Description

Bill and Stan are mistaken for murderers while on vacation. Bill's family sends his cousin, Vinny Gambini, to defend them in his first case as a lawyer. Vinny's girlfriend, Mona Lisa Vito, joins him to help win the case because of a promise he made to her that he would marry her when he won his first case. Marisa Tomei won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in this film. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

You Can Still Call Me Gambini...
My Cousin Vinny is one of the funniest flicks ever. Take Joe Pesci, the hilarious little Italian fella and put him with the beautiful Marisa Tomei, and you got a great combo and a laugh-riot movie. Pesci, is Vinny, Brooklyn-born lawyer, who ain't the perfect lawyer--but has a lot of heart. His wife-to-be, Mona Lisa Vito, helps out Vin when he's down... and they are both down--wayyyy down south in Alabama, defending his wrongfully accused murder suspect cousin (played by Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio in a great role), and his buddy. Italians and non-Italians will love this Pesci flick--it ranks right up there with GoodFellas & Casino anyday. Tomei won an Oscar, and why not, she's dead-on balls accurate as a New Yawker--and damn cute too! Great video. Buy it today, I guarentee you a thousand laughs.

South Brooklyn meets The South
Subtly employing the city mouse/country mouse theme, MY COUSIN VINNY is a light-hearted courtroom comedy. While it occasionally stoops to some stereotyping, the movie doesn't do so mean-spiritedly. In any event, both sides get equal skewering.

Vinny Gambini, brilliantly portrayed by Joe Pesci, is a Brooklyn boy who has finally passed the Bar (after repeated failures) and now finds himself defending his nephew and his nephew's friend against murder charges in the Bible Belt. Along with his too beautiful fiancee, played by Academy Award Winner Marissa Tomei, Pesci investigates the southern style of life, as he fathoms southern courtroom procedures and tries to get some sleep. The resulting clash of cultures is sometimes predictable, but honestly, is very inventive for the most part.

The comedy of the court room scenes is heightened by the late Fred Gwynne who plays the presiding judge. His by-the-book habits and short-fused temper are a perfect foil to Vinny's laconic style. It is their interaction that feeds most of the cultural clashing. But there is also a clash of the sexes that underlies the film, as Vinny stubbornly refuses the help of his fiancee. This confrontation is also highlighted in the courtroom when the DA refuses to believe that she could possibly be considered an expert in automechanics, even though her brothers, her father, her uncles, and just about everyone else in her family are expert mechanics. (The DA becomes convinced in a wonderful cross-interview scene.)

MY COUSIN VINNY was both critically well-received and a huge box-office success. There's a reason for that: it is a well-written, well-directed and perfectly acted comedy that stands up well even after repeated viewings. See it for yourself and you'll understand why, too.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)
In 1992, My Cousin Vinny was the one movie that made everybody laugh until their sides split. I've been watching the film ever since it was released and all I did was laugh my rear-end off. Twelve years have gone by since the film was released and I'm still laughing today. Any actor or actress can get a rise out of you if they knew the right way to do it, but nobody can get a rise of you the way Joe Pesci does in this film; nobody can do it they way Marisa Tomei does in this film.

When two college buddies by the names of Bill (played by Ralph Macchio) and Stan (Mitchell Whitford) are driving down the roads of Beecham County, Alabama, they are suddenly arrested for the murder of a grocery store clerk, but what the police of Alabama don't know is that Bill and Stan are completely innocent. Unable to afford a public attorney, Bill turns to his cousin, Vincent Gambini (played by Joe Pesci), an ex-auto-mechanic turned lawyer from Brooklyn, New York, who just past his bar exam after failing it the first five times and knows absolutely nothing about law. By his side is his beautiful fiancee, Lisa Vito (played by Marisa Tomei, in her Oscar-winning role), who is an out-of-work hairdresser that knows every damn thing there is to know about cars. The court is led by Judge Chamberlain Haller (played by the late Fred Gwyne), who has absolutely no patience for any kind of misbehavior in his courtroom. Seems as though Vinny has now finally realized his no longer in New York and is now in a state where no one gets away with any kind of behavior or crime and has finally met his match. Can Vinny pull his cousin out of this mess without screwing up the case? Watch My Cousin Vinny as he desperately tries to save his little cousin while he gives you non-stop laughter along the way.

Northern Lawyer meets Southern Justice - unexpected results!
Joe Pesci and Marisa Tormei are both an absolute scream in this movie. The sparks fly between Pesci and girlfriend Tormei, as well as between Pesci and Fred Gwynne's Chamberlain Holler, an Alabama Judge. I had dreaded seeing it - the television ads almost made me cringe as I anticipated a film which would bash southern rednecks. What I had NOT anticipated was that a story could be told about a couple of New Yorkers falsely charged and locked up in an Alabama jail that could be resolved in a way that justice could be served and the southerners would be portrayed in a way that was not at all stereotypical. I can think of no other plot that has as one of its essential elements a comparison of the amount of time required to properly cook grits. "No self-respecting southerner would make instant grits" a character proclaims from the witness stand during the trial that is the centerpiece of this witty screenplay, and the other southerners in the film's jury nod their heads in understanding. Fred Gwynne is light-years away from Herman Munster as the wise southern judge who is out for justice, but not to be trifled with. Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield have little to do other than look worried that Ralph's Cousin Vinny isn't going to come through and save the day. At less than 10 bucks, I'd buy this DVD if only to watch Tormei's hilarious response when Pesci tells her that he has been invited to go deer hunting with the Lane Smith's District Attorney.

Mike Hint
i think that this movie was one of the best movies i have ever seen. Joe Pesci was the right person for this movie he played a great and convincing roll. I like the way that the writer of the movie made Joe Pesci not know what he is doing so he had to learn so his cousin didnt go to jail. I loved the twists and turns that made you think. All in all this was a great movie and i would reccomend you to see this. ... 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 (79)

Thin plot as an excuse for the best soundtrack I've heard
As a cinematic work, Crossroads is nothing special. Except for Joe Seneca who was great as the aging blues-legend on the run from the devil, the acting is awful. Ralph Macchio is decent, except that he's doing the EXACT same character he did in Karate Kid. The love interest between Eugene and Frances is silly, shallow and simply doesn't work. The screenplay, above all, is terrible. The directing and photography are good, which makes the film at least bearable.

But the film is just an excuse for one of the most amazing soundtracks I've ever heard. Classical guitar, Robert Johnson classic blues, Muddy Waters electric blues and hard blues rock run throughout this film wonderfuly; for bluesmen and guitar lovers, Crossroads is a must. The ending with Steve Vai, above all, is one of the greatest scenes I've seen and makes the whole movie worthwile - and both Vai and 'Eugene' play a KILLER guitar (I think Stevie Ray Vaughan plays Eugene's part). Overall, a very mediocre movie and for many probably boring, but a cult classic and a musical masterpiece.

What a Great Idea For a Film!
...even though it's far from a perfect movie. So why the 5 stars? Because it's so unique, so bold, so unconventional, and so ultimately pleasing. Crossroads is a fun fairy tale that uses an accurate history lesson as its back drop. (i.e., the kind of fim the just don't make anymore.) Not to mention it has some of the best music you'll hear in a movie. And if you're a musician, and especially a guitar player, it's simply a MUST! The plot and performances have already been reviewed but I'd like to add that Macchios "less than confident" portrayal fits perfectly with the character. The biggest flaw is the horrible miscasting of Steve Vai as the resident hot shot blues man. Vai is in no way or form a blues guitarist and would never be accepted as such, and his poser/over the top performance at the end ruins an otherwise classic film moment. I always felt that Johnny Winter would have been the perfect choice for that role and they should have left Steve to do the soundtrack for the electric classical guitar pieces. The bit with the "selling the soul to the devil" was a little forced as well. All in all, Crossroads is is an uneven masterpiece. Try to overlook the bad, appreciate the good and thank all concerned for at least attempting to bring the beauty of some wonderful music to the publics conciousness. Not to mention you'll thoroughly enjoy watching it. This is one of very few films I actually hated to see end.

Just a few corrections.....
Just a couple corrections. Eugene's guitar parts were played by Ry Cooder and Steve Vai. Ry handled all of the delta blues parts, with Vai contributing Eugene's Trick Bag at the end of the film. Arlen Roth was Ralph Macchio's guitar coach.

the best music film ever
this is the most inspiring film ever made it just makes you want to pick up the guitar and play exept you dont wont to miss the film the duel at the end is the best ive ever seen it tells you the story of the misissipi delta blues and the missing song someone said to me that joe satriani played the parts that eugine did but write back and say if he did the film really opened my eyes to steve vai and recently i went to see g3 live i reccamend that as well

Wonderful!
This movie was so great i give it 5 stars! It's a well done and well written movie. I would recommend it to anyone! I saw this with my dad, and we're big movie buffs and this is both our favorite! Ralph Macchio was really good, he couldn't have done ant better! I love this movie and would reccomend this! ... Read more

Amazon.com

John G. Avildsen not only directed Rocky, he tried remaking it over the years in a dozen different ways. One of them was this popular 1984 drama about a new kid (Ralph Macchio) in town targeted by karate-wielding bullies until he gets a new mentor: the handyman (Pat Morita) from his apartment building, who teaches him self-confidence and fighting skills. The screen partnership of Macchio's motor-mouth character and Morita's reserved father figure works well, and the script allows for the younger man to develop sympathy for the painful memories of his teacher. But the film's real engine, as with Rocky, is the fighting, and there's plenty of that. Elisabeth Shue is on board as the girl the klutzy Macchio dreams of winning.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (97)

The underdog who eventually will triumph
Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) , has just moved with his mom from New Jersey to California, and has trouble fitting in. He is being mercilessly victimized by the local gang of Karate champs-the all blonde Germanic looking Cobra Kais, while he romances bubbly blond Ali Mills (Elizabeth Shue) who happens to be the ex-girlfriend of cobra lead-boy Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka).
He is rescued from the Cobras by the caretaker of his block of flats, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) who just happens to be a karate expert. After Mr. Miyagi enters Danny in the local Karate championship where he will be pitted against Johnny and the Cobras who are trained to be ruthless by their psycopathic trainer John Creese (Martin Kove), it is all about Danny's training to win the tournament, and to win the girl-Ali.

Beautifully done , I loved the 80's atmosphere and the 80's music. I first saw it when I was 12 , and watching it again recently brought all the memories flooding back!

The Karate Kid : An 80's Classic.....
***** - FIVE STARS
===================

I was only 13 when this came out in the early 80's, and I still love it today, 20 years later. This movie is so cool, and so heartwarming, you'll need a box of kleenex when it's all over....

What a great story this movie was!!! It still gives me chills when I watch it, this was so much more than just your ordinary feel good movie too. You'll leave feeling so happy, and so touched, I'm positive this will be an experience you'll never forget...

"If do correctly, no can defend"....

GREAT GREAT MOVIE!!!!

You're the best around !
The Karate Kid is a classic directed by John G. Avildsen (Rocky), and starring Ralph Macchio (The Outsiders, My Cousin Vinny) as Daniel, and Noriyuki Pat Morita (Happy Days TV series) as the memorable Mr. Miyagi.

The movie was released the same year Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop and The Terminator became blockbusters, and it was one of the top films of that year.

The story is about a teen, Daniel La Russo, who has just moved in to California with his mother. We get to experience the struggles he has to go through while trying to adapt to the new home and school. Of course, things go bad for Daniel. He gets bullyed by a group of karate champs and he just so happens to be romancing the ex of the leader of this gang, Ali (with an I) played by Elizabeth Shue. After several beatings, he is finally rescued by the quiet and mysterious maintenence man, Mr Miyagi who ends up teaching him self defense in the most awkward but profound way. The movie focuses on the close friendship that bonds between Daniel and Mr Miyagi and how Daniel learns to balance his life amidst such rough situations.

The ending where Daniel goes the distance against the leader of his bullies, Johnny, played by William Zabka, who happens to be the 3 time champion of the All Valley under 18 Karate Tournament, and wins is quite breathtaking.

Morita earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor that year for his mesmerizing performance as Mr Miyagi, but he lost. In my opinion, he deserved that award. It's also my opinion that The Karate Kid is one of the best films I have ever seen.

Recommended

A

Predictable, corny...but works like gangbusters
This movie was precisely targeted at teenagers, and not surprisingly, I liked it when I was a teenager. However, I recently watched it again when it played on a cable channel, and I was surprised at how much I still liked it. It doesn't even look all that dated, which is unusual for a "teen" movie released in the early-to-mid-80s.

Ralph Macchio, who was about 23 but looked 14 when the movie was filmed, is appealing and likable as Daniel LaRusso. Daniel's mother has recently transplanted them both from New Jersey, where he fit in, to Southern California, where he doesn't. Not surprisingly, he quickly runs afoul of the local bullies (a very Aryan-looking group), and matters aren't helped by his interest in pretty Ali (Elisabeth Shue), erstwhile girlfriend of Johnny (William Zabka), the leader of the pack. Johnny and his friends are formidable not least because they know karate, having been taught it by the sadistic Kreese (Martin Kove, looking suitably evil).

The center of the movie is Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita, who got a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, becoming the first Asian-American to do so), a diminutive, enigmatic figure who becomes Daniel's unlikely friend and ally. He saves Daniel from being beaten nearly to death by Johnny, which is when we learn that Miyagi is a karate master. Naturally, Daniel decides to enlist Miyagi as his teacher so he can fight back. Miyagi then takes Daniel down to Kreese's studio to ask that Kreese and his students leave Daniel alone. Kreese challenges him to a showdown, and Miyagi blithely picks the turf: the upcoming karate championship.

Miyagi's training at first seems as if it has nothing to do with karate -- he has Daniel wash his cars, sand his deck, paint his fence, then paint his house, only he has him use very specific movements with each task. Daniel finally gets fed up and yells that Miyagi hasn't trained him, just used him as his slave. Then Miyagi demostrates how each specific movement is in fact a karate defense.

The outcome of the movie is easy to guess. Of course Daniel will win the championship (even though Kreese has his students fight dirty), and of course Daniel will get the girl. But the cast and the story are so appealing that it's easy to overlook the movie's predictability. Though Ali doesn't have a whole lot to do, Shue somehow manages to raise her above the usual "love interest" role. Ali is rich but has no use for her parents' snobbery, nor does she have any patience with Johnny's periodic crude attempts to get her back, or Daniel's occasional insensitivity and thickheadedness. Morita brings the expected Yoda-like wisdom, and playfulness, to his role, but he also has great dignity even in scenes that could have been just plain embarrassing, like when Miyagi gets drunk on what would've been his anniversary (his wife died in childbirth, and the baby died with her). Even Zabka does a good job playing a guy who at first seems like a stereotypical tough. Just before the final showdown with Daniel at the karate championship, Johnny realizes what a monster Kreese truly is; perhaps that is why he himself presents Daniel with the trophy after Daniel wins.

"The Karate Kid" spawned three highly unnecessary sequels, which cheapened this otherwise sweet, enjoyable movie. Take my advice: skip the sequels and stick with the original.

A BONAFIDE CLASSIC THAT SPAWNED MANY INFERIOR IMITATIONS
A YOUNG BULLIED TEENAGER [RALPH MACCHIO] GETS TAUGHT MARTIAL ARTS BY A JAPANESE HANDYMAN NAMED MR. MIYAGI [PAT MORITA, IN HIS MOST FAMOUS ROLE]. JUST LIKE ''ROCKY'', WHICH WAS RELEASED YEARS BEFORE, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE UNDERDOG MOVIE. JOHN G. AVILDSEN, THE DIRECTOR OF ''ROCKY'' AND ''ROCKY V'', BRINGS US A VERY WELL ACTED AND VERY ENTERTAINING MOVIE THAT HAS BEEN RIPPED OFF COUNTLESS TIMES. IF YOU LIKE UNDERDOG MOVIES, THIS IS DEFINITELY THE ONE [AND CHECK OUT ''ROCKY''] TO GET! FOLLOWED BY THREE SEQUELS, THE THIRD IS KNOWN AS ''THE NEXT KARATE KID''. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A Very Solid Sequel!!
The Karate Kid Part II is a great movie. In my opinion, it isn't as great as the first one, but it has a wonderful element in it that makes it a great movie. There is some incredible drama in this movie.

The movie takes Mr. Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso to Okinawa where Mr. Miyagi faces three challenges: The death of his father, Falling in love with his old sweetheart, and Sato, his old friend who has vowed revenge on Miyagi.

I think some of the greatest drama I've seen takes place in this movie. In the first movie Daniel turns to Miyagi for help in everything, but in this movie there is a scene right after Miyagi's father dies where Daniel is comforting Miyagi explaining what he went through when his father died. I think that is wonderful drama.

If you liked the first Karate Kid, then I would say that you will like the second one also. It has a similar feel only with a totally different setting. Still very good.

A good sequel to one of the best movies
Karate Kid II somewhat completes the first. It completes the first by showing us a little more of Mr. Miyagi life, his origins and his land, and also giving us a closer look at the origins of Karate. The film has a very good atmosphere, and a somewhat more oriental aspect than the first (no wonder, it happens in Okinawa). If you like martial arts, especially Karate, and want to see some great scenes of Okinawa (where it all began), watch this movie. The final fighting scene is very good, and this time Daniel fights for his life, not for points, this time he learns that this form of art was created for self-defence, not for winning a tournament. A great film if you want to explore more of Karate and Japanese tradition. I wonder if Macchio already practiced Karate. He seems to be right in every detail about it, and also isn't Miyagi the name of one of the founders of Goju-Ryu style Karate? A great film, you'll love it, especially the second time you watch it.

Karate Kidding!
My boyfriend and I went to see this movie and were throughly tickled by it and throughout it! Actually he was the one who did most of the tickeling...I did the LOUD and high pitched giggling! Ralph Macchio is an absolute dream! He proves that SIZE DOESN'T MATTER in this film! He also is taught valuable lessons as to where to firmly touch his opponent in the times if someone is cumming onto you! He learn that the crotch is a man's most vulernable place and that often times if you want to reach him there you'll need to be on your knees! Most people would categorize this as a "chicks flick" not me...I'm going to say it's a "Dick's Flick!" because of how much I enjoyed watching it with my boyfriend! We give it 2 hard, fleshy pointers UP!!

i found better than part one
I felt Avildsen's followup to The Karate Kid was slightly better than his initial film. The story was much fuller and the fight scene was better. The characters were more developed and the karate was better choreographed. Unlike the flop of a third film, the second is really good.

daniel-san gets all the girls.......
this time mr. miyagi catches the fly.... ... Read more

Reviews (90)

This is an excellent film!
This is an excellent film. I think this has an excellent plot. In John G. Avildsen's The Karate Kid Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to Southern California, where he's not too keen about his new home until he meets Ali and attractive girl who seems to like him. But trouble looms when Ali's ex-boyfriend and his gang of ruffians start tormenting Daniel. One day, as Daniel is suffering a beating at the hands of these louts, Mr. Miyagi an elderly Japanese handyman, comes to his rescue. To Daniel's amazement, Miyagi manages to take down the whole group by himself using karate. Daniel begs to learn this ancient martial art, and soon Miyagi begins the boy's training, teaching Daniel that there is more to karate than fighting. Through a series of lessons, the wise mentor instills a sense of honor and nobilty in his young pupil while preparing him for the ultimate karate showdown. However, as Daniel studies the discipline and art of karate, his enemies are learning a dirtier kind of fighting from Kreese a cold-blooded ex-marine. Ultimately, the boys will fight to the finish in the All Valley Karate Championship in a rousing and triumphant finale. Morita is a gem, as the elderly father figure Miyagi, giving the character warthm, wisdom, and comic charm. macchio's underdog character inspired an entire generation to run out and join the nearest karate school while chanting "wax on, wax off".

An inspirational movie
This is a really great movie about a boy named Daniel who moves from Newark, New Jersey, to a much different atmosphere in Southern California which he didn't like.Thing only got worse when a group of bullies,called the cobra kais, well trained in karate decided to pick on Daniel because he liked the cobra kai leader Johnny Lawrence's(William Zabka)girlfriend.He meets Mr. Miyagi(Pat Morita)who teaches him karate and gets him signed up in a karate tournament.After becoming Ali's(Elizabeth Shue's charcter)boyfriend he fights just about all of the cobra kais until there sensei persuaded Bobby(who was actually a kind hearted character)to take Daniel out of commission.Daniel looked to be done for after he was kicked in the leg by Bobby but Mr. Miyagi did a technique on him so he was able to fight in the final against Johnny.He defeats Johnny in a very inspirational way with the crane technique and wins the title.

This is one of my top ten favorite movies of all time.It shows that if you have a big heart and keep trying you will win in the end.Pat Morita gives one of the best performances ever,Ralph Macchio does a great job as Daniel,Elizabeth Shue does a good job,and i think that William Zabka was an excellent villain. Along with one of the best soundtracks of all time this movie is a must see.I recommend it to everyone.

good movie
This 1984, 'modern classic' by director John G. Avildsen ("Lean On Me"; "8 Seconds") is a solid movie--very entertaining. I'll admit there is nothing truly spectactular about it. Robert Kamen's ("The Fifth Element") writing is good, but nothing truly great. Macchio and Morita put in solid performances. The karate is only mediocre, but the principles aren't exactly martial arts experts. Still, it is one of those films I fondly remember as a child, and one I can still go back to all these years later. It holds up over time.

"Wax On, Wax Off, Sand the floor, Paint the house."
This is one of the best teenage movies in 80s. It has lots of good elements, like romance, school problems, great music, fighting combats, and the zen of karate. This is a unique martial arts movie. Most of them focus on fighting combat scenes; however, Karate Kid instead focuses on the mental side: Wax On, Wax Off, Sand the floor, Paint the house, etc. Those are as a matter of fact the defensive techniques for learning blocking. You can see the director carefully sets up two traditional styles of karate: Hard and Soft. Obviously, the Cobra sensai & his students are from hard style, very aggressive & no mercy. In contrast, Miyagi & Daniel are from soft style, focusing on defensive technique and mental training. They meet together finally in a tournament.

For this DVD, it lacks of some extra freebies. Only subtitles and theatrical trailer are included. No deleted scenes, no directory's commentaries, and no documentaries. I'm sure lots of people will appreciate if there's a DVD box set for the entire Karate Kid series with some good extra features.

The 80's are back!
"Wax on, wax off" is a catchphrase that will forever be instilled in the human psyche, thanks to the eighties release, The Karate Kid.

Now, as you cringe at the images racing through your head of disco balls, pastels, hair spray and corny one-liners and you decide to bury yourself in a deep hole and hide, dust off the cob webs because no matter how many times you've see it, this is one eighties flick you can't help but love.

Now available on DVD as an Ultimate Collectors Pack, we can relive this inspirational story of courage and friendship.

While teens of today may call this a retro disaster, and use the video cover as a coaster during a drinking fest at one of their underage parties, there's no denying the saying, "an oldie but a goodie" loudly rings true.

Moving to a new home and starting over is never easy. Just ask Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio). Leaving Newark for LA, Daniel's the new kid and he thinks the whole world is coming down on him.

It's all doom and gloom until like any other 16 year old teenager with rushing hormones, meets a beautiful blonde, Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue).

However, Ali brings baggage to the picture, a wild ex boyfriend Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) who also happens to be the leader of the Cobras, a ruthless youth karate gang.

Subject to constant bullying by the cobras, Daniel turns to an unlikely source for help, Japanese war veteran turned apartment block handyman Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita).

Mr. Miyagi, who has been taught karate by his father becomes the helpless teens mentor and teaches him the craft, not as an offensive tool, rather only as a means of self-defence.

After months of unconventional training such as washing cars, sanding decks and painting fences and houses, Daniel's prepped for his toughest battle, a fight against Johnny in the thrilling conclusion. Will good prevail over evil?

It's the finale that's most exciting. My finger is always drawn to the rewind button, where I can't help but recap those final gripping moments again and again.

The youth of today's movie going generation will have a field day laughing at the funky eighties pop music, the tightly worn jeans, and (I must admit) the outrageous hair styles. Despite this, 20 years later, a lot can still be learnt as its messages transcend across the boarder of time.

An everlasting masterpiece the whole family will enjoy, John G. Avildsen's The Karate Kid, the original of the trilogy, is undoubtedly the standout.

Though a little hackneyed and slightly predictable at times, it's the relationship between Macchio's and Morita's finely tuned characters that still make this a heartfelt film, two decades after its cinema release.

It's a shame Ralph Macchio can't brush off that teen type cast. Struggling to get adult roles because of his boy like features is unfortunate as his acting ability is second to none.

It sadly seems he'll forever be remembered as 'The Karate Kid'. A great performance is somewhat to his detriment. Still, only one word can describe this movie, unforgettable...that's for sure!

Dim the lights, heat up the popcorn and enjoy this timeless classic. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Mike Barnes is Karate's Bad Boy!!!
Though he is in soap operas now, this film displays Mike's young days as a brash, fighting machine. He uses "quicksilver" to destroy his opponents, and Daniel-San gets a taste of this ferocity as he wets his pants when he is flung from the Cobra Kai dojo.

Many feel that the real winner in the tournament was Mike Barnes, and I am among them. Perhaps the most tainted victory
in the history of the "Under 18 All Valley Tournament," Daniel wins in distasteful fashion. You be the judge. The downside of the tournament is that Cho-sen, Johnny and Bobby did not compete. But this is negated by the return of Sensei John Kreese and the sensational debut of Terry Silver.

This is the premier movie in the series. A mix of existentialism (another reviewer noted how it was reminiscient of Kafka) and homosexuality, this film is a profound, influential work of our times; indeed, as Daniel-San states, "this is the 80's, you can't be so damn passive!"
Ultimately, the movie is about freedom, human anguish, and bravery. As Camus wrote about the war in Paris (which is the only thing that barely comes close to the intense fighting in this film):

This huge [Daniel Larusso], all black and warm in the summer night, with a storm of [Mexicans] overhead and a storm of [Cobra Kais]in the streets, seems to us more brightly lighted than the City of Light the whole world used to envy us. It is bursting with all the fires of hope and suffering,it has the flame of lucid courage and all the glow, not only of liberation, but of tomorrow's liberty.

Even on DVD, Mike Barnes is Karate's Bad Boy
Though he is in soap operas now, this film displays Mike's young days as a brash, fighting machine. He uses "quicksilver" to destroy his opponents, and Daniel-San gets a taste of this ferocity as he wets his pants when he is flung from the Cobra Kai dojo.

Many feel that the real winner in the tournament was Mike Barnes, and I am among them. Perhaps the most tainted victory
in the history of the "Under 18 All Valley Tournament," Daniel wins in distasteful fashion. You be the judge. The downside of the tournament is that Cho-sen, Johnny and Bobby did not compete. But this is negated by the return of Sensei John Kreese and the sensational debut of Terry Silver.

This is the premier movie in the series. A mix of existentialism (another reviewer noted how it was reminiscient of Kafka) and homosexuality, this film is a profound, influential work of our times; indeed, as Daniel-San states, "this is the 80's, you can't be so damn passive!"
Ultimately, the movie is about freedom, human anguish, and bravery. As Camus wrote about the war in Paris (which is the only thing that barely comes close to the intense fighting in this film):

This huge [Daniel Larusso], all black and warm in the summer night, with a storm of [Mexicans] overhead and a storm of [Cobra Kais]in the streets, seems to us more brightly lighted than the City of Light the whole world used to envy us. It is bursting with all the fires of hope and suffering,it has the flame of lucid courage and all the glow, not only of liberation, but of tomorrow's liberty.

Utterly disgraceful
The original Karate Kid is a masterpiece; a cinematic work of art jam-packed with universal moral lessons, outstanding acting, and jaw-dropping cinematography.

The sequel, while not nearly as original as the first, maintains the intense charm, beautiful imagery, philosophical depth, and heart warming music made famous by the first.

Then theres part III...

I am at a loss for words in attempting to accurately describe the horror that is this movie. The acting is atrocious. The plot is paper thin. The "philosophy", if it can be called that, is total re-hash. The reccuring theme of Daniel having a "secret move" with which he is able to thrash the last boss (sound like any videogames you know of??)is intriguing in the first film, acceptable in the second, and totally inexcuseable in the third. What's worse, the secret move is a kata (Cringe..). I'm not sure how many reading this have ever formally practiced a martial art, but for those of you who have not, katas are not magical spells which confound enemies leaving them bewildered and vunerable to being tossed. Remember that if you are ever mugged.

What else is wrong with this movie, lets see...Well, Daniel talks to bonsai trees. Sure, some people enjoy talking to plants, some even says it helps with their growth. Such "plant-talkers" also may be found watering their living-room carpet or baking the cat for 3 hours at 350 degrees. All perfectly healthy behavior, yes, but a bit out of place in a karate kid movie.

I could go on about the absurdities scattered about this waste of a film: the karate instructors with personality disorders obsessed with Daniel, who spend the majority of their days threatening Daniel's life (which strangely enough is a crime in some states), the fact that Daniel's beloved mentor and father figure, who has saved his lfe, built him a very nifty shower curtain halloween costume, taught him self-confidence, self-defense, tolerence and discipline, given him a beautifully restored classic car, taken him to Okinawa, and remained one of the only positive influences in his life since his move from New Jersey to California...is abandoned and shunned for Daniel's pride.

But then I would be typing all day.

This film is an insult to the first two films. Literally, an insult. It is an insult to me, personally, and to everyone who knows and loves the characters of Daniel and Miyagi. It was most likely made in the spirit of Rocky V; a last ditch attempt by hollywood high-ups to squeeze the last drops of money-making potential out of a series that had already peaked, done at the expense of the series' reputation for quality. Shame on you, karate kid 3, shame!
(The one star rating is based on the fact that it does contain SOME nice scenic shots and DESCENT music. Other than those two barely redeeming features, the movie is a waste of space. It is unnerving to even imagine that such a piece of complete trash could be released by a major hollywood studio. This may sound harsh, but if you havent seen it, judge for yourself. Rent it. If nothing else it is a great "invite your friends over and die laughing at the horrible images on the tv screen" movie.)

truly outstanding third installment of the series
a lot of hate with this one, some of it justified, but who cares! this is simply one awesome movie, and it's a MOVIE. that means it doesn't have to be 100% accurate all the time!

Sensei Kresse wants to avenge his humiliation at the end of Part 2, by teaming up with his vietnam partner Terry Silver, what an evil duo! and then, they recruit Mike Barnes, Snake, and Dennis to cause havoc on Daniel and Mr Miyagi, but no way! in the end, against all odds, Daniel and Mr Miyagi overthrow the evil and win. ahh i still remember when i saw this movie in the theatre, and the scene in the dojo where Barnes is beating Daniel into a pulp in front of Kresse and Silver, ('You want to see more?'asks Silver - 'I want to see a LOT more!' shouts Kresse) - but then when Mr Miyagi throws Barnes through the dojo doors to help his student, the entire theatre hall exploded into cheers and screams! that is the power of this movie. tremendous performances from everybody involved, i really can't fault it one bit. A must buy.

THOMAS IAN GRIFFITH STEALS THE SHOW AGAIN
Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Hollywood favourite Thomas Ian Griffith deliver the finest performances of their lives in this powerful new chapter of the Karate Kid series. Griffith in particular steals the show as Cobra Kai Sensei John Kreese's war buddy Terry Silver. Silver helps Kreese get revenge on Daniel and Miyagi after Kreese's student's defeat at the Under 18 All-Valley Karate Tournament shatters his reputation as a karate man and costs him all his students, sending the Cobra Kai dojo into bankruptcy. Griffith's portrayal of Silver (the chloride sludge-dumping, grand jury-bribing, evil sadistic millionaire CEO vietnam veteran karate master) gives a new meaning to the word villain. Using "Karate's Bad Boy" Mike Barnes as his pawn, Silver devotes several weeks of his adult life to the defeat and humiliation of a teenage karate champ and an old Japanese man. With some of the best karate ever seen on film, a fitter-than-ever Ralph Macchio and an ending you will never predict, KKIII has it all. Buying this movie is a "strong move". ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Very Good for Kids!
This movie is very entertaining, my dear son loves it. The 1st movie is a classic, but this one does its job entertaining nad a good story.

An Okey sequel
This the squel to the Original secret of Nim. Timmy goes of to forn valley to fullfil hte prosey fortold by Nicodemus before his unfortunate death. Timmy must journey to the lab where the doctor that experiment on the rats is perform mad experiments.

Part of this reminds of redwall. There is a battle near the end against Timmoy and his brother Martin who has gone mad due to experience due to be alter after he was captured by the scientist.

He plans to conquer thorn Valley but timmoy stops him returns him to good. Some cheesy parts it is a musical. That there is a cheesy scence where Jermy pretends to be the great owl. Cons the wodland creatures of there of golden coins.

Some new characters are sela a capterilar and a real pretty female.

Recomend for children 5 and older. Not as intense as the original but still has some scary part. Like at the end when Nimth catch on fire and two cats chase timmoy.

Unfortunatley Jon Debluso who played the voice of the crow Jermy in this a and the original died shorrtly after the Second secret of Nimh was complete.

Timmy is the main character and you barley see his mother in this one. Pluse some of the characters have changed. Brutus the rat in the first one who almost squabobds Miss Frissby is a softy in this one. Justin and Mr.Ages return. I find the song good. I rented this a couple of years ago from blockbuster.

I plan on Buy this and the original after I move out of my house. For my sister are very picky about what I watch. Okey would have been better if It had been more intense like the first one. This was the last movie made in the series. All the people who reviewed it but gave it only star. I think some of these people are to picky. Coome on Eight Leged Freaks was on of the best monster movies I have ever seen the stink critic only gave it 2.

My advice people ligten up there has never been a movie bad enough to be only one star. Except for made Red zone Cuba and the Original Little shop of Horrors.

This degrades the name Secret of nimh
words cannot describe how much i loathe this film. its a major dissapointment compared to the first one.
i really think the writers of this thought the origianl was 'too dark and scary' for the kids today. excuse me! how old were
biggest part of you Nimh 1 lovers when you first watched the first film, i was atleast 5!
the characters break out into song every 5 minutes into the film *hiss*
this is not a sequal, its more of a 'what if' story.
the rats are stealing! the reason they went to thorn valley was so they could stop that. evil martins song was majorly dissapointing, when i first watched it and realised martin was the baddy not to mention there was song's in it, i was thinking 'ho maybe it wont be all that bad, the villains songs are mostly really great' i certainly got that wrong, it is so pathetic compared to Rasputins song from Anastasia, now i know theres some out there that may dislike that (i dunno how Don Bluth was part of that creation too). but that is one of my favourite songs.
okay sorry but people who think the first one was boring because timothy was sick well 'oh dear what a crying shame, its the end of the world' sure but he was suffering from a real illness but as it was said in the film you can die from it. Jim henson died from it for crying out loud. BUT sickness can be treated and can be recovered from. experimentation is worse. if they were abit more realistic martin could have ended up with an ear on his back, i had that idea and would have loved to see that. XD. and that really happened to a real mouse, so nobody moan at me for saying thats not real.

anyway i was so very dissapointed in this film as you can obviously tell. so.. im going to work on my own sequal.

hey any of you nimh 2 haters contact me, i'd like to converse with fellow dislikers.

Pure-D Crap
The first movie was my favorite as a child. When I saw this sequel, I wanted to throw a shoe at through the television. Whoever decided to make this movie must have never saw the original. Simply terrible.

Horrible!
I'll get strait to the point. This is one of the worst movies I have EVER seen. The plot is stupid, the charactors are annoying, the animation is WAY too cartoon-ish unlike the classic original's great animation, and the songs can cause you're ears to bleed. Don't buy this movie, or rent it. Buy the classic original Secret of NIMH instead. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Naked in New York
Oh dear, it's one of those films where the stars wish they hadn't made! Eric Stoltz does give an excellent performance and the plot i suppose is pretty good, but it's one of those classic 'it never gets started films' and when it tries to it falls into all your typical cliches!
Tim Dalton...why? I mean I think the guy is a superb actor but, what are you doing man? What was the point in his role? Why did he decide to do it and...Oh I think I have given up asking this now!! Come Back James Bond all is forgiven!

... the playwright
This is a descendant of the 1980's teen pic crossed with 1990's grunge directed by Daniel Algrant, with Eric Stoltz having left his girlfriend Mary-Louise Parker and while driving, reminisces, narrating to the camera. There are flashbacks to his childhood, his relationship, and the production of an autobiographical off-Broadway play "Master of my Emotions" (with such a title you know it's bound to flop, unless it is meant as an indication of the self-indulgence of some off-Broadway productions). Only the latter subplot brings this film some degree of interest since as characters Stoltz and Parker are dull, limp, dull. This performance makes you long for Peter Bogdanovich's Mask cos at least in that film Stoltz' makeup gave him something, and Parker appears to be doing Diane Keaton's Annie Hall schtick, using big eyes and odd hand movements. As Stoltz' mother, Jill Clayburgh is keen but given nothing to do except wear a lot of jewellry for eccentricity - get it? In the off-Broadway scenes we get a series of cameos. It's great to see Tony Curtis as the show's producer and his boxer intonation, cheeky smile and silver hair is a delight. Kathleen Turner as the play's lead actor brings some energy, and she carries a drag queen air. Algrant uses her movie-star glamour and pug-ugly face for comic effect. As Stoltz' friend, Ralph Macchio is a true surprise after those terrible Karate Kid titles. His violent reaction to news of his being fired suggests what Macchio might have brought to the Stoltz role, and his scenes with Stoltz carry real sexual tension. Timothy Dalton has a few scenes as a wolf and his snake eyes and dark features hint at a masculinity that his efforts as James Bond lack. Agrant tries for amiability by populating the soundtrack with groovy music and his sensibility includes fantasy and dream, a talking orangutang, stone faces come to life with the help of Whoopi Goldberg, a mariachi band, blackouts, squirrels and a nut factory, an amusing lazy-Susan editing technique, and parties attended by New York literati, including the ubiquitous Quentin Crisp.

great indie film
This is a great film to watch if you're into 'reality' films. The script has a very real feel to it, in the sense that its goal isn't to solve problems or to give everyone a warm fuzzy feeling. Its goal is to show you 'yeah, no one has it all together (although some have it together better than others).

The actors do a great job with the matierial, and the script is well written. I warn in advance that this is a film without a traditional 'plot', so if you don't like films where there's more talking than anything else, you may not like this film.

If you're patient with films, and aren't looking to be entertained, give Naked in New York a try.

Funny, honest, appealing
This movie depicted exactly the feeling you get at that weird moment ( whgich comes all too often) in your life when things aren't working just right and you can't figure out why. It depicts breaking up with that first love of your life with honesty, and an appealing self-depricating wit. I'd reccomend it highly to anyone who wants to see something a bit off beat and intelligent.

Mildly funny. Majorly confusing.
More than halfway through this movie I was still trying to figure out what the director was trying to say through his confused and strangely motivated characters. There are some funny moments, but these are buried among too many scenes that don't quite fit and odd exchanges between characters I couldn't bring myself to care about. ... Read more

Description

A troubled Vietnam veteran goes into self-exile shortly after the war, leaving his wife and young son to wonder if he will ever return.After 10 years of living in Washington's rainforest, he comes back and tries to salvage his relationship with his son. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Viewer
I strongly disagree with the common perception of people's opinion with this film. To me, this about a psychological side to the "Rambos," and other one man army type soldiers of war. It shows how deeply troubled they are with the world, and other dilemmas that have occurred with their private lives. I think this story is more of a tale between a son with a father who is mentally ill. I think the Vietnam War is just a story that occurred and had a part of the drama. It's something that just makes this man more interesting in his character. The fact that he was a former Navy Seal unfortunately makes him much more dangerous to the rest of society

I think people dislike films like this the most because they feel uncomfortable being in the face of mental illness. I assume it's much more comfortable for them to turn their back.

Lithgow is great the film... is not
John Lithgow gives a good performance in this highly rehashed film. It is not new or refreshing.. it is a typical 'nam movie. If you are a die hard Lithgow fan I would suggest watching some third rock from the sun re runs no one should be subjected to this schlock/ ... Read more