Description

Eight adventurers brave the perilous jungles of Borneo in pursuit of the fountain of youth, unaware theyÕre being stalked by gigantic snakes that feed on human flesh. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Here comes more Zombies!
Hello, I am a huge fan of the R.E. series (video games). They were really freaky and fun to play. The movie though, was a little disappointing. I still love the movie, but it didn't follow very much of the game and the zombies were not scary looking! The action is really good though. I dont recall bein HIGH or anything, but i remember seein some of the same zombies in different scenes. They die and then they come back for more later in the movie. That was pretty strange. Plus, there was barely any gore in the film. Movies with zombies, mean movies with a ton of BLOOD AND GUTS! I just saw the remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD in theaters, and it makes R.E. look like a kiddie movie (rated G or PG). The musical score of the movie, done by Marylin Manson, was AWESOME! That kept the movie in a steady state of COOLNESS! The acting was good too. I love watchin Milla (Alice) runnin around (...)

I really hope APOCALYPSE is goin to be good. It should be, with NEMESIS in it that is. (...) In this next round of FUN, Jill is also joining in, and some other people, who i forgot about. (...) this [may] be one of the best sequels ive seen in a while.

An interesting flick to see
I believe this movie will put Resident Evil back into the good ol' zombie genre. The first Resident Evil was ok, to put it bluntly, the movie was very much different from the game as well as the books. The movie also didn't contain enough action and therefor left one sitting there looking at their watch. I would also watch which reviews I read here, as many of them are most likely written by 10 year olds who sit at home and play Resident Evil games all day. Overall, as a Zombie genre fan, I can only hope that the release of Resident Evil: Apocolypse, as well as, the remake of Dawn of the Dead do great in the box office.

Who cares?
I don't play video games. Never have and perhaps never will, since I got too many things to do with my time than sit still and play games for hours, so I don't know what are all the fuss about Nemesis and other characters from those games. I'm only interested in how entertaining this movie is gonna be and how much of MJ nudity I get again. Hehehe. Since I don't have experience with RE games, I get to enjoy RE movies without any prejudice. In that respect, I feel pretty lucky, specially in these days, many vido-games-turned-movies are out like Tomb Raider and stuff. That actually goes to comics-turned-movies stuff too because I don't look at those comics. Hahaha.

RE2 YA!!!
First off I am a big RE fan but when the first movie came out I thought it would be like the game but... you know how that ends It wasnt like Re1 It was kinda like RE and that Alyssa charicter wtf wheres Jill?Barry?Chris?and Wesker OR TYRANT geez but Resident Evil Apocalypse Is basically playing Resident Evil 3 Nemisis just like in the first the guy got clawd and hes turning into the Nemisis I think this one will blow the first one away so go see this movie I know I will

HMMMM...
Ok first of all there is some similarity in the games, in the resident evil series of movies 1 was resident evil 1+2 and apocalypse will have 2+3. Also the main reason their budget got cut was that they knew that they were making a horrible movie and couldn't make enough money for a second one. And finally I would like to quote Kevin collins "This movie needs to have a better story line that goes a long with the movie." You mean goes along with the game. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Steven Spielberg's most simplistic, sanitized history lesson, Amistad, explores thesymbolic 1840s trials of 53 West Africans following their bloody rebellion aboard a slave ship. For most ofSchindler's List (and, later, Saving Private Ryan) Spielberg restrains himself from thesweeping narrative and technical flourishes that make him one of our most entertaining and manipulativedirectors. Here, he doesn't even bother trying, succumbing to his driving need to entertain with beautifulimages and contrived emotion. He cheapens his grandiose motives and simplifies slavery, treating it as cut- and-dry genre piece. Characters are easy Hollywood stereotypes--"villains" like the Spanish sailors orzealous abolitionists are drawn one-dimensionally and sneered upon. And Spielberg can't suppress hisgifted eye, undercutting normally ugly sequences, such as the terrifying slave passage, which is shot as agorgeous, well-lit composition. At its core, Amistad is a traditional courtroom drama, centered by atired, clichéd narrative: a struggling, idealistic young lawyer (Matthew McConaughey) fighting thecrooked political system and saving helpless victims. Worse yet, Spielberg actually takes the underlyingpremise of his childhood fantasy, E.T. and repackages it for slavery. Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), theleader of the West African rebellion, is presented much like the adorable alien: lost, lacking a commonlanguage, and trying to find his way home. McConaughey is a grown-up Elliot who tries communicatingcomplicated ideas such as geography by drawing pictures in the sand or language by having Cinque mimichis facial expressions. Such stuff was effective for a sci-fi fantasy about the communication barriersbetween a boy and a lost alien; here, it seems like a naive view of real, complex history. --DaveMcCoy ... Read more

Reviews (99)

So what if history is made more entertaining?
Have the critics of this film's historical "accuracy" never heard of "dramatic license"? If they had, then they would understand that Spielberg, like most of his profession, slightly alters history to make for greater theatrical effect or even heighten the events of the story. "Amistad" achieves both with scenes of horror combined with those of great poignancy that make for a total movie experience.

While there are times when the film drags, the performances and the engrossing story itself make up for the few inadequacies. Though stars Morgan Freeman (especially riveting in the inspection of the Amistad scene), Anthony Hopkins, and Matthew McConaughey perform well in their respective roles, the best acting belongs to Djimon Hounsou, Razaag Adoti, and Abu Bakarr Fofanah as three of the Africans, and the underrated Pete Postlethwaite as prosecutor Holabird. Nigel Hawthorne, as the inept President Van Buren, and Peter Firth as a conscious-ridden British ship captain are also memorable.

Spielberg skillfully balances a movie that is a courtroom drama mixed with an indictment against the slave system of America's past. The scenes of the events of the cursed "Middle Passage" are as graphic as is possible within the confines of Hollywood filmmaking.

John Williams contributes a beautiful and understated score, just below the surface of the on-screen events, providing just enough to carry the story along.

McCoguhney's Best!
Steven Spielberg's debut film for DreamWorks Pictures, Amistad, stars a distinguished cast led by Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou and Matthew McConaughey.

Earning acclaim for its filmmaking and power, Amistad was honored with four Academy Award nominations; Best Supporting Actor (Hopkins), Best Music, Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography.

Based on a true story, the movie chronicles the incredible journey of a group of enslaved Africans who overtake their captor's ship and attempt to return to their beloved homeland. When the ship, La Amistad, is seized, these captives are brought to the United States where they are charged with murder and await their fate in prison. An enthralling battle ensues that captures the attention of the entire nation, confronting the very foundation of the American justice system. But for the men and women on trial, it is simply a fight for the basic right of all mankind... freedom.

Badley scripted and direction
This was Spielberg's first Dreamworks picture and it was really awful. Mostly in poor script and lack of direction. The subject material was not for a director with his style of film making, and the poor performance of this movie has pretty much been the case for every picture this joke of a studio has continued to do since.

Powerful and Shameful
The word "powerful" has become a cliche when describing movies, which is unfortunate. However this film contains material that really moved me to strong emotion- something rare in today's bland entertainment market. Amistad does not simplify slavery as the above reviewer stated- rather it shows the audience the reality of slavery, and that we as a nation were guilty of supporting a terrible injustice. America embraced slavery for many years after most of our European friends had abolished it- a fact clearly demonstrated in this film by the presence of a british naval officer tasked with finding and destroying a carribean slave base.

This movie does revolve around the courtroom, but does so in a way that is both entertaining and educational. It shows how even the best courts can be warped or crippled by political influence and red tape. The characters are simple yet believable. In particular the roles of Cinque and John Q. Adams are played masterfully.

The speech given by Adams at the conclusion is a word-for-word transcript of his actual speech given to the Supreme Court. This speech is one of the more bold and patriotic speeches given in American history, and gives me goose bumps every time I read/see it. Amistad is an exceptional movie that forces the viewer to look back on our past with an unflinching eye and embrace both our courage and our shame as a nation.

MORE THAN A MOVIE ABOUT LA AMISTAD
AMISTAD tells the story of 1839 events involving a shipload of slaves who, having freed themselves from their captors aboard the cruel slaver La Amistad, try to sail back home. Instead they are tricked into sailing north and are captured in New England. The trial that resulted began in insignificance but escalated until it drew in some of the most powerful individuals of the time, especially former President John Quincy Adams.

The fact-based thriller transcends itself in Spielberg's epic. Yes, the story is one of heroism on the part of men trying to secure their freedom. But the real importance of AMISTAD is its gritty, nauseating portrayal of slavery and of those who fought it and of those who espoused it. It tells of how many of the ridiculous politicians of the time continued to bury their heads in the sand rather than take the hard steps that would require America and Americans to live up to the creeds and beliefs that had made them what they were.

Djimon Honsou (GLADIATOR) is wonderful in his portrayal of Cinque, the reluctant leader of the band of Africans. Matthew McConaughey portrays Lawyer Roger Sherman Baldwin, Morgan Freeman is Mr. Joadson and Anthony Hopkins is absolutely striking in the role of John Quincy Adams. John Williams provides one of his most soaring and original soundtracks ever.

THE HORSEMAN ... Read more

Amazon.com

This glinting, scalding gangland phantasmagoria offers a sort of funhouse-mirror refraction of the life and career of a British hooligan so elemental in his right villainy that he's merely identified as "Gangster." The action begins in 1999, with Malcolm McDowell brutishly savoring his eminence as a crime lord; but more of the film is taken up with an extended flashback to 1968, when his youthful self--played by Paul Bettany (but voiced by McDowell during private reveries)--got his start. Bettany's patron is Freddie Mays, "the Butcher of Mayfair" (David Thewlis), a comparatively suave rotter whom "Young Gangster" more or less simultaneously worships, emulates, and craves to see destroyed. Director Paul McGuigan layers the eras and personalities in a kaleidoscope of jagged stylization (occasionally the image shatters like glass, then hellishly reconstitutes itself). The effect is less to tell a proper story than to suspend us in a state of mind--and a homage to McDowell's landmark role in A Clockwork Orange. But it does exert an unclean fascination. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Gangster flick that bites.
Gangster No. 1 is an absolute peach, a Cockney version Goodfellas, but darker. Whereas Scorcese paints a much larger picture in his maffia films, director Paul McGuigan narrows the focus on one upwardly mobile thug - depicting his meteoric rise from poolroom bum to king of the underworld (spanning the years 1968 - present day. Above all, Gangster No. 1 is a study of evil that makes Goodfellas look like Bugsy Malone. The acting, by Malcolm McDowell, David Thewliss (from "Naked") and in particular, the incendiary Paul Bettany - who is the pure personification of Evil - raises this movie high above Mafia-lite flicks like Snatch or Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrells. The film is top-quality in all other respects, too: the incidental music is spot on, the camerawork inventive and original, and - most importantly - Gangster No. 1 is a film that takes itself seriously. Not as high-budget or glamorous as Casino or Goodfellas (gangland London is no Las Vegas), but packs a powerful punch nevertheless.
Gangster No. 1 is a dark, brooding yet stylish film and shows that the Brits can make serious gangster movies when they put their minds to it. Non-Londoners might want to brush up on their Cockney slang, however, e.g. "You're having a laugh, arn't you?" = "You must be kidding", "Bird" = "Girlfriend", etc.

Brilliant Character Study...
Who is Freddie Mays? This is the inherent question that must be asked when trying to learn more about Gangster 55. Is Freddie Mays really the "Butcher of Mayfair" as everyone calls him?

David Thewlis (Naked, Besieged, 7 Years in Tibet) pulls off a brilliant Oscar-worthy performance as Freddie Mays, adding some genuine depth and subtlety to one that could've easily been overacted. He also provides a good balance for the highly stylized filmmaking that is chock full of grainy shots. Malcolm McDowell also provides a very intense post-Clockwork Orange performance that could very well be Alexander De Large all grown up. Paul Bettany who plays the younger Gangster 55 carries the same kind of crazed intensity and jealousy very well. Bettany also played John Nash's imaginary roommate, Charles, in "A Beautiful Mind". It's possible Brian Grazer may have hired Bettany after seeing him in this movie.

So who is truly Gangster No. 1? Who holds the kind of power that everyone else envies? You will have to see for yourself... This movie is somewhat graphic with its violence, so people with no stomach for it should steer clear. Expect great acting, small laughs and very stylish photographic visuals.

Not what you may think,.....
The other reviewer on this page who called this film a "character study" nailed it. The two lead gangsters Freddy Mays and (soon to be) gangster#1 could just as easily have been corporate execs., or two proball players, or....get the idea. This is a story about one mans driving, overwelming ambition to be #1, and what in the end is he left with when confronted with the man who was #1 but had it all stolen. More or less in a nut shell.
This is why any comparison to Goodfellas,et al is silly. The gangster life is window dressing, making the film more entertaining, yes ( if you like violence thats mostly implied, but implied well) but essential to the main theme. Gangsters are used here the same way Ann Rice uses vampires, to comment about the human condition.
Paul McGuigan directs well, using intresting camara techniques, and great lighting to show the lead characters descent into ambitious maddness. He uses music to its full effectiveness ( Reservoir Dogs ) with a rather happy "Because I Love You" adding to the evil menace of a murder scene which is the set piece of the film.
Needless ( I believe )to say the acting is primo.
This DVD edition has an informative featurette, and intresting if a little dry director commentary. I highly recommend for those who like serious character study ( but dont whine about the violence and language), as well as those who enjoy a fun little gangster flick. Its enough of both.

Grotesque, mindless violence
This film deserves to have as little said about it as possible. It is endlessly and offensively brutal, bathed in mindless bloodshed. Unlike the excellent movie, "The Long Good Friday," this tells us nothing about the protagonists, aside from the fact that they are depraved. We should be able to figure that out without help. Claiming to like this film because it offers insights is like claiming that a John Holmes film is essential to understanding the biology of reproduction. It is a lie that justifies a prurient interest in violence.

Its All About The Numero Uno
First off...great f'n movie! I have a serious...serious...mafia collection, ranging from the Yakuza flicks (Japanese Mafia) to the Italians...but I never seemed to think about the brits...well, now I do. If you're a fan of mafia/gangster flicks...this is a must have, let alone a must watch. Now, if you're a fan of the "make me actually think" movies...then you'll like this movie also...for it pits one deep into the demented cranium of a killer (and some shot sequences, the eyes of a victim). Great movie...may take you a few times to see it though ;) ... Read more

Reviews (99)

So what if history is made more entertaining?
Have the critics of this film's historical "accuracy" never heard of "dramatic license"? If they had, then they would understand that Spielberg, like most of his profession, slightly alters history to make for greater theatrical effect or even heighten the events of the story. "Amistad" achieves both with scenes of horror combined with those of great poignancy that make for a total movie experience.

While there are times when the film drags, the performances and the engrossing story itself make up for the few inadequacies. Though stars Morgan Freeman (especially riveting in the inspection of the Amistad scene), Anthony Hopkins, and Matthew McConaughey perform well in their respective roles, the best acting belongs to Djimon Hounsou, Razaag Adoti, and Abu Bakarr Fofanah as three of the Africans, and the underrated Pete Postlethwaite as prosecutor Holabird. Nigel Hawthorne, as the inept President Van Buren, and Peter Firth as a conscious-ridden British ship captain are also memorable.

Spielberg skillfully balances a movie that is a courtroom drama mixed with an indictment against the slave system of America's past. The scenes of the events of the cursed "Middle Passage" are as graphic as is possible within the confines of Hollywood filmmaking.

John Williams contributes a beautiful and understated score, just below the surface of the on-screen events, providing just enough to carry the story along.

McCoguhney's Best!
Steven Spielberg's debut film for DreamWorks Pictures, Amistad, stars a distinguished cast led by Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou and Matthew McConaughey.

Earning acclaim for its filmmaking and power, Amistad was honored with four Academy Award nominations; Best Supporting Actor (Hopkins), Best Music, Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography.

Based on a true story, the movie chronicles the incredible journey of a group of enslaved Africans who overtake their captor's ship and attempt to return to their beloved homeland. When the ship, La Amistad, is seized, these captives are brought to the United States where they are charged with murder and await their fate in prison. An enthralling battle ensues that captures the attention of the entire nation, confronting the very foundation of the American justice system. But for the men and women on trial, it is simply a fight for the basic right of all mankind... freedom.

Badley scripted and direction
This was Spielberg's first Dreamworks picture and it was really awful. Mostly in poor script and lack of direction. The subject material was not for a director with his style of film making, and the poor performance of this movie has pretty much been the case for every picture this joke of a studio has continued to do since.

Powerful and Shameful
The word "powerful" has become a cliche when describing movies, which is unfortunate. However this film contains material that really moved me to strong emotion- something rare in today's bland entertainment market. Amistad does not simplify slavery as the above reviewer stated- rather it shows the audience the reality of slavery, and that we as a nation were guilty of supporting a terrible injustice. America embraced slavery for many years after most of our European friends had abolished it- a fact clearly demonstrated in this film by the presence of a british naval officer tasked with finding and destroying a carribean slave base.

This movie does revolve around the courtroom, but does so in a way that is both entertaining and educational. It shows how even the best courts can be warped or crippled by political influence and red tape. The characters are simple yet believable. In particular the roles of Cinque and John Q. Adams are played masterfully.

The speech given by Adams at the conclusion is a word-for-word transcript of his actual speech given to the Supreme Court. This speech is one of the more bold and patriotic speeches given in American history, and gives me goose bumps every time I read/see it. Amistad is an exceptional movie that forces the viewer to look back on our past with an unflinching eye and embrace both our courage and our shame as a nation.

MORE THAN A MOVIE ABOUT LA AMISTAD
AMISTAD tells the story of 1839 events involving a shipload of slaves who, having freed themselves from their captors aboard the cruel slaver La Amistad, try to sail back home. Instead they are tricked into sailing north and are captured in New England. The trial that resulted began in insignificance but escalated until it drew in some of the most powerful individuals of the time, especially former President John Quincy Adams.

The fact-based thriller transcends itself in Spielberg's epic. Yes, the story is one of heroism on the part of men trying to secure their freedom. But the real importance of AMISTAD is its gritty, nauseating portrayal of slavery and of those who fought it and of those who espoused it. It tells of how many of the ridiculous politicians of the time continued to bury their heads in the sand rather than take the hard steps that would require America and Americans to live up to the creeds and beliefs that had made them what they were.

Djimon Honsou (GLADIATOR) is wonderful in his portrayal of Cinque, the reluctant leader of the band of Africans. Matthew McConaughey portrays Lawyer Roger Sherman Baldwin, Morgan Freeman is Mr. Joadson and Anthony Hopkins is absolutely striking in the role of John Quincy Adams. John Williams provides one of his most soaring and original soundtracks ever.

THE HORSEMAN ... Read more

Amazon.com

A particularly gritty and tough episode from Ruth Rendell's Inspector Reg Wexford series, Simisola begins with the bearish Scots detective receiving some good medical news from his Nigerian physician. Unfortunately, Wexford can't do the same when the doctor and his wife report the disappearance of their daughter. Seemingly related murders of two women, and the severe beating of a third, in Wexford's Sussex country town of Kingsmarkham do nothing to clarify what happened to the missing girl and, much to Wexford's dismay, exacerbate racist tensions rumbling beneath the investigation. Actor George Baker, who has been playing the civilized and often unflappable Wexford in television dramas since 1988, is wonderful here, counterpointing the detective's natural politesse with droll asides and clipped impatience with self-important witnesses. Rendell's attack on a loophole in British immigration laws (essentially sanctioning modern slavery) is startling but does not overwhelm Simisola's entertaining police procedural. --Tom Keogh

Modernity's classic conflict with the primitive wild is ablaze in Road Rage, anenthralling story of bloodshed in the battle between trees and pavement. Based on a Ruth Rendell novel, the story concerns a protracted fight by pro-environment extremists to stop a road from being built through a forest near Kingsmarkham. Detective Chief Inspector Wexford (George Baker) looks on in dismay as eco-terrorists and local bailiffs beat and maim one another, but he becomes directly involved when a weird series of daytime kidnappings--including the disappearance of his wife, Dora--are linked to a militant group.As police procedurals go, Road Rage is a model of tea-sipping restraint: neither Wexford nor his close colleague, Mike Burden (Christopher Ravenscroft), ever loses his professional demeanor despite personal involvement in the case. Adapted for the screen by Baker, Road Rage is most interesting for its startling counterpoint between criminal monstrosity and heroic decency. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Amazon.com

A particularly gritty and tough episode from Ruth Rendell's Inspector Reg Wexford series, Simisola begins with the bearish Scots detective receiving some good medical news from his Nigerian physician. Unfortunately, Wexford can't do the same when the doctor and his wife report the disappearance of their daughter. Seemingly related murders of two women, and the severe beating of a third, in Wexford's Sussex country town of Kingsmarkham do nothing to clarify what happened to the missing girl and, much to Wexford's dismay, exacerbate racist tensions rumbling beneath the investigation. Actor George Baker, who has been playing the civilized and often unflappable Wexford in television dramas since 1988, is wonderful here, counterpointing the detective's natural politesse with droll asides and clipped impatience with self-important witnesses. Rendell's attack on a loophole in British immigration laws (essentially sanctioning modern slavery) is startling but does not overwhelm Simisola's entertaining police procedural. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (1)

you can't go wrong!
a fantastic programme! Wexford has to deal with political correctness and racism in this very gripping movie. He is personally brought into this when his Nigerian doctors' own daughter Melanie disappears off the face of the earth. Her disappearance un-earths a much more disturbing and horrifying custom at work than even he realised in todays modern times.
well worth watching - put the kids to bed at 7.00pm and settle down for the night with this one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

you can't go wrong!
a fantastic programme! Wexford has to deal with political correctness and racism in this very gripping movie. He is personally brought into this when his Nigerian doctors' own daughter Melanie disappears off the face of the earth. Her disappearance un-earths a much more disturbing and horrifying custom at work than even he realised in todays modern times.
well worth watching - put the kids to bed at 7.00pm and settle down for the night with this one. ... Read more