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This epic documentary does a wonderful job of recapturing the revolutionary impact the impressionists made while providing a historical and artistic context for this extraordinary group of painters. The work of Monet, Degas, Morisot, and their fellow impressionists has now become so familiar that its power to shock has all but disappeared.

Young and resolutely modern, these artists threw off the shackles of academic art to capture everyday life in paintings that were iconoclastic in both style and subject. At first they struggled to survive because their work was rejected by the conservative Paris Salon, but those with independent means helped those without (Monet in particular was frequently rescued from poverty by his friends), and gradually they became impossible to ignore. Bruce Alfred's script thoroughly explains the development of the impressionists' approach to art and reveals fascinating aspects of their individual personalities, while a combination of dramatic reconstructions, period photographs, and the paintings themselves creates a rich and informative visual tapestry. Anyone with an interest in the history of art will find much to enjoy. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (1)

magnifique!
My wife and I love Impressionism. We have several art books on the topic, and we saw the massive exhibit in Washington, D.C., in 1986 (from which we're still recovering!), and a more recent one at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

BUT ... we learned so much in this DVD set (which I gave to my wife as a Christmas present) that we had not read/learned anywhere else: there is a lot of information about the artists' personal lives, family problems, quarrels with each other, their failing health and deaths, etc., that is almost as fascinating as the paintings themselves -- which are simply LUMINOUS in this presentation.

The only disappointment is the limited "extras" and the limited number of paintings in the gallery extra -- perhaps a reason to downrate this to 4 stars. But ... I'll keep it at 5. ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Unique blend of horror and sentiment.
There's one thing I specifically like about certain horror films, and that is those that contain the horror elements, yet have a story that allows you to feel a great deal of emotion for a main or secondary character, depending on the focus of the plot. When Stephen King wrote his first novel, Carrie, it was shocking as well as emotionally heart-stopping. Brian de Palma's film, following soon after, is groundbreaking and intense, and captures the horror of the character's actions as well as the horror of her secluded and alienated school and home life.

Carrie White has never been popular in school, and the verbal and physical abuse has apparently gotten worse with each year. One day, she gets her first period in the showers of the girls locker room, and frantically running to everyone for help, she is bombarded by shouts of banter and flying tampons. After it is learned that she was never told by anyone about this process of life, we soon learn the reason why: her mother is a Bible-thumping embodiment of a true maniac, who believes that every action committed by man is a sin in the eyes of God. Her treatment of her daughter is extremely harsh, but only until Carrie learns that she possesses a special gift, the ability to move objects with her mind. Meanwhile, Sue Snell, one of the girls involved in the malicious locker room incident, feels guilt over her actions and asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the prom. Carrie accepts, and attends the event despite her mother's warnings of doom and sin. But something much worse will happen, something more terrifying than Mrs. White could ever imagine.

"Carrie" is one of the most well-known horror films of all time, and has set the standard for many later films of the genre. The entire premise for the movie is quite original, and the execution of the material is even more powerful and emotional than the novel itself. What makes it so emotional is the fact that there is a human story that happens everyday around the world. Carrie is constantly bantered and teased about every aspect of her life: her home, her mother, her apparel, and her demeanor, and it is done in such a manner that you cannot help but feel a great deal of sorrow for her when she commits the ultimate act in the finale of the film.

De Palma's camera angles and cinematography add an immense amount to the overall effect. Many of his shots usually center on someone in the foreground, while Carrie is somewhere within the near background, making her appear minute and small among everyone else. His use of the two-window effect for the prom sequence helps us to see more of the destruction and the reactions people have to events going on around them. One more notable sequence is opening scene, in the girls locker room, where we see the rest of the girls having fun and making merry while Carrie is alone and singled out in the shower stall. Throughout the movie, De Palma does a spectacular job in making Carrie seem insignificant when put with a group of people.

Sissy Spacek was brought to the project to play the title character, and does a top-notch job. She is the perfect "ugly-duckling" type for the role, and she is able to play out all of the emotion and terror that Carrie experiences throughout the novel. Amy Irving is does a credible job as Sue Snell, and her performance makes us believe that Sue really does feel sorry for what she has done to Carrie. The rest of the ensemble makes the movie believable, and never is there a moment where you will question the authenticity of a performance.

Certain to remain a hallmark of moviemaking, "Carrie" will shock, scare, and incite emotion for years to come. It is a movie that operates on many different levels, each beginning at separate times of the film, yet converging in the end to sweep us up in horror and sorrow.

Here's to the Devil with false modesty...;)
Released in 1976, "Carrie" is a disturbing horror film that's generously fueled by psychological tension and religious iconography. Unlike the decade's other two occult works, "The Exorcist" and "The Omen," this is not a tale about the Devil's chicanery. Although it overlaps ominous images of Christ with the raging feminine hormones of teenagers, the film actually decrys the tragic reality of school bullying; as an underrated form of child abuse, this so-called "rite of passage" involves a youth culture so cruel and thoughtless that it drives its victims to suicide or murder.
Actress Sissy Spacek portrays Carrie White, a shy and lonely misfit who is constantly harrassed by her classmates. After another strenuous game of vollyball, she begins to mensturate in the girls' shower. Terrified at seeing the blood running down her fingers, Carrie hysterically cries to the other students for help. But instead, all of the girls corner her in the locker room, jeering and tossing tampons at her. From that moment on, viewers are introduced to the appalling ignorance of the high school staff; not only do the teachers refuse to take Carrie's word seriously, but even Principal Morton (Stefan Gierasch) can't seem to remember her first and last name. The only official to pity her is gym teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), who realizes that she was never taught how to deal with PMS. Fiercely determined to protect Carrie's well-being, Miss Collins punishes the class with a week's worth of brutal, boot camp athletics; anyone who refused to attend detention was excluded from the senior prom.
Meanwhile, behind closed doors, Carrie is tortured and chastised by her Mother (Piper Laurie), a straitlaced Christian fanatic who corrupts every passage in the Bible, blatantly accusing her daughter of being sinful. After hearing about her first period, Margaret White assumes that Carrie is inflicted with the curse of blood, and that she's tempted by the Antichrist's lust. Forcing her to pray for strength, Margaret drags her helpless daughter into a tiny closet, where a gaunt effigy of Jesus stares into a dark void of nothingness. It seems that all hope is lost for this little girl, but that mood eventually changes. Through library research, Carrie discovers she possesses telekinetic powers; whenever she gets angry or afraid, she can flip an ashtray off a desk, shatter a mirror, or make doors open and close unaided. Eventually, this is the weapon she uses to fight back against her Mother's assault.
Seeking revenge, one of Carrie's most hateful bullies, a spoiled and nasty girl named Chris (Nancy Allen), cajoles her drunk boyfriend Billy (John Travolta) to play a sadistic prank on her. On prom night, after Carrie and poet Tommy Ross (William Katt) are crowned King and Queen, Chris dumps a bucket of pig's blood on her head. Drenched and degraded, she is surrounded by a kaleidoscope of laughing spectators. In an act of murderous rage, Carrie unleashes her telekinetic anger upon the crowd. With her cold and blank stare, she showers water from a firehose, electrocutes the microphone, and engulfs the entire school in flames. In perhaps the most shocking split-screen sequence in history, this unforgettable night of terror is shot through multiple perspectives, while glowing a grisly, hellish red.
If you are seeking a horror classic for your DVD collection, I strongly recommend this film, as well as "The Exorcist," "Evil Dead," and "Nightmare on Elm Street."

Classical
Carrie White is a bit strange. She is friendless, her mother is obsessed with worshipping god, and sin, everybody at school harrases her, and to top it all off, she gets asked to the prom by the "hottest" guy in school, which also happens to be the guy Carrie has "special feelings" for.

Now, when you mix all those things together, do you come to the conclusion that Carrie might be under a lot of pressure? Well sure you do, cause she is. And to her horror, when she and Billy or whoever it is, i forget his name, starts to dance to the school song, a huge bucket of pigs blood is poured on her.

Blood, guts, gore...not really, but during the last half hour or so, the violence is pretty strong, not too graphic, but there are some graphic scenes of violence. When a girl gets crushed by a basketball hoop thingy, and when Carries mom gets killed by knifes being stabbed in her. I am sure there are some other ones, but those are the most graphic that i Can remeber right now.

Not too sexual, but there are definatly some sexual scenes, after all, this IS stephen king we are talking about, read this book and that will be enough dose of sexuality for you for one day, guarenteed.

Chilling ever time I see it
This movie is a very rare type of teen horror moive. It perfectly balences our fears and teen angst with phenominal acting at the same time. I think the reason why Carrie is still so fresh even today is because we all have a little bit of Carrie in all of us. All of us at one point in our lives have been teased, beaten up, or felt like you didn't belong at some point in our lives. We all know exactly how Carrie feels when all the girls laugh at her at the prom, or the excitment she felt when the most popular guy in schol askes her to the prom. We have all experienced these feeling throught out our teen years. Pino Donaggio did a superb job with the sountrack. Its so simple yet so effective. The music playing just before the blood is dumped still gets me everytime. It sounds almost like a clock ticking. Almost as if itsticking away the time that the kids have left to live. Even though I know whats gonna happen that scene never fails to scare me to death. This movie is a must see. Even todays teens will love this movie.

Steven King at his best
Probably the best translation of a Steven King novel into a movie. You can't miss this one. ... Read more

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The first happy day in the adult life of Anjuli (Amy Irving) is the day her husband's body is set on fire. Her rich and powerful husband, the Rana of Bhitor (Rossano Brazzi), is ritually immolated in a lavish ceremony where his other wife, Anjuli's half sister, is expected to commit ritual suttee. Only after she is released from her marriage is Anjuli free to follow her heart. Based on M.M. Kaye's beloved novel, The Far Pavilions tells the haunting love story of Anjuli and Ash (Ben Cross) against the spectacular backdrop of mid-19th-century colonial India, replete with accurate historical and cultural details. Full of battle, treachery, intrigue, passion, and prejudice, the film brims with stunning sights, from the peaks of the Himalayas to the famed palaces of Bhitor, remarkable battle scenes, and royal pageantry, including a lavish, several-day-long traditional Hindu wedding where the groom enters on an elephant. The all-star cast, including Omar Sharif, Sir John Gielgud, and Rupert Everett, truly brings the novel to life.

This two-DVD set includes interactive menus, a scene index, production notes, and a Kaye biography and book list. Originally released for television in 1984, The Far Pavilions has inspired viewers to travel to India, plus it has been included in numerous university courses because of its postcolonial and multicultural themes. This film will appeal to viewers interested in postcolonialism or Indian history and culture as well as anyone who loves a good romance. --Tara Chace ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Visual feast, but no depth to plot or to characters
If you are looking for a movie with sumptuous landscapes and costumes, exotic locales and characters, and a highly romanticized story, this fits perfectly. If you are looking for a movie with real meat to the story, this does not do so well. Both Ben Cross and Amy Irving who play the protagonists do not appear to advantage in this film. [For a better performance from Cross, try CHARIOTS OF FIRE, for that from Irving, try CROSSING DELANCEY].

This kind of movie also paints a distorted view of British India in this time period, romanticized but bearing as much resemblance either to 19th century India or modern India (and South Asia) as would ALADDIN (Disney version) to the Middle East ca 800 or today. Part of the problem is that the film has cut so much of the beginning of the novel (actually, pretty much the first third ) away. That leaves the viewer in limbo when Ashton Pelham-Martyn appears as a British officer with an Indian background. What kind of background? That is much better described (and far more believable) in the novel than in the film.

Of course, it is hard to compare novels and film adaptations. On the other hand, we do want the story within a film to make sense. Given the complexities of the plot, what is left out gives us little understanding of why Anjuli's position is so bad, or for that matter, why Ashton's "Indian" background leaves him highly suspect among his fellow officers. [Not to mention the fact that an important little sub-plot is almost totally excised].

If you have read the novel before watching the film, the story will make more sense. On the other hand, if you are just looking for eye candy, this film version is fine as it stands.

For the record, if you want to read about 19th century Raj customs and stuff, read Kipling's KIM or anything else by him or watch THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING. Paul Scott's THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN (TV series and book) and E.M Foster's A PASSAGE TO INDIA (film by David Lean and book) offer a much-better more nuanced and better-researched look at the last decades of the Raj (1920s to 1940s). For stories set before 1857, I am not really sure there is anything that has been well-translated to the film medium.

A TALE OF ROMANCE AND DERRING DO IN COLONIAL INDIA...
Based upon M. M. Kayes best selling novel of the same name, this film is well acted and absorbing. It is a story set during the time of the British Raj in India. The two characters central to the film are Ash (Ben Cross), an Englishman who spent the formative years of his life believing that he was Indian, and Anjuli (Amy Irving), a half caste Indian princess. Ash and Anjuli spent a portion of their childhood growing up together, until palace intrigues forced Ash and his Indian foster mother to flee. As a prepubescent youth, he is informed of his English heritage and sent to England for his education and Anglicization.

Returning to India many years later as a young man, Ash becomes a part of a British regiment called the Guides. He has some difficulties adjusting, as he is not an Englishman comfortable in his own skin, as he also feels that is Indian in many ways, a view that brings him into conflict with the way the native Indian population is viewed by the British. Meanwhile, Anjuli has continued living as a half caste Indian princess. She and Ash have not seen each other since he and his foster Indian mother fled, and she has no idea that Ash is not Indian, but British.

The film is an amazing cornucopia of adventure, derring do, and romance. It provides a tantalizing glimpse into colonial India. All of this, however, merely serves to propel the story towards the uniting of Ash and Anjuli, as the film is, first and foremost, a love story set against the romantic and lush backdrop of colonial India. When the paths of these star crossed lovers intersect, it is under a most unusual set of circumstances. It is a story that will keep the viewer riveted to the screen. I, myself, was unable to tear myself away from the screen and was riveted for the full five hours that it took for this mesmerizing tale of adventure, love, and treachery to unfold.

With a star studded cast that includes the likes of Omar Shariff, Christopher Lee, Sir John Gielgud, and Rossano Brazzi, this is a film what will capture the viewer's imagination. I read and loved the novel upon which this film was based, and while it is not a faithful adaptation of that wonderful book, the film stands on its own considerable merits. It is meant to entertain and that it most certainly does.

This two disc DVD is somewhat limited in what it offers, however, in terms of features, which is limited to a scene index, some production notes, and a brief biography of M.M. Kaye. In terms of its quality, while the sound is good, the visuals are somewhat grainy at times and washed out looking. It is too bad that they decided to do the transfer from video to DVD on the cheap. In doing so, they did "The Far Pavillions" a disservice. Still, it is a DVD well worth having in one's collection, as the story is such a gripping tale.

great movie, terrible DVD
i was so looking forward to the DVD verison of this film. i had taped the entire 6 hours when it was on HBO so many years ago. i missed the narrater intoducing the next parts, and the picture quality, which i expected to be outstanding didn't happen. they took a print and ran it to a DVD, no fixing, no nothing. when i want to watch this one, i put in the old VCR tape, it's better and clearer than the DVD. hard to believe! the people that put this one together didn't give a "flip" about the movie.to bad...

Amazing! Brings Colonial India To Life.
As a great fan of the book, I was slightly apprehensieve about seeing the TV series. However, I really feel it does the book justice and brings the characters and India to life with its fantastic scenery and sumptuous costumes. Amy Irving is perfect as Anjuli and although unsure at first of Ben Cross's performance, I soon warmed to him as Ash. The picture on the DVD was really good, as was the sound. A must see DVD for anyone who is interested in the history of India.

Great Miniseries - Ben Cross is awsome!
For criticism purposes, it has to be understood WHEN the novel was written, and also the fact that this movie is based ON A NOVEL, it does not intent to be a documentary, but a recreation of British ruled India from the eyes of a British writer.

I disagree with some of the criticisms posted here, as you cannot analyze a book written in a different time (or a movie based on one) as if you were talking about a contemporary of yours.

I ENJOY the movie VERY MUCH, every time I watch it again (The 4 videos collection)... I would highly recommended it. I LOVE how Ben Cross plays his character, and Amy Irving, too. It is MOST enjoyable.

ENJOY! ... Read more

Reviews (81)

REPROBATE ALLEN WINS ME BACK, THIS TIME
When it was first released, I avoided seeing DECONSTRUCTING HARRY (a.k.a., Woody) because I couldn't bring myself to face yet another self-deprecating, neurotic, self-indulgent, self-centered Woody Allen on screen (who the newspapers had just confirmed is that way off screen too!). Having first laughed at and then endured Allen since the 1960s, I'd had enough. Nevertheless, to this day Allen's THE FRONT remains one of my all time favorite movies ... mainly because of its truthfulness, honesty and courage. Unintentionally, one night I saw part of DECONSTRUCTING HARRY on cable TV (and then HAD to buy it here in DVD) ... because I couldn't stop howling. I'd only seen perhaps the middle half hour of it, but that was enough. Mercifully, THIS movie was not ALL about Allen. Rather Harry Block-Woody Allen was "exploited" as a vehicle for a higher form of humor. Then there were a parade of actors who I never imagined had it in them: Richard Benjamin, Kirstie Alley, Amy Irving ... of all people ..., Mariel Hemingway ... yet! ALL were great in this comedy ... they were terrific. Equally terrific were Hazelle Goodman as Harry's motherly hooker Cookie (wonderful), Billy Crystal and Robin Williams ... who you'd expect to be funny, were indeed that.

I must admit, Allen pulled one out as writer, director and star. But not merely because of the brilliant writing and directing (oh, O.K., and the acting) but because for ONCE Harry-Woody was not the center of the neurotic universe. He was in the middle of the action .... but he tied it all together in DECONSTRUCTING HARRY. Many modern interpersonal issues, stereotypes and clichés are brought into scrutiny under this microscope. It is the very absurdity of it all, making the movie hysterically funny.

Clearly, this is a movie for mature audiences. It is definitely not a movie for children and adolescents. Probably they would find it boring and confusing. The language and situations are graphic, raw and irreligious. But in this movie these are necessary "paints" for painting this picture. Grownups will enjoy this movies thoroughly.

Allen's self-exploration vignettes
Weaving between fiction and reality, Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry tells the tale of a writer's sexual exploits, romantic failings, and dealings with depression. Allen's character Harry transfers his life's problems into his books, which causes much strife between the real-life counterparts in his world.

Once again Allen has leveraged his considerable fame to draw in Hollywood's elite. Throughout the film, every face is a familiar one. Billy Crystal is portrayed as the devil who steals Woody's romantic lead, Robin Williams as a blurry actor who can't get his focus, Kirstie Alley as a ex-wife who discovers Harry has cheated with a patient, and countless more celebrity cameos.

The joy in partaking in this film is evident in the celebrity actors who appear. There's a certain prestige in such an endeavor, and we, the film audience, can identify just about everyone in the film. At the same time, each character that appears has so much baggage in our minds. For instance, Demi Moore appears as an ex-wife. How many of us can honestly think of her in any way other that her celebrity profile. While this isn't a major problem, identifying with some of the celebrities proves difficult at times.

Deconstructing Harry catalogs Woody's struggle with sexual desire and his inability to love. Early on we discover that he has finally found true love in a pupil, Elizabeth Shue, but she has fallen in love with his friend.

The plot is shaped around Harry's self-identity questions, and the character's goal is to go to an honorary ceremony at his alum. He has nobody to take. His ex-wife won't let him take his son, his girlfriend has left him, and a hooker is the only one around that will take him up on his need for companionship.

The play between Allen's semi-autobiographical stories, which flash to and from reality, illuminate the film and shows how Allen's writing channels his depression and gives him a release from an otherwise ugly life.

After viewing Deconstructing Harry, I wonder how autobiographical it really is.

Witty, perhaps, but heartless
There is no doubting the genius of Woody Allen. The clever ideas and witty dialogue flow thick and fast here, but there is just one problem: The film is totally and utterly heartless.

Woody Allen's humour here is just downright cynical. Cruel, even. The film has a narcissistic feel to it, where everyone is mocked and ripped apart mercilessly apart from Woody's alter-ego, Harry. Though I saw this a few years ago and loved it, on rewatching it recently, I just couldn't enjoy it. His cynicism here is left untempered by optimism and faith, something that marked out his earlier work. Sorry, but this just left a bitter taste in my mouth.

One of Woody's best!
This belongs on the shelf along with the other Woody greats such as Hannah, Manhattan, Stardust Memories & Crimes and Misdemeanors. I can't imagine any objection to this movie unless you're the type that gets excited whenever you see a Tom Cruise type up on the screen. About as close to art as a movie can get and in the same league as Bergman, Wenders, Godard or any of the other greats.
Enough said.

incredible
This is by far my favorite woody allen film . most people who discredit the movie do so because of course language and/or typical woody allen roles and situations. well, if you can't take a little vulgarity, f__k off this movie's not for you. It's not potty humor, it's unfiltered dialogue fitted to the characters and the situations they find themselves in. As for the typical allen scenerios of love triangles and even squares, that's what has made him. Would you expect a woody allen film where he is not nuerotic, or tense, or in constant insecurity? Then don't expect one in which all the angles of relationships are dissected and exploited. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

13 PRAISES ABOUT ONE MOVIE
What a brilliantly conceived and executed film on life, fate and the pursuit of happiness!

If you are wondering about the "one thing" in the title, well it is not simple. In fact it may not actually be one thing at all but several, and the genius of the film is that it makes you and those watching with you want to talk about what it means, thus generating a 14th conversation. The lines may have been mixed around in a visual feast of cinematic poetry but the meaning remains crystal clear. So I'd say that's the "one thing" -- meaning.

What I admire about Sprecher is that she trusts her audience wholeheartedly. She is clearly disinterested in highfalutin messages and doesn't hammer her themes to death. In fact, the best scenes in the movie aren't big revelations, dramatic monologues or directorial set pieces, but subtle character moments: a conversation that hits the right note, a glance that suggests a subtext, a smile.

The movie refused to leave my head for weeks, an impact disproportionate to the movie's quiet sombre tone. A rare film that manages to evoke emotions and provoke thinking. Buy it! Watch it! Talk about it!

An irreversible change
In spite of its seemingly depressing nature I tremendously enjoyed this movie. I believe it is the issues discussed that were able to touch deep and the quiet, restrained way in which they were portrayed. Another reason would be the beautiful ending that does not say much but leaves you with some hope for human kind...
"Thirteen conversations about one thing" lead to very coherent statements about the human condition. Each viewer, so I believe, will interpret what he saw in a slightly different manner. For me however the message was: reach out for other human beings - they are as lonely as you are; kindness, optimism and "looking at the bright side of things" have a power in spite of all and a kind word or gesture have an affect on other people - cynical as they may be; and most important: happiness is sometimes a vague term and is always better perceived at a later stage....
The movie starts with a scene whose significance will be understood at a much later stage. John Turturro, playing a physics college professor is having dinner with his wife (Amy Irving) and discusses an act of violence that he suffered, trying to analyze the horror of it all and find significance and meaning in what occured. The act itself and its impact on the professor are not clear to the viewers at this stage but will become clear later on. This is the first hint to what will be one of the movie's major themes - one event is able to shake a person down and cause a change. An irreversible change.
The movie brings us five human episodes that are entangled to one strong story. Matthew McConaughey is a young, confident attorney whose life changes on account of a car accident he causes; Clea Duval an optimistic kind young woman working as a cleaning lady who looses her faith in human kind on account of same accident. John Turturro is a college professor in search of happiness - in search of the "something" more that life has to offer. In pursuit of such happiness he leaves his wife, who is left to deal with same questions and issues, especially with the loneliness of one person in the big city. However, the most impressive acting belongs to Alan Arkin who portrays a lonely, cynical manager who has a very optimistic, good-natured employee. The employee's ability to see good in every thing hits an exposed nerve which the manager can no longer tolerate. Alan Arkin manages to deliver a round figured person including his many sides and faces, thoughts and regrets, thus forming a very realistic humane figure. Arkin is a bitter father, a manager, an ex-husband and above all a person who down beneath is kind and good, after all the masks are stripped down. Clea Duval is another great asset to this movie, able to touch us with her tender quiet portrayal of a girl who undergoes an inner turmoil.
The film is rich with metaphors and symbols that are not always evident on first viewing. One example would be the professor, Turturro writing the word "Irreversible" on the class blackboard while discussing the notion of anthrophy and giving us a hint to life realities as will become evident to him later on. Once you made your choice, consequences are irreversible, as Turturro will soon understand. Another example would be Clea Duval' s doll who always had one closed eye and suddenly appears with her two eyes open after her owner's inner change, as if to symbolize the new look on life she has. These are just two examples of what makes this movie rich and holding several layers of understanding.

a nicely done film with a exceptional cast
Its a movie about sepereate people whose stories fuse together into one. They all meet or bump into one another along the way. Matthew McConaughey (Frailty, Reign Of Fire), Amy Irving, Alan Arkin (The Jerky Boys Movie, America's Sweethearts), John Turturro (The Man Who Cried, Barton Fink), Clea DuVall (Identity, Ghosts Of Mars), Tia Texada (Spartan, Bait), Frankie Faison and many others form the great line of work that is done here, especially Turturro, Arkin and McConaughey. So if your in for a little drama, this is the ticket.

Complexity That Answers To Happiness
"13 Conversations About One Thing" is an emotional film that will surely move its audiences. It stars Alan Arkin, Clea DuVall, Matthew McConaughey John Turturro, and Oscar nominee Amy Irving ("Yentl"). It desplicts four separate storylines that have one thing in common: they struggle with happiness. One loses his money shortly after winning the lottery, one struggles to keep herself together after an accident, the guy who ran her over struggles with guilt, one struggles with catching her husband cheating, and one whose envy threatens becomes self-destructible. The powerful theme within the events is present in every scene. Their life struggles have the intensity to keep audiences watching closely. The complex stories detail so deeply that audiences must watch the film multiple times to fully understand them. Though some questions have yet to be answered, they will be glad afterwards. Despite the time frames moving back and forth, the plot doesn't lose its touch with the chain of events. In fact, it keeps everything more interesting. The emotional theme is accented by the actors who perform their roles wonderful and expressively, especially Arkin. Their performances alone are unforgettable. "13 Conversations About One Thing" is a great drama that will surely please audiences. This will be remembered for a long time.

A movie that tries to answer questions about happiness
What is happiness? How do we achieve happiness? Do we know what happiness is? Is it by fate, Dame Fortune, or is it something we have to discover for ourselves? That's the thing in 13 Conversations About One Thing. There are various phrases that separate each segment of the movie, such as "fortune smiles on some, fortune laughs on others," which help underline the theme of this movie, as experienced by many characters.

There's an actuary, Gene English (Alan Arkin), whose company is going through hard times, and in order to cut back, lets go of Wade, an employee who's always happy and has a smile on his face. His motive that Wade will find some sort of silver lining. And Wade is at first shocked, as he has a family to support. Through this act, we learn more about Gene. He does have problems of his own, as he has a drug-addicted son, and is no longer married. I kind detected a kind of spite in Gene when he fired Wade, the typical case of an unhappy person who can't stand someone being happy. But given the outcomes of both people, it makes one wonder if karma has a role to play in this.

The physics professor Walker (John Turturro) is a creature of routine, making his entire life a schedule, whether it be his lover or his office hours, as he makes clear to one student who isn't making an effort in his class and whom he has a certain dislike. He's even left his wife to have an affair in the hopes that some kind of novel stimulation will break him away from the cozy rut of his old life. To him, that's happiness. Yet old habits die hard. He also finds solace in certainty, as his teaching physics irreversible. But in one instant, the effects that we have in what we say to one person is demonstrated later on. Or do, in the case of the actuary.

A hotshot prosecutor (Matthew McConaughey) is celebrating a victory in a case, but on his way back, he accidentally hits a young girl and leaves her there, not wanting to undergo legal entanglements--he oughta know, he's a lawyer. Slowly, the guilt he feels affects his life. The girl herself, Beatrice, (Clea DuVall), a housecleaner, initially has a positive outlook on life, yet following her accident, she becomes disillusioned.

There are some techniques used a la He Loves Me He Loves Me Not or Happenstance, where things that are seen in later segments fill in gaps or connect previously seen segments. And the performances are great throughout, even one can't sympathize with some of the characters, i.e. the lawyer. Me, I'll take as Wade as my nominee.

The viewer is indeed limited in the characters' lives via the film, but it does make one wonder, what happened afterward to them? Do or will they ever find that pot at the end of the rainbow? While there are no easy answers in the question of happiness, which seems to elude most like Tantalus and his fruit, I'll leave with song quotes I found apropos to this movie: "when you expect whistles, it's flutes/when you expect flutes, it's whistles." The name of the song: "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dakota Fanning--the elfin star of Uptown Girls, The Cat in the Hat, and Man on Fire--trades in her blond locks for a semi-gothic brunette do in Hide and Seek. Fanning plays Emily, a young girl whose mother commits suicide. To help Emily through the trauma, her father David (Robert DeNiro), a psychologist, takes her to an isolated house in upstate New York. But instead of healing, Emily gets dark circles under her eyes, mutilates her favorite doll, and develops an imaginary friend named Charlie. In no time at all, things get spooky and David suspects this imaginary friend isn't so friendly. Hide and Seek owes a lot to The Shining, but whether the creepiness is borrowed or not, there's a decent dose of it (though the twist at the end is unlikely to surprise many viewers). DeNiro does his job with professional gloss, but Fanning carries the movie; she's got the kind of charisma that goes beyond acting ability--that ineffable glow that makes an audience want to watch her. Hide and Seek also features Famke Janssen (X-Men), Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas), and the ever-dependable Dylan Baker (Happiness). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Hide and Seek is neither fun nor scary...just plain dumb
Robert De Niro (Meet The Fockers, Meet The Parents) brings his daughter, Dakota Fanning (the upcoming War Of The Worlds, Man On Fire) to a uptsate country house after Fanning's mother takes her own life. Soon after they move in Fanning starts to tell her dad of her imaginary friend named Charlie. De Niro starts to become more and more worried about his daughter and strange things happen. The end is another one of those twist endings we all love....sometimes. I think De Niro and Fanning did a good job though this movie is neither scary nor suspenseful...it has its moments. Also starring Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas, The Saint), Dylan Baker (Changing Lanes, Along Came A Spider), Robert John Burke (Fled), Amy Irving (13 Conversations About One Thing, Tv's Alias) and Famke Janssen (X-Men 1 and 2, GoldenEye).

ROBERT DENIRO IS CHARLIE!
The above is a spoiler so don't read it if you don't want to know in advance.

Not a horror
I wouldn't call this film a horror. I would call it a suspenseful thriller. and, when under THAT category, it fulfills its promises.
De Niro is pretty good in it, but the medal really goes to Dakota Fanning. She's a brilliant actress for her age and quite freaky and hidden in the movie.
Not a horror, i stress, but a brillaintly suspenseful film with a completely unbxepected, unforseeable twist at the end......

Freewheel Thriller with a Twist Which Is Not Exactly New
A recently widowed doctor Robert DeNiro leaves the city with his only daughter Dakota Fanning.They start to live a new life in quiet countryside, a deserted summer place this time, and he comes to realize that his move might be a mistake.If you find any originality in this story, 'Hide and Seek' is your film.If I sound a little sarcastic, I say I'm sorry, but so many thrillers seek their background in this kind of land of nowhere that I started to feel like yelling 'Not again.'Oh, and the title!This unoriginal title should not be confused with another 'Hide and Seek' made only 6 years ago.At least they should have done something to that.

But DeNiro's 'Hide and Seek' is not without entertainment value.Though the film's main body is made from parts from other thrillers, it starts mildly interesting.DeNiro plays Dr. David Callaway, who lost his wife Alison (Amy Irving) in a terrible situation, and their only daughter Lucy (Fanning), witnessing the scene, is traumatized by the shock.They leave the city, and begin to live quietly in the countryside (which is conviniently only one hour's drive away from the city where Lucy's doctor Famke Jansen lives).

But you know, Lucy starts to act weirdly, talking about her imaginary frined named Charlie.She insists Charlie often comes to their house, and does a wicked thing or two.The tricks Charlie (or whatever) does on them get worse as the story goes on, and finally Lucy herself is out of control.Well, it seems so at first.

Like M. Night Shyamalan thrillers, 'Hide and Seek' tries to be atomospheric, and at times it succeeds.See, for example, who plays the local sheriff jingling the bundle of keys, who might be a bit too officious.It's Dylan Baker, yes, who played the daddy who did a very bad thing to a kid in 'Happiness.'It's good casting, for Dylan Baker could be very unpredictable, and he is a good actor.

But it turns out differently.For all the participations of ever-reliable Dylan Baker and equally-reliable Elizabeth Shue, the things go on like autopilot.For all the good (and in a sense, very scary) acting from Dakota Fanning, any fans of thrillers can read the next step of the film.Here's a doll!There's a cat!!The girl is looking at the sinister-looking woods!!!You can guess what will happen next.

Yes, I know, except that part, which the Fox Studio is so eager to protect that to reavel it here would involve you and me into an unwelcome lawsuit, so I won't write it.You have to see it, and perhaps, just perhaps, you may be impressed with it.Me?Well, I admit it was unexpected, but at the same time the twist does not heighten the suspence at all.Actually, it is an amateur's touch which destroys the professional acting from Fanning, whose Lucy character is the only mysterious part of the film.In short, Fanning's well-measured performance is wasted to show this big, implausible, and silly surprise.

Finally, here is what I want to ask: how many people still remember Robert DeNiro in the 70s or 80s?Oh, he was such a sensation.Not exactly a money-making star (which I do not say is a bad thing per se), but the name of DeNiro meant something awe-inspiring.I enjoyed 'Analyse This' and 'Meet the Parents,' but I didn't expect 'Analyse That' was coming. Neither his awful self-parody of Travis in 'Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.'Then, the mafioso boss in 'Shark Tales.'What ever happened to him anyway?

Not as bad as people say.
-Heather's Teenage Son-

This movie was pretty good, but it moved at a VERY VERY slow pace.So, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, and I'll finish this later. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

"Captivating Tale of Love, Immortality, and Choices We Make"
Even though I teach middle school, I had not read this book. My students mentioned it often however, and as an instructor of Greek mythology, I became curious about the story when I learned its basic premise was immortality. (I have been told that there was much less a love interest between the teenagers in the book, however this emendation certainly lends a magical spark to the timeless story.) Upon seeing the movie, I can recommend it not only for its excellent treatment of this subject, but also as a film the whole family can enjoy and discuss afterward.

In brief, this is the story of those (the family Tuck) who would seek to live forever. Unlike the mythological Tithonius however, who was granted everlasting life without eternal youth, the Tuck family becomes immortal from the moment they drink of the mystical pool at the foot of an ancient tree--a tree that will lend a poignant and touching climax to the end of the film.

Suffice it to say, the acting is wonderful. High profile heavyweights such as Ben Kingsley, Sissy Spacek and William Hurt give predictable sterling performances. Victor Garber (Alias; Annie) is also excellent as the wealthy father. But Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) as Winnie Foster is simply disarming. She is convincing and superb in her effort to balance her desire for love in a life outside of time, with her responsibility to live the life intended for her. The talent of the cast, as well as the curiosity of the storyline makes for few dull moments, and the conclusion left me with one wet Kleenex!

This is a beautiful film--from the scenery, to the music, to the performances, to the plot. Yes, it might be simplistic and predictable, but it would take a crusty old grinch to say that this ninety minutes wasn't thoroughly delightful, and time well spent.

In the end, the age-old questions remain--is immortality all we would dream it to be? Is it quantity, or quality of life that is important? Does living forever make one unique and privileged, or does it (as Tuck would say) make one merely a rock stuck in a mud bank beside a flowing stream? And where does love fit into this equation? Is being given the love of your life, or loving the life you're given the more appropriate choice? The answer is found in Winnie's final decision on whether or not to drink from the eternal pool--a decision I could not have made.

Much better than the Country Bears!
About 2 to 5 weeks ago, I was watched the Country Bears, and found it a bad film by Disney, and now they have made it up, they made and came with this movie called "Tuck Everlasting". Which is about a girl that meets teenageer that is 104, and I must say that for being 104, that Jessie Tuck looks better good for his age. The girl is 15 years old and her name is Winfred. The Tucks are immortal, becuase they have discorved a a pond, that makes them living forever, even if they fall, and don't get hurt, or shot but not get hit. As the movie opens, Winfred "Winnie" Foster (Alexis Bledel) has met a stranger in a yellow suit, who is looking for the Tucks. Her parents decide to send her to a school that would manners. She doesn't want to go and runs away from home, and his lost in the woods and she runs into Jessie Tuck (Jonathan Jackson), who tells her to get out of the woods and to go home. But she runs, and runs into Jessie's grumpy brother Miles (Scott Barrstow), who takes her to his mom (Sissy Spaey). Who tells Miles to get his father (William Hurt) from fishing, because "he'll" not what to do with Winnie. I would reccomend this movie to you on dvd, if you love movies in "letter-box" fromat, and if you don't, then you will have to settle for the video tape edition, but a word of warning, if you get this on dvd, there are trailers for other movies like George of the Jungle 2 and Inceptor Gadge 2.

Love this movie
I love this movie! it is a great film...maybe better then the book. i cried for hours after i watched this movie (which is a good thing) if you like sad movies you'll love this!!!

Tuck Everlasting
Tuck Everlasting sure is everlasting.The movie isn't completely terrible.It really explores life and death but it takes to long.The whole time I kind of felt bored.The plot is good but I don't think it or the book it was adapted from are all that great.Maybe this just isn't my kind of film but it just took forever to get to the climax and it was only 90 minutes.The acting definetly isn't Oscar winning; the only great performance was by Sissy Spacek.The dialogue is of course compatible to this kind of movie but I still didn't really like it.It was a little better than I thought it would be, though.If you are interested in living forever or dealing with death or your just a kid you may like it more than the rest of us out there.To add to everything else I didn't really like the time setting.Check this one out if you want to be bored.Young Winnie Foster, stifled by the formality of her proper life and domineering mother, escapes into the woods only to get lost.Soon she happens upon Jesse Tuck- a boy full of life and adventure who's unlike anyone she's ever met- and falls in love.The Tucks, a kind and genorous family, have a powerful secret- a spring that holds the magic of everlasting life.And now Winnie must choose to live life as she knows it or drink from the spring.

"Like the Tuck family themselves, this movie just goes on and on and on and on"
-- Larry Carroll, COUNTINGDOWN.COM

the story is a bit thin but some scenes are simply powerful
It was not as great a story or character development as I could have hoped for, but overall I was not dissapointed. The scenery was beautiful, the 2 main characters also were beautiful and they had some powerful scenes between them.

The scene of him helping her in the water because she cannot swim is one of the most romantic and touching few minutes of film I have ever seen. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dakota Fanning--the elfin star of Uptown Girls, The Cat in the Hat, and Man on Fire--trades in her blond locks for a semi-gothic brunette do in Hide and Seek. Fanning plays Emily, a young girl whose mother commits suicide. To help Emily through the trauma, her father David (Robert DeNiro), a psychologist, takes her to an isolated house in upstate New York. But instead of healing, Emily gets dark circles under her eyes, mutilates her favorite doll, and develops an imaginary friend named Charlie. In no time at all, things get spooky and David suspects this imaginary friend isn't so friendly. Hide and Seek owes a lot to The Shining, but whether the creepiness is borrowed or not, there's a decent dose of it (though the twist at the end is unlikely to surprise many viewers). DeNiro does his job with professional gloss, but Fanning carries the movie; she's got the kind of charisma that goes beyond acting ability--that ineffable glow that makes an audience want to watch her. Hide and Seek also features Famke Janssen (X-Men), Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas), and the ever-dependable Dylan Baker (Happiness). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Hide and Seek is neither fun nor scary...just plain dumb
Robert De Niro (Meet The Fockers, Meet The Parents) brings his daughter, Dakota Fanning (the upcoming War Of The Worlds, Man On Fire) to a uptsate country house after Fanning's mother takes her own life. Soon after they move in Fanning starts to tell her dad of her imaginary friend named Charlie. De Niro starts to become more and more worried about his daughter and strange things happen. The end is another one of those twist endings we all love....sometimes. I think De Niro and Fanning did a good job though this movie is neither scary nor suspenseful...it has its moments. Also starring Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas, The Saint), Dylan Baker (Changing Lanes, Along Came A Spider), Robert John Burke (Fled), Amy Irving (13 Conversations About One Thing, Tv's Alias) and Famke Janssen (X-Men 1 and 2, GoldenEye).

ROBERT DENIRO IS CHARLIE!
The above is a spoiler so don't read it if you don't want to know in advance.

Not a horror
I wouldn't call this film a horror. I would call it a suspenseful thriller. and, when under THAT category, it fulfills its promises.
De Niro is pretty good in it, but the medal really goes to Dakota Fanning. She's a brilliant actress for her age and quite freaky and hidden in the movie.
Not a horror, i stress, but a brillaintly suspenseful film with a completely unbxepected, unforseeable twist at the end......

Freewheel Thriller with a Twist Which Is Not Exactly New
A recently widowed doctor Robert DeNiro leaves the city with his only daughter Dakota Fanning.They start to live a new life in quiet countryside, a deserted summer place this time, and he comes to realize that his move might be a mistake.If you find any originality in this story, 'Hide and Seek' is your film.If I sound a little sarcastic, I say I'm sorry, but so many thrillers seek their background in this kind of land of nowhere that I started to feel like yelling 'Not again.'Oh, and the title!This unoriginal title should not be confused with another 'Hide and Seek' made only 6 years ago.At least they should have done something to that.

But DeNiro's 'Hide and Seek' is not without entertainment value.Though the film's main body is made from parts from other thrillers, it starts mildly interesting.DeNiro plays Dr. David Callaway, who lost his wife Alison (Amy Irving) in a terrible situation, and their only daughter Lucy (Fanning), witnessing the scene, is traumatized by the shock.They leave the city, and begin to live quietly in the countryside (which is conviniently only one hour's drive away from the city where Lucy's doctor Famke Jansen lives).

But you know, Lucy starts to act weirdly, talking about her imaginary frined named Charlie.She insists Charlie often comes to their house, and does a wicked thing or two.The tricks Charlie (or whatever) does on them get worse as the story goes on, and finally Lucy herself is out of control.Well, it seems so at first.

Like M. Night Shyamalan thrillers, 'Hide and Seek' tries to be atomospheric, and at times it succeeds.See, for example, who plays the local sheriff jingling the bundle of keys, who might be a bit too officious.It's Dylan Baker, yes, who played the daddy who did a very bad thing to a kid in 'Happiness.'It's good casting, for Dylan Baker could be very unpredictable, and he is a good actor.

But it turns out differently.For all the participations of ever-reliable Dylan Baker and equally-reliable Elizabeth Shue, the things go on like autopilot.For all the good (and in a sense, very scary) acting from Dakota Fanning, any fans of thrillers can read the next step of the film.Here's a doll!There's a cat!!The girl is looking at the sinister-looking woods!!!You can guess what will happen next.

Yes, I know, except that part, which the Fox Studio is so eager to protect that to reavel it here would involve you and me into an unwelcome lawsuit, so I won't write it.You have to see it, and perhaps, just perhaps, you may be impressed with it.Me?Well, I admit it was unexpected, but at the same time the twist does not heighten the suspence at all.Actually, it is an amateur's touch which destroys the professional acting from Fanning, whose Lucy character is the only mysterious part of the film.In short, Fanning's well-measured performance is wasted to show this big, implausible, and silly surprise.

Finally, here is what I want to ask: how many people still remember Robert DeNiro in the 70s or 80s?Oh, he was such a sensation.Not exactly a money-making star (which I do not say is a bad thing per se), but the name of DeNiro meant something awe-inspiring.I enjoyed 'Analyse This' and 'Meet the Parents,' but I didn't expect 'Analyse That' was coming. Neither his awful self-parody of Travis in 'Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.'Then, the mafioso boss in 'Shark Tales.'What ever happened to him anyway?

Not as bad as people say.
-Heather's Teenage Son-

This movie was pretty good, but it moved at a VERY VERY slow pace.So, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, and I'll finish this later. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Many movies have tried to weave a web of coincidences and quirky characters into a satisfying tale of love, but few of them succeed. Bossa Nova, directed with a deft touch and acted with simplicity and genuine charm, pulls it off. Mary Ann (Amy Irving) is an American teaching English in Rio de Janeiro; her husband died years before and she has given up on love. Lawyer Pedro (Antonio Fagundes) is in the middle of a sticky divorce and wants his wife back, but when he sees Mary Ann in the hallway outside her language school, he is instantly smitten and starts taking her class. Meanwhile, another student of Mary Ann's is having an affair over the Internet; Pedro's brother falls in love with Pedro's headstrong new intern; and there's the soccer star who's taking lessons from Mary Ann so that he can join a team in Manchester. Bossa Nova has a relaxed, smooth flow, not unlike the music it's named after. The ways the characters' lives start to interlock would be preposterous if it weren't so gracefully developed--every crossed path seems unforced and natural. The romance manages to be sweet and realistic, a mixture of swooning and melancholy. Irving and Fagundes are wonderful, particularly because they aren't callow youngsters but people who've experienced some hard knocks and yet continue on. All in all, a delight. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (25)

So What If It's Not the Real Rio De Janeiro?
Maybe it's not the "real" Rio, but it's certainly the one tourists with American dollars are interested in, and so that works for me! I thought this was a good film. It reminded me of the Stanley Donen film, "Charade" with Antonio Fagundes a Brazilian Cary Grant, and while Amy is no Audrey, their chemistry was superb. The young soccer star's character was hilarious. Cinematography is vibrant, like that in the movie "Frida". The music is out-of-this-world. The whole thing is like a delicious meal with yellow corn tortillas, red tomatoes green chilies on a blue stoneware plate: visually and physically satisfying. Closed captioning doesn't get in the way for a change; in fact, there are passages where CC and subtitling work together well, because the languages interchange frequently. Students of Portuguese like me who are not used to hearing the spoken language will learn a lot from this movie.

A major annoyance: during the audio commentary by husband and wife Amy Irving and Bruno Barreto, the movie's audio track goes out of sync with the video track. This irritated me a lot, and this quality glitch loses it a star. The main movie track was fine.

Look for young Max Spielberg and his brother Gabriel Barreto for a cameo. In the meantime, I'm going to see if Amazon.com has this soundtrack!

The Charm and Beauty of Rio and Bossa
"Bossa Nova" is the perfect marriage between American and Brazilian culture!
As a Brazilian and a Carioca ( a native of Rio ) , I was very pleased to see my hometown in this film portrayed in all its natural beauty and charm - and with the marvellous, sensual and relaxing music of Tom Jobim in the background!
The movie itself is light and funny; the photography is splendid and the characters are so typical of Brazilian culture and reality ! - (the ignorant soccer player celebrity , the elegant, worldly Ipanema woman..., the middle class romantic/naive internet girl...., the charming , successful lawyer... - and the English teacher!
(As an English teacher myself living in this city , I can assure you I run into such people in my classes and social outings quite often ! )

One of the most romantic scenes is the one in the classroom where Fagundes imagines himself dancing a Broadway show with his English teacher , Amy.
And at the very last one, when the romantic couple goes swimming in Ipanema Beach, the background music ( a Bossa Nova "classic" )- "It could only happen to you" sung both in English and Portuguese is the perfect combination of the two cultures and the romance between the main characters. It makes one feel free, happy and romantic - just like Bossa Nova itself!

Rio As It Should Be
I was an English teacher in Brazil so this film resonated with me-how I wish I could have afforded a large apartment in Arpoador!

The film is a classic romantic comedy in the American style, which is the only quibble I had with it. It seemed to me that they were explicitly trying to appeal to the American market and that left me feeling that there was something dishonest at the core of the film.

Nevertheless, taken on its own terms it is very pleasant with characters one can easily identify with. Its view of Rio, as a city reminiscent of Honolulu, is laugh-inducing to anyone who has lived there but still serves the film well. When the soccer player left his brand new expensive sports car in the street, without a brigade of bodyguards to watch over it, I gasped involuntarily but soon got over it.

I sound critical of Rio but really I loved it and this film evokes the best of it without getting bogged down in irrelavant social commentary.

A different kind of Brazilian movie
When I was younger, I used to wonder: how come Brazilian soap operas are so popular and Brazilian movies are considered poor? Even the so-called "good" Brazilian movies weren't appealing enough to Brazilian audiences. The answer may be that "good" Brazilian movies usually favor the background over the plot. They try to find a style of their own by making prominent use of elements of Brazilian culture, but the plot itself becomes secondary and, more often than not, boring.

That's where "Bossa Nova" succeeds: it is a simple, lightweight romantic comedy that would not be out of place in Brazilian television. The success of this movie in Brazil far exceeded everyone's expectations. Instead of blatantly displaying Brazilian landscapes and typical characters, director Bruno Barreto simply used the beauty of Rio de Janeiro as a backdrop for a story that could have happened anywhere. And yet, the magic of Rio permeates this movie in a soothing, insidious way. As Bruno says in the commentary track, he chose to portray Rio as he wished the city still were, with no violence and poverty. Interestingly, not only does Bruno speak English through the whole commentary (since he's talking to his wife Amy Irving), but he even says his own name with an American accent! Talk about fully absorbing a foreign culture!

In a word, this is the kind of Brazilian movie I used to dream of when I was a teenager: just a simple and catchy story with strong enough appeal both for Brazilian and foreign audiences.

Carioca Life
Overall, I thought this was a great movie. There were a few moments that were trying too hard for laughs, however the story plot, the acting, and the scenery were all wonderful. I especially thought the scenery was exceptional! If not for the story, I think it is still worthwhile to check out this movie to see Rio at its best! However I do agree with one other reviewer that this movie does give the deceiving impression that everybody in Rio, particularly middle to upper-middle class people, live in apartments in prime locations with spectacular views of the ocean. There was not a trace of poverty or crime in this movie, but I think is appropriate being that this movie is supposed to be a light hearted romanic comedy instead of a "favela" movie. That's why the director's commentary is kind of a nice optional feature on the DVD version. The director, having himself grown up in Rio, clearly explains that he wanted to bring the best out in Rio. Happy movie going. Tchau everybody! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"I'm Talkin' To You, Furhead!"
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is truly one of the greatest non-Disney animated films I've ever seen! Directed by Steven Spielberg, the story is simple: Fievel, the curious, adorable little mouse from An American Tail, now heads out west with his family to escape the constant violence of New York City. Everything about this film shines from start to finish, including James Horner's soundtrack, which is every bit as good as in the original film. The songs are nothing less than outstanding, especially Dreams to Dream, sung by Fievel's golden-voiced sister, Tanya, who is voiced by Cathy Cavadini.

Fans of the original An American Tail are bound to enjoy Fievel Goes West as well. It's a great movie for kids, or for anyone who enjoys a great animated flick! Highly recommended! (Oh, and be sure to check out the original An American Tail movie as well, if you haven't already. It's just as good!)

"I'm Talkin' to You, Furhead!"
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is truly one of the greatest non-Disney animated films I have ever seen! Directed by Steven Spielberg, the story is simple: Fievel the curious, adorable little mouse from An American Tail, now heads out west with his family, to escape the constant violence of New York City. Everything about this film shines from start to finish, including James Horner's soundtrack, which is every bit as good as in the original film. The songs are nothing less than outstanding, especially Dreams to Dream, sung by Fievel's golden-voiced sister, Tanya, who is voiced by Cathy Cavadini.

Fans of the original American Tail are bound to enjoy Fievel Goes West as well. It's a great movie for kids, or for anyone who enjoys a great animated flick! Highly recommended! (Oh, and check out the first American Tail movie as well, if you haven't already. It's just as good!

this movie is awsome!
this movie is one of the best american tail movies in the seiries. as of the second, it was made five years after the first. (and the year beofore i was born!) well, when fivel and his family have settled into newyork, the found the streets are not paved with cheese. then cat r waul, and his army of cowboy cat commandos herd all the mice into the sewer were he tricks them into going out west. meanwhile, after suffering the loss of his girlfriend, tiger fallows fievel out west and falls off the train, gets hit by another, and goes off the bridge and finds a dog fish! in the end the team up with wylie burp, and save the mice from being turned into mouse-burgers! as for cat r waul, he and his cats get shot into a mail bag, and taked away by a train! recomended!

Shame On Universal
Shame on Universal for releasing this wonderful film in Pan & Scan only! It was released in Widescreen for laserdisc, so why not DVD?

Yet another botched DVD release from Universal (E.T., Back To The Future, Monty Python's Meaning Of Life, etc.).

Let's hope the executives at NBC can turn this out of control home video division around when they take the reigns after the acquisition has been completed.

Why this movie is great
This movie was the first Fievel movie I ever saw. I have to say, I like it much more than the original. The songs are awsome and the story was great. Come on. Who doesn't find a cat acting like a dog funny? ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The Fury- another De Palma triumph!
The Fury is a great film that takes some elments from other films such as Carrie, and spins a totally different tale of violence and psychic powers. This was De Palma's first blockbuster movie- even if it didn't do as well as they thought at the box office. It's about a teenage boy named Robin who is kidnapped after a murder attempt at his father. The father (played by the magnificent Kirk Douglas) survives, and is still trying to find his son after 11 months. But the boy has psychic powers- which is the reason they want him in the first place. These "powers" psychically link him to a girl named Gillian (Carrie's Amy Irving), who tries desperately to help the father locate his son in an attempt to meet him.

But the experiments that the people who kidnapped him make him under-go have a strange effect on Robin- they turn him into a destructive beast who will stop at nothing to get his own way. Gillian also has destructive powers- if she touches someone at a certain moment, they will bleed, some a little, some a lot. And she can either use these for good, or for evil...

The father and Gillian search for Robin, and when they find him, he turns out to be a shadow of his former self. One who was once a good, fun-loving teen has turned into a monster that will kill to get what he wants...

While not as good as Carrie, it is a well done thriller by a master of suspense, Brian De Palma. The film has shocking moments that will make your mouth gape open, so be prepared. This is, all in all, a scary yet fun film.

Also recommended films by De Palma: SISTERS, PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, CARRIE, DRESSED TO KILL, BLOW OUT, BODY DOUBLE, and RAISING CAIN.

TOTALLY COMPELLING
Exuberant and glossy, this DePalma follow-up to CARRIE is a telekinetic feast. Incredulous and mind-blowing, this is a great pop movie with some fabulous DePalma sequences -- Amy Irving's flashback on the stairs is a dizzying and imaginative plot-mover; the opening assault will take you by complete surprise. In addition, there are some affecting performances mixed in among the hambone, but effective, performances of Kirk Douglas and especially John Cassavettes, who plays this role as if he is Rosemary's husband all grown up and evil. Carrie Snodgress is truly moving in a way too small role, and Amy Irving glows in those richly textured close-ups DePalma does so well. The story is compelling, if a bit convoluted, what with its undertone of doom and a special-effects romance that never plays itself out. If you love engrossing suspense/horror films, you can't miss with this one. Pino Donaggio's dense and lyrical score adds a mesmerizing dimension to the increasingly gory proceedings...And the finale is supremely satisfying.

Beautiful, bloody, and intense
This sci-fi horror espionage thriller has a weak script and clumsy plot but some beautiful horror set pieces. As with Brian De Palma's previous film, CARRIE, the focus here is a sweet young girl (Amy Irving) with awesome telekinetic powers. She's searching for her "psychic twin" captured by a secret government agency for use as a military weapon; Kirk Douglas plays the boy's superspy father who's also looking for him. As with CARRIE, you fall in love with the girl just as the most awful things start happening to her--and, this being De Palma, those awful things involve lots and lots of blood. The movie builds its tension slowly, leisurely, and then, wham, you're hit with some of the most intense horror sequences ever put on film. De Palma's a very smart director who's not all that interested in script or plot--he's just interested in orchestrating the terror sequences for maximum effect. If you give in to the film's sometimes quirky rhythms and oddball attempts at humor, it's quite a ride.

DE PALMA AT HIS BEST
Long maligned as an Alfred Hitchcock rip-off, Brian de Palma can rest on his laurels, having given us such visually stunning examples of horrific ballet. In "The Fury" there are so many scenes of intense but beautiful violence that you wonder where the imagery originated. While DePalma has often said he was influenced by the masterful Hithcock, he doesn't rip him off; he accentuates the master with his visually stunning style.
The slomo and quiet scene in which Carrie Snodgress meets an untimely fate is mesmerizing, even knowing what the ultimate outcome is; likewise the scenes where Amy Irving "sees" events that have or will happen. DePalma's camera swerves and sizzles. The lovely Fiona Lewis' demise is horrifically fascinating in its cruelty. (No, I'm not sadistic). The cast: isn't it fun to see scruffy Dennis Franz in one of his first roles as the gum-chewing, love my car cop? And Kirk Douglas, no longer a youngster, still looked amazingly fit and masculine in a role he would never get to play in today's youthful standards. Amy Irving is gorgeous and quite a good young actress; Andrew Stevens is handsome and effectively icy; Charles Durning and Carol Rossen appropriately vile; John Cassavettes is a devilish villain; and the almost forgotten Carrie Snodgress is a delight. Writer John Farris wrote the book which he adapted for the screen, and did a fine job. Too bad he waited so long for sequels---they probably won't get filmed, but they should. THE FURY is one of DePalma's best.

Very Little Suspense, Very Many Unintentional Laughs
When I was a young child in 1978-79 watching this on HBO I thought this movie was cool because people blew up in it and a fairground ride went spinning out of control.

25 years later, I watch it again and hardly anything is cool about it. The dialogue is laughable, Kirk Douglas is ridiculous as a geriatric James Bond who leaps out 4 story bedroom windows in his underpants, comandeers a shiny new Cadillac just to drive it off the end of a pier, and seranades his girlfriend with an obscene phone call.

John Cassavetes looks like he's trying to parody some Dr. Strangelove-type villian by walking around in a sling with a black glove on his useless hand, glaring at everyone and spouting the worst sort of "bad guy" cliches.

What else? Well, when Carrie Snodgrass goes flying through the windshield of a car, the windshield shatters like some plate glass saloon window from a low-budget Western. And there's plenty of blood in this movie, but not a drop of it looks real.

Andrew Stevens goes from lovable son to patricidal maniac without so much as a shred of explanation. Amy Irving escapes from a supposedly fortress-like prison by simply shoving a bunch of packages at someone and running out the backdoor. Oh, yeah, you know when Andrew Stevens is really, REALLY mad when the veins on his forehead pop out. Sometimes his eyes even glow blue. There's more, but what's the use recounting it?

I'll give it two stars because it's not the worst movie ever. But at times it really comes close. Isn't DePalma supposed to be a genius or something? ... Read more

Description

Dudley Moore stars as Rob, a TV reporter married to a dedicated career woman. As a result, they rarely spend time together and he falls for a cellist. When she becomes pregnant, Rob decides to marry her—but when he decides to tell his wife, she tells him she’s pregnant. He secretly marries the cellist and has a busy time taking care of both wives and keeping them from discovering the truth. Stars Dudley Moore (Arthur), Amy Irving (TV's "Alias"), Ann Reinking (All That Jazz) and Richard Mulligan (TV's "Soap"). ... Read more

Reviews (7)

funny and touching
What a movie! Dudley moore is married to ann reinking for years and then falls for amy irving. when irving tells him she's pregnant he wants to divorce ann reinking. but when he plans to tell ann guess what she tells him? what's a guy to do? you actually feel for this guy because you know he loves both women even though he is a jerk for marrying both. i have loved this movie for years and watching in later in my 20's it gets better and more touching. of course this movie ends a little too nicely, but how else could they end it?? dudley moore amy irving and ann reinking are all great.

Better-than-you'd-think bigamy farce
Blake Edwards and Dudley Moore, who worked together brilliantly in 1979's 10, re-teamed in 1984 for a fast-paced, surprisingly funny farce. Newsman Moore meets cellist Amy Irving and falls in love, so when she becomes pregnant, he marries her. One minor hitch: Moore is still married to judge Ann Reinking, who's also pregnant. Moore runs himself ragged living two lives until both women go into labor on the same day. So, how do you make a really funny movie about bigamy that brings laughs without leaving a bad taste in your mouth? Answers: 1) Get Blake Edwards to direct it; 2) Don't give him a lot of time to second-guess himself. After getting fired from the Clint Eastwood-Burt Reynolds film City Heat (he may have quit, reports vary), Edwards latched onto Micki's script and managed to get it completed and into theaters the same month as the film he was bounced from. The tight production schedule probably worked to Edwards's benefit, since he didn't get the time to indulge his tendency to tinker and re-shoot scenes until they've become obvious and heavy-handed (see Blind Date for an example). The three leads are terrific, and there are nice supporting turns from character actors Richard Mulligan, Wallace Shawn and Lu Leonard. The letterboxed DVD is a must for this film: Edwards is one of the only comedy directors who can effectively use widescreen, but the results are pretty much unwatchable on pan-and-scan VHS. If the idea of a farce about bigamy doesn't rankle you, this is a lot of fun. It also may be the last great movie Dudley Moore ever made.

Moore, Irving, and Reinking Shine!
I have seen this movie countless times and it never gets old! Dudley Moore, Amy Irivng and Anne Reinking do an excellant job.
Moore is a tv reporter married to Reinking who just wants to have a baby. Reinking does too but she seems to busy to have one. One night Moore meets Irving playing in an orchestra and sparks fly. When Moore wants to break it off with irving she tells him shes pregant. he says he will marry her and divorce Reinking. But then Reinking tells him shes pregant and wants to have a job and a baby. so what's moore to do? marry them both!
This is a touching and funny movie that actually gets to you. you feel sorry for moore's character even though hes being a scumbag! The ending wraps things up a bit too neatly but how else could it have ended huh? I like the end song "something new in my life" as well. see it and you will be surprised at how good it is. I have not seen reinking in too many films beside this and annie. whatever happened to her? she is such a good actress. so is Irv