Reviews (155)

An Overdose of Comedy
In the 1970's, Hollywood created an endless stream of disaster movies. Having found a "winning formula" they latched onto it and milked it for every penny producing disaster flick after disaster flick until it all became a joke onto itself. Enter Airplane. The result of a couple of guys who, seeing all these airplane disaster movies thought it had all gotten so ridiculous that the entire genre was a joke, a brilliant idea was born. Enter the era of the spoof.

Today we take spoofs for granted but back then the idea was brand new, and thats what makes Airplane such a brilliant masterpeice, it literally spawned a whole new genre of movies that is being copied this very day. Naked gun, or Scary movie would not exist today without Airplane, and yet, Airplane is funnier than every other spoof ever made even all these years later.

Put simply, this movie is non stop rapidfire comedy. It's saturday night live on qualudes. It's nonstop wisecracks and jokes and gags. If you like intelligent critical movies, run away...quickly. This is not your movie.
If however you enjoy pure slapstick a la three stooges, just pure bumbling humour. Totally idiotic side gags. This is your dream come true. This is more than likely the most hillarious movie ever made. It's become a classic like Gone with the wind or the godfather, but for Comedies, and with good reason. The jokes simply are nonstop beggining to end. Right from the opening scene with the Hare Krishna's at the airport until the autopilot waving goodbye in the end scene. The movie simply does not stop for even an instant. At certain points you literally have to stop laughing even if you think a joke is funny just to breath. Don't expect brilliant writting here, it's all slapstick but it REALLY is hillarious stuff. The guys who did this by the way have gone on to write many of hollywoods great comedic scenes and we can see their raw talent to great effect here, completely unrestrained. This is the granddaddy of the Spoof Genre. If you love slapstick, by all means, Get this movie. You won't regret it.

I AM serious, and don't call me Shirley!
The greatest movie spoof and funniest film of all time is on DVD! Directed by the Zucker Brothers, AIRPLANE is the king of all spoofs, putting lame attempts like SCARY MOVIE to shame. The relentless number of gags is the key here, with so many jokes it takes several viewings to catch them all. My favourite gags are the Saturday Night Fever disco mock, the mayhem jokes on the plane (crash postions etc), Stephen Stucker as Johnny ("The tower! Rapunzel!) and the very patient cab driver! And of course, one of the best lines, "Surely you can't be serious!" "I AM serious, and don't call me Shirley!" and "Joey, do you like movies about Gladiators?" Classic! The jokes come fast and frequently, providing enough weird humour to satisfy fans of this genre. Great fun. The DVD extras consist of a terrific Commenatary from the directors and a trailer. More extra stuff would be nice, but the commentary alone is worth it.

Outrageously funny!
God this movie is so incredibly hilarious! Few movies have such witty and original jokes as 1980's Airplane! does. This is one of the best comedy movies of all time and is strongly recommended for those struggling with depression or just want a good laugh.

A jetliner is bound for Chicago but when contaminated fish spreads illnesses on most of it's passengers and incapacitates both of it's pilots, it's up to a war veteran to fly and land the airliner and save the passengers before the illness claims their lives.

This movie is so incredibly funny and is highly recommended for comedy audiences. They sure don't make comedy movies like they used to.

Outrageous Comedy About 70's Disaster Films
Airplane was released in theatres in 1980 and was in production in 1979. Evidently, "Airplane" was a spoof of the 70's disaster film "Airport." This movie was an original concept in comedy at the time that made way for future spoof movies as the Scary Movie series in recent years and the Naked Gun movies in the 90's. Stars Robert Hays, Julia Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen and Peter Graves with a special appearance by Lakers player Kareem Abdul Jabaar. Leslie Nielsen would move on to doing other such comic films, particularily at home with the Nake Gun series and Spy Hard.

The movie was a comic farewell to the 70's, a milieu which this movie holds on to visually- disco music, including a scene ripped off from Saturday Night Fever in which Robert Hays and Julia Hagerty dance while two women fight each other at a disco/bar. The comedy is non-stop and everything is a gag or joke, written into the script. Highlights include an elderly white lady who can speak Jibe or black street slang, Ted and Elaine in an African village as part of a peace corps mission. Ted is teaching the native men how to play basketball while Elaine demonstrates Tupperware to the village women. The movie is cartoonish, over-the-top, silly but lots of fun. Look also for the film's sequel, released in 1982.

One of the all-time great comedies!
Airplane! is most definitely one of the ten greatest comedies of all time, and it's held up well over the past 24 years or so. Normally, this type of parody/slapstick comedy bores me to tears, but I think it's the dry delivery in Airplane! that makes everything work. A classic performance from Leslie Nielsen doesn't hurt, either. Even though this movie spoofed some of the biggest movies of its time period, the fact that Airplane! is remembered just as fondly (if not "fondlier") is testament to how great this film is. Anyone that enjoys comedies must A)Watch this movie, B)Own this movie, and C)Repeat lines from this movie as often as possible. ... Read more

Description

Comic wizard Bill Murray (CRADLE WILL ROCK, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) teams up with Academy Award(R)-winner Richard Dreyfuss teams up with (Best Actor, 1978, THE GOODBYE GIRL) in an outrageously wild comedy that's sure to drive you off the deep end! Murray plays Bob Wiley, a troubled but lovable therapy patient who fears everything! After seeking help from noted psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfuss), Bob feels revived. But when the good doctor skips town to go on a quiet family vacation, Bob, afraid of being alone, follows -- showing up unexpectedly at the therapist's lakeside retreat. That's when the fun really begins! Bob innocently becomes the houseguest who just won't leave -- endearing himself to the other family members ... and, in the end, driving the stressed-out shrink absolutely crazy! ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Mmmm... Was this movie hand-shucked?
The story is pretty simple. Bill Murray stars as Bob Wiley, a manic who invades the life and family of Dr. Leo Marvin, a psychiatrist played by Richard Dreyfuss. Bob comes to him for guidance but Dr. Leo is in a rush to go on his summer vacation, so he gets brushed off and sent out the door with a copy of the Dr.'s new best-selling book, Baby Steps. Bob can't handle it himself and decides to follow Dr. Leo to his vacation home. Bob's insistent efforts to get to Dr. Leo causes his family to become endeared to him and his child-like qualities, while Dr. Leo sees Bob's efforts so invasive he starts to become unhinged himself.

This movie is a real treat. Great performances all around and one of Bill Murray's funniest roles. From watching the reaction of the family members, one wonders how much of the goofiness was improvised by Murray. Dreyfuss is splendid also as he slowly loses his patience and eventually his sanity. It gets a solid four stars and a buy recommendation. Watch it when you need a lift. But remember--baby steps... baby steps...

Baby Steps!
What About Bob is one of the funniest comedies of the 90's, and one of Bill Murray's best roles as the neurotic Bob Wiley, who seeks help from renowned psychiatrist Dr Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss). As Leo's patient, Bob follows Leo to his holiday house at Lake Winnapasokee, where the crazy Bob pesters his exasperated Doc for answers to his problems. The gradually- increasing craziness between Dreyfuss and Murray is fantastic, with an outstanding script and superb comedic timing.

The film also stars Julie Hagerty (Airplane) as Leo's wife and Charlie Korsmo (from Spielberg's Hook) as Sigmund 'Siggy' Marvin. But this movie belongs to Murray. His brilliant comic timing and neuroticism provide some great laughs ("I want, I want, gimme, gimme, gimme, I need I need!"). Which is exactly what people are saying about this DVD. Must-have comedy.

The Greatest Movie of All Time
I seriously think that this is the best movie ever. I haven't seen it in a few months but my stomach still hurts from all the laughing I did (ok, not really but you get the picture). Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors and he made me love him even more in this film. I cannot count how many times I laugh everytime I watch this movie. If you are going to watch this movie, be ready for a stomach ache afterwards because I can guarantee that you will laughing for all eternity after you watch this movie. If you have a pulse, you will enjoy this movie!

Lots of Quotes!
One of the measures of a good movie is if you recite lines from it in normal dialog. My family uses many quotes from this movie and has been doing so for years. Whenever my wife is run down she pulls this one out and immediately starts to laugh. This is one of our favorite wacky comedies.

What About ...Annoying?!
There is no question that Bill Murray has an outstanding body of work, but in WHAT ABOUT BOB? he plays one of the most annoying characters in the history of cinema (even worst than Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace). The audience is supposed to cheer 'Bob' as he battles his way through his neurosis and phobias, at the expense of his psychiatrist, Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss). This reviewer had the opposite effect of what the movie was supposed to project. I felt sympathy for Leo/Dreyfuss and none whatsoever with Bob/Murray who literally invades the life of his doctor. The fact that even Dr. Leo Marvin's family, who find no harm in Bob's innocent stalking througout the course of the film, was even more frustrating. The movie plays like the tv show GREEN ACRES. There is one central character who is supposedly smarter than everyone, but somehow everyone still gets the best of him. The climax in all this was the nail in the coffin. A vacation home is blown-up and 'Bob' ends up marrying Leo's (Drefuss) sister, while Leo is reduced to a dribbling vegetable. This reviewer did not think this film was a comedy, but rather it was fingernails scratching across a chalkboard. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Todd Solondz, director of the acclaimed Welcome to the Dollhouse and the controversial Happiness, continues pushing the envelope of social decorum with the merciless and casually cruel Storytelling, his most ruthless satire of suburban complacency. Broken into two unrelated chapters, "Fiction" follows college girl Selma Blair through a degrading encounter with her resentful writing teacher (Robert Wisdom), while the more sprawling and scattershot "Non-Fiction" circles around the mutual exploitation of a fumbling documentary filmmaker (Paul Giamatti doing a near-parody of director Solondz) and his clueless subject, a suburban high school slacker named Scooby (Mark Webber). The squirmy laughs are laced with humiliation and the satire is acidic and cynical; in the world of Solondz, victims and victimizers alike are petty, selfish, vindictive, and thoughtless, and empathy is strictly rationed. Though sharply written and well directed, this misanthropic vision is strictly for daring filmgoers and Solondz fans. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (61)

"Mandingo" and "Reality TV"
Although this third film by Todd Solondz is not as good as "Welcome To The Dollhouse" or "Happiness", it still smacks of satirical cynicism. Inexplicably split into two films ('Fiction', 'Non-fiction'), we are first presented with a twenty minute film about community college level 'writing', in which, a young woman has a confrontational and sexual sparring with the black, 'mandingo' teacher. It's all meant to be a comment on hypocritical racists in education. It culminates in an outrageous sex encounter that is literally 'blocked' by a large red rectangle (taboo emphasis). It's moderately entertaining.

The second part of the film is more complex. Without exposing too much of the plot, it involves (as "Happiness" did) classism, racism, sexism, oh hell, any 'ism' you could imagine. But it works. It is simply a story of an upper middle class American family with the 2.5 kids and the proper suburban parents with a perfect son, the 'imperfect' son and the 'baby'. Kudos to John Goodman and Julie Haggerdy for participating in this movie. They bring life and legitimacy to their roles. Solondz filmed this well before "reality TV" was popular, and that is the premise. While the imperfect son is being secretly filmed for a documentary, the family struggles through it's own unusually tragic existence (the youngest of the three sons is the 'Brady Bunch brat' we always thought we wanted to see as evil). Needless to say, Solondz produces many shocks and surprises along the way. The trip is wildly entertaining, but the finale may leave the viewer distraught. Not that the story is poorly conceived or arranged, but simply that the ending is horribly, terribly depressing. It still good enough to recommend. I consider that a rare accomplishment for any film-maker.

3 Stars for Part 2: "Non-Fiction"
When I was a kid "story-telling" was a nice way of saying someone was lying. And even though I will not make the obvious jump and say the Todd Solondz is lying in "Storytelling," I will say that he is at least disingenuous and at worst a fraud.
"Storytelling" is broken up into two parts: "Fiction," starring Selma Blair as a college writing student in love with a fellow student, who has Cerebral Palsy and "Non-Fiction," starring John Goodman, patriarch of a family of mis-fits and neurotics; one of whom is his slacker son Scooby, who wants to become the next Conan O'Brian (!) but refuses to study and apply to college.
The "Fiction" section of the film is noteworthy only in that the writing professor states( and I am paraphrasing here): When you begin to write about something, whether it be "true" or not...it becomes fiction. A pretty interesting comment resonating with meaning and subtext which is totally unlike the movie that surrounds it. The acting is flat, non reactional and amateurish with Selma Blair coming off worst. This role and her performance in it is merely an extension of her histrionics and whining in "Cruel Intentions." Painful.
The "Non-Fiction" section of this film is another story: there's some meat here to grab on to with Paul Giamatti playing a down-on-his-luck documentary film maker who convinves John Goodman that his slacker son, Scooby would be the perfect star of a docu-drama centering on the "alienated youth of the suburbs" Solondz is at his best here and the dead-pan dialogue and situations ring true and yet are subversive and thought-provoking.
"Storytelling" would have been a much better film had Solondz decided to hack off the "Fiction" section and extend the second. "Storytelling" may tarnish the Solondz mantel a bit, but for those of us who can appreciate the incendiary nature of his wit, we still have "Happiness" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse" to keep us warm until the next Solondz film is released.

Brilliant vision of how to tell a story¿
The mode of portraying a tale is in focus in Storytelling through two different stories that are disconnected, yet associated to one another, as one deals with the fictional and the other the non-fictional. In the first part, Fiction, Vi (Selma Blair) is in a relationship with Marcus (Leo Fitzpatrick) who suffers from cerebral palsy and both are attending the same university. Vi and Marcus are currently enrolled in the same creative writing class where the students scrutinize each other's writing. Fiction exposes how personal experiences are turned into writing, which is callously slaughtered by judgmental readers as they their own set of values to the cerebral playing field of literature.

The second part of Storytelling, Non-fiction, illiterates the reality of the world as Scooby Livingston (Mark Webber) perceives it. Scooby lives in a upper-class bubble protected by his ruling father, Marty (John Goodman), where Scooby is constantly asked, "what are you going to do with your life?" This endless questioning of Scooby's future seems to have been stressful for him as he has sunk into a zombie-like state. Scooby escapes reality through smoking pot or chewing down a couple of mushrooms where he flees into dreams of working as a co-host with David Letterman. The day when a shoe salesman, who aspires to make film, visits Scooby's high school in order to make a documentary about the process of entering college Scooby believes that this is his chance to make connections in the world of media. However, when the documentary comes along it begins to depict the dream-like world in which Scooby lives in.

Storytelling is a clever film that displays the symbiosis between the audience and the storyteller, which is meticulously directed by Solondz. Solondz depicts the power of the audience to choose what to believe and what to disregard if it is not portrayed in an manner that the audience can accept. In addition, Solondz offers a notion of how the power of storytelling can sway an audience's convictions in a chosen direction if carefully planned. In a sense Storytelling is a philosophical film in regards to film and film making, which can be derived from the economics, politics, and the arts. Yet, the philosophical debate of Storytelling is deep beneath the surface as the audience must use a dialectic approach in order to reach it. Nonetheless, Storytelling offers a terrific cinematic experience as it offers the audience to choose whether to sink into thought or merely enjoy the ride.

Look Again
If you strongly dislike this movie, I suggest reading Crowley's scathing early reviews of Faulkner; then read Crowley's later praise of the same works. Initially, Crowley was appalled by what he projected as Faulkner's baseness. Eventually he came to apprehend Faulkner's genius to see, describe, and even love 'man.' For me, the film is upsetting because the gaze is unbroken and the subjects are living/struggling in the world. Like Faulkner, Solondz is looking at his time. His view point is not ridiculing (that view is delt with in young pill to the right of the prof).

Interesting work.
Storytelling is an interesting movie that portrays the contemporary North American society.

It emphasizes the pitiful importance of the individual as the stem of a civilization; The mistaken use of woman's sexuality as a way to communicate love, pity, confusion and anger; reflects the worth that society has given to women as objects and shows the deep divisions between people of different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Racism and the outcast of minorities are other elements shown but the most shocking issue is the dominant influence of media in our own lives. A single minute of fame and popularity could be worth the permanent loss of our values, personal convictions and even the lives of our most beloved ones.

A movie with content and meaning. ... Read more

Reviews (97)

This has to be the funniest movie that no one ever heard of!
Noises Off is a treasure of a movie buried in the comedy section of the video store. And after viewing it as a chance discovery, I would rank it as one of the funniest movies I've ever seen ' bar none! There is no message, no lingering camera work and precious little plot actually, but the sight gags and interaction of the characters make this movie an absolute laugh riot.

The premise of this film deals with the rehearsals and pre-Broadway tour of a play that aspires to be a classic British sex farce. Michael Caine plays the beleaguered director, with Julie Hagerty as his stage manager, trying to corral a collection of stage and movie actors on both sides of the career loop. Carol Burnett, John Ritter, Christopher Reeve, Denholm Elliott, Marilu Henner and Nicolette Sheridan make up the onstage ensemble, with the able support of Mark Linn-Baker. Throughout early rehearsals and performances the cast conspires with and against each other in matters of romance, revenge and profession expression ' all to hilarious effect.

It all culminates in a fateful performance that we view/hear primarily from backstage as conflicts of love and stage presence boil over in mid-show. It just might be the funniest thing ever filmed that didn't involve the genius of Mel Brooks.

Don't Miss the Original
I'll echo the companion reviews in raves for the film itself and my great delight in replacing my timeworn VHS with a new DVD. But what I'd like to add is that this is a remarkably skillful screen adaptation of the even funnier original stage play. By all means, buy the DVD. And if you like the movie, take pains at all costs to see "Noises Off" on stage.

The startling novelty is that the entire set rotates between scenes to show first the chaotic tech/dress rehearsal from the front, or audience, view, then depicting a subsequent performance, loaded with interpersonal conflicts and amazingly choreographed sight gags and goofs as seen backstage! The last act shifts back to an audience view of an ensuing performance disaster, leaving you to imagine clearly what must be going on behind the set. The title refers both to the scripted off-stage sound effects and the thumps and crashes that signal the hi jinks backstage.

The play is a popular choice for resident theater companies and occasional roadshow productions. Don't miss it!

Backstage exposed
That actors get confused between their real life and their acting on-stage (and backstage) is not quite new, but I never saw it better done than in 'Noises off...'. Above all, I'm more than grateful to the reviewer "archibael", thanks to whom I knew the DVD would be in the original screen format (when it's cropped to full-screen, and especially for good movies, I consider it's a kind of swindle and refrain from buying).

Exit...Stage Everywhere
An oddity of sorts because you have the two actors who played Superman and Captain Avenger in one movie (Christopher Reeve and John Ritter respectively...Ha! Ha! Just kidding! For joke reference, see review for film SPEECHLESS,"...Well Spoken Movie" starring Micheal Keaton, Geena Davis, & Christopher Reeve! by same reviewer from Gilroy,CA)
Anyway, NOISES OFF is different from anything that has been done in film in recent years and is a salute to the art of theatre. A movie farce about a small midwest theatre group putting on a stage farce. The play will tour parts of the U.S. and finally make it to Broadway. It is during a test run on the small theatre circuit that the hilarity begins. Egos and personal differences manifest a literal physical battle among the cast members behind stage during one performance. A classic shot is of a stagehand witnessing the proceedings who shakes his head in comic disgust. However, as true professionals, no matter what happens behind the scenes, the show must go on. The film is very fast, physical and the ensemble cast is excellent. The movie audience sees rehearsals and performances on tour that take the kinks out of the presentation and stage direction finally bringing the cast together. Peter Bogdanovich directs one of his best films to date with Michael Caine, Carol Burnett,John Ritter, Christopher Reeve, Marilu Henner,Denholm Elliot,Mark Linn Baker, Julie Hagarty and trooper Nicollette Sheridan (trooper because she's in her under garments practically the whole movie). This film died at the box office maybe because movie going audiences are not theatre types. This film may not be for all tastes, but it is worth a look especially to see the late John Ritter and a healthy Christopher Reeve in outstanding comedic roles.

A must see. . . over and over!
I have been waiting impatiently for this show to come out on DVD. I can't believe it's not a bestseller. One of the funniest shows I have ever seen! We watch it frequently just to lighten our day. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Out of the era where craziness reined supreame
Out of the late 70s and through the earliy eighties came some of the greatest comedies that man kind has ever known. Amoung them the Sequel to Airplane. A satire film dedicated to mocking disaster films (like Airport), and in this case, space disasters as the cast and crew are off to the first settlement on the moon when a sabature reeks havick on the computer system. The computer goes hayware and once again Stryker must save the day. Although the plot of this movie is pretty much the same as the first there is a slugh of new gags, plus some old ones revisited that makes this movie a great companion to the original. Like the first the movie is filled with many-a-hillarious moments that will keep just about anyone laughing. There are a few time sensative gags that some might not understand if they were not around for that era, but not as many as the original or other movies from this era. I was very happy when I got this DVD. However a warning to parents: although this movie is rated PG it does feature some brief nudity and a lot of PG-13 level jokes. This movie is not appropriate for children despite its PG rating.

Lack of New Material Lets it Down
Two years after the hilariously funny, and new comic styled original came the sequel (inevitably I suppose) and sadly was nowhere near its predecessor in comedy or durability. Perhaps the lack of the Zucker team at the helm helped steer this vessel on to the rocks, as it certainly dived at the box office pretty rapidly. Don't get me wrong, this is still funny, but is really only a reworking of the original movie, only this time using a Space Shuttle as the doomed aircraft. The main characters are all back to reprise their roles with the addition of William Shatner (who's presence and role are one of the high points of the movie), but unfortunately the director just went with the same formula, and the lack of fresh material, makes the movie lumber. Fans of the genre will no doubt find plenty here to keep themselves amused, and the budget price means that your home collection can be completed quite inexpensively if you have the original, but otherwise this is a bit of a let down. I desperately wanted to give more but 3 stars is a stretch.

Nowhere Near As Good As The Original, But It's Still Funny!!
The redundantly-titled (on purpose, of course) AIRPLANE 2 - THE SEQUEL (1982) follows the rapid-fire, gag-a-second style of the original AIRPLANE! (1980) so well that, although it doesn't come close to matching the original for laughs, it's amazing that it was made without any input at all from the ZAZ boys (Jerry Zucker-Jim Abrahams-David Zucker) whatsoever---no writing, no directing, nada! It was in fact written and directed by just one man: none other than Ken Finkleman. I know, you're probably asking, Ken Who? Well, it seems that good ol' Ken is rather famous---more like *infamous*---for two mega-bombs of the '80's: GREASE 2 (made the same year, actually---1982) and WHO'S THAT GIRL? (1987). The fact that he took a beloved comedy that was still fresh in the minds of the audience members and dared to follow it up with his own vision, and made it this funny, is just amazing. (Now, if he only could have done that good a job with GREASE 2...)

Of course, AIRPLANE 2 - THE SEQUEL couldn't live up to the lofty expectations set by its predecessor, but that's okay, as there are some big-league laughs here. Robert Hays returns as the stone-faced, hilariously serious Ted Striker as he tries to prevent disaster on the First Passenger Space Shuttle To The Moon. Along for the ride, literally, are Julie Hagerty as Elaine, the flight attendant and Striker's ongoing love interest from the first film. Also making a return is (believe it or not) Lloyd Bridges as old Steven McCrosky (who must've picked a bad time to start guiding space shuttles), and Peter Graves as Capt. Clarence Oveur (thankfully, little Johnny didn't board this flight). Too bad Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen) didn't come back for this trip; however, joining the crew in AIRPLANE 2 - THE SEQUEL are Chuck Connors as The Sarge, Raymond Burr as Judge D.C. Simonton, and William Shatner as Commander Buck Murdock. Shatner steals the show and gives what is easily the funniest performance in this film. Unless you've never seen Star Trek, you're bound to get the endless jokes!

In short, this is a really short movie. At only 85 minutes, with at least five of those minutes showing flashbacks to the first AIRPLANE!, this sequel doesn't give us very much. However, it still gives us plenty of hilarious moments, such as what happens at the end of a line of people, each one exclaiming "Striker," "Striker," "Striker...!" Also, it gives us Sonny Bono as the villain---c'mon, you can't possibly hate a movie that does that---plus, we get brilliant cameos by Rip Torn, Hervé Villechaize, and James Noble (the Governor on the TV show "Benson" for those who don't recall the name). Not only that, but David Leisure is back! (Although, instead of playing "First Hare Krishna" he's playing "Religious Zealot #1.")

Listen, I wouldn't recommend spending the proverbial arm & a leg on this DVD, especially because, like its predecessor, it offers absolutely nothing in the way of extras. But, at the price for which it's being offered on Amazon, I'd say that it's well worth it.

RECOMMENDED
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR FANS OF AIRPLANE!

Not Anywhere Near The Original
Let me start off by saying I loved the first Airplane and consider it to be the best comedy ever. So I'm not a hater of the genre. When I first saw Airplane about two years ago I laughed until I cried. Just days after seeing it I was in an electronic store and saw Airplane 2 on DVD. Assuming it was made by the guys that made the original I bought it, oh how wrong I was. This is nothing but a sad attempt to copy the success of the original. Paramount asked the Zuckers and Jim Abrahams to do the sequel, when they declined saying there's not enough jokes left to do a sequel Paramount just hired some other guy to do it. The result, Airplane 2 crashes and burns.

Warning: There's Something Missing...
I won't waste time with complimenting or insulting this movie. I love it...just not as much as the origional. What really bothered me was the absence of several scenes. I kept having the funny feeling that I was missing something (I hadn't seen the movie in 10 years) and then it dawned on me. After the credits we see "Airplane III" and then it shows William Shatner say, "That's just what they'll be expecting us to do.". I had scene this snippet in a scene years ago when I watched Airplane II.

I then realized that some very funny stuff had been left out of the movie. The origional or even TV version had several more scenes that were simply deleted in the DVD version. I'm guessing maybe 10 to 15 minutes are missing. I can't even begin to comprehend why these scenes were deleted. We're obviously not worried about time constraints on a DVD.

I am very disappointed with this version simply because of the deleted material. I really enjoy this movie, but would have enjoyed it a lot more had the whole movie been included. Perhaps they should sell it with a warning stating that you're not receiving what you expect. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Oliver Stone used such words as "liberating" and "fun" to talk aboutU Turn's relatively quick production schedule of 42 days. Stone'sideas of film fun, however, are something older generations would call sick. This film isa Southwestern noir tale about Bobby Cooper (Sean Penn), a hotshot who is stuck in the tight confines of Superior, Arizona, when his car breaks down. His subsequent adventure is a meatball comedy--loud, obnoxious, and violent, and stuffed with diffused light, a hot cast, and a no-fat Ennio Morricone score. This film has plenty of odd characters, but you never really find out much about them. Bobby's first encounters include a repulsive mechanic (Billy Bob Thornton under the grease) and a blind Indian (Jon Voight under the makeup). Then there's Grace McKenna (a sizzling Jennifer Lopez), who is as dangerous as the curves of her red sundress. Bobby's got time to kill, and Grace seems more than willing. Unfortunately, it seems that Bobby has never seen a movie such as A Touch of Evil; if he had, he would know it can only get worse. About the time Grace's husband, Jake (Nick Nolte), shows up, Bobby is knee-deep in murder plots and double-crosses.

The first 40 minutes or so are "fun" to a point. Penn is the perfect near-creep to root for, and as he wanders back into town after meeting Grace, the eclectic characters pile up. But soon it gets monotonous, tiring, and just plain ugly. And when incest and bloody fights begin, the fun is gone. If Penn weren't so solid an actor and able to be empathetic in the most morose situations, the movie would be unwatchable at stretches. Lopez makes another good impression, but this is not a performance that stands out. Nolte, raspy and ill-looking, is the Lee Marvin of the '90s. Before U Turn is over, you are already wondering if Oliver Stone will do something else, something more important, soon. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Twisted
Sean Penn plays a small time crook, trying to make it to heaven with somebody else's cash in his backpack. Heaven I guess would be someplace where you can live in saftey and spend that money you stole. But he is on the road to hell and there's no u turn. He's had to fingers plugged off by hedge clippers and the rest of the hand waiting for its turn if he gets caught by some Vegas thugs. His car breaks down somewhere in Hell and things go from bad to worse. The film is somewhat plot driven. The characters have to go with the plot which is sad, because these are marvolous characters and actors. Stone's film tech is great and he makes a graphic visual display, but the plot is somewhat small and weak. Lopez plays the vixen who is beyond twisted after surviving what seems to be a horrific life. Borderline behavior to the max, no trust is branded on her forehead. Penn just keeps bouncing up after being delivered through worse and worse scenarios of bad luck, as I said plot driven characters. Oh well, the acting and the direction push this up to a 4 star, overall its worth viewing because it is so wigged out.

Lisa Nary

A feast for vultures
Small time hood, played with fidelity by Sean Penn, blows a hole in the water hose of his 1964 and a half red Mustang out in the desert and has to limp into Superior, Arizona, pop. about 100, temp 100-plus. He shoulda made a u-turn. He's already lost two fingers because he wasn't able to pay some dudes the $13,000 he owned them, but now he has the cash in his backpack. Next problem (number two) getting his car fixed by Darrell's other brother Darrell, an inbred hick mechanic from hell, played chillingly by Billy Bob Thornton. This guy you won't forget. Problem number three, a muy caliente Apache babe (Jennifer Lopez) who starts to play with more than his mind. Problem number four, her husband, (a lecherous and morally corrupt Nick Nolte) who wants him to kill her. Problem number four and a half is a blind Indian shaman (Jon Voight, believe it or not) who plays with his soul.

All this is tolerable, but as he's getting a soda in the local groceria, it's robbed and they take his backpack with all the money in it. The senora who is robbed recovers in time to shot the robber with the backpack in the back with a shotgun. Only problem is number five, the buckshot blows Penn's money to smithereens (nice touch), and he is now flat broke and can't pay the $150 to get his Mustang back on the road. Problem number six, a small town tart (Claire Danes) cozies up to him to get her macho boy friend jealous enough to want to beat our boy to a pulp. Problem number seven, in his desperation to get enough money to blow town, our hero calls his main creditor and tells him where he is (seems dumb). His creditor wants more than the other three fingers. Problem number eight...

Well, I didn't take notes, so I'm losing track. But trust me, he's got more troubles to come.

This is in some ways an amazing film. It's part Clint Eastwood western, where there are no good guys, and part urban thriller, where you never know who is double crossing whom (but take a hint, they all are) or what is going to happen next. The atmosphere is compelling, all hangs together well, and we have something close to a film noire masterpiece until the scene on the cliff where our hero is supposed to push her off. Juggling the psychology in the film with the psychology he's working on the audience, Oliver Stone loses his grip and everything goes to ill-logic and blood and bodies. Hey, it's tough to concentrate through a whole stinkin' movie, even if you are Oliver Stone! Nonetheless there are so many striking images and clever scenes and so much original movie shtick here that I give you a Kmart guarantee you'll be entertained.

Guilty, gritty pleasure
Sunday, April 18, 2004 / 4 of 5 / Guilty, gritty pleasure. Admittedly, U-Turn is a guilty, gritty pleasure. It's one of those movies that has a compelling but amoral anti-hero protagonist, much like another in this genre, 'Romeo is Bleeding'. Like that film, we witness the disintegration, physical and mental of the main character whose vices have finally caught up with him with a vengeance. Oliver Stone's splice and hack techniques work wonderfully and the amazingly strong cast seems to be having a ball with the seedy story. Sean Penn is Bobby on his way to pay off gambling debts after having his two fingers cut off by Russian gangsters. His 64 Mustang blows a radiator hose in the podunk town of Superior, AZ. While there he gets rolled, loses his cash, endures further physical abuse and is tempted to kill numerous people, from J-Lo, to Billy Bob Thornton, to Nick Nolte, to Joaquin Phoenix. The interactions are comical in their depravity, this film really straddles genres, flowing from noir to black comedy and back. No one trusts anyone and incredibly you feel sorry for Bobby as the film reaches its crescendo. The more I think of it, the more it conceptually mirrors Romeo is Bleeding with Penn and Oldman's weak, amoral central characters at the mercy of the strong females in J-Lo and Lena Olin. I think it's good for a viewing ever so often, more would be too exhausting and make one feel a bit too dirty. Recommended.

"Your lies are old, but you tell them well."
Oliver Stone crawls through Quentin Tarentino's home turf here in this adaptation of John Ridley's Stray Dogs--it's as black and violent as a film can be, sort of Pulp Fiction meets Reservoir Dogs in the heat. Brilliant casting makes U Turn sizzle like roadkill on an Arizona blacktop. Sean Penn, Jennifer Lopez. Billy Bob Thornton, and Nick Nolte dig right to the heart of human darkness, and an absolutely unrecognizable Jon Voight appears as the blind Indian wise man who is likely none of those things. Surely many viewers will find the level of violence and the completely depraved characters unappealing at best--my wife walked away less than halfway through. But I was riveted by the story, the characters, the action, and the stylistic approach Stone takes, with heavy use of filters and quick cuts to ravens, bleached skulls, setting suns, old photographs, and the like. That approach and the eerie score by Ennio Morricone also reminded me of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. It's surely not a movie for the mainstream, but I'm glad I saw it.

This film dominates
U-turn is classic. Toward the end of his career Stone is only getting better. It easyly holds its own with Pulp Fiction and alike. Use of the old western composer Moriconne was genuis. Why more people dont like this film is a mystery, i guess some people can't handle it.
True pimps know that it dominates ... Read more

Reviews (26)

"Nest egg" of laughs.
Probably the only great comedy ABOUT the Eighties. The criticisms that *Lost in America* doesn't have a strong plot and not much of a "third act" are substantially on the mark; but with Albert Brooks at his most acidic, should one really care? And yes, the main crisis -- Julie Hagerty gambling away their savings at the roulette wheel in a Vegas casino -- feels hastily conceived, even slap-dash; but again, should one really care? The movie barrels ahead on the strength of its set-pieces, its dialogue, and the continuous presence of the ceaselessly funny Brooks. In other words, *Lost in America* has more than enough going for it. Some of the great scenes in this gem of a movie include: Brooks' aria of outrage in his boss' office when he learns that he's not getting the promotion to VP at the high-powered advertising agency for whom he's toiled for years; Brooks' sales-pitch to casino-manager Garry Marshall that the casino should "give us our money back!"; Brooks' interview with a man at an employment agency in the small Arizona town in which they've found themselves stuck (employment agency man guffawing: "Well, I don't think we got anything 'round here that pays $100,000 a YEAR!") . . . and, of course, the great Nest Egg diatribe, which has become a comedy classic. As the movie progresses, the tone gets a little darker, a little sadder, as Brooks and his wife come to realize that it's too late to start over. Behind the hilarity, *Lost in America* imparts the painful lesson that the dreams of youth must be deferred during one's prime. Those dreams must wait for old age . . . if one is still around to act on them, of course. And the movie also has something to say about the Baby Boomer generation being forced to grow up. (*Easy Rider* has been relegated to nostalgic kitsch, here: it's a HIGHWAY PATROLMAN'S favorite movie!) In the height of the Reagan era, the Sixties -- along with all the baggage that term suggests -- were finished for good. Over and out.

"The Desert Inn has Heart! The Desert Inn has Heart!"
One of the funniest movies for grown-ups EVER! Every confrontation scene in this movie (in his boss's office, in the casino manager's office, at the Hoover Dam, at the school crosswalk, at the unemployment office, etc.) is a comic gem! If you're reading this review, chances are you have already seen this movie. So what are you waiting for? Buy the DVD already! You need to keep this movie in your video library and make all your friends watch it. This movie has more memorable lines in it than The Godfather, Casablanca, and Caddyshack combined! Granted, not all of Brooks's films are stellar. Anyone see "The Scout"? Terrible! But "Lost In America" is on par with the excellent "Real Life" from a few years earlier. Watch that one and listen for his "airline VIP club/missing-the-point" rant. Not only is Albert Brooks (yes! his real name IS Albert Einstein!) a wonderfully talented writer and director, but he is a great actor, too. Remember, he got an Oscar nomination for "Broadcast News" in 1987.
Why can't all comedies be as funny as "Lost In America'"? And tell Julie Hagerty to stay away from the Roulette wheel.

Hilarious
Pure comedy...that only Brooks can totally deliver!
The movie is a pure joy to watch, pure meaningless fun.

NEST EGGS AND CROSSING GUARDS
WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN ALBERT BROOKS TRYING TO CONVINCE A CASINO MANAGER THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE CASINO IF THEY GAVE BACK THE MONEY THEY HAD LOST?

You gotta see this one.
This is the sort of movie you can watch more than once and always find something you missed before. I normally do not like movies with too much dialogue, but this one has great visual AND great dialogue. Saw it years ago when it first came out at the movies and thought it was only so-so. (Note the office scenes - from the days when people still had offices instead of cubicles! wow!) Seeing it now after having experienced the burn-out from the rat-race and feeling what the Howards felt, I could relate and found it hilarious! Good movie. Buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (93)

This Story Sounds Familiar
I always appreciate two things about a Rob Reiner movie: the casting and the dialogue. I know that the casting director is the brains behind the first and the writer is behind the second, but I think Reiner is usually a magnet for good talent. Which is not to say that he's bulletproof. The Story of Us shows that even great directing and casting can't save a film with a lukewarm script.

I enjoyed The Story of Us insofar as it was a somewhat engaging tale of a marriage in ruin. All of the usual cliches were thrown out. There was no infidelity, no abuse, no financial struggle. In the case of Ben (Bruce Willis, The Sixth Sense) and Katie (Michelle Pfeiffer, A Midsummer Night's Dream), they just ran out of love. After 15 years of marriage, they didn't want to be married any more.

But the movie failed when it tried to recapture the magic of Reiner's earlier film When Harry Met Sally.... Using interview-style narratives, multiple flashbacks, and diametrically opposing characters it feels reminiscent of the other work. This is not a coincidence. When Reiner set out to make The Story of Us, he likened it to "Harry and Sally 15 years later."

This alone, however, does not invalidate the movie. After all, he spared the world a sequel, and for that he deserves some praise. The Story of Us is smart and funny, it makes us laugh and feel sad. But the film never became real enough for me. I never cared enough about the characters to get into the story. As a result, I was aware my feelings were being manipulated.

While the scenes between Willis and Pfeiffer are often wonderful, supporting cast members like Paul Reiser, Rita Wilson, and Reiner himself are delegated to bit parts that rarely move the story forward. Dinner talk sounds more like stand-up comedy routines than real conversation. Likewise, Tim Matheson pops up like a cardboard villain. His appearance and disappearance are equally unexplained. If not for Willis and Pfeiffer, the movie wouldn't be at all convincing.

There's a real possibility that I didn't "get" The Story of Us because I'm a guy. I'll be the first to admit that I have to be in just the right mood for a "chick flick." One of the people I went with said she would have given this movie a ten. A ten? I think that's a little extreme, considering it isn't even in the same league as movies like American Beauty. Still, for what it's worth, that's one woman's opinion.

In my opinion, The Story of Us was an interesting little movie without any warm & fuzzy feelings. It won't be that memorable in the long run. I'll stick with the classics, or at least something written by Nora Ephron.

Must see for couples!!!
This is a movie that does hit very close to home...that's what makes it so good! My husband and I were both in tears but the end, and we felt an instantaneous closeness at the same time. I loved the ending and highly recommend it for any married couples. It never hurts to remember why love is so precious.

Pathetic
Uuuuugh this movie was H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E. It not only features the most annoying and whiny yuppie couple to grace the sceen in years, but it is overly-sappy, sentimental, and the movie tends to repeat itself over and over again with the same lines, arguments, etc. In my opinion their entire problem lies in the fact that wife caters too much to her children's needs while neglecting those of her husband's. It's that simple. She should have told the children (who are not toddlers) time and time again that she was speaking with their father and that she would be with them in a minute. Oh, and the worst part of the movie was the last scene when Michelle Pfeifer gives this God-awful weepy and over-melodramatic speech which attempts to summarize why they shouldn't give up on their marriage. It's like listening to five munutes of someone scraping their fingernails across a chalkboard. Great actors/actresses, but awful material.

A good film. Willis and Pfieffer play well together
This is a good film. Harry and Sally-ish, but after the marriage. What happens in between children and meetings and chores and work??? Where does the love go? Excellent look at what we do to work it out and whether or not we can let go.

a male pig's perspective
I'm sitting here, half drunk recently alone again. I put in the only "chick flick" romantic movie I own, "The Story of Us". Since the first time I saw this movie I have loved it, and I'm a war, epic film buff to see my collection. This is the only movie I asked for in my divorce because I wanted it THAT bad. Rob Riener's best work ever in my opinion. A movie that jumps around from place to time and back again so often, it keeps you riveted to the seat. The dialog is the heart of the story. And the way, under Riener's direction, Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer portray this stuggeling couple, makes me feel part of the story, not just watching it from a distance.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes sappy romance movies or believes in true matter of the heart. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Too Funny!
Extremely hilarious. I've been searching for this movie for almost two years...every since I saw it on Lifetime. Jenifer Lewis is perfect for this "mockumentary" on a washed-up diva who tries to make a comeback. She and a full cast of well-known entertainers will have you grabbing your stomach from laughter. I'm on my third week of renewing my rental for this movie. Trust me, you will love this movie.

Dynamite and Funny as you know what, but that ending....
Loved this movie. There are SO many genuinely funny and campy moments here. Patti Austin at Peaches Yancy's funeral is a hoot; the woman just won't STOP singing! Jennifer Lewis is fabulous and so is young lady that plays Jackie's faithful daughter Entendre (Make that a DOUBLE Entendre). The only complaint I have is the ending. All of the sudden we get this bittersweet, force fed weeper ending which doesn't fit into the framework of the rest of the movie. Overall, though it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the movie. Just a minor quibble, since the ending of ANY movie does leave an impression. It almost has the feel of something that was forced on Robert Townsend by the Network. Maybe not. Please buy this DVD, though. If you appreciate the ridiculous excess of modern and classic Divas you'll love it!!

Absolutely hilarious
This SPINAL TAP-like mockumentary is absolutely hilarious and the commentary track by director Townsend is equally entertaining. JENNIFER LEWIS is amazing. She's a brilliant comedic actress who is shamefully underused in movies and this is a perfect vehicle for her. It does for her what JACKIE BROWN did for Pam Grier. The supporting cameos are laugh-out-loud funny, best being Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Curry, Loretta Devine, Isabel Sandford, Kathy Griffith, Rikki Lake, Sean Hayes, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Eva Marie Saint, Dolly Parton, Grace Slick and Diahann Carroll.

So Cliche It's Good
All the diva jokes and funny one liners are all very typical and cliche of this type of movie, but still between Jenifer Lewis and Tim Curry they manage to pull it off and still make it a damn good movie.
While reading through the other reviews for this product, I noticed that everyone constantly praises Lewis but unless I missed something, no one said a thing about Curry.
I'm not trying to take the spotlight away from Jenifer Lewis...she was amazing considering that this is her first movie. However, no one has acknowledged Tim's great work on the film.
I heard someone comment the other day that his acting was too [unrealistic]and over the top in this movie. Hello! ... He's supposed to be acting like that, considering that he plays the part of the host of a low budget documentary. Some people can be real stupid, ...
Anyway, I thought I was going to die laughing when I saw the look on Tim's face when Jackie's cross-dressing dress designer came into her dressing room. I also loved it when Jackie's playmama said that white people all smelled like wet potatoe chips. Again, Tim's face was priceless. He's the kind of actor that's good enough that he needs no words to get his point across, the expression says it all.
Another one of my favorite parts is when he admits to Jackie that when first asked to do the documentary he had never heard of her, and then she said, 'They played my records in England,' and he replies, 'Yes...but I never heard them.'
Anyway, it's filled with plenty of other gut busting scenes. I've waited and waited for this movie to be released on DVD after I first saw it on Lifetime...and finally my wish has come true.
Buy Jackie's Back today, it's so bad it's good.

Top-notch music and comedy
This movie is so well-loved by everyone who sees it, that when I sing the theme song "Yield" in public, everyone immediately recognizes it (and laughs). Definitely the funniest comedy ever...why it wasn't released to theaters is a mystery. Wish we had a soundtrack album with all the great songs. ... Read more

Reviews (244)

I Can Copy!
"Freddie Got Fingered" is...Well...Funny, I can't really Defend it Any Better. I found it funny, Disagree if you must. (I Dare not Mock the people who Disagree with me; there are probably a Lot More of them, my Mother for one)

In this Ill-Conceived but none-the-less Hilarious film, TV Funny man Tom Green makes the Dangerous Leap to the Big Screen. (and falls to his Death by the hand of an Angry mob of Critics and Paying Audiences) It looks like a Biography of his life, but for His sake I hope it Wasn't. Green plays Gord Brody, a 28-year-old Slacker who lives in his Parents Basement and Dreams of becoming an Animator. Standing in his way are A: Lack of Talent, B: His Father (Rip Torn) and C: His New Job at the Cheese Factory.

The Plot is pretty Inconsequential as it's All just an Excuse for Green to Display his Brand of Physical, Gross Out Comedy. Green will either Make or Break this film for you, if you've never found him funny Before, this film is Definitely not for you, if you Enjoy his TV Antics, you'll most likely Enjoy the Film. He does take Gross out comedy to the Extreme, so Be Prepared. Some of it is Stomach-Churningly Shocking, some of it is Gut-Wretchingly Gross, All of it is Hilarious. (when I say All, that as Virtually all, some parts even I didn't laugh at, I must be Growing Up... Man that's scary)

Laugh-Out-Loud Here¿ Utterly Shocking There.
"Freddie Got Fingered" is...Well...Funny, I can't really Defend it Any Better. I found it funny, Disagree if you must. (I Dare not Mock the people who Disagree with me; there are probably a Lot More of them, my Mother for one)

In this Ill-Conceived but none-the-less Hilarious film, TV Funny man Tom Green makes the Dangerous Leap to the Big Screen. (and falls to his Death by the hand of an Angry mob of Critics and Paying Audiences) It looks like a Biography of his life, but for His sake I hope it Wasn't. Green plays Gord Brody, a 28-year-old Slacker who lives in his Parents Basement and Dreams of becoming an Animator. Standing in his way are A: Lack of Talent, B: His Father (Rip Torn) and C: His New Job at the Cheese Factory.

The Plot is pretty Inconsequential as it's All just an Excuse for Green to Display his Brand of Physical, Gross Out Comedy. Green will either Make or Break this film for you, if you've never found him funny Before, this film is Definitely not for you, if you Enjoy his TV Antics, you'll most likely Enjoy the Film. He does take Gross out comedy to the Extreme, so Be Prepared. Some of it is Stomach-Churningly Shocking, some of it is Gut-Wretchingly Gross, All of it is Hilarious. (when I say All, that as Virtually all, some parts even I didn't laugh at, I must be Growing Up... Man that's scary)

A Must Have For Comedy Colectors!
I LOVE TOM GREEN ALL HIS MOVIES ARE GOOD! BUY THIS IF YOUR A COMEDY LOVER!

FUNNY,BRILLIANT! 10th july 04.
A must see for any tom green fans. It's rude funny but brilliant! nothing else apart from laughs in parts of the film and a great movie. A comedian person who is in a film always makes a great film if you like them.

Brilliant late 20th Century Art Deco!
This movie is the Nietzsche of all films! Many generations to come who will watch this masterpiece will wonder what kind of a great civilisation we lived in, where men were free to express themselfs beyond their wildest imaginations! Like postmodernism many people don't understand this art and will view it from a laymans point of view. My girlfriends sister studies sociology and I recommended her to make a studie of this for her doctoral outset of the impact of media on society. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, Woody Allen mixes Shakespeare, Ingmar Bergman, and the music and art of the turn of the century. Allen plays Andrew, an inventor, whose listless marriage to Adrian (Mary Steenburgen) has lost all erotic zip. He welcomes two pairs of friends to his country home: college professor Leopold (José Ferrer) and his fiancée Ariel (Mia Farrow), and dentist Maxwell (Tony Roberts) and his suffragette nurse Dulcy (Julie Hagerty). Before long, everyone's lusting after everyone else's partner, and the plot twists and turns to a happy and magical conclusion. It's a light and airy film, perhaps a deliberate break from Allen's previous production, the caustic Stardust Memories; but the tone may also be due to his new relationship with Farrow, who went on to star in Allen's films for the next 10 years. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Classic comedy!
I have always loved this movie and I was tremendously happy when it came out on DVD. It is a bit of a departure for Woody Allen, in that his character actually believes in a spirit world, whereas Woody Allen is always an atheist/agnostic in his movies, as he is in life. There are some genuinely hilarious moments, as well as a fine exploration of interpersonal relationships and marital fidelity.

Highly recommended!

His most beautiful film?
When I first saw Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy I was enchanted. A sophisticatedly sexy cast in delightfully alluring circumstances, set in a country house surrounded by foliage and wildflowers and the buzzing of nature. The prudish clothing worn at the turn of the century makes the behavior that follows even more fun. He fills the film with scenes that are just shots of the surrounding nature, with Mendelssohn's music in the background -- just beautiful. It's also one of his tightest scripts. Small cast, few sets ... a brilliant example for anyone who wishes to make good movies.

One of the best ever
I think this is one of the best film comedies ever. It's surely one of Allen's best. It plays all his themes, from being a jerk to winning the girl, from love triangles to silly human foibles. It's fast-paced at times and at other times idyllic and lyrical. And it's an excellent version of Midsummer Night's Dream, which is an intellectually-satisfying bonus.

A farce for farce's sake
A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT SEX COMEDY (1982) dir. and writ. Woody Allen (who else?)

I saw it last night, first time on the glorious DVD edition. Had seen it before, but had faded memories.

Glorious photography by Gordon Willis (The Godfather). Music by Felix Mendelssohn.

Three mismatched couples set out for the countryside to have a look at nature (one imagines), and to seek libidinal pleasures.

Don't look for William Wordsworth, however, or for D.H. Lawrence here.

What you have is, as almost always, an irreverent farce, intended to ridicule both romantic and sexual love, and to illustrate the pettiness of human sexual relations. Nothing biting or archetypal here--just a little Woody Allen wit (when it hits), a little nonsense, silly people doing silly things, no love scenes to speak of, no plotline worth following, no memorable scenes (as happens in some Woody Allen). Of course, the literary references are there--this is a takeoff on Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream (what else with a title like that?)--the parody of a lyric farce, to put it this way--and the musical application of Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream."

The whole blends wonderfully, if you don't mind all of the above and if you are intent on the photography and the music--and a few of the comic situations that spring up in the middle of the inanity of the whole, or the good one-liners that inevitably creep into everything Woody-Allenish. Of particular comic treat is Jose Ferrer's unexpected tantrum-like imitation of a bland, utterly preposterous professor of philosophy, who preaches the pleasures of the flesh and the non-existence of the spirit (no evidence of that, he says); one Leopold who is about to be married to one Ariel (Mia Farrow), while casting out his net for his friendly doctor's (Tony Roberts') little wife (Julie Haggerty); the doctor, however, lusts for Ariel, as does Allen (almost forgotten in his second-fiddle role here), whose marriage to Mary Steenburgen is a sexual calamity. Incidentally, to the movie's credit, Allen has departed from his usual Manhattan persona as a schnook/lover/intellectual, and he presents himself as an inventor of totally useless devices, a soul-lamp (I don't know what else to call it), for instance, which lights up and explodes when a body is severed from its soul. There is also a flying machine, propelled by bicycle pedals--ridden by Allen himself who lands on various bushes. Of course, the tangle of trios is untangled somewhat when the professor gives up the spirit in the middle of an extra-rapturous lust spasm with Haggerty (we don't see this). The lamp lights, of course, and the plot ends--there is nothing else to say.

Go back to the music, if you will, and the several exquisite shots of dahlias, flower-beds, bees gathering pollen, or birds in the midst of a love-song. All this in upper New York State, which has gardens one can imagine only in Jane Austen film festivals. If you are a lover of Woody Allen no matter what, you already have seen this several times. If you are not, give it a try. Art for art's sake (which this vaguely is) is better than dirt for dirt's sake, which this could have been in lesser hands.

The farce to end all farces
Absolutely hilarious... and brilliant! Funny, charming, a joy to watch. All Woody Allen fans must see this one - the true wit and humor of Allen shines. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Held Up, a romantic trip turns sour when Rachel (Nia Long) learns that Michael (Jamie Foxx) used the down payment for their future home to buy a classic car. Disgusted, she leaves him at a roadside gas station in the middle of the Nevada desert. Soon the car is stolen, thieves descend to rob the place, and the untimely arrival of the police creates a hostage situation with Michael in the middle. The circumstances want to cascade into mounting absurdity, but the ending doesn't quite provide a strong capper. Still, getting there is entertaining. Foxx is engaging, and the supporting cast--including Julie Hagerty, John Collum, Barry Corbin, and Jake Busey--create a colorful collection of locals. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Not too many laughs...
This is a pretty silly movie. The idea of someone holding up a place at gunpoint, taking hostages, and the hostages eventually sympathizing and siding with the robber... well, it's been done before and much better. The talent of Nia Long is wasted in this movie. Most of her screen-time takes place at the very beginning and end of the film.

I gave this an extra star simply because Jamie Foxx has some funny moments in this. He's a major talent and really deserves to do better films than this. He's a great actor, both comic and dramatic.

The DVD features certainly don't make up for the poor quality of the film. Besides the film's trailer (and a few trailers for other Trimark films) the only feature is a four minute interview with Jamie Foxx.

Very Funny
Coming off a tough deadline, all I was looking for was something to make me laugh. That's why I chose a Jamie Foxx film. He usually cracks me up. And Nia Long is a very talented actress. She's always good, no matter what venue I've seen her in.

These two had great chemistry. Nia is the put-upon girlfriend who's highly upset because her boyfriend has spent their nest egg on a vintage Edsel (can you believe he bought an EDSEL? ). Anyway, they're on vacation, in the middle of Nevada, driving this car that doesn't even have a decent sound system, just an 8-track tape player. He only has one 8-track tape, Tony Orlando and Dawn. I can feel the sister's irritation at this dope.

Once she learns he's emptied their joint account to purchase this car, she gets so angry she leaves him in the middle of a desert town. Then his car is stolen and the fun really begins.

While he's inside a convenience store, after calling the local sheriff to report his car being stolen, the store is held-up by three bumbling criminals. Chaos ensues.

For the rest of the movie, Jamie Foxx's character has one goal, to emerge unscathed out of a hostage situation inside the convenience store in order to make it to the airport before the love of his life flies out of it forever.

Like I said in the beginning, all I was looking for was something to make me laugh. HELD UP was surprisingly deep in some instances. Yes, there is a little bathroom humor, but I don't think I heard the F word once. And that was quite refreshing.

I say, WATCH IT!

funny for the first ride
if you wanna watch this over and over again I , dont...its better if you watch it once. this is about Foxx and his girlfriend leaves him and then he ends up being Held Up by some robbers who are so stupid. the cops come, or should I say uneducated cops come to teh scene. my favorite bit is where Foxx thinks he is grazed with a bullet and it turns out its a dorito chip(the part where the microwave explodes). Jake Busey and Michael Shamus Wiles(military man) add some spark as well.

No Good
Sorry Jamie and Nia -- this one did not live up to expectations. This low budget movie is full of stereotypes (about Hispanics) and quite boring.

I've seen Jamie in at least one other comedy which rocked, and am disappointed with HELD UP from start to finish. Nia is an A-plus actress, and I don't know why she agreed to star in this dud.

Better luck next time, Jamie and Nia. Be pickier about which movies you agree to act in. Otherwise you'll end up like Chris Rock - always acting in stupid movies.

This movie is FUNNY!
I dont recall ths movie ever being in theaters, but that doesn't mean it isn't good, in fact, it's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Jamie Foxx is hillarious as usual, while Nia Long lends her great acting, great comedy, and her great body to this one. The whole plot is ridiculous, but that makes the movie all the more better. It's about a convienence store in the middle of the Arizona desert that gets robbed by a couple of bumbling crooks that have no idea what they're doing. Foxx's character just so happened to be there when the store was "held up" and he needs to get to the airport to make up with his girlfriend (played by Nia Long) before she leaves, but he can't, because now the cops have surrounded the store and set the stage for some great humor. Held Up sits among Wayne's World and Office Space as one of the best comedies ever, so do yourself a favor and buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

TV movie that doesn't match the leads
Billy Bob Thornton is Darl Hardwick, a morally bankrupt sheriff of the small Louisiana town of Lassale. Though the town isn't that much likeable on first sight (sure it's pretty, but its leaders are good-ole boy types, and the rest of the population run the gamut of amoral or extremist fundamentalist) but Hardwick seems to stand-out. Incompetent, and on the verge of getting tossed out of office, Hardwick finds himself the only person capable of cracking a beguiling case of murder. When the victim is found not to be a beautiful woman but a shockingly deceptive trans-sexual, the case becomes known as "the freak" and is quickly filed away with little expectation that anyone will bother to solve it. Unfortunately for everybody, the murder occurs during election season - when everybody from the Governor to Darl will be campaigning for their political lives. Because elections tend to bring out the hidden trash of the past term, Darl finds himself facing attack from different quarters - for stealing shoes from a truck involved in a vehicular accident, for having an affair with the wife of one of his deputies, for an outburst at the Governor. When Darl finds himself in danger of losing the local party's endorsement for Sheriff, he becomes driven to solve "The Freak". Instead he's "set up" on statutory rape charges (Darl's wanton ways make him an easy mark) and loses his job. Obsessed with the idea that solving "The Freak" will restore his job, Darl pursues leads that will take him to New Orleans, to the victim's "wife" (Patty Arquette) and the gay brother Darl ran out of Lasalle many years ago.

This was a good flick, but despite the talent it never goes further than being a TV movie, something for Lifetime. Though "The Badge" is a mystery, Darl's story soon takes over the main focus of the flick - Darl's shady connections, his crazy father (a former sheriff who drove Darl's mother to suicide) his tenuous relationship with his deputies, the judges (the chief being a shady character played by William Devane), his politically connected ex (Sela Ward) and just about everybody else. By then, the mystery only has a secondary role (to save Darl's career), and anyway, you'll be able to solve it by then. Still, Darl's a character you can't quite stay away from, and Thornton brings out some pathos in a guy who inflicts suffering on others, but no more than on himself.

Thought provoking theme but a but a bit oversimplified.
Billy Bob Thornton stars in this this 2002 TV movie that is now available on DVD. He's cast as a sheriff in a small Louisiana town and he has lots of personal problems. It seems that a woman is found dead. But when the coroner examines her, he discovers it's really a man. Now the plot thickens as the politicos want to keep the fact of this transvestite being murdered in their town out of the papers. This is not going to happen though because Patricia Arquette shows up looking for the murdered person as she considers herself the murdered person's "wife". In spite of pressure of leaving the investigation alone, Billy Bob travels to New Orleans where Patricia Arquette works in a men's bar. There's more to the story of course and a lot of subplots. Eventually, of course, justice prevails.

I consider Billy Bob Thornton a fine actor. His presence alone brings up the quality of this film and the theme was a bit thought provoking. I could never consider this a work of art but I enjoyed the experience of watching it.

Interesting southern thriller
I hadn't even heard of this little thriller before I saw it on the video shelves. I was drawn to it by the star presence of Billy Bob Thornton, Sela Ward and Patricia Arquette. They don't disappoint. It was nice to see them in an independent little potboiler involving murder and politics in steamy Louisiana.
Billy Bob is a small town sheriff whose "good old boy" handling of a truck accident uncovers something more unpleasant - the murder of a transsexual dancer. It turns out the dancer was present at a party that could implicate the Democrat governor and upset the town rich guy's plans to build a casino. Billy Bob's position as sheriff becomes inceasingly precarious as he changes his mind about a murder investigation he initially didn't want to put much effort into.
There are a lot of twists and turns as the sherrif moves from self-preservation to seeking true justice. There is even some humor, not all of it intentional. One scene where I laughed out loud is when Arquette's character tells Thornton's sheriff that she and the dead she-male were married. That was even before the weirdness of the situation registers on Thornton's face.
William Devane delivers a satisfying performance as the rich guy manipulating local politics. Sela Ward is good in a small if predictable role as Thornton's ex-wife, now the assistant DA. It's an entertaining film, but the ending is a bit too melodramatic and preachy to get a higher star rating.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED FROM THIS ONE! QUITE MEMORABLE!
Excellent acting, direction, writing, editing, photography and a story full of the unexpected. This one is memorable for several reasons. Number one...the twists, you will be surprised throughout this film because it doesn't go in the direction you think it will. Try to guess what's going to happen a scene or two ahead and you can't. Billy Bob plays a very believable, somewhat lethargic lawman who'd just as soon take a nap in his pickup as solve a bizarre crime. Number two... the conflict, Billy Bob vs. the powers that be who want a baffling crime to remain unsolved. In most films Southern Politics either makes for good drama or it comes off as silly and pretentious. In this case it's the basis for numerous tense situations involving ethical questions. Number three...the humor, drama just doesn't work as well without it and this film gives the giggles when it counts.

Overall, this is one of the most underrated, overlooked films of 2002 and I'm glad I came across it on the new releases shelf at Hollywood