Reviews (496)

Top shelf superhero movie
The defining characteristic of "X2: X-Men United" is the approval bestowed upon it by fans of the origin comic books; whereas the original "X-Men" movie was seen as truncated and flat in parts, the sequel delivers the goods fans craved: a full half-hour more action, and a dazzling opening sequence that features a mutant attack on the U.S. President. The mutant is a newcomer: Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) a German circus runaway with blue skin that can bounce off objects and teleport at alarming speeds. Director Bryan Singer watched his first "X-Men" effort start with the slow burn of introducing the setup and characters; "X2" had the "geeks" bouncing out of their seats.

What follows is a superhero movie on par with "Spider-Man" and the best parts of the "Superman" and "Batman" series. "X2" is a too busy and farfetched, but it keeps twisting, and it features a great villain in Col. Styker (Brian Cox) a military scientist bent on erasing the mutants from the Earth. In theme and approach, "X2" is similar to the second and best installment of the "Star Trek" series, "Wrath of Khan" -- "X2" features a large sacrifice from a major character, and serves as a launching pad for future installments. Just about anything could happen in "X3," and that's a testament to how well this movie is structured. Every important mutant is still on the playing field. ...

There aren't as many action sequences as you'd expect -- the canvas is so big, a good part of the movie is spent just leaving from and arriving to -- and none match the opening Nightcrawler attack, but there is enough for a fight junkie to appreciate. And though there's a bit of social commentary mixed into the movie's fabric, "X2" is nothing less than a fantasy. There's a climax, so to speak, beyond the climax, and then another climax beyond that, which is annoying, but it sets the table for a major transformation of Jean's character. Singer obviously has his options wide open for the third installment, which will presumably pit good and bad mutants against one another again. "X2" ends with Magneto having gained a precious new weapon for this round three.

For what it does, "X2" does it very well. Singer is clearly serious about not letting the franchise descend into camp as "Batman" and "Superman" eventually did -- there are dumb moments, but they're quickly forgotten. It improves on the original and improves the chances of the series at the same time.

I've Lost Count of the Mutants, But It's A Lot of Fun.
An attack on the President of United States by a mysterious Mutant heightens the tensions between Mutants and Humans and prompts the authorization of an assault on Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The President gives a secretive former military man named William Stryker (Brian Cox) unprecedented power in detaining and questioning Mutants. Unbeknownst to the President, Stryker has acquired vital information from the imprisoned Magneto (Ian McKellan) regarding Cerebro, which Stryker plans to use to carry out his own agenda against all Mutants. Storm (Halle Berry), Wolverine (Hugh Jackson), Cyclops (James Marsden), Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), Rogue (Anna Paquin), and the students find themselves on the same side as Magneto and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) as they race to foil Stryker's plan.

"X2: X-Men United" is the second film based on the "X-Men" Marvel Comic. Whereas the first film spent a lot of time introducing the characters, this one introduces only three new characters: Pyro (Aaron Stanford), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Nightcrawler, and those introductions are well-integrated in the plot. The first film's coherence suffered considerably from all the backstories. But "X2: X-Men United" is able to concentrate its energies on plot with improved results. The story makes more sense and is much more satisfying than the first film. Both films suffer from having too many characters, which sometimes seem to be like so many gadgets, each with its own gimmick. But I think we're stuck with that problem. Director Bryan Singer has done a good job. "X2" is a lot of fun. It may not be as socio-politically complex as the comic books, but it does manage to raise issues of abuse of power, constitutional protections, minority rights, and the politics of fear, if only briefly. The public is told by their leaders and by the media to fear Mutants, and so the public is inclined to look the other way when their rights are violated and they are flagrantly persecuted. Entertaining and recommended, but if the cast gets any bigger, they will need to wear name tags.

Some technical problems, but overall a great movie!
Ok... first of all, I have loved X-men for as long as I can remember... from the comic book to the movies to the t.v. shows ever since my dad introduced me I was hooked! So you can imagine how excited I was when the X-men movies came out. I only had one problem with them: where did Gambit and Beast go? I mean Gambit's like ya know... Gambit, and Beast is the founder of the cure to the legacy virus (well technically that was somebody else but she died so...)! And there was also only a brief mention of Colosuss in the second movie... and where were the people like Cable, Shadowcat (she was barely in the in 2nd movie), Moira, Physlocke, the Neo, and Archangel? But don't get me wrong, I LOVE this movie it's just like... Where did everybody go? I hope they will add more characters with their own actual character development in the next movie... But if you like the X-men or have heard of them this is definetely a movie that you will enjoy!

A lot better than the first X-Men
I loved all the special effects and the storyline with Bobby (Iceman) and Rogue. I thought they were so cute together. Nightcrawler's a great edition to the X-Men team but I felt bad for Scott (Cyclops) and Logan (Wolverine) when Jean turned into the Phoenix. I can't wait until X-Men 3.

X-Men vs Spider-Man
Despite the fact that they both come from Marvel, both the X-Men and Spider-Man have been trying to top the other for years in so far as comics go. It's now spilled over to the movies. X2 tries to set up the stage that this is a mutant universe only (just as it is with the comics now). If so then it's a very uninterestin univese where as Spider-Man and all the other non-mutant heroes live in the mainstream Marvel Universe (the one that Stan Lee and Jack kirby created). In this battle, I side with Spider-Man. ... Read more

Reviews (755)

In True Comic Book Fashion
Finally, a movie based on a comic book that actually remains faithful to the original book and characters. Of course if you're talking about the X-Men, you're talking subject matter that is more mature on many levels than most comics books. The story line goes head on into the racism and fear of mutants, people born with genetic differences that don't surface until they hit puberty and give them never seen before gifts that allow them to do pretty amazing things, some incredibly beautiful, others intensely frightening. Professor Charles Xavier (perfectly cast and portrayed by Patrick Stewart) is their unsung savior as a wealthy father figure who takes in these young people to try to mold them into something positive. On the other end of the spectrum is a jaded and bitter Magneto, also portrayed well by Ian McKellen, who believes that normal humans have had their chance and now something has to be done to show them that mutants are superior. Xavier's Senior students, Cyclops, Jean Gray and Storm help new found mutants Rogue and Wolverine discover who they are and what may lie in the future. The actions scenes are unique and original. All the actors give solid performances, especially Jackman, and Halle Berry impressed me with her Kenyan accent. I hope she speaks more in the sequel. The DVD is excellent for true fans because it's obvious that Director Brian Singer wanted so much more for this movie but just wasn't allowed to have it. Time, budget and a last minute search for someone to play Wolverine caused serious constraints. Considering the obstacles and the bad luck of past comic-book-to-movie adaptations, this one scores high and pleases fans and normal folks alike. It stands for something more than just heroes and villians, and it gives us a story about people, no matter who they are or what they can do. Buy this, if you have not already.

In a not-too-distant future...
The long-awaited comic book-to-film translation of X Men left some fans satisfied and some wanting more. There are some terrific action scenes and great characters. Veterans Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier) and Ian McKellen (Magneto) are terrific, as are Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and Tyler Mane as Sabertooth. The Special Effects in the film are inventive and amazing. My favourite SFX moment: Where Magneto is walking across a pathway created by moving metallic planks across a chasm, the pinnacle of cool. Director Brian Singer has loaded the film with eye-popping visuals and some great one-liners. Michael Kamen's futuristic score (one of his best) adds to the mysterious tone. After watching the film several times through, there are a few little quibbles. Wolverine is a great character, but a bit more exposition on the other characters would be good, and the rather stringent running time leaves the film a bit short on great set-pieces. Still, that's what sequels are for!

The DVD extras are great, with trailers, some interesting deleted scenes, "The Mutant Watch" featurette, a Bryan Singer interview, Hugh Jackman's screen test, still photo gallery and TV spots. To quote Darth Vader: "Impressive. Most impressive."

An informative political allegory
X Men, the youthful animation that divides love and evil, is a good film, incorporating great special effects, not to mention the childish violence. But X Men really is a grave political allegiry, highlighting how the governments of the world sometimes thing they are making changes for the best, whilst the silent minority, in this case the mutants, think otherwise. Taking it on one level, this film is an entertaining, action-packed thriller, but one should really consider how the undertone of this animation reflects on a democracy whereby everyone should be considered, and not just the elite. Three stars; that really is all I'm giving.

Great movie--Absolutely Stunning Sound and Picture!
I watched this movie for the first time without ever having read any of the X-Men comic books-in fact, I don't like comic books at all. So, needless to say, I was given the opportunity to watch this film from a purely objective standpoint: I had no expectations of what this movie should or should not entail. And, to my surprise, I was extremely delighted with this DVD for a few specific reasons.

First and foremost, the Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 soundtracks are remarkable. Anybody who has a decent surround sound system-set up correctly!!!-will marvel at the amazing acoustical environments created by the sound team of X-Men; I suspect that THX played a large part in the success of mixing a soundtrack in which every sound effect is mixed with such careful attention to detail that one wonders how such perfection can be possible-I wish every movie's soundtrack would be so immaculate.

As if the sound wasn't enough to sell me on X-Men, the picture quality is outstanding as well-far exceeding that of a typical DVD. Again, I'm sure THX played an important role in the video transfer process.

And, technical aspects aside, the movie was written and executed very well. I think the X-Men team did an excellent job of taking a highly unrealistic story line and turning it into a movie in which the plot and characters evolve without the sense of corniness often associated with films of this nature.

So, all in all, I appreciated X-Men and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well made movie-if not for the sound quality, alone (granted, this will not contribute to a viewer's satisfaction at all, if not played through a quality surround sound system). But there are few movies that I enjoy watching more than once, and this is definitely one of them. Enough said.

Where is Chris Claremont
I can't beleive this was at all based on the comic. Where do I even begin? This movie has taken all of the good elements out of the comic and replaced it with utter crap.
As far as the casting goes Wolverine probably got the best treatment. Jean and Cyclops were also good though they did not get the screen time they deserved. Who in the world came up with Halle Berry as Storm? She can't act her way out of a paper bag. Not to mention the bad accent. If she could not keep it all the way through she should not have done it. Anna Paquin was also a horrible idea. What happened to the southern accent that Rouge was famous for?
A lot of this can be blamed on the writing. Rouge has no history with Mystique and Wolverine has no history with Sabertooth. Even worse than that is the relationship with Rouge and Iceman. Iceman and Rouge were not even at the mansion at the same time. But all of these gripes aside this movie still sucked. I have to wonder if Chris Claremont had any say. ... Read more

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A spirited ensemble cast keeps things cooking in Eulogy, a black comedy about a gathering of the dysfunctional Collins family following the death of its prickly patriarch (Rip Torn). Zooey Deschanel plays granddaughter Kate, struggling to fulfill the old man's last wish that she write his eulogy. Meanwhile, her dad (Hank Azaria), a has-been actor, smokes pot in the dark and referees battles between his seamy brother Skip (Ray Romano), lesbian sister Lucy (Kelly Preston) and her lover Judy (Famke Janssen), caustic sibling Alice (Debra Winger), and suicidal mother Charlotte (Piper Laurie). Confused about her loyalties, poor Kate alternately runs to and from best friend Ryan (Jesse Bradford), who wants to become her lover, while Alice--super-critical of Lucy's sexuality--fails to keep secret her own fling with a nurse (Glenne Headly). Eulogy never quite reaches full boil, but there are many funny moments, and Deschanel, Romano, and Preston are particularly watchable. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Trying really hard...
In spite of an excellent performance by Debra Winger--who is the standout here (her best work in years)--and a few genuinely funny spots here and there, Eulogy is not a strong comedy. For the most part the acting is fine; also worth mentioning are Piper Laurie and Famke Janssen, with Ray Romano intermittently supplying some great crude humor. (The women really carry this film, and they do a great job, overall).

The problem is the script which goes from character to character and reveals some of their quirks, but forsakes social bite in favor of quick set pieces that are used to supply zingers and superficial regret sound bites, but nothing of real substance, even comedically. Contrast this with Down and Out in Beverly Hills which focuses on a situation around which the dysfunctional family rallies in the various dysfunctional ways they know how. This was undoubtedly supposed to be the objective of Eulogy, but the writer-director fell short because the focus is just not strong enough.

The "scenelet" in the courtroom with Romano is hilarious. The occasional comments of his two twin sons, as crude as their father, are also really funny, here and there. But this is not a consistently good comedy which is too bad; it definitely could have been much better if there had been a greater emphasis on the MEANING of the patriarch's life and death, rather than tossing off a few crumbs on this topic here and there and instead focusing, as mentioned, in a scattershot manner, on how to wring guffaws out of an audience based on a lot of lesbian stuff.

Nothing wrong with lesbianism; that's not the point. The point is that the film is mistitled and mis-plotted. The premise is not solid enough to carry the film. This is not really a bad film; it's just not a great comedy.

Your call.

Eulogy Review
When people think about their favourite film, they will usually recall in particular, one scene or one line of dialogue or in rare cases, the power of one particular shot. Rarely, if ever, is continuity mentioned. A film's smoothness and "flow" is very important however, and is the main thing that excludes (Eulogy) from being viewed as a great film.

Eulogy is, however, a film that is highly recommended. There are some truly memorable scenes, as well as some great performances from seasoned actors committed to creating memorable characters. First time director and writer Michael Clancy appears able to bring out the best in his cast and director of photography Michael Chapman (who has worked on such films as Raging Bull and Kindergarten Cop), contributes greatly to the aesthetically pleasing "look" of the film, which never intrudes in such a way as to compromise the actors' performances.

When Kate Collins (Zooey Deschanel) and her father Daniel (Hank Azaria) visit the family home for the funeral of Daniel's father and Kate's grandfather, Kate's grandmother Charlotte (Piper Laurie) asks her granddaughter to deliver the eulogy. The fact that none of Edmund Collins' children are chosen for the task, reveals their mother's realisation that a dysfunctional family has been raised. Her suicide attempts do nothing but act as a catalyst which heightens the tension and helps set the stage for an exploration of both the lunacy and the wonder that often invades and defines families.

Hank Azaria, most recently of Simpson's fame (the voice behind Moe Slezak, Chief Clancy Wiggum and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, among others) heads a cast of characters which includes Debra Winger, Ray Romano, Piper Laurie, Famke Jansen and Rip Torn. There are also performances from two character actors always welcome on the small or large screen (Rance Howard is the solicitor acting as trustee for the estate of the late Edmund Collins, and Rene Auberjonois whose role as minister officiating at the funeral service is very amusing).

Of particular mention also are Curtis and Keith Garcia as the irascible and hormonal sons of Skip Collins (Ray Romano) and Debra Winger's expression-filled but very "under the thumb" husband who only manages one word in the whole film.

Unforgettable scenes in the film are the rumpus/ pool room scene where Hank Azaria, Ray Romano and Famke Jansen shine, or in the relived romance between adolescent sweethearts played by Zooey Deschanel and Jesse Bradford, or indeed in EVERY scene where Debra Winger's character explodes.

Eulogy is a light look at what can be the quirkiness of family life while never losing sight of both the hurts and the memories which often accompany it.

Funny dark comedy
Genre: Dark Comedy

Genre Grade: B

Final Grade: C+

This was an entertaining movie, although it was full of cliches and offered nothing original to the audience. The entire movie builds up to the main character making a speech at her grandfather's funeral and it ends up being a total joke and thus a big letdown. There were some funny parts in this film, especially in the satire concerning the lesbian sister character, but mostly it was just a cheap comedy with nothing much to offer.

I wouldn't recommend this one unless you're a huge fan of someone in the film or if you love slapstick dark comedy.

Family Plot
There are several events in life that can either bring a family closer together or drive them further apart. Personally, I have seen the best and worst in humanity play out during vacations, birthday bashes, childbirths, weddings, and of course funerals. Nothing brings out the drama or comedy quite like these events. First time writer/director Michael Clancy uses death as a springboard to examine the unique relationships of a family. The end result is a solid outing helped along, thanks to a fine cast that brings the film to life.

Kate Collins (Zooey Deschanel), struggling to find her place during her first year at college, returns home after learning of the death of grandpop Collins (Rip Torn). Upon her arrival, she is quickly surrounded by a group of people even weirder than she is: her family. First, there's her father, Daniel (Hank Azaria), once child star, now in adult films. Then there's tightly wound Aunt Lucy (Kelly Preston), who has waited till the last minute to announce her wedding to life partner Judy (Famke Janssen); and wildly inappropriate Uncle Skip (Ray Romano) with his obnoxious twin boys. And last but not least, there's uptight and pushy Aunt Alice (Debra Winger), whose brash approach to marriage, motherhood and casseroles is unsettling to all concerned. When Kate's suicidal grandmother (Piper Laurie) entrusts her with the task of delivering the eulogy at the funeral, Kate turns to her relatives for help. She quickly comes to realize that her own fond memories of Grandpa Collinsare not shared by his children, who can only remember a distant father who, when around, could barely keep their names straight.

Clancy's script is filled with many fine characters, to be sure, but it's the cast that brings this dark comedy to life. I was especially impressed with Deschanel, who is indeed, a rising star to watch. Her depiction is spot on and walks a fine line between real angst and hilarity. It's great to see Winger, Preston, and Laurie on the screen again...it's been far too long since they have done a film. As a new director, Clancy isn't always perfect, as far as staging is concerned. But with all the infighting, backbiting, revelations opening old wounds, unless you know what to look for, it's not a major issue. I'm just letting my film school education show.

I was disappointed with the DVD extras. The bonus features consist of deleted or extended scenes with the siblings. As usual, the scenes were wisely excised and do not serve to enhance an already good film. The only other extra is a preview for a Val Kilmer movie called Blind Horizon. A commentary may have been interesting...

Eulogy works very well, thanks, to a cast of pros that bring out the best in the material. In the hands of other actors, lesser known, things would not have turnrd out as well.

Dad's dead and the family decides if it cares
The family's patriarch dies suddenly, and the splintered family hesitantly regroups to mourn the loss. With old issues and new lives firmly intact, they all attempt to put up with each other and discover their true feelings about their choices, each other and their father - played typically well, though sparingly, by Rip Torn. The cast is excellent, with always funny Hank Azaria playing a one-hit-wonder child star who can only get parts in porn movies, as the guy reacting to the others having sex. Kelly Preston plays the angry lesbian sister scorned by the other sister, played by Debra Winger. These two do a great job of hating each other and have maybe the best girl fight I've seen in a movie. Everyone else in the cast turn in good performances, including Piper Laurie as the hilariously suicidal mother, but Ray Romano surprised the hell out of me with an excellent performance that just may have shined the brightest. I haven't been a Romano fan until now.

The family relations are convoluted, the performances excellent, the writing hilarious and the ending truly surprising. Don't miss this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (235)

3.5 out of 5
In 1995, action fans rejoiced. James Bond was back and just as fun as ever in GOLDENEYE. This time around, 007, played by Pierce Brosnan, is filled with shame over the death of his counterpart 006 (Sean Bean), believing he was responsible for 006's demise. Suddenly Bond is wisked into a war involving a stolen Russian missile launcher named Goldeneye, meanwhile being pitted once again against the Russian general (Gottfried John) that killed 006. Brosnan is arguably the greatest thing to happen to Bond since Roger Moore; he's every Bond in one, combining Sean Connery's strategy with Roger Moore's humor, George Lazenby's human side with Timothy Dalton's dark side. Brosnan is truly what the Bond franchise was looking for. The film also features a very nice score by Eric Serra; adventurous directing by Martin Campbell; and an action-packed script by Jeffrey Caine & Bruce Feirsten which also features plenty of humor. GOLDENEYE goes beyond the standard Bond flick, and ranks highly among the most entertaining well through it's 130 minutes; action/Bond fans will not be disappointed!

END TITLE: May not be gold, but action fans won't want to miss it

A Great, New Taste in the James Bond movies
Goldeneye is a great James Bond movie. Pierce Brosnan has to get credit for his performance as James Bond. Sean Connery was good, George Lazenby was plain and acted like a stick figure, Roger Moore was too nice and kind, Timothy Dalton spiced up 007 with his "over the edge" approach, but Pierce Brosnan is the greatest James Bond yet! I am a avid 007 fan and I have seen all of the movies so I know just what other people are looking for. The villans are also great. Sean Bean portrays Alec Trevelyan 006, Bond's best friend that also has a darker side that James did not know. Alec was once 007's partner, so he knows his every move. It is great to see a newer and more evil villan. The action sequences are great. The movie first sars off with James bungee jumping off the world's largest dam, then the pace of the movie has you up on your seat when James Bond is drving a WWII tank in the streets of St. Petersburg. If you don't like those cat-and-mouse chases, there is also many awesome mano-e-mano fights, including the climatic scene of 007 and 006 fighting on top of a Antenna cradle in Brazil. All in all, it is a great Bond movie that you shouldn't miss!

Good movie GREAT femme fatale
I loved Goldeneye because of:
a) Tank chase through St. Petersburg
b) The bungee jump off the dam
c) The humour
d) Isabella Scorupco's performance
and e) Famke Janssen's absolutely perfect, deadly femme fatale Xenia Onnatopp. She's the best, absolutely, the best Bond villain/girl EVER! Ilove Famke Janssen, but I've only seen her in this and X-Men. I can't find others anywhere.
But I'm sure you ain't reading this to hear about me going on about Famke Janssen.
The plot- Bond (superb Pierce Brosnan) is investigating a French anti-electric tampering helicopter, the 'Tiger', when it's stolen by Xenia Onnatopp, a fellow car enthusiast who is linked to a Russian terrorist group Janus.
At MI6, it is discovered a Russian satellite base was struck by an EMP weapon from space known as 'Goldeneye'.
Bond then begins his search for 'Janus', the head of the terrorist group, and soon meets up with one of 2 survivors from te EMP strike, Natalya, Isabella Scorupco, and soon discovers a global threat to technology, banking resources, and people's lives.
Excellent new Bond here. Brosnan's first Bond's is one of his best.
Cheesy explosion sounds annyoed me, and the missing action sequence with Bond's car, the BMW Z3 Roadster is completely missing.
But good casting and sets etc. prove that Bond could go on forever, or at least until the films become unprofitable. (Hee hee)

The Gold Medal!!
Goldeneye is one of those films that you know, from the first second, is going to please. It is an almost perfect movie from the awesome beginning to the slow unraveling of the plot to the love interest(the Russian) to the woman villianess (Xenia Onatopp - LOVE THAT NAME and what an entrance!!!!). On top of that we get Judi Dench as the new "M" and what a great bit of casting that was! Exciting, beautiful, sexy - the return of the spy himself.

well crafted movie, an eclectic bond
brosnan's inevitable debut.he really hasnt put much of his own stamp on the character and his portrayal is more an eclectic mix of the previous bonds.
that said, this is a fun debut.
there isnt much of a plot but theres plenty of ambience and some great character acting.
the images of the ghost like stalinesque graveyard are appopriately creepy and a not so subtle visual statement on the fall of the soviet union.
the main heroine and the main villian are a bit colorless but the two side villians (alan cummings and famke janssen) are great fun and sadly remind us that its been some time since we've seen bond villians with this much personality.
too, judi dench brings a much needed 'oomph' to the franchise and one hopes she'll be around for some time.
goldeneye seemd to promise new life to the franchise.
alas, the two sequals that followed fell flat. ... Read more

Reviews (755)

In True Comic Book Fashion
Finally, a movie based on a comic book that actually remains faithful to the original book and characters. Of course if you're talking about the X-Men, you're talking subject matter that is more mature on many levels than most comics books. The story line goes head on into the racism and fear of mutants, people born with genetic differences that don't surface until they hit puberty and give them never seen before gifts that allow them to do pretty amazing things, some incredibly beautiful, others intensely frightening. Professor Charles Xavier (perfectly cast and portrayed by Patrick Stewart) is their unsung savior as a wealthy father figure who takes in these young people to try to mold them into something positive. On the other end of the spectrum is a jaded and bitter Magneto, also portrayed well by Ian McKellen, who believes that normal humans have had their chance and now something has to be done to show them that mutants are superior. Xavier's Senior students, Cyclops, Jean Gray and Storm help new found mutants Rogue and Wolverine discover who they are and what may lie in the future. The actions scenes are unique and original. All the actors give solid performances, especially Jackman, and Halle Berry impressed me with her Kenyan accent. I hope she speaks more in the sequel. The DVD is excellent for true fans because it's obvious that Director Brian Singer wanted so much more for this movie but just wasn't allowed to have it. Time, budget and a last minute search for someone to play Wolverine caused serious constraints. Considering the obstacles and the bad luck of past comic-book-to-movie adaptations, this one scores high and pleases fans and normal folks alike. It stands for something more than just heroes and villians, and it gives us a story about people, no matter who they are or what they can do. Buy this, if you have not already.

In a not-too-distant future...
The long-awaited comic book-to-film translation of X Men left some fans satisfied and some wanting more. There are some terrific action scenes and great characters. Veterans Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier) and Ian McKellen (Magneto) are terrific, as are Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and Tyler Mane as Sabertooth. The Special Effects in the film are inventive and amazing. My favourite SFX moment: Where Magneto is walking across a pathway created by moving metallic planks across a chasm, the pinnacle of cool. Director Brian Singer has loaded the film with eye-popping visuals and some great one-liners. Michael Kamen's futuristic score (one of his best) adds to the mysterious tone. After watching the film several times through, there are a few little quibbles. Wolverine is a great character, but a bit more exposition on the other characters would be good, and the rather stringent running time leaves the film a bit short on great set-pieces. Still, that's what sequels are for!

The DVD extras are great, with trailers, some interesting deleted scenes, "The Mutant Watch" featurette, a Bryan Singer interview, Hugh Jackman's screen test, still photo gallery and TV spots. To quote Darth Vader: "Impressive. Most impressive."

An informative political allegory
X Men, the youthful animation that divides love and evil, is a good film, incorporating great special effects, not to mention the childish violence. But X Men really is a grave political allegiry, highlighting how the governments of the world sometimes thing they are making changes for the best, whilst the silent minority, in this case the mutants, think otherwise. Taking it on one level, this film is an entertaining, action-packed thriller, but one should really consider how the undertone of this animation reflects on a democracy whereby everyone should be considered, and not just the elite. Three stars; that really is all I'm giving.

Great movie--Absolutely Stunning Sound and Picture!
I watched this movie for the first time without ever having read any of the X-Men comic books-in fact, I don't like comic books at all. So, needless to say, I was given the opportunity to watch this film from a purely objective standpoint: I had no expectations of what this movie should or should not entail. And, to my surprise, I was extremely delighted with this DVD for a few specific reasons.

First and foremost, the Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 soundtracks are remarkable. Anybody who has a decent surround sound system-set up correctly!!!-will marvel at the amazing acoustical environments created by the sound team of X-Men; I suspect that THX played a large part in the success of mixing a soundtrack in which every sound effect is mixed with such careful attention to detail that one wonders how such perfection can be possible-I wish every movie's soundtrack would be so immaculate.

As if the sound wasn't enough to sell me on X-Men, the picture quality is outstanding as well-far exceeding that of a typical DVD. Again, I'm sure THX played an important role in the video transfer process.

And, technical aspects aside, the movie was written and executed very well. I think the X-Men team did an excellent job of taking a highly unrealistic story line and turning it into a movie in which the plot and characters evolve without the sense of corniness often associated with films of this nature.

So, all in all, I appreciated X-Men and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well made movie-if not for the sound quality, alone (granted, this will not contribute to a viewer's satisfaction at all, if not played through a quality surround sound system). But there are few movies that I enjoy watching more than once, and this is definitely one of them. Enough said.

Where is Chris Claremont
I can't beleive this was at all based on the comic. Where do I even begin? This movie has taken all of the good elements out of the comic and replaced it with utter crap.
As far as the casting goes Wolverine probably got the best treatment. Jean and Cyclops were also good though they did not get the screen time they deserved. Who in the world came up with Halle Berry as Storm? She can't act her way out of a paper bag. Not to mention the bad accent. If she could not keep it all the way through she should not have done it. Anna Paquin was also a horrible idea. What happened to the southern accent that Rouge was famous for?
A lot of this can be blamed on the writing. Rouge has no history with Mystique and Wolverine has no history with Sabertooth. Even worse than that is the relationship with Rouge and Iceman. Iceman and Rouge were not even at the mansion at the same time. But all of these gripes aside this movie still sucked. I have to wonder if Chris Claremont had any say. ... Read more

Amazon.com

House on Haunted Hill is one of the new breed of waste-no-time thrill machines, like Deep Blue Sea, and a particularly effective example at that. The plot is pure contrivance: For a party stunt, a wealthy amusement-park manufacturer (Geoffrey Rush) offers five people a million dollars if theyspend the night in a former insane asylum where the patients murdered the sadistic staff. But it turns out the five people who arrive aren't the five he invited--did his wife (Famke Janssen), who hates him, make the switch? From there events unfold with a smart combination of human and supernatural machinations; spooky jolts are dispensed at regular, but not entirely predictable, intervals. The visual effects owe a considerable debt to Jacob's Ladder, a much more ambitious movie; House on Haunted Hill just wants to get under your skin, and succeeds more than you'd expect. Rush is his entertainingly hammy self; Janssen, Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, and Bridgette Wilson areattractive and reasonably straight-faced about it all; and Chris Kattan is genuinely funny as the house's neurotic owner. Some elements of the plot seem to have been lost in the editing process, but it hardly matters. More bothersome is that the scares go flat when computer effects take over at the end--the digital images just aren't as creepy as the more suggestive stuff that came before. But that's just the very end; most of the movie has a lot of momentum. Watch until the end of the credits for a final bit of eeriness. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (242)

Sure is a funky old house!
A fantastic little surprise of a movie, I wasn't expecting anything when I went to see this one. After last years dissapointing and disrespectful remake of 'The Haunting', I was shocked that this movie actually seemed to take its source material seriously changing almost nothing of the original story, only adding to it a bit with truly inventive and creative ideas(for instance the fact that the house now was once an asylum for the criminally insane was a nice little touch). The movie creates a genuinly creepy, dark atmosphere and manages to mantain it through most of its length. Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush and Famke Janssen are both startlingly good if fairly low key and exude a proper air of pychosis and seem in particular to be having fun with the oft times witty and more-clever-than-I-would-have-expected shock and shlock script(shock being the gruesome horror, shlock being the dialouge, both being intentional). Bridgette Wilson and Chris Kattan are also surprising standouts, Kattan doing an unusual turn as the semi-non-comedic relief. The effects are wonderful, despite what people say(and to set the record straight there is only one CGI shot in the movie. The shot where Melissa comes out of the entity to reach for Sarah. The rest was cleverly and cheaply shot as an optical using smoke, naked women holding branches and other such bizzare things. See the director's commentary on the DVD for more info)and come nowhere near to being as laughable as the end of the 'Haunting' remake. The extras on the DVD are excellent, ranging from a comparisson of the old and new versions to deleted scenes and a fine director's commentary(I particualrly enjoyed the extra feature called the chamber. It's totally useless but a nice little touch). The gore may turn some off, and it is not for everbody. I loved it and my Dad, who is a die-hard fan of the original Vincent Price, loved it. What more can I say?

Surprisingly well made and eerie
A remake of the 1959 Vincent Price feature, House on Haunted Hill is a surprisingly well made and effectively eerie horror flick that wastes no time delivering the bloody thrills. From part of the same team responsible for the Tales From the Crypt series and films (Robert Zemeckis, Joel Silver, and Gilbert Adler), the film stars Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson, Peter Gallagher, and Chris Kattan as strangers who are each invited to spend the night at what was once an insane asylum where the inmates wreaked grisly havoc on the sadistic staff (led by Jeffrey "Re-Animator" Combs). If they survive the night, each person gets one million dollars cash courtesy of theme park mongul Geoffrey Rush (paying wonderful homage to Vincent Price) and his devilish wife played by Famke Janssen. Theme such as story and dialogue are of no use here, the visceral thrills and eerie atmosphere are what makes House on Haunted Hill effective before it turns into a CGI fest at the end of the film. Look for singer Lisa Loeb and Buffy the Vampire Slayer's James "Spike" Marsters as members of the media towards the beginning of the film.

Non-stop thrills
It is no coincedence that this film starts in an amusement park. It is a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end.
The DVD is packed with great extras: 6 minidocumentaries, 3 deleted scenes (the second one, "Zombies" explains a continuity error - the missing jacket), commentary by the director, theatrical trailers for both versions of the film, scenes from the film "Creature", and a documentary on the two versions of the film.
Pop the disc in a DVD-ROM drive and you have access to two essays. The first is "Oh, The Horror! A History of Horror" with the following sections: Germanic Origins; The Universal Horror Factory; Bloody Rivals; A Symphony of Horrors; Ghosts, Ghouls and Gimmicks; Hammer's House of Horrors; Satan's Minions; The Shark That Ate the Box Office; "Psycho" and the Slashers; New Heights of Blood and Gore; Big-Budget Bloodbaths; Of Witches and Ghosts.
The second essay is "Take Two! (Or Three!) A Retrospective of Horror Remakes" with the following sections: "I Am...Dracula"; "It's Alive! It's Alive!"; "He's Here!"; "The Eighth Wonder of the World!"; "Watch the Skies!"; "You're Next! You're Next!"; "A Force...Beyond the Scope of Man's Imagination"; "Help Me! Help Me!"; "Mother, She Isn't Quite Herself Today"; "Welcome to Hill House".
The Website for the film is also included on the disc.
A Windows game is included title "Escape From the House."
While the game only works in Windows, the essays are accessible from a Macintosh using a web browser.
MPEG versions of trailers for "Arsenic and Old Lace", "Beetlejuice", "Poltergeist", "The Shining" (1980), and the two "Haunted Hill" films are on the disc as well.

One of THE Best Horror Films of the 1990's
House on Haunted Hill, a remake of a 1950's Vincent Price film, is one of the best horror films to come out of the 1990's. The story is simple enough: An amusement park mogul with a reputation for scaring the daylights out of people invites five strangers to attend his hated wife's birthday party thrown at an abandoned insane asylum. Once there, they attendees are told that anyone who stays the night (and survives) will receive $1,000,000. However, things start to go wrong, and the entire group is trapped inside the apparently haunted building with all kinds of supernatural phenomena occuring. The people strive to find a way out as well as try to figure who (or what) is behind the bizarre happenings.

From the superb creation of a dark atmosphere of decay surrounding the asylum to top-notch acting and special effects, HOHH succeeds in making a very creepy experience. The only problem that I had with the movie was that I felt that the film makers wimped out a bit when they finally revealed the cause of the supernatural goings-on. However, I still classify this as a four star film and a must-have for any horror buff.

This is a Impressive but Different Remake of the Original.
A Cold Hearted Wife (Famke Janssen) of a Twisted Theme Park Bigshot Steven Price (Oscar-Winner:Geoffrey Rush) decide to thown a Party at an abandoned Institute for the Criminally Insane for his Wife`s Birthday Bush but Steven had something else in mind by hosting a Scary/Jokey Birthday Party Instead at that House. When Five Strangers (Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, Chris Kattan, Peter Gallagher and Bridgette Wilson) are mysteriously assembled for the event. Steven promises to give them One Million Bucks, No Question asked if they spend the night could marked them a very rich or profoundly dead but that abandoned institute is a Murdering Way of Life at the House on Haunted Hill.

Directed by William Malone (Creature, Feardotcom) made a well made Horror Film that has little resemblance of the Original 1959 Cult Classic. The Film has a few chills and good performances from the cast (Especially by Ex-Saturday Night Live Comedian Star:Kattan). Some will dislike the remake but for those, who enjoy the remake will have a Good Time. This Remake is Certainly Alot Better that the Flawed and Undercooked-The Haunting (1999). The Visual Effects might be a bit Heavy-Headed towards the end but it`s a enjoyable jolting fun film. DVD has a sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and a terrific-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD has an entertaining commentary by the Director, Behind the Scnes Documentaries, Deleted Scenes with Intro by the Director and more. This film won`t start the Party without you, Horror fans will have a Blast and Certainly has more Plot that the 1959 Version. Don`t miss this trashy but creepy horror remake. Grade:A-. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Falls Short....
A mob movie for non-mobsters, this film involves two amateurs sent to NYC to do a money 'drop'. Written and Directed by Jon Farveau (Swingers) and also strarring Vince Vaughn, Peter Falk and Famke Janssen. Things get complicated when Vaughn's character flaws 'kick in' and piss everybody off. The best part of the film is Vaughn. Athough Farveau and the rest of the cast play their parts well, Vaughn is right on target. You can't help but want to bound and gag him all through the film. Production value is good but there isn't anything particular that would shoot this film through the top. It's a well written story and decently acted. Made is entertaining for those who like 'fish out of water' pictures.

Vaughn is hilarious
this is about Bobby(Jon Favreau) and he is a wanna be boxer who also does construction work..so is his friend Ricky(Vince Vaughn)..Bobby has a girlfriend who is a stripper named Jessica(a sexy Famke Janssen)....Favreau and Vaughn are assigned a job by Max(Peter Falk)...so he sends the 2 away with the help of Ruis(SEan Combs), his right hand man (Faison Love) and a limo driver(Vincent Pastore)....very funny due to teh chemistry of Favreau and Vaughn...bringing their Swingers chemistry to the picture..especially Vaughn..he gets all the highlights..beeping the stewardess on the plane...annoying Falk and Combs..and the chuckie cheese part at the end...very good and worth it if your fans of the Swingers cast

Not a forgone conclusion
I assumed that just because I loved "Swingers" I would love "Made." Not so. And don't believe the reviews you read telling you that if you like one you'll like the other.

"Made" is John Farvreau's attempt at a crime film, not exactly a spoof on one. The only spoof aspect of it is Ricky, played by Vince Vaughn. Otherwise it seems like a pretty straightforward, somewhat realistic crime movie.

Bobby (Favreau) and Ricky are amateur boxers, pretty bad ones at that, who end up doing a job for their boss (played by Peter Falk) which takes them from their native LA to New York. There they meet Ruiz who is, believe it or not, played by P. Diddy. They bumble their way through the operation, finally returning to LA where Bobby wraps things up with his girlfriend and her child.

The main problem to me was Vince Vaughn. His character (Ricky) has absolutely no redeeming qualities. He is one of the most irritating, idiotic, annoying characters I've ever seen portrayed on film. The character he played in "Swingers" was similar - a loud-mouth know-it-all - but he had some redeeming qualities. He obviously cared about his friends, he did know when to draw the line, he wasn't all talk - women did like him, etc. In "Made" none of these qualities exist. He's just the self-centered loud-mouth who doesn't know when to quit and seems intent on getting himself and everyone around him killed.

While this is funny at times, it ends up just getting old and almost uncomfortable to watch. It's not entirely fair to compare this movie to "Swingers," but that seems unavoidable and its only saving grace. I don't think this movie would have had any success at all were it not for its predecessor, because it's just not that fun watching Vince Vaughn be an idiot in this one because there's nothing to redeem him. I'd say rent it before buying to make sure you like it - don't assume you'll like it because you liked "Swingers." They are two totally different films.

I Liked The Movie But It Is Not For Everyone
Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn don't make your standard cookie-cutter type movies like a Clint Eastwood. The movie, "Made", will not be enjoyed by everyone and it will never gross 200 million. It's an off-beat, quirky kind of movie about two friends hired by a 'wise guy' to do some funny business. Vince Vaughn plays Ricky, an eccentric screw-up that can't keep his mouth shut. Jon Favreau's character, Bobby is a boxer who is in love with a prostitute. She has a wonderful little girl who becomes attached to Bobby. He takes this job with Ricky in order to score some cash so he can secure his girl friend's future and get her off of prostitution. Ricky's over-the-top behavior almost screws up the 'drop' but he pulls off a surprise. The movie is funny, interesting and entertaining. However, it's is not as good as the one that made Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn famous, i.e. "Swingers". As a big fan of Favreau and Vaughn my opinion is biased. I loved this movie but it is not for everyone!

not my favorite
i like vince vaughn and jon favreau, which makes this hard to do. i'll try to be objective in pointing out the strong points and the weak points, but we'll see. the first thing i have to say is that this is the first movie i've watched in a long, long time that i almost turned off in the middle. i understand that vaughn's character is supposed to be a total irritating moron, but after a while i could hardly bare it. there didn't seem to be many (if any) funny parts in my opinion, and i also thought the plot was rather weak. however, i thought that the acting was pretty good. it would be hard for me to believe that anyone could do an annoying person better than vaughn did in this film. and puffy got ripped on plenty in the reviews i saw, but in my opinion, he did pretty well. i'm not sure he was terribly convincing, but he certainly didn't embarrass himself. the ending was more bearable than most of the movie, but it seemed out of place. overall, this is my recommendation: i think most people will not like this movie, so i think you should avoid it (especially if you don't like irritating, dumb-head characters). however, if you really like vaughn and favreau AND aren't too turned off by a character that does some ridiculously dumb things, then maybe it's worth seeing for you. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

I love movies with great dialogue!
As a fan of movies that have good dialogue, this one is on my list, along with When Harry Met Sally and Before Sunrise. It's a simple movie about finding the right person in life. Isn't that what so many people spend years of dating trying to determine? This movie approaches relationships in a very honest, funny, and refreshing way. The chemistry between Femke Jaansen and John Favreau is great as they go through the ups and downs of being in a relationship. This movie is for anyone in a relationship...or just wondering when they will ever find their special someone.

Love...in a dorky kind of way
I dont know why I initially picked this movie out a couple of yeas ago...but I did. And I am glad I found this. I am a recovering moviefanatic who got tired of the stereotypes of love. Favreau reminded me of myself. The movie in itself shows the love of finding someone in a lonely world. The ability to like someone new and different. Being a dork myself, I found this to not only be one of my favorite date movies, but one of my favorite movies in general. It teaches me a lot about the turns and twists a relationships takes in a couples life. But if true love, and real people are there. It always works. But most of all, it taught me not to take love, sex or myself in both too seriously or you can become someone else.

You Have To Kiss Many Frogs Before You Find A Prince
I got this DVD free in a magazine, and I'm normally very wary of DVDs that get handed out so freely - they're normally really bad! Or not worth the money you paid for the magazine. But this seemed tempting, as it was a romance (my favourite kind), and had Famke Janssen and the brilliant Jon Favreau in it.

When I started watching it, I was entranced straight away. Despite having loads of piracy trailers before the actual movie, and not having much else in the way of extras (only a trailer), I found myself laughing, and nearly in tears at points.

Everyone knows (or at least, I know) Jon Favreau from Friends - he played Monica's millionaire boyfriend, Pete, who then tried to become a World Fighting Champion. He was fantastic in this. Playing an artist this time, who does very surreal paintings. (Someone pulling a severed head out of somewhere for example!) He was fantastically funny, brilliantly neurotic, and apart from the awful side burns, and the curly goatee (not both at the same time thankfully), was also kinda cute looking. In a way where you want to give him a cuddle. Not knee-trembling gorgeous.

Famke Janssen starts off in the film, as a 9-year-old girl, who is in love with the guy who bullies her. (Right) She's kinda geeky looking, and not what you'd call pretty, but what children ever are? She's totally 'in love' with this guy, until she tells all to her big-mouthed friend, and ends up in tears when he dumps her. After this, she quite happily admits to having relationships with thirteen men (I'm falling WAY behind by her standards), which she admits to Adam's character over lunch/dinner/something. Later he tells her that he's only been with two women. (Very reminiscent of a scene in an early season of Friends when Monica and Richard are together, and are telling each other how many people they've slept with. Monica's is less than a ballpoint, and Richard's is two) By the end of the movie, this number has risen up to 14 - having a relationship with a Not-So-Bright-Porn-Star-Robert De Niro- loving actor. The whole point of this movie is that Famke's character is a journalist, and has to write an article about relationships - in which she knows more about, how shall we say, giving guys 'pleasure', than actual relationships. Most of the movie is done in flashback, as she goes through most of the bad/good relationships she's had, with narration, as the article gets written through her experiences - with lots of cheesy/romantic lines thrown in along the way!

This film goes into what relationships are all about, and how you have to go through a lot of guys before you find the perfect one. It also briefly touches the painful subject of unwanted pregnancy, and then losing the baby anyway. There's also some strange scenes, where they realise they haven't had slept together for 3 weeks, try, and then realise they're "too tired". And then the all too painful break-up. You can work out what happens from there on.

This is a terrific film, to watch as a couple (the guys will probably like Famke, as she appears wearing very little most of the time), or to watch alone, and think about the pain of relationships. Or the good things about relationships. Depends what mood you're in really. The DVD is definitely worth keeping, full of fun, happiness, and sadness all at the time. Once in a blue moon, you will get a free DVD, that is actually really good! It will be a good addition to my growing collection.

Watch out for an uncredited 'cameo' by David Schwimmer (Ross from Friends) too!

love can be hard
Famke Janssen(The X-Men Movies, GoldenEye) and Jon Favreau(Made,Swingers) are perfect as the couple who get together then break up and then get back together again. The 2 when breaking up seem to be following each other and they have annoying opposites. Janssen gets involved with Noah Emmerich(The Truman Show, Windtalkers) who is really married. It's like this and Favreau keeps on bugging her. It's a good story with good actors. Highlight would be when David Schwimmer(Tv's just recently canceled Friends and Kissing The Fool)visits Favreau as a Johova's Witness

I cheese sandwich this movie!
This movie is absolutely fantastic. It epitomizes the ironies and comical ways of common relationships. I love it! ... 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

Following in the reptilian slime trail of Anaconda, this derivative monster movie from early 1998 plays like a cross between Titanic and Tremors, with parts of Aliens tossed in for good measure. Director Stephen Sommers couldn't recognize an original idea if it swallowed him whole--which, by the way, is exactly what happens to a lot of passengers on a luxury ship that is attacked by a giant serpent-like sea creature with a voracious appetite for human flesh. Treat Williams plays the leader of a mercenary crew whose members discover the ravaged ship and wage war on the creature; Famke Janssen joins him as an onboard thief and con artist who just happens to be highly skilled with automatic weapons. Of course, the action grows more intense as the body count rises and along the way the monster is gradually revealed in all of its gruesome glory. A guilty pleasure if ever there was one, Deep Rising arrived in theaters shortly after another waterlogged thriller, Hard Rain, and if nothing else it provides proof that the B-movie monsters of the 1950s are alive and well and as cheesy as ever in the age of digital special effects. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Good graphics and not much else
This was a pathetic attempt of a horror flick. The plot was awful and the monster okay. Save your $$$$ for something else.

Titanic Is Invaded evil worm-like aliens
You must see Deep Rising. If you are a Sci-FI fan this is the hot tamale(though if you did not like Alien the movie I do not recommend this movie). The blood and gore is throughout the whole movie, so if your stomach is uneasy Deep Rising is not for you. A great action thriller about a boat driver who drives a bunch of theives to a Titanic like boat. But when the convicts arrive the find thal all the passengers had allready been robbed....of their lives. The rest is for you to find out. A must see Sci- Fi thriller.

There Should Be One More Star Reserved For This Movie (#6)
Deep Rising was a creepy-crawly, slithering, edge of your seat, hellatious ride all packed into one movie that holds your eyes to the screen until all is said and done!

Great Indiana Jonse type action and story.
Action is fast paced and special effects are excellent. Has the feel of an Indiana Jones adventure with likeble hero and sidekick. Well worth the price of the DVD

A MONSTER FROM THE DEEP ATTACKS THE "NEW TITANIC!"
BLOODY, GORY, AND EXTREMELY INTENSE, DEEP RISING REALLY DELIVERS THE ACTION! THE SEA MONSTER IN THE FILM CONSUMES EVERYONE ON BOARD THE "TITANIC-LIKE SHIP" WITH ITS NUMBEROUS TENTICLE FEEDERS AND LEAVES NO ONE ALIVE ONBOARD. BUT AT THE END THE CREATURE GETS WHATS COMING TO HIM. IT'S A MUST SEE IF YOU LIKE GORY SCI-FI ACTION MOVIES! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Okay, you knew everyone in high school was just a little different: everyone looked at you strangely, the teachers were freaky, and you never could find the right groove to fit into. What if it turned out that it was all because your school was inhabited by creepy aliens from outer space? That's the enjoyably cheesy B-premise for this fun and scary flick from the pen of Scream's Kevin Williamson, the master of the post-modern teen horror film. Directed by Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi), it's The Breakfast Club meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as six disparate students from Herrington High School band together when they discover that an alien life form is invading both the student and faculty bodies, with plans to take over the world.

Each of the heroes represents a different high school type: popular babe (Jordana Brewster), picked-on geek (Elijah Wood), goth girl (Clea DuVall), sensitive jock (Shawn Hatosy), new kid in town (Laura Harris), and bad-boy rebel (Josh Hartnett). The plot isn't much--a basic kill-or-be-killed premise spiked with a healthy shot of paranoia--but Willliamson and Rodriguez do a great job of building the tension slowly but surely. The suspense set pieces are genuinely frightening, and the film pokes fun at itself without deflating its scares; Williamson is a master at shifting gears from comedy to horror quickly and adroitly. The young cast doesn't have a weak link among them (with special kudos to Wood, DuVall and heartthrob-in-the-making Hartnett), and Rodriguez gets maximum mileage from the titular faculty, which includes Jon Stewart, Piper Laurie, Salma Hayek, Bebe Neuwirth, and Robert Patrick of Terminator 2. Go to the head of the class, Mr. Williamson. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (246)

"The Faculty" Review
Similiar in premise to Mark L. Lester's CLASS OF 1999 with an obvious ode to INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, screenwriter Kevin Williamson joins forces with director Robert Rodriguez for a fast-moving "aliens take over our school" popcorn flick. With a director known best for Mexican gun battle movies and a writer known for wise-cracking parodies of slasher flicks, a movie about aliens taking over high school classrooms would not seem like an obvious choice.

A group of high school students led by super-senior Hartnett (in his debut role) are shocked to discover that their teachers are actually alien invaders. It's up to dweeby Elijah Wood, snobby Jordana Brewster, and a handful of jocks and outcasts to stop them. As it turns out, the beings that live inside their hosts have a fatal reaction to the ingredients in the class drug dealer's stash. Using the contraband as their weapon, the group heads to the high school where the teachers are ready and waiting.

While it does provide some tense moments, this movie seems to play it safe a little too often. Rather than sacrifice its more popular characters, it always seems to stick them in escapable situations and pander to what the audience would like to see happen with them. The kids, who are on a "Breakfast Club" tip very rarely seem to be in any authentic danger. This seems more like a kiddie-version of Heinlan's "Puppet Masters" than a real serious sci-fi thriller. For all its faults, at the very least, this film has fun with its cast which includes Robert Patrick, Jon Stewart, Famke Jannsen, Usher Raymond, Duane Martin, and a dressed-down Salma Hayek. Hartnett, in particular, has very rarely been as good. Williamson's always-overwritten characters aren't quite as obnoxious as they were in his "Scream" scripts though subsquently, Rodriguez's style feels just a little toned down. What many had assumed to be his trademark Mexican stand-off style mentality of directing is not quite the case here. He's moving in a different direction and while I am a fan of his other style, it is good to see him try something different. The collaborative efforts of both seem to combine for an entertaining if somewhat predictable and harmless new take on an old story.

Fun enough
I don't watch teen flicks in particular (don't like them) or many movies in general (can't afford it). But I found myself sort-of-enjoying this particular movie (borrowed it from the library) despite the gaping plot holes, weird special effects, and occasional unintentionally deadpan actor. It's nice if you wish to flip off your brain function before you hit "play."

Herrington High is the ordinary high school, in all its grubby, cruel, clique-ridden glory. We are introduced (via little name scribbles during freeze-frame, just in case we forget who they are) to several characters: We have Casey (Elijah Wood), a picked-on geek with a heart of gold, who has a unspoken crush on Delilah (Jordana Brewster), an acid-tongued cheerleader who is dating Stan (Shawn Hatosy) who plans to quit the football team and focus on his grades, and who is secretly longed-after by the black-clad antisocial loner Stokely (Clea DuVall), whom perky blonde new girl Marybeth (Laura Harris) is trying to befriend. Then, rounding out the cast is Zeke (Josh Harnett) as a drug-and-porn-dealing bad boy with a brilliant streak. (Confused? Don't worry, not so befuddling when you actually watch it)

The actual plot kicks into gear when Casey finds a strange insectlike creature on the football field -- it becomes a vaguely fishlike creature that reproduces asexually in a tank of water -- and has nasty little teeth. Suddenly strange things begin to happen: one of the teachers becomes bizarrely ill. Students begin behaving angelically. The coach becomes less of a jerk. There are huge amounts of bottled water being brought to the faculty lounge, and the teachers are drinking enormous amounts of it. And then Casey and Delilah catch a glimpse of the coach forcibly infecting the nurse with a strange alien creature. As they scrabble to find out what is happening and how they can stop it, this group of geeks, popular kids, and loners must band together.

I didn't come in expecting much, and I was not disappointed. The best words to describe "Faculty" are "fun enough." Pretty much everything is done in moderation. There are streaks of brilliance and streaks of cheeze, with okay acting and okay writing. The exception to that last is the conclusion about the alien "queen" -- the teens come to this conclusion with nothing but SF movies to back them up. My eyes were rolling so far, I thought they were going to stick.

Much ado is made about Josh Harnett, but he hardly registers here. He doesn't possess the pizazz to play a convincing bad boy, and comes across as a person pretending to be a bad boy. Jordana Brewster does a pretty good job, especially when called upon to be sinister, as did Laura Harris, who seamlessly shifts from one kind of acting to another. Clea DuVall did what she could with what she was given, which wasn't much. Shawn Hatosy is okay, nothing more.

Elijah Wood is the sole really outstanding performance in this film. Fans of his performance in "Lord of the Rings" may want to check this out, as there are some similarities between his performance in that film and the physically unimpressive, smart, pleasant, scared witless, unlikely hero Casey. (Though admittedly, Frodo Baggins never got slammed crotch-first into a flagpole) He manages to pull off some real groaner lines like "Maybe they're simply preparing us for what's to come" and "I don't think a person should run unless he's being chased" that a lesser actor could not have. He projects his emotions more vividly than any of the other actors; when we see Casey huddled on the ground with a look of misery on his face, the heart bleeds. Yet he's also the most driven and enthusiastic. He's the little geek who could.

Special effects depend. Some of it is cheese incarnate, especially when some of the teachers are stabbed or sprinkled with scat. Their physical responses are unabashedly dumb. The morphing thing is well done, as are the alien "goldfish" and the scene in the swimming pool.

Directing is actually pretty good. With the exception of some later scenes, where all subtlety is abandoned, the first eighty percent of the movie is quite suspenseful. Among the good ones: The football players enthusiastically playing their game -- and infecting the opposing team as they go. Casey being approached by an infected character on one side and a horde of ravening football players on the other. The tense, suspicion-laden scene where they have to take Zeke's stash of drugs to determine who is an alien; the part where Casey starts giggling uncontrollably, with a gun pointed at his head, is too funny to miss.

This is not a kids' movie, and some older teens can probably handle it. There's loads of profanity, very little of it necessary to the script; it seems like the f-word was used an average of once per sentence. There is also a lot of violence, but very little of it is realistic. Neither are the beasties, which are very well-done, CGI-wise, especially the shots in the swimming pool, and of the alien creatures in the tank. The deteriorating teacher was the scariest thing I saw. There is no dirty content, though there are many references, and one of the characters goes wandering around in the nude near the end, but you can't see any details.

I don't particularly care that it rips off "Bodysnatchers" or "The Thing." It's a nice piece of fluff entertainment, and a pleasant enough way to pass an afternoon.

Good Alien Fun
This movie may not be the most original thing to come out of teen flicks ( then again, name one teen flick that is original, especially when it concerns horror/thriller movies.) The point is, this movie is a fun way to spend a couple of hours. But, it can only be fun if you don't over analyse it. It does have a few story line flaws, but overal it is a really enjoyable experience. Kudos especially to Clea DuVall. She is probablly the only hot girl who you'd buy as a Trekkie. While some of the characters seemed a little too cliche (Jordana Brewsters character, for example) overall it was a bunch who you could safely get invested in. (ALthough Elijah would seemed to play the nerd with alot of personal experience. ALso, fantasticly fun performance by Jon Stewart. ALl the performances were good, and the movie is definatley a fun ride if you just go with it.

TEACHERS PETS?
If you're gonna rip off a classic like INVASION OF BODY SNATCHERS or PUPPET MASTERS, at least do it right...Robert Rodriguez did it right with this stylish and visceral thriller. Blessed with a very talented young cast and some venerable artists, THE FACULTY is fun, furious and frightening. There are some unexpected plot twists, and the terror of being "changed" ever prominent.
The best performances: Piper Laurie, fiercely understated; Shawn Hotosy (an intelligent and sensitive jock); Clea DuVall (Gothicly gorgeous); Robert Patrick (what a manly coach!); and Elijah Wood (destined to become the lord of the rings).
The good performances: Bebe Neuwirth as the red-taped principal; Josh Hartnett as the dropout back to save the day; and Famke Janssen as the sex-deprived teacher who does a remarkable makeover once possessed. Laura Harris (The Calling) is okay, but not great, in her role as newcomer Mary Beth.
The movie moves well and has some high moments of comedy, to boot. Credit to screenwriter Kevin Williamson for this delightfully different, if derivative, horror.

oh my god!!! aliens are in the school!!!
Robert Rodriquez(Director of The 3 Spy Kids movies, Desperado, El Mariachi, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and From Dusk Till Dawn) brings us into the lives of some high school students who find out that their teachers are from another planet, I mean literally. there's geeky Eljah Wood(Ash Wednesday, North), the bad boy Josh Hartnett(Hollywood Homicide, Blow Dry and The Faculty is his second motion ficture he stars in folks, for all you ladyfans out there), rebel girl Clea DuVall(Identity, 13 Conversations About The Same Thing), swimboy Shawn Hatosy(Outside Providence and Down To You), popular girl Jordana Brewster(the 60's), football player Usher Raymond(She's All That and Light IT Up) and the new girl(forgot her name but didnt forget that nude scene though). the teachers include Jon Stewart(Jay and Silent bob Strike Back), Bebe Neuwirth(Tv's Cheers and Fraiser), DAniel Von Bergen(Tv's Malcolm In The Middle), Robert Patrick(Tv's The X-Files, Eye See You), Famke Janssen(MAde and X-Men) and Salma Hayek(Desperado, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and From Dusk Till Dawn, I mean you name a Rodriquez movie she hasnt been in). some good performances, especially by Hartnett, Hatosy and Wood. good writing, but did we have to do that big alien thing at the end. I mean, jeez, but anyway it was a good ride and let me tell you Rodriquez knows how to give you a wild ride with his movies ... Read more