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Happy Gilmore
Adam Sandler fans are sure to enjoy this no-brainer comedy, but everyone else is strongly advised to proceed with caution. Before scoring a more enjoyable hit with his 1998 comedy The Wedding Singer, the former Saturday Night Live goofball played Happy Gilmore, a hot-tempered guy whose dreams of hockey stardom elude him. But when he discovers his gift for driving golf balls hundreds of yards, he joins a pro tour to win the prize money needed to rescue his beloved grandma's home from IRS repossession. The trouble is, Happy's not so happy. He's got a temper that frequently flares on the golf course (he even dukes it out with celebrity golfer Bob Barker), but a retired golf pro (Carl Weathers) and a compassionate publicist (Julie Bowen) help him to perfect his putting game and adjust his confrontational attitude. How much you enjoy this lunacy depends on your tolerance for Sandler's loudmouthed schtick and a shocking number of blatant product-placement endorsements, but if you're looking for broad comedy you've come to the right teeoff spot. --Jeff Shannon
Billy Madison
For Adam Sandler fans only, this dopey comedy features the former Saturday Night Live star as an overindulged rich guy whose father insists he repeat grades 1 through 12 before taking over the family business. The scenario is perfect for Sandler's infantile leanings (which he has fortunately outgrown in more recent movies), and for the most part the jokes about being too old and too big for the experiment are obvious. Chris Farley and Steve Buscemi turn up in uncredited cameo appearances, but otherwise the film is pretty dismissible, except for those diehards who can't get enough of Sandler. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Awesome Flicks! Buy Them!
These are quite possibly the two greatest Adam Sandler movies ever released. His new movies of of no comparison to the great comical humor of both Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. Now, I haven't seen the deleted scenes supposed to be placed only in this set for these two movies, but they should be great. If Billy Madison has the "kickball scene" found only on the TV edit of Billy Madison you are already getting your money's worth. My advice - buy them (you WILL NOT regret it). ... Read more

Amazon.com

This action-comedy from 1990 makes the critical mistake of trying to mix a potentially suspenseful plot with the kind of humor that Mel Gibson can only get away with in his Lethal Weapon movies. It doesn't work here because the movie's supposed to be a Hitchcockian thriller and Mel's wisecracking--not to mention some implausible plot twists and ridiculous chase scenes--makes it impossible to take any of this movie seriously. It works best as a lightweight vehicle for Gibson and Goldie Hawn, who bring their own established appeal to their roles as old lovers who are reunited under unexpectedly dangerous circumstances. After testifying against some drug-running killers, Mel's been safe under the protection of the FBI's witness relocation program, and Goldie coincidentally enters his life again just as the bad guys are hot on Mel's trail. They join up and go on the run from the villains and ... well, let's just say director John Badham doesn't have any big surprises up his sleeve. Goldie and Mel are enjoyable, as always, but you'd have to be their biggest fan to watch this movie more than once. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Bird On A Wire Review
I think that Bird on A Wire was a brilliant movie because the Writers and Producers brought 2 wonderful actors together to make the stunning movie it is. With the comedy of Goldie Honking the BMW Horn and driving crazy to the suspense of the story of her old boyfriend Rick(Mel Gibson) who was supposed to have gotten killed years and years before.
This movie is one of my family's favorites and they have rented it and watched it more than 8 times! I think that Bird on A Wire is very good Classic and even though it was made in 1990 it is still a huge hit for the young and old.
In fact if you can I would say first before buying it you should rent it at your local movie renting store and watching it before buying it so you can see just how funny, suspenseful and Story-packed this movie is.
I rate this movie FIVE STARS because of this great combination to make this movie the most undescribable and fun movie in years that I have seen as a 'Classic'.

A GREAT COMIC PAIRING!
Superstars Mel Gibson and the loveable Goldie Hawn star in this enjoyable, action-comedy. The plot is somewhat convoluted but the general story is that Rick (Gibson) is hiding under the FBI witness re-location program but he gets nervous when an old flame, Marianne (Hawn) recognises him. Before he can assume a new identity, the man he put in jail (David Carradine) is released and comes to pay his respects. Rick and Marianne find themselves reunited when they are thrown into a cross country, action packed adventure, avoiding gangsters, police and an amorous veterinarian, played by Joan Severance. There is nothing short of great chemistry between the two leading players, even if there roles are quite typical of roles they have both played in other films. Never the less this film holds many laughs and good points and the unforgetable climax in an elaborate zoo exhibit is where the film really scores best.

Mel and Goldie are sexy, but they are wasted in this film
At some point my wife and I had the conversation where you talk about who is sexiest person in movies. She named Mel Gibson and I named Goldie Hawn. After she did the expected double take, I pointed out that Mel and Goldie had done a movie together, "Bird on a Wire," that neither one of us liked. This 1990 film clearly wanted to be a Hitchcock film, but with a broader sense of humor that the master of suspense ever evidenced in any of his masterpieces. Director John Badham clearly settled on a particular voice in this film, and it was just the wrong one.

Gibson is Rick Jarmin, who is in the Federal Witness Protection program because he testified against some government narcs 15 years earlier and they are still looking for him. Now he is working in a gas station in Detroit. Hawn is Marianne Graves, a New York lawyer, who drives into the gas station and recognizes him. He does it, but she knows better, and when she returns to confront him she arrives just in time to save him from being killed by a couple of thugs. It turns out that 15 years ago they were dating each other and then he suddenly disappeared. In "North By Northwest" Cary Grant's life is detoured because he calls out to a boy with a message; in "Bird on a Wire" the we get hammered with two giant coincidences, one on top of another. So much for the subtlety of the master.

Besides, "Bird on a Wire" now turns into something of a slapstick comedy, full of stunts not to try at home. I know the obvious comparison at this point is to Mel Gibson's "Lethal Weapon" films, but there are more similarities to Hawn's "Foul Play." David Carradine is the bad guy who is gunning for Mel and Goldie, since she insists on tagging along. I am not sure why Hawn's character is a lawyer because you keep waiting for it to really matter in this film and it never happens. I would not mind Goldie slipping into her patented bimbo in distress role if they had not made a point of her being a lawyer in the first place. But then the opening sequences of "Bird on a Wire" are completely at odds with the rest of the film. Goldie Hawn is still at the top of my list, but despite this movie, not because of it.

It is a watchable movie
When this was out critics bashed this movie had very few nice things to say about Bird on a wire. The truth is the critics are wrong Bird on a wire is full of action and funny too. I like it how they paired up Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn for this movie Mel Gibson acts exactly like he does in Lethal Weapon. I never get what the critics are talking about the movie is funny and never is there a dull moment and the stunts are funny. It is sure worth buying or at least renting.

Mel going after Jack Burtons Wife.
I enjoyed this movie a lot more than the critics. Maybe because I love goldie and mel, both of whom have been known to sign autographs for fans. ... Read more

Description

Sidney Poitier, one of film's most distinguished and acclaimed actors, returns to the screen after a decade-long absence in this must-see, action-filled thriller. When a cunning murderer vanishes into the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, pursuing FBI agent Warren Stantin (Poitier) must exchange familiar city streets for unknown wilderness trails. Completely out of his element, Stantin is forced to enlist the aid of expert tracker Jonathan Knox (PLATOON'S Tom Berenger). It's a turbulent yet vital relationship they must maintain in order to survive ... and one that becomes increasingly desperate when Knox's girlfriend Sarah (Kirstie Alley) becomes the killer's latest hostage. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A nifty outdoors action thriller
"Shoot to Kill" is a solid action adventure that stars Sidney Poitier who makes his return to the screen after a 10 year absence as a determined FBI detective on the trail of a killer who has murdered a hostage and a fisherman and makes for the Canadian border. No longer a young man, Poitier's Warren Stantin has all he can do to keep up with his trail guide Jonathan Knox [Tom Berenger] who guides him through treacherous mountain terrain in pursuit of this calculating killing machine who has seized another hostage, Knox' girlfriend, and forces her to guide him through rugged country to British Columbia. The film's scenery is beautiful and offers fetching views of the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and makes subtle parallels to 1972's "Deliverance" during the search for the killer and a party of hikers. The resentment between Agent Stantin and mountain man Knox, thick and palpable at first, later thaws and both men come to respect each other. Kirstie Alley's gritty Sarah keeps her captor on his toes during her unwilling mountain hike. The DVD release is in beautiful color in the widescreen format and the sound is excellent.

Great story and excellent acting
This is the first movie I saw Sidney Poitier in, and I have to say he did an excellent job.

The main characters are Sidney Poitier as an FBI agent out to catch a serial killer, Tom Berenger as a mountain man who lives in the woods, and his girlfriend Kirstie Alley who is giving a bunch of men a guided tour through the wilderness.

Some other well known actors are in the movie, but those three play the more dominant role.

I won't give away any scenes to spoil it, but I will say that the movie starts out in the city and quickly heads to the wilderness where the majority of the movie takes place. It only heads back to the city at the end.

This is one of the best suspense movies I have ever seen. You don't see the killer through most of the movie. Even once he is shown, there are so many other actors on screen as well that you don't know which one he is.

Suffice to say, excellent movie and terrific acting! Once the movie kicks into high gear, you won't leave your seat.

The killer has an unusual trademark he does to all his victims after he kills them. You will see what I mean. The ending is very good and very well thought out. Not too many criminals would do some of the things this killer does to avoid being seen or caught.

If you like suspense, definitely check this out! You can't go wrong with Shoot To Kill!

RIVETING ACTION ADVENTURE IN THE WILDERNESS
A rare action movie that manages to rise above its formula, Shoot to Kill delivers mystery, exciting action, and beautiful cinematography.

Tom Berenger has done many action/thriller movies, but Sidney Poitier steps out for a change of pace in this movie. Its formula is "double-fish-out-of-water buddy picture", and it stays pretty close to the formula throughout the movie.

Poitier plays an FBI agent who blew an arrest and wound up with a dead civilian, and has tracked the (unseen) thief/killer into the Pacific Northwest. Berenger plays a tracker, whose girlfriend runs a trail guide business. The girlfriend (Kirstie Alley in an outdoor role!) has taken her latest group of travelers out into the woods, and Poitier believes that the killer is among them. If that's not bad enough, a deadly storm looks like it's coming on.

The real fun in this movie is in the first half, where you see all of the men in Kirstie Alley's group. All of them are recognizable character actors, and most of them have played villains in other movies before. So which one of them is the killer? I guessed wrong the first time.

Unfortunately, this gets revealed about halfway through, and the movie returns to the formula. However, the excellent performances and lush cinematography elevate it beyond the norm. I thought Poitier did a great job as the city-based FBI agent, and Alley was surprisingly good as the trail guide.

Definitely worth a watch. Or two.

One of my all-time favorite movies!
This is a GREAT movie. I hate gory movies - this wasn't gory. The first time I saw "Shoot to Kill" I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. For the first part of the movie you don't even see the killer's face, so when you finally DO see him in a group of other men, you don't know which one's the bad guy. And just when I thought I had it figured out -- bam! -- it turned out to be someone else! Even after knowing which guy is the bad guy, you can't sit back and relax... it's still so suspenseful as to what's going to happen next, both when the killer is in the scene as well as when the scene revolves around Sidney Poitier and Tom Berenger. The location of the film is beautiful, too. I can't say enough good things about this movie -- it's simply terrific, and if you haven't seen it -- you should!! I was so disappointed that the DVD wasn't released when planned, because we'd been waiting a long time... I'm happy that we finally got it on DVD!

TERRIFIC MOVIE - BUT WHERE'S THE DVD?
I absolutely adore this movie! I have been waiting forever for it to come out, then got notified that it was, then it wasnt. What's happening? This is a cast of greats who were very well cast. The movie is suspenseful, has breathtaking scenery, great acting....but.....it's worth seeing the film just for the bear scene and the moose scene! (won't spoil it anymore than that!) Now PLEASE bring out the DVD so we can purchase it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It may not be a great movie, but Bliss could be one of the greatest marriage-boosters ever filmed. This curious drama fits into the too-familiar form of the "therapy movie," but it's acted with intensity by a committed (and rather brave) trio. Craig Sheffer plays an uptight Seattle husband who discovers his neurotic wife (Sheryl Lee) visiting a radical doctor (Terence Stamp) who has sex--therapeutically--with his patients. After briefly flipping out, Sheffer finds himself buying into the doctor's remedies for a sexual and emotional make-over. The silky-smooth Stamp is perfectly cast: with his enthusiasm for chakras and fine cigars, the doctor is both spiritual guru and the kind of man who reads Playboy. The film veers into ridiculousness at times, yet there is something intriguing about its how-to frankness. Home viewers may find themselves embarrassed and maybe just a little bit liberated. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (33)

The Spiritual/Religious Side of the Movie
Many of the reviews posted here and elsewhere on the 'net talk about the wonderful cinematography and the open way in which sex and abuse are explored in "Bliss". There are some interesting coincidences that have been completely missed simply because the movie deals so openly with sex - which covers all the religious implications. First, our main characters are Joseph and "Maria" - isn't there another famous couple named Joseph and Mary? Our hero Joseph is a construction manager...a modern day carpenter. Both Joseph and Maria go to see a man named Balthazar...who, together with Melchior and Casper in the bible, make up the three wise men.
It's a fascinating juxtaposition - the wise man, Balthazar, teaches Joseph, presumably christian, tantric sex, which comes from the Hindu/Indian religious traditions.
I suspect that Young intended for his audience to see the sexual healing process that a young married couple has to go through. Indeed, that's what most people *will* see. Fewer people will think about the comments he makes on the relationship between Joseph and Mary/Maria. How would a couple like Joseph and Mary be treated in today's society?
Perhaps another message in this film is that bliss is difficult to achieve within the confines of christianity. Young handles this issue so well that you won't even realize that it's happened until it's all over.

One of the best movies I've seen!
I'm not sure what I expected when I rented this film. I had never heard of it before, and the only reason I had for renting was the praise from Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on the front of the box. The movie starts off at a chaotic pace, but then begins to develop a rhythm, which I take to be part of its message. It's an amazing movie: One of my all-time favorites. I couldn't believe how utterly absorbing this movie was. It's funny, romantic, exotic, touching, and even tragic when it is learned that one of the characters has suffered from severe sexual abuse. Terence Stamp gives a performance that should've won him an Oscar. He's fantastic, and the two leads, Sheffer and Lee are also terrific. The movie is an experience unlike any I've had before, watching a film. I couldn't take my eyes off it. I hadn't been so into a movie since the first time I saw "American Beauty." This movie isn't for the faint of heart, though, I must warn you. It isn't so much explicit about the topic of sex as it is blunt and straight forward. Amazing...

Really enjoyed this.
Learned a lot from this. It has peaked my interest and educated me in the different realms of love (both physically and spiritually). The movie was beautifully done. The actors did a great job, even though some of the lines/acting were a bit cheesy (but not a lot), and I didn't let that affect my enjoying the movie. Great cinematography. This truly is one of those movies where if you watch it with an open mind, you find that less is more. There was no lengthy dialogue and I liked that. But what was said was concise and on the mark. Simple.

Thanks to the one reviewer who addressed the "Joseph/Mary/wise man" connection; this was very important to note, as in my opinion their future child would definitely be a product of a great love (hence, a savior, metaphorically speaking). Joseph began showing signs of his "saving" grace with the advice he begins to give to complete strangers/friends. This movie is about sacrifice and how beneficial it can be even when we assume we are suffering for a lost cause.

Many thanks to the "men" who posted positive remarks on the issues addressed in this movie. I thought the celibacy/"in"jaculation issue was intriguing.
Note: What you can't control, controls YOU.

If more couples were truly dedicated to their relationships and interested in seeking out the higher levels of love, like Maria and Joseph were in this movie, the world would be a much better place (bliss) and we could all begin to find a little peace (bliss) in releasing ourselves to the Highest Power. Everything is about education. No matter which path you are on, you can always learn more; there are levels of EVERYTHING, including love. If you are looking for something more, this may set you on that path; if you are not, then this won't. Anyways......., enjoy. ;-)

Facts & Comments,
1. Extremely fascinating to watch.

2. Excellent video throughout.

3. Offers a look into the psyche of a man learning about himself and own needs as oppose to everyone elses.

Intense emotional reactions followed by self-realization and drama. This is definitely worth viewing. (saw it on cable television & will buy).

Brilliant work of art
This film is truly brilliant. I never understood why it didn`t attract viewers some more -- maybe because they expected to see hot scenes and instead they got a serios film that deals with the effects of incest and love. "Bliss" was cut before release to get a miserable "R" rating.
But the film's impact stays the same, I hope. I recommend this film to everyone mature enough to appreciate a work of art. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Adam Sandler fans are sure to enjoy this no-brainer comedy, but everyone else is strongly advised to proceed with caution. Before scoring a more enjoyable hit with his 1998 comedy The Wedding Singer, the former Saturday Night Live goofball played Happy Gilmore, a hot-tempered guy whose dreams of hockey stardom elude him. But when he discovers his gift for driving golf balls hundreds of yards, he joins a pro tour to win the prize money needed to rescue his beloved grandma's home from IRS repossession. The trouble is, Happy's not so happy. He's got a temper that frequently flares on the golf course (he even dukes it out with celebrity golfer Bob Barker), but a retired golf pro (Carl Weathers) and a compassionate publicist (Julie Bowen) help him to perfect his putting game and adjust his confrontational attitude. How much you enjoy this lunacy depends on your tolerance for Sandler's loudmouthed schtick and a shocking number of blatant product-placement endorsements, but if you're looking for broad comedy you've come to the right teeoff spot. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (206)

I don't think your lungs can handle this kind of laughter...
You're looking for a comedy on DVD. Let's see...

You don't want any comedy that's too sophisticated, like "Deconstructing Harry".

You don't want any comedy that's too insane, like "There's Something About Mary".

You JUST want to laugh.

I'm proud to say "Happy Gilmore" will make you scream with laughter, my friend. This is Adam Sandler's platinum hit, the best comedy of his career. It has the coveted Amazon.com five-star customer rating, a rare find indeed for the comedy lover, and reviewers call it "the best golf comedy since 'Caddyshack'". The movie stars Adam Sandler (Bulletproof, The Wedding Singer, Billy Madison) as Happy Gilmore, a short-fused hockey player who just realized he AGAIN didn't make the cut for his hockey team for the 10th time in a row. After taking out his raging anger on the coach, he life begins to spiral downwards when his girlfriend leaves him, and he realizes his grandmother's prized house built by his grandfather's bare hands if about to be seized by the IRS in 90 days due to her failure to pay taxes in over a decade. But when he discovers his monster hockey slapshot equals one hell of a talent in golf, he is talked into playing golf by a local retired golfer, Chubbs Peterson, for the money to reclaim his grandma's house. But not only is Happy not ready for golf, but the president of the Pro Tour, Doug Thompson, doesn't think golf is ready for Happy! Even his future golf enemy, Shooter McGavin, thinks he's making a mockery of golf with his very bad temper and his rambunctious behavior. But Happy is a hit with fans, so he's weaved himself through the loophole...for now. For a shining moment he's riding on Cloud 9-iron, but Shooter McGavin, and the accidental death of his beloved mentor Chubbs, are threatening to take away not only his grandmother's house, but his dream as well, and it's not just about his grandma's house anymore...it's about triumph.

So, if you love simple comedy, get Happy Gilmore on DVD. You'll fall down laughing....guaranteed!

Happy Gilmore
The movie Happy Gilmore is the funniest laugh-out loud golf comedy since Caddy Shack. From the very first scene to the last, Adam Sandler and his cast will keep you in stiches and gasping for a breath. Unlike other of his comedies, Adama Sandler is not the only one delivering the laughs. A cast, who isn't that famous yet, but hilarious and meant for each role that they play accompany Sandler. The movie follows the entertaining career change of Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) who goes from being a brutal hockey player to a golf sensation. After finding out that his grandma has lost her house as the result of not paying her taxes, Happy vows to get the house back. After being cut from the local hockey team, Happy is discovered by an old golf pro, Chubs Peterson. He tells Happy that he has the potential to make a large sum of money playing golf. A light bulb goes off in Gilmore's head and he decides to put his hockey career on hold for a while to pursue this idea of becoming a golfer and thereby raising the money to get his grandma's house back. After winning a local tournament Gilmore makes the pro tour and is ready to start making money. His journey through the tour takes many comedic ups and downs as he battles with the villian of the movie, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald). Shooter will do anything to prevent Happy Gilmore from succeeding. This movie is a classic and undoubtedly one of the best comedies of all time. There is not a dull moment in the movie and anybody who dosen't laugh at Gilmore's antics on the course must surely have no sense of humour. There is no stop to the endless number of sidesplitting actors in this movie. Even when Adam Sandler is not in the scene, Christopher McDonald amuses you with his arrogant yet comical style and the cameo by Bob Barker is icing on the cake. I give the movie five out of five stars and recommend it for anyone who likes to laugh.

A modern-day 'Caddyshack'
This movie will have you grabbing your sides and gasping for air. Adam Sandler plays Happy Gilmore, a lowclass guy trying to win money for his grandma through his newly discovered talent of hitting the ball faaaaaaaaaaar in golf. His putting is horrible though. And like any comedy, there must be a rival. A proffesional golfer who feels Happy is an insult to the Golfing industry tries to keep Happy from winning so that he himself can win.

This movie is like a modern version of Caddyshack, and great for the whole family.

This is a good movie
I was totally unfamiliar with Adam Sandlers work prior to buying this movie and The Wedding Singer. I'd just bought my first DVD player and I wanted movies. I liked the two movies. Then I rented Big Daddy. I thought wow, Adam Sandler makes great movies. Then I rented several other Adam Sandler movies. Which I didn't like at all. I think Happy Gilmore probably steals the distinction of the being best Golf movie from Caddy Shack. Maybe not, but Happy Gilmore is a classic and one of those movies I can watch over and over.

Needs to also Have a Widscreen DVD! Not Just Pan and Scan!!!
Happy Gilmore is a very funny movie and one of my favorite Adam Sandler movies!

One question I have is how come you can watch a trailer for Happy Gilmore on the Billy Madison DVD and the trailer is shown in widescreen but they opted to use the cropped pan and scan format for Happy Gilmore on it's own DVD?

That is my only complaint about this DVD and if a widescreen DVD ever becomes available I will buy it and either sell trade or give away or my pan and scan DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Andy Garcia delivers a good performance in a mediocre film.
After reading the reviews, I was disappointed in the disconnected and formulaic "serial killer" plot, strained dialog, and overwrought supporting characters in this film. The visual direction is effective and moody, but it's not enough to cover the film's narrative flaws. Garcia's performance is tense and involved, but the supporting cast's hysterical reactions and paranioa around this "big city cop" (whose beloved police chief is also from the big city) are bizarre. We are told very little about the other seven victims -- were any of them ever found? Thurman's character is intelligent but clingy and weak -- a dated stereotype -- in a town where the blind live in institutions. We are given little reason for Garcia's attachment to her other than a resemblance to his ex-wife -- a conflicted rationale that's never mentioned again or explored. The most interesting part of the film, in which Garcia explains the killer's life history and motives, is buried under concurrent competing dialog between supporting characters. The final scene, where Thurman and Garcia walk across a grassy hill and whe tells him that she "remembers the color red" has no emotional impact in any significant or relevant way to the rest of the film. Overall, a disappointing film.

SIMPLY AN ENTERTAINING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER.
This film speaks for itself. Superb acting and well directed. A tense tightly scripted psychological thriller. Ex-LA cop Andy Garcia now living in a small town tries to solve a pair of local murders. His only hope is a blind woman who seems to be the key to the serial killer's activities. What is more she may be 'Jennifer Eight' the murderer's codeword for the next victim. This 2 hour film keeps you on the edge of your seat. Fantastic movie, entertaining not to dull although the ending could have been longer. The film finishes very quickly otherwise well worth watching.

Serial killer stalks blind women.
One determined cop sets out to crack the case and instead falls in love with a vulnerable, defenseless, blind woman. As the evidence mounts suspicion falls on the cop as the murderous fiend ! His life begins to fall apart and only he can stop the real mad-man even if it means taking the law into his own hands !

I had a hard time with this one. Mostly because so many of the characters in the film were maladjusted losers. The cops, the killer, the victims. They all blended together for me. It was an average story that the actors couldn't quite improve upon.

Great 'Detective' Film- Somewhat Visionary
'Jennifer 8' has a great cast and takes place in Humboldt County, California- so has some impressive scenery. The plot comes together like a finely slow cooked turkey (or potato), where at first you just get little whiffs of the magnum opus the dish is to become. The film is somewhat visionary in how it sculpts itself around magic north woods moments- the lone blind girl playing her viola before the window under the natural light; the lovers listening to 'silent night' on a quiet, north coast twilight eve; the initial drive through the redwoods; the final shots in the meadow- all these things help to capture that mystical attraction of the Humboldt region, all the while telling a very dramatic story of murder, courage, and love. A very different film that I would recommended.

Breathless, Sightless, Dead
Writer/Director Bruce Robinson, best known for his cult hit "Withnail & I", has crafted a creditable little thriller in "Jennifer 8". It gets all the technical elements right, features some fine work from its actors, and does its best to screw around with the genre. But it rarely adds up to anything more than the sum of its parts.

One of the strengths of Robinson's script is the stylish and effective dialogue he gives to his police officers. Most of the best bits come from the mouth of Sergeant Ross, like when he tells his wife he can't stay for dinner because it's "Friday night at City Hall... I've got a chance to frighten the fat." He's talking about securing a confession from a suspect, but it hardly matters, doesn't it? "Where are the ladies?" asks Sergeant Berlin, before a party. "Putting on the warpaint," comes Ross' reply. My favourite line, and probably the film's most ostentatious, is this little nugget which falls from the mouth of a visiting FBI investigator: "You're confused... you don't know if Tuesdays come in twos or happen once a week." It's the kind of raw poetry that Quentin Tarantino specializes in (or at least has learned to crib from Elmore Leonard).

Andy Garcia carries the movie on his shoulders. His John Berlin (quite the pregnant name, as the film was released three years to the month after The Wall came down; are John's walls ready to crumble too? Stay tuned...) is a rather complex man, burdened by a shady past that is slowly alluded to, but never fully explained ("I feel like I said sorry on every street in [Los Angeles]," is the closest he comes to an explanation). Berlin is a model of patience and intuition (although I didn't buy the one moment of inspiration that lead him to his key witness; it's a "movie moment" that takes away from the reality Robinson is trying to inject into the film), quiet and reserved for most of the film, but prone to fits of rage when pushed. It's almost like Garcia, fresh off of working with Al Pacino, was modeling his character on that actor's work as Michael Corleone in the first two "Godfather" films. That's high praise, indeed, but Garcia's work here deserves it.

Uma Thurman plays Helena Robertson, "the worst witness [Berlin's] ever had," a blind music teacher who may be the only witness able to identify the man that killed 'Jennifer'. And what fates do "only witnesses" usually have in suspense films? They're the next victim, of course! Which gives Berlin a great excuse to stay close Helena, and fall in love with her. Thurman here really only has two jobs: to look adorable and play blind credibly. The first, of course, she does with ease. I've always thought of Thurman as kind of a female-version of Keanu Reeves: she's at her best when not saying much, and letting her physicality and obvious screen presence carry much of the load. Which she gets to do here. As for that second job, portraying Helena's blindness, Thurman achieves some semblance of credibility there. Affecting a dead-eyed look, you believe her as a blind girl, albeit one with startling mobility.

Lance Henriksen does what Lance Henriksen does best: he makes a rugged, [angry], misanthropic and misogynistic cop, constantly stuck in fourth gear, come across as rather likable. In his hands, with that map of the world face and baritone voice, Sergeant Freddy Ross is almost endearing. He's a big fish in a small pond, the kind of small town man who would name his boat "Duke" and not think twice about vocally ogling the... of the local waitresses. He and Garcia have kind of an oil-and-water relationship, but Henriksen's over-the-top showiness meshes perfectly with Garcia's solemnity.

The one way in which the film doesn't play fair with its audience is in listing John Malkovich's name in the opening credits, and then making us wait eighty-minutes before the man shows up. But when he does, that distinctive whisper of a voice is heard before the face appears, it's vintage Malk.

He plays an FBI investigator named St. Anne, who locks horns with Berlin in several lengthy scenes. Watching Garcia match wits with Malk is a real treat, the latter man's cool and whimsical aura offering a perfect counterpoint to the former's repressed fire. In Malk's hands, St. Anne has seen it all, giving himself leeway to toy with Berlin, trying to catch him in verbal traps and constantly rolling his eyes. But, like Garcia, Malk is able to let his instrument loose, erupting in violent outbursts periodically, which show the character's true power. And in a silly bit of business, Malk, for some reason, chooses to play the latter half of his scenes with a rather comic stuffed nose.

Being an avid fan of the serial killer genre, I was looking forward to finally seeing "Jennifer 8". It lived up to my expectations, mostly, but for some reason I just couldn't fully give my heart to it. I liked it well enough, but it never gave me the visceral thrill I was hoping for. I suspect the reason for this is that this kind of story has been done many times before, often with much more verve and wit and fun. Seen in the shadows of the heavyweights of its genre, "Jennifer 8" is a workmanlike effort, sure to give a modicum of thrills. I recommend it on an intellectual level, but have my doubts about its effectiveness on an emotional one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A very credible entry in the Hellraiser series, Hellraiser: Hellseeker presents a nifty puzzle for gore fans, plus plenty of philosophical musings from the ineffable Pinhead ("Personally, I prefer pain"). A smoldering Dean Winters plays a man who survives a car accident in which his wife was apparently killed; because of a head injury, his memory is mixed up, and he can't distinguish between reality and fantasy. The borrowings from Memento are obvious, and the fragmented story pieces may not all fit together, but the mystery does become tantalizing. Within the low-budget constraints, veteran cinematographer Rick Bota (making his directing debut) keeps the atmosphere clipped and gloomy. The film also brings back Ashley Laurence, who appeared in the original installments of Clive Barker's franchise. One question: with Pinhead in the house, is visiting an acupuncturist really a good idea? --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (84)

"Welcome to the worst nightmare of all...reality"
The Hellraiser franchise holds a special place in my heart. I will never forget the first time I saw the opening chapter in the series of films inspired by Clive Barker's nightmarish visions. Watching the original "Hellraiser" now is a mixed bag-some of those special effects look a bit hokey, but others still come across as chillingly effective. Who can forget the glistening visage of Uncle Frank? The lascivious Julia? Or the first appearance of the ominous and verbose Pinhead? The second installment improved on the first, as the film whisked the viewer away to the abode of Pinhead and the Cenobites. A gruesome, perverse picture, "Hellbound: Hellraiser 2" raised the expectations about future entries to a fever pitch. Up next came "Hellraiser 3," a personal favorite of mine even though legions of fans have subsequently disowned it. The series moved into the latter stages of its life from this point forward, taking bold steps in an attempt to expand far beyond anything that viewers had come to expect. "Hellraiser: Bloodline" moved the action into the future while simultaneously looking at the past in an effort to tell the history of the Lament Configuration, the box that unleashes Pinhead and his infernal minions. Then came "Hellraiser: Inferno," a film that toyed with concepts of memory in a way that is a sort of precursor to "Hellraiser: Hellseeker."

The sixth entry in the indomitable "Hellraiser" franchise employs techniques eerily reminiscent of films like "Irreversible" and "Memento" without showing scenes backwards. Trevor Gooden (Dean Winters) and his main squeeze Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) aren't getting along that well. They argue incessantly about the things a couple always argues about, but unfortunately they do so while driving a car. When tempers flare Gooden takes his eyes off the road long enough for the car to do a header off a bridge into deep water. The story picks up from this point forward, following Trevor as he recovers from injuries sustained in the accident. Sadly, good old Kirsty didn't make it through the crash, and now Gooden faces questions from the police. The two detectives who question Trevor try and use the old good cop/bad cop routine to extract a confession from the man. Gooden has no idea why the police are voicing suspicions about the accident since he had no reason to try and harm his loved one. The ongoing investigation is a minor inconvenience anyway because Trevor Gooden feels bad physically and emotionally. He suffers from crushing headaches and other ailments as a result of the crash, although the doctors seem to think he shouldn't have any problems.

Then the hallucinations start, frightening visions of gory violence and weird apparitions that leave Gooden feeling confused and alone. His encounter with a cute neighbor in his apartment building leads to a murder he knows nothing about. In come the cops again, asking increasingly ominous questions about what Trevor knows. Everything is turning weird, with time skewing off into past, present, and future directions. Gooden worries he's losing his mind, and he's right. What he should have asked himself was to whom would his mind go. Fans of the "Hellraiser" movies already have a good idea who's going to turn up in the end to claim Trevor Gooden. Yep, it's Pinhead, that urbane, witty denizen of Hell who always finds time to pop up on earth to lecture the mortals on the evils of bad living. It turns out that that accident might not have occurred the way we thought it did, that maybe Trevor isn't the aw shucks sort of guy we thought he was. 'Tis a pity when a good seed goes bad. Or does it? I won't spoil the shock conclusion for you, but "Hellraiser: Hellseeker" holds its cards tightly to its vest. The film is a roller coaster ride that doesn't let the secret out until the final frames.

Director Rick Bota did a good job crafting yet another entertaining "Hellraiser" sequel. He imbues his film with a stark, washed out atmosphere that more than adequately expresses the bleakness Trevor Gooden feels after the accident. Bota also knows that a movie wishing to attach itself to the Pinhead canon must have a vicious bite in terms of gory violence. A whole host of sharp objects express themselves in various ways in the film, much to the delight of gorehounds looking for yet another movie to tease the palate. Even the acting is better than you would expect for a low budget straight to video horror flick. Ashley Laurence, returning to the role that made her semi-famous in the horror world, does a better job acting the seminal part of Kirsty Cotton than she did in the first two films. She might be a bit older, but she's still easy on the eyes. The only downfall to Laurence's appearance is that she doesn't have more than a few scenes. Pity. The director should have made greater use of this actress. Moreover, Doug Bradley as Pinhead once again appears only briefly, a big disappointment to fans of the man with the face of a million nightmares.

The DVD edition is quite good for a straight to video movie. You get a commentary from Rick Bota, a special effects featurette, alternate scenes that give Ashley Laurence greater screen time, and a bunch of trailers for films like "Imposter," "Backflash," and "Hellraiser: Inferno." This sixth installment is the last of the "Hellraiser" films that have been released; two more are slated for release within the next year and a half. I hope they give us more Pinhead and more over the top gore. I think I will go back and start watching the series from the start again. You should, too.

again not really hellraiser
this one is even less like hellraiser, maybe the filmakers are running out of ideas but, it's like the fifth one.
it's basically another detective story but a slightly more boring one that just keeps repeating itself.

five reasons why this is a disappointing film

1.it's a repeat of hellraiser inferno
2.it keeps repeating itself
3.it's slow and boring
4.it's not really hellraiser(again)
5.why does it have pinhead on the front cover if he's hardly in it?

thats like the fifth one you expect him to be in it for a bit longer than he is, ok so he has a bit of a longer part in this one but it still is too short.
the real main character isnt a very good actor so thats something else that is disappointing.
and one more thing, why does the box keep ending up with Kirsty Cotten for no reason?

Excellent Entry in the Hellraiser Canon
HELLRAISER: HELLSEEKER, the sixth installment in the Hellraiser series, is a fine, taut chiller, handled masterfully by first-time director Rick Bota (cinematographer on DEMON KNIGHT, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and VALENTINE and director of the upcoming Hellraiser sequels DEADER and HELLWORLD). This is a nail-biter, especially for newcomers to the series, who will no doubt love this 90-minute amalgam of murder mystery and nightmarish gore pic. Hellraiser faithfuls, however, may be a bit off-put by the similarities to its predecessor, HELLRAISER: INFERNO (still the finest sequel the series has seen).

INFERNO aside, there's still plenty for the horror film buff to love in HELLSEEKER. Bota provides incredibly claustrophic framing throughout, so the viewer can never quite see over protagonist Dean Winters' shoulder. Additionally, the film is very well-lit with hospital neon greens and police station blues adding intensity to the dizzying nightmare. Bota's cinematography experience serves him well and what HELLSEEKER lacks in originality is more than made up for in pure atmosphere.

And then there's the return of Kirsty. Series followers were no doubt hoping for a Kirsty/Pinhead showdown, but that's nowhere to be found in HELLSEEKER. Doug Bradley's Pinhead keeps scarce (a la INFERNO) as does Kirsty, both simply popping in and out when twists and/or exposition are called for. While this does come as a sort of letdown, it ultimately provides an interesting direction for Kirsty as a new antihero and leaves the series wide open for the future sequels. Still, it was nice to see the series reconnected to its origins. This reviewer was pleased to hear a few references to Uncle Frank throughout the film (and was that a quick cameo by Kirsty's flayed father in the basement of the police station?!?)

All in all, HELLSEEKER is an admirable - and extremely enjoyable - entry into the Hellraiser series. While the hardcore fan can tell early on that this is INFERNO redux, that's still not necessarily a bad thing. For those of us still reeling from BLOODLINE and HELL ON EARTH, it's downright welcome.

The HELLSEEKER DVD looks great and sounds OK. The 5.1 Surround is underused (especially for a fright flick) and poorly utilized when it does come into play. Bota's commentary is again a welcome addition for fans of the series as recent DVDs have been bare bones affairs. Several alternate scenes are also provided. Highly recommended for fans of the series and B-flicks alike.

This direct to DVD is a total waste of time
The Hellraiser series is not a bad series. In fact most of the Hellraiser films are quite good and even the later ones in the series have some merit.

Sadly this one does not because...

(1)Hellraiser and the Cenobytes are in it for about 7 minutes.
(2)The story is ripped directly from Jacob's Ladder and Angel Heart.

It is a TV movie with some interesting production values but just based on points 1 and 2 above I think you have a good idea of where you should keep your money. Don't even bother renting. Maybe next time you see a few seconds of it on the Sci-Fi channel at 4am you will understand how bad this is....

Pleasantly Surprised
I really thought this movie was going to be beyond redemption. I only rented it because I've seen everything in the tiny video store I frequent.

I was surprised that I liked it! No, It was no where near the first ones, not even close, but it wasn't horrible.

I liked the way Kristy was no longer little miss innocent, and if she'd gone through all this in real life it's highly doubtful she would still be snow white anyway. I also liked the way the main character's story was told through hallucinations and dream like sequences. I especially liked the way things were neatly wrapped up at the end. I especially liked the female coroner's part.

The visuals were very attractive and the story was good if a little predictable.

The bottom line is that this film was enjoyable. It was not great art or story telling, but if you run out of great movies a good one is better than nothing at all. ... Read more

Description

Well folks, we’re in for a good game tonight as the All Stars play their championship game without their controversial goalie Cathy Yarrow…When newcomer Cathy decides to join the boys’ hockey team, the sporting community is divided.The coach is thrilled with the talented new goalie, but others aren’t as pleased.Challenged by inflexible attitudes and small-town politics, Cathy continues to play with courage, determination and skill until she is cut from the team.With their championship at stake, the other players stand up for what they know is right and become winners by being true to themselves.They know when the game is over, it’s who they are that matters most. ... Read more

Description

When his partner is killed, Jack Reed (Brian Dennehy) is framed for the murder. To avenge his partner’s death and protect his innocence, he must capture the drugged-out killer and unveil the corrupt politicos who hired him.Starring: Brian Dennehy, Susan Ruttan, and Charles Dutton. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Casper Van Dien's smooth, impassive face is well suited to playing a sociopath. He's Tom Turner, a successful stock trader with a sideline in serial murder, dubbed "The Monkey Maker" because he cuts either the eyes, the ears, or the tongue from his victims. Michael Paré (Eddie and the Cruisers) and Jennifer Rubin (The Crush) are two cops on his trail. There's nothing original about Sanctimony--from its dynamic opening credits to its blood-spattered end, it's ripped off from Seven and American Psycho, and it explicitly makes reference to The Silence of the Lambs--and yet, despite its messy plot and cheesy dialogue, there's a rambunctious, nonstop energy that keeps the movie watchable. Maybe it's the aggressive eye-candy editing, the color-saturated lighting, or the constant camera movement; maybe it's the efficiency of the scenes; maybe it's the low-key competence of the acting, but Sanctimony seems like a modern, straight-to-video version of a B movie, a low-budget flick that made up in ingenuity what it lacked in budget. It doesn't have the psychological rigor of a classic film noir, but it moves along solidly and will appeal to thriller fans. Also featuring Eric Roberts (Star 80, The Pope of Greenwich Village) in an unusually straightforward role as a no-nonsense police lieutenant. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (2)

casper does it again
i dunno what it is about casper van dien but i just love him. whenever he's on screen i'm mesmerised! buy it just for him and yes once again he drops his trousers!

What a ripoff
First of all I borrowed the video--no way on earth I'd pay anything for this although it "reads" like it might be interesting. Several points brought up in the IMDB included one particularly on point PULLLEEASE A cop chasing a suspect in a VW Beetle? I am a major fan of Michael Pare. Unfortunately, the more I see of his movies the more I am beginning to believe he is strictly Eddie Wilson from Eddie & The Cruisers. His mannerisms, his way of talking to his wife, his telling a story, ya know what I mean? Even his gestures...all of this has been seen multiple times in other films. As Det. Renaut he is strictly a cardboard character....no more. The only character one can even remotely get a feel for his Renaut's wife. The killer is straight out of American Psycho and there are more than a few references to Silence of the Lambs. I don't really see the relation to Seven, but I'm sure there is one. Sloppy editing, especially in the beginning and a the murderer hanging around in some place so OUT of place for him will certainly arouse suspicion. Right away we are given the murderer and the bumbling way that capture is handled makes it unbelievable. Tied up nicely with a shootout. I am very disappointed in this film and I had hoped that Michael Pare would've developed more character than to star in the same type of role over and over. Very disappointed indeed. DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT WASTE TIME with this film. Sorry. ... Read more

Reviews (206)

I don't think your lungs can handle this kind of laughter...
You're looking for a comedy on DVD. Let's see...

You don't want any comedy that's too sophisticated, like "Deconstructing Harry".

You don't want any comedy that's too insane, like "There's Something About Mary".

You JUST want to laugh.

I'm proud to say "Happy Gilmore" will make you scream with laughter, my friend. This is Adam Sandler's platinum hit, the best comedy of his career. It has the coveted Amazon.com five-star customer rating, a rare find indeed for the comedy lover, and reviewers call it "the best golf comedy since 'Caddyshack'". The movie stars Adam Sandler (Bulletproof, The Wedding Singer, Billy Madison) as Happy Gilmore, a short-fused hockey player who just realized he AGAIN didn't make the cut for his hockey team for the 10th time in a row. After taking out his raging anger on the coach, he life begins to spiral downwards when his girlfriend leaves him, and he realizes his grandmother's prized house built by his grandfather's bare hands if about to be seized by the IRS in 90 days due to her failure to pay taxes in over a decade. But when he discovers his monster hockey slapshot equals one hell of a talent in golf, he is talked into playing golf by a local retired golfer, Chubbs Peterson, for the money to reclaim his grandma's house. But not only is Happy not ready for golf, but the president of the Pro Tour, Doug Thompson, doesn't think golf is ready for Happy! Even his future golf enemy, Shooter McGavin, thinks he's making a mockery of golf with his very bad temper and his rambunctious behavior. But Happy is a hit with fans, so he's weaved himself through the loophole...for now. For a shining moment he's riding on Cloud 9-iron, but Shooter McGavin, and the accidental death of his beloved mentor Chubbs, are threatening to take away not only his grandmother's house, but his dream as well, and it's not just about his grandma's house anymore...it's about triumph.

So, if you love simple comedy, get Happy Gilmore on DVD. You'll fall down laughing....guaranteed!

Happy Gilmore
The movie Happy Gilmore is the funniest laugh-out loud golf comedy since Caddy Shack. From the very first scene to the last, Adam Sandler and his cast will keep you in stiches and gasping for a breath. Unlike other of his comedies, Adama Sandler is not the only one delivering the laughs. A cast, who isn't that famous yet, but hilarious and meant for each role that they play accompany Sandler. The movie follows the entertaining career change of Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) who goes from being a brutal hockey player to a golf sensation. After finding out that his grandma has lost her house as the result of not paying her taxes, Happy vows to get the house back. After being cut from the local hockey team, Happy is discovered by an old golf pro, Chubs Peterson. He tells Happy that he has the potential to make a large sum of money playing golf. A light bulb goes off in Gilmore's head and he decides to put his hockey career on hold for a while to pursue this idea of becoming a golfer and thereby raising the money to get his grandma's house back. After winning a local tournament Gilmore makes the pro tour and is ready to start making money. His journey through the tour takes many comedic ups and downs as he battles with the villian of the movie, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald). Shooter will do anything to prevent Happy Gilmore from succeeding. This movie is a classic and undoubtedly one of the best comedies of all time. There is not a dull moment in the movie and anybody who dosen't laugh at Gilmore's antics on the course must surely have no sense of humour. There is no stop to the endless number of sidesplitting actors in this movie. Even when Adam Sandler is not in the scene, Christopher McDonald amuses you with his arrogant yet comical style and the cameo by Bob Barker is icing on the cake. I give the movie five out of five stars and recommend it for anyone who likes to laugh.

A modern-day 'Caddyshack'
This movie will have you grabbing your sides and gasping for air. Adam Sandler plays Happy Gilmore, a lowclass guy trying to win money for his grandma through his newly discovered talent of hitting the ball faaaaaaaaaaar in golf. His putting is horrible though. And like any comedy, there must be a rival. A proffesional golfer who feels Happy is an insult to the Golfing industry tries to keep Happy from winning so that he himself can win.

This movie is like a modern version of Caddyshack, and great for the whole family.

This is a good movie
I was totally unfamiliar with Adam Sandlers work prior to buying this movie and The Wedding Singer. I'd just bought my first DVD player and I wanted movies. I liked the two movies. Then I rented Big Daddy. I thought wow, Adam Sandler makes great movies. Then I rented several other Adam Sandler movies. Which I didn't like at all. I think Happy Gilmore probably steals the distinction of the being best Golf movie from Caddy Shack. Maybe not, but Happy Gilmore is a classic and one of those movies I can watch over and over.

Needs to also Have a Widscreen DVD! Not Just Pan and Scan!!!
Happy Gilmore is a very funny movie and one of my favorite Adam Sandler movies!

One question I have is how come you can watch a trailer for Happy Gilmore on the Billy Madison DVD and the trailer is shown in widescreen but they opted to use the cropped pan and scan format for Happy Gilmore on it's own DVD?

That is my only complaint about this DVD and if a widescreen DVD ever becomes available I will buy it and either sell trade or give away or my pan and scan DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

"Order in my chaos"...BWAH - HA - HA!!!
Is this horror movie for you? To find out, simply ask yourself these following questions:

1. Do you find the image of wires slowly stretching across a floor to be particularly terrifying?
2. Do you have no problem believing hackers can easily buy viruses off the website named "Hacker Mall"?
3. Do you enjoy "Spice Girls" songs being referenced almost 10 years after they were relevant?
4. Do the words "You've Been Mangled" appearing on a PDA display send chills down your spine?

If you answered "Yes" to any of those questions, then this movie is for you. In fact, if you enjoy movies that are so bad, they're hilarious, then this movie is for you, too!

Here's the "plot" Jo (played by the talented Chelse Swain, who deserved so much better) is an angry teen who is enrolled at Royal Collegiate College! (Did she also go to High School School???). What she's angry about, we're never really sure. So she downloads a virus named "MANGLER 2.0" into the school's high-tech computer system. The virus then uses the computer system to slowly (very slowly) kill off the 5 or 6 people who are still in the school. The virus also falls in love with Jo (no, I'm not joking), because Jo gave "birth" to it... which is kind of an odd statement since Jo didn't create the virus, she only downloaded it from a hacker web site. Will Jo make it out alive??? More importantly, will you stay awake long enough to find out???

Where do I even begin??? How about the fact that almost all of the kills happen off-camera, including the guy who was killed after computer wires wrapped around gardening shears and slowly picked them up... (Yes, you read that correctly) And the ways people die... burned to death by a sprinkler system... jumping up and down on an electric fence yelling "It's safe"... Then there's the various "in-joke" references, like when the Mangler tells an African-American student that the black guy doesn't always die first! That was so clever...back in the late 90's when Scream 2 did the same joke! But it was still better than hearing the Mangler actually say "TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT!" Make it stop...

And how do you make a bad movie into an even worse DVD? How about accidently omit a scene where a major character dies??? Thes a moment where the teens are running in a gym, then the screen goes dark. Next thing you know, they're all outside talking about their murdered friend. At first I thought I had a defective copy, but now I find out other DVDs had the same glitch! HOW DO YOU ACCIDENTALLY OMIT AN ENTIRE SCENE???

The only saving grace is Chelse Swain, who does give an effective performance, despite her character being so unlikeable, and having to say ridiculous lines like "I have to find order in my chaos"! Other than that, all you get is a boring story moving with one-dimensional characters who suffer lame kills (a couple of which are actually seen). Only rent this one if the video store is out of "Plan Nine From Outer Space"!

Don't they have negative stars?!!!!!!!!!
Let me start by saying that 1 star is really being too kind. I can't believe they had the nerve to make a sequel because the first film was bad enough. Some movies just shouldn't have sequels, and this is one of those movies. I couldn't believe how ridiculous this was. I feel so cheated, and I want an hour and a half of my life back.

KING SHOULD SUE
Why Stephen King would even let someone use the title of his short story for this supposed "sequel" is a mystery to me. This movie is so lamebrained and contrived, dull and lifeless, acted by a troupe of pretty awful actors, including the usually dependable Lance Henriksen. Other than Will Sanderson, the rest of the cast is really, really bad...especially the lead character of Jo. The movie seems to exist only to show off some buff bodies and watch them run throughout the building in slow mo; the director also liked using that filming the same shot from minutely different angles, for what purpose, only he can tell. The extras interview this bunch of clowns, and director/writer Michael Wright looks and acts like some high school drama teacher; they also spend time saying how many "weird" things happened during the filming. I certainly wouldn't make the mistake I did and buy this clunker!!!

Worst Episode Ever
To be totally forthcoming, I only watched the first third to half of the film. However, I feel pretty confident that that does not preclude me from saying, with confidence, that this is one of the worst movies in recent memory. Compared to this movie, Jeepers Creepers 2 becomes "Hamlet" and Halloween V becomes Citizen Kane. At least these movies appear to have come from a studio. This film appears to have been made with a camcorder and edited on a home computer--sort of like the Ghost Ship imitator called Ghost Rig (no, I'm not kidding--it's real) and other stuff by that same studio, except actually worse.

Everything that could conceivably be wrong with a movie is wrong with this one. I think they were going for eighties brat-pack-revival horror. However, instead, there is a definite air of community access television/high school television production class project about this movie. The movie is many things, but scary and suspenseful are not among them. The first hour or so of the movie is dedicated to introducing one of the main characters in ways which are completely unnecessary. The premise (and I'm not ruining anything for you, because there isn't anything to ruin) revolves around a disgruntled teen heiress with hacking skills who downloads a virus in order to disrupt the computerized security system of the prep school at which her father has imprisoned her out of general desire to be a troublemaker. The virus then turns out to be murderous, presumably sentient. However, rather than having the computer kill people in ways which one would expect a computer to do so (see: Feardotcom, in which an evil website somehow caused viewers to drop dead after viewing after evil energy from the killing of innocent women was somehow tapped into by a serial killer), wires and garden shears (I *think* that was what they were) and other stuff are actually coming out of the computer to kill people. As Butthead once informed Beavis, "These effects aren't very special."

The acting is atrocious. Not just wooden. Not just melodramatic. Atrocious. We have actors stumbling over their lines in scenes that should have been reshot, and I seriously think the school headmaster character, for one, was actually reading his dialogue from a prompter given his complete lack of intonation.

If this happens to come on HBO or something, watch it for about ten minutes, if you can withstand that much, to see what I mean. Under no circumstances should you rent or buy this movie. Even if it is $.99.

i'd say it qualifies for the suckest
Lance Henriksen(Scream 3, Pumpkinhead) is back as the mangler for another dose of computer killings....full of unbelievably mindnumbing slayings with more bad acting then anyone could withstand for a length of the peroid in this movie..Lance should stop making dumbass movies like this one..makes him look bad..and he is in this..at the end where we see his deforemed body hanging on wires is hilarious..man what a waste of a part of my saturday night movies on digital cable..sucked big time ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Andy Garcia delivers a good performance in a mediocre film.
After reading the reviews, I was disappointed in the disconnected and formulaic "serial killer" plot, strained dialog, and overwrought supporting characters in this film. The visual direction is effective and moody, but it's not enough to cover the film's narrative flaws. Garcia's performance is tense and involved, but the supporting cast's hysterical reactions and paranioa around this "big city cop" (whose beloved police chief is also from the big city) are bizarre. We are told very little about the other seven victims -- were any of them ever found? Thurman's character is intelligent but clingy and weak -- a dated stereotype -- in a town where the blind live in institutions. We are given little reason for Garcia's attachment to her other than a resemblance to his ex-wife -- a conflicted rationale that's never mentioned again or explored. The most interesting part of the film, in which Garcia explains the killer's life history and motives, is buried under concurrent competing dialog between supporting characters. The final scene, where Thurman and Garcia walk across a grassy hill and whe tells him that she "remembers the color red" has no emotional impact in any significant or relevant way to the rest of the film. Overall, a disappointing film.

SIMPLY AN ENTERTAINING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER.
This film speaks for itself. Superb acting and well directed. A tense tightly scripted psychological thriller. Ex-LA cop Andy Garcia now living in a small town tries to solve a pair of local murders. His only hope is a blind woman who seems to be the key to the serial killer's activities. What is more she may be 'Jennifer Eight' the murderer's codeword for the next victim. This 2 hour film keeps you on the edge of your seat. Fantastic movie, entertaining not to dull although the ending could have been longer. The film finishes very quickly otherwise well worth watching.

Serial killer stalks blind women.
One determined cop sets out to crack the case and instead falls in love with a vulnerable, defenseless, blind woman. As the evidence mounts suspicion falls on the cop as the murderous fiend ! His life begins to fall apart and only he can stop the real mad-man even if it means taking the law into his own hands !

I had a hard time with this one. Mostly because so many of the characters in the film were maladjusted losers. The cops, the killer, the victims. They all blended together for me. It was an average story that the actors couldn't quite improve upon.

Great 'Detective' Film- Somewhat Visionary
'Jennifer 8' has a great cast and takes place in Humboldt County, California- so has some impressive scenery. The plot comes together like a finely slow cooked turkey (or potato), where at first you just get little whiffs of the magnum opus the dish is to become. The film is somewhat visionary in how it sculpts itself around magic north woods moments- the lone blind girl playing her viola before the window under the natural light; the lovers listening to 'silent night' on a quiet, north coast twilight eve; the initial drive through the redwoods; the final shots in the meadow- all these things help to capture that mystical attraction of the Humboldt region, all the while telling a very dramatic story of murder, courage, and love. A very different film that I would recommended.

Breathless, Sightless, Dead
Writer/Director Bruce Robinson, best known for his cult hit "Withnail & I", has crafted a creditable little thriller in "Jennifer 8". It gets all the technical elements right, features some fine work from its actors, and does its best to screw around with the genre. But it rarely adds up to anything more than the sum of its parts.

One of the strengths of Robinson's script is the stylish and effective dialogue he gives to his police officers. Most of the best bits come from the mouth of Sergeant Ross, like when he tells his wife he can't stay for dinner because it's "Friday night at City Hall... I've got a chance to frighten the fat." He's talking about securing a confession from a suspect, but it hardly matters, doesn't it? "Where are the ladies?" asks Sergeant Berlin, before a party. "Putting on the warpaint," comes Ross' reply. My favourite line, and probably the film's most ostentatious, is this little nugget which falls from the mouth of a visiting FBI investigator: "You're confused... you don't know if Tuesdays come in twos or happen once a week." It's the kind of raw poetry that Quentin Tarantino specializes in (or at least has learned to crib from Elmore Leonard).

Andy Garcia carries the movie on his shoulders. His John Berlin (quite the pregnant name, as the film was released three years to the month after The Wall came down; are John's walls ready to crumble too? Stay tuned...) is a rather complex man, burdened by a shady past that is slowly alluded to, but never fully explained ("I feel like I said sorry on every street in [Los Angeles]," is the closest he comes to an explanation). Berlin is a model of patience and intuition (although I didn't buy the one moment of inspiration that lead him to his key witness; it's a "movie moment" that takes away from the reality Robinson is trying to inject into the film), quiet and reserved for most of the film, but prone to fits of rage when pushed. It's almost like Garcia, fresh off of working with Al Pacino, was modeling his character on that actor's work as Michael Corleone in the first two "Godfather" films. That's high praise, indeed, but Garcia's work here deserves it.

Uma Thurman plays Helena Robertson, "the worst witness [Berlin's] ever had," a blind music teacher who may be the only witness able to identify the man that killed 'Jennifer'. And what fates do "only witnesses" usually have in suspense films? They're the next victim, of course! Which gives Berlin a great excuse to stay close Helena, and fall in love with her. Thurman here really only has two jobs: to look adorable and play blind credibly. The first, of course, she does with ease. I've always thought of Thurman as kind of a female-version of Keanu Reeves: she's at her best when not saying much, and letting her physicality and obvious screen presence carry much of the load. Which she gets to do here. As for that second job, portraying Helena's blindness, Thurman achieves some semblance of credibility there. Affecting a dead-eyed look, you believe her as a blind girl, albeit one with startling mobility.

Lance Henriksen does what Lance Henriksen does best: he makes a rugged, [angry], misanthropic and misogynistic cop, constantly stuck in fourth gear, come across as rather likable. In his hands, with that map of the world face and baritone voice, Sergeant Freddy Ross is almost endearing. He's a big fish in a small pond, the kind of small town man who would name his boat "Duke" and not think twice about vocally ogling the... of the local waitresses. He and Garcia have kind of an oil-and-water relationship, but Henriksen's over-the-top showiness meshes perfectly with Garcia's solemnity.

The one way in which the film doesn't play fair with its audience is in listing John Malkovich's name in the opening credits, and then making us wait eighty-minutes before the man shows up. But when he does, that distinctive whisper of a voice is heard before the face appears, it's vintage Malk.

He plays an FBI investigator named St. Anne, who locks horns with Berlin in several lengthy scenes. Watching Garcia match wits with Malk is a real treat, the latter man's cool and whimsical aura offering a perfect counterpoint to the former's repressed fire. In Malk's hands, St. Anne has seen it all, giving himself leeway to toy with Berlin, trying to catch him in verbal traps and constantly rolling his eyes. But, like Garcia, Malk is able to let his instrument loose, erupting in violent outbursts periodically, which show the character's true power. And in a silly bit of business, Malk, for some reason, chooses to play the latter half of his scenes with a rather comic stuffed nose.

Being an avid fan of the serial killer genre, I was looking forward to finally seeing "Jennifer 8". It lived up to my expectations, mostly, but for some reason I just couldn't fully give my heart to it. I liked it well enough, but it never gave me the visceral thrill I was hoping for. I suspect the reason for this is that this kind of story has been done many times before, often with much more verve and wit and fun. Seen in the shadows of the heavyweights of its genre, "Jennifer 8" is a workmanlike effort, sure to give a modicum of thrills. I recommend it on an intellectual level, but have my doubts about its effectiveness on an emotional one. ... Read more

Description

A 747 filled with passengers is struck by lightning in mid-flight. The explosion kills the pilot and co-pilot and sends the airliner into a deadly nose dive.As terror fills the cabin, a flight attendant and two heroic passengers race to engage the automatic pilot, saving the lives of 400 people... for now.But with the plane's fuel tank leaking and no one on board qualified to land the jumbo jet, the Air Force is faced with a grim decision: Shoot the plane