Reviews (223)

Casino is pure Quintessential Scorsese...
In every way -- from the fantastic sets, rich dialogue, and unapologetic violence to the well-portrayed characters and themes of loyalty and betrayal -- Casino is pure Quintessential Scorsese.
In this compelling film Scorsese never pulled any punches in breathing life into his ideas. If there's an obvious weakness in Casino, it's that it occasionally seems derivative of Goodfellas.
During its three-hour running time, Casino tells the story of two men's intermingled lives. "Back home years ago", they were friends and co-workers. Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro, in his eighth acting collaboration with Scorsese) was a gambler who never lost. He researched all his bets carefully, and rarely made a bad pick. His winning tendencies gained him popularity and favor with the local mob, who used Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) to shadow and protect him. Now that Ace has moved to Vegas to manage the Tangiers Casino, Nicky isn't far behind. And, while the two gravitate to opposite sides of the law, with Ace keeping his fingers clean and Nicky taking over the local crime scene, their paths continue to cross, and their encounters become increasingly less friendly. Stirred into the mix is Ace's girlfriend, Ginger (Sharon Stone), an expert hustler who attracts men like flies. Although she agrees to marry Ace, she continues a liaison with her former pimp (James Woods) while encouraging Nicky's affections.
As usual, Scorsese obtains excellent performances from his leads. Joe Pesci, essentially reprising his Goodfellas performance, will probably get all the attention, since this sort of flamboyance attracts raves. Actually, though, it's De Niro's more subtle, better-contained acting that's riveting. Casino is supposed to focus on both Ace and Nicky, but, despite nearly equal screen time for each, our sympathy is drawn towards the former. For this, De Niro's portrayal shares equal responsibility with the screenplay.

DeNiroAND PesciFor The Last Time??
This may well be the last film with these two great actors in a mob story film. The title and also PR for the film back at it's release were a bit confussing. I remember thinking in 1997, It's a story about rich casino owners and the problems that go with it...So where is the story? I was so wrong. This film is pure mob. NOT casino tales and rich people. It is more mob than Goodfellas, Which I did not think was possible. Joe Pesci really shines in this one. Even more reckless, Crazy and violent than any others that he played. It is the story of a jewish man (DeNiro) That is loved by the mob for his gift of pickingwinners of sports games. They wanted to move out to Las Vegas to set up shop out west and make some money and run the scams. So DeNiro was picked to be the head of a new casino there even without a casino license. Since he was not Italian, Someone from the family had to go with and protect him...In comes Pesci.
Joe Pesci's (Nicky) Is a wise guy with a violent, cold nature that was sent to protect DeNiro but to also rip off the casino he was sent to protect. DeNiro's (Sam Rothenstien) Does not even realize this is the true reason. He takes his ownership of the casino very seriously, and wants everything to be on the level. To make things even worse, DeNiro falls for a drug user/hustler in town played by Sharon Stone. She is not in love with him and tells him so, But he still wants a wife and family before he grows too old. However he does not see how much trouble she will be in the future. Nicky (played by Pesci) Starts to get very greedy and starts to run his own scams in Vegas behind the "Goodfellas" backs. In the end, Nicky has to face the end result, It is hard to watch! Those that have seen it know what I mean, Baseball without a ball! I just hope DeNiro and Pesci team up with Scorsese one more time in the future. But if this is the last one it is a great film to go out on.

very enjoyable
this, along with goodfellas, is scorsese's answer to copolla's godfather. like goodfellas casino takes the opposite tack of godfather, eschewing myth and bigger-than-life storytelling and characters to give us instead the real dirt on the gangsters and the casinos they looted, er, i mean operated. casino isn't quite as tight as goodfellas - after a fast start the story meanders a little in the middle. but it does have some fine acting by the 3 principles, especially stone. de niro plays a staid, 2-dimensional character but gives his usual fine performance. pesci reprises his goodfellas character and he's even more reckless and nasty, if that's possible. and you have to see what happens to him at the end!

an enjoyable film, not quite as tight as its close cousin, goodfellas, but very much worth seeing.

MY FAVORITE MOVIE....BUT WHERE IS SPECIAL EDITION?????
I love his movie more than any other. All that I want is commentary. Will it ever happen??? Please Warner, Please Mr. Scorcese!!!

Casino
Casino is clever, witty, styilish and its a true story. Casino is a fact based mob movie that stars Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone and James Woods. Casino is one of the best mob movies of all time. DeNiro, Pesci and Stone deliver Oscar worthy performances. The movie is a must see. Casino is an emotional movie and it delivers a strong message. Casino is also not a movie for everone. People who enjoy true srories, mob movies and people who want to adventure into the harsh world of sex, money, drugs and corruption through a movie screen should definetly get off their tails and BUY, or at least RENT this film. ... Read more

Reviews (238)

great satire from the late eighties
Mel Brooks definitely lives up to expectations with Spaceballs. This parody of the Star Wars movies will deliver laughs whether you are a sci fi fan or not. The cast of characters (including Bill Pullman, John Candy, and Rick Moranis...and of course Mel Brooks) closely parallels the familiar cast of Star Wars, but Rick Moranis takes the cake as Dark Helmet, the Darth Vader-like figure. ("And now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.")

Personally, I found this movie amusing at 10, and now at 22 I still think it's wonderful. Most of the other reviews give you an idea of what the movie contains, so I won't get into a long explanation, but I have to recommend this one pretty highly as a great comedy.

Spaceballs
The Planet Spaceball has a problem; They're slowly running out of air. However, they have a plan; Capture Vespa(Daphne Zuniga), the Princess of their peace-loving neighbor planet Druidia, which would force their father, King Roland(Dick Van Patten), to give them the combination to the air shield, which underneath contains 10,000 years of fresh air. Instead, the Princess and her droid Dot Matrix(Voice of Joan Rivers), running away from her wedding to Prince Valium(JM J.Bullock), they find her. After being offered $1 million spacebucks, which they need to pay off gangster Pizza the Hutt(Dom DeLuise), space pirate Lonestarr(Bill Pullman)and his half dog/half man sidekick Barf(John Candy)go to stop the evil Lord Dark Helmet(Rick Moranis)and Spaceball President Skroob(Mel Brooks)and along the way, Lonestarr learns the ways of the Schwartz from the everlasting know-it-all Yogurt(Mel Brooks)

This movie, along with "DRACULA DEAD AND LOVING IT" is Mel Brooks at his best. It's fricking hilarious!! Bill Pullman is great as Lonestarr, a spoof combination of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, Daphne Zuniga gives her all as Princess Vespa, John Candy is hilarious as Barf, Joan Rivers is decent as Dot Matrix, Rick Moranis is downright classic as Dark Helmet, a wimpy puny spoof of Darth Vader(He's the funniest guy on this movie!!!)and the rest of the cast is average.

Highly recommended as one of Mel Brook's best and with lines like "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate", "You are to refer to me as idiot, not you captain!", you won't stop laughing. So see this film.

AND MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU!!

because good is dumb
although not a mel brooks masterpiece this film does not suffer solely from lack of comedic inspiration. in fact i find it to be one of his best. its main problem, in my opinion, was the shift in audiences. for the most part films such as Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein catered to an audience that was, by 1987, much older and focusing on family life. plus, brooks' comedic venom was now aimed at a less familiar target in Star Wars. intially, even i had a hard time time convincing myself it was worth seeing. but after repeated viewings i realized that it was as funny as many of brooks' best. now dont get me wrong, you wont laugh as often as you did for High Anxiety but you'll laugh none the less. sadly, the core players of previous films are missing here (Harvey Corman & Madeline Kahn) and it suffers becasue of it but the times were changing and so were the films. only later on did brooks really get into a stupor with Robin Hood: Men In Tights and Dracula: Dead and Lving It, starring the one dimensional Leslie Nielsen.

The Funniest Movie Ever!!!
Spaceballs, a comic masterpiece directed by Mel Brooks, is one of the funniest movies that I have ever seen. I own the trilogy of Star Wars and I watched every movie in the trilogy before I viewed this movie. After I watched Spaceballs, I found myself in a state of pure laughter as I saw Mel Brooks and John Candy imitating the trilogy of Star Wars. Anyone that wants a good funny movie to view should buy Spaceballs today.

Holy Crap it was good!!
This movie was absolutely crazy and funny!! I couldn't help but laugh the whole way! My favorite moment was the spoofing scene of Alien. Sooo funny. Watch Spaceballs and get ready to laugh hard. ... Read more

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Originally broadcast on CBS in March 2002, 9/11 is an extraordinary record of that fateful day in New York City. This one-of-a-kind documentary was originally conceived as a portrait of 21-year-old Tony Benetatos, a firefighter trainee at Manhattan's Duane Street firehouse, located seven blocks from the World Trade Center. By the time filming was finished, brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet had captured history in the making, including the only image of the first jetliner striking Tower 1, and the only footage from within the tower as it collapsed. This is not, however, a film about the murderous nightmare of terrorism. It's the ultimate rite-of-passage drama, more immediate and meaningful than any fiction film could be, with Benetatos and his supportive colleagues emerging as heroes of the first order. Sensitively narrated by codirector and fellow firefighter James Hanlon, 9/11 will endure forever as a tribute to those, living and dead, who witnessed hell on that sunny Tuesday morning. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (126)

No sugar coating here
I watched the TV broadcast of this film not knowing what to expect. What I got was an excellent documentary which started out mildly enough with two French film makers following the training of a probationary firefighter in New York City. Unfortunately for them, it looked as if they were going to make a rather run-of-the-mill, uneventful documentary. It apparently had been a slow summer for the FDNY. Then came the morning of September 11, 2001 and a routine call to check out a gas leak on a city street. What followed is the most important film of that day ever. There are no talking-head news reporters. There are no politicians making speeches. What we see are the firefighters in the lobby of the World Trade Center, having no idea what is really happening above them. From their position inside the building they couldn't see what we were seeing outside. They were kept guessing. But they could see enough to know that people were jumping out of the building. Although they had to wonder what could be so bad above that jumping from those upper stories was preferable to waiting for whatever happened, these firefighters also knew that it was their job to go up and meet headon with whatever those who jumped were fleeing. This documentary shows a side of September 11 that we were not allowed to see in the media. Everyone should see this at least once.

An Amazing Story
This was truly one of the most powerful and personal stories I've ever seen aired about the September 11th tragedy.

Originally planned to be a documentary about a probationary firefighter, the filmmakers, two French brothers, just happened to be filming at the firehouse on that horrible morning. The first brother was actually riding along with some of them firemen who were on a call right near the World Trade Center. He managed to capture on film the roar of the first plane overhead and the startled looks of the firefighters hearing it, then actually followed the first plane's path into the building. He stayed with the team and actually has footage of being inside the lobby of the Tower. He stayed there until the second building was evacuated. The second brother also managed to capture some truly remarkable film, as he stayed with the "newbie", then set off to find his missing brother, who he assumed was killed.

This film is not about gore, but just a very real, very personal story of a bunch of guys who were just doing their jobs and what happened to them that morning and in the days following the disaster.

This is a great story.

Examine the details of plane's impact frame by frame
Ask yourself to be objective. Watch the impact of the plane and look at the plane closely. What do you see? Watch it a few times. I'm not sure that most of us are ready to scrutinze the images of the planes hitting the towers objectively to make sure that what our eyes tell us jibes with what we have been told to believe. I see disturbing anomalies that have yet to be explained. The second plane, Flight 11, has something unusual attached to the right side of the fuselage. That's what I see.

Priceless
Michael Moore "thinks" he makes documentaries. He needs to take lessons from Jules and Gedeon Naudet. This film left me with tears in my eyes and a new found respect for those who are Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and the like. MUST SEE, MUST SEE, MUST SEE!!!!!God Bless America

When God Directs a Film...
Of all the disaster films I've seen, they all seem to have a basic sequence of events. Introducing the characters, initiation of the disaster, struggle in the midst of the disaster, "just when you thought it couldn't get any worse", and the aftermath. This accidental disaster film is no different.

Only God, knowing what was going to happen, could have placed the Naudet brothers exactly where they needed to be to fully cover this horrific event. With the brothers separated, one inside Tower 1 and the other outside anxiously trying to get to his brother, we are able to witness what the firefighters and New Yorkers experienced on September 11, 2001. We also see the trauma of loved ones separated from each other as the filmmakers try to find each other.

The suspense of waiting for each of the firefighters to return to the station at the end is also well orchestrated by God with the initial focus of the film, Probationary Firefighter Benetatos being the last to arrive.

WELL DONE JULES AND GEDEON NAUDET! PTL! ... Read more

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Half of the characters in this 1988 John Landis potboiler seem to be played either by Eddie Murphy or costar Arsenio Hall, swaddled in elaborate Rick Baker makeup appliances that render them unrecognizable but also weirdly immobile. As a pampered African prince who journeys incognito to Queens, New York, to find a bride who will love him just for himself, Murphy manages to look smug and naive at the same time. There are enjoyable sequences of Murphy's Prince Akeem applying his lordly manner to his new job in a fast-food emporium, and falling for the boss's spirited daughter (Shari Headley), who teaches him how to party down, American style. But the fish-out-water premise is never fully exploited. Star spotters will have a field day locating Cuba Gooding Jr., Donna Summer, Louie Anderson, Vondie Curtis Hall, E.R.'s Eriq La Salle, and Samuel L. Jackson in their minuscule supporting roles. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Hilarious classic that will live in our hearts forever!!!
This is one of my all time-favorite African-American movies. First of all, Eddie Murphy is hilarious (in all of his roles). Arsenio Hall is a perfect foil for Eddie's hijinks. Eddie let his full range of talent show in this film; he played an innocent person who grows into a mature adult right in front of our eyes and realizes that there is a price to pay for love; whether or not you are born into royalty. This is one of those movies that a person watches over and over again and ends up reciting the lines as the movies is playing. James Earl Jones and Madge Sinclair are wonderful in this movie as well as the King and Queen. Madge Sinclair was one of the world's best actresses and I miss her greatly. She tells James Earl Jones "put a sock in it, Geoffrey, the boy is in love." Nobody can deliver that line to a black king, except a black queen. John Amos, (whom I have loved since Good Times), is a great actor as well. He plays the part of a black businessman so well, and as a father he takes no stuff off of the King. He tells James Earl Jones, "I will break my foot off in your royal _____); now that's a ghetto father for you. James Earl Jones knew where to draw the line with Cleo McDowell.

I also like the fact that the Kingdom of Zamunda was filled with kindness, and the people were happy, the royal family was truly wealthy and had everything. You know, this movie is truly a fantasy and helps us escape from our everyday lives. Just to see the Queen and King eating breakfast and talking to their son on a "speaker phone" because the table is so long, is funny. The King and Queen taking their entourage to Queens when they received the telegram to send $1 million to Semmi who had spent up all his pocket change is one of my favorite scenes. That music that is playing during the sequence when the entourage arrives in Queens is so wonderful, moving and swirling, I am buying the soundtrack just to get that song. When I get married, I would like that song to play as my "court" walks down the aisle before me.

All the cameos in this movie are great as well. Nobody can play a doped-up thug like Samuel L. Jackson; Samuel is a natural at playing a killer. Also, Louie Anderson was funny, so was Eriq LaSalle, and Alison Dean.

Now the guys in the barbershop have to be taken from classic characters in the black community. In all the black neighborhoods I have been in during my whole life; there has got to be a black barbershop full of men eating, talking stuff, and cutting hair. When "Clarence" says that Martin Luther King, Jr. ran up to him and hit him in the chest, I just crack up, cause Martin Luther King, Jr. was a prophet of non-violence. And, Eddie Murphy playing a white man is too funny, and a Jewish white man on top of that. Now, that takes creativity; and comic genuis, and Eddie's got it. And, Arsenio's portrayal of Rev. Brown is right on target, there is always some country preacher in the neighborhood that comes to every event, eats up the food, and blesses the weddings, blesses the children, and buries the dead.

One of my favorite parts is when Lisa tells Prince Akeem, she cannot marry him; because he lied to her about his identity. That made Akeem grow up very fast, and learn that nobody; no matter who he is, can buy love.

The clothes in this movie are also wonderful. Deborah Nadoolman did a great job showing how royalty would dress in a foreign country where it is warm, Also, how they would dress in Queens during the winter; those fur coats Madge Sinclair had on were fantastic and so were the suits worn by the King himself. His coat of an entire lion's skin was dramatic and the diamond eyes on that lion's head were cool.

The ending this cinderella story was great, love did really win out in the end.

Well, I could go on and on about how much I liked this movie but, I am going to stop now. Get this movie and keep it in your video collection so you can watch it and laugh over and over.

FUNNY !
This is a feel good movie with the main players being Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. Young Prince Akeem is about to be wed to a beautiful woman, but the problem is he does not love this women. He decides he will travel to Queens, NY In America and find his true love. Now how does a pampered Africian Prince
survive in Queens. Soon he falls in love with his bosses daughter and the story takes you through a tender courtship.
I loved her father, and the King and Queen were priceless!
This was a really fun movie! The wedding scenes at the end were beautiful and my favorite part. Well worth your time to watch!
Qute enjoyable!

F U N N Y
I love this movie. There is nothing I can complain about. This is Eddie Murphy at his Best. This is when Eddie and Arsenio was the BOMB. Every scene makes you laugh. Do you see Samuel Jackson in one of his early roles? Also, ER's Eric LaSalle in his Jeri Curl. This movie is wonderful. I can watch it over and over and over again and laugh at the Soul Glow commercials, because everyone in my area wore a Jerri Curl that looked that nasty. This is a must own.

Fun Relaxed Comedy
Coming to America cheerfully pokes fun at everything. There isn't really a meanspirited moment in the movie. A spoiled Afican Prince comes to Queens, NYC to live a normal life & find his true love. Queens for a future king, get it? The humor isn't exactly highbrow but its constant and Arsenio Hall is hilarious.

Five star cast in a hilariously funny film "fit for royalty"
Coming to America is truly the creme de la creme of the comedic genre. I have watched this movie many times, and never can resist throwing my head back and laughing out loud in total glee. Sometimes I even admit to falling right off the couch in fits of laughter!

Murphy's principal role in the movie is that of Prince Akeem, with Arsenio Hall as his sidekick and personal servant Semi (though both play numerous other minor roles with the help of elaborate makeup to disguise the fact). Promised in marriage to a beautiful woman raised from birth to please him, Akeem finds himself dissatisfied with the very idea of an arranged marriage. He wants to select a wife with a mind of her own who loves him for himself.

Hence Akeem's decision to leave the kingdom of Zamunda to travel to America. Unaware of his son's true purpose for the trip, King Jaffre Jafur decrees that Akeem simply needs to take a trip to "sow his royal oats." James Earl Jones as the King, and Madge Sinclair as the Queen are hilarious in their roles as Akeem's parents.

Akeem and Semi leave their luxurious lifestyle in the palace behind and end up in Queens, NY, posing as "average Americn students." They secure jobs at a knockoff of McDonald's, owned by Mr. McDowell (engagingly portrayed to hilarious effect by John Amos) and his daughters Lisa and Patrice. Falling hard for the eldest daughter Lisa (Shari Headley), Akeem competes with her boyfriend, Darrell(Eric LaSalle), the arrogant, smooth talking heir to the "Soul Glo" hair product fortune, for her affections. The numerous conflicts and silly situations that stem from this will keep you in stitches.

Blessed with an EXCELLENT cast who each make the utmost of their roles (those mentioned previously, plus Samuel L.Jackson, Louie Anderson, Don Ameche and others), truly funny material, witty dialogue, and a delightful feel-good ending, Coming to America is a movie not to be missed. I hope you enjoy this frothy funfilled comedy as much as I did! ... Read more

Reviews (523)

Homer meets The Three Stooges in the Mississippi Delta!
Alright, folks... here's your riddle of the day: Whaddaya get if you cross the Three Stooges with the Greek poet Homer?

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" that's what!

Here is another superb comedy finely crafted by screenwriters /producers/ directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro, it features a brilliantly written script, superb acting by a wonderful ensemble cast, and a musical score that's simply second to none.

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a simple story really... set in the Mississippi delta region during the Great Depression, it's the tale of three petty criminals who escape from the chain gang in quest of buried treasure and experience a series of misadventures along the way. Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney) is the silver-tongued, self-appointed leader of this odd trio, a man who claims to have stolen and buried over a million dollars in cash. Delmar O'Donnell is the docile, sweet-tempered dimwit (played to perfection by Tim Blake Nelson). The third member of our little gang is an irritable, acerbic fella named Pete. Together they set off, chained to each other, in search of McGill's treasure, which is buried somewhere about to become a man-made lake. Our heroes have only four days to find the loot before it's lost forever at the bottom of the newly created reservoir.

As they begin their journey, the run across an old blind seer who prophesies that they will find a fortune, but not the one they seek. with a posse of law enforcement officers and vigilantes hot on their heels, Everett, Pete and Delmar ditch their chains and prison garb and continue on their quest.

Our trio's journey is anything but quiet and uneventful. They continually run into strange people and situations... At one point, soon after stealing a car and picking up a guitar-playing hitch-hiker, they stop at a local radio station and, posing as an "old-timey" music group called the "Soggy Bottom Boys," they cut a record that's soon all the rage throughout the region. Later they encounter a Baptist congregation at river's edge, singing a beautiful song, lulling our heroes into sweet forgetfulness for a few brief moments. They happen upon three washer-women, also at river's edge, whose siren-like song ensnares our three miscreants... George Nelson, a bank robber on the run, who nearly co-opts our heroes into a REAL life of crime... the one-eyed, fast-talking Bible salesman Dan Teague (played by John Goodman) who offers Everett, Pete, and Delmar a hard lesson on economics and life in general in the Depression-ravaged Deep South... and other characters as well: Governor Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel, running for re-election against a reform-minded candidate named Homer Stokes... Everett's ex-wife Penny, soon to me re-married to a real drone named Vernon Waldrip... and a whole gang of fellas dressed in white sheets and hoods who take exception to our heroes' intrusion into their ceremonies.

One of "O Brother, Where Art Thou's?" greatest strengths is its musical score. As the Coen brothers point out, nary a scene goes by without some kind of music in the background. The songs - 19 of them by my count - are all wonderful. It's a sublime mixture of old-time gospel and country music and African-American spirituals. From James Carter and the Prisoners' "Po' Lazarus," through Alison Krause's sweetly simple and reverent "Down to the River to Pray" (with brilliant harmonies added by the First Baptist Choir of White House, Tennessee); the old-time country classics "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Hard Rock Candy Mountain," and "You Are My Sunshine;" to the old-time Gospel classics "Keep On the Sunny Side;" "I'll Fly Away" and "I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)," (and many other songs as well), the music adds an extra dimension to this already multi-faceted film. (By the way, all these songs can be found on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack compact disc... but that's another review!)

I've now watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" about a dozen times. Each viewing has been a genuine pleasure for me. This film is clever in its conception, extraordinary in its execution, sublime in its storytelling, and masterful in its music. In short... wonderfully entertaining in every respect. A definite "must-see" for movie-lovers everywhere!

A Coles Notes approach to Homer's "The Odyssey"
"O Brother Where Art Thou" was an entertaining journey through the Great Depression and Homer's Odyssey. The stellar cast (including George Clooney, John Turturro, John Goodman, and Holly Hunter) shines. All of the characters are quirky to say the least: a one-eyed KKK Bible salesman, a Dapper Dan-obsessed intellectual jailbird, a blues guitarist who sold his soul to the devil, a blind "prophet," the Devil bent on revenge. This is a Coles Notes approach to Homer at best (even the directors, Joel and Ethan Cohen ("Fargo," "The Big Lebowski," "Raising Arizona") admit to never actually having read "The Odyssey," the story on which "O Brother" is based), yet is unusual and highly entertaining in its own right.

Fueled by an eclectic soundtrack, "O Brother" brought about an unheard-of resurgence of early country music, winning the Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack and outselling most other CDs that year. The selections include gospel, blues, a chain gang song ("Po Lazarus") and a hobo anthem ("Big Rock Candy Mountain"), along with plenty of toe-tapping country music from The Soggy Bottom Boys (fronted by Union Station's Dan Tyminski), Alison Krauss, Gillian Welsh, Emmylou Harris, and more.

The film has an unusual look as well: it was digitally edited to give it the washed-out appearance of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. There is a very interesting documentary about this process on the DVD; it is the first film to use this technique in North America (although not in Europe). In fact, there are several interesting extras on the DVD, including a making-of, a music video for "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow," and a script-to-storyboard comparison. "O Brother" is filled with fun, unexpected turns and twists, and a great soundtrack. It may not be the greatest film you'll ever see, but it sure is entertaining!

the best clooney film ever
this is very very loosely based on homers odyssey.you ever hear of this?most people havent.4 dumber than a box of hammers criminals escape from a chaingang to go get a bunch of money one of them stole previously.it is a movie the whole family can enjoy filled with high adventure and many exciting scenes.it is set in 1939.there are a pack of sirens-i call them (...) this one but no fornicating.george clooney gives his best performance ever in this one.it was the best movie in a long time when it came out.an abselute classic.no matter what you hear,this is one of the best films in years.georges ol lady in the movie is a real psycho (...) but is FINE!

Watchable, but why?
The fact is, I've watched this movie three or four times, right through, without really knowing why. It's not exactly Joyce or Kazantzakis. It isn't that good, and Clooney's role and performance are irritating. He didn't play the part well. The songs aren't so very terrific, unless you're addicted to that kind of music. I used to sing "You are my Sunshine" during WWII when I was about 4. I'd heard about Bonnie Face Nelson, and he had a pretty good part. People from the South are often shown as very ugly and extremely fat in movies. The Sirens weren't beautiful, just ordinary. I don't think the Coens really like other people at all: they just watch them. Tommy was a nice fellow, with excellent manners. The cons were very mean to the little kid who rescued them from the burning barn. Early on there were only four days until the valley was to be flooded, then several weeks must have gone by before it actually was. Penelope was not exactly faithful, but she probably wasn't in the original either. That actress has a lot of character: the camera likes her. Probably I just keep on watching it because I'm puzzled and mystified without being bored. You just want to see what happens next, and it could meander on for ever, but stops because it has to. The flood washes nearly all of it away.

One of Their Very Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must say at the outset that I am a TOTAL Coen Brothers fan and have seen ALL of their projects. This ranks right up there as one of their crowning achievements.

This is a re-telling of the "Odyssey" by Homer and after viewing this, I finally got a handle on just what the "Odyssey" was about. In a nutshell, it follows the exploits of a man and the exotic characters he meets along his journey. The way the Coen Brothers personified such stalwart literary characters as the Cyclops (John Goodman) and the Furies is most creative.

Excellent performances all around from the likes of George Clooney (in one of his most endearing roles), the incomparable John Goodman, Holly Hunter, John Turturo, Charles Durning and a wonderfully strong supporting cast.

However, one cannot mention the merits of this movie without a mention of the soundtrack. It is most obvious that the Coen Brothers invested an enormous amount of research to make sure that the music adequately accompnaied the mood and tone. A wonderfully indelible example is the use of an acapella song (that utilizes no words, only moans) still used in African-American churches that is beautifully realized.

The music in this project is positively spellbinding, regardless of your particular musical preferences - there is something here for everybody. The soundtrack deserved the kudos it received.

This one you will enjoy over and over and over again!!!!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After more than a decade of false starts and several potential directors, the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical finally made it to the big screen with Alan Parker (The Commitments) at the helm and Madonna in the coveted title role of Argentina's first lady, Eva Perón. A triumph of production design, costuming, cinematography, and epic-scale pageantry, the film follows the rise of Eva Perón to the level of supreme social and political celebrity in the 1940s.Like Madonna, Perón was a material girl (she was only 33 when she died); she was instrumental in the political success of her husband, Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce). But Eva was also a supremely tragic figure whose life was essentially hollow at its core despite the lavish benefits of her nearly goddess-like status. The film has a similar quality--it's visually astonishing but emotionally distant, and benefits greatly from the singing commentary of Ché (Antonia Banderas), who serves as a passionate chorus to guide the viewer through the elaborate parade of history. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (168)

A great adaptation of the stage musical
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical telling of the life of Eva Peron successfully makes the leap from stage to screen. Alan Parker ably directs a fine cast, which includes Antonio Banderas as Ché, Jonathan Pryce as Juan Peron, and Madonna as Eva Peron. The acting and the voice work are very good, and Madonna surprises you with her talent.

The music is equally wonderful, keeping the rock opera feel of the original stage show. Also, the new song "You Must Love Me," written by Sir Andrew and Tim Rice, flows nicely with the original music and won a deserved Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Costumes, acting, sets, visuals and music all combine to create a great movie experience. A note of caution to some, though: this is sung through with very little spoken dialoque. I remember seeing this in the theater and listening to some people complain about it and walk out of the movie. Stick with it, and you will definitely enjoy it!!

Flawed, but still excellent, adaptation.
Watching the movie of Evita was my first real experience with the musical, and that puts it in a different light for me, I suppose, than with many others. The points I make, though, I still think are valid.

The casting of this movie was quite good...the stars of the show pulled off their roles magnificently. Antonio Banderas, in the lead as the narrator, Ché, sung surprisingly well. He also acted out the part superbly. While he's no Colm Wilkinson, there's an undeniable charm to his portrayal. Even with the abbreviated material he's given to work with, he pulls it off with style, which says something for a role with magnificent performances by Colm and by David Essex. He's not vocally better than either, but he plays the part to a T, and his songs seem HONEST. Also, he's a better Ché than Mandy Patinkin, but I suppose anybody who tried to actually play the part would be.

Madonna is the surprise of this movie. She sings quite well, and given the rock feel of the show, is fairly appropriate for the part of Eva Peron. She's also visually very similar to photographs of Eva, and looks very convincing after the scenes where she is supposed to be young. However...the point of the musical is that Eva Peron is a manipulative (rhymes with witch). Madonna scared me here by seeming VERY sympathetic to her character. Still, her performance is excellent, if not up to Antonio Banderas's. Jonathan Pryce put in an outstanding performance as Peron, too.

A caveat emptor: the musical was actually made less harsh for the movie version, so that it could be filmed in Argentina. It was very nearly worth it...not entirely, mind you, and the addition of "You Must Love Me" seemed entirely out of place in a musical about a man and a woman who mutually USE each other. Still, her "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was manipulative to the audience just as the speech was meant to be to the crowd. And the two Ché tours de force, "Oh What a Circus" and "High Flying, Adored" are more or less in tact, and done wonderfully. The re-adaptation of "The Lady's Got Potential" was excellent, and "And the Money Kept Rolling In" was toned down a lot, but Banderas had a LOT of fun in the number.

The movie's worth seeing if you like Evita, or are thinking you might be getting into it. Don't watch for Madonna's big numbers, watch for her and Banderas performing, for once, like they really mean it.

Madonna did fine...admit it!
Don't Cry for me Argintina was the song that got me into musicals and so I have always loved Evita. In my opinion Madonna did quite an excellent job playing Eva. Most of you have a problem with her because she is Madonna. I am not a fan of what she does outside this movie, but I will defend her performance in this movie. She was not off-key at all and I have never heard Elaine Paige or anyone else sing "Don't Cry for me Argintina" with such emotion and clearness. She was Eva standing up singing that song. "You must Love Me" was another beautiful song that I have never heard been done better. When I heard Elaine Paige wailing these two songs on PBS I had to shut it off, she wasn't bad and she is a good singer, but when it comes to Evita no one can top Madonna. This movie was unfotunately hammered by critics and got a bad wrap.

Don't Cry For Us at the Ocars
Now first let me state that this one of my favorite movies. I have also researched into the life of Eva Peron. The movie is about 95% true. Madonna stars in movie as the title role of Evita. This movie is the story of Argentina's former first lady, Eva Peron. This film starts from the end and then goes from beginning to end. It shows how she went to Buenos Aires with a tango singer. It shows hows Eva took on lovers to get jobs, and even helped her husband, who is played by Jonathan Pryce, get the presidency for 2 terms. She and her husband did have 2 weddings, one was in a church and one was a civil ceremony. Eva also traveled while she was first lady. She got woman the right to vote. She also did start a foundation. She did help build houses, hopitals, and schools. When her husband went for his 2nd term as president, the people rallied for her to be vice-president. Eva Peron did had many Christain Dior, over 100 furs, and a jewelry collection comparable to Cleopatra's. Sadly, Evita died when she was just 33, of uterine cancer. This movie won some Acadmeny awards and a gloden globe, I believe

Wonderful to watch but unfulfilling
One of the interesting sidelights to this movie is the fact that Oliver Stone wrote part of the screenplay. While watching it I kept wondering what part? Stone, whose edgy, over the top indictments of oppression, corruption and especially military stupidity, wouldn't seem to be one to celebrate the elevation of Eva Peron to something close to sainthood, which is what this movie does. Maybe all his work ended up on the cutting room floor. Or maybe it was obscured by Andrew Lloyd Webber's music. Certainly we do not see the decamisados (Peron's version of his friend Mussolini's Blackshirts) torturing anyone, and although the "disappeared" are mentioned in passing, there is no retrospective that allows us to see just how widespread and horrific were the murders committed by the Peronists.

Anyway, Madonna, who certainly fits the part like a glove, stars as Evita, and she gives the performance of her life. Yet somehow it is unconvincing, or I should say, somehow the film doesn't really get to the essence of the woman who rose from poverty to the pinnacle of power in Argentina, a woman extravagantly loved by the common people of Argentina even while she was a party to the fascist oppression. I don't think this is Madonna's fault. Her voice is good, not great, of course, but her dramatic skills are very much in evidence, skills that have always been underrated, although I'm not sure why. If you watch her in this and in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) you can see that she has a range easily exceeding that of most actresses. I think that ironically it is the very quality of common origin and common appeal that the Argentines so loved in Evita that the critics hold against Madonna.

Antonio Banderas plays Che, who narrates and attempts to objectify the events while symbolizing both Evita's alter-ego and the man who would really be her proper mate were it not for her rapacious political appetite. Che's character and his dramatic role (from the play by Tim Rice) is perhaps the most important artistic achievement of the musical after Webber's beautiful and inspiring music. Banderas is winning and enormously vivid in the part, and he sings well and expressively.

Jonathan Pryce plays Peron with more dignity and humanity than history might allow. His sensitivity as an actor combined with a modest demeanor seemed to me so unrealistic as to be almost a miscasting. Yet he is perhaps as compelling as anyone on the screen and he certainly looked the part. Interesting is Jimmy Nail as the cabaret singer Magaldi. He combines sleazy good looks with a kind of vulnerable persona that seems exactly right.

Well, what can be said about the music except that it is one of Webber's great triumphs and so very typical of his work. It is beautiful, stirring, moving, enchanting and memorable. Who can forget the haunting, plaintive refrain of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" or the gorgeous simplicity of "You Must Love Me"? While Madonna's voice would not fill up a concert hall or take her by itself to the Broadway stage, she does an outstanding job with Webber's songs. A natural performer (Madonna's key talent), her expressive interpretations range from the ordinary to the transfixing. I very much enjoyed her efforts and predict that critics in the future will be kinder to her than today's critics.

The ending seemed too drawn out and then when the screen faded to black and the credits began to run it seemed almost abrupt and without resolution. I also did not like the way that Madonna (38 at the time) seemed no younger in the earlier scenes with her hair dyed pitch black. I think director Alan Parker should have given us more of an illusion of youth, perhaps spared her some of the closeups and fuzzed out the lines under her eyes. Strange how the golden blonde hair and exquisitely applied makeup in the remainder of the film made her look younger. All directors should know what Madonna learned many years ago: blonde hair usually makes a woman look younger because those with naturally light-colored hair are their blondest as children. Like big eyes and relatively big heads, blonde hair is a signal of youth that arrests our eyes.

Despite the flaws this is an engrossing cinematic experience, and for Madonna fans, Banderas fans, and in particular fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber, it is a film not to be missed. ... Read more

Description

A retiring cop and his replacement track a psychotic killer who's using the seven deadly sins as a guide. Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow. ... Read more

Reviews (453)

A worthy addition to DVD Format
I love DVD's! Not only is the format superior to VHS, but it allows me to enjoy movies on multiple levels. Now, in the spirit of the Criterion Collection, we have 'SE7EN - New Line Platinum Series Edition' added to the ever expanding library of DVD's to choose from. (If you have not heard of the Criterion Collection, please search for titles that include this designation - you will not be disapointed!) Seven is a great film with superb writing, acting, direction, the whole shebang and I am not going to bore you with those details. This review centers entirely on the Platinum DVD Release - and I can honestly say that it is VERY worth the money you spend on it. The commentary by David Fincher is awesome, and the commentaries by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt expand the understanding of their characters. Beyond this, the professionals who work behind the scenes have their two cents to share with you as well, and they are quite informative. Exlporing the Title Sequence is invigorating, as are the animated story boards. But the true value of this DVD is in the animated Notebook of John Doe's writings. Talk about a glimpse into the mouth of madness! It illustrates the mind of the killer, played marvelously by Kevin Spacey, and blows your mind. Talk about over the top DVD extras! This two disk set will keep you busy for quite a while, and I highly recommend it.

Brilliant...and Disturbing.
I wish more movies like Se7en were made, and not because I'm into only creepy, unsettling films. Se7en simply doesn't pull any punches. The excellent characters, script, music, and atmosphere all work together to create the perfect canvas to paint this brutal tale of a serial killer that tortures and kills specific people in accordance with the seven deadly sins. Everything in Se7en has been tweaked to perfection. The movie captures your attention so completely that you can't look away, even at some of the truly morbid scenes. And let's not forget the acting! Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey are all simply outstanding. Every word they utter seems real, unlike most Hollywood films where the characters are contrived and simply not believeable. The ending is shocking and depressing, more than equaling the rest of the film.

As if Se7en wasn't awesome enough, the DVD is simply loaded!! This is one of those rare cases when a movie DESERVES to be stocked full of extras! Obviously, this movie is not for the squeamish or weak of heart, but anyone who can handle this kind of a movie will discover one of the best films of the 90's.

Morgan Freeman Is A Genius....
Robin Williams...Russell Crowe...Marisa Tomei...Angelina Jolie...Cher...How come these "actors"(& I use the term lightly)have an Oscar & Freeman doesn't? Between SE7EN & NURSE BETTY, 2 of the best performances of all time, there is something seriously wrong.. Watch this powerful film with a lead performance to match to cure any doubts...........

The Best of it's Kind
A series of freak murders. A detective ready to retire and a new detective make this film one of the best in the drama genre. Will keep you on your feet till the very end. A very similar idea as other inteligent murder mystery thrillers like "Kiss the Girls" and "The Bone Collector" but this is the best of the lot.

Terrible movie
I'm obviously in a minority here. But IMO the movie just sucked. The thing that irritated me throughout the movie was the darkness and by that I mean the absense of light. The lighting is artificially dimmed for effect and it just doesn't work. Nobody works and lives in such poor light. The black and white film noirs work beautifully, but this movie seems stage-managed. Amongst contemporary movies, the lighting in "Dark City" was very natural and fit in well with the theme of the movie. This is a one gimmick movie and it got old within the first 5 minutes. I count this, along with "Absolute Power" and "Behind Enemy Lines" as amongst the worst 10 movies I have seen. ... Read more

Reviews (1484)

Great Action Film
"Gladiator" is a film that should suit all tastes. It is an expertly mounted and eye-filling event; the blood and gore, delivered in split-second imagery (allowing your head to fill in the rest) should satisfy the most blood-thirsty movie goer; and the story is a superb tale of good vs. evil, power vs. honor, and "Might for Right". I was reminded of "Camelot" many times during this film, especially by the almost unrecognizable appearance of Richard Harris as the wise and noble Marcus Aurelis. Joaquin Phoenix gives a bone-chilling performance as the evil and cowardly Commodus, who inherits the title of emperor upon his father's death. But the sole weight of this overwhelming piece rests on the shoulders of the magnificent Russell Crowe. If one doesn't believe in him, then one doesn't believe in this epic costume drama. Kudos to the rest of the cast as well, and hand over heart for the late Oliver Reed. But back to Crowe--he is an actor to contend with. His work in "Gladiator" is a tour de force performance; he very nearly sprays testosterone from the screen. It's what was exactly demanded from him in this role, and he exceeds expectations in that regard.

Gladiator ROCKS!!!
I completely dug this film from beginning to end,and every aspect of it,from the breathtaking cinamatography,the expertly staged battle sequences,and exqusite set-design,to the stellar performances of a top-notch cast,rang true.The film starts with a stunning battle and doesen't let up from the time Maximus says"on my mark,unleash Hell". Do they ever.Russell Crowe is perfect in the lead role,as an expert warrior with a grieving soul and a deep sense of honor and loyalty.It's a true star-making turn,and he oozes rugged charisma from every pore.Equally impressive,but in the exact opposite way,is Juaquin Phoenix as the conniving,decadent,deeply evil Emperor.Also great support from Richard Harris and the late,great Oliver Reed.Director Ridley Scott uses his gift for composition and visual flair to great effect,giving each scene a painterly burnish and unforgettable depth,whether it's the after-life of Maximus' dreams,the bustling,grand sprawl of Rome,the rip-roaring battles of the Coluseum,or the sinister twinkle in the Emporer's eyes.At one point Maximus admonishes the bloodthirsty crowd:"Is this not what you wanted? Are you not entertained?" Indeed we are Russell,very much so.What a great film.

okay
this is a three star movie with a five star dvd. one of the biggest problems with the movie was the first battle. i was expecting braveheart quality but ended with a battle less entertaining than the one in dragonheart. the blurry camera and closeups made it impossible to tell what was happening. if you want to see a movie like this but better, see the last samurai or braveheart.

A Modern Classic of an Old Age
I seldom write reviews for anything, but for a movie like 'Gladiator' I'm willing to make an exception, and gosh if it's worth doing it!!
The movie, by far the best of the year 2000, is not only an award-winning production, but it is also one of the few that I personally enjoy watching again and again and again. Not because it is flawless (at times the storyline is quite predictable) but because it portrays life and death in the Roman Empire in such a way that it really bring those old buildings we all know since childhood (the Coliseum, the Forum, Via Appia, etc) back to life.
And yet it does so not at the expense of the story but through it, from the characters, to the script (they're so many quotables lines from Maximus and Commudus alone to make a CD)...in fact everything in the movie, from the battle in Germanica to the last fight at the Coliseum, is portrayed with realism plus an amazing score lacking in so many movies these days.
The movie of course is not to be seen as "history" in the academic sense but rather as an historical exercise, Holywood style, of one of the most facinating and complex periods of Western History. The attention to the detail is amazing, especially in the opening scene (the battle in Germanica) and the gladiatorial fights. Even most deleted scenes are great in the sense that they allow us to understand the characters a little bit more (Commudus' sword smashing of his father's marble bust is a most see), although they neither add nor take of the story. The casting is superb, with Russell Crow in the main role, Joaquin Phoenix as the Emperor Commudus, along with such legends as Oliver Reed as the freedman slaveholder and Richard Harris as the great Marcus Aurelius.
I'll recomend strongly that anyone who sees this movie shoudl do his/her homework and do a little of reading about Rome, both as a Republic and after, and the huge importance of the entertaining business in her late everyday life (an importance unreached until recent times).
Overall, a classic epic of an scope and ambition not seen since 'Ben Hur'; full of action, drama... and yes, more action.
As the Romans themselves said, Faber est quisque fortunae suae... each one is the architect of his own fortune. Feliciter!

Decent story, captivating effect
Ridley Scott's movie, "Gladiator" is one based on fiction of a General in the times of Marcus Aurelius. It tracks the life of a general who is effective in battle and is to rewarded by the emperor with the crown of Rome until it can be handed back to the senate. The movie won 5 oscars and is compared to Ben-Hur, which is ludicrous. For starters, Ben-Hur had William Wyler as the director who went to Gore Vidal to fix the screenplay. This movie will imaginative has so many historical inaccuracies, it is funny that it can be even thought to be in the same league.

Some of the actors did a decent job, these include Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius and his daughter, Lucilla. I had problems with Russell Crowe's acting. He is unmistakably patrician, however, and physically very like Richard Burton, with Burton's battered face and gravel-voiced machismo. But Crowe's Maximus is no Mark Antony; there is no destructive love interest in the picture. Maximus is sweetly devoted to his late wife; though it turns out he once had a bit of an unbuckling thing going in his backstory for Commodus's lovely sister Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). I did not think that he deserved the best actor oscar. He has a very limited repertoire of actions and emotions. Crowe is no Tom Hanks or Geoffrey Rush in acting, he does not have depth and breadth of acting.

This movie cannot stand the test of time, it does not have great screenplay and historical integrity. It will gradually ebb away from the minds of the people. To stand out from the other movies, it has to have a new paradigm, either in acting or story or screenplay, none of which are depicted. Another one of those movies that do not deserve the best picture oscars. It is OK to watch this once. If you compare this director with Ang Lee, who did "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman", and "Sense and Sensibility" you can see the difference in directing talent. See them and judge for yourself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In paying simple tribute to firefighters, Ladder 49 gets to the heart of those who risk their lives for a living. Director Jay Russell brought similar sincerity to his memorable family favorite My Dog Skip, and despite the banalities of an ultra-conventional screenplay by Lewis Colick, Ladder 49 generates so much goodwill toward its Baltimore firemen that you may find yourself unexpectedly overcome with emotional appreciation for guys like Jack (Joaquin Phoenix), a firefighter whose career, courtship, marriage, and fatherhood are viewed in flashback as he struggles to survive in the present-day framing scenes, cut off from his fellow firemen in the fiery guts of a collapsing 20-floor building. There are no surprises in the familiar scenes of male bonding, dangerous rescues, injury and death, and the supportive concern of Jack's wife (Jacinda Barrett), but by focusing on the simple integrity of Jack's personal and professional commitment, the movie gives Phoenix a showcase for unselfish virtue, while John Travolta provides dignified support as Jack's mentor and devoted firehouse captain. Ladder 49 is routine in most respects, but it's a much-deserved valentine to working-class heroes. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (143)

Good production values but blah story
This DVD looked and sounded great; the surround sound put you right in the middle of the fire scenes. Unfortunately, I couldn't get involved in the very simplistic story. The only thing different about the film was the non-linear timeline. Everything else was by the numbers, including the performances. But, if you have a good home theater system, it would be worth a rental.

Poor plot, poorly executed storyline
I didn't feel any sense of brotherhood between these men.And the plot and entire movie just fell flat for me.It was a cliched portrayel of the profession, cliched life of a man (becomes rookie firefighter, marries immediately, has a boy, then a girl, bbq's with other firefighters at his house etc.).Just a boring salute to firefighting.
Firefighting gentlemen, deserved BETTER.A better screenplay would have been a good start.A more tragic or moving death would be have been good.One that made me care more than an ounce.You could see this truck coming a mile away.

Please read this.
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/
http://www.firekills.gov.uk/home/04.htm
http://www.firesafety.gov/
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/kidsroom/firesafe/firesafe.html
http://www.nfpa.org/sparky/
Unfortunately most people don't understand the seriousness of a fire. They light candles indoors, they smoke cigarettes in bed, they leave the kitchen with the stove on... things we do everday, no big deal right? Unfortunately to find out the error of our ways it sometimes costs us our lives,the lives of those we love most, and sometimes the family next door.
It can happen to any of us at any moment. I listed some websites here because I know what it's like to lose relatives to a fire and BELIEVE me it is most certainly worth spending an hour of your life to read the important information on these websites. Educate your children. Don't even keep candles in the house. Keep matches out of reach of children. Make sure you have working smoke detectors.
I cried during this movie because I know how important a firefighters job is and what they risk running into burning buildings that could have been prevented with just a little education and a little caution.
I just hope it does more than entertain but also encourages people to do the best firefighting job one can do and prevent the fire from starting in the first place.
Even a tiny spark can turn completely out of control in a matter of seconds, please arm yourself and your family with a reasonable amount of fear of fire.

UNINSPIRED AND UNCREATIVE
This movie is sort of a flag waving movie for firefighters, which is ok in principle, but it's not very well done.Most of all it has no real story or momentum.A review of the main character's life is the sole "story".This is a sharp contrast to the much more engaging and dramatic "Backdraft".

The fire scenes are fine, but again they were probably more interesting in Backdraft.

It's time to get on the ladder!
This is what you call an honest-to-goodness description of what goes on in the lives of brave firefighters. The movie contains no Soap Opera material or love triangle nonsense. There are no invincible, James Bond type firemen running around putting out infernos all by themselves.Rather, the plot centers around the daily struggles of people in the firefighting business;both in their professional as well as their personal lives.

Joaquin Phoenix proves that he is up to the task of playing a very likable character. Unlike most of the characters portrayed by John Travolta, the captain of the firehouse is only slightly nuts (as opposed to completely nuts!). The acting is splendid all-around & I did not notice any weaknesses in that department.

While there are some spectacular scenes in LADDER 49, I liked the fact that the filmmakers did not try to get TOO extreme and caught up in making far-fetched heroic scenes. I would think that every episode depicted in the film would have a counterpart mirrored in real-life.For once, there is a movie about courage that is not "Hollywoodized" beyond belief.

Another nice touch is that the story takes place in Baltimore.As most movies of this type take place in either New York, Chicago or LA, it was good to see a different American city portrayed on film.Even better, in the Special Features the DVD contains interviews and commentary with real Baltimore firemen & their families. Nicely done.

I readily admit that I am not a fireman myself.However, I can't help but think that this movie speaks for a great many firemen across the country.I would be mortified to find out that firemen could not relate to at least some aspects of this story.I can't think of a higher compliment to pay this movie than that.

So, here is the bottom line. If you enjoy movies about firemen and / or heroism, pick up this DVD. If, on the other hand you dislike movies about firefighters, then pick up this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (262)

Merman! Merman!
Zoolander, the second film written and directed by Ben Stiller, is a very ridiculous and silly film. Ben Stiller plays Derek Zoolander, an absurdly foolish male model at the top of the business. He's in the best position, career wise, when Hansel [Owen Wilson] enters the industry and steals Zoolander's place as male model of the year--an award that Zoolander had the honor of holding for three years, almost four, in a row. When asked in his acceptance speech whom he admires, Hansel answers, "Sting...Sting would be another person who's my hero. The music that he's made over the years--I don't really listen to it---but the fact that he's making it...I respect that." Owen Wilson is the one that really makes this movie funny. He's funnier than is Ben Stiller--he's a better actor, too. Zoolander is Ben Stiller's and Owen Wilson's funniest movie together--their senses of humor are perfectly harmonized with one another. Though it is funny, there are still some parts of the film that go beyond humor into sheer idiocy--what with the assassination of the prime minister of Malaysia and all. Though the film is often cited as stupid and pointless, I thought it was really cool that David Bowie made a cameo. Zoolander and Hansel are obviously sexually ambiguous--they are male models, yes?--and Bowie is known for his feminine masculinity. Anyhow, I thought that a very commendable and intelligent thing to be added. Overall, Zoolander is a funny movie. Not meant to be taken too seriously, at least Stiller and Wilson know what it takes to make people laugh--stupid brainwashed male models mispronouncing words and stuff.

3% BODY FAT. 1% BRAIN ACTIVITY. 100% FUNNY!
The Ben Stiller film 'Zoolander' took the year 2001 by storm. It quickly became one of the funniest and greatest comedic accomplishments of the year. So what makes a film about a vacuous male model that has trouble turning left such an amusing film?

The answer is simple; finally a modern comedy that actually works. Great cast fabulous characters, good story line, hilarious cameos and the continuous dissing of male modeling.

Derek Zoolander (Stiller) VH1 male model of the year 3 times running life is turned upside down when his is usurped by the young and 'hot' model Hansel (Owen Wilson). Derek goes on a journey to find himself in a world that doesn't make sense to him. When he is brainwashed to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia by the evil Jakob Mugatu (Will Ferrel) who is upset as garment prices will rise due to the elimination of child slavery in Malaysia. Derek is forced to deal with both his homicidal tendencies when he hears the song 'Relax' as well as his superstition by Hansel. The result is pure comedy.

Sure the film essentially has a one running joke basis (That of making fun of the fashion world and male models) but it seems that the jokes don't remain stale. When the audience finally get tired of seeing 50 'looks' from Derek all exactly the same we suddenly see a petrol fight between a group of models set to 'Wake me up before you go, go' by Wham. The result of this constant changing of mood and comedy leads to the same jokes being fresh when they are initiated again.

In many cases having a lead star direct his/her own comedy film doesn't really work. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, namely Kevin Smith's films. But in Stiller's directorial debut who'd of thunk he would pull off the two roles so well. It's so very easy to see the intentions trying to be brought out by both Stiller and Wilson due to the fact they are real life best friends and thus it's easy to see the onstage repore they have and the directing supports this.

Some of the film's funniest moments stem from the cameos by recognized stars. David Duchovney plays a hand model from yesteryear who guides Zoolander through the world of assassination and intrigue that stems from the male model lifestyle. Billy Zane plays Derek's stalwart friend in the party scene and it's simply hilarious to here Zoolander say 'Stay out of it Billy Zane'. I was simply howling with laughter when low and behold David Bowie appears to judge the walk-off in which Hansel decides to be daring and 'go monk'. Also the use of Maury Ballstein (Jerry Stiller- Ben's father) of 'Seinfeld' fame is hilarious and this father and son dichotomy works brilliantly in the context of the film.

The DVD is feature packed for a single disc. Deleted and extended scenes are actually very funny; some memorable scenes include dialogue between Hansel and Winona Ryder that was cut from the film. Sound and picture and both very good, the vibrant colors transfer perfectly to the DVD format and the exaggerated 80's soundtrack sounds great though a home theatre system. Not to be forgotten is the amazing menu screens that are only rivaled by 'This is Spinal Tap' in which Derek puts in his own two cents about each button.

'Zoolander' is a comedy success. For a film that came from nowhere and immediately became a box office hit the film is amazing. A Stiller directorial debut is great and we can only hope he decides to do more base comedy like 'Zoolander' in the future.

Sublimely ridiculous satire
Beneath its ridiculous surface, "Zoolander" is a whip-smart look at one of the stupidest parts of our increasingly stupid culture, namely the world of fashion. Taking a break from his now-standard neurotic-nerd persona, Ben Stiller mugs furiously and often as legendary male model Derek Zoolander, who's sure to go down as one of the most indelible movie characters of the past few years. Derek has a repertoire of looks that have different names but all appear the same, and he's so stupid and shallow that he mangles almost any word with more than two syllables and thinks bulimia is the ability to read minds. The movie sees him searching for some meaning in his life beyond being "really, really good-looking," a search that's interrupted when he unwittingly becomes involved in a top-secret fashion-industry plot to assassinate the prime minister of Malaysia. If you think all this sounds bizarre, that's because it is. But that doesn't mean it's not funny.

Given its subject matter, it makes sense for "Zoolander" to be heavy on stupid humor, and it doesn't disappoint. "Zoolander" starts out over the top, and stays there. This movie throws everything it can think of at you, and some of it sticks, and some doesn't. It's that simple. Everything here is calculated for maximum absurdity, be it Stiller's near-microscopic phone, the ultra-lame '80's soundtrack, or the hairdos and outfits worn by just about everybody (most notably Will Ferrell and Jerry Stiller). Among the more inspired ideas are a "walk-off" between Zoolander and his rival Hansel; a surprisingly intelligent bit that takes off on the Stanley Kubrick classic "2001;" and of course the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good. All in all, this movie has a more than ample supply of laughs crammed into its 89 minutes. While too many movies these days seem to be unaware of their stupidity, "Zoolander" positively revels in it, and even for that reason alone it would be worth watching.

One star because there is no negative 5 option
In a word, innane. In two words, sophomoric and stupid. Don't bother. Between over the top portrayals and no perceivable plot, this is a waste by any standard.

better than expected
Several minutes into this film, I worried that it was going to be a bust, but by the end, it was better than expected. This movie plays out a lot like Austin Powers-similiar in style featuring a dumb male model instead of the secret agent.

I liked the soundtrack of this movie a lot and it was worth watching just for that. Owen Wilson is not too bad either...

My main complaint with this movie is that it was flat. David Bowie was in it (always a pleasure to see him) but he wasn't utilized much. The art direction was competant, but it could of (and should of) been more pronounced. A lot of this film's success depended on the comic tone and the scenery was a bit too bland to carry the story along.
The plot was dull and uninspired however this wasn't an issue for me because the story is about a dull and uninspired model anyway. For the most part, all the elements needed to make a reasonable film were there and it was in balance, but there was a need for a little more "oomf". ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Right up there with the top 10!
This movie has to be seen to be believed. It's an absolutely fabulous film. Director Michael Curtiz is, in my opinion, one of the great storytellers of all time. (After all, he directed "Casablanca" only two years after "The Sea Hawk.") This is a film unencumbered by flashback sequences and neurotic characters. At the same time, the characters are rich and complicated, all of them caught in an escalating war between England and Spain. These were symbolic when the film was made for the Allies and the Nazis, and you can almost feel the actors' intensity over their uncertainty of the future, and Erich Korngold's music is probably his masterpiece in conveying not only chivalry and heroism, but an extraordinary longing for freedom and release from political aggression.

Like the other reviewers have noted, Errol Flynn is at his best. The cast is generally superb, although I would have cast something closer to a real Spaniard for Don Alvarez instead of - again! - Claude Rains. As a Spaniard, he should at least have tempered his British accent. Flora Robson as Queen Elizabeth I is simply the best Elizabeth I have ever seen on film. (Sorry Bette Davis and Judi Dench.)

This film is not only thrilling, dashing, and heartwarming, it is really "about" something. And since September of 2001, this film has suddenly taken on yet a new meaning for our own time.

I am holding my breath for a DVD of this soon?? And please, be careful with the sound transfer. The music for this film is one of the finest film scores ever composed.

FLYNN IN HIS ELEMENT
An English privateer learns the Spanish are going to invade England with their Armada....Even without the benefit of Olivia de Havilland and Technicolor, this is a prime Errol Flynn outing. After CAPTAIN BLOOD proved to be such a gold mine, Warner Bros. put writer Delmer Daves to work adapting another Rafael Sabatini novel THE SEA HAWK; it ranks as one of Flynn's best all-round films, and remains a beautiful picture to see and hear. The 1.7 million dollar budget was lavish by 1940 standards; an enormous new sound stage was inaugurated for the film. Two newly built full-scale ships - one 165' long, the other 135' - both surrounded by 12 feet of water (!) helped make the opening of the movie an amazing, crammed-with-detail piece of filmmaking. The musical score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold was his last for an historical pageant and one of his best; his score splendidly captures the "sweep and roll" of 16th century ships. It's interesting to compare Flora Robson's interpretation of Queen Elizabeth I to Bette Davis's. Both are intelligent and convincing, but Robson conveys level-headedness with flashes of temper while Davis (in THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, which she made with Flynn one year prior) projects distinctly neurotic and indecisive aspects of her character. Flynn's performance is good and believable; he chose a relatively quiet, restrained delivery here and he was at the apex of his career both looks and performance-wise. The term was "sea dogs" was conveniently changed to "sea hawks", thereby refuting history and confusing Sabatini buffs, but giving a 'raison d'etre' to the saleable and dramatic title the studio decided to retain. Available colorized, which is advantageous for some, and an affront to others.

One of the great swashbuckler films
A REVIEW BY NICK EVANGELISTA:
The Sea Hawk is one of the great swashbuckler films of all time. Errol Fylnn was in top form for the movie. The fencing is a joy to watch. As the author of The Encyclopdia of the Sword and The Art and Science of Fencing, and the publisher of Fencers Quarterly Magazine, I recommend it highly.

Fabulous High Seas Adventure
This movie deserves 5 stars and so I had to vote. Great adventure, message, and appropriate for children. The action and story is awesome.

Stunning Errol Flynn Adventure On The High Seas
"The Sea Hawk" is the definitive swashbuckling tale and captures legendary actor Errol Flynn at his most dynamic. He was an actor born for these type of romantic action roles as seen in the earlier classics "Captain Blood", and "The Adventures of Robin Hood". This film reveals Flynn in a tailor made role when he was at the peak of his physical fitness, and athletic prowess and he brings a new maturity and depth to his character here after 5 years of top stardom at Warner Brothers. "The Sea Hawk", is everything a good high seas adventure should be with eye filling adventure, exotic locations, romance, dashes of intrigue and superb swordplay.

With the the huge box office returns Warner's got for "Captain Blood", it was certain that Errol Flynn would be the natural choice to head any future productions of lavish pirate tales being filmed by the studio. That encore came along in another adventure story written by Rafael Sabatini "The Sea Hawk",which Warner's planned as one of their most lavish productions for 1940. Discarding most of the original novel writers Koch and Miller fashioned an exciting and beautiful screenplay that worked wonderfully on screen. "The Sea Hawk", tells the story of British Privateer Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn), who with secret backing from Queen Elizabeth (Flora Robson), sets out on many voyages designed to harrass the Spanish Empire while enriching the British treasury with plunder from the Spanish Galleons that Thorpe raids on their way back from the New World. An adventure of a different sort confronts Thorpe when he inadvertently captures a Spanish ship that happens to be carrying the new Spanish Ambassador Don Jose Alvarez de Cordoba (Claude Rains),and his niece Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall) to England. What initially starts out as outrage at the injustice done to her by Dona Maria slowly turns to love as she sees Thorpe's humane side in rescueing the unfortunate slaves from the Spanish ship's galleys and in seeing to her comfort on the journey to England. Once in England after a superficial reprimand from the secretly pleased queen for the benefit of her Spanish guests, Thorpe and the other Sea Hawks press her about the seriousness of King Phillip of Spain's threat to England's security with the mighty Armada he is planning. Capt. Thorpe plans to attack the Spanish before they are ready to sail and with the Queen Elizabeth's un-official blessing secretly plans a voyage to the Carribean to raid more Spanish vessels to get more gold to help build England's defense fleet. He however doesn't count on English spy Lord Wolfingham who by underhanded means finds out about the voyage and warns the Spanish Ambassador of Thorpe's intent. Once the privateers are in Panama they are ambushed by the Spanish in a trap and sentenced to life imprisonment as galley slaves. All seems lost until Thorpe and his men orchestrate an escape plan which sees them get back to England. Aware that the Queen has been forced to put an arrest order on all Sea Hawks in England, Capt. Thorpe literally fights his way room by room to get to the Queen along the way duelling to the death with his enemy the traitorous Lord Wolfingham. Pardoned by the Queen the preparations to defend England from the growing threat of the Armada are put into place beginning with a rousing speech by the Queen about the need for the nation to be united as one in times of adversity.

"The Sea Hawk", is a stunning "A" class production despite it's strange absence of colour photography. It contains great work by Errol Flynn who is in turn rogueish and athletic on the high seas and then refined and subdued in the romantic and court scenes. The supporting cast is headed by "Flynn regular", Alan Hale in the role of Thorpe's offsider in adventure Mr. Pitt, and the lovely Brenda Marshall as Dona Maria who has just the right dark icy beauty to be perfect as the upright noblewoman who is melted by love for Capt. Thorpe. Claude Rains lends his usual excellent suport to the role of the Spanish Ambassador and Henry Daniell steals ever scene he is in as the traitor Lord Wolfingham. Flora Robson in a great performance also lends impressive support in the smaller role of Queen Elizabeth and delivers a totally convincing and balanced interpretation of this famous woman, at times stern and authoritian and at others almost playful and very human in her dealings with Thorpe. The "Sea Hawk", production christened the huge new sound stage at Warner's built to accomodate this huge production and two full sized galleons were constructed for the sea bound action scenes. With a huge budget of almost 2 million dollars the costumes, sets, and attention to historical detail are unsurpassed. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's sweeping Academy Award nominated musical score is one of the best in his distinguished career and really enhances the overall impact of the story. The recently restored "Sepia " sequence is also a highlight during the Panama scenes and it'