Amazon.com

Filmed in 1995 and marginally released in Europe in 1998, Victory deserves a better life on video. Adapted by director Mark Peploe from Joseph Conrad's 1915 novel Victory: An Island Tale, this exotic melodrama takes place in the Dutch East Indies in 1913 and '14, where the reclusive Mr. Heyst (Willem Dafoe) lives alone on the secluded island where he once operated a coal mine. Rumored to have killed his business partner, Heyst makes a rare trip to a nearby island, rescues a beautiful violinist named Alma (Irène Jacob) from a wretched hotelier, and returns home with reward-seeking killers (Sam Neill, Rufus Sewell) in close pursuit. A misanthropic pacifist, Heyst faces a dual dilemma: he's fallen in love and must protect Alma at all costs. Preserving Conrad's literary elegance, Peploe opts for a simmering escalation of tension, with a conclusion that Miramax deemed too downbeat for U.S. audiences. Boasting fine performances and breathtaking locations, this gripping film is ripe for rediscovery. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (30)

what good actors do when good roles dry up
"New Rose Hotel" is the second attempt to turn a William Gibson story into a feature-length film (after the fairly disastrous "Johnny Mnemonic," starring King of Inexpression Keanu Reeves), and its pedigree is what drew me toward it: stars Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Asia Argento(!), and director Abel Ferrara ("Ms. 45") all have steady reputations in the film world. This gave me a slight reassurance: "no matter how bad the script is, the cast and direction could make up for it."

Well, "New Rose Hotel" is the type of film that exists in the twilight zone between films that are so bad they're painful to watch, and films that are so bad they're a laugh riot. The story has something to do with two cyber-pirates (Walken & Dafoe) who hire Asia Argento to fall in love with a prestigious Japanese scientist, and collect a large sum of money in the process. The events unfold with a maximum of confusion and even when things actually seem to be making sense, they just get confusing again.

That's not to say "New Rose Hotel" is ALL bad. Sterling Video, which released this specimen, is a company pretty notorious for pushing out low-budget, bill-paying dreck featuring brand-name stars under the radar of the mainstream so as to pass unnoticed to the library shelves at your local video store. And this is no exception. While Walken and Dafoe bring trademark professionalism to their nothing roles, you know this wasn't a movie made for Academy Award consideration. Ferrara, however, seems to have given up hope after filming, allowing the editor to piece together what little story there was using the gimmick of close-circuit cameras for stylistic value. And Asia Argento, it must be said, is an AMAZINGLY bad actress who would have no career if she wasn't the daughter of Italain director Dario Argento; she mumbles her lines to the point where you won't be able to make out what she's saying (not a bad thing, considering this film makes good use of her physical assets).

"New Rose Hotel" is a low-budget, confusing mess that would be completely forgettable without the presence of Walken and Dafoe. Some scenes retain a sense of style, but other than that this is a lost cause. If you're compelled to rent this, go in with your expectations low and it'll pass easier.

We Liked It & Even Watched It Twice!
Apparently most viewers hate this movie. It is not an easy movie to follow, I grant you. However, I've seen most of Abel Ferrara's films and liked them plus I generally go for anything with Willem Dafoe in it. Walken is a favorite too. Hubby absolutely adored it and would probably go the whole 5 stars if he were writing this, which puts him at variance with almost everyone. I can't go that far but I will go 4 stars. The plot is not that tricky. What is tricky is knowing what moment of time you are in with the characters. At any given moment you can be at the start, middle or end of the story. In this it rather resembles "Memento," which is in the theaters now. Ferrara should have considered changes in lighting or some other visual key to cue the viewers into this time shifts. I've seen this done by shooting part of a film in black and white and the rest in color. I've also seen one time sequence shot in all cool or blue tones while the rest of the movie is shot in reddish hot tones. In short, there are ways to make this easier on the viewer. The plot is that Walken and Dafoe are going to make an Asian scientist fall in love with a call girl they've just met, Sandy. Sandy will bewitch the scientist and he will go wherever she wants him to go. Industrialists will pay Walken and Dafoe big money for the con. They in turn will pay Sandy a million dollars as her share. The question becomes though who is conning whom. While Dafoe is busy falling in love with Sandy, he doesn't follow through on tracing the various leads about her which come into his hands. One irony I couldn't get over was Dafoe being stunned by someone else's beauty, when, in his prime, he had to have been one of the most beautiful people on the planet. Move this back to the 1980s and probably no one would be looking at the call girls in this film! My absolute favorite movie by Ferrara is "Bad Lieutenant" with Harvey Keitel in the starring role. Keitel gives the performance of his life in that film and it is much easier to follow than this one. Before you totally write off this film maker, you might give that one a a try if all the negative reviews on this one are too much for you.

Pff
Well,
Everybody seems to hate this movie in almost all regards. I would say that it isn't spectacular, but I think it deserves better than a lot of these people are giving it. I can respect that they think differently of it.
*chuckle*
It's amazing how many people can be wrong.

Many complained that they didn't understand what was going on. Sucks for them, I guess they just aren't very bright I know I watched it, and had no trouble seeing what was going on. I read the book afterward, and thought it was quite a well-done adaptation, though I would have thought that they could have come up with a better william gibson story to do a movie of, considering the brevity of this particular one, and the abundance of other stories out there, many of which are considerably longer.

A movie that could have been.
Look, it's like this.
The story New Rose Hotel, by William Gibson is one which hilights the decay of society through peoples own self destructive impulses and that never ending bain of humanity greed.

As a story, New Rose Hotel is to be honest way to short to even contemplate making a movie out of it. There's just not enough there and when I watch the movie, it shows immensely. Dafoe and Walken are 2 of my favourite actors and there performance together I found to be of good status. What this movie needed to do was give the viewer a good explanation as to the status of the society , this different world, basically an atmosphere. Instead it gives you a blurred corporate scene and then your thrown into a bar with women that can't sing and the 2 main characters forcing themselves to make out there enjoying the poor entertainment. The exchanging of information should have been more secretive and when people wispered in others ears you should have been given a zoom on that audio. Then there was the main guts of the story, with the nano technologist. This was what could have been the movies saviour, alas it was brushed over and the conversations where the main focus of the movie. This brings me to my last annoyance. The person in charge of camera directing should have been .... Instead of seeing people interacting together at important sections of the story, you got terrible close ups of single faces that were below amateur quality and destracted you from the dialogue. All in all Gibson should have written extra material for the movie and a lot more should have been spent on atmosphere to enhance the intrigue of the story, even if it meant getting more cost effective actors. ...I like to end with a positive note, and the only one I can make as far as capturing the story goes, is that the end scene that Dafoe acted out at the end was effective enough.

If your like me and a fan of William Gibson and these two great actors, you may want this movie as part of your collection, but I tell you now, after your first viewing it's one that will sit and gather dust very quickly.

Another love-it or hate-it film.
Notice that almost no one gives this film its average score (around 2.3 stars)? It's a classic bimodal distribution: hate it or love it. Well, maybe "love it" is a bit strong, but for those who 1) don't know the plot ahead of time, and 2) carefully follow the plot as it develops in the film, particularly in the last quarter, the story is quite gripping. If you've read the story ahead of time, or lose the plot while watching, it will just seem like a very low-budget muddle.

Like many of Gibson's stories, this is hardly science fiction-- in fact, it's more purely noir than many other more noir-y looking films that come to mind. As such, it's about money, love, betrayal, women, memory, machismo--that sort of stuff. Having read the story after seeing the film, I'd almost say the movie was better, while still being true to Gibson's spirit: less of the narrator's whiny voice, more Fox; more mystery, less pseudo-futuristic-cosmopolitanism. And a much better finish.

The best part is really the much-maligned last quarter, which in its memory flashbacks leads you to discover for yourself who betrayed whom and why. The conclusion, if you care about these sorts of issues at all, is really quite sad and moving. Not knowing when it would end, I jumped up close to the TV to hear Argento's reply to Dafoe's last line. To end there shows that these guys knew what they were doing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Set in the cinematically picturesque Southwestern desert, Willem Dafoe plays a small-town lawman called out to a remote location after a dead body is found by some tourists. Along with the body, there is a briefcase with half a million dollars in it. Well, he becomes absolutely obsessed in solving the case. The audience never knows why he feels the need to solve this case instead of turning it over to the federal authorities, other than to spice up his otherwise boring job. Judging by his muscle car and quest for adventure, and despite being happily married with a kid, he seems to be going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. He gets his adventure when he finds a phone number on (actually in) the dead man's body, calls it, gets some instructions, and decides to go undercover as the dead man. Pretty soon he's meeting up with a shady Mickey Rourke and falling for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Meanwhile, the script goes through plot twists and double and triple crosses. The strangest thing is that the movie works. It's a lot of fun, and Dafoe plays the most difficult and unbelievable character with such an easy charm it's hard not to go along with him. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A forgotten film with a great cast
I bought White Sands in the cheapy bin at my local DVD retailer. I never heard of the film but I decided to buy it because I like both Willem Dafoe and Mickey Rourke. Upon viewing the film, I was only glad I payed $5.50 for it. Though it is far from bad, it's not all that great either. William Dafoe is a small Texas town sherriff that goes undercover when he finds a man dead with a half a million dollars in a briefcase. Not a bad story but all I could think is "what is this guy doing!" throughout this film as he goes deep undercover. He must have been bored with his small town life. There's plenty of twists and turns in the plot throughout the film but after awile one won't care. The film itself is also far from exciting. Mickey Rourke gives a fine performance but Willem Dafoe is a little below par. I'm sorry but he failed to convince me of his role in this film. After viewing theis film, I could see why it has been forgotten over the years because it is just not that memorable. White Sands ends up being a good way to waste an afternoon and is worth a buy if you can find it cheap. You also get to see Samuel L. Jackon early in his carrier as he is credited as Sam Jackson.

A diamond in the rough
Okay, the movie has Mickey Rourke in it, that doesn't automatically make it a bad film (though yes that usually isn't a good sign). Most of you may never have heard of this film before and that is a shame. Its unfortunate that the studio that released this film never took the time to watch it. It was released in the middle of the summer, most definitely wrong time of the year for such a film. The summer is for mindless action and laughs and unfortunately this flick just got lost in the mix.(I have nothing against mindless action and laughs.) This is a smart film with a very engaging plot, but you are required to actually pay attention. Not to give too much away but Defoe plays a small town cop who gets caught up rather large mess after the discovery of "suicide" victim out in the middle of nowhere. The acting is very well done in this film (even Rouke's). This is definitely one of the films that helped make Sam Jackson one of my favorites. If you like well done mystery/suspense flicks then this one is well worth your time.

Actually, a 4 1/2.
You're a cop, you live in New Mexico. You get a call that there's been a dead body found in the desert near you, near some old Indian ruins. Next to his body is a briefcase, with half a million dollars inside. If your Defoe, (in this show) a cop, you want to find out where it came from. How can it be a suicide? Who would want to kill themselves while possessing a half million dollars? The more he investigates and finds out gets him in over his head. He takes on the identity of the deceased, this sheriff from New Mexico is smarter than he acts but much less experienced than he tries to appear. Mickey Rourke gets to be the bad guy in this one. Guess what? He's a CIA agent. He's on whoever's side they pay him to be on. This is enough. The rest I'll leave to your imagination. I should mention that Samuel Jackson is also in this show. He's an FBI agent. It's not really sand, it's gypsum.

Excellent thriller with superb cast
This smart thriller makes you both wonder what gonna happend next and be suprised that Mickey Rourke is good. Samuel Jackson, Willem Dafoe and M Emmet Walsh is all good. But it is Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio who steals the show. Her best since "The Abyss". If you like this movie, check out "Thunderheart", "Consenting Adults" and "Unlawful Entry".

Great cast, plot twists, amazing landscapes
This film was generally overlooked upon release. Predating Lone Star and Thunderheart, this film has three amazing things going for it: (1) the cast is stellar. You get Dafoe, in a good guy role, M Emmett Walsh as a lazy coroner, Mary Elizabeth Mastronantino in an amazing lead role, Sam Jackson (how he's listed on the end credits) tearing up the scenery, Mickey Roarke in a GOOD performance, and even an uncredited thankless role. (2) the plot is much better than No Way Out. With Donaldson directing, you might think that it would just be a remake/remuddle, but the plot does keep twisting, and once you think you have it even remotely figured out, BANG something else happens. (3) the scenery is amazing. The only film that comes closer to capturing the feel of the New Mexican landscape is Backtrack, which is also very good. The widescreen adds (although it is fair to ask when it DOESN'T), so, if you were like me and didn't see this until it came out on VHS, you're in for a treat. Not all of it does work--you do keep waiting for Dafoe to become the creep he is in most of his films since Wild at Heart, or Roarke to make little sense, but like Angelheart, he is focused and amazing here, but it doesn't happen. Not a whole lot of extras here, unfortunately (maybe there's a director's edition somewhere with more of Mimi Rogers in it, but as it stands, this is a terrific movie. Four stars out of five. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

The Greatest Vietnam Movie, In my opinon.
Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is one of the best and most powerful of all war pictures. It is the best movie ever made about the Vietnam war. Stone's film is gritty, frighteningly realistic and incredibly powerful. Stone doesn't just show us the Vietnam war, he takes into the Vietnam war. The screenplay is brilliant and doesn't fall into the trap that other war films fall into, where the violence turns into a fun experience and fighting seems "cool." This is a movie that truly shows the horrors of war realistically and with great effect. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (JFK, Natural Born Killers) is rich and gritty, giving more feeling to already great material. The characters are believable and convincing. It's great work because Stone himself went to Vietnam, so he has a better idea of what happened than Francis Ford Coppola when he made "Apocalypse Now" (which is also a great movie). "Platoon" is mesmerizing, powerful, effective, disturbing and even philosophical. It is one of Stone's greatest works. He ignites the screen with passion. The music is incredibly moving. No other director has made better films about Vietnam than Stone, who's "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Heaven And Earth" followed "Platoon," and opened our eyes to greater clarity. I was never less than spellbound by this work. "Platoon" vibrates with realism and energy. A very special motion picture

The Nam
Oliver Stone's Vietnam War film, PLATOON, remains a very intense film, even some 15 years after its theatrical release.
As seen through the eyes of Private Chris Taylor, (Charlie Sheen), the film focuses on the experiences of this naive young man and the other soldiers in his unit. As tensions mount and fears of the enemy threaten to overtake the men, a sick rivalry develops between Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sgt. Elias (Willem DaFoe) that sets soldier against soldier. The entire film takes you inside the minds of these 3 men for different views on the war and what it was like for the men that were there. Of course some of it seems tamer now, especially after, more recent war films. But PLATOON still is an intense look at the war, that, even today, no one really understands. Stone puts his real life experiences as a "Nam" vet, to direct to perfection. The performances by the cast are superb...

The Special Edition DVD has an excellent retrospective documentary on the film that is quite comprehensive. Of equal interest, were the 2 audio commentaries The first by Stone, the second by millitary advisor Dale Dye---both men put the actors through their paces. The photo gallery, theatrical trailer, t.v. spots and "collectible" booklet round out the disc's extras. This edition is vastly improved over the movie only edition and comes highly recommended

not God as some people praise it at but pretty damn good
very very enjoyable flick, mainly because it reminded me of FMJ(full metal jacket) and the humor was pretty good too. i might have preferred this film a little better if charlie s. wasnt in it but he actualy didnt do that bad of a job one part i found hysterical was that johnny depp has a part in it. with short blonde hair and he just is walking by then gets blown up. this film should deffinalty be in a war collects colection.

way too isolated and without emotions
Oliver Stone's was a veteran of Vietnam himself and he appears late in this movie, which is unfortunate for his own sake, because if I were him, I'd want to be hiding from this movie, pretending to have nothing to do with it. The three main soldiers (Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger) hate each other from the very beginning and everyone knows before it begins that it is about the loss of innocence because war is hell, so the things that happen to the three of them are pretty predictable. In some of his better work, mainly The Doors and Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone uses a lot of effort to show the effect that the plot is having on the rest of the world. In The Doors, we see footage of Vietnam because it was transpiring at the same time. Likewise for Nixon. However, in this movie, we just see the war itself without seeing the outside world reacting to it as it unfolds. Oliver Stone does better work in the 90's.

Favorite Vietnam Piece
This is my personal favorite vietnam film. It blew away the others for me (ie..Hamburger Hill, Full metal jacket etc) The story, acting and gritty take of the war made this film VERY important. It asks some pointed questions and is a breathtaking film. Not to be missed! This should be in EVERY war film fan's library. plain and simple. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Willem Dafoe does it again!
Possibly one of the best of the Vietnam war movies that were popular in the late 80's. The story is beleivable and the plot never slows down for one minute. The acting is superb, the story flows well and it's very enjoyable to watch. Let me ask you, can WILLEM DAFOE make a bad movie even if he tried? For my money it's much better than "Hamburger Hill"and almost equal to "Platoon". Maybe they made use of props and sets left over from other Vietnam movies.Bangkok must have done very well doubling for Saigon back then, appearing in "Good Morning Vietnam" as well. Five stars from me, and a BIG recomendation! SEE IT!!

Grime And Crime In A Cesspool Called Saigon
Other reviewers have covered the essence of the plots and action quite well and there is little that I can add.However, I will comment on the technical quality of the DVD.

My first experience with this movie outside the theater screening was on laser disc.The quality of the LD was abysmal at best, and so I awaited the arrival of my DVD with some nervousness. I am happy to report that the DVD, while not pristine, is very acceptable and is a quantum leap better than the LD.

The difficulty of the photography can be laid directly at the feet of the subject matter.Most of the early scenes were rainy night shots of the grimy alleys and smokefilled GI bars of Saigon.They were difficult lighting conditions and it is possible that the director was looking for a smokey grimy result.

Anyhow, if anyone has experienced the earlier poor quality transfers this DVD will be quite satisfactory.

Oh, by the way, did I mention that the story line and acting were very good.It appears that Willem Dafoe and Keith David went straight from this movie to the Platoon compound that Oliver Stone constructed for his Vietnam epic.

The Way It Was!
An excellent potrayal of Army CID ops in Saigon during the latter half of the war.Two great actors!

Off Limits, the road to Hell leads to Saigon 1968....
We certainly know how to miss out on the really good films don't we? I'm amazed at what becomes a blockbuster and what flounders into obscurity.

We pile praises on films like "Titanic" and "The Passion of Jesus Christ" but we ignore the really good quality films that come out, and go for the glitz and the glamour.

Oh the peculiarity of the movie going human race is all I can say!

Off Limits (I saw it under the title of Saigon) was a film that really should have been a hit, it was that good.

Gregory Hines gave a solid performance as a Albaby Perkins a Military Policeman based in Saigon in the late 1960s, along with the smouldering William Defoe as his partner Buck McGriff.

Keeping the peace, having fun and doing their job is part of the game but when Saigon Prostitutes start turning up dead, they find themselves involved in a high ranking scandal that could just get them killed.

This film is not just a thriller, romance, murder mystery, or war movie, it is in my humble opinion a psychological masterpiece and it was done on a budget!

We are treated to a romance that can never be between William Defoe's character McGriff and the beautiful nun Sister Nicole played by the English Rose actress Amanda Pays along with an understated performance by the actor Raymond O'Connor.He portrays to perfection the haunted Sgt. Flowers, a man who would rather risk his life every day in the most dangerous war torn place on earth, because it is far safer than being in Saigon with the knowledge he has of the murders that Defoe and Hines are investigating.

You have a plethora of quality actors in this film, from Fred Ward, to David Keith, to Scott Glenn.

There are some great as well as grotesque moments in this film, such as the mad Colonel who does his prisoner interrogation in a chopper; his tactic to get information from his them is to throw them out of the chopper one by one. There is a shocking conclusion to this scene but I won't give it away and spoil it for you but look out for it, it is quite mind blowing!

Another quality moment is when McGriff finds his partner, playing basketball, all singed and battered after a violent attempt on their lives, we are treated to the fear and tension these men are constantly under, with no one to turn too because they are trying to expose a horrifying secret that just might go right to the top of the military flagpole.

This is an intelligent film; full of the horror of war and what it can do to you psyche as well as your physical being.

It is also a murder mystery with one hell of a twist in the tale and even though I know who "dunnit" I have watched it on several occasions simply because it so good!

An underrated, under appreciated film that should stand along side the likes of, "Platoon," and "Full Metal Jacket."

War, crime and beautiful asian girls: a good cocktail
One year after "Platoon", Willem Dafoe and Keith David do it again. This time Dafoe, as McGriff, stars with Gregory Hines ("The Cotton Club", "White Nights") as Perkins, and they investigate about a series of murders targeting young asian prostitutes in Saigon, in the middle of the Viet-nam war. Soon, the suspect n° 1 is to be an American soldier...

The story is quite tough but the viewer can appreciate the very pretty girls of Saigon and the exotic background, despite the war atmosphere. There's also some religion involved: if McGriff and Perkins finally find the murderer, it's thanks to a white nun played by pretty Amanda Pays, who was in touch with some of the victims. The mixing of all this is a minor success, the movie is well written, filmed, photographed and played - there's also Scott Glenn in the cast, perfect and funny as a nut officer, and Fred Ward is impressive. In addition, the soundtrack is excellent and very exciting, with many soul and funky hits from that period. What more can we ask? ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Chinese and Western cultures collide in '30s romance
Anyone who liked Zhang Yimou's "Raise The Red Lantern" is a prospect for "Pavilion Of Women". Whereas "Raise The Red Lantern" explores merely Chinese taboos about marriage and concubinage, "Pavilion Of Women" centres on a romance between leading characters in whom both Chinese and Western mores collide. This is a cross-cultural romantic story adapted from a book by the prolific American writer on China, Pearl S. Buck, set in the late 1930s. It is a cross-cultural challenge to the audience, as much as to its characters. Many Chinese would say that its romantic plot was unthinkable or impossible in the 1930s--which is, of course, part of the point of the story. Western fans of Pearl S. Buck might be irritated by deviation from her book. However, this film has first class cross-cultural direction and acting, and was beautifully photographed on location in elegant settings of old Suzhou. It is a fine example of what the Chinese film industry can achieve in co-production. The DVD has high quality picture and audio, but could be improved with special features such as biographical and production notes.

Modern view of oppressive traditional Chinese way of life
I remember reading Pearl Buck's "Pavilion of Women" as a child and loving it. I've forgotten the details of the plot long ago. But I do remember it was about Madame Wu, a wealthy Chinese woman who, on her 40th birthday, decided to stop marital relations with her husband and find him a young concubine. At that time 40 years old seemed very old to me. Now it seems quite young.

This 2001 adaptation of the novel is set in 1937 and was filmed in China and partially financed by the Beijung Film Studios. The Chinese actress Yan Luo not only stars as Madame Wu, but also helped write the screenplay and produce the film. She's beautiful and stately and gives a fine performance. Willem Dafoe is cast as a village priest who runs a local orphanage. They are attracted to each other and the inevitable happens. But that is only part of what the story is about. Basically, it's about the oppressive world of the old-fashioned traditional Chinese family. And the future promise of communism. I read the book a long time ago and don't remember such a strong emphasis on communism. But this film is, after all, produced from a modern Chinese point of view.

Many critics hated this film, called it too slow and too romantic. And all of them objected to the fact that the characters spoke English. I usually would agree with all those objections. It IS an overblown soap opera after all. However, I found watching this film a delight. I loved the opulent world of pre-communist China that I remember so well from Pearl Buck novels, including the acceptance of the concubine. And I liked the fact that the bedroom scenes were much more explicit than what was hinted at by Pearl Buck. I just relaxed and let myself be part of this fantasy world for a little while. And even though the film was a full two hours long, I never was bored.

Taste is personal, of course. And even though I can't understand why I enjoyed Pavilion of Women so much, I do recommend it.

Beautiful people, glorious photography, and romance.
This film is one of those movies you like to watch with your better half on a rainy Saturday afternoon with a large couch and a bowl of popcorn. Don't expect a lot from this particular movie (loosely based on Pearl Buck's book). It would never win an Academy Award, but not every movie is made for such shallow recognition. The Chinese women characters are stunningly beautiful, the location photography is breathtaking, and even Willem Dafoe is pleasant enough to watch in this film. This is one of those movies guys love because it has enough story to keep the girls interested, and enough slow periods where you can get a lot of hugging and kissing in. For that reason alone, I should have given this movie 6 stars!

Forgive them Father Andre, they know not what they do !
Unbeliavably bad. Wiliam Defoe was hired to add prestige. Guess it would have been too much of a giveaway if they'd gotten Richard Chamberlain.

But even Defoe (one of my favorite actors, btw.) cannot rescue this grotesque unintentional parody of Pearl Buck's classic.

It's like Disney filming a musical version Moby Dick from the whale's point of view, or The Three Musketeers as an X rated movie about the homosexual bond between French soldiers, or Mr. Smith Goes to Washington--and machine gunning The Senate at the end, or--well, you get the idea.

Jumping Li Po! Has ANYONE who gave this travesty of Buck's masterpiece a favorable review actually READ the book?

If the plot has any resemblance to the novel, it's purely accidental. The characters are not only changed, they're caricatures--to call them one dimensional is to accord them one dimension too many and the theme of one of the most moving and subtle works of fiction is reduced to the level of a bumper sticker.

My favorite scene is a toss up between the sprained ankle in the rain when the hero carries her off to the hayloft and begins to make love as the camera cuts away; Reminiscent of a grade B 50's flick and a Harlequin Romance paperback, and the happy couple in communist uniforms reunited on top of a hillside at the end, as the music swells triumphantly.

It's Mao Tse Tung meets The Sound of Music.

So bad...it's good!
'Pavilion of Women' is an unintentionally hilarious film. The movie is set in China, all the dialogue is in English - stilted English at that (including Willem Dafoe's as a matter of fact) - though it is meant to be in Chinese.

The characters are incredibly broadly drawn - husband's a sex-addicted lying cheat, wife's a saint, son's a rebel, etc. Watching this film, we turned to each halfway through and wondered "Why haven't we turned this off yet?" The answer: the movie was so bad that watching it had become fun - just *how bad* could it get?

Well, when the son and his girlfriend come over the hill wearing their new Communist attire...Aahhh! We knew the filmmakers had attained camp nirvana. You can't invent a moment that goofy. Simply wonderfully bad moviemaking! Excellent!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anybody seen Keanu? The action star of Speed opted outof this overbearing sequel, which finds costar Sandra Bullock in love withanother guy (Jason Patric) and in trouble aboard a cruise ship underthe control ofa mad extortionist (Willem Dafoe). Speed director Jan de Bontis back at the helm for part 2, but even he seems to have forgottenthat what made the first film work was the simplicity of its hook(the bomb, the bus that can'tdrive below 50 mph, the handful of sympathetic passengers, etc.).Speed 2 isall about hugeness: big ship, lots of places to get into trouble, and so on.Even with an eye-popping, endless finale of the vessel crashing into port (andcausing mondo destruction), there is nothing about this movie that is remotelyas involving as its predecessor. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (94)

What was so wrong with it?
My mother and I were the only two people in the theater the day that we saw Speed 2: Cruise Control. After watching the movie, I couldn't understand why so many people hated this movie. It was not a bad movie by any account, except for some discrepancies in the destruction of the cruise ship. The movie made me laugh while also giving me a dosage of suspense, thrills, and great special effects. Sandra Bullock is always a joy to watch on screen, giving each of her movies a comic, light and happy feel. The absence of Keanu Reeves is nothing to worry about, seeing as how he didn't really bring much adventure to the first movie either. Jason Patric delivers a terrific performance, and it is Willem Dafoe's character who is the epitome of insanity and hunger for revenge. I wouldn't really listen to a lot of what people had to say: this is a comical, thrill-ride movie that will have you laughing and holding your breath.

Fast Bus 2: Big Slow Ship
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1998)
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, Willem Dafoe
Directed By: Jan de Bont
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 121 minutes
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On One Hand...
"Thumps up!"
-Roger Ebert

...on the Other.
"A waterlogged sequel that'll soon be bottom-feeding with Beyond the Poseidon Adventure."
-Mike Clark, USA Today
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The Love Boat meets Air Force One

Speed 2: Cruise Control was one whacked-out movie. Throwing the thrilling dramatic elements of the first film overboard, all it has left is the action...and some dude called Jason Patric.

One sure thing that can be said about this movie is its special effects are fabulous. We're talking big money effects, including that oh-so-cool finale where the Seabourn Legend (the ship) crashes into a resort town.

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The Plot

Trouble continues to follow LA citizen Annie Porter when she and her new hubby (a stone-faced Jason Patric) book a tropical cruise on the Seabourn Legend cruise ship. A crazed computer hacker (Willem Dafoe) has taken over the ship and is setting on a course to destruction...to some sort of some tanker, I guess, that would've exploded (and ends up exploding anyway, but the ship is safe, of course). So, of course, Annie and her beau attempt (meaning they will of course succeed) to save the ship and its passengers.

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The Cast

Sandra Bullock as Annie Porter
(Speed, 28 Days, Two Weeks Notice)
Ms. Bullock, easily my favorite actress, gives a good, if not great, performance, in an iffy-at-best action movie. Speed was outstanding, and it's hard to live up to that, but Sandra OWNS this movie, pretty much.

Jason Patric as Officer Alex Shaw
(Your Friends and Neighbours, Sleepers, Narc)
For one, I have no idea who this actor is, he's new to me. And I'm not likely to see any more of his movies based on his performance in this movie. Instead of Keanu Reeve's more human performance as an LAPD cop in the first movie, Patric plays his Alex Shaw (also in the LAPD) as a traditional action hero, always stone-faced and heroic. In fact, Alex Shaw is not the most interesting character in the world. Well as long as Annie's happy...

Willem Dafoe as John Geiger
(The English Patient, eXistenZ, Spider-Man)
Dafoe takes over the psycho role, vacated (and beheaded) by Dennis Hopper in the first film. He's didn't seem evil (maybe crazy) but he is rather cool, and his plot to destroy the Seabourn Legend cruise ship was inspired. Willem Dafoe is a very talented man.

Another very good performance comes comes from deaf actress Christine Firkins, who plays a deaf teenager named Drew. This movie is notable for the fact that there's not only a deaf character, but the fact that they hired a deaf actress for the part.
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So, About the Special Effects...

The effects in this movie are very, very good (they better have been, considering its supposed $110-$150 million price tag). The ship is jaw-droppingly cool, as good as the titular vessel in Titanic...unlike that movie though, Speed 2 employed an actual cruise ship (the real Seabourn Legend) in some shots (most shots of it are computer graphics). The finale in the resort town was very, very neat (I talked about this part in the first part of this review).
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So What Did I Think?

Aside from the effects, this a pretty average action movie with pretty average performances. While nowhere near as good as the first Speed movie, this sequel is glossy, silly movie-night fun (even though it thinks its a seriously heavyweight action movie).

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not bad
ok, this sequel does not live up to the standards of the first but it is very enjoyable. Sure there can be the occasional stupid dialogue here and there, but only really by one person, Willem defoe, but he did an ok job but i didnt see it for him, i saw it for the action. The action sequences really picked up when daylight came. They are good but they should have cut them shorter a bit, only because i really wanted to feel the rush like in the first, but i love the ship running into the town and the boat blowing up in the end. I think this film would have been great if Keanu had accepted to come back and they should have kept the MA rating. sandra Bullock, good as usual, Jason Patrik, well they needed somebody to fill in and he did a good job. This film does not take itself too seriously, they made it for the fans, and i liked it, just enjoy it for what it is, a pretty decent sequel.

Speed 2 needs to slow down!
The original Speed was a different kind of movie (Who would have thought a movie that took place mainly on a bus would be so good?) that for one reason or another MANY people enjoyed. Speed 2 seems to be one of those "We liked the first one so we want a sequel!" Kind of movies, and it turned out to be pretty bad. Speed 2 actually makes a Disney sequel look GOOD.

The movie centers around our heroine Annie (her role reprised by Sandra Bullock) who is taking a driving test in the beginning of the movie to get her license back for (gasp!) speeding! She has just gotten herself out of a relationship with Jack (Who was in the first one) and is now with Alex (Jason Patric). When she finds out that Alex works for the same squad that Jack works for she isn't too happy with that.

Later Alex decides to take Annie on a cruise and when they do things start off fine and dandy until a mad bomber (William Dafoe) by the name of Geiger takes over the cruise ship trapping a few passengers on board.

Let's put this one thing aside, Keanu Reeves didn't show up in this film. Surprisingly enough this one thing is what starts the film slide into ruin. Jason Patric and Sandra Bullock don't really have a whole lot of chemistry. It isn't as well developed as it was in the first Speed movie. I'm sure that even if Keanu Reeves had appeared in this movie it wouldn't have saved it from becoming a mess anyhow.

William Dafoe doesn't make for the greatest villian either (who would've thought that five years later he'd be the Green Goblin in the blockbuster hit: Spider Man?). He has the potential to be a great mad bomber but somehow he misses what the bomber in the first movie had. That would be his lack of remorse and intelligence.

Speed 2 doesn't keep on the edge of your seat like the first movie did. Speed 2 is like a Disney Sequel, not good enough for the theater. Speed 2 I can honestly say was a bad movie. An under developed plot put along with some pretty under developed characters make this movie seem like garbage.

I don't recommend this movie to anyone who liked the first one. Those who enjoyed the first movie probably won't like this one.

Defiantly not as Good as the first
it was alright, but i can't say it was better or as good as the first. i strongly recommend watching the first, then watching the second. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Guns, guns, guns! And a few explosions as bodies fly through the air and crash into tables and fruit stands. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, like all Robert Rodriguez movies, is all about the kinetic kick of high-velocity action. Johnny Depp, blase and whimsical, plays a CIA agent who's drawn guitar-playing gun-slinger Antonio Banderas (long black hair flopping over his face like the ears of a Labrador puppy) into a ridiculously convoluted plot to overthrow the Mexican government. Along for the ride are a craggy-faced rogue's gallery including Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo, Ruben Blades, and (to balance things out) the smooth, tantalizing complexions of Eva Mendes and Salma Hayek. For sheer trashy fun, Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a step down from its predecessor, Desperado--but Desperado set the bar pretty high. For coherent storytelling, look elsewhere, but for action razzle-dazzle, this is your movie. --Bret Fetzer

Desperado
It's Sergio Leone meets Sam Peckinpah meets Quentin Tarantino in this ultraviolent, mythological shoot-'em-up by auteur Robert Rodriguez. In Desperado, Rodriguez creates larger-than-life, genre-tweaking stock characters and puts them through their paces. As they stride bravely through an Old West lightly dusted with camp humor, they're periodically called upon to nimbly dodge bullets and fireballs through outrageously choreographed displays of Hollywood pyrotechnics. In this bigger-budget semi-remake/semi-sequel to Rodriguez's indie sensation, El Mariachi (made, famously, for $7,000), Antonio Banderas is the darkly charismatic El Mariachi, the Mysterious Stranger in town; Steve Buscemi is perfectly cast as his weasely, motor-mouth Comic Sidekick, laying the groundwork for El Mariachi's entrance by spinning saloon stories to build up his legend; Cheech Marin is a standout as the Bartender, who really knows how to handle a toothpick; and gorgeous Salma Hayek is, well, the Girl--treated to the kind of full-blown, slow-mo introduction the movies traditionally lavish on beautiful new stars. It doesn't add up to much, but it's a kick. Be careful not to blow out your speakers with the DVD's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Description

Highly acclaimed stars Willem Dafoe (SPIDER-MAN)), Lena Olin (CHOCOLAT), and Miranda Richardson (SLEEPY HOLLOW) sizzle onscreen in this erotic tale of passion, obsession, and hidden desire! THE NIGHT AND THE MOMENT exposes one man's countless seductions ... and the ultimate search for his endless fantasy. Though he knew her only from notes exchanged secretly through a prison wall, a legendary playboy cannot forget the sensuous and mysterious woman who was imprisoned next to him. Once given his freedom, he embarks on an adventurous quest to find her ... the only woman who could ever tempt him with lurid pleasures and satisfy his wildest desires! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Where the author's intrusion becomes fruition!
A witty and comical drama, very much from the origins of today's romantic drama, of a marchioness who starts up a conversation with her philandering lover, who went to prison for a while, and makes him give an account of his pleasurable exploits. Slowly and surely, he captures her heart and soul as she discloses one of her amorous encounters. Quite a naughty film with naughty naughty sweet scenes. The scene where a young lady comes in the author's cell to seduce him and he refuses her is funny! Modern and eighteenth century elements are blended in this film. Not much of a structured plot and the film lacks intrigue. But the spell of both lovers will entice you and I trust the owl to keep a secret. You'll know what I mean if you see the film!

A play of witty banter...
'Twas an interesting story of two people, a game of minds. The seduction of a mind to claim the body which keeps it. I will not say 'tis the best film I have seen, but certainly it has its merits. That so much of it is all performed in the same room removes from it the usualy visual lures of movies these days makes it all the more intriguing. Certainly, this would be a boring film for most, as it requires your attention and an understanding of the subtly clever tricks each character plays . . . tis not for the night when one wishes action, drama, etc. This film is light at heart much of the time, very amusing. I recommend giving it a chance when you feel as if life is too demanding, and you wish to fall into the mirth of wooing a lover's spirit into bed. ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (245)

Maravillosa!
this was a really good movie. i haven't seen an action movie this entertaining in a looooong time and action movies aren't particularly my cup of tea but this was an outstanding movie. It's got it all, drama, explosions and a great storyline as well as great acting... the only thing else i could ask for would be the deaths of 2 particularly annoying people, one a pop singer and the other an American ex-pat living in France.... hope i'm not giving anything away...

One of the worst movies I have ever seen
Bad acting & dumb plot is the best way to describe this movie. This movie is a waste of your time and your money.

ONCE UPON A WASTE OF TIME ABOUT MEXICO
Did we really need a third installment? For the third time Robert Rodriguez has remade EL MARIACHI. Other than stylish shootouts and a repeat of the same old themes there is nothing new here besides Depp, who ads a comedic dimension to the whole mess.

It's a shame that RR wastes his time and talent on this when he is clearly qualified to tell much better and more meaningful stories with the rich history of Mexico as its back drop. What a waste of a talented cast who are obviously begging for something meaningful to do.

Antonio Banderas returns again as the mariachi with and guitar case full of guns to save the Mexican President and shoot up the bad guy--Willem Dafoe. Good to see Mickey Roarke back on the screen.

Don't waste your time with this POS.

Dreadful
This is the sort of movie you and your friends might make on a long weekend, assuming someone was silly enough to give you millions of dollars to do so. But, when you're a famous director this is exactly what happens. Good actors are wasted on a plot that lurches from one gun fight to the next. I suppose, if pressed to say something nice I will say that the way color is used in this movie is excellent but there is literally nothing else to recommend.

another one for the trash......save your money..rent it.....
This movie goes way left from the Desperado plot and is not a worth while investment to anyone's collection. Some good action scenes, I give it that....but it doesn't make a entire movie without a decent plot.... ... Read more

Reviews (373)

A Sharp, Potent, Slick, Funny & Ultimately Disturbing Satire
American Psycho may be one of the most carefully crafted, and exceptionally filmed movies in recent memory. That depends, of course, how you percieve the movie. Educated viewers will catch the importance of the film, and realise that this is really an art film - less experienced viewers will probably call it sick. That it mind, the film is ultimately recommended to viewers that want to challenge their minds (this is for mature audiences only). The film itself is about a 1980s yuppie, played so beautifully by Christain Bale. As the film progresses, we have an awareness that he is insanse, but rarely see any evidence to back this up (sure he's bad... but I've seen MUCH worse). However, after establishing that leasurely pace, the film strikes with sharp, blatantly shocking images of violence and mayem. Basically, the acts of murder get more and more disturbing until we finally realise just how sick and out-of-touch this person is. Of course, there is much to praise about the film. The performances are over-the-top (with a great appearance by Willem Dafoe - one of my favorite actors). The set designs are absolutely amazing, most notably the spacious and "arty" apartment! All throughout, there are great references to the 1980s, and the film contains some pretty funny sequences (the most hilarious being a card contest). But this does not detract from the bloody excesses, which might offend those viewers who are not accustomed to seeing blatant scenes of gore and splatter. Many people have read the book by Ellis, and might be cautious to seeing the movie. However, the violence in the movie is far less than in the book and most of the pornographic sadism that was so evident in the novel is missing. So if you're tired of "contemperary cinema", with connect-the-dot movies that insult your intelligence, sit down and watch American Psycho.

Oh.. and a thankful nod to the filmmakers for putting in that footage from THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE - perfect in this film!

Excellent Satire.
While American Psycho may seem a little dated now, it is still right on the money when it comes to corporate America's greed, corruption and materialism. If you want some top notch satire with a dark and violent twist, American Psycho is your film. The surreal nature of the film brings it to a higher level than your run of the mill social commentary. American Psycho is a must see for any non-conformist who appreciates cutting wit.

This is the WORST "horror" movie ever!
I don't know what to say. This movie is so horribly bad, I had to stop it more then twice. The only reason I started watching it again is because I didn't want to waste the three bucks I spent on it at Blockbuster. I know by now, you are problably thinking that I'm an ignorant movie watcher who hates horror. Well, you're wrong. I love horror movies as much as the next guy. To be honest, I enjoy gore very much and I don't expect a good plot from a horror movie, not even from American Psycho. I knew it would be stupid, long before I watched it, but a friend of mine told me it was funny. So I thought: "What the hell." This movie was distasteful, even to me. And another thing, the amount of sex incorporated into this film, is pointless. I think the film's director put that amount because she is a woman and just wants to prove to people, that she can be just as dirty as any male director. In conclusion, I would give this film no stars if I could, but unfortunately 1 is the lowest number. One last thing, I heard there's an unrated version to American Psycho. I can't imagine how that turned out.

Good movie, avoid the book
This is a pretty good movie. Christian Bale is great, and there are some very funny moments. The director Mary Herron deserves credit for salvaging something out of Brett Easton Ellis's vomit-inducing novel.
That is my real goal for posting this review: warning viewers to steer far clear of the book. Trust me, I am doing a valuable public service. You may be curious about the book because you liked the movie, but STAY AWAY! The book is a big, heaping, stinking pile of trash. If you thought the movie was voilent, you ain't seen nothing yet. Unlike the movie, the "satire" of the book gets utterly lost within scene after scene of depravity. You have been warned. Flipping through this book is like peeking into Ellis's toilet several hours after he ate a very large meal. You might find some pages of his book floating in there too, because that's all it's good for.

Journey into the mind of a psychopath killer...
I thought this was a great movie. It has dark comedy in it, but it is mainly a horror movie. I thought Christian Bale did a superb job as Patrick Bateman. The movie was directed by Mary Herron, and was done really well. The cast includes Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Chloë Sevigny, Reese Witherspoon, and Willem Dafoe.

'American Psycho' is about a rich businessman Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) who, during the day anyway is a charming guy, but sometimes he just wants to kill whenever he feels the urge.

DVD Features include Production notes, Theatrical Trailers, Making of 'American Psycho', and a Christian Bale interview. Overall this DVD is worth every penny you pay for it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An example of too many friends (cooks) spoiling the broth
BULLFIGHTER dates back to 2000 and the reason it never was noticed (if it even ever appeared) in the theaters is that it is simply a bad movie.Director Rune Bendixen has attempted to make a film that employs south of the border 'magical realism' with spaghetti westerns and has obviously captured the attention of fine filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Guillermo del Toro as he has cast them in very minor roles.To top it off he somehow convinced a cast of very fine actors to become involved - Olivier Martinez, Michelle Forbes, Donnie Wahlberg, Michael Parks, Willem Dafoe, Jared Harris, etc - but to no avail.

Giving the benefit of some positive comments, Bendixen does stage some sequences having to do with spiritual channeling that take on some nice photographic elements, and....well, it stops there.The editing is choppy at best, the dialogue is not understandable (which is probably a blessing), and the story is so inconsequential that it is next to impossible to stick it out to the end.This seems like Bendixen gathered some good friends together and talked them into a project that would propel him into the ring of edgy filmmakers.It just fizzled.Grady Harp, February 2005

This is truly awful...
I'm not kidding you, this is an absolutely awful film. I'm a huge Dafoe fan, and bought it because he's in it. (He's only in it for about two minutes.) This has got to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. No wonder it sat on the shelf for five years. It should have NEVER been released!!!

I rated it a "1" because there was no choice for "0".
This is the worst god damned movied ever made. Vomitous. Hideous. Stupid. Revolting. Before you say "How can John Hubbard say this is the worst movie ever?", I want to assure you that I have seen "Car 54 Where Are You", "Wisdom", "Cabin Boy", "Dogtown", "Man's Best Friend", "Ishtar" and every other crappy movie that was amde since about 1980. This movie straight up sucks.: the editing, the plot, the dialogue, EVERYTHING. Serviceable actors like Jared Harris, Willem Dafoe, Michelle Forbes and Michael Parks should thank their lucky starts that, probably, nobody but me has seen this movie. I SERIOUSLY thought about burning down my house after seeing this crap stain of a film. The writer and director will hopefully leave Hollywood and go backto work at Burger King. ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more