Reviews (194)

This DVD is incredible!
First off, the 5.1 sound is terrific, even the opening credits will blow you away! And the picture has INCREDIBLE color representation. The menus are very fun too, and have very cool graphics. Like a previous reviewer says, the collector series is a better buy than the limited edition, because this one is almost as well loaded and is several bucks cheaper. You'll enjoy this film again and again with the DVD version.

An entertaining sci-fi comedy.
The Plot:When an alien comes downs to earth to steal something extraordinary, something anything you could expect. When special agent named Kay(Tommy Lee Jones) needs a new parner to show him the ropes. When he meets an street smart cop(Will Smith), who has meet an alien. Since Kay has a feeling that the Cop could be a great secert agent, if he gives up the life he has. When the cop decided, then he become Jay(Smith). Jay has become to know every alien life form, which every alien is different. Including some alien are Criminals. When the alien comes down to earth, the alien makes trouble to get and steal something unique, the alien will do anything to get it. When Jay and Kay discover get mixed up by another aliens, including a plot, the coming of the end of the world. Jay and Kay will do anything to stop and save the world, if they could.

This limited edition 2 set DVD, Disc one has a excellent anomorphic widescreen transer(1.85:1) and Pan and Scan in also alivable in this Dual layer DVD. Also a visual commentary by Director-Barry Sonnenfield(The Addams Family 1&2, Wild Wild West) and actor-Jones. Also extra commentary for this editon by the Director-Sonnerfield, Make-up artist-Rick Baker and Industrial Light & Magic team. Also Dolby 5.1 Surround and Dolby 2.0 Surround is in english. Also french Dolby 2.0 Surround track. Disc 2, has a lot of extras like in Deleted and extended scenes, behind the scenes featurettes, edited your own scene and a lot more of extras. This film has a thin plot but it has great winning special make-up effects, Good CGI effects, and wonderful comic performances by Jones and Smith. Grade:A-.

Very funny
I saw when I was younger and I thought it was pretty funny. When I got it for Christmas, Iwatched and it was hilarious! I was so surprised. If you're looking for some laughs, this movie is great! It's not just a sci-fi film.

Smart and Fun.
Aliens are alive on Earth! Disguised as normal people, they live normal lives, for the most part. Like any group of people, um, intelligent creatures, most are good but - there are some bad ones out there. M.I.B. tells the story of Earth's unofficial "alien police" who keep the "bad" aliens in line.

In particular, M.I.B. tells the story of a new potential agent (Wil Smith) on his first case. An assassin alien has come to Earth to kill the prince of an alien empire and steal a rare jewel. Lead by a veteran agent played by Tommy Lee Jones, both agents try to save the prince and capture the assassin.

During the chase, we are treated to the birth of an alien octupus, exposed to amazing technologies, and given "credible" explanation to some of the enduring mysteries of our time. This movie delivers on both the action and comedy fronts. It is funny on many levels, very enjoyable. Usually I like to compare this movie to another because we all have different senses of humor, but it is hard to do here. M.I.B. may not be unique, but I don't know of any films quite like it. Recommended.

Thrilling and Funny
It keep your attention with tommy-lee jones and having will smith there just adds the right amount of comedy. I say anyone over then would like it! It has awsome special affects too! ... Read more

Reviews (228)

Makes You Question Reality
This is the best film you could ever watch about the JFK assassination. The movie compells you to research the events leading up to the conspiracy that ended the life of the 35th President of the United States.

Some people have complained that elements within the "JFK" version of the conspiracy are historically inaccurate and fabricated. This was done on purpose by Oliver Stone so people will look at the real-world evidence for themselves and discover the truth. What is the truth? The truth is that a conspiracy occured on November 22nd, 1963 because there is no way in the entire existence of universe that one man could engineer all the events that led up to Kennedy's assassination.

Those who continue to believe that Oswald did it alone will always be in denial and are forever brainwashed by the Warren Commission. Anybody who watches the Zapruder film and doesn't see the glaring evidence of a gunman on the grassy knoll when Kennedys head falls back and to the left during the head-shot is either ignorant, stupid or both. People who believe that Arlen Specters "magic bullet" can pause, stop, spin and do U-turns in mid-air to make the seven wounds in Kennedy and Connally, will believe the moon is made out of green cheese and walk off a cliff when told to do so.

Two versions of history have been a war with each other since that fateful day in 1963; written history and memorized history.

Written history is designed for those who want to control your thoughts with mind control. Memorized history will always keep your mind free from those who want to control your thoughts.

Oliver Stone's masterpiece
Now that some time has passed and the dust has settled, JFK can be looked at as a movie that is NOT historically accurate portrayl of what went down on that fateful day in Dallas, but rather an engaging, nail-biting thriller.

Whether you agree or disagree with Stone's view, there is no disputing the craftsmenship that went into this film. The use of multiple film stocks that create layers upon layers of interpretation of the events depicted. The editing alone is masterful as Stone juggles many subplots at once. Robert Richardson's cinematography is incredible (there's a reason why he won the Academy Award that year) and has become Stone's signature look.

And there is the cast: Kevin Costner does a fine job as the Gary Cooper-ish Jim Garrison who doggedly pursues his investigation. From here on in, there is a staggering who's who of big name and character actors filling in major and minor roles: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Vincent D'Onofrio, Gary Oldman, Joe Pesci, and the list goes on. Everybody does a great job and give the film an authenticity and believability.

This new, 2-DVD set is a HUGE improvement over the old, single flipper-disc. The entire movie (Stone's preferred cut) is now on one side and included is a fascinating audio commentary by Stone who manages to keep it going for the entire running time! His commentaries have always been a real treat to listen to and he does not disappoint on this one.

The highlight of disc two is a nice collection of deleted and extended scenes with commentary by Stone. It's pretty obvious why they were cut but nice that he included them.

This is a DVD that should be in every movie lover's collection. It's an important work and a cinematic landmark. It's influence can be felt in the TV show, 24 and the made-for-TV movie, The Pentagon Papers. I would also recommend picking up the annotated screenplay to the film which acts as the perfect companion to the film.

Shocking and thought provoking
Okay, I have a little trouble with the swearing but guess people can ignore it or get a blocker. That said, this was an outstanding movie and really made you think about the unthinkable. There are coverups that most of us have no clue about.The higher ups regardless of what people may think pull many strings to get done what they want done. Those we have always sought to trust can also be the ones who betray us. War is money and I am convinced, that the murder of JFK was a well orchestrated event. Buy the DVD with the accompaining documentary. It amazes me how some people refuse to believe it. BELIEVE IT. I love America but we are no saints here. Money and power is always a driving force. Don't ever think it can't happen here. Kevin Costner gives a brilliant performance and the impassioned speech in court toward the end of the movie that he gave portraying Jim Garrison drew me in like nothing I have ever heard. Watch "Thirteen Days" first than this one and rethink the situation and see what you come up with.

Scary
Oliver Stone's Director's Cut DVD has an extra seventeen minutes of footage added. This adds to the general suspense of the movie. JFK starts off very slow, like a History Channel documentary, and you think "Bo-ring!" But suddenly, in the whirlwind of dizzying camera shots and angles, you realize you are witnessing dark and distorted history being unearthed. By then you are so deep in, it is impossible to get out.

Kevin Costner is brilliant as New Orleans D.A. William Garrison, the man who brought the only public trial to this date on the JFK assassination. A string of brilliant and well-known actors complement the film. Joe Pesci, Donald Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Sissy Spacek, John Candy, Ed Asner, Jack Lemmon, and Tommy Lee Jones give the movie so much credibility because their performances are simply so believable, and way out of the usual roles they play. In fact, this whole film represents a role the U.S. player that is far, far out of the role we usually play.

The score by John Williams alternately scares the beejesus out of you, or galvanizes you to action.

Lee Harvey Oswald is Innocent!
"I felt very emotional and very carried away for Mrs. Kennedy, that with all the strife she had gone through...that someone owed it to our beloved President that she shouldn't be expected to come back to face trial of this heinous crime."
-Jack Ruby
He supposedly killed Oswald because he loved our President, yet he has been proven to be a hater of the Kennedy family & has connections to the mafia! Very odd!
The records of the Kennedy Assasination specifically say Kennedy was killed with a "High Velocity" rifle, but the Italian Rifle which Oswald supposedly used in the killing was NOT a High Velocity rifle!!!!
It's pretty SAD that Americans actually accepted the "Official Story" of Kennedy's death. If you take a look at the Zapruder film & slow down the slides, you can actually clearly see that is was "doctored" & that some of the slides were taking out of the original film.
The common people are a bunch of sheep! ... Read more

Reviews (25)

I FEEL FEELING MINNESOTA
Firstly I must say to the nay sayers

WHY YOU SO LIKE DAT?

This is a great movie - amongst my favourites. I wore out the first tape I bought so I had to buy it again and I'm eagerly awaiting it's release on DVD.

There IS a plot. It's a black COMEDY. I can see the comic elements in it. The two brother's fighting. It's meant to be taken with a pinch of salt.

I liked the portayal of the way of life of these folks in Minnesota. The dagginess of their existence. One of my favourite bits is at the weeding when the groom is trying to kiss the bride and she doesn't wanna know - classic!

And of course - I love Keanu in this film! What a babe. He has great comic timing (you should do more comedy dude!) and his exudes innocence, yet is incredible sexy at the same time(COOL)

Yes I have to agree with the viewer from Glendale he looks yummy with his fluffy hair and those black pants (stop drooling).

Vincent D'Onofrio is a class act. He does very good charater acting. Cameron Diaz was excellent as well.

So, the script wasn't all that - but they done a great job of it.

IT'S A GOOD FILM - BUY IT!

Twists and Turns
It starts off a little slow but about 3/4 of the way through it gets really interesting.
Good preformances.. but who taught Cameron Diaz how to drink a beer?

A tale of transformation.
This is a remarkable movie, not only in it's unusual and very funny way of making the points that it does, but in that it is written from a point of view that is almost never seen from the all-too-privileged aristocracy to which most of the movie industry's writers and directors belong. This movie is almost painfully insightful into the mental state of hopelessness which traps people into sordid lives, particularly those who are raised in that sort of life and have never experienced anything else. The characters Jjaks and Freddie not only manage to envision a way out, together they fight their way to some measure of freedom in the end. They do so using the only tools and behaviors they know, which means that it is all very sordid indeed, but their goals are so much more noble than anything that could be expected from that environment, that it is very close to a miracle that they exist at all. It should be noted that those characters who have chosen to embrace the sordid life instead of resist it are relatively thriving at the beginning of the film (Sam, Ben Costikyan, etc.) Jjaks, who has been to prison before, may once have been like them, but if so, something must have happened to change him (before the story in the movie?). The movie shows Jjaks' transformation, opening his capacity for compassion and love for another, and finally gaining the courage to hope. Keanu Reeves really nails his character admirably, playing someone who feels more than is really safe to feel in his environment, and has developed a deeply engrained habit of hiding his feelings. Look carefully for the use of color to symbolize the different stages in his transformation, and the meaning of the dog too.

Reeves at his best
Reeves delivers a great performance as the dude with a typo in his name(weird but cool). He returns home to find his older brother getting married to Cameron Diaz and then he steals her and some other stuff and wants to leave but he cant, whats stopping him. fights clash between him and his brother, seriously played by Vincent D'Onofrio. a good movie with great moments and a good cast including Max Perlich, Dan Aykroyd and Delroy Lindo to name a few. Two Thumbs Up is right.

Good one
This is quite nice movie, so I don't get it why it only has 3.5 stars average at this time. I like it and I am going to watch it again. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Now that the first season is out SKIP THIS Rip-Off!
The episode contained here is a very good one. And I can think of nothing bad to say about it. And the documentary is very good as well. But you get the SAME episode and the SAME documentary {no other extra's though} PLUS 22 more episodes with the first season set. If you can not afford the first season set this would be better than nothing. But if you can afford it, avoide this and buy the first season. Had I known the first season DVD's were comming 5 months ago I WOULD HAVE!!

Real fans should boycott these piecemeal releases
This is typical of a bad DVD release. It looks like a crude attempt to extract as much revenue as possible from large base of loyal fans. Some reviewers who wax lyrical over the 'special' interview features and "insight into the show" in this single episode DVD either work for the publisher or miss the point that any of these items could have been included in a 'full season' release. This piecemeal approach is frustrating for real fans of the series who, to date, have seen only one complete season released. I for one will protest with my wallet. It stays shut until the complete seasons are released.

LOCI Shall Rule The Universe!
A lot of people have been complaining about why would you buy just one episode of any particular show. Well let me tell you why. The interviews on this DVD allow insight into the show and let you better understand issues that come up in virtually every episode. You get to know the actors and their characters on a deceptively personal level. If you are a hard-core fan, then you need this DVD. Stop complaining that it is just one episode, because really, it's a lot more than that. It took me inside "Law and Order: Criminal Intent," and that's one place I've always wanted to go!

Boxed set due in October
Several reviewers have wanted to know why the boxed set was not released.

This one episode DVD was meant as a teaser to wet the appatite for the boxed set due in October.

An essential purchase for all Vincent D'Onofrio fans
I realize that $20 seems like a lot to spend for a single LOCI episode that you probably already have on tape. But there are two reasons why you should buy this DVD today. First, the interview featurette is a rare opportunity to see D'Onofrio out of character and hear him talking as himself. We also get interesting trivia and fun behind-the-scenes details from Dick Wolf, Rene Balcer, Kathryn Erbe, Courtney Vance, and Jamey Sheridan. Second, the best way to get the LOCI first and second year box sets released fast is to show the depth of the fan base by buying this item. It's a cherry on top bonus to get the original L&O pilot, which is very rarely shown on TV. V-sisters and Gorenistas (and you know who you are), you need this in your collection. Trust me! ... Read more

Reviews (25)

average love story
it's romantic and sad but i didn't even feel like crying until the very end. you don't get very invested in the movie, because there is a lack of really good material, i think. campbell scott seems like an intense actor and did well in this role, but julia roberts' character left me confused. overall, it's very watchable, but it's not some beautiful, sentimental love story that will send you running for the kleenex.

A 2 kleenex movie
I just saw this movie on television, and it was great. Even my husband enjoyed it, and he usually doesn't like love story movies. All the actors in the film did a fine job. I like it so much that I ordered the video from Amazon. com, so I can watch it again and again.

Beautiful film!
I loved this movie. It ranks in the top 5 for me. I thought Julia Roberts and Campbell Scott both did a wonderful acting job. Contrary to some previous customer reviews, I totally believed that Julia's character could and did fall for Campbell's character. I love movies that make me believe that it's still possible to find true love in this cynical world.

Painful to Watch, Because of Content
I had a real hard-time viewing this film. It is hard to watch a movie about someone going through chemotherapy. That is why I rated the movie low. If it doesn't bother you, you may give the movie a higher rating.

I also was not convinced by Julia Roberts performance and saw no reason for her to gradually fall in love with the gentleman that is going through the ordeal. He seemed to be very obnoxious the whole time!

If you want to see a really moving story with Julia Roberts about death, I highly recommend the movie Flatliners. Roberts gave a much better performance in that one.

Dying Young
I would venture to guess that Julia would love for us to forget this film. The crux of the story: two people fall in love and one is dying is not new and is certainly a sweet, romantic, tear jerker of a plot premise. But, something about the film simply didn't meet its own potential. It wasn't a horrible film, but not one of her best either. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Vincent D'Onofrio is one of our most aggressively commanding actors, and he makes a good choice to impersonate Yippie activist Abbie Hoffman. All loping, shambly charm and occasional frenzied explosiveness, D'Onofrio's Hoffman is close enough to the real thing that, just like the Yippies themselves, he appears magnetic and forceful to the already converted, but a fraudulent, egomaniacal hambone to everyone else. (Even those unimpressed by D'Onofrio's indulgences can only admire the simmering commitment Janeane Garofalo brings to the role of his wife Anita.) Which is more than you can say for Robert Greenwald's unfocused hagiography, which should manage to pull off the rare feat of displeasing anyone no matter what their opinions of Hoffman. Racing through the years with the greatest-hits flippancy toward a life unfortunately all too familiar from movie bios (see Abbie try to levitate the Pentagon! Nominate a pig for President! Battle loneliness and depression while on the run from the cops!), Steal this Movie plays more like a lecture than a happening. Even the most obvious points are hammered home with the type of bone-headed didacticism that does more to grate on an audience than win it over. Lest we miss a thing, there are occasional voice-overs by a badly impersonated Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover to explain exactly what's going on. The film plays with all manner of actual footage and FBI surveillance photography, but the mix of styles is more chaos than anarchy; the boxy, amateurish camera work drains all possible giddiness from even the most rapturously absurd of Hoffman's pranks. Straining with clumsy urgency to capture the tenor of its subject, Steal This Movie gets the self-righteousness down but misses out on the passion, and the liberating spark of play. --Bruce Reid ... Read more

Reviews (9)

okay
Case of Evil is okay. It's not really Holmes, but it's got it's moments. I liked the cast. Holmes fans will probably be dissapointed. Non-fans of Holmes won't probably watch it. It all plays like a missed opportunity. Who knows who this was made for, but it could have been worse.

Not traditional Sherlock-but still a treat
Thought this story presents a younger Sherlock Holmes-who's character and appearance are quite different from the works of Conan Doyle (or the drawings of Arthur Paget)it is still a very good story which maintains the viewers interest throughout.
The Holmes in this story is rather sexually amoral--but the fate of the woman he loves at the hands of Moriarty-provides a plausible explanation for Holmes' later apparent disinterest in the fairer sex. In this story we are also given a reason for Holmes' original addiction to Opium.
James D'Arcy is far from my favorite Holmes-but his performance is adequate as long as one doesn't expect Jeremy Brett. The actor who portrays Watson is also adequate-though not outstanding. But, Vincent D'Onofrio is perfect as the evil Moriarty--far surpassing his performances on "Law & Order"--though a little "over the top"--his Moriarty is perfect-at least in my opinion.
Though some may dislike the revisionism--this is a very good story and well worth watching and owning!

swinging shagging sherlock
I'm amused by the reviewer's who claim this is what Doyle intended. Oh yeah, Doyle wanted Holmes to be a swinging guy engaging in threesomes. That's exactly what Sir Arthur wanted. There's nothing sterile about this Holmes! Just kidding. This is diverting, but not true to Doyle's detective. More fun perhaps, but not right. The cast here is solid for what they are given, but Matt Frewer is still the "best" in the weird Holmes category.

Have these people ever read a Sherlock Holmes book?
I cant really give a full review of this movie as I turned it off about 15 minutes into it. I really tried to like this movie, but it is so off course and unfaithful to the spirit of Holmes. Dont waste your money or your time if you are a real Sherlock fan.

A well-done and accurate representation of Holmes and Watson
My wife grabbed this DVD off the rental rack, I am usually very cautious about period pieces that I have never heard of, especially those pertaining to well-known fictitious characters such as Holmes. Maybe I am gun-shy after the horrible 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,' but there was nothing else to rent so we decided to give this one a go. Well, let me say I was pleasantly surprised! This is a great film with well-acted characters and a plot that moves along. Sure, it has its faults, the relationship between Holmes and Rebecca Dolye doesn't unfold to a level necessary later in the script (I won't ruin any of the plot); but the inclusion of Holmes' brother Mycroft to explain Holmes' disdain for Professor Moriarty as well as Mycroft's role in this movie are well done, as it the introduction of Watson into the film.

Far from perfect, this was a very entertaining movie that grabbed my attention from the start and kept it throughout. I can understand why some Holmes fans wouldn't like it, his character does take a beating in this movie but his fundamental strengths are still highlighted. It isn't a Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved character, but a genuine fan of Doyle's works (in other words, those who have read his books and not just watched movies based on them) will appreciate this version, which delves deeper into the character and his fault's than the more sterile versions done by Rathbone/Bruce. Don't get me wrong, I love those movies, but this adaptation of Doyle's work probably is much closer to what he intended.

Bottom line, great movie and well worth renting/owning. Although rated 'R' it is a fairly tame movie with just a few scenes not suitable for younger viewers (e.g. autopsies). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Schizoid serial killer Carl Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio) hasbeen captured at last, but a neurological seizure has rendered himcomatose, and FBI agent Peter Novak (Vince Vaughan) has no way todetermine the location of Stargher's latest and still-living victim. Toprobe the secrets contained in Stargher's traumatized psyche, the FBIrecruits psychologist Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez), who hasmastered a new technology that allows her to enter the mind of another person. What she finds in Stargher's head is atheater of the grotesque, which, as envisioned by first-time directorTarsem Singh, is a smorgasbord of the surreal that borrows liberallyfrom the Brothers Quay, Czech animator Jan Svankmajer, HieronymousBosch, Salvador Dali, and a surplus of other cannibalized sources.

This provides one of the wildest, weirdest visual feasts ever committedto film, and The Cell earns a place among such movie mind-tripsas 2001: A Space Odyssey, Altered States, What DreamsMay Come, and Un Chien Andalou. Is this a good thing? Sure,if all you want is freakazoid eye-candy. If you're looking for emotional depth,substantial plot, and artistic coherence, The Cell is sure todisappoint. The pop-psychology pablum of Mark Protosevich's screenplaywould be laughable if it weren't given such somber significance, andSingh's exploitative use of sadomasochistic imagery is repugnant (thismovie makes Seven look tame), so you're better off marveling atthe nightmare visions that are realized with astonishing potency.The Cell is too shallow to stay in your head for long, but whileit's there, it's one hell of a show. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (326)

Put Lopez in a cell
This movie is only good when there is nothing else on, I mean nothing, not an old Brady Bunch rerun, nothing. Lopez is, as usual, lackluster. The visuals are ok, but so what? Is this a music video or movie? This might be a good date movie if you aren't planning on watching the movie...hint hint.

AN ELEVATION OF FORM OVER SUBSTANCE...
The movie starts out promisingly enough. FBI agents are on the hunt for a bizarre serial killer, well acted by Vincent D'Onofrio, who kidnaps his victims and then, while they are still alive, puts them into a giant water tank which, after a certain timed interval, slowly begins to fill up with water, until the inevitable occurs.

The FBI ultimately apprehends the serial killer just after he kidnaps his last victim, but not before he has stashed his victim in an unknown location. Before the FBI can pry from him information as to the victim's whereabouts, the killer eludes them mentally by going into a total catatonic state out of which he cannot be induced. The police are at a loss as to the location of the water tank where the last victim has been presumably stashed and time is ticking. They have no way of verbally communicating with the killer in his catatonic state.

Enter psychologist Catherine Deane, into which role Jennifer Lopez is woefully miscast. Ms. Deane apparently has the ability to enter the mind of another person through the aid of a newly developed and experimental technology. She agrees to enter the mind of this deranged, sado-masochistic serial killer in an effort to probe his mental recesses for a clue as to where the victim may be, so as to aid the FBI in locating his last victim and, hopefully, snatching her from the jaws of death.

Ms. Lopez sleep walks through her role and, while looking stunningly beautiful at all times, demonstrates the acting ability of an amoeba. Anyone who has seen her in the title role in the film, "Selena", knows that she is capable of much more. For whatever reason, she seems to have been persuaded that speaking in a monotone and gazing into the distance connotes intelligence and depth. Wrong!

Moreover, while the imagery in the film is visually stunning and, oftentimes, quite beautiful, almost Dali-esque in its conception and execution, it cannot carry and sustain the film, when the plot and story line thin out. What starts off promisingly enough, ultimately falls flat. The film turns out to be just an unfortunate elevation of form over substance. The end result is that the movie fails to deliver.

J Lo Music VideO meets technO Thriller
Beautiful imagery costumes effects and make up. The Story however may not be entirely Original and Lopez's character and the villain could have used a little more depth. The whole love interest with Vaughn seems like a case of "that's gotta be in the picture". However the ability to travel into someones subconcious or their dreams opens up vast possibilities of abstract visions and convoluted imagery. This flic at times is a real feast for the eyes although I was left feeling like my ears had been neglected. One thing though; much restraint was exercised by the leading men in the movie If Lopez appeared in my dreams... ratings would have to be changed!

Not so great
The Cell is a freaky movie. Very bizarre. I did not care for it and I think it is because I was disappointed. The images were so bizarre and abstract that it took away from the plot of the movie and the drama of finding the latest victim in time to save her life. I was very interested in seeing the movie when I saw the previews... the concept is great. The acting and the delivery were not great, however. The movie did not deliver all the suspense and drama and intensity that it promised.

Note to self: 'Don't ever watch this one on acid.'
The Profiler/Empath vs The Twisted Genius Serial Killer sweepstakes continues (Jonathan Demme, what hath thou wrought?!). Due to its stunning visual style, "The Cell" does manage to slightly edge out the other clone films that have spewed forth in Hannibal Lechter's wake. Jennifer Lopez (about as convincing as a psychologist/researcher as Raquel Welch was as a "scientist" in "Fantastic Voyage") helps the FBI race the clock and find a captured serial killer's imprisioned victim by means of an experimental device that puts her in the virtual reality of the comatose killer's psyche. As you can imagine, this is not exactly dinner with the Cleavers, and it is here that the movie's impressive, surrealistic visual imagination comes into play. Unfortunately,the script proceeds to trot out every predictable psycho-killer movie cliche,ruining any chance of true suspense or surprise. In the hands of a screenwriter like Michael Crichton, who virtually invented the "Medical Sci-Fi" genre ("Andromeda Strain", "Coma", "The Terminal Man"), this COULD have been a near classic. Instead, it's just a near-miss. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Newton Boys were the most successful bank robbers in the history of the United States.They never killed anyone, never snitched, and only robbed banks (just bigger thieves, in their opinion), until their final deal, which was a botched train robbery for $3 million.Engagingly played by Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Skeet Ulrich, and Vincent D'Onofrio, the Boys don't have the kind of flaws of more brutal criminals that make for more volatile dramas.The film ambles along in a leisurely way to tell its story of the Newtons' bank-robbing career, with an ever-present air of reverent Americana.This may make some viewers impatient, and cause a glow in others.It seems like a departure for director Richard Linklater (Slacker, Dazed and Confused)--a costumer to be sure, but Linklater's deliberately amiable pace perfectly balances the Boys' personalities. You may wander into this movie and feel right at home. The golden-hued cinematography of Peter James (Driving Miss Daisy) adds a level of comfort that makes everything warm-like.The end credits intercut archival footage of two of the real-life Newton boys toward the end of their lives, one from a 1980 appearance with Johnny Carson on The TonightShow. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Worth your time ? DEFINITELY!!!!
This is the type of film that you don't see everyday. Four real-life bankrobbers who happen to be brothers, their safe-cracking accomplice and lots of gunfire, but no deaths. This is entertainment at its best. This is also a very different step for director, Richard Linklater whose other credits include DAZED AND CONFUSED, SLACKER, and SUBURBIA. Allof which were relatively low-budget but true to life. There has been much said about this movie and the "lack of plot" , but this is where you remember that this is a true story and none of Linklater's other films had plots either. The film moves along at a nice leisurely pace giving you a chance to learn about and like the characters. As far as performances go, there isn't a bad one in the bunch. (the cast is outstanding) There is plenty of action to satisfy all of the DIE HARD fans out there and when the action is toned down, it is fun to watch the poor old farmboys plan their next big heist. It has to be said that, of all the performances, Dwight Yoakam, playing a very different role than his Doyle in SLING BLADE, is the best. If you're looking for a night of action and good old fashioned, downhome characters, give it a try. It is suitable for the whole family and it is definitely worth owning. SO, forget renting. Go buy it on DVD. Now!!!

Good Film Overlooked By Most
I saw this in the theater and thought it was great, but no one else I knew had seen it. Then I saw it on DVD and bought it quickly. It was just as good as I remembered.

This is a "gangster" movie without gangsters. No one gets killed or tortured graphically. It's a real life story of depression era brothers trying to get some cash and having some adventures along the way.

I think Hawke puts in one of his best performances ever. Dwight Yoakam also contributes some good acting, especially when compared to his fabulous "Sling Blade" villan.

The only flaw is the length. The movie drags a little after a while, but it still manages to make you care enough about the characters to see it through to the end.

The final credits featuring Willis and Joe Newton at the end of their lives make the film worth owning. It's one of the most clever ways to make the credits worth watching I've seen.

Give this movie a chance. It's well acted and is aesthetically pleasing to watch. Plus it's really low cost!

LAWBREAKERS
THE NEWTON BOYS is a well done period film, richly and warmly photographed and performed by a talented cast. I still have a problem in "justifying" their robberies. Willis' conclusion that he has been done wrong so he can do wrong too is not a quality I find admirable. Stealing is stealing, and Linklater makes it look perfectly normal to "cheer" these boys on. The fact that this is a true story only adds fire to the fuel of how we make heroes out of bad guys because they were "cute" or they got the "system", etc., etc. Nough about that, though. Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich and Ethan Hawke are splendid; they needed to give the excellent Vincent D'Onofrio more to do; Julianna Margulies was fascinating as Louise; Luke Askew in a great supporting role as the suspect-beating cop; and Dwight Yoakam as the friend who supplies the nitroglycerin.
The movie is a little long, drags some in the middle, but for a period piece, it's effective...just don't think these guys are heroes. (The end credits with the real Willis and Joe is superb)

Excellent Movie!
Matt at his best! Funny, insightful, historical (for the most part). Worth seeing time & time again!

An underrated film if there ever was one!
Richard Linklater's The Newton Boys eschews much of the post-modern trappings that have defined the western genre in the nineties. Sure, it begins with a credits sequence that mimics the style of an old silent serial (complete with a fisheye lens), and it has one scene in which some of the eponymous boys are accused of stealing from a movie house (though they are never convicted), but the film's sensibilities seem much closer to those of the 1920's in which the film was set. It's an old-fashioned work, and that feeling is compounded by some wonderful documentary footage that plays during the credits. The comments of those involved in the actual events lend an immeasurable air of authenticity to the film. It might be tempting to classify the film's identification with the bank robbers as post-modern, especially since Bonnie and Clyde essentially kicked off the modern era of filmmaking, but consider the fact that even 1903's The Great Train Robbery gave more screen time to its criminals than its posse.

That screen time tells a fairly standard story, and there are few genuine surprises to be found in that respect. Still, the movie isn't so much about plot as mood and character. This is the closest Linklater has come to making a Hollywood film, and he uses the resources to enhance, rather than ignore, his worldview. The cast is fairly excellent, with Ethan Hawke's drunkard being the standout. Matthew McConaughey has the largest role, and shows more charm here than in nearly any other film that he has been in. Although the film's setting is far from the modern day slacker world of Linklater's other films, the prevailing attitude seems to be the same. It's a mix of Texan charm and genteel sophistication. This treatment of the subject matter doesn't ever come off as cocky. It creates a wonderful sense of respect toward history. Several times, the Newton boys are allowed to state their socio-political justification for robbing banks. That they use flawed logic isn't the point. That they get a chance to make their case is. Linklater really isn't an astounding visualist (though the film is attractive) nor does he have a tremendous sense of pacing. What he does have is a humanist streak that runs throughout his films. Even when a double cross occurs in the film, he pauses to note that the traitor continued to assert his innocence. That genuine regard for his characters and fidelity to his setting are his strongest directorial traits. I'll take that over puffed up set pieces and quick cutting any day. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Stanley Kubrick's 1987, penultimate film seemed to a lot of people to be contrived and out of touch with the '80s vogue for such intensely realisticportrayals of the Vietnam War asPlatoon and The Deer Hunter. Certainly, Kubrick gave audiences plenty ofreason to wonder why he made the film at all: essentially a two-part drama that begins on aParris Island boot camp for rookie Marines and abruptly switches to Vietnam (actually shoton sound stages and locations near London), Full Metal Jacket comes across as a seriesof self-contained chapters in a story whose logical and thematic development is oblique atbest. Then again, much the same was said about Kubrick's 2001: A SpaceOdyssey, a masterwork both enthralled with and satiric about the future's role in theunfinished business of human evolution. In a way, Full Metal Jacket is the whollygrim counterpart of 2001. While the latter is a truly 1960s film, both wide-eyedand wary, about the intertwining of progress and isolation (ending in our redemption,finally, by death), Full Metal Jacket is a cynical, Reagan-era view of the 1960s' hungerfor experience and consciousness that fulfilled itself in violence. Lee Ermey made filmhistory as the Marine drill instructor whose ritualized debasement of men in the name oftribal uniformity creates its darkest angel in a murderous half-wit (Vincent D'Onofrio).Matthew Modine gives a smart and savvy performance as Private Joker, the clowning,military journalist who yearns to get away from the propaganda machine and know firsthand the horrific revelation of the front line. In Full Metal Jacket, depravity andfulfillment go hand in hand, and it's no wonder Kubrick kept his steely distance from thematerial to make the point. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (317)

Kubrick Had His Duds, Too
...and this is one of them. People wouldn't defend this film so zealously if it had been made by someone other than Kubrick, but his cult of enigmatic personality drives many to believe that he could do no wrong. You'll see a similar blind loyalty to Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut."

This is NOT "one of the best war movies of all time"...that's silly. It doesn't even approach "Patton" in terms of character, nor does it rival "Tora Tora Tora" in scope. "The Deer Hunter" and "Apocalypse Now" are both superior psychological dramas, and "Saving Private Ryan" does a better job of portraying the simultaneous heroism/obscenity of battle. What you do get with "Full Metal Jacket" that you don't get with those other films is Kubrick's trademark pessimism about human beings, which is neither insightful nor particularly interesting. But then most people these days think that good art expresses only one thing--nihilism. At his worst, Kubrick fed that mistaken belief.

short & sweet
don't worry, this is not another one of those long, boring, meaningless not so desriptive reviews.....instead, i'm gonna make this short & sweet and to the point.....i own this DVD, and a big part about being a succcessful dvd collector's is determaining which movies are worth buying and keeping and trust me when i say this people....."FULL METAL JACKET" is definitely worth keeping....to my own personal opinion, FULL METAL JACKET has got to be the greatest war movie ever made, but don't get me wrong, there has been quite a few really great one's just recently released....Pearl Harbor....Black Hawk Down...We Were Soldiers....and i'm almost positive that the upcoming WINDTALKERS directed by the famous renound action super director Jon Whoo starring Nicholas Cage will be one of the best this decade.....but all these movies lack ONE major ingredient, "the roots" of war....all great soldiers come from SOMEWHERE, and "fullt metal jacket" shows you exactly where to find them, this movie is my all time favortie and would recommend it to ANYONE.....whether your a collector or not, and even if it's not the LIMITED EDITION COLLECTOR'S SET, the movie stands on it's own...a solid 5 star rating! without a doubt...WHOA!

Do you talk the talk?
Another great war movie, they even let us watch this in Marine bootcamp for Christmas. Skipping past that, it really brings out the madness of war, getting radio commands from someone far away that make no sense to those on the ground and under fire. How quickly civilians could turn into VC, the boredom between chaos, lots of aspects of war are covered here that you'll never find in the Bruckheimer-Simpson garbage. Moving flick, no Platoon, or Apocalypse Now, but one of the great war films.

The violence feels real, both physically and mentally
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this 1987 film packs a terrific wallop as it follows the dehumanization of marine recruits as they are first prepared for Vietnam and later sent there. As in other Kubrick films which deal with the dark side of human nature, there's a voice-over narrator and some extreme closeups, particular one called "the glare" in which a character tilts his head slightly down with his eyes looking up. The title itself refers to a shell casing, a metaphor for the tough hollow fighters that these men will eventually turn into. And from the first scene, which is that of an off-camera barber shaving the heads of the recruits, we see their depersonalization as their hair, which once made them unique individuals, is shaved off.

Boot camp takes up more than half of the film, with R. Lee Emery, a former marine sergeant himself, cast in the role of the drill sergeant. His creativity in insults and curses is amazing as he prods the weak spots of the men under his command, especially the chubby misfit he labels "Private Gomer Pyle", played brilliantly by Vincent D'Onofrio who won a Golden Globe award for his performance. Aggression is glorified, with serial killers used as examples of excellent marksmanship as the men are taught to worship their rifles, which they treat as objects of love and recite scripted allegiances to them. It's not surprising when this training results in an act of violence.

The scenes that follow in Vietnam are not as strong as the earlier ones, but clearly show how the training both saves the men's lives and dehumanizes them. Short, episodic scenes set the stage for the final one, where we see the men have come full circle from the recruits they used to be. And when they are finished with the battle, war weary and left with the visions of some hard choices they have had to make, they march back to base singing a popular child's song, in which they spell out the words "Mickey Mouse" to a familiar tune. The resulting effect is chilling.

The video moved fast, holding my attention in an iron grip. I was fascinated and horrified and couldn't keep my eyes off the screen as it bolted along. I felt the agony of the boot camp experience, especially for the misfit, and the horror of Vietnam, including what it must have been like for the Vietnamese. The film made a statement about inhumanity loud and strong. Clearly, it was one of the best war films I've ever seen. The violence is real, both physically and mentally. Highly recommended, but be prepared for discomfort.

Waste of time
Ugh i was so mad! I thought it was going to be a good funny yet serious movie, but it was horrible. First when i was watching it i thought it was about the fat guy then all the sudden its about the journalist, what the heck i didnt follow that story. It should have just ended right when boot camp was over. ... Read more

Description

Gary, a young hustler, finds a kindred spirit in Valentino, a bisexual adult film star to whom Gary is instantly attracted. Standing in their way is Valentino's dedicated girlfriend. They put aside their differences when Valentino is diagnosed with AIDS, creating a makeshift family to mutually love and support him to the tragic end. Stars: Salma Hayek (Frida, Dogma, Once Upon a Time in Mexico), Vincent D’Onofrio (The Cell, Men in Black), Ethan Hawke (Reality Bites, Before Sunrise), Thomas Jayne (Magnolia, Bookie Nights). ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A mesmerizing and brilliant film!
I had been reading mixed reviews on this film so I was pleasantly surprised after I watched it. This is now one of my favorite movies of all time! The characters and story drew me in so deeply that I re-watched it a couple of days later. The story of the charismatic, dying Valentino and his two lovers really moved me. These were people who loved each other in their own way. Even though Gary and Mary Carmen fought all the time, their love for Valentino was enough to keep them together. I found the story to be touching, the dialogue interesting and the actors perfect in their roles.

This is a film that is more understandable if you have known a lot of people who live alternative lifestyles. I've been friends with people in relationships like this and its a very complicated situation. I also enjoyed the strange characters like Kid Joey, the drag queen obsessed with Patsy Cline and Gary. He was so desperate and sad and I wish his character would have been in the movie longer. All these people were different and bizarre yet they all seemed to care about each other. Not to mention there is a really hot kiss between two gorgeous men! The ending was moving to me in that it gave you a sense of optimism for their future. It doesn't necessarily have a happy ending but its a real ending with heart.

Obviously this is a movie that is not for everyone but for those with an open mind, you can become absorbed in this story. This is a rare and beautiful film that will make you stop and think long after its over. I would give it more than five stars if I could!

The one that got away
It's a travesty that this film is not available on DVD. Travesty.

This is the kind of movie that is not what it seems. From the cover jacket, you expect it to be about the harshness of city living, full of darkness and anger and seedy characters, but it's not. It's about three people and a world that most of us (thankfully) haven't experienced in our lives. The three lead characters are: Valentino, a bisexual ex-porn star dying of HIV; Gary* (not his real name), a gay hustler who falls hard for Valentino; and Mary Carmen, Valentino's spitfire girlfriend who is jealous of her lover's relationship with Gary but who has no choice but to share him. The world they inhabit is the underbelly of NYC, but director Dan Ireland never looks down on the characters, nor does he put them on a pedestal. It's a fine balance, but one that is achieved. The result is that it is impossible to watch this film and not feel the affection that Ireland has for the characters and their world, and that transfers to the viewer. It's reminiscent of Boogie Nights, another film set in the world of porn,drugs and hustlers, and a film that also makes you care for its characters and the alternative family they create.

The three leads did amazing work. Vincent D'Onofrio is mesmerizing as the center of the love triangle, a character so full of life even as he's dying that he can't be contained. This was a brave role for the respected character actor, and it deserves to be seen. Salma Hayek turns in another great performance, and one scene in particular, breaks your heart. Valentino is dancing in a club with Gary and Mary Carmen, and when he turns his back on Mary Carmen for a second to bump and grind with Gary, the slow-motion shot of the pain, longing and jealousy in Hayek's eyes will rip your heart out. And Thomas Jane has never been better. For anyone who's only seen his work in Deep Blue Sea and that raunchy Cameron Diaz "comedy", brace yourself for an actor whose potential hasn't been tapped in his subsequent projects.

This film has more than enough heart to spare, and that is what is truly so great about it. It defies expectations and cliches, yet it leaves you feeling renewed and hopeful. I only saw this film this past week, and I can't believe it escaped me before. Don't make the same mistake I did. See Velocity of Gary. It will haunt you, but in a good way.

D'Onofrio also produced the picture with Ireland, along with a previous collaboration called The Whole Wide World, and these two should continue their work together. They've created two wonderfully different films about passion and love and the human condition. And that's something that's sorely lacking in today's cinema.

SLIGHTLY ODD & THAT MAKES IT GREAT
It's not your run of the mill movie with tons of special effects and no story line. This movie has a story, and if you can get past the oddness of it a very touching one. Good performances, cheers to Vincent D-Onofrio. This man is not afraid of any movie role that comes his way, and if you watch this movie you'll see what I mean. He tackled this role all the way!

MÁS DE LO MISMO, PERO DISTINTO
Realmente, esta película trata un viejo tema: el triángulo amoroso. Pero lo hace con una altura, con una calidad y con esa novedad que sólo una buena lectura puede otorgarle a un tema ya gastado una nueva oportunidad. Recomendable. Para ver abrazado a tu pareja.

As bad as it gets.
This movie missed the theaters and went straight to video, and even this fate is too good for it. The acting is terrible, the characterizations are not credible, and the plot developments--the few that there are--- are dull. Selma Hayek plays an absurdly stereotypical "NYC foul-mouthed Latin Chick," the sort of role that used to be pushed on Rosie Perez.

This picture pretends to treat homo and hetero relationships evenhandedly, but the homo component is really a bit of "spice" put in to underscore how far out of the mainstream these characters are. The hetero relationship is the only one that is explored in any depth, and that depth is minimal. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE 80s ARE BACK BABY
Oh my! How can you go wrong with Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson. This is the best 80s movie that includes a baby and three men. This is what I have wanted for a long time. This movie is funny from start to finish. This package includes "Adventures in Babysitting" with Liz Shue which is also a fantastic film. I know what I am asking for Christmas. Makes a great 80s gift. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ethan Hawke directs this starving-artist mood piece set in a famous New York hotel. A loose collection of artists and lonely souls waft in and out of the Chelsea in what is more a slice-of-life mood piece than a drama. The film (shot entirely on digital video) is best recommended for those who still subscribe to the notion that all artists are emotional wrecks with substance-abuse problems and that this is somehow romantic. The characters speak in poetry as often as not. If you are of a poetic bent, you may find this quirk beautiful, but more prosaic souls will find it embarrassing at best. The cast, however, is excellent. Kris Kristofferson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rosario Dawson, Robert Sean Leonard, and Steve Zahn all do fine work, especially given the difficult dialogue and frequently inadequate natural lighting. Natasha Richardson gives a particularly memorable performance--sadly, her role is all too abbreviated. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Give it a try
I'm not going to disagree with people who feel this film is pretentious. If it's not your kind of thing, I can see why you'd feel that way. But I think I can understand and appreciate what Ethan Hawke was trying to do here. The Chelsea hotel in NYC is unique--so many famous writers have lived and worked there that the place should be a literary landmark and tourist attraction. I guess to a certain extent it is, but it's also a squalid pit whose residents are a mixture of disenfranchised people and artists/writers trying to follow in the footsteps of previous Chelsea denizens. It's this contradictory atmosphere that Hawke is trying to capture, and I think he did a good job. True, there's not much of a plot. It's mainly just a glimpse at several people as they struggle with life and whether their creative impulses are fulfilling enough to sustain them in such a marginalized existence. I thought Robert Sean Leonard, Kris Kristofferson, and Rosario Dawson gave particularly moving performances. And there is a plot, in a way--watch the policemen at the beginning of the film; they'll be important at the end. There's no question that the screenplay (written by Nicole Burdette, not Hawke) is somewhat flat and inert, but the acting and directing rise above it. Months after I watched it, I keep thinking about this movie. I'm going to have to rent it again or maybe even buy it. If you don't like unconventional films, I think you can probably already tell that you're not going to like this one. If you like to see different, experimental movies, however, give this one a try and make up your own mind. At the very least, you'll be supporting independent film in this country, which needs all the help it can get.

Poem as Film, Film as Poem
I think if Charles Bukowski, Dylan Thomas, and Fellini collaborated on a piece of writing, it's possible they would have come up with this screenplay. This movie is exciting because it's soooo different from anything I've ever seen. Deliciously non-linear. The substance abuse aspect is a little overdone but that's the destiny of "artist movies". I loved hearing the dialog, and Kristofferson's acting is the best I've ever seen by him. Anything so daring and so unconventional will naturally upset some people (like other reviewers here), but if you ask me that only validates the work. If ever I go to New York City, the Hotel Chelsea will be at the top of my list of places to visit. My favorite lines were by the crazy guy in the elevator, who after claiming to have had a conversation with Dylan Thomas said that ghosts naturally reside in places like the Chelsea because people will listen to them there. The DVD extras contain a couple of quirky interviews, one with director Ethan Hawke and the other with Robert Sean Leonard who plays a deeply troubled folksinger in the film.

If these walls could talk...
Ethan Hawke's Chelsea Walls is an interesting, multi-faceted portrait of life at the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York city. The film is loosely-defined, shadowy, yet ultimately an engaging work of art unto itself.

The film follows several storylines as it meanders along.. unfolding dramas between several 'major' characters in a sort of real-time exploration of their lives. There is the tortured writer whose alcohol fuels him and whose love interests try to soothe him, whether or not they ultimately succeed. A touching storyline (Kris Kristofferson and Tuesday Weld share an especially beautiful scene). The young couple who try to stay together and who share some beautiful, simple times, and have soft remnants of security in a very uncertain time (and place) (Rosario Dawson, wonderful as ever). The singer-songwriter and his friend, who though near each other physically are very much alone in spirit (the hugely talented, under-used Robert Sean Leonard (where is the Robert Sean Leonard romantic comedy?! I want one! Great to see him and Ethan Hawke are still working together after their wonderful, classic work in Dead Poet's Society, one of my favourite films) and Steve Zahn). There is Uma Thurman's struggling single woman, somewhat adrift on less-than-stellar relationships, but trying slowly and somewhat unsteadily to gain a sense of self, among several would-be suitors. There is the elder jazz singer, who waits for his moments to shine as he sings at a nearby club in the evenings (a nice touch is that Uma Thurman's character quietly goes about her business as a waitress in the same club.)

All of these characters come together in a sort of montage.. the film has a real-life grittiness and fluid time which set it apart from most others.. one gets the feeling that this approach really is a good way to portray the Chelsea and its would-be denizens. Focus too much and you lose the sense of place, the fact that all these people and their stories are intertwined, as in real life. Tie them together any tighter and they would become too "fictional" and lose their freedom, their ability to change and reflect and be three-dimensional, real-seeming characters. Pull back from their stories any more, on the other hand, and it would become any other place, and the walls holding the story together would disappear, the essence of the film/place along with it.

As this film went on and gathered momentum, I was drawn in more and more... as it came into the last 3/4, I was mesmerized, it became pure poetry, pure art, dancing on the scenes, the emotions, like undulating water in a lake at sunset... glimmering, gorgeous. If you are an artist, or simply love art, if you want to see visions of the would-be history of a very real-life historic place, see this movie. Hawke should be proud, it's a great work.

NOBLE EFFORT
While an interesting effort, the most noteworthy scene is with the luminous TUESDAY WELD! I had almost fogotten what a terrifically talented and gorgeous actress she is. Acting students take note and watch her in action for she is the real thing. Why doesn't she work more? I didn't even realize she was in the movie and when I saw her scene, I was riveted. A true pro in every sense of the word. Only complaint was her role was too small. MORE TUESDAY!!

Grainy, bleak portrait of the hopelessness in all of us
I'm a huge Wilco fan which turned me on to this movie and soundtrack. Despite the bitter reviews by folks hoping for every plot twist and character to be instantly revealed to them in a snappy ending, this film is brilliant. Arent the best songs ones that when they are over seem too short? Arent the best books the ones that end with the fate of the protagonists as yet undetermined? Such is Chelsea Walls, a film about starving artists and tortured souls living a day in their lives. The performances, soundtrack and lighting are genius....if you like movies such as Memento, Usual Suspects, etc....where you are left wanting more...this movie is for you. If you like cheesey copouts like Lethal Weapon or Lord of the Rings....dont watch it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Affecting Drama From Anthony Drazan
Is the wish for love greater than the need to hate? An interesting question posed by, and the complexity of which is examined in this film about the effects of the decisions we make during the course of our lives, and how those decisions ultimately affect our families and loved ones. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Sheila Ballantyne, "Imaginary Crimes," directed by Anthony Drazan, stars Harvey Keitel as a widowed father raising two young daughters in 1950s Oregon. Ray Weiler (Keitel) is no role model for fathers, however. In fact, in the words of the author, "Never has a man less equipped for parenthood tried so hard." And failed, she should have added. Ray is not a "bad" man, per se, but he's a dreamer and a schemer, following one deal of a lifetime after another that, up until the day she died, kept Valery (Kelly Lynch) and their daughters, Sonya (Fairuza Balk) and Greta (Elisabeth Moss) living in a one room basement apartment. To the very end, Valery was always a "technicality" away from what she wanted most: A home of her own. And when she died, that dream apparently died with her. Ray's dreams, however, continued; as did the dark clouds his lifestyle cast over the Weilers, beneath which they were forced to live every day without hope or respite. A dreary life, indeed, for two young girls with nowhere to turn.

Told through the reminiscences of Sonya (with Balk providing effective voice-over narration), the story unfolds with the help of flashbacks which reflect the turmoil of young Sonya and Greta's lives with Ray. The sequences involving Valery are especially poignant, and presented with such care and subtly that it enables you to feel and share her every disappointment-- and there were many. You also share her joy at winning a simple raffle at the neighborhood movie theater, where she would escape with Sonya every Wednesday night. And when Sonya points out the fact that her mother cried at every film, no matter what it was, it says volumes about Valery's state of mind and the despair and unhappiness with which she lived, yet masked so convincingly in front of Sonya. It's also easy to understand the bond between the sisters, formed as a means of steeling themselves against the unconscionable neglect of their father. Though not physically abusive, the pain he inflicted on his daughters psychologically was immeasurable. Yet they stood by him; perhaps because they had nowhere else to go and no one to whom they could turn.

Filmed on location in Oregon, the film has a wistful, almost dreamlike quality that successfully reflects the era it depicts, as well as the overall mood of the story, aided in no small part by the atmosphere director Drazan creates. He renders a touching sense of injustice that keeps the viewer acutely aware of the helpless and seemingly inescapable situation in which the girls are forced to remain, and he makes the girls so readily accessible that it is easy to emphasize with them. And it makes you realize that even as big as the world is, everybody lives within their own little part, and it's different for every individual. The world of your next door neighbor may not resemble the world in which you live in any way, shape or form; and because of that, need often goes undetected and want thrives.

As Ray, Harvey Keitel is outstanding, giving a restrained and understated performance that allows you to like him and hate him at the same time. This is a complex character that Keitel develops extremely well, showing you the schemer and the con-man, but also giving you something of an indication of what lies beneath. This is a man capable of disciplined introspection, yet too selfish to do what he must know is the right thing by his family. He's a man who is past believing in himself, but has actually fallen victim to his own con and is unable to let loose of his irresponsible dreams. It's a strong performance, through which he paints the picture of a desperate man, who has no idea of just how desperate he is until it's too late. And the saddest thing about it is the effect it has on Sonya and Greta.

Giving an affecting performance, as well, is the young Fairuza Balk, whose dark beauty and intensity make her perfect for the role of Sonya. She has such expressive eyes that they veritably serve as a window into the soul of her character, which nevertheless seems to emerge from a very private place, and one that gives it definition. Like Keitel, Balk's performance is rather restrained, which gives even more power to her already mesmerizing screen presence. She makes you understand how her circumstances have affected her, which she subtly conveys in the way she relates to those around her, including Greta. There's a sense of the exceptional about Balk, who in an industry filled with young actors seemingly just off the production line, remains unique and has served herself and her career well by exploring some diverse characters in such films as "American History X," "Things To do In Denver When You're Dead," "The Waterboy" and possibly her most definitive role, as that of the young witch in "The Craft." Sonya is one of her more down-to-earth characters, and she delivers her quite well.

The supporting cast includes Vincent D'Onofrio (Mr. Webster), Diane Baker (Abigail Tate), Chris Penn (Jarvis), Amber Benson (Margaret), Annette O'Toole (Ginny) and Seymour Cassel (Eddie). Thought provoking and emotionally involving, "Imaginary Crimes" will take you to a dark place, and it's one that may be all too familiar to some who see this film. This is no happily-ever-after fairy tale, but a very real look at some hard facts about the world in which we live and the people who surround us, and the necessity of reaching out to those who just may be in need.

Imaginary Movie
Even a great actor like Harvey Keitel cannot save this film. Mr. Keitel does the best with what they give him which is almost nothing. Keitel is the patriarch of a family that suffers through his continuous schemes to make money, most of them centered around non-existant mining operation swindals. If you're going to make a movie about con games then at least tell us something about them - that might make a movie interesting! If Keitel's unconventional attempts to earn a living are meant as a backdrop for a story about family relationships, fine, give us inter-personal drama, but we don't get that either. This film drags along and is simply forgetable and regretable. Nothing happens in this film - NOTHING.

Willie Loman with daughters
This is a great movie. I'm amazed that it got made and done so well. First kudos go to Sheila Ballantyne who wrote the novel. A story like this cannot be made up in committee or by hiring the hottest screen writer in town. It has to be lived. There's no question that Ballantyne lived it. And then it has to be understood in the light of love before it can be shared with us. And she did that.

Second kudos go to Tony Drazan who directed and interpreted. It can be seen that he loved the story and he wanted it to be beautiful, and he made it so. He picked the dearest, sweetest girls to play the parts of Sonya and Greta at various ages. And he had to have the right man for their father, a flawed man, like all of us, a man doing the best he can, a man with values that don't really work, a man who lost his young wife to cancer and was left to raise his two daughters alone, a man like Arthur Miller's Willie Loman who had big dreams never realized, a man neither hero nor villain; in short a man who had to be played with delicacy and without maudlin sentiment. Harvey Keitel fit the part, that of a schemer and a dreamer and a self-deluded hustling con man, and did a fantastic, flawless job.

Fairuza Balk, who played Sonya was wonderful, and Elizabeth Moss as Greta was adorable beyond expression, and so beautifully directed. The girl who played the young Sonya was not only excellent, but looked enough like Fairuza Balk to be her younger sister: perfect casting. And Kelly Lynch who had a limited role as the mother was exquisite.

The interaction between the father and the daughters was painfully veracious, filled with real-life tension and heart-breaking disappointments, but done without abuse and without any of the dysfunctional family sicknesses so often expressed these days. We see his failure as a father on one level, and yet in the end we see through the eyes and the voice of Sonya a greater truth: in spite of his weaknesses he actually succeeded as a father. In fact we see that whether he knew it or not, the one thing that he did right in his life, although he wavered plenty, was bringing up his girls against the great odds of his defective character. And the love shown him by his daughters, so beautifully projected by both Balk and Moss, was wonderful to experience since it is so seldom seen these days when the usual style is to trash men and their part in the family. And the nonexploitive, nurturing and loving role of Sonya's English teacher, played with a fine delicacy by Vincent D'Onfrio, was a much-needed change from the usual cinematic use of teachers as sexual lechers. In this movie we can see that men are people too.

I should mention that the screenplay by Kristine Johnson and Davia Nelson was carefully crafted to showcase the story dramatically, and to warn you that this is a tear jerker. It starts a little slow, and seems a touch old fashioned, but stay with it: it's a beautiful movie, one the best I've ever seen.

Fairuza Balk is wonderful
Even as young as she was here, Fairuza Balk was wonderful in this movie. Harvey Keitel, one of the best character actors around, also did a wonderful job. Wonderful movie!! ... Read more