Reviews (113)

Disney's Pocahontas Gold Collection DVD
Pocahontas is a good tale that deserves to have the Disney name. While far from the most entertaining in the Disney library, this one does have some of the most spectacular animation and imagery then any of them! The film is definatley not for the very young, there is much war violence (superficial, yes, but it's still there), including some blood-free shot wounds. The story is much more mature oriented, with Pocahontas trying to end the war between her people and the white-men for the sake of her love for John Smith.

The film has many songs, but only a few stand out - -Oscar Award Winner "Colors Of The Wind" is one of them, "Around the River Bend", and "If I Never Knew You" is the other - - the rest are catchy, but unmemorable numbers.

The "Gold Classic Collection" DVD edition of the 1995 film, has a mediocre picture. There is constant grain, and it is rarely perfectly clear. On the plus side, the animation is still able to be appreciated and the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is good.

Again, this is NOT the Disney movie to show little kids (it would probably be a complete fly-by for them), but it does have much appeal to an older audience who can appreciate the animation, and the Oscar- winning music. A true modern masterpiece.

POCAHONTAS DVD REVIEW: What happened to the video???
I suppose this movie has a more meaning for me due to a past romance and the this to be the movie we shared, so I enjoyed it. Sure, Disney knows how to take some part of history and make it so fictional but one of the things I like about this movie is the detail they put into Pocahontas facial expressions. That feature always caught me.

Anyway, you either like the animation or you don't. The audio is very well done. No major sound effects but the music and the dialogue is the main things for this film. What about the video? The video is a shock. Where Tarzan bursts with a radiance of colors, not Pocahontas. What happened during the transfer? It's like a transfer from a video tape seen 10 times before. Not acceptable with a DVD! I can't believe the colors aren't superb.

Extras...well, I guess after the fans were upset that Disney didn't include any extras in their previous releases, now they are with their "Gold Collections". I like how the DVD has the two music videos especially "Colors of the Wind" by Vanessa Williams. There are a lot of trailers before the movies which you can fortunately skip over, a trivia game and DVD storybook like the Tarzan DVD and a fun with nature booklet which they should of added to the DVD. Otherwise it's better than what we got before from older Disney DVD's. So, we have the movie at above average, the special features in the C to C- range and the DVD Overall probably a B-/C+.

Otherwise, for a DVD from Disney, this movie deserved better. A better video transfer and they could at least added the making of Pocahontas or something. (sigh)...

Anyway, if you want to watch Pocahontas, get the DVD version. Even those it's VHS quality, you get those extras and good sound. If you don't care about the extras and just want to see the movie, then the VHS might be your thing.

Politically-correct racism
I wish my children had never seen this movie, but since I made the mistake of trusting Disney and since it reappears on TV frequently, I've used it as an opportunity to talk about the blatant (but politically-correct) racism woven through it. My point to my children: racism is wrong, no matter who it's directed at (a point that goes directly against the main theme of the movie).

In this movie, there is one and only one exception to the rule that all Native Americans are good and all English are bad. John Smith is the exception that proves the rule - other than him, all British are evil (and crude, dirty, greedy, etc.). The Native Americans aren't all quite perfect but all come around in the end, while the English are clearly rotten to the core, and the world would be a better place if they were all gone.

Get this movie for your children IF you want to teach them to use skin color as a way of predicting good versus evil. And don't worry, they won't get the wrong, racist lesson that dark skin is bad - they'll get the politically-correct lesson, that people with white skin are bad.

Disney produces yet another inaccurate cartoon...
As always, Disney provides us with an hour-glass shaped, beautifully dashing, ever accomodating heroine, and a strong, handsome, brave, conquering hero; a romance story that is historically inaccurate, romanticized, racist, and sexist. "Pocahontas" was not her real name, and she was about ten years old. According to LEGEND, she saved John Smith's life - the woman of color saves the white man, while falling in love with him. According to REAL history, he was brought in to the village, well-fed and well-treated. Most likely, she simply talked with him while he was in her village. There was NO romantic relationship. She was actually kidnapped a few years later and held for ransom in Jamestown. She died of a White Man's disease. Disney has created a cartoon "Romeo & Juliet" story for children, and what hurts my heart the most is that people really believe that the Disney version is true. There are so many un-truths in the world, especially in our Media, and "Pocahontas" is one of them.

Love Story with a touch of History
In reality Pocahontas was the wife of another white settler named John Rolfe. She later became Lady Rebecca. We can say she fell in love with John Smith but their love story didn't workout.
The story of Pocahontas repesents us all Americans. That no matter how you look like, Black or White we are all foreigners on this land.The original Americans are the American Indians, cause they are already here when Columbus discovered America.As for this movie itself, I love it especially the music. ... Read more

Reviews (494)

Simply in the wrong place at the wrong time
The world was not ready for a return to the days of the movie-musical when "Newsies" was released in 1992. A box-office flop, it has quickly risen to cult classic status with fans everywhere. Newsies is based on the true story of the New York newsboys' strike of 1899. Granted, Disney is guilty of "improving the truth a little", but doesn't any musical, where people break out in spontaneous song and dance, require one to put reality aside for a while? This film tells the tale of the newsies, led by tough, street-smart Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) and intelligent, reasonable David Jacobs (David Moscow), who form a union when Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) ups the price of newspapers from fifty to sixty cents a hundred. The street children - with names like Racetrack (Max Casella), a compulsive gambler who steals many scenes with his wisecracks - are aided by a newspaper reporter named Brian Denton (Bill Pullman). Together the unlikely company endures many troubles, including run-ins with the police and their leader's betrayal, throughout the strike. The actors are believable as poor orphans and runaways during the turn of the century, and one look at any of them shows that they've poured their heart and soul into this movie. The lack of depth in some characters - especially Sarah (Ele Keats) and Medda Larkson (Ann-Margret), roles that serve no discernable purpose other than sex appeal - is my only qualm with the film. Looking past that and the many continuity errors (some of which are actually quite amusing), this is a highly enjoyable movie for the entire family to share. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of entertainment!

Extra! Extra! See All About It!
An uplifting story portraying the greatest accomplishment children have made in our entire lifetime. Well directed by Kenny Ortega with amazing choreography (Kenny Ortega/Peggy Holmes) with amazing music by Alan Menken and creative lyrics by Jack Feldman. This motion picture has a wonderful cst including stars such as Robert Duvall (Joeseph Pulitzer), Ann-Margret (Medda Larkson), and Christian Bale (Jack Kelly). Other actors in this film include David Moscow, Aaron Lohr, Max Casella, Gabriel Damon, Luke Edwards and many more.
Set in 1899, this courageous group of newsboys from New York City, organize with other newsies from all to take on the most powerful man in New York City, newspaper giant Joeseph Pulitzer, to make their dreams come true. Through all the difficulties, the boys stay srong and become unlikely heroes by challenging the powerful.
After seeing it in my history class, i soon became a big fan and have researched everything from the actors to the acrual story. this motion picture gives accurate information and is fun for the whole family.

Newsies Rocks my Sox!
Wow. This movie has got to be one of the best ever. I was visiting a friend in St. Louis who had gone to a musical camp, and they watched it there, and she made her mom go out and get it for us. We watched it 5 times! It really is that good. It's got great singing and dancing, an awesome story line, catchy songs, and plus it's based on real events. And Christian Bale is sooooo cute! If you haven't seen it yet, go rent it NOW!

NEWSIES IS THE BEST!!!!! I love this movie!
Well, if you didn't already read my title NEWSIES IS THE BEST! And I love it. It's a great story about friendship and sticking up for what you believe in. Plus, it's Christian Bale and David Moscow...how can you go wrong with those two! I love the singing and dancing too. If you love the music as much as I did I suggest you buy the soundtrack because it's awesome! I'm telling you girls, if you have a bad day, pop this movie in and watch it. I mean it's a bunch of cute boys singing and dancing...it works everytime. I recomend this movie to anyone who likes musicals, boys, and great Disney magic. Watch it...trust me. It's probably one of my favorites movies of all time! If your cool you won't regret it.

Newsies
I love the Newsies....if your into musical's this is a must see! ... Read more

Reviews (86)

So-so action film...
I've never watched the original Shaft, so I have nothing to base this remake on. It's not a very serious action film. Jeffrey Wright and Busta Rhymes providing most of the comic relief. It is interesting to note that Richard Rountree (the original shaft) and Gordon Parks (the original director) played parts in this film.

After watching this film, I can say I don't mind it. I've seen a lot worse, and I've seen better. Atleast with this film, you have Samuel Jackson playing another cool, suave character. It's too bad Venessa William didn't play a more integral part to the story. I would've liked to see a better dynamism between the two. But then again Shaft has always been a lone-ranger of sorts.

This is not a plot-heavy story. It's about a rich kid that murders an African American, but this crime is witnessed by a waitress who goes into hiding after being threatened. Shaft is disheartened by the inadequacy of the system and decides to investigate on his own. Like I said, not plot-heavy.

LEAP rating (each out of 5):
============================
L (Language) - 3 (nothing special, except for Jeff Wright's almost incomprehensible speech)
E (Erotica) - 1 (opening sequence and a good kiss scene)
A (Action) - 3.5 (unapologetic killings)
P (Plot) - 2 (simple plot)

This film should have gotten the "shaft"
"Shaft" (2000)

Shaft's (Richard Roundtree) nephew, also last-named Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), is the star in this movie. But it is nothing like the original starring Roundtree and directed by Gordon Parks (although both of them make cameos in this film). The first "Shaft" was a blaxploitation flick and is a classic. This movie, directed by John Singleton, seems less black, more made-for-Hollywood. The plot is thin and unlike the original, the only love scene to be found is in pieces during the opening credits. And what was Busta Rhymes' purpose? It added nothing to the movie. Sorry, Sam Jackson is a hell of an actor but his Shaft doesn't make me forget about Roundtree's. -EJR

Singleton ruins yet another legend. somebody stop him.......
Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft could have been a great movie. He has the talent and skill to effectively play the role. Unfortunately, he is prevented from doing a giving a good performance because of the weak direction and script by Hack Extrodinare John Singleton. Someone please stop Mr. Singleton Before he directs again.
Singleton's terrible script and direction turns Shaft into a campy over-the top superhero movie instead of an intruigung murder mystery. Most of the characters come off like cartoonish stereotypes instead of real people the way they did in the 1971 original. Shaft fans know he is smart, smooth and clever; he's subtle about the way he does things. He's not a black batman wannabe as depicted in this film. Perhaps Mr. Singleton dreams of doing a Batman movie and thought he could apply those concepts here. He was sadly mistaken.
In the openeing scene he comes off as menacing and threatening, that he scares the witness even more and puts the white racist (Christian Bale) on the offensive by arresting him. A litle subtlety would have helped the story here and made the character more interesting. In the subplot our menacing shaft threatens a neighborhood drug dealer (Geoffrey Rush) and arrests him on some trumped up charges. While in jail the two consipire to find a witness who can finger Bale's character for the murder he committed. Sounds a lot like Batman Returns doesn't it? Just so he can have something to do, Shaft goes on a macho search to find the witness who can help his case. Personally, I think Singleton wanted to have a ton of frames of Sam Jackson looking cool in Armani leather. This goes on until the last act the movie which turns into a great big comic book action sequence chock full of shootings and mayhem. To conclude the story, the scene where Bale's character is coming to court to finally stand trial for his crimes is ripped straight from Mario Van Peebles ending scene of New Jack City.
Singleton wastes yet another opportunity and fails to utilize his cast of talented actors who do their best with his terrible script. Sadly, Gordon Parks, the man who wrote and directed the original Shaft was on set and Singleton did take the opportunity not pick his brain for ideas or even ask him what he was thinking when he set up certain scenes. This film would have been better if Singleton would have done thatn andjust STUDIED the films of this genere and understood the subtle nuances that make them work before starting this project. Then when he understood what made those films work he could then apply those approaches to his work. John Singleton needs to go back to film school. He still has a lot to learn about the craft of moviemaking.

VERY GOOD REMAKE OF THE 1971 CLASSIC
SHAFT'S SAME-NAMED NEPHEW [SAMUEL L. JACKSON] GOES AFTER A DOMINICAN DRUG LORD AND A RACIST SERIAL KILLER. VERY GOOD REMAKE. IT HAS PLENTY OF GOOD ACTION, AN INTERESTING STORY, AND IT HAS GOOD CHARACTERS. THIS IS ACTUALLY NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL. RICHARD ROUNDTREE [WHO PLAYED THE ORIGINAL SHAFT] AND GORDON PARKS, JR. BOTH MAKE APPEARANCES IN THIS MOVIE.

wonderful remake
a great remake with Jackson being the man Shaft. good action with some unexpected turnabouts. Christian Bale is menacing as the racist who kills Mehki Phifer then has to answer to Shaft and Jeffrey Wright is a spectacular badguy as well. a good ride ... Read more

Amazon.com

Todd Haynes, ever unpredictable, follows up his experimental trilogy Poison and his restrained Safe with this flamboyant study in glam rock through the kaleidoscopic lens of Citizen Kane. Christian Bale plays Arthur Stuart, a reporter sent to investigate the legend of rock legend and bisexual pop icon Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as a not-so-thinly veiled David Bowie), who disappeared a decade ago after staging his own mock assassination. But Arthur is flooded with memories of his own adolescence as he interviews Slade's friends and business associates, peeling back the layer of makeup and spangles that was the model of rebellion for a generation of middle-class British kids and discovering a hollow center. Ewan McGregor almost steals the film as the punk pioneer Curt Wild (equal parts Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain), the genuine article to Slade's calculated, coifed image of glitter stardom.Haynes's film lacks nothing in capturing the flamboyance and spectacle of the era with flashy filmmaking and kitschy costumes, and if the plot seems lost in the preening and visual fireworks, perhaps that's the point: behind the façades and manufactured fronts is nothing but glitter, energy, and a beat. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (216)

Beautiful, Lyrical, Fascinating, Glam Movie
I absolutely loved this movie from the first time I watched it late one night strictly by accident. The acting is superb by all of the main characters with McGregor really shining in his wonderful punk role of Curt Wild. This guy really proved what a talented performer he truly is. John Rys Meyers who plays Brian Slade was quite delicious to watch and I'm a straight female...I must say the scene where Slade and Wild are on stage together for the first time and the guitar scene was quite a turnon.

Of course, I'm a huge Christian Bale fan and he was wonderful as well as the reporter investigating the disappearnce of our rock icon Slade 10 years after a fake murder was staged. The flashbacks to his youth were well done and inciteful into his character.

Jack Fairy was a great character that added a bit of mystery and a true image of glam days. Eddy Izzard, what can you say, the guy is fantastic.

I loved this movie for it's glitz and glamour, for it's quirkiness and campiness but mostly for the FANTASTIC music and acting. CRANK IT UP and enjoy!!

stellar cast and far out cinema create incredible parable...
a lot of people will tell you they don't like velvet goldmine. they say it has no plot, or that it's boring, or its just based on david bowie's life. if you lived through the 70's and you're looking for a movie that is totally about celebrating the glam of your youth, then maybe this movie is not for you. however, if you're nutty for well crafted historical fiction, insanely innovative cineamatography, and really good, well acted movies than velvet goldmine will be right up your alley!!

velvet goldmine is about a young reporter (Christian Bale) who's been running from his past for ten years. the decade has brought him full circle to the ackwardness and loneliness he's been trying to escape, by taking him down memory lane in his latest assignment; an article asking, "what ever happened to brian slade (johnny rhys-meyers)?". on his quest, the reporter hears a very bowie-esque (and cinematographically, amazing) story about slade, and in the end, discovers that he doesn't have to run from his past anymore.

Just like a Prancer, a Gypsy dancer pt. 2
In addition to my last review, I should point out, after reading reviews saying "this isn't what Glam was really like"... The movie isn't supposed to be a historically accurate. "The ages live in history thru their anachronisms" (Oscar Wilde). The movie is "a work of pure fiction", and if you try to degrade it into fact, you're missing the beauty of it. It's a fairy tale. Glam rock, Oscar Wilde, etc... are merely vehicles for it to play out.

Just like a prancer, a Gypsy dancer
The film is beautiful. It's a fairy tale, love. Make no mistake about it. It's not a "history" of Glam rock and the characters are composites of many real people without being too much of anyone. It's a fairy tale.

The film is very symphonic and atmospheric, and flutters thru the celluloid sky. It can be confusing at first viewing, because everything is juxtaposed and jumbled. It flickers between eras, characters, and storylines in a half-remembered dream way. The movie must be watched as a feeling, not a sit-back-and-relax caper.

The movie is NOT based on David Bowie and Iggy Pop, at least not entirely. They never had such an affair and never had such lives. The movie is fiction. Brian Slade is no more David Bowie than he is Marc Bolan or Jobriath, and Curt Wilde is no more Iggy Pop than he is Lou Reed and David Johansen. And neither of them are any of them. They're composites of the essence of real people - or of the feeling of them - thrown into a London backdrop thru the lens of Citizen Kane and an Oscar Wilde fairy tale.

Many of the events are real events (Brian's Top of the Pops performance, as well as his relationship with Cecil, is very much akin to Marc Bolan's performance and relationship with Simon Napier-Bell -- The Maxwell Demon album cover is an almost exact remake of Jobriath's self-titled album cover, etc...). Many of the events are real fictions (the movie plays out threw a Citizen Kane-like sequence -- Oscar Wilde's story "Star Child" is carried throughout the movie via a green pendant which is passed around, not to mention many Wilde quotes and parables from stories such as "The Remarkable Rocket" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray"). But nothing in the movie is real. It's simply beautiful fancy.

The film is based around reporter Arthur Stewart, who is, in 1984, on a quest to discover the mysteries behind a fake murder/publicity stunt of Brian Slade in 1974. Everything and everyone in the movie circles back to him, and his discovery. What does he eventually discover? Symbolicly, himself. Literally... watch the movie.

The real Star of the film is Jack Fairy, a beautifully elusive archeotype with the grace of Garbo, the fantasy of Oscar Wilde, and the power of Marc Bolan who silently glides thru the movie, not saying a word until the end, but playing one of THE MOST VITAL ROLES in the movie (he and Arthur make the movie... Brian and Curt are just vehicles for everything to happen).

Many great songs too, from T. Rex, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Cockney Rebel, etc... Most of them covers, though. As well as newbies such as Shudder To Think and Pulp.

It's a beautiful film. Not action packed, kinda confusing, and not too tethered to a plot. But beautiful - ethereal. It's very layered. If you enjoy Glam rock, Oscar Wilde, Citizen Kane, fairy tales, or just things and people to fall in love with, you'll probably like the movie.

Oh, one interestingly thing to point out is the surplus of Roxy Music songs, but the lack of a Bryan Ferry-like character. Bryan was a consultant for the film, so methinks that's intentional - he made sure they kept him out of the muck.

Very disappointed
I am a big fan of the whole "70 Glam" era. I am also a huge fan of Iggy Pop and the Stooges.
Here is the low down.
1. This movie is lame.
2. The only cool part of the movie was when Ewan/Iggy/Kurt was singing TV Eye.

This movie portrayed Iggy Pop/Kurt as David Bowie's lover. I don't think Iggy was having sex with Bowie. I wasn't there and I don't know for sure.

This was a huge disappointment. I think I was expecting something different. ... Read more

Reviews (154)

Coming of age for a young boy and Spielberg
Made back in 1987, EMPIRE OF THE SUN, is based upon the best selling book by J.G. Ballard. It tells the story of Jim, (Christian Bale) a young British boy, who is separated from his parents, during World War II. His family is living in Japan at the time. The young boy is thrown into a Japanese internment camp. As the story unfolds, Jim befriends 2 Americans (John Malkovich and Joe Pantiliano) also trying to stay one step ahead of their captors and fight for freedom. As it says on the back of the DVD "Through [Jim's] eyes we see the facination and horror of war." Jim goes from being a child of innocence to an adult who is just trying to stay alive in a harsh world.

When the film ended, I had forgotton how flawless the movie is. This was not only a young boy's coming of age story, but a coming of age for Spielberg as a Director as well. This was his 1st film (up to that point) without a real "Gee Whiz" element to it The performance by Bale is outstanding. As the viewer, you really get a sense of what it must have been like to be held captive in that prison. The scene where Jim runs back to the comforts of his home, shortly after being separated from his Mom and Dad, only to find it ransacked, and his parents gone, is particularly effective. The scene is both horrible and funny at the same time The film also boasts some fine production design and a good film score by John Williams. The film was the first to be shot in the People's Republic of China and eagled-eyed viewers will note a supporting role from funny man Ben Stiller.

The only extra feature of note on the DVD is, a good 45 minute documentary, made at the time of production. The documentary is narrated by Actor Martin Sheen. When this movie was released, I remember the reviews being somewhat mixed. That is a shame. It is one of the only movies from Spielberg, that you don't hear much about, even today. I guess I just wanted to remind folks that EMPIRE OF THE SUN is still out there and certainly worth a first or second look

An Unheralded Masterpiece
This epic film is the first of Spielberg's World War II trilogy that includes "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan." It was made at a time when Spielberg was financially successfully but artistic merit eluded him. That this remarkable piece of filmmaking has been overlooked is no reflection on him; it is the failure of the tastes of critics and the public alike. Spielberg tells a beautiful story of the horrors of war, how families are uprooted and separated, and how the human spirit overcomes adversity. Christian Bale is superb in the film. I cannot comprehend why his career did not soar after the film's release. It was good to see him in the role of Jesus in the recently televised movie on Mary. John Malkovich is his usual fantastic self as a fellow POW who becomes Bale's Long John Silver, a sly comparison to the classic "Treasure Island." The film is beautifully photographed and has a subtle and moving score from Spielberg stalwart John Williams. It is a must for fans of the director and those who appreciate masterful storytelling.

a skewed reality, how a twelve year old boy would see things
A film by Steven Spielberg

Film critic Ernest Rister has written a brilliant review of "Empire of the Sun" where he details the unreality of the movie, how the viewer cannot trust what we are seeing on screen because it is the impressions of a 12 year old child and Spielberg gives us enough hints and allusions and images in the film that with a little bit of work, the viewer should be able to figure this out. Since I had read Mr Rister's review more than a year before I finally saw this movie, I tried to keep that knowledge in mind when I was seeing "Empire of the Sun" for the first time.

"Empire of the Sun" is the story of Jim (Christian Bale), a 12 year old British boy living in China with his parents. The movie is set during World War II when Japan was attacking China. During a raid on the city they are living in, Jim and his parents are trying to escape when they are separated. We don't know what happens to his parents, but Jim ends up in a Japanese internment camp. Jim meets an American named Basie (John Malkovich), whom he befriends and sort of tags along after. "Empire of the Sun" deals with the isolation and loneliness of this one boy who is quickly losing his innocence. That is really the heart of "Empire of the Sun", the loss of Jim's innocence in the midst of World War II.

The one thing that I struggled with was not taking this film at face value, that the events on screen are not truly happening, but rather how Jim is remembering them. They are happening as a twelve year old boy is seeing them, heightened and slightly distorted. I did not catch the clues that Mr. Rister wrote about, but I suspect you have to be studying "Empire of the Sun" to really grasp what Steven Spielberg is putting into the movie. Fortunately, "Empire of the Sun" works on two levels: as a straightforward film, and also on the level that Rister discovered and Spielberg intended.

-Joe Sherry

Wunderbar
One of the greatest dramas ever. Buy it. Watch it. Many times.

Empire of the Sun - Spectacularly Moving
What a sensational film. I'm curious as to why it has been so overlooked all these years. It's so much more than a war movie. It not only speaks to the tenacity of the human spirit, but also to it's frailties.

When Jim reunites with his mother in the final scene, it always brings tears to my eyes. Yeah... lots of tears. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As a bleak and chilling mood piece, The Machinist gets under your skin and stays there. Christian Bale threw himself into the title role with such devotion that he shed an alarming 63 pounds to play Trevor Reznik (talk about "starving artist"!), a factory worker who hasn't slept in a year. He's haunted by some mysterious occurrence that turned him into a paranoid husk, sleepwalking a fine line between harsh reality and nightmare fantasy--a state of mind that leaves him looking disturbingly gaunt and skeletal in appearance. (It's no exaggeration to say that Bale resembles a Holocaust survivor from vintage Nazi-camp liberation newsreels.) In a cinematic territory far removed from his 1998 romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland, director Brad Anderson orchestrates a grimy, nocturnal world of washed-out blues and grays, as Trevor struggles to assemble the clues of his psychological conundrum. With a friendly hooker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and airport waitress (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) as his only stable links to sanity, Trevor reaches critical mass and seems ready to implode just as The Machinist reveals its secrets. For those who don't mind a trip to hell with a theremin-laced soundtrack, The Machinist seems primed for long-term status as a cult thriller on the edge. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Superb!
First, allow me to say that Christian Bale's performance in this movie was truly impressive. Bale is brilliant in his role as Trevor Reznik, an insomniac tormented by guilt and anxiety. Reznik has not slept nor eaten for days and everyone at his work detests him for no apparent reason. Bizarre things are frequently happening to Reznik and his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Unable to explain why these strange things keep happening to him, Reznik grows increasingly desperate. Is everyone conspiring against him or is everything that is happening to him simply a fragment of his imagnination? Why has he lost his apettite and why has not he slept for days?

All interesting questions but I am not giving away any answers. What I will tell you, however, is that this movie provides a momentous insight into such powerful emotions as anxiety, shame and guilt. This is a powerful story of a man who has found his own unique way to handle his guilt and anxiety. Another highly interesting yet controversial topic raised in this movie is that of the faulty memories. Will we ever be able to reach a consensus as to which memories are real and which are created? I doubt it. I believe that people have a propensity to "create" memories when reality becomes too difficult to cope with.

Although skeptical at first, I was stunned by Bale's unprecedented performance for which he should have been awarded an Oscar. A final comment: in my opinion, The Machinist is one of the best psychological thrillers available. See it!

Bale gives anther stunning performance
I couldnt belive how skinny Christian Bale was in the movie. It was disturbing to watch him, because he was basically just bones. The movie had a good plot, but I couldnt get most of it. Ill have to watch it again to get what I missed. Christian Bale is one of the greatest, under used actors of modern cinema. I cant wait to see him in Batman!

Wait for the Video
This is another dark and disturbing motion picture, which centers on Christian Bale (Trevor Reznik), a lathe-operator in some machine shop somewhere. He suffers from insomnia and by his words, "has not slept in over a year". His insomnia has directly affected his physical appearance as well, coming across as some sort of crystal meth junkie. His employer is concerned, and drug screens him regularly. He only has two personal contacts throughout the picture, Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a hooker; and some waitress at the airport coffee show which he frequents at 1:25 A.M every morning.

Christian Bale's physical transformation in this film is frightening. He's a walking skeleton, a virtual bag of bones. Part of his morning routine is the act of weighing himself, which he records on sticky note pads and posts to his bathroom wall. The first weight posting we see is 107 pounds, and he resembles the Donnie Wahlberg character in the beginning of the Sixth Sense. Figuring his normal weight is probably 165 -170 pounds, how he's lost all the weigh for this role just boggles the mind.... and of course, pivotal to the plot of this film.

Jennifer Jason Leigh also looks pretty bad. Of course if she's going for that burnt out trashy street walker look, then she's succeeded in spades. Not to mention that the weight Christian lost, somehow found its way to Leigh must have been an added bonus for the director.

Besides the massive weigh lost, Reznik has also started to hallucinate, and paranoia is beginning to set in. He's unable to keep his mind on his job at work, which leads to a fellow employee losing his arm. A pretty cool scene by the way......

The beginning of the film is well paced and keeps you on the edge of you seat. You find yourself trying to decipher what is real, and what's not. This leads you on a rollercoaster ride through the thoughts and dreams of Reznik, all escalating to the pinnacle of the film..... which turns out to be just the opposite, a very anti-climactic ending. For me anyways.

Except for the ending, I found the film quite intriguing; though a letdown, the ending does answer all the questions that you may have of Reznik. I just felt it could have been so much more, and that it just missed its mark by a hair. I, however, do recommend seeing this film, and leave you to surmise your own conclusions.

http://farisreel.com

Exceptional sensitive movie
I refused to watch movies with Christian Bale after he made "American Psycho". I had enough with the idolization of evil and the admiration of serial killers in the American cinema.
But this movie is something else; it is a movie about men's soul. Regardless, the art director is a genius. Christian Bale is fantastic, he touched my heart. John Sharian (who played Ivan) was totally unforgettable. I hope to see him in more movies.

UNSETTLING LOOK AT PSYCHOSIS, BUT A FINE FILM
First, don't read too much about the "plot," you'll kill everything it has going for it.

Second, prepare yourself for a creepy quasi-noir with images so gory it'd leave Tarantino and his criminal half-brother in knots.

Third, expect an emaciated Christian Bale, and I don't mean lost-a-couple-of-pounds emaciated, I mean emaciated beyond belief. A veritable bone-heap. I hoped all the windows were latched lest the breeze blow him off. Freaky!

Fourth, the movie is difficult to sit through. Certainly not a date flick unless she plays drums for Metallica. It's well produced though, there isn't a single scene that'd pass off as gratuitously 'offbeat' for the lark of it. The narrative is very credible even if I didn't much care for the noirish coloration.

Fifth, watch the movie for what it is. If having the rug pulled out from under you is your thing, by a plot that isn't drunk on its ingenuity, then you'll love it. Its surprises spring effortlessly from the story and hook right back without any pretense.

Sixth, I recommend waiting for the DVD and watching it in the comfort of your home. Have some fresh fruit around. And plenty of light.

Seventh, still reading? Loop to "First" above. ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Cast better than inept direction
While I don't have a problem with new interpretations of Shakespeare, I didn't find this all that new, just confused. Updating Shakespeare is also fine, if it serves a purpose, or at least doesn't interfere with the story, but those bicycles were ridiculous, and simply not funny. There was no point of reference, no reason for them to be there, no punchline. Likewise with Helena and Hermia's little mudbath...generally, the direction was absolutely horrible. The film is quite entertaining though, thanks to some very hard work from some of the cast. And that does not mean Calista Flockhart and Michelle Pfieffer (C.F. is grating, and M.P. obviously not comfortable with the text). It means Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, and Rupert Everett among the stars, but especially to some of the secondary characters: Anna Friel as a grounded Hermia (mud bath excepted) Sophie Marceau as an actually likeable Hyppolyta, and the great Roger Rees, as the most memorable Peter Quince I've ever seen. The music is gorgeous, and the scenery is nice, although having actually taken the trouble to go to Tuscany, Hoffman decides to film the magical forest on a really horrible, cheesy, creaking sound stage. Watch it for the cast.

Ah the Tuscan Hills!
Wow, what a great movie! But of course if you're a traditionalist closed to new interpretations, lock yourself back in your room with your Turner Classic movies. And if you've never had an English class where you liked Shakespeare or if you've never read and enjoyed an Elizabethan comedy and/or tragedy, forget about this movie. The language will just confuse you too much.

But if you can get past your conservative views and are open to the language, then watch A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I think that after five hundred years, it's amazing that these plays are still around and can generate such mainstream attention. I also feel that after that long, a fresh adaptation is more than welcome, especially if you've been subjected to the less than glamorous BBC version.

I felt that the setting (the Italian Athens you've never heard of) and anachronistic props (bikes with lights) actually lend to the farcical quality of this movie. It is a comedy and it is supposed to be funny, so lighten up and enjoy the fantastic performances of Michelle Pfeiffer (my FAVORITE Fairy Queen), Rupert Everett (fairy king--pun intended?), Kevin Kline as Bottom (he makes an Ass of himself--heehaw), and the myriad of other wonderful actors and actresses that breathe life into an old play.

And before you take offense to a director's interpretations, you might inquire as to the reasons for them before you denounce his movie. And if you really want the Bard's opinion, Joseph Fiennes could probably give it to you.

All good things, JOE

Not perfect, but certainly worth watching
To make Shakespeare accessible, you have to make it entertaining. Not just entertaining to those who already know and love his work, but entertaining to those who have never picked up a Folger edition of anything in their lives.

I teach English to teenagers. Teenagers, who gasp in horror at the mention of Shakespeare. Teenagers, with their 30 second attention spans, faulty grasp of the modern English they supposedly speak, and affection for the physical comedy of the likes of "Jackass."

So, how do we make teenagers like Shakespeare? We edit. So, naturally, some of the best speeches are missing or drastically shortened (remember, 30 second attention spans); the physical, often silly humor is accented; and the women mud wrestle. So what?

This movie is entertaining. At times, it is enchanting. It is fast-paced, visually interesting, and funny. The emphasis is shifted away from the complexities of the language because it is the language, the very thing we love about Shakespeare, that makes these plays inaccessible to the majority of the American movie audience.

I use this film because it is easy to understand. The actors have faces my students recognize, and it gets them excited about Shakespeare.

What this film does is to put the content of the play within the grasp of its modern audience. Shakespeare himself would have done no less.

An occasional dream
One of Shakespeare's most beloved works finally gets a modern cinematic makeover, good news for all of those who'd rather not see Mickey Rooney's Puck again. Unfortunately the latest retelling leaves much to be desired. Though mostly enjoyable, this film could use a good shot of fairy dust.

The story concerns three sets of lovers - Hermia and Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, and fairy royalty Titania and Oberon. The first pair loves each other but cannot marry because Hermia is betrothed to Demetrius, the object of Helena's desperate affection. When Hermia and Lysander steal away, the second couple makes chase and all four end up lost in the woods where our third pair, the quarreling fairy king and queen, reside. Oberon, dissatisfied with all about him, enlists his servant, Puck, to make amends. Puck is to place a spell on Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena, but a case of mistaken identity causes Lysander to become smitten with her. Meanwhile, a traveling actors troupe, led by Nick Bottom, stumbles into the woods for a late-night rehearsal. They prepare a play for the Duke's wedding and soon become the object of the fairies' mischief.

With the shell of Shakespeare's original, this movie pulls of adequate amounts of wit and humor; clearly the script is better than most. Despite Puck's much abbreviated role, it remains a light comedy and surreal and magical in every sense. The costuming, makeup, and Italian backdrop add to the enchantment and are some of the most enjoyable aspects of an aesthetically pleasing film. I loved the energy of Monte Athena in turn-of-the-century Italy (punctuated by a soundtrack of renowned operatic talent), although it added little to the understanding of the story or the updated time period.

My main qualm for this otherwise fanciful retelling is the distracted acting, which ranges from inspiring to embarrassing. Shakespeare's language, archaic by our standards, depends on talented actors and directors to lift it and his beautiful stories from obscurity. Kevin Kline proves that you don't need an English accent to perform Shakespeare effectively. His Nick Bottom is the most rounded character in the film, wholly human and rich with emotions thick enough to dip your fingers through. Anna Friel's Hermia acutely defines the play's romance and innocence. Along with Kline, she seems the most comfortable in her role and possesses a grace and naturalness absent from the other female characters. Dominic West gives an amusing and (sometimes) smitten Lysander to Friel's Hermia. I also liked Roger Rees' affectionate Peter Quince. The remainder of the cast spirals downward. Calista Flockhart as Hermia and Michelle Pfieffer as Titania appear uncomfortable and rather unsure of their characters, as if they are too afraid of fouling up the Bard's work to dig deeply into it. Rupert Everett's Oberon is tired and melancholy to a point of boredom. I am still trying to figure out why David Strathrain, who lacks the nobleness of his character, was cast as the Duke. Poor Sophie Marceau should have stuck with Mel Gibson. Though I would not have picked Stanley Tucci for Puck, he provides a slightly amusing if ineffectual performance, as does Christian Bale as Demetrius.

Because of the spotty acting, the film never gels completely. An unfamiliarity with the play by certain actors interrupts otherwise fluid scenes. Those who act well in this film make it worth watching; the others leave us wanting more.

Kline and Flockhart shine!!!
3.5 stars. This is a moderately enjoyable Shakespearean comedy with only two stand-out performances. Calista Flockhart, of "Ally McBeal" fame, shows here that her range and understanding of the poetic language of Shakespear is both impressive and fluent. She steals every scene she is in. Speaking of scene-stealing, Kevin Kline, a veteran of the stage and Shakespearean theater, has the best performance here. He hams up the goofyness of his character and makes him ultimately hilarious and endearing. Many of the other actors are merely okay. Michelle Pfeiffer, often a great actress, seems to struggle here. She sounds like she understands iambic pentameter well, but fails to emote any feeling behind the words; except for her scenes with Kevin Kline, she is simply mediocre. Also, the character of Puck, played by Stanley Tucci, is traditionally portrayed as more mischievous and problem-causing than the lap-dog of Oberon as he is portrayed here. All in all, this is certainly above par, with great costumes and fine sets and scenery. It just doesn't come together as a whole. This film is fun in moments, but eventually feels incomplete. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A broad science fiction thriller in a classic vein, Equilibrium takes a respectable stab at a Fahrenheit 451-like cautionary fable. The story finds Earth's post-World War III humankind in a state of severe emotional repression: If no one feels anything, no one will be inspired by dark passions to attack their neighbors. Writer-director Kurt Wimmer's monochromatic, Metropolis-influenced cityscape provides an excellent backdrop to the heavy-handed mission of John Preston (Christian Bale), a top cop who busts "sense offenders" and crushes sentimental, sensual, and artistic relics from a bygone era. Predictably, Preston becomes intrigued by his victims and that which they die to cherish; he stops taking his mandatory, mood-flattening drug and is even aroused by a doomed prisoner (Emily Watson). Wimmer's wrongheaded martial arts/dueling guns motif is sheer silliness (a battle over a puppy doesn't help), but Equilibrium should be seen for Bale's moving performance as a man shocked back to human feeling. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (326)

You Should Not Miss These Sensational Action Scenes
Sci-fi flick with stunning visuals, "Equilibrium" deserves much more attention not only from fans of genre, but also from general audiences. Sure, its flaws are too visible, borrowing Orwellian ideas from other films like, say, "Brazil," but it is not that ideas themselves but the way they are put into practice that really counts, and on that score "Equiliburium" is a winner. (And critics, please let me know, why do you all praise Steven's "Minority Report" which actually borrows ideas from other films of this genre? So, why not give this one a due respect?)

Well, I admit the opening chapter of "Equilibrium" is a bit weak, introducing us to the dystopia world after the WW3, but soon you will forget that. The totalitarian government established after the war decided to eliminate anything that might possibly make humans emotional, forcing the people to inject a certain doze of [chemical substance] to be unemotional every day. Moreover, it decrees there should be no more music (not only hip-hops, but classic music), no more motion pitures, and no more decorated interiors. Those who love them hide underground, becoming rebels while the authroity set up a super-cop troop called "Grammaton Clerics."

Christian Bale ("American Psyco") is John Preston the best of the Clerics, and dedicates himself to the job until he arrests a woman Mary O'Brien who possessd illegal stuffs. But her strong creed and perhaps beauty make their way into the sleeping heart of Preston, who has been long fighting for his cause.

The film's philosophical messages are in themselves not new at all, and director Kurt Wimmer might have kept his idea a little too long. I say so, because today, in the 21st century, it is not this Orwellian society that we are afraid of most. The story has enough twists to surprise us, but maybe one too many, I think, and the wrap-up part of the film feels a bit hurriedly done.

However, those are noting before the film's sensational action scenes, which can make up for any flawed part of the film. The "Gun-Kata" fighting deserves special mention, using [weapons] like Japanese swords, and its hyper-kinetic movement is very violent and very beautiful at the same time. Incredible it might sound, but Christian Bale shows excellent action star quality here, displaying the beauty of "Kata"s -- and "kata" means in Japanese "style." Yes, there are lots of styles in "Equilibrium."

Other plsyers are also effectively cast, and most unexpected is Emily Watson, who quite naturally becomes the Joan D'Arc-like character. Taye Diggs is good as Preston's partner, and though short time, Sean Bean, cast against type, is also perfect as Partridge who plays a key role in the story.

I was quite surprised and satisfied, and even thrilled to see this neglected film, which should have been more pushed. Again I say, its actions are sensational. Not that this is "Matrix"; rather, it is more unique and has its own "kata" = style, which means a lot these days.

Compulsively watchable
Confession time. I never saw the Matrix. I am not a big fan of the genre. I was merely intrigued that several fine actors such as Emily Watson, Christian Bale and Sean Bean were in a movie that was getting literally no promotion. So without really knowing what to expect, I took a chance with $... bucks and two hours of my life.

I haven't had so much purely unexpected fun at a movie since a serious film buff friend dragged me to see a dubbed copy of one of John Woo's early Hong Kong gangster epics starring the ever charismatic Chow Yun-Fat.

Like those movies, Equilibrium took me on one heck of a visual and emotional roller coaster ride.

Was the plot derivative and full of holes? Yes, but I did not care, for my eyes were glued to the screen. Kinetic direction and a set of charismatic actors caused Equilibrium to soar above its well worn plot lines.

Movies like this are for entertainment not great enlightenment. I hope it finds an audience on DVD or as a feature movie on the Sci Fi channel. It deserves far better marketing than the studio gave it.

KILLER ACTION WITH A BIG HEART
To Kurt Wimmer: Thank you for introducing me to the genuinely new experience of not wanting to leave the theatre! I saw this movie 6 times (a personal first), and each time I was amazed at how I could just sit through it again!
Whenever I tell people about it, they jump in with a comparison to The Matrix, but the truth is, while both films are incredibly exciting to watch, Equilibrium makes you care about the characters in ways the other never did. We never knew why the good guys in The Matrix were drawn to fighting for their freedom, it was never explored. In Equilibrium, Wimmer DOES explore this, and Christian Bale and Emily Watson give fantastic performances that will bring tears to your eyes.
I also found Equilibrium interesting because of the commentary it makes on issues that are here today---the militarization of the police, police raids, victimless crimes, etc. (WACO would have been a lot different with a John Preston around, eh?)
The bottom line is this movie NEVER STRAYS---it's exciting, great gun-kata scenes, thought-provoking subject matter, and all of it balanced with the more human elements that keep us caring.

It's strange, but for the only time in my life I felt like I was going to miss a movie after it stopped playing. I don't think there's a greater compliment than that....

WOW
WOW..and WOW.. and WOW and WOW and WOW!

How have I never heard of this movie before?!?!?
To read the reviews here, I thought I was in for another mindless action movie (always welcome of course) but I was treated to something very much more special.

This is a thought searing movie, to say the least. Have you read 1984? Or seen Blade Runner? Or Apple Computer's "1984" ad? This is there. This is great. This is art. It really is.

The movie itself was very well thought out and detailed.. down to the shape of the "drug" pills they took. Scenes like the re-organizing of his desk, with the background dialog perfectly syncronising the scene, give testament to the thought and detail put into the movie. It also makes me sad at the shlock that Hollywood turns out these days. Kudos to the director, writer and actors.

I didnt expect much going into this, and I was really really surprised. To read amazons comment : "Based on customer purchases, this is the #39 early adopter product in cult movies", after seeing this movie, that comment makes me shiver - im not sure why. Forshadowing our future?

In anycase, Im going to see the Cruxshadows so cant write more, but take my advice, if you're a thinking person, rent this movie. Its worth the time/money.

P.S.
Im glad to see the guy from Lord of the Rings/Ronin play a noble part for once!

UNBELIEVABLE action sequences!
Of course it's not the Matrix. Equilibrium actually begins and ends with an excellent storyline and tight plot!

I wonder why I've never picked this DVD up before - it honestly boasts of some of the best, if not the best, choreography and fastest action sequences I've ever seen! Few movies can live up to this kind of lightning-quick action. Yes, if you loved the Matrix, you will DEFINITELY love this one. However, this is actually a 1000 times more satisfying than the Matrix, considering Reloaded. Wish I discovered this earlier! You won't regret this. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney's take on this historical confrontation between European settlersand Native Americans follows the paths of two future lovers. One is British adventurer John Smith, who travels the Atlantic with the Virginia Company to establish Jamestown. On the shore is Pocahontas, a typical Disney heroine: bright, beautiful, mischievous, and motherless. The two meet in the untamed wilds of America (the first meeting is quite divine), fall in love, and try to ward off the warring factions. It's Disney's version of a Native American West Side Story. Two Disney trademarks do not quite muster up: the villain isn't hissable and the score's only high point is the Oscar-winning "Colors of the Wind." Calling it "historical" is a stretch, but Disney created a very natural look at the two cultures. The Native American characters are handled especially well, andkids should be intrigued by their world; the movie is a far different lesson from the one their parents and grandparents learned. Disney has discovered a few things, though: you don't have to kill to solve your problems, and you can end the film without a happily-ever-after, illustrated by a touching final visual. (Ages 5 and older) --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (141)

Better than I remembered, but still deeply flawed.
I remember seeing this movie in the theater and being so bored I nearly walked out.It's been on my list of films to avoid for a long time.Imagine my groans when my daughter received it for a birthday gift last week.But, she likes it so I sat down this morning and watched it with her.I have to admit, I've revised my opinion a bit.It's not as bad as I'd first believed.The acting and the animation is quite good, I really do like "Colors of the Wind," and I even got a bit chocked up at the end when Smith has to leave.

HOWEVER, the PC racism does bother me.Excepting John Smith, every white man is greedy, evil, stupid, and ugly while the Native Americans are beautiful and wise and live in some kind of utopian society of love, peace, cleanliness, and harmony (which I'm sure they didn't).Disney has glossed over the unpleasant aspects of that culture and completely disregarded anything positive about the Europeans.A good example is in the beginning when the Indian chief is returning from a war.We're not told what the war was about but we know there's been fighting and they were all brave and heroic.Yet when the white men are talking of war, they're just blood-thirsty, dumb, violent animals.I think it is an offensive portrayal of both races.

This historical inaccuracy also galls.Others have mentioned the problems with the Pocahontas/John Smith love story; in addition, it is also a false portrayal of the colonists.I'm not a expert, but I believe most of the Jamestown settlers came here to find a better life and escape tyranny in England, not for gold.They didn't land and immediately set out to exterminate the Native Americans, they were too worried about simply surviving that first winter, and most of them didn't.

This movie would have been better if Disney had scrapped any ties to Pocahontas and simply made a fictional Native American/European love story.You'd still have the emotion and passion, but it wouldn't be paraded as fact.They could have portrayed both cultures in a more truthful light and probably had a better story all the way around.

Racist dribble
This is the most racist movie I have ever seen.PC to the max.

Always Should Have Been
Beauty and the Beast's "Human Again" carries a cute scene between Belle and Beast but is ultimately unnecessary; The Lion King's "Morning Report" appears out of place and painfully disrupts the flow of the film; Pocahontas' "If I Never Knew You", however, is exactly what the movie needed to be complete.

A duet never should have been left out in the first place, "If I Never Knew You" is a melodically poetic, lyrically poignant exchange of singing dialog that authenticates Pocahontas and John Smith's feelings for each other, speaking of how lacking life would be if they never knew each other.The reprise well placed near the end of the film also dose a great job at evoking strong emotions and adds power to the bittersweet ending of this courageous romantic tale.

If I had only one misgiving about this effort, however minor, it would be that the animation accompanying the beautiful music had some room for improvement.There are a few moments there where the two leads look just a little bit "off" (not looking like themselves), especially in John Smith's case.Other than that, the added sequences are simply stunning.I especially love the segment where the "camera" moves from John Smith's looking up at the nightly sky to Pocahontas' paddling away towards Grandmother Willow's canopy.Trying not to give away anything, I'll just say that it has a lot of magic and symbolic meaning while echoing an earlier scene in the movie.

All in all, this special 10th anniversary edition of Pocahontas is a marvelous venture worthy of the Disney name and the love and loyalty of its fans.Now that I've seen this version of the film I will never go back to the original, for this is what it always should have been.

Typically good Disney animated feature
As is the case with several other Amazon reviewers, I was sent a copy of this Tenth Anniversary edition as a gift. I had never seen Pocahontas before and, truthfully, was not inclined to see it at all but, being greatful for the freebie, I viewed it. I have seen many of the other Disney feature animations, having grown up on Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Peter Pan and Fantasia. In fact, I remember that when I was in elementary school, Sleeping Beauty was the feature at a Saturday matinee at my local art deco theater, and the show was a standing room only sellout.

This movie has many of the typical ingredients of these earlier successful Disney movies. These include great, colorful animation, a prince charming type of character in John Smith (Mel Gibson's voice), and a princess in Pocahontas. Also, the somewhat schmaltzy, but nontheless good songs, are part of the formula. Furthermore, most of those early Disney movies were fairy tales. Although there was a historic Pocahontas and John Smith, this movie too is a fairy tale. For example, whereas Cinderella had her fairy god mother, Pocahontas has Grandmother Willow, the wizened spirit of an elderly woman emanating from a willow tree. There is a villain, in this case, the greedy governor who comes over with John Smith on the ship. This villain believes that there is gold in the new world and wants to kill off the Indians (who he calls savages) in order to horde this presumed wealth. Of course, there is the love story, Pocahontas and John Smith. Finally, as is the case in any good Disney flick, there are the friendly, human like animals who always seem to play a fairly key role.

Yes, this has the ingredients. For a child who may never have seen Disney movies before, I'm sure it's magical. For us oldtimers who remember seeing the greatest Disney classics on the widescreen in art deco palaces (before they became multiplexes) this is still a fine movie but not quite up to the level of the all time great Disney animations.

Like watching it for the first time...
If you're looking for Pocahontas just for the kiddies, then it doesn't matter if you buy this edition or the older one.But if you're an adult fan of Disney, you'll definitely want the 10th Anniversary DVD.First, I compared both versions on in a high-end home theater with a 133" projection screen.The older DVD was very grainy and the colors were washed out.On this edition, the picture was simply stunning.It is crystal clear with beautiful colors.This is a DVD to pop in and show off your home theater.The audio is superb.Second, if you are a fan of Pocahontas, then the added scenes are worth the price alone.I can see why the song was originally cut.It probably seemed odd to have Smith singing while tied up.Those restored scenes really belong.If you're a crier then make sure you have a box of tissues handy.With the amazing quality and new scenes, it was like watching it for the first time.Highly recommended!!! ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Swing Kids
Swing Kids is a movie about a group of kids who get caught up in the Nazi mess in Germany in the late 1930's. The boys are Peter, Thomas, and Arvid. They are all friends who love swing music. Although the trouble really starts when Peter and Thomas decide to steal a radio from a bakery women who got it from the Nazis. The Nazis had taken the radio from some Germans who helped Jewish people. Peter gets caught and is forced the Hitler Jugend and Thomas decides to join because Peter is his friend. Thomas starts to become a Nazi and Peter still hates them and this starts to cause trouble in their friendship. Then Peter is at a swing party and Thomas is one of the HJ's that are going to stop it. This is all I can tell you, you'll have to watch the video to find out what happens.
I liked the movie because it was very realistic in depicting life during the late 1930's. It is also realistic in how scared everyone is of the HJ's and the Nazis. The action was also really neat like in the part where Peter beats up the HJ with an umbrella. The music in it that include songs by Duke Ellington and Count Basieh the music seems to fit the time period well. The setting is also good. All in all it's a good movie except for a few details.
I really didn't like the ending because it really didn't answer much. It might have been better if Peter ran away and joined the Allies. I also didn't like the way the over dramatized parts like when Peter found out what was in the boxes he was delivering. I also didn't like how at the beginning they portrayed the Gestapo man as a nice and good person. Other than this it's a great movie
I think it's a lot like Anne Frank because you can see both sides of the story and how it was very hard for both Jews and Germans. It also shows that they both were very alike in just not knowing what to do and when to do it. It also showed that the kids just wanted everything to go back to the way it was and shouldn't have been thrown into the hatred that Hitler created and the terror he made.

What are these people thinking????
Ok - I just had to write this review because there were so many rave reviews of this film. COME ON PEOPLE!!!! A movie about kids swing dancing to defeat the Nazis????? Even that one sentence sounds bad. Yes Kenneth Branaugh and Christian Bale are two of my favorite actors but they both need to be embarassed by this horrible film.

This is ludicrous. What is hilarios about AMAZON.com is that you can put in any bad movie and see people who LOVE it. Just put in HOWARD THE DUCK as an example.

Some of these people should not even watch movies!

AMAZING!
Hey there!
I first watched this movie in my grade 9 or 10 class, I fell in love with this movie! I don't know if its the music or the actor's but its' just an amazing movie, I think that it captures those times quite appropriately. I'm also a fan of Robert Sean Leonard! and of course, Jazz music!
Thanks!

Excellent film of swing and moral struggle
Anyone who has stepped on to the dance floor with a live swing band playing knows just how well Swing Kids captures the electricity of a night of swing. Anyone who has strapped on their best duds an hour earlier knows the romance and anticipation captured perfectly as Peter Muller (Robert Sean Leonard) dresses for his last night of swing. This movie was in no small measure part of the impetus for the swing revival in the mid 90's, and I personally get "in the mood" for a night of cuttin' rug with Janis Siegel's incredible rendition of "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" from the film. But what makes this film truly superlative is its honest dealings with ordinary Germans' motivations for complacency towards or participation in Nazism. In Nazi Germany it was in everybody's best interest (save the Jews) to play along. From Peter's mother who just wants her to children live happily and avoid the terrible fate of their father to Thomas Berger (Christian Bale) who finds acceptance and encouragement for the first time, they do so for the reasons that would tempt each of us sorely. The horrible truth of the Holocaust is that, like the Germans, very few of us possess the selflessness and moral courage it would have required to oppose the evil tide of Nazism. Swing Kids is almost alone in its portrayal of this chilling truth among Holocaust and World War II films. Robert Sean Leonard's portrayal of this moral struggle for understanding and courage is very moving. (Of course, there's noone better at playing angst-ridden. c.f. Dead Poet's Society.) As he dances his last dance, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, the world spinning around him, he finds a rare kind of release that is perhaps found only on the dance floor. And yes, his brother's cries, "Swing Heil! Swing Heil!", in the final scene give me a lump in the throat every time. For all these reasons and more, Swing Kids is an excellent film. Shame that there are no extras on the DVD.

it dont mean a thing if you aint got that swing
this ones got the groove, the drama, the comedy. nice swing music and sometimes the actors are a little bit cheesy but it works out in the tearjerker end, not that I cryed. the cast includes Robert Sean Leonard(My Best Friend is A Vampire,The Last Days Of Disco), Christian Bale(American Psycho, Laurel Canyon), Frank Whaley(Swimming With Sharks, Pulp Fiction), Jayce Bartok(Spider-Man, Suburbia), Barbara Hershey(Beaches), Kenneth Bragnagh(Rabbit Proof Fence, Much Ado About Nothing), Noah Wyle(tvs E.R., The Myth Of Fingerprints). a good old fashioned movie ... Read more

Description

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is a Wall Street yuppie obsessed with success, status and style, with a stunning fiancé (Reese Witherspoon).He is also a psychotic killer who rapes, murders and dismembers both strangers and acquaintances without provocation or purpose.Based on the controversial novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the film offers a sharp satire to the dark side of yuppie culture in the ‘80s, while setting forth a vision that is both terrifying and chilling. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not bad at all
Mainly reflects, in the most satiric way of course, the lifestyle of the cynical and cearless wallstreet businessculture. It brutally and almost surrealisticly critizises materialism in our society. This is a pretty violent film and many people haven`t been able to see throught all the gore in what`s the film really about. Film`s not a serialkiller thriller.
It's still not perfectly directed and the kind of novel adaption it most likely could`ve been. Anyway, Christian Bale fits quite perfectly in his role of the superfical caricature of businessperson. ... Read more

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The Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho, a dark, violent satire of the "me" culture of Ronald Reagan's 1980s, is certainly one of the most controversial books of the '90s, and that notoriety fueled its bestseller status. This smart, savvy adaptation by Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol) may be able to ride the crest of the notoriety; prior to the film's release, Harron fought a ratings battle (ironically, for depictions of sex rather than violence), but at the time the director stated, "We're rescuing [the book] from its own bad reputation." Harron and co-screenwriter Guinevere Turner (Go Fish) overcome many of the objections of Ellis's novel by keeping the most extreme violence offscreen (sometimes just barely), suggesting the reign of terror of yuppie killer Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) with splashes of blood and personal souvenirs. Bale is razor sharp as the blank corporate drone, a preening tiger in designer suits whose speaking voice is part salesman, part self-help guru, and completely artificial. Carrying himself with the poised confidence of a male model, he spends his days in a numbing world of status-symbol one-upmanship and soul-sapping small talk, but breaks out at night with smirking explosions of homicide, accomplished with the fastidious care of a hopeless obsessive. The film's approach to this mayhem is simultaneously shocking and discreet; even Bateman's outrageous naked charge with a chainsaw is most notable for the impossibly polished and gleaming instrument of death. Harron's film is a hilarious, cheerfully insidious hall of mirrors all pointed inward, slowly cracking as the portrait becomes increasingly grotesque and insane. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (373)

A Very Short Review
Now let me start by saying, if I could have given this "film" a zero, I would have. Unfortunatly that is not possible.

This is by far, the worst film I have seen this year. Mary Harron was trying way to hard and it shows. The movie has very little substance to it, and people seem to be fond of attaching vague statements to their reviews like "brillant satire" and "amazing mind games." None of these terms can rescue this movie however, as it is a feeble attempt at art, a meaningless and shallow depiction of rich white business men in the 1980's, and a totally unconvincing portrait of a serial killer.

As far as the acting in this film I was not impressed with Christian Bales protrait of a man with no conscience. The dialogue was to "clever" to be believable, or even stomachable. Bale's voice over's are painful and irritating to listen to.

What upsets me most about this film, is not the film itself but the tendency for people to compare it to either Clockwork Orange or Fight Club. American Pyscho does not begin to compare to either film, although their were some shots(most notably towards the end) that seemed to emulate Kubricks style, but they do no justice to the late genius. As far as comparing it to Fight Club, the narrative style, and structure of the two films are vaguely similar, although Fight Club is on an entirely different level.

All in all, American Pyscho will fade into oblivion within the next few years. There is absolutely no good reason to watch this movie as you will gain nothing from it. I apologize for being a little vague in this review myself, but I was so dissappointed in the film, that a second viewing is simply out of the question.

American Phycho
This film rocks!
There, now thats out of the way I may begin.This is a satirical look at life in the late Eightys in greedy New York, a group of young, rich and bored men and women live there lives on a cocktail of expensive restaurants, clubs and drugs. Howerver all is not well and good within Patrick Bateman(Cristian Bale)he has developed a intense bloodlust through bordem he gets nasty with often shocking but occasionally humourous results.
My advice : BUY IT AND WATCH IT TWICE

A satircal view of the eighties with incidental killing
Despite its title and a considerable amount of bloodshed, “American Psycho” is a superbly witty and satirical film. The film is ostensibly about a serial murderer who happens to be fabulously wealthy, handsome, fit, and successful, but it is really a sarcastic critique of the money culture that defined the nineteen eighties.

Patrick Bateman is a twenty-seven year old CEO who lives in the late 1980s and spends his leisure time in exclusive restaurants and clubs with his peers. He has occasional love affairs so meaningless that he can’t be troubled to remove his trousers during epidermal frictional activity, and of course, he kills people. Bateman is an odd bird who is obsessed with the comparative quality of business cards and who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of contemporary (i.e. 1980s) music.

Bateman’s homicidal impulses are frequently governed by his intense hatred of the superficial world around him. (spoiler).

The message of this film is that in the yuppie culture of the late eighties, even if you were a self-confessing murderer, people would not be able to see you for who you were. In a sense, Bateman, the murderer, is like other extreme characters in literature such as Werther, Pechorin, and Merseault. Like his literary predecessors, Bateman is alienated by the superficial society around him and is driven to extreme forms of reaction against it. In a notable scene, Bateman brings two call girls to his apartment and commands them to debase themselves in front of him. Later, as he thrusts his tube steak in and out of their love pockets he makes ridiculous posses in front of a mirror, essentially laughing at himself.
To its credit, “American Psycho” is not a clinical or horrorific film. While serial killing is certainly a grizzly subject, it is a more a device and a motif than a theme in this movie. Much of the killing is performed off camera. What homicide we do see is stylized to the point of being ridiculous. In a wonderful way, the film goes out of its way to assure us that its concerned with satire, and a social critique not with simulating brutality.

"Payback" level humor combined with psychotic thoughts
Christian Bale plays a yuppie on wall street with some serious mental issues. The attitude of the movie is sarcastic and mostly humorous. The actors do a good job of following the look and feel of the movie- everything is a little corny.

Patrick Bateman (Bale) has only a few emotions. Two are greed and disgust, and the third is an uncontrollable urge to kill, which is his only escape from a dull and dreary life.

Due to the many complaints about this movie, I will state the obvious: this movie has a lot of killing in it. The presence of the word "psycho" would tip most people off, but just in case it's not for squeemish folks. But even being squeemish won't ruin it, as there is very little visible violence. In most cases, the victims are not shown much during the attack. It's about as tastefull as you can get when it comes to killing people. The most graphic displays are Bateman's pencil sketches.

The movie contains elements of satire, but the personalities of his friends were chosen to provide Bateman's personality a suitable environment, filled with others that don't find his outward displays of greed and concietedness odd. The movie may contain a lot of poking around, but the focus is definitely on the psychological aspect of Bateman- the ridiculous decade takes the back seat.

[...]

That brings us to the intellectual aspect of it. You could watch the movie without really paying attention to what happens, and just laugh at goofy scenes and pathetic yuppies. But one only has to listen to the dialog at the end to get the main idea.

For the benefit of those that don't get it (in order to preserve the surprise, I will leave one part unexplained), in the beginning Bateman kills out of boredom and addictive impulse. Only after his great frustration with the jarring issue at the end does he become frustrated with hopelessness and truly sadistic. He then suggests he will kill for the actual satisfaction of watching others suffer to make up for his own mental pain (a big difference when it comes to the rehabilitation issue, which is not addressed). This is all spelled out in the movie, with the exception of transferring vengeance to murder, but by that time we can hardly reason to doubt his inclusion of murder as an option. Since the mood of most of the movie tends to put you in a watch-only mode, I can see how some people might need to watch the last couple minutes over again, as the resolution is 99% dialog.

A few corrections to common comments. First, there are no real cries for help. Bateman reveals himself to drunk/drugged people for his own amusement (one of which he is already carrying out his plan to kill). His only serious confession is near the end, and becomes necessary for the plot, so there is no reason to believe the movie is about the armchair psychology of "cries for help." Second, the is no men/women sexism, or at least no preference. The men are selfish pigs, the women are too emotional, and both are equally promiscuous. They're all scum. Also, there are almost no similarities to Fight Club. Sure, the main characters are both nuts (though they have completely different disorders), and there is violence in it. Not much of a match. I find two real connections myself. One being that both movies require the viewer to be light hearted and not too emotional about violence (which leads to emotional types to classify them as both too violent, and thus the same). The other is that unobservant critics make the same mistake about both: they fail to compre