Amazon.com

Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script.--Dan Vancini ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Since the movie is so impossibly boring...
and cliché, and predictable and tongue-in-cheek, and trited, and mindless, I'm going to summarize this movie as:
Utter Waste of Money and Time.
There's nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing positive to say about this movie. They were pushing it with the first one, however, it was passable and watchable. This sequel is one that should have never put out. It's so enclosed in its idiocy that it obfuscates the acting value of thespians of great caliber. Avoid!

Don't Believe the Negativity...It's Hilarious
I'm so tired of everyone looking for Shakespearian perfection in every film, bottom line, it's a dumb comedy, so turn your pompous search for meaningful dialogue and great script-writing
off and enjoy the laughs. It's a comedy, not Macbeth. I kept hearing how horrible it was, well guess what, surprise, surprise
the critics were wrong again! If you enjoyed the first film, you'll love the second, it was every bit as funny, if not funnier. I don't laugh easy either, but it had me rolling most of the film, in tears laughing at times. I know when to be critical and when to put the brain on pause and just enjoy a good old fashioned laugh. It has that Farelly Brothers-type gross out humor, if you enjoy that sort of thing which I do, then you'll enjoy this. If not, go rent 'Annie Hall,' and spend needless hours pining over the film's lighting and set direction, you know, 'the important things in film'...rolls eyes.

please, not a third time!
Gee, it's pretty sad to see actors of this caliber, who've been in so many memorable movies, get mired in this kind of horrible dreck.

But, this is what really offended me:in "Meet the Parents" there was one trained animal to provide a few cute jokes.In this sequel, not only did they feel the need to throw in a pathetic looking dogfor a few more "America's Funniest Videos" style laughs, they effectively used a child in the role of a third "trained animal".Sick.They must have figured that it worked well with "Mini-Me" in the "Austin Powers" sequel, so why not stick Robert DeNiro with a similar sidekick?The people who made this movie deserve a swift kick (or two) in the pants.

Clash of the Icons
Moviegoers flocked to "Meet the Fockers," making this star-studded sequel to "Meet the Parents" a box-office smash. Now that Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) and his fiancée Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) are finally getting married, it's time for Pam's conservative parents (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to meet Greg's freewheeling parents (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand). De Niro is once again terrific as Jack Byrnes, the suspicious ex-CIA operative (though Jack's obsession with the "circle of trust" has grown a bit tiresome). Stiller reprises one of his most humorous--and appealing--screen personas as the beleaguered male nurse. Hoffman gives the films best performance as Bernie Focker, a frisky lawyer-turned-househusband and Streisand is especially funny as Roz Focker, a straightforward sex therapist for seniors. Blythe Danner and Teri Polo are wonderful in their supporting roles and Owen Wilson's cameo appearance is a hoot. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, bloopers, and a Matt Lauer interview with the cast.

Total Mind Pollution... I would rather not give any stars
Listen to the people who didn't like this movie.I LOVED the first movie and watched it several times.The first movie had some crudeness in it, but most of the humor was just plain funny.This movie was nothing but crudeness and I think my IQ went down just by sitting through it.If you enjoyed this movie, you are extremely immature.There are some very funny movies out there, they just don't need to be as crude as this one.I think I only laughed once during the movie and I don't even remember when that was because most of the time I was sitting there debating on whether or not I should just turn the movie off. ... Read more

Reviews (463)

If there was ever an offer you couldn't refuse, it's this!
Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount Home Entertainment held a press conference and street fair in Brooklyn, and yours truly was there! The exciting news, of course, was announcing the release of THE GODFATHER DVD COLLECTION on October 9, 2001! If the preview of the set is any indication, then I must say this will be the crown jewel in any DVD collection!

The three films will only be released together in this set. The Godfather and The Godfather Part III will each be on one disc, and The Godfather Part II will take two discs. The first of the good news? Francis Coppola has recorded full-lenth audio commentaries for all three films!

But wait, there's a fifth disc that will blow your socks off! Check this out -- the bonus disc contains 3+ hours worth of special features, including: > "The Godfather Family: A Look Inside" documentary > "Francis Coppola's Notebook", an inside look at taking the book to screen! > "On Location" with production designer Dean Tavoularis! > "The Godfather Behind The Scenes" 1971 featurette! > "The Cinematography of The Godfather"! > "The Music of The Godfather" -- two featurettes! > "Coppola and Puzo on Screenwriting"! > Storyboards from GF2 and GF3! > "The Corleone Family Tree" character and cast bios! > Academy Award® acceptance speeches! > Photo galleries with captions! > Theatrical trailers! > Filmmaker bios! > Corleone Family timeline, with real-life events mixed in! > Never-seen alternate opening of GF3! > And "all" of the extra footage found in the televised Godfather Saga!

The picture quality looked fantastic -- Coppola's American Zoetrope did a wonderful job restoring the films! From what I could tell, the sound quality was perfect, and the on-screen menus looked great. And the DVD packaging looks very nice.

All three films are in widescreen format with English 5.1 surround sound, French mono, and English subtitles.

Perhaps the only "bad" news I heard was that there were no plans at this point to release the chronological version on DVD. Francis said that the films were meant to be seen with the flashbacks, and I tend to agree. The biggest plus of having The Godfather Trilogy or Epic on tape, or watching The Godfather Saga on TV, was all the extra footage included. Well, the bonus disc in The Godfather DVD Collection contains "all" of the extra footage, and even something we've never seen anywhere before: an alternate opening for The Godfather Part III. Francis didn't give a firm "no" though; he cited technical reasons for not being able to include all the extra footage on DVD: the different scenes are in various levels of production ("they weren't mixed and scored"), making it difficult to add them seemlessly with today's technology. Maybe, but they seemed to be okay in the boxed sets and on TV to me.

Do yourself a favor and order the biggest DVD release of all time!

The Godfather Series: Movies You CANNOT Refuse.
What can one say about The Godfather series? All three films were masterpieces. Classics. Part One told the tale of Vito Corleone played by Marlon Brando--the Mafia Don of a family in the 40's and 50's, which eventually is head by his son, Michael (Al Pacino) in the sequel. Part Two also tells the story of Vito as a young man in Sicily played by Robert DeNiro. In the final installment set about twenty years after the original, Michael's dreams of becoming legit are countered by his trigger-happy nephew (Andy Garcia), along with new and opposing foes that make it impossible to go straight and leave his crime backround behind. To quote Pacino: "Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in," and countless other lines will be quoted for years to come. The performances are absolutely perfect, the screenplay and direction are superb by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. What more can I say? You must watch all three to appreciate just how great these movies are. At three hours apiece they would be great fun for a rainy day. Pop them in at 8 in the morning and by 6 you'll be a member of the family. Part One is my favorite. Check out GoodFellas, another one of the best films of all time.

A Classic
Ah, the music, the scenery, the horse's head...

Belonging to a family headed by two German matriarchs who married two Italian guys, watching The Godfather every year or so was a family tradition. I felt like I knew the Corleones and loved them, never mind they knocked off a few people who deserved it now and then. This mixed feeling is what makes the series so fascinating.

The story is really about four men - Marlon Brando/Robert de Niro as Don Vito Corleone, the ultimate old-school mob boss, and his three sons - James Caan a force of nature as hotheaded Sonny, who lives to regret going to his sister's rescue one fateful day; John Cazale heartbreaking as Fredo, who's existence depends on his mother's continued good health after he makes the worst mistake of his life, and, most of all, Al Pacino; bonechilling as Michael, who outlives them all but lives to wish he hadn't.

The first movie has most of the cliches - the Italian wedding, the "sleeping with the fishes" line, the amazing baptism/massacre scene, and Brando's whole performance. The second ostensibly deals with the respective rises of Vito and Michael to power and Michael's gripping cat-and-mouse game with wily old Hyman Roth, but I'll bet what everyone never forgets about this one is what happens to poor Fredo. If Michael hasn't lost his soul by the end of Part I, he's lost it by the end of Part II. Part III was inevitable, I suppose, but there's really nothing else to say. A good movie, yes, but the other two are so great that it's almost an anticlimax.

Coppola's legacy enclosed with others
While the original film ranked #2 on the AFI's list of 100 Greatest Movies (#1 being Citizen Kane), many film buffs, afficionados, and audiences believed that the first Godfather film deserves that #1 spot. How many people do you know who know some of those famous quotes like, "I'm gonna' make him an offer he can't refuse," or "Never take sides against the family again, ever..." A few maybe? Or perhaps you grew up in an Italian family like mine and your father can translate the Italian for you while you watch? Now how many people can quote Citizen Kane beyond, "Rooooosebuuuud...."

Despite the excellence of the first film, it is my opinion that Godfather part 2 delves deeper into the family, more into the two-toned life that Michael Corleone orchestrates between the family business and his family. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the relationship he cultivates between himself and Hyman Roth (wonderful performance by Lee Strasberg), cementing the old adage that you keep your friends close and your enemies closer. On the surface they are friends, behind closed doors they are co-conspirators, between each other they are close friends and confidants. Beneath it all, in the depths of each man's heart, they are mortal enemies, Corleone ultimately the victor. The whole movie is a mounting tension between the two, reaching heights as when Hyman fumes over the death of a great man, Mo Green, whom Corleone had killed in the first film. In the end, Hyman becomes just another victim, mowed down by a Corleone footman.

The court proceedings are shot in a way that transmits the claustrophobia and morose tedium of the justice system back in the days of McCarthyism (the eras align somewhat, both post-war 1950's). The court is crowded, people line the walls, journalists write furiously in the heat of the courtroom, in the background, people walk in and out of the proceedings like is was a Wal-Mart. People speak into microphones, their voices drone in the hollow, sparse room.

And then Michael Corleone has his own brother killed. Many would say this is when Michael gives himself over fully to the title "Godfather." This is actually one of the central themes of the first film, when exactly does Michael become Godfather? The first film has a wonderful moment where, in the family office (the predominant colors are brown and orange), Brando gets out of his chair, moves over to the side of the office, Michael gets up from the couch on the other side, moves to the desk, and sits in his fathers chair. This is when Michael becomes Godfather in my opinion, but Coppola is good enough to give us more moments that question exactly, "When?"

Coppola's film legacy lies within this box set, as does Pacino's, Brando's, Caan's, and Duvall's. DeNiro managed to go off and do other things, his legacy lies somewhere else, but to the aforementioned actors, they have never done another film or role as well as what they did in the Godfather films. You don't realize it until you pop in the bonus disc, but composer's Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola also put their legacy into this film with the music. Who can forget Rota's seven-note theme that opens and closes the film? Carmine Coppola adds a more Italiano flavor to the music in the flashback scenes featuring DeNiro as a young Vito Andolini (a.k.a. Don Corleone in the first film).

There's so much to go over, the least of which is film #3. But the contents of the other three discs justifies the cost, which could actually be higher. But really, this collection is an offer you can't refuse, or do I have to put a gun to your head??

Godfather collection~ a def. 5 stars
personally, I thought Godfather II was the best out of the three films. I loved the fact that the movie kept fading from Michael's reign as Godfather to Vito Corleone's in 1920s New York and his olive oil (wink wink) business. great storytelling on Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Copolla's respective parts in II.
Godfather was a classic, no mistake in that..what's weird is that the movie makes the audience love the mafia...never have I seen the mafia world portrayed from the inside out so unbelievably.
part III was a bit disappointing...really made us want more of Michael Corleone and the rest of the family. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script.--Dan Vancini ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Since the movie is so impossibly boring...
and cliché, and predictable and tongue-in-cheek, and trited, and mindless, I'm going to summarize this movie as:
Utter Waste of Money and Time.
There's nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing positive to say about this movie. They were pushing it with the first one, however, it was passable and watchable. This sequel is one that should have never put out. It's so enclosed in its idiocy that it obfuscates the acting value of thespians of great caliber. Avoid!

Don't Believe the Negativity...It's Hilarious
I'm so tired of everyone looking for Shakespearian perfection in every film, bottom line, it's a dumb comedy, so turn your pompous search for meaningful dialogue and great script-writing
off and enjoy the laughs. It's a comedy, not Macbeth. I kept hearing how horrible it was, well guess what, surprise, surprise
the critics were wrong again! If you enjoyed the first film, you'll love the second, it was every bit as funny, if not funnier. I don't laugh easy either, but it had me rolling most of the film, in tears laughing at times. I know when to be critical and when to put the brain on pause and just enjoy a good old fashioned laugh. It has that Farelly Brothers-type gross out humor, if you enjoy that sort of thing which I do, then you'll enjoy this. If not, go rent 'Annie Hall,' and spend needless hours pining over the film's lighting and set direction, you know, 'the important things in film'...rolls eyes.

please, not a third time!
Gee, it's pretty sad to see actors of this caliber, who've been in so many memorable movies, get mired in this kind of horrible dreck.

But, this is what really offended me:in "Meet the Parents" there was one trained animal to provide a few cute jokes.In this sequel, not only did they feel the need to throw in a pathetic looking dogfor a few more "America's Funniest Videos" style laughs, they effectively used a child in the role of a third "trained animal".Sick.They must have figured that it worked well with "Mini-Me" in the "Austin Powers" sequel, so why not stick Robert DeNiro with a similar sidekick?The people who made this movie deserve a swift kick (or two) in the pants.

Clash of the Icons
Moviegoers flocked to "Meet the Fockers," making this star-studded sequel to "Meet the Parents" a box-office smash. Now that Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) and his fiancée Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) are finally getting married, it's time for Pam's conservative parents (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to meet Greg's freewheeling parents (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand). De Niro is once again terrific as Jack Byrnes, the suspicious ex-CIA operative (though Jack's obsession with the "circle of trust" has grown a bit tiresome). Stiller reprises one of his most humorous--and appealing--screen personas as the beleaguered male nurse. Hoffman gives the films best performance as Bernie Focker, a frisky lawyer-turned-househusband and Streisand is especially funny as Roz Focker, a straightforward sex therapist for seniors. Blythe Danner and Teri Polo are wonderful in their supporting roles and Owen Wilson's cameo appearance is a hoot. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, bloopers, and a Matt Lauer interview with the cast.

Total Mind Pollution... I would rather not give any stars
Listen to the people who didn't like this movie.I LOVED the first movie and watched it several times.The first movie had some crudeness in it, but most of the humor was just plain funny.This movie was nothing but crudeness and I think my IQ went down just by sitting through it.If you enjoyed this movie, you are extremely immature.There are some very funny movies out there, they just don't need to be as crude as this one.I think I only laughed once during the movie and I don't even remember when that was because most of the time I was sitting there debating on whether or not I should just turn the movie off. ... Read more

Reviews (368)

Full blown comedy with a killer cast
Meet the Parents is one of the best comedy movies to hit the shelves in recent years. With an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, and the one and only Owen Wilson, this movie delivers the laughs perfectly!

Greg Focker, male nurse, is about to propose to Pam, his "special friend" of ten months, when he hears about her recently engaged sitster, whose husband to be made the right move and asked her father first. Now he's got to do the same, which means he's got to meet the parents. And with the plot set, the laughter ensues...

What really makes this movie work is the characters we can all relate to. First there's Greg, who is desperately trying to win the parents' approval, but somehow manages to screw up everything he possibly can along the way. And to make matters worse, he's got to to deal with Pam's ex fiance while he carries out this death sentence of a weekend. And then there is Pam, whose father is well...just a little strange to say the least.

Also, Owen Wilson is just insane in this and the movie is worth it for his performance alone, not to mention being able to see DeNiro do a comedy this good.

See it for the laughs, see it for the cast, see it for the experience, because this is one of the best lately. And if that is not insentive enough, I leave you with a quote..."Well I have nipples Focker, could you milk ME?"

Skip This Meeting
Stale, unoriginal humor is the downfall of this take-it-or-leave-it Ben Stiller comedy. Stiller plays male nurse Gaylord Focker (whose name is the inspiration for at least a quarter of the movie's jokes), a hapless soul whose attempts to propose to his girlfriend (Teri Polo) are interrupted by a phone call announcing her sister's engagement. This leads to the wedding trip, and Stiller's opportunity to meet the parents.

What follows are a series of mildly amusing situations and one-liners, none of which you'll probably be itching to repeat at work tomorrow. Owen Wilson is a bright spot, as usual, playing Polo's ex-fiance. He also delivers the best line in the movie, a deadpan joke about the inspiration for his hobby, carpentry. Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, however, are both too woefully underchallenged to be able to turn in memorable performances.

The DVD's extra features include the standard outtakes, commentaries, and deleted scenes, as well as interactive personality quizzes which are fun to take but whose answers seem somewhat random. Overall, Meet the Parents is only worth renting if you're desperate to see a movie and this is the just about only thing left on the video store shelves.

Calamity after calamity - Very Funny
"Meet the Parents" is funny, outrageous, and full of fun. Pratfalls and pitfalls await our comic star Ben Stiller as he pursues his love and ingratiates himself with his father-in-law to-be, Robert DeNiro. DeNiro is a crazed, over protective, retired CIA agent who zealously protects his daughter from her would-be suitor.

Calamity follows calamity, and the sight gags cascade until the end unwinds all the zaniness in a satisfying ending. It is a lot of fun with several belly laughs thrown in for good measure.

Oh no, no, no, no, no, it's not very good. Way over rated.
This movie is not funny, just dumb. Is saying "focker" over and over and over again really that funny? I'm sorry, folks, but NO, it's just not all that funny, and this is the same dull plot that we've seen over and over again in the movies and on tv. Not recommended.

Unwatchable
I wanted to leave the theater halfway through this garbage but I already ponied up my $8. Predictable gag after predictable gag after predictable gag, this movie made me hate Ben Stiller. ... Read more

Reviews (223)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

Rodrigo Mendoza (ROBERT DE NIRO) was a violent soldier-for-hire in 1750s South America. Now he is a man of peace serving the Rain Forest Indians he once enslaved. But armies of Spain and Portugal threaten the lifestyle and safety of the native peoples. Now Rodrigo may have to pick up his sword and musket once again. From the producer of Chariots of Fire and the director of The Killing Fields comes a powerful epic co-starring JEREMY IRONS and graced with dazzling Academy Award-winning cinematography, set to a memorable music score and scripted by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of A Man for All Seasons and Doctor Zhivago. ... Read more

Reviews (158)

Theodicy or Corrupt Politics
The Mission

The Mission directed by Roland Joffe is the story of the struggle between theocracy and theodicy. Ironically the church has the mission to bring theodicy to the world and it does this through the message of God's Love and Forgiveness. It tries to accomplish this through the sending out of missionaries, in this case the Jesuit priests, to tell the story and bring others to the knowledge of God's Love and Forgiveness. Tragically politics and greed for power in the hierarchy of the church (in this case the Roman Catholic Church) brings about a situation where the people of God are killed supposedly in the name of God. This story opens and ends with Cardinal Altamirano (Ray McAnally) dictating a letter to the Pope informing him of the events that had transpired after giving church missions in South America over to the Spaniards and Portuguese. The nature of the setting is beautiful. Views of the waterfalls are breath-taking and spectacular.

The message of theodicy is played out in the story involving two main characters Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) and Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro). Father Gabriel brings theocracy to the Natives of South America. At the beginning of our story Rodrigo is a slave trader who undergoes a traumatic conversion experience and serves those whom he had sold into slavery before. His story of transformation is one of heartache, murder, repentance and extreme penance which he imposes upon himself. It is the forgiveness and acceptance of those who he former hunted that sets him feel to serve both God and the Natives. Another film that shows a similar vein of acceptance after tragedy is the classic movie Hawaii (1966) based on James Michener. Rev. Hale accepts the Native Hawaiians as he begins to mellow in the aftermath of his losses. In Rodrigo's case is his acceptance by the tribe that helps them to fight against the imposed theocracy of the Cardinal later on.

At issue here, in spite of the beautifully portrayal of conversion to Christianity of the Native people of South America, is the imposed will of governing forces of politics around greed ownership of land. Yet this was done under the auspices of the Church as God's Will, which is called theocracy. The people of the land had no say, they were the conquered, to be exploited and were considered as chattel, for them there was not theodicy. Their willingness to share and work for the common good of all, even though a principle of Christianity was considered a threat to the economy of others with political clout. Because they would not give up that which they had worked for, they were condemned to death. When Cardinal Atlamirno orders them to leave the Mission; they wanted to know why? His answer was that they had to submit to the will of God. Their answer was had God changed his mind? They were doing what they had been taught was God's will for them. Theodicy was not served as there was no justification in this case.

The Mission portrays the mission of Christ
The Mission is a powerful movie with a powerful message about sin, redemption, and love. It probes deep into the evils of the Catholic Church in Spain and Portugal in teh mid 18th century. Robert De Niro brilliantly portrays Rodrigo Mendoza, a dynamic character who transforms his life to a murderer who trades slaves to a Jesuit priest who fights for those seemingly 'enslaved' natives - the Guaranese. Jeremy Irons ixquisitley plays the role of a truly Christ-like figure. Father Gabriel is the epitomy of compassion, lvove, and understanding. With an incredibly written screenplay by Robert Bolt (who also wrote A Man For All Seasons), the Mission is an incredible film which explores the depths and beauty of morality and life ont he path to Jesus Christ.

the beauty and the horror of the catholic church
i think tom keogh's a bit 'off' kilter and it echoes the reviews that came out when the film was released.
the charge of emotional vacancy has since been rendered somewhat mute by the films growing status.
now admittedly, the overriding emotional sense that most people seem to experience when seeing this is one of anger, rather than one of tragedy and ,yes, that is partly due to our never really getting to know the indians who are, predictably, massacred.
we are emotionally more jolted upon seeing the murder of the priests who we have gotten to know.
that aside, i think joffes direction works because what he is attempting to show, and succesfully does so, is both the beauty and the horror of catholicism.
there is a touching beauty upon seeing deniros character finally reaching his muddy penneance,and in the scene where he cooks a steaming stew for his fellow priests.
perhaps one of the most beautiful, simplistically effective moments is when deniro narrates first corinthians 'love is not puffed up'.
yes, the conclusion is all too predictable. not just because we know the history, but because as much as we all can see the beauty in the church, everyone is also well aware of its ugliness.
i am suprised that the catholic church showed its support of this non flattering film, which shows, perhaps, a certain amount of theoretical penance on its part.
one of the last scenes which shows two naked indian children aloft in a boat after the massacre is an example of a picture telling a thousand words.
in one sense mr keogh is correct in recognizing an inherent coldness in the film but i think that is a realization of the harrowing cold heartedness that catholic church has shown in its history, which paradoxically is unified with its undeniable beauty.

This Sucks!!!!!! Very Very Sucky and Boring
I just watched this movie in Morality class and it is a really boring movie that just drags on and on. How does end by every one including De Nero and Irons (major characters) along with everyone else. There is only one movie that pulled off having all the characters die in it and that was Glory. I don't under any circumstances think anyone should see this movie unless you have a boring life or just sad than see it otherwise see Glory a much much better movie except different plots.

Emotionally Wrenching, Enchanting Film
Not for the squeamish, "The Mission" explores the duality of Europe's presence in South America -- the salvation brought by the Jesuits and the condemnation brought by "civilization."

Roland Joffe, the director, pulls few punches. The film opens with the dictation of a letter to the Pope by a prominent religious figure, Altamirano, who has just undergone the events that will transpire in the film, and we learn that these events are not pleasant: "the local savages are now free to be enslaved by his Holiness . . ."

These events "were brought about" by the horrifying martyrdom of a Jesuit priest, who had journeyed to the "uncivilized" lands of the Indians above the falls (and what falls!). The local Indians, apparently rejecting his Christian teachings, crucify him and toss him into a river . . . a river that soon flows to the falls, and the descending cross is one of the most haunting images you will ever see on film.

In response, another Jesuit priest, Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) heads above the falls, and uses his music (score by Ennio Morricone of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" fame) to win the trust of the locals. Soon he is preaching the Word of God among them.

Unfortunately, the slaver/mercenary Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro) is hunting the Indians for slavers. He ominously warns Gabriel about the futility of building a mission among the Indians, and he seizes several.

On his return to "civilization" below the falls (the dusty town stands in marked contrast to the lush greenery above the falls), Rodrigo learns that his beloved Carlotta does not love Rodrigo, but has fallen for Rodrigo's younger brother, Felipe (Aiden Quinn). Rodrigo, far from a reasonable sort, kills his brother shortly thereafter in a trumped-up quarrel. Distraught, Rodrigo eventually agrees to do his penance above the falls with Gabriel and his fellow Jesuits (including a young Liam Neeson).

Following a tortuous climb above the falls with his lodestone of arms and armor, Rodrigo finds salvation and seeks to become a Jesuit. The mission above the falls takes shape, and all seems to be right with the world.

Of course, this is not to be. The slavers need their slaves, and they exert enormous pressure against the church -- the Catholic Church is not as strong as it once was, and the militant Jesuits are becoming a nuisance by sapping the supply of slaves (apparently it is too inconvenient to enslave Christians, so the slavers argue that the Indians are monkeys without souls -- nice).

Altamirano agrees to visit both the local mission (a gorgeous, mammoth structure complete with farm and Indian priests) as well as the more primitive mission above the falls . . . which is even more impressive despite (and perhaps because of) it's remoteness.

But, politics being politics, the missions are doomed and the Indians will be enslaved. Rodrigo and the younger priests decide to fight, leading to one of the more disturbing battles you will see on-screen. It's not "Saving Private Ryan" in its horrors, but it is emotionally wrenching to see the Jesuits and the Indians fight such in such a foregone conclusion.

Even more gut-wrenching is Gabriel, who chooses a non-violent response. In a pitch-perfect performance, Irons emobodies the Jesuit commitment to the simple words of Christ . . . not that it does him or the Indians much good in this world.

A haunting spectacle and far from a feel-good movie, "The Mission" deserves full marks for its depiction of a common conflict (Europe versus the New World) in a different setting. A top-notch cast and a wonderfully shot film make this one for the video library. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (126)

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

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

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

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

This is a great story.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com essential video

Taxi Driver is the definitive cinematic portrait of lonelinessand alienation manifested as violence. It is as if director Martin Scorsese andscreenwriter Paul Schrader had tapped into precisely the same source ofpsychological inspiration ("I just knew I had to make this film,"Scorsese would later say), combined with a perfectly timed post-Watergateexpression of personal, political, and societal anxiety. Robert De Niro, as thetortured, ex-Marine cab driver Travis Bickle, made movie history with hischilling performance as one of the most memorably intense and vividly realizedcharacters ever committed to film. Bickle is a self-appointed vigilante who viewshis urban beat as an intolerable cesspool of blighted humanity. He plays guardianangel for a young prostitute (Jodie Foster), but not without violently devastatingconsequences. This masterpiece, which is not for all tastes, is sure to horrify someviewers, but few could deny the film's lasting power and importance. --JeffShannon ... Read more

Reviews (274)

WEAK LOOKING PRINT - POWERFUL FILM!
Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) has a big problem - and not just one. He's a seemingly ordinary New York cabbie who's stalking one woman, Betsy (Cybil Shepard) while playing savior to another, Iris (Jodie Foster). But ol' Trav' is just a few coins short of a full meter, a neurotic oversight that will allow him to turn vigilante, threaten the political reelection campaign of Senator Charles Palantine (Leonard Harris) and blow away Iris's pimp/drug dealer (Harvey Keitel). Suffice it to say, "Taxi Driver" is not your feel good movie of the summer. It is a cinematic snapshot of 70s pop culture gone horribly awry, with its crack and whore infested streets, its unstable social setting for easy scores and cheap sex, and a seething underbelly of corruption and dismal isolation as its acrid palette for moral decay. Travis' slow spiral into becoming the loner with a purpose is predicated upon warping the old adage and precedent that one man can make a difference. But when that one man is touched by his own sexual and financial inadequacies, his psychotic inability to bond with another human being and his self delusion - that he is on par with a deity, above the rest of humanity and the law - then the difference he can make is between destroying himself and bringing about the next apocalypse.
Martin Scorsese directs adeptly enough, drawing the viewer into this dark world of unsettling realities. The irony of the ending seems somewhat strained and rather a bit like the happy ending tack on associated with conventional Hollywood wisdom, but there is the frightening prospect that with a return to normalcy, Travis' alter ego is, like many a volcano, merely dormant, not dead, and destined to erupt in the future.

The transfer from Columbia is a rather disappointing remastering effort. There are moments when the color is bold, if dated, and moments when fine detail is generally realized to good effect. But the bulk of this video presentation is riddled with excessive grain - both film and digital, a barrage of compression artifacts, a lot of aliasing, some tiling, and a considerable amount of edge enhancement. Night scenes break apart with pixelization and exhibit a very muddy color scheme. There's plenty of age related dirt and grit to further detract from your viewing experience. The audio has been remastered - but just barely - with low to no bass and a really screechy high end that betrays the original mono elements. Extras include a 70 minute making of documentary with interviews featuring the director and principle cast, a photo montage, still gallery, theatrical trailer and storyboard sequences.

The Perfect Bad-Day at Work Movie
Now first off I should warn people that this is not a movie for all tastes. If the following offends you:

- Graphic, ultrarealistic violence.
- Porn films
- The idea of taking your date to a porn film.
- 12 year old hookers.
- Graphic language involving sex with a 12 year old.
- Graphic language in general.
- Racial slurs

...then don't watch this film.

OK, now that I sound like I'm giving the movie a bad rap, let me continue with the good stuff: this film is the only movie where you root for the depressed psycho stalker. It sounds incredible, but its true. Robert DeNiro's character Travis Bickle is described in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Colossal Guide as "an ordinary guy with a few problems." Few problems includes not being able to sleep, having a steady job as a taxi driver only because he has too, and dealing with his hatred for the world around him.

He attempts to change things by turning to a young woman working on a presidential campaign. What starts out great turns rotten after Travis tries to make her watch a porn film. Stalking her doesn't work, so he gives up and decides to take his rage on the corrupt New York of the time on some one else. That being the hoodlums toying with Jodie Foster, a 12 year old prostitute. He sets out to save her from life on the street - a one man war on prostituting minors.

Like I said, its the only movie where you cheer for the psycho.

Any way, you might wonder why I rank this "the perfect bad-day at work movie." Thats because it really is. Travis has to deal with customers having sex in the taxi or making him park the vehicle outside a house where they explain on killing some one. Travis doesn't like it, but its the only job he can have at the moment so he has to put up with the horrible conditions. Finally, he breaks free of his torment and gets back at in any way possible.

One night I came back after working an exhaustive 9 hour shift as a clerk for a grocery store. I had had a HORRIBLE day, so when I got home I popped this movie in my DVD player. I tell you, you never see Travis so much a hero as when you've had a horrible day at work and know just how he feels. Even if you feel disgusted by some of his actions, in reality we all have a bit of Travis in us all, and there are times when we all just wanna break out in, "Listen all you f***heads, you screw ups, this is the story of a man who would not take it any more..."

Taxi Driver
To start this off, I'll just say this: Do yourself a favor and buy this fantastic film. If for nothing else, buy it for DeNiro's INCREDIBLE performance! I'm a movie buff myself, and I have never seen such amazing acting. It's a crime he didn't win the oscar. Secondly, it's directed by Martin Scorsese, one of the more brilliant filmmakers of our time, and written by Paul Schrader. This is the team that brought you Raging Bull. When these two geniuses get together, they make pure movie magic. And finally, Jodie Foster. She's only fourteen years old, and beautifully brings to life the child prostitute who is secretly hating the horrible city she lives in. One of the most brilliant touches of filmmaking was made here when Scorsese portrays NYC as hell, such as focusing on the smoke spewing out of the sewers, and making Betsy, Travis Bickle's love, seem like an angel among all the demons.

The story goes something like this: Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) Is a taxi driver who can't seem to sleep. He works at night, and the city around him fills him with paranoia, for the gangsters and the slime on the streets at night every day seem to be everywhere. Among all of these demons and devils, Travis sees an angel, a gorgeous woman named Betsy. He immediately falls in love with her, but his anti-social tendencies scare her off when he brings her to a pornographic movie on their second date, thinking it was just like all of the other movies. When she leaves him and won't return any of his phone calls, his depression rises until he meets a child prostitue named Iris (Jodie Foster) and her pimp named Sport (Harvey Keitel). Feeling the deepest sympathy for her, he tries to help her leave that terrible lifestyle, not believing her pleas that she loves her being a prostitute and loves her pimp.

To sum this whole review up, do yourself a favor and watch this great piece of work. See Scorsese's nightmarish vision of NYC, and Travis Bickle's slow descent into insanity.

Taxi Driver - A disturbing experience
After watching the classic 1976 film "Taxi Driver," viewers may be interested in their reaction. It can be depressing. Martin Scorsese directed this open-sore of a film and of his many classic works, this is the one most obsessively analyzed. "Taxi Driver" is such a raw, visceral experience that after viewing its nightmarish terrain one must decompress.

Seedy does not begin to describe the horror of "Taxi Driver," which details a world of pimps, prostitutes, drug addicts and a loner psycho brilliantly portrayed by Robert De Niro. This film established some of the great talents in motion picture history including De Niro, Scorsese, Albert Brooks and Jodie Foster. I wonder about disturbing epics like "Taxi Driver," "A Clockwork Orange," "Straw Dogs" and "Natural Born Killers." Whenever I visit the video store, I notice these films are usually checked out, empty boxes leaning against the shelf. Who's watching these films, and why so often? The films share a common thread in that they have likable actors (De Niro, Malcolm McDowell, Dustin Hoffman, Woody Harrelson) playing despicable men prone to violent rages. Alienated one and all, these characters have become anti-heroes for a world severely lacking in heroes. There are so many ways to view this film, with multiple levels serving as proof to its complicated brilliance. Urban alienation, cultural emptiness, veiled racism, Watergate analogy and Oswald repression are just a few of the metaphorical doors one can open in this nightmare.

De Niro's Bickle is a Vietnam veteran suffering from insomnia. He takes a job as a cab driver to work nights, driving through the most dangerous New York neighborhoods for fares. He becomes infatuated with a beautiful woman (Cybill Shepherd) who works at the campaign office of Palantine. Bickle takes the woman to a porno theater on their first date, and she dumps him immediately. To no one's surprise, Bickle soon begins to stalk her. He purchases a deadly arsenal of hand guns and intensely works out in preparation for his assassination of Palantine (and most likely the woman too). Along the way, Bickle stumbles across a 12-year old prostitute (Foster) whom he befriends. His attempted assassination fails and he walks over to the prostitute's home and kills her pimp (Harvey Keitel), landlord and an unlucky gangster. "Taxi Driver" unbelievably ends with the prostitute having been returned to her parents and Bickle becoming an inner-city folk hero. Shepherd's character tries to make a date with Bickle, but he's now at peace with the inferno around him and drives on disinterested.

This ending has been debated for years. It is so controversial that when the film first ran on television, stations posted warnings stating they did not consider Bickle a hero. They're right. Bickle's a whacked-out cultural icon, granted, but he's no hero. He wants to be a hero, and perhaps the final scene is Bickle at the moment of death dreaming of a happy ending. He's essentially saved the day and rescued a damsel in distress. Bickle was seriously wounded after the shootout, having been shot in the neck. So it could have been a dream sequence, though Scorsese purposefully made it too vague to be entirely sure.

It's clear Bickle wishes to be a cowboy hero in "Taxi Driver," as seen by the boots he wears and the guns he straps on like an inner-city John Wayne. His famously improvised "You talkin' to me?" speech is in fact a line of dialog lifted from the classic 1953 western "Shane." And the final showdown has Bickle taking on three men (outnumbered a la Cooper in "High Noon") in a bloody, ferocious battle that to this day is one of the most violent scenes in history. Bickle, adorned in Mohawk and Army jacket, fires at random. The violence is so sloppy one gets the feeling they are viewing an actual crime scene. There is no music, only the jagged noises of constant screaming and guns blasting within closed-in spaces. While we love the balletic violence of the final shootout in "The Wild Bunch," we turn away from the gore in "Taxi Driver." It's as repellant as reality.

Scorsese's masterpiece is not intended for the young or emotionally disturbed. Bickle is not a hero in a film populated by an army of non-heroes. Still, viewers just might get confused. I know Bickle is crazy, but I feel sorry for him. At times, I even identify with him. And that can be depressing.

classic tag hides amoral and poor film
This film is manipulative and exploitative. It DOES NOT really give you a portrait of what alienation, paranoia and dislocation are really like. It glamourises these things in the worst possible way ie very, very slickly and with a lot of craft and attention to detail. This film belongs in the same dustbin as similarly AMORAL and empty films like Seven, Goodfellas et al that purport to be 'truthful' investigations of the dark and disturbing - they are part of the problem, not the solution ! ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Wonderful Movie!!
I loved this movie! I applauded De Niro's acting and directing for this film. It's an intriguing Bronx Tale with a young man at its center. It tells the story of Calogero, an Italian boy who grew up in a neighborhood that was run by a local hood named Sonny (Palminteri). Cologero admires Sonny's life of getting things easily like money, respect, and even fear. However his father Lorenzo(De Niro, who's a blue-collar bus-driver, tries to get Cologero to turn his back on Sonny for the sake of his life as well as everything that Lorenzo has instilled in his son. All in all, it's a wonderful movie. It's a story of love, loyalty, friendship and family amidst its violence.
The music's awesome too!! Get the soundtrack.
I recommend this movie to De Niro fans (like me!) and fans of the genre in general.
Oh..and watch for a cameo by none other than Joe Pesci!

Very Accurate Story of Life in the City
This film is definitely one of the most underappreciated films of the 1990s. Besides excellent performances by EVERY actor (I actually can't think of one bad acting scene--even young Francis Capra had his part down cold), there are wonderful sets, great music, and great dialogue. Robert De Niro happens to be my idol in a way, and his directorial debut did not let me down one bit. But for me the most striking aspect of Chazz Palmentieri's script and De Niro's adaptation of it is the way that Calogero falls in with the wrong people. It hits close to home for me, having been in a similar situation and environment. To the people of the neighborhood, Sonny isn't a gangster, he's just an important guy. And that's how it is. Crime is never crime in those neighborhoods, it's just a means to an end. And the way that this movie captures that is truly amazing. My only complaint is the way the movie forks. It starts out as a young man's dilemma of who to listen to, and everything seems to be headed toward a resolution of this. But then a completely alien storyline kicks in about Calogero's crush on a young black girl from Webster Ave. While there is nothing wrong with the second half of the movie, it seems to detract from the first part, in which we were already engrossed in. I think that there could have been a better transition from one to the other. (As a sidenote, all respect to De Niro, I think that he was probably particularly passionate about portraying the white kid/black girl story. After all, he seems to be quite attracted toward black women seeing as how there have been more than a few in his love life. Thank you for showing this, Mr. De Niro. To those people who never lived in a similar place it doesn't seem relevant, but in those neighborhoods it is a very big matter.) Although every actor gave a great performance, I think the shining stars in this film were the uncredited appearance by Joe Pesci, the wonderful job by young Francis Capra, the sets, and last but not least the performance of Palmentieri himself. THis man is a really outstanding actor who stays very true to the central vein of his character throughout the movie. Over all, he playus a very interesting real-life wiseguy.

Don't waste your money!!
This was not a great movie like everyone thinks it is. I really didnt get into it. I thought the actors portrait of "the mob" was not right at all. Very Very off.

Terrific directorial debut
For a directorial debut, Deniros first is impressive. The story takes place in of course, the Bronx, about a bus driver and his kid growing up. Deniro does not overblow the movie....and does capture realistically the street humor and language that makes it very realistic.

It might not be a Scorsese or Coppola film, but its very very respectable just the same. Give it a look, its very good!!

Superb Westsidestoryesque Drama: BEST FILM OF 1993
A compelling insightful drama set in racially-charged New York City of the 1960s. Chock full of wisdom and insight, the powerful message swept along in riveting, tense tale of how making the wrong choices can be truly deadly. Robert Deniro and the youngster that plays his son create a real-life relationship and tug of war that is both fascinating and heartbreaking. Outstanding film that is a must-see for teenagers who think they have all the answers and essential viewing for parents whose uncompromising adherance to can lofty ideals can bring heartbreak to all those around them. Acting is excellent and the staging is superb. One of the top 100 best movies of the 1990s. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Francis Ford Coppola took some of the deep background from the life of Mafia chief Vito Corleone--the patriarch of Mario Puzo's bestselling novel The Godfather--and built around it a stunning sequel to his Oscar-winning, 1972 hit film. Robert De Niro plays Vito as a young Sicilian immigrant in turn-of-the-century New York City's Little Italy. Coppola weaves in and out of the story of Vito's transformation into a powerful crime figure, contrasting that evolution against efforts by son Michael Corleone to spread the family's business into pre-Castro Cuba. As memorable as the first film is, The Godfather II is an amazingly intricate, symmetrical tragedy that touches upon several chapters of 20th-century history and makes a strong case that our destinies are written long before we're born. This was De Niro's first introduction to a lot of filmgoers, and he makes an enormous impression. But even with him and a number of truly brilliant actors (including maestro Lee Strasberg), this is ultimately Pacino's film and a masterful performance. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (94)

I have my reservations...
It should go without saying that this is a great film and a good buy but if this edition is anything like the originial single dvd version of the Godfather I'm not sure if it's worth it. The original one only came with the movie and essentially no bonus features. Not that I'm saying that you must have as much bonus features as the LOTR's Special Extended Edition, but it would be nice to have at least enough to warrant this $15 purchase. If you don't have any of them I would recommenend getting the Godfather collection even if you're not a fan of the third film.

The Godfather Part II (1974)
I love Godfather II even more than Part I, because I love the way you can see Michael's character disintegrating over the course of the story. You watch him strip away all human connections in order to protect the "family." He finally asks his mother "Can you lose your family?" She doesn't understand the question, but of course Michael has lost his family, as well as his own soul. The paradox in this--killing your family in order to protect the "family"--is wonderful. As in Part I, Diane Keaton is kind of a weak link--just not a credible Mafia wife. De Niro gives one of the greatest performances ever--channeling Brando. I also love the young versions of Don Corleone's sidekicks when they first go into business doing things like stealing rugs. And Robert Duvall has had to work very hard ever since to equal this performance.

The acting is classy, silent, not overdone. Robert DeNiro won an oscar for his portrayal of young Vito Corleone. Francis Ford Coppola won Best Director for the movie. There were several rivetting scenes in the movie. But for me, the best one was the one in which Vito Corleone kills Don Fanucci. There are several simliarities with this movie and the original (Godfather Part I). For instance, in both movies, one of the parents dies, and after that, a treacherous family member is killed. All the other gang leaders too are executed at the same time. Yet, both have been done very differently. The movie is educational in it's own way, and is definitely a must see. It truly is a class act.

Mikey's back, and this time it is personal!
This has to be, hands down, the best sequel ever made in motion picture history, possibly even the best film ever made. Without a doubt, it beats any modern-day new release. I would venture to say that this film surpasses the original, but this is my opinion. This film is more dramatic than the first, and perhaps that is what appeals to my sensibilities (and others').

This movie may be a little bit harder to follow than the first, but this is not a disappointment. This is something that grabs you and pulls you in (don't even think of getting out). A few viewings will solidify its classic status in your heart. The Vito/Michael Corleone trade-off scenes show parallels and contrasts between the two Dons' rise to power. The formations and unravelling of loyalty and power are revealed as the scenes trade off. This is magical.

Hopefully, I won't give too much away by mentioning the most memorable elements of the most memorable scenes. Who can forget when the Corleone family shamed Frankie "Five Angels" Pentangeli back into loyalty and omerta at the senate hearing by bringing his brother in from Sicily? Who can forget when Senator Pat Geary, while with a favorite prostitute, was framed for murder, ensuring his cooperation with "the family," lest political scandal? Who can forget the Sicilian affection shared by Michael and Fredo at the New Year's Eve ball in Havana, Cuba (i.e. kiss of death, followed by the unforgettable line, "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!")? Who can forget Al Pacino's incomparable performance in, among other scenes, his argument scene with Diane Keaton (note: his trembling face deserved at least two Oscars!)? Who can forget the closing scene of Michael's dispair in realization of his own destiny?

The musical score is unforgettable, no doubt about it. You may even catch yourself walking around, humming some of these haunting melodies. The acting is unparalleled. Kudos to Gazzo, Shire, Strasberg, DeNiro, and others. This is Pacino's finest acting, in my opinion. At the expense of conciseness, I have to give credit to the late John Cazale for his talent as well. I don't think anyone could reproduce the guilt in Fredo's eyes as he sits in the Cuban cafe with his brother, Michael (watch it, and you'll know what I mean).

Clearly by the end of the film, Michael is consumed by empire, power, etc. as he confides to Tom Hagen the necessity of killing all enemies. The process of decline takes its toll on the Don, revealing the drama that is The Godfather Part II (note: this is why Michael, with twinges of paranoia, treats Tom Hagen like crap towards the end--- because he anticipates Hagen's betrayal). This movie shows what happens when Michael begins to lose all that he loves and has built up by legitimate or illegitimate means as a consequence of his illegitimacy. All lines between personal and business are blurred by the close of the film.

In closing, it is probably inappropriate, as I've read in one review posted here, to refer to The Godfather Part II as a sequel or even a prequel/sequel. It can be said that it is two movies within a movie. Nonetheless, as one of the best movies ever made, it holds its own. Beware, though: the final scenes will "break your heart," as the Corleone family's powerful "Sicilian thing" falls apart in more ways than one. But do yourself a favor and buy this, and don't worry about having to return anything to the Don. Capice paisano? Enjoy!

The Saga Continues...
The first time I saw "Godfather, Part II" was on NBC back in the pre-VCR days and they cobbled it together with "The Godfather" and told the Corleone family saga in linear fashion.It was good but it wasn't until years later that I saw "Part II" properly.Director Francis Ford Coppola effectively jumped back and forth between the young Vito Corleone (Robert DeNiro) and Michael Corleone who five years on was still trying to legitimize the "family".The flashing back that Coppola utilized effectively pointed out the fact that the young Vito turned to organized crime as a means of survival in a New World where recent immigrants had to look out for themselves.Michael's ruthlessness, on the other hand, can only be attributed to a deluded vanity that he tosses off as looking after the family's interests.Al Pacino is simply superb here in an even-keeled portrayal as Michael.It's hard to believe that this is the same actor who did the over-the-top "Scarface".Good supporting cast includes Michael V. Gazzo as Frankie Pantagale, a disgruntled Corleone foot soldier, and Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth.John Cazale's Fredo Corleone emerges in this film with all the seething resentments finally coming to the surface after years of being the forgotten Corleone brother.Domenic Chianese(Junior Soprano) appears as Johnny Ola, one of Roth's associates.Coppola offers a colorfully informative commentary that should not be missed.

One of the great ones!A great sequel to a great film!
The Godfather is one of the great films of the 20th Century, and Godfather II is one of those rare sequels that measures up to the original in every way.This is a great and compelling story with a wonderful cast that turns in superb performances.About the only thing one can complain about in this film is the absence of Brando, but that, of course, was more or less inevitable given the storyline of The Godfather.On the other hand, Robert DeNiro turns in an absolutely flawless and powerful performance as the young Godfather: Vito Corleone.

The film wonderfully juxtaposes the Corleone family in more or less the modern age, circa 1965, against the early immigrant Vito Corleone as he flees the local mafia boss in Corleone, Sicily as a child, and seeks his fortune in early 20th Century New York City.The Italian ghetto of New York, filled with hopeful immigrants, is incredibly well done, and the viewer feels transported to this brawling, bustling, and formative era of American history.This is a great film.

Like The Godfather, although the protagonists, most of whom are criminals, are portrayed with some sympathy, this film shows the mafia and organized crime to be ultimately futile and self-destructive institutions in no way worthy of emulation or aspiration.This adds to, rather than detracts from, what is a truly great story of the American immigrant and social experience.

The DVD features excellent sound and brilliant colors, and constitutes a very good value.Any film afficianado will want to own this one. ... Read more

Description

* Commentary by director Martin Scorsese with cast and crew
* Commentary by ex-gangster Henry Hill and ex-FBI agent Edward McDonald
* New digital sound and picture
* "Getting Made" making-of featurette
* "Made Men": other filmmakers on the influence of GoodFellas
* "The Workaday Gangster": mod life featurette
* "Paper Is Cheaper Than Film" storyboard comparison ... Read more

Reviews (408)

FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOODFELLA...
This is simply a great mob movie. Based upon the best selling book, "Wiseguy", by Nicholas Pileggi, it traces the rise and fall of "gansta" wannabe turned government informant, Henry Hill. Skillfully directed by Martin Scorsese, this film with its all star cast, megawatt performances, and period music soundtrack packs quite a wallop to the senses. Named 1990's best film by the Los Angeles, New York, and National Society of Film Critics, it garnered six Academy Award nominations and earned Joe Pesci an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In the 1950s, a preteen Henry Hill (Christopher Serrone) began his career as a "gansta" wannabe on the mean streets of East New York, where a small Italian American community thrived. Working with Paul Cicero's (Paul Sorvino's) crew, he worked his way up, doing the penny ante, gofer stuff, until he began more heavy duty involvement. As a young man, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) took to his life in the underworld like a fish takes to water. He married a nice, jewish girl whom he turned into a shrewish girl, as he lived the life he wanted. His wife, Karen (Lorraine Bracco), also became entranced by the perks available to a mobster

Henry teamed up with Jimmy "The Gent" Conway (Robert DeNiro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). Together they stole, lied, cheated, and killed their way through life, until they got wacked or got caught. When Henry, against the express advice of Paul Cicero, got involved with Jimmy in the 1970s cocaine drug trade, it was the beginning of the end for him and Jimmy. The film skillfully chronicles the rise and fall of Henry Hill from wiseguy to goverment informant in the witness protection program..

It is amazing that the actor playing young Henry Hill, Christopher Serrone, resembles Ray Liotta so much, right down to the piercing hazel eyes. He gives a terrific performance as young Henry, expressing all the joie de vivre that young Henry had over being associated with mobsters. Ray Liotta, as the adult Henry Hill, gives an outstanding performance. The viewer senses his absolute love for the life that he lives. He clearly enjoys all the perks of a mobster, his only regret being that he could never be a "made" guy, because he was not fully Italian, as his mother was Sicilian but his father was Irish.

Robert DeNiro is wonderful as Jimmy Conway, low key yet powerful. Joe Pesci gives an over the top performance as the wild, volatile, and totally crazy Tommy DeVito, an out of control wiseguy who has no redeeming value as a human being. He is a guy who does not think twice about killing someone over something trivial. Paul Sorvino is excellent as the mob boss who is all about the family and plays it the old fashioned way. Lorraine Bracco gives the performance of her life as Karen Hill, a woman besotted by the life of a mobster's wife, until she realizes that girlfriends are an expected part of that life. She is sensational.

This is simply a great mob movie. It is a film that the viewer will watch again and again. I, myself , have seen it at least three or four times, and each time is as if it were the first. Vastly entertaining, this film is a worthy addition to one's collection.

Goodfellas - A Scorsese classic!
Of all of the "mob" movies that have graced the silver screen over the years, "Goodfellas" most certainly stands a head taller than the majority of them and it can be said that this film is one of the "definitive" mobster movies. Few movies, if any, can compare to the compelling "based on a true story" nature of this film and the graphic realism that is so brilliantly portrayed by Scorsese's direction and the exceptional cast members.

"Goodfellas" is a powerful film based on the true life best seller "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi. More specifically, it's based on the true story of Henry Hill (Ray Liota), who along with his pals Jimmy "The Gent" Conway (Robert DeNiro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) who received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this film. Needless to say, the performances by these actors, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino are nothing short of superb.

The premise:

Narrated by Henry Hill and his wife Karen Hill, "Goodfellas" tells the tale of how he grew up admiring the local mobsters, gained their friendship and then came to be employed by them. After all, how could anybody resist a life in which if you're part of the "organization," there is nothing that you cannot have and you have the fearful respect of everybody around you, as long as you're continuing to make money and not stepping on any of the important people's toes.

As the movies progresses along, Director Martin Scorsese does a beautiful job in displaying many of the aspects of the mobster's lifestyle and the many things that can happen in that lifestyle.

From the opening frame to the final credits, "Goodfellas" is a gripping, suspenseful and enlightening gangster movie that bears multiple viewings quite easily. I highly recommend this film to any and all fans of gangster movies. Fair warning though, this movie "is not" for the faint of heart or the squeamish, for it is fairly graphic at times, which serves to enhance the nature of this film but is not too good on the eyes. {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

This DVD was released in 1997 as one of the early transfers, therefore it's not loaded down with an exceptional amount of special features, which is fine because it's all about the film. I do find it surprising that this one hasn't been re-released as a "Special Edition" with all the special features, featurettes and documentaries.

What is does have:

- A remaster