count the ways:

Bad writing. At first I thought they were trying for a "Pulp Fiction" type of wittily semi-meaningless dialogue, then I gave up and decided it was just BAD. Translated from a German screenplay, but this wouldn't be any better auf Deutsch.

Bad direction. The action scenes look like an episode of "Cops", the sex scenes look like porn.

Bad acting. Chad Lowe's wall-pounding men's-room rant about some half-explained record company lawsuit is as bizarre as any I have ever seen. Hilary Swank's accent seems to change from Brooklynese in the first scene to Minnesotan in the finale.

Even the squealing guitar music is bad. ...Hilary Swank has come a LONG way from this swill to "Boys Don't Cry."

? Yeah!
This was awful. All I can say is if you are a Hilary Swank fan, rent it so you can quit walking past it with curiousity in the video store. Just get it out of the way and done with. Obviously it's only been released to make a few bucks out of Swanks's breakthrough in Boys Don't Cry. Her only good part in the movie is at the end. Chad Lowe is hideous in it, each part dragged on and on- my fast forward button served me well. Jeez, what a waste.

Bleeechhh!!!!
Possibly the worst movie ever made - dialogue was improved immensely by putting it on Fast Forward.

Worthless
You can always count on some mercenary to take advantage of an actor's success by releasing one of his or her early roles in some worthless B movie. 'Quiet Days In Hollywood' is an abominable ensemble production produced in 1997 and never released in theaters in the United States (it saw a limited release in Germany). It was just released to the video market with Hilary Swank as the marketing hook. Actually, despite the fact that her picture and name dominate the package, Swank has only two limited appearances in the film.

The film is a series of chain linked sex vignettes. Each character has sex with another character and then the second character moves on to the next vignette and has sex with another who moves on to another etc., until finally, the circle is complete and the last character has sex with the first character. The story has all the substance of a porn movie, with banal, profanity-riddled dialogue serving to bridge the gap between sex scenes. Since the sex scenes were mostly implied or obscured, even the prurient aspect was limited.

Hillary Swank plays a hooker on the streets of Hollywood. She is brash to the point of stupidity, taunting and insulting dangerous people as if she has some sort of death wish. Her performance here is very amateurish and unpolished. Natasha Gregson Wagner was the only other cast member worth mentioning. She gave a reasonably good performance as a woman in an open marriage having sex with one of her husband's employees (the husband knows).

There is not really much more to say about this sham. I rated it a 2/10. Don't get duped into seeing it as I did just because Swank is on the cover. ... Read more