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The world can be divided into two camps: those who will watch Joshua reverently and gratefully, and those who will not touch it with a 10-foot pole. The reverent probably own Joseph F. Girzone's bestselling novel about a mysterious but friendly loner who shows up in a small American town and blesses every life he touches. Whites and blacks, Catholics, Protestants, and Jews will work side by side as newly recognized brethren; an estranged couple will resolve to save their marriage; the lonely and disconnected will embrace and be embraced by community; etc. The message--the healing power of Christ's love--is beyond reproach, the intentions of the filmmakers entirely benign, but there is not one whit of dramatic tension or narrative complication to any of it. The cast is stronger than usual in such religious projects (Tony Goldwyn, Oscar^® winner F. Murray Abraham, Giancarlo Giannini as the Pope), but no one has a prayer with a script that posits the hero's Christhood on the fact that 12 people show up for his going-away dinner. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Uplifting and inspirational... a movie to treasure
All too often the lack of quality acting, writing or a budget tends to ruin filmaker's attempts to bring a quality Christian work to the screen. Left Behind is an example and if you are a fan of the series and saw the movie, then you understand what I mean. So it should come as no surprise that anyone like myself who has so enjoyed the Joshua series written by Joseph Girzone would be skeptical about the movie. But very quickly I realized that not only was this movie going to be fairly faithful to the original book, it was also going to maintain the consistant message of love and salvation that sometimes gets lost in Christian filmmaking. Tony Goldwyn whose probably been typecast since Ghost, quickly made me forget that role and pulls off an extraordinary portrayal of Joshua. Add that to a quality supporting cast and some surprises that stray a bit from the book but are nonetheless enjoyable, I would recommend this movie to anyone, whether you are a fan of the series or not.

Touches the Soul
This movie adaptation of Father Girzone's book wonderfully compells the viewer to sit back and be fascinated by a modern day Christ story.

Joshua, an artist and woodcarver, drifts into a small town and within days turns a disjointed group of citizens into a community of good neighbors. Joshua's manner is straightforward, kind, yet fun and amusing---just the kind of guy you'd want at your next get-together. He doesn't preach---he simply is---his love and selflessness runs out from him like cool fresh water to the thirsty. His actions are transforming---but alas, they also cause trouble. The pastor of the local church is frightened by Joshua's charisma and he does his worst to disassemble the band of neighbors by attempting to blacken Joshua's name.

The movie is not as complicated as the novel, the scenes where Joshua is asked to speak at the nearby Jewish Synagogue are completely eliminated as is Girzone's hopeful message of all roads--all houses of worship--leading to the same goal rather than insisting that their way is the only way. The dialogue at times can be a little too persuasive in attempting to disclose the true nature of Joshua--which the audience identifies correctly from the start anyway.

I was disappointed that more attention was not paid to Joshua's exquisite carvings----only one of the statues of Peter is manifested here.
Of note is F. Murray Abraham's portrayal of the threatened pastor and lovely sad-eyed Giancarlo Giannini as the Pope.

Recommended to all who enjoy or need a spiritual kick in the head.

What if Jesus showed up as a carpenter in a small town?
"Joshua," based on Joseph F. Girzone's novel, is not about the Second Coming of Christ. In fact I would think that it is not about a second coming either, because I get the feeling from this film that Jesus has shown up in similar ways countless times before. This time a stranger named Joshua (Tony Goldwyn) shows up in the quiet town of Auburn. He moves into a dilapidated old barn on the outside of town and when he finds a Baptist church that was destroyed in a storm, he starts working on fixing it up. This seems odd to the members of the congregation of that church, but some of them start to pitch in and help Joshua.

There are no real surprises in "Joshua," especially since the opening credits tell us that Giancarlo Giannini plays the Pope in the movie we are about to see. But the point of the story here is not to tell you anything you do not already know. The message, when Joshua actually articulates one, is the one that has been around for almost two thousand years. So the attraction here is the enticing "what if?" as to what it would be like if Jesus suddenly showed up in your neck of the woods and started doing things and talking to people. Joshua does not preach series nor does he tell parables. The important thing here is that when you talk, he listens to you.

This is not the first time that a movie has tried to portray a more "realistic" type of Jesus. There was Jeffrey Hunter in the 1961 film "King of Kings," where Jesus walked among the masses while he gave the Sermon on the Mount. In "The Passion of the Christ" the focus on the story is on the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus, but in the film's few flashbacks James Caviezel reveals a remarkably accessible figure. Tony Goldwyn has an advantage in that he does not have to wear the beard, long hair, and flowing robes of the conventional images of the Biblical Jesus. He plays Joshua as what you can only describe as being a good guy, which is more difficult to play that you would think.

Auburn is not a modern Sodom or Gomorrah. The worst you can say about the place is that the different denominations are not paying attention to each other. But then one of the points about Joshua is that he not only fixes churches and carves statues of Peter, he also fixes small things. "Joshua" is about the ministry of Jesus and the miracles have the same affect they did the first time around.

The supporting cast is solid, with F. Murray Abraham as Father Tardone, the local priest who is suspicious of the stranger in town, Kurt Fuller as Father Pat Hayes, who is captivated by that same stranger, and Stacy Edwards as Maggie, who has a different idea as to what void in her life Joshua can fill. Granted, anyone who has never been to church on Sunday is not going to be interested in this film, but "Joshua" should appeal to most Christian audiences, who will find it a pleasant reaffirmation of their beliefs.

A Gift from the lord
I have watched this movie well over 50 times, though i dont beleive in the church i do beleive in god, this movie i have recommended to others in need weather it be for emotional support or physical pain, it is uplifting, and beautiful. I truely beleive that the actors in this movie at the making were guided by the hand of God, This is a MUST SEE MOVIE....if not a must own movie, one of the nicest aspects of it was all ages can watch it, and get something out of it

A true call to everyone
The first time seeing this movie was completely by chance. My family and I rented it one evening without knowing what it was about at all. For whatever reason it stood out on that shelf, I may never know, however, the impact it has left upon me will last my lifetime. ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Dumb but Entertaining Cart Racing flick.
An Talented Retired Veteran Driver (Sylvester Stallone) is been asked by his former boss (Burt Reynolds) to train, a talented but Unfocused Rookie Contender (Kip Pardue). The Rookie destructive behavoir is Slowly turned apart by his brother (Robert Sean Leonard), the girl-he's in love with (Estella Warren) and his primary racing rival (Til Schweiger).

Directed by Renny Harlin (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4:The Dream Master, Die Hard 2:Die Harder, Deep Blue Sea) made a familiar but extremely underrated (at time stupid) race cart film. Stallone wrote the Screenplay from a Story by Jan Skrentny & Neal Tabachnick. The film also stars:Stacy Edwards, Gina Gershon, Brent Biscoe & Cristian de la Fuente. This was a huge Box Office Flop but it did fine on Video & DVD. DVD's has an terrific anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer & an strong-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are:Commentary Track by the Director, Deleted Scenes with/without Commentary by Stallone, Behind the Scene featurettes & more. This might be far from Stallone's best films but it's worth a look. Super 35. Grade:A-.

"Driven"...better than "Days of Thunder"!!
Do I love this movie or what?! When I saw Driven 4 times in a row at the theater 3 months ago, it kept my adrenaline pumping from start to finish! I loved the different racing locations such as Toronto, Chicago, Japan, and Detroit. Yet, "Driven" puts you (the viewer) into the driver's seat and pushes you way, way past the edge of your seat. Now, as far as the acting should go, "Driven" calls the attention to Sylvester Stallone as a retired race car driver that has been called back into action by his long-time friend and crew chief (Burt Reynolds) to help a rookie driver named Jimmy Bly (Kip Pardue from "Remember The Titans"), who is slipping in the ratings due to the number of races that he lost, thanks to his nemesis, Beau Brandenburg (Til Schweiger), who also has a very, very, very hot girlfriend (Estella Warren). The features on the DVD were extraordinary, like the deleted scenes with Stallone commentary, the behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Driven", and the trailer for the film. But all I have to say is that if you liked "Days of Thunder" from 11 years ago, then you'll definitely love "Driven"!

Gave it 1 start because 0 wasn't available
This movie would only be watchable by people who know NOTHING (and I mean nothing - like less then my wife - who I might add thinks that Formula 1 is abrand of baby formula). It is filled with absolutely laughable impossibilities (dozens . . . maybe hundreds) like being able to jump into an IndyCar, turn the key (connected to the non-existent built-in starter), and take off down city streets at 200+. A complete and side-splitting comedy for any race fan who was unlucky enough to buy (or rent) this piece of rediculous junk thinking they were about to watch a "Real Racing Movie". It get's my vote for the "Top 10 Worst" movies list.

Full Speed Ahead
Oh, come on guys; "Driven" was a good little sports-action movie, with a cast that fit perfectly in every role. Sylvester Stallone (who also wrote and produced) plays Joe Tanto, a retired Grand Pix race car driver. He is called out of retirement to help his former crew cheif (Burt Reynolds) train the new hot shot racer, Jimmy Bly (Kip Pardue), who has a lot of talent but little disciplin. Believe it or not, the movie is really about Bly, he is the one who changes through out the movie. In fact, the movie is really just a passing of the torch kind of material. But I think it is done well, a macho man's emotional buddy movie. Stallone is great as the world weary racer, those droopy eyes serve him well. Burt Reynolds is also excellently cast as the tough father figure. Gina Gershon is basicly making fun of her on screen persona here as a, well, horrible woman. Kip Pardue is excellent as the cocky young gun with a heart. Tig Schwiger is the cheif competetor against Bly, and he is good as the rival, not to be confused as the bad guy; he isn't. The rest of the cast is trivial. I guess I had a few minor problems with the movie. 1) Like I said before, the actors were perfect for their roles; maybe too perfect, like maybe the characters were written for the actors. 2) There is an accedent about half way through that looks way too bad for anyone to realisticlly get out of. 3) None of the characters seemed all that mad at each other. The end was resolved too easily. But for all that, "Driven" was cool, with lots of exciting race scenes (especially through Chicago), genuine respect between each other, and I liked how all the characters made up at the end, even if it isn't realistic.

Good movie for racing fans
While everyone knows that Stallone has done both great and terrible acting and writing jobs in the past, this one is, shall we say, not his best or worst. I first saw this movie in theaters, and being an avid open-wheel racing fan, I enjoyed the true substance of the movie: the actual racing scenes. The problem is, though, you can't just have 2-hour movie with nothing but racing (just watch the SPEED Channel sometime). The racing scenes have to be tied together with some kind of a plot, and this one seems more like a soap opera than a real movie. If you don't happen to like racing, then stay away from this movie, but if you do, the great action with the cars definitely makes up for the lack of an entertaining plot. Some will tout that the racing itself is unreal, that the writers didn't do their homework. Well, without cooperation from ALL of the members of the CART community (which is now in SERIOUS financial trouble), you can't get everything you wanted out of a race series. Some say the chase scene through Chicago in prototype race cars is too over the top, but it's one of the more original movie chases I've seen. I mean, how many other movies have manhole covers getting sucked off by the car's downforce, or girls' skirts being blown up by the cars going by? That's all realistic, by the way. In short, the subplots suck, but the race action is definitely worth it for the race fans out there. ... Read more

Description

On Skeet's twelfth birthday his older brother Randy buys him his first surfboard.Suddenly, summer turns into and endless search for the perfect wave, wild times and beach parties with surfing buddies. Skeet must soon learn to find his own adventures when Randy's attention turns to sexy new girl Samantha. Beyond his wildest dreams, Skeet is taken under the wing of surfing legend Jim Wesley, who gives Skeet first-hand lessons in hot-dogging. Meanwhile. Randy is still dealing with the loss of their father, but finds it difficult to fill his shoes in the shadow of Jim's growing influence on Skeet. When Jim begins a relationship with their single mom, Randy is not thrilled and his feelings erupt with jealousy and resentment. Torn by the conflict between his brother and his newfound father figure, Skeet retreats to his room while longing only to surf. Filmed on location along the beaches of Southern California, Local Boys is loaded with radical surfing footage, breathtaking moves and thrilling feats. Packed with endless adventure, awesome point breaks and California surfer girls, this coming of age story captures all the hardships and thrilling freedom that go along with growing up. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

What DVD does best
"Local Boys" is a perfect example of what DVD does best: providing a showcase for a minor-league delight that had no chance at a big-screen release but deserves more than to be dumped on cable TV for just a few lucky insomniacs to catch on the late show. In short, it is a small gem of a film with a fine cast and promising director that tells a familiar, though moving and involving story. It also showcases a pair of promising young actors who appear on the brink of stardom and gives a couple of solid pros (and former "Chicago Hope" costars) a chance to stretch their acting chops and exhibit their own undeniable chemistry. And it may be the first surfing movie I have ever seen that actually deals with the teen surfing crowd in a realistic and non-exploitative manner by making its kids more than just brain-dead stoners obsessed with riding waves that would kill the world's best surfers.

Eric Christian Olsen and Jeremy Sumpter star as Randy and Skeet, brothers whose policeman father "died a hero" (as Randy likes to say) in the line of duty. Skeet wants to learn to surf, so Randy buys him a surfboard for his twelfth birthday. But like so many other well-meaning though self-centered older brothers, he buys one that is too big (that way he'll have a spare) and then leaves Skeet to learn on his own. When legendary surfer Jim Wesley (Mark Harmon) sees Skeet's pitiful attempts at riding a wave, he befriends the boy, buys him a suitable board, and offers to teach him the proper way to surf. Skeet and Jim become fast friends and Jim even begins a tentative relationship with the boys' mother (Stacey Edwards), much to Randy's displeasure. (Randy loathes Jim, sees him as a threat to his status as "man of the house" and refuses to cut him any slack.) But Jim has issues of his own to deal with, since his own wife and daughter were killed in a car crash a couple of years before. And then there's Skeet's unresolved emotional problems surrounding the death of his father to deal with as well--

"Local Boys" isn't exactly loaded with surprises since you can tell where everything is headed almost before the film starts. But it is done with taste and restraint and a refreshing lack of melodrama, except for a ridiculous suicide attempt late in the film by one of Randy's surfer buds (Guiseppe Andrews), whose father thinks is a lazy, pothead loser (which, incidentally, he is) and is forcing to join the Marines.

As for the brothers' relationship, it is tender and sweetly rendered, yet combative and utterly believable, thanks to the terrific performances of Olsen and Sumpter. Olsen, who bombed badly in the "Dumb and Dumber" sequel "When Harry Met Lloyd," makes Randy likeable even when he's acting like a spoiled jerk, mainly because he never lets the audience lose sight of how much he loves his brother and mother. He's convinced he's trying to protect them from being hurt by Jim, but in reality, he's protecting himself. As for Sumpter, he is simply amazing as Skeet, creating a character who is not a mini-adult but a believable, emotionally fragile pre-teen who idolizes his older brother, yet occasionally finds him a major league pain in the you-know-where. Couple this with his fine performance in Bill Paxton's "Frailty," and the result is a young actor of exceptional promise.

In addition, Harmon and Edwards, who co-starred as lovers on TV's "Chicago Hope," also score solidly and once again make a believable couple. Harmon, in fact, has developed into a reliable and solid character actor who manages to elevate every scene he's in, no matter how pedestrian. And he's 100% believable as a surfing legend. Unfortunately, Edwards, who was magnificent as the deaf "victim" in Neal LaBute's "In the Company of Men," is given little to do as the mother, but what she is given she does extremely well. And Andrews offers amusing support as the pothead friend.

Give credit to director Ron Moler, who does a creditable job on both the character-driven scenes and the surfing sequences, which are refreshingly believable in that they concentrate on surfers riding real waves instead of the ridiculous tidal waves of "Big Wednesday" and other recent surfing films. How refreshing that the director doesn't feel the need to thrill the audience with laughable computer-generated surfing sequences in which normal surfers become superhuman thrill-seekers. Moler also successfully captures the "look" of the Southern California beach scene and it's surrounding neighborhoods. As for the DVD itself, the presentation is crisp, the sound excellent and is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1:85:1.

In all, this one's a winner. Surfers can watch it without groaning, and non-surfers will find the story touching and the performances refreshingly good for a direct-to-video release.
Congratulations to one and all.

Hidden Gem
This is a movie about a 12 year olds coming of age. The highlight of the film was seeing Mark Harmon act as an older lead in a talented group of young actors.
The film has some great surf scenes and was entertaining to watch. You end up with a deep sympathy for the characters as they try to overcome the same type of trajedy in their life.
The interaction between Mark Harmon's character and the 12 year old Skeet shows the need for "father-son" relationship despite the real father not being there. I will admit the film is a little predictable, but not so that it takes the fun out of the movie.

Never Heard of It
For not getting any advertisement and having an ultra-low budget, this isn't a bad film. The story of two brothers and their mother struggling to make a living ... blah blah blah. It sounds boring, but it's really not that bad. I suggest you give it a try if you're bored. I was, and I actually liked it.

its exellent
If you get this movie for the surfing, You could be disapointed.Although there is great old school surfing, the plot makes the movie.As you probably read other reviews of this movie,I will not get into the story.But I will say that the three main characters (Skeet, Randy, and Jim) are not the only ones that will bring out emotions, There is one scene that gives a small insight into suicide, And it really added to the movie.This movie made me laugh and cry.It is great.I gave it 4 stars because I expected more from the surfing.

its great
i love this movie i also love skeet the movie is the beat and as u can see i gave it 5 out of 5 because it is funny and really good it is my favourite movie of all time i went to see it in the cinema and thought it was great so i bought it on dvd and i watch it all the time u neva get bored of it ... Read more

Reviews (99)

The Madonna next best thing
Madonna is a real movie star and she proved that on this movie. She plays the role of a single mother( Abby )and in every scene you could see that she enjoyed not been the super female icon role and just been a mother who wants the best for her son. The movie is fantastic . The first part is very funny and step by step took the drama with it and the release end is one memorable and simply.

You have to wacth it if you don't and buy it if you haven't.

I liked it, it was funny, My mom cry when she saw it
Madonna's acting was great in this movie. I hated Madonna (But in real life I love her) on how she took San (Their Love Child) away from Robert (Evertt) and treated him. Madonna (Abby) plays a yoga teacher whom has prolbem in the love area of her life. One night with a good cry with Robert, too many drinks, lead to a night of passion. The movie moves on and she meets this guy (Can't remember his name) and they fall in love. Then she decide to run away with her new lover to New York, but Robert get pissed and sued Abby. She later tell him that Sam is not his child that Sam real dad is the last guy she was with (That was when I got pissed at Madonna) and then......I should not say anymore, I don't want to spoil it for you. But it was and is a great movie. I will buy it when it comes out.

THE NEXT BEST THING is AWESOME!
MADONNA did a Great job! THE NEXT BEST THING is a GREAT movie! Madonna plays a women named Abby who happens to get pregnant by her best friend Robert (Rupert Everett) who is gay. Now after a few to many drinks the two end up having sex, and you guessed it Abby gets pregnant. Now Abby and Robert have agreed to live together and raise there son Sam together, but there is a unexpected turn of events when Abby meets a Guy named Ben (Benjamin Bratt) and the two just seem to hit it off. Robert suddenly finds himself in a horrible position when Abby and Ben tell him they are going to get married, move out of state and take Sam with them. Now Robert then does what he has to do to keep his son from moving, however he discovers a Horriblre hidden truth along the way. Now i will not say any more other than this movie is one of the Best MADONNA movies ever! MADONNA does a amazing acting job despite what some of the critics said, but what do they know anyway! It's us the MOVIE GOERS that ultimatly know a GOOD movie when we see one. THE NEXT BEST THING is a GREAT MOVIE with many laughs and many tears! I highly recommend this Movie!

ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL
This may not be the next best thing, but it is entertaining and deals with issues that most of us are faced with on a daily basis. It shows that gay people are no different to any one else and deep down they want stability, a home and the opportunity to raise children. The other issue dealt with involves using children as a tool when a relationship / marriage hits the rocks. All to often it is the children that suffer and this film brings the message across that no matter who or what you are or what happens in a relationship, think of the childrens needs above all else, after all the children are innocent pawns. So, wether you are gay or straight, this movie is highly recommended. Rupert Everett is a great performer of which Madonna is not, but somehow they manage to pull this flawed movie through. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Two bored businessmen, exiled to a remote company outpost on a six-week business trip, decide to enliven their visit by romancing a deaf woman and then savagely dumping her. Slimy Chad (Aaron Eckhart) convinces schlumphy Howard (Matt Molloy) to take part in the vicious scheme by framing it as an act of revenge against uppity womankind, but it quickly becomes apparent that he harbors some even more sinister motives. What might have been a simple exploration (some, no doubt, would say reiteration) of straightforward misogyny is elevated by the remarkable performance of Eckhart; at once charming and nauseating, his fascinating interpretation of pure competitive evil dominates the film. Neil LaBute's intelligent script is somewhat reminiscent of Whit Stillman's darker moments (minus the collegiate cleverness and zany warmth), and his direction, while rarely visually impressive, does connote the hellish impersonality of corporate interiors with chilling success. The director-screenwriter deserves additional plaudits for resisting both the tidal pull toward poetic justice and the temptation to draw either of his main characters as even slightly sympathetic. A study in ugliness, a rubbernecker's delight, a time bomb. --Miles Bethany ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Bachelor got critically slammed when it played in theaters, probably because reviewers couldn't help comparing it with the movie on which it's based, the brilliant Buster Keaton comedy Seven Chances. But on its own terms, The Bachelor is a modest and enjoyable picture about Jimmie (Chris O'Donnell), a happily single young man who suddenly gets an ultimatum from his grandfather's will: marry by his 30th birthday or lose an inheritance of $100 million. This is revealed the day before that very birthday. Unfortunately, Jimmie had already proposed to his girlfriend Anne (Renee Zellweger) and been turned down; she can see in his eyes that he isn't ready to get married and refuses to accept him until he is. So Jimmie needs to find a bride--fast. Though the commitment-shy man is a hoary cliché, The Bachelor successfully exaggerates Jimmie's fears to comic proportions. O'Donnell is his usual affable self, but it's Zellweger who seizes every scene she's in and makes something really enjoyable out it. The movie's greatest weakness is that she's such a small part of the second half. Still, there's good supporting performances from Hal Holbrook, Ed Asner, James Cromwell, and Marley Shelton (as Zellweger's sister), and Peter Ustinov and Brooke Shields both have very funny scenes. The Bachelor skirts some dangerously chauvinistic territory at times, but by and large it's a pleasant comedy with some genuine good humor. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (54)

50'000 brides can't be wrong
Synopsis:
Jimmie Shannon (Chris O'Donnell), an unabashed bachelor asks his girlfriend Anne (Renee Zellweger) to marry him. But his uncertainty about the change in lifestyle causes him to botch the proposal so badly that she refuses. Soon after, his grandfather dies leaving him 100 million dollars in assets, with one catch. Jimmy must be married by his 30th birthday or he won't get a cent. The bad news is, his 30th birthday is in 24 hours. From there begins a rush against time, first to find his girlfriend and try to change her mind, and then when that fails to find any eligible woman who will agree to marry him on short notice. Will Jimmie realize that he wants to get married after all, and will he get the girl he actually loves?

About the Movie:
In many ways, The Bachelor is an utterly delightful movie, despite its flaws here and there.

One of the most refreshing things I found in this movie was the positive view that was eventually given to marriage. O'Donnel's character goes from a single man who enjoys his single and somewhat philanderous lifestyle to a man who understands the joy of committing heart, soul and body to another person. He comes to realize that some things in life are more important than money or sex. The neatest part about all this is how he comes to this realization. It comes partly through his attempts to find a wife on short notice, but mostly it comes in the voice of a role model that is almost universally denigrated in movies these days... a priest. I found that to be a nice change.

Plotwise, this film is standard romantic comedy material. Boy loses girl, boy seeks girl, girl makes things difficult, boy gets girl. What makes this movie special is the offbeat way the whole situation is presented and eventually resolved. It's just plain fun, especially that memorable chase scene near the end.

The supporting cast (which includes Hal Holbrook, Artie Lang, James Cromwell and Edward Asner) is excellent in this film, though at times a little overplayed. James Cromwell's priest is downright charming and O'Donnell plays his role as the uncertain bachelor rather convincingly. Together with the rest of the cast they make for some great and entertaining comedic moments that are laugh out loud funny.

The only really low spot as far as acting goes is Anne. Renee Zellweger is ok in her role as Anne, but as an actress, I feel she has a tendency to come off as a ditzy blond. Her character suffered a little from that, making her, at least for me, a lot less appealing as the female lead than she could have been.

Like many comedies these days, the Bachelor also suffers from the sex syndrome so prevalent in modern movies. Jimmie has clearly slept around a lot in the past, and it's implied that he and Anne are 'intimate.' Just once I'd like to see a romantic comedy without any sex involved, with a guy who's saving himself for the one he wants to spend his life with. I guess that's too much to hope for. But, I suppose in this movie, the lifestyle fits why he's not so eager to abandon it.

The other issue with this film is the language. The language in The Bachelor is often unnecessarily crude (usually sexual references or unfortunate potty colloquialisms) pushing the rating up to PG-13. It could have been a better, more family friendly film had they kept some of the language a little tamer and less earthy. It hurt the movie, and it didn't have to.

In the end, some of this film is a little clichéd, but overall it holds together pretty well, and makes the payoff at the end definitely worth it. Over all, the Bachelor is a fairly entertaining movie that makes a great date film (if you can overlook the language).

About the DVD:
The Bachelor comes in a cardboard snap case on a single-sided DVD in Widescreen and fullscreen formats with Dolby Digital 5.1 or regular stereo surround sound. This movie's audio tracks are only available in English, and the subtitles only come in English as well. There are no foreign language subtitle or audio tracks on this DVD.

The picture on this DVD is exceptionally clean, even on high resolution screens. This is what DVDs are supposed to look like. The sound is decent, though nothing that will knock you out of your seat.

The special features on this DVD are what you normally see on budget DVD releases, the theatrical trailer for the movie and a cast filmography section. This DVD release has the added bonus, however, of being a PC DVD-ROM with extra features when played on a computer. These include a script to screen feature, access to the original theatrical website and a links to wedding resources.

I've always found the script to screen feature on DVD's to be fascinating. While it's really only any interest to those who enjoy the finer points of film making, it's interesting to read the script while the movie plays. I do have a complaint however. The Script to screen feature forces you to watch the movie in fullscreen while reading the script. As a fan of widescreen, I found that restriction a little annoying.

Bottom Line: A fun film with some flaws on a budget DVD release with one significant extra. I'd give it 3 Stars.

The life of a bachelor
For men, marriage is often thought of as a major subtraction. Men feel it's all about surrendering their freedom to their new wives, not being able to hang out w/the guys anymore & having to ask for permission to do stuff that they used to do routinely. Wild bachelor parties are typically a symbolic gesture of the guy's last night of happiness and freedom before his autonomy is erased.

For women, on the other hand, the institution of marriage is often thought of in fairy-talesque ways. The prince marries the princess and they live happily ever after. The gentleman chooses the most romantic locale and the most perfect day to pop the question. Then, when he does ask for her hand in marriage, he does it with a poetic eloquence that would rival Keats.

The present movie pokes fun @ both men and women for their pre-conceived notions about marriage. Chris O'Donnell plays a happy-go-lucky independent male who has not yet hit 30. He has seen his friends get "picked off" one-by-one by the marital epidemic.

Meanwhile, the ultra-adorable Renee Zelwegger plays a young woman who has been bred on all the popular fiction about how "perfect" everything will be when she gets married. She's also expecting a breathtakingly perfect evening in which her man will offer her the rest of his life.

As you have probably guessed, these two protaganists fall in love but their different viewpoints cause a great deal of friction. The result is nothing short of a hilarious satire on the differences in how men & women look over a lifelong bond.

There are some zany twists & turns in the plot, but that is the main gist of the storyline. If you like Romantic comedies, this one is a dandy. I'd recommend this film for anyone who has ever been married. And, if you've never been married......I'd recommend this DVD even more!

could have been better
This movie just felt so cheesy and its so pathetic how this guy asks every woman to marry him. Its a fun date movie but that's all, nothing special. I just felt that the whole movie was recycled and I'm one of those people that wants a little more originality to movies. Besides it reminds me of those cheesy reality tv shows that they have on tv. It just didn't work for me.

Stereotypical... but lots of fun!
The Bachelor is a hilarious movie about a man that is afraid of committment, but has already found the woman of his dreams. It's how extreme circumstances, make him discover what he wanted a bit earlier than he was ready to. It's lots of fun, and the ending is extremely hilarious!! It is, however, a bit stereotypical in all the men in the film stress how marriage is the inevitable ball and chain... and all the women in the film, are ready for the committment, which is such a joke. However, the film is hilarious and all the crazy escapades that occur just had to the hilarity of it all. Highly recommended!

Chick movie that guys can enjoy!
I totally thought this was going to be a movie that only women could enjoy, which didn't bother me since I am one, but my husband and his friend watched it with me and they laughed many times and enjoyed it. I guess they enjoyed watching Chris O'donell get himself into trouble. I also enjoyed it, it wasn't so weet that it would give you a toothache, but it was enjoyable, and funny and I thought Renee Zellwigger and Chris O'donell gave great performances. If you enjoyed this movie, also try the wedding planner with Jenniefr Lopez, I liked that one even better! ... Read more

Reviews (41)

WHAT! MEDICATION! WHAT MOVIE DID YOU WATCH??
WHAT MOVIE INVOLVED SOMEONE AND MEDICATION?
I JUST HAD TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT REVIEW!
BEFORE THIS ONE!
THE MOVIE WAS NOT ABOUT A PERSON TAKING MEDS!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
RICH(OLI GRANT)WONDERFUL VOICE AND HE IS CUTE!
5 STARS!

What The....
Ok, this movie was wierd and it was like a kid with ADD who skipped his medication just to spite himself. I liked Ben Stiller, but what in the...the...can I call it a story line??? I'm sure I couldn't do better myself, as I have skipped my medication for years( if I had meds) but I guess the one good thing that came of this movie was the Kissing climax with Brooke Shields and the 18 year old fly boy, Lij. Good job, and the song they played at the end was cool, but in general I think rap (which is a story theme) is too redundant except for old school Beasty Boys...am I dating myself? Sorry, I hope teenage girls don't get any ideas...stay away from Central Park, Ladies!!!

ANOTHER MOVIE WITH NO POINT
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STUPID MOVIE WITH NO POINT ALL IT IS IS JUST A BUNCH OF IGNORENT NI$$AZ ARGUING AND CURSING AT EACH OTHER IT WAS SO STUPID.

Popcorn Plot?
What else can I say? I don't watch a lot of Flicks because they disgust me. As an ex-screenwriter, working out of LA, I found Black & White to be what more films should be -- an expression, a journey, an exploration! Yes this film has no plot, but is that a problem? I think not!

Take a look at the top selling DVDs or the box office receipts and you'll see what Americans like, an easy to follow story line, lots of conflict, a few burning cars and shoot em up scenes and of course, a happy ending, one in which the conflict is resolved.

This flick is none of these, rather it's an experiment, one that flopped horribly in the box office. I've come to learn that many of the best films fail to make money. Spiderman.....please give me a break!

If you enjoy film as an art, buy this flick and you won't be disappointed. If any one tells you anything else, ask them for the best flicks in their collection and I'll bet they are all box office smashes that go great with a $5.00 box of popcorn.

Black and White and hard to watch
I like a few of the actors from other movies, and had heard Ebert's positive review (especially about Robert Downey Jr, & Mike Tyson's part) so I decided to watch Black and White.

This movie now sits in the bottom of the barrel of bad movies I've seen, next to Armageddon, Lost and Delirious, and a few others.

I've never seen Brooke Shields look worse - dreadlocks and a nose-ring...I understand it is not a movie about her or her looks, but still, her dialogue ("Let us share your life!" or whatever - I'm trying to forget the movie) was just weak. Also, for some reason, that tiny camera she carried did not convince me of her documentarian prowess...

Robert Downey Jr was kind of interesting as Brooke's gay husband, and his brief scene with Mike Tyson was kind of funny, but that did not make up for the rest of the movie.

Claudia Shiffer was pretty good, although her character ...., as did all the others.

I had no interest in the characters or the lifestyle that was portrayed.

The commentray by James Toback was just as hard to listen to as the movie was to watch. He seemed to be on tranquilizers, mumbled frequently, and thinks himself great.

1 star, only for Robert Downey Jr & Mike Tyson. Can you decipher my vernacular? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

nothing special..
If it was not for Will Ferrell, I would give this movie 2 stars at most. The movie is too predictable and the rest of the cast is not too brilliant. Ferrell, on the other hand, is still as funny and clumsy as ever. Yeah, there were some funny scenes but all of them involved Ferrell. So, if you are a big fan of Ferrell you might like this movie, but if his name does not "ring a bell", than you might find it rather dull and not very funny.

Men behaving badly
Men Seeking Women is a comedy about three guys, not having much luck with women, engaging in a bet where the winner must obtain a girlfriend and live with her for three months. Whoever accomplishes this first wins the pot.

Grant Shaud plays Les, the instigator of the bet, while Will Ferrell and Anthony Palermo play Al and Nick, respectively. All three are close friends, and, on their 33rd birthday (all three were born on the same day) Les talks them into putting up 2 grand apiece for the bet, money none of them can really afford to lose.

On answering personal ads, all three men have various degrees of success. The funniest being Al (Will Farrell) getting cold feet when meeting his blind date in a restaurant, and trying to skip out on her through a bathroom window.

As the movie progresses, Les becomes entangled in a particularly sticky situation, Nick employs a bit of chicanery to try and win the bet, while Al goes through a series of very funny situations in his quest.

While this may seem like a romantic comedy of sorts, it's more of an episode of Men Behaving Badly. As we get to know the men, we develop an understanding as to why none of them are involved in a committed, meaningful relationships with women. They claim to want what most of us want, but their actions seem to say otherwise.

Will Ferrell steals the movie, providing quite a bit of comic relief, but with a hint of underlying desperation that fleshes out his character nicely. While there are sometimes darker undertones that appear within the movie, I wouldn't call this a black comedy. The superficialities that most people have seem to lie closer to the surface with these three men, especially Nick, and ultimately ruin their chances at succeeding with their relationships with women. There was a line in the movie, when Al and Les are talking about Nick where one of them says, "Nick's world is a great place to live...if you're Nick." I think this can be said of all of them, and really works to illustrate their overall problem.

Soon we see negative effects on their lives, to which the men attribute to the bet, but it appears that the bet only served to amplify negative aspects already present within the men themselves. None of the men appear to be very likable from the start, garnering little sympathy from the audience as their misfortunes pile up, but the ending suggests maybe something was learned as each is forced to deal with the consequences of their actions.

In my opinion this movie is not a romantic comedy, so if that's what you are looking for, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a fairly funny comedy with semi-serious undertones, then rent this movie before buying, see if it fits your tastes.

Ferrell is funny!
Three guys bet each other to see who can get a girlfriend and live with her for three months. Grant Shaud (of Murphy Brown fame) is the instigator of the bet.

Will Ferrell is a photographer who has some of the worst dates imaginable. Basically, Will steals every scene he's in -- but be prepared, it's totally different than anything else I've seen him do. It's a very understated but hilarious performance.

There's also a very funny scene when one of the guys relates a near-death sex experience.
This is obviously a very low budget movie and it's rough in spots, but it's still pretty funny. My girlfriend actually liked it better than I did.
L7 ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not a question of who will turn on each other so much as when in this trust-game thriller. Four friends who fancy themselves art thieves suddenly owe a million dollars to a powerful thug (Forest Whitaker). The solution they come up with is morbidly ingenious: one will die to save the others. But that's never the sort of pact you can expect people to follow through on, and therein lies the suspense. While it isn't Hitchcock (or even Tarantino), it isn't half-bad and it maintains a compelling pace. With the exception of a cartoonishly written druggie character, the plot holds together fairly well, and the four young leads (including Olivia Williams from Rushmore) are suitably dodgy. Veterans like Tim Curry and Whitaker drop by to help out, and just to make sure you know it's an art-house movie Four Dogs Playing Poker carries the hallmark of all movies with edgy aspirations: onscreen vomiting. Don't think too hard or you'll figure it out early. But if you sit back and relax, you'll have a good time. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Awsome Flick!
I just happoned to stumble upon this movie one day after class, and was immeadiatly captured by it. The storyline was intriguing, the actors were suburb, and the ending surprised me. Now whenever I catch it on TV again, I have to watch it! Definatly a must see on a rainy night!

Tim steals the show
Great movie...in my personal opinion it was completely under-rated. I hadn't even heard of it until a couple of months ago.
Tim steals the show...despite the fact that he dies considerably early. Why is it that he dies in every damn movie? There's something about his English accent that exudes sensuality, and for an older man he is extremely attractive...but to each his own, I'm sure there are those that would disagree with me. Go rent or buy this movie today...you won't regret it.

Great Movie!
Four Dogs Playing Poker was a very suspenseful film. Casting as very terrific and it was wonderful that every single one of them can act! Although I am a huge John Taylor fan and was quite disappointed that he didn't get more lines in the film.

Tim's a hottie...but he dies
I knew going into this movie that Tim Curry dies (poor guy, he always dies), but this was a very gruesome death. Too bad becasue Felix was a cutie! The rest of the movie, in my opinion, is pretty cool. Yes, it's confusing @ first, but a second watch clears a lot up. Of course everyone's entitled to their own opinions. :-)

Mistitled
The real title of this film should be "95 Minutes Wasting Time". First, the meat of the film--who will kill whom--hinges on an incredibly stupid sequence in which two characters temporarily abandon, in a public space, an astoundingly valuable objet d'art in their possession, only to return to it and find it gone. Now THAT'S a surprise.

If that were not enough, there's an entire sequence, later on, when the four remaining characters--one has already met his end--sit around in their respective apartments and wait, and it's really not clear what they're waiting for or why. There's shots of them ingesting drugs, fretting, making phone calls, picking up the phone, ignoring the phone, etc., etc.

Add to that a revelation, at the end, that makes no sense and you have a chaotic disaster posing as an arty, hip, suspense film.

The "four dogs" are four friends who concoct a plan, along with a fifth person, to steal a priceless Degas statue from a rich guy's mansion in Argentina, then deliver it in New York to a classy thug (Forrest Whitaker) and get paid 100 grand each. When the piece disappears, they're faced with either extinction or payment to Ellington, the thug, of a million bucks.

The plan they come up with to make good on the million dollars involves taking out backdated life insurance policies, each worth that much, and then having one of them kill another one to collect the insurance. This itself is pretty preposterous; one of the four, an attractive woman, works at an insurance company and she manages to have her boss sign the policies, EVEN THOUGH BACKDATED, thanks to her seductive charms. Like, excuse me, give me a break, OK?

There never is any poker played. Four cards are drawn to determine who will kill and who will be killed. Therein lies the substance of this ridiculous waste of time.

Don't bother. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sleigh bells may not ring briskly for this often-somber sequelto the 1989 hit Prancer, but there is plenty to like about itssympathetic characters and wistful storyline. Ten years after thelittle heroine of Prancer saved a wounded reindeer that mighthave been a magical member of Santa's flying herd, a friendless boynamed Charlie Hooper (Gavin Fink) clandestinely adopts an orphaned buckin the same Michigan town. Convinced that he also has St. Nick's(apparently ever-wandering) Prancer on his hands, Charlie growsdetermined to lead the deer back to the North Pole. A finely balancedsupporting cast (Jack Palance, John Corbett, Michael O'Keefe) bringssome interesting textures to this simple tale of redemption and, hey,kids are bound to love the sight of a baby reindeer making himselfcomfortable in Charlie's bed. Prancer Returns may prove to be aminor holiday classic, worth revisiting every year when the trees growbare and Christmas is around the corner. --Tom Keogh ... Read more