Description

In TOP GUN, Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, a talented training pilot in an elite U.S. school for fighter pilots. When he stumbles upon some MiG's over the Persian Gulf, and his wingman panics, Maverick cleverly talks him through the situation to safety. Consequently, he is moved up in rank and sent to the Top Gun Naval Flying School. There he has several conflicts with other students while trying to live up to his deceased father's reputation.Unable to cope with the death of his best friend, and fellow pilot, Goose, Maverick contemplates dropping out, but follows through with his dream and ultimately becomes one of the "best of the best." ... Read more

Reviews (209)

Fun, but not realistic.
"Top Gun" is not the movie to watch if you are looking for authentic military activities. It is, however, a showcase for Tom Cruise to show how hot he and his band of young stud actors are. Cruise plays Maverick, a crack Navy pilot who get the chance to go to the elite Top Gun Avaiation School. There he is placed in competition with other excellent pilots, but his cheif rival is Iceman (Val Kilmer). This is your standard story of a boy wonder trying to prove himself to a father figure. The romance with his instructor is also sort of superficial. It is, however, very funny to watch all the bloated egos trying to function, resulting in very funny lines of dialog. Also the dog fights are very cool and exciting. Good job Tony Scott. I have met a lot of pilots who act just like these guys, but it didn't seem as funny at the time, though.

Top Gun
This movie is an awesome hit from director Tony Scott (also directed Beverly Hills Cop, Enemy of the State,and much more) dense with fun and excitement that will keep you FLYING for as long as you like. Tom Cruise (Days of Thunder, Jerry Maguire, etc.) stars as hotshot fighter jet pilot "Maverick" Pete Mitchell, who is elected with his partner "Goose" (Anthony Edwards) to enter the Navy's very competitive "Top Gun" program, where many comparible opponents challenge him to win the top rank, including "Iceman" Tom Kusansky (Val Kilmer) and "Slider" (Russ Rossovich). Stars Kelly McGillis as Mitchell's girlfriend, with appearances by Michael Ironside, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Meg Ryan (as Goose's wife), and Tim Robbins. A great action film.

Top Gun baby!
TOPGUN..wat can i say. i grew up watchin this film ,its fun, exciting,thrilling and above all SEXY..tom cruise has never looked soo hott...this movie has given a new meaning to the song 'Youve lost that loving feeling' youd be surprised how many pilots, footballers sing this to girls in bars...it has an amazing soundtrack. 'take my breath away' performed by berlin is a wonderful emotional lovesong that truly melts your heart. so if your a fan of a little romance then this will be a movie top of your list. i know a lot of my boy friends have enjoyed this film so its not just a sloppy romance for girls. the boys get a kick out of 'Maverick' the stud played by Cruise who is 'one hell of an instinctive pilot' who learns never to leave his wing man. His best friend 'Goose' is the coolest character hes so entertaining. there are really fun sexy catchprases, such as 'goose ya big stud take me to bed and loose me forever' and 'son your ego is writing checks your body cant cash'
Top gun is a great movie to just chill out with some popcorn on the sofa and watch with your best friends. ill guarantee you will definately enjoy it.
"there are no points for second place in Topgun." (girls checkout the volleyball scene...mmm)

Awesome Movie!
This movie is a definate classic. The story line is interesting and not mindless like many of hollywoods other movies. Plus we have a beautiful guy with a smile that will make you melt playing the sensitive yet daring main charecter; need I say more? Be careful about chosing when to watch this though, you may have trouble focusing your brain on anything other than Tom Cruises amazing smile.

Top Gun Favourite.
Absolute cheese on a stick, but Top Gun proves that that's not always a bad thing. This movie's got everything - an arrogant prodigy who'd be out on his ass if he wasn't so good, a sensible, more down to earth best friend, a love interest, an arch nemesis and his dumb sidekick, a few cool high fives and catchphrases, the emotional death scene, a euphoric victory act and of course, some unforgettable action sequences. What more could any red-blooded child of the eighties ask for?

Anyone born around 1980 will remember how everyone was doing that double high five and saying 'talk to me Goose' to the kid next to them in class. Certainly one of my all time favourites - entertaining stuff. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As a bleak and chilling mood piece, The Machinist gets under your skin and stays there. Christian Bale threw himself into the title role with such devotion that he shed an alarming 63 pounds to play Trevor Reznik (talk about "starving artist"!), a factory worker who hasn't slept in a year. He's haunted by some mysterious occurrence that turned him into a paranoid husk, sleepwalking a fine line between harsh reality and nightmare fantasy--a state of mind that leaves him looking disturbingly gaunt and skeletal in appearance. (It's no exaggeration to say that Bale resembles a Holocaust survivor from vintage Nazi-camp liberation newsreels.) In a cinematic territory far removed from his 1998 romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland, director Brad Anderson orchestrates a grimy, nocturnal world of washed-out blues and grays, as Trevor struggles to assemble the clues of his psychological conundrum. With a friendly hooker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and airport waitress (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) as his only stable links to sanity, Trevor reaches critical mass and seems ready to implode just as The Machinist reveals its secrets. For those who don't mind a trip to hell with a theremin-laced soundtrack, The Machinist seems primed for long-term status as a cult thriller on the edge. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Superb!
First, allow me to say that Christian Bale's performance in this movie was truly impressive. Bale is brilliant in his role as Trevor Reznik, an insomniac tormented by guilt and anxiety. Reznik has not slept nor eaten for days and everyone at his work detests him for no apparent reason. Bizarre things are frequently happening to Reznik and his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Unable to explain why these strange things keep happening to him, Reznik grows increasingly desperate. Is everyone conspiring against him or is everything that is happening to him simply a fragment of his imagnination? Why has he lost his apettite and why has not he slept for days?

All interesting questions but I am not giving away any answers. What I will tell you, however, is that this movie provides a momentous insight into such powerful emotions as anxiety, shame and guilt. This is a powerful story of a man who has found his own unique way to handle his guilt and anxiety. Another highly interesting yet controversial topic raised in this movie is that of the faulty memories. Will we ever be able to reach a consensus as to which memories are real and which are created? I doubt it. I believe that people have a propensity to "create" memories when reality becomes too difficult to cope with.

Although skeptical at first, I was stunned by Bale's unprecedented performance for which he should have been awarded an Oscar. A final comment: in my opinion, The Machinist is one of the best psychological thrillers available. See it!

Bale gives anther stunning performance
I couldnt belive how skinny Christian Bale was in the movie. It was disturbing to watch him, because he was basically just bones. The movie had a good plot, but I couldnt get most of it. Ill have to watch it again to get what I missed. Christian Bale is one of the greatest, under used actors of modern cinema. I cant wait to see him in Batman!

Wait for the Video
This is another dark and disturbing motion picture, which centers on Christian Bale (Trevor Reznik), a lathe-operator in some machine shop somewhere. He suffers from insomnia and by his words, "has not slept in over a year". His insomnia has directly affected his physical appearance as well, coming across as some sort of crystal meth junkie. His employer is concerned, and drug screens him regularly. He only has two personal contacts throughout the picture, Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a hooker; and some waitress at the airport coffee show which he frequents at 1:25 A.M every morning.

Christian Bale's physical transformation in this film is frightening. He's a walking skeleton, a virtual bag of bones. Part of his morning routine is the act of weighing himself, which he records on sticky note pads and posts to his bathroom wall. The first weight posting we see is 107 pounds, and he resembles the Donnie Wahlberg character in the beginning of the Sixth Sense. Figuring his normal weight is probably 165 -170 pounds, how he's lost all the weigh for this role just boggles the mind.... and of course, pivotal to the plot of this film.

Jennifer Jason Leigh also looks pretty bad. Of course if she's going for that burnt out trashy street walker look, then she's succeeded in spades. Not to mention that the weight Christian lost, somehow found its way to Leigh must have been an added bonus for the director.

Besides the massive weigh lost, Reznik has also started to hallucinate, and paranoia is beginning to set in. He's unable to keep his mind on his job at work, which leads to a fellow employee losing his arm. A pretty cool scene by the way......

The beginning of the film is well paced and keeps you on the edge of you seat. You find yourself trying to decipher what is real, and what's not. This leads you on a rollercoaster ride through the thoughts and dreams of Reznik, all escalating to the pinnacle of the film..... which turns out to be just the opposite, a very anti-climactic ending. For me anyways.

Except for the ending, I found the film quite intriguing; though a letdown, the ending does answer all the questions that you may have of Reznik. I just felt it could have been so much more, and that it just missed its mark by a hair. I, however, do recommend seeing this film, and leave you to surmise your own conclusions.

http://farisreel.com

Exceptional sensitive movie
I refused to watch movies with Christian Bale after he made "American Psycho". I had enough with the idolization of evil and the admiration of serial killers in the American cinema.
But this movie is something else; it is a movie about men's soul. Regardless, the art director is a genius. Christian Bale is fantastic, he touched my heart. John Sharian (who played Ivan) was totally unforgettable. I hope to see him in more movies.

UNSETTLING LOOK AT PSYCHOSIS, BUT A FINE FILM
First, don't read too much about the "plot," you'll kill everything it has going for it.

Second, prepare yourself for a creepy quasi-noir with images so gory it'd leave Tarantino and his criminal half-brother in knots.

Third, expect an emaciated Christian Bale, and I don't mean lost-a-couple-of-pounds emaciated, I mean emaciated beyond belief. A veritable bone-heap. I hoped all the windows were latched lest the breeze blow him off. Freaky!

Fourth, the movie is difficult to sit through. Certainly not a date flick unless she plays drums for Metallica. It's well produced though, there isn't a single scene that'd pass off as gratuitously 'offbeat' for the lark of it. The narrative is very credible even if I didn't much care for the noirish coloration.

Fifth, watch the movie for what it is. If having the rug pulled out from under you is your thing, by a plot that isn't drunk on its ingenuity, then you'll love it. Its surprises spring effortlessly from the story and hook right back without any pretense.

Sixth, I recommend waiting for the DVD and watching it in the comfort of your home. Have some fresh fruit around. And plenty of light.

Seventh, still reading? Loop to "First" above. ... Read more

Reviews (145)

Despite Flaws, Recall Is Total As A Fun Sci-Fi Story
Paul Verhoeven has become among Hollywood's better known directors. His most recent work, Starship Troopers, did well at the box office thanks to its outstanding special effects, interesting premise, and surprisingly good cast.

Verhoeven first earned widespread movie fame with Robocop, but it was 1990's Total Recall that stands as his best work.

Arnold Schwarzenegger gives a genuinely great performance as Douglas Quaid, a construction worker in the late 21st Century who, out of an unconquerable fascination with Mars - now a colony run by vicious corporate dictator Vilhos Cohaagen - goes to Rekall, Inc., a company that implants "memories" of experiences in those willing to pay. But when Rekall implants a memory of a trip to Mars, it "pops a memory cap" in Quaid, who turns out not to be who he thinks he is. When his wife Lori (the overrated Sharon Stone in the only performance of hers that is truly worth watching) tries to kill him, Quaid forces! her to tell him that a supersecret Agency under the direction of Cohaagen erased his memory and implanted a new one.

Quaid dodges the guns of the murderous Richter (a delightfully insane performance by Michael Ironside) and gets help from a former buddy of his on Mars. He then travels to the Red Planet and gets mixed up in a bloody civil war between Cohaagen's goons and rebel followers of a being called Kuato. But seemingly nothing is as it appears to Quaid, until he learns from Kuato just what the secret is that Cohaagen wants.

It is fairly easy to point out what is wrong with this film - it is excessively violent and gory, and includes some action scenes - like a bloody bar brawl - that are unnecesary. The pivotal scene - when Quaid is strapped in an implant chair to have his memory erased again, but he rips free and slaughters the scientists performing the procedure - is effective, but ruined because it allows Quaid to pull off an absurd flexing of muscle - he rips ! a heavy arm restraint out, anchor and all, and rips it thro! ugh the throat of one Cohaagen scientist thug. There is also the usual absurdity of action films - the wholesale slaughter of enemy soldiers without so much as a scratch on the one or two good guys. There is also a PREPOSTEROUS speech by Cohaagen during the final act that is a glaring example of the cliche of the villian who has the hero cornered, but spends so much time talking it gives the hero an opportunity.

Nonetheless, it is a superior script, with many twists and a fascinating climax. END

"See you at the party Richter."
Total Recall is one of those movies I can watch over and over and never get sick of. It is what every true Arnold fan wants in an Arnold flick. And aside from being one of Arnold's best films it is a very great sci-fi flick period.

Arnold plays everyman Douglas Quaid, a guy living an average life on the near future earth who is obsessed with the idea of going to Mars(which is colonized). He decides to go to a futuristic company called Recall, which sells it's customers memories of vacations they did not really take. Quaid decides to do it and while the salesman is making his pitch he poses the question, "what is the same about every vaction you have ever taken?" The answer: You. So Quaid buys the secret agent package and that is when the action begins. Suddenly everyone is out to get Quaid and he can't figure it out, all he knows is he has to get his "a** to Mars." He does and the film really takes off with mutants, rebels, women, corruption, double crossing, heavy carnage, planet saving, and Arnold, smack in the middle of all of it.

The story in summary can actually be found within the movie, which is a very unusual plot device, but it works in this film. The guy at Recall says by the time this is over you will kill the bad guys, get the girl, and save the planet. So is Total Recall a dream or a reality. This question is one of the things that makes it such an engaging movie because you don't know. Really though the best part of this film is Arnold. He is in tip top form in this film and it is certainly one of his best. The character allows him all the elements to shine, odds against him, guys always trying to fight him, lots of guns, and terrific one-liners. Paul Verhoeven(Robocop, Basic Instict) has crafted a awesome film. The set direction is great and it makes the fantastic action that much better. Sure Verhoeven may get a little carried away with violent nature of his action, but would anyone really want this film any other way? Not me.

Total Recall is a blast. On an additional note I just picked up the DVD Collector's Edition and it is a must have for fans. The commentary with Verhoeven and Arnold is hilarious and the making of's are very well done. This is one of those films that will become a classic over time because that is what it is, CLASSIC.

ETMR - Total Recall
1. Humanity: What problems do you see in the Mars colony in the film? Is the colony a feasible idea for today?

2. Implications: The movie is centered around the question of what is reality, and how to discern truth from fiction. What dangers does the film speak of for today, in terms of distinguishing reality from a created world?

3. Evolution: It could be said that the technology expressed in the film is very basic, compared to technological innovation today. Concepts like terraforming using a combustion of air, planetary colonies with glass windows, and cheap, robotic androids are all scientific anomolies in that they seem to belong to a past age. How has the technology in the movie changed in our world?

4. Realism: Philip K. Dick's stories are heralded because of their closeness to what an actual future will be like. Do you think the story in Total Recall is an accurate prophecy for the future?

5. Stageplay: Verhoeven, the director, is known for his elaborate and overblown stories told with a comedic satire, using colorful special effects. But aside from the eye candy, do the actors convince you?

Verhooven to subtle for his own good...
I used to hate this film. Which is odd, because I like Philip Dick, I like Verhooven and, then, I liked Schwatzenegger. The film was actually good up to the end. I just thought the end was too soapy and stuid even by Hollywood standards. Then I read the book "Dead Air" by Iain Banks. There the film is explained, and suddenly it all made sense to me. Verhooven's films are full of action and gore, which tend to overshadow that they also tend to have a quite strong message. That's why Total Recall always bothered me: where is the message? But it is there, quite obvious really: it all takes place in Schwartzenegger's head; he is still in the reality simulator! That would explain why things start happening shortly after his visit there. It would explain why the girl on Mars looks exactly like the girl he chooses for the reality simulation. The whole ending with them close to dying in the low pressure on Mars is a total replay of what he experiences in the beginning, when we know he is in the reality simulator. Finally, it explains how ridicilously fast the Martian atmosphere is replenished by the melting glacier. Suddenly the film becomes really good, and truly follows the spirit of Dick. I think I must watch it again.

"Come to Rekall!"
Another Arnie flick? I've already lost count... Well anyway, this film, loosely based on Phillip K. Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" is pretty much worth your while, especially since Arnie has one of his better roles here.
Doug Quaid (Arnie) has dreamed continuously of going to Mars. He talks with his wife Lori (Sharon Stone) about it, but she does not like the idea. One day, Quaid hears about a company named Rekall that can take you on a virtual vacation. Arnie tries it out, only to find that nothing is what it seems... and that he may not really be who he thinks he is. He travels to Mars, and discovers that he is a rebel leader fighting against the ruthless Cohagen (Ronnie Cox) and his man Richter (Michael Ironside).
Arnie acts well in this flick, Sharon Stone is good as his wife, and Cox and Ironside act as if they are truly evil. The story is somewhat complex, and will have you hooked.
BUT: Don't forget that this is a Paul Verhoeven film, and Paul Verhoeven=Lots of shooting and gore. This is definately not for the squeamish, but if you can stomach it, you be on for a wild ride. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though followers of current science fiction television series may dismiss V: The Final Battle as a quaint relic from the pre-computer animation days, the six-hour miniseries about an alien invasion of Earth was a ratings juggernaut for NBC in 1984 and should still provide some entertainment for hard-bitten devotees and fans of '50s-style sci-fi. The Final Battle picks up four months after the shock conclusion of the 1983 prequel miniseries, with a small group of humans known as the Resistance struggling to convince their fellow humans that a fleet of seemingly friendly visitors from space are in fact bent on world domination.

Executive producer Kenneth Johnson (who oversaw most aspects of the first series) only supervised the sequel's script (which underwent several changes before its airing), and the writing occasionally suffers due to the lack of his attention. But the series still delivers its share of action and intrigue, as well as one showstopping gruesome moment involving the birth of interspecies twins. Acting is again a stumbling block, with leads Marc Singer and Faye Grant as bland as any performers from the American International Pictures stable; character actor Michael Ironside makes the strongest impression as a tough Resistance member, and a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund is amusing as a kind-hearted alien. The miniseries was followed by an inevitable weekly series featuring most of the same cast, which was demolished in the ratings by Dallas, but a faithful Resistance-like following remains to this day. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (70)

A nice continuation of a great miniseries.
This is the second miniseries of the sci-fi phenomenon known simply as "V." This movie tells us more about the interesting characters from the first series and brings up some more problems for these freedom-fighters to solve. I won't give anything away, but one of the charcters ordeals is unbelievable! As with the original series, this is a sci-fi series that relies more on storytelling than on flashy, repetitive special effects, which makes this series appealing to a larger audience than most sci-fi. There are some funny and touching moments, but the whole story is focused around the humans struggles to defeat the fascist "visitors" who oppress them (similar to Hitler's fascist regime and the Holocaust of that time). The whole series goes by very smoothly until the end, where the ending is a little weak (which is why I gave it four stars instead of the five I gave the original series), but other than that, this is a great series and stands up well with anything else produced at the time. With a cool story and believable acting, this is a true classic that should be in any sci-fi fan's collection!

Come back Kenneth Johnson --all is forgiven
1984's 3-part miniseries "V: The Final Battle" more or less picks up where Kenneth Johnson's imaginative "V" left off. As with all network-mandated sequels, this installment is a far weaker story and lacks the "you are there" realism of the original. Johnson's absence from the project is the single greatest loss. The first miniseries was a brilliant homage to freedom fighters throughout history. Unfortunately the sequel has lost sight of its own origins: the allegories to the rise of Nazi fascism are only briefly touched upon in throwaway lines in part 1, and are completely abandoned by part 3. By then, even though the element of a Visitor "ultimate weapon" is injected into the plot, the story has become less about saving humanity than it is about a grudge match between Diana and Mike Donovan. A clue to the weaker storyline might be in the opening credits: this installment lists seven different writers!

To synopsize: several months have now passed since the conclusion of the original series, and the Visitors are now firmly in control of human society, rounding up humans under various pretexts for "processing" into food shipments to the mother ships. The underground resistance hasn't had much success opposing them --far from the triumphant ending of the last chapter, the L.A.-based rebels are being rebuffed at almost every turn by superior alien firepower and body armor. The resistance comes up with a daring plan to "expose" John on international television. Most of Part 1 revolves around the staging of this plan, which is carried off brilliantly but ends with Julie's capture. In Part 2 the Visitors discover resistance headquarters and stage a counterattack, but the rebels are able to flee thanks to the timely help of an old adversary of Donovan's. Julie is rescued, but she has been through the conversion process and the resistance is wary. Part 3 revolves around the birth of Robin's alien babies and an unexpected dividend from that birth.

The strongest element to this sequel is the return of virtually the entire original cast, further developing the wide array of characters that have been thrown together by extraordinary circumstance. Besides Donovan (Marc Singer), Julie Parrish (Faye Grant), the Maxwells (Michael Durrell, Blair Tefkin, Viveka Davis, Marin May), Elias Taylor (Michael Wright), Sancho (Rafael Campos), Willie (Robert Englund), and Harmony (Diane Civita), a few new faces have joined the resistance, my favorites being ex-CIA operative Ham Tyler (Michael Ironside) and demolitions expert Chris Faber (Mickey Jones). Tyler and Faber are supposed to represent the "world network;" reminding the viewer that the goings-on in L.A. are not the center of the universe. Tyler is especially compelling to watch; he has a cold, take-no-prisoners exterior that puts him at odds with Donovan the boy scout, although we do get a brief glimpse of his surprisingly affectionate side later on in the second chapter. Most of "V's" original villains are back as well, including fleet commander John (Richard Herd), collaborator Daniel Bernstein (David Packer), and of course the vengeful Diana (Jane Badler). Also back in a greatly expanded role is alien "Fifth Columnist" Martin (Frank Ashmore).

Aside from superior character development (proof that a truly gifted actor really can make something out of any script), "The Final Battle" just has too many flaws. There is little emphasis on allegory and too much emphasis on chase scenes, makeup effects, and laser battles. The resolution of many of the story arcs from the first chapter are the saving grace of this miniseries, but enjoyment of it really requires the viewer's familiarity with the original. Replacement director Richard T. Heffron has done a heroic job of salvaging Kenneth Johnson's ideas, but in the end it just doesn't measure up. The greatest disappointment is in the final hour of the story --the much-hyped "Final Battle" comes down to a tired old shootout with a handful of troops in the corridors of the mothership. Plotwise, the sudden addition of a brand new character in the final segment is an outright cop-out, and the final scenes --including the way-too-upbeat soundtrack-- are among the cheesiest moments in the entire series.

If you absolutely must know "what happened next" to the cast of the original "V," then go ahead and obtain "The Final Battle." But if you're expecting a second helping of allegorical brilliance, prepare to be disappointed.

Re-Visiting a classic mini-series.....
Back in the 80s, V and V: The Final Battle were huge hits on television. The story of mankind uniting and fighting back against an intergalatic menace is still an appealing storyline and a welcome addition to my dvd collection. Though you will notice (after seeing movies such as Attack of the Clones, for example) that the special effects are a bit cheesy, it is the story that pulls you in and delivers a good sci-fi treat. The reason I didn't give this dvd 5 stars is that it has no extras. I was hoping to see some TV commercials, maybe some commentaries by the director and actors, deleted scenes---any of these would have been welcome. That being said, if you were a fan of this 80's hit or if you are a sci-fi fan, you'll enjoy this dvd. I have to add that Jane Badler is an excellent villain. She was my favorite character in the series.

i really love this
This second V mini series wasn't quite up to the standards of the first V and yet it was still a helluva lotta fun. Loved it. Popping it into the DVD player is always a blast! Sure I know it's not highbrow but hell it's FUN. Just have fun watchin' space lizards get their butts kicked by Marc Singer. Works for me!

This is Dallas in sci-fi form
Both these TV movies and the short lived series that followed were cheesy soap opera plots put into a science fiction form. It was pretty much a case of stories where someone was trying to stab someone else in the back, someone was sleeping with someone elses girlfriend and the rest of that daytime soap genre. In this second movie, two characters played by Sarah Douglas and Jane Badler struggle for the leadership of the alien ships that have conquered earth and it leads to one killing the other and that's it. Oh yeah, and there is a silly romance that goes on between the charecters played by Faye Grant and Marc Singer (but I won't go there). End result, you are better off watching One Live to Live then this phooney balooney series. ... Read more

Reviews (408)

The Perfect Storm The Perfect Movie on dvd
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson who has a career
for making great films like the "The NeverEnding Story", "The Perfect Storm" was another great film into Mr. Peterson's resume.

The perfect storm, is based on the book written by Sebastian Unger. It's the true account of a group of fisherman who , in October 1991, died in the worst storm in the century, sacrificing their lives because they were doing their duties
and trying to put food on the table for their families.

There are many reasons I liked this movie:
1) The characters are real and genuine
2) The movie has a lot of heart, action, drama and suspense
3) The movie does have a certain mystique and aura around it, due to the fact that these are very special people whom if you met them you've probably wouldn't forget.

The cast and crew is made up of Billy Tyne
(George Clooney), captain of the Andrea Gail, Bobby Shatford (Mark Wahlberg) ,a beloved
fisherman in Gloucester, Mike "Bugsy" Moran
(John Hawkes), Dale Murphy (John C. Reilly) , David "Sully" Sullivan (William Fichtner). All these characters were loved in their community.

To feed their loved ones, the fisherman go to the Great banks to catch as many fish as possible but they don't see that a huge Hurricane named " Grace" is headed their way, a deadly storm in fact. The fisherman's boss though, Mr. McNally I believe is his name, pays them very little and makes even fishing a hassle for them. The men though still go out to see despite this because of their great love for the see.

One of the characters that are shown
at the beginning is Christine Cotter (Diane
Lane), Bobby's girlfriend, who has an undying love for him, even though she knows that fishing in rough waters can be dangerous.

Making the characters more realistic and with a real storyline the movie shows the mixed hate/love relationship, the crew has with Captain Billy (Clooney). It's debatable whether Tyne might
have been at fault over the dealth of his shipmates. During one scene Tyne, gets a message about the upcoming storm, however, he doesn't immediately make the crew think about how dangerous it is. He instead just leaves the decision in their hands, but another Captain might have taken control and said the hell with the trip.

Each characters has a story to them, it's not just that these guys were average joes and they worked a crummy job, no, they were very much by everyone and the extras on the dvd prove that with all the interviews by people in the community.

The visual effects for the movie are outstanding, it is a very big budget production loaded with great sets and great models..

The movie was a box office hit, and received
praise for all the actors in it like Clooney and Walhberg.

The effects were done by award winning special effects ma Stan Winston and ILM , the same group who gave us the effects for "Terminator 2",
and "Jurassic Park" to give two examples.

The Dvd for the movie comes with many extras:

*Three Documentaries one by HBO called
"Creating the Storm" which has interviews with Bobby Shatford's family,i former Captains of the Andrea Gail, and interviews with local fisherman who know all about the characters involved. Then other documentary on the dvd is called "Witnessing the Storm" which has photos from the storm in 1991 and many interviews on it

Next is the commentary. The commentary
is actually split differently during one
commentary I believe you have Wolfgang
Petersen talking about the film. The other
commentary has Sebastian Unger who talks
about how afraid he was if his book on
the storm would fail,and then how great he felt when the families of the fisherman told
him how good a job he did with it.

With all visual effects, story, good acting
and great directing by Wolfgang "Perfect
Storm" is a very good movie, by a guy
who hasn't really done bad movies.
In fact Wolfgang's next movie is "Troy"
with Brad Pitt. So check that out and check
out this one.

Fantastic Special Effects!!!
The Perfect Storm has some really great special-effects. The movie starts out a little slow describing all the characters and their relationships but then moves along at a breathless pace. You get so caught up with the crew in the middle of this greatest storm in recorded history that you can't take your eyes away from the screen. This storm occurred in the Atlantic Ocean in October 1991, a true story. You feel like your on the ocean with the crew it is so realistic. It even made me feel seasick at times. George Clooney & Mark Wahlberg did a wonderful job as the two main characters. There are a lot of surprises in this film. You get a good feel for the life & people involved in this tough fishing port of Gloucester, Massachusetts.

I only had one problem with this movie, and it was the soundtrack. I felt the music was really appropriate and well-done, but it should have been toned down a little. It overpowered the actors words to the point where you couldn't tell what they were saying. At least during the storm it would have been better to have no music at all and just the natural sounds. Other than that it's a great movie that I will definitely watch again. The special features & documentaries are great on this DVD version, that explain how the film was made. Really quite interesting

lukewarm
I really wanted to like this movie but it came off as a bland viewing experience. A lot of it had to do with poor casting...Clooney (IMO) is not a good actor so without a strong lead, the rest of the ensemble faltered. I don't remember much of a soundtrack-a good musical score would of greatly improved this film.
As a New Englander, I find it quite tiresome to listen to ridiculous interpretations of the local dialects. Obviously most of the actors could not speak it, so the few who tried, looked even more stupid. I would of been happy if they had spoken in their natural accents (even if by fluke, someone was from the South, per se)-at least a viewer can justify it by interpreting the character as a transplant; a horrible rendition of a dialect is just that...horrible, and it is very distracting. The hollywood adaptation of New England locals always strikes me as an insult. It seems fair to state that these filmmakers from the west coast don't know enough about the people and culture of New England either.

No suspense whatsoever
It's hard to get psyched for a movie when you basically know the ending. How can you sustain any kind of tension or suspense? That's a key problem with most movies which are deemed "historical". What most great historical films have done is examine the aspects of the history and demonstrate how the forces came together to create that ending. Think of GLORY or THE LONGEST DAY. They don't even have to be war stories. Think of A NIGHT TO REMEMBER or SEABISCUIT, for that matter.

The problem with THE PERFECT STORM is that there is no suspense, essentially. We know the crew ignored or were deprived the information that things were going to get a little rough in the North Atlantic, and its boat got walloped. I don't know how Wolfgang Petersen or the script writers could have created the suspense, and it's not a reviewer's job to make recommendations. But as it is, I found myself increasing impatient during the first half of the film. Let's just get to the F/X and get it over with, I thought.

The performances, I have to say in all fairness, are good, considering what the actors had to work with. The F/X were great, of course. But I still left this film with an empty feeling. Pass on this one.

Very depressing, but still a good movie.
This film truely has some great special effects, good acting, heart, but the one thing that it lacks is that positive ending that even the saddest films have. The film was very depressing in every sense. George Clooney, Mark Whallberg, and the rest of the cast all did a great job. The cinematography was brilliant. All in all the film is something you need to follow up with a happier movie. If you are in the mood to be crushed stay away. I reccomend this film to people who love special effects films. Two sad thumbs up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Let's face facts here: You don't watch a movie like Major Paynefor its artistic merit any more than you'd watch Schindler's List for its comedy. If you go in thinking otherwise, you're bucking for a disappointment. So it's a pleasant surprise to discover that Major Payne is more entertaining than a barrel full of bad reviews would lead you to believe. It's a totally formulaic comedy about a bunch of misfit kids who turn into a crack squad of skillfully disciplined ROTC cadets, but Damon Wayans is spot-on hilarious in the title role as the hardened military bulldog who whips the little slackers into shape. Wayans plays the role as if killing and warfare were the only joys in life, and when he finds himself cast adrift without a military commission, a scene that directly parodies Apocalypse Now lets you know that Wayans (who cowrote the script) is going to bring something new to this routine scenario. Major Payne's idea of a good bedtime story is to recall his worst battlefield horrors, and Wayans gives it just the right twist of comedy to put Payne's bullet-pierced heart in the right place--he's really just a good guy with an iron-clad exterior. The young recruits strut their stuff in the final round of their cadet competition (their marching rap is good for a solid laugh), and director Nick Castle keeps it all from becoming too stupid or over the top. It's arguably only for Wayans's most ardent fans, but as a send-up of all the great movie drill instructors, Major Payne is painlessly enjoyable. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Funniest movie I have seen
This movie is simply excellent. Damon Wayans achieves to transform a serious subject into a comedy which never offends the USMC. He plays so well that he deserves them.

The soundtrack is so good. Sounds are quite exagerated and thus become funny. For instance, during the Universal opening title when the (r) registred mark symbol appears, you hear a DING ! When Major Payne meets the Madison school headmaster, you can hear all these insects and butterflies (the headmaster loves entomology) flying and buzzing around and over the shaved head of Major Payne. This scene is purely hilarious, one of my favorite moment. I was laughing so much I thought I shall died. Maybe another victim of Major Payne (fortunately not the final one).

The music by Craig Safan is particularly successful and sustains any funny actions, the Aretha Franklin's musics too. It seems obvious Craig Safan enjoyed to create a real musical background that depicts a "cartoon" atmosphere. Sometimes very serious, and few seconds later so funny.

The story is not only comedy but extraordinary rich thanks to the work of Damon Wayans and the cast. One best moment is when Major Payne offers a bullet from his heart to his new "girlfriend" or when Major Payne understands that Cadet Alex Stone wants to push him outside Madison school (Do you want to see me gone?). Only Damon Wayans can play like that (heartily).

The texts are outstanding (even for a french viewer). The american vocabulary is so rich and the art of using it (and expanding it) is so irresistible. I laugh from the first to the last second of Major Payne.

The french translation is also a success even if the task was enormous because there is so much american idioms. Nevertheless, the french dub is really funny. I do prefer the original voice of Damon Wayans because he talks so perfectly as a USMC drill instructor. This man is not an actor, he is a human VTR! He can spend two weeks with Marines and then speaks like them. The french voice is very good but the dub actor was unfortunately unable to complete such performance.

The scene with the hidden man into the closet and how Major Payne definitely "kills" the Tiger's nightmare is a masterpiece.

Nick Castle did one of my favourite movie, forever and I just wanted to thank him and all the cast for giving us such good time.

Vive the USMC, Vive Major Payne, Vive Damon Wayans.

Hilarious and a good movie
I'm not that big of a Damon Wayans fan, but he does a great job in this movie. He starts a program at a local school for kids who want to be in JROTC. His ultimate goal is to prepare them to win the competition for best cadets in the county JROTC competition that will be held later on. He is real strict on all the kids, so they all want to get rid of him. He has to find a way to get along with the kids while also giving them some discipline.

"Major Payne" is a hilarious movie. While you watch the movie, you'll be laughing a lot, but you'll also see that it's a good movie. I recommend anybody to get "Major Payne."

"...and biz - ness - is - goooood!!!"
If there is any movie as funny as this one, I would like to know what it is. This is the funniest movie I know. Damon Wayans is so talented; he is hilarious in this movie. There is not one moment in this movie that is poorly done. It just gets better with repeated viewings. I really didn't Damon Wayans other than by name until I saw this movie.
The kids in this movie are terrific. Their acting is great! They are all grown up now. If you want to see a funny movie, you have got to get this one. A previous writer was right on the money when he said that Major Payne's character is like a cross between Gomer Pyle and Lou Gossett, Jr.'s character as a drill sergeant. This movie is full of fantastic instant-classic lines that I won't give away here. See it!!!

Major Payne is Major Funny
I loved this movie and I love Damon Waynes character and I love when he insults peaple expacially when he cracks peaples fingers when they say something is hurting them and he said want me to take your mind off of that.LOL pure funny, worth watching and buying

Major Funny
I liked it! I am surprised that no one seems to realize this movie is basically a remake of a Charlton Heston film, The Private War of Major Benson (which you really need to see also). This is an excellent updated version with a happy ending for soldiers as well as the Major! Laugh hard, laugh loud and watch for the cameo by the professional wrestler Bam Bam Bigelow in the "Billy Jack" fight sequence. ... Read more

Reviews (209)

Fun, but not realistic.
"Top Gun" is not the movie to watch if you are looking for authentic military activities. It is, however, a showcase for Tom Cruise to show how hot he and his band of young stud actors are. Cruise plays Maverick, a crack Navy pilot who get the chance to go to the elite Top Gun Avaiation School. There he is placed in competition with other excellent pilots, but his cheif rival is Iceman (Val Kilmer). This is your standard story of a boy wonder trying to prove himself to a father figure. The romance with his instructor is also sort of superficial. It is, however, very funny to watch all the bloated egos trying to function, resulting in very funny lines of dialog. Also the dog fights are very cool and exciting. Good job Tony Scott. I have met a lot of pilots who act just like these guys, but it didn't seem as funny at the time, though.

Top Gun
This movie is an awesome hit from director Tony Scott (also directed Beverly Hills Cop, Enemy of the State,and much more) dense with fun and excitement that will keep you FLYING for as long as you like. Tom Cruise (Days of Thunder, Jerry Maguire, etc.) stars as hotshot fighter jet pilot "Maverick" Pete Mitchell, who is elected with his partner "Goose" (Anthony Edwards) to enter the Navy's very competitive "Top Gun" program, where many comparible opponents challenge him to win the top rank, including "Iceman" Tom Kusansky (Val Kilmer) and "Slider" (Russ Rossovich). Stars Kelly McGillis as Mitchell's girlfriend, with appearances by Michael Ironside, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Meg Ryan (as Goose's wife), and Tim Robbins. A great action film.

Top Gun baby!
TOPGUN..wat can i say. i grew up watchin this film ,its fun, exciting,thrilling and above all SEXY..tom cruise has never looked soo hott...this movie has given a new meaning to the song 'Youve lost that loving feeling' youd be surprised how many pilots, footballers sing this to girls in bars...it has an amazing soundtrack. 'take my breath away' performed by berlin is a wonderful emotional lovesong that truly melts your heart. so if your a fan of a little romance then this will be a movie top of your list. i know a lot of my boy friends have enjoyed this film so its not just a sloppy romance for girls. the boys get a kick out of 'Maverick' the stud played by Cruise who is 'one hell of an instinctive pilot' who learns never to leave his wing man. His best friend 'Goose' is the coolest character hes so entertaining. there are really fun sexy catchprases, such as 'goose ya big stud take me to bed and loose me forever' and 'son your ego is writing checks your body cant cash'
Top gun is a great movie to just chill out with some popcorn on the sofa and watch with your best friends. ill guarantee you will definately enjoy it.
"there are no points for second place in Topgun." (girls checkout the volleyball scene...mmm)

Awesome Movie!
This movie is a definate classic. The story line is interesting and not mindless like many of hollywoods other movies. Plus we have a beautiful guy with a smile that will make you melt playing the sensitive yet daring main charecter; need I say more? Be careful about chosing when to watch this though, you may have trouble focusing your brain on anything other than Tom Cruises amazing smile.

Top Gun Favourite.
Absolute cheese on a stick, but Top Gun proves that that's not always a bad thing. This movie's got everything - an arrogant prodigy who'd be out on his ass if he wasn't so good, a sensible, more down to earth best friend, a love interest, an arch nemesis and his dumb sidekick, a few cool high fives and catchphrases, the emotional death scene, a euphoric victory act and of course, some unforgettable action sequences. What more could any red-blooded child of the eighties ask for?

Anyone born around 1980 will remember how everyone was doing that double high five and saying 'talk to me Goose' to the kid next to them in class. Certainly one of my all time favourites - entertaining stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

"He Wasn't Happy Unless His Nuts Were In a Vise"
Mr. Pryor used filmmaking as therapy, I think, to take a look at his own often-troubled life. While it's difficult to put a lot of this together without knowing the background on Richard Pryor, it's still a fascinating, heartbreaking, and funny film. My only real complaint is that it's too short; I'd love to see the outtakes on a future (hope, hope) DVD release. Sadly, this was Mr. Pryor's only directorial effort (aside from a concert film).

fantastic
Richard Pryor poured his heart&soul into this gem and it payed off fully for me. his life story is not the stuff of everyday kids. he overcame a lot to achieve.this film goes thru his changes highs&lows, race, relationships, rage, class, self-esteem& just trying to make sense of this life. his genius is all over this film. it's remarkable that he made the film. when one considers the challenges he faced thru out all of his life.

One of the most underrated films of all time
I've yet to read a positive review of this film. Let this be the first. This is a heartfelt, gut-wrenching film straight from Pryer's heart. If you're looking for comedy, you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for the result of one man's soul search--from hell and back--Pryor delivers here in spades. Pryor is not the best director in the world, but that matters little here. What matters--and what most critics fail to recognize--is that this is one of the most gut-wrenching and emotionally impactful autobioghapical film portraits ever set on film. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

In TOP GUN, Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, a talented training pilot in an elite U.S. school for fighter pilots. When he stumbles upon some MiG's over the Persian Gulf, and his wingman panics, Maverick cleverly talks him through the situation to safety. Consequently, he is moved up in rank and sent to the Top Gun Naval Flying School. There he has several conflicts with other students while trying to live up to his deceased father's reputation.Unable to cope with the death of his best friend, and fellow pilot, Goose, Maverick contemplates dropping out, but follows through with his dream and ultimately becomes one of the "best of the best." ... Read more

Reviews (209)

Fun, but not realistic.
"Top Gun" is not the movie to watch if you are looking for authentic military activities. It is, however, a showcase for Tom Cruise to show how hot he and his band of young stud actors are. Cruise plays Maverick, a crack Navy pilot who get the chance to go to the elite Top Gun Avaiation School. There he is placed in competition with other excellent pilots, but his cheif rival is Iceman (Val Kilmer). This is your standard story of a boy wonder trying to prove himself to a father figure. The romance with his instructor is also sort of superficial. It is, however, very funny to watch all the bloated egos trying to function, resulting in very funny lines of dialog. Also the dog fights are very cool and exciting. Good job Tony Scott. I have met a lot of pilots who act just like these guys, but it didn't seem as funny at the time, though.

Top Gun
This movie is an awesome hit from director Tony Scott (also directed Beverly Hills Cop, Enemy of the State,and much more) dense with fun and excitement that will keep you FLYING for as long as you like. Tom Cruise (Days of Thunder, Jerry Maguire, etc.) stars as hotshot fighter jet pilot "Maverick" Pete Mitchell, who is elected with his partner "Goose" (Anthony Edwards) to enter the Navy's very competitive "Top Gun" program, where many comparible opponents challenge him to win the top rank, including "Iceman" Tom Kusansky (Val Kilmer) and "Slider" (Russ Rossovich). Stars Kelly McGillis as Mitchell's girlfriend, with appearances by Michael Ironside, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Meg Ryan (as Goose's wife), and Tim Robbins. A great action film.

Top Gun baby!
TOPGUN..wat can i say. i grew up watchin this film ,its fun, exciting,thrilling and above all SEXY..tom cruise has never looked soo hott...this movie has given a new meaning to the song 'Youve lost that loving feeling' youd be surprised how many pilots, footballers sing this to girls in bars...it has an amazing soundtrack. 'take my breath away' performed by berlin is a wonderful emotional lovesong that truly melts your heart. so if your a fan of a little romance then this will be a movie top of your list. i know a lot of my boy friends have enjoyed this film so its not just a sloppy romance for girls. the boys get a kick out of 'Maverick' the stud played by Cruise who is 'one hell of an instinctive pilot' who learns never to leave his wing man. His best friend 'Goose' is the coolest character hes so entertaining. there are really fun sexy catchprases, such as 'goose ya big stud take me to bed and loose me forever' and 'son your ego is writing checks your body cant cash'
Top gun is a great movie to just chill out with some popcorn on the sofa and watch with your best friends. ill guarantee you will definately enjoy it.
"there are no points for second place in Topgun." (girls checkout the volleyball scene...mmm)

Awesome Movie!
This movie is a definate classic. The story line is interesting and not mindless like many of hollywoods other movies. Plus we have a beautiful guy with a smile that will make you melt playing the sensitive yet daring main charecter; need I say more? Be careful about chosing when to watch this though, you may have trouble focusing your brain on anything other than Tom Cruises amazing smile.

Top Gun Favourite.
Absolute cheese on a stick, but Top Gun proves that that's not always a bad thing. This movie's got everything - an arrogant prodigy who'd be out on his ass if he wasn't so good, a sensible, more down to earth best friend, a love interest, an arch nemesis and his dumb sidekick, a few cool high fives and catchphrases, the emotional death scene, a euphoric victory act and of course, some unforgettable action sequences. What more could any red-blooded child of the eighties ask for?

Anyone born around 1980 will remember how everyone was doing that double high five and saying 'talk to me Goose' to the kid next to them in class. Certainly one of my all time favourites - entertaining stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (659)

Underrated Science Fiction Classic
Starship Troopers is a truly underrated classic. Directed by Paul (Robocop) Verhoven, the story takes place far into the future where the world has become a 'Facist Utopia'. It's a world where citizenship is earned through military service and values are taught in war. The original story, written by sci-fi master Robert Heinlein in 1959, took such a future very seriously. Not so with Verhoven, he attempted to approach this Brave New World with camp and satire and I think many people missed this point.

Narrated by a futuristic internet that includes satirical recruiting commercials, we follow the lives of a group of friends - Johnny Rico (Casper Van Diem), Carmen Ibanez (Monica Richards), Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer) and Carl Jenkins (Neil Patrick Harris). Johnny joins the service because of his girlfriend (Carmen) but is followed right along into service by another girl (Dizzy) who has a major crush on him. However, it becomes clear that they all joined the service just in time as attentions soon turn from each other to that of the enemy - Giant bugs. These giant, killer bugs have declared war on the Earth from their home world of Klendathu and are using long distance asteroids to inflict catastophic damage.

The movie kicks into high gear when soldiers are sent to the extraterrestrial battlefields of Klendathu - a kind of out-world Armageddon. A violent and graphic war is under way as soldiers are ripped apart by these giant bugs, some of which include built in flame throwers. The interaction between the bugs and soldiers is nothing less than spectacular. Indeed, in this era of The Matrix and The Phantom Menace, the digital FX in Starship Troopers easily rank as some of the best you will ever see. At one point, the soldiers are defending a fort against a HUGE army of insect warriors, some of which fly, in a scene that looks like some sci-fi version of the Alamo - Very effective. I will say, however, it struck me strange that a people who have created such advanced interstellar travel would not create better insecticide as the soldiers use pretty standard machine guns that take awhile to put a bug down. Also, Klendathu looked dull - colorless and full of rocks. Oh, well.

All in all, this movie is great. Don't take it too seriously, have fun with it.

Revised Review After Re-Viewing
"Starship Troopers" is a great, action-packed, shoot-'em-up, kill-the-bad-guys (bugs) science fiction adventure film with lots of great special effects. The battles scenes, both in space and on the ground, are graphic, complex, and exciting.

The movie is supposedly based upon Robert Heinlein's science fiction classic, written in 1959. He had three goals:

1) Put forth the idea that a true American patriot could be anti-war and need not be fanatically anti-Communist, a la Joe McCarthy.

2) Satirize war by glorifying it in a tongue-in-cheek manner and by shoving its horror in your face, much like "Saving Private Ryan" did seriously, and much like Archie Bunker did comedically to racism and bigotry.

3) Put forth the philosophy that freedom and responsibility are inextricably linked. Many people today have forgotten that, and moral decline is the result.

What does the movie do with these ideas? It misses the point entirely and sarcastically (not satirically) attacks war, patriotism, AND responsibility. It does this by turning the whole story into a farce, and by minimizing the role of the teacher of responsibility and sometimes portraying him as a bitter fanatic.

The young cast, whom I attacked before revising my review, actually did the best they could with a script that sometimes sounded like it belonged in a Saturday morning cartoon. In their defense, I would guess that most of the cast read the script and not the book. They also did not live through the threat of global war, which was fanned as much by McCarthy's inflammatory anti-Communist rhetoric and fanaticism as it was by Stalinism, Leninism, and Marxism. What defense does the producer and the director have?

The voice-over narration was a big mistake. It furthered the effect of having this film become a caricature of the book, and it was totally unnecessary.

If you want to watch a good science fiction adventure film with lots of special effects, action, and gore, this movie is for you. But, please do not take it seriously or think that it represents Heinlein's book faithfully. If you want to think about this movie and its ideas, please do two things first: read the book it was supposedly based upon, and either read the history of the era that birthed the book or talk with someone born before 1934 at length about the era.

listen up all n64 fans.
in the far future,the armed forces battle giant bugs on thier planet.one of the drill instructers is played by the pervert in sleepers.this movie is far to violent for chilkdren.i cant belive the second part even came fromthis one.this one rules but the sceond one left a lot to be desired.i think military,action and sci fi fans will all enjiy this one.anyone who is squeamish will not like it,as it is very graphic and very violent.there are 2 basic chicks in this movie.a air force chick whose playing two guys and a sexy red head who pines after one of those guys.i think the first chick is nasty but the red head is awesome.she must be pretty co mfortable without a shirt because she takes it off a number of times.this movie kicks butt!some of its futuristic concepts are neat.the violent parts are very graphic.legs flying,guts spraying...........its great.

A complete wast of budgeting
Starship troopers, probably set in the year 4000AD or something is a complete fasico, honestly. What kind of sick moron would create a movie about a bunch of sexy, small titted geeks joining the federal service thing to fight a bunch of mutated insects on the other side of the galaxy. attack, then lots of blood and death (and yet Rico some how manages to be listed corps, but he lives in a bath of green goo) and then they go back for more. Whoopee doo da. Rubbish, and i dont core if you disagree. The most unrealistic film since, well, since ever! From psycic people to roughneck. Thats not the human world. no way! The human world would probable nuke the hell out of "klendathu" the archnids home planet leaving a larghe collection of ash and rubble. And the real world probably wouldn't waste billions of pounds of huge space ships that are going to blow up from cosmic sperm. Nah, we would send thermonuclear probs or something, dodge in and out of the sperm and fly into a random guess at the best spot. Or, instead of using nuclear weapons we could take the right piss. Build a hug maginifying glass over the planets and use there own stars against them and magnify the heat 10,000 times and fry the bastards.

Denise richards must have been pissed to have said yes to acting in this film. What was she thinking?! Why is her hair so long?! and why does she have to smile all the time?! Does here mouth ever close? She did my head in in this "film" her acing may be up to scratch compared to the other actors but she could have done better (compare "the world is not enough"). Johny Rico quite cleary is dressed up to look like one of those life sized action men, the right hair anyway. His freak friend, I forget his name but I know he has been in many other films before. He didn't show up often which was a releif because he is quite ugly. but i suppose being able to mentally control and read the emotions of other animals counts against it.

On the plus side of this film (Yes there is one!!) the graphics and that of the big sacestations is quite good, not as good as say the matrix but it is good. just good. I admit to enjoying them little news reports from the "federal network" but thats about it. Starship Troopers is the perfect example of an over budgetted film and too many speciall effects which drive the film prducers of making a film of good acting. I think the proper scientific definition of this is the matrix revalutions and reloaded.

Only good bug's a dead bug.
Early on, in my formative years, I was introduced to horror films by my mom. Our local late-night horror-fest was Creature Features, hosted by the immortal Bob Wilkins. Through this forum, I was exposed to the great Universal horror films of the 30's, the silly Japanese rubber-suit monster movies, and my favorites, the atomic-age big bug films of the 1950's.

Fast-forward to winter, 1997. I'm sitting in a theater watching Starship Troopers, and it feels like I've stepped into a time machine. This is possibly the best of all the big bug movies, and it's not afraid to show its roots. Sometime in the future, Earth is under attack by huge bugs from another planet. We follow the lives of a few of Earth's best and brightest, as they join the army and head off in different directions. What really struck me about this film is that they actually took the time to develop a three-dimensional world for the characters to inhabit. That's what makes the difference to me. Yes, the young actors are mostly pretty eye candy, and their performances, while not Oscar-caliber, are light years beyond their forebears of the 50's. The world of their future is seemingly fascistic (service in the military guarantees citizenship and other perks, such as the right to vote and the right to have children. Hmm - a future in which people's active participation in their country allows them greater freedoms, provided they take personal responsibility for themselves and their future? I've heard worse notions...). We follow the idealistic youths through basic training, all the way to several epic battles on other worlds and we see their progress as soldiers and as humans along the way. It's this kind of attention to detail and character development that sets this film apart from many others. And yes, everyone makes noise about the coed shower scene, but I have to say that is one of the more important scenes in the film. It shows that the cadets have grown as soldiers, that they are capable as seeing each others as parts of a team, instead of just a bunch of good-looking naked people. Those who have a problem with this scene - grow the heck up. It just adds to the sense of realism of the whole movie. Oh, yeah - there's the bugs, too...

As far as I'm concerned, the bugs are real. I don't know that I've ever seen the make-believe so realistically brought to life in any other movie. These are truly nasty creatures, devoid of compassion or humanity in every way. The effects work (courtesy of master Rob Bottin) is truly incredible. The beasts take apparent glee in tearing apart their human foes, and they do so in spectacular ways. The bugs are so magnificently realized that I literally found myself on the edge of my seat as the troops find themselves ambushed in a deserted fort, with the entire horizon blocked out by herds of thundering bugs.

Paul Veerhoven (Robocop, Total Recall) has a fanatical eye for detail, which is yet another aspect of this film that just compels the feeling that what is happening might just be real. He maintains a sense of humor throughout, which works brilliantly when contrasted to the raw, brutal carnage we're being subjected to. The primary actors, the pretty young kids, do the best they can within the limits of their youth and talent (the standout is Dina Meyer, who's just great), but the real stars of this movie are Clancy Brown as the quasi-sadistic Sergeant Zim, the cadet's Drill Instructor, and genre favorite Michael Ironside as Lt. Rasczak, the kids' teacher at home, and also out on the battlefield. These two guys deserve as much attention and credit as possible for always turning in great performances in character-driven roles. They, even more than the bugs, give this film its heart.

All in all, you just couldn't ask for a more fun Saturday afternoon monster movie. Just avoid any sequels, because invariably, they just can't live up to this fun, breathtaking achievement. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Try not to think about it
As is the case of most of Cronenberg's work, the plot of Scanners begins in a straight line, becomes murky, and then almost nonsensical, The Fly remake being the exception, but barely. That's not to say that Scanners wasn't enjoyable. The special effects really are what make the movie; the exploding head in the beginning has since become one of horror's greatest movie moments-it's that priceless. The acting, with the exception of Patrick McGoohan, is non-plussed and wooden, oftentimes just downright uninspired. Steven Lack has to be one of the most ironic and appropriate names for an actor that ever existed. At it's heart, Scanners is an action movie, there are plenty of scenes of tension that move the story forward; at no point will you feel very bogged down by exposition until you get to the ending, and then you will have whiplash from having had the whole story laid on you so fast. Many Cronenberg elements can be seen in this film: excessive violence, fatalistic outlooks from many of the characters, and Cronenberg's own patented pessimism, which seems to hover over every one of his films like a specter. Cronenberg is a marginal director, by that I mean that he doesn't take the easy road to get his message across to you. Many of his films are a lesson in hubris coupled with excessive power. Just don't try to take any of this with you when you watch Crash. There just was no excuse for that one. Enjoy.

Effemerol The Scanner Drug of Choice
Movie Summary: Cameron Vale is jerked from his life as a mentally ill homeless man and whisked away to a corporate building. There he is given a drug that stops the voices in his head. He is told that he is not insane but he is one of only a few people with special mental powers. He is a Scanner. The corporation and its head scientist Doctor Paul Ruth clean up and attempt to train Cameron. They then send out an under prepared Cameron into the middle of a scanner war to track down a very powerful scanner who has plans to conquer the world.

My Opinion: Almost all the reviews for Scanners call it a Horror movie. I don't agree. To me Horror suggests movies like "Friday the 13th" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street". Scanners has some gore which more than likely is what gets it the horror label. I found it to be an Action Thriller with major SciFi elements. It's also a detective/spy type mystery film. It's all these elements together that make Scanners interesting and entertaining. The plot gets a little confusing in the middle as Cameron searches for other scanners, but our confusion mirrors Cameron's and is intentional. As things progress everything becomes clear. Stephen Lack is excellent as the weird scanner hero. I liked him enough to go look up what other films he has been in. Patrick McGoohan and Michael Ironside also give great performances. Overall this is a very entertaining movie that I will watch more than once and recommend to others.

DVD Quality: Video: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Sound: DD 2.0 Mono. For at least the last quarter of the movie the sound does not sync up with the video. Extras: Trailer only. This is a bare bones DVD with Audio problems, but it is offered at a VHS price.

What You Should Do: Buy the DVD if you are a fan of this movie or of Horror/ScFi movies in general. It's not a high quality DVD release, but the price isn't going to make your head explode.

Related Movies To Check Out: Three Days of the Condor, Reanimator, Bride of Reanimator

"I'm gonna suck your brain dry!"
From writer/director/auteur David Cronenberg comes another intelligent and visceral sci-fi/horror classic in the form of Scanners (1981), a film that takes a disturbing look at potential of the human mind within all of us, but only a few may actually possess. The questions posed are what if there were those out there who had the ability to read minds and control people actions just by thought? And what if those same individuals, scanners, as called within the film, also had not only the ability to read minds and control the actions of others with their mind, but also had the power to kill with the same means? The film stars Jennifer O'Neill (Summer of '42), the eccentric Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner, Silver Streak), Michael Ironside (Total Recall), and Stephen Lack, who, by the way, is not only an actor, but also a world-renowned artist, having garnered much acclaim for his paintings.

As the film begins, we see a homeless man (Lack) wandering a mall, getting dirty looks from all the people he sees (hey hey we're the Monkees...whatever)...anywho, one woman in particular, in the food court, seems exceptionally offended by his presence, but she soon has other things to worry about as she suffers from some sort of brain freeze, like the kind you get when you drink something cold too fast, brought on by the homeless man...turns out our homeless man (in my day, they were called bums, but whatever), whose name is Cameron Vale, has psychic powers of some sort, and has garnered the attention of CONSEC (whose chairman looks a helleva lot like Ed Asner), a company that specializes in weapons, specifically Dr. Paul Ruth (McGoohan), who describes himself as a 'psycho pharmacist', whatever that means (I bet he's a lot of fun to hang out with on the weekends). Dr. Ruth basically recruits Vale in a effort to track a particularly dangerous and powerful scanner by the name Darryl Revok, who's supposedly head of an underground movement of scanners and who has also basically decimated CONSEC's program of exploring the weapons potential of scanners, as he seems to subscribe to a policy of if you have special mind powers, then you either join up with him or you get your head exploded. Along the way Vale meets with Kim Obrist (O'Neill), a sort of leader of a fringe group of scanners outside of CONSEC and Revok's control (not for long), and they soon find themselves fighting for their lives as conspiracies unfold, traitorous scoundrels exposed, and secrets reveals. What's Revok's ultimate goal? It's not that far-fetched, considering his abilities...

I enjoyed this film...there really wasn't too many lengthy visceral scenes, but what there was contained very graphic gore (s'ploding heads) that imprinted on your mind, and tended to stay with you long after the scene was over. One scene, in particular, when Revok deals with the scanner at CONSEC, the tension was thick as the pressure, on and off the screen, built up quickly, and resulted in the film's most spectacular and memorable sequence. Jennifer O'Neill is good (and very easy on the eyes, shabba doo), but I didn't quite understand her character's connections to the other characters in the film, other than her being a scanner. It almost seemed like a plot contrivance if only to incorporate an attractive female, not that I mind attractive females, but her scenes could have pretty much been removed without much loss to the plot. Patrick McGoohan is one of my more favorite actors and he plays his part very well as the mentor/trainer to Lack's character, sort of a Professor X, if you are familiar with the X-Men comics or movies. Lack provides a sort of disjointed performance, but I felt as if it was intentional, as it seemed to work really well within the movie and fit his character, one who's spent most of his life trying to deal with the problems associated with his special abilities. I thought Michael Ironside's character was great, as he plays the role of the sadistic heavy with a God complex so very well (except, maybe for his role in Highlander II: The Quickening...ugh, what a complete dog that movie was...). He reminds me a lot of Lance Henriksen, both good actors but rarely ever emerging from B-movie limbo. Maybe they need better agents. There was a certain amount of symbolism throughout the movie, the most noticeable being when Lack's character is following up on lead by contacting a reclusive scanner who is an artist living in a barn. One of his pieces is a giant, hollow head, and there's a scene where the two men are actually sitting in the head, talking about Revok. There seems to be some confusion about the ending, after the final confrontation, but I thought it was pretty clear, and provided a nice eerie touch.

MGM presents a nice wide screen anamorphic transfer, but some have commented on the certain parts of the film being out of sync, but I didn't notice. I was a little surprised there was so little in the way of special features given the cult following of the film and that of Cronenberg in general, with only a theatrical trailer available, but I suppose someday they will produce a special edition of sorts. I would have liked to have seen a director's commentary, or some production notes, but I am pleased with what's here.

Cookieman108

David Cronenberg's Scanners
The Scanners are a group of beings who have a power that they can bend,twist,mutilate,and explode other human beings,using the powers of their minds. There are two groups of scanners good and bad.One of the scanners Revok wants the scanners to band together for his evil purposes, he spends his time trying to locate his brother, a good scanner, Cameron and finds him for the ultimate showdown between the good and evil scanners. In between all this we get to see a couple heads explode.Not really among Cronenberg's best, but it's ok.

Let the Scanners scan you....!
This film is one of my personal new 'classics' of horror, although it's also a sci-fi film. The plot centers around a small group of 'mutants,' long before the 'X-Men' made them cool, who have the unique ability to scan the thought patterns of others, thus knowing what people are thinking. However, as always, not all mutants play nice, as actor, Michael Ironside, has a great role as the demented Revok, who likes to scan people's minds just a bit too long, leading one to lose one's head, as in the infamous exploding head scene! Revok leads his bands of rebel mutuants against the establishment, and only another Scanner with equal ability can stand in his way. Even though this film is dated somewhat and campy in parts, it's definitely entriguing and fans of gross-out effects will eat this film up! ... Read more

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In the first and finest RoboCop movie, director Paul Verhoeven combined near-future science fiction with a keen sense of social satire--not to mention enough high-velocity violence to satisfy even the most voracious bloodlust. In Starship Troopers, Verhoeven and RoboCop cowriter Ed Neumeier take inspired cues from Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel to create a special-effects extravaganza that functions on multiple levels of entertainment. The film might be called "Melrose Place in Space," with its youthful cast of handsome guys and gorgeous women who look like they've been recruited (and in some cases they were) from the cast of Beverly Hills 90210. Viewers might focus on the incredible, graphically intense action sequences (definitely not for children) in which heavily armed forces from Earth go to off-world battle against vast hordes of alien "bugs" bent on planetary conquest. The attacking bugs are marvels of state-of-the-art special-effects technology, and the space battles are nothing short of spectacular. But Starship Troopers is more than a showcase for high-tech hardware and gigantic, flesh-ripping insects.Recalling his childhood in Holland during the Nazi occupation, Verhoeven turns this epic adventure into a scathingly funny satire of fascist propaganda, emphasizing Heinlein's underlying warning against the hazards of military conformity and the sickening realities of war. It's an action-packed joy ride if that's all you're looking for, but Verhoeven has a provocative agenda that makes Starship Troopers</