Reviews (259)

Who Ever THought of This Film was an Insane Genius
Whomever came up with the concept for this film needs very serious mental evaluation; A love story about a guy with scissors for hands? But perhaps we will put that aside for now becasue the movie is simply stupendous. Edward ScissorHands is one of my all time favorite movies, I assume this goes for many others as well, becasue i have never found someone who didnt like this movie. It appeals to the strange geek inside us all who just wants to be accepted for what he is. For an overview of the movie read the summary amazon has provided, i will talk only about the dvd. THe extras are quite neat with commentary tracks, production art, and best of all some old Burton shorts. Vincent is a great clayamtion thing about a kid trying to be vincent price, it reminded me of beetlejuice, visually. Frankenweenie is kinda dumb and boring, but its about a kid who brings his dog back to life. THe image clarity is fantastic, as is the sound on this disc. It has some really cool animated menus too. So go buy it. You might wanna see it first though becasue it is pretty strange. Bottom line is if you like Burton films, you will love this one. (I still have a little trouble seeing that kid from the breakfast club as a bad guy, but whatta gonna do?)

fantastic DVD, even better movie
Edward Scissorhands is quite simply the best fairy tale never told. This is Tim Burton in his eccentric prime, and his presence is palpable in every arena of this beautiful and personal film. The inventive art direction is perhaps the most memorable aspect of that presence, most notably in the pastel palette that covers everything from the ingenius solid-color costumes to the quaint neighborhood/town our characters inhabit.

The genius of this movie is more far-reaching than that. Everything fits seamlessly together--from Danny Elfman's quirky score to Stefan Czapsky's meticulous camera work to an entire cast full of nuanced performances... the list goes on and on. While this film's acting gem is Diane Weist in the role of the sweet and overly altruistic mother, Johnny Depp plays the titular role in a beautifully understated performance. Similarly, Winona Ryder wonderfully (and blondly) embodies young beauty and Alan Arkin turns in a comedic yet touching performance as the sometimes-overbearing father. The ensemble cast is flawless, complementing the quirky but ultimately realistic tone.

Perhaps the best aspect of this movie is that it achieves its goals with amazing subtlety--the overt themes of "being different", family, and (let's not forget) love are constantly driven into cliché these days, but Edward Scissorhands accomplishes it all with a snip, not a stab.

This 10th Anniversary Edition DVD is everything this movie deserves--insightful commentaries from Tim Burton AND Danny Elfman and an interesting featurette, along with the concept art, trailers, TV Spots, and scene selection we've all come to expect. (The Interactive 3-D Menus are priceless!)

This is just one of those positively timeless, life-affirming movies that belongs in everyone's collection.

A true work of art!
This has certainly got to be one of Burton's most imaginative creations. I can't remember a movie be that puzzlling, and yet so interesting and fun. Only Jonny Depp could prouduce such a voice, and performance. And that hair! Well, that was just the final icing on the cake. Let's face it. It's not easy to act the part of a lonly anodroid,and especially one that looked on with curiosity one moment and hated the next. Horror king, Vincint Price does a good job too as Edward's maker. Who is despreat for companionship. I laughed, I cried, then I laughed some more. All in all, this is not that bad of a movie.

A Beautiful Movie
I first saw this movie not so long ago and I fell in love with it. It is a beautiful story with very sad moments as well as exciting ones. Burton and Depp make a great team. This is one of the most moving movies I have ever seen. It tells the story of Edward (Depp), a person created by an inventor (Vincent Price)who passed on just before he had a chance to amputate Edward's scissorhands. Edward lived alone in a castle until sweet-hearted Avon lady Peg Boggs(Dianne Wiest)comes and takes him to her home to live with her family. A must see for Tim Burton fans and anyone who enjoys a magical time watching a movie. I have recently bought this DVD and I love it. I give Edward Scissorhands two big thumbs way up and 100 stars. I hope my review has helped you.

masterpiece
i just realised that "Edward Scissorhands" is one of my favourite films. it has so much power. Tim Burton's storytelling, it is magnificent. his imagination is so great. the way he portrays his characters is so unique. every character is very distinct. like characters in his other works: Jack Skellingon, Ichbod Crane, Edward Bloom, Betelgeuse. now let's talk about the acting. johnny depp was magnificent. you could sense his emotion, even though he barely talks, as he portrays a lost, innocent, confused child. his make-up is excellent too. yes, he does look like a freak. but he looks good. and Winona Ryder. she's such a good actress. and can you say "pretty?" and oh! the set design and cinematography. the use of colour to expose the contrast between the two worlds. the pastel versus the dark castle. and the town! oh my. it is a dreamland. did you know that it is an actual neighborhood in Florida? one more thing. Danny Elfman's score is superb! ... Read more

Description

Based on the characters and story from the best-selling book by Stephen King, the Dead Zone is a unique psychological thriller that combines a rich mix of action, the paranormal and a continuing quest for justice. Contains the complete third season (episodes 1 - 12). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Season Three: 12 (More) Steps Toward Armageddon
Building upon the strengths of seasons one and two, the third season of The Dead Zone takes Johnny's visions of a future apocalypse to a new level as he has now been joined by another mysterious visitor with powers similar to his own.A new love in his life and a new change in the relationship with his son occurs.The creators of the show continue to have great fun turning the sci-fi fantasy genre on its ear with these amazing, wonderful stories.If you loved King's original book The Dead Zone, you will not be disappointed!There's a lot of great things waiting for you to see and I highly recommend picking up a copy.

Here's a summary of the episodes for this season:

Finding Rachel, Part 1: Johnny becomes a suspect in a case he's trying to resolve regarding Rachel Caldwell, a missing woman who also happens to be on Greg Stillson's election team.

Finding Rachel, Part 2: Johnny is arrested for Rachel Caldwell's murder.He must then convince the victim's sister that she must help him solve her murder, despite the fact that she is convinced Johnny is guilty of the crime.

Collision: A young girl's mysterious disappearance prompts Johnny to have visions about the night of his car accident.Somehow the two visions are connected and it is up to Johnny to resolve one vision before he can resolve the other.

Cold Hard Truth: A confrontational radio station jock draws Johnny to him.Unexpectedly, Johnny foresees the jock's death and, despite the animosity, decides to help him.

Total Awareness: Johnny teams up with a strange young woman with the ability to predict numbers.Together they seek to expose a 'total information awareness system' which threatens to put everyone's right to privacy in jeopardy.

No Questions Asked: Johnny offers to help Walt Bannerman with a crime from his past that has unexpectedly resurfaced.The catch?Don't ask any questions.

Looking Glass: Identical twin law students create a video depicting a murder in order to trick Johnny into having a vision about it.Things get more complicated when the ruse turns out to be a cover for something far more sinister.

Speak Now: While attending a wedding, Johnny has visions about the couple's pending future and must decide whether or not he should tell them about what he's seen.

Cycle of Violence: Johnny experiences visions of a Columbine-like school shooting while attending a school play.He cannot confirm the killer's identity. The principal of the school takes the opportunity to restrict the freedom of the students and starts making his own guesses about who the culprit is.

Instinct: Johnny and Walt investigate the unexplained, unnatural violent behavior of the wild animals that live around the city.

Shadows: Johnny has a vision of the death of a close friend and is nearly pushed to kill in order to protect them.

Tipping Point: Johnny's visions start causing physical problems and eventually threatening his life.He must decide if brain surgery is the right answer.Doing so would remove his Dead Zone causing him to lose the ability to possibly prevent Armageddon.

Season 3 - Seeing is Believing
Johnny Smith was a high school teacher with a lovely fiancée. That all changed after a tragic auto accident.Johnny wakes up from a coma six years later.His mother has since died, leaving his stepfather, the Reverend Gene Purdy as executor of her estate and Johnny's legal guardian.Even after extensive physical therapy, Johnny will need a cane in order to walk.And Sarah, believing he would never awaken, has married Walt, the local sheriff, who has adopted the child Sarah conceived with Johnny on their last night together.

All this would be hard enough on a normal person, but Johnny is no normal person.He discovers he has the ability to see things.Simply by touching other people, or objects touched by others, he can sense things that have happened, things that will happen, or things that are happening elsewhere.

The set for season 3 will include all 12 episodes. Extras include audio commentary on all 12 by the cast, the crew. There are deleted scenes and three exclusive behind-the-scenes featurettes.

1 & 2 Finding Rachel (Parts 1 & 2) - Johnny pieces together his visions to figure out what happened to a Stillson's campaign volunteers who mysteriously disappeared while she was with him.

3 - Collision - Johnny's vision of Katie Mercer (an 11 years old missing girl) clashes with visions of his accident.

4 - Cold Hard Truth - Johnny helps a disc jockey that is beaten by a group of bikers.

5 - Total Awareness - Johnny is stalked by a woman who has already killed 3 other psychics.

6 - No Questions Asked - Johnny helps Walt with a problem from his past but Johnny can't ask any questions.

7 - Looking Glass - A couple of lawyer twins use Johnny but Johnny his visions of murder are real.

8) Speak Now - Johnny has visions of him interrupting a wedding and needs to determine if the wedding should or shouldn't take place.

9) Cycle of Violence - Johnny gets a vision of a student going on a shooting spree and must find out how the student is.

10) Instinct - Johnny why there are animal attacks in this one town.

11) Shadows - Johnny must figure out his visions of himself killing a man.

12) Tipping Point - Johnny's headaches and blackouts are getting worse and he is considering brain surgery to remove his dead zone. ... Read more

Reviews (213)

2 thumbs down
I found John Hughes' 1985 movie The Breakfast Club to be an extremely generalized, heavy handed, piece of trite filmmaking that may or may not have been relevant to teenagers fifteen years ago, but is certainly nowhere near on target now.
Obviously it was by design that his five main characters were one-dimensional character sketches of so-called 'traditional' high school stereotypes. You have Andy the jock (Emilio Estevez), Claire the princess (Molly Ringwald, a John Hughes staple), Bender the criminal (Judd Nelson), Brian the nerd (Anthony Michael Hall), and Allison the basket case (Ally Sheedy). In my opinion, for Hughes to insinuate that these five people come from completely different backgrounds and had absolutely no contact with each other or anyone else from their particular 'type' during school is just plain silly. For example, it is quite likely that Claire and Andy, being popular people, would know each other, or at least that princesses and jocks would interact on a regular basis. Same thing goes for Bender and Allison as social outcasts. Only Brian, being the brain, would logically be shunned by all other classes.
For another thing, these categories have little relevance today because in today's modern society, and indeed this has always been true, teens simply cannot be categorized and labeled, even by their peers, in this manner. I myself saw elements of my personality in every one of the characters, and neither I nor anyone I know would fit neatly into these stereotypes.
The last thing I'm going to gripe about in this review is, logically enough, the ending. For a film that tried so hard to be edgy, the denouement was awfully hackneyed and predictable. Four out of the five characters hook up at the end? Gosh, I never saw that coming! Also, the treatment of Allison was laughable. This girl has serious psychological issues that have been with her all her life, but all she needs is a little makeup, a nice dress, and a clean-cut boyfriend to set her to rights? I don't think so, pal. Willful suspension of disbelief is all fine and good, but to trivialize Allison's pain and emotional trauma in this manner is irresponsible and does a disservice to those young people who do identify with her character. I think that's enough bashing for this film; while it had its moments, it certainly is by no means the 'classic' that it is reputed to be.

One for the ages
This movie is a classic and it will stand the test of time. This is the second "teen coming of age" installment from John Hues, and round 2 for Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. The first installment, Sixteen Candles, was more of a sexual coming of age movie whereas The Breakfast Club is more of a coming of age for one's character and social awareness. Where they are "teetering" with; do they stay with the social allegiances of their perspective pack, or do they listen to that inner voice...the voice of reason, maturity and human compassion that's not bound to any "click". I also like the choice of actors here; I think they all fit like pieces in a puzzle and make their characters totally believable. I am in the same age range as almost the entire cast and I was a senior in High school when this film came out. Allot of reviews seem to put this film within the Junior High crowd but I feel it's much more mature than that. The very message that it's trying to get across isn't understood in real life until we get close to 18 or so. The story is simple; 5 kids have to come into school on a Saturday for detention. At first they try to segregate themselves according to their school social standings. Inevitably they find out that they are more alike than they ever thought. The movie, in my eyes, is broken into 3 parts; the first part is pure character development. This is where you (the viewer) get to know each person they way they are supposed to be seen with their everyday face. At first, they act the way they think they should act, and stand up for what they always had, with out question or defiance. They stay true to their cause never steering away for a second. The second part of the film is where the movie itself develops. These 5 separate entities realize that they are variations of the same person. They have the same desires and anguishes. Their pressures and stresses are the same even though it's generated from very different sources.
The jock (Emilio Estevez) has the pressure to be on top of his sport (wrestling). In return for this he gets attention from his dad, coaches and keeps his standing within his social group. This is his priority in life and he doesn't stray.
The Princess (Molly Ringwald) has to conform and obey the rules of her social group in order to be accepted and keep her standing within the group. She keeps her eyes closed; mouth shut and goes along for the ride.
The Metal Head/criminal (Judd Nelson) is an angry guy! He wears the physical and mental scars of growing up in an abusive house. He hates most people, like the ones Emilio and Molly play, because in his eyes, they have had a free ticket and earned nothing...things are handed to them because of their social and/or economical standings. On the other hand, he feels that he's on a whole other plain because his eyes have been beaten open and he was forced to grow up a little faster than he wanted too or was ready too. I feel that Judd Nelson's character is the most crucial to the movie. He is the key to this whole new self-awareness for everyone, including himself.
The nerd (Anthony Michael Hall) is the quintessential geek. His every woken moment is spent learning. He hides behind his grades and in fact, he wants to be more accepted by the "cooler" groups. He also is a little "cocky" about his better grades and academically superiority to the other people in the room.
The weirdo (Ally Sheedy) is a loner and an outcast. She doesn't have friends that we (the viewers) know of. Because her parents ignore her, She feels ugly and without a place in the world. She is starving for positive attention. I think her character was needed in this movie to balance off the cast. It would have left out a very critical part of teen angst!
Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason) is the "Villain" of the movie. To the kids, he represents the out of touch older generation and the mean spirited, high testosterone adult. For Richard Vernon, these kids are the source of his anger and agony. He has lost touch with the younger generation for 1 reason, he got older...and the older you get, the harder it is to relate to youth. Youth recycles right before your eyes, but you keep getting older. His character is the key that releases these kids. He helps them to strip away the blindfolds and to take a fresh look at every thing and everyone (including themselves).

This leads to the 3rd and final part of the movie. Where they cleanse themselves of all the pentad up anger and prejudices. When the kids realize that they all have the same goal, they were just taking different roads to reach it. I highly recommend The Breakfast Club and it should go down as one of the all time great teenage movie!

A little time - a little perspective
I first saw this movie at a cinema in Austin in March, 1985. Just a year out of high school, I thought this was a deep, moving motion picture with a quality cast that really showed the feelings of different groups of students in schools. I could relate to the characters.

Move forward more than 19 years. This movie has not aged well. I read on the IMDB that John Hughes wrote this script in two days. After watching this movie again, I find that very easy to believe. It is horrible! - and this coming from a man who loves all things 80's! Was Judd Nelson about 35 when he made that movie? He looks about 20 years older than Anthony Michael Hall. Unbelievable characters and dialogue. Then they tie it up nice and neat at the end - with 2 unlikely couples pairing off leading us to believe there's no social caste in high schools.

With the small cast and lack of location shots, I'm amazed that I've never read about some high school drama club doing a stage production of this disaster. In any case, I've got a Breakfast Club DVD I'll never watch again - I'll post it used "New & Used" above.

Still relevant after all these years
Some question the durability of "The Breakfast Club," saying that the themes and plotlines do not hold up in today's teen society. As a 15-year-old, I would like to say that that is thoroughly untrue. 19 years after its release, "The Breakfast Club" is still a truthful, relateable account of teenagers and their personalities, and the ways in which they interact with each other. Sure, the stereotypes of the characters may be a bit exaggerated -- but that's necessary in order to get the point across. Watching this movie, I feel as if I know these people, or at least I've run across them at one point in my high school career.

The plot, as most people know, involves five different kids being assigned Saturday detention together. Each kid represents a typical high school stereotype -- a princess (Molly Ringwald), a jock (Emilio Estevez), a brain (Anthony Michael Hall), a basket case (the excellent Ally Sheedy), and a criminal (Judd Nelson). At the beginning of the day, none of them know each other, except for the princess and the jock. Throughout the day, they learn more about each other and work at tearing down the stereotypes that pit them against each other. As for the reviewer who said this isn't realistic that they would open up so much to each other -- it absolutely is. Put five kids into a room without an adult for nine hours, and they will talk about anything.

The beauty of this movie is the depth of the characters beyond the stereotypes -- particularly the nerd, Brian, who as we find out in the movie has problems well beyond what people think of him. He is the one that I most relate to in the movie. Watch "The Breakfast Club," and see who you most relate to. It's a great experience. Beyond the social commentary aspect, it's also just a funny movie. The jokes come at breakneck speed, especially for the first half of the movie (before it gets somewhat serious). The actors are also very enjoyable in their roles, particularly Ally Sheedy and Anthony Michael Hall. Highly recommended.

Must have to any collection.
The quintessential John Hughes film. I remember in my English class my junior year (1987) we had to analyze this movie. Only 2 years after it's release it was had all the qualities needed for a class analysis. I will spare you the report that I did back then.

Since then I have watched this movie at least once a year (and contrary to popular believe it is not for the panty shot). The characters are very well done. There is something that anyone who went through high school can relate to, even if we fit more than just one character. The interactions between the teens towards each other and then towards the principal as a group is classic. It's got love, teen angst, popular kids, geeks, dweebs, outcasts and the ever popular kid that doesn't fit in but always tries to get the attention. Nothing like dumping out your bag for people to go through to get attention.

Of course you can't forget the star cast of strong 80's actors, Emilio Estevez (Andrew 'Andy') Anthony Michael Hall (Brian) Judd Nelson (John Bender) Molly Ringwald (Claire) Ally Sheedy (Allison) and Paul Gleason (Principal). Great acting, John's look at teenagers and a great script all make for a very enjoyable look at the interactions and 'attitude' typical of the high school years.

I truly could go on about this movie but I won't. I'll just say that this is a much have for any movie buff and if you haven't seen it you must. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Vacation paved the way for the John Hughes movie dynasty of the 1980s.Written by Hughes (who would go on to write, direct, and/or produce The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Uncle Buck, Home Alone, and so on) and directed by Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Stuart Saves His Family), the first Vacation movie introduces us to the all-American Griswold family: father Clark (Chevy Chase), mother Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), son Rusty (future Hughes staple Anthony Michael Hall), and daughter Audrey (Dana Barron).They all pile into the car for a cross-country road trip to Walley World, stopping along the way to view the world's biggest ball of twine. John Candy, Imogene Coca, and Randy Quaid (as yokel Cousin Eddie) pop up along the way.The movie was a big hit, and was followed by several sequels--National Lampoon's European Vacation, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation--but this one is still probably the freshest and funniest of the bunch.--Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (114)

The movie is great but the DVD falls short
I love the National Lampoon's Vacation movie with Chevy Chase and the movie is wonderful and we all know that. My problem here is this 20th anniversary DVD Warner Bros put out First O.K the movie looks great the picture is wonderful and everything that's not the problem it is the real lack of special features that makes me rather dissapointed the best special feature the the commentary it is pretty entertaining there is alot of information that is useful but Harold Ramis who as you hear recorded his away from everyone else probably has the most useful information the others like Chevy Chase Dana Barron Anthony Michael Hall who is basically mute through out the whole darn thing and Randy Quaid and Matty Simmons once in a while come out with some good tidbits but they joke around too much. They talk about that alternate ending when they go to Roy Wally's Mansion instead make him and some people sing and dance for there dime's worth of entertainment and that is how the movie originally ended with no trip ever to Wally World with the Roller Coasters and such and no John Candy in the original ending and they tested the ending with a test audience and they laughed through out the whole film but got Strangly Quiet and never laughed again and just walked out sad. Guess What that alternate ending never made it on the DVD! You think after 20 years with so many loyal fans of this film they would release that ending for at least for interest just to see rare footage of this film. They just drive you nuts here on this DVD all of the special features except the Commentary which is cool everything else stinks. Where is the FEATURETTE? Where is the Making of...? Maybe some outtakes would have made this a bit more cooler and most of all for crying out loud release the alternate ending! What does Warner Bros got to lose! You also get on this DVD this family truckster gallery thing I don't know what else to call it you get this map of that ugly station wagon from the film and you pick highlighted things off of this picture of this wagon and just kind of guess what there going to talk about and it's not that great. I laugh because on that gallery they talk about 10 minutes in different galleries to Christie Brinkley? about her big scene and what she did on her SUMMER VACATION! Also talks to Dana Barron about "Why the heck she was missing from the other films"? also talks to the stunt guy who jumped that ugly station wagon in the desert and there some other stuff like the Theatrical Trailer OOH! and basically that's the movie your best here is the film itself and the commentary other than that it could have been a HECK of alot better maybe they redo the DVD and add better things because what is up with those bits of Chevy Chase Randy Quaid and Matty Simmons sitting with Atari sticks on the couch they act like they had to much to drink they don't make any sense.

The Holiday Road...
It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Chevy Chase was cool and funny. In "National Lampoon's Vacation," Chase stars as Clark Griswold, a man determined to drive his family cross-country to see Wally World, "America's Number One Family Theme Park." In the opening scene, Griswold gets stuck with a monstrous (and monstrously ugly) automobile-like contraption dubbed the "Family Truckster."

Unfortunately for him, that's the highpoint of his trip down the holiday road.

Everything that can go wrong does so as the Griswold clan weathers hubcap theft, a sportscar-driving temptress, two deaths and an endless variety of indignities heaped upon Clark himself as the result of his obsessive need to be the perfect husband and father. Chase's wild-eyed expressions as he approaches the brink of insanity are hilarious.

Harold Ramis directs a script by John Hughes (who would later team-up with costar Anthony Michael Hall for a few 80s teen comedies). Beverly D'Angelo tags along as Griswold's long-suffering wife. In-laws and outlaws sharing in the misfortune include Imogene Coca (as cranky Aunt Edna),a hilarious Randy Quaid (they had to bring him back for the last two sequels), a briefly seen Brian Doyle-Murray and swimsuit superstar Christie Brinkley.

This is one of those classic American comedies you really need to have seen by now. It's worth owning inany format. Also watch for John Candy in a brief role near the end... and listen for Harold Ramis' distinct voice (he has one line).All that, and a nude D'Angelo, too; after all, this was the 80s.

The family vacation series of all time
This is one great movie the 1st from the Griswalds all 4 were funny they took a road trip to California.Blah Blah Blah
Yada Yada Yada this was a great movie to see funny Chedder.
Story 10 Acting 10 Directing 9 Action 10 Entertainment 10
Overall=49/50 wich is 98% a lot of laughs in this one

Buy if you like movies this is pretty insane for you.

4.5 stars - a comedy classic
INTRODUCTION:
National Lampoon's Vacation was the first film in the Vacation series of films. For many years, the film has been hailed as a comedy classic. And according to most viewers of this series, the first film is the best one of all. Are they right? And is this twentieth anniversary edition of the DVD a worthwhile buy if you already got the original DVD issue? Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
The storyline of the film goes something like this. A middle-aged man working in the food preservation industry (Chevy Chase) wants to take his wife (Beverly D'Angelo) and children on a road trip to Walley World, one of the nation's biggest and best amusement parks. And he wants to do this in the new car he has ordered. But the vacation turns into a disaster almost instantly - the car company sends him the wrong car, and even once the vacation is in progress, one thing after another goes wrong - with each experience being even more devastating than the last.

FILM OPINIONS:

Anyone who calls this film a comedy classic is right. It's very rare that a film this funny comes along. The acting (Chevy Chase's in particular) is great, and the simplistic storyline prevents things from getting confusing. As has been previously stated, this film predated the Motion Picture Industry of America's PG-13 rating, so even though it's an R rating, it's really not much worse that a modern PG-13 is. If you haven't seen this movie yet, and you're a fan of comedies, what are you waiting for?

DVD:
The so-called "special edition" version of the DVD is a huge disappointment - this is why this set loses half a star. The commentary track is pretty bland, and the "new extras" are pretty much worthless. I recommend getting the original DVD release of the movie, as it is generally priced lower, and NO, you won't be missing anything if you get that version.

OVERALL:
Overall this film is a comedy masterpiece. Sure, the DVD could have been WAY better, but the movie itself more than makes up for this. Movies don't get a whole lot funnier than this one - so what are you waiting for? See it if you haven't yet!

Enjoyable, funny comedy
"Vacation" is an enjoyable, funny comedy that has spawned several sequels, but none have been as good as this one, the original. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast as "Clark Griswald," the determined father who leads his family from Illinios to see an amusement park in California. Along the way they encounter hilarious and sometimes truly bizarre situations. The remainder of the cast, with the exception of Christie Brinkley, are also excellent. I felt Brinkley's appearances in the movie were a distraction from the story, rather than adding to it. One cameo would have been okay, but not more than that.

Despite what you might think, "Vacation" is really not suited for little kids. The film is rated "R" because it has a fair amount of profanity, some of it quite strong, some nudity, and mature themes. ... Read more

Reviews (129)

Classic 80's Teen movie on a very poor DVD
If you want to own this movie on DVD then you'll have to be prepared to pay an arm and a leg. It's only out on region 1, and has long since been deleted, so commands a very high price for no apparant reason other than the film itself - its certainly not for the extras - there aren't any.

The film stars 80's starlet Molly Ringwald (Breakfast Club) and Anthony John Hall (Weird Science, Breakfast Club) and also reunites them with director John Hughes, also from "The Breakfast Club". Comparisions between the two cannot be helped. Personally I prefered "The Breakfast Club" but there must be many who disagree - both are good, assuming that you like that sort of thing. High School coming-of-age movies are after all pretty much of a muchness, as the recent spoof movie "Not Another Teen Movie" so aptly illustrates.

Where both Hughes movies fall down on DVD is with the lack of extra features. "Sixteen Candles" is at least in widescreen, but that's all - there's no remastered 5.1 audio mix, no subtitles, no trailer, no cast biographies, no featurettes, no commentaries, no nothing. And if the other reviewers are to be believed then the music on the DVD isn't even the original soundtrack, supposedly due to rights issues. I say this because I'd never seen the film before I brought the DVD so don't know any different. If true, it'll certainly be interesting to see the proper soundtrack if and when it ever comes to DVD again. 2004 will mark the 20th anniversary of the film, so prehaps the time is right to ask Universal to consider a re-release with decent extras.

Long Duck Dong
Sixteen Candles is another classic 80's teen/high school film. It's one of the rare ones that is actually great and memorable. The film starts teen queen Molly Ringwald as Sam, your normal, every day kid. Her family has forgotten her sixteenth birthday amid all the uproar of her older sister's upcoming wedding. That's not all. An annoying geek(hilariously played by Anthony Michael Hall)is hound-dogging her, she has a huge crush on a popular jock, her grandparents have invaded her home, and, worst of all, a foreign kid named Long Duck Dong(Gedde Watannabe)is staying in her room. It's a comedy of chaos as a young teenager tries to grow up. As expected, happiness shines through for all in the end. Sixteen Candles is a sweet,hilarious look at the life of an ordinary teen. Molly Ringwald is so real and believeable in this that she could be somebody you know, or, just maybe, could be you. The always reliable Paul Dooley plays her father. Watch out for John Cusack, Joan Cusack, and Jami Gertz in small roles. Sixteen Candles is a candle you'll never want to blow out.

Definitive 80's. A must!
Sixteen Candles is a must-see classic. Truly unique, original, and memorable. The cast is fantastic and the story has been duplicated countless times. It took me so long to finally see this, and I regret not seeing it earlier. Everyone talks about it, it's not worth being left out and you're just gonna thank yourself later anyway, so SEE IT NOW if you haven't already. If you have, see it again, memorize the lines, and have a Sixteen Candles drinking party!!!!

Great movie - BAD DVD
This was a fun movie. It does not take itself seriously and pokes fun at its characters. Some of the pokig fun is not politically correct (to wit - Long Duk Dong, and some of the BoHunk comments)) but that was a bit of the 80's.

This DVD has the original soundtrack, previously unavailable on VHS or the old DVD, and it still holds up.

THE BAD PART
Where to start - the packaging is cheap cheap CHEAP! They did not even put in a little card to tell you the chapter names. There is no commentary, no extras, NOTHING!

PLUS when you put it in, it goes through ads for other movies and DISABLES THE MENU BUTTON!

Again, this is a fun, 80's movie, but the DVD is so cheap and so obnoxious to the fans/owners that I hate to recommend it becuse the people who put it together were such jerks.

But I do recommend it. Enjoy.

A Rememberable Teen Flick.
This is definately the rebound film. It is hard to live up to a movie like The Breakfast Club. This film is your average, average, teen movie. It does boost some new things to the screen, but it is mostly predictable, however, it is enjoyable. It has enough great moments to outweigh the cheesy parts, which makes it good in my book. If you are in the mood for a "no surprise" movie, this is the film for you. I reccomend it. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

I give you "BENJAMINS", you give me funny!
Here is a movie that you don't have to take seriously to have a good time. Ice Cube as a bounty hunter was really on the money, because he had the grit and savvy to pull it off, but the show belonged to Mike Epps, who played the con artist. Epps is no Chris Tucker, but he's also not afraid to go the distance, and that is what makes his appearances memorable. This time around, Mike portrays a con-artist with more on his plate than his latest scam. Not only is he being chased by Cube, but he makes the mistake of stumbling onto a murder involving 26 million dollars in diamonds. On top of that, he loses his wallet with the killers. Scary enough they know where you live, but what if the wallet contained a lottery ticket that your girlfriend paid for with her hard earned money, and it hit for sixty million? Throughout this flick, both actors looked like they were having a ball. If your looking for a load of comedy mixed with a little mayhem, this could be for you.

Very good plot and hella funny!
This is a very good movie and Ice Cube has proven himself as a filmmaker. Mike Epps is one of the funniest people out there today and if you don't think so then you don't like or understand black comedy. That's cool though because a lot of times I don't understand white comedy. We as people just think different and there is nothing wrong with that. Anyway, before I get to deep with y'all out there, back to the movie. Like I was saying, the movie has a very good plot or theme to it. It was well thought out and was not just a movie to make you laugh, but make you think "what's go happen next." It had twist in it that you was not expecting. I don't want to write a whole two page article about the movie because it is time consuming and plus I'm not getting paid. I bought it before I ever saw it and I was very pleased with the purchase. Rent it or buy it, you won't be diasppointed.

It's entertaining and fun.
Fun movie to watch. It's even ok to watch over again. I do have a question though. How in the world did Reggie survive all of the shots into the van? Was he was able to anchor himself to the top of the van while the Bucum was shooting?

Get that money!!!!
I thought the movie was okay. It's one I would watch once in a while. Mike Epps has some serious big screen potential if he continues to pick some decent roles, and does not get type cast. He and Ice Cube make a good team. Decent flick.

bloody daft...and the bad guy wasn't Irish!
I was hoping for a good, light-hearted laugh on a Friday after a trying week. I didn't get it with this film. I found the whole thing to be stupid, sexist and downright offensive. I don't think I'm going to be getting this one any time soon. I've seen better writing from twelve year olds!
BTW, the bad guy in this is Scottish, not Irish! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

A very funny movie about an unrealistic concept
Could anyone really create a girl on their computer in 1985? Probably not, but that doesn't stop Gary (brat packer Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell Smith) from giving it a shot. Mystical forces soon take over and the two high school losers are left with a beautiful bombshell who is willing to fulfill their every desire. Every boy's dream, right?
Well, not exactly. They are so inexperienced and scared that they don't know what to do with the wild party girl. The movie walks us through their journey from quirky geeks to studs when they finally stand up for themselves.
The two guys have great comic chemistry with Kelly LeBrock, computer babe Lisa and create many laughable encounters with each other and other characters. Bill Paxton, a more serious actor today, is convincing as the rotten Chet. This is the role I will always remember him for, no matter what other movies he goes off to make about ghosts or twisters.
Director/writer John Hughes delivers another timeless gem about teenagers, continuing with the traditions of "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles." Here he gets a little sillier, but still remains clever and true-to-life.
DO watch this movie uncut on VHS or DVD if you really want to enjoy it. Cable TV does it absolutely no justice.

How about a greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray?
Of all the John Hughes-helmed 80's-teens-living-in-a-quaint-Chicago-suburb dramatic comedies, "Weird Science" is my favorite. While it's yet another take on on the 'losers who show everybody up in the end' genre of comedy that was so big at the time ('Revenge of the Nerds', anyone?), I find it far more hilarious than "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", and much more fun to watch than "The Breakfast Club". And you can hardly beat 'WS' when it comes to showcasing the fab fashions of the era. Ya know, big over-moussed and/or -crimped hair styles, narrow ties, pastels, spandex, and an overall lack of good taste that only the 70s can beat...

The two teen losers Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) & Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) have some great lines-- most of which I can't print in this review, but take my word: many of 'em are pretty freakin' funny. Bill Paxton's portrayal of nasty big-brother Chet was definitely a springboard for his career of playing whiny scumbag-type characters (remember Hudson from "Aliens"? Or the weasely car salesman from "True Lies"?). Robert Downey Jr. even makes a strong appearance, looking very much the epitome of 80's suburban new-wave fashion as one of our heroes' many tormentors, many years before his substance abuse problems made the headlines in the Hollywood gossip pages.

And then there's Kelly LeBrock as Lisa, a new take on 'Frankenstein'-- oh man, the wrong things I'm thinkin' as she struts about in the various outfits she throws herself into... and out of. Oh yes, heh. Er, excuse me; I gotta go hose myself down...

Okay, hormonal balance re-established, thank God. Speakin' of Lisa: my favorite part is where she takes the geeky buddies out to a bar with a predominantly black clientele. As Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) drinks himself into a near-stupor he becomes "pimp-daddy", doing the shuckin'-and-jivin' routine that Eminem couldn't even hope to touch. Amos 'n' Andy move over! Another great scene is Lisa letting Gary's parents know just what'll be goin' on at the house party she's taking their son to. Their overwrought reaction and Gary's complete embarrassment to her brutal honesty here is priceless!

Please note that there are two versions of 'Weird Science' on DVD. The latter release, part of Universal's "High School Reunion" series, includes the original soundtrack used in the theatrical version, as well as a much clearer and brighter picture, and superior audio quality and separation than the former release. Oh, and it also includes the original theatrical trailer as a bonus feature, and English subtitles. Unfortunately, the subtitles only catch about two thirds of what the subjects are actually saying 'cuz much of the dialogue is fairly swift. Otherwise, this is the best video release of the film to come out yet, and is a highly recommended addition to any 80s-teen-comedy fan's video shelf.

'Late

Chips, dips, chains, whips...
This is one of the great 80s flicks, courtesy of the great 80s flicks guy, John Hughes. There are a hundred moments in this movie that flash me back to being an awkward 13 year old dork (as opposed to the awkward 32 year old dork I am now). And so many great lines! "Do you realize it's snowing in my room, godd**it?" Or when Gary opens the bathroom door and the cute girl asks, "What are you guys doing in there?" "Gary was just takin' a s**t!" *flash to a hand slapping Wyatt's face*

And, ya gotta love the bar scene, where a drunk Gary "tells his tale."

Anyway, it's a funny, funny movie, and highly recommended to anyone who loves the John Hughes 80s. An essential!

More 80's dribble that we can't get enough of
This is another movie from the best decade in recorded history. Sure it's far out, unbelievable, and silly, but that's why we love it. I remember when this movie first came out Kelly LeBrock (The creation) was supposed to be 'the next big thing'. But hey, who wouldn't their woman going into a lingerie store and asking "Do you have this in black leather or barbed wire?"

Anthony Michael Hall is 'Dr. Frankenstein' and along with his dweeb partner, create the perfect woman with a Barbi Doll and a computer that could barely play Pong without crashing. My God do you remember those 5.25 inch floppy diskettes??

Well what else do we have, grandparents get frozen in a closet, the bully big brother turns into a green mucus pile with eyes, a clean Robert Downey Jr., a British Mad Max motorcycle gang in the living room, and oh yes, a nuclear missle growing out of the basement and through the roof.

Some things are dated, but boys wearing bras on their heads will never go out of style.

Weird Science
This movie is the best "retro" comedy movie in cinema history!!! It keeps you laughing through the whole movie! Not just giggling, but the kind of pee-your-pants laughing.I think the best scene is when the blonde kid gets drunk at the club...the way he slurrs is HILARIOUS!!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent dramatic reinterpretation of an even more dramatic
This is a movie focusing on well known facts from the Def Leppard 197901986 period.

It starts with Joe Elliot auditioning for Atomic Mass, the band including Sav and Pete Willis, and goes all the way to their first performance with Rick Allen after his accident.

The casting directors and vocal coaches did a fantastic job.Also, the director was able to pull off the personal background that affected highs (their first EP funded by Joe Elliott's dad) and lows (Steve Clark drinking his father's demons (literally) to death) of the band without overdramatizing them.

Also, the movie shows us the influence that Mutt Lange had on their carreer without forgetting the fact that the Lepps had the skills, the talent and the commitment to make it happen with his producing genius.

If you are a fan of Def Leppard, stop reading and buy this movie immediately.If you were a casual fan of the Pyromania and Hysteria albums, you might as well enjoy a nicely made movie that gives you a glimpse into the history of a hugely popular "pop" metal band.

What do you want??? I WANT ROCK N ROLL!

This a MUST for all Leppard Fans!!
This is really good movie, every DL fan should own it. It starts from the beginning, including the old drummer, and it ends at the peak of Hysteria.

DEF LEPPARD IS THE GREATEST BAND GOD EVER MADE!!!

DEF LEPPARD ROCKS
This is a very good movie and I definitely recommend that ANY Def Leppard fan buy it. The actors in the movie look pretty similar to the members also....and it's a good way to learn more about the band if you're a new fan. ... Read more

Amazon.com

61* is an endearing ode to the baseball days of yore when the press was the enemy, salaries were in check, and breaking records with bat and glove took on Ruthian proportions. In 1961 baseball expanded its season from 154 games to 162, allowing weaker pitching into the major leagues and two New York Yankees teammates--the colorless Roger Maris and golden boy Mickey Mantle--to make an assault on the sport's ultimate record: Babe Ruth's 60 home runs. To add to the stew, baseball commissioner Ford Frick announced any record set in the last eight games of the season wouldn't count toward the official record; records had to be achieved in 154 games.

Director Billy Crystal guarantees success for his movie in the perfect casting of the leads. Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan's religious sniper) is deft as Maris, and Thomas Jane is a perfect Mantle, a superman in a Yankee uniform. Despite the differences between family man Maris and hard-living Mantle, they form a rewarding friendship amid the media and fan frenzy. The shy Maris took the brunt of the storm, even facing boo-birds in his home stadium. Crystal and first-time writer Hank Steinberg keep the pace moving quickly between the field, the locker room, the press box, and the home front. The film never tries to dazzle with more than the facts (and it softens Mantle up a bit), yet it belongs on the short list of grand baseball movies. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (80)

An Excellent Baseball Film
A truly outstanding movie, as director Billy Crystal and actors Thomas Jane (Mickey Mantle) and Barry Pepper (Roger Maris) bring the 1961 baseball season and home run chase to life. This movie is as authentic as perhaps any sports movie I've ever seen, and the two stars give powerful performances--Mantle's charisma and legendary carousing as well as his tape-measure home runs made him a hero to millions, while Maris was a quiet, shy type who didn't want the limelight. But he was Mantle's equal on the field that year, and the pair was chasing the home run record of perhaps the biggest legend of all, Babe Ruth.

The Yankee fan will love this movie, as Crystal went to great pains to recreate Yankee Stadium and cast actors as baseball players who looked and played not only like Mantle and Maris, but Whitey Ford (Anthony Michael Hall), Yogi Berra, Elston Howard and all the rest. The relentless sportswriters (including a fine performance by Richard Masur as "Milt") who wouldn't leave Maris alone ring true, and Ford Frick, the commissioner of baseball back then, is a bit of a villian--he loved Ruth and clearly didn't want the record broken.

One of the most touching aspects of the film is the open and close, where Crystal intercuts actual footage of Mark McGuire tying and breaking the Maris record with actors and actresses portraying Maris's widow Pat and their kids looking on. Likewise, Crystal's daughter, Jennifer Crystal Foley, is excellent as the young Pat Maris.

The extras on this DVD are nearly as good as the movie itself. Crystal offers off-camera audio and narrates each scene of the movie, which is fascinating, and there's an hour-long behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film which is also powerful...it includes a clip of the "Dinah Shore Show" from 1977 when Crystal, then starring on "Soap," sat next to Mantle, introduced himself and showed his hero a program with his signature from 1956.

Strongly recommended, a movie which will stand the test of time for baseball fans, and another feather in the cap of Billy Crystal--there's very little he can't do, and if nothing else, you'll realize what a true baseball and Yankee fan he is.

Five Stars Is Not Enough
It was the summer of 1961, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were chasing the illusive home run record held by none other than Babe Ruth. This is the story of that fateful summer. "61*" is probably one of the best baseball movies I have ever seen. I would have never imagined that Billy Crystal would have ever been able to put together such a great film.

The cast in this movie is wonderful. Roger Maris, played by Barry Pepper, who was also in "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Green Mile," was played very well. I can't comment on accuracy of the actual character as I was not alive when this story took place. But, the roles were very believable. The struggle that Roger Maris went through as a result of the media blitz that surrounded him and the ghost of Babe Ruth, must have been so painful.

Now, I don't claim to be a baseball expert, nor would I say that I am actually a fan of the game in the state it is in today. But, this film was when baseball was a game and people still played for the love of the game. Yes, there were rich ballplayers, but many still had winter jobs and needed playoff bonuses to stay afloat. They had a head for the game and they had heart for the game, now most have a head for the game and a heart for real estate.

This movie is wonderful. If I was a producer, I would defiantly give Billy Crystal money for a movie. . . I do know that Mr. Crystal is a fan of the game. So, I do wonder slightly if the movie is accurate or if it a fan piece. . . But, honestly, I do not care. The story was amazing.

epc

This movie was a lot like baseball-slow and going nowhere
This movie is just like baseball...you sit in a seat for hours watching an incredibly slow game while you drift off to sleep. Sorry all you baseball fans...but I'm a football fan and I need action to sustain life when I'm sitting in a small stadium seat for numerous hours. You have to hand it to Barry Pepper, who plays Marris quite well. I thought that he had hit an all-time low when he played the ape-like human with dred locks in "Battlefield Earth". Back to *61. What is the deal with the asterik? Is that the most interesting thing that a baseball columnist can think of? But with respect for Marris for breaking the Babe's record, I have to give the film two stars, cause if I gave it one you'd all probably find me and beat me with his signed baseball bat.

Region 1 Encoding
Just a quick note about the Region encoding for this DVD for UK customers. This DVD WILL work on the PAL PS2 when used with a product called "DVD Region X" (about £10). Just make sure your TV can display 60Hz. 50Hz TVs will play the movie in black and white.

61*
This is now one of my favorite baseball movies of all time. I had never seen this movie until I purchased it on amazon. First, it is needed to say that I hate the Yankees. Even with my bias view of the team, this is the first (and last) time I will ever pull for the yankees. The bottom line is simply that this is an enjoyable movie for both baseball fans and those who do not follow the game. ... Read more

Reviews (114)

The movie is great but the DVD falls short
I love the National Lampoon's Vacation movie with Chevy Chase and the movie is wonderful and we all know that. My problem here is this 20th anniversary DVD Warner Bros put out First O.K the movie looks great the picture is wonderful and everything that's not the problem it is the real lack of special features that makes me rather dissapointed the best special feature the the commentary it is pretty entertaining there is alot of information that is useful but Harold Ramis who as you hear recorded his away from everyone else probably has the most useful information the others like Chevy Chase Dana Barron Anthony Michael Hall who is basically mute through out the whole darn thing and Randy Quaid and Matty Simmons once in a while come out with some good tidbits but they joke around too much. They talk about that alternate ending when they go to Roy Wally's Mansion instead make him and some people sing and dance for there dime's worth of entertainment and that is how the movie originally ended with no trip ever to Wally World with the Roller Coasters and such and no John Candy in the original ending and they tested the ending with a test audience and they laughed through out the whole film but got Strangly Quiet and never laughed again and just walked out sad. Guess What that alternate ending never made it on the DVD! You think after 20 years with so many loyal fans of this film they would release that ending for at least for interest just to see rare footage of this film. They just drive you nuts here on this DVD all of the special features except the Commentary which is cool everything else stinks. Where is the FEATURETTE? Where is the Making of...? Maybe some outtakes would have made this a bit more cooler and most of all for crying out loud release the alternate ending! What does Warner Bros got to lose! You also get on this DVD this family truckster gallery thing I don't know what else to call it you get this map of that ugly station wagon from the film and you pick highlighted things off of this picture of this wagon and just kind of guess what there going to talk about and it's not that great. I laugh because on that gallery they talk about 10 minutes in different galleries to Christie Brinkley? about her big scene and what she did on her SUMMER VACATION! Also talks to Dana Barron about "Why the heck she was missing from the other films"? also talks to the stunt guy who jumped that ugly station wagon in the desert and there some other stuff like the Theatrical Trailer OOH! and basically that's the movie your best here is the film itself and the commentary other than that it could have been a HECK of alot better maybe they redo the DVD and add better things because what is up with those bits of Chevy Chase Randy Quaid and Matty Simmons sitting with Atari sticks on the couch they act like they had to much to drink they don't make any sense.

The Holiday Road...
It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Chevy Chase was cool and funny. In "National Lampoon's Vacation," Chase stars as Clark Griswold, a man determined to drive his family cross-country to see Wally World, "America's Number One Family Theme Park." In the opening scene, Griswold gets stuck with a monstrous (and monstrously ugly) automobile-like contraption dubbed the "Family Truckster."

Unfortunately for him, that's the highpoint of his trip down the holiday road.

Everything that can go wrong does so as the Griswold clan weathers hubcap theft, a sportscar-driving temptress, two deaths and an endless variety of indignities heaped upon Clark himself as the result of his obsessive need to be the perfect husband and father. Chase's wild-eyed expressions as he approaches the brink of insanity are hilarious.

Harold Ramis directs a script by John Hughes (who would later team-up with costar Anthony Michael Hall for a few 80s teen comedies). Beverly D'Angelo tags along as Griswold's long-suffering wife. In-laws and outlaws sharing in the misfortune include Imogene Coca (as cranky Aunt Edna),a hilarious Randy Quaid (they had to bring him back for the last two sequels), a briefly seen Brian Doyle-Murray and swimsuit superstar Christie Brinkley.

This is one of those classic American comedies you really need to have seen by now. It's worth owning inany format. Also watch for John Candy in a brief role near the end... and listen for Harold Ramis' distinct voice (he has one line).All that, and a nude D'Angelo, too; after all, this was the 80s.

The family vacation series of all time
This is one great movie the 1st from the Griswalds all 4 were funny they took a road trip to California.Blah Blah Blah
Yada Yada Yada this was a great movie to see funny Chedder.
Story 10 Acting 10 Directing 9 Action 10 Entertainment 10
Overall=49/50 wich is 98% a lot of laughs in this one

Buy if you like movies this is pretty insane for you.

4.5 stars - a comedy classic
INTRODUCTION:
National Lampoon's Vacation was the first film in the Vacation series of films. For many years, the film has been hailed as a comedy classic. And according to most viewers of this series, the first film is the best one of all. Are they right? And is this twentieth anniversary edition of the DVD a worthwhile buy if you already got the original DVD issue? Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
The storyline of the film goes something like this. A middle-aged man working in the food preservation industry (Chevy Chase) wants to take his wife (Beverly D'Angelo) and children on a road trip to Walley World, one of the nation's biggest and best amusement parks. And he wants to do this in the new car he has ordered. But the vacation turns into a disaster almost instantly - the car company sends him the wrong car, and even once the vacation is in progress, one thing after another goes wrong - with each experience being even more devastating than the last.

FILM OPINIONS:

Anyone who calls this film a comedy classic is right. It's very rare that a film this funny comes along. The acting (Chevy Chase's in particular) is great, and the simplistic storyline prevents things from getting confusing. As has been previously stated, this film predated the Motion Picture Industry of America's PG-13 rating, so even though it's an R rating, it's really not much worse that a modern PG-13 is. If you haven't seen this movie yet, and you're a fan of comedies, what are you waiting for?

DVD:
The so-called "special edition" version of the DVD is a huge disappointment - this is why this set loses half a star. The commentary track is pretty bland, and the "new extras" are pretty much worthless. I recommend getting the original DVD release of the movie, as it is generally priced lower, and NO, you won't be missing anything if you get that version.

OVERALL:
Overall this film is a comedy masterpiece. Sure, the DVD could have been WAY better, but the movie itself more than makes up for this. Movies don't get a whole lot funnier than this one - so what are you waiting for? See it if you haven't yet!

Enjoyable, funny comedy
"Vacation" is an enjoyable, funny comedy that has spawned several sequels, but none have been as good as this one, the original. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast as "Clark Griswald," the determined father who leads his family from Illinios to see an amusement park in California. Along the way they encounter hilarious and sometimes truly bizarre situations. The remainder of the cast, with the exception of Christie Brinkley, are also excellent. I felt Brinkley's appearances in the movie were a distraction from the story, rather than adding to it. One cameo would have been okay, but not more than that.

Despite what you might think, "Vacation" is really not suited for little kids. The film is rated "R" because it has a fair amount of profanity, some of it quite strong, some nudity, and mature themes. ... Read more

Description

The Dead Zone DVD Gift Pack includes the four discs detailed below.

Disc #1
Episodes 1 & 2: Wheel of Fortune & What It Seems
Episode 3: Quality of Life

Disc #2
Episode 4: Enigma
Episode 5: Netherworld
Episode 6: The House

Disc #3
Episode 7: Unreasonable Doubt
Episode 8: The Siege
Episode 9: Enemy Mind

Disc #4
Episode 10: Here There Be Monsters
Episode 11: Dinner With Dana
Episode 12: Shaman
Episode 13: Destiny ... Read more

Reviews (25)

fantastic first 2 episodes
I not a fan of the series for many reasons...I think they should have made a new movie instead of a tv show. The movie would basically be the first two episodes of this tv series. There isn't much to add to the story, considering the show has no direction to it(what's the motivation of the story? What is the point of it?). The Dead Zone 1983 older movie with Christopher Walken(he plays creepy characters) in it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either, so forget the movie and stick with the tv show instead.

The cast was well picked out, there is so much depth to the characters. Anthony Michael Hall is just amazing as Johnny, he makes his character so natural and human (awesome acting!).

I especially like the first episode when Johnny experiences his doctor past and helps him find his mother. It was amazing how that one scene where by touching the doctors uncle he is able to see the insanity and the emotions of the villagers as they are fleeing the village(when they pause). Or when the doc goes back and reunites with his mother he thought was dead(I cried, it was so sweet and touching). See the first two episodes, they are beautiful and I doubt I even gave you a glimpse of how good it is.

Brilliant first two episodes. Well directed, with amazing cinamatography =)

-Julie

Fan from the beginning
I have been hooked to this TV series since it's pilot in June of 2002. As a big fan of Stephen King, the author of the book The Dead Zone, I had to at least give it a try. I wasn't disappointed! Week after week, it's spellbinding and never fails to please. When I heard the first season was coming out on DVD, I had to get it...and did!

Now I hear that season 2 is coming to DVD June 8, 2004 and WILL be getting that as well. Season 3 starts June 6, 2004 and I'm ready to begin watching it again. Actually I was ready with the season finale last year.

I HIGHLY recommend this DVD set, as well as Season 2, to everyone. And be sure to catch the new season!!!

A Standout Show That Only Gets Better!
I was mildly interested in the DVD set when I saw it in a local store. Until then I had never heard of it. I FINALLY picked it up and was totally blown away by the great writing, good acting, and uniqueness of this show!! DEFINITELY worth EVERY dime!!

A very pleasant suprise!!!
Johnny Smith ( Anthony Michael Hall) is an energetic and popular teacher who is engaged to a woman named Sarah (Nicole de Boer)who he has loved his entire life. Unfortunately, Johnny gets into a near fatal car accident that puts him into a coma for 6 years. When Johnny wakes up 6 years after the accident, his life goes through some major changes. The first is that Sarah has moved on with her life and is married to a man named Walt( Chris Bruno)who is the town sheriff. To make matters worse, Sarah was pregnant with Johnny's son that has been raised by Walt, and his son has no idea who Johnny really is. The second and most important change, is that the accident awakened a part of the brain, which is refered to as the "Dead Zone" which allows Johnny to receive visions from the past and the future whenever he touches someone or a physical object related to a particular person. Now as Johnny attempts to begin a new life, he must adjust to his abilities and use them to help those in need.

Up until very recently, I was extremely skeptical about this show for two different reasons. The first and most obvious reason was because Anthony Michael Hall played the lead character. Most people including myself have only seen Anthony play nerdy characters in John Hughes movies, and other roles in unknown "B" films. The second reason why I was always skeptical, was because I figured that there was no way that a weekly television show could be made dealing with the characters from Stephen King's book and the film, because it is a story that is pretty specific and hard to stretch out. However, since the show has received very positive reviews, I decided to put my skepticism aside and give the first season a try.

After recently finishing the first season on this DVD set, all I can say is that I was seriously impressed and literally blown away at how good this show turned out to be. Anthony Michael Hall shows that he is actually a very decent actor and does a wonderful job as Johnny Smith. He makes the character extremely believeable and easy to connect with. The show also features a great mix of romance, drama, and suspense with all of the visions that Johnny receives. You also get wrapped up in watching Johnny trying to adjust to his new life and dealing with the fact that the woman he loves is married to someone else. The reason I could only give the first season of "The Dead Zone" four stars however, is because there were a few episodes that were rather boring and slow moving. But, at least 10 out of the 13 episodes are fantastic. The DVD set overall offers some pretty cool extras as well like interviews with guest stars, a preview of season 2, commentary, etc.. All I can say is that I am definately a fan of this show now, and I plan on purchasing the season 2 DVD set as soon as June 8th arrives.

A solid 4 stars...

A GREAT NEW SHOW
When I accidentally stumbled on this show when my dad rented the first season, I was hooked from the very first episode. It is a great show, and doesn't have a lot of moments when you would think, "this would never happen in real life." With a lot of TV shows getting cancelled like X Files, Buffy, and now Angel will be gone after this season I think this show should be supported because of it's orginal storylines. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This unusual but strikingly affecting movie stars Marisa Tomei as Ruby,a young woman with a string of bad relationships behind her, who falls inlove with a guy named Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio, Full Metal Jacket,The Whole Wide World). Initially, Sam just seems quirky, buteventually he tells her his secret: he's a time traveler from 400 years inthe future. Happy Accidents walks a delicate line between genres,never making it clear whether Sam is delusional or telling the truth untilthe end. The strange blend of genres (which plays like romantic comedy,not like science fiction) may make some viewers balk, but writer-directorBrad Anderson (Next Stop Wonderland) has a gift for both revealingpsychological insights and sensual moments--like when Sam explainsprincipals of time travel by running his hands up Ruby's leg--that,combined with the superb cast, are constantly engaging and sincerelytouching. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Quirky story with great acting!
Happy Accidents is a great film because it deviates from the norm. It successfully mixes a bit of science fiction with a bit of romantic comedy to produce a great off-beat film. Vincent D'onofrio once again does a smashing job portraying his character. The quirky guy from the future with his lovable and lamentable idiosyncrasies comes off perfectly. Marisa Tomei does a fine job as well, though I cringe everytime she screams.
The film is laced with laughs, but at the same time is very touching and convincing. I especially like the scene where d'onofrio's character explains how time travel works. "Do you know how a combustion engine works?"
I'll admit, the film probably isn't everyone's taste, but it's great for a few laughs, some touching moments and another magnificent performance by Vincent D'onofrio.

Keeping the future safe for love and codependency
It turns out that lovestruck kooks from the future are much less entertaining than killer cyborgs from the future. That's one of the ways that HAPPY ACCIDENTS, a boy-travels-through-time-to-get-girl romance, suffers by comparison with such genre greats as James Cameron's 1984 masterpiece THE TERMINATOR, Terry Gilliam's macabre TWELVE MONKEYS, and Robert Zemeckis' BACK TO THE FUTURE franchise. If you haven't seen these or the more recent MEMENTO (which uses time in other, equally fresh ways), HAPPY ACCIDENTS is a harmless enough knock-off.

Child-like Sam Deed (Vincent D'Onofrio) "back travels" from the year 2460 to prevent an unhappy accident from befalling serial romantic Ruby Weaver (Marisa Tomei). Ms. Tomei brings a novel appeal - call it whiny eroticism - to Ruby's too-caring bachelorette. But Mr. D'Onofrio's Sam, afflicted with time-travel jet lag and repeatedly caught in the lies his secret mission demands, comes off as more pathological than quirky, unappealing even by Ruby's low standards. Their chemistry peaks early, and Sam is reduced to spouting the hackneyed pseudo-science of time travel fiction while Ruby frets about her taste in men. Fortunately, a great supporting cast adds texture, led by Nadia Dajani as Ruby's SJF best friend, and Ruby's therapist (Holland Taylor), a wise comic voice with a few surprises of her own. These small delights, rather than its central characters or plot, make HAPPY ACCIDENTS worthy of the name.

Cheeseman's Theory of Emotional Energy
Rarely do I find a movie that I can watch twice, let alone in a week's time. But having seen it on the Independent Film Channel I subsequently bought a copy online and watched it again with the same delight as the first go around.

Vincent D'onofrio plays Sam, a man from the future (Dubuque, Iowa on the Atlantic Coast to be specific) who after some tragic events in the future has broken the time-space continuum and traveled back some 400 years to find his one true love Ruby, whose picture he found in a curio shop. After a "chance encounter" in a park in NYC where they strike up a conversation and Sam entertains her, he seeks to find where she lives to return a book that she has forgotten on the park bench. The love-shy Ruby, who has had her share of "losers" in the past, is aloof when he approaches her but all the same curious of who this strange man is. To skip giving away any of the plot-line and formation, they begin a romantic relationship. But as the eccentric time-traveller starts to display odd and suspicious physical and personality traits, the neurotic Ruby begins to think that he is playing her for a fool. She confides finally in a therapist and after many see-saw episodes between the couple she believes that she must leave him. To keep her love he slowly uncovers the truth about who he really is. From this the main thrust of the movie becomes encapsuled in a simple futuristic ideal: Cheeseman's Emotional Energy Theory, which holds that if you can concentrate enough emotional energy on a particular moment in time you can alter the past and create a new future. Thus Sam has come back to save Ruby and himself from their tragic lots in life.

The strange sci-fi aspect of this romantic comedy is what fuels it to excellence and keeps it from becoming the prototypical toothy-actor "loser" meets the Hollywood starlett "princess" which normally plagues the genre. D'onofrio, though sometimes an over-actor, is always believable and sincere in his performances unlike a Tom Cruise or Harrison Ford, who no matter what they do, we are cognizant of the fact that they are mega-stars playing a part. Sam is real and likeable and thus the storyline becomes engrossing and brilliantly devised. Marisa Tomei, who I have never really thought twice about, is equally supportive and performs well and to the extreme which obliterates anything hackneyed or cliched about the film. A must have movie.

A real sleeper
Why didn't this movie click at the box office? The characters played by Tomei and D'Onofrio are people you actually care about; that alone makes the movie superior to 99% of what passes as romantic comedy these days. Tomei especially sells her part (a difficult one) with touching credibility. A nice bonus is the believable relationship Tomei has with her parents, especially her Mom (who gives her daughter a pep talk about love that is one of the best scenes in the movie). Finally, a special nod to Holland Taylor, who just gets more terrific with the years, in a crucial supporting role.

(One word of warning: if you ever do get a chance to see this in the movie theaters, don't. Nothing will kill the magic of the film's ending faster than having some lamebrain behind you wailing to his/her date: "But I don't UNDERSTAND -- what did she see in that photograph, anyway?"

Fun and holds your attention
It was a happy accident that I saw this movie. It is like all the time travel clichés wrapped up in one. However they picked just the right actors for the parts. You of course recognize Marisa Tomei from the movie "Oscar" (1991); however it may take you a second to recognize Vincent D'Onofrio as the bug in the Edgar suit in the movie "Men in Black" (1997). There is never a dull moment following all the twists and turns.

Sam and Ruby run cross paths and immediately know they have met before. She says déjà vu; he says time travel. And as they get to know each other he comes clean about being from the year 2472 and she figures out where he is really from. Checking out the pictures in his wallet really help tie the movie together and is a nice added touch to most "K-Pax" type "are you or aren't you" movies.
However do not let this fact or physics get in the way of a story that is in truth about people.
So sit back kibitz a little and enjoy ... Read more