Reviews (55)

Very funny remake, It cracked me up
A remake of a 1955 Alec Guinness film, The Ladykillers transfers the action from London to America's rural South. Tom Hanks takes over Guinness' role. And directing duties land in the laps of O Brother Where Art Thou? masterminds Joel and Ethan Coen.

When good Southern church-going widow Marva Munson first lays eyes on Professor Goldthwaite Higginson Dorr III, Ph.D., she's not too sure what she's lookin' at. Besides, she's pretty distracted by the fact that her seemingly dapper-if not a bit dopey-gentleman caller just let her beloved kitty escape through the half-open door. Once the feline is safely back inside (with Dorr's generous assistance), she learns that Dorr wishes to rent a room. She agrees. He gallantly informs her that he plays ancient Renaissance music with a group of colleagues, and requests to use her root cellar for practices. She can't see any harm in that-as long as they're not playing any of that nasty "hippity-hop" music-so the deal is struck.

What follows is part black comedy, part madcap caper and part morality tale. And it's spiced up by exceedingly vibrant characters. Dorr is an eccentric professor-type obsessed with dead languages and the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. He's the mastermind of the heist. Assisting him are Gawain MacSam (a trash-talking ne'er-do-well with a short fuse), Garth Pancake (a bumbling munitions enthusiast), The General (a grimly lethal excavations expert) and Lump (a decidedly dim-witted muscle-man).
"We really like the original movie," says Ethan Coen. "It's a strong story premise. It just has good bones. We ripped out the spine of it, kept that and threw out everything else."

Back in the '40s and '50s, when the Hays Movie Production Code was in place-and the original Ladykillers movie was produced-films were allowed to show criminal behavior only if it was done in such a way as not to make viewers sympathize. Consequences were big back then, as evil men generally reaped what they sowed. The Coen brothers' remake sticks to that ideal, and despite the film's cynically comedic underpinnings, moviegoers leave the theater thinking about what exactly the wages of sin are.

The Hays Code also barred the use of scores of profane and crude words. It's in this realm that the new incarnation of The Ladykillers goes out of control. Had it been released a half-century ago, throngs of outraged moviegoers would have literally ripped its prints from their reels to stop the ruckus. But forget decades-old social standards. Even applying modern artistic sensibilities, I'm left feeling that what I heard while I watched this otherwise masterful movie utterly destroyed its credibility, tore up every layer of its delicate nuance and scribbled haphazardly all over its colorful characterizations.

A disappointing, often unfunny entry from the Coen Bros...
I'll raise my right hand and swear that I'm a huge fan of the Coen bros. I savor every quirky moment of The Big Lebowski, I believe Fargo is one of the best movies ever made, and I think that Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing are classics waiting to be discovered. So why did I dislike The Ladykillers so much? I honestly don't think it was a case of being let down; even a lesser Coen entry (Blood Simple) has its interesting, entrancing qualities. So why is this movie so lame? It sure as hell starts off promising: Tom Hanks, as Professor Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, spews off Coen-esque words with innate skill and Irma P. Hall is hilarious as Mrs. Munson, the old lady who lets Dorr board in her home. They have a curious little chemistry, Dorr and Munson, and their scenes of dialogue elevate the movie. And then the real plot sets in, with supporting character after supporting character. And to boot, some of them don't even fit into the movie at all - Marlon Wayans is especially ill-fitting as a foul-mouthed casino-boat worker who seems to have no other purpose but give the movie an R-rating. But wait! Let's throw in some jokes about Irritable Bowel Syndrome, more cultural stereotypes, and a third act that drags on and on and on and what comes out is simply the worst Coen film I've seen. This movie could have been so much better, and in fact, it's not horrible. There's geniune comedy in it, but too often it's shrouded by the overly-confident directors urging us that we should be laughing our asses off at things that aren't that funny (black churches are hilarious! dumping multiple people into the river is funny even after the 5th time!). If only they'd deployed the subtlety and atmosphere that makes nearly all of their movies great. I wanted so much to like this movie, but when you're done with it after an hour, it's impossible. GRADE: C

So disappointing
I expected this movie to display the same sense of humor as "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", but I was sorely disappointed. There are some funny moments, but Marlon Wayans' unnecessary profranity is so jarring, it disrupts the comedy before it can get started. The best scenes are the dialog-free establishing shots where you'll enjoy the excellent cinematography characteristic of the Coen brothers movies. Second best is Irma P Hall's performance. She's wonderful, especially in her solo scenes or those talking to the sheriff. You really wish the Coen's had thrown away the script, fired all of the "ladykillers" and just rewritten the movie around Irma and the Mississippi setting.

Great movie - if without the swearing
The Coen Bros have offered another hilarious flick. Tom Hanks does a great job in the role as well. The premis of the movie is simple and a good entertainment value. I would consider purchasing this on dvd - if I could show it to my family. However I give it only 3 stars because of the unnecessary profanity which all but ruined the film for me or the family. IF it was release minus the bad language, I would be the first in line to own it.

Southern Comfort
The plot is meaningless : a band of amateur burglars are emptying the underground « money reserve » of an offland casino in Mississippi with a tunnel, explosives, etc. They start from an old black very christian lady's cellar, pretending to be a group of Renaissance or baroque musicians rehearsing there. Banal. The ending is just as surprising as all the different moments of this plot and it is not the main interest of the film. The film is interesting in two elements. First Tom Hanks plays the role of a cultivated scholar specializing in Greek and Latin literature and Edgar Poe's poetry. He is an ephete, sophisticated snob that has a very strong charm on the black ladies of this neighborhood. His acting is just perfect. Second it is humorous but in what I will call a « southern comfort » style. It is slow, calculated, yet inspired and impulsive, responsive too, and never in any way exagerated, always underplayed, more humorous innuendo than hilarious fun. This creates an atmosphere that does represent what Mississippi might be for some people : a contained and always understated and underestimated play on words, circumstances and situations. He who knows or has lived in the South for a while will recognize this slow flow of words and events, as if the climate was making life and the world crawl along, but in style and correct appearances. As for me, I think it is a little too slow at times. The best character is the cat, and this cat is no Fritz the Cat, and yet, maybe it is in a way.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first of 1997's volcano disaster movies (the second being Volcano) was arguably the better of the two, but both of them made for passable entertainment with some spectacular special effects to serve as icing on the stale cake. After all, Dante's Peak doesn't pretend to be anything more than an updated variation on a whole catalog of disaster movie clichés. Despite all that, it's reasonably enjoyable. It's an added bonus that the script is just smart enough to allow Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton to play their roles with straight faces, never condescending to the audience of the formulaic story. He's a volcano expert from the U.S. Geological Survey, and she's the mayor of a cozy Washington State town perched beneath a volcano that's about to blow. Telltale signs are everywhere, so evacuation must be carried out immediately. Of course, not everybody's eager to leave, and even some of Brosnan's colleagues think his alarm is premature. This sets the stage for massive ash clouds, rivers of raging mud and molten rock, flattened forests, and death-defying escapes by Brosnan, Hamilton, and some (but not all) of her family, friends, and townsfolk. So what if it's all pretty flaky... and can a four-wheel-drive vehicle travel over fire and molten lava without bursting its tires? Don't ask too many questions, and you'll find Dante's Peak to be (if you'll pardon the pun) a total blast. The Collector's Edition DVD includes a documentary about volcanoes, Getting Close to the Show, in addition to behind-the-scenes footage, exclusive coverage of the creation of special effects, and audio commentary with director Roger Donaldson. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (99)

An explosive treat!
Dante's Peak seems like the ideal place to live... the serenity of the mountainous landscape and the friendly atmosphere seems to wipe out the fact that the town is nestled at the base of a dormant volcano. However, when the U.S.G.S. begins to pick up signals from the volcano that indicate a possible eruption, they send Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) to investigate. While there, he befriends town mayor Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton) and informs her of the risks. When he begins to get the city council into an uproar, his advisor shows up to cool things down and wards off any ideas of an eruption. But the symptoms begin to grow, and soon, ash and rock are flying in the sky as the mountain explodes upon the small township. It's a race for survival for Dalton and Wando, as they must search for Wando's children and get them out before the impending final showdown with the volcano. Digital Domain's special effects contribute so much to the story, making it real and placing its characters in real peril. Suspense, action, romance and a terrific cast make this disaster movie a winner. The DTS version is remarkable, and it is recommended that this be the version you buy.

Fun and intense action!
Action, suspense, and intensity abide in the effects-driven disaster film "Dante's Peak," a movie that will leave you awestruck and numb. I was completely enamored by almost everything the movie had to offer, even if some of the scientific information was a bit far-fetched to make room for the plot's twists and turns. Actors bring life and a human factor to the movie, but the real action lies with the astounding special effects used to bring a volcanic eruption to vivid and detailed life.

When seismic readings and graphs point to some geologic activity going on around the small town of Dante's Peak, the United States Geological Survey sends volcanologist Harry Dalton to investigate the possibilities. His arrival brings a silent tension on the town, which becomes voiced when he, along with Mayor Rachel Wando, come across two badly scorched bodies in the local hot springs. Dalton believes that the volcano may be "waking up" from a dormant period, but his boss shows up to calm his theories and instill calm back into the town council. Of course, the movie points in all directions to the impending eruption, in subtle ways that the characters have no interaction with.

From here, the group of scientists begin taking samples, surveying the landscape as well as taking helicopter trips into the volcano to determine if the recorded activity is of any consequence for worry. Meanwhile, Harry and Rachel get close, and their delicate relationship is put in the balance when the warning signs become more fervent, forcing them to call an evacuation of the entire town. But it comes too late, and soon everyone is fleeing for their lives as the mountainous volcano begins to spew hellfire and ash into the air, destroying the landscape and casusing massive destruction that stands in the way of Harry and Rachel's escape.

"Dante's Peak" follows a very well-known pattern for the duration of its plot: a situation that has implications of disaster is presented, one person knows what it going to happen but no one listens, and then all hell breaks loose. This movie carries off this particular structure quite well: it starts out slow and then speeds up to full speed, never slowing down and heightening the suspense given us by the incredible action sequences, smart dialogue and intense and vivid special effects that are the showcase of the movie. I found myself cheering it on in places, becoming completely enamored with what was going on, and satisfied with the final outcome of the movie.

The special effects for this movie are stupendous, and add a lot to the atmosphere the movie portrays. From the moment the mountain begins erupting, the effects give us the feel that everything is larger that life, from the volcano itself to the large, expansive cloud of ash that spreads across the sky and keeps the sun from penetrating. The nice thing about this film is that most of the effects are done with miniatures, giving it a mucher richer look than if it were only done with computerized effects. The sound is incredible, bass-heavy and prominent in wrapping us up in the action. All of these elements at work put us right in the middle of the film, bringing us into the experience as we hold our breath for the next new twist.

The scientific aspect for this movie is, for the most part, authentic, and while there are certain liberties taken, it is evident that the filmmakers wished for it to be as true to life as possible. Dalton throws out a lot of technical terms and phrases, making the sincere and believable. Allusions to eruptions and catastrophes of the past give the movie a sense of foreshadowed doom, while also keeping the suspense building. The overall effect this portion of the plot will have on you is overall intellectually backed up by facts and data, which keeps the movie real to life while keeping it moving.

The two main leads for the film are excellent in their roles, adding a lot to the experience. Pierce Brosnan is the ideal Harry Dalton: rough, rugged, and totally charming. He has the image of a loner who is looking for the right person. He also has a starkly emotional human side to his personality, as is shown in the beginning sequence when he loses his fiancee in a volcanic disaster. Linda Hamilton, playing Rachel, has a complex role of leader, damsel and mother. She does all three of them at different points, and her ability to combine her performance into all of them makes her performance the best of the film.

"Dante's Peak" is the kind of movie you watch with eagerness for the next scene, and then when it's over, all you want is more. The action comes to a screeching halt, and you've been throttled with so much of it already that to have it stop is murder. The movie is one that shakes the senses, and makes us believe in movies that have romance, suspense, intense action and rousing suspense.

Excellent movie with a realistic twist.
Many seem to have hashed "Volcano" which came out around the same time as "Dante's Peak" and it's a shame because both of them are highly realistic and te things that happen in them could literally happen in real life. Both of them are really excellent disaster flicks and are enough to really make you 'think' but even then they deliver incredible amounts of entertainment. In all honesty though, "Dante's Peak" is more realistic and has a more compelling twist to it due to the volcano's more destructive power.

In this case, a small town is thriving in the mountains of Washington state and has recently been declared one of the best places to live in in the United States. Dr. Harry Dalton, a scientist is sent to the vicinity to survey unusually high geological activity but one day he makes an alarming discovery that the volcano that the town sits on the base of, has come back to life and geological surveys have cofirmed that Dante's Peak is about to erupt in a cataclysmic eruption and wipe out the town and it's people. Rachel Wando, the town's mayor along with Dalton now must try to evacuate the town before the volcano erupts but their safety is stifled by their economic interests.

This is a really excellent and highly compelling movie. The special effects are absolutely thrilling and highly realistic and the movie's plot and script are very good. The lava and plumes of ash and dust are highly realistic looking and scary to watch as the volcano starts spewing out it's contents into the atmosphere and surrounding vicinity. The characters are excellent even though the acting could've been a little better but the acting for the most part is excellent by almost if not the entire cast.

I was thrilled to see this on the big screen because I have had a longtime fascination with volcanoes for almost my entire life and "Dante's Peak" succeeds in delivering a thrilling tone and is very enjoyable for most of its length. The DTS edition is absolutely incredible because the sound quality is a gargantuan improvement on both the VHS and older DVD editions and if you have a stereo system with speakers all around you, then hook them up and the surround audio speakers will make you feel almost like you're back at the movie theatre with the awesome sound quality.

If you can, get this movie whenever possible because it is a really excellent natural disaster thriller and delivers far more scares than these so called 'horror' movies because most of them are just mindless gorefests that are more gross than scary but "Dante's Peak" is scary because it is so realistic and such things could happen and could turn out much worse. For example Mt. Rainier near Seattle could erupt at any time and cause a lot of damage nearby and Seattle may be choked with dust if a full blown eruption occurs even though the city and most of its suburbs would pull through relatively unscathed apart from having a snow of volcanic ashes but it could cause social instability. Even Mt. St. Helen's caused a great deal of destruction and wiped out a large amount of forests around it. "Dante's Peak" is an excellent movie that should not be passed up. End of story.

Thar She Blows
Ever since seeing the preview, I have wanted to see Dante's Peak. While waiting for it to be released, a second film called Volcano suddenly popped up. Dante's Peak had Pierce Brosnan (playing a character named Dalton) and Volcano had Tommy Lee Jones. Peak also had the creative talents of Michael Crichton. Volcano had none. But, having finally seen Dante's Peak I have to say that Volcano was the better movie.

Brosnan is part of a national team that keeps an eye on volcanic activity. He is sent to the town of Dante's Peak to see if there is reason for further testing. He goes, he looks and he becomes convinced that the sleeping volcano will blow sometime soon. Unfortunately he has no real evidence. The rest of the team arrives and they can find no justifiable evidence. Guess what? Brosnan is right and the volcano blows. There is a rather amusing scene where in order to survive the shockwave, Brosnan and the town's mayor must seek shelter in some unstable mines (an idea that only works when the alternative is certain death). In the end there is no town but almost no casualties thanks to Brosnan and the rest of the team.

The scenes with the volcano erupting were quite spectacular but they were not enough to carry the film. It is an almost intellectual endeavor as opposed to the pulse-pounding of Crichton's previous film Twister. Obviously meant to ride the wave of Twister's success, Dante's Peak fails to make the grade. In Twister we cared about the research team and their work. In Peak all we are concerned with is how soon everyone will be convinced the volcano is unstable. Plus, several twisters buoy up a film better than one volcano (unless handled as it was in Volcano). So go ahead and see Dante's Peak if you want but you will probably agree that there is something just not right.

Gripping!
While it contains remarkably realistic special effects, those who have been told that "Dante's Peak" is merely a piece of "eye candy" can consider themselves among the woefully misinformed. It isn't a simple sugar-coated snack to be consumed and hastily digested; it is an elaborately composed symphony of a film. It contains riveting performances, breathtaking locales, a captivating love story and an extremely agile dog. Thus, the "eye candy" label would be ill-suited for this particularly film and more properly directed at other assembly-line disaster movies. Reader, I assure you, after one viewing you will understand: to watch "Dante's Peak" is to have your retinas treated to 109 minutes of cinematic fillet mignon.

The story involves the charmingly quaint town of Dante's Peak and its charmingly quaint inhabitants. While the town is the embodiment of peace and tranquility, there is trouble brewing beneath the surface. Geologist Harry Dalton (played with unwavering masculinity by Pierce Brosnan) and Mayor Rachel Wando (played with unwavering masculinity by Linda Hamilton) believe the town in danger of being destroyed by an unexpected eruption from the presumed-dormant neighboring volcano. Their quest to rescue the town meets resistance in the form of a stubborn city counsel, Dalton's ignorant boss and, of course, an enormous volcano.

It should be noted that "Dante's Peak" is the perfect star-vehicle for Pierce Brosnan. He is pitch-perfect as the resolute Dalton. In fact, it occurred to me while watching the film that nobody other than Brosnan could have played the role (he just looks like a "Harry Dalton," doesn't he?). In the face of Mother Nature's wrath, Brosnan provides the searing rivers of magma with a worthy human adversary. Early in the movie, his character is introduced vigorously doing a grueling set of pushups. Seeing this, we immediately think, 'The volcano doesn't stand a chance.' Indeed, Brosnan is a force of nature all his own.

The film itself is an uplifting one; a tribute to the human spirit. The only thing which disappoints me is that a sequel has yet to materialize. Years have passed since the film's initial release and it has failed to escape the consciousness of movie-goers. "Dante's Peak" has given us such rich characters and wonderfully-realized scenarios, who wouldn't want to witness the further exploits of Harry Dalton & Friends? Personally, upon first viewing the film, I envisioned a trilogy. I could imagine a sequel where the U.S. government calls Dalton out of retirement to stop the potential volcanic eruption of Mount Rushmore. Perhaps in the third installment Dalton & Co. could be thrust into the deep unknown of outer space as they investigate the unusual seismic activity of a dormant volcano on Mars. These sequels, I believe, would prove to be lucrative for the studio while also satiating the overwhelming public thirst for more "Dante's Peak."

Regardless of how many sequels are made, the original film will always remain a classic. A skillfully-crafted spectacle filled with wonderful performances and indelible images, you don't have to be a geologist to realize that "Dante's Peak" is a gem. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The plot line may sound familiar: Two mismatched cops are assigned as reluctant partners to solve a crime. Culturally they are complete opposites, and they quickly realize they can't stand each other. One (Jackie Chan) believes in doing things by the book. He is a man with integrity and nerves of steel. The other (Chris Tucker) is an amiable rebel who can't stand authority figures. He's a man who has to do everything on his own, much to the displeasure of his superior officer, who in turn thinks this cop is a loose cannon but tolerates him because he gets the job done. Directed by Brett Ratner, Rush Hour doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction. It rehashes just about every "buddy" movie ever made--in fact, it makes films such as Tango and Cash seem utterly original and clever by comparison. So, why did this uninspired movie make over $120 million at the box office? Was the whole world suffering from temporary insanity? Hardly. The explanation for the success of Rush Hour is quite simple: chemistry. The casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker was a serendipitous stroke of genius. Fans of Jackie Chan may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set pieces that emphasize his kung-fu craft. On the other hand, those who know the history of this seasoned Hong Kong actor will be able to appreciate that Rush Hour was the mainstream breakthrough that Chan had deserved for years. Coupled with the charismatic scene-stealer Tucker, Chan gets to flex his comic muscles to great effect. From their first scenes together to the trademark Chan outtakes during the end credits, their ability to play off of one another is a joy to behold, and this mischievous interaction is what saves the film from slipping into the depths of pitiful mediocrity. --Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Reviews (265)

An excellent DVD.
The Movie:

Chris Tucker is the funniest man in the world, in my opinion. It's too bad that the movies he acts in are always running to try and hopelessly catch up with him. One of the funniest things in cinema and some of the most enjoyable comic moments in the past few years have come from watching Tucker's performances. You can almost see his mind working in overtime trying to think up what to say next; and you never know what he'll say next. He takes the best of what Eddie Murphy used to be and just speeds it up a few hundred....thousand notches. It's just his looks of mock anger that always make me laugh. Never has anger been so funny.

He's joined by action star Jackie Chan in this film, which, although it's very funny at times, never really moves above the level of average, forgetable entertainment. Chan has done better "stunt-orientated" films like "Supercop" and "Rumble In The Bronx". In those films, he really shined with his mix of good humor and quick action. Here he's made to be more in the shape of the plot's need for humor and dialogue over stunts...not to say that there aren't any stunts; there are. It's just that they are a little few and far between.

The story revolves around a Chinese Console member who's daughter is kidnapped. Chan is brought in by the console member. The only problem is that the FBI wants to solve this case itself, and Chan's detective is not welcome. Some of the funniest scenes in the movie are watching Tucker's detective come to the realization that all he's called on to do is babysit Chan's detective. So, we start into the age old buddy cop flick.

Thankfully, this one isn't too bad. A nice script, some very good moments also from Chris Tucker when he's allowed to just improv his performance. Thank god Tucker and Chan liven up the proceedings; Chan has his usual array of incredible stunts, running up and down the sides of everything, kicking, doing it all; Tucker's mouth and Chan's quick feet make a nice balance of opposites. It's unfortunate that the direction is average, the plot is something you've seen all before, but it's through the performances of Tucker and Chan who make "Rush Hour" worth watching. It's nothing new, but when it works, "Rush Hour" is a whole lot of fun.

The DVD: Picture Quality: New Line has done a phenomenal job with the transfer of "Rush Hour". The colors of Los Angeles are incredibly vivid and just pop on this disc. Look at the reds in the Chinatown scenes or the colors of the neon at night. The color saturation is wonderful and there is no bleeding in the colors; the light from a neon sign looks perfectly sharp and clear. Speaking of sharpness, the images themselves are perfectly clear and sharp throughout the disc. There are a few instances where there is a small shimmering problem, but compared to a lot of the other discs I've seen lately, the shimmering in this disc isn't worth mentioning. Again, images are razor sharp throughout, there aren't any other problems at all with this disc. There are a lot more pros to talk about, though. Skin tones are 100% perfect. There is definitely no pixelization in the disc whatsoever, even in the low-light scenes or in the backgrounds. Black level in the picture is fantastic and contrast is wonderful. Shadow level is excellent and overall, this is a nice continuation of the New Line tradition of replicating the theatrical experience at home. There's occasionally a problem with otherwise great discs such as shimmering or what not and it takes you out of the experience. There's nothing on this disc that's problematic enough to take the viewer out of the experience of the movie and that's a sign of the very best DVDs. The 2.35:1 image is excellent. Excellent job, New Line.

Audio Quality: Impressive sound quality on this disc, emphasizing the sounds that added to the tone of fun on this disc and that's Lalo Schifrin's fun, urban and light score melding old R&B hits and current rap along with other wonderful bits and pieces of fun music to make an enjoyable score. The score fills the room and sounds full and clear. Dialogue also has that "same room" impression, recorded with clarity. There's a lot of impressive sound on this disc like the gunfire(director Ratner talks on the commentary about how he wanted to make the gunfire loud and emphasize it to make it "exciting"), which sounds great. The explosions also fill the room with great impact and force.

Extras:Now here's where this disc really shines: Commentary: There's an outstanding commentary with director Brett Ratner(who sounds at times sort of like Quentin Tarantino), who talks in depth wonderfully about the details of the production and working with Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. It goes into the detail of working with the screenplay and building the stunt scenes. This is a commentary that really is exactly what I want to hear in a commentary: it tells the story of exactly what it took to get the story to screen, not just what's happening on the screen. This is a fascinating commentary and I recommend it as one of the best commentaries out there. There is also an isolated score(and it's a fantastic score) with commentary by the great composer Lalo Schifrin.

Documentary: Again, it's what I want to see in a documentary. The box calls it a "featurette", but "A Piece Of The Action: Behind The Scenes Of Rush Hour" is something I would consider a full documentary. There's a lot of fun going on in the interviews with the cast and crew, and it doesn't seem like a usual studio promotional documentary. A lot of the camera work is hand-held and it just seems like it was all done in fun and the fun that the cast and crew has carries over to the viewer. The documentary runs about 40 minutes and the last chapter is more in the way of the hilarious outtakes that ended the film.

Deleted Scenes: A short reel of deleted scenes that at the most, are about 1 minute. Nothing earth-shaking, but interesting to see. The reel is a few minutes in length.

Short film: Director Brett Ratner's very strange short film from when he was a student at NYU, "What Ever Happened To Mason Reese?". The film starts off with an intro from the director and commentary from the director is also available. The film itself....well, it's just strange, but it's nice to have on the disc.

Trailer: Of course, the trailer.(letterboxed at 2.35:1)

Cast/Crew: Very nice biographies of the cast/crew.

Music Videos: 2 music videos.

DVD-ROM: The screenplay, an interactive game and web links(available only to Windows DVD-ROM computer users)

MENUS: Sharp animated menus that start with a very funny piece of dialogue from Chris Tucker.

Grades: The Movie:A- Picture Quality:A- Sound Quality:A- Extras:A Menus:A Overall:A
This review was originally posted at the website "A Guide To Current Film/DVD".

Lots of laughs in oddball 'buddy' movie
Jackie Chan, the great Chinese action star, plays a Hong Kong detective at the time of China's taking control of the city. A friend of his is dispatched to Los Angeles in a consulate position, and Chan is summoned soon thereafter when his buddy's daughter is kidnapped by gangsters. The FBI, not wanting any interference in the case, arranges to pair him with one of the wildest cops in LA history. As played by Chris Tucker, he is also the loudest. This ploy to get Chan away from the investigation doesn't work, of course. As always, the FBI agents are made to look like they are sharing a brain. You've already guess that the two policemen get along at first like cats and dogs, but by the end of the picture, they are best buddies. Along the way, they solve the case.

As a comedy team, Chan and Tucker work well together. The quiet, low-keyed Chan plays straight man to the brash, outrageous Tucker. There are the usual ongoing jokes about cultural differences, but at least in this case, pairing a Chinese character with an Afro-American does create a lot of opportunity for humor. Opposing tastes in food is a good topic, as is the language barrier. There is also a running joke about our obsession with hand guns. Jackie Chan is hard not to like, while Chris Tucker has much in common with W. C. Fields, Jerry Lewis and Jim Carrey. People either love him or hate him.

As is the rule in action comedy, the plot makes no sense. What carries the movie is the teaming of two actors whose personalities work well together. The special effects don't hurt either. There's an explosion every three minutes.

Lalo Schifin delivers a fine musical score. The set design is appropriately garish. A special thanks goes to Rush Hour's editors, who made sure it was short and to the point.

While Rush Hour is often entertaining, it does not measure up to a couple of similarly themed comedies - 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop - that were big hits when I was younger. Or is my memory playing tricks on me?

Jackie Chan needs to retire
This is not bad considering that most of Jackie Chan's movies are pretty much the same. That aside, story wasn't bad and there was some decent action scenes. Chris Tucker, however, does nothing but gets on your nerves with his irritating voice, bad acting and an IQ of a chimpanzee. In the outtakes, they show a scene that requires Chris Tucker to say two words in Chinese and he would blow it every single time. Talk about a dimwit

Rush Hour has great combos!
The idea of combining Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in one movie was a great idea! Jackie Chan does the main action while Chris Tuckers does the main comedy. Together they did a good job! The plot was good and the movie was so funny. I give it 5 stars for awesome action and nonstop laughs!

Great Entertainment - Funny & Exciting.
Rush Hour revitalized the buddy action flicks of the 80's and has become a modern classic. It is a movie in the tradition of 48 Hrs and Lethal Weapon, and like those two movies, it has perfect casting. Chris Tucker is hysterical in his best performance since Friday, Jackie Chan is in top form, complete with incredible stunts, cool martial arts and hilarious broken English.

The story is well-written and full of funny situations for both Tucker and Chan. Look for the scenes where Chan is in a predominantly black pool hall and Tucker buys some Chinese food from a cart. The chemistry between the two leads is probably what makes this movie so great. Great individually, but even better together. All this makes Rush Hour a guaranteed good time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Quiet American proves that elegant and intelligent filmmaking can be emotionally powerful. Michael Caine plays Thomas Fowler, a British journalist in 1950s Vietnam with a lovely Vietnamese mistress named Phuong(Do Thi Hai Yen) and a jaded view of the political strife teeming around him. He befriends a seemingly innocuous American named Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), who falls in love with Phuong--and slowly, Pyle's real purpose inVietnam becomes revealed. Fowler finds that, to hold on to the carefully balanced life he's created for himself, he must make choices he's long avoided. Caine and Fraser are both superb and give a human face to complicated politics; as a result, The Quiet American manages to becompelling as both history and a story about very specific people embroiled in a very personal conflict. An impressive film from director Philip Noyce (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Patriot Games). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Caine scores again
Michael Caine gives yet another outstanding performance in "The Quiet American," Philip Noyce's 2002 adaptation of the Graham Greene Cold War novel (the first movie version was released in 1958). Set in 1952 Saigon, the film features Caine as Thomas Fowler, a world-weary British journalist who's been sent to Vietnam to cover the attempt by colonial French forces to hold back the communist insurgence from the North. But Fowler has a problem. Despite the fact that he is a reporter, he freely admits that this country exerts a sort of magical hold on him and that, in order to maintain that image, he must will himself to look beyond the ugliness and strife that are tearing the country apart. In fact, reporting is the last thing on Fowler's mind. He is even madly in love with a beautiful young Vietnamese girl who lives with him. When his publishers back in England threaten to call him back, Fowler realizes that he must become more actively engaged in the events around him if he hopes to be allowed to stay.

One day he meets Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), an American eye specialist who falls in love with Fowler's girl. Even though they are drawn together by much that they have in common, Fowler and Pyle soon become rivals for the woman, though by the end, their conflict has broadened to include the issues of war vs. peace, truth vs. deception, and personal feelings vs. political expediency.

"The Quiet American" is typical Greene in that it provides an intense personal drama played against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil in an exotic setting. Both Caine and Fraser bring a quiet intensity to their scenes together. Caine, in particular, is brilliant at conveying the many moods of a man who wants to be left alone to live a simple life with the woman he loves but who knows that circumstances are conspiring to make such a life impossible. He is heartbreaking as he sees that ideal existence suddenly slipping away, with little he can do to stop it from happening. He also begins to see just how difficult it is to remain emotionally detached from the horrors happening around him once the atrocities begin to encroach on his world directly. Fowler also has to decide whether his final action is truly rooted in a humanitarian impulse or the product of wanting to eliminate a pesky rival from the field of competition.

In addition to telling a fairly solid story, "The Quiet American" also provides a glimpse into the history of its region, particularly showing how the Americans ended up usurping the role of the French in that far off, alien country in the late '50's and early '60's. This is reflected in a wonderful coda that chronicles the steps leading up to this slow handoff of power and responsibility.

But for all the film's various virtues, it is Caine's performance that is the real reason to catch "The Quiet American."

The seduction of American innocence
Of all the films I've seen over the years concerning America's involvement in Vietnam, THE QUIET AMERICAN is perhaps the most seductive.

It's 1952, and Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine) is the aging correspondent for the London Times in Saigon. France is in the process of being tossed out of Indochina, but the former doesn't realize it yet - Dien Bien Phu is still in the future - and its military fights on ineffectually against the communists. In the meantime, Fowler submits the occasional story to the head office while finding comfort in the arms of opium and his Vietnamese mistress Phuong (Do Hai Yen), a former taxi dancer at a local club. Then, one day, THE QUIET AMERICAN Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser) shows up. Pyle claims to be with a medical aid mission in country to combat trachoma, a bacterial disease causing blindness. But what is Pyle, really? He seems awfully chummy with the conniving powers over at the U.S. legation. In any case, Alden very soon falls in love with Phuong, attention that neither the jealous Fowler can prevent nor Phuong finds particularly unwelcome.

Not since LITTLE VOICE (1998) has Michael Caine acted so powerfully, and this is perhaps his greatest role ever. An Academy Award nomination is deservedly due. Fraser is perfect as the clean-cut, idealistic and naïve Yank who may be something other than he claims. Yen is positively exquisite as the delicate Phuong. As Fowler puts it, his death would begin if he lost her.

THE QUIET AMERICAN, based on the Graham Greene novel, can be seen as an allegorical story of America's fledgling interest in succoring Vietnam from the Red Menace. After all, the French seem unequal to the task. Pyle perhaps comes to symbolically represent the American innocence that is seduced by Vietnam in the form of Phuong, and the former wishes "to save" the latter from the escalating national chaos. Only the tired and world-weary Fowler knows that this is impossible. He would "save" Phuong himself if he could, but he can't.

THE QUIET AMERICAN is an anti-war, anti-intervention film best viewed these many years after America withdrew from its Southeast Asian debacle and passions have cooled. This is one of the best films of 2002.

Beatiful film
I've always loved both Michael Caine and Brendan Frasier, but I was surprised when I saw them in a film together.

'The Quiet American' contemplates the effects of unbridled passion, jealousy, and war. The violence is not overwhelming, and not over-the-top gorey, but is honest, nonetheless. Besides the Vietnamese war that is omnipresent, the film focuses on the mental anguish that it causes, as well as the relationships that are the product of it.

Overall, a wonderfully acted film. I highly recommend!

Fine performances, good story, well acted; questions.
This adaption or adaptation of Graham Greene's novel, features fine performances, by Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, and the lovely actress who played Caine's mistress Do Thi Hai Yen. Set in Vietnam, when the French were involved, the movie surrounds the relationship of these three people. It concerns the involvement of an American (Fraser) and a journalist (Caine), and their love for the same woman (Yen). It also poses questions about the involvement of the Americans (especially as the headlines are shown at the end of the movie-about U.S. troops and others). All is not quite as it seems with Fraser's character turning out to be a CIA operative and dealings with the regime, who it turns out is as bad as the communists it's trying to replace; with help from the Americans. The brutality that is set against the backdrop of the "love story" is truly horrific and leaves one (at the end of the movie) questioning the United States' involvement, like that of the French before, in Southeast Asia. [Not unlike our involvement now in the Middle East.] A well acted movie with stellar performances, as usual by Mr. Caine, who is among the premiere actors Britain has ever produced, to my mind, and who always brings a certain class and passion to his roles. Mr. Fraser is also good. Worth seeing.

A bright diamond of a film.....
The plot has been described well by a number of reviewers. This is a steadily paced film. In it we see the lives of its characters growing more complex and nuanced, precisely as Vietnam itself is undergoing the same. Michael Caine is in love with a beguiling, beautiful and disciplined Vietnamese woman, but tethered to a wife in England. In one remarkable scene, a man joins Caine at a table at an outdoor bar and laments to Caine the loss of his son, about which he's heard from home, but Caine cannot spare the time to listen, and appears puzzled by the story, perhaps doubting the credibility of his guest. A bomb explosion in the city is vividly captured. Everyone and everything is growing more difficult in this country, and to all expatriates the home country beckons in one way or another. A brilliant introduction to the country on the eve of a chaotic epoch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone want to venture a guess that Keanu Reeves was sorry he passed up Speed 2 to make this turkey? Both a ridiculous suspense piece about a renegade intelligence community and an ill-considered hunk of do-gooder agitprop about alternative energy technology, Chain Reaction makes Reeves and almost everyone else involved look about as dumb as dumb can be. Hollywood's own Little Buddha plays a streetwise lab technician who survives an organized assault on his hydrogen-power project. The FBI assumes he's really a spy working for some foreign power, but the truth is that a CIA offshoot is behind the project's funding. Morgan Freeman plays the ramrod-straight company man who sabotages Keanu's excellent experiment, and Rachel Weisz portrays a physicist who goes on the run with the alleged saboteur. Directed by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive), who seems more interested in seeing how many absurd places he can mount a chase scene than offering a solid clue as to who these characters are and why we should care about them. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A non-stop action thriller
A team of scientists in Chicago have developed a new source of energy. Amist a government cover up the leader of the project is murdered and the lab is destroyed. Two of the scientists on the project, Eddie Kasalivich(Keanu Reeves) and Lily Sinclair (Rachel Weisz) are named as suspects and go on the run in a desperate attempt to uncover the conspiracy. Evading the F.B.I., local police and assasins they turn to the founder of the project Paul Shannon (Morgan Freeman) for help. But in a world of conspiracy and espionage who can be trusted?

Chain Reaction is packed full of great action sequences. This film contains two of the best chase scenes I have ever seen and several great explosions. All of the roles were perfectly cast especially Morgan Freeman. The picture is perfect and the sound is great in DTS. The DVD is however lacking in options. It only contains trailers for Chain Reaction, Point Break, Unlawful Entry and Big Trouble In Little China. All in all a good DVD at a decent price.

Not half bad
I expected this movie to be awful. It wasn't. I guess it helps that I'm from Chicago and part of the movie takes place here. Even without that help, it's solid. Keanu Reeves gives his standard good-guy action performance. This movie is done be the same guys that did The Fugitive, and it shows. The movies have a lot of similarities.

Rachel Weisz does an admirable job and Morgan Freeman is, well, Morgan Freeman. Always solid. Sure, there's some cheesy dialogue. But you know you're not going in to see Shakespeare.

The sound quality of this DVD is excellent. Crank up the subwoofer for the explosions. Picture quality is also well-done.

If you don't mind somewhat cheesy action movies, try checking this one out.

'I'm in the middle of a chain reaction . . .'
Why the hell would you name a film after a Diana Ross classic? (Or a Steps 'classic', depending what generation you're from!) OK, so it's given a rather obvious title, due to the fact the film jumps from one event to another. None of these events have any links, and are all highly unlikely and stupid to boot.

Morgan Freeman is the true star of this movie, although the constant cigar that he carries around does get a bit annoying. Especially since it's rarely lit.

Keanu Reeves seems to bulk up for certain films (Speed, Matrix), and then all the muscle turns to flab, cos he looks like he generally pigs out. He's unkempt, chubby, unshaven - basically everything you would find UNsexy in a man! And the 'relationship' between his character and Rachel Weisz's character is very unbelievable. There is absolutely no chemistry between the characters, and I believe that off screen, they didn't speak to each other. It's highly believable that they didn't spend any time together, so that results in no chemistry. Now if you were watch to Speed - loads of chemistry between Keanu & Sandra Bullock.

This film is not worth the time or the money - oops, says she who bought it! But then again, I'm a Keanu Reeves fan. If you can't stand the sight of Keanu Reeves, this film is for you to watch once, slag off every time his name gets mentioned, and instantly forget.

Finally: A Movie about Free Energy
As one who is involved in the free energy field, and about ready to release a working technology to the world, I was delighted to see this movie. It portrays well that things are not as they seem, and that there are shadow conspiracies that at times run the show more than our own elected government does.

To someone who doesn't believe in free energy, this movie might seem contrived and corny. But I will tell you that from the perspective of one who is immersed in it, and knows of viable technologies that are about to be released, the movie does a fantastic job in its portrayal of the dynamics involved.

My critique of the movie would be of two things: the portrayal of the hydrogen reactor process, and of the scene where Reeves and Weisz get shot out of a mine shaft and then drop back down in on a cable. Any human being would have probably been killed, yet they didn't even have a broken bone or even a cut.

Their hydrogen reactor looked like something from a decades old Frankenstein movie. It seems they could have been more convincing.

They make hydrogen power look as though it will be enormously complex to extract. In reality, my hunch is that when we crack the secret it will not be that complex.

Otherwise, it was a fantastic movie.

Hyde Park gets vaporized. Yes!!!
This is a movie for Chicagoans. It has Chicago cops with real Chicago accents. It has great Chicago reporters Pam Zekman and whatzisname Drummond. And best of all, it has Hyde Park with all its U of C twits going up in a ball of hydrogen flame. They were willing to risk our lives in 1940 when they unleashed the nuke demons under Stagg Field. Well, they don't look so smart this time. Goodbye, 59th street!!!
-A North Sider. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brandon Lee’s penultimate picture isn’t much on paper--a dour college kid, bitter over his activist father’s death in Tiananmen Square, is targeted by a Chicago mobster after witnessing a gangland killing and reluctantly joins forces with brooding, obsessed cop Powers Boothe--but then who was watching this for the story? Consider this his screen test for the superior The Crow. Lee bites off bad dialogue with surly sneers, swaggers through scenes with the confidence of a movie veteran, and moves... well, his moves are the real reason to see the film. Nick Mancuso has a good time as the weasely mobster getting sloppy in his desperation, and Powers plays the father figure with less conviction than sheer tenacity, but Brandon Lee is the star-in-the-making of this production. This, unfortunately, is no star vehicle, but it provides enough bone-crunching, butt-kicking martial arts action for any action junkie. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Make way for Mr. Lee!!
RAPID FIRE is definitely a kung fu movie classic, and right now, my favorite Brandon Lee movie (Just about to watch the rather under-recognized LASER MISSION.) Brandon Lee stars as college student/martial arts master Jake Lo, who refuses to join Chinese Democracy activists, since his father was murdered for the very same cause. Lo becomes entangled in a web of diaster when mafia druglord Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso) murders the chief distributor of a competing drug lord Kinman Tau (Tzi Ma, from RUSH HOUR)to get ahold of his drug trade. Lo has the unenviable misfortune of witnessing the whole damn thing and must join forces with crusty chicago cop Ryan (Powers Booth) and his beautiful partner (Kate Hodge) to take down both Serrano AND Tau. Once the action starts, it doesn't stop. I think the climatic battle between Brandon and asian bad guy Al Leong (whose had duels with guys like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bruce Willis) is this movies best and easily the best in '92, and finally one of the best ever. One of the quite abundant brawls even occurs on the chicago el, where Brandon and his opponent mostly just use steel rods as their weapons. A kung fu flick to be cherished by kung fu fans, as well as Brandon Lee fans all over the world. Buy this one right now, you won't regret it.

Among the martial arts/action elite
No matter how many times I watch this movie, it never seems to get old. Combining elements of American action shoot 'em ups with the chop-socky combat of the Hong Kong martial arts genre, "Rapid Fire" seems bent on squeezing as many action sequences as possible into its brisk 90-minute running time. However, in between fight scenes, the writers and director actually take time for little things like plot and character development, which are too often lacking in martial arts flicks (can you say Steven Seagal)? The main characters, Brandon Lee's reluctant crime fighter and Powers Boothe's grizzled cop, actually have some beliefs and internal conflicts that motivate their actions. And on top of that, there are some actors in this movie who can actually act! In the action department, the fight scenes are extremely well done, devoid of camera tricks, multiple angles, fancing directing, or any other gimmicks that distract from the fight scenes themselves. It seems the makers of this film knew what they had in Brandon Lee and let him and the other actors carry the action on their own, a decision that definitely paid off. Highly recommended for those who want a little brains to go with their action.

Lee blazes!!!
Lee blazes and fights away in this sometimes good action movie but Lee is the glue that holds this up...remember the fridge part in the movie..yeah, yeah....though Lee sprouts some crappy dialouge you just cant get enough of his beautiful baby face..yes I said that...I highly recommened THE CROW because its his best and last work ever..though if you rent SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO starring him and oppisite sucky Doplh Lundgren..somethings wrong with you

BRANDON LEE IS [GREAT]!!!
Brandon Lee is one of the best martial artist of all time and in this movie he just demonstrate that,this movie is awesome!!!.I also want to say that my DVD dosn't have the disc deffect people are talking about and don't freeze in any part of the movie. I also wnat to recomend SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO and the most brilliant movie of all time THE CROW!!! ...

Good movie......Disc defects!
Well, I just got my order of Rapid Fire today and just like some of the customers who posted an interview, I too am having slight problems with the disc. Actually, just 1 minor problem. It freezes in the middle of the fight in the bar just before Brandon fights the big man. I don't how it's possible for many people to have this same problem with different 'Rapid Fire' DVD discs. I thought it was either the disc or my DVD player. Luckily, I came here to and found out that I'm not the only one with this disc defect. I guess the company that made the Rapid Fire disc are the ones responsible(manufacture defect). Please correct me if I'm wrong on that one.

I've already found out from other people that they have returned their Rapid Fire disc to replace it with the same copy and still they have the same problem. I won't even bother returning it after finding this out.

Another problem I experience is the poor quality sound. I have Rapid Fire on tape. Actually, my dad recorded it on a tape in EP(extended play) when I was little and to this day the sound comes out better than the one on DVD. When I say that, I mean that in my tape, a punching sound can be heard and felt better than the one on DVD. The sound on DVD(gun shots, punches, etc.) was toned down a bit. I also have some other movies on DVD where some sounds cannot be heard or were toned down whereas on VHS, the sound effects are better heard.

Does anyone know why the "pause" happens in the bar fight? I once tried to fast forward it but it froze and nothing happens. I even tried to rewind, press stop, and even push the OFF button on my DVD player and it still wouldn't do anything. It completely froze my whole DVD player....then after 5 seconds it turned off cause I pressed the OFF button. Reminds me of my computer everytime it freezes. I guess it's because I have to fast forward right BEFORE it freezes, NOT WHILE it is frozen. Anyone here ever tried that?

Other than that, the movie was good. I've always like this movie and Brandon Lee is amazing. It's just that damn defect though that ruins my interest in watching the movie on DVD. Damn, now I have to resort to my VHS version, which I don't mind but the problem is, my VHS player isn't working at the moment. Heheh.

Well, that's it. Someone please respond back if you are in the same position as I am. Thanks! ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Very funny remake, It cracked me up
A remake of a 1955 Alec Guinness film, The Ladykillers transfers the action from London to America's rural South. Tom Hanks takes over Guinness' role. And directing duties land in the laps of O Brother Where Art Thou? masterminds Joel and Ethan Coen.

When good Southern church-going widow Marva Munson first lays eyes on Professor Goldthwaite Higginson Dorr III, Ph.D., she's not too sure what she's lookin' at. Besides, she's pretty distracted by the fact that her seemingly dapper-if not a bit dopey-gentleman caller just let her beloved kitty escape through the half-open door. Once the feline is safely back inside (with Dorr's generous assistance), she learns that Dorr wishes to rent a room. She agrees. He gallantly informs her that he plays ancient Renaissance music with a group of colleagues, and requests to use her root cellar for practices. She can't see any harm in that-as long as they're not playing any of that nasty "hippity-hop" music-so the deal is struck.

What follows is part black comedy, part madcap caper and part morality tale. And it's spiced up by exceedingly vibrant characters. Dorr is an eccentric professor-type obsessed with dead languages and the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. He's the mastermind of the heist. Assisting him are Gawain MacSam (a trash-talking ne'er-do-well with a short fuse), Garth Pancake (a bumbling munitions enthusiast), The General (a grimly lethal excavations expert) and Lump (a decidedly dim-witted muscle-man).
"We really like the original movie," says Ethan Coen. "It's a strong story premise. It just has good bones. We ripped out the spine of it, kept that and threw out everything else."

Back in the '40s and '50s, when the Hays Movie Production Code was in place-and the original Ladykillers movie was produced-films were allowed to show criminal behavior only if it was done in such a way as not to make viewers sympathize. Consequences were big back then, as evil men generally reaped what they sowed. The Coen brothers' remake sticks to that ideal, and despite the film's cynically comedic underpinnings, moviegoers leave the theater thinking about what exactly the wages of sin are.

The Hays Code also barred the use of scores of profane and crude words. It's in this realm that the new incarnation of The Ladykillers goes out of control. Had it been released a half-century ago, throngs of outraged moviegoers would have literally ripped its prints from their reels to stop the ruckus. But forget decades-old social standards. Even applying modern artistic sensibilities, I'm left feeling that what I heard while I watched this otherwise masterful movie utterly destroyed its credibility, tore up every layer of its delicate nuance and scribbled haphazardly all over its colorful characterizations.

A disappointing, often unfunny entry from the Coen Bros...
I'll raise my right hand and swear that I'm a huge fan of the Coen bros. I savor every quirky moment of The Big Lebowski, I believe Fargo is one of the best movies ever made, and I think that Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing are classics waiting to be discovered. So why did I dislike The Ladykillers so much? I honestly don't think it was a case of being let down; even a lesser Coen entry (Blood Simple) has its interesting, entrancing qualities. So why is this movie so lame? It sure as hell starts off promising: Tom Hanks, as Professor Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, spews off Coen-esque words with innate skill and Irma P. Hall is hilarious as Mrs. Munson, the old lady who lets Dorr board in her home. They have a curious little chemistry, Dorr and Munson, and their scenes of dialogue elevate the movie. And then the real plot sets in, with supporting character after supporting character. And to boot, some of them don't even fit into the movie at all - Marlon Wayans is especially ill-fitting as a foul-mouthed casino-boat worker who seems to have no other purpose but give the movie an R-rating. But wait! Let's throw in some jokes about Irritable Bowel Syndrome, more cultural stereotypes, and a third act that drags on and on and on and what comes out is simply the worst Coen film I've seen. This movie could have been so much better, and in fact, it's not horrible. There's geniune comedy in it, but too often it's shrouded by the overly-confident directors urging us that we should be laughing our asses off at things that aren't that funny (black churches are hilarious! dumping multiple people into the river is funny even after the 5th time!). If only they'd deployed the subtlety and atmosphere that makes nearly all of their movies great. I wanted so much to like this movie, but when you're done with it after an hour, it's impossible. GRADE: C

So disappointing
I expected this movie to display the same sense of humor as "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", but I was sorely disappointed. There are some funny moments, but Marlon Wayans' unnecessary profranity is so jarring, it disrupts the comedy before it can get started. The best scenes are the dialog-free establishing shots where you'll enjoy the excellent cinematography characteristic of the Coen brothers movies. Second best is Irma P Hall's performance. She's wonderful, especially in her solo scenes or those talking to the sheriff. You really wish the Coen's had thrown away the script, fired all of the "ladykillers" and just rewritten the movie around Irma and the Mississippi setting.

Great movie - if without the swearing
The Coen Bros have offered another hilarious flick. Tom Hanks does a great job in the role as well. The premis of the movie is simple and a good entertainment value. I would consider purchasing this on dvd - if I could show it to my family. However I give it only 3 stars because of the unnecessary profanity which all but ruined the film for me or the family. IF it was release minus the bad language, I would be the first in line to own it.

Southern Comfort
The plot is meaningless : a band of amateur burglars are emptying the underground « money reserve » of an offland casino in Mississippi with a tunnel, explosives, etc. They start from an old black very christian lady's cellar, pretending to be a group of Renaissance or baroque musicians rehearsing there. Banal. The ending is just as surprising as all the different moments of this plot and it is not the main interest of the film. The film is interesting in two elements. First Tom Hanks plays the role of a cultivated scholar specializing in Greek and Latin literature and Edgar Poe's poetry. He is an ephete, sophisticated snob that has a very strong charm on the black ladies of this neighborhood. His acting is just perfect. Second it is humorous but in what I will call a « southern comfort » style. It is slow, calculated, yet inspired and impulsive, responsive too, and never in any way exagerated, always underplayed, more humorous innuendo than hilarious fun. This creates an atmosphere that does represent what Mississippi might be for some people : a contained and always understated and underestimated play on words, circumstances and situations. He who knows or has lived in the South for a while will recognize this slow flow of words and events, as if the climate was making life and the world crawl along, but in style and correct appearances. As for me, I think it is a little too slow at times. The best character is the cat, and this cat is no Fritz the Cat, and yet, maybe it is in a way.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Amazon.com

Using a faulty thriller for his soapbox as an outspoken critic of China, a devout follower of the Dalai Lama, and an influential supporter of Tibetan freedom, Richard Gere resorts to the equivalent of propagandistic drama to deliver a heavy-handed message. In other words, Red Corner relies on a dubious strategy to promote political awareness, but director Jon Avnet appeals to the viewer's outrage with such effective urgency that you're likely to forget you're being shamelessly manipulated. Gere plays a downtrodden TV executive who sells syndicated shows on the global market, and during a business trip to China he finds himself framed for the murder of the sexy daughter of a high Chinese official. Once trapped in a legal system in which his innocence will be all but impossible to prove, Gere must rely on a Chinese-appointed lawyer (played by Bai Ling) who first advises him to plead guilty but gradually grows convinced of foul play.Barely attempting to hide its agenda, Red Corner effectively sets the stage for abundant anti-Chinese sentiment, and to be sure, the movie gains powerful momentum with its tale of justice gone awry. It's a serious-minded, high-intensity courtroom drama with noble intentions ... but did it have to be so conspicuously lacking in subtlety? --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Gere's suffering for his art
In 'Red Corner' Richard Gere plays a lawyer doing business in China. He sleeps with a local lady of questionable morality and next morning wakes to find her dead. Gere is framed for her murder and in China, according to this movie, you're guilty until proven innocent.

Weighing in at just over two hours the film never sags and Director Jon Avnet manages to hold the interest, especially when the lovely Bai Ling is appointed to defend Gere. There is little to make 'Red Corner' more than an average thriller but you could do worse on a cold winter's night than curl up with the DVD and let your brain ignore the plot inconsistencies or the depiction of the Chinese authorities as heartless, murderous villains. Gere grins and bears it all manfully and his suits look good even under extreme pressure but it is Bai Ling who shines in the pedestrian plot. She's alone worth the price of admission.

The DVD features a Director's feature length commentary and a theatrical trailer. The sound is good and the photography excellent. 'Red Corner' - like its unimaginative title - is good enough but it could have been a whole lot better if the screenplay had been a little more edgy and intelligent. Still, if you're not too particular you may enjoy this fairly interesting action packed thriller.

A Good Film, But Not Captivating
Jack Moore (Richard Gere) is in China trying to close the deal on a lucrative TV contract when he meets a beautiful girl at a nightclub. Sparks fly and Jack finds himself spending a wonderful night with her. But when Jack wakes up in the morning it is to the sound of police yelling at him. Jack's beautiful lady is dead and Jack is covered in blood with incriminating evidence all around him that says he is the killer.

Jack is almost positive that he could not have done this, but he can't really remember exactly what happened as he had quite a bit to drink. He turns to the American Embassy for assistance, only to discover that they can do nothing for him. Jack's appointed attorney, Shen Yuelin (Ling Bai), seems completely uninterested in the facts of the case, not even bothering to meet with him before Jack appears in court the first time. Then she insists that Jack plead guilty and hope for leniency. Jack is furious that no one is on his side, not understanding that, in China, you are guilty until proven innocent and that if you plead innocent and are found guilty, you are taken out and shot.

As the court case continues, Jack is fully aware that the whole proceeding is a parody of justice. No one in the courtroom cares what really happened, no one seems interested in finding the real murderer or in hearing his side of the story. Most of the time Jack can't even understand what is going on as his translating system keeps going off. He does discover that the woman he slept with, the woman who was murdered, was the daughter of a General in the Chinese military and that the general is very interested in seeing his daughter's killer brought to justice. If only Jack could convince all of them that they have the wrong man...

Red Corner was a good film, but for being a thriller, I found the thrill a little bit lacking. I found myself restless while I watched the film and started puttering around the house, working on little things and listening to the dialogue instead of watching it. I also thought that the message was a little too heavy-handed at times. Most of the Chinese in the film were shown as stupid or corrupt and that is simply not the case. I wish that Director Jon Arnet could have shown more of the cultural differences to try and explain that you are working with a whole different mentality rather than a group of people who are just mean and cruel. Those points aside, the film did make me very grateful to live in America, where we have many freedoms that we take for granted. The story was a little boring at first, but once all of the pieces started coming together at the end, it caught my interest again and I thought that it had a good ending. With some beautiful scoring by Thomas Newman, decent acting by Richard Gere alongside a luminous Ling Bai, this is a movie for people who enjoy a lot of politics mixed in with a little bit of action.

Politics aside, it's a good film.
After reading some of the negative reviews of this film on amazon.com I felt I had to put my two cents in defending it. First of all I don't think people should get so emotional and excited about it's portrayal of the communist China's regime and judicial system. Yes, maybe the film is prapogandist, maybe Chinese legal system today is not anything like the movie portrays it to be and maybe it was like that at one time in any case, everyone knows corruption and injustice exists more or less everywhere whether it's China, United States, Western Europe and more than likely innocent people have been executed in countries that keep the death penalty whether it's China or the US or wherever. But it's not like Hollywood never made a film that's critical of the American judicial or political system involving corrupt government officials. Clear and Present Danger for example. That's why controversial movies like this help get the message out even if just by motivating people to talk about such isues.

As for the film itself, the acting is medeocre. The musical score is pretty good. The Chinese actress that plays's Gere's atorney performs better than Gere especialy during the final court scene. It's a thought provoking movie and not just eye candy like a lot of the films of today.

POWERFUL AND REMARKABLE !
This movie depicts a man's incredible legal battle under a murder charge against himself.He is calumniated and all the legal procedure is biased.But he's got a puissant attorney though it'd take a long hard struggle for her to acquit her client...

Gere Enlightens..Ling Bai delights
In this 1997 Political Thriller, Richard Gere and Director Jon Avnet(Up Close and Personal/Fried Green Tomatoes)have made a film that brings to light the lack of freedoms given to defendants in the Chineese judicial system.A sytem where a defendant is guilty until proven innocent,where pleading guilty(even if innocent) may prove for a more lenient punishment then defending yourself.

In this gripping eye-opener Gere plays American lawyer Jack Moore trying to close a huge deal with the Chineese Film Ministry. While being wined and dined, he meets and spends the night with a beautiful woman. They drink, have fun, and make love. Moore is shocked to be awakened in the morning by the Police taking him into custody for the girl's violent murder.
He's got her blood all over him, fingerprints all around,and is in her bed. The case is pretty much sealed from that moment on.
To make matters worse, the woman is the daughter of a very important General.Was he framed for this horrific crime? If so, why?

Moore is pretty much left on his own. The American Embassy is no great help to him.(The point is made in the film that if this were a foreigner in our country, in the same situation, we would not want their government interfering either).Then he is assigned an advocate who he has never met, nor discussed the case with. Shen Yeulin(Ling Bai) as well as being young and beautiful, is an intellegent lawyer who knows the ropes of the Chineese legal system. She insists Moore plead guilty to possibly avoid execution. Moore insists that he is innocent, and as he points out the discrepencies of the case to her, she puts her reputation and career on the line and they work together to prove his innocence.

There are many gripping as well as poignant moments,in and out of the courtroom, in the film. Moore escapes at one point running across the rooftops heading for that beautiful American Flag at the Embassy. Shen Yeulin does some secretive investigating on her own, and gets roughed up for her efforts.And of course the beautiful friendship that develops between Moore and Shen Yeulin is heartwarming.

The story is enlightening and thought provoking as well as entertaining. It is beautifully filmed, with a beautiful score by Thomas Newman. Richard Gere makes good use of our own Freedom of Expression, to expose this form of government. He was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award from the Nat'l Board of Review for his efforts.
Ling Bai is stunning in her portrayal of the dissenting Chineese lawyer and reiceved the Best Breakthrough Award from the same board. The film also recieved an award for "Democracy" from the Political Film Society.

The transfer to DVD(MGM) is beautiful. This theatrically released widescreen edition takes in all the action and scenery.The picture is crisp and clear in all scenes, and the colors are vivid. The Sound is in 5.1 surround and the dialouge also clear. Extras include Audio commentary by Avnet which can be played during the film if you choose. There are some production notes, an original theatrical trailer and may be viewed in French.It also comes with a very informative booklet of a behind the scenes look.

If you already know you like this film, you should be happy with this DVD. If you havn't seen it, it's well worth the view.
Check it out.....Laurie ... Read more

Description

Dwayne and his sister are Vietnamese siblings who were adopted by an African-American couple. Now in their mid-20s, they both have chosen different paths, but when they learn that their biological mother is coming to Los Angeles, they eagerly await the reunion. This drama is both funny and moving in an emotionally rewarding journey through the tapestry of one group of immigrants searching for what it means to call themselves a family. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Well Worth the Time and Money
I watched this movie first on Blackstars Network, the title really caught my attention. It turned out to be the best movie about real family life that I have seen. I have recommended it to everyone I know and they all have agreed that it's a great movie. We don't get many independent movies here in this small southern city, so I had never even heard of the film. Thank you cable T.V.. I will continue to look for more movies from this very talented young man and all the cast members.

Doncha just love indie films?
If you don't, this film may change your mind. This movie was a breath of fresh air. The saying, "it's not where you're from it's where you're at" comes to mind when describing this movie. The movie is about two Vietnamese children who are adopted by a black couple. The movie does a wonderful job of showing how the family's present day interractions with each other came to be with a series of flashbacks, as well as the complexities of intteracial adoption. Humour is interwoven in good measure which really makes the movie very entertaining. This is definitely one for my collection.

Aside from some mild cursing, I would even say this is a good family movie (too complex for anyone under 13). All the actors/actresses in this movie should take a bow. Bravo!

Great Movie
Don't let independent movies turn you off. This one was great. It is funny and cute and the story is nice. I enjoyed everything. This is a must see.

pleasant surprise!
i was forced into watching this movie, which is usually not necessary for an asian-american movie. but since hollywood is still doing the asian woman-white man thing (think "Real World" San Diego, with the token asian woman), i thought this movie might not be worth the effort, and i was getting tired of the white guy diggin the asian girl thing.

to my surprise, it was written, directed, and produced by Wago!!! (from vanishing son, another favorite of mine because it actually has an asian-american man and a white woman in a more involved relationship than being just platonic.) the story is well-written and the timing of the comedic moments are precisely delivered. it's hard to believe this was a low-budget flick, especially with the excellent cast, good character development, and that damn funny music they play when something is about to get even funnier.

to my even greater surprise, he had a relationship with a black woman! i guess chi muoi lo writing this was the only way an asian-man would get anywhere close to first base on the big screen. and he honestly opened himself up to the stereotypes and insecurities his character might feel, even choosing the foxy, but-taller-than him, sanaa lathan as his girlfriend. it's hard not to like this movie, and it's harder to not watch it again.

this reminds me a little bit of that movie with dante basco and pam grier called "Faking The Funk", but manages to be more well-executed in it's more mature portrayal of stereotypes, and in being a more enjoyable story by far. watch this movie without expectations and it will deliver tenfold. the funniest thing i saw was how crystal-sparkly clean the windows and windshields were during the car sequences--i've never seen windows like that on cars from LA

A Little gem of a movie
I found this movie by way of "DVD Deals," and what a deal, you really get you money's worth. What a nice discovery, but sad that many people won't really know about this low budget movie. First of all, I found it amazing that quit a few, seasoned and famous actors participated in this low budget movie, like Paul Winfield (recently deceased at a young age of 62), Alice Walker and Sanaa Latham. This is one of the reasons why this movie suceeds because the actors are aptly able to convey a seemingly implausible storyline: A black couple adopts a Vietnamese brother and sister who are all grown-up and searching for their identities. The flash backs really works in explaining how these characters ended up with each other. It is a tender love story between uncondtional parents and their children whose commitment to what family really means endures even the most challenging hurdles. This comes in a form of a long lost Vietnamese mother and the uncertainties of falling in love. Sometimes this movie resolves in comic one liners that seemed out of place, but if you think about it, it is a bit of a relief from the seriousness of the moment. I like this movie a lot even though it has some awkward moments because it is very sincere in potraying its characters so keenly that even if it is not a perfect movie, you ended up caring about the characters. And don't forget the tisse paper. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first of 1997's volcano disaster movies (the second being Volcano) was arguably the better of the two, but both of them made for passable entertainment with some spectacular special effects to serve as icing on the stale cake. After all, Dante's Peak doesn't pretend to be anything more than an updated variation on a whole catalog of disaster movie clichés. Despite all that, it's reasonably enjoyable. It's an added bonus that the script is just smart enough to allow Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton to play their roles with straight faces, never condescending to the audience of the formulaic story. He's a volcano expert from the U.S. Geological Survey, and she's the mayor of a cozy Washington State town perched beneath a volcano that's about to blow. Telltale signs are everywhere, so evacuation must be carried out immediately. Of course, not everybody's eager to leave, and even some of Brosnan's colleagues think his alarm is premature. This sets the stage for massive ash clouds, rivers of raging mud and molten rock, flattened forests, and death-defying escapes by Brosnan, Hamilton, and some (but not all) of her family, friends, and townsfolk. So what if it's all pretty flaky... and can a four-wheel-drive vehicle travel over fire and molten lava without bursting its tires? Don't ask too many questions, and you'll find Dante's Peak to be (if you'll pardon the pun) a total blast. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (99)

An explosive treat!
Dante's Peak seems like the ideal place to live... the serenity of the mountainous landscape and the friendly atmosphere seems to wipe out the fact that the town is nestled at the base of a dormant volcano. However, when the U.S.G.S. begins to pick up signals from the volcano that indicate a possible eruption, they send Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) to investigate. While there, he befriends town mayor Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton) and informs her of the risks. When he begins to get the city council into an uproar, his advisor shows up to cool things down and wards off any ideas of an eruption. But the symptoms begin to grow, and soon, ash and rock are flying in the sky as the mountain explodes upon the small township. It's a race for survival for Dalton and Wando, as they must search for Wando's children and get them out before the impending final showdown with the volcano. Digital Domain's special effects contribute so much to the story, making it real and placing its characters in real peril. Suspense, action, romance and a terrific cast make this disaster movie a winner. The DTS version is remarkable, and it is recommended that this be the version you buy.

Fun and intense action!
Action, suspense, and intensity abide in the effects-driven disaster film "Dante's Peak," a movie that will leave you awestruck and numb. I was completely enamored by almost everything the movie had to offer, even if some of the scientific information was a bit far-fetched to make room for the plot's twists and turns. Actors bring life and a human factor to the movie, but the real action lies with the astounding special effects used to bring a volcanic eruption to vivid and detailed life.

When seismic readings and graphs point to some geologic activity going on around the small town of Dante's Peak, the United States Geological Survey sends volcanologist Harry Dalton to investigate the possibilities. His arrival brings a silent tension on the town, which becomes voiced when he, along with Mayor Rachel Wando, come across two badly scorched bodies in the local hot springs. Dalton believes that the volcano may be "waking up" from a dormant period, but his boss shows up to calm his theories and instill calm back into the town council. Of course, the movie points in all directions to the impending eruption, in subtle ways that the characters have no interaction with.

From here, the group of scientists begin taking samples, surveying the landscape as well as taking helicopter trips into the volcano to determine if the recorded activity is of any consequence for worry. Meanwhile, Harry and Rachel get close, and their delicate relationship is put in the balance when the warning signs become more fervent, forcing them to call an evacuation of the entire town.