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Like its predecessor Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve is a piffle of a caper, a preposterous plot given juice and vitality by a combination of movie star glamour and the exuberant filmmaking skill of director Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, The Limey). The heist hijinks of the first film come to roost for a team of eleven thieves (including the glossy mugs of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, and Don Cheadle), who find themselves pursued not only by the guy they robbed (silky Andy Garcia), but also by a top-notch detective (plush Catherine Zeta-Jones) and a jealous master thief (well-oiled Vincent Cassel) who wants to prove that team leader Danny Ocean (dapper George Clooney) isn't the best in the field. As if all that star power weren't enough--and the eternally coltish Julia Roberts also returns as Ocean's wife--one movie star cameo raises the movie's combined wattage to absurd proportions. But all these handsome faces are matched by Soderbergh's visual flash, cunning editing, and excellent use of Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome, among other highly decorative locations. The whole affair should collapse under the weight of its own silliness, but somehow it doesn't--the movie's raffish spirit and offhand wit soar along, providing lightweight but undeniable entertainment. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (197)

Please spare us Ocean's Thirteen
Genre: Comedy, Mystery

Genre Grade: A-

Final Grade: B-

This was a good follow-up to the first movie, although it did not even get close to matching the thrill of it. The story was MUCH weaker in this one, most of it contrived so confusingly that when you find out the outcome you are mad at how they took such an easy way out. You either like the tricks they do in this movie or you feel cheated. Or you feel a little of both, as I did.

I can't say much about the plot because there are so many spoilers, but I will say there is a big surprise with one of the characters from the first movie that is quite funny. Some people hated it (one of the "cheap" moments) but I thought it was great. There are many plot holes but director Soderbourgh keeps you so interested in the characters and flashy style of the movie that you might not even notice them. No other director could get away with it, that's for sure.

There is mild controversy over who, exactly, is Ocean's twelfth member. I honestly can't say 100% for sure because there are three people who could be considered as such. But there is one person who seems a little more likely to be that person because of a certain...event?

In conclusion, I hope that if Soderbourgh decides to give us another helping of this franchise that he gets a much more clever story for Ocean's Thirteen...

The real theft;steal your money with a bad sequel!
Hollywood returns to "independent" type cuts, erroneously assuming that it is the latest cash crop craze.So they hire youngsters to waste film and money shooting scenes that distract from quality dialogue, acting, and storyline.This is an excellent example of how NOT to make a movie.Don't waste your time unless you are a film student wishing to learn from others' mistakes.Not worth the price of popcorn!

Don't Waste Your Money
This movie should never have been made. It was dull and unispiring. The acting seemed forced and rather then everyone playing a part, a few characters were seen through out and nothing more. If you truly liked Ocean's 11 then leave it at that. My personal recommendation is that you do not watch this movie and rather just stick with the first film. You will be better off by far.

Save your money
Wow - what a bad movie. The all-star cast needs to exercice better judgment before accepting parts like these. The favorite side characters you'll remember from the first movie and played by solid/enjoyable actors (Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, etc...) are left with meaningless lines and no part to play. Brad Pitt's on camera eating habits in the first movie were something to smile at, in this one, it's simply annoying. Julia Roberts pretending to be Julia Roberts - what a stretch for the writers! The camera action is exhausting and attempts to add pace to a movie that does not have any. The plot is so twisted, it's unbelievable and ... without any interest. Soderbegh has done some excellent movies - this is probably his worst. Save your money, don't fall for the marketing hype. If you want Clooney at his clever and charming best, get "Out of Sight". If you want some good Soderbergh (nice camera work, interesting cinematography), get "Traffic". And I can't come up with something decent to suggest for Pitt since "Seven" or "Fight Club".

Much better than expected
Quite a few people I know told me the movie wasn't good so I didn't go see it on big screen. Now that I've watched in on DVD, surprisingly I quite like it and actually think it's as good as its prequel [in a different way though].

I like the combination of light action, romance, comedy, and a bit of suspense here. The strongest point of the movie must be a medley of huge stars [Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Garcia, Zeta Jones,Roberts]. Even supporting actors are all first-class! All of them play their parts really really well and even the supporting cast could hold their own against the big actors. It is amazing that you can feel a burst of energy and charms from these people in almost every scence. I actually felt like watching a celebrity party in a way, LOL.

Another thing I like in the movie is the sizzling romance. They didn't even have to use cheap sex scenes to tell the story. The chemistry between Clooney and Roberts is okay and the Pitt-Jones pairing is just incredible.

More good things: neat script with lots of funny quirky lines, good editing and delicious outfitting [but well we all know that Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Zeta Jones, and Roberts would look good even if they wore paperbags!]

Okay, now the weak points: The plot is kinda weak and not very believable. The movie could be confusing at times. I had to watch it twice to pick up some of the details. Also, those who go in expecting series of action would surely be disappointed. There is not a single violent scene in the movie if I remember correctly. The suspense element is not too good either. What else, there is not a whole lot of high tech gadgets for this Ocean's 12. Maybe these are why some people don't like this sequel as much as Ocean's 11.

So to sum it up, I think it's a fun movie if you watch it as a romantic comedy. The movie can't quite boast its action and suspense elements though.

Recommendation: Rent it and you'll get good two hours of entertainment. I bought the DVD just because I like many many funny scenes in the movie and wouldn't mind watching them over and over again.



... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ocean's Eleven improves on 1960's Rat Pack original with supernova casting, a slickly updated plot, and Steven Soderbergh's graceful touch behind the camera. Soderbergh reportedly relished the opportunity "to make a movie that has no desire except to give pleasure from beginning to end," and he succeeds on those terms, blessed by the casting of George Clooney as Danny Ocean, the title role originated by Frank Sinatra. Fresh out of jail, Ocean masterminds a plot to steal $163 million from the seemingly impervious vault of Las Vegas's Bellagio casino, not just for the money but to win his ex-wife (Julia Roberts) back from the casino's ruthless owner (Andy Garcia). Soderbergh doesn't scrimp on the caper's comically intricate strategy, but he finds greater joy in assembling a stellar team (including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Carl Reiner) and indulging their strengths as actors. The result is a film that's as smooth as a silk suit and just as stylish. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (510)

Shallow "Ocean" Needs More Depth.
Steven Soderbergh adds a stylishly slick film to his roster with this re-make of the 1960 rat-pack Frank Sinatra outing. ................ Although the cast was terrific, with dialogue sharply delivered by top billing box office stars, as well as veterans Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould in amusing roles, something is missing within. That something is true character development. Despite all the aforementioned positives, this missing element takes away a dimension from the story. Who are these people? Roberts was married to Clooney before he was sent to prison, but I couldn't find the emotion between them until the very end of the film. There didn't seem to be much fire between Roberts and Andy Garcia's elusive, cold and non-descript character either. Garcia is a favorite of mine, but he doesn't shine with his usual warm, emotional performance here. ................. Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt? I never really got a good idea of any of them. So, despite the fantastic ensemble cast, exciting Vegas atmosphere, intriguing premise and Soderbergh's expert direction, this "Ocean..." left me somewhat dry. ............... While "Ocean's 11" is a movie that will certainly entertain you fleetingly as you view it, the desired effect while we watch, it's not one I'd see again and again. There are films that you know you can view repeatedly without tiring of them, and then some where you say, once IS enough. In my opinion, "Ocean's 11" falls into the latter category. ................ For me, character development is an important factor that makes a film realistic and believable, but if it is not integral for your enjoyment, I would not hesitate to recommend you catch this wave once too, at least for the positives it DOES have going for it.

Take it on its own, it's a very good film.
George Clooney, Brat Pitt, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Edward Jemison and Shaobo Qin are all brought together in one of the best ensemble cast films I have seen in a long time. That takes care of Ocean's Eleven (Danny Ocean played by Clooney) but they are matched against Andy Garcia & Julia Roberts. Steve Soderbergh (Traffic; Sex, Lies & Videotape) directs a masterpiece of action/drama with some of the biggest names in the business.

The mystique of Vegas, the lure of cash and the romance of life make this a film for everyone. Great dialogue, excellent dramatic shots from Soderbergh and incredible acting by the entire cast put most other crime based movies to shame. Andy Garcia makes you hate him, you feel for George Clooney, but you also see the reasoning in Pitt's character and Reiner's performace is great too.

Anyway, if you enjoy the James Bond movies, the Mission Impossible movies, or any other fun action films, you should give Oceans 11 a chance. DO NOT base your viewing of this on the original Sinatra and the Rat Pack film. The only similarities are the ensemble cast, Vegas Casinos, money and the title of the movie. This is not a remake, it is a reinterpretation based loosely on the original script. At least give it one viewing, you may fall in love.

yet another example............
Hollywood has managed in this film to once again show
how really great it is to be a thief.....And they managed to use, in my estimation, the top worst to do it.
Clooney, who always portrays himself in no matter what role he takes...Pitt who walks thru his role like a zombie throwing in one liners to make it interesting???? And let's not forget the token female, Roberts, who I am still trying to figure out how she can be the most beautiful woman in the world, or is it one of the top five in the world? I forget......
The only redeeming thing about this film was the presence of Garcia and maybe the Las Vegas location. I have no plans to see the sequel as I am sure it will be more of the same humdrum
as this turkey was. To me it was just as boring as the original one only an updated version.

mediocre, boring, pathced
1. Difficult to imagine such boring movie with so many stars. The very presence of Julia Roberts only slowed the action, and took precious time from the main action. Her role was schematic and straightforward: could have used some young, beautiful actress instead, and spend less time on her. At the end, it was not clear to me, why did she have to leave Benedict and return to Ocean. Benedict could have said anything he wanted to Ocean to get his money back.

2. Most of the characters remained obscure and flat. I had to watch it 2 times in a raw to just figure out their faces, but I still have no clue what was their crucial point in the action. Compare to "Sneakers" for example, where all characters were vivid and exactly on their places.

3. Il-logical sequence. Why not use larger O2 cylinder for the chinese guy (what was his name?) and have more time for surprises? Why did they need to introduce the explosives with a trunk and bother with "dying" of the Soul Blum/Zorga, why not simply put them in the container with the chinese fellow? When climbing down the elevator well, where was the elevator cell???
If it was UP, how did they got under it?

4. How easy was to steel the "pinch"!!! Just went there and got it! I want a pinch also. But, even if the pinch did black-out the whole city, how come the electricity came back so soon??? The EM pulse destroys fuses and inegrated circuits. The whole casion going completely black? Highly improbable: This is 21 century, USA guys. Safety comes first: Every public and comercial building has a few light bulbs that never go out. Just for cases like this. Same for the motion detectors in the elevator well: they should be UPS-ed. Unlike the batteries in the remote control triger of Brad Pitt.

5. Illogical: How did they get the porno-adds INSIDE the vault? There were 6 big bags of them, the ones that got blown-up at the end?

6. Who needed to show that a whole minivan can be driven from a distance by a remote control? Why give the terorists (and bank robbers wannabe) ideas they can use literally tomorrow???

All made-up from bits and pieces, turned out into a poorly connected patched movie. Boring and un-impressing.

I wasn't impressed.....
I heard great things about this movie, and it did very well at the box office, but it really wasn't that good. it was definitely confusing. Also, I didn't like how it only had one robbery. In movies like Bandits (which you should go see) there are several robberies. Also, there wasn't much character development. I reccoment Bandits instead. ... Read more

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Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) is a cocky young car thief working with a crew to steal 50 cars for a very bad man whose nickname is "The Carpenter." Being young and cocky, Kip messes up, so it's up to his big brother, Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage), to come out of car thief retirement and save him. With a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Angelina Jolie, Delroy Lindo, Cage, and Ribisi, it would be easy to say this story wastes all their talents--which it does, but that's not the point. This is a Jerry Bruckheimer film. A good story and complex characters would only get in the way of the action scenes and slow the movie down. No, Gone in 60 Seconds (based on the cult 1974 film of the same name) is not about the stars as much as it's about cars. Fast cars. Rare cars. Wrecked cars. All cars. Too bad director Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) doesn't come across as more of a gearhead; he seems less interested in fast cars than fast cuts. But is this movie fun? Absolutely, and it's fun because it's so stupid. With pointless car chases and hackneyed dialogue in one of the most predictable plots of the year, Gone in 60 Seconds is a comic film that's not quite a parody of itself, but darn close. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (328)

Good Movie...Cage Needs More Sleep
When I first went to see "Gone In 60 Seconds", I had never heard a word of it in previews or word-of-mouth. I never liked or could sit through any Nicholas Cage movies until this one though. Cage plays a rather lathargic Randall Raines, a reformed car theif who is unwillinglly drawn back into his old profession to save his younger brother Kip (The Wonder Years' Giovanni Ribisi) from death. Kip takes a car boosting job for the meanest car-theft ringleader in town (A part which even I could've played better than this guy), and faces the ultimate price for mistakes. To keep the big boss from killing his brother, Cage must round up old collegues to pull off the biggest boost of their lives. Some of his partners in crime include Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall and my favorite...Vinnie Jones as The Sphinx. Each with his/her own special tallent, they work at moving 50 cars in 2 days to save little Raines. The one thing that kept the movie from running out of gas at the box-office I think, was the fact that they went in-depth as far as methods of boosting the cars...instead of knocking on someone's door and stealing the keys from the kitchen table. And there's a lot of laughs along the way that keep it from seeming like a re-run of CHIPS. Up-beat comedy makes the movie a lot better than it could've been, my favorite part was Nicholas Cage taunting a seriously ghettoed-out rival theif from inside a diner who was out kill him. The movie does have a few corney scenes that were obviously forced by a nerdy director...but the action, the laughs, and all the new stuff you learn about stealing cars these days is what makes it a good pick for me. I think this movies' like alcohol though, if you get in a car after it youre gonna feel like driving like a maniac. Nicholas Cage deffinately hits a mark with this one.

An escapist guilty-pleasure movie
If you're the kind of moviegoer who likes to watch some films without having to do a lot of thinking, loves action and hot cars, and likes to watch a goofy movie without having to think about character depth or surprises in the story, you'll like this movie. I recommend it only to people who like such movies. I don't mind watching such a movie now and then, and there are some things that I thought were pretty cool.

The 1967 Shelby GT-500 Mustang is the best thing about the movie. I've always liked cars and this is a rare classic. The climactic chase is cool and well done. Nicholas Cage actually did 98% of his own stunt driving. Another thing I liked was Robert Duvall. I guess he's the kind of actor who can survive anything. And the opening boost of a brand new Porsche 911 right out of a factory showroom was kind of neat, and funny as well.

But the story is predictable, awfully predictable. You know the hero will save his brother's life. The only surprise is in the final delivery of that Shelby. If you actually saw the original 1974 film you'll recognize a scene in a garage that pays homage to a similar one in the old film. It involves a car, a cop, and heroin. I was also disappointed that the final chase doesn't last longer.

GREAT CAR FILM!
"Gone in 60 Seconds" exists for one purpose: to show off some of the hottest cars in existence. The storyline is kind of hokey, but the cars more than make up for it, especially the GT 500. The car chase at the end is one of the best ever filmed! All the actors (Especially Robert Duvall, who can never give a bad performance) do fine in their roles. All in all, "Gone in 60 Seconds" is a one @#*& of a ride!

Also, don't miss Christopher Eccleston (plays the villain, Raymond Vincent Calitri, in this film) this January, when he resurrects one of the greatest characters of all time, the Doctor, in BBC's new "Doctor Who" series. BBC plans to send it to American TV stations as well.

Movie Grade: B+

Maybe a three star movie, but still...
A waste of great talent is probably the most honest thing I can say about this flick.
Jolie is Academy Award material and she hardly does anything in this movie. Gage is a master, this movie was a waste of what he's capable of doing, but I guess he's a good draw. I actually saw this at the theater when it came out and a second time recently. There are cool cars and some cool chase scenes, so it's not that it isn't entertaining, it's just that I was expecting a lot more.

Great chase scenes- cheesy otherwise
Nick Cage is pretty good in this film- the car chase scenes are wild and fun- the rest of the storyline gets kind of schmaltzy and is really predictable.Good action flick when you need to zone out- if you want something with more substance- go back some years and watch Dirty Harry! ... Read more

Reviews (126)

There's no such thing as a no-sale call.
Giovanni Ribisi is Seth Davis, a 19-year-old who's secretly running a backdoor casino while his parents think he's in college. Desperate for a quick buck, he joins JT Marlin, a brokerage firm that has the look, feel, and energy of a Morgan Stanley or Smith Barney. But underneath the gloss, this is a firm that engages in shady dealings, selling fake stocks and ripping off investors cold. Seth learns the ropes of the trade and over time becomes ruthless and cocky. He alienates his no-nonsense dad, who happens to be a judge and is, to say the least, disappointed that his son is blowing off college.

On the surface, this sounds like a re-telling of "Wall Street," but don't dismiss this film so easily. "Boiler Room" soars on the strength of performances of Nicky Katt, Scott Caan (son of James), Nia Long, and the then-unknown Vin Diesel. The film moves at a brisk pace and, for the most part, avoids melodrama and other formulaic touches. Definitely worth a look.

A Gem of a Film
It is very obvious to anyone who has seen "Wall Street" that this film borrows an awful lot from Oliver Stone's 1987 classic. Every stock broker in the film seems to be modelled on Michael Douglas' Gordon Gekko character with the exception of Giavanni Ribisi who unfortunately seems to be moulded on the Charlie Sheen part. The paralels between the two films are incredible but that doesn't mean that "The Boiler Room" is in anyway a lesser film because of it.

Giovanni Ribisi plays Seth, a 19 year old who drops out of college to start his own backdoor casino. He proves to be a genius running "the biz" and one night he is payed a visit by a long time friend who has now become a stock broker. With visions of becoming a millionaire within three years Seth eagerly takes a job at the firm.

Throughout the film Ribisi seems to have a strange attachment to his Father. (Much like the Sheen's in Wall Street) He wants to be constantly "doing good" so his Father can be proud of him. This is fine and everything but eventually it gets way out of control and the film starts to indulge in banal sentimentality. You start to wonder towards the end if Ribisi is suffering from some strange reverse Oedipus complex or something.

The best scenes are indeed the ones at the office. Ribisi quickly learns how to "close" and get anyone's money but gradually starts to feel hollow inside. In one scene he takes the life savings of an easily manipulated middle class Father. He consciously takes his money knowing it will be lost.

The stock brokers are a fitting image of Gordon Gekko. Ben Affleck especially who's only part in the movie is to come in the room and scream at the new guys. "Whoever says money is the root of all evil doesn't have any" is his character's memorable line. You get the impression though that his character is only there to amplify the cuthroat mentality of the wall street lifestyle. He's still real fun to listen to though. The rest of the brokers are all high on their own greed and are so over the top that it's actually just silly. For no reason there are three bar fights as rival broker's start trouble over who wears a nicer tie. I'm not sure who wrote their dialogue but apparently they have been watching too many mob movies. Each broker talks like a Maffioso and really in the end can't be taken seriously. "American Psycho" satirized stock broker's so well when they were seen arguing about who had the nicest font on their business card. "The Boiler Room's" broker's are basically a more extreme version of the same thing.

"The Boiler Rrom" really flows well and that is it's best asset. It is the perfect length and never goes too far in one direction to get boring. The killer instinct is played out perfectly and makes for an energetic, often times very funny movie. A gem.

Wall Street for Dummies is True
If you think this movie was intelligent and the best stock market film I feel sorry for you. I can name ten better than this and even though this movie tries to become Wall Street for the 90's it incredibly falls short. Why? More than one reason. First of all the actors don't compare to those in Wall Street. Martin Sheen and Michael Douglas stole the show in Wall Street with fine, veteran acting. I didn't care for Charlie Sheen but even he was better than Giovanni Ribisi. Boiler Room was just another film thrown up to target a young audience. It has no point, no plot and the best actors were the ones shown the least. Jamie Kennedy, Nicky Katt, Ron Ripkin, Nia Long ( and the guy that played Harry ) were the sparks of the film. Ben Affleck and Vin Diesel's presence wasn't needed. Neither of them did anything of importance. All the actors in the world and the casting director picked Ribisi to be the lead? Especially when he's standing beside actors who would have played Seth ten times better? I can't see that. He may be a likeable supporting character but he wasn't strong enough to carry the role of Seth. I love interracial relationships but there is no way in the world a woman as beautiful as Nia Long would look at a room full of young men and fall for Giovanni Ribisi, who played Seth like a mindless dork.. Sorry, but I couldn't believe that. Seth was supposed to be this hustler yet he is so stupid he can't see that J.T. is a chop shop? Please! Anyway this is nothing to get hot for unless you like lackluster films that will only amount to " wannabe " status. Yes this is a wannabe Wall Street that never is or never will be.

Don't be fooled by the great soundtrack. They used hip hop to lure you into thinking this film was hip and trendy. Once you start to watch it you see it's nothing to get excited about.

A Modern Day Wall Street
What Wall Street did for the '80s, Boiler Room did for the 90's. With its wonderful cast and side plots, Boiler Room showed the shady world of the flourishing chop shops during the 90's boom. The father/son relationship Seth has is heart-wrenching as is the Abby's home situation. Many lessons are to be learned through this film. For one, regardless of how shady a company is, there do exist some people in these firms who either don't know what is going on or who really have no other choice. Secondly, stop worrying about trying to impress others (even family) it just may get you into trouble.

"Gecko"
This movie surprise me.I liked how they use "Gecko"and it shows them watching Wall Street that was cool.The next best movie to Wall Street (Michael Douglas) in the stock market.
Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi) drops out of college and stumbles upon a job to be a stock broker to make all kinds of money, everything is going well, and he is doing great,but things seen to good to be true , as he finds out what he's got himself into.With actors such as Ribisi ,Vin Diesel,Nia Long , Scott Katt and Ben Affeck as (Jim Young) some what like Alex Badwin's part in Glengarry Glen Ross similar in arrogant roles.So set the sale and Enjoy!!!! ... Read more

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Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith) is a lawyer with a wife and family whose happily normal life is turned upside down after a chance meeting with a college buddy (Jason Lee) at a lingerie shop. Unbeknownst to the lawyer, he's just been burdened with a videotape of a congressman's assassination. Hot on the tail of this tape is a ruthless group of National Security Agents commanded by a belligerently ambitious fed named Reynolds (Jon Voight). Using surveillance from satellites, bugs, and other sophisticated snooping devices, the NSA infiltrates every facet of Dean's existence, tracing each physical and digital footprint he leaves. Driven by acute paranoia, Dean enlists the help of a clandestine former NSA operative named Brill (Gene Hackman), and Enemy of the State kicks into high-intensity hyperdrive.

Teaming up once again with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Top Gun director Tony Scott demonstrates his glossy style with clever cinematography and breakneck pacing. Will Smith proves that there's more to his success than a brash sense of humor, giving a versatile performance that plausibly illustrates a man cracking under the strain of paranoid turmoil. Hackman steals the show by essentially reprising his role from The Conversation--just imagine his memorable character Harry Caul some 20 years later. Most of all, the film's depiction of high-tech surveillance is highly convincing and dramatically compelling, making this a cautionary tale with more substance than you'd normally expect from a Scott-Bruckheimer action extravaganza. --Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Reviews (184)

Identity Crisis
ENEMY OF THE STATE is a high-intensity thriller directed by Tony Scott (TOP GUN). Washington D.C. Attorney, Robert Dean (Will Smith) is unknowingly given a piece of evidence that ties a top official in the National Security Agency, (Jon Voight) to a political murder. All at once Dean's life is taken away from him and he is a man on the run. The only way that he can stay one step ahead of his lethal pursuers is to listen to a mysterious opperative (Gene Hackman) and he doesn't exactly trust him either. I think that the movie is saved from being too predictable, thanks to Will Smith and Gene Hackman, you really care about these two characters. Voight's bad guy is your typical bad guy in this film. But he isn't as memorable as, let us say, Dennis Hopper in SPEED or Alan Rickman in DIE HARD. The action is well staged and had enough punch to keep everythings moving. Produced by Jerry Bruckhiemer, the film is better than I anticipated it was going to be when I first heard about it during its theatrical run.

The only extras on the DVD, (aside from the trailer), are 2 mini-featurettes on the making of the film They seem ok but still are nothing more than EPKs (electronic press kits) If you like Smith and Hackman (and who doesn't?) than this is a keeper. This film is what I like to call a "true popcorn eating movie"

A Nice Surprise
I rented this expecting it to be totally mediocre, but at least worth a 3$ rental. I was pleasantly surprised to find this very watchable, thrilling, and something I'll probably rent again. Will Smith is great and easy on the eyes. All the acting was very good, though Jon Voight has popped up in so many movies lately I am starting to get tired of him. I didn't figure out how it was going to end, and the final showdown, plus how the main characters outwit the bad guys was great. Tom Sizemore I didn't recognize at first since he's put on so much weight, but he was fantastic. I give the writers extra points for not going for the cheap shot and having the bad guys kill Gene Hackman's kitty (if they had, I would have only given this movie one star, and probably not watched the rest). I thought that they did kind of beat you over the head with the "SURVEILLANCE IS BAD" message. After the first half hour it was like, ok, I get the idea guys. The various fictional super-sophisticated tracking devices were cool, and Tony and Ridley Scott always shoot their films beautifully. Oh, and the woman who played Will Smith's wife kicked a$$!

Enemy of the State (1998)
Director: Tony Scott
Cast: Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Regina King, Loren Dean, Jake Busey, Barry Pepper.
Running Time: 127 minutes.
Rated R for violence and language.

Another producer Jerry Bruckheimer/director Tony Scott thrill ride without substance, this time pitting family man lawyer Robert Clayton Dean (played by Will Smith in a ho-hum performance) against a technologically-driven government. Not knowing that the trivial meeting with an old friend would cause him so much trouble, Dean gets sucked into a conspiracy case involving a rogue National Security Agent (Jon Voight) who killed a United States congressman because he accidentally received a video tape with footage of the murder. With incredible surveillance techniques and technology, Voight is able to track all of the lawyer's moves and keep tabs on him.

Our hero's life is turned upside down until he meets up with a stealthy former NSA active named Brill (played very well by Gene Hackman). With the assistance of Brill, Dean attacks the government head on and must learn the truth in order to save his life. Director Tony Scott brilliantly uses the camera to portray his views, jolting the characters through a series of incredible chase scenes, rip-roaring explosions, and intense firearm combat, but ultimately "Enemy of the State" focuses solely on the unbridled advances in special effects abilities that it keeps the audience from understanding the story and getting involved with the characters. Smith is only adequate in his first major "dramatic" role, while Hackman and Voight pick up some of the slack in their devilishly effective parts. A must-see if you are into big explosions and dynamite cinematography, but one to leave on the shelf if over-acting and a mediocre script are an annoyance.

For what it is, perfect
Enemy of the State is a breakneck thriller that genuinely keeps you on the edge of your seat and is a real nail-biter. It is incredibly well-constructed for what it is: slick, well-shot, gloriously pacey and even with a dash of interesting social question in there. Granted, often it is incredibly implausible, and his ability to sit back and be happy at the end despite all the carnage of what has happened, make it a little laughable, but the fact is, thats not the point with this kind of film - the point is it is truly thrilling, stylish and cool. You really get deep into it.

Will Smith is startlingly good in his best performance since Six Degrees Of Seperation - if only he would turn in these great performances in credible, interesting films more often, and is well supported by a strong cast that includes Gene Hackman, Jamie Kennedy and Jack Black amongst others. This comes highly reccomended for an evening's entertainment and is truly exhilirating and packed with plot and intrigue that puts most regurgitated, lame excuses for a storyline to shame. Great stuff.

Excellent
I strongly recommend you buy or at least rent this fantastic film. It's got it all, suspense, action and even comedy for the lad-eez, as Will Smith might say. It's got excellent pacing and great suspense. The storyline is a little implausible, but it's hollywood so just chill out and expect it. Kick back and watch this rollercoaster ride of a film.
Great performance from Will Smith, his best to date in fact, suggesting there is more than just comedy and Bad Boyz to his routine. And Gene Hackman too - what more could you want?
If i was Roger Ebert, i'd give it two thumbs up!
The DVD is loaded with extrea special features too, and that makes the DVD in particular a must. Don't just buy this film, make sure you get it on DVD.
I give it 8/10, but cos i'm generous i'll round it up to 5 stars, including those great DVD features. ... Read more

Reviews (510)

Shallow "Ocean" Needs More Depth.
Steven Soderbergh adds a stylishly slick film to his roster with this re-make of the 1960 rat-pack Frank Sinatra outing. ................ Although the cast was terrific, with dialogue sharply delivered by top billing box office stars, as well as veterans Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould in amusing roles, something is missing within. That something is true character development. Despite all the aforementioned positives, this missing element takes away a dimension from the story. Who are these people? Roberts was married to Clooney before he was sent to prison, but I couldn't find the emotion between them until the very end of the film. There didn't seem to be much fire between Roberts and Andy Garcia's elusive, cold and non-descript character either. Garcia is a favorite of mine, but he doesn't shine with his usual warm, emotional performance here. ................. Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt? I never really got a good idea of any of them. So, despite the fantastic ensemble cast, exciting Vegas atmosphere, intriguing premise and Soderbergh's expert direction, this "Ocean..." left me somewhat dry. ............... While "Ocean's 11" is a movie that will certainly entertain you fleetingly as you view it, the desired effect while we watch, it's not one I'd see again and again. There are films that you know you can view repeatedly without tiring of them, and then some where you say, once IS enough. In my opinion, "Ocean's 11" falls into the latter category. ................ For me, character development is an important factor that makes a film realistic and believable, but if it is not integral for your enjoyment, I would not hesitate to recommend you catch this wave once too, at least for the positives it DOES have going for it.

Take it on its own, it's a very good film.
George Clooney, Brat Pitt, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Edward Jemison and Shaobo Qin are all brought together in one of the best ensemble cast films I have seen in a long time. That takes care of Ocean's Eleven (Danny Ocean played by Clooney) but they are matched against Andy Garcia & Julia Roberts. Steve Soderbergh (Traffic; Sex, Lies & Videotape) directs a masterpiece of action/drama with some of the biggest names in the business.

The mystique of Vegas, the lure of cash and the romance of life make this a film for everyone. Great dialogue, excellent dramatic shots from Soderbergh and incredible acting by the entire cast put most other crime based movies to shame. Andy Garcia makes you hate him, you feel for George Clooney, but you also see the reasoning in Pitt's character and Reiner's performace is great too.

Anyway, if you enjoy the James Bond movies, the Mission Impossible movies, or any other fun action films, you should give Oceans 11 a chance. DO NOT base your viewing of this on the original Sinatra and the Rat Pack film. The only similarities are the ensemble cast, Vegas Casinos, money and the title of the movie. This is not a remake, it is a reinterpretation based loosely on the original script. At least give it one viewing, you may fall in love.

yet another example............
Hollywood has managed in this film to once again show
how really great it is to be a thief.....And they managed to use, in my estimation, the top worst to do it.
Clooney, who always portrays himself in no matter what role he takes...Pitt who walks thru his role like a zombie throwing in one liners to make it interesting???? And let's not forget the token female, Roberts, who I am still trying to figure out how she can be the most beautiful woman in the world, or is it one of the top five in the world? I forget......
The only redeeming thing about this film was the presence of Garcia and maybe the Las Vegas location. I have no plans to see the sequel as I am sure it will be more of the same humdrum
as this turkey was. To me it was just as boring as the original one only an updated version.

mediocre, boring, pathced
1. Difficult to imagine such boring movie with so many stars. The very presence of Julia Roberts only slowed the action, and took precious time from the main action. Her role was schematic and straightforward: could have used some young, beautiful actress instead, and spend less time on her. At the end, it was not clear to me, why did she have to leave Benedict and return to Ocean. Benedict could have said anything he wanted to Ocean to get his money back.

2. Most of the characters remained obscure and flat. I had to watch it 2 times in a raw to just figure out their faces, but I still have no clue what was their crucial point in the action. Compare to "Sneakers" for example, where all characters were vivid and exactly on their places.

3. Il-logical sequence. Why not use larger O2 cylinder for the chinese guy (what was his name?) and have more time for surprises? Why did they need to introduce the explosives with a trunk and bother with "dying" of the Soul Blum/Zorga, why not simply put them in the container with the chinese fellow? When climbing down the elevator well, where was the elevator cell???
If it was UP, how did they got under it?

4. How easy was to steel the "pinch"!!! Just went there and got it! I want a pinch also. But, even if the pinch did black-out the whole city, how come the electricity came back so soon??? The EM pulse destroys fuses and inegrated circuits. The whole casion going completely black? Highly improbable: This is 21 century, USA guys. Safety comes first: Every public and comercial building has a few light bulbs that never go out. Just for cases like this. Same for the motion detectors in the elevator well: they should be UPS-ed. Unlike the batteries in the remote control triger of Brad Pitt.

5. Illogical: How did they get the porno-adds INSIDE the vault? There were 6 big bags of them, the ones that got blown-up at the end?

6. Who needed to show that a whole minivan can be driven from a distance by a remote control? Why give the terorists (and bank robbers wannabe) ideas they can use literally tomorrow???

All made-up from bits and pieces, turned out into a poorly connected patched movie. Boring and un-impressing.

I wasn't impressed.....
I heard great things about this movie, and it did very well at the box office, but it really wasn't that good. it was definitely confusing. Also, I didn't like how it only had one robbery. In movies like Bandits (which you should go see) there are several robberies. Also, there wasn't much character development. I reccoment Bandits instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This MTV-produced drama only looks like an adaptation of H.G.Bissinger's expert dissertation of the church of high school football, Friday Night Lights. The energetic, breezy movie has none of the seriousness of Bissinger's book except on its basic level: in West Texas, high school football is life. Into this world comes Jonathan "Mox" Moxon (James Van Der Beek), a brainy, uncharacteristic jock who sits on the sideline reading Slaughterhouse Five until the West Caanan High School Coyotes All-Texas QB goes down with an injury. Suddenly the spotlight and the tyrannical ways of coach Bud Kilmer (another ace evil turn by Jon Voight) are on Mox and the light is white-hot. There have been several films that show tough, honest kids doing their best against the worst of small-town coaches (Tom Cruise in All the Right Moves, for one) but Varsity Blues, in its glossy style, takes a more curious turn: studying what happens when celebrity comes to the well-adjusted high schooler. Mox starts seeing the rewards of stardom: a six-pack under the counter, acceptance in school, even easy sex from the girl who goes after the starting quarterback (Ali Larter). Will Mox win the big game? Will he bend to the wills of his coach? Will he stay with his old girlfriend? The questions are easy enough to answer, but the film has an ace up its sleeve: Van Der Beek has the stuff to carry the movie. Fans of TV's Dawson's Creek will see a slightly grittier dreamboat here, and Van Der Beek's care with the role makes the most ludicrous parts--includinga trip to a strip club--manage a certain aura. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (118)

Good movie about high school football life
When I first saw Varsity Blues, I wasn't expecting it to be a great movie. But overall, I enjoyed it very much. This movie, created by MTV, only cost $16 million bucks to make and brought in over $52 million at the box office, because this movie is mainly aimed at high school juniors and seniors or in the age range of 16-21.

The story takes place in a fictional town called West Canaan, Texas, a small, steamy town in southwestern Texas where high school football is a way of life. The town is the home of the West Canaan Coyotes, a football team which has won 22 consecutive district championships and 2 state championships. The head coach of the team, Coach Kilmer (Jon Voight), has a "win-at-all-costs" attitude, meaning he has a reputation of playing his players injured or sick. He has also coached many of the current players' fathers, who seem to be re-living their glory years through their sons. When the all-Texas star quarterback Lance Harbor (Paul Walker) goes down with a season-ending knee injury, backup quarterback Jonathan "Mox" Moxon (James Van Der Beek from Dawson's Creek) reluctantly assumes the duties of filling Lance's shoes. Once he miraculously leads his team to victory, his life begins to drastically change. He becomes very popular in school, gets free under-the-counter alcohol, and even easy sex from the former quarterback's girlfriend. So as the movie goes on, Mox continues to lead his team to victory, while dealing with the pressure of his coach and the love triangle that he has gotten himself into. In the final game at the end of the movie, he shows what it is like to be a high school hero after the coach abandons the team. As the movie ends, we hear a voiceover of what became of the characters.

So in conclusion, it's a pretty good movie from MTV which shows what high school life mixed with football is really all about. That is why I mentioned that this film should mainly be viewed by high school/college students. There are some really funny scenes in this movie; the most notable would probably be when one of the players hijacks a police car and parades around town with a bunch of naked girls in the backseat, and when they discover that their science teacher has a job at a local strip club. Adults might want to stay away from this one. 3 1/2 stars.

Top-notch entertainment for anyone, especially football fans
Absolutely the best football film ever made. As a player who just recently finished my senior season playing for Gibson Southern High School in Southern Indiana, I can relate to a lot of what the movie has to offer. The movie gave me goosebumps on several occasions and nearly brought me to tears. It has just the right combo of action, comedy, and drama to keep the film running smoothly throughtout. The actors do a good job juggling between their dramatic roles and their spots on the field. You'll be impressed with Van Der Beek's athleticism, you'll crack up at the comments of Tweeder and Billy Bob, and in the end, you'll want to wail-on Mr. Voight. I recommend it to anyone interested in a flick with a little bit of everything. Also, anyone who has ever experienced football on Friday nights...don't miss this. It will take you back.

A Late 90's Classic.
Ok, so James Van Der Beek's Texas accent isn't all that great. So what if no football coach in their right mind would run a hook-and-ladder play to a 350 pound lineman. What does it matter that very few of us ever have a teacher as hot as Miss Davis...much less one that works in a strip club? It's still a great movie.

Look people, this isn't supposed to be a drama. This is a comedy-drama. Some dramatic parts, but it's supposed to be funny overall. That's why the movie has Tweeder! There are a few dramatic parts to the film, but it's mostly comedy. The intended audience is obviously the high school and college age, but can be enjoyed by nearly everyone...especially football fans.

Who knew that MTV Films was capable of making a movie like this? It did very well at the box office, and the DVD has sold well too...for good reason. Come on....everyone has to laugh when Tweeder steals the police car.

related to Odessa, TX's Permian High School Panthers??
Does anyone know if the story behind Varsity Blues is related or drawn from the book, 'Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream' by H. G. Bissinger?
It's about the Permian High School Panthers of Odessa, TX; where the the team, for better and for worse, is the town.

Anyone know?

Thanks in advance...

So bad it's good.
This movie almost defines so-bad-it's-good. My friends and I repeatedly watch this movie simply to hear James Van Der Beek's bad Texan accent and his insipid speeches. We constantly quote "I will not live your life" to each other. Quite frankly this movie is hilarious for its over the topness. If it weren't for James Van Der Beek, I'm fairly certain this film never would have seen the light of day. It's a shame that the only real value this film has is for camp humor. ... Read more

Description

Struggling David (Luke Wilson) has big plans for his life - except he can't exactly remember what they are. When slinky, sassy Serena (Alicia Witt) waltzes into his life, things take a definite turn for the better - until his house burns down and she bolts to New York with a wannabe rock star (Jamie Kennedy). While Serena frolics back East, David gets by with a little help from his friends - like a singing farmer (Jack Black) and an oversexed rich girl (Brittany Murphy). If Serena ever returns, someone's gonna get a rude awakening, as this raucous comedy hurtles toward an outrageous and unexpected finish! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

misguided at best
i have had this review on here for some time now, and i feel compelled to change it due to a change in heart. when i first reviewed it, i praised its realism and originality, and gave it a 5.

this is 6 months later. i purchased the dvd and watched it several more times. upon later reviews of it, ive come to an all new conclusion:
it sucks.

i love Luke Wilson. i love Andy Dick and Jack Black. too bad this movie features very little of the two latter, and a bit much of the former.
the concept: a fire causes a misdirected pot dealer to reconstruct his life with two different girls.
now i look at it as this. everything on the technical side of this movie is high school level. i expect any second for a stagehand of some type to be seen in a corner of any shot. however, the script should help us out right? eh, it has its moments, you can tell that filtered through all this amateur hogwash, the original book is a good read.
the acting? well, luke wilson's david is somewhat likeable if a bit laughable. hes a moron who unwittingly stumbles on gems of creativity, but that is his appeal.
then amanda witt comes in. she is stunningly beautiful in this film, something redheads are rarely portrayed as. david falls in love with her and tragedy ensues. however, with all this love, one major aspect is overlooked. she is completely horrible. she is annoying, self centered to the point of destructive, and contradicting. at first i cared, but in the scene where she is orally raped, you just dont really care and a sinister voice in your head says "you had that coming" and it can then be followed by various vulgarities.
and at the end, when david and she finally get together, you are filled with dread instead of happiness.
and then the topic of drug use. every drug used in this movie i have tried or do regularly. every single one. and i can say that the writer must have never even seen a cheech and chong film much less actually smoke a joint. scenes where david will fill a bong with smoke, and then set it down without clearing the precious pot smoke.
the tripping scene in which he has a clear vision of his mother and hangs out with her is just silly. if you havent tried acid and would like to see what its like, watch the first few scenes of fear and loathing in las vegas. the part with the golf shoes.
now the infamous coke scene in this film. she takes on line and loses her memory. my first time i did an entire 8ball in one night. i remember everything and i wasnt raped either. its easy to portray any sort of horrible attribute to hardcore drugs, but if youre making a drug themed film, youd better watch where you step.

this film is uncertain in its scope, and falls flat of even the most reserved of goals.
it has little to do with drugs and even less to do with people.

Most people just don't get it.
Most people just dont get this movie and they dont really understand the dark comedic genius. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that to fully appreciate this move you need to have smoked pot a few times and understand the lifestyle. Luke wilson does an incredible job portraying stoner who is oblivious to life and just wants to maintain his bong filled status quo. Andy Dick plays a great homosexual role as it came right after his binge days where he was trying to transition to his new anti-pop dark style comedy. And JACK BLACK??? Even though Jack plays a small role, he is a friggin genius....GENIUS i tell you!

Overall, this movie is a bit odd and really a dark comedy, but it is incredibly funny if you are in touch with the new forms of drug cultured comedy that this cast and director are trying to tap into. This movie is artistic, dark and funny. (Watch it and ignore what frat-boy-freddy and i-dont-get-it-betty are saying!!!!!

fabu
i love this movie. i think it's fabulous. and i'm not a stoner...

Not a stoner move, but a good movie
I bought this movie because my brother told me that it was a good stoner movie that also has Jack black and Britany Murphy. It turns out this movie has little to to with buds and alot to do with a bud dealer(Luke Wilson) and a girl trying to control his life(Alicia Witt).

i see some reviews saying that this was one of the worst stoner movie they have seen, and it would be if that was what the movie was about. Think of this movie as stoner style love story instead of a movie about nothing but smoking natures finest and getting into trouble. I recomend renting it before you buy it.

(...)

WAY TO GO ,BRO!
hELLO EVERYBODY!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE! IT IS MY BROTHER ,RICHARD, WHO DIRECTED. HE'S AMAZING! I'VE MADE THIS O.C.'S CULT CLASSIC MOVIE. ALMOST ALL MY FRIENDS,COWORKERS, AND FAMILY, HAVE ENJOYED THIS MOVIE!
iT HAS EVERYONE FAMOUS IN IT,TOO. ESPECIALLY, JACK BLACK'S PERFORMANCE WITH A LITTLE TENACIOUS D INFLUENCE.
MY BROTHER DOES'NT LIKE ALL THE ATTENTION THAT HE RECIEVES FROM THIS FILM. IF YOU LIKED THIS ONE THEN LOG ON TO ATOMFILMS.COM AND FIND "TACO BENDER" IT'S HIS NEW SHORT FILM. FUNNY AS HELL!
CHECK YA LATER! ENJOY! ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Guns, guys and horses!
Ok, if you want something historically accurate this film is not for you. But its not supposed to be accurate; its supposed to entertain , and boy, it does just that!
Right from the starting scene in a civil war battlefield and on to the end, the thrills never stop. It'll have you sitting on the edge of your chair or jumping up and down in excitement all the way through!
Farrell is an excellant Jesse (and very handsome too!), set off well by Scott Caan's equally brilliant Cole Younger. When Frank and Jesse James Return to Liberty, Missouri after the civil war, they find things greatly changed. The railroad is heading West and it needs their land. Jesse and Frank refuse to sell and create a spread of rebellion throughout their village. After seeing their Ma brutally murdered by the railroad men, the James brothers join forces with the Youngers and begin careers as outlaws in order to stop the railroad's advance.
The film does have a slightly romantic edge in the form of Zie, Jesse's beautiful fiancee (Ali Larter).
American Outlaws is equal to Pirates of the Caribbean for excitement, yet being shorter it doesn't even drag in the slightest. Infact, its only fault has to be that it lacks a Jack Sparrow, but with Bob Younger's wisecracks you scarcely notice it.
If, like me, you lost your heart to the West long ago you'd be a fool to miss this film. Even if you ain't lost your heart to nobody, you'd still be a fool.
So cowboys, saddle up; Let's Ride!!

A shallow movie for shallow viewers
This is to movies what "Springtime For Hitler" was to plays.

The Jameses and the Youngers were part of outlaw raiding parties against Northern towns during the Civil War and murdered people during their bank robberies. If you want to make a fun, fictional movie, use fictional names.

I don't have a quarrel with the reviewers that said they knew the plot was fiction, but liked the movie for its entertainment or good-looking cast. That's your choice. But when reviews say that Colin Farrell "is completely believable as Jesse," that "the history of Jesse, Frank, and Jim were accurate," or the movie "shows the motivation and the reasoning behind the famous outlaw gang," I feel like I'm watching auditions for "Street Smarts."

The movie tells you that the James-Younger gang was heroically fighting oppression by the railroads. In truth, they were thieves and murderers. If you want to see what the gang did to people--including shooting a father going to the aid of his fallen son-- ...

It's wrong to make cold-blooded killers out as heroes just for the sake of a few box office dollars, whether it was 10 years ago or 130 years ago. To those that say "historical accuracy is a moot point," that may be your opinion, but it's certainly not mine.

Okay, if you can get past the modern accents and dumb girl
The action scenes in this movie are GREAT. I can get past all the other stupid stuff in this movie just to watch those. I think they should have cut out the part where they come back home and chat with all their friends because that just slows down the movie, but once you get past all that, the movie just keeps you jumping in your seat. Yes, the actors' lines are kind of dumb in some parts (only SOME parts!!) and Ali Larter is not the best actress, and sometimes Colin Farrell forgets he's not supposed to be Irish in this movie and Scott Caan still sounds too much like he's not out of high school yet- but hey it's not all that bad. There's a good plot and lots of humour and good fight scenes. If you're not a super overly critical and picky person you'll find yourself a decent movie that's entertaining and has a good ending. The Special Features are great. They give you a lot of inside info into the making which is always a treat to watch after seeing a good movie. Go for it!

BAD, VERY BAD
Can somebody believe those baby face actors, look like tough cowboys? I've always seen men playing cowboys in films, not smooth-faced teens. And who had the idea to put a rap in a western movie? If Colin Farrel wants to be a good actor he musn't accept these characters, and Scott Caan is very far from be that good actor his father is. And Ali LArter? She looks like a Barbie in cowgirl disguise, it takes more than a pretty face and whipped cream bikini to be a good actress.

Keeo your money in your pocket and buy one of those good old western movies, you'll see good actors and good movies with good plots. Not this nonsense.

The South might've won...
I liked the movie American Outlaws. Even though hollywood took its creative liberties or whatever you want to call it with the historical facts, it still was an awesome movie! The Younger farm was in Lee's Summit, MO and the James farm was in Kearney, MO definitely more than a days ride by horse between the two. Other than that it is a story told by the southerners and southern sympathizers from the north. This is definitely the story we didn't hear in the yankee schools of the north. If you're looking for a cool western with the look and feel of the civil war and young america in missouri, then this is for you. My favorite was Gabriel Macht, who portrayed Frank James. All the characters played well off of each other but his character held the gang together he was the intelligent calm voice of reason. So enjoy this is a funny dramatic western all rolled up into one! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gordy (David Arquette of the Scream movies) and Sean (Scott Caan of Varsity Blues) are rabid fans of professional wrestling--in particular, white trash champion Jimmy King (Oliver Platt, Funny Bones, Flatliners). But the show's producer Titus Sinclair (Joe Pantoliano, The Matrix) decides it's time for King to lose his crown and allows Diamond Dallas Page (playing himself) and assorted cronies to tromp all over the fallen King. Crestfallen, Gordy and Sean track King down to convince him to take another shot at the big time.Althoughin the process they discover that King may not be the man they thought he was, their faith never falters. With the training assistance of an old-school wrestler (Martin Landau), they get King back into the ring to face the triple steel cage. Ready to Rumble is clearly aimed at wrestlingfans, who will doubtless enjoy numerous professional wrestlers playingthemselves, including Goldberg and Sting, as well as the scantily clad Nitro Girls. The movie isn't exactly Shakespeare, but it has a raffish, affable charm. The jokes stick to the basics, such as people being kicked in the groin and nuns singing Van Halen's "Running with the Devil" with their crystalline soprano voices. And what's wrong with that? As a comedy team, Arquette and Caan aren't Abbott and Costello--they're not even Bill and Ted--but they give it their all and you may find them surprisingly engaging. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (37)

GREAT MOVIE
If you watch this your getting 107 minutes, 35 scenes, one movie full of laughs from beginning to end. I never got tired of watching this movie because it's so good. It stars David Arquette, Scott Caan, Oliver Platt, Rose McGowan, Bill Goldberg, Diamond Dallas Page, Sting, Joe Pantaliano, plus many other great actors that are great. It's about two friends Gordie(Arquette) and Sean(Caan) go to watch there favorite wrestler Jimmy King(Oliver Platt) in the ring. Jimmy's boss turns on him and makes him take a brutal beating by Diamond Dallas Page. Jimmy never wrestles again until Sean and Gordy leave the match all mad and sad until they find Jimmy King and try to get him back in the ring so he can regain his belt and get back at those who turned on him. He gets a wresting trainer Sal (Martin Landau) who helps him get back into wrestling. They continue to train and fight until there big match comes.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
-Commentary on whole movie
-Bif Naked music video "We're not Gonna Take It"
-Up close with Nitro Girls behind scenes segments
-No holds barred behind the scenes segments
-Wrestlers interview gallery
-Filmographies, trailer

Overall this is a great, hilarious comedy movie that anyone will enjoy. If you have seen the movie "Dodgeball A True Underdog Story" and enjoyed that you will love this movie.

Ready to Fall!
Ready to Rumble clearly isn't the greatest movie ever because of its genre, but it does have a clear intention, to focus in on teens and major wrestling fans. Ready to Rumble stars David Arquette ("Scream Trilogy", "Beautiful Girls", "Johns"), Oliver Platt ("Funny Bones", "Lake Placid", "Flatliners"), Scott Caan ("Gone in 60 Seconds","Varsity Blues"), Joe Pantoliano ("The Matrix", TV's "The Sopranos") and Martin Landau ("Ed", "The X-Files").

       Basically, Gordy (Arquette) and Sean (Caan)are die-hard wrestling fans and their favorite wrestler, Jimmy King (Platt) just got kicked out of the WCW and won't be able to return. King got a heavy beating from other wrestlers and his boss, Titus Sinclair (Pantoliano). Now, its up to Gordy and Sean to get Jimmy King back into the ring and become the world wrestling champ once again. King must face Diamond Dallas Page (as himself)again, after he was slaughtered by Page to win back the title. He'll also have to face other wrestlers. Gordy gets help from the head nirto girl, Sasha (Rose McGowan, "Scream","Jawbreaker" TV's "Charmed"). Sean also finds love. Sting and Stone Cold play themselves.
     This movie is basically about two morons who want to get the favorite wrestler back into the ring. It's crude, lewd and bad. It does have some comedic brilliance, but not enough of class, style, or a good script. 2 stars is all I'm giving this movie because it lacks a great plot and certain cinematic brilliances. Arquette, Platt, and Caan are great actors, but this is the lowest for all of them. Arquette, a great actor, is in a stupid movie that really has no taste and holds no significant point. This movie is only recommended to wrestling fans. For all of the others, good luck! And yes, Scott Caan is the son of legendary actor James Caan.

Some redeeming value, but not much
Ready to Rumble is not a good movie by any means. As a comedy the jokes are very sophmoric and the two leads give wrestling fans a bad name. However there are some redeeming factors that in some ways make this a better movie.

The plot here is that the current King of Wrestling (Oliver Platt) is brutally dethroned by the an Evil promoter and his henchmen Diamond Dallas Page. From there two bumbling fans go on a quest to get Jimmy King back to the top. Along the way they encounter variouse WCW talent as well as other interesting characters.

Easily the best moments come when either they show wrestling matches and when Marlon Brandow is on the screen. Yes Marlon Brandow is in this and is so over the top that in my opinion steals the show.

However despite the cool wrestling moments and Marlon Brandow there really isn't much to look at here. The only thing worse than what this movie was a majority of the time was the fact that it spun off into a real WCW storyline that really sucked and made to some fans a hated man out of David Arquette. Past that if you really should, rent this... or else I will lay the smackdown on you... wait wrong promotion.

Not just a wrestling movie, a landmark film.
This is a funny movie, including David Arquette, Oliver Platt, and Scott Caan, they make a good team, and I like the part where Scott Caan just had it with this woman. I give it 5 stars, because this isn't just a wrestling movie, it's a landmark film!

Tries to be funny, but fails
Summary:
Jimmy King (Oliver Platt) is the 'King' of professional wrestling, where everything is supposed to be fake, right? Well, when King abuses his place as the champion, his manager, Titus Sinclair (Joe Pantoliano), gives Dallas Page the go ahead to make their championship match real. King doesn't actually stand a chance and loses the title.

Watching in horror and dismay are King's two greatest fans - Gordie Boggs (David Arquette) and Sean Dawkins (Scott Caan). Resolving that King was defeated unfairly and believing that King is actually a decent guy, Gordie and Sean decide to find King and help him get his title back. Along the way they sing Pink Floyd with nuns, see Oliver Platt in a dress, have wild sex with one of the wrestling world's dancers, Rose McGowan, and try to stay ahead of Gordie's dad, Richard Lineback, who is a policeman and wants Gordie to become one.

My Comments:
I just want to know one thing, did Oliver Platt do his own stunts? Jimmy King gets beat up on a regular basis and Oliver Platt just doesn't seem to be the kind of guy that could play that role. Anyway...

The movie is kind of funny in that it's making fun of wrestling fans, at least, sort of. It also incorporates a number of actual wrestlers, including Bill Goldberg (I) and Steve Borden (I).

But in the end, the comedic attempts are, well, attempts. The majority of the humor is slapstick potty humor and just isn't that funny. I'm not sure that I laughed out loud even once. It just didn't cut it on the humor end.

Perhaps this is kind of like Zoolander in that you really have to be into the industry (wrestling in this case, fashion in Zoolander) to get the humor and see all of the subtle insinuations. I'm not and I definitely didn't find this to be that funny.

Overall, don't waste your time unless you actually watch 'professional' wrestling or like potty humor. The movie isn't funny, the story is ridiculous, and the wrestling, though supposed to be real, is even more fake than the stuff you see on TV. I gave it two stars for making fun of wrestling fans. ... Read more

Reviews (510)

Shallow "Ocean" Needs More Depth.
Steven Soderbergh adds a stylishly slick film to his roster with this re-make of the 1960 rat-pack Frank Sinatra outing. ................ Although the cast was terrific, with dialogue sharply delivered by top billing box office stars, as well as veterans Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould in amusing roles, something is missing within. That something is true character development. Despite all the aforementioned positives, this missing element takes away a dimension from the story. Who are these people? Roberts was married to Clooney before he was sent to prison, but I couldn't find the emotion between them until the very end of the film. There didn't seem to be much fire between Roberts and Andy Garcia's elusive, cold and non-descript character either. Garcia is a favorite of mine, but he doesn't shine with his usual warm, emotional performance here. ................. Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt? I never really got a good idea of any of them. So, despite the fantastic ensemble cast, exciting Vegas atmosphere, intriguing premise and Soderbergh's expert direction, this "Ocean..." left me somewhat dry. ............... While "Ocean's 11" is a movie that will certainly entertain you fleetingly as you view it, the desired effect while we watch, it's not one I'd see again and again. There are films that you know you can view repeatedly without tiring of them, and then some where you say, once IS enough. In my opinion, "Ocean's 11" falls into the latter category. ................ For me, character development is an important factor that makes a film realistic and believable, but if it is not integral for your enjoyment, I would not hesitate to recommend you catch this wave once too, at least for the positives it DOES have going for it.

Take it on its own, it's a very good film.
George Clooney, Brat Pitt, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Edward Jemison and Shaobo Qin are all brought together in one of the best ensemble cast films I have seen in a long time. That takes care of Ocean's Eleven (Danny Ocean played by Clooney) but they are matched against Andy Garcia & Julia Roberts. Steve Soderbergh (Traffic; Sex, Lies & Videotape) directs a masterpiece of action/drama with some of the biggest names in the business.

The mystique of Vegas, the lure of cash and the romance of life make this a film for everyone. Great dialogue, excellent dramatic shots from Soderbergh and incredible acting by the entire cast put most other crime based movies to shame. Andy Garcia makes you hate him, you feel for George Clooney, but you also see the reasoning in Pitt's character and Reiner's performace is great too.

Anyway, if you enjoy the James Bond movies, the Mission Impossible movies, or any other fun action films, you should give Oceans 11 a chance. DO NOT base your viewing of this on the original Sinatra and the Rat Pack film. The only similarities are the ensemble cast, Vegas Casinos, money and the title of the movie. This is not a remake, it is a reinterpretation based loosely on the original script. At least give it one viewing, you may fall in love.

yet another example............
Hollywood has managed in this film to once again show
how really great it is to be a thief.....And they managed to use, in my estimation, the top worst to do it.
Clooney, who always portrays himself in no matter what role he takes...Pitt who walks thru his role like a zombie throwing in one liners to make it interesting???? And let's not forget the token female, Roberts, who I am still trying to figure out how she can be the most beautiful woman in the world, or is it one of the top five in the world? I forget......
The only redeeming thing about this film was the presence of Garcia and maybe the Las Vegas location. I have no plans to see the sequel as I am sure it will be more of the same humdrum
as this turkey was. To me it was just as boring as the original one only an updated version.

mediocre, boring, pathced
1. Difficult to imagine such boring movie with so many stars. The very presence of Julia Roberts only slowed the action, and took precious time from the main action. Her role was schematic and straightforward: could have used some young, beautiful actress instead, and spend less time on her. At the end, it was not clear to me, why did she have to leave Benedict and return to Ocean. Benedict could have said anything he wanted to Ocean to get his money back.

2. Most of the characters remained obscure and flat. I had to watch it 2 times in a raw to just figure out their faces, but I still have no clue what was their crucial point in the action. Compare to "Sneakers" for example, where all characters were vivid and exactly on their places.

3. Il-logical sequence. Why not use larger O2 cylinder for the chinese guy (what was his name?) and have more time for surprises? Why did they need to introduce the explosives with a trunk and bother with "dying" of the Soul Blum/Zorga, why not simply put them in the container with the chinese fellow? When climbing down the elevator well, where was the elevator cell???
If it was UP, how did they got under it?

4. How easy was to steel the "pinch"!!! Just went there and got it! I want a pinch also. But, even if the pinch did black-out the whole city, how come the electricity came back so soon??? The EM pulse destroys fuses and inegrated circuits. The whole casion going completely black? Highly improbable: This is 21 century, USA guys. Safety comes first: Every public and comercial building has a few light bulbs that never go out. Just for cases like this. Same for the motion detectors in the elevator well: they should be UPS-ed. Unlike the batteries in the remote control triger of Brad Pitt.

5. Illogical: How did they get the porno-adds INSIDE the vault? There were 6 big bags of them, the ones that got blown-up at the end?

6. Who needed to show that a whole minivan can be driven from a distance by a remote control? Why give the terorists (and bank robbers wannabe) ideas they can use literally tomorrow???

All made-up from bits and pieces, turned out into a poorly connected patched movie. Boring and un-impressing.

I wasn't impressed.....
I heard great things about this movie, and it did very well at the box office, but it really wasn't that good. it was definitely confusing. Also, I didn't like how it only had one robbery. In movies like Bandits (which you should go see) there are several robberies. Also, there wasn't much character development. I reccoment Bandits instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nicolas Cage once acted in a notably sexy and atmospheric New Orleans movie called Zandalee, so nostalgia may have recommended Sonny as a directorial debut project.The handsome young title character (James Franco) returns to his bordello-district home after Army service, wanting only to lead a normal life, work in a bookstore, meet a nice girl, and settle down.Sonny spent his pre-Army years expertly pleasuring well-to-do ladies, having been taught "everything he knows"--as we are oft reminded--by his own mother (Brenda Blethyn in sub-Tennessee Williams rampage).After discovering that "normal" people can be as fallible as lowlifes, our boy reluctantly resumes his former trade, with dispiriting results.Not half as dispiriting, though, asCage's maiden directing effort.Marginal compensation is supplied by Harry Dean Stanton, sweetly weary as an old family friend, and the copiously zaftig Brenda Vaccaro (cf. Midnight Cowboy) as a once and future client. Cage himself turns up as a poodle-toting pimp named Acid Yellow.--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (12)