Reviews (53)

an underrated cult movie!
This was one of those big budget, high concept films of the '80s that the studio had high hopes for but ended up belly-flopping at the box office. It's a shame, really, because this is a wonderfully entertaining B-movie with A-movie production values.

Yeah, most of the songs (with the exception of the two awesome tunes by The Blasters) are horribly dated and totally inappropriate for the look and vibe of this movie (what do you expect? they were mostly written and/or arranged by the guy who produced Meatloaf's BAT OUT OF HELL -- ugh), which should have gone more with rockabilly and old school '50s rock 'n' roll instead, but oh well.

Michael Pare delivers his finest performance in this one as the silent tough guy Tom Cody and he has real chemisty with old flame Diane Lane who is perfectly cast as the rock singer who needs to be rescued. This was at the time when both of their careers were read hot (esp. Lane's after doing all those awesome Coppola films!) and this film was supposed to launch their careers into the stratosphere. Doh.

Surrounding them is a great cult cast of character actors... Rick Moranis as the annoying manager, Amy Madigan as the butch soldier-of-fortune, Willem Dafoe as the nasty, leather-clad bad guy and the blink-and-you'll-miss-'em cameos by Bill Paxton (great hair!), Lee Ving (from the punk band Fear), Ed Begley, Jr. (what the?!), Robert Townsend (I'M GONNA GET YOU SUCKA!) and a young Mykelti Williamson (Bubba Gump!).

This was also Walter Hill at his finest. After this, with the exception of JOHNNY HANDSOME, it was pretty much all downhill. But, man, he had a good run until the bottom fell out.

The transfer on this DVD is top notch with kickin' sound that really comes out if you've got the proper home theater set-up. It's a real shame that the studio didn't let Hill or anybody else involved provide some new extras! C'mon! If commercial flops like UHF and NEAR DARK can get awesome special edition treatments then so can this one!

A Terrible Movie That You Can't Help But Love
Personally, I really like Streets Of Fire, but strictly speaking, it's terrible. The script is really bad and the dialogue is some of the worst I've ever heard. However, it can be very fun to watch. The cinematography is excellent, and the beginning and ending concert scenes are the reason I bought this dvd in the first place (I'm a huge Jim Steinman fan). It really is fun to grab a few friends and some snacks and just laugh at Rick Moranis and Michael Pare overacting their corny lines. It also has Elizabeth Daily, whom you may know as the voice of Buttercup on The Powerpuff Girls. I love her! She's a joy to watch. I was dissapointed in the lack of special features on the dvd, and somehow I don't think there will be a special edition version. But hey, it's always amusing to watch corny dialogue transform into corny French dialogue, right?
Simply put, if you're a fan of cheesy movies and you don't take things too seriously, you will probably get a kick out of this film.

A "Grows on you kind of flick!"
Ok...when I first saw this movie the first thing out of my mouth was..."Ok...what was that all about?" lol...but after watching it again...and being a really big (self-proclaimed) Michael Pare fan, I gave it another try, and was really suprised that I enjoyed it! It grows on you...it's a "You can't help but love it" kind of film! The more you watch it, it becomes a guilty pleasure! A must see...if you like the kind of movie that you can love, and still think..."WOW...I really like that?!?!?!"

"You can kiss your baby goodbye."
If you recognize the name Ellen Aim you know your cult sci-fi rock movies, or, as director Walter Hill called his 1984 film Streets of Fire, your "rock and roll fable[s]."

Ellen Aim and the Attackers are a band that plays in an alternate version of the eighties, or maybe an alternate version of the fifties. It's either the eighties that couldn't let go of Elvis and pre-British Invasion rock and roll, or it's the fifties anticipating an urban underclass where everyone is on the edge of violence. Walter Hill loads the movie with a retro neon look, blending genres, similar to what he did in 1979's The Warriors, where he mixed the post-war social-issue movie with the seventies exploitation film, along with some ancient Greek history. (As Cyrus, the would-be savior of all the warrior gangs, booms at us, "Can you dig it?")

Michael Pare (as Tom Cody) stars in Streets of Fire. Cody's just out of the army in a what-if America that still has the social restraints from fifties Tab Hunter movies, but wallows in the corruption and depravity of Reagan's eighties. On this particular morning in America it's raining and everyone's on the verge of killing someone. Willem Dafoe's first appearance as Raven, the villain in black rubber, fresh from God knows what perversity, to the song "One Bad Stud" performed by the Blasters ("If he likes your baby, you can kiss your baby goodbye"), may be what got him typecast as a psycho in so many movies.

But in a fifties movie there has to be a love story. You can't have a guy without a girl. There has to be a Natalie Wood for James Dean, even if the romance is between James Dean and Sal Mineo. In Streets of Fire, Michael Pare's Natalie Wood is Diane Lane as singer Ellen, who Aims her Attack straight at your heart while she caresses one of those old round microphones that look like a hood ornament. Raven kidnaps Ellen and her old boyfriend Tom Cody (Buffalo Bill to the rescue) is called to save her. Unfortunately, Lane doesn't get to do much more than play the frail here.

Cody's real emotional connection is with McCoy (Amy Madigan), another vet who makes Cody hire her to rescue Ellen. McCoy brushes off Cody's half-hearted passes with "You're not my type." McCoy wears greasy old clothes and fixes cars better than Cody so I think I get the point. Especially when McCoy leers at a female nude dancer at the club where Ellen is being held. It seems like the movie was going to be more explicit about McCoy's sexuality but chickened out.

I won't spoil the story but you know how it ends.

I have a soft spot for movies that are original, even if they're not entirely successful. The music's good, the look of the film pulls you into its unique world, and the story is one of those mythic restatements that move you even when you know they're corny.

Yes, cheesy but the best kind though...
I truly love this movie, even though it is chock full of horrible writing and over acting, but all of this is done in a very cool way. I like to think of this as a pirate movie only on land with a bunch of bikers, cool cars, and tons of film noire dream like quaility action going on. Plus a great sound track to go with it. If you like Micheal Pare I recomend checking him out in Eddie and the Cruisers 2: Eddie Lives! instead of Eddie and the Cruisers. He's much more interesting in Eddie Lives! and it has a much better soundtrack with incredible songs done by John Caffhery and the Beaver Brown Band. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Uplifting Family Movie
I have heard many people say that this version of "Angels in the Outfield" is vastly inferior to the original 1954 movie. Well, if that's the case, the original must have been pretty darn spectacular, because this movie is very well-done. Roger and J.P. are foster children living under the temporary care of a kind woman named Maggie. Roger is the main character. His mother is dead, and his troubled father rarely visits, even when he promises to. One day, however, his father jokingly says that they have as much chance of being a family again as the last-place California Angels (now the Anaheim Angels) have to win the pennant. Roger takes this statement at face value and prays for heavenly help, which soon arrives in the form of angels who actually come onto the playing field to assist the team. This begins a wonderful summer in which the players, along with their disgruntled manager, start to believe in themselves and find the value of teamwork and courage. Although this is a good film for the entire family (only some very mild profanity and the awkward parent scenes are carried out appropriately), there are several issues that will not be missed by knowledgable (older) viewers. For example, the potential for racial trouble involving the manager and the two boys at the end of the film (I don't want to give it away!) is completely skipped over, although it is a very likely scenario. Although, it is a Disney movie, so everything is supposed to be too good to be true! Overall, "Angels in the Outfield" is an emotional, although sometimes unbelievable, story with a good message.

Great baseball movie
I have seen this movie several times and never get tired of it. The acting in the movie is great and the story is cool too.

Roger and JP are two children who live in a foster-home with a kind woman name Maggie. Roger and JP are in love with baseball and the local Anaheim Angels who play only a few blocks from their home. They sneak into every game that they are able to, to watch their beloved team. Roger, however feels sad quite often because he wants to be back with his troubled father. His father made a deal with him that he'd be back to pick him up if the Angels ever won the pennant. During one game Roger see's angels in the outfield helping a player making a catch, and at the plate, helping them hit. But nobody else can see them, not even JP. After they tell the manager about this he has Roger motions to him whenever he sees the angels. Then the Angels start winning after starting off the season very slow. With the help of the angels that Roger sees they win the pennant. Roger gets very sad because he will have to leave Maggie and JP, but his troubled father never comes to pick him up which breaks his heart.

If you are looking for a great, funny baseball movie with a fantasy twist you should check out Angels in the Outfield.

Pretty sappy stuff
Foster-child Roger (Joseph Gordon-Leavitt) prays for the California Angels to win the pennant in the mistaken belief that it will lead to reconciliation with his father (Dermot Mulroney). Angels begin to intervene on the Angels' behalf, bringing hope, faith, and a renewed sense of self-worth to bitter manager George Knox (Danny Glover) and his clumsy team. Diabetics should avoid this film at all costs. It goes for easy sentimentality every step of the way, leading to a very predictable outcome. Kids may like it, though I don't want to be the one to explain why God would pick sides in a sports contest, especially since He and his angels ought to be well aware that answering Roger's prayers will not lead to the outcome he so desperately desires. Oh well, if you can put your brain on hold and get misty-eyed over a stadium full of spectators flapping their arms like angels, you ought to have a good time.

Sentimental, Touching, and Sure to Make You Smile
While it's true that this movie has a high quantity of cheeziness, in this case it works. This movie reminds you that all things happen for a reason, even if you can't see it right away, it shows the value of beleiving, and it restores your faith in people.
The cast is very well chosen. All of the characters are well established, with very definite personalities, and all of the actors step up and fill their shoes nicely. Your heart will be touched a thousand times over during the course of this movie. You'll laugh, and you'll cry, and when the movie's over you'll feel like maybe the world is a little bit better place.
The film is greatly suited for children, as it doesn't involve the sort of foul humour that so many movies do now. It's just good old fashioned fun, as any baseball movie should be. There IS a heavy dose of morals in the mix. Beyond the over-all theme of believing in yourself, and having faith that God has a greater plan, the film also touches on the dangers of smoking, and how unnecessary profanity is.
Many scenes in this movie are truly beautiful and inspiring. Everytime the crowd stands up to flap their arms in support of Mel Clark (Tony Danza) I can't help but shed a tear, and when Roger's prayers are answered and he gets a family my heart melts all over again.
This movie is truly among the most uplifting of children's movies.

Disney at it's best
A spiritual film is what you could name it.Angels really have a presence on the field.They affect how the Basball Team the Angels play.They can help make dazzling catches and hits.Sounds unbelievedle.It is! To better understand the film you have to have imganination.A Christian know Angels do exsict So it's easy for them to not be cynical.Now..I know Angels don't do all those crazy stunts.But it's a very touching moment when Danny Glover the Angel informs his mystic friend Roger,A boy whose father left him,that one of the teamates is going to die and become a basball angel.He knows this six monthes before it happens.It really helps a person to think about divinity.As the foster mother says,players often pray before their big moment to God,so why are Angels running around so strange.Actually a thought provaking film Great for Families.(I heard a reviewer on Amazon critizes the boy Roger for believing his father will take him back if the Angels win the Penent.Geez,He's a child,clinging onto a lost hope.One in despair will ask for the impossible.And the Impossible happened.Just not the way Roger expected! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

MC Gusto Rules!
While on a hiatus from his long stint on Saturday Night Live, comedian Chris Rock took time to write and star in this film spoofing the world of gangster rap and hip hop. Directed by Tamra Davis ("Billy Madison"; "Half Baked"), "CB4" stars Chris Rock as Albert Brown, a young African-American guy living in Locash, California who dreams of making it big as a major rap star. With his friends, Euripides (Allen Payne of "Jason's Lyric") and Stabmaster Arson (Deezer D), Albert sets his sights on landing a contract with mega produced Trustus Jones.

However, trouble comes along when Gusto (played by Eddie Murphy's brother, Charlie Murphy), the owner of the most popular club is arrested in a drug transaction that Albert witnessed (Gusto believes he was an informer). With Gusto out for revenge on Albert, Albert decides to take advantage of Gusto's name and personality and create the biggest, baddest rap group of all time-- CB4 (short for Cell Block 4).

Throughout the film, the band faces challenges to their freedom of speech, problems in their love lives, band disunity, and a reconnection with their African roots. With a variety of jokes primarily targeted for urban minorities, CB4 will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

Also starring in the film is the late Phil Hartman who plays a California conservative politician bent on destroying CB4. Khandi Alexander (television's "Talk Radio," which also had Hartman as a cast member) is hysterical as the hip hop groupie Sissy who is a "businesswoman" due to her get rich scheme of capturing rap stars in embarrassing Polaroid shots and blackmailing them.

Chris Rock has sure come a long way from his days on Saturday Night Live. "CB4" was his first starring role, and after watching this film you'll see why he is one of the funniest comics alive today. "CB4" is to rap music as "This is Spinal Tap" was to rock. It's funny to the last minute.

M.C. Gusto Rules!
While on a hiatus from his long stint on Saturday Night Live, comedian Chris Rock took time to write and star in this film spoofing the world of gangster rap and hip hop. Directed by Tamra Davis ("Billy Madison"; "Half Baked"), "CB4" stars Chris Rock as Albert Brown, a young African-American guy living in Locash, California who dreams of making it big as a major rap star. With his friends, Euripides (Allen Payne of "Jason's Lyric") and Stabmaster Arson (Deezer D), Albert sets his sights on landing a contract with mega produced Trustus Jones.

However, trouble comes along when Gusto (played by Eddie Murphy's brother, Charlie Murphy), the owner of the most popular club is arrested in a drug transaction that Albert witnessed (Gusto believes he was an informer). With Gusto out for revenge on Albert, Albert decides to take advantage of Gusto's name and personality and create the biggest, baddest rap group of all time-- CB4 (short for Cell Block 4).

Throughout the film, the band faces challenges to their freedom of speech, problems in their love lives, band disunity, and a reconnection with their African roots. With a variety of jokes primarily targeted for urban minorities, CB4 will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

Also starring in the film is the late Phil Hartman who plays a California conservative politician bent on destroying CB4. Khandi Alexander (television's "Talk Radio," which also had Hartman as a cast member) is hysterical as the hip hop groupie Sissy who is a "businesswoman" due to her get rich scheme of capturing rap stars in embarrassing Polaroid shots and blackmailing them.

Chris Rock has sure come a long way from his days on Saturday Night Live. "CB4" was his first starring role, and after watching this film you'll see why he is one of the funniest comics alive today. "CB4" is to rap music as "This is Spinal Tap" was to rock. It's funny to the last minute.

Funny......
I'm usually not a big fan of most SNL comedians movies, this one kept me laughing. A few middle-class black young men who dreams of making it big. Pulls off becoming famous as portraying thugs turned rappers. Good movie!

one of the funniest spoofs
OMG this movie is soooooo dammmmmm funny, If you wanna see something that will make you roll on the floor, then this is a must. One of Chris Rocks best performances, plus the sound track is funny. Another movie to check out is FEAR OF A BLACK HAT.

Fine Spoof of a deserving target
The crudity and ignorance of so-called "gangsta rap" is such a self-caricature that it would almost seem redundant to spoof the genre, but Chris Rock and co. effectvely manage to do this with success. The "LoCash Crew's" foolishness and stupidity could easily be mistaken for a real rap documentary. However, I really liked the scene here Chris Rock's father lays down the law about this mockery of ghetto life, which really is not funny at all. I wish some real rappers (some who appeared in this film) would have gotten the point!! The late Eazy (Eric Wright) E, who deserves the blame for inventing this garbage-filled genre and whom this film is largely based on, appears in a cameo. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Think I'm Crazy for giving this movie 5 stars? Read on...
That is what I think most people who look at this would say. What lunatic would give "Roller Boogie" 5 stars???? Well, let me be the first to say that this is certainly a B flick. The reason I give it 5 stars is that it is the Definition of a B flick. It lacks in character depth, plot, script, and production. But it does all those things so well. The movie pulses to the beat of Disco, and this could easily be the "Saturday Night Fever" on roller skates. In fact, that is Exactly what it is. Interesting high points are cool shots of Venice "Muscle" Beach and songs by Cher and Earth, Wind and Fire. And while this film takes a back seat to Linda Blair's previous work in "The Exorcist", it was an attempt to show a lighter side to her talent. Unfortunately, she was forever type-cast as the anti-scream queen horror heroine, and her career took a plunge. For my summation I will say this film is at times humorous, with an interesting look at a time when things were a little more simple. And who can resist the upbeat soundtrack?

I just love roller boogie
i'm a spanish viewer, but i wan to say, three times in my live i see a picture like that, GREASE, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER and ROLLER BOOGIE, i got all of them in video and soundtracks except roller boogie, so please, can you guys try to tell somebody to bring to us the soundtrack of this beautiful movie once again, i speak spanish, i'm from Bolivia, y para que se den cuenta como gusto esta pelicula, por favor, encuentren el soundtrack.por siempre..... jad

Fantastic
This is a fantastic movie and more movie should be made like this FAMILY MOVIE not what is out there.
and you should get this back out on Rental so people can see it.

Blair boogie-oogie-oogies til she just can't boogie no more
Hey, the fact that I'm actually reviewing Roller Boogie surprises me as much as it does you. I sort of have this thing for Linda Blair, you see, and she was twenty years old when this film was released in 1979 - instead of turning her own head around (The Exorcist), she was now old enough to starting turning guys' heads instead. Unfortunately, all of the guys in this film are full-fledged, knee-high-tube-sock-wearing products of that awful decade called the 1970s, but Linda was looking fine from start to finish, and that's really all that matters.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually liked this movie. It doesn't look good on paper, though. You basically have the world's most ubiquitous cookie-cutter plot, a good deal of bad acting, tons of terrible disco music, awful 70s attire, and about ten times more skating than you find in the film Xanadu. You could give yourself a lobotomy and still predict everything that is going to happen in this movie, yet for reasons I can't explain, Roller Boogie isn't that bad. Linda Blair plays Terry Barkley, a poor little rich girl whose parents ignore her and thus drive her to rebel; she doesn't enjoy being a musical prodigy, and she certainly doesn't want to go to Juilliard. What does she do? She goes roller skating and, after meeting up with local roller boogie whiz kid Bobby James (Jim Bray), she announces her new ambition in life is to win the roller boogie dance contest down at Jammer's skating rink. You see where this is going? It's your classic poor boy-rich girl love story. Something is still missing, though. Oh, I know, let's throw in a sleazy businessman and his two goons, and - yes, I've got it! - let's have them threaten to burn down Jammer's skating rink as part of their evil plan to put up a shopping mall. Obviously, those crazy kids are going to have to come up with a plan to save their beloved skating rink. We cannot possibly let this movie end without that big roller boogie dance contest we were all so looking forward to.

As you can see, apart from Linda Blair's starring role, there is no discernible reason for me to have enjoyed Roller Boogie, but I did. That doesn't mean I want to watch it again any time soon, though. For my fellow Linda Blair fans, I say go ahead and bite the bullet and watch this movie; you'll be glad you did - maybe.

A definite time capsule
Acting - Fair
Plot -Fair
Production - Good
Music - Definitely fun

Why would I like this film? For one thing, the outdoor shots of Venice, California are well-done, and bring back memories of an fun time in a long ago place. And the music? Well, OK, it's disco, break dancing music, but it's fun to watch, listen to, and remember. The cast is attractive, Linda Blair does a competent job, and the cinematography is pretty good.

The plot is the oldest storyline in the book: boy meets girl, boy hangs out in roller rink, boy loses girl, boy loses roller rink, boy gets girl, boy saves roller rink.

Mark Lester directed the film. Lester also directed one of the classic drive-in films of all time, "Truck Stop Women" in 1974. (Tag line from that flick - 'No Rig Was Too Big for the Truck Stop Women'. Classic? You bet!). Roller Boogie is of the same genre. Not meant to do anything but to put rear ends in the theater (or the drive-in), entertain you, and leave you happy you went.

On that score, Roller Boogie meets the goal. Extra star if you like the music.

Recommended if you like late 70's LA, roller skating, and disco. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Testosterone booster...
I loved this movie! It didn't do well until video. I had never even heard of it until I was at Blockbuster. Jeff Bridges plays an excellent Wild Bill. Tough, gritty and sure of his immortality. And Ellen Barkin is a lovable Calamity Jane (more women should be like her!! hehe) Anyways, this film could have delved more into the Life of Wild Bill as compared to his death. There are great scenes in this movie, but it is hard to digest on the first viewing. The first 2/3s of the movie is kinda hacked up bits and pieces of Bill's life. I would have liked to see more of his earlier years that led up to the man who became a legend. But, it is very enjoyable and makes for great testosterone boost. Ladies probably won't like it (my wife hates it), but a great movie for the guys and a lot of beer.!

Once again, Hollywood forgoes the truth and films the legend
James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was shot dead from behind in a Deadwood, South Dakota saloon holding what is now known as the "Deadman's Hand" of aces and eights. This 1995 film from director Walter Hill ("The Long Riders") is not so much about the infamous death or even the storied life of "Wild Bill" (Jeff Bridges) but more the man's death wish. The film is an exploration of the legend and not the recreation of history; Jack McCall (David Arquette, in a very controlled performance of his usual edgy little creep), the dirty low-down snake who plugged Wild Bill from behind, does so in this film version because the famous gun-fighter lawman broke the hat of Jack's mother (Diane Lane). In "fact" Jack told the miner's jury in Deadwood that found him not guilty that his brother had been gunned down by Hickok who had promised to shoot McCall if he saw him. It was only after McCall kept bragging about killing Hickok once too often that Federal lawmen arrested him; before he was hung McCall claimed he had been hired by others to do the deed.

The screenplay by Hill is based on the book "Deadwood" by Pete Dexter and the play "Fathers and Sons" by Thomas Babe. In the film's climax McCall and a gang of thugs have gotten the drop on Wild Bill. Inexplicably, the thugs wait for McCall to decide whether or not he has the guts to shot Hickock. At one point Wild Bill offers to shoot himself, just to stop the stupid arguments. Charlie Prince (John Hurt), Wild Bill's educated English friend (and the narrator of the film) says: "Let him do it. He's been trying to kill himself his entire life." This line sounds like it unlocks the entire meaning of the film, but that is only if you take it at face value. "Wild Bill" shows a man playing by the rules of the game, and if he is incapable of loving any woman beyond the moment he is with her, even Calamity Jane (Ellen Barkin), it is not like the West is the land of romance.

The collision of Hickok and McCall is the backbone of the film, which reduces the other events in Wild Bill's life to two sets of flashbacks. In color we get the gunfights on which the Hickok legend was born, such as shooting wheelchair bound Will Plummer (Bruce Dern) while tied to a saloon chair, as well as the failed attempt to perform on stage in New York City with Buffalo Bill Cody (Keith Carradine). But there are also high contrast black & white sequences that are supposed to indicate significant moments in his life of a spiritual or personal nature. These might make him aware of his mortality and his character flaws, but these do not translate into a death wish.

Wild Bill Hickok sat down in a chair with his back to the front door of the saloon because it was the only open spot in the poker game (the gambler in the seat he wanted refused to give it up). That ironic element in the most famous death in the history of the Old West is jettisoned in this film, replaced instead with the rather paradoxical idea that his downfall was due to an uncharacteristic act of sentimentality on his part. In the end, "Wild Bill" comes down to a series of dazzingly brutal gunfights through which Bridges snarls his way. These are scenes that emphasize the choreography of the violence for effect rather than spraying a lot of blood all over the place. In the end, all you have to do is count the number of bullets that come out of his six-shooters to remind yourself this film is Hollywood invention. The final irony is that "Wild Bill" is undone by the very death scene that made Hickok immortal.

A STINKEROO!!
Hollywood just can't make Westerns anymore. And believe me, this one is "living proof". What a stinkeroo! I bet the real "Wild Bill" is more than turning over in his grave! Granted, there are a lot of historical facts that creep into the story, like the fact that Hickok was developing glaucoma, and he spent time in a drug induced haze in the opium parlours. But the rest is pure hogwash. If this is the best that Jeff Daniels can do, then Jeff my boy, HANG IT UP. He staggered through this mess like a drunken man. Even more annoying were the flash backs that popped up. It wasn't so much that, it just made the story hard to follow. Maybe one day, Hollywood will regain it's stride like it did with SILVERADO, but ignore this one.

Great performance wasted
I bought this film hoping for a biography of Wild Bill Hickock. The first ten minutes, which presents a short series of vignettes of his experiences, plus a few flashbacks throughout the story, was as close as I came to my wish. This muddled piece of filmmaking supposedly focuses on the last few days of Hickock's life before his shooting by Jack McCall. The only reason I gave this movie two stars is the performance by Jeff Bridges, simply the best portrayal of Hickock to date, only to be wasted. Had they used Bridges to give a life story of the best shootist of the West, they could have patted themselves on the back for a great achievement in Westerns. If you like 'quirky' or 'camp' films, by all means this is for you. But for historical enlightenment--skip it. The only other good thing I can say about this movie is the portrayal of Calamity Jane as more of a soiled dove than a Doris Day. The real Jane was a 'camp follower' and sometimes hooker. My best recomendation--if you must see it, rent it for the sake of seeing Jeff Bridges in one of his better performances.

Great Movie
I recently stumbled over this movie, and I'm glad I did it's a great movie.It ranks right up there with Tombstone,The long Riders, and Unforgiven as a great western, I just can't under stand why it didn't get the credit it deserved at the box office. Anyway it's a great flick maybe not completely historically accurate but come on it's a movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lurid thrillers don't get much more shameless than this movie, in which Robert De Niro plays a pathological baseball fan whose obsession is focused on a San Francisco Giants all-star outfielder (Wesley Snipes). While the newly signed baseball star is having trouble getting his favorite uniform number from a competitive teammate (Benicio Del Toro), De Niro is having career troubles at the knife company his father founded, and you can bet that his proximity to high-quality stainless-steel blades will be a factor in the suspenseful plot. Recycling parts of his maniacal roles in Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, and Cape Fear, De Niro takes his idolatry to violent extremes, eliminating any obstacle to Snipes's stardom until the baseball hero is forced to confront his most terrifying devotee. Directed with brutal excess and souped-up style by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide), this manipulative nail-biter pulls all the right strings in predictable fashion, but it does have moments that are effectively intense. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (39)

the best of 96 :)
This is the movie that made me start to love DeNiro movies. This movie is so realistic because of it's first-rate script, explosive acting talents, and the atmosphere of the movie is just so common. The film is about an avid baseball fan named Gil Renard who is also a knife-salesman for a local firm. He lives in San Francisco so his favorite team is obviously the Giants. When baseball superstar Bobby Rayburn (played by the very talented Wesley Snipes) is traded to the Giants, Gil gets a little excited. Soon, his loyalty to his favorite player becomes a dangerous obsession, and soon Gil just becomes a total psychopath. The direction is stylish, the camera angles are so cool, the script is so real and provocative, and the score is one of the best ever. And the following I can promise you: you will NEVER forget the disturbing ending which ironically takes place in Candlestick Park (home of the San Francisco Giants).

A baseball thriller than does not go the whole nine innings
Robert De Niro playing a character out of his mind is still something to see, as this 1996 film amply proves. This time around he plays Gil Renard, who sells just about every type of knife under the sun in the San Francisco Bay area, but not as well as he did in former days. Divorced, his wife is giving him one last chance with his son, Richie (Andrew J. Ferchland). Gil wants to take the boy to opening day at Candlestick Park, but he has also been given an ultimatum by his boss and he has a key appointment that same afternoon. Of course, Gil blows both opportunities and all he has left in the world is his love of baseball in general and the Giants new $40 million centerfielder, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). Gil even calls up the radio sports talk show of the emasculating Jewel Stern (Ellen Barkin) to talk to Bobby and praise him to high heavens.

However, Bobby gets off to a very bad start with the Giants. As the new big gun in town he has displaced the teams centerfielder Juan Primo (Benicio Del Toro). In the first game neither backs off on a fly ball and they collide. Bobby is hurt, but refuses to leave the game. To add insult to injury, Juan wears number 11, which has always been Bobby's number, and Primo refuses to give it up. Freaked by a visit to a young boy in a hospital who is not only dying but has the same name as his son, Bobby had promised to hit a home run and is feeling the pressure of that obligation. The result is that while Primo plays like an All-Star, Bobby's average dips below the Mendoza line and becomes the constant target of the local media. The only friend he has town might just be Gil.

Without a job and under a restraining order to stay away from his son, Gil has nothing else to do but go to the ballpark and follow Bobby around town. When he learns that Bobby wants to wear number 11, Gil decides that maybe there is something he can do about that. Actually, nobody wears 11 for the Giants because the number was retired for the Hall of Fame screwball pitcher Carl Hubbell, but this movie has less to do with the real world as it goes merrily along. What matters is that Gil feels that he has helped Bobby, who is back to his All-Star form, and is rather upset that his efforts have gone without notice. As he says, "A simple thank you would have been nice." At that point we know that something very, very bad is going to happen to Bobby.

The film's climax, of course, takes place at a baseball game with Bobby having to hit a home run in an at bat under more pressure than anybody else in the history of the game. Casey at the bat? Meaningless. Bobby Thompson in the 1951 National League Playoffs? Nothing. Roy Hobbs trying to hit one out for his son in "The Natural" is close to the mark, but Roy did not have to do it in the pouring rain and if he struck out his son was only going to be disappointed and not killed. Besides the complete downpour he also has to hit off the pitcher while the jumbo-tron shows the pitcher pitching. Now, major league baseball stadiums do not show live pictures while there is any action on the field, but that is why the end of "The Fan" is where the story is abandoned in favor of a big cinematic finish.

The early part of the film, as Gil descends into madness and Bobby's batting average takes a nosedive, is the most interesting part of "The Fan," because at that point it is primarily a case of parallel character studies. There is a sense in which the character played by Snipes is actually more interesting than De Niro's because we get some insights into the peculiar psychoses of a major league baseball player. At the end of the film we are surprised to learn that what distinguishes the two men most of all is their very different explanations for why Bobby has started hitting.

However, in the end the psychology gives way to the action in a scene that scene that uncomfortably reminds us of the climax of "The Naked Gun." It is impossible to accuse either star of going over the top in this film because "The Fan" does that all by itself at the end. Given the character foundations that were established in the first parts of the film, this is one instance where less at the end would have been more.

Where to begin
I truthfully for some reason liked this movie when it came out years ago. I recently rented it again and thought, what was I thinking? The story is incredibly unbelievable (no way the murder of Primo would have gone without being solved for more than a few hours) and the script is just poorly written. I found myself getting confused with what was going on do to random jumps from one thing to another. There were many things that could have been left out or shown more of to make the story flow better. The acting was pretty good (though not the best work from anyone) for what was written. Now, when I first saw this movie I liked the soundtrack to it. Watching it again, I realize that the Nine Inch Nails song Closer, which I am a fan of all versions, was used so often it was ridiculous. It seemed like they were trying to go for Darth Vader like theme from Star Wars but failed miserably.

All around, it wasn't horrible but its not in my top hundred. DeNiro has played this character way too many times and because of that it was slightly boring. Give it a try if you've seen everything else more than once. I wouldn't pay for it though if I were you.

The Fan ...Fans Out!
Robert DiNiro completes a quintent of bad guy/psycho roles for the 1990's (AWAKENINGS, THIS BOY'S LIFE, CAPE FEAR,JACKIE BROWN) with THE FAN. With a resurgence of Baseball movies beginning in the late 1980's, this has got to be one of the worst of the bunch and the worst of the five DiNiro pictures. The pairing of DiNiro (who literally phones in his performance here)and Wesley Snipes (Is actually convincing as a baseball player. Remmeber his Willie Mays Hays in MAJOR LEAGUE?)in what could have been an interesting thriller turns into another predictable slasher-type film. DiNiro (Gil Renard) becomes an obsessed fan to Wesley Snipes superstar Baseball Player(Bobby Rayburn). There is some social commentary about modern sports and the responsibility of overpaid athletes but all commentary is drowned out by a weak script and weak direction. Also, there is a scene that most baseball purists have been complaining about in this film. This is the sequence where the umpires let a baseball game keep going and it is pouring rain. Director Tony Scott in his own directorial style shows the sequence in slow-motion with players slipping and sliding, with water and mud flying all over the place, all for dramatic purposes and creative license. Overall, a weak sports film, a weak thriller, and wasted talent makes THE FAN a very forgettable film.

Promising, But Ultimately Disappointing
Despite some style, rythm and a couple of intriguing ideas, this Tony Scott`s movie soon falls into most of the cliches that trap a typical Hollywood blockbuster.
Wesley Snipes plays a baseball star that ends up being the object of devotion and obsession of a lonely, convulted man (Robert DeNiro). The picture builds a growing tension, yet the second part lives on the strenght of chases, kidnappings and tiresome predictability. Nine Inch Nails are a fine addition to the soundtrack, helping the development of the paranoid plot, but the movie is still too flawed and unsurprising to truly engage.
Not too good not too bad. Watchable. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A sad love story
The beauty of this film, accurate or not, lies in the love story at its core and Jessica Lange's unforgettable portrayal of Patsy Cline as an ideal character. Lange's Patsy Cline is a human being who loves so much that she is willing to stay with an abusive husband. Her heart was so big and yet in her lifetime she was hurt so much. The heart of this movie lies in its belief in the ideal, and there are people out there who love much more than others, unconditionally, and sadly many times they pay in heartache for the flaws in those they love.

Whether the character in the film is the real Patsy Cline or not, it is a sincere and unforgettable portrayal by Jessica Lange, and that Patsy was a romantic is something that most of her fans want to believe. Sweet Dreams is a glorious film that will have you thinking back to it and contrasting the themes to those in your life long after it is finished, much like Jessica Lange's Frances. Somehow, Lange always manages to convey true inner beauty, which is what you will find in this film. What we can learn from this film is that if we are ever lucky enough to find someone in our life who can love so fully and unconditionally, we must never take them for granted.

Jessica Lange as Patsy Cline = Disappointment!
I've owned a VHS copy of "Sweet Dreams" for about fifteen years. As a Patsy Cline fan since 1956, I was disappointed with the movie overall. Although I enjoyed Jessica Lange's performances in movies such as "Tootsie" and "How To Beat The High Cost Of Living", she just wasn't Patsy. Beverly D'Angelo played a much more convincing Patsy in "Coal Miner's Daughter". She even did her own singing. I think Beverly should have been Patsy.

Singer George Hamilton IV once toured with Patsy. He tells me that Patsy was more likely to start a fight with Charlie than vice versa. Ed Harris didn't impress me much as Charlie. Ann Wedgeworth gave the best performance in the movie as Patsy's mother.

Despite it's shortcomings, "Sweet Dreams" is a movie all Patsy Cline fans should own. I intend to purchase the DVD in the near future. It's a shame that most Country stations have turned their backs on Patsy. Without Patsy we wouldn't be hearing Faith Hill, Shania Twain or the other Country divas of today. Thankfully, I work for a radio station that hasn't forgotten Patsy. We play her hits as well as her recordings of standards like "True Love","Always" and "Someday You'll Want Me To Want You". Even the posthumous duet with Jim Reeves: "Have You Ever Been Lonely" is on our playlist. Maybe Country music has forgotten her, but not all of us have.

Wonderful Patsy Cline/Jessica Lange!
To my mind, this is one of the better biographical movies I have ever seen. Jessica Lange portrays Patsy Cline very well, with her lip-synching to Patsy's wonderful songs. Even the costumes Jessica wears resemble those on Patsy's LPs and still photos. I am totally impressed with this film. I saw it in a theater in its initial release, and a friend copied it off TV - my first movie. I enjoyed it then, and now, with this DVD copy, I can enjoy it even more.

Sweet? No, but Interesting to watch
I never knew much about Patsy Cline before i saw this. It happened to be on HBO one rainy afternooon and I was passing through the room. A couple hours later, I am still sitting there watching. She was a pistol, that's for sure. She had issues that I'm not sure anyone fully understands even to this day. It was curious to me that her friendship with Loretta Lynn was conspicously absent from this film--esp considering it was a big part of Loretta's life story.

This is not a sweet story, but it's a compelling look at a woman with an amazing voice, ambition, drive, and a hole in her that nothing could fill.

Sweet Dreams/The movie
Very good source of Patsy's music, great acting by all actors,
even if this movie is not accurate, it tells a very good story,
besides, you have to love that beautiful voice! Wish you were still with us Patsy.............For a very good source of Patsy Cline material go to Ellis Nassour's..............PatsyClineHTA.com ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Tense, exciting action thriller
Two white firemen from Arkansas, Vince and Don, (played by Bill Sadler and Bill Paxton) retrieve a map from a burning building suggests to them the location of an old treasure: a pile of stolen gold stashed away in a deserted factory in East St. Louis. Unknown to them, the site of the loot is the territory of a local black gang, who happen to stop by to murder one of their enemies on the same day that the two white firemen have come to salvage the gold. Tension mounts as one of the firemen witnesses the murder and becomes the target of the heavily-armed gang. To complicate matters, the gangleaders, played to a superbly menacing effect by rappers Ice T. and Ice Cube, and fuelled by virulent racial hostility, discover that gold is at stake and the suspense and violence escalate to a terrific scale. The film is more or less a revamp of "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" in its exploration of avarice, betrayal and gold-hunting, though given an updated technological touch with the ample use and misuse of automatic weapons and plastic explosives, especially in the last few reels. A haunting, claustraphobic, sometimes exciting effect is generated by veteran helmsman Walter Hill (a specialist in violent, action-filled thrillers) with his skilfully paced direction and inventive deployment of camera angles, which amplify the situation of the two firemen, as they struggle to escape from the dilapidated building they find themselves trapped in, and enemies setting out to take their lives. The moody, atmospheric musical score, composed by the legendary Ry Cooder, wonderfully contributes to the feel of the picture.

A tense, well-crafted action film
A bizarre mix of creative talents went in to making this movie. Not the kind of thing that happens too often these days. A script from Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, direction by Walter Hill and his usual gang (strong editing from Freeman Davies, cool photography from Lloyd Ahern and score by Ry Cooder), Bill Paxton and William Sadler as the 'heroes' and Ice T and Ice Cube as the bad guys. It makes for a truly original movie.

Much like Judgment Night, Trespass is about two worlds colliding after bystanders witness a gangland execution. Two firemen on a treasure hunt in a huge, long abandoned East St. Louis factory. This happens to be the same territory as King James (Ice T) and his cohorts. They off some unwise punk by chucking him thru the glass roof and are pretty mortified upon discovering Bill Paxton and William Sadler are watching them. Ice T's crippled brother is taken hostage by Sadler and they seal themselves in old apartment. Several other bad guys show up and totally box them in.

What follows is a succession of stand-offs and shoot outs as Paxton and Sadler fight among themselves, T and Cube argue over who should be running the show, loyalties are challenged and each group begins to split into different factions. Stuck in the crossfire is poor old Bradlee, the innocent hobo caught in the middle as his apartment is besieged.

There are no clear-cut 'good guys' and 'bad guys' in Trespass. Just a bunch of guys who all came to the wrong place at the wrong time.

Originally called 'Looters' and scheduled for release during Summer 1992 the release date was changed to Winter and the title changed to 'Trespass'. Why? The LA riots were happening and Universal felt that there was enough racial tension in the media already. While I agree there is deliberate racism in this film it's nowhere near as bad as the morbidly extreme racism in such recent movies like Bad Boys II.

This new release by Universal is much better than the pathetic (and now OOP) release by Goodtimes. Gone is the snapper case. In its place is a sturdy keepcase and a nice bundle of extras. First of all there are some deleted scenes, a Behind the Scenes of Trespass featurette, the Ice-T/Ice Cube Trespass music video (it's the highly censored 'radio' edit) and a trailer.

You should definitely get this as it's not the standard of film Hollywood studios produce these days. IE made by talented people.

Surprisingly good
Trespass is more than just an ordinary action film. The characters, particularly Ice-T's King James, and the plot have a lot of depth. William Sadler and Bill Paxton are good as the white firemen who happen to be in the right place at the wrong time. Whereas Sadler is hard and ruthless, Paxton's character is a nice somewhat naive guy. As the action progresses, their differing temperament causes them to clash. King James, as the leader of the black street gang, is more than just a cardboard character. The confrontation with the firemen is unexpectedly thrust on him and he actually attempts to deal with the situation in a level headed manner at first, especially since his half brother is being held hostage, but he is purposefully undermined by his loose cannon underlings, particularly Ice Cube's Savon. Art Evans is funny as the homeless guy who finds himself trapped with Sadler and Paxton and eventually joins them. Besides being a good action film, Trespass is a tale about the corrosive power of greed. However, at the end of the movie, it is good to know that the person who ends up with the gold is the one who probably deserved and needed it the most.

Down wit da syndicate fool.......
Oh yeah, Ice T be up on da screen, and he be mean. He's King James, ruler of East St. Louis. When two honky firemen come by to take a treasure, hidden there for years, Ice T sticks it to da Man.

You got a stone cold playa with a sniper rifle, a crucified crackhead bolted to da door, Ice Cube proclaim da name without shame that King James ain't no gang. Record it all on video. But the best character of all is the gold expert, the homeless bum, the bringer of peace and destruction. He is the reason the film was made, not the fancy white man's vehicle or black St. Louis cops who don't like public urination.

It's a good thing whity one brought a pistol or this would have been a real quick movie, like five minutes.

GREAT MOVIE- POOR DVD!!
TRESPASS WAS A FANTASTIC ACTION THRILLER. THE SUSPENSE KEEPS THE AUDIENCE ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ACTION FANS.
THE PLOT WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT AND THE ACTING WAS GOOD.
ONCE THE STORY STARTED TO MOVE, IT KEPT ME INTERESTED UNTIL THE FINAL CREDITS.
I THOUGHT THAT THE MOVIE WAS GREAT, HOWEVER THE DVD LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED.
THERE ARE PRODUCTION NOTES AND CAPTIONS/SUBTITLES, BUT THERE ARE NO SPECIAL FEATURES AT ALL ON THIS DVD.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO AT LEAST SEE THE THEATRICAL TRAILER ON THE DVD!!
SO, I MUST RECOMMEND THE MOVIE AND FOR NOW I KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT EVENTUALLY MCA/UNIVERSAL MAY RELEASE THIS ON A DVD OF THEIR OWN.
THIS EDITION WAS RELEASED BY GOODTIMES HOME VIDEO, BUT THE MOVIE IS AN MCA/UNIVERSAL PRODUCTION!!
THE ONLY POSITIVE ABOUT THIS DVD IS THE ACTUAL MOVIE AND THE FACT THAT THIS DVD IS A WIDESCREEN PRESENTATION!!
OVERALL, THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE ON AN "OKAY" DVD!! ... Read more

Description

Deon Richmond has it all...money, fame and girls.Unfortunately for him, it’s all in his dreams.He spends so much time trippin’, he might miss out on what will happen. He learns there’s more to look forward to in life by keepin’ it real. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!When is the sequel coming
I love this movie, it was straight hilarious. I loved everything about the movie. It was a straight cool movie. Everyone did a good job It was just the bomb.... I loved the family, the school scenes, Poor Greg trying to get in college and impress Cinni. It was just a good movie. ... I would recommend this movie to any and everyone........Good movie.

Trippin
This movie was all that and a bag of chips. It had me laughing from start to finish. If you were a daydreamer back in school, you'll love this. If you weren't a daydreamer in school, you'll love this. Watching young teen Greg live most of his life in a dream world is priceless. And then dealing with family and friends in the real world, well you just gotta see this for yourself. I'd give it 3 thumbs up if I had three.

Funniest movie ever!!!
Man, this movie is the bomb!!! When I first watched this DVD movie, I started to laugh my bum off! If you love comedy, then comp this movie about a high school senior Greg Reed who daydreams all day long. I gave it 5 stars due to its taste of comedy and the plot of this movie.

One of my favorites
Maaaan, this movie had me hurting almost the whole time. It brought back many of my high school memories as a young teen making decisions and having dreams. A true comedy indeed. His "trippin" moments were hilarious and anyone who didnt like this film probably thought that the Nutty Professor and its boring sequel were funny.

Pick this one up definately.

Not a comedy classic, but very funny....
Remember Kenny"BUD", the neighbor/friend of the youngest Cosby on the Cosby show? Well, he's grown up, and he's trippin... Trippin' was a cute little film about a high school senior named Craig(Kenny). He is always day dreaming(or trippin') about a different life, a life so much better than what he has. His dreams are worth chuckling over, and there were some funny parts throughout the film. It certainly wasn't a laughfest, but I thought it was a cute. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!When is the sequel coming
I love this movie, it was straight hilarious. I loved everything about the movie. It was a straight cool movie. Everyone did a good job It was just the bomb.... I loved the family, the school scenes, Poor Greg trying to get in college and impress Cinni. It was just a good movie. ... I would recommend this movie to any and everyone........Good movie.

Trippin
This movie was all that and a bag of chips. It had me laughing from start to finish. If you were a daydreamer back in school, you'll love this. If you weren't a daydreamer in school, you'll love this. Watching young teen Greg live most of his life in a dream world is priceless. And then dealing with family and friends in the real world, well you just gotta see this for yourself. I'd give it 3 thumbs up if I had three.

Funniest movie ever!!!
Man, this movie is the bomb!!! When I first watched this DVD movie, I started to laugh my bum off! If you love comedy, then comp this movie about a high school senior Greg Reed who daydreams all day long. I gave it 5 stars due to its taste of comedy and the plot of this movie.

One of my favorites
Maaaan, this movie had me hurting almost the whole time. It brought back many of my high school memories as a young teen making decisions and having dreams. A true comedy indeed. His "trippin" moments were hilarious and anyone who didnt like this film probably thought that the Nutty Professor and its boring sequel were funny.

Pick this one up definately.

Not a comedy classic, but very funny....
Remember Kenny"BUD", the neighbor/friend of the youngest Cosby on the Cosby show? Well, he's grown up, and he's trippin... Trippin' was a cute little film about a high school senior named Craig(Kenny). He is always day dreaming(or trippin') about a different life, a life so much better than what he has. His dreams are worth chuckling over, and there were some funny parts throughout the film. It certainly wasn't a laughfest, but I thought it was a cute. ... Read more

Amazon.com

CB4
Comedian Chris Rock is the leader of a middle-class rap act that wins fame and fortune after donning a prison persona. The title stands for Cell Block 4. Naturally, they are mistaken for the real thing by everyone but the incarcerated gangstas, who are none too happy at the theft of their identities. One of the better efforts from Saturday Night Live alumni, this "rapumentary" is a hip-hop hit. However, it is not up to the cutting humor of that granddaddy of all spoofs, This Is Spinal Tap?, as misogyny and meanness get in the way. It has an anything-goes mentality, so expect outrageously filthy lyrics and plenty of tasteless humor. Of note: Director Tamra Davis was also behind that wild 1992 road movie, Guncrazy. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Life
Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy play it surprisingly straight in this film by director Ted Demme. Though there are laughs to be had, this is a story about perseverance in the face of a life of disappointment (yet the film was sold as a prison comedy). But Stir Crazy this isn't. Rather, Lawrence and Murphy play a couple of New Yorkers making a moonshine run from New York to Mississippi during the Prohibition who find themselves framed for murder and sentenced for life to a prison chain gang. As they age, the two become close friends, although the strait-laced Lawrence always resents the free-wheeling Murphy for getting him into the situation in the first place. Ultimately, these two men learn to find meaning where they can, taking value from friendship and their limited ability to affect the lives of others. At times preachy, it ends on an upbeat note; the film's biggest laughs are reserved for the final section, in which Lawrence and Murphy don age makeup and play octogenarians. --Marshall Fine ... Read more