Reviews (260)

Weather Report: Tuscan Sun Fun, Diane Lane Shines
Take this for what it is and you might enjoy it -- complete fantasy stuff, wish fulfillment, a brief escape from real world life and complexities into the stuff of make belive, completely lacking in any substance whatsoever.

Why make a book into a movie and COMPLETELY change it? This is Audrey Welles inflicting HERSELF, her agenda, in fact, her completely different story, onto Frances Mayes' story, where the only thing left is the name of the house (Bramasole) and the name of the main characer (Frances/Fran/Francesca Mayes).

In real life Mayes is married to Ed Mayes, they're university professors, writers/poets, and they bought a house in Tuscany over ten years ago and started cranking out books about their new adventure (it's HUGE house, even more imposing than the one in the film).

Apparently not seeing any dramatic potential in Mayes' work, Welles arrogantly GRAFTED a completely different story onto the title ("Maybe no one will notice") wherein HER "Frances Mayes" is married then divorced then goes off to Italy and buys a house on an impulse (and strangely meets a man named "Ed" at the end which is supposed to bring some kind of nod to the real Ed Mayes, like an inside joke or something or a little piece of magic that plays out like a lump of coal on a Christmas morning. Stupid (her last name is already Mayes before she meets this Ed so his had better be Mayes too if you're following the silly logic of the story).

Don't pick this movie apart (pull one thread and it unravels rather easily). Instead see it for the wish fulfillment fantasy of buying a house in Tuscany, the Italian countryside (most of which was actually rainy and overcast all through filming) an attractive cast (Diane Lane is STILL stunning after all these years), and a complete dose of fantasy -- a guilty pleasure, like watching "Dynasty" in the 80s.

Leave the critical thinking elsewhere and pretend the world today is no more complex than an episode of The Brady Bunch (yeah right). Watch the scenery. Watch Lane's comic performance and stunning beauty, and Sandra Oh's great supporting performance. Then forget this crazy thing.

And if you liked the book, may I recommend At Home in France by Ann Barry and Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes, both of which I liked better than the book Under the Tuscan Sun and its followups as did many other reviewers on amazon and elsewhere they report.

The best part of this movie, for me, was seeing it in the theatre and suddenly seeing on screen the love interest's 1980s Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce two-seat convertible driving "picturesquely" through Italian cityscape and Italian coastline, and laughing to myself because it was the same car waiting for me in the parking lot.

Do a theme night. Make some bruschetta and other Italian culinary items and watch this fluff with friends. You won't be able to keep a straight face at how "schmaltzy" it is. You'll be absolutely embarrassed, but you still may take a second look later in privacy for an indulgent pleasure.

Ciao!

Such lovely scenery - such an awful film!
This is a really bad film. Okay, so it has nothing to do with the book except that it shares a title - that I could live with. But the story is hopelessly cobbled together and totally unbelievable. Surely this was a first draft of the script that they accidentally filmed?

The main character is played by the pretty Diane Lane, but looks alone cannot salvage this dreadful character. She cries, she pouts, she is unbearably naive and, let's just say it, she is an idiot.

The storyline is full of cliches. And where there are not cliches, there are gaping plot holes: why does her far-too-attractive-to-be-true Italian boyfriend drive a sports car when his family run a modest cafe on the beach that is supposed to support all of them? And just how does she manage to up and move to Italy without even having to fill in an immigration form? And if she was so broke that she had to move out of her mansion in San Francisco into a run-down fleabag hotel, just how the hell can she afford to suddenly buy and renovate a house in Italy, as well as living there for months with no visible means of income?

The worst part of a spectacularly awful script is the love interest suddenly written in at the very last minute to tie everything up neatly - that really is bad writing of such magnitude that it deserves a special Oscar.

Still, if you turn the sound off, you can enjoy genuinely beautiful photography of Italy.

hooked on tuscany
I have watched this movie twice so far, and will probably watch it more often. Tuscany is a countryside that got me hooked the first time I saw it appearing in front of my train window, and it is the same with the movie. So, I could empathize, seeing the same happening to "Frances" (Diane Lane) when she sees Tuscany and decides to buy a house and stay. Diane Lane in one of her best roles, her face very expressive, her acting excellent.
The only disappointment came when I read the book the movie was made after: in the original autobiographic story, Frances Mayes is not at all a divorcee struggling with recurring bouts of loneliness, but rather, a woman already happily attached again to a new steady boyfriend, with a fulfilled life, and full of energy for the work on their new house. The movie trailer says, the character were "changed for dramatic effect". Wonder who did not like the idea that a woman could be happy again so soon, and decided it should not be shown in the movie that way ? Anyway, both are definitely worth your while, and in the book you can even find the recipes for all that great Italian cooking too.

YAWN!
I eagerly anticipated watching this movie, as I thoroughly enjoyed the book; however, the movie shares only a passing resemblance to the book. It gets 2 stars because I enjoy Diane Lane and Tuscany is gorgeous, but other than that the movie was dull, Lane's character is nothing short of pathetic, and the ending is trite.

Get Your Passport Ready
I loved this movie. I don't usually watch too many movies but a friend loaned me this one and am I glad she did.
It is about a woman betrayed and how she goes on with her life. It made me think that I too could do something exciting with the rest of my life.
For the scenery of Italy alone, this movie is worth watching. Just beautiful.
I had never seen Diane Lane in any performances but I will seek her out now. All in all I give this movie a 5 star rating. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Probably the Greatest Western Ever!
A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak personally with Robert Urich about his role as ill-fated Jake Spoon in the epic western Lonesome Dove. Simply put, he said that it was "the most fun I have ever had making a movie. Think of it. Riding and shooting every day with two of the greatest western stars ever: Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones! I won't have that much fun ever again!" I am sure that he could have gone on for hours but, unfortunately, time would not permit. The look on his face and the light in his eyes said it all. Tragically Urich passed away a year or two thereafter.

The legend and the story live on in the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Larry McMurty and in this faithful video depiction of the classic story.

A star-studded cast, headed by Duvall, Jones and Urich, along with one of the most beautiful western soundtracks ever composed make Lonesome Dove a viewing experience that you will enjoy time and again.

One of the best things ever done for television.
Although the phrase "made for television" conjures up the images of the tabloid story of the week and women-in-peril films; Larry McMurtry's epic novel "Lonesome Dove" would not have been given justice in any other format. Television allowed that magnificent work to be brought to life in some form resembling the novel. The six hour running time enabled character and storyline development that would not have been possible if the novel had been adapted for theaters.

Although it does have the jarring breaks that marked where a commericial interuption had once been and it's share of television stars (Urich, Shroeder, Corbin); "Lonesome Dove" is movie big. Big stars. Wonderful cinematography. Great locations. An authentic look. A terrific score. The producers, cast, crew, and director went the full measure to ensure that this movie did not look or feel like a "movie of the week" production.

Personally, I believe it, along with "Roots," to be the finest work ever done in the medium of television. It really does make you feel for its characters. The viewer will cheer and hope for them, and when tragedy occurs, as it does throughout the film, it will shake the viewer. Nobody is safe: comic relief characters, children, and, even, experienced Rangers. McMurtry drives home the message that death in the Old West could occur to anyone at anytime with shocking suddenness. In the end, Captain Call looks back and remembers his friends and comrades who did not return with him. As he does, tears come to the eyes of this taciturn character; and rest assured he is joined by many in the viewing audience.

The Return of the Western
It's ironic that the western, a staple of TV until sci-fi eclipsed its presence, would find its home again on the small screen during a time when big budget westerns seemed to be biting the dust to space opera blockbusters. And that it would take an Australian to realize it. Director Simon Wincer's big-vista understanding of the genre is apparent throughout "Lonesome Dove," which also features some great performances by screen familiars Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, even if the latter too often looks like a scowling Kenny Rogers here. This tale of an arduous cattle drive by two retired lawmen has the sweep and grist of such classics as "True Grit," "Red River," and "Once Upon a Time in the West," with which it shares many elements (the conversational style, the brutal drive, and the buddy relationship, respectively, the most obvious). And while "Lonesome Dove" doesn't really say anything new about the old west, it is entertaining and fares better compared to many westerns past in terms of presenting the ethnic diversity that history records. Look for many bravura--and few corny--moments like Captain Call's (Jones) reaction to a cavalry scout's whipping of Call's alleged son (a likable but sometimes too aw-shucks Rick Shroeder), MacCrae's (Duvall) gutsy stand against a pack of outlaws, and the touching and remarkably in-character last goodbye between the leads. Basil Poledouris, an underrated composer, provides a solid score. Of the episodes, only one stands out as pedestrian, making this a pretty good choice for viewers who want to savor their entertainment choice.

Yes, it is 360 minutes, not 240.
240 minutes refers to the much shorter Return to Lonesome Dove mini-series. There is nowhere on the the Amazon website that the original series of Lonesome Dove DVD set is only 240 minutes, it is 360 minutes.

By the way, my daughter and I loved this series when it was on TV and I purchased the multi-tape set VHS way back when. But the last tape was bad and Cabin Fever, the manufacturers/publishers, would not replace my bad tape (they never even answered my mail except to tell me how to order the set), so, now that I have the DVD version, I finally have a complete set of watchable scenes.

Sorry SD, you're wrong. It's not complete. Check IMDb.
I'm sorry to have to point out to those of you who think this is the complete version, but if you go to IMDb and look up Lonesome Dove, you will find that it has a 384 minute running time. Amazon's version is listed at only 240 minutes. That's over two hours difference from the original film, and no, we're not talking about commercials.
So unless Amazon has their listed time wrong and it is actually a full 6.4 hours, you've been duped. I wouldn't pay for less than the original length film.

So, the question stands for those of you who actually bought this DVD, was it 6.4 hours long, or only 4 hours long? ... Read more

Reviews (260)

Weather Report: Tuscan Sun Fun, Diane Lane Shines
Take this for what it is and you might enjoy it -- complete fantasy stuff, wish fulfillment, a brief escape from real world life and complexities into the stuff of make belive, completely lacking in any substance whatsoever.

Why make a book into a movie and COMPLETELY change it? This is Audrey Welles inflicting HERSELF, her agenda, in fact, her completely different story, onto Frances Mayes' story, where the only thing left is the name of the house (Bramasole) and the name of the main characer (Frances/Fran/Francesca Mayes).

In real life Mayes is married to Ed Mayes, they're university professors, writers/poets, and they bought a house in Tuscany over ten years ago and started cranking out books about their new adventure (it's HUGE house, even more imposing than the one in the film).

Apparently not seeing any dramatic potential in Mayes' work, Welles arrogantly GRAFTED a completely different story onto the title ("Maybe no one will notice") wherein HER "Frances Mayes" is married then divorced then goes off to Italy and buys a house on an impulse (and strangely meets a man named "Ed" at the end which is supposed to bring some kind of nod to the real Ed Mayes, like an inside joke or something or a little piece of magic that plays out like a lump of coal on a Christmas morning. Stupid (her last name is already Mayes before she meets this Ed so his had better be Mayes too if you're following the silly logic of the story).

Don't pick this movie apart (pull one thread and it unravels rather easily). Instead see it for the wish fulfillment fantasy of buying a house in Tuscany, the Italian countryside (most of which was actually rainy and overcast all through filming) an attractive cast (Diane Lane is STILL stunning after all these years), and a complete dose of fantasy -- a guilty pleasure, like watching "Dynasty" in the 80s.

Leave the critical thinking elsewhere and pretend the world today is no more complex than an episode of The Brady Bunch (yeah right). Watch the scenery. Watch Lane's comic performance and stunning beauty, and Sandra Oh's great supporting performance. Then forget this crazy thing.

And if you liked the book, may I recommend At Home in France by Ann Barry and Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes, both of which I liked better than the book Under the Tuscan Sun and its followups as did many other reviewers on amazon and elsewhere they report.

The best part of this movie, for me, was seeing it in the theatre and suddenly seeing on screen the love interest's 1980s Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce two-seat convertible driving "picturesquely" through Italian cityscape and Italian coastline, and laughing to myself because it was the same car waiting for me in the parking lot.

Do a theme night. Make some bruschetta and other Italian culinary items and watch this fluff with friends. You won't be able to keep a straight face at how "schmaltzy" it is. You'll be absolutely embarrassed, but you still may take a second look later in privacy for an indulgent pleasure.

Ciao!

Such lovely scenery - such an awful film!
This is a really bad film. Okay, so it has nothing to do with the book except that it shares a title - that I could live with. But the story is hopelessly cobbled together and totally unbelievable. Surely this was a first draft of the script that they accidentally filmed?

The main character is played by the pretty Diane Lane, but looks alone cannot salvage this dreadful character. She cries, she pouts, she is unbearably naive and, let's just say it, she is an idiot.

The storyline is full of cliches. And where there are not cliches, there are gaping plot holes: why does her far-too-attractive-to-be-true Italian boyfriend drive a sports car when his family run a modest cafe on the beach that is supposed to support all of them? And just how does she manage to up and move to Italy without even having to fill in an immigration form? And if she was so broke that she had to move out of her mansion in San Francisco into a run-down fleabag hotel, just how the hell can she afford to suddenly buy and renovate a house in Italy, as well as living there for months with no visible means of income?

The worst part of a spectacularly awful script is the love interest suddenly written in at the very last minute to tie everything up neatly - that really is bad writing of such magnitude that it deserves a special Oscar.

Still, if you turn the sound off, you can enjoy genuinely beautiful photography of Italy.

hooked on tuscany
I have watched this movie twice so far, and will probably watch it more often. Tuscany is a countryside that got me hooked the first time I saw it appearing in front of my train window, and it is the same with the movie. So, I could empathize, seeing the same happening to "Frances" (Diane Lane) when she sees Tuscany and decides to buy a house and stay. Diane Lane in one of her best roles, her face very expressive, her acting excellent.
The only disappointment came when I read the book the movie was made after: in the original autobiographic story, Frances Mayes is not at all a divorcee struggling with recurring bouts of loneliness, but rather, a woman already happily attached again to a new steady boyfriend, with a fulfilled life, and full of energy for the work on their new house. The movie trailer says, the character were "changed for dramatic effect". Wonder who did not like the idea that a woman could be happy again so soon, and decided it should not be shown in the movie that way ? Anyway, both are definitely worth your while, and in the book you can even find the recipes for all that great Italian cooking too.

YAWN!
I eagerly anticipated watching this movie, as I thoroughly enjoyed the book; however, the movie shares only a passing resemblance to the book. It gets 2 stars because I enjoy Diane Lane and Tuscany is gorgeous, but other than that the movie was dull, Lane's character is nothing short of pathetic, and the ending is trite.

Get Your Passport Ready
I loved this movie. I don't usually watch too many movies but a friend loaned me this one and am I glad she did.
It is about a woman betrayed and how she goes on with her life. It made me think that I too could do something exciting with the rest of my life.
For the scenery of Italy alone, this movie is worth watching. Just beautiful.
I had never seen Diane Lane in any performances but I will seek her out now. All in all I give this movie a 5 star rating. ... Read more

Reviews (190)

The Outsiders
When I was in high school, I had the pleasure of reading a fantastic novel named, "The Outsiders." The author, Susan Eloise Hinton, only 15 years old, wrote her rendition of the conflicts between high society and the lower class citizen. Her novel was so well written that you couldn't stop reading it. Recently, I discovered the movie version of the novel and just had to view it. Francis Ford Coppola, who's known for directing the films, "Apocalypse Now" and the first two "Godfather's" directed the film version of, "The Outsiders." Although no awards were won for the movie, the cast was full of the top stars that we see today, which includes, C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estves, Tom Cruise and Diane Lane. With a cast this good how could you go wrong?
The story takes place in the early 1960's in Tulsa, Oklahoma where we see the classic rivalry between the rich, whom are call, "socs" (short for socials) and lower class citizen who were called "greasers" building tension toward each other until the final climax of the big rumble. The main themes of the story, are the struggles between two conflicting groups trying to bridge the gap between rich and poorer, honor among the lawless and treacherousness of male-female interaction through the narration of the main character "Ponyboy".
Although I felt the movie was incredible I believe the music soundtrack needed a little help. This action pact drama is rated PG for violence but, I believe that any age group, accompanied by an adult, would love to see and understand how society sometime manipulates individual outcomes. When you get right down to it, the movie, with its great story line and cast, causes you to laugh, cry and get wrapped up in all the conflicting moments. Any movie that can take you from the couch and place you and the middle of the drama deserves a high rating. That's why I recommend this movie to anyone and give it *****5 stars.

The Outsiders
The Outsiders is about some rival gangs, the greasers, and the Socs(short for social). Ponyboy wants to fit in, in his brothers gang. Ponyboy lives with his brothers after his parents are killed in a car wreck. The greasers never had much trouble fighting the Socs, until one night a Soc takes thing to far. Ponyboys friend is forced to killed him in self-defense. Their friend Dallas helps them hide out in the country in an old abandonded church. They are hiding from the town that doesn't want them around, until they are caught by the police. The actors who are in the movie are GREAT! most of them got their start in The Outsiders, like Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, and Tom Cruise. The movie teaches young people to not judge others before getting to know them. If you enjoy the movie, you will love the book by S.E. Hinton.

The Outsiders is the #1 Movie
Hey I watched the movie and read the book this year in gr.8 and I have seen the movie like 5 times and read the book like 4 times it's the best movie ever!! all the cast are so0o0 great and talented and I will watch this movie over and over again
From The BIGGEST Outsider Fan
GEL

Just as GREAT as the Book!!!
One of the best adaptations of a book I have ever seen. This movie brings everyone to life from the book. For me, this movie is a classic!!! This movie takes place in Tulsa,OK in 1966. All of the characters fit the description in the book for me. They all look like the typical greasers. I bought this movie without even seeing it and I was tremendously blown away. This is a great movie for the whole family to enjoy.

Outstanding
I had to read the book for a project in school this year as an 8th grader. It was outstanding. It was the last week of school and my class had finished our finals and we wanted to watch the movie, so my teacher went to our school library and got it for us. The movie follows the book pretty well but some parts were left out.

This book shows how lucky some people are compaired to others and makes a great point. It is like a less dramatic version of the movie "Elephant" which shows what people are going through. I am going to head down to my towns public library to borrow it and watch it again becuase it is one of the movies that you can just watch over and over again and still love it becuase it makes a great point and was directed really well.

I would recomend this movie to anyone who has not read it. I would read the book first becuase there are some parts that are left out in the movie that were pretty good.

~Doug Mellon
Kennebunk, Maine USA ... Read more

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 (408)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Dvd for the movie comes with many extras:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

An American teenager living in Paris meets and falls in love with a French teenager. Encouraged by an old con man, the two decide to elope. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

For All Nerdy Teen Romantics
I love this movie. I love everything about the movie. The photography of the European cities is marvelous. I've got to visit Venice, Verona, and Paris someday just because of this movie. Also, the score is wonderful and definately deserved its Oscar. The best thing about the movie is the characters. Laurence Olivier as Julius is hilarious. The two leads are also marvelous. Theolonius Bernard as Daniel is great, and I immediately fell in love with Diane Lane as Lauren when I watched it. I've got to say that I am a lot like these teens. I am a huge nerd, and I am a big romantic. I really identified with the characters. The story of this movie is great. The lives of Daniel and Lauren and the reasons for their coming together are captured brilliantly. There are a lot of funny moments and a lot of poignant moments. First love is studied well. Any romantic should watch this and teens should be forced to watch it.

No romance is ever "leetle." This one is "beeg."
A very young (13-ish) couple pursue their dream of kissing beneath the Bridge of Sighs, in Venice, like the 19th century Brownings. As they pursue this dream, they themselves are pursued by the girl's slightly confused and flustered parents. Laurence Olivier, as the young couple's ill-informed yet good-hearted chaperone-along-for-the-ride, is resourceful and fun in every scene. This movie is fantastic.

Diane Lane is elegant but not snobby, as the girl, in a role that marked the first film in her quirky, interesting career. The boy was a bit of a hothead -- he may have put some audiences off, which could explain why he wasn't in more films. Anyway, every single scene is beautifully shot, with innovative camera work and breathtaking French and Italian scenery. It's a great little love story, very high on the list of my favorites. If you enjoy this, let me also recommend "Somewhere in Time," starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve, and, for different reasons, "Beautiful Girls," starring Natalie Portman and Timothy Hutton. This is a very, very good movie. Two thumbs up.

A beautiful gem of a movie
I was sorry to have missed this when it came out (in 1979 when I was 18), then forgot about it for many years. The other day I saw a picture of Diane Lane, and remembered this movie, and decided it would be a good family film that my wife and 2 oldest kids (girl 12, boy 15) would enjoy.

It was indeed. I don't have much to add to the glowing reviews others have already given it here; I'll just note that

1) There are so many subtle grace notes that repeated viewings will be well repaid
2) It is not suitable for 10 and under, due to sexual references
3) I wish even more now that I'd seen "A Little Romance" when it came out, its existence in my memory would have enriched my life for the past 24 years

What really makes the movie a classic is bullseye performers by ALL the actors. The hardest kind of character for an actor to play is an extremely intelligent one, only very intelligent actors can do it, and the two leads are up to it. (Too bad the scriptwriter uses the word "etymological" once when he means "ontological", it is the kind of mistake Lauren would never have made, but this is the tiniest possible blemish, and no movie this rich can avoid having a handful of forgivable glitches).

First love made to last
Set in France and Italy and deluged with picturesque scenery, and with Laurence Olivier playing a fairy (ahem) godfather, this charming love story is made to last forever. This is Diane Lane's debut movie (the young girl who falls in love with a Frenchman). Combined with Sally Kellerman's wonderful role as the off-the-wall mom, this little romance turns into a film for the ages.
Watch it, weep, and smile. Have some chocolate and go to bed with a lover.

Bingo!
Just a beautiful movie. Every scene is its own little masterpiece. I have tried, via the useful technology of DVD, to catch only a scene or two over morning coffee. Twice now, I have ended up watching the rest of the movie. If you are uncomfortable getting misty-eyed in front of others, watch this movie alone. There are few works that I can think of that are as thrilling as this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although its tale of marital crisis unfolds a bit too cleanly, A Walkon the Moon--which was coproduced by Dustin Hoffman--offers a welcome relief from the juvenile assault of skull-throbbing blockbusters. The story is gently involving, the characters are authentic, and, best of all, Diane Lane is given a chance to show why she's one of the most genuine and underrated actresses of her generation. Here she plays Pearl Kantrowitz, a devoted housewife on a routine vacation in the Catskills with her TV repairman husband Marty (Liev Schreiber), 14-year-old daughter (Anna Paquin), and rambunctious younger son (TovahFeldshuh).

It's the summer of 1969. Neil Armstrong has made his "one small step for man," Woodstock is about to happen nearby (leading to a barely plausible dramatic coincidence), and while her husband is away on business, Pearl is cautiously receptive to the seductions of "the blouse man" (Viggo Mortensen), a hippie salesman who offers the adventure and passion that Pearl sacrificed to young pregnancy and marriage. Once the stage for infidelity is set, A Walk on the Moon progresses predictably, but first-time screenwriter Pamela Gray stays true to the emotions of her characters, and actor Tony Goldwyn (making a smooth directorial debut) maintains precisely the right tone to downplay most of the movie's dramatic clichés. Add to this a sharp dynamic between Lane and Paquin, whose performances create a substantial mother-daughter relationship. Graced by stolen moments and fleeting expressions that speak volumes, this unassuming little film is eminently worthwhile. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (103)

A Great Dog's Tale
This movie will make you laugh as much as it will make you cry. Frankie Muniz (as Willie Morris) does an incredible job as a 9 year old boy longing for a friend during one particular hot summer in the midst of World War II. A loving mother played by Diane Lane. An over protective father played by Kevin Bacon. And a local high school sports hero named Dink Jenkins, played by Luke Wilson. Praise also to Harry Connick, Jr for his subtle narration; and Enzo ("Skip" the dog). Behind the father's back, Willie's mother buys Skip and gives the dog to him on his birthday. The father quickly takes him away - telling Willie he's not ready for a dog. Luckily the mother talks the father into letting the boy keep the dog... and the rest is history. Skip helps Willie thru some tough times... meeting girls, befriending the tougher kids from school, keeping Willie company one night in the grave yard, walking back and forth to all his little league baseball games, etc. This is just a great adventure seen thru the eyes of an innocent boy and his best friend - his dog. Great cast. Great story. If you ever truly loved a dog, you should see this movie. Old man Walt Disney would have been proud to have his name associated with "My Dog Skip".

Is my cat totally disgusted, or what?
It's 1942 in Yazoo City, in the Mississippi Delta. Nine-year old Willie (Frankie Muniz) is a lonely kid. Small, scrawny and physically uncoordinated, he's held in contempt by his peers. His Dad, Jack (Kevin Bacon), is stern and aloof, having lost a leg in the Spanish Civil War, of all places. (Why he was there at all is never explained.) Willie's only friend outside the family, his adult next-door neighbor and personal sports hero, Dink, has joined the Army, and is off to fight the Nazis. Realizing her son needs a pal (and a bit of responsibility), Willie's Mom, Ellen (Diane Lane), gets him a dog for his ninth birthday over the strenuous objections of Jack. ("He's not old enough!") Enter Skip, a terrier puppy way too cute for words.

MY DOG SKIP is a classic, family-oriented, G-rated story about a boy and his dog growing up together in small town America. And whether Willie is facing up to the local bullies, running afoul of moonshiners in the local cemetery, playing (ineptly) in a Little League game, watching a Saturday picture show at the local movie palace, or holding hands with the town's prettiest girl, Skip is there to provide moral support, a friendly lick, a happy bark, and a spirited wag of the tail. Disregarding for the moment that encounter with the moonshiners - a bit of a stretch even for Mississippi - the viewer loses himself in this charming reminiscence of a childhood with Man's Best Friend. It should rekindle fond memories in anyone who grew up with a pooch of his/her own. (I didn't. Our family had a succession of cats. But you know what I mean.)

MY DOG SKIP, based on the true life experiences of Harper's magazine editor Willie Morris, is not a great film. But it's an eminently watchable one, mostly due to the antics of the lovable Skip. I don't think my cat liked it, but I certainly did.

(It should here be noted that Willie Morris, a cat-hater most of his life, later came to have a feline Best Pal - a story of adult enlightenment told in the book MY CAT SPIT MCGEE. This charming volume is available from Amazon.)

A Good Family Film
This was a good Family film he helps out a little dog who he takes in and a bunch of stuff happens I liked it

FUN FOR THE FAMILY. saturday 10th april 2004.
I cried at the end of the film, it was so sad when his dog dies. I also cried when he hit skip. The story is about a newborn puppy skip who is bought by a childs mum on his 9th birthday, when his dad sees him the puppy gets taken off him but when she manages to work round him, the puppy grows up into a loving family he does the house hold plays games and loves willie his owner. The dog grows up and when the boy is older he goes off leaving his mum dad and dog to go and work on a career. Soon the dog dies with arthritus and old age, and that is very sad. LOVING SAD AND FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY.

Huge letdown
I can't understand all of the good reviews for this film, which I found to be a huge disappointment. Bad performances, coupled with awful direction and hackneyed, cliched writing puts this on my list of films to avoid. The film obviously tried to capitalize on Muniz's rising star power among youngsters and families, but offered little substance for this film to endure. There is never an indication at what makes this dog so special. And it' hard to believe that only two dogs were used for Skip; his appearance changes quite frequently throughout the film.If you want a recent "uplifting" family film, opt for "The Sandlot." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Judge Dredd is one of those movies that doesn't have a brain of its own, so it can only rip off a lot of ingredients from other, better movies. It's a mishmash of Blade Runner, Total Recall, and The Road Warrior, with a dash of Star Wars tossed in for good measure. As if that weren't enough, it's got Sylvester Stallone, who seems to be the only one in the movie who's in on the game and knows it's all a sci-fi scam. Like The Fifth Element a few years later, Judge Dredd depicts a futuristic megalopolis packed with crowded vertical overgrowth and rampant commerce, where anarchy reigns supreme. Violent "block wars" are fought by lawless citizens with machine guns, and Judge Dredd (Stallone) is one of the city's heavily armed policemen, given free rein to judge and execute the perpetrators of violence. But Dredd himself is subjected to judgment and swift justice when his own gun is identified in the murder of a prominent TV reporter, forcing him to do whatever he can to clear his name. Diane Lane plays his partner in crime-fighting and romance, and Rob Schneider provides juvenile comic relief as Dredd's streetwise sidekick. Impressive special effects are on vivid display, and the movie's fun for what it's worth. Lower your expectations and you just might enjoy it. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Judge Dredd Comes Through In Exciting Sci-Fi Yarn
Judge Dredd began life as a comic book character in 1977. Since then his world has expanded as a satiric metaphor for law enforcement and related issues.

It became natural that a movie would be made. The result is this exciting and gloriously garish looking spectacle reminiscent of the overrated Batman films, but featuring a better cast and script.

Sylvester Stallone is perfect at Joseph Dredd. In the world of law, he IS the law. Perps don't stand a chance in Mega-City with Dredd, let alone when he receives most potent help from Judge Hershey (Diane Lane). The film explores Dredd's super-hard persona and is quite effective is explaining why Dredd comes off as little more than a machine.

The villain in the film is Rico (Armand Assante), Dredd's biological brother. Along with a renegade member of Mega-City's ruling council, Judge Griffin (a very effective Jurgen Prochnow), and a Nazi-esque scientist named Ilsa (Joan Chen with great cleavage and a horrible haircut), Rico plans to populate Mega-City with a race of obedient clones. But first they must frame Dredd, the Judge who sent Rico to prison. The battle to clear Dredd's name and stop Rico and Griffin takes up the action in the form of several very eye-catching action set-pieces, notably an aerial bike chase reminiscent of the Star Wars films, the lightcycle chase in Tron, and the famed car chases of Bullitt, The French Connection, and The Seven-Ups.

The film's major flaw lies in the lame comedy of Rob Schneider. Given the film's otherwise excellent casting - Max Von Sydow and Mitchell Ryan in particular give superb performances - the presence of Schneider is especially injurious to the film.

Danny Cannon's direction is good - nowhere better than in the scene when Griffin learns to his horror that Rico has doublecrossed him with the clones. The scene includes a great bit of suggestive comedy; Rico bellows to Griffin that "I'm about to become a Daddy," then cuts to a smiling Ilsa, as though Rico's boast is literal.

Despite Rob Schneider, Judge Dredd is an entertaining sci-fi action yarn.

Bring on the Sequel!!!
I have to say that I was not familiar with any Judge Dredd comics, games or had had any other contact with the character apart from this movie so I cannot compare the character to other sources. Therefore, coming from someone that did not "know" the Judge prior to the film I have to say that the movie was FANTASTIC!
There are slight hints of Mad Max and Total Recall, so the movie falls into the action/adventure/science fiction type of category, and what a major hit this action-packed movie is!
Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Diane Lane, and Rob Schneider, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding, making this movie one of the best of its kind. The actors' great talent and chemistry clearly shows, thus providing a film that can be watched over and over again. The plot, the setting, the special effects, the battles and the costumes are all wonderful!
In short, I would definitely line up to watch a sequel!

"I am the Law!"
The career of a Hollywood Star goes through various ups and downs. This excellent film came out at a point in Stallone's career when it was simply his turn to get reviewed harshly by the Hollywood community. He was getting older, his career had drifted considerably, and another Sly action picture was simply going to be a very hard sell. It took a much-underserved whipping when it was released.

As I say, that is a real shame, because Judge Dredd was one of the best comic book adaptations to ever make the cross into film. It perfectly captures the 70's/80's British comic book about a futuristic cop who reins supreme, given the power to arrest, judge, and execute wrongdoers in a world gone rampant with crime.

This was a big budget production, and the sets and special effects are magnificent. The story is extremely engaging, and it is packed with great action. The film really doesn't take a misstep throughout.

What makes the film a real treat are the supporting performances. Stallone himself delivers a perfect-pitch job as the Judge, nicely capturing all the stern dedication of the comic book, and as the film progresses, his character is beautifully and even touchingly rounded out. But I find myself remembering the lesser roles, such as Armand Assante as the arch villain, Rico, a man holding extreme power in his madness. When his temper flairs, everyone jumps back. The old veteran, Max Von Sydow, displays a pro's commitment in his portrayal of the aging Chief Justice Fargo, holding on to his power simply through a towering dignity. Diane Lane, Jurgen Prochnow, and Joan Chen are on hand to lend superior support, as well as Rob Schneider, who did a great job in giving the movie the touch of comedy needed to truly capture the original comic book. This film even has the great Scott Wilson on board as Pa Angel, a leader of a criminally mutated family that dwells in the "cursed earth."

Amazon reviews got it completely wrong. Their condescending review was typical of the kinder reviews given when the film was released. There is certainly no need to "lower your expectations" to enjoy this film.

You will do just fine if you come to this picture expecting great things.

--Mykal Banta

For in those days Judges walked the land....
The more I see this film after all the hype has died down, the more it grows on me. This is probably the best thing that Stallone ever did in my opinion. If you ever read the British comic book series you realize that he nailed the essence of the main character. I mean, Judge Dredd is a completely one-dimensional character, and Stallone still managed to bring him to life.

The entire movie, and the original comic book series, was based on the fact that the Judges were incorruptible. These are not just good lawmen; these are walking law books- THEY ARE THE LAW. They have to be, for they are not merely law enforcement officers, they are also judge, jury, and executioner. Only someone raised from birth to live the letter, essence, and spirit of the law could be trusted with this. Certainly, a mere human could not be trusted with such power. That is the fascination of a character like Dredd- he isn't human. Here is a man so completely identified with duty that there is no room for personal feelings. This is essential, for a Judge must be completely impartial and unswayed by personal opinion and feeling. A Judge judges the rich and powerful, and the poor and weak, by absolutely the same standard. That is why you can never write Dredd and the other Judges off as fascists- it is equal judgment for all in the name of the public good, of public survival, in an apocalyptic Cursed Earth. And God save the Judge that breaks his oath....

Max Von Sydow was also especially good as Dredd's mentor. I mean, if they could get an actor of his quality interested in this project then you know that he also saw something more to it. Playing off Stallone you actually see the one bit of humanity in the character. The scene where Sydow takes the last walk to bring judgment to the unjudged still chokes me up.

Sure, there is plenty of action and special effects here- good ones. They also managed stay fairly close to the details and characters of the original stories. But, I've slowly come to see that there really is more to it. Not bad for a project that originated from a comic book.

A sleek, juicy slice of Ultraviolence, served piping hot!
Who couldn't like this slick, sleek, happily depraved and utterly self-contented violent romp in the near future? It's got Sly Stallone in a fine, full-bodied role as the fascistic Judge Dredd---and hey, He's the Law! You got a problem with that? You got objections, Perp? He KNEW you'd say that! (sound of Perp being knocked unceremoniously in the head by Judge Dredd's side-arm).

Let me count the ways I love Judge Dredd:

1)It's all Action, all the time---and it Looks so Good! And best of all, it's action done by a competent, experienced crew: Adrian Biddle ("Aliens", "1492", "Thelma & Louise") for cinematography, and set design by Peter Young, who did the look for "Batman" and "Sleepy Hollow".

2)It's got Armand Assante and Jurgen Prochnow as crazed, Machiavellian evil villains (Assante crazed, Prochnow Machiavellian)!

3) It's got veteran uber-actor Max von Sydow as Chief Justice Fargo, and boy the guy looks hip and happening in a trenchcoat with a big super-duper hand cannon!

4) It's got a violent Mega-City where the angry inhabitants don't have backyard barbecues, they have block wars!

5) It's got an angry War Robot designed to control crowds---with extreme prejudice! Oh, it likes to pull peoples' heads off, too.

6) It's got angry unfinished Clones, all of whom are imperfect copies of Assante!

7) Aspen, Colorado is a penal colony! What a great world!

8) It's got starlet action! A villainous Joan Chen in tight leather hotpants! It's got the genetically perfect Diane Lane as the unfortunately named Judge Hershey (I don't know. Don't ask.)!

9) It's got a periodically amusing Rob Schneider and gratuitous Balthazar Getty! It's got a family of inbred religious cannibals who make the family in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" look like pikers---and the razor-toothed Number 1 Son has what appears to be a minute-timer embedded in his skull!

10) Finally, it's just all around fun: the chase on Lawmasters through the neon heights and aeries of Mega City One has to be seen to be believed, and it is far more enjoyable than anything in the Star Wars prequels. And in addition, it's a pretty fine adaptation of the Judge Dredd graphic novel series.

So get past your need to see 'serious' cinema, sit back, and pop "Judge Dredd" on the hopper. Besides, He's the Law----and failure to appreciate the subtle glories of this film is a Violation, Citizen---Punishment? You don't want to know. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Two Wonderful Actors...One Playing The Other!
I wasn't really a Charles Chaplin fan when I saw this movie. I simply could not sit through a silent film. I found nothing special about them or in them, at that rather immature point in my film experiences. But I was (and still AM!) a huge Robert Downey Jr. fan, and couldn't wait to see his portrayal of the Tramp. I'll admit I WAS curious about this rather controversial fellow, Chaplin. I'd heard so many things about him and didn't know what was true and what wasn't. Was he a womanizer? Was he truly a communist sympathizer booted out of our nation for what certain parties in the government felt was the peoples' safety? So many questions, and such an enigmatic person, regardless of my feelings about the silent film genre. MY GOODNESS!!! The movie swept me away!!! Downey's portrayal of Chaplin's most beloved character The Tramp and his portrayal Chaplin the man were both superb, and that was certainly not an easy trick! (Which is even more obvious once you're read Chaplin's Autobiography upon which this movie is based...I read it soon afterward...and I also recommend it without hesitation! My 1st Edition hardback, a gift from my wonderful husband, is my most treasured in my collection!) I say not an "easy trick" to portray both, because they were totally different people! You'll see how shy he was in his "real life", and how, through his acting, he found a way to communicate with others that he never quite succeeded at in life, until very late when he met his beloved wife Oona. Since childhood his life was filled with hardship and heartbreak, and it's no wonder he had such difficulty with women! The man was a visionary when it came to movies; a genius far ahead of his time. Also, he was incredibly patriotic; as an immigrant from England, he truly loved this country for all of the freedoms we all so often take for granted, having never lived without them. The irony is that he was one of the many unnecessary and tragic victims of McCarthyism; and also a personal target of Hoover's rather "weird" agenda, who would it seemed, stop at nothing to get Chaplin out of the US at which he did of course succeed as we all know. There are other really wonderful parts of this film! It brings the silent stars to life for us. People like America's Sweetheart, Miss Mary Pickford, and that famous swashbuckler who was a dear friend of Chaplin's, Douglas Fairbanks. The three teamed together to form United Artists. Kevin Kline is DELIGHTFUL as Doug...you'll love his portrayal of Fairbanks, and the tale of their friendship is endearing to the point of tears from joy and sorrow. What this movie did for me personally? It opened my eyes. It showed me the value of the entertainment still to be found in the clever work done in silent pictures. It started my journey to learn as much as I could about Sir Charles Chaplin, whom I've found to have been a dear man, and a frustrated, perhaps even somewhat crazed genius so ahead of the times, that the very nature of his work was what consumed him. I dearly treasure my copy of this movie and his Autobiography! I also treasure the man who brought Chaplin back to life for us all...God Speed Robert.

Brilliantly Executed with A Terrific Cast!
Sir Charles would've been very pleased. This film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as the legendary Little Tramp, and is directed by Richard Attenborough. Many other actors including Dan Aykroyd, David Duchovny, Kevin Kline, James Woods, Anthony Hopkins, Marissa Tomei, and many others. What I find lacking in this film is that it didn't cover enough of Chaplin's life, however, may I suggest that you first read his autobiography. (Titled My Autobiography, which I purchased here at Amazon!) Then watch the movie. The ending is one of the most touching things I have ever seen on film. Robert Downey is magnificent, and must've have studied Chaplin's every move.

Robert Downey Junior - The Bad Boy at His Best
If you're anything like me, the almost semi-annual relapse and recovery of Robert Downey Jr. has been an interesting periodic feature of the morning news. After a while one begins to question why does Hollywood put up with him when there is no shortage of talented actors desperately trying to make it in Hollywood? Why would producers and studios, who are so financially dependent on their productions going off without a hitch, take yet another chance on Robert Downey, Jr? Then I saw Chaplin, and I understood.

The intensity and power of the Robert Downey's performance in this film is the stuff of Oscars and true movie legend! It's both a beautiful performance and a beautiful film!

Somehow Sir Richard Attenborough got out of Downey the kind of performance that can sustain a career, and a legend. But Sir Richard's mastery didn't stop there. He got spectacular performance out of everyone, including a young, pre-X-Files David Duchovny. (I know I misspelled that. But you know who I mean.)

In summation, Robert Downey's performance is every bit the equal of James Dean's in Giant, East of Eden or Rebel without a Cause, and maybe that's what we should keep in mind. For unlike Dean, another self-destructive personality, Robert Downey has not driven off the cliff yet, and hopefully he never will.

"Talkies!!!"
This is a lush production with a great cast of fine actors. Once in a while some of the actors cross the line into melodrama, but the remainder show up and their work is extremely talented. But the star of this film is Robert Downey, Jr. who steals every scene he is in either with subtlety or a dead-on impression of the late, great Charlie Chaplin. Director Richard Attenborough carries the huge production all the way with moments of inspiration that the actors feed on like mana. This is an interesting biography of the true comic genius, Charlie Chaplin.

A Dazzling Cinematic Experience...
Charles Chaplin was one of the pioneers in film who brought us classics such as The Kid (1921), Gold Rush (1925), Modern Times (1936), and Great Dictator (1940). His many successes are still to this day considered masterpieces which he created, acted, directed, and edited. He had a brilliant eye for what the human mind was observing and he could make comedy out of almost anything. However, despite Chaplin's great sense of humor the recurrent theme in his life seems to be surrounded by sadness and loss where his escape was to help others feel a sense of joy. Chaplin is a brilliant cinematic story that has a fantastic cast and where the lead as Chaplin is managed brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr.. In addition, the story weaves in moments out of Chaplin's life where he got his ideas in an ingenious manner which displays the superb directing in the story. When the audience sees everything put together they will experience a dazzling cinematic experience. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There were two movies about murder and the U.S. presidency released in 1997, and when you compare it to Absolute Power, this one is clearly the lesser of the two. That doesn't mean it's a bad movie, but it does make it a mildly disappointing one, and it illustrates the hazards of crafting a film to fit the persona of its leading man. In this case, you've got Wesley Snipes, a young, savvy man of action, playing a Washington, D.C., police detective assigned to investigate the murder of a woman in the White House. The president's son is a prime suspect, but there's a cover-up underway that forces Snipes to intensify his investigation beyond normal parameters. For a while at least, this makes Murder at 1600 a sharp and interesting film, and while the national security advisor (Alan Alda) seems highly cooperative (but don't be so sure), Snipes meets a secret service member (Diane Lane) who shares his belief in a high-level conspiracy. Unfortunately, that's when the film takes a downward plunge, resorting to a series of thriller clichés including an unlikely chase through secret tunnels beneath the White House. We're not suggesting this couldn't happen, but it's the kind of thing you typically see in movies that have run out of original ideas before they're over. Kinda makes you want to watch Absolute Power again, doesn't it? --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Identity crisis leaves Murder at 1600 unsolvable mess
Murder at 1600 is an unsolvable mess that suffers from a severe identity crisis. It starts out with the murder of a White House staffer and ends up with everyday cop Wesley Snipes and his Secret Service counterpart Diane Lane trying save the nation from a constitutional crisis. Therein lies the problem with Murder at 1600: it is really two not very good movies in one. The first half is rather ho-hum, but is still believable; Snipes wades through bureaucratic bull while investigating the death of a White House intern. The second half is pure fantasy, livened up with shoot'um up action, as the trail of crumbs leads to an incredibly dumb conclusion. If the producers of Murder at 1600 could have decided which direction to go, they would have had an average, but entertaining movie. Instead, we get a movie that is average and not entertaining.

Good movie. Great picture quality, Great Sound quality
The story about a DC cop (Snipes) investigates murder of a young woman in the White House. Everybody is a suspect including the President and his son. The story is quite good and Dwight Little direction keeps the film interesting all the way. The DVD sound and picture quality is very good. This movie also features my favorite actress, Diane Lane. She is so good in the role of Secret service. I am so disappointed she was not even considered to replace Jodie Foster in the sequel of Silence of the lamb (Julianne Moore got the part). The producer should have seen this movie before made the decision. Anyway it is a great entertaining DVD to be added to your collection. You won't be sorry.

BILL CLINTON'S CRIMES?
"Murder at 1600" had me thinking that somebody read my screenplay, "A Murderous Campaign", used my idea but gave me no credit. Maybe. This plays on the public perception that Bill Clinton might just be a murderer. However, the President bears no resemblance to Clinton and the film does not take a partisan tone, although Alan Alda seems to be a caricatured right wing militarist.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

An impressive, tantalizing thriller
Once again I find myself praising a movie that a majority of folks seem to view as average at best. Murder at 1600 is a serious movie that you can't take too seriously, not if you want to enjoy it. Wesley Snipes has a few humorous bits, and Dennis Miller is his normally wisecracking self, and I think the movie perhaps benefits from this remote air of unreality due to its subject matter - after all, the brutal murder of a young woman inside the White House is some pretty serious stuff. The other main aspect of the film, which supplies the motive for the murder in the first place, is - granted - a little bit out there, and that is where the subtle sense of unreality pays dividends; without it, it would really be hard to get from here to there.

Carla Towne is a young unknown White House staffer - until her body is found in a White House restroom sporting a number of deadly knife wounds. This is not good news for the President, who is already bottoming out in the polls for still attempting to negotiate, six months into the crisis, the release of an AWAC crew captured and obviously tortured by the North Koreans. Wesley Snipes plays Detective Harlan Regis, the investigator summoned to the White House to investigate the murder. The Secret Service as an organization is less than friendly and cooperative, viewing the White House as its beat alone. Except for his buddy and sometimes partner (played by Dennis Miller), Regis is pretty much on his own. The tight-lipped and intimidating Nick Spikings (Daniel Benzali), the chief of White House security and definite contender for the next Lex Luthor look-alike contest (his Marlon Brando impersonation isn't half bad, either) assigns Agent Nina Chance (Diane Lane) as Regis' liaison with the Secret Service. Spikings doesn't mess around, and once he has tabbed an individual for the murder, he wants Chance to have nothing to do with Regis. The detective is pretty persistent, though, and Chance has to weigh her sense of duty against her sense of justice.

The list of suspects is quite fluid, and I think the movie does a very good job of sustaining suspense and the sense of mystery throughout. The facts as Regis acquires them make not only the President's philandering son, but the President himself possible suspects. Then you have the crisis with North Korea coming to the fore, with the President really frustrating his top advisors with his incredibly wimpy refusal to risk war with North Korea over the military hostage crisis. The truth, when it comes, does push the envelope to some degree, but it is certainly logical in the given context. I didn't ID the real bad guy any sooner than Regis and Chance did, so that to me is a good thing.

A great mystery, plenty of action, power politics, lust, murder, conspiracy inside conspiracy: Murder in 1600 offers the viewers all of this and more. The ending itself is well done in my opinion, as well. Thus, this reviewer counts this as an impressive and very entertaining thriller.

Alda gets to show a different side of "Hawkeye"
Any movie that allows former-M*A*S*H star Alan Alda to play against type is worth a look.

Star Snipes adds another "action role" to his ever-expanding arsenal of "kick butt" types. Diane Lane, Ronny Cox, and Daniel Benzali supply enough backing to make this thriller passable.

The appearance of Diane Baker as the President's wife makes the movie work for me. ... Read more

Reviews (245)

Well-paced, edgy story with steamy romantic scenes
This is a film that at first seems familiar. It's about a suburban housewife's love affair and the unexpected aftermath. Diane Lane shines in the role of the woman, happily married to Richard Gere and the mother of a 9-year old son. They live in an upscale Westchester community and their marriage seems perfect. Then one day, while in New York City, she accidentally meets Oliver Martinez, a bookseller with huge apartment in the Soho-Tribecca area. One thing leads to another and soon they are engaged in a hot affair. And when I say "hot", I really mean it. The erotic scenes are some of the steamiest I've even seen and I could feel their passion right down to my own toes.

There are complications, of course. Especially when the husband finds out. Richard Gere is a fine actor and the scene in which he comes face to face with his wife's lover calls for superb acting ability. There's tension and upset seething as they make polite conversation and what follows seems inevitable in the context of the story. How it all plays out is different from what I expected.

I was completely drawn into the story and felt a deep understanding for all the characters and their motivations. The screenplay was excellent, making the characters seem real and sympathetic as it manages to create the feeling that nothing good can come of this. It is well paced with an edginess that is completely appropriate to the story. And I certainly wasn't disappointed in the conclusion.

Definitely recommended.

Not a work of art, but entertaining
I've never been a fan of director Adrian Lyne; I've always thought he treated his female characters badly. In this one, however, he seems to have mellowed a bit. Diane Lane p