Book Description

"Bein' a idiot is no box of chocolates," but "at least I ain't led no hum-drum life," says Forrest Gump, the lovable, surprisingly savvy hero of this wonderful comic tale.When the University of Alabama's football team drafts Forrest and makes him a star, that's only the beginning!He flunks out--and goes on to be a Vietnam war hero, a world-class Ping-Pong player, a wrestler, and a business tycoon.He compares battle scars with Lyndon Johnson, discovers the truth about Richard Nixon, and suffers the ups and downs of true love.Now, Forrest Gump's telling all--in a madcap, screwball romp through three decades of the American landscape.It's Gump's amazing travels...and you've got to hear them to believe them. ... Read more

Reviews (484)

The best movie of the 1990s
Forrest Gump guarantees to be one of the greatest movies you ever see.
Forrest is a simple man who lives by his beliefs, and lives by his mother's advice. He talks of his incredible life while sitting at a bus stop in Alabama, of teaching Elvis new dance moves, of bceoming a war hero in Vietnam, and of meeting several Presidents. At the same time, he recollects about his childhood sweetheart Jenny, who is living a horrible life after being abused as a child.
This is a truly inspirational movie, one of humour and light-hearted fun, while looking back at some of America's biggest moments.
Tom Hanks richly deserved Best Actor, as did the film deserve Best Picture, and Forrest Gump is one of the least-challenged Academy Award decisions in recent memory. This film really can say that it will make you laugh and cry, as well as thoroughly enjoying the best movie of its decade.
Forrest Gump is a must have movie, and is one to watch many times!

A Powerful Story Of Love And Adventure
FORREST GUMP is a movie about a backward young boy who grows up to lead a remarkable life while managing to get involved in some of the most important world events of the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon years. The film is a powerful story of love and adventure-especially love.

Tom Hanks is superb as Forrest Gump. The strong supporting cast includes Robin Wright, Sally Field, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and a very young Haley Joel Osment.

FORREST GUMP won Oscars for Best Picture, Director (Robert Zemeckis), Actor (Tom Hanks), Adopted Screenplay, Art Direction, Film Editing and Visual Effects. It also received nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Gary Sinise), Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Make-up and Original Score.

Robert Zemeckis will be remembered in addition for his direction of BACK TO THE FUTURE and ROMANCING THE STONE.

The best
Tom Hanks at his best. A very intelligent comedy and one of the best reviews of 20th century America in a very light hearted way. Fully deservant of the shower of Oscars it received. Must have!

THE BEST FILM EVER MADE
The first time I saw this film, I was amazed beyond beleife. Tom Hanks is outstanding as Forest Gump, and every sapporting actor was perfect for the role. This movie has so many memorable lines in it, its almost insane. This movie is almost a modern day Rocky, in which it shows what one man could do with his life, and what we should do with our lives. Easily deserved every reward it got.

the best family film ever
a special guy sits on a bench and tells anyone who will listen about his story book adventure style life.it stars tom hanks.he is abselutely hilarious while simaltaneously being simple and blissfully unaware.the kids can watch it but they should really not look when jennys around.shes a whore and a half.it is easily the best tom hanks movie ever made.this movie is for everybody.if you do not like this movie you need help because something is seriously wrong with you.it is a very emotional movie from watchimg gump struggle to walk as a child up to when his loved ones began dying.if you are the sensitive type,do not forget to take your prozac or youll ball your eyes out.the only chick in it is jenny.she toys with forrests emotions throughout the entire movie and puts out at least 9 or 10 times.there are a lot of people who play thier roles well here.most everbody does well.its one of those movies you have to watch on tape because it never stops being good long enough to stop for a snack or a bathroom break.its that good!if a second one were somehow dreamt up it would be only a shadow of its predecesser.it is long,but an abselute gem in any video library. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Daddy Day Care: Daddy'll Fall Asleep
Daddy Day Care seems like the perfect kids comedy. Don't get me worng, it is. But the daddies might snooze off during it. When a father gets fired from his job, he starts a day care center for kids. Eddie Murphy doesn't look happy doing this little kiddy-joke comedy, but his acting is still grade-A. All the good jokes are given away on the commercial. The movie still ain't bad, for a kid flick. Each child in the movie you get to know better and better and every character as his/her own funny joke. The movie keeps kids awake, but age 20 and up might find it boring. Daddy Day Care is 90 minutes, just enough to cram all the jokes and punchlines into. The ending is happy, the characters are happy and the movie itself seems happy. Bottom Line: There's better movies out there, but if the latest box-office hit is sold out, Daddy Day Care is the way to go.

Fun for the whole family
We first went and saw Daddy Day Care at the theater and really enjoyed it. My mother in law bought it for our family for Christmas and we have watched it 3 times since, and I laugh more and more each time. Eddie Murphy is truly a genius. I enjoyed his hard core stand up comedy, his Beverly Hills Cop movies, Coming to America, etc. and now am enjoying watching him in family movies like the Dr. Dolittles and Daddy Day Care. It is good clean fun our family can enjoy together, and that is rare nowadays. The little boy who plays Murphy's son is absolutely precious, and the casting for everyone was perfect, from Murphy's wife to his day care business partners.

I have read reviews where people thought the movie was juvenile. Well, it is about children, so I don't know what the expectation was. Anyone who has spent time with little kids, or has kids of their own will definitely appreciate this hysterically funny film.

The special features are fun too. There are interviews with the kids, and the kids do some interviewing too. Great music also!

Great flick
What do you have when two cereal promotional guys are fired off from the only thing they know how to do and they bills are piling up, and they need a job badly? In the same time, you need to find a good day care center for the kids when both parental units are off to work and find work. The main problem is, it is hard to find any at least a daycare that is trustworthy to even leave your kids and not to worry at all if it is safe enough and cheap!

So back to question to unemployment. What do you do? Open an excellent daycare yourself! Open a business up! The only problem is you have a very strong and able competition, from an established day care which act like preschool. And the owner is very keen to keep every kid in her daycare not anybody else's.

Much to add, there is a short animated movie in this dvd set and you gotta watch it *grins* Early Bloomer is the cutest animation I have ever seen and I must admit of watching it repeatitively way too many times hehehe

Good for a Laugh
The movie isn't dealing with profound concepts and ideas, but it is a light hearted movie that provides many laughs. Very enjoyable.

a very cute kids movie
if you have a choice between this or the haunted mansion get this this movie is a very good kids movie that the whole family will enjoy. All of the characters are awesome ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A Travel Brochure to Love
Norman Jewison created this warm and airy ode to love, and gave it both the beauty and fragrance of a flower cart on the cobbled streets of Italy. The scenery will take your breath away and the story make you smile in this light romantic comedy.

The always sweet and engaging Marisa Tomei is Faith, on the the verge of marriage when a phone call from her fiance's friend will stop her dead in her tracks, simply because his name is Damon Bradley. A game played when she was a child and a Gypsy fortune teller at a carnival in her teens told her the man she would love and marry would be named, Damon Bradley.

Bonnie Hunt shines as Faith's sister-in-law and best friend, who takes off to Venice with her in search of her destiny, written in the stars. When they discover he has left the hotel he called from, the search will go from Venice to Rome, and the lovely Italian coast, as Norman Jewisn gives us a gorgeous view of romantic Italy.

Robert Downey Jr. is at his most charming as Damon Bradley, who Faith meets by chance, or perhaps fate, and falls in love with. Faith will discover, however, that destiny has a few twists and turns in store for her, in this truly delightful violin concerto to love.

This film will work its magic on you if you enjoy a light romantic comedy with a 1950's feel, and will surely become one of your favorites if you are seeing it for the first time. Don't let destiny, or this film, pass you by.

Some enchanted evening....
That is what it is when you watch this movie. Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey, Jr. has such chemistry it's hard to believe they're not a couple in real life. Tomei plays Faith, an engaged woman chasing her destiny all the way to Italy. Unbeknownst to her, Downey IS her destiny. This movie really makes you believe in true love, destiny, and that one special someone. See it with someone you love.

And I personally love all of Downey's works--but I'm biased. To me, there is no better talent in this movie. And he is so good looking! I fell in love with him too!

Buy it, watch it, love it!!!
I love this movie. On a rainy day, with nothing to do, curl up on the couch and feel good. What a great movie to lose yourself in. If you believe that there is just one person for you, if you ever believed in destiny....this is the movie for you. Take it at face value, don't over analyze it. Just love it. Both Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. were never better.

What am I missing???
I don't really understand all the favorable reviews of this movie. Let me list the things I like:

Marisa Tomei's opening scene in the classroom
The beautiful scenery
The allusion made by her name--Faith

The rest of this movie was a huge disappointment to me. Especially as I was expecting something of the same calibur as Sleepless in Seattle, which lot's of people compare this to. First of all, a ridiculous plot. Who would fly half way around the world because of a NAME of someone you were supposed to marry?!? Secondly, Peter (aka, Damon 1) claims to be in love with Faith after knowing her less than 24 hours. And alleged feelings seem actually to be only sexual chemistry. Not much basis for a long term relationship between "soulmates." Yes, I know they had some common interests. So what? I have common interests with hundreds of people, some of which I might be attracted to--not really enough reason to declare lifelong devotion after only a few hours. The premise of this movie does exactly what Kate (Faith's sister-in-law) claims that movies do. They paint a picture of a false reality. I know all movies do so, but most movies don't claim NOT to. And if this is someone's idea of reality, pity to them. Wake up! Love is much deeper and more multi-faceted than this farce of "divine predestination." Of course, as a good Calvinist, I believe every event is predestined--both good AND bad. However, not every predestined relationship will be all asparkle with sentimentality and unbridled passion.

One of the best romantic comedies
This is one of the best romantic comedies! The age-old concept of star-crossed lovers is beautifully portrayed by the always charming and talented Robert Downey Jr. and the wonderful Marisa Tomei. It's a must see for all romantic comedy lovers. ... Read more

Reviews (54)

that "Little Bird" is going to leave you breathless!
Demi Moore came under intense public attention for those "pictures", little did they know she was going to star in a movie about going starkers...STRIPTEASE.

STRIPTEASE is one of those "guilty pleasure" movies that have a certain campy charm, it's certainly more enjoyable that it's bastard-sister-film; SHOWGIRLS.

Erin Grant (Demi Moore) loses the custody battle for her daughter when she is fired from her job. What's a girl to do? Go and shake her booty, what else?!!

Down at the Eager Beaver Club, where the beer isn't the only thing on the menu, Erin finds a job prancing around to such innocuous tunes as "Little Bird" and "Money Can't Buy It". Soon, a mysterious murder and a hilarious excuse for a congressman - Dilbeck (Burt Reynolds in an inspired performance) prove more of a hindrance than a help as Erin decides to expose her lousy ex-husband as the drug-pushing, slack-jawed yokel that he really is, all the while spinning around a pole in a G-string. Sound exhausting? Nah! We're only getting started!

Overall a pretty enjoyable caper. The DVD transfer is beautiful.

2 stars for Demi Moore
This movie is not a fully erotic movie as it might be expected.But it is not a clever and funny movie either.So what makes Striptease bad,I guess,is that it doesn't manage to satisfy any taste at all.

Erin Grant (Demi Moore) must strip for a living,and her biggest fight is against her ex-husband to get her little daughter back.Meanwhile a [physically excited] congressman (Burt Reynolds)gets fixated on her,a murder occurs and things get quite complicated.

Striptease has humor at times,but not much really happens.The plot,if there is any,is pretty weak.The only thing that makes this movie worth watching is probably Demi Moore and her dancing on beautiful Eurythmics songs.However other than those "music videos",there is nothing else to care about in the movie.I wish Eurythmics used Demi on their videos,which would make making a movie like Striptease unnecessary.

The DVD doesn't have a single extra as it suffers from being an old release,so I can not show any reason why you should buy this DVD,except if you are a hardcore Demi fan..

NATURALLY BAD CONGRESSMAN WAS REPUBLICAN
"Strip Tease" was typical. In it, Burt Reynolds was depicted as so many Republican politicians are depicted: Stupid, immoral, greedy, corrupt...am I leaving anything out?

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

Stunningly Bad Movie
This is a stunningly bad movie. The plot is basically Demi Moore's character as a single mom who needs money so she works in a strip club (yes, stripping) and has men problems (crappy ex-husband, lecherous politician). While Demi Moore looks great in this movie that was not even worth the two hours or so I wasted watching it.

Best Movie Ever!!!
I love this movie... It is the best ever made and I love to watch it late at night, if you know what I mean. Demi Moore is the best when she starts stripping, I start stripping!

I watch this movie every night of the week! ... Read more

Reviews (194)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (194)

A thoroughly enjoyable ride
Loosely based from a 1990 comic book series, this 1997 blockbuster combined eye popping special effects, classic sci-fi fare, and off the wall comedy and featured Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agent's J and K respectively. Both of whom are members of the MIB: a government organized secret group who keep the knowledge of extra terrestrial life under wraps while keeping the planet at peace. Director Barry Sonnenfeld handles the film very well and keeps it at a crowd pleasing speedy pace throughout most of it's running time. While it does start to lose steam towards it's climax, where Men in Black shines is with the casting: featuring Linda Fiorentino, Rip Torn, Tony Shaloub, and Vincent D'Onofrio in lively roles, with D'Onofrio being his usual scene stealing self. This Deluxe Edition of the film seems like the umpteenth time MIB has been released on DVD; but out of all the previous editions this seems to offer the most bang for your buck.

Much more fun than I expected
After seeing the previews, I had no desire to see "Men in Black." It just looked silly and didn't make sense. I finally watched it only because my boyfriend had the tape in his collection and I was bored. Boy, did I misjudge this movie! It was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!

Part of my problem with the previews is that I wasn't quite sure what the plot was about so let me start there. The "men in black" are part of a special super-secret immigration agency dealing with extraterrestrials. Unbeknownst to the general population, space aliens have been living amongst us for several decades. As long as they behave, they are welcome. If they misbehave, they may be deported or zapped with some pretty fancy weaponry.

Will Smith plays an ultra-hip New York police officer who comes to the agency's attention after chasing down a space alien. Tommy Lee Jones plays his very experienced, suave partner. Jones' dead serious interactions with the panoply of odd aliens is outrageous. And although I'm not a Will Smith fan, I have to admit that in MIB he's just just too cool for words!

MIB is definitely a must for the video library!

Different type of illegal aliens in New York
So much has been written about the brilliance of this gooey sci/fi comedy, that it would be redundant for me to tell you how great it is. But what I enjoyed most about "Men In Black" is that it is such a New York film.

When Will Smith is being oriented to his new job by Tommy Lee Jones, he's informed that many New Yorkers are disguised space aliens. "Like cab drivers?" Smith asks. "Not as many as you think," Jones responds.

The fact that the MIB have a car that can defy gravity is funny enough, but the fact that it needs such a vehicle to fight the perpetual traffic in the Midtown Tunnel is even funnier.

An alien disguised as a dog in an I LOVE NEW YORK tee-shirt is fairly funny. But when it speaks with a New Yawk accent as thick as Bugs Bunny's it makes it funnier.

When the edgar bug alien hauls a mideastern cab driver out of his cab, not funny. When he tosses his wooden-bead back massager at him, funny. But on top of that, when he throws the ubiquitous air freshner out, then its hysterical (without being racist).

The whole concept that the World's Fairgrounds in Queens is a hangar for spaceships is just brilliant. And I've always wondered what that structure at the head of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel was!

Glimpses of the World Trade Center are a little bitter to take, even now. And there is that sense that this film is from an innocent pre 9/11 time but, really, the rest of the movie still rings true of the New York of today.

Good!!
I like this movie because it has a a lot of good scenes where you laugh, the situations are ludicrous just like the aliens. And what about the screen where you can see Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone or Oprah like aliens? And it's full of irony besides good special effects. If you want to have a good time buy this one. By the way, has anybody realized that the green baby alien, that Will Smith has in his arms, has the same face as Jedi Knight Kit Fisto?

Funny and witty!
This movie is a hilarious take on the whole concept of the Earth being populated by extra-terrestrial beings and two agents named Agent K and agent J are assigned on a mission to stop a menacing alien cockroach who is trying to gain a hold of an artifact.

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith are a really hilarious team and their acting is phenomenal! The special effects are also really cool and the alines are so funny.

Go and buy this DVD and get teh Deluxe Edition because it has so much cool stuff on it! Peace out! ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A Comic Legacy.
Though some may disagree, Chris Farley was a comic genius (if you don't believe me just watch TOMMY BOY). The characters he played were often loud, but rarely offensive and usually hilarious (compare that to the last five or six years of SNL; there is a huge difference). In part, his humoring was so appealing because Chris looked just like a normal guy and he loved making people laugh.

This collection of SNL sketches and skits is a fitting tribute to Farley. The DVD includes "Andrew Giuliani"; "Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker"; "Chippendales"; "Superfans-Jordan"; snippets of "The Chris Farley Show"; a physical comedy montage; and "Lunchlady". There are a few omissions from the Chris Farley repertoire. However, most of the best ones are here. My only complaint is that there should have been more of certain characters (why wasn't there more "Tom Foley" sketches?).

A wonderful DVD that any Chris Farley fan will welcome, and that non-fans can at least watch to appreciate the humor of Chris Farley.

I miss this big guy...
I've found that most people either totally love Chris Farley or, when you bring him up, make a face and say, "I never really thought he was funny." If you are in the first, and don't own this video yet, RUN don't walk to the shopping cart and buy one. When they ran it the first time on TV, it wasn't long after Farley's death, and I was still sad about it. After the sober opening by Tim Meadows, however, I started laughing pretty much non-stop till it was over. His better-known routines are on here, such as Bennet Brower, Matt Foley, and the Chippendale's dancer, which are all hilarious. But there's also quite a few skits that I never saw, and we watched pretty much every week when he was in the cast. My only complaint is that it isn't longer, and some funny skits, they only show snippets of, like him playing Alan Hale, and the skit with Sandler where Michael Keaton was the host and Sandler plays his cranky grandmother whom he has to watch for 20 minutes. (if you want to see the whole skit, which is one of the funniest things I've ever seen them do, then buy the Best of Adam Sandler as well, because it the whole skit, plus some other great Farley stuff not on this tape is on there). The only noticeable (if you're a Farley fan) omission is a skit called "The Relapse Guy" where he plays a guy who goes to rehab then gets wasted again over and over (it's way funnier than it sounds, trust me). I think they thought it was a little too close to home (though they did leave in the Ditka stuff with him faking a heart attack-that kind of made me wince). Every time I see this, several things happen-- I get sad that he wasn't around long enough to make more movies with Spade, or even by himself, because (this sounds corny) he had so much to give. I also get pi$$ed off at him for not taking better care of himself and dying. I also usually laugh so hard I fall off the couch. No matter how bad of a day I had, I can watch almost any of the skits on here and get cheered up instantly. He was a guy who could just say one line that you would think no-one could say and make it funny, and make you fall down laughing just the way he says it. His costars really had a hard time keeping character, which shows even more in the dress rehersal 'blooper' clips they show. Watch David Spade and Christina Appelgate during the Matt FOley thing- they both have to turn away from the camera to hide their faces because they can't keep a straight face, and when he starts in with the "I bet you're asking yourself 'hey Matt, how do we get back on the right track?' " you can see their shoulders shaking they are laughing so hard. Sandler can't keep a straight face when he's doing the "Lunchlady" song with him, either. Come to think of it, I have no clue how anyone on stage with him could ever keep a straight face. If you were bummed out when he died, get ready to get teary (though you'll already have tears running down your face from laughing) when he sings, "so long, farewell" as Matt Foley at the end, sitting on Phil Hartman's lap (I could watch this without tearing up until Hartman was killed, now I can't see the clip without getting choked up). But even if you do get emotional, keep watching, because after the credits they stick on the one thing I'd been hoping for the whole time-a quick clip of Farley as "Sandman" on "Nat X". What a waste- I hope whereever he is he knows how happy he made people during the short time he was around (and how happy he is still making those of us who thought he was funny).

Classic Physical Comedy
In his short tenure on this earth, Chris Farley provided us with some of the funniest moments in "Saturday Night Live" history. Heavily inspired by John Belushi (not just in his comedy but his dangerous lifestyle), he suddenly became the show's most talented physical comedians, bringing the pratfall back to households.

5 years of classic comedy has been put on this dvd. Farley created for himslef a variety of classic charcaters for himself, including Matt Foley (who lives in a van down by the river!!!), Todd O'Connor of "Superfans" and Barney The Chippendale Auditioner. All of these classic characters are here. Also, there's his "exciting" impression of Laurie Davis in the "Focus On Beauty" sketch. There are several montages that just to show how funny he was: one where he's in drag, a montage of his talk show, one showcasing his physical comedy, an impressions montage, and one featuring outtakes from Dress Rehersal.

Overall, very good. My one complaint may seem odd. There's not enough sketches featruing Adam Sandler! I know that the focus is supposed to be on Farley, but he and Adam shared so many great skecthes together, and they obviosuly bought out the best of each other. The ones with him are good, but it would have been better if "Zagat's" and "Gap Girls" (both featured briefly in the "Drag Montage) were on here. But still, it's an excellent dvd.

Strong start... poor finish
I dunno what it is, but I've always enjoyed Chris Farley's "loud-obnoxious-fat-guy-falling-down-and-breaking-stuff" routine that he did in the handful of movies he starred in prior to his untimely demise. Keeping this in mind during my last visit to the local Hollywood video, I decided to check out this collection of SNL sketches that he starred in, just to see if I had a possible "keeper" to place alongside 'Tommy Boy' and 'Beverly Hills Ninja'. As soon as I got home I threw this into the player, pressed 'play', and relaxed to what was hopefully gonna be a good show. Which it was... at first. After gettin' past the way-too-love-fest-y "in memoriam" intro by Tim Meadows (jeez, whatever happened to that guy, anyway?) I found myself yukkin' it up over the opening sketch of the titular star playing then-NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani's (Kevin Nealon) obnoxiously hyper son. After that, he showed his range by playing... an obnoxiously hyper motivational speaker who tries to set a couple kids straight with his bellowing "living in a van down by the river" spiel. Then there's the so-wrong-to-laugh-at-but-I'm-laughing-anyway alternative lifestyle-themed beer commercial with Adam Sandler, followed by the infamous 'Chippendale try-out' with Patrick Swayze... which I consider to be Farley's greatest SNL piece. Oh man, was that sketch a hoot! A very disturbing hoot, but a hoot all the same!

Unfortunately, after this initial volley of sketches and commercial parodies, things really go downhill. Save for his 'quotation-finger'- laden commentary on one Weekend Update segment, I hardly uttered a chuckle the rest of the way. I never did find any of those 'Da Bearsss' sketches all that amusing, and the one they show here with guest star Michael Jordan is no exception. And the string of stammer-laden 'Chris Farley Show' bits with Jeff Daniels, Martin Scorsese, and Paul McCartney were downright tedious. And it didn't help that two of the pieces centered more around Adam Sandler (his retarded 'Lunch Lady Land' tune, and the just-plain-lame 'Herlihy Boy House-Sitting Service' piece), while Farley basically acts as a sideline character for Sandler to play off of. Speakin' of Adam Sandler: his inexplicable success with those lame movies he does is proof positive to me that there is no God. No Supreme Being who truly cares for His creations would have let this unfunny yutz become such a profit-generating force in Hollywood while allowing Chris Farley to shuffle off this mortal coil from a coke overdose...

Needless to say, I'm definitely NOT gonna add this one to my personal video collection. It was hardly worth the rental fee I plopped down for it, let alone what they're askin' for it to own! Guess I'll just hafta settle for another viewing of 'Black Sheep' to get my Farley fix...

'Late

chris farley funny goodness
I can't believe anyone doesn't know about the where he's talking to the news guy dennis miller or kevin that one guy that does the weekend update. He forms his fingers into quotation mark things and says funny stuff on his imperfect things about him. like i'm not that attractive and "i dont wash regularly"its really funny and how come know one says anything about it. Your only cool if you write a review about this skit so every review writer who wrote one your not cool enough to write about chris farley. I think its the funniest skit and its not my fault that all of you people suck ass. ... Read more

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The best thing about this misguided 1994 comedy is the performance of Kirk Douglas as a feisty old scrap-metal millionaire named Joe whose venal family is out to get his fortune. Douglas had scored a modest hit with BurtLancaster in the 1986 buddy comedy Tough Guys, but this was the veteran actor's chance for a late-careercomeback--and his last major movie role before he was temporarily sidelined by a stroke in 1995. Douglas is quitefunny here, playing an old codger who keeps frustrating his greedy relatives by refusing to die. Instead he threatens towill his fortune to his sexy "nurse" (Olivia D'Abo), and the scheming family reacts by finding a long-lost nephewnamed Daniel (Michael J. Fox), who is the only relative that Uncle Joe remembers with any fondness. The ideais that Joe will warm up to his welcomed nephew and will him his fortune--but of course this only makes the old manmore crotchety and protective of his money. The movie's got a strong supporting cast including Ed Begley Jr. and thelate Phil Hartman, but director Jonathan Lynn (who also plays Douglas's butler) fails to maintain a steady pace and themovie's cynical humor gradually wears out its welcome. Along the way, however, Fox keeps up a lively rapport withDouglas, who's obviously enjoying himself in a role that lets him cut loose with plenty of saucy and savvy attitude.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Hilarious Comedy about Manipulation
If your great uncle Joe is a filthy rich yet stubborn millionaire with a good chance of keeling over, would you brown nose and back stab to get a shot at his inheritance? Director Jonathan Lynn toys with this very idea througout this extremely funny film with hilarious results and surprise after surprise.

It's uncle Joe's 75th birthday, and his rotten relatives fight each other to earn the slightest ounce of respect from him. But Uncle Joe surprises them all with the arrival of a sexy young English nurse. Highly suspicious of this woman's intentions, the relatives enlist the help of their cousin Danny (Michael J. Fox) who had always been in Uncle Joe's good favor over the years. While secretly jealous of the favoritism their uncle exhibits towards Danny, they realize he's their only hope in keeping the family fortune within the family. Danny reluctantly agrees to help his greedy cousins only if it benefits Uncle Joe's welfare. But slowly, he too becomes tempted by wealth, and like the rest, falls prey to Uncle Joe's crafty game of manipulation. In the end, who will rise above the rest in Uncle Joe's complex test?

Absolutley hilarious with many laugh out loud moments. You don't want to miss it.

Brilliant Comedy
Completely hilarious and clever script. Great performances from a star-studded cast. Watch for the director in the movie. He's the butler. A great story about family and the human condition tempted by greed and manipulation. Who's fooling who? You'll be kept guessing all the way to the end.

Worth the laughs. Highly recommended.

One of the BEST comedies to rent or own!!
From two great writers who worked on "Happy Days," it is safe to say that this film is one of the greatest comedies of the decade. It is a tad predictable, but beyond that it has a lively script and well cast performers. Great players gave great performances. This is clearly a comedy which also hit the right dramatic notes. Parts of the movie are emotional and believable. Any Mike J. Fox or Phil Hartman fan should see this. Kirk Douglas was a hoot. Nancy Travis as the lead actress was dead on. Her character was full of wit and charm, despite a bad hair day. Watch for strong performances by all.

Outstanding comedic acheivement!
This picture reminds me of the movie Greedy. It's a real funny movie and I laughted at all the real funny jokes. If you like really funny movies, then this one will make you laugh alot. Michael J. Fox is really great in his role and I think he is about the funniest actor. All the others actors are funny too, except it's sad that Phil Hartman got killed, that's not very good. I think if you like to laugh and have fun, then this movie is absolutely too funny for words. Go see it for yourself. I don't think some movies are quite as funny as this one though. Joshua

Phil Hartman is a Standout.... as is most of the cast.
An above average comedy made three times as good by one of the best casts ever. Michael J Fox stars as the only nice member of a family waiting for a rich relative to die. Kurt Douglas, Nancy Travis and Ed Begley Jr are just some of the hilarious cast. My absolute favourite scene is the brawl between Michael and Phil, but the film is full of unforgetable scenes. See it for yourself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Opposites attract in this conventional but refreshingly unpredictable romantic comedy. New York nightclub designer (Matthew Perry, from television's Friends) is in Las Vegas to supervise the construction of a new project when he meets a fiery Mexican beauty (Salma Hayek). It's lust at first sight, and their one-night stand takes an unexpected turn when she shows up three months later to announce that she's pregnant. They're determined to do right for each other, so they get married in a Vegas chapel with an Elvis impersonator as their witness.Then comes the hard part--trying to figure out if they're actually compatible. The plot complications are mostly familiar, but Perry and Hayek throw some bright sparks as their initial bliss turns to more realistic concerns for family and future. Along the way there's some sharp dialogue and a few good laughs to give this all-too-human comedy an enjoyable spin. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (97)

Desert flavor and so romantic!
If you mix comedy, drama and love with two great actors and a perfect script, what you end up with is a memorable movie. This is a beautiful story, which starts off wrong. Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry) and Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayek) are destined to meet and when they do, things go in a direction they never imagined.

Isabel brings the drama to this movie. Alex brings the comedy. Their families from different cultures bring in a touch of conflict. The expectations of each family are so typical and set in motion a number of unexpected twists and turns to the plot.

The music in this movie does deserve its own soundtrack. I have looked for it. Even after watching this movie for the third time, I still want a CD. The music sets the mood for the whole movie. The setting at the Hoover Dam is also spectacular as are many of the outdoor scenes in the desert.

Salma Hayek is at her best in this movie, as is Mathew Perry. There is such great chemistry. The signs all definitely point towards them being together. Unfortunately, they both have to deal with relationships they had in the past, annoying relatives and Alex's controlling boss.

This movie shows how love can conquer any situation and cross all barriers. Each time you watch this movie it will affect you differently. When you see Alex holding a baby and Isabel looking across the room at him, you can't help but become Isabel for that brief instant. Alex says so many of the right things, any woman would want to hear. Then, Alex also makes the mistake of not telling Isabel pertinent details which will affect her life, and that is the basis for most of the conflicts.

Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek were the best actors for this movie! It is so romantic, you will want to watch it once every few years. Absolutely a worthwhile investment to purchase the video or DVD. Now, if anyone can find a soundtrack CD, let us all know!!!

!A Man, A Woman And A Chihuahua. Ay caramba!
After seeing "Fools Rush In", I definitely feel the above caption would make for a better title. But, nonetheless, this is one of those romantic love stories with a touch of comedy and a whole lot of drama, like a soap opera, but only better. The plot centers around a consultant of an architectural firm, Alex (Matthew Perry), who, by fate, meets a single Mexican woman named Isabel (Salma Hayek). After spending the night together, Isabel becomes pregnant with Alex's child, but is quite shocked about the news at first, and isn't sure whether or not she wants to continue their relationship. As time progresses, the couple get to know each other better and Isabel introduces Alex to her family, the Fuenteses (including an angry chihuahua named Che, who, at first, displays an intense dislike for Alex, but softens up to him later), and, likewise, Isabel later meets Alex's parents. At first, their parents don't agree with the idea of Alex and Isabel going steady, because of the cultural differences of both families. But what the heck, it all makes for a very interesting, and rather potent, love story. In fact, it is a love story (as mentioned above)! Rather than saying anything further, I suggest you pick up a copy of "Fools Rush In". The chihuahua alone is worth the price of this movie! Approved by the SPCA/American Humane Society and Lover's Anonymous."

Cute, Sweet, thoughful romantic comedy
I thought this was such a cute movie! It shows that sometimes opposites do attract! During one seen, Salma talks to Matthew about their differences and the prejudices that both families have with each other while telling a story. This is something that every body will love, including guys!!

An Excellent Movie
I love this movie. It has become my all-time favorite love story. Very well done!

Charming story but left me with a question.
This is one of the most charming "chick-flicks" because of the sweetness of Salma Hayek's character. Matthew Perry brings the humor. The music is very uplifting. Many of the songs can also be found on a CD called "Ultra-Lounge Volume 5". The two characters start their relationship physically first, then try to fall in love later. Along the way, they question what is meant to be. They encounter each other's families and friends and explore their likes and dislikes and the result is comical and endearing. What I am wondering is for those who are not happily married, does this movie encourage a physical relationship outside of marriage? I have seen the movie but still am not sure. On the surface, it seems like it doesn't. But what would be the end result of watching this - would a person be more or less likely to start a relationship physically? With the ending the way it was, it might make some younger viewers think true love might happen that way and end up leaving them with heartache. I'd like to hear more reviews on this aspect. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Great Movie! :-)
I saw this movie three times, and each time I found something else that I liked about it. I have only seen Vince Vaughn in "Swingers" and "Psycho" and I must say that his performance in this movie was wonderful. All of the roles I have seen in him are so completely different, and his ability to portray such different characters shows his talent.

As for this movie, I loved it. Very rarely do you see a movie about a single father. This movie shows that fathers love and care about their children too and that it is not just the mother who can do those things. The child who played Calvin, Bobby Moat, is absolutely adorable and he and Vaughn had a great chemistry in the film.

I highly recommend this movie. I only wish I could afford to buy it! :-(

ENGAGING!
From beginning to end, "A Cool Dry Place" genuinely entices the viewer. My 20-year old son introduced Vince Vaughn's acting versatility to me when he rented "Clay Pigeons"; his cool, suave manner could "best" James Bond's attitude anyday - and you have to love that "unique" laughter! "Psycho", "Swingers" and "The Lost World:Jurassic Park" are GREAT movies (between my son and I, we own them all), but Vince Vaughn's performance in "A Cool Dry Place" is charming and attractive! Any actor who can portray a "cold, deadly" killer in one movie, but yet portray a loving, but firm, Father in this movie has "Oscar" written into his future.

Joey Lauren Adams was well cast for this film. I bought "Dazed and Confused" last year because I also suffered from the "screwed-up" seventies and graduated from high school in May 1976. I completely related to that movie! I thought Joey Lauren Adams was "Renee Zellweger" - Sorry Joey! After watching "Big Daddy", I had no doubt that there is a BIG difference between the two actresses. Her throaty, sometimes high-pitched, sexy voice is enough to drive Vince Vaughn WILD! She may be a "Veterinarian's assistant", but she HAS MORE CLASS than the woman, Monica Potter, who portrays the "truant" wife. Even though she is "just" the girl friend, she has more wisdom when it comes to "rearing" children and "what is best for the child" and her acting is SUPERB!

Bobby Moat as Calvin is EXCELLENT! A beautiful child and an impressive actor!

Like Samantha K. (Gainesville,FL), I wish I could afford to buy this movie NOW!

One thing leads to another
This is the film that sparked my interest in Vince Vaughan. His performance in this film is so sweet and well done that I just had to have more. Imoved on to Swingers, the Locusts, and another favorite, Clay Pigeons. He doesn't seem to do films like these anymore, so this is definately a great place to start your Vince Vaughan collection.

The Movie is absolutely amazing!!
There are a couple reasons why I highly recommend this movie. One of the most compelling reasons is found in the caliber of the cast involved. The acting job is quite spectacular, very realistic, and the story is very vivid and at the same time rough. Many times a director can't capture the audience's attention on "Every day life" type movies. In this movie, the director hit the nail right on the head! I would stack this movie up against "Lord of the Rings", "The Matrix series", "Fast and the Furious", etc any day. Bottom Line- This movie is genuine and a real piece of art work.

this is a WONDERFUL movie!...
The only reason I heard of this movie was because of Joey Lauren Adams, but I am SO GLAD I hunted it down! It's such a sweet tale, but most importantly, it is REALISTIC. There is no pure evil or pure good in this movie. I found myself sympathizing with each character. The casting is unbelievable. Vince Vaughn and Joey Adams are so convincing and were cast perfectly. The little boy is adorable, i hope to see more of him! I bought this when I was single and childless, and now that i have a 16 month old and husband, it hits me twice as hard. Definitely a tearjerker towards the end. ... Read more

Reviews (194)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com essential video

Although it eventually runs out of smart ideas and resorts to a typically explosive finale, this above-average thriller rises above its formulaic limitations on the strength of powerful performances by Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Both play Chicago police negotiators with hotshot reputations, but when Jackson's character finds himself falsely accused of embezzling funds from a police pension fund, he's so thoroughly framed that he must take extreme measures to prove his innocence. He takes hostages in police headquarters to buy time and plan his strategy, demanding that Spacey be brought in to mediate with him as an army of cops threatens to attack, and a media circus ensues. Both negotiators know how to get into the other man's thoughts, and this intellectual showdown allows both Spacey and Jackson to ignite the screen with a burst of volatile intensity. Director F. Gary Gray is disadvantaged by an otherwise predictable screenplay, but he has a knack for building suspense and is generous to a fine supporting cast, including Paul Giamatti as one of Jackson's high-strung hostages, and the late J.T. Walsh in what would sadly be his final big-screen role. The movie should have trusted its compelling characters a little more, probing their psyches more intensely to give the suspense a deeper dramatic foundation, but it's good enough to give two great actors a chance to strut their stuff. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (121)

Here's To Successful Negotiations!
The Negotiator is an action flick starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Samuel L. Jackson plays Chicago Police Department Hostage Negotiator, Lt. Danny Roman. Roman is an expert at dissolving critical hostage situations, keeping a level head and making quick on-the-spot decisions. When Roman's partner approaches him with information about money embezzlement within the department, cool methodical Roman decides to investigate. But before he can begin, Roman's partner is killed, and Roman is framed for murder. With no where to go except jail and his back against the wall, Roman does the only thing he can do - He takes the one man he believes responsible for the murder as his hostage. In to talk with Roman about releasing his hostage is Lt. Chris Sabian, played by Kevin Spacey. As the plot thickens, we learn that everyone is suspect, including Roman's friends within the hostage negotiations unit.
Expertly played by Samuel L. Jackson. It seems he can do nothing wrong. Kevin Spacey is excellent as Lt. Sabian. Fast-paced, action-packed, and unpredictable at times, this movie is great for anyone who loves action and suspense.

Negotiator negotiates with an negotiator
Intense, packed of 140 minutes of action. Witty and demand the audience as a certain intelligensia, the Negotiator delivers a good, quality entertainment.

Focal upon the corruption and misuse of welfare fund in the Chicago Police Department, the Negotiator Danny Roman (played by Samuel Jackson)found his friend dead and himself in this web of dirty little tricks. He was convicted of murdering his friend with his own gun and accused of making up a fictitious informer.

Asking for justice, he became a hostage-taker of his own colleagues and several innocent citizens, he locked himself and others in the internal investigation office. He called for Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), a cool and cerebral negotiator from another precinct, to begin a negotiation process of finding the truth. The bad and corrupt guys within the Police, however, determined to thawrt Danny's plan.

Director F. Gary Gray successfully tells of a very realistic story with, on occassions, powerful images. You hold your breath tight, waiting for the next step both negotiators might take. The result is a constantly engaging experience, interlocking story and a complete satisfaction.

The Negotiator (1998)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Ron Rifkin, John Spencer, J.T. Walsh.
Running Time: 135 minutes.
Rated R for violence and language.

When the director has the lucky chance to work with not just one, but TWO of the most exceptional modern actions of the past decade, he should have been licking his chops in anticipation. Director F. Gary Gray (whose previous work was with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker in "Friday") uses the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey to his advantage, creating a fast-paced action-drama that uses both actors as chess pieces that are intertwined in a suspenseful race against time.

Jackson stars as an extremely successful hostage negotiatior who loses his partner in an accident. When he is framed for the accident as murder, he takes matters into his own hands by taking hostages himself. Kevin Spacey is the top-of-the-line officer assigned to assist the police department with consultations with Jackson, only to find himself in the most unique hostate situation he has ever encountered. Both must learn to trust each other, with Jackson attempting to find the true answers about his partner's death and Spacey trying to keep his incredible reputation in tact.

Gray does a fine job using the intense script (which unfortunately does have a few logical lapses), producing a motion picture that possesses all the essential ingredients to be a successful and enteraining flick. Jackson is very good in the lead role, while Spacey is as his usual best. Although F. Gary Gray was lucky enough to have excellent people for support, he does a fine job pulling off one of the better action thrillers of the year.

An Smart Action/Thriller.
One of the finest Police Hostage Negotiator:Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is framed for murdering his best friend (Paul Guilfoyle) and for embezzling money from his union`s pension fund. When nobody doesn`t want to believe him for not killing his partner & embezzling money. He decides to takes Hostages & try to clear his name. The only person, who could help him in this Situation is another Top Negotiator (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Kevin Spacey).

Directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, A Man Apart, Set It Off) made a entertaining, suspenseful, action-thriller made surprisingly believable, thanks to Jackson & Spacey terrific performances and especially the Supporting Cast are Strong. The film wasn`t a Hit, when it was release in the Summer of 1998, despite Good Reviews by Critics & Audiences, who seen the film. This film did much better on Video. The Script might have some logic lapses but it`s a gripping & well-made taut thriller. Gray`s Best Film to Date. Written by James DeMonaco & Kevin Fox. Super 35. Grade:A-.

Action Jackson.
Samuel L. Jackson has become quite adept at portraying intense characters who are both likeable and bothersome. His cop in "The Negotiator" is a desperate man, who although perhaps innocent of the charges against him is certainly capable of having done them. By taking hostages, he automatically guarantees himself prison time even if he is exonerated of the murder charges against him, and yet this character cannot help but be likeable and sympathetic in Jackson's hands. Kevin Spacey's negotiator is both arrogant and clever, and the climax of the film shows his expertise at both negotiation and deception. A good suspenseful action film, with Jackson at times over the top but always in charge. ... Read more

Description

This outrageous comedy stars Richard Dreyfuss (MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS) and sexy Jenna Elfman (TV's DHARMA AND GREG), who discover that primitive culture is as close as your own backyard! Instead of documenting a previously unknown trible in New Guinea, Professor James Krippendorf (Dreyfuss) has blown the last two years ... and all his grant money ... rearing his out-of-control kids! Desperate to bluff his way past impatient colleagues, Krippendorf decides to focus his camera on the wildest tribe he can find: his own outragoues offspring! With a top cast including Lily Tomlin (DISNEY'S THE KID) -- you'll find the crowd-pleasing lengths taken to pull off this hoax absolutely hilarious! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Case Of The Scandelous Shelmikedmu Scam!
Pity poor Professor Krippendorf! His wife has died, he is doing only a so-so job of raising three dysfunctional children, and, as if he does not have enough problems already, he has sqandered money from his college that was supposed to be used to find a mysterious missing New Guinea tribe, which he has not done. His solution? Fake it. He announces the discovery of a make-believe tribe, the "Shelmikedmu" (the name derived from his childrens' names). One thing leads to another, and before you know it there is a national Shelmikedmu craze. Ah, but what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. Not all believe him and it is only a matter of time before the truth may be discovered. Will Krippendorf succeed or will he be caught?

To give this movie credit, it has its funny moments. Dreyfuss is good as Krippendorf, up and coming actor Gregory Smith also holds his own as Krippendorf's son. Unfortunately, there is a major problem with this movie - Krippendorf is is the wrong! This guy has stolen college funds, lied, corrupted the morals of his children, and we are to believe he is the good guy. If the move has a moral, it seems to be "it's okay to do something you shouldn't, as long as you don't get caught".

That is a no-no.

Krippendorf's Funny!
Professor Krippendorf got so caught up in being a parent after his wife passed away that he spent his anthropology grant money with nothing to show for it. In essence, he embezzled it. Having broken the law and ruined his career (if he gets found out), he decides that there's really no difference between a small fraud and a big one and so he goes ahead to invent a giant hoax. The popularity of the bizarre tribe he invents is so immense that he can't escape its vortex and takes shameless advantage of everyone including his family and his amorous and greedy grad student to perpetuate his humbug. What makes this flick funny is the over-the-top, go-for-broke way in which the characters abandon every moral fibre. And then there's the surprise ending!

Actually, 3.5 stars
"Krippendorf's Tribe" isn't Richard Dreyfuss's best movie to date, especially having released the stunning "Mr. Holland's Opus" two years previous. Some of his lines were overreacted. Besides this, there are good elements in the movie. Some funny scenes will catch the audience's eyes. However, the borderline between fantasy and reality needed to be recognized by the producers. Despite, faking eyecatching "Shelmikedmu" rituals to gain national recognition is clever. Such scenes lead the audience to a surprising conclusion. Lily Tomlin plays the funny role that viewers either love or hate. Some of Jenna Elfman's lines were underreacted, but when she shines, she shines bright. Notice rising star Gregory Smith, the middle child. He's performed better, but his role was still underrated.

Fans of certain actors in this movie should rent "Krippendorf's Tribe" once. Some mixed opinions about the outcome will arise, but everyone will be entertained.

Rudiments of Psychology, Finally Put to Practical Use!
Okay, basically, Americans to the greatest degree out of the world's peoples have got this experiential dualism going on here.
The World as it is, which has its few fans, admittedly; and the
World As Spectacle. The World As Spectacle involves the all the output of the major media outlets. The slapdash, synthesized world of the major media pulls off its massive Act by plugging us in to the ole Jungian collective unconscious (bear with me, if you please: this is more important than watching 'Frasier' and feeling like you're a part of his quasi-intellectual milieu).
So, the media plugs us in to the collective unconscious, where Archetypes rule the day. The images of Evil Man and Good Man are constantly being massaged by the media in times of war.
For example, take the Reagan Good/ Soviet Empire Evil concept.
Yeah, I don't really want to get into all the daggone examples, but suffice it to say that if you watch enough movies, you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. Jung may not have described Aggressive Hero as a possible archetype, but you're gonna find an
unrefined Aggressive Hero stamp in the god-awful media typecasting of guys like David Carradine, Charles Bronson, Sly Stallone, and who could forget Seagal and van Damme?
Mr. Dreyfuss too, in a slew of films ranging from Close Encounters to Opus to this cinematic mess, Krippendorf's Tribe, has consistently played the Wise or Intelligent Man. Krippendorf's Tribe is interesting to watch because it's folly.
You've got the media issuing from your TV set, and your eyeballs form an image of this man, Dreyfuss, just playing a professor, and it's the same role he's always played, pretty much. Folly. Familiarity paired with appeal to the collective unconscious was supposed to produce some money-making movie. Ugh. This mass of words I've just written amounts to this: one of the lamest flicks ever made. Peace.

One of the 10 worst movies ever made.
The premise of this movie, involving a hairbrained anthropology professor, a lusty grad student, some misappropriated grant funds and a completely invented tribe of New Guineans, is clever. Unfortunately, this movie (pardon what I'm about to say) chews up a good idea and regurgitates it onto the screen. The plot and directing is completely implausible from start to finish. The depiction of native New Guinean tribes is utterly fake, silly and Hollywoodized and, frankly, treats native peoples in an offensively stupid manner. The contrived comedic situations are almost never funny. I chuckled once or twice, but most of the time stared in disbelief at the poor taste and childishness of it all. This in spite of the fact that it has two very skilled actors. Which proves a timeless truth -- actors and their agents are almost always terrible judges of both scripts and directing. Unless you suffer from the same flaw, you will not enjoy this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Anti-human allegory
Not everybody will be able to understand and enjoy Lars Von Trier's first film in his "Land of oportunities" trilogy, "Dogville". It is long, unusual, intelligent, sarcastic, strong, tense and even violent, among other things. I'll try to explain these adjectives in the following paragraphs.

"Dogville" is long. Very long. Almost three hours in length, divided in more than ten chapters, showing a young lady, Grace (Nicole Kidman, good as ever) reaching a small and self-centered mountain town, named Dogville. Grace, at first, stirs the sameness in Dogville's citizens' lives, trading shelter and food for a job as a housemaid in the many houses of the village; then, as time goes on, Grace will be the cause of great troubles and disagreement. The viewer must have patience, because the movie is long; it is not, however, boring. Von Trier takes his time and explores all the features he wanted to portrait in his film.

"Dogville" is unusual and intelligent. I'ts unusual because of the setting. The little town of Dogville is nothing but a stage. The many buildings (the houses, the church, the mine, and such) are marked by white paint in the floor of the stage, like a blueprint that we may open atop a table. And that's why the movie is also intelligent; as the buildings have no walls, the viewer is able to see everything that goes "on stage", even if the scene is focused only in one or two characters (but the characters act as if Dogville was a common town, with walls on their houses). This way, the viewer feels almost like in a theater. The viewers are part of the play: they have, somehow, in a distant manner, to interact with the characters on screen. The viewers themselves become citizens of Dogville.

"Dogville" is sarcastic, strong, tense and violent. For sarcasm, the title Von Trier self-imposed to his trilogy: America, land of oportunities. In fact, what happens on Dogville could happen anywhere in the world, for the story deals with selfishness, intollerance, distrust and prejudice, emotions prone to every human being. Von Trier shows that, if the United States want to be the new "center of the world", they will have to deal with their own "ghosts in the closet", before attempting to judge other societies. That's why this is a strong movie: it deals with things that most people are not ready to consider being part of their own self behaviour. It's easy to judge others, but it's hard to accept others judging us, or for us to judge ourselves. "Dogville" is tense and violent (and even ugly) because of how the characters act, and because, while watching the movie, we consider that we may not be so different from the characters at all.

"Dogville" is a very well constructed movie, with an excellent script, great (stereothyped) characters played by effective not-mainstream actors (Paul Bettany, Patricia Clarkson, Stellan Skarsgard, among others) and a provocative direction. One of the great movies of 2003.

Grade 9.4/10

A lot of bite to this movie
I'm glad to see this movie has finally made it on DVD and VHS in the States. It took a long time to do so. Lars von Trier follows up Dancer in the Dark, with an even darker view of small town life in America. In this case, we find a town quite literally at the end of the road, buried in a hollow somewhere in West Virginia, where the denizens are reduced to having to pick up the scraps left behind by others and live out a marginal existence. But, in its midst there is a dreamer, Tom, who at first appears to be the moral bellwether of the community. He tries to convince the community to take in a fugitive, evocatively played by Nicole Kidman, and finds that he has to make certain concessions in order to do so.

This film unfolds on stage in a highly theatrical telling, lending to the story the strong sense of a parable. Von Trier has assembled an impressive cast including old favorites Lauren Bacall and Ben Gazzara. The story builds slowly, with some fascinating twists and turns before reaching its shattering climax. It reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's classic story, The Lottery, but seems to owe more to the small town vision of Sinclair Lewis and Thornton Wilder.

I suppose some will be turned off by von Trier's disturbing view of small town life, but this film is masterfully handled, and shows what an accomplished director he is, drawing the most from his actors, in particular Nicole Kidman.

"Are you for us or against us?"
Every so often, a director appears who seems determined to antagonize and challenge his or her audiences. One such filmmaker would be Lars von Trier, the creator of such uncomfortable viewing experiences as "Breaking the Waves" (in which Emily Watson's character had conversations with God and played both roles) and "Dancer in the Dark" (featuring Bjork as a guileless, nearly blind factory worker who winds up on death row, thanks to bad luck and poor communication).

His "Dogville," a parable about how community spirit can either elevate or destroy people, is lengthy chronicle of Depression-era America that's played out entirely on a large, sparsely furnished soundstage. Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall and others play their scenes not on actual sets, but inside chalk-drawn rectangles meant to symbolize various locations. While Kidman's character Grace Margaret Mulligan talks about finding herself in "a beautiful little town in the midst of magnificent mountains," all the viewer can see is a bunch of scattered chairs, a few wooden arches and a blank white scrim that serves as the backdrop. Locations with such picturesque names as Raccoon Road and Elm Street have no raccoons and no elms to offer.

This is, obviously, at heart a theatrical piece that's heavily dependent on lighting, sound effects and, more than anything else, the passion of the performers to put it over. For many viewers, "Dogville" will be nothing more than a curiosity piece that quickly exhausts the patience; for others, it may be a mind-bending experiment in determining exactly where stagecraft and the art of film can intersect.

It could all have been insufferably pretentious -- and at times, it comes perilously close to being exactly that -- yet the movie does have its own bitter humor, a few vividly etched characters and a kind of offbeat flavor that's admittedly an acquired taste.

Unfolding in nine chapters (plus a prologue), "Dogville" is the story of Grace, a pale young woman who hides behind her dishwater-blonde hair and tries exceedingly hard to please everyone around her, often to her own disadvantage. She stumbles into Dogville (population: approximately 15) after escaping some gangsters and she hopes to find shelter in the backwoodsy hamlet, even though the inhabitants don't seem to have much of anything to spare.

Local philosopher and would-be intellectual Tom Edison (Bettany) takes an immediate interest in the soft-spoken stranger, but most of his fellow Dogvillians (including Patricia Clarkson as a prissy sort, Phillip Baker Hall as a sickly physician, Jeremy Davies as Tom's dopey buddy and Chloe Sevigny as a curly-haired cutie) cast a wary eye in Grace's direction, at least until she volunteers to help out around the place. Suddenly, everyone is quite fond of her -- and why not, when she's willing to work for free? -- and Grace finds herself laboring day and night for mostly thankless bosses. "There's an awful lot to do here in Dogville, considering no one needs help," Grace muses, as she scurries from task to task.

In von Trier's eyes, the residents of Dogville represent not just the stereotypical "ugly Americans," but the very ugliest America has to offer: On the average day, they're merely suspicious, hostile and greedy, but when something really gets them worked up, they're capable of every kind of abhorrent behavior, including the enslavement of the weak and sexual humiliation.

Despite the vaguely 1930s setting, "Dogville" is very clearly designed as a skewering of the jingoistic, anti-foreigner sentiments that swept certain corners of the U.S. in the months following the 9/11 attacks. In the story, the community's happiest times come, not coincidentally, around July 4; not long afterward, circumstances cause most of Grace's new "friends" to turn on her. Even the children Grace has taken care of resort to blackmail to get what they want, as the adults begin barking slogans like, "Are you for us, or against us?"

Kidman, in a performance as emotionally stark as any she's ever given, makes Grace's journey achingly real, even though everything around her is deliberately artificial. Initially, Kidman and von Trier had planned to collaborate on a trilogy of stories following Grace's misadventures, but Kidman has since pulled out of that project. Considering what the director puts her through in "Dogville," it's not hard to guess why she didn't sign up for more.

Priceless lesson.
All angles of Von Trier's genius bursting in this movie have been more or less thoroughly explained in the previous posts. I'd just like to add one thing that wasn't much talked about, yet I thing it was the crown jewel of this movie.

Yes, the movie is a brilliant study of characters and (dark) human nature, but more importantly it gives viewer a priceless lifetime lesson. It displays a battle between moral purity, youthful idealism and unaware-of intellectual arrogance on one hand and pure-and-simple concept of responsibility on the other. It is in fact this battle that squeezes and twists our stomach throughout the whole movie; it is this opposition which, in all its clarity, finally unveils itself in the final dialogue. Intellectual exchange of argument defines the "winner". And leaves the viewer contemplating, speechless in awe.

A masterpiece that raised the bar of cinematographic creativity on a brand new level.

Flawed Masterpiece from Von Trier
I don't want to repeat what a lot of the reviews have said. Yes, Von Trier has done an excellent job, the set was a brilliant choice to film on, and the acting is all excellent. I just wanted to point out a few flaws I felt the film had.

First, it did not have to be 180 minutes long. I understand the long time Von Trier took to introduce us to the town of Dogville, because it made everything that followed in the story more powerful because of the understanding we had for the village and it's characters. However, Von Trier proved his point again, and again, and again. I felt between the two and a half hour point and three hour point that a lot could have been cut. The story lost its fury and steam through that half hour. It felt like rambling, and it could have been condensed in the screenplay to still showcase everything the filmaker wanted to.

Next, one of the reviewers said that critics "pounced" on this film for being anti American and gave it bad reviews. They didn't. Most reivews of Dogville are positive, and those that aren't clearly state problems with the film, and not the anti Americanism in it.

Finally, I felt like Von Trier took all this time, three hours to be exact, to construct this pretty darn good cry out against humanity, and not America, and then after the powerful ending the credits just let me down. I felt like Von Trier took all that time creating this masterpiece, only to side swipe it with a cheap jab at America. Those who say it's not anti American need to review it again. The end credits play over homeless people to the tune of David Bowie's I'm Afraid of AMERICANS. HELLO, thats a big clue people! The film itself is not anit American I believe, but the end credits really let you know what Von Trier thinks. The end creidts also felt like they had no relation to the film. After watching the bare bones scenery, set to classical music, the glam rock Bowie tune did not fit at all. It was cheap, sloppy, and unfortunate that it degraded such a fine piece of cinema. Bad choice Von Trier. It quickly numbed the sting I felt after the actual film ended, instead of letting it stay.

Overall, see this film if you are curious about it. It is a mini masterpiece from Von Trier, but a flawed one at that. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Masterpiece or masquerade? Lars von Trier's digicam musical split the critics in two when it debuted at Cannes in 2000. There were those who saw it as a cynical shock-opera from a manipulative charlatan, others wept openly at its scenes of raw emotion and heart-rending intensity. There is, however, no in-between. Dancer in the Dark is that rarest of creatures, a film that dares to push viewers to the limits of their feelings.

In her first and most probably last screen performance (she has foresworn acting after her bruising on-set rows with von Trier), brittle Icelandic chanteuse Björk plays Selma, a Czech immigrant living in a folksy American small town with her young son, Gene. Selma is going blind and so will Gene if she does not arrange an important operation for him. To cover the expense, Selma works every hour she can, cheating on her eye tests so she can keep working at the local factory long after her vision has become too unreliable to work safely. She sublets a house from a local cop, Bill (David Morse), and his wife, Linda (Cara Seymour). When nearly bankrupt Bill asks Selma for a loan, she refuses, but he later returns and steals the money, which she demands back in a furious confrontation. In the ensuing melee, Bill is fatally shot and Selma is arrested and put on trial. Will justice prevail?

Von Trier's passionate, provocative film runs all our emotional resources dry with suspense, giving us occasional flashes into Selma's gold heart and mind with superb song-and-dance numbers she conjures to banish the nightmare (Björk also wrote the score). At some two-and-a-half hours, it's not for lightweights, but anyone bored with today's smug, "ironic" cinema will relish this as an astonishing assault on the senses and a stark reminder of von Trier's uncompromising talent. --Damon Wise ... Read more

Reviews (260)

Au contraire mon Frere!!...
I beg to differ with the opinion of the last reviewer! Dancer in the Dark is unlike most films you would see in regular "mainstream" cinema. The innocent character, Selma, played by Bjork, draws you straight into her story and keeps your attention. This is a wonderful story about a hard-working immigrant mother slaving her days to make a better life for her young son and daydreams mostly about musicals, which sometimes lands her in trouble. In her daydreaming, Selma has a tendency to create a musical of her own which is played out in the movie scenes as well. The diversity of the camera angles, and not using your typical still-cam, gives the viewer the perspective that you are watching Selma over her shoulder with all the trajedies, mishaps, and comedic times.

Bjork plays such a wonderful role and obviously has taken the character's personality to heart as she gives an absolute stunning performance. This film deserves much more credit than the last reviewer has given. With Bjork helping in the creation of the musical score any fan would appreciate this dramatic film.

If you are someone to pull apart a film piece by piece then maybe this film will not be for you. From an artistic point of view, there are some quirky points to the film...the flow of some dialog between some characters, the distorted camera scenes...but it all makes for a stunning performance. In essence, it all works together.

I wouldn't say it is a masterpiece, but it stil deserves 5 stars in ratings. Give the film a chance. Bjork will grow on you. Selma will grow on you and the film as well.

A complex & devastating work of art
There is so much pain going on in "Dancer in the Dark," it's almost impossible to begin to explain. But one thing that I can say is that it was one of the most original and nostalgic (in its fallback on being a musical) and devastating movies I've ever seen. Believe me, only the truly perceptive and seeking filmgoers will understand and appreciate the film's message.

However, one thing that was a little distracting (yet, also, I think it added to the rawness of film and its subject matter) was the shaky camera work close-ups. At times, you'll want to spring for the bottle of asprin to overcome an oncoming headache via watching the film, but restrain. Just finish the movie. If the headache is still there, then you've experienced "Dancer in the Dark."

The last 10 minutes of this movie is probably the most riveting, suspenseful and adrenaline-pumping movie sequence I've ever seen. Bjork's voice, facial expressions and inner emotion bleed through her body in a way that is both unsettling and undeniably powerful.

I must say that I'm no Bjork music fan, but the songs in the film did touch me. They were so radical, so inventive, so simple and bizarre, if you will, that it's almost impossible to not simply appreciate them for being so outlandish. But nonetheless, the movie is really about suffering.

You can draw many symbolisms to Selma's (Bjork) lonely, simple and heartbreaking character, one being almost christological. (that may be a stretch, but it's valid if you look closely at the film, what Selma's purpose was and how she was "wrongly" accused in a sense and then attempted to be put to death) Either way though, it still is a pretty amazing movie. I can't believe I wrote this much. Movies that make me want to write this much about them are truly unique. "Dancer in the Dark" is one of the precious few. Devastatingly powerful and unflinchingly raw. See it. (all of it)

A beautiful, utterly devastating movie.
Björk, an accomplished singer from Iceland who is best known for her progressive music, unusual style, and quirky personality, absolutely should have won Academy Awards for the her outstanding score and sublime performance in this phenomenally beautiful, yet utterly sad motion picture. Why she didn't is beyond my capacity for reason, and is a testament to a commercialized Hollywood that rarely bats an eye at outstanding independent filmmaking.
Working beside a knockout cast (including Joel Grey, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, and Stellan Skarsgård), Björk plays Selma, a woman who copes with the increasing difficulties of her life through music. She suffers from a degenerative blindness, which causes her to lose her job - a significant loss, since she had been saving money to pay for an operation that would prevent the same blinding disease from befalling her son. All the while, the cruel world around her works against her undying selflessness, and, in the end, she unfairly pays the ultimate price.
Not since "West Side Story" has music been more of a compliment to a movie than it is in this musical. The music, arranged and composed by Björk (and performed with original, effective choreography), is almost a being in itself, popping in at a moments notice when Selma hears the slightest rhythm of a passing train, a metal press, or even the light scratching of a pencil on paper. It is through music that Selma finds her escape from an increasingly hostile world...and us along with her.
This movie, phenomenally written and directed by Lars von Trier, raises the soul and the spirit, then brings it crashing to the ground as we witness the martyrdom of one of the most stirring and decent characters in recent memory. Yet, despite the inevitable depression you may feel at the movie's end, you will feel fortunate to have even encountered a soul such as Selma in the first place.

Simply the best...
The first time I watched "Dancer in the Dark", I had already listened to a good portion of Bjork's music, primarily her "Post" album. However, I do not remember if I watched DITD because of her or if because my sister recommended it. Probably a combination of both. Either way, watching this movie was probably one of the most emotional events of my life. I have never ever seen a movie more intense or moving than DITD and I recommend this film to anyone who would like to really feel again for a character who truly is beautiful and fulfills the highest ideal of any human being.
Let me just say that while this movie is rated R, there is little if any profanity and no sexual content whatsoever. Rather, this film is probably rated for its extremely intense displays of violence. In the scene where Selma "kills" David Morse's character, there is a sense that Selma does not want to do what she is doing and you can sense this in her sobbings as she slams a large metal box over Morse's face.
The final scene at the gallows is without a doubt one of the most cringing and intense scenes in movie history, rivaled probably only by the end of Part 1 of the Green Mile.
DITD takes you places that you most likely would not voluntarily want to go in real life. Selma's sacrifice for her blind son is so beyond 'average American humanity'. Although Selma believes in communism (heaven forbid, so Anti-American!), her selfless actions prove that there are no real lines of separation in our world. The lines we believe are there are only imaginary.
I truly recommend DITD for Anybody; however, please be prepared; DITD could just change your 'vision' of things forever.

Compare to "the Passion of Joan of Arc"
Lars Von Trier must have seen The Passion of Joan of Arc and liked it so much that he decided to make a movie (or a trilogy of movies) that parallelled the same female martyrdom. If you have seen the Passion of Joan of Arc, then you have seen a real masterpiece, perhaps the best movie of all time. It's no wonder why Von Trier would want to copy it.

In both Carl Dreyer (ironically another Danish director from the 20s)'s film trying to take the material from another country's story (Jeanne d'Arc), the main character is put on interrogation for being criminal when she was in fact more saintly than her interrogators. Falconetti, like Bjork, the main character of Dancer in the Dark, decided never to act again after the traumatic experience.

Both Carl and Lars liked to purposefully film from a strange tortured angular way so as to thoroughly torment the viewer. Lars's camera holding technique was more painful to experience, because he sometimes shook the camera, as if it were a home video making me want to practically throw up at times. But in both films, the way that the camera is held, and the scenes are viewed give the viewer more reason to feel sympathy for the main character's plight, (in Bjork's case, that she was blind and poor and a single mother who needed to work to take care of her kid) ...(and in Falconetti's case, that she was imprisoned and humiliated for freeing her country of intruders.) Each character always seemed cornered out, or set aside from whatever reality they had to confront.

The depiction of Selma by Bjork was just as honest and heartfelt and raw and real and tormenting to experience as Falconetti's portrayal of Jeanne d'Arc. In both films, the acting is more as if the actors arent's actors but they just let the character of their story possess them and speak through them.

Also in both films, the music is incredibly powerful and moving and enhances the emotional situations that both women had to undergo and confront and overcome, even in martyrdom. In DITD, the music is modernly inspired electronic music composed by Bjork and sung by Bjork, and has beats made from normal sounds in the surroundings in the film, whereas in the Passion of Joan of Arc, the music score was only added to the silent movie 50 years afterwards, ...after the film was salvaged from its disappearance in a fire and found in the attic of a Norwegian insane asylum. The Passion of Joan of Arc's music was done by a modern composer as well (Richard Einhorn) and sung by a choir and a female quartet of singers called Anonymous 4.

I'm sure that other comparisons can be made, if one views both movies in the same night. My only complaint is that both movies leave you with the feeling that this sacrosaintly behavior from honest, defiant women who dare to step out of the lines and do what their heart, or their spirituality tells them to do, only get squashed in the end. It's a real depressing view of mankind and what devastation we are capable of.

Leave it to two Danes to critique American society (in Dancer in the Dark, and Dogville) or tell the story of a French saint who was slandered as a heretic (in the Passion of Joan of Arc.) Carl Dreyer got censored, his film was lost in a fire for 50 years and then found in an insane asylum, only to be restored and upgraded with a soundtrack that he never asked for but which made his film even more powerful. Perhaps Jeanne's spirit was playing tricks on the movie that tried to portray her plight, and that's why it (the film negatives) went up in flames (as did she, in the end) and were lost for 50 years only to be found in an insane asylum (coincidence? ...her interrogators accused her of lunacy and of conspiracy with the devil...like a crazy person, or a witch) and then when the negatives were found, they were treated like a treasure, just as Jeanne was only called a saint hundreds of years after her death.

Maybe Von Trier will be just as cursed by the stories he tries to tell, (he tries to talk about America when he's never even stepped foot here, and never probably will) only that his are ficticious stories, and DITD was brought to life only by a fierce force to be reckoned with...a practically pagan and mystical Icelandic woman who can believe wholeheartedly in her character, Selma, and in the apparent reality and gravity of her situation, just as the people of Iceland can seriously believe in elves and gnomes possessing rocks and mountains and rivers. (Icelandic people will build a road around a rock instead of destroying it, because they believe that the gnomes/elves would be disturbed or mad if they destroyed the rock or moved it.) I think that this belief in characters and in spirits is obvious in Bjork's way of acting and being Selma and being true to Selma's plight, ...just as true as Falconetti was to Jeanne d'Arc's plight. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, as in Ahwesome
Martin Lawrence strikes gold in this brilliant comedy. This movie only proves the idea from three wise men (W, G, and J) have been saying for a month, that Martin Lawrence is probably in the top five funniest people to ever live. The way he dances and says the phrase, "ahhhhhhhh" is just to funny for words. Danny DeVito teaming up with Martin was also pure goodness. If anyone disaggrees with my review I just have to say grow up because it is year 2002, its about laughs not cries so its good. Peace Out and buy Black Night on DVD, April 16th 2002.

AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IT ITSELF POSES.
Starts out with good timing, and some decent laughable banter from Martin Lawrence. Nothing laugh out loud funny but pleasantly amusing schtick. The central premise is actually quite interesting (billionaire stealing a ring from a petty robber etc), but the film fails to take advantage of it, choosing instead to lapse into numerous plot-holes, cliches and mind-bending stupidity. There's even a gay, dog-loving detective who adds fart humor to the mix. And all this leads to a climax that takes a quantum leap of logic and rationality. Perhaps a worthy rental if you're into slapstick, but overall a skippable fare.

Not too shabby
Not the Best movie, but worth seeing. if your looking for a movie to make you laugh alot than thi isn't it. But its alot better than some other movie out there so just give it a chance

Formula Martin Lawrence comedy
Film students, listen up: the formula for a typical Martin Lawrence film goes something like this. Find a comedy script and remove anything that smacks of cleverness and genuine humor - we don't want to upstage Lawrence's own 'natural ability' to provide laughs simply by showing up and looking cross-eyed into the camera. Add to the cast a sexy black woman/love interest who in real life wouldn't give Lawrenece himself or the character he's playing the time of day. Create lots of scenes that defy any semblance of reality and let Lawrence mug his way through with half-assed imitations of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and just about any other black comedian you can mention.

Speaking of which, I can't imagine Bernie Mac actually found this script funny enough to make an appearance. Believe me, you won't either. Everyone's obviously in it for an easy paycheck. Do yourself a favor and don't encourage them any further.

A dud
This lackluster comedy simply fails to deliver sufficient laughs per hour to justify spending the time to watch it. Martin Lawrence, who is normally a funny guy, just isn't on his game in this flick. Danny DeVito is better, but the material doesn't give him much with which to work.

There is a lot of talent wasted on stereotype bits that are more insulting than comical. William Fichtner's flamingly effeminate detective would only be funny to homophobes. John Leguizamo's Arab imitation is less humorous now than it might have been before September 11.

The only really funny bit in the film is a strictly visual gag by Stephanie Clayman as the sign language interpreter. Without virtue of a solitary line of dialogue, she single handedly produces all the most hilarious moments in the film.

This film is a dud. I rated it 3/10. Martin Lawrence fans are likely to be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Could Have Been Better!
I watched this movie after watching some other Pauley Shore movies that I liked and though Jury Duty had it's moments and wasn't the worst movie I have ever seen it was a bit of a disappointment as I really didn't think it was as funny as it could have been though I think they really tried to make it work but for me it just fell flat.

Thank god that this is gonna be released on DVD!
I've been waiting for this one for some while to be on DVD, the movie itself is a great and funny yet entertaining comedy starring Pauly Shore as a Freeloader who becomes a juror on the biggest trial in America and wants to have it as a vacation.
I've had this movie since 2001 when i first saw it in late 2000 when i loved it! It's got fine acting, a witty script and a decent plot. This is one of the greatest movies i've ever seen in my life, i CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DVD!!!!
Long live Jury Duty!!!!

Wish I Could Rate It A Zero!
I like Pauley Shore and I have absolutely no problem with raunchy and idiotic humor but for some reason I just didn't like this movie and it just didn't do anything for me but make me wonder why I watched it!

Pauley Shore has made some good movies but sadly Jury Duty isn't one of them, I would pass on this one and watch Biodome instead or In The Army Now they are far superior!

this is a "Laugh so hard that you can't breathe" movie
This movie is two thumbs up. It's a great movie ot watch with a gorup of friends who enjoy a really good laugh. The characters in this movie are so specific and all have their own little quirks and ways of doing things. Pauly Shore has an oblivious yet somehow smart way of looking at life and hte situation that arises. The stupidly comic way of getting the others on his side pulls it otgether, along with all of the minor little things that stand out somehow (like hte song the man sings in front of the court house or Peanut's love of Jeopardy) make it all too funny. I've recommended this to all of my friends. Give it a try and watch it. Once you do, it won't be your last.

Not Pauley's best movie!
I like Pauley Shore I have seen him in other movies that I liked so I made the mistake of buying the Jury Duty video because I liked In The Army Now and Bio-Dome and assumed I would like this too, well I learned my lesson well and I learned it the hard way and wasted my money and I have learned to never assume I will like a movie because I liked the actor in another movie and from now on I will rent the movie first! Jury Duty simply was just plain awful with it's weak, boring plot and unfunny humor! In The Army Now and Bio-Dome were a lot funnier, and if you want to kick back, relax and laugh your [backside] off than watch those movies! ... Read more

Description

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

Reviews (194)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

A year after becoming the toast of New York City's art scene, photographer Max Martin has lost his ability to take a decent picture. On the night of his make-or-break gallery opening, surrounded by the trappings of success but devoid of inspiration, Max embarks on a bizarre trek through the city in search of ten mysterious photographs that could save his career. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

really?
This movie is like a very very very bad play- the story is nice, but the directing and acting performances are as bad as it gets.

More people need to see this film
This movie is a gem. It is a tragedy that it was not better promoted upon its release. An uplifting story, wonderful characters and great photographs, too!

As a professional photographer, I can identify with the main character and his various challenges and successes. Truly inspiring!

The Photographer
It was one of the worse films I have ever seen

LOVED IT
When a movie hits this many chords it is a must see - humorous, thrilling, touching.

MUST SEE
A valentine to NYC - this man in search of himself is thrilling, funny, and touching. I love it!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (194)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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